《A Second Chance at Forever》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Bernard Laurence returned to the country, and as his secret lover, Eleanor Shultz was promptly taken to Rosewood Manor. As per the agreement, she had to be squeaky clean without a trace of perfume or makeup before seeing him. She followed his preferences to the letter, washing herself up, then putting on a silky nightgown and heading to the bedroom on the second floor. The man was sitting in front of hisputer dealing with work stuff when she entered. He nced at her. ¡°Come here.¡± His voice was cold and void of emotion, weighing on Eleanor¡¯s heart like a heavy stone. He was an aloof man prone to mood swings. Fearing his bad temper, Eleanor quickly walked up to him. Before she could even get settled, Bernard pulled her into his embrace, his long fingers grabbing her chin. Bending down, he kissed her ed lips hard. Bernard was never one for chit¨Cchat. Making love to her was his only purpose when meeting her. He may have looked noble, but when it I came to his sexual desire, he wouldn¡¯t let her off easy after being away on business for three months. As she expected, She followed the she woke up, he was gone but the sound of water trickling in the bathroom remained. noticed a tall figure reflected on the frosted ss. was taken aback. In the past, he would always leave as soon as he finished, never staying until she woke up. What was different this time? Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Feeling tired, she sat up in bed, silently waiting for the man to appear. After a few minutes, the sound of water ceased, and he emerged the bathroom wrapped in a towel. Water droplets fell from his hair onto his skin; tracing a path down his well¨Cdefined abs, exuding a dangerously enticing appeal. His face was chiseled and attractive, but his deep, indifferent eyes conveyed a sense of detachment. He looked good, yet the chilly aura surrounding him made people think twice about approaching. Noticing that she was awake, Bernard nced at her with a cold stare. ¡°You don¡¯t need toe anymore,¡± he said abruptly. Eleanor paused, perplexed by his words. Without looking at her, Bernard handed her a document. ¡°This contract is terminated ahead of schedule.¡± Seeing the agreement, Eleanor finally realized the truth: Bernard was ending their rtionship. So he didn¡¯t leave Five ght away, not because he was reluctant to part, but because he wanted to break up. together, and she knew this day woulde eventually. But she never thought it would end like this. No exnation, no reason, there was just a simple notification. Suppressing the pain in her heart, Eleanor looked up at Bernard as he changed into his clothes. ¡°The contract¡¯s only got half a year left, can¡¯t you wait for a longer time?¡± She had three months left to live, ording to the doctor. She wanted to stay by his side until the very end. Bernard remained silent, his eyes cold and devoid of any hesitation, as if he were disposing of a worn¨C out object. Eleanor realized her pr¨¦dicament in the face of his silence. ?? ? ? ? ? ?? ?? ? ? Despite five years passing, she had been unable to capture his heart. It was time for her to wake up from this illusion. epting the contract, she mustered a forcedugh and tried to appear calm and satisfied. ¡°Don¡¯t take it so seriously. I was just joking.¡± she said. Then, she added, ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been wanting to leave you for a while now. I¡¯m d the contract is ending early.¡± Bernard paused, buttoning up his sleeves, as he looked at Eleanor¡¯s emotionless face that seemed to hold a hint of excitement. It appeared that she felt relieved. He frowned, asking with an indifferent tone, ¡°You¡¯ve wanted to leave me for a long time?¡± Eleanor casually nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not getting any younger. I should be getting married and having kids, not following you around without any status, right?¡± In reality, marriage and children were no longer possible for her. But in front of Bernard, she wanted to preserve her dignity. Mustering strength, she smiled and asked Bernard, ¡°Since the contract¡¯s over, can I get a boyfriend now?¡± Bernard¡¯s eyes were difficult to read. He looked at her silently before reaching for his wristwatch on the bedside table and walking towards the door. ¡°Okay then,¡± he said, as his finalment. Eleanor¡¯s smile faded as she watched him leave. Bernard didn¡¯t like anyone touching his belongings, but he didn¡¯t react when she mentioned wanting a boyfriend. It seemed like¡­ He was genuinely tired of her. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 After Bernard left, his personal assistant Aidyn Reyes walked in with some pills. He handed them to Eleanor and said respectfully, ¡°Ms. Shultz, sorry for the trouble.¡± These were birth control pills. Bernard didn¡¯t love her, so naturally he would not allow her to get pregnant. Whenever they finished, he would have Aidyn deliver the pills and require Aidyn to watch her swallow them. Eleanor looked at the white pill and felt her heart ache again. Whether it was her heart failing or being hurt by Bernard, she found it hard to breathe. ¡°Ms. Shultz¡­¡± Seeing her unresponsive, Aidyn immediately reminded her, fearing she might refuse to take it. Eleanor nced at him, took the pill and swallowed it without even drinking water. Aidyn¡¯s worried expression faded, and he took out a property title and a check from his briefcase, cing them in front of Eleanor. ¡°Mr. Laurence¡¯spensation for you, aside from the property and luxury car, an extra fifty million. Please ept it.¡± He¡¯s quite generous. But what she wanted was never money. Eleanor looked up at Aidyn and smiled, ¡°I don¡¯t want any of these.¡± Aidyn was a little puzzled, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s not enough?¡± Hearing this, Eleanor felt bitter. Even Aidyn thought she was after the money, not to mention Bernard. He gave her such a high severance payment, probably fearing she would pester him for money in the future, right? Eleanor forced a smile, picked up her purse, took out a bank card and handed it to Aidyn, ¡°This is what he gave me. Please return it to him for me and tell him I never used his money, so I won¡¯t ept his severance payment either.¡± Aidyn was stunned. Had Ms. Shultz never used Mr. Laurence¡¯s money in these five years? Eleanor didn¡¯t care whether Aidyn believed her or not, and ced the card on top of the property title. She turned around and left Rosewood Manor. Winters in A City were a bit cold. Eleanor walked down the street in the vi area. Her frail figure cast a shadow on the ground, looking terrible thin. She wrapped herself tightly in her off¨Cwhite coat, gritted her teeth, and walked back to her apartment in high heels. Upon opening the door, the inside was spacious, upying an entire floor, decorated as luxurious as possible. But to Eleanor, it felt cold and lifeless, just like Bernard¡¯s heart. She sat on the sofa, stared nkly for a while, and then began to pack her things. This apartment was given to her by Bernard. Since he didn¡¯t want her anymore, she wouldn¡¯t want anything he gave her. Eleanor took out her suitcase, opened the wardrobe, and put all her clothes inside. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. She hadn¡¯t brought much stuff here, so she finished packing quickly, picked up her suitcase and left the apartment. After getting into her car, she sent Aidyn a text message. ?? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ¡°Aidyn, the passcode for Jade Bay Mansion is 0826.¡± Aidyn was smart; he immediately understood that Ms. Shultz not only never used Mr. Laurence¡¯s money, but she didn¡¯t even want the apartment he gave her. So decisive, nothing like the woman who knelt before Mr. Laurence five years ago, begging him to spend a million for her virgin. He quickly returned to thepany, gave Bernard the items untouched, and told him Eleanor¡¯s words without missing one. Bernard nced at the items on the table, his cold gaze lingering on the bank card. He asked Aidyn coldly, ¡°Is there an extra one million in the ount?¡± Aidyn quickly nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± Before returning to thepany, Aidyn checked the amount on the card at the bank. In addition to the money Mr. Laurence asked him to transfer every month, there was an extra one million. Obviously, it was the money Ms. Shultz returned to Mr. Laurence. Bernard frowned thoughtfully, reached out his slender fingers, grabbed the bank card, and snapped it in half. Then he pushed the property title to Aidyn and coldly ordered, ¡°Get rid of it.¡± Aidyn wanted to say something nice for Ms. Shultz, but seeing Bernard already started dealing with work on hisputer, he closed his mouth, picked up the stuff, and left the CEO¡¯s office. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Eleanor, lugging her suitcase, arrived at her bestie Hailey Vulpe¡¯s ce. She raised her hand, gave a gentle knock on the door, and stood nearby, quietly waiting.- Both she and Hailey were orphans; they grew up together in the orphanage, like sisters. She remembered when Bernard took her away, Hailey said to her, ¡°If he ever dumps you, remember to come back home.¡± It was these words that gave Eleanor the courage to say no to Bernard¡¯s house. Hailey swiftly opened the door, and upon seeing Eleanor, her mouth immediately curved into a smile. ¡°Eleanor, what brings you here?¡± Eleanor tightened her grip on the suitcase and confessed somewhat timidly, ¡°Hailey, I¡¯vee to stay at your ce.¡± Only then did Hailey notice the suitcase in Eleanor¡¯s hand, and her smile froze. ¡°What happened?¡± Eleanor put on a brave face and smiled, ¡°I ended things with him.¡± Hailey gazed at Eleanor, who was trying her best to maintain her smile. Her tiny face looked gaunt, with sunken eye sockets and a paleplexion. Standing in the cold wind, her body was so frail that it looked like a piece of paper. Seeing Eleanor like this, Hailey suddenly felt a heartache. She quickly stepped forward and tightly hugged Eleanor, ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, you still have me.¡± This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Hearing these words, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but tear up. She hugged Hailey back, gently patting her on the back, ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry.¡± Hailey knew she was just trying tofort her. She knew very well how much Eleanor loved Bernard. For the past five years, Eleanor had been working her butt off to pay back the million dors to Bernard. She naively thought that if she did that, she could change his impression of her. But in the end, she was still mercilessly dumped by Bernard. Hailey suddenly remembered that rainy night five years ago¡­ If Eleanor hadn¡¯t sold herself for Garett Falsey, she would never have And she would¡¯ve been happy. It¡¯s such a shame that everything can¡¯t start over again¡­ Eleanor didn¡¯t want Hailey to be sad with her, so after giving her a gentle push away and smiling warmly at her, she joked, ¡°You sure you wanna let me in? You¡¯ve left me out here in the cold, I¡¯m freezing!¡± Seeing that Eleanor was still as strong as ever, Hailey slowly let go of her concerns. She believed that Eleanor would soon ovee her pain, being the tough girls they were, ustomed to abandonment. As long as they lived well, there was nothing insurmountable. With these thoughts, Hailey¡¯s mood improved a little. She took Eleanor¡¯s suitcase, pulled her inside, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t say such things again. This is your home. Stay as long as you want!¡± Afterwards, she grabbed a clean set of pajamas and handed them to Eleanor, ¡°Go take a bath first. I¡¯ll make you something delicious. and then you can have a good sleep. Don¡¯t think about anything else, okay?¡± Eleanor took the pajamas and obediently nodded, ¡°Okay.¡± Hailey had always been like this, treating her unconditionally well, like a ray of light, warming her life. The unfortunate thing was that she was in thete stages of heart failure, and the Grim Reaper would soon be taking her life. If Hailey knew she was about to leave this world, she would probably be heartbroken and cry. She didn¡¯t want to make such a and gentle person sad. She looked at the busy figure in the kitchen, and slowly walked over, ¡°Hailey, I want to quit my job.¡± Hailey nodded in agreement, ¡°Your really should rest. You¡¯ve been working so hard for the past few years, just for a little bit of overtime pay. It¡¯s time to quit and take care of yourself at home. Leave the money¨Cmaking to me!¡± Eleanor was touched and whispered a ¡°thank you¡± before heading to the bathroom with teary eyes. Fate had never favored her. Since it was destined to part ways, she would spend herst three months by Hailey¡¯s side. The next morning, she got dressed up and, after covering up her paleplexion with makeup, went to the office to resign. She had just taken her seat and was about to turn on herputer to write her resignation letter when her colleague Jeannie leaned over. ¡°Eleanor, have you seen the email?¡± Eleanor shook her head. She hadn¡¯t had time to check her email since Bernard had taken her away over the weekend. Jeannie quickly ryed the information, ¡°Rosita sent a personnel announcement stating that the chairman¡¯s daughter will assume the role of president today.¡± Eleanor had no recollection of the chairman¡¯s daughter and held no interest in the matter. After all, she intended to resign, so it made no difference to her who took over the position. However, Jeannie disyed great enthusiasm, remarking excitedly, ¡°I heard she just returned from studying abroad. She holds a Ph.D. in business management butcks practical experience. Assuming the role of president immediately, isn¡¯t she concerned about bing the subject of gossip?¡± Amanda, seated beside Jeannie, scoffed, ¡°Who would dare to gossip about her? She happens to be Mr. Laurence¡¯s first love, you know.¡± At the mention of Mr. Laurence, Eleanor¡¯s finger paused momentarily on the mouse. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 ¡°What? What?¡± Jeannie seemed to have heard some earth¨Cshattering secret and excitedly pulled Amanda. ¡°Isn¡¯t it said that Mr. Laurence isn¡¯t interested in women? He actually had a first love? And she¡¯s the soon¨Cto¨Cbe CEO of ourpany?¡°- Amandaughed and patted Jeannie¡¯s hand. ¡°You don¡¯t even know this little bit of gossip in the social circle, how can you survive in the CEO¡¯s office?¡± Jeannie hurriedly pulled Amanda¡¯s sleeve and acted cute: ¡°Please tell me!¡± Amanda lowered her voice and shared, ¡°Mr. Laurence and the chairman¡¯s daughter were childhood friends who grew up together. It¡¯s rumored that five years ago, Mr. Laurence proposed to Ms. Ratliff. However, she declined his proposal in favor of focusing on her studies, leading to some conflict between them. They haven¡¯t been in contact for the past five years. But as soon as she returned to the country, Mr. Laurence personally went to the airport to pick her up. This is sufficient evidence of Mr. Laurence¡¯s deep affection for this female CEO.¡± Jeannie gasped, covering her mouth with excitement in her eyes. ¡°Oh my God! That¡¯s such an enviable love story!¡± Eleanor¡¯s breath caught in her throat, and herplexion gradually drained of color. So, Bernard had terminated their arrangement as lovers prematurely due to his first love¡¯s return. But if he already had feelings for someone else, why had he purchased her for a single night without any hesitation five years ago? And even after sleeping with her once, he forced her to sign a lover¡¯s agreement. Moreover, every time he made love with her, he went crazy, unable to control himself. She couldn¡¯t quite believe it and wanted to ask Amanda where she heard the rumor when the CEO¡¯s exclusive elevator suddenly opened. The chairman¡¯s assistant, Rosita, and several department heads walked out first. They bowed and gestured to the people inside, ¡°Mr. Laurence, Ms. Ratliff, we¡¯ve reached the CEO¡¯s office area. Pleasee in.¡± As the voice faded, a man dressed in a luxurious suit and exuding a cold aura walked out. His features were deep and three¨Cdimensional, his appearance stunningly beautiful, his body slim and tall, and his temperament elegant. He looked like a nobleman from a painting, blending elegance and indifference in one, making people unable to stare directly. Eleanor recognized Bernard at a nce, her heart suddenly tightening. Why was he at VitaLife Global? As she was thinking, she saw Bernard slightly turn and extend his hand into the elevator. Soon, a delicate white hand was ced in his palm. He held it a little tighter, leading the woman out. As Eleanor caught sight of the woman¡¯s face, a sudden realization dawned upon her, elucidating why Bernard had been willing to purchase her for a single night. It became apparent that she bore a resemnce to his first love. Not an exact replica, but their eyebrows and eyes shared some simrities. Yet, this discovery alone was enough for Eleanor to confront the harsh truth. She had entertained the notion that Bernard might have harbored some affection for her, but she had never anticipated that he viewed her merely as a recement. A pang of heartache surged within her, swiftly followed by a torrent of pain that drained the color from her face. Jeannie saw Eleanor¡¯s condition and immediately asked with concern, ¡°Eleanor, what¡¯s the matter? Are you feeling unwell?¡± Eleanor shook her head lightly, and Jeannie wanted to continue asking, but Rosita came over with the two of them. Eleanor quickly lowered her head, not daring to look at them, her hand on the keyboard trembling uncontrobly. Rosita introduced them one by one, ¡°Ms. Ratliff, this is the CEO¡¯s office. The assistants in here can help you if you need anything.¡± Ms. Ratliff nodded and gently said to everyone, ¡°Good morning, everyone. I¡¯m your new CEO, and my name is Sophie Ratliff.¡± Seeing Sophie¡¯s face resembling hers, Eleanor¡¯s face turned even paler In her mind, scenes of Bernard embracing her passionately in bed kept shing by. At that time, the affectionate Bernard would always call her ¡°my girl¡± by her ear. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Now she knew that the person he was calling wasn¡¯t Eleanor, but Sophie¡­ Eleanor clenched her fists, her long nails digging into her flesh, but she couldn¡¯t feel the pain. The suffocating feeling of being yed and abandoned by someone welled up in her heart, making her unable to stop her eyes from reddening. How silly she was to have fallen for Bernard wholeheartedly just because of the asional tenderness he showed her. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Sophie briefly introduced herself, and after exchanging pleasantries, she apanied Bernard and Rosita to the CEO¡¯s office. Jeannie craned her neck to catch a glimpse of the trio, her face disying unmistakable envy. ¡°On her very first day, Mr. Laurence is personally escorting her! She must be his favorite!¡± Amanda ced aforting hand on Jeannie¡¯s shoulder and exined, ¡°You¡¯re missing the point, dear. She has just returned and assumed the CEO position, which might raise doubts among VitaLife Global¡¯s shareholders. Mr. Laurence escorting her is a way to demonstrate that she has the full support of the Laurence Group.¡± Jeannie rested her hands on her chin, still feeling envious, and mused, ¡°And Mr. Laurence is clearing the path for his wife so swiftly as well. How romantic!¡± Amanda, full of envy herself, said, ¡°If she wasn¡¯t the chairman¡¯s daughter, there¡¯s no way the most powerful man in A City would be interested in her.¡± Jeannie shook her head, ¡°But Ms. Ratliff is impressive in her own right. She¡¯s well¨Ceducated, attractive, and so on. Speaking of looks¡­¡± Jeannie nced at Eleanor, ¡°I noticed that Eleanor looks a bit like the new CEO!¡± Amanda leaned in for a closer look, and agreed, ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. But I think Eleanor¡¯s even prettier!¡± Eleanor, looking pale, muttered ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense,¡± and walked to the bathroom. Seeing Eleanor¡¯s frail figure, Jeannie was worried, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Eleanor?¡± Amanda let out a derisive snort. ¡°Perhaps she¡¯s envious that she resembles the CEO but doesn¡¯t share the CEO¡¯s destiny!¡± Jeannie fell silent, opting not to engage in conversation with Amanda, recognizing her two¨Cfaced nature. Eleanor made her way to the bathroom, swiftly taking some medication for her racing heart, swallowing it without water. After a brief moment to calm herself, she sshed her face with cold water and gazed at her reflection in the mirror. She appeared sickly and gaunt, with hollow cheeks and a paleplexion, while Sophie¡­ Lost in her thoughts, Eleanor was interrupted as the bathroom door swung open, and Sophie entered, gracefully striding in her high heels. Sophie¡¯s face boasted a wless, rosyplexion, and she exuded an air of elegance and grace. She¡¯s also highly educated¨Cabination of beauty and intelligence, something Eleanor could never measure up to. When Eleanor met Sophie¡¯s gaze, she suddenly felt inferior, quickly lowered her head, grabbed a paper towel, and turned to leave. ¡°Wait.¡± Sophie suddenly stopped her. Eleanor¡¯s heart raced as if she had done something wrong, and she froze. She was the one being treated as a stand¨Cin and a victim, yet in front of Sophie, she still felt so ashamed. Sophie walked over to her and said with a gentle smile, ¡°You¡¯re an assistant in the CEO¡¯s office, right?¡± Eleanor, suppressing her panic, nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± Sophie nced at her watch and said, ¡°There¡¯s still half an hour before I have to hold the general shareholders¡® meeting. Could you make me a cup of coffee and bring it to the CEO¡¯s office?¡± Eleanor hesitated since she knew Bernard was still in the office but eventually agreed to help as she was still working there. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. After showing her appreciation, Sophie left with her head held high and a confident stride. In contrast, the sickly Eleanor looked like a knock¨Coff version of Sophie, feelingpletely worthless. Eleanor stood there, dazed, before pulling herself together and heading to the coffee room. She made a cup of coffee for Sophie following the chairman¡¯s preferences, hoping that Jeannie and the others would deliver it to the CEO¡¯s office. However, they had already been called to prepare the conference room, so she had to deliver it herself. ¡°Come in.¡± Sophie¡¯s gentle voice came from inside. Eleanor knew it would be embarrassing to go inside, hesitating for a while before finally mustering the courage to open the door. Upon opening it, she immediately saw Sophie sitting on Bernard¡¯sp. Even though she had mentally prepared herself, her hands carrying the coffee still couldn¡¯t help but tremble a bit. Afraid they would notice her reaction, she quickly looked down and said casually, ¡°Ms. Ratliff, your coffee is ready.¡± Sophie, feeling a bit awkward, instructed Eleanor, ¡°Just put it there.¡± Eleanor ced the coffee on the table and left the office without making eye contact with Bernard. Once outside, Eleanor¡¯s legs grew weak, and she leaned against the wall to regain her strength. Their current position reminded her of how Bernard used to engage with her. Even though they weren¡¯t actively involved, memories of their intimacy flooded her mind. He would likely do the same things he had done with her, with Sophie. No, hold on. What he did with her was actually a repetition of what he had done with Sophie before. She was merely a living, breathing substitute, after all¡­ Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Eleanor endured that heart¨Cwrenching feeling as she forced herself to walk back to her seat. She decided to quit her job sooner rather thanter. She didn¡¯t want to see that lovey¨Cdovey couple every day for the rest of her life. She was afraid she couldn¡¯t take it, afraid she couldn¡¯t help but confront Bernard and ask him why he was being so cruel to her! Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. After finishing her resignation letter, she went to see Rosita, the head of the CEO¡¯s office, for approval. Rosita didn¡¯t think much of her and only tried half¨Cheartedly to persuade her to stay before giving her approval. The resignation process would take a month, so Eleanor couldn¡¯t leave right away. She had no choice but to take a two¨Cweek vacation instead. She had worked at VitaLife Global for five years and had earned 15 days of paid vacation, so using them before quitting was normal. Seeing how desperate she was, Rosita couldn¡¯t help but give her a dirty look. ¡°Fine, you can take the time off, but as soon as you¡¯re back, you¡¯ll have to wrap up your work.¡± Eleanor just said ¡°sure¡± and picked up her bag, leaving VitaLife Global for good. As soon as she stepped out of the building, she ran into Josef Caporal, the CEO of the Caporal Group. He was notorious in A City for being an absolute scumbag, treating women horribly. Eleanor was terrified when she saw him smiling and approaching her, so she turned around and tried to run back inside. But Josef quickly caught up to her, grabbed her hand, and pulled her into his arms. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Then he deliberately lowered his head and blew gently into her ear. The warm breath made Eleanor¡¯s skin crawl with goosebumps. She tried to push Josef away, but he held onto her waist tightly, not letting her get anywhere. ¡°Wow, you smell so nice¡­¡± He sniffed her hair and then tried to grope her chest. Eleanor quickly grabbed his hand and said coldly, ¡°Mr. Caporal, please show some respect.¡± Biting her earlobe, Josef wickedly asked, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± His voice wasn¡¯t unpleasant, but his words were disgusting, and Eleanor couldn¡¯t stand it. She turned her head away, her eyes filled with disgust, but Josef didn¡¯t care. The more a woman resisted, the more he wanted to conquer her, and it gave him the ultimate pleasure. Josef stroke her cheek. Annoyed, Eleanor shook off his hand. ¡°Mr. Caporal, we¡¯re not that close. Please show me some respect.¡± A month ago, when Eleanor had gone to the Caporal Group to deliver some documents, Josef had taken an interest in her. Since then, he had often used business meetings as an excuse to harass her at thepany. Every time he encountered her, he would either make inappropriate physical contact or speak offensively. Eleanor had needed her job and the money, so she hadn¡¯t dared to offend him before and had put up with it. But now that she had left VitaLife Global, she was no longer afraid of Josef. To her surprise, though, Josef wasn¡¯t angry at her cold behavior; instead, he affectionately pinched her cheek. ¡°Sleep with me just once, and then we¡¯ll be ¡®close.¡± Eleanor thought his shamelessness knew no bounds. She struggled to contain her disgust and pushed him away when he tried to get closer. The re she resisted, the more excited Josef became, and he couldn¡¯t help but nt a hard kiss on her face. ach nearly made Eleanor want to throw up. Just as she was about to push Josef away, an old voice suddenly sounded from behind her. ¡°Bernard?¡± Hearing this name, Eleanor froze and stood still with shock. She turned her head slowly, looking toward Bernard, who was standing by the elevator. They were somewhat far apart, so she couldn¡¯t see his expression clearly. All she felt was his intense gaze that seemed to never waver from her. The cold air emanating from him was like a force that could swallow her whole in an instant. Cameron Ratliff, the chairman of VitaLife Global, had just walked into the building and noticed Bernard. Hurriedly, he led his shareholders over. ¡°Bernard, what brings you to VitaLife Global today?¡± Withdrawing his gaze, Bernard replied indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m here to drop off Sophie.¡± Cameron immediately understood that Bernard was there to support his daughter, and he nodded approvingly. ¡°It¡¯s a lot of trouble for you, having to run back and forth, with Sophie just returning home.¡± Bernard had no particr emotion, but he did give a courteous smile. ¡°I¡¯ll head back to the Laurence Group now.¡± Cameron hurriedly said, ¡°Go on, don¡¯t let us hold you up. In a couple of days, we¡¯ll bring Sophie over to the Laurence family for a proper visit.¡± Bernard simply nodded and left immediately. The bodyguards behind him quickly split into two teams, guarding him. As he walked past Eleanor, he didn¡¯t even spare her a nce,pletely ignoring her presence. As it turned out, that feeling from before was simply an illusion. Bernard didn¡¯t care about her at all, so why would he be staring at her? Chapter 7 Chapter 7 It wasn¡¯t until Bernard was long gone that Josef realized he was the second son of the Laurence family, so he quickly let go of Eleanor and hurried after him to say hello. But Bernard just got in his car, mmed the door, and sped off, along with a dozen other fancy cars parked outside. With no other option, Josef returned to look for Eleanor, only to find her running towards the guest staircase. Touching his lips that had just kissed Eleanor, excitement filled his eyes as if he had just captured prey. ¡°Wyatt, find out her address.¡± Wyatt Caporal following behind him immediately replied ¡°yes.¡± Eleanor returned home, put down her bag, and nkly sat down on the sofa. It wasn¡¯t until her phone rang that she came back to reality. She took her phone out of her bag, saw the disyed number, and frowned. Why would Aidyn call her? Eleanor hesitated for a moment but answered anyway, ¡°Aidyn, what¡¯s up?¡± A respectful voice came through the phone, ¡°Ms. Shultz, I found some of your belongings here when I was cleaning the apartment just now. When can youe to take them?¡± Eleanor thought Bernard would contact her to exin, but it turned out just to pick up her things. She was suddenly disappointed. ¡°Just throw them away.¡± After saying this, Eleanor hung up before the other party could respond. She then decisively deleted all contact information from Aidyn and Bernard. Just a day ago, she was still fantasizing that Bernard would contact her, so she didn¡¯t have the heart to delete him. Now that she knew the truth about everything, she hadpletely given up hope. She turned off her phone and fell asleep on the sofa. After a long time, a knocking at the door woke Eleanor up. Hailey had been working the night shifttely and woulde homete, leaving the key with Eleanor. Hearing the knocking, Eleanor thought Hailey hade home from work and quickly got up to open the door. It wasn¡¯t Hailey, however, but Josef who appeared! Upon seeing his yful face, Eleanor¡¯splexion instantly drained of color. She tried to swiftly close the door, but Josef used his hand to push it open. Startled by his sudden movement, Eleanor took a step back in fear. ¡°Mr. Caporal, what do you want?¡± How on earth did this dreadful man manage to find her home?! Josef found it amusing to witness her frightened like a startled little bunny. Leaning against the door with both hands, he tilted his head and remarked, ¡°What are you afraid of? I won¡¯t devour you.¡± His eyes were gray, and as he stared at her, he emanated the thrill of capturing his prey. ¡°Ms. Shultz, aren¡¯t you going to invite me in?¡± Although he asked politely, Eleanor was scared to death. She knew all too well what kind of person Josef was and what he could do. How could she allow him into the house? She coldly said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but this is my friend¡¯s ce, so it¡¯s not appropriate.¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Eleanor tried to close the door quickly after speaking, but Josef stepped in with one stride, closing the door behind him. He was inside now, and the door was closed. Eleanor had no chance of escaping. ¡°Mr. Caporal, what are you up to?¡± ¡°I want you.¡± When he said this, his gaze unabashedly fixated on her chest, leaving his intentions crystal clear. 11:20 Before going to bed, Eleanor had changed into a silk nightgown with a plunging neckline. As Josef was taller, he had a clear view from above. She hastily adjusted the outer nightgown, attempting to cover her chest. However, due to its tightness, her alluring figure was entuated even more. With a beautiful face and delicate features that conveyed a sense of vulnerability, she evoked a feeling of sympathy from others. Her facial features were gentle and wless, while her clear eyes seemed capable of holding the stars in the sky. Long, curly hair cascaded down, framing her enticing breasts, slender waist, and fair, toned thighs. Her seductive and tempting physique was enough to make hearts race at first sight. Josef was drawn to her appearance and figure. On that day, when she came to deliver the files, he had nearly lost control right then and there. Now, she was standing in front of him wearing a thin and sexy nightgown, making it impossible for him to resist. The ignited desire made Josef lose his senses, and he abruptly pushed Eleanor against the wall. ¡®I¡¯ll give you a million dors for one night.¡± Eleanor was so scared that she trembled, desperately pushing against his chest with both hands to keep him froming any closer. ¡°Get away! I¡¯m not a prostitute!¡± She had only just escaped being a sugar baby and now, so soon, someone offered her money again. How ironic! *500 million dors, plus a vi.¡± ¡°Even if you give me a billion dors, I won¡¯t agree. You¡¯d better let me go, or I¡¯ll call the police!¡± ¡®Just do it, and let¡¯s see who dares to arrest me!¡± Josef didn¡¯t seem scared at all, continuing to kiss her face randomly. Eleanor tried her best to dodge, but he still managed to kiss her forehead. The cold touch felt like being licked by a snake, making her extremely disgusted. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Josef didn¡¯t give a da mn about her feelings and yanked off her nightgown. As his hands, covered in delicate calluses grazed her lower back, Eleanor screamed in terror. ¡°Josef!¡± Her booming voice stopped Josef¡¯s wandering hands in their tracks. But he only paused for a moment before leaning down to tug at her panties. Eleanor was livid, ¡°If you force me today, I¡¯ll sue your a s s in court tomorrow!¡± Josef¡¯s hand stopped for a moment again but then burst outughing like he¡¯d just heard the funniest joke, ¡°I¡¯m not scared of the cops, and I sure as hell ain¡¯t scared of you suing me.¡± Eleanor clenched her fists, gritting her teeth, ¡°I know the Caporal family is powerful and influential, but this is the age of media. If you dare to use your power to make this go away, I¡¯ll report you publicly in front of the media!¡± Josef casually raised an eyebrow, remarking, ¡°Sure, go ahead and expose me to the media. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been in the spotlight.¡± It became evident that Josef was unfazed by the prospect. In that moment, Eleanor felt a profound sense of powerlessness. She had not merely tangled with an ordinary scoundrel, but a wealthy and influential individual who could effortlessly manipte the news to his advantage. She couldn¡¯t confront him directly. Gradually, Eleanor¡¯s rationality began to resurface. To navigate a situation involving someone like Josef, physical confrontation or attempting to match his background and power would be futile. To protect herself, she had to learn the art of pretense. With this realization, Eleanor softened her tone and spoke in a pleasant voice, ¡°Mr. Caporal, I didn¡¯t intend to make threats or employ the media to intimidate you. I simply cannot bring myself to be intimate with someone I do not love.¡± Upon hearing her words, Josef¡¯s expression eased slightly, although it did not indicate that he would let his prey escape. He lowered his head and forcefully kissed her corbone. ¡°But what if I desire you?¡± Eleanor felt nothing but disgust, but she had no choice but to endure. ¡°Then please grant me some time to adjust. When I genuinely fall in love with you, everything will unfold naturally. Forcing me now will only breed resentment.¡± Josef showed no concern. ¡°No problem. As long as I derive pleasure from it.¡± His shameless attitude caused Eleanor¡¯sposed facade to freeze momentarily. Suppressing the urge to p him, she continued, ¡°I heard that when two loving people have sex, the experience is much better than forcing it. Don¡¯t you want to try?¡± Josef wasn¡¯t st*pid. Of course, he could see that Eleanor was being gentle with him only to escape. He had always thought Eleanor was a dumb woman, but she turned out to be quite smart. When threats didn¡¯t work, she immediately changed her strategy. Interesting. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. He coc ked his head and looked at her for a while, without exposing her, ¡°The feeling should be pretty much the same.¡± Eleanor patiently exined, ¡°It¡¯s very different. Only two people in love could experience that feeling.¡± Josef lowered his head toward her, ¡°Have you experienced it?¡± Eleanor stiffened, remembering the scene of Bernard holding her in her mind, and a sudden pain struck her heart. What would Bernard¡¯s reaction be if he knew she Would he be angry, jealous, or¡­ was harassed by someone like this? Her mind raced with thousands of emotions, but she knew deep down he wouldn¡¯t. Seeing her silent, Josef sneered, ¡°You want He pursued women to satisfy his desires, Eleanor felt a little disappointed, but she continue persuading: vit to wait for you to fall in love with me before we have sex. That¡¯s a bit unrealistic.¡± no time for love talks. That would be boring and troublesome. Med the lust in his eyes wasn¡¯t as intense as before. She mustered up the courage to ¡°Mr. Caporal, give me three months. When I fall in love with you, I¡¯ll willingly have sex with you, okay?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Josef promptly declined, ¡°Three months is too lengthy. I cannot wait that long.¡± Even though he refused, his tone hinted at the possibility of negotiation. Eleanor instinctively took a step back and proposed, ¡°How about two months then?¡± Witnessing her disappointed expression suddenly light up, Josef couldn¡¯t resist pinching her cheek yfully. ¡°I can wait for three days.¡± Initially, he had desired immediate intimacy with her, but her suggestion held some truth. Forced encounterscked the same allure as those that unfolded gradually. If he wanted to create something more extraordinary, he needed to invest time. Therefore, he would allow her to adjust at her own pace. A few days wouldn¡¯t make much of a difference anyway. Besides, he could utilize that time to prepare some props. After all, intelligent and beautiful women like Eleanor deserved to savor pleasure slowly in the bedroom. In doing so, it would heighten the experience, making it even more exhrating. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Originally, Eleanor nned to leave this world in three months. By then, Josef would only be able to get her ashes. But now, he shortened the time to three days, which made it hard for her to bear. Just when she wanted to say something, Josef suddenly loosened his grip. Having a chance to catch her breath, Eleanor swallowed back what she wanted to say. Anyway, it¡¯s important to find a way to slip away tonight. ¡°Darling.¡± Josef bent down and kissed her cheek fiercely, ¡°I¡¯ll go back today ande back for you in three days.¡± Eleanor covered her kissed cheek, feeling extremely nauseous. But in front of Josef, she still held back and pretended to agree, nodding her head. Seeing her being so obedient, Josef finally let her go and walked towards the door. Just as he reached the door, he suddenly stopped. ¡°Oh, right.¡± He turned around, casting Eleanor a meaningful nce. ¡°Your close friend¡¯s name is Hailey, isn¡¯t it?¡± Eleanor¡¯s attempt to maintain aposed expression swiftly shifted to a somber one. It appeared that Josef was acquainted with Hailey. It became evident that he had thoroughly researched her background, causing Eleanor to feel deeply unsettled by the extent of his investigation. With a cold countenance, she inquired, ¡°What is the purpose of bringing this up?¡± Josef chuckled softly. ¡°No particr reason, just a friendly reminder for you to remain at home and await my arrival. It would be best for you not to wander elsewhere.¡± Although Josef did not explicitly mention the threat, Eleanor understood. If she dared to run away, he would hurt Hailey. That powerless feeling of not being able to escape swept over her again. Eleanor loosened her clenched fist in despair. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. She said expressionlessly, ¡°Don¡¯t hurt her, I¡¯ll be waiting for you at home.¡± Josef gave her a kiss, ¡°You¡¯re so obedient.¡± Disgusting as hell! Eleanor mmed the door shut, locked it, and quickly walked into the bathroom. She turned on the faucet,y in the bathtub, and scrubbed frantically wherever Josef had kissed or touched. Even when it turned red and ky, Eleanor still felt dirty. She washed desperately until the nauseating feeling slowly dissipated, and only then she calmed down. Josef used Hailey as a threat, and she couldn¡¯t even run away. If she didn¡¯t figure something out soon, she would be tortured to death in three days. Thinking of this, Eleanor hurriedly got up, wrapped in a towel, returned to the bedroom, and picked up her phone wanting to call the police. But considering Josef¡¯s influence and methods, she gritted her teeth and held back. She didn¡¯t care if she fought Josef to death since she couldn¡¯t live much longer anyway. But Hailey was different, she was about to get married. Eleanor couldn¡¯t just impulsively drag Hailey into this mess. Eleanor stood still and thought for a while, then opened her contacts and found the blocked phone number. Seeing the familiar name, her heart couldn¡¯t help but pound. He was the only one who could fight against Josef, but he had already abandoned her. Would he even answer the phone? Eleanor hesitated for a long time, but eventually didn¡¯t have the courage to make the call. She knew Bernard¡¯s personality well he wouldn¡¯t give a second nce to something he had lost interest in. If she called him for help, she might be mistaken for bothering him. Since she chose to leave, she shouldn¡¯t disturb him anymore. During those days, Eleanor made new keys, went to the hospital for some medication. The main doctor suggested that she stay in the hospital and wait for a suitable heart transnt, but Eleanor declined. Her heart condition was a congenital inheritance. She had had heart bypass surgery and her condition improved. But five years ago, after someone kicked her heart twice, her heart began to show signs of failure again, and even infusion and drug treatment could not control the worsening condition. A few months ago, she even showed advanced symptoms of heart failure, such as edema and difficulty breathing. Eleanor knew her days were numbered, so she no longer expected a suitable heart transnt. The drugs she took were used to suppress pain and edema. She thought that being clean and beautiful all her life, she shouldn¡¯t look too bad when she dies. Eleanor grabbed a handful of pills, swallowed them, and put the self¨Cdefense spray and mini stun gun she bought earlier in het bag. She didn¡¯te up with a good idea, so she had no choice but to fight Josef. At worst, she would die with him, and neither of them would have a peaceful life. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Once she¡¯d gotten everything ready, Josef sent his assistant Wyatt to pick her up. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Eleanor grabbed her bag and got into a Maybach. She thought Wyatt would take her straight to Josef¡¯s house, but to her surprise, he took her to a mall. Several stylists and makeup artists surrounded her, putting her long wavy hair into an updo and applying a delicate makeup look. She tried on a very expensive evening gown that seemed tailor¨Cmade for her, looking perfect without any ws. A diamond ne worth tens of millions added to her elegance. Looking at her gorgeous reflection in the mirror, she felt unfamiliar, like she was Sophie, not herself. If Bernard saw her like this, he might think she was deliberately imitating Sophie. Sheughed mockingly, a bitter smile on her lips. After the makeover, Wyatt quickly took her to the Midnight Bar. This was the biggest spending spot in A City, where the rich and powerful came. Privacy was a priority here, with no surveince cameras or chances to get footage, so many wealthy people liked to do unsavory things. Josef chose this ce, possibly wanting to rape her. The thought of being vited made her heart race like an elevator speeding up. As the elevator approached the top floor, she steadied herself, clutching her bag tightly and following Wyatt out to the box entrance. With a VIP card, Wyatt opened the luxurious automatic door. As the door opened, dim and ambiguous light flowed out, along with soothing music knocking gently on her ear. Eleanor was surprised since she thought Josef would prefer a bar¨Clike atmosphere, but the decor here was high¨Cend and ssy. Even the music wasn¡¯t deafening like in a bar¨Cquitefy, actually. As Eleanor stood at the door taking it all in, a strong hand suddenly wrapped around her waist. Josef pulled her into his embrace, kissing her cheek, ¡°Baby, you look so beautiful today.¡± Disgusted, she tried to dodge his touch but identally saw a man sitting on the couch. He wore a white shirt, the cor slightly open, revealing a fascinating corbone. g firm His rolled¨Cup sleeves exposing firm arms and long, slender fingers holding a wine ss. The red wine in the ss gleamed like blood under the dim light, just like the sinister scarlet in the eyes that stared at her. Eleanor hadn¡¯t expected Bernard to be here, too¨Cquite a surprise. She thought Bernard and Josef weren¡¯t in the same circle. The Laurence Group, after all, controlled the whole A Country¡¯s economic lifeline¡­ while the Caporal Group was merely A City¡¯s bigwig. Noparison. It was unexpected that these two vastly different people would actually gather in such an entertainment venue. Eleanor was just d she hadn¡¯t called Bernard that day; she would have been not only embarrassed but rejected. After all, why would Bernard offend his friend for her? But¡­why was he looking at her like that? Was he mad because she was being kissed by another man? Lost in her thoughts, Bernard suddenly looked away, indifferent. It seemed like he only nced at her just now. Eleanor¡¯s heart raced, realizing that a cold person like Bernard wouldn¡¯t care whether she was kissed by someone else or not. She diverted her gaze, focusing on dealing with Josef: ¡°Mr. Caporal, why did you bring me to a ce like this?¡± He pinched her cheek affectionately, ¡°First, I¡¯ll introduce you to a few friends;, then we¡¯ll have some fun.¡± Eleanor¡¯s face paled upon hearing this. She needed to find a way to leave ASAP. As she considered how to handle Josefter, he suddenly pushed her in front of Bernard. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 ¡°Mr. Laurence, let me introduce you, this is my girlfriend Eleanor.¡± Josef introduced her generously, causing Eleanor to be taken aback. She never thought that the status she once longed for would be given to her by a jerk. And the man she yearned for just held his wine ss, never ncing at her. It was as if everything happening here had nothing to do with him, so indifferent and heartless. Seeing Bernard not interested a bit, Josef immediately grabbed Eleanor¡¯s chin. ¡°Mr. Laurence, don¡¯t you think she looks like Sophie?¡± Today, he met Ms. Ratliff, who looked very simr to Eleanor, when he went to the Ratliff Group for a project discussion. After some inquiries, he found out that Ms. Ratliff, who just returned to the country, was Bernard¡¯s girlfriend. He quickly went to the Laurence Group to get close to Bernard by using Eleanor¡¯s simr face to Sophie and sessfully invited him. Josef was determined to take advantage of Bernard¡¯s presence and secure the project in the west of the city. Upon hearing Josef¡¯s words, Bernard slowly lifted his indifferent gaze. He observed her from head to toe, resembling a stranger¡¯s gaze. His eyes appeared cloudy, concealing any discernible emotions. After a prolonged stare, he tly remarked, ¡°She doesn¡¯tpare to Sophie.¡± This statement struck Eleanor¡¯s heart like a knife, inflicting immense pain. ¡°Well, of course, she can¡¯t rival Ms. Ratliff, Eleanor replied, attempting to hide her hurt. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Josef grasped her chin, looking down on her as if she were a lowly creature, and sneered, ¡°She¡¯s an orphan, devoid of power, influence, or a prominent background. Ms. Ratliff, on the other hand, is the sole heir of the Ratliff Group, highly educated and astute. How could they ever bepared?¡± Indeed, how could she ever measure up? In Bernard¡¯s eyes, she was merely a substitute. How could she possiblypete with Sophie? Eleanor pursed her lips, choosing to remain silent, her heart bleeding¡­ Josef spoke ill of Eleanor in an attempt to tter Bernard. However, Bernard appeared disinterested, not even sparing him a nce, as he continued to gaze down at his wine ss. Observing hisck of engagement in such matters, Josef ceased speaking and took a seat across from Bernard, alongside Eleanor. Just as they sat down, a man in an expensive suit suddenly opened a bottle of wine and handed it to Eleanor. ¡°Ms. Shultz, can you drink?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t know who this man was and was hesitant to drink. If he put some drugs in it, Josef could torment herter as he pleased. After hesitating for a moment, the man suddenly smiled, ¡°Rx, I didn¡¯t drug it.¡± He had a gentle smile, which eased Eleanor¡¯s worries a bit. She took the wine ss and sipped it gently, but still dared not swallow. Seeing this, the woman sitting next to the man couldn¡¯t help but ridicule. ¡°Mr. Caporal, the women you pick are getting cheaper and cheaper. Cedric kindly poured her a drink, and she doesn¡¯t even dare to drink it. She really doesn¡¯t know how to respect others.¡± The woman mentioned Cedric, Bernard¡¯s cousin named Cedric Laurence, also a yboy, but not as extreme as Josef. Ever since she was Bernard¡¯s mistress, she had never met his family and friends, this was the first time she saw Cedric, She couldn¡¯t help but give him a few more nces. He looked somewhat simr to Bernard, but not as indifferent, quite gentle instead. Seeing that Eleanor had no reaction after hearing her words, the woman became displeased. Her words had a clear meaning if anyone else was in Eleanor¡¯s position, they would definitely understand the implication and finish the ss of wine as prompted. Eleanor should have apologized to Cedric and finished the wine, putting the matter to rest. But she pretended not to understand, which was quite naive. Eleanor actually did understand, but the woman was speaking to Josef and didn¡¯t explicitly ask her to drink. So, of course, she had to y dumb. The woman reminded Josef discontentedly, ¡°Mr. Caporal, you are able to meet Mr. Laurence today, thanks to Cedric¡¯s rmendation. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have been able to see him, let alone discuss the project. Yet your woman can¡¯t even finish a ss of wine, how can you continueter?¡° Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Eleanor thought Josef and Bernard had a good rtionship, but it turned out Cedric introduced them. It seemed like this party Josef organized wasn¡¯t just for her to meet a few friends ¨C he also wanted to get a project through Bernard. But that was fine; discussing a project would take time, which would give her a chance to figure a way out. With that thought in mind, Eleanor¡¯s tense body rxed a little. Just as she took a breath, Josef suddenly signaled to her to drink up. Unable to feign ignorance any longer, Eleanor grabbed her ss and gulped down its contents. She seldom drank, as Bernard disliked the smell of alcohol, so she had managed to abstain completely. The sudden consumption of a strong liquor caused her eyes to well up with tears. Observing this, Josef swiftly embraced her and helped by patting her back. Bernard¡¯s icy gaze fixated on the hand wrapped around Eleanor. Through her teary eyes, she perceived a flicker of anger in his gaze. However, as her vision cleared, all she found was indifference and nothing more. Bitterughter escaped Eleanor¡¯s lips. Bernard only viewed her as a recement and had never truly cared for her, so what had she expected? Once Eleanor regained herposure, Josef embraced her and addressed Cedric, ¡°This girl has no experience and cannot handle alcohol. Please forgive her.¡± Cedric simply smiled and remained silent, yet the woman beside him suddenly grew infuriated. ¡°What do you mean by that, Mr. Caporal?¡± Josef raised an eyebrow and responded calmly, ¡°Ma¡¯am, I made no mention of you. Why are you bing so agitated?¡± The woman was left speechless and stomped her foot, then turned to Cedric and whined, ¡°Cedric, look at him, what he said was so mean! Let¡¯s not talk to him anymore, let¡¯s go.¡± Cedric, a mild¨Ctempered man, patted her hand. ¡°Norene, you know Mr. Caporal¡¯s personality. He didn¡¯t mean anything by it.¡± Norene wouldn¡¯t let it go. Being the top girl in the club, she didn¡¯t want to hear ¡®no experience¡® after being with Cedric. She couldn¡¯t argue with Josef, but taking it out on his woman was no problem. ¡°Whatever, I won¡¯t stoop to your level. We¡¯re here to have fun, right? But just sitting around is kind of boring. Let¡¯s y a game.¡± Everyone perked up at the mention of a game. ¡°What kind of game?¡± Norene took out some cards and put them on the table. ¡°Cards in teams, and whoever loses takes off a piece of clothing.¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± Naturally, Josef wouldn¡¯t refuse this kind of scene, and everyone else agreed too. Cedric, worried that Bernard might not befortable with this, nced at him. ¡°Bro, they always y a little wild. If you don¡¯t want to¡­¡± Before he could finish, Bernard took the cards from Norene. ¡°How do you y?¡± Cedric was stunned. His cousin Bernard usually disliked ces like this. But today, Josef just suggested that he meet a woman who resembled Ms. Ratliff, and not only did hee but now he was patiently ying games with them. Wasn¡¯t this a little odd? Norene hadn¡¯t expected Bernard, rumored to be uninterested in women, to agree so readily. She laughed, happy with the situation. ¡°It¡¯s simple, I¡¯ll teach you.¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. After exining the rules, Norene gathered everyone to draw lots for teams. Eleanor sat stiffly on the couch, feeling uncertain about what to do. As she hesitated over how to refuse, Norene seemed to read her mind and spoke before she could voice her thoughts. ¡°Everyone who came has to participate. You won¡¯t refuse, will you, Ms. Shultz?¡± With that said, everyone¡¯s eyes turned to her. Eleanor felt uneasy under their scrutiny, as if not ying would be a party pooper. She couldn¡¯t afford to offend anyone here, so she had no choice but to y. Seeing her wise decision, Norene finally left her alone. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 ¡°Alright guys, time to draw lots. If you get the same number, switch seats but make sure you¡¯re not sitting next to each other, okay?¡± Norene put the crumpled papers on the table, and people drew lots. Whoever got the same number would form a team automatically. There were four people ying for the first time, and the others lined up to draw lots. Those who got numbers 1 and 2 would y first. Eleanor, unfortunately, drew number 2. She looked up and noticed Bernard had drawn number 1, making them opponents. Norene, who also got number 1, winked at Eleanor, signaling her intention to teach her a lesson. ¡°Who¡¯s got the other number 2?¡± Cedric hesitated for a moment before opening the paper in his hand. He smiled at Eleanor, ¡°I¡¯m not very good at card games, so I¡¯ll be relying on you.¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Eleanor gave him a forced smile in response. The truth was that Eleanor was always an obedient person. She had grown up in an orphanage, obeying the headmaster. In school, she followed her teachers¡® orders. In the workce, she listened to her boss. And when she dated men, she did as they said. As a result, she had never yed card games before. Norene exined the rules too fast for her to even remember how to y. But Cedric, a guy who loved games, also didn¡¯t know how to y. Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Norene had cheated during the drawing of lots. She took the cards and felt even more desperate when she saw that they had no connection at all. After flipping through her cards a few times, Norene handed her thest card. ¡°Ms. Shultz, game on.¡± This enchanting voice made Eleanor extremely uneasy. Wearing only a dress, she was afraid she¡¯d have to strip downpletely if she lost, leaving her exposed for everyone to see. It was Norene¡¯s way of getting back at her for Josef¡¯sment about her ¡°no experience.¡± Eleanor knew Norene¡¯s intentions, but her cards were terrible. Coupled with Cedric¡¯s careless attitude, she panicked, and Bernard showed no signs of budging. In the end, Josef grabbed Eleanor to sit on hisp to reassure her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll teach you.¡± So focused on the cards at hand, Eleanor didn¡¯t even notice that she was sitting on Josef¡¯sp. In her urgency, she asked him, ¡°How do I form a sequence with these cards?¡± He took her cards and quickly formed a sequence, pping them down on the table. Norene frowned, ¡°Mr. Caporal, that¡¯s cheating!¡± Josef merely raised an eyebrow. Norene huffed, picked up the cards, and leaned back on the couch. Eleanor knew that it meant she had no way to fight back, so she finally rxed. Feeling a sense of relief, she nced back at Josef with gratitude. Witnessing her smile, Josef couldn¡¯t resist kissing her. His cold touch snapped Eleanor back to reality, and she realized she was seated on Josef¡¯sp. She struggled to free herself, but he refused to let go. ¡°If you keep resisting, I¡¯ll make love with you right here.¡± This threat left Eleanor paralyzed with fear. Her face turned pale as she once again locked eyes with Bernard. This time, she detected a tint of anger and coldness in his gaze, causing her heart to race. Could it be that Bernard¡­? As she contemted whether he had genuine concern for her, he abruptly yed a sequence of cards, rejecting her advances and leaving her with no chance to retaliate. Observing Bernard exhaust all his options, Eleanor felt utterly defeated. With excitement, Norene said, ¡°I just need one more sequence number to win.¡± As she threw down her cards, she winked at Cedric and Eleanor. ¡°You¡¯ve both lost, so ording to the rules, each of you must remove an article of clothing.¡± Cedricughed helplessly, put down his remaining cards, and took off his jacket. Finally, Norene turned her attention to Eleanor. ¡°Ms. Shultz, Cedric has already removed his clothes. Now it¡¯s your turn.¡± Chapter 14 Chapter 14 When Cedric took off his suit jacket, he still had his white shirt on. But if she took off her dress, she¡¯d bepletely naked. She looked around at the room of people, and it seemed like everyone was waiting for her to strip. No one was helping her out of this situation. Even Josef was staring at her expectantly, wanting her to take off her clothes. She felt like an animal in a zoo, being gawked at by a bunch of ridiculously rich kids. If sheplied, they might let her go. If she resisted, they wouldn¡¯t let her leave the room easily. Once Eleanor realized this, she rxed her clenched fists. What¡¯s the big deal, dignity doesn¡¯t matter when you¡¯re dead anyway. She went to unzip the back of her dress, but Cedric suddenly spoke up. ¡°I screwed up. It¡¯s my fault Ms. Shultz is in this situation. Let me take off my clothes instead.¡± Without hesitation, Cedric took off his white shirt, revealing his strong and muscr torso. Norene¡¯s resentment towards Eleanor only deepened, seeing Cedric care so little for his own dignity to protect Eleanor. She red at Eleanor, who in turn avoided her gaze and gratefully said, ¡°Thank you,¡± to Cedric. He just waved his hand dismissively. Just as everyone thought the round was over, Bernard, who had been leaning on the couch looking indifferent, coldly chimed in, ¡°You have to y by the rules.¡± His words implied he wasn¡¯t happy with Cedric taking off his clothes for Eleanor. Cedric nced at Bernard, feeling something strange about him tonight. He knew full well that Eleanor would bepletely naked if she took off her dress. Why would Bernard, who never really cared about women, try to make Eleanor strip? Although he found it strange, Cedric was determined to help Eleanor all the way: ¡°I¡¯ve taken off my clothes for her. Don¡¯t make her suffer the same punishment. Just find another way.¡± Seeing the opportunity, Josef offered a bottle of wine. ¡°How about Eleanor pours Mr. Laurence a ss of wine instead?¡± In reality, he wanted to see Eleanor undress too. But on second thought, she was his date, introduced as his woman in front of everyone. Her undressing would damage his reputation. Cedric quickly agreed. ¡°Yeah, let her pour you a ss of wine as punishment.¡± He motioned with his eyes for Eleanor to pour the wine for Bernard. Eleanor lifted her gaze to meet Bernard¡¯s, who didn¡¯t say yes or no. She couldn¡¯t read what he was thinking at all. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. But she mustered the courage to pick up an expensive bottle of red wine from the table and walked over to him, bending slightly. As she went to pour the wine into his ss, he suddenly raised his hand to cover the ss. His cold gaze locked onto her face, and he uttered one word, ¡°It¡¯s dirty.¡± Eleanor¡¯s heart ached so much that she could hardly breathe. Her hand, gripping the wine bottle, began to tremble. She stared at him. His eyes held nothing but contempt. There was no trace of their past rtionship, Was it because she was with Josef now that he thought she was dirty? Howughable. After being together with him for five years, did that make her pure? Eleanor felt a sudden anger. Standing up straight, she handed the wine bottle to Josef. ¡°Mr. Caporal, he thinks I¡¯m impure. Can you help me pour Mr. Laurence a ss of wine?¡± Her voice was gentle, making him instinctively wrap an arm around her waist and whisper reassuringly, ¡°Sure, I got this.¡± He took the wine bottle from her and poured wine for Bernard. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand, Mr. Laurence. She¡¯s not that kind of girl. She¡¯s definitely pure.¡± Bernard sneered, ¡°Yeah?¡± With that sneer, he seemed topletely deny Eleanor. Josef appeared perplexed, casting a puzzled look at Bernard. He found it strange that Bernard seemed to be deliberately singling out Eleanor. Concerned that any misconceptions about Eleanor could jeopardize his chances of securing the project, Josef hastened to provide further rification. ¡°I¡¯ve investigated thoroughly. She ispletely innocent.¡± Bernard¡¯s hand halted in mid¨Cair, gripping the wine ss. Raising his gaze to meet Josef¡¯s, his voice turned icy as he asked, ¡°And how exactly did youe to that conclusion?¡± Unaware of Bernard¡¯s peculiar behavior, Josef confidently responded, ¡°We have been intimate before.¡± Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Eleanor was taken aback by Josef¡¯s lie and suddenly felt confused. Bernard had a strong aversion to physical intimacy and had made it clear that she was not allowed to engage with anyone in that manner. She wanted to exin something to Bernard, but their rtionship had already ended, and she felt that there was no need for an exnation anymore. While she hesitated, Bernard suddenly gestured towards her and said, ¡°Since you¡¯re so pure, go ahead and pour it for her.¡± Seeing that Bernard was willing to give Eleanor a chance, Josef quickly handed the bottle back to her and urged her to go. Eleanor thought Bernard would be angry, but to her surprise, he showed no emotional change and even changed his mind and asked her to pour the drink. This confused Eleanor, but under Josef¡¯s urging, she reluctantly took the bottle again, bent down, and began to pour the drink for him. Before she could finish, his slender hand covered the mouth of the ss once again. He raised his indifferent eyes and coldly said to her, ¡°Serve me kneeling.¡± Now Josef waspletely certain that Bernard was intentionally targeting Eleanor. However, he couldn¡¯t understand why Bernard would do that. Did they know each other? Hearing those words, Eleanor couldn¡¯t believe it. She was once his lover, that was true, but she was not his servant to be at his beck and call. Eleanor straightened up again and said to Bernard, ¡°Mr. Laurence, I don¡¯t know what I did to offend you. If I¡¯m bothering you, then I¡¯ll leave and not disturb you anymore.¡± After saying that, she ced the bottle on the table, picked up her bag, and turned to leave. However, Josef grabbed her and said, ¡°Even if Mr. Laurence doesn¡¯t like you, you shouldn¡¯t offend him.¡± He still had to discuss the project with Bernard. He couldn¡¯t let Eleanor cause him to lose this opportunity. He continued persuading Eleanor, but when he saw her insisting on leaving, his gaze suddenly turned cold. In a low voice that only Eleanor could hear, he threatened, ¡°Don¡¯t forget about your friend.¡± That sobered Eleanor up. She did want to take the opportunity of Bernard¡¯s difficulty to leave, but she didn¡¯t expect Josef to threaten her with Hailey and try to please Bernard for the sake of the project. This made Eleanor angry. But for the sake of not implicating Hailey, she turned back, picked up the wine cup, and knelt in front of Bernard. At the moment she knelt down, Norene was the happiest person, Cedric frowned, the heartache on Josef¡¯s face disappeared in an instant, and everyone else had a look of enjoying the drama. Only Bernard, leaning on the sofa, watched her like a god from above. Eleanor thought of their intimate past and felt that it wasn¡¯t worth it. She thought she could leave with dignity, but in the end, she had to give up her pride and please him. Maybe it was the difference in status. She had been his mistress for five years and was bound to be hurt by him. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. But luckily, she would die soon, with only a few months left. It would all pass quickly if she just endured. Eleanor epted her fate, knowing she would soon leave this world. She knelt, poured the wine, and handed it to him. Bernard reached out with his slender fingers and took the wine ss. Just as Eleanor thought he would drink it, he suddenly raised the ss, aiming it at her head, and poured it slowly. The red wine slid down her hair, onto her pale face, her thin neck, her thin long dress¡­ It wasn¡¯t until it dripped onto her hand that she slowly looked up, unbelieving, at Bernard. He looked at her contemptuously with cold eyes. ¡°Despicable.¡± His voice was so cold it made her shiver, and Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but tremble, She clenched her fists, bit her lower lip, and stared at Bernard without blinking. Bernard, however, nonchntly wiped his fingers that had touched her earlier with a handkerchief. This action was like a knife to Eleanor¡¯s heart. He sshed her with wine and called her despicable because he thought she was impure. This was his revenge. Eleanor wanted to ask him what her purity had to do with him since they were no longer together. But she didn¡¯t have the courage to say it. She hadn¡¯t gotten rid of Josef yet, and if she offended Bernard as well, she wouldn¡¯t have enough lives for them to torment even if she had nine lives. After wiping his hands clean, Bernard threw the handkerchief away, got up, and walked away. Half of the bodyguards in the room, seeing him leave, hurriedly followed. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Cedric, who had finally snapped out of his shock, quickly called out to him, but he didn¡¯t even turn his head. Josef watched Bernard¡¯s retreating figure, asking meaningfully, ¡°What¡¯s up with your cousin?¡± Cedricughed, ¡°He¡¯s the only heir to the Laurence Group, so he¡¯s under a lot of pressure, and he has some weird temperaments from time to time. Please don¡¯t mind him.¡± After a brief exnation, Cedric lifted his wine ss and apologized on his cousin¡¯s behalf, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll drink one for him as punishment.¡± Draining it in one gulp, Cedric put down the ss and gently said, ¡°You guys go ahead, I¡¯ll go check on him.¡± He was very polite, and his words were courteous. Josef couldn¡¯t find a reason not to let him go, ¡°Let¡¯s meet up again next time.¡± Cedric nodded, put on his shirt and grabbed his coat, then hurried away. Norene wanted to y another round, but seeing Cedric leaving, she had no choice but to throw her cards away and follow him quickly. With the departure of these people, the private room became much emptier. Josef rubbed his brow in frustration. Originally, he had wanted to let Bernard have fun first, and then talk about the project. But before he could bring it up, Bernard had left. How unlucky. Josef was not in the mood for fun anymore either. He waved his hand and sent everyone else packing. When everyone had left, he turned to look at Eleanor, his eyes full of confusion, ¡°Do you know Bernard?¡± Right from the start, Bernard had targeted Eleanor, and upon learning of their past encounter, he intensified his efforts to make her life difficult. This indicated a significant connection between the two, suggesting a close rtionship. Eleanor remained on her knees, her beautiful face adorned with wine stains, creating a contrasting image of both misery and allure against her fairplexion. Slowly raising her hand, she wiped the wine from her face and replied in a t tone, ¡°I know him.¡± As Josef had suspected, he leaned down slightly, studying Eleanor intently. ¡°How did youe to know him?¡± Eleanor understood his suspicions and calmly exined, ¡°I was aware of my resemnce to Ms. Ratliff, so when I had the opportunity to deliver documents to Mr. Laurence, I added something to his drink, hoping that after sleeping with me, I could elevate my social status. However, he saw through my n and promptly dismissed me. That¡¯s perhaps why hebeled me impure and referred to me as trash.¡± Her exnation alleviated some of Josef¡¯s doubts. He had originally thought that Bernard and Eleanor might have had some unclear rtionship. After all, when a man targets a woman, it¡¯s usually because of love or sex. But he didn¡¯t expect it was because, in reality, she had failed to frame Bernard, which led to him disliking and seeking revenge on her However, he was also surprised that Eleanor actually wanted to have rtions with Bernard. Didn¡¯t she have no interest in money? It seemed that Eleanor could see his confusion. In a t tone, she said, ¡°I once admired him.¡± Her eyes showed a gloomy light, traces left of her past affection, which made Josef somewhat believe her. ¡°I see,¡± With his doubts cleared, Josef pulled Eleanor up and held her on hisp. His cold fingers gently wiped away the wine on her face and neck, while casually stroking her at will, following the trail of red wine. ¡°My dear, I never expected you to be so bold, daring to challenge Bernard.¡± Too bad Bernard doesn¡¯t know how to appreciate her. If it were him, he would have imed her right away. Eleanor¡¯s whole body stiffened, and she dared not move at all, for fear of triggering something in Josef. Suppressing her nausea, she forced herself to maintain a calm demeanor, ¡°Mr. Caporal, the day I fall in love with you, I¡¯ll be just as brave.¡± Josef pressed against her wine¨Csoaked enchanting back, kissing her as he said, ¡°I can¡¯t wait any longer, let me have you.¡± As he said this, he lifted Eleanor¡¯s dress, intending to take off his pants. Eleanor turned pale with fright and struggled desperately. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. But she didn¡¯t realize that her resistance only excited Josef more, as he tightly held her and kissed her passionately. ¡°Mr. Caporal!¡± Held from behind by him, Eleanor could only use both hands to push against his chest. She nced at her purse on the couch across from her, unreachable. Eleanor¡¯s palms were sweating with anxiety, but she had to force herself to calm down. ¡°Mr. Caporal, do you want to get a project from Mr. Laurence? I can help you get it, as long as you let me go!¡± While busy undressing himself, Josef¡¯s fingers halted when he heard her mention the project, ¡°You can help me get it?¡± How could she possibly get the project after offending Bernard? Eleanor, however, firmly said, ¡°Although myst attempt to seduce Mr. Laurence failed, there was a moment when he mistook me for Ms. Ratliff. I even recorded a video of it. If I use it to threaten him, he¡¯ll surely give you the project.¡± Chapter 17 Chapter 17 When Josef heard Eleanor say she could help him get the project, he immediately became interested. The bidding would start next month, and Josef¡¯s father said that as long as he could get this project, he would give him the heir position. However, this time thepetitor was the Clowers Group from B City, a toppany within the country. It would be quite difficult to defeat the Clowers Group professionally. That¡¯s why he wanted to win over Bernard to get the project. But Bernard was too hard to please. If he hadn¡¯t begged Cedric for an introduction this time, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to meet the guy. So, trying to win over Bernard to get the project was almost impossible. If Eleanor could help him get the project, that would be the best, but¡­ He asked Eleanor doubtfully, ¡°Since you have Bernard¡¯s secrets, why didn¡¯t you threaten him to achieve your goal?¡± Eleanor quickly replied, ¡°I did. I threatened to be his girlfriend, but he disagreed.¡± Josef squinted at her, ¡°If he doesn¡¯t agree to your request, threatening him again won¡¯t work, right?¡± Eleanor swore, ¡°If he doesn¡¯t agree this time, I¡¯ll send the video to Ms. Ratliff.¡± Josef arched an eyebrow. ¡°So, you¡¯re suggesting this as a way to prevent me from pursuing you?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Eleanor responded honestly. ¡°I¡¯ve already told you that I cannot be with someone I don¡¯t love. If I have genuine feelings for someone, I will naturally take action, just like with Mr. Laurence. However, you¡¯re too hasty, and I refuse to be coerced. So, the best I can do is assist you in securing the project.¡± Josef anticipated Eleanor would try to exin herself after being confronted, but he didn¡¯t expect her to admit it directly. This revtion made him see her in a new light. He had admired her for her cunning persuasion a few days ago, but now he felt even more impressed by her. He had assumed that Eleanor had no interest in wealth or power, yet she was actually captivated by the heir of the Laurence Group. wonder she showed no interest in him; she had chosen someone of higher status. terms of intelligence, ambition, resources, and strategic thinking, this woman was truly remarkable. Maybe if he handed the task over to her, she might be able to help him get this project. But¡­ Josef grabbed Eleanor¡¯s chin, forcing her to look at him, ¡°If you fail, I¡¯ll have my men vite your friend.¡± He knew that Hailey was Eleanor¡¯s weakness. As long as she was still around, Eleanor would have to obey him. Eleanor¡¯s heart was trembling with anger, and she gritted her teeth, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Only then did Josef let her go, somewhat regretfully saying, ¡°I originally wanted to have my way with you and then take you to do exciting things. But since you¡¯re so repulsed by me now, forget it. After you get the project, we can slowly build our rtionship¡­¡± He wanted the position of the Caporal Group heir more than the woman. As long as Eleanor could get the project, he was willing to wait until she fell in love with him before having sex with her. Thinking that Eleanor would eventually be his, Josef wasn¡¯t in a hurry anymore. He gave her a hard kiss and then got up and left. Seeing him leave, Eleanor, who was lying on the floor, finally let out a sigh of relief. She leaned on the sofa and slowly stood up, her body trembling and feeling cold. She didn¡¯t know if she was frightened by Josef or angry with Bernard, but her heart was suffocating. With trembling hands, she took out some pills from her bag and took several to calm her heart before barely supporting herself to leave. It was the middle of winter, and the cold wind felt like lead pouring in, drilling into her dress and making her shiver. But she seemed not to feel the cold, and like a statue, she walked step by step in the direction of home. The Koenigsegg parked not far away suddenly drove up to her, blocking her path. Aidyn got out of the car, walked up to Eleanor, and respectfully said, ¡°Ms. Shultz, Mr. Laurence wants to meet you.¡± Eleanor seemed not to hear and continued walking forward with a cold face. Aidyn had no choice but to stop her, ¡°Ms. Shultz, you know Mr. Laurence¡¯s temper; you can¡¯t afford to offend him.¡± Yes, being a lonely orphan with nothing, where would she dare to defy the powerful Bernard? If she doesn¡¯t listen to him, she would probably end up worse than dealing with Josef. Eleanor relinquished her struggle andplied, obediently getting into the car. As she settled into her seat, she cast a sideways nce at the man in the backseat. d in an exquisite suit, adorned with a priceless watch, and seated in a limited edition luxury car, he exuded an aura of nobility. In contrast, she was drenched in red wine, feeling sticky and smelling unpleasant, resembling a clown in his presence. The stark difference in their social status made Eleanor eager to leave without wasting a single moment. With a cold tone, she inquired, ¡°Mr. Laurence, if there¡¯s anything you wish to say, please do so quickly. I need to go home.¡± Typically, she spoke softly in his presence and rarely adopted such a tone with him. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Bernard subtly turned his head, his profound and somber eyes seemingly piercing her heart, causing her to tremble. Instinctively, Eleanor averted her gaze, but he suddenly leaned closer. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 The faint scent from him mingled with the smell of alcohol, quickly stirring her emotions. Eleanor felt flustered under his piercing gaze as he got closer, so she shuffled towards the car door. But the space inside the car was tiny, and she soon found herself backed against the door. Bernard rested his hand on the window, enclosing the petite Eleanor in his arms. His icy eyes swept over her before settling on the diamond ne around her neck. After a while, a scornful chuckle sounded in her ear, ¡°Looks like your new sugar daddy treats you pretty well.¡± He rarely smiled, and usually had a cold expression. But this smile was even more terrifying than his frosty face. Eleanor wanted to exin, but the words ¡°new sugar daddy¡± left her unable to say anything. Since Josef introduced her as his girl, there was no point in exining. Bernard noticed her silence andck of defense, his expression quickly shifted. He raised his long hand and grazed it from her cheek, brushing back towards her ear. The instant his fingers touched her skin, Eleanor shivered uncontrobly. Bernard¡¯s touch,pared to Josef¡¯s, filled her with fear. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. His intense aura made it impossible for her to breathe. After his fingers passed through her hair, Bernard grabbed the back of her head and pulled her towards him. He lowered his voice and coldly questioned, ¡°When did your affair with him start? How many times?¡± His breath rushed in as the distance closed between them. Eleanor¡¯s heart raced uncontrobly, but she couldn¡¯t control it. Cursing herself in her head, she quickly lowered her gaze to avoid his eyes as he tightly gripped her neck. He stared intently at the love bite on her neck and murmured in a deep voice, ¡°You two just had sex?¡± Eleanor turned deathly pale and hurriedly raised her hand to cover the spot Josef had kissed behind her ear, ¡°No, we didn¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯d believe that?¡± His gaze was astonishingly cold, making her tremble. Frightened, Eleanor still forced herself to exin, ¡°Whether you believe it or not, I haven¡¯t done anything with him.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Bernard chuckled lightly, his smile icy and mocking, ¡°A little check will tell.¡± He suddenly yanked her dress open. Eleanor gasped, wrapping her arms tightly around herself to protect her body. Before she could ask what he wanted, she clutched Bernard¡¯s shoulders and angrily cursed him as a ba s t ard. Bernard, however, acted like nothing happened, his long fingers continuing to explore. ¡°Bernard, have you gone crazy? Let me go!¡± Eleanor¡¯s anger tightened her grip on his shoulders, her nails almost digging into his flesh, but he still refused to let go. Blushing, she gritted her teeth and nced over to see Aidyn hadn¡¯t entered the car, giving her a shred of dignity back. ¡°What the hell are you doing?!¡± She was furious, but his cold face remained expressionless. He wanted to verify something. Eleanor looked at his expression, his eyebrows drawn together in anger. He always looked like this when angry; she used to be frightened of him, but now, she couldn¡¯t quite figure him out¡­ ¡°Bernard.¡± Eleanor called him, but the man did not respond, still stubbornly continuing to check. She held his hand, reminding him, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, it was you who abandoned me. In that case, don¡¯t touch me anymore!¡± Her voice was very cold, like a snowy mountain in the depths of winter, causing his slender fingers to hesitate for a moment. When he raised his eyes, the corners were reddish, like a zing me, scorching the heart. ¡°So, selling yourself to Josef means I can¡¯t touch you anymore?¡± His voice was very pleasant, crisp and slightly maic. However, the words he uttered made one very ufortable to hear. The term ¡°selling yourself¡± degraded her dignity to the extreme. She had once sold herself to him, changing her dignity, thinking it would change his impression of her if it cost him nothing. But in his eyes, she still seemed just like a prostitute who could be bought and sold at will. Agony pierced Eleanor¡¯s heart, but her pale face suddenly lit up with a smile. ¡°Mr. Laurence.¡± She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled, ¡°He bought me, so naturally he won¡¯t let you touch me. Wasn¡¯t it you who taught me this rule? Have you forgotten?¡± Bernard¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°What did you say?¡± Eleanor lifted her chin, whispering softly in his ear, ¡°I just lied to you. Mr. Caporal and I had already slept together multiple times; threest night and twice today. I¡¯m his girlfriend now, so Mr. Laurence, please stop your inappropriate behavior¡± The fading smile on Bernard¡¯s face deepened Eleanor¡¯s satisfaction. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Bernard, tall and well¨Cbuilt, suddenly froze. His gaze was icy, as if it could freeze someone on the spot. After staring at her for a while, he quickly pulled out his hand, tore off a dozen tissues and frantically wiped his fingers. Seeing his actions, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but giggle, ¡°Mr. Caporal already told you that we had been intimate before, why did you still have to check for yourself?¡± She had a smile in her eyes and at the corners of her mouth, showing no signs of embarrassment or anger, but rather an enchanting aura. Her nonchnt attitude and repeated provocations finally set off the usually well¨Cmannered Bernard. He threw away the torn tissue in his hand and tightly pinched her chin. He used all his strength, and Eleanor¡¯s chin immediately turned red. Eleanor¡¯s face turned pale from pain, while Bernard ignored her expressions and got even closer to her face. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that I don¡¯t allow anyone to touch things that I have used?¡± His eyes were fierce, and his grip on her chin tightened, as if wanting to crush it. This was the first time that Eleanor had seen Bernard so angry, and she was slightly taken aback. It wasn¡¯t that she deliberately provoked him, but his repeated insults led her to fight back this way. But she didn¡¯t expect him to get this mad. Wasn¡¯t he supposed to not care about her? Why was he so angry? Enduring the pain, Eleanor locked eyes with him and mustered the courage to ask, ¡°Does it actually matter to you whether I¡¯ve been involved with someone else? Does that mean you have feelings for me?¡± Having spent five years with Bernard, she had never witnessed him lose hisposure like this. Could it be that he had some level of affection for her, even if it was minimal? With this glimmer of hope in her heart, she stared at him intently, searching for any hint of warmth in his eyes. Yet, all she encountered was emptiness, apanied by disgust and contempt. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Do you not understand what truly matters to me?¡± Bernard retorted coldly, extinguishing the flicker of light in Eleanor¡¯s eyes. Of course, she knew what Bernard cared about; she just couldn¡¯t ept it. When you love someone for a long time, you always want some return, even the slightest bit. But Bernard was different from ordinary people; he had an obsession with cleanliness. It would be difficult for someone with this kind of obsession to ept that something they used to touch had been touched by someone else. He was so angry simply because he found it dirty. Eleanor forced a self¨Cmocking smile, ¡°I guess I just assumed that you liked me. But¡­¡± She paused and continued with a smile, ¡°I asked you before if I could have a boyfriend, and you said I could do whatever I wanted. If I have a boyfriend, it¡¯s normal for him to have sex with me, isn¡¯t it? You¡¯re not going to forbid him, are you?¡± Bernard¡¯s expression faltered, his face even colder. Seeing him speechless, Eleanor suddenly mustered the courage to touch his face, from his eyebrows to his cheeks, gently and carefully. This was the man she had loved for five long years. How could she bear to hurt him? But he didn¡¯t love her, not even a little bit. Why couldn¡¯t she just let go? As she stared at him, Bernard suddenly grabbed her wrist tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± ? ?? ? ? ? ? He said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re impure!¡± Although she knew he would react this way, hearing him say again that she was impure still hurt her deeply. Biting her lip and holding back her emotions, she nced at the hand that was still tightly holding onto her wrist. ¡°If you find me so disgusting, why are you still holding onto my hand? Is it because you can¡¯t bear to let me go?¡± She smiled brightly, looking carefree, as if her previous obedient behavior had all been an act and the person in front of him now was the real her. The fierceness in Bernard¡¯s eyes disappeared, reced by indifference. Without hesitation, he pushed her away, ¡°Get out!¡± Eleanor was pushed to the car door, her fixed hair now disheveled, looking utterly disarrayed. But she didn¡¯t care, she brushed her messy hair behind her ear, picked up her torn clothes and put them back on. After fixing her clothes, she pushed open the car door and stepped out. Just as she was about to leave, Bernard called out to her. Eleanor¡¯s footsteps froze, and when she turned around, her face broke into a grin, ¡°Mr. Laurence, surely you can¡¯t actually be unwilling to let me go, right?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t even nce at her as he threw the check in his hand at her face. ¡°For the five years you¡¯ve been with me, this is the service fee deserve.¡± Chapter 20 Chapter 20 The check was kinda hard, so it hurt when it scraped against her face. She stood still for a few seconds, then bent down silently to pick up the check. When she saw the amount on it, the bitterness in her mouth deepened. Five years for five billion. Well worth it. Five years ago, she really needed the money. But now, she didn¡¯t. Eleanor calmly ced the check back on the car. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you are really loaded. But if I take your money, I can¡¯t marry into the Caporal family with a clear conscience.¡± What she meant was,pared to Ms. Caporal¡¯s position, this five billion was peanuts. Taking his money, on the other hand, would impact her chances of marrying into wealth. It wasn¡¯t until this moment that Bernard understood the reason she didn¡¯t want a cent from him she had ns to marry into high society. All the doubts in his heart disappeared. When he looked at her again, he saw a stranger, emotionless. ¡°Eleanor, from now on, never appear before me again.¡± Eleanor just shrugged and chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t.¡± She never had the chance to appear before him again because there was no future for her. Her deep love for him would also be buried in the grave with time, no one would ever know¡­ In Bernard¡¯s private estate, the assistant parked the car at the entrance, and Cedric quickly got out. He was just about to go inside the vi to look for Bernard when a Koenigsegg pulled into the garden. A tall man stepped out of the car. He was tall and well¨Cproportioned, his body wless. His entire demeanor exuded an air of superiority, apanied by a potent oppressive force that deterred people from approaching. Even Cedric, seeing such a Bernard, would feel a bit jittery, let alone his opponents. Adjusting his mood, Cedric approached Bernard. ¡°Bernard, you¡¯re back?¡± He actually wanted to ask Bernard where he had been since he had left Midnight Bar before him but arrived hometer. Seeing Bernard¡¯s unhappy face, though, he didn¡¯t dare ask. Bernard ignored him and strode past him into the vi. The maid, who had already been waiting in the hallway, saw himing and quickly bowed, respectfully greeting him. Bernard took off his suit jacket, untied his tie, handed it to the maid, and walked to the bar. He picked up two high¨Cend wine sses, poured some decanted red wine into them, and turned to give one to Cedric who had followed. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Cedric seldom came to his private vi, so there must be something he wanted to say if he was here thiste. Taking the wine, Cedric eyed him and saw his face wasn¡¯t as bad as before, so he boldly spoke up. ¡°Did Ms. Shultz offend you before?¡± It was the first time Cedric had seen the usually gentlemanly Bernard douse a woman with alcohol. Bernard shot him a cold nce, ¡°Don¡¯t ask what you shouldn¡¯t.¡± Cedric wasn¡¯t angry when scolded. Instead, he smiled, ¡°Is she your mistress?¡± He knew his cousin had a mistress, but he¡¯d never seen her. If it hadn¡¯t been for his unusual behavior tonight, Cedric might never have known who that woman was. Bernard looked at him with deep, cold eyes, ¡°What do you want to say?¡± saw Bernard targeting Eleanor so Cedric had originally nned to probe a little more, but seeing Putting away his gentle smile, Cedric asked seriously: ¡°Have When he much at Midnight years. him so Material ? N?velDrama.Org. direct, he you fallen Bar, he guessed she was the woman Bernard had been stopped beating around the bush. for Ms. Shultz?¡± supporting for five At first, seeing that Eleanor looked a bit like Sophie, he thought Bernard was treating her as Butter, his cousin actually lost control because of Ms. Shultz. To be Sophie¡¯s stand¨Cin. precise, he was jealous. Anyone in this world can be jealous, but his cousin must not, SO this was not a good thing. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Bernard¡¯s already cold and distant countenance grew even colder, with a hint of frost in his eyes and furrowed brows. Setting down his wine ss, he raised his icy gaze and directed it towards Cedric. ¡°What are your thoughts?¡± Cedric ventured to make a bold assumption. ¡°I believe you might have some feelings for her, albeit small. Otherwise, why would you react so strongly and pour wine on her when Josef mentioned his involvement with her?¡± Bernard snorted dismissively. ¡°She got involved with Josef immediately after our breakup. I couldn¡¯t ept it in the moment, so I wanted to teach her a lesson. Does that imply I have feelings for her?¡± As he spoke, the chill in his eyes dissipated, leaving behind only cold indifference. It seemed as though he no longer cared about the person he had just taught a lesson to. Observing this, Cedric let out a small sigh of relief. He understood that Bernard had a fastidious nature and couldn¡¯t tolerate his partner being casually involved with someone else. It was a normal reaction. Moreover, when Sophie returned to the country, Bernard immediately broke up with Eleanor. It shows that in his heart, Eleanor¡¯s position as a substitute wasn¡¯t important. Cedric didn¡¯t say anything else, just drank the wine in his ss, stood up, and said, ¡°Well, I¡¯m going back first.¡± Bernard didn¡¯t speak, but just nodded indifferently. Cedric had been used to Bernard¡¯s indifference since he was a child and didn¡¯t mind. He just picked up his coat and left. It was raining heavily outside, and his assistant was holding an umbre for him to get in the car. He instructed the assistant to drive downtown. At a crossroads, while waiting for the traffic light to change, he spotted Eleanor standing in the heavy rain, d only in a dress, desperately attempting to hail a taxi. Her delicate frame appeared vulnerable, and the rain¨Csoaked fabric clung to her body. Her long hair was drenched and stuck to her face, giving her a slightly disheveled yet still beautiful appearance. Cedric noticed that several taxis drove past her without stopping, unwilling to offer her a ride. After a brief moment of hesitation, he instructed his assistant to drive over to her location. Eleanor shielded her face from the rain with her hand and faintly perceived a man approaching her, holding an umbre. As the umbre covered her head, she stood there in astonishment, slowly raising her eyes to meet his gaze¡­ In a daze, it seemed like she had gone back five years¡­ She remembered that it was also raining heavily that day. She was standing outside a nightclub, begging passersby to buy her for one night. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Many men went in and out, touching her, teasing her, mocking her. None of them were willing to buy her. However, a man wearing a ck coat, emanating an air of pride and indifference, approached Eleanor with a steady pace. As he held an umbre to shield her from the pouring rain, blocking the onught of wind and water, she perceived him as her savior. With great effort, she crawled towards him in the dim light, clutching onto his pant legs, sobbing and pleading for him to buy her for a night. The man looked down at her, devoid of disdain or mockery in his eyes, and simply asked in a cold tone, ¡°Are you a virgin?¡± At that moment, her face flushed, and she nodded in affirmation. Without hesitation, the man extended his slender and handsome hand towards her. As she ced her hand in his broad palm, it felt as if their fates had be irrevocably intertwined. ¡°Get in the car, and I¡¯ll take you home.¡± Cedric opened the backseat door, and his gentle voice mixed with rainwater drifted over. Eleanor finally came to her senses, noticing that the man in front of her was Cedric, Bernard¡¯s cousin. She had already broken up with Bernard, so in theory, she shouldn¡¯t have any connections with the Laurence family. But her phone was out of battery, she couldn¡¯t get a taxi, and nearby stores that could serve as shelters were all closed. She hesitated for a moment before finally getting into his car. She was soaked, making the back seat wet as well. Eleanor hurriedly took out tissues from her bag, wiping the carpet beneath her, and said with embarrassment, ¡°Sorry for messing up your car.¡± Cedric observed her humble gesture and promptly intervened, ¡°There¡¯s no need to wipe it; it¡¯s just a carpet. If it¡¯s dirty, we can simply dispose of it.¡± As Eleanor paused in her careful wiping of the carpet, she nearly forgot that the considerate individual who allowed her into the car belonged to the Laurence family. The Laurence family wouldn¡¯t ce much importance on a mere carpet, regardless of its value. Eleanor discreetly put away the tissue, feeling slightly embarrassed, and whispered, ¡°Thank you.¡± Cedric casually dismissed her gratitude with a wave of his hand, saying, ¡°Where do you live?¡± Without hesitation, Eleanor provided him with her address. The car started moving, swiftly driving towards her home. Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Eleanor stole a nce at Cedric sitting in the passenger seat. Seeing him focused on looking out the window, the embarrassment in the her heart gradually eased. She held a tissue, bowing her head and silently cleaning the rainwater off her body. Cedric looked in the rear¨Cview mirror at the thin figure in the back seat. In such cold weather, she didn¡¯t even have a coat on, and was out in the rain trying to hail a cab. Cedric was quite curious. ¡°Ms. Shultz, why didn¡¯t Mr. Caporal give you a ride home?¡± Hearing the name Mr. Caporal, Eleanor furrowed her brows in confusion. It took her a moment to remember that she was currently Josef¡¯s ¡°girlfriend¡°. She clenched the tissue in her hand and lied, ¡°We had a fight, and he just left me by the road.¡± Cedric nodded, ¡°I see.¡± Seeing her shivering from the cold, he raised the car¡¯s heating without asking further. The sudden increase in temperature inside the car gradually warmed Eleanor¡¯s icy, stiff body. She nced at Cedric gratefully, then carefully exined, ¡°I actually wanted to take a taxi, but my phone was out of power, and the nearby shops were closed. I had no ce to wait out of the rain, so I stood by the road. Sorry to trouble you.¡± Cedric rested his chin on one hand, looking at the embarrassed and uneasy Eleanor in the rear¨Cview mirror. He reassured her gently, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Eleanor finally rxed and leaned her head against the car window, closing her eyes wearily. She was really tired. With the warm air blowing, she soon fell into a deep sleep. Not long after, the car stopped at the entrance of her residential area. Without turning around, Cedric said, ¡°Ms. Shultz, we¡¯re here.¡± After waiting for a while and receiving no response from the back seat, Cedric turned around. Seeing Eleanor leaning against the window, sound asleep, his eyes widened slightly. Was this woman too naive? Could she just fall asleep sofortably in a stranger¡¯s car? Did she think he was a good guy? Cedric frowned and motioned to his assistant. The assistant quickly got up, went to the back seat, opened the car door, and nudged Eleanor. ¡°Ms. Shultz, you¡¯re home.¡± Eleanor woke up with difficulty, opened her eyes to see the darkness, and couldn¡¯t make out anything clearly. She knew it was due to the rain worsening her condition, but luckily, her mind was still clear, and she remembered that this was Cedric¡¯s car. She quickly straightened up and thanked him again, then pushed the door open and got out. ¡°Ms. Shultz.¡± Cedric stopped her and handed her an umbre from the back seat, ¡°It¡¯s raining heavily outside, take this with you.¡± Eleanor saw the logo on the umbre, knew it was worth tens of hundreds, and was afraid she wouldn¡¯t have a chance to return it to him. So, she gently refused, ¡°Thank you, but it¡¯s just a few steps away. I¡¯ll run over.¡± Cedric paused, seeming to see her thoughts through her eyes. He simply tossed her the umbre, ¡°you don¡¯t need to return it.¡± Eleanor hesitated, but seeing Cedric¡¯s assertive look, she had to ept it. ¡°Then Mr. Laurence, please give me your contact information so I can find a time to return it to you tomorrow.¡± Hearing her asking for his contact info, looking at her eyes, Cedric¡¯s expression gradually became disdainful, ¡°I don¡¯t like those who show up uninvited.¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor didn¡¯t expect him to misunderstand her intentions, and tried to exin, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I just felt that this umbre¡­¡± ¡°Ms. Shultz.¡± Cedric coldly interrupted her, warning in his eyes, ¡°No matter what you meant, I only gave you a ride out of kindness. If you have other ideas, advise you to give up now.¡± His words made Eleanor ufortable. She didn¡¯t say anything more, just put down the umbre and walked away. After taking two steps in the rain, she couldn¡¯t help but feel wronged. She turned around and said to Cedric: ¡°Mr. Laurence, I¡¯m very grateful for your kindness in giving me a ride home, but you don¡¯t have to be prejudiced against me. The reason I refused is because I felt that the umbre you gave me was too expensive and I might not have a chance to return it to you.¡± Having said her piece, not caring about his expression, Eleanor turned around and ran into her residential area. Cedric stared at her petite figure, somewhat stunned. He originally thought that women like Eleanor would try to hook up with anyone who seemed wealthy. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have just broken up with Bernard and thrown herself into Josef¡¯s arms. However, her words just now made Cedric feel a little embarrassed, as if he had misunderstood her¡­ Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Eleanor dashed home in the rain, stripped off her fancy dress, took off the diamond ne around her neck, and tossed it in the box. She¡¯d send all this crap back to Josef tomorrow, his stuff sickened her, and she definitely wouldn¡¯t keep it. After closing the box, she went into the bathroom, turned on the tub faucet, and climbed in. She scrubbed her face and back hard, so hard that her skin got red, then looked at herself in the mirror. With makeup off, all that¡¯s left was sickly paleness, no spirit, and lifeless eyes. She couldn¡¯t see the light or feel the warmth. Like a dirty little bug, trampled all over. Yet, she once had dignity¡­. ¡°Dignity.¡± Eleanor chuckled sarcastically. She had lost her dignity when she sold herself to Bernard. She dried her hair,y in bed, and fell asleep exhausted. The rain had My her Undition, and Eleanor slept straight until the afternoon. had worked all night, slept from morning to afternoon. After making meals, Eleanor still hadn¡¯t woken up. knock on Eleanor¡¯s door and called her twice. With no response, she realized something was wrong. Hailey quickly pushed the door open and went in. When she saw her flushed face on the bed, she immediately touched Eleanor¡¯s was hot¡­ She quickly lifted the covers, propped Eleanor up and said, ¡°Eleanor, you have a high fever. Get up, I¡¯m going to take you to the hospital.¡± In her delirium, Eleanor¡¯s instinct kicked in when hearing the word ¡®hospital¡®. ¡°No hospital¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re very sick, we have to go!¡± Hailey wouldn¡¯t let Eleanor refuse, picked her up, and raced to the hospital. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. After some emergency treatment, she was on an o and breathing machine. Eleanor had a congenital heart condition which Hailey knew about. If she had a cold or fever, oxygen shortage would be an issue. Hailey was worried Eleanor couldn¡¯t take it, so she asked the doctor to use a breathing machine. Around midnight, Eleanor¡¯s fever finally began to subside. Hailey breathed a sigh of relief, asked for time off from work, and sat silently by Eleanor¡¯s bedside. two of them were adopted by the orphanage at around one year old. They were each other¡¯s closest people after the head of the orphanage. Hailey raised her hand, touching Eleanor¡¯s pale face and sighed with a heartache. Eleanor had met two yboys who drained her youth and left her scarred all over. With a high fever, Eleanor slept restlessly, seeing a young man with bloody hands stretching towards her. His face filled with pain as he tried to speak, but Eleanor couldn¡¯t hear him. She approached him, ¡°What did you say?¡± The boy stopped talking, staring intently. Heavy rain suddenly poured down, washing the blood off his face. Only then did Eleanor recognize him, rushing forward anxiously, ¡°Garett!¡± The scene suddenly flipped, and Eleanor knelt in front of a nightclub. A man with a ck umbre approached and condescendingly asked, ¡°are you a virgin?¡± Embarrassed, she nodded and gently ced her hand in his palm. As he grasped her hand, it turned into bloody hands. He too changed into a monstrous young man, angrily roaring at her, choking her neck: ¡°Eleanor! Why did you sell yourself to him? Why did you betray me? Why did you do this?¡± Eleanor shook her head desperately, it wasn¡¯t like that¡­. She yelled, exined, but the boy cruelly pushed her away and left. Eleanor chased after him, grabbing his clothes and shouting through her tears, ¡°Garett, don¡¯t go, please!¡± Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Hailey was startled by Eleanor¡¯s continuous screams and hurriedly nudged her. ¡°Eleanor, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Eleanor¡¯s consciousness gradually returned, and she slowly opened her eyes, seeing only a worried Hailey, with Bernard and Garett nowhere to be found. She realized she just had a nightmare, dreaming about her past and people she¡¯d rather not see. Trying to shake off the images in her head, Eleanor swallowed her dry throat and tried to grab some water, only to find an IV in her arm. ¡°You had a high fever, so I brought you to the hospital,¡± Hailey said, seeing that Eleanor was all groggy. She helped her drink the water at the side. The water revitalized Eleanor little by little¡­ ¡°Hailey¡­¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Hailey gently responded, arranging her sweat¨Cdrenched hair and tucking it behind her ear before softly asking, ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Eleanor shook her head with difficulty. ¡°Did the doctor tell you anything?¡± She hadn¡¯t figured out how to tell Hailey about her heart failure just yet, but being suddenly sick and rushed to the hospital probably clued her in. ¡°The doctor didn¡¯t say much. They just put you on IV fluids since you were unconscious from the fever. They took your blood as well. The test results should be out by now.¡± After saying that, Hailey got up to get the report. ¡°I¡¯ll grab it right now.¡± Eleanor quickly stopped her. ¡°I¡¯m a bit hungry¡­ can you help me get something to eat first?¡± Hailey nodded. ¡°Wait for me, I¡¯ll go buy you some light food.¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Her heart failure could be found through the blood test. She didn¡¯t want Hailey she would have to face Eleanor¡¯s impending death. As Hailey left with her bag, Eleanor mustered the strength to sit up. She walked over to the machine and took out her test results. to see the results, fearing it would sadden her and that They had relied on each other since childhood, being each other¡¯s rock. If Hailey knew Eleanor would soon die, she wouldn¡¯t be able to handle the blow. Eleanor tore the report apart and threw it in the trash. That way, Hailey couldn¡¯t see it. Turning around to head back to her hospital room, she saw a dozen luxury cars suddenly pull up to the emergency entrance. A group of bodyguards in ck suits got out, escorting Bernard out of the car. He was holding Sophie, rushing into the hospital. Seeing his anxious expression, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit dejected. She remembered when she was with him and had been rushed to the ER for a heart attack. What was his reaction at that time? Eleanor recalled him standing by her bedside, looking down credit card. giving charity to a beggar, disdainfully tossing her a He thought she was faking her illness just to gain his sympathy and get some money. At this thought, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but scoff at herself, her eyes brimming with tears. Despite the injustices and bitterness, she turned away, determined to never cross paths with him again. He once said that he would never want to see her ever again. She would make sure of that! In the time that remained, she and Bernard would be strangers, even if they crossed paths. The footsteps behind her approached, each one stepping on her heart, causing her immense pain. Bernard passed by her without giving her a nce, just as she expected. To a heartless man like him, past feelings didn¡¯t matter, especially when there was none to begin with. With her chin raised high, Eleanor stubbornly refused to cry. He was simply a man who abandoned her ¨C nothing important. Chapter 25 Chapter 25 happened to have bought some soup back. Seeing her up and about, Hailey ¡°Are you trying to get yourself killed, wandering around just af Hailey made her sit down on the bed and sternly scolded her, your fever broke?¡± have a heart condition, you need to be more careful.¡± Eleanor¡¯s heart warmed up, and she smiled, ¡°I went to get my test results.¡± Hailey opened the lid of the soup container and said, ¡°I could¡¯ve gotten that for you, you should stay here and rest.¡± After saying that, she reached out with concern, ¡°Where¡¯s the report? Let me see it.¡± Eleanor blinked her eyes. She didn¡¯t want to lie to Hailey, but she still reluctantly said, ¡°I got it to show the doctor, but I left it in the consultation room.¡± Hearing this, Hailey didn¡¯t think much of it, but she was more concerned about Eleanor¡¯s health, ¡°What were the results?¡± Eleanor replied casually, ¡°No biggie.¡± Hailey put down the spoon, and looked at Eleanor very seriously, ¡°You¡¯re not like ordinary people, you have a heart condition, so blood tests are the most important checkup.¡± ven my Eleanor smiled, ¡°I know, the doctor said everything¡¯s fine, Finally reassured, Hailey handed Eleanor the soup, ¡°I bought your favorite, chicken noodle soup. Have some first.¡± Eleanor took it and scooped small spoonful into her mouth. Hailey looked at Eleanor¡¯s pale face and hesitated to speak. If she hadn¡¯t just misheard, Eleanor had been calling for Garett in her sleep. The guy had always been a taboo topic for Eleanor. After so many years, this was the first time Hailey had heard Eleanor call Garett¡¯s name in her sleep. Hailey wanted to ask whether Eleanor¡¯s memories of Garett were still buried deep inside her, but she also didn¡¯t want to make her upset. After thinking for a long time, Hailey eventually chose to keep quiet. Garett was a thing of the past, mentioning him would only add distress. Eleanor was full after half a bowl of the noodle soup. She put down the spoon and asked Hailey, ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be at work?¡± Hailey pointed to her watch, ¡°It¡¯s already thiste, what work?¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°Then you..¡± ¡°I took two days off to be with you.¡± Haileyy down on the empty bed beside them, ¡°Might as well take this chance to have a good rest myself.¡± Eleanor gave a gentle smile, ¡°Thank you.¡± Hailey waved her hand and yawned, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m gonna take a nap. Tell me if you need anything.¡± Eleanor nodded, ¡°The doctor¡¯s making rounds, you can have a good sleep.¡± Only then did Hailey close her eyes and drift off. Hailey worked at a nightclub, which was mostly night shifts, super busy and tiring. Since she didn¡¯t manage to get into college, she couldn¡¯t be like ordinary employees, sittingfy in an office job. Plus, after graduating from high school, she hadn¡¯t found a good job and wanted to remain in A City, so she went to work at the nightclub. She started in sales, then got promoted to manager due to her good performance. After several years of hard work, she finally managed to buy a house and a car, which was quite an achievement. But the process was indeed very hard. Fortunately, Hailey found herself a super reliable boyfriend. They were getting married next month, on the ninth. Once she¡¯s married, she can break free from being along and start a family of her own. Although Hailey had a tough time over the years, her future was always full of hope. As for Eleanor, she didn¡¯t dare to hope for anything else. All she wants is to live to see Hailey¡¯s wedding day, and to be there for her best friend when she ties the knot. Then, she wouldn¡¯t have any regrets. Chapter 26 Chapter 26 After spending a night in the hospital, Eleanor¡¯s high fever subsidedpletely. Although she still felt a bit weak, there was no need for her to stay in the hospital any longer. So, she asked Hailey to pay the hospital fee, and the two of them went straight home afterpleting the discharge procedures. Upon returning home, Hailey immediately got busy cooking in the kitchen. Eleanor wanted to help, but Hailey refused. ¡°You just rest up, I¡¯ll handle things here,¡± Hailey said, shooing Eleanor away with a wave of her hand. While her fever had gone, Eleanor¡¯s heart failure had worsened. Her chest felt really painful, her head was barely stand. Unable to help Hailey, she did as she she both insufficient blood and oxygen supply, and she was so weak, she could told and returned her bedroom, struggling to support herself. Lying in bed, Eleanor wanted to get some sleep. Just then, she received a news notification about the entertainment industry on her phone, which sat on her bedside table. Since she met Bernard, she hadn¡¯t been very informed about his schedule, but noticed that he asionally made the news, so she followed some rted ounts. She checked the news and saw that paparazzi had snapped pictures of Bernard carrying Sophie to the emergency room. The report imed that their love had reignited. Most of thements praised their appearance and family background, saying that they were the perfect, well¨Cmatched couple. As Eleanor read this, she also thought that they were indeed a suitable pair: Bernard, handsome and noble; Sophie, elegant and beautiful. With a bitter smile, she closed the news and was about to turn off her phone when she noticed an unread text. Opening the message, she found it was from an unknown number, asking, ¡°why did you go to the hospital?¡± Eleanor was startled. How did this person know she¡¯d been to the hospital? Checking the time, she realized the message had been sent the night before, right when she woke up in the hospital¡­ Eleanor stared at the message, a little incredulous. ?? ?? ?? ? ?? ? ¨² ? ? ?? ? ?? ? The only person she¡¯d run into at the hospitalst night was Bernard. Could it be from him? Trembling, she replied, ¡°Who is this?¡± She didn¡¯t expect an immediate response, but the next second, her phone buzzed again. ¡°Answer me.¡± Eleanor¡¯s heart pounded as she stared at the cold, detached message. It sounded like Bernard. But her intuition told her that he wouldn¡¯t send her a message like this. Frowning, she texted back, ¡°Who are you, really?¡± It took an hour for the reply toe. The mysterious person finally revealed his identity: ¡°Josef.¡± Upon seeing his name, Eleanor¡¯s heart, which had been racing, finally rxed. She initially thought it was Bernard, but instead, it was Josef. But Josef¡¯s number wasn¡¯t this one. Had he changed it? Eleanor puzzled over this before deciding to call the mysterious number back directly. The mystery texter didn¡¯t pick up, but merely sent a text message: ¡°In a meeting.¡± Eleanor propped up her chin, deep in thought. Eventually, she mustered up the courage and dialed Josef¡¯s work number. He answered quickly this time, speaking in a low, impatient voice. ¡°I¡¯m in a meeting. What is it?¡± Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Eleanor wasn¡¯t expecting him to be in a meeting for real, so she hurriedly replied with ¡°nothing¡± and hung up. It was so weird. He was in a meeting, yet texted her from an unknown number. Was he simply that bored? Recalling how Josef would often pester her from different numbers in the past, Eleanor didn¡¯t give it any more thought. She put down her phone, intending to ignore him, but another text message came in. Back to the original question: ¡°Tell me, why were you at the hospital?¡± Eleanor felt that there was something off about him. He wouldn¡¯t say anything on the phone call earlier but insisted on texting Not wanting to engage, but fearing that ignoring him After spending a night in the hospital, Eleanor¡¯s high fever subsidedpletely. Although she still felt a bit weak, there was no need for her to stay in the hospital any longer. So, she asked Hailey to pay the hospital fee, and the two of them went straight home afterpleting the discharge procedures. Upon returning home, Hailey immediately got busy cooking in the kitchen. Eleanor wanted to help, but Hailey refused. ¡°You just rest up, I¡¯ll handle things here,¡± Hailey said, shooing Eleanor away with a wave of her hand. While her fever had gone, Eleanor¡¯s heart failure had worsened. Her chest felt really painful, her head was barely stand. Unable to help Hailey, she did as she she both insufficient blood and oxygen supply, and she was so weak, she could told and returned her bedroom, struggling to support herself. Lying in bed, Eleanor wanted to get some sleep. Just then, she received a news notification about the entertainment industry on her phone, which sat on her bedside table. Since she met Bernard, she hadn¡¯t been very informed about his schedule, but noticed that he asionally made the news, so she followed some rted ounts. She checked the news and saw that paparazzi had snapped pictures of Bernard carrying Sophie to the emergency room. The report imed that their love had reignited. Most of thements praised their appearance and family background, saying that they were the perfect, well¨Cmatched couple. As Eleanor read this, she also thought that they were indeed a suitable pair: Bernard, handsome and noble; Sophie, elegant and beautiful. With a bitter smile, she closed the news and was about to turn off her phone when she noticed an unread text. Opening the message, she found it was from an unknown number, asking, ¡°why did you go to the hospital?¡± Eleanor was startled. How did this person know she¡¯d been to the hospital? Checking the time, she realized the message had been sent the night before, right when she woke up in the hospital¡­ Eleanor stared at the message, a little incredulous. ?? ?? ?? ? ?? ? ¨² ? ? ?? ? ?? ? The only person she¡¯d run into at the hospitalst night was Bernard. Could it be from him? Trembling, she replied, ¡°Who is this?¡± She didn¡¯t expect an immediate response, but the next second, her phone buzzed again. ¡°Answer me.¡± Eleanor¡¯s heart pounded as she stared at the cold, detached message. It sounded like Bernard. But her intuition told her that he wouldn¡¯t send her a message like this. Frowning, she texted back, ¡°Who are you, really?¡± It took an hour for the reply toe. The mysterious person finally revealed his identity: ¡°Josef.¡± Upon seeing his name, Eleanor¡¯s heart, which had been racing, finally rxed. She initially thought it was Bernard, but instead, it was Josef. But Josef¡¯s number wasn¡¯t this one. Had he changed it? Eleanor puzzled over this before deciding to call the mysterious number back directly. The mystery texter didn¡¯t pick up, but merely sent a text message: ¡°In a meeting.¡± Eleanor propped up her chin, deep in thought. Eventually, she mustered up the courage and dialed Josef¡¯s work number. He answered quickly this time, speaking in a low, impatient voice. ¡°I¡¯m in a meeting. What is it?¡± Eleanor wasn¡¯t expecting him to be in a meeting for real, so she hurriedly replied with ¡°nothing¡± and hung up. It was so weird. He was in a meeting, yet texted her from an unknown number. Was he simply that bored? Recalling how Josef would often pester her from different numbers in the past, Eleanor didn¡¯t give it any more thought. She put down her phone, intending to ignore him, but another text message came in. Back to the original question: ¡°Tell me, why were you at the hospital?¡± Eleanor felt that there was something off about him. He wouldn¡¯t say anything on the phone call earlier but insisted on texting Not wanting to engage, but fearing that ignoring him would make him angry, Eleanor bit her teeth and typed: ¡°I had a high fever, so I went to the hospital for an IV.¡± Eleanor thought he would continue asking questions, but he left her alone. Feeling that he might just have been acting impulsively, Eleanor put her phone aside and, exhausted, fell asleep. ould make him angry, Eleanor bit her teeth and typed: ¡°I had a high fever, so I went to the hospital for an IV.¡± Eleanor thought he would continue asking questions, but he left her alone. Feeling that he might just have been acting impulsively, Eleanor put her phone aside and, exhausted, fell asleep. Chapter 27 Chapter 27 In the deep slumber, the cellphone suddenly kept buzzing non¨Cstop. She tiredly opened her eyes, forced herself to wake up and picked up the phone. ¡°Baby.¡± Josef¡¯s voice came from the other side, ¡°You said you had a high feverst night. How are you now?¡± Eleanor¡¯s spirits lifted slightly at the sound of his voice. She found Josef bizarre. He always just wanted to possess her, but now he suddenly cared about her health? Text messages and phone calls ¨C could it be that he knew she was near death and wanted to let her off the hook? Eleanor¡¯s mind raced, but she acted nonchnt and replied, ¡°I¡¯m better now.¡± ¡°Good to know.¡± Josef said perfunctorily, then eagerly asked, ¡°Why did you call me? Did that thing work out?¡± Eleanor thought, of course Josef wouldn¡¯t care about her health; this was his true purpose. She sat up in bed and supported her aching head with one hand, coldly saying, ¡°I talked to Mr. Laurence. He said he would think about it.¡± The excuse she used that day to escape was to ckmail Bernard with a video to get the project from him. She sounded confident, but only she knew that it was all lies to deceive Josef. She didn¡¯t have the video, wouldn¡¯t talk to Bernard, and definitely wouldn¡¯t threaten Bernard to get the project. She had nned all along to use this excuse to stall Josef. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Until Hailey got married safely, she¡¯d go find Josef and take him down. Yes, she would trade her life for Hailey¡¯s peace for the rest of her life. Josef was clearly getting impatient, ¡°The bidding is on the 10th of next month; when is he going to consider it?¡± Eleanor frowned. Hailey¡¯s wedding was on the 9th of next month. She originally nned to wait for Hailey to get married and then go find Josef to take him down. But the bidding was on the 10th, and time was so tight that Josef wouldn¡¯t let her stall until that day. After thinking for a while, Eleanor gritted her teeth and said, ¡°On the 9th of next month, he¡¯ll give me a definite answer.¡± ¡°Geez!¡± Josef cursed a few times, ¡°Give me the video, and I¡¯ll talk to him myself.¡± ¡¤ Eleanor panicked for a moment, her palms sweating with anxiety. Fortunately, she reacted quickly, steadied herself, and calmly replied: ¡°Mr. Caporal, threatening Mr. Laurence to get the project for you in this way has already made him quite unhappy with you. If you personally show him this video, it will only enrage him even more. At that time, you¡¯ll not onlypletely offend him, but also risk losing the project. That would be counterproductive, don¡¯t you think?¡± Josef considered and thought Eleanor made sense. Threatening Bernard through Eleanor was already not aboveboard. If he threatened him again, it might make Bernard fight back out of desperation. He ended the conversation, ¡°On the 9th, I want to see the contract. Otherwise, I¡¯ll have my friends humiliate your bestie at her wedding!¡± Eleanor was taken aback that Josef actually knew Hailey¡¯s wedding date, which meant he had been watching them. Now it wasn¡¯t just Hailey, but also her husband¨Cto¨Cbe that could be involved. She had to pull herself together as soon as possible. With that thought, Eleanor put down the phone and forced herself to stand up despite the pain. She walked to the desk, opened the drawer, and took out a few bottles of medicine. She picked out some sleeping pills and transferred them to another empty bottle. Then, she numbly took the other heart failure medication and swallowed it all at once. She had to hold on until Hailey¡¯s wedding day and make Josef pay a heavy price for his actions! Chapter 28 Chapter 28 In about ten days, it¡¯s going to be the ninth of next month. Eleanor was going to different hospitals every day to get prescriptions, saving up pills with sleep¨C inducing ingredients. She stored the pills away and saw a box on the table. That¡¯s when she remembered she hadn¡¯t returned the gown and ne to Josef yet, so she quickly picked up her phone and arranged for a courier. Even though she nned to deal with Josef, these things didn¡¯t belong to her, so she would definitely return them. The courier came quickly, and once the stuff was sent out, she felt relieved. Seeing the gown and ne being returned, Josef¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement. N?velDrama.Org content rights. This woman, Eleanor, really is different; other people would¡¯ve sold these luxurious things for money by now, but she returned them! He figured he had met his match, but that was alright. Once she got the project, he would conquer her thoroughly! After resting at home for a while, Eleanor received a call from Hailey. Her custom¨Cmade wedding dress was ready, and she wanted Eleanor toe with her to the bridal shop to try it on. Eleanor, exhausted, immediately went to the bridal shop Hailey sent her to. Hailey¡¯s fianc¨¦, Austin Zimmer, was also there, and he greeted Eleanor when she arrived. Eleanor politely responded with a smile, ¡°Where¡¯s Hailey?¡± ¨C Austin gestured towards the changing room, ¡°She¡¯s trying on her wedding dress have a seat first.¡± Eleanor had known Austin for some time, so she didn¡¯t act overly formal, sitting down in the sofa area without hesitation. In fact, ever since her high fever, her body had been more and more fatigued, she would often feeling unsteady on her feet. This was also ate¨Cstage symptom for heart failure patients. With the heart¡¯s pumping function severely diminished, arge amount of blood umtes in the body¡¯s cirction, leading to insufficient blood supply to the brain tissue, causing brain cell ischemia and hypoxia. Once there¡¯s hypoxia, people can easily be sleepy and fatigued. Right now, she¡¯d only been waiting on the sofa for a few minutes before she rested her head, feeling drowsy. Luckily, Hailey came out of the changing room soon after, calling Eleanor¡¯s name softly, pulling Eleanor back from her drowsiness. Hailey didn¡¯t notice anything unusual about her and lifted herrge wedding dress to show it to Eleanor and Austin, twirling in front of them. ¡°How do I look?¡± ¡°Beautiful.¡± Eleanor forced a sweet smile through her exhaustion. Austin also quickly added, ¡°My wife looks beautiful in anything.¡± Haileyughed and lightly patted his shoulder, saying he knew how to please her. Austin indulgently rubbed her head. Seeing Hailey and Austin¡¯s stable and harmonious rtionship after eight years together, Eleanor was relieved. Austin had made it out of his hometown on his own merits, being well¨Cgroomed and good¨Chearted. Hailey said he¡¯d had a hard life, so he knew how difficult it was to have a happy life and would cherish his family more. Eleanor believed Hailey had made a reliable choice in him and wouldn¡¯t need to worry about betrayal. As long as Hailey was happy, that was enough for Eleanor. Since the custom¨Cmade wedding dress was expensive, the bridal shop gave Hailey a bridesmaid dress for free. She immediately picked a champagne¨Ccolored one for Eleanor and urged her to try it on too. Eleanor couldn¡¯t refuse, so she agreed. She¡¯d lost a lot of weight, so the dress was quite big on her. Touching her waist, Hailey only felt bones and no flesh, making her feel ufortable. Seeing Eleanor, who looked pale, Hailey asked with concern, ¡°Eleanor, why did you lose so much weight?¡± Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Hailey frowned and said, ¡°You¡¯re already too skinny, listen Austin couldn¡¯t help butugh: ¡°are you trying to get the part from now on you have to eat lots of food every meal!¡± bestie gain weight for your wedding.¡± Hailey defended her: ¡°Eleanor would still look good even if she on some weight.¡± Austin nodded: ¡°Yeah, yeah, so can we go for the makeup trial now With Austin interrupting, Hailey forgot to scold Eleanor, and dragged her to the makeup room. They tried out their wedding day makeup at the bridal shop, and then went to the hotel to practice the wedding procedures. After getting everything done, Austin took Hailey and Eleanor to a restaurant for a meal, and then sent them home. Upon returning home, Hailey took a short rest and started packing. Austin had bought a new house for their marriage, so Hailey would be moving in after the wedding. ¡°Eleanor, when I move into the new house, this little home will be your responsibility. Take good care of our home.¡± For Hailey, this house would be her future haven with Eleanor guarding it, and that made her feel secure. ¡°Okay.¡± Eleanor smiled and nodded, taking the clothes from Hailey¡¯s hands and folding them neatly. Hailey picked some frequently worn clothes from the wardrobe and didn¡¯t n to pack more. Although she and Austin would be married, she would still visit Eleanor often. Eleanor understood her thoughts, and didn¡¯t say anything more. After helping her put the folded clothes into her suitcase, Eleanor smiled and said, ¡°I have a wedding gift for you.¡± With a smile on her face, Hailey asked, ¡°What gift?¡± ¡°Wait for me.¡± Eleanor turned and went back to her bedroom, opened her drawer, took out a bank card, and handed it to Hailey. ¡°This is some money I saved for you, take it and use it.¡± For a married ed woman, it¡¯s important to have some pocket money. Over the years, Eleanor had divided her sry into several parts: one for Bernard, one for Hailey, and one for daily expenses. With her monthly sry and annual bonus, her yearly ie was almost $60,000. Almost all of it was saved, and after repaying Bernard, there was around $40,000 left. Although it wasn¡¯t much, if Hailey ever encountered any problems after getting married, she would have some money to use, which would put Eleanor at ease. Besides, this money was clean, not earned from selling her body, but from her own hard work, so Hailey could use it with a clear conscience. Seeing the bank card, Hailey was astonished. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. She thought that after Eleanor returned one million to Bernard, there wouldn¡¯t be much money left. She even nned to give Eleanor some more money, but didn¡¯t expect Eleanor to save money for her. She must have saved it by living frugally and not spending much. No wonder she became so thin, it must have been from skipping meals a lot. She patted Eleanor¡¯s cheek with affection, ¡°Eleanor, you¡¯ve suffered a lot.¡± Eleanor smiled gently, ¡°My annual sry is quite high, and I don¡¯t usually spend much. So, saving money hasn¡¯t been a problem. Just take it.¡± Hailey handed back the bank card that Eleanor had given her, ¡°I can¡¯t take this money. I am older than you, and as your sister, I should be preparing a wedding gift for you. It¡¯s not traditional for a younger sister to give a dowry to her older sister.¡± Eleanor knew she wouldn¡¯t ept it, so she didn¡¯t insist anymore, and simply stuffed the bank card into her suitcase. Chapter 30 Chapter 30 When Hailey saw Eleanor about to lock the suitcase, she quickly went up to stop her but got shoved away. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Hailey sighed helplessly, ¡°Why are you so stubborn?¡± After locking the suitcase, Eleanor turned and hugged Hailey¡¯s arm. ¡°Growing up, you¡¯ve always taken care of me, and I¡¯ve never done anything for you. Just take this as a token of appreciation from your little sister.¡± Hailey still disagreed, knowing Eleanor was already struggling. How could she take her money? However, Eleanor insisted on giving it to her, so Hailey reluctantly epted the bank card for now. She nned to put the card back in Eleanor¡¯s room on her wedding day. No matter what, she couldn¡¯t take the money Eleanor had worked so hard to earn. After packing a few things, the twoy in one room, on one bed. Like they used to do when they were young, they chatted about the future while doing skincare. Hailey mentioned Eleanor¡¯s marriage, iming breaking up with Bernard was good news. A guy like him, with his high status, would never marry a random girl. She advised Eleanor to find someone else, someone with a matching status and who earned a decent ie, so she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about money in the future. She said this house would be their prenuptial property. If one of them ever had a hard time in their marriage, she could move back in. This house would be their backup and shelter, with it, they had nothing to fear. Eleanor agreed to everything, not wanting to raise Hailey¡¯s suspicions. Èý Èý Holding Hailey¡¯s arm, Eleanor felt so lucky to have such a loving friend. Even if death were toe early for her, she wouldn¡¯t have any regrets. Like when they were younger, she fell asleep peacefully in Hailey¡¯s arms. That night she slept soundest she had in a while, but time flew quickly, and soon it was Hailey¡¯s wedding day. Eleanor was a little reluctant to see Hailey go, but she knew Hailey¡¯s future life would include not only her but also her new family. So, she hid her reluctance and happily helped Hailey with the wedding preparations. After the makeup artist had done her work, the photographer took many photos and recorded Hailey walking down the aisle. Eleanor followed, holding Hailey¡¯s dress, her face beaming with happiness. Austin waited excitedly and emotionally at the end of the aisle. They held the wedding at a hotel, then proceeded to the wedding banquet and finally to the bridal suite., The hotel wasn¡¯t overly luxurious but had everything they needed. From the look of it, Austin cared deeply for Hailey, and Eleanor felt reassured. Hailey didn¡¯t have many rtives, only the director of the orphanage came to see her off. The hotel was filled with Austin¡¯s kin. The wedding¡¯s theme was a romantic starry sky, with countless roses in full bloom at both ends of the venue. Amid twinkling lights, the atmosphere felt like a gal¨¢xy filled with stars. Hailey, dressed in her white wedding gown, looked as if she were in a dazzling gxy. Eleanor watched Hailey with teary eyes, cing Hailey¡¯s hand, the hand that had apanied her through half of her life, into Austin¡¯s. From this moment on, Hailey would start her new life journey, and Eleanor would have nothing left to regret. Under the priest¡¯s guidance, the wedding ceremony reached the exchange of rings. Just as Austin was about to put the diamond ring on Hailey¡¯s finger, an abrupt voice suddenly broke the joyful atmosphere- ¡°Howe I wasn¡¯t invited to such a grand wedding?¡± Chapter 31 Chapter 31 At the entrance, a dozen bodyguards in ck clothes pushed the door open and entered. Josef walked in with his hands in his suit pockets, striding confidently. The guests in the hall were so scared by this group of people that they didn¡¯t dare to speak. Hailey and Austin were somewhat at a loss, standing still in their tracks. The moment Eleanor saw Josef, her face turned pale. She thought he wouldn¡¯te, but he still stormed into the wedding scene. Worried that Josef would ruin the wedding, she hurriedly got up from the guest seats and walked quickly towards him. ¡°Mr. Caporal.¡± Eleanor hurriedly stopped Josef. ¡°The contract is signed, and I¡¯ll give it to you tonight.¡± Josef looked up and down at her, and seeing her in a sexy champagne¨Ccolored dress, his eyes ignited with excitement. He put his arm around Eleanor¡¯s waist, pulled her into his arms, and touched her as he spoke, ¡°Since it¡¯s already signed, why not give it to me earlier?¡± ¡°What if you get the contract and don¡¯t keep your promise and disrupt my friend¡¯s wedding? I have to make sure the wedding goes smoothly.¡± Eleanor replied cautiously while enduring her disgust. ¡°You don¡¯t trust me?¡±Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No.¡± Eleanor said, ¡°If you want the contract, wait until tonight.¡± Her makeup look was soft, but her expression was somewhat stubborn, as if there was no room for negotiation. Josef sneered, ¡°How do I know you¡¯re not lying to me?¡± Eleanor took out her phone, opened the file, and showed a fake contract prepared in advance to Josef. ¡°Take a good look, this contract is from the Laurence Group, and it¡¯s also stamped, it can¡¯t be fake.¡± Her main job in the CEO¡¯s office was to receive partners and manage contract documents. The Laurence Group is thergest partner of the Ratliff Group. She naturally had their contracts and knew what the stamp looked like. She drew up a contract ording to the temte of other contracts from the Laurence Group and found someone to make a stamp. She turned the fake stamped contract into a PDF file, which looked like the real thing. She deliberately showed Josef page by page, making him kind of believe her. ¡°Then remember to bring the contract to my vi tonight.¡± After getting the contract, he would conquer Eleanor ruthlessly. Thinking about getting both the heir position of the Caporal Group and a beauty, Josef was in a good mood and let go of Eleanor. After his hand left her waist, Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief. Clutching her sweaty palm, she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°I¡¯ve already set the address, I¡¯ll send it to youter.¡± There was no way she was going to his vi. Once in his territory, she wouldn¡¯t be able to escape. Now that she holds the fake contract, Josef has got to follow her n if he wants to get it. Hearing her say this, Josef frowned slightly, ¡°What tricks are you trying to y?¡± Eleanor shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to y tricks, I just don¡¯t want to sleep with you. I want to ensure my safety.¡± She directly voiced his thoughts, making Josef feel a bit embarrassed. His face turned livid, but he thought that no matter where she chose the address, he would be able to make her submit to him. Having thought this, Josef no longer worried about the address issue. He looked at the approaching couple and threatened Eleanor with a smile, ¡°You better bring it properly, or my friends here might cause some trouble at the wedding.¡± He finished speaking, and gently tapped Eleanor¡¯s nose with his finger, which seemed a little affectionate, but his eyes were full of danger when he looked at her. Eleanor was disgusted by his touch deep inside, but she still nodded on the surface. ¡°Please rest assured, Mr. Caporal.¡± With her promise, Josef finally left with his people. ¡°Please rest assured, Mr. Caporal.¡± With her promise, Josef finally left with his people. Chapter 32 Chapter 32 After they left, the guests around started gossiping about Eleanor, wondering how she had something to do with people like that. Eleanor didn¡¯t mind, but instead turned to Hailey and Austin, who were walking towards her. ¡°Eleanor, who are those people?¡± Hailey looked at Eleanor with concern, her intuition told her that those people were bad news. Eleanor patted her hand with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s the president of the Caporal Group, he came looking for me to get an important contract document.¡± She said this deliberately louder. Hailey had a small microphone on her wedding dress, and since she was standing close by, the sound naturally carried through the microphone. When the guests heard her exnation, they started gossiping again, saying Hailey¡¯s friend was amazing to even know the president of the Caporal Group. Austin was from the suburbs of A City, so people didn¡¯t know celebrities very well, but they did know the name of A City¡¯s richest man. Eleanor made this exnation to dispel people¡¯s misunderstandings. Otherwise, Austin¡¯s rtives would definitely think that Hailey¡¯s friends were not very decent people. After all, ¡°birds of a feather flock together¡± and that could affect someone¡¯s reputation. She had to exin clearly, so Hailey wouldn¡¯t be gossiped about. Although the guests¡® doubts were dispelled, Hailey was still uneasy, feeling that things were not that simple. If it was really just for a contract document as Eleanor said, why would the president of the Caporal Group bring so many people? It seemed like they were here for a fight, and he was groping Eleanor¡¯s waist? His actions were strange, not like pursuing Eleanor, but more like forcing and threatening her. The more Hailey thought about it, the more worried she became, taking off the microphone from her wedding dress and looking at Eleanor with concern. ¡°If you¡¯re in danger, be sure to tell me. I¡¯ll fight for justice for you even if it kills me!¡± Eleanor had always been attracting ill¨Cintentioned people due to her beauty since she was a child. In the past, Garett protected her, and no one dared to approach her. Now Garett was gone, and she had to take on the responsibility of protecting Eleanor. Hearing this, Eleanor felt deeply touched, tears welling up in her eyes. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. She worried that Hailey would be even more concerned when she saw her tears, so she quickly agreed, pushing her to continue with the wedding. After exchanging rings and having champagne, the wedding was nearing its end. Seeing Hailey and Austin go from table to table, happily toasting, Eleanor finally felt at ease. The wedding was a great sess. Now, all she had to do was deal with Josef. After sending Hailey and Austin to their bridal suite, she went home. Upon returning to her bedroom, Eleanor went to change out of her bridesmaid dress, and a bank card fell out from the wardrobe. That was her gift for Hailey, and Hailey had secretly put it back in her wardrobe. Eleanor picked up the bank card and couldn¡¯t help but smile. Hailey was always like this, always giving, never expecting anything in return. Even with Austin. The wedding house down payment was by Austin¡¯s family, and she took care of the renovation expenses. Even though her name was not on the property deed, she willingly paid the mortgage with Austin. She was such a warm, helpful sister figure. Eleanor clenched the bank card, thinking that everything would end tonight. But she had to leave Hailey without any information, which would haunt Hailey for the rest of her life. With that in mind, she sat down at the desk, picked up a pen, and wrote that suicide note. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 She wrote two full pages, putting all her thoughts into words in a simple and concise way. After finishing, she tucked the bank card into the suicide note and wrote ¡°To Hailey¡± on the envelope. She hesitated for a moment, then took out another piece of paper and wanted to write something for Bernard, but she didn¡¯t know what to say. In the end, she only wrote a few words ¨C his name ¨C and then put down the pen, folded the paper, and put it in the drawer. After she left, Hailey would surelye to clean up her belongings, and then she would find what she had left for her. Having done all this, Eleanor took her medicine. Tonight she had a heavy task, and she had to steady herself, or she would fail at thest minute. After taking the medicine, she opened the locked desk drawer and took out a small jar of sleeping pills she had saved for about ten days. She put the sleeping pills, the forged contract, and the dagger into a bag, then took out her phone and booked a hotel. She went to set things up at the hotel first, then sent the address to Josef via text message. She didn¡¯t add Josef on WhatsApp, thinking that he had texted her before, so she used this method to send him the address. Mr. Caporal, Jade Bay Hotel, room 2088, I¡¯m waiting for you. She thought Josef woulde straight over after seeing the message, but he unexpectedly replied with a question mark Eleanor frowned slightly at the question mark. Wasn¡¯t it agreed that he would give him the contract tonight? N?velDrama.Org content rights. As she was puzzled, he sent another message: Wait for me. Only then did Eleanor let go of her doubts, put down her phone, and took out the sleeping pills. She poured all the pills in the bottle into a wine ss, picked up the dagger, and used the tip of the knife to crush the pills a little bit. Last time, she was going to fight to the death with Josef, but she didn¡¯t prepare enough that time. This time, she had to kill him! She didn¡¯t want to be tortured by him, nor did she want to involve Hailey. There was no other way out but to kill him! She crushed the pills, poured the wine into the ss, and hid the dagger under the pillow. After doing all this, Eleanor turned off the lights, sat on the couch, and waited quietly. About 20 minutester, there was a knock on the door. Hearing the sound, Eleanor tried her best to stay calm, but her body trembled slightly. She was very nervous and scared, but things hade to this point, and all she could do was follow the n. Putting down the wine bottle, she calmed herself down, walked over to the door, and slowly opened it. A man appeared outside the door wearing a bronze¨Ccolored mask, his entire face hidden. At the first sight of him, Eleanor knew something was off. She tried to close the door, but he forced his way in. The man quickly and skillfully turned off all the lights in the room after entering. The room was plunged into darkness, and Eleanor could only see where he was standing through the dim light from outside the window. Eleanor¡¯s body trembled as she observed the man standing near the door. This man definitely wasn¡¯t Josef! From his height and build, he seemed more like Bernard. But Bernard had a faint cedar scent, while this man had a strong cologne smell. Bernard¡¯s hair was always neat, while this man¡¯s hair was in a mess. Bernard liked to wear business attire, while he was dressed in casual and loose clothing. W A white shirt paired with brown capri pants was attire that Bernard would never wear. And, on his exposed corbone, there was a long, slender tattoo of a fearsome azure dragon. Bernard had severe cleanliness issues; he would never tattoo his skin, nor would he ever appear to her in such a way! After ruling out Bernard, Eleanor was sure that the person in front of her was a stranger, someone impersonating Josef, Chapter 34 Chapter 34 She was trembling with anxiety. Why was this man pretending to be Josef to get close to her? Why was he hiding his true identity, why did he turn off all the lights when he came in, what did he want to do? Her mind was in turmoil, not knowing what to do next. Initially, ording to the n, she just had to deal with Josef, but now there was an additional stranger, what should she do? Her heart was churning with anxiety, like a turbulent wave, but she repeatedly forced herself to calm down. No matter who this man was, as long as he entered this room, she had to find a way to knock him out! Thinking of this, Eleanor let go of her clenched hand, and said nonchntly, ¡°Mr. Caporal, if you want to role¨Cy, you shouldn¡¯t turn off the lights. It¡¯s too dark to see anything.¡± As she spoke, she walked over to the table, picked up an empty wine ss, and poured a small amount of the wine, which contained sleeping pills, into it. She carried the ss, which was half filled with win ¡°Have a drink first.¡± to the man and handed it to him. Eleanor had originally nned to give Josef the contract when he arrived, and after he got the contract, he would definitely try to take advantage of her. At that time, she would convince Josef to drink first, and when the dru took effect, she would kill him with a dagger. Then she would record a video exposing Josef¡¯s crime, showing that she forced and had to choose to kill him. And she, after doing all this, would post the video on Twitter at a scheduled time, and then choose to commit suicide by cutting her wrist. In this way, the people of the Caporal Group would think that she and Josefmitted suicide out of love, and naturally would not trouble Hailey. But she never expected that the person who came was not Josef. Thispletely upset her n, but she couldn¡¯t kill this man directly. Otherwise, if Josef wasn¡¯t dead and shemitted a crime, it would be totally unworthy. So she only poured half a ss of wine, an amount that could cause temporary unconsciousness, but would not kill. She nned to knock this man out, then quickly book another room and send the address to Josef. Otherwise, if Josef didn¡¯t receive her address, he would definitely send someone to ruin Hailey and Austin¡¯s wedding night! But the man did not take the wine she handed over, he just stared at her. It seemed as if he could see through her thoughts in the dark. Under the mask, only a pair of eyes were visible, and she couldn¡¯t see his expression at all. All she could feel was his powerful aura, which could bepared to Bernard. He hadn¡¯t spoken since he came in, he just kept his head down and stared at her. If it weren¡¯t for the slight rise and fall of his chest, Eleanor would have thought he was a corpse. His appearance was particrly scary, and she was very afraid, but her brain was spinning quickly. Just as she was thinking about how to deal with him, he suddenly pushed her against the wall. ¡°Do you often act role¨Cy?¡± His voice was extremely low, as if he was deliberately trying to disguise his voice, and it was so husky that it was hard to believe it was a normal person¡¯s voice. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Based on his voice, it was impossible to determine his identity, the only way was to remove the mask from his face. Eleanor saw that he was no longer pretending to be Josef, so she stopped pretending as well. She directly showed a serious expression and asked coldly, ¡°You¡¯re not Mr. Caporal, who are you really? Why don¡¯t you dare to show your true face?¡± The man did not answer her question, but raised his hand, which was covered with a ck glove, and touched her cheek, ¡°Answer me first.¡± Eleanor took the opportunity to reach out and try to remove his mask while he was touching her face. 1/2 11:30 However, his reaction was very quick, and he immediately grabbed her wrist. Her right hand was holding the wine, and her left hand was caught by him, she was suddenly helpless. Seeing that she was not willing to drop the wine even in such a situation, he guessed that there might be something wrong with the wine. He snatched the ss from her hand and sniffed it. Seeing this, Eleanor was sweating with anxiety, her brain stopped working for a moment. She held her breath, waiting for his reaction after discovering something was wrong with the wine. However, he didn¡¯t say anything, Ju Next, he took out a rope and grabbed Eleanor screamed in fear, ¡°Bastal hands. What are you going to do to me?¡± She struggled desperately, fought back with all her might, but his strength left her immobile. He held wrists tightly, and tied her hands with the rope. Then, he tore off the expensive tie from his shirt and covered her eyes! Chapter 35 Chapter 35 The terror of the darkness made her feel as if she had fallen into a bottomless abyss, struggling in vain to escape. It wasn¡¯t until this moment that she realized she had bumped into an even bigger and more troublesome jerk than Josef! Scared out of her wits, she broke out in cold sweat, and her legs went weak. With her eyes covered and hands tied, she hadpletely lost the initiative! The only thing she could do now was to calm down and try tomunicate with him. ¡°Sir,¡± she clenched her teeth and asked with a trembling voice, ¡°what the hell are you trying to do?¡± The man didn¡¯t answer, but instead lifted her up. Eleanor felt herself being lifted into the air, and then thrown onto a soft bed. She thought the man would vite her, but he didn¡¯ty a finger on her. Instead, he sat next to her. Feeling the bed sinking nearby, Eleanor guessed she was lying right in the middle. She remembered hiding a dagger behind the pillow. As long as she managed to move towards the pillow, she could get the dagger and cut the ropes. She immediately used the strength of her legs to move her body upwards. Just as her head was about to touch the pillow, the man suddenly pressed her down. She felt his weight on top of her, and then his hoa rse voice sounded in her ears. ¡°You invited Josef to the hotel and drugged his drink. What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Eleanor froze. Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be carrying out a perfect crime? Why was he asking something that had nothing to do with him? Could it be that Josef saw through her n and sent this man to probe her intentions? No way! Considering Josef¡¯s personality, if he had known she wanted to kill him, he would¡¯ve probably chopped her up and fed her to the dogs long ago. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s just a stimnt.¡± She forced herself to appear calm. She had no idea who this man was, and there was no way she¡¯d tell him the truth. He seemed to sneer, ¡°Role¨Cying and drugging ¨C seems like you guys have some pretty wild fun.¡± Seeing that he believed her, Eleanor immediately pursed her lips and stopped talking. Her silence seemed to infuriate him, and her chin was suddenly grabbed by an ice¨Ccold hand. Just as Eleanor wondered if he was trying to crush her jaw, the phone rang¡­ The eerily quiet atmosphere was instantly shattered. He released her chin and picked up her cellphone instead. Sensing that he wanted to answer the call, Eleanor hurriedly pleaded, ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Caporal¡¯s call, he needs me urgently. Can I please take it?¡± Seeing her panicked expression, his hoa rse voice suddenly turned cold, ¡°Are you worried he¡¯ll find out about your cheating?¡± ¡°No!¡± Desperate inside, Eleanor still tried to control her emotions, ¡°Please, just let me answer this call. If I don¡¯t, my friend will be in trouble. After this call, I¡¯ll do whatever you want!¡± Her constant pleading made the man slightly rx. Eleanor thought he would untie her, but instead, he only answered the call and turned on the speaker. Before she could say anything, Josef¡¯s cursing came through loud and clear from the other side. ¡°Eleanor, you da mn bi tch, how dare you deceive me! You better believe me when I say I¡¯ll make sure your friend and her husband die on, their wedding night!¡± His voice, filled with rage and resentment, seemed eager to tear her apart. Terrified, her heart pounding, yet concerned about Hailey and Austin, Eleanor quicklyposed herself and politely spoke, Mr. Caporal, I was just about to give you the address. You called right when I was about to. I¡¯m at Jade Bay Hotel, room 2088, waiting for you. Please hurry.¡± Furious, Josef gritted his teeth, ¡°I¡¯ve already sent someone to Hailey¡¯s wedding room. If I don¡¯t see the contract when I arrive at the hotel, I¡¯ll have them deal with them immediately have the woman raped then killed, and the man cut into pieces. Is that clear?¡± Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Eleanor replied coldly with just one word, and then the man hung up the phone. She couldn¡¯t see the man¡¯s expression, so she could only anxiously pray. ¡°Sir, you heard it yourself, no matter why you pretend to be Josef and what you were going to do me, but please pick another time. I need to meet him tonight and give him the contract, or he¡¯ll kill my friend!¡± Compared to Eleanor¡¯s anxious expression, the man seemed calm andposed. ¡°What contract?¡± He asked casually. Eleanor naturally wouldn¡¯t say more about Bernard¨Crted matters, ¡°It¡¯s just a project contract.¡± The man casually yed with his phone and said slowly. If you don¡¯t exin, let Josef speak.¡± Eleanor had no choice but to tell him everything about Josef¡¯s attempt to vite her and how she escaped the predicament! But she didn¡¯t mention the n to kill Josef but instead exined the contract matter. ¡°I had no other way but to trick him into saying I could get a project contract, just to stall him so that my friend¡¯s big day won¡¯t be ruined. But he¡¯s not easy to deal with, so I had to create a fake contract to deceive him.¡± After hearing her story, the man fell silent for a while. Seeing him not speaking, Eleanor¡¯s tears came out anxiously, ¡°Sir, what I said is true, please let me go quickly!¡± But the man was unmoved and even asked strangely, ¡°Haven¡¯t you slept with Josef?¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°Of course not!¡± Eleanor shouted angrily, ¡°With his cruel methods, how could I possibly have anything to do with him!¡± Thinking about how Josef had sent someone to Hailey¡¯s wedding room, she lost her sanity and even neglected her initial disguise. Seeing her get angry, the man finally took out a golden knife and cut off the rope on her wrist. When the rope was untied, Eleanor quickly pulled off the tie on her eyes. The room was still in the dark, and he hadn¡¯t taken off his mask, so Eleanor still couldn¡¯t see the man¡¯s face. She didn¡¯t care about the man¡¯s appearance anymore, just wanted him to leave. She must get him out of here before she can continue her original n to deal with Josef. ¡°Please leave quickly. Mr. Caporal is not easy to deal with. If he sees you here, he¡¯ll definitely torture you!¡± The man seemed to have heard a joke and sneered, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m afraid of him?¡± As he said this, he put his hands in his pockets and looked down at Eleanor arrogantly. The proud and arrogant aura he exuded even had a hint of ferocity. Eleanor was taken aback, feeling that he really seemed like Bernard¡­ As she was thinking this, the man suddenly sat down on the sofa and yed with the golden knife leisurely. Seeing him not nning to leave, Eleanor¡¯s chaotic thoughts quickly disappeared. As she walked up to him and tried to use force to drive him away, the hotel door was suddenly knocked loudly! Hearing the urgent knock, her weak body instantly stiffened on the spot. Begging, she stared at the man¡¯s eyes under the mask, ¡°Please, go hide in the bathroom, okay?¡± Her voice trembled as if she would cry the next second if he didn¡¯t agree. Seeing her timid appearance, the man got a little impatient but finally stood up and went to the bathroom. Seeing him enter the bathroom, Eleanor finally felt relieved. She hurriedly turned on the light, took out the fake contract from her bag, and walked towards the door. As soon as the door opened, Josef rushed in. ¡°How dare you¡­¡± ¡°Mr.Caporal, the contract!¡± Josef rushed in and raised his hand, wanting to p Eleanor hard. He had been knocking on the door for so long and she didn¡¯t open it, obviously ying with him! However, before his hand could fall, a contract was stuffed into his hand. Seeing the contract, his raised hand slowly came down. Josef carefully looked through the contract, not noticing anything wrong, and finally felt pleased with himself. Chapter 37 Chapter 37 ¡°Seems like you¡¯re pretty capable, huh?¡± Josef wrapped his arms tightly around Eleanor¡¯s waist and nted a hard kiss on her face. ¡°Tell me, babe, what do you want as a reward?¡± Eleanor, with her hand covering the kissed cheek, calmly said, ¡°I don¡¯t want any reward. I just want you to get your men out of my friend¡¯s wedding room.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Josef immediately pulled out his phone, made a call, and told his men to leave. It was only after this that Eleanor let out a sigh of relief. She turned around, picked up the drugged ss of wine, and handed it to Josef. ¡°Mr. Caporal, I brought you this wine. Let¡¯s drink it together¡± ¡°Drink?¡± Josef frowned slightly, surprised that she would invite him to drink. Josef, somewhat taken aback, thought Eleanor might have had a change of heart and quickly leaned in to ask, ¡°What, you¡¯ve finallye around? Now you¡¯ll let me touch you?¡± Worried that Josef might get suspicious, Eleanor maintained her previous demeanor, coldly saying, ¡°You misunderstood. I told you before, I don¡¯t want you touching me, that¡¯s why I offered the business deal in exchange. How could you not keep your word?¡± Josef didn¡¯t like her response, ¡°Then why are you asking me to drink with you?¡± Eleanor frowned, ¡°I¡¯m just inviting you for a drink to show my gratitude, as you¡¯ve spared me twice and not only did you not touch me, but you also trust me so much. The least I can do is toast you.¡± Being praised by Eleanor like that, Josef felt like his image had be great all at once. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯ll join you for a drink.¡± Josef reached out and took the wine ss she offered. She was probably too nervous and her fingers trembled slightly.. Josef immediately noticed that something was off. He calmly took the ss but didn¡¯t drink it. Instead, he looked at Eleanor. She put on a good show, but her quickened heartbeat gave her away. ¡°You drink first.¡± Josef handed the wine ss back to Eleanor. Upon seeing this, Eleanor quickly realized that Josef probably figured out that something was wrong with the wine, which was why he was letting her drink first. She quickly steadied her drumming heart, pretending it was no big deal, and took the wine ss before taking. a sip. After she finished, Eleanor exined, ¡°I couldn¡¯t afford expensive wine, so I asked the hotel for a cheap bottle. I know the taste isn¡¯t great, but if you don¡¯t like it, I can ask the front desk to bring a more expensive bottle.¡± With that, Eleanor turned around and walked over to the phone. She picked it up and dialed. Her move quickly dispelled Josef¡¯s suspicions, and he stopped her before the call went through. ¡°I¡¯ve never tried cheap wine before. Changing it up might be kind of nice.¡± Josef took the wine ss from her hand once more, gently licked the lipstick mark on the brim, and tilted his head back to drink. He slowly sipped the wine while observing Eleanor¡¯s expression, and seeing that she appeared completely natural with not a trace of panic, he dismissed his doubts. However, Josef was still very cautious and only took one sip before putting the ss down. Eleanor didn¡¯t expect Josef to be so hard to deal with, making her increasingly anxious. If he didn¡¯t drink the wine with enough sleeping pills in it, she wouldn¡¯t be able to take action against him. Moreover, there was a stranger hiding in the bathroom, and if he found out she killed someone, she might be in N?velDrama.Org content rights. trouble too. At this point, Eleanor was in total chaos and didn¡¯t know what to do. But of course, Josef chose this exact moment not to let her off the hook! After putting the wine ss down, he grabbed Eleanor¡¯s hand and pulled her onto hisp. A disgusting pair of hands made their way towards Eleanor¡¯s thighs. ¡°Didn¡¯t you promise not to touch me?¡± Eleanor screamed out of fear, but Josef sneered, ¡°How could I possibly just let go of a woman I like so easily?¡± Chapter 38 Chapter 38 She anticipated that Josef would not let her go once he got the contract. But she was under the influence of sleeping pills! It was all the fault of the man in the bathroom! If it weren¡¯t for him impersonating Josef and messing up her n, she would not have been so nervous that her hands trembled, arousing Josef¡¯s suspicion. In the current situation, what could she do? Was she really going to be forced by Josef? Just as she was nervously sweating, the vibration of Josef¡¯s phone interrupted his groping hands. ¡°Answer your phone first.¡± Eleanor seized this opportunity to quickly push Josef away and get up from him. Josef thought she could not escape tonight, so he didn¡¯t bother with her. He took out his phone and quickly answered when he saw the disyed number. Eleanor only heard him be extremely respectful after answering the phone, nodding and bowing. So she guessed that the caller was a big shot that even Josef dared not offend, but she didn¡¯t know who it was. However, she didn¡¯t care about who was on the call, what she needed to think about now was how to resolve the current difficult situation! Josef picked up the contract while on the phone, ¡°Is there a problem? I didn¡¯t notice anything.¡± Eleanor couldn¡¯t hear the other party¡¯s voice, she only heard Josef continue: ¡°Now?¡± After a pause, he said again, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be right there.¡± Upon hearing he was leaving, Eleanor was even more anxious. If she couldn¡¯t deal with Josef tonight, she¡¯d be finished as soon as the bidding meeting started tomorrow! She wanted to stop Josef, but he picked up the contract, wrapped his arm around her waist, and kissed her face. ¡°Baby, I suddenly have an emergency to deal with, wait for me here.¡± Seeing that he woulde back, Eleanor did not stop him If Josef didn¡¯t achieve his goal, he would definitelye back. In that case, she could wait a bit longer. As soon as Josef left, Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief. But hearing the sounding from the bathroom, her rxed body tensed up again. There was still a problem to solve! Eleanor quickly walked over. As soon as her hand touched the bathroom door handle, the door opened from inside. A long hand grabbed her and pulled her in forcefully. The light in the bathroom was turned off, only a faint yellow light shone through the door, allowing her to vaguely see the tattoo on the man¡¯s corbone. As she was about to take a closer look, the man suddenly turned her around and pressed her against the wall. After he embraced her from behind, he once again tied her hands with a rope. Next, that expensive tie was quickly covered over her eyes. Why did he tie her up again? Before Eleanor had a chance to speak, the man suddenly grabbed her chin and kissed her red lips fiercely. The moment she was kissed, Eleanor touched his skin. She could feel that he had taken off his mask, but unfortunately, her eyes were covered, and she couldn¡¯t see what the man looked like. She was pinned against the wall, the man¡¯s hot body almost burning her fragile figure. His kiss was very wild, like a hungry wolf eager to devour her. She couldn¡¯t move, and could only emit, faint moans. The man heard her soft voice, lost control even more, and with his long hand, he ripped off her clothes. After turning her body around, he kissed her against the wall again. Eleanor struggled hard, but the man controlled her iling wrists with one hand and held them above her head. The man¡¯s movements were very hurried when he touched her. Like he hadn¡¯t touched a woman in a long time, he was especially anxious and fierce. It seemed he could only be satisfied by thoroughly conquering her.N?velDrama.Org content rights. Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Eleanor had never expected to be treated this way by a stranger! She didn¡¯t even know what this man looked like! She felt utterly deste! This time, she truly felt raped. Would Bernard despise her? Bernard, Bernard, Bernard¡­ She whispered his name over and over in her heart, and tears suddenly trickled down her cheeks. The man sensed her crying and suddenly stopped. He gripped her chin tightly, coldly asking, ¡°Who are you crying for?¡± Eleanor kept her lips sealed, her tears continuing to fall, quickly soaking his tie. Her silence angered him, and his next moves became harsh, disregarding her feelings, tormenting her. His methods, his intensity, werepletely different from Bernard¡¯s. The frenzied kisses, the urgent movements, were all more intense than Bernard¡¯s! While Eleanor endured his coercion, she worried about Josef¡¯s sudden return. Her spirit copsed instantly and she felt powerless, with no choice but to endure the man¡¯s torment. Only at this moment did she realize that Josef had deliberately spared her before. If he really wanted to treat her like this, it would have happened already! ¡°You can only be mine!¡± The man bit her red lips, growling low, then bit her viciously again.. Nearly two hours passed before the man finally let her go¡­ Her body was already limp, and the sip of wineced with sleeping pills she had taken earlier made her somewhat drowsy. However, the man didn¡¯t just leave after achieving his goal, but instead carried her to the bathtub. After washing her clean with warm water, he carried her to bed. Upon touching the soft mattress, Eleanor wanted to pass out even more. But thinking about Josef¡¯s return, she bit her tongue hard to stay awake. Tasting blood in her mouth, she regained a bit of consciousness. ¡°Now, can you let me go?¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. Her voice was cold, almost bone¨Cchilling. If she found out who he was, she would certainly kill him! The man seemed to be getting dressed, not responding to her. Eleanor was trembling with anger! ¡°You¡¯ve had your way, are you nning to kill me now?¡± As soon as she finished speaking, the man moved closed After lightly kissing her red lips, he whispered in her ear hoarsely, ¡°You tricked Josef with a fake contract. Aren¡¯t 11:07 you afraid he¡¯ll give you trouble?¡± ¡°None of your business!¡± Eleanor¡¯s voice was practically a roar. She had nothing left to lose, so she was no longer afraid of him. The man fell silent, watched her for a while, then began to untie her. As soon as her hands were freed, she immediately removed the blindfold. The lights were still off and the man was already wearing a mask. He was standing a bit far from her, and she couldn¡¯t see him clearly. Without caring about anything else, Eleanor looked at her lying direction, found that it was the head of the bed, immediately got up from the bed, sat at the head of the bed, used her body to block the pillow, and quietly reached under it. Feeling the dagger, Eleanor immediately grabbed it and charged at the man. In just a few seconds, Eleanor was in front of him. She quickly raised the dagger and lunged at his chest. But the man reacted too quickly, stepping back to avoid the dangerous position. The dagger only grazed the arm he had put up in defense, it didn¡¯t reach his heart. Eleanor lunged at him in anger, wildly stabbing, regardless of whether it was his arm or his thigh, wherever she could reach, she stabbed without hesitation. She was like a furious madwoman,pletely out of her mind! Seeing her desperation, the man stopped dodging. He seized her wrist and snatched the dagger from her. ¡°Enough!¡± The man said hoarsely, giving Eleanor a hint of sanity, but she still felt wronged! She did everything she could to avoid Josef, but ended up being raped by a stranger! Anyone would copse under such circumstances! Chapter 40 Chapter 40 She lost her knife and was tightly held by the man. This helpless feeling made her super bummed out. So she just squatted down, knelt on the ground, and cried her eyes out while covering her face. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Stop crying,¡± the man said coldly tofort her. Eleanor couldn¡¯t care less, lying on the floor, sobbing her heart out, looking quite pathetic. The man seemed helpless, sighed, squatted down, and gently touched Eleanor¡¯s hair. After she resisted and pushed him away, he said indifferently. ¡°I¡¯ve been missing you for a long time, and couldn¡¯t hold back just now. Sorry.¡± Missing her for a long time? So this jerk didn¡¯t do this on a whim, but had nned it for a long time? He pretended to be Josef to text her, proving he knew she was Josef¡¯s girlfriend. And Josef announced that she was his girlfriend, was the night at the Midnight Bar. Eleanor thought carefully, and on that night, there were men with this height and physique. Besides Bernard, there were Cedric and many other rich kids. The Laurence Group brothers all looked down on her, so they wouldn¡¯t have done this sort of thing. So, this man in front of her might be one of Josef¡¯s friends. He was familiar with Josef, so he knew Josef was in a meeting when she called to ask. With that thought, Eleanor¡¯s mind became clearer, and only someone rted to Josef would do this kind of thing. She suddenly felt terrified when she thought about how she had just begged him to let her go while telling him her n. If he told Josef about it, she could forget about killing him. Instead, they might take her out! Eleanor was so frightened that she was trembling all over, very desperate, and felt breathless. The man picked up the short knife, nced at it, and guessed her n after tricking Josef with the fake contract. ¡°You n on tricking Josef into drinking the drugged wine, and then using this knife to kill him?¡± Eleanor clenched her fists in anger. This guy was quite clever, and he saw right through her n. He threw the knife away and coldly warned Eleanor, ¡°If you ever get into danger,e to me. Don¡¯t take risks like this again.¡± *Come to you?¡± Eleanor sneered, ¡°I don¡¯t even know who you are, what your name is or what you look like. How am I supposed to find you?¡± The man didn¡¯t answer, picked up her phone, opened her WhatsApp, and added his number. After adding him, he handed the phone back to Eleanor. ¡°As long as you send me a message, I¡¯lle to save you as fast as I can.¡± Eleanor looked at the WhatsApp name disyed on the phone, Mr Law. She thought quickly but couldn¡¯t figure out who he was. She guessed that it must be a fake name. The man in front of her didn¡¯t want to show his true face, so naturally, he wouldn¡¯t reveal any suspicious information. As she lowered her head to ponder, the man suddenly picked her up Eleanor thought he was going to do something bad again and struggled with all her might. But he just put her back on the bed, pulled up the covers, and tucked her in. He bent over to say to her, ¡°Get some rest, and don¡¯t wait for Josef. He won¡¯t being back¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t understand what he meant, and asked with a frown, ¡°What do you mean?¡± The man didn¡¯t answer and walked away. He left quickly, as if he had some urgent matter to deal with. Eleanor watched his back, wishing she could tear him apart on the spot. But now she was so tired, her body limp, and she just wanted to sleep. However, she still forced herself to sit on the couch and wait for Josef. There was no way she would believe the words of a rapist! She had to summon all her strength, stay here, and kill Josef when he arrived! As for that jerk, since he hadn¡¯t threatened her with Hailey, she could let him off for now. But neither of these two would get away with it! Eleanor clenched her fists and vowed in her heart that she would never let them go! Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Josef came out of the Laurence Group with a contract in his hand, his face full of excitement. He picked up his car from the underground parking lot, ready to head straight to the Jade Bay Hotel to find Eleanor. But out of nowhere, dozens of off¨Croad vehicles surrounded him. Josef immediately sensed something was wrong and quickly abandoned his car to escape. But just after running a few meters, a top limited edition luxury car seemed out of control and drove straight towards him. Freaked out, Josef tried to run away in all directions, but the faster he ran, the more the car seemed to want to crush him, as if it wanted to kill him by crashing into him. After the car backed him into a corner, the driver¡¯s door slowly opened. A man wearing a golden bronze mask got out of the car. The extremely dazzling headlights shone into Josef¡¯s eyes, making it impossible for him to see the man¡¯s face clearly. He could only vaguely recognize a young man dressed in casual, loose¨Cfitting clothes. The reason he thought it was a young man was that his hairstyle and dress revealed a youthful vibe. Josef nced at the young man, guessing that he must be the son of some wealthy family. In A City, the Caporal family was the big boss, and this guy dared to block him with so many cars? He¡¯s bold! ¡°Boy, do you know who I am?¡± He was sure that the other party definitely didn¡¯t know him; otherwise, they would never dare to block him! The man slightly tilted his head, a provocative gesture. ¡°Of course.¡± His voice was hoarse, deliberately disguised. Seeing that he didn¡¯t even dare to show his true face, Josef felt that the man was not capable, so he becamepletely fearless. He got up from the ground, walked arrogantly to the man, pointed at his nose, and angrily said, ¡°Since you know who I am and dare to block me, do you want to die?¡± The man sneered, slightly raising his hand. The bodyguards behind him immediately stepped forward, grabbing Josef¡¯s pointing finger. Before Josef could react to what the guy wanted to do, the bodyguard suddenly pulled out a knife and chopped off his finger that. was pointing at the man! In just a few seconds, he lost a finger! ¡°Ah¡± Josef screamed in pain. The whole underground parking lot echoed with his agonizing screams. He thought they wouldn¡¯t dare to touch him, but they cut off his finger without hesitation! The young man in front of him was not the son of a wealthy family, but a murderous demon! However, what he didn¡¯t expect was that this was just the beginning ¡°Sir After cutting off his finger, the bodyguard respectfully handed the knife back to the man. The man took the knife, took out a handkerchief, and gently wiped the blood on the de. Then, he slowly walked towards Josef. Seeing the tall and upright figure walking towards him, Josef turned pale with fright ¡°Who¡­ who the hell are you? Why are you torturing me?¡± It was true that he had treated many women cruelly. But none of the women he had dated had any special background, so it was impossible for someone with such a powerful background to seek revenge for them! This person must have a grudge against the Caporal family and is trying to retaliate against him! Original content from N?velDrama.Org. The man didn¡¯t respond, just slowly approaching Josef, who, seeing this, quickly covered his broken finger and backed away. But after retreating a few steps, a few bodyguards in ck uniforms with an ¡°L¡± mark on their ties blocked his way. He had nowhere to run and had to face the man in the golden copper mask. ¡°You¡¯ve already cut off one of my fingers; what else do you want to do?¡± Chapter 42 Chapter 42 For the first time in his life, Josef had a finger cut off by someone else! He had been careless, in such a hurry to correct the contract with the Laurence Group, that he even forgot to bring his bodyguards. If he had, he could still be fighting back now. Instead, because he was alone, he had been reduced to a prisoner of a masked man. No matter what this man wanted to do, Josef swore to seek revenge once he escaped. While Josef was thinking of escaping, the man was nning to kill him right there. The man, standing proudly, was guarded by a bodyguard standing behind Josef. He lifted his foot abruptly and kicked Josef hard in the knee. With no guard up, Josef fell to his knees, his hands on the floor, kneeling in front of the man in an incredibly humiliating way. This immense disgrace angered Josef to the point where he didn¡¯t care about anything else. He raised his head, gritted his teeth, and roared at the man in front of him. ¡°Bastard, you dare treat me like this. I will kill you!¡± The man sneered and stopped wasting words with him. He picked up the knife in his hand, sliced open Josef¡¯s wrist, and severed his tendons! As Josef screamed in agony, the man lifted the knife, starting from the middle of his upper lip, and sliced his mouth in half! Then, with incredible speed, he sliced open Josef¡¯s thigh, using so much force that they could clearly see the bone in his thigh! All this time, the man didn¡¯t blink once. His gaze was cold and deliberate, treating Josef like a piece of raw meat. ¡°You have kissed her, hugged her, and even let her sit on your thigh. This is the punishment you deserve!¡± In extreme pain, Josef was on the verge of fainting. He could see the man¡¯s mouth opening and closing, but he couldn¡¯t hear what he was saying. Seeing that Josef was already crippled, the man finally dropped the knife, epted a handkerchief from a bodyguard, and slowly wiped the blood off his hands. ¡°Sir, it¡¯s time to go,¡± reminded the bodyguard who had first cut off Josef¡¯s fingers. After the man nodded lightly, he walked out without even looking at Josef. After the man got into his car, the bodyguard wayed his hand at the others and dozens of SUVS left. Josef, who had already fainted from the pain, was left behind with no one to look after him. Eleanor had waited for Josef at the hotel all night. She held on until three in the morning and fell asleep in a daze. When she woke up, it was already the afternoon of the next day. Eleanor suddenly opened her eyes, thinking of the bidding meeting, and got up quickly. She hastily tidied up and was about to leave the hotel when her phone suddenly vibrated. She quickly checked, and it was a message from Mr. Law:Check the news Check the news? What news? While she was confused, he sent another link. The headline read: Josef, CEO of the Caporal Group, was injuredst night. Following news articles revealed: The Caporal Group¡¯s love scandal exposed, The Caporal Group¡¯s stock copsed overnight. Eleanor read each news article and found out that Josef hadn¡¯te back because he was being retaliated against by his enemies. His mouth had been stitched up with many stitches, his wrist tendonsN?velDrama.Org content rights. were severed, and his thigh was cut in half. The person who hurt Josef was extremely cruel, but still left him a chance to survive. The Caporal family immediately sent. people to find the culprit behind the scenes, but all the surveince equipment on that road was destroyed, and they couldn¡¯t find the perpetrator. After Josef¡¯s unfortunate encounter, a scandal was exposed involving him manipting women with malicious tactics. After the incident was exposed, everyone generally believed that Josef had done a lot of bad things in the past, which was why he was. retaliated against. Online condemnation of Josef was prevalent, with no one showing sympathy and everyone iming he got what he deserved. Following this, the Caporal family was exposed for corruption, bribery, tax evasion, and other illegal activities. This series of events led to the stock of the Caporal family¡¯spany copsing overnight. The chairman of the Caporal family was taken away the next day, while the CEO of the Caporal Group fell into a scandalous predicament due to his injuries and unconsciousness. Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Eleanor was stunned after watching the news What kind of power could bring down the big shot of A City overnight?! She suddenly remembered what the masked man saidst night, that Josef wouldn¡¯t being back. How did he know Josef wouldn¡¯te back? Could he be the one behind it? If it was him, then her previous guess that the masked man was Josef¡¯s friend would be wrong. Moreover, Josef¡¯s friends couldn¡¯t possibly have such formidable skills to bring down the Caporal Group overnight. If it wasn¡¯t Josefs friend, then who the hell could this ¡°Mr. Law¡± be? Eleanor¡¯s felt like her head was not enough to handle so many things. But at least Josef had been dealt with, and she wouldn¡¯t have to be afraid anymore. However, she¡¯d barely escaped from Josef¡¯s grasp and was already being targeted by other jerks! Eleanor decided to ask the hotel manager for surveince footage! But only footage of Josef entering and leaving her room was avable, and all footage rted to the man had been deleted. This made Eleanor feel even more that the man was no simple dude! Without footage and no idea who the man was, she didn¡¯t have any evidence to press charges. But how could she just let him go? Eleanor thought of how the man didn¡¯t threaten her with Hailey, so she bravely went to the police station. After filing a police report, she provided the man¡¯s phone number, WhatsApp number, and all the messages he had sent to the police. But the police said the phone number wasn¡¯t linked to any ID card, they couldn¡¯t trace the WhatsApp address, and it was hard to locate the person. As for the messages, since she had initiated the invitation, even if he pretended to be someone else, it couldn¡¯t serve as direct evidence. The police could only suggest she go to the hospital to extract any remaining semen to preserve some evidence. Disappointed, Eleanor still mustered up the courage and went to the hospital. After finishing all these, she dragged her exhausted body back home. As soon as she opened the door, she saw Hailey rushing over, looking anxious. ¡°Eleanor, where have you been? You didn¡¯t answer my calls.¡± Eleanor picked up her phone and saw many missed calls from Hailey. She had been too busy watching the news and checking surveince footage at the hotel to notice the missed calls. ¡°I went out shopping, and the mall was probably too noisy, so I didn¡¯t hear the phone.¡± Actually, she had slept too deeply and didn¡¯t hear the phone at all. Afraid of worrying Hailey, she randomly answered. Hailey, unaware that Eleanor hadn¡¯t slept at homest night, felt relieved after hearing the exnation. ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to go to Mysia with Austin for your honeymoon today? Why are you back?¡± -Hailey and Austin had long nned to go to Mysia for their honeymoon right after the wedding. Hailey had never been abroad and was eagerly looking forward to the trip. Why hadn¡¯t they followed the n and gone there, instead returning home? ¡°This morning when Austin and I left, we ran into the security guard. He said that a group of people wearing ck clothes came to our doorst night, but they didn¡¯t enter. They just stood there guarding the ce for about half an hour before leaving. The security guard thought it was strange, but he thought they were our rtives, so he didn¡¯t think too much about it. He only mentioned it when he met us.¡± ¡°After I heard, I felt something was off, so I called you. But you didn¡¯t pick up. And considering all the strange people at the wedding yesterday, I was worried that something might happen to you, so I hurried over to find you.¡± No wonder Hailey didn¡¯t go on her honeymoon with Austin; she was worried about Eleanor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Hailey.¡± Feeling guilty, Eleanor quickly exined, ¡°I did run into some trouble yesterday. There¡¯s a contract that¡¯s very important to Mr. Caporal, and I didn¡¯t give it to him. That¡¯s why he got furious and barged into your wedding and even sent people to your wedding. room. He just wanted the contract. Luckily, I finally got the contract at midnight and handed it over to him. So, his people left after standing at your door for a while. Everything has been resolved, and he won¡¯t bother me anymore.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t want Hailey to worry, so she didn¡¯t tell her about being forcedst night, only reassuring her with the reasoning. ¡°I knew Mr. Caporal seemed to be threatening you yesterday, and I didn¡¯t expect it to be true!¡± After Hailey spoke, she worriedly looked up and down at Eleanor. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°He didn¡¯t do anything bad to you, did he?¡± ¡°No,¡± Eleanor shook her head. But Hailey¡¯s sharp eyes caught the love bite on her neck, and her expression froze. Chapter 44 Chapter 44 ¡°Your neck¡­¡± Eleanor hadn¡¯t realized her neck was covered in hickeys. Seeing Hailey¡¯s shocked expression, she finally noticed. She quickly covered her neck with her hand and lowered her head in embarrassment. ¡°Did Mr. Caporal force himself on you?¡± Hailey looked at Eleanor as if she was prey. Yesterday, Hailey wanted to warn Eleanor but was too busy with the wedding and taking care of Austin¡¯s rtives, so she didn¡¯t get a chance to talk to her. Now, seeing Eleanor return looking like that, Hailey was even more suspicious that she had been forced by Mr. Caporal. ¡°Tell me the truth. If he really forced himself on you, I¡¯ll go find revenge right now!¡± Hailey was furious at the thought of Eleanor being taken advantage of by a bastard, ready to roll up her sleeves and charge into the kitchen for a kitchen knife. Eleanor quickly stopped her. ¡°It wasn¡¯t Mr. Caporal.¡± Hailey hesitated, ¡°Then who was it?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t know how to exin. Seeing Eleanor hesitate, Hailey suddenly realized. ¡°Did you and Bernard make up?¡± Previously, Eleanor came back from Bernard with bruises on her skin. Hailey assumed it was Bernard who had done it, after all, that man had always been so cruel to Eleanor. ¡°It wasn¡¯t him.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t want to deceive Hailey anymore and told her the truth ¡°I¡­ I was with another manst night.¡± Hailey was a bit shocked. Eleanor was with someone other than Bernard? She couldn¡¯t believe it, but seeing Eleanor¡¯s embarrassed expression, she had to ept it. She grabbed Eleanor¡¯s hand and anxiously asked, ¡°Who is he? Can We trust him?¡± Eleanor saw the worried look on her face and gritted her teeth, ¡°I guess¡­ he might be trustworthy¡­¡± Hailey frowned, ¡°Are you hiding something from me?¡± She felt that Eleanor had been acting strangelytely, which made her uneasy. Eleanor then yfully shook Hailey¡¯s arm, ¡°Oh, my dear, don¡¯t worry. When we¡¯re ready to marry, I¡¯ll bring him to meet you, okay?¡± Hearing her say they were nning to marry, Hailey¡¯s serious expression softened a bit. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You just broke up with Bernard, howe you found someone you¡¯re ready to marry so quickly?¡± And she slept with him so quickly, unlike Eleanor¡¯s personality. ¡°He¡¯s a business partner, and you know I can¡¯t avoid working with people like this. When I was with Bernard, I couldn¡¯t date. Now that we¡¯ve broken up, there¡¯s a suitable person I have been seeing, Don¡¯t you want me to get married sooner, too?¡± ¡°I do want you to get married sooner¡­¡± ¡°Then what are you worried about?¡± Eleanor cut her off with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m worried that you¡¯ll meet someone unreliable.¡± Fearing she¡¯ll nag Eleanor too much and make Eleanor annoyed, Hailey closed her mouth. ¡°Anyway, we agreed that I¡¯ll help you carefully assess your marriage partner, and we can¡¯t be too careless!¡± ¡°Fine, if you don¡¯t agree, I¡¯ll never marry in my whole life!¡± ¡°How could you not marry? Do you want to be alone forever?¡± Hailey stared at her wide¨Ceyed. ¡°I¡¯m just kidding.¡± Eleanor pretended to be nonchnt and smiled sweetly. Seeing Eleanor¡¯s smile return to her face, the ever¨Cworried Hailey wasn¡¯t so worried anymore. Eleanor¡¯s been sensible since she was a child, wouldn¡¯t do anything excessive, and there was nothing to worry about. Hailey and Eleanor chatted for a while before Austin came to pick her up. The couple were going to go on a honeymoon. Austin changed the flight to the evening, so Eleanor had the time to take them to the airport. After reminding Hailey and Austin to be safe, Eleanor waved goodbye to them. Upon returning home, Eleanor went straight to the bathroom and took a shower. What was strange was that if Josef so much as touched her, she felt disgusted. But Mr. Law, who had mercilessly forced her, didn¡¯t evoke disgust in her. Even¡­ even during that time, her mind was filled with thoughts of Bernard. Was it because she missed Bernard so much that she mistook the rapist for Bernard? Eleanor felt humiliated, knowing her body had been imed by a stranger, she no longer had any right to think of Bernard. She didn¡¯t know if she could evere into contact with him again Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Eleanor was so tired that she didn¡¯t have the energy to think about random stuff anymore. She took a bath and went back to her room to sleep She slept like a log until the next afternoon, almost 3 pm. Looks like her sleepiness was getting worse She knew that patients in theter stages faced worsening symptoms, so she didn¡¯t pay too much attention to it For her, it¡¯s all about living it up as long as she could. Anyway, everybody¡¯s gonna die, and it¡¯s just a matter of time, there¡¯s nothing to feel sad about. She went to the kitchen to make a simple dinner ¨C oatmeal and some sd were enough. She chatted with Hailey via video call while eating her food. Hailey and Austin had arrived in Mysia, and the two were having fun by the beach. The sky and water there were much bluer than in A City, so clear and pristine. Hailey was wearing a bohemian long dress and walking on the sandy beach, smiling gently Seeing Hailey¡¯s happy face, Eleanor felt happy for her. ¡°Eleanor, the scenery is so beautiful here; I must bring you here next time!¡± ¡°Okay¡± Eleanor responded softly, and they chatted for a while. Then Hailey had to go do some boating with Austin. After reminding them to be careful, Eleanor ended the video call. Just as she wanted to put her phone down and focus on her food. Mr. Law sent her a WhatsApp message. ¡°Midnight Bar, luxury suite. Come see me.¡± This message was pretty clear the jerk wanted to sleep with her again! Eleanor clenched her phone and typed angrily, ¡°How dare you ask me to see you? Mr. Law replied calmly, ¡°I want to have sex with you.¡± Eleanor stared at the message, and her face flushed with anger. ¡°Youmitted a crime yesterday, and you still have the audacity to send messages like this?!¡± She sent the message with trembling hands and immediately took a screenshot of the conversation. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Although she didn¡¯t get any video footage, this kind of verbal harassment could be used as evidence against him. Having already filed a police report, the text screenshots would make the case stronger! But the guy didn¡¯t care about her emotions and sent a picture to her. Eleanor was furious when she saw the picture he had taken a nude photo of her! And the weird angle he took made it seem like she was the one who initiated it! As Eleanor¡¯s anger red, the man sent another message. ¡°Come here, or I can¡¯t guarantee where this photo will end up.¡± He was using her nude picture to threaten her. This man was even more hateful than Josef! Eleanor gritted her teeth, took screenshots of his messages, and nned to hand them over to the police tomorrow. But the man seemed to know what she was thinking and sent her another message: ¡°You can call the police, but don¡¯t forget that you were the one who invited me to the hotel.¡± ¡°I asked Josef, not you! You pretended to be him tomit a crimet Eleanor replied quickly, her face red with anger But when she saw his next message, she was even more furious. ¡°Who knows if I were Josef or not?¡± He meant that he didn¡¯t leave any evidence of pretending to be Josef Moreover, the surveince footage only showed Josef entering her room, with no one else. The police would likely think she had argued with Josef and then called them. No wonder the police said her invitational actions couldn¡¯t be used as direct evidence. It turned out that this man knew she would call the police, so he deleted the surveince footage. Eleanor typed furiously, ¡°Even so, these messages can be used as evidence!¡± The man replied, ¡°You invited Josef to the hotel to kill him, are you sure you want to risk catching me?¡± Eleanor froze when she read this. He knew she wanted to kill Josef and that she had drugged his drink. If she went to the police to catch him, the only witness would expose her murder plot. Eleanor thought she could catch the man, but he had blocked all her routes to escape. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Tm only waiting for you for half an hour¡® After sending this message, the man didn¡¯t reply anymore It seemed like he wanted to leave the decision to Eleanor She clenched the phone tightly, her body trembling The message she had given to the police mentioned Josef, and there was surveince footage of Josef entering and leaving the hotel room The police would surely investigate Josef based on this evidence If Mr. Law reported her intentions to kill Josef to the police at this point, she¡¯d definitely be charged with attempted murder And Josef would know that her original intention wasn¡¯t to give him the contract, but to kill him. If Josef knew she tried to kill him, he¡¯d me her for all the torment he¡¯s been throught After all, the Caporal Group couldn¡¯t find the real culprit who had hurt him, and the fact that she wanted to kill him naturally made her look suspicious. Josef was only exposed in a scandal now and hadn¡¯t been arrested ke Mr. Caporal, if he woke up from his unconsciousness and found out the truth, he¡¯d never let her go. She was still terrified of Josef. Even though he was down and out, he could still torment her and Hailey easily. She wasn¡¯t afraid of death, but Hailey was her only weakness. After thinking for a while, she obediently went to the luxury suite of the Midnight Bar. It was better to be threatened by him than to be retaliated by Josef But she prepared an electric baton before leaving. She thought to herself, no matter what, she had to fight back one more time! Eleanor mustered up the courage and knocked on the door of the luxury suite. Soon, the door was opened from the inside. It was an automatic door, remote controlled. The person who opened the door stood in front of the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window. He was still dressed the same way, his entire face hidden behind a bronze mask, messy hair, apanied by loose, casual clothes. The man stood in front of the window with one hand in his pocket and the other holding a ss of red wine. Seeing her standing still at the door, he gestured with his hand, ¡°Come here.¡± Such a cold tone was really like Bernard. But the tattoo on his neck made her doubt her suspicion. She entered the room, her foot barely on the soft carpet, and the door behind her suddenly closed. The sound of the door closing made her feel like it would be hard to escape from this devil from now on The man used the remote control to close the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window and turn off all the lights in the room. The luxury suite instantly plunged into darkness, with not a single trace of light. The room seemed more secure thanst time at Jade Bay Hotel. The moment the light went off and the curtains drawn, the darkness was so dense they couldn¡¯t even tell each other¡¯s position. Eleanor was having trouble adjusting to the darkness She raised hand to feel her way around, but identally touched a scorching hot set of abs The firmness and roughness startled her, causing her to quickly retract her hand. She didn¡¯t expect the man to be right in front of her, already undressed, and hurriedly stepped back But the man reached out and grabbed her waist, pulling her into his embrace. He didn¡¯t wear a shirt, and Eleanor¡¯s face turned red as she leaned against his hot body She lowered her head shyly, but the man pinched her chin, making her look up and meet his eyes. She could see nothing, not even his facial features, and didn¡¯t know why they were staring at each other like that. The man very skillfully undressed Eleanor. She deliberately wore multiple sweaters this time, and the man felt a bit annoyed as he helped her take off one after another. ¡°What are you wearing so many for?¡± ¡°Cold¡­¡± He seemed to be helpless but patiently helped her undress. While he was undressing her, Eleanor quietly slipped her hand into her jeans pocket. She quickly pulled out the small electric baton, turned it on, aimed at the man¡¯s abs, and shocked him. The man felt a numbness in his abdomen and instinctively looked down, only to find a brightly lit small electric baton pressed against his abs. They both fell silent. Eleanor hoped to knock him out, but he seemed to feel no pain and continued undressing her. She thought in amazement, could it be that it was not working? She didn¡¯t give up, increased the intensity, and shocked him again The man finally got impatient, snatched the electric baton from her hand, and threw it into the trash can. ¡°Get a bigger one next time.¡± He couldn¡¯t believe she dared to use such a lousy product on him. Eleanor thought awkwardly that next time she¡¯d definitely do as he wished, buy arge electric baton, and shock him to death!Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 47 Chapter 47 The man took off her clothes, picked her up, and kissed her against the wall. His actions were domineering, yet Eleanor was like a doll, allowing him to manipte her to his wishes. The man held her and kissed her for a while, perhaps finding it a bit boring, so he pinched her waist. ¡°Ouch¡­¡± Eleanor cried out in pain, opening her mouth, and the man immediately seized the opportunity to attack. His kiss was still wild, but his movements were much gentler than before, as if he understood her body very well, The thought made her want to p herself. How could she think like this? But¡­ She thought she might be going crazy. The man yfully nibbled on Eleanor¡¯s earlobe, causing her face to instantly flush with heat. Was he intentionally teasing her? She pinched her palm, forcing herself to regain herposure. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. She had anticipated that the man would leave once he was satisfied, but instead, he carried her to the bathroom. After tidying up, he held her in bed, embracing her and gently patting her back to help her fall asleep. In his embrace, Eleanor still couldn¡¯t believe what happened, ¡°Are you¡­¡± Instead of answering her question, the man caressed her hair, ¡°Go to sleep.¡± His tone was so gentle as if he was talking to his girlfriend. But they were forced to get together, how could they cuddle like some loving couple? Eleanor tried to distinguish his features but it¡¯s too dark in th room. Are you kind of ugly? Is that why you won¡¯t show your face?¡± If the man really liked her, he could pursue her under the light instead of what they were doing now. ¡°Or maybe your face is full of pimples?¡± Eleanor kept asking at his silence. If the room had been illuminated, one would have witnessed a look of helplessness on the man¡¯s face. He grasped Eleanor¡¯s hand and guided it to his face, allowing her to feel his features. Eleanor quickly realized that his skin was smooth and firm, devoid of any blemishes. Moreover, his face possessed distinct and sharp angles. The only man she had encountered with such a facial structure was Bernard. She really suspected this was him, since the touch and the tone of voice were very much like Bernard. But Bernard clearly didn¡¯t want anything to do with her anymore, how could it be? Eleanor took a deep breath and plucked up the courage to ask, ¡°Are are you Bernard?¡± The man¡¯s hand patting her back paused slightly, ¡°Do you hope that am him?¡± He didn¡¯t admit or deny it, but instead threw the question back at Eleanor. She thought for a moment, if he were Bernard and she said she hoped so, he probably wouldn¡¯t get angry. If she said she didn¡¯t want this man to be him, given Bernard¡¯s temperament, he would likely get angry. Eleanor wanted to test him, so she replied, ¡°I hope not.¡± -The man had no reaction, instead he snorted coldly, ¡°Since you can¡¯t sleep, let¡¯s do it again.¡± Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Eleanor was so scared that she immediately stopped talking. Feeling a little lost, she nced at the man. He didn¡¯t get angry, which meant he wasn¡¯t Bernard. Feeling sad, she mustered the courage to turn around in his arms,y facing away from him, and closed her eyes to sleep. For some reason, even though this man wasn¡¯t Bernard, she felt like he wouldn¡¯t hurt her. So, she fell into a deep sleep with ease. After she fell asleep, the man pulled her back into his arms. He held her, gently patting her back from time to time. Eleanor was so tired that she fell into a deep sleep, but in a daze, she dreamed of the young man again. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. In her dream, he raised his foot, taking aim at her heart, and delivered a powerful kick. She dreamt that he broke each of her fingers, one by one, and viciously pped her across the face. Writhing in agony, shey curled up on the ground. Yet, even in her pain, she reached out to him with hopeful eyes, her voice trembling, ¡°Garett, it hurts¡­ It hurts so much¡­¡± Her whispers resonated in the man¡¯s ears, causing his hand to freeze mid¨Cpat on her back. After observing the woman in his arms for a moment, the man pushed her away, got out of bed, dressed himself, grabbed his coat, and left the room. Just as the door closed behind him, Eleanor murmured, ¡°Bernard¡­ In her dream, she envisioned Bernard cradling her as she slept, offering her sce as if she were a child, bringing her immense happiness. When she woke up, she couldn¡¯t believe that she had such a beautiful dream. It was still dark in the luxurious suite, and Eleanor searched for the man beside her, but it was cold. It seemed that the man had left. She sighed in relief, got up, and opened the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows. The moment the curtains were drawn back, the sunlight poured in. Only then did Eleanor see howrge the suite was, upying an entire floor. It was probably a few hundred square meters, astonishinglyrge. The bed was also huge, round and white, and of excellent quality. The bathtub in the bathroom was also enormous. In addition to that, there was a kitchen and a study. Everything wasplete and luxurious. It seemed that Mr. Law was very rich. After taking it all in, Eleanor checked her phone. She had slept until 4 pm this time. If it had been anyter, the day would have been over! She hurried to the bathroom to wash up, then rushed to the hotel lobby with her phone to check out. But the front desk told her that this suite was exclusive to Mr. Law, and there was no need to check out. Eleanor was shocked again. Midnight Bar was thergest entertainment venue in A City, and he had a private suite here? She couldn¡¯t help but ask the receptionist, ¡°Do you know Mr. Law¡¯s name?¡± The receptionist politely shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not quite sure.¡± Even if they knew, they wouldn¡¯t dare to disclose the information of a VIP. Moreover, this VIP had left no identity information, so the front desk really didn¡¯t know. Eleanor didn¡¯t press further, thanked the staff, and left the hotel. Having finished her medicine, she went to the hospital to get some more. The doctor asked her some routine questions about her physical condition, and when it came to her sleep time, the doctor¡¯s brow furrowed. *Ms. Shultz, I still rmend you be hospitalized for treatment, as your current physical condition is really not optimistic.¡± Eleanor refused again. She felt that staying in the hospital was just waiting for death, and she didn¡¯t want to waste thest moments of her life there. Seeing her persistence, the doctor didn¡¯t say much more, just reminded her to rest and not to overwork herself. Otherwise, the blood supply to her brain would be more insufficient, and she might easily faint or even die suddenly. Eleanor found this way of dying quite eptable, as it probably wouldn¡¯t be painful for long, so she didn¡¯t care too much. After picking up her medicine and leaving the hospital, she went to the police station to cancel the investigation. She had willingly invited him the night before, so the nature of the case had changed. Additionally, it probably wouldn¡¯t be possible for her to find him with his background. It was better not to waste her time. After dealing with these matters, Eleanor returned home and fell into a deep sleep once again. Chapter 49 Chapter 49 After spending herst night at home, Eleanor¡¯s half¨Cmonth vacation finally came to an end. She remembered that she needed to hand over her work at VitaLife Global, so she forced herself to get out of bed despite her exhaustion. After breakfast and taking her medication, her spirit improved slightly, but her face still looked terrible. She put on heavy makeup to cover up her sicklyplexion and then grabbed her bag and headed to VitaLife Global. As soon as she entered the office, Jeannie and Amanda gathered around her, ¡°Eleanor, did you quit?¡± Eleanor nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± Jeannie, looking upset, grabbed her hand and said, ¡°Why did you quit so suddenly?¡± Amanda also looked puzzled, ¡°VitaLife Global pays much higher than otherpanies, and you can earn a few hundred thousand dors a year at least. Quitting is such a waste.¡± Eleanor smiled, ¡°VitaLife Global does offer high sries, but I have other ns.¡± Amanda nced at her, ¡°Were you hired by the Laurence Group?¡± Jeannie¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. The sries at the Laurence Group are several times higher than at VitaLife Global! Are you about to strike it rich?¡± Eleanor chuckled at Jeannie¡¯s adorable expression. ¡°No, the n I¡¯m referring to is for my personal life and has nothing to do with work.¡± As Amanda realized that Eleanor had not been hired by the Laurence Group, her jealousy transformed into curiosity. ¡°So, you¡¯re not nning to work anymore?¡± Eleanor shook her head, maintaining herposure. ¡°No, I¡¯ve decided to step away from work.¡± Since Amanda couldn¡¯t glean any more details about Eleanor¡¯s future ns, she couldn¡¯t resist making a snide remark. ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve gotten quite cozy with the wealthy and famous.¡± She wonders which old man is sponsoring her, to the extent that she doesn¡¯t even need to work anymore. Eleanor nced at Amanda and coldly said, ¡°My affairs have nothing to do with you, right?¡± The reason Rosita held a negative opinion of Eleanor was primarily due to Amanda¡¯s incessant gossiping about her being taken care of by various older men. Working here for so many years, she didn¡¯t know how many ¡°sugar daddies¡± Amanda had spread rumors about her having. In the past, Eleanor had always endured it because she needed to make money at thispany. Now that she was leaving, and Amanda tried to belittle her again, she would not be as patient as before. Amanda didn¡¯t expect the usually submissive and weak Eleanor to dare talk back. Angry, she wanted to end their rtionship right then, but Jeannie stopped her, ¡°Amanda, Eleanor is leaving, let her at least hand over her work to you first.¡± ¡°I have no obligation to take her work!¡± Amanda red at Eleanor and stormed back to her desk. She made a loud noise moving her chair, as if that wasn¡¯t enough to vent her anger, she picked up a file and mmed it on the desk. The loud noise startled Jeannie, who covered her mouth and whispered to Eleanor, ¡°Rosita told you to hand over your work to Amanda, and she even agreed to it herself. Now she¡¯s being difficult¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t seem to care, ¡°I¡¯ll go find Rosita and ask for someone else.¡± She took the card for the president¡¯s exclusive elevator and headed in its direction. Rosita was in charge of the president¡¯s office and served as the President¡¯s special assistant, usually working on the top floor and onlying down asionally. To get to the President¡¯s top floor, one had to use this exclusive elevator by swiping a card; otherwise, ess was denied. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. All the employees in the president¡¯s office had cards because the President and Rosita might need them for urgent matters at any time. Eleanor swiped her elevator card, and the elevator soon rose and opened its doors. Inside the spacious and luxurious elevator, two people stood side by side. When Eleanor saw them, she froze on the spot. Chapter 50 Chapter 50 ¡°Are you going to see the President?¡± Beautiful Sophie, dressed in professional attire, asked Eleanor, who was waiting for the elevator but hesitated to get in, with confusion. Eleanor snapped back to reality, hurriedly shook her head and said, ¡°Sorry, I forgot to get something. Ms. Ratliff, you guys go ahead.¡± She then turned around and left without daring to look at them for too long. Sophie watched Eleanor disappear and couldn¡¯t help but say to Bernard, ¡°What a weird assistant. We¡¯re not monsters, why is she so scared that she won¡¯t even share an elevator with us?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t respond, his indifferent eyes showed no emotion as he had no interest in anything around him. you Seeing this, Sophie stretched out her slender hand and draped it around his arm, softly thanking him, ¡°Bernard, thank for taking me to the ER that night. I¡¯ve been abroad for the past few years and not used to the food there; I developed gastritis, and it keepsing back. I really appreciate your help.¡± That day her father took her to visit the Laurence family and they discussed their engagement. In her excitement, she had a few more drinks than she should have, not thinking it would upset her stomach like that. Fortunately, Bernard was kind enough not to refuse her request to take her to the ER in front of everyone. She¡¯d been trying to find an opportunity to thank him, but every time she visited the Laurence Group, his assistant said he wasn¡¯t there. If it weren¡¯t for her father needing to speak to him today, she might never have had the chance to say thank you. Bernard nced at her hand on his arm, then coldly said, ¡°You wrinkled my clothes.¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. Sophie quickly released his arm, lowered her head, and asked with disappointment, ¡°Hasn¡¯t your mysophobia been cured yet?¡± Bernard wiped his clothes with a handkerchief and replied coldly. It can¡¯t be cured.¡± Sophie was taken aback. On her first day at work, he had held her hand and even allowed her to sit on hisp identally, and he didn¡¯t seem to mind. The night her acute gastritis red up, it was Bernard who carried her out of the car at the ER. She had thought that after five years, his mysophobia was gone. She didn¡¯t expect his reply. It probably wasn¡¯t that it couldn¡¯t be cured, but it was more like he had some resentment towards her and didn¡¯t want her to touch him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Sophie exined cautiously, ¡°I rejected your proposal five years ago because I didn¡¯t think I was good enough. That¡¯s why I went abroad to study. Now I¡¯m the president of Ratliff Group and I can stand beside you. Can you please stop being mad at me?¡± Bernard¡¯s cold demeanor softened slightly as he nced at Sophie. My illness has nothing to do with you, don¡¯t overthink it,¡± he reassured her. Sophie finally felt a sense of relief. Understanding that Bernard had always struggled with mysophobia, she resolved to be patient and allow him the necessary time to adjust to her presence. Meanwhile, Eleanor returned to her seat, herplexion appearing slightly pale. She hadn¡¯t anticipated Sophie and Bernard being in the elevator at that moment, let alone their destination being the President¡¯s office. Had she known about their presence, she would never have chosen to use the president¡¯s private elevator. She had vowed to never appear before him again, but fate seemed to have other ns, bringing them face¨Cto¨Cface once more in such a short span of time. Yet seeing Bernard once more felt like an eternity had passed. Sophie was at his side, and she herself too was now owned by a stranger. It seemed as if they had both returned to their original paths. The only difference was that Bernard quickly withdrew, while she was not so ready to give up yet. She took a deep breath, opened herptop, and prepared to sort out the handover files. At that moment, however, the President called her. Eleanor was stunned. The President rarely contacted her directly, even when he had something for her, he would usually ask Rosita. Why would he call her personally now? Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Although she¡¯s a bit puzzled, she quickly picked up the phone. ¡°Eleanor,e to my office.¡± The President¡¯s gentle voice came from the other end of the phone. He hung up right after speaking, not giving Eleanor the chance to refuse. She didn¡¯t want to go since Bernard was there, but the President must be looking for her because there¡¯s something important to be discussed. Since she came to VitaLife Global, the President had always been kind to her, so she endured it and went to his office. As she expected, Bernard was sitting in the office, talking to President Cameron. They were discussing project cooperation, involving the bidding meeting for the West City block. After the Caporal Group¡¯s incident, the Laurence Group had for some reason postponed the bidding meeting for a few days. As a result, the bidding meeting hadn¡¯t been held yet, and the Caporal Group hadn¡¯t suspected the fake contract. Furthermore, Josef suffered an injury and remained unconscious. It¡¯s likely that he hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to hand over the counterfeit contract to the Caporal Group. This situation concerned Eleanor a little, as she feared Josef might seek revenge once he woke up and discovered the contract was a fake. However, that¡¯s a matter to addresster. When Josef eventually regained consciousness, he would have to deal with various problems involving the Caporal Group. These issues included reviving thepany, securing Mr. Caporal¡¯s release from jail, and raising funds topensate the partners affected by the contract¡¯s default. Eleanor believed that by the time Josef resolved all these matters, she would have already died, making it impossible for him to exact revenge on anyone. As she contemted the situation, she prepared to knock on the door but overheard a conversation about the Clowers Group in B City The mention of the Clowers Group sent a chill down Eleanor¡¯s spine and she vividly recalled the image of the young man. associated with it. She tried her best to control her emotions, knocked on the open door, and respectfully asked, ¡°President, you were looking for Original content from N?velDrama.Org. me?¡± Cameron finally put down his coffee, looked up at Eleanor, and said, ¡°Eleanor, you¡¯re in charge of the Clowers Group¡¯s reception work, right?¡± Eleanor nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± Cameron nced at his watch and said, ¡°Tonight, you¡¯ll be in charge of arranging a dinner party for Mr. Clowers, at around six o¡¯clock. Book a high¨Cend restaurant and then pick up Mr. Clowers at the airport.¡± Picking up Mr. Clowers? It had always been project managers from the Clowers Group that came to VitaLife Global on business trips, and the president of the Clowers Group never showed up. She never got a chance to meet him, but now she haed to pick him up¡­ Eleanor¡¯s eyebrows furrowed involuntarily, and she blurted out, ¡°President, I¡¯ve already submitted my resignation and today is my day for the handover. Why not let someone else handle the dinner arrangements?¡± As her words hung in the air, the three individuals on the sofa raised their gazes, fixing their attention on her. Eleanor¡¯s eyes inadvertently met Bernard¡¯s intense stare, causing her heart to skip a beat. Allempting to appear unaffected, she quickly averted her gaze and shifted her focus to Cameron. The man, nearing fifty, emitted an air of authority thatmanded respect. However, Eleanor harbored no fear towards Cameron. While others avoided direct eye contact with him, she dared to lock eyes with him unflinchingly. Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Sophie was really beating around the bush. On one hand, she reminded Eleanor that her resignation hadn¡¯t been approved yet, so she was still a VitaLife Global employee, and she should do whatever the President arranged for her. On the other hand, she told Eleanor that she had already pissed off the President by publicly rejecting him, so even though she didn¡¯t want to, she had to do what he asked now. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Eleanor caught Sophie¡¯s drift and sighed inside. She had been too impulsive just now and ended up bbing without thinking. With the current situation, it would be a bit immature for her to refuse again. Eleanor reluctantly agreed. She figured she might as well do onest thing for VitaLife Global. She turned around and walked out. Cameron nced at her retreating figure, took back his disdainful gaze, and looked at Bernard. ¡°Bernard, would you like to attend the dinner tonight?¡± His tone carried a gentle undertone, tinged with ttery. Even his eyes exuded warmth and friendliness. Bernard reclined on the sofa, one hand supporting his forehead while the other held his phone. He remained engrossed in the screen, never lifting his gaze. Cameron assumed that Bernard¡¯s silence meant he had no interest in attending, so he swiftly interjected, ¡°The Clowers Group and VitaLife Global are embroiled in a conflict over the west city development project. Naturally, it should be the president of VitaLife Global who handles it. As the initiator of the bidding meeting, you should steer clear of any suspicion.¡± The people at the Clowers Group thought that since Bernard was close to their daughter, he might be biased towards them. So they have been secretly trying to cause trouble for the Ratliff Group behind the scenes, hoping to force them to withdraw from the bidding. How could Cameron give up such a great opportunity? So he deliberately arranged tonight¡¯s dinner in front of Bernard. The reason he asked Bernard if he wanted to go was actually because he wanted him to help Sophie mediate the rtionship between the two parties. Because only with the initiator, Bernard, attending would the people from the Clowers Group be obedient. Otherwise, relying on his daughter alone to mediate the situation definitely wouldn¡¯t work. But seeing that Bernard was not willing, he had to make his words a bit more subtle. After all, he didn¡¯t know how Bernard felt about Sophie now, so he couldn¡¯t ask him to do things as his future father¨Cin¨C law. Bernard put away his phone, looked indifferently at the excited Cameron, and said, ¡°Send me the address.¡± Cameron didn¡¯t expect Bernard to actually agree to attend such a dinner, and he was over the moon. ¡°Later, I¡¯ll have Eleanor send it to your phone.¡± After saying that, he looked at Bernard with a smile. ¡°Sophie just took office, and her authority is not strong enough. Please help her out.¡± Being a president of the group, he normally wouldn¡¯t attend junior dinners like this. If it wasn¡¯t for the Clowers Group¡¯s people constantly making things difficult for his daughter, he wouldn¡¯t have intervened in organizing this so¨Ccalled ¡°mediation¡± dinner.. Fortunately, Bernard agreed to go. With Bernard¡¯s strong and powerful support tonight, Sophie wouldn¡¯t be bullied by the Clowers Group Thinking of this, he quickly gestured to Sophie. ¡°Sophie, hurry up and thank Bernard.¡± Sophie immediately straightened up and moved closer to Bernard, Bernard, I really appreciate it.¡± Bernard slightly shifted his body to avoid her touch, and coldly said, ¡°He handed over the development rights to me was not meant for me to stand idly by¡± The ¡°he¡± in Bernard¡¯s mouth was referring to his grandfather, a figure whose level was not something that their groups could easilypare to. Cameron fullyprehended the significance of his words. When he mentioned his grandfather, it was merely to convey that his decision to assist was driven by a desire for fairness rather than being solely influenced by Sophie. While it might have made Sophie feel uneasy, Cameron didn¡¯t consider it important as long as Bernard agreed to participate, regardless of the underlying motive. In a cold tone, Bernard dered, ¡°I¡¯ll return to the Laurence Group first,¡± and promptly stood up and departed. Observing his departure, Sophie¡¯s face disyed a disappointed expression. Tofort her, Cameron gently patted her hand and reassured her. The west district project involves land development, and Bernard has a responsibility to handle it impartially. You should try to understand his standpoint.¡± Finally, Sophie set aside her feelings of disappointment and nodded, saying, ¡°I understand.¡± Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Eleanor had just booked a restaurant on her phone when Cameron called again. ¡°Eleanor, send the restaurant address to Mr. Laurence too.¡± He hung up without giving Eleanor a chance to speak. Frowning, she put down the phone, opened WhatsApp, and sent the address to Bernard¡¯s assistant. The assistant replied, ¡°Ms. Schultz, I can¡¯t reach Mr. Laurence at the moment. Please send it to his WhatsApp¡± Eleanor had no choice but to unblock Bernard¡¯s WhatsApp, quickly forwarded the address, and blocked him again. After sorting that out, she grabbed the keys to thepany van and headed to the parking lot. As she stepped out of the elevator, she saw Bernard emerge from the private elevator, wearing a ck coat and taking long strides. Eleanor¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly turned around, pretending she didn¡¯t see him. She thought he¡¯d ignore her and leave, but surprisingly, he walked towards her. Eleanor nervously clenched her fists, as her legs refused to move. She could clearly sense his footsteps behind her, slowing to a stop. It seemed he was staring at her back. Eleanor didn¡¯t need to turn around to visualize the expression in Bernard¡¯s eyes. Coldness, indifference, contempt, disdain, and disgust likely filled his gaze. Holding her breath, she witnessed the Bugatti in front of her suddenly roar to life. Bernard bypassed her, opened the driver¡¯s door, and effortlessly slid into the car. With his gaze lowered, he started the engine, gripped the wheel with one hand, and smoothly drove out of the parking garage without casting a single nce in her direction. Once Bernard departed, Eleanor¡¯s tensed body rxed. She found it ironic how she had once again deluded herself into thinking that he still cared about her. Suppressing her disappointment, she approached the seven¨Cseater van. She climbed in, started the car, and headed towards the airport. It had been pouring outside for the past few days, and such weather always reminded Eleanor of that night five years ago. That was a night she never wanted to recall, but thinking about the person she was about to meet, the memories from the past. flooded her mind. That night, a raging storm pat away even the streetlights¡® dim glow The young man carried her on his back, slowly walking back home She, however, stubbornly refused to let him carry her, so he had no choice but to put her down. Eleanor remembered that she was angry with him that night, which was why she wouldn¡¯t let him carry her. Back then, he didn¡¯t say anything ¨C he just silently followed her. She hated his silence the most, not speaking no matter what she said. In her anger, she abandoned him and ran ahead without a care. As she reached a fork in the road, an out¨Cof¨Ccontrol car raced towards her from the side ¨C she couldn¡¯t dodge it in time. Just when the car was about to hit her, the young man caught up and pushed her away with all his strength. She fell into the wet ground opposite, only slightly bruised, while the young man was sent flying, covered in blood. As his consciousness faded, he still tried to crawl towards the horrified Eleanor. To this day, Eleanor still remembered the boy named Garett¡¯sst words before he passed out: ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t be afraid ¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. She was once touched, butter, she never wanted to remember anything about him ever again¡­¡­ After two hours, she finally arrived at the airport. She parked the car and then took the elevator to the arrival gate. After waiting for about half an hour, the President of The Clowers Group, apanied by a group of senior executives and bodyguards, slowly emerged from the gate. Chapter 54 Chapter 54 He appeared in a sapphire blue shirt,plemented by a matching coat, which emphasized his tall and slender figure from afar. A sense of authority emanated from him, captivating those whoid eyes upon him. As you approached him, his face, now framed by golden wire¨Crimmed sses, revealed a mature and polished appearance, no longer retaining its boyish charm. The sight of him in this manner after so many years filled Eleanor¡¯s heart with tranquility. She made a symbolic gesture, raising her hand and waving at him, signaling him to follow her. ¡°This way!¡± she called out. Upon catching sight of Eleanor amidst the crowd, the man hesitated momentarily. He hade to A City with his team for a business meeting, primarily for bidding purposes. Little did he anticipate that the Ratliff Group would discover his visit and insist on sending someone to receive him and arrange a dinner party. Reluctantly, he had agreed, but he never anticipated that the person tasked with picking him up would be Eleanor. For a few seconds, he was stunned but then quickly recovered hisposure and walked towards Eleanor with his team. Tall as he was, he stood before her, towering over her by a head. He had no choice but to look down at her, ¡°Ms. Shultz, long time no see.¡± With that one line calling her Ms. Shultz, hepletely severed the friendship they had shared since childhood. Eleanor scoffed, didn¡¯t greet him, and coldly said, ¡°Mr. Clowers, please follow me¡± before turning away. With an expressionless face, she strode towards the underground parking lot in her high heels. The man trailing behind her saw her annoyed demeanor and slightly furrowed his brows. He hesitated for a moment then quickly stepped in front of Eleanor, ¡°You¡¯re not still mad at me, are you?¡± Eleanor, hearing those words, abruptly stopped, looked up at him and retorted, ¡°Why would I have the right to be mad at you?¡± Jason seemed a bit helpless, but still sincerely apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I lost my memory and can¡¯t remember you. That¡¯s why I treated you that way five years ago. I hope you won¡¯t hold it against me forever¡­¡± As Eleanor looked up at the face that was identical to Garett¡¯s, her calm was suddenly disrupted by a pang of pain. She really wanted to ask Jason: Had he really lost his memory, or was he just pretending not to know her? Clearly, five years ago, when he woke up and found out that she had sold herself to save him, he had kissed her like a madman, pinned her to the hospital bed, and choked her angrily, ming her for betraying him. So how was it that when the Clowers family showed up and imed he was the missing son of the Clowers Group, he suddenly imed to have amnesia? If he really had amnesia, why would he say those words when she went to the Clowers family and begged him not to abandon her? Eleanor closed her eyes, and her heart ached when she thought of how he had ruthlessly kicked her twice. At that time, she didn¡¯t believe at all that Garett had amnesia; she felt he didn¡¯t want her only because she was tainted. When he was taken away by the Clowers family, she visited them every day, ignoring her dignity and kneeling in front of him, exining over and over that she had sold herself to save him. But not only did he not believe her, but he also raised his heavy boots and fiercely kicked her in the chest. While applying force on her heart, he said maliciously. ¡°Don¡¯t use saving me as an excuse; it¡¯s your own fault!¡± At that moment, she was like a humble stray dog, humiliated and kicked by him, but still not giving up. She cried and pulled at his pants leg, begging him not to abandon her for the sake of their past feelings. But he bent down, grabbed her hand, and forcefully broke her fingers one by one. At that moment, he gazed at her with a mix of disgust and a twisted sense of satisfaction in seeking revenge. The agony from her dislocated fingers overshadowed the pain in her heart, amplifying her suffering. She cringed, parted her lips. and attempted to plead for hic forgiveness. However, before any words escaped, he ruthlessly pped her. The force behind his blow was substantial, causing her face to immediately swell. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. She looked at the man in the suit with disbelief. ¡°Why¡­¡± Why did the young man who once loved her and held her in the palnis of his hands turn so cruel after bing the Clowers family¡¯s son? Was it because she didn¡¯t believe he had amnesia and bothered him every day or simply that he had forsaken his old friends after gaining wealth? Chapter 55 Chapter 55 ¡°Why?¡± He whispered, his clean face darkened with hatred in an instant.. ¡°You¡¯re asking me why? I was lying unconscious in the hospital, and you were hooking up with other men!¡± ¡°You¡¯re already so disgusting, and you still want me to be with you? Hell no!¡± Look, he didn¡¯t really have amnesia after all. Too bad, she only found out he was faking amnesia to dump her at this very moment. And she, so naively thought that the man in front of her was still the same boy who promised to be with her for a lifetime.. She regretted it, regretted kneeling at the Clowers family¡¯s door, pulling down all her pride and dignity, trying to get her boy back. But the man who changed his name to Jason, didn¡¯t give her a chance to regret. Eleanor remembered, he retreated dozens of steps back and suddenly rushed up with all his strength.. Using the power of inertia, he kicked her heart with his heavy leather boot once again. He knew that her heart had undergone coronary artery bypass surgery and couldn¡¯t withstand an external attack, so he aimed at the exact spot and hit her. After she coughed up several mouthfuls of blood, she finally realized that her boy wanted her dead. Shey in a pool of blood, shivering from the cold, while that boy sheered at her coldly. ¡°Eleanor, I don¡¯t love you anymore, and I don¡¯t want to be with you, so don¡¯t bother me anymore!¡± ¡°And remember, I am now the heir to the Clowers Group, not the Garett from orphanage!¡± ¡°If you and Hailey dare to expose my past identity or threaten the clowers family with it, I¡¯ll make you wish you were dead!¡± Eleanor had experienced Bernard¡¯s coldness, but it was nothingpared to Garett¡¯s. So even if Bernard treated her as a substitute, she wouldn¡¯t resent him, because Bernard never lied to her about not loving her. But Garett, he always said he loved her, loved her enough to give hier everything, but what did she get in return? He cut off their rtionship of twenty¨Csomething years himself and didn¡¯t even care about his brotherly love with Hailey anymore. If it wasn¡¯t for his ruthlessness and heartlessness, she wouldn¡¯t have signed the lover¡¯s agreement that Bernard forced her to sign without hesitation. She originally wanted to take revenge on Garett by doing this, didn¡¯t he look down on her for selling her body? So she had to show him! Butter, she couldn¡¯t control her own heart, and her physical reactions made her slowly forget Garett. Even though she had been hurt by someone like that, she actually could fall in love with another person, which seemed quite incredible to her. But she had to admit that it was Bernard, and his asional warmth that helped her through the pain. She thought it might have something to do with her being an orphan. She was starved for love, so as long as someone was a little nice to her, she would give her heart without hesitation. Although both men abandoned her in the end, she didn¡¯t regret having loved them. It¡¯s just that she had tried her best to love someone in her lifetime, but in the end, no one had ever loved her back. She felt that her life was probably over, and hoped that next time, God could show her some love because of her loneliness. Eleanor found her thoughts amusing, as people die and there is no next time¡°, it would all end up as a handful of ashes after all. She collected her messy thoughts and looked up at Jason. ¡°Mr. Clowers, I¡¯ve always treated my partners without personal feelings, it doesn¡¯t matter if I like them or not.¡± ¡°As for what happened five years ago, it¡¯s in the past, and you don¡¯t need to care about it.¡± It didn¡¯t matter if he really had amnesia or pretended not to know. The past was washed away by time. Both she and him shouldn¡¯t bring it up again. After Eleanor finished speaking, she headed back to the underground parking lot. apter Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Looking at that frail figure, Jason felt for a moment that Eleanor had changed a lot. It seemed like the girl who knelt at the Clowers family¡¯s door, crying and begging to see him, was long gone. Now she had shed her previous mour, only left with cold indifference. He felt a void in his heart, like something was forgotten but he couldn¡¯t remember it. Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Jason brought quite a few people along with him, and they couldn¡¯t all fit in one van, so Eleanor had to call for another business van. Senior executives took the other cars, and Jason and his bodyguards rode in Eleanor¡¯s van. Eleanor didn¡¯t talk to Jason during the drive, focusing on driving and taking him to a five¨Cstar restaurant. In the luxurious private dining room, Sophie and some of the vice presidents of VitaLife Global had already arrived. Only Bernard had not yet arrived. After arranging for Jason and his party to be seated, Sophie went out and asked Eleanor, ¡°Have you sent the address to Mr. Laurence?¡± Eleanor nodded, ¡°I did.¡± Though she wasn¡¯t sure if Bernard had seen the WhatsApp message, she had sent the address to him, and whether he came or not had nothing to do with her. ¡°Ms. Ratliff, I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡± Now that she had done her job of picking them up, there was no need for her to stay. Just as she turned to leave, Sophie stopped her. ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t be in such a hurry to leave. Go book a hotel for Mr. Clowers. After it¡¯s all over, we¡¯ll have to ask you to drive them back to the hotel.¡± Eleanor was about to refuse, but Sophie gave her a pleading look. I know you want to quit, but before you do, this is still part of your job, isn¡¯t it? If you take care of Mr. Clowers well today, I¡¯ll approve your resignation request when we get back, okay?¡± Sophie¡¯s words were somewhat threatening, but thinking that she could resign after this, Eleanor didn¡¯t refuse. After getting their identification information from Jason¡¯s assistant, she sat outside the private dining room, took out her phone, and booked a hotel. This dinner was organized by VitaLife Global to improve the rtionship with the Clowers Group. Naturally, those attending were all CEOs, executives, and the like. As a mere assistant, she didn¡¯t need to join in and could wait outside. After booking the hotel, she put down her phone, intending to go to the restroom. She got up a bit too quickly, felt dizzy and almost fell to the ground Luckily, a strong hand behind her quickly supported her waist and held her up. ¡°Ms. Shultz, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Eleanor leaned against him, panting for a while before looking up at the person who had helped her. Due to theck of blood supply to her brain, her vision was blurry. She could only make out a silhouette, knowing that it was Jason, and immediately pushed him away. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a bit of low blood sugar,¡® she said, thanking him quietly. Jason noticed her pale face and frowned slightly ¡°Are you sick?¡± ¡°No¡± Eleanor shook her head. Seeing her deliberately keeping a distance from him, he didn¡¯t ask any further. He said, ¡°I¡¯m going to the restroom¡± and walked away. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor wanted to go to the restroom too, but she was too dizzy to walk at the moment. She had no choice but to lean against the door frame and sit back down. Fortunately, the dizziness came and went quickly, and she soon recovered. When she tried to get up to go to the bathroom again, she identally saw Bernard standing at the elevator entrance. He was wearing a tailored dark¨Cblue suit, looking tall and straight. Soft yellow light sprinkled on him, casting a faint glow that made him look extremely noble. The face obscured by dim light was deep and breathtakingly attractive. It seemed like he had been standing there for quite a long time. Seeing him made Eleanor nervous. As she was thinking about whether she should hide or not, Bernard suddenly walked towards her with his long legs. With nowhere to hide, Eleanor could only tightly grip her cell phone, swiftly turn around, and face away from him. The cold gaze from behind once again fell upon her, and she could feel the icy atmosphere gradually surrounding her. Feeling a bit short of breath, she gripped her phone even harder. ¡°Do you expect me to open the door myself?¡± The cold voice sounded above her head. Eleanor hurriedly turned around with her head lowered, not realizing how close the man behind her was. Her sudden motion made her petite and fragile body bump directly into the strong, firm chest of the man behind her. Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Eleanor sensed a familiar scent emanating from him through his thin white shirt, causing her to freeze in an instant. She instinctively nced up at his corbone, hoping to see the distinctive blue dragon tattoo, but it was nowhere to be found. Disappointed, she lowered her gaze, thinking, ¡°I guess it¡¯s really not him.¡± However, before she could fully process her emotions, Bernard abruptly grabbed her shoulder and forcefully shoved her aside. With a hint of sarcasm, he remarked, ¡°Wow, you¡¯re quite skilled at throwing yourself into someone¡¯s arms, aren¡¯t you?¡± It was evident that he had just witnessed Eleanor leaning on Jason Eleanor opened her mouth to exin, but Bernard acted like he had just been touched by something filthy. He took out a tissue, furiously wiping his fingers. In a forceful manner, he abruptly wiped his hands and callously tossed the tissue onto Eleanor¡¯s face. Eyes clouded with darkness, he cast a cold, disdainful gaze upon her, treating her as if she were some lowly being. Without another word, he strode towards the private room. This time, Eleanor didn¡¯t need to open the door for him. It became apparent that his brief appearance earlier had been solely to humiliate her in that particr moment. Removing the tissue from her face, Eleanor maintained a stony expression and discarded it into a nearby trash can. She appeared more upset than ever before. Suppressing the anger surging within her chest, she tightly gripped her phone and seated herself once again. Nothing and nobody could easily bring her down. Inside the private room, Bernard¡¯s entrance left the deputy general manager and executives of the Clowers Group astonished, their faces reflecting sheer disbelief. They had not expected Bernard to show up at the dinner organized by the Ratliff Group. After their initial shock, they quickly understood the Ratliff Group¡¯s intentions. The Clowers Group had been targeting the Ratliff Group recently, and Bernard was here to back up Sophie. With Bernard¡¯s presence, the people from the Clowers Group treated Sophie with respect and didn¡¯t cause her any trouble. Instead, they weed Bernard warmly, offering him the best seat and ttering him, even serving him drinks. However, Bernard¡¯s expression remained indifferent throughout the encounter. It was only when Jason returned from outside that Bernard finally nced up, his cold gaze scanning over him. Earlier, Jason had received a message from the vice president in the bathroom, informing him of Bernard¡¯s arrival. Now seeing Bernard, he was not surprised, but rather anticipated it Not much was known about Sophie and Bernard¡¯s rtionship but he did understand that the Laurence Group and the Ratliff Group were set to be linked by marriage in the future. As the alliance partner, it was only natural for Bernard toe and back Sophie up, otherwise, it would be inappropriate. Seeing that Bernard was sizing him up, Jason quickly picked up his ss and offered a polite toast. Bernard responded, but with a somewhat arrogant attitude. Jason, however, didn¡¯t say anything. He had heard about the character of the second son of the Laurence family before ¨C indifferent and proud, never showing respect for those he didn¡¯t like The response he gave in this situation already showed that he regarded Jason highly. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. But in all likelihood, it was because of Sophie that he respected him Sophie was good at livening up the atmosphere and within just a few words, got everyone from both sides acquainted. She then skillfully led everyone to discuss topics from their personal lives to work, projects, bidding meetings, and the Clowers Group¡¯s recent targeting of the Ratliff Group. The only one who didn¡¯t talk much throughout the whole thing was Bernard, his deep eyes asionally looking toward the door. When Sophie noticed Bernard looking at the door, she followed his gaze. She saw Eleanor¡¯s slender figure and slightly frowned, ¡°Bernard, what are you looking at?¡± Bernard showed no emotion, picking up his phone and shifting his gaze to the screen, ¡°How much longer?¡± Sophie thought he was looking at the time and said, ¡°Just give me a little more time.¡± After she finished, she looked at Jason and the executives he had brought, ¡°Mr. Clowers, deputy general manager, don¡¯t worry about the matter in the west side of the city. Mr. Laurence has always been fair and impartial, he won¡¯t favor anyone. If our two families want the development rights, we¡¯ll have topete with our own strength. What do you think?¡° Chapter 58 Chapter 58 The Clowers Group had always been professional, so Jason wasn¡¯t worried about their ability and nodded, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s all about strength.¡± The vice president, seeing that the president had lightened up, said, ¡°Ms. Ratliff, my people stopped the Ratliff Group¡¯s project without my knowledge I hope you can forgive us for it, as I have already punished them.¡± Sophie naturally didn¡¯t believe these words, but she didn¡¯t refute them outright. Instead, she went along with the vice president¡¯s words and said, ¡°In that case, let¡¯s have a truce and work together to help each other out in the future.¡± After raising her ss to toast Jason and the vice president, she downed her drink and said with a smile, ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day. everyone. See you at the biddingpetition.¡± Sophie decided to end the dinner mainly because Bernard had grown impatient. Although the Clowers Group and the Laurence Group had simr strength in the domestic market, the Laurence Group was a top enterprise in A Country. The Clowers Group people wouldn¡¯t object to Sophie dismissing the dinner, and all their eyes turned to Bernard. None of them dared to be the first to leave as long as the icy Bernard hadn¡¯t left. Bernard said nonchntly, ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± and started walking out hand in hand with Sophie. Seeing Bernard, who was rumored to be indifferent to women, take Sophie¡¯s hand by his initiative, everyone was stunned. Their rtionship seemed to be even closer than everyone had imagined. Would the Ratliff Group get the West City¨Carea project because of this connection? This was what the Clowers Group was most worried about, otherwise they wouldn¡¯t have used special means to target the Ratliff Group. Hearing the door open from inside, Eleanor quickly stood up. Seeing Bernard and Sophie walk out holding hands., her eyes trembled slightly. She wanted to pretend nothing happened and looked away, but her eyes were uncontrobly drawn to Bernard¡¯s tight grip on Sophie¡¯s hand. He was gripping her so tightly that the vein in his arm was popping out, obviously showing the importance of the person in his palm. Remembering how she identally bumped into him earlier and how he had looked at her with disgust, her heart felt like it was being wrapped tightly by vines, making it hard to breathe. She had fantasized countless times that one day Bernard would hold her hand like this, but it was just a dream. Bernard would never take her hand in public, and that was the difference between her and Sophie. As the two brushed past her, Sophie suddenly stopped. She turned around and reminded Eleanor, ¡°Eleanor, remember to take Mr. Clowers back to the hotel.¡± Eleanor snapped out of her thoughts and nodded, ¡°Okay¡± Only then did Sophie smile and hold Bernard¡¯s arm, walking towards the elevator. With their backs turned, Eleanor dared to lift her head and gaze at the two figures. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Bernard and Sophie were meant to be together. While she was just a coincidence, a passerby. Eleanor curved her lips, let out a relieved smile, this bit of pain meant nothing to her. Give her some time to let go, and she would forget Bernard just as she forgot Garett Eleanor turned around and looked at Jason, who was walking out of the private room. ¡°Mr. Clowers, I will take you to the hotel.¡± Jason knew that Sophie asked her to take care of them, so he didn¡¯t refuse and simply nodded, keeping pace with her. Eleanor quickly took them to the best hotel in A City. When she saw them get out of the car, Eleanor intended to start the car and leave. But suddenly, her heart experienced a sharp pain like spasms when her foot was still on the elerator. Due to this sudden pain, she identally exerted too much force, and the car collided directly with the large pir at the entrance of the hotel. Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Jason had already walked some distance when he suddenly heard a loud crash behind him, causing his face to turn pale with fear. He hurriedly ran back and saw Eleanor slumped over the steering wheel, her face pale from the pain, making him instinctively nervous. With a stern expression, he pulled forcefully at the car door, but it was locked, and he couldn¡¯t open it. He forcefully knocked on the car window, ¡°Ms. Shultz, open the door Eleanor was hunched over the steering wheel, clutching her chest and gasping for air. She felt dizzy and couldn¡¯t hear Jason¡¯s voice; all she could hear was a ringing in her ears. Thinking that she had lost consciousness, Jason wasted no time and smashed the rear window. After opening the car door, he entered the vehicle, opened the driver¡¯s door, and quickly got out to help Eleanor out. Feeling someoneing to her rescue, Eleanor grabbed onto his arm as if grasping a lifeline. With great difficulty, she managed to utter a word, ¡°Oxygen.¡± With her heart failing and inadequate blood supply, she was at high risk of oxygen deprivation. She was currently in an extreme state of hypoxia and urgently needed oxygen. Upon hearing the word, Jason¡¯s mind went nk, and fragments of memories quickly shed through, causing him a headache. He shook his head to clear his mind, lifted Eleanor, and said to the assistant manager, ¡°Tell the hotel staff to bring an oxygen tank.¡± Going to the hospital now was definitely out of the question. Luckily, this hotel belonged to the Clowers Group, so they had such first aid supplies on standby all year round for their guests. Seeing the president of the headquartersing, the hotel manager quickly sent someone to fetch the oxygen tanks. Jason carried Eleanor into the luxurious suite she had booked for him, and noticed her face had gone completely pale. Fearing that she would die like that, he anxiously contacted his buddy Tyler Howell, who had a conference in A City. After waking up the extremely disciplined and punctual Tyler with a call, Jason gave him the address and said toe ASAP, then hung up. Tyler was dumbfounded, threw away his phone, continued sleeping but opened his eyes again within two seconds. He didn¡¯t hear wrong, did he? Jason wanted him to save someone? He never asks for help! Who could it be to make Jason call him for help in the middle of the night?Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Tyler had obsessivepulsive disorder and had to go to bed on time, not a secondter. However, his curiosity got the better of him when he wondered who Jason was trying to save. He gritted his teeth, broke the rule, and got out of bed, grabbing his car keys. While Tyler was still on the way, Jason had already administered oxygen to Eleanor. The oxygen tank was small¨Csized, but it was enough to provide temporary relief for Eleanor. After inhaling the oxygen, the suffocating and throbbing sensation in her heart gradually subsided. Her consciousness slowly returned as the oxygen was steadily flowing in. She opened her eyes and was slightly taken aback when she saw Jason standing beside the bed with a furrowed brow It turns out that the person who saved her was Jason¡­. She was surprised that the man who once wanted to kill her was the one who saved her Feeling better, she took off the oxygen mask and struggled to get up Jason held her down, ¡°Ms. Shultz, don¡¯t move around in your current state¡± Eleanor pushed his hand away and calmly said, ¡°I¡¯m fine, thank you, Mr. Clowers¡± Having said that, she insisted on getting up from the bed, put on her shoes, and tried to leave, holding onto the bedside table. Her head became dizzy again, and she staggered a couple of times before falling forward. Jason caught her and put her back on the bed. ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself, take a rest for a while.¡± He said after putting her down. He knew she didn¡¯t have a good impression of him, so he didn¡¯t get too close. After putting her back on the bed, he took a few steps back. He was waiting for Tyler and didn¡¯t want to leave until this authoritative expert had checked her. And for some reason, he always thought that he had experienced such a scene, as if he had been through it before. But this contradicted the information he had checked before, making him a little puzzled. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Seeing that he was keeping his distance, Eleanor didn¡¯t insist anymore and obedientlyy down, allowing her dizziness to subside a bit. The doctor had warned her not to overwork herself. But she had been tormented by Mr. Law for two days straight, and then she came back to work without a proper rest. Running back and forth between airports, restaurants, and hotels, any ordinary person would feel exhausted, let alone her. It was all due to overwork that led to her condition acting up. Eleanor thought that she must get Sophie to approve her resignation tomorrow. For the next few days, she needed to lie safely at home and wait for death. Otherwise, if something like today¡¯s sudden attack happened and no one came to save her, she¡¯d die directly, and who would take care of her body then? As her thoughts ran wild, a man in a white suit walked in. The neer had a very refined and clean appearance, exuding a gentle and elegant temperament. Seeing Eleanor lying on the bed, he hooked his lips and smiled. With his smile spreading across his face, two deep dimples appeared on both sides of his cheeks. ¡°It¡¯s a woman.¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Tyler walked over with a medical kit, gave Jason a wink and said, What are you staring at?¡± ¡°Just check her out and see what¡¯s wrong with her.¡± He had seen her faint twice today, and this was definitely not a symptom of low blood sugar. Only then did Tyler put away his giddy demeanor, took the stethoscope out of the medical kit, and intended to listen to Eleanor¡¯s heart. However, Eleanor raised her hand to stop him. ¡°I have a heart condition, and I just had a sudden attack. It¡¯s no big deal.¡± Knowing she couldn¡¯t fool the doctor, she just told the truth. But she didn¡¯t want him to diagnose her because she didn¡¯t want Jason to know about her heart failure. She was afraid that if Jason knew, he might kick her twice more. She hadn¡¯t had a chance to say goodbye to Hailey yet, so she couldn¡¯t die like this. Tyler, being a doctor, could easily see if a patient was lying or not. Without showing any emotion, he nced at her leg. The swelling in her lower extremities was ate¨C stage symptom of heart failure. This woman was only about 27 or 28 years old. It was a pity she had experienced heart failure at such a young age. If the patient didn¡¯t allow treatment, he naturally wouldn¡¯t force it. He put away the stethoscope and turned to look at Jason. ¡°Jason, did you do something bad to her? She won¡¯t even let me examine her.¡± Tyler didn¡¯t expose Eleanor; instead, he acted as if he didn¡¯t know and teased Jason. His actions made Eleanor have a good impression of him. When he had looked at her leg just now, he had clearly noticed something but chose to help her hide it. It seemed that the doctor had a strong sense of professionalism. Eleanor was relieved. Jason, on the other hand, was still immersed in the words ¡°heart condistion Eleanor had mentioned. He seemed to be naturally sensitive to these words and felt ufortable when he heard then. Seeing his frown and a gloomy face, Tyler went over, covered his mouth, and asked curiously in a low voice, ¡°Who is she?¡± ¡°Just a friend¡± Jason came to his senses, looked at Eleanor, and answered in a gentle tone. ¡°Just a friend?¡± Tyler didn¡¯t believe it. Jason had never had any female friends around him. Howe he suddenly had a new friend since arriving in A City? ¡°You can leave now. There¡¯s nothing for you here.¡± Jason didn¡¯t want to say more, so he just waved his hand to signal Tyler to leave. ¡°Discarding me after using me, how heartless!¡± Although Tyler said this, he obediently picked up the medical kit and walked out the door. Reaching the door, he looked back again. Seeing Jason standing by the bed with his hands in his pockets, looking worriedly at the woman on the bed, he quickly took out his phone and snapped a picture. He sent the photo to the group chat along with the message, ¡°Jason finally has a girlfriend!¡± The group chat suddenly became lively, with everyone tagging Jason and a few unreliable friends posting the picture on Instagram. These wealthy kids basically all knew each other, and the news spread from one person to another. Eventually, it reached Cedric. Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Cedric was surprised when he saw that the woman on the bed was Eleanor. Josef had just fallen out of favor and now she was quickly trying to hook up with Jason that was fast! He used to think better of Eleanor because she refused the umbre, but now he thought she was a crafty woman. He decided to forward the photo to his cousin. Jason was married to his sister, and he couldn¡¯t let a woman like Eleanor seduce him. He couldn¡¯t confront the woman his cousin had once supported, so he had to leave it to him. When Bernard, who just returned to the vi, saw this photo, his face suddenly changed color. He quickly replied, ¡°When was this taken?¡± Cedric replied, ¡°Just now, everyone knows.¡± Bernard didn¡¯t respond, but his hand shivered as he gripped the phone. Eleanor had no idea that these rich kids were spreading gossip about her and Jason. She had nned to rest until she no longer felt dizzy and leave, but she fell asleep without warning. Jason thought she had passed out, but when he pushed her, he realized she was just sleeping and breathed a sigh of relief. He frowned at her for a while, covered her with a nket, turned off the lights, and left. He coldly asked Colter, his assistant waiting outside the door, ¡°Are you sure she and I have no past?¡± With a poker face, Colter replied, ¡°Yes, President Clowers has personally verified it with the orphanage director a few years ago.¡± When Jason was taken back to the Clowers family after being discharged from the hospital, Eleanor came to see him. At that time, he was scared and unfamiliar with everything because of his amnesia. Eleanor came to bother him every day, and he couldn¡¯t get rid of her. The only thing she kept exning to him was why she sold her body. It sounded convincing, as if everything was for him. He had no choice but to let the Clowers family take him back to the orphanage for investigation. The director revealed that Eleanor had a tendency to seek proximity to powerful individuals. Upon witnessing him assume the role of the Clowers family¡¯s son and sensing an opportunity due to his amnesia, she attempted to deceive him by iming to be his girlfriend. The director further emphasized that there was no genuine closeness between the two of them and that any previous involvement was entirely fabricated by Eleanor. To validate this information, he consulted others in the orphanage. With the exception of Hailey, everyone agreed with the director¡¯s ount, indicating that Eleanor¡¯s ims were false. Hailey, however, insisted that the director had treated Eleanor unfairly. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. It is worth noting that Hailey and Eleanor shared a close bond since childhood, raising the possibility that they might be coborating to deceive him. Jason¡¯s doubts gradually disappeared, but¡­. He looked back at Eleanor, who was sleeping peacefully on the bed, and frowned again. ¡°I always feel like something must have happened between us, or I wouldn¡¯t feel so bad when I hear she has a heart problem, even after so many years¡­. Colter nced at him and said with a frown, ¡°Mr. Clowers, she might be doing this to get your attention again. Remember when she pretended to have a heart attack in front of you? She didn¡¯t seed back then, and now she has a chance to get close to you. again, it¡¯s not impossible for her to try this trick again.¡± Colter continued, ¡°Be careful, women nowadays are very clever.¡± Jason remembered how Eleanor had pretended to have a heart attack in front of him five years ago to help him regain his memory, and he thought Colter¡¯s words were reasonable. Otherwise, why would she have stopped Tyler from giving her a checkup earlier? She must have been faking. Jason felt a headache whenever he thought about anything rted to Eleanor a feeling he hadn¡¯t had in a long time. He didn¡¯t want to dwell upon the reason for that and instead waved his hand at Colter, ¡°Book a room for me.¡± Coller nodded immediately and arranged another room with the manager. Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Eleanor opened her eyes and found herself in an unfamiliar room. Slowly, she realized that she had fallen asleep in Jason¡¯s luxurious suite. She instinctively touched her chest, relieved to find no signs of being kicked, and let out a sigh of relief. It had been a long lime, but the fear of Jason kicking her still lingered. The consequences had been severe. After that one kick, Jason had thrown her, barely alive, onto the side of the road. If it weren¡¯t for a passerby who saved her just in time, she would have died. Eleanor never understood why Garett, who had been so good to her had the heart to try and kill her. Although she no longer cared about Garett, it was an incident she could never forget. Over the years, she had locked away those memories in her heart, refusing to look back. Encountering Jason again now, her heart had calmed down, but there was still a lingering fear. Eleanor shook her head, determined not to dwell on Jason any longer, and got up from her bed to check her phone.. That napsted until around four in the afternoon ¨C her phone was full of missed calls, but she slept like a log, not waking up to any of them. Would she die in her sleep someday? With that thought, she unlocked her phone to see who had called. To her shock, there were hundreds of missed calls ¨C all from Mr. Law He had not only made insane numbers of calls throughout the night and day, but he had also sent countless WhatsApp messages. She wondered how she could have slept so deeply as to not hear a single sound. She didn¡¯t call him back but opened WhatsApp to see what he had sent. At first, his messages were like, ¡°Where are you? Send me your location.¡± Then they slowly turned into, ¡°Are you having sex with another man Later, they became, ¡°If you dare to have sex with another man, I will kill you.¡± Eleanor thought he was crazy, and didn¡¯t want to respond to him. Ignoring his messages, she saw that Rosita had also sent her a message asking her toe back and hand over her work. Eleanor quickly got up, packed her things, and left the luxurious suite with her bag. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Just as she reached the elevator, Jason came out of it. ¡°Ms. Shultz, are you awake?¡± Seeing that she was awake, Jason immediately came over and looked her up and down. He had checked on her in the morning and after attending several meetings at The Clowers Group¡¯s branch office, only to find her still asleep. Feeling shy about waking her up, he let her keep sleeping Now that she was finally awake, he couldn¡¯t help but feel somewhat amazed he had never seen someone who could sleep for so long. Feeling a bit embarrassed under Jason¡¯s gaze, she nodded. ¡°Thanks, Mr. Clowers, for letting me stay for the night. Sorry for the frouble.¡± She was about to leave when Jason called out to her, remembering what Tyler had done. ¡°There¡¯s something I need to talk to you about.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t had a meal yet, have you? Can I treat you to dinner and we can chat while eating?¡± Eleanor was somewhat reluctant to eat with Jason since he used to bring her tremendous harm. ¡°No need. Let¡¯s just talk here.¡± With slight embarrassment, Jason pulled out his phone and showed her the photo Tyler had taken. ¡°Tyler, the doctor who came yesterday, took a picture of us out of boredom and posted it to a WhatsApp group. Some not-so-reliable friends went and posted it on Instagram. The photo was circting allst night ¨C I only saw it today. I¡¯m really sorry¡± Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Eleanor nced at the photo. It just showed him standing in front of the bed, and her looking at him. No big deal. She didn¡¯t care. ¡°No worries, Mr. Clowers can delete it.¡± She believed that with his skills, deleting a picture shouldn¡¯t be an issue. ¡°I¡¯ve already taken care of it. No one else will spread it.¡± ¡°Great¡± Eleanor nodded, turned to leave, and Jason suddenly stopped her again. ¡°Let me treat you to a meal, my apology on behalf of Tyler.¡± Eleanor shook her head, ¡°No need, I have to go to thepany.¡± Jason hurriedly said, ¡°I saw you still asleep this morning, so I called Ms. Ratliff and asked for a leave of absence for you.¡± Eleanor was surprised. No wonder Rosita had sent her a WhatsApp message this morning, but didn¡¯t prompt her again after nol seeing her in thepany. Turns out Jason had asked for time off She looked at Jason with some surprise, not knowing why he was helping her. Hadn¡¯t he warned her five years ago not to bother him again? Why was he helping her now? Jason insisted several times, and it seemed like he wouldn¡¯t give up unless she agreed. His personality was just as stubborn as before, but the person had changed. Eleanor wanted to see what he was up to, so she stopped refusing and followed him downstairs. As soon as they stepped out of the elevator, they bumped into Bernard. He was wearing a ck suit, his presence concealed in the dim light. His dark face turned cold the moment he saw them. Upon feeling his icy re, Eleanor¡¯s face instantly nched. Seeing Bernard made her panic, she didn¡¯t dare to raise her head, and subconsciously hid behind Jason. This move undoubtedly angered Bernard even more, as his gaze bing even colder. Jason didn¡¯t notice their strangeness, and extended his hand politely. ¡°Mr. Laurence.¡± Bernard coldly looked at his hand. ¡°I¡¯m germaphobic.¡± His tone was arrogant and disrespectful. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Fortunately, Jason had always had good manners, so he didn¡¯t feel embarrassed. Instead, he withdrew his hand and said with a smile, ¡°No problem.¡± Bernard didn¡¯t respond, his cold eyes turning to Eleanor, who was hiding behind Jason. ¡°Ms. Shultz is here too?¡± Having been called out, Eleanor could no longer hide. She stepped out from behind Jason and greeted Bernard respectfully like she would do with a business partner, ¡°Hello, Mr. Laurence. Bernard slightly turned his body, his cold eyes taking a quick look at her. ¡°Ms. Shultz is quite capable.¡± Having said this, he pushed past her and marched straight to the elevator. It seemed like his greeting to Jason was meant to mock her, because he saw her with Jason in the hotel and misunderstood. Eleanor wouldn¡¯t bother exining such a misunderstanding. It was none of his business who she was with now that they were over. ¡°Mr. Laurence doesn¡¯t seem to be friendly towards you. Are you and him¡­¡± ¡°In this circle, everyone knows about me selling my body. People like Mr. Laurence with high status would definitely look down on me.¡± Jason was about to ask a question, but Eleanor cut him off coldly. He was taken aback, not expecting Eleanor to be this direct. However, after the photo got out yesterday, several rich kids from A City had told him that Eleanor was Josef¡¯s girlfriend. He had heard about Josef in B City too, he was cruel to women, and those who followed him did so for money. Since Eleanor dared to be with that guy, it showed that she was after money as well. It seemed that the principal hadn¡¯t lied to him, she really wanted to hook up with influential people. No wonder she disappeared right after she saw that her n didn¡¯t work five years ago. Perhaps she felt that he was hard to seduce and didn¡¯t want to waste more time on him, so she didn¡¯t pester him anymore. But he didn¡¯t expect Eleanor to admit it herself, which came a bit shocking. Few women who sell themselves are so candid. Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Eleanor noticed the change in Jason¡¯s eyes when he looked at her, and she knew what he was thinking. She asked coldly, ¡°Does Mr. Clowers still n to have dinner with a woman like me?¡± She knew he was thinking about her past, and he would probably refuse without hesitation. But to her surprise, Jason firmly said, ¡°Of course.¡± He then walked straight towards the hotel restaurant. Eleanor stared at his retreating figure, hesitating for a moment before following him. The restaurant manager personally greeted them upon seeing Jasch. ¡°Mr. Clowers, right this way, please.¡± He led them to a quiet andfortable table, attentively pulling out their chairs and respectfully handing them menus. Jason took the menu and asked Eleanor, ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± Eleanor replied indifferently. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry, you can order.¡± Her health wasn¡¯t great, and she didn¡¯t have an appetite for anything. Seeing her aloof attitude, Jason didn¡¯t say much and casually ordered a few light dishes before returning the menu to the manager. After the manager departed, Jason reached for the water ss nearby and poured Eleanor some water. His actions were graceful, his manners wless-these aspects of his character remained unchanged. Even as a child, he stood out among the other kids at the orphanage. Reserved, quiet, and always polite, he possessed a remarkable intellect. In those days, Eleanor viewed him as a precious gift from above. However, a faint ache still lingered in her chest now. Noticing the dimness in Eleanor¡¯s eyes, Jason¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. ¡°Ms. Shultz, what¡¯s on your mind?¡± She lightly touched her chest and responded with a hint of indifference, ¡°Just something I saw online.¡± Curiosity sparked in Jason, and he inquired, ¡°What is it?¡± Eleanor¡¯s reply carried a detached tone, ¡°Once you achieve sess the first step is to let go of past rtionships.¡± Jason didn¡¯t catch the deeper meaning of her words, but he felt that Eleanor was indirectly referring to him. ¡°You¡¯re not talking about me, are you?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t answer, just picked up her water ss and took a sip silently. Seeing her silence, Jason felt even more sure that she was referring to him. He had some doubts about the things he had investigated, but he really couldn¡¯t remember her. But when he saw her looking weakst night, he felt worried, even distressed. This feeling was very real. Was it possible that what she said before was true? ¡°You said before that you were my girlfriend, was that true?¡± ¡°No, I lied to you.¡± Eleanor straightforwardly denied it, without even blinking. Jason felt a slight disappointment, ¡°Why would you lie?¡± Eleanor replied emotionlessly. ¡°I wanted to marry into wealth¡± She thought Jason asked this question to test if she remembered his previous warning If she had answered or exined like before, she would have been kicked away again. Just now, she had portrayed herself as a ¡°woman who sold herself so that he wouldn¡¯t suspect her rtionship with Bernard. Using this excuse could alleviate his concern that she would expose the past between them. Eleanor¡¯s thoughts were not something Jason could detect. However, upon hearing her say this, his disappointment grew It was strange, when she used to pester him, he thought she was ying mind games. Now, hearing her say it directly made him feel more disappointed, sad, and a little discouraged. ¡°Do you still want to seduce me now?¡± ¡°Your status is too high, and I¡¯m not interested anymore.¡± Eleanor replied coldly, somewhat impatient. Why was he still probing? Did he think she had nothing better to do? Jason smiled a little in embarrassment. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Actually, he felt embarrassed the moment he asked that question Why on earth would he ask something like that? Maybe he should see Tyler about getting a shrink. Chapter Chapter 65 Chapter 65 As the waiter just happened to pass by with a food cart, Jason¡¯s embarrassment disappeared. Pretending nothing was wrong, he picked up his knife and fork and elegantly cut the steak. After cutting it, he put the steak on Eleanor¡¯s te ¡°Ms. Shultz, you¡¯re too skinny, you should eat more.¡± Compared to five years ago, Eleanor had indeed lost a lot of weight She used to look full of energy Now she was extremely thin, no wonder she got tired easily. Eleanor had no appetite, so she picked at a few pieces of lettuce and put down her fork. She didn¡¯t touch the steak Jason had cut for her. Jason thought it was because she didn¡¯t like him, so she didn¡¯t want to eat the food he gave her, and his expression became somewhat dejected. After dinner, Jason wanted to take her home, but Eleanor coldly rejected him. She was ignored once before and would never approach him again, She¡¯d rather keep her distance and stay safe. After refusing Jason, she went to the hotel parking garage, searched for the business car¡¯s key in her bag, and nned to drive it. home, only to findthat her phone had been vibrating in her bag. She took a look at the phone and it was still Mr. Law calling her. He must be trying to sleep with her again, given his frantic search for her. But her body couldn¡¯t handle it anymore. She thought for a moment, then replied to him on WhatsApp, Tm so tired. Can you let me rest for now and we¡¯ll talk in a few days?¡± Mr. Law still had evidence of her attempts to kill Josef. Although Josef would face a bunch of problems from the Caporal Group when he woke up and wouldn¡¯t have time to bother her for now. But if Mr. Law got angry and directly exposed her n, Josef would surely be the first to retaliate against her, and she¡¯d end up worse off. Even if she didn¡¯t want to be tortured by Mr. Law, she had to appease him for the sake of not alerting Josef. After sending the message, she turned off her phone, took out the car key, and opened the car door. Just as she was about to get into the car, a Bugatti suddenly stopped in front of her. The window slowly rolled down, revealing a side profile so exquisite and sharp that it was breathtaking in the dim light. When Eleanor saw who it was, her heart skipped a beat. She didn¡¯t know if Bernard was looking for her, so she decided not to linger and tried to get into her car, holding the door open. But a cold masculine voice came from behind her, ¡°Get in my car.¡± Eleanor froze on the spot. Didn¡¯t he tell her to never appear in front of him again? This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Then why would he let her get in his car? Eleanor gazed at the man sitting in the car, his eyes devoid of emotion, piercing through her with an icy coldness. It felt as though his intent was to choke the life out of her should she refuse toply. After a brief internal struggle, Eleanor reluctantly approached the Bugatti. Her initial inclination was to upy the back seat, but finding the door locked, she had no alternative but to enter through the passenger side. Clearly, he expected her to take the passenger seat. Sitting in such proximity to him made Eleanor uneasy, but she dared not defy his wishes She bit her teeth, opened the passenger door, and slid in. As soon as she was seated and had her seatbelt on, Bernard started the car. This was the first time she had been in his car, or more urately, since following him, he had never driven her anywhere before. All their memories were in bed, without much talking. This loveless rtionship had supposedly ended, but he actually took the initiative to find her. It was strange. Eleanor didn¡¯t know where Bernard nned to take her, nor did she dare to ask. She simply sat quietly in the car without saying a word. Bernard drove her to an undeveloped beach. The car came to a halt at a dimly lit intersection, devoid of streetlights. The eerie surroundings triggered unsettling thoughts in Eleanor¡¯s mind, conjuring up images of news stories about murderers disposing of lifeless bodies. Her nerves began to fray. Bernard remained inside the car, neglecting to step out, and instead, he rolled down the window, allowing the salty sea breeze to permeate the vehicle. He averted his gaze, toying with a cigarette in one hand, maintaining a disconcerting silence. Observing his peculiar behavior, Eleanor couldn¡¯t resist stealing a furtive nce at him. In that fleeting moment, she caught sight of his bloodshot eyes, as if he were desperately suppressing something. Her heart. quivered with unease; he appeared far from well. Gripping her seatbelt tightly, she summoned the courage to ask softly, ¡°Mr. Laurence, is everything alright?¡± Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Bernard Laurence heard her soft voice, and his face became serious When Eleanor Shultz saw his face change, she suddenly didn¡¯t dare to speak anymore. She sniffed carefully and smelled a faint scent of alcohol in the car besides the light fragrance. It wasn¡¯t too strong, but it was obvious that he had been drinking. No wonder he came to her voluntarily, so he was drunk. Eleanor sighed, drinking and driving, isn¡¯t he afraid of getting caught? As she was lost in her thoughts, Bernard suddenly squeezed the cigarette in his hand, raising his eyes to her. ¡°Did you sleep with Jasonst night?¡± When he asked, his initially red eyes were filled with contempt. Eleanor stared into his eyes, trying to find something else, but there was nothing. She suddenly found it funny, ¡°Mr. Laurence, you came to find me and brought me to such a ce just to ask this question?¡± Bernard fixed his gaze on her face and said coldly, ¡°Answer me.¡± Being misunderstood over and over again, she was so tired, too tired even to speak. Eleanor kept silent, and Bernard¡¯s brows furrowed tighter. He raised his slender fingers, grabbed her chin with one hand, and said coldly, ¡°Speak!¡± His tone and actions were harsh, with a sense of coercion. will you believe me?¡± Eleanor took a deep breath, suppressed the pain in her heart, and replied tly. ¡°If I say no, Bernard sneered, ¡°You stayed in his luxury suite for a night and didn¡¯te out until the next evening. Do you think I would believe that?¡± Eleanor swallowed her words to exin and changed her tone, ¡°Since you think it¡¯s true, why bother asking me?¡± Bernard¡¯s hand gripping her chin tightened, ¡°Did you sleep with him or not?¡± Eleanor cast her gaze downward and replied softly. ¡°Yes¡± Instantly, Bernard¡¯s expression stiffened, and his eyes turned cold, devoid of warmth or empathy. ¡°Why?¡± he interrogated. Eleanor hesitated for a moment before responding, ¡°Because he is handsome and wealthy, qualities that align with what I seek in a partner.¡± Bernard sneered, his tone dripping with disdain, ¡°You¡¯ve said that before.¡± Perplexed, Eleanor asked, her voice tinged with confusion, ¡°What do you mean?¡± In a chilling manner, Bernard retorted, ¡°I¡¯ve conducted an investigation into your rtionship with Josef. He neverid a hand on you. So why did you lie to me?¡± The realization that Bernard had delved into her personal life hit Eleanor like a shockwave. It was difficult for her to grasp. Raising her head, she locked eyes with him, detecting a nebulous mix of emotions lurking within his gaze. It seemed as though he was awaiting her exnation, craving some sort of justification Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Although she didn¡¯t sleep with Jason, her body was no longer clean Arguing further wouldn¡¯t change anything. It was better to leave thi misunderstanding as it was. Eleanor suppressed her pain and said indifferently to him, ¡°I said thatst time because I was angry with you and wanted to retaliate. But this time, it¡¯s true. Mr. Clowers is different from Mr. Caporal. He¡¯s innocent and gentle, and I quite like him.¡± Her expression looked serious, as if she wasn¡¯t lying to him. The unclear emotions in Bernard¡¯s eyes gradually dimmed. After a brief silence, he asked coldly. ¡°Did you know him before?¡± Eleanor shook her head, ¡°No, we met just yesterday¡± Bernardughed at her response, but in the dim environment, his smile seemed somewhat sinister and frightening. ¡°You¡¯re quite something, hooking up with Jason after just one meeting.¡± Eleanor smiled slightly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I was very capable?¡± At her sarcasm, Bernard¡¯s face darkened, and he stared into her eyes fiercely, his eyes cold as if he wanted to strangle her. Just when Eleanor thought he was going to react violently, he suddenly leaned in closer to her. His tall and straight body pressed down on her, making her feel suffocated, as if she was enveloped by a ferocious beast. She was afraid of this Bernard and afraid of him approaching her. Because she couldn¡¯t understand him. He had already abandoned her, so why did he care so much about what she did? Was it because of his obsession with cleanliness? If it was because of cleanliness, he should be even more reluctant to approach her¡­. As Eleanor was trying to figure it out, he suddenly bit her earlobe gently. ¡°Are you really in that much need of a man?¡± Chapter 67 Chapter 67 The moment Eleanor was bitten, it was like her body got struck by lightning and instantly tingling had spread over her whole body. At once, her face went red. She tried to dodge him awkwardly, but he held her still with a firm grip. He whispered in a lower voice, while nibbling her earlobe, ¡°Don¡¯t you think?¡± His charming tone was super seductive and made her heart skip a beat. Bernard¡¯s voice was so maic, and downright sexy. Who wouldn¡¯t be enthralled by that voice right in their ear? But she desperately tried to keep her cool, knowing it was just his attempt to humiliate her. Looking down, she pressed her lips together to keep quiet. However, he moved from her earlobe towards her shoulders. Kissing her corbone, he quietly asked, ¡°Just tell me how much money do you need to be satisfied?¡± He sounded a bit helpless like he was upset at her disobedience. Bernardpletely messed up Eleanor¡¯s mind, making her nervous and unable to even look at him, her body slowly bing limp due to his gentle kisses. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a billion dors if you don¡¯t fall in love with him, ok?¡± The temptation in his voice made Eleanor¡¯s heart race.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. She grasped her seatbelt tightly in her hand, raising her eyes towards Bernard who tried to get close to her. ¡°You don¡¯t care, that I¡¯m not so pure?¡± As he continued to kiss her, Bernard suddenly stopped.. Eleanor felt his body bing rigid, and he loosened his arms around her waist. She thought he was about to push her away, but instead, he buried his head in the crook of her neck. He weakly murmured, ¡°So¡­. why did you do it?¡± The usation was in his voice, but his actions seemed more distant. Eleanor understood that he despised her, but she couldn¡¯t figure out the reason of this sudden change. Maybe it was because he was drunk that he lost his head, making it hard for him to resist touching her. ¡°What do you mean? We¡¯ve broken up already. Mr. Laurence. It¡¯s normal for me to be like this.¡± How could she stay loyal only to him when he had left her? Upon hearing her words, Bernard¡¯s body tensed up even more. The icy chill around him made Eleanor shiver. Intuitively trying to avoid him, she dared not look at him, fearing that he would hurt her Once a man got enough of you, he would turned cruel and brutal, just like Garett. But Bernard didn¡¯t turn violent because of her retort. She finally rxed, only to feel his arms tightly holding her, as if trying to merge her into his body. Eleanor was puzzled. Despite hating her, why would he hold her like this? ¡°Bernard.¡± She called his name, and his body tightened again before embracing her more intensely. Bernard may have cared about her a little bit, but seeing him with Sophie Ratliff, she made up her mind. Gently pushing him away, Eleanor smiled and said, ¡°I am no longer pure enough for you.¡± Eleanor would only be the lover of a single person, not someone with a girlfriend. That was her moral principle. And, it was clear to her that from the rnoment she was assaulted by Mr. Law, they would never have a chance together. Chapter 68 Chapter 68 She looked aloof and cold, as if trying to draw a clear line between them, which made Bernard chuckle slightly His expression was full of disdain and even mockery,pletely different from his gentle demeanor just now. ¡°Do you think I did it for you?¡± He grabbed her cheek with one hand, ¡°Take a look at yourself now, what¡¯s so attractive about you?¡± Eleanor frowned, puzzled, and asked, ¡°Then why did you just¡­¡± Bernard snorted coldly, ¡°The man you¡¯re trying to seduce now is the future son¨Cinw of the Laurence family. I just wanted you to give up on him.¡± Jason is the future son¨Cinw of the Laurence family? Eleanor¡¯s doubts were all gone. She had felt something was off about Bernard just now, so he wanted her to give up on Jason and deliberately confused her. She wasn¡¯t angry but relieved instead. She was actually quite scared that Bernard might have other feelings for her that she couldn¡¯t bear nor ept. This was just fine. She looked at his cold and emotionless face and smiled, ¡°Since M. Clowers is the future son¨Cinw of the Laurence family, I won¡¯t seduce him.¡± Bernard¡¯s furrowed eyebrows rxed. After a moment of silence, he said coldly. ¡°Stay away from Jason.¡± Eleanor obediently nodded, even if he didn¡¯t remind her, she would maintain some distance with that guy. She still wanted to live a good life for a while. Bernard didn¡¯t say anything else, and his gloomy expression gradually returned to cold and distant. Eleanor saw that he seemed to have no desire to stay with her afterpleting his warning mission, so she hastily mustered the courage to say, ¡°Mr. Laurence, could you please take me back? I¡¯m scared out here in the middle of nowhere.¡± Bernard didn¡¯t even look at her but started the car and drove her back to the hotel garage at high speed. Eleanor felt grateful to see him taking her back, ¡°Thank you.¡± After giving her thanks, she tried to push the door open, but the lock was still on. She turned to Bernard and whispered, ¡°Can you please unlock the door?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t respond. He took out a thin cigarette, lit it, and ced it gently on his lips, inhaling softly. Eleanor remembered that he didn¡¯t smoke before. Howe he picked up the habit in less a month? He also seemed to have lost some weight, and there was a hint of dark circles under his eyes, indicating he hadn¡¯t been sleeping well. Had something bad happened to him recently? As Eleanor covertly observed him, he suddenly turned his head to look at her. ¡°Who is Garett?¡± Eleanor was stunned, Bernard knew about Garett? ¡°You¡¯ve called his name in your sleep many times.¡± He emphasized thest few words heavily, seemingly displeased about it. He had investigated Garett before but found no information as if it had been deliberately erased. So, he gave up on searching further. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Now he really wanted to know who Garett was that made her unable to forget even in her dreams. Eleanor didn¡¯t expect to have called Garett¡¯s name in her sleep. She suddenly remembered when they had just signed the lover¡¯s agreement, Bernard would stay with her after they made love. But not long after, he stopped apanying her. At that time, she thought Bernard was disgusted with her. It turned out that he stopped spending the night because she had called Garett¡¯s name in her sleep. Eleanor was a bit shocked. Bernard had an obsession with cleanliness. Knowing that she had loved someone else, he still put up with her for five years. During that time, he must have been so ufortable when facing her. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Eleanor looked at Bernard with confusion, unsure of how to respond for a moment. But she felt that he had tolerated her for so long, and she owed him at least an exnation. After hesitating for a few seconds, she said calmly, ¡°Garett¡­ was someone who once promised to love me for a lifetime.¡± Bernard saw that her expression gradually turned somber, as if she was being engulfed in past memories. His demeanor suddenly became cold, ¡°It seems like you loved him a lot.¡± Eleanor collected her thoughts and replied indifferently, ¡°I used to love him.¡± Bernard pressed on, ¡°And now?¡± ¡°Now?¡± Eleanor looked at Bernard, observing his tightly pursed lips and thin face. In her heart, she wanted to answer, ¡°Now, I love you.¡± But she didn¡¯t have the courage to say it out loud, nor did she believe she had the right to do so. She felt she was no longer deserving of him. Clenching her hands tightly, she forced a smile and said against her true feelings, ¡°Now, I don¡¯t love anyone.¡± In other words, she had never loved him. The hand holding the cigarette trembled slightly. Bernard abruptly extinguished the cigarette and threw it out the window. As the cigarette hit the ground, his crimson eyes instantly returned to their cold and distant state. He opened the car door and said coldly, ¡°Get out.¡± Eleanor nced at him, sensing his disappointment. At that moment, she really wanted to tell him how much she loved him, but she was stubborn and wouldn¡¯t reveal her love unless the man said it first. She was afraid of getting hurt and being belittled orughed at after pouring her heart into someone. She once loved Garett so much, thinking he would always be good to her, but ended up getting hurt and almost losing her life. Bernard was an even more unattainable man than Garett. She shouldn¡¯t even be thinking about him. She knew her ce and would never make the same mistake again Eleanor looked away, stepped out of the car without lingering and walked away. The car behind her soon vanished into the garage at lightning speed The moment the car left, Eleanor stopped, turned and looked back. What would Bernard¡¯s reaction be if he knew she was dying? She guessed he¡¯d probably be indifferent; someone as cold as him wouldn¡¯t pity her. Eleanor lowered her eyes, a wave of sadness washed over her, making her inexplicably upset. She drove the business car back to her ce, nning to return it when she went to thepany to handle the handover tomorrow. After taking a shower, she nced at her phone. Mr. Law hadn¡¯t replied to her WhatsApp message and hadn¡¯t called again either. She actually breathed a sigh of relief, d he didn¡¯t bother her further, or she¡¯d be super tired. About to put her phone down, she suddenly remembered Bernard mentioning that Jason was the future son-inw of the Laurence family. She decided to look up Jason¡¯s information on her phone. Turned out, the Clowers family had been intending to make a marriage alliance with the Laurence family six months ago. Jason would marry Bernard¡¯s cousin, which was also Cedric Laurence¡¯s sister and named Sigrid Laurence. Sigrid was studying abroad in Y country and would return for her engagement to Jason after graduation. She hadn¡¯t paid attention to news about Jason before, so she didnt know he had a marriage arrangement. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Seeing this news now, she didn¡¯t feel much turmoil because she and Garett couldn¡¯t go back anyway. Whoever he ended up marrying had nothing to do with her. Eleanor put down her phone, took some medicine to suppress her heart condition as usual, and then set her rm to the maximum volume before going to sleep peacefully. Chapter 70 Chapter 70 The rm clock had been ringing for quite a while before she finally heard it, drowsily waking up from her dream. She picked up her phone and saw it was 9 a.m., which was not too bad, at least it wasn¡¯t 4 or 5 p.m. this time. Her job at VitaLife Global started at 10 a.m., so she still had some time. After getting up and quickly washing up, she grabbed her bag and went to thepany. Recalling that Rosita asked her to hand over her work yesterday, she didn¡¯t go back to her office but directly went to the top floor. Eleanor knocked on Rosita¡¯s office door, ¡°Rosita, I¡¯m here to hand over my work.¡± Upon seeing her, Rosita¡¯s expression changed slightly, ¡°Come in.¡± Eleanor walked to her desk and respectfully asked, ¡°Amanda doesn¡¯t want to take over my job, so who should I hand it over to?¡± Thinking of what Sophie had ordered yesterday, Rosita said somewhat embarrassedly, ¡°Eleanor, you¡¯ve been working here for five years. You can¡¯t just quit when you want to. Can you keep working until I find someone suitable to rece you?¡± There were so many assistants in the President¡¯s office. Why not just hand over the work to one of them instead of waiting for a suitable recement? Eleanor frowned and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you text me yesterday morning asking me to hand over my work? Why did you change your mind so soon?¡± Seeing that Eleanor was not easy to fool, Rosita just told the truth Ms. Ratliff approved your resignation yesterday morning, so I messaged you toe and hand over your work. But not long after, she changed her mind.¡± Eleanor frowned and asked coldly, ¡°Why?¡± Rosita shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m not too sure myself. If you want to know the exact reason, you better ask Ms. Ratliff. I¡¯m just following orders.¡± Eleanor¡¯s face darkened gradually, but she knew that it had nothing to do with Rosita and that Sophie was the problem. She didn¡¯t say anything more to Rosita and went straight to Sophie¡¯s President¡¯s office. Sophie was sitting in her spacious office, talking on the phone in a gentle tone, asking the person on the other end if they had breakfast. Eleanor didn¡¯t need to listen closely to know who she was talking to She hesitated for a moment but still knocked on the door and interrupted their conversation. Sophie recognized her and quickly put down her phone, asking, ¡°Eleanor, is there something you need from me?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t beat around the bush either and asked directly, ¡°Ms. Ratliff, you said you would approve my resignation when you returned. Why hasn¡¯t it been approved yet?¡± Sophie nced at her phone, showing a hint of impatience, ¡°You offended Amanda. She instructed everyone not to take over your work. With all the information you have about our partners, we can¡¯t afford to have no one rece you. We¡¯ll approve your resignation once we find a suitable recement.¡± She was the CEO of thepany, how could it be this hard to find a recement? It was clearly intentional dy. Eleanor was somewhat puzzled about what Sophie was thinking. Why was she making things difficult for her, an assistant? Her expression grew heavy, but she still politely said, ¡°I have an urgent matter and need to leave promptly. Please approve my resignation.¡± Sophie sped her hands together, leaning on her desk, and raised her eyes to ask, ¡°Can you tell me what the urgent matter is?¡± Eleanor initially wanted to tell her about her severe illness and inability to work, but she sensed a hint of disdain in Sophie¡¯s eyes. So she tightly sealed her lips and remained silent. N?velDrama.Org content rights. At her silence, Sophie¡¯s lips curled slightly upwards. ¡°Amanda mentioned before that you wanted to marry a wealthy person, and I didn¡¯t believe it. But it turns out that you slept with Mr. Clowers when you were only supposed to receive him yesterday. It seems you really want to marry into wealth, but¡­¡± She deliberately paused and, with eyes filled with sarcasm, gave Eleanor a once¨Cover. ¡°You are indeed quite beautiful, but entering high society isn¡¯t as easy as you think.¡± Chapter 71 Chapter 71 What Sophie meant was that good looks wouldn¡¯t help Eleanor marry into a wealthy family, she¡¯d also need a strong background or a good education. Sophie, a perfectbo of beauty and brains, sure knew how to humiliate people without using any profanity but still hitting them which it really hurt. Eleanor squeezed her hand, ncing coldly at her, ¡°Ms. Ratliff, whether I want to marry a rich man or not, it has nothing to do with my resignation. Even if you¡¯re the CEO, you can¡¯t control my personal life, right?¡± Sophie never expected Eleanor to make a sarcasticment about her meddling. Her face immediately darkened, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m just kindly reminding you. If you give up this great job opportunity and take a risk of your own, you won¡¯t get a second change in VitaLife Global if you regret it later.¡± Seeing that Sophie was giving in, Eleanor didn¡¯t push it further. In her mind, once Sophie approved her resignation, she¡¯d quickly find Rosita for the work handover and leave. But to her surprise, Sophie suddenly said, ¡°I¡¯ll definitely allow you to resign, but not at the moment.¡± Eleanor frowned, confused, ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Sophie sighed, somewhat helplessly. ¡°You know that VitaLife Global¡¯s branch office in B City isn¡¯t doing well, and the Clowers. Group is dominating B City. If VitaLife Global wants to grow, they need the Clowers Group¡¯s help, but they never lend a hand to us. Now that you¡¯re involved with Mr. Clowers, I hope you¡¯ll stay. With you here, the Clowers Group should give us at least some help.¡± Basically, Sophie wouldn¡¯t let her resign because Eleanor still had some value to thepany. So that was the reason behind. Unfortunately, Sophie got it wrong. With Eleanor around, Jason would be even less inclined to offer help. She didn¡¯t want to argue with Sophie anymore; she was too tired and couldn¡¯t hold up physically. Staring at Sophie, Eleanor said coldly, ¡°Since you don¡¯t want me to quit, I will have to choose another way.. You can keep my payment and bonus fromst month, I¡¯ll take that as my automatic resignation.¡± She insisted on following the regr resignation process because it was VitaLife Global that took a chance on her when she was fresh out of college and desperate. At that time, the 150,000 dors she had sold herself for was only enough to save Garett¡¯s life but not enough for his follow¨Cup treatments. That was when the Clowers family hadn¡¯t found Garett yet, and the treatment expenses were all covered by Hailey and her part¨Ctime jobs. But the money wasn¡¯t enough, so she tried to find high¨Cpaying jobs but had no luck until VitaLife Global took her in. VitaLife Global not only offered her a stable job but also lent her some money, which helped her in a critical moment. So, she had been working here for five years, never once considered leaving for any otherpany that wanted to hire her. But now that VitaLife Global had a new CEO who wouldn¡¯t even approve her resignation, she saw there was no need to stay any longer. Eleanor removed her name tag and ced it on Sophie¡¯s desk, then left without looking back. Sophie watched her walk away, her eyes gradually turning cold, ¡°I remember that you signed another agreement when you borrowed money from VitaLife Global. It clearly stated that you must obtain the CEO¡¯s consent to resign. Otherwise, you¡¯d have to pay VitaLife Global six times the breach of contract penalty.¡± Eleanor froze in her tracks. She almost forgot that when she borrowed money, VLife Global made her sign such an agreement to prevent her from running away. She was in desperate need of money then and didn¡¯t think much before signing the contract, but now it became a shackle tying her down.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Eleanor slowly turned around, looking at the haughty Sophie leaning against her office chair. Sophie¡¯s radiance made Eleanor feel like a pathetic weed. She had never felt small before, but at this moment, she felt desperate. It felt like being crushed mercilessly by the winner, and no matter how she struggled, it would be useless. She had no background, no social status, and no influence; she was just an ordinary person. So, she could be easily threatened, trampled on, and insulted. She gave up resisting fate and numbly asked Sophie, ¡°What do you want me to do to let me quit?¡± She had initially borrowed 30,000 dors, and the six¨Cfold penalty would be 180,000 dors. She didn¡¯t have that much money, so she had to give in. Sophie became even more arrogant when she saw Eleanor¡¯s attitude, ¡°It¡¯s simple. Just entertain Mr. Clowers. Once he returns to B City, I¡¯ll let you go.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t mind not being able to quit, but apanying Jason was something she didn¡¯t want to do, ¡°Mr. Clowers may not want me to apany him.¡± Sophieughed, ¡°I¡¯ve seen that picture several times. He seems to like you from the way he looks at you, so he¡¯ll definitely want you to be with him.¡± Eleanor wanted to say something else, but Sophie cut her off sternly. ¡°Just do as I say.¡± It seemed that Sophie firmly believed that she and Jason had a close rtionship and wouldn¡¯t let her go without exploiting her to the fullest. Capitalists were heartless. Eleanor, knowing that further arguments were futile, responded coldly, ¡°I hope you won¡¯t break your promise then.¡± Sophie folded her arms across her chest and gave her a reassuring look, ¡°I always keep my promises.¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. Such hypocrisy. Eleanor turned around again and left. Amanda saw her return to the office and sarcastically said, ¡°Some people have great skills in hooking up with business partners. She even hooked up with the president of the Clowers Group in just one day, made it to his bed, and had her photos all over Instagram. Shameless.¡± Le, another colleague, looked at Eleanor with jealous eyes and said, ¡°She has a good figure, and those bosses like girls like her.¡± Amanda sneered, ¡°How good could her figure be if she hadn¡¯t been with so many men?¡± Le followed with a lightugh, ¡°Yeah, after being with so many men, it¡¯s a different story. Not only does she have a good figure, but her skin is also delicate. I guess that stuff really works.¡± Amanda stared at Eleanor walking over and snickered, ¡°Rich people love to y dirty games. Who knows how many¡­ Ah!¡± Before she could finish, she was sshed with arge cup of cold water by Eleanor. Drenched from head to toe, Amanda was instantly infuriated and began trembling all over. She mmed the table and pointed at Eleanor, yelling. ¡°You bitch, how dare you ssh water on me! I swear I¡¯ll¡­ Ah!¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Eleanor threw another cup of water at her. Amanda was stunned, not expecting Eleanor to throw water at her face again. Everyone around was also dumbfounded. Eleanor ignored the gazes of others, and coldly looked at Amanda, it¡¯s bad enough that you gossip about me in front of the colleagues. But to badmouth me in front of Ms. Ratliff too? That¡¯s just too much! She held the cup in her hand, shook it in front of Amanda and said, ¡°You should be thankful that I sshed you with water, not sulfuric acid if it were thetter, your face would be ruined.¡± Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Amanda trembled at the mention of sulfuric acid, too scared to talk back at the moment. Eleanor shifted her gaze to Le, who was shrinking and not daring to make a sound at the side. ¡°You¡¯ve been with so many older men, do you really need to ask if that stuff works? And you¡¯re trying to nder me?¡± Le didn¡¯t expect Eleanor to expose her secrets in public and got furious immediately. ¡°What are you implying?¡± Eleanor coldly stared at her, ¡°Amanda has already told everyone about your antics, isn¡¯t it clear to you what I¡¯m saying?¡± Le turned her head disbelievingly towards Amanda, ¡°I thought we were friends! Why would you betray me?¡± Amanda never expected that Eleanor, who usually just swallowed her anger, would bring up Le¡¯s business in front of so many people. Furious, she wanted to p Eleanor hard, but Eleanor grabbed her wrist. Eleanor stared at Amanda, saying coldly. ¡°If you dare to p me, I¡¯ll make sure you lose every single penny!¡± Amanda¡¯s face twisted with anger, ¡°Really?¡± Eleanor got in Amanda¡¯s face with a sneer, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I had many backers? Just picking one would be enough to torment you.¡± After saying this, Eleanor ignored Amanda¡¯s reactions. She pushed her away and walked out. Amanda stared at her retreating figure, gritting her teeth with anger, ¡°Eleanor, you bitch, I¡¯ll get back at you!¡± Eleanor pretended not to hear and walked straight into the restroom All the humiliations she had suffered before were vented out today. She didn¡¯t feel relieved, and just thought she should have done this a long time ago. Opening the faucet, she was about to wash her face when Jeannie entered. Jeannie had just gone to get juice for the president¡¯s office and saw Amanda tell Eleanor off. So she hurried to the restroom. She asked, ¡°Eleanor, are you alright?¡± She didn¡¯t know what had happened. Seeing Eleanor¡¯s pale face, she guessed Amanda must have said something nasty, causing a quarrel. Eleanor was usually submissive and might have been bullied badly by Amanda. Seeing Jeannie¡¯s cute face, Eleanor felt at ease and gradually calmed down. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Said Eleanor. ¡°Really?¡± Jeannie didn¡¯t believe her. She knew Eleanor was the type to keep quiet even when wronged. ¡°Really, don¡¯t worry about me. Go back to work before Amanda uses you of cking. Responded Eleanor. Jeannie was an intern assigned with Amanda. They used to get along on the surface. If Amanda saw Jeannie being too close to Eleanor, she would definitely do something to her behind the scenes. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Jeannie finally got into VitaLife Global and hoped to be a formal employee. Better not to drag her down. Jeannie seemed to realize this and hesitated a bit. But in the end, she nodded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get back to work.¡± Eleanor waved her hand with a smile, ¡°Go ahead.¡± Only after Jeannie left the restroom did the smile on Eleanor¡¯s face gradually disappear. Sophie wanted her to apnay Jason on behalf of the Ratliff Group during his time in A City. Sometimes when partners came to the Ratliff Group on business trips, thepany would have someone host them. For example, arranging meals, amodations, transportation, and entertainment. But this was a treatment reserved for partners who came to the Ratliff Group to negotiate cooperation. Jason was obviously here for the Laurence Group¡¯s bidding, which had nothing to do with the Ratliff Group. Sophie, just for VitaLife Global¡¯s branch office, wanted her to please Jason. Given her unbearable past with Jason, trying to entertain him again would most likely lead to him assuming she hadn¡¯t changed and was only getting close to him under the guise of work. Bernard might also think she was being too bold, daring to ignore his warning and continuing to seduce her brother¨Cinw. Thinking of the misunderstandings she would face from Jason and Bernard, Eleanor felt embarrassed. Butpared to the penalty, embarrassment was no big deal, after all. Chapter 74 Chapter 74 After taking a deep breath, Eleanor took out her phone, and found Jason¡¯s phone number. She got this number from his assistant when she helped him book a hotel yesterday. The phone was picked up after three rings, and Jason¡¯s calm and powerful voice came through. ¡°Ms. Shultz, what¡¯s up?¡± Eleanor was stunned. How did Jason know who she was? ¡°I saved your number yesterday. As if knowing her surprise, Jason simply exined. Without asking, Eleanor went straight to the point, ¡°Mr. Clowers, Ms Ratliff asked me to entertain you on behalf of the Ratliff Group for the time being. Is there anything you need me to do?¡± ¡°To entertain me?¡± Jason was a bit surprised ¡°Yeah.¡± Eleanor replied with no shame, not to mention that Jason would be surprised to hear this request, even she felt helpless herself. After a brief silence, as if realizing something, Jason replied, ¡°I¡¯m on a business trip to A City and didn¡¯t bring my personal assistant. Why don¡¯t we have Ms. Shultz help me with some basic tasks like making coffee?¡± Eleanor thought he would refuse, but he surprisingly asked her to be his personal assistant. Wasn¡¯t he afraid she had ulterior motives? Despite her doubts, Eleanor still replied, ¡°Okay.¡± Jason nced at his watch, ¡°I have a meeting in a bit. When are youing over?¡± After asking for the address, Eleanor replied, ¡°I cane over anytime.¡± He replied with a simple ¡°Okay¡± and hung up. Jason had just put down his phone when Colter, who was standing in front of the office desk, asked worriedly, ¡°Mr. Clowers, it¡¯s obvious that Ms. Shultz is trying to get close to you under the guise of the company. Why would you agree to let her be your personal assistant?¡± Jason thought about how Eleanor had disregarded him and been cold yesterday, and now she was suddenly offering to entertain him, which was indeed strange. However, he would rather believe that it was because of the photo that made Sophie think there was something going on between him and Eleanor, so she sent Eleanor to host him. He just asked her to be his assistant, so as not to make things. difficult for her in the Ratliff Group. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. But if he told Colter his thoughts, Colter wouldn¡¯t understand. Jason didn¡¯t exin further, and simply said, ¡°I¡¯m short on staff.¡± Short on staff? Mr. Clowers had brought quite a few people with him this time to A City. Although Colter was the only assistant, he could handle all the trivial tasks. It was obvious that Jason had feelings for that woman; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have saved her and taken her out to dinner. Eleanor came to work as a personal assistant, and if the CEO remembered something during these days¡­ Realizing this possibility, Colter became extremely anxious, sweating profusely, ¡°Mr. Clowers, Ms. Shultz is cunning. Mr. Caporal. has just fallen from power, and she will definitely do everything possible to find the next target. You are her prime target now. You should say no to her!¡± Jason nced coldly at Colter and said, ¡°Although you are the assistant assigned by my brother, you¡¯re just an assistant and not qualified toment on the decisions I make.¡± Colter was scared by the coldness emanating from Jason¡¯s eyes. The CEO¡¯s temper was usually very mild, and this was the first time he had got angry with him. Colter was afraid, and left the CEO¡¯s office after saying ¡°I dare not As soon as he left, Jason rubbed his temples. Why did his head hurt every time he heard about Eleanor? Eleanor arrived at The Clowers Group¡¯s branch office and happened to run into Coltering out of the elevator. She recognized Colter as Jason¡¯s assistant and quickly went over to greet him, ¡°Hello, L.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me.¡± Before Eleanor could finish her sentence, Colter interrupted her directly, gave her a cold stare, and walked around to buy some juice. Eleanor was speechless. Did men drink juice too? She didn¡¯t mind Colter¡¯s rudeness. In any case, his attitude toward her was probably because he though she was trying to get close to his boss, so he didn¡¯t like her. If Colter knew that Eleanor actually wanted to stay away from Jason, he would probably apologize and invite her to drink juice. with him. Chapter 75 Chapter 75 After asking the front desk for directions, Eleanor found her way to the President¡¯s office. Jason was massaging his forehead, looking worn out. Eleanor knocked on the door, ¡°Mr. Clowers.¡± Jason looked up at her, ¡°You¡¯ve arrived.¡± Eleanor nodded and walked up to him, asking, ¡°Is there anything you need me to arrange?¡± Previously, when dealing with the Ratliff Group¡¯s partners, she would just arrange their entertainment activities on her own, as long as they were happy. N?velDrama.Org content rights. But now that Jason had asked her to be his personal assistant, she needed to check with him first. Jason stopped rubbing his temples and said gently, ¡°Nothing really just help me make some coffee when I have a meetingter.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Said Eleanor. As Eleanor left, Jason stared at her retreating figure, seemingly lost in thought. Her silhouette seemed familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before many times.. But he couldn¡¯t recall, his head aching¡­ He shook his head, picked up his phone, and sent Tyler Howell a message. Tyler was in a meeting, but when he saw the message, he quickly replied: [Why do you have a headache again? Did you remember something?] Jason: [No, just saw someone who seemed familiar, then my head started hurting badly.] Tyler: [Who did you see?] Upon seeing this question, Jason suddenly didn¡¯t want to answer it He had a feeling that if he told Tyler that seeing Eleanor gave him a headache, Eleanor would be in danger. He dismissed the thought and casually replied ¡®a stranger,¡¯ then put down his phone to attend the meeting. The Clowers Group¡¯s A City branch office may not be asrge as in the B City, but it still upied an entire building on Spice Boulevard. At this moment, Jason had called a meeting of all senior executives, and dozens of people in professional attire withptops in- hand filed into the building. In no time, the spacious conference room was filled. Eleanor sat in the waiting area outside, looking enviously through the ss at the gathering of elites. She had studied design and could have found a decent internship to work her way up. However, given her circumstances at the time, she had no choice but to find a job that paid enough. Thinking back to those days, Eleanor¡¯s gaze slowly shifted to Jason¡­ He sat at the head of the conference table, his head slightly tilted as he looked at the PowerPoint on the big screen and listened to the executives¡¯ reports. Wearing gold-rimmed sses and with two strands of hair falling gently on his forehead, he looked gentle and elegant, yet exuded an air of a authority. Seeing Jason like this, Eleanor suddenly understood. He was meant to be someone high and noble, there was no way held want a woman to hold him back. As she stared, lost in thought, Jason suddenly looked up and nced at her through the ss. Then he picked up his phone and sent her a message: [Ms. Shultz, could you please bring me a cup of coffee?] Eleanor saw the message and quickly got up to make him a coffee in the break room. Once it was ready, she carried the coffee and knocked on the door Everyone in the conference room turned their eyes to the door. The executive doing the presentation stopped talking, looking displeased. Feeling a bit embarrassed, Eleanor was about to leave when Jason waved to her, ¡°Come in.¡± Eleanor brought the coffee to him, put it next to his hand, and was about to leave. Jason, however, said, ¡°Ms. Shultz, have a seat and listen.¡± All the top executives was speechless. Mr. President, she was from the Ratliff Group. What if she leaked our secrets? Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Jason, ignoring everyone¡¯s expressions, nodded at the executive who was presenting slides, ¡°Carry on.¡± The executive had no choice but to continue, but he still concealed some information about revenue, fearing that Eleanor would steal the info. Seeing this, Eleanor couldn¡¯t interrupt anymore and just sat down next to Jason obediently. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. It wasn¡¯t until the end of the meeting that Eleanor chased Jason down and asked, ¡°Why did you let me sit and listen?¡± Jason lowered his head and looked at Eleanor, who was a head shorter than him, and gently replied, ¡°You seemed eager, so I let you listen.¡± Eleanor was taken aback, not expecting this reason. She said, ¡°You aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll report the Clowers Group¡¯s information to the Ratliff Group?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all unimportant numbers, and¡­¡± Jason paused for a moment, then suddenly smiled, ¡°I trust you.¡± His smile was no different from before, clear and bright. It was as if he was still Garett, not the Jason who trampled her artificial heart with two steps. ¡°Get ready, tonight you¡¯re going to a banquet with me.¡± Said Jason Eleanor snapped out of her daze, ¡°A banquet?¡± Jason nodded, ¡°The Mallory family¡¯s dinner party, I need a femalepanion, so Ms. Shultz, you¡¯ll be filling in for now.¡± Was apanying him as a partner also part of a personal assistant¡¯s job? The Mallory family wasn¡¯t a particrly prominent family, and someone like Bernard probably wouldn¡¯t attend the party. Eleanor thought about it and agreed. After all, once the bidding was over, Jason would return to B City. Only a few days to endure, and it would be over. Naturally, apanying the Clowers Group¡¯s president required an appropriate dress. Jason wouldn¡¯t let her refuse, and he took her directly to an upscale mall in A City. She and Hailey had been here before but were not allowed to enter due to their attire. Those who could enter were wealthy, and the merchandise was all luxury bespoke, designed by a famous designer from F Country. Jason bought her a custom¨Cmade long dress, a pair of handmade crystal¨Cstudded shoes, and a full set of makeup, without hesitation. Colter, on the side, was dumbfounded at Jason¡¯s spending for a wornan. Eleanor, enduring Colter¡¯s fierce gaze, thought about the delivery fee she¡¯d have to spend tomorrow. After the makeup artist finished her makeup, she pulled up the curtain. Jason, who was sitting on the sofa and looking down at his phone looked up instinctively when he heard the curtain opening. The custom¨Cmade, waist¨Chugging, backless dress perfectly disyed her sexy figure. Her slender waist, without an ounce of excess fat, sculpted a perfect curve. Above her t abdomen, her breasts were faintly visible, fluctuating seductively. Her exposed skin was glowing without any blemishes. And that delicate face, adorned with noble features, was too stunning to be disrespected. Just, in her eyes, there was a hint of indifference, also a touch of despair. That was right, despair, the emotion Jason felt every time he looked into her eyes. It was only now that he found an adjective to describe the emotions in her eyes. What on earth had happened to her to make her so desperate? Chapter 77 Chapter 77 ¡°Mr. Clowers, it¡¯s time to go¡± Jason was mesmerized by Eleanor, and it wasn¡¯t until Colter coughed lightly next to him that he came back to his senses. He nodded, leading Eleanor out. As they walked out of the store, they were spotted by Norene, who was shopping with her good friends. She couldn¡¯t believe her eyes when she saw Eleanor in a new outfit! The first time she met Eleanor, she thought she had a nice temperament and outstanding looks. But seeing her now, she felt that Eleanor was even more noble than a wealthydy. She nced back at the high¨Cend store where only VIP cardholders could enter, and then realized that the man Eleanor found this time was much wealthier than Josef. This outfit must have cost tens of millions, even Cedric wouldn¡¯t be willing to spend that much money on her. Thinking about this, she became jealous. Why did this woman get better things than her? Taking out her phone angrily, she recorded a video and sent it to Cedric ¡°Cedric, look, Ms. Shultz has found another new bigshot. This one¡¯s way richer, even generously spending millions to give her a whole new look.¡± She had researched all the rich people in A City but didn¡¯t know about Jason from B City, so she didn¡¯t recognize him. She thought he was an up¨Canding big shot since he looked so young. Cedric was ying golf with someone and didn¡¯t see the message until an hourter. He gritted his teeth in anger when he saw the video. Eleanor had actually let Jason buy her high¨Cend custom clothes? He threw his golf club and forwarded the video to Bernard. Cedric sent out a message: [Cousin, look at this Ms. Shultz. Apparentlyshe found herself a powerful backer.] Bernard, who was in a meeting, was distracted by the vibration of his phone.. He wouldn¡¯t normally check his phone during a meeting. But this time, he picked it up and took a nce.. When he saw the video, his distant expression became even colder Was she disregarding his warning, or was she so into Jason that she dared to defy him? With a frightening icy gaze, he simply grabbed his phone, got up, and left without any hesitation. The people in the meeting room were stunned to see the president suddenly leave with an ugly expression on his face. Then, they all looked sympathetically at the vice president who was reporting his work. Everyone thought it was the vice president¡¯s negligence that had angered Mr. Laurence. The sweating VP thought, ¡°I¡¯m going to be fired!¡± The Mallory family¡¯s dinner party was held at the Mansion of Mallory to celebrate their daughter¡¯s return after finishing her studies. Normally, someone like Jason wouldn¡¯t attend a small dinner party like this one. But he was good friends with the inheritor of the Mallory family, and they often got together in B City, so naturally, he would N?velDrama.Org content rights. attend. However, there was another purpose for this party to find a suitable boyfriend for the Mallory family¡¯s daughter Jason found it difficult to decline his friend¡¯s invitation, feared being chosen by the youngdy, and asked Eleanor to apany him for the time being. When Eleanor knew Jason¡¯s real thoughts, she stopped being so reserved and obediently yed the role of a shield ording to his request Jason asked her to hold his arm as they walked towards the mansion. The attendees were all rich people with status close to the Mallory family. The older ones were in the banquet hall drinking and discussing business. The younger ones, holding wine sses, were chatting outside. The mansion was of medium size, and many rich kids had attented When Jason and Eleanor entered, they all looked at them. Whether they knew them or not, everyone looked at them with envy The inheritor of the Mallory family, Ryan Mallory, was chatting with a fewdies when he noticed the commotion outside and saw that Jason had arrived, so he hurried over, ¡°Jason, you made it.¡± Ryan looked at Jason with a smile, and his gaze paused briefly when it reached Eleanor, ¡°And who might this be?¡± ¡°This is my date for the evening, Ms. Shultz.¡± Said Jason. Ryan seemed thoughtful, looked at Eleanor, and still politely reached out his hand, ¡°Ms. Shultz, nice to meet you. I¡¯m Ryan.¡± Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Eleanor instantly figured out what was going through Ryan¡¯s mind. He probably hosted this dinner party and invited Jason to set him up with his sister as her boyfriend. But what Ryan didn¡¯t expect was that Jason would actually bring a femalepanion, which left him a bit unhappy. However, Ryan was still very polite to her, so of course, she ought to show him respect. She shook Ryan¡¯s hand back, smiling, ¡°Hello.¡± With that, Ryan finally let go of her hand and turned his attention to Jason, saying, ¡°Long time no see. Let¡¯s have a drink together.¡± Worried about Eleanor, Jason suggested, ¡°Come in with me.¡± Not wanting to cause any trouble with a displeased Ryan, Eleanor politely refused Jason, ¡°I¡¯m a bit hungry, so I¡¯m going to grab something to eat first.¡± Before Jason could respond, Ryan quickly arranged for a server to assist Eleanor, ¡°Take Ms. Shultz to get some food, please.¡± The server immediatelyplied, ¡°Ms. Shultz, please follow me.¡± Seeing this, Jason couldn¡¯t say no, so he just reminded Eleanor, ¡°Don¡¯t wander off, wait for me toe back.¡± Eleanor nodded, following the server to the dining area. A variety of dishes filled the long table, providing something for everyone. Eleanor had a sensitive stomach and didn¡¯t dare to eat too much, but under the server¡¯s hospitality, she tried some mushroom soup. As she was enjoying her soup, she suddenly saw a parade of luxury cars arriving at the manor. Aidyn Reyes stepped out first and opened the door of a Koenigsegg for the distinguished man in the backseat. Under the yellow lights, the man stood by the car door, dressed in a ck suit with his hands in his pockets. His handsome face was wless, and his eyes radiated cold light. As soon as he appeared, all the high¨Css guests in the manor came rushing to greet him. Even Derek Mallory, who hadn¡¯t shown up before, popped out of the vi. ¡°Mr. Laurence.¡± Derek walked up to Bernard with his whole family, saying respectfully, ¡°I never expected you to attend our family gathering. Otherwise, we would have greeted you at the door. Please forgive us.¡± But Bernard simply answered indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± His icy gaze swept across the crowd, unable to find her, he furrowed his brows slightly. At the same time, Cedric also got out of a limited¨Cedition sports car mainly to question Jason about his intentions. Derek felt even more honored at Cedric¡¯s presence, ¡°And Mr. Cedric is here too?¡± Lucky him, his daughter was still troubled about finding a boyfriend, and both Laurence Group brothers were here. Although Cedric was known for beingzy, unproductive, and a bit of a yboy, he was still part of the Laurence family, and their marriage alliance was worth considering. As for Bernard, he was out of the picture, since the Ratliff family had already chosen him as their son¨C inw. Derek, well aware of the situation, treated the Laurence brothers like VIPS and seemingly discarded Jason, whom he had just praised. His action pissed off the Mallory Family¡¯s daughter, Brenda She really liked Jason and had begged her brother to invite him over. However, she didn¡¯t expect her father force her to please Cedric instead! Cedric was obviously a yboy why would he ever want to marry her? Frustrated, Brenda left secretly after catching Ryan¡¯s nce. While Derek showered Bernard withpliments, Ryan felt embarrassed. He gave Jason a look, hinting him to leave and have a drink outside. Jason wanted to get out too, but politeness stopped him. But now with Ryan¡¯s cue, he turned around and left immediately. However, Cedric stopped him before he could get out of the hall, ¡°Mr. Clowers.¡± Cedric walked up to him, interrogating him like an elder, ¡°To my knowledge, half a year ago, it was the Clowers family who approached us for the alliance. Now you¡¯re at Ms. Mallory¡¯s marriage party¡­ What are you up to?¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Cedric didn¡¯t directly question Jason and Eleanor¡¯s rtionship, mally out of respect for his cousin who used to date Eleanor. However, he couldn¡¯t let Jason, who broke his promise, get away with it, so he vented his anger on Ms. Mallory¡¯s issue. Jason wasn¡¯t upset by Cedric¡¯s questioning, but a coldness shed his eyes, ¡°The marriage alliance was decided by my father on his own without my consent. I never thought of marrying your sister, Mr. Laurence, so please don¡¯t take it seriously Cedric¡¯s face paled at this, and his handsome face instantly darkened, ¡°Are you saying you want to cancel the engagement?¡± Jason gave a light smile, ¡°There was never an engagement, so no need to call it off.¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. They merely discussed the marriage alliance, but nothing was finalized. And without the consent of both parties, how could it just happen? In front of everyone, Jason¡¯s words were indeed a bit embarrassing for the Laurence family. Cedric usually had aid¨Cback personality, not asposed as Jason. Impulsively wanting to teach Jason a lesson, he rolled up his sleeves but was stopped by Bernard. ¡°Cedric.¡± The man sat in his seat, with a calm and aloof appearance and an air of arrogance, leaving everyone present stunned. No wonder he was the only heir of the Laurence family such a strong aura! Bernard calmly looked at Jason, his voice emotionless as it echoed through the hall. ¡°Your father came to the Laurence family requesting the marriage alliance. If you want to call it off, have your father do it the way he asked.¡± With that, everyone understood. It turned out that it was the Clowers family who wanted to get closer to the prestigious Laurence family. They thought it was a mutual cooperation between the Laurence family and the Clowers family. It seemed that the Clowers family, like them, also relied on children¡¯s alliance marriages to secure their position. Everyone sneered, apparently forgetting that their backgrounds and strength were no match for the Clowers Group. Jason calmly epted their disapproving gazes and agreed to Bernard¡¯s proposal. ¡°Please rest assured, Mr. Laurence, I will make sure my father handles this matter properly.¡± With that, he left to find Eleanor. Watching his back, Cedric¡¯s face paled with anger, ¡°It¡¯s better to call of the engagement anyway. Can¡¯t my sister find a better man?¡± Derek, trying to please his most likely future son¨Cinw, hurriedly agreed, ¡°Exactly, Mr. Laurence¡¯s sister is so outstanding. It¡¯s such a shame that Mr. Clowers didn¡¯t want to marry her.¡± Cedric coldly looked at him, ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± Derek thought, ¡°So rude, Jason would be a better choice.¡± Through the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows in the hall, Bernard saw Jason walking to the dining area, seemingly looking for someone. After circling around the spot a few times, he picked up a call and headed toward the restroom. Bernard frowned and interrupted Derek¡¯s endless chatter, getting up and walking out. Eleanor was hiding in the restroom looking at her phone when a geitle¨Clooking girl stormed in, anger written on her face. Upon seeing her, Brenda¡¯s expression changed and said, ¡°So it¡¯s you?¡± She had spotted Jason holding Eleanor¡¯s hand entering the mansion while standing on the second¨C floor balcony earlier. The pair looked verypatible, which infuriated Brenda. Thankfully, her brother arranged for Eleanor to leave, creating an opportunity for herself to be alone with Jason. She thought Eleanor had already left but didn¡¯t expect her to be hiding in the restroom looking at her phone. How strange, with so many outstanding young people to meet, why would she hide in the restroom? Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Brenda asked annoyedly. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Eleanor guessed that she might be Ryan¡¯s sister, so she wasn¡¯t surprised by her arrogant behavior. She replied tly. ¡°In the restroom, of course I¡¯m here to take a rest Her tone wasn¡¯t good, as she didn¡¯t want to tolerate people who disrespected her anymore. Otherwise, she¡¯d be like Amanda, tolerating it without making them feel guilty, but only making them even more unreasonable. Brenda was even more unhappy when she was refuted. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. She said, ¡°I think you¡¯re hiding on purpose to make Jason worry about you. Don¡¯t think that just because you¡¯re Jason¡¯s date for tonight, you can be his girlfriend! Jason belongs to me!¡± Brenda¡¯s warning made Eleanor frown slightly. What did her hiding here have to do with Jason? She was trying to avoid Bernard. Was Ms. Mallory too sensitive? Eleanor didn¡¯t exin, just looked at Brenda indifferently. ¡°Ms. Mallory, with Mr. Clowers¡® status, I doubt you could be his girlfriend either. There¡¯s no need to boast in front of me.¡± Replied Eleanor. Jason was supposed to marry Sigrid, and Brenda¡¯s status was far inferior to Sigrid¡¯s. She shouldn¡¯t be dreaming. However, Ms. Mallory didn¡¯t think so. She raised her hand and pped Eleanor¡¯s face with all her strength. ¡°I¡¯m the daughter of the Mallory family! Do I need to show off in front of you?¡± Said Brenda. This p caught Eleanor by surprise. She didn¡¯t expect that the seemingly weak Ms. Mallory would actualy p someone. She was caught off guard and could only endure this p. She initially wanted to retaliate immediately, but her body made her movements slow. Having been pped just once, she was already feeling a bit dizzy. Seeing her in this state, Brenda thought she was scared and became even more smug She said, ¡°I¡¯m warning you, stay away from Jason, or next time it won¡¯t just be a p waiting for you!¡± After saying this, Brenda turned and left the bathroom. Eleanor watched her retreating figure, and the scene in front of her suddenly became blurry. Just as she was about to fall, she vaguely saw a man rushing in and catching her fainting body. When she recovered, she saw that the person who had caught her was actually Bernard. Her heart, which had stopped beating, suddenly started beating violently again, and her nervous expression appeared on her face, ¡°Mr. Laurence¡­¡± On Bernard¡¯s cold face, there was no expression, but his slightly furrowed brows made him look irritated and restless. He asked, ¡°What happened to you?¡± After calming down, Eleanor whispered, ¡°I was just pped by Ms Mallory and almost fainted.¡± Fortunately, this time she only fainted for a few seconds and could use it as an excuse. Bernard¡¯s frown deepened, ¡°For Jason, you¡¯re really willing to be pped. You really love him, huh?¡± His voice was full of sarcasm, and it gave off a chilling vide that made Eleanor feel ufortable. As the subtle feeling towards him gradually faded, she replied indifferently, ¡°if Mr. Clowers knew I was hit by Ms. Mallory, his impression of her would definitely be bad, so this p is worth it.¡± Bernard didn¡¯t expect her to have such a mentality, and his gaze at her became even more contemptuous. ¡°You really are scheming¡± Said Bernard. He released his arm around Eleanor¡¯s waist, took out a tissue, and slowly wiped his fingers. This action made Eleanor feel extremely awkward. If he despised her so much, why did he help her? Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Wiping his hands, Bernard nced at the upset Eleanor, 1 warned you to stay away from Jason, didn¡¯t 17¡ã When she saw Bernard at the Mansion of Mallory, she thought he was here for the party. She never expected he came to bring her trouble. He sure was well¨Cinformed. In just one day, he found out what she and Jason had been up to Although it wasn¡¯t entirely her fault. If it weren¡¯t for Sophie, she would have been waiting to die at home and wouldn¡¯t possibly be here with Jason. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Eleanor didn¡¯t n to conceal anything and told the truth directly. I wanted to keep my distance from him, but Sophie insisted that I apany him. If I didn¡¯t agree, she would make me pay the penalty. So I had to go against your warning with him.¡± She meant it was Sophie¡¯s fault and not hers. Bernard curled his lips in a faint smile, ¡°Would she have asked you to entertain him if you hadn¡¯t been in bed with Jason?¡± Was he saying that she deserved it? Indeed, Sophie was his first love. No matter what she did, he would never me her. Eleanor suddenly realized this and stopped talking. Bernard took a step closer to her, pushing her back against the wall He ced on hand above her head and leaned down to look at her. He said, ¡°Did you deliberately provoke Jason to cancel the marriage alliance between him and the Laurence Group in front of everyone just now?¡± Jason had ended his marriage alliance with the Laurence Group? Eleanor was stunned and then felt that she was being made a scapegoat. She had no idea she had that kind of effect on Jason. She pursed her lips and didn¡¯t say anything. Exining was useless in front of Bernard. Bernard leaned in a little closer, his scents mingling. Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit spellbound. She awkwardly turned her head to the side, but her lips identally brushed his cheek. A static¨Clike tingling sensation spread between their skin. Bernard stiffened, his expression bingplicated. Eleanor felt a bit embarrassed, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to.¡± Bernard looked at her blushing face, slowly erasing hisplex emotions, and said coldly. ¡°Is this how you seduce men?¡± Upon hearing this, Eleanor¡¯s embarrassment faded, and she felt a sense of defeat. After a moment of silence, she said softly. ¡°Mr. Laurence, rest assured, even if I would seduce others, I would never seduce you¡± Bernard¡¯s face turned even colder. He stared into her eyes, unable to discern any thoughts from gaze, only indifference. He couldn¡¯t describe any feelings, other than frustration. Bernard also went silent for a while, until the icy look in his eyes gradually returned to its usual coldness and distance. ¡°Let¡¯s hope so. If you ever have any intentions toward me¡­¡± Eleanor promptly replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Over the years, I¡¯ve never had any inappropriate thoughts about you, even more so after breaking up Faced with Eleanor¡¯s answer, Bernard was at a loss for words, anger rising in his cold eyes. Seeing Bernard like this, Eleanor was a bit afraid. Her lifted chin gradually lowered under his strong gaze. This atmospherested for a while, the room steeped in silence. It seemed that whoever broke the quiet first would lose. After a long time, they heard Jason and Brenda¡¯s conversation outside the door. It was at this moment when Bernard finally lowered his hand from above Eleanor¡¯s head, straightened his body and stepped back. Chapter 82 Chapter 82 Before leaving, he nced coldly at Eleanor. ¡°Jason breaking off the engagement doesn¡¯t mean the Clowers family is doing so. He¡¯ll eventually be part of the Laurence family, so don¡¯t bother trying to persuade him to fight the whole Clowers family for you.¡± With that, Bernard turned and headed to the men¡¯s bathroom. Watching his arrogant retreating figure, Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief. Whenever she faced Bernard, she always felt an indescribable sense of tension. She didn¡¯t know if she was afraid of him or afraid of showing him how much she liked him uncontrobly. Luckily, she had just denied her feelings for him against her true desire. Otherwise, if her true thoughts were discovered by Bernard, who knew how he¡¯d mock and misunderstand her. Eleanor gathered herposure, pretended to wash her hands at the sink, and then left the bathroom. On the way to find Eleanor, Jason was constantly bothered by Brenda, which gave him a headache. When he saw Eleanoring out of the bathroom with wet hands, he quickly pushed Brenda aside and walked over. Jason said to Eleanor, ¡°Ms. Shultz, let¡¯s go back.¡± Eleanor nodded, her indifferent gaze nced at Brenda as if pondering something. Brenda recalled impulsively pping Eleanor earlier and feared she would tell Jason. Thus, her showed a warning expression. Eleanor found it somewhat amusing: After pping her, Brenda was afraid she¡¯d spill the beans? Does Brenda think this is high school and she is the most popr cheerleader or something? While she wanted to retaliate with a p of her own, this was the Mallory family¡¯s territory. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . If she took action in front of everyone, those uninformed would think she was bullying others. Eleanor didn¡¯t want to be the center of attention, nor did she want to be resented by the Mallory family members for getting physical. With that in mind, Eleanor held back and thought she¡¯d seek revenge on Brendater, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± As she stepped down from the stairs, Jason hurriedly reached out to help her. Originally, Jason nned to hold her hand just for the stairs and then let go. However, when he lowered his head, he identally noticed the p mark on her face. ¡°What happened?¡± Jason¡¯s gentle face suddenly became serious. He touched Eleanor¡¯s slightly swollen cheek with his hand, subconsciously revealing a trace of heartache. Seeing the emotions on his face, Eleanor paused. Could it be that Jason actually cared about her? Jason whispered, ¡°Who did this?¡± He asked as if looking to stand up for her, but Eleanor remained silent. She felt Jason might not actually avenge her against his friend¡¯s sister. Since Eleanor didn¡¯t say anything, Brenda breathed a sigh of relief. Jason was always observant. At this moment, seeing Brenda¡¯s expression, he immediately understood what happened. When he wanted to find Eleanor earlier and Brenda kept stopping him, it was because she had taken advantage of his absence to hit Eleanor! Jason¡¯s cold gaze swept over Brenda, ¡°Ms. Mallory, I brought my date to your home as a guest, but you hit her. Is this the upbringing of the Mallory family?¡± Brenda panicked as Jason found out so quickly that she had hit Eleanor, but her anxiety was soon dulled by anger She felt it was unfair for Jason to defend Eleanor without asking! Unable to hold back her anger, Brenda said, ¡°Jason, you¡¯re ming the without knowing the full situation, that¡¯s not right!¡± Jason¡¯s face darkened, ¡°So it wasn¡¯t you who hit her?¡± Brenda felt a little guilty under his stare and quickly changed her tune, ¡°Even if it was me, you med me without even asking about the reason. That¡¯s so unfair.¡± Jason scoffed, ¡°I know Eleanor very well; I don¡¯t need to know the reason.¡± Brenda didn¡¯t expect Jason to say that to her for Eleanor¡¯s sake, and her face turned red with anger, ¡°How can you treat me like this¡­¡± Jason didn¡¯t want to deal with her anymore and said coldly, ¡°Apologize to Eleanor!¡± Jason was friends with Ryan, but not that familiar with Brenda, so he wouldn¡¯t defend her. Seeing Jason¡¯s unrelenting stance, Brenda wept out of anger, ¡°You¡¯re bullying me!¡± Brenda¡¯s crying quickly attracted onlookers. Everyone held their wine sses, watching the drama unfold, but no one stepped forward to help her. Realizing the situation was bad, Brenda quickly pointed at Eleanor and said, ¡°She started it by insulting me with nasty words! I lost control and hit her out of anger. If it weren¡¯t for her provoking me, wouldn¡¯t have done it. I didn¡¯t do anything wrong!¡± Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Eleanor was still shocked that Jason would actually stand up for her when she heard Brenda ming her instead. Eleanor didn¡¯t want to pursue it originally, but when Ms. Mallory wrongly used her, she couldn¡¯t help but get angry. Just as she was about to argue with Brenda, she suddenly heard a cold voice from behind, ¡°Has Ms. Mallory been learning to twist right and wrong at school these past few years?¡± In the crowd, dressed in a ck suit was the man standing under the light and exuding a somewhat cold atmosphere. Hearing this, Eleanor knew it was Bernard and was grateful to him for standing up for her. Bernard nced at Jason holding Eleanor¡¯s hand, his expression ambiguous. He walked down the steps and stood in front of Brenda. ¡°I just happened to be passing by when Ms. Mallory was humiliating someone.¡± He replied coldly, and Brenda¡¯s face instantly changed. She still wanted to argue, but Bernard swept her with his icy eyes. Brenda had never seen such a terrifying gaze, even though his eyes were beautiful, the chill they emitted was enough to make her shiver. Frightened, she immediately stopped any rebuttal and even forgot to how to breath. Ryan finally realized his sister was in trouble and quickly rushed over. Bernard gave him a cold nce. ¡°The Mallory family does have good manners.¡± With that, he and Cedric left with their bodyguards. Watching the two men walk away, Jason was a bit surprised that Bernard had stepped in to help them. He guessed that maybe Bernard also looked down on women who yed games. With this thought, Jason didn¡¯t dwell on it and turned his attention back to Brenda, ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, apologize!¡± The anger from Jason was enough to prompt Ryan to hurriedly askd Brenda what had happened. At this point, Brenda could no longer lie, and she had no choice but to admit with tears that she had pped Eleanor out of jealousy. Ryan was about to help his sister, but his anger dissipated and he said angrily, ¡°You should apologize!¡± After saying that, he added, ¡°After apologizing,e back with me lo get punishment from dad.¡± Derek was entertaining the elders in the banquet hall and had no idea what was happening outside. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . He didn¡¯t know that the two Laurence Group brothers had already left, thinking they were just socializing with other young people. If he knew Bernard had been driven away by his daughter, he would definitely p her hard enough to teach her a lesson. Since her brother told her to apologize, Brenda had no choice but to reluctantly say to Eleanor, ¡°Sorry.¡± Her clenched teeth and sullen expression made Jason very angry He wanted to say something else, but Eleanor stopped him, ¡°Mr. Clovers, let¡¯s go.¡± Even though Brenda pped Eleanor, she lost her reputation tonight. It was natural for her to feel hurt. Eleanor didn¡¯t want to argue anymore and thought it was enough to teach her a lesson. Today it was Eleanor who got pped, but if she hit Jason¡¯s fianc¨¦e,pensating with the entire Mallory family wouldn¡¯t be enough. Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Of course, Brenda didn¡¯t know what Eleanor was thinking and med her for all the embarrassment After the banquet was over, she cried to Derek and Ryan, Dad, brother, you have to stand up for mel Derek heard her weeping and pped her. You were too impulsive and pissed off Bernard, and you still dare to cry in front of Brenda immediately stopped crying, looking at Derek with disbelief, ¡°Dad, you actually hit me?¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t, how will you learn your lesson? Was Bernard someone you could offend? is the woman Jason brought someone you could just bully? Bernard has power and influence in A City, and Jason wields great power in B City You have offended both of them? Derek¡¯s anger turned his face pale, and he was trembling if it weren¡¯t for Ryan holding him back, he probably would¡¯ve given Brenda another beating. Never expecting her always¨Cdoting dad would hit her so hard for outsiders, Brenda, angry and hurt, covered her face and ran out. Seeing his sister leave in a huff, Ryan followed her quickly. The chaos of the Mallory family¡¯s banquet became well known to everyon Eleanor was led out of the Mansion by Jation. As Colter hadn¡¯t returned with the car yet, Jason held her hand while waiting at the door Eleanor nced at his hand and nonchntly broke free, pretending as if nothing had happened When her soft hand slipped out of his palm, a flicker of loss shed through Jason¡¯s eyes. Thinking about how he helped her just now, Eleanor still thanked him, ¡°Mr. Clowers, thank you for helping me ¡± Hearing her cold and polite voice, Jason¡¯s mood became even more disappointed. N?velDrama.Org content rights. He gazed at Eleanor¡¯s swollen face, feeling guilty, T¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s my fault. You got hurt because I didn¡¯t protect you¡± Eleanor said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s okay¡± It was just a p, nothingpared to the kicks he dealt her before Seeing that she didn¡¯t want to talk more, Jason felt even more disappointed. Just as he was about to strike up a conversation, Colter drove the car over. Jason could only act like a gentleman and open the backseat door for Eleanor Feeling dizzy, Eleanor swayed a little before getting into the car, and Jason quickly supported her waist, ¡°Are you okay?¡± Eleanor shook her head, wanting to push away Jason¡¯s hand, He, however, firmly held her waist, helping her into the car As the Rolls Royce drove away, the man in the Koenigsegg angrily prubbed out his cigarette. In the dim light, the cold white moonlight shone through the car window and reflected upon the man¡¯s cold and refined features. His indifferent eyes looked like they were from hell, devoid of emotion, appearing cold and gloomy Sitting in the back seat, Cedric could not see his expression but felt that he was waiting for Eleanor He unconsciously worried, ¡°Bernard, why aren¡¯t we leaving yet?¡± Silent for a few seconds, the man coldly said. ¡°Waiting for Aidyn.¡± Aidyn said he left something at the Mallory¡¯s and went back to get it However, Cedric thought this excuse was unconvincing. Aidyn could have taken the bodyguard¡¯s car back. There was no need to wait for an assistant here, right? Although this assistant grew up with him since childhood, there is no need for them to wait so far away from the Malloy family for such a small matter Cedric was feeling increasingly worried, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t actually fall for Ms. Shultz, would you?¡± He thought Bernard would deny it, but he suddenly replied. ¡°What if I do?¡± Cedric was taken aback, quickly sitting up straight, nervously advising. ¡°If you really do, then her life will be in danger! Although she¡¯s not the best person, I don¡¯t want to see more bloodshed¡± hapter Ad Hearing this, the emotions in Bernard¡¯s eyes gradually faded He turned to look at Cedric, a hint of a smile on his refined face. ¡°Cedric, you¡¯re still as gullible as when you were a kid ¡° Cedric finally realized it was a joke, and his tense nerves ryed. Still, he warned Bernard seriously. ¡°You can¡¯t say such things in front of others.¡± Speaking in front of him was fine, but if someone else overheard the Laurence family would never find peace Bernard looked away, his indifferent eyes revealing a bottomless despair Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Cedric looked at the indifferent Bernard through the rearview mirror After hesitating for a moment, he finally plucked up the courage to ask, ¡°When are you nning to marry Sophie?¡± He always felt that once Bernard and Sophie got married, everything would settle down, and there would be no more need to live This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . in fear. Bernard seemed to smile, but the amusement didn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°Do you want me to marry her too?¡± Cedric shook his head subconsciously, ¡°No, but¡­¡± But there was no other choice, right? Just when Cedric hesitated about what to say, Bernard casually said. ¡°I will marry her.¡± His voice was hollow, as if devoid of any emotion, like a machine, just cold and indifferent. Cedric sighed deeply in his heart. It seemed that Bernard had never truly felt happiness. Jason sent Eleanor home. Before getting out of the car, Jason handed her a tube of ointment. This can help with the swelling.¡± Eleanor thanked him but still refused, ¡°I can use ice.¡± After that, she turned and left. Jason looked at her petite figure and fell into sorrow again. He could feel Eleanor¡¯s wariness towards him, even with a hint of hostility, which confused him. As he frowned in thought, Colter reminded him, ¡°Mr. Clowers, Ms. Shultz is using you. Don¡¯t fall for it.¡± Jason hadn¡¯t been in a rtionship since losing his memory, so he didn¡¯t quite understand women¡¯s thoughts. Hearing Colter¡¯s words, he instinctively retorted, ¡°She doesn¡¯t even like me. How could she be ying any tricks?¡± But Colter said, ¡°She¡¯s pretending not to like you to get your attention and make you worry. Once you¡¯re affected by her, she wins. And¡­¡± He paused, then continued, ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice her little scheme just how? If Ms. Shultz were a generous person, she wouldn¡¯t even let you notice her getting hit. But she deliberately showed you and made you punish Ms. Mallory. That way, she could use you to get back at Ms. Brenda and affect your impression of her. I guess she knows Mr. Mallory wants you to marry Ms. Brenda, so she¡¯s trying to sabotage it on purpose.¡± Under normal circumstances, Jason would surely believe Colter¡¯s words. But now he felt that even if Eleanor used some tricks and let him discover her being hit, it was justified. No one would get hit for no reason and not fight back, especially since she didn¡¯t deliberately let him see it; it was just that Brenda¡¯s force left marks on her face. If it weren¡¯t for that, he wouldn¡¯t even know she had been hit in the bathroom¡­ Just as he was about to say something, Jason cut him off, ¡°Just drive and stop gossiping about others.¡± Colter: His boss actually used him of gossiping about others! Feeling a chill in his heart, he decided to have the chairman buy him more than ten cups of juice to comfort his wounded soul when he got back home. Eleanor arrived home, lying on the couch exhausted, staring at the ceiling nkly. Her physical exhaustion was severe, traveling from her body to her heart, forcing her close her eyes in utter tiredness. Without even removing her makeup or changing her clothes, shey on the sofa and drifted off to sleep. In a daze, she seemed to see Bernarding in. He picked her up, held her in his arms, and kissed her passionately Under his intense kisses, she couldn¡¯t help but get caught up in them¡­. Chapter 86 Chapter 86 When she woke up, Eleanor thought it was so ridiculous that she could have such a dream. She raised her hand to touch her flushed face and warm, red lips. Maybe it was because she identally kissed his face yesterday that she had such an embarrassing dream. She had been with him for five years, always being possessed by him like crazy, and had be ustomed to his touch. Now she probably hadn¡¯t gotten used to it yet, and it should be okay after some time. As sheforted herself, Jason¡¯s call suddenly came in. She picked up her cellphone and answered, ¡°Mr. Clowers, what¡¯s up?¡± Jason felt a little unsettled when he heard her serious tone. But he quickly pulled himself together and replied, ¡°Ms. Shultz, Colter won¡¯t be around today. Can you pleasee with me to the bidding meeting?¡± Colter, who was always by Jason¡¯s side, was actually not there? Eleanor had some doubts in her heart but still agreed. After the bidding meeting, he should be going back to B City. She was even a little happy, and said, ¡°Wait for me.¡± Was it that exciting? Jason was infected by her mood and couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the bidding meeting doesn¡¯t start until ten o¡¯clock, there¡¯s still plenty of time.¡± Eleanor nced at the time. It was seven in the morning, and she had woken up so early this time. Was it because of the dream? Thinking of the dream, Eleanor¡¯s face turned red again, and she said okay before hanging up the phone. She had fallen asleepst night without checking her WhatsApp, worried that Hailey had sent her a message, so she hurriedly opened it to check. Hailey had sent her a fewndscape photos and several short videos. After watching them all, Eleanor replied to Hailey. After that, she unconsciously looked at the profile picture that was squeezed to the bottom of the WhatsApp. That picture was nk, just like the mysterious Mr. Law himself. She opened Mr. Law¡¯s ount, and it was still at the message which she had replied. From then on, Mr. Law didn¡¯t send her any more messages nor call her.. Eleanor was puzzled. That day, he had frantically made hundreds of calls to her. Howe when she replied to his message, he didn¡¯t bother with her anymore? After a few seconds of doubt, she put down her phone. It was better for Mr. Law not to harass her, so she could catch her breath. With great effort, she got up, get dressed, and took her medicine on time. Then she called a someone and sent away the expensive dresses, shoes, and other items Jason had bought her yesterday. In fact, she could give them directly to Jason, but that would require talking to him more, so it was better to just use the express delivery service. After sending the packages, she took her bag and went to the Clowers Group¡¯s branch office. The bidding meeting in the west of the city was critical for the Clowers Group¡¯s development in A City, and everyone in thepany took it seriously. The whole branch was incredibly busy. Jason was going over the slides with the executives in the meeting room. It wasn¡¯t until nine o¡¯clock that everyone came out of the meeting room. Eleanor temporarily reced Colter as Jason¡¯s assistant and was able to enter the bidding venue. The bidding was held at the Laurence Group¡¯s office park. As soon as the car entered the park, everyone felt like stepping into a futuristic world. The modern high¨Ctech buildings, creativendscape environment, and highly guaranteed security system all showcased the Laurence Group¡¯s wealth and status. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. However, for a family like the Laurence Group, which had repeatedly made it onto the list of fortunes, this was just a small part of their wealth. It was said that the Laurence Group had branches like this all over the world. Their business covered a wide range of fields, with real estate being only a small part of it. The Laurence Group¡¯s most outstanding main business were intelligent development and aerospace research. Apany like the Laurence Group, which led the future of innovation, was an unattainable existence for otherpanies. When Eleanor witnessed the formidable strength of the Laurence Group with her own eyes, she realized how insignificant she was. She had even once deluded herself into thinking that Bernard would marry her, but now she felt that she was really ridiculous. How could a man with such a strong background and power possibly marry a woman like her? It wasn¡¯t until this moment that she realized that she and Bernard were worlds apart. Her little hope for him, in the face of this shocking spectacle, hadpletely shattered. Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Jason saw Eleanor staring nkly at the building in front of her with her head up, so he gently nudged her, ¡°Ms Shultz, follow me¡± Eleanor snapped out of it, following Jason into one of the somewhat floating buildings. The security system of the Laurence Group was very strict, and outsiders had to verify their identities to enter, otherwise the door wouldn¡¯t open at all. As they were verifying their identities, Sophie walked in with a group of executives. She greeted Jason and then turned her head to look at Eleanor who was following behind him. She said, ¡°Mr Clowers, do you mind if I have a few words with Eleanor?¡± ¡°Ms. Shultz is your employee, why would I mind?¡± Jason didn¡¯t like the tone of Sophie¡¯s voice, seemingly polite but with a hint of ufortable sarcasm. However, since Eleanor was an employee of the Ratliff Group, he couldn¡¯tment further, He told Eleanor, ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead and wait for you inside.¡± After saying that, he led the Clowers Group employees in. As soon as Jason left, Sophie smiled slightly at Eleanor, ¡°Eleanor, it seems you did a good job hosting Mr. Clowers.¡± This remark was followed by a contemptuous look from Sophie. Sophie added, ¡°You know, not just anyone cane to the Lauren Group¡¯s bidding conference, but Mr. Clowers brought you along. Looks like he thinks highly of you.¡± On the word ¡°highly,¡± she deliberately prolonged the sound, as if hinting that ¡®he doesn¡¯t appreciate your work, but rather something else. Eleanor could hear the sarcasm hidden in her words but felt it was pointless to argue with her, so she remained silent. The ignorance from Eleanor made Sophie¡¯s expression turn cold, but she quickly smiled amiably, ¡°You did well, I¡¯ll give you a raise when we get back.¡± ¡°No need for a raise, just approve my resignation.¡± Eleanor¡¯s refusal was firm, making Sophie a little embarrassed. Sophie¡¯s face darkened, raising her chin and looking down at Eleanor, ¡°Getting close to Mr. Clowers is a good thing, but it¡¯s not a reason for pride.¡± After saying that, Sophie walked away in her high heels. Her demeanor was elegant, confident, gentle, and generous. Unfortunately, her outward appearance didn¡¯t match her inner self. Eleanor¡¯s expression remained unchanged as she turned her gaze and walked straight to a nearby passage. This bidding conference had almost all the most powerful domestic real estate giants, all trying to win the right to develop the western part of the city. The most representative ones were the Ratliff Group, the Clowers Group, and some otherpanies with strengthparable to them. Initially, the Caporal Group also wanted topete, but due to a scandal, the Laurence Group took the opportunity to disqualify them. Everyone thought Bernard wouldn¡¯t need to show up for this bidding conference, but after everyone had taken their seats, he appeared. Bernard was wearing a custom-made ck suit and white shirt, which had be his signature outfit. Just by standing there, he entered everyone¡¯s view, and made the others pale inparison. He didn¡¯t care about the audience, casually ncing around with arogance and indifference, then walked in with long strides. under the protection of 20 bodyguards. As he entered, everyone in the room stood up to wee him. Even the presidents of the major groups bowed down to invite him in. Sophie quickly approached Bernard, her arm around his, and a gentle smile on her face, ¡°Bernard, I thought you wouldn¡¯te.¡± She had invited Bernard in the morning, hoping he coulde, but he had refused for fear of causing misunderstandings. She hadn¡¯t expected him toe after all. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Sophie was thrilled since Bernard¡¯s arrival meant that he would surely help her during the subsequent deliberation. Sophie was immersed in her happiness when Bernard nced coldly at her arm around his, ¡°Let go.¡± Sophie was stunned, her smile frozen on her face. Upon seeing Bernard¡¯s icy gaze, she released his arm in fright. Fortunately, the scene wasrge enough that no one heard him speak. Otherwise, her dignity would be completely lost. After the awkward incident, Bernard walked straight to the main seat. The Clowers Group¡¯s seat was right behind the main seat. As he walked nearer, Eleanor¡¯s heart grew more and more flustered She kept her head down, not daring to take a single nce at this man. Luckily, he didn¡¯t notice her and went straight to his seat to sit down. He sat in front of her, and she could see his handsome back. head just by lifting her eyes slightly. The thick dark hair seemed to take root and sprout in her heart, stirring ripples within. As she was lost in thought, Jason patted her on the shoulder, startling her so much that she almost shouted out. Fortunately, she covered her mouth in time, not making the inappropriate noise. In a low voice, she asked him, ¡°Mr. Clowers, what¡¯s up?¡± Jason looked at the time on his watch and said quietly, ¡°Ms. Shultz, need a cup of coffee before I speak. Can you make one for me?¡± Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Originally, the vice president was scheduled to give the presentation, but Bernard suddenly showed up, so Jason had to speak personally Bernard was very strict. During the presentation, even if one word was spoken incorrectly, it could potentially disqualify them. from the bidding. Jason couldn¡¯t afford any mistakes, so he took over the vice president¡¯s task at thest minute. The vice president breathed a sigh of relief, while Jason had to organize all his thoughts within an hour. To concentrate, he needed a strong coffee to wake him up, and only Eleanor could help with that. Eleanor nodded and whispered, ¡°Do we have enough time?¡± Jason winked at her, ¡°The Clowers Group is the 10th to present. We got time.¡± Knowing about the schedule, Eleanor didn¡¯t ask any further. She carefully got up, and walked toward the backdoor of the conference room. She wasn¡¯t familiar with The Laurence Group¡¯s park. When she came out, she was surrounded by high-tech products and not a single person in sight. She searched the building several times but couldn¡¯t find a coffee room. With no other option, she left the building, but every ce required a card for entrance. She didn¡¯t have one, so her only choice was to go back to the conference room and look for The Laurence Group employees to help her. As she was about to turn around, she saw Cedric walking in from outside the door. Eleanor noticed him scanning his face at the door, and it opened. For a moment, she almost sneaked out when the door opened, but luckily didn¡¯t lose her senses. Cedric saw her loitering at the entrance and didn¡¯t n to acknowledge her. He just passed by. ¡°Mr. Laurence, wait a moment¡­¡± Eleanor gathered her courage and stopped Cedric. Cedric didn¡¯t expect her to dare stop him, his face turned unpleasant, ¡°Ms. Shultz, what do you want?¡± He didn¡¯t find it strange that Eleanor was here, but he found it surprising she stopped him, not knowing what she wanted to do. ¡°Mr. Laurence, is there a ce to make coffee around here?¡± Eleanor initially wanted Cedric to help open the door, but when she saw his unhappy face, she changed her mind and only asked him where to find coffee. She would find her way into the building. Cedric tilted his head slightly, looking at the wall behind her, ¡°Isn¡¯t it right there?¡± Eleanor turned her head and saw a white wall, looking confused. Did Cedric belong to a different species and could thus see different things? Cedric gave her a look, like she was dumb, walked up to the door and knocked on the wall. The door opened automatically. N?velDrama.Org content rights. He then pointed to the letters on the wall, like scolding a primary school student, ¡°Isn¡¯t it written clearly here? Don¡¯t you know how to read?¡± Eleanor struggled to respond, ¡°I do.¡± She was too anxious just now and didn¡¯t notice the letters. Who would have thought the coffee room was hidden behind a white wall? Cedric saw her blush and couldn¡¯t help but sneer, ¡°Ms. Shultz, beauty is not enough. Knowledge is important too. Clowers Group¡¯s wouldn¡¯t be so easy to get in.¡± His sarcastic tone was just like Bernard¡¯s. They indeed were brothers. Eleanor ignored Cedric, walked into the coffee room, chose a high concentration coffee bean, and put it in the coffee grinder. Cedric wasn¡¯t in a hurry to leave now, standing at the door, measuring her figure up and down, ¡°You indeed look pretty. No wonder Jason likes you. However,pared to my sister, you stillck some temperament.¡± Eleanor had seen Sigrid¡¯s photos online. True, she inherited The Laurence Group¡¯s excellent genes, but she wasn¡¯tpeting with them. However, this shouldn¡¯t be said by her. What was the use of looking good? In the end, everyone would end up six foot under. Her silence bored Cedric, ¡°Why don¡¯t you speak?¡± Eleanor looked up at him, ¡°Mr. Laurence, thank you for showing me where the coffee room is.¡± Cedric was puzzled, ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± He thought that after he mocked her, she would be too ashamed to stay here, but she didn¡¯t put his provocation into consideration. ¡°Mr. Laurence, what do you want?¡± Eleanor put down the freshly brewed coffee, and carefully stared at Cedric. ¡± Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Her eyes were pure, like the water in ake, so clean that it made people hesitant to hurt her. Cedric¡¯s face stiffened a bit, so he looked away from her and threw out a line, ¡°Remember to close the door,¡± before leaving. Eleanor watched him leave then picked up the coffee and headed for the conference room. The bidding meeting had already begun, and the lights in the conference room were turned off, with only the big screen lit up. It was like a small studio, and walking from the back door to the front, she had to go down hundreds of steps. Since the lights were off, it was pitch ck inside and hard to see. All she could do was grope her way through the darkness. Eleanor held the coffee in one hand and used the other to brace herself against the seats as she slowly made her way down. She¡¯d been a president¡¯s assistant for many years, and she could handle this small task perfectly. Soon enough, she made it to Jason¡¯s side with the coffee. She bent down to hand him the coffee, softly reminding him, ¡°Mr. Clowers, careful, it¡¯s hot.¡± Jason nodded, took the coffee and said with a smile, ¡°Thanks for the effort.¡± Eleanor shook her head. Bernard, who was sitting in front of her, suddenly leaned back when she was about to sit down. Her hand on his chair identally touched his thick dark hair. She was startled and quickly withdrew her hand, but the man just coldly nced at her. Under the dim light, meeting his gloomy and deep eyes felt like being stared at by a ck hawk, causing one to feel fearful. Looking at Bernard like this, she said with a little fear, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± But Bernard didn¡¯t say anything. He just gave her a cold look, then turned back to the big screen. Eleanor exhaled deeply, finally sitting down with her tense body. As her heart was still pounding, Jason whispered in her ear, ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Eleanor¡¯s eyes widened, disbelievingly looking at Jason, ¡°What¡­did you say?¡± Jason also was a bit startled after saying this sentence. He¡¯d just seen Eleanor trembling all over from Bernard¡¯s gaze, and so had subconsciously blurted it out. Why did he say that out of the blue? It took Jason a while to calm down from his own actions, then he feigned nonchnce, picked up the coffee, and sipped it. After finishing, he asked Eleanor with a slightly surprised expression, ¡°How did you know I like this kind of coffee?¡± Eleanor¡¯s attention was diverted by his question, and she answered casually, ¡°I didn¡¯t know; I chose it randomly.¡± In truth, she did know. He always liked to drink strong coffee to perk up before an exam. Jason looked at her thoughtfully, ¡°So, you studied my taste?¡± Eleanor shook her head, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± Jason reached out to her, ¡°Where¡¯s the creamer?¡± Without thinking, Eleanor handed him a small box of creamer. Seeing the creamer in her hand, a smug grin crept onto Jason¡¯s face, ¡°Looks like you do know I like some creamer in my coffee.¡± Eleanor realized he was testing her and tried to take back the creamer. But he held onto her hand firmly, whispering, ¡°Ms. Shultz, I need your help.¡± His hand was upied with the coffee, so he couldn¡¯t tear open the lid. He could only signal Eleanor with his eyes to help pour in the creamer. Hearing him call her Ms. Shultz again, Eleanor¡¯s doubts vanished. Perhaps he¡¯d merely said that sentence unintentionally. However, his request for help opening the creamer reminded her of Garett from the past. Taking the box over, she tore off the stic wrap and carefully poured the creamer into the coffee. Jason watched the modest Eleanor and found her particrly beautiful under the dim light. He couldn¡¯t help but be captivated, his tone turning gentler, ¡°Thank you.¡± Eleanor nced at him, ¡°Drink up.¡± Bernard, who was sitting in front of them, couldn¡¯t see the interaction between the two, but he could hear everything. A cold light flickered in his eyes, icy to the core.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Jason took a sip of his coffee, and the bittersweet taste spread in his mouth, making his eyebrows and eyes rise. He drank it bit by bit until the host on the stage called out ¡°the Clowers Group,¡± then he quickly finished his coffee. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Eleanor couldn¡¯t help feeling worried, ¡°Did you finish reading the information?¡± She was a bit surprised since Jason didn¡¯t really read the materials and dared to go up just like that. Jason pointed to his head confidently, ¡°I remember it after just one look, don¡¯t worry.¡± Hearing this, Eleanor¡¯s expression changed. Yeah, he had a photographic memory, so how could he forget? His words dissolved Eleanor¡¯s remaining goodwill towards him. Jason was just pretending. She almost mistook him for the old Garett. Her frozen face made Jason slightly worried, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Eleanor shook her head numbly, ¡°Nothing, just go.¡± As soon as the bidding meeting ended, she could part ways with him and they would never cross paths again. Jason went on stage reluctantly under the host¡¯s urging, leaving Eleanor slumped in her seat, staring nkly at the shining figure on stage. He was indeed a genius, remembered the whole idea just by looking at it once, and even expanded on many points the vice president hadn¡¯t mentioned. No wonder such a man would choose to leave her, it turned out that their paths had already diverged in terms of knowledge. He got into such a good university while she was just an ordinary college graduate; their intelligence were simply not on the same level. Today¡¯s blow not only showed her the background and strength of the Laurence Group but also the difference between herself and Garett. Eleanor thought that if she could live, she would definitely break free from all shackles, study hard, and be someone as amazing as them. Unfortunately, there were no ¡°ifs,¡± she wouldn¡¯tst long and would die, and everything would be gone after her death. She leaned one hand on the armrest, propping up her chin, tilted her head and stared at the big screen nkly. After Jason calmly introduced the n, Bernard suddenly asked him a question. His question was somewhat tricky and weird, as if deliberately making it difficult for Jason. Seeing this, people from other groups breathed a sigh of relief, d that Bernard hadn¡¯t questioned them just now. Jason wasn¡¯t afraid of Bernard, easily coping and even subtly hitting back at him several times. Bernard asked about a dozen tricky questions before finally letting him go. The morning bidding meeting was almost over, and they could have lunch and rest before continuing in the afternoon. Although it was over, the Clowers Group had to wait for the bidding results, so they stayed in the park and was led to the leisure area for their own activities. Seeing Jason sit down in the lounge, the vice president and several executives of the Clowers Group hurried 1. in. ¡°Mr. Clowers, you were amazing just now! You could perfectly answer all of Mr. Laurence¡¯s questions.¡± The Clowers Group¡¯s executives had been challenged by Bernard on other projects and failed every time. However, their young president could confront Bernard, and his performance wasn¡¯t any less impressive than his brother, even somewhat better. Jason waved his hand, chatted with them for a few moments, and then sent them off to lunch. He looked up at Eleanor, who was standing respectfully on the side, ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± Eleanor shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± She couldn¡¯t eat much, as her digestion wasn¡¯t good and her stomach could bleed easily. However, he misunderstood her reluctance to eat with him, so he said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to apany me; just go by yourself.¡± Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Eleanor thought for a moment and figured that if she left the lounge, she might bump into Bernard, so she shook her head. Jason couldn¡¯t help but give her a helpless look, ¡°I¡¯ll go grab you some food.¡± Despite Eleanor¡¯s protest, he got up and left right away. Jason had a special status, and the Laurence Group treated him ordingly. The restaurant he went to was the same one Bernard was in. Faced with a dazzling array of food, Jason didn¡¯t know what to pick. He simply took out his phone and called Eleanor, ¡°What do you like to eat?¡± Eleanor said she didn¡¯t want to eat anything, but Jason persuaded her, ¡°You have to eat something. You have to take care of me in the afternoon.¡± She had no choice but to say, ¡°Just food that¡¯s easy to digest.¡± Jason gently asked, ¡°So I¡¯ll get you some fish, veggies, and yogurt. What about the main course?¡± ¡°No need, that¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°Alright, wait for me.¡± Seeing her so obedient, Jason smiled and hung up the phone. Just as he was about to get the food, a chilly. voice came from behind him, ¡°Jason is pretty busy, attending the bidding meeting while taking care of his girlfriend.¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Jason turned around and saw Bernard standing there. His tall figure, although simr to Jason¡¯s, had a different sense of oppression, which made Jason feel ufortable. Jason looked at him and said softly, ¡°Mr. Laurence, don¡¯t joke with me. How could I bring my girlfriend to a bidding meeting?¡± Bernard raised his eyebrows slightly, ¡°So, if Ms. Shultz isn¡¯t your girlfriend, then what is she?¡± Jason didn¡¯t like his arrogant tone but still patiently answered, ¡°There¡¯s nothing between her and me, it¡¯s just¡­¡± ¡°Just what?¡± Asked Bernard. The eagerness in his tone made Jason a bit puzzled, ¡°Why are you so concerned about me and Ms. Shultz?¡± Bernard¡¯s face was emotionless, with a hint of a smile, ¡°I just want to see how you¡¯d ept a woman who once was with Josef.¡± He even mocked in the end, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of getting some weird diseases?¡± Hearing these words, Jason¡¯s face darkened, ¡°It¡¯s very ungentlemanly for you to belittle a woman like this.¡± Bernard walked up to Jason and stared at him coldly, ¡°So what do you think is gentlemanly?¡± Jason didn¡¯t answer but gave him a scrutinizing look. ¡°You always seem to be targeting me.¡± At the bidding meeting, in the restaurant, even at their first meeting, he was always targeting Jason. He hadn¡¯t seen Bernard before, and even less likely to have offended him. Why would he act like this to him? Bernard¡¯s face wavered slightly but soon returned to normal, ¡°I¡¯m just afraid you¡¯d be deceived.¡± ¡°Do you mean Ms. Shultz is deceiving me?¡± Jason asked the doubts in his heart. Bernard didn¡¯t answer, his expression somewhat arrogant. But Jason knew he had guessed correctly and said, ¡°You might be misunderstanding something. I¡¯ve known. Ms. Shultz for many years. I know her best, and she won¡¯t deceive me.¡± His tone got heavier after thest sentence, as if he was saying it to himself. Back then, she had knelt at the doorstep of the Clowers family, begging him toe out and see her. He found her annoying at that time. After some investigation, he felt that she was very scheming, and he ignored her after that. But the past few days of getting along made him realize that Eleanor wasn¡¯t like that. Jason¡¯s words made a hint of anger appear on Bernard¡¯s cold face, ¡°Have you known each other for many years?¡± Jason didn¡¯t notice anything wrong and answered softly, ¡°You could say we¡¯ve known each other since childhood.¡± It was just that he had lost his memory and didn¡¯t remember their past, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t be clueless about everything. Chapter 92 Chapter 92 A vicious glint suddenly appeared in Bernard¡¯s eyes, his cold gaze piercing like a frosty chill, making people shiver all over. He slightly moved his thin lips, about to ask something more when Sophie walked in from outside, ¡°Bernard, I knew I¡¯d find you here!¡± Jason nced back at Ms. Ratliff, then said to Bernard, ¡°I won¡¯t bother you having dinner with your girlfriend.¡± His words were dripping with sarcasm, as Bernard had just mocked him for bringing his girlfriend to the bidding conference. Although the Laurence Group was the party A in this project, Jason was confident in winning the development rights, so he wasn¡¯t worried about offending Bernard. After that, Jason turned and went to get some food. Sophie was about to ask Bernard if he wanted to have dinner together, but she saw him suddenly be indifferent and walked quickly towards the entrance of the restaurant. His change made Sophie a bit unhappy. She found that ever since she returned to the country, Bernard seemed to be more and more distant from her. When Jason came back with a te, he found Eleanor dozing on a single sofa. She was hugging a pillow with her long eyshes covering her clear eyes. Jason thought she was sleeping soundly and couldn¡¯t bear to disturb her, but he also worried she might be ufortable, so he bent down and picked her up. At that moment he held her, a lot of images shed through Jason¡¯s mind, as if he had held her like this before. He looked down at her peaceful face and felt Eleanor used to belong to him. But he couldn¡¯t recall anything about her, the more he thought about it, the worse his headache became. That pain was like countless bugs gnawing furiously in his mind. He tried to catch those fragments, but they were devoured bit by bit by the bugs, leaving nothing. This made him so painful that his face turned pale, and cold sweat broke out all over his body. But he still held the person in his arms tightly, reluctant to let go. As if letting go would mean losing her, a feeling so painful he could hardly bear it. Not until a knock on the door came from outside did hee to his senses, somewhat embarrassed, putting Eleanor back on the sofa. He said, ¡°Come in.¡± This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Only after hearing his voice did the vice president push the door in, ¡°Mr. Clowers, the bidding has begun. We should hurry in.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it supposed to start at 2 pm?¡± Asked Jason. ¡°It was originally scheduled for 2 pm, but the Laurence Group just informed us to start earlier.¡± Answered the vice president. Jason frowned. It was absurd that such arge group like the Laurence Group could change the time so casually. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry up. Someone from the Laurence Group just said that if anyone doesn¡¯t arrive, they will be eliminated directly.¡± The vice president was quite worried. ¡°Only they would dare to do such a thing.¡± Jason sneered and was about to leave, but he looked back at Eleanor one more time. ¡°Should we wake up Ms. Shultz?¡± The vice president asked. ¡°No need.¡± Jason took off his coat and put it over Eleanor¡¯s petite body. He just turned around and walked towards the conference with the vice president. Eleanor, once asleep, could be hard to be woken up. She felt her cheek being pped several times, and finally opened her eyes in a daze. Her vision was still blurry, only vaguely seeing a figure in front of her. ¡°Mr. Clowers, is that you?¡± As soon as she asked this, she was suddenly picked up. Feeling dizzy, a handsome face appeared in front of her eyes. ¡°Look closely!¡± Hearing this icy voice, Eleanor finally sobered up. The person in front of her was not Jason, but Bernard! Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Looking at those cold eyes, her heart couldn¡¯t help but race. Eleanor subconsciously shifted her gaze away, only to notice that his hand was gripping her waist. He must have lifted her from the sofa by pinching the waist earlier. Now, half¨Cleaning back on the sofa, with him leaning over her, their positions seemed a bit intimate. She reached out her soft hand, trying to push him away, but as soon as her hand touched his shirt sleeve, he coldly scolded, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Startled, Eleanor froze and didn¡¯t dare to move any further. She obediently withdrew her hand and looked puzzled at the hand that held her waist. She wasn¡¯t allowed to touch him, yet he kept touching her time and time again. This man was really making. no sense! She dared not look at him and could only lower her head, softly asking, ¡°Mr. Laurence, did you need me for something?¡± Her voice trembled a little, not knowing if it was out of fear or because of her weak body. With a straight face, Bernard nced at the men¡¯s suit jacket still draped over her. He found it irritating and snatched it up, throwing it into the trash bin. Seeing the jacket being thrown urately into the bin, Eleanor¡¯s face changed slightly, ¡°Did youe to see me just to throw away Mr. Clowers¡® jacket?¡± Although she didn¡¯t know when Jason had put his jacket on her, Bernard¡¯s action of throwing it in the trash was way over the top! He was crazy! If he hated her, he should leave her alone, why bully her like this? Feeling angered inside, she plucked up the courage to push him hard before standing up from the sofa and trying to walk out of the lounge. But Bernard grabbed her and pulled her back. Her whole body collided into his arms, the impact causing tears to almost burst out. Her tearful eyes looked up at the man who imprisoned her in his embrace, ¡°What on earth do you want?¡± Beneath Bernard¡¯s cold eyes, there was a hint of anger, ¡°Why did you lie to me?¡± It seemed that he had been holding back for a long time before asking the question. His eyes turned red gradually. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°What?¡± Eleanor looked confused. What did she lie about? Seeing her pretending not to know, the hand that had gripped her waist moved to the back of her head.. He pulled her face close, looking down, staring coldly into her eyes, ¡°You¡¯ve known Jason for years, but you said you just met him! Do you find it amusing to lie to me time and time again?¡± His eyes burned with anger, and his voice was full of coldness. Eleanor was forced to look back at those furious eyes, with no escape. She was scared of this Bernard, but she didn¡¯t know how to exin. That day, the lie about just metting Jason was to prevent any leak about her past rtionship with him. She didn¡¯t expect Bernard to find out the truth so quickly, let alone confront her about it. She had always thought that Bernard didn¡¯t care about her, so he wouldn¡¯t pay much attention to her life. But she had underestimated him. He was even able to find out whether she slept with Josef, so such a thing could not be hidden from him. However, if Jason found out that she had revealed their past, he probably wouldn¡¯t let her off easily. Thinking of this, Eleanor closed her mouth tightly and gave no exnation. Instead of facing Jason¡¯s cruel methods, it was better to have Bernard misunderstand, suspect, and question her. Chapter 94 Chapter 94 ¡°Speak.¡± Bernard lowered his head, getting even closer to her, his thin lips almost touching her cheek. She instinctively wanted to avoid him, but he held the back of her head, not letting her move. ¡°I¡¯m only giving you one chance to exin!¡± His maic voice, mixed with suppressed anger, made Eleanor feel stuck in a hard ce. Bernard was in front, Jason was behind; she was sandwiched in the middle, extremely distressed. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to exin. Whether I know Mr. Clowers or not, it has nothing to do with you.¡± She hesitated for a long time, and finally replied when Bernard was about to lose his patience. ¡°Nothing to do with me¡­¡± Bernard coldly repeated her words, then moved closer to her face once again. Her eyes widened in panic as that delicate face of his pressed down in that moment. His thin lips drew closer to her red lips as if he was about to kiss her any second. Eleanor wasn¡¯t sure what he wanted to do, feeling a mix of fear and uneasiness. As she nervously held her breath, Bernard suddenly spoke coldly, ¡°You lied to me because he¡¯s Garett, right? You didn¡¯t want me to know about your past, so you lied. Am I right?¡± His words, like a thunderbolt, exploded in Eleanor¡¯s heart. Had he really guessed so quickly that Jason was Garett? Sure enough, one shouldn¡¯t lie to Bernard. He was way smarter and more capable than most people. Her silence confirmed Bernard¡¯s suspicions. He had initially only been testing her, but he didn¡¯t expect Jason to be the long¨Clost Garett she could never forget! All he knew about the Clowers Group¡¯s secret was that the missing son of the Clowers family was found five years ago! Eleanor sold herself five years ago, and Jason was found then too. The timing was too perfect, and they had known each other for years. There was only one possibility ¨C Jason was the Garett Eleanor had been pining for, even in her dreams! He had thought she had slept with Jason in just one day because she wanted to marry a rich man, but it turned out that he was the one she loved. No wonder they ended up together so naturally; they were long¨Clost lovers reuniting, which would naturally lead to a quick reconciliation! Upon realizing this, Bernard¡¯s tall body gradually became stiff¡­ ¡°Eleanor, did I take your virginity?¡± He rarely called her by her name, and it often meant that something was very serious. Eleanor didn¡¯t dare to lie to him anymore and hastily nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± But Bernard didn¡¯t believe her, ¡°I can¡¯t tell if you are telling the truth or not.¡± Eleanor was stunned, realizing that it was because she had lied to him in the past that he no longer trusted her. ¡°I¡­ that time, you saw the bed sheet¡­¡± Eleanor struggled to exin. There were bloodstains on it. Chapter Her face turned red, too embarrassed to say it out loud. Their first time was extremely intense, and the memory always made her blush. As she lowered her head shyly with her face flushed, Bernard scoffed, ¡°Who knows if you¡¯ve had a hymenosty or not.¡± How could she have possibly kept her chastity intact when she was so in love with Garett that she would cry in her sleep? Eleanor¡¯s face turned pale, and she looked at Bernard in disbelief. His gaze was filled with distrust, almost as if he had already concluded she had undergone such surgery. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. For a moment, she didn¡¯t know how to prove that she was indeed a virgin when she sold herself to him. At the same time, she was furious. He knew what that night was like, so how could he still doubt that she had gone through a hymenosty? Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Eleanor felt awful and wronged, but didn¡¯t know how to express it. The silence from her had the anger in Bernard¡¯s eyes gradually turn into disappointment. He thought that this woman must be really something, making him swallow his pride toe to her time and time again. Thinking about all they¡¯ve been through, it seemed so absurd and foolish! He suddenly snapped out of it and let go of Eleanor. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. The disappointment in his eyes turned back into coldness and detachment. ¡°From now on, I won¡¯t bother with you anymore.¡± After saying that, he turned around and left. Eleanor stood there, dumbfounded, watching his back disappear quickly. Her heart suddenly felt empty. Her gut told her that he was noting back. Suddenly gathering courage from somewhere, she went up to him and stopped him. She tried to exin, a bit incoherently, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to deceive you, Garett and I, I mean, Jason and I, we¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of my business.¡± Bernard coldly cut her off, ¡°I came to you just because I couldn¡¯t stand being deceived. Now that I know the reason, it doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡± His words were like a bucket of icy water, dousing Eleanor and making her shiver all over. All of those exnations got stuck in her throat, unable toe out. Pretending not to care, Eleanor nodded her head, ¡°Alright, take care, Mr. Laurence.¡± As she spoke, tears burst from her eyes. She quickly turned away, trying to hide them from him. She heard the sounds of a door opening and closing behind her. Without hesitating for a second, the man. left the room. Looking back at the closed door, Eleanor¡¯s heart felt like it had been cut open. Feeling weak, she leaned against the wall for support, then lied back down on the couch. With teary eyes, she stared nkly at the ceiling, and tears flowed uncontrobly down her cheeks like beads falling off a broken string. This time, she and Bernard were probably done for good¡­. After leaving the break room, Bernard coldly ordered Aidyn, who was waiting by the door, ¡°Delete the surveince footage of me being here!¡± Aidyn respectfully replied, ¡°Yes, Mr. Laurence.¡± ¡°And, look into Eleanor and Jason¡¯s past. I want all the information within a day!¡± Ever since he bought Eleanor, he had never really investigated her. Even the name Garett she had called out in her sleep went unquestioned. He had always trusted her because she was obedient, quiet, and beautiful. But he had no idea that she was full of lies! If he found out that she had slept with someone else, he would never forgive her! Upon hearing the order, Aidyn hesitated for a moment. Was there a rtionship between Eleanor and Jason? Aidyn was curious but didn¡¯t ask any further questions, and he quickly left after replying with a ¡°Yes.¡± Aidyn grew up alongside Bernard and was just as efficient. In just half a day, Aidyn had found all the information on Jason and Eleanor¡¯s past. He carried a stack of documents into the CEO¡¯s office. ¡°Mr. Laurence, I¡¯ve uncovered the past of Ms. Shultz and Mr. Clowers.¡± He ced the documents on the desk and reported to Bernard one by one: ¡°Before being found by the Clowers family, Jason was a child at Rainbow Refuge, where he went by the name Garett.¡± ¡°Five years ago, the Clowers family¡¯s eldest son found him and brought him back from the orphanage.¡± ¡°To help Jason secure his position as the family heir, the eldest son erased all traces of his ¡°This also exins why I couldn¡¯t find any personal information on Garett back then.¡± Chapter 96 Chapter 96 ¡°By the way, Ms. Shultz and Garett grew up together, and when they were older, they became lovers.¡± ¡°But five years ago, Garett got into a car ident. Ms. Shultz had just graduated and didn¡¯t have any money, so she had to sell herself to save him.¡± ¡°He was saved, but lost his memory and didn¡¯t remember Ms. Shultz. They lost touch after that.¡± What Aidyn found out was just the rough story, nothing too detailed. He wasn¡¯t too sure about the reason they lost contact, so he didn¡¯t say anything further. Bernard looked at the information, his delicate face gradually turning cold. He guessed Garett might be Jason, and he already knew that Eleanor had sold herself to save him. However, hearing and seeing it for himself still made him feel sick. He longed for a pure love, but this woman had someone else in her heart, and he couldn¡¯t even be sure about the purity of her body! ¡°Before you sent her into my room that night, did you check her body?¡± Aidyn wasn¡¯t expecting Bernard to ask that, but he shook his head after a second of hesitation. ¡°After we bought Ms. Shultz, I took her straight to the mansion. You only asked me to make sure she had a shower, not to check her body¡­¡± That night, the boss passed by the nightclub entrance. For some reason, he picked the drenched and pitiful Eleanor who was kneeling outside. He desperately wanted her, so Aidyn didn¡¯t bother with checking her body. He had someone clean Ms. Shultz up and sent her to his room. Who could have thought that Ms. Shultz still had a first love? However, how could the boss fail to figure out if she was a virgin or not? Bernard seemed to guess what he was thinking, and his cold gaze swept over. The chill in his eyes made Aidyn shiver in fear. ¡°Mr. Laurence, are you¡­ suspecting that Ms. Shultz had a hymen repair surgery?¡± If she wasn¡¯t a virgin, the boss definitely wouldn¡¯t touch Ms. Shultz, let alone support her for so many years. He asked if her body had been checked, probably because he was suspicious of whether Eleanor had undergone surgery before. Understanding what Mr. Laurence cared about, Aidyn hurriedly flipped out the verified time to show him. ¡°I went to the hospital andpared the time that Garett had the car ident and Eleanor sold her body. It was on the same night.¡± ¡°That night, after sending Garett to the hospital, she went straight to sell herself to raise money for the surgery. She didn¡¯t have time to undergo a hymen repair surgery.¡± Hearing this exnation, Bernard finally felt more at ease. The tightness he couldn¡¯t get enough of that night could only be brought on by a virgin. She didn¡¯t deceive him this time. It was just that¡­ His cold gaze fell back on their information. ? T Loss of memory¡­ This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Bernard remembered that when he forced Eleanor to sign the lover¡¯s contract, she refused at first. But after a trip to B City, she signed the contract without hesitation. She probably knew that Jason had lost his memory then, so she angrily agreed to the contract. Which meant, she wasn¡¯t staying with him voluntarily. No wonder she never had feelings for him in all these years. Jason clenched his hands on the papers harder and harder. His indifferent face became extremely gloomy. Jason said he and Eleanor had known each other since childhood, which meant he had recovered his memory. His five¨Cyear rtionship with Eleanor was nothingpared to her history with Jason of more than twenty. years. Thinking of this, Bernard¡¯s face turned even gloomier, and it seemed like his blood was running backward. Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Seeing Bernard¡¯s current state, Aidyn suddenly felt a bit worried. The CEO had always been good at controlling his emotions, but because of Ms. Shultz, he had lost control several times already. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you¡­¡± Aidyn wanted to persuade him to let go since he had already broken up with Ms. Shultz. It would be good. for both him and her. But saying such things seemed a bit harsh to the president. After all, Ms. Shultz was Mr. Laurence¡¯s first girlfriend, and there must be feelings after so many years ofpanionship. It was impossible to let go easily. Bernard nced at the hesitant Aidyn, trying to calm himself down. He hid the coldness in his eyes and threw the documents in his hand back to Aidyn. ¡°Destroy them,¡± he said with icy voice, void of any emotions, as if he had turned back into the indifferent president. Aidyn looked at him and didn¡¯t say anything, just tossing the papers on the table into the shredder. There was a knock on the door outside, and Bernard signaled Aidyn to open it. ¡°Mr. Laurence.¡± This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Grayer, who was in charge of the review, entered the office. ¡°The bidding conference is over, and the reviewers unanimously voted for the Clowers Group.¡± Grayer respectfully greeted Bernard and reported the results of the bidding conference. ¡°The Clowers Group?¡± Bernard sneered, his face a bit unpleasant. Realizing that Bernard was unhappy with the Clowers Group, Grayer quickly added, ¡°The results haven¡¯t been announced yet. I came to ask you which group you n to give the development rights to?¡± ¡°What about the bids from other groups?¡± ¡°Here.¡± Grayer quickly handed the bids to Bernard. He didn¡¯t attend the meeting this afternoon, so he didn¡¯t know the situation of the other groups. Grayer reported his work to him, and of course, he would bring the bidding documents from other groups in the afternoon. Bernard quickly understood the ns of those groups after flipping through the files. He returned the bids to Grayer and coldly said, ¡°Give it to the Clowers Group.¡± Although he had conflicts with Jason, the Clowers Group had the most potential in obtaining development rights. He always acted fairly, not involving emotions. That was his persistence for so many years. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the venue and announce the results now.¡± Chapter Seeing Bernard¡¯s nod, Grayer left. After announcing that the Clowers Group had won the development rights, people from the other groups were somewhat disappointed. They originally thought that Bernard would not give the rights to the Clowers Group because of the conflict. However, he only asked so many questions just to better understand the Clowers Group¡¯s strength. Well, they lost. Everyone disappointedly left, except for Sophie who sat there, trembling with anger. Bernard knew that she wanted the development rights, but he gave them to the Clowers Group. He simply didn¡¯t care about her! Sophie clenched her teeth and rushed to Bernard¡¯s office area, wanting to confront him, but was stopped by security. ¡°Sorry, ma¡¯am. This area is not open to the public.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know who I am?¡± Sophie¡¯s face turned pale with anger as she pointed at the security guard and yelled, ¡°I am Bernard¡¯s fiancee! How dare you stop me?!¡± The security guard was startled, not expecting the woman in front of him to be Mr. Laurence¡¯s fiancee. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but without Mr. Laurence¡¯s permission, even if you are his fiancee, you cannot enter.¡± The security guard was only surprised for a few seconds before regaining hisposure. No matter who they were, without Mr. Laurence¡¯s permission, no one could enter! ¡°You¡­¡± Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Sophie was so angry that her chest heaved. She really wanted to just barge in. Cedric, who had juste out of theb, rushed over when he saw Sophie arguing with the security guard. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Seeing Cedric, Sophie¡¯s face softened a bit. She calmed down and pointed at the guard, telling Cedric, ¡°Cedric, I want to see Bernard, but he won¡¯t let me in.¡± This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . The security guard finally believed Sophie¡¯s words when he saw that she knew Cedric. So, this woman was actually Mr. Laurence¡¯s fianc¨¦e? Did he just offend Mrs. Laurence¨Cto¨Cbe? The guard looked at Cedric and thought, ¡°Now I¡¯m screwed. There goes my high¨Cpaying job!¡± To his surprise, Cedric patted him on the shoulder and said, ¡°Good job. I¡¯ll give you a bonus at the end of the year!¡± Security guard:¡­ Happiness came too suddenly! ¡°Cedric, why¡­¡± Sophie was cut off by Cedric¡¯s cold reply. ¡°He refused to let you in because he¡¯s following my cousin¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°You not only showed no understanding of ourpany¡¯s staff, but also yelled at him. That¡¯s really rude, isn¡¯t it?¡± Clearly, he had seen her earlier rudeness. He knew Sophie¡¯s character since they were little. She despised the lower¨Clevel employees, but she always pretended to be gentle and generous. He had a problem with her for a long time. If it weren¡¯t for Bernard, he wouldn¡¯t even talk to Sophie. ¡°Cedric, do you really want to be enemies with me?¡± Sophie the cedric came to help her, but he ended up targeting her. She was already angry, and now Cedric used her of being impolite in front of the security guards. Her dignity was totally lost! ¡°I¡¯m not targeting you; I¡¯m just following the rules. If you have a problem with that, go snitch to my cousin!¡± ¡°Cedric!¡± Sophie screamed and threw her bag at Cedric in anger. He dodged quickly, and Sophie¡¯s bag missed its target, which made she even angrier and tremble uncontrobly. ¡°You just wait and see!¡± Once she became Bernard¡¯s wife, she would sure got back at Cedric. Sophie red coldly at Cedric and then stormed away in anger. As she left, the security guard looked worriedly at Cedric.. ¡°Mr. Laurence, that youngdy just said she¡¯s Mr. Laurence¡¯s fianc¨¦e. You helped me and confronted her like. this. Won¡¯t it get you in trouble¡­?¡± ¡°Fianc¨¦e?¡± Cedric sneered, ¡°My cousin hasn¡¯t even gotten engaged to her yet, and she dares to call herself his fianc¨¦e. Shameless.¡± The security guard suddenly realized that they hadn¡¯t even gotten engaged yet. How could she call herself his fianc¨¦e? ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even if she bes a part of the Laurence family, she won¡¯t pose any threat to me.¡± Bernard didn¡¯t even want to marry Sophie. If it weren¡¯t for Bernard¡¯s brother¡­ Thinking of Bernard¡¯s brother, Cedric¡¯s face changed. But he quicklyposed himself, patted the security guard on the shoulder, and went to the president¡¯s office. Chapter 99 Chapter 99 The result of the bidding conference wasn¡¯t a surprise to Jason. After signing the contract, he left the venue directly and went back to the resting area. When he pushed the door open, he saw Eleanor still sleeping soundly, which made him frown slightly. He went to Eleanor¡¯s side and gently nudged her, only to find that she had fallen into a deep sleep. Even though he called her name several times, there was no response from her. At first, he thought she was just in a deep sleep, but now he felt that something was off. This was not just deep sleep; it was more like aa. He quickly took out his phone and called Tyler, ¡°Tyler, let me ask you, would someone with heart disease be prone to drowsiness?¡± Tyler, who was attending a meeting, was surprised, suddenly realizing who Jason was talking about. ¡°People with heart disease are indeed prone to drowsiness¡­¡± ¡°Is there a symptom like they can¡¯t wake up once they fall asleep?¡± Jason asked urgently. Heart disease itself wouldn¡¯t make it difficult for someone to wake up while sleeping, but heart failure might. Tyler wanted to tell him the truth but felt that the patient didn¡¯t seem to want Jason to know. ¡°It¡¯s probably because they¡¯re too tired and that¡¯s why they¡¯re sleeping so deeply. There¡¯s no big deal. Just let them wake up naturally.¡± Tyler hesitated for a few seconds, then chose to conceal the truth, respecting the patient¡¯s wishes, which had always been his principle as a doctor. Hearing Tyler¡¯s answer, Jason breathed a sigh of relief. These past few days, Eleanor had been apanying him to banquets and bidding conferences, so she might indeed be exhausted. After hanging up the phone, Jason turned to Eleanor, who was sleeping soundly on the couch. He clearly remembered covering her with his coat before leaving, but now it was gone. Looking around, he finally found the suit jacket in the trash can. Jason¡¯s rxed brow furrowed once again. Did she hate him that much? Hate him enough to throw his coat in the trash? A suppressed sense of loss gradually magnified at this moment, making him feel extremely unsettled. ¡°Mr. Clowers,¡± the vice president entered from outside the door, ¡°The Laurence Group is urging us to leave as soon as possible. We have to go.¡± The Laurence Group was involved in research and development and was always worried about data leaks, so they never allowed outsiders to stay for long. Hearing this, Jason pulled his gaze away from Eleanor and coldly said to the vice president, ¡°Go get the car.¡± He nodded and immediately turned around and left. As soon as he left, Jason, full of anger, picked up Eleanor and headed straight out. Since she hated him, he just had to touch her! His stubbornness, paranoia, and possessiveness made him lose basic gentlemanly manners. At this moment, his heart and eyes were full of rage, an unprecedented fury, as if this was his true self! Original content from N?velDrama.Org. When he appeared before all the executives with Eleanor in his arms, everyone was shocked. The persistence in their president¡¯s eyes made them somewhat afraid. Cedric had just entered the president¡¯s office and saw Bernard with his hands in his pockets, standing in front of the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window, looking down. The setting sun cast its glow on Bernard¡¯s proud and lonely figure, giving off an indescribable sense of loneliness. ¡°Cousin.¡± He called out, but Bernard didn¡¯t respond. Curious, he walked over, followed his gaze, and looked downstairs. There, Jason was carefully holding Eleanor into the car. ¡°These two have no respect for us!¡± One was a woman his cousin had dated, and the other was someone who had discussed marriage with his sister. It was one thing for these two to be together, but they even dared to hold each other intimately on the Laurence Group turf! ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll marry her?¡± As Cedric gritted his teeth in anger, Bernard suddenly asked. Chapter 100 Chapter 100 ¡°What?¡± It took Cedric Laurence a while to realize that Bernard was asking if Jason Clowers would marry Eleanor Shultz. ¡°No way! With Ms. Shultz¡¯s background, the Clowers family would never agree to let Jason marry her!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Bernard asked skeptically, his eyes full of disbelief. They had grown up together and were once lovers. Due to his amnesia, they had lost contact for five years, but now that they had reunited, it was natural for them to get back together, right? Before knowing their past, he was sure that Jason wouldn¡¯t go against the Clowers family for Eleanor. But now, he felt that the Jason who had regained his memories would do anything for her since they were once so in love. ¡°What¡­ happened to you?¡± Noticing his downcast mood, Cedric was worried. Bernard still had some feelings for Ms. Shultz, right? Otherwise, why would he be so concerned about her affairs? ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Bernard looked away from the departing Rolls Royce, turned back to Cedric, and asked, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Seeing his cold and distant demeanor again, Cedric held back his words. ¡°Al No. 7 is taking shape and will beunched at a press conference next month. Do you want to send someone to test it again?¡± ¡°No need.¡± Cedric had been researchingputer science for many years and had achieved numerous remarkable results in the field of artificial intelligence. Bernard had full confidence in him. ¡°Send me the data after it goes public.¡± Bernard was in control of the entire Lawrence Group. He never asked about the process, only cared about the results. Cedric nodded, ¡°No problem.¡± After finishing the business, Cedric brought up Ms. Ratliff. ¡°Did you see Ms. Ratliff arguing with the security guard downstairs just now?¡± Bernard casually nodded,pletely uninterested, but Cedric couldn¡¯t help butin. ¡°Not only did she argue with the security guard, she also imed to be your fianc¨¦e. You two haven¡¯t even gotten engaged yet, how could-¡± ¡°In three days, I will propose to her.¡± Cedric¡¯sint was cut off by Bernard¡¯s words. ¡°What?¡± Bernard nced at him indifferently, ¡°Go back to the old house and tell the butler to prepare the gifts.¡± It took Cedric quite some time to regain his voice. ¡°You¡¯re really going to marry Sophie Ratliff?¡± Ms. Ratliff¡¯s persona was beneath Bernard¡¯s taste. However, she was the only person he could marry in his lifetime. Bernard didn¡¯t respond. In his indifferent eyes, there was a faint glimmer of sadness. He looked as if he had fallen into an abyss, so lonely and cold. Cedric¡¯s eyes were filled with sympathy and helplessness. ¡°You could wait a bit longer, not in such a hurry¡­¡± ¡°Wait for what? There¡¯s nothing worth waiting for.¡± Bernard¡¯s eyes were cold, his lips curled into a sarcastic smile. Seeing Bernard like this, Cedric felt gloomy and suffocating. He wanted to say something, but felt that whatever he said would be futile. No matter how long they waited, Bernard would eventually marry Ms. Ratliff¡­ TI go back to the old house and tell the butler to prepare the gifts.¡± After saying that, Cedric turned and left. There was nothing he could do, except making sure things that benefit Bernard were done well. Getting Bernard to marry Ms. Ratliff early would be the most advantageous for him, so Cedric would naturally do just that.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 101 Chapter 101 The Rolls¨CRoyce stopped at the entrance of Eleanor¡¯s residential area, but Eleanor, lying in the back seat, still hadn¡¯t woken up. The driver asked Jason, ¡°Mr. Clowers, should we wake up Ms. Shultz?¡± Jason looked back at the sweetly sleeping Eleanor and felt a little reluctant to wake her up. You can go back first. Leave the car to me.¡± The driver hesitated but eventually left the car key with Jason and got out. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Jason didn¡¯t know which building and apartment Eleanor lived in, and when she would wake up. After hesitating for a while, he decided to take her to his private vi This vi was his property, and he was supposed to live here when he came to City. But Ms. Ratliff insisted that Eleanor arrange a hotel for them, so he had never been to the vi After parking the car, he carried Eleanor into the vi. ¡°Mr. Clowers, you¡¯re back?¡± La, who was guarding the vi, saw Jason and quickly greeted him. Jason nodded and ordered La, ¡°Prepare a clean set of pajamas.¡± La nced at the girl in his arms and didn¡¯t dare to ask more. She replied, ¡°Yes,¡± and went to find the pajamas. Jason put Eleanor on the bed in the second bedroom. Looking at her peaceful and beautiful face, his stubborn feeling eased a bit. He touched her hair and the look in his eyes was tender, so tender that even he didn¡¯t notice it. He sat by the bed and watched Eleanor for a while before letting Lae in and help her change into pajamas. Afterwards, he went to the bathroom to wash up and then returned to the second bedroom to check on Eleanor, Seeing her turn over and change her sleeping position, he finally felt relieved. She was so quiet when she slept, like she was already gone from this world. Jason was worried that something might happen to her in her sleep and now seeing that she was safe and sound, he gently closed the door and went to the master bedroom. When Eleanor woke up, it was already the afternoon of the next day. She looked around the unfamiliar room, somewhat dazed. She remembered crying a lot on the sofa yesterday. She cried so hard that she couldn¡¯t breathe and passed out. Luckily, she had taken a lot of medicine before attending the bidding meeting, otherwise she wouldn¡¯t have woken up. But she was still at the Lawrence Group yesterday, so how did she end up in this strange ce? She tried to sit up with her swollen legs but found that they were so swollen that she couldn¡¯t move them. She looked at her bag with her medicine in it, but it was on the sofa, a bit far from the bed. Just as she was about to crawl over to get her medicine, the door of the room opened, and Jason walked in. The room had great lighting, and the afternoon sun shone on Jason, casting a faint golden glow. Seeing Jason like this, Eleanor felt like she was seeing 17¨Cyear¨Cold Garett again. Back then, he also pushed open her door with the light shining on him, bringing warmth to her. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Jason walked in, his gaze soft and gentle as he looked at Eleanor. ¡°Yes¡± Eleanor nodded awkwardly, then she raised her head to look at him. ¡°Where is this?¡± ¡°This is my private vi in A City¡± So it was Jason¡¯s vi¡­ Eleanor seemed to remember something and looked at him again. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you refuse the hotel arranged by the Ratliff Group before?¡± ¡°Ms. Ratliff insisted that you arrange the hotel for me. If I refused, she might me you for not properly weing me, right?¡± This answer left Eleanor with little room for further questioning. Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Eleanor got it and nodded, ¡°Thank you.¡± Her politeness made Jason a bit ufortable. Eleanor didn¡¯t notice his uneasiness, and looked up at him, ¡°Mr. Clowers, how did the bidding go?¡± She hadn¡¯t gone to the scene yesterday afternoon and didn¡¯t know the final result. Jason casually answered, ¡°The Clowers Group won the bid.¡± Eleanor was a bit surprised to hear this result. Bernard didn¡¯t give the development rights to the Ratliff Group? Wasn¡¯t Ms. Ratliff his crush? She was a bit puzzled but didn¡¯t ask further, just said indifferently to Jason, ¡°Congrattions.¡± Jason didn¡¯t really like her polite yet distant attitude, wanted to say something but felt he didn¡¯t have the right. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. He suppressed the odd feeling in his heart and stepped forward to ask, ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Eleanor shook her head, then realized her clothes had been changed. She looked at Jason puzzled and surprised. ¡°The maid helped you change it.¡± Feeling her misunderstanding, Jason quickly exined. Hearing that the maid changed her clothes, Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief. She nced at Jason somewhat awkwardly, ¡°Sorry.¡± Jason waved his hand and gently said, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± After he said this, Eleanor didn¡¯t know how to carry on the conversation. She felt she should get up and leave now, but her legs¡­. Just as she was thinking about how to ask Jason to take her home, he called out. ¡°La¡± A middle¨Caged woman responded, carrying a tray of food. The woman¡¯s figure was a bit plump, and her face always had a kind and warm smile. She put the tray on the table and said to Eleanor with a smile, ¡°Miss, I didn¡¯t know what you like to eat, so I prepared some breakfast for you ording to the Mister¡¯s taste. Have something to eat, and I¡¯ll make you something delicious for lunch¡± Her kindness made Eleanor feel less awkward, ¡°Thank you¡± La waved her hand, ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± After she said that, she walked out and even closed the door behind her. Eleanor felt that La might have misunderstood, which was why she helped them close the door. Thinking about it, she felt even more embarrassed and hurriedly forced herself to sit up. Leaning against the head of the bed, she asked Jason somewhat embarrassingly, ¡°Can you take me home?¡± Jason didn¡¯t answer but frowned, ¡°Besides heart disease, do you have any other diseases?¡± Eleanor¡¯s face changed when she saw his contemtive expresssion, I¡¯m not sick.¡± ¡°Howe even sitting up is difficult for you?¡± Eleanor was stunned, and no matter how hard she tried to hide it, she couldn¡¯t escape Jason¡¯s eyes. I¡¯m just anemic, and I get tired easily ¡°Just anemia?¡± His doubting tone sounded a bit harsh to Eleanor. She angrily retorted, ¡°Do you need to hear me say I¡¯m seriously ill before you believe me?¡± Jason hurriedly exined, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that, I just thought¡­¡± Eleanor coldly interrupted him, ¡°No matter what you mean, I don¡¯t need to report my health status to you one by one, ok?¡± Jason was silenced by her rebuttal, and the anger in his heart quietly ignited again. ¡°Eleanor, can you stop talking to me like this?¡± ¡°What tone do you want me to use when talking to you? Begging? Or ttering?¡± Eleanor stared at Jason without blinking. She wanted to see if he had any conscience left. He was the one who crushed her artificial heart, leading to her heart failure, but he felt that there was a problem with her tone? She didn¡¯t retaliate against him, and now she had to speak kindly to him as well? Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Jason looked at Eleanor, whose face was cold as ice, and he suddenly got the feeling that she was like a hedgehog As soon as he got close, she would stab him with all her spikes, making him not dare to take another step forward. Feeling a bit defeated, he said, ¡°I don¡¯t need you to beg me or please me. As long as you¡¯re okay, that¡¯s all that matters. Eleanor had been prepared for a big fight with him, but she didn¡¯t expect him to say that. She stared at Jason, who gave her a small smile, which was simple and clean, without any schemes.. It seemed like he was just genuinely concerned about her condition and asked a few more questions about it. Jason turned around, picked up the te of food on the table, and handed it to Eleanor, ¡°Eat something first.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t respond, but looked down at the food on the te, lost in her thoughts. ¡°Ms. Shultz?¡± Jason called her, and Eleanor slowly raised her head to look at him. Her eyes were filled with tears, showing an incredibly distant expression. Seeing her like this, Jason¡¯s heart suddenly clenched uncontrobly. It was as if he had done something wrong to her that made him feel extremely guilty and nervous. He was about to speak, but she cut him off, ¡°If all you care about is my well¨Cbeing now, then why did you treat me like that five years ago?¡± Eleanor had no intention of bringing up the past, but his words just touched her heart. She really couldn¡¯t understand why he had tried to kill her before, but now all he acted as if he cared. What kind of mindset drove person to say something contradictory like that? After being silent for a few seconds, Jason¡¯s face showed a hint of guilt. Five years ago, he had just lost his memory and was unfamiliar with everything. Eleanor came to find him every day, exining things over and over, which annoyed him. Plus the information he found out about her made him think she had ulterior motives. So, he ordered the security guards to throw her out when she was still kneeling at the door. It was the worst thing he had done to Eleanor, and he was still somewhat guilty about it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to have people kick you out on purpose. I just found you annoying, so¡­¡± Jason felt embarrassed to continue. That incident was indeed a bit inappropriate on his part. Even if Eleanor had ulterior motives at the time, it wasn¡¯t gentlemanly for him to order several men to carry her out. Eleanor wanted to know why he had tried to kill her, but Jason was talking about something else. To Eleanor, he probably didn¡¯t want to admit what he had done in the past, which was why he brought up another issue, Eleanor didn¡¯t ask any further questions. It was pointless to ask someone who didn¡¯t want to take responsibility for their actions. Her silence confused Jason. He had apologized to her already when she picked him up at the airport, but she still hated him like before. Now, he apologized again, yet she didn¡¯t have much reaction. Could it be that the incident she was referring to wasn¡¯t this one? However, he only did this one thing and wasn¡¯t behind anything else that would hurt her Jason couldn¡¯t figure it out and wanted to ask more, but Eleanor calmly said, ¡°Mr. Clowers, could you please take me back? Thank you.¡± She didn¡¯t have the right to ask Jason to take her home, but she couldn¡¯t move her legs and needed his help. Otherwise, she would have to stay in his vi until her legs recovered. But she didn¡¯t want to be with Jason. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Her coldness and distance made Jason frown slightly. ¡°Really, I¡¯m sorry for the inconvenience, Mr. Clowers.¡± As if she was afraid he wouldn¡¯t agree, Eleanor added. Seeing how eager she was to leave, Jason didn¡¯t force her to stay. He handed her the te of food, ¡°Eat your breakfast first, and then I¡¯ll take you back.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t really have an appetite, but since he agreed to take her back, she obediently took the te. Chapter 104 Chapter 104 After having breakfast, Eleanor put in some effort and changed into her own clothes. Yesterday, she went to a bidding conference wearing a professional suit, the baggy suit pants perfectly covered her swollen legs. After changing, Jason came in again, and she wondered how to make him help her downstairs. As if he could read her mind, he walked straight over, lifted her nket, and picked her up. Eleanor was stunned for a moment, but he calmly said, ¡°If you could walk by yourself, you wouldn¡¯t have needed me to take you back.¡± He saw right through Eleanor¡¯s thoughts, making her feel a little uneased and lowered her head. The woman in his arms was very light and had a sickly look on her face, appearing quite weak. It seemed that a gust of wind could blow her frail body away. Seeing Eleanor like this, Jason suddenly felt a pang of sympathy. ¡°Eleanor.¡± After he carried her out of the vi, he gently called her name. She looked up at him without speaking, waiting quietly. Jason paused for a moment before lowering his head and saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I forgot about you. Can you please not hate me?¡± His eyes were clear and free of ws as he spoke. Eleanor stared into his eyes, trying to find a hint of falsehood, but she only saw sincerity. She frowned, somewhat disbelievingly asking, ¡°You¡­really lost your memory?¡± Jason nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve tried to get it back, but every time I try, I get a headache.¡± Especially when it came to her memories, the headaches were unbearable, as if his brain was blocking him from recalling anything rted to Eleanor. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . He didn¡¯t know why, but every time he saw her, he felt uncontrobly upset. When he first lost his memory, he didn¡¯t have this kind of emotional reaction. However, after this reunion, they became even more intense. Eleanor stared at him wide¨Ceyed, seemingly not quite believing what he said. But the look in his eyes didn¡¯t seem fake. Just as she was unsure how to respond, a honk sounded from behind them. Eleanor and Jason both turned around. A dozen luxury cars had parked behind them without their notice, and the first one was a shy Koenigsegg with a special license. There were quite a few people in A City who had this kind of car, but there was only one person with that license te. As soon as Eleanor guessed who was sitting in that car, she instinctively buried her head in Jason¡¯s embrace. She thought that the man in the car wouldn¡¯t see her if she hid her face, but she didn¡¯t expect the people in the car to get out. Cedric was the first one to step out, wearing a ck suit. He opened the passenger door and walked towards them. ¡°Mr. Clowers, Ms. Shultz, what a coincidence to meet you here.¡± After saying that, Cedric nced at the vi next to them, a hint of mockery shing in his eyes. ¡°You two were already cohabiting just after a few days.¡± Cedric¡¯s tone was a bit strange and full of sarcasm, as if he had caught them in the act of cheating. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you¡¯ve misunderstood. Ms. Shultz and I aren¡¯t living together. She¡¯s not feeling well, so I brought her home¡± To Cedric, Jason¡¯s words sounded like an excuse. He took her home just because she wasn¡¯t feeling well? He sneered, ¡°No wonder Ms. Shultz can¡¯t even walk. It turns out that her body is so weak that she needs a man to carry her¡± Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Eleanor blushed and trembled slightly as shey in Jason¡¯s arms. She didn¡¯t dare to raise her head, fearing she¡¯d nce at the man inside the car. All she could do was to be a coward, listening to Cedric¡¯s mockery, usations, and disdain. Jason noticed her fear and gently patted her on the back, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared.¡± Afterforting her, he coldly nced at Cedric. ¡°Whether Ms. Shultz can walk or not is none of your business, so you better stop making up stories.¡± Cedric rolled up his sleeves and wanted to punch Jason after hearing his words. At that moment, a cold voice came from inside the car. ¡°Cedric, focus on the important things.¡± The voice sounded indifferent, as if everything had nothing to do with the man. Upon hearing this, Cedric calmed down. He pointed at the Rolls Royce in the middle of the road and coldly said, ¡°Move your car quickly. Don¡¯t stand in the way of our proposal¡± Proposal? To whom? Eleanor¡¯s body stiffened, but she still didn¡¯t dare to look back at that car. Jason was initially polite towards Cedric, but his repeated provocations irritated him. Ignoring Cedric¡¯s words, he stood still, as if to provoke Cedric further. Seeing this, Cedric¡¯s face suddenly turned cold and said, ¡°Mr. Clowers, my cousin is proposing to Ms. Ratliff, and you dare stand in his way?¡± So it was Bernard proposing to Sophie¡­ Were they getting married? Eleanor¡¯s face gradually turned pale. Her whole body felt as if it was being torn apart, and it was difficult to breathe. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She thought she could forget Bernard just like she forgot Garett. But when she heard he was proposing to Sophie, she couldn¡¯t contain the heartache. This heartache made her want to rush in front of him, hold him, and prevent him from proposing. But she knew she had no right to do that, as she had no ce in Bernard¡¯s heart. She was merely Sophie¡¯s substitute, a stand¨Cin for him to vent and control, so she had no right to stop him from marrying his crush. She clenched her fingers tightly, digging her nails into her palms until they drew blood, and forced herself to calm down. She and Bernard had already broken up, so his marriage had nothing to do with her. Even if they hadn¡¯t, she had no right to interfere. Resigned, Eleanor loosened her grip and buried her head deeper into Jason¡¯s chest. Now, the one she could rely on was actually Garett, who once promised to love her for a lifetime¡­ She smiled faintly, feeling both pitiful and ridiculous. Jason wasn¡¯t surprised that Bernard and Sophie were getting married, but he didn¡¯t expect him to propose so quickly. After some thought, he decided that even though he wasn¡¯t satisfied with Cedric, he shouldn¡¯t affect someone else¡¯s proposal. So, Jason held Eleanor and put her in the Rolls Royce. After buckling her seatbelt, he drove away. As the car left the main road, a Koenigsegg quickly approached. When it passed by the Rolls Royce, Eleanor, who was sitting in the passenger seat, happened to see the man in that car On his chiseld face, he was wearing sunsses, making it difficult to see his eyes. As the car passed by, he slightly turned his head, as if looking at her. Eleanor¡¯s eyes followed that car. She only looked away when she saw it stop in front of a vi. After Bernard proposed to Sophie, they would probably get married soon. She wasn¡¯t sure if she¡¯d be able to witness their wedding alive¡­ Chapter 106 Chapter 106 Eleanor smiled, feeling a bit silly. What did their wedding have to do with her? Seeing her bitter smile, Jason furrowed his brows slightly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Eleanor shook her head, not answering, but her eyes were filled with sadness Jason thought she was bothered by what Cedric said and quickly reassured, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Cedric¡¯s words. He¡¯s just targeting me because I called off the marriage with his sister and embarrassed him. It has nothing to do with you.¡± Eleanor nodded. No one would care about her feelings anyway. Seeing the desperation in her eyes, Jason¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°You look very upset. Did something happen?¡± Is it that obvious? Eleanor touched her stiff face, which was cold and without any warmth. She must look terrifying, right? Eleanor forced a smile, ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong. I just don¡¯t feel well.¡± Jason somewhat believed her excuse, ¡°Is it your leg bothering you?¡± She couldn¡¯t walk, so it must be the problem with her leg. However, when he was carrying her earlier, he hadn¡¯t noticed anything unusual. Eleanor nodded, ¡°My leg is a bit swollen. It might be due to varicose veins.¡± She was wary of Jason, unsure if he was truly amnesiac or just pretending, so she chose to hide the truth for now. Though Jason knew the symptoms of varicose veins wouldn¡¯t normally impair walking, he didn¡¯t dare ask more. Thest time he inquired about her condition at the vi, she had gotten angry. It was better not to provoke her again. Jason didn¡¯t press further, but he was concerned about her well¨Cbeing, ¡°Let Tyler check you out. He¡¯s a terrific doctor, and I¡¯m sure he can fix any issues you have.¡± Eleanor¡¯s smile grew more bitter, ¡°No need.¡± It¡¯s almost time for her to die, so what¡¯s the point of wasting medical resources? ¡°You¡­¡± Jason wanted to persuade her further, but Eleanor turned to look out the window, seemingly refusing to continue the conversation. He had no choice but to shut up. Soon, they arrived at Eleanor¡¯s neighborhood, and Jason parked the car, carried her upstairs. Eleanor wasn¡¯t eager to let him know where she lived, but there was no choice under the circumstances. After unlocking the door, Jason carried her inside. ¡°Put me on the couch.¡± Jason nodded, walked to the couch, and gently put her down. After sitting up straight, Eleanor looked at Jason. Thank you¡± Although she expressed her gratitude, it was evident that she was implying he could leave. Feeling a bit ufortable, Jason remained gentle, ¡°Take a few days to rest at home. You don¡¯t have to stay with me for now.¡± He then turned to leave. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. As he passed the dining room, he noticed a picture on the wine cab. It was a photo of her and Hailey, both looking young and naive. He stopped and picked up the photo, realizing it had been cropped. It should have been a picture of three people, but the person next to Eleanor was cut out. He subconsciously thought that person was himself, and once that idea emerged, he felt disoriented. Seeing him holding their old photo, Eleanor hurriedly said, ¡°Mr. Clowers, have you asked for my permission before looking at the photo?¡± Jason was about to recall something when Eleanor¡¯s voice interrupted him. He returned to reality, feeling a bit embarrassed as he looked at Eleanor, ¡°Sorry¡± He put the photo back on the wine cab and left. After Jason left, Eleanor nced at the photo as well. It was the only photo Hailey kept rted to Garett Hailey had said that after she went to B City, someone broke into the house they rented and destroyed all photos rted to Garett. This photo of the three of them was saved because it was hidden inside a book. However, when she returned from B City, she cut Garett out of the picture with her own hands. She had been fed up since he had kicked her twice back then and she refused to see anything rted to Garett Looking back, they were probably destined not to be together, which was why they lost contact. But that was all in the past now. Eleanor snapped back to reality, took out the medicine from her bag, poured herself a ss of water, and swallowed the pills. After taking the medicine, she turned on the TV, listened to the vague sounds, then closed her eyes and fell asleep. Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Jason returned to thepany and quickly turned on hisputer, searching for the information from five years ago and checking it over and over again. There was nothing wrong with the information, including the time and the statements from the orphanage. But his intuition told him that what Eleanor said back then was true, and this information was fake! Frowning, he took out his phone and called Tyler. Tyler was about to start a meeting when he saw the iing call and quickly answered it. ¡°Jason, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Tyler, I wanted to ask you, did I lose my memory while I was in A City, or after I returned to the Clowers family?¡± As his primary doctor, Tyler should know all about his situation. Hearing the question, Tyler was stunned for a few seconds. ¡°Have you remembered anything?¡± ¡°No, it just feels off¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Tyler let out a slight sigh of relief on the other end of the phone. ¡°You lost your memory while you were in A City¡± ¡°So did I lose my memory right after the car ident?¡± Tyler didn¡¯t expect him to continue asking and hesitated for a moment before answering, ¡°Yes.¡± Upon hearing this, Jason¡¯s expression darkened. He recalled the scene when Eleanor approached him back then. At that time, she thought he was pretending to have amnesia because he med her for betraying him by selling herself. That was why she knelt before him, exining time and time again that she sold herself to save him. If he lost his memory right after the car ident, there was no way Eleanor would still run to him and specifically mention the matter of selling herself. This meant he didn¡¯t lose his memory immediately after the car ident and had once med Eleanor for selling her body, which was why she was so eager to exin. He must have lost his memoryter on, and only his brother and those around him would know why. The more Jason thought, the more things seemed off, and his face grew gloomier. His hand holding the phone gradually clenched. ¡°I know you do whatever my brother say and won¡¯t tell me the whole truth.¡± ¡°But one day, I will regain all my memories¡± ¡°And if I find out you guys have been fooling me, then we can¡¯t even be friends.¡± With that, Jason hung up the phone.. Everyone around him listened to his brother. Tyler, Colter, and even the bodyguards. For the past five years, the mostmon phrase they said to him was not to go back to A City. He hadn¡¯t thought much of it in the past, but now he felt that they were stopping him from going to A City out of fear that he would remember something If it weren¡¯t for his insistence oning here this time to handle work, he might have been fooled forever. Tyler stared at the darkened screen for a while beforeing back to his senses. Ten minutester, he sent a message to Jason with a sigh. [You were already amnesiac when I started treating you after you were brought back to the Clowers family. Your brother said you lost your memory right after the car ident, but I found out during the treatment that it wasn¡¯t the case. He asked me to keep it a secret, but I don¡¯t want to lose you as a friend] Jason saw the message and his gloomy mood gradually dissipated. It seemed that Tyler still considered him a friend. However, what Tyler said confirmed his suspicions. What Eleanor said back then was true, and this information was fake. The only person who could conceal the truth of his past was his brother. But why would he do such a thing? Was it because he felt that Eleanor couldn¡¯t be of any help to him? Jason slowly began to understand some things, but how was his amnesia caused in the first ce? And if Eleanor loved him so deeply back then, why was she cold and hostile to him when they met again? He sent all his questions to Tyler, who quickly responded [I really don¡¯t know how your amnesia was caused.] [As for Ms. Shultz¡¯s matter, I¡¯ve never heard your brother mention her in front of me, nor have I ever seen her] [If it weren¡¯t for the photo of you two together being sent to the group and Colter noticing it, I wouldn¡¯t have known anything about you two.] If Tyler knew about Jason¡¯s past with Eleanor, he would have advised him to stay away from her like Colter did, not promote their rtionship everywhere. After confirming Tyler wasn¡¯t lying to him, Jason put down his phone and called Colter in. Facing his questioning, Colter¡¯s expression remained calm, and his words were wless. Colter was different from Tyler; he was an adopted child of Jason¡¯s brother and naturally only loyal to him. Jason understood Colter but didn¡¯t need him around to constantly remind him to stay away from Eleanor. ¡°You should head back to B City for now. I don¡¯t need you here for the time being.¡± Colter was in disbelief when he heard that he was being dismissed. Last time, President Jason didn¡¯t let him join the bidding meeting just because he said a few bad words about Ms. Shultz. This time, just talking about Ms. Shultz got him sent back to B City. Did the President¡­ remember anything? Chapter 108 Chapter 108 ¡°Mr. Clowers * ¡°Out¡± Before he could finish his words, Jason scolded him, and Colter had no choice but to shut up and leave the room There was no point in asking Colter, the only person who knew the truth and forged everything was now dead. Jason was at a loss for a moment, and then the receptionist came in with a delivery. ¡°Mr. Clowers, this is a package for you¡± Jason frowned when he heard this, ¡°What kind of package?¡± The receptionist put the package on the table, ¡°It¡¯s from Ms. Shultz¡± Jason saw Eleanor¡¯s name on the sender¡¯s column, and then waved his hand to let the receptionist leave the room. He opened the package, and his expression suddenly changed when he saw the clothes and shoes inside Eleanor had actually returned everything he had given her. Jason¡¯s heart felt heavy, making it difficult for him to breathe. She didn¡¯t even want the things he gave her, probably because he didn¡¯t believe her words back then, leaving herpletely disillusioned. He now believed that what she said was true, but how could he fix their rtionship? Eleanor had probably slept for about ten hours when she was vaguely awakened by the sound of the TV. She struggled to open her eyes and saw the news about the business alliance between the Laurence Group and the Ratliff Group. The heir to thergest financial group in A Country, the Lawrence Group, Bernard, will be engaged to the daughter of the Ratliff Group in two months¡± The business alliance of the two major groups will bring earth¨Cshaking changes to the A Country market¡­¡± The man on the TV was as elegant and noble as usual, but now he was apanied by a woman who was holding his arm. The two announced the engagement news at a dinner party, attended by celebrities from high society. Eleanor had once fantasized that he would marry her, and, like Sophie, announce to the world that she was his fianc¨¦e. But fantasies were just fantasies, and in this life, she was destined to get nothing, not even a bit of pity from him. She thought it was good that they were getting engaged, so she could finally let go of her thoughts and die without expectations. She seemed to have an epiphany, and smiled. Eleanor struggled to move her body, sat up from the sofa, and nced at her swollen leg. Her leg was still swollen, normally it would go down after taking the medicine, but this time there was no response. She sighed, took out the medicine bottle, and poured more than ten pills into her hand. She increased the dosage because she didn¡¯t want Hailey to see her weak and haggard look when she returned from her honeymoon. These days Eleanor had been taking the medication on time at home, her leg had recovered a bit, and she could walk. While it was still a bit swollen, it wouldn¡¯t have much of an impact. It was just that she¡¯d been taking too much medicine, making her very sleepy. If Hailey hadn¡¯t returned from her honeymoon, Eleanor wouldn¡¯t have wanted to get out of bed. Hailey sent her a message, saying she brought back some special products from Coconut Ind and asked her toe downstairs to help carry them Eleanor replied on WhatsApp, ¡°What kind of special product did you get? Is it something big and heavy?¡± Hailey replied quickly, ¡°No, it¡¯s just a bit too many, hurry up and help me!¡± Eleanor replied with an okay and was about to turn off her phone and go downstairs when she suddenly received a WhatsApp message. It was from Mr. Law. Since she replied ¡°Talkter¡± to him, he hadn¡¯t messaged her again. She thought he lost interest in her after two times of tease and didn¡¯t n to contact her again. Unexpectedly, he really waited a few days before contacting her.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Eleanor saw the message saying ¡°Come to Midnight Bar¡± and was a bit startled. Although she was usually very obedient, her body couldn¡¯t take his forment any longer. Eleanor thought for two minutes and replied, ¡°I haven¡¯t been feeling well recently, can we wait a bit longer?¡± As soon as she sent it, he replied, ¡°Did you get tired from being too intimate with Jason?¡± Seeing this sentence, Eleanor froze. How did he know about Jason? And how did he know that she knew Jason? And why did he say that she was too intimate with Jason? Eleanor suddenly remembered that when she was staying in Jason¡¯s luxury suite, Mr. Law had made hundreds of calls to her He must have seen her with Jason, so he kept calling her. Or, he had been secretly watching her, which was why he knew her situation so well. Either way, Eleanor felt scared. She was in in sight, and he was in the shadows. It was easy for him to control and manipte her. While Eleanor was thinking about how to get rid of Mr. Law, there was another message. [How many times have you made love with Jason?] For some reason, Eleanor always felt that when he asked this question, it was like he was testing himself to see how many times he would ept them making love Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Eleanor thought about it and replied, ¡°Many times.¡± She felt that Mr. Law must be somewhat bothered by this, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have called her so many times. By replying this way. Mr. Law would think that she and Jason had been slept many times before, and he probably wouldn¡¯t want to touch her again. After she sent the message, Mr. Law didn¡¯t reply anymore. It seemed that her guess was correct ¨C Mr. Law did care. Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but smile, put away her phone, and hurried downstairs. Hailey had parked the car downstairs and was taking things out of the trunk. ¡°Hailey!¡± Eleanor quickly walked over and gave her a hug from behind Hailey turned her head and smiled at Eleanor. ¡°Did you miss me?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Eleanor hugged her, ¡°I missed you so much!¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Haileyughed and patted the hand wrapped around her waist, ¡°Come on, we¡¯ve only been apart for a few days, it¡¯s not that bad¡± Eleanor smiled and let go of Hailey, asking, ¡°Where are the specialty items you brought me?¡± Hailey turned around, stretched out her delicate fingers, and pointed to the ground, ¡°Here¡± Eleanor was amazed at the amount of stuff and looked at Hailey. ¡°How could you buy so much?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not easy to travel abroad, so of course, I had to spend a bit more.¡± ¡°How many night shifts do you have to work to make up for all of this¡­ Eleanor felt a bit sorry for her. Hailey waved her hand and said boldly, ¡°It¡¯s just some skincare products and supplyments- it didn¡¯t cost that much!¡± She casually picked up a box and headed towards the elevator. As she walked, she called back to Eleanor, ¡°Stop daydreaming, hurry up and help me carry this upstairs.¡± Eleanor had no choice but to gather her thoughts, pick up the things on the ground, and follow her steps. Hailey¡¯s purchases filled the dining table. It seemed like she was worried that Eleanor wouldn¡¯t have enough to use. Eleanor shook her head and sighed, while Hailey checked if she had eaten well by opening the fridge. Hailey only stopped nagging Eleanor when she saw that all the food in the fridge was gone. In fact, Eleanor had already thrown away all the spoiled food in the fridge when she received Hailey¡¯s text message that she wasing back. In her current situation, she really couldn¡¯t eat anything, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have lost weight so quickly. Fortunately, she changed into loose clothes, so Hailey didn¡¯t notice anything unusual. But hiding the truth from Hailey wasn¡¯t a solution either. Eleanor thought about being honest with Hailey when the time was right. After Hailey sorted the things on the dining table, she took out her phone and called Austin, asking when he would be back in the city. Austin bought a lot of supplements for his family and he immediately drove to deliver them as soon as he returned. After chatting for a while, Hailey said, e over for dinner tonight,¡± and hung up the phone. Eleanor asked her when she saw Hailey hang up, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go back to his hometown with him?¡± The newlywed couple should have gone back together, so why did only Austin go back? While putting down her phone, Hailey replied, ¡°He told me that the environment in his hometown wasn¡¯t very good and asked me not to go.¡± In fact, Hailey didn¡¯t mind because she had grown up in an orphanage and had seen all kinds of stuff. Eleanor nced at Hailey. ¡°You haven¡¯t been to his hometown before, have you?¡± Hailey nodded, ¡°No, I had nned to go back to his hometown and meet his parents before getting married, but before I could go, his parents came to the city to meet me. They even gave me gifts and helped us with the down payment for our wedding house, so I haven¡¯t been to his hometown.¡± Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Before, Eleanor was a bit worried about Hailey. This was because when Austin found out that Hailey wanted to go back to his hometown with him, he tried his best to stop her. Even Austin¡¯s parents were strongly against her going back. They all said that the environment in the suburbs was bad and they worried that Hailey wouldn¡¯t be able to adapt. Eleanor was somewhat concerned that the Zimmer family was hiding something. But Hailey thought that they cared about her and were worried that she wouldn¡¯t befortable in the suburbs, which might affect her rtionship with Austin. So Eleanor didn¡¯t say much about it. But now that they¡¯re married, why won¡¯t the Zimmer family let their new daughter¨Cinw go back? Eleanor found it a bit strange. Hailey said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I don¡¯t want to go to the suburbs anyway. Austin and I will stay in A City, and his parents can stay in their hometown. We won¡¯t have to live together, and there won¡¯t be any conflicts with his mom. I¡¯m happy¡± This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Eleanor held back her words when she heard Hailey say that. Maybe she really misunderstood. Austin¡¯s parents were very enthusiastic about Hailey and treated her well. When they heard the two were getting married, they immediately took out the money they had been saving for years and helped them pay a small part of the down payment. Although most of the money was Hailey¡¯s, the Zimmer family at least showed sincerity. Besides, Austin¡¯s parents didn¡¯t have a high ie from farming in their hometown, so taking out a small amount of money and giving gifts was already their best effort. Maybe they really were afraid that Hailey would look down on the suburb environment. Eleanor put her thoughts aside and happily went grocery shopping at the supermarket with Hailey. As soon as they got into the car, Mr. Law sent her a few WhatsApp messages. Eleanor nced at her phone. [You¡¯re such a slut. You sleep with me and then you sleep with other men. Are you really that desperate for men? You¡¯re a cheap woman, I wish I could strangle you] All were cursing her. Eleanor was trembling with anger when she saw it. Who did he think he was, how did a rapist have the right to send her this? Furious, she picked up her phone and gritted her teeth to reply: [You must be insane, I have nothing to do with you. I can sleep with whoever I want to!] She sent it, then remembered he still had evidence against her. She wanted to recall the message, but it showed the other party was typing¡­. It meant he had already seen her message. [I must be crazy, for I can¡¯t forget you.] In just a few seconds, he sent another message. Eleanor was stunned when she saw it. Mr. Law couldn¡¯t forget her? As she was thinking about how to reply, he quickly sent another message. [I¡¯ve tried to forget you, but I miss you so much. Every day, every hour, every minute, I think about you. Please meet me at Midnight Bar, okay?] Thest words had a pleading tone.. Eleanor thought he must be really crazy, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t say such things. How could a rapist miss her? He probably missed her body. Bernard once said that her body was like opium. After touching it once, one would get addicted. Mr. Law was probably quite simr to Bernard. Eleanor sighed and replied, ¡°Mr. Law, I¡¯m on my period these days, so I really can¡¯t.¡± She hoped this could buy her some time and sent the message. Hailey saw her put the phone away and smiled softly. ¡°Is that your new boyfriend?¡± Eleanor was taken aback, remembering that she had lied about finding a suitable marriage partner to keep Hailey from finding out about the incident with Mr. Law The lie couldn¡¯t be taken back, so she could only nod awkwardly. ¡°Yes¡± Hailey didn¡¯t notice anything strange and asked expectantly, ¡°When can I meet him?¡± Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Eleanor¡¯s ears turned red, and she said somewhat embarrassedly, ¡°Hailey, I actually¡­he¡­¡± How could she exin? If Hailey knew she had been bullied by Mr. Law, Hailey¡¯s straightforward personality would make her go after Mr. Law for revenge. Just like that time when Hailey found out that Garratt had kicked Eleanor twice, She was so mad that she nned to go to B City to teach Garett al lesson So at that time, Eleanor didn¡¯t dare to tell Hailey that after being kicked, she had heart problems and hid it from her till now. Seeing Eleanor hesitating, Hailey showed concern, ¡°Did he treat you like Bernard did, not wanting to marry you and only wanted to keep you?¡± Eleanor hurriedly shook her head, ¡°No.¡± Hailey frowned, ¡°So what happened?¡± Eleanor sighed as she couldn¡¯t hide it anymore and had to tell Hailey the truth. After listening, Hailey mmed the brakes and pulled over by the roadside. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°You were raped by a stranger?¡± She doubted her hearing and asked again. Eleanor¡¯s face was red, and she nodded reluctantly. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Let¡¯s go and call the police!¡± Hailey angrily rolled up her sleeves, wanting to drive to the police station, but Eleanor quickly stopped her. ¡°I¡¯ve already reported it, but it¡¯s hard to find him, and he has evidence against me. I can¡¯t offend him¡­¡± ¡°What evidence?¡± Eleanor told Hailey about Josef Caporal¡¯s threats, bit by bit. ¡°No wonder Josef brought so many people to the wedding that day. He must have been threatening you with me.¡± After learning the truth, Hailey felt guilty. ¡°Eleanor, you¡¯re too silly. You took the risk all by yourself for me.¡± She lifted her hand and touched Eleanor¡¯s gaunt face with hollowed¨Cout eyes. Eleanor was beautiful and easily targeted by jerks. When they were in school, whoever bullied or followed her, she would tell them to Hailey and Garratt. Now she encountered such a dangerous situation, and she chose to bear it alone. Eleanor must have done so in order not to involve her. Hailey said with concern, ¡°If something like this happens again, you have to tell me.¡± Although she was no match for those rich kids, she would try her best to protect Eleanor. Those crazy men, if they ever dared to touch Eleanor again, she would kill them! Eleanor patted her trembling hand andforted her, ¡°Everything has been resolved, the Caporal Group has been defeated, and Josef is still unconscious. As for Mr. Law, I guess he helped me get rid of Josef, and maybe he just had a crush on me, that¡¯s why he did that¡­¡± Hailey was still worried, ¡°A person who doesn¡¯t even dare to show his true identity is not that simple. If he asks you out again, you agree first, and then III go with Austin to catch him!¡± Eleanor wanted to say that he still had evidence against her, but on second thought, if they revealed Mr. Law¡¯s true identity, they would each have evidence against each other, and she wouldn¡¯t have to be threatened by him all the time. Eleanor obediently nodded, ¡°Okay¡± She had been deceiving her best friend with lies and felt guilty. Now that she had told Hailey about these things, her guilt eased a lot. There was one more thing that she hadn¡¯t told Hailey about her illness. ¨C She hadn¡¯t figured out a way to tell Hailey because she didn¡¯t want Hailey to be too sad. That was why she hadn¡¯t mentioned it yet. Chapter 112 Chapter 112 Hailey was still pissed about Eleanor being bullied by a stranger. The whole way, she kept saying that next time they saw Mr. Law, they¡¯d bring some dangerous stuff to keep him in line. if Mr. Law dared to mess with them, she¡¯d teach him a lesson on the spot. Halley was grinding her teeth when she said this, gripping the steering wheel tightly Eleanor was worried that she might break the wheel, so she nodded in agreement while asking Hailey to pay attention to driving safely. The two chatted as they drove to the supermarket, loaded up on food, and headed back home. When they got back home and headed to the kitchen to cook dinner, Austin showed up just at the right time. He greeted Eleanor and rolled up his sleeves, taking the kitchen knife from Hailey ¡°You two go watch TV, I got this¡± Austin¡¯s gentleness made Hailey smile sweetly ¡°Your cooking is definitely better than ours, so we¡¯ll leave tonight¡¯s feast in your hands.¡± Hailey patted him on the shoulder and then went to the living room with Eleanor to watch TV As soon as the TV was turned on, it started to repeat the news about the business alliance between the Lawrence Group and the Ratliff Group Hailey¡¯s eyes widened in surprise when she saw Bernard with a woman who looked somewhat like Eleanor. ¡°Eleanor, that woman It seemed like she suddenly understood something and immediately closed her mouth. No wonder Bernard forced Eleanor to sign such an agreement, it turned out he saw Eleanor as a substitute. It looked like Eleanor was not only abandoned by Bernard but also used. Five years, Eleanor had given five years of her life, and this was the oue She nced at Eleanor, who looked calm and not at all surprised, as if she had known all along, and her heart grew even more bitter. ¡°Don¡¯t feel bad.¡± Hailey reached over and petted Eleanor¡¯s hair, not knowing what to say tofort her. Eleanor had long been indifferent about being a substitute and only smiled at Hailey ¡°I got over it a while ago, but why do you look so upset?¡± 1 feel bad for you¡± Eleanor sighed,forting her and herself: ¡°Although he considered me as Ms. Ratliff¡¯s substitute, he treated me well over the years. Besides, I was able to forget about Garett thanks to him. You could say I used him to forget the past.¡± Hearing this, Hailey felt a bit relieved: ¡°We should be thankful to him then¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Eleanorughed: 7 wouldn¡¯t go that far Hailey tapped her head: ¡°He bullied you, and you didn¡¯t fight back.¡± Eleanor smirked: ¡°I did fight back¡± The few times he came to find her, she had made him angry ¨C that counted as fighting back, right? Seeing Eleanor pretending not to care, Hailey felt even worse. ¡°I believe you¡¯ll meet someone better in the future.¡± She didn¡¯t expect Eleanor to marry a rich man. She just hoped Eleanor could find someone who truly care for her, then she could be at ease. Yeah, there definitely will be someone like that.¡± Eleanor tried to hide the sadness in her eyes and nodded nonchntly. In reality, she knew deep down there was no future for her. Austin quickly finished cooking, asked the girls to help serve the dishes, and they turned off the TV to eat. After the three of them happily finished dinner, Hailey went to the bathroom, and Austin went to the kitchen to answer the phone Eleanor packed the leftover food on the table and was about to put it in the fridge when she heard Austin¡¯s voice before opening the kitchen door ¡°Dear, wait for half a month more for me, and I¡¯ll be back once I settle things here. It¡¯s too risky if I go back too often¡­¡± Chapter 113 Chapter 113 The kitchen door was pretty soundproof, but Eleanor could vaguely hear Austin say something, and she couldn¡¯t make out what was being said after that. Austin served as the sales director for the Groups of Mallory, and to maintain customer rtionships, he often called them ¡°dear which was normal. But the sentence it¡¯s too risky if I go back too often made Eleanor feel something was off. She stood at the door without moving, and when Austin opened it, he saw her, and his usually delicate face became tense. ¡°Eleanor¡­¡± Austin quickly reacted, pointing to his phone and saying, ¡°It was my client, there is a problem with one of our products, and they want to return arge batch. They called me to go handle it, but I still have to apply for a return with thepany, so I can only go after it¡¯s been taken care of. I just want them to give me more time..¡± His exnation made sense, but he didn¡¯t rify the meaning of ¡°it¡¯ll be easy to get caught if it happens too frequently¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor didn¡¯t n on directly questioning him, she casually said, ¡°Why are you exining so much to me? I didn¡¯t even hear what you said¡± Hearing that, Austin¡¯s tense expression rxed, ¡°I just didn¡¯t want you to misunderstand, so I thought I should exin.¡± Eleanor picked up the te in her hand and headed towards the kitchen, ¡°I was just about to push the door open, and you opened it. What a coincidence!¡± Seeing her put the te in the refrigerator, Austin¡¯s doubts werepletely cleared. Maybe she just came to put things in the kitchen and wasn¡¯t listening to his phone call on purpose. Austin replied, ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s such a coincidence, and then left. Eleanor looked at Austin¡¯s back and felt a bit uneasy. She hesitated whether or not to tell Hailey because Hailey loved Austin so much and trusted him deeply If she told Hailey, it could affect their rtionship. But if she didn¡¯t tell her, she would feel guilty for not informing her friend. After some hesitation, Eleanor still sent a message to Hailey, telling her everything she just overheard. Eleanor didn¡¯t confront Austin directly because, on one hand, she felt she had no right to; on the other hand, she didn¡¯t want him to be suspicious. Thest thing was that Austin was really good to Hailey, and he didn¡¯t seem like someone who would betray her. So, for something without concrete evidence, she could only give Hailey a heads¨Cup in private. Hailey quickly replied to Eleanor, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll secretly check his phone tonight.¡± Eleanor knew Hailey was usually calm when it came to rtionships, so she wasn¡¯t too worried about her. Eleanor replied, ¡°Remember to tell me what you find,¡± and put her phone away. As she left the kitchen, she bumped into Haileying out of the bathroom. The two silently exchanged nces. When faced with issues involving Eleanor, Hailey would usually react quite strongly. But now that it was her turn, she was able to hide her emotions. Eleanor watched as Hailey calmly hooked arms with Austin and went home, feeling heavy¨Chearted. She worried about what Hailey might find out, especially since they had just gotten married. How would Hailey face it if she found something? Eleanor couldn¡¯t fall asleep, sitting on the sofa with her phone tightly in her hand, waiting for Hailey¡¯s text. Around 2 A.M., Hailey finally sent her a message. [Eleanor, I checked it out, and it was indeed just a client, and moreover, the client is a he.] [Austin¡¯s ¡°it¡¯ll be easy to get caught if it happens too frequently¡± was because they both got some benefits from the situation, and they were worried about getting caught with too much contact] Upon receiving these two messages, Eleanor sighed a breath of relief. She quickly replied, (I¡¯m sorry, Hailey, I misunderstood.] Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Hailey quickly replied, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re my childhood friend and family. If you find any clues, you must tell me, otherwise you¡¯ll disappoint my deep feelings for you all these years.¡± Seeing this, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but smile. Hailey truly believed in her and wouldn¡¯t get mad at her for being reckless. She replied, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do whatever you say,¡± added a goodnight emoji, and went to sleep with peace of mind. The next afternoon, she was woken up by a dozen phone calls and grabbed her phone from under her pillow. ¡°Ms. Shultz, are you awake?¡± Hearing Jason¡¯s clear and pleasant voice, Eleanor struggled to open her eyes. ¡°Mr. Clowers, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°How¡¯s your health?¡± Eleanor muttered a ¡°good¡± in response. Seeing her indifference, Jason felt a little disappointed, but he quickly adjusted his mood. The Clowers Group is hosting a celebration dinner tonight. Can I invite you as my date?¡± Eleanor hesitated, and without any doubt, she refused, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go.¡± Being rejected, Jason didn¡¯t get angry but continued gently, ¡°Pleasee as a favor to look after me, okay?¡± Eleanor replied coldly, ¡°Colter¡¯s already taking care of you. Why do you need me?¡± Jason gently exined, ¡°Colter made a mistake and I already sent him back to B City¡± Eleanor thought that Jason would return to B City after the bidding meeting, but he not only stayed but also sent his assistant away. Her beautiful eyebrows furrowed, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going back to B City?¡± Hearing her question, Jason felt more disappointed, ¡°Do you really want me to go back to B City?¡± Eleanor certainly hoped he would go back soon; otherwise, she would have to entertain him continuously. She was not willing to spend her precious time on Jason. But she would never say that to his face. Seeing her silence, Jason knew her thoughts. He smiled bitterly and said calmly, ¡°I¡¯ll leave after the celebration.¡± Then, he pleaded with Eleanor, ¡°Can you apany me to the dinner tonight?¡± Eleanor agreed as soon as she heard that he would leave after the celebration. She got up, took some medicine, changed into loose clothes, and hid the paleness on her face with makeup before going downstairs. Jason had already parked the car downstairs. Seeing hering out of the elevator, he hurriedly opened the driver¡¯s door and walked towards her. He politely took her bag and opened the passenger door for her. Facing his care, Eleanor felt a little ufortable but said nothing and got into the car. She fastened her seatbelt and looked out the window, noticing a Bugatti not far away. Seeing this car, Eleanor was reminded of Bernard, whose favorite car to drive was this Bugatti. She checked the license te and found it wasn¡¯t his. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . She clearly remembered the license tes of each of his cars, but she had never seen this one. So, the Bugatti parked in the distance wasn¡¯t his. Eleanor felt disappointed but also thought her expectations were foolish. Now, he was about to marry his crush. What was she still hoping for? Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Eleanor mocked herself, turned her gaze away, and looked at Jason who got into the driver¡¯s seat. Where¡¯s the celebration party?¡± ¡°Grandview Hotel¡± That was the most luxurious hotel in A City. The Clowers Group held the celebration party mainly to celebrate winning the contract for the western district of the city. Though it was just a district, it had established a foundation for the Clowers Group in A City, so naturally they wanted to celebrate. Eleanor thought Jason would directly take her to the hotel, but he drove to the mall instead. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. It was the same dress shop, but this time he bought her ten exclusive dresses, including bags and jewelry. As Eleanor watched the high¨Cscale bags being put into the trunk one by one, she held her aching head. ¡°Mr. Clowers, the shipping fee is quite expensive.¡± Jason leaned against the car door, looked at her and said, ¡°This time, don¡¯t return them, or I¡¯ll make you entertain me forever¡± At this moment, Eleanor was stunned. Garett did the same, buying her things and not letting her refuse or return them. He looked gentle, but in fact, he was a very stubborn and domineering person. He would always do what he said. Eleanor, afraid that he would really make her entertain him forever, said nothing. As for these things, she would ask Hailey to return them after she died. Jason drove her to the hotel. Before entering the ballroom, he asked her to hook her arm around his. Eleanor nced at him and reluctantly reached out to hook his arm. Jason looked down at her hand on his arm and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. The two of them walked in arm in arm, and everyone in the ballroom stood up when they saw the presidenting in with his femalepanion. Getting congrattions from everyone, Jason revealed a satisfied smile. The ballroom was huge and luxuriously decorated. Warm yellow lights illuminated the space, apanied by soothing music, creating an elegant atmosphere. Everyone attending the banquet wore high¨Cquality dresses and held champagne sses, chatting in low voices. The Clowers Group¡¯s executives and employees alike were very well¨Cmannered. They didn¡¯t ridicule Eleanor but greeted her politely. It struck Eleanor as strange to attend the celebration party for someone else¡¯spany, which made her feel a little awkward. As if reading her thoughts, Jason whispered in her ear, ¡°You¡¯ve been helping me with this projecttely, so it¡¯s only fitting that you attend The Clowers Group¡¯s celebration party as my date.¡± After hearing his words, Eleanor slightly turned her head to distance herself from him. Her subtle gesture caught Jason¡¯s attention, making him feel a bit bitter. Jason didn¡¯t express his feelings and helped her to sit down, then he ordered hot milk for her. ¡°Drink some of this to warm your stomach. He stirred the milk to cool it down before handing it to Eleanor. This habit was something both he and Hailey had developed since they were kids. They all knew she was sensitive to heat, so they always helped her cool down food before giving it to her. Especially Garett¨Cno matter the circumstances, he made sure she ate first. Back then, they were poor, Eleanor had a heart condition that required expensive medications. Fearful that she might not have ess to her medicine, Garett studied and worked, giving her all the money he earned. Eleanor would alwaysugh at him for being foolish, but he would pat her head gently and say, ¡°Eleanor, I won¡¯t let you go hungry when you¡¯re with me.¡± He treated her so well that she became a bit spoiled, often getting mad at him over trivial things. If she hadn¡¯t been angry with him that day, Garett wouldn¡¯t have been hit by a car trying to save her, and their rtionship wouldn¡¯t be like this now. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 Eleanor thought about all this, and her eyes suddenly were filled with tears. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Afraid of Jason seeing, she lowered her head hurriedly, took the milk he handed over, and drank it slowly, spoonful by spoonful. Jason watched her drinking with a innocent and clear face, and couldn¡¯t help but smile. This time, she not only didn¡¯t refuse him but also obediently drank what he handed over. Did that mean she did not really hate him that much? He stared at her quietly, his eyes never left her, as if he were looking at his beloved, and he gradually became fascinated. It wasn¡¯t until she finished drinking bit by bit that he reluctantly looked away and wiped the corner of her mouth with a napkin. Even if the light was dim, everyone in the room could see the affection of their president. Originally, they thought Ms. Shultz was just apanion, but it turned out that she was the one the president loved. Seeing this, some executives couldn¡¯t help but take out their phones and secretly snapped a picture of them. As Jason wiped the corner of her mouth, Eleanor felt a little ufortable. She wanted to push him away, but she felt that with so many eyes watching it would embarrass him, so she just put up with it. Jason saw that she still didn¡¯t refuse him, and the smile in his eyes became thicker. After he wiped her mouth clean, he lowered his head and asked Eleanor gently, ¡°Ms. Shultz, have you ever met my brother before?¡± He thought that Eleanor¡¯s disgust with him must have something to do with his brother. He had to ask clearly to resolve Eleanor¡¯s prejudices against him. Eleanor frowned, ¡°You have a brother?¡± Jason nodded, ¡°Yes, his name is Carson Clowers, the former president of the Clowers Group. Don¡¯t you know him?¡± Eleanor shook her head. She had never paid attention to any news rted to the Clowers Group. How could she know Carson? Jason¡¯s eyebrows gradually frowned. Since Eleanor didn¡¯t know who his brother was, it meant his brother hadn¡¯t approached her. But there was another possibility, that his brother had treated Eleanor badly in his name, which made Eleanor hold prejudice against him. Thinking of this, Jason asked her in a hurry, ¡°Did I do anything bad to you five years ago?¡± Eleanor thought he was testing her again, feeling disgusted, and impatiently replied, ¡°No.¡± Her answer was so direct and without the slightest hesitation that Jason was stupefied. If his brother didn¡¯t approach Eleanor in his name, then it could only mean¡­ She simply didn¡¯t love him anymore¡­. Just thinking about this possibility, his heart ached uncontrobly. This was still in the case of amnesia, what about when he regained his memory, what would he be? Eleanor didn¡¯t notice Jason¡¯s weirdness and got up and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to the bathroom.¡± After drinking such a small cup of milk, she couldn¡¯t control her physiological situation, which meant that her body had deteriorated to an extreme extent. Seeing Jason fell into a trance, she thought he was thinking about things so she walked straight out of the banquet hall without waiting for his response. The bathroom in the Grandview Hotel wasrge and high¨Cscale, and it even had a few artistic mirrors in the middle. Eleanor nced at herself in the mirror, her face covered with thick, beautiful makeup, looking more like Sophie. She hated herself like this, so she quickly looked away and walked into the bathroom. As she came out and was about to wash her hands, the bathroom door suddenly closed with a loud noise, followed by the sound of locking. She sensed something was wrong, turned around hurriedly, bypassed several mirrors blocking the view, and saw Josef sitting in a wheelchair. He wore a patient¡¯s gown with a mask, his hands resting on the armrests of the wheelchair, and his vicious eyes staring at her intently. Chapter 117 Chapter 117 The moment Eleanor saw Josef, her heart skipped a beat, and fear and tension Immediately filled her chest. ¡®Mr. Caporal.. Her face turned pale with fright, and her voice trembled. Seeing her so scared, Josel tilted his head slightly, ¡®Ms. Shultz, long time no see.¡± Eleanor was shaking all over but she managed to keep herposure, ¡°Mr. Caporal, what brings you to thedies¡® room to find me?¡± Josef seemed tough, ¡°Nothing much, just wanted to thank you.¡± He then removed the mask from his face, revealing a mouth sewn with over a dozen stitches. The dense stitches looked horrifying, causing Eleanor to take a step back. But Josef didn¡¯t seem to care, beckoning her with his finger, ¡°Come here.¡± Eleanor shook her head and turned to run towards the nearby washroom. The two bodyguards who were following behind Josef, each holding an iron rod, immediately rushed forward upon seeing this. After blocking her escape, the guards grabbed her arms, one on each side, and brought her before Josef. She was forced, in a humiliating posture, to kneel before him. ¡°You¡¯re still good at running, aren¡¯t you?¡± Josef sneered, looking down at Eleanor with a cruel expression. ¡°But where can you run to?¡± Heughed, like a madman, and then fixed his vicious gaze back on her. ¡°All because of you, my hands are ruined, my legs are crippled, even my mouth is destroyed. How should I thank you?¡± By the end, his tone became heavier, as if he wanted to tear Eleanor to pieces. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor trembled in fear at his appearance. ¡°Mr. Caporal, I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t understand?¡± Josef raised an eyebrow, and his smile became even more chilling and terrifying. The night you gave me the contract, I encountered a group of people, their leader wearing a golden mask.¡± ¡°He said something then, but I was in and out of consciousness due to the torture and didn¡¯t hear it clearly.¡± ¡°After regaining my senses, I tried hard to grasp that bit of memory, and luckily, I remembered.¡± ¡°Guess what he said?¡± Josef¡¯s casual tone, as if talking to an old friend, made Eleanor feel inexplicably creepy. Especially when he mentioned the leader wearing a golden mask, she shuddered instinctively. She had suspected before that the person torturing Josef was Mr. Law, and it turned out she was right. Not knowing Josef¡¯s purpose in suddenly bringing up Mr. Law, she pretended not to know and shook her head. ¡®I don¡¯t know..¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know?¡± Josef looked disbelieving and then sneered. ¡°Let me tell you¡± He bent down and brought his sliced mouth close to Eleanor¡¯s eyes,ughing as he said: ¡°He said that I¡¯ve hugged her, kissed her, and let her sit on myp, so he had to punish me.¡± ¡°I thought carefully. The only person I¡¯ve hugged, kissed, and let sit on myp without doing anything else with is you¡± Upon hearing this, Eleanor¡¯s face turned pale again. No wonder Josef said he wanted to thank her and strangely brought up Mr. Law earlier. It turned out that Mr. Law¡¯s words had made Josef suspect Eleanor was the mastermind behind everything. Cho had theual local use her Chapter 118 Chapter 118 Ignoring the intense pain in his thigh, Josef suddenly lifted his leather shoe, hooked the tip under Eleanor¡¯s chin, and forced her to look at him. You sneaky woman! I¡¯m like this because of the people you sent after me. Don¡¯t you think I should be really grateful to you?* Eleanor hadn¡¯t noticed the anger in Josef¡¯s eyes, but now she was forced to look up at him, and she instantly saw the fury burning within. She was so scared that her breath caught in her throat, but she knew she couldn¡¯t show fear, so she clenched her teeth and tried to calm down. You must have misunderstood. I never sent anyone to harm you, and I don¡¯t know the masked man you¡¯re talking about¡­¡± Even if Josef thought she sent Mr. Law to hurt him, she couldn¡¯t admit she knew him. And it wasn¡¯t her who asked Mr. Law to go after Josef. She only found out from the news the next day. Besides, she was also a victim. ¡°Don¡¯t know him?¡± Seeing Eleanor y dumb, Josef¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Haha¡­¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. His sinisterugh gave Eleanor goosebumps. She clenched her fists and continued to deny it: ¡°The masked man dared to hurt even you, so he must be really powerful. How could someone like me have contact with such a person¡­¡± Josefughed even more menacingly. ¡°You¡¯re still as persuasive as ever. Almost made me believe you again, but this time¡­ He paused for a moment, his eyes filled with anger, and he revealed a fierce expression. ¡°I¡¯ll never let you off the hook!¡± With that, he violently kicked Eleanor away. As she fell, a bodyguard grabbed an iron rod and mmed it hard against Eleanor¡¯s back before she can react! The pain was unbearable, and cold sweat poured down her body.. ¡°You despicable woman! It¡¯s one thing to conspire with Mr. Wiseman from the Laurence Group to frame me, but then you had someonee after me too! Do you think I¡¯m easy to bully?¡± His face was ruined, his body was crippled, and he had to face a hugepensation im from the Laurence Group, all because of her. When he woke up from hisa, he learned that his father had been arrested and their family was ruined. So he nned to use the contract Eleanor signed with him to revitalize the family! But Mr. Wiseman told him that ording to the contract, he had breached penalty use. Not only would he fail to get the development rights to the Western City project, but he¡¯d also have to pay the Laurence Group a substantial penalty fee. He only then discovered the penalty use in the contract: the Caporal Group must not have any negative news. If any scandal is exposed, the Caporal Group would have to pay the Laurence Group billions in penalty fees.. It was as if someone had anticipated his imminent bad publicity. They deliberately asked him to revise the contract terms and then exposed his scandal, causing him to failpletely and take on a huge debt. He couldn¡¯t help but suspect that Eleanor and Mr. Wiseman had teamed up to set him up. After all, it was Mr. Wiseman who asked him to revise the contract that night! But he didn¡¯t know if the masked man was Mr. Wiseman, so he could only test Eleanor¡¯s words. ¡°Tell me! Who¡¯s the man behind the mask? Is it Mr. Wiseman?¡± Josef¡¯s icy voice came from above, frightening Eleanor so much that her whole body trembled. She didn¡¯t understand why Josef would suspect that the masked man was Mr. Wiseman. Just as she was about to ask him, another blow from the iron rod came crashing down. The bone¨Ccrushing pain rendered her speechless, so she curled up in an attempt to alleviate the agony¡­ Unable to speak from the pain, Eleanor remained silent. Josef took her silence as a refusal to answer, and with a wave, the iron rod struck her back once again. Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Pain¡­ Suffocating pain¡­. The pain was so intense that it made her breathing difficult¡­. Yet Josel had no intention of letting her go that easily. He ordered two bodyguards to pin her against the washbasin, and looked at them with a fierce expression. ¡°My only regret is that I¡¯ve never vited you, but watching it live is pretty exciting, don¡¯t you think?¡± This statement was even more unbearable than the physical pain. Ignoring the wounds on her back, she desperately shook her head at Josef. ¡°Mr. Caporal, I really don¡¯t know who the masked man is, nor who this Mr. Wiseman you mentioned is¡­ She gritted her teeth and didn¡¯t mention Mr. Law, because she knew that once she revealed who he was, Josef would let the bodyguards do horrible things to her Right now, he was merely trying to coerce her into revealing who Mr. Law was. As long as she didn¡¯t speak, there was a glimmer of hope. Josef knew that Eleanor was smart. Without some coercion, she wouldn¡¯t talk. He nodded at the two bodyguards and coldly ordered: ¡°F**k her!¡± Upon receiving the order, the bodyguards immediately started to strip Eleanor¡¯s clothes. Frightened, Eleanor struggled desperately but could not ovee the strength of two men. One of them pinned her arms to the washbasin, one undressing her, and another removing her pants, leaving her naked in no time¡­. As they touched her and kissed her, Josef¡¯s excitedughter echoed in her ears. That sound, coupled with the sensations on her body, made Eleanor feel like she had fallen into an ice cave. ¡°Get off me! Don¡¯t touch me!* She struggled frantically, but the more she struggled, the more it excited Josef. ¡°Hurry, f**k her good!¡± will ¡°Josef, if I tell you who the masked man is, you let me go?¡± She used her only bargaining chip, gritting her teeth and shouting at Josef. The two bodyguards immediately stopped when they heard her ready to reveal who the masked man was. However, Josef didn¡¯t care: ¡°Have some good time with her first, and teach her a lesson¡±¡± He had been deterred by her words in the past, which caused him to miss several opportunities to im her body. Today, even if G od himself showed up, he would f**k her first! Once the two men received the order, they started to grope Eleanor again. Just when they were about to do it, the bathroom door was kicked open from outside. The man who rushed in was Jason, dressed in a ck suit¡­. Seeing him at that moment, Eleanor seemed to see Garett from the past. Back then, when she was bullied by ssmates and locked in the bathroom, it was also him who rushed in to save her. *Garett¡­¡± The name that she unintentionally called out made Jason¡¯s heart ache, and his bones started to hurt. Ignoring everything else, he rushed over, kicked the bodyguards aside, removed his coat and put it on Eleanor. ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t be afraid¡­¡± He scooped up Eleanor into his arms, holding her tightly, whisperingforting words. These words were said subconsciously, but they left Eleanor startled. She was suddenly confused, unsure whether the man who hade was Jason or Garett ¡°Mr. Clowers¡­¡± Josef, sitting in his wheelchair, tilted his head to look at Jason. ¡°Long time no see.¡± He greeted softly, seemingly unafraid of Jason. Or maybe Josef was ready for a fight to the death.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Jason¡¯s eyes turned red as he looked up at Josef. ¡°Josef, you dare to touch my girl? Do you have a death wish?¡± He held Eleanor, walked up to Josef, and kicked his wheelchair, flipping it over. Josef¡¯s hands and feet were still undergoing treatment, and he couldn¡¯t really put any strength into them. With one kick, he fell over like a shrimp, unable to move on the ground. But he didn¡¯t care at all. He turned his head, grinned with his stitched¨Cup mouth, and looked at Eleanor, laughing menacingly. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor, you¡¯re really something, even seducing Jason. No wonder you didn¡¯t want me to fuck you¡­¡± His words made Jason extremely ufortable. It was like someone had defiled the treasure he held in his hand Suddenly, he stomped on Josef¡¯s face with his hefty shoe, like a lunatic. Using all his strength, as if he wanted to crush Josef¡¯s mouth right then and there The vicious intent in his eyes finally made Josef feel scared. He begged for mercy, but Jason didn¡¯t seem to hear him and continued to stomp hard. Seeing Jason like this, Eleanor sobered up instantly. The person who hade was not Garett, but Jason. Back in the day, he trampled her heart just like this¡­ Eleanor was lost in thought, while Jason was dealing with Josef. No one noticed the bodyguard who had slipped behind them, getting up. With no defense whatsoever, Jason was brutally struck in the back of his head with an iron rod by the bodyguard. The impact made Jason¡¯s vision go ck, and he fell to the ground. Afraid Eleanor would fall too, he gritted his teeth and knelt on one knee, seeing that she hadn¡¯t been injured. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief. ¡°Jason, are you alright?¡± Eleanor¡¯s hand hooked around the back of his neck was damp. When she let go of him, it was covered in blood. Her face turned pale in fright. She grabbed his arm, her eyes filled with worry. ¡°You¡¯re hurt. Let¡¯s get out of here and go to the hospital!¡± Her injury was on the back, while his was on the head, a fatal ce. Losing that much blood must be very serious. But Jason shook his head, remaining silent as he gently set her on the ground before standing up straight. When he turned around, the ferocity in his eyes made the iron rod¨Cwielding bodyguard shiver. The bodyguard hesitated, but felt ready to fight, even giving a signal to another bodyguard on the ground. The bodyguard thought they had a better chance together. However, Jason simply raised his leg and kicked him several meters away. He spun around and knocked down another charging bodyguard with one punch. After defeating both of them, he took the iron rods from their hands and smashed them onto their heads forcefully. It wasn¡¯t until both bodyguards had fainted that he turned to look at Josef, who was sprawled on the ground. Facing this mad Jason, Josef copsed on the ground, not daring to move or make a sound. Making sure that Josef was too scared to make any move, Jason finally picked up Eleanor and walked out of the restroom. Eleanor was worried about the wound on the back of his head and wanted him to let her down, but he held on tightly, refusing to let go. ¡°Eleanor, are you hurt anywhere?¡± Jason¡¯s voice trembled. If he had arrived a momentter, she would have been defiled by those two bastards! Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Eleanor shook her head. Her back injury wasn¡¯t as severe as the bleeding wound on the back of his head. ¡°You¡¯re pretty banged up, let¡¯s go to the hospital.¡± Eleanor¡¯s hands were covered in his blood, the bright red color reminded her of the night when he got hit by a car five years ago. This only made her feel more guilty ¨C both times, he got severely injured trying to save her. She couldn¡¯t understand why Jason was so protective of her. ¡°Alright¡± Jason nodded, and as he carried her through the banquet hall, a few bodyguards saw them and immediately surrounded them. Seeing how injured Jason was, the bodyguards were extremely guilty for not being able to protect him and kept apologizing. Jason, however, didn¡¯t care. He instructed them to take Josef to the police station before quickly heading toward the hotel lobby. Eleanor wasn¡¯t dressed, but luckily, Jason¡¯s coat wasrge enough to cover her tiny frame. However, she still felt a bit embarrassed and afraid that peopleing in and out of the hotel would see her, so she buried her head deep in Jason¡¯s chest. As she hid in his arms, a group of bodyguards suddenly entered the hotel lobby, blocking their way. There were probably over twenty of them. Jason immediately stopped and looked towards the hotel entrance there was a man getting out of a Lincoln limousine. The man wore a ck suit with a ck coat, and under the dim lights, he looked like a statue. He stood there, staring at them with cold eyes. ¡°Mr. Clowers.¡± Hearing that familiar voice, Eleanor¡¯s face turned pale. She didn¡¯t have time to think about why Bernard would be here, she just buried her head deeper in Jason¡¯s chest. She thought that by doing so, he wouldn¡¯t see her, but those cold eyes were still staring at her relentlessly. Jason could naturally feel Bernard¡¯s hostility, but didn¡¯t know where it wasing from. ¡°Mr. Laurence, what do you want?¡± He couldn¡¯t recall ever offending Bernard, so why would he send so many bodyguards to surround them? Bernard walked up to them and, as his gaze moved downwards, saw Eleanor¡¯s exposed body. His handsome face instantly turned gloomy, and even his eyes were filled with cold light. ¡°Hand her over to me.¡± His eyes were fixated on Eleanor, not moving. Seeing such a gaze, Jason, being a man as well, understood its meaning. He held Eleanor tightly, took a step back, and his eyes revealed a hint of possessiveness. ¡°Mr. Laurence, what¡¯s your rtionship with her and why do you want me to hand her over to you?¡± Bernard sneered and nced at Eleanor before saying: ¡°Do you want to go with him, or with me?¡± He couldn¡¯t even be bothered to answer Jason¡¯s question, just giving Eleanor the choice. Eleanor felt her heart leaping to her throat as those eyes stared at her. She thought Bernard¡¯s visit to the hotel was for other reasons and didn¡¯t expect it to be for her. Eleanor was at a loss and even her gaze when looking at him was filled with confusion. Bernard had never revealed their rtionship in front of anyone before, and this was the first time. What was going on with him? *She doesn¡¯t even know you, so there¡¯s no way she¡¯s going with you¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Jason¡¯s hand held Eleanor tightly, as if wanting to blend her into his body. He had already guessed the rtionship between the two but didn¡¯t want to think too deeply about it. He was afraid that once he dived into this, he wouldn¡¯t be able to ept it, so he chose to pretend not to know. Eleanor sensed Jason¡¯s uneasiness and finally regained herposure ¡°Mr. Laurence, I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t go with you.¡± Since Jason had just been injured for her, she needed to apany him to the hospital for treatment. So, she gathered the courage to refuse Bernard. Chapter 122 Chapter 122 The man in front of her had a deeper chill in his eyes after hearing this, and his eyebrows and eyes all seemed cold. Eleanor didn¡¯t dare to look at Bernard anymore, and quickly turned her head to say to Jason, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Hearing this, Jason¡¯s face eased a bit. No matter what their rtionship was, at this moment, Eleanor chose him, and that was the best oue. He put away his heavy heart, held Eleanor tightly, and silently walked past Bernard. Bernard turned his head, nced at Eleanor, and his gloomy eyes seemed to want to pierce through her. Eleanor quickly lowered her head to avoid his sharp gaze, but he suddenly grabbed her arm. Those long hands used all their strength to yank her out of Jason¡¯s embrace. Eleanor lost her bnce and fell to the ground. The ce on her back that had been injured rubbed against the ground, causing her to break out in a cold sweat. But she ignored the pain and quickly reached out to pick up the fallen coat. But before her hand could touch the edge of the coat, Bernard kicked it away. Immediately, a ck coat enveloped her tightly. The coat was sorge that even her exposed legs were covered. The faint scent that emanated from it made Eleanor stand still in ce.. She slowly raised her head and looked at Bernard who was standing in front of her. For a moment, she thought he was crazy¡­ He actually snatched her from Jason¡¯s hands in front of everyone. Wasn¡¯t he afraid that others would find out about their rtionship? ¡°Bernard!¡± Jason saw how he treated Eleanor and became so angry that his face turned pale Regardless of Bernard¡¯s status, he rushed to fight him. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. When Eleanor¡¯s clothes slipped just now, the crowd of bodyguards that Bernard brought with him turned their backs. Now sensing Jason¡¯s hostility, they immediately turned back and blocked him. No matter how powerful Jason was, he couldn¡¯t beat more than twenty bodyguards, and he was quickly pinned down on the ground. Aidyn ame over, patted his shoulder, and smiled, ¡°Mr. Clowers, Mr. Laurence is dealing with some personal issues. Please wait on the side¡± Though the tone was polite, the action was rough. Regardless of his willingness, the bodyguards directly dragged him away. Seeing this, Eleanor hurriedly said to Bernard, ¡®Mr. Laurence, I¡¯ll go with you- don¡¯t hurt him.¡± Jason¡¯s injury on the back of his head was still bleeding, and he couldn¡¯t deal with a group of professional bodyguards. Bernard pretended not to hear and lifted his slender fingers, pinching her chin. ¡°You¡¯re so worried about him; did he please you in bed?¡± His words were humiliating. Eleanor pursed her lips, not sure what to say The man released her chin, lifted the coat, nced at her corbone covered in hickeys, and his eyes became even colder. ¡°You two are really intimate, even during your period¡­ Eleanor was shocked. She had only told Mr. Law before that she was on her period and couldn¡¯t do anything, so why did Bernard know about it too? She looked at Bernard in surprise but found that his gaze was on her bloodstained hands. ¡°Oh my, your hands are covered in blood¡­¡± Turns out he saw the blood on her hands and mistakenly thought that even during her period, she still had sex with Jason Faced with his insult and distrust, Eleanor seemed even moreposed than before. She calmly said, ¡°We¡¯ve already broken up. Who I¡¯m with, how I interact with them, and what happens between us has nothing to do with you anymore, right?¡± Chapter 123 Chapter 123 At the sound of this, the hand resting on her neck paused for a moment. The man grabbed her neck with one hand and lifted her off the ground. A powerful force choked her airway, causing a suffocating sensation and making her heart feel heavy and painful. She had a weak heart and needed to maintain enough oxygen. If she was deprived her of enough oxygen, she would die! Moreover, her back was injured, and it was already painful enough for her to breathe. Now her airway was being choked¡­.. She tried desperately to open her mouth, trying to breathe in air. But that big hand didn¡¯t give her any chance, and the strength on her neck was getting stronger gradually¡­. Trembling, she tried to pull the corner of Bernard¡¯s clothes, but she had no strength. All she could do was look at Bernard with tears in her eyes, hoping that he would have mercy and let her go. Seeing her face be abnormally pale, as if she were on the verge of death, Bernard quickly let go of her neck and pushed her to the ground. Given the chance to breathe, Eleanor copsed on the ground, clutching her heart, and barely managed to speak. ¡°My pills¡­¡± She needed to take her medicine as soon as possible or get oxygen immediately, or else she would die! She used to take a lot of medicines to control her condition before seeing Bernard.. She only had one episode in front of him these years, but he mistakenly thought she was pretending to be sick for the sake of money. So since then, she had been hiding her heart condition very well from Bernard. But at this moment¡­ She stretched out her hand to Bernard, shaking her voice for help: ¡°¡­ have heart disease¡­ please¡­ help me¡­ She was not afraid to die, but the choking sensation made her desperate, forcing her to instinctively seek help to survive. Bernard¡¯s indifferent eyes trembled slightly. ¡°Where¡¯s the medicine?¡± The medicine¡­. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor suddenly remembered that she had taken a lot of medicines before going out, without bringing her bag with her.. At this thought, she suddenly let go of her struggling hand. Perhaps her life woulde to an end soon, which was why the medicine was not with her so conveniently She gave up on seeking help, turned over, and looked at the dim light above her with her hand on her heart. The room was dark and gloomy, without a trace of lighting in, just like hell¡­. In a daze, she saw a delicate face appear in front of her, with light reflecting off of it. Then the man picked her up. Eleanor nestled in his arms, forcing her eyes to stay open and look at his wless face. She couldn¡¯t see his expression clearly, but she could feel his tight embrace as if he was afraid of losing her. For the first time, Bernard held her in his arms in public right there in the hotel. Eleanor became a bit addicted to his arms and couldn¡¯t help but lean her head on his firm chest. She just wanted to be capricious for once¡­.. With a cold face, Bernard quickly put her in the car. Sophie, who was walking towards the hotel, saw Bernard holding a woman, and her face changed immediately. She quickly walked over to him. ¡°Bernard, who is she?¡± As soon as he saw Sophie, Bernard closed the car door, and she couldn¡¯t see who the woman in the car was. She could only stare intently at the woman in the car through the thick window and coldly ask, ¡°Who is she?¡± Bernard had proposed to her, and they had even set their engagement date. Yet, here he was, holding another woman. What angered her even more was that Bernard imed to be a germaphobe and kept his distance from women. Why would he hold others close? Sophie¡¯s face was filled with disbelief and anger. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you speaking?¡± Bernard ignored her, walked around the car, got in, and closed the door As Sophie watched his car disappear from sight at high speed, her gentle face instantly turned cold. She took out her phone and made a call. ¡°Immediately investigate who is the woman that apanied Mr. Laurence to the Grandview Hotel today!¡± Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Eleanor, barely hanging on, strained to look at Bernard as he sped down the road ¡°Bernard¡­ hurry up and go after your fianc¨¦e.. don¡¯t worry about me¡­¡± She managed to finish the sentence in between gasping breaths, which almost seemed to steal her life away. She leaned against the passenger seat, gasping for air, but it didn¡¯t alleviate her feeling of suffocation. Bemard frowned and nced at her but didn¡¯t respond to her words. He had a cold expression and drove quickly in silence to the hospital. Seeing Bernard carrying her and walking briskly towards the hospital, Eleanor weakly reached out with her hand, trying to grab his white shirt. 1 don¡¯t want to go to the hospital¡­ Her fingers were ice cold, as if her body temperature had vanished before death, making Bernard shiver inside. ¡°Quiet down, good girl. They have oxygen at the hospital.¡± Reassuring her, Bernard held the woman tightly in his arms and headed toward the triage desk. The head of the hospital, who was doing rounds near the triage desk, saw Bernarding and rushed to greet him. ¡°Mr. Laurence..¡± ¡°Liana, she might be having a heart attack, she needs oxygen!¡± Liana, wearing a whiteb coat, was interrupted by Bernard before she could even open her mouth. She nced at the woman in Bernard¡¯s arms who was struggling to breathe, and quickly led them into a nearby room. ¡°Please follow me, Mr. Laurence!¡± Liana opened the door to an empty room, letting Bernard ce Eleanor on the bed. She then quickly brought an oxygen mask and expertly helped Eleanor put it on. Breathing in the fresh oxygen, Eleanor rxed instantly. She tightly gripped the oxygen mask and breathed in forcefully, bringing enough oxygen to her suffocating heart. Seeing herplexion regain some vitality. Bernard¡¯s tense expression gradually returned to his usual cold and distant demeanor. He looked at Liana, who was checking on Eleanor and asked, ¡°How is she?¡± Liana listened to Eleanor¡¯s heart for a moment and felt that something was off. ¡°She¡¯s slightly better after having the oxygen. We need to do more tests for a specific diagnosis.¡± Although her heart showed signs of failure, Liana didn¡¯t dare to say anything to Bernard before the test results came back. Bernard coldly ordered, ¡°Give her a full check¨Cup.¡± Liana nodded, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll arrange it.¡± Eleanor, who was currently inhaling oxygen, heard their conversation and gave up struggling. Since she could no longer hide her illness, she might as well let Bernard know about it. After Liana left, Bernard took out his phone and called Aidyn, ¡°Two things, clear the hotel¡¯s surveince and make Jason shut up.¡± Aidyn respectfully replied, ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Bernard put down his phone, lowered his head and looked at Eleanor, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you have a heart problem?¡± His expression remained cold and distant, as if he wasn¡¯t worried about her condition but ming her for hiding it from him. Seeing his cold demeanor, Eleanor¡¯s emotions began to calm. She tried to remove the oxygen mask to speak, but a hand caught her wrist. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± The man¡¯s pleasant voice resonated near her ear, causing her heart to flutter again She pressed her unstable heart, trying to control its pounding, but the sudden close proximity of the man scared her, making it beat even faster. Bernard¡¯s tall and straight figure cast a suffocating oppression, causing Eleanor to shrink her neck back. He remained oblivious, pressing her down onto the bed and gazing at her pale, paper¨Clike face. In a soft voice, he asked, ¡°do you have any other difort?¡± It was rare for Bernard to concern her like this. Eleanor was not used to his sudden tenderness. She pressed her back against the bed to put some distance between them before finally exhaling slowly. With her eyes lowered, she whispered, ¡°My back¡­¡± Her obedient and quiet behavior resembled her past self, as if she had never changed at all. Bernard¡¯s serious face softened slightly He removed her coat and checked her back. Three dark red iron rod marks nearly sunk into her flesh. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Upon closer inspection, her back bone appeared slightly cracked under the marks¨Cprominent and gut¨C wrenching. Chapter 125 Chapter 125 ¡°What happened?¡± Bernard¡¯s expression gradually became gloomy, and there was a hint of chill in his eyes. Was it Jason who did this?¡± Eleanor immediately shook her head: ¡°No, it was Josef¡­¡± Bernard¡¯s eyebrows suddenly frowned, ¡°Tell me.¡± Eleanor had no choice but to tell him everything that had just happened at the hotel. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. The man¡¯s frown rxed slightly when he heard that she was bleeding not because she just slept with Jason. But when he heard that she was almost insulted by the bodyguard brought by Josef, his brows that had just stretched out frowned again. Without any hesitation, the man took out his phone and made a call, ¡°Ryan, deal with Josef!¡± Ryan Wiseman, who received the call from his boss, immediately responded respectfully: ¡°Yes¡± Eleanor looked at Bernard on the phone, somewhat surprised, couldn¡¯t believe he would actually help her deal with Josef. Was it because she had nearly been insulted by someone else, knowing that she had once been his woman, so he helped her, or because he cared about her? Eleanor thought of Josef mentioning the Laurence Group¡¯s Mr. Wiseman and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Is that Ryan¡­ Mr. Wiseman?¡± Hearing that, Bernard¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change much, but there was a slight fluctuation in his eyes. He just nodded lightly in response. Eleanor saw him nod, her face bing somewhat solemn. Josef said she and Mr. Wiseman had deceived him, suspecting that Mr. Wiseman was Mr. Law What does this mean? What is the truth behind it? She wanted to ask Bernard but didn¡¯t want to let him know about her rtionship with Mr. Law. She was afraid he would be angry, afraid he would think she was unfaithful, and even more afraid of being insulted by him, so she dared not ask him. Bernard nced at the pale¨Cfaced Eleanor and gently touched her face: ¡°Hang in there for a while.¡± His broad palm almost covered her face. His fingers gently touched her cheeks, giving Eleanor an illusion. The man in front of her seemed to care about her a lot, couldn¡¯t bear to see her suffer any harm, just as if he loved her so much. When Bernard saw her staring at him with wide eyes, disbelief filling her gaze, he suddenly snapped back to reality, letting go of her face, and quickly walked away Exhausted, Eleanor closed her eyes, trying to sleep, but couldn¡¯t help but nce at Bernard one more time. ¡°Mr. Laurence. ¡± She tried her best to keep her eyes open, looking at Bernard, who had been sitting by the bed and apanying her. ¡°Can you release Mr. Clowers first?¡± Seeing Eleanor still caring about Jason like this, Bernard¡¯s gentle eyes suddenly turned icy cold. ¡°Take care of yourself first!¡± After saying that, Bernard stood up and left without looking back. Watching the indifferent and alienated figure disappear from her sight, Eleanor let out a powerless sigh. Bernard was still cold and heartless¡­ After finishing the blood tests, Liana returned to the ward with the report but didn¡¯t see Bernard. She thought he had left, so she handed the report to Eleanor, who was lying in bed. ¡°Ms. Shultz, your heart failure is very serious. Why haven¡¯t you been hospitalized for treatment?¡± Drowsy, Eleanor still forced herself to stay awake and took the report from Liana. ¡°Being hospitalized for treatment is just waiting for death in a different ce¡­¡± Her voice was filled with endless despair, as if she had already prepared to meet death Liana had sent away many incurable patients without much emotional disturbance. It was just because she was the woman Mr. Laurence brought that Liana took special care of her. ¡®Does Mr. Laurence know about this?¡± Eleanor shook her head. Seeing this, Liana understood. ¡°Do you want me to tell him?¡± Her question surprised Eleanor She had thought that Liana would tell Bernard directly, but didn¡¯t expect her to ask for her permission first. Chapter 126 Chapter 126 ¡°Can we not tell him?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± After Liana nodded, she proposed a condition: ¡°But you have to let me know what your rtionship with him is¡± It was the first time she had seen Bernard so concerned about a woman, which made her a bit curious. Eleanor replied lightly, ¡°I used to be a substitute of the woman he truly loves, now we¡­. have nothing to do with each other¡± Liana smirked, ¡°You¡¯re talking about Sophie, right?¡± Eleanor nodded, and Liana¡¯s smile deepened She didn¡¯t say much more and instructed Eleanor to rest well before leaving the room. After Liana left, Eleanor couldn¡¯t take it anymore, closed her eyes, and fell into a deep sleep. She didn¡¯t know how long she had slept, but as soon as she opened her eyes, she saw Bernard sitting next to her. Wearing a ck turtleneck sweater, the sunlight shining on his skin. He emitted an elegant and noble aura that made people dare not defile or approach him easily. This is from N?velDrama.Org. With his long slender fingers holding some paperwork, he was lowering his longshes, flipping through the pages. His expression did not change as he looked at the report, presumably Liana had made a fake one for him. Liana kept her promise, she not only hid it from him, but also made a fake report for her without her worrying about it But hadn¡¯t Bernard left already? Why was he still watching over her bedside? Eleanor tried to sit up with her body propped up but bumped into the wound on her back, and the intense pain suddenly came. ¡°Don¡¯t move recklessly!¡± Seeing her wake up and moving about, Bernard¡¯s expression tightened as he reached out to steady her shoulders, helping her turn to her side. With his help, Eleanor slowly turned on her side, this position avoiding touching the wound on her back. She just felt very thirsty and wanted to drink water¡­ She looked at Bernard, seeing his cold expression, and didn¡¯t dare speak. She reached out to grab the water cup beside the bed, only to find that her hand had been cleaned of blood, and she had even been changed into a hospital gown. ¡°What do you need?¡± Before she could think about who had helped her wash her hands and change her clothes, Bernard¡¯s cold but gentle voice came from above. ¡°Water¡­¡± Bernard picked up the cup and supported her upper body with an arm around her waist, feeding her water himself. Eleanor stared at him, seemingly trying to discern some emotion from his face. But he showed no expression, still as cold and distant as ever, his gaze just a little gentler than before. Seeing her finish drinking water bit by bit, Bernard slowly let her down, his movements so gentle that Eleanor doubted the man before her was the Bernard Laurence she knew. ¡°You¡­¡± She wanted to ask him what was going on. Bernard stared at her face and said earnestly, I¡¯ve already sent people to find a matching heart for you. I¡¯ll do everything I can to make sure you recover His words were like a warm current slowly flowing into Eleanor¡¯s heart, giving her a glimmer of hope. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that she was already in thete stage of heart failure, she might haveughed happily and sweetly replied, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait for you¡± She couldn¡¯t make a promise to him, so she could only tactfully respond, ¡°I¡¯ve waited for a suitable heart for many years, but I have yet to find one. So you don¡¯t have to get your hopes up. I can still survive taking medicine¡­¡± Chapter 127 Chapter 127 As soon as she finished speaking, Bernard¡¯s face turned cold. ¡°Stop rejecting me, I told you I¡¯ll cure you¡® His face was serious as he covered her with the nket and then picked up the report, sitting down next to her. His eyshes drooped, covering those charming eyes, making it difficult to see what emotions were hidden beneath. His furrowed eyebrows seemed to reveal a hint of uneasiness, but it was very faint and hard to notice without a closer look. He was always good at controlling his emotions, so Eleanor didn¡¯t know what he was thinking and stopped guessing, just lying quietly. They rarely spent time together peacefully like this. In the past five years, he had never apanied her in this way. Sometimes, Eleanor wondered what role she yed in Bernard¡¯s heart. If she was just a substitute, why did he alwayse looking for her after they broke up? This time, he even snatched her away from Jason in public. Did he really do it because he was controlling, or was it because¡­ he actually kind of liked her? She didn¡¯t dare to bring up the word love. For someone like Bernard, it was absolutely impossible for him to fall in love easily. As she was lost in thought, her phone¡¯s vibration interrupted her. Bernard took out his private phone and nced at the caller ID before answering. ¡°Mr. Laurence.¡± ¡°Surveince has been dealt with, and Ms. Shultz¡¯s presence will not be discovered by anyone else,¡± said Aidyn politely from the other end of the line. ¡°Also, after you took Ms. Shultz away yesterday, Jason fainted on the spot. I had no choice but to send him to the city hospital.¡± Bernard asked indifferently, ¡°Is he awake?¡± Aidyn replied, ¡°He just woke up and has been asking to see Ms. Shultz. What do you think¡­?¡± Bernard coldly interrupted him, ¡°No.¡± Aidyn hesitated a bit, ¡°After all, he is the president of the Clowers Group. Now, his people are constantly looking for me to get him back. I can¡¯t have someone watching him all the time¡­¡± What Aidyn meant was that he could withstand pressure temporarily, but not continuously. Bernard thought for a few seconds with a stern face, and finally said, ¡°Let him go.¡± Then he hung up the phone and looked at Eleanor, who was watching him. Seeing the caller as Aidyn, she didn¡¯t bother asking. As long as he was willing to let Jason go, she could go thank Jason after her body recovered. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Bernard stared at the IV bag until it was empty before helping her remove the needle. Eleanor nced at the three bottles of fluids next to her, which meant that the IV infusion was supposed to continue. But Bernard had removed the needle for her, didn¡¯t he want her to continue the infusion? As she was puzzled, Bernard suddenly lifted the nket and carried her out of the bed. Eleanor looked at his side profile in confusion. ¡°Where¡­ are we going?¡± Bernard looked down at her and said, ¡°Home.¡± The home he was talking about was not No.8 Mansion, but his private estate. The estate was huge, with a vast garden upon entering, seemingly surrounded by a sea of flowers. It took several minutes to drive into the vi area, showing the scale of this estate. The vi¡¯s decoration was simple and bright, not too heavy, but elegant and suitable for living. Bernard ced Eleanor on the living room sofa, and called the housekeeper. He asked the housekeeper to cook some food and buy clothes and women¡¯s necessities ording to Eleanor¡¯s size. It was only then that Eleanor realized that Bernard had actually brought her to his home. Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Not only did he bring her home, but he also had Liana move the hospital equipment into the vi. Eleanor felt a bit awkward as she watched Liana applying medicine and administering IV fluids to her. Liana, however, smiled meaningfully. ¡°Ms. Shultz is really lucky¡± What Liana was hinting at was Bernard¡¯s special care for her. But this special care didn¡¯t mean she was lucky. He brought her home and had Liana take care of her alone, probably because of guilt. If it wasn¡¯t for him choking her and nearly suffocating her, he wouldn¡¯t have cared about her so much. Plus, he was about to get engaged to Sophie. There was no way he would give her special treatment at this time. The moment Eleanor thought about the engagement, she snapped out of the tenderness Bernard had shown her. She remembered how angry Sophie looked when she saw Bernard carrying her to the car. They were about to get engaged, yet her fianc¨¦ was with another woman. If she were Sophie, she would probably be even angrier. Thinking of this, Eleanor looked up and asked Liana, ¡°How long will it take me to recover?¡± She was now disabled, and once she could move, she had to leave as soon as possible. She couldn¡¯t get involved with a man who already had a fianc¨¦e. Liana had just finished changing her IV bag when she saw the worried look on Eleanor¡¯s face. She was confused. In Liana¡¯s view, anyone who was liked by Mr. Laurence should want to stay here, so why did she want to leave? ¡°Your condition is quite serious, and recovery is difficult, but I¡¯ve used some powerful medications on you. In a few days, you¡¯ll be able to move.¡± Eleanor sighed in relief at Liana¡¯s words. When she was able to move, she would discuss leaving with Bernard. After securing the IV tube for her, Liana turned and left the room. Bernard was currently sitting on the couch outside, dealing withpany affairs. Several phones and computers were running meetings. Though he was extremely busy, he insisted on staying home, which was obviously because of the patient in the room. Liana thought this beauty was essential to him. After Bernard finished all the video conferences, Liana approached him. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mr. Laurence, Ms. Shultz will need a few more days to recover. I¡¯lle to give her IV fluids on time during these days.¡± Without looking at her, Bernard nodded lightly, his expression showing fatigue. He thought Liana would leave after her report, but she still stood there, seemingly having something else to say. He frowned slightly and whispered, ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Liana hesitated for a few seconds before finally asking the question on her mind, ¡°Do you really care about Ms. Shultz?¡± Liana felt that if Mr. Laurence genuinely cared, it seemed somewhat unfair to him for her to help Eleanor hide her condition. At her words, Bernard raised his cold eyes and looked at Liana coldly. ¡°What do you think?¡± His counter¨Cquestion indeed left Liana uncertain about how to answer. She and Aidyn were cousins, and she had known Bernard since childhood. Although she hadn¡¯t been working by Bernard¡¯s side for a long time like her cousin, she still knew his character to some extent. However, this understanding was limited to his cold nature, and she knew nothing about other aspects, It could be said that even the members of the Laurence family didn¡¯t know his preferences. They could only guess by observing. What Liana guessed from observation was that Ms. Shultz could affect Mr. Laurence¡¯s mood. But when he asked her coldly like this, Liana became a little unsure. Chapter 129 Chapter 129 7 don¡¯t quite know how you feel about Ms. Shultz¡­¡± With concern about her potential analytical mistake, Liana summoned the courage to ask. If Bernard doesn¡¯t care about Eleanor, then Liana¡¯s keeping the lie about her illness is understandable. But if Bernard genuinely cares about Eleanor, then he will likely me Liana when he discovers the truth. Liana hoped to get a clear answer from Bernard, so it could help her decide whether to tell him the truth. While Liana was racking her brain, Bernard put down his phone and raised his ss for a sip of wine. His demeanor suggested to Liana that he might not care about Eleanor as much as she thought. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°To me, she¡¯s just someone to satisfy my physical needs.¡± Bernard¡¯s answer hinted to Liana that his concern went no further than that. So, Liana finally understood how Bernard thought of Eleanor. She¡¯d assumed, because of how he rushed to take Eleanor to the hospital and then brought her back home for care, that he liked her to some extent. Turns out it was just a matter of meeting his physical need. That¡¯s probably why he hadn¡¯t switched a sex partner in five years, she thought. Of course, Liana knew that Eleanor was the woman by Bernard¡¯s side; she just hadn¡¯t met her before. She had believed that Bernard¡¯s reluctance to change partners in all this time was because he genuinely liked Eleanor. Now it dawned on her¨Cmen and women could view rtionships differently. Some guys might care more about fulfilling their physical needs, rather than actually liking someone. This mindset seemed especially emphasized in Bernard, a man with severe obsessions. Once he found a woman who he could ept, he wouldn¡¯t let her go so easily. With the door half opened, sounds from the conversation outside reached Eleanor¡¯s ears and made her disgusting. Reality pped her in the face as she became acutely aware of Bernard¡¯s true feelings. What¡¯s more absurd was that she had even been moved by his asional kind gestures in the past. She felt so foolish. Luckily, she had kept her emotions for him in check with rationality. For the past five years, she¡¯d been restraining her feelings for him. That way, when he eventually discarded her, she wouldn¡¯t be utterly pathetic. Eleanor raised her right hand and adjusted the drip speed on the IV bag, believing that a faster pace might heal her more quickly. After Liana left, Bernard busied himself for a while, working until the butler, Bryson, brought the prepared soup. Bernard then put his work aside, looked up at Bryson and said, ¡°Give it to me.¡± Bryson hesitated, then realized that Mr. Laurence wanted to serve Eleanor the soup personally. He quickly handed the tray over, cautioning, ¡°Mr. Laurence, be careful not to burn your hands.¡± Bernard nodded, stood, and carried the food to Eleanor¡¯s room. Hearing Bernard¡¯s footsteps, Eleanor quickly closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep. As Bernard entered the room, he noticed Eleanor¡¯s closed eyes but also saw that her eyelids were slightly quivering. He knew she was faking sleep. His usually cold eyes softened a bit. He set the soup bowl down on the nightstand and took a seat on the couch next to her, as if to watch how long she could keep up her act Eleanor guessed that he might have realized she was pretending, so she clenched her teeth and looked at him. Her eyes were big, seemingly capable of containing the entire night sky. In that moment of eye contact, he unconsciously looked away. He casually picked up the bowl, stirring it spoonful by spoonful to cool it down before handing it to Eleanor. ¡°Open your mouth.¡± Eleanor stared nkly at him for a moment, not quite realizing who was helping her cool down the soup and even feed it to her¨Cit was Bernard himself. Chapter 130 Chapter 130 ¡°You don¡¯t like this soup?¡± He put down the food in his hand, picked up another bowl, and brought it to her mouth again, gesturing with his eyes for her to open up. It wasn¡¯t until the warm soup touched her lips that Eleanor came back to her senses from disbelief. She didn¡¯t say anything, just nkly opened her mouth, and slowly eat the soup. ¡°Want some more?¡± After feeding her a spoonful, Bernard picked up the bowl next to them, intending to continue feeding her. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor quickly shook her head: ¡°I¡¯m full.¡± Only then did Bernard put down the bowl and picked up a napkin to wipe the corners of her mouth. He looked her up and down with a nd gaze, seemingly not pleased with her being too skinny, coldly asking, ¡°How did you lose so much weight?¡± When he held her, he felt that her waist had no fat, just hard bones. He had noticed that she had lost a lot of weight before, but he didn¡¯t expect her to lose weight to this extent. That tiny face was also sickly, and her eyes were even morecking any luster. After Eleanor knew his feelings for her, she didn¡¯t feel as touched by his care as before. She lowered her eyes nonchntly and replied faintly, ¡°I lost weight for a friend¡¯s wedding.¡± Bernard knew about Hailey¡¯s existence and also knew that Eleanor had just attended her wedding recently, so he believed her. He didn¡¯t ask any more questions, but instead reminded her, ¡°Make sure to eat more after you recover.¡± Eleanor nodded gently. ¡°Okay.¡± The two fell silent, and the atmosphere was a little awkward. Seeing him sitting next to her without intending to leave, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°Mr. Laurence, please help me find my bag.¡± Her bag had been left in the Grandview Hotel¡¯s banquet hall, with her phone and other items inside, She didn¡¯t know if someone had picked it up for her. She wasn¡¯t actually too worried about those things, mainly worried that Hailey wouldn¡¯t be able to find her. Bernard was still somewhat bothered by her calling him ¡®Mr. Laurence¡®. Although Eleanor had called him Mr. Laurence before, he didn¡¯t feel distant at all. But now, every time she called him that, it made him feel like Eleanor was getting farther and farther away from him. He frowned slightly, getting rid of the uncontroble thoughts in his head, took out his phone, and called Aidyn After leaving the city hospital, Aidyn had no choice but to go back and grab Eleanor¡¯s bag from Jason. Aldyn, holding the bag, looked at the small white purse in his hand, couldn¡¯t help but shake his head andment that this was the most childish thing he had ever done in his life. Aidyn brought the bag into the vi, handed it to Bryson, then turned around to the study to report the latest situation to Bernard. ¡°Mr. Laurence, Jason is sending people to search for Ms. Shultz everywhere. It seems he won¡¯t give up until he finds her.¡± ¡°And also, Ms. Ratliff is looking everywhere for the woman you were carrying yesterday. I¡¯m worried that if this continues, your mother will be alerted.¡± Just mentioning his mother made Aidyn break out in cold sweats, not to mention what the consequences would be if she found out about this. ¡°Let Liana handle Sophie. As for Jason¡­¡± A chill shed through Bernard¡¯s eyes, and he felt very ufortable mentioning this name. ¡°Let him search. If Jason could find her, that would be his ability. As for whether he would let Jason see Eleanor, that wouldn¡¯t be up to him to decide. Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Aldyn nced at Bernard and could tell from his expression how crazy his possessiveness was He originally wanted to persuade Bernard to give Ms. Shultz back to Jason, but seeing him like this, he had to shut up. His boss probably couldn¡¯t forget Ms. Shultz, so he was fighting with Jason. But since his boss didn¡¯t show this feeling, he naturally couldn¡¯t expose it. He respectfully replied ¡°yes¡± and went to find a way to block all the possible leaks. Although everyone in the vi was trusted by the boss, they couldn¡¯t withstand the means of thedy at the old house. Aidyn felt that at this time, he should clear all obstacles for the boss, instead of persuading him to forget Ms. Shultz. Eleanor was not clear about the situation in the study. Seeing Bryson sending in her bag, she quickly propped up her body and sat up. ¡°Ms. Shultz, this is your bag¡± Eleanor took the bag handed by Bryson with both hands and kept saying thank you. Bryson smiled kindly and said, ¡°It was Mr. Laurence who helped you find it. You should thank him.¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor politely smiled back, but did not answer him. Bryson couldn¡¯t stay in the room for long, so he told her to ¡°have a good rest¡± and turned to leave. After Bryson left, Eleanor opened her bag and took out her phone to take a look. Just now, Hailey had called her more than ten times. Eleanor was shocked and quickly called back. The phone rang once, and Hailey answered it. ¡°Eleanor, what¡¯s going on? Why is Garett at our doorstep?¡± Eleanor hadn¡¯t had time to speak when Hailey¡¯s surprised voice came through. ¡°Is heing to take revenge on you after five years?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t expect Jason to go to their house. ¡°Hailey, he¡¯s not here for revenge.¡± Eleanor told Hailey about herpany asking her to take care of Jason. Hailey, hiding at the stairway, teased and said, ¡°This is really fate¡± a few times. Then she looked at the man guarding the door again. ¡°Eleanor, he has a bandage on his head and is wearing a patient¡¯s outfit. He looks quite abnormal.¡± Eleanor felt even more guilty when she heard this, ¡°He got injured saving me. Can you please tell him to go back to the hospital first, and I¡¯lle to see him in a few days?¡± Hailey only heard the keyword, ¡°Saving you? What¡¯s going on?¡± Eleanor roughly exined Josef¡¯s private revenge, and Hailey yelled about killing Josef when she learned the truth. However, when she heard Eleanor say that Bernard had already sent someone to deal with Josef, Hailey suddenly shut up. ¡°So¡­you¡¯re with Bernard now?¡± Eleanor could only nod in admission, not daring to hide anything from Hailey. Hailey took a long sigh and mumbled, ¡°The god of destiny makes fools of the people, then hung up the phone. After putting her phone in her pocket, she carried arge bucket of chicken broth and went to the door of the small apartment. She was so excited to bring the broth to Eleanor to replenish her nutrition, but she didn¡¯t expect to run into Jason right out of the elevator With no time to be surprised, she had to hide in the stairwell. She waited there for a long time, but Jason didn¡¯t leave She didn¡¯t understand what happened, so she had to call Eleanor. However, after more than ten calls, Eleanor didn¡¯t answer, and she was very anxious. Now knowing that the two had already met five yearster and were getting along harmoniously, she wasn¡¯t so nervous She walked to Jason¡¯s back and saw that he was like a piece of wood, leaning against the door frame, motionless, and she frowned slightly. ¡°Eleanor asked you to go back to the hospital first, and she¡¯lle to see you in a few days.¡± She didn¡¯t greet Jason and just conveyed Eleanor¡¯s wish before trying to turn around and leave. But Jason suddenly grabbed her arm. She looked back and saw his eyes red, and Hailey was stunned. Chapter 132 Chapter 132 ¡°Hailey¡­ He choked, making Hailey¡¯s heart tremble. She didn¡¯t admit that he was Jason; she always thought he was Garett This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . So when he called her like the old times, it was a lie to say that Hailey wasn¡¯t shocked. However, she didn¡¯t give any response, just coldly stared at his crimson eyes. Years ago, she apanied Eleanor to B City to find him, but they were driven away by his bodyguard. Later on, she was persuaded back to A City by Eleanor, only to have their photos wiped out by the Clowers family. At that time, the rented house was a mess, and the furniture they had painstakingly saved up for was destroyed as well. What disappointed Hailey even more was that he even wanted to kill Eleanor. These things also made her unable to forget, even after reuniting, she still felt resentful. ¡°I¡¯m sorry..¡± He seemed to muster up all his courage before saying these words. This apology was five yearste, and it had caused them to lose contact for five years. ¡°The person you should say sorry to is Eleanor.¡± The only person he owed an apology to in his life was Eleanor, not her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to you as well, but even more sorry to her¡­¡± After murmuring this, he subconsciously gripped Hailey¡¯s hand tighter. His reddened eyes were filled with pleading: ¡°Please, tell me where she is. I have something important to say to her.¡± Although Hailey found Jason strange, she didn¡¯t want to delve deeper into what was wrong with him, so she pushed his hand away. ¡°She said she¡¯de to find you in a few days. Just wait for her to find you and you can say whatever you want to her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible. She was taken away by Bernard. That man won¡¯t let here find me¡­¡± When he mentioned Bernard, he suddenly felt a bone¨Cpiercing pain that made his body tremble. He knew that Eleanor had once sold herself to save him, but he didn¡¯t know that the person who bought Eleanor was Bernard. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that he had snatched Eleanor from him that day, he might have been deceived to this day. Thinking about how that man¡¯s power was even greater than his, Jason was terrified. He was so scared that he grabbed Hailey¡¯s hand again, begging her like a humble dog. ¡°Please, tell me where she is. If I can¡¯t find her, I¡¯ll go crazy¡­ ¦§ Hailey looked at the nearly insane Garett and suddenly felt that he was just like when he found out about Eleanor selling herself after the car ident. Back then, Garettpletely changed his gentle image, yelling and kissing Eleanor,pletely unlike a normal person. Now, holding her hand with red eyes, he looked stubborn and crazy, making her feel a bit of sympathy. She couldn¡¯t help but ask him, ¡°If Eleanor is so important to you, why did you try to kill her five years ago?¡± Jason suddenly froze, his blood ran cold. ¡°1¡­ wanted to kill her?¡± Seeing that he didn¡¯t dare to admit it, Hailey¡¯s pity disappeared immediately. ¡°Five years ago, thest time she came to Clowers family to find you, you kicked her so hard, right in the heart. If it weren¡¯t for a passerby finding her, she would have died by the roadside. Don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t know all this¡± No wonder that since then, Eleanor never came to find him again. It turned out that he had almost killed her. He smiled, but the bitterness and helplessness in his smile made him even more miserable. He slowly let go of Hailey¡¯s hand, leaning on the doorway and squatting down as he struggled to catch his breath. Seeing him like this, Hailey¡¯s brow furrowed even deeper. ¡°Are you nning just to stay here and wait for her toe back?¡± Jason seemed to have no strength to speak, just nodding lightly. Hailey knew that he had always been stubborn, so persuading him to leave was useless. So, she made up her mind to tell him the truth. *Each time Eleanor is taken away by Bernard, she won¡¯te back for at least two or three days. You can¡¯t wait here the entire time, can you?¡± From his expression, it appeared that he already knew to whom Eleanor had sold herself. Since that was the case, it was fine to tell him. After all, he couldn¡¯t possibly defeat that man anyway. Chapter 133 Chapter 133 After hearing what Hailey had to say, Jason was devastated. ¡°Every single time?¡± He couldn¡¯t believe it as he lifted his bloodshot eyes and slowly looked at Hailey. ¡°So, for the past five years¡­ she¡¯s been with Bernard all along?¡± Yes. Hailey responded indifferently, and Jason¡¯s heart almost shattered. He had thought Eleanor only sold her body once for his sake, but it turned out that she had been with Bernard for five whole years. No wonder Bernard¡¯s eyes were full of possessiveness when he looked at Eleanor, they had been together for so long. What was he supposed to do? He had loved her for a solid 15 years¡­. From the moment they met to the deep love they shared before his amnesia, their love had etched itself into his very bones. This is from N?velDrama.Org. He loved her so much that he¡¯d rather die in a car crash than see her rely on another man to save him. He couldn¡¯t ept Eleanor being owned by another man. That¡¯s why, when he found out she had sold herself to save him, he had furiously used her like a madman, He couldn¡¯t bear it all. Just thinking about Eleanor being with Bernard for the past five years, his heart ached enough to faint. Seeing Jason suddenly pass out, Hailey quickly called security and sent him to the hospital. After settling Jason down, Hailey sighed and sent Eleanor a message. Eleanor, pleasee to the hospital as soon as you can. Garett seems to have something important to tell you. Eleanor looked at the message, wondering why Jason was in such a rush to see her, Although she had taken the special medicine, her physical condition was still poor and would take some time to recover. The new wound on her back was especially painful, making it unbearable to even move, let alone walk. Eleanor replied to Hailey, saying ¡°I¡¯ll be there as soon as I can,¡± and then looked at Bernard, who was giving her an injection. The infusionsted all day, with Bernard handling everything from injections to feeding her food and water. Bernard could have had a servant do these things, but he insisted on taking care of her himself. Eleanor assumed he was doing this to speed up her recovery so she could relieve his physical needs. But she didn¡¯t realize that Bernard had a severe mental cleanliness obsession, and she overlooked the fact that such a person wouldn¡¯t touch her so easily, especially since he thought she had been with Jason before. Bernard started to remove her IV needle, his fingers slender and yet powerful. The moment he pulled it out, she instantly retracted her hand. Her avoidance of his touch was somewhat irritating to him, and he coldly nced at her. ¡°I¡¯ve touched every part of your body. What are you hiding from?¡± His tone was always disdainful and questioning. She used to think he was domineering, but now she felt that he had never looked up to her. Eleanor bit her lips and didn¡¯t reply, her pale face showing a hint of loneliness. Bernard lifted his slender finger and grabbed her chin, forcing her to face him. ¡°Want to go see Garett?¡± The moment she heard Garett¡¯s name again from his mouth, Eleanor got nervous. She quickly realized that he must have seen Hailey¡¯s message earlier. Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Eleanor originally nned to wait until she recovered before telling him about her leaving, but since he asked proactively, she took the opportunity to speak up. ¡°He asked to see me, and it seems quite urgent. Can you please send me back, Mr. Laurence?¡± ¡°Are you in a hurry to see him?* Bernard looked down on her, his delicate face under the light revealing a cold and sinister air that made her shiver. Yes.¡± Eleanor was somewhat afraid of him but nodded reluctantly. Even if not for seeing Jason, she wanted to get away from here as soon as possible. Bernard was about to get engaged to Sophie, and it was not appropriate for her to stay overnight at his house. Previously, she had been moved by the tenderness he showed and forgotten that he had a fianc¨¦e. Nowpletely sober, she felt she should not continue to get involved with a man who is engaged. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Her expression was calm with a hint of anxiety, seemingly eager to leave. Seeing her like this, theplexity in Bernard¡¯s eyes slowly faded away, reced by coldness. ¡°Just one day apart, and you miss him so much? Seems like you guys fell in love with each other again?¡± Facing his mockery, Eleanor didn¡¯t bother to exin and lowered her longshes, hiding her displeasure. Seeing her silent, Bernard¡¯s face darkened further, and his grip on her chin tightened uncontrobly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t love him? Why are you getting back together with him?¡± Eleanor tolerated the pain on her chin and smirked at Bernard. ¡°I don¡¯t even love you yet I was your lover for years. Why can¡¯t I get back together with him?¡± Not sure which words angered Bernard, but he was left speechless. Eleanor nced at him and saw his eyes gradually turning from cold to a fiery red. Her heart trembled for a moment before quickly suppressing the affection she had for him.. But at that moment, Bernard suddenly leaned in, pressing her down on the bed, his thin lips hovering just above hers. He didn¡¯t touch her, but such close contact reignited her feelings that she had just managed to suppress. ¡°I warned you, Jason is the future son¨Cinw of the Laurence family, and yet you still dare to be with him!¡± ¡°Do you think that after he broke off the engagement, you had a chance and so you were eager to get back with him?¡± If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she heard from him directly that his feelings for her were limited to physical needs, Eleanor might have thought he was jealous. Fortunately, she no longer held any expectations for Bernard, so his words no longer affected her. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you know I want to marry a rich man. When my ex came to me, of course I¡¯d be tempted.¡± ¡°As for your warning, you said he will be the future son¨Cinw, but things in the future¡­ aren¡¯t certain, right?¡± Her indifferent counter¨Cquestion made Bernard feel that she was shameless! No wonder she moved into Jason¡¯s house after learning about his broken engagement and even went to the hotel with him. That was he goal! Did she think that as long as she held onto Jason, she could disregard the Laurence family or even not care about him? She was tantly provoking him, but what was he doing? He stared at her pale face, wanting to choke her to death, but¡­ he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it. ¡°Eleanor, you really can¡¯t distinguish right from wrong¡­¡± After a long silence, he left these words and angrily mmed the door as he left. Chapter 135 Chapter 135 When that haughty figure disappeared from her sight, Eleanor finally let her guard down. She thought that after arguing with Bernard, he would send someone to take her home. But he didn¡¯t do that, instead, he let Brysonke good care of her. He never showed up again, as if he hadpletely forgotten her. Liana gave her some special medicine for several days to treat heart failure, and her body quickly recovered. She could get out of bed and walk, but her body was not as strong as before, just getting up to go to the bathroom would make her pant for breath. Liana said the special medicine could relieve pain, but it couldn¡¯t stop her condition from getting worse, and she was destined to die as scheduled, no one could save her. As she came out of the bathroom leaning on the wall, Liana was putting away her instruments and seeing her sweating profusely, she immediately went over to support her. ¡°Ms. Shultz, you should go to the hospital for your final treatment. Don¡¯t push yourself too hard, you won¡¯t be able to bear it¡­ ¡°No.¡± Eleanor shook her head firmly. Liana sighed, ¡°If you keep going like this, Mr. Laurence will find out sooner orter.¡± Eleanor forced a smile, ¡°So¡­ Dr. Terrill, can you take me away from here?¡± Liana helplessly responded with a smile, ¡°Without Mr. Laurence¡¯s permission, no one dares to take you away.¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor didn¡¯t make things difficult for Liana anymore, and with her help, she sat back down on the bed. Liana picked up the ss of water next to her and handed it to Eleanor, ¡°You can¡¯t eat much right now. You should drink more water.¡± Late¨Cstage heart failure patients eating too much could cause bleeding in the stomach and they had to rely on drinking water to maintain their vital signs. But before long, she probably wouldn¡¯t even be able to drink water, and by then her life would havee to an end. Eleanor took the ss of water and wanted to say thank you to Liana, but then she noticed the scratches on her face. ¡°Dr. Terrill, what happened to you?¡± Just now, when Liana was helping her with the check¨Cup and IV, Eleanor didn¡¯t pay much attention to her. Now seeing the deep nail marks on her face, she finally realized that she was hurt. Liana touched her face and casually said, ¡°I was scratched by a patient.¡± Mr. Laurence asked her to handle Sophie, and the simplest way was to admit that she was the woman Bernard carried into the car. As soon as she admitted it, Ms. Ratliff led a group of people to rush into the hospital, smashing things and causing injuries, even scratching her a few times But this was what Bernard instructed her to do, so naturally, she wouldn¡¯t tell Eleanor who had scratched her, and just casually answered. Liana said it was a patient¡¯s doing, and Eleanor thought she had a dispute with a patient and didn¡¯t ask any further. ¡°Remember to apply some medicine.¡± Liana is a gentle and beautiful woman, who shouldn¡¯t have her appearance ruined because of this. Liana nodded and said ¡°okay¡± then left with her medical kit. She is the director of a private hospital, quite busy with her schedule. If it wasn¡¯t for Bernard¡¯s connection, it would be difficult to make an appointment with her, Every time she thought of Bernard, her mood became very gloomy. She didn¡¯t understand what he was up to. He was about to marry his true love, yet still kept her at home. Did he want to have Sophie and her at the same time? If that was the case, Bernard was really too greedy. Eleanor looked in the direction of the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window, and the sky had be gloomy and was pouring rain. This kind of weather, just like her mood, made her couldn¡¯t help but let out a heavy sigh. Chapter 136 Chapter 136 As she hugged her legs and leaned against the head of the bed, two extremely dazzling car lights shone on the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window. Following that, the sound of car wheels rolling on the ground could be heard from downstairs, and a Koenigsegg pulled up in front of the vi. The bodyguard holding an umbre opened the car door for a man who was nearly 6¡¯2¡± and slowly stepped out of the car. As he casually untied the tie around his neck, he coldly ordered, ¡°Don¡¯t let him in.¡± The bodyguard replied with a ¡°yes¡± and escorted the man into the vi before turning around to walk towards the iron gate outside the garden. Eleanor stood by the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window, looking in the direction of the bodyguard¡¯s gaze, and saw a man outside the iron gate in the distance. It was too far away and it was raining heavily, so she couldn¡¯t see the man¡¯s face clearly and didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. She forced herself to stand up and, leaning on the wall, walked downstairs. Bernard hadn¡¯t been home for several days and she hadn¡¯t had a chance to leave. Now that he was finally back, she naturally had to seize the opportunity When she arrived downstairs, the man had just taken off his coat and handed it to the servant. Seeing hering down the stairs, his gloomy face became even colder. Eleanor didn¡¯t notice and hurriedly walked up to him, saying, ¡°Mr. Laurence¡­¡± She wanted to say something to him, but he didn¡¯t even look at her and went straight to the bathroom. Seeing him ignore her, Eleanor¡¯s face didn¡¯t look very good either. What was Bernard trying to do? Keeping her at home and ignoring her, was he just using her to vent his emotions? Eleanor was about to give up trying to ask him to let her go, but when she saw Bryson who was staying close to her, she held back her unhappiness. Without Bernard¡¯s permission, Bryson, the servants, and the bodyguard would keep an eye on her, making it impossible for her to escape even if she wanted to Thinking of this, she gritted her teeth and sat down on the sofa in the living room. It took about an hour before the bathroom door finally slowly opened. Eleanor quickly got up and walked over. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you said I could leave after a few days of rest, and now I¡¯m feeling all right. Can you let me go?¡± The man still didn¡¯t respond to her, just nced coldly at her, then headed for the second floor. Eleanor hesitated to approach him, but she couldn¡¯t stay at his house forever, could she? ¡°Mr. Laurence Eleanor still gathered the courage to follow him. But she didn¡¯t expect him to suddenly stop, and she couldn¡¯t help but bump into his back. The impact almost knocked her down the stairs, but luckily he quickly grabbed her waist. The two were very close, staring at each other¡¯s faces, making it a bit intimate. Eleanor was the first to lower her head, quietly saying ¡°thank you,¡± and then pushed him away when she regained her bnce. Bernard nced at her indifferently and asked coldly. You two nned this together?¡± ¡°What?¡± Eleanor looked at him, confused. Bernard nced at the figure outside the window: ¡°He came to see you, isn¡¯t it because you asked him toe and pick you up?¡± Following his gaze, Eleanor looked outside the window but didn¡¯t see much. She moved a few steps forward to have a clearer look. From a high point, she could see everything clearly, and with the bright streetlights outside, she finally recognized the man. ¡°Jason¡­¡± How did he find this ce? ¡°Your ex¨Cboyfriend is here to pick you up. So you can¡¯t wait to leave, can you?¡± Bernard¡¯s mocking tone made Eleanor shift her gaze. She looked at Bernard who was now standing next to her He had just taken a shower, smelling really nice. His hair was still a bit wet, making him look approachable. However, the words he said really made her feel ufortable Eleanor didn¡¯t respond because she really did want to leave. But if she were to walk out of the vi now, Bernard would certainly think that she and Jason had nned it in advance. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . ¡°Why don¡¯t you go?¡± Bernard lowered his head, his icy gaze fixed on Eleanor¡¯s face. Feeling the coldness in his eyes, Eleanor was afraid that he would think she didn¡¯t want to leave and quickly turned around. Just as she was heading for the stairs, her arm was grabbed, and he pulled her back into his arms. Chapter 137 Chapter 137 ¡°So you really did n it with him!¡± A freezing cold voice came from above, making Eleanor pause. 1 didn¡¯t n anything with him.¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. Then how did he know you were here?¡± I¡¯m not sure, maybe because¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t make excuses. Weren¡¯t you just trying to contact him by getting me to find your bag?¡± Her exnation was cut off coldly by Bernard Laurence. Seeing his indifferent expression, Eleanor stopped talking. He already believed that she had contacted Jason to pick her up, so no matter how much she exined, he wouldn¡¯t believe her. It was better to just drop it. ¡°As soon as you recovered, he came to pick you up. If that¡¯s not nning, then what is it?¡± His distrust made Eleanor feel exhausted, and she took a deep breath before coldly saying, ¡°Yeah, I nned it with him. The day I could walk again, I told him toe get me.¡± When Bernard saw her admit it, he sneered. His eyes were full of sarcasm. ¡°You¡¯re really cheap, can¡¯t wait to get into bed with him even though your body hasn¡¯t fully recovered yet!¡± The usually calm andposed man, with great self-cultivation, actually said such harsh words. Eleanor, recovering from disbelief, raised her face and provocatively smiled at him. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you¡¯re right. I can¡¯t wait to get into bed with him, so please let me go and stop wasting my time!¡± Her intentionally emphasized words made the man holding her suddenly stiffen. Eleanor knew she had angered him, but she didn¡¯t know if she was too angry or just being brazen. She just didn¡¯t want to let Bernard off easy. She was like a thorny rose, jabbing her thorns fiercely into Bernard: ¡°Mr. Laurence, we¡¯re already done, and you¡¯re getting married. Let¡¯s cut it clean and never see each other again. And don¡¯te looking for me, okay?¡± The man¡¯s body grew more rigid, and he darkly said, ¡°What did you say?¡± His pleasant voice was mixed with stifled rage. Eleanor locked eyes with his cold, sword-like gaze and said harshly, ¡°I said stop holding on to me, I don¡¯t want to see you again, and I beg you to let me go home with him¡­¡± After they broke up, he hade to see her a few times, making her mistakenly think he couldn¡¯t let her 1. go. But after hearing him say that she was just to fulfill physical need for him, Eleanor decided to cut ties completely. Since she wanted to cut ties, she had to be resolute in her words, or she would appear indecisive. She thought that her decisiveness would make him let her go and kick her out of his house. But instead of letting her go, he held her waist with one hand and pinned her against the floor-to-ceiling window. The moment his lips touched hers, Eleanor was utterly stunned¡­. He wasn¡¯t kissing her, but rather biting her upper and lower lips viciously Crushing and tearing repeatedly, as if letting out pent-up anger, he vented his rage on her. Eleanor¡¯s mind went nk, only realizing what was happening when the pain on her lips finally registered. She desperately pushed him away, but he held her wrists and raised them above her head, immobilizing her. Eleanor¡¯s eyes widened as she stared at his magnified handsome face, and she thought he might have gone absolutely crazy. ¡°Bernard!¡± In a struggle, she tried to stop him from going mad, but he bit her as soon as she opened her mouth. This time, the hoarse voice turned into a kiss, frenzied and wanton,pletely disregarding her feelings. As Eleanor felt suffocated from his kisses, Bryson¡¯s calm and powerful voice came from downstairs- *Mr. Laurence, Mr. Clowers called the police, saying you¡¯re illegally detaining Ms. Shultz. The police are here and waiting outside.¡± Chapter 138 Chapter 138 Bernard paused, his cold eyes nced out the window. Just a quick look and he looked back down at the woman in his arms who was breathing heavily ¡°Your ex-boyfriend, just like you, doesn¡¯t know what he¡¯s doing¡± After saying this, he turned to Bryson and spoke coldly. ¡°Let him up.¡± He wants to see Eleanor, huh? Let hime, as long as he can handle it! ¡°Yes¡± Bryson obeyed and left. After some discussion with the police, he let Jason in Jason, soaking wet, walked up the stairs one shaky step at a time, holding onto the railing. When he saw Eleanor being tightly held and kissed by Bernard against the window, his eyes instantly turned blood red, even his eyebrows and the corners of his eyes turned red and swollen. These days, he had been going door-to-door, searching for all the properties under Bernard¡¯s name, one by one, until he finally found this ce, only to witness a scene that he couldn¡¯t ept. He froze on the spot, disbelief all over his face. His emotions quickly copsed, and he suddenly lost control! ¡°Eleanor!¡± He stumbled forward, trying to separate them, but he was stopped by the bodyguard following him.. Bernard didn¡¯t see his face but could hear the breakdown in his voice. He couldn¡¯t help but smirk, holding Eleanor¡¯s head, deepening the kiss again. Eleanor didn¡¯t expect Bernard to kiss her again after ordering Bryson to let Jason in It wasn¡¯t until she heard Jason¡¯s voice that she understood his intention. Although she had given up on Jason, her heart still skipped a beat when she saw his red eyes and broken expression. She always felt that the man struggling to rush towards them wasn¡¯t Jason, but Garett Falsey. Because only Garett would lose control like this when he saw her being mistreated by another man. Subconsciously, she didn¡¯t want Garett to be upset, so she struggled harder. The more she struggled, the more intense Bernard¡¯s kiss became, even going so far as to reach his hand into her clothes in front of Jason¡­. ¡°Bernard, don¡¯t touch her!¡± Jason screamed like a madman, furious and wanting to kill Bernard on the spot. But his body was pinned down by the bodyguards, and he could only watch as Bernard invaded Eleanor bit by bit. ¡°Stop, not here!¡± Eleanor managed to squeeze out these words between the struggle, only to be silenced by Bernard again. She shook with anger and bit down on his lips. She thought this would drive Bernard away, but the crazed man didn¡¯t feel any pain. Instead, he was stimted even more, bing even more aggressive. ¡°You don¡¯t like it here? Let¡¯s change locations then!¡± Suddenly letting her go, the man lifted her in his arms and headed towards the bedroom. Eleanor had no chance to struggle when she saw how bloodshot Jason¡¯s eyes had be, almost copsing to the ground with anger. ¡°Bernard, I won¡¯t let you touch her!¡± The heartbreaking voice from behind made the man stop in his tracks. He slowly turned around, like a king in control of life and death, looking down at the pale-faced Jason. ¡°She¡¯s my woman. I can sleep with her if I want to. What gives you the right to say no?¡± Bernard¡¯s strong, arrogant aura made Jason, kneeling on the ground, seem like a homeless dog. Held down by the bodyguards, Jason could only stare intensely at Eleanor in Bernard¡¯s arms. ¡°She¡¯s not your woman, she¡¯s mine. We grew up together, we know each other, we love each other. How could she be yours?¡± They¡¯d promised to be together forever! How did she be his? How could she be his?! Jason couldn¡¯t ept it, his heart filled with excruciating pain. Seeing Jason so agitated, Eleanor was surprised. Didn¡¯t he abandon her five years ago? Why does he look so heartbroken now? Her daze made Bernard unhappy. It seemed to touch a nerve, and his face immediately turned gloomy. Holding Eleanor, he coldly watched the nearly insane Jason, as if staring at a lowly, worthless creature. ¡°Stand outside the door and listen carefully, and see how this woman you know and love so well moan under me!¡±This is from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 139 Chapter 139 The moment the door closed, Jason¡¯s desperate cries werepletely cut off. Eleanor was thrown onto the bed harshly by the man, who didn¡¯t give her any chance to resist and pressed himself on top of her. ¨C She thought he was just trying to provoke Jason, but she didn¡¯t expect him to be serious about it he was actually going to sleep with her! ¡°Bemard, don¡¯t you have a mental obsession with cleanliness? I¡¯ve been with other men, don¡¯t you feel disgusted?!¡± Only now did she remember his obsession, and as she grabbed onto it like a lifesaver, she struggled and screamed ¡°What does it matter, I don¡¯t care anymore¡­ After saying this casually, the man¡¯s deep eyes became more determined, as if he¡¯d made up his mind about something. It wasn¡¯t until this moment that Eleanor realized Bernard was truly angry. He was hell¨Cbent on sleeping with her! No matter how much she struggled, he didn¡¯t care at all and just took her more harshly than ever before! It seemed like he purposely made her make noise, pouring all his energy into her, both as punishment and to vent his anger, but there was also a hint of¡­ longing. This longing belonged to Bernard, and as soon as he touched her, he lost control, causing the suppressed emotions in his heart to explode. ¡°Eleanor, you¡¯re destined to be mine¡­ The possessiveness in his eyes was beyond crazy, and it was the first time Eleanor had seen him like this. She stared nkly at the man who was kissing her passionately, feeling a little disoriented. ¡°Bernard, what do I mean to you¡­ She thought his obsession couldn¡¯t just be about a physical need since he broke his psychological barrier to touch her. Otherwise, someone with an obsession for cleanliness would never touch a woman who had been with someone else. But he did¡­ Eleanor had overlooked this before, but now that she suddenly remembered, it kindled a glimmer of hope.. *So what do I mean to you?¡± The man¡¯s counter¨Cquestion made Eleanor, who wanted to probe further, back off. She stopped speaking, her drooping eyshes hiding all the emotions in her eyes. This is from N?velDrama.Org. The man grabbed her face and said coldly into her ear, ¡°Don¡¯t even think I¡¯ll love you!¡± He wouldn¡¯t love her, nor could he ever love her! The reason he kept losing control for her was simply because he couldn¡¯t stand seeing her with other men! He kept warning himself and venting his emotions on her over and over. But he didn¡¯t even realize that when he was with her, his heart felt more settled and content than ever¡­ Bernard¡¯s words extinguished that glimmer of hope in Eleanor¡¯s heart. Sheughed, ¡°Good, because I don¡¯t love you either¡­ And then, she received an even harsher punishment from him. After it was all over, the man pushed her away and headed into the bathroom in the room. As for her, shey on the bed, feeling like her life was hopeless, and looked towards the door¡­.. This was Bernard¡¯s bedroom, and the door was an automatic one that couldn¡¯t be opened without the remote control. While they were making love, the man outside had been frantically pounding on the door. Eleanor suddenly remembered how five years ago, Garett had woken up to find out that she had sold herself to save him, and had pointed at her nose and cursed her. Cursing her for being shameless, for sleeping with another man when he was about to die. She felt wronged at the time, but now that his words were proven true, she felt guilty. Not for Jason, but for the once loving Garett who had cherished and cared for her¡­. Hearing his heartbreaking cries, she sighed deeply, forced herself to get up, threw off the covers, put on some clothes, and headed towards the door. As she mustered up the courage to open the door, she met Jason¡¯s blood¨Cshot eyes and bleeding knuckles from pounding on the door. You.. Chapter 140 Chapter 140 Eleanor didn¡¯t know what to say when she saw Jason like this. She was wearing Bernard¡¯s clothes, which wrapped around her body. However, her swollen lips and the love bites on her neck deeply hurt Jason. His eyes were red, and his hands were trembling. He wanted to touch those spots that had been touched by another man, but Eleanor dodged him. Her subconscious avoidance of him hurt him even more than overhearing the sounds from the room outside the door. He took a step back in disbelief, looking at her standing still at the door. It was only at this moment that Jason truly understood that those five years were not just about memory loss. Only after his brother had impersonated him and kicked her twice did he realize that he hadpletely lost her. His eyes were red and teary, and his vision blurred with tears, making it difficult to see Eleanor¡¯s face. He stumbled towards her, taking one difficult step after another until he was in front of her and pulled her into his embrace. He held her tightly, using all his strength, as if trying to mold her into his own body. But even holding her like this, he couldn¡¯t feel any response from her. In the past, Eleanor would smile and wrap her arms around his waist whenever he hugged her. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Then she would pout in his arms and say, ¡°Garett, can¡¯t you stop working all day and spend some more time with me?¡± She wanted him to spend more time with her, but he was always too busy trying to give her a better future and life to do so. By the time he was avable, they had missed each other because of a car ident. This kind of regret clenched his heart like a tight fist, suffocating him to the point where he couldn¡¯t breathe, even gasping for air didn¡¯t help. When the cold liquid slid down her corbone, Eleanor was startled and wanted to look up, but his large hand gripped her head. ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t look at me¡­¡± Jason¡¯sst shred of dignity wouldn¡¯t allow her to see his embarrassment. Eleanor obediently didn¡¯t move and let him hold her, feeling at a loss. Jason was so unusual today, as if he had be apletely different person. I¡¯m sorry.¡± He buried his head in her neck, repeating a low apology over and over, ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I wasn¡¯t strong enough, and you had to sell yourself to save me. ¡°It¡¯s my fault that I couldn¡¯t ept the fact that you sold yourself, I had an emotional breakdown, and hurt you¡­¡± ¡°I was unwilling to face the past and jumped from a car, causing serious injuries and forgetting you from then on¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Eleanor, I just remembered now, I¡¯m really sorry¡­ Jason¡¯s sincere apology made Eleanor choose to believe him. So, the reason for his sudden strangeness was that he had remembered things from the past. This meant he hadn¡¯t lied to her, and he had really lost his memory. He said he lost his memory on the way home, but why hadn¡¯t he lost it when she went to find him in B City? Confused, Eleanor wanted to ask him what had happened when he suddenly released her and took a photo from his pocket. ¡°This is my brother. Don¡¯t you think we look very alike?¡± In the photo were two people smiling side by side. The person on the left wore a ck suit, and the person on the right wore a white casual outfit. Despite their different clothing, their faces were strikingly simr, as if they were twins. Upon seeing the photo, Eleanor looked up at Jason with a look of disbelief. ¡°What is¡­ going on?!¡± Chapter 141 Chapter 141 Jason looked at Eleanor with red eyes and gave her a bitter smile. ¡°My brother pretended to be me and hurt you just to get you to leave me.¡± ¡°I only found out recently about what he did to you five years ago.¡± ¡°Sorry, Eleanor, I didn¡¯t protect you enough.¡± As Jason said this, he paused, his red eyes filled with guilt. Eleanor¡¯s heart stopped for a moment, her face pale. This means that Garett never wanted to abandon her or kill her. The one who hurt her back then was his brother. Garett never changed, and she never loved the wrong person. The resentment in her heart for all these years was finally let go at the moment she realized the truth. Suddenly she¡¯s no longer confused, no longer sad, nor resentful, only a relief about her past. She breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as if a burden had been lifted. When she looked at him again, her eyes showed an unprecedented rxation. ¡°We just didn¡¯t have the fate to be together, but now the misunderstandings are all cleared up.¡± ¡°Those things are all in the past, you don¡¯t have to apologize for them anymore.¡± Her words made Jason even more unbearable. When she said it was in the past, did it mean she had let go, let go of their past, and let go of him, too? ¡°You¡­ are you leaving me?¡± He trembled as he asked this question. Eleanor touched her neck, full of Bernard¡¯s hickeys, how could she still be with Garett like this? Hiding her emotions, she looked at Jason and smiled, ¡°You¡¯ve seen it. I¡¯m not perfect anymore.¡± Jason looked at her for a long time, then suddenly wiped the hickeys on her neck with his hand. ¡°Just get rid of these, it¡¯s no big deal.¡± His fingers trembled as he wiped her neck. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Seeing him like this, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help her eyes from tearing up. Back then, Garett¡¯s possessiveness was so strong. He would get very angry if she spoke more to other boys. He really cared about her and couldn¡¯t tolerate anyone touching her. So when he found out she¡¯d sold herself, he copsed like that. Such a man could say that it doesn¡¯t matter after he saw her sleep together with another man. Was he afraid she wouldn¡¯t want to be with him anymore? But she really couldn¡¯t be with him again, they¡¯d already missed their chance. Eleanor stopped his movement, ¡°Garett, I¡¯m sorry, but during those five years there wasn¡¯t just one time with him.¡± She signed the agreement out of spite and gave herself to Bernard. Even if they cleared up their misunderstandings now, her betrayal was still a fact. She¡¯s not worthy of Garett, who only had her in his heart. ¡°I know.¡± Jason nodded and nonchntly said, ¡°As long as you¡¯re willing toe with me, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± He wouldn¡¯t be immature like before and would protect her well, never letting her get hurt again. His determined eyes made Eleanor¡¯s heart tremble. Her Garett really loved her, even as messed up as she was now, he was still willing to ept her. She opened her mouth to say something but suddenly a strong force from behind yanked her to one side. Her back mmed against a solid chest, her petite body tightly held by the man. ¡°Do you want to leave? Did you ask for my permission?¡± The man¡¯s icy voice crashed down, making Eleanor¡¯s body tense up instantly. Chapter 142 Chapter 142 She turned her head to look at the man who was tightly hugging her. His face was cold and serious, with thin lips tightly pressed together. The rage on his face showed that he had heard their conversation. He probably misunderstood that she was going to leave with Jason, so he came out to stop them. Now that he had already done such an outrageous thing in front of Jason, why wouldn¡¯t he let her go? Eleanor lowered her eyes, hiding herplex emotions under her long eyshes. Seeing that she wasn¡¯t resisting, Bernard¡¯s expression softened a bit, but his eyes were still locked on Jason. ¡°Mr. Clowers is nning to take away someone I¡¯ve grown tired of ying with. How touching¡­¡± Such insulting words infuriated Jason. He clenched his fists and charged up to punch Bernard. But having suffered a severe head injury and being soaked in the rain, Jason was no match for Bernard. His punch didn¡¯t even touch Bernard¡¯s clothes before being kicked to the ground. ¡°You¡¯re in over your head!¡± Bernard flicked his sleeve contemptuously, mocking Jason lying on the ground. His indifference towards Jason¡¯s well¨Cbeing made Eleanor more and more disappointed in him¡­ She coldly pushed Bernard away, rushed to Jason, and squatted down to help him up. ¡°Garett, are you okay? Are you hurt?¡± Seeing her worried and anxious for another man, the anger in Bernard¡¯s eyes intensified. This is from N?velDrama.Org. It was like something important had been taken away, making him uncontrobly want to take it back. ¡°Come here¡­¡± His self¨Crestraint and rationality kept him in check. He just stood there, looking down at the two on the ground. His expression was filled with orders, warnings, and impending punishment if she disobeyed. Facing his gaze, Eleanor felt exhausted and didn¡¯t want to go over at all¡­ But she knew his character. If she didn¡¯t do as he wanted, he would never let her and Jason leave safely. Eleanor sighed, helped Jason up, ced him on the couch, and softly said, ¡°Garett, wait here for a little while. I¡¯ll talk to him and then I¡¯ll leave with you, okay?¡± Jason did not want her to return to Bernard, but hearing that she would leave with him, he could not help but feel relieved. ¡°Alright.¡± He obediently nodded his head, like when they were kids, believing and agreeing with whatever she said. Eleanor smiled at him and turned to face Bernard, ¡°Mr. Laurence, you heard what we said just now, right?¡± He tightly pursed his thin lips, saying nothing, confirming that he had indeed heard their conversation. So Eleanor continued. ¡°Ever since we were kids, we grew up together, understanding, supporting, and loving each other. We promised to be together forever, but because he spoiled me too much, I became capricious and careless. I got angry with him on the street, and as a result, he got hit by a car. The only thing I could do was to sell my body to get money for his surgery. You know what happened later. Because he lost his memory and because of his brother, I misunderstood him and angrily signed that agreement with you¡­¡± Bernard coldly responded, ¡°So you¡¯re saying that you weren¡¯t really willing to be with me?¡± Eleanor nodded, ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t want to. That¡¯s why I haven¡¯t spent any of your money in the past five years, because I didn¡¯t want to owe you anything. Now that my Garett is back by my side and our misunderstandings have been resolved, I want to go back to him and be with him. Mr. Laurence, can you let me go?¡± Chapter 143 Chapter 143 Her eyes were clear and clean, with noplicated feelings towards him, just pleading. Bernard¡¯s blood ran cold, and the slightfort he had felt after sleeping with her instantly vanished. His heart was torn open with a long gash, hurting so much that it seemed like even his palms were in pain. He clenched his fists, trying to control the spreading pain, but couldn¡¯t stop it. That kind of pain was unprecedentedly intense, spreading through his entire body, too unbearable to tolerate. ¡°Mr. Laurence, I¡¯m so grateful to you for lending me a hand when I was most helpless back then. Otherwise, Garett wouldn¡¯t have made it.¡± ¡°I appreciate you, but my feelings for you go no further than that.¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Bernard suddenly let out a coldugh, making Eleanor shut her mouth abruptly. She didn¡¯t have the courage to look at Bernard, her head hanging low, waiting for the storm of anger to come. But after a long wait, the man didn¡¯t respond. She slowly looked up, seeing his cold and disappointed eyes. Her felt like her heart was being crushed by something, causing her so much pain that it was even difficult for her to breathe. This man was best at controlling his emotions, and at this point, he had already calmed down. To this woman, five years just meant gratitude, nothing more. For her, he had lowered his dignity and went after her over and over again. But he was rejected by her again and again. She only loved her Garett, and he was nothing in her heart. If he continued to cling to her, it would only make him look ridiculous. He hid the disappointment in his eyes and coldly looked at Eleanor, his voice filled with unprecedented coldness. ¡°Get out!¡± He only said so, which meant he let her go. Her goal of cutting ties with him was achieved, which should have made her happy, but Eleanor¡¯s heart was bleeding. She took a deep look at the proud and cold man, gritted her teeth, and walked towards Jason, As she helped Jason leave, she couldn¡¯t help but look back. The man had already turned and went back to his room, leaving her with a lonely and proud silhouette. The moment the door was mmed shut, it signaled the real end of everything. Eleanor¡¯s chest felt suffocating, gasping for air, her hand shaking with pain as she held Jason. ¡°Eleanor, what¡¯s¡­what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Jason saw her face filled with sorrow and emotional breakdown, realizing something, but he didn¡¯t dare to think too much. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Eleanor shook her head: ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Jason nodded, held her hand tightly, and walked towards the vi exit. The man upstairs, watching the two leave, his expression grew even colder and indifferent. He stared intently at the petite and frail figure, his heart filled with indescribable emotions, There was an impulse to rush over and pull her back into his arms. But her words just now had pushed him away, causing his reason toe back. It was just a woman who didn¡¯t love him, no big deal, there was no need to linger. He moved his eyes from the ground, but when he saw the torn clothes on the floor, the bone¨Cpiercing pain suddenly spread throughout his body. He might have gotten used to her body, which was why his mind was filled with images of her begging under him, It must be! This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Jason and Eleanor, supporting each other, walked out of the vi. Outside, there were several cars brought by Jason. The people in the car were all bodyguards, their faces covered in scars. Before Jason entered, he had already fought a fierce battle with Bernard¡¯s bodyguards. Jason had brought too few people and couldn¡¯t beat Bernard¡¯s men, forcing Jason to seek help from the police. Seeing Jason emerge unharmed, the bodyguards all breathed a sigh of relief, and one of them helped the two open the car door. Chapter 144 Chapter 144 hapter 144 Jason helped Eleanor into the car first, then he got in himself. Despite being injured, Jason picked up a clean towel to help Eleanor dry her hair. He was very gentle, afraid of hurting her. But when he saw her exposed skin, his expression became somewhat heavy. His beloved Eleanor had been hurt by that jerk Bernard¡­ Not just once, but for five whole years. Thinking about it, Jason felt a bit dazed. Eleanor saw him staring at her neck, and subconsciously covered it, wrapping her coat tighter around her. Jason quickly exined, ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t get the wrong idea. I feel so useless for letting this happen to you¡­¡± Eleanor shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s not his fault, it was my choice.¡± Since she signed the agreement herself, she couldn¡¯t me Bernard. Jason¡¯s heart trembled. Eleanor said it was her choice, which made it even harder for him to ept. He didn¡¯t continue speaking, just kept wiping her hair with the towel. Seeing him treat her so gently, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty. But some things still had to be made clear. ¡°Garett, I have something to tell you¡­¡± ¡°Can we talk about it when we get back?¡± As soon as she started speaking, Jason interrupted her. He seemed to know what she wanted to say, but he didn¡¯t want to hear it. Eleanor nced at the bandage still wrapped around his forehead, so she swallowed her words for the time being. Jason wanted to take her back to his vi, but Eleanor didn¡¯t want to. She wanted to go back to Hailey¡¯s small apartment. That little apartment made her feel safe. Living there, she could sleep soundly at night. Jason had no choice but to take her back to the apartment. But he didn¡¯t want to go upstairs, as if fearing that once Eleanor followed him inside, she would say something to him. Seeing this, Eleanor didn¡¯t¨Crush to get out of the car either. ¡°Garett, some things still need to be made clear.¡± She didn¡¯t have much time left. Her injury aggravated her condition. If it weren¡¯t for the life¨Csaving medicine Liana gave her, she wouldn¡¯t have the strength to talk to him right now. So while she still had some strength, she decided to make things clear. ¡°Don¡¯t take what I said at Bernard¡¯s vi to heart. I only said that to get out safely.¡± What Eleanor was referring to was, ¡°Now that my Garett is back and the misunderstanding is cleared, I want to go back to him and be with.¡± Jason was smart, and he understood what she was saying. But he was still a little¨Csad. ¡°Why?¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org. She had already rejected Bernard, so why didn¡¯t she want toe back to him? Was it because she was still angry at him? Eleanor looked at Jason with guilt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Garett. It¡¯s my fault. I betrayed you first.¡± A tinge of paleness appeared on Jason¡¯s face. ¡°You didn¡¯t betray me. You sold yourself for me, and everything else was just out of anger. Eleanor said, ¡°At first it was because I was angry, butter on, I did it willingly.¡± Her nonchnt admission that she was willing made Jason feel like he was suffocating. It was as if a giant hand was gripping his heart, making it hard for him to breathe, ¡°Did¡­did you fall in love with him?¡± It took all of Jason¡¯s strength to ask that question. His eyes, which had just regained a bit of color, gradually turned red again. He looked at Eleanor with hope, hoping she would deny it. But even though Eleanor was reluctant to hurt him, this time she had to make up her mind. ¡°Yes, I fell in love with him¡­¡± It was unclear whether she loved Bernard the same way she once loved Garett, or if she loved Bernard even more. She always felt that she had involuntarily fallen in love with Bernard, unable to forget his every move. Chapter 145 Chapter 145 Jason had already realized it, but he didn¡¯t expect her to admit it herself. So, since she didn¡¯t love him anymore, she didn¡¯t care about his feelings either? Well, he disappeared for five years for that reason, and it¡¯s normal for her to fall in love with someone else. But why did he feel so terrible¡­ He covered his chest, feeling terrible, and bend down. He gasped for breath, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t breathe smoothly. That suffocating feeling was tightly binding his heart, and he couldn¡¯t break free. FI He couldn¡¯t tell if the drops on his forehead were sweat or tears. In the end, it turned into a sentence, ¡°What should I do then¡­¡± What should he do? He¡¯s lived his whole life for Eleanor. Now She¡¯s in love with Bernard, what should he do? Seeing him like this, guilt shed in Eleanor¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Jason looked up, his eyes reflecting Eleanor¡¯s apologetic face, ¡°I don¡¯t need your apology, I need you, Eleanor. Please don¡¯t love him anymore, and love me again, okay?¡± He went to Eleanor and took her cold hand, cing it in his palm. ¡°I¡¯ll treat you well in the future and never let you get hurt. Can we go back to the past, carefree like we were in school?¡± Eleanor slowly shook her head. ¡°Garett, we can¡¯t go back to the past¡­¡± Jason didn¡¯t believe her at all. ¡°You¡¯re lying to me, right? If you really love Bernard, you wouldn¡¯t have said such cruel words to him just now. You don¡¯t love him; you only said that because you me me¡­¡± ¡°I said those cruel words because he doesn¡¯t love me.¡± Eleanor calmly interrupted Jason, ¡°He wants to be with me only because I resemble Ms. Ratliff; I¡¯m just a substitute. Now that Ms. Ratliff is back, he¡¯ll marry her soon. So, I have to cut ties with him.¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. Another reason was that she¡¯s running out of time, and she didn¡¯t want Bernard to see her ugly appearance before she dies. She hoped to leave a beautiful impression for Bernard, even if it¡¯s at the end of her journey. If he could remember her in the future, the memory will be beautiful, not ugly. Jason looked at her and suddenlyughed bitterly. If she was just a substitute, why would Bernard still touch her after Sophie Ratliff was back? And he did it right in front of him ¨C clearly marking his territory. Maybe it¡¯s because Bernard never confessed his feelings to her, so she didn¡¯t know how crazy that man¡¯s possessiveness is. But his Eleanor, even if she thought he doesn¡¯t love her, she still fell in love with Bernard. There¡¯s no way for Jason to measure the depth of such love. his heart ached, but he didn¡¯t know what to do. He tightly held her hand, his fingertips trembling. ¡°Eleanor, he doesn¡¯t love you. Can you let him go and start over with me?¡± Even knowing that Bernard had feelings for Eleanor, he didn¡¯t n to tell her. He just wanted Eleanor back to him privately. He didn¡¯t remember when he fell in love with Eleanor, but he knew he liked her since they were very young. How could he let go of someone who he had loved for a lifetime? But Eleanor pushed his hand away¡­ ¡°Garett, even if you don¡¯t mind, we can¡¯t start over¡­¡± Garett was someone she once loved deeply. Likewise, she didn¡¯t want him to see her at the end of her life. Only by cutting all ties will Garett gradually let go, and she could leave this world peacefully. Chapter 146 Chapter 146 ¡°Garett, do you know why I came to see you? Sophie forced me, otherwise I would never see you again.¡± ¡°I¡¯vepletely got over you, and I hope you can do the same, go back to B City and properly manage the enterprises of The Clowers Group, that¡¯s where you belong.¡± Eleanor finished in one breath, and wanted to open the door to leave, but was hugged from behind by Jason. He buried his head weakly in her neck, choking out the words, ¡°Eleanor, I can¡¯t let you go, I can¡¯t for the rest of my life, please don¡¯t reject me.¡± Stubborn and obsessive Jason, unlike the haughty and cold Bernard, wouldn¡¯t walk away just because of a few harsh words. Topletely cut ties with him, she had to be more ruthless. Eleanor took a deep breath, turned her head and gritted her teeth, ¡°Mr. Clowers, listen clearly, I don¡¯t care if you can¡¯t let go, I don¡¯t love you anymore. Your insistence now only makes me look down on you and it annoys me.¡± She pried off his fingers wrapped around her waist one by one, and continued coldly, ¡°Do you think I can forgive and forget after your brother kicked me and almost killed me? I¡¯m telling you it¡¯s impossible. Those things only make me hate you more.¡± From rejection to disgust, it happened in an instant. Jason was like falling into hell, ¡°Eleanor¡­¡± His face was full of disbelief, as if he couldn¡¯t believe that the formerly charming and adorable Eleanor could say such harsh words to him. ¡°Mr. Clowers, there are so many women out there, why do you insist on me? Especially when I don¡¯t love you anymore.¡± Jason looked at Eleanor in front of him, his eyes full of sorrow, and he was speechless. Eleanor pinched her palm, suppressed the pity in her heart, and gritted her teeth, ¡°Please don¡¯te to find me anymore, it¡¯s annoying.¡± She dropped these words, pushed the door and left without looking back, seemingly without any regret. In his blurry vision, that figure gradually moved farther away. As tears uncontrobly fell from his eyes, Jason came back to his senses. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. He pushed open the car door, unwilling to let go, and followed that figure¡­. Eleanor knew he was following her, she sighed deeply but didn¡¯t pay him any attention, and went upstairs alone. She was well aware of Garett¡¯s feelings for her, he had always spoiled her since childhood, given her everything, and worked hard to earn money for her to have a good life after they grew up. He even worked while studying since high school. Such a good boy must be head over heels for her, willing to give her everything. But what she gave him in return was a changed heart, and a life of less than two months¡­ She once asked Garett what he would do if she died before him. Garett said, ¡°Then I will go with you, I willmit suicide in front of your tomb, and I will never let you be alone on the way to heaven.¡± He is a man of his word. Of course, now that he has found his home, he should have something to worry about and wouldn¡¯t do such a stupid thing. But Eleanor was still afraid, so she dared not tell him about her impending departure from this world. She pushed the door into the small apartment, while Jason stood at the door, staring at it without moving. The dozens of bodyguards who followed him looked puzzled. Ever since he was hit with a stick, their president seemed to have changed. Although he still looked refined and noble, there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. Chapter 147 Chapter 147 Eleanor knew Jason was waiting outside the door, but she didn¡¯t ask him to leave. She knew the Clowers family wouldn¡¯t allow Jason to waste too much time in A City, and he¡¯d be taken away before long. After getting home, she took a shower, opened the drawer, and took the medicine prescribed at the hospital. She forgot to bring the special medicine and cell phone that Liana had given her. As she left in a hurry at the time, Eleanor just put on Bernard¡¯s coat and helped Jason leave the vi. Eleanor picked up the coat with a faint manly scent, touched it gently and felt reluctant to let go. But when she thought of what he said in her ear, the tenderness in her eyes faded away. The suicide note stilly in the drawer. Eleanor took it out and found the piece of paper with the word ¡°Bernard.¡± She picked up a pen and wrote below it: he said, ¡°don¡¯t even think about me falling for you.¡± It turns out he doesn¡¯t love me. Eleanor might have been so exhausted these past few days, she fell asleep as soon as shey on the bed. Terminal patients tend to sleep a lot, and she quickly slipped into unconsciousness. While the man outside the door leaned against the door frame, motionless, seemingly waiting for her to soften her heart. However, he waited an entire night, but she never opened the door. The light in the man¡¯s eyes gradually dimmed¡­ At the Laurence family¡¯s estate: Liana arrived as usual with her medicine box for a follow¨Cup. However, she was told that Eleanor had left and there was no need for further treatment. Liana was surprised, unaware of what happened yesterday, thinking that Eleanor had left on her own ord. She thought it was better for her to leave, given her serious illness, and her demise at the Laurence family¡¯s estate could cause misunderstandings. Liana nodded to the butler, nning to take her medicine box back to the hospital, but then she heard Aidyn Reyes¡® voice from upstairs- ¡°Liana, Mr. Laurence wants you toe up.¡± Upon hearing this, Liana obediently went upstairs. ¡°What does Mr. Laurence want with me?¡± Aidyn was Liana¡¯s brother, both working for Bernard. But Aidyn grew up with Bernard, so he was closer to him than Liana. However, their closeness didn¡¯t matter as they were both Bernard¡¯s capable assistants. ¡°You¡¯ll know when you go in.¡± Aidyn gestured for Liana to enter the study alone. Liana nodded, pushed the door open. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you wanted to see me?¡± The man sat in the study, staring at the data on hisputer. As Liana entered, he merely nced at her with his peripherals before refocusing on theputer. ¡°Take these things to her.¡± The man pushed a white leather bag and several boxes of medicine from the table in front of Liana. She immediately recognized them as Eleanor¡¯s belongings. The medicine was what she had given to Eleanor before, but the packaging had been changed. She had turnedte¨Cstage patient¡¯s special medicine into packages designed for ordinary heart patients. Liana congratted herself for secretly changing the packaging to avoid arousing suspicion, ensuring that Bernard hadn¡¯t discovered the truth. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Alright, Mr. Laurence, I¡¯ll take these things to Eleanorter.¡± As Liana picked up the bag and medicine to leave, Bernard stopped her. 1/2 12:16 ¡°Mr. Laurence, is there anything else you¡¯d like to tell me?¡± Bernard looked up, took out a business card from theputer, and handed it to Liana.. ¡°This is Dr. George, a famous doctor. He¡¯s currently helping her find a suitable heart. You can contact him directly in the future.¡± Dr. George was a famous heart disease specialist internationally, and Liana had heard of him. Bernard had actually asked Dr. George to find a matching heart for Ms. Shultz? Didn¡¯t he not care about Ms. Shultz? Why would he help Ms. Shultz find such a renowned expert to search for a heart? Could it be that he¡­ Chapter 148 Chapter 148 ¡°After he finds the heart, you take her straight for the transnt surgery. Nothing rted to her needs to be shared with me in the future.¡± His cold words stopped Liana¡¯s spection. If he really cared about her, he wouldn¡¯t have this attitude, right? This is clearly just trying to shake someone off while doing onest good deed for them at the end. As for whether Dr. George can find a heart and whether Ms. Shultz can survive, he doesn¡¯t care at all. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t say it doesn¡¯t matter if anything happens to Ms. Shultzter. Such indifference only means their rtionship is over. Only Mr. Laurence may be doing this in vain because Ms. Shultz¡¯s situation now won¡¯t wait for a suitable heart. Liana thought for a moment and, since Mr. Laurence was indifferent to Ms. Shultz anyway, didn¡¯t say much and just replied ¡®okay¡® before leaving with the things. After she left, Bernard put his hand on the notebook and couldn¡¯t help but clench it. After Liana left, she remembered she forgot to ask for the address but was afraid to go back and had to ask Aidyn, who was standing at the door. ¡°Cousin, do you know where Ms. Shultz¡¯s house is?¡± Aidyn nodded. When Ms. Shultz followed Mr. Laurence, he would always pick her up at that apartment, so naturally, he knew where she lived. ¡°Do you want me to send you over, or just give you the address?¡± Liana looked at the medicine in her hand and said, ¡°Just give me the address. Mr. Laurence might need you at any time, and you can¡¯t leave.¡± Aidyn nodded and sent Liana the address on his phone. With Eleanor¡¯s things, Liana opened the navigation and arrived at the apartment. As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, she saw a group of bodyguards dressed in ck suits and Jason, the president of the Clowers Group. The man leaned against the door frame, looking tired but still exuding a noble aura. Liana immediately recognized him, and the reason for her recognition was that person. In fact, Liana pursued a career in medicine because of that person. Without dwelling on the past, she approached Jason and inquired, ¡°Mr. Clowers, what is your team guarding outside Ms. Shultz¡¯s door for?¡± Upon hearing the familiar voice, Jason slowly opened his bloodshot eyes, appearing surprised to see Liana standing there. ¡°Liana?¡± Observing the bloodshot veins in his eyes, indicative of sleep deprivation, Liana couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°Mr. Clowers, your body won¡¯t be able to handle it if you continue like this. The doctor at your house lacks the necessary medical expertise to revive people.¡± Aware that she referred to Tyler Howell, Jason remained silent. Their conflicts were none of his concern. ¡°Why are you here, though?¡± Compared to her and Tyler¡¯s grievances, he was more concerned about why Liana came to see Eleanor. Liana waved the bag in her hand, ¡°I¡¯m just delivering something to her.¡± Jason recognized the bag, it was the one Eleanor carried when she attended the party. After he sent someone to find the bag, it was stolen by Aidyn and ended up in Bernard¡¯s hands. So¡­ Liana was running errands for Bernard. ¡°Liana, are you working for Bernard now?¡± She studied medicine abroad then didn¡¯t return to the Howell family when she came back, instead, she went to A city to find her cousin. Both siblings had little regard for the Howell family and instead chose to align themselves with Bernard. If Tyler were to discover this, it would likely ignite a deep anger within him. Aldyn, having left home at a young age, remained indifferent to the situation. However, Liana Terrill¡¯s actions were a source of pain for Tyler. Liana¡¯s rtionship with Jason was strained due to his affiliation with that person. Thus, it was natural for her to disy a cold demeanor towards him. Nheless, Liana couldn¡¯t help but wonder why Jason was stationed outside Ms. Shultz¡¯s house. Though puzzled, she didn¡¯t feel Inclined to inquire further. Her purpose was to deliver something and she had no interest in anything else. Offering Jason a brief response, Liana gestured for him to step aside. ¡°Move out of the way,¡± she instructed. Jason had no choice but toply, allowing Liana to enter. Chapter 149 Chapter 149 Liana knocked on the door, but there was no response from inside. Liana figured Eleanor must have been asleep. She was wondering how to get inside when a roar came from behind her ¨C ¡°Who are you? What are you doing standing in front of my house?!¡± Hailey had sent several messages to Eleanor these past few days without any reply. She was worried about her, so she decided to pay her a visit. As she stepped out of the elevator, she saw about ten men dressed in ck. Jason and Liana were stopped by the group, but Hailey didn¡¯t notice. Thinking it was a robbery, she silently grabbed a baseball bat nearby, raised it up with a broom, and yelled loudly. She wanted to scare the group with her authoritative presence, but they just turned around and gave her a nk stare. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Hailey was speechless. Upon hearing Hailey¡¯s voice, Jason gestured for the bodyguards to clear the way, allowing her to see him. ¡°What are you doing standing at my door with so many people?¡± she questioned, her anger surfacing. Her eyes rolled at him. He had previously mistreated Eleanor, and now he seemed to be continuing his antics. Jason¡¯s head drooped, disying a sense of apology. ¡°Sorry, Hailey. I came to talk to her about something.¡± Hailey set down the broom and responded icily, ¡°Wasn¡¯t she taken away by Bernard?¡± Unaware that Eleanor had already returned, she initially wanted Jason to leave. However, her attention was drawn to his bloodshot eyes. She couldn¡¯t say the harsh words she wanted to say. After all, he was the younger brother she had been caring for since childhood. Some things she just couldn¡¯t say. Jason said, ¡°Eleanor¡¯s back, but she doesn¡¯t want to see me.¡± Hailey rolled her eyes once more, eximing, ¡°After how cruel you were to her, how could she possibly want to see you?¡± Jason¡¯s eyes welled up with redness once again. Although he wasn¡¯t directly responsible, his older brother¡¯s actions tied him to the consequences. It was understandable for Eleanor to harbor resentment towards him. His heart ached, not because Eleanor despised him, but because she had dered her moving on and no longer loving him. Unaware of the details, Hailey assumed that Eleanor had taught Jason a lesson, judging by his current state. During their past conflicts, -Eleanor would give him the silent treatment, prompting him to wait outside her door while Hailey acted as a mediator. But this time, things weren¡¯t so simple, and it wasn¡¯t possible for them to reconcile as they did before. Nevertheless, as the mediator, Hailey still wanted to help. Hailey pushed Jason aside and opened the door, ¡°Even if you want to see her, you don¡¯t need to arrange these people.¡± Jason, grateful that Hailey was still willing to open the door for him, quickly waved for the bodyguards to leave. The bodyguards, though, were worried. Their boss had just been attacked at a banquet, and now they didn¡¯t dare leave his side. With a cold nce from Jason, the bodyguards reluctantly went downstairs to wait. Hailey opened the door, and Jason and Liana went inside. Hailey red at Liana, mumbling, ¡°Why does Mr. Clowers bring a pretty girl to see my Eleanor?¡± Liana chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m not here with him.¡± Hearing that, Hailey¡¯s mood slightly improved, ¡°Then who are you?¡± Liana politely introduced herself, ¡°I¡¯m a doctor hired by Mr. Laurence to treat Ms. Shultz¡¯s heart condition.¡± After saying that, Liana raised her medicine box and waved it in front of Hailey. Hearing Mr. Laurence¡¯s name, Hailey got upset again, ¡°He doesn¡¯t want Eleanor anymore, why does he still care about her?¡± Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Liana didn¡¯t know how to respond, she just smiled faintly at Hailey, making her uneasy. After inviting them to sit on the couch, she turned and knocked on the door to the small bedroom. ¡°Eleanor, someone¡¯s here for you.¡± Eleanor was already awake in the room, hearing their conversation outside, but she didn¡¯t have the strength to get up. As she tried to sit up, Hailey barged in. Seeing Eleanor struggling to get up, Hailey rushed over. ¡°Eleanor, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Jason and Liana followed. Jason tried to get closer, but Liana got there first, ¡°I¡¯m the doctor here, give me some space.¡± Jason stepped aside, and Liana went up to Eleanor, cing her hand on her forehead and then taking out a thermometer to check her temperature. ¡°Were you caught in the rain earlier?¡± Although her temperature wasn¡¯t high, it was still quite dangerous for Eleanor. She had been drenched at the entrance of the Laurence family¡¯s vi. Jason had tried to shield her from the rain with his coat, but she still got wet. Looking guilty, he wanted to hold Eleanor¡¯s hand, but she avoided him. Fearing that her illness would be exposed in front of Liana, Eleanor only avoided Jason¡¯s touch without driving him away. Her rejection was like a thorn in his heart. He knew that his Eleanor would never be the same as before¡­ They had agreed that whenever she said harsh words when angry, he shouldn¡¯t take it seriously. After she had cooled down, he woulde back to appease her, and she would forgive him. But he had been waiting outside the door all night long, and still couldn¡¯t make Eleanor forgive him¡­ Naturally, Liana noticed their actions and was suspicious, but since she came to treat Eleanor, she didn¡¯t ask further. ¡°It¡¯s just a mild fever, taking some fever reducer will help.¡± After checking her temperature and giving her some medicine, Liana handed her a bag and some boxes of medicine. ¡°Here are your things that were left with Mr. Laurence. He asked me to return them to you¡­¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Originally, Liana wanted to give Eleanor more medicine, but seeing her giving subtle hints not wanting the other two to know about her Illness, Liana didn¡¯t take them out. Eleanor expressed her gratitude and thanked her for hiding her illness. Liana understood her meaning and winked at her, ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Eleanor looked at the coat on the table, ¡°Dr. Terrill, could you take that coat back to him?¡± Liana looked where she was pointing. It was Mr. Laurence¡¯s coat, how did it end up with Eleanor? In theory, since they broke up, why would she still wear his coat? Liana had many doubts but didn¡¯t ask directly, she just nodded, picked up the coat and the medical kit, and left. Hailey breathed a sigh of relief when she heard that Eleanor had only a mild fever. She sat by the bedside helping Eleanor sit up, handing her the fever reducer and a cup of water. After taking the medicine, Eleanor looked up at Jason, who stood by the bed like a statue, and said, ¡°You can go now.¡± Jason felt a sharp pang in his heart, making it difficult for him to breathe. Previously, Eleanor hadn¡¯t pushed him away because of Liana¡¯s presence, fearing that Liana would ry the situation to Bernard. Eleanor cared about Bernard¡¯s feelings, but not his. In her heart, it seemed that Bernard held a somewhat higher priority than him. The woman who had once prioritized him now seemed to have cast him aside, focusing her attention on another man. Both Jason and the past version of himself struggled to ept this harsh reality. With bloodshot eyes, he locked his gaze onto Eleanor¡¯s pale face and pleaded, ¡°Eleanor, please give me another chance¡­ Eleanor responded expressionlessly, ¡°I¡¯ve already made myself clear. Don¡¯t push me to turn against you.¡± Hearing this, Hailey finally understood that Eleanor wouldn¡¯t forgive Jason. She rose from her seat and advised him, ¡°You should leave for now.¡± Chapter 151 Chapter 151 Jason stole a nce at Eleanor, who had already averted her gaze. A wave of pain surged through his body, causing him to stagger. ¡°You¡¯re being so heartless to me because you¡¯ve fallen in love with Bernard, is that it?¡± he uttered, his voice filled with agony. ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯ve loved you for half of my life. How could you do this to me?!¡± His words were a mix of desperation and disbelief. Suddenly, resentment flooded Jason¡¯s eyes, directed both at Eleanor¡¯s cruelty and her affection for someone else. Eleanor looked at Jason, clenched her fists, and gritted her teeth, ¡°Yes, I fell in love with him. You know what I¡¯m like when I love someone. Since I love him, I won¡¯t show mercy to anyone else. Can you please just let me go?¡± Upon hearing this, Jason felt cold all over, and his body trembled uncontrobly. Filled with fury, he rushed to Eleanor, grabbed her chin, and kissed her forcefully. His kiss was forceful and possessive, reminiscent of their past encounters. However, whereas Eleanor would have reciprocated in the past, now she remained unresponsive. Jason reluctantly released her, observing the icy coldness and disdain reflected in her eyes. His heart turned to ice. ¡°Eleanor, you will regret this¡­¡± he muttered, leaving her with those words. Leaning against the wall for support, he stumbled away, his figure disying the aftermath of severe emotional wounds. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. As she watched Jason¡¯s broken form retreat, tears welled up in Eleanor¡¯s eyes, a mixture of sorrow and regret. Seeing her like this, Hailey was puzzled. If she couldn¡¯t let go, why was she treating Jason this way? ¡°Eleanor, are you still holding a grudge for when he kicked you?¡± Eleanor shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m not mad at him anymore. He didn¡¯t do that.¡± Without waiting for Hailey¡¯s next question, Eleanor told her about Jason having an identical twin brother, Hailey¡¯s heartache was eased, as her longstanding grudges also faded. It turned out that Jason¡¯s elder brother was the one who hurt Eleanor. Garett¡¯s amnesia was real, and he hadn¡¯t lied to them. It seemed she didn¡¯t care for Garett in vain. However¡­ Her eyes filled with doubt as she questioned, ¡°So why are you still treating him like this?¡± Eleanor took¨Ca¨Cdeep breath, preparing to disclose herte¨Cstage cancer to Hailey. However, before she could utter a word, a call interrupted her. ¡°Eleanor, hold on a moment, Austin is calling. Let me answer it.¡± Eleanor had no choice but to remain silent. When Hailey ended the call, her expression revealed concern, prompting Eleanor to inquire, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Austin said there was an emergency back home, and he needs to return.¡± Hailey, known for her honesty, shared the truth with Eleanor. Without hesitation, Eleanor swiftly responded, ¡°Then don¡¯t stay with me. Go with him to assess the situation.¡± However, Hailey surprised Eleanor by choosing to sit down beside her bed instead of hastily leaving. ¡°Austin said it¡¯s just a family debt. He¡¯ll go back, pay it off ande back. I don¡¯t need to go with him, More like he didn¡¯t want to take her home. Eleanor watched Hailey peeling an orange, wanting to say something but not sure how to start. Now that they were married, she was worried about affecting their rtionship. When Hailey finished peeling the orange, she noticed Eleanor¡¯s hesitation and smiled at her, ¡°I know what you¡¯re worried about. Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ll handle it myself. It¡¯s just that they won¡¯t let me go back to Austin¡¯s hometown. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± With a casual expression, she handed a piece of orange to Eleanor, ¡°Here, have some orange to replenish your vitamins.¡± Chapter 152 Chapter 152 Eleanor picked up an orange, put it in her mouth, chewed it, but it tasted nd. As she swallowed, the acidic juices rolled in her stomach, making her almost throw up. She didn¡¯t want to worry Hailey and tried to hold back her difort. Maybe because she was feeling down, Hailey didn¡¯t notice Eleanor¡¯s abnormality and focused on peeling an apple. She handed the peeled apple to Eleanor, but this time Eleanor didn¡¯t eat it and put it on the bedside table instead. ¡°Hailey, did Austin tell you how much money he owes?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Hailey nodded and was silent for a moment before telling Eleanor the amount. ¡°Two hundred thousand.¡± Their family owed two hundred thousand, and Austin just informed Hailey and rushed back to pay off the debt without discussing it with Hailey. ¡°He used his own money, not mine¡­¡± Hailey added a sentence, worried that Eleanor might not trust her, but it sounded a bit ironic to Eleanor. The wedding house that Austin bought was being paid off by Hailey, but after getting married, Austin didn¡¯t hand over the financial power to Hailey. If Eleanor knew that after getting married, all the money Hailey earned was not only used to pay off the mortgage but also covered living expenses, she would be furious. Hailey concealed some changes that urred after their marriage from Eleanor, just because she was worried about adding to her worries. Seeing Eleanor¡¯s angry appearance now, Hailey had to say what had happened: ¡°After I married Austin, he did change a bit. Of course, he¡¯s still as good to me as before, but something feels off. I can¡¯t quite put my finger on what it is.¡± Austin¡¯s kindness to her was not only romantic but also integrated into every little detail of their lives. No matter how tired he was from work, he¡¯d clean the house aftering back home, not letting her cook or doundry, taking care of her thoughtfully. Hailey, whocked love, was very dependent on Austin, who took care of her. Although he still treated her the same as when they were dating after their marriage, he always made excuses about money. It wasn¡¯t necessarily asking Hailey for money, but he always mentioned being short on cash in front of her. Hailey had a soft heart, so when she saw him struggling with money, she took on the mortgage and even covered daily expenses when Austin didn¡¯t receive a bonus due to poor work sales and had sick elderly people at home in need of money. And now there¡¯s an additional debt of two hundred thousand at home. Although Austin said he would handle it, that money is actually theirmon property. After getting married, Hailey put the money she had and some money given by Austin into a bank card, intending to save some education funds for their future children. Austin said he would put his basic monthly sry into that card as well. and given by Austin But not long after, two hundred thousand were withdrawn. The money Hailey had and given by Austin was totally two hundred thousand. Hailey didn¡¯t want to guess what her boyfriend of many years was thinking. Money wasn¡¯t important to her; their intentions were what mattered. But after getting married and having these issues happen, she couldn¡¯t help feeling uneasy. After listening to what Hailey told her, Eleanor felt suffocated as well: ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?¡± If she had known after their marriage, Hailey had to bear the entire mortgage and daily expenses. She would have given Hailey a heads¨Cup, at least not letting her take out all her savings after getting married. Although Austin and Hailey had been dating for many years, women indeed need to have a backup n. However, Hailey was even more careless than her, as she put all her savings into one card. If they had any issues in the future, what would Hailey do? Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Fortunately, Eleanor still had over 200,000 saved for Hailey, but this amount isn¡¯t much for a long life ahead. Chapter 153 Chapter 153 Watching Eleanor let out a long sigh, Hailey didn¡¯t feel too suffocated. She evenughed andforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I¡¯ll make the money back with just a few more bottles of wine sold.¡± But Eleanor still worried. She knew how hard Hailey had worked over the years to save up for the house. It was all umted from tips when she outdrank customers. Little by little, she saved it up. Although Hailey has been promoted to manager and doesn¡¯t need to drink with customers anymore, she still has to workte to make. back that money. Eleanor was worried about Hailey¡¯s health, but Hailey seemed not to care. ¡°What you should care about most right now is your emotional issues with Garett and Bernard, not worrying about me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve cut ties with both of them, and now there¡¯s only you left by my side, of course I only care about you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can stand up on my own if anything happens in the future.¡± Hailey was not afraid of being abandoned. She still trusted Austin, so she refused to dig deeper into the truth. If one day she found that Austin had let her down or had hidden intentions, she would make a clean break. Though gentle at heart, she has a tough disposition and is upromising. Once she decides to let go, she is far more decisive than Eleanor. Hailey chatted with Eleanor a bit more, got up to cook for her, ate, and then hurried off to her evening shift. Watching her leave, Eleanor¡¯s soft expression gradually faded. She had nned to tell Hailey about her condition, but now Hailey has got some issues as well. If she tells her about her limited life at this time, she might not be able to take the blow. Eleanor thought about it and made up her mind first. With Liana¡¯s miracle drug, she shouldn¡¯t just pass away all of a sudden, right? Hailey hurried downstairs and saw several luxury cars parked outside. Some car windows were open, and the bodyguards in ck suits were sitting inside. She recognized them as Jason¡¯s men at a nce. She thought Jason had left long ago, but he was still waiting outside the door. His persistence made Hailey admire him. She went over and knocked on the window of the first car. There was no response inside, but a bodyguard got out of the car behind it. ¡°Miss, Mr. Clowers said he wants to be alone for a while, please don¡¯t disturb him.¡± Hailey didn¡¯t say anything and turned to leave, only to hear the car window rolling down. ¡°Hailey.¡± Hailey stopped, looked back at him, and saw his red eyes. Apparently, he had been crying. Since childhood, he had always been proud in front of others, only showing tenderness in front of Eleanor. Sometimes, his eyes would reveal a fierce determination, a maturity different from a young man. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. This determination grew stronger as he aged but vanished in front of Eleanor. Hailey understood that it was because of Eleanor that he was heartbroken and couldn¡¯t find a way to deal with her. He couldn¡¯t hate her, but he couldn¡¯t let go either. F IS I 53 He paused now to ask himself, possibly looking for any advice she might have, but Hailey also didn¡¯t know how to handle this issue. She also couldn¡¯t understand why Eleanor still wouldn¡¯t ept him after the misunderstanding was cleared. Later, she pondered and thought that perhaps it was because of Bernard. Jason invited Hailey into the car. The two sat in the luxurious and spacious car, facing each other and talking. Finally, Hailey broke the silence, ¡°You¡¯ve changed quite a bit these past few years.¡± Although she had seen him twice before, she hadn¡¯t really taken a good look at him. The current Garett was no longer the immature young man he used to be, but had be more noble and elegant. Once, she thought of him as God¡¯s favored one, and it seems she was right. As the second son of the Clowers family, who held all the power in B City, what could be a more fitting description than God¡¯s favored one? Chapter 154 Chapter 154 Jason and Hailey chatted about daily life for a bit, and then the conversation turned to Eleanor, and Jason¡¯s expression darkened gradually¡­ ¡°Over the past few years, Eleanor and Bernard, they weren¡¯t really a couple, because they only signed an agreement.¡± ¡°But Eleanor¡¯s love for Bernard was real. If it wasn¡¯t for this love, Eleanor might¡¯ve had a hard time bouncing back¡­¡± Hailey didn¡¯t hide anything from him, telling him the truth, hoping he could move on as soon as possible. Turns out all the changes that happened were because of him. Eleanor fell in love with Bernard in order to forget him. Jason struggled to find words to describe the overwhelming emotions consuming him in that moment. The fractures in his heart seemed to widen, threatening to swallow him bit by bit. ¡°You¡¯ve missed your chance with her. It¡¯s best to let go,¡± Hailey advised, her voice filled with a mix of sympathy and concern. With those words, she opened the car door and stepped out. Jason sank against the car seat, leaning his head back and shutting his bloodshot eyes. Suddenly, his bodyguard received an urgent call and hurriedly approached the car, tapping on the window. ¡°Mr. Clowers, the chairman is calling.¡± Jason¡¯s expression remained indifferent as he took the phone from the bodyguard. Through the line, President Clowers¡® weak and elderly voice resonated. ¡°Jason, it¡¯s time for you to return to B City.¡± Jason didn¡¯t respond, just looked up at the apartment building. He lost Eleanor because of the Clowers family. At the time, he med Eleanor for selling her body and had a fierce argument with her, leading to her angrily leaving. It was then when people from the Clowers family showed up. It wasn¡¯t his brother who came then, but the housekeeper. They took him back to the Clowers family forcefully without considering his consent. He could only escape by jumping out of the car, but it didn¡¯t change anything, and in the end, he was still taken back home. By the time he returned home, he had lost his memory and couldn¡¯t remember anything. His brother told him that they were twins, and during their birth, something happened at home. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Some rtives tried to seize the inheritance of the Clowers family and kidnapped their whole family. During the kidnapping, an ident urred, his mother died, and his father became a vegetable. He, on the other hand, was picked up by human traffickers, sold for two years, and was sent to an orphanage after his foster parents died. His brother was luckier and, under his father¡¯s protection, survived the ordeal and waster found by the housekeeper. Over the years, his brother had worn himself out trying to reim the family inheritance, and before finding him, he had already been diagnosed with brain cancer. To keep the Clowers family they had just reimed, his brother had to forcefully take him back home. His brother knew about Eleanor¡¯s existence, but thought that someone like her wouldn¡¯t help him and would only interfere with his fight against the rtives who covet the Clowers family, so he hid the fact that he had lost his memory. He didn¡¯t expect Eleanor to actuallye to the Clowers family to look for him, pestering him. When she said something that shook him, his brother had no choice but to try to buy off the orphanage staff and destroy all their past photos. By the time he went to investigate, there was nothing to find. So he just believed his brother¡¯s words, thinking that Eleanor was a cunning liar, and ordered security to kick her out of the Clowers family. Later, she still insisted on looking for him, but thispletely enraged his older brother, who viciously hurt Eleanor, pretending to be him. After that, Eleanor never looked for him again, and his brother sent him abroad to receive training. In about three years, he absorbed all the knowledge he could with his talent. When he came back to the Clowers family, he took over his brother¡¯s position as the CEO, but by then his father was still in aa, so his brother took the position of chairman. After being the chairman for a year, his brother died. Not long after, his father woke up. Now, the chairman of the Clowers Group is his father. His father has only been awake for a year, so of course he doesn¡¯t know about these things that his brother did. 12:185 Jason, having regained all his memories, doesn¡¯t have the heart to manage the Clowers Group now. If he could do it all over again, he would rather be Garrett, the one who was by Eleanor¡¯s side. Even if life was poor and tough, at least she would be by his side, but now¡­ Jason took a deep breath, and as President Clowers coughed and gasped for air, he heard him say, ¡°Jason, the Clowers Group can¡¯t go on without you,e home soon¡­¡± The words e home¡± were like a heavy burden on his heart, making it hard to breathe. Although his father has woken up, he is crippled and can only spend the rest of his life in bed. The pain of losing his wife and children is making him depressed, and he is now hanging on by a thread.. If he doesn¡¯t return to the Clowers family, the Clowers Group that his father and brother fought so hard to take back will fall into other people¡¯s hands. He clenched the phone tightly, pulling back his reluctant gaze and replied coldly, ¡°Fine.¡± Chapter 155 Chapter 155 Liana carefully ced the coat inside a beautiful paper bag and made her way towards the vi. As she entered the study, the warm glow of the setting sun streamed in through the French window, casting a faint golden light on the man in the room. The man stood tall and confident, his face hidden from view. Only his hand, with its distinct bone structure, was visible as it held a slim cigarette. A subtle aroma of smoke surrounded him, adding an aura of nobility and intrigue, yet also hinting at a certain restraint. Liana¡¯s gaze shifted to the small pile of discarded cigarette butts in the wastebasket, and she furrowed her brow slightly. She recalled that Bernard didn¡¯t smoke, leaving her curious about when he had started. However, she acknowledged that it wasn¡¯t her ce to inquire and proceeded to knock on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± came the response. The man didn¡¯t even bother looking back and simply uttered the words with a detached tone, as if nothing could interest him. Liana walked over with the paper bag, ¡°Mr. Laurence, Ms. Shultz asked me to return this coat to you.¡± She handed the bag to Bernard, and he finally looked. ¡°Just throw it away.¡± He said coldly, as if disposing of something worthless. ¡°Alright.¡± Liana replied, turning to leave with the bag again. She guessed that Bernard would ask her to dump it, but she came regardless, as she didn¡¯t dare to handle his things carelessly. As she was about to throw the bag into therge trash bin outside, the man¡¯s indifferent voice suddenly sounded behind her- ¡°Just leave it there.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Liana looked back at him, but the man didn¡¯t look at her; his back still facing her. Standing in the glow of the setting sun, he raised his slender fingers and gently puffed on the cigarette. He seemed very annoyed, but couldn¡¯t really say why. -Liana couldn¡¯t¨Cfigure out what was on his mind, so she carried the bag back into the study and ced the stuff on the couch. ¡°Then, Mr. Laurence, I¡¯ll head back to the hospital now.¡± The man simply nodded, and after Liana left, he looked back. It was just a coat she had worn, but it made the usually decisive man hesitate. He threw away the cigarette in his hand impatiently and grabbed the coat, feeling as if her warmth was still on it and couldn¡¯t bear to let 1. go. Realizing this, Bernard¡¯s expression suddenly stiffened. He threw away the coat, quite annoyed, and pulled out another pack of cigarettes. Liana hurried out of the vi; there were still a few patients at the hospital waiting for her. But she had been busy with Bernard¡¯s personal affairs all day. She quickly got in her car and turned on the ignition. As she was reversing, she saw a red Ferrari drive up. A woman got out of the car, dressed in a high¨Cend tailored suit, holding a fancy handbag. Upon seeing Liana in the reversing car, her face immediately turned sour. ¡°Liana!¡± Sophie didn¡¯t expect to meet Liana at Bernard¡¯s private estate. She had never been to the ce herself, and had spent a long time searching for the address. Yet, Lian? seemed to have free ess. Sophie was supposed to be Bernard¡¯s fianc¨¦e, but he had never told her where he lived. Instead, he used this woman to provoke her, It was an unbearable situation for anyone to be in, let alone the pampered heiress of the Ratliff family, = 5 Sophie, feeling wronged and angry, no longer cared about maintaining her image and rushed forward, pping the car window. ¡°Liana, get out of there!¡± Liana, sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, red at Sophie. Stupid woman! She couldn¡¯t be bothered with Sophie, so she mmed on the gas pedal and drove off. 12:19 Sophie didn¡¯t expect Liana to be so arrogant, and watched the retreating car with clenched fists, fuming. She swore she would make Liana have a hard time in A City! Sophie flipped her hair back, turning around and heading into the estate. The security guard at the gate stopped her. ¡°Miss, you can¡¯t enter here without permission.¡± Sophie knew better this time and replied coldly, ¡°Your Mr. Laurence invited me.¡± The security guard didn¡¯t budge. ¡°Wait a moment, let me confirm.¡± Sophie¡¯s face changed, clearly not expecting the guard to verify. She said there was no need and took out her phone, dialing Bernard¡¯s number. After several attempts, he still didn¡¯t answer, leaving her trembling with anger. Without Bernard¡¯s approval, the security wouldn¡¯t let her in. Sophie had no choice but to leave, frustrated. It bothered her that Liana could easily enter Bernard¡¯s residence while she couldn¡¯t as if Bernard didn¡¯t care about her at all!! ¨C After some thought, she took out her phone and dialed a number at the Laurence family¡¯s mansion. ¡°Hello, Donna Laurence, this is Sophie¡­¡± Chapter 156 Chapter 156 Jason left A City, and before he left, he sent a message to Eleanor. [I¡¯m going back, won¡¯t bother you anymore, take good care of yourself] It was a short message, but it showed his respect for her. Eleanor¡¯s eyes welled up with tears upon reading the message. Garett, her ever¨Csupportive partner, always ensured she wasn¡¯t ced in difficult situations. She contemted responding with a simple ¡°okay,¡± but she feared it would cause him pain. Replying seemed deliberate, so she suppressed her sadness, set her phone aside, and gathered her belongings. Having severed ties with both Bernard and Jason, she believed they wouldn¡¯te looking for her anymore. She could finally depart in peace. However, before leaving, she needed to visit the Ratliff Group to submit her resignation and find a suitable opportunity to speak with Hailey. Arriving at the Ratliff Group, she headed straight to the president¡¯s office. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Sophie, who had just returned, was seated on the sofa, engrossed in her phone. Upon spotting Eleanor¡¯s entrance, Sophie raised an eyebrow, crossed her legs, leaned back, and adopted a superior posture, fixing her, gaze upon Eleanor. ¡°Eleanor, why are you back at the Ratliff Group instead of taking care of Mr. Clowers?¡°, Her tone was unfriendly, as if she was ming Eleanor for abandoning her post. Eleanor ignored her arrogance and said lightly, ¡°Mr. Clowers has gone back to B City. Ms. Ratliff, isn¡¯t it time for you to fulfill your promise and approve my resignation?¡± She didn¡¯t necessarily need this resignation certificate, but she wanted to resolve everything before leaving. Sophie was taken aback when she learned that Jason had already returned to B City. After a moment of surprise, she observed Eleanor from head to toe. ¡°So, Mr. Clowers didn¡¯t take you with him¡­¡± she murmured, a hint of disappointment evident in her voice. Sophie had assumed that if Jason had shown interest in Eleanor, he would have brought her along. In that scenario, Sophie could have transferred Eleanor to the Ratliff Group¡¯s branch in B City, leveraging her connection with Jason for personal gain. However, it appeared that Jason was no different from any other man, toying with Eleanor and then discarding her. It seemed that Eleanor didn¡¯t possess the capability to¡­ Sophie decided not to make things difficult for her. In the world of capitalism, if a pawn bes useless, it is promptly discarded. She picked up her phone, clicked ¡°agree¡± on the group system, and authorized Eleanor to proceed with the handover proc¨¦dures under Rosita¡¯s guidance. See, it was such a simple matter. It had only required a single action, yet Eleanor had taken an unnecessarily long time. Regaining her focus, Eleanor went to find Rosita, who, with Sophie¡¯s approval, promptly organized the necessary handover arrangements. ¡°You can hand over your work to Jeannie. She just got promoted recently and can take over your job.¡°, Eleanor nodded, took the handover procedure, and went to the president¡¯s office. Colleagues inside were surprised to see her back, then began to whisper to each other, as if discussing her. Eleanor didn¡¯t care, walked to Jeannie¡¯s desk, and gently patted her shoulder. Jeannie was busy dealing with a bunch of data, and when she felt someone patting her shoulder, she immediately looked up. Jeannie¡¯s face lit up with joy upon recognizing Eleanor. Her round, cheerful countenance was immediately evident as she eximed, ¡°Eleanor, you¡¯re back at thepany?¡± Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but smile as Jeannie¡¯s smile washed away the heaviness in her heart. She replied, ¡°I¡¯ve returned to tender my resignation. Rosita requested that I transfer my work responsibilities to you. Do you have a moment?¡± Jeannie nodded eagerly, assuring, ¡°Of course. But Eleanor, you¡¯re really not going to work here anymore?¡± Eleanor responded gently with a simple ¡°yes.¡± Sensing Eleanor¡¯s reluctance to delve further into the matter, Jeannie refrained from asking any more questions, She epted the handover form from Eleanor, signed her name, and assured, ¡°You can trust me with all your work. I¡¯ll take care of everything.¡± Chapter 157 Chapter 157 Without hesitation, Eleanor handed over the keys to the database, customer information, and several confidential files to Jeannie. Once the handover wasplete, Eleanor made her way to the HR department to submit her resignation. As she exited the president¡¯s office, she unexpectedly encountered Amanda, who was burdened with a stack of files. ¡°Well, well, if it isn¡¯t Mr. Clowers¡®test favorite. How did you end up at the Ratliff Group?¡± Amanda sneered, clearly relishing the opportunity to taunt Eleanor. Amanda continued with a smirk, ¡°Oh right, Mr. Clowers returned to B City without taking you along. So you were left abandoned with nowhere else to go but toe crawling back to the Ratliff Group?¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Jeannie couldn¡¯t stand Amanda¡¯s irritating remarks and interjected, ¡°Eleanor is here to resign.¡± Amanda¡¯s expression soured instantly. Not only had Eleanor failed to secure Mr. Clowers, but she had also dared to return and resign. Amanda¡¯s mind raced with thoughts of Eleanor finding a new supporter. She couldn¡¯t wait to unleash her anger on Eleanor¡¯s pretty face, convinced that the cunning girl relied on her looks to manipte men. And yet, her seduction was always spot on while selling her own body all these years had never been sessful, making Amanda insanely jealous. Eleanor didn¡¯t bother with her, she held the handover form and walked past Amanda to the HR department. Her indifference enraged Amanda, ¡°You little tramp, you¡¯ll be yed to death by men sooner orter!¡°. Eleanor suddenly stopped, coldly looked back at Amanda and said, ¡°Well, that¡¯s better than having no man at all!¡± That hit Amanda¡¯s sore spot, and she trembled with rage, ¡°You slut!¡± Eleanor snorted. least I¡¯m not as sleazy as you, almost forty and still trying to climb up by selling your body. Shameless!¡± She dropped that line and walked straight into the elevator, pressing the close button with a sharp smack. The HR department was downstairs. After handing over the form and filling out some paperwork, Eleanorpleted her resignation in no time. As she walked out of VitaLife Global, Eleanor sighed in relief. Everything that needed to be taken care of was almost done, and all that was left now was Hailey. Her n was to buy some groceries and visit Hailey in her new home, but as she was about to enter the subway, she received a call from Liana. ¡°Ms. Shultz, I have some new medications here, thetest research from overseas and they work quite well. Why don¡¯t youe and pick them up?¡± Liana wanted to deliver the medicine to Eleanor, but she was too busy at the hospital. ¡°Dr. Terrill, thank you, but I won¡¯t take any more. Please leave the medicine for the patients who need them.¡± Eleanor politely declined, not because she didn¡¯t want it, but because it was too expensive and she wanted to save the money for Hailey. Liana seemed to detect her hesitation, spoke softly, ¡°I can spare the medication cost. You need it more. Juste here and take it, I¡¯ll wait for you at the hospital.¡± Then Liana hung up the phone, leaving no room for Eleanor to refuse. Eleanor looked at the phone screen, unable to make up her mind. She knew Liana wasn¡¯t short of money, but surely she couldn¡¯t always take advantage of her generosity? She hadn¡¯t even paid for the previous medicine yet, and she was going to collect more¡­ As she stood there, sighing at the subway entrance, she decided to finally head to the hospital, just in case Liana would be waiting for her. Upon entering the hospital, she saw Austin helping a pregnant woman towards the gynecology department, and Eleanor¡¯s expression immediately changed. She hurriedly followed them, her hand trembling. Luckily, she was able to keep herposure and didn¡¯t rashly confront them. Instead, she took out her phone and started recording the scene. After filming the video, she wanted to send it to Hailey, but hesitated as she was about to. If Hailey saw this, she might break down¡­ Eleanor gritted her teeth, put down her phone, and walked toward Austin. Chapter 158 Chapter 158 Men aren¡¯t allowed in the OB/GYN department, so after Austin brought the pregnant woman in, he went to the waiting area. But when he turned around, he spotted Eleanor¡¯s angry re and jumped a little, backing up several steps before stabilizing himself. ¡°Eleanor, howe you¡¯re here?¡± ¡°What about you? Weren¡¯t you supposed to be in your hometown repaying debts? Howe you¡¯re here?¡± Facing Eleanor¡¯s questioning, Austin was obviously flustered since he didn¡¯t expect Eleanor to know about his hometown trip. But considering the sisterly bond between Hailey and Eleanor, Austin shouldn¡¯t be too surprised that they share almost everything, which annoys him a bit. Having married Hailey, Austin can¡¯t help but be cautious about every move he makes since Hailey and Eleanor share almost everything between themselves. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Once he calmed down, Austin replied without changing his expression, ¡°I did go back to my hometown to repay debts, but I happened to find my sister feeling unwell, so I brought her to the hospital.¡± Austin¡¯s hometown is located just outside A City, so a three¨Chour drive is enough to get there. It makes sense, but¡­ ¡°Your sister?¡± Did Austin have a sister? Austin pointed at a woman sitting in the OB/GYN area, ¡°That¡¯s her, she¡¯s pregnant and couldn¡¯t attend the wedding, so you probably haven¡¯t seen her. Hailey knows about her but must¡¯ve forgotten to tell you¡­¡± Austin¡¯s words appeared a tad sarcastic, seemingly hinting that their sisterly bond isn¡¯t as strong as it seems. Eleanor didn¡¯t ask any more questions but her view of Austin had changed. She walked towards the elevator and didn¡¯t close the door immediately. Instead, she hid in a corner and watched the OB/GYN area. Austin thought Eleanor left, so he waved at the pregnant woman sitting in the OB/GYN area, and she got up and walked towards him. He whispered something to her, and she yfully shook Austin¡¯s hand, while he scratched her nose affectionately. Their interactions seemed really intimate, far from being siblings, but more like long¨Ctime lovers. Eleanor recorded everything and quickly texted Hailey, asking about Austin¡¯s sister. Hailey replied almost immediately: ¡°He does have a sister, but I¡¯ve never met her. Why?¡± Eleanor typed back, ¡°Nothing much, I ran into them at the hospital, and Austin brought her to the OB/GYN.¡± Hailey frowned after reading Eleanor¡¯s message, ¡°OB/GYN? Isn¡¯t he supposed to be in his hometown?¡± Eleanor then exined using Austin¡¯s words, to which Hailey¡¯s expression got a bit better. However, she still found it strange that Austin. didn¡¯t inform her about his return and brought his sister to the hospital, clearly not wanting to let her know. Feeling suspicious, Hailey asked Eleanor, ¡°Which hospital are you in?¡± Eleanor sent her location, and Hailey said okay before hanging up to drive to the hospital. Eleanor was recording the video but didn¡¯t send it directly to Hailey. Not because she wanted to hide anything, but because she wanted Hailey toe and confirm it herself. If Austin did betray Hailey, the video Eleanor had would be strong evidence, and by sending it to her later would make it more convincing. With Hailey still a bit far away and worried that Austin might leave after their consultation, Eleanor looked for a spot they couldn¡¯t see to sit down. After almost half an hour, the pregnant woman left the department, and Austin escorted her to the inpatient area with his arm. Eleanor got up and followed them, watching Austinplete the formalities before helping the pregnant woman into her ward. Chapter 159 Chapter 159 She made a note of the room number and walked towards the flower shop beside the hospital, quickly buying a basket of flowers. When she returned, she met Hailey, who had just arrived in a hurry. ¡°Eleanor, why are you at the hospital? Is your heart causing you difort?¡± Feeling anxious about catching Austin in the act, Hailey stopped worrying about her own issue as soon as she saw Eleanor. Instead, she switched to showing concern for her friend. Eleanor felt warmed and reassured by this concern, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Dr. Terrill asked me to pick up some medications, that¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡± Relieved, Hailey replied, ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re alright, Eleanor.¡± Eleanor handed Hailey the basket of flowers, ¡°Since you¡¯re going to visit your sister¨Cinw, it¡¯s only natural to bring some flowers.¡± Understanding Eleanor¡¯s intent, Hailey epted the basket, ¡°Eleanor, you¡¯re always so considerate.¡± Eleanor reached forward to hold Hailey¡¯s arm, offering her support, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll apany you.¡± Holding onto Eleanor, Hailey felt moreposed than she had been previously. With her, she could face whatever awaited her behind the door. She forced a smile and walked into the hospital room with a basket of flowers. ¡°Hubby¡­¡± Hearing Hailey¡¯s voice, Austin paused from feeding the pregnant woman water, who also seemed taken aback. They both quickly recovered, and Austin put down the water bottle, walking towards Hailey. ¡°Howe you¡¯re here?¡± Hailey gave him a nd look as she noticed he didn¡¯t call her ¡°honey¡± like he usually does when they meet in public. Her gaze turned gloomy as she nced at the pregnant woman on the bed, who seemed like a romantic rival, making Hailey too disgusted to reply. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Upon witnessing Sophie¡¯s demeanor, Eleanor swiftly interjected, providing an exnation. ¡°I informed Hailey about the situation. She happened to be nearby, and upon hearing that your sister was unwell, she decided to pay a visit¡­¡± Eleanor subtly nudged Hailey¡¯s elbow, prompting her to divert her attention from the pregnant woman and offer a warm smile. Hailey then presented a basket of flowers to Austin. ¡°By the way, why didn¡¯t you inform me about your sister¡¯s illness? I happen to know a doctor at the State M¨¦dical Institute, and if you had informed me earlier, I could have rmended her. Public hospitals are more cost¨Ceffective than private ones, so why waste money?¡± Hailey¡¯s final statement carried an implication that choosing a private hospital instead of a public one indicated a sense of guilt. Austin¡¯s expression faltered briefly before he covered it.up: ¡°My sister didn¡¯t have any medical insurance, so it would be the same for her to go to a public or a private hospital.¡± Hailey responded with a casualugh, ¡°But this is a well¨Cknown upscale hospital in A City. It¡¯s way more expensive than a public one.¡± Chapter 160 Chapter 160 Austin was always poor mouthing in front of her, but he had the money to bring her sister to such an expensive private hospital. She began to suspect: Could it be that the 200,000 Austin took was for his sister¡¯s medical treatment? If this pregnant woman was really his sister, it would be fine if the money was spent. But if it wasn¡¯t¡­ Hailey red at Austin, who shuddered a bit but didn¡¯t show any cracks in his facade. He took the flower basket from Hailey¡¯s hand and exined, ¡°My brother¨Cinw is loaded, he¡¯s just abroad and couldn¡¯t make it back in time to take care of my sister.¡± The woman lying in the hospital bed chimed in just in time, ¡°Sister¨Cinw, sorry, my husband isn¡¯t here. My brother happened to be back home, and I started having contractions, so he had to rush me to the big hospital to get checked¡­¡± After that, she red at Austin, ¡°Austin, it¡¯s all your fault. You were supposed to give my sister¨Cinw a heads up, but you forgot because you were so worried about me.¡± Her words made Hailey very ufortable, almost pissed off. What a low¨Clevel trick. Hailey calmly said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Whether he told me or not, as your ¡®sister¨Cinw, I would definitelye to visit you.¡± She emphasized the word ¡°sister¨Cinw,¡± and the pregnant woman¡¯s face visibly darkened. Eleanor noticed the confrontation between the two and the mood of the pregnant woman. That¡¯s when she jumped in, ¡°Hailey, maybe Austin didn¡¯t tell you because he didn¡¯t want you to get too tired? Otherwise, as a sister¨Cinw, you would definitely be here taking care of that sick girl.¡± Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. After that, she coldly red at Austin, ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, brother¨Cinw?¡± Eleanor called him brother¨Cinw to remind him that Hailey was like a real sister to her. If he dared to hurt her sister, she wouldn¡¯t forgive him. In a tight spot, Austin could only force a smile, ¡°Of course, I can¡¯t bear to see Hailey too tired.¡± Hailey generously held Austin¡¯s hand, ¡°My husband is the best. I¡¯ve been with you for so long, and I¡¯ve never had to do any housework, keeping my hands soft.¡± Hailey deliberately stretched out her beautiful fingers and waved them in front of the pregnant woman, ¡°Look, how soft my hands are¡­¡± The pregnant woman¡¯splexion rapidly shifted from dark to pale. Despite her desire to speak up, she chose to remain silent under Austin¡¯s suggestive gaze. Meanwhile, Hailey, though feigning a sense of superiority, keenly observed their reactions without erupting on the spot. She maintained herposure. ¡°Honey, you were worried that I would be too exhausted, so you never let me visit your hometown. Consequently, I don¡¯t know any of your family members. Could you please tell me your sister¡¯s name? When did she be pregnant? Who did she marry? How is it that as soon as you returned, she suddenly experienced contractions and had to be hospitalized? Is everything alright?¡± Faced with Hailey¡¯s probing questions, Austin found his palms sweating profusely. Despite his outward calmness, it was evident that he had prepared some answers in advance. ¡°My brother¨Cinw has been involved in building a road in the vige this year. He had nned to bring you home for Christmas¡­¡± After rifying the doubt of not taking Hailey back to his hometown, he continued, ¡°As for my sister, her name is Allysha Zimmer. She married someone in a nearby vige. They got engaged at the beginning of this year, but the wedding and marriage certificate haven¡¯t been processed yet since her husband went abroad. I didn¡¯t tell you because I was worried something might happen to them. Who would have thought she¡¯d be pregnant now? I only found out when I got home today¡­¡± Chapter 161 Chapter 161 At this point, he stared at Allysha with a regretful and resentful look and said, ¡°She hid such a big thing as pregnancy from our family. If I hadn¡¯t bumped into her on the street, she might have kept it from us forever¡­¡± Austin then turned to Hailey and said, ¡°After taking her back home, our house was a mess, full of creditorsing for their money. Before I had a chance to pay them back, my sister voluntarily helped our family to pay off the loans, and that¡¯s when I found out that my brother¨Cinw made a lot of money in a distant country. After he knew about her pregnancy, he sent her living expenses every month on time, then I felt relieved. But my parents felt that they were pregnant before they got married and scolded Allysha a few times. She didn¡¯t ept it and started arguing with them. Maybe it was because she was too emotional, which led to, the baby¡¯s movement. It¡¯s not serious. The doctor suggested that she should be hospitalized for observation, and that¡¯s when I arranged it.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. After exining, Austin took out a bank card from his pocket and handed it to Hailey, ¡°I was going to use this $200,000 to pay off our debts first. Since my sister has helped, I¡¯ll give this money to you to keep.¡± Hearing his exnation and seeing the bank card, Hailey felt totally confused. She looked at Austin and Eleanor, as if asking what was going on. Austin¡¯s words were well¨Cexined without any ws. If she hadn¡¯t just witnessed the two of them being intimate like lovers at the entrance of the gynecology department, Eleanor might have believed Austin¡¯s words as well. She had some doubts about Austin¡¯s character when she found out that he let Hailey bear all the mortgage and daily expenses. Now that she has caught him red¨Chanded, and he can still calmly defend himself, it shows that he¡¯s very cunning. Of course, she wouldn¡¯t say these things in front of them, otherwise, it would alert the enemy. Pretending not to know, she smiled at Hailey, ¡°Hailey, it seems that my brother¨Cinw is just worried about the money you earned with such hard work, that¡¯s why he gave it to you to keep.¡± She hinted that Hailey should ept the money, and Hailey quickly took the card from Austin. In order to get the cash easily, Austin transferred the $200,000 to the vige bank¡¯s card. Although this is typical for repaying debts, cash withdrawal can avoid people from checking the transaction records. ¡°Honey, you¡¯re so good¡­¡± Pretending to know nothing, Hailey hugged his arm and kissed him, ¡°What¡¯s the password?¡± Austin pinched her nose with a smile, looking very loving and indulgent, ¡°It¡¯s still your birthday¡­ Allysha, who was lying in bed, looked at the two of them being sweet and her eyes became even darker. She clenched her teeth and said, ¡°Sis, I¡¯m feeling a little ufortable and want to rest for a while. Why don¡¯t you guys go out first¡­¡± She only asked her sister¨Cinw to go out but didn¡¯t ask her brother. This made Hailey¡¯s hand holding the bank card freeze for a moment. Austin noticed her change and quickly scolded Allysha, ¡°Your sister¨Cinw came to see you on purpose. How can you have such an attitude?!¡± Allysha felt a little unconvinced and pouted, ¡°She was just nearby and came to see me on the way, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re still talking back?!¡± Austin scolded her and then turned to Hailey, ¡°Don¡¯t mind her. She was spoiled too much by our parents since she was young, which made her arrogant. Hailey didn¡¯t care and smiled, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I was also spoiled too much when I was her age. When I met someone I didn¡¯t like, I not only talked back but also directly pped them in the face!¡± Chapter 162 Chapter 162 Upon hearing Hailey¡¯s remark, Allysha, who had intended to continue mocking her, abruptly fell silent. Hailey softened her gaze and turned her attention to Austin. ¡°Since I still have to work the night shift, please take care of my sister.¡± Austin nodded, reaching for the car keys, ¡°I¡¯ll drive you.¡± ¡°No need, I came here by car,¡± Hailey declined, prompting her to leave the ward hand in hand with Eleanor. Once they were out of earshot, Allyshaposed herself and addressed Austin. ¡°You could have just exined the situation. Why did you have to return the 200,000?¡± Austin nced outside to ensure they were at a safe distance before responding. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t returned the money, she probably wouldn¡¯t have believed me.¡± Allysha snorted coldly, her pretty face contorted with resentment. ¡°How much longer do I have to wait?¡± Austin walked up to her and rubbed her belly, soothing her: ¡°Honey, as soon as she finishes paying the mortgage, I¡¯ll bring you to the city.¡± Upon hearing Austin¡¯s reassurance, Allysha¡¯s resentment gradually turned to certainty. After leaving the ward, Eleanor sent Hailey the previously recorded video and reminded her: ¡°Austin told me before that his sister didn¡¯t attend your wedding because she was pregnant and inconvenient, but when he just exined it to you, he said he only found out about her pregnancy today. His words seem reasonable, but they contradict each other. You should be more careful, something seems off between him and his sister¡­¡± Seeing the video of Austin stroking Allysha¡¯s nose in the same way, Hailey¡¯s expression suddenly darkened. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s not just a bit off, it¡¯s an affair!¡± ¡°They¡¯re siblings, it couldn¡¯t be that serious, could it?¡± ¡°Who knows if they¡¯re even real siblings?!¡± Hailey put away her phone, gritting her teeth: ¡°I know nothing about his family. Who knows if he¡¯s just deceiving me?!¡± Eleanor also agreed, nodding her head: ¡°The problem lies with his family. It¡¯s unreasonable not to let the new bride visit her inws.¡± Hailey immediately tried to act, ¡°I¡¯ll go to his hometown and ask some neighbors to find out the truth.¡± Eleanor quickly grabbed her hand and advised: ¡°Don¡¯t go there alone, it¡¯s too dangerous.¡± Who knows what the situation is like in Austin¡¯s hometown? It would be too risky for Hailey to go alone. Eleanor advised her to calm down: ¡°Don¡¯t be hasty, I think that Allysha is an emotionally unstable person. Find an opportunity when Austin isn¡¯t around and provoke her a little. She might just confront you directly.¡± Hailey thought for a moment and agreed that it made sense. Earlier in the ward, Allysha had almost lost her temper multiple times, and if it weren¡¯t for Austin stopping her, she would¡¯ve probably already started fighting with Hailey. It would be safer to confront Allysha when Austin isn¡¯t around than to go to his hometown alone. When Hailey calmed down, her expression became much more peaceful: ¡°Eleanor, you were going to get some medicine from Dr. Terrill, right? You go ahead and get that first.¡± Eleanor was still a bit worried about Hailey, but Hailey reassured her: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve been through a lot before. It¡¯s just that¡­¡± She sighed deeply: ¡°I thought that if I found an honest person, he wouldn¡¯t betray me, but now I feel¡­¡± She didn¡¯t finish her sentence, but the disappointment in her heart made Eleanor even more worried. Her little face was all scrunched 1. up. Hailey smiled and patted Eleanor¡¯s cheek: ¡°Don¡¯t be so anxious, now that I have money, I¡¯m not afraid of anything.¡± Speaking of money, Eleanor¡¯s worry only increased: ¡°And you¡¯re putting all your money in one bank card? What if something happens Hailey interrupted her: ¡°I¡¯ll transfer my pre¨Cmarriage assets outter. From now on, I¡¯ll be like him, only depositing my basic sry in that card. As for the mortgage and living expenses, let¡¯s use the basic sry first, and if that¡¯s not enough, let him pay for the rest¡­¡± Chapter 163 Chapter 163 Eleanor saw that Hailey had a clear mind and didn¡¯t trust Austin¡¯s sweet talk easily, which made her feel a little relieved. She was worried that after she passed away, Hailey would be betrayed by Austin again. This made her feel at a loss. At this thought, Eleanor¡¯s expression became gloomy. Many troubles came to her mind, making her feel extremely irritable. Seeing that Eleanor was still worried, Hailey quickly said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not the kind of person who lets emotions control me. I won¡¯t do stupid things for a man!¡± After saying this, Hailey flicked her hair, looking incredibly confident: ¡°I can let go when I need to!¡± Then she opened the car door, waved to Eleanor: ¡°I¡¯m off to make big bucks!¡± Eleanor was amused by Hailey and waved back: ¡°Drive safely.¡± Hailey nodded, put on her sunsses, got in the car, and coolly backed out of the parking lot and left the hospital. After watching Hailey leave, Eleanor returned to the hospital. As she walked out of the elevator, she heard a loud p. Following the sound, Eleanor saw a gorgeously dressed woman standing at the door of the dean¡¯s office, pping Liana hard. She quickly went over and pulled Liana, who was enduring the pain without fighting back. ¡°Dr. Terrill, are you okay?¡± Looking at Liana¡¯s swollen face, Eleanor felt a little heartache. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Liana shook her head at her and looked emotionless at the woman. ¡°Ms. Valona, you¡¯ve pped me ten times now. Isn¡¯t it enough?¡± Ms. Valona looked at Eleanor, who had stepped out to help Liana. Her face was tight, and there was a touch of contempt in her eyes. She rotated her overused wrist, stepped in high heels, and walked up to Liana. ¡°You should know who sent me to teach you a lesson, right?¡± Liana remained calm, nodded, and didn¡¯t dare to resist. Ms. Valona sneered, then gently patted Liana¡¯s cheek. ¡°Dean Liana, remember this. Don¡¯t mess with my brother. You can¡¯t afford it.¡± After saying this, she turned around, stepped in her high heels, and strode towards the elevator. ¡°Stop!¡± Eleanor observed Ms. Valona¡¯s arrogant demeanor and icily responded, ¡°Either apologize or I¡¯ll call the police. It¡¯s your choice.¡± Ms. Valona hesitated upon hearing this, slowly turning to face Eleanor. Her cold and haughty gaze swept over her. ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± she questioned. Instead of answering, Eleanor took out her phone and began dialing the police. However, Liana intervened, stopping Eleanor¡¯s hand. ¡°No, she¡¯s Mr. Laurence¡¯s cousin.¡± This revtion implied that they couldn¡¯t afford to antagonize someone connected to the influential Laurence family. Eleanor was taken aback, filled with skepticism. ¡°Why did she hit you?¡± she inquired. ording to the hierarchy, Liana was under Bernard¡¯s supervision, so Ms. Valona, as his cousin, shouldn¡¯t have assaulted her. But Liana rified, ¡°She was simply following orders.¡± The person who wanted to embarrass Liana was not Joelle Valona but Bernard¡¯s mother, Joelle¡¯s aunt. As for why Bernard¡¯s mother wanted to hit her, it was probably because Sophie had been stirring things up behind the scenes. Liana touched her face and told Eleanor, ¡°It¡¯s just a minor injury. Don¡¯t worry, and don¡¯t provoke her.¡± She wanted to take Eleanor to the dean¡¯s office together, but Joelle didn¡¯t seem to want to let them go so easily, ¡°Wait a moment¡­¡± She walked in her high heels, twisting her graceful waist, step by step to Eleanor. With a haughty and contemptuous look, she sized Eleanor up and down, as if looking at prey. Her eyes gradually became strange. This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Not bad¨Clooking. You¡¯d be perfect for making some money at my family¡¯s club¡­¡± Chapter 164 Chapter 164 To Eleanor, her words were insulting, but Liana was frightening. Liana hurried to stand in front of Eleanor to apologize for her, ¡°Ms. Valona, she didn¡¯t know who you are, and that¡¯s why she dared to say those words to you. I¡¯m really sorry. Can you give her a break and let her off just this time?¡± Liana¡¯s humble plea made Eleanor even more guilty, ¡°Dr. Terrill¡­¡± She wanted to say don¡¯t lower herself for her, but Liana stopped her, ¡°Miss, you just came here to see me for some treatment and medicine. I don¡¯t know you well. If you dare to say anything that will upset Ms. Valona again, I won¡¯t treat you anymore!¡± Liana was distancing herself from her, actually trying to protect her. Sensing this, Eleanor didn¡¯t say anything more. Although she felt that the woman in front of her was too arrogant, Liana seemed to be frightened of her. In order not to cause Liana any trouble, Eleanor had to swallow her anger. Seeing this, Ms. Valona taunted her, ¡°Dr. Terrill, you¡¯re really a good friend. You can¡¯t even protect yourself, yet you want to protect your patient.¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. Liana immediately became depressed, lowering her head even more. Her clenched fists and heaving chest revealed her unwillingness to submit. ¡°Dr. Terrill, it seems like you¡¯re not willing to give in?¡± Liana quickly released her fists and shook her head, ¡°How could I? Ms. Valona, you¡¯re a socialite; how could I not submit?¡± Joelle sneered, ¡°If you¡¯re willing to submit, then hand her over to me.¡± Liana lifted her head in shock, ¡°Take me away instead; she can¡¯t¡­¡± Eleanor was once kept by Bernard, how could she let Joelle take her to the club?! Seeing Liana¡¯s panic, Joelle smiled even more wickedly. ¡°Weren¡¯t you saying you¡¯re not close with her?¡± ¡°For someone you¡¯re not close with, you¡¯re willing to go so far as to be a hooker. That¡¯s really too selfless.¡± Liana took a deep breath, steeling herself, and through gritted teeth, she began to exin, ¡°You see, she is one of my patients. I work at Mr. Laurence¡¯s hospital, and it¡¯s my responsibility to protect every patient. Ms. Valona, I implore you not to make things difficult for my patients¡­¡± Ms. Valona burst intoughter before approaching Liana. With her delicate fingers, she hooked onto Liana¡¯s swollen cheek from the p. ¡°Oh, what a shame, Dr. Terrill now looks so hideous. My client at the club won¡¯t appreciate it¡­¡± No matter how Liana pleaded, it was clear that Joelle was resolute in taking Eleanor away. Liana¡¯s expression darkened as she reached for her phone, intending to call Bernard. However, Eleanor was one step ahead, swiftly dialing the police and addressing them directly, ¡°Officer, this is Mercy Hospital, top floor, director¡¯s office. There¡¯s a procuress here trying to forcefully sell another woman. Pleasee and resolve this situation urgently.¡± After hanging up the call, she coldly looked at Joelle, who had a look of disbelief, ¡°Ms. Valona, right? I¡¯ve recorded everything you said. Please cooperate here. The police will be here soon.¡± It took Joelle a while to process, this bitch just called her¡­ ¡°Procuress¡­you mean me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re running a club, who else could it be?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t know where she got the courage from, but suddenly she was no longer afraid of those with power and influence. Joelle was so angry that her whole body trembled. This woman dared to mock her as a procuress! She raised her hand to p Eleanor but was stopped by Liana¡¯s timely wrist grab. Eleanor couldn¡¯t take such a p from Joelle in her condition. Since Eleanor was not afraid to offend Joelle for her sake, neither was Liana. They might as well make a stand! The two women coldly stared Joelle down, causing her tough in anger instead. ¡°Fine, really good. No one has ever dared to defy me in this world; you two are the first. Just wait and see!¡± Joelle tossed this menacing warning, turned her head, and left, her domineering attitude sending chills down Liana¡¯s spine. Chapter 165 Chapter 165 ¡°We¡¯ve offended her, we¡¯re gonna have a hard timeter¡­¡± She doesn¡¯t really care, she can always seek protection from Mr. Laurence, but Eleanor¡­ If Joelle finds out about Eleanor and Mr. Laurence¡¯s rtionship, it¡¯s gonna be bad. Liana couldn¡¯t bear to think about it, her mind filled with images of a girl being tortured to death. Eleanor saw the scared look on Liana¡¯s face and felt guilty. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dr. Terrill, I¡¯ve dragged you into this.¡± Liana shook her head gently, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Joelle is just too pushy.¡± Afraid that Eleanor might feel too guilty, Liana tried tofort her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll give Mr. Laurence a heads¨Cupter, he¡¯ll protect us.¡± Eleanor forced a bitter smile. She had been so ruthless with Bernard, he probably hated her to the core. How could he possibly protect her? As Liana was about to say something, a few police officers came over, asking what had just happened. Liana exined that it was just a medical dispute that had been resolved, so the police took a simple statement and left. When they left, Liana remembered that she had to pick up some medicine for Eleanor, so she rushed to tell her, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll get your prescription.¡± Seeing Liana¡¯s swollen face, but still worrying about her medicine, Eleanor felt a warm feeling inside. ¡°Dr. Terrill, I¡¯ll go get some anti¨Cinmmatory and pain relief meds from the nurse first. Wait here for me.¡± As soon as Eleanor said that, she dashed to the triage desk. Liana watched her leave, then turned around to go back to her office but bumped into someone. After getting the meds from the nurse, Eleanor returned. Upon entering the dean¡¯s office, she saw Tyler holding Liana against the wall. Startled, Eleanor quickly backed out. She found herself sitting on a nearby chair, her chin resting on her hand as her thoughts raced. She struggled toprehend the nature: of their rtionship. Inside the room, Liana snapped back to reality as soon as she noticed Eleanor¡¯s presence. She quickly pushed Tyler away. ¡°Get away from me¡­¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Tyler straightened his clothing, yet his gaze remained fixated on Liana. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± he asked, reaching out to touch her pped cheek, a sneer evident in his eyes. It was clear he was mocking her. ¡°I thought you¡¯d amount to something after leaving our house, but you¡¯ve just worked for Bernard. That¡¯s quite a price to pay.¡± Liana¡¯s anger surged, not because of his taunting words, but because he had witnessed her in such an embarrassing and vulnerable state. She clenched her fists, not wanting to give in. Tyler let go of her and leaned against the wall, his arms crossed, looking her up and down She had been only eighteen years old when she left the Howell family. After so many years, she had be even more beautiful. He couldn¡¯t help pressing her against the wall again, lowering his head to kiss her moist red lips, savoring them slowly. He had been searching for her for many years. After she returned to the country, he had visited her several times in A City, but had never approached her directly. Had he not just learned from Joelle that she was working for Bernard, he might never have appeared. The Laurence family and the Howell family were mortal enemies! As a member of the Howell family, she dares to follow his cousin¡¯s footsteps and side with the Laurence family. What awless act! She might never know her true position if he didn¡¯t teach her a lesson! At first, Tyler just wanted to kiss her, but tasting her, he didn¡¯t want to stop there. He held her waist tightly, kissed her even deeper. It had been probably ten years since theyst kissed, a taste that he had missed deeply. He became a little carried away, even forgetting why he hade looking for her. He only indulged in his longing for her, a longing that went deep into his bones, making him temporarily forget his hatred. He might have forgotten, but Liana hadn¡¯t. She struggled to push him away, but her wrists were caught by him, making it difficult for her to move, She tried to bite him, but he bit her back instead. Liana trembled with rage. ¡°Tyler!¡± While struggling, Liana let out an angry roar, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re my brother!¡± Chapter 166 Chapter 166 Tyler was caught off guard, seemingly snapping back to reality. The ambiguous emotion in his eyes quickly vanished, reced by a strong sense of disgust. ¡°I¡¯m not your brother!¡± he eximed, shoving Liana away forcefully. Taking a step back, he red at her with anger and hatred in his eyes. ¡°Your brother is that scumbag, and I have nothing to do with you!¡± he spat out, emphasizing his disassociation. Facing Tyler¡¯s mounting rage, Liana disyed no visible reaction, almost appearing ustomed to it. Witnessing her calmness only intensified Tyler¡¯s disgust. He impulsively lunged forward, gripping her swollen face, and spoke in an angry tone, ¡°Liana, if you want to stick with Bernard, then we¡¯ll go back to our childhood games¡­¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. At the mention of their childhood games, Liana¡¯s body trembled slightly, but she defiantly maintained a resolute expression. Tyler pped her across the face, ¡°If you look at me like that again, I won¡¯t hesitate to find someone to punish you!¡± Men are stronger than women, so Liana¡¯s mouth quickly started bleeding. She turned away, covering her swollen cheek, never saying a word. It wasn¡¯t that she couldn¡¯t fight back, but she knew that if she did, the punishment would be even more painful than what she experienced during hering¨Cof¨Cage ceremony. She lowered her head slightly, looking down at her toes, and said nonchntly, ¡°Go ahead, find someone to hurt me. It doesn¡¯t matter; I¡¯ve already had my womb removed¡­¡± Tyler was startled. Aplex emotion shed across his heart, but he quickly suppressed it. ¡°Serves you right! That¡¯s all because you get pregnant with that bastard¡¯s kid and not have an abortion!¡± Liana forced a smile, ¡°You know my uterine walls are thin, an abortion would¡¯ve been fatal¡­¡± Tyler sneered, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t death be a good thing?!¡± Hearing such words again, Liana had almost no reaction, probably because she had heard them so many times that she became numb. to them. She kept recalling the scene in her mind where Tyler performed the abortion on her himself. The rough stitches saved her life, but they -caused¨Cher¨Cinfection, leading to the removal of her womb to survive. Liana remained silent, which annoyed Tyler even more, ¡°Why so quiet? You used to love talking back, right?¡°, Liana¡¯s eyes seemed empty, devoid of any emotion, as if she had released all the entanglements of her past. However, to Tyler, this was an unforgivable transgression. ¡°Since you have nothing to say, just wait and see. I¡¯ll ensure you understand the consequences of betraying the Howell family!¡± Tyler dered with venom in his voice. With those words, he turned on his heel, opened the door, and departed. As Liana watched his retreating figure, a flicker of indifference passed through her beautiful eyes. She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and took a seat in the office chair. Despite being battered and bloody, she maintained an air of pride, as if nothing had happened. When Eleanor entered the room, she discovered Liana in this state¨Cemotionless, cold, and resilient. Just now, she saw Tyler leaving with rage all over his face, which waspletely different from his cheerful personality before. It seemed they had some kind of hatred. Eleanor was tactful and didn¡¯t ask about their rtionship. Pretending not to know anything, she took out some anti¨Cinmmatory and pain relief medicine for Liana. ¡°Dr. Terrill, put this on quickly, you¡¯re so pretty. Don¡¯t let it leave a scar.¡± Seeing Liana¡¯s injured face, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty, thinking that Liana was being beaten in her ce. ¡°Thank you.¡± Liana took the anti¨Cinmmatory patch, put it on her face, and nced at Eleanor, who was trying to act indifferent. ¡°You know Tyler, don¡¯t you?¡± She seemed to be close to Jason, and Tyler was Jason¡¯s buddy. So, it was certain that Eleanor knew Tyler. Eleanor nodded but still respected Liana¡¯s privacy and didn¡¯t ask any further. Liana didn¡¯t mind and spoke candidly, ¡°Well, he¡¯s kinda like my brother, I guess. No blood rtion, I just lived in his house for over a decade, calling him brother and all. But¡­we have quite a few conflicts between us.¡± Chapter 167 Chapter 167 How deep were the contradictions between them? Liana didn¡¯t say, and Eleanor didn¡¯t ask. The two fell silent for a moment. Liana opened a drawer, took out a few boxes of newly arrived medicine, and handed them to Eleanor, ¡°Remember to take them on time.¡± Eleanor expressed her gratitude, picked up her phone to transfer money to Liana, ¡°Dr. Terrill, how much do I owe you? I¡¯ll send it to you.¡± Liana waved her hand dismissively, ¡°No need. It¡¯s just some medicine, no big deal for me. But it seems like you¡¯re pretty strapped for cash?¡± Eleanor shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m about to die, what do I need money for? I just want to leave some for my sister.¡± Liana nodded knowingly, as if remembering something, and handed a business card to Eleanor. ¡°This is a renowned heart specialist. Mr. Laurence hired him to find a suitable heart for you.¡± Eleanor took the card, her heart involuntarily trembling, causing pain throughout her body. She didn¡¯t expect Bernard to keep his promise and was already looking for a suitable heart for her. ¡°Before, Mr. Laurence was in direct contact with Dr. George, but he suddenly asked me to contact Dr. George and said that he doesn¡¯t need to be informed about your situation anymore. Is there a conflict between you and him?¡± Eleanor¡¯s face turned pale. After learning that Bernard was looking for a heart for her, she had said such heartless words and pushed him away. She was in so much pain that she could hardly breathe, clenching her teeth hard to avoid showing any abnormal expression in front of Liana. Seeing her silence, Liana thought she didn¡¯t want to talk about it and didn¡¯t press further. Instead, she asked for her opinion, ¡°I mainly came to ask if you need me to contact Dr. George.¡± ¡°If you do, I¡¯ll have to send him yourte¨Cstage data so he can urately find a suitable heart for you.¡± Eleanor tried to adjust her emotions and shook her head. ¡°No need. I can¡¯t wait any longer. Don¡¯t waste medical resources on me.¡± She was speaking the truth. She really didn¡¯t have much time left. Moreover, her previous artificially grafted heart had been damaged, and another transnt would pose a significant risk to her life. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Even if a suitable donor was found immediately and a top¨Cnotch doctor performed the surgery, there would still be a risk of rejection. If severe postoperative rejection urred, it would also lead to death. In short, curing her is very difficult, so why bother? Liana knew all of this well, so she didn¡¯t try to persuade her further. It was just that Eleanor had offered her help earlier, and Liana felt a bit regretful. ¡°If you change your mind, you cane to me.¡± ¡°Okay, thank you, Dr. Terrill.¡± Eleanor obediently agreed, took the medicine and thanked Liana several times before leaving the office. As soon as she left, Liana immediately called Bernard. Not for any other reason, but just hoping that Eleanor wouldn¡¯t be disturbed by Joelle in herst days. Instead of heading straight home, Eleanor decided to make a stop at the mall. She couldn¡¯t simply ept the medication from Liana without showing gratitude, so she intended to purchase some gifts as a token of appreciation. By chance, as Eleanor exited the mall, she crossed paths with Joelle and Sophie, who had just stepped out of a luxurious car. Upon spotting Eleanor, Joelle¡¯s expression changed, her eyes gleaming with malice. On the other hand, Sophie appeared oblivious to the situation, mildly raising her eyebrows upon noticing the Gi shopping bag in Eleanor¡¯s hands. Initially, Sophie had entertained the idea of mocking Eleanor, but Joelle swiftly rushed forward, surpassing her in speed. A resounding p echoed through the air, startling everyone present. Chapter 168 Chapter 168 Eleanor waspletely caught off guard when Joelle violently pped her. Her pale, delicate face instantly disyed five blood¨Cred fingerprints, evidence of the impact. The desire to retaliate with a p welled up inside her, but shecked the strength to do so. The force of the p left her head buzzing, her heart racing, and made it difficult to catch her breath. Physically overpowered by Joelle, she mustered all her energy to prop herself up and fixed Joelle with a cold stare. ¡°Ms. Valona, what is the meaning of this?¡± she questioned, her voice filled with a mix of indignation and determination, Joelle, nonchnt, shrugged off the severity of the situation. ¡°No big deal, just wanted to show you that messing with me carries consequences!¡± In a haughty, undisciplined manner, Joelle raised her hand again, preparing to strike Eleanor¡¯s face once more. Gritting her teeth, Eleanor took a step back and managed to dodge the iing p. Realizing the urgency of the situation, she swiftly reached for her phone in her pocket, but before she could unlock it, Sophie deftly snatched it away. Joelle¡¯s p missed, and seeing Eleanor trying to grab her phone to call the police made her even angrier. Sophie took the phone away, giving Joelle a moment of relief, but seeing Eleanor still not backing down, Joelle raised her hand to p her again. Sophie quickly intervened: ¡°Joelle, there are lots of people around, easy to attract attention.¡± They were at the entrance of a shopping mall, with an endless stream of peopleing and going. If caught on camera or filmed, it might affect her reputation within her social circle. Although she had strong PR skills to deal with negative public opinion, it was better not to cause trouble for the Laurence family if possible. With that thought, Joelle immediately withdrew her hand and signaled her bodyguard. One of the bodyguards quickly covered Eleanor¡¯s mouth with a handkerchief and dragged her to the restroom. Eleanor was practically thrown into the restroom by the bodyguard, and before she could even try to escape, she was tightly controlled by the two guards. Joelle and Sophie walked gracefully into the restroom, looking down at Eleanor with arrogance. *Joelle, is she the one who showed disrespect to you at the hospital before?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s her! She dared to provoke me, even thought of calling the police on me,pletely out of her freaking mind!¡± Hearing Joelle¡¯s words, Sophie red fiercely at Eleanor. ¡°Eleanor, I didn¡¯t expect you to be so shortsighted, daring to be rude to Ms. Valona, are you tired of living a peaceful life?¡± ¡°Do you know her?¡± Joelle asked Sophie. Sophie nodded, ¡°She used to be an assistant in the Chairman¡¯s office at the Ratliff Group, seducing many of Ratliff¡¯s clients with her looks. Recently, she hooked up with Mr. Clowers, probably thinking he¡¯d back her up, and that¡¯s why she dared to be rude to you¡­¡± Upon hearing Sophie¡¯s words, Joelle felt even more disgusted by Eleanor. What she hated most were women who seduced men to climb thedder. ¡°Seems like you need a lesson. How dare you regard yourself as a hot stuff, even daring to seduce Mr. Clowers!¡± Joelle and Brenda Mallory were good friends, so of course, she knew who Brenda had been missing. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. But she never thought Eleanor would have the guts to pursue Jason! Throughout the whole ordeal, Eleanor didn¡¯t say a word, just gave them a cold, disdainful, and sympathetic look. She looked down on these so¨Ccalled socialites, and at the same time felt sorry for them having high status but resorting to such low tactics. Eleanor¡¯s disdainful gaze only enraged Joelle more. Waving her hand, one of the bodyguards immediately forced Eleanor¡¯s head Into the toilet, while another one held down the flush button. The bodyguard pressed the button, and a massive amount of water filled the entire toilet bowl. Eleanor was already struggling to breathe, and the moment her face was pressed into the toilet, she felt suffocated. She wanted to gasp for air, but all she breathed in was water, which went straight into her lungs, causing her to cough violently, Chapter 169 Chapter 169 She coughed up pink foam, all of it going into the water, turning the toilet water red. The bodyguard was startled, thinking she was coughing blood, so he quickly picked her up. Suddenly breathing in some air, Eleanor began to recover, but she was still coughing non¨Cstop. What she coughed up was still pink foam, a symptom ofte¨Cstage heart failure. Joelle didn¡¯t know that, thinking she had hurt her stomach from drowning. Her anger subsiding a bit, she stared at Eleanor through the- gritted teeth, ¡°It serves you right for choking to death! It¡¯s what you get for what you¡¯ve done!¡± After saying this harshly, Joelle signaled the bodyguard with a look, and he immediately let go of Eleanor. ¡°I¡¯ll let you off this time, but if you ever dare to resist again, don¡¯t think you¡¯ll leave alive!¡± After saying this vicious threat, Joelle turned and left, hand in hand with Sophie. Little did she know that she hadn¡¯t taken two steps before she felt a moist hand on her neck from behind. Before Joelle could even look back, she heard Eleanor¡¯s weak yet gritted voice through the pain, ¡°Ms. Valona, don¡¯t you want to give toilet water a try before you leave?¡± Joelle¡¯s body shuddered, the thought ¡°Could this be what her revenge was going to be about?¡± shing in her mind she was forced face down into the toilet. Eleanor used all her strength to push Joelle¡¯s head into the toilet, holding her by the neck with her hands, she wasn¡¯t going to let go. The bodyguard tried to hold her back but was scolded, ¡°If you don¡¯t want her dead, don¡¯te near me! Eleanor was holding onto Joelle¡¯s lifeline. If they dared toe closer, she would surely choke her to death. Sophie hadn¡¯t expected Eleanor, who usually looked weak, to be so determined and reckless. After signaling the bodyguards not to act recklessly, Sophie quietly walked behind Eleanor and when she thought Eleanor wasn¡¯t paying attention, she grabbed her hair and yanked it back. The sudden jolt of pain made Eleanor involuntarily ease her grip on Joelle. Seizing the opportunity, Joelle fought back against Eleanor, gasping for air. Unable to maintain control over Joelle, Eleanor braced -herself to confront Sophie. Amidst their struggle, Eleanor identally pushed Sophie. Just as Sophie appeared on the verge of falling to the ground, a strong hand swiftly came to her aid. Losing herself in the details, Eleanor noticed the man¡¯s sharp, angr face exuding a mncholic aura. His eyes were dark and mysterious. d in a ck suit that entuated his tall stature, he possessed a presence that was both somber and captivating, reminiscent of the stars in the night sky. After stabilizing Sophie, he retained his hold around her waist, his gaze descending coldly upon Eleanor. ¡°Who do you think you are toy a hand on my fianc¨¦e like that?¡± His words echoed with a chilling tone, causing Eleanor¡¯s racing heart to suddenly freeze. Eleanor stood there, drenched in sweat, her cheeks swollen, and her hair disheveled, in no better state than Joelle. Yet, Joelle¡¯s hurtful words pierced her even deeper. She covered her trembling arm and lowered her head, looking at her toes and waiting for the judgment of those holding power and despising life. ¡°Bernard, when did you get here?¡± Sophie, seeing Bernard¡¯s hand still on her waist, was pleasantly surprised but even more shocked. Bernard was extremely busy with his work; how could he suddenly find himself in a shopping mall, much less a women¡¯s bathroom? ¡°I just happened to be passing by when I noticed your bodyguards dragging someone into the mall, so I came to take a look.¡± ¡°I see.¡± His words dispelled Sophie¡¯s doubts. She immediately changed her stern expression and snuggled Into Bernard¡¯s arms. ¡°Bernard, you came just in time. This Eleanor was disrespectful to Joelle in the hospital, and she even pushed Joelle¡¯s head into the toilet just now. None of us could stop her. Teach her a lesson for Joelle, would you?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t answer, only gently patted her hand tofort her. For some reason, the gesture made Sophie happy. She felt that she still had a ce in his heart so, she boldly leaned her body even closer to him. 1/2 12:22 Bernard, dissatisfied, quickly resumed his cold demeanor. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. He turned around, emotionless as he nced at Eleanor, then looked to Joelle. ¡°What happened here?¡± Eleanor thought he was asking her, so she slowly raised her head, only to find that he hadn¡¯t even looked at her. It turned out that he was asking Joelle¡­ Of course, considering Sophie, how could he possibly initiate a conversation with her? To him, she might not even be a stranger, now. ¡°You¡¯re nothing,¡± he said the words had been ringing in her ears, causing her unimaginable pain. Chapter 170 Chapter 170 Joelle had regained herposure, but she was still shaking with anger and couldn¡¯t hear Bernard at all. She¡¯d never been treated like this in her life, and she was furious. She got up from the floor and shoved Eleanor hard. Eleanor, caught off guard, fell onto the floor of the opposite cubicle, hitting her head and causing a gash to open up. Blood seeped out of the wound and onto the floor. Bernard¡¯s face changed, and he suddenly tightened his grip on Sophie¡¯s waist. Wincing, Sophie asked, ¡°Bernard, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Bernard immediately let go of Sophie¡¯s waist and walked over to Eleanor. He reached out to help Eleanor but pulled his hand back and said to her, ¡°Apologize.¡± Eleanor looked up, her vision blurred by the blood, but she understood that he was asking her to apologize to Joelle. She thought for a moment, smiled sadly and helplessly. Leaning against the wall for support, she stood up and bowed to Joelle. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Valona¡­¡± Bent at the waist and with her head down, she looked like a servant who had done wrong, her face expressionless. Bernard watched Eleanor¡¯s frail body and couldn¡¯t bear it in his heart. He turned his head to look at Joelle, who still looked furious. ¡°It¡¯s over, the apology has been made. There¡¯s no need to make more trouble.¡± Joelle softened her tone because of Bernard¡¯s words, ¡°Bernard, do you know her or are you just speaking for her because of Liana?¡± ¡°It has nothing to do with Liana. You¡¯ve gone too far.¡± Bernard looked at Joelle coldly, expressing his dissatisfaction with her. ¡°But you¡­.you used to protect that girl the same way.¡± Joelle looked at Bernard suspiciously. The only person in the world who had ever caused him to lose control of his emotions was that girl. It was that girl, his childhood ymate. He used to stand up for her just like this, defending her and even protecting her at all costs! Bernard¡¯s expression grew even darker as Joelle¡¯s words hit a sensitive nerve. His face contorted with anger and frustration. ¡°What will it take for you to release her?¡± he demanded, his voice filled with desperation. ¡°I want her dead! If not dead, then sell her to a nightclub and make her suffer! And if you don¡¯tply, I¡¯ll reveal your inappropriate rtionship with Auntie!¡± Joelle threatened, her voice dripping with malice. Bernard impatiently tilted his head, unable to contain his rage any longer. Without warning, he delivered a harsh p to Eleanor¡¯s face, causing her eyes to widen in disbelief. The force of the impact sent her tumbling backward. However, this time luck was not on her side. Unbeknownst to her, a nail protruded from the floor where shended, piercing the back of her skull. In an instant, her once bright eyes lost their luster as shey motionless on the ground. Agony consumed her body, each moment feeling like a relentless tearing apart. Cold sweat streamed down her face as she experienced the excruciating pain. Yet she didn¡¯t make a sound, just staring quietly at Bernard. This man, who hadn¡¯t even looked back at her, was actually capable of being so cruel to her¡­ Chapter 171 Chapter 171 Bernard had no idea of Eleanor¡¯s situation behind him and coldly asked Joelle, ¡°Is that enough?¡± The p cleared Joelle¡¯s doubts. He would never hit the one he loves, and instead, he would protect them with everything he had. Now that he hit Eleanor ruthlessly, it showed that he had nothing to do with this woman. Defending her earlier might just be to help that bitch Liana. But in the end, he hit Liana¡¯s friend, proving that he still cared for her the most. Originally, Joelle wanted to kill Eleanor, but she didn¡¯t want to affect Bernard¡¯s impression of her, so she stopped hesitating. ¡°Thank you for personally teaching that woman a lesson for me!¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Joelle took a wet wipe out of her bag and handed it to Bernard. ¡°Bernard, clean your hands, they¡¯re dirty.¡± Bernard expressionlessly took the wet wipe, lowered his head to wipe his hands, and nced at Eleanor lying motionless on the floor. Seeing her desperately staring at him, his heart suddenly ached, and he felt the pain throughout his body. Feeling that he would do something irrational if he stayed for another second, Bernard snapped out of it and quickly left the bathroom? Joelle wanted to kick Eleanor again, but Bernard coldly scolded, ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving yet?¡± Joelle had no choice but to retract her foot, and hurriedly followed Bernard with her bodyguards. Sophie nced at Eleanor, snorted coldly, and left with them. The group came noisily and left noisily, and Eleanor had no time to react. She was like an unconscious, floating object on the verge of death. Looking at the bathroom lights flickering, she fell into eternal darkness. She felt the scorching blood flowing from the back of her head slowly. Her hair and clothes were soon wet, and her body gradually turned cold. When Liana received Bernard¡¯s message and rushed over, she found the unconscious Eleanor. Her trembling hand ced under Eleanor¡¯s nose didn¡¯t feel any breath. She immediately checked Eleanor¡¯s pulse and heartbeat, finding that they had stopped. The heart suddenly stopped, and it was unclear whether brain death had urred. Liana desperately wanted to lift Eleanor, but found her head nailed by a nail. The always calm Liana was almost in tears when she saw this scene. ¡°Help! Someone, help!¡± She cried out in a trembling voice, and several doctors immediately rushed in with a stretcher. On the ambnce, Liana ordered other doctors to deal with Eleanor¡¯s injuries on her forehead and head. She used a defibritor to stimte Eleanor¡¯s stopped heart desperately. The only thought in her mind was to save Eleanor. ¡°Ms. Shultz, wake up! Please!¡± Liana called Eleanor¡¯s name repeatedly, but she had no response on the stretcher. Her face turned red with anxiety, but she still didn¡¯t give up, trying her best to save her. ¡°Boss, her vitals still haven¡¯t returned!¡± Liana nced at the pale¨Cfaced Eleanor and then at the ECG monitor. ¡°Increase the energy and continue to defibrite!* ¡°Perform artificial respiration!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Under Liana¡¯s direction, a group of doctors engaged in intense rescue efforts once again. Liana¡¯s gaze remained fixed on Eleanor¡¯s face, sensing a dwindling will to live thatplicated the resuscitation process. ¨¹rgently, she instructed a doctor nearby, ¡°Switch ces!¡± The doctor who took over handling the defibritor continued the life¨Csaving measures, while Liana knelt before Eleanor, whispering into her ear. ¡°Ms. Shultz, you have a sister, don¡¯t you? You still want to leave her with some financial security, don¡¯t you?¡± Liana urged. ¡°Then please, awaken swiftly! I promise to assist you in securing any amount of money you wish to leave for your sister, as long as you recover!¡± ¡°And besides, you can¡¯t simply depart without even bidding farewell to your sister, can you?!¡± Chapter 172 Chapter 172 Hailey, Hailey¡­ She faintly heard the sound of Hailey crying, which tugged at her heart and made it impossible for her to keep going. She stood in the mist, slowly turning around, only to see Hailey running toward her. ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t leave,e back, I have so many things to tell you¡­¡± She tried to respond to Hailey but found that she couldn¡¯t speak. Fresh oxygen entered, easing her suffocated heart a little. Gradually, the fog disappeared, and Hailey was gone, leaving herpletely unconscious¡­ ¡°Dr. Terrill, her heartbeat is back!¡± ¡°Hurry up, keep giving her oxygen!¡± Liana saw the erratic data on the electrocardiogram and suddenly felt weak. This was the first time she had been so nervous about a patient, fearing that she would just pass away. Her hands were still trembling, and she had no strength to even lift them. ¡°How¡¯s the injury on the back of her head?¡± A doctor had just stopped the bleeding from the wound and noticed Dr. Terrill¡¯s panicked expression, knowing that this patient was essential to her. ¡°The bleeding has stopped, and we just need to remove the nail once we¡¯re at the hospital.¡± The doctor added, ¡°Fortunately, the nail wasn¡¯t long enough to damage any blood vessels or nerves, or she would have been brain dead by now.¡± Liana nodded in understanding, reached out to touch Eleanor¡¯s hand, which had been as cold as ice but was now slowly warming up. The hospital was not far from where the ident happened. She arrived in time, just within the golden period of rescue, or Eleanor would have been beyond saving. But after all this turmoil, she feared Eleanor might not even make it for two months¡­ As she was staring at Elean ¡°How¡¯s she doing?¡± in sorrow, Bernard¡¯s call came in. Bernard¡¯s indifferent voice came from phone, sounding like a routine inquiry, making Liana feel he didn¡¯t care about Eleanor at all. ¡°She¡­¡± Liana nced at the barely rescued Eleanor and gritted her teeth, ¡°She lost a lot of blood and is unconscious. She¡¯ll be fine after some rest.¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Just now, Bernard had texted her, telling her that it was his sister, fianc¨¦e, and himself who had beaten Ms. Shultz. They had been so brutal, leaving her in such a terrible state. Why should she go against Eleanor¡¯s wishes and let him know what happened to her? Liana had always respected Bernard, but at this moment, she had someints against him. Why did he have to beat Eleanor? Why did he have to beat a woman? It seemed as if she felt the injustice on Eleanor¡¯s behalf! There was a moment of silence on the phone before he said in a low voice, ¡°Please take good care of her for me.¡± Hearing that, Liana frowned, not understanding what Bernard meant before he hung up the phone. Just as the ambnce arrived at the emergency entrance, she didn¡¯t have time to think it over and quickly got off the car to push Eleanor into the emergency room. The nail on the back of her head needed to be removed immediately, so Liana hurriedly changed into a sterile gown to perform the surgery herself. With the hospital director¡¯s personal involvement and some of the most outstanding doctors, the nail was sessfully removed. After arranging for Eleanor to be ced in a VIP ward, Liana took off her surgical gown and went to her office. ¡°Dr. Terrill.¡± As soon as she sat down at her desk, a nurse who had followed her to the scene handed Liana the patient¡¯s phone, bag, and Gi paper bag. 1/2 12:22 ¡°These belong to the patient. I picked them up for her.¡± After receiving the items, Liana looked at the young nurse with admiration, ¡°Thank you, you¡¯re very attentive.¡± The nurse¡¯s face turned a bit red as she said, ¡®Well, Dr. Terrill, I¡¯ll get back to work now, and left the director¡¯s office. Just as Liana was about to put those things aside, a call from ¡°Hailey¡± came in. Seeing the name, Liana finally realized that Eleanor¡¯s sister was the same Ms. Vulpe who had called her little hottiest time. Chapter 173 Chapter 173 Hailey was originally working the night shift, but she couldn¡¯t shake off the uneasy feeling, her heart pounding like crazy. Her first thought was Eleanor, she quickly called her, ringing a few times, but no one picked up. She started to get worried, took a leave from work and rushed to the apartment while trying to call again. Just as she opened the apartment door, the call finally went through. She immediately breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly asked, ¡°Eleanor, what are you up to? Why didn¡¯t you pick up the phone? You¡¯re killing me with worry!¡± Instead of Eleanor¡¯s voice, a strange female voice came through, ¡°Is this Ms. Shultz¡¯s sister?¡± Hearing a stranger pick up the phone, Hailey¡¯s heart tightened instantly. ¡°Yes, who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Dr. Terrill, we metst time at your apartment.¡± ¡°Dr. Terrill?¡± Hailey frowned, her face full of tension and confusion. ¡°Why are you answering Eleanor¡¯s phone? Did something happen to her?¡± ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong, don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Liana reflected on thest time Eleanor had made eye contact with her. Fearing that Hailey would be concerned, Liana chose not to disclose the truth to Hailey. However, Hailey could sense that something was amiss and confronted Ljana, saying, ¡°Dr. Terrill, please don¡¯t lie to me. Whenever Eleanor has a heart attack, I be very anxious. I can sense that she¡¯s in trouble. Tell me where she is right now.¡± Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Realizing that she couldn¡¯t conceal the truth any longer, Liana had to be honest with Hailey. However, she only mentioned that Eleanor was unconscious, without disclosing the details of the current emergency treatment. Upon learning that Eleanor was unconscious, Hailey was overwhelmed. She leaned against the door frame, trembling, and requested, ¡°Dr. Terrill, could you please provide me with the address of the hospital¡­¡± Liana shared the hospital¡¯s address with Hailey and tried to calm her down, saying, ¡°Ms. Vulpe, don¡¯t worry. Eleanor is currently in the hospital, and I will closely monitor her. In the meantime, please prepare some clothes and toiletries for her. She might need to stay in the hospital for an extended period.¡± Liana¡¯s calm voice gave Hailey some strength. She steadied herself, thanked her, hung up the phone, and went into Eleanor¡¯s room clumsily. Panic¨Cstricken, she packed a few clothes and toiletries and rushed to the hospital by car. Liana was doing a thorough check¨Cup on Eleanor when she saw Hailey rushing in, out of breath. She immediately put down her stethoscope and looked at her. ¡°Ms. Vulpe, calm down.¡± Hailey couldn¡¯t care less about herself right now. She put down her things and hurried to Eleanor¡¯s side. Seeing Eleanor lying on the hospital bed with a bandage on her forehead, Hailey¡¯s face instantly changed. She walked over, her trembling hand gently touched Eleanor¡¯s wound on her forehead, her eyes full of heartache and doubt. ¡°Dr. Terrill, wasn¡¯t Eleanor unconscious due to a heart attack? Howe there¡¯s a wound on her forehead?¡± Hailey looked back at Liana with confusion in her eyes. Liana couldn¡¯t look her in the eye out of guilt. ¡°Today, Eleanor tried to help me and got into trouble with Mr. Laurence¡¯s cousin. That¡¯s why she was attacked at the mall¡­¡± Liana told Hailey everything without a single lie. Upon hearing this, Hailey froze, her eyes filled with disbelief. She never expected Bernard to attack Eleanor in order to protect his sister and fianc¨¦e. Eleanor had been with Bernard for five years. Even if he didn¡¯t care about her, he shouldn¡¯t be this cruel, right? ¡°Ms. Vulpe, it¡¯s my fault that Eleanor is in this situation. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Liana solemnly bowed and apologized to Hailey, leaving Hailey at a loss of how to respond. She stared at Eleanor¡¯s wound on her forehead, and after a moment of silence, she slowly looked up at the guilt¨Cridden Liana. 12:23 ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, it¡¯s the Laurence family who went over the top. They actually hit my girl Eleanor like this¡­¡± Hailey¡¯s fists clenched tighter, her nails digging deep into her palms, and her beautiful eyes gradually filled with resentment. ¡°Liana, do you know where Bernard¡¯s cousin lives?¡± Although she knew she couldn¡¯t beat Bernard, she still had some tricks up her sleeve when it came to dealing with women. Sophie was just an aplice, so she could let her go for the time being. But Bernard¡¯s cousin was the mastermind, and Hailey wouldn¡¯t let her off the hook! Chapter 174 Chapter 174 Liana hesitated for a moment and asked, ¡°Ms. Vulpe, are you going to seek revenge on her?¡± ***** Hailey clenched her fists and said angrily, ¡°She did this to my sister Eleanor, I¡¯m definitely going to get even with her!¡± Hearing this, Liana held her breath. She just learned a bit about Hailey¡¯s situation. Like Eleanor, she was also an orphan, powerless, and without any background. How could she fight against Joelle? She¡¯d probably be kicked out even before stepping in the door. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Of course, that¡¯s under the lucky scenario. If she¡¯s unlucky, she might even lose half her life. After thinking for a moment, Liana decided to persuade her, ¡°Ms. Vulpe, Ms. Valona is known for her ruthless and cruel ways. You can¡¯t beat her, and she also has many bodyguards around her. If you get hurt, who will take care of Ms. Shultz?¡± These words made Hailey calm down a bit. She couldn¡¯t leave Eleanor in her current state, but she also couldn¡¯t ept this injustice. ¡°So we¡¯re just gonna let it slide?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± Hailey looked at Liana in surprise, not understanding the meaning of her words. A cold look appeared in Liana¡¯s eyes, ¡°To deal with someone like her who abuses power and acts recklessly, physical force won¡¯t work. We need to n slowly¡­¡± Impulsive actions won¡¯t solve any problems. Only by bing stronger first can one seek revenge. Like dealing with Tyler, even if it took ten years, Liana didn¡¯t think it was too slow. She wanted not only to take revenge but also to escape unscathed. Her cold expression made Hailey feel that she must be holding some grudges as well. But with Dr. Terrill already holding a high position and being so capable, were there any grudges she couldn¡¯t avenge? Liana patted Hailey¡¯s shoulder, ¡°It¡¯s my fault that Ms. Shultz ended up like this. Just leave Ms. Valona to me.¡± Both Hailey and Eleanor were people with pitiful backgrounds and shouldn¡¯t bear such things.. Though Liana¡¯s background wasn¡¯t any better, she now had the power to protect herself, and she wasn¡¯t afraid. ¡°But¡­¡± Hailey wanted to say something, but Liana interrupted her, ¡°Your job is to take care of Ms. Shultz.¡± After saying this, Liana gave Hailey a gentle smile, making her temporarily stop worrying about this matter and turn her attention to Eleanor. Seeing Eleanor, who was sweating in pain even in her unconscious state, Hailey¡¯s heart ached. She quickly took out a towel to help her wipe the sweat. After wiping her clean, Hailey turned back to Liana and asked nervously, ¡°Dr. Terrill, is Eleanor¡¯s heart alright?¡± Eleanor was born with a congenital heart condition, so she had to be cautious in her daily life, let alone being beaten into unconsciousness. She worried that Eleanor¡¯s heart would be damaged, just like when she was kicked twice before and her frall body became weaker. Liana looked at Hailey and didn¡¯t know how to answer. As a doctor, she should directly tell the patient about this issue. But without the patient¡¯s consent, she couldn¡¯t make the decision herself. Seeing Hailey¡¯s worried expression, Liana was concerned that she couldn¡¯t handle the impact. After thinking for a while, Liana told Hailey, ¡°We still need further examination. Once she wakes up, I¡¯ll arrange everything.¡± Liana¡¯s white lie temporarily reassured Hailey, who thanked her, ¡°Thank you, Dr. Terrill.¡± Liana nodded slightly and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll leave this to you for now and go deal with other work.¡± Hailey nodded and watched as Liana left. She then covered Eleanor with a nket. ¡± Sitting by her bedside, she held Eleanor¡¯s hand tightly and looked at her pale, bloodless face with tears in her eyes. ¡°Eleanor, you must be safe, or what am I going to do¡­¡± Chapter 175 Chapter 175 Eleanor felt dizzy and heard faint whispers in her ear. She tried to listen closely, but she couldn¡¯t move. you wake up?¡± It After what felt like a long time, the voice became clearer. ¡°Eleanor, you¡¯ve been unconscious for three days. When will was Hailey¡¯s voice. Eleanor opened her eyes, but her vision was blurry. She could vaguely see Hailey¡¯s figure but couldn¡¯t make out the details. She wanted to touch Hailey¡¯s cheek, but her hand was too weak. Only then did she realize the severity of her condition and wondered how much longer she could hold on. ¡°Hailey¡­¡± As Hailey was drying her body, she heard Eleanor¡¯s feeble voice and hurriedly stopped, holding her hand. ¡°Eleanor, you¡¯re finally awake! Is there anything wrong? Tell me¡­¡± Eleanor weakly shook her head, unable to speak any further and simply held Hailey¡¯s hand. Her silent gesture calmed Hailey¡¯s frightened heart, making it slowly settle down.. Hailey was really afraid that Eleanor wouldn¡¯t wake up again, but fortunately, she did. However¡­ h you?¡± With her swollen eyes, Hailey stared intently at Eleanor¡¯s face covered by an oxygen mask. ¡°Eleanor, what¡¯s wrong Over thest three days, Eleanor¡¯s legs, which used to be slender and straight, suddenly became unbearably swollen. She asked Dr. Terrill about the reason, but Dr. Terrill was unwilling to tell her, so Hailey had no choice but to look it up on the inte. It said that this was a symptom ofte¨Cstage heart failure, but she couldn¡¯t believe it, she needed Eleanor to deny it herself. Hearing Hailey¡¯s question, Eleanor knew she had guessed. Originally, she wanted to find a suitable time to tell Hailey. Unfortunately, Bernard¡­ It went against her wishes. Just the thought of his name made Eleanor ache all over. She never expected that he would physically hurt her for the sake of his family. That p directly robbed her of thest moments she could spend with Hailey. ¨C At this point, with limited time left, there¡¯s no use in hiding anymore. Sooner orter, Hailey will find out, so it¡¯s better to tell her the truth and spare her a lifetime of regret. Eleanor turned her blurry eyes and gazed in Hailey¡¯s direction. ¡°Hailey, in the next life, I¡¯ll be your sister, alright?¡± As soon as she said this, Hailey burst into tears. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? If you want to be my sister, be it in this lifetime. Why talk about the next life?¡± ¡°Hailey, I¡­ I have end¨Cstage heart failure. I don¡¯t have much time left.¡± Eleanor struggled to squeeze Hailey¡¯s palm, trying tofort her. But Hailey started to break down, hot tears falling onto Eleanor¡¯s hand, making her reluctant to say anything more. Hailey cried until she can¡¯t catch her breath, coughing repeatedly. Eleanor wanted to help her calm down, to pat her on the back, but she didn¡¯t have the strength. All she can do is watch her. ¡°Hailey¡­ Please don¡¯t cry. How can I leave peacefully when you¡¯re like this?¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t leave!¡± Hailey tightly held Eleanor¡¯s hand and says firmly, ¡°I¡¯ll go find Dr. Terrill. Her medical skills are so remarkable, she can definitely save -you!¡± Eleanor gently stroke Hailey¡¯s palm with her thumb andforted her, ¡°Dr. Terrill can¡¯t do anything either. Let¡¯s not put too much pressure on her, okay?¡± Shaking her head while sobbing, Halley said, ¡°No, there must be a way. We just need to find a new heart for you!¡± Eleanor smiled with resignation and said, ¡°Halley, it¡¯s toote¡­¡± ¡°How can it be toote?!¡± Suddenly, Hailey stood up in excitement and shouted at Eleanor. ¡°You haven¡¯t gone to travel with me to see the sights yet!¡± ¡°My child hasn¡¯t been born yet!¡± ¡°You promised to take care of my child together!¡± ¡°The child hasn¡¯t been born yet, so how can it be toote?!¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 176 Chapter 176 After Hailey shouted, she immediately covered her face and cried out in pain. The sight of her like this brought tears to Eleanor¡¯s eyes. With all her strength, Eleanor reached out and grasped Hailey¡¯s clothes, trying to console her. However, Hailey couldn¡¯t bear to face the scene in front of her and took a step back. Overwhelmed with tears, she fled from the ward. As Hailey¡¯s figure grew distant, Eleanor couldn¡¯t hold back her own tears, which streamed down her face. Hailey rushed out of the VIP ward, her footsteps instinctively halting at the entrance to the general ward. In that moment, she longed for Austin¡¯s help, even though she wasn¡¯t sure how he could assist her. She simply needed someone to lean on. Sobbing, she approached the door of the ward, but to her surprise, she didn¡¯t find Austin and his sister there. Instead, she saw the neighboring single room. She instinctively wanted to avoid it, but the noisy sound made her stop in her tracks. She turned back and took a step towards the next room. The door was locked and the curtain was pulled, but there was a gap that allowed her to see inside clearly. When Hailey witnessed the scene, she was ovee with a wave of nausea and had to fight back the urge to vomit. She covered her mouth and stared at Austin and Allysha, unable to believe what she was seeing. She had always believed that Austin, a. seemingly ordinary and trustworthy man, would never betray her. However, reality hit her like a p in the face, as within just a month of their marriage, he had done something that deeply disappointed her. It was unbelievably absurd, making her lose faith not only in him but in everything she believed in. In that instant, her beliefs crumbled, and her spirit shattered. Trembling, she made a desperate dash towards the hospital exit. Eleanor was dying, and Austin was being unfaithful. So what should she do? She couldn¡¯t see the path beneath her feet, only focusing on running forward. She didn¡¯t know how long she had been running, nor where she had run to, until she ran into someone, she finally stopped. However, she was like a walking corpse, with no reaction, just walking by nkly. ¡°Stop right there!¡± Cedric Laurence grabbed the woman¡¯s arm and threw her against the car door. ¡°You knock into someone and just want to leave?!¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Usually, Cedric was always a gentleman and considerate towards women, never losing his temper like that. But unluckily for him, he was really down on his luck today ¨C even ying golf ended up dislocating his wrist. Thinking the hospital was close by, he decided not to bother his family doctor. Little did he know, as soon as he got out of the car, he would be knocked into by a woman with tear¨Cstreaked face. The dislocated wrist, after being hit so hard, had suffered a second fracture. There was a loud crack, but the woman hitting him seemedpletely unaware, not even apologizing and trying to walk away. Who could continue to be a gentleman in such a situation? Hailey heard his voice but didn¡¯t even look at him, her lifeless eyes staring forward. Seeing her like this, Cedric thought she had just been diagnosed with a terminal illness, so his anger subsided a bit. But that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t angry or holding a grudge! ¡°I got a fracture because of you, a littlepensation will make this go away.¡± Only then did Hailey react. As she turned her attention to him, Cedric had already taken out his phone and ced it in front of her. ¡°Two thousand.¡± Cedric raised his chin, signaling her to pay. Hailey knew she had run into someone, but she had just suffered a double blow and was a bit dazed, so she forgot to apologize. Hearing the man say she had fractured his wrist, she finally came to her senses and looked at his drooping left wrist, which seemed quite serious. So she didn¡¯t say anything more and obediently took out her phone from her jeans pocket. 1/2 12:24 Just as she was about to make the transfer, a doctor in a white coat came over. ¡°Mr. Laurence, the orthopedic doctor has been arranged.¡± As Hailey¡¯s fingers paused, she looked at him coldly, ¡°Are you from the Laurence family?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Cedric nodded at the doctor, then looked back at her, ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Looking closely at him, Hailey found him tall and handsome, somewhat simr to Bernard. Her face immediately darkened as she put her phone away, and said coldly, ¡°Sorry, even if my money is thrown into the sea, I won¡¯t give it to anyone from the Laurence family.¡± Chapter 177 Chapter 177 Cedric¡¯s face darkened, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Hailey red at him and didn¡¯t answer. Instead, she turned around and ran away. By the time Cedric realized what had happened, she had vanished into thin air. Cedric was so furious that he kicked a fancy car with all his might. He¡¯d hoped to vent his anger by doing so, but he ended up kicking a hard part and hurting his toe! Poor Cedric was sent to the emergency room with the help of his doctor and assistant¡­. Upon hearing the nurse say that Eleanor had woken up, Liana hurried to the VIP ward with her stethoscope in hand. She checked Eleanor¡¯s condition and, after making sure there were no signs of infection at the back of her head, she breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Ms. Shultz, there¡¯s nothing major to worry about since the surgery on the back of your head. We just need to watch out for infection. But¡­¡± Liana paused and looked at Eleanor with a hint of regret, ¡°Your heart failure is speeding up. I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯tst much longer.¡± Eleanor was already very aware of her own condition, so she wasn¡¯t too worried, ¡°How much¡­ longer can I hold on?¡± Liana put her hands in the pockets of her white coat, looking down at Eleanor¡¯s pale face and said gravely, ¡°About a week.¡± If she hadn¡¯t been injured so seriously, she could have held on for another two months with the help of special drugs. However, having a nail go through the back of her head elerated her heart failure. Living another week was already a medical miracle. Liana thought of the scene of a nail going through the back of Eleanor¡¯s head and couldn¡¯t help but shudder. ¡°Ms. Shultz, who did this to you?¡± Bernard told her that Joelle, Sophie, and he had all attacked Eleanor and asked her to go save her, but he didn¡¯t say who exactly caused the injury. Liana guessed that it might have been a joint attack against Eleanor, but she couldn¡¯t believe that Bernard was involved. She didn¡¯t know the specifics of the situation, so she had no choice but to ask Eleanor. Eleanor¡¯s eyes shed with a hint of sadness and she quickly lowered them, hiding her emotions. Remaining silent, she seemed unwilling to speak. Liana didn¡¯t push any further and handed her a paper bag instead. ¡°Here are the things you left at the mall. A nurse brought them back for you. I put them here.¡± After cing the paper bag on the bedside table, Liana gently told Eleanor, ¡°Get some rest, and if you feel ufortable, just ring the bell.¡± As she turned to leave, Eleanor called out to her, ¡°Liana¡­¡± Liana looked back at Eleanor, ¡°Is something still bothering you?¡± Eleanor shook her head, looking at the paper bag on the bedside table, ¡°There¡¯s a bottle of perfume in there¡­ I bought it for you.¡± Liana was taken aback, ncing at the paper bag and then back at Eleanor, ¡°You¡­ went to the mall to buy perfume for me?¡± Eleanor nodded, her eyes filled with warmth, ¡°You¡¯ve given me so much medicine. I wanted to thank you.¡± Shock and then gratitude filled Liana¡¯s eyes as they welled up with tears, leaving her at a loss for words. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. After standing there for several minutes, she returned to Eleanor, gently touching her pale face with her pristine hand. ¡°Ms. Shultz, I¡¯m sorry. If it weren¡¯t for me, you wouldn¡¯t have met Joelle. It¡¯s all my fault.¡± Although Eleanor couldn¡¯t see Liana¡¯s expression, she could feel her remorse. Smiling slightly, she said, ¡°It isn¡¯t your fault¡­¡± It was Eleanor¡¯s own fault for being overly arrogant, thinking she could fight back using their own methods. She had forgotten how insignificant she was and that she couldn¡¯t mess with these privileged people. The current oue was, in a way, deserved. The only mistake she made was falling in love with someone she shouldn¡¯t have. Chapter 178 Chapter 178 Seeing her desperate face, Liana couldn¡¯t help but bend down and hug her. ¡°Ms. Shultz, thank you.¡± Liana¡¯s hug brought Eleanor back to her senses. She struggled to lift her hand and patted Liana¡¯s back. ¡°I should thank you for saving me. If it weren¡¯t for you, I might not have had the chance to say goodbye to my sister.¡± After Hailey left, the nurse came in, checked Eleanor¡¯s body, and told her that it was Dr. Terrill who saved her in time. Although Eleanor didn¡¯t know how Liana came to save her, she kept that life¨Csaving favor in her heart. There was no need to ask about other things. ¡°Actually, it was¡­¡± Liana wanted to tell her that it was Mr. Laurence who asked her to save Eleanor, but before she could finish, Eleanor interrupted her, ¡°Dr. Terrill, where¡¯s my sister? I mean, Hailey.¡± It had been two hours since Hailey left, and Eleanor was worried that something might have happened to her. Liana, who had been paying attention to Eleanor, didn¡¯t notice that Hailey wasn¡¯t in the ward. She nced around and told Eleanor, ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to look for her.¡± Eleanor thanked her and then looked at the paper bag on the bedside table, ¡°Dr. Terrill, take that bottle of perfume, please.¡± Liana wanted to refuse, but it was a gift Eleanor exchanged with her life. If she didn¡¯t ept it, it would seem a bit ungrateful. Liana took the perfume, reminded Eleanor to have a good rest, and then left the ward. Then she called some security guards to check the surveince videos. In the surveince video, Hailey was seen running out of the hospital and identally running into Cedric. It seemed that they had a quarrel. But there was no major conflict. After a few words, Hailey left the hospital directly. There was no surveince record after that. Liana pointed to Hailey in the surveince screen and said to the security guards, ¡°You guys send some people to find her and bring her back.¡± -The security guards immediately went to look for Hailey. After dealing with these things, Liana returned to Eleanor¡¯s ward. Seeing that Eleanor had fallen asleep and the nurse was taking good care of her, Liana felt relieved and returned to her office. Hailey ran to an unknown ce. When she was tired, she found a long corridor and sat there all night. It wasn¡¯t until the security guard came and asked if she was Hailey Vulpe that she came back to her senses. She nodded her head nkly. The security guard sighed with relief, ¡°Ms. Vulpe, you better get back to the hospital, Dr. Terrill is looking for you everywhere.¡± Hailey was expressionless. After being urged by the security guard, she got up and got into the car with them. Back at the hospital, Hailey bumped into Austin, who was handling discharge procedures at the reception desk on the first floor. Austin was taken aback by Hailey¡¯s unexpected presence and asked her with curiosity how she had returned. Hailey pursed her lips and chose not to answer. Austin felt a bit ufortable under the intensity of her prating eyes and instinctively shifted his gaze. ¡°Honey,¡± he called out nervously, and then asked with a tinge of guilt, ¡°The doctor mentioned that my sister¡¯s baby is not in a stable condition, and it would be best for her to stay close to the hospital until the baby is born. Our house is nearby, so what do you think about letting her stay with us for a while?¡± Can a pregnant woman engage in such activities and still have a healthy baby? Hailey wanted to scold him but refrained from saying it aloud. One of her weaknesses was herck of affection since childhood, making her susceptible to being moved easily. However, she also had a strength: she couldpletely let go of things that betrayed her. Halley gave Austin a cold re, her eyes devoid of love and filled with disgust. ¡°Whatever.¡± After saying that, she walked expressionlessly past Austin, as if she didn¡¯t care about the matter. Austin wanted to chase after her and ask her why she came to the hospital, but his arm was caught by Allysha. ¡°Did she agree to let me stay at her ce?¡±This is from N?velDrama.Org. Austin nodded and kept staring at Hailey¡¯s retreating figure. Allysha¡¯s face suddenly darkened, and she shook his arm vigorously, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re falling for her. Weren¡¯t we supposed to use he just to make money for me and the baby to get a high¨Cend apartment in the city¡­¡± Austin came to his senses and patted Allysha¡¯s hand, trying to reassure her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t fall for a nightclub girl.¡± Chapter 179 Chapter 179 Hailey returned to the ward, stood at the door, but didn¡¯t dare to go in. It wasn¡¯t that she was afraid of facing Eleanor, but that she couldn¡¯t face her departure. She hugged her arms tightly and squatted down slowly against the wall, looking utterly helpless, as if the whole world had abandoned her. When Liana came by with a group of doctors for an inspection, she saw Halley and quickly sent the other doctors to do their jobs while she helped Hailey up. ¡°Ms. Vulpe, are you alright?¡± Hailey gave a nk shake of her head. Looking at Hailey¡¯s swollen eyes from crying, Liana took a deep breath. ¡°Ms. Vulpe, no one can change this kind of thing. The best you can do now is to spend more time with her so you won¡¯t have any regrets.¡± These words woke Hailey up, bringing a little bit of life back to her dim pupils. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°How¡­ How long does she have left?¡± After a long hesitation, Hailey finally croaked out this question. Liana didn¡¯t hide it from her and told her the truth: ¡°About a week.¡± Hailey swayed, almost fainting. Liana held her up and advised, ¡°You have to hold on at this time. You can¡¯t break down, or what will Ms. Shultz do?¡± Hailey looked somewhat dazed, but nodded, ¡°Yes, I need to hold on. I can¡¯t let Eleanor worry about me.¡± She whispered to herself, forcing her exhausted body to the side of Eleanor¡¯s bed. Through the ss window, Liana saw Hailey sit in front of Eleanor¡¯s bed, raising her hand to stroke her cheek. Sunlight poured in, shining on the two girls who had been through so much, casting a gentle golden light, as if warming them. It was at this moment that Liana understood why Eleanor wanted to save money for Hailey. Because they depended on each other. Liana thought about how she had faced everything alone over the years, never having someone to rely on by her side and suddenly felt a little sad. Lowering her eyes, Liana turned and left, leaving the two with the little time they had left. Eleanor hadn¡¯t woken up yet and was still in aa. Hailey took the towel from the nurse and wiped Eleanor¡¯s body. Hailey seemed to have calmed down, and when Eleanor woke up, there was a gentle smile on Hailey¡¯s face. *Eleanor, is there anything you want to eat? I¡¯ll go get it for you.¡± Hearing Hailey¡¯s voice, Eleanor¡¯s worried heart finally calmed down. She didn¡¯t have much strength; she reached out to touch Hailey¡¯s clothes and squeezed them tightly when she felt them. ¡°Hailey, are Austin and his sister alright?¡± Hailey didn¡¯t expect the first thing that Eleanor cared about after waking up was her. It almost made Hailey break down again, but she held back her tears andforted Eleanor, ¡°It¡¯s fine. They¡¯re just siblings, after all- they just have a good rtionship.¡± This was probably the reason Eleanor hadn¡¯t told her about her terminal illness, because she didn¡¯t want Halley to worry, Just like now, Hailey didn¡¯t want Eleanor to worry about her in her final moments, and chose to speak a white lie. Unable to see Hailey¡¯s expression, Eleanor believed her and said, ¡°That¡¯s good¡­¡± She reached out to find Hailey¡¯s hand through her clothes and found it ice¨Ccold, furrowing her brow. ¡°Hailey, why are your hands so cold? Did you freeze outside?¡± Before Hailey could answer, Eleanor tightly grabbed her hand and put it into her quilt. ¡°Let me warm them up for you.¡± Hailey couldn¡¯t help but sniff, tears streaming down her face and hitting Eleanor¡¯s hand, making Eleanor tense. She tried to lift her other hand to wipe Hailey¡¯s tears but couldn¡¯t find them. Instead, Hailey grabbed her wrist. 1/2 12:24 ¡°Eleanor, are you¡­ blind now?¡± Hailey held Eleanor¡¯s hand and stared at Eleanor¡¯s eyes with shock on her face. Eleanor did not hide from Hailey any longer, nodding honestly, ¡°It might have triggered other complications, I guess¡­¡± Her vision had been blurry since she started feeling dizzy a while ago, and she didn¡¯t expect to be blind when she woke up this time. Seeing her like this, Hailey broke down crying again. She threw herself onto the bed, holding Eleanor, and sobbed her heart out. Eleanor didn¡¯t try tofort her anymore but hugged her tight, patting her back and whispering, ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± She thought to herself: If she couldn¡¯t see, then so be it. After death, there would be no sight anyway, better start getting used to it earlier. Chapter 180 Chapter 180 Hailey cried for a solid two hours, exhausting all her tears, before finally stopping. Eleanor smirked at her and said, ¡°I always thought of Hailey as tough and resilient. I never knew you had a vulnerable side.¡± Hailey wasn¡¯t in the mood for jokes and asked bitterly, ¡°Does Dr. Terrill know you can¡¯t see?¡± Eleanor casually shook her head, ¡°No. I don¡¯t want to bother her.¡± Hearing this broke Hailey¡¯s heart. She worried that Eleanor might believe she didn¡¯t have much time left and therefore didn¡¯t care about her loss of vision. Hailey looked into Eleanor¡¯s lifeless eyes, suppressing her overwhelming emotions, and asked hoarsely, ¡°Eleanor, when did you start getting sick?¡± Hailey had researched and knew that heart failure took a long time to progress to the end stage; it couldn¡¯t have happened suddenly. Eleanor¡¯s heart failure must have started before the Laurence family hurt her. Something must have urred to cause such severe consequences. Eleanor believed it was time to share some information with Hailey, so she wouldn¡¯t bepletely clueless about how she would die. So she held back her difort and gently told Hailey, ¡°Do you remember when Jason kicked me twice five years ago?¡± Hailey suddenly realized what she meant, ¡°Were those kicks the cause of your heart failure?¡± Eleanor nodded, ¡°My unhealthy heart was damaged by his kicks. The doctors told me I would have heart failure and should protect my heart well, maybe I couldst a few years. I guess I must not have taken good care of it, so my heart¡¯s condition worsened¡­¡± Feeling Hailey¡¯s tight grip on her hand, Eleanor patted her hand to signal her to rx before continuing: ¡°When I recovered in B City for a while, I wanted to tell you but you were always talking about killing Garett. So I didn¡¯t dare say it; also, I didn¡¯t want you to worry, so I never told you¡­¡± Hailey understood that Eleanor¡¯s heart failure was Garett¡¯s fault and Bernard was now shortening her lifespan. Her beloved Eleanor¡¯s short life was gued by two men she loved, each hastening her demise. After hurting her, both men vanished without a trace, not even leaving a word. Did her Eleanor juste into this world to be hurt by them? Hailey¡¯s heart was filled with resentment, wishing she could kill those arrogant bastards. However, Eleanor seemed less furious, as if she had alreadye to terms with it, ¡°Don¡¯t me Garett, he didn¡¯t know. Besides, I could have the coronary bypass operation because he worked so hard to earn the money for it. Without him, I wouldn¡¯t have lived this long¡­¡± Seeing Eleanor still defending Garett, Hailey suddenly felt it was so unfair, ¡°Eleanor, you¡¯re just too kind¨Chearted¡­¡± Unaffected, Eleanor lowered her eyes and didn¡¯t make a sound, but the image of Bernard hitting her shed through her mind. She and Garett had given their all to each other, but couldn¡¯t be together because of misunderstandings, while she treasured Bernard on her own, which was truly ridiculous. Hailey didn¡¯t want to hurt Eleanor with harsh words, so she didn¡¯t mention the past and asked, ¡°Eleanor, are you feeling ufortable anywhere?¡± Eleanor shook her head. It didn¡¯t matter where she felt ufortable now, no need to disturb the doctors anymore. With a heavy heart, Hailey gently touched Eleanor¡¯s sweaty face and said, ¡°You¡¯re drenched in sweat just from talking for a little while. I¡¯ll fetch some hot water to wipe you down.¡± Eleanor clenched her teeth and managed to respond, ¡°Okay,¡± before losing the energy to say anything else. Hailey released her hand, picked up the kettle, and left the room. However, as soon as she stepped out, she collided with a pale¨Clooking Jason. He appeared shaken and had red eyes, as if he had been standing there for a while. Surprised, Halley looked at him and asked in a cold tone, ¡°Didn¡¯t you go back to B City? Why are you here?¡± Jason didn¡¯t answer but raised his bloodshot eyes. A sudden realization struck Hailey, and she eximed, ¡°You heard everything Eleanor and I just talked about, didn¡¯t you?¡± Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Mechanically, he nodded without uttering a word. Perhaps, now aware of the truth, he felt too ashamed to speak. Chapter 181 Chapter 181 Chapter 181 When Hailey thought about Eleanor saying not to me him, she didn¡¯t say anything more and turned to fetch water, leaving him alone. Jason stood at the door, looking at the frail, petite figure on the bed, with mist gradually filling his eyes. He tried to steady his shaking body, clenched his fists, and took heavy steps towards the bed. Eleanor, who couldn¡¯t see, felt someone approaching and thought Hailey was back, so she reached out for her clothes ¡°Hailey..¡± Before she could grab the clothes, her hand was caught by anotherrger hand. The hand that gripped her tightly was trembling slightly, as if there were so many words for him to say, but he couldn¡¯t find the words, so it just held her hand tightly Eleanor realized that it was a man¡¯s hand, and Bernard¡¯s handsome face shed in her mind, but she didnt think it could be him. She tried calling out, ¡°Garett. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Jason didn¡¯t expect that she could recognize him, and after recognizing him, she didn¡¯t shake off his hand. This made him feel even more guilty and pained. He squeezed her hand tightly and sat down next to the bed. He didn¡¯t speak, touching Eleanor¡¯s cheek Eleanor didn¡¯t push him away, letting him touch her with a calm heart. After a few minutes, Jason finally spoke with a h oar se voice, ¡°Eleanor.¡± He gently called her name as if calling out to a loved one, full of tenderness and reluctance. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eleanor responded, then asked softly. Why did youe back?¡± Jason forced a bitter smile, For some reason, I was worried, so I came back to check on you. He had been feeling restlesstely his heart pounding as if something had happened, so he couldnt help bute back to look for her He had waited at her apartment all night, but no one answered the door, He called her and Hailey, but no one picked up the phone, so he had to go to Liana to find out she was in the hospital. He was d he came, or he would have regretted it for the rest of his life. Unfortunately, her illness was his doing Holding her hand. he ced it on his lips and kissed it gently, ¡®Eleanor, I¡¯m sorry.. Before he came in, Eleanor had guessed that he had heard her conversation with Haley. Now facing his apclogy, she had no feelings left for it. Maybe being close to death made her let go of a lot. She used to be unable to let go of anything, but now she felt that life was short and should be enjoyed in time. With a slight smie, sheforted him, ¡°I had a heart condition, to begin with don¡¯t me yourself.. Jason shock his head and, with quilt in his eyes, ¡°Eleanor, I wil make it up to you.¡± Hearing such a solemn promise, Eleanor frowned slightly. Jason always kept his word, and if he promised to make it up for her, he would Although she didn¡¯t know what he would do for her, nure of that really mattered to her now. She tried her best to squeeze his hand gently, ¡°Garett, all you need to do is stay healthy, and thatll be the best way to make it up to me! Jason shook his head, his eyes shing with stubborn determination, as if he had made some sort of decision but didn¡¯t want to tell her. Eleanor didn¡¯t have the energy to worry about his thoughts anymore, her dim eyes blurred as she looked at him. ¡°Garett, I cant see you clearly anymore.¡± ¡°But in my memory, you¡¯ve always been the purest boy¡± ¡°I will remember you at your best, and will you remember me at my most beautiful?¡± Jason, with tears in his eyes and a choke in his voice, said, ¡°I will¡± Eleanor smiled, still with grace and serenity. ¡®Can you go back to B Clly then? I don¡¯t want you to see me after I¡¯ve passed.¡± Chapter 182 Chapter 182 Chapter 182 ason seemed to understand why she had said such harsh words to him before. I was because she was afraid that if he saw her after she had passed away, he would feel sad and guilty, so she drove him away. His Eleanor never changed, always thinking of him even in death. lut he thought she had fallen in love with Bernard and that¡¯s why she became so cold-hearted towards him. leep guilt overwhelmed himpletely, making his hand tremble as he held hers. leanor felt his helplessness and gently squeezed his hand. ¡°Garett, will you go back?¡± lason touched her pale face and whispered softly. ¡°Eleanor, no matter what you say this time, I won¡¯t leave. I will stay by your side forever¡± The word ¡°forever¡± was too heavy for her to bear, but she didn¡¯t want to hurt him. She inhaled deeply to relieve her breathlessness, then said, ¡°Gareti, I¡¯m too tired to talk. Can I just rest for a while?¡± Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Is there apatible donor?¡± With a helpless sigh, Jason released his clenched fist and replied, ¡°No¡­¡± Taking a moment to contemte, Tyler responded solemnly, Mr. Clowers, without apatible donor, even G od can¡¯t save her. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Jason weakly uttered, ¡°It¡¯s alright before ending the call. He gazed at the bed with his once vibrant eyes gradually losing their color, consumed by despair. Hailey had prepared the water long ago, but she wasn¡¯t in a hurry to go back. She leaned against the wall in a daze, ignoring her phone when it vibrated several times. It wasn¡¯t until the text message alert came that she took it out and nced at it. Austin had called, and when she didn¡¯t pick up, he texted to inquire. He asked her when she would be back tonight, and also how she ended up at the hospital. If he really cared about her, he would¡¯ve asked why she was in the hospital first. He was clearly nning to do something with Allysha in their bridal chamber but worried she woulde back suddenly, so he asked her. Having such a man disgusted Halley to her core. Thinking about the situation she might face in the future, she still reluctantly replied, suppressing her inner discontent, ¡°Ill stay at the dorm tonight and go home tomorrow. After sending the message, she put her phone back in her pocket, her eyes revealing a trace of coldness. She decided to install a surveince system when she returned home tomorrow to punish that couple! She returned to the sickroom with the prepared water and saw Jason sitting motionless in front of the bed, her face slightly darkened. ¡°Mr. Clowers, you should go back. I take care of Eleanor. Jason¡¯s gaze was fixed on Eleanor¡¯s face, not looking back or responding, as if determined to stay here. Seeing him like this, Hailey sighed and washed the towel in the prepared hot water a few times before handing it to him. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to leave, then help her wipe her sweat.¡± Jason took the towel and carefully wiped her cheeks, avoiding the wound on her forehead. ¡°How did she get the wound on her forehead?¡± Hailey nced at him and replied, ¡°She identally bumped into something.¡± She still had some resentment towards Jason Although he wasn¡¯t aware of it, Eleanor¡¯s sudden ness had an indirect connection to him. And she felt that even if she told Jason the truth, it was unlikely he could deal with the Laurence family, so why involve him? She wouldplete her revenge n on her own just as Liana had said, nning and executing slowly.. One day, she would let Joelle, Sophie, and Bernard know what the consequences of hurting her sister Eleanor would be Chapter 183 Chapter 183 Chapter 183 These days, Eleanor spent more time asleep than awake. Even when she woke up, she could hardly speak a few words before falling back into slumber. Jason sat by her bedside, not moving an inch. His pale face was covered in messy stubble, making him lookpletely exhausted Hailey tried to convince him to get some rest, but he refused. Knowing that she couldn¡¯t change his mind. Hailey left him alone. Fearing that Eleanor might want something light to eat when she woke up, Hailey wanted to prepare some food for her. She told Jason that she was going to buy some food and then left the ward. Not long after Hailey left, Eleanor woke up. The swelling in her limbs made it impossible for her to move around. She could guess that her face must be swollen and ugly now. She could feel Jason¡¯s firm grip on her hands, which made her heart sk ip a beat for a moment. She swallowed a mouthful of saliva and h oar sely said, ¡°Garett has the sun risen yet?¡± Jason nodded, but then realized that she couldn¡¯t see, so he gently replied, ¡°Yes, the sun has risen..¡± His eyes, now red, looked out the window. It was snowing heavily outside, and the sun was nowhere to be seen. But every time Eleanor woke up these days, the first thing she would ask was about the sun. She must¡¯ve really wanted to see the sun, but since she couldn¡¯t, she could only ask if it was out. Upon hearing that the sun was up. Eleanor slowly turned her head and looked through the window. Her unfocused eyes seemed to see a ray of sunlight shining in, warming her heart¡­ ¡°Garett, was the weather like this when you found me?¡± ¡°Yes, it was sunny with blue sky. You were lying in the bushes, and I saw you right away.¡± Garett found her in the bushes when he was 5 years old, ying with a kite outside the orphanage. Without any hesitation, he took her back. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. From the moment he picked her up, he was destined to dedicate his life to her. Hearing Jason¡¯s description, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but smile. In her dreams, she saw a woman standing in the sun, reaching out her hand, as if to say ¡°Eleanor, Mom is here to take you home¡± Perhaps it was her real mother who had once left her in the sun, reluctant yet helpless to leave.. Or maybe it wasn¡¯t her mother at all. Maybe she just desperately wanted a mother, so she conjured up a maternal figure in her dreams. After all, she had never experienced a mother¡¯s or a father¡¯s love in her life. Coming into the world alone and leaving alone would always leave some regrets.. Seeing Eleanor¡¯s bitter smile, Jason felt a sharp pain in his heart. The pain made him hold her tightly in his arms, not daring to let go¡­.. Eleanor weakly patted his back and said. ¡°Garett, don¡¯t be sad. See you in the next life.¡± Jason buried his head in her neck like a child, his tears silently falling onto her skin. Eleanor¡¯s heart trembled, her eyes reddening as she was moved by his devotion¡­ They held each other tightly as if they were the only two left in the world, just as pure as when they were young Eventually, fearing that the embrace would drain her strength, Jason gently put her down¡­. Eleanor looked out the window, thinking of that man Jason had hurried from B City to see her as soon as he felt uneasy. Meanwhile, that man, who was in A City hadn¡¯te even once. It wasn¡¯t until now that she understood that if someone didn¡¯t love you, they could bepletely cold and heartless. And he was already cold and aloof to begin with. She smiled again. After all, hadn¡¯t she pushed him away because she didn¡¯t want him to see her on her deathbed? There was no need to be sentimental Chapter 184 Chapter 184 Chapter 184 As sheughed at her sell, she suddenly found it difficult to breathe and coughed uncontrobly. The blood she coughed out quickly filed her orygen mask ¡®¡±Eleanor Jason turned pale and frantically pressed the call bell for the doctor. Then he knelt on one knee, took out a tissue, tore off her oxygen mask, and caught the blood she coughed out Blood flowed onto the tissue, soaking his fingers. Jason trembled all over With his other hand, he tried to wipe the blood from her mouth, but he couldn¡¯t clean it all up¡­ Blood flowed down her cheeks, wetting her clothes and pillow The blo ody scere made his heart ache and he couldr t help shaking Upon hearing the bet, the nurse immediately called the attending doctor and the dean over This is from N?velDrama.Org. Seeing how badly Fanor was coughing, Lana ordered the doctors to take her to the emergency room People in the ward hurned in and out, leaving only Jason stil kneeling on the ground. I was as if the world had be quiet, with only him left, staring nkly at his blood covered hands.. His tall body trembled uncontrobly, ice-cold and powerless, as if a ck hole was swallowing him bit by bit, making him deeply feel that the person he had been protecting was really going to leave. Not to leave him but to leave this world and nevere back. When Haley returned, she saw Jason like this and le resentment towards him faded. She saw how much he loved Eleanor. If it werent for their missed five years, they could have lived a peaceful life together. But fate is unpred ble, causing them to miss each other and rob Eleanor of her life. Thinking of this, she couldn¡¯t help crying, but she braced herself and patted Jason on the shoulde Let¡¯s go wait for her in the emergency room together A young nurse who had just entered the ward sold Hailey that Eleanor was taken to the emergency room because of a sudden coughing fit She originaly warted to go to the emergency room, but when she saw Jason kneeling on the ground motionless, she stopped. Jason seemed not to hear her lowering his eyes to state at his blood-covered hands. Hadley knew he couldnt face the reality and sighed before heading to the emergency room. The light in the emergency room was on, indicating that they were trying to save her. She didn¡¯t know if Cleanor could make it through She leaned against the wall and squatted in the corner, stating fixedly at the door, it wasn¡¯t until the emergency ight turned green that she stood up straight. The emergency room door slowly opened, and Liara came out with a group of doctors Seeing Hailey with red-rimmed eyes, Liana didnt know what to say ¡°Dr. Tern, how is Eleanor doing now?¡± Haley leaned against the wall, barely supporting herself, and asked the question with trembling voice. Liana gazed up at Haley and took a deep breath. After a few moments of silence she reluctarily advised Hailey, ¡°Ms. Vulpe, you should go and say your goodbyes to her while you still can.¡± Upon hearing this, Jason, who had just arrived at the emergency room, swayed and nearly lost his bnce. His face turned an eerie shade of pale, as if all the blood had been drained from it, rendering almost transparent. Stag gering forward, he approached Hailey whose legs were trembling and who struggled to catch her breath while being supported by Lana¡¯s arms. Jason tightly clenched his fats, trembling as he uttered, ¡°I¡¯ll go see her first¡­ Liana nodded understandingly. After helping Haley settle on a nearby bench, the retrieved a small dose of a calming agent and pressed it against Hailey¡¯s skin Though the dose wasnt gnificant was enough to stoolize Haley¡¯s emotions and bring aboin a sense of calmness. She was now prepared to apany M: Stulty on her firul journey Chapter 185 Chapter 185 Chapter 185 Jason leared against the wall, slowly making his way into the emergency room. A small and delicate figurey motionless on the operating table, appearing almost lifeless. Only her eyes, hidden behind longshes, betrayed signs of movement, suggesting she was still clinging to life. Her face had been wiped clean of the bloodstains, revealing a pale and frail visage. Jason knell on one knee beside the table, his voice lowered as he gently called out. ¡°Eleanor..¡± That soft voice managed to pull Eleanor back from the brink of unconsciousness. She struggled to open her weary eye, hoping to catch a glimpse of him onest time, but she couldn¡¯t see anything. ¡°Gamett..¡± She strained to call him, her fading consciousness and weakened voice making it difficult. Leaning closer to her mouth, he could finaly hear her calling his name Tm here.¡± Jason held her hand, providing her with a semnce of strength. Drawing in shallow breaths of the life sustaining oxygen, she spoke brokenly, her words carrying her final wish, ¡°Take care of Hailey¡­ In herst moments before departing. Eleanor hoped that Haley, whom she regarded as a sister, would lead a safe and healthy life. Jason lowered his head to kiss her forehead, and lightly said, ¡°Ok ¡°Okay¡± Eleanor forced a faint smile, then weakly said, ¡°Garret in our next don¡¯t forgets me again.¡± Jason¡¯s heart ached, as if being suffocated, he couldnt breathe It turned out that same regrets were unbearable, like the pain of needles piercing his heart now He took a deep breath, his chest feeling a little morefortable, but he was still immersed in quit. He shivered as he held her icy hands, ced them on his heart, and solemnly vowed. Wat for me¡± She promised him ther next life, and he let her wait for him. That would be the best ending and the most beautiful beginning, hoping they wouldn¡¯t miss each other again in ther next life. Having frished what she had to say, Eleanor should have closed her eyes and rested Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Yet, she couldn¡¯t help but turn her lightless eyes towards the emergency room door, as if waiting for someone. ¡°Are you waiting for Haley?¡± Eleanor smiled and said. ¡°Yeah.¡± Just as she finished speaking, Haley, supported by Liana walked in. Seeing Eleanor lying weakly on the operating table, Hailey¡¯s emotions crumbled again ¡°Eleanor!¡± As Hailey hugged her and sobbed, she thought of her best friend and only rtive leaving ¨C what would she do in the future? Eleanor wanted to raise her hand to touch Hailey¡¯s face but had no strength left, she couldn¡¯t even keep her eyes open now. Breathing in the life-saving oxygen, she used all her remaining strength tofort Hailey Don¡¯t be sad.. Take good care of yourself.. Just that one sentence had exhausted her, leaving her without the strength to speak anymore. In a daze, Haley¡¯s cries slowly faded away, reced by a cold voice. ¡°Eleanor.¡± She forced her eyes open again, and looked in the direction of that voice.. Chapter 186 Chapter 186 Chapter 186 This time she saw it clearly, Bernard in a ck suit, walking from outside the emergency room. Just like the first time they met, he walked steadily towards her, step by step. He stretched out his well-defined fingers towards her bowed his head, and gently said, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m here.¡± Gentle He had never spoken to her gently before. Eleanor¡¯s consciousness gradually returned, and when she opened her eyes again, there was nothing but endless darkness. Some say people have hallucinations before they die, and what she just saw was merely a figment of her imagination Deep down, she must¡¯ve longed to see Bernard onest time, but unfortunately he never showed up.. Seeing that she had been waiting for Hailey and still looking at the door, Jason seemed to understand something. He struggled for only a few seconds before he quickly said to Liana, ¡°Call Bernard and tell him toe and see her for thest time! Liana hesitated for a moment, and without thinking too much, she immediately took out her phone and called Bernard. However, his phone was off¡­. Seeing Eleanor¡¯s hopeful eyes, she quickly called Aidyn, but his phone was also off She put down the phone and said helplessly, ¡°His phone is off Hailey, who had been crying her heart out, also noticed that Eleanor was holding on to herst breath waiting for Bernard. She remembered Eleanor saying that Bernard never turned off his private phone, so she quickly said to Liana. ¡°Eleanor¡¯s phone has his private number, could someone please get her phone? It¡¯s in the paper bag on the bedside table in her room. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. The nurse at the door heard this and immediately turned around and ran to the room, soon bringing Eleanor¡¯s phone back. Liana took the phone, while swiping the unlock key, she asked Hailey, ¡°What¡¯s the password?¡± Knowing the password, Hailey quickly told it to Lana. After finding out that he had been blocked by Eleanor, she immediately unblocked him and called him, Finally, the call connected this time. Anxious, Liana muttered, ¡°Mr. Laurence, please pick up the phone. Hurry, in pick up After several unsessful attempts, the other party remained silent, refusing to answer. Just as the last call was about to be ended, someone finally picked up ¡°Who is it? Calling repeatedly in the middle of the night. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s annoying?¡± a woman¡¯s voice from the other end scolded. In order for Eleanor to hear Bernard¡¯s voice immediately. Liana switched the call to speakerphone. Sophie¡¯s impatient voice reverberated through the emergency room. Caught off guard, Liana didn¡¯t know how to respond. As she remained silent, Sophie¡¯s impatience grew, Mc. Laurence didn¡¯t save your name. Who the hell are you? Calling and not speaking¡± Bit by bit, the clear and powerful voice reached Eleanor¡¯s ears, bringing a relieved smile to her pale face. With great effort, she parted her weak lips, motioning for Liana to hang up. Then, she gazed up at Jason, who held her hands tightly ¡°Garett¡­ After I die. Please cremate my body immediately,¡± she requested. She knew he wouldn¡¯t have a chance to see her onest time, and she no longer had anyone in this world worth waiting for. It was better to be cremated and leave this world sooner. With no lingering worries, she closed her eyes in sorrow, surrounded by the cries of Hailey, Jason, and Liana. Her weary voice whispered to them, I¡¯m so tired¡­ I just want to rest for a while¡­ In that moment, there was only tranquility, as if everything had turned to dust, leaving nothing behind in the world. Chapter 187 Chapter 187 Chapter 187 The heart monitor let out a piercing noise. The person on the operating table left this world just like that. Hailey almost fainted from crying too much, while Jason kept kneeling down, staring quietly at her on the table. After gazing at her for a few minutes, he picked up that fragile body and started to walk outside. Liana, from the next-door emergency room, quickly came up to stop him, ¡°Mr. Clowers, Ms. Stultz mentioned before she died that she wanted to be cremated as soon as possible.. Jason looked at her numbly and said, ¡°I know,¡± He lowered his head, looked at that pale little face full of affection, and whispered, 1 just want to change her clothes.¡± Her clothes were stained with the blood from his hands. She was always beautiful and wouldn¡¯t want to be cremated in such dirty clothes. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Jason¡¯s calm manner surprised Liana. Didn¡¯t he love Ms Shultz deeply? How could lie be so composed? Watching his retreating figure, Liana thought to herself that at least Jason was willing to apany her till the end, while Bernard couldn¡¯t even be found. The shack in her heart gradually faded. Men were always so fickle and shouldn¡¯t be expected to show anymitment. Jason took Eleanor back to the ward, cleaned her body, and changed her into a fresh set of clothes. After giving her a kiss on her forehead, he took her 10 card and asked his bodyguard to get a death certificate At the moment he received the death certificate, Jason¡¯s expression was extremely calm. He hugged Eleanor and walked toward the crematorium beside the hospital. Hr personally lock her to the crematorium, trying to follow her in, but was stopped by the staff. Sir, you can¡¯t enter here Leave the cremation work to us after this.. Jason could only stand outside the crematorium, watching Eleanor being pushed in by several staff members Inside there were many cremation furnaces. Those near the entrance were all in operation, only the furthest one was empty He saw with his own eyes the staff push Eleanor into the cremation furnace At this moment, he could no longer suppress the grief in his heart. He broke down, like a madman. He ignored everything, and rushed inside, yelling, ¡°Stop! Don¡¯t cremate her¡± He screamed as if his heart was tom, but was stopped by many staff members, ¡°Sir, the cremation has already started, we can¡¯t stop it now. Please try to ept it!¡¯ Everyone was trying to console him, the bodyguard was even holding him back, but he didn¡¯t listen, struggling desperately. He wanted to take Eleanor home, even if she was just a cold, dead body, he wanted to take her back! ¡°Mr. Clowers, please don¡¯t do this.. Tyler heard the news of Eleanor¡¯s death and hurned over, not expecting to see such a scene. In his memory, Jason was always gentle and never lost hisposure. But at this moment¡­ Tyler couldn¡¯t describe the scene with words, feeling that Jason was like a madman. ¡°Tyler..¡± He tightly grabbed Tyler¡¯s hand, his voice trembling with a plea. ¡°You¡¯re a genius in the medical field, you must have a way to save her, right?¡± Tyler looked at the tearful eyes of Jason, his own eyes also wet with tears, ¡°Mr. Clowers, you need to pull yourself together¡­¡± Tyler didn¡¯t even say that the situation was beyond help, but instead, he asked him to be strong which meant that there was no hope anymore. Feeling powerless, Jason copsed on the ground, his desperate eyes fixed on the tightly closed iron door. Chapter 188 Chapter 188 Chapter 188 As night fell, the iron gate opened, and a staff member holding an urn walked out, ¡°Eleanor¡¯s cremation is done, Family members, pleasee and get the urn.¡± Jason¡¯s bodyguard immediately went up, grabbed the urn as well as the ID. The bodyguard held the urn in his hand and bent down to pass it to Jason, who was already out of it. He said, ¡°Mr. Clowers, it¡¯s time to take Ms. Shultz home¡­¡± Jason felt utterly desperate when he thought of the living person who had just turned into ashes. At this moment, it started to rain heavily outside, just like the night he had a car ident The rain soaked his hair and face, but he didn¡¯t care. He took off his clothes and covered the urn Forcing himself to calm down, he tried to steady his trembing hands and tried to take the urn, but he couldn¡¯t get it right ¡°Let me do it.¡± Tyler reached out to take the urn, but Jason stopped him. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. He tried his best to steady his shaking hands and tried to hold the um After holding it steady, he hugged the urn tightly, not allowing anyone else to touch it, Eleanor, III take you home.¡± The wind howled, thunder and lightning struck reflecting Jason pale face. Hugging the urn, he stumbled out of the crematorium with Tyler¡¯s help He once promised to marry her when he grew up. Now, before he had a chance to fulfill his promise, she had gone in a hurry But no matter if she left or not, he had to fulfill his promise. When the car entered City Hall Tyler thought Jason had lost his mind. However, Jason didn¡¯t care. Holding the urn, he walked into City Hal determinedly City Hall didn¡¯t open at thiste hour. So Jason sat on the steps holding the um, wanting for daylight. ¡°Mr. Clowers¡­ Tyler looked at Jason¡¯s stubbornness, and warted to say something several times, but ended up saying nothing Seeing the rain getting heavier, Tyler turned around. He fetched an umbre, and held it over Jason¡¯s head Tyler had long suspected that Jason had regained his memory when he asked if heart failure could be cured. So, he asked Colter Clowers about their PART He finally found out about Jason and Ms. Shultz who had been lovers but missed each other because of Carson Clowers. Jason had an ident and lost his memory because of Ms. Shultz. His love for her was immeasurable. Suddenly, Tyler thought of Liana lying on the ground covered in blood, reaching out to him for help, and he felt very sad. If Liana hadn¡¯t survived back then, would he be like Jason, holding her urn with a dead heart? He shook his head, his eyes returning to their cold expression. Tyler looked down at Jason, who was like a walking corpse. He must have been deeply touched by Jason¡¯s affection, which caused this terrifying thought¡­ As the rainy night passed and the sun rose, the sunlight shane on the unn. Jason gently stroked the urn and whispered. ¡°Eleanor, the sun has risen today..¡± Hugging the um tightly as if he were holding her, he stood up and walked into City Hall. The staff at City Hall were all shocked when they saw him holding an urn and requesting a marriage certificate with the deceased¡¯s documents. They were unwilling to handle such absurd matters, so Tyler had to show his identity and asked a high- level person to help, and the procedures werepleted quickly. nally married you Jason finally got the marriage certificate with a slight smile on his face, ¡°Eleanor, I finally He held her um and gently kissed it, take you home now¡± Chapter 189 Chapter 189 Jason brought her back to the vi, a ce she¡¯d been to before and felt safe in La was startled to see Mr. Jason holding an urn with a heartbroken look on his face. Then she noticed the doctor and the bodyguards also showing sympathy, and she gradually understood. Although she didn¡¯t know who was in the unn, she thought it must be someone very important to Mr. Jason, ¡°Mr. Jason, I go prepare the memorial service¡± Jason didn¡¯t respond, but called her back as she was turning to leave. He said, ¡®Get a tombstone for her, with her name on it.¡± La asked, ¡°Mr. Jason what¡¯s her name?¡± Jason looked down at the urn and answered affectionately. ¡°My wife, Eleanor Shultz¡± La was stunned ¨C Eleanor? Was it the Ms. Shultz she met before? The beautiful but frail¨Clooking girl? La didn¡¯t dare ask she just replied ¡°Yes¡± and went to prepare everything right away Jason ced the urn on the table and turned to Tyler, You can go back, you don¡¯t need to stay with me¡® Tyler wanted to refuse, but Jason interrupted him, ¡°1 want to spend some quiet time with her He couldn¡¯t let her not even have a grave. After he spent more time with her, he would personally bury her Seeing Jason like this. Tyler didn¡¯t insist anymore, ¡°Take care of yourself, and contact me if you need anything¡± Seeing Jason nodded slightly with a calm expression, Tyler left feeling a bit at ease. Before leaving, he instructed the bodyguards to keep an eye on Jason and not let anything happen to him After Tyler left, Jason took out a clean towel and carefully wiped the urn. Hailey woke up from hera and learned from Liana that Jason had already cremated Eleanor. She burst into tears. Liana hugged her shoulders andforted her silently, her own sadness for Eleanor¡¯s sudden departure indescribable. Eleanor originally had two more months to live. If it wasnt for her, Eleanor might not have been hurt by the Laurence family With Liana¡¯s apaniment, Haley went to Jason¡¯s vi Content ? N?velDrama.Org. The tombstone was already prepared, it read Jason¡¯s Wife¨CEleanor Shultz. Hailey cried again when she saw the marriage certificate on disy in the memorial hall. Her Eleanor finally married her childhood sweetheart, but in such a way. Compared to Hailey¡¯s hoarse crying. Jason was calmer than anyone else, ¡°Hailey let¡¯s burn all of Eleanor¡¯s clothes tomorrow.¡± Hailey nodded and cried, ¡°Okay¡± She agreed. Carrying the things retrieved from the hospital, she returned to the small apartment. Inside, everything was still warm and cozy like before, but Eleanor was no longer there to greet her when she came home from work. With tears in her eyes, Hailey walked to the sofa. She raised her hand and touched the spot where Eleanor had oncein, and tears uncontrobly streamed down her face. Blurred by tears, she nced towards the bedroom and called out gently, ¡°Eleanor¡­¡± There was no response, only her own echo. In the past, whenever Eleanor heard here back, she would rush out of the bedroom and pounce on her. But now, no one would everugh and call her ¡°Hailey¡® again inside this spacious house. Haley covered her face, copsed on the sofa, and cried bitterly. In her heart, she called Eleanor¡¯s name over and over, as if doing so could bring her back. Though she knew it was impossible, she still desperately called, grieved, and resisted. Chapter 190 Chapter 190 Chapter 190 She cried for a long time, until her voice became h oa rse, and finally forced herself to suppress the grief and get up from the sofa. She still had to pack clothes for Eleanor, she couldn¡¯t let Eleanor go without clothes in the other world. She had to cheer up and pick a few pretty clothes for Eleanor. Haley stag gered and walked step by step into Eleanor¡¯s room. Seeing that Eleanor¡¯s stuff was stinthere, but she was gone. Hailey¡¯s tears fell once again. Covering her face and crying for a while, she cleaned her tears and started packing Eleanor¡¯s clothes. She took clothes from the wardrobe, along with a few pairs of shoes from the shoe cab, and some bedding As for the remaining things, Hailey couldn¡¯t bear to throw them all away, so she left a lot of them as keepsakes, After packing when she turned to leave the bedroom, she suddenly stopped and looked back at the desk. It was as if something was attracting her, guiding her to walk to the desk and unconsciously open a drawer. The drawer was tidy and clean with only a notebook and an envelope. Realizing what it is, Hailey¡¯s eyes started to redden again. Eleanor had anticipated leaving this world long ago, but Hailey had never noticed. If she had found out sooner, perhaps she could have spent more time with Eleanor and not be filled with regret now. She trembled as she took out the letter, opened the envelope, and slowly unfolded the letter. [Dear Hailey, when you¡¯re reading this letter, it meant I had already left this world. But my dear Hailey, please don¡¯t grieve for me or feel regret. Life is unpredictable, and when some things can¡¯t be changed, just let them be. I¡¯ve epted it, and I hope you can ept it too. Dont be too sad for my absence, I¡¯d worry for you. Haley, I¡¯m so grateful to have you by my side, from childhand to adulthood. You were theProperty ? of N?velDrama.Org. first to protect me whoever bullied me. I remember when I was twelve, I was bullied by a group of mean girls at the school gate, and it was you who fought fercely to save me. Your newly bought shoes were ruined back then, do you know what I was thinking? I thought I¡¯d rather let them beat me up and over with, than let you lose a pair of new shoes. Thinking back, we were so poor we couldn¡¯t even afford food. But you and Garett, in order to take care of me you would rather starve yourselves and save money to buy medicine for me. I¡¯ve heard your stomachs growling so many times. Hailey the fact that I could live until my twenties was due to your endless part-time work and Garett¡¯s relentless efforts. I¡¯ve often wondered what right do I have to live by your care. Later, I got a job, earned money to support myself, and eased your burden. I thought, as long as I was with you and could help you asionally, that would be good. The only regret is that I could only apany you down this path, and my life is about to end. Before I leave, all I can offer you is a bank card. It¡¯s not much, but I hope it helps when you¡¯re in trouble. This money, feel free to use it, it¡¯s not from selling myself. I earned it clearly from my job. The password is your birthday Goodbye, Hailey, my beloved sister] 07:05 alley was already sobbing uncontrobly after reading the letter. Chapter 191 Chapter 191 Chapter 191 he bank card inside the envelope was like a piece of steel, heavily weighing on her heart, unable to move it. that a fool, worrying about her not having money to use before dying, but ailey thought to herself, ¡°Eleanor, I don¡¯t need your money. I just want you toe back * ailey clutched the envelope, a longing she had never felt before upying her mind, making her cry her heart out. the end, Hailey fell asleep exhausted, even dreaming of Eleanoring back er heart was unwilling, and her subconscious was full of thoughts of wanting Eleanor toe back, so she dreamed about it. fter she woke up and returned to reality, a profound sense of powerlessness engulfed her heart, making it difficult for her to catch her breath. fith swollen eyes, she stared nkly at the ceiling. The whole world was quiet, as if she was the only one left. fter an unknown amount of time, her phone rang one after another, and she finally reacted. he ringing wasing from a shopping bag, Eleanor¡¯s phone. alley hesitated for a few seconds before going to answer it. /hen she saw Bernard¡¯s name disyed on it, Hailey was stunned. leanor wanted to see him before she died or at least hear his voice, but he let Sophie answer the call. man so heartless wasn¡¯t worthy of knowing about Eleanor¡¯s death. lailey didn¡¯t pick up the call After making several calls and finding no one answering, he didn¡¯t call again. the originally nned to put down her phone and pack up Eleanor¡¯s clothes, but identally saw countless messages sent by someone named ¡®Mr. hese messages were sent during this time, all harassing words like he missed her, as well as I¡¯m sorry¡± sent the day Eleanor was unconscious and sent o the hospital. Hailey didn¡¯t know what this ¡°sorry¡± meant. She only felt that Mr. Law¡¯s harassment of Eleanor during her lifetime was outrageous enough; she didn¡¯t want leanor to be harassed after death. She picked up the phone and started typing a message to Mr. Law¡­ Meanwhile, Bernard had just finished a closed-door meeting that hadsted for several days and nights. He and Aidyn left the Space Institute and headed straight for the luxury car parked outside. The car started quickly, and Bernard leaned back in his seat, rubbing his temples wearily. He asked, ¡°Did anyone try to contact me while I was away?¡± 1 turned off my phone since we couldn¡¯t use it inside the Space Institute. I don¡¯t know if anyone called.¡± Aidyn exined, quickly taking out his phone and pressing the power button. The security work at the Space Institute was excellent. After Aidyn and Mr. Laurence entered, their phones were confiscated and forcibly turned off. They were not allowed to move around freely, even unable to go shopping. They could only stay indoors, waiting for Mr. Laurence¡¯s meeting to end. Little did they know that the meeting wouldst for so many days. Aidyn pressed the power button several times, but the phone didn¡¯t turn on. It must have been out of battery. ¡°Mr. Laurence, let me charge it first.¡± After saying that, Aidyn put the phone to charge. Bernard took out his working phone, exhausted. After turning on the phone, there were many work messages, but no specific person contacted him. Bernard put down his phone, his eyes filled with red bloodshot from exhaustion. He slowly stared out the window. For some reason, he¡¯d been feeling restlesstely. Especially in the past two days, this strange feeling had grown stronger, affecting his concentration during the meeting He rubbed his forehead, thinking it might be due to fatigue. The car stopped quickly in a wealthy living area, and Bernard hurriedly got out and walked into the vi. As he took off his coat and handed it to Aidyn, he entered the elevator leading to his bedroom on the third floor. He had left in a hurry this time and forgot to bring his personal phone, eager to see if anyone was trying to contact him. As the elevator door opened, he quickly entered the bedroom, only to find the room messy and filled with a strong fragrance of perfume. Before he could frown, Sophie emerged from the bathroom, wearing a towel. Bernard¡¯s face darkened, and he asked coldly. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±This is from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 192 Chapter 192 Chapter 192 Sophie¡¯s smile was abruptly cut off by Bernard¡¯s cold voice. After stopping her smile, she walked up to Bernard, looking at him with disappointed eyes, ¡°Bernard, are you unhappy since I¡¯m here?¡± There was no emotion on Bernard¡¯s handsome face as his somber eyes stared at her intently ¡°Why are you here?¡± This was his private residence in H City, hardly known to anyone. Sophie showing up here could only mean that she had been following him. Frightened by his gaze, Sophie stepped back, then after wrapping herself tightly in her bath towel, she cautiously approached Bernard again. She said, ¡°Bernard, Donna knows your whereabouts quite well, and she sent me here because she thinks that since I¡¯ve finished my studies, we should make some progress in our rtionship.¡± Mustering her courage, she extended her beautiful hand to caress his face but he dodged her touch just before she reached him. He didn¡¯t even deign to grab her wrist and push her away, choosing to avoid her altogether instead, His disdain for Sophie was as alive as ever, Sophieughed with despair. ¡°Bernard, how much longer must I wait for you?!¡± Looking down at her, Bernard didn¡¯t bother to say another word, but coldly uttered, ¡°Get out.¡± Normally, Sophie would¡¯ve obediently left, never daring to go against Bernard¡¯s wishes. But now, wrapped in her bath towel, she had put all of her feminine charms on disy for him He was utterly unmoved, not even sparing her a look, and demanding her to leave. How could she bear this? Sophie clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as she angrily snapped, ¡°You promised him you would marry me, have you forgotten that?¡± Hearing Sophie¡¯s words, the iciness in the depth of Bernard¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t fade. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for him, I would never marry you. If you understand that, then get out!¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Feeling suffocated, Sophie recalled that in the past, every time she threatened Bernard with this line, he would alwayspromise. Even if he didn¡¯tpromise, at least he¡¯d treat her better, Now hepletely disregarded her feelings, intent on driving her away. Being the most pampered daughter of the Ratliff family and a top student, Sophie had some self- esteem too. Since Bernard was so insistent on driving her away, staying any longer would be her fault. She red at him fiercely before picking up her clothes left outside the bathroom, then turned and ran downstairs. Not looking back, Bernard quickly walked to the bedside table and took out his private cell phone from the drawer. When he turned it on, he noticed that yesterday afternoon around 2 pm. Eleanor had made a few calls. Thest one was answered by someone else and ended in less than a minute. After that, she hadn¡¯t called again. Feeling restless, he quickly called Eleanor back, eager to hear her voice. However, she didn¡¯t pick up. He remembered that it was the weekend at home and she always liked to sleep in on her days off, so he didn¡¯t call her again. Just as he was about to change rooms and rest, his WhatsApp vibrated with a new message. On his private phone, he only had one friend on WhatsApp ¨C Eleanor. He immediately picked up his phone and opened WhatsApp. As he did so. Aidyn¡¯s anxious voice came from outside the door, ¡°Mr. Laurence, please open the door Ms. Shultz has had an ident?¡± At the same time, he saw the message on WhatsApp saying: Mr. Low, she¡¯s passed away. Please don¡¯t harass her anymore. Bernard¡¯s indifferent face suddenly darkened as he quickly turned around to reply: Don¡¯t joke about this. By now, Hailey saw the message and sneered: Believe it or not, she¡¯s dead. Mr. Law, if you want to find her, go to hell! Bernard¡¯s chest tightened, and with an overcast face, he opened the door to see Aidyn¡¯s flustered expression. ¡°What happened?¡± His usually indifferent voice was trembling ever so slightly Seeing Bernard¡¯s calm demeanor, Aldyn¡¯s panic also gradually subsided, ¡°Mr. Laurence, Liana just called to tell me that Ms. Shultz passed away yesterday at 2:19 pm.¡± Chapter 193 Chapter 193 Chapter 193 After Aidyn finished speaking, he looked up at Bernard. His face was still expressionless. Aldy didn¡¯t know if Mr. Laurence didn¡¯t hear what he said clearly or if he just didn¡¯t care about Ms. Shultz¡¯s death. Why didn¡¯t he show any reaction? After hesitating at the door for a while, Aldyn awkwardly said, ¡°Well, Mr. Laurence, I won¡¯t bother you to rest then.¡± As he turned to leave, a gloomy voice came from behind. Bernard asked, ¡°Who did you say died?¡± Aidyn frowned. He thought he¡¯d made himself quite clear, did Mr. Laurence not hear him? Muttering to himself, Aidyn turned back around to face the cold man standing inside the room. 11¡¯s Eleanor, Ms. Shultz.¡± Afraid that he wouldn¡¯t understand, Aidyn emphasized Eleanor¡¯s name on purpose. Bernard frowned and said in a low voice, ¡°What kind of joke is this? She¡¯s fine, how could she be dead?¡± Aidyn stood there, realizing that his boss didn¡¯t misunderstand; he simply didn¡¯t believe that Ms. Shultz had died. He ryed what Lians had told him to Bernard, ¡°Mr. Laurence, Ms. Shultz had heart failure.¡± Bernard scoffed, ¡°She just has a heart condition, how could it be heart failure?! Before Aidyn could say that it was at ate stage, Bernard mmed the door shut, cutting him off from the conversation. The moment the door closed, Aidyn thought he saw Mr. Laurence¡¯s hand trembling, holding his phone¡­ Bernard steadied his shaky hand and dialed the number he had memorized He couldn¡¯t believe that Eleanor was dead. He felt that she was ming him for pping her and was fooling him on purpose. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. He had to hear her voice, otherwise, his panicking heart would not be able to calm down After making several calls, no one picked up. Just as Bernard was about to lose patience, the line connected. In this instant, his restless heart suddenly calmed down. If she answered his call, it meant she wasn¡¯t dead. Aidyn and Liana were lying to him! Calmly, he addressed her, ¡°Eleanor.¡± Upon hearing Bernard¡¯s voice, Haley sighed deeply. She hadn¡¯t wanted to answer, but¡­ She saw a folded piece of paper in the drawer. Upon opening it and taking a look, she realized it was written by Eleanor to Bernard Just a few short sentences revealed Eleanor¡¯s thoughts towards Bernard. To fulfill Eleanor¡¯s wish, Hailey answered Bernard¡¯s call. Taking a deep breath, Hailey told the person on the other end of the call ¡°Eleanor is gone. You don¡¯t need to call here anymore,¡± Bernard had been waiting for Eleanor¡¯s response, but what he got instead was a female stranger¡¯s voice. Ignoring the words stating that Eleanor was gone, he said in a deep voice, Put Eleanor on the phone.¡± Hearing this, Hailey suddenly became enraged, ¡°She¡¯s dead! How can she answer the phone?!¡± This was already the third person telling him that Eleanor was dead today. It was incredibly annoying. He gripped his phone tightly and asked icily. ¡°Who are you?¡± Hailey patiently replied, ¡°I¡¯m Eleanor¡¯s sister, Hailey Vulpe.¡± He knew Eleanor had a very close friend, but he still didn¡¯t believe her words, ¡°Could Ms. Vulpe kindly tell Eleanor that if she¡¯s afraid of me bothering her, she can just tell me directly. Don¡¯t y this kind of trick, I won¡¯t believe it Chapter 194 Chapter 194 Chapter 194 Hearing Bernard¡¯s words, Halley burst outughing, pis sed off by him, ¡°You really think she¡¯s faking it to trick you? You out of your mind, bro? Have you forgotten how you guys messed her up? The girl already had heart failure, and then you all went and nailed her in the back of her head, How could she live long like that?¡± Hailey nearly shouted all of that, and at the end, suddenly broke down into tears. Just thinking about how Eleanor suffered before her death was too much for her, ¡°Bernard, how could you be so heartless? Eleanor wrote you a letter before she died¡­¡± Angry and resentful cries from the other side of the phone weighed heavily on Bernard¡¯s heart. He tried to control his emotions but found it wasn¡¯t as easy as it normally was. Instead, the more he tried to control his emotions, the more chaotic his own heart became Clutching his phone, he coldly asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Nailed in the back of the head?¡± Hailey thought he didn¡¯t dare to admit it and gritted her teeth in anger, ¡°When Eleanor was taken to the hospital, she had been nailed in the back of the head. If she hadn¡¯t been paralyzed by it, she wouldn¡¯t have bled too much and suffered from heart failure. This is all you and your Laurence family¡¯s doing! You still dare to y dumb here. I feel so sorry for Eleanor!¡± After saying all this, Hailey hung up the phone and added Bernard to her cklist. Dumbfounded, Bernard stared at the phone screen for a few minutes¡­ The tall figure that had been standing by the floor-to-ceiling window suddenly started to wobble, swaying as if unable to support itself With one hand pressed against the ss, he managed to steady his body. But all he could see was Eleanor lying on the ground, unmoving. It turned out that her inability to move wasn¡¯t due to disappointment in him but because his p had driven her onto a nail, paralyzing her. The thought of this scene hurt Bernard so much it was unbearable¡­ It couldn¡¯t be, he had seen her medical report. Other than heart disease, her health was good. HowThis is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. could she suddenly have a heart failure? Maybe it was because he had hit her and disappointed her, so she deliberately teamed up with these people to deceive him. It must be like that. She had deceived him several times already, this time must have been the same! He kept telling himself this, but the unease in his heart grew more and more, making him increasingly scared. Forcing back his pain, he put down his phone. Bernard walked to the door, and opened it. Aidyn was worried about the president and stayed outside the door without rushing away. Seeing Bernarde out with his whole body trembling, Aidyn couldn¡¯t help but gasp, ¡°Mr. Laurence, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Bernard, with bloodshot eyes, coldly ordered, ¡°Call Liana.¡± He wanted to ask Liana aboutte-stage heart failure, but his hand was trembling, unable to hold the phone steady Aidyn quickly took out his phone and called Liana back. She seemed to be waiting for his call and picked up right away. ¡°Hey, Aidyn, did you tell Mr. Laurence?¡± Without waiting for Aidyn to answer, Bernard spoke up. In the report you gave me, besides congenital heart disease, there was no problem. Why did she suddenly bete-stage heart failure?¡± Upon hearing Mr. Laurence¡¯s usatory tone, Liana became a bit frightened, ¡°At the time, I asked Ms. Shultz if I should tell you, but she disagreed. So I thought I¡¯d respect the patient¡¯s wishes and made you a fake report secretly. Bernard was furious after listening. You didn¡¯t say anything because she didn¡¯t let you tell me? Who are you working for?!¡± This was the first time Liana had seen Bernard so angry, and her voice gradually lowered down, ¡°I originally wanted to go against the patient¡¯s wishes and tell you, but when I asked if you cared about Ms. Shultz, you said¡­¡± Liana paused, then admitted her mistake, ¡°Mr. Laurence, I¡¯m sorry. I thought you didn¡¯t care about her at all, so I didn¡¯t tell you¡± A deep sense of powerlessness overcame him, making his cold voice carry a touch of despair, ¡°Liana, it¡¯s one thing for others not to know, but don¡¯t you know?¡± Could be show that he cared? Could he tell everyone what he cared about? He couldn¡¯t. Once, he only looked after a childhoodpanion, and they tortured her to death. Not to mention the woman he desired¡­ Unfortunately, he hid his feelings too well, so that even those closest to him couldn¡¯t figure out his thoughts. Could he me them? No, he could only me himself¡­ He hung up Lana¡¯s call with a trembling hand and looked at Aldyn with bloodshot eyes, ¡°Prepare a helicopter He had to go back immediately and see her for himself. Otherwise, he would never believe that she was gone Chapter 195 Chapter 195 Chapter 195 Jason picked a cemetery with a great view of the night scene in A City. The famous scenic hill opposite was a ce where he and Eleanor had been before. At that time, she said she really liked it there and wanted him to bring her over often. Butter on, he went back on his word and never took her there again, even forgetting all about her. Jason looked down at the urn in his arms, his eyes filled with quilt and he muttered, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Hailey happened to hear Jason¡¯s apology as she walked over with the neatly packed belongings. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. She stopped in her tracks, watching Jason holding onto the urn as if he couldn¡¯t bear to let go, thinking for a moment that he was pretty pathetic. They were originally a pair of lovers who had missed out on each other. For him, the regret in his heart must be even greater Hailey held back the tears welling up in her eyes, pushed the suitcase in front of him and said softly, ¡°Garett, it¡¯s time to let go Jason came to his senses and looked at the suitcase Halley had brought, is this all she had?¡± Hailey shook her head gently. ¡°Just keep the rest as a memento for me¡± Without saying much more, Jason took onest look at the urn and reluctantly ced it in the tomb. Soon, the coffin was ced and sealed by the staff. After some time, Jason spoke first. ¡°Hailey, I have to go back to B City tomorrow. I¡¯lle back in a few days¡± Hailey nodded and, seeing that it was getting dark, she said, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Jason gave Eleanor¡¯s memorial photo onest touch, his hand filled with tears and let go Just as they were turning to leave, the roar of a helicopter sounded and itnded on thewn not far away. As the helicopter steadied, Bernard, dressed in a ck suit, stepped down. His eyes were blood red, like a fierce eagle, rapidly walking towards their position. At the same time, dozens of luxury cars parked at the cemetery gate, all the people wearing suits and ties ¨C professional bodyguards. Looking over, there was a dense crowd of dozens of people, acting in unison with an aggressive manner as if they were there to sn atch someone. Chapter 196 Chapter 196 Chapter 196 Bernard walked up to them and coldly asked after looking at them, Where is she?¡± This was Hailey¡¯s second time seeing Bernard, the first time was when he personally picked up Eleanor At that time, he sat in the car and didn¡¯t get off. Haley ony saw his side face. She thought he was just good looking then. Now standingce to face with him, Hailey was somewhat shocked and scared. It wasn¡¯t because of his looks, but the powerful aura emanating from him, Seeing Bernard finally showed up. Jason couldn¡¯t help but sneer, ¡°You want to see her?¡± He pointed to the tomb behind him. There she is.¡± Bernard looked in the direction Jason was pointing and paled when he saw the picture on the taimbstone. His haughty eyes filled with disbeliet, Impossible¡± After saying that. Bernard coldly ordered Aidyn, Digher up!¡± He didn¡¯t believe Eleaner was lying inside. He had to expose their lies! Aidyn waved at a few bodyguards, and they stepped forward immediately Seeing this, Hailey hurriedly rushed over to block them, shik Jason grabbed Bernard¡¯s cor, ¡®Bernard She¡¯s dead! What else do Hearing the word ¡®dead¡¯ again and again, it felt like a knife stabbed in Bernard¡¯s heart, scraping it each time and causing a sharp He suppressed the pain and lifted his bloodshot eyes, cold y lookingson, ¡°Did you hide her on purpose, just to possess her all to yourself?¡± Jason sneered as looking at a lurustic. ¡°You¡¯re pathetic, not even daring to face her death¡± Bernard didn¡¯t want to hear the word ¡°death anymore. He pushed Jason away and walked quickly to the tombstone. Ignoring the photo on it, he was ready to dig up Eleanor forcefully Seeing him going crazy, Harley gathered her courage and pped him hard. ¡°She called you on the day she died, and you didn¡¯t pick up. Now you¡¯re acting crazy Are you out of your mind?!¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. Adyn saw this woman daring to hit their boss and mmec ately wanted to subdue her, but Bernard raised his hand to stop him. The p didn¡¯t hurt him physically, the pain in his heart numbed the pain on his body, making him incifferent. He looked at Hailey slowly, Ms. Vulpe, I just want to confirm if the person inside is her.¡± Harley thought he was really crazy. So many people told him that Cleanor was dead, but he still didn¡¯t believe it! She didn¡¯t want to deal with him anymore and put her hand in front of the tombstone. ¡°Let¡¯s see who dares to touch Cleanor!¡± Bernard sneered, ¡°You don¡¯t dare to let me see her because she isn¡¯t dead!¡± Jason felt like he heard a joke, his face was pale and full of mockery He walked step by step to Bernard, speaking the most pierong words in the gentlest voice. ¡°Whats lying inside is nothing but some ashes. Even if y open the coffin, you wont see her because..I personally cremated her: Watching Bernard¡¯s eyes gradually turn red, Jason felt much better. The Eleanor he chenshed in his heart wanted to see this manorest time before her life was in danger, but he didn¡¯t even answer her call What was more infuriating was that he let another woman hurt his beloved Eleanor, causing her to die with regrets! Of course he hated Bernard to the bone! Chapter 197 Chapter 197 Chapter 197 ason¡¯s words made Bernard¡¯s grip on his hand tighten even more, his nails digging deep into his palm he pain of his clenched fat couldn¡¯tpare to the heart-wrenching pain in his chest. he pain spread quickly through his entire body. felt like he was being electrocuted, making every part of his body ache. ut even with all this pain, he couldn¡¯t believe Eleanor was drad le didn¡¯t even get a chance to see her onest time, how could she be gone? leaner couldn¡¯t be dead! She must have just gone into hiding, that must be it! lernard¡¯s bloodshot eyes looked past Jason and towards Hailey When Hailey locked eyes with those crimson crbs, she couldn¡¯t help but feel shocked. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. luch a cold man showed this much emotion? lefore Haley could recover, Bernard suddenly grabbed her hand. ¡°Take me to your ce! With that, he started dragging her towards the helicopter Bernard! What the hell are you doing?¡± Jason charged to stop him, but Aidyn blocked his way. Seeing this, Jason¡¯s bodyguards quickly stepped in to fight Aidyn Lidymis men joined the fray. The two sides shed, hut Jason¡¯s side was outnumbered, and at he could do was watch as Herrard took Hailey away ¡°Bernard, if you do anything to Hailey, I swear I won¡¯t let you get away with it? gnoring him, Bernard continued to pull Hailey toward the helicopter. After getting her or the helicopter, he personally piloted it towards the apartment. Hailey sat in the cabin, watching Bernard, who did his best to stay calm but looked very pale. He seemed to have almady epted Eleanor¡¯s death, but couldn¡¯t face it Now he was taking Haley home to confirm it for himself. What would he do after finding out the truth? Bernard parked the helicopter and gestured for Hailey to lead him to the apartment. Hailey gave him a dirty lock but still got off the helicopter and took him to the small apartment. The ce was tiny and easy to see through, with only the door of the second bedroom closed. Bernard strode up to the door. He originally nned to push it open, but he hesitated, holding the doorknob. He then knocked on the door, ¡°Eleanor, open up.¡± He knocked three times but no one inside answered. Bernard¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but tighten, but he still cautiously said. ¡°Eleanor, it¡¯s me, please open the door,¡± It suddenly dawned on him how much he missed her and how much he wanted to hold her and whisper her name softly. He gathered his courage and pushed the door open, only to find a neat, cozy room with personal belongings, but no Eleanor. His heart sunk, but he still couldn¡¯t ept the truth. He quickly checked the closets, living room, kitchen, balcony, bathroom, and all the bedrooms, but there was no sign of Eleanor. Desperate, he turned to Hailey and asked, ¡°Where the hell did you guys hide her?¡± Hadley didnt respond Watching Bernard stubbornly refusing to ept the fact of Eleanor¡¯s death. She suddenly felt that it was his deserved retribution. Bernard choked back his pain and stepped closer to Hailey, his voice h oa rse, Ms. Vulpe, could you please tell her, if she¡¯s willing to see me just one more time, I promise I never bother her and Garett Falsey ever again I¡¯m willing to..¡± He took a deep breath and said word for word,¡± let her go, forever..¡± With a nk expression, Holley replied, ¡°Before she died, she used her final breath to try to see you one more time, but your fanc¨¦e answered the phone. You didn¡¯t even save her number, but she was by your side for five years. How could you be so heartless?¡± Hailey¡¯s eyes began to water as the continued, ¡°Laurence, she died with regrets and resentment. What right do you have to ask her to see you again? Besides, how could a person who has passed away come to see you? Chapter 198 Chapter 198 Chapter 198 When Hailey firmly said those words, his heart suddenly felt like a plece was missing with emptiness, as if he had lost something. His eyes filled with tears as he shook his head, ¡°No, if she really died, you wouldn¡¯t have cremated her so quickly..¡± How could Jason, who loved her so much, bear to turn her into ashes in an instant? Hailey looked at him coldly, suddenly feeling that he was really pathetic. At this point, he still refused to face reality. She was silent for a moment, then spoke coldly. ¡°It was Eleanor who heard Sophie¡¯s voice and requested immediate cremation after her death¡± It was her request to be cremated immediately after her death¡­ It was because he didn¡¯te to see her for thest time, and let Sophie hurt her. So, she didn¡¯t want him to see her for thest time ether? Not even her body? When he realized she was leaving this world with such regret and unwillingness, Bernard felt his blood instantly freeze. He felt as if he had been drained, unable to support himself as he leaned against the wall and slumped onto the cold floor The unbearable pain was like a hand squeezing his heart, stealing his breath away in an instart. Hailey looked at Bernard¡¯s pale face on the ground and found it ridiculous. ¡°You just treated her as a substitute for Sophie, and now you¡¯re acting like you love Eleanor so much. You¡¯re not worthy of her!¡± Bernard locked up at Hailey. ¡°I never treated her as a substitute..¡± Hailey showed discan, ¡°Saying this now is useless. Eleanor thought she was Sophie¡¯s recement when she was alive.¡± He lowered ha head, without retorting, as boundless darkness enveloped him, wrapping him up and plunging him into silence. After a long time, he opened his mouth but made no sound, then spoke with a trembling voice. When was her heart failure diagnosed?¡± Hailey didn¡¯t leave, wanting to stay and provoke him. When he finally asked about the heart failure, she couldn¡¯t help but ridicule him, ¡®You slept with her for five years and dient know, how would 17¡å That was night, he had been with her for five years and didn¡¯t know about it. What a joke to ask her friend¡­ Hailey thought for a moment, then said. She was diagnosed with heart failure before signing the agreement with you.¡± She didn¡¯t want to say it at first, but she felt like she should tell him. Just how indifferent had he been to Eleanor all these years! Bernard stiffened, his face even paler. So she had heart failure so early, and he didn¡¯t even notice. No, he did notice once.. It had happened four years ago¡­ He remembered that night; he couldn¡¯t bear to leave her. He couldn¡¯t help but hold her as they fell asleep, only to hear her calling Garett¡¯s name in her sleep He was pis sed and pushed her away. Maybe he pushed her too hard, and she woke up, suddenly gasping for air She reached out to him with difficulty, begging him to take her to the hospital¡­ But he was furious at the time, not knowing she had a heart condition, so he ignored her and even used money to humiliate her and vent his anger, Thinking back, a strong guilt surged into his heart, making it difficult to breathe. From congenital heart disease, then heart failure, to thete stage of the condition, she had never told him, perhaps she had already given up hope on him. Hailey said, ¡°Dr. Terrill said if she hadn¡¯t been beaten, she could have lived for two more months relying on medication, but you inflicted such severe injuries on her. Bernard, it¡¯s one thing for your cousin and fianc¨¦e to take revenge on her, but why did you also hurt her? After all these years together, don¡¯t you have any feelings for her at all?¡± What did it mean for him to be here if he really had no feelings? If he did have feelings, why did he hurt her with those two evil women? Hailey¡¯s words were like sharp needles piercing his palm, making him pale with pain. He lowered his head slowly looking at his right hand¡­ It was this hand that pped her, causing her to fall onto the nails. If he hadnt hit her, maybe she could have lived for another two months¡­. It was him who killed her¡­ Yet, the day he decided to terminate their agreement, she still begged him to stay. She carefully asked him if they could wait a Intle longer since the contract only had hall a year luft. But he remained stent and looked at her coldly His cold gaze made her too afraid to say another word. She even pretended to joke, afraid he¡¯d think she was clinging to him 17:04 Chapter 198 Bernard thought of the helpless and desperate feelings beneath her seemingly calm and beautiful smile, and his heart ached deeply. She had apanied him for five years without anyints despite her heart failure. But what had he done? Not only did he ignore her feelings with Indifference, but a single p also took away the limited time she had left¡­This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 199 Chapter 199 Chapter 199 Bernard covered his eyes with one hand, not wanting Halley to see him in his current ashamed state. But Haley still saw the tears ooring from his fingertips, unclear about his emotions right now. She wanted to continue bombarding him with harsh words, but she felt that he could not take any more blows at this moment, She remembered the letter Eleanor left behind, walked over. Hailey opened the drawer, and handed the note to him. if it wasnt for the letter Eleanor wrote to you, I wouldn¡¯t have let you in this room.¡± After stuffing the note into his hand, Hailey turned around and left the room. Bemard stared nkly at the note in his hand, losing all his courage to open it. He leaned agarst the wall, silent for over ten minutes, before frally unfolding the note slowly¡­ [Bernard said, our rtionship was just an arrangement. Turns out, he didn¡¯t love me.] The few short sentences made himpletely copse and endless regret surged up in his heart He couldn¡¯t help trembling while holding the paper, yet he couldn¡¯t stop touching the elegant handwriting on it over and over again. She didn¡¯t say anything more, she only used brief words to express his heartlessness. He thought back to that night when he held her and made love to her, but he couldn¡¯t help getting angry and saying harsh things. In fact, he didn¡¯t want to let her go with Garett, but the words of staying changed. If he had known that she would leave this world so sacr, he would have put down his ridiculous pride and told her¡­ In fact, he had fallen for her at first sight a long time ago. Not in the pouring rain at midnight, but at the entrance of the University of A He was sitting in the shade of a tree, covered in blood, waiting for Cedric Laurence. She might havee to school to find someone, and when she saw him injured, she kindly gave him a bottle of water and urged him to go to the hospital for treatment. He didn¡¯t look back at her, and she didnt pay attention to him anymore. She just left the water beltind him and hurried away After she left, he looked back and saw her pretty side face, engraving her outline in his heart. The next time they met was the night she sold herself, and he happened to pass by the rightclub and saw her. She was soaked wet, her eyes swollen from crying, and utterly desperate. Seeing her like this, he couldn¡¯t help but walk over. He orignally wanted to give her money directly, but when he stood in front of her and saw her looking up at him like a little bunny, he couldn¡¯t help but swallow and reached out his hand to her. The moment he touched her, there was no resistance at all He had her became addicted to her and was utterly obsessed with her. He was crazy longing for her, so he made her sign a lover¡¯s agreement by unscrupulous means, binding her to his side. But every time he heard her crying Garett¡¯s name in her sleep, his feelings for her were suppressed. So, for the past five years, his attitude towards her has always been cold and distant, only letting down his guard when close to her. Later, Sophie returned to the country, and he had to terminate the lover¡¯s agreement with her. He thought he could let her go easily, but in fact, he couldn¡¯t He even exploited Sophie several times during the conflicts to test her. Even crazer, he approached her with the identity of Mr. Low He didn¡¯t understand why he would do such a thing. Maybe he was too greedy for her body and couldn¡¯t let her go like a pervert. Until he saw the photo of her lying in Jason¡¯s presidential suite, hepletely went crazy He called her hundreds of times, sent countless messages, and searched all the hotels in the city all night, in order to find her. That right, he sat in the car looking at the presidential suite on the top floor. He wanted to rush in and take her away countless times, but he was afraid she would refuse him She had sad that after breaking up, who she was with had nothing to do with him, and he had no right to stop her from pursuing better people. But when he saw hering out of the elevator with Jason, he still lost control He tried hard to control his jealousy, and he tested her relentlessly again He wanted to know if, in the past five years, she had ever been moved by him If she had, he would du everything he could to break free from al restraints and take her away from the predicament. He didn¡¯t even dare to dream of her loving him to the loved Gateti, aile bit of affection from her would have been enough But every test came back with a disappointing result. 1/2 97:96 Chapter 199 Despite that, he stil won her over in a st upid way. It was then that he realized that he not only desired her body, but he also had her deeply in his heart. But he fell in love with a woman for the first time and didn¡¯t know how to confess to her who didn¡¯t love him, so he never spoke about it Now, looking at the words she left him, he suddenly felt that if he had said it first, she might have responded that she loved him ton But it was all toote now. He killed her and made her think, till her death, that he never loved her.This is from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 200 Chapter 200 Chapter 200 He clenched the letter in his hand, looking at the sunset outside the window with reddened eyes. The light of life was slowly drifting away from him, and he was gradually sinking into the darkness with the sunset. As the darknesspletely enveloped the world, everything became quiet He stood in the dark, searching for that ray of light. Unfortunately, he had driven that light away with his own hands¡­ Jason was afraid that Bernard would hurt Hailey, so as soon as he broke free from Aldyn¡¯s control he hurried back to the apartment. Seeing Hailey sitting safely on the living room couch, wiping her tears, he felt slightly relieved. He asked, ¡°Did he leave?¡± Hailey shook her head, looking toward bedroom, ¡°He¡¯s in there¡± Jason walked over and immediately saw the desperate Bernard sitting on the floor. He was right-Bernard was in love with Eleanor, but he¡¯d never expressed his feelings for her. He couldn¡¯t help but sn atch the letter from Bernard¡¯s hand. Caught off guard, his calm demeanor brake when he realized that it was Eleanor¡¯s letter to Bernard. Eleanor really had fallen in love with Bernard. The cold treatment she had towards. Bernard was just a way of driving him away. Jason had noticed Bernard¡¯s feelings for her, but he selfishly kept it a secret, causing her to die without ever knowing the truth. Guilt and regret filed his heart, along with a crushing sense of loss. Fleanor¡­she had left a note for Bernard, but none for him. It seemed that she didn¡¯t love him anymore. Bernard, who had Inng been in pain to the point of numbness, noticed that someone had taken away the letter left by Eleanor, Instantly, a surge of anger rose in his heart. He stood up quickly, sna tching the letter back and held it close to his heart, treating it like a treasure Without looking at Jason, he leaned against the wal and walked out.. The night had fallenpletely, and Bernard stumbled out of the neighborhood. Andyn, who had been waiting outside, went to assist him upon seeing his stag gering steps, Mr. Laurence, are you alright?¡± Bernard pushed Alcyn away abruptly and continued to walk forward, lost in his thoughts. Worried about his safety, Aidyn wanted to follow, but was coldly rebuked by Bernard, ¡°Don¡¯t follow me.¡± Bernard stumbled towards the cemetery seemingly punishing himself by walking the painful path to her grave. During the day, he didnt dare to look at her portran. Now, looking at the picture. his heart felt like it was being torn apan, aching to the point of trembling. He knelt on one knee in front of the grave, gently caressing her portrait. In the picture, she wore an elegant smile that was simply mesmerizing. The more he stared, the more he missed her His longing for her ran deep inside him. But she had turned to ashes, and he could no longer touch her¡­ Bernard muttered, I¡¯m sorry.¡± He hurt her because he was afraid that others would discover her existence, and because he didnt want her to face the same tragedy as the other girl. But the truth is, he was too weak and ended up hurting her in the name of ¡°protection¡± Despite living in darkness, why did he reach out to a glimmer of hope that made him want to crawl out of it and bask in the sunlight? But just as he was about to crawl out, that light vanished¡­ Could it be that his desire for something that didn¡¯t belong to him led to this oue? Despar filed his eyes¡­ Like others said, he realized that people like him didn¡¯t deserve i love. Since he didn¡¯t heed the warnings, he was destined to suffer the pain of losing everything. As if awakened, he took out the gold knife he carried around and looked at Eleanor¡¯s portrait, ¡°I hun you with my right hand, so I deserve to be punished.¡± With that, he gripped the lult and sliced open his right palm. He then urately cut the artery on his wrist¡­ Bernard said, ¡°Eleanor took your life. Now I¡¯ll pay you with mine¡­¡± 1/1 07:061 ¡°Bernard, there are still six months left in the contract, can you ¡°Sure¡± Replied Bernard.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 201 Chapter 201 Chapter 201 u wait a bit longer?¡± Asked Eleanor. ¡°Can you take a picture of me then, so you can have it as a memory after we separate?¡± Asked Eleanor. ¡°Wright.¡± Answered Bernard. ¡°Then¡­¡± He lifted his long finger cing it on her tender lips. 111 do anything you want¡± Said Bernard She smirked with a quiet and beautiful smile, giving him a soft grin. ¡°Then, can we never meet again in another world?¡± Asked Eleanor. His heart clenched, the endless pain striking him, jolting him awake from his dream. ¡°No!¡± He opened his eyes to see the white ceiling, Eleanor¡¯s figure was nowhere in sight. With difficulty, he turned his eyes to his bound wrists. His expression darkened. It seems they still didn¡¯t want him to leave this world easily. But what he didn¡¯t expect was¡­ He wanted to go after her, but she told him in the dream that she would never meet him again, even in the afterlife. She must be so disappointed in him to not even want to see him in heaven¡­ The suffocating pain engulfed him hit by bit. The agony was so unbearable that he couldn¡¯t breathe. He tried to suppress the pain in his heart, but the agony spread relentlessly throughout his body. It wasn¡¯t until then that he realized that some emotions couldn¡¯t be controlled. Like falling in love, losing someone, or never seeing the person you miss again¡­ He forced a bitter smile, giving up the fight against his emotions. Just let the pain swallow him¡­ After an unknown period of time, his bloodshot eyes finally reacted. He lowered his head and discovered that his clothes had been changed. His face got serious instantly Propping up his body, he jumped out of bed like a madman, searching for his worn suit jacket. ¡°Mr. Laurence, are you looking for this letter? A gentle voice came from outside the door, and BrysonProperty ? of N?velDrama.Org. walked in holding a piece of paper. When Bernard saw the intact letter, his tense facial muscles rxed. He carefully took the letter, folding it and walking towards the safe ¡°Mr. Laurence, your mother Mrs. Laurence is here, waiting for you downstairs..¡± Said Bryson. Bernard didn¡¯t respond. He opened the safe, and put the letter inside. The safe didn¡¯t have money or valuables, just two things a beige scarf and a photo. The scarf was left at No.8 Mansion on the day of the agreement termination. He asked Aidyn to call her to pick it up, but she told Aidyn just to throw it away She then hung up the phone and deleted all his contact information Her decisiveness told him that she wouldn¡¯t turn back since the moment he proposed the end. She let go of him easily, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to let go, treasuring everything rted to her Bernard gently caressed the scarf, feeling the warmth she left behind, lingering in his heart. However, when his gazended on the photo, the lingering feeling was reced by a tearing pain. He remembered that day when she woke up, seeing him still there. She nervously asked him with his phone, ¡°Bernard, you¡¯re going abroad for a few months, and I¡¯m afraid that when youe back, I might.¡± She paused as if she wanted to tell him something but didn¡¯t say it, showing a childish smile and asked, ¡°Can you please take a photo of me, so when we part, you¡¯d have something to keep as a memento.¡± She might want to tell him that she had limited time, and this might be theirst meeting. She wanted to leave a photo for him. But he didn¡¯t even agree to such a small request, even coldly replied, ¡°No need.¡± When she heard that answer, her hopeful eyes dimmed, but she quickly masked it. She handed the phone back to him, still smiling, saying. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡± Bernard couldn¡¯t help but recall her fleeting disappointed expression, his emotions uncontroble again. All because he would let go of his ridiculous pride to say ¡°yes¡± after leating her call Garett Falvey¡¯s name. Even though he secretly took a picture of her before leaving, she wouldn¡¯t know about it. He had hurt her belone, how could he have the right to die with her? He should live, live in the pain of losing her forever. Chapter 202 Chapter 202 Chapter 202 ¡°Mr. Laurence, you mother went upstairs, you¡¯d better hide the photo quick.¡± Bryson¡¯s face was all panic, urging Bernard. But Bernard didn¡¯t seem the slightest bit concerned, caressing the photo. She was already dead, there was no need to worry about anything. If they wouldn¡¯t let him die, then he would live a full Me. Let them know what could happen when they kept a devil alive! The sound of a wheelchair rolling across the floor came closer and closer from the corridor outside the door. Bryson got even more nervous, not even daring to breathe The dim room was suddenly flooded with light as if it was daytime before the group arrived. The woman in the wheelchair was pushed in by a tall man Following them were a group of professional bodyguards, all ex-special forces As they entered Bernard didn¡¯t even turn his head, just staring at the person in the photo Seeing hisck of reaction when she entered, the woman in the wheelchair looked gloomy, ¡°Bring me whatever¡¯s in his hand.¡± Hearing her order, Bernard replied with a cold smirk After putting the photo into the firstyer of the safe, he quickly pulled a gun out of the second As the man walked up behind him, Bemard c ocked the gun, turned off the safety, and aimed it at the man¡¯s forehead. The man was startled by this move but still calmly said. ¡°Bernard, I¡¯m your uncle, pointing a gun at me isn¡¯t very appropriate, is it?¡± ¡°Uncle?¡± Bernard sneered, ¡°As my uncle, why did you press five year-old me down in the swimming pool and let me drown alive?¡± The man hadn¡¯t expected him to remember something from so long ago. After his face changed a few times, he defended himself, 1 only wanted to teach you to swim.¡± Bernard¡¯s sarcastic smile deepened, ignoring the man¡¯s words and pulling the trigger. Just as the bullet was about to fire, the woman in the wheelchair ordered someone to throw a bloodied woman in front of Bernard. Their eyes met as the woman at Bernard¡¯s feet gasped for breath, and his gaze trembled slightly He lifted his cold eyes to look at the woman in the wheelchair, leaning against the shadows with her back to the light. He didn¡¯t say a word, just staring calmly at her. The woman in the wheelchair nced back at him impatiently, ¡°Either you let your uncle go, or have your people join him in hell choose one¡± The woman¡¯s h oa rse, piercing voice echoed throughout the room, sending chill down everyone¡¯s spine. The woman-Liana on the ground shuddered, but fearlessly looked at Bernard ¡°Mr. Laurence, don¡¯t worry about me, just do what you¡¯ve always wanted to do¡± Liana¡¯s mouth was already tom from being hit with a belt, pain searing through her, but it wasn¡¯t enough to break her. ¡°You¡¯re such a loyal dog.¡± The woman in the wheelchair, ying with the belt in her hand, scoffed at Liana. She then continued. ¡°What on earth did he do to make you so unwaveringly loyal that you¡¯d even dare to pretend to be his woman? Don¡¯t you know that everyone he cares about, will be destroyed by me Her tone was light and cheerful as she finished her sentence, as if she were ying a game of toying with people. This was the most frightening and sinister woman Liana had ever seen in her life. Devoid of any maternal warmth, only brutality Mr. Laurence just wanted to help out an old friend who was having a tough time and asked someone for a few favors ¨C she then had her people torture the person to death. By the time they discovered this, it was toote, just like Ms. Shultz. Nancy lied in the bathroom, covering in blood¡­ The only difference was, before Nancy died, she had been vited. Her clothes tattered and not a single patch of skin left unharmed on her body¡­Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 203 Chapter 203 Chapter 203 Upon seeing Nancy¡¯s state before her death, Liana was haunted by nightmares for several consecutive months¡­ She couldn¡¯t understand how a mother could be so cruel to her own son. Anything that he cared about, either a person or an object, she would ruthlessly destroy by any means necessary! When she was posing as Mr. Laurence¡¯s woman, she was so afraid of being tortured to death like Nancy But she gathered her courage and proceeded, believing she should have disappeared from this world when Tyler had her raped. It was Bernard who reached out to her telling her to take revenge slowly and assuredly. It was then she found the courage to live. Under his sponsorship, she travelled abroad and returned equipped with medical knowledge He gave her the power to start anew, and naturally, she faithfully dedicated herself to working for him. But she hadn¡¯t anticipated.. She was originally protecting Ms. Shultz to keep her existence hidden, but it ended up getting her implicated. Liana cast her dull eyes downward, suppressing her intense quilt. She then looked up at Bernard, Mr. Laurence, go ahead!¡± She was ready to risk her life and had nothing to fear Bernard nced at her, his cold gaze moving back to the waman. He said, ¡°She is not the woman Icare about, you cannot threaten me with her.¡± Upon hearing his words, the woman ying with the belt paused, and when she looked up at him, she suddenly began to smirk. When sheughed the skin that had been burned on her face appeared both creepy and ugly akin to aContent ? N?velDrama.Org. hellish demon. ¡°Just a scapegoat, of course you don¡¯t care. The woman sneered from her wheelchair. She then continued. ¡°But you are indeed impressive, managing to hide a woman under my nose..¡± She would never have known about it if the person sent to monter him hadn¡¯t informed her that he attempted sucide by cutting his wist at a woman¡¯s grave. She also didn¡¯t know how he managed to hide that woman for five years.. However, all this wasn¡¯t important. What mattered was how to use that dead woman to torment him With these thoughts, the woman¡¯s smile grew wider, and a hint of excitement glimmered in her eyes. She asked, ¡°The woman you care about is that one named Eleanor, right?¡± Hearing this name made Bernard¡¯s face turn cold, a hint of agony shing in his eyes The woman saw this andughed even more sinisterly, ¡°You used to be very good at hiding your emotions in front of me, but now you dont even pretend. It seems you really care about that woman. It¡¯s a pity though¡­ The woman paused, then sighed deeply ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to y with her before she died. It¡¯s such a pity that I didn¡¯t get to see your deste state.. Her mocking and scornful words, each like a stab, pierced Bernard¡¯s heart, causing his hand holding the gun to tighten. He shouted. If you say one more word. I kill him!¡± The man with the gun pointed at his forehead, seeing Bernard suddenly getting agitated, turned pale, fearing that any provocation would result in a fatal ¡°Sa¡­¡± He caled out to the woman, who then put away her smile and coldly looked at Bernard. She smirked, ¡°What? The person you care about is dead. and you think you can resist me now since you have nothing to lose? Don¡¯t forget, that woman you care about also has a best friend and a first love¡­ Upon hearing this, Bernard raised his bloodshot eyes, ring fiercely at the woman in the wheelchair, He said, ¡°If you dare hurt her friends, I will never let you offf ¡°You can try to see if I dare.¡± The woman fearlessly raised her chin, looking up at him, silently challenging him. Chapter 204 Chapter 204 Chapter 204 After a long while. Bernard¡¯s finger, which had been resting on the trigger, slowly rxed. The people she cared about most in this world were only Garett and Hailey Vulpe. He couldn¡¯t drag the people she cared about into the hell due to his own revenge. Bernard¡¯s icy cold eyes gradually returned to their usual cold and distant look. After suppressing his emotions, he slowly put down the gun in his hand. The womanughed even more mockingly, as if she had expected him to put down the gun for the sake of the people he cared about, ¡°This is why you can¡¯t beat me, you have weaknesses, while I don¡¯t_¡± The man who had just escaped the gun barrel turned a shade paler at her words. Luckily Bernard was the one who backed down first, otherwise his sister would not care about his life and death. Bernard curled his lips in a cold sneer, seemingly toozy to engage in further conversation with her. Seeing him still acting aloof, the woman couldn¡¯t help but touch the belt in her hand, ¡°You hear me clearly, live well and don¡¯tmit suicide again. Otherwise, if you die, I will destroy those who follow you. Of course, they won¡¯t be tortured to death like Nancy, but I can manage to get them in jail. Or¡­¡± The woman lifted her chin, looked at Liana who was lying on the ground unable to move, and curled her lips, ¡°Their fate could be like hers, I can do that too. The chill in Bernard¡¯s eyes that had just faded suddenly surged back, filling his entire eyes, ¡°Since you hate me so much, why don¡¯t you let me die?¡± The woman yed with the belt, smiling yfully: ¡°I haven¡¯t had enough fun with you yet, why would I let you die¡­¡± In the past, hearing her say such words would have made Bernard sad. But now he was calm, for after the death of his father and elder brother, she had intensified her torment on him. The belt in her hand had whipped him countless times, pushing him to the edge with no way out, leaving him with only the option of suicide. But, whether he attempted to overdose or inject himself with lethal drugs, he never gained any mercyThis is from N?velDrama.Org. from her. Back then, he was too young, thinking that in this way, she would treat him a little better But he forgot that in this world, not all women who give birth were deserved to be called mothers. What was even more ridiculous was that such a woman who wanted to torture him to death was not his wicked stepmother, but his biological mother. The Laurences¡¯ treated him extremely well, while the Stanleys tortured him to the point of death, so he doubted if he was her biological son. But the result of his investigation was the exact opposite, he was her son, a son she wanted to kill. Her way of torturing him was to force him to live and watch her destroy everything he cared about. Bernard curled his lips in a bitter smile, once thinking that all mothers loved their children. He had dared to hope for maternal love. Now¡­ Bernard raised his hate-filled eyes and stared coldly at the woman in the wheelchair, ¡°Starting today, I will return all the pain you have inflicted on me over the years, all back to you!¡± He treated her as his mother, never been ruthless to her. Even when he was fighting with her, he always had a thread of affection But she never treated him as a human being, why should he continue to consider the insignificant rtionship? Hearing this, the woman nonchntly raised an eyebrow, I look forward to seeing it? She was the head of the Stanley family, where did he get the courage to fight her? There was nothing but disdain in the woman¡¯s eyes, but she said no more, just gestured to the man behind her to leave. The man nodded, pushing her towards the door. A group of bodyguards armed with guns immediately followed. Seeing the guns in the hands of those men, Liana¡¯s face turned pale. Luckily, Mr. Laurence did not fire just now, otherwise, those men would definitely have acted against him. Although that woman Donna wouldn¡¯t let Mr. Laurence die, she would certainly cause him serious injury. Chapter 205 Chapter 205 Chapter 205 After they left, Bernard tumed to Bryson, who was standing to one side with frightened pale face, and said, ¡°Get a doctor for Liana¡± Bryson quickly nodded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go get a doctor right away..¡± Bryson rushed out, and Liana, lying on the ground unable to move, strained to turn her gaze toward Bernard. Seeing his right hand wrapped in bandages, bleeding profusely from holding a gun just now, her expression faltered slightly. Liana said, ¡®Mr. Laurence, let me help you stop the blending frst.¡± She tried to force herself to sit up, but was sternly stopped by him. ¡°No need.¡± Bernard dropped this sentence and walked over to sit on the safa, his indifferent eyes coldly gazing at the glow of the setting sun. Liana saw the darkness in his eyes, as if he hadst the vibrancy of fe, never to be bright again. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Seeing Bernard like this, a wave of deep quilt surged up in her heart¡­ Her lips, reddered from being hit by a belt, opened to apologize, I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Laurence.¡± She had always thought that he didn¡¯t care about Ms. Shultz, until he said to her on the phone with a helpless tone, ¡°Liana, it¡¯s one thing if others don¡¯t know, but don¡¯t you know either?¡± She finaly understood that he did care about Ms. Shultz he just hid that care deep in his heart, But because of her presumptuous assumptions, he was unaware of Ms. Shutz¡¯s heath situation and missed thest moments with her, And because of her deliberate concealment, he didnt get to see Ms. Shultz onest time, leaving them separated by life and death with regrets. Thinking about all this, guilt and remorse overwhelmed her. Mr. Laurence, I¡¯m sorry. I owe you, and I owe Ms. Shultz. If it weren¡¯t for me getting Ms. Shultz involved with Joelle Vna, she wouldn¡¯t have died so soon. I¡¯m the one who caused her death¡­¡± Her injured eyes shed hot tears, yet she continued to apologize, Im sorry I¡¯m sorry¡­ Bernard gave her a light nce, his voice was as cold as ever, butced with deep helplessness 1:5 not your fault, I¡¯m the one who pped her and caused her to fall on a rail, elerating her death¡­ After saying this, he lifted his bloodshot eyes and quielly looked at her, ¡°Liana, I killed her¡­¡± In his forcibly calm voice was sheer despair, as if he had killed his beloved and could never escape the quilt. Liana locked at him in disbelief. She had assumed that Joelle was the one who had done it, but it turned out to be him. No wonder he was quilt-ridden to the point of attempting suicide at Ms. Shultz¡¯s grave. The final blow was caused by him. Liana wanted to ask if he did it to protect Ms. Shultz, but felt that the answer didn¡¯t matter anymore. Ms. Shultz was gone, and he would forever live in guilt and pan from losing her¡­ Liana fell silent, and Bernard also withdrew his gaze, slowly looking at the setting sun cutside the window. He seemed to be waiting for theing of night, as the light outside dimmed, the hatred in his eyes deepened. It wasn¡¯t until Bryson brought the doctor in that he got up and left, his figure so solitary as if he was the only one left in the world. Bernard went to his study, opened a locked drawer, and took out a golden mask and a bottle of green nt juice. He picked up the paintbrush and, facing his own neck, began to depict stroke after stroke¡­ After finishing, he picked up his phone and made a call. The person on the other end quickly answered and respectfully asked. ¡°Sir, what can I do for you?¡± He stared coldly at the night that had already fallen outside the window, and said coldly, ¡°Caleb, tonight¡¯s targets are Joelle and Sophie Ratliff.¡± Chapter 206 Chapter 206 Caleb hurriedly responded, ¡°Alright, sir, I¡¯ll be right there to pick you up.¡± After Bernard hung up the phone, he coldly looked outside at the lit¨Cup manor. It seemed like he could see right through the lights to the Stanley Estate, his eyes suddenly filled with hatred. Donna, I promised my father I wouldn¡¯t kill you, but since you destroyed what I care about, I¡¯ll destroy what you care about Let¡¯s have some real fun¡­. He rewrapped the bloodstained gauze, then put on a pair of ck leather gloves. Then he went to the cloakroom, changed into casual attire, and messed up his neat hair. After making these preparations, he picked up the mask and slowly walked downstairs¡­ Bryson watched him leave the house, looking worried, ¡°Mr. Laurence, are you really going to dere war on Mrs. Laurence?¡± Although the Stanley family might be slightly inferior to the Laurence family, both were wealthy families. Not to mention the person in power of the Stanley family was insane and capable of anything. Bryson was genuinely afraid that if Mr. Laurence went to war with her, they would end up in a bloody, inescapable cycle like the past time. Bernard nced at him and said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s not me who¡¯s doing it, it¡¯s her.¡± After saying that, he shifted his gaze to the mask in his hand. As Mr. Law, he would destroy the person she cared about, so as n Hailey. However, there was someone that he could handle in his real identity now, He looked at Bryson and ordered coldly. ¡°Break the legs of the man who¡¯s been tailing me and send him to the Stanley family¡± Although Bryson worried about him, he would still carry out his orders. ¡°Alright, I get it done.¡± Bernard turned away and waked out of the manor expressionlessly. Caleb had already been waiting outside, and upon seeing Bernard, he drove a ck Lincoln up to him. Once Bernard got in and settled down, Caleb quickly started the car, followed by a dozen luxury cars in tow to involve Garett and A white sedan that had been hiding around the corner tried to follow, but Bryson suddenly appeared, and the driver mmed on the brakes in fear. Before the driver could even react, several bodyguards in ck clothes yanked him out of the car. They pinned him down, and Bryson raised the iron rod in his hand, smashing it down ruthlessly on the driver¡¯s legs¡­ Back then, they only shook off people tailing Mr. Laurence but had never been harsh on them. It was Mr. Laurence that they pushed too far, so they couldn¡¯t me him for going on a killing spree¡­ The Lincoln sped towards the shopping mall and soon stopped in an underground parking lot. Bernard rested his chin on his hand, leaning on the car window, watching Joelle walking out of the elevator. She was holding hands andughing with a man, even sharing a kiss before getting in their car. Bernard coldly stared at them, finding the situation ironic. They could freely be with the ones they liked, but he, since childhood, had been taught not to easily fall in love. He was told that people like him had no right to love. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. He didn¡¯t understand why Joelle, a child from the Stanley family, could live so unrestrainedly, whereas he couldn¡¯t. What puzzled him even more was that even though the people of the Laurence family obeyed him, they chose to turn a blind eye to Donna¡¯s torture towards him. What secrets were they hiding from him? Chapter 207 Chapter 207 Chapter 207 A raging hatred shed in Bernard¡¯s eyes as he thought about all this. He picked up the bronze gold mask, put it on his face, and quickly got out of the car after pushing open the car door. As he got out of the car, dozens of people in the luxury cars parked in the parking lot also got out one after another. Arge group of masked people appeared, scaring the heck out of a young couple who were sharing a passionate kiss. Especially Joelle, who turned pale the moment she saw the man wearing the bronze-gold mask, languidly leaning against the car door. ¡°Mr. Law¡­¡± She had never been so afraid of a person in her entire life. But just the name of Mr. Law made her heart tremble in fear, Because whenever she did something wrong, he would appear and have his men take turns in retaliating against her. But no matter how she tried to investigate, she couldn¡¯t find out his identity. It was as if they were hiding their identity just to deal with her. She couldn¡¯t even sessfully find and take revenge on this person, and Mr. Low always showed up like a ghost, always appearing when she was alone, She had set up an date today and nned to go to a hotel room with this guy. She was too embarrassed to let her bodyguard follow them, but she didn¡¯t expect to run into Mr. Law! ¡°Who..who are you guys? What do you want to do to us?¡± The pretty boy apanying Joelle was scared, but he still pretended to be brave and stood in front of her. After all, this was the sugar mama he had found with great difficulty, so he had to protect her. However, if the situation was really bad, he would run first. Joelle didn¡¯t know what he was thinking, grabbed his arm, and hid behind him. She begged him for protection, ¡°Hurry up and drive them away¡± The pretty boy couldn¡¯t help butin internally Could I even drive so many people away?, but for the sake of money he still bit the bullet and said, ¡°Do¡­do you know who she is? She is thedy of the Stanley family, Joelle Stanley. You guys can¡¯t afford to offend her. Get¡­get out!¡± Caleb sneered, and everyone elseughed as well ¡°How coincidental, the person we¡¯re looking for is her!¡± Hearing theughter, the young man got scared and immediately abandoned Joelle, trying to escape in a panic But before he could take two steps, he was caught by a man in a ck mask. The man in the ck mask directly executed a judo throw on him, mming him hard onto the ground. The pretty boy couldn¡¯t take a hit. He passed out immediately after the throw The man in the ck mask thought he might be faking it, so he kicked him again. The boy cried out in pain and rolled his eyes back beforepletely passing out. After dealing with the only eyewitness, Caleb respectfully asked Bernard, ¡°Sir, how should we deal with her this time?¡± Bernard had been rubbing the gloves on his right hand. The blood was still flowing from his hand, The blood seemed to be constantly reminding him of what he had done to Eleanor what Joelle had done to her, and Sophie¡­ He had let Eleanor fall to such a point in her life, something he could never make up for And Joelle and Sophie had made her suffer endless humiliation in her lifetime, something equally unforgivable. Bernard slightly narrowed his eyes, and when he looked at Joelle again, there was only coldness in his eyes, ¡°Give her a hundred ps first, then¡­¡± He paused for a moment and continued with a strong hatred, ¡°Lock her in the darkness, let her be a hostess at an underground nightclub, never to see the light of day again!¡± She likes to send others to be hostesses, right? Then she¡¯d better experience it herself,Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 208 Chapter 208 Joelle was still fuming over the fact that the pretty boy actually left her behind and ran away, when she heard that deliberately disguised voice, issuing a creepy, horrifyingmand. She forced herself to stay calm and fell down on the hood of the car, looking at Mr. Low with some disbelief. She asked, ¡°Seems like I¡¯ve never pissed you off, so why are you so obsessed with me?¡± Before, Mr. Law would just have someone teach her a lesson, but now he was resorting to violence against her and even wanted to take her to Midnight Bar to make her a hooker, And the key point was.. where did he get the power to control the biggest drug trafficking area in A City so easily? Moreover, he knew she was Bernard¡¯s cousin from the Laurence family and the only grand daughter of the Stanley family, but he still dared toy his hands on her?! However, she could probably never get an answer towards these doubts¡­ Caleb waved his hand, and immediately a man stepped forward, grabbed her wrist with one hand. He raised his palm, and pped her hard in the face. Joelle had never been hit by anyone before, and was so angry that she was shaking all over, screaming and trying to fight back. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. But after several ps, she had no strength to resist, and after a hundred ps, her face was all swollen. The man was ruthless, but he was also in control, making sure not to kill her. After all, she was supposed to be selling drugster. Bernard nced at the woman lying on the ground, unable to move after being beater, and coldly ordered, ¡°Nicole, take her to Midnight Bar.¡± Nicole, a woman, heard the order and quickly stepped forward grabbing Joelle¡¯s hair and dragging her towards the car. After Nicole took the woman away, Bernard turned his eyes back to Caleb With one nce, Caleb understood and immediately ordered the people behind him, ¡°Take a few brothers and deal with the surveince at the parking The man nodded, waved his hand, and took a small group of people into the mall. After dealing with the situation, the remaining people got back in ther cars and quickly headed to the next location. Sophie had just frished talking to Donna on the phone and found out Liana wasn¡¯t the woman Bernard liked at all, but someone else! That woman was none other than the despised Eleanor, such a humble assistant was actualy the woman Bernard liked! She and Bernard had grown up together, but he never showed any interest in her. Instead, he took a liking to a lowly woman who looked like her! Sophie trembled with anger, grabbed the car key on the table. She went to the garage to get a car, and headed straight for Bernard¡¯s vi. However, halfway there, dozens of luxury cars suddenly surrounded her from both sides. They furiously forced her car to stop, leaving her no choice but to park it by the roadside. She knew these people were up to no good, so she immediately locked the car and didn¡¯t dare to get out. But what she didnt expect was that when they couldn¡¯t open the door, they just smashed her car window with a stick! ¡°Wh!¡± Sophie screarned in fear, and couldn¡¯t even think of escaping before the car door was opened and a ck sack was ced over her head. Her whole body was rolled out of the car by someone, and then she was thrown straight into the trunk of another car. No matter how she screamed and struggled, it didn¡¯t help. The car sped towards the outskirts at an incredibly fast speed. By the time she was dragged out of the trunk, she was nearly suffocated to death She quickly pulled the sack off her head, knelt on the trunk, and breathed in the air frantically. However, these people didn¡¯t give her a chance to catch her breath. They grabbed her arm, and dragged her to a cesspool. That cesspool seemed to be self¨Cbuilt, certainly used by the nearby farmers to irrigate their crops. Sophie barely had a chance to look at it before her head was shoved into the disgusting pit She didn¡¯t even get a good look at who had done this to her, and there she was, shoved into a cesspool! Sophie tried to suppress her nausea and thought frantically about who on earth could be so ruthless to her? Chapter 209 Chapter 209 She was definitely smarter than Joelle, and it didn¡¯t take her long to think of Bernard. It was because Donna had told her that the bitch Eleanor had already passed away, and Bernard even tried tomit suicide by cutting his wrist in front of her grave for her. By chance, before the bitch¡¯s death, she and Joelle had attacked her in the restroom, and Bernard was there too! At that time, he even spoke up for that bitch when Joelle wanted to kill Eleanor on the spot. If it wasn¡¯t for Joelle¡¯s persistence, and telling Donna about it, Bernard probably wouldn¡¯t have pped Eleanor. It was that p that cleared up her doubts! Who would have thought that he was actually afraid of the Stanleys¡® finding out about that bitch, so he deliberately yed tricks in front of them! He had been fooling around with that bitch for five years, and he could still act as if nothing had happened. He was really good at hiding it! Now, he even humiliated her like this for that bitch, Bernard was really too much! The moment her head was pulled out of the cesspool, Sophie couldn¡¯t care about the dirty smears on her face, and directly cursed out loud, ¡°Bernard, you promised your brother to marry me, now you¡¯re treating me like this for a dead person, can you face your brother?!¡± As soon as her voice fell, a chuckle came from beside her ¡°Who is Bernard?¡± The voice of a strange man made Sophie pause for a moment, she endured the nausea, opened her eyes, and looked at the group of men surrounding her. There was no sign of Bernard, they were all strangers. Maybe they were people Bernard had sent, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t pretend anymore, I know you guys were sent by him!¡± The man who spoke just now,ughed again. ¡°Ms. Ratliff, yourpany has a director who owes our project funds and doesn¡¯t pay back. We couldn¡¯t find him, so we came to find you, the person in charge..¡± Sophie froze, looking somewhat suspiciously at the man, ¡°You were the one who made trouble at our companyst month?¡± The man tited his head and raised his eyebrows, ¡°If it¡¯s not me, who else could it be? Are you telling me that yourpany has offended people from otherpanies?¡± Upon hearing this. Sophie¡¯s doubts subsided a bit, but she was still skeptical, ¡°You guys aren¡¯t really sent by Bernard?¡± Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The man seemed extremely unhappy with her questions, and he gave her a hard p, ¡°Stop talking nonsense, hurry up and call your father to pay me back, or I¡¯ll kill you tonight!¡± Sophie had never suffered such humiliation before, and she was trembling with anger, but under these circumstances, she dared not speak up, ¡°Give me the phone!¡± Only then did the man calm down and threw her a cellphone. Sophie picked up the phone and made a call right away demanding the other party to pay immediately. After hanging up. Sophie looked coldly at the man, ¡°Can I go now?¡± The man sneered and waved his hand to his men behind him, ¡°Tie her up and throw her into the woods over there.¡± Sophie didn¡¯t expect that they wouldn¡¯t let her go even after she ordered the payment, so she screamed and struggled with all her might. However, she was too weak to resist a group of men, and soon she was tied up and carried into the woods by several men. After they finished all this, the man washed his hands, tidied up and headed towards a ck Lincoln parked in the distance. He knocked on the window and respectfully said, ¡°Sir, we have done as you instructed.¡± Bernard was ying with the mask in his hands, nodded at the man and said, ¡°You guys can go.¡± The man answered yes¡® and left quickly with his men. After they left, Bernard turned his head to look at Caleb, who was concentrating on driving. ¡°Can you find evidence of Donna¡¯s murder?¡± Caleb hesitated, ¡°Sir, she hasn¡¯t done it herself, so it might be difficult. The people who worked with her won¡¯t turn her in. Plus, she has a history of mental illness, so even if we find some clues, it would be difficult to convict her¡± Bernard smiled yfully. ¡°That¡¯s fine, someday, I¡¯ll make her spend the rest of her life in prison.¡± He looked away and slowly turned his gaze out the window. Before the storme, he wanted to be with her one more time. Bernard ordered, ¡°Caleb, let¡¯s go to the cemetery¡± Caleb nodded, quickly adjusted the navigation, and drove straight to the cemetery Chapter 210 Chapter 210 Chapter 210 When Liana opened her eyes, she had already been taken to the hospital. She moved her injured mouth corner and murmured with difficulty, Water.¡± Aslender and broad hand supported her head, bringing a cup of water to her mouth. Liana lowered her head and took a few sips. After relieving the dry and parched feeling, she looked up at the person who had given her water. The moment she met those deep ck eyes, Linna¡¯s face turned pale, and even her pupils were linged with horror ¡°You¡¯re scared of me?¡¯ After putting the water down, Tyler sat beside the hospital bed, leaned back on the chair, propped up his leg, and looked at her with amusing eyes. Liana¡¯s bright eyes went from fear to indifference. ¡°How come you are here?¡± Tyler smiled, 1 came to see my Liana.¡± His tone was affectionate with a hint of mockery in his eyes, ¡°To see how well my Liana is duiro after leaving the Howell family.¡± He raised his finger and touched the wounds on Liana¡¯s skin caused by the belt, ¡®seems like, you¡¯re living so well, with so many injuries.¡± Liana had long been used to his sarcasm, and her heart was extremely calm. However, she fell disgusted by his touch. She quickly avoided him and coldly said, ¡°You¡¯ve seen it so leave as soon as possible. I need to rest.¡± Whether it was this sentence that angered Tyler or her evasion of his touch that irritated him, Tyler¡¯s eyes suddenly darkened. He grabbed Liana¡¯s chin, forcing her to look at him. Liana how dare you speak to me in such a tone.¡± Having an injury on her chin and feeling the pain from his grip, Liana gasped. It hurts.¡± Tyler suddenly eased his grip, and Liana was slightly taken aback by this. In the past, he wouldn¡¯t have shown any mercy because she felt pan What was going on today? She didn¡¯t want to look at Tyler, but now she raised her eyes and met his gaze slowly. In such a close confrontation Liana¡¯s eyes remained calm, but Tyler averted his eyes after a few seconds Liana suddenly understood something. She found it amusing in her heart but remained indifferent on her face, ¡°Tyler, it hurts, let me go, okay?¡± It was the first time Liana spoke to him in such a gentle tone after ten years of separation, causing his heart to quiver slightly He let go of her chin as she requested and sat in the chair, looking at her wounded hody with thin lips. A long timeter, he asked softly, ¡°How did you get hurt?¡± Liana nced at the injuries on her body and emotionlessly said, ¡°It was Donna¡± Tyler frowned, surprised that Liana offended Donna. That crazy woman was the most difficult person to deal with among the four families. He looked at Liana, puzzled, ¡°Aren¡¯t you working with Bernard? Why would his mother hurt you?¡± The inside story of the Laurence Group and the Starley family was unknown to other families, and Liana wouldn¡¯t tell him. She avoided the question and said softly to Tyler, Tyler, Im hungry. Can you get me some food?¡± Tyler lifted his chin arrogantly, ¡°What are you to me? Why should I listen to you?¡± Luana pretended it was nothing. ¡°The woman you¡¯ve slept with does that count?¡± This remark plenced Tyler. After a few minutes, Tyler got up and left. Seeing Tyler gone, Liana revealed a cold sneer, her eyes filled with indifference and hatred. Tyler, you better not fall in love with me, or else I wil make you taste the pain I have experienced!Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 211 Chapter 211 Tyler had just left the hospital room when he bumped into Aldyn, who was rushing over. At the moment their eyes met, Tyler¡¯s eyes were filled with Intense hatred, and all the pleasant feelings he had previously for Liana also vanished, Tyler stared coldly at Aidyn, deliberately bumping into his shoulder, pushing him aside, and then walked away arrogantly. Aldyn looked back at the figure getting farther away, carrying hate in his heart. He didn¡¯t expect to see Tyler around Liana again after all these years. Aldyn couldn¡¯t understand what Tyler was thinking. If he hated Aldyn so much, why would he take it out on Liana? It was utterly contradictory. No matter what Tyler was thinking. Aldyn would never let him hurt Liana again like he did in the past! Aldyn entered the hospital room, nced at Liana¡¯s Injuries, and the resentment in his heart disappeared, reced by heartache. ¡°Liana, how are you feeling?¡± he asked. I¡¯m fine¡± Liana shook her head and looked worriedly at the scars on Aldyr¡¯s face, asking, ¡°Aldyn, how did you get hurt too?¡± Aidyn touched his scars with a bit of embarrassment. That night, Mr. Laurence had forbidden Aidyn to follow him, but Aidyn had done so, worrying about how things turned out. He saw Mr. Laurence entering the cemetery, and suspecting that Mr. Laurence and Ms. Shultz were going to have a talk, he didn¡¯t follow in Not a momentter, Donna¡¯s men carried an unconscious Mr. Laurence out. Seeing him still unconscious and bloodied, Aldyn thought they had hurt Mr. Laurence Aidyn tried to rescue him but failed. He ended up being confined by Donna¡¯s men for a few days. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Unwilling to talk about that night, Aidyn said casually. It¡¯s a long story I¡¯ll tell you some other time.¡± Liana didn¡¯t ask any more questions. She said to him, ¡°Aidyn, I¡¯ve made quite a bit of money over the years. Help me withdraw it and give it to Ms. Vulpe.¡± Back when Liana had saved Ms. Shultz, she had promised her that if she were to recover, Liana would help set aside money for Ms. Vulpe. Although Ms. Shultz had died not long after, Liana still intended to keep her word, as a way to make amends. Since Liana couldn¡¯t move because of her injuries, she entrusted Aidyn: ¡°The bank card is at home. Would you please take a trip and give it to Ms. Vulpe? Make sure she takes it. Aidyn nodded, bade her to rest well and left the hospital. After Eleanor¡¯s death, Hailey locked herself in her house, not going anywhere, not eating anything, just sitting nkly in Eleanor¡¯s room. Her lifeless eyes stared at Eleanor¡¯s used nkets, worn clothes, read books, and sat¨Con writing desk. It was as if she was still there, her presence everywhere. Seeing these things, Hailey couldn¡¯t help but weep numerous times. What Hailey treasured the most was dreaming of Eleanor being by her side and even herself visiting Eleanor in the other world while asleep. How was that world? Birds sang, flowers bloomed, a gentle breeze brushed past, the sun shone brightly, and colorful flowers covered the hills and dales. Eleanor led her to sit on a swing full of flowers. The two of them would swing together, chatting happily in the breeze. Eleanor said, ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m very happy here. You don¡¯t need to worry about me. I¡¯ll take good care of myself. You should take care of yourself in your world too.¡± Hailey asked her, ¡°Eleanor, can youe back?¡± Eleanor¡¯s gaze dropped, seemingly recalling the unhappy times they had in the world of the living. A touch of sadness appeared on her face. She said, ¡°Hailey, someone hurt my heart there. I don¡¯t want to go back anymore, and besides. I can¡¯t When the dream ended, Halley cried for a long, long time. The world had never been good to Eleanor. In her childhood, Eleanor was abandoned by her parents due to congenital heart disease. Her first love in her youth brought her deep pain; although it was a misunderstanding, the pain she experienced was real. The people she metter took her life personally, and she died with disappointment and regret. Her beloved Eleanor must have beenpletely desperte for this world, which is why she was unwilling toe back. Hailey thought that she had often dreamed that Eleanor lived a much better life in another world than here, and she didn¡¯t need toe back. Anyway, everyone has to die, Eleanor just left earlier, and when her life ends, she will also go to that world. As Eleanor said in the dream, she will build a house there and when Garett and her life end here, she will pick them up. Then, like when they left the orphanage, they would live together under the same roof, and the three of them would end up together in harmony and warmth. In this way, the unfulfilled wishes in this life can be continued there. Hailey came back to her senses, looked at the suicide note left by Eleanor, and gently replied: ¡°Okay¡± She will live this life well, then go to that world to find Eleanor, and they will be besties forever and never separate. As Hailey sorted out her emotions, there was a knack on the door outside. She thought it was Jason Clowersing back, hurriedly got up to open the door, but saw Herrards assistant instead, her face changed instantly Just as she was about to close the door, Aidyn stepped forward and blocked the door, ¡°Please wat, Ms. Vulpe, Liana sent me.¡± Mentioning Liana, Hailey¡¯s face got a little better, but she stil had a cold expression for Bernard¡¯s assistant: ¡°What can I do for you. Cr. Terrill sent you to find me?¡± Aidyn didn¡¯t care about Hailey¡¯s attitude took out a bank card, and handed it to Hailey. ¡°Liana said she had promised Ms. Shultz that she would leave you some money, this is for you, please ept it¡± Hailey was taken aback and quickly pushed back the bank card: ¡°I cannot take Dr. Terrill¡¯s money. She was reluctant to use the money left by Eleanor, let alone Liana¡¯s money. Aidyn threw the bank card directly into the house. ¡°The password is written on the card, I¡¯m leaving.¡± After saying that he left. When Hailey picked up the bank card and went out to catch him, his figure had long disappeared. Hailey looked at the bank card in her hand, feeling both heavy and warm. Liana and her only met because of Eleanor, but she really took care of her. As for her husband, who had sworn to her, he didn¡¯t care about her since she hadn¡¯t been home for several days and was messing around with Allysha Zimmer in their wedding room. At this moment, Haley suddenly realized how foolish she had been. To help that scumbag pay the mortgage, she worked hard only to be betrayed in the end. If only she had enough time and money to spend more t me with Eleanor, there would be fewer regrets. Thinking this way, Haley took out her phone, turned on the surveince of her wedding room, and just saw Austin and Allysha kissing again. Allysha was weaning Hailey¡¯s pajamas, which were stretched down to her belly, covering her pregnant bulge, and she asked Austin coyly, ¡°Compared to that woman, am I pleasing you more?¡± Austin impatiently kissed her and said, ¡°Of course you are. She¡¯s like a dead fish in bed,pletely boring.¡± Hearing this, Allysha smiled satisfied, hugged Austin¡¯s neck, and the two kissed each other passionately. Halley held her phone, trembling with anger this scummy couple used her money and still mocked her behind her back! She will make them pay. She shakily picked up the phone, found thewyer¡¯s office number, and dialed it ¡°Hello, Mr. Wace, I¡¯m Hailey Vulpe, I consulted about divorce before.¡± ¡°Your previous proposal for a private settlement, I don¡¯t ept. I want to go to court.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, I want to get back all the money I spent on him and also want him topensate me for mental loss, the more, the better.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have evidence of his cheating. I¡¯ll send it to you¡± After hanging up, Hailey downloaded the surveince video and sent it to Mr. Wace immediately. Austin, in thiswsuit, I will not only win, I also run your reputation! Chapter 212 Chapter 212 Tyler had just left the hospital room when he bumped into Aldyn, who was rushing over. At the moment their eyes met, Tyler¡¯s eyes were filled with Intense hatred, and all the pleasant feelings he had previously for Liana also vanished, Tyler stared coldly at Aidyn, deliberately bumping into his shoulder, pushing him aside, and then walked away arrogantly. Aldyn looked back at the figure getting farther away, carrying hate in his heart. He didn¡¯t expect to see Tyler around Liana again after all these years. Aldyn couldn¡¯t understand what Tyler was thinking. If he hated Aldyn so much, why would he take it out on Liana? It was utterly contradictory. No matter what Tyler was thinking. Aldyn would never let him hurt Liana again like he did in the past! Aldyn entered the hospital room, nced at Liana¡¯s Injuries, and the resentment in his heart disappeared, reced by heartache. ¡°Liana, how are you feeling?¡± he asked. I¡¯m fine¡± Liana shook her head and looked worriedly at the scars on Aldyr¡¯s face, asking, ¡°Aldyn, how did you get hurt too?¡± Aidyn touched his scars with a bit of embarrassment. That night, Mr. Laurence had forbidden Aidyn to follow him, but Aidyn had done so, worrying about how things turned out. He saw Mr. Laurence entering the cemetery, and suspecting that Mr. Laurence and Ms. Shultz were going to have a talk, he didn¡¯t follow in Not a momentter, Donna¡¯s men carried an unconscious Mr. Laurence out. Seeing him still unconscious and bloodied, Aldyn thought they had hurt Mr. Laurence Aidyn tried to rescue him but failed. He ended up being confined by Donna¡¯s men for a few days. Unwilling to talk about that night, Aidyn said casually. It¡¯s a long story I¡¯ll tell you some other time.¡± Liana didn¡¯t ask any more questions. She said to him, ¡°Aidyn, I¡¯ve made quite a bit of money over the years. Help me withdraw it and give it to Ms. Vulpe.¡± Back when Liana had saved Ms. Shultz, she had promised her that if she were to recover, Liana would help set aside money for Ms. Vulpe. Although Ms. Shultz had died not long after, Liana still intended to keep her word, as a way to make amends. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Since Liana couldn¡¯t move because of her injuries, she entrusted Aidyn: ¡°The bank card is at home. Would you please take a trip and give it to Ms. Vulpe? Make sure she takes it. Aidyn nodded, bade her to rest well and left the hospital. After Eleanor¡¯s death, Hailey locked herself in her house, not going anywhere, not eating anything, just sitting nkly in Eleanor¡¯s room. Her lifeless eyes stared at Eleanor¡¯s used nkets, worn clothes, read books, and sat¨Con writing desk. It was as if she was still there, her presence everywhere. Seeing these things, Hailey couldn¡¯t help but weep numerous times. What Hailey treasured the most was dreaming of Eleanor being by her side and even herself visiting Eleanor in the other world while asleep. How was that world? Birds sang, flowers bloomed, a gentle breeze brushed past, the sun shone brightly, and colorful flowers covered the hills and dales. Eleanor led her to sit on a swing full of flowers. The two of them would swing together, chatting happily in the breeze. Eleanor said, ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m very happy here. You don¡¯t need to worry about me. I¡¯ll take good care of myself. You should take care of yourself in your world too.¡± Hailey asked her, ¡°Eleanor, can youe back?¡± Eleanor¡¯s gaze dropped, seemingly recalling the unhappy times they had in the world of the living. A touch of sadness appeared on her face. She said, ¡°Hailey, someone hurt my heart there. I don¡¯t want to go back anymore, and besides. I can¡¯t When the dream ended, Halley cried for a long, long time. The world had never been good to Eleanor. In her childhood, Eleanor was abandoned by her parents due to congenital heart disease. Her first love in her youth brought her deep pain; although it was a misunderstanding, the pain she experienced was real. The people she metter took her life personally, and she died with disappointment and regret. Her beloved Eleanor must have beenpletely desperte for this world, which is why she was unwilling toe back. Hailey thought that she had often dreamed that Eleanor lived a much better life in another world than here, and she didn¡¯t need toe back. Anyway, everyone has to die, Eleanor just left earlier, and when her life ends, she will also go to that world. As Eleanor said in the dream, she will build a house there and when Garett and her life end here, she will pick them up. Then, like when they left the orphanage, they would live together under the same roof, and the three of them would end up together in harmony and warmth. In this way, the unfulfilled wishes in this life can be continued there. Hailey came back to her senses, looked at the suicide note left by Eleanor, and gently replied: ¡°Okay¡± She will live this life well, then go to that world to find Eleanor, and they will be besties forever and never separate. As Hailey sorted out her emotions, there was a knack on the door outside. She thought it was Jason Clowersing back, hurriedly got up to open the door, but saw Herrards assistant instead, her face changed instantly Just as she was about to close the door, Aidyn stepped forward and blocked the door, ¡°Please wat, Ms. Vulpe, Liana sent me.¡± Mentioning Liana, Hailey¡¯s face got a little better, but she stil had a cold expression for Bernard¡¯s assistant: ¡°What can I do for you. Cr. Terrill sent you to find me?¡± Aidyn didn¡¯t care about Hailey¡¯s attitude took out a bank card, and handed it to Hailey. ¡°Liana said she had promised Ms. Shultz that she would leave you some money, this is for you, please ept it¡± Hailey was taken aback and quickly pushed back the bank card: ¡°I cannot take Dr. Terrill¡¯s money. She was reluctant to use the money left by Eleanor, let alone Liana¡¯s money. Aidyn threw the bank card directly into the house. ¡°The password is written on the card, I¡¯m leaving.¡± After saying that he left. When Hailey picked up the bank card and went out to catch him, his figure had long disappeared. Hailey looked at the bank card in her hand, feeling both heavy and warm. Liana and her only met because of Eleanor, but she really took care of her. As for her husband, who had sworn to her, he didn¡¯t care about her since she hadn¡¯t been home for several days and was messing around with Allysha Zimmer in their wedding room. At this moment, Haley suddenly realized how foolish she had been. To help that scumbag pay the mortgage, she worked hard only to be betrayed in the end. If only she had enough time and money to spend more t me with Eleanor, there would be fewer regrets. Thinking this way, Haley took out her phone, turned on the surveince of her wedding room, and just saw Austin and Allysha kissing again. Allysha was weaning Hailey¡¯s pajamas, which were stretched down to her belly, covering her pregnant bulge, and she asked Austin coyly, ¡°Compared to that woman, am I pleasing you more?¡± Austin impatiently kissed her and said, ¡°Of course you are. She¡¯s like a dead fish in bed,pletely boring.¡± Hearing this, Allysha smiled satisfied, hugged Austin¡¯s neck, and the two kissed each other passionately. Halley held her phone, trembling with anger this scummy couple used her money and still mocked her behind her back! She will make them pay. She shakily picked up the phone, found thewyer¡¯s office number, and dialed it ¡°Hello, Mr. Wace, I¡¯m Hailey Vulpe, I consulted about divorce before.¡± ¡°Your previous proposal for a private settlement, I don¡¯t ept. I want to go to court.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, I want to get back all the money I spent on him and also want him topensate me for mental loss, the more, the better.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have evidence of his cheating. I¡¯ll send it to you¡± After hanging up, Hailey downloaded the surveince video and sent it to Mr. Wace immediately. Austin, in thiswsuit, I will not only win, I also run your reputation! Chapter 213 Chapter 213 Seven days after Eleanor¡¯s death, Jason returned to A City He went to Hailey¡¯s apartment with a bag of documents in hand Halley had just frished preparing a bunch of Eleanor¡¯s favorite dishes, cing them on the table when Jason showed up. After he walked in, he nced at the food on the table and asked Halley with a hint of surprise, ¡°What¡¯s with all the food?¡± With some sadness in her eyes, Halley replied, ¡°I heard that today, the loved ones who have passed away for seven days wille back. Eleanor didn¡¯t get to eat the soup I bought her before she passed away she must¡¯ve been hungry for a few days. So, I prepared more food for her just in case.¡± Hearing this, Jason¡¯s face turned pale, as pain gripped him so bad he couldn¡¯t breathe. Eleanor had indeed left this world without eating or even drinking a drop of water. Remembering Cleanor¡¯s dismal departure, Jason felt wobbly and had to lean on the dining chair to strady himself. Seeing him like this, Haley immediately suggested he take a seat and then went to the kitchen to get a bowl and utensils. Setting them aside, she said. ¡°Let¡¯s eat with her.¡± Looking pale, Jason nodded and took the utensils Hailey handed him. But as he brought the food to his mouth, he couldn¡¯t taste anything. uldn¡¯t taste Neither could Hailey but she forced herself to eat. She had to gather strength for the vengeance she nned against Austin and his aplice! After a few bites, Jason put down his fork and handed the bag of documents to Haley. ¡°Hailey, these are all the immovable properties I own, and I¡¯ve transferred them all under your name.¡± ¡°As for the non¨Cimmovable ones, I¡¯ve transferred them to your bank ount. You can check the specific amountter.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to work at that nightclub anymore- take good care of yourself and don¡¯t get too tired. Hailey grew more and more uneasy, feeling that he was leaving hisst words behind. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± she asked. Jason calmly smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I just promised Eleanor I¡¯d take good care of you. But as you know, managing the Clowers Group leaves me no time to look after you. The least I could do is give you some money He finished with a hint of remorse in his eyes, 1 should¡¯ve taken care of the two of you as soon as I returned to the Clowers Group, but I lost my memory, causing you and Eleanor to suffer for five years.¡± He had found out that Eleanor had sold her body to pay for his surgery and borrowed a sum of money from VitaLife Global for the follow¨Cup treatment. For the past five years, Eleanor lived frugally under her massive debt, always trying to save money. Hailey had to sell alcohol day and night at the nightclub, cften bulied by lowlife customers. As a child, Jason promised to shoulder the responsibility of looking after them. However, he broke that promise. Each time he thought about this, he felt so guilty that it kept him up at night. He wished he could go back and p his past self. Hailey didn¡¯t care about any of that andforted him, ¡°Even if you hadn¡¯t returned to the Clowers family, Eleanor and I would¡¯ve managed just fine and wouldnt have needed your help¡± After finishing her sentence, she handed the bag back to Jason, ¡°So take all these back, I can eam my own money.¡± But Jason insisted, ¡°Hailey, just take it. Consider it aspensation for the past few years.¡± At a loss for words to refuse him, Hailey hesitated. Just then she saw Jason stand up, ready to leave. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Jason looked back at Hailey, smiling, Tm going to visit her in the cemetery For some reason, Hailey felt uneasy upon seeing his smile. Watching Jason walk away, she couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Garett, you¡¯re the only family I have left in this world. Please don¡¯t do anything stupid.¡± Jason¡¯s eyes welled up with tears when he heard those words, but he didn¡¯t turn around and just waved to Hailey. It seemed like a silent reassurance, but still, he walked away without looking back.. Chapter 214 Chapter 214 Jason bought a bouquet of flowers and arrived at the cemetery. Before he had walked over, he spotted a tall and upright figure in the distance, kneeling alone in front of a tombstone. The man¡¯s hair was disheveled, his face so pale itcked any color, and he looked so haggard that Jason could barely recognize him. Jason thought that Bernard wanted to say something to Eleanor, so he stopped in his tracks. However, after waiting for a long time, Bernard didn¡¯t utter a word, but simply stared at the portrait in silence. Jason then resumed walking and ced the flowers in front of the tombstone. Sensing someone¡¯s arrival, Bernard¡¯s eyshes fluttered slightly but he didn¡¯t raise his head, as if he knew who hade. The two men stood in front of the tombstone, looking at the portrait, not saying a word to each other, and neither showed any hostility to drive the other away After a lengthy silence, Jason was the first to speak. Did you love her?¡± A pang of regret made Bernard feel as though he was falling into an abyss. He lifted his trembling hand and pressed hard on his right wrist until blood began to seep out, which seemed to alleviate his pain somewhat Seeing the wound on Bernard¡¯s wrist, Jason seemed to understand something. ¡°It seems like you loved her. Bernard remained silent, his lips pursed, pressing harder on his wrist. Jason took a look at him but didn¡¯t stop him from hurting himself. Instead, he continued to ask, ¡°Do you think she loved you?¡± Bernard finally lifted his head, his eyes bloodshot, staring at Jason. The one she loved, it was always you.¡± Over the past five years, in her sleep, she had always called out for Garett, never once for him. How could she possibly love him? However, the few words she left him made him believe that she might have had feelings for him, but nothing more than that. Jason suddenly felt that Bernard was pitiful, unable to decipher Eleanor¡¯s thoughts, no wonder he was so cold towards her. He didn¡¯t intend to tell Bernard the truth, instead, he let him live in the pain of falsely believing that Eleanor didn¡¯t love him. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Jason ceased to talk to Bernard, pulled out a wedding photo from his suit pocket, and ced it in front of Eleanor¡¯s tombstone. He looked at Eleanor¡¯s portrait, whispering softly, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯ve kept my promise, I brought you home as my wife. From now on, you¡¯re my wife.¡± Seeing the wedding photo, Bernard¡¯s face went even paler, ¡°You¡­ you married her? Seeing Bernard¡¯s shock, Jason couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°She was always mine, what¡¯s wrong with us getting married? Bernard picked up the wedding photo, when he saw the smiles of Eleanor and Jason on it, jealousy drove him mad. Like a madman, he tore the wedding photo into pieces, then with red eyes, he shouted hysterically at Jason, ¡°She¡¯s not yours, she¡¯s mine, I don¡¯t allow you two to get married!¡± He ripped the wedding photo, but Jason wasn¡¯t angry, he just watched him calmly. ¡°When she was by your side, you had plenty of chances to give her the status of a wife, but you only allowed her to be a lover. It was you who hurt her, what right do you have to stop me from marrying her?¡± This sentence were like numerous sharp knives piercing Bernard¡¯s heart. He tried desperately to control his emotions, only to find that the more he controlled, the more he copsed. It was as if he had been pushed into an unrecoverable abyss, suffering unbearably. Jason saw his state, showed no sympathy instead, he squatted down next to him with one knee on the ground, He looked straight into Bernard¡¯s eyes. which were so red they were almost in tears, and said word by word, ¡°You know what, I never slept with her.¡± Chapter 215 Chapter 215 Chapter 215 After all these years with Eleanor, he never got intimate with her, not even when he was overwhelmed by desire. He¡¯d just give her a kiss. He thought that he should first build a home for her and then marry her before he could sleep with her. But for him, his Eleanor ended up giving herself to Bernard- first her body, and then her heart. However, he didn¡¯t regret never having sex with her. Instead, he felt that it was a pity that she had given everything to Bernard but couldn¡¯t get the respect she deserved. Bernard even forced Eleanor in front of him, which meant that Bernard didn¡¯t even see her as a person, but just as a tool. Even though he knew that Bernard went crazy due to jealousy, anger, and possessiveness, he still felt that Bernard didn¡¯t deserve her! Since Bernard misunderstood that he had slept with Eleanor, he would tell him the truth and let him live with guilt forever. Jason¡¯s words were like a bolt from the blue, leaving Bemard breathless. Gritting his teeth and with red eyes, he asked Jason unhelievably, ¡°You.. never slept with her?¡± Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor had obviously told him that she had had sex with Jason, but Jason said they hadn¡¯t. What was going on? Jason looked at him in disbelief and couldn¡¯t help but sneer, ¡°Do you think that everyone is like you, having to possess the person they love?¡± If love doesn¡¯t possess, is it still love? In Bernard¡¯s mind, loving her meant owning her; she could only belong to him wholeheartedly. But Jason told him that love doesn¡¯t necessarily require possession Whose words are right? Bernard looked away fromson and slowly turned to Cleanor¡¯s portrait. Seeing her familiar face. Bernard said firmly. ¡°No, my love is true love. I only love Eleanor, and must have her!¡± The kind of love that lets go and wishes her well doesn¡¯t belong to him. Only the domineering possession of love can keep her by his side. Jason didn¡¯t want to argue with this madman about what true love was and coldly said, wart to talk to Eleanor alone.¡± But Bernard didn¡¯t bucge, seemingly unwilling to give him even the time to talk. Jason found the situation quite ridiculous. ¡°Hernard, she loves me. What do you even count for here? Bernard¡¯s face changed, and his originally straight body suddenly ckened. That¡¯s right, her loved one is Garett, not him. What right does he have to stay here? He remembered that Fleanor had told him more than once not to harass her anymore. She hated him so much if he didn¡¯t leave when the person she loved was taking to her, she might hate him even more. With that thought, Bernard slowly stood up and stag gered out of the cemetery without locking back. Jason waited until Bernard left before looking at Eleanor¡¯s portrait and giving it a gentle touch. ¡°Eleanor, forgive me for not telling him the truth that you actually loved him very much.¡± ¡± just wanted to punish him a little. After all, he was too cruel to my Eleanor.¡± ¡°But please, don¡¯t me me, okay?¡± After saying this, he reluctantly gave a light kiss to her tombstone. ¡°Eleanor, I have a piece of news to tell you. I handed over The Clowers Group to my cousin and gave all my personal properties to Hailey.¡± LI cane to be with you now.¡± He took out a gun and smiled at Eleanor. ¡°Do you still remember what I told you before? I said I¡¯d give you an answer. Now I¡¯m here to fulfill my promise! ¡°They say that on the seventh day, your soul will return here. When I shoot the gunter, can you just come over and pick me up?¡± After saying this, Jason held the gun tightly and aimed at his own head. As the sky grew darker and the cemetery fell silent, only a gunshot broke the silence, startling the surrounding birds. Some people, to make up for past mistakes, pay with their lives, just to give her an answer. Chapter 216 Chapter 216 Chapter 216 ¡°Garet The boy, wearing a white shirt, sat under the shade of a tree, head down, reading a book. The sun¡¯s rays filtered through the gaps, casting a soft glow on him. The sweet voice of the girl echoed from outside the campus, gradually getting closer, ¡°Garett, I came to your school to see you.¡± Upon hearing the voice, the boy looked up and saw her jogging towards him, A smile slowly spread across his face, Watch out and don¡¯t run too fast¡± As soon as he warned her to slow down, she sped up even more. Her wilful appearance made the boy unable to resist getting up and catching her. Holding her, he gently rubbed her nose, ¡°You have a heart condition, yet you still run so fast, you¡¯re such a disobedient girl.¡± The girl wrapped her arms around his waist, nestling her head on his chest, and whined, I take my meds every day Actually, I¡¯m quite well-behaved.¡± The boy softly chuckled. His gentle face and eyes were full of her, ¡°Eleanor, your school is quite far from the University of A. It¡¯s tough on you to travel this much. Next time you want to see me, just call me and I¡¯ll visit your school, alright?¡± Content held by N?velDrama.Org. She lifted her head from his embrace and said considerately, ¡°You¡¯re already so busy with your studies, never mind that. I¡¯lle to see you whenever I¡¯m free The boy wanted to persuade her, but was cut off by her, ¡°Garett, I met someone outside your school just now. He was covered in blood and seated under a tree. I don¡¯t know who had hurt him, but I saw he was pitiful, so I gave him a bottle of water. He didn¡¯t even acknowledge me though.¡± After finishing, she pouted her lips, ¡°Do you think he¡¯s some weirdo?¡± The boy affectionately ruffled her hair, ¡°If you say he is, then he is.¡± Only then did the girl satisfyingly raise the corners of her mouth in a smile. The boy also smiled and held her hand, walking side by side under the sunlight, amid the gentle breeze and chirping birds amongst the blooming flowers. Eleanor slowly opened her eyes. Garett from the dream was gone, and so was the sunlight. The faint light in front of her was dim, barely illuminating the surroundings. She looked around in confusion. There was a white ceiling, a crystal chandelier, and an endless sea outside the window. These scenes were blurry, which made her realize that she wasn¡¯t dead. She wanted to move but found herself unable to do so. Trying to speak, no sound came out. It felt as if she had been asleep for a long time and her body couldn¡¯t bear the sudden awakening. She stopped struggling and obedientlyy on the bed, staring at the ceiling lost in thought. She had clearly died, so why did she wake up? Hadn¡¯t she gone blind? Why could she see a little? Where was this strange ce? Why weren¡¯t Hailey and Garett there? As she pondered, footsteps approached from outside the door. The sound of leather shoes stepping on the wooden floor creaked. The door was then pushed open from the outside, and a tall figure holding a razor walked in slowly Eleanor¡¯s eyes followed him, her gaze meeting a pair of deep, profound eyes. When the figure saw her awake, his pupils slightly erged, and an incredulous look appeared on his face. He unconsciously quickened his pace, taking two strides to reach her bedside. His tall, slim body bent down slightly. Now that the distance between them was so close, Eleanor could clearly see his appearance. His skin was smooth, features were bright and elegant, and his eyes carried a deep luster. His thin lips had a faint hue. His face might have been gentle, but his eyes were incredibly deep. It felt as if they hid a gxy full of stars, unfathomable and impossible to see through Chapter 217 Chapter 217 Chapter 217 When faced with such a pair of eyes, Fleanor somehow fel a little panicked. She quickly lowered her eyelids to shield his burning gaze. He stared at her for a while, and it was not until her eyes moved that he dared to confirm that she had really woken up. He straightened up, turned around silently, and soon brought in an old man. The old man had white hair, wore a white suit, and looked energetic and elegant. He brought the old man in raised his slender fingers, pointed at Eleanor on the bed and frowned, ¡®George, how did she wake up?¡± George? Eleanor paused for a second. Liana said Bernard had contacted a world-renowned cardiologist named George for her. Could it be him? Instead of answering the man¡¯s question, George started checking her entire body with a device, looking very focused and amazed. His expression was simr to the man¡¯s, as if he was wondering how she could have woken up. In their eyes, it seemed she shouldn¡¯t have woken up at Having eagerly examined her, George looked up at the man and said, ¡°By conventional logic, deeply comatose patients rarely wake up, and yet she woke up all of a sudden. It¡¯s very rare¡± ¡¤ Hearing this, impatience flickered across the man¡¯s harc somece, ¡°You said she wouldn¡¯t wake up before, what do we do now that she¡¯s awake?¡± Confronted with his question, George scratched his head in embarrassment, 1 really did think she wouldn¡¯t wake up when I checked her earlier The man seemed to re at him, looking a hit irritable, ¡°So what do we do now?¡± George helplessly spread his hands, ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± The man rubbed his chin, thinking for a moment, and then told George. Well, maybe we can just kill her.¡± Eleanor, who had been listening to their conversation, couldn¡¯t believe her cars and widened her eyes at the always cold-looking man She guessed that this man had saved her, but having saved her, why did he want to kill her after she woke up? Her mind was full of doubts, but she had just woken up from aa and couldn¡¯t make a sound. All she could do was stare at them desperately However, they didn¡¯t seem to notice her gaze and continued discussing the matter. In the end, Gearge mumbled: ¡°If we kill her, there¡¯s no more heart. Are you sure you want to do it? If so, I can give her a lethal injection.¡± Eleanor kept silent. For some reason, she suddenly felt that life was more precious even though they hadn¡¯t made up their minds yet. She tried her best to say something to them but only managed to make a h oa rse sound The man waved his hand dismissively upon hearing this. ¡°Just kill her, that voice is too annoying.¡± Was this decision really made so casually?! George turned around and walked out, apparently going to fetch the euthanasia injection. Feeling that she could still save herself, Eleanor cried out to the man in desperation. She wanted to tell him that her voice was actually pleasant, but the man covered her mouth with his hand He leaned down and put his index finger to his lips, making a ¡°hush¡± gesture, indicating for her to stop making noise, His eyes were cold, as if he was just looking at a random object and didn¡¯t care at all. But when his gaze slowly moved down to her heart, his expression was filled with endless affection. After staring at her heart for a while, he said to George, who came in with the euthanasia injection, ¡°I was just kidding, but you took it seriously¡± George hesitated for a moment, finally put down the injection, and left the room angrilyText ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 218 Chapter 218 Chapter 218 The man walked over and sat on the single-seater sofa by the bed, then said to Eleanor, ¡°Since you¡¯re awake now, live well on her behalf.: Eleanor didn¡¯t know who the ¡°her¡± he was referring to was, so she blinked at him, hoping he¡¯d exin more clearly. But the man didn¡¯t bother to exin further. He picked up the razor he had ced on the bedside table earlier, and grabbed her head. Just as Eleanor was wondering what he was going to do, she heard a buzzing noise from the razor on her head. She was like, ¡°W T F? Is this guy sh aving my hair? Why would he do that?¡± The man seemingly saw the shock in her eyes ard, while continuing to s have, exined kindly. ¡°The caregiver said your hair is too long and it¡¯s troublesome to wash, so I thought I¡¯d help you s have off and make it easier.¡± Looking at the short hair she had now, it seemed like it had been sha ved not just once, but many times. So, she had beer bald while in aa all this time?! Eleanor couldn¡¯t quite ept the fact that she was bald, and her expression instantly crumbled. She red at the man who was crazily sh aving her he wishing she could kill him with her eyes. But the man ignored the murderous look in her eyes, and didn¡¯t care as he concentrated an sha ving her head. When he was done, he even brought a mirror over for her to see, ¡°Isn¡¯t this hairstyle quite fashionable?¡± Upon seeing herself in the mirror, with only a small tuft of har left on her head, Eleanor¡¯s eyes rolled back, and she almost fainted. Seeing her reaction, the man suddenly grinned, as if he had found an interesting toy that made him happy. He put down the mirror, leaned back on the sofa, crossed his legs and said with interest. Ms. Shultz, you¡¯re quite amusing.¡± Eleanor was stunned. This man knew her name, which meant he knew her, but she didn¡¯t have any memory of him. Who the heck was he? The man leaned in slightly, staring at Eleanor¡¯s face with his profound eyes. Remember my rame. I¡¯m- He paused for a second, then his thin lps opened agar, and his clear, pleasant voice slowly entered Eleanor¡¯s ears, Ethan Ziegler.¡± Ethan, Ethan¡­ Eleanor searched for the name in her mind, but stel no recollection She stared into his eyes, full of confusion, eager for more information: However, he didn¡¯t want to say anything more to her and left the room. Soon after he left, a female caregiver came in As the caregiver was cleaning Eleanor up, she said a few things to her something about her being a miracle, but she didn¡¯t say much else, and left whe she was done. After she left, Eleanor looked around the room, taking in the minimalist decor. ? ? ? She should be out of her home country by now, but she had no idea where she was or which country this was. From George¡¯s words, she seemed to be a patient who had been in a deepa for many years. How many years had she beenatose? Besides, if she had been in aa for so many years, why hadn¡¯t Hailey and Garettecking for her? Was it because they knew she was being treated here and didn¡¯t want to disturb her? With so many questions, Eleanor closed her eyes and fell asleep. In her dream, she saw Garett sitting under a tree shade, reading a book. The sunshine sprinkled on him, emitting a gentle glow. As she walked in from outside of the campus, she wanted to run to him when suddenly, he in front of a grave, raised a gun to his own head. Just as he pulled the trigger, a tall figure rushed over and kicked the gun out of his hand. Content held by N?velDrama.Org. The bullet was fired and hit the tombstone with a loud bang, scaring the surrounding birds to sc atter. Eleanor woke up from the dream, and before she could think about what it meant, she felt someone lying on top of her. More precisely, someone was lying on her heart, as if they were listening to something, or perhaps feeling its rhythm. Chapter 219 Chapter 219 Chapter 219 Eleanor lowered her eyes, looking at the person who was lying on her. From this angle, all she could see was a lead full of thick hair. She didn¡¯t know what he wanted to do. She couldn¡¯t move, so she could only stare at him. He seemed to sigh softly, mumbling weakly, ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you just wait for me a bit longer?¡± His voice was filled with sadness, as if he had lost the most important person to lim, mired in the past and unable to let go. Eleanor was beginning to understand. Her heart had been reced, most likely with the heart of Ethan¡¯s beloved. No wonder he told her during the day that since she was awake, she should live on behalf of her. It turned out he wanted her to live ir ce of his loved one. Ethan, lying on top of her, could feel that her heart rate was faster than when she was sleeping, and guessed that she was awake. He slightly raised his head, and in the moment of close eye contact with her, a trace of ruthlessness suddenly emerged from the depths of his deep eyes. He seemed very unwilling for her to wake up. Looking into her eyes, his gaze was icy cold. Almost without any hesitation, he picked up a euthanasia syringe and slowly approached Eleanor, ¡°I don¡¯t like it when you open your eyes, it¡¯s better to kill you¡± Now, she could confirm that this man had some sort of m ental problem. She calmed down, quietly looking at him. Having already died once, she was not actualy atrad of death. He seemed to perceive herck of fear. The hand holding her arm paused slightly, then made eye contact with her for a moment, Unsure of what he was conflicted about, he suddenly put down the syringe, let out a heavy sight, ¡®Never mind, at least her heart is still here.¡± Eleanor blinked, wanting to ask him what kind of rtionship this her had with her. She also wanted to ask why, after searching for so long for a heart donor and not finding one, a heart donor suddenly appeared when she was dying? Ethan seemed to see the confusion in her eyes. He put down the syringe, sat up straight, leaned back on the sofa chair, propping his head with one hand as he looked at her, ¡®Do you want to know why you¡¯re still alive? This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor wanted to reply, but due to the longa, her body functions hadn¡¯t recovered quickly enough and she could only make ¡°ah sounds. Thinking of Ethan saying her voice was unpleasant, she wisely stopped making that sound, and simply blinked in response. ¡°The person who saved you, when she found out your heart was failing and you were about to die, ended her life prematurely he revealed. 1 respected her wishes. When you were sent to the cemetery swapped you out and transnted her heart into your body!¡± ¡°George said that even with a new heart, you might not survive. But unexpectedly, you actually lived he continued. ¡®However, now that you¡¯re alive, she has taken your ce and l es forever in the cold cemetery His voice darkened as he finished his body engulfed by sadness. Eleanor was somewhat lost, she blinked at Ethan, encouraging him to continue. But he didn¡¯t say anything more, his gaze shifting to her heart, regret evident in his eyes. ¡°Have you ever loved someone deeply?¡± he suddenly asked, shifting the topic, causing Eleanor to fall silent, her expression gloomy. Once, maybe But when he had Sophie answer her phore just before she died, she hadpletely given up. Was it a man named Garli?¡± Cleanor was shocked. Ethan knew about Garet? Ethan put down the hand that was supporting his head, sat up straight, and looked at her. ¡°I have some unfortunate news to tell you. He thought you were dead and shot himself at your grave.¡± Eleanor froze, her eyes wide. She stared at Ethan in disbelief, trying to discern the truth from his face. Seeing her disbelief, Ethan took pulled up a news article from two years ago, and showed it to her. ¡°Shocking news, the President of the Clowers Group, Jason,mitted suicide at the cemetery¡± Chapter 220 Chapter 220 Chapter 220 ¡°thought dying for love was only an ancient legend, but I didn¡¯t expect someone to actually do it, Ethan¡¯s words trickled into Eleanor¡¯s ears, striking her heart, leaving her in disbelief. She struggled to sit up from the bed, exhausting all her strength, but was unable to move Tears welled up in her eyes as she fixed her gaze on Ethan, her mouth opening to finally utter fragmented words, ¡°1. dreamt, he¡­ didn¡¯t.. die¡­¡­¡± She indeed dreamt of Garett kneeling in front of a grave and shooting himself, but someone had saved him. She couldn¡¯t believe that Garett was dead. He had promised her to take care of Halley, how could he just follow her in death Ethan put away his phone, looking at her with a hint of sympathy. ¡°This news was broadcast on television two years ago, while you were unconscious. Your body reacted strongly at the time, but you didn¡¯t wake up. I guess you must have heard the news of his death, couldn¡¯t ept it, and thus fabricated a beautiful dream in your subconscious mind¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t believe she had created a dream. How could such a vivid dream be fabricated?! A million denials crossed her mind, yet tears uncontrobly streamed down her cheeks. Garett had once said, if she died, he wouldmit suicide at her grave, and not live alone. She remembered that before she died, he told her he would give her an exnation. Was this his exnation? Was Garett really dead? What about Hailey? She was her only family left in this world. And what about her? She was saved, but he died. What should she do? Eleanor wept until she broke down. Her immobilized body, due to intense shock, showed some reactions She moved her fingers, extending them towards Ethan. Phone.¡± She wanted to call Garett to tell him that she wasn¡¯t dead Seeing her tear-streaked face, Ethan slightly frowned, ¡°You can¡¯t ept it?¡± Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor had no strength left to speak, she just shed tears, pleading Ethan to show some mercy and make a call for her Something seemed to touch Ethan, he rxed his brow, took out his phone, and asked her, ¡°Number?¡± Eleanor opened her mouth,boriously and recited the number she knew by heart to him Ethan, surprisingly patient, quietly waited for her to finish before dialing. Soon, an automated female voice sounded on the other end, ¡°Sorry, the number you dialed is switched off¡± Ethan put down the phone and raised an eyebrow at Eleanor, ¡®It¡¯s turned off.¡± Being switched off didn¡¯t prove that Garett was dead. She wanted to call Hailey. ¡°Another number¡± Just as Ethan was about to put his phone back in his pocket, hearing that she had another number, he showed a hint of impatience, ¡°I¡¯m not your se rvant.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t respond, she just stared at him with teary eyes until he took out his phone again, then she withdrew her gaze. She slowly gave Hailey¡¯s number to Ethan, who quickly dialed it after entering it. ¡°Sorry, the number you dialed is switched off.¡± Hearing the automated voice again, Eleanor suddenly felt a sense of despair and her tears flowed uncontrobly She wished she could get up and run back to find them immediately, but she was unable to move in her current state. Seeing the despair in her eyes, Ethan couldn¡¯t help but offer aforting lie, ¡°You¡¯ve been unconscious for two years, maybe they changed their numbers.¡± His words sparked a glimmer of hope in Eleanor. Yes, she had been unconscious for so long, things must have changed, changing numbers was normal. With this thought in mind, she mustered the strength to ask Ethan again, ¡°How much longer until recover?¡± Ethan, fiddling with his phone, replied nonchntly, Tm not a doctor, how would I know?¡± Chapter 221 Chapter 221 Chapter 221 Eleanor didn¡¯t know how to respond, she pursed her lips and chose not to bother him with any more words. Ethan sat for a while, but finding it dull, he stood up and left. That night, Eleanor¡¯s dreams were no longer about repeatedly entering the campus looking for Garett, but of a scene where Garett shot himself in the head at a gravesite. He aimed at his own head, without hesitation, and fired that shot¡­ This time, there was no one to save him. Blood sttered on the tombstone, staining her portrait in red. The moment Eleanor opened her eyes, she felt a heavy pain in her chest and couldn¡¯t wait to go back. However, in the empty room, no one came in to check on her, leaving her lying on the bed, unable to move. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. It wasn¡¯t until the afternoon that, after the nursing staff helped her with routine cleaning. George walked in with a medical kit ¡°Ms. Shultz, starting today, I will be giving you rehabilitation massages,¡± he said. After George ced the medical kit on the table, he took out stenle gloves from it and put them on. As he turned to give Eleanor a massage, he noticed her red and swollen eyes. His expression immediately darkened, ¡°Ms. Shultz, if you keep crying like this, your eyes will never heal¡± Upon hearing this, Eleanor blinked at him, ¡°How do you know there¡¯s something wrong with my eyes¡­ George rolled his eyes at her, 7 am a doctor, I know about the aliments in your body. Moreover, I had seen your medical report before performing your heart transnt surgery¡± Eleanor was confused now. Why had George seen her medical reports? Noticing the confusion in her eyes, George patiently exined, Two years ago, the president of the Laurence Group personally called me, asking me to help you find apatible heart from all over the world. I had him send me your medical reports and blood samples.. Hearing the president of the Laurence Group Eleanor¡¯s eyshes trembled slightly, but her expression was much calmer than before. She had suspected that George was the heart specialist Bernard had contacted when she heard Ethan call George by his name. What she hadn¡¯t expected was that he had sent George her medical reports and blood samples, and that George would end up saving her.. As George sat down by her bed, he raised his hand with the sterile gloves on, and while massaging her arm, he continued, ¡°Although the report was not much of use, the DNA extracted from the blood sample enabled your sister to find you¡­ Sister? The sister Eleanor had relied on since childhood was Haley But it was clear that George was not referring to Hailey. What was going on? She opened her mouth and, with all her strength, asked him, ¡°What sister?¡± George stopped massaging and looked at her. ¡°Didn¡¯t Ethan tell you?¡± Eleanor blinked, ¡°No..¡± Upon hearing this, George sneered, ¡°He probably did something so outrageous that he doesn¡¯t dare to mention your sister¡¯s name.¡± Eleanor¡¯s eyes widened as she stared at George, hoping to learn the truth from him. Seeing Eleanor¡¯s gaze, George put away his mocking expression and exined to her: ¡°Your sister is five years older than you. When she was little, she was holding you while fleeing to a foreign country and somehow lost you. She has been looking for you ever since but with no sess¡­ Later, she was diagnosed with amyotrophicteral sclerosis (ALS) and suffered for a few years. Unable to bear the pain, she decided to end her life through euthanasia. Before making this decision, she signed an or gan donation agreement. It just so happened that the president of the Laurence Group had previously asked me to help find a heart, Ipared your blood sample with hers, and to my surprise, you turned out to be her sister. She was desperate for me to take her back to our home country to find you, but then she found out that you were in thete stages of heart failure and about to die¡­ Blood tests showed that she was the mostpatible donor, and in her eagerness to save you and to avoid Ethan, she chose to end her life early. Before her death, she asked me to take her heart to save you. But when I got to your hospital, you were already dead. I was going to give up, but Ethan, who arrived at the hospital, insisted that I perform the heart transnt surgery for you upon learning of your sister¡¯s dying wish. I didn¡¯t have any hopes, but Iined anyway, never thinking that you would actually survive As for why he swapped your body with someone else¡¯s from the crematorium, it was because he knew that a person whose heart had been taken out could not be revived, and although there was no hope for you either, this was hisst hope. He also saw a man outside the crematorium who seemed deeply attached to you, and in order to possess your sister¡¯s heart exclusively, he secretly switched you out, letting your sister be cremated in your ce.¡± Chapter 222 Chapter 222 Chapter 222 After listening to the story. Eleanor went silent for a long time. So that¡¯s how she came back to life. Turns out she wasn¡¯t an orphan, she had a sister¡­ And this sister even gave her own heart to save her. But Eleanor was still a bit confused. Why was her sister hiding with her abroad to avoid danger? Besides, George said her sister was eager to end her life, not only to save her but also to avoid Ethan? What on earth happened between her sister and Ethan that made her sister rather die than face him? She asked George with a puzzled face, but he couldn¡¯t give a specific answer. I¡¯m not sure about your sister¡¯s childhood¡­ ¡°As for why your sister wanted to avoid Ethan, it¡¯s because he did something bad to her George didn¡¯t exin those bad things specifically but went back to the previous tople ¡°Ms. Shultz, after I saved you, I actually nned to inform Mr. Laurence because he once asked me to help you find a heart.¡± ¡°But Ethan disagreed. He didn¡¯t want your friends to know that you were still alive, so I didn¡¯t go against his wishes.¡± ¡°Now that you¡¯re awake, I think you have the right to decide whether to tell Mr. Laurence or not..¡± Hearing about him again, Eleanor¡¯s face stiffened That cold-hearted man probably wouldn¡¯t care whether she was alive or dead If he did, he wouldn¡¯t have walked away without looking back after hitting her. Thinking about spending five years with him, and he didn¡¯t even have her phone number saved, her heart went cold There was no need to bother him, again, two years after her ¡°death.¡± Eleanor made up her mind, looked calmly at George, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell him..¡± This death would be a farewell to the painful past. From now on, she and Bernard would have nothing to do with each other. George was a bit puzzled Mr. Laurence spent a fortune asking him to use global medical resources to find a heart for her. He was willing to spend so much money to show that he cared about Eleanor, but she didn¡¯t respond at all George thought about it and decided to tell Eleanor the truth ¡°Actually Mr. Laurence, he¡­ Eleanor didn¡¯t want to listen to their story and interrupted. ¡°What¡¯s my sister¡¯s name?¡± George understood that she didn¡¯t want to talk about the president of Laurence Group anymore, so he tactfully shut up. ¡°Your sister¡¯s original name was Emba Ratliff. I¡¯ll get her picture so you can see what she looks like..¡± George turned around and left. Soon, he brought a framed photo and handed it to Eleanor Eleanor locked at the photo in the frame. The woman had some resemnce to her, but she was more gentle and elegant, with a noble temperament, radiating mature feminine charm She was wearing a red dress, standing under the Eiffel Tower, and the sunset glow made her look even more beautiful Looking at her, Eleanor felt a warm feeling deep inside as if she could see her own birth mother in her She always thought she was an abandoned orphan, but she wasn¡¯t abandoned-she was separated from her family. If she hadn¡¯t been separated back then, she would have grown up with her sister and the two would have been inseparable.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 223 Chapter 223 Chapter 223 ¡°Your sister also told me your name¡­ Hearing this, Cleanor took her eyes off the photo and looked at George. ¡°Your name is Elena, and your mother gave it to you¡± Eleanor cracked a smile at theer of her mouth. So, she had a name too ¨C Elena, it¡¯s a pretty name, She couldn¡¯t help but think back to when she was a kid at the orphanage, peeking over the wall and watching other kids being held by their parents Her smile gradually faded, tears falling uncontrobly, and the warmth within her heart was reced by sadness and loneliness Seeing her like this George gently handed her some tissues to wipe away her tears. Dontery ill hurt your eyes. Eleanor blinked and gave a small nod then asked again, ¡®My mother..¡± George gazed at her sady, Tm sorry, but Emilia sad your mom passed away when she was liitle¡± Eleanor kind of expected this cue. Otherwise, Emilia wouldn¡¯t have to take her abroad on them. Something must have happened to her mother and sate. She noticed that George hadn¡¯t mentioned her father, so she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°My father.. George interrupted her before she finished, I¡¯m sorry, but thats all know Cleanor didn¡¯t push George further, but was even more interested in the information he had. As an internationally renowned cardiologist, George had been running around for her sister, Emilia- what was the rtionship between them? George ced the frame on the bedside table and, not cing nor¡¯s curious eyes, told her, ¡°Em. Ethan, and I have been frends for many years.. He briefly exined but didn¡¯t mention the conflict between Ethan and her sister. After cing the frame on the bedside table. George sat down and continued with her rehab massage. During the massage, he told Eleanor that the first few days of rehab were critical, so he came personally. A female doctor would take over, followed by rehab training. He also told her they were by the seaside, and she could take a walk on the beach once she could walk again Having talked for a long time, George concluded today¡¯s massage as time passed. As he was leaving with his medical kit, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°When can L.. recover¡± George nced at her senously frowning. ¡°You¡¯ve been unconscious for so long that rehab training will take about two years¡± Two years? She was in a hurry to find Garett and Hailey. How could she wait so long? Worried that her anxiety would affect her cooperation in the recovery process, George reassured her. 1 will try my best to shorten the time to within a Eleanor stil felt this was too long, Dr. George could you take me back to my country first?¡± Although she couldn¡¯t move, it should be doable to transport her back to her country with someone¡¯s help. Upon hearing this. George realized her urgent desire for recovery was due to wanting to return to her country. He turned to Eleanor with a serious expression, ¡°Ethan wont let you go. He¡¯s already done so much to keep Emilia¡¯s heart close to him, theres no way he¡¯ll let you go back to your country. You better give up or that idea as soon as possible.¡± Eleanor frame for a moment, almost forgetting Ethan¡¯s existence.. Now that her heart had fused with her sister¡¯s, Etlun would, of course, treat her as he ¡®private property and wouldn¡¯t let her go easily. To find Garett and Haley, she would have to wait until her body recovered and then find a way to evade Ethan¡¯s control and return home¡­Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 224 Chapter 224 Chapter 224 In order to recover as soon as possible. Eleanor actively cooperated with George¡¯s treatment. Six monthster, Eleanor was able to get out of bed and do some simple physical movements. George said that as long as she kept up with her rehab, shell be able to more normally again in about another half a year. And her eyesight, it¡¯s gradually getting better too¡­ Although it¡¯s not as clear as before, she¡¯s already pretty content. During this time, she¡¯s been calling Garett and Hailey constantly. She even tried contacting them through various means such as WhatsApp, Twitter, and email, but she never got any replies. Ethan knew she was doing these things but he was tolerant of her actions and didn¡¯t stopter. However, when she mentioned wanting to go back to her home country he immediately got serious and warned her not to leave with Emilia¡¯s heart. Eleanor didn¡¯t bring up the topic of going back again, but she never stopped nning in her heart. In the next hall a year, Ethan still acted like before. asionally, he would be down on her chest and Isten to Emilia¡¯s heartbeat when she was asleep. At first, Eleanor was scared by his actions, but after some time, she didn¡¯t mind it anymore. When he was in a good mood, he would also take her to the brach for a wak. However, most of the time, she would be left by the road side while he sat on the beach, staring at the sea in a daze. Every time she saw Ethan like this, Eleanor thought he mally loved his sister But she didn¡¯t know why, her sister would rather die than stay with him. After getting familiar with him, Eleanor asked him about his story with her sister a few times but Ethan kept his lips sealed Even hearing Emilias name would make him somewhat unstable It seemed like he couldn¡¯t ept Emilia¡¯s death, or maybe he felt guilty about something, to the point where he couldn¡¯t even bear to hear her name. This is how they continued to live together¡­ Until Eleanor¡¯s hair grew to the same length as Emilia¡¯s, Ethan¡¯s eyes changed when he looked at her. It was as if he was looking at Em because she had a simdar short hairstyle Whenever Elcanar saw his eyes change, she would purposely cough to remind him to watch his behavior, and Ethan would stop staring at her. But since some point, he started buying her the same redng dresses that Emilia liked to wear. When Eleanor saw herself in the mirror looking more and more like Emilia, she was a be scared, She had already been someone¡¯s substitute once, and she couldn¡¯t believe it was happening again, especially with her own sister this time. With the help of a caregiver, Cleanor went to the hairdresser to have edensions added and her hair curled into waves like before. Ethan didn¡¯t say much after seeing it, but he cut it all off while she was sleepingter that night, Eleanor was ternfied, but he just rested his chin on his hand and carelessly said, ¡°That¡¯s what you get for not listening to me.¡± Eleanor locked of him in a daze. ¡°Ethan, have you gone crazy?¡± Ethan justughed lightly. ¡°You¡¯re just realizing it now?¡± Eleanor was speechless. She took a deep breath, trying tomunicate with him, I¡¯m not Em, I¡¯m Eleanor Can¡¯t you just stop dressing me up like her?¡± Ethan tilted his head slightly, seemingly considering something, then casually said. ¡°In my eyes, you are her¡± Eleanor was left speechless by hisment, and her clenched fists made her want to leave even more. Ethan seemed to see her thoughts and raised his eyebrows at her, ¡°Since you¡¯ve taken her heart and have woken up, just be her and stay with me forever.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 225 Chapter 225 Chapter 225 Eleanor looked at him helplessly. ¡°If my sister knew you treated me like this, she probably wouldn¡¯t even give me her heart¡± Thement seemed to ht a nerve with Ethan, and his eyes suddenly turned red. He stood up and quickly left, walking unsteadily and looking lonely and vulnerable Eleanor didn¡¯t have the energy to deal with him and turned her gaze to the window. George said she had recovered well, but she still needed a month of rehab However, she didn¡¯t want to stay here for another second under these circumstances. But she has no identity in her homnd since she was ¡°dead¡±. How could she return? Frowning, she thought that maybe she could use Emilia¡¯s passport and sneakily buy a ne ticket back home, Emilia¡¯s certificate of death was never processed so her personal information is still saved in another country. She and Emilia looked alike, and her current appearance was enough to pass as Em. With some makeup, she could blend in at the customs. If she couldn¡¯t, then she would be detained, but that was still better than staying with Ethan as a substitute. However, Emilia¡¯s passport is in his room¡­. This seaside vi was bought by Ethan for Emilia, and it showed traces of their past life together He had collected all of Emilia¡¯s belongings and stored them in his room. If Eleanor wanted the passport, she would have to approach him One day, when Ethan was not at home, Eleanor sneaked into his mom.. This was Eleanor¡¯s first time in Ethan¡¯s room. She was shocked to see the portraits of her sister She could only imagine how crazy Ethan must have been missing her sister after her death¡­ Unfortunately, her sister would never return, and Ethan could only remember her through these portraits. Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor snapped back to reality and started searching for Emilia¡¯s passport. Despite turning the room upside down, she had no luck. As she was about to lose hope, Ethan, leaning on the door frame, held up a passport. Is this what you¡¯re looking for?¡± Eleanor looked up from her search to him. Seeing the passport in Ethan¡¯s hand, she looked disappointed, thinking that her chances of going home were slim. Ethan walked up to her with the passport, ced his hands on the table, and lowered his gaze at the bent over Eleanor, ¡°Do you really want to go back?¡± Eleanor nced at him and nodded without hesitation Ethan stared at her for a while, then finally agreed. ¡°You can go back, but you have to agree to one condition.¡± Eleanor¡¯s face immediately brightened up, ¡°What condition?¡± Ethan took out a diamond ring box opened it, and pushed it towards her, ¡°Marry me.¡± Eleanor nced at the ring, then back at him, puzzled Ethan, however, looked emotionless as he said, ¡°Marry me as Emilia.¡± Cleanor started to understand that he was still missing her sister, but did she really have to marry him? Ethan seemed to see the doubt in her eyes and calmly exined, ¡°I must ensure your sister¡¯s heart stays with me forever¡± By marrying her, he would keep her tied down, and no one would fight him for her. Eleanor stared into Ethan¡¯s eyes. After a moment of silence, she sighed softly, ¡°Ethan, I¡¯m not Emilia. How can I marry you?¡± Chapter 226 Chapter 226 Chapter 226 [than had a careless look on his handsome face, ¡°You can refuse me, but don¡¯t you even think about going home. Eleanor free Ethan held her passport in his hand and pointed to the ring box. ¡°Ten only giving you live minutes.¡± That meant he¡¯d only give her one shot at this. If she didn¡¯t agree, she could forget about going home ever again Feeling a heavy weight in her heart, Eleanor found it difficult to breathe, struggling to make her decision. Ethan looked up in her changing expressions, seemingly not worried about his n failing, just patiently waiting. Five minutester, Eleanor took a deep breath and nodded. ¡®Fine, I agree. But it¡¯s just a marriage in form¡± [than smirked, What else could it be?¡± He picked up the engagement ring, raising his his chin to sigral Eleanor to hold out her hard. She listlessly held out her hand and he forcefully put the ring on her night ring finge After putting the ring on, Ethan let go of her hand and stared deep into her eyes. ¡°Well go to the church tomorrow.¡± With that, he took Em¡¯s passport and walked away Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor locked at her own ring finger, feeling extremely confused. It seemed like her life had been tied to Ethan in that moment In fact, since the day he decided to transnt her sisters heart into her, their lives had already be intertwined.. She didn¡¯t know how Ethan did it, but he had managed to change all her identification into Em¡¯s even her facial recognition settings From that day crward, she was no longer Eleanor, but Em. A monthter, Eleanor bauided an international flight to A City. She stared rkly out the window, sitting in a window seat in first ss Just before the cabin closed, a tall figure walked in When Eleanor saw him, her eyes widened slightly. ¡°Didnt you say I¡¯d go back on my own?¡± Ethan casualy sat down next to het ¡°Have I ever been serious before?¡± Eleanor was at a less for words. She had never met anyone like him. So, she simply ignored him and continued looking cut the window. Ethan didn¡¯t fuss, picked up a financial newspaper and started reading. After the nended in A City, Ethan followed behind her as they both kept a suitable distance, walking out of the airport. During the luggage retrieval process. Ethan took the luggage and told her to wait inside the airport, not to run around. She took out her phone and tried to contact Garett and Hailey. Their phones were off like before, so she sent them a text message instead. While typing on her phone, amotion behind her caught her attention and she looked back instinctively. A group of bodyguards in ck suits and ties were escorting an extraordinary man through the airport. The man was dressed in a white shirt and ck suit, wearing an expensive watch on his wrist, radiating an elegant and noble air. His face was like a finely sculpted statue, cold and emotionless, with deep, lifeless eyes like cull pearls. He walked briskly toward the exit of the airport with a group of management personnel and bodyguards, his face cold and distant.. As Eleanor caught a glimpse of him, she tensed up and quickly tried to avoid him, but his icy game was already fixed on her. Bernard suddenly stopped and stared nkly at Eleanor in her red dress and short hair.. Chapter 227 Chapter 227 Chapter 227 Those dull-colored eyes suddenly gained a bit of color the moment they saw her It seemed like the world suddenly went quiet, all the people around disappeared, leaving only her in this sight. He just stood there, staring at her intently his reddened eyes gradually coloring the corners. She didn¡¯t die? She¡¯s still alive? He couldn¡¯t believe it, taking stiff steps forward, heading toward Eleanor. Seeing him approach, Eleanor quickly turned to avoid him, but he stopped after a few steps. The affection in his eyes faded away, and his face gradually became cold. Even his brows and eyes regained their icy expressions. Seeing the way he looked at her, like a stranger, Eleanor¡¯s anxiety gradually disappeared. He really didn¡¯t care about her life or death, and even seeing her alive again only shocked him for a moment before he became indifferent. She smiled faintly, without hesitation, and turned to the direction of the luggage conveyor belt¡­ As her figure disappeared into the crowd, Bernard slowly snapped out of it, looking at the medicine in his hand. Indeed, he couldn¡¯t take this medicine anymore, as the symptoms have be so severe that he¡¯s having hallucinations even during the day But this time, the Eleanor in the illusion was different from the others¡­ Her waist-length curls became short hair, and her light-colored clothes changed to bright red¡­. Between the uncertain reality and illusion, Aidyn, who had just recovered from the shock, said to him: ¡°Mr. Laurence, I think I just saw Ms. Shultz¡­ Hearing this. Bernard stood there stunned, his tall and straight figure bing still Ethan had just taken the suitcase from the conveyor belt when Eleanor came over. Content held by N?velDrama.Org. He frowned slightly Didn¡¯t I tell you to wait there?¡± His tone was full ofints, as if ming Eleanor for not listening. Eleanor looked at him disdainfully. I was afraid you¡¯d grab the wrong luggage.¡± After putting her phone into her small backpack, she took the suitcase from him and pushed it away Ethan lifted his leg and kicked anotherrge suitcase towards her, ¡°This one is for you too¡± Eleanor was speechless. She secretly red at Ethan¡¯s back, pushing the tworge suitcases and following him towards the airport esit After leaving the airport, Eleanor returned the suitcases to him: ¡®I need to go find my friends, so let¡¯s part ways here.¡± Ethan tilted his head and looked at her condescendingly as if looking at an idiot, ¡°What do you think I came back with you for?¡± Eleanor choked up, looking at him. ¡°I know, but I¡¯m in a hurry to find my friends. You can¡¯t possibly follow me there, can you?¡± Ethan ignored her, shifting his gaze to a business car speeding towards them outside the airport After the car stopped in front of them, Ethan told her, ¡°Get in ¡± Eleanor was somewhat stunned. When had Ethan called a car? And it was even a luxury business car. The driver got out of the car and respectfully bowed to Ethan, Tm sorry, Mr. Ziegler. There was some traffic, and you had to wait¡± Ethan didn¡¯t seem to mind, waving his hand, then gesturing to the driver to help Eleanor with her luggage. The driver immediately stepped forward and took the suitcase from Eleanor, ¡°Ms. Shultz, let me handle your luggage. Please get in the car with Mr. Chapter 228 Chapter 228 Chapter 228 Eleanor noticed the driver treating Ethan with lots of respect and felt a bit puzzled. As she got into the car, she couldn¡¯t help but look over at Ethan and ask, ¡°What do you do for a living? She had never seen Ethan go to work during the year they spent together in another country, yet as soon as they returned home, he suddenly became Mr. Ziegler. Ethan raised an eyebrow and said arrogantly, I¡¯m an architect¡± The driver added, ¡°A famous international architect. He¡¯s like, the second most famous.¡± Eleanor went along with the driver and asked, ¡°Who¡¯s the first then?¡± The driver suddenly went quiet, and Ethan just stared out the window. It seemed like she¡¯d brought up a sensitive topic, and the atmosphere in the car turned chilly Eleanor thought for a moment, maybe it was her sister Ema? This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Soon the car stopped in front of a vi. The dower parked the car in the garage and unloaded the luggage. While pushing the suitcases, he said to both of them ¡°Mr. Ziegler, Ms. Elena, please follow me¡± Ethan didn¡¯t seem too familiar with the vi. The driver led the way, and he followed casually. Eleanor trailed behind them into the vi, noticing theyout somewhat resembled the one in another country. It must have been prepared by Ethan while they were abroad, bought ording to the style her sister liked. But none of that mattered to her. All she wanted to do now was find Hailey and Garett In front of Ethan, she chose a guest bedroom on the second floor and asked anxiously, ¡°Can I go now?¡± Ethan leaned against the doorzily, asking nonchntly, ¡°Do you know how to drive?¡± Eleanor replied immediately. ¡°Yes!¡± Ethan went to his study and grabbed some car keys, tossing them to Eleanor, ¡°Be back by 10 pm or I¡¯ll send someone to look for y Eleanor looked at the car keys, then back at him, ¡°Does my sister have a driver¡¯s license here?¡± Ethan couldn¡¯t be bothered to answer her silly question and simply turned to go back to his room. As Eleanor held the keys, unsure what to do next, the driver came in and handed her a folder Eleanor peeked inside, finding all of Emilia¡¯s identification documents, both domestic and international. you.¡± Emilia often traveled between countries and had a driver¡¯s license at home. Eleanor had no idea how Ethan switched her photo on the documents. Sighing with relief, Eleanor took the license, registration, and car keys and hurried to the garage. When she saw a Rolls-Royce¡¯s lights turn on, she paused, startled This was her favorite car model, was it prepared for her by Ethan? Eleanor didn¡¯t have time to think, got inside, and drove straight to Hailey¡¯s apartment. She went to see Hailey first because of the truma she got from the Clowers Group, making her afraid to approach Garett like before. She drove in a hurry to the apartment, but found the lock had been changed, even the front door had been reced. Eleanor stood outside, dumbfounded and feeling lost. She wondered if Hailey might be in her honeymoon suite. Despite thinking Hailey probably wouldn¡¯t be there, Eleanor still went to the residentialplex where Austin and Hailey lived. She parked the car outside theplex, registered at the security desk, and rushed into the building. Coming out of the elevator, she walked straight to their apartment, feeling a bit nervous. Fearing scaring Hailey, she took a few deep breaths and mustered the courage to knock on the door. A female voice soon came from inside, ¡°Who is it?¡± The voice didn¡¯t sound like Hailey¡¯s. Instead, it sounded a little like¡­ Chapter 229 Chapter 229 Chapter 229 As Fleanor was wondering who that person was, the door was pushed open from the Inside. Allysha came out holding a three-year-old child and appeared in front of Eleanor. Eleanor nced at Alysha, then at the child in her arms. She was taken aback for a moment, thinking that Allysha was temporarily living in Halley and Austin¡¯s house, so she didn¡¯t ask much and just said, ¡°I¡¯m your sister-inw¡¯s friend, is she home?¡± At first, Allysha didn¡¯t recognize the beautiful woman in front of her, until she spoke up, then she realized who she was. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ Scared beyond belief, she turned pale and stepped back while holding the child, ¡°A ghost!!!¡± Fleanor was a bit puzzled and stepped forward, about to tell her that she was alive, not a ghost. But Alysha frightened by her move, turned and ran, honey, that bad womans friend has turned into a ghost and ising for us!!! Hearing these words. Eleanor stopped in her tracks. Who was she calling ¡°honey? And who was the ¡°bad woman she mentioned? Just as she was frowning in thought, Austin came out of the kitchen. Seeing Eleanor standing in the doorway dressed in red, he was so scared that his body went weak. He looked as if he had done something guilty and was even more frightened than Allysha unable to speak Eleanor had no time for his drama and went straight up to him, asking coldly. ¡°Where¡¯s Hailey?¡± Standing so close to her, Austin smelled her fragrance which reassured him that she was a living person, not a ghost¡­ But, hadn¡¯t Eleanor died three years ago? How could she be standing here now? Austin couldn¡¯t believe it, his eyes wide in shock, staring at Eleanor without even hearing her question. Impatiently, Eleaner asked again. ¡°Where¡¯s Hailey?¡± This time. Austin came to his senses but was still scared, ¡®She should be, at the nightclub¡­ Hailey usually worked night shifts and rarely went to the rightclub during the day, so why was the there no now? Eleanor had no time for this. Her priority was to find Hailey and figure out what had happened during these three years. She rushed downstairs, out of the residential area, and drove to the nightclub. Haley worked at a ce called The Secret Garden, an upscale entertainment venue in A City Eleanor parked her car and went straight in to find Hailey But she found that the ce had been redecorated, so she froze for a moment. The interior had been transformed into an elegant and luxurious night-like environment, much more high end than before. She nced around briefly then went to the front desk, ¡®Hello, could you please call Hailey out for me?¡± The receptionist stood, gave a standard smile, and asked, ¡°Who are you?¡± Eleanor stated that she was Hailey¡¯s friend, and upon hearing this, the receptionist apologized. Im sorry, miss, our boss is not here at the moment.¡± Boss? Hailey was the boss here? Eleanor was confused, wondering if Garett had bought the ce for Hailey to thank him for taking care of her With many questions in her heart, she couldn¡¯t help but ask eagerly, ¡°Do you know when she¡¯ll be back?¡± The receptionist shook her head with a smile, T¡¯m not sure.¡± Eleanor had no choice but to ask for Hailey¡¯s contact number, but the receptionist refused since she had to protect her boss¡¯s privacy. Not wanting to cause any trouble, Eleanor still didn¡¯t give up, and asked the receptionist to make a phone call to Halley. The receptionist kindly dialed Hailey¡¯s number, but unfortunately, she didn¡¯t answer. Eleanor sighed, found a ce to cit, and decided to wall for Hailey there.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 230 Chapter 230 Around 9 pm, the front desk told her that Hailey probably wouldn¡¯te to the nightclub tonight, and that she should go home ande back tomorrow So, Eleanor tried to suppress her amciety and headed out of the nightclub¡­¡­. Just as she reached the parking lot and was about to get her car, a tall and handsome man suddenly appeared in front of her¡­ She looked up and saw a pair of reddish eyes. Instinctively, she turned around to leave. But the man grabbed her hand and without any hesitation, pulled her into his embrace, hugging her waist and gradually increasing his grip. His other hand gently stroked her back before pulling her even tighter into his embrace. He rested his chin on her shoulder feeling her warmth, smeling the familiar scent of her body. Only then did Bernard dare to believe that he wasn¡¯t dreaming ¨C this was al real. The loneliness that had gued him for three years finally found some peace holding her in his arms. The person he had missed for so long was still alive, ht died, to Bernard, it was a regained treasure.. He held her tight, not saying a word, perhaps unable to speak. He just wanted to feel her presence Eleanor was a bit puzzled. Bernard was such a strange mar. He¡¯d been cold to her when they met at the airport, and now he was suddenly hugging her. What was this all about? He¡¯d never hugged her like this in public before, and it made Eleanor wonder if there was something wrong with him men tally after three years. She frowned, struggling to push him away, but he held her wrist with one hand and turned her around pressing her against the car door. ¡°You¡­¡± Before Eleanor had a chance to curse him, he lowered his head and kissed her lips The moment he touched her. Bernard became like a macman, throwing all caution to the wind, just fiercely kissing her. She¡¯d never experienced such a passionate and crazy kiss before. It was as if he was expressing all his longing for her through this kiss. He recklessly kissed her, feelings of pain slowly creeping into his heart, causing his eyes to shec tears involuntarily Eleanor, Eleanor, Eleanor¡­ He repeated her name over and over in his heart, hisrging for her making him lose all serse. Her hands were held by him, her petce body pressed against the car door, unable to move. Forced to endure his wild kiss, she was almost kissed into suffocation, her face flushing red. All she could do was bite him in an attempt to break free, but he still didn¡¯t let her go.. Eleanor was shaking with anger. Did Bernard treat her as a toy that could be discarded at will? But she was a living person, wasn¡¯t she? What gave him the right to treat her like this? Especially after hurting het how could he act as if nothing had happened?! As Eleanor grew angrier, she mustered all her strength, broke free from his grasp, and shoved him away before raising her hand and viciously pping him across the face The sound of her p echoed through the entire underground garage. He looked up with teary, reddened eyes at Eleanor. Just as he was about to call her name, she grabbed her phone and dialed the police. Bernard held her hand and lowered his head to apologize. T¡¯m sorry¡­.¡± Her face ice¨Ccold. Eleanor interrupted him, ¡®Sir, I don¡¯t ept apologies. I want to report you for sexual harassment Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Bernard was stunned, and unbelievingly asked her, ¡®Eleanor, what did you just call me?¡± Chapter 232 Chapter 232 Chapter 232 He used to be so arrogant and full of himself, never talking to her in such a begging tone. Eleanor looked up at him¡­ It¡¯s been three years and he¡¯s lost a lot of weight. He¡¯s also got dark circles under his eyes, like he hasn¡¯t been sleeping well. Although he still looked the same, he seemedpletely exhausted, as if he¡¯s had a rough time these past three years. But what did that have to do with her? Now, she no longer had any hope for him and just wanted to push him away and stay far from him¡­ She lowered her gaze and said indifferently. ¡°Sir, my ID is in my car. I can show it to you.¡± Her indifferent and confident demeanor made Bernard uneasy: ¡°Eleanor. Eleanor interrupted him coldly, ¡°You¡¯ve really got the wrong person.¡± Bernard shook his head gently and said firmly. 1 never forget your appearance and your scent¡± Eleanor took a deep breath, knowing Bernard is stubborn, and decided not to argue with him anymore. She looked at the time on her phone ¨C it was almost 10 aclock. She had to get back, or Ethan would definitely give her trouble. Frowning, she said to Bernard, ¡°Think what you want, but I have to go now. My husband is waiting for me.¡± Husband? Bernard¡¯s expression suddenly froze, as if he couldn¡¯t believe she would say the word ¡°husband¡±. Eleanor didn¡¯t bother to exin and tapped on the car window, signaling him to unlock the door. ¡®Sir, let¡¯s just forget what happened earlier and assume you mistook me for someone else. Please unlock the door and let me out.¡± Bernard seemed not to hear her and stared at her with red eyes: ¡°You¡¯re married?¡± Eleanor directly nodded and then raised her right hand for him to see. The dazzling diamond ring on her ring finger stupefied Bernard. ¡°Y you Content held by N?velDrama.Org. am married.¡± Her indifferent words made him feel a heartache so intense that he could hardly breathe. He took a deep breath to alleviate some of the pain and then grabbed her right hand¡­ Covering her small hand with his big one and hiding the ring diamond ring, he looked down at her. ¡°You¡¯ve led to me a few times in the past to push me away. This time, I won¡¯t believe you¡± Eleanor¡¯s eyes trembled slightly, as if recalling the past lies, but quickly calmed down. ¡°Whether you believe it or not, this is an unchangeable fact¡­ Bernard still didn¡¯t believe her ¡®Eleanor, don¡¯t lie to me anymore¡­ He couldn¡¯t bear it, he was afraid of deception, and even more afraid of losing her again. And he feared that what she said was true. Eleanor was already getting impatient, and her eyes were even colder. ¡°Are you sick? I told you, I¡¯m not that Eleanor you¡¯re talking about!¡± She pushed him away, trying to reach for the door button but he hugged her waist tightly again, holding her close in his arms. Eleanor got angry, raised her hand, and pped him again. He didn¡¯t dodge, took it, and then kissed her again. His kiss was pretty rushed this time, as if trying to make sure she was lying through this But suddenly, a h or sounded from the opposite car, and the car¡¯s headlights shed over, lighting up both of their faces. 1/1 Chapter 233 Chapter 233 Bernard hesitated for a moment, covering Eleanor¡¯s eyes with his hand and continued kissing her. Ethan rolled his eyes and impatiently pushed the car door open, walking towards the sports car. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. He bent down and knocked on the window. ¡®Emilia, get your ass out here¡± Eleanor, hearing Ethan¡¯s voice, was startled and immediately pushed away the man kissing her. She was catching her breath and said coldly to Bernard: ¡°Open the door, my husband is here!¡± Bernard stiffened and looked away from her face, slowly turning his gaze to the man outside the car. Dressed in a gray suit, he looked elegant and handsome, with a noble aura all over him. It wasn¡¯t the man¡¯s appearance that bothered Bernard, but the fact that he called her Emilia, not Eleanor. This pissed him off! He quickly fastened the seatbelt for Eleanor, straightened up, started the car, and drove out of the parking lot. Ethan watched the Bugatti speeding away with a meaningful expression on his face He returned to his car and quickly followed. Bernard was racing down the road. Ethan, being equally crazy matched his speed. Eleanor clung to her seatbelt, ncing at Bernard who was driving with a cold face and Ethan who was closely tailing them Worried that something might happen if they continued chasing each other, she couldn¡¯t help but speak up: ¡°if anything happens to my husband, I¡¯ll sue your ass! She still refused to admit that she was Eleanor and continued to call another man her husband, making Bernard¡¯s expression even colder. He had no intention of stopping the car and drove straight to Laurence Manor The car was going too fast, and Eleanor felt a little car sick, retching Seeing this, Bernard quickly slowed down, pulled over, and rolled down the window for her to breathe some fresh air. As she leaned on the car window, deeply inhaling the fresh air, he gently patted her back. Eleanor stiffened, seemingly ufortable with this sudden kindness, and struggled to push his hand away. She nced at Ethan, who was approaching them again, and said to Bernard, ¡°Open the door I don¡¯t want my husband to misunderstand¡± Hearing her constantly referencing her husband was unbearably grating, and he replied solemnly, ¡°I don¡¯t believe it.¡± When Ethan got out of the car, he took a baseball bat with him. Seeing that the other party had no intention of opening the door, he raised the bat and began to smash the car¡¯s hood. Bernard heard the noise but remained unfard. It was as if the damaged car had nothing to do with him. He just stared intently at Eleanor. ¡°Come home with me.¡± There were so many words, so many things he wanted to tell her, and so many regrets to make up for He wanted to take her home and treat her well from now on, never to hurt her even slightly But Eleanor didn¡¯t give him the chance: 1 have my own home¡± After saying this, she immediately turned around and prepared to crawl out of the narrow car window. Seeing this, Bernard quickly stopped her, worrying that she might get hurt: ¡°Let me open the door for you.¡± Eleanor finally stopped trying to climb out the window and coldly stared at him: ¡°Hurry up¡± Bernard felt a pain in his heart, and his finger trembled as he pressed the car lock. The moment the car door unlocked, Eleanor immediately pushed the door open, got out of the car, and walked towards Ethan, who was furiously smashing the car¡¯s hood. This was the first time she¡¯d seen Ethan s so angry, and she couldn¡¯t help but swallow: ¡°Enough¡­ enough¡­¡± Ethan gave her a cold nce, ignoring her and continuing to smash the car with the baseball bat. Chapter 234 Chapter 234 The stick hit really felt like a wham on Eleanor, scaring her to step back. identally, she stepped on a rock. Almost falling, a slender hand behind her caught her waist and steadied her just in time. She looked back and saw Bemard¡¯s cold gaze on Ethan, making her jittery. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Bernard¡¯s status was something Ethan probably wouldn¡¯t want to mess with She quickly broke free from Bernard and, gathering her courage, took Ethan¡¯s hand. *¡­Honey, stop hitting, let¡¯s go home. ¡± Honey? Ethan put away the stick, giving her an unhappy side¨Ceye, as if saying, ¡°What the hell are you babbling about?¡± At this point, Eleanor couldn¡¯t care less. Grasping his arm, she tiptoed and whispered in his ear, ¡°Just y along¡± Ethan, however, uncooperatively replied. ¡°You got yourself into this trouble, figure it out on your own¡± Eleanor, growing anxious, whispered, ¡°If he takes me away, it¡¯s like taking away my sister¡¯s heart.¡± Ethan had no way He put down the baseball bat, finallypromising. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Seeing him cooperate, Eleanor held his arm tightly and turned to leave. ¡°Don¡¯t go!¡± A cold voice made Ethan stop in his tracks. Eleanor tugged at his arm, telling him, ¡°Just ignore him¡± But Ethan didn¡¯t want to leave anymore. He turned around and spun the baseball bat in his hand, then looked at Bernard with a raised chin. ¡°You hurt my wife, I let it slide, and you¡¯re still riding high. Who the hell do you think you are?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t take Ethan seriously at all. He walked up to Eleanor and extended his hand. ¡°Come with me.¡± Before Eleanor could refuse, Ethan suddenly embraced her by the shoulders, pressing her to his chest, and challenged Bernard, ¡®On what grounds?¡± Seeing her holding Ethans arm and him holding her shoulders, both tightly pressed together, Bernard was suddenly filled with rage. ¡°Because I love her!¡± His voice trembled but still rang clear and bright. It seemed as if the eight years of restraint had erupted at this moment. Seeing the look in Bernard¡¯s eyes, Ethan seemed to realize something. He lowered his head to look at Eleanor, who he was holding. The woman in his arms showed no emotion, as if she had just heard a joke. She smirked and shrugged it off. Ethan did not let her go. Instead, he held his head high and told Bernard, ¡°You¡¯re toote, she¡¯s already married to me¡± Was he toote? Bernard sneered and yanked Eleanor away. Pressing her shoulder, he looked down at her, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯ve loved you for eight years. Can you stop punishing me like this..?¡± She could hit him, curse him, hate him, and never forgive him. Anything but using another man to provoke him. He couldn¡¯t take) Eleanor scoffed in her heart, ¡°Love me? For eight years? I had no idea¡± Those past memories kept reying in her mind, but there was never a trace of love, only his coldness and indifference. He had clearly never loved her, so why im now that he had for eight years? Who would believe this? She would rather die than have anything to do with him as Eleanor. Her face remained emotionless. looked at him coldly, ¡°Sir, tonight¡¯s farce should end. We¡¯ve reached our limit of tolerance for you¡± With that, she ruthlessly pushed away his hand on her shoulder and walked towards Ethan, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ethan¡¯s gaze chifted, taking hold of Eleanor¡¯s hand as they walked towards the car, This time, Bernard did not stand in their way. Instead, with tearful eyes, he watched the two of them hand in hand, walking away. Chapter 235 Chapter 235 Under the dim streetlight, a tall and upright man stood nkly on the side of the road. He just stood there, watching a ck lussury car whizz by him. The woman he had missed for three years disappeared from his sight just like that. His fists clenched, he suppressed the urge to chase her several times, and took out his phone to make a call. When Liana heard the phone ring, she was lying in Tyler¡¯s arms, with her phone on Tyler¡¯s bedside table. She wanted to get up and grab her phone, but Tyler frowned and handed her the phone. He then turned aver, showing impatience of being disturbed by the call, but didn¡¯t leave like he used to. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Liana looked at Tyler¡¯s back and, after hiding her fake satisfied expression after their intimate moment, revealed a nonchnt expression. She picked up the phone and said respectfuly, ¡°Hello, Mr. Laurence..¡± Bernard coldly said, ¡°Liana, is it possible for someone in thete stage of heart failure toe back to life after they die?¡± Liana was stunned. This was a taboo for Bernard, and no one had been allowed to mention it in the past three years. Now, when he suddenly brought upte¨Cstage heart failure was he still hung up on Ms. Shultzs death? After pondering for a few seconds, Liana replied, Tim sorry, Mr. Laurence, I¡¯m not a heart disease expert, and I can¡¯t give you a defritive answer As Bernard was about to hang up, Liana added. ¡®Mr. Laurence, Dr. George is a renowned international heart disease expert. He must know.¡± A glimmer of hope shed in Bernard¡¯s eyes, and he quickly hung up and dialed George¡¯s number, George was taking a stroll by the seaside at this moment. Seeing Bernard¡¯s call, he hesitated. But the call was relentless, and George finally gritted his teeth and answered. After exchanging pleasantries, Bernard cut to the chase, Or George, is it possible for someone who died fromte stage heart failure toe back to life? Upon hearing this question, George knew Bernard must have seen Eleanor, who had quietly resumed to the country. Thinking of Ms. Shultz¡¯s final request, George didn¡¯t tell Bernard the truth, but simply answered honestly. ¡°If they still show vital signs and haven¡¯t expenenced bran death, it¡¯s possible.¡± Upon hearing this answer, hope shed in Bernard¡¯s eyes. ¡°So they just need a heart transnt to survive?¡± George nodded, ¡°Yes, but they would typically be in aatose state, simr to a vegetative state, and the chances of waking up are very low.¡± Ms. Shultz asked him not to tell Bemard the truth but didnt forbid him from answering Bernard¡¯s questions. This shouldn¡¯t count as breaking his promise, right? After learning of this possibility Bernard thanked him and hung up Looking again in the direction of the ck luxury car¡¯s departure. Bernard became more determined. That man must have taken his Eleanor away. But he didn¡¯t believe in the so¨Ccalled marriage between them at all Aidyn rushed to the scene with bodyguards and saw Bernard standing in front of his smashed Bugatti He thought Bernard¡¯s car had been hit and quickly walked towards hm. ¡°Mr. Laurence, are you okay? Have you been hallucinating because of an overdose of medication?¡± In the past three years, Mr. Laurence had been suffering from insomnia, holding two objects imprinted with Ms. Shultz¡¯s mark, keeping vigil all night. Worried about his health, Aidyn got some sleeping pills from Liana for him, but he became addicted to the drugs. Later, Aldyn found out that taking too much of these drugs could cause hallucinations. Bernard could meet Ms. Shultz in his hallucinations, and he gradually grew addicted to the drugs. For the past three years, Mr. Laurence had been enduring his days with the help of hallucinations, or else he definitely wouldn¡¯t have persevered. Bernard turned his gaze to Aidyn and said, ¡°Check up on a woman named Emilia, and do it quickly¡± Adyn was sturred but didn¡¯t dare to question further, nodded, and respectfully responded, ¡°Yes,¡± Seeing the destroyed Bugatti, Aidyn led Bernard to a minivan. Alter boarding the van, Aidy looked back ut Beinard and said, ¡°Mr. Laurence, your mother has applied for a sentence reduction three times. She¡¯s expected to be released from prison this year¡± Hearing this news, a cold smirk appeared at the corner of Bernard¡¯s mouth He locked out the window, nonchntly saying, ¡°Then add another charge to her sentence.¡± Chapter 236 Chapter 236 It was eerily quiet in the ck luxury sedan. Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but sneak peek at Ethan He was calmly driving, asionally adjusting the steering wheel. There was no expression on his handsome face, and he didn¡¯t ask who the man was just now. It seemed like he wasn¡¯t interested in her business, as long as her heart stayed with him. As Eleanor was guessing what he was thinking, Ethan suddenly asked her, ¡°Is that man Bernard?¡± Eleanor let out a gentle ¡°hmm¡® without saying much Ethan nced at her and said, ¡°Why do you know so many men?¡± Eleanor thought: What¡¯s that supposed to mean? A bit angry, Eleanor challenged him, ¡°Are you interested in my past?¡± After thinking for a moment, Ethan coldly replied, ¡°Not really¡­ If he wasn¡¯t interested, why did he ask? Eleanor clenched her teeth and looked out the window. The car soon returned to the vi, and Eleanor headed straight for the bedroom. Before closing the door, Ethan¡¯s voice came from behind her, ¡°Don¡¯t lock it.¡± Just as Eleanor was about to ask him not to walk around at night, since it was scary, she saw him m the door shut, followed by the sound of the door locking Eleanor was speechless, She was eager to see Hailey, eager to find out how much pain and hardship she had endured over the years due to her departure and Austin¡¯s betrayal to be a nightclub owner. Tossing and turning, she couldn¡¯t sleep well all night, and it wasn¡¯t until morning that Eleanor felt a little sleepy and managed to doze off a while. When she woke up, it was noon She opened her eyes and saw a maiding over with a gentle smile. ¡°Youngdy, you¡¯re awake?¡± Eleanor frowned, youngdy? The maid walked over, bent down, and asked her, ¡°What would you like to eat for lunch?¡± Eleanor snapped back to reality and asked, ¡°Are you the nanny Ethan hired?¡± The maid shook her head, ¡°We work for the Ziegler family. Mr. Ziegler knew that young master was back, so he transferred us here.¡± Eleanor frowned deeper, wasn¡¯t Ethan supposed to be an architect? How did he be a young master? Content held by N?velDrama.Org. The maid didn¡¯t borate further, but simply smiled at her, ¡°Well then, shall prepare some breakfast for you?¡± Eleanor nodded slightly, Thank you¡± The maid replied, ¡°My pleasure,¡± and turned to leave. Eleanor got up, got dressed, and wanted to find Ethan for rification. But he went out early in the morning, and the vi was empty except for Eleanor. Anyway, whether Ethan was an architect or a young master, it had nothing to do with her She grabbed her phone, called a car, and hurried to the nightclub. The Mercedes Ethan had given her was parked in the nightclub¡¯s parking lot Seeing that the staff hadnte to work yet, Eleanor sat back in the Mercedes to wait. Around 7 pm, when she saw the neon lightse on, she opened the car door and headed to the elevator. As soon as she came out of the elevator, she saw a group of security guards pushing a man around, with everyone¡¯s attention on him. Even though the man had his back to Eleanor, she recognized him immediately it was Austinl At that moment, Austin was kneeling on the ground, screaming desperately toward the room. ¡°Haley, I know I was wrong, please forgive me, okay?¡± A security guard scolded. Haley told you to get lost, don¡¯t force us to beat you!¡± ¡°Haley Austin sobbed, ¡°Hailey, my mom has cancer, I got fired from thepany, and I need money to raise my baby. Considering all the years we spent together, can you just treat me like a beggar and gave erie sume charly?¡± ¡°If you were really a beggar, Id give you some money and get rid of you, but you¡¯re not a beggar. A beautiful voice came, cold and fierce ¡°You¡¯re just scum¡± ¡°Hailey!¡± ¡°Shut his mouth and make him disappear from my sight!¡± Upon hearing themand, the security guard¡¯s Immediately grabbed Austin¡¯s shoulders and shoved him into the elevator. ¡°Hmph, what a loser!¡± Following the sound, Eleanor saw a familiar figure leaning against the bar counter. With a graceful posture, waist¨Clength curly hair and long fingers holding a thin cigarette, the figure yed with a wine ss in one hand. Her head tilted slightly, she stared at the red wine in the ss as if looking down at another world like its creator. Under the dim light, her entire being seemed surreal Sering Haley like this, Eleanor¡¯s heart ached, and she felt tears well up. She stood still her lips involuntarily uttering softly. ¡°Hailey¡± The faint sound should have beenpletely drowned out by the noise in the nightclub, but it touched Hailey¡¯s sensitive nerves like a wave, Hailey flicked her long curls and slowly turned her headcking outside. There she saw a woman, standing by the elevator with tears in her eyes. Chapter 237 Chapter 237 The nightclub was dimly it, and it took Hailey several changes of light to make out the other person¡¯s features. Even with short hair and a red dress, looking nothing like her old self, that face was deeply riched in her heart The person Hailey could never forget in this lifetime was actually standing right there. Stunned, Hailey dropped the cigarette from her fingers. ¡°Halley Eleanor called out tearfully. Hailey stil couldn¡¯t believe it as she walked towards Eleanor, ¡°Eleanor, is it really you¡­7¡± Eleanor, who had been holding back her tears, couldn¡¯t help but let them out. ¡°Hailey¡­¡± Hearing her voice, Haley became certain that she hadnt mistaken this person for someone else Shaking all over, Hailey tried to reach out and touch Eleanor¡¯s face several times, but her hands trembled uncontrobly due to her overwhelming emotions. Eleanor took Haley¡¯s hand and pressed it to her own cheek, tearfully telling her, ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m back.¡± Feeling Eleanor¡¯s warmth, which was so warm and so real, Haley burst into tears. ¡°Eleanor..¡± She wrapped her arms around Eleanor hugging her tightly, ¡°You¡¯re my baby Eleanor, aren¡¯t you? You haven¡¯t left me, and you¡¯re still alive, right..?¡± Eleanor hugged her just as tightly and replied through her tears. 1 am your Eleanor, and I didn¡¯t leave. I¡¯m still alive.¡± After holding each other for a long time, Haley finally let go. Her hands still trembling, she lightly touched Eleanor¡¯s face and body. Seeing that there were no injuries, she looked at Eleanor in disbelief How?¡± She had seen Eleanor taken away even Garett personally sent her to be cremated. So why, after three years, had Eleanor returned? Eleanor told Haley about everything that had happened during the past three years. T¡¯m sorry. I was in aa for two years and spent another year in rehabilitation before I coulde back to find you guys¡± With reddened eyes, Hailey shook her head. I don¡¯t me you. As long as you¡¯re still alive, that¡¯s more important to me than anything else.¡± Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Then she hugged Eleanor tightly again. ¡®Eleanor I¡¯m so d you¡¯re alive. I don¡¯t have to miss you anymore.¡± Hearing these words, Eleanor¡¯s tears flowed again, thinking how useless she had been to have caused Hailey so much pain She hugged Haley tightly promising her. ¡°Hailey Ill live well from now on and be with you until the end.¡± Crying, Hailey nodded ¡°Keep your promise, and don¡¯t lie to me.¡± Cleanor softly replied, ¡°Okay¡± then suddenly remembered Garett. Releasing Haley, she gathered her courage to ask, ¡°Where¡¯s Gare!!?¡± Hearing this, Hailey wiped her tears and smiled at Eleanor. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll take you inside. I¡¯ve bought this ce now, and it¡¯s beenpletely renovated. It¡¯s nothing like it used to be¡­¡± Eleanor frowned, noticing that Hailey heard her question but chose to ignore it and change the subject instead. This made Eleanor uneasy, so she tightened her grip on Hailey¡¯s hand and pressed her again. ¡°Hailey where is Garett?¡± Her voice trembling this time, she seemed to be afraid of hearing the answer, but she had to know. Seeing that Eleanor wouldn¡¯t let it go, Hailey stopped, turned and, with red¨Crimmed eyes, locked at her. ¡°He¡­ He died for you.¡± Eleanor¡¯s body stiffened, her face turning pale. ¡°Haley, what are you talking about? What does that mean?¡± She couldn¡¯t ept it, even though it was reported in the news and Hailey told her directly She just couldn¡¯t ept it! Garett, that gentle boy who cared for her wholeheartedly how could he leave her in such a sad way? How could this be?! She shook her head in disbelief, ¡°No, he wouldn¡¯t do that..¡± Chapter 238 Chapter 238 Hailey stepped forward to embrace Eleanor, feeling her warmth, and her heart ached along with it. ¡°Eleanor, I can¡¯t believe it either, but¡­¡± She didn¡¯t finish her sentence, tears streaming down her cheeks. Three years ago, she followed Garett to the cemetery, fearing he might do something foolish. When she arrived at the cemetery, she didn¡¯t find Garett, only bloodstains on a gravestone. She felt very uneasy and searched everywhere for Garett but couldn¡¯t find him. The next day, the news reported that Jason, the president of the Clowers Group, hadmitted suicide at the cemetery for love Only then did she realize Garett had indeed done something foolish.. She held Cleanor tightly, with tearful eyes she said, I¡¯m sorry, Eleanor, it¡¯s my fault for not taking care of him¡­ No.. Eleanor shock her head slightly, feeling as if her heart was being torn apart, the pain making it hard to breathe. So many people had told her that Garett had passed away, but she didn¡¯t believe them. She just wanted to hear the answer from Hailey, which is why she rushed back to the country. But at this moment, Hailey also told her in person that Garett had died for love. She had to believe it, but the person who should be sorry to Garett was always her¡­. Garett had a car ident because they had an argument and he was hit by a car trying to save her. She knew he couldn¡¯t ept her being with other mer, yet she raised money for the surgery by selling herself. He med and scolded her for this, but she couldn¡¯t understand him, and left the hospital in a huff, causing him to be taken away by the Clowers family. He chose to jump out of the car for her, unwilling to return to the Clowers family, but lost his memory due to the second car ident When she went to find him, his elder brother tried to harm her, and she mistakenly thought it was Garett¡¯s doing, bing utterly disappointed in him. From that moment, theypletely missed each other. Even if they met again and cleared up the misunderstanding, their rtionship couldn¡¯t go back. She thought her death would mark the beginning of the end of all gnevances, but she never imagined that he would remain as stubborn as he was when he was young. For her, and for a promise, he chose to die for love¡­ Just thinking about dying for love made Eleanor overwhelmed with quilt¡­. She copsed into Haley¡¯s arms, crying uncontrobly her sobs tearing her apart¡­ It was herck of faith in their decade¨Clong rtionship that caused her to misunderstand him. It was her involvement with another man out of spite that hurt him so much after he regained his memory. It was her meeting with another man before her death that led him tomit suicide with such regret. Thinking of Garett now as a lone, wandering spirit in a world without her¡­ She wanted to follow him, as she, being so sinful, didn¡¯t deserve to live. ¡°Hailey, I didn¡¯t believe it before, but now I know he killed himself for me. I think I should go be with him¡­¡± Hearing these words, Hailey¡¯s body stiffened, her face turned pale, as if she was brought back to the pain of losing two loved ones three years ago. With all her strength, she held Eleanor tight and cried, ¡°Eleanor, Garett left me, his family behind, are you going to do the same? You finally came back, how can you just leave me like this? Am I not your family too?¡± Eleanor¡¯s heart ached, and she couldn¡¯t help but tightly hug Hailey back. Yes, her family included not only Garett but also Haley. But the guilt in her heart was gradually consuming her. Those who shouldn¡¯t be alive were alive, and those who shouldn¡¯t have died were gone. It was so unfair. Hailey, afraid that she might do something foolish too, whispered in her ear, ¡°Eleanor, you still have me, you have me¡­¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Tears welled up uncontrobly in Eleanor¡¯s eyes, and she broke down, clinging to Halley and crying inconsbly. Life is unpredictable, and the meversible past left her powerless. That young man had spent more than twenty years illustrating a beautiful tale, but was ultimately powerless to change his destined fate. Chapter 239 Chapter 239 Eleanor cried until she had no tears left. She tried to break free from Halley several times to be with Garett, but Hailey held her tight, not wanting her to hurt herself. Determined to keep Eleanor safe, Hailey finally calmed the heartbroken girl down. Unable to stand any longer, Eleanor slowly crouched down, leaning against the wall. Hailey wanted to take Eleanor to a private room to rest, but Eleanor refused. She squatted in the corner, hugging her arms and burying her head in her arm crook. She looked like a child abandoned by the world, left all re. Hailey stayed by her side, not daring to disturb her. She let the people around them leave and squalled next to Eleanor. Three years ago, Hailey had suffered a devastating blow hersell her husband cheated on her, her family member died, and for a long time, she couldn¡¯t pull herself together. d her way to move on. Back then, her world had copsed, but she had to find her way t It was this belief that kept her going, and she never expected to reunite with Eleanor. Now that they could see each other, she wouldn¡¯t let her make any foolish decisions, She would do her best to protect Eleanor and hold onto her. Hailey patted Eleanor¡¯s shoulder, hoping to offer somefort. Time passed, and they stayed in the corner until a man in a suit approached. Hailey locked up at him. Seeing his gaze constantly or Eleanor, she nervously asked who he was. He went straight to Eleanor gently pushing her head with his slender fingers, ¡°It¡¯s ten o¡¯clock, Let¡¯s go home.¡± Eleanor recognized the voice as Ethan¡¯s but didn¡¯t look up, staring at the flour, her eyes empty. Ethan frowned when she didn¡¯t respond, bent down and tugged at Eleanor¡¯s sleeve, saying, ¡°Crn, let¡¯s go home.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor looked exhausted nced at Ethan, and said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go home today She wanted to stay here with Haley and spend the right like this. Hearing her words, Ethan¡¯s face darkened slightly, I¡¯m only gonna say it one more time, go home.¡± Tears streaming down her face, Fleanor said, ¡°Ethan, do you know that my beloved boy died?¡± Upon hearing this, Ethan replied indifferently, ¡°Didn¡¯t tell you before? He¡¯s already dead.¡± Eleanor lowered her head, covered her eyes with her hands, and buried her head in her arm crook again. Seeing the tiny figure curled up in the corner. Ethan sighed, ¡°Fine, take a one¨Cday vacation.¡± After saying that he turned around and left without hesitation Hailey turned her gaze back and looked at Eleanor. Is that the guy who saved you for your sister¡¯s heart?¡± A while ago, Cleaner told her how she had survived and mentioned a man named Ethan who saved her. So, Hailey knew who the man who just left was. Eleanor nodded without the energy to speak. The gult and sorrow deep in her heart made it impossible for her to resist. Closing her eyes, and she suddenly fanted to the ground. Before losing consciousness, she seemed to hear Hailey¡¯s exmation, ¡°Eleanor!¡± Chapter 240 Chapter 240 When she opened her eyes again, the ring sunlight streamed through the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows and slowly filled the room. Looking around, the surroundings felt cozy but somewhat unfamiliar. Just as she was about to ask herself where she was, the door was pushed open, and Hailey came in with a ss of warm water. ¡°Eleanor, you¡¯re awake?¡± Seeing Hailey Eleanor guessed this must be Hailey¡¯s new ce. Struggling to support her weak body, she got out of bed. ¡°Don¡¯t move, you should stay in bed¡­ After putting down the ss, Hailey helped Eleanor lean against the head of the bed. ¡°I called a doctor toe and check on you. He said you fainted because you got too emotional.. Eleanor managed a weak smile, ¡°Thank you, Hailey¡± Hailey straightened Eleanor¡¯s hair and said softly, ¡°Silly girl, why are you being so normal with me? Taking care of you is my responsibility as your older sister.¡± The warmth of her words and the familiar gestures made Eleanor¡¯s heart feel warm, and tears welled up in her eyes. Hailey caressed her face lovingly. Eleanor, don¡¯t cry anymore, it hurts me to see it.¡± Eleanor obediently nodded, choking back her tears. Seeing Eleanor so obedient and adorable, Hailey couldn¡¯t help but smile. Her Eleanor was still alive, and life was once again filled with hope¡­.. Hailey picked up the ss again, asking Eleanor to drink some water first. After finishing her water, Eleanor turned to Hailey and asked, ¡°Hailey, can you take me to Garett¡¯s grave?¡± Hailey put the ss down and said gently ¡°He doesn¡¯t have a grave. The Clowers family said they scattered his ashes into the sea.¡± After learning of Garett¡¯s death, she had tried to find him but arrived after his funeral had been taken care of by the Clowers family. Upon hearing this news. Eleanor¡¯s tears flowed once again¡­ He didn¡¯t even have a grave, as if he had never left a trace in this world. That young man had always been so pure and innocent, yet he had vanished from this world in such a manner. Seeing Eleanor¡¯s tears, Hailey handed her a tissue and whisperedforting words, ¡°Eleanor, let¡¯s wait until our livese to an end, and then we¡¯ll go find him. By then, we¡¯ll continue being family in heaven¡± She had once dreamed of Eleanor wanting to build a big house for them and they will all live in it. In reality, Hailey bought a vi ording to the dream, with a simr style However, with the dream bing reality, she found herself alone, trapped in the memories of the past¡­ Now Eleanor was back by her side, but she wasn¡¯t sure if they could wait for Garett¡¯s return¡­ Hailey took a deep breath, opened the bedside table, and took out a marriage certificate, handing it to Eleanor. ¡°You two didn¡¯t miss each other. At least he kept his promise from his youth and married you¡± Seeing the marriage certificate, Eleanor¡¯s tears continued to flow. She reached out for it and slowly unfolded it¡­ This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. There were Garett¡¯s and her names on it. Beside it was a photo of the two of them together, both smiling happily and contentedly. It was proof that, from that moment on, the two had be a couple. Chapter 241 Chapter 241 At the age of eighteen. Eleanor clung to Garett¡¯s arm and asked, ¡°Garett, when are you gonna marry me?¡± Garett was reading a book, smiled, and poked her nose with his pen: ¡°When I have the ability to marry you¡± Eleanor pouted, discontentedly said, ¡°When will you have that ability?¡± Garett picked up the book in his hand and said to her ¡°When I finish learning all this knowledge and be a capable man, I¡¯ll have the ability to marry you.¡± Eleanor held her chin with both hands and posted. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare forget about me after you be a capable man, okay? Don¡¯t give up marrying me.¡± Little did she know that her words woulde true. Garett finally became a capable person but forgot about her By the time he remembered, she was about to leave this world¡­ But that sily man, even at her death, wanted to marry her. Eleanor held the marriage certificate to her chest and cried uncontrobly again. He didn¡¯t care about anything and married her, but she came back to marry Ethan¡­ This kind of missed opportunity made Eleanor¡¯s quilt grow infinitely. Hailey held her arm with red eyes, quietly apanying het¡­ When the sun was about to set Eleanor finally calmed down and asked Haley, ¡°Can I have this marriage certificate?¡± Hailey nodded and said softly. ¡°Of course, it belongs to you.¡± The witness on it was Eleanor, left for her by Garelt. And the one with Garett as a witness was torn to pieces. Hailey saw the torn marriage certificate when she rushed to the cemetery. She didn¡¯t know why Garett tore up the marriage certificate and left this world. She thought about itter, he probably wanted to tell Eleanor in his way that they got married¡­ Eleanor clutched the marriage certificate tightly and suppressed the quilt, sorrow, and sadness deep in her heart, then looked at Hailey slowly. ¡°Halley, I¡¯ll stay with you until the end of my life. Then I go frd Garett again¡± He gave her infinite warmth with his short life, she owed it to him But now, she has alley and the heart her sister sacrificed her life for¡­. Hearing that, Hailey was stunned, but slowly understood that Eleanor wouldn¡¯t hurt hersell anymore and her hanging heart calmed down. ¡°Okay.¡± She only replied with a word, but with a firm strength. The two were silent for a while. Hailey reached out and touched her head, Is there anything you wanna eat?¡± Eleanor shook her head and asked Hailey. ¡°Have you changed all your contact information?¡± Hailey nodded, ¡°Yes, I did. After you left, I couldn¡¯t bear to touch anything about the past, so I changed everything¡± No wonder Hailey didn¡¯t receive any of the messages. Turned out, she couldn¡¯t bear to touch those memories after the sudden death of two loved ones.. Feeling guilty, Eleanor apologized to her, ¡°Sorry Hailey..¡± Her face full of guilt mode Hailey¡¯s heart ache, ¡°Eleanor, life is always unpredictable, how could you foresee what would happen in the future? So there¡¯s no need to me yourself, there¡¯s nothing wrong with you living on¡­¡± Hailey¡¯s words made Eleanor¡¯s guilt a little lighter, but it was only a temporary peace that she tried to suppress. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Thinking of Austin kneeling in front of Haley, wanting to know what happened to Halley in these three years, she couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Hailey, I went to your house to find you, but I found Allysha instead. Last night I also saw Austine to beg you, what has happened?¡± Chapter 242 Chapter 242 Halley¡¯s expression paused for a moment, and then quickly showed a hint of disgust. ¡°Do you know why he didn¡¯t let me go to his hometown back then?¡± ¡°Because of Allysha?¡± Hailey nodded and started to tell her about what happened back then: ¡°Austin and Allysha are not biological siblings, they¡¯ve been together for a while, and both of their parents agreed to it. But to satisfy Allysha¡¯s vanity, she wanted Austin to buy a high¨Cend house in the city. But they couldn¡¯t afford the house prices in A City. In order to buy a house, Austin started targeting me. ¡°He knew I was an orphan, and that I was just selling drinks at a nightclub for work, so he pretended to be friendly and approached me. In the end, he sessfully made me fall in love with him, butter I found out that his rtionship with Allysha was fishy! Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°On the night I found out you were dying of heart failure, I saw them doing it in the hospital, but I didn¡¯t want you to worry about me before you died, so didn¡¯t tell you the truth and led to you that there was nothing going on between them. In fact, they¡¯ve been fooling me all along.¡± After hearing all this, Eleanor sat up straight and hugged Haley tightly, feeling heartbroken for her.. After Hailey and Austin got together, she worked hard to make more money and relieve Austin¡¯s financial pressure What¡¯s infuriating is that the man Hailey thought she could rely on for a lifetime was actually lying to her all along This cruel truth was discovered when she learned that Eleanor was about to die. Haley must have been devastated back then. She hugged Hailey, trying to ease the pain in her heart with an embrace, but Hailey patted her back with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I was in pain for a while after I found out the truth, but then I became strong.¡± ¡°I installed cameras in our house, recorded all their dirty deeds, and sent them to awyer.¡± ¡°I won thewsuit, but I didn¡¯t get the house because his parents paid the down payment before our marriage, so all I could get was the mortgage loan, the money I spent on him, andpensation for emotional distress.¡± ¡°But unexpectedly, I don¡¯t know who helped me, but they exposed Austin¡¯s deceptive marriage in order to buy a house online, and Austin was discredited because of it. Thepany he worked for fired him, and other bigpanies didn¡¯t want to hire him.¡± ¡°As far as I know, he now works in real estate sales, but his sry is far from enough to pay the mortgage. In the end, he still has to rely on Allysha for money and his mother has cancer, so she desperately needs money, which is why he keepsing to me asking for it.¡± Hailey said this with a sneer and a hint of anger in her eyes. ¡°Does he still think I¡¯m as easy to deceive as I was before? Does he think begging me on his knees is enough to squeeze money out of me? Me not sending someone to teach him a lesson is already being nice to him!¡± After learning about what happened during these three years, Eleanor felt extremely sad for Haley¡¯s experiences: ¡°Hailey, you¡¯re such a good person, you¡¯ll definitely meet someone better. Hearing this, the anger in Hailey¡¯s eyes gradually faded, reced by aplex expression. She seemed to have some secrets that were hard to speak, but she didn¡¯t know how to tell them. Just as she was struggling to find a way to say it, her phone¡¯s vibration interrupted her thoughts. Hailey took out her phone and looked at it, her expression a bit stiff, then she nced at Eleanor with some guilt. Eleanor had already seen the caller ID on the phone when Hailey took it out. Cedric Laurence¡­ Ranked seventh in the Laurence family, that¡¯s Cedric Laurence Why would he call Hailey? And why did Hailey feel guilty when she saw his call? Chapter 243 Chapter 243 Chapter 243 Hailey apologized, need to take a phone call¡± Eleanor nodded, and after Hailey hurriedly left the bedroom and closed the door. She knew that a lot must have happened in the three years, but she didn¡¯t expect Hailey and Cedric.. Outside the door, Hailey held her phone and whispered, 1 have to hang out with a friend tonight, so I might not be able to make it Cedric held a wine ss, paused for a moment, ¡°What friend?¡± Hailey vaguely replied, ¡°A female friend.¡± Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Cedric said tly, ¡°Bummer.¡± After hanging up the phone, Hailey exhaled, turned around, and walked back into the bedroom. Seeing Eleanor sitting quietly on the bed waiting for her, Hailey felt a bit uneasy. She approached and sat on the edge of the bed, gathering her courage to confess to Eleanor, I¡¯m sorry, Eleanor, I know I shouldn¡¯t be involved with anyone from the Laurence family, especially since Bernard once hurt you¡­¡± Eleanor interrupted her gently, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Hailey, don¡¯t worry about me. As long as you¡¯re happy. But just¡­ She showed a hint of concern on her face, ¡°Cedric is well-known for being a yb oy, he¡¯s had many women around him, you might get hurt being with him¡­ It¡¯s okay as long as you don¡¯t fall in love with this type of men, but if you do, you¡¯ll end up with scars all over your heart. Just like Eleanor once was. Hailey replied in a rxed tone, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m with him for the sake of revenge¡± Eleanor asked with confusion, What revenge?¡± Hailey clenched her fist, angnly saying, ¡°Joelle, Sophie, Bernard, those three hurt you, and almost killed you, of course, I have to take revenge! Hearing these names, Eleanor¡¯s heart pained. How could Hailey possibly handle them? She immediately stood up, checking Hailey¡¯s body while asking, ¡°Are you alright? Have they done anything to you? It¡¯s too dangerous for you to seek revenge on them.¡± Hailey smiled and assured her, Tm fine. I didn¡¯t get hurt,¡± Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°That¡¯s good. Leave the revenge to me. Il find a way to deal with them!¡± Hailey shook her head. ¡°You don¡¯t need to do anything. Joelle and Sophie have already received their retribution.¡± Eleanor frowned, not understanding what she meant, ¡°What retribution?¡± Hailey took out a cigarette, ying with it while telling her, I wanted to teach Joelle a lesson, but someone already sold her to a nightclub. By the time the Stanley family got her out, she had be a madwoman¡± Hailey continued, ¡°Sophie ended up with the same fate, with people regrly humiliating her every month¡­ Although they didn¡¯t do anything too outrageous, they¡¯ve been torturing her¡± ¡°My targets could only be shifted toward Bernard, but over these three years, he¡¯s be more and more powerful. First, he assimted the Stanley family and the Ratliff family, then invested in the Clowers Group. Now, he¡¯s pretty much unbeatable.¡± really didn¡¯t know what else to do, so I used the foolish method of trying to seduce Cedric, rece Norene, and be his woman.¡± ¡°I wanted to use Cedric¡¯s power to get back at Bernard, but obviously, I was too dumb. Cedric would never go against his brother for a woman. After understanding that, I tried to back out; but Cedric just wouldn¡¯t let me go.. Chapter 244 Chapter 244 Chapter 244 Halley put her past memories aside and looked at Eleanor. ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t fall in love with Cedric. After Garett, there are no good guys in this world¡± ¡°So. I¡¯m not like before, when someone was nice to me, I¡¯d fall for them head over heels. It¡¯s not really worth it.¡± Eleanor¡¯s gaze grew dim again when Garett was mentioned. That good man in this world were gone, and there would be no more for her She lowered her eyes to hide the sadness in them, then looked gratefully at Hailey. ¡°Hailey, thank you for sacrificing so much for me. I don¡¯t know how to repay you. If you don¡¯t want to be with Cedric, I help you out. Hailey smiled without answering, but just reached out to touch Eleanor¡¯s hair. ¡°As long as you¡¯re alive, that¡¯s the best reward for me. From now on, stay by my side and don¡¯t go anywhere else, got it?¡± Hailey was a ray of light in Eleanor¡¯s life, always providing her with warmth. Even when faced with difficulties, Hailey would offer her limitless strength in the most crucial moments. Just like now, Hailey showed no resentment or hatred, just wholehearted devotion. Tears filled Eleanor¡¯s eyes as she embraced Hailey, making a promise to her. ¡°Hailey, now that I¡¯m back, it¡¯s my turn to take care of you.¡± Hailey smiled softly, not refusing. ¡°Well, you better think it through. When I¡¯m old and can¡¯t move, you¡¯ll have to take care of me, feed me, give me water, push my wheelchair, and maybe even take care of my daily life¡± Eleanor was amused by her words, a light smile showing on her cheeks. ¡°No matter what it is, as long as it¡¯s for you, I¡¯m willing to do it. Seeing her finally smile, Haley didn¡¯t tease her any longer. She stood up, unlocked the drawer and took out a sealed bag. As she took the items out, she said to Eleanor, T¡¯m afraid that if I go back to that small apartment, I¡¯ll be reminded of the past, so I¡¯ve never been back. But before I left the apartment, I brought your important belongings with me.¡± She handed Eleanor her old phone, I kept this phone, and the number as well, I thought as long as they¡¯re here, your presence in this world wouldn¡¯t be erased by time.¡± Speaking to this point, Hailey¡¯s expression becameplicated. ¡°That per vert called Mr. Law seems to have the same idea as me. Before I could recharge your number, he added loads of credit into it, as if to make sure the number would always exist¡± ¡°And over the past three years, he¡¯s sent you thousands of messages. At first, I found him annoying and blocked him, but he kept changing numbers and messaging you, so I stopped caring about these messages¡± Hailey sighed, ¡°That guy texts you almost every day, persistently pursuing you. I think he might actually like you¡± Eleanor was taken aback by Hailey¡¯s words. She took the phone, checked the messages, and found it hard to believe when she saw all those words crammed together. Why would Mr. Law, originally just a criminal interested in her body, send her texts for three years straight? Could it be that he was interested in more than just her body? Eleanor scrolled through the messages with a puzzled look on her face, her slender fingers moving from the bottom to the top, checking each message one by one.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 245 Chapter 245 Chapter 245 1 miss you so much¡± ¡°Can youe back?¡± Pleasee back, I still have a secret to tell you¡± ¡°Today I dreamed of you, and in my dream, you told me to stop bothering you¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to disturb you either, but I can¡¯t help myself¡± ¡°I miss you so much, almost going crazy, tell me, what can I do to stop missing you¡± ¡°Can youe back? Pleasee back¡± ¡°They say that the dead can¡¯te back, so how can I see you again?¡± 1took sleeping pills and saw you in my dreams, it¡¯s so great to see you again¡± ¡°In my dream, you told me that you actually love me very much held you tightly in my arms, responding to your love¡± ¡°But, these are just dreams, how could you possibly love me?¡± Tremind myself that you love someone else in your heart, I shouldn¡¯t have any more illusions about you, let go ¡°But, I can¡¯t let go, you¡¯re like drugs, addictive, unforgettable¡± ¡°Eleanor, I love you, if I have the chance to start over, I will spend my entire life loving you, please come back¡± Eleanor couldn¡¯t bear to read any further She never imagined that in this world, a criminal would be so obsessed with missing her. He never revealed his true face to express the love in his heart, but merely used this way to commemorate her. Eleanor couldn¡¯t understand his purpose, but she was shocked by these thousands of messages¡­. Seeing her in a daze, Hailey couldn¡¯t help but speak up: ¡°When I first saw him sending messages like crazy, I made an appointment with him using your name, I originally wanted to bring the police to arrest him since he vited you, but I didn¡¯t see him. Instead, I met¡­ Halley hesitated for a moment, the man who appeared in the cafe might have been just a coincidence. Someone as cold as Bernard would never remember her in this way. Hailey thought about it and decided not to tell Eleanor: ¡°Anyway, he didn¡¯t dare to show up, so we didn¡¯t catch him¡± Eleanor held her phone tightly and looked up at Hailey: ¡°These things should be done by me, but you took risks for me, and I¡­ Hailey interrupted her. If it were me in this situation, you would help me too, so there¡¯s no need to say thank you.¡± Eleanor nodded obediently, nced at the phone screen, and felt full of doubts. This Mr. Law seemed to really like her, but he didn¡¯t have the courage to show up. Why? She couldn¡¯t figure it out and didn¡¯t want to delve into the mind of a criminal, so she stopped reading. After putting her old phone into a sealed bag, Eleanor wanted to persuade Hailey to rest, but saw a beam of high beam lighting in from the window. The light went through the ss, dazzling her eyes. But soon, the high beam turned into a low beam The sound of car wheels crushing the ground came from downstairs, followed by a tall figure pushing open the car door and walking out from the light. Ethan arrived at the vi entrance, looked up at the brightly lit bedroom, and coldly shouted: ¡°Emilia, let¡¯s go home.¡± The window on the side of the bedroom was open, and his voice was clearly and forcefully transmitted Eleanor¡¯s face changed for a moment. She didn¡¯t want to go back with Ethan and wanted to stay with Hailey. But [than obviously wouldn¡¯t let her continue to stay at Hailey¡¯s house with her sister¡¯s heart. She sighed deeply. After being resurrected, she could no longer be as capricious as before.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 246 Chapter 246 Chapter 246 Hailey got up and looked out the window, seeing Ethan looking determined not to leave till Eleanor showed up. She frowned and asked Eleanor, ¡°Isn¡¯t he your sister¡¯s lover? Why is he so obsessed about you going home?¡± Eleanor had only told Halley about how she survived but didn¡¯t mention the entanglement between her and Ethan. She pushed of! the covers, walked up to Hailey and looked at Ethan downstairs, saying, ¡°Hailey he and I got married abroad.¡± Halley stared at her in shock, ¡°What?¡± Cleanor calmly told Haley, ¡°I was in a hurry toe back to find you and Garett, but he was afraid that I would be with someone else aftering back with my sister¡¯s heart, so he used marriage to bind me. He wouldn¡¯t let mee back if I didn¡¯t agree¡± After listening, Hailey¡¯s expression darkened, Eleanor, doesn¡¯t that mean you have to be with him forever?¡± There was a dull, lifeless lock in Cleanor¡¯s eyes, Trom the moment he put my sister¡¯s heart in my body to fulfil her dying wish, I was destined to be with him forever¡­¡± In other words, Eleanor may be alive now, but she has lost her freedom forever. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Hailey couldn¡¯t help but worry. ¡°Eleanor, can you find a way to get rid of him?¡± She looked at Hailey somewhat helplessly, ¡°As long as this heart is here, he won¡¯t let me go¡­ Furthermore, if it weren¡¯t for him, deciding on the spot to give her his sister¡¯s heart, she wouldn¡¯t have survived. It didn¡¯t seem right to try to get rid of him now that she had juste back to life. Hailey frowned, But he seems a little crazy, can you hand e him?¡± Eleanor thought Ethan shouldn¡¯t hurt her and nodded, ¡°His instability might be because he loved my sister too much.¡± Haley suddenly felt that this was a tough knot to untic, and she didn¡¯t know how to continue il e conversation. As they were silent, there was a knock on the door dewrstairs. Afraid that Eleanor would be ufortable, Hailey gave in. ¡°Since he wont harm you just go back with him today, and I¡¯lle to see you tomorrow.¡± Hearing this. Eleanor nodded, turned around to walk downstairs, and then suddenly stopped, She looked back at Hailey. ¡°Haley, I came back as my sister Em, as for Cedric¡­ Having heard Ethan call her Emilia, Haley had already guessed that she had returned pretending to be her sister. She gave her a reassuring smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t tell him, and I won¡¯t let Bernard know you¡¯re Eleanor either.¡± Fleanor smiled faintly. ¡°Thank you, Hailey¡­¡± Hailey shook her head helplessly, looking at the retreating figure, her brows furrowed with worry. Eleanor ledt Bernard, only to meet someone I ke Ethan was it good luck or bad luck? After getting into the passenger seat, Eleanor looked at Ethar, ¡°Isn¡¯t ten o¡¯clock too early to go home?¡± Ethan nced at her casually, not caring much, ¡°Then let¡¯s make it eight o¡¯clock.¡± Eleanor: Never mind that I said anything.. At the front door of the vi, a tall and straight man was leaning against the car, His long fingers held a cigarette, surrounded by smoke, revealing an exquisitely chiseled face. His thickshes hung low, casting a shadow under the dim streetmp The cor of his white shirt was slightly open, revealing a clearly defined corbone. With the sleeves rolled up to the middle of his arm, his fair skin was exposed. From a distance, he exuded a noble and cold aura. If it weren¡¯t for the cigarette adding a touch of dust to him, he would seem like someone who stepped out of a painting 07:09 Bernard flicked his cigarette butt. Chapter 247 Chapter 247 The fame flickered and burned on his skin, but he didn¡¯t feel any pain at all. What echoed in his ears was the ruthless truth Aldyn conveyed after discovering the truth. ¡°Mr. Laurence, the information shows that Emilia is not Ms. Shultz; she¡¯s been living abroad.¡± ¡°ording to the message from another country. Ms. Shultz might be her long¨Clost sister Besides, Ms. Emilia and Ethan have indeed gotten married, and the wedding took ce at a church in another country. Bernard raised his hand and gently touched his thin lips with his fingertips. That sweet and intoxicating taste was undoubtedly Eleanor. However, Aidyn told him that the person wasn¡¯t Eleanor, with a bunch of information about Emilia. Bernard took a light puff and showed disbelief in his indifferent gaze After Ethan parked the car and saw the tall figure, he frowned, ¡°Why is it him again?¡± Eleanor followed his gaze and looked at the man under the street light, slightly stunned. Ethan red at Eleanor with one hand on the car window. ¡°You got yourself in trouble, deal with it yourself.¡± As Eleanor turned her gaze away she looked at Ethan, ¡°Don¡¯t we have security guards at home? Let security chase him away.¡± She didn¡¯t want to have any involvement with Bernard and hoped they never saw each other again like strangers Ethan pointed to the row of luxury cars behind their car, ¡°He¡¯s got more people today. I can¡¯t beat him¡± Only then did Eleanor notice the other cars and looked serious, ¡°What should we do?¡± Ethan irritably opened the car door, pulled Eleanor out of the car, and walked straight to the vi. As they approached the entrance of the vi, they were stopped This time, Bernard was not violent but calmly said to Ethan, ¡°I need to ask Ms. Emil a few questions, and I return her to you¡± Hearing him address her as Ms. Emilia rather than Eleanor, Ethan knew Bernard had checked on them. He looked at Bernard with the same indifferent gaze. ¡°My wife doesn¡¯t want to talk to you! After saying that, Ethan tried to pull Eleanor straight into the vi However, Eleanor¡¯s arm was tightly grabbed by an icy hand. Bernard lowered his head and looked at Eleanor, ¡°Just half an hour¡°¡± Hearing this, Eleanor slowly raised her head. Her gaze was indifferent and calm with no emotional ripples, Im sorry, I don¡¯t want to talk to you.¡± The hand gripping her arm tightened, and the man lowered his arrogant chin, ¡°Ten minutes. He held her tightly as if he would never let go unless she gave him a chance to speak. Eleanor frowned and sighed, ¡°Tive minutes, let¡¯s talk here¡± Seeing her agreeing, Bernard¡¯s cold eyes turned to Ethan. Ethan nced at him and said to Eleanor, Five minutes, then you muste back.¡± Eleanor obeyed, nodded, and said, ¡°Okay¡± Only then did Ethan release her hand and walk back to the vi. After he left, Cleanor looked coldly at Bernard, ¡°Go ahead.¡± In front of Ethan, she was always obedient and gentle, just as she was in front of him in the past. However, now in front of Bernard, she was calm, indifferent, and a bit impatient. Seeing she could no longer return to the past, Barnard¡¯s heartache deepened. 1/1 The fame flickered and burned on his skin, but he didn¡¯t feel any pain at all. What echoed in his ears was the ruthless truth Aldyn conveyed after discovering the truth. ¡°Mr. Laurence, the information shows that Emilia is not Ms. Shultz; she¡¯s been living abroad.¡± ¡°ording to the message from another country. Ms. Shultz might be her long¨Clost sister Besides, Ms. Emilia and Ethan have indeed gotten married, and the wedding took ce at a church in another country. Bernard raised his hand and gently touched his thin lips with his fingertips. That sweet and intoxicating taste was undoubtedly Eleanor. However, Aidyn told him that the person wasn¡¯t Eleanor, with a bunch of information about Emilia. Bernard took a light puff and showed disbelief in his indifferent gaze After Ethan parked the car and saw the tall figure, he frowned, ¡°Why is it him again?¡± Eleanor followed his gaze and looked at the man under the street light, slightly stunned. Ethan red at Eleanor with one hand on the car window. ¡°You got yourself in trouble, deal with it yourself.¡± As Eleanor turned her gaze away she looked at Ethan, ¡°Don¡¯t we have security guards at home? Let security chase him away.¡± She didn¡¯t want to have any involvement with Bernard and hoped they never saw each other again like strangers Ethan pointed to the row of luxury cars behind their car, ¡°He¡¯s got more people today. I can¡¯t beat him¡± Only then did Eleanor notice the other cars and looked serious, ¡°What should we do?¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Ethan irritably opened the car door, pulled Eleanor out of the car, and walked straight to the vi. As they approached the entrance of the vi, they were stopped This time, Bernard was not violent but calmly said to Ethan, ¡°I need to ask Ms. Emil a few questions, and I return her to you¡± Hearing him address her as Ms. Emilia rather than Eleanor, Ethan knew Bernard had checked on them. He looked at Bernard with the same indifferent gaze. ¡°My wife doesn¡¯t want to talk to you! After saying that, Ethan tried to pull Eleanor straight into the vi However, Eleanor¡¯s arm was tightly grabbed by an icy hand. Bernard lowered his head and looked at Eleanor, ¡°Just half an hour¡°¡± Hearing this, Eleanor slowly raised her head. Her gaze was indifferent and calm with no emotional ripples, Im sorry, I don¡¯t want to talk to you.¡± The hand gripping her arm tightened, and the man lowered his arrogant chin, ¡°Ten minutes. He held her tightly as if he would never let go unless she gave him a chance to speak. Eleanor frowned and sighed, ¡°Tive minutes, let¡¯s talk here¡± Seeing her agreeing, Bernard¡¯s cold eyes turned to Ethan. Ethan nced at him and said to Eleanor, Five minutes, then you muste back.¡± Eleanor obeyed, nodded, and said, ¡°Okay¡± Only then did Ethan release her hand and walk back to the vi. After he left, Cleanor looked coldly at Bernard, ¡°Go ahead.¡± In front of Ethan, she was always obedient and gentle, just as she was in front of him in the past. However, now in front of Bernard, she was calm, indifferent, and a bit impatient. Seeing she could no longer return to the past, Barnard¡¯s heartache deepened. Chapter 248 Chapter 248 Chapter 248 He reached out to touch her face, but she backed away in terror. Eleanor stared nkly at his right hand, as if she had some kind of psychological trauma. Fear shone in her pupils, Seeing this, Bernard seemed to understand something. He quickly withdrew his hand and told her, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I won¡¯ty a finger on you again.¡± Eleanor¡¯s effort to maintain a calm expression suddenly crumbled. ¡°Stay away from me.¡± Bernard gently shook his head. ¡°Eleanor, I can¡¯t leave you¡± Eleanor¡¯s face darkened. Twe told you before, my name is Emilia, not Eleanor! How many times do I have to repeat it for you to believe 117¡ä¡ä The coldness in Bernard¡¯s eyes began to redden. ¡°Am you¡­ really not her?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not her Eleanor raised her delicate face, showing an extremely exaggerated expression Bernard¡¯s thick eyshes twitched slightly, his eyes still full of disbrief He took a step closer to her, cornered her against the wall, and again tried to touch her cheek. Beleving he was going to force himself on her again, Eleanor desperately pushed him away and turned to run, but he tightly grabbed her from behind. His tall figure enveloped her petite form, his firm chest pressed against her back. Eleanor was angry and struggled nonstop, but the man didn¡¯t let go. His body acted like an insurmountable barrier. She suddenly found the situation ridiculous. ¡°Sir, do you have some kind of fetish for married women?¡± The man ignored her sarcasm, using one hand to restrain her while the other brushed away her short hair. When he undoubtedly felt the small scar on the back of her head, he smiled sightly. Indeed, this was his Eleanor, he hadn¡¯t mistaken her for someone But that scar, it stabbed into Bernard¡¯s heart, making his once indifferent and distant eyes be filled with guilt. With trembling fingers, he gently touched the scar on the back of her head, sincerely apologizing. I¡¯m sorry, that p¡­ cost you your life. Eleanor turned her head slightly, avoiding his touch. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about¡± She did have a scar on the back of her head after surgery, but she wouldn¡¯t admit it. Bernard didn¡¯t force her to admit it, but he kept stroking the scar again and again. Every time he touched it, his heart hurt. The intense pain was unbearable. His eyes slowly reddened, his voice bing somewhat h oa rse. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Did it hurt? It used to. It hurt so much she hadin on the cold floor, unable to even call for help. The pain made her lose faith in him and the courage to live. So much pain that she wanted to see him before she died, but he wouldn¡¯t even answer her calls. Such pain that went beyond physical suffering wasn¡¯t easily forgotten. It was precisely because of this pain that she finally saw through Bernard, to see how ruthless he really was. But now this emotionless man was holding her, asking if she was in pain. Wasn¡¯t that funny? Eleanor¡¯s face went cold, she spoke in a speechless tone. ¡°Five minutes are up. Let go of me Having her in his arms, how could he bear to let go¡± ¡°There¡¯s something left to say¡± He leaned his exquisitely carved chin on her neck, whispering in her ear. ¡°honey..¡± Eleanors face darkened even more. ¡°Don¡¯t call me that!¡± That¡¯s what he used to call her when they were making passionate love in bed. It made her think he loved her and, unable to help herself, she gradually gave her heart to him. How silly of her to thank someone like Bernard would ever fall for anyone. She had misunderstood hem before, and now she finally saw through him. She felt that her past self had been so foolish. Bernard was stunned, looking at Eleanor¡¯s reluctant expression.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 249 Chapter 249 Chapter 249 Ms. Vulpe had once said that she always felt like she was just a substitute for him. Did Eleanor think that he¡¯d been falling in love with another woman all this time? Bernard opened his mouth and told her, ¡°Eleanor, it¡¯s always been you, never anyone else.¡± Three years have passed, and his exnation came toote ¨C Eleanor just didn¡¯t believe it. Her calm and emotionless gaze made Bernard¡¯s heart ache. Hugging her arm, he unconsciously tightened his grip. It was as if he didn¡¯t hold her tight enough, she might leave at any moment. He had already experienced losing her once and couldn¡¯t bear to be apart again. He hugged her with all his strength, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m sorry. Can I have another chance?¡± He didn¡¯t even know how to exin the misunderstandings over the years, let alone express the endless longing. All he could do was lower his head, begging for a chance to cherish her again. Eleanor¡¯s eyes trembled slightly, but her face remained calm: I¡¯m not Eleanor Bernard¡¯s body suddenly stiffened, and then he raised his hand to gently hold her chin, turning his head to kiss her. Eleanor was so angry at this sudden move that she trembled all over trying to push him away but held firmly. He only intended to have a brief kiss, but once he touched her lips, Bernard couldn¡¯t help himself He missed her so much that even with her right there, he couldn¡¯t feel her presence All he could do was hold her face tightly and kissed her intensely, regardless of anything else Kissing her until her cheeks turned red, he still couldn¡¯t bear to let go but wouldn¡¯t let her leave. He didn¡¯t even wait for Eleanor to speak, he exined while caressing her soft red lips with his finger, ¡°You see, you always have the same reaction when kiss you. Why won¡¯t you admit it?¡± Eleanor¡¯s face turned red with anger, her body trembling: ¡°You¡¯re insane!!¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m insane!¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Bernard suddenly lost control, his eyes filled with rage, I¡¯m crazy! Missing you keeps me up at night; I¡¯m crazy loving you so deeply that I can¡¯t save myself. From the moment I fell in love with you. I¡¯ve been crazy!¡± How absurd! He was cold to her when they were together, but now he kept saying he loved her? Eleanor struggled desperately grabbing the arms holding her tightly. Her nails dug into his skin, blood dripping, but he still wouldn¡¯t let go. He really was insane! ¡°Bernard!¡± She yelled furiously, shaking off Emilia¡¯s disguise and looking at him coldly as Eleanor. Hearing her call his name, Bernard¡¯s eyes turned red. ¡°You finally admit it. Eleanor sneered. ¡®So what if adm Bernard was taken aback, looking at her with reddened eyes. Her expression was cold and emotionless, full of disdain Seeing such an indifferent Eleanor, he suddenly didn¡¯t know what to do. As he tried to say something, Eleanor turned her head ¨C the coldke-like eyes reflecting his pale face. ¡°Do you really love me, as you just said?¡± Bernard felt that she was still willing tomunicate with him, so he quickly nodded in agreement ¡°Ten years ago, at the University of A¡­¡± He wanted to tell her that he had liked her a long time ago, but she interrupted him coldly: ¡°Then let me ask you, if you loved me so much, why didn¡¯t you want when asked you to back then? I begged you to wait until the contract ended before we broke up, but what did you do?¡± Chapter 250 Chapter 250 Chapter 250 Bernard¡¯s heart ached, and his eyes grew moist It was the st upidest decision he had ever made, and he regretted it many times after they parted. Suppressing the pain in his heart, he exined to her, ¡°I once promised my older brother that I would marry Sophie¡± Eleanor¡¯s eyes remained calm and indifferent. ¡°So you just gave up on me.¡± Bernard opered his mouth, wanting to argue, but couldn¡¯t find the words. Because when their contract ended, he did think about giving her up. She didn¡¯t even love him, so why force her to stay? Besides, due to his brother¡¯s dying wish, he couldn¡¯t give her a proper status. Plus, he worried that she¡¯d get hurt if she continued to stay with him¡­ Under such crcumstances, he decided to give her up Now looking back, it didn¡¯t matter what the reason was in her eyes, he had given up on her without hesitation, and he couldn¡¯t argue against that. His silence caused Eleanor to sneer. ¡°Bernard, you never loved me. It¡¯s just your possessive nature.¡± Bernard shook his head and said, ¡°1 know the difference between love and possessiveness, Eleanor. You can¡¯t deny me like that.¡± Eleanor lowered her head, staring at the arm holding her tightly, her mind drifting for a moment, After a while, she said calmly. ¡°If you loved me, you wouldnt be so cold towards me. You treated me like Sophie¡¯s substitute, or even just a tool to hel you deal with your sex desire.¡± She turned her head and looked at him coldly. ¡°You told Liana that to you, I was nothing more than a tool. You also said not to delude myself into think you¡¯d ever love me. Tell me, how can I believe you really love me?¡± Bernard wanted to exin, but Eleanor didn¡¯t let him speak. Also.. She took a deep breath, and her calm eyes suddenly showed a hint of grievance. ¡°You didn¡¯t hesitate to hit me for the sake of your sister and your fianc¨¦e. At that moment, you didn¡¯t even look back. If only you would have turned around, I wouldn¡¯t have felt so¡­¡± ut you didn¡¯t even gave my As she spoke, the grievance slowly faded, reced by a sense of relief. Before I died, I wanted to see you onest time. But you d number. At that moment, I thought to myself that I never wanted to see you again in this lifetime.¡± After finishing her words, she smiled at Bernard. ¡®Mr. Laurence, I¡¯ve let go of the past, so should you Let¡¯s just end this here.¡± Her words made Bernard feel incredibly stifled and pained When she didnt admit to being Eleanor, he still had hope for reconciliation. But now, as she calmly said these words, he suddenly felt that the woman in his arms might leave him forever. He couldn¡¯t hold back the tears any longer, and they slid uncontrobly down his cheeks,nding coldly on her neck. Eleanor blinked in surprise, looking back at him, but he held her head firmly. As a man, he was too proud to let her see his vulnerability. After an unknown amount of time had passed in silence Bernard still refused to give up, pleading with her. 1 can exin everything.¡± Eleanor shook her head gently. It doesn¡¯t matter anymore. I don¡¯t mind because I never loved you either.¡± Bernard suddenly smiled. ¡°Yeah, you never loved me. He let go of Eleanor in despair, sta gge ring a step backward, his eyes red but still fixed on her. ¡°Not even a little bit?¡± Eleanor¡¯s eyshes trembled, but she still shook her head calmly. The smile at the corner of Bernard¡¯s mouth deepened. Then what do these mean?¡± He took out the letters he always carried with him and showed them to Eleanor, repeatedly asking her with swollen eyes, ¡°What do these mean, really?¡±ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Chapter 251 Chapter 251 Chapter 251 Eleanor Shultz stiffened a bit when she saw that the piece of paper was still in pristine condition. When did she lose hope in him? Was it when he was holding her, being Intimate with her, yet telling her, ¡°Don¡¯t even dream that I would love you.¡± Those words made it clear. In his heart, she was nothing, just a sex tool. But now¡­ She lifted her gaze, looking at the spiraling Bernard Laurence. In her memory, he was always aloof, never losing hisposure like this. It left her puzzled. Back then, when they were together, he didn¡¯t feel anything for her. Now, he¡¯s confronting her with the fragments of sentences she once wrote. What did they signify? What indeed? It¡¯s the end. She wrote them to remind herself that he did not love her. Once written, it was meant to be over. This unrequited love, it endedpletely after he said those words, after she understood. Eleanor kept silent for a moment, raising her hand to take the letter from him. She looked at it quietly for a while, then, without hesitation, ripped it in half. Bernard tried to * the letter back, but it was toote¡­ All he could do was watch in disbelief as she destroyed the letter¡­ His eyes were bloodshot, he couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing, ¡°Why¡­ Eleanor cracked a faint smile, ¡°Mr. Laurence, I wrote this letter just for kicks, I never intended to leave you anything, please don¡¯t get it twisted¡± Bernard¡¯s face turned pale, his swollen eyes fixed on the torn letter on the floor. How did he get through the countless days and nights of the past three years¡­ Sleeping pills, and the brief text on this letter sustained him. He told himself that she left a message for him, which meant she did have him in her heart. But now, she tells him that she just wrote it casually, she never intended to leave him anything¡­ Bernard managed a faint smile, starting to chuckle. His despairing smile made him look lifeless. He lifted his tear-filled eyes, looking at Eleanor who appeared unfazed. ¡°You never loved me, then why did you want to see me before you died?¡± Eleanor thought she had made herself clear, but he still wouldn¡¯t believe it. She took a deep breath, ¡°I suppose it¡¯s because when one¡¯s life is ending, they want to see the people they know in this world.¡± Not him specifically, but the people she knew in this world, and he was merely one of them. Bernard chuckled again, hisughter tinged with sorrow, his face pale, his gaze at her drained of all color. ¡°So¡­ you really don¡¯t love me¡­¡± Yet he thought she had feelings for him because of the letter she left. Even though she had told him time and again that she didn¡¯t love him. He was like a fool, refusing to believe it. Only now did he see into her heart clearly. Suppressing his infinite pain, he bent down to pick up the torn letter Paper is easily torn, just like love. When it¡¯s torn, everything can never go back to the way it was. The moment he pushed her away, she destroyed their past. It was only fair¡­ He didn¡¯t me her. He only med himself. Why didn¡¯t he cherish her when she was by his side? He held the letter tightly, stumbling away. The once haughty and cold figure now seemed so lonely and fragile. ¡°Bernard¡­ When his hand was on the car door, a familiar voice echoed in his ear.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 252 Chapter 252 Chapter 252 He slowly turned his head, looking at the slender and delicate figure standing under the streetlight. This person he¡¯d been missing for so long. just a gentle call of his name would make him drop everything, rush up and hug her tightly in his arms. But as soon as he took a step forward, she took three steps back. Don¡¯te.¡± She was very calm, not showing much emotion on her face. ¡°I¡¯ve said everything I wanted to say. Please don¡¯t bother me again.¡± He thought she had stopped him because she wanted to keep him. Unexpectedly, she asked him not to pester her anymore. Bernard¡¯s handsome face turned pale, and the dull pain throughout his body made it difficult for him to breathe But she didn¡¯t care about his feelings, and after she finished speaking, she turned and walked into the vi. Watching her determinedly walk away, Bernard¡¯s tall and straight body began to falter. Aidyn Reyes had been waiting at a distance, and seeing his unsteady state, he quickly rushed over to support him. ¡°Mr. Laurence, are you okay?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t respond. The heart-wrenching pain made his head ache terribly. He leaned against the car door and looked sideways at Aidyn: ¡°Give me some medicine¡­¡± Aidyn hesitated for a moment and shook his head at him: ¡°Mr. Laurence, you can¡¯t take that medicine anymore. Your body won¡¯t be able to take it.¡± Bernard raised his eyes, filled with bloodshot veins, and stared at Aidyn fiercely: ¡°If I don¡¯t take the medicine, what should I do¡­¡± Who could tell him what to do? Eleanor had almost carved herself into his memory. How could he forget her? This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mr. Laurence¡­ Aidyn didn¡¯t know what to say to console him. He¡¯d seen how Mr. Laurence had endured these three years. He didn¡¯t want to see Mr. Laurence rely on taking medicine to get through life, but he couldn¡¯t bear to see him continue to suffer. After a moment of contemtion, Aidyn looked up at Bernard and said, ¡°Mr. Laurence, there must be some misunderstanding between you two. I¡¯ll go rify with Ms. Shultz.¡± Aidyn turned and made to walk towards the vi, but Bernard¡¯s cold voice rang out from behind him: ¡°No need.¡± Aidyn turned his head and asked with puzzlement: ¡°Why?¡± Bernard did not answer, gradually lowering his head. She didn¡¯t love him, so even if she knew the truth, she wouldn¡¯t care. He opened the car door, sat in, and those eyes that once shone like stars were now dull and dim. The light that once entered his life left without hesitation. Once he thought there was no hope left, the light returned. He reached out, trying to grasp it tightly, but couldn¡¯t hold on since that light never belonged to him in the first ce. He took out a pill from the car, put it in his mouth, and as he swallowed it, the bitterness in his mouth intensified, making him frown. ¡°Aidyn, the medicine is really bitter.¡± ¡°Mr. Laurence, medicine has always been bitter.¡± Aidyn sighed after replying. ¡°Mr. Laurence, don¡¯t worry, whether Ms. Shultz has ever loved you or not, she¡¯s already married now¡± It seems like it just wasn¡¯t meant to be between you two. Why force it? ¡°Ha-married ¡°Bernard suddenly sneered. ¡°She just married Ethan Ziegler as a recement for Emilia.¡± Aidyn was taken aback, not quite understanding. Bernard took a cigarette out of the box and lit it. After taking a gentle puff, he ced his slender finger out of the car window. He slowly raised his reddened eyes, looking at the brightly lit vi When she was unwilling to admit that she was Eleanor, she kept emphasizing that she was Emilia That meant that now, she was using Emilia¡¯s identity and had married Ethan as Emilia. She loved Garett Falsey so much that she would never easily marry someone else. There must be some hidden reason behind it. Chapter 253 Chapter 253 Chapter 253 Bernard¡¯s face turned serious in a second when he thought about this. He coldly said to Aidyn, ¡°Go check on Ethan and Emilia.¡± Aldyn immediately responded respectfully, ¡°Yes, sir.¡± As Aldyn turned to go back to the car, Bernard called him again. ¡°Also¡­¡± ¡°Anything else you want me to do, Mr. Laurence?¡± Bernard casually said, ¡°Go check if it was Ethan who saved Eleanor, starting from the crematorium.¡± George once said that as long as there was no brain death, one could possibly survive as long as they had a heart transnt. Eleanor¡¯s body had no defects, meaning she must have been smuggled away during the cremation. And the guy who took her away even reced her heart, making her survive. He spected it was Ethan, but he didn¡¯t know what his purpose was. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Bernard fiddled with his cigarette while instructing Aidyn, ¡°Do it in person, don¡¯t trust any information from another country¡± The Ziegler family was nobles in another country, and Ethan naturally had an extensivework, so the information they wanted to check might be tampered with Aidyn, upon hearing Mr. Laurence¡¯s instructions, immediately realized that the previous information might be wrong, and quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ll check it myself.¡± As Eleanor stepped into the vi, she saw Ethan sitting on the couch in the garden, looking at her with his head resting on his hand. ¡°All done?¡± Eleanor nodded slightly, seemingly not wanting to talk to him, and headed toward the living room. ¡°Come here.¡± Ethan gestured her toe and sit down by raising his chin slightly. ¡°I¡¯m tired, I want to sleep. The hidden meaning was, could she go back and rest? ¡°Go ahead.¡± Eleanor walked away upon hearing his words, but before she could take another step, Ethan said slowly, ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to go out from now on.¡± As expected, he wasn¡¯t that nice. Eleanor gritted her teeth, turned around, and sat down on the small sofa across from him. She moved with some resentment, but Ethan didn¡¯t mind. He picked up the red wine on the table, filled in a tall ss and handed it to her. ¡°I can¡¯t drink¡­¡± Having had such a big surgery, it was better to stay away from something like cigarettes and alcohol. Ethan seemed to recall something and slowly withdrew the ss he had handed out. He looked cold and indifferent, a hint of sadness shing in his eyes, shrouded in gloom. Eleanor saw him like this, understanding he must be thinking of her sister, so she consciously didn¡¯t disturb him. Ethan was silent for a while before he picked up his ss and drank the red wine in it all at once. After he finished, he looked at Eleanor, ¡°I heard everything you said to Bernard outside the door just now.¡± Eleanor¡¯s face changed, ¡°So what?¡± If he had heard it, why would he tell her? Ethan raised his eyebrows casually. ¡°He seems to love you very much¡± Eleanor smirked coldly, ¡°A person like him could never love me.¡± This sentence seemed to touch Ethan¡¯s sensitive nerve, and his face turned gloomy again. ¡°Your sister, said the same thing once before. Eleanor was stunned, looking at Ethan, as she saw the regret in his eyes, she was a little surprised. ¡°What happened between you and my sister?¡± He rarely mentioned Emilia before, and now that he brought it up himself, Eleanor dared to ask the question in her heart. Ethan, full of guilt, shifted his gaze from Eleanor¡¯s face to her chest. After staring for a while, he calmly said, ¡°What Bernard has done to you is not a patch on what I did to your sister.¡± He put down the wine ss and walked towards the living room of the vi, leaving Eleanor sitting there, dumbfounded. Chapter 254 Chapter 254 Chapter 254 What Bernard did to her was not a patch on what he did to her sister So that¡¯s why her sister was so desperate to end her life to avoid him? What kind of person was Ethan, anyway? As Eleanor watched his lonely figure disappear into the living room, she touched her heart. Did her sister suffer more than her in this life? With a deep sigh, Eleanor knew that there was no way to find answers now that Emilia was gone. After sitting on the sofa for a while, she went to her bedroom, and when she opened the window, she saw that the Koenigsegg downstairs hadn¡¯t left yet. Her eyshes trembled slightly, she forgot her sadness, closed the window and the curtain, blocking the car from her sight. Perhaps influenced by Bernard, Eleanor had nightmares all night. Disappointment in him countless times, despair from falling on a nail, regret before death¡­ Everything entered her dreams, tormenting her for the whole night, and when she woke up in a daze, it was already daylight.. The first thing she did when getting up was to pull open the curtain, and her eyes caught that the car was gone. With a sigh of relief, she went to the bathroom and after freshening up, went downstairs for breakfast. The maid prepared breakfast, and Ethan was sitting at the table, slowly spreading cheese on his bread. When she sat down, Ethan nced at her casually: ¡°That annoying guyst night seemed to have overdosed and fainted. An ambnce took him away at two or three in the morning¡­ Eleanor¡¯s fingers paused while picking up a piece of bread, but her expression quickly returned to normal. She took a small bite of the bread and ignored Ethan¡¯s words. Ethan didn¡¯t look at her again either. He finished spreading the cheese on the bread and hands it to Eleanor: ¡°Your sister liked cheese.¡± Eleanor looked at the cheese-covered bread, then at Ethan, and said quietly, I¡¯m not her.¡± Ethan curled his lips in a nonchnt smile: ¡°In my eyes, you are. He pointed to the cheese bread with his knife and fork, his expression dark: ¡°Eat it.¡± His eyes were cold and fierce, as if not eating it would cause him to stab her in the chest with his knife and fork. Eleanor put down the bread in her hand, picked up the cheese bread, and took a bite. Ethan then retracted his fierce gaze, resuming a gentle smile: ¡°That¡¯s a good girl.¡± After taking a bite, Eleanor put down the bread, saying to him calmly: ¡°It¡¯s not good, I don¡¯t like it Ethan¡¯s expression turned cold again: ¡°What did you say?¡± Eleanor sat up straight, lifted her chin, and spoke calmly: ¡°Mr. Ziegler, I know it¡¯s hard for you to ept the loss of my sister, but that doesn¡¯t give you an excuse to make me her substitute. I¡¯m grateful that she gave me her heart, and I¡¯m grateful that you saved my life against herst wish. But since I¡¯m alive now, please respect me.¡± After saying this, she wiped her hands with a napkin and nced at the car key on the dining table. ¡°I left my stuff in your car, I¡¯ll go get it and give you the key back.¡± Yesterday, she got the sealed bag from Hailey and brought it to Ethan¡¯s car, but forgot to take it when she got out. She said this, not watching Ethan¡¯s reaction, and walked toward the car outside the vi. She opened the car door and took out the sealed bag, identally pressing the unlock button on her old phone. When the screen lit up, it showed a dozen unread messages sentst night. Eleanor frowned, unlocked the phone, and checked the messages. They were still from Mr. Law, still those words of caring for her and loving her. After reading them, Eleanor thought for a moment, then added him to the cklist and deleted all the thousands of unread messages.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 255 Chapter 255 Chapter 255 She didn¡¯t take that weirdo seriously. After deleting the messages, she took her phone and went back to the vi Ethan was already gone from the dining room. After Eleanor put the car key back in its ce, she went back to her own bedroom. As she went upstairs, she saw Ethaning out of her room, holding a bunch of documents he¡¯d given her earlier. Pack up, we¡¯re going back home,¡± he said, walking past her. Eleanor was stunned and quickly caught up with him. ¡°I just got back, and now we¡¯re leaving already? That¡¯s too fast, isn¡¯t it?¡± She had agreed to marry him on the condition that they return to their home country, so going back to another country so quickly wouldn¡¯t make much sense. Ethan stopped, coldly saying, ¡°Didn¡¯t youe back just to figure out if that guy named Garett is really dead? Since you¡¯ve confirmed his death, there¡¯s no need to stay anymore.¡± The mention of Garett brought back the guilt she had buried deep in her heart, turning her face pale. She took a deep breath, trying to suppress the suffocating guilt, and looked at Ethan. ¡°I have another family member. I want to be with her.¡± fter everythi She had promised that she would spend time with Hailey after everything. How could she leave so soon? ¡°The nightclub owner, Hailey Vulpe?¡± Eleanor nodded. Hailey was her only family now, and she really didn¡¯t want to be separated with her again. ¡°Take her with you.¡± With an emotionless face, Ethan said this and went back to the master bedroom. The door mmedThis is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. shut, leaving Eleanor outside. ¡°Ethan.¡± Eleanor walked over and knocked on his door. ¡°Let¡¯s talk¡± Hailey had her own home and business here. How could she ask her to go to another country with her? The man inside the room was packing, ignoring her knocking. After knocking several times and seeing him unwilling to open the door, she just pushed it open. Ethan turned around, giving her a cold nce. ¡°Where are your manners?¡±. Ignoring what he said, Eleanor quickly walked up to him and asked, ¡°Why the sudden decision to go back?¡± He had bought a property here in advance to apany her back to their home country, which meant he had nned to stay here for a while. But now he suddenly wanted leave, which was strange. Ethan didn¡¯t answer, he continued packing his things, his face calm and emotionless. Eleanor stopped him from opening the wardrobe, looked up at him, and asked, ¡®Can we not go back?¡± He nced at her sideways. ¡°We can Eleanor had prepared a long speech to persuade him but didn¡¯t expect him to agree so readily. It was surprising. She hesitated for a few seconds before smiling and reaching out her hand. ¡°In that case, give me back my documents.¡± Ethan pped her hand away. There¡¯s one condition.¡± Eleanor¡¯s face turned cold instantly. ¡°What condition?¡± He didn¡¯t answer, but his deep ck eyes quietly looked at her for a moment. Suddenly, he raised his hand and touched her face. With his cold fingers caressing her face, her expression was somewhat stiff. You want me to be a substitute for my sister, do you?¡± Seeing that she had guessed his purpose, Ethan couldn¡¯t help but raise an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re really smart.¡± He withdrew his hand, casually looking at her. ¡°Just be my Emilia obediently, and I¡¯ll let you stay¡± Eleanor calmly looked at him. ¡°I¡¯d rather go back.¡± Ethan was stunned, apparently not expecting that response. As he was lost in thought, she picked up her phone, opened the app to book ne tickets, and asked Ethan while choosing one, ¡°Which airline should I book?¡± Ethan was speechless. He sn*hed her phone and told her, ¡°We have a private jet.¡± Eleanor responded coldly, ¡°Oh,¡± then turned around. ¡°I¡¯ll go pack.¡± Watching her leave, Ethan stared at her back for a long time, finally realizing she was ying mind games with him. He scoffed, ¡°Childish.¡± Chapter 256 Chapter 256 Chapter 256 Eleanor returned to her room, feeling a bit uneasy as Ethan hadn¡¯t followed her in to stop her. Turns out, Ethan was going back to G country all because she refused to be her sister¡¯s recement at breakfast. He knew she wanted to stay, so he initiated that conversation earlier to force her to obey. There¡¯s no way she¡¯d be someone¡¯s recement again, so she pretended not to care, trying to make Ethan give up on the idea. But it¡¯s clear that Ethan held all the cards and didn¡¯t care about her bargaining. Feeling frustrated, Eleanor sat on her bed, curling up and burying her head in her sleeves. Ethan walked in and, seeing her like this, lifted his chin provocatively: ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to pack? Why haven¡¯t you started?¡± Upon hearing his voice, Eleanor raised her head in defiance, ring at him: ¡°Just give me a minute.¡± Amused by her tantrum, Ethan backed off: ¡°If youe with me to another country, you won¡¯t have to be Emilia¡¯s recement.¡± It¡¯s a *to have Bernard so in love with her here. Both of them fighting for her would just be exhausting. Better to leave now. Eleanor looked at him in surprise: ¡°Really?¡± Ethan replied nonchntly: ¡°When have I ever lied to you?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t quite trust Ethan¡¯s words, keeping her head down and silent, but internally considering if she should try to escape. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± It seemed like Ethan had seen right through her thoughts, mercilessly poking at her little scheme. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to.¡± He looked down on her with a superior attitude: ¡°Unless you learn from your sister¡­¡± His eyes showed his determination not to let her go. Eleanor felt a surge of fear. She stared at Ethan, as if only now realizing what kind of person he was: ¡°So this is how you killed my sister.¡± Ethan¡¯s expression darkened, guilt surrounding him, but he didn¡¯t deny it: ¡°That¡¯s right. So do you want to give it a try?¡± Eleanor¡¯s face turned even paler: If I die will you let me go then?¡± Ethan walked up to her, bent down, stared into her dull eyes, and coldly said: ¡°Now that you have her heart, I won¡¯t let you die. Just be obedient.¡± Eleanor¡¯s face became bitter, suddenly not knowing the meaning of being alive. She struggled to move her eyes and looked at Ethan: ¡°Didn¡¯t you love my sister very much?¡± She couldn¡¯t understand how someone could love a person so much yet find someone else to be that person¡¯s substitution. Ethan sneered, indifferent: ¡°Who said I loved her?¡± How could he love her? He once said that if all the women in the world died, he still wouldn¡¯t love her. Eleanor looked at Ethan, feeling he was full of contradictions. If he didn¡¯t love Emilia, why draw so many portraits after her death? If he didn¡¯t love Emilia, why be so crazy over a heart? He obviously hurt her sister but didn¡¯t dare admit his love for her. She didn¡¯t want to bother talking to such an abnormal person anymore, she coldly said: ¡°Give me some time. I need to talk to my friends first.¡± Ethan was still immersed in past memories, only snapping out of it with her response ¡°Don¡¯t make me wait too long¡± He left the room with a stubborn look after saying that.. After calling Ethan a freak under her breath, Eleanor picked up her phone to call Hailey. Before she even dialed the number, she heard the maid¡¯s voice from downstairs ¡°Ms. Shultz, there¡¯s ady named Hailey wanting to meet you¡± Hearing Hailey was here, Eleanor hurriedly put down her phone and went downstairs.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 257 Chapter 257 Chapter 257 Hailey, wearing a ck backless dress and carrying a designer purse, sat on the living room sofa, checking out the vi. Seeing Eleanoring down the spiral staircase, Hailey jumped up to meet her, but Eleanor was faster and ran over. ¡°Slow down, watch for the stairs.¡± After catching her, Hailey gently stroked Eleanor¡¯s short hair. ¡°You used to have long hair, now that it¡¯s short, you look more energetic.¡± Eleanor felt a bit bitter inside but didn¡¯t show it to Hailey. ¡°I was sick back then, it¡¯s good to be more lively now.¡± Hailey smiled with relief. ¡°It¡¯s important that you think like that.¡± Eleanor smiled. ¡°Hailey, did you have breakfast?¡± Hailey nodded. ¡°Yeah, I did.¡± She looked around and asked Eleanor, ¡°Where¡¯s Mr. Ziegler?¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Eleanor looked towards the master bedroom upstairs. ¡°Probably in his room.¡± Before Hailey could react, Eleanor had already dragged her outside to the garden. ¡°Were you just saying that Ethan was a freak?¡± Eleanor nodded, sitting down with her on a small sofa. A maid immediately brought over coffee and dessert, cing it in front of Hailey. After thanking the maid, Hailey asked Eleanor curiously, ¡°What did you mean by that?¡± Eleanor scooped up a small spoonful of cake, passing it to Hailey¡¯s mouth while exining, ¡°He¡¯s not admitting he loves my sister, so I said he¡¯s loyal.¡± Hailey ate the cake, chuckled, and said, ¡°You two sure are interesting. Eleanor¡¯s face stiffened slightly at thement, showing a bitter expression. ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m going back to G country.¡± Hailey, who was just tasting the sweet cake, suddenly lost her appetite. ¡°Why?¡± Wasn¡¯t she supposed to stay with Hailey? Why is she leaving so soon? ¡°Ethan said I can either go with him to G country or stay here to be my sister¡¯s recement.¡± ¡°You know I was once someone¡¯s recement. I know exactly what that mean.¡± As Eleanor said this, her eyes turned red, as if recalling a painful memory. Seeing this, Hailey couldn¡¯t help but tear up as well. ¡°Eleanor, your life has been so tough¡­¡± Finally, a guy devoted himself to her, but then he lost his memory. She managed to move on, only to fall for someone who treats her as a recement for someone else. Now, she meets this slightly abnormal Ethan, and Eleanor doesn¡¯t dare love anyone. Hailey moved to sit next to her, spreading her arms to hug her. ¡°Eleanor, what can I do for you?¡± Eleanor shook her head gently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. He said if I go with him to G country, I won¡¯t have to be Emilia¡¯s recement.¡± Hailey understood. ¡°So you¡¯ve decided to go with him to G country?¡± Eleanor still shook her head. ¡°Hailey, I can¡¯t bear to leave you.¡± Hailey gripped her hand tightly and said, ¡°What if I help you run away?¡± Eleanor looked up at the second floor, where Ethan was standing by the window, staring at her. ¡°Do you think he¡¯d let me leave?¡± Hailey followed her gaze to see Ethan and suddenly felt uneasy. ¡°What an annoying guy!¡± Eleanor agreed with a nod, but inside she thought, there must be another way to escape Ethan besides death, right? At that moment, Hailey suddenly said, ¡°Eleanor, since you can¡¯t escape, let me go to G country with Chapter 258 Chapter 258 Chapter 258 Eleanor felt a warmth in her heart. Hailey was always like this, giving so much for her. Not only was she her sister, but she was also the only light in her darkness. How could she bear to let such a lovely person follow her on an adventure to another country? ¡°Ethan and I have aplicated rtionship, and the future is uncertain. I don¡¯t want you to take any risks by following me.¡± ¡°I know what you¡¯re worried about, but, Eleanor¡­ Hailey looked at Eleanor firmly: ¡°You¡¯re the only family I have left. Wherever you are, that¡¯s where my home is.¡± Her words made Eleanor instantly burst into tears. Hailey raised her hand and gently patted her on the back: ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Actually, I¡¯ve never been to G country either, so it¡¯s a chance for me to see the world¡± Eleanor wanted to say something more, but Hailey suddenly seemed rushed: ¡°Ah, I almost forgot, I don¡¯t speak theirnguage. How am I gonnamunicate with people in the future?¡± She worried: ¡°Will they misunderstand me if I just use hand gestures?¡± Eleanor, who was teary-eyed, felt better after hearing herints. She wiped away her tears and corrected Hailey: ¡°When you go to G country, you¡¯ll be the foreigner.¡± Then Hailey realized: ¡°Oh, yeah, I¡¯m the foreigner, they should understand that I can¡¯t speak their language.¡± Eleanorughed and asked, ¡°Hailey, have you really thought this through?¡± Hailey saw that Eleanor finally smiled and she replied seriously: ¡°there¡¯s no need to think about it, I¡¯ll just follow you. But I¡¯ll need a few days to sort out my work and Cedric Laurence.¡± Eleanor looked at Hailey and noticed that she didn¡¯t seem to have any regrets, as if her rtionship with Cedric was nothing. ¡°I remember you told me you wanted to get away from him, but he wouldn¡¯t let you go. Will he really let you leave?¡± ¡°Yes, he doesn¡¯t love me. He is just used to everything I do for him¡­¡± And that habit came from her performance in bed. Once, Austin Zimmer ridiculed her, saying she was like a dead fish in bed, which deeply hurt her and changed her a lot over the past three years. At first, she was trained by Cedric, and gradually mastered everything in bed. Later, she took control and made Cedric unwilling to let her go. ¡°Eleanor, give me a few days. Once I¡¯ve dealt with everything, I leave with you.¡± Having finished speaking, Hailey got up and told Eleanor: ¡°Back to business, I have to talk to Cedric.¡± Although Eleanor wanted to say there was no rush, Hailey had already left the house, quickly disappearing from view. Ethan saw that they had finished talking and went to the balcony, looking down at Eleanor in the garden. ¡°When are we leaving?¡± His tone sounded like he had already expected her to go back to G country with him. Eleanor nced at him and said indifferently, ¡°we need to wait a few more days. My friend still has things to deal with.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t push her further, and went back into the bedroom. At the Laurence family vi¡­. Cedric leaned on the bar with one hand, watching Bernard drink ss after ss of red wine, his brow furrowed. ¡°Bernard, you used to be a guy who neither smoked nor drank. Now you¡¯re almost an alcoholic¡­ After saying this, he tried to take the wine ss from Bernard, but was met with a cold re. Bernard held the wine ss with his slender fingers, drank it all, and went to pour another. Cedric grabbed the bottle and said, ¡°Bernard, you¡¯ve been obsessed with a dead woman for three years now, it¡¯s time to let it go.¡±ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Chapter 259 Chapter 259 Chapter 259 Cedric used to worry the most about Bernard falling for Eleanor. After a few tests and finding out Bernard didn¡¯t love her, he stopped worrying about it. But who would have thought that after Eleanor¡¯s death, Bernard would try to cut his wrists and overdose on pills for her sake? Now he¡¯s just been saved, and the moment he woke up, he pulled out the IV and went home to drink like there¡¯s no tomorrow. He really didn¡¯t care about his health anymore Bernard didn¡¯t even hear what Cedric said, and gestured with his bony fingers: ¡°give it to me.¡± Cedric held the bottle tight: ¡°If you keep drinking like this, you¡¯ll be dead in no time. No more drinking.¡± Bernard suddenlyughed coldly: ¡°I didn¡¯t want to live in the first ce.¡± Cedric¡¯s expression froze, and he thought of Bernard almost being tortured to death by Donna Laurence-Stanley when he was a kid. He couldn¡¯t help but sigh If it wasn¡¯t for the Laurence family, Bernard would¡¯ve probably left this world a long time ago¡­ He released his grip on the bottle and handed it to Bernard: ¡°don¡¯t drink too much.¡± After pouring the wine, Bernard held the ss and stared at the red liquid, asking Cedric, ¡°Why is the wine bitter?¡± Cedric nced at him and said solemnly. ¡°Bernard, it¡¯s because your heart is bitter that you feel the wine is bitter.¡± Bernard smiled bitterly: ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­¡± Cedric saw the once cold-hearted man became like this for a woman, and his felt suffocated for him. ¡°Bernard, the dead cannote back to life, stop doing this to yourself.¡± Bernard didn¡¯t respond, just tilted his head back and continued to drink the red wine. Just as Cedric was about to offer more advice, Aidyn walked in from outside. ¡°Mr. Laurence, I found out the truth. Ms. Shultz.¡± Aidyn didn¡¯t expect Cedric to be here, and suddenly stopped talking. But Bernard didn¡¯t care and motioned for him to continue. Aidyn then put a pile of documents on the bar counter. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you were right. Ethan bribed the crematorium staff and secretly took Ms. Shultz away¡± ¡°He did this because Ms. Shultz¡¯s older sister, Emilia, left a dying wish to give her heart to Ms. Shultz. That¡¯s when Ethan rushed to the crematorium and took Ms. Shultz away¡± ¡°I also found out that it was George who performed the heart transnt surgery for Ms. Shultz¡­¡± Aidyn briefly exined the situation and then recounted the details. After listening, Cedric was a bit dumbfounded: ¡°So Eleanor¡¯s not dead?¡± Aidyn didn¡¯t shy away and nodded at him: ¡°Not only is she not dead, she¡¯s returned to her home country under her sister¡¯s identity.¡± Cedric held his forehead with one hand, annoyed that Bernard knew Eleanor was alive all along but didn¡¯t tell him, causing him to waste his breath offering advice. Bernard had already guessed this oue but didn¡¯t expect George to be the one to save Eleanor Seeing his confusion, Aidyn quickly exined, ¡°Dr. George and Ethan are old friends.¡± Bernard nodded after understanding and asked indifferently, ¡°Why did they get married?¡± Aidyn respectfully replied, ¡°Ethan married Ms. Shultz for Emilia¡¯s heart. As for why Ms. Shultz agreed to marry Ethan, it¡¯s because¡­¡± Aidyn hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and continued, ¡°Ms. Shultz learned that Jason Clowersmitted suicide out of love and refused to believe it. She wanted to return to find Jason, but Ethan proposed a condition ¨C for her to marry him, or else she couldn¡¯t go back. So she agreed ¡± Bernard¡¯s finger flipping through the documents suddenly stopped, and his handsome face turned pale. She was willing to marry someone else just toe back and see Garett She really loved Garett¡­ And to her, he was¡­ nothingConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Chapter 260 Chapter 260 Chapter 260 Bernard let out a sarcasticugh, his eyes filled with self mockery. He tried to suppress the suffocating pain in his heart, picked up the wine ss, and downed it once again His s*y Adam¡¯s apple moved as he swallowed the pain and alcohol together. Apparently, the alcohol couldn¡¯t numb the pain, so Bernard simply put down the ss and stumbled to the second floor. Watching his cold and aloof figure, Cedric suddenly felt that his grandfather was right ¨C it¡¯s best not to get involved with emotions. Bernard had been taught not to fall in love since he was a child, but he ended up being the one who fell the hardest. Cedric, on the other hand, didn¡¯t care about love at all. Cedric swirled his wine ss, nced at the worried Aidyn, and asked, ¡°Bernard knows that Ms. Shultz is still alive, but he¡¯s still so down. Did he try to get back together with her, only to get rejected?¡± Aidyn withdrew his worried gaze and nodded at Cedric, ¡°Ms. Shultz seems to be disappointed in Mr. Laurence. He didn¡¯t say that Ms. Shultz didn¡¯t love Mr. Laurence, as he always felt that she had loved him. In the past, every time he picked up Ms. Shultz, she would have a bright smile on her face. Ms. Shultz knew that Mr. Laurence had a weak stomach, so she would make soup for him and ask Aidyn to deliver it secretly. She was always docile and considerate when she was with Mr. Laurence, In fact, they often spent time together at No.8 Mansion, and their rtionship seemed quite warm and harmonious. However, asionally, Mr. Laurence would suddenly get angry and leave, then give Ms. Shultz the cold shoulder for a long Aidyn didn¡¯t know the reason and never dared to ask Mr. Laurence. They carried on like this for five years. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. time. When Mr. Laurence decided to end their agreement, Ms. Shultz didn¡¯tin and even returned the money she had received from selling herself to him. She did this to show Mr. Laurence that she was with him, not for the money. Mr. Laurence didn¡¯t react on the surface, but when he saw the things Ms. Shultz left behind at the mansion, he immediately asked Aidyn to call her and ask her toe back for them. He called, hoping to see Ms. Shultz, but she said she didn¡¯t want them and promptly deleted their contact information. Mr. Laurence panicked and called several times, only to confirm that he had been deleted. He then sat in a daze for a long time. Later, Mr. Laurence mistakenly thought Ms. Shultz had found a new sugar daddy, and his panic turned into a loss of control. Not only did he fail to win. back Ms. Shultz, but he also drove her away. Then Jason¡¯s appearance caused Mr. Laurence to be even more irrational and do even worse things to Ms. Shultz. After Ms. Shultz and Mr. Laurence cleared the air at the vi, Mr. Laurence intended to let her go. However, unexpectedly, Mr. Laurence identally hurt Ms. Shultz while trying to protect her, causing her to die prematurely. Perhaps it was these events that made Ms. Shultz extremely disappointed in Mr. Laurence. Aidyn had told Mr. Laurence about Ms. Shultz¡¯s feelings for him when he was angry, but he didn¡¯t believe it. Now that they were in this situation, it seemed they were simply not meant to be. Maybe Ms. Shultz was never destined to belong to Mr. Laurence. Cedric snapped his fingers in front of him to bring him back to reality, ¡°Tell Bernard that since he¡¯s already been rejected, he should let her go and stop pushing.¡± As the head of the Laurence family, how could he lower himself again and again for a woman? Aidyn sighed helplessly, ¡°Mr. Laurence, if even you can¡¯t persuade him, I don¡¯t stand a chance.¡± Cedric sneered at him, ¡°Anyway, this is your responsibility now. I don¡¯t want to see Bernard like this ever again.¡± Chapter 261 Chapter 261 Chapter 261 After saying that, Cedric put down his ss, picked up his coat, and got up to leave. As he walked outside and was just about to open his car door, Hailey¡¯s call came in. He got into the car while answering. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Hailey, holding her phone, said, ¡°Mr. Laurence, where are you? I need to talk to you.¡± Cedric looked up at the sun and frowned, ¡°I told you, we don¡¯t meet during the day. We¡¯ll see each other tonight.¡± He had beenughed at many times by his friends for dating a divorced woman. But he couldn¡¯t resist her charm in bed, so he put up with the ridicule and made her his girlfriend. However, he couldn¡¯t possibly see her during the day, as he would beughed at by his friends again, which he couldn¡¯t stand. Hailey looked at Cedric¡¯s vi and said, Tm already at your doorstep. Can youe back?¡± Cedric was a bit impatient, but he still said gently, ¡°Alright, wait for me.¡± He had always been responsive to women¡¯s requests, let alone his own girlfriend. He hung up the call, started the car, and went straight back to his vi. From a distance, he saw Hailey, wearing a * ck gown, standing at the door elegantly smoking. Although she wasn¡¯t exceptionally beautiful, she had a tall, curvy figure and was very feminine. Cedric was more into mature women, and Hailey was just his type. So when he met her in a nightclub, he was easily captivated by her deliberate flirting. To be honest, her skills weren¡¯t that great, and after trying it once, he couldn¡¯t help but ask her, ¡°Why didn¡¯t your ex-husband teach you better?¡± Who knew that as soon as he finished asking, she burst into tears, her makeup smeared, pointing at him and cursing. ¡°All men are b*rds!¡± He had never encountered such a situation before, and he was so shocked that he could only swallow his pride and let her vent. He thought there would be no further involvement after that, but he identally found out that she wasText ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. seeking a divorce from herwyer friend and that her ex-husband had cheated on her. He asked his friend for the video of her ex-husband¡¯s affair and understood why she cried so much that night when he heard him say she was like a dead fish in bed. Cedric felt a bit sorry for her, so after helping her win thewsuit, he had someone expose her ex- husband¡¯s scamming of her house on the inte. She must have known he helped her and asked him out for dinner to express her gratitude. Cedric wanted to refuse, but somehow, looking into her sincere eyes, he agreed. He thought they would just have a nice meal, but it ended up in bed again¡­. Seeing her trying her best to show off her skills, his found his heart itchy, and he suddenly had the urge to teach her. They couldn¡¯t break off this rtionship, so Cedric simply epted it. So what if she¡¯s a divorced woman? As long as he doesn¡¯t marry her, the Laurences won¡¯t bother him. Cedric put away his memories of the past, opened the car door, walked up to Hailey, and sn*ed the cigarette from her hand. He crushed the cigarette butt and threw it into the trash can, then said to her, ¡°I¡¯ve told you many times, you shouldn¡¯t smoke. It¡¯s bad for your health¡± Chapter 262 Chapter 262 Chapter 262 Hailey thought that seeing Cedric during the day would annoy him, but to her surprise, the first thing he said when he saw her was to tell her not to smoke. She wanted to casually say, ¡°Cedric, let¡¯s break up,¡± and then walk away, but she suddenly couldn¡¯t say it. Cedric took her hand and led her into the vi, ¡°You¡¯re in such a hurry to see me.¡± Hailey was a bit touched at first, but when she heard him say that, her face became serious, ¡°No, I want to¡­¡± Before she could finish, Cedric turned around, h**d her chin, and kissed her The passionate kiss left Hailey breathless, and she pinched his waist hard, making him stop. Just as she caught her breath, Cedric suddenly picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. After putting her on the bed, the man took off his tie, unbuttoned his shirt cor, and pressed down on her. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . He was always gentle in this regard, focusing on the woman¡¯s feelings, making it hard to resist. Hailey was a bit absent-minded and wanted to look for a cigarette out of habit, but Cedric held her hand and pulled her into his arms. He said, somewhat annoyed: ¡°Why don¡¯t you listen¡­¡± Haileyy in his arms and looked at him, ¡°TII quit smoking from now on¡­¡± With Eleanor back, she wouldn¡¯t need to rely on cigarettes and alcohol to ease her pain, but it would take time to quit her addiction. Cedric lowered his head and kissed her smooth, full forehead, ¡°good girl.¡± Such a loving tone made Hailey pause, and she soberly realized that Cedric was gentle and loving to any woman, so she suppressed the slight stir in her heart. She pushed Cedric away, got dressed, and stood by the bed, ¡°Cedric Laurence, let¡¯s break up. Cedric was stunned, looked up at Hailey without responding immediately, just sizing her up. Hailey rarely called him by his full name, so calling him like this showed she had made up her mind. Cedric had rarely been dumped by a woman, but this one had brought up breaking up several times. Although he really enjoyed her charm in bed, at this moment, he felt indifferent.. He propped himself up with one hand on the high pillow and emotionlessly replied, ¡°Fine.¡± Hailey nced at him. In the past, when she offered breaking up, he always silenced her with a kiss, but this time he agreed quite readily But that¡¯s okay, it saved her from having to exin. Hailey didn¡¯t say anything more, took her gaze back, and walked away Cedric watched her leave, his face gradually bing serious. Over the next few days, Hailey was busy dealing with nightclub matters. She couldn¡¯t bear to sell the nightclub, so she handed it over to her manager. She originally bought this ce to steal Joelle Valona¡¯s business, but Joelle was framed before she could make a move. Although she didn¡¯t do it herself, she still got her revenge, so she didn¡¯t dwell on it and focused on running the nightclub instead. After several expansions, the nightclub had be as upscale as the Midnight Bar. With the upgrade in ss, business was booming. Midnight Bar¡¯s customers were all willing to spend big here. And no one dared to cause trouble here Chapter 263 Chapter 263 Chapter 263 The nightclub was a thriving venture, too precious to consider selling. Retaining it, with the manager at the helm, seemed the wisest choice. Hailey, after allocating a portion of shares to him and establishing a monthly finance report routine, took her leave of the pulsating establishment¡­ She went home, packed her stuff, and messaged Eleanor, saying that she¡¯s done with her stuff and ready to go. Eleanor quickly replied, saying that Ethan¡¯s private ne needed to apply for a flight route, so she needed to wait a bit longer. Hailey thought it would take a long time, but rich Ethan arranged everything quickly. Before leaving with her huge suitcases, she took ast look at the vi she bought. She was nning to sell it but thought maybe Eleanor could escape Ethan in the future, so she kept it.. After telling the housekeeper to take good care of the house, she left with her suitcases. The man in the Rolls-Royce Phantom in the distance couldn¡¯t help but get out of the car when he saw her leaving. ¡°Where are you going?¡± The sudden voice behind her startled Hailey. She turned and looked at Cedric, surprised, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Cedric nced at her, ¡°I was just passing by.¡± Then his gaze fell on the suitcases, ¡°Going on vacation?¡± Hailey shook her head, ¡°Going to G Country.¡± Cedric quickly realized, ¡°Are you going to settle down in G Country with Eleanor?¡± Hailey was stunned, not expecting him to know Eleanor was alive and that they were going to live in G Country. Remembering Eleanor¡¯s instructions, she quickly denied, ¡°Eleanor is dead, how could she settle down in G Country with me?¡± Cedric said emotionlessly, ¡°Bernard already knows everything. You don¡¯t have to hide it anymore¡± A few secondster, Hailey said to Cedric, ¡°He knows, but it¡¯s just about us going to G Country. Please don¡¯t tell him. Cedric¡¯s warm expression dimmed, not responding to her, his gaze still on the suitcases. Hailey noticed his gaze fall on her suitcases. She graced him with a warm smile and said, ¡°Mr. Laurence, your kindness these past three years hasn¡¯t gone unnoticed. It¡¯s possible our paths may not cross again. I do hope you¡¯ll find the love you deserve and build a wonderful family. After that, Hailey loaded her suitcases into the SUV, waved goodbye to Cedric, and got in the car. As the car sped away without any hesitation, Cedric felt a bit uneasy. Will they never meet again? He stood there, thought for a moment, took out his phone, and called Bernard. When Hailey arrived at the vi, Eleanor was almost done packing. Seeing her, she hurriedly invited her in. ¡°Hailey, the flight was supposed to be this afternoon, but it got dyed to tonight because of the weather.¡± ¡°You can rest at Ethan¡¯s house for a while, and we¡¯ll set off when it gets dark.¡± Hearing the departure time was changed to night, Hailey became worried and frowned. ¡°Eleanor, I ran into Cedric when I left. He knows you¡¯re alive and that we¡¯re going to G Country¡­¡± ¡°Although I asked Cedric not to tell Bernard, he¡¯s always been very loyal to him, so I¡¯m afraid he won¡¯t keep it a secret.¡± Eleanor was stunned, her long eyshes slightly trembling, hiding her emotions. She looked up at Hailey. ¡°Hailey, the day I left your house, Bernard came to see me.¡± ¡°I kept insisting I was Emilia, but he didn¡¯t believe me, so I just confessed¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to bring up anything rted to him before, so I didn¡¯t tell you about this¡­¡±Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 264 Chapter 264 Chapter 264 With a casual wave of her hand, Hailey dismissed the trivial matter. Her real concern, the one upying her thoughts, was Bernard¡¯s surprising decision to seek out Eleanor. Hailey asked with some confusion, What did Bernarde to look for you for?¡± Eleanor thought of Bernard¡¯s out-of-control appearance and said, ¡°He said he¡¯s been in love with me for eight years and asked me to give him a chance.¡± After saying that, she gave a bitter smile, ¡°Hailey, don¡¯t you think he¡¯s hrious?¡± It was hard to believe that histe affections were sincere, given how he treated her and yet imed to love her. Hailey¡¯s emotions muddled into aplex tangle as she grappled to regainposure from her initial shock. ¡°Eleanor, there¡¯s something I didn¡¯t tell you.¡± ¡°Actually, after you ¡®died, Bernard came to find you! ¡°When he found out about your death, he seemed to be in agony ¡°But I was so immersed in my anger at him for causing your death that I didn¡¯t think much about it.¡± ¡°Now that I hear you say he¡¯s been in love with you for eight years, I suddenly feel that maybe he really did love you¡­ Yet, Hailey was confounded. If Bernard truly loved Eleanor, why would he abandon her? His actions were perplexing, even defending those miscreants at the expense of hurting Eleanor. Since dating Cedric, Hailey had asked about Bernard a few times in order to take revenge. But it seemed that Cedric knew the purpose of her seduction and remained silent about Bernard¡¯s affairs. Now she couldn¡¯t figure out why Bernard would treat Eleanor like this¡­. Eleanor was momentarily stunned, grappling with the surprising reality that her supposed ¡°death¡± could cause Bernard such profound anguish. Her heart cracked slightly, but she felt that Hailey might have misunderstood, ¡°He probably felt guilty.¡± No matter how cold-hearted someone is, they would be somewhat moved when faced with the loss of a life. Upon hearing Eleanor say this, Hailey stopped dwelling on Bernard¡¯s thoughts and instead asked Eleanor, ¡°Do you still love Bernard?¡± Eleanor¡¯s face gradually darkened, ¡°I¡¯ve given up on him.¡± Hailey wanted to say something else, but Eleanor cut her off, ¡°Hailey, let¡¯s go to the airport early.¡± Although she had already made things clear with Bernard, she wasn¡¯t sure if he woulde looking for her again after finding out she was going back to G Country. It¡¯s better to leave early. She really didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with Bernard anymore, even if it meant jumping into the fire by going to another country¡­ Seeing that Eleanor didn¡¯t want to talk about Bernard-rted matters anymore, Hailey changed the subject, ¡°Have you packed everything?¡± Eleanor nodded, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll call Ethan.¡± Ethan was even more anxious to leave than her. Hearing that she wanted to go to the airport early, he immediately went downstairs with his suitcase. After arranging for someone to return Hailey¡¯s SUV to her vi, he took Eleanor and Hailey to a stretch limousine. As the car sped towards the airport, a Koenigsegg passed by¡­ After recognizing the car, a hint of a smile shed in Ethan¡¯s eyes. He calmly took out his phone and sent a message to the people in the vi. [Someone willeter, tell them my flight is the day after tomorrow] Then he sent a message to the airport staff, asking them to keep his itinerary a secret. With these things taken care of, Ethan propped his chin with one hand and chuckled. Bernard, as my pawn, you will never be able to take Eleanor away. You can keep looking.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Chapter 265 Chapter 265 Chapter 265 Inside the restroom next to the VIP lounge at the airport. Eleanor just freshened up, and now she was sprucing herself up in front of the mirror. Her skin, once pale as a ghost, was now healthier, more flushed. A bit of foundation and a swipe of lipstick, and vo, she looked a whole lot liveller. Just as she prepared to stride back towards the VIP lounge, an imposing figure appeared unexpectedly. d in a sleek ck suit, his frosty demeanor charged the atmosphere with tension. His sculpted features and prating gaze made him undeniably attractive, yet his presence was undeniably intimidating. Without uttering a word, he strode over, his face hard as stone, and grabbed her by the arm, yanking her to the door. Eleanor, snapping out of her initial shock, struggled to shake him off, but he had her in a vise grip, not giving her a chance to make a break for it. Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Bernard Laurence!¡± she eximed. She thought she had made herself clear to him, why was he still all over her like white on rice? Bernard didn¡¯t even look back, just hauled her toward the restroom door, but she clung onto the door frame, refusing to go along with him. With a tight shut of his eyes, Bernard swallowed the anger boiling within him and turned to Aidyn outside, saying curtly, ¡°Make sure nobodyes in.¡± Having given his orders, he spun around, backed Eleanor against the wall, grabbed her chin, and locked his lips onto hers in a frenzied kiss. Since Eleanor¡¯s return, Bernard had cornered her thrice. Each meeting followed a simr pattern ¨C him asserting his dominance over her. Rage boiled within Eleanor as she attempted to resist, but his strength easily overwhelmed her. He held her wrists captive above her head, his hulking form entrapping her, as he consumed her lips with an unyielding passion. His aggressive, suffocating kisses left Eleanor helpless¡­ So, she gave up resisting, her eyes vacant, watching him lose control¡­ He kissed her without restraint, her lips, her cheeks, her neck, his passion and love spilling out in each kiss¡­ But the woman in his arms remained indifferent, as if nothing he did could stir any emotions in her anymore. Herck of reaction was choking Bernard¡­ Before, a single kiss would have been enough to elicit a response from her, even a bold reciprocation, but now¡­ He looked down at Eleanor, her face serene, and it hit him- they could never go back to how they were. Feeling a stab of despair, he slowly let go of her, yet couldn¡¯t resist reaching out to touch her face one last time, only for her to turn her head away. She didn¡¯t utter a word, nor did she ask him to stop pestering her like the previous times¡­ She just looked at him indifferently, as if he was a stranger¡­ Bernard¡¯s beautiful eyes welled up with a painful redness. ¡°Eleanor, can you not treat me like this¡­¡± Lifting her gaze slightly, Eleanor looked at the man before her whose eyes were bloodshot, Then how do you want me to treat you?¡± Bernard was momentarily taken aback, he opened his mouth to say something, but found himself at a loss for words. Seeing him speechless, Eleanor broke free from his grasp and turned to leave, but he held onto her Eleanor spun around, her eyes cold, ¡°What the hell do you want?¡± Her aloof tone prompted a bitter chuckle from Bernard, ¡°What do you think I¡¯m doing, chasing you to the airport like a madman?* Chapter 266 Chapter 266 Chapter 266 Eleanor couldn¡¯t help butugh coldly when she heard that. ¡°If I¡¯m not wrong, Mr. Laurence, you must be chasing after me because you couldn¡¯t find someone morepatible with you in bed.¡± Bernard¡¯s pale face grew even darker, his eyes turning bloodshot as he concealed the intense emotions raging within him. His fury seemed to reach its peak as he uncontrobly grabbed her face and forcefully drew her petite body towards him. With a fierce gaze fixed on her, he gritted his teeth and spoke through them, ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right. I simply can¡¯t find anyone morepatible than you in bed, and that¡¯s precisely why I refuse to let you go.¡± Eleanor felt a suffocating pain in her chest, but she forced it down. She seemingly didn¡¯t care and smiled at him, ¡°I¡¯m married and no longer in that business. Please, Mr. Laurence, don¡¯te to me again.¡± Bernard¡¯s heart hurt, the dense pain tightly ensnaring him, leaving him trapped. Eleanor opened her swollen lips, ¡°Mr. Laurence, my husband is waiting for me. Would you mind letting me go?¡± Bernard stared at her with red eyes, ¡°If he¡¯s your husband, then what am I to you?¡± Eleanor replied indifferently, ¡°A former sugar daddy¡± Bernard scoffed, suppressing the heart-wrenching pain, and looked at her coldly ¡°Eleanor, you¡¯re really cruel.¡± Was she really, though? Her cruelty couldn¡¯tpare to even one-thousandth of his. Eleanor had no intention of getting entangled with him further. She gave his hand, which refused to let her go, a cold re. ¡°Let go!¡± Instead of letting go, Bernard held her even tighter. ¡°I won¡¯t let you go with Ethan.¡± Ethan had conspired with their vi¡¯s s***nts and airport staff to deceive Bernard to prevent him from finding Eleanor. If Bernard hadn¡¯t been so persistent and had called the airline director to check on Ethan¡¯s flight, Eleanor would have long been gone. He could bear her cold words and indifference, even her not loving him, but he couldn¡¯t stand her leaving with another man! Eleanor suddenly felt it was ridiculous. ¡°Is my body really so unforgettable to you?¡± Ignoring his excruciating pain, Bernard forced himself to reply, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Since she didn¡¯t believe he loved her, why bother trying to convince her? Why not just force her to stay with him this way? Eleanor emotionlessly nodded slightly in his embrace. ¡°Fine¡± After that, she used her small hand against his chest to undress him. Bernard froze in ce, not understanding what she was trying to do. It wasn¡¯t until she unbuttoned his shirt, tiptoed to kiss his throat that he realized what she was doing. He felt numb all over, wanting her right there and then. But he held back. He grabbed her hand, lowering his head and voice to ask, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Eleanor calmly said, ¡°You can¡¯t forget my body, right? So, I¡¯m giving it to you.¡± After that, she looked at him coldly, ¡°And after that, please just let me go.¡± The hope in Bernard¡¯s eyes gradually dimmed. ¡°So you¡¯re really just being proactive to get away from me.¡± Eleanor said coldly, ¡°What else did you think?¡± ? Bernard¡¯s tall and straight body stiffened suddenly, feeling a chill spreading through his bloodstream.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 267 Chapter 267 Chapter 267 He held her tight, but he couldn¡¯t feel her presence. This emptiness was driving him insane! She asked coldly, ¡°Do you want me or not? If not, just let me go.¡± Bernard was in so much pain that he could barely breathe, let alone speak. All he could do was press her head to his chest, hoping she could hear his breaking heart. But why would she care about his pain if she didn¡¯t love him? Eleanor tried to push him away, but it was useless. He just held her, not letting her go. Feeling a bit helpless, she sighed, ¡°What do you want me to do so you¡¯ll let me go?¡± Bernard said cruelly, ¡°I want you to love me.¡± Hearing this, Eleanor slightly trembled, but her face remained expressionless. The woman in his arms was silent, and Bernard knew her answer. With tears in his eyes, he asked, ¡°Eleanor, can¡¯t you love me just once?¡± Even if it was just for a day, he wanted to experience being loved by the person he cared for¡­. Eleanor¡¯s hand, which was gripping his shirt cor, involuntarily tightened as if she was moved by his words.. However, thinking back on the days when she loved him, she felt exhausted and pushed down those feelings. She calmly said, ¡°Mr. Laurence, our rtionship was based on mutual benefits. After we¡¯ve parted ways, why talk about love?¡± Her calm words cut deep into Bernard¡¯s heart, causing an unbearable pain. At that moment, Ethan¡¯s voice came from outside the door, wanting to burst in but being stopped by someone, shouting Eleanor¡¯s name. Eleanor frowned and looked up at Bernard, ¡°Let me go, stop making a scene.¡± Bernard held her tightly, not letting go. His stubbornness made Eleanor furious. She yelled, ¡°Bernard! I married Ethan as Emilia. I married Garett as Eleanor.I belong to them, not you! Who do you think you are, not letting me go?¡± Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Bernard¡¯s tall body froze on the spot. Yeah, why shouldn¡¯t he let her go? He slowly loosened his grip on Eleanor, his eyes reddened. His gaze gradually turned cold and distant again. He took a step back, looking indifferently at the woman fixing her clothes. ¡°May you and Mr. Ziegler be happy and forever in love.¡± Eleanor ignored his sarcasm, straightened her clothes, and turned to leave. As she was about to walk out of the bathroom, the sudden emptiness in his heart was even more unbearable than hearing her cruel words earlier. This pain caused him to lose control, chasing her and holding her from behind. Burying his head in her neck, smelling her unique scent, he felt slightly better. He abandoned all his pride and begged her softly, ¡°Please, don¡¯t go.¡± Eleanor hesitated for a moment, seemingly not expecting the once-proud man to lower himself and ask her like this. She turned her head, looking at the man tightly holding her, and said solemnly, ¡°Bernard, it¡¯s really impossible for us now. Let me go.¡± Bernard was stunned, then scoffed, ¡°I know it¡¯s impossible, no need to remind me.¡± Eleanor frowned. ¡°If you know, why won¡¯t you let me go?¡± He lowered his head, his eyes shing coldly. ¡°What about Garett if you leave with him?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t understand and looked at him, confused. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Bernard¡¯s swollen eyes gradually cooled down, reced by hesitation. It seemed that he was making a crucial decision, thinking long and hard before finally letting go of Eleanor. He took a deep breath, stared at her, and asked softly, ¡°Will you leave with him ore with me to see Garett?¡± Chapter 268 Chapter 268 Eleanor was standing there like a deer caught in the headlights, struggling to believe what she just heard. She stammered, ¡°He he¡¯s still kickin¡®?¡± Bernard Laurence clenched his fists, stifling the kind of agony that felt like his heart was being torn into pieces, and gave a slight nod. ¡°Yep, still kickin¡®!¡± He noticed her eyes, which were as lifeless as a zombie¡¯s before, start to sparkle when she heard the news. No surprise there¨Conly Garett Falsey could make her panic. No matter what Bernard did, she wouldn¡¯t give him the time of day. Bernardughed it off with a touch of self¨Cmockery¡­ Having received confirmation from Bernard, Eleanor¡¯s eyes began to well up with tears, ¡°But I thought¡­¡± The news reported he offed himself over a broken heart, and Hailey said he was six feet under, so how in the world.. Bernard casually replied, ¡°I saved his bacon.¡± Eleanor¡¯s eyes, now misty, widened in shock ¨C it was Bernard who saved Garett¡¯s skin. Content held by N?velDrama.Org. She was taken aback, feeling a whirlwind of emotions inside, and simply muttered, ¡°Thanks.¡± This simple ¡®thanks¡® felt like it pushed them miles apart, and Bernard felt like his ears were bleeding. He scoffed, ¡°What¡¯s your deal, thanking me for him? Are you thanking me as Ethan Ziegler¡¯s ball and chain or as Garett¡¯s?¡± Hearing that, Eleanor¡¯s guilt didn¡¯t let up ¨C if anything, it multiplied. She cast her gaze downward and didn¡¯t reply. But her nails dug into her palms. Bernard lifted her hand, prying her fingers open so she wouldn¡¯t hurt herself, and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to him.¡± His big paw enveloped her tiny hand, fingers interlocking with hers. Hand in hand, they headed for the door¡­ Aidyn, nked by a bunch of bodyguards, stopped Ethan from barging in. Ethan, with his hand tucked in his pocket and a grave expression resembling that of a funeral, sharply commanded Aidyn, ¡°Back¨Cup Aidyn was caught off guard by Ethan¡¯s decision to call for reinforcements right in front of him. It was a bitter pill to swallow. As Ethan was about to shoot his mouth off some more, he saw Eleanor stepping out. He immediately mmed up and made a beeline for her, calling. ¡°Emilia,¡± Bernard gave him the cold shoulder, dragged Eleanor past him without so much as a ¡°howdy¡®. en route!¡± Ethan¡¯s face turned thunderous. He lunged forward and grabbed Eleanor¡¯s hand, barking orders. The ne¡¯s about to jet. Let¡¯s bounce.¡± Eleanor looked up at Ethan and said, ¡°Sorry, but I can¡¯t take off with you, I gotta¡­.. Before she could even finish, Bernard yanked her away. She managed to break free from Ethan, shouting over her shoulder, ¡°I¡¯ll exinter!¡± Hailey, at the entrance of the VIP lounge, saw them hightailing it out of the airport, and for some reason, felt like a weight was lifted off her shoulders. She was all geared up to move to G Country or wherever with Eleanor, but she was scared stiff that once they were there, Ethan would treat her like dirt. She¡¯d been on pins and needlestely, but seeing Eleanor whisked away by Bernard made her breathe easy. Granted, with Bernard it might not be a bed of roses, but at least they wouldn¡¯t be sweating it out in God knows where. Ethan was held back by the bodyguards and couldn¡¯t do diddly squat, forced to just watch as Bernard made off with Eleanor¡­. His fists were white¨Cknuckled, his eyes narrowing into icy slits as he watched the two disappear into the airport. Bernard, you and the Laurence n really know how to swoop in and grab my things¡­. ¡úChapter 269 After Bernard and Eleanor left the airport, they got into a fancy car. Eleanor sat in the back, about to buckle. Chapter 269 Chapter 269 Chapter 269 Bernard took the seatbelt and helped her put it on. He lifted his cold, indifferent eyes to take a nce at Eleanor. Seeing her calm expression, Bernard straightened up and ordered Aidyn, who was closely following them, to drive. Upon starting the car, Eleanor turned her head and gazed out the window without saying a word. Bernard also faced the window with a frosty expression, remaining silent. Even though they were sitting side by side, it felt like there was an invisible barrier between them, keeping them distant like strangers. It wasn¡¯t know how long it took, but eventually, Bernard couldn¡¯t resist turning around to look at her again¡­ Content held by N?velDrama.Org. She was leaning against the car door with the window half-open, the breeze blowing in, her thick short hair swaying. She gazed at the scenery outside the window, quiet and well-behaved, just like when she was with him, as if she had never changed. Seeing her like this, Bernard¡¯s eyes reddened, and he couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Stop the car. Aidyn promptly slowed down and parked the car by the roadside before tactfully getting out. Eleanor turned her head and asked Bernard with confusion, ¡°Aren¡¯t you taking me to see Garett?* Bernard stared at her anxious face and nodded slightly, ¡°I¡¯ll take you, but¡­¡± He paused for a moment, then moved closer to Eleanor and said, ¡°Before we see him, can we just go back to how we were?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t understand what he meant, frowning, ¡°What?¡± Bernard gently smoothed her frown, gazing deeply into her face, ¡°Before we reach our destination, be my woman one more time.¡± Thinking he wanted her body, Eleanor¡¯s face darkened, ¡°Not a chance.¡± At her response, he hesitated, then asked in a deep voice, ¡°Is it not okay to just be together for the duration of this car ride like we used to be?¡± Eleanor¡¯s past memories shed through her mind-back when Bernard used to hold her in the living room, feeding her water and food. When he talked about going back to the past, perhaps he didn¡¯t mean in a physical sense, but rather to the harmonious days they had once shared¡­. Eleanor sighed inwardly. She didn¡¯t want to guess why Bernard was making such a demand, she merely counter-asked, ¡°If I don¡¯t agree, will you refuse to take me to Garett?¡± Bernard gave a bitter smile, ¡°Exactly. Eleanor¡¯s expression darkened. After a moment of contemtion, she coldly replied, ¡°Alright, I agree. The fact that she was coerced into agreeing made Bernard¡¯s heart grow even more bitter. But this was an opportunity he had fought for, he couldn¡¯t just give it up lightly. After he had Aidyn get back in the car, he told Eleanor, ¡°It ends when the car stops¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t respond. But when the privacy screen came down, she suddenly felt a little nervous. As she was dazed, Bernard slipped one arm around her waist, lifting her onto hisp. He had always liked holding her this way. He enjoyed looking up at her. This way, he could clearly see her eyes, and confirm whether they still held his reflection. Eleanor, reluctantly, wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders, her legs forced onto hisp. Despite them doing nothing explicit, the intimate position reminded Eleanor of their passionate times together in the past. Those memories made her quickly avert her gaze, avoiding eye contact with him. Chapter 270 Chapter 270 Chapter 270 Bernard grabbed her chin with one hand, forcing her to look him in the eye. The man in front of her still looked so noble, his handsome face unchanged. He had dark circles under his deep-set eyes, but it didn¡¯t affect his handsome appearance at all. His hair was neat and tidy, making him look very elegant and gentlemanly¡­ The white shirt under his suit jacket had two buttons undone by her¡­. Now his cor was slightly open, revealing his corbone¡­. Further down were his muscr chest and long legs. This was the first time Eleanor had taken a close look at him since she¡¯d returned, thinking he¡¯d changed a bit, and yet not. Bernard saw his own reflection in her eyes and smiled. It was only then that he could truly see himself in her eyes. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. He touched her short hair and said, ¡°I remember you used to like having long hair.¡± Eleanor trembled, recalling that she used to have long hair because he loved it. Now that Ethan had forced her to cut it short, it meant closing the chapter on their past, and she¡¯d never grow her hair long for him again. Bernard¡¯s hand moved from her hair down to her chest, touching her heart. Feeling her heartbeat, he seemed to remember something and became very guilty. Trembling, he asked her, ¡°Does it still hurt?¡± Eleanor shook her head gently. ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t hurt after I got a new heart! She felt the hand resting on her chest trembling. Without thinking, she nced down and noticed four deep scars on his wrist, seemingly cut by a knife. In addition, there were four scars on his palm that, even after healing, retained a terrifying appearance as if they had sliced through to the bone. She looked at Bernard in surprise, unable to believe that someone of his status could be injured, wondering who had done this to him. Bernard, feeling guilty, stopped touching her heart. Letting go of her, he hugged her tightly. After a long silence, he finally spoke, ¡°How have you been these past three years?¡± Leaning on his shoulder, Eleanor replied indifferently, Tm fine.¡± Those two simple words told Bernard she didn¡¯t want to share anything about herself with him. He didn¡¯t press further but gently stroked her back, ¡°Do you want some water?¡± Eleanor shook her head, her eyes drifting to the window, seemingly deep in thought. Bernard¡¯s face darkened, moving his hand back to her chin, making her look at him, ¡°You promised me, your eyes will only be on me.¡± Eleanor hesitated for a moment, then obediently agreed, ¡°Okay.¡± She wrapped her arms around his neck, lowering her head to look into his eyes. She made sure her eyes were only on him, but it only intensified the pain in Bernard¡¯s heart. Taking a deep breath, he called her name helplessly, ¡°Honey¡­¡± Hearing him call her like that, Eleanor suddenly thought of Sophie Ratliff. Feeling disgusted, she frowned and coldly asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you married already?¡± She remembered reading in the news that Bernard and Sophie would be engaged three months after their breakup. Almost three years had passed since then, and they must be married by now. What should she do about a married man who kept pestering her? Before, she only wanted to avoid Bernard and hadn¡¯t even thought about Sophie. Now that she did, she suddenly felt sick. Seeing the disgust in her eyes, Bernard quickly understood what she was thinking and hurriedly exined, ¡°No. I didn¡¯t marry her.¡± Chapter 271 Chapter 271 hapter 271 She once said she¡¯d never be someone¡¯s side chick, so how could he do something to let her down? He hugged her tightly and couldn¡¯t help but blurt out his true thoughts: ¡°If you hadn¡¯te back, I¡¯d never marry anyone in my life.¡± Upon hearing this, Eleanor experienced a slight tremor, although her face remained devoid of any expression¡­ Even though she was surprised, she didn¡¯t speak or ask him why he didn¡¯t end up marrying Sophie. Bernard raised his hand to caress her cheek: ¡°The one I¡¯ve always wanted to marry is you. His voice was h**se, but it carried deep emotions, which made Eleanor¡¯s heart tremble. But her disbelief quickly returned. As Bernard¡¯s lips trembled, he wanted to say more, but Aidyn¡¯s voice interrupted: ¡°Mr. Laurence, we¡¯ve arrived.¡± Bernard looked up at Eleanor and reluctantly hugged her again. Eleanor just looked at him expressionlessly, as if ming him for not keeping his word. After forcing a smile, Bernard said. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Eleanor nced at him, then let go of his neck and got off hisp. As she got out of the car, Bernard tried to call out to her. ¡°Eleanor.¡± Eleanor turned her head and looked at the cold and noble man in the car. The light inside was dim, so she couldn¡¯t see his expression clearly. It seemed like a dark shadow enveloped him, making it hard for him to break free. He turned his head slightly, staring at her with bloodshot eyes: ¡°Do you not believe that I love you because I was too cold to you before?¡± Seeing his honesty, Eleanor didn¡¯t avoid it anymore and nodded gently. Bernard lowered his head, seeminglyughing and mocking himself. Confused, Eleanor asked, ¡°What¡¯re youughing at?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. tad Forcing a smile, he said bitterly: ¡°In those five years, you called out Garett in your sleep 152 times.¡± He lifted his head, his eyes red: ¡°Every time you called his name, I wanted to distance myself from you, but I couldn¡¯t.¡± Eleanor was stunned, never realizing she had called Garett¡¯s name so many times in her sleep, After following Bernard, she had dreamt of Garett many times, but those were nightmares where he kicked her heart and broke her fingers. There were also times when shey in a pool of blood, crying out, ¡°Garett, please save me.¡± Back then, what broke her heart wasn¡¯t just her dying life, but also the despair that her lover would never return. As a result, she developed a severe psychological shadow and was gued by nightmares for countless days and nights. However, she never expected to call out his name in her dreams, let alone for Bernard to hear it. In fact, she didn¡¯t call Garett¡¯s name because she couldn¡¯t let go of him but because she was afraid of those memories. But now, all of this didn¡¯t matter because Bernard had also hurt her in the same way, pushing her to the brink of death. However, it was indeed wrong for her to scream another man¡¯s name while with him. Full of regret, she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Hearing her apology, Bernard sneered: ¡°Is an apology what I want?¡± Eleanor knew what he wanted, but¡­ She looked at him and calmly said, ¡°We can¡¯t go back to the past. Garett killed himself for me. I can¡¯t let him down again.¡± He had already exined to her why he was so cold to her in the past, clearing up her inner confusion from all those years. But now, the problem between them was no longer about love but that her overwhelming guilt wouldn¡¯t let her turn back. Chapter 272 Chapter 272 Chapter 272 Bernard extended his hand, examining the scar on his palm, and unexpectedly burst into a chuckle Eleanor had never witnessed such a mncholic smile before She couldn¡¯t help but step towards him, but he stopped her, ¡°Don¡¯te any closer. He didn¡¯t turn around, his h***se voice echoing from inside the car, ¡°The vi up ahead, that¡¯s where he is. You go find him.¡± Eleanor nced in the direction of the vi, then back at the man in the car. Eventually, she retracted her gaze, turned around and walked towards the vi Watching the petite figure recklessly dash towards Garett, Bernard¡¯s tears gradually sheding¡­. He curled his hand into a slight fist as if to cover up all the past, no longer brought up, no longer insisted upon. Aidyn turned his head, looking at Bernard, ¡°Mr. Laurence, you attempted suicide for her too¡­¡± Bernard said, ¡°Don¡¯t ever tell her about this.¡± Aidyn furrowed his brow, a face full of puzzlement, ¡°Why?¡± He also did a lot for Ms. Shultz, why not tell her? Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Bernard¡¯s eyes reddened, ¡°Just let them be¡± Aidyn looked at him with a bit of heartache, ¡°Then what about you, Mr. Laurence?¡± This man who loved Ms. Shultz so much, loved her enough to ruthlessly cut his own palm and wrist every anniversary of her death. This man, with his intense love and possessiveness, yet willingly pushed her to someone else, how much pain must he be in? Bernard didn¡¯t reply to Aidyn¡¯s words, instead, he slowly looked out at the blue sky and white clouds outside the car window. The light still existed, but it no longer belonged to him¡­.. No matter how desperately he clung, this light would not shine upon him, not even a bit of warmth. Ever since he was taught not to express his emotions, he was destined to be alone for the rest of his life, never to receive love¡­ When Eleanor reached the door of the vi, she paused for a moment, wanting to look back, but she bit back the urge. She raised her hand, pressing the vi¡¯s doorbell. Soon, a sweet voice answered from inside, ¡°Who is it?¡± Eleanor hesitated for a moment before replying, ¡°Mr. Laurence sent me.¡± Upon hearing Mr. Laurence, the person inside responded, ¡°Oh, thene on in.¡± Soon, the vi¡¯s door opened, and Eleanor stepped inside. The front yard of the vi was full of vibrant flowers, filled with the ambiance of life. A figure in the distance was watering the flowers¡­ When he saw her, he quickly put down the watering can and walked over to Eleanor. ¡°May I know who you are?¡± The girl who posed the question appeared to be in her twenties, possessing a pleasant countenance and a soothing voice, which offered a sense offort. Eleanor found herself smiling back at the girl¡¯s sweet grin, ¡°My name is Eleanor Shultz¡± The girl tilted her head, smiling as she asked, ¡°Ms. Shultz, are you here to see Mr. Falsey?¡± Eleanor nodded lightly, her voice trembling a bit when she spoke. ¡°Is¡­he¡­here?¡± The girl gestured for her toe, ¡°Yes, follow me.¡± She led Eleanor through the spa***us and bright living room, to the backyard. She stood at the top of the stairs, pointing towards the flower bed in the distance, ¡°He¡¯s over there¡± Following her finger, Eleanor looked towards the man sitting in a wheelchair¡­. He was facing away from her, surrounded by a dense sea of flowers. The sunlight spilled over hurn, casting a faint golden glow In his hand, he seemed to be holding a book, reading quietly¡­ Seeing him after three years, Eleanor felt as if she had been transported back to the past.. The boy from her memories also loved sitting quietly in a sea of flowers reading He was still the same, unchanged, still the gentle and elegant Garett she remembered. With tears in her eyes, she softly called out to the figure, ¡°Garett¡­ Chapter Hearing that familiar voice, the person in the wheelchair stiffened. He slowly turned his head to look at Eleanor, standing on the steps¡­ Chapter 273 Chapter 273 Chapter 273 In a red dress and short hair, the breeze revealed a stunningly beautiful face.. It was the face he had etched into his memory, the one he had envisioned in countless dreams. Despite any alterations in her appearance, her face remained unaltered, just as he had always known it. Bathed in light, he stared at her from across the sea of flowers, not daring to move an inch, only able to gaze from afar¡­. She had appeared like this many times before, but every time he ran towards her, she disappeared. The person in front of him was probably just another illusion. Since he couldn¡¯t hold onto her, he decided not to disturb her and let her stay a little longer¡­ ¡°Garett¡­ That gentle, peaceful voice called out to him again, making everything feel so unreal¡­. It wasn¡¯t until he saw her slowly step down from the stairs, cross the sea of flowers, ande to stand before him that he finally reacted. The book in Garett¡¯s hand suddenly dropped to the ground. He incredulously looked up at the person in front of him. ¡°You¡­¡± His voice was deep and h***e, as if he hadn¡¯t spoken in a long time. Eleanor¡¯s eyes were red as she looked him up and down¡­. Her countenance was strikingly handsome, with refined and gentle features, and her eyes carried a profound sense of mncholy. Only when they reflected her image did a glimmer of brightness appear in those eyes¡­. He was dressed in a white shirt and ck suit pants, looking as gentle and refined as ever. But his legs hung limply in the wheelchair, as if they would never stand again¡­. Eleanor slowly squatted down and touched his leg. ¡°Garett, what happened to your leg?¡± He still stared at her in disbelief, ¡°You¡­. are you my Eleanor?¡± Eleanor looked up and met the gaze of the man staring at her, ¡°Garett, I am your Eleanor. I¡¯veeN?velDrama.Org owns ? this. back¡­* Hearing that clear and powerful voice, Garett began to cry. Only when he touched Eleanor¡¯s warm skin did he dare to believe she was real. He took several deep breaths, but couldn¡¯t control his emotions, ¡°Why¡­ did it take you so long toe back?¡± His trembling voice made Eleanor¡¯s tears fall, Tm sorry, Garett. I waste.¡± He gently shook his head, wiping the tears from her face, ¡°Don¡¯t cry¡­ He was still as gentle with her as he was when they were young, as if nothing else mattered but her well-being. As Eleanor¡¯s heart grew heavier, the weight of past memories burdened her, causing her to seek sce in his embrace, where tears flowed freely. Garett raised his hand and gently patted her back, his silent tears falling alongside hers¡­ The girl he had missed for three years had returned on a sunny, breezy day filled with the scent of flowers. With a hopeless belief, he sat here every day waiting for her¡­. Because when he once said he wouldmit suicide at her grave, she had answered him. She said, ¡°Garett, if I leave this world before you, don¡¯t do anything foolish. Find a ce full of flowers and sit there, waiting for me. No matter how time changes, one day, I will reappear in front of you¡± He knew she was just giving him a reason to live, but he never expected her to keep her promise and appear before him again. Chapter 274 Chapter 274 Chapter 274 But, he literally put her in the crematorium with his own two hands! How on earth was she standing in front of him, not even a hair out of ce? He¡¯s not sure if she¡¯s the real deal or what, but as his fingers brushed her back, he could feel her warmth-like, she¡¯s legit here in the flesh! His hands were shaking as he helped Eleanor, who¡¯s bawling her eyes out on hisp, sit up. He cupped her face with both hands and took a good look. Despite the passing of three years, she appeared remarkably unchanged, or rather, even more radiant, as if a newfound vitality had graced her cheeks. It¡¯s like she¡¯s kissed goodbye to being sick and miserable. The girl was like a phoenix, reborn. Seeing her like this, he whispered, ¡°Eleanor.¡± Eleanor looked up at him, and through the waterworks, a smile started creeping on her face. She¡¯s like, ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Yeah, she¡¯s here. She¡¯s been here all along. Garett, with a gentle look, couldn¡¯t help but cr**k a smile. He¡¯s like, ¡°Good thing I listened to you.¡± Eleanor¡¯s confused, like, ¡°What¡¯d you say?¡± ¨C Garett¡¯s taken aback, realizing she must¡¯ve forgotten what she once told him. But, it¡¯s all good as long as he remembered. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in like he¡¯s hugging the life out of her. Whispering in her ear, he¡¯s like, ¡°Eleanor, this time, I didn¡¯t forget you.¡± He¡¯s been thinking about her non-stop, her face etched into his brain. Even if his memory got a bit hazy, he couldn¡¯t risk forgetting her. Because she made him pinky promise to remember her in the next life. Eleanor, who just stopped crying, started the waterworks all over again. She¡¯s like, ¡°Garett, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Garett¡¯s love for her was immeasurable, making it all the more difficult for him toprehend her desire to explore a connection with someone else before her time ran out. It must have devastated him completely. Garett just held her, telling her over and over again, ¡°Eleanor, you¡¯ve got nothing to be sorry for.¡± Eleanor¡¯s crying so hard she couldn¡¯t even speak, so he just patted her back, soothing her. They¡¯re wrapped up in each other, just like old times. The only change? The five years he forgot and the three years without her. The girl on the steps was watching all this, and she¡¯s got this relieved smile on her face. Mr. Falsey hadn¡¯t said a peep in three years, but now this gorgeous girl showed up and he¡¯s talking up a storm. Turns out, Mr. Falsey wasn¡¯t mute, he just hadn¡¯t met someone worth spilling his guts to They were hugging for a long time, but he finally let her go, thinking she must be tired. Garett wiped her tears with his finger and asked her gently, ¡°Eleanor, spill the beans. What¡¯s going on?¡± He saw her being pushed into the furnace with his own eyes, but now she¡¯s here, good as new. What the heck happened? Eleanor gaves him a small smile and said, ¡°Garett, I found my fam. Garett¡¯s eyes lit up, like, ¡°Was it your fam that saved you?¡± Eleanor nodded, but her eyes started to fill with sadness. ¡°My sis gave me her heart to save me.¡± Garett¡¯s just standing there, not quite catching on, but he sensed bad vibes, so he didn¡¯t press. Eleanor saw his reaction, dialed back the sadness, and started giving him the lowdown, gentle as ever. Garett listened and his eyes get all stormy, like he¡¯s shook by how messed up her story is¡­. Eleanor looks up at him, ¡°Garett, do you wanna know what my sis looked like?¡± He nodded, ¡°Got a pic?¡± Eleanor shook her head, then pointed at her short hair and red dress. She¡¯s like, ¡°My sis looked a lot like me. Seeing me is like seeing her. ¡®Cause her heart¡¯s in me now. I¡¯m kinda like her double.¡± Garett¡¯s face was all tender as he touched her hair. ¡°Eleanor, your sis would want you to be you, not her.¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Eleanor paused, a lightbulb moment. Her sister¡¯s heart was given for her to live, not clone. But now, she felt tied down by Ethan Ziegler. Chapter 275 Chapter 275 Chapter 275 After s***ng out for a while, Eleanor snapped back to reality and slowly looked at Garett¡¯s leg. ¡°What about you? What¡¯s the deal with your leg?¡± Garett followed her gaze, touched his c***ed leg, and said nonchntly, ¡°Just a gunshot wound, no biggie¡± Hearing the words ¡°gunshot wound,¡± Eleanor thought about a love-suicide and guilt filled her face, ¡°Was it because you suicided in front of my tombstone.7¡ä¡ä Garett shook his head and denied, ¡°No, it has nothing to do with you. Don¡¯t me yourself. Eleanor couldn¡¯t ept that, so she frowned and said, ¡°Garett, we¡¯ve known each other for so many years. Is there anything you can¡¯t tell me?¡± They were each other¡¯s first love and had been family for many years. Their deep bond couldn¡¯t be erased by time. Garett stared at her, silent for a long time, and finally said slowly, ¡°After you passed away, I wanted to die with you¡­ but Bernard stopped me¡­¡± As he said this, he unconsciously nced at Eleanor, seeing that her expression didn¡¯t change much, he continued, ¡°He took the gun from my hand, and while I was determined to kill myself, I identally hurt my leg during the struggle¡­¡± Eleanor looked at him in a daze, ¡°Why would you do something so foolish¡­¡± Garett smiled, ¡°Eleanor, what¡¯s the point of living without you?¡± Eleanor¡¯s guilt magnified infinitely, making her feel extremely remorseful. Garett was still alive, but his leg was injured, and he could no longer move freely like before. He imed it wasn¡¯t her fault, but everything happened because of her. She touched his leg with a guilty face, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I caused this¡­¡± Garett didn¡¯t mind and gentlyforted her, ¡°Eleanor, it really has nothing to do with you. I just hurt my leg by ident.¡± Eleanor shook her head with tears in her eyes, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t suddenly passed away, you wouldn¡¯t have¡­ Garett raised his hand to stop her from continuing. ¡°No matter when you passed away, I would¡¯ve followed you¡± That was always his n, and no one could stop him, including her. Eleanor looked at his stubbornness, feeling like her heart was being weighed down by a stone. She stared at his legs, her guilt not diminishing but elerating. Garett once again ruffled her hair and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the doctor is still treating me. Maybe I can stand up again.¡± This sentence ignited a glimmer of hope in Eleanor, ¡°Really?¡± Garett smiled and nodded, ¡°Yeah.¡± The doctor had said that the nerve was damaged and he would be paralyzed for life, but he didn¡¯t want to see his Eleanor continue to feel guilty. Getting her answer, Eleanor quickly wiped away her tears and said softly, ¡°Garett, I¡¯ll stay by your side and take care of you from now on.¡± Garett¡¯s clear face stiffened for a moment, and his eyes involuntarily looked at his legs¡­ Caring for a cr***le is hard. How could he selfishly let her atone forever? Garett shook his head gently, ¡°Eleanor, someone is already taking care of me. You don¡¯t have to stay by my side¡­ Hearing this, Eleanor looked at the girl still standing on the steps, ¡°Is it her?¡± Garett didn¡¯t look back, but he could feel someone watching him. He nodded, ¡°Yes,¡± Eleanor turned to Garett, ¡°Has she been taking care of you for the past three years?¡± Garett nodded again, and Eleanor seemed to understand something, so she stopped talking. Seeing her silence, Garett¡¯s heart felt tightly squeezed, causing him pain and difficulty breathing. Just as he was about to say something, Eleanor spoke again, ¡°Garett, are you sure you don¡¯t need me to stay by your side and take care of you?¡± His clenched fist struggled for a long time, and finally slowly loosened, painfully replying, ¡°No need¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t ask him anymore, stood up straight, took a step back, smiled at him, and then turned and left.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 276 Chapter 276 Chapter 276 Watching Eleanor leave the vi without hesitation, Garett¡¯s eyes suddenly welled up with tears¡­. It felt like his heart was being stabbed with a needle, aching so much that he couldn¡¯t breathe. He really wanted to run after her, hold her, and not let her go. But his legs didn¡¯t respond at all. How could he deserve to have her stay by his side like this¡­. He looked up at the setting sun, trying to hold back his tears, but they kept falling down. Covering his eyes with one hand, he felt the pain deeply when a small figure appeared, blocking the scorching sunlight. Through the gaps between his fingers, Garett saw Eleanor tilting her head, opening the bottled water in her hand, and offering it to his lips. ¡°Garett, I saw your lips were dry, so I got some water from Yilia, Can I feed it to you?¡± Turns out she didn¡¯t leave¡­ He was both overjoyed and worried about involving her. Content held by N?velDrama.Org. At that moment, he just obediently opened his mouth and let her take care of him. Seeing him behave, Eleanor smiled slightly and squatted down in front of him again. ¡°Garett, I know you¡¯re afraid that taking care of you will be too hard for me, so you want to push me away.¡± ¡°But when I had a severe heart condition before, you took care of me without ever giving up.¡± ¡°Now that you¡¯re injured and can¡¯t move because of me, how could I possibly leave you?¡± Eleanor touched his legs and said firmly. ¡°I¡¯ll be with you until you can stand up again. When that time comes, if you think I¡¯m annoying, you can push me away, okay?¡± Her love warmed Garett¡¯s heart. ¡°Eleanor, you call me silly, but you¡¯re actually the silliest!¡± Eleanor smiled brightly and said, ¡°Mr. Falsey, I think you¡¯re still a bit more silly.¡± Before she passed away, she had said some heartless words to him, but he still followed her quietly. Of course he was silly. Eleanor looked up at the sky and said softly, ¡°Garett, it¡¯s getting dark. Should I push you inside?¡± Garett¡¯s face no longer showed the struggle and conflict, but gradually revealed a happy smile, ¡°Okay¡± Eleanor stood up and pushed the wheelchair towards the vi. The setting sun shone on them, stretching their shadows, warm and beautiful. From a distance, Bernard withdrew his mncholy gaze and turned away indifferently. When Eleanor pushed Garett back to the vi, Yilia had already prepared dinner. As they entered from the back garden, Yilia immediately waved at them with a smile, ¡°Mr. Falsey, Ms. Shultz,e have dinner.¡± Eleanor smiled back, pushed Garett to the dining table, and took the knife and fork handed over by Yilia. She bent down and asked him, ¡°Do you need me to feed you?¡± Garett smiled, ¡°My hands can still move.¡± Yilia alsoughed, looking at Garett, ¡°Mr. Falsey, your voice is really nice.¡± Garett shifted his gaze from Eleanor¡¯s face and said to her, ¡°Yilia, thank you so much for these three years.¡± During these three years, he didn¡¯t want tomunicate with anyone, so Yilia had to guess his needs when taking care of him, which took a lot of effort. Yilia shook her head as she served the dishes, ¡°It¡¯s not hard at all. Mr. Laurence pays me way more than I made as a caregiver in the hospital¡± She used to be a caregiver at Dr. Terrill¡¯s hospital. Because of her gentle personality and excellent caregiving skills, the hospital director rmended her to Mr. Laurence. Mr. Laurence offered her a very high sry to take good care of Mr. Falsey, which was actually a great job opportunity. Moreover, Mr. Falsey wasn¡¯t like other patients in the hospital, and she didn¡¯t need to take care of every aspect of his life, just cooking and doingundry. As for his physiological needs, Colter Clowers would help, so she didn¡¯t have to worry about that. This job was really great, so how could it be tiring? After preparing the meal, Yilia told them, ¡°You two eat first. I¡¯ll eat with Colter when hees back.¡± With that, Yilia turned and left the dining room, giving them space to be alone. Chapter 277 Chapter 277 After Yilia left, Eleanor seemed a bit dazed, as if she hadn¡¯t expected Bernard not only to save Garett but also to hire someone to take care of him. Seeing her in a daze, Garett knew what she was thinking. He gently put down the fork in his hand and looked at her with aplex expression. ¡°Eleanor, over the past three years, Bernard has done a lot to keep me alive¡­ It seems like he¡¯s trying to atone for something in this way I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s atoning for, but I know he loves you very much,¡± Garett said these words, making up for not being honest with Eleanor back then. He breathed a sigh of relief but couldn¡¯t help but look at her, trying to see if she still loved Bernard after three years. Eleanor lowered her eyes, hiding her emotions, and softly asked him, ¡°You¡¯re obviously still alive, so why did the news report that you were dead?¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Instead of answering his question, she chose to evade, either still in love with Bernard or having let him go. Garett didn¡¯t dare to ask further, afraid that the answer would be unbearable, so he answered her question instead. ¡°Someone wanted to get rid of me, so Bernard put out fake news to protect me¡­¡± On the night Garett tried tomit suicide, those people saw that he hadn¡¯t seeded and rushed out impatiently, shooting at him. Bernard swiftly pushed him aside, shielding him from harm while simultaneously confronting their assants. If it weren¡¯t for Bernard¡¯s men hearing the gunfire and subduing those people in time, Garett would have died in the cemetery long ago. After telling Eleanor what happened, he said, ¡°Bernard was seriously injured while saving me¡­ Although Garett didn¡¯t want to live, his life was saved by Bernard¡­ And since Eleanor appeared in this vi, he guessed that it was also Bernard who brought her here. So, no matter what, he couldn¡¯t hide these things from Eleanor. Eleanor¡¯s heart trembled a little, but she forced herself not to show it: ¡°Garett, who wanted to get rid of you?¡± Seeing that she didn¡¯t mention Bernard, Garett knew she was avoiding the subject, so he didn¡¯t dare to ask what happened between them and just replied, ¡°It was the Clowers family.¡± Bernard found out the truth overnight, and it was the Clowers family who wanted to get rid of him. When Garett knew that Colter was still loyal to him, he let him go to A City with his ¡®ashes¡®, pretending Garett was already dead¡­. Now that the Clowers family thought he was dead, he could stay here peacefully, holding on to a belief, waiting for his Eleanor. Eleanor was taken aback for a moment, then furrowed her brows and inquired, ¡°Weren¡¯t the Clowers family kind to you? Why would they want to harm you?¡± Garett smiled at her, ¡°Eleanor, sometimes desire can turn people into demons.¡± Eleanor wanted to ask for more details, but Garett said, ¡°Eleanor, the less you know about these things, the better.¡± She didn¡¯t ask any more questions, just nodded obediently and said, ¡°Let¡¯s eat first.¡± Garett looked at her, and his once¨Cdesperate heart suddenly felt a warmth. He picked up his fork, put a shrimp in his mouth, and tasted it slowly. He hadn¡¯t had an appetite for the past three years. But at this moment, he see Chapter 278 Garett¡¯s fork just froze mid-air, as he gawked at Eleanor with a look that screamed ¡®whaaaat?!. After wrapping up a call with Ethan Ziegler, Eleanor spilled the beans: ¡°Garett, I woke up and heard you kicked the bucket. I was like, no way, and hightailed it back to the homnd to see if it was legit.¡± ¡°But Ethan got all antsy, afraid I¡¯d vamoose with my sis¡¯s ticker. He yed the ¡®marry me or else¡¯ card. So, I said ¡®yeah, but I married him as Emilia, not a shred of love between us.¡± Garett¡¯s gobsmacked face melted into a sad puppy look, ¡°Eleanor, my bad. I lost my marbles and you got roped into this mess.¡± Eleanor shook her head, calm as a cucumber, like she¡¯d seen the light, ¡°Even if I didn¡¯t say ¡®I do¡¯, he¡¯d still have me on a leash ¡¯cause of Emilia¡¯s heart.¡± Garett got all frowny. ¡°Eleanor, Ethan¡¯s bad news. Hangin¡¯ with him is just askin¡¯ for trouble.¡± Eleanor¡¯s no dummy, ¡°I know he¡¯s sc***m, so I¡¯m cookin¡¯ up a n to get him off my back? Garett looked like a storm cloud at the thought of her begging someone else for help.. If he were still the big cheese of the Clowers Group, he could¡¯ve gone toe-to-toe with Ethan and saved Eleanor. But now he¡¯s just a dude in a wheelchair, not only can he not help, but he¡¯s gotta be taken care of. Then, like a lightbulb moment, Bernard crossed his mind. The guy¡¯s got clouting out of his ears. If Bernard steps up, Eleanor¡¯s golden. He clenched his fists, and after some hemming and hawing, spilled it, ¡°Eleanor, Bernard¡¯s now the big kahuna of the Laurence family, the Stanley family. AND he¡¯s got a slice of the Clowers Group pie. The Zieglers are chump change to him. If he steps in¡­¡± Eleanor cut him off, ¡°Garett, are you telling me to hit up Bernard?¡± Garett hesitated and finally mumbled, ¡°He¡¯s the only one who can take on Ethan.¡± Eleanor¡¯s eyes, clear as day, locked onto his. ¡°Garett, Bernard and I? We¡¯re history ever since he ditched me. I ain¡¯t crawling back.¡± Garett tried to read her, but she was cool as ice. They were in a staring contest when Yilia¡¯s voice cut through, ¡°Mr. Falsey, Dr. Terrill is here.¡± Freshly clocked out, Liana swiftly entered the room with her medical bag, still d in herb coat, to attend to Jason Clowers. Although her scheduled visit was two days away, she had an important medical conference overseas the following day.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . She shed Yilia a smile, and walked into the dining room, ready to say hi to Jason when ¨C bam ¨C she spotted Eleanor. She was like a statue, and her med bag hit the floor. She gaped at Eleanor, eyes buggin¡¯. She tried to say something but was straight-up speechless. Eleanor stood up, breezed over, and gently said, ¡°Dr. Terrill, long time no see.¡± Finally, Liana snapped out of it but still couldn¡¯t believe her eyes, ¡°You¡­ Eleanor?¡± Eleanor cracked a smile, nodding. The one and only¡± Liana¡¯s jaw dropped, then she grabbed Eleanor and gave her the once-over, ¡°I thought you were¡­ How in the¡­?¡± After Eleanor gave her the Cliff Notes version of her not being six feet under, she went all mushy, ¡°Dr. Terrill, you were a real gem back then. Big thanks.¡± Liana hooked her up with meds, even saved her bacon a few times, and when Eleanor was at death¡¯s door, she bent over backward to make it easier. Eleanor would remember this act of dedication forever. If Liana ever needed support, Eleanor was ready to provide it. Chapter 279 Chapter 279 Chapter 279 Seeing Eleanor express her gratitude, Liana felt even guiltier, and the past incident still weighed heavily on her mind. But in front of Jason, even though Liana had a lot to tell Eleanor, she didn¡¯t blurt it out right away She chatted briefly with Eleanor, then started examining Jason¡¯s legs to check the muscle atrophy. With Jason¡¯s leg nerves already deceased, the chances of him walking again were exceedingly slim. The primary objective now was to prevent excessive muscle atrophy. After the examination, Eleanor couldn¡¯t wait to ask Liana, ¡°Dr. Terrill, how are his legs? When can he stand up?¡± Liana was about to tell the truth, but Jason, sitting in his wheelchair, clenched his fist, coughed on purpose, and used his eyes to signal her not to say it. Liana frowned, not understanding why Jason wanted to hide it from Eleanor. She hesitated for a moment, then told Eleanor, ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask him?¡± Liana didn¡¯t want to hide the truth anymore. From now on, she would let the patients face this kind of issue themselves Eleanor nced at Jason and realized he had been deceiving her. However, she didn¡¯t expose Jason; rather, she asked Liana, ¡°Dr. Terrill, is there any way to treat him?¡± Liana looked at Jason, only giving the harsh answer, ¡°It¡¯s untreatable,¡± after he nodded in agreement. Eleanor¡¯s face turned pale, and her guilt deepened. Jason saw Eleanor¡¯s expression and quicklyforted her, ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m used to being in a wheelchair, and it¡¯s alright.¡± Eleanor took a deep breath and seemed to make a decision. She promised Jason, ¡°Garett, no matter how long you¡¯re in the wheelchair, I¡¯ll be by your side and take care of you for the rest of my life.¡± Liana frowned slightly as she heard this. If Ms. Shultz was going to take care of Jason for her whole life, what would happen to Mr. Laurence? ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Jason was stunned, not knowing how to face Eleanor¡¯s vow. He knew very well that her desire to take care of him stemmed from her overwhelming guilt¡­ Though guilt wasn¡¯t love, he couldn¡¯t resist the urge to keep her by his side. This contradiction tore him apart, making him feel as if he were shrouded in darkness, sinking into an abyss. In the end, he released his clenched fist and chose silence. After loving Eleanor for so many years, he figured he could be selfish just this once. Eleanor didn¡¯t notice Jason¡¯s emotional shift. She picked up her phone, smiled at him, and said, ¡°Garett, let me deal with something first, and I¡¯ll bring Hailey to see you.¡± With that, Eleanor prepared to go talk to Ethan. Seeing her leave, Liana followed with her medical bag. As they walked out of the vi together, Eleanor said, ¡°Dr. Terrill, I¡¯ll grab a taxi home. I¡¯ll visit you at the hospital when I have time.¡± Liana stopped Eleanor, who was reaching for her phone, and said with a smile, ¡°Ms. Shultz, ride in my car. I¡¯ll take you home.¡± Eleanor seemed acutely aware that getting into Liana¡¯s car would only lead to trouble, so she politely declined, insisting, ¡°No thank you, I¡¯d prefer to grab a cab home.¡± Seeing her insistence, Liana didn¡¯t push further but gently asked, ¡°Ms. Shultz, can I say a few words?¡± Eleanor called a car on her phone and then looked up at Liana, ¡°If it¡¯s about him, I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡± Liana found it difficult to say what she intended, but she still summoned the courage to try. ¡°Ms. Shultz, actually, Mr Laurence ¡°Dr. Terrill,¡± Eleanor interrupted her. Tve already talked to him about it, so let¡¯s not bring him up again¡± Chapter 280 Chapter 280 Liana froze for a moment, then realized that they had already met each other. That¡¯s right, nobody cane and go freely in this vi unless Mr. Laurence personally brings them in She hadn¡¯t anticipated, though, that even after their meeting, Ms. Shultz would continue to fiercely resist Mr. Laurence Could it be that their misunderstandings still hung in the air, unresolved? Liana hesitated for a moment, then gathered up her courage again and said to Eleanor, ¡°Ms. Shultz, Mr. Laurence really loves you. After you passed away¡­¡± ¡°Liana¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Eleanor suddenly called out her name and Liana immediately stopped. ¡°You are the fourth person to tell me that he loves me after I returned to the country.¡± Ethan, Hailey, Garett, Liana they all told her the same thing. They seem to think that if she knew Bernard loved her, she would go back to him immediately. But, did they ever consider her feelings? Did they ever wonder what kind of person Bernard was in her eyes? Unable to restrain her emotions any longer, Eleanor looked at Liana with red eyes. ¡°Liana, if he loved me, would he force me to kneel and serve him wine after we broke up?¡± ¡°If he loved me, would he throw a check in my face and tell me this is my service fee for the past five years?¡± ¡°If he loved me, would he call me a slut?¡± ¡°Would he hold his fianc¨¦e¡¯s waist and tell me ¡®who do you think you are?¡± ¡°Would he p me hard, knowing that I have a heart condition?¡± ¡°Would he not even save my phone number?¡± ¡°If he loved me, would he still be sleeping with Sophie before I died?¡± After finishing her words in one breath, Eleanor clenched her fists and asked her, ¡°Liana, tell me, what is love?* Liana was dumbfounded, unable to say anything to defend Mr. Laurence. She didn¡¯t know some of these things, and couldn¡¯t fully understand Eleanor¡¯s feelings. However, as a woman, she could feel Eleanor¡¯s desperation. ¡°Liana, whether it¡¯s emotional indifference or hitting me, it doesn¡¯t matter anymore, because¡­¡± Eleanor lifted her head and the teary look in her eyes disappeared, reced by indifference and calmness. I¡¯ve given up on him, so please, don¡¯t bring him up anymore¡± With those words, she waved at a taxi approaching them. Before opening the car door, she smiled at Liana and said, ¡°Dr. Terrill, I still consider you a friend. See you next time.¡± Liana could only smile back weakly, ¡°Okay, goodbye¡± As the car drove away, Liana sighed and stood there in silence for a long time before turning around and leaving in her car Instead of going home, she went to Bernard¡¯s mansion to find out the truth. Inside the mansion, the servants convened anxiously in the drawing room, casting uneasy nces at Bernard perched at the bar. Their fear was he might drink himself into a stupor potentially leading to an unfortunate ident. Liana walked in and saw Bernard, dressed in a suit, drinking with one hand. The bar was messily filled with bottles of alcohol at least a dozen, and in Bernard¡¯s hand was a pil Seeing this scene, Liana rushed over and snatched the pill from him. Her face turned pale when she realized it was a sleeping pill. ¡°Mr. Laurence, did you take thus pill?¡± Mixing sleeping pills with alcohol, was he trying to kill himself?! Chapter 281 Chapter 281 Bernard¡¯s beautiful eyes were slightly squinted, making him look charming but his mind was crystal clear. He knew Liana wasing, and that she would try to stop him, but he didn¡¯t say a word, just continued drinking his red wine. Liana snatched the wine ss away, and said seriously, ¡°Mr. Laurence, if you keep going like this, not even a stomach pump will save you¡± Bernard still remained silent, seemingly unwilling to open his mouth, and just reached out for another wine ss. Observing this scene, Liana¡¯s brow furrowed in displeasure. ¡°Mr. Laurence,¡± she admonished, ¡°Ms. Shultz is still among the living. Instead of wallowing in spirits as in days past, you should gather yourself and attempt to win her affections once more. You¡¯re not the aloof and haughty Mr. Laurence of old¡± He used to be suave, indifferent, and arrogant. But now, hepletely lost the will to live, with dim eyes that seemed to see no hope. After snatching the wine ss again, Liana told him, ¡°Mr. Laurence, even though you¡¯re so down because of Ms. Shultz, she can¡¯t see it. All she remembers is your hot and cold emotional abuse and when she thought you were with Sophie before she died.¡± Bernard¡¯s fingers paused for a moment, and he raised his tearful eyes, looking at Liana, ¡°Nothing happened between me and Sophie.¡± He only loved one woman in his life, and that was Eleanor. As for other women, he didn¡¯t even bother touching them. How could he possibly be in bed. with Sophie? Liana sighed helplessly, ¡°I know you and Sophie weren¡¯t like that. But Ms. Shultz doesn¡¯t know all this, she still misunderstands you. If you don¡¯t exin to her, how can she know? And how can she forgive you?¡± Bernard scoffed, ¡°She won¡¯t care¡­ So, even if he exined, Ms. Shultz would still not forgive him? But the questions Ms. Shultz asked earlier clearly showed that there were still so many things not cleared up. Liana felt that someone with Bernard¡¯s personality might not even bother to exin She sighed heavily again, asking him, ¡°Mr. Laurence, tell me, why did you continue to humiliate her after you and Ms. Shultz broke up?¡± In Liana¡¯s memory, Bernard never acted rudely to anyone. But Eleanor told Liana that Mr. Laurence forced her to kneel and pour wine, called her dirty names and used a check to insult her.. What had happened between them that they became so unbearable after breaking up? Liana¡¯s words undoubtedly added another stone to Bernard¡¯s heart. Those past memories broke into his mind without warning, causing him unbearable pain. Why did he humiliate Eleanor? He didn¡¯t know. He only knew that when he saw her with another man, he tried to control himself, but went crazy The things he did to her, the words he said, were enough for her to never forgive him and flee forever. So, what could he tell Liana? Could he make Eleanor give up Garett ande back to him? Bernard chuckled, that man was Garett, who had taken care of her since childhood, and cherished her. And he only had her for five years, often cold to her out of jealousy, and after they broke up, he hurt her like that. Anyone would know to choose Garett, and not him¡­. Noting his refusal to respond, Liana¡¯s anxiety surged. ¡°Mr. Laurence,¡± she urged, ¡°only when I understand the discord between you two can I approach Ms. Shultz, sit with her, and have a meaningful conversation. If you choose silence, I¡¯m left without the words to advocate for you.¡± Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Their mistakes had parted two loving souls, never meeting face to face until the end of their lives. Now that they finally met, they decided to break up because of countless misunderstandings. She didn¡¯t want their ending to be like this, and she at least wanted to clear up these misunderstandings with Ms. Shultz. Ultimately, whether Ms. Shultz would forgive Mr. Laurence, that would be up to Ms. Shultz to decide. She wouldn¡¯t push it. But with Mr. Laurence unwilling to mention the past and Ms. Shultz also resisting him, Liana felt powerless. Chapter 282 Chapter 282 Chapter 282 Bernard¡¯s eyes flickered, seemingly torn, but he went back to being indifferent in a few seconds. With one hand holding his wine ss, he casually said to Liana, ¡°Don¡¯t go after her or bother her¡­¡± Since he had chosen to let Eleanor be with Garett, he should let gopletely and not put her in a difficult situation. Liana was stunned, and asked incredulously, ¡°Mr. Laurence, have you really given up?¡± She had never seen a man love a woman as crazily as Bernard loved Eleanor. He loved Eleanor so much that he was willing to give his life and sacrifice everything for her. But it was this man who chose to let go? Bernard didn¡¯t respond to Liana¡¯s words, just raising his ss and drinking the red wine. Perhaps he drank too fast, as his face suddenly turned pale. In response, he merely set his ss down, bent forward, and retched into the waste bin beneath him, spewing out a disconcerting gush of blood Blood flowed down from the corner of his mouth, staining the floor red¡­. Seeing the blood, Liana screamed, ¡°Mr. Laurence, you¡¯ve got internal bleeding! Hurry to the hospital!¡± But Bernard didn¡¯t seem to care. After wiping the blood from his mouth, he told the approaching servant, ¡°Stay away With the servant stopped, Bernard continued drinking with an icy look in his eyes. Liana¡¯s face turned livid, she pulled out her phone and called Aidyn, asking him toe and drag Mr. Laurence to the hospital. Aidyn arrived quickly since he lived nearby. Seeing the empty wine bottles and the blood on the floor, his face changed. He walked over, helped Bernard up, and tried to persuade him, ¡°Mr. Laurence, don¡¯t drink anymore. Let¡¯s go to the hospital and get your stomach treated¡­ But Bernard pushed him away, clutching his aching stomach, refusing to cooperate, as if he wanted to drink until he died. Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Seeing that her cousin couldn¡¯t handle Bernard either, Liana gave up persuading him and left the mansion. She took a sedative from a first aid kit in the car and injected it into Bernard¡¯s arm when he wasn¡¯t looking. Bernard finally closed his eyes, his burly body copsing to the floor. Aidyn quickly caught him and, together with Liana, rushed him to the hospital.. By midnight, Bernard had improved. But when he woke up, he searched everywhere for a cigarette. Liana and Aidyn desperately tried to stop him, but he stared at them with red eyes and said, ¡°What am I supposed to do, I miss her so much¡­ Every time he opened his eyes, he could see Eleanor, and couldn¡¯t shake her off. Alcohol and cigarettes gave him temporary numbness and eased the pain in his heart. But they were adamant about not letting him smoke or drink, leaving him at a loss. Has anyone ever told him how to forget herpletely? Liana and Aidyn were left speechless, not expecting Bernard to be so heartbroken. They didn¡¯t know what to say, only pitying the helpless Mr. Laurence at that moment. Finally, under the influence of medication, he closed his eyes once more and fell into a deep sleep Perhaps sleep was the only time Mr. Laurence wasn¡¯t tormented. After leaving the hospital room, Liana asked Aidyn about the past events with Eleanor. Aidyn was honest and loyal, few could get private information about Mr. Laurence from him. But seeing his boss so affected by a woman, he unreservedly told Liana everything. He hoped she could talk to Ms. Shultz and see if there was any chance of reconciliation, or else their boss would really be ruined. After listening, Liana nodded to Aidyn, ¡°It¡¯s toote now, Ms. Shultz should be asleep. I¡¯ll go to her tomorrow and exin everything¡± Chapter 283 Chapter 283 As soon as Eleanor stepped into the vi, she saw the living room in total chaos. The maids in the room were shivering and keeping quiet. And the culprit, he was sitting on the sofa, ying with a fruit knife. Upon catching sight of the de in his hand, a flicker of fear stirred within Eleanor. Yet, she summoned the bravery to move towards him. 1¡­I¡¯m back¡® Ethan slowly booked up, his deep eyes fixed on her. He didn¡¯t say a word, just stared at her like some prey about to die. Eleanor felt uneasy under his gaze, her clenched fists sweating. Forcing herself to calm down, she looked up at Ethan¡­. ¡®Mr. Ziegler, can we talk?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Ethan patted the sofa next to him and gave her a faint smile. That smile and his previous stare made Eleanor nervous. Instead of sitting next to him, she sat down on a single sofa opposite him. ¡°Mr. Ziegler, I can¡¯t go back to G Country with you.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Ethan nodded as if he had already expected her decision and didn¡¯t care. Eleanor was well aware that his terse ¡°Fine¡± would undoubtedly be followed by stiptions, just as it had been previously. Consequently, she held back from offering an immediate response. After a while, Ethan finally spoke: ¡°As we agreed before, if you go to G Country, you won¡¯t have to be Emilia¡¯s double; if you stay, you have to be her double. Have you thought it through?¡± After a few seconds of silence, Eleanor bravely asked, ¡°What if I don¡¯t agree?¡± In fact, she knew very well that being a double for Ethan was not important. In his eyes, she was Emilia, and how he controlled her was entirely up to him. He only proposed the condition of staying or leaving to force her to return to G Country with him. But now that she had decided to stay with Garrett, it was impossible for her to go back to G Country with him. Besides, she couldn¡¯t just go back to G Country with him, she had to divorce him too. But what bargaining chip could she use to negotiate with Ethan? Eleanor thought about it and decided to throw the question back at Ethan to see what he wanted. Ethan propped his chin with one hand, looking at her with a tilted head: ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t agree, but you have to tell me how Bernard managed to keep you here.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. She was taken away by Bernard from the airport and refused to go back with him to G Country. It must be something Bernard did that touched her. Eleanor looked at him calmly, ¡°What could keep me here must be very important to me.¡± She concealed from Ethan the fact that Garrett was still alive, apprehensive that revealing his existence could plunge him into peril. As she was unwilling to give a specific answer, Ethan felt there was no need to talk anymore. He picked up the fruit knife and got up to leave, but Eleanor quickly called out, ¡°Wait a minute¡­¡± Ethan stopped, turned his head, and gave her a faint look: ¡°Are you ready to tell?¡± Eleanor shook her head and said, ¡°Mr. Ziegler, I can¡¯t tell you about this matter, but could we make another deal?¡± After hearing that, Ethan raised an eyebrow: ¡°But I¡¯m only interested in this matter Eleanor took a deep breath and vaguely replied, ¡°What do you think he could¡¯ve done to keep me here?¡± Seeing that she wouldn¡¯t tell him directly, Ethan became even more interested: ¡°Do you like him?¡± Chapter 284 Chapter 284 Eleanor went silent and didn¡¯t reply to him. Her indifferent eyes seemed emotionless, leaving Ethan puzzled. A few secondster, he nonchntly said, ¡°If you don¡¯t answer, just stay by my side and continue being Emilia¡¯s substitute¡­¡± Eleanor clenched her fists and asked instead, ¡°So, Mr. Ziegler, can we get divorced?¡± Upon hearing this, Ethan mistook her admission for capittion, and a scornful sneer crept onto his face. ¡°You¡¯re nothing like your sister. Had she been hurt, she¡¯d never return. Yet, a few honeyed words from that wretch, and you readily throw yourself back into his arms.¡± Eleanor remained silent and agreed with him, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m nothing like my sister. You know this well but still forced me to be her¡­¡± Ethan¡¯s expression froze, and he didn¡¯t respond. Eleanor continued, ¡°Mr. Ziegler, I¡¯m well aware that you see me as my sister not just because of this heart but also to alleviate your guilt towards her.¡± Ethan scoffed upon hearing this. ¡®How could I possibly feel guilty towards her?¡± ¡°Really?¡± Eleanor asked and then calmly said, ¡°My sister chose to end her life early to escape from you, which means the pain you brought her was worse than death. You see me as her only to make up for the past, but Mr. Ziegler, no matter what you do, my sister is nevering back. Why deceive yourself with a false illusion?¡± Hearing this, Ethan¡¯s face darkened, and an eerie aura enveloped him. Eleanor recognized that her words had hit home, revealing his hidden sentiments. Fearing his wrath but driven by courage, she persevered, ¡°Mr. Ziegler, my sister¡¯s dying wish was to ensure my safety, not to have me step into her shoes. If your desire to make amends is sincere, set me free.¡± Standing still, Ethan coldly stared at Eleanor, ¡°All this talk, just for a divorce, right?¡± Eleanor, seeing he understood her intention, stopped using her sister as a bargaining chip and simply asked, ¡°So, Mr. Ziegler, will you let me go?¡± Ethan sneered, ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being ungrateful?¡± Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor¡¯s expression turned awkward, and her eyes dropped. Although she had been forced to marry Ethan, he was right, Having achieved her goal to return, she was now backing out, which could be seen as ungrateful. Her silence allowed Ethan to regain the upper hand. After staring at her for a while, he tossed the fruit knife in his hand to Eleanor. ¡°I told you before, if you want me to let you go, then follow your sister¡¯s example.¡± ¡°Now I¡¯m giving you one choice: either divorce me or give her heart back to me. You decide.¡± Eleanor¡¯s face paled, and she looked at Ethan in shock. ¡°If I give you her heart, then there will be no trace of my sister left in this world. Are you sure you want to do that?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s better than having you, with her heart, be with another man.¡± He bent down slightly, his cold, sinister eyes fixating on Eleanor. ¡®Ms. Shultz, I¡¯ve always been the kind to destroy what I can¡¯t have.¡± Hearing this, Eleanor was terrified, but her mind raced, desperately trying toe up with a solution. Gradually, her anxious expression stabilized. She looked down at the sharp knife on the tea table and then at Ethan, who was finally looking down on her¡­. After a minute of hesitation, Eleanor raised her slender fingers, picked up the knife, aimed at her heart, and suddenly stabbed. Chapter 285 Chapter 285 Just as the knife was about to pierce her chest, a hand suddenly reached out and tightly grabbed her wrist¡­ The man took the fruit knife from her and smiled: ¡°It¡¯s a little knife, how could it possibly cut out your heart?¡± Ethan turned around, went to the kitchen to get a cleaver, and threw it in front of her: ¡°Use this.¡± This time Eleanor didn¡¯t listen to him. She looked at him with her clear and bright eyes. *Actually, you wouldn¡¯t dare to take my sister¡¯s heart away.¡± He had said before that she now had Emilia¡¯s heart, and he wouldn¡¯t let her die. All he¡¯s doing now is testing her¡­ As if she had guessed his thoughts, Ethan¡¯s face suddenly darkened: ¡°You insist on getting a divorce?¡± Eleanor offered a slight nod, acknowledging, ¡°Mr. Ziegler, I understand my request may seem demanding, but our marriage is ill¨Csuited. Your heart belongs to my sister, and yet you wed me. Regardless of the cause, the fact remains: I am not her.¡± Eleanor¡¯s words made Ethan¡¯s dark eyes regain a little rity, but he still kept his thin lips shutting without speaking. Eleanor lowered her head, thought for a few seconds, and then said, ¡°Mr. Ziegler, please, let me go?¡± Ethan frowned, and for a moment, Eleanor, sitting on the sofa, seemed to blur into Emilia¡¯s appearance. ¡°Ethan, please, let me go¡­¡± When she knelt in front of him, pleading miserably, they said the same words. What did he do back then? It seems he lifted his foot and kicked her hard¡­ His memory was a bit blurred, but he still remembered that kick which caused her to lose the baby who was not yet five months old. Thinking of Emilia¡¯s heartbroken appearance, Ethan¡¯s heart ached to the point of suffocation. He clenched his fist, his nails digging deep into his skin, drawing blood, to suppress the unbearable pain, He looked pale, and finally relented when looking at Eleanor, who somewhat resembled Emilia.. Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°We can get a divorce, but you have to stay with me.¡± Eleanor was right, even marrying Emilia in this way had no meaning. But that heart Eleanor possessed, he would never let go. So even if not in the name of marriage, she must stay by his side. Eleanor recognized this as Ethan¡¯sst concession, freeing her from the bonds of matrimony yet unable to let go of her sister¡¯s memory. However, she bravely asked Ethan, ¡°Will you still treat me as my sister when I¡¯m by your side?¡± Ethan began to calm down, resuming an indifferent tone: ¡°From now on, treat me as your brother¨Cin¨C law and stay with me in her sister¡¯s name.¡± Under the name of a brother¨Cinw, Ethan would no longer treat her as a substitute for her sister, and their rtionship would change from husband and wife to rtives. For her, it was already extraordinary to achieve this result from Ethan, and Eleanor agreed without hesitation.. After they settled it, Ethan made a phone call in front of Eleanor and quicklypleted the divorce procedures. After hanging up the phone, Ethan looked at the relieved Eleanor: ¡°Just like before, you must be home by 10pm.¡± Eleanor, who had just rxed, became tense again upon hearing these words. Just as she was about to say something, Ethan turned around and left. Although she didn¡¯t say the words, watching his receding back somehow relieved the pressure in her heart. At least now they¡¯re divorced, and she avoided being a substitute for her brother¡¯s ex¨Cwife. They¡¯ll deal with the future gradually. That evening, Eleanor gave vent to the long¨Csuppressed emotions and fatigue. She sprawled across her bed, clutching her pillow, and for the first time in a long while, found herself engulfed in a remarkably serene slumber. Chapter 286 Chapter 286 The next morning, after Eleanor had finished washing up, she came out of her room and headed straight for the dining room. Ethan was leisurely slicing some bread. Seeing here out, he raised his eyes and gave her a nce. 1 got your car back.¡± Eleanor was startled for a moment, only then remembering that she had left her Mercedes in the basement of the nightclub. Thanks, my brother¨Cinw¡­¡± She said ¡°brother¨Cinw¡± quite naturally. Ethan expressionlessly continued to scroll through the architectural drawings on his phone. He didn¡¯t talk, and Eleanor just quietly ate her French¨Cstyle breakfast. After eating a bit, Eleanor greeted him and left with her car keys. She had made a vow to Garrett that once she had settled matters with Ethan, she would bring Hailey to meet him. As Eleanor made her way out of the vi and approached her car door, a sleek white car abruptly pulled up in front of her. The car door was pushed open, and Liana, wearing a white long dress, walked out of the car. Aftering to Eleanor¡¯s side, Liana¡¯s exquisitely beautiful face showed a warm smile: ¡°Ms. Shultz, do you have time to chat with me?¡± Eleanor seemed to guess why Liana came to see her, so she smiled and declined: ¡°Dr. Terrill, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not avable right now. Maybe another day.¡± As she finished speaking, she tried to get in the car, but Liana stopped her. ¡°Ms. Shultz, I know you¡¯re very resistant to Mr. Laurence. I came to talk to you not to force you to go back to him but to let you know some things. Can you¡­give me an hour of your time?¡± Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Seeing that Liana was practically begging her, Eleanor felt a little guilty and nodded. Then Liana finally breathed a sigh of relief, invited her into the car, and took her to a famous coffee shop.. The atmosphere inside was tranquil, with rxing music ying, making it easy for people to unwind. Upon settling into a cozy booth, they ordered two cups of coffee and a selection of desserts. As soon as their order was served, Liana finally broke the silence, beginning to articte her thoughts. ¡°Ms. Shultz, I don¡¯t know if you remember, but ten years ago, there was an injured boy at the entrance of the University of A¡­¡± Eleanor initially thought Liana would directly plead on behalf of Bernard, but didn¡¯t expect her to suddenly ask about something that happened so long ago. She did remember because the boy who was injured, who was around Garett¡¯s age, was covered in blood and seemed to have been beaten up. However, how did Liana know about him? Did she see him back then, too? Eleanor frowned and asked Liana, ¡°Do you know him?¡± Liaria nodded, ¡°Not only do I know him, but I¡¯ve also worked with him for many years¡± Upon hearing this, Eleanor immediately understood who she was referring to and her face became serious. Bernard had mentioned the incident that happened at the University of A ten years ago. But at the time, Eleanor didn¡¯t want to hear him talk about it and interrupted him. Now Liana also brought up the matter, which was probably just to tell her that the injured boy was Bernard. Liana swirled the coffee in her cup, before offering Eleanor a surprising revtion, ¡°Truth be told, Mr. Laurence had been smitten with you since those days.¡± Eleanor was a bit stunned, not quite believing Liana¡¯s words. Liana looked at her and slowly continued: ¡°Something happened at that time. Mr. Laurence¡¯s childhood ymate was tortured to death by his mother¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Laurence tried to fight back against his mother, but at the time, as a student, he was unable to compete with the power of his family.¡± Instead of sessfully resisting, he was held down on the ground by his mother¡¯s men and severely beaten with a belt.¡± Chapter 287 Chapter 287 ¡°You know that young guy you saw at the entrance of the University of A? Well, he just went through something like this¡­¡± ¡°Actually, Mr. Laurence grew up in this kind of environment his whole life.¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s people or things that Mr. Laurence cares about, his mother would do anything to destroy them¡­¡± ¡°So, Mr. Laurence learned to control his emotions from a young age and never let anyone know his likes or thoughts¡­ ¡°But ten years ago, he met you, his heart skipped a beat, but because of past pains, he didn¡¯t dare to get close.¡± ¡°Later, he saw you again at the entrance of a nightclub. Even though he knew he shouldn¡¯t have feelings, he couldn¡¯t help it¡­¡± ¡°My cousin told me that Mr. Laurence bought you without hesitation because he had feelings for you at the entrance of the University of A, that¡¯s why he did it ¡°Otherwise, with Mr. Laurence¡¯s cold and silent personality, he would never pity someone who had nothing to do with him¡­¡± ¡°You were his first woman, and also the first person he had feelings for¡­¡± ¡°Having never been in love, he couldn¡¯t control himself and wanted to be with you after he had feelings for you.¡± ¡°My cousin told me that after you two got together, Mr. Laurence was actually very good to you at first.¡± ¡°It was only because you kept calling Garett¡¯s name in your sleep that he started to be hot and cold towards you.¡± ¡°Ms. Shultz, Mr. Laurence is very particr about his feelings, but he¡¯s been enduring it and not letting you go, which proves he loves you very much.¡± Liana¡¯s words made Eleanor¡¯s face turn pale. It was over between them. Why did she have to hear this after so long? Eleanor¡¯s hand holding the coffee cup was trembling, but she quickly gained control. She put down the cup, stood up, and said to Liana, ¡°Dr. Terrill, I have something to do. Let¡¯s end it here today. I¡¯ll go first.¡± Liana blocked her way: ¡°Ms. Shultz, don¡¯t run away anymore. Face it bravely this time, solve this problem, and you¡¯ll be able to untie this knot in your heart.¡± Eleanor¡¯s fists tightened, she hesitated briefly, then slowly lowered herself back into her seat. Liana was right. She had been running away all this time. What¡¯s the harm in facing it once? Seeing that she was no longer resistant, Liana continued: N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ¡°Mr. Laurence broke up with you because he had no choice. His older brother made him promise to marry Sophie before he died.¡± ¡°Before confessing to you, he actually wanted to obey his brother¡¯sst words and marry Sophie directly. But at that time, Sophie, who was his brother¡¯s girlfriend, refused him¡­¡± ¡°He thought that since Sophie refused, he didn¡¯t have to marry her. But after she went back to her country, she changed her mind and forced him with his brother¡¯sst words. So Mr. Laurence had no choice but to break up with you¡­¡± ¡°After you broke up, Mr. Laurence did a lot of excessive things to you. But they were all because he mistakenly thought you were involved with other men, and he lost his sanity. Of course, making you kneel and pour wine, humiliating you with checks and words, was all his fault¡­¡± ¡°But someone like Mr. Laurence might not really know how to love someone, so the ways and methods he used were all wrong.¡± ¡°Moreover, he couldn¡¯t openly express his affection for you, for fear his mother would discover it. You could¡¯ve ended up like his childhood friends. Yet, he couldn¡¯t resist the urge to be near you, which is why he sought you out multiple times after your split.¡± Chapter 288 Chapter 288 ¡°Jason¡¯s appearance made the conflicts between you guys even worse. That time at the vi, when you chose to leave with Jason, he was ready to let go. But he didn¡¯t expect you to get involved with Joelle because of me¡­ ¡°He knew Joelle¡¯s methods and worried that you might be killed by her on the spot. So when he heard my call, he rushed to the mall. At that moment, he could¡¯ve taken you away, but then he wouldn¡¯t be able to hide your existence.¡± ¡°He was willing to fight against his mother for you, but he didn¡¯t want you to get involved in hisplex world, dealing with all the blood and gore. Besides, at that time, he thought you didn¡¯t love him and didn¡¯t want to drag you down¡­¡± ¡°But he didn¡¯t expect that one p would cost you your life¡­ Liana paused here, her voice choked up a bit: ¡°Ms. Shultz, he didn¡¯t pick up yourst call because he was in a closed¨Cdoor meeting. And he didn¡¯t delete your number either, because your number was already engraved in his heart¡­. Not only that, he never slept with Sophie. She sneaked into his house on her own. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Ms. Shultz, he never saw you as a recement. He¡¯s always truly loved and cared for you!¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Eleanor suddenly interrupted, her clear and bright eyes turning bloodshot. She seemed to be greatly triggered, shaking uncontrobly. She grabbed her phone from the table and started to walk out. Liana chased after her and blocked her way again. ¡°Ms. Shultz, there¡¯s one more thing I have to tell you.¡± ¡°Actually, not only Jason, but Bernard also tried tomit suicide for you¡­¡± ¡°After your death, he slit his wrists in front of your grave. Fortunately, someone found him in time, or he would¡¯ve been long gone¡­¡± ¡°And for the past three years, every time your death anniversaryes, he cuts his hand that hit you with a knife.¡± Eleanor thought of Bernard¡¯s scarred right hand and her face turned pale. She nced at Liana with teary eyes, said nothing, and turned to walk out of the cafe. Liana watched her hurry away and asked, ¡°Ms. Shultz, do you really not love Mr. Laurence anymore?¡± Eleanor stopped, stiffened for a moment, then calmed down and looked back at Liana: ¡°I don¡¯t love him anymore¡­¡± Liana stepped closer to her, looking at her clenched fists, and sighed: ¡°Ms. Shultz, if you really didn¡¯t love him, you wouldn¡¯t have tried so hard to see him onest time before you died. Ms. Shultz, I¡¯m a woman too, and I can feel that you still love Mr. Laurence very much¡­¡± Eleanor smiled suddenly: ¡°Liana, that¡¯s in the past. Do you think, after three years, I would still love him?¡± Liana stared at her, looking straight into her eyes, as if seeing through her heart: ¡°It¡¯s not that you won¡¯t love him, but that you can¡¯t love him.¡± As these words settled in, Eleanor¡¯s smile gradually faded. Herplexion turned ashen, and her eyes welled up with unshed tears. Looking at Liana through her tear¨Cstreaked gaze, she confessed, ¡°Dr. Terrill, before you revealed all this, I harbored considerable resentment towards him. I had loved him dearly, and even after our parting, I sought to test his feelings. Yet, the responses I received were persistently disappointing. Now, knowing he was left with no alternatives¡­ I feel a sense of relief¡­ Chapter 289 Chapter 289 Eleanor¡¯s eyes, filled with tears, gradually revealed a relieved smile, ¡°Dr. Terrill, please tell him for me that I forgive him, but I can¡¯t go back to him anymore¡­ Liana raised her eyebrows slightly. ¡°Is it because of Garett?¡± Eleanor¡¯s eyes were downcast, as if immersed in the memories of the past, ¡°Dr. Terrill, do you know how I grew up? It was Garett who worked hard to make money and bought me medicine non¨Cstop. It wasn¡¯t just for merely a year, but nearly twenty years. Ever since I was a kid, when everyone else abandoned me, only he and Hailey didn¡¯t give up on me. They scrimped and saved to heal my heart problem. Since I promised to take care of him for the rest of my life, how can I let him down again.¡± After saying these two sentences, she turned around and left the cafe. The sky had suddenly started pouring, and the heavy rain caught Eleanor off guard. She even forgot to call a taxi, just lowering her head and stepping on the rainwater. Liana chased her out with an umbre, but Eleanor had already. disappeared. From afar, the man in the car saw Eleanor leave the cafe and Liana chase after her. His face turned serious. He called Liana, ¡°Did you say something to her?¡± Liana nodded slightly, ¡°Mr. Laurence, she knows everything now.¡±Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor stood by the side of the road, mechanically hailing a taxi. But not a single car stopped, instead sshing her with water. She raised her hand to wipe the mud off her face and continued to walk forward with her bedraggled body. Before long, her high heels got stuck in a crack in the road. She squatted down to pull her high heels out, but she used too much force, causing her whole body to fall backward. Inevitably, shended on her butt in a puddle. Cars and people hurried by, everyone holding umbres in the pouring rain. But only she sat there in the rain, helpless, with rain and tears mixing on her face. She sat still, hugging her arms, burying her head in the crook of her elbow, and curled up like a child. No one knew how long it took, an umbre suddenly appeared above her head. Eleanor slowly looked up at the exquisitely beautiful face. Just like that rainy night eight years ago, he came to her side when she was at her most helpless. With a ck umbre held over her head, as if to shield her from all the storms. He still stretched out his well¨Cdefined hand to her, signaling for her to stand up with his help. But this time, unlike eight years ago, Eleanor didn¡¯t put her hand in his palm. She just stared at his scarred right hand, and tears inexplicably fell. Bernard saw this, bent down on one knee in front of her, and used his slender fingers to wipe away the tears from the corner of her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t be sad. From now on, no one will bother you again. After saying this, he handed her the umbre and left. As she watched his tall, straight retreating figure disappear into the rain, Eleanor¡¯s tears welled up again. ¡°Bernard, thank you for loving me so much.¡± Eleanor said. Bernard was taken aback by her words. Ten years of a rtionship, only to receive a simple ¡°thank you¡± which meant a permanent farewell. After learning the truth, Eleanor finally forgave him andpletely let him go. Bernard stood still for a long time, then walked away without looking back. Eleanor, thank you for forgiving me and letting me realize that some mistakes can never be made up for¡­ Chapter 290 Chapter 290 The rain was pouring down, drenching the man from head to toe. His thick hair and crisp suit were soaked by the relentless downpour. The rainwater ran down his stunning, wless face and onto his slender neck. He seemedpletely unfazed, walking straight towards his car. Seeing him return, Liana hurriedly held up an umbre and walked in front of him, shielding him from the rain. *Mr. Laurence, I¡¯m so sorry¡± Liana said. It was her fault foring to see Ms. Shultz without Mr. Laurence¡¯s permission. She thought that by exining everything, Eleanor might consider returning back to Mr. Laurence, but she didn¡¯t expect this oue. Raindrops fell from Bernard¡¯s forehead,nding on his thick eyshes, making him shiver slightly. He looked at Liana with his cold eyes, ¡°I¡¯m done with her. Don¡¯t ever mention me in front of her again.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Liana was taken aback, finding it hard to ept this oue, ¡°Mr. Laurence, Eleanor did love you.¡± Bernard smiled faintly, ¡°Liana, the only person she loves is Garett.¡± Seeing him like this, Liana frowned, ¡°Mr. Laurence, she just admitted to loving you very much. It¡¯s just that when she tested you, all she got was disappointment. That¡¯s why things turned out this way.¡± Bernard¡¯s cold gaze gradually reddened. He lowered his eyes, looking at his right hand. When she saw his hand earlier, she cried. It was the first time she had cried for him. Was this what it meant to have been loved? Why couldn¡¯t he feel anything at all. He turned his head, looking at the petite figure in the distance. After a long silence, he said to Liana, ¡°Liana, she loves Garett more¡­¡± Maybe she once loved him, butpared to Garett, the one who had hurt her countless times, what did he even mean to her? Liana tightly gripped the umbre, anxiously saying, ¡°Mr. Laurence, I think Ms. Shultz¡¯s guilt towards Garett is greater than her love. If you had exined everything earlier, she might not have chosen Garett. But you were toote, and she had already made a promise to take care of him for the rest of her life. If you had exined earlier.¡± Bernard hid his reluctance and interrupted her, ¡°Liana, just let it go. Don¡¯t make her feel bad.¡± For Eleanor, Garett was more than just a first love. How could she let go of a rtionship that had been dependent on each other since childhood? It was because he knew she couldn¡¯t let go of Garett that he used Garett to threaten her. In fact, when he took her to see Garett, he knew she would never return to his side. But he still tried to fight for her. After hearing his exnation, she only replied with an apology. He knew that no matter what he said or how he exined, she would never choose him. And he didn¡¯t have anything good to exin, as he had indeed hurt her. Getting her forgiveness now was already the greatest mercy he could expect. How could he hope that she would choose him? Bernard suddenly seemed to have an epiphany and jumped into the car. Liana stood there, watching the Koenigsegg disappear from sight. She sighed deeply, guessing this was what people called a missed opportunity. The man in the car suddenly told the driver to stop when they passed a certain street. Aldyn immediately hit the brakes and turned to ask Bernard, ¡°Mr. Laurence, what¡¯s wrong?¡± The man looked at the bodyguard in the passenger seat coldly, ¡°You escort her home, and don¡¯t get close to her.¡± The bodyguard hesitated for a moment, then quickly understood, responding with a ¡®yes¡® before grabbing an umbre and getting out of the car. Chapter 291 Chapter 291 When Aldyn saw the bodyguard following Eleanor at a decent distance, he couldn¡¯t help letting out a sigh. Mr. Laurence was legit heads over heels for Eleanor but he still chose to let her go. Must be a real punch in the gut. Aidyn thought for a moment, pulled out a pack of cigarettes, and handed it to Bernard, ¡°Mr. Laurence, here.¡± Bernard nced at the cigarettes with a poker face, gradually returning to his usual aloofness, ¡°Throw it away.¡± He didn¡¯t need that stuff anymore. Some people, once they were in your heart, that was enough company for a lifetime. Aidyn was surprised that Mr. Laurence, who had been relying on cigarettes and alcohol for the past three years, could just drop it like this. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Looking at Mr. Laurence, with his hand on the car window and looking out, Aidyn thought he saw a glimpse of the old Mr. Laurence. Before he met Eleanor, he was a teetotaler, aloof and snobbish, indifferent to everyone and everything. Now, after the emotional roller coaster, his eyes were a bit darker, but it seemed like the old him was back. Excited, Aidyn pulled back the cigarettes and said, ¡°Mr. Laurence, let¡¯s head home.¡± Bernard nodded indifferently and then coldly told Aidyn, ¡°Get the Clowers Group under our belt in three months.¡± Aidyn blinked for a few seconds, but then got the drift, ¡°Mr. Laurence, you want to return it to Mr. Clowers after buying the Clowers Group?¡± Bernard kept staring at the fading figure outside the window, ¡°She¡¯s going to spend her life taking care of Garett Falsey, and I don¡¯t want her to be too worn out.¡± For some reason, hearing this made Aidyn¡¯s heart twinge. Their mighty boss was going to these lengths for Eleanor. But all she said was ¡®sorry¡® to him, then ran off to someone else without a second thought. Aidyn let out another sigh, ¡°Mr. Laurence, why bother.¡± He knew Mr. Laurence wanted to make up for past mistakes, but it was over. Why went back and helped them? It might sound harsh, but when Eleanor sold herself, the money Mr. Laurence gave really saved Garett¡¯s life. If Mr. Laurence hadn¡¯t stopped Garett from taking his own life, they wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to meet again. And Mr. Laurence got injured big time saving Garett, almost kicking the bucket in the graveyard. Now, to avoid exhausting Eleanor with the care of a wheelchair¨Cbound man, he even ordered Aidyn to buy the Clowers Group. The Clowers Group was a big deal in the city. You can¡¯t just get their business without enough cash and skills. Mr. Laurence had already blown thirty billion finding a heart for Eleanor. Was he going to use thirty percent of the Laurence family wealth to help his rival? Aidyn couldn¡¯t get his head around it, but since Mr. Laurence told him to do it, he didn¡¯t argue. After agreeing, he drove toward their mansion. A soaking wet Eleanor arrived at Hailey¡¯s vi. After ringing the doorbell, she stood nkly at the door. Soon, a maid came out with an umbre and quickly led her in when she saw Eleanor, who had visited before. Hailey was practicing yoga in the living room. When she saw Eleanore in, her face turned serious and she immediately got up to approach her. ¡°Eleanor, what¡¯s the deal? It¡¯s pouring out there, why didn¡¯t you grab an umbre?* Hailey asked. Chapter 292 Chapter 292 The moment Hailey finished speaking, she caught sight of the ck umbre Eleanor was clutching. She eyed the umbre, then nced at Eleanor¡¯s pale face, but didn¡¯t ask any questions. Asking the housekeeper for a towel, she helped Eleanor dry her rain¨Csoaked hair and cheeks. Afterwards, she softly suggested, ¡°Eleanor, how about you go take a hot bath? I¡¯ll make you some ginger tea, it¡¯ll be ready by the time you¡¯re out.¡± With that, Hailey gently ushered Eleanor towards the bathroom. Suddenly, Eleanor¡¯s eyes welled up with tears and her face turned ghostly pale Seeing this, Hailey couldn¡¯t help but sympathize, ¡°Did Bernard say something to you, Eleanor¡­¡± Although Hailey wasn¡¯t exactly sure what transpired after Bernard had taken Eleanor away, she could sense Eleanor¡¯s pain. Hailey opened her arms and quietly reassured, ¡°Whatever happened, Eleanor, I¡¯m here for you. Whenever you need me, I¡¯m just here.¡± Upon hearing this, Eleanor finally let her tears flow. She dove into Hailey¡¯s embrace like a child, shedding any pretense and crying her heart out. ¡°Hailey, he really did¡­love me.¡± Eleanor said. Turned out, Bernard had been living a tough life since childhood. Everything he cared about got ruined by his own mother. He was cold to Eleanor in public only to protect her from getting hur He remembered Eleanor¡¯s phone number. He didn¡¯t sleep with Sophie. He didn¡¯t treat her as a recement. He felt desperate for her. He truly loved her¡­ Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. All these bted truths made Eleanor¡¯s heart heavy and suffocating. Hailey now knew that after Bernard took Eleanor away, Eleanor believed in his love. But for Eleanor, who had already experienced a metaphorical death once, was thiste realization of any use? Hailey gently pat Eleanor¡¯s back, ¡°You now know he loved you, Eleanor. What do you n on doing next?¡± Through her tears, Eleanor confessed, ¡°I forgave him, but I also rejected him. Hailey, there¡¯s no way for us anymore.¡± Before learning all these truths, Eleanor had already made her decision. The past was in the past, left behind three years ago. Back then, they had plenty of time, but never once confessed their love to each other. He thought her dreaming of Garett meant she didn¡¯t love him. And Eleanor, afraid of Bernard¡¯s changing attitude, never dared to speak up. Their rtionship was doomed from the start, beginning with a deal, ending with betrayal. First, they betrayed each other physically, then emotionally. Regardless of the reason, there was a price to pay. The pain Eleanor endured was her price. Now, having left the past behind, they were both back on track. Yet, what they had experienced was real, leaving behind regret that couldn¡¯t be erased¡­ With her arms around her, Hailey couldn¡¯t help but tighten her grip, ¡®Eleanor, if you can¡¯t be together, let him go.¡± Her five years with Bernard were truly tough, and the breakup hurt a lot. They simply weren¡¯t a good match. Eleanor simply nodded, then released Hailey, saying tiredly, ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m exhausted. Can I rest here for a bit?¡± Wiping away her tears, Hailey quietly suggested, ¡°Go take a shower in the bathroom, change into some clean clothes, then rest well.¡± Chapter 293 Chapter 293 Eleanor agreed obediently with a simple ¡°Ok¡°, then headed to the bathroom. After filling the tub with warm water, she immersed herself in it. The warm water washing over her skin brought a small sense of relief to her tired body and mind. Hailey prepared clean towels and pajamas for her, then went to the kitchen to whip up a big bowl of soup. Although Eleanor had a new heart, she was still a lot weaker than most due to the major surgery. She¡¯d been drenched in the rain for quite some time and Hailey couldn¡¯t help but worry if she might catch a cold. With this in mind, she asked the housekeeper to fetch some cold medicine. When Eleanor got out of the bath, she saw the soup and cold medicine waiting for her on the coffee table, which warmed her heart. She sat down on the couch, had the soup and took the medicine. She then followed Hailey to the second floor. ¡°When I bought this house, I had two master bedrooms built. Even though I knew you wouldn¡¯te back, I insisted on it. It felt like you were still with me if I kept a room for you.¡± Hailey said. Eleanor looked at Hailey, who was making the bed, tears welling in her eyes. The first half of her life, she had barely made it through with the help of Hailey and Garett. Now, it was her turn to take care of them. After making the bed, Hailey patted the soft bedding, ¡°Come on, get some sleep and don¡¯t think about anything, okay?¡± Eleanor obediently nodded, got under the covers andid down. At that moment, it felt just like being home again. She rxedpletely and soon fell asleep. Once Eleanor was asleep, Hailey quietly stepped out of the room. She asked the housekeeper to wash and then dry Eleanor¡¯s clothes, cing a credit card in the pocket. This was the $250,000 Eleanor had left her before. It was the money Eleanor had literally risked her life for, and Hailey hadn¡¯t spent a dime of it. Now that Eleanor was back, it was time to return it to its rightful owner. After doing all of this, Hailey sat down on the living room couch, took out her phone and opened Facebook. The first post was from Cedric Laurence. A picture and a short caption. He was sitting in a luxury booth at Midnight Bar, with a sultry¨Clooking woman on his arm. The caption read, ¡°New ything¡± Hailey saw it and, as if she already knew he would find a new woman, her expression only faltered for a moment before bing calm again. It just struck her that he had never posted about her when they were together, but now he wasn¡¯t afraid to post about his new me. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only It stung a bit, and after hesitating for a few minutes, she opened his WhatsApp and blocked him. Cedric, on the other side, had not heard from Hailey since he posted on Facebook. He couldn¡¯t help but open her WhatsApp and send her the same picture he had posted on Facebook. He wanted to get a rise out of her, only to find out that he had been blocked. His face darkened, ¡°Hailey Vulpe, you dare to block me first?!¡± He seemed really mad, he tried to call her, but it went straight to voicemail. Clearly, she had blocked his number as well. Cedric turned livid, grinding his teeth and muttering, ¡°Okay, so it¡¯s blocklist, huh?¡± Hejabbed the screen of his phone and in no time, he had deleted everything rted to Hailey. Anybody could do that, right? If she was so capable, she better not unblock him! Chapter 294 Chapter 294 After blocking and deleting, Cedric chucked his phone across the room. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Bernard, who had just walked in from outside the mansion, spotted the phone on the floor and furrowed his brows. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± Cedric asked. Cedric stood up from the couch, noticing Bernard soaked from head to toe, his face filled with worry, ¡°Why are you all wet?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t respond, instead he took off his suit jacket and grabbed a towel from a servant. As he slowly dried his hair, he asked Cedric, ¡°What are you doing in my house?¡± Cedric let out a sigh, answering somewhat unenthusiastically, ¡°It¡¯s the weekend, I was bored so I came over for a drink.¡± Bernard shot him a cold nce, ¡°If you¡¯re bored, go to Africa and take over Matthew¡¯s work.¡± The mention of Africa made Cedric¡¯s heart flutter, ¡°Matthew¡¯s tough as nails and doesn¡¯t mind the sun, but I can¡¯t handle it. My face is my moneymaker, you can¡¯t send me on a suicide mission¡­¡± In reality, he just didn¡¯t like the local cuisine in Africa, and the work there was too much. Every time Matthew returned, he seemed to have lost a chunk of hair. Cedric didn¡¯t want to go bald. Bernard didn¡¯t have the energy to argue with him, finishing drying his hair and heading straight for the bathroom. Looking at Bernard¡¯s solitary figure, Cedric felt both relief and helplessness For years, his brother Bernard had been in a constant state of mncholy, he had never seen him smile. He didn¡¯t know when Bernard would finally forget that woman. His gaze returned to the phone on the floor, just as a call from an unknown number came in. Cedric snorted, it was probably Hailey, realizing he had deleted her, she couldn¡¯t help but call to confront him. Hezily picked up the phone just as the call was about to end, ¡°Hailey, you¡­ Before he could finish his sentence, he was cut off, ¡°Sir, are you interested in buying a house?¡± Cedric was speechless. Who the hell leaked his number? Why were telemarketers calling him? And why didn¡¯t these realtors check who they were calling before they called? Did they really think he, Cedric, needed to buy a house? Annoyed, Cedric hung up the phone, walked over to the liquor cab, poured himself a ss of red wine and downed it. After a few drinks, he was still feeling irritable. He picked up his phone, sent a message in his buddies¡® WhatsApp group, and left the mansion for the nightclub. Bernard, fresh out of the shower, noticed Cedric was gone and frowned. He then headed to the second floor study. Sitting at his desk, he flipped open hisptop to look over some new financial reports. His eyes uncontrobly drifted towards the drawer next to him. After a few seconds, he reached out, opened the drawer, and removed a golden¨Cbronze mask. As his fingers touched the mask, a memory from three years ago shed through his mind. As Mr. Law, he was entwined in a passionate embrace with her on the bed. Just the thinking about that scene brought back the carefully suppressed pain, flooding him like a deluge. It was unbearable. He put down the mask, propped his forehead with one hand, his eyes shut tight. He tried to forget about the past, but her image filled his mind. Her face, etched into his heart, had invaded every cell of his body. The longing was uncontroble. He impulsively took out his personal phone, scrolled through the text messages, thousands of them, all unanswered as if they had sunk into the ocean. He knew she no longer used that number, and that she wouldn¡¯t respond or receive his messages, but he habitually texted her. He poured out all the fantasies buried deep in his heart into these texts, just like he used to. Even though he knew he would never get a response, it was the only way he could vent his longing. Chapter 295 Chapter 295 Eleanor woke up, and it was already night. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying. She lifted her hand, rubbed her eyes, and when she opened them again, everything was a bit blurry. She sat on the edge of her bed, it took a while for her vision to refocus. Once she could see clearly, she picked up her phone and texted George. [Dr. George, my eyes are ying tricks on me again.] George didn¡¯t respond right away, so she put away her phone, and got out of bed. She opened the door and went downstairs, Ethan was sitting in the living room, face to face with Hailey. She nced at the clock on the wall, it was already 10 pm, no wonder Ethan was here. She sighed, she had nned to take Hailey to see Garett today, but it was toote now. Seeing Eleanor awake, Hailey immediately got up and walked over to her, ¡°Eleanor, are you hungry? I can heat up some food for you.¡± Just as Eleanor was about to say yes, Ethan¡¯s casual voice came from behind them, ¡°Time to go home.¡± Hailey turned around and red at Ethan, saying. ¡°Eleanor is an independent individual, you can¡¯t restrict her freedom like this.¡± Ethan, lounging on the couch, snorted, ¡°If I restrict her freedom, you won¡¯t be able to see her.¡± He had the means to control her, but he didn¡¯t because of her sister. Hailey¡¯s face darkened when she heard these words. She had always felt that Eleanor staying with Ethan would only lead to more danger, but she didn¡¯t know how to help Eleanor escape from him. Eleanor understood Hailey¡¯s concern and quickly reassured her in a low voice, ¡°Hailey, I¡¯ve divorced him, don¡¯t worry Hearing that Eleanor had divorced Ethan, Hailey felt a little relieved, ¡°Since you¡¯ve divorced, there¡¯s no need to go back with him.¡± Eleanor nced at Ethan, who was pretending not to hear, and gave a bitter smile, ¡°Hailey, he won¡¯t give up on my sister¡¯s heart.¡± Hailey understood then, even though Eleanor was divorced, her freedom was still controlled by Ethan. Seeing Hailey¡¯s worried expression, Eleanor quickly patted her hand, indicating that she shouldn¡¯t worry. They wanted to talk more, but Ethan had lost his patience and got up, pulling Eleanor towards the door. Eleanor only had time to say she woulde see Hailey tomorrow before being dragged out of the vi and shoved into the car. Once they were gone, Hailey received a call from the nightclub, saying someone was spending big money for herpany and asked her to hurry over. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Her face darkened, since she was the boss, and someone wanted herpany for the night. They obviously were looking for trouble. She thought for a moment, grabbed her car keys, and drove to the nightclub. She was ready to see who dared to mess with her. At The Secret Garden, the VIP room was filled with rich kids holding sses of wine, staring at the apologetic manager, I¡¯m sorry, our boss hasn¡¯t arrived yet, can you please wait a little longer? Tonight¡¯s expenses are on the house, okay?¡± ¡°Do you think I can¡¯t afford it?¡± The one speaking was Cedric¡¯s buddy, Chase. He lookedzily at Cedric, who was silent with his drink. ¡°Cedric came here to spend money, not for your charity¡± Chase said. After Chase coldly finished his sentence, he checked his watch, his eyes turning sharp when he looked at the manager again. ¡°You have five minutes, if the person we want doesn¡¯t show up, you can close down this ce tonight.¡± Chase said. Chapter 296 Chapter 296 When the manager heard this, he looked awkward, but managed to keep his smile and said, ¡°Chase, I¡¯ll call again to hurry her up. Please wait a moment¡­¡± After he turned around and left, the smile on his face gradually turned into worry. Ever since the ce changed hands, very few people dared to cause trouble here, but he didn¡¯t expect to encounter a group of wealthy and powerful people today Original from N?velDrama.Org. He had arranged for many people to serve them, originally thinking that business would boom tonight, but he didn¡¯t expect they were here to make trouble. Just when the manager was feeling down, he saw Hailey in her backless ck gown walking towards him. ¡°Boss, you¡¯re finally here. They said if you don¡¯t show up, they¡¯re going to shut down our ce! The manager said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡± Hailey said. Hailey wasn¡¯t nervous at all. She simply said two words and then quickly walked towards the VIP room. When she pushed the door open and saw the man sitting in the dark corner, Hailey¡¯s face slightly changed. She thought it was just a group of bored rich people causing trouble, but it turned out to be Cedric? Hailey found it strange. In the past, in order to do business, she had specifically invited him toe here, but he refused the offer, saying the ce was too tacky for his status. But now he showed up with a group of rich kids, even specifically asked for her, what was he up to? Hailey¡¯s face stiffened for a few seconds, but she quickly put on a smile and walked towards them. ¡°Sorry, everyone, I waste.¡± Hailey apologized. After saying that, Hailey picked up the ss on the table and said generously, ¡°I¡¯ll drink three shots as a punishment, please cool down.¡± Just as she was about to drink, Chase stopped her, ¡°Hailey, we¡¯ve been waiting for you for an hour, are three shots enough?¡± Hailey kept her smile, ¡°How many do you think I should drink?¡± Hailey and Chase knew each other. She had met him once when she was out with Cedric. Back then, everyone else mocked her for being divorced, but Chase didn¡¯t. So she had a pretty good impression of him. She didn¡¯t expect him to join others in giving her a hard time after she broke up with Cedric But Hailey was okay with it. She had been through the wringer in this industry for many years and was used to such situations. No matter what the other party wanted to do, she could handle it. She maintained her smile and looked at the group of men in the sofa area. Chase nced at Cedric who hadn¡¯t spoken anything and said in a deep voice. ¡°Three bottles, Hailey, can you drink them?¡± He nced at a row of high¨Calcohol¨Ccontent bottles on the table, apparently wanting Hailey to drink a few of them. Hailey¡¯s face still wore a smile, ¡°Three bottles, not a big deal. But¡­¡± She deliberately paused, her slender finger touched a row of bottles. She picked one, and looked up at Chase. ¡°If I drink these three bottles, will Chase continue to give me a hard time?¡± Hailey asked. Upon hearing this, Chase raised an eyebrow slightly, ¡°Hailey, it¡¯s not up to me alone to decide whether to give you a hard time or not.¡± In other words, the person who wanted to give her a hard time was Cedric. So Hailey didn¡¯t haggle anymore, she just picked up the bottle and drank it all at once. Chase was stunned. He had hinted so clearly, couldn¡¯t this woman understand? At this moment, if she just sweet talked Cedric a little, the problem could be easily solved, but she chose to drink instead? What a fool, Chase sneered and nced at Cedric in the dark corner again¡­. Chapter 297 Chapter 297 He was lounging about in his white suit, nursing a drink. Seemingly aloof, his eyes were fixated on the woman who was guzzling down bottles of alcohol. She was dressed in a ck deep¨CV gown that entuated her figure. Under the lights, she looked both seductive and innocent. Her face, with its bold and delicate features, was flushed from the alcohol, making her already smooth skin look even more radiant. Her aura outshone even the top hostess in the room. Many rich boys couldn¡¯t help but take interest in this powerful presence named Hailey Cedric noticed the men ogling at the cleavage exposed by her deep¨CV neckline. With a darkened expression, he hurled his drink across the room. The shattering sound of the ss disrupted Hailey as she was reaching for her third bottle of booze. She looked up at Cedric, flushed and giving him a professionally polite smile. ¡°Cedric, is something bothering you?¡± Seeing her flirtatious smile, Cedric felt a wave of difort and coldly said, ¡°Get out!¡± Hailey was taken aback. She was brought here with a hefty sum to just drink two bottles of alcohol? But since he had spoken, she knew there was no need to stay. She put down the bottle, smiled at them, and said, ¡°I won¡¯t bother you guys then. Drinks are on the house tonight. Have fun!¡± After saying this, she walked out. The manager waiting outside couldn¡¯t help but give her a thumbs up, ¡°Boss, you are incredible to handle them so quickly.¡± Hailey¡¯s smile gradually faded. As she walked away, she couldn¡¯t help but look back. Cedric was already cuddling another woman, ying games as if nothing had happened. She frowned slightly, pulled her gaze back, and headed towards the office. In the VIP room, Cedric, cuddling the top female server, drinking red wine. He was ying games with a bunch of rich kids, but was not happy at all. Chase noticed his distraction and mocked, ¡°Cedric, don¡¯t forget about brotherhood over a woman.¡± Cedric snorted, ¡°Chase, you think everyone is like you, ready to risk their lives for a woman.¡± Chase didn¡¯t mind, ¡°At least I¡¯m sincere. You should let your sister marry me.¡± Cedric looked disgusted, ¡°My father would never let Sigrid marry you. And it seems like my sister doesn¡¯t like you either.¡± Chase¡¯s hand tightened on his ss, but he didn¡¯t respond, his thoughts drifting away. After parking the car at the vi, Ethan turned to Eleanor who was about to get out and said, ¡°Don¡¯t rush.¡± Eleanor turned back, puzzled, and asked him, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ethan unbuckled his seatbelt, got out of the car, leaned on the roof with one hand. He bent over and gave her a dim smile. He said, ¡°You alwayse homete, so to teach you a lesson, I need to punish you.¡± After saying this, he closed the car door and quickly locked it, trapping Eleanor inside. Eleanor was wide¨Ceyed, unable toprehend what was happening. She yelled at Ethan, ¡°Are you nuts? Open the door!¡± She pounded desperately on the car window, begging him to unlock the door. But Ethan ignored her and walked straight into the vi. Watching his stubborn retreating figure disappear from her sight, Eleanor suddenly felt a wave of despair. The enclosed environment of the car was like the darkness she saw before death, making it hard for her to breathe. After forcing herself to calm down, Eleanor whipped out her phone and rang up the cops. But the police were slow as msses in winter, and with the car engine dead, it was hot as hell inside. Before long, the suffocating heat made her breathe like a fish out of water. Seeing no sign of the cops, Eleanor hit up Hailey right away. But Hailey was rushing off to deal with some drama at the nightclub, leaving her phone in the car, so she missed the call. After a few tries and no answer, Eleanor gave up dialing. She lifted her red¨Crimmed eyes to the tightly shut mansion gate, not a soul in sight to bail her out. Theck of air and the suffocating feeling made her blood boil. She hoisted her phone and smashed it against the car window, again and again, until the screen was shattered, but she didn¡¯t let up. Never before had she been this pissed off, her anger fueling her as she gritted her teeth and kept smashing. Ethan, leaning on the railing, had a bird¡¯s eye view of the whole scene but didn¡¯t make a move, just watching indifferently. Despite all her efforts, Eleanor¡¯s phone was kaput but the car window was still intact¡­. She was so knackered she couldn¡¯t keeping smashing the window, and just dropped her phone helplessly. Then she sat there, feeling the air in the cramped space slowly disappearing After a long time, Ethan sauntered over. He rolled down the passenger window, and bent over to look at the pale¨Cfaced Eleanor. ¡°Think twice before breaking curfew again, yeah?¡± Ethan asked. The cool air from outside was a lifeline for the oxygen¨Cdeprived Eleanor. She leaned against the window, gulping the fresh air, and after she had caught her breath, she lifted her reddened eyes, and shot Ethan a cold look, not uttering a single word. She was just staring at him. Meeting her gaze, as deep as a starry sky, Ethan was momentarily taken aback. Emilia used to look at him with the same eyes when she was hurt, but she never wanted to talk about it. Thinking of Emilia, Ethan instinctively averted his gaze, straightened up. He opened the car door, and let her out. Clutching her wildly beating heart, Eleanor kept a poker face and got out of the car. He thought she would follow him back to the mansion, but she turned on her heel and walked away without a backward nce. Ethan tried to catch up and grab her arm, but she shook him off, shot him another icy look, and bolted. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Ethan stood there dumbstruck, watching her tiny figure recede into the distance, a furrow appearing between his brows. He hadn¡¯t expected her to be so feisty After leaving the mansion, Eleanor walked along a deserted street, her slim figure casting a long shadow under the streetlights. With her busted phone in hand, she headed towards Hailey¡¯s ce, walking faster and faster, wishing she could rush into Hailey¡¯s arms and beg her, ¡°Hailey, I need your help: But she knew that the only person who could save her was herself. She bottle up all her emotions, her hand clenched tight, and walked briskly. A dozen or so cars whizzed by, their high beams blinding her. She stopped in her tracks, shielding her eyes from the re. When the cars passed, her vision was still blurry. Feeling on the verge of a breakdown, she rubbed her eyes hard, but her vision remained unfocused. Unable to see clearly, she couldn¡¯t continue and had to squat down and wait for her eyes to adjust. The guy in the Aston Martin, by chance, nced at the rearview mirror. Chapter 298 Chapter 298 After forcing herself to calm down, Eleanor whipped out her phone and rang up the cops. But the police were slow as msses in winter, and with the car engine dead, it was hot as hell inside. Before long, the suffocating heat made her breathe like a fish out of water. Seeing no sign of the cops, Eleanor hit up Hailey right away. But Hailey was rushing off to deal with some drama at the nightclub, leaving her phone in the car, so she missed the call. After a few tries and no answer, Eleanor gave up dialing. She lifted her red¨Crimmed eyes to the tightly shut mansion gate, not a soul in sight to bail her out. Theck of air and the suffocating feeling made her blood boil. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only She hoisted her phone and smashed it against the car window, again and again, until the screen was shattered, but she didn¡¯t let up. Never before had she been this pissed off, her anger fueling her as she gritted her teeth and kept smashing. Ethan, leaning on the railing, had a bird¡¯s eye view of the whole scene but didn¡¯t make a move, just watching indifferently. Despite all her efforts, Eleanor¡¯s phone was kaput but the car window was still intact¡­. She was so knackered she couldn¡¯t keeping smashing the window, and just dropped her phone helplessly. Then she sat there, feeling the air in the cramped space slowly disappearing After a long time, Ethan sauntered over. He rolled down the passenger window, and bent over to look at the pale¨Cfaced Eleanor. ¡°Think twice before breaking curfew again, yeah?¡± Ethan asked. The cool air from outside was a lifeline for the oxygen¨Cdeprived Eleanor. She leaned against the window, gulping the fresh air, and after she had caught her breath, she lifted her reddened eyes, and shot Ethan a cold look, not uttering a single word. She was just staring at him. Meeting her gaze, as deep as a starry sky, Ethan was momentarily taken aback. Emilia used to look at him with the same eyes when she was hurt, but she never wanted to talk about it. Thinking of Emilia, Ethan instinctively averted his gaze, straightened up. He opened the car door, and let her out. Clutching her wildly beating heart, Eleanor kept a poker face and got out of the car. He thought she would follow him back to the mansion, but she turned on her heel and walked away without a backward nce. Ethan tried to catch up and grab her arm, but she shook him off, shot him another icy look, and bolted. Ethan stood there dumbstruck, watching her tiny figure recede into the distance, a furrow appearing between his brows. He hadn¡¯t expected her to be so feisty After leaving the mansion, Eleanor walked along a deserted street, her slim figure casting a long shadow under the streetlights. With her busted phone in hand, she headed towards Hailey¡¯s ce, walking faster and faster, wishing she could rush into Hailey¡¯s arms and beg her, ¡°Hailey, I need your help: But she knew that the only person who could save her was herself. She bottle up all her emotions, her hand clenched tight, and walked briskly. A dozen or so cars whizzed by, their high beams blinding her. She stopped in her tracks, shielding her eyes from the re. When the cars passed, her vision was still blurry. Feeling on the verge of a breakdown, she rubbed her eyes hard, but her vision remained unfocused. Unable to see clearly, she couldn¡¯t continue and had to squat down and wait for her eyes to adjust. The guy in the Aston Martin, by chance, nced at the rearview mirror. Chapter 299 Chapter 299 The moment he saw that huddled figure, his heart skipped a beat, ¡°Stop the car-¡± Caleb immediately slowed down and pulled over. ¡°Sir, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Bernard pushed open the door, got out of the car quickly, and strode towards Eleanor. Unable to see clearly, Eleanor felt someone approaching and immediately stood up and backed away, ¡°Don¡¯te near me!¡± Seeing her so alert, Bernard thought she didn¡¯t want him close and stopped in his tracks. The tall figure stood still, silently watching her without speaking. His cold eyes were tinged with a touch of red, even the corners of his eyes were reddened It was only at this moment that he realized the end of rtionship meant not even being able to take a step closer to her. Eleanor didn¡¯t know who the person in front of her was, only that he stopped when she yelled. But she couldn¡¯t see now, and if he noticed that, he mighte closer again. Her anger was gradually reced by fear. She quickly turned around and, regardless of whether she could see or not, ran forward with her head down. Her resistance, alertness, and disregard made Bernard¡¯s heart ache unbearably. He was wrong. He said he wouldn¡¯t bother her anymore, but he still couldn¡¯t help but want to get closer. His eyes reddened as he watched her figure get farther and farther away, and he said to Caleb, ¡°Follow her, but don¡¯t let her notice. Caleb nodded immediately and quickly followed. Bernard suppressed his inner pain, turned around, and returned to the car. As soon as he got in, he saw Ethan¡¯s car driving by. He knew that their quarrel had caused Eleanor to run away from home. Now Garett could get close to her, so could Ethan, but only he couldn¡¯t. He smiled bitterly, a smile that made him look like he was being swallowed by darkness. Before long, Caleb returned to the car, ¡°Sir, someone came to pick her up.¡± Bernard nodded lightly, suppressing his emotions, and said to Caleb, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Caleb started the car, and the other vehicles followed suit, with a dozen luxury cars leaving together. Ethan looked back and saw that the man who had just gotten into the Aston Martin was actually following Eleanor. He had so many people with him, obviously dealing with urgent matters, but when he saw Eleanor, he deliberately stopped to follow her. And it didn¡¯t seem like a whim, but more like he wanted to protect her quietly. Could it be that the man also liked Eleanor? Ethan retracted his gaze, looking at Eleanor stumbling forward. He frowned, and went to grab her. ¡°Come home with me.¡± Ethan said. At the sound of that deep voice, Eleanor¡¯s heart tightened, and the suffocating feeling of being trapped in the car earlier came back. She pushed Ethan¡¯s hand away, turned around to run. but due to not seeing the direction clearly, identally stepped into the bushes by the roadside. Seeing her fall, Ethan¡¯s expression stiffened a bit. He walked over without speaking, stood above her, and looked down. ¡°Did you lose your eyesight again?¡± Ethan asked. Eleanor sat on the ground, silent. Her face looked pale, full of fear and wariness. Ethan squatted down, turned on his phone¡¯s shlight. He shone it into her eyes, and seeing no reaction, he understood. ¡°George said you still have some after¨Ceffects in your eyes and need to take care of them. You can¡¯t cry or overwork yourself, but you don¡¯t listen.¡± After saying that, he reached out his long hand towards Eleanor and calmly said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take you home.¡±Original from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 300 Chapter 300 Eleanor couldn¡¯t help butugh when she heard the words ¡°go home¡°, ¡°That¡¯s your home, not mine.¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. She never had a home, not ever. She thought that finding her sister would finally give her a home, but this guy who imed to be her sister¡¯s husband locked her in a car because she didn¡¯te home on time, trying to suffocate her to death. How could she possibly go home with him? Seeing her refusal, Ethan casually said, ¡°That¡¯s the house I bought for your sister. It¡¯s her home, so it¡¯s yours too.¡± Eleanor¡¯s smile became even colder, ¡°My sister would rather end her life than be with you, which proves she never loved you. Those houses and cars weren¡¯t hers; you forced her to ept them!¡± Ethan¡¯s face darkened in an instant, and a sharp look shed in his eyes, ¡°If she didn¡¯t love me, why did she chase me for ten years? It was her who pursued me, then betrayed me, abandoned me, and tried to escape from me. And yet you guys me everything on me!¡± Eleanor was stunned. She hadn¡¯t expected her sister to have chased Ethan for ten years. So¡­ her sister must have loved Ethan. But if she loved him, why did she abandon him? Eleanor was puzzled, but Ethan didn¡¯t want to talk about Emilia anymore. Instead, he lowered his head and stared at her coldly. He said, ¡°By now, I¡¯m willing to give everything for her. You should be grateful to me, not standing here using me! While I still have patience, hurry up ande home with me, or I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do!¡± He had gone insane when he saw Emilia in bed with another man. That was why he didn¡¯t even want her body, just her heart, because this heart had once loved him But the person with this heart was always disobedient, making him annoyed and wanting to strangle her. Eleanor couldn¡¯t see Ethan¡¯s expression, but she could tell he was emotionally unstable from his tone. She knew that it was because she said her sister never loved him that he was so triggered and turned into this state. But she couldn¡¯t possibly go with someone who was emotionally unstable. So, what could she do to make Ethan let her go? Eleanor kept silent for a few seconds, then slowly looked at Ethan with empty eyes, ¡®Have you ever thought that a woman who pursues a man for ten years must love him very much? Since she loves him so deeply, she wouldn¡¯t betray him. There must be some misunderstanding.¡± She couldn¡¯t judge who was right or wrong between them, only knowing that there must be a deep misunderstanding. She hoped Ethan would calm down and investigate the situation properly, not just say that her sister betrayed him. Hearing this, the crimson emotion in Ethan¡¯s eyes gradually faded, reced by memories of Emilia¡¯s silent appearance, He had asked her, and she said there was no misunderstanding, and that what he witnessed was true. Nothing could be more convincing than her own admission Ethan seemed to be trapped in the memories of the past, unable to break free. His silence made Eleanor unsure of what he was thinking, so she didn¡¯t speak. She just quickly thought about how to get away from him. After a few minutes, Ethan reached out to Eleanor again, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Chapter 301 Chapter 301 Eleanor felt the chills, but she still mustered up the courage to tell him, ¡°Mr. Ziegler, Im scared of you. Can I not go back with you?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Even if she was temporarily blind, she didn¡¯t want to go back with Ethan. She was afraid of being locked in the car by him again and experiencing that near¨Cdesh feeling. Ethan saw the fear in her unfocused eyes. His expression becameplicated. He quietly looked at Eleanor for a moment, then let out a deep sigh, ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it when we get back.¡± Hearing this, Eleanor knew she couldn¡¯t change his mind. She stopped struggling, gave him her hand, and let him lead her back to the suffocating car. The car soon stopped in front of the vi. Ethan held her hand, led her back to the bedroom, and gave her a box of medicine. ¡°This is the medicine George prescribed for your eye condition. I was afraid you¡¯d run away, so I didn¡¯t give it to you.¡± Ethan said. That was why she suddenly went blind. He had hidden the medicine, deliberately not letting her take it on time. Eleanor felt scared again, wanting to escape his control. She calmly opened the medicine box, took out a few pills before putting them in her mouth, and swallowed. After taking the medicine, she coldly said to Ethan standing nearby, ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep now.¡± Ethan nced at her, watched her fumble to lift the nket, and then finally turned and left the bedroom, The next day, Eleanor woke up, opened her eyes. She saw the color of the ceiling, and breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness she was only temporarily blind and could regain her sight, otherwise, she might be living in darkness forever. After getting up and washing up, she picked up her smashed phone, tried to turn it on. But it was completely broken. Eleanor remembered her old phone could hold two SIM cards, so she quickly took out a sealed bag, took out the phone, and put in the new card. After turning on the phone, she opened WhatsApp¡­ She originally wanted to log in to her newly registered ount, but found her old ount was still there. She logged in subconsciously and saw many unread messages. Some were from colleagues offering condolences. Others were messages like, ¡°May you be free from pain in heaven, rest in peace.¡± Even Amanda sent a message, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know your heart condition was so severe.¡± Seeing these, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but get teary¨Ceyed. She opened Instagram and found that Hailey had posted a farewell message on her behalf. It was because of Hailey¡¯s post that everyone knew she had passed away. So, the people who were kind to her missed her, and those who weren¡¯t forgave her. Eleanor forgave the past people and events. Sometimes, after experiencing life and death, she learnt to let go. After reading the messages, she opened her contacts and found many friend requests. All these requests came from the same person, Mr. Law. Knowing full well she could never ept, he still persisted in sending her requests for three years. Under each request, he would attach a message that said nothing but her name.. [Eleanor] She couldn¡¯t exin why, but every time she saw her name, she could feel that Mr. Law really liked her a lot. But no matter how much he liked her, to her, he would always be a criminal. There could never be any connection between them. As she stared at his profile picture, hesitating whether to delete these requests, another friend request came in. Still Mr. Law. Chapter 302 Chapter 302 Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but feel a little helpless seeing his persistence. She didn¡¯t ept his friend request, but instead deleted the messages. When she was about to exit WhatsApp, she saw someone calling Bernard in a group chat with previous clients they had worked with. The group was created by the Ratliff Group¡¯s president¡¯s office to maintain customer rtionships, and the people in the group were mostly senior leaders of the group. She thought thepany would remove her from the group after her death, but they didn¡¯t. The person who wanted tomunicate with Bernard was Ryan Mallory, the general manager of the Mallory Group. He seemed to have urgent matters for Bemard, but couldn¡¯t find him, so he spoke in the group chat. But Bernard would never reply to such a message. He joined this group only because the people from the Ratliff Group had persuaded him in various ways. Thinking back to the past, Eleanor¡¯s fingers involuntarily clicked on his profile picture. After they broke up, she had blocked him. Now they were no longer friends, but she could still see their previous chat history. When she opened it, she saw a conversation from three years ago: [Bernard, you¡¯ve been on a business trip abroad for three months, when are youing back?] This was the message she had sent him when she was worried that she wouldn¡¯t have enough time to see him back, but he didn¡¯t reply. As she scrolled up, their conversations were very brief, nothing special. The only thing that made her feel warm was when he was sick and sent her two messages. One was: [I miss you] The other was: [My stomach hurts,e see me] It waste at night, and she immediately put on her coat, bought medicine. She went to find him after seeing these two messages. She saw him lying on the sofa, one hand covering his stomach. His tall body slightly curled up, looking very painful. She brought the stomach medicine to him, and whispered his name. Hearing her voice, he slowly opened his tightly closed eyes and looked at her. A momentter, he called her name too, ¡°Eleanor¡­¡± Maybe it was because he was sick that his voice sounded a little softer. But his softness made her couldn¡¯t help but smile sweetly. ¡°I bought you medicine, can you take it first?¡± He shook his head, gently patted the sofa next to him, and said, ¡°Sleep with me for a while.¡± She always listened to him, nodded obediently, and then put down the medicine and water in her hand andy down beside him. He held her in his arms, looking at her palm¨Csized face. After watching her for a while, he asked her, ¡°Why did youe to find me sote at this time?¡± She didn¡¯t dare to look at him, just whispered, ¡°I saw the messages you sent me, so.¡± He asked her again, ¡°Which message made youe?¡± She said it was the one about his stomach ache, and then he didn¡¯t speak anymore. Seeing that he didn¡¯t speak anymore, she quietly raised her head and nced at him, just to see him frowning, as if in great pain. She urged him to take the medicine, but he refused, so she gathered her courage and carefully massaged his stomach with her hand. At that time, she lowered her head and didn¡¯t see his reaction, but she could feel him holding her hand tightly. Original from N?velDrama.Org. That night, he held her, lying on the sofa, doing nothing. He was just holding her tightly in his arms like a lover, and they fell asleep. When she woke up the next morning, he was already awake. But he still maintained the same position, not wanting to let go of her. Chapter 303 Chapter 303 As Eleanor was going over these details, she suddenly realized his love for her. But it was already toote for her now. She stopped reminiscing and decided to call Hailey. Just as she was about to dial, George¡¯s call came in first, ¡°Ms. Shultz, did you forget to take your meds on time?¡± Hearing this, Eleanor sighed helplessly and said, ¡°George, Ethan didn¡¯t give me any medicine to prevent me from running away¡± There was silence on George¡¯s end for a few seconds, and then he gritted his teeth and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go find him.¡± Eleanor wanted to ask if these drugs could be bought domestically, but George hung up directly. Right after he hung up, Hailey¡¯s call came in, ¡°Eleanor, why couldn¡¯t I get through to your phone?¡± She had left the nightclubtest night and saw Eleanor¡¯s missed call. She called back in a hurry, only to find that the phone was off. Worried that something had happened to Eleanor, she drove to Ethan¡¯s vi. The servants said Eleanor was asleep, so she felt slightly relieved and went home. When she woke up this morning and called again, the phone was still off. Just as she was about to rush to the vi to find her, the call connected. Eleanor was a bit embarrassed and said, ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m sorry. My phone had some issues, I just changed back to my old one.¡± Hailey said ¡°it¡¯s fine¡± and then asked, ¡°Did you call mest night for something?¡± Eleanor briefly exined the situation with Ethan, told Hailey not to worry, and said, ¡°Hailey, I¡¯lle to see youter and take you to meet someone.¡± Hailey didn¡¯t ask who it was, just replied ¡°okay.¡± After agreeing on a time with Hailey, Eleanor changed out of her pajamas. These pajamas were given to her by Hailey yesterday, and she hadn¡¯t had a chance to change before being taken away by Ethan. After changing into a clean, neat outfit, she picked up her old phone and went downstairs. Ethan was having breakfast in the dining room. When he saw her, he acted as if everything was normal and continued eating. Eleanor, however, couldn¡¯t pretend nothing had happened. She gave him a cold nce and turned to walk out of the vi. ¡°Come back.¡± His voice rang out from behind her, but Eleanor didn¡¯t respond. He put down his knife and fork, tapped the ss table, and said, ¡°Do you still want your medicine?¡± Eleanor looked back at Ethan and said, ¡°What do you want, really?¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Ethan pushed the medicine box on the table towards Eleanor and said, ¡°Come here, let¡¯s make a deal.¡± Eleanor nced at him, then at the medicine box, and coldly said, ¡°I don¡¯t want it. Keep it for yourself.¡± She turned to leave, but Ethan said, ¡°If you ept my terms, I¡¯ll go back to the G country.¡± Hearing that he would return to the G country, Eleanor stopped in her tracks. She turned back to him and asked, ¡°What are the terms?¡± Ethan leaned on the dining table with one hand, waved to her, and said, ¡°Come here.¡± After hesitating for a few seconds, Eleanor walked over and sat down in the chair opposite him.. Ethan picked up a file on the table and handed it to Eleanor, ¡°Sign this, and I¡¯ll leave immediately.¡± Eleanor opened the file and pulled out a contract with three uses listed. However, the contract did not specify what exactly she had to do, only stating that she wouldn¡¯t be asked to do anything illegal. Seeing such a contract, Eleanor would definitely not sign it casually, ¡°Mr. Ziegler, I won¡¯t sign unless you specify the terms.¡± Chapter 304 Chapter 304 Ethan said calmly, ¡°You can choose not to, and I won¡¯t force you¡± Eleanor looked at him puzzled and asked, ¡®Why do you suddenly want to go back to G country?¡± He must have some important stuff to deal with, so he asked her to sign a nk agrement first. Ethan said indifferently, ¡°George told me that Emilia¡¯s child is sick, I want to go check it out.¡± Emilia¡¯s child? Eleanor was startled by the sudden news, ¡°Is that, is that your child with her?¡± Ethan chuckled lightly, with a hint of disgust in his eyes, ¡°That¡¯s her child with her ex¨Chusband.¡± Ex¨Chusband? Emilia had an ex¨Chusband? Eleanor waspletely stunned, silently staring at Ethan. Ethan raised an eyebrow, asking, ¡°Do you find this ridiculous too?¡± The surprised expression on Eleanor¡¯s face gradually disappeared. She didn¡¯t know much about Emilia¡¯s situation. Everything she knew was from Ethan, so she chose to stay silent. Ethan didn¡¯t want to talk more about Emilia. He pointed to the agreement and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t specify what I want you to do because I haven¡¯t thought it through yet. I¡¯ll add it once I figured it out. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m only interested in your sister¡¯s heart, so whatever you have to do must be rted to her.¡± After hearing this, Eleanor smiled and said, ¡°I won¡¯t sign this agreement.¡± Ethan was nning to go back to G country anyway. Without signing the agreement, he would still leave, so why should she sign it? Ethan seemed not to care, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t sign. It¡¯s just her child with her ex¨Chusband, none of my business.¡± In other words, if she didn¡¯t sign, he wouldn¡¯t go back to G country and would continue to restrict her personal freedom. Eleanor¡¯s firm attitude wavered a bit, ¡°You really won¡¯t make me do anything excessive, right?¡± Ethan seemed to lose patience, his face gradually turning dark, ¡°I enjoy doing reckless things myself. If you¡¯re willing, you can give it a try.¡± Eleanor¡¯s face changed dramatically, thinking that Ethan was really abnormal. If she stayed with him, she might be hurt at any time. She hesitated for a while, picked up the pen next to her, and signed Emilia¡¯s name in thest column of the agreement. Ethan took a look but disagreed, ¡°You should sign your own name.¡± Eleanor asked with doubt, ¡°My current identity is my sister¡¯s, so I should sign her name.¡± Ethan sneered, ¡°If you were with Bernard, he would have enough power to help you restore your identity. I don¡¯t want to be deceived by youter, so you¡¯d better not y any tricks. Just sign it. I don¡¯t have the patience to wait for you.¡± Eleanor was stunned. Did Ethan mistake her for wanting to be with Bernard, so he made her sign the agreement to continue controlling her? She didn¡¯t choose Bernard and had no one to help her restore her identity, so signing Eleanor¡¯s name would even be better than Emilia¡¯s. She stopped the pointless argument with him, took the backup agreement he handed over, and signed Eleanor¡¯s name, pressing her fingerprint. After signing, she looked up at Ethan and asked, ¡°You just said my sister¡¯s child is sick. What kind of illness is it?¡± Ethan stamped the agreement, looking coldly. Eleanor was still a little worried, ¡°When you go to see her, you won¡¯t do anything terrible to her, will you?¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Ethan nced at her and said, ¡°I¡¯m just going to see if she¡¯s still alive. If she is, I¡¯ll kill her.¡± Chapter 305 Chapter 305 He wrapped up his speech, tucked away the agreement, and straight up to the upstairs without giving Eleanor another nce. Eleanor, however, was scared shitless. She grabbed her phone and dashed out of the mansion to call George. Upon hearing what had happened, George justughed it off, ¡°Ms. Shultz, don¡¯t worry, he wanted to harm Nina, he would have done it. ages ago. Why would he wait till now?¡± Eleanor finally breathed a sigh of relief and asked about the kid. George couldn¡¯t give a straight answer either. He just said the kid was Emilia¡¯s and some noble from G country¡¯s, and left it at that. When Eleanor heard about the nobility, she thought there might be some juicy gossip, so she didn¡¯t ask further. She was more concerned about Nina, ¡°What kind of illness does Nina have?¡± George calmly replied, ¡°She¡¯s not sick, I was just messing with him. He took your medication, didn¡¯t he? I just wanted to trick him.¡± Eleanor was startled, then alsoughed, ¡°Dr. George, aren¡¯t you scared he¡¯ll be pissed at you once he finds out?¡± George dismissed her concern, ¡°Not only am I not scared, I¡¯m also going to make sure he stays in G country.¡± Eleanor knew George was doing this for her, so she quickly thanked him, ¡°George, thank you.¡± After George brushed off the thanks, he reminded her, ¡°Make sure you take your medication on time. Not just for your eyes, but also the anti¨Crejection drugs.¡± Eleanor nodded, ¡°I have been taking my anti¨Crejection drugs.¡± George was reassured, ¡°Give me an address and I¡¯ll mail the medication to you directly.¡± After they had returned to the country, he had been sending the medication to Ethan¡¯s mansion. He didn¡¯t expect that the medication. never ended up in Eleanor¡¯s hands. Eleanor didn¡¯t want to make trouble for George and asked if she could buy the medication at home. George replied, ¡°The medication I give you is better.¡± Reluctantly, Eleanor gave him Hailey¡¯s address, then asked him, ¡°George, how much is the medication? I¡¯ll transfer the money to you.¡± George interrupted, ¡°Mr. Laurence gave me 3 billion years ago to find you a heart using global medical resources. I haven¡¯t even spent all that money yet, so you don¡¯t need to pay me. Plus, even if I didn¡¯t have the money, I¡¯d still take good care of Emilia¡¯s heart.¡± Eleanor froze, her face turning paler by the second. She opened her mouth but no words came out. George, not hearing anything, thought the call was dropped, so he hung up. Staring at the nk screen, it took Eleanor a while to snap back to reality. She thought he had only asked George to find a heart for her, but he had actually spent 3 billion. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only He had been doing all of this behind her back, and she was totally clueless. She clenched her phone, feeling the weight on her shoulders grow even heavier. She still owed Garett for his kindness of more than 20 years, and now she owed Bernard 3 billion. The immense pressure left her gasping for air, as if the air was sucked out of her. She just sat down on the ground, powerless. Ethan came out with his suitcase and saw her leaning against the wall. Unable to hold back, he stopped, looked down at her and sneered, ¡°What, can¡¯t bear to see me leave?¡± Being brought back to reality, Eleanor lifted her head and stared at Ethan in silence. Ethan squatted down in front of her and casually nced at her, ¡°Just a heads up, Bernard is not the right person for you.¡± Chapter 306 Chapter 306 Eleanor sensed he had hidden meanings, like he was trying to hint at something. But she didn¡¯t want to poke further, knowing Ethan wouldn¡¯t spill the beans anyway Ethan really didn¡¯t n on spilling more to her, he simply reminded her and stood up straight, walked away Watching the luxury car speed away. Eleanor felt a bit of relief. Though she knew Ethan would be back, at least for now she could enjoy a breather. However, thinking about the three billion, her just¨Crxed body tensed up again. As she sat there in a daze, Hailey rang her up, asking why she hadn¡¯t arrived yet. Eleanor shook off her thoughts, said ¡°I¡¯m on my way¡± and drove off to Hailey¡¯s vi. Worried that Eleanor hadn¡¯t eaten lunch, Hailey prepared a feast in the garden. Seeing Eleanor get out of the car from a distance, she quickly called her over, ¡°Eleanor,e grab a bite.¡± Seeing the cheerful Hailey, Eleanor felt a bit more rxed. She smiled and walked towards her. Hailey pulled out a chair for her. After she sat down, Hailey poured her a bowl of soup. ¡°You need to eat more, you¡¯re too skinny¡± She thought Eleanor had a great figure, but a bit on the skinny side. She used to be sick and couldn¡¯t eat much: Now that she had recovered, she should eat more. Eleanor¡¯s heart felt warm, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take your word for it.¡± She said, and took a sip from the spoon. The soup slid down her throat, bringing tears to her eyes. Her old wish was to stay with Hailey. Despite all she had been through, she never got to realize this wish. Now she had her freedom, she could finally be with Hailey, but it might be a temporary freedom. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Seeing her welling up, Hailey thought something was wrong. Her face turned serious, ¡°Eleanor, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Eleanor shook her head, smiled and said, ¡°Hailey, Ethan¡¯s gone back to the G country.¡± Hailey was first stunned, then showed a joyful smile, ¡°He let you off the hook?¡± Thinking about the agreement she signed, Eleanor¡¯s face turned gloomy. All of Ethan¡¯s moves were premeditated. Even now with Ethan back in the G country and unable to return, as long as the agreement was there, he wouldn¡¯t let her off easily. Being targeted by such a calcted man, she could hardly escape his grasp. Seeing her silence, Hailey knew Ethan wouldn¡¯t let her off just like that. She frowned, thought for a few seconds, then suggested, ¡°Eleanor, since he¡¯s gone, we should take the chance and make a run for it.¡± As long as Eleanor could break free from Ethan, she would go anywhere, even if it was some remote ce. Eleanor had considered running away, but¡­ She put down the spoon, said to Hailey, ¡°There¡¯s something I wanted to tell you yesterday, but didn¡¯t get the chance.¡± Hailey asked curiously, ¡°What is it?¡± Eleanor looked at Hailey, said, ¡°Hailey, Garett¡­ he¡¯s still alive.¡± Hailey was sipping her soup, hearing this, the spoon slipped from her hand. She looked at Eleanor in disbelief, ¡°What, what did you just say?¡± Eleanor told Hailey in detail how Garett was saved, then said to her, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to see him.¡± Hailey was still in shock, seeing Eleanor stand up and help her up. She snapped back to reality, followed her to the car in a flurry. Since Hailey was too frazzled to drive, Eleanor took the wheel. She sat in the passenger seat, gripping the seatbelt tightly,pletely stunned. Eleanor didn¡¯t disturb her, she drove quickly to the vi where Garett was. Coincidentally, Yilia was pushing Garett out for a stroll. Hailey, who hadn¡¯t gotten out of the car yet, saw the familiar figure in the wheelchair, and tears started to fall. She opened the car door, looked at the figure. Her eyes welled up, as she called out, ¡°Garett¡­¡± Chapter 307 Chapter 307 The man in the wheelchair slowly turned his head and when he saw it was Hailey, a smile spread across his handsome face, ¡°Hailey.¡± Upon hearing that familiar address, Hailey dared to confirm that the man in front of her was Garett, whom she had treated as her younger brother since childhood. Tears in her eyes uncontrobly slid down. But she still held her head high, marched towards Garett, crying and scolding at the same time. Hailey said, ¡°You¡¯re alive, you jerk. You didn¡¯t even bother to tell me! I¡¯ve been praying to God asking him to bring my two loved ones back. Do you know how swollen my knees and eyes are from the kneeling and crying? I can barely see.¡± Hailey¡¯s words made Eleanor also tear up. Hailey had sacrificed so much for them, a lifetime wouldn¡¯t be enough to repay her. Garett, looking at his sister who had looked after him since childhood, couldn¡¯t help but well up, ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s all my fault¡­¡± But Hailey shook her head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t me you, I know you had no choice.¡± Eleanor said that the Clowers family wanted to get rid of him, so how could he tell others he was still alive? After she finished speaking, she looked at his legs and tears welled up again.. He had always been exceptional since childhood. She thought he would stand at the top of the world through knowledge when he grew 1. up. Who would have thought that such an excellent person would never be able to stand again.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only She felt regret and pain, ¡°If only you had listened to me that day¡­¡± She told him not to do reckless things, but he didn¡¯t listen and insisted on taking risks. He had always been so stubborn since childhood; once he made up his mind, no one could persuade him. Now look, he had lost his legs, how was he supposed to live the rest of his life? But Garett didn¡¯t mind, he just smiled. Hailey knew she couldn¡¯t change him, so she stopped trying. She wiped her tears and turned to Eleanor, ¡°Eleanor, God has heard my prayers and returned my two loved ones to me, I need to go to church to thank God.¡± Eleanor took her arm and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Garrett opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Hailey interrupted him, saying, ¡°Just stay quiet and behave yourself. It serves you right for not listening to me. Yilia couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Mr. Falsey, I thought no one could control you. Turns out these two lovely ladies are your Achilles heel¡­¡± Garett smiled, ¡°I¡¯m lucky to be under their control.¡± Colter had previously told Yilia about the three of them, so Yilia just nodded in agreement. The friendship from childhood was precious, Achilles heel wasn¡¯t really the right term. Hailey took a look at Yilia, saw her sweet appearance, and found her a bit simr to Eleanor in her teenage years. She took a few more nces at Yilia. ¡°Who is this?¡± Hailey asked. Before Garett could speak, Yilia gently answered, ¡°Ma¡¯am, I¡¯m Yilia, Mr. Falsey¡¯s caretaker.¡± Hailey nodded and smiled at her, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Garett¡¯s sister, you can call me Hailey.¡± Yilia called her ¡®Hailey¡®, which made Hailey feel more that her character was very simr to Eleanor in the past. But she didn¡¯t dwell on it, instead, she turned her gaze back to Garett. Chapter 308 Chapter 308 ¡°Garett, we said when we were little that we¡¯d live together when we grew up. Now that you and Eleanor are back, why don¡¯t you move in with me?¡± Hailey said. She bought that mansion not just because Eleanor told her in a dream that she was going to build a house for thern in another world, but also because she remembered the promise they made when they were young. After all the twists and turns, and separations, they should live together as family, cherishing every day. But when Hailey suggested this, Yilia immediately disagreed, ¡°No way, Mr. Falsey can¡¯t leave here, it¡¯s too risky¡± Hailey paused, then understood. Even if Jason was dead, it didn¡¯t mean that he was forever safe. If the Clowers family found out he was still alive, he could be in danger.. It seemed they couldn¡¯t just hang out carefree like they did when they were young. She, Eleanor, Garett, they all took different paths in life as they grew up. Hailey finally understood that some promises and wishes were hard to fulfill. Seeing Hailey looking disappointed, Yilia quickly exined, afraid she¡¯d think Mr. Falsey was being deprived of his freedom. ¡°Hailey, Mr. Falsey isn¡¯tpletely trapped here. The Laurence family has people protecting him around, he can go for walks, shop, and watch. movies in the neighborhood with a mask and a hat on. He just shouldn¡¯t leave this area, as Mr. Laurence can¡¯t always guarantee his safety 24/7: Eleanor, who had been silent all this time, slightly changed her expression when she heard this. She hadn¡¯t expected Bernard not only saved Garett, but also arranged for people to protect him. He did this not just for her, but to give Garett some freedom. But how many resources must he be using to ensure Garett¡¯s safety in such a big city? These revtions were increasing the pressure on Eleanor. After Yilia finished, Hailey instinctively looked at Eleanor. Though she didn¡¯t show any visible emotion, Hailey knew she must be hurting inside. The day Eleanor ran into her arms in the rain, crying that he truly loved her, she had guessed what was in Eleanor¡¯s heart. She had just thought Eleanor rejected Bernard because she couldn¡¯t forgive the past hurts, not knowing that Garett was alive. Now seeing Garett in a wheelchair, Hailey understood everything. Eleanor, knowing that Garett wasn¡¯t the one who hurt her in the past, would definitely choose Garett. After all, without Garett working hard to buy medicine for Eleanor, she might not have grown up safely. But Bernard¡­ Their rtionship was already over, but what he did for Eleanor was truly touching. Hailey didn¡¯t know what to say, she just looked at Garett. He looked very pale, as if he had just learned of all this. He didn¡¯t expect this man had been protecting him this past three years. Bernard was seriously injured to save him, and even deployed arge number of people to protect him. And yet he, under this man¡¯s protection, still wanted the woman this man loved. Seeing the shame in Garett¡¯s eyes, Hailey knew what he was thinking, and quickly said, ¡°Garett, I¡¯ll prepare some fancy gifts to thank Mr Laurence on your behalf. Don¡¯t overthink the rest¡­¡±Original from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 309 Chapter 309 Garett gave a bitter smile. A life¨Csaving favor wasn¡¯t something that could be paid off with avish gift. He looked towards Eleanor, who was standing nearby. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only He knew all along that Bernard only wanted her. But he wanted her too. What was he supposed to do if he chose to give up? After suppressing her heavy heart, Eleanor said to Garett, ¡°I promised to take care of you for a lifetime. I won¡¯t change my mind easily. So Garett, don¡¯t overthink it.¡± Hailey looked at Eleanor in surprise, not expecting her to have made such a promise to Garett. Garett pressed hard on his unresponsive legs, unable to face them due to his crumbling emotions. He turned his head and said to Yilia, ¡°I¡¯m tired. Take me back.¡± Yilia felt that it was something she said that had caused a rift between them, but she didn¡¯t know the specific reason. After giving Eleanor and Hailey a slight smile, she pushed Garett and headed towards the vi.. Watching their retreating figures, Hailey frowned slightly but didn¡¯t say anything. She was afraid that showing worry in front of Eleanor would make things more difficult for her. Hailey nced at Eleanor, noticing her paleplexion, and quickly took her arm, ¡°Eleanor,e with me to the church.¡± The church was a peaceful ce. Maybe going there could help Eleanor alleviate some stress and pain. Eleanor came to her senses and nodded at Hailey, ¡°Okay.¡± On the way there, Hailey was too down to drive. On the way back, Eleanor was too absent¨Cminded, so Hailey took the wheel. When they reached the busiest part of town, Hailey pulled over and said she needed to buy some fruit. They got out of the car and walked into the mall, intending to go to the supermarket. But then they saw a man in a well¨Ctailored suit heading towards them. Upon seeing him, Hailey unconsciously looked at Eleanor and noticed her daze. She couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Eleanor, why don¡¯t you than him? After all, he¡¯s done a lot for Garett.¡± However, Eleanor seemed to be rooted in ce, unable to move. As Bernard was about to leave through another exit, Hailey anxiously pulled Eleanor towards him. Before they could reach him, they sa an extraordinarily beautiful woman waving at Bernard from the mall entrance. Thedy, tall and in an elegant evening dress, had wavy hair and exquisite makeup. She was holding a designer handbag. She seemed a perfect match for Bernard, standing there with an equally noble and elegant demeanor, even possessing an intellectua beauty. Her beauty was beyond that of any actress or socialite. They stood at the mall entrance, thedy looking up and talking to the man, who showed no signs of displeasure, but rather listened attentively. Eleanor and Hailey couldn¡¯t hear them, but they saw thedy take Bernard¡¯s arm after she finished talking. Bernard didn¡¯t react much to thedy¡¯s touch, he just let her lead him towards a luxury car. Chapter 310 Chapter 310 Eleanor watched the scene unfold, and was suddenly reminded of the past. He too had once walked away from her, hand in hand with Sophie. Back then, she had no right to say anything. Now, she wouldn¡¯t even care. They were over. Who he was with had nothing to do with her. Hailey watched as the two got into the car and then turned to Eleanor. Seeing that Eleanor had calmed down, she knew what she was thinking, ¡°Eleanor, they just linked arms, don¡¯t get the wrong idea. Plus, he didn¡¯t even see you. If he knew you were here, he wouldn¡¯t be cozying up to another woman.¡± Because Garett was her brother, she naturally leaned towards his side. But if Eleanor still loved Bernard, thest thing she wanted was for Eleanor to be hurt. Eleanor smiled at Hailey, ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m not overthinking it, don¡¯t worry.¡± Seeing her like this, Hailey didn¡¯t say anything more and took her arm, ¡°Let¡¯s go buy some fruit.¡± Eleanor nodded. As they took the elevator, she couldn¡¯t help but look back one more time. She saw him, the gentleman, opening the car door for her and she smiled. In the car, Bernard got in and took off his suit jacket. The woman nced at him and couldn¡¯t help but shake her head, ¡°Your obsession with cleanliness has gotten worse.¡± Sitting in the back row, ying with his phone, Cedric¡¯s face changed instantly when he heard her voice. He straightened up and respectfully greeted the woman in the evening dress in the front row. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Veronica Laurence turned to look at Cedric. Seeing his fearful expression, she couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Cedric, you¡¯re usually so bold, bu why do you always act like a mouse seeing a cat when you see me?¡± Cedric, seeing her smile, instinctively swallowed hard but tried to act nonchnt and waved. In his mind, he was recalling the times he was punished by his older sister. The Laurence family was arge n, with strict family rules. The descendants of the Laurence family could all stand out from the crowd, thanks to Veronica. As the eldest daughter in the family, she had been given the responsibility of educating her younger siblings by her grandfather. Ironically, his six brothers were all gifted and picked up things quickly. However, he only knew how to code. This made him the focus o his big sister¡¯s attention. If he couldn¡¯t learn something or failed a test, he would be immediately punished by her. It was fair to say, his ability to y the piano and speak severalnguages was all thanks to Veronica. Veronica saw the look in his eyes and said, ¡°Cedric, you¡¯re still holding a grudge.¡± Cedric immediately shook his head, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dar¡± Would he dare hold a grudge? He didn¡¯t have the guts. Veronica gave a meaningful smile, her beautiful red lips curling up slightly, ¡°It¡¯s about time to arrange your marriage.¡± Cedric¡¯s handsome face suddenly turned anxious, ¡°No, let¡¯s settle my sister¡¯s marriage first.¡± Chapter 311 Chapter 311 Veronica checked out her freshly done nails, and said to Cedric, ¡°Don¡¯t sweat about your sister¡¯s wedding. But yours, man, is going to be a tough cookie. Your reputation isn¡¯t that good, you know. Lots of high¨Csociety familia won¡¯t want their daughters marry you.¡± Cedric thought to himself, he wasn¡¯t exactly itching to tie the knot either, but he just said, ¡°No rush then.¡± Veronica knew he was still enjoying the single life, so she decided to leave him be. She turned her attention back to Bernard, asking. ¡°What about you?¡± Bemard, who had been staring out the car window the whole time, responded to Veronica¡¯s question with a simple, ¡°Don¡¯t bother about me¡± Veronica, a bit frustrated, said, ¡°Bernard, you can¡¯t stay single forever just because of her, can you?¡± She only found out about Bernard¡¯s situation when she came back to the country this year. She never thought Bernard would try to kill himself over a woman. She wasn¡¯t fully aware of the details, only that Bernard was responsible for the woman¡¯s death. Even though the youngdy was saved in the end, she had technically died once. How could she ever take him back after that? It was pretty clear that he and Ms. Shultz were just not meant to be. He couldn¡¯t force these things, right? But Bernard was stubborn as a mule, no matter how much she try to talk sense into him, it just goes in one ear and out the other. But as the head of the Laurence family, he couldn¡¯t stay a bachelor forever, could he? Hearing this, Bernard felt a pang in his heart. He looked down at his right hand, reminded of the despair on her face as she fell to the ground. He had hurt her so badly, and now he had to spend the rest of his life making up for it. How could he just move on and marry someone else? They just didn¡¯t get it. They thought if he couldn¡¯t have something, he should just give up and start anew. But wasn¡¯t love about being devoted to one person, through thick and thin, till death do them part? He used to think love was about possession. It wasn¡¯t until Jason told him that love wasn¡¯t about holding on, but letting go, that he finally understood what love really was. But choosing to let go didn¡¯t mean giving her up. Whether she was alive or not, he would always love her. His wife could only be her, even if she didn¡¯t want to marry him. In his heart, his wife could only be her. His silence made Cedric feel a bit sorry for him. He couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°Sis, let¡¯s just leave him be.¡± Veronica sighed in resignation, stopped trying to persuade Bernard, and changed the subject, ¡°Let¡¯s go. We need to pick up Sigrid.¡± Cedric frowned in confusion, ¡°Why?¡± Veronica replied casually, ¡°To meet her future spouse.¡± She had arranged a marriage meeting for Sigrid today. When they drove near the mall, they saw Bernard¡¯s assistant parking the car outside. Original from N?velDrama.Org. She saw himing out, exchanged a few pleasantries, and invited him toe along to meet the potential spouse. Luckily, he cared about his cousin Sigrid, so he agreed to her request. But he didn¡¯t expect Cedric to be there too. Chapter 312 Chapter 312 Everyone had been all up in Sigrid¡¯s marriage, downright scared she¡¯d get hitched to the wrong guy. They had been trying to set her up for years now First off, they tried to hook her up with the Clowers family, but Jason wasn¡¯t having arly of that. Now that Sigrid was done with her education, they would have to try again. Once the car fired up, a whole fleet of snazzy cars followed close behind. Not long after, they parked up in Sigrid¡¯s neighborhood. Veronica hopped out to fetch her. N Seeing his big sis leave, Cedric quickly asked Bernard, ¡°Why¡¯d you suddenly bail on us and dash into the mall?¡°. His bolt had everyone on edge, all the bodyguards following him out and chasing after him. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Seeing all the bodyguards around, Cedric felt a tad relieved, but he was clueless as to what shook up Bernard. Bernard didn¡¯t answer, but there was a hint of fear in his eyes. He¡¯d spotted a silhouette that looked a lot like Eleanor, and couldn¡¯t help but take a second look. He happened to see Sophie heading into the mall. On impulse, he told the driver to stop the car and bolted after her, only to find it wasn¡¯t her. At that moment, he was breaking out in a cold sweat, relieved but haunted by the past. For the past three years, he¡¯d been haunted by nightmares of the mall, the restroom, and her desperate face as she lay on the ground. Just thinking about it brought on a storm of guilt that turned him pale. Noticing Bernard lost in his past, Cedric didn¡¯t dare push further. He just patted Bernard¡¯s shoulder, trying tofort him. Hailey and Eleanor had bought loads of fruits. On their way out of the mall, they bumped into Sophie. Sophie went as white as a sheet when she saw Eleanor, like she¡¯d seen a ghost. Eleanor, on the other hand, barely gave her a nce before leaving with Hailey. Once outside, Hailey couldn¡¯t hold back, ¡°Eleanor, you should¡¯ve pped her right then and there!¡± After putting the fruit in the car, Eleanor pointed at the man following Sophie, ¡°She¡¯s got bodyguards with her, I wouldn¡¯t stand a chance Following Eleanor¡¯s gaze, Hailey noticed the bodyguards and said, ¡°The Ratliff Group¡¯s been bought out by the Laurence Group, but she still living like a princess.¡± Finishing her sentence, she looked at Eleanor with a pitiful expression, ¡°Eleanor, when will it be my turn to live it up?¡± Eleanor opened the car door, smiled at Hailey and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Ask god at the church, you never know,¡± This made Haileyugh, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make a wish. Maybe it¡¯lle true.¡± Chapter 313 Chapter 313 The two of them happily hopped into the car and drove to the church where Hailey often went. As they were getting close to the church, they could hear the nuns singing. Their voices were so soothing and calming, it felt like a weight was lifted off their shoulders. She carried some fruits and followed Hailey, step by step, devoutly entering the church. Seeing the cross, tears slowly welled up in her eyes It seemed that she had so much pent¨Cup bitterness in her heart, and with nowhere else to vent, she could only find a moment of peace here. After they entered, a priest led her in confession. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only After confessing, she made three wishes: One, for Hailey to be safe. Two, for Garett to be healthy. Three, At this point, images rted to him shed through her mind. The priest noticed her hesitation and kindly said, ¡°You can wish for anything.¡± Hearing this, Eleanor wished for Bernard¡¯s happiness. She wished him happiness and hoped that he would soon find someone to apany him for the rest of his life. After finishing writing, she thanked the priest and walked out of the church. Upon leaving the church, Eleanor¡¯s heart waspletely at ease. After knowing his helplessness and what he had done for her, she was indeed affected. But when she saw him with other women, that influence gradually faded away. From now on, he would have his new life. And she, would have her own mission to aplish. She was taken care of by Garett in the first half of her life, and now it was her turn to repay that debt. And all the things Bernard had done for her, she would find a way to pay him back as well. After sorting out her thoughts, the heavy burden in her heart gradually lightened. Hailey was ready to drive straight home, but Eleanor said, ¡°Hailey, can you take me to the cemetery?¡± Since returning to the country, she had been busy finding Hailey, Garett, and dealing with Bernard and Ethan, and hadn¡¯t had time to visit the cemetery. Now that all these things were taken care of, it was time to visit her sister, who was buried in her stead. Hailey immediately nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll take you there.¡± Soon, Hailey took Eleanor to the cemetery. Before entering, Eleanor looked at the beautiful mountain across the cemetery. She remembered that it was a ce Garett had taken her to. He had promised to take her there again, but before he could, he had an ident. Eleanor never thought that he would bury her here to fulfill that promise after she ¡°died¡°. Although in this way, Garett had kept all his promises to her. Eleanor smiled, bought a bouquet of flowers, and followed Hailey into the cemetery. Her grave was muchrger than the others, surrounded by trees, flowers, and sunlight. Her photo was on the tombstone, and it was very clean, as if someone had beening to wipe it regrly. She bent down, ced the flowers in her hand, and reached out to touch the tombstone. Having been buried here for three years her name, her sister must have been very lonely. Chapter 314 Chapter 314 She had never met Emilia, only seen her photos, but she could imagine that she must have been a very gentle person. Original from N?velDrama.Org. It was someone like that who selflessly gave her the heart, giving her a second chance at life. And yet, she herself couldn¡¯t even have a name, buried here like this. She used to not quite understand why Ethan, who loved his sister so much, would just casually cremate his sister¡¯s body like that. It wasn¡¯t until she heard him say that his sister had betrayed him that she realized Ethan loved and hated his sister at the same time. That hatred made him heartlessly abandon her body, leaving his sister in this cold cemetery for three years. Being entangled with someone like Ethan for a lifetime must have been exhausting for his sister. Did she love Ethan after all? As Eleanor thought about this, she looked down at the ring on her nameless finger, took it off, and ced it in front of the tombstone. She muttered, ¡°If you loved him, then on your behalf, I wouldplete a wedding ceremony with Ethan at the G country church. If you didn¡¯t love him anymore, then I also ended this marriage with Ethan in our country on your behalf.¡± Emilia was gone, and she couldn¡¯t find the answer. She just hoped that her sister would meet someone who loved and protected her in her next life. Eleanor stood in front of the tombstone, silently keeping herpany. Hailey also stood by, and when she saw her talking to her sister, she suddenly felt like crying. Garett found his family, Eleanor found her family, what about her? Whose child was she? Where were her rtives? Hailey looked up, forcibly holding back the tears in her eyes. The dean had said that she was abandoned by her parents and it was impossible for her to have any rtives. As the sun set, the cemetery was about to close, and Eleanor said goodbye to her sister and left the cemetery with Hailey. Hailey invited Eleanor to move into her vi, and Eleanor agreed. But before moving to the vi, she had to go back and get some stuff. So Hailey drove straight to Ethan¡¯s vi. Eleanor went straight back to her bedroom. She took out her suitcase, packed her clothes, opened the drawer, and took out a sealed bag. She took out the marriage certificate from it, looked at it carefully for a few seconds, and then put it into her suitcase. Then she also took Emilia¡¯s documents, as she still needed to use Emilia¡¯s identity, since Eleanor¡¯s identity was already deceased in her home country. After putting all these things into the suitcase, she went to Ethan¡¯s bedroom to get some medicine. After packing everything, she carried her suitcase and walked downstairs. Seeing her about to move out, the servants hurriedly stopped her, ¡°Eleanor, Mr. Ziegler told you to stay at home.¡± After their divorce, the servants in the vi started addressing her as ¡®Eleanor¡®. Eleanor smiled at the nervous¨Clooking servants, ¡°I¡¯m just going to stay at a friend¡¯s house for a while, don¡¯t worry.¡± Having said that, she pushed her suitcase and was about to leave. But as soon as she walked out of the door, Ethan called her. Eleanor hesitated, wondering whether or not to answer the phone, when Ethan sent a text message: [Agreement.] The phone rang again, and Eleanor gritted her teeth and clicked the answer button. The first thing Ethan said on the other end of the phone was, ¡°Eleanor, starting today, I need you to follow the first use of our agreement.¡± Chapter 315 Chapter 315 Eleanor heaved a sigh: ¡°What do you want to say?¡± Ethan asked, ¡°Can you draw?¡± Eleanor was taken aback, not understanding his meaning, and said, ¡°Yeah¡­¡± She¡¯s had a knack for drawing since she was little, which is why she chose to study design. Ethan said, ¡°First agreement, I want you to take over Emilia¡¯s unfinished project on her behalf.¡± Eleanor was stunned again. She remembered that Emilia was a well¨Cknown international architect, and she was just a fresh graduate. How could she possibly take over Emilia¡¯s unfinished project? Ethan didn¡¯t care if she was qualified, and continued, ¡°The architectural drawings she designed before, both drafts and finished products, have been sent to you by someone I assigned. There¡¯s a nk album, which is the project she took over. You need toplete it in order.¡± Eleanor frowned and asked, ¡°But I studied brand design, not architectural design. I don¡¯t know how to draw architectural drawings¡­¡± Ethan was silent for a few seconds, then said, ¡°Your sister has an architectural firm in A City. The chief designer, Pearce Hooper, will personally teach you. Remember, you must learn seriously and not disgrace your sister.¡± Eleanor said, ¡°But¡­¡± Ethan¡¯s tone was a bit impatient, ¡°No buts, just do as I say.¡± Eleanor had no choice but to agree, at least this time Ethan didn¡¯t lie to her, and the thing he asked her to do was indeed rted to her sister. But she still didn¡¯t understand, ¡°Why do you want me to take over my sister¡¯s project?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. The man on the phone was silent for a few seconds before he whispered, ¡°I just found out too that she had many dreams that she didn¡¯t have time to fulfill¡­¡± Hearing this, Eleanor fell silent. So her sister left with regrets¡­ Ethan said, ¡°Help her fulfill these projects in her name, and it¡¯s like helping her achieve her dreams¡­¡± Eleanor knew this was for her sister, so she didn¡¯t decline, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do my best to learn¡­¡± Hearing her say this, Ethan¡¯s tone softened a little, ¡°Her designs, each one is worth millions. All the ie is yours.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t expect her sister¡¯s worth to be so high. She suddenly felt nervous; her qualifications would be hard to reach her sister¡¯s level, right? Ethan didn¡¯t know what she was thinking and continued to remind her, ¡°She took over about 50 projects, and the agreed time was to finish them within five years. It¡¯s been three years now, which means you have to finish them all within two years. So you need to learn about architecture as soon as possible. If Emilia were here, she wouldn¡¯t need five years. Now that she¡¯s gone, the world has lost an extraordinarily gifted designer. Eleanor already thought she wasn¡¯t right for the job. When she heard that she had to learn about architecture andplete more than 50 projects within two years, she instantly felt the pressure doubling. However, this was her sister¡¯s dream, and she had no reason to refuse. She endured the pressure and agreed one by one. She thought Ethan would end the call, but he told her where he was going, ¡°I have some problems in G country, and I can¡¯te back for now.¡± Eleanor was very happy inside: It¡¯s best if you nevere back. But on the surface, she said without any fluctuations, ¡°No problem, you go and deal with your stuff.¡± After Ethan hung up, Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief, and it seemed that this agreement wasn¡¯t a big issue for now. Chapter 316 Chapter 316 Hailey saw Eleanor still standing there after hanging up the phone and quickly honked the car hom. Eleanor hurriedly pushed her suitcase towards Hailey. Back at the vi, theyy on the same bed like before, chatting about the past, present, and future. Listening to Hailey¡¯s endless chatter, Eleanor¡¯s body gradually rxed, leaning on Hailey¡¯s shoulder and quickly fell asleep. Seeing Eleanor asleep, Hailey tucked her in and slowly closed her eyes, entering dreand. The next day, Hailey intended to go with Eleanor to see Garett. However, Hailey had things to do and had to stay behind. Before leaving, Eleanor put her marriage certificate in her small backpack. With her bag on her back and her phone in hand, she arrived at Garett¡¯s vi. He was still sitting in the backyard, looking down at a book. From afar, he looked like a painting. Yet, his back looked lonely and deserted, as if abandoned by the whole world. Eleanor could feel his emotions, but she pretended not to know and leisurely walked towards him. She said, ¡°Garett¡­¡± Hearing her voice, Garett didn¡¯t turn around cheerfully as before, but gripped the book in his hands even tighter. Eleanor stopped in front of him, crouched down, and asked, ¡°How are you today? Are you feeling unwell?¡± Garett told Eleanor, ¡°I¡¯m fine, you don¡¯t need toe see me.¡± Eleanor looked at him and asked, ¡°Garett, do you feel indebted to Bernard because he saved you?¡± Garett clenched his lips and didn¡¯t answer, not even looking at Eleanor anymore, his heart filled with guilt and pain. Eleanor took the book from his hands, softly telling him, ¡°Garett, whatever you owe Bernard, I¡¯ll help you repay it. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Garett looked up at Eleanor and asked, ¡°How can you repay it?¡± Eleanor lowered her head, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know how to repay it, but I believe that one day I¡¯ll clear the debt.¡± Garett smiled and said. ¡°He doesn¡¯t need your repayment, nor does he need mine. All he needs is you.¡± Hearing this, Eleanor¡¯s face turned pale: ¡°Garett, how many times do I have to tell you that it¡¯s over between me and Bernard before you believe me?¡± Seeing the disappointment in Eleanor¡¯s eyes, Garett immediately apologized, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve been too worried. I always thought. you and Bernard¡­¡± Eleanor interrupted him, looking into his eyes, and said very seriously, ¡°The moment I left this world, Bernard and I, we could never go back.¡± She continued, ¡°Although recently I learned of his hardships and knew he did a lot for me, I did waver.¡± ¡°But he killed his own Eleanor with his own hands. Now, I just want to look forward and never look back.¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°As for Ethan, we have sessfully ended our marriage. He has returned to the G country.¡± ¡°Garett, I did all this because from the beginning, I decided to stay by your side.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been with me for over twenty years, and I want to be with you for at least another twenty¡­¡± Garett¡¯s eyes filled with tears, blurring his vision of her face. He tried to raise his hand to touch her face, but the pain made him lower it again. Clutching his legs tightly, he struggled for a few minutes before raising his tear¨Cfilled eyes to look at Eleanor. Chapter 317 Chapter 317 ¡°Eleanor, my feelings for you are just because of the guilt I have for your past. The one you really love in your heart has always been Bernard.¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°He loves you too, and I can¡¯t selfishly break up a loving couple like you guys. You¡­¡± He paused for a moment, and his voice gradually became low, ¡°Just go find him, and don¡¯t worry about me anymore.¡± He once thought about being selfish, but Bernard had done so much for him. How could he peacefully be with Eleanor? He looked up, holding back the tears and reluctance in his eyes, and then turned around in his wheelchair to leave. Eleanor squatted on the ground, watching his back, and said with a sense of loss, ¡°Garett, you¡­ don¡¯t want me anymore?¡± Garett suddenly stopped and looked back at Eleanor, who was squatting on the ground. He wanted to rush over, hold her in his arms, and tell her that how could he not want her. In this life, even if it meant giving up his own life, he would want her. But now he was just a man in a wheelchair, who would only bring her trouble¡­ How could he selfishly keep her by his side because of her guilt for him? With red eyes, he said, ¡°Eleanor, you don¡¯t have to feel guilty about my legs. This is my own doing, and it has nothing to do with you. And you should know that everything I¡¯ve done for you since we were kids has been voluntary. I don¡¯t want my love to be a burden on you, do you understand?¡± Eleanor slowly stood up, walked in front of him, took out a marriage certificate from her bag, unfolded it, and handed it to him, ¡°Garett, have you forgotten that we¡¯re already married?¡± She said, ¡°Look, this is legally binding. How can I just leave you, and how can you say that you¡¯re a burden to me?¡± Garett saw the marriage certificate, and tears suddenly fell. He covered his eyes with one hand, not wanting Eleanor to see his embarrassment at the moment. But Eleanor squatted down to be at eye level with him and said, ¡°Garett, if you don¡¯t mind me, let¡¯s start over.¡± Starting over was what he had been longing for since he regained his memory, but at this moment, he felt extremely guilty, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯v never looked down on you, but I¡¯d rather you be with the one you love¡­¡± After hearing this, Eleanor lowered her head and was silent for a few seconds. She looked at him and said firmly, ¡°Garett, give me som time, and I¡¯ll fall in love with you again.¡± She admitted that she didn¡¯t love him now, but she promised to fall in love with him again. Garett sat in his wheelchair, his eyes red again, but he didn¡¯t say a word. He hesitated and struggled while time passed by, and the girl was still quietly waiting for his answer. He said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait for you. If you can¡¯t fall in love with me again, I¡¯ll let you go¡­¡± Eleanor smiled at him and nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll keep my promise.¡± She said, ¡°Garett, do you remember our conversation when we were 18?¡± Garett looked at her, ¡°I¡¯ll always remember what I said¡­¡± He reached out his hand and gave it to Eleanor, ¡°I once promised to hold a grand wedding for you¡­¡± Eleanor¡¯s lips curled up slightly and put her hand in his, ¡°I¡¯ll definitely attend the wedding.¡± She had promised him when they were young that she would marry him when they grew up. He had also promised her that he would give her a grand wedding when they grew up. Now, eight years have passed, and some promises should be fulfilled¡­. Chapter 318 Chapter 318 Hailey was totally shocked when she heard they were going to have a makeup wedding: ¡°Are you guys sure?¡± Eleanor stirred her face mask with a small spoon and replied, ¡°We¡¯re already married, so of course we have to have a makeup wedding. She hoped that a wedding would reassure Garett, help him let go of the past, and start anew. Hailey looked at the determined Eleanor and suddenly didn¡¯t know what to say. As she remained silent, Eleanor said to her, ¡°Hailey, you¡¯ve said before that if Garett and I got married, you¡¯d be my bridesmaid.¡± Hailey didn¡¯t answer but instead touched her short hair, ¡°Eleanor, are you really decided to start over with Garett?¡± Eleanor nodded honestly, ¡°I once wanted to take care of him for the rest of my life, but it¡¯s not fair to him if I only do it out of guilt. I decided in the church to let go of everything and start over with him¡­¡± Hearing this, Hailey didn¡¯t know if she should be d she took Eleanor to the church, but she felt it wasn¡¯t fair to Bernard either. After all, Bernard had done so much for Eleanor, even saving Garett¡¯s life¡­ Eleanor seemed to guess what Hailey was thinking and said after a few seconds of silence, ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m starting to work soon. One design from my sister is worth millions. She has more than 50 projects lined up. Once I finish those and take on some more, I can pay Bernard back. As for what he did for Garett, I¡¯ll figure something out¡­¡± She added, ¡°I won¡¯t have anything to do with him in the future. When I¡¯ve saved up enough money, I¡¯ll need you to help me give it to him.¡± Hailey stood there, hesitating for a few seconds before asking, ¡°Did you¡­ decide to end things with himpletely because you saw Bernard with another woman that day¡­?¡± Eleanor shook her head, then nodded, ¡°When I found out he spent so much money to find me a heart, I wanted to pay him back. But seeing him with another woman that day really disappointed me again¡­¡± Hailey understood that Eleanor was originally wavering after knowing what Bernard had done, but when she saw him with another woman, she was disappointed in him again and finally made up her mind to choose Garett¡­ She could understand Eleanor, so she didn¡¯t say anything more, just said, ¡°I might not be the best bridesmaid. I¡¯ve been divorced, and it might bring bad luck.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t mind and smiled, ¡°I don¡¯t believe in that. As long as it¡¯s you, it¡¯s perfect.¡± Seeing her persistence, Hailey agreed, ¡°When are we going to try on the wedding dresses?¡± Eleanor thought for a moment and said, ¡°Tomorrow.¡± She would have to start learning about architecture soon and might not have much time, so it was better to get these things done first. Hailey nodded, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go with you tomorrow.¡± Eleanor said ¡°okay¡± and went into the bathroom to apply her face mask. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Hailey watched her back, thought for a while, then opened a drawer, took out two bank cards, and walked into the bathroom to give them to Eleanor. ¡°Eleanor, one of these cards is the one you gave me. I secretly put it in your clothes pocket before, but you didn¡¯t have time to change that night and were taken away by Ethan, so I had to take it out and wait for another chance to give it back to you¡­¡± ¡°The other card is my savings from working all these years. Of course, it¡¯s unlikely to be enough to help you pay off Bernard¡¯s debt, but a little help is better than none¡­ Chapter 319 Chapter 319 When Eleanor saw the two bank cards, her heart warmed up, but she still declined. ¡°Hailey, what I left for you is yours, no need to return it. Take care of your own savings. There are many ces where you will need money in the future. As for the debts I owe, I¡¯ll pay them off myself, so you don¡¯t have to worry for me anymore¡­ Hailey disagreed with her and insisted on giving the bank cards back. ¡°Eleanor, you might not know, but after you left, Liana gave me some money. Garett also gave me all his personal assets. Except for Garett¡¯s, I haven¡¯t had a chance to return his, but I¡¯ve already paid back Liana¡¯s.¡± She paused for a moment, then asked Eleanor, ¡°Do you know how I paid her back?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Eleanor shook her head, and Hailey said with a smile, ¡°I pestered Liana till she couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and took the money back. I said to her, you wouldn¡¯t want me chasing you for the rest of your life, would you?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t expect that Hailey had been pestering Liana for three years just to pay her back. ¡°Hailey, didn¡¯t Dr. Terrill give you any tranquilizers for this?¡± Hailey couldn¡¯t helpughing, thinking of Dr. Terrill¡¯s helpless and irritated face. ¡°She just said she never wanted to see me again¡­¡± Eleanor also chuckled, ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t want to see you now either. Take your bank cards and leave.¡± Hailey wanted to say something else, but Eleanor pushed her out. She could only sigh and put the bank cards into the document bag Garett had given her. Early the next morning, Hailey took the document bag and drove to where Garett lived while Eleanor was still sleeping. When Yilia opened the door and saw her, she immediately smiled brightly and greeted her sweetly, ¡°Good morning, Hailey.¡± Hailey couldn¡¯t help but return the smile. ¡°Morning, where¡¯s Garett¡­¡± As Yilia led Halley into the vi, she told her, ¡°Mr. Falsey is in the study talking with Colter¡­¡± Without rushing to meet him, Hailey sat down in the living room under Yilia¡¯s hospitality. After a while, Colter pushed Garett out from the study. The man in the wheelchair, wearing a white shirt, looked clean and handsome, yet gentle and schrly. Hailey couldn¡¯t help butugh as she looked him up and down, ¡°You look much better today than before.¡± It seemed a good night¡¯s sleep had done him a world of good, his eyes were shining. Garett smiled brightly, ¡°Hailey, you came to see me so early. Is there something you need?¡± Hailey nodded, took out the document bag from her purse, and handed it him, ¡°This is what you gave me before. Now that you¡¯re back, it should be returned to you.¡± Garett nced at the document bag, then at Hailey. ¡°You should know, I never take back what I give away.¡± Hailey put the document bag on the coffee table, ¡°You need money for your wedding with Eleanor and for your future life. You also have to take good care of Eleanor in the future¡­¡± Hearing this, Garett said, ¡°Hailey, my father left me quite a bit of money. Don¡¯t worry about the financial problems, I won¡¯t let Eleanor suffer¡­ His father had quietly transferred his wealth to him through awyer when he found out he was still alive. Although it wasn¡¯t as much as the Clowers Group, it was enough for them to livefortably for the rest of their lives. So he wasn¡¯t worried about financial issues, what he was worried about was whether his immobility would be a burden to Eleanor. Chapter 320 Chapter 320 Upon hearing this, Hailey felt relieved, ¡°Then I guess I don¡¯t have to worry. But I won¡¯t ept your money¡± With that, Hailey left without another word to Garelt.. Watching her leave, Garett shook his head. Hailey was still the same as when she was a kid, refusing to ept gifts from others. But she took good care of him since she was young, and he naturally had to repay this kindness. He turned to Colter, ¡°Put it away for now. I¡¯ll give it to her next time shees.¡± Colter nodded, picked up the document bag, and put it in the study. When he came out, Garett gave him another task, ¡°There¡¯s another thing that needs to be done¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Colter asked. Garett nced at the mansion, and Yilia cooking breakfast in the kitchen, and said to Colter, ¡°For the past three years, he has provided me with a ce to stay, hired caregivers, and sent so many people to protect me. All these expenses must be huge, calcte the cost and pay him back.¡± All he could repay now were these expenses. As for the favor of saving his life, if there was a need for him to repay it one day, he would nsk his life to do so. Colter answered yes, grabbed a quick breakfast in the kitchen, and then left the mansion to run some errands. At the Lawrence Group, in the president¡¯s meeting room, a group of executives were reporting to the man sitting at the head of the table. The man, dressed in an expensive suit, exuded an air of nobility. His slender hand was on the table, tapping lightly over and over again. Every tap made the executives reporting in front of the screen nervous, their speech even trembling. He nced at the financial data on the screen, understanding the profit and loss situation at a nce He only wanted the result and didn¡¯t care about the process. But apparently, the executives didn¡¯t understand his style and kept on reporting. He didn¡¯t have much patience but didn¡¯t interrupt them, just listened. When Aidyn received the stuff from Colter, Bernard happened to be in a meeting, so he could only wait anxiously outside. About an hourter, Berard walked out of the meeting room. His tall and straight figure stood out in the crowd. Aidyn quickly went up to him and, while following him quickly towards the president¡¯s office, whispered, ¡°Mr. Laurence, Mr. Falsey has returned something to you.¡± Upon hearing this, Bernard¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, ¡°What?¡± Aidyn pushed open the door to the president¡¯s office. After Bernard entered, he closed the door and said, ¡°The money you spent on him. these past three years.¡± After saying this, Aidyn took out a bank card with a password written on it and ced it on the desk. Original from N?velDrama.Org. After loosening his shirt cor, Bernard gave the bank card a cold nce, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Aidyn looked at him, a bit hesitant. Bernard, however, calmly said, ¡°Just spit it out.¡± Aidyn took a deep breath and told Bernard all the information he got from Colter, ¡°Mr. Laurence, Mr. Falsey ns to throw a grand wedding for Ms. Shultz. They want to start over. So about the help they owe you, they n to repay it in the form of money.¡± Bernard stiffened at these words, ¡°What did you say?¡± Chapter 321 Chapter 321 Aidyn knew Bernard had heard him, he just wasn¡¯t ready to ept the truth. He looked at Bernard sympathetically. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you set this whole thing up when you handed Ms. Shultz over to Jason in the first ce. It was all downhill from there.¡± Bernard held his bank card tightly, snapping it in half. ¡°Mr. Laurence¡­¡± Aidyn¡¯s face was full of concern as he watched the trembling man. ¡°Get the car ready!¡± Aidyn paused for a moment before responding, ¡°Alright.¡± He quickly made his exit. Inside the fitting room of the bridal shop, Eleanor turned around in hercy wedding dress. She expected to see Hailey, but to her surprise, it was Bernard standing there¡­ He wore a ck suit and stared at her. Eleanor felt a bit scared by the look in his eyes. She quickly gathered up the hem of her dress and tried to find Hailey. However, as she tried to pass him, he suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her back into the fitting room. As the curtain fell shut, he pinned her against the wall. He looked down at her wedding dress, a sarcastic smile showing at the corners of his mouth.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ¡°Congrats, you¡¯re finally marrying the man you love¡­¡± Eleanor struggled, but he held her firmly against the wall. All she could do was look at Bernard, ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t bother me anymore¡­¡± Bernard¡¯s icy face was full of sarcasm, ¡°You also said you were just taking care of him. Now you¡¯re marrying him. I wouldn¡¯t be running around like a madman if you weren¡¯t getting married.¡± After his sarcastic rant, he reached up to touch her face, his eyes filled with deep affection and regret, ¡°You know how much I love you, and yet you¡¯re marrying him. Where does that leave me?¡± Eleanor turned her head to avoid his touch, ¡°Mr. Laurence, don¡¯t touch me. It¡¯s inappropriate¡­¡± Her tone was cold, her actions firm, as if she were dealing with a stranger. His broken heart waspletely torn apart at that moment. Suddenly, he lost control. He picked her up and quickly walked out of the fitting room, heading straight for the exit of the bridal shop. Eleanor struggled in his arms, trying to get down, but he held her tightly by the waist, not letting her move. She said coldly. ¡°Bernard, what the hell are you doing?¡± The man¡¯s face was void of emotion, his rage seemed to have consumed all his reason. He carried her, bypassing a group of bodyguards, threw her into the car, buckled her in, and got into the driver¡¯s seat. Without a word, he started the car and floored the gas pedal, heading straight for Mansion No.8¡­ Hailey, who was stopped by the bodyguards outside the bridal shop, saw Eleanor being taken away by Bernard. She frowned¡­ While she was worried about Eleanor, she was relieved that Garett, who had mobility issues, hadn¡¯t come along¡­ Bernard forcibly took Eleanor to Mansion No.8 and then pushed her onto the bed. Eleanor struggled to get up, but suddenly felt a weight on her, the tall man was on top of her. He held her wrists in one hand, raising them above her head, then leaned down and bit her lip. Chapter 322 Chapter 322 As if a long¨Csuppressed force had suddenly erupted uncontrobly, he kissed her fiercely. Eleanor fought back desperately, but he was reckless, tearing at her wedding dress like a man possessed. The moment her wedding dress was ripped apart, Eleanor looked at him with eyes filled with hatred. Unperturbed, he continued to kiss her passionately, one hand supporting her waist, drawing her tightly against him. Eleanor was forced to endure all this. Her legs iled wildly, but were trapped by his. Bernard winced from pain, but didn¡¯t let go, merely fixing his gaze on her as if testing the depths of her cruelty. Seeing that he hadn¡¯t released her, Eleanor redoubled her efforts. Bernard¡¯s ensuingugh ended in disappointment as he finally let go of her. As soon as he released her, Eleanor pushed him away, got up, pulled a nket off the bed, wrapped it around herself, and retreated into a corner. She crossed her arms, said nothing, and stared at him coldly. Her guard was up and it caused Bernard to lose control again. He stepped forward and forcefully grabbed her chin. ¡°I¡¯m asking you, do you remember this ce?¡± He was so strong, Eleanor felt as if her jaw was about to dislocate. He, oblivious to her pain, pointed to the bedroom and rasped, ¡°We shared this bed for five years. There¡¯s not a part of you I haven¡¯t touched. Why are we notpatible now?¡± So, he had brought her here and bullied her against her will just because she said they were not compatible? Eleanor trembled with rage but refused to engage him. Seeing her like this, Bernard was even more disappointed. ¡°Do you think that now that Garett has returned the money to me, you can erase everything and start over with him?¡± Eleanor was forced to tilt her head back, meeting his gaze, but still didn¡¯t want to speak. He tightened his grip on her chin, demanding, ¡°Answer me!¡± The pain made Eleanor gasp. Her back was soaked with cold sweat and her face had turned pale. Through gritted teeth and under extreme duress, she retorted, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about¡± She still owed him money. What did he mean, Garett had returned the money? Bernard sneered. ¡°To start anew with you, he paid me back for all the things I¡¯ve done for him in the past three years. You¡¯re his wife. How could you not know what he¡¯s doing?¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor paused before responding, ¡°I was not aware of this. Perhaps he felt he owed you, and this was his way of repaying.¡± Bernard scoffed lightly. ¡°Do I need his repayment?¡± Eleanor drew a deep breath, looking at him helplessly. ¡°I know you don¡¯t need it. But the things you¡¯ve done for him, the manpower and financial resources you¡¯ve used, he indeed owes you. As for the money you spent finding a heart for me, I¡¯ll also find a way to pay you back.¡± To Bernard, her words were like an insult. His face turned pale with anger. ¡°Good, very good, you all want to pay me back, After muttering to himself, he suddenly roared like a madman, ¡°Do I need your repayment? Everything I¡¯ve done for you was willingly! And you dare to hurt me?! Do you think I don¡¯t feel pain? Or do you think I should just ept all of these?!* Chapter 323 Chapter 323 ¡°Do I need your money, yours and Garett¡¯s? Why insult me with money?!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve let go, why would you and him provoke me? Is it that you want to drive me to death?¡± After shouting. Bemard pressed against her forehead, asking, ¡°Eleanor, would you only be happy if I¡¯m dead¡­?¡± Upon hearing this, Eleanor lifted her eyes to look at him, ¡°What do you want me to do? You spent so much money on me, it¡¯s like a stone pressing on my heart. Don¡¯t you know that the pressure is choking me? I have no choice but to repay you¡­¡± Bernard gently shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t want your money, I want you. Eleanor, I want you, pleasee back to me¡­¡± His voice was full of pleading, staring at her, hoping she would obediently reply with a ¡®okay¡® like before. But she didn¡¯t react, just calmly looking at him, ¡°Bernard, forget about me.¡± Her voice was icy cold, seemingly determined, never to look back. Bernard opened his mouth, wanting to say something, yet unable to make a sound. His eyes red, he asked her in a low voice, ¡°Eleanor, why are you so cruel to me? Do you really not have a heart?¡± Eleanor¡¯s face turned pale instantly, and after a few seconds, sheughed. ¡°I don¡¯t have a heart. My heart has long been dug out, I don¡¯t even know where it was thrown¡­¡± Seeing her despairing smile, Bernard realized what he just said. He helplessly pulled her into his arms, holding her, saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I misspoke. I was talking nonsense, it¡¯s my fault, you can hit me, scold me¡­¡± Eleanor tried to push him away, but he tightly held her in his arms, immobilized¡­ He buried his head in her neck, pleading in her ear, ¡°Eleanor, I know everything I did before was wrong. I hurt you, it¡¯s my fault. I know I was wrong, could you pleasee back?¡± As tears fell on her neck, Eleanor¡¯s eyes also turned red, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only She didn¡¯t say anything else, just an apology, which meant she was still firmly choosing Garelt. Bernard held her tight in his arms, as if she wouldn¡¯t leave him that way. But he knew that from the moment he ended the agreement, she would never look back. He slowly let go of her, cupped her face with his hands, lowering his head reluctantly, gently kissing the corner of her lips, ¡°When is the wedding?¡± After Eleanor turned her head to avoid his kiss, she calmly replied, ¡°Next Tuesday.¡± Bernard smiled and gently nodded, ¡°Okay, next Tuesday, I¡¯ll see you off to your wedding.¡± Eleanor looked at him in shock, ¡°Bernard, don¡¯t be like this, I¡¯m not worth it.¡± Bernard raised his hand, stroking her face, gentlyforting her, ¡°Eleanor, darling, let me do onest thing for you¡­¡± Chapter 324 Chapter 324 Eleanor shook her head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want you to take me.¡± She pushed Bernard away, retreated into a corner, hugging herself tightly, her eyes filled with helplessness. Bernard knelt on one knee before her, staring at her quietly for a while, then softly said, if I couldn¡¯t be the one to marry you on your wedding day, at least let me be the one to take you there. I don¡¯t want to miss your wedding¡± Eleanor still shook her head in refusal. ¡°No.¡± Bemard said, ¡°Eleanor, for the love I¡¯ve had for you for ten years, give me a chance.¡± Eleanor¡¯s tears, which she had been holding back, suddenly rushed out. ¡°Bernard, please, stop pushing me.¡± He stretched out his slender fingers, wiping the tears from her face, saying to her, ¡°You were right not to choose me. I always make you cry.¡± With the pads of his fingers, he gently stroked her face over and over again. ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m sorry. That five years with me have been hard on you.¡± Eleanor covered her face with her hands, sobbing uncontrobly. She never thought the once superior Bernard would apologize to her again and again. Again and again, he broke through her defenses, making her cry uncontrobly. Seeing her like this, Bernard felt a pain in his heart that made it hard for him to breathe, and he once again pulled her into his arms. He rested his chin on the top of her head, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, just this once. From now on, I won¡¯t make things difficult for you anymore.¡± Eleanor curled up in his arms, unable to stop her tears. He held her, gently patting her back, calming her emotions. Only when Eleanor had calmed down did he let go of her, saying to her, ¡°I tore your wedding dress. I¡¯ll buy you another one.¡± Eleanor, with her eyshes downcast, said, ¡°there¡¯s no need.¡± Bernard gave a bitter smile, but said nothing. He got up from the bed and made a call to Aidyn. ¡°Bring a set of women¡¯s clothes.¡± On the other end, Aidyn agreed and quickly went to the mall to buy clothes. Bernard turned back to look at Eleanor, who was curled up in the quilt. ¡°Hang in there a little longer. I¡¯ll take you home as soon as the clothes arrive.¡± Eleanor lowered her head, resting her chin on her knees without replying, staring nkly at the quilt. Bernard feared his presence in the room would make her uneasy. He forced himself to leave. Aidyn arrived at the mansion with a set of clothes in no time. After removing the tags, he handed it to Bernard, who was sitting on the couch in the living room. ¡°Mr. Laurence, do you need me to prepare birth control pills for Ms. Shultz?¡± Hearing these words, Bernard smirked at his own absurdity. ¡°Look at yourself, Bernard. This is how you treated her. You imed to love her, yet you had her taking birth control pills. You¡¯re not worthy of her love, let alone talking about love. You don¡¯t even deserve to say the word love.¡± Aidyn saw the change in his expression and realized that nothing had happened between him and Ms. Shultz. Original from N?velDrama.Org. He immediately regretted his words and quickly apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Laurence.¡± Bernard seemed unfazed and shook his head. ¡°You can leave now.¡± Aidyn responded with a quick ¡°Yes,¡± left the bag, and swiftly exited the room. Bernard took out the white dress from the bag and went back to the bedroom. Chapter 325 Chapter 325 Eleanor was still curled up in the corner, not moving a muscle. She shivered slightly when he came in with the clothes. Bernard nced at her, didn¡¯t dare to approach, just put the clothes on the couch next to her. After he left, she turned her gaze to the clothes. She threw off the nket, picked up the clothes, put them on, and then went into the bathroom in the bedroom to wash her face. She washed away the tear stains on her face, fixed her messy hair, and then came out of the room. She saw Bernard standing by the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window, with the glow of the setting sun shining on him, casting a faint golden light on him. Hearing her move, he turned around and looked her up and down, focusing on her dress. ¡°White suits you better.¡± Ever since she returned to her home country, she had been wearing red dresses, which did not match her image. Eleanor said awkwardly, ¡°I¡¯ll take off.¡± She then lowered her head and walked straight towards the door. Bernard clenched his fists, and when she pushed the door open, he followed, ¡°Let me walk you out.¡± Eleanor turned to look at him, politely keeping her distance, ¡°Thanks, but it¡¯s fine.¡± She turned around and shut the door, stood still for a few seconds, then resolutely walked towards the elevator. Bernard, left in the mansion, watching the cold door close, felt a chill run down his spine.. He slumped onto the couch, looking around the empty room, feeling a piece of his heart missing. God had taken her away from Garett and brought her to him, but he hadn¡¯t cherished her. The result now was all on him, no one else to me. After sitting for nearly an hour, he took out his phone and called Aidyn again. ¡°How¡¯s the acquisition of the Clowers Group going?¡± Aidyn was on a date, and upon hearing his words, quickly got up and left the restaurant. ¡°Mr. Laurence, the Clowers Group has wised up, they don¡¯t agree to the acquisition or the investment, only cooperation.¡± ¡°Probably because of the previous investment, we took their shares, and now they¡¯re fighting over the shares, each person has some shares, which makes us the secondrgest shareholder, and they¡¯ve be wary because of this.¡± ¡°And who¡¯s thergest shareholder now?¡± ¡°Originally it was Jason¡¯s cousin, but he got forced out and sold his shares to Jason¡¯s uncle, the one who wanted to kill Jason before.¡± ¡°Send me his info.¡± With a nonchnt order, Bernard hung up. Aidyn went back to the restaurant, nced at Liana, then at his date, and gave an apologetic smile. ¡°Sorry, something urgent came up, I need to get back to the office.¡± Aidyn picked up his suit jacket from the chair and reminded, ¡°Liana, make sure to send her home early.¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Liana awkwardly looked at the woman next to her who seemed a bit flustered. ¡°Dr. Naylor, my cousin is the special assistant to the president of the Laurence Group, he¡¯s usually quite busy, hope you my apologies.¡± Chapter 326 Chapter 326 Dr. Naylor is a total superstar at the hospital, she¡¯s a top¨Cnotch surgeon, pretty, kind¨Chearted, and super ssy. It¡¯s a pity though, her cousin was too busy to even notice Dr. Naylor. But Dr. Naylor, with all her understanding, just said, ¡®No worries, I¡¯m also always swamped at work.¡± Liana, feeling awkward because of her cousin, smiled and nodded, not knowing what to say to lighten the mood. Dr. Naylor gave Liana a look, picked up her knife and fork, cut a piece of steak, and started chowing down. ¡°Your cousin was here just now, I didn¡¯t even dare to eat. Lucky he left, or I¡¯d starve¡­¡± Seeing Dr. Naylor eating made Liana rx a bit. While they were chatting and eating, Tyler walked in with a woman. The moment he saw Liana, he instinctively tried to let go of the woman¡¯s hand, but Liana caught him in the act. Liana didn¡¯t react, she pretended not to see him and kept chatting with Dr. Naylor. Seeing her not getting angry or questioning him, Tyler¡¯s face turned a bit somber. He held the woman¡¯s hand, deliberately chose a seat next to them, and then propped his chin with one hand, looking at Liana, ¡°Dr. Terrill, what a coincidence¡­ Liana thought he would act like a stranger as usual, but surprisingly, he started making small talk. She put down her knife and fork, forced a smile, and responded, ¡°Tyler, what brings you to A City?¡± Tyler raised an eyebrow nonchntly, ¡°I missed my woman, so I came over¡­¡± Liana knew who he was talking about, she lowered her head, pretending to be shy, but didn¡¯t reply. Seeing her act this way, Tyler felt a little better and was also a bit intrigued, ¡°Dr. Terrill, I have an academic question to ask you. Are you avable tonight?¡± Liana nced at the woman sitting opposite him, who was ring at her angrily. She smiled sarcastically, ¡°Yes.¡± Only then did Tyler turn his head back to the woman, ¡°sorry, academicses first, I won¡¯t be having dinner with you tonight.¡± She was furious seeing Tyler clearly interested in another woman. But she was ady, her manners prevented her from throwing a fit in public, so she had to hold it in. Tyler watched her pick up her bag and coat and leave, then his eyesnded on Dr. Naylor again. As a famous genius doctor in the medical field, Dr. Naylor of course knew Tyler, and knew he often visited the hospital director. Their rtionship was obvious, and Dr. Naylor tactfully found an excuse to leave quickly. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. When everyone else had left, Tyler lifted a finger and beckoned Liana, ¡°Come here.¡± Liana reluctantly stood up and sat next to him. The man wrapped his arms around her waist, took a sniff of her familiar scent, then leaned close to her ear and asked, ¡°Do you miss me?¡± Liana showed utter indifference in her eyes, but her face showed a shy smile, ¡°Yeah¡­ Tyler felt a shiver down his spine, he bit her earlobe, then said to her, ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere else for dinner, alright?¡± Before Liana could nod, he grabbed her waist with one hand, lifted her up, and quickly headed out. Maybe because he hadn¡¯t seen her for a long time, Tyler couldn¡¯t wait to get close to her as soon as he got her in the car. Liana gently pushed him away, then said to him, ¡°Not here, there are too many people.¡± Chapter 327 Chapter 327 Tyler finally gave in to his uncontroble desires and quickly drove out to the suburbs. After parking the car, he switched to the back seal, grabbed Liana in his arms, and kissed her like crazy. Tyler¡¯s longing was temporarily soothed. Lianay in his arms, looking at his lustful eyes, and tentatively asked, ¡°When¡­ are you nning to marry me?¡± Tyler¡¯s hand caressed her cheek and paused. The emotions in his eyes faded, and he coldly replied, ¡°The Howell family will never agree to me marrying you.¡± Liana raised both hands, wrapped them around his neck, and seductively looked at him, ¡°What about you?¡± Tyler¡¯s expression was a bit awkward, and a hint of tenderness shed in his eyes, but he refused to admit it, ¡°I don¡¯t wanna get married.¡± After hearing this, Liana was disappointed and let go of his neck, ¡°I¡¯m not getting any younger, it¡¯s time for me to get married¡­¡± Tyler¡¯s heart suddenly ached when he heard she wanted to get married, and an inexplicable anger surged. He angrily grabbed her chin and warned, ¡°you can¡¯t!¡± Seeing Tyler angry, Liana pouted, ¡°You won¡¯t marry me, but you won¡¯t let me get married either. Are you expecting me to be with you like this forever?¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Tyler pinched her face and smiled indulgently, ¡°Isn¡¯t this nice? We¡¯re both into it, and we both get what we need. Why bother getting married?¡± Liana shook her head, ¡°I want to get married. I want to have a home of my own. If you can¡¯t give me that, let¡¯s call it quits.¡± Tyler¡¯s face darkened, and he stared at her coldly, ¡°Do you even know what you¡¯re saying?¡± Liana pushed away his hand on her face, straightened up and said, ¡°Tyler, there¡¯s a doctor I¡¯ve been seeingtely. He¡¯s not bad, and I¡¯m considering continue seeing him. Tonight¡¯s thest time for us. Don¡¯te looking for me anymore¡­¡± Tyler grabbed Liana¡¯s neck and pinned her against the car window, gritting his teeth, ¡°You don¡¯t even have a uterus! Who would marry you? I¡¯m the only one who would want you, and you dare to think about dumping me and epting someone else? Who gave you the guts?!¡± Liana trembled after hearing this, and her pent¨Cup anger almost made her tear off her disguise. She clenched her fists and reminded herself not to rush, then looked up at Tyler. She saw even more concern in his angry eyes than before. Over the years, he had been slowly letting her into his heart¡­. So, Liana, don¡¯t rush¡­. Soon, Tyler will get the punishment he deserves!!! Aidyn quickly found the information and sent it to Bernard¡­. The man sat by the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window, sipping red wine while scrolling through his phone screen. After taking a casual look, he exited the screen, opened his contacts, and made a call. ¡°Caleb, our target is Vinson Clowers. Prepare a private jet; we¡¯re going to B City.¡± Upon receiving the order, Caleb immediately responded with an ¡°got it.¡± Bernard hung up the phone, drank the rest of the wine in one gulp, and got up to walk to the wardrobe. He changed into casual clothes, sprayed on some fragrance,bed his hair, and was meticulous in every detail. He then went to his study, opened a drawer, took out some nt juice, and used a brush to draw a tattoo on his slender neck. After finishing the tattoo, he took out the golden¨Cbronze mask and walked down the spiral staircase¡­. Seeing him leave like this, Bryson reminded him as usual, ¡°Young master, please be careful¡­¡± Bernard nodded slightly to indicate that he had heard the reminder and then walked out of the vi expressionlessly. Chapter 328 Chapter 328 In B City, it¡¯s drizzling, and a group of people wearing masks are surrounding a luxury car Inside the car is a man, about fifty years old, holding a beautiful young wife in her twenties Both of them are naked, huddling in the back seat, shivering as they look at the group of people that suddenly appeared. What¡¯s even more desperate for the man is that his wife was invited by the people in ck to watch the live show¡­ ¡°Vinson! You¡¯re shameless!¡± The woman yelled and tried to rush up and beat the couple. Caleb gestured to a masked man, who quickly covered the woman¡¯s mouth and dragged her away. The man in the car looked gratefully at Caleb, only to see him open the car door and drag him out. The man tumbled and crawled out, falling to the ground. Before he could get up, Caleb stepped on his back- The man felt a sharp pain in his chest, as if a thousand pounds of weight was pressing down on him, making it hard for him to breathe¡­ He widened his eyes, looking terrified at the group of people: ¡°Who the hell are you?!¡± Caleb bent down slightly, patted his face: ¡°your wife invited us.¡± After that, he took off his suit jacket, threw it into the car, and covered the woman with it. Then he looked at the man in the distance. ¡°Sir, she¡¯s covered now. You cane over¡­¡± The masked men surrounding Vinson quickly made way. Vinson thought the man stepping on him was the leader of this group, but the leader turned out to be someone else. The man was wearing a golden bronze mask, holding a small golden knife, and walking towards him. He was tall and had a strong presence. But judging by his attire, he was just in his twenties, a man at such a young age, Vinson assumed he was at most a street thug¡­. Vinson suddenly felt more confident and yelled at him: ¡°Hey, kid, which gang are you from?!¡± How dare they kidnap, him in B City? Are they looking for death? Bernard stood in front of him, looking at him as if he were trash. After receiving the contract from Caleb, he said coldly: ¡°We¡¯ve got a contract that needs Mr. Clowers¡® signature.¡± Vinson was stunned when he heard this deliberately disguised voice. He thought they were here to kidnap and extort money from him, but instead, they wanted him to sign a contract. Vinson said: ¡°You bunch of scumbags treat me like this, and you still want me to sign a contract? No way!¡± Caleb raised his hand and pped him hard across the face: ¡°Watch your mouth!¡± Vinson¡¯s head spun from the p, and he immediately quieted down, cried: ¡°It¡¯s just a contract, there¡¯s no need to bit me like this¡­¡± Caleb looked at the old man crying and felt disgusted, so he pped him again: ¡°If you cry again, I¡¯ll gouge your eyes out!¡± Bernard squatted slightly and ced the contract in front of Vinson. ¡°Sign it.¡± His voice was cold. Vinson shivered involuntarily, and fear spread from the bottom of his heart. He swallowed and looked at the contract. When he saw the word ¡°acquisition,¡± he immediately thought of the Laurence Group. His face full of astonishment, he looked at the man in the golden bronze mask and asked, ¡°Were you sent by the Laurence Group?¡± Recently, the Laurence Group has been trying to acquire the Clowers Group. He didn¡¯t agree, and now they¡¯re using such means to force him. These people are breaking thew! ¡°Tell Bernard that I¡¯ll never sign such a contract, and let him give up on this idea!¡± He was tempted when he saw the amount of money the Laurence Group offered, but now, he doesn¡¯t even want to think about it! R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Bernard touched the small knife in his hand and coldly looked at him: ¡°Mr. Clowers, it¡¯s time to reveal the truth about you ordering the assassination of Jason three years ago¡­¡± Vinson stared at the masked man in disbelief: ¡°You¡­ how do you¡­¡± He wanted to say how do you know, but he felt that admitting it would be as same as confessing. So he shut his mouth and said nothing. Bernard continued: ¡°I also know that the mastermind behind the kidnapping of Jason¡¯s family thirty years ago was actually you-¡± Vinson stiffened, shaking with fear. He did indeed n and carry out the plot to harm his older brother¡¯s family for inheritance rights. He just had someone else take the me. He thought he had done it perfectly, but he never expected this young man to know about it?! Who on earth is he?! Chapter 329 Chapter 329 Vinson looked at him, no longer with contempt but with a bit of fear, ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Bernard nced at him, seemingly out of patience, and said coldly, ¡°You¡¯ve got a a minute He held the knife in his hand, pointing to the contract, signaling him to sign within a minute, or the consequences would depend on his mood. As the knife tip slid across the paper, Vinson shuddered in fear. He looked at the man trembling, then at the contract, hesitating, ¡°The Clowers Group is the Clowers family¡¯s business. If I sign this contract, I be the traitor of the Clowers Group.¡± Bernard had lost his patience and didn¡¯t want to hear any more pointless talk. He raised the knife and stabbed it directly into his shoulder. After the stabbing, he quickly pulled out the knife, never even blinking. Vinson screamed in pain, the sharp sound echoing eerily in the open wilderness. The woman in the car, who had thought that these masked men wouldn¡¯t hurt anyone, was shocked to see that they actually did. Scared, she tried to open the car door and escape, but the masked men surrounding the car held the door shut. Wrapped in her coat, she shrank in the back seat, staring in terror at the bronze¨Cmasked man outside the window. ¡°You better sign quickly, or we¡¯ll cut off your hand and use your handprint¡­¡± After Caleb finished speaking, he stepped on Vinson¡¯s back again, causing him to scream in pain. He was too old to endure such torture, so without further hesitation, he picked up the pen and signed his name on the contract. After signing, he realized that the buyer was actually Jason! He looked up in surprise at the man who had just stabbed him. ¡°Jason sent you?¡± Wasn¡¯t Jason already dead? How could it be him? He looked at the contract in disbelief again, and when he saw that the purchase price was hundreds of times lower than the market price, he almost fainted. He originally thought that signing with the Laurence Group would make him a fortune, enough for several lifetimes¡­. Now, he had handed over the Clowers Group that he had worked so hard to obtain to Jason, and he regretted it like hell! But Bernard didn¡¯t give him a chance to regret it. He took the contract back, threw it to Caleb, and ordered, ¡°Make him hand over thepany seal, deal with the other shareholders of the Clowers Group, and then-¡± He lowered his head and said, ¡°Take his criminal record and send him to the police station.¡± After saying this, Bernard turned around, wiping the blood off the knife with a handkerchief and walking towards the luxury car. Upon hearing that he was going to be taken to the police station, Vinson was immediately furious, ¡°You¡¯re going too far! I¡¯ve already given you my Clowers Grouppany as you requested, and now you¡¯re taking me to the police station? That¡¯s just bullying!¡± Bernard paused, looked back at him coldly, and said, ¡°The Clowers Group is his, not yours.¡± After he finished speaking, fie slightly raised his hand, and Caleb immediately understood, raising his hand and giving Vinson a hard p. Bernard got in the car amidst the pleas for mercy. The driver quickly started the car and headed towards the airport. After returning to the vite at night, he asked Bryson to fetch the wedding dress stored on the rooftop. The dress was covered in diamonds and designed by a famous international wedding dress designer. This was a precious collectible that Bernard had purchased for a fortune three years ago. It was one of a kind in the world. Bryson took out the key, opened the disy case, and took out the dress, cing it in front of Bernard. Bernard touched the wedding dress, imagining Eleanor wearing it and walking towards him on the red carpet, his thin lips slightly curving upward and a smile flickering in his eyes as if he were the one marrying her. He stared at the dress for a long time, putting away the fantasy that would nevere true, and looked at Bryson, ¡°Send this to Eleanor and make sure she epts it.¡± Bryson hesitated, frowning. ¡°Mr. Laurence, wasn¡¯t this wedding dress bought for your future wife?¡± He had heard that Ms. Shultz was getting married to someone else. Why did Mr. Laurence still want to give such a precious wedding dress to that woman? Bernard smiled gently, ¡°I bought it to give it to her¡­¡± This ungiven wedding dress could only belong to Eleanor, even if the man she was marrying wasn¡¯t him¡­N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Chapter 330 Chapter 330 Eleanor was sitting in front of her vanity, staring at her reflection in the mirror, and she was zoning out. Hailey pushed the door open and walked in. Seeing Eleanor daydreaming, she went over and gently patted her shoulder. ¡°Eleanor, Garett sent someone over with some stuff. You should go downstairs and check it out.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Eleanor agreed and got up, following Hailey downstairs. Outside the vi, a few cars were parked. Colter came in carrying a wedding dress. ¡°Ms. Shultz, my boss thought that the wedding dresses at the shop didn¡¯t quite suit your style. So he had someone custom¨Cmake one for you, along with wedding shoes, new clothes, and jewelry.¡± He waved his hand to the others, and they quickly took things out of the cars and moved everything into the vi. After handing the wedding dress to Eleanor, Colter told her, ¡°Ms. Shultz, on the day of the wedding, my boss has something going on and won¡¯t be able to attend. I¡¯ll be there in his ce. The wedding is set for 10 a.m. Before that, a makeup team wille to get you ready. You don¡¯t have to get up too early. Just rx and don¡¯t worry about the other details of the wedding.¡± Eleanor thanked him, and Colter said, ¡°If you want to thank someone, thank my boss. He asked me to remind you.¡± Eleanor nodded slightly, ¡°I know.¡± Garett always carefully considered everything for her, never letting her worry too much, even when they were kids. After Colter finished exining, he left quickly with his crew. Just as they left, a luxury car pulled up in front of the vi. Bryson, dressed in a suit, got out of the car and called out to Eleanor, who was about to turn back to the vi. ¡°Ms. Shultz.¡± Hearing Bryson¡¯s voice, Eleanor hesitated for a moment, not wanting to look back.. However, he had two servants bring a diamond¨Cstudded wedding dress to her. ¡°Ms. Shultz, this is the wedding dress Mr. Laurence owes you.¡± Eleanor nced at the dress, furrowing her brow, ¡°Bryson, please return this dress. I don¡¯t need his compensation.¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. As she tried to leave, Bryson said, ¡°Ms. Shultz, do you remember three years ago when Mr. Laurence went abroad for three months? He bought this dress at an auction during that time. He nned to give it to you when he returned, but there were some unexpected issues.¡± Eleanor¡¯s face went pale, and she looked at Bryson in disbelief, unable to believe that he had bought a wedding dress for her so long ago. Seeing her disbelief, Bryson sighed and said earnestly, ¡°Ms. Shultz, Mr. Laurence truly loves you, but his methods were extreme. He has realized his mistakes and hopes you can let it go and give him a chance to make it up to you.¡± Eleanor snapped out of her shock, clenching her fists, and said to Bryson, ¡°I¡¯ve already forgiven him, so I don¡¯t need hispensation.¡± She looked at the dress again and said, ¡°Bryson, please return the dress. Thank you.¡± As she walked away, Bryson realized that Ms. Shultz¡¯s heart had be resolute, and even Mr. Laurence couldn¡¯t change it. At least when Mr. Laurence was forced to separate from her, he couldn¡¯t control himself and repeatedly tried to find her. But for Ms. Shultz¡­ After being abandoned once, it seemed that no matter what Mr. Laurence did, she could remain calm and never look back. Bryson didn¡¯t actually want to give her the dress. But he also came with Mr. Laurence¡¯s sincerity, how could he let him down? So, Bryson had the servants carry the dress and follow her into the vi¡­. Chapter 331 Chapter 331 ¡°Ms. Shultz, on behalf of Mr. Laurence, I gotta make sure you ept this wedding dress. It¡¯s my mission.¡± He waved his hand and had the waiter put the dress on the vi¡¯s couch. Then he said to Eleanor, ¡°I hope you¡¯ll wear this dress on your wedding day, Ms. Shultz.¡± Eleanor felt super annoyed, and she said. ¡°Bryson, please take it back. I already got a new wedding dress from my fianc¨¦. I don¡¯t need or want to wear Bernard¡¯s gift at my wedding.¡± She was dead set about it. Bryson got shocked and then mad. ¡°Ms. Shultz, for the past three years, Mr. Laurence had to rely on sleeping pills just to see you in his dreams. Is that fair to him?¡± Eleanor¡¯s heart ached a bit, and her face turned even more pale. Why, why did he have to bring this up now¡­ Hailey, who had been quiet during this whole thing, was also taken aback by his words. But seeing Bryson forcing Eleanor to ept the dress, she pushed that shock aside. She stood up from the couch and got in front of Eleanor. ¡°Bryson, if Bernard had sent the wedding dress to Eleanor three years ago, maybe they¡¯d already have kids by now. But instead, he sent her a cold¨Chearted agreement when he returned, abandoning Eleanor. It¡¯s toote to send this dress now.¡± ¡°Also, you said Bernard relied on sleeping pills for Eleanor. I¡¯m sorry about that. But Eleanor was in a coma for those three years, unaware of anything Bernard did for her. All she knows is his previous cruelty. Why are you trying to pin all the guilt on her for what Bernard went through?¡± ¡°Besides, Eleanor¡¯s marrying someone else, not Bernard. How can you expect her to wear another man¡¯s wedding dress?¡± After Hailey said all this in one breath, she grabbed the dress, gave it to the servant, and coldly said, ¡°Please leave.¡± All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Bryson felt bad for going too far. Instead of making things better between Ms. Shultz and Mr. Laurence, he made it worse. He regretted it and quietly apologized: ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just really hoped Ms. Shultz and Mr. Laurence could reconcile, and I misspoke. I hope you both can forgive me.¡± After apologizing, he still had the servant put the dress down: ¡°Ms. Shultz, it¡¯s not my ce to decide if you wear this dress at your wedding. But it has to stay here, or I won¡¯t be able to exin myself when I go back.¡± Either way, he had to fulfill his mission from Mr. Laurence. As for what Ms. Shultz thinks, he couldn¡¯t control that.. After saying his piece, Bryson turned to leave the vi, but Eleanor called out to him. Bryson turned around and looked at her. ¡°Ms. Shultz, what¡¯s up?¡± Eleanor picked up the dress and handed it to him. ¡°Bryson, take it back and please tell him¡­ I don¡¯t want to see him at my wedding.¡± Bryson thought her behavior was too cold¨Chearted and unfair to Mr. Laurence. But he didn¡¯t say anything or take the dress. Instead, he turned and left the vi quickly with his entourage, as if afraid she¡¯d chase him to take back the dress. Eleanor tightly held onto the dress, her face so pale it looked like all the blood had been drained. Hailey noticed something was wrong and immediately came over, touching Eleanor¡¯s face and asking, ¡°Eleanor, what¡¯s going on?¡± Eleanor looked at Hailey¡¯s worried expression and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine, just a bit tired¡­¡± Hailey felt sorry for her and hugged her. ¡°If you¡¯re tired, lean on my shoulder and take a break, okay?¡± Hailey didn¡¯t mention Bernard because she knew Eleanor would feel uneasy after hearing all that. As her sister, the only thing she could give at this moment was a hug. Everything else was out of her hands. Eleanor rested her head on Hailey¡¯s shoulder, her eyes dull and lifeless, making her look like she could die at any moment. Chapter 332 Chapter 332 The wedding day came in the blink of an eye. Garett¡¯s makeup team didn¡¯t arrive at the vi until 9 AM, seemingly to let the bride get some extra rest, hence thete arrival. Hailey led them upstairs, and when they saw the bride, they were all stunned by her beauty. They thought it might take more than an hour, but the bride¡¯s face was already stunning with just a little makeup. A few people started doing Eleanor¡¯s makeup, and it was done in less than half an hour. When it was the stylist¡¯s turn, she immediately noticed the wedding dress on the couch. Trembling, she touched the diamond¨Cencrusted dress and said in surprise, This is a masterpiece by the famous wedding dress designer from F Country After she designed this dress, she never designed any others, making it the most precious collection in the world.¡± She looked at Eleanor, who was sitting in front of the dressing table, in astonishment. ¡°Ms. Shultz, how did this dress end up here? Did your fianc¨¦ buy it for you? It must have cost a fortune, and most people can¡¯t even afford it, right?¡± Eleanor, who had already finished her makeup, looked a bit upset. She wanted everyone to stop talking about these things in front of her. But news about him was everywhere, always creeping into her ears and causing her pain. Seeing Eleanor¡¯s expression, Hailey told the stylist, ¡°We¡¯re running out of time. Hurry up and help the bride change into her wedding dress.¡± Realizing she had said too much, the stylist apologized and went to fetch the dress on the couch. At this moment, the bride whispered, ¡°Not that one.¡± The stylist was stunned and looked back at Eleanor, a little confused. ¡°Then which one¡­?¡± Eleanor pointed to the wedding dress in the closet and said, ¡°This one.¡± The stylist nced at the dress in the closet and, although she was amazed, she thought the one on the couch was more suitable for Eleanor. But since the bride had made her choice, she just smiled and said, ¡°Okay, no problem.¡± Eleanor changed into her wedding dress and sat quietly on the bed, waiting for someone to pick her up. At exactly 10 AM, there was amotion downstairs. Hailey thought it was Coltering and hurried down to check. But when she went downstairs, she didn¡¯t see Colter but Bernard, with a bouquet of flowers in his hands. He was wearing a custom¨Cmade white suit with a corsage on his chest, looking no different from a groom. The only difference was that his handsome face didn¡¯t have a weing smile for the bride, just suppressed sadness. It was as if he had fallen into an endless hell. Behind him were hundreds of luxury cars filled with flowers, forming a long line, creating a spectacr scene that left Hailey in awe. She tried to stop Bernard but felt that at this moment, anything she said would hurt him. Watching him send his beloved woman to her wedding was unbearable for Hailey¡­ R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only However, she still didn¡¯t stop him, just sighed deeply and said, ¡°She¡¯s upstairs, go find her¡­¡± After saying this, Hailey stepped aside and made way for him. Bernard¡¯s face was pale, and he nodded to her before heading towards the vi. Chapter 333 Chapter 333 The door creaked open, revealing a woman sitting quietly on the bed, not wearing the wedding gown he had given her. Instead, she was dressed in the wedding gown her fianc¨¦ had custom¨Cmade for her. Thece details made her look pure and beautiful. He clutched the bouquet in his hand, suppressing the pain in his heart, and took a step towards her¡­ Eleanor kept her head low, hearing the footsteps, she assumed it was Colter, but when she looked up, she saw a pair of swollen eyes. Her heart raced, her face turned pale. She had told him not toe, yet he showed up anyway. What was she supposed to do? What was Garett supposed to do? And what about him? Regardless, Bernard didn¡¯t care. He slowly approached her, knelt on one knee, and offered her the bouquet. ¡°Ms. Shultz, I¡¯m sorry. I took Colter¡¯s bouquet, hope you won¡¯t hold it against me¡­¡± His voice was calm, his manners impable, as if he was merely delivering a bouquet, nothing more. Eleanor wanted him to leave, but seeing his pale face and his weary eyes, she couldn¡¯t find the heart to say it. She was already cruel enough to him¡­ She looked at him, not taking the flowers or saying anything. The room was silent. Bernard looked at her, deeply, for a while, then lowered his head and held out his hand to take hers. He gently opened her clenched hand, ced the bouquet in her palm, and said, ¡°It¡¯s time, I¡¯ll take you to the wedding He finished speaking, picked up the heels on the floor, and prepared to help her put them on. Eleanor quickly pulled her foot back, her face full of helplessness, ¡°Bernard, don¡¯t¡­¡± His smile made him look even sadder. He didn¡¯t say anything, grabbed her foot, and forcefully put the heel on her, then turned around. Eleanor looked at his retreating back, her tears falling, blurring her vision¡­. Bernard was afraid that looking at her again would make him lose his mind. He forced himself to turn around, suppressing the tears in his eyes. Seeing the hand on his watch pointing to ten o¡¯clock, he turned around, reached out, and lifted Eleanor. He carried her tightly and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll carry you down¡­¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor resisted, struggling to get down. Bernard, however, stopped, his eyes red and swollen, ¡°Eleanor, can you be a good girl?¡± Just be good and let him do thisst thing for her, okay? Eleanor shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to take me¡­¡± He sighed deeply and asked, ¡°Are you afraid Garett will see?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t answer, she just pleaded, ¡°Can you put me down, please¡­¡± Bernard held her tightly and said firmly, ¡°Today, I, Bernard, will apany you through this wedding.¡± He added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let him see it.¡± She loved Garett so much, how could he do something in front of Garett that might drive them apart. Chapter 334 Chapter 334 Eleanor tried to resist, but Bernard had her in a firm grip, not letting her budge. Despite her struggle, he held her tight and slowly descended the stairs. Hailey witnessed the scene, her eyes uncontrobly turned red. How much courage would it take someone to personally escort the one they love to her wedding? Bernard, he was deeply in love with Eleanor, but it was all toote now. He carried her out of the vi, put her in the back seat of the car, then bent down to fix her long dress. He nced at the passenger seat, then at the space next to Eleanor, finally choosing to sit beside her. Aidyn was the driver. Seeing the two of them, he understood Bernard¡¯s intentions and lowered the windshield. He started the car and headed to the wedding venue, followed by hundreds of cars in an orderly procession. Eleanor sat in the car, her body cold, shivering uncontrobly. Bernard noticed this and gentlyforted her, ¡°We¡¯re almost there. If you can¡¯t stand seeing me, please hang in there.¡± On hearing this, Eleanor¡¯s eyes reddened again. She turned her head to look out the car window, her thoughts so jumbled that everything seemed blurry Seeing her stop struggling, Bernard smiled. His gaze was full of affection as he studied the woman next to him. Today, she was in a white wedding dress, with a delicately beautiful makeup, a white veil on her short hair. She looked beautiful, reminding him of the first time he saw her. Back then, she was vibrant, always smiling andughing. Now, she was still beautiful, but she no longer smiled.. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. It was because of him that she lost her smile. Bernard felt a profound sense of sadness. He couldn¡¯t help but reach out to touch her face. ¡°Eleanor, when I¡¯m not around, remember to smile more.¡± Eleanor stiffened and instinctively turned to look at him, feeling like his words were a goodbye. She opened her mouth to say something, but Bernard withdrew his hand and turned to look out the window, as if it was just a casual remark. Both of them were in white wedding attire, each leaning against the window, looking at the scenery outside, as if they were in two different worlds. The car drove on, the trees gradually receding, and soon they arrived at the wedding venue. The moment the car stopped, Eleanor wanted to get out of the car without even looking back. Her fingers barely touched the car lock when Bernard hugged her tightly from behind. He held her close, his head bowed, whispering in her ear, ¡°Eleanor, I wish you happiness in the future.¡± His voice was shaky, but he tried hard to control it, not wanting her to notice. Eleanor¡¯s heart ached sharply, tears filled her eyes again, she couldn¡¯t help but reply, ¡°I hope you find happiness too.¡± The man behind her slowly let go of his hold¡­. Eleanor opened the car door, only to find that it had started to rain, the tiny raindrops making her heart race. Suppressing the sudden surge of emotions, she got out of the car, walked down the red carpet, step by step towards the vi¡­ Seeing the rain, Bernard, afraid she would get wet, retrieved a ck umbre from the trunk. He walked to her side, opened the ck umbre, and held it over her head, shielding her from all the rain and wind, yet he didn¡¯t utter a word. Eleanor suddenly stopped, slowly raised her head, looking at the tall and straight man in front of her, a wave of guilt surged in her heart. She didn¡¯t dare to meet his eyes, just lowered her head and murmured a soft I¡¯m sorry¡°, then lifted her dress and turned to run quickly towards the wedding venue. Watching her leave without hesitation, the man holding the umbre paused, his eyes began to well up with tears¡­ Chapter 335 Chapter 335 Chapter 335 The wedding took ce in a garden right opposite to an orphanage, an open-air venue surrounded by a sea of flowers as far as the eye could see. This was where Garett and Eleanor met and fell in love. Their story started here. Garett had people guarding the garden, not allowing anyone near, while others were hired to set up the ce, giving it a unique touch. The red carpet was covered in bright rose petals, leading from the garden gate all the way to the open- air terrace where the wedding was held. He sat in his wheelchair, a rose in hand, a diamond ring in the other, waiting for the girl he loved for his entire life to walk towards him. Eleanor ran along the red carpet to the entrance of the garden, where she paused, took a deep breath, and tried to calm her flustered emotions. The cool raindrops falling on her face, matching her body temperature at the moment. Colter, who arrivedter, immediately opened his umbre and walked towards Eleanor as soon as he saw her. ¡°Ms. Shultz, d I made it in time.¡± Eleanor turned to look at Colter and said softly, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Colter nodded, holding the umbre over her as he led her inside. Hailey, who hade for the wedding, had just gotten out of her car when she saw Bernard standing still, his eyes full of regret. She walked up to him, saw the paleness on his face, and sighed, ¡°Mr. Laurence, you guys havee this far, there¡¯s no turning back now. Let it go.¡± After saying this, Hailey headed straight for the wedding venue. Bernard¡¯s eyes trembled slightly as he watched Hailey walk away and asked softly, ¡°Ms. Vulpe, did Eleanor ever love me, like Liana said?¡± Hailey stopped, turned around, and looked at Bernard. ¡°Of course, Eleanor loved you so much that she didn¡¯t want to spend a penny of your money. She thought it would help her regain some dignity and change your perception of her. But you let her down.¡± Bernard¡¯s face turned even paler. He had mistakenly thought that she didn¡¯t need his money because she had a new sugar daddy and had said a lot of hurtful things, disappointing her. He never thought that she didn¡¯t need his money because she loved him. Bernard felt a pang of guilt. So, she had really loved him, and Liana wasn¡¯t lying. Seeing his sudden realization, Hailey couldn¡¯t help but feel a little regretful. ¡°Mr. Laurence, after falling in love with you, Eleanor wanted to confess to you. But she said you were hot and cold, so she didn¡¯t dare. She hopes you can forgive her for not telling you about it.¡± A hint ofughter appeared in Bernard¡¯s reddened eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve never med her.¡± Because he never confessed to her either. After a moment of silence, he turned to Hailey. ¡°Ms. Vulpe, thank you for telling me this.¡± In his life, he had also been loved by her, and that was enough. He picked up his umbre and walked towards the luxury car. Hailey watched his tall, upright figure until he got into the car. The man in the car picked up a document bag, gently stroked it, and said to Aidyn, ¡°Give this to Jason.¡± Knowing what was in the bag, Aidyn said helplessly, ¡°Mr. Laurence, you can¡¯t win Ms. Shultz back by doing this. Why bother?¡± Mr. Laurence had paved the way for them, even helped Jason deal with his enemies, but he silently bore the pain of losing his beloved. On the day of the wedding, he sent such a heavy wedding gift. It was too cruel for Mr. Laurence. Bernard nced at him, ¡°Are you not listening to me anymore?¡± What else could Aidyn say? He reluctantly took the document bag, opened the car door, and headed for the wedding venue.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 336 Chapter 336 In a cozy garden, a wedding was underway, and the emcee on stage was kick-starting the event with a lively introduction. The guest list might¡¯ve been slim, but the few people here didn¡¯t put a dent in the wedding¡¯s vibe. Garett, the groom, sat in his wheelchair rocking a crisp white suit, eyes locked on the woman in a spotless wedding gown at the other end of the red carpet. This was his youthful dream, the promise he made to her when they were both young and wild to make her his wife. If it weren¡¯t for that sted amnesia five years ago, she¡¯d already be his wife¡­ He¡¯d faced a bunch of setbacks, but he finally had her. Still, the whole thing felt like an unreal dream that he couldn¡¯t wake up from. He looked at her, but couldn¡¯t read her face, couldn¡¯t sense her emotions. The more he looked, the more distant and unreal she seemed. It was only when the emcee nudged him to fetch his bride that he snapped back to reality¡­. With the help of his buddy Colter, Garett rolled up to Eleanor, finally getting a good look at her face. Her bridal makeup was immacte, her face sporting a gentle smile. As their eyes met, his reflection danced in her eyes. He couldn¡¯t tell what she was thinking, so he just smiled back, offering her his hand¡­. Eleanor, her hand dressed in a whitece glove, gently ced it in Garett¡¯s outstretched palm. Garett held on tight, like she was hisst lifeline, his grip unyielding. Hand in hand, they made their way to the stage, every step taking him closer to the dream he¡¯d had since his youth. As they were about to exchange vows under the emcee¡¯s guidance, a frosty voice echoed from outside the garden. ¡°Hold up- Aidyn had intended to show up after the ceremony, but this was irking him, and he couldn¡¯t help but interrupt. Liana, one of the guests, saw her cousin disrupting the wedding and quickly left her seat to confront him. ¡°Aidyn, what are you doing? The wedding had already started, you can¡¯t just crash it like this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just here to deliver a wedding gift to Mr. Clowers.¡± With a file bag in hand, Aidyn strutted down the red carpet and onto the stage. He stopped in front of the couple, presenting the file bag to Garett. ¡°Mr. Clowers, this is a small token from our CEO. We hope you¡¯ll ept it.¡± The moment Aidyn showed up, Garett understood. His wedding felt unreal because he hadn¡¯t shown up. Without him, how could this wedding be real¡­ Garett epted the file bag, pulling out a contract. His face turned pale when he saw what was written on it. He couldn¡¯t believe it, looking up at Aidyn, ¡°Where is he?¡± Aidyn turned around, looking at a man holding a ck umbre. Following Aidyn¡¯s gaze, Garett saw a well-dressed man under the umbre, watching them. He slowly turned to Eleanor, only to find her eyes glued to the contract in his hand. He pocketed the contract and started wheeling towards where Bernard was. Bernard had changed into a ck suit. He was dressed for a wedding, but it was unclear what role he was ying, so he stood at a distance, watching from afar. Seeing Garett approach, he turned to leave, but Garett called out to him. Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mr. Laurence.¡± Garett wheeled himself towards Bernard, pulling out the contract, ¡°Are you afraid she won¡¯t have a good life with me?¡± Chapter 337 Chapter 337 Bernard didn¡¯t say a word, not seeming in the mood to chat with Garett. Yet, Garett just smirked, unruffled, and chuckled, ¡°When we were kids, we sure had it tough. As I got older, I thought to myself, when I can stand on my own two feet, I¡¯ll marry her and make sure she doesn¡¯t have to worry about anything for the rest of her life¡­¡± He paused, seemingly lost in the past, You know, she¡¯s asked me a million times when I was going to marry her. I always told her to wait, just wait, until I realized, some people you can¡¯t just keep them waiting¡­¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Bernard nced at him. ¡°Well, you got your wish.¡± The smile on Garett¡¯s lips, deep yet bitter, ¡°Yeah, I did¡­¡± Bernard said, ¡°Congrats.¡± As he was about to leave, Garett stopped him, ¡°I won¡¯t be taking this acquisition contract. You can have it back.¡± Bernard froze, turned back and said, ¡°It wasn¡¯t for you.¡± Garettughed, ¡°I know.¡± Saving him, taking care of him, protecting him and now handing over The Clowers Group to him, all these, it¡¯s all for Eleanor. It¡¯s enough to prove how much he loves Eleanor, but there¡¯s one thing Garett doesn¡¯t quite get¡­. He looked Bernard up and down, a puzzled look on his face, ¡°If you loved her so much, why did you abandon her?¡± Bernard¡¯s face turned pale, ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡± Garett didn¡¯t push it, he just handed back the contract, ¡°Mr. Laurence, thank you, but I don¡¯t want to owe you any favor.¡± Bernard scoffed, ¡°You¡¯re only able to protect her once you¡¯re back in The Clowers Group. What right do you have to talk about favors right now?¡± Garett was stung by his words, making him feel worthless in front of Bernard. He clenched the contract in his hand, took a deep breath and gave a bitter smile, ¡°You¡¯re right, I can¡¯t protect her.¡± In the past, he couldn¡¯t provide a better life for her, and due to family issues, she was hurt. Now, he¡¯s in a wheelchair, permanently disabled, how can he protect her¡­. The man in front of him, radiating a powerful aura, is in control of The Laurence Group, The Stanley Family, The Ratliff Group. With him, how could his Eleanor ever struggle or get hurt¡­. After a moment, Garett set down the contract and took out a delicate box. He slowly opened the box, took out the diamond ring inside, and said, ¡°This diamond ring, I prepared it for her eight years ago. It¡¯s not very expensive, but it was bought with the schrship money I earned from endless nights of research and countless experiments¡­¡± After regaining his memory, he remembered taking this diamond ring back to The Clowers family when he returned. He had it retrieved a few days ago. It was supposed to be a wedding gift for Eleanor, but now¡­. He gave a tiny smile. Then he slowly turned to Bernard, ¡°You probably don¡¯t know what happened between me and her the night of the car ident, do you?¡± Bernard looked down on him, coldly, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in your past together.¡± Even though he knew Bernard wasn¡¯t interested, Garett continued to tell the story of their past. Chapter 338 Chapter 338 Thad a car ident that night, actually, I was nning to propose to her, but we had a little spat that night¡­¡± ht was my fault, really. I saw her working at the restaurant, talking andughing with a guy from our ss, and I got jealous. ¡°I lost my cool and said some harsh things to her. She got mad, turned around and ran off into the rain¡­¡± ¡°It was pouring cats and dogs, I wanted to carry her on my back, but she refused. I didn¡¯t dare to insist, just silently followed her ¡°You may not know, but what she hates the most is when I choose to stay silent during a fight.¡± ¡°She ran off because I didn¡¯t say anything, then she got hit by that out¨Cof¨Ccontrol car¡­¡± As Garett said this, he paused, the smile on his face gradually fading. ¡°What I¡¯m trying to tell you is, don¡¯t hurt her out of jealousy, and don¡¯t stay silent when there¡¯s conflict.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why you two broke up, but I bet it¡¯s pretty simr to what happened between us.¡± Back then, both he and Bernard were stubborn and possessive. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Only those who have lost know what love really is¡­ Bernard kept quiet, his eyes slightly trembling. If Garett hadn¡¯t had that car ident, Bernard wouldn¡¯t have had a chance with Eleanor¡­ Garett nced at the diamond ring in his hand, a bit reluctant, but he hardened his heart and handed it to Bernard. ¡°This should be your wedding.¡± Out of love, Bernard chose to let go. Garett now understood that true love is about letting the person he loved be happy. A look of shock appeared in Bernard¡¯s eyes. He didn¡¯t expect him to make this decision at this time. But he just nced at the ring. Like a king looking down on Garett, he said. ¡°She¡¯s not an object, not something you or I can just give away. She has her own thoughts. She wants to start over with you, how can you let her down?¡± If she chose him, he wouldn¡¯t care about Garett. But she chose Garett, all he can do is let go. Hearing this, Garett looked even more upset: ¡°What about you.. A sh of anger crossed Bernard¡¯s face: ¡°You have her now, so be selfish. Why care about me?¡± After saying this, Bernard saw Eleanor lifting her skirt and walking towards them. He said coldly. ¡°Take good care of her, then quickly turned around and left. Garett watched Bernard¡¯s cold and aloof figure, suddenly admiring him a bit. So this is Bernard, no wonder Eleanor fell for him¡­.. As he sat in his wheelchair in a daze, he saw a janitor limping towards Bernard with a ss bottle in his hand. Having done many experiments, he recognized what was in the bottle at a nce and shouted at Bernard, ¡°Watch out!¡± Before he could finish, the janitor opened the bottle, aimed at Bernard¡¯s back and sshed it. There was a hissing sound- That was the sound of sulfuric acid corroding skin. Garett¡¯s heart raced, and his face turned pale instantly. What appeared in front of him was Eleanor in her white wedding dress¡­ Without hesitation, she used her own back to shield Bernard¡­ The intense burning sensation made Eleanor kneel down in pain, her hands supporting herself on the wet ground. The heavy rain was pouring down, as if intentionally against her, hitting her back, making her shiver with pain. Bernard turned around, and what he saw was Eleanor, kneeling on the ground, her back skin corroded ck by the sulfuric acid¡­ Her body was so painful that she curled up into a ball, kneeling on the ground, unable to move, her face and lips had turned pale. However, her trembling eyshes lifted slightly, she forced herself to look up, and with a faint smile, she said to him, ¡°My back is ruined, isn¡¯t it¡­¡± Chapter 339 Chapter 339 She had always cherished her beauty throughout her life. Even on her deathbed, the medications she took were to prevent swelling, fearing she¡¯d look unappealing when departing this world. However, now her back was no longer the wless masterpiece it used to be. Seeing her like this made Bernard¡¯s heart momentarily stop; his face turned ashen. He tossed away his umbre, kneeling before her. His trembling hands wanted to hold her, but he was at a loss on how to proceed. Her wedding dress on her back was decayed, skin charred ck, with bones showing. The sight of her severe injuries caused tears to roll down Bernard¡¯s cheeks. With trembling hands, he reached out to touch her face, only for Eleanor to cry out in pain: ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ touch me¡­ it hurts¡­¡± Bernard instantly pulled back his hand, opening his mouth but unable to make a sound. Her pallid face reflected in his eyes filled him with sorrow. He looked helplessly towards Liana, who was running over: ¡°Quickly! Liana, help her!¡± His voice was hoarse, quivering, his indescribable pain leaving him unable to fathom her current agony. All he knew was that her state was causing him so much pain, he could hardly breathe: ¡°Why¡­ why are you so foolish¡­ Eleanor mustered thest bit of her strength to look back at the pale¨Cfaced Garett, her eyes slightly drooping¡­ When she turned back to Bernard, a faint smile surfaced in her eyes: ¡°I¡­ owe you too much¡­¡± In this lifetime, she was indebted to two men. Garett had cared for her for half of her life, had attempted suicide for her, ended up disabled; she had no way to repay him. Bernard had loved her for eight years, spent so much money for her, did so much, and she couldn¡¯t repay him. She wanted to give the rest of her life to Garett and repay Bernard with the money she¡¯d worked hard to earn¡­ But no matter her choice, she¡¯d end up hurting them. All the mistakes were hers. She should have left this world three years ago, that would have been fair to them. The heavy rain poured down, washing over her back. The burning sensation grew stronger, and Eleanor, unable to hold on, copsed onto the ground. Her lifeless eyes looked at the man in front of her, slowly bing desperate. ¡°Bernard, I might have paid my dues to you in this manner, but I¡­ don¡¯t want to see you hurt. But I¡¯m sorry, I already promised Garett when I found out all you¡¯d done, I can¡¯t let him down.¡± Bernard knelt in front of her, his tall body soaked, filled with a sense of helplessness. Looking at herying on the ground, on the brink of unconsciousness, heforted her through his trembling. ¡°You¡¯ve paid your debt, you don¡¯t owe me anymore. But Eleanor, listen to me, stay with me, okay?¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. Enduring the burning pain on her back, Eleanor obediently responded: ¡°Okay..¡± Yet after speaking those words, she broke her promise. The overwhelming pain made her close her eyes. Seeing her lose consciousness, Bernard, like a madman, picked her up, intending to rush her to the hospital. However, with just a touch of his fingers, her small body trembled in pain. Even in her unconscious state, the pain was unbearable, indicating the sheer extent of her suffering¡­ The intense pain kept Bernard from daring to touch her again¡­ As he stood helplessly trembling, the janitor suddenly pulled out a knife and charged at him! Chapter 340 Chapter 340 As the knife was mere inches from his throat, Bernard raised his hand and seized the other man¡¯s wrist. With a forceful twist, he snapped the sanitation worker¡¯s wrist, wrenched the knife from his hand, and drove it into his chest. He shoved it in forcefully, causing fresh blood to surge out, staining his sleeve red. He didn¡¯t even blink, he just pulled out the knife and viciously plunged it back in¡­. ¡°Mr. Laurence!¡± Aidyn, who was faster to react than Liana, seeing Bernard¡¯s murderous intent, rushed to intervene, ¡°You can¡¯t kill him. Leave it to me. The pinned janitor, however,ughed maniacally, ¡°Bernard, if you¡¯ve got the guts, kill me. Let¡¯s see if you can still be the head of the Laurence family as a murderer!¡± Bernard ignored Aidyn¡¯s warnings and moved the knife across the man¡¯s neck- Aidyn blocked the blow with his hand, instantly opening up a deep wound on his palm. Ignoring the searing pain, he urged Bernard, ¡°Mr. Laurence, don¡¯t lose control. Go save Ms. Shultz¡± At this point, Liana arrived and knelt down. Seeing the acid corrosion on Eleanor¡¯s back, her face turned ashen. Looking around, there were no medical supplies in the empty park, not even a ce to rinse her wounds, only the falling rain. Confined to his wheelchair, unable to move, Garett stuttered out to Liana, ¡°The orphanage¡­ they have fresh water¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Liana forced herself to calm down and looked at Bernard anxiously, ¡°Mr. Laurence, quickly, carry Ms. Shultz to the orphanage!¡± Discarding the knife in his hand, Bernard gently lifted Eleanor and sprinted towards the orphanage in a panic. Liana followed suit, and as she brushed past Hailey, she instructed, ¡°Hailey, quickly call the hospital. Get an ambnce!¡± Immediately, Hailey stopped in her tracks, took out her shaking mobile phone and started dialing while following them to the orphanage. In the midst of their chaos, the man dressed in janitor suit burst into a maniacalughter. ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± ¡°Eleanor, you wretch, you deserve this!¡± Having turned his wheelchair around, Garett froze at these words. He turned his gaze to the man on the ground, his face hidden behind a mask. He had thought the man was here to exact revenge on Bernard, but it appeared he also knew Eleanor¡­. He looked at Aidyn, who, without waiting for a word, promptly removed the sanitation worker¡¯s mask. *Josef Caporal.. Garett¡¯s eyebrows knitted together slightly, seemingly surprised it was him. Josef opened his scar¨C covered mouth, his teeth clenched, ¡°Jason, I wanted to get my revenge on Bernard first and then deal with you. I didn¡¯t expect that wretch Eleanor to jump out!¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Just like a madman, ignoring the pain in his chest, he clenched his fists and roared, ¡°These three years, it¡¯s all because of Bernard. He even sent Ryan Wiseman after me, got me locked up in jail!¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for my intelligence and my sessful escape, I wouldn¡¯t be able to avenge myself today!¡± ¡°But it¡¯s a pity¡­¡± He twisted his head, glowering at Garett, ¡°It¡¯s a real shame I couldn¡¯t kill you and Bernard!¡± Garett just looked at him coldly without a reply. Aidyn, on the other hand, looked at Josef¡¯s hand, ¡°Isn¡¯t your hand broken?¡± Josef held up his own hand,ughing wildly, ¡°When my hand was broken, I had a doctor fix it. What, did you wish me to stay crippled?¡± At this point, his eyes bulged out as he cursed like a madman, ¡°Whoever did this to me, if I find out who you are, I swear, I will make sure you have nowhere to bury your corpse!¡± Seeing that he didn¡¯t know Mr. Law¡¯s real identity, Aidyn sighed in relief, ¡°You won¡¯t get the chance!¡± After finishing his sentence, Aidyn swiftly punched Josef in the face, knocking him out. He then stood up and directed the approaching bodyguards, ¡°Take him back to the police station. Once he¡¯s in, quietly get rid of him.¡± Anyone threatening Mr. Law¡¯s identity must die! Chapter 341 Chapter 341 In the orphanage, Bernard was holding Eleanor with Liana¡¯s help, cing her on the carpet. Liana found someone in the orphanage and got a soft hose, using a lot of water to repeatedly wash the sulfuric acid off Eleanor¡¯s back. During the rinsing, Eleanor, who was lying on the ground, was still trembling uncontrobly even though she was unconscious. Bernard couldn¡¯t breathe, heartbroken at the sight of her pain. A strong sense of guilt hit him, and he knelt before her again. He gently touched her pale face. His fingertips felt the icy cold skin that made his heart ache. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. His heart skipped a beat, and the fear and dread of losing her once again three years ago instantly flooded his mind. His trembling hand ced under her nose couldn¡¯t feel her breath, and he slumped down, powerless. ¡°Liana¡­ she¡¯s not breathing¡­¡± Hearing Bernard¡¯s trembling voice, Liana paused washing the acid off and quickly reached out to check Eleanor¡¯s breath and pulse. ¡°There¡¯s still a faint breath, but Eleanor just had major surgery, and now she¡¯s been seriously injured again, I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯t make it¡­¡± Just as Liana finished speaking, Bernard suddenly lost control of his emotions, ¡°No, she¡¯ll be fine, I won¡¯t let anything happen to her!¡± He anxiously took the hose from Liana¡¯s hand, not caring if his fingers touched the sulfuric acid, and desperately helped her rinse. Seeing this scene, Hailey couldn¡¯t help but cry, praying in her heart over and over again, hoping Eleanor could pull through. Outside the door, Garett wanted to help, but he could only sit in his wheelchair, powerless. This feeling of helplessness made him pinch his legs hard, as the despair of falling into an abyss gradually consumed him. Liana wanted to stop Bernard, worried about his hands getting injured. But he wouldn¡¯t listen, so she had to continue making emergency calls. Before she could make the call, the sound of an ambnce was heard at the orphanage entrance. She was about to ask Bernard to carry Eleanor to the hospital, but before she could speak, she saw him quickly pick up Eleanor and rush outside. It was as if he couldn¡¯t see anyone else, holding Eleanor tightly in his arms and heading straight for the ambnce. After handing Eleanor over to a group of doctors, he coldly ordered, ¡°Whatever you do, you must save her!¡± The doctors, of course, knew he was the biggest boss behind the hospital and quickly responded respectfully, ¡°Yes!¡± They quickly connected Eleanor to a venttor and treated the wound with sodium bicarbonate solution. Bernard held Eleanor¡¯s hand tightly the whole time, his bloodshot eyes staring at her pale face. ¡°Eleanor, you have to pull through. Your Garett is waiting for you to get married, you can¡¯t let him down¡­¡± He spoke softly in her ear, but Eleanor, lying there, had no reaction, as if lifeless. Bernard¡¯s eyes gradually turned red, clutching her hand tightly as if holding onto thest shred of hope, constantly squeezing. The ambnce soon stopped at the hospital entrance, and Liana quickly directed the doctors to take Eleanor to the emergency room. Bernard wanted to follow, but Liana stopped him, ¡°Mr. Laurence, your presence will affect our rescue efforts.¡± With that, Liana pushed Bernard away and quickly closed the door to the emergency room.. The moment the door closed, Bernard felt weak all over, leaning against the wall and sliding down. He sat on the cold floor, hands on his knees, staring nkly at the red light above the emergency room¡­. Chapter 342 Chapter 342 When Hailey and Aidyn arrived, they saw a devastated Bernard. Aldyn walked up to him and noticed his fingers were turning ck. He quickly said, ¡°Mr. Laurence, I¡¯ll get a doctor.¡± Aidyn quickly found a doctor to help treat his wound. However, Bernard didn¡¯t react, just sitting on the ground, letting them deal with it. Hailey had no mood to care about Bernard¡¯s situation, just staring intently at the closed door of the emergency room. As time ticked by, the door to the emergency room finally slowly opened. Liana, in her sterile suit, came out sweating profusely. Before Hailey could walk over, she saw a dark figure rushing past her. ¡°How is she?¡± Bernard was soaking wet, his forehead covered with strands of hair dripping with water. He stared intently at Liana. ¡°She¡¯s pulled through for now, but her condition is very serious, and she¡¯s still unconscious.¡± Bernard tried to rush in, but Liana told him, ¡°She¡¯s been moved to the ICU.¡± He stopped, and coldly said to Liana, ¡°Take me to see her.¡± Liana nodded and led him and Hailey to the ward. ¡°This is the ICU. You can¡¯t go in, but you can stand at the door and watch her.¡± Through the ss door, Bernard saw the pale woman lying in bed, and his eyes reddened again. He stared at her for a long time, then turned his gaze to Liana: ¡°How long will it take for her to be out of danger?¡± As Liana wiped the sweat from her forehead, she answered Bernard, ¡°Mr. Laurence, probably one to two weeks, depending on her condition and whether she can get out of danger during that time.¡± Bernard¡¯s body tensed up, freezing again. His eyes were filled with endless guilt. Bernard, look, everything you¡¯ve insisted on has hurt her. If you hadn¡¯t insisted on marrying her off, hadn¡¯t insisted on attending the wedding, how could she have blocked the acid for you? You¡¯ve already killed her once, and now you¡¯ve turned her into this. How dare you to appear in her life again? He lifted his bandaged hand and ced it on the ss, as if touching her face through the distance, with deep affection. Eleanor, as long as you wake up, I promise you, from now on, I will never disturb you again. Liana nced at Bernard and then at the crying Hailey, saying to them, ¡°You two should rest for a bit. There are doctors and nurses here, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Hailey shook her head while crying, ¡®No, I want to stay here and wait for Eleanor to wake up.¡± Liana helplessly said, ¡°You can¡¯t stand here like this forever, can you?¡± After saying that, she looked at Bernard, ¡°Mr. Laurence, it will take more than two weeks. Your bodies won¡¯t be able to handle it like this.¡± Bernard didn¡¯t respond, looking lifeless. Seeing that she couldn¡¯t persuade him, Liana didn¡¯t try anymore. Sighing, she turned and walked towards the changing room. The two of them stood at the door, unmoving, for a full two days. In the end, Hailey fainted from exhaustion. Liana had no choice but to rush around to save Hailey. After rescuing her, she took advantage of Bernard¡¯s inattention and gave him a sedative. Then, very calmly, she asked Aidyn to drag Bernard into the hospital room and hooked him up to an IV. Having done all this, Liana turned and went to the ICU to personally observe Eleanor¡¯s condition¡­ When Hailey and Aidyn arrived, they saw a devastated Bernard. Aidyn walked up to him and noticed his fingers were turning ck. He quickly said, ¡°Mr. Laurence, I¡¯ll get a doctor.¡± Aldyn quickly found a doctor to help treat his wound. However, Bernard didn¡¯t react, just sitting on the ground, letting them deal with it. Hailey had no mood to care about Bernard¡¯s situation, just staring intently at the closed door of the emergency room. As time ticked by, the door to the emergency room finally slowly opened. Liano, in her sterile suit, came out sweating profusely. Before Hailey could walk over, she saw a dark figure rushing past her. ¡°How is she?¡± Bernard was soaking wet, his forehead covered with strands of hair dripping with water. He stared intently at Liana. ¡°She¡¯s pulled through for now, but her condition is very serious, and she¡¯s still unconscious.¡± Bernard tried to rush in, but Liana told him, ¡°She¡¯s been moved to the ICU.¡± He stopped, and coldly said to Liana, ¡°Take me to see her.¡± Liana nodded and led him and Hailey to the ward. ¡°This is the ICU. You can¡¯t go in, but you can stand at the door and watch her.¡± Through the ss door, Bernard saw the pale woman lying in bed, and his eyes reddened again. He stared at her for a long time, then turned his gaze to Liana: ¡°How long will it take for her to be out of danger?¡± As Liana wiped the sweat from her forehead, she answered Bernard, ¡°Mr. Laurence, probably one to two weeks, depending on her condition and whether she can get out of danger during that time.¡± Bernard¡¯s body tensed up, freezing again. His eyes were filled with endless guilt. Bernard, look, everything you¡¯ve insisted on has hurt her. If you hadn¡¯t insisted on marrying her off, hadn¡¯t insisted on attending the wedding, how could she have blocked the acid for you? You¡¯ve already killed her once, and now you¡¯ve turned her into this. How dare you to appear in her life again? He lifted his bandaged hand and ced it on the ss, as if touching her face through the distance, with deep affection. Eleanor, as long as you wake up, I promise you, from now on, I will never disturb you again.. Liana nced at Bernard and then at the crying Hailey, saying to them, ¡°You two should rest for a bit. There are doctors and nurses here, so don¡¯t worry! Hailey shook her head while crying, ¡°No, I want to stay here and wait for Eleanor to wake up.¡± Liana helplessly said, ¡°You can¡¯t stand here like this forever, can you?¡± After saying that, she looked at Bernard, ¡°Mr. Laurence, it will take more than two weeks. Your bodies won¡¯t be able to handle it like this.¡± Bernard didn¡¯t respond, looking lifeless. Seeing that she couldn¡¯t persuade him, Liana didn¡¯t try anymore. Sighing, she turned and walked towards the changing room. The two of them stood at the door, unmoving, for a full two days. In the end, Hailey fainted from exhaustion. Liana had no choice but to rush around to save Hailey. After rescuing her, she took advantage of Bernard¡¯s inattention and gave him a sedative. Then, very calmly, she asked Aidyn to drag Bernard into the hospital room and hooked him up to an IV. Having done all this, Liana turned and went to the ICU to personally observe Eleanor¡¯s condition¡­N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Chapter 343 Chapter 343 Eleanor was in the ICU with severe burns on her back, her skin tissue getting infected repeatedly, and doctors working non¨Cstop to save her life. Two weekster, she finally pulled through, but the intense pain knocked her out again when she woke up. Liana was running around nonstop, doing everything in her power to bring Eleanor back from the brink of death. Bernard, watching all this from outside the door, felt his heart aching like he was suffocating. He would rather have the acid sshed on him than have Eleanor take the hit for him. But to repay his debt, she chose this brutal way. With red eyes, he stared through the ss at Eleanor, who passed out from the pain, wishing he could take it for her. Time flew by. Liana, eyes glued to the heart monitor, let out a sigh of relief when the frequency returned to normal. She stepped out from another door and told Bernard and Hailey. ¡°Ms. Shultz is out of danger now.¡± Hearing this, Hailey copsed to the floor, her emotions bottled up for two weeks suddenly pouring out uncontroll Liana went over and hugged Hailey,forting her while looking at Bernard standing at the door. She didn¡¯t know how Bernard was feeling at the moment, but she was sure they both let out a sigh of relief. Two dayster, Eleanor was transferred to a regr ward. as she covered her face and cried. Hailey bought a bunch of stuff, nning to stay by Eleanor¡¯s bedside, but saw Bernard gently wiping Eleanor¡¯s cheek with a towel. So, she put down the stuff and left. She called Garett, but he didn¡¯t pick up. Hailey felt a little confused. Eleanor had been in the ICU for so long, and Garett hadn¡¯t shown up once. She put down her phone, sighed, and looked back at Bernard, whose eyes were full of Eleanor. At that moment, she suddenly understood why Garett hadn¡¯te. Bernard, treating her like a treasure, wiped her face and hands. Then he put down the towel, took a cotton swab, dipped it in water, and moistened her dry lips. He stood there by her bedside, silently taking care of her, waiting for her. Eleanor, as if in a fog, saw both Bernard and Garett. They stood at the edge of a cliff, both reaching out, asking her to choose. If she chose Bernard, Garett would jump off the cliff. If she chose Garett, Bernard would jump off the cliff. Not knowing who to choose, she stepped back and chose to jump off the cliff herself. She kept falling until a pair of hands caught her, and she slowly opened her eyes. What she saw were bloodshot eyes and a tired face. Her gaze moved down to find that the usually clean¨Cshaven man was now unkempt with a beard. The man, looking exhausted, let go of her hand when she woke up and told her, ¡°You just had a nightmare.¡± Eleanor nodded lightly, looked around, and realized she was in a hospital, then remembered what had happened. She tried to open her dry lips but couldn¡¯t make a sound, her throat so tight that she could only stare at Bernard. Her eyes conveyed her need. He immediately got up and brought her a ss of water, dipping a cotton swab in it and putting it in her mouth. Eleanor needed water eagerly, so she sucked the cotton swab hard, which immediately caused her back to hurt intensely, making her break out in a cold sweat. Bernard¡¯s face turned pale, quickly removing the cotton swab from her mouth, gently stroking her cheek, and pityingly saying, ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t force it.¡± Eleanor endured the pain and held tightly to the sheets, barely saying, ¡°Water¡­¡± She was incredibly thirsty and wanted to drink water badly. As shey in bed, Bernard tried to give her water, but she couldn¡¯t drink it. After hesitating for a few seconds, he knelt down, took a sip of water, and kissed her lips. He gently opened her lips and fed her the water bit by bit. Eleanor, eyes wide, stared at the man in front of her, a little shocked But her overwhelming thirst for water left her no time to care about anything else, so she just focused on drinking. Her head was tilted, and though she got some water, most of it spilled onto the pillow. She could only take small sips, which weren¡¯t enough. After Bernard finished feeding her, she still stared at the water in his hand. ¡°More.. Hearing this, a faint smile appeared in his eyes. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. He took another big sip of water and continued to feed her. Outside the ward, Garett, sitting in a wheelchair, saw all this. A smile slowly appeared on his thin face. Chapter 344 Chapter 344 After giving Eleanor some water, Bernard whispered, ¡°You want more?¡± Eleanor gently shook her head, her gaze falling on the burn marks on Bernard¡¯s fingers. She looked up at him, ¡°Your hand¡­¡± Bernard slightly bent his fingers, avoiding her gaze, and then took a clean towel with his other hand, wiping the water from her lips. He didn¡¯t answer her question, and Eleanor didn¡¯t ask again. She looked around the room, ¡°How long was I unconscious?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been half a month,¡± Bernard replied after wiping her lips. She thought it had only been a few days, but it turned out to be half a month. The first person she saw when she woke up was Bernard. So where were Hailey and Garett? She wanted to ask Bernard, but saw him gently lifting her face and changing her pillow. Then he picked up toiletries, helping her clean her cheeks, mouth, and exposed skin. He did these things naturally, as if he had been taking care of her the whole time she was unconscious. Eleanor felt a bit ufortable, lowering her head, her long eyshes quivering as she stared nkly at the floor. After cleaning her up, Bernard looked at her quietly for a few seconds, then walked to the bathroom. Eleanor watched his retreating figure, noticing him taking a suit from the closet. That¡¯s when she noticed the closet was full of his clothes and a bunch of toiletries. Bernard was a clean freak, he liked to be neat and usually wouldn¡¯t let his clothes be in a ce like this. But now he broke his own rules, putting so many clothes in the hospital room, meaning he didn¡¯t care about his cleanliness for her sake. Thinking of this, Eleanor frowned slightly, her heart filled withplicated emotions as he came out of the bathroom. He was dressed in a ck, high¨Cend suit, looking tall and straight, with a noble temperament. His thick hair was neatlybed, his chiseled face clean and sharp, without a hint of stubble.. He was as refined as ever, only his eyes hiding fatigue and returning to indifference. As Bernard came out of the bathroom, he immediately saw the man outside the room. He seemed to have been there for a long time, but didn¡¯te in because of Bernard. Bernard¡¯s expression changed slightly, then calmly walked to Eleanor. He seemed reluctant, gently stroking her short hair. ¡°Eleanor, what you owe me, including what Garett owes me, is all paid off. Don¡¯t feel like you owe me anything from now on.¡± ¡°Also, I¡¯ll find the best international stic surgeons to help you fix your back skin. I won¡¯t let you be disfigured.¡± After saying these words, his fingers slowly slid from her hair to her cheek, gazing at her affectionately.Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Eleanor, I have to go. From now on, let Mr. Falsey and Ms. Vulpe take care of you¡­¡± He had said before that once she woke up, he would no longer bother her, even if his heart was full of reluctance, he had to let her go. He stared at her face, taking a fewst nces before turning around and leaving. Eleanor¡¯s eyshes trembled slightly as she watched his retreating figure, her lips parting, ¡°You¡­¡± Bernard stopped and looked back at her, his beautiful eyes full of expectation. Eleanor¡¯s fingers slowly clenched in her palm, wanting to say something, but unable to speak, finally choosing silence. Seeing her not speaking again, Bernard was somewhat disappointed. ¡°Eleanor, take good care of yourself.¡± After saying ¡®goodbye¡® in his heart, he forced himself to turn around and walked quickly towards the exit. Eleanor faced the window, unable to turn back, but she knew everything between them was over. From then on, between Bernard and Eleanor, there would be no debts, no demands, and no nothing¡­ Chapter 345 Chapter 345 Bernard pushed open the hospital room door, took a nce at Garett sitting in his wheelchair, and walked right out. Garett couldn¡¯t hear what they were talking about inside. Seeing Bernard leave, he thought there must be an emergency, so he didn¡¯t think too much R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only about it. He took a distant look at Eleanor lying in the hospital bed and then wheeled himself towards the room¡­. Eleanor was looking out the window with her head tilted until a figure blocked her view, and she snapped back to reality. ¡°Garett¡­ Seeing him, Eleanor smiled faintly, ¡°You came¡­¡± Garett nodded slightly. Seeing the thick gauze wrapped around her back, his already pale face turned even paler. ¡°Eleanor, does it hurt a lot?¡± Eleanor wanted to smile and say it didn¡¯t hurt, but any movement made her break out in a cold sweat from the pain.. Garett reached out to touch her shoulder, but as if suddenly remembering something, his hand froze mid¨Cair and didn¡¯t touch her. He looked at Eleanor gently and said, ¡°Don¡¯t move around too much, it¡¯s easy to hurt the wound¡­¡± Eleanor blinked her eyes, signaling she understood, ¡°Okay¡­¡± After answering, she looked Garett up and down, noticing that he had lost a lot of weight since their wedding day, and she felt guilty. She opened her mouth, speaking softly, ¡°Garett, I¡¯m sorry about what happened on our wedding day¡­ Before she could finish, Garett interrupted her, ¡°Eleanor, you don¡¯t need to apologize. I understand whatever you do.¡± Hearing this, Eleanor felt even more guilty. Looking at his pale face, she didn¡¯t know what to say. Garett didn¡¯t seem to mind and told her, ¡°Eleanor, I came to give you a gift.¡± Eleanor tilted her head, her eyes full of confusion, ¡°What is it?¡± He took out a divorce certificate, handed it to Eleanor, and said, ¡°Eleanor, when I got our marriage certificate, I did it without your consent. Now, I¡¯ve gotten the divorce papers, again without your consent. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Eleanor looked at the divorce papers, stunned for a moment, and then stared at him nkly, ¡°Garett, didn¡¯t we agree to start over?¡± Garett¡¯s eyes were filled with reluctance, but he still smiled, ¡°We can¡¯t start over.¡± Eleanor¡¯s heart tightened as she frowned and asked him, ¡°Is it because I blocked the acid for him that you¡­.¡± Garett gently shook his head and said softly, ¡°It¡¯s because I know that no matter how long I wait, you¡¯ll never fall in love with me again.¡± Eleanor opened her mouth to argue, ¡°How do you know if you haven¡¯t tried?¡± Garett smiled without answering her question. Instead, he picked up the cup of water next to her and asked, ¡°Eleanor, are you thirsty?¡± Eleanor wanted to say she wasn¡¯t, but Garett said, ¡°Let me feed you.¡± He took a sip of water and suddenly lowered his head. Just as his lips were about to touch hers, Eleanor instinctively shuddered. Although she didn¡¯t avoid him, the subtle expression on her face was caught by Garett. He swallowed the water in his mouth, slowly sat up straight, looked at Eleanor, and showed a bitter smile. ¡°Eleanor, you wouldn¡¯t resist if he gave you water because you still love him¡­¡± Hearing this, Eleanor¡¯s face gradually turned pale. She wanted to exin something, but she couldn¡¯t refute it. Because just now, she indeed didn¡¯t resist Bernard, but for Garett, she instinctively wanted to avoid him¡­ Garett looked at the speechless Eleanor and chuckled. Chapter 346 Chapter 346 ¡°Eleanor, I know what you look like when you¡¯re in love with someone.¡± Without any reservations, willing to give everything for the one you love, even your life¡­¡± ¡°So I know very well that when you blocked the sulfuric acid for him, it wasn¡¯t just to repay him, but more because you love him¡­ Garett stared at the woman he loved, tears slowly streaming down his face. ¡°The way you love him is just like how you loved me back then. But I lost you like that, and I can never find you again¡­¡± Eleanor wanted to cry, saying, ¡°Garett, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m the one who betrayed you first¡­¡± Garett shook his head, not ming her. ¡°It was me who made you angry, causing the car ident. All of this was my fault.¡± He remembered that the car ident eight years ago had already told him that their fate had ended, but he still held onto the past. Garett thought of this, smiled faintly, and looked at Eleanor. ¡°Eleanor, forgive me for losing my memory for five years. When I remembered, I only remembered our past when we were young, so I kept clinging to it. If I had let go of you and the past earlier, you wouldn¡¯t have to stay with me out of guilt.¡± Eleanor looked at him and said, ¡°Garett, I¡­ Garett shook his head, interrupting her. ¡°Eleanor, you said you wanted to start over with me and fall in love with me again, but actually, it¡¯s just like me no being able to let go of the past. Our friendship of over twenty years is what you can¡¯t let go of. But I know you don¡¯t have love for me anymore¡­ After saying this, he looked at the men¡¯s suit in the wardrobe. ¡°Now there¡¯s a man who loves you like I do, even more than I do. What reason do I have to hold onto you? And me¡­¡± He paused for a moment and continued, ¡°Having been loved by you is more than enough for me. How can I ask you to keep loving me¡­ Upon hearing his words, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but cry, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± Garett gently ruffled her hair as he did when they were young. ¡°You never owed me anything. We just weren¡¯t meant to be. It¡¯s nobody¡¯s fault¡­¡± Eleanor felt guilty and couldn¡¯t face Garett, burying her head in the pillow, crying uncontrobly. Garett was afraid she would hurt herself by crying too hard, so heforted her over and over. ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t cry, and don¡¯t feel guilty towards me. I¡¯ve let go. So from now on, you should let go too¡­ Eleanor calmed down a bit, turned her head, her eyes red and swollen, and she looked at him. ¡°Are you leaving?¡± Garett nodded, ¡°Eleanor, let Bernard take care of you from now on¡­¡± Eleanor said helplessly, ¡°Garett, are you sure?¡± He nodded and continued, ¡°Eleanor, when I¡¯m not around, take care of yourself, and also¡­¡± Garett took out a contract and said to Eleanor, ¡°Bernard saved me, arranged for people to take care of me and protect me. Now he¡¯s even helping me back the Clowers Group, and he¡¯s also dealt with my enemies. Everything he¡¯s done has helped repay your debts. We don¡¯t owe each other anything, s you don¡¯t have to feel guilty anymore¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Eleanor finally understood the true meaning of the cliff dream. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only It wasn¡¯t her choosing between them, but them leaving her¡­ The debt she owed was finally paid off the moment they turned and walked away¡­ Chapter 347 Chapter 347 Garett put down the contract in his hands, a grin spread across his face. Eleanory on the hospital bed, quietly watching him. It was like seeing a glimpse of their younger selves. He used to sit at the back of the ss, propping his hand on the desk, watching her pass by the window. He was as gentlemanly then as he was now. They stared at each other, as if bidding farewell to the regrets of their youth. After a while, Garett shifted his gaze, nced at his watch, and when he looked up at Eleanor again, he seemed at peace. ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯ve got to head back to B City at a quarter past four.¡± Eleanor felt a pang of guilt, but when she saw the look in his eyes, she swallowed back her words. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. She looked at him, just like when she used to send him off to his games, gently saying, ¡°Garett, drive safe¡­ Garett¡¯s fingers tightened around the contract, ¡°Eleanor, do you remember what 4:15 means?¡± Eleanor racked her brain but couldn¡¯t remember, so she shook her head at him. Garett let go of the contract, his lips curling into a bitter smile before he pushed his wheelchair away Eleanor couldn¡¯t turn to watch him leave; all she could hear was the sound of the wheelchair rolling away¡­ She stared at the clouds outside the window, memories of their seventeen¨Cyear¨Cold selves came flooding back. Garett holding flowers, confessing his feelings for her. He had said, ¡°Eleanor, when I told you I liked you, it was exactly 4:15. Remember that moment, don¡¯t forget.¡± She had replied, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll never forget.¡± So, 4:15 was the time he confessed his feelings to her when they were seventeen¡­ Eleanor, enduring the sharp pain, got up from the bed and turned to look at Garett. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Garett, I forgot¡­¡± Garett¡¯s wheelchair came to a halt, but he didn¡¯t turn around. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Eleanor. As long as I remember.¡± Tears welled up in Eleanor¡¯s eyes again, the pain in her back making her break out in a cold sweat. ¡°Garett, will I ever see you again?¡± Tears slipped down Garett¡¯s cheeks, but he didn¡¯t turn around. ¡°Eleanor, let¡¯s not see each other anymore, no more contact¡­¡± He had topletely step out of her life to truly let her go. Otherwise, how could he ever forget her? Garett pushed his wheelchair and left the room without hesitation, leaving her behind¡­. Eleanor watched his determined back, her eyes filled with tears. ¡°Goodbye, Garett.¡± Goodbye, my boy, goodbye, Garett. The man in the wheelchair said, ¡°Goodbye, Eleanor.¡± Colter was waiting in the corridor. Seeing him leave the room, he immediately walked towards him. ¡°Mr. Laurence, President Clowers is waiting for you at home. Let¡¯s go home¡­¡± Garett turned his head, nced at the direction of the room, forced himself to look away, then said to Colter, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the orphanage first.¡± Colter nodded and quickly pushed him into the elevator, then drove him to the orphanage. However, Garett didn¡¯t go to the orphanage. Instead, he went to where the wedding was held. He stared at the distant bushes. The bushes where he found Eleanor, were where their fate began and ended. But no one in the world would ever know that; he would be forever trapped in the past, unable to extricate himself. Chapter 348 Chapter 348 Chapter 348 In front of the Lawrence Group building, a dozen or so luxury cars were parked. Bernard stepped out of one, his face expressionless, and strode towards the CEO¡¯s office. ? ? ? ? ? Aidyn hurried after him, noticing his brisk pace and quickly motioned for the bodyguards to keep up. Bernard barked out a cold order to Aidyn as he walked, ¡°Prepare the private jet.¡± After Aidyn responded, he asked, ¡°Mr. Laurence, how long are we staying this time?¡± ¡°A year,¡± replied Bernard, his face still devoid of any expression. Taken aback, Aidyn stared at him, ¡°Mr. Laurence, why so long?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t respond, not a flicker of emotion crossed his face. Aidyn, reading his mood, did not pursue the matter further. ¡°I¡¯ll get your personal items ready tonight, then.¡± Bernard nodded, stepping into his private elevator. Cedric was in the CEO¡¯s office, engrossed in his phone. Seeing Bernard enter, he quickly got up and walked over. ¡°Bro, didn¡¯t we decide in thest meeting that someone else would handle the aerospace business over there? Why is it you now?¡± Bernard took off his suit jacket, ced it on the couch, then sat down at the U-shaped desk. He picked up the already prepared coffee, took a sip, and nced at Cedric. ¡°All this chatter, you want toe too?¡± ¡°No way, I have zero interest in aerospace¡­¡± Cedric replied. Bernard lifted his hand, switched on hisputer, and began to review thetest financial reports. After a quick scan, he sent a meeting notice to the management team, then shut down hisputer. Then he turned his cold gaze on Cedric, ¡°While I¡¯m gone, I¡¯m leaving the Lawrence Group to you. Let¡¯s start the handover meeting now. Within two hours, I want you to take over all of the Lawrence Group¡¯s projects for the next year.¡± C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Cedric felt his vision darken, ¡°Bro, can I apply to go to Africa now?¡± The Lawrence Group had countless projects in Country A and had expanded overseas in recent years, growing rapidly. How could he, a programmer, possibly take over such a huge group? Bernard got up, walked past him, giving him a nce. Just one look from Bernard was enough to get Cedric moving. What was so hard about managing projects? In the boardroom, Cedric sat nkly as countless executives reported their project progress. He was utterly lost. Not only did he have to deal with differentnguages and scripts, but also professional issues¡­. He turned his head and looked at the man sitting at the head of the table, who was leaning back in his chair, his head slightly tilted. Bernard was staring at the screen, switching betweennguages,municating with professionals from around the world. Cedric took a deep breath. Bernard was truly remarkable. He himself would never be able to handle so manynguages at once. Yet Bernard was not only able to switch topics effortlessly, but he could also use extremely professional terms to point out issues in each project and how to advance them. Sitting next to Bernard, Cedric felt the pressure doubled and began to regreting to the CEO¡¯s office. After the meeting, Bernard turned to Cedric, ¡°Did you remember all that?¡± Cedric¡¯s handsome face darkened, ¡°Bro, can you just let me go?¡± Bernard nced at him, then turned his gaze to Ryan Wiseman, ¡°Spend a month helping him get up to speed.¡± Ryan Wiseman looked at Cedric impatiently, ¡°Mr. Laurence, make it two months. I¡¯m afraid he won¡¯t remember it all in one month.¡± Chapter 349 Chapter 349 Cedric was pissed off by this Ryan guy. He chucked his phone and rolled up his sleeves, throwing a punch at him. 1 can get it done in one week!¡± Even after being punched, Ryan didn¡¯t say anything. He just chuckled, packed up hisptop, and left. Cedric was infuriated by Ryan¡¯s arrogant demeanor. He wanted to chase after him andnd a few more punches, but he was stopped by Bernard. Seeing how Bernard looked, Cedric sat down next to him, asking. ¡°Bro, any more orders?¡± Bernard lowered his head and said, ¡°Take care of her, don¡¯t let anyone take advantage of her.¡± Cedric knew who he was referring to. He said, ¡°Bro, if you can¡¯t get her back, stop doing this.¡± Bernard nced at his fingertips that had been burned by sulfuric acid. After a moment of silence, he replied, ¡°I owe her.¡± He had hurt her with a p once. Even if she had forgiven him, he couldn¡¯t forgive himself. To distance herself from him now, she even shielded him from the acid. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. His debt to her was piling up¡­ Cedric looked at his hand. His once handsome fingers were now ruined, and he felt a pang of sadness. ¡°Bro, you¡¯ve done enough for her. Forgive yourself.¡± Bernard responded firmly, ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Seeing him like this, Cedric didn¡¯t know what to say. He could only nod helplessly, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take care of her.¡± Bernard nodded, reminding him, ¡°Don¡¯t bother her.¡± Cedric sighed helplessly again, ¡°Okay¡­¡± Only then did Bernard get up and leave. Watching his lonely figure, Cedric shook his head. In the world of love, the one who loved deeper lost more. After finishing his work, Bernard hurried back to the mansion. Before he could get out of the car, he saw someone arguing with the security guard¡­. ¡°Ms. Ratliff, please show your permit, or you can only leave. Mr. Laurence¡¯s order.¡± For the past three years, Sophie was stopped by the same guard every time she visited. Sophie was long fed up with him; she pped him hard. ¡°You useless idiot, look who I am. I¡¯m Bernard¡¯s fianc¨¦e, and you dare to stop me?!¡± The guard wanted to retaliate after being pped for no reason, but his professionalism held him back. ¡°Ms. Ratliff, if I remember correctly, you¡¯ve been dumped by Mr. Laurence. How can you still im to be his fianc¨¦e?¡± Hearing this, Sophie was furious. She tried to p the guard again but was stopped. He released Sophie¡¯s hand, warning, ¡°If you make a scene again, don¡¯t me me for being rude!¡± Sophie was trembling with anger, ¡°Very well, even a security guard can treat me like this now, right?¡± Sophie stepped back and shouted at the mansion, ¡°Bernard, you promised your brother that you would marry me. How can you break your promise over someone like Eleanor!¡± The man in the Koenigsegg car smirked, slowly lowering the window to reveal his cold face. He rested his hand on the window, his long fingers supporting his chin. His indifferent eyes coldly stared at the ranting Sophie. Chapter 350 Chapter 350 Sophie felt like she was being watched. She quickly turned around, and when she saw it was Bernard, her face lit up with joy ¡°Bernard, you finally decided to see me¡­¡± She quickened her pace, running to him. ¡°Bernard, for the past three years, I¡¯ve been shut out by you. Do you know how much I missed you?¡± Bernard smirked, ¡°You missed me?¡± Sophie, tears welling up in her eyes, nodded fervently, ¡°Bernard, I once told you that I¡¯ve liked you since we were kids. How could I not miss you?¡± Bernard lifted his indifferent eyes, staring coldly at her, ¡°What about my brother?¡± Sophie¡¯sce changed, a hint of guilt shed in her eyes, but she still firmly said, ¡°I never loved your brother. It was always you. If it wasn¡¯t for you being so aloof, why would I agree to date your older brother¡­¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. As she finished, she tried to grab Bernard¡¯s hand. But before her hand could touch his fingers, he swiftly withdrew it. This rejection made Sophie feel humiliated, followed by a rush of regret. ¡°I was such a fool. I turned down your proposal to avoid creating a misunderstanding. I should have married you right after your brother¡¯s death!¡± If she had married him back then, how could that annoying Eleanor have any chance? She thought Bernard wasn¡¯t interested in her because she couldn¡¯t meet his standards, so she decided to go abroad to better herself. But to her surprise, Bernard found a woman who looked somewhat like her after she left. She never thought it would turn out this way. Why wasn¡¯t Bernard interested in her, even though they looked so much alike? Every time she thought of Bernard, a man obsessed with cleanliness, getting intimate with another woman, Sophie felt indignant. She looked at Bernard¡¯s cold face, yelling angrily, ¡°Bernard, no matter what, you promised my brother you would marry me. You can¡¯t break your promise!¡± Bernard¡¯s smirk became more pronounced, ¡°You deceived my brother¡¯s feelings to get close to me, and you still want me to marry you? Dream on!¡± If he didn¡¯t know the truth before, he might have married her out of respect for his brother¡¯s dying wish, but now¡­.. Bernard raised his hand, signaling the security guard at the gate.: The guard quickly approached, bowing respectfully, ¡°What can I do for you, Mr. Laurence?¡± Bernard pointed at Sophie standing in front of the car, ¡°She just pped you. p her back!¡°: The guard was stunned, not expecting his boss to stand up for him. Feeling somewhat ttered, the guard responded, ¡°Yes, sir, and then he stood up straight and pped Sophie hard. It was his boss¡¯smand, he couldn¡¯t defy his discipline as a retired special forces soldier. Sophie, who was knocked to the ground, looked at Bernard in disbelief, ¡°How could you¡­ how could you let a low¨Clife hit me?!¡± Bernard seemed not to hear, pulling out a wet wipe and handing it to the guard, ¡°It is dirty, wipe it off.¡± The guard, initially upset by Sophie¡¯s insult, didn¡¯t expect his boss to take his side in such a way. Taking the wet wipe, he started to clean the ce where he had touched Sophie. This was a ruthless trampling on Sophie¡¯s dignity. He knew she looked down on these guards, but he still chose to humiliate her in this way! The ¡°dirty¡± he mentioned was clearly implying she was no nobler than these guards, perhaps even less. Enraged beyond her limits, Sophie suddenly sprang to her feet and charged at Bernard, but the guard was quick to grab her. While struggling, Sophie gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Bernard, you¡¯ve gone too far. You broke off our engagement, took over the Ratliff family¡¯s business, leaving me no way out. I won¡¯t give you any chances either. Just you wait!¡± Bernard gave her onest cold look, ¡°You should be grateful that my brother loved you when he was alive, otherwise¡­¡± Chapter 351 Chapter 351 He didn¡¯t say the rest, but Sophie got his drift. If his big brother wasn¡¯t into her, he would¡¯ve given her the boot a long time ago. Sophie was so mad she turned pale, but she was also scared shitless. If he found out about that incident back then¡­. She couldn¡¯t bear to think about it, let alone kick up a fuss in front of him. Sophie clenched her fists, gritted her teeth, and watched the Koenigsegg drive into the estate, fuming. He could never uncover the past, but she had dirt on him. Bernard, you¡¯ll pay through the nose for your betrayal! Back at his vi, Bernard took off his coat and handed it to a servant, asking for some sanitizer. The servant quickly brought it to him, and he sprayed some on the finger that Sophie had almost touched. After cleaning up, Bernard headed to his study, tidied up some work, and opened a drawer. Seeing his private phone, he felt a pang in his heart and found it hard to breathe. He took a deep breath, picked up the phone, turned it on, and stared at the only name in the contacts. She said he didn¡¯t even save her number, but little did she know, he had it memorized. And his private phone only had her. Bernard gripped his phone tighter but finally let go with a heavy heart. He walked over to the safe, put his phone inside, and locked it. From now on, he wouldn¡¯t touch anything rted to her, and he wouldn¡¯t hurt as much. Bernard touched the safe, grabbed his files and work phone, and left his study. Aidyn had packed up his personal belongings. Seeing Bernarde out of his study, he immediately approached him, ¡°Mr. Laurence, the ne is ready.¡± Bernard nodded, handed everything to Aidyn, and instructed coldly, ¡°I¡¯ll be at the airbase this year, out of the loop. If thepany faces an emergency, let Cedric call the shots. Whatever he decides, make sure everyone¡¯s on board. If the Laurence family is in a pinch, reach out to my older sister first¡± Aidyn replied respectfully, ¡°Yes, sir.¡± After giving his instructions, Bernard got in the car, which quickly headed to the airport. As he flipping through a finance magazine in his private jet, he received a call. He nced at the number on the screen, somewhat reluctant to answer, but he remembered he needed the caller¡¯s help. He frowned and answered. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± he asked coldly. Original from N?velDrama.Org. A soft voice came from the other end, ¡°Bernard, shouldn¡¯t I be the one asking you that?¡± Bernard¡¯s icy face didn¡¯t change. He seemed reluctant to say more than necessary. The caller knew his personality and went straight to the point, ¡°If you want me to return to the country to help your friend restore their skin, you¡¯ve got to grant me a favor.¡± A look of disgust shed in Bernard¡¯s eyes, ¡°Name your price, don¡¯t y games with me.¡± The caller chuckled, her voice still soft, ¡°I don¡¯t really care. After all, I¡¯m the only one in the world who can guarantee a 100% skin restoration. If you¡¯re up for it, let¡¯s talk. If you¡¯re not, forget it¡­ Just as she was about to hang up, Bernard¡¯s cold voice came through, ¡°What¡¯s the condition?¡± A confident smile spread across her face. ¡°Simple! Let me pursue you for three years!¡± Chapter 352 Chapter 352 When Hailey found out that Garett and Bernard had both left, she dashed to the hospital. There on the hospital bedy Eleanor, her back all patched up with medicine, but her wounds were still festering. She was lying on her side, her eyes nk, just staring out the window. As Hailey approached, she realized Eleanor was in so such pain that she was breaking out in a cold sweat, but hadn¡¯t made a peep. She was clutching the sheets, as if trying to alleviate the pain, but it was no use. Seeing Eleanor like this, Hailey couldn¡¯t help but shed tears, ¡°Eleanor¡­¡± Hearing Hailey¡¯s voice, Eleanor slowly lifted her eyes, her unfocused gaze fixed on the figure in front of her for a long while. When she finally made out it was Hailey, she parted her dry lips and whispered, ¡°Hailey¡­¡± Hailey could sense the helplessness in Eleanor¡¯s tone. Touched, Hailey picked up a towel nearby, bent down and wiped the sweat off Eleanor¡¯s forehead. ¡°Eleanor, Liana told me nobody¡¯s taking care of you, so I rushed here. Sorry I¡¯mte.¡± Eleanor, enduring the intense pain, gave her a small shake of her head, as if trying to say something but not knowing what to say. As Hailey was gently wiping her forehead, she noticed the divorce papers by Eleanor¡¯s pillow. She picked them up and took a nce, her brows furrowing when she saw the names. No wonder Garett¡¯s phone was off. Turned out he and Eleanor got divorced. Hailey looked at Eleanor, so pale and feeble, and her heart ached even more. ¡°Eleanor, Garett probably thought Bernard would stay by your side, that¡¯s why he divorced you¡­¡± Eleanor managed to put on a weak smile, seemingly too tired to talk about it. Hailey sat down by the bed, held Eleanor¡¯s hand, as if trying to lend her some strength, and gave it a squeeze. ¡°Eleanor, it¡¯s okay. They might have left, but I¡¯m still here. I¡¯ll be by your side, and I will never leave you.¡± Liana had said that Bernard chose to let go, leaving Eleanor to Garett, and that was why he didn¡¯t come to take care of Eleanor. She immediately called Garett, hoping to rekindle their old me, but she didn¡¯t expect him to also let go.. Bernard, breaking off their agreement three years ago, left Eleanor once. This would be the second time. Garett, having amnesia eight years ago, left Eleanor once. This would be the second time. They both chose to leave Eleanor, but not her. She, Hailey, would stick by Eleanor, taking good care of her. A sense of warmth filled Eleanor, and a hint of color came back to her vacant eyes, ¡°Hailey, thank you for all these years¡­¡± Just like a big sister, Hailey stroked her sweaty hair, ¡°The best thanks would be for you to get better soon.¡± Life had been too hard to her Eleanor. Always trying to hold on tight to something, but always slipping away, and in the end, still got dumped. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Enduring the pain in her back, Eleanor obediently responded, ¡°Okay¡­¡± Hailey picked up the towel again, wiped Eleanor¡¯s face and bare skin, and even helped massage her immobile legs.. Liana stood outside the ward, and seeing this scene, envy filled her eyes. All these years, she¡¯d been fighting alone, never had anyone by her side. Ms. Shultz was indeed luckier to have a sister like this always by her side. Liana didn¡¯t dare to hope for things that didn¡¯t belong to her, so she turned away, pulled out her phone, and called Mr. Laurence. Now that Garett and Ms. Shultz were divorced, Mr. Laurence finally had a chance! However, after several calls, his phone was still off. She had no choice but to call Aldyn, who said Mr. Laurence was abroad and would be at the air base for a year. Liana looked back at the ward, and told Aidyn, ¡°If you can get hold of Mr. Laurence, tell him, Ms. Shultz won¡¯t be short of suitors. When hees back after a year, if she has a boyfriend¡­¡± After saying that, Liana was so mad she hung up. At a time when Ms. Shultz needed Mr. Laurence the most, he was absent. Was he going to let someone else step in? Chapter 353 Chapter 353 Liana had just tucked her phone into her whiteb cost when she spotted a dashing, stylishly dressed man striding towards the VIP ward. The moment he saw her, his yes lit up, a sunny smile spreading across his face. ¡°Excuse me, doctor,¡± he said, is Ms. Shultz in this room?¡± Recognizing he was here for Eleanor, Liana stiffened, thinking to herself, ¡°Has Ms. Shultz¡¯s suitor already showed up?¡± a maintained a smile. Yes, she is. And you are?¡± card from his suit pocket and handed it to her. ¡°My name is Pearce¡± Though taken aback, Liana He pulled out a Seeing the title ¡°Chief Designer at Vanguard Architects¡® written on the card, Liana greeted him with a small smile. Nice to meet you¡± After shaking her hand and slipping the card into her hand, Pearce shed her a grin. ¡°If you ever need a house designed, give me a shout. I¡¯ll give you a 20% discount.¡± With that, he swiftly turned and headed for the ward. But as he turned, his smile vanished in an instant¡­.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Pearce paused at the door of the ward, his smile returning as he knocked on the door. ¡°Ms. Shultz, may Ie in?¡± Hailey, who was massaging Eleanor¡¯s legs, looked up at the man outside the door. ¡°And you are?¡± Leaning against the doorframe, Pearce ran his fingers through his hair. ¡°Pearce.¡± Eleanor, remembering Ethan mentioning someoneing to tutor her in architecture, invited him in without turning around. As Pearce entered and saw Eleanor¡¯s back wrapped inyers of gauze, a frown creased his brow But he didn¡¯t ask what had happened. Instead, he expressed concern about her ability to study in her condition Eleanor cast an apologetic nce at him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to learn design from you for a while.¡± Pearce responded with a brilliant, clean smile. ¡°That¡¯s alright, you can start with the theory¡± He checked his phone for the time and told Eleanor, ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll set aside two hours each day to Eleanor nodded in agreement. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Hooper¡± give you lessons.¡± With a wave of his hand and a smile that seemed a bit forced, Pearce adjusted his expression before telling Eleanor, ¡°Before I start teaching you, Ms. Shultz, I need to know a bit about your background.¡± Lying on her stomach, Eleanor didn¡¯t notice his change in expression and simply nodded her consent. Having received her permission, Pearce began to ask about Eleanor¡¯s background, ¡°Where did you graduate from?¡± Surprised, Eleanor lowered her gaze, slightly ashamed. ¡°A university in A City¡± Pearce raised on eyebrow. ¡°The University of A?¡± When Eleanor shook her head, Pearce understood that it probably wasn¡¯t a highly rated school. A hint of disdain appeared in his eyes, but he forced himself not to dwell on her academic background and quickly changed the subject. ¡°What field of design did you study?¡± ¡°Brand design¡± ¡°Have you won any awards?¡± ¡°Dopetitions held by the school count?¡± Pearce didn¡¯t know how to respond. He quickly deemed Eleanor unqualified and didn¡¯t bother asking any more questions. Maintaining a smile that was on the verge of bing a grimace, Pearce said to Eleanor, ¡°Ms. Shultz, the projects your sister has taken on are not just ordinary interior designs. They are iconic buildings representing each country, each city. You¡¯ve had no previous understanding of this. To achieve what your sister has in a short period of time is nearly impossible. I suggest you familiarize yourself with her design style first, and then try to mimic it. That might prevent you from making mistakes.¡± Eleanor was already aware of this and felt the pressure mounting. However, she firmly nodded at Pearce. ¡°I¡¯ll work hard, Mr. Hooper.¡± Keeping his polite smile, Pearce¡¯s words carried a hint of mockery ¡°Sometimes, no matter how hard a person tries, it¡¯s useless if theyck talent¡± Hailey, sitting nearby, was already feeling hurt from Pearce¡¯s questions about Eleanor¡¯s education. Unable to hold back, she retorted, ¡°How do you know Eleanor doesn¡¯t have talent if you haven¡¯t seen her design drafts?¡± Pearce turned to look at Hailey. His smile faltered, then copsed. ¡°You look like a high school graduate.¡± Hailey clenched her fists, but Pearce turned back to Eleanor, smiling again. ¡°Ms. Shultz, just a friendly reminder. I might be a bit tough when I teach. So be prepared. Eleanor nodded lightly, ¡°No problem.¡± Seeing her cooperation, Pearce stood up to leave. As he stepped outside the ward, he rubbed his aching cheeks from too much smiling, cursing under his breath, ¡°Damn, my face is frozen from all that smiling!¡± Chapter 354 Chapter 354 Seeing him walk away, Hailey huffed, ¡°Man, what¡¯s his deal? So rude! And that freaky smile, and the way he talks¡­ all sarcastic and stuff. Eleanor had been talking so much she was practically out of steam, but she still managed to reassure Hailey, ¡°Some designers are just quirky, don¡¯t ¡°sweat it.¡± Hailey was still fuming, she whipped out her phone and looked up Pearce, wanting to see what made him so full of himself. After going through Pearce¡¯s resume, Hailey chose to let it slide. She couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with such an intellectual. Trying to act nonchnt, she put away her phone and asked Eleanor gently. ¡°Eleanor, you hungry? Want me to grab you something to eat?¡± Eleanor shook her head weakly, her unfocused gaze making Hailey seem blurry. ¡°Hailey, when I moved to your vi, I brought a box of medicine. Could you bring them next time you visit?¡± Hailey instinctively looked at Eleanor¡¯s heart and asked worriedly, ¡°Are you feeling unwell because you haven¡¯t taken your anti¨Crejection meds?¡± Eleanor blinked her tired eyes, ¡°After a few bouts of crying, my vision has been a bit blurry.¡± Upon hearing this, Hailey reached up to touch Eleanor¡¯s forehead, ¡°I¡¯ll go get your meds right now.¡± C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Before Eleanor could stop her, Hailey was already on her way, phone in hand, and out of the room. Once Hailey left, Eleanor was alone again in the empty room, loneliness seeping in from all corners. She turned her gaze at the rows of men¡¯s suits in the wardrobe, her expression growing dimmer. 4 He still had clothes here. Guess he didn¡¯t want them anymore. He never looked back at the things he discarded. When Liana came for her rounds, she saw Eleanor staring nkly at the clothes in the wardrobe. It didn¡¯t take long for her to realize that she was still hung up on Bernard. Even though she had promised Mr. Laurence not to mention him in front of Eleanor, Liana couldn¡¯t help herself, ¡°Eleanor, Bernard left because he thought Garett would take care of you. If he knew you divorced Garett, he would never leave you during these times.¡± Eleanor withdrew her gaze and gave Liana a smile, ¡°Dr. Terrill, there¡¯s no debt between him and me. Saying he left me isn¡¯t quite right.¡± Seeing Eleanor¡¯s pale face, Liana sighed deeply, ¡°You are still missing Bernard, aren¡¯t you?¡± Eleanor lowered her long, curledshes and said softly, ¡°Liana, can we not talk about him?¡± Liana nodded reluctantly, ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t mention him. Let¡¯s change your dressings.¡± Eleanor nodded slightly, and Liana muttered ¡®hang in there¡® before starting the dressing change. The intense pain from her back made Eleanor break out in cold sweat, her face was deathly pale, and tears welled up in her eyes uncontrobly. She gritted her teeth, clung to the bedsheet, and forced the tears back. She still had to help her sister with design sketches, and she couldn¡¯t afford to lose her sight. She had to protect it at all costs. With that belief, Eleanor pushed through each dressing change, never letting herself cry out even when the pain made her faint. During this time, she also endured the pain while listening intently to Pearce¡¯s lectures. At first, she thought Pearce¡¯s strictness was just a ploy to make her take things seriously. But after spending some time with him, she realized that Pearce had a serious case of OCD.. If her answers deviated from the original answers or if she missed a word, which made him feel asymmetrical, she would be severely reprimanded. Moreover, Pearce¡¯s pursuit of architectural perfection was relentless. Any slight mistake, especially in calctions, would result in a verbalshing. His words, though not littered with obscenities, could bring her to tears. As Eleanor endured the pain, she clenched her fists and made a silent vow: Once she recovered, she would defeat Pearce with her work, otherwise, she couldn¡¯t quench her sense of injustice! Under such physical and emotional pressure, her will to live gradually returned. Chapter 355 Chapter 355 A monthter, her back had passed the infection stage, and it wasn¡¯t as painful as before. But Liana was worried about the skin graft surgery: 1 tried to contact a very famous stic surgeon internationally, but I couldn¡¯t get through to her! Dr. Teresa was quite skilled at skin repair, but it was very difficult to contact her and even harder to get her to agree to help Eleanor with the surgery. Eleanorforted Liana: ¡°It¡¯s fine, an ordinary stic surgeon will do. Scars on my back won¡¯t be visible anyway, and my clothes can cover them.¡± While peeling an orange, Hailey said, ¡°Women shouldn¡¯t have scars, it¡¯s so ugly.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t mind: 1 got a scar from my heart transnt surgery too, a few more won¡¯t matter¡± Hailey looked at her sympathetically: ¡°You¡¯re so pretty, it¡¯s a pity you have scars.¡± Eleanor smiled: ¡°I¡¯m not a celebrity, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Just as Liana was about to say something, there was a knock on the door. She opened it and was surprised to see the person in front of her, then her face lit up with joy.. ¡°Dr. Teresa¡®¡± Teresa was wearing a white women¡¯s suit, with an elegant and generous smile on her face. a ¡± ¡± ** ¡°Dr. Terrill, I heard you have a patient here whose back was ruined by sulfuric acid. I came to see if I could help ¡°That¡¯s great! I¡¯ve been trying to contact you, but I could never get through. I didn¡¯t expect you toe to our hospital,¡± Compared to Liana¡¯s excitement, Teresa seemed calmer: ¡°Let me see the patient first.¡± Liana nodded and led her into the ward. . ¡± ( Just as Liana was about to introduce Eleanor to Teresa, she saw Teresa walk up to Eleanor and extend her hand. ¡°Ms. Shultz, hello, I¡¯m Teresa.¡± Eleanor and Hailey were taken aback, and Liana was also a bit confused. How did Teresa know Eleanor? Out of courtesy, Eleanor shook her hand, ¡°Hello, Dr. Teresa.¡± Teresa didn¡¯t exin how she knew Eleanor, she just lifted the gauze from her back to check the wound. After the examination, Teresa said to Liana, ¡°Her surgery can¡¯t be dyed any longer. Arrange the skin graft surgery as soon as possible.¡± Liana enthusiastically agreed: ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll arrange the operating room. How many doctors do you need to assist? Teresa picked up a wet wipe, cleaned her fingers, and said to Liana, ¡°I brought doctors with me. We don¡¯t need any from your hospital. You can just lend me the operating room.¡± Her words made Liana feel a bit ufortable, but she didn¡¯t say anything: ¡°Okay.¡± Teresa threw away the wet wipe, turned around, and looked at Eleanor, examining her carefully. ¡°Ms. Shultz, you¡¯re very pretty, a frail beauty. No wonder Bernard called me personally to help you.¡± The mention of Bernard¡¯s name made Eleanor¡¯s long eyshes quiver slightly. Before he left, he said he would find the best stic surgeon for her. At first, she didn¡¯t take it seriously, but she didn¡¯t expect him to actually find one. Liana nced at Teresa, who was standing in front of the bed, hands folded across her chest, looking down at Eleanor. Employees under Mr. Laurence never dared to call him by his name directly. But Teresa not only called Mr. Laurence by his name but also showed hostility towards Eleanor. Liana¡¯s impression of Teresa wasn¡¯t very good, and her difort intensified. However, Teresa didn¡¯t seem to care. She even stepped closer to Eleanor and said, ¡°Ms. Shultz, I was Bernard¡¯s college ssmate.¡± Eleanor understood everything upon hearing this. She looked up at Teresa, who stood before her, elegant, beautiful, confident, and she was indeed a top¨Cnotch beauty. But what did Teresa¡¯s beauty have anything to do with her? She and Bernard had already ended things completely Eleanor pursed her lips, not responding to Teresa, who continued, ¡°I liked him since college, but I never had the chance to get close. Thanks to you, I now have a chance to pursue him.¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. Even though she didn¡¯t know where Bernard was, it didn¡¯t matter. She could wait. Chapter 356 Chapter 356 Eleanor¡¯s fingers clenched tightly, but her face remained expressionless, ¡°Dr. Teresa, that¡¯s your business, not mine.¡± Teresa gave a slight smile, showing her elegant grin, ¡°Now that you say that, I get it.¡± After speaking, Teresa gracefully turned to face Liana, ¡°Dr. Terrill, see you in the operating room.¡± With that, she hurriedly left the ward, her high heels clicking on the floor. After she left, Hailey angrily said, ¡°If I weren¡¯t worried she¡¯d mess with the surgery, I would¡¯ve cussed her out already¡± Liana was also a bit angry but didn¡¯t say much. She pulled out her phone and kept calling Mr. Laurence. He¡¯d been in lockdown at the airbase for a month already surely it was time to check his phone? But still, it was turned off. Liana felt deted, put down her phone, and looked at Eleanor. ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t sweat it¡­¡± Over the past two months, both she and Hailey had been by Eleanor¡¯s side, they had became closer and no longer as formal as before. Eleanor rxed her clenched fingers and smiled at Liana and Hailey, ¡°I should be the one to say that. You guys don¡¯t worry about it¡­¡± Whether she cared or not didn¡¯t matter anymore. For the rest of her life, Bernard had nothing to do with her. Liana and Hailey exchanged nces, knowing Eleanor¡¯s personality, and didn¡¯t say anything more. After Liana gave some pre¨Csurgery instructions, she left to get busy with work, while Hailey stayed to take care of Eleanor in the ward. Time flew by, and soon it was the day of the skin graft surgery. Although Teresa saw Eleanor as a love rival, her medical ethics were impable, and she didn¡¯t sabotage the surgery. To ease Eleanor¡¯s pain, Teresa even used expensive medication she¡¯d brought back from abroad after the operation. Eleanory in bed for another two months, gradually recovering after countless bouts of pain. On the day she was discharged, Eleanor stood in front of the bathroom mirror, looked sideways at her back. There were still some scars, but most of the skin had healed well, not as ugly as before. She was quite satisfied with the oue, turned on the faucet, washed her hands, and left the bathroom. Hailey was packing stuff and asked, ¡°Do you want to take those clothes in the closet with you?¡± Eleanor nced at the row of men¡¯s suits, her voice was t, ¡°I¡¯ll give them to Liana to return to him.¡± Hailey nodded and continued packing. Eleanor stared at the clothes for a few seconds, then took them off one by one. When she brought the clothes to the dean¡¯s office, she ran into Tyler, who was holding Liana against the wall, kissing her. Eleanor casually put down the clothes, asked Liana to help return them, and said, ¡°You guys carry on.¡± The moment the door closed, Liana was extremely embarrassed, while Tyler, unsatisfied, grabbed her waist and kissed her hard. Liana endured the pain, clung to Tyler¡¯s shoulder, and said, ¡°Tyler, I want a baby¡­¡± Tyler suddenly stopped, his face turning pale as if remembering something unpleasant, his enthusiasm gone. He left Liana, took some wet wipes, and slowly wiped his fingers, then said to Liana, ¡°We can adopt a child.¡± Liana watched his face and calmly continued to provoke him, ¡°I want to have my own baby¡­. A sh of guilt in Tyler¡¯s eyes, he pretended not to care and said, ¡°It¡¯s better if we don¡¯t have kids. That way, no one will disturb us.¡± Liana saw a hint of guilt in his eyes, felt a little happy, and didn¡¯t say more. She tidied herself up, picked up the clothes Eleanor had left on the floor, and said to Tyler, ¡°I need to go to the Laurence family.¡± Tyler sat on the couch, not even looking up, ¡°Come to the hotel tonight.¡± Liana replied ¡®okay¡® and left the dean¡¯s office. After she left, Tyler held his forehead in pain with one hand. His mind was filled with images of him forcibly taking Liana, causing her miscarriage, and personally performing a hysterectomy on her. These painful memories had been guing him for the past three years, causing him great suffering. Yet Liana always mentioned marriage and children in front of him. What could he do to make up for the harm he¡¯d done to Liana and have her bear a child for him? Once Eleanor and Hailey finished packing, they headed to the underground garage. Before they reached the car, Hailey realized she¡¯d left her phone in the ward and rushed back to the hospital, while Eleanor opened the trunk and put their stuff in. As she closed the trunk, a group of masked men suddenly appeared in her line of sight. The man in the lead leaned against the car door, wearing a bronze mask and holding a golden knife, tilting his head as he looked at her. He was tall and well¨Cbuilt, dressed casually, his messy hair exuding a disheveled charm. The moment Eleanor saw him, she was startled, ¡°Mr. Law¡­¡±C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Chapter 357 Chapter 357 In the dim light of the underground parking garage, she saw a tattoo on his neck and was even more certain that he was Mr. Law. She didn¡¯t expect Mr. Law to know she was still alive and came to block her. What was even weirder was, why did he bring so many people? She remembered Mr. Law¡¯s previous two appearances were alone. This time he brought so many people, it seemed more like he was here for revenge¡­ Eleanor sensed something was off, subtly shifted her feet, trying to get in front of the car door, open it, and quickly sit inside. But as soon as she moved, two masked men quickly blocked her way. Eleanor¡¯s heart trembled, clutching her fists, looking around. A group of masked men surrounded her; there was no way out. She could only force herself to calm down, looking at Mr. Law. Her intuition told her that Mr. Law wouldn¡¯t hurt her, but this time¡­. She faintly felt that something was wrong with the man in front of her, but she couldn¡¯t put her finger on it. Something was off about this Mr. Law¡­ After seeing her with nowhere to escape, Mr. Law straightened up, ying with a small knife, and walked towards her¡­. He didn¡¯t say anything, just used the knife in his hand to lift her chin, looked at her for a few seconds, and then waved to the men next to him. Soon, someone took out a handkerchief soaked with drugs and tried to cover her mouth and nose from behind¡­ When Eleanor saw the handing, she quickly turned her head, opened her mouth at lightning speed, and bit down hard on his arm. She bit like a beast that had found its prey, using all her strength, biting so hard that the man¡¯s blood flowed. ¡°Ouch, ouch, ouch¡­¡± The man was in excruciating pain, pulling her hair, trying to pull her away, but she stubbornly held on, as if she wanted to bite him to death. Mr. Law seemed to have not expected her to resist so fiercely. He picked up the small knife and stabbed her arm¡­ As the sharp knife pierced her skin, the pain made Eleanor subconsciously loosen her bite¡­ As soon as she let go, the bitten man immediately pulled her away by her hair. The man then raised his other hand, wanting to p her hard, but was stopped by Mr. Law. Mr. Law still didn¡¯t say anything, just grabbed Eleanor¡¯s hand and dragged her towards his car¡­ Eleanor refused to go with him, struggling desperately, trying to buy time for Hailey to return to the underground parking garage¡­ Seeing her like this, Mr. Law seemed to lose patience, picked her up, put her on his shoulder, and stuffed her into the car. When Eleanor was forcibly pushed into the back seat, she thought he was going to take her away, but she didn¡¯t expect him to bend down, and start tearing her clothes off. Her face turned pale with fright, and she turned to push the door on the other side, only to see a masked man blocking the door¡­. Before she had time to think, Mr. Law had already taken off his coat and pounced on her again¡­ Eleanor raised her foot, trying to kick him out, but he seemed to have anticipated it and caught her ankle with one hand. He held her foot, pulled her towards him, and Eleanor found herself lying under him. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. As the man pressed down on her, her heart sank, and she broke out in a cold sweat, but she didn¡¯t give up trying to remove his mask. No matter what, she had to know who this bastard was! But as soon as she touched the mask, her wrist was suddenly grabbed. Mr. Law showed no mercy, pinning her hand tightly against the car door. He pressed her legs with his body, holding her hands with one hand, and she could no longer move. Eleanor¡¯s clear eyes was instantly filled with hatred, wishing she could kill the man who had defiled her several times! Chapter 358 Chapter 358 Just as Mr. Low was about to undress her, there was a sudden roar of a sports car in the garage. That sports car wasn¡¯t there to park, but to charge straight at their carl + People outside the garage saw the sports caring and tried to stop it. But the sports car had no intention of stopping, crashing into the crowd, and knocking down many people. Seeing this, Mr. Law quickly let go of Eleanor, got out of the car, waved to the others, and wanted to leave. However, the person in the sports car didn¡¯t give Mr. Law a chance to escape, driving straight at him as if to hit him. Mr. Law panicked, running scared towards the elevator. The sports car saw him enter the elevator and didn¡¯t pursue further. Instead, it quickly reversed, stopping in front of Eleanor, who had just gotten out of the car. The car window slowly opened, and Pearce smiled, ¡°Get in!¡± Eleanor saw it was him, quickly opened the passenger door, and got in the car: ¡°How did you get here?¡± Pearce drove and answered, ¡°I forgot you were being discharged today, so I came here.¡± Hearing this, Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief, gratefully looking at Pearce: ¡°Mr. Hooper, thank you so much today¡­ Pearce seemed a bit distracted, constantly checking the rearview mirror until the car left the underground garage, then he withdrew his gaze. Then, to Eleanor¡¯s surprise, he quickly turned around and drove back into the garage after leaving it. Eleanor looked at Pearce in surprise: ¡°What are you doing?¡± There were so many people in the garage; going back now was not a wise choice. But Pearce didn¡¯t care, driving straight into the garage, crashing into a person who was about to chase them. After knocking that person down, Pearce showed a satisfied smile: ¡°Finally, I knocked them all down.¡± Eleanor was speechless. She thought he went back for revenge, but it turned out he just wanted to knock everyone down. Seeing Eleanor¡¯s expression, Pearce felt pleased, turned to look at her, and suddenly she shouted, ¡°Run!¡± Those who were knocked down got up, started their cars, and seemed to want to crash into them. Pearce knew he couldn¡¯t crash into so many cars, so he stepped on the gas and drove away quickly.. Pearce¡¯s driving skills were excellent, like a professional racer, turning quickly and speeding away. He slowed down and asked Eleanor, ¡°Did they catch up?¡± Eleanor tried hard to suppress her motion sickness, shook her head, ¡°No.¡± Pearce sighed in relief, looked at Eleanor again, and saw the blood on her arm, frowning. ¡°You haven¡¯t recovered from your wound, and now you¡¯re injured again, you¡¯re really unlucky.¡± Eleanor seemed ustomed to his cold words, covering her wound without responding. Pearce released his right hand from the steering wheel, opened the car¡¯s globepartment took out a band¨Caid, and handed it to her. ¡°Will this band¨Caid be enough?¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor nced at her wound, then turned to the small band¨Caid he handed over, suddenly feeling speechless. ¡°Pearce, you really deserve to be Ethan¡¯s student¡­ During the three months she spent with Pearce, Eleanor learned that Pearce was Ethan¡¯s student, and the two had simr design styles and personalities. Chapter 359 Chapter 359 When Pearce heard these words, he gave her a stiff smile: ¡°I really appreciate yourpliment:¡± Eleanor nced at him and reached out to him: ¡°Can I borrow your phone?¡± Hailey went back to the hospital to get her phone. She should¡¯ve been back quickly, but she never showed up, and it wasn¡¯t clear what was holding her up. Pearce handed her his phone: ¡°The passcode is four zeros¡­¡± Eleanor wanted to ask him why he set such a simple password, but then remembered his OCD and didn¡¯t say anything. She quickly unlocked the phone, called Hailey, and after a few rings, she answered: ¡°Hailey, it¡¯s me¡­ Hailey heard Eleanor¡¯s voice and immediately shifted her gaze away from Cedric, asking, ¡°Eleanor, why are you using Pearce¡¯s phone?¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only After exining what had happened, Eleanor told Hailey, ¡°If you haven¡¯t left the hospital yet, wait for me there. I¡¯m going back to get the surveince footage.* Mr. Law had always appeared when there was no surveince before. He even turned off the lights, making it difficult for her to see his shape and features. Now, during the day, he suddenly appeared in the underground garage. Although he was wearing a mask, as long as there was footage of him, the police might be able to find out who he was! She had thought Mr. Law liked her because he sent her so many messages. But with so many things going on and no time to think about what happened three years ago, she didn¡¯t pursue it further. Who would have thought that three yearster, he would force her like this in front of so many men and hurt her! How could she let him off the hook easily? With the debt from three years ago and today¡¯s humiliation, once she found out who he was, she¡¯ll retaliate twice as hard! After hanging up the phone, Eleanor clenched her fists and told Pearce, ¡°Back to the hospital.¡± They definitely wouldn¡¯t expect her to go back, so the hospital was the safest ce now! Pearce smiled slightly: ¡°All right, Ms. Shultz, I¡¯ll take you there right away.¡± Hearing that Eleanor had encountered Mr. Law again and was almost bullied, Hailey was furious. She hung up the phone and headed to the surveince room. Cedric had just sent Sigrid into the gynecology department when he saw Hailey¡¯s back and unconsciously sped up to catch up. ¡°Bro, where are you going?¡± Sigrid called out to Cedric, leaning against the wall, looking weak: ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well, can¡¯t you apany me to see the doctor?¡± Cedric had no choice but to stop, turn around, and help Sigrid, sitting down in the waiting area, his mind elsewhere¡­ When Eleanor arrived at the surveince room, she heard Hailey¡¯s angry voice. ¡°How could it be such a coincidence that the surveince broke just at this time?¡± Hearing these words, Eleanor¡¯s steps faltered, and the hope in her eyes was instantly shattered. Mr. Law was still so cautious, destroying the surveince beforehand. She wanted to call the police but had no evidence. Hailey wanted to argue with the people in the control room, but Eleanor stopped her: ¡°Forget it, don¡¯t make it harder for them.¡± Hailey held back her anger, turned to look at Eleanor, and when she saw the knife wound on Eleanor¡¯s arm, her expression became serious. ¡°Did Mr. Law do this?¡± Eleanor nodded lightly, and Hailey¡¯s anger deepened: ¡°I thought Mr. Law liked you quite a bit, but I didn¡¯t expect him to be so despicable!¡± After saying this, Hailey pulled Eleanor and walked towards the door of surveince room: ¡°Let¡¯s go to the hospital to treat the wound first, and then finc a way to get him out!¡± Chapter 360 Chapter 360 Hailey thought to herself, this Mr. Law was always lurking in the shadows and Eleanor could be in danger at any moment, so they must find him ASAP. Only by getting him behind bars could they finally rx. Pearce, acting as Eleanor¡¯s driver, sighed helplessly as he saw the two of them head to the emergency room again and followed them. Eleanor¡¯s arm injury wasn¡¯t too serious, and after a quick treatment, the three of them left the hospital. Pearce drove bothdies home and had dinner with them. As Hailey and Eleanor discussed how to find Mr. Law, Pearce, busy eating, mumbled, ¡°We could try luring him out.¡± Hailey was about to object since she had tried this method three years ago, but Eleanor said, ¡°Now that he knows I¡¯m alive, he¡¯ll definitelye after me again. We can¡¯t just be on the defensive, we need to take the initiative.¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only With that, Eleanor took out her phone and opened her contacts. She removed Mr. Law from the cklist, logged into Whatsapp, and epted his friend request. After a moment of thought, she started texting Mr. Law ¨C ¡°Mr. Law, since you know I¡¯m still alive, let¡¯s meet up and clear the air.¡± Eleanor¡¯s message was simple and straightforward she wanted to meet with him. Knowing Mr. Law¡¯s intelligence, he would definitely understand that she wanted to catch him. But if he wanted to see her and had the chance to meet up, he would surely agree. Eleanor nned to call the police as soon as they set a meeting, and on the day of the meeting, she would bring the cops along. There was no way he could escape this time! Hailey was still a bit worried, ¡°What if he doesn¡¯t dare to show up likest time? I would have caught him already Eleanor put down her phone and frowned, ¡°If he doesn¡¯t dare toe, I¡¯ll figure something else out. Let¡¯s give it a try first.¡± Hailey nodded, nced at Pearce who was almost done eating, and said, ¡°Pearce, can you leave some food for Eleanor?¡± Pearce pretended not to hear, finished thest piece of beef on his te, put it in his mouth, and chewed slowly. Hailey rolled her eyes at him, then turned to Eleanor and smiled, ¡°I¡¯ll make you something delicious tonight.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t really care about food and just stared at her phone, waiting for a message. It was strange. Mr. Law had always replied to her messages quickly before, but now it¡¯d been a while and he still hadn¡¯t responded. What could he be thinking? After finishing his meal, Pearce picked up his suit jacket, stood up, and said to Eleanor, ¡°Starting tomorrow, I¡¯ll teach you how to draw design sketches.¡± Hearing this, Eleanor put down her phone and nervously asked, ¡°What do I need to prepare?¡± Pearceughed and said, ¡°Just your hands.¡± Eleanor was taken aback and didn¡¯t respond. Pearce nced at her, threw his suit jacket over his shoulder, and swaggered out of the vi. After he left, Eleanor called the maid at Ethan¡¯s vi and asked her to send over the design sketches Ethan had sent back to the country. Ethan had previously said that he had sent Emilia¡¯s design sketches, project materials, and drafts back to the vi. Emilia¡¯s drawings had arrived, but Eleanor hadn¡¯t picked them up yet because of her injury. Since she would start drawing design sketches tomorrow, it was best to familiarize herself with Emilia¡¯s design style beforehand to avoid criticism. The maid quickly brought over the materials, and after Eleanor finished her nightly routine, shey in bed and went through her sister¡¯s sketches page by page. It was only when she saw these design sketches that she understood why her sister had be a world¨Crenowned architectural designer. Chapter 361 Chapter 361 The buildings that Emilia Ratliff designed were not only creative but also drop dead gorgeous. The best part was that they were filled with a futuristic vibe, like they had been teleported from another era, advanced as hell. No wonder Pearce Hooper said that Emilia¡¯s buildings could represent the iconic architecture of every country, every city. To achieve what Emilia had might be insanely hard, but.. Eleanor grabbed a pen, ruler, and paper, sat in front of her desk, and started sketching on the paper. Although it had been so long since shest sketched, thanks to her natural talent from childhood, a few strokes were enough to bring the image to life. Eleanor lowered her head, fully engrossed in her drawing, and before long, a unique house appeared on the paper. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only She put down her pen, took a look, and felt a bit mind¨Cblowing. She¡¯d never drawn a blueprint before, but after seeing her sister¡¯s blueprints, unique ideas popped into her head, and she could even sketch them out. Could it be that she, like her sister, had a knack for architectural design? Eleanor was somewhat incredulous, put down the sketch, and proceeded to the next one. As she sketched, she suddenly developed a massive interest in architectural drawings and got more and more pumped up Eleanor drew all day until Pearce paid a visit the next day. She stopped, stretched, and took her sketches downstairs. Pearce was sitting on the sofa, chatting with Hailey, ¡°Hailey, you should fix me a cup of tea since I¡¯m at your ce.¡± Hailey crossed her arms, leaning against the wall, giving him a cold stare, ¡°Pearce, you¡¯re not worthy of my tea.¡± Eleanor walked over, interrupting their argument, and handed Pearce the sketch in her hand. ¡°Mr. Hooper, what do you think of my sketch?¡± When Eleanor was in a good mood, she called him Mr. Hooper. When she was not, she called him by his first name. Pearce had gotten used to it. He thought that someone like Eleanor, whocked even basic theory knowledge, couldn¡¯t possibly produce a good sketch. But when he took Eleanor¡¯s sketch and saw the drawing, he was taken aback, a glint of light shing in his eyes. ¡°Did you draw this?!¡± He stood up excitedly, grabbing Eleanor¡¯s hand tightly. Eleanor winced in pain, pushed him away, holding her arm, and nodded, enduring the pain. Pearce looked at Eleanor in disbelief, then at the sketch, the more he looked, the more amazed he was. ¡°I thought after your sister¡¯s death, I¡¯d never find another person as talented as she was. I didn¡¯t expect you¡­¡± Pearce seemed to recall how he used to call her stupid, he immediately hid his excited expression, and sat down as if nothing had happened. Hailey, seeing his embarrassed look, couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°I told you a long time ago, Eleanor is amazing at drawing, you didn¡¯t believe me, do you believe me now?¡± If Eleanor hadn¡¯t been so eager to make money and had stuck with her internship at the design institute, she might be a big shot by now. Pearce didn¡¯t respond to Hailey¡¯s mocking. He kept focusing on the drawing in his hand. After a while, he suddenly stood up and said to Eleanor, ¡°Pack your stuff, we¡¯re going to the W City.¡± Eleanor seemed a bit puzzled and asked him, ¡°Why are we going to the W City?¡± As Pearce walked away, he answered, ¡°Your sister¡¯s first project was for the space agency. You don¡¯t need to learn drawing anymore,e with me for a field trip¡­¡± Chapter 362 Chapter 362 Eleanor watched Pearce¡¯s retreating figure, frozen in ce. She never expected her sister¡¯s first project would be with the space agency. It wasn¡¯t that she was scared of going on site visits, she was scared of¡­ Liana once mentioned Bernard Laurence worked at the space agency, if she bumped into him¡­ Hailey nced at Eleanor, seeing her deep in thought, she understood what was going on in her mind. She softly reassured her, ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t sweat it. the space agency is massive. It¡¯s not that easy to run into someone¡­¡± True, Bernard was in charge of space exploration, and she was in charge of architecture. One in the sky, one on the ground, two different jobs. How could they possibly be working in the same ce? She was overthinking it. Eleanor snapped out of her thoughts and asked, ¡°Hailey, are youing with?¡± As much as Hailey wanted toe along for the experience, she shook her head, ¡°I won¡¯t be going, I¡¯m swamped at night.¡± After speaking, she reminded Eleanor like a mother would to her child, ¡°Eleanor, Pearce is unreliable. You need to be extra careful when you¡¯re abroad, look after yourself, ok?¡± Eleanor, clutching her arm, reluctantly agreed, ¡°Alright, I got it, my dear sister¡­¡± Hailey chuckled and patted her short hair, urging her to pack. Only then did Eleanor get up to head upstairs. She picked out some clothes, packed them into a suitcase, and then opened the bag she brought back from the hospital. She reached into the bag for her ID, but saw the divorce certificate. Eleanor picked up the divorce certificate. She slowly opened it, staring at the photos of the two of them. After a quiet moment, she tucked it away in a drawer. In this lifetime, she owed Garett too much, more than she could ever repay. He chose to leave and sever all contact, all to help her, to spare her from trouble. Since she couldn¡¯t return to her youth and love him with all her heart, she would bury this guilt deep inside her, never to disturb him again. This was the best way to repay him¡­. Eleanor locked the drawer, as if locking away her past, never to open it again lightly. Once she had gathered her emotions and packed her things, she picked up her suitcase and headed downstairs. Pearce was already waiting outside. Seeing here out, he drove up to her and took her straight to the airport. On the highway, he sped all the way, as if he wanted to fly off the overpass. Eleanor, feeling dizzy, walked into the airport. She fought back the nausea, followed him to check in her luggage, and then sat down in the departure lounge after going through customs. She rested for a while, took out her phone, and opened Whatsapp to see that Mr. Law had not replied to her message¡­ Eleanor muttered ¡®coward¡® under her breath, and dialed his number directly, but it was turned off. She gritted her teeth in frustration, but not willing to give up, she continued to send him messages asking to meet. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only She decided to send Mr. Law a message every day. She didn¡¯t believe he wouldn¡¯t reply!!! After sending the message, Eleanor saw that someone had transferred some money to her. She opened it to check and found out it was Hailey who sent her the money. Just as she was about to call to ask her, she received a Whatsapp message from her. [Eleanor, you can¡¯t be without some spare cash when you¡¯re out. Don¡¯t send the money back to me.] Eleanor felt warm inside when she saw this message. She replied, ¡®I¡¯ll pay you back when I make a lot of money¡®. Hailey on the other side, smiled slightly. Her gaze fell on a file bag, slightly lost in thought. After Garett left, he had Yilia return all the personal property Eleanor had previously given back to him. = ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? In addition to that, there were other things that he left for Eleanor¡­ Hailey originally wanted to give it to Eleanor directly, but Garett said to wait until Eleanor gets married to give it to her. She thought about it and decided to follow Garett¡¯s wishes and not give it to Eleanor. She just took out the bank card Eleanor had given her three years ago from the file bag. She rounded up the $250,000 on the card to $1 million and transferred it to Eleanor. The cost of living in W City was high, she hoped Eleanor wouldn¡¯t find herself in a tough spot because of money. Chapter 363 Chapter 363 When the ne touched down in W City, Eleanor was beat. Pearce, however, was still chipper, having endured the long haul flight. Once off the ne, he promptly whisked Eleanor off to the hotel¡­ He seemed to know W City like the back of his hand. Seeing Pearce¡¯s familiarity with the ce, Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief. After all, being in a foreign land, she was a tad jittery. After Pearce checked them in, he handed Eleanor the room key. ¡°Get some shut¨Ceye tonight. We¡¯re heading to the space agency tomorrow.¡± Eleanor nodded, took the key, and asked, ¡°Do we actually have to go inside the space agency for our site visit?¡± As Pearce lead her to their room, he replied, ¡°Not sure, depends on their arrangements.¡± Eleanor¡¯s brow furrowed slightly at the prospect of running into Bernard. But then she thought, so what if she did? What was there to be scared of? With that thought, her worries began to ebb away. Eleanor lugged her suitcase into the hotel room and the moment she shut the door, she walked over to the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window. They were staying in the fanciest hotel in W City, with two penthouse suites booked. From here, they had a bird¡¯s eye view of the city¡¯s bright lights. Tall buildings, adorned with lights, stood majestic and grand, their colorful glow breathtaking. Off in the distance, streets crisscrossed, vehicles hustling and bustling, pedestriansing and going. Taking in the sight, Eleanor felt a wave of rxation wash over her. After stretchingnguidly, she headed to the bathroom to freshen up After washing the weariness away, Eleanor pulled out Emilia¡¯s portfolio and studied her design style again before finally hitting the sack. The next morning, before eight, Pearce was knocking on her door, urging her to get up ¨C they had to go to the space agency. Eleanor quickly got dressed in a red dress, put on a light makeup, and opened the door. Just as Pearce was leaving his room, he caught sight of Eleanor and was somewhat taken aback. ¡°Why are you trying to mimic your sister?¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretending to be her, afraid I¡¯ll be found out.¡± Pearce let out an exasperated chuckle. ¡°Your sister has never shown her face in public. People only know her name, not what she looks like.¡± Typically, once Emilia¡¯s assistant took over a project, he¡¯d be the one to do the site visits. All he had to do was report the site data and the desired style to Emilia, and she¡¯d whip up a design in no time. Original from N?velDrama.Org. But Emilia only did the designing part. The subsequent steps, like implementing the design on software, she didn¡¯t get involved with. Those tasks were handled by the staff at Vanguard Architects, so Emilia didn¡¯t need to meet with the clients. Eleanor could¡¯ve done the same, but herck of knowledge in the architectural industry meant she had to get her hands dirty on site to learn the ropes. Hearing that Emilia had never made a public appearance, Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°I was worried I¡¯d be recognized.¡± With a nonchnt shrug, Pearce dropped his forced smile and said, ¡°Let¡¯s hit the road,¡± leading her towards the space agency. Chapter 364 Chapter 364 In the space agency, a bunch of space bigwigs were holding a meeting in the conference room. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. A man in a snazzy, high¨Cpriced suit was seated at the head of the table, his long legs crossed and leaning back into a leather chair. His face was as if it was chiseled out of stone, wless. He had chiseled features, a prominent nose, and sexy thin lips. He had a pair of narrow, neat eyebrows, like they were meticulously trimmed, and long, thickshes shielding his icy eyes. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? He radiated not just a cold aura, but a powerful vibe of someone who had been in a high position for a long time, making people dare not look at him directly. At that moment, he was caressing a scar on the palm of his right hand with his slender left hand. The room was in amotion, but he seemed oblivious, just looking down at his scar. ¡°Mr. Laurence, we developed this together, you can¡¯t hog all the patent rights¡­¡± Hearing someone address him, Bernard slowly lifted his head, looking at Peter, whose face turning red arguing with a guy from the Laurence Group. Seeing Peter disturb their boss, the guy from the Laurence Group mmed his hand on the table and started yelling, ¡°How dare you say we developed this together? For the past three months, our guys have been doing all the research. What have you been doing? You can¡¯t even calcte basic data, and you want the patent?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t stop them, instead, he said to Peter, ¡°How much do you want? Spit it out.¡± Peter knew the Laurence Group was loaded. That was why he joined the project in the first ce. Now that Bernard saw through him, Peter didn¡¯t hold back and blurted out, ¡°Ten billion dors!¡± Hearing this, the guy from the Laurence Group was so enraged he was ready to throw hands. Bernard didn¡¯t stop them, and soon the room was in an uproar. He turned his head to look out the window. Outside was a clear blue sky, bright and sunny. He had been cooped up here for three months without going out or contacting the outside world. He thought it would ease the pain a bit, but the deep¨Cseated longing only grew stronger. Eleanor, that name, would bring him awake in pain during his midnight dreams. He looked out the window, his eyes slowly reddening. Outside the space agency, a familiar figure appeared. She was wearing a red dress with a matching belt, her figure slender, her demeanor elegant. Her short hair was draped over her shoulders, revealing a delicate face when the breeze blew. Seeing that face he missed, Bernard couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. He quickly got up, walked to the window, and stared fixedly at the familiar figure. She was holding a bunch of blueprints, walking in on high heels, chatting andughing with a guy next to her. She was filled with an aura of intelligence and elegance, andpared to the her in his memory, she seemed more confident now. From a distance, she was no different from the top elites in society, perhaps even better. Bernard started to question whether he was hallucinating again, but he hadn¡¯t taken any sleeping pills for months. As he watched the figure hurry into the space agency, Bernard abruptly turned around, giving Peter a cold nce. ¡°My bottom line is one billion.¡± After saying this, Bernard quickly left the conference room and hurried into the elevator. Chapter 365 Chapter 365 The receptionist in charge of the space agency Building guided Pearce and Eleanor across the hall, heading towards another building. Eleanor looked around curiously as they walked, taking in the models of rockets, spacesuits, and space, and getting a deeper understanding of space exploration. She wasn¡¯t exactly a science whiz before, but seeing this stuff up close was not only mind¨Cblowing but also gave her some design inspiration. With blueprints in hand, she followed behind Pearce, listening as the receptionist led them along, saying, ¡°This is the headquarters of the space agency. Our administrative office is in another building; I¡¯m taking you to meet the project manager now.¡± Pearce nodded to the receptionist, who then led them into a neighboring building. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Bernard stood in the elevator, his stunning face expressionless, but his furrowed brow hinted at his anxiety. His icy eyes were fixed on the numbers on the elevator screen. The building was high, and people kept entering and leaving, wasting a lot of time. By the time the elevator stopped on the first floor, quite some time had passed. With a frown, Bernard strode out of the elevator, scanning the area eagerly, but didn¡¯t spot the familiar figure he was looking for. His face darkened as he headed towards the exit. He asked the security guard a few questions, but was told that everyone had to swipe their cards to enter or leave, and the guard didn¡¯t know which department the person who just entered belonged to, or who Bernard was asking about due to therge number of staff. Bernard thought about using his phone to check the surveince, but then he remembered that he had left it at his vi in W City. He had no choice but to turn around quickly and head to the surveince room himself. At the administrative center, Theo, the project manager in charge of the expansion, was quite taken aback when he saw the genius architect he had never met before. He got up Eleanor a warm hug. ¡°Ms. Elena, wee. Theo was a man in his forties from F Country, he had tanned skin, green eyes, chiseled features, and a tall figure. He was smartly dressed and seemed very gentlemanly. But when he hugged Eleanor, his hand slid down to her waist. Eleanor¡¯s face darkened a bit at Theo¡¯s less than gentlemanly hug, but she still managed a polite smile. ¡°Hello, Theo.¡± Theo finally let go of Eleanor, his eyes roved over her figure. ¡°So the world¡¯s number one architect is so beautiful.¡± After saying this, Theo tried to give Eleanor a warm cheek kiss. Eleanor was a bit annoyed and tried to dodge, but Theo grabbed her hand and tried to force the cheek kiss. Pearce, who had been ignored all this time, rolled his eyes, held back his disgust, and leaned in with his face. After Theo had finished the cheek kiss and saw a man¡¯s face, he quickly wiped his mouth in disgust. ¡°And you are?¡± Pearce gave a slight smile and gave an embarrassedugh, ¡°I¡¯m the chief designer of Ms. Elena¡¯s company, and also her bodyguard. I¡¯m not a big shot, but I do have a ninth dan in taekwondo. If you¡¯re interested, we can spar sometime.¡± After saying this, Pearce made a show of flexing his muscles in front of Theo. and gave Theo didn¡¯t have any other ideas, only his attitude became much colder, ¡°The building we¡¯re expanding is not here, this is just an office. If you want to visit the actual site, I can arrange for someone to take you..¡± Chapter 366 Chapter 366 Pearce¡¯s fists clenched tighter. The projects Emilia used to take on were a big deal, way higher than the space agency. Every time he went for field inspections, the big wigs would treat him like a king. Who would have thought the people at the space agency were so full of themselves? If it weren¡¯t for Emilia¡¯s leftover project, he would have grabbed Eleanor and made a beeline for the exit, screw the penalty fee As Pearce was fuming, Eleanor said, ¡°Maybe you could arrange for someone to show us to the project site.¡± Theo, not happy about this, made a call and shortly after, a woman named J walked in As J led them out of the administration center, Theo watched Eleanor¡¯s retreating figure, his gaze sliding down to her curvy behind and then further to her long straight legs. His eyes filled with a desire to have her beneath him¡­.. After leaving the building, they exited through a side door of the the space agency and got into a car. Eleanor, out of habit, looked out the window She saw a tall figure rushing towards the administration center from within the space agency He was dressed in a pricey ck suit, his demeanor as cold as ice. His features were so sharp and exquisite, it was as if he was sculpted by God himself, making one¡¯s heart flutter. His eyes, originally focused on the administration center, suddenly nced in the direction of the car Eleanor¡¯s heart skipped a beat, she quickly looked at the car window and sighed in relief when she saw the thick tint The man seemed to not notice her in the car, indifferently withdrew his gaze, and strode quickly towards the administration center Just as he was about to step in, he was hugged from behind. Bernard stiffened, thinking it was Eleanor and his heart stopped for a moment. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Inside the car, Eleanor¡¯s expression froze slightly when she saw who the woman was. She remembered two months ago, Teresa had said she was going to pursue Bernard. Now they were hugging, she must have seeded. A relieved smile appeared on Eleanor¡¯s face. She and Bernard were even now. Now that he was starting a new life, she should be happy for him. ¡°Sorry, the construction site is a bit remote, I¡¯m not familiar with the route.¡± J fiddled with the GPS for a while, apologized, and then started the car, driving away from the space agency¡­ Bernard was stunned for a moment, then he faintly smelled a strong perfume, something Eleanor would never wear. Realizing something was off, he turned around and saw it was Teresa, his expression instantly darkened. He pushed Teresa away, his cold eyes instantly filled with disgust. Teresa was a bit upset when she saw the disgust in his eyes. ¡°Bernard, I just hugged you, what¡¯s with that look?¡± Bernard nced at her coldly, halding back his anger, took off his suit jacket and threw it in the trash. Then he grabbed a handful of wet wipes from the reception, wiped his hands while striding towards the elevator, not looking back His actions left Teresa standing there stunned, but she chased after him, catching the elevator doors before they closed. Chapter 367 Chapter 367 ¡°Bernard, you promised to let me chase after you, why are you treating your admirer like this?¡± Faced with Teresa¡¯s usations, Bernard¡¯s handsome face gradually darkened. Three months is enough, you can go now.¡± Teresa¡¯s heart tightened as she looked at Bernard¡¯s icy face, feeling somewhat helpless. She had initially offered to pursue him for three years, but he only gave her three months. And during these three months, he hid in the aerospace agency and never came out. When he finally dide out, the three months were up. Well, he was Mr. Laurence after all, always so precise. But it didn¡¯t matter to Teresa. When she decided to pursue someone, she never cared about the feelings of the person being chased. She knew he had a cleanliness obsession, and he was indifferent in nature, so she didn¡¯t take his rude behavior to heart. She let go of the elevator door without saying a word, only giving Bernard a confident smile as the doors closed. Back in school, Teresa didn¡¯t even have the chance to get close to him. Now she finally had a chance, and she was confident she could win him over! Bernard didn¡¯t give a damn about Teresa, all he felt was disgust. While furiously wiping his slender fingers, he stepped out of the elevator and quickly walked towards the administrative district. Theo was sitting in his swivel chair, arranging a dinner party for two designers. After finishing the arrangements, he looked up to see Mr. Laurence had graced them with his presence. He immediately hung up the phone and stood up. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you¡­¡± But Bernard didn¡¯t wait for him to finish, cutting him off with a cold voice, ¡°Who was here just now?¡± Theo awkwardly replied, ¡°Ms. Elena and Mr. Hooper, they went to the construction site.¡± Bernard frowned. Eleanor was currently using the identity of Emilia, a renowned architect. Just as the aerospace agency was nning to expand, Eleanor had taken the project under her sister¡¯s identity. Once he figured out her purpose, he coldly nced at Theo, ¡°You¡¯re arranging a dinner to wee the designers?¡± Theo was taken aback for a few seconds before he realized that Bernard had overheard his phone call. Assuming that Bernard also wanted to hire the designers, he quickly asked, ¡°Would Mr. Laurence like to join?¡± After J brought them to the construction site, Pearce began taking measurements, and Eleanor followed along to learn. Pearce was very professional in architecture, and he could simplifyplex concepts in just a few words. Under his guidance, Eleanor quickly conceptualized the knowledge she had learned, gaining a clearer understanding of the foundation, main structure, architectural decoration, roof, and supporting facilities. They were busy on the site until four in the afternoon. Just as J was nning to take them back, she received a call from Theo. Knowing Theo¡¯s n, she nced at Eleanor, who was engrossed in her blueprints, through the rear¨C view mirror. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Using her amiable demeanor, she softly asked the two in the back, ¡°Ms. Elena, Mr. Hooper, to celebrate your arrival, we¡¯ve prepared a special dinner at the aerospace agency tonight. We hope you can join us.¡± Eleanor paused, looking at Pearce, ¡°You go, I need to finish the sketches, I won¡¯t go.¡± Just as Pearce was about to agree, J interjected, ¡°Ms. Elena, pleasee too. Many people in our department are eager to meet the world¡¯s top designer. Please give them a chance. Eleanor wanted to refuse again, but J gave her a warm smile, ¡°Ms. Elena, this dinner is specially arranged for you. The hotel is already booked, and everyone is waiting at the party. If I don¡¯t bring you along, I won¡¯t be able toplete my task.¡± Eleanor was worried about Theo, but when she saw J¡¯s encouraging smile, she reluctantly nodded. Chapter 368 Chapter 368 After J sessfully convinced Eleanor, they hopped in the car and went to change their clothes. Eleanor was in a ck maxi dress that hugged her figure perfectly. Her full chest under her short hair, her slender waist, and her long thighs were all clearly visible. She thought the dress was too shy and wanted to change, but J rushed her saying they were running out of time. So she had to borrow Pearce¡¯s suit jacket and wrap it around her, at least covering her bare back. They arrived at the hotel in no time. After Pearce got out of the car, he gentlemanly helped her out. As they stepped onto the red carpet, Pearce whispered to Eleanor, ¡°Hold my hand, so nobody will bother youter.¡± Eleanor promptly extended her fair hand and linked arms with him, and they walked into the hotel side by side. The dinner party was packed, but not with the management or core technical staff from the space agency, just administrative center folks. As soon as they saw the two designers walk in, they rushed over to greet them in a friendly and gentlemanly manner, Pearce forced a smile, epted a ss of red wine from a waiter, and led Eleanor toward the food area. In front of rows of food, Eleanor picked up a snack and was about to bite into it when amotion arose from outside. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you¡¯re here¡­¡± Upon hearing this name, Eleanor instinctively turned around to look at the man walking into the banquet hall. Dressed in formal wear, a striking ck tie under his white shirt cor, he looked even more noble and elegant than usual. Seeing his cold eyes scanning the banquet hall, Eleanor quickly turned her head and told Pearce, ¡°I¡¯m going to the restroom.¡± She put down the snack in her hand, picked up her dress, and headed to the restroom. Before she could enter, someone grabbed her arm and pulled her into arms in the next second. Eleanor leaned against his solid chest and looked up at the handsome man in front of her. He had lost some weight on his face over the past few months, but his jawline was even more defined. As she locked eyes with his indifferent gaze, Eleanor instinctively wanted to look away, but he was looking her up and down. Bernard stared at her pretty face, lifted her chin after a few seconds, and aimed at her lips, intending to kiss her. Eleanor immediately pushed him away and asked, ¡°Mr. Laurence, what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Her words made Bernard freeze. Right, she was now Garett¡¯s wife. How could he kiss another man¡¯s wife? When Bernard realized this, his heart ached sharply, and his face gradually paled. He clenched his fists, forcibly suppressing his wild desire for her, then muttered an apology to Eleanor. Eleanor gently shook her head, not knowing what to say to him, ¡°I¡­ I need to use the restroom.¡± Feeling awkward, Eleanor tried to make an excuse to avoid Bernard, but he stopped her. ¡°Ms. Shultz, it¡¯s been a while. If you don¡¯t mind, can we have a chat as friends?¡± Eleanor looked up at him again. There were no other emotions on his face, it seemed like he just wanted to catch up. Chapter 369 Chapter 369 She thought about it for a moment and eventually agreed. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Bernard took her to the terrace, and the waiter brought them two sses of red wine. Eleanor wasn¡¯t supposed to drink, but being alone with him was super awkward. All she could do was hold the wine ss, lower her head, and take sips of wine to pass this painfully brief time together. Bernard saw her take a few sips and reached out with his long fingers to take the ss from her. ¡°You just had a major surgery, so don¡¯t drink too much.¡± He ced the wine ss on the nearby bar and looked at Eleanor. The dim light shone on her palm¨Csized face, highlighting her fair and delicate skin. His gaze slowly moved down, past her unruly short hair clinging to her pale neck, and then to her chest, which had made him weak countless times before. One nce got his blood boiling, afraid of doing something irrational, he quickly looked away. He picked up his wine ss, took a sip, and asked Eleanor, who was sitting beside him, ¡°Have you started working?¡± Eleanor lightly hummed in response, raised her restless little hands and ced them on the edge of the bar counter. Bernard turned his head again, looking at her back. Seeing the exposed skin and a few scars, his heart ached. He extended his long fingers to touch the scars left by the sulfuric acid, but then remembered she was already married. His hand froze in mid¨Cair, repeatedly warning himself that he no longer had the right to touch her. He clenched his fist and asked with concern, ¡°You just recovered from your injury, why not rest for a while longer?¡± Eleanor lowered her head, fiddling with the bar and replied, ¡°My sister left some projects before she died, and the progress is tight.¡± Bernard nodded slightly, looking at her right ring finger and noticed she wasn¡¯t wearing a wedding ring. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Are you¡­okay with him?¡± Eleanor hesitated for a few seconds before smiling, ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­¡± He now had Teresa by his side, so it would be better not to tell him about her own issues. She didn¡¯t want to affect his new life. Bernard saw the happy smile on her face, and the heart¨Cwrenching pain made it hard for him to breathe. It was normal for her to be happy after marrying her childhood sweetheart, but why was he so miserable? He gripped his wine ss tightly, his blood ran cold, wanting to leave this suffocating ce but unable to let go of her. Eleanor nced at Bernard as he drank, swallowing unconsciously as she saw his Adam¡¯s apple move. The dryness in her mouth made her body gradually heat up, and she uncontrobly reached out to touch his sexy neck. When she touched his cold skin, the heat subsided a bit, theforting feeling made her want to touch him even more. She began to caress Bernard¡¯s neck and cheeks with both hands. Her small, fair hands even slipped into his shirt. Bernard¡¯s tall and straight body froze. His eyes stared intently at the blushing woman in front of him. ¡°You¡­¡± Before he could say anything, she tiptoed and kissed his lips, passionately and chaotically. As soon as Bernard felt her burning lips, his heart trembled, and he realized something was off. His calm eyes nced at the red wine she had drunk, and his expression instantly darkened. He wanted to push Eleanor away, but she wrapped her arms around him and clung tightly to his body. At this moment, Eleanor¡¯s mind was filled with images of Bernard holding her on the couch, thrusting into her wildly. She didn¡¯t want to think about it, but for some reason, she couldn¡¯t control her thoughts or body. She grabbed his cor, stood on her tiptoes, leaned into his ear, and whispered while biting his earlobe, ¡°I¡­I want you.¡± Chapter 370 Chapter 370 Bernard shuddered all over, instinctively wanting to grab her waist and pin her against the balcony. It had been over three years since he¡¯d touched a woman, and just one look from her could easily make him lose control. But she was married, and the reason she was saying these things was because someone had set her up and got her drunk. Yet¡­ his whole body was tingling, and in just a few seconds, his rationality was instantly taken over by desire. He grabbed her waist and lifted her petite body, pressing her against the bar. His other hand held the back of her head, and he didn¡¯t hesitate to passionately kiss her¡­ Eleanor, who was already a bit out of it, couldn¡¯t even see who was in front of her. Her passionate response made Bernard unable to control himself, so he loosened his grip on her waist and couldn¡¯t resist touching her body. Just a single touch made his whole body go soft¡­ He really, really wanted her, but he still held on to a shred of rationality. He knew clearly that he couldn¡¯t have her in this situation. Bernard held her tightly, deeply kissing her for a moment before forcing himself to painfully push her away. Eleanor, who was pushed away, looked at him with hazy eyes. Bernard bent down, picked up the petite girl, and said softly, ¡°Eleanor, be good. I¡¯ll take you to the hospital.¡± Eleanor leaned in close to him. Bernard held her with one arm, pressing her against his neck, letting her kiss him randomly while quickly walking outside. Theo, who had just arrived on the balcony to find Emilia, was surprised to see Bernard carrying her out. But when he saw that Bernard didn¡¯t take advantage of her, he thought Bernard wasn¡¯t interested in Emilia, so he boldly walked over to them ¡°Mr. Laurence.¡± He stopped Bernard and pretended to be a gentleman, ¡°Ms. Elena¡¯spanion is drunk. He asked me to help send Ms. Elena home. Mr. Laurence, please hand her over to me.¡± Hearing this, Bernard¡¯s eyes instantly shed a cold, sinister light. ¡°Did you drug her?¡± Theo was stunned for a moment before realizing who the woman in his arms was. The drug acted quickly, which was why Bernard discovered it. Of course, he couldn¡¯t admit it. ¡°Mr. Laurence, I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about, Before Theo could finish, he was kicked down by Bernard. Theo couldn¡¯t even get up; his back was stepped on heavily.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. The force was strong, putting immense pressure on his chest and ribs, almost suffocating him to death. But Bernard wasn¡¯t about to let him go so easily. The heavy boot moved to his ribs, crushing them with all his might. The extreme cruelty made Theo scream in pain- ¡°Ah!!!¡± Bernard¡¯s bodyguards, hearing the scream from the balcony, immediately rushed over. Bernard kicked the now immobile Theo in front of them, coldly ordering, ¡°Take him to the outskirts and shoot him!¡± Chapter 371 Chapter 371 if he hadn¡¯t shown up tonight, Eleanor would have fallen into Theo¡¯s trap. Just thinking about her almost being taken advantage of by that old man made him furious! He could bear the pain of letting her be with Garett in this lifetime, but he couldn¡¯t tolerate any other man eyeing her, not even a single ncel When Theo heard Bernard was going to shoot him, he was frembling with fear and roared angrily. You cannot do that!¡± Bernard ignored him, held Eleanor, and quickly left the terrace, went through the banquet hall and got into a stretched luxury car After putting Eleanor in the sp acious back seat, he nced coldly at the driver. ¡°Put the partition down!¡± The driver was startled by his gaze and hurriedly lowered the partition. Separated from their view, the driver heard him order coldly: ¡°Get to the hospital in 10 minutes!¡± The driver respectfully replied yes and quickly started the car, rushing to the nearest hospital When Pearce chased out, he only saw the exhaust fumes of the luxury car and got so angry that he immediately hailed a taxi to follow R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only In the back seat, Bernard put Eleanor aside, not daring to get close to her, but she groped around and moved towards him Her body was soft, sitting on his long legs, and when she h oo ked his neck, she couldn¡¯t help but touch him Bernard leaned back, resting on the headrest, watching the little woman with an abnormally red face in front of him, and his s**y Adam¡¯s apple rolled again. Eleanor was unbearably hot, simply pressing her face against him wasn¡¯t enough to suppress the heat inside her body. She wasn¡¯t just hot, she wanted¡­ Unable to control herself, she put her hands into his thick hair, held his head, and lowered her head to kiss him eagerly. Bernard held her chin, staring at her half-closed, hazy eyes, and asked her, ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± Eleanor, who hadpletely lost her ability to think, pouted like a naughty child, shaking her head angrily because he pushed her away. Bernard sighed softly and took a few wet wipes to clean her checks. When she touched the wet wipes, colder than his face, Eleanor rubbed against them desperately as if she¡¯d found the solution to her thirst Every time she rubbed, her body moved, and that frequency reminded Bernard of the past when he let her move on her own He couldn¡¯t help but raise his hand to stroke her back and hold her in his arms He whispered in her ear, ¡°Eleanor, if I hadnt ended that agreement three years ago, how great would it be Then he could rightfully im her, and she wouldn¡¯t have experienced such a tragic past Eleanor had no idea what he was talking about, reaching for his abs and slowly moving downward Bernard¡¯s body stiffened, and he kept enduring, not daring to break the final boundary. He was afraid that she would regret it when she sobered up and realized it was him.. Just as Eleanor was about to be tortured to death by that unbearable feeling, the car finally stopped at the hospital entrance. Bernard wrapped his suit jacket around her to cover her exposed skin, picked her up and rushed inside. The dean of the hospital hearing that Bernard had arrived, quickly put on his white coat and personally attended to them. Bernard was a major shareholder behind the scenes of the hospital, so he naturally had to be taken seriously The dean gave Eleanor a few injections and she was no longer so ufortable She just felt extremely tired and soon fell into a deep sleep The dean took an ice pack, intending to apply physical cooling to Eleanor, but before his hand could touch her face, the ice pack was sna tched away by the man Bernard said coldly. ¡°Get out¡± The dean realized that this was Bernard¡¯s woman. But since she was his woman, he could have help her with this directly. Why did he bring her to the hospital? The dean couldn¡¯t figure it out but dared not ask any further. He reminded them to contact him if there were any issues with the patient before turning around and leaving ¡­ Bernard sat by her hospital bed, using an ice pack to help cool her down Her burning red body slowly returned to its normal color He put down the ice pack, lifted his hand, and gently touched her face. Chapter 372 Chapter 372 Bernard found that her face was no longer as hot, and her furrowed brow gradually rxed He held her hand, silently watching her with endless care and love on his face Time ticked by, and as the sky brightened, she slowly opened her eyes. What she saw was a striking face, and those captivating eyes were staring intently at her. Eleanor subconsciously lowered her gaze, avoiding his, but the scene of her kissing him flooded her mind Her heart raced as she remembered how, after a few drinks, her body started acting weird, and then. She sneakily nced at Bernard and saw that his neck was covered in hickeys Those were her hickeys, the result of her drunk and overly intimate actions, and she even touched his¡­. Eleanor¡¯s face turned bright red, feeling embarrassed and wanting to leave immediately, but Bernard held her back down on the bed ¡°You took that kind of drug and you haven¡¯t fully recovered yet. You need to stay in the hospital a bit longer¡± Hearing him say this, Eleanor realized she was in a hospital. That meant he brought her here, and nothing happened between them All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief, realizing they hadn¡¯t slept together Seeing her rxed expression. Bernard¡¯s face darkened ¡°Are you relieved that I didn¡¯t sleep with you?¡± Eleanor was already extremely embarrassed, and his words made her even more ufortable. She looked away from him, slightly angry, but he lifted her chin up He leaned in, his eyes fixed on her swollen red lips. In a low voice, he asked, ¡°What would you have done if I hadn¡¯t held backst night?¡± Feeling uneasy. Eleanor tried to turn her head away, but he held her chin firmly All she could do was look at him and say, ¡°I dont know.¡± She was the one who initiated it, so if he hadnt resisted, it wouldn¡¯t have been entirely her fault. But two people who had broken up having an intimate encounter after reuniting would be awkward for anyone, right? Bernard thought she would say she¡¯d never forgive him, but instead, she said, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He let go of her chin and then gently touched her swollen lips ¡°Even though we didn¡¯t sleep together, we did kiss What are you going to do about that?¡± Eleanor¡¯s face turned even redder as he pressed her for an answer She regretted epting J¡¯s invitation to attendst night¡¯s dinner party. The situation didn¡¯t allow Theo to take advantage, but it made her rtionship with Bernard even more complicated. How could two people who had broken up keep bumping into each other like this? Was it really fate? As Eleanor¡¯s thoughts swirled, Bernard gently touched her red lips with his fingertip. ¡°Answer me, okay?¡± His voice held a captivating charm that made Eleanor¡¯s supposed calm heart suddenly feel panicked. His long eyshes drooped, hiding his slightly rmed eyes, and she softly asked, ¡°What are you nning to do?¡± Chapter 373 Chapter 373 Looking into her beautiful doe eyes, Bernard said, ¡°Let me keep youpany while you¡¯re in W City¡± Eleanor was taken aback for a second but quickly regained herposure. ¡°Mr. Laurence, that¡¯s not appropriate¡± They had only met because she identally drank something, but there was no need to drag it on any further Bernard smirked. Ms Shultz, are you worried that your husband might not approve?¡± Eleanor shook her head gently and told him. ¡°Mr. Laurence, loving you was exhausting, and I don¡¯t intend on repeating past mistakes¡± This was the first time he had heard her say she loved him. Bernard¡¯s heart seemed to stop, and his eyes turned red. Eleanor, I¡¯ve been waiting for you to say that for so many years Eleanor looked up and gave him a small smile. Tve been waiting for you to say you love me too, for so long. Bernard¡¯s heart ached so much that he could barely breathe He gently touched her cheek and whispered, ¡°Since we both love each other, can we be together again?¡± Eleanor corrected him with a smile ¡°Mr. Laurence, I used to love you¡­¡± Bernard let out a painfulugh, ¡°Yeah, used to¡­¡± All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. No one knew how much he loved her Why did she only say she used to love him when he finally realized it They had been in love with each other for five years, but he had never noticed He had missed her love for him without ever experiencing it. How could he ept that? He wasn¡¯t willing to give up Tenderly touching Eleanor¡¯s face, he asked passionately, ¡®Can you fall in love with me again, even just a little bit?¡± Eleanor smiled and said lightly. Mr. Laurence, we used to love each other, and that¡¯s enough. We shouldn¡¯t be together again¡± She didn¡¯t want to go back to the despair and helplessness she felt three years ago it was too exhausting Bernard¡¯s eyes reddened. ¡°You see, I almost forgot, you already have a husband. How could you possibly fall in love with me again¡­¡± He slowly controlled his emotions, returning to his usual cold demeanor Ms. Shultz, just forget what i said earlier. It was nonsense Eleanor nced at him, wanting to exin that it wasn¡¯t because of Garrett, but he had already changed the subject. ¡°Are you thirsty?¡± She nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Her throat was so dry from the medication that it felt like it was on fire, so naturally, she was thirsty Bernard handed her a cup with a straw, intending to help her drink This time, Eleanor didnt let him help and took the cup herself, sipping the water. Bernard didn¡¯t stop her, he just sat quietly beside her, watching her finish the water To him, even if she didn¡¯t love him, being by her side like this was a kind of happiness Eleanor looked up after finishing the water, noticing him staring at her. She felt a bit uneasy and looked away. Shey in bed, and he sat beside her Even though they were so close, it felt like there was an endless distance between them, with neither knowing how to cross this unbridgeable gap They sat there in silence, not talking making the room even quieter Eleanor felt that if she continued to be alone with Bernard, she would feel incredibly suffocated, so she decided to break the silence. Mr Laurence, how much longer do I have to stay here?¡± Seeing her eagerness to leave, Bernards heart ached, and a bitter smile appeared on his face. ¡°Eleanor, do you not want to be with me anymore?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t look up at him again. Chapter 374 Chapter 374 Bernard could tell her answer just by looking at her silent face All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. He pressed a button on the hospital bed The dean quickly came in from outside the ward: ¡°Mr Laurence, what do you need?¡± Bernard leaned on the sofa and looked at her still pale face, coldly saying, ¡°Give her a full-body checkup to see if those drugs have damaged her organs.¡± The dean wanted to inform him that these were just medicines and would do no harm to her organs Eleanor also thought it was unnecessary, but before she could say anything, the dean turned and left the ward. Even the dean couldn¡¯t disobey the instructions of the major shareholder He quickly informed various departments to send specialists for the checkup The doctors examined Eleanor from head to toe, and even her anemia symptoms were reported to Bernard He seemed to be haunted by the previous wrong report and repeatedly changed doctors for examinations, only trusting them when the answers were consistent The ophthalmologist was thest to check When he examined her eyes, he found the problem He immediately turned to the man standing nearby: ¡°Mr. Laurence, has the patient ever been blind?¡± Bernard stiffened, looked down at Eleanor, and asked. Have you ever been blind?¡± Eleanor nodded slightly, ¡°Yeah.¡± Bernard¡¯s heart tightened, he bent down, and caressed her eyes, ¡°When? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Seeing the concern in his eyes, Eleanor frowned slightly ¡°Before I died, I was blind for a while¡± Her words were like a knife, stabbing deep into his heart, causing him immense pain It turned out that she had not only been suffering from heartache but also the pan of blindness And when she needed care the most, not only did he not stay by her side but also hurt her terribly Bernard withdrew his hand, clenched his fist, and suppressed the guilt in his heart, then locked up at the ophthalmologist ¡°What caused the blindness?¡± ¡°The patient had an underlying eye condition that had not been detected previously. The sudden blindness was likely due to ischemic encephalopathy after a severea which damaged the visual center and caused the blindness¡­¡± The doctor¡¯s words made Bernard feel even more guilty. It was that p that caused her to hit the back of her head on a nad and fall into aa Her blindness was also rted to him. He still hoped that she would fall in love with him again, which was just a fantasy.. Bernard clenched his fist, his face pale as paper His guilt towards Eleanor reached its peak, and his eyes fixed on the doctor, Will it recur?¡± After checking Eleanor¡¯s eyes again, the ophthalmologist said firmly, ¡°As long as you don¡¯t overwork, take your medicine on time, and avoid crying, it shouldn¡¯t happen again Crying may cause temporary bindness¡± Bernard¡¯s frown deepened, ¡°Can it be cured?¡± The doctor replied, ¡®Aplete cure requires surgery. However, after reviewing your medical history, you¡¯ve had two major surgeries in recent years I dont rmend having another one as it can be very dangerous. Your current condition is manageable with medication¡± Bernard, hearing the doctor¡¯s words, longed for her eyes to be healed but wouldn¡¯t dare let her undergo surgery again. He sternly told the doctor, ¡®Get her the best medione¡± Eleanor had been silent, but suddenly spoke up. ¡°George has already prescribed medicine for me. No need for more.¡± Bernard looked at the woman lying in the hospital bed Her eyes were full of resistance as if she didnt want him to do anything for her anymore. He felt somewhat powerless, he loosened his fist, and waved the ophthalmologist away After the doctor left, the ward was silent again, and Eleanor felt suffocated and awkward. She looked up at him, ¡°Can I go now?¡± Bernard looked at Eleanor, she didn¡¯t want to spend another moment with him. His heart felt like it was being torn apart, and it hurt so much he couldn¡¯t breathe He stood there quietly, staring at her for a moment, then suddenly lifted the nket, picked her up, and headed out of the ward Chapter 375 Chapter 375 ¡°I can walk on my own, you don¡¯t need to carry me She wasn¡¯t seriously injured and definitely didnt need him to carry her around C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Eleanor struggled to get down, but Bernard wasn¡¯t having it. He carried her out of the hospital and straight into his car ¡°WCity isn¡¯t safe right now. I¡¯ll take you home.¡± Bernard buckled her seatbelt and signaled the driver to get out. The driver who had been dispatched by a subsidiary wasn¡¯t familiar with Mr. Laurence¡¯s ways and was a bit lost. It took him a few nces at Eleanor to realize that the boss was wooing her, so he hurriedly got out of the car. Bernard shot the driver a frosty look ¡°You don¡¯t need toe anymore.¡± The driver stood dumbfounded. Did he mean not to drive anymore or not toe to thepany? Watching the car drive away, he puzzled over it for a while before it hit him. ¡°Oh crap, I¡¯m fired!¡± Bernard started the car, backed out with one hand, and once he was out of W City, he turned to Eleanor and asked, ¡°Where do you live?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t want him to drop her off, but Bernard had always been a one man show He did whatever he wanted, and she had no right to refuse She gripped the seatbelt tightly, and reluctantly told him her hotel address Bernard nced at Eleanor through the rearview mirror and didnt like the sullen look on her face He forced himself not to look at her anymore, gripped the steering wheel and swiftly drove her to the hotel entrance As Eleanor got out of the car, she turned and said. ¡°Thank you. Mr. Laurence¡± Her polite but distant manner caused Bernard to frown slightly, but he didn¡¯t say anything, and just handed her the purse she¡¯d left behind the night before Eleanor took the purse, thanked him again, closed the car door, and hurried into the hotel As soon as she got off the elevator, she heard Pearce¡¯s panicked voice ¡°Here¡¯s her ID, take it and find her for me, and find Theo¡±¡± Pearce handed the ID over to the police Allthe valuables in our room have been stolen, everything else doesn¡¯t matter, but my gold paintbrush must be found!¡± Pearce had always kept his cool, but after a series of disasters, even he was falling apart His handsome face was twisted with anger, his eyes wide, he looked somewhat terrifying ¡°Pearce¡± Eleanor quickly approached him, furrowing her brows. ¡°What happened?¡± Pearce was shocked to see her safe and sound. ¡°Werent you taken by Theo¡¯s people?* Hed seen a man carrying Eleanor away from the banquet hall the night before and hadn¡¯t gotten a good look at his face. Worried for Eleanor¡¯s safety, he chased after them, but the luxury car took off at a high speed The driver, seeing his urgency, even tried to extort him Hed been ripped off arge sum of money and the car was slow By the time he¡¯d spent all his cash, the stretch limo was long gonel He was furious and guessed that Theo had sent someone to take her away. He rushed to the space agency and got Theo¡¯s home address, but Theo¡¯s wife told him that Theo hadn¡¯t returned home but had gone to a banquet This made him even more certain that it was Theo Unable to find Theo, he had to return to the hotel, intending to report to the police with his ID, only to find that all the valuables in both suites had gonel He checked the hotel¡¯s surveince footage and saw a few people climbing through the window and taking everything, even the bank cards were gone Thankfully, their passports were still there, otherwise, they would have had trouble getting back homel After finishing his story, Pearce looked at Eleanor ¡°How did you get back?¡± Being taken away in a foreign country usually meant either being vited or disappearing, it was incredible that she was able to return unharmed Eleanor simply exined that she¡¯d run into an acquaintance, then pushed past him and hurried into her room. The theft of the items was trivial, but Emilia¡¯s album, which was not only invaluable but also of great significance, couldn¡¯t be stolen The cute was a mess, clothes from the suitcase were thrown all over the floor, and the bed was turned upside down Eleanor quickly walked to the desk, opened the drawer, and sure enough, the album and sketches were gone. Chapter 376 Chapter 376 Seeing the emply drawer, her heart plummeted setches was thest memento left by her sister, and she lost it Eleanor stated at the drawer for a few seconds before turning around, walking over to Pearce, and began to coolly analyze the situation. ¡°Ordinary thieves would only be interested in money, but they specifically stole our design sketches. This suggests they came specifically for the sketches Do you think any of our colleagues had their eyes on Emilia¡¯s book ?¡± Pearce was sending He looked i cat Eleanor and said, ¡°Ture, a lot ctures of the golden painthrush to the police Heating Eleanor¡¯s question, he stopped. igners are eyeing I milia¡¯s book, but to go all the way to W City to steal He seemed to have thought of something, quickly told the police a few designer names, and ? investigate. After the police left with the clues, Pearce walked over to Eleanor ¡°This hotel int safe Let¡¯s move! Eleanor, having e ienced all this, suddenly felt nowhere was safe Do we have any reason to stay here now that we¡¯ve finished the site inspection?¡± If there was no need to stay here, she felt they should return home as soon as possible We could ha umed home after the site inspection, but now that the design sketches have been stolen, we have to wait until we find them.¡± Eleanor agreed, nodding her head. Even if she wanted ( eturn home, they first had to find her sister¡¯s memento. chotels then ¡± Pearce sighed deeply then cocked his head and asked her, ¡°Do you have any money left?¡± Eleanor turned around and opened another drawer, only to find that her wallet was also gone. out her phone, only to find that the one million Hailey had given her had been transferred away the night before Pearce leaned over to nce at her phone and forced a tande. Tooks like you¡¯re in the name boat as me Eleanor felt as if her heart was being out. That was the money Hailey had worked nud ad to earn. Pearce lightly tapped her phone screen and said calmly. These thieves are obviously experts. As long as there¡¯s a bank card, they can easily teal money Although the person who hired them only wanted the design sketches, they also wanted money. Let them earn a little more. He sprike as if they had only stolen a few thousand, How much ded they steal from you? Pearce held up a finger and s Eleanor was speechless. Pearce lighth clean side. ¡°Ten thousand Hed her shoulder andforted, ¡°I very time I go abroad, I get robbed or mugged, to Lonly carry ten thou Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes at him, Tiedot you say you¡¯te a ninth degree ck belt in taekwondo? How do you get mugged?¡± Pearce tolled his eyes at her. ¡°You believed that?¡± Eleanor finally understood. Hailey was right. He was really unreliable Feeling helpless, she sat down at the desk, exhausted. A tali figure entered from outside. Bernard waked over to Eleanor, extended his hand, and said, ¡°Come with me¡± Eleanor koo hed up at him, surprised When Pearc 7 Why was he bare? that the person who came in was Bernard, he also looked He actually extended his hand to Eleanor and said,e with me? Pearce rubbed his eyes wondering if he was things an in front of him was clearly Bernard He slowly shifted Damn it! How could she Eleanor didnt respond eto Eleanor. ¡®Is this the per you said you knew? the son of a chi man and not tell him in advance, causing him to lose Pearce, but looked at Bernard decisively for a few seconds and said. ¡°No need What can you do ¡± thousand! figure something out ¡° Eleanor want iguebut saw Homard bend down and pick her up from the chan C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Toward elevator and quickly. He had no money left. If he didnt seize this opportunity, he might end up sleeping on Bernard, budding Eleanor, quickly closed the elevator door just as Pearce was about to rush in. The elevator dood with a nk expression on his face Chapter 377 Chapter 377 When Eleanor struggled to break free from Bernard¡¯s arms, she took a step back, leaning against the elevator wall, looking at him, and asked, ¡°Where are you nning to take me?¡± Seeing her warness, Bernard¡¯s eyes gradually dimmed, Tm taking you to my vi¡± Upon hearing this, Eleanor felt somewhat helpless, ¡°Didn¡¯t you understand what I said to you at the hospital?¡± She had clearly expressed that she didn¡¯t want to see him anymore, yet he wanted to take her to his vi Bernard stared at her for a few seconds, then said tly. 7 got it, but where can you go under your current circumstances?¡± Eleanor was speechless and extremely embarrassed, ¡°My friends and I will figure something out.¡± Bernard replied, ¡°He have his own problems, what solution can hee up with?¡± Although Eleanor wanted to maintain some dignity in front of him, she found he wasn¡¯t wrong, but¡­ 1. 1. Before Eleanor could finish, Bernard interrupted her, ¡°Eleanor, hotels arent safe, take my advice and stay at my vi In a foreign country, he couldn¡¯t always ensure her safety but only when she was within his sight, could he feel at ease Hearing his words, Eleanor hesitated for a while, then clenched her hands, and looked up at Bernard, 1 know you¡¯re thinking about my safety, but have you considered how Teresa would feel?¡± Bernard looked at her, his brows slightly furrowed, ¡°What does this have to do with her?¡± Eleanor clenched her hands, ¡°Yesterday, I saw her holding you She didn¡¯t finish her sentence, but Bernard understood what she meant He took a step forward, Raised his slender fingers to the elevator door above her head, looking down at her. ¡°Eleanor, remember, the only one who can touch me is you Eleanor¡¯s heart fluttered, somewhat in disbelief, and lowered her head Bernard used his other hand to gently lift her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes ¡°Teresa hugged me yesterday. She took advantage of my unpreparedness, and I didn¡¯t allow it He looked at her pale face exining softly, 1 have nothing to do with her¡± Herarely spoke to her in such a gentle tone, it made Eleanor a bit ufortable She wanted to avoid his gaze, but he tightly held her chin, not letting her move Eleanor, I once promised Teresa a chance to pursue me, but the deadline was three months, which is now over ¡°Moreover, during this period, I was always working at the Space Agency, and never had any contact with her don¡¯t get the wrong idea because of this¡± After exining, Bernard bent down slightly, moving closer to her again. ¡°Also, I intentionally held Sophie Ratliff¡¯s hand in front of you and took her to the hospitat i was all to test you¡± 7 swear to you, in my life have only loved you and have never loved any other woman Eleanor listened to his bted exnation, almost stunned All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The old Bernard would never give her such a detailed exnation, often he didn¡¯t even want to talk to her much. But now, not only did he exin the misunderstandings of the past and present, he even made a vow to her, which she found hard to believe Bernard¡¯s handsome face got even closer to her, and when his high nose touched hers, Eleanor got nervous. She wanted to push Bernard away, but he stared into her eyes, asking softly. Did you reject me at the hospital because of Teresa?¡± Chapter 378 Chapter 378 His voice had a certain charm to it, almost like he was purposely trying to seduce her But Eleanor didn¡¯t even bat an eyelid, shaking her head gently at him ¡°This has nothing to do with her¡± She had made it clear in the hospital that she was rejecting him because loving him was just too exhausting. Over the years, there was never any real give and take between them, just a constant game of doubts and suspicions. Even though all of these were due to misunderstandings, the pain and despair she experienced were real That painful past made her afraid of love and scared to love again Bernard tried to find a hint of jealousy in her eyes, but there was none. It didn¡¯t seem like it was because of Teresa He pulled away slightly, his eyes full of disappointment. Seems like you couldn¡¯t care less who I¡¯m with.¡± Eleanor nced at him, gathering her courage to confess, ¡°I used to care¡± The word ¡°used to made Bernard realize that the gap between them was due to the passage of time But time can¡¯t be rewound, no matter how much he regretted it, he couldn¡¯t go back. The disappointment in Bernard¡¯s eyes slowly turned into sadness, his handsome face turning pale. He withdrew his hand, and turned around, staring at the descending numbers in the elevator with icy eyes Watching his cold and solitary figure. Eleanor clutched her hand, exining. 1 thought you were with Teresa while I was living in your vi, it didn¡¯t feel right. That¡¯s whycked. I hope you don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± Bernard didn¡¯t turn around or say anything as if he didn¡¯t hear her Not until the elevator doors opened did he turn around, grab her wrist, and pull her out He forcefully pulled Eleanor into the car. Disregarding her wishes, he buckled her seat belt and quickly started the car As the car raced through the streets of W City. Eleanor turned her head slightly and nced at Bernard His face was cold and silent, as d he was mad at her Eleanor was a bit scared of this side of him but still gathered her courage to say, ¡°Can L¡­ Can I not go to your vi?¡± In a foreignnd, she had run into trouble twice, and both times Bernard came to her ald They were supposed to be free of each other, but now, she owed him a favor again. Hearing this Bernard¡¯s face darkened, he braked hard, bringing the car to a stop Due to the inertia of the braking, Eleanors body jotted forward Just as she was about to hit the dashboard, a strong hand supported her forehead Eleanor slowly looked up at Bernard, who had already withdrawn his hand His expression was indifferent, devoid of any emotion Bernard stared ahead stent for a few seconds before pulling out a pack of cigarettes from the car He took one out, rolled it between his fingers for a few seconds, and finally it it He rolled down the window, rested his elbow on it, and quietly smoked From Eleanor¡¯s perspective, all she could see was his clear profile and the cigarette in his hand through the wafting smoke. She took a nce and looked away thinking that Bernard had stopped by the roadside to satisfy his nicotine cravings The silence in the car was suffocating Eleanor felt restless. She wanted to get out of the car for some fresh air and couldn¡¯t help but press the door button Hearing the slight noise, the man looked up at the rearview mirror, just in time to see her trying to open the car door hapterThis text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Chapter 379 Chapter 379 This action suddenly set off Bernard¡¯s simmering anger, who had just managed to control his rage He grabbed Eleanors arm, pulling her back into the car, his eyes locked onto hers. ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯ve told you W City isnt safe, did you just brush off my words?¡± L¡® Before Eleanor could finish, Bernard cut her off 1 get it, you don¡¯t wanna hang out at my vi. But have you thought about who you know in W City, or where you can go?¡± His voice wastinged with a hint of desperation in his anger ¡°Why won¡¯t you let me help you when you¡¯re in trouble like this? Do you hate me that much?¡± Despite his numerous attempts to get close to her and show his feelings, she remained indifferent. But why was she still resisting him when she needed his help the most? So just because she didn¡¯t love him, she could just ignore his feelings? Eleanor stared nkly at the suddenly enraged Bernard, taking a moment to react ¡°Do you think I was about to leave?¡± When she saw Bernard didn¡¯t respond, she knew she was right She took a deep breath and patiently exined, ¡°It¡¯s too stuffy in the car, I just wanted to get some air¡± After exining, she added: 7 know W City is dangerous, and I wont wander around. As for not wanting to go to your vi, it¡¯s not because I hate you I just don¡¯t want to owe you any favors¡± Her words seemed to calm Bernard down a bit. He let go of her arm, straightened up, and turned his head to put out his cigarette After putting the cigarette into the car¡¯s ashtray, he looked at Eleanor ¡°You¡¯ll never owe me anything¡± I have people help retrieve your lost items. Meanwhile, you¡¯ll have to put up with staying at my vi.¡± Seeing him like this, Eleanor didn¡¯t say no. She just pressed her lips together and chose to remain silent Bernard nced at her, his heart aching, but he also kept silent. He started the car again and drove towards the vi His private vi was massive. It was surrounded by gardens, and a high white fence wrapped around a thorny rose bush. The sunlight cast mottled shadows, highlighting the luxury of the ce Bernard drove the car into the garden, parked in front of the vi, and got out He walked around to the passenger side and opened the door for her Seeing that Eleanor seemed a bit stunned, he leaned against the car door, bent down slightly and asked her. ¡°You wanna get out yourself, or should I carry you?¡± Hearing that he wanted to carry her, Eleanor quickly snapped back to reality and got out of the car She then stood there, looking at the luxurious vi, feeling a bit at a loss. Seeing her looking scared, Bernard remained silent for a few seconds before stepping forward, grabbing her hand, and leading her into the vita Caleb, who was inside the vi, saw Bernard returning with Eleanor from a distance. He immediately stood up from the sofa and went into the study Bernard nced in the direction of the study, pretending not to notice, and led Eleanor into the living room of the vi The servants in the living room saw him return and immediately came forward. ¡°Mr. Laurence, is there anything you need?¡± Bernard looked at Eleanor¡¯s dress and said casually, Get her some clean clothes¡± After the servants respectfully responded, they quickly left, leaving just the two of them in the spacious living room. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Eleanor looked down at their interlocked hands, trying to pull away, but he held on tightly ¡°Mr. Laurence, you ¡± ¡°Ms Shutz¡± Bernard cut Eleanor off, turned around, and looked down at her: ¡°Did you forget aboutst night? You were all over me. Are you really afraid to hold hands with me?¡± Chapter 380 Chapter 380 His words brought back a rush of embarrassing memories that turned Eleanor¡¯s face a fiery red in an instant Bernard, on the other hand, seemed unfazed as he reached out to touch her burning cheek ¡°Ms. Shultz, you¡¯ve been in the wrong with Garett sincest night anyway, so why get hung up on the details?¡± Without waiting for Eleanor¡¯s reply, he scooped her up and headed toward the bathroom. Upon cing her in the bathtub, he said. ¡°You look worn out. Get a good rest after your bath.¡± Bernard took the bath towel handed to him by a servant, ced it on the rack, and left the bathroom Eleanor stared at the closed door and let out a deep sigh Bernard was right. No matter how much she didn¡¯t want to get entangled with him, this was already a fact. Thinking about these things made her feel heavy, depressed, and extremely tired She decided to stop thinking, stripped off her dress, filled the tub with water, andid in it while staring nkly at the ceiling lights. After leaving the bathroom, Bernard strode into his study. Seeing hime in, Caleb quickly got up from the sofa. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you¡¯re back.¡± Bernard simply nodded, sat down at the desk, and looked at Caleb with cold indifference ¡°How are things going in W City?¡± 1 ¡°The people who needed to be dealt with have been taken care of They won¡¯t be a threat to the branch anymore.¡± ¡°There¡¯s one more thing to be done.¡± ¡°Please tell me Mr. Laurence.¡± Bernard tossed two hotel room cards onto the table. ¡°A few notorious criminals in W City stole from these two suitesst night. Retrieve the items.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Caleb picked up the room cards and turned to leave, but Bernard¡¯s frosty voice halted him. ¡°Leave through the back garden. Don¡¯t let her notice you.¡± Caleb turned around, nodded, and then made a hasty ext. After her bath, Eleanor, wrapped in a bath towel emerged from the bathroom Walking on the wooden floor, she stood at the entrance, taking in the extravagantly decorated vi The furniture and appliances within were high-end, even the chandelier hanging in the living room was made of crystal The vi was too big, sprawling over several floors, the unfamiliarity of it all left Eleanor feeling lost. As she stood dumbfounded at the stairnding, she was suddenly enveloped in a warm embrace Bernard, holding her, headed for the second floor bedroom Eleanor nestled in his arms, looking up at him She wanted to ask him to put her down but feared he would bring upst night¡¯s incident as a rebuttal so she stayed quiet. Afterying her on the soft bed. Bernard saw her still damp hair and turned to fetch a hairdryer Seeing him about to dry her hair, she quickly reached out to grab the hairdryer ¡°I can do it myself.¡± But Bernard sidestepped her attempt, turned on the hairdryer, sat behind her, and without a word, began to dry her hair When his fingers brushed against her soft hair, Eleanor¡¯sshes fluttered The man behind her stared at her back, his eyes reflecting endless affection and a hint of crazy longing This longing made him lose control, and he pulled her into his arms from behind He lowered his head slightly to rest his chin on her shoulder,ying bare his feelings once again ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯ve missed you for three years, five months, and fifteen days I¡¯ve missed you to the point of going mad, to the point of desperately wanting to be with you again¡± ¡°Could you give me another chance to be with you, even if it¡¯s just for a few short days?*This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Chapter 381 Chapter 381 Such warm and humble words hit her ears, sending a jolt through her heart. She gently turned her head to look at Bernard, who was holding her tightly from behind His face was gaunt, pale, and his eyes were red, even the corners of his eyes were red The Bernard the remembered was always high and mighty, full of himself But now, he had lowered his haughty and arrogant attitude time and time again just to hold onto her Like a star in the night sky, unreachable that now suddenly fell into dust. Yet those stars that fell to the ground were still celestial bodies, how could they change for her? All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. She reached out and lightly touched the thick hair on his forehead¡­. Such a gentle touch made Bernard¡¯s body stiff He looked at the woman within his reach, seemingly seeing determination beneath her gentleness. He instinctively tightened his hold on her Eleanor please, don¡¯t be so heartless to me.¡± His grip was so strong that it almost crushed her into his bones, forcing Eleanor to swallow back what she wanted to say She withdrew her hand, lowered her gaze, looked at his scarred right hand, and sighed deeply after a long silence ¡°How long are the few days you mentioned?¡± Bernard¡¯s face stiffened, and his disappointed eyes it up with hope again. Eleanor had a soft spot, she was still the same gentle and kind Eleanor He held her with both hands, tighter this time, as if he had regained something precious, holding onto it for dear life. ¡°When you find what you¡¯ve lost, well end this, okay?¡± He wanted forever, but she still had Gareft, and it was impossible for her to be with him forever He knew it was absurd, unreasonable, and despicable to make such a request knowing that she was married But he would rather be a secret lover if it meant he could be with her, even if it was only for a few days. Eleanor clenched her fists, hesitated for a few seconds, and thenpromised. ¡°Okay I promise you¡± Bernard hugged her tightly and said gratefully into her ear, ¡°Eleanor, thank you for giving me another chance to start again¡­¡± Eleanor¡¯s clear eyes slowly moved upward, looking at the afterglow outside the window, her gaze lost She didn¡¯t know if the decision she made was right or wrong. She was both scared and unsettled¡­. Because in her heavy memory, Bernard was very persistent. When he liked something, he had to have it. But once he got it, he was more indifferent She had seen his coldness, that bone¨Cchilling coldness that kept people at bay was the most vivid image in her memory She was afraid of that Bernard, and also afraid of his persistence just to get her¡­ When she was filled with helplessness and fear, Bernard turned his head and gently kissed her cheek ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t be afraid, I wont hurt you again¡± He felt her petite body tremble, knowing what she was scared of He wanted to tell her that he had made a mistake once and would never make it again, b ut he knew very well that words are the weakest Eleanor lost a heart, had several near¨Cdeath experiences, her heart was scarred With such a scarred heart, how could a few simple words easily untangle her inner knots? Bernard didn¡¯t make grand promises, instead, he picked up the hairdryer again and helped her blow¨C dry her still damp hair After the hair between his fingers waspletely dry, he knelt on one knee, bent down, lifted her foot, and took off her shoes for her Chapter 382 Chapter 382 His action scared the hell out of Eleanor, making her quickly pull her foot back as the said in terror. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do the All he needed to do was not hurt her during this period of time. There was no need to treat her like this, it was quite unsetting Bernard nced at Eleanor but continued to take off his other shoe He put the shoe on the ground, then lifted Eleanor up, pulled back the covers, and ced her into the soft bed After he covered her with the nket, he gently touched her cheek. You take a rest, I cook for you when you wake up Eleanor frowned, 1 don¡¯t need you to do these things, just be like you used to be Seemingly misunderstanding her, Bernard suddenly lifted her from the bed He held a surprised Eleanor, sat on the couch, and let her straddle his thigh Next, he raised his hand, gripping the back of her head, making her lower it slightly as he lifted his When their noses touched. Bernard lifted his chin, opened his thin lips, took her lips, and kissed her passionately It was as if he went crazy the moment he touched her, turning a gentle kiss into something deep and intense His kiss was domineering, like years of suppressed emotions exploding uncontrobly Unable to breathe under his kiss, Eleanor held onto his shoulders, pushing him desperately, but to no avail ¡°Bernard¡±¡± When Bernard was passionately kissing her neck, Eleanor got a chance to catch her breath. ¡°Did you misunderstand me?¡± C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Bernard looked at her through hazy eyes, squinting slightly, ¡°Oh?¡± Eleanor her lips red from his kisses, exined, ¡°I meant you should just ignore me like you used to, not this!¡± The long suppressed emotion in Bernard¡¯s eyes receded slightly, but he was still reluctant to let go He paused for a few seconds, then lifted his chin again, biting her soft lips Between the kisses, Eleanor heard him say. ¡°Eleanor, I want to make love to you.¡± His blunt words made Eleanor blush She clenched her fists, staring at him, ¡°Bernard, you¡­¡± Bernard cut off her words with a kiss, drowning her response in a passionate embrace He touched her body, murmuring. ¡°Is it okay?¡± Eleanor pinched his shoulders hard, angrily replying. ¡°No!¡± With a sigh, Bernard released her, looking at her with deep desire in his eyes, ¡°Eleanor, you will be mine sooner orter!¡± Whether it was her body or her heart, he would make her willinglye back to him. As for Garett, what did he matter once Eleanor no longer loved ham? Suppressing his intense desire, Bernard returned Eleanor to bed. After a deeply affectionate look, he turned and left Watching Bernard¡¯s tall figure leave, Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief. Her tight body also began to rx After leaving the room, Bernard quickly went to the bathroom Standing under the shower head, he turned on the cold water The icy water poured over him, washing away his heat. Bernard, his thoughts gradually clearing his eyes returning to their usual rity began to smile Although he couldn¡¯t have her yet, she had agreed to spend the future with him, which was already the best start With a slight smile on his face. Bernard turned off the faucet, casually wrapped a bathrobe around him, and headed for the study He sat at his desk in the study, opened a drawer, and randomly picked up a work phone from a pile, pressing the power button. Chapter 383 Chapter 383 Having not turned on the phone for over three months, the battery was running low. He was just about to charge it when Caleb showed up He put his phone aside and looked up at Caleb, who came in carrying a bunch of stuff Weren¡¯t you supposed to go get things done?¡± Caleb dumped several bags on the desk, proudly saying with a e on, praise me expression on his face, 1 did, sen? I got everything back , but Bernard¡¯s smile disappeared as soon as he saw the pile of stuff. ¡°Who told you to find it so fast?!¡± Caleb was confused, as people with the ¡®S tattoo were known for being quick and efficient! Didn¡¯t his boss know the rules? Why was heining about him berg too fast? Bernard¡¯s face darkened, pushing the stuff towards Caleb: ¡°Take it back!¡± Caleb, with a shocked and clueless look, ¡°Why?¡± Bernard took a deep breath, the coldness in his eyes enough to make Caleb shiver With his mind full of questions, Caleb felt like he might lost his limbs over his efficiency¡­ Caleb shuddered and immediately got it. ¡°Sir, I promise to be extremely slow when ites to Ms. Shultz¡¯s matters, don¡¯t worry.¡± Caleb waved his hand: 711 go now, have a good one¡± He sliped away as fast as he could. Bernard watched his retreating figure, his face even darker. He coldly looked at the pile of stuff Without hesitation, he got up and put everything on the bookcase After closing the door, he head to the kitchen. The servants there were startled to see him. ¡°Sir, what brings you here?¡± ¡°Get out.¡± They quickly left after hearing his icy tone. Bernard went to the cupboard, took out a cookbook, and flipped through it with his long fingers He had never cooked before and didn¡¯t know what Eleanor liked to eat. Now But he remembered that three years ago when he found out she had a heart condition, he brought her back to the vi and fed her pancakes. She ate quite a lot, so she must like them. Bernard¡¯s dense eyshes lowered as he closely examined the pancake recipe then tossed the cookbook away Sunlight filtered through the window, casting a gentle glow on his tall, upright figure Bernard emerged from the kitchen carrying pancakes. He walked straight to the second floor amidst the shocked stares of the servants. Eleanor had been running around since arriving in W City and is exhausted Shes wrapped in a nket, sleeping soundly Bernard put the pancakes on the ss table, turned around, and walked over to Eleanor. He bent down slightly, his hands on either side of her head, and gazed at her sleeping face He quietly watched her delicate face for a while, then couldn¡¯t help but kiss her swollen lips. Eleanor¡¯s sleep was light now, and any slight noise could easily wake her She slowly opened her eyes, meeting Bernard¡¯s indifferent gaze Seeing what the owner of those eyes was doing, Eleanor¡¯s expression turned serious ¡°Bernard¡­¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± The man¡¯s voice was like a clear spring, cold yet maic C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Eleanor looked at the slender fingers on her chest and coldly asked, ¡°What are you doing? Following her gaze, Bernard looked at his hand and said calmly. ¡°You¡¯re my woman now, isn¡¯t it allowed?¡± Chapter 384 Chapter 384 Eleanor took a deep breath, her face turning red. She really shouldn¡¯t have given in just now Seeing her angry look, Bernard¡¯s eyes twinkled with amusement. He couldn¡¯t help but lean down and kiss her again before letting her go ¡°Alright, cut it out. Let¡¯s get up and eat something¡± Eleanor wasnt in the mood to eat at all. She hadn¡¯t even had enough sleep and had been woken up by his kisses. She was so annoyed! Seeing that she didn¡¯t want to get up. Bernard didn¡¯t push her. He got up, brought some pancakes, and sat down on the sofa by the bed He held a pancake up to her lips. ¡°Open up.¡± Eleanor shot him a nce, turned her body away, and propped her head up with both hands, staring at the garden outside the window and suking Looking at her back, a hint of indulgence flickered in Bernard¡¯s eyes. ¡°Eleanor, if you¡¯re not hungry, there¡¯s a ce on me that¡¯s starving. Wanna give it a try?¡± Hearing this, Eleanor turned around, staring at him with wide, angry eyes. Bernard¡¯s elbows were propped on his knees, leaning in to meet her gaze ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯ve held back for several years, and it¡¯s been really hard¡­¡± Not wanting to hear any more of his outrageous words, Eleanor got up, wrapped in the nket, and reached out her hand to him. ¡°Give me the pancake.¡± Bernard shook his head gently ¡°I¡¯ll feed you.¡± Tm perfectly capable of taking care of myself.¡± Bernard didn¡¯t reply and instead just quietly watched her. After taking a deep breath, Eleanor slightly opened her lips, and Bernard picked up the spoon again. After feeding her, he asked softly, ¡°Do you want more?¡± Eleanor shook her head, watching Bernard put down the bowl and pick up a napkin to wipe her mouth. Her eyshes trembled slightly. He hadnt treated her like this before. It seemed like he had changed a bit¡­. Noticing the subtle expressions on her face, Bernard quickly understood what she was thinking, and the corner of his mouth curled up He put down the napkin, lifted his well-defined fingers, and touched her face ¡°Eleanor, the night view nearby is beautiful. I¡¯ll take you to see it.¡± All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor was tempted, but she still had to hurry up and work on her drawings. With only a little over a year left, her sister still had more than 50 project designs to start Thinking of this, she looked at Bernard ¡°Can I go find Pearce first?¡± He was alone in the W City, knowing no one, and by now, he was probably homeless She suddenly remembered Pearce¡¯s penniless and helpless situation and felt very sorry. Bernard¡¯s eyes softened, but a hint of jealousy appeared ¡°What do you need him for?¡± Eleanor nced at him and exined, ¡°The data from the survey for the aerospace bureau expansion project is with him. I need to know the data first before can draw the designs¡± Bernards expression softened, and he sat up straight. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, leave everything to me¡± Hearing this, Eleanor felt safe. it was as if everything would go smoothly with him around, and all dangers would be resolved He walked to the door, called a servant, gave some instructions, and returned to the room. When he sat down again, he had two cards in his hand Tve already arranged for someone to find Pearce a ce to stay, and your things left at the hotel will be sent over soon.¡± After saying this, he handed the two bank cards to Eleanor ¡°One of these cards is an unlimited credit card, and the other has all my liquid assets¡± ¡°You can spend as you like, don¡¯t worry about not having money.¡± Eleanor hesitated, not responding, and didn¡¯t take the cards He grabbed her hand, put the cards in her palm, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it I just dont want you to feel insecure in a foreign country¡± Eleanor looked down at the cards in her hand, and after a few seconds of silence, she looked up at Bernard Were only together temporarily, so you don¡¯t have to Bernard interrupted her ¡°Eleanor, remember, no matter how brief, you¡¯re still my woman, and I wont let you feel the slightest unease¡± Eleanor opened her mouth to say something, but Bernard suddenly lifted the nket and scooped her up from the bed Holding her in his arms, he looked down at her and said, ¡°I haven¡¯t even asked you out on a proper date Let¡¯s not waste time on this, and do something more meaningful instead Chapter 385 Chapter 385 Eleanory quietly in his arms, and after looking into those loving eyes for a moment, she nodded gently Her gentleness and calmness seemed like a return to the past, and the faint smile in Bernard¡¯s eyes became even more obvious He carried Eleanor to the dressing room, put her down on the couch, and pressed the automatic switch on the wall Several luxurious wardrobes opened quickly, revealing rows of simr high-end dresses, all on disy before Eleanor¡¯s eyes. She was a bit surprised to see these clothes, which were simr to her past dressing style, which Bernard still remembered 1 had the maid prepare them for you in advance, Bernard exined briefly He picked out a long dress from the wardrobe, handed it to her, and then gestured for her to go change in the fitting room Eleanor took the dress, hesitated, and looked at Bernard, wanting to ask if she needed to wear underwear, but she was too embarrassed to say it out loud Just as she was about to put the dress on directly. Bernard suddenly took out a piece of intimate clothing from the wardrobe and handed it to her ¡°Your figure hasn¡¯t changed much, it should still fit you,¡± he said. Eleanor looked at the pink underwear and then at his unchanging expression Trying to remain calm, she took the underwear and quickly went into the fitting room. She took off her bathrobe and put on the dress. Her graceful figure was reflected in the mirror, even though the dress was quite conservative She didn¡¯t think too much, changed her clothes, and came out. Bernard took her hand and led her to a stretched Lincoln Eleanor sat in the back seat, watching the brint buildings pass by outside the window, while Bernard leaned back, looking at her. The distance between them was no longer as great as it used to be He held her waist, pressing her back against his chest He felt her warmth and smelled the familiar and faint scent of her His heart, after years of emptiness and pain, was filled with her warmth at this moment The car didn¡¯t drive for long before it stopped. He nced at the view outside the window, then looked back and kissed her har ¡°Eleanor, we¡¯re here¡± Eleanor stood up from Bernard¡¯s arms and prepared to get out of the car Bernard got out first and opened the door for her, then helped her out of the car like a gentleman. Eleanor stood in front of the car, looking around at the night view of W Cay Under the warm yellow lights, these buildings were mostly neossical in style, with mainly white sandstone, and they were tall and magnificent, making them look spectacr As Eleanor admired the beautiful scenery, a slender hand took her little hand and led her towards the hotel building They walked ahead, followed by about twenty bodyguards. Passersby who saw this scene stopped and watched The man was noble and restrained, and the woman was elegant and generous, making them a perfect match Under the envious gazes of the crowd, Eleanor lowered her head and looked at the hand that was tightly holding hers. Her hope once was just like this in public, he would hold her hand without any hesitation Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. 4 She didn¡¯t expect that, three yearster, Bernard would fulfill her once-desired wish Chapter 386 Chapter 386 Bernard held Eleanor¡¯s hand and took her to the top floor of the hotel. They arrived at a fancy restaurant, which offered a bird¡¯s-eye view of the city¡¯s nighttime scenery below It seemed like Bernard had booked the entire restaurant just for them. The waters, dressed in tallcoats and bow ties, were there to serve only them The energetic manager, dressed in his uniform, handed them an exquisitely crafted menu as they sat down. Bernard took the menu and ced it in front of Eleanor, asking. ¡°Eleanor, what would you like to eat?¡± Eleanor opened the menu and noticed that it was all in French, which left her feeling a bit lost Unable to understand the menu and feeling a little embarrassed, she instinctively reached for her short hair near her ear. Seeing this. Bernard quickly reached out with his long fingers and took the menu from her He initially just wanted her to order for herself but didn¡¯t expect it would make her so ufortable, which made him feel a bit guilty He turned to the manager, who was still bent over, and ordered some appetizers and main courses, then looked back at Eleanor ¡°Eleanor, for dessert, would you like macarons or egg tarts?¡± He gave her a choice, hoping she could shift her attention and not feel so embarrassed ¡°Eggtarts, Eleanor replied softly She enjoyed soft and sweet food, and egg tarts were just to her taste. Bernard nodded, closed the menu, and signaled for the manager to leave them alone. The atmosphere of restaurant was unique, with the candlelight casting a warm glow on their faces. Bernard, wearing a white shirt with a slightly open cor, looked even more mysterious and noble in the dim light. Holding a wine ss in one hand and sitting on a leather sofa, he gazed deeply at Eleanor, sitting across from him. Eleanor kept her head down, staring at her fingers without saying a word, possibly feeling tense and overwhelmed by the restaurant¡¯s atmosphere. Bernard looked at her in silence for a while, then snapped his fingers, and the manager immediately came over ¡°Sir, what can I do for you?¡± the manager asked Bernard whispered a few words in French to the manager, which Eleanor didn¡¯t understand. However, a momentter, a famous cellist arrived at the restaurant The cellist didn¡¯t bother them, he just nodded and started ying in the background As the soothing instrumental music filled the ar, Eleanor¡¯s tense nerves began to rx Seeing that Eleanor was no longer so tense, Bernard lifted his hand and gently held hers He didnt say anything, just held her hand tightly, as if holding a precious treasure that he couldn¡¯t bear to let goAll content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. It wasn¡¯t until the waiters began to serve the dishes that he reluctantly let go of her hand. Eleanor quietly enjoyed her meal, while Bernard took mental notes of everything she ate He had once been cold towards her out of anger and had never paid attention to her food preferences, something he now deeply regretted From this moment on, he would pay close attention to her likes and dislikes, hoping to make up for his past mistakes in this way His stomach wasn¡¯t very good, so he didn¡¯t eat much, just gazing at her under the candlelight, serene and beautiful.. Eleanor felt an intense gaze on her and became a bit uneasy, so she looked at Bernard Seeing that he had hardly touched his food, she couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°Is your stomach bothering you?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t expect her to remember his stomach issues, and a hint of a smile shed in his eyes, Tm fine Eleanor gripped her knife and fork, mustered her courage, and cut a small piece of foie gras before bringing it to his mouth. Seeing the woman in front of him feeding him, Bernard¡¯s usually cold and deep eyes gradually turned a shade of pink He opened his mouth slightly and ate the fole gras Although it wasnt sweet, he felt as if his lips were filled with sweetness. Chapter 387 Chapter 387 The candlelit dinner slowly came to an end, apanied by the cello music. As Eleanor stood up, a cool breeze blew through her short hair, and messy strands blocked her view Bernard reached out to help her fix her hair, picked up his suit jacket, and gently draped it over her Then he took her hand again and led her downstairs. ¡°Eleanor, there¡¯s a musical. You He looked down at Eleanor beside him and noticed she was staring at a building in the distance, so he didn¡¯t continue He nodded to his bodyguard behind him, who immediately understood and quickly walked towards the building. ¡°Eleanor, let¡¯s go where you were looking.¡± Eleanor snapped back to reality and shook her head. ¡°No need, you¡¯ve already arranged for the mutical Let¡¯s go see the musical¡± Pearce told her that the building¡¯s design was inspired by ancient Greece and Rome, so she couldn¡¯t help but take a few extra nces She didn¡¯t expect Bernard to decide to take her there just because she looked a few more times, which surprised her Bernard didn¡¯t say anything more, just held her hand and walked towards the building Eleanor thought they would just look at it from the outside, but Bernard took her straight inside. Although the building was open for visitors, it required advance reservations and was closed at night. But Bernard just showed a document, and the security let them in. Eleanor was shocked by this, but what happened next shocked her even more After they entered, a group of people in uniforms bowed to him and greeted- ¡°Sir She remembered that everyone in her home country called him Mr. Laurence, but abroad they called him Sir At first, she thought Sir¡¯ was just an honorific title. but now she felt it had a more representative meaning. Eleanor didnt understand and felt that the man beside her had a moreplicated identity than the one who controlled the Laurence Group, She stared at Bernard for a while, then forced herself to look away and focus on the architecture inside They were like a couple, holding hands, touring around, and then visiting other iconic buildings They checked them all out one by one, with Bernard holding her hand the whole time It wasnt until she got a little tired and slowed down that Bernard let go of her hand and squatted down in front of her ¡°Eleanor,e on.¡± Eleanor looked at the broad-shouldered man in front of her, somewhat stunned You..¡± Bernard tilted his head slightly and whispered, ¡°Do you want me to carry you?¡± The streets of W City were busy with peopleing and going How could she let him carry her? Eleanor hesitated for a few seconds, then bent down andid on his back Bernard easily lifted her up. It was as if he was carrying his happiness while carrying her, walking slowly under the streetlights. Eleanor stared at his side profile, then raised her hand and wrapped it around his neck. ¡°Bernard All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Hmm?¡± He carried her, walkingthrough the streets of W City, and slightly turned his head to look at Eleanor who was holding onto him. Eleanor buried her head in the nape of his neck, smelling the faint scenting from his thick hair, and whispered, ¡°You¡¯ve never taken me out before. This is the first time These words made the man suddenly stop a painful feeling quietly rose in his heart. He was very heartbroken and guilty as he apologized to her, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m sorry.¡± It was his fault for those five years, not cherishing her, and wasting her time. He subconsciously held the woman behind him tightly, as if he was holding the whole world, using all his strength ¡°Eleanor, I will make up for your loss. Just wait for me Eleanor remained silent, not responding to him, just leaning on his back, looking at the stars in the sky Those stars seemed to light the path ahead for them, leading them toward happiness. Chapter 388 Chapter 388 Bernard carried Eleanor back to the car and drove to the art center. As they were about to go in, he suddenly stopped and looked down at her ¡°Eleanor, do you prefer musicals or concerts?¡± he asked. He had been so busy arranging the date that he had forgotten to ask about her preferences Eleanor wasnt a big fan of musicals, so she hesitated for a moment. But before she could say anything, Bernard signaled to the bodyguard behind him The bodyguard immediately walked towards the concert hall, and after they went in, a staff member led them to the VIP box on the third floor On the stage of the music hall, t countless organ pipes decorated, which looked beautiful and spectacr. As Eleanor sat in the box and watched the awe-inspiring performance on the stage, a smile gradually appeared on her lips Bernard, who had been watching her all the while, felt a sense of joy when he saw her smile ¡°Eleanor, you finally smiled,¡± he said After she returned to the country, the smiles on her face were all pretend. He hadn¡¯t seen such a sincere smile from her in a long time Eleanor turned her head and smiled at Bernard Thank you for arranging this concert. I really like it.¡± Bernard hugged her waist and brought her closer to him, kissing her forehead. ¡°As long as you like it,¡± he said Eleanor couldn¡¯t resist his embrace any longer and leaned against his strong chest, watching the wonderful performance on the stagePublished by N?v''elD/rama.Org. After the concert, Bernard carried the somewhat sleepy Eleanor out of the art center and back to the car. She fastened her seatbelt and leaned her head against the take a nap. Sow, wanting to Suddenly, Bernard lifted her up and let her sit on hisp. When they were together, she often liked to sleep on hisp. Many times, he would gently pat her back tofort her In fact, he had been gentle to her when she fell asleep, but she didn¡¯t know it¡­ Bernard ced her head on his neck and raised his hand to gently pat her back. Eleanor was startled for a moment and turned to look at the man who wasforting her like a child His movements were skillful as if he had done this many times before, but she had no memory of it. Eleanor stared at his perfect side profile for a while and slowly fell asleep under his gentle touch. As the car drove towards the vi, it suddenly shook because of a speed bump, waking up Eleanor in his arms, Bernard immediately raised his cold eyes and looked at the driver, ¡°Stop the car The driver didn¡¯t need to check the rearview mirror to feel the chill He immediately stepped on the brake and stopped the car on the roadside. He was thinking that his high-paying job would be lost just after one day Eleanor woke up and saw Bernard ming the driver. She hurriedly said to him, Tm fine¡± When he heard her gentle voice, the coldness disappeared from Bernard¡¯s face He looked at Eleanor affectionately and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go home, you can sleep a little longer Eleanor nodded gently, got down from him, straightened her slightly wrinkled clothes, and saw Bernard opening the car door He extended his long fingers in front of her, and after hesitating for a few seconds, Eleanor ced her hand in his palm The man held her hand tightly, his lips slightly upturned, a faint smile on his face. After he took her out of the car, he held her hand and nned to walk home together However, when they were crossing the road, a speeding sports car suddenly rushed towards them The car was too fast to avoid, so Bernard didn¡¯t hesitate to push Eleanor aside Chapter 389 Chapter 389 When Eleanor was knocked to the ground, all she heard was the screeching of tires. She was startled and quickly turned her head to see Bernard, who had also been knocked down He grunted, and a trickle of blood slowly seeped from his lips ¡°Sir!¡± A group of bodyguards jumped out of the car, their faces pale This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. They rushed over to help him up, intending to take him to the hospital. But Bernard shrugged them off, got up shakily, and walked determinedly over to Eleanor He knelt in front of her on one knee, helped her up, and then began frantically checking her for injuries. ¡°Eleanor, are you okay?¡± The panic and worry in his eyes made Eleanor¡¯s heart tremble She stared nkly at the man in front of her, who had just been hit by a car, yet he was more concerned about her Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, and she couldn¡¯t find the words to say anything Seeing her silence. Bernard thought he had hurt her and quickly picked her up, moving towards the car As Eleanor was lifted, she saw the blood on his lips and her face turned even paler ¡°Bernard, you¡¯re coughing up blood You must have internal injuries, put me down, don¡¯t strain yourself¡± But Bernard ignored her pleas, he put her in the car and turned to re at the man in the sports car. ¡°He should get a taste of what it¡¯s like to be hit by a car!¡± With that, Bernard got into the car and coldly ordered the driver, To the hospital As the car sped off. Bernard seemed to remember something and reached to feel the back of Eleanor¡¯s head. Finding no hard objects, he breathed a sigh of relief, ¡®Good, you¡¯re okay¡± Eleanor looked at him, her eyes welling up, I¡¯m okay, but are you feeling alright? Internal injuries were more serious than external ones, and she had no idea where he was hurt Bernard felt a wave of difort in his abdomen, but he forced himself to endure the taste of blood, shaking his head at her. His inability to speak made Eleanor even more worried. She quickly took out a tissue and wiped the blood from his lips. Seeing the concern in her eyes, Bernard¡¯s expression stiffened slightly. Did Eleanor still care about him? He couldn¡¯t ask her now, he could only stare at the woman who was hurriedly wiping his blood The car quickly stopped at the hospital, and the bodyguards who followed them quickly helped Bernard out. He pushed them away and grabbed Eleanor¡¯s hand, rushing towards the emergency room It was the same hospital as before, and the dean came to see them personally Seeing Bernard bleeding, he immediately arranged for him to be admitted for examination. Bernard leaned on the emergency table, spat a mouthful of blood into the bin, then said coldly to the dean, ¡°Check her first¡± He had pushed her hard and wasn¡¯t sure if she was seriously injured Seeing Bernard insist on her being checked first, even though he was coughing up blood, Eleanor felt a pang in her heart. She gently told Bernard, Tm really okay. Listen to the doctor and have your examination, okay?¡± She asked so softly that Bernard couldn¡¯t refuse. He gently touched her face and whispered, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to you¡± After agreeing, he was taken to a VIP ward under the doctor¡¯s arrangement Before the examination began, he still insisted that the doctors also check Eleanor Only after confirming that she was okay did he rx and undergo an MRI. The results showed that he had bleeding in his lungs Chapter 390 Chapter 390 ¡°Luckily, the bleeding isn¡¯t bad and the situation isn¡¯t too grim. Well try some meds first if things go south, we might need to do surgery¡± The hospitals dean put the X¨Cray in his hands, turning to look at Bernard, who was half¨Csitting on the bed. Seeing that his mouth was no longer bloody, he let out a sigh of relief Thank god the bleeding stopped in time and there was no infection. If something happened to this big¨Cshot Investor in his hospital the Laurence family might have his head. Eleanor, who was standing by the bed, felt her tense body gradually rx at hearing the dean¡¯s words ¡°Is there anything he needs to be careful about during his stay?¡± ¡°He¡¯s gotta watch his diet and rest. No heavy exercise.¡± Eleanor took note of this, then turned towards the doctor who was bandaging Bernard¡¯s arm. ¡°How¡¯s his arm?¡± ¡°Just a scrape with some bleeding. Didn¡¯t hit the bone, so no biggie¡± Eleanor exhaled again, her eyes meeting Bernard¡¯s, who was staring at her. They locked eyes for a moment, then Bernard gently squeezed her hand, All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t sweat it. After I pushed you, I managed to dodge.¡± He still got hit, but luckily it wasn¡¯t life threatening Eleanor looked at him with her beautiful eyes, remained silent for a moment, then gently nodded. After taking his meds, Bernard started to feel a bit tired ¡± Seeing him dozing off, Eleanor wanted to get up and prepare some stuff for his stay, but he held her hand tightly She tried to pull her hand away, but his brows knitted together instantly He seemed to fear she would leave, even under the influence of the meds and in deep sleep, he didn¡¯t want to let go. Seeing Bernard like this, Eleanor¡¯s heart started to open up. She couldn¡¯t help but reach out, gently touching his handsome face. ¡°Bernard Eleanor murmured, then let out a sigh Turned out, she still couldn¡¯t forget that name. She sat by the bed, watching him quietly, reminiscing about the past It seemed like she could feel his hidden love from those memories Time ticked by until dawn, and the man on the bed slowly opened his eyes. Seeing the woman sleeping quietly by the bed, he felt a warmth in his heart, a hint of a smile in his eyes. Afraid she was ufortable, he bore the pain, sat up, brought her onto the bed, and held her in his arms Eleanor woke up, looking at his face, which was a bit sickly but still handsome She wanted to say something, but Bernard put her head against his chest, whispering, ¡°Eleanor, sleep with me a bit longer.¡± His voice was a bit hoarse, but more maic than usual Eleanor obediently rxed in his arms Only then did Eleanor notice the gunshot wound near his heart under his open cor. The wound had healed, but it was still evident that it had once been pierced by a bullet. She reached out and touched the scar. This is¡­¡± Bernard looked down, following her finger, then covered it up again, casually saying ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡± Eleanor remembered Garett once said, Bernard got seriously injured while saving him. Was this wound from that time? She slowly looked up at the man holding her. He pretended to sleep, but her heart ached slightly Her hand, which had been nervously at her side, suddenly wrapped around his strong waist. This move made Bernard stiffen When his eyes slowly opened, they were full of confusion. Was she being forward because she was grateful he saved Garett, or was she taking the initiative because she pitied ham? Bernard didn¡¯t dare to ask. Because whenever she had to choose between him and Garett, she never chose him. Chapter 391 Chapter 391 Bernard had been in the hospital for two weeks, with Eleanor sticking by his side the whole time, eating and sleeping just like old times. The thing is, Bernard¡¯s a bit of a clean freak. Even when the doctor warned him not to move around too much, he just wouldn¡¯t listen, insisting on keeping himself squeaky clean Every time Bernard came out of the bathroom, he¡¯d only be wrapped in a towel, showing off his rock¨C hard abs and strutting around in front of Eleanor with no shame Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but think he wasn¡¯t bathing so much because of his cleanliness obsession, but rather, he was trying to tempt her Especially at night, he¡¯d lose all control passionately kissing her. It¡¯s a special kind of restraint, yet still respecting her wishes¡­. The day before he was discharged, he just couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. He grabbed Eleanor pressing her against the wall, nipping at her lips, and pleading over and over aga ¡°Eleanor, I want you. Can I have you, huh?¡± Eleanor blushed, trying to talk him down, ¡°The doctor said, no strenuous activity¡­¡± Bernard nuzzled her neck, Tll be gentle, I promise, okay?¡± Eleanor looked into his eyes, filled with raw desire, and after a moment of hesitating, she nodded. She figured, if she couldn¡¯t let him go. then she¡¯d give him another chance and give herself another chance. As for what the future held, she¡¯d just have to wait and see Once Bernard got the green light from the woman in his arms, he frantically kissed her while locking the door and closing the automatic blinds. In the dim light, her figure was enough to get his blood boiling, the room instantly became hot and heavy. The intense heat nearly burned Bernard alive It had been over three years since they dst been intimate, and now, with their skin touching, it was like a spark in a powder keg Eleanor clung to the sheets, telling the tireless man behind her, Bernard, I¡¯m never believing anything you say ever again.¡± The man, now satisfied, was full of energy, showing no signs of exhaustion. Bernard gently kissed Eleanor¡¯s cheek, picking her up. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Eleanor, now drained, was ced in the bath. Bernard turned on the warm water, gently and meticulously cleaning her Eleanor leaned against the edge of the tub, looking at her reflection in the mirror She was covered in love bites, especially on her neck, all marked red It was as if Bernard was trying to prove something, intentionally leaving marks on her neck And these marks wouldn¡¯t fade for at least a couple of weeks Chapter 392 Chapter 392 Bernard, who was originally the patient, looked healthy and radiant, not sickly at all. Eleanor on the other hand was the one who needed Bernard¡¯s help to wak The doctors and bodyguards waiting outside immediately understood their rtionship when they saw the woman tightly wrapped in his arms. No wonder Mr. Laurence hadn¡¯t left the house by evening His health had recovered, and he was eager to get intimate with his wife Although they knew the truth, they pretended not to see it. Eleanor hid in Bernard¡¯s arms, embarrassed by the number of people waiting outside the door. She buried her face deep in Bernard¡¯s chest Bernard didn¡¯t care about others. He held Eleanor and walked straight through the crowd and out of the hospital Eleanor got into the car, and her blush gradually faded. But the hospital director was still nning a farewell party with the doctors Seeing Bernard suddenly open the car door, Eleanor awkwardly covered her face with his suit jacket. Bernard found this act of Eleanor¡¯s very cute. The director kept talking, and Bernard waved him off without turning around who quickly got the hint and left with the doctors. Bernard drove the chauffeur out of the car and drove straight to the suburbs himself. After parking the car, he turned to look at the stunned Eleanor in the back seat. ¡°Eleanor, we haven¡¯t done it in the car yet¡­¡± Hearing this, Eleanor¡¯s eyes widened ¡°Bernard, don¡¯t push it!¡± She shouldn¡¯t have agreed to him. Once this man started, he had no boundaries. How many times had they done itst night, and how long had it been since then? Did he want to do it again? In the car?! Bernard didn¡¯t speak. He unbuttoned his white shirt cor, revealing his slender neck. His eyes were sizing her up, and he deliberately showed his sexy Adam¡¯s apple. He was a refined man, but he had no restraint in this regard. Before Eleanor could escape, Bernard beat her to it and got into the back seat Hisrge body pinned her, who was trying to escape, inside the car Then came a passionate kiss, the fresh scent of the man making her unable to resist¡­ Eleanor didnt think she could respond again, but under his constant teasing, she involuntarilyplied with him. She shyly grabbed his shoulders, her hands buried in his thick hair, looking down at the man who was kissing her. He repeatedly expressed his love for her in her ear ¡°Eleanor, do you know how much I love you? I want to spend my life with you, so¡­¡± Can you divorce Garett? He still couldn¡¯t say these words out loud To Eleanor, Garett was like the moon All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. How could she give up the man she loved most in her youth for a moment of pleasure? But what should Bernard do now? He was falling further and further into this abyss. Without Eleanor, he would die. Bernard was very scared. He was terrified of the day Eleanor would leave W City and even more scared that Eleanor, who was under him at this moment, would be with Garetz wh returned home. The thought of her possibly being with Garett in this way was too much for Bernard to bear, and he unconsciously tightened his grip Eleanor moaned softly. Seeing the strong possessiveness in Bernard¡¯s eyes, her heart suddenly trembled ¡°You.¡± Before she could speak, Bernard covered her eyes with his hand, holding her waist as he intensely imed her ¡°Eleanor, you can only be mine, Bernard¡¯s!¡± Chapter 393 Chapter 393 Eleanor could tell Bernard was edgy, but she had no idea why All she could do was hug him, resting her head on his shoulder and meekly answering. ¡°Okay¡± She was his and had been ever since she gave herself to him¡­ After her gentle response, Bernard¡¯s agony somewhat lessened Bernard kissed Eleanor on the cheek and reclined his car seat He wrapped his arm around her waist and pressed her down, Eleanor had just been sitting on hisp and they¡¯d already done if once Reading his suggestive movements, Eleanor reminded him. ¡°Bernard, your body just recovered, don¡¯t do this.¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Bernard propped himself up on one hand, the other tracing down from her neck, stopping at her chest He leaned in to nibble her earlobe, ¡°Hmm? Don¡¯t do what?¡± His maic voice, coupled with heart-throbbing kisses, made her fall for him all over again. Eleanor knew he had great stamina in this area, but she didn¡¯t expect it to have increased after three years. At this rate, she was worried she would bepletely worn out¡­ From the hospital to the wilderness, t he car was filled with an intoxicating scent¡­ Bernard held a peacefully sleeping Eleanor in his arms A faint smile curled up on his lips, adding a touch of charm to his usually cold demeanor. After cleaning her up, he covered her with a thin nket and buckled her seat belt Then he gently let go of her, picked up his sc at tered suit and shirt, and slowly put them on. Once he was dressed, he lovingly kissed her forehead opened the car door, and moved to the driver¡¯s seat. A dozen luxury cars parked in the distance had been there all night. As they saw Bernard driving away in a Lincoln, they all jolted awake. The lead driver looked at the sunny sky outside the window and at the Lincoln car and couldn¡¯t help but give a thumbs up. Mr. Laurence is amazing, going at it all night if I were as strong as him, my wife wouldn¡¯t.. Bernard parked the car in front of the vi, unbuckled the seat belt, held Eleanor in his arms, and walked inside The ser vants rushed forward to greet them ¡°Sir.¡± Bernard gestured for them to be quiet, and they respectfully backed away Afterying Eleanor gently on the master bedroom bed, Bernard went to the bathroom. Once cleaned up, he instructed the serv ants to prepare dinner in advance, then returned to the bedroom, holding Eleanor as they fell asleep. Holding her tightly felt like having the whole world in his arms. His anxiety and uneasiness gradually subsided in her soft body Finally, after longing for her for countless days and nights, she was back in his arms, But what should he do topletely sna tch her back from Garettsgrasp? Chapter 394 Chapter 394 Eleanor slept like a log, and when she woke up, she felt as if she had been run over by a truck, too sore and weak to move Shey in Bernard¡¯s arms, looking at his robust chest and perfectly sculpted abs, and let out a deep tigh ¡°Bernard, what are you up to now. The man paused his movements, seeing that she had weken up, and gently stroked her hair and cheek. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± ¡°Not hungry!¡± Eleanor thought he wanted to continue, so she quickly pushed him away and tried to roll out of bed. But before she could even get to the edge of the bed, he pulled her back Shended back on the soft mattress, pleading with Bernard ¡°No more spare me A hint of amusement appeared in Bernard¡¯s eyes. 1 meant, do you want to eat?¡± Eleanor froze at this, then realized that his hungry¡¯ didn¡¯t mean what she thought Her face turned red, but she tried to act nonchnt and nodded at Bernard: ¡°Um, I¡¯m hungry¡­¡± This time, it was Bernard who misunderstood, or maybe he did it on purpose. After embracing Eleanor and pushing into her, he whispered in her ear T1 feed you.¡± After being run over by a truck again, the man carried her into the bathroom, cleaned her up, and then carried her, wrapped in a bathrobe, to the dining room The long dining table was filled with all kinds of dishes, with servants standing by, waiting for the vi¡¯s master¡¯s orders. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Bernard, holding Eleanor, sat down in the main seat, scooped a spoonful of boletus mushroom soup, and brought it to Eleanor¡¯s mouth ¡°Have some soup first to replenish your strength¡­¡± Eleanor cast a nce at the smug-looking Bernard pened her mouth and drank all the soup he offered After drinking several bowls of nourishing soup, Bernard picked up the knife and fork, circled Eleanor¡¯s waist, and cut her steak. Eleanor wanted to sit down and eat by herself, but he held her tight and wouldn¡¯t let go So she had no choice but to sit on Bernard¡¯sp, waiting for him to feed her Bernard cut the steak with leisurely movements, looking incredibly noble and elegant The twilight sunset light, filtering through the floor-to-ceiling windows, scattered on him, as if draping him with ayer of gold. That faint halo emanating from him made his natural demeanor seem even more aloof and ethereal. Looking at him, Eleanor suddenly understood why her past self had fallen head over heels in love with him. After Bernard cut the steak, he fed it to Eleanor again, indicating that she should obediently eat it Eleanor withdrew her gaze from him and opened her mouth to bite into the steak, the perfect vor spreading through her mouth. Watching her quietly chew her food, Bernard fondly tousled her short hair Her shoulder length hair made him pause for a few seconds, Bernard softly said, 1 still prefer your long hair¡± Eleanor touched her short hair, silent and with aplicated expression. Seeing her silence, Bernard couldn¡¯t resist and gently kissed her cheek, ¡°Eleanor, will you grow your hair long for me in the future?¡± Looking at Bernard¡¯s tender gaze, Eleanor didn¡¯t refuse and nodded ¡°Okay.¡± Bernard felt a warmth in his heart, squeezing her hand a bit harder Lately, Eleanor seemed to be gradually returning to her old self. He thought that it wouldn¡¯t be long before the gentle and obedient Eleanor wouldpletely return to his side Chapter 395 Chapter 395 Bernard stuffed Eleanor with more supplements, coaxing her to eat more, then carried her to the home theater room Eleanor had assumed that the basement of the vi was a garage, but to her surprise, it was a full fledged cinema Looking at the home theater, which was several times bigger than an MAX hall, Eleanor was slightly taken aback ¡°Do you like watching movies?¡± Bernard nced down at her and replied. ¡°Not really¡± When he was in the hospital, he had it specifically remodeled, fearing she would get bored at home Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. After settling Eleanor on the double leather sofa, he turned on the theater and asked her, ¡°Eleanor, what do you like to watch?¡± Eleanor, staring at the massive screen, randomly pointed to a movie After Bernard hit the y button and turned off the lights, he sat down next to her, wrapping his arm around her waist, and they started watching the mov For the first few minutes, the movie seemed normal, but as it progressed, it seemed to be an R-rated film When Bernard saw the explicit scenes, he couldn¡¯t help but raise an eyebrow He looked down at Eleanor, whose face was unusually red, and chuckled, ¡°So you like this kind of movie Eleanor quickly denied, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t know this movie was. Bernard covered her blushing lips and said, ¡°Eleanor, do you want to try the positions they¡¯re demonstrating?¡± What kind of education is this? These are for movies, can they be used as teaching materials? And she really had no idea know this movie was this naughty! Eleanor felt embarrassed and aggrieved, but Bernard was already putting into practice what he had learned. After Bernard had exhausted her, he picked her up, let her lie on him, and pulled the nket over her back. He kissed her hair lightly, saying, ¡°Eleanor, want to go back to the room to sleep?¡± Eleanor weakly shook her head, as if remembering something, her voice hoarse, 1 didn¡¯t take the contraceptive, can you get it for me?¡± Bernard froze at her words A wave of sharp pain made every fiber of his body tremble. He lifted her chin, looking into her dazed eyes, saying, ¡°You don¡¯t need to take that anymore.¡± Eleanor looked at him, a bit puzzled. What if I get pregnant?¡± Without any hesitation, Bernard said, ¡°We¡¯ll have it, I can support as many children as we have Eleanor frowned, ¡°Have it?¡± Seeing that she didn¡¯t seem to want to have his children, Bernard¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°Are you scared?¡± Eleanor nodded slightly. She wasn¡¯t ready to be a mother, so of course she was scared Bernard thought she was afraid of being found out by Garett His once soothed heart ached until he felt as if he were suffocating He took a few deep breaths, suppressing the pain that even his fingers felt, and held Eleanor tightly in his arms. As if wanting to meld her into his bones, he used all his strength to embrace her, as if holding her tight enough would prevent him from ever losing her Eleanor felt Bernard¡¯s unease again. ¡°Bernard, what¡¯s wrong?¡± She thought his lungs were ufortable and reached out to touch his chest, but Bernard caught her wrist He seemed a bit crazy, flipping over again to pin her on the leather sofa, this time his movements were even more intense Chapter 396 Chapter 396 Eleanor stared at him as if she were looking at the old Bernard, who was often moody She was a bit afraid of this side of him, but unlike before, she didn¡¯t choose to stay silent. Instead, she tried to find the reason within herself She kept recalling their conversation, and then she slowly understood She said to the man who was kissing her, Bernard, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want a baby, I¡¯m just not mentally ready yet. Don¡¯t get me wrong¡± The man who was angry with her suddenly stopped when he heard this exnation, his eyes full of quitt He held Eleanor weakly and buried his face in her neck ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s my fault¡± It was his insecurity, his fear that one day she would leave him without looking back. This kind of anxiety was tormenting him, making it feel unreal even when he had her. As if this was all just a beautiful dream that would shatter one day, it was just a matter of time¡­ Seeing him so anxious, Eleanor took the initiative to wrap her arms around his neck and kissed his lips. ¡°Bernard, I¡¯m already with you, don¡¯t be afraid. She took the initiative to kiss him, calling his name softly like she used to¡­ Bernard stunned, stared at the woman clumsily kissing him for a few seconds before deepening the kiss His Eleanor was right, she was already with him, there was no need to be fearful Eleanor woke up in a room full of sunshine, feeling like she had slept for a long time and regained some energy Subconsciously, she turned her head but didn¡¯t see the familiar figure, only heard the sound of water in the bathroom. Seeing the slender figure reflected on the frosted ss, Eleanor slightly curved her lips She got up from the bed, put on her robe, and was about to go to another bathroom when her phone on the floor suddenly rang non-stop For the past half month, Pearce and Eleanor had been in contact But since Bernard didn¡¯t allow Pearce toe in, they could onlymunicate over the phone After leaving the bedroom with her phone, Eleanor asked Pearce, ¡°Has the space agency reced the person in charge?¡± After Theo was dismissed, the space agency nned to rece the project manager. But half a month had passed, and it was still not done, so Eleanor didn¡¯t start working. She needed tomunicate clearly with the other party about the style before she could design ording to the client¡¯s requirements. This kind of project was not like her sister¡¯s award winning work, which could be designed at will Pearce replied, ¡°It¡¯s done I go to the space agency today tomunicate with him and send you the requirements after they¡¯re confirmed.¡± Eleanor nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go buy some drawing paper and prepare the tools for sketching¡­¡± Pearce responded with an ¡°Okay¡± and was about to hang up when he suddenly remembered something and said with confusion, That Theo seems to have not been dismissed, but disappeared The folks at the space agency reported it to the police, but they still haven¡¯t found him¡± Hearing this, Eleanor was startled and looked back at the bedroom She remembered the night Theo drugged her drink, she vaguely saw Bernard kicking Theo and saying something. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. But she was too drowsy at the time to hear clearly what order Bernard had given to his bodyguards. She had previously thought that Bernard had given Theo a good scolding which led to his dismissal, but she didn¡¯t expect him to disappear Chapter 397 Chapter 397 She knew Bernard¡¯s tricks were involved somehow, but she didn¡¯t want to think too deeply about it, so she just answered, ¡°Maybe he left W Cry¡± Pearce didn¡¯t care about it and said goodbye before hanging up As soon as Eleanor exited the contact list, Hailey called with a video chat After she answered. Hailey appeared in the video, leaning against a bar counter She held her phone in one hand and a slim cigarette in the other, and quickly smiled at the camera when she saw Eleanor pick up C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. ¡°Eleanor, you¡¯ve been in W City for half a month now, have you missed me?¡± ¡°Of course Eleanor smiled back and seeing the cigarette in her hand, advised. ¡°Hailey, cut down on the smoking.¡± Her addiction was quite heavy, and she started smoking again after quitting for a few days. Women should stay away from smoking and drinking, but Hailey didn¡¯t care She couldn¡¯t live without cigarettes and alcohol, maybe it was the nightlife environment that made it hard for her to quit Hailey casually raised her eyebrows it¡¯s good tobo, wont hurt me Dont worry¡± Eleanor sighed deeply and asked. ¡°Haley, have you been okay during this half month?¡± Hailey¡¯s beautiful eyes red at Eleanor ¡°You just remembered me now, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve been doing all this time, I text you and you take forever to reply.. Eleanor felt embarrassed and lowered her head ¡± ¡°Wait!¡± 3 Hailey seemed to have noticed something, her eyes widened through the screen, staring at the red marks on Eleanor¡¯s exposed neck. ¡°What are those red marks all over your neck?¡± Eleanor blushed unconsciously and hurriedly pulled her robe up She wanted to cover her neck, but the robe didnt cooperate, it loosened as soon as she pulled it up Hailey saw through her embarrassment and teased. Were you bitten by mosquitoes?¡± Eleanor tried to exin, but Hailey interrupted her, I didn¡¯t know the mosquitoes in W City were so big¡± Eleanorughed, and her embarrassment eased a bit, but she didn¡¯t know how to exin it to Hailey Hailey knew Bernard was in W City, and seeing Eleanor like this, she naturally understood what had happened between them, Did you two make up?¡± Eleanor saw that Hailey had seen through her and didn¡¯t hide it anymore, nodding slightly at the video. Hailey felt relieved, because Eleanor still loved Bernard, and Bernard loved her too. Sooner orter, the two would get together after clearing up misunderstandings and psychological barriers. Hailey was happy for Eleanor but also worried. She was afraid that Eleanor would be hurt again. After all, it would be difficult for someone like Bernard to step into the marriage hall But Hailey didn¡¯t say these words, feeling that Bernard loved Eleanor so much that he would break through all the difficulties to marry her Hailey put her worries aside, looked at the hickeys on her neck, and advised, ¡°Take it easy, dont bring me a godson when youe back home¡± Hailey¡¯s words instantly brought back the blush on Eleanor¡¯s face that had just faded, ¡°Hailey, can you not be so blunt?¡± Hailey pointed at Eleanor¡¯s neck on the screen with her manicured finger, ¡°Look at yourself, who is more straightforward?¡± Chapter 398 Chapter 398 Eleanor¡¯s face turned red as a tomato, and just as she was about to p back at Hailey, she saw a familiar figure appear in the video The guy in the white suit snatched Hailey¡¯s cigarette, put it out, and tossed it in the trash before looking down at her ¡°How many times have I told you not to smoke? Why don¡¯t you ever listen?¡± Eleanor was taken aback when she suddenly saw Cedric Laurence on the other end of the video And Hailey seemed even more surprised, apparently not expecting Cedric to show up at the club, let alone talk to her They hadn¡¯t been in touch since their unpleasant encounter at the club, and it seemed like they had cut off all contact. But monthster, Cedric showed up at her club again, snatching her cigarette just like before This left Hailey a bit puzzled¡­. Because she remembered seeing Cedric at the hospital with a beautifuldy going into the gynecology department His cautious movements clearly indicated he had gotten someone pregnant and was apanying her for an abortion Although Cedric changed girlfriends often, he was very focused during his rtionships. Since he already had a new me, why would hee looking for her Hailey was full of doubts, but Cedric showed no emotion, just nced at Eleanor in the video ¡°Ms. Shultz, I need to borrow your best friend for a moment.¡± With that, he hung up the video call Eleanor stared at the screen as the call ended, slowlying back to her senses. The situation between Hailey and Cedric was bothplicated and simple Eleanor had asked Hailey for her opinion on Cedric, and she said it was just a brief affair But they had been together for three years was it really just a passing fling? Eleanor decided to leave matters of the heart to those directly involved, and put down her phone to head downstairs. Feeling like her body was falling apart these days, her legs were sore and aching as she went down the stairs. Taking it one step at a time, she slowly made her way to the living room, asking two maids about nearby stores. Seeing that she wanted to leave the vi, the maids quickly asked, ¡°Mr. Shultz, what do you need? We can help you buy it Realizing that Bernard had instructed the maids not to let her leave alone, Eleanor didn¡¯t argue just told them what she needed for painting The maids respectfully replied, ¡°Ms. Shultz, all of these items can be found in the study You can just go there and take what you need Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Upon hearing that everything was in the study, Eleanor thanked the maids and headed in that direction. Pushing open the door to the study, she was amazed at the sight of the bookshelves and cabs. Bernard must be quite knowledgeable and fluent in manynguages, which had a lot to do with the cultural upbringing he received since childhood. Eleanor felt a tinge of envy, and after searching the bookshelves, she turned her attention to the row of cabs Opening them one by one and looking in each, she couldn¡¯t find what she needed until she reached the veryst cab The top shelf of the cab was filled with all sorts of papers, pens, and rulers-everything she needed was right there. She picked out a few items and was about to leave but while closing the door, she noticed something familiar in the bottom of the cab Putting down the painting tools, Eleanor opened the bags and found her previously lost items her sister¡¯s album, Pearce¡¯s golden paintbrush, her bank card, and various sketches. When all these items appeared before her eyes, Eleanor waspletely stunned¡­ Chapter 399 Chapter 399 Eleanor¡¯s stared in shock at the object in front of her, and she quickly resealed the bag Her fair face showed no hesitation, as if once she made a decision, she wouldn¡¯t change it over trivial matters She knew deep down that Bernard had found the lost item, but he didn¡¯t give it to her right away because he didn¡¯t want her to leave so soon And when he had protected and worried about her regardless of his own safety, she had already made up her mind. Since they had chosen to give each other a chance, there was no need to fuss over little things. After putting away the bag, she returned the found painting tools to the bookcase If she took these tools, Bernard would definitely notice, so she decided to pretend she hadn¡¯t seen anything. Bernard came out of the bathroom and didn¡¯t see Eleanor. His heart tightened and he quickly went downstairs Seeing his cold eyes, a group of servants were so scard that they hid to the side and didn¡¯t dare to speak Bernard searched all around, but still couldn¡¯t find Eleanor, and his handsome face turned pale in an instant ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to let her leave alone?¡± The servants didn¡¯t know why he suddenly became so angry The servant who had just spoken to Eleanor stepped forward, trembling. ¡°Ms. Shultz hasn¡¯t left, she¡¯s looking for painting tools in the study.¡± Hearing this news. Bernard¡¯s anger was reced by deep panic. He clenched his fists and strode towards the study, only to see Eleanoring out All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. He stopped in his tracks, suddenly afraid to approach her. His eyes were filled with panic, making him look a bit downcast Eleanor¡¯s expression remained unchanged, but she smiled slightly at him. ¡°Bernard, Nicole said there are painting tools in the study, but I couldn¡¯t find them. Can you help me look for them?¡± Hearing this, Bernard¡¯s tense expression slowly rxed, and his clenched fists gradually loosened. He walked over and hugged Eleanor tightly, holding her close to him. Although he still felt uneasy, he slowly calmed down. He picked her up and leaned her against the wall, kissing her deeply Only with her could he regain some sanity. His hazy eyes stared at the woman in front of him, filled with deep love. ¡°Eleanor, remember, I love you no matter what.¡± Eleanor grabbed his shoulders and looked at the extremely uneasy man, nodding gently Til remember¡± ¡°And¡­¡± He leaned close to her ear and whispered. ¡°Next time you wake up, don¡¯t leave right away. Let me know first¡± Eleanor smelled the faint fragrance emanating from him after his bath, and her heart was slowly filled with his love. She clung tightly to his shoulders and replied, ¡°Alright¡± ¡± Bernard¡¯s mood began to stabilize, but he didn¡¯t want to let her go: Housed his tall figure to block her, who was wearing a bathrobe, and kissed her red 1ps, preventing anyone from hearing her voice There wasn¡¯t a single wrinkle on his clothes, only a few beads of water on his half-dry hair. He bent down slightly, looking at the woman whose face turned red from excitement Eleanor, do you need to take a bath, eat, or do you need me to help you find something¡±¡± Eleanor leaned weakly in the man¡¯s arms, whispering. Tll take a bath, while you go and help me find something¡­¡± Hearing her soft voice, the man¡¯s lips curled up slightly, and he carried her into the bathroom Not long after, Eleanor realized that her decision to choose the bathroom was a very wrong one Chapter 400 Chapter 400 After a busy morning, Bernard took out a bunch of drawing tools from his study. Eleanor was about to reach for them, but he tightly held her hand and led her to another study room. This study room was a bitrger than the previous one, and the sunlight pouring in made it look very cozy Bernard put the stuff on the desk and then touched Eleanor¡¯s short hair ¡°Eleanor, are you satisfied with this study room?¡± ¡°Yes¡± She needed to draw some architecture-rted pictures. This table was big and wide enough, perfect for her to measure and design She was about to sit down at the desk and spread out the drawings when the man suddenly picked her up. Eleanor blushed, stop. I can¡¯t handle it.¡± Hearing her words, Bernard smiled, ¡°You haven¡¯t had lunch yet, eat something first.¡± Misunderstanding his intentions, Eleanor buried her head in his chest, letting him carry her to the dining room. At one o¡¯clock in the afternoon, after discussing the style with Pearce, Eleanor received all the content and was asked to draw a rough sketch first Eleanor checked it out. After looking at it several times, she had a general direction in mind. She entered the study, stood at the desk, and began drawing on the paper with a pen and ruler. The early spring sunshine of W City in April shone through the trees outside the window and onto her. The man sitting under the window leaned on the sofa with one hand holding a book and the other supporting his head He looked at the woman who was focusing on drawing He watched her quietly while she drew quietly. The two of them were very cozy in the study . After drawing all morning, Eleanor¡¯s eyes began to ache. She just raised her hand to rub her eyes and saw the man apanying her immediately stood up He walked up to her and held her hand. ¡°Take a break, don¡¯t overwork your eyes.¡± Eleanor looked up at Bernard. ¡°Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ve been taking medicine. It won¡¯t be a big problem¡± Since she had already started, she wanted to get it done and hand it over to the client as soon as possible. Only by satisfying the client as soon as possible could the first project be consideredplete She pushed Bernard¡¯s hand away and continued designing the house structure on the long drawing paper Bernard nced at her design and was immediately shocked The building of the Laurence Group headquarters was designed by a world-famous designer and had always been andmark building in the country Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Eleanor¡¯s design could be on par with that of the Laurence Group¡¯s building and even contained more concepts about the future world. Not only did she follow the clients requirements, but she also added a sense of aerospace technology and cosmic mystery This was a peak that many designers could hardly reach, but as a beginner, she had more talent than anyone else. She shouldnt be overlooked. As a born designer, she should pick up her own work and shine on her own stage. T Chapter 401 Chapter 401 Bernard held down the drawing, looking down at Eleanor who was fully focused on her sketch. 1 can help you get your identity back. I can even set up apany for you, so you can do design work with your own identity¡± Hearing this, Eleanor stopped. She looked at Bernard and shook her head without hesitation. ¡°I want to help my sister fulfill her dream first.¡± Her sister had taken on more than fifty projects she liked but hadn¡¯t had the chance toplete before she passed away. No matter what, she had to finish these projects in her sister¡¯s name so her sister could rest in peace. ¡°As for setting up apany, I¡¯ll pass on that.¡± She wanted to reach a level where she could stand beside him on her own after fulfilling her sister¡¯s dream. Although she knew she couldn¡¯t reach his level, at least she wouldn¡¯t be like she was now, without education or background. Bernard seemed to see night through her thoughts. He said, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m willing to creite everything for you. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Eleanor stood up straight and looked at Bernard in the sunlight. ¡°I know. But there are some things I want to aplish on my own.¡± If one day in the future he was willing to marry her, she would have to reach the top on her own so no one could use her of climbing the socialdder with a man Seeing her like this, his love for her deepened. Eleanor focused on drawing her designs. Bernard, unable to persuade her otherwise could only help her by preparing a series of medicines and food, and silently staying by her side. Busy until the early morning, Eleanor¡¯s draft took on a preliminary form, but still needed further modifications. Seeing that she wanted to continue drawing, Bernard picked her up and carried her to the master bedroom. Eleanor was ced on the bed, resting her head on a soft pillow. Her tense nerves suddenly rxed. Temporarily putting aside her design thoughts, she drowsily looked at the man who was unbuttoning his shirt¡­. Seeing his smooth abdominal muscles, Eleanor became nervous. She quickly rolled into the corner and wrapped herself in the nket. Bernard, who was originally nning to go to the bathroom, couldn¡¯t help but smile at her reaction. He walked over, grabbed Eleanor¡¯s foot, and pulled her to the edge of the bed before propping himself up above her. ¡°Eleanor, are you having dirty thoughts?¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. He was the one always having the thoughts, not her! She pushed Bernard away and rolled back into the corner with the nket. Her eyes were the only thing exposed as she stared at him warily Bernardughed ¡°I won¡¯t touch you tonight. Sleep well.¡± After saying this, the man turned and went to the bathroom. Only when the frosted ss door closed did Eleanor rx. She turned over, hugging the big pillow tightly, resting her head on it, and fell asleep peacefully When she woke up the next morning, Eleanor saw the sunlight on the man¡¯s face Shey in his arms, carefully examining that wless face¡­. Bernard¡¯s appearance was like a masterpiece carefully sculpted by God, revealing exquisite perfection everywhere. As Eleanor looked at his long eyshes, she couldn¡¯t help but reach out to touch then¡­ Just as her hand was about to touch his eyshes, her wrist was firmly grasped by the man. He lifted her up, letting her lie on his body, then held her waist, and asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Eleanor, what dream did you havest nigh Chapter 402 Chapter 402 Eleanor¡¯s mind went totally nk Bemard stared into her eyes, seemingly waiting for her answer. Eleanor couldn¡¯t remember anything and said ¡°I don¡¯t remember..¡± If she called out Garett¡¯s name in her sleep again, maybe there was no need to continue their rtionship. She said, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll leave now¡­¡± All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Just as she was about to get up and go, Bernard tightly hugged her, flipped her over and pinned her down. He stared intensely at her. He didn¡¯t say anything, just gently kissed her cheek. Then he got up, carried her into the bathroom¡­. The sounds of passion between a man and a woman soon became muffled by the sound of water¡­. Thest voice was the man¡¯s, full of desire and maism. He said, ¡°Eleanor, you finally called my name in your dream¡­ Eleanor was exhausted, but she still forced herself to work on the design drawings. Finally, when she put down her ruler, Eleanor copsed in her chair. Not even a few minutes into her break, Pearce called: ¡°Is it done?¡± Eleanor said, ¡°It¡¯s done. I¡¯ll take a photo and send it to you¡­. Pearce replied, ¡°A photo won¡¯t do, I need the original. Send me your address, and I¡¯lle to get it.¡± Eleanor nced at Bernard, who was sitting by the window, quietly flipping through a financial magazine, and said, ¡°Mr. Hooper needs toe and get the original.¡± Bernard looked at her and said, ¡°Ask him if he dares toe?¡± Hearing his voice, Pearce quickly said, ¡°Sorry to bother you, goodbye¡± Eleanor stared at the dark screen, puzzled for a few seconds, not quite understanding why Pearce was afraid of Bernard. While she was still confused, Pearce¡¯s messages came in one after another. [Bernard is too scary, I won¡¯t go] [Send me the address, and I¡¯ll send someone to pick it up] [But I¡¯m worried about the draft being stolen if someone elsees to get it] Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Seeing her chatting happily with Pearce, Bernard got a bit jealous. He walked over, snatched her phone, and made a video call. Pearce was still waiting for Eleanor¡¯s reply when suddenly a video call came through and he immediately answered. ¡°Grand Falls, meet me in ten minutes.¡± Bernard said this and immediately hung up the phone, returned it to Eleanor, and left the study. Eleanor looked at his retreating figure, then at Pearce¡¯s message on her phone: ¡°Help he Eleanor couldn¡¯t help butugh again: ¡°Mr. Hooper, I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t help you.¡± Pearce was so mad that he threw his phone away: T¡¯m a famous designer, how can be afraid of Bernard?!¡± With newfound courage, Pearce jumped out of bed, quickly washed his face, put on random slippers, and walked out the door. Chapter 403 Chapter 403 When Pearce arrived at Grand Falls and saw the castle¨Clike mansion in front of him, he felt instantly deted He looked down at his slippers, then looked at the mansion, all of a sudden he felt like maybe he¡¯d jumped the gun on his decision¡­.. Pearce walked in. Seeing that the mansion was even more luxurious inside, Pearce started to feel sorry for himself ¡°Ms. Shultz, do you know where I lived the day Mr. Laurence took you away?¡± Eleanor, while scrolling through blueprints, asked, ¡°Where did you live?¡± Pearce said, ¡°Under a bridge, with a bunch of hobos !¡± Eleanor said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Hooper, I didn¡¯t know¡­¡± Pearce said, ¡°Even though you were living better than me, you lost a million dors 1 As long as she was worse off than him, he could still find some bnce in his heart but ¡°If you marry him, a million dors won¡¯t really matter.¡± Realizing this, Pearce,suddenly felt quite upset They both went abroad to work, she ended up with a rich guy, he couldn¡¯t even find a sugar mama, such a big gap? Eleanor handed him the rolled¨Cup blueprints. ¡°Mr. Hooper, go and get busy. If the client is not satisfied, jot down their requirements and I¡¯ll make the changes Pearce took the blueprints and headed out of the study. As soon as he walked out, he saw a man leaning against the esctor with his arms crossed, nodding towards him. ¡°Mr. Hooper,e to my study for a few words.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not, we have nothing to talk about¡­¡± Pearce backed up in fear, only to suddenly find himself nked by two bodyguards, who dragged him into another study After Bernard slowly walked in, he had someone close the door with a ¡®click¡¯- Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Immediately followed by Pearce¡¯s shout from inside- ¡°Bernard, find a better excuse, wearing slippers isn¡¯t illegal!!!¡± After finishing her design work, Eleanor sat in the study waiting for Pearce¡¯s feedback It wasn¡¯t until evening that he sent a message: [The folks at the space agency are very pleased with the sketch, no changes needed. Thepany¡¯s staff can handle the subsequent production of the renderings] Before Eleanor had a chance to respond, another message from him popped up: [Compensate me a pair of slippers] Eleanor frowned and sent back three question marks Pearce didn¡¯t exin, only replied: [They have to be made of gold] Eleanor was shocked, gold slippers, can he even wear those? She put down her phone and decided to take a bath and rx. As soon as she got up from her chair, she was scooped up and kissed by Bemard. In the midst of the kiss, Eleanor heard him say, ¡°Eleanor, there¡¯s an outdoor pool in the backyard, let¡¯s give it a try¡­¡± Chapter 404 Chapter 404 In the swimming pool, ripples danced on the clear water surface. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. The man pinned the woman against the pool wall, his charming voice breaking the silence, ¡°Eleanor, you haven¡¯t said you love me yet¡± Saying ¡°I love you¡± was a promise. Once spoken, it was like a pledge to the one you love. Eleanor,cking courage, looked at the bright moonlight in the night sky, feeling a bit lost. Bemard, hugging the woman tightly in front of him, quietly waited for her to say ¡®I love you¡®, but the response never came. He chuckled bitterly, ¡°Guess I was asking for too much.¡± Eleanor opened her mouth to say something, but the man had already lifted her up, wrapped her in a towel, and carried her back to the bathroom. That night, Bemard didn¡¯t say much, just held her tightly from behind, as though that was enough. Eleanor nced back at him a few times, but he seemed quiet. It wasn¡¯t until she was tossing and turning and unable to sleep, that he slowly opened his eyes. He gently stroked her back, coaxing her to sleep. ¡°Eleanor, go to sleep. I¡¯ll take you somewhere tomorrow¡± Eleanor slowly fell asleep to his whispers and entered a restless dream. She couldn¡¯t remember the dream, but she woke up looking a bit dazed. Bemard didn¡¯t notice her well¨Chidden emotions. After feeding her breakfast, he took her to the horse¨C riding ground. Eleanor thought they were just going to ride horses and rx, so she only put on light makeup. Little did she know he was taking her to meet his friends. Bemard¡¯s friends were all nobles from around the world, including some of mixed rac They were all very tall,good¨Clooking, and very nice to her. After exchanging a few words with them, Eleanor¡¯s view was blocked by a tall figure. Bernard¡¯s actions made one of the guysugh, ¡°The more nervous you are, the more likely you are to lose. Chix.¡± The guy patted his shoulder and waved to the others, ¡°Gentlemen, now that we¡¯ve seen thedy. Let¡¯s give them some space.¡± The bunch of noble in their riding gear finally looked away from Eleanor, grabbed ther ck helmets, and headed to the horse range. When they left, Eleanor looked up at Bernard in surprise, ¡°You have friends?¡± Hearing this, Bernard said, ¡°What? You think I shouldn¡¯t have friends?¡± Realizing her words might have been misunderstood, Eleanor quickly waved her hands to exin, ¡°No, I just thought you¡¯re usually¡­¡± His usual aura made people keep their distance. It was hard to believe that someone with such a cold demeanor, who rarely spoke ofughed, could actually have friends. Bernard hugged her tight, bending down to tell her, ¡°Children from noble families start mingling from a young age. That¡¯s how I met them.¡± Eleanor nodded slightly, thinking to herself that Bernard¡¯s noble background was totally different from her own. Whether he liked to talk orugh, he only needed to stand there and children of nobles or the rich would approach him. Eleanor felt a bit inferior but quickly hid it, ¡°Your friends even ride horses with a gentleman¡¯s grace.¡± Seeing her gaze fixed on the men, Bernard¡¯s face turned cold. He grabbed Eleanor¡¯s chin, forcing her to look only at him, then proudly said, ¡°You probably haven¡¯t seen my riding skills¡­¡± Seeing the defiance in his eyes, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Then when will you chow me?¡± Chapter 405 Chapter 405 Bemard felt a bit of a weight lift off his chest when he saw her smile. He grabbed her hand and led her to the changing room. After helping her into her riding gear, he turned and ordered someone to fetch his own. Eleanor waited outside, leaning against the fence and idly kicking at the rocks. Suddenly, the door behind her slowly opened¡­ He was perfectly proportioned, wearing a white tight shirt and a ck belt around his waist. His lower half was in white riding breeches, and he wore ck knee¨Chigh riding boots Holding a helmet in one hand, he stood against the light,with his head slightly tilted. He walked up to Eleanor and buckled the helmet on her. As he did all this, every move he made radiated an innate nobility and elegance: Eleanor was a bit taken aback looking at Bernard. But he didn¡¯t seem to mind and led her to pick a horse. He chose a very gentle pony for Eleanor. He helped her into the saddle and led the pony around the ring. Eleanor looked down at the man teaching her to ride and smiled. ¡°I might need some time to get the hang of it, you go to hang with your friends¡­¡± He looked kind of funny leading a pony that was shorter than him, and people in the ring started laughing at him.. Eleanor felt bad making him stay with her and let him be the butt of his friends¡® jokes so she told him to go with his friends. Bernard nced at the men who wereughing and said to Eleanor, ¡°Just wait here for me.¡± He didn¡¯t want to ride, but he wanted to make those whoughed at him regret their words. He lifted Eleanor down from the pony, left her under the guard of his bodyguards, and mounted a tall white horse. Pulling on the reins, he quickly charged off toward the far end of the ring where he could go full speed¡­. Eleanor watched his tall figure on the horse. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Just as he said, he really was a superb rider. She sat in the rest area, watching Bernard ride, when suddenly someone appeared in front of her. ¡°Ms. Shultz, long time no see.¡± The woman in the white riding gear looked down at Eleanor, with her hands behind her back. Hearing the familiar voice, Eleanor looked up and saw Teresa blocking her view. Her face fell slightly. Teresa ignored Eleanor¡¯s reaction and just sat down next to her. Her eyes were full of obsession, always staring at Bernard in the ring. ¡°Do you know, I fell deeply in love with him when I saw him ride in college¡­¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t really want to hear Teresa recounting her non¨Cexistent past, but Teresa carried on anyway. ¡°Back then, Bernard only agreed topete riding to help our medical school.¡± ¡°He blew all the med students away the moment he appeared, especially me. That¡¯s when I fell for him deeply.¡± ¡°But he¡¯s so cold, almost no girls dared to approach him. And he didn¡¯t let any girls get close to him either¡­¡± She paused here and turned to look at Eleanor, sizing her up. ¡°You¡¯re gorgeous. But I think I¡¯m pretty too. Why wouldn¡¯t he give me the time of day, but treats you so differently? Chapter 406 Chapter 406 She just saw Bernard gently and lovingly helping Eleanor with her helmet, and Teresa couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of envy Even though both Teresa and Eleanor were pretty, and Teresa was even bom into a much wealthier family, with more knowledge and abilities than Eleanor could ever dream of, yet, Bernard was all over Eleanor and not her. It was mind¨Cboggling. Seeing Teresa¡¯s confident look, Eleanor said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask him?¡± She didn¡¯t know why Bernard fell head over heels for her, so she couldn¡¯t answer Teresa¡¯s question. But to Teresa, this sounded like a provocation. Her face fell, ¡°Ms. Shultz, where¡¯s your superiority complexing from?¡± Eleanor frowned, confused, ¡°Dr. Teresa, you asked, I answered. What does that have to do with feeling superior? Teresa scoffed, ¡°You¡¯re only acting high and mighty because you have Bernard backing you up.¡± Eleanor felt like she was talking to a brick wall and decided not to respond anymore Seeing Eleanor silent, Teresa assumed she had conceded. A smirk crept onto her face But she kept her superior attitude, asking Eleanor, ¡°Ms. Shultz, has he proposed to you yet?¡± Hearing that, Eleanor instinctively looked down and stared at her ck boots, not uttering a word. Seeing Eleanor¡¯s reaction, Teresa got the hint, ¡°Just as I thought, there¡¯s no way he¡¯d propose to you on a whim.¡± Teresa seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, leaning back on the bench, crossing her arms and tilting her chin up as if to warn Eleanor. ¡°Ms. Shultz, as your former doctor, I should remind you. The fact that he¡¯s treating you special now doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯ll marry you! ¡°Guys like him, born with silver spoons in their mouths, they usually marry into other wealthy families. Your status wouldn¡¯t even make the cut in the Laurence family.¡± ¡°So wake up. He¡¯s probably just messing around with you. Once he¡¯s had his fun, hell ditch you¡± ¡°Women over thirty shouldn¡¯t waste their prime years on a man who¡¯ll never marry them.¡± Her harsh words fell on Eleanor¡¯s ears, making the already insecure woman feel even worse. She shifted her gaze away from the riding arena, looking at Teresa. ¡°Dr. Teresa, I should remind you too. You¡¯ve been crushing on Bernard since college. But he¡¯s never been interested in you. Was it worth it to waste your youth on a man who¡¯ll never love you?¡± Teresa¡¯s face froze as she was caught off guard by Eleanor¡¯s rebuttal. Just as she was about to retaliate, Eleanor calmly continued. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°And you¡¯re wrong about one thing. There are many people like me in this world. And many wealthy families started out just like me. So how do you know I can¡¯t be one of them?¡± When Eleanor finished, the determination and confidence in her eyes was something Teresa didn¡¯t have. Having spent her life feeling inferior, she got a second chance at life through her sister¡¯s heart and identity. How could she just give in to fate again? Teresa, who always looked down on others, couldn¡¯t reconcile the woman in front of her with the woman who was lying in the hospital bed two months ago, who seemed to have shed her old skin and put on a new one. Teresa was amazed by her transformation, but she believed Eleanor¡¯s confidence was all thanks to Bemard, which only made her despise Eleanor more. She picked up her helmet, stood up, and said to Eleanor with scorn, ¡°I can guarantee he¡¯ll never marry you¡± Chapter 407 Chapter 407 Teresa strutted into the horse field. Eleanor¡¯s hand was balled into a tight fist She watched as Teresa hopped onto a horse, quickly catching up to Bernard as if they were old friends. Bernard slowed his horse, tuming as Teresa directed him to look towards Eleanor, who was sitting in the rest area. Teresa and Bemard looked well¨Cmatched on their horses, while Eleanor, who couldn¡¯t ride, was stuck watching from a distance. Despair washed over Eleanor. Coming from a lower¨Css background, learning these high¨Csociety skills was always going to be an uphill battle. Despite having just snapped back at Teresa, Eleanor was still feeling a pang of inferiority deep down. So, she averted her gaze and started heading towards the changing room. Teresa said to Bernard, ¡°Bernard, Ms. Shultz is acting high and mighty just because you¡¯re on her back. Don¡¯t you think you should do something about it?¡± Bemard nced at Eleanor and, from his saddle, he pulled a thin whip, and with a swift motion, he lashed it at the rear of Teresa¡¯s horse The horse reared up with a painful whinny and bolted around the track like a bat out of hell. Teresa barely managed to hold onto the reins and avoid getting thrown off, but she ended up half hanging off the side of the horse, struggling to right herself In her upside¨Cdown view, she saw Bernard, sitting on his white horse with his shades on, watching her coldly. Her heart sank even more. She thought, why was he so gentle with Eleanor, but so icy towards her? If her riding skills weren¡¯t decent, that whip could have killed her! Bernard said nothing, turned his horse around, and bolted towards the stables. His friends, seeing him suddenly angry, turned their backs on Teresa, too. ¡°Who invited Teresa? Didn¡¯t they know Bernard couldn¡¯t stand her since school?¡± ¡°Was it Leo? He¡¯s always been chummy with Teresa.¡± At this, Leo reigned his horse back and slipped away, trying to act like he didn¡¯t know anything. Eleanor just stepped out of the changing room when she saw Bernard heading her wiry. He took off his sunsses and asked Eleanor, ¡°are you tired, Ellie?¡± She nodded slightly but before she could answer, Bernard said, ¡°Wait for me here, I¡¯m going to change.¡± He swiftly turned and disappeared into the changing room. As he did so, the rest of the guys also started to leave. After changing, Bernard said goodbye to his friends and led Eleanor towards the exit Just as they reached the door, a woman wearing a white feathered mask appeared. The mask covered only her eyes, giving her the look of someone who had juste from a masquerade ball and forgotten to take it off. What caught Eleanor¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t the mask, but the face beneath it. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. She had already thought Sophie and Teresa were the epitome of beauty, but this worian was even more stunning. She was tall and curvaceous, an aura about her seemed to suggest she was more than human. This elegant, beautiful woman now paused her graceful steps to look at Bernard. Bernard just nced at her, then took Eleanor¡¯s hand and walked towards the exit. As they passed, the woman tapped her mask three times with her delicate fingers. Understanding the Morse code¨Clike message, Bernard suddenly stopped. He gently said to Eleanor, ¡°Ellie, wait for me here¡­¡± Eleanor, sensing he was going to meet the masked woman, held onto his hand tighte Her intuition told her that this woman was even more of a threat than Sophie and Temsa. But Bernard let go of her hand, turned around, and quickly followed the woman towards a secluded area¡­.. Chapter 408 Chapter 408 After he let go, her heart felt empty too. She watched Bernard from afar, as he listened intently to ady, her mood sinking lower and lower ¡°Do you know who she is?¡± Teresa walked up to Eleanor, both of them looking in the same direction. Eleanor didn¡¯t reply, but Teresa began to mutter to herself. ¡°She¡¯s Gianna Penrod, one of the Big Four in the M Continent, the darling of the Penrot family.¡± Teresa turned her head to look at Eleanor who maintained a calm face. ¡°Her background is so formidable that even I wouldn¡¯t dare to stand against her. You can¡¯t even surpass me. Do you think you can snatch Bernard away?¡± Eleanor looked at Teresa. ¡°Dr. Teresa, if I have to snatch someone to make them love me, then I don¡¯t need them I suggest you give up on that idea too.¡± She turned to leave the racecourse but Teresa insisted on following her. ¡°Ms. Shultz, if Bernard truly loved you, he wouldn¡¯t have let go of your hand without hesitation to follow Ms. Penrod.¡± ¡°He clearly doesn¡¯t care about your feelings or value you. You¡¯ll get hurt bad if you continue.¡± Eleanor suddenly turned back to look at Teresa, ¡°Maybe you don¡¯t know it, but I¡¯ve been hurt once, I¡¯m not afraid of a second time.¡± Teresa was clueless about Bernard and Eleanor¡¯s past, so she found Eleanor¡¯s words profound She quickly realized that the two might have had a past, but what did it matter? This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. She crossed her arms and raised her chin arrogantly at Eleanor. ¡°So what? I¡¯ll just wait for you to get hurt by the same man twice.¡± With that, she turned and walked towards Bernard and Gianna. Eleanor looked at these powerful people and suddenly felt like she was from a different world. She clenched her fists and turned to flee from the stifling racecourse. When Bernard raised his head and saw Eleanor leaving, he immediately ended the conversation with Gianna. ¡°Next time there¡¯s an emergency, let your brothere to talk with me.¡± ¡°But my brother is injured, he asked me to¡­¡± Before Gianna could finish her sentence, she saw Bernard rush off after Eleanor, causing her to shake her head. Bernard¡¯s obsession with that women might affect them in the future. Teresa wanted to argue with Bernard as they passed each other, after all, his whip almost made her fall off the horse. However, Bernard didn¡¯t even nce at her and walked straight past her towards the racecourse exit. Teresa¡¯s beautiful face turned pale in an instant. But in front of Gianna, she held back her emotions. She greeted Gianna with a smile, ¡°Ms. Penrod.¡± Gianna looked her up and down, ¡°And you are?¡± Seeing that Gianna was willing to talk, Teresa perked up and introduced herself, ¡°Tm Teresa, a world¨C renowned dermatologist.¡± Gianna just gave a slight nod, with her eyes cold, ¡°I don¡¯t know you¡± Teresa didn¡¯t take offense, and she exined with a smile, ¡°Ms. Penrod, you may have forgotten. I¡¯ve been to your house to treat your brother¡¯s skin disease¡± As soon as Teresa mentioned her brother, Gianna¡¯s expression immediately cooled, ¡°Dr. Teresa, you¡¯re not qualified to talk to me, please leave Teresa thought Gianna would be easy to talk to, but didn¡¯t expect her to turn so cold it made Teresa¡¯s face change too. She wouldn¡¯t be willing to chat with Gianna if it wasn¡¯t for her family¡¯s interests Teresa dropped her smile, turned around with a poker face and left, but there was a fire of anger burning in her heart Gianna, your brother¡¯s burns are so severe, he¡¯ll need my treatment in the future. When that timees, even if you beg me on your knees, I won¡¯t spare you a nce. Chapter 409 Chapter 409 When Eleanor stepped outside and saw the fleet of fancy cars parked there, she felt a bit lost. Foreignnd, unfamiliar surroundings, strangers everywhere. This loneliness made her want to bolt. She stood at the entrance, weighed down by her emotions. Just then, arge hand caught hers. ¡°Eleanor.¡± It was Bemard. Eleanor didn¡¯t dare to look up at him, just held onto his hand. Following her gaze to their intertwined fingers, Bernard realized he had let go of her hand earlier. Quickly, he bent down and apologized, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m sorry. I should have exined to you first before letting go of your hand to walk with another woman. I messed up, you can me me.¡± Seeing how flustered he was, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she was making a mountain out of a molehill. She was feeling insecure and her thoughts were chaotic, but she shook her head at him. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ This only made Bernard more panicked. He was afraid Eleanor would be disappointed in him. He was on pins and needles. ¡°Eleanor, please don¡¯t get me wrong. She¡¯s my business partner. There¡¯s nothing going on between us. Seeing his careful demeanor, Eleanor felt a lot calmer. It was normal for a guy like Bernard to have high¨Cquality women around him. As long as he didn¡¯t cheat, she didn¡¯t need to fuss over such minor issues. Having thought it through, Eleanor tightened her grip on his hand and smiled, ¡°I trust you. Her smile melted Bernard¡¯s tension. Just as he was about to continue exining, she interrupted, ¡°Bernard, let¡¯s go home.¡± This simple sentence ¡°Bernard, let¡¯s go home.¡± thrilled Bernard to no end. It touched him even more than her earlier show of trust. He couldn¡¯t help himself and kissed her on the lips right there in front of everyone. Teresa walked outside just in time to witness this shocking scene,and frozen on the spot. She couldn¡¯t believe the man in front of her was passionately kissing a woman she looked down upon. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. From their postures, it¡¯s clear that the man was more into the woman. She didn¡¯t even raise a hand while he was practically groveling at her waist, begging for h love It seemed the rumors about the man being indifferent to women might be false. Maybe he really was in love with this woman. The thought of Bernard losing his virginity to Eleanor made Teresa green with envy. She had fantasized countless times about being tightly embraced and passionately kissed by Bernard. But this man, so high and mighty, had never given her a second nce. She thought he wasn¡¯t interested in women. It turns out that he just hadn¡¯t met a woman that interested him. Seeing Bernard passionately kissing another woman was like a knife to Teresa¡¯s heart. That domineering, passionate man should have been hers, not the worthless Eleanor After quietly observing for a while, Teresa picked up her phone and dialed a number Chapter 410 Chapter 410 After Bernard got Eleanor into the car, he said, ¡°Eleanor, we¡¯ve got an hour¡¯s drive home. You can take a nap first.¡± Eleanor nodded slightly. She had been nning to lean against the car window, but under his hopeful gaze, she took the initiative to sit on hisp. She used to think that Bemard didn¡¯t love her, so she never dared to profess her feelings. Now that she was certain of his love for her and her love for him, she would be very brave. Although she was also afraid, like Teresa had said, of being hurt by the same man twice. But at least until that oue arrives one day, she would give it all to love bravely. She rested her head gently on Bernard¡¯s shoulder, watching him and said, ¡°Wake me up when we arrive home¡± Bernard tumed his head, lightly kissed her lips, and then picked up the nket next to him to cover her. He stroked her back, coaxing her to sleep, and whispered, ¡°Eleanor, thank you.¡± Because of her kindness, he had the chance to love her again. From now on, no matter what happens in the future, he will never lose her again. Eleanor didn¡¯t respond to his words. Shey on him, looking out of the window. Once back at the vi, Bernard carried Eleanor into the bathroom. Initially, he just wanted to help her take a bath, butter¡­. When Eleanor was about to do her skincare routine, her phone rang. She unlocked her phone and saw a strange message hade in. [Ms. Shultz, did Bernard tell you that he and Gianna are just business partners?] Eleanor was taken aback, instinctively looked at Bernard who was still in the bathroom. Before she could retract her gaze, another mysterious message came in. [Don¡¯t believe what he¡¯s saying. He and Gianna have known each other for many years. If you don¡¯t believe me, I¡¯ll send you pictures.] And then a few pictures came in, all of them were photos of Bernard and Gianna meeting. [Take a good look at these photos, all of them have time stamps.] [Back then, Bernard wasn¡¯t the head of the Laurence family yet. He didn¡¯t need to do business with Gianna, but he met with her frequently] [Maybe you don¡¯t know. There were rumors in college about Bernard and Gianna¡¯s dating] [But it was suppressed at the time, and the whistleblower said it was Bernard who paid a lot of money to shut him up] This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. [Ms. Shultz, these events and photos are enough to prove that Gianna was Bernards x¨Cgirlfriend] [And the fact that he let go of your hand upon seeing his ex¨Cgirlfriend proves that his ex¨Cgirlfriend is more important to him than you] Seeing the sessive photos sent by the other party and those words, Eleanor¡¯s fingers were slightly trembling. But she only nked out for a moment, then steadied her mind to type back: [Teresa, don¡¯t resort to such tactics to snatch him, it¡¯s pointless] Teresa seemed to have anticipated this, and quickly replied, ¡°Believe it or not, I¡¯m just telling you the information I just found.¡± Of course, Eleanor wasn¡¯t going to believe it easily. She wanted to go and ask Bernard for rification. But when she got up, she hesitated¡­ What Teresa said was not very credible, but she was right about one thing.. Since she agreeded to be with Bernard, he hadn¡¯t proposed to her. He hadn¡¯t even mentioned it. She didn¡¯t know if Bernard wanted to marry her. Just because of this, she lost her courage. Eleanor took a deep breath, picked up her phone again and deleted all the messages and photos Teresa sent. She had said she believed in Bernard, so she wouldn¡¯t let a woman who coveted him shake her with a few words and a few photos. Chapter 411 Chapter 411 Bernard came out of the bathroom and saw Eleanor doing her skincare routine with wet hair. He frowned a bit, picked up the hairdryer, and carefully dried her hair. Looking at the man in the mirror taking care of her meticulously, Eleanor¡¯s anxiety slowly faded away. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. After drying her hair, he gave her some medicine and picked her up from the chair. ¡°Eleanor, Ill take you to Jorvik to see the Northern Lights tomorrow.¡± He had seen her looking at pictures of the aurora before, guessing she wanted to go there. But back then, they were still testing each other out, so he never did those things for her. He wanted to make up for the past regrets with the rest of his life. He wanted to heal her wounds and give her the best memories. Eleanor curled up in his arms, nodding her head gently. Bernard held her in his arms as they slept. Eleanor looked at the man holding her, and her gut told her they wouldn¡¯t make it to Jorvik Just as she thought, the next day before they even had breakfast, a dozen space agency cars appeared outside the vi Due to Bernard¡¯s status and therge number of bodyguards, people of the space agency didn¡¯t dare to enter but sent someone to invite him to the space base. Bernard wanted to take Eleanor to see the Northern Lights, so of course, he wouldn¡¯t go back with them, but the space agency director came in person. The two argued for a long time in the study. In the end, the director left in a huff, and Bernard looked upset too. Seeing them both unhappy, Eleanor persuaded Bernard, ¡°We can go to see the Northern Lights anytime, but the space project can¡¯t be stopped. You should go back to the base and deal with work first.¡± Herforting voice calmed Bernard¡¯s restless heart. He touched Eleanor¡¯s face, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll arrange it.¡± Bernard was very stubborn. It was hard for him to change his mind once he had made a decision. Eleanor didn¡¯t try to persuade him anymore. She saw the space agency people still waiting outside the vi and tried another way to persuade Bernard, ¡°Bernard, I don¡¯t want to go to Jorvik.¡± Bernard replied, ¡°Don¡¯t sacrifice yourself for me. The Laurence Group doesn¡¯t need the space agency¡¯s projects.¡± Eleanor felt warm in her heart when he saw through her thoughts and said, ¡°I¡¯m not sacrificing myself. I really don¡¯t want to go. Don¡¯t force me.¡± This made Bernard a little flustered, ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t get me wrong. I just wanted to give you a surprise in Jorvik.¡± Hearing there was a surprise, Eleanor thought it was a marriage proposal and happily said, ¡°Then let¡¯s go after youe back from the space agency, okay?¡± Bernard kept smiling, but he felt a little uneasy, ¡°Eleanor,e with me.¡± If he could bring outsiders into the secret center of the space agency, there wouldn¡¯t have been an argument with the director earlier. Eleanor didn¡¯t want to make him feel embarrassed and smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t keep them waiting too long. Go ahead, I¡¯ll wait for you at home.¡± Herst words eased Bernard¡¯s uneasiness. He hugged Eleanor, kissed her forehead, and whispered, ¡°Eleanor, three days. I¡¯ll be back after I finish it.¡± Eleanor nodded, hugged his waist, leaned against his chest, and after a tight embrach, she urged, ¡°It¡¯s getting dark.¡± Only then did Bernard reluctantly let her go, turned around, and ordered the servants to take good care of her and the bodyguards to stay and protect her. He hugged Eleanor again, ¡°Wait for me¡± Eleanor smiled gently, ¡°Okay.¡± Only after getting her response did Bernard let her go, walking towards the space agency¡¯s car. As he got in the car, Eleanor suddenly felt a little uneasy. Fortunately, time flew by, and three days passed quickly. However, Eleanor received another photo from Teresa. [Look, Bernard met with Gianna again. Ms. Shultz, this time they were at a romantic staurant. Do you want toe and see it yourself?] Chapter 412 Chapter 412 Eleanorter opened the photo and saw Bernard and Gianna sitting face to face in a restaurant. Even though they were meeting at a ronjantic restaurant, there seemed to be a distance between them. Maybe they were just discussing business with a partner, which didn¡¯t prove anything Eleanor didn¡¯t want to believe it, so she chose to ignore Teresa¡¯s malicious messages But Teresa kept messaging. The phone screen was always lit up, and photos were sent one after another. Eleanor couldn¡¯t help picking up her phone again when she saw those pictures. [Ms. Shultz, did you think Bernard was busy with a space project at the space agency for these three days?] [Don¡¯t be naive. He¡¯s been with Gianna these three days. These private photos are the best evidence¡­] Eleanor¡¯s hand trembled as she swiped through the photos, her face getting worse. She clutched her phone tightly and calmly called Teresa. The moment the call connected, Eleanor angrily said, ¡°Teresa, do you think I¡¯ll believe you if you send me some manipted pictures?!¡± ¡°I know exactly what kind of person Bernard is!¡± ¡°I believe he would never cheat!¡± ¡°If you really want him, try to win his heart!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t use despicable means to deal with his woman, it will only make him hate you more! Hearing Eleanor¡¯s cry, Teresa felt she was already halfway sessful. Sheughed, ¡°Ms. Shultz, it seems you still don¡¯t understand men. When they haven¡¯t got you, they naturally cherish you.¡± ¡°But once they get you, they won¡¯t cherish you anymore. Besides, he doesn¡¯t even mention marrying you, which means he doesn¡¯t want to marry you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not young anymore, and you should have enough social experience. Can¡¯t you understand the games rich people y by now?¡± Eleanor angrily hung up the phone. She was about to block Teresa when Teresa quickly sent an address. [Ms. Shultz, since you don¡¯t believe what I said. Juste and see for yourself] [At least as the official girlfriend, you should ask your boyfriend why he is meeting another woman in a romantic restaurant] Teresa was good at mind games, ying with people¡¯s hearts was easy for her. She didn¡¯t believe Eleanor wouldn¡¯t go! Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Eleanor sat on the couch staring at the address on her phone, watching the light outside the window gradually dim Bernard had said he would be back after dealing with the space agency¡¯s affairs in three days. But the first person he went to see was Gianna¡­ She clenched her phone, and she couldn¡¯t help but thought of Gianna¡¯s beautiful face and model¨Clike figure. She knew that Teresa was deliberately trying to provoke her, but she couldn¡¯t help but let her imagination run wild. In the end, Teresa¡¯s wordspletely broke the defenses of her insecure heart. But the rational part of her thought she should go to find Bernard and ask him in person instead of guessing wildly here. With that in mind, she put her phone in her pocket and quickly walked downstairs. When the maid saw her going out, she hurriedly stopped her. ¡°Ms. Shultz, where are you going?¡± Eleanor nced at the maid, then at the bodyguard outside the vi, and said, ¡°Nowhere¡± When she got to the esctor, she suddenly turned back to the maid and said, ¡°I¡¯m a bit tired today and want to sleep early. I don¡¯t need dinner. Don¡¯t bother me.¡± Eleanor went straight upstairs to the master bedroom and picked up a body pillow and put it in the bed. Then, while the maid and bodyguard were not paying attention, she slipped out from the back garden. Chapter 413 Chapter 413 She hopped out of the vi and quickly got a taxi to the restaurant. By the time she got out of the car, it was already dark and drizzling, but it didn¡¯t dampen the cozy vibes in the restaurant. Eleanor stood by the roadside, watching them. The man was wearing a ck suit, leaning back on the sofa, tilting his head slightly, looking at the woman across from him¡­. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. And the girl was in a sexy red gown, also lounging on the sofa, staring at the guy and talking. Eleanor couldn¡¯t make out their expressions too well. But the atmosphere reminded her of when they were together. She didn¡¯t want to believe they were on a date The fear ate away at her courage. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to go over there. She hesitated for a long, long time, but eventually mustered up the courage to walk towards the restaurant Just as she reached the edge of the road, she saw Bernard suddenly turn his head and look out the window. Eleanor quickly waved at him, but¡­ He was expressionless. His cold demeanor made her hand freeze in mid¨Cair. She remembered worrying that he would be indifferent after getting what he wanted when she agreed to be with him. Now he had imed both her body and heart. So, had her fearse true? Eleanor slowly lowered her hand, still standing there¡­ She clenched her fists, scrutinizing Bernard. She still couldn¡¯t believe he would look at her with such cold eyes. She doubted he had even seen her and decided to take a few more steps towards him But he just nced at her coldly. Eleanor froze again when she saw his look. She felt a chill run through her veins¡­.. She couldn¡¯t believe the man who had cherished her just three days ago was treating her so coldly now. The light in her eyes faded. Her courage dissipated. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to take another step¡­. But they had ended up once like this because she had shied away time and time again. Since she was already in front of him, she should go all out to get an answer¡­ Eleanor gathered her courage once more and strode to the restaurant entrance. She wanted to barge in and find Bernard, but the security guard stopped her. ¡°Miss, this ce has been booked by Ms. Penrod. If you want to enter, please show your invitation.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to see Ms. Penrod and Mr. Laurence, please let me in¡­¡± The guard refused to let her pass. She could only stand helplessly at the entrance, watching the people inside. He kept staring out the window. He must have seen her pleading with the guard, but he remained unmoved¡­. Tears streamed down Eleanor¡¯s face uncontrobly. It happened that the drizzle turned heavier. Raindrops pelted her body. Soaked, Eleanor walked up to the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window and looked at Bernard. After a while, she tiptoed and reached up to knock on the ss. Chapter 414 Chapter 414 Before Eleanor could touch the ss, her wrist was grabbed by Teresa. ¡°Ms. Shultz, you¡¯ve seen how he treats you, why can¡¯t you just give up?¡± Teresa held an umbre, looking down at Eleanor, who was soaked and miserable in the rain. ¡°Poor thing. If you¡¯d listened to me earlier, you wouldn¡¯t be in this mess¡± Eleanor broke free of Teresa¡¯s grip and shot her a re before stubbornly trying to knock on the window again. Teresa quickly blocked her with the umbre in her hand, her gaze bing more and more contemptuous. ¡°Ms. Shultz, you just begged the security guard to let you in to see Bernard. He didn¡¯te out. What does that tell you?¡± ¡°It means he doesn¡¯t want to see you. He¡¯s so heartless, why can¡¯t you give up?¡± Eleanor¡¯s clenched fist dug into her palm, breaking the skin and drawing blood. She had no mood or energy to argue with Teresa, but Teresa wouldn¡¯t stop nagging ¡°Ms. Shultz, snap out of it.¡± ¡°Bernard only thought you were pretty and had a nice body, good enough for him to y with in bed. That¡¯s why he was with you¡± ¡°Now that he¡¯s found new prey, he¡¯s lost interest in you. Don¡¯t think that just because the hasn¡¯t said the words ¡®break¨Cup¡¯ means he still loves you! ¡°Men in this world use silent treatment to force women to take the initiative to break up. You should know this very well, right?¡± ¡°So just stop it. No one¡¯s watching. Bernard won¡¯t feel sorry for you, so why bother.. Eleanor, who had been holding back, finally pped Teresa hard across her face after hearing these harsh words. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. *Shut up!!!* Teresa stood there, seemingly not expecting weak Eleanor to hit her, and she trembled with anger. She raised her hand to p back, but her wrist was caught by Eleanor. Before Teresa could fight back, she was pushed to the ground by Eleanor. Eleanor stepped on Teresa, who was trying to get up. It was as if she was venting all her anger on her, stepping hard on her heart. If it weren¡¯t for Teresa¡¯s bodyguard rushing over in time to push Eleanor away, Teresa might have been crushed to death¡­ Teresa, who had power and influence in W City, couldn¡¯t let this nobody get away whit ¡°Hold her down!¡± After ordering her bodyguard to hold Eleanor down, Teresa raised her hand to p her in the face. At that moment, a group of people in ck suits walked out of the restaurant, and Teresa spotted Bernard among them. Scared, she quickly withdrew her hand, waved her bodyguards to retreat, and ran away. Eleanor saw Teresa suddenly leave in a panic and turned to look at the man who appeared at the restaurant entrance. ¡°Bernard¡­¡± Just as she was about to call his name, she saw him open arge ck umbre for Gianna. He never looked back at her. Eleanor didn¡¯t know if he didn¡¯t see her or he was deliberately ignoring her. She just stared nkly at the man who once said he¡¯d make up for the rest of her life, holding an umbre for another woman¡­. Eleanor reassured herself, it was normal for the ever¨Cgentlemanly Bernard to hold an umbre for his business partner in the pouring rain. She mustered up the courage to follow the group¡­. ¡°Bernard!¡± She ran and called his name. But he didn¡¯t react, maybe because of the loud rain or some other reason. Eleanor had to speed up, but they walked fast as if they had important business, and she couldn¡¯t keep up. When Eleanor was out of breath, the group suddenly stopped in front of a very luxuncus hotel. She thought Bernard was just taking Gianna to rest, but then she saw him walking into the hotel side by side with nna¡­ Eleanor¡¯s heart sank, and she hurriedly chased after them, but slipped and fell on the ground Lying on the ground, she watched his figure and whispered softly- ¡°Bernard¡­¡± Chapter 415 Chapter 415 Her voice was so faint, as if it took all her strength and courage just to call out his name The rain was pouring down, drenching her body¡­ Shey there in the dirty water, lifelessly looking up at the night sky Suddenly, sheughed Even the heavens seemed to be mocking her stupidity. What gave her the courage to give each other another chance, despite being hurt once befom? Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Couldn¡¯t even one death wake her up? How much did she have to love Bernard to choose to walk down the same path again? Eleanor suddenlyughed as she thought of the past pain. With her scraped hands, she pushed herself up from the ground. Maybe it was because she didn¡¯t want to give up, or maybe it was to finally let herself give up. She staggered towards the hotel, but before she could enter, she was stopped by dozens of security guards. ¡°Miss, this ce is for the Royal Family of Arvandor only. Outsiders are not allowed in please leave as soon as possible.¡± Royal Family of Arvandor A background that she could never reach in her lifetime Yet she still dreamed that such a man would marry her. Eleanor seemed to understand everything and nodded to the security guards. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go.¡± She turned around and walked down the steps, her figure looking incredibly frail in the wind and rain. She wanted to wait for an oue, so she didn¡¯t really leave but chose to sit on a blerjch in the distance. She sat there in the pouring rain, watching the hotel entrance, In this unfamiliar country, she waited alone for the man who said he loved her. She kept thinking in her heart, if he came out now, she would believe whatever he sai But¡­ Eleanor waited all night. She waited until the rain stopped and the sun came out. People on the street stared at her with curiosity. The man who once promised to take her to see the aurora never showed up. She lifted her numb legs, put them on the bench, hugged her knees, and buried her head in her arms. After curling up, she found a sense of security. This sense of security made her suddenly feel like an abandoned child, and she hugged herself tightly and burst into tears. She had never been so sad before, not even when he pped her in the face. This was the second time she felt despair with the same man. No one could understand such extreme pain and despair. But she didn¡¯t me anyone, only herself. She knew very well that Bernard was stubborn. Once he got what he wanted, he would lose interest in it. But she still epted him again after his repeated requests. She had never made the right decision. So she endured the pain from the same manwice. She had to go through the pain of hope to disappointment, and then to despair again She cried in pain, as if trying to cry out all the grievances of the past eight years. Such grievances, despair, and the inferiority of not even being able to face him, made her feel like breaking down. She didn¡¯t have a superior background, a high education, or knowledge of multiplenguages, and even her knowledge of design was leamed from her sister. How could such a nobody like her expect to get Bernard¡¯s unattainable love? As Eleanor cried in extreme pain, her phone suddenly rang in her pocket. She took out her rain¨Csoaked phone while still sobbing She couldn¡¯t stop the tears as she saw the name disyed on the screen. She didn¡¯t answer Pearce¡¯s call but just nced at the message he sent [The design is ready, and the space agency is very satisfied. The first project is sesfullypleted I¡¯ming back, are you?] Eleanor slowly raised her head and looked at the hotel entrance. Bernard, I had tried my best this time and been brave enough, but loving you is really bring Chapter 416 Chapter 416 Eleanor sat on the bench for a long time, wiping away her tears before replying to Pearce¡¯s message. She noticed a few missed calls from a number in W Cityst night. Her phone died due to low battery She ignored those missed calls, put her phone back in her pocket, and hailed a cab to head back to the vi She chose to enter through the back garden, not disturbing anyone. She quietly went up to her room on the second floor The maid who received Bernard¡¯s call promptly and respectfully answered, ¡°Sir, Ms. Shultz is still sleeping¡± Bemard, unable to contatct Eleanor, frowned, ¡°She usually gets up by now. Why is she still asleep?¡± The maid, startled by his reminder, said, ¡°Sir, please wait a moment. I¡¯ll go check on hur Without hanging up the phone the maid walked to the master bedroom, gently pushed the door open, and tiptoed in. Seeing Eleanor sleeping soundly, the maid breathed a sigh of relief. She left the room, picked up the phone again, and told Bernard, ¡°Sir, Ms. Shultz is indeed asleep.¡± Bernard finally felt at ease, instructing the maid, ¡°Prepare a nutritious breakfast for her. When she wakes up, encourage her to eat well¡± Having given his instructions, Bernard, seemingly busy, quickly hung up and tossed the phone to Gianna, who was next to him. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Gianna nced at the masked Bernard, clearly annoyed. ¡°You called your wife just before the mission started and again right after. And not only did you call, but you used my phone. Can¡¯t you carry your own phone?¡± Bernard ignored nna, feeling uneasy and agitated. ¡°How much longer will this mission take?¡± Gianna turned her face towards Bernard, scoffing. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you have the audacity to ask when it¡¯ll be over? If you hadn¡¯t been distractedst night, how could we have lost two important targets?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t react, with his mind filled with Eleanor. He was supposed to be home afterpleting the space agency mission yesterday, but the organization had other ns. He didn¡¯t want to get involved, but Gianna blocked his car at the restaurant. Hearing that thousands of lives were at stake, he agreed to take her brother¡¯s ce under Gianna¡¯s persuasion. Before the mission began, he borrowed Gianna¡¯s phone to call Eleanor. He wanted to give her a heads up, but no one answered the phone. Fearing something had happened, he immediately called home. The maid told him Eleanor was asleep. Not wanting to disturb her, he didn¡¯t ask the maid to wake her up. But not hearing her voice made him uneasy all night. That unease led to him being distracted during the mission, letting the two targets escape. This was something he¡¯d never experienced before. Before escaping, the two had exposed Gianna¡¯s identity. If not dealt with immediately, the secret of the ¡®Siren Organization¡® would be exposed¡­. Thinking of this, Bernard looked at Caleb, who was setting the tracking route, ¡®Have you found them?¡± Caleb typed on the keyboard for a moment and respectfully replied, ¡°Sir, they¡¯re in the slums.¡± Bernard shifted his gaze and told the driver, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± He had to wrap this up within an hour. He needed to get back to Eleanor. Gianna, sitting next to him, showed her dissatisfaction, looking at Bernard again. She had never made such mistakes working with her brother, but Bernard¡­. She didn¡¯t understand why their foster father had established the Siren Organization for him and made them all serve him. After all, she and her brother were their father¡¯s children. Bernard was just an outsider but their father paid special attention to him. Although Gianna had doubts, seeing Bernard¡¯s focus and efficiency in dealing with the escaped targets, she couldn¡¯t help but admire him. His methods of dealing with viins were at least on par with her brother¡¯s. Chapter 417 Chapter 417 They all split from the slums in a ride, parking it in a non¨Csurveilled spot behind the hotel. After Bernard and Gianna whipped off their masks and tossed them to Caleb, they booked it out of the car and into the hotel. They hit up an elevator with its surveince already being tampered with, and then darted through a special passageway back to their rooms. The second the door was shut, nna made a beeline for Bernard. ¡°Thanks for stepping up for my brother and squaring things away with HQ, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to handle it on my own¡± C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. ¡°Also, with my special status, I¡¯m probably on someone¡¯s radar. Thanks for ying house with mest night and creating an alibi.¡± Bemard didn¡¯t have time to chit¨Cchat and turned to leave through the front door. ¡°Mr. Laurence, hold up.¡± Gianna, in her high heels, came over and said, ¡°We¡¯re under investigation both home and abroad these days. My brother wanted me to remind you not to blow your cover, not even to those you trust most.¡± Bernard ¡°Would anyone be investigating you if he hadn¡¯t messed with Robin Spencer? Gianna was left speechless by his retort. This time, it was indeed her brother who had provoked Robin. Knowing she was in the wrong, she didn¡¯t push further, just nodded at Bernard, ¡°I apologize, we¡¯ll be more careful.¡± Bernard bolted downstairs, strutted through the lobby, and made his way to the car parked in front of the hotel under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes. Once the servants were gone, Eleanor got up from the bed, stripped off her soaked clothes in the bathroom, and took a shower. She cleaned herself up, treated the wound on her palm, changed into her own clothes and headed downstairs to the study. She opened thest row of bookshelves and took out a pile of stuff to put on the ss table in the living room. She sat on the couch, waiting quietly for Bernard¡¯s arrival¡­ Not muchter, a car pulled up in front of the mansion. A tall man got out of the car and walked towards the mansion. Seeing Eleanor in the living room, he immediately felt at ease. Despite being sleep¨Cdeprived for four days, he couldn¡¯t help but smile. He adjusted his mindset and walked towards Eleanor with a smile. ¡°Eleanor¡­¡± He walked up to her and was about to hug her, but she dodged him. She was cold and polite as if seeing a stranger, ¡°Since you¡¯re back, we need to clear some things up.¡± Bernard¡¯s face changed, and his heart, which had just settled down, became restless again. He frowned, looking at Eleanor confused, ¡°Eleanor, are you mad because I didn¡¯t home on time yesterday?¡± He knelt in front of her on one knee and exined, ¡°I have a team in Europe. Some stuff went down with the teamst night, that¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t get back on t did call you to tell you. But you didn¡¯t pick up¡­¡± Eleanor thought of those unknown calls from W City, she originally thought they were prank calls, but it turned out they were from him. Chapter 418 Chapter 418 She stared at her injured hand for a while before giving Bernard a nod. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± It really was okay. Whatever he didst night, the drained Eleanor didn¡¯t care anymore. She had spent an entire night sitting on a bench in the streets of W City before finally waking up¡­ She and Bernard came from two different worlds. One from the bottom, the other from the top of society. She couldn¡¯tprehend the world of those at the top, she could only see a limited view of it. Her newfound fragile trust in Bernard was shattered by those from the top. She had never deeply considered the issue of social inequality. She thought that as long as she loved bravely, they could have a happy ending. But¡­. She couldn¡¯tprehend the foreignnguage on the menu during their date. People bowed to him when they visited the Parliament building. The friends he introduced her to were all aristocrats he had known since childhood from all over the world. She saw him with another woman at a romantic restaurant, but was stopped by security before she could confront them. She braved the heavy rain to the hotel, but didn¡¯t even manage to set foot in the entrance before being told that this was the ce where the Royal Family of Arvandor frequented¡­ She realized the problems between them weren¡¯t just about trust, but also about their different backgrounds She had considered standing on equal grounds with him through her own efforts after agreeing to be with him. But throughout this time¡­ He made her understand how many obstacles an ordinary person would have to ovee to reach his peak. As she was striving to ovee these obstacles, he destroyed her trust and crushed her sense of security, leaving herpletely exhausted. Whether it¡¯s love or marriage, they eventually need to be matched. She and Bernard, they really weren¡¯t a good match¡­ When Bernard saw her scraped palm, he winced in pain, ¡°Eleanor, what happened?¡± Eleanor replied, ¡°I fell identally.¡± Bernard grabbed her hand and called for the servant to bring medicine. Eleanor, however, pushed his hand away, ¡°I¡¯ve already put on some medicine, I¡¯m fine Seeing her distant demeanor, Bernard felt more puzzled, ¡°Eleanor, what¡¯s wrong? Did the servants and bodyguards bully you while I was away and caused you to get hurt? Tell me, I¡¯ll sort them out.¡± The servant who just brought the medicine box got scared hearing this. Seeing their panicked looks, Eleanor felt even more burdened. She quickly shook her head at Bernard, ¡°They¡¯ve been good to me, they didn¡¯t bully I fell on my own. Don¡¯t misunderstand them.¡± Hearing her words, Bernard took the medicine box from the servant. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. It was only after he put the box on the table that he noticed the things on it, and his face turned pale. Turns out her sudden coldness wasn¡¯t because she was angry at him or because of the servants and bodyguards, but because she found these things. He stood there for a few seconds, then, with trembling fingers, he opened the medicine box and took out the iodine. He wanted to apply the iodine to her palm, but was once again pushed away by Eleanor¡­. He held the iodine in his hand, with his eyes filled with bloodshot, slowly lifted his head, ¡°Is it over?¡± Chapter 419 Chapter 419 Eleanor gave a slight nod, ¡°You promised me before that we¡¯d call it quits once I found what I lost. I¡¯ve found it now, so let¡¯s end this Bemard clenched his teeth. Taking her hand, he disinfected and bandaged her wound Eleanor cast a guarded look at Bernard. She was no longer swayed by his tender gestures. After tending to her wounds, she said to him in a detached manner, ¡°Mr. Laurence, I¡¯ve already bought my ticket home. I¡¯m leaving the vi today. Thanks for looking after me during this time.¡± Hearing her resolute words, Bernard¡¯s heart was torn apart. He looked at Eleanor, ¡°In nearly a month, we¡¯ve made so many memories here in the WCity, in this vi. And all you have to say is ¡®thank you¡°?¡± Eleanor retorted, ¡°Mr. Laurence, besidesl also gave you my body. Isn¡¯t that enough? ¡°Eleanor, do you realize what you¡¯re saying?¡± Although it was him who initiated their rtionship, Eleanor had always been willing She used the word ¡°gave¡± to describe their beautiful memories. Feeling that she might have been too harsh with her words, Eleanor fell silent. But her silence wounded Bernard even more. He raised his trembling hand, gently brushing Eleanor¡¯s face, ¡°I knew you¡¯d leave without hesitation once you found those things. But I didn¡¯t expect you to not miss me at all¡­¡± From calling him Bernard to Mr. Laurence, she had be apletely different person in just four days. Bernard simply couldn¡¯t ept it. He asked Eleanor with a puzzled look, ¡°Was all your kindness, all your warmth towards me a lie?¡± Eleanor looked at him, paused, then said, ¡°Once I agreed to be with you, of course, I had to be good to you.¡± In other words, it was all an act¡­. This truth was even harder for him to ept than her sudden change¡­. As he recalled how she used to call his name, sit on hisp, and cooperate with him willingly, he believed that Eleanor was genuine. But once she found those things It was as if he had grasped something precious and didn¡¯t want to let it go. ¡°I know I¡¯m not as important to you as Garett. I¡¯m not asking you to divorce him for me. I just don¡¯t want you to treat me like this.¡± C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. She had given him hope twice only to plunge him into despair. This kind of pain might cost him his life. So, he pleaded with her not to treat him this way. Eleanor was slightly taken aback. She thought he knew about her divorce with Garett and that¡¯s why he proposed to be with her. But it turned out he didn¡¯t know about the divorce at all. She stared at the man in front of her, paused, and once again made her decision, ¡°We agreed from the start that this was just a temporary rtionship.¡± Bernard replied, ¡°Eleanor, I don¡¯t want a temporary rtionship. I want to be with you forever. If you really want to go back to him, it¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll send you back. But please don¡¯t end our rtionship¡­¡± He was willing to be her lover, willing to endure the pain of her going back to Garett, just not willing to part with her. When he chose to let go, he could lock himself at the space agency and force himself to forget her. But fate had him cross with her again in the W City and even allowed him to have her once more. At the moment he had her, he knew that without her, he would die, physically and mentally¡­. Chapter 420 Chapter 420 Eleanor looked at Bernard with shock, seemingly unable to believe what he just said. With a frown and disbelief in her eyes, she said, ¡°Bemand, you don¡¯t really love me, why would you¡­¡± Bernard cut her off, ¡°Eleanor, do I need to rip my heart out to prove to you that I truly love you?¡± Eleanor thought back to the times when he risked everything to save her, to take care of her. Was all those out of love? But it¡¯s also true that once he had her he became indifferent. After what happenedst night, Eleanor felt that he was just in the passionate pursuit phase. But regardless of what stage he was in, they were not right for each other, there was no need to continue this entanglement. Eleanor pushed him away, took out two bank cards that he had given her before, and handed them back to Bernard ¡°Here, take them back.¡± Seeing those cards, Bernard¡¯s eyes filled with pain instantly, as if his whole body was frozen. He knelt down on one knee in front of her, even though the gesture was humble, he still looked cold and noble. He reached cut to touch Eleanor¡¯s face again, but she dodged his hand before he could touch her. A desperate smile slowly spread across Bernard¡¯s face, ¡°Eleanor, what have I been to you all this time?¡±Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Eleanor coldly stared back at him, ¡°Just a fling, why did you take it so seriously?¡± She didn¡¯t give him any hope, she looked like the grim reaper straight out of hell. Bernard¡¯s tall body couldn¡¯t bear it, started to sink, seemed ready to copse at any moment. He propped himself up on the couch with one hand, slightly tilted his head up and looked at the woman in front of him who was unwilling to show him even a shred of pity. ¡°Just a fling, why so serious¡­¡± He let out a coldugh. ¡°So¡­when you were with me, you didn¡¯t feel guilty towards Garett at all, because you were just fooling around¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Eleanorughed, ¡°You¡¯re just realizing the truth now, you¡¯re so stupid.¡± Bernard¡¯s body started to crumble, he couldn¡¯t believe the woman in front of him. He touched his numb heart, then grabbed her by the back of her head and pulled her towards himself. Eleanor struggled to push him away, but he tilted his head up, bit her lip, ¡°You were just fooling around, but I was serious. I really thought that if we continued being together like this, you¡¯d fall in love with me again. And you¡¯re telling me not to take it seriously?! Do you know what I¡¯ve been looking forward to every day? I¡¯ve been hoping that you¡¯d fall in love with me, divorce Garett, and then I¡¯d give you a grand wedding And you¡¯re telling me it was all a game?!¡± Bernard, like a man possessed, started biting her lips crazily. He ripped her clothes apart¡­ He violently pulled her down from the couch onto the floor, pinned her down and showed no mercy. His previous gentleness was reced by violent force. Shortly after, Bernard suddenlyughed. He said to Eleanor, ¡°Eleanor, look, your body is still responsive to me, so all those things you said earlierwere just trying to piss me off, right?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t respond, just calmly looked at him, ¡°Anyone would have a physiological response.¡± Such harsh words made Bernard¡¯s smile disappear instantly. His eyes were filled with pain, his face was pale, his heart was numb from the pain but still bleeding. Unwilling to ept her indifference, he stared at Eleanor, and shook his head. ¡°Every time I was with you, I could feel that you loved me, why won¡¯t you admit it¡­¡± Eleanor looked up at him, with the harshest words, ¡°When you asked me to say ¡®I love you¡® in the pool, I didn¡¯t, don¡¯t you understand?¡± Upon hearing this, Bernard finally understood why at the most intimate moments, Eleanor never said she loved him. She never fell in love with him, that¡¯s why she couldn¡¯t say that. As he was struggling to ept this, Eleanor calmly asked him again, ¡°Let go of me need to catch a flight He held her waist, pulled her close to his body, then bit her shoulder hard. He whispered in Eleanor¡¯s ear, ¡°You haven¡¯t conceived my child yet, how can you leave¡­ Chapter 421 Chapter 421 Eleanor felt a sharp pain in her shoulder as he bit her fiercely, almost as if he was marking her as his possession. Enduring the pain, she turned her head to look at the bloodshot eyes of the man. ¡°Bemard, what you¡¯re doing is only making me disgusted with you.¡± Her words made Bemard stop his actions, but he seemed indifferent. Then hate me if you want. At least it proves that you care about me.¡± Suddenly, a fierce glint shed in his eyes, and he lowered his head to bite her again, disregarding everything else. He bit her hard, as if he had lost his mind, leaving his mark on her body. When he was satisfied, he let go of her and his cold fingers gently traced over her exposed skin. ¡°Okay, now it¡¯s time to think about having a child¡­¡± He said this and lifted her up, letting her sit on hisp. pressing her waist down and making her sit slowly. Eleanor was forced to endure all the pain he inflicted on her, and her determination to leave him grew stronger¡­ C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. That night, Eleanor missed her flight as the man captive her, never stopping until she fell asleep exhaustedly. The next morning, Eleanor woke up groggily and saw Bernard sitting in front of the bed, leaning against the sofa, quietly watching her. ¡°Are you awake?¡± Eleanor tried to get up from the bed, but she didn¡¯t even have the energy to struggle, er entire body was stiff. Bernard reached out his finger to help her sit up and then brought her a bowl of soup As he stirred the soup, he said to Eleanor, ¡°Eleanor, taste the soup I made¡± He scooped a spoonful of soup and brought it to her mouth, gesturing for her to have it. She looked at the soup he handed her, with her eyes devoid of any expression, only disappointment. Seeing that she still refused to speak, Bernard was a bit helpless. ¡®Eleanor, do you want me to feed you the soup like I did with waterst time?¡± Eleanor still had no response, just sitting numbly by the bed like a puppet. Bernard put down the bowl, lifted the covers, and held Eleanor, who was like a doll, on hisp. He gently lifted her head to look at her. ¡°Eleanor, can you say somethingor express your feelings?¡± Eleanor had been standing in the rain all night and had a headache, her eyes blurred with tears. She had no strength or desire to speak. ¡°Eleanor, if you don¡¯t want to respond to me, then let¡¯s continue to try to have a child as soon as possible¡­ Eleanor¡¯s eyshes trembled slightly, with her dull eyes slowly shifting to look at Bernard, who was holding her. ¡°You said that once you found what I lost, it would be over. Why didn¡¯t you keep your promise?¡± Bernard raised his finger and gently traced her eyebrows and eyes. ¡°Eleanor, I don¡¯t want to end it. I want to be with you forever, so let¡¯s have a child and settle in the W City. We won¡¯t go back anymore, okay?¡± Eleanor suddenly turned her head to avoid his touch, which immediately angered Bernard. He grabbed her chin forcefully to prevent her from moving. ¡°You¡¯ve yed enough. You don¡¯t want me to touch you now, right?¡± He lifted her chin and bit her lips, saying coldly, ¡°Eleanor, let me tell you, I haven¡¯t yed enough yet! Don¡¯t even think about going anywhere!¡± Chapter 422 Chapter 422 He pinned her down on the bed, tormenting her yet again. Eleanor, who was already dealing with a splitting headache, was now in so much pain that she was shivering all over. She stared at the indifferent Bemand, with the disappointment in her eyes deepening. Are you going to let me go when you¡¯ve had your fill of fun?¡± Bernard¡¯s fingers traced her skin inch by inch. ¡°I can never get enough of you. Don¡¯t even think about leaving me in this lifetime¡± His icy touch sent chills down Eleanor¡¯s spine. She tried to move away, but he held her down, refusing to let her resist. She clenched her fists, raising her eyes to meet his. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll stay just because I¡¯m carrying your child?¡± A bloodthirsty grin appeared on Bernard¡¯s face. ¡°With a child, my Eleanor will stay by my side forever.¡± The expression on his face was full of smiles, as if he was picturing their happy family life together. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Eleanor stared at Bernard, her voice cold. ¡°Even if I¡¯m carrying your child, I¡¯m leaving The fingers on her skin stiffened, a hint of pain shed in the man¡¯s eyes, quickly overtaken by a cold look. ¡°That¡¯s not up to you!¡± What he meant by that was keeping her confined in this vi. He stubbornly believed that once she was pregnant, she would not leave. Eleanor, deprived of her freedom, refused to cat, take medication, or drink water. Shey on the bed, staring out the window at a sea of flowers¡­ Bernard sat at the edge of the bed, holding out medication, coaxing her. ¡°Eleanor, you need to take your medicines. The person on the bed still didn¡¯t respond, seemingly lost in her own world. Bernard felt a sudden sense of helplessness. ¡°Eleanor, do you really want to go back to him that badly?¡± He stared at her, waiting for a while, but she still ignored him. Bernard tightened his grip on the medication, took a deep breath, and let go of his denched fingers. ¡°Eleanor, you promised me that once I returned, you¡¯d apany me to Jorvik to see the Northern Lights. As long as you watch the lights with me, I¡­¡± He paused, leaving the rest unsaid. His eyes filled with longing and reluctance¡­ He watched her, being silent for a long time, then opened the pillbox, took out a pill, and forced it into her mouth.. The bitterness spread, causing Eleanor¡¯s eyshes to flutter. He joyfully lifted her from the bed. ¡°Eleanor, won¡¯t you eat something?¡± Eleanor, with her dted pupils, appeared oblivious to his words. She felt so dizzy and weak that everything in front of her turned ck. Just as Bernard was about to feed her some soup, she suddenly slumped against his shoulder. The hand holding the spoon froze, and Bernard quickly looked at Eleanor, only to see her eyes tightly closed. His face turned pale, his heart seeming to stop beating. He was so scared that he was trembling all over, quickly picking up Eleanor and running outside. Is anyone there!!!¡± Hearing his panicked voice, the servants and bodyguards rushed over immediately. ¡°To the hospital!!!¡± The bodyguard immediately went to start the car. Once Bernard had gotten the unconscious Eleanor into the car, he stared at her pale and thin face, feeling a pain so intense that he could hardly breathe. What the hell was he doing? If she wanted to leave, he should just let her leave. Why was he forcing her? Was he trying to drive her to her death again? Bernard tightened his grip, holding her tightly in his arms. Chapter 423 Chapter 423 The car quickly reached the hospital, and he rushed into the emergency department with her in his arms. The hospital director hurned down after receiving the call, and pushed the unconscious patient into the resuscitation room. Bemard sat on the cold floor again, staring at the tightly closed door, as if he had lost his soul, It wasn¡¯t until the director came out that he slowly raised his eyes to look at the man in the white coat ¡°Mr Laurence, don¡¯t worry Ms. Shultz just fainted due to malnutrition and overwork it¡¯s not a big deal.¡± Hearing this, Bernard¡¯s numb heart finally felt a glimmer of sensation He looked at the director, ¡°What about other aspects?¡± The director reassured, ¡°There¡¯s no problem with other aspects, don¡¯t worry¡± His fingers trembled slightly. Although he knew the answer, he still couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Is she pregnant?¡± T The director was taken aback, then quickly shook his head, ¡°No, Ms. Shultz isn¡¯t preqiant¡± Bernard¡¯s face turned pale, his voice trembling as he asked, ¡°Why?¡± The director truthfully answered, ¡°Firstly, she has been taking a lot of contraceptives Secondly, her body has suffered severe trauma. Thirdly, the medication she is taking right now has side effects¡± Contraceptives¡­ The word hit Bernard like a thunderbolt, draining all the color from his face. He wanted a child to keep her here, but he never thought that his past mistakes would directly affect his wishes. He forced a smile, even tears appeared in his eyes. For the first time, the director saw such a disheveled look on Bernard¡¯s face, he didn¡¯t know how to comfort him. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you¡­¡± The tears in Bernard¡¯s eyes gradually disappeared, he gave the director a cold nce This chilling gaze was enough to make the director realize that it was time for him to leave Bernard pondered for a while, then leaned against the wall and walked into the ward Eleanor, lying in the bed, was already awake, with an IV drip hanging from her arm. When she saw Bernarde in, she didn¡¯t react at all, as if she was silently resisting him. Bernard gave a bitter smile, sat in front of the bed, and gently touched her face; He was the one who hurt her and made it difficult for her to get pregnant. Thinking that she might not even have a child in the future, Bernard felt so guilty that he wished he could hide away. ¡°Eleanor, I promised you that I would make up for you, but I ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I really didn¡¯t know how to keep you, so I confined you. I thought in that way, you would stay with me: ¡®I didn¡¯t expect to put you in the hospital again, I¡¯ve been hurting you.¡± I¡¯m not worthy. I should¡­¡± He tried several times but couldn¡¯t bring himself to say ¡®let you go. When she agreed to be with him, he was full of hope. Their short time together was the happiest moment of his life. He was hopeful and blissfully immersed in her tenderness like a child. He thought they could continue like this forever, but she suddenly pped him¡­. That p wasn¡¯t a superficial pain on the face, but a heavy blow to his heart. He had her twice and lost her twice, how could he say the words ¡°let you go¡­ But if he insisted on not letting her go, the woman he loved deeply might be driven to her death by him. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Bernard bent over in pain, his elbow propped on his knee, his hands buried in his thick hair, what should he do¡­ Chapter 424 Chapter 424 Eleanor shot him a nce, speaking calmly, ¡°Bernard, if I have a baby, will you let me go?¡± The man stiffened. He kept his head low, not daring to meet her eyes. Eleanor continued, ¡°I can have a baby, but after that I hope you can set me free¡± Berard felt a chill running down his spine He lifted his head slowly, staring at the woman lying in the hospital bed. The sight of her pale, bloodless face made his heart ache so much that he could hardly breathe After a long while, he reached out a trembling hand to touch Eleanor¡¯s face. ¡°Eleanor, you don¡¯t have to have a baby¡­ I¡¯ll let you go.¡± Bemard struggled to get the words out. His eyes were filled with lingering affection and tears of regret. He didn¡¯t want to let her go, but he had no choice but to set her free Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. He had hurt her, right from the beginning, possibly damaging her chances of bing a mother. It was a mistake that could never be made up.. No wonder happiness had always cluded him. He had brought all this upon himself. He deserved it. Eleanor stared at Bernard, surprised at his pale face. He actually agreed to let her go? And she didn¡¯t even have to have a baby? Was it because she had been unconscious? Eleanor didn¡¯t understand why he agreed, but it did lift her spints a bit. ¡°So when can leave?¡± Bemard gave a bitter smile. ¡°Once you¡¯re fully recovered, I¡¯ll drive you to the airport¡± At that, Eleanor nodded slightly and closed her eyes. She was too weak to say anything more. Seeing how much weight she had lost in the past few days, Bernard felt overwhelmed by guilt He held Eleanor¡¯s hand gently, kissed the back of her hand, with his eyes filled with regret. ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m the one who had you take that medication, which made it difficult for you to conceive.¡± It was only right that she should leave him. Eleanor wasn¡¯t really asleep. She heard every word he said. No wonder she hadn¡¯t gotten pregnant during all the time they were together. She must have taken too many contraceptive pills in the past. A wave of sadness washed over Eleanor. She was an orphan. Though she had found her sister, but her sister had passed away leaving her an orphan once again. She had always longed to start her own family when she grew up. She needed children to apany her so she wouldn¡¯t be lonely anymore, but now Was she unable to ever have her own child? The pain suddenly hit her heart, leaving her breathless. Her hand clenched the sheets tightly. Well, that¡¯s life. She should stop hoping for these things and just focus on her designs. She would, like her sister, leave her mark in this world through her architectural designs, proving her existence. That would be more meaningful. She knew Bernard didn¡¯t tell her directly and chose to let her go because he couldn¡¯t face her, but Eleanor didn¡¯t me him. Some things were destined from the start, and nobody was to me. They were never from the same world. Eleanory on her side, with her eyes closed, not wanting to embarrass him or confront the harsh reality herself. They sat andy in close proximity, but the distance between them seemed to grow ever wider. Chapter 425 Chapter 425 Bemard silently watched over her for a while, then gently let go of her hand, covered her with a nket, and left the ward. He retumed to the vi, went to the kitchen to make some soup, as if it was thest time he¡¯d ever cook for her, and he was very meticulous about it When he came back, Eleanor had already taken a nap. Seeing himing in with something in his hands, her expression slightly faltered. Bernard ced the meal boxes one by one on the bed cab, took out a small bowl, and scooped a bowl of soup. He sat down in front of the bed, looking at Eleanor, who was silently staring at him: Eleanor, you haven¡¯t eaten for days, are you hungry?¡± Eleanor¡¯s eyshes trembled slightly, but she didn¡¯t answer. Bernard, however, raised her bed and brought a small spoonful of soup to her lips She didn¡¯t open her mouth, just looked at him. Seeing her in a daze, Bernard said softly ¡°Eat some, and you¡¯ll get better.¡± C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. His voice was gentle, as if he was bidding her farewell for thest time. Eleanor opened her mouth and ate all the soup he brought, bit by bit. After feeding her the soup, Bernard took out a few side dishes and gave her some. Eleanor didn¡¯t resist anymore, whatever he fed her, she ate. The two got along harmoniously, as if they were back in the past. However, only they knew how much painy beneath the calm surface. Seeing that she had eaten enough, Bernard put down the bowl, took out the antidote and the eye medicine, and brought them to her mouth. ¡°Eleanor, take your medicine.¡± Eleanor looked at him and slowly opened her mouth. As soon as the medicine was in her mouth, he handed her some water. She drank some water and swallowed all the medicine. Only then did Bernard take out a tissue and gently wipe the corner of her mouth. His movements were gentle,pletely different from his previous manic state, perhaps because he had figured things out and managed to control his emotions. After receiving the nutrient solution and eating some food, Eleanor¡¯s condition improved, but she was still weak and didn¡¯t have the strength to take a bath. Seeing that she kept looking towards the bathroom, he picked her up and carried her into the bathroom after the nurse removed the IV catheter. He put her on the washstand, turned on the bathtub, adjusted the water temperature and then helped her undress and put her in the bathtub. He had been helping her bathe these days, and he was used to it. In this situation, he didn¡¯t feel embarrassed, but rather, it was very natural. Bernard¡¯s slender fingers gently touched the bite marks on her shoulder. He thought that by leaving his exclusive mark on her, she wouldn¡¯t dare to go back. But he never considered how Eleanor would face Garett if he saw these marks. This childish and selfish him deserved to suffer the pain of losing her time and time again. His eyes red, he hugged Eleanor from behind, holding her tightly in his arms. Such strong reluctance made him not even have the courage to say sorry. Eleanor lowered her head, looking at his right hand covered in knife scars. They hurt each other when they were together, leaving many scars on both their hearts and bodies, clearly not suitable to be together. After helping Eleanor clean her body, Bernard picked her up and put her back on the bed. The weak Eleanor quickly fell asleep. Bernard, who hadn¡¯t had a good rest since he entered the space agency, was visibly exhausted. Despite this, he continued to watch over Eleanor, his eyes filled with bloodshot veins, staring intently at her on the bed. He gazed at her thin figure, not moving, as if he wouldn¡¯t have another chance if he didn¡¯t look at her a few more times¡­. Chapter 426 Chapter 426 Eleanor had been in the hospital for days, getting pumped with nutrients, and Bernard was by her side and took care of her On the day of her discharge, when Eleanor went to the bathroom to freshen up, Bemard nearly copsed. The bodyguard outside saw this and rushed in to support him, ¡°Mr. Laurence, are you okay?¡± Bernard pushed the bodyguard away, leaned against the wall to steady himself, and coldly ordered, ¡°Get the car.¡± Although the bodyguard was worried, he obeyed and quickly left the room. Bernard sat on the sofa, rubbing his tired temples. Eleanor came out of the bathroom and saw him sitting there, with his eyes closed, locking unwell. She walked over with her clothes and before she could speak, he slowly opened his eyes. ¡°Eleanor, my head hurts a bit. Let me sit for a while, and then I¡¯ll take you back to the vi to pack, okay?¡± Eleanor nodded and took another look at him before asking, ¡°Do you want me to call a doctor?¡± C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Bernard waved his hand, ¡°No need..¡± He closed his dull eyes again. Eleanor hesitated for a few seconds before turning to pack up her things in the room Soon, the bodyguard returned, ¡°Mr. Laurence, the car is ready. We can go.¡± Bernard opened his eyes again and motioned for the bodyguard to help him up. The long¨Cserving bodyguard understood and supported him. Bernard leaned on the bodyguard to stand up and walked towards Eleanor, who had her back to him. ¡°Eleanor, are you done packing?¡± Eleanor nodded and was about to pick up the suitcase on the floor. But Bernard took her hand and gently said, ¡°Let them help you with the luggage.¡± After saying this, he led her toward the elevator and then got in the car with her. Bernard didn¡¯t let anyone help Eleanor pack, perhaps it was a little selfish but all he wanted was to spend more time with her. He nced at the quiet woman beside him and lifted his fingers to touch her wind¨Cblown hair. But before he could touch it, his fingers stopped mid¨Cair as her hair brushed his fingertips in the breeze. The love he wished for and the person he wanted to hold onto were like this. He wanted to grasp it but dared not, and even if he did, it would be blown away by the wind. Sunlight shone into his eyes, making him squint. He released his hand to cover his eldened eyes instead. The car soon stopped at the vi¡¯s entrance. This time, Bernard didn¡¯t open the door for her, only saying, ¡°Eleanor, III wait for you here.¡± Eleanor nodded, got out of the car, and walked towards the vi. The bodyguard driving looked back worriedly at the pale¨Cfaced Bernard, ¡°Sir, can you indure this?¡± Bernard nodded. He had to at least send her to the airport and see her off before he could rest easy He didn¡¯t want Eleanor to worry. Bernard gave a bitter smile. What was he thinking? Why would she worry about him? Eleanor¡¯s stuff was mostly packed, and she just needed her phone. While Bernard wasn¡¯t looking, she had charged her phone and contacted Pearce. She asked Pearce to go back home first, but he said if she wasn¡¯t going to be with Bernard, he¡¯d wait for her so they could go back together. During her hospital stay, Bernard had prepared ne tickets for her and Pearce. Eleanor sent a message to Pearce, and after agreeing to meet at the airport, she picked up her belongings and walked out of the vi back to the car Bernard reached out to her, ¡°Eleanor, let me hold you one more time¡­¡± Eleanor lowered her eyshes, paused for a few seconds, and then shook her head to refuse Seeing this, Bernard slowly pulled back his outstretched fingers and gradually clenched them in his palm. Chapter 427 Chapter 427 The car quickly pulled up at the airport, and Eleanor tried to get out, but Bernard grabbed her hand in a sh. His face was pale. He gripped her hand lightly, and he rasped, ¡°Eleanor, let me walk you in Eleanor opened her mouth to speak, but Bernard interrupted her, ¡°After I drop you of leave. Don¡¯t reject me.¡± He led her out of the car, had the bodyguards fetch her stuff, and personally escorted her into the airport. When Eleanor saw Pearce sitting in the waiting area, she slightly raised her head and said to the man beside her, ¡°You can leave now¡± After that, she added, ¡°Thanks for taking care of me during this time.¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. She then tried to pull her hand away, but Bernard refused to let it go. Eleanor struggled a few times before looking at him, ¡°Are you going back on your word again?¡± Bemard shook his head, pulled her into his arms, and hugged her tightly as if trying to meld her into his bones and blood. He lowered his head and whispered, ¡°Eleanor, can you hug me one more time?¡± Hearing this, Eleanor¡¯s heart trembled, but she didn¡¯t reach out to hug him, and just sinod there Bernard waited a long time for her response, but it didn¡¯te. The unbearable pain hade him let go of her. ¡°Eleanor, go, and don¡¯t look back.¡± Eleanor nced at him took the suitcase from the bodyguard, and without any hesitation, turned around and walked towards Pearce. Watching her figure, Bernard¡¯s eyes reddened. Eleanor didn¡¯t want him anymore. This was all just a beautiful dream that belonged only to him.¡± He let out a bitterugh, and his exhausted body was unable to stand properly. He raised his trembling hand to lean on the bodyguard¡¯s shoulder, but suddenly his abdomen felt very ufortable. The pain in his body made him unable to control himself, and he violently spat out a mouthful of blood. ¡°Mr. Laurence!!!¡± The bodyguard was startled. He quickly helped the blood¨Cstained Bernard, and then shouted to the other bodyguards: ¡°Quick! Get Mr. Laurence to the hospital!¡± But Bernard pushed him away, both hands propped on his knees, with his bloodshot yes fixed on Eleanor¡¯s figure. She hadn¡¯t left yet, so how could he leave before her? Between them, it was always her leaving him. Teresa, who was hiding in the distance, saw Eleanor and Bernard parting, and a victorious smile appeared on her face. But the next second, her smile vanished. She saw the high and mighty Bernard actually spitting blood for a woman?!!! She couldn¡¯t understand why Bernard loved Eleanor so much. Teresa stood there, shocked for a moment, then slowly steadied her heart. Even if Bernard loved Eleanor, so what? Love has no shelf life and can¡¯tst long. She was just like her father, who changed women like he changed clothes. She had a crush on Bernard and had faith in love, but she didn¡¯t n to give up other men for him. So, she firmly believed that given time, Bernard would forget Eleanor. After all, in this world, it was impossible for a man to love only one person for a lifetime. Thinking of this, she sped up her pace, wanting to seize the opportunity to care for Bernard. But she saw Gianna reach Bernard before her Teresa immediately stopped, staring coldly at nna. She was so angry, one had just left, and now here came another! Chapter 428 Chapter 428 Gianna was about to head back to her country for a mission, but as soon as she stepped into the airport, she saw Bernard puking blood. She took off her sunsses in surprise and quickly walked towards Bernard in her high heels. She frowned at Bernard and asked his bodyguard, ¡°What the heck happened to Mr. Laurence?¡± The bodyguard shook his head at Gianna and looked at a woman going through security in the distance. Gianna followed the bodyguard¡¯s gaze and saw Eleanor, who didn¡¯t even bother to look back. She shook her head in sympathy at Bernard. Her brother was right, Mr. Laurence only had eyes for Eleanor. Gianna kindly told the bodyguard, ¡°My family¡¯s hospital is right next to the airport. Take him there to get him checked out.¡± What would happen to the Siren Organization if he were to just drop dead? Ever since Bernard was in elementary school, his adoptive father had been secretly organizing everything. This was his life¡¯s work, and he couldn¡¯t let him down. After giving her instructions, Gianna caught a glimpse of Teresa in the distance, coldly staring at her. Her jealous expression made Gianna pause, and she instinctively nced at Bernard. Could it be that Teresa had feelings for Bernard too? Gianna poked her ever¨Cpresent female bodyguard, Cora, and said, ¡°Go check out that woman¡± Cora nodded, handed her luggage to Gianna, and quickly left. Gianna, holding her suitcase, looked at Bernard again. ¡°Mr. Laurence, take care of yourself. Goodbye.¡± Bernard¡¯s eyes were glued to Eleanor, not even noticing Gianna or hearing her speak He stared intently at Eleanor, hoping she wouldn¡¯t look back, but also wishing she would. But Eleanor was as obedient as ever, not looking back from beginning to end. Shepletely cut off hisst bit of hope to recklessly stop her. As her figure disappeared from his sight after clearing security, Bernard couldn¡¯t hold on any longer and copsed. At the hospital next to the airport, Teresa rushed into the VIP ward with a bouquet of flowers. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Bernard had already woken up and was receiving an IV drip. Teresa had nned on using a visit to the hospital as an excuse to see him, but the bodyguards at the door wouldn¡¯t let her in. She had no choice but to spend a lot of money on a nurse¡¯s outfit, redo her makeup and sneak into Bernard¡¯s ward. As soon as she entered, she walked straight up to Bernard, who was awake, and greeted him with an elegant smile. ¡°Bernard, you¡¯re sick, and I came to visit you. You don¡¯t mind, do you?¡± After greeting him, she sat down on a single sofa in front of the bed and admired his looks with her chin in her hand. Although he looked less energetic due to his illness, his pale face had a touch of fragile beauty that made people feel even more sorry for him. Teresa became more and more fascinated and couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Bernard, back in school, you and Robin were both outstanding, but I¡¯ve always had a crush on you. Since I like you so much, can you give me a chance?¡± The man in the bed seemed lifeless, devoid of any response, which left Teresa a bit helpless. ¡°Bernard, you¡¯ve already broken up with Eleanor. Why are you still clinging to the past Do you think I¡¯m not good enough?¡± After she finished speaking, Bernard¡¯s eyshes trembled slightly. Seeing his reaction, Teresa thought she had persuaded him and reached out to touch Bernard¡¯s face. But before her fingers could touch him, he suddenly grabbed her wrist with a strong gap, dislocating her hand in less than a second. She was in so much pain that she broke out in a cold sweat, unable to even cry out for mercy. She could only lower her head and look at the man, who was slowly raising his eyes He said angrily. ¡°How did you know that Eleanor and I broke up?!¡± Chapter 429 Chapter 429 Teresa freaked out, realizing she had said something she shouldn¡¯t have, and quickly shook her head. Bernard, snapped her wrist: ¡°Spill it!¡± Teresa, whose wrist had just been broken, screamed in pain, with tears streaming down her face. She didn¡¯t really know Bernard, but she thought he was out of her league. Little did she know that he was ruthless enough to hurt a woman. He was treating her like this without even knowing the truth. What would he do if he found out? Kill her? Terrified, Teresa lied through the pain: ¡°I saw it at the airport, you know. After you sent her off, you puked blood. Didn¡¯t you break up with her?¡± The coldness in Bernard¡¯s eyes intensified: ¡°I sent her back because of her job, and (puked blood because of my stomach problems. What does that have to do with breaking up?¡± Teresa went pale after hearing Bernard¡¯s words, not sure if it was because of the pain in her wrist or her guilt. She thought they had broken up, but they hadn¡¯t. Wasn¡¯t she just asking for trouble by going to see Bernard now? Bernard nced at her and saw right through her. He pushed her hand away and coldly shouted, ¡°Someone!¡± Caleb, who had just arrived at the hospital, rushed in with a group of bodyguards. ¡°Mr. Laurence, what can I do for you?¡± Bernard stared coldly at Teresa, who was holding her wrist in pain and trembling on the floor. ¡°Use whatever means necessary to make her tell the truth within ten minutes!¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Caleb took the order, waved his hand, and the other bodyguards immediately grabbed Teresa, heading her to the bathroom. Teresa looked back in disbelief at Bernard. He was even smarter than she had imagined. She had only said one wrong thing, and he had sensed something was off. Instead of getting angry, he tried to test her. And because of her guilt, she panicked and was easily exposed. Bernard wiped his right hand, which had touched Teresa, with a few wet wipes, but feeling more disgusted with each wipe. But for now, all he could do was suppress his nausea and wait for the truth. In the bathroom, the bodyguards turned on the bathtub and ruthlessly dunked Teresa¡¯s head in the water. Teresa, tormented by the pain in her wrist and now suffocating, clenched her teeth and refused to confess. She only admitted to seeing the two of them at the airport and misunderstanding that they had broken up. She knew that if she admitted to provoking Eleanor, Bernard would surely kill her. But she didn¡¯t think Bernard would go that far. Her family was a big deal in W City; he couldn¡¯t just take her out, could he? Teresa didn¡¯t think Bernard would actually kill her, but nine minutester his bodyguards pinned her to the ground, and four or five of them started tearing her clothes off. Teresa¡¯s face went deathly pale. ¡°Stop it!¡± The bodyguards exchanged nces and stopped, seemingly not wanting to touch her and just trying to scare her. Teresa breathed a sigh of relief, but before she could recover, one of the bodyguards pulled out a small knife. Without hesitation, he shed her wrist: ¡°Ms. Teresa, Mr. Laurence can find out anything. He¡¯s just in a hurry for results, that¡¯s why he sent us. He doesn¡¯t care if you¡¯re dead or alive. So, if you confess now, you might be spared. But if you keep quiet, we¡¯ll just wait for you to bleed out. We¡¯ve got time¡­¡± Chapter 430 Chapter 430 After the bodyguard finished speaking, he and the others coldly stared at Teresa who was lying on the ground with her wrist pinned down. She never expected Bemard to be this smart and ruthless. She was too anxious, thinking that since he was injured, she could take care of him and they could develop feelings for each other, but everything went horribly wrong. As Teresa regretted her actions, she desperately looked at her bleeding wrist. Choosing to die now orter is not a wise choice. But she had no other options, she could only dy her death and hope for a chance to escape. So¡­ ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll talk!¡± Teresa looked up at the bodyguard, ¡°Call a doctor first!¡± The bodyguard red at her and said, ¡°You¡¯re in no position to negotiate with us!¡± Teresa was shaking with anger, but she held it in. She took out her phone from her pocket, threw it on the ground, and said, ¡°Let him read the messages himself!¡± One of the bodyguards picked up the phone, unlocked it, and quickly walked out of the bathroom to Bernard, handing him the phone. ¡°Sir, she wants you to read the messages¡± Bernard took the phone and opened the messages. Not only did the messages contain Teresa¡¯s insults toward Eleanor, but they also had photos of him meeting Gianna at school, as well as numerous fake photos that had been maliciously edited. Seeing these, Bernard¡¯s face suddenly darkened. What angered him the most was the photo of him being stopped by Gianna¡¯s people and being invited to the restaurant, along with the words ¡°romantic restaurant It was just a regr restaurant, but Teresa took advantage of Eleanor¡¯sck of French knowledge and deliberately called it a romantic restaurant to provoke her. No wonder that day, when he exined that he didn¡¯te back in time because of Work, she didn¡¯t react. It turned out that Eleanor didn¡¯t sleep at home that night, but went to the restaurant and saw him with Gianna. She must have misunderstood that he and Gianna were on a date, which led to her utter disappointment in him, so she didn¡¯t even want to ask about his exnation. He thought she said those harsh words to end their rtionship because she wanted to leave after finding her lost belongings. He never thought that Eleanor would leave him so resolutely because someone was stirring up trouble. Realizing that it was all a misunderstanding, Bernard immediately ordered Caleb. ¡°Lock down the airport and stop Eleanor!¡± Receiving the order, Caleb quickly left the hospital room and ran toward the airport. After sending Caleb to chase Eleanor, Bernard coldly ordered the bodyguards who were in the bathroom. ¡°Leave her alive for now, I¡¯ll deal with her when I get back!¡± With that, he yanked the syringe out of his hand and hurried to the airport. He hadn¡¯t rested for days, and when Eleanor didn¡¯t eat, he apanied her by not eating or drinking either. His already exhausted body made him weak and powerless by the time he reached the airport. He tried to hold himself up with the help of two bodyguards, step by step, as he entered the airport. As soon as he entered the waiting area, he saw Caleb running toward him with a disappointed look on his face. ¡°Mr. Laurence, I¡¯m very sorry. We failed to stop Ms. Shultz. Her flight took off an hour ago.¡± Bernard¡¯s face turned pale, and the feeling of weakness almost made him copse again. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Caleb immediately supported him: ¡°Mr. Laurence, don¡¯t worry. Once you recover a bit, you can exin everything to Ms. Shultz.¡± Hearing Caleb¡¯s words, Bernard controlled his emotions and coldly said, ¡°Let¡¯s deal with Teresa first¡± Caleb and the bodyguards all nodded respectfully: ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Chapter 431 Chapter 431 ¡°Hospital.¡± ¡°Bring her in!¡± Bernard¡¯s icy tone sent a shiver down Caleb¡¯s spine. It looked like Mr. Laurence would personally handle this matter today. Upon receiving the orders, Caleb walked into the bathroom, grabbed Teresa¡¯s broken hand, and dragged her to Bernard Teresa, holding her bloodied wrist, trembled with fear as she looked at Bernard, who was emanating a menacing aura. The man on the sofa looked at Teresa, then extended his hand. Caleb immediately ced a golden knife into his palm. Bernard picked up the knife, pointing it at the pile of dors on the table. ¡°This money is for the skin repair on Eleanor¡¯s back. Our debt is settled.¡± Teresa nced at the stack of money. Her fearful eyes suddenly widened as she thought, Bernard stood up, walked over to her, and slowly crouched down. ¡°Our debt is paid, now it¡¯s time to settle the score.¡± Gently caressing the knife in his hand, Bernard lifted his bloodshot eyes, focusing on Teresa¡¯s long, slender fingers. Without hesitation, he quickly and urately sliced open her fingertips. ¡°You used these fingers to send her messages, then let them bear the punishment!¡± The intense pain made Teresa scream in agony, ¡°Ah! Don¡¯t ruin my hands!!!¡± Those were her hands that held the scalpel, they couldn¡¯t be ruined. But Bernard didn¡¯t care, he continued to cut mercilessly Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Held down by the bodyguard, Teresa could only lift her head and yell, ¡°Help, somebody! There¡¯s a murder happening!¡± Caleb sneered, ¡®Ms. Teresa, save your breath. I¡¯ve taken care of the surveince and everyone on this floor. You¡¯ve crossed the wrong person, now ept Mr. Laurence¡¯s revenge.¡± Hearing this, Teresa was drenched in a cold sweat. Was Bernard really going to kill her? Teresa shouted in disbelief, ¡°Bernard, do you know who I am? I¡¯m the daughter of a powerful family in W City. If you kill me. I¡¯m sure you will pay!!!¡± Bernard seemed not to hear that, his bloodshot eyes coldly fixed on the knife in his hand, carving her fingertips like a piece of art. Teresa watched the ruthless man in front of her, with tears pouring down her face, ¡°Why are you doing this to me? I did all this because I like you, I just wanted to have you. Is it wrong to love someone? Bernard paused, ¡°Liking me isn¡¯t wrong, and I wouldn¡¯t hurt you because of that. But you bullied my woman using underhanded methods, you had thising!¡± Hearing this, Teresa¡¯s face turned cold. Yes, she had liked him for many years, and he knew it. But he never hurt her because of it, he just ignored her. Now he was treating her like this, all because of Eleanor. Teresa burned with anger, ming everything on Eleanor, ¡°If you want to me someone, me Eleanor. She didn¡¯t trust you. I only said a few words to stir the pot, and she belieyed me. It¡¯s because of theck of trust between your two that she left you!¡± Bernardughed coldly, ¡°Do you know why she was so easily convinced by your words?¡± Teresa looked puzzled, ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Chapter 432 Chapter 432 Bernard¡¯s eyes dimmed, his lover had been hurt by him. He had hurt her really bad, and her broken heart hadn¡¯t had the time to heal, how could she possibly trust him again? Bernard didn¡¯t respond to Teresa, he just stared at her coldly, gripping the knife in his hand and shing it across his other hand Teresa saw he wasn¡¯t about to let her off and roared angrily. ¡°It was you! You were the one who was cold to her, that¡¯s why she lost faith in you, this has nothing to do with me!¡± Bernard¡¯s face turned stiff, when had he been cold to Eleanor? He shot Teresa a cold nce, then raised the knife in his hand and stabbed it into her finger ¡®Spill it Teresa thought this was her chance to save her life, so she wasn¡¯t about to give it up easily ¡°You promise to let me go, and I¡¯ll tell your Bernard was a man of his word, as long as he agreed, she could save her lite She was waiting for Bernard¡¯s answer, but a confident voice came from outside the door ¡°No need for her to tell you I¡¯ve found out?¡± Gianna, dressed in a long red dress with high heels echoing led her bodyguards and strode in She handed the surveince video to Caleb, then walked up to Bernard ¡°Mr. Laurence, you go watch the truth first, and let me teach her a lesson?¡± Teresa looked at Gianna incredulously when she heard this ¡°Ms Penrod I haven¡¯t offended you why are you picking on me? Gianna didn¡¯t even nce at Teresa, taking the white gloves handed to her by Cora and putting them on slowly She grabbed Teresa by the cor pulled her up from the ground, and pped her face hard ¡°You want to ask me why I¡¯m picking on you? ¡°You maliciously tampered with the photos and tarnished my reputation, shouldn¡¯t I teach you a lesson?¡± ¡°You spread rumors, causing my loved one to misunderstand me, shouldn¡¯t I teach you a lesson? ¡°You¡¯re a doctor, you have medical ethics but no morals, shouldn¡¯t I teach you a lesson?¡± C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. With each sentence, Gianna pped Teresa hard. She pped Teresa until her cheeks were swollen and her eyes were blurry then she threw Teresa back to the ground After teaching Teresa a lesson, Gianna took off her gloves, handed them to Cors, and took a deep breath ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve hit someone like this, it feels so good, wonder why¡± Cora looked at the woman in front of her who had a gentle appearance but decisive and ruthless actions, and smiled slightly. ¡°Ms Penrod remember, this isn¡¯t the first time you¡¯ve done this, you just like to deal with problems directly¡¯ Gianna nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right¡± She stretched out, walked up to Bernard and saw the surveince footage on his tablet that showed Beanoring to find him, but after seeing his gaze, she didn¡¯t approach.) She pointed at the restaurant ss on the monitor and exined to Bernard. ¡°That¡¯s LOWE ss. During the day, when the outdoor light is strong, we can¡¯t see inside from outside but can see outside from inside. However, at night, If the indoor light is stronger than the outdoor light, then the ss bes a mirror we are unable to see outside from inside, but able to see inside from outside. Sadly it was night when Ms. Shultz came to find you. That was when I asked you to y my lover and help me fabricate an alibi. You refused coldly looking out the window, and Ms Shultz might have thought you saw her, and your coldness could have broken her heart.¡± After Gianna frushed she nced at the pale-faced Bernard, and silently thought in her heart. He has such a good face, why doesn¡¯t he smile more instead of being like her brother, always expressionless? Did they think they were cour? Chapter 433 Chapter 433 After expressing her thoughts, Gianna added, ¡°But she barely paused before trying to get into the restaurant to find you. She probably wanted to clear things up in person, but the security stopped her. I booked the whole ce to avoid eavesdroppers and told the security to only let people in with an invitation card, you know, the secret sign of our organization¡­¡± The footage quickly switched to the scene where Teresa stopped Eleanor from knocking on the ss. Seeing this, Gianna turned around and pped Teresa. ¡°You knew that restaurant had LOW¨CE ss installed, and you didn¡¯t even tell Ms. Shultz. Worse, you stopped her. You¡¯re absolutely despicable!¡± Teresa was too stunned to fight back, and pain throbbed in her fingers, wrist, and cheek. She crumbled to the ground, unable to utter a word. Afternding her p, Gianna shifted her gaze back to Bernard. ¡°I owe you an apology. When we left the restaurant, I had everyone put on earpieces to keep in touch: So, when Ms. Shultz was shouting your name, nobody noticed because of the heavy rain and our communication with the headquarters. We didn¡¯t hear her.¡± Bernard had been intently watching the footage, not making a peep. Seeing Eleanor running after him and falling into dirty water because she couldn¡¯t catch up. His eyes turned moist. So, she not only went to the restaurant but also tried desperately to catch up with him, and he hadn¡¯t noticed at all. His fingers, gripping the tablet, were trembling. He traced the figure of the deste woman on the screen. He stared hard at her, watching her struggle to get up after a while, staggering toward the hotel despite the pain. Even when she was seriously injured, she didn¡¯t give up on finding him. But how could Eleanor ever get into that hotel, a ce frequented by the Royal Family of Arvandor? When he saw her being turned away by the guards, revealing a pale smile, Bernard felt his heart stop. He thought she would leave after that, but she sat down on a bench not far from the hotel after descending the steps. She sat there in the pouring rain like a lost puppy, with her deste gaze fixed on the hotel¡¯s entrance. She was waiting for him toe out, but he never did. He left from the back door on a mission. She didn¡¯t know any of this, all she saw was him entering the hotel with another woman while she didn¡¯t even have the right to step foot in there. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. He didn¡¯t know how desperate Eleanor felt when she was drenched in the rain and sat on the bench. All he knew was that he was a jerk who kept hurting her instead of providing her with a sense of security. His heart was aching so much that he could barely breathe, especially seeing Eleanor hugging her knees and crying in despair after not being able to wait for him. His heart ached even more and he couldn¡¯t hold back his tears anymore. Eleanor gave up on him after experiencing utter disappointment, and it was only then that he noticed what he had lost. Wait a second! What a coincidence! She found what she had lost just when she was feeling heartbroken over him. Chapter 434 Chapter 434 Suddenly, it hit him. She must have found the lost items when she went to his study to look for drawing tools. She didn¡¯t let on, though, because she really wanted to be with him. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. It was when he hurt her again that she decided to sort out those things and try to end their rtionship once again. But he waspletely oblivious and was infuriated by her casual remark, ¡°Just fooling around, no need to take it seriously, to the point he lost his senses. He not only forced and confined her, but also ignored everything, trying to force her to have a baby. She, who was already hurt, must have been utterly disappointed after seeing him behave like this, which was why she didn¡¯t even want to talk to him. He was such a fool. Whenever it came to her, his IQ would drop to zero, with all emotions and rationality out of control. After tossing away the tablet, Bernard covered his eyes with one hand, and lowered his head in deep regret, feeling a chill creeping into his body. The problem between them was no longer a simple misunderstanding. It was the deep wounds in her heart, that could no longer be mended. Gianna, standing by his side, felt sorry and said, ¡°Mr. Laurence, I¡¯m just about to go back to my country. When I get there, I¡¯ll exin everything to Ms. Shultz It might be a bit tricky as I can¡¯t reveal the organization or my identity which might make my words less convincing, but I¡¯ll try my best.¡± Although Gianna thought Bernard cared too much about Eleanor, she felt guilty for causing their breakup. Teresa, who was sprawled on the ground, quickly figured out their hidden identities after hearing Gianna mention the organization. Seeing that she had found their Achilles¡® heel, she threatened them, ¡°My father once mentioned a mysterious organization called ¡®S¡® internationally. I never thought you guys were the puppet masters. Just wait and see, I¡¯ll expose you, and your reputations will hit rock bottom!¡± Gianna couldn¡¯t helpughing at her noisy threats, ¡°You think you¡¯re walking out of here alive?¡± Teresa¡¯s face stiffened. Before she could answer, Gianna pped her again, ¡°I never reveal anything about the organization in front of the living. You¡¯re lucky to have heard this from me!¡± Teresa, with her ears ringing from the p and blood streaming from the corner of her mouth, couldn¡¯t hold on any longer and passed out. Gianna rolled her eyes at Teresa¡¯s weakness, ¡°So annoying!¡± She turned to Cora and said, ¡°She used to date multiple guys at the same time and send their private photos to each of her boyfriends!¡± Teresa had a crush on Bernard and once helped Eleanor regain her skin health. For these two reasons alone, Bernard wouldn¡¯t kill Teresa. It was most appropriate for Gianna to deal with this. After giving her instructions, Gianna turned to Bernard and said, ¡°Mr. Laurence, I have to go now. I¡¯ll take care of Ms. Shultz¡¯s matter¡® Seeing that the man on the sofa didn¡¯t even lift his head, she didn¡¯t say anything more and walked out. Just as she was about to reach the door, a deep voice came from behind, ¡°I will go to find her myself.¡± Chapter 435 Chapter 435 Bernard meant he didn¡¯t want her to get involved. Well, it made sense, Love is a two¨Cman game. If there¡¯s a misunderstanding, it¡¯s more sincere for the parties involved to sort it out themselves. However, nna was a bit on edge, fearing that Bernard might spill the beans about his identity and the organization while trying to clear the air. After a few seconds of hesitation, Gianna turned around and warned him: ¡°Mr. Laurence, your identity is a matter of life and death for everyone in the Siren Organization. It¡¯s okay to exin things to her, but don¡¯t you dare spill your identity¡­ Bernard shot Gianna a cold nce. ¡°I trust her.¡± He decided to spill his guts to her, hiding nothing anymore. This way, Eleanor wouldn¡¯t misunderstand him anymore when he worked for the organization. Gianna, standing by was itching to give him a piece of her mind. But she held her tongue, didn¡¯t utter a word, and signaled Caleb, then walked out of the room, acting like nothing had happened. Upon receiving Gianna¡¯s cue, Caleb nced at the sleeping Teresa and seized the moment to say, ¡°Sir, I will escort Ms. Teresa out first¡® The man on the sofa didn¡¯t respond. Seeing that he didn¡¯t seem to care, Caleb had two bodyguards escort Ms. Teresa out, then walked towards the ward. Gianna was leaning against the wall, with her arms crossed over her chest. She was waiting for Caleb. When she saw himing out, she immediately ordered. ¡°You have to keep an eye on him. Don¡¯t let him spill his identity.¡± Caleb nodded slightly, ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on Mr. Laurence, but I can¡¯t promise he¡¯ll listen to me.¡± Gianna sighed deeply and waved Caleb off, ¡°Just go.¡± She had said what she needed to say. If Bernard insisted on revealing his identity, she could only hope that, as he said, Ms. Shultz was trustworthy After Cora dealt with Teresa, Gianna and she left the hospital, returned to the airport, and boarded the private jet. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. In the ward, Bernard was sitting on the sofa, massaging his forehead with one hand, and coldly said to Caleb, ¡®Prepare to go back.¡± Seeing his pale face and hisck of strength to even stand, Caleb worriedly said, ¡®Mr. Laurence, you should get some rest first, you are now¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, he saw Bernard rise, lean against the wall, and walk straight to the door,pletely ignoring Caleb¡¯s words. Caleb had no choice but to help him, then told the bodyguards behind him, ¡®Get a doctor over here, let him apany Mr. Laurence back to the country.* After the bodyguards left to do their tasks, Caleb helped Bernard into the car and drove him back to the vi. His project at the space agency was scheduled for a year, and now that he had to return to the country unexpectedly, someone else had to be sent over to take over. Bernard came to the study room with the help of the doctor. He opened the drawer and took out a bunch of work phones. ¡®Charge these.¡± After throwing the phones to Caleb, he closed his eyes tiredly. He had wanted to leave her before, so he didn¡¯t answer any calls from the country and locked his phones in the drawer. When he met her again at the space agency, he was totally into her and didn¡¯t pay much attention to his phones or anything else. Now that he needed to go back to the country unexpectedly, he had to contact his brother to take over his job at the space agency. The phones were quickly charged. Caleb took out the phone used specifically for contacting the Laurence family and handed it to Bernard. Bernard took the phone and saw many messages popping up on the screen. He was a bit dizzy and couldn¡¯t see the contents clearly. Ignoring the text messages and WhatsApp messages, he directly opened the contact list and dialed his brother, Kendrick Laurence. Chapter 436 Chapter 436 After Kendrick Laurence received the call, he took off his gloves and fished out his phone from the pocket of his work clothes. Seeing it was Bernard, Kendrick Laurence quickly stepped outside to take the call, ¡®Brother, finally you decided to check¨Cin. Cedric¡¯s running thepany into the ground, we¡¯re all going bonkers here, you¡­¡± Before Kendrick Laurence could finish his sentence, Bernard curtly cut him off, ¡°You need toe to W City ASAP and take over the space agency project. For a moment, Kendrick Laurence thought he heard something wrong. After a slight pause, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s the trouble?¡± He used to be the project manager for the space agency. If he were handing it back to him, something major must¡¯ve gone wrong with thepany Could it be that Cedric sold thepany? Without waiting for Bernard¡¯s exnation, all he heard was an order, ¡°Get here now After giving the order, Bernard hung up the phone and looked up at Caleb, ¡°Get the ne ready. We¡¯re leaving immediately He was itching to get going and eager to see Eleanor as soon as possible. Caleb nodded and went to prepare, meanwhile, he instructed the servants to pack Bernard¡¯s stuff. After turning on his phones, messages kept pouring in. Bernard frowned, casually picked up a phone, and started checking When he saw a message from Liana four months ago, his expression shifted slightly. Ms. Shultz was left alone? Wasnt Garett supposed to be with her? He knew Garett was there, that¡¯s why he left. Could it be that Garett didn¡¯t take care of her properly? Bernard was somewhat puzzled and dialed Liana¡¯s number. Meanwhile, at a hospital, outside the director¡¯s office. Liana was holding a bouquet of flowers and smiling warmly at the handsome doctor in front of her. ¡°Dr. Webb, thank you for the flowers. My birthday was really special.¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Dr. Webb blushed slightly when he saw Liana¡¯s gentle smile, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. ¡°So¡­ can I ask you out again?¡± Liana¡¯s hand, holding the flowers, stiffened a bit. She awkwardly replied, ¡°Dr. Webb, I really enjoyed the birthday party that you and the other doctors arranged for me. But rd rather not go out with you alone.¡± Dr. Webb¡¯s face reddened a bit more, there was a hint of disappointment in his eyes, ¡°Why?¡± Liana lowered her head, hesitated for a moment, then told Dr. Webb honestly, ¡°You¡¯re three years younger than me, more like a younger brother to me. Besides, I can¡¯t have children. I¡¯m not suitable for you? Upon hearing this, there was no disgust in Dr. Webb¡¯s eyes. Instead, he breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Liana, none of that matters. As long as you don¡¯t dislike me¡­ Liana looked at the man, who was a head taller than her and exuded a fresh aura. She was touched. He was the first man who knew about her inability to bear children and still pursued her. His warm response brought tears to her eyes. But it was just a fleeting moment. Liana quickly built up her defenses, ¡°Dr. Webb, at my age, if I were to start dating, I¡¯d be hoping for marriage. But youe from a well¨Cto¨Cdo family. You should think about your family first.¡± Her rejection was clear in her words, but Dr. Webb was persistent. He shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s precisely because Ie from a well¨Cto¨Cdo family, they would respect my choices even more. So, Dr. Terrill, I hope you can give me a cha to pursue you.¡± Chapter 437 Chapter 437 When Liana came to their medical school to give a lecture, Dr. Webb was instantly drawn to her. To be worthy of her, Dr. Webb hit the books hard, made some strides in the medical fieldtely, and finally plucked up the courage toe clean about his feelings. But Dr. Webb was always given the cold shoulder by Liana until today when he finally got the lowdown on why he was being rejected. It turns out Liana had been hurt before, and Dr. Webb didn¡¯t need to ask to know it scarred her. But to Dr. Webb, none of these were deal¨Cbreakers. He was all about her and nothing else. So, no matter what her past was like, he would be there for her, epting herpletely. Just as Liana was about to give him the brush¨Coff again, a slender hand suddenly wrapped around her waist. ¡°Dr. Webb, you¡¯ve got some guts. I thought you¡¯d be turned off by a woman I¡¯ve dumped.¡± Hearing this, Liana went as white as a sheet, the hatred inside her making her instinctively push Tyler Howell away. After being shoved away, Tyler looked sour but pretended not to care as he lifted Liana¡¯s chin. ¡°Are you scared I¡¯ll spill the beans about our private affairs in front of Dr. Webb, is that why you¡¯re pushing me away?¡± Liana clenched her fists, with her eyes filled with hidden anger and hatred, as she slowly turned to look at Tyler. ¡°Are you jealous?¡± ¡°Heh Tyler chuckled coldly. ¡°Why would I be jealous of a woman I¡¯ve dumped?¡± Before he could finish, he got a sucker punch from Dr. Webb standing next to him. ¡°Tyler, I used to think you were a shining star in the medical world, but who knew you were such a scumbag underneath your fake mask!¡± Dr. Webb¡¯s punchnded squarely on Tyler¡¯s face, turning his head and causing blood to pour from his mouth. After licking the blood off his face, Tyler grabbed Dr. Webb by the cor and shoved him against the wall,nding a flurry of punches. Tyler, stone¨Cfaced, focused all his rage on Dr. Webb¡¯s face, beating him to a pulp. It wasn¡¯t retaliation, but because Dr. Webb hadid a hand on his woman, and for that, Tyler thought he deserved to pay. Seeing Dr. Webb being beaten ck and blue, Liana rushed over and gave Tyler a hard p. ¡°Enough!¡± The man paused, looking somewhat incredulously at Liana. She, however, didn¡¯t even spare him a nce, pushed his hand away from Dr. Webb¡¯s cor, and helped Dr. Webb head toward the ward. Tyler stood frozen; his dark eyes was fixed on Liana¡¯s retreating back. A surge of unexined anger made him restless, and he lunged forward, grabbing Liana¡¯s hand. ¡°Why are you taking care of him before checking on me?¡± Liana ignored him, shook him off, and once again helped Dr. Webb leave, which drove Tyler over the edge. He kicked them both, sending them sprawling on the ground, then slowly crouched down. He grabbed Liana¡¯s throat tightly. ¡°Liana, have you fallen for him, this worthless guy?¡± Liana, used to his rough handling, didn¡¯t react but just gave a slight smile. ¡°So, what if I have?¡± Hearing this, Tyler felt a pain in his heart, as if it were being strangled by vines, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d always love me?¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Liana smiled faintly, with a touch of disappointment in her eyes. ¡°I asked you, and you said you wouldn¡¯t marry me. Why should I always love you?¡± Tyler stared into her eyes, seeing her disappointment, and suddenly felt a little panicked. ¡°Just give me some time. Once I¡¯ve dealt with the Howell family business, I¡¯ll¡­ ¡°Marry you. Tyler didn¡¯t say it, but Liana understood. Tyler was willing to marry her now. But their rtionship would never be approved by the Howell family. He couldn¡¯t marry her, and she wouldn¡¯t marry him. Some say the best way to get back at someone is not to make them lose everything they have, but to give them everything and then take it away. The despair of unrequited love could crush his heart and leave him lost forever. Chapter 438 Chapter 438 Liana shed him a grin. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll hang on a little longer for you.¡± Seeing the disappointment in Liana¡¯s eyes gradually turn into hope, Tyler¡¯s panicked heart finally settled down. He released Liana and hoisted her up from the ground, gripping her tighter than he ever had before. For some reason, he couldn¡¯t help but feel that the woman in his arms would one day give him the cold shoulder and run off with someone else. Tyler couldn¡¯t bear to imagine what he¡¯d do when that day came. All he could do was hold on to Liana as tightly as he could. Dr. Webb, who had been punched into a daze,y on the ground, clenching his fist as he watched the two leave. Once Tyler had carried Liana to the principal¡¯s office, he leaned her against the wall and without even kissing her, hurriedly had his way with her. Forced to endure, Lianaid her head on his shoulder, the iciness in her eyes bing more resolute. All the while, a cell phone on the office desk continued to ring incessantly. Liana wanted to answer it, but Tyler wouldn¡¯t allow her to until he finally ran out of strength. Tyler ced her on a chair next to the desk, then turned around and tore off a few wet wipes to clean his fingers. Liana picked up the phone and saw several missed calls from Bernard, causing her face to turn pale. She quickly called him back. The man, who had just boarded a ne, immediately picked up. ¡®Mr. Laurence, your phone is finally on!¡± Hearing Liana¡¯s excited voice, Bernard¡¯s furrowed brows tightened even more. ¡°What do you mean by the message you sent to me?¡± Liana gripped the phone tightly, anxiously saying. ¡°Mr. Laurence, four months ago, right after you left the hospital, Garett delivered divorce papers to Ms. Shultz. They¡¯ve been divorced for a long time. I tried to call you back to tell you the news, but your phone was off.¡± Bernard was stunned, and after a few seconds, he asked in disbelief, ¡°They¡­they¡¯ve been divorced?¡± Liana nodded fervently, ¡°Yes, Mr. Laurence, they¡¯ve been divorced. He left Ms. Shultz at the same time as you, If it weren¡¯t for Hailey¡¯s careful care and constant encouragement, Ms. Shultz probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to hold on.¡± Liana¡¯s voice reached Bernard¡¯s ears, causing him to stiffen. At the time when Eleanor was most seriously injured and needed people to take care of her the most, he and Garett had both left her. He had thought that if he left, Garett would take good care of her, but he never expected this. Thinking of Eleanor going through those tough three months alone, Bernard¡¯s heart ached so much that his eyes started to well up. Eleanor not only had to endure the pain brought by sulfuric acid but also the pain of being left alone. Just like Liana said, if it weren¡¯t for Ms. Vulpe, how could Eleanor have managed to hold on all by herself? Bernard¡¯s hand trembled uncontrobly, and his body almost fell to the ground. Caleb immediately supported Bernard,forting him, ¡°Sir, don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll be back home soon.¡± Hearing that he was about to return home, Liana quickly advised, ¡°Mr. Laurence, Ms. Shultz is now in W City.¡± Bernard sat down, pressing his aching forehead with his hand. After a while, he responded to Liana in a soft voice, ¡°She¡¯s already back home.¡± Liana was taken aback. If Mr. Laurence knew Ms. Shultz was back, which indicated they had met in W City, why didn¡¯t he know that Ms. Shultz was divorced? Before Liana could ask, Bernard had already hung up. He put down the phone and looked out the window. He had always thought that Eleanor agreed to be with him out of pity, never considering how a married Eleanor couldn¡¯t betray Garett merely out of pity. Besides, when he confessed to her, she also agreed. But he mistakenly thought it was his constant pleading that made her unable to refuse. Bernard felt incredibly stupid. She had been with him all this time, never once calling Garett. But seeing her texting on her phone, he assumed she was contacting Garett, and jealousy clouded his sense of reason. She had been divorced from Garett for a long time, yet agreed to be with him, which meant she still loved him. If he could have calmed down back then and thought about these issues carefully, he and she would have been married by now. Bernard¡¯s eyes were filled with regret, Clenching his fists tightly, he hope for the ne to fly faster and faster. Chapter 439 Chapter 439 As soon as the nended in A City, Bernard quickly pulled the needle out of his hand and stood up to leave the ne. Caleb saw him struggling to stand, yet still forcing himself to walk out wobbling. He immediately rushed ver to help Bernard, supporting him as they left the airport. Aidyn Reyes, knowing that Mr. Laurence was returning, had already arranged for a car to wait outside the airport. As soon as he s himing out of the airport, he went up to meet him, ¡°Mr Laurence.¡± Bernard nodded calmly and looked at Caleb, ¡°You can go back now Caleb respectfully replied ¡®yes¡® and quickly turned to leave. He was always with Mr. Laurence, only appearing when action was needed. After Caleb left, Aidyn looked at the pale and skinny Bernard. He remembered that four months ago, Mr. Laurence was in good spirits, but now he looked haggard. The only person who could make Mr. Laurence look like this was probably Ms. Shultz. They must have met in W City and had a conflict, so Mr. Laurence got so angry that his health deteriorated. Aidyn knew this very well, so he didn¡¯t ask any more questions and just helped Bernard quickly get in the car. ¡°Mr. Laurence, I¡¯ll take you home, then ask Liana toe and check on your health. The man in the car lifted his bloodshot eyes to look at Aidyn. ¡°Go to Ms. Vulpe¡¯s vi!¡± Aidyn wanted to persuade him to treat his body first, but seeing his anxious eyes, he couldn¡¯t say the words. He could only start the car and head towards Ms. Vulpe vi, wit a dozen luxury cars following behind. Hailey was tending to the nts on the terrace when she saw a line of luxury cars suddenly stop at the vi¡¯s entrance. She put down her scissors and frowned when she saw the man getting out of the o car strength. the bell, but the door suddenly opened. Bernard was already exhausted, and the short walk to the vi¡¯s entrance took all his With Aidyn¡¯s help, he walked step by step to the front door, and raised his hand to Hailey, who opened the door, was taken aback when she saw Bernard¡¯s pale face. She quickly regained herposure and politely asked, ¡°Mr. Laurence, are you here to see Eleanor?¡± Bernard nodded slightly. ¡°Is she inside? I¡¯ll go to find her.¡± He leaned against the wall, wanting to rush in to find Eleanor, but Hailey stopped him: ¡°Mr. Laurence, she¡¯s not here.¡® Hearing that she wasn¡¯t there, the man¡¯s heart sank: ¡°Where is she?¡± Hailey apologized, ¡°She and Pearce went to survey the next project site.¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Bernard, who had exhausted all his strength, suddenly vomited a mouthful of blood. Hailey was startled: ¡°What happened?¡± Aidyn was also shocked, and he wanted to take Bernard to the hospital, but Bernard pushed him away. He took the handkerchief handed to him by the bodyguard, gently wiped the corner of his mouth, and asked Hailey with difficulty. ¡°What¡¯s the specific address?¡± Hailey was still staring at the bloodstain on the ground, and only came back to her senses when she heard his hoarse voice, ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Bernard thought Hailey was unwilling to tell him, so he looked up with bloodshot eyes toward the second floor of the vi, ¡°Doesn¡¯t she want to see me?¡± Hailey followed his gaze, looked back, and shook her head, ¡°She¡¯s really not here¡­¡± Bernard couldn¡¯t believe it, giving Aidyn a look. Aidyn immediately apologized to Hailey, ¡°Ms. Vulpe, I¡¯m sorry for what I¡¯ll do next.¡± He quickly entered the vi and rushed upstairs, checking each room one by one, but didn¡¯t find Ms. Shultz He finally gave up searching, trarried downstairs, and came to Bernard: *Eleanor is really not here¡­¡± Chapter 440 Chapter 440 hapter 440 Bernard begged Hailey, ¡°Ms. Vulpe, I really need to talk to her. Can you please tell me where she is?¡± Hailey couldn¡¯t believe that the always high and mighty Bernard would actually speak to her in such a pleading tone. After hesitating for a few seconds, she replied, ¡°Mr. Laurence, I really have no idea. But what I can tell you is that their project is within the country, and they should be back in a few days. Why don¡¯t you go back first, and I¡¯ll contact you when she returns?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t want to waste a single second. ¡°Ms. Vulpe, can you help me get in touch with her?¡± On his way to the vi, he had tried multiple phone numbers to call Eleanor, but no one answered. His number had been blocked by her, and she wouldn¡¯t pick up calls from unknown numbers, so he had no choice but to ask Hailey for help. Seeing Bernard be so persistent, Hailey felt helpless but still took out her phone to call Eleanor. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. After making several calls to Eleanor, no one answered. Hailey wanted to give up, but Bernard signaled her to continue, so she kept calling over and over. Eleanor was at the Q City development zone, surveying the site with an architect. She was busy recording data and didn¡¯t pay attention to her vibrating phone. It wasn¡¯t until she finished her work that she took it out. Seeing Hailey¡¯s call, she immediately walked to a safe area while taking off her hard hat, and picked up the phone. ¡°Hailey, what¡¯s up? Before Hailey could speak, a hand snatched the phone away. ¡®Eleanor, it¡¯s me. Where are you?¡± Hearing that deep and maic voice on the other end of the phone, Eleanor¡¯s heart tightened. She paused for a few seconds before hanging up the phone, seemingly unwilling to see him again, and then ruthlessly turned off her phone. Seeing her hang up, Bernard hurriedly tried to call again, but she had turned off her phone. His heart ached so much that it was suffocating, and he clenched his phone even tighter. ¡®Mr. Laurence, since Eleanor doesn¡¯t want to see you, maybe you should just let it go¡­¡± Bernard loosened his clenched fist, handed the phone back to Hailey, thanked her, and turned to go back to his car. Aidyn immediately followedto get into the driver¡¯s seat, and was about to start the car when he received Mr. Laurence¡¯smand. ¡°Find her location.¡± If she didn¡¯t want to see him, he¡¯d go to find her. Some things had to be made clear, and they couldn¡¯t just break up like this without any exnation. Aidyn thought Mr. Laurence had given up, but he had just changed his way of finding her. ¡®Yes, sir.¡± He respectfully replied and then told Bernard, ¡°Mr. Laurence, I¡¯ll take you back to the manor first.¡± Bernard nodded slightly and rubbed his throbbing temple. After starting the car, Aidyn called Liana toe to the manor quickly and check on Mr. Laurence. Watching the line of luxury cars race away from the vi, Hailey sighed deeply. After hesitating for a moment, she took out her phone again and sent Eleanor a text message: [Eleanor, Bernard is so desperate to find you that he¡¯s almost coughing up blood. Why don¡¯t you give him another chance?] Hailey wasn¡¯t clear about the conflict between them. Eleanor had returnedst night without saying anything, only mentioning that she and Bernard had broken up. Seeing her exhausted from the long journey, Hailey didn¡¯t question her further. This morning, Pearce hurried over and told her to pack up and head to the construction site. The two rusted out, telling her they¡¯d be back in a few days after visiting a neighboring city, and then hurried away But they didn¡¯t tell her which city, so Hailey couldn¡¯t help Bernard. However, she¡¯d still tell Eleanor about his situation. As for how Eleanor would react after seeing it, that was none of her business. Chapter 441 Chapter 441 Laurence¡¯s Manor After Liana finished checking Bernard, she frowned and said. ¡°Mr Laurence, you¡¯ve had multiple stomach bleedings for not eating or drinking for days, and being overworked. Your health is in really bad shape if you take a gond rest. I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to bear it Bernard didrit take Liana¡¯s words seriously instead, he slumped down on the sofa in the study staring nkly out of the window. His once sparkling eyes were now lifeless Seeing him like this, Liana shook her head, put a needle in his hand, and said again, ¡°Mr. Laurence, without a healthy body, how are you going to get Ms. Shultz back? Pull yourself together and stop torturing yourself¡± After saying this, she saw that Bernard still didn¡¯t react, so she didn¡¯t say anything more, picked up her medical kit, and left the study After Liana left, Bernard slowly looked back, nced in the direction of the safe and suddenly got up. He walked to the safe, entered the password, and took out his private phone After charging it, he pressed the power button and saw the messages from Eleanor that read [Mr. Law, since you know I¡¯m alive, let¡¯s set a time to meet up, and clear things up] Mr. Law, you used to reply pretty quickly, why don¡¯t you dare to reply now? Are you feeling guilty? [Mr Law, are you afraid to see me? You¡¯re such a coward but yet you dare send me thousands of messages | [Mr. Law, you¡¯re not answering the phone either, what¡¯s going on?) [Mr. Law, I¡¯ll ask you again, let¡¯s set a time to meet, are youing or not? H There were several more messages, all asking him to meet up After reading these messages, Bernard was stunned Looking at the time again, these messages were sent after he went to the Aerospace Bureau, and more than a month had passed. Eleanor, under the identity of Emilia, never replied to his messages after she returned to the country and eventually blocked him. why would she suddenly unblock him and ask him to meet up? Bernard stared at these messages, reading them several times, but still didn¡¯t quite understand But no matter what her purpose was for asking him to meet up, at least she was willing to see Mr. Law He started typing in the chat box. After finishing typing and pressing the send button, he held the phone, nervously waiting for an impossible reply When Eleanor heard Bernard¡¯s voice on the phone, her mind was a bit chaotic, and she kept getting distracted. Seeing this, Pearce tapped her safety helmet. ¡°Being distracted is taboo in construction, especially when measuring data!¡± With Pearce¡¯s reminder, Eleanor quickly regained her focus and got busy with the construction workers. After they finished recording the data, they started discussing the desired design style with the project manager. The second project waspletely different from the Aerospace Bureau¡¯s. This time, it was an ordinary construction project. They needed a distinctive office building for work, so there were many restrictions. Eleanor listened carefully took notes, and repeatedly confirmed the style before finally ending the conversation with the project manager. She put away her notebook, looked at Pearce, who had been following her the whole time without saying a word, and asked, ¡®Mr. Hooper, did I pass this time? Pearce reluctantly smiled, ¡®Out of ten, I¡¯ll give you three points, no more¡± Eleanor rolled her eyes helplessly with her notebook in hand, Seeing the darkening sky, Pearce urged, ¡°Book a hotel quickly I¡¯m tired¡® Eleanor looked Pearce up and down, ¡°Don¡¯t you have a phone to book?¡± Pearce shamelessly said, ¡°I¡¯m broke Eleanor sneered, ¡°You, the chief designer, are broke?¡± Mentioning money, Pearce became resentful, ¡®You got your one million back, but I haven¡¯t gotten my ten thousand back yet Where would I get the money?¡± Originally, she lost more money than him, so he was fine with it. But that guy from the Laurence family only got her money back and didn¡¯t bother with his Seeing Pearce¡¯s angry appearance, Eleanor shook her head, ¡®Mr. Hooper, it¡¯s no wonder you cant find a wife¡® Pearce raised his chin defiantly, ¡°What if I do find one?!¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t bother with him, took out her phone, pressed the power button, and prepared to book a hotel At that moment, an old WeChat message popped up: [Alright, when should we meet?]Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Chapter 442 Chapter 442 When Eleanor saw the message from Mr. Law, she was quite surprised. Mr. Law hadn¡¯t replied to her messages for months. She thought he was done with her, but he actually replied this time. She held her phone nervously and asked Pearce, ¡°Do you remember Mr. Law? He replied to me and wants to meet up.¡± Pearce took her phone, nced at it, and confidently said, ¡°Set up the meeting, I¡¯ll help you handle him!¡± Eleanor remembered thest time in the hospital parking lot when Mr. Law was indeed scared off by Pearce, so she believed him. She started typing on her phone, then looked at Pearce with a puzzled face. ¡°When should I meet him? Where? And how do we catch him?¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. They shouldn¡¯t rush into a meeting without a n, or they might get themselves into trouble. Pearce grabbed her phone and quickly typed, ¡°Tomorrow night at 10, Oceanview Hotel, room 2203. See you there. Eleanor frowned when she saw that he had set the meeting at a hotel. ¡°Why a hotel?¡± Pearce raised an eyebrow, ¡°Isn¡¯t his goal to sleep with you? He wouldn¡¯te out if it¡¯s not at a hotel.¡± Eleanor thought about it, and it was true that Mr. Law had tried to sleep with her every time they met. Especially over a month ago, when he stabbed her arm just for that purpose. Thinking of this, Eleanor¡¯s hatred rose, and she clenched her fists. ¡°This time, I must find a way to catch him!¡± Pearce seemed calmer than Eleanor, ¡°Let¡¯s see how he replies first¡­¡± Bernard was surprised when Eleanor replied. He was shocked when he saw the message about meeting at a hotel. He stared at the chat, reading it over and over, still not quite believing it. Why would Eleanor take the initiative to meet him at a hotel? Bernard was puzzled but still replied quickly: [See you there] He wanted to see Eleanor, no matter what her purpose was. Seeing her was more important than anything else. Pearce handed the phone back to Eleanor after seeing the reply, ¡°See? He agreed to meet at a hotel right away, such a pervert!¡® Eleanor ignored Pearce¡¯s sarcasm, worriedly asking, ¡°Now that the time and ce are set, how do we catch him?¡± Pearce wasn¡¯t worried at all, reassuring her, ¡°That hotel is owned by my master. The staff there will follow my orders. Once he¡¯s in the hotel, he¡¯s done for. I¡¯ll help you catch this criminal!¡± As a precaution, Pearce suggested, ¡°It would be safer to bring the police when we catch Mr. Law.¡± Eleanor nodded in agreement, ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll go to the police, and you arrange the hotel. We¡¯ll split up and take action!¡± In his study, Bernard stared at the message from Eleanor, a smile gradually appearing in his empty eyes. The next day, at 7 pm, Bernard removed the syringe from his hand and went to the bathroom. After cleaning himself up, he put on a custom¨Cmade white shirt and tidied his wet hair. His handsome face and tall figure were reflected in the mirror. He gently unbuttoned his shirt cor, then picked up his uniform jacket and left. This time, he wanted to tell Eleanor about the origin of Mr. Law¡¯s identity and rify the misunderstandings between them. So, he didn¡¯t wear a mask or disguise himself but went to see her as Bernard, openly and honestly. He drove his Bugatti supercar towards the Oceanview Hotel after leaving the vi Eleanor, Pearce, the police, and hotel staff were hiding in the fire exit of room 2203. They waited for a long time until nearly 10 o¡¯clock when the elevator doors opened, and a tall figure walked out. There were only two rooms on this floor, and the man casually nced around before heading straight to room 2203. They couldn¡¯t see his face since his back was always to them, but Eleanor felt that the figure seemed very familiar. She was unwilling to believe it when she saw the man knock on the door of room 2203. Pearce saw him knock and immediately told the police, ¡°That¡¯s Mr. Law, hurry up, catch him!¡± 1 A group of people rushed out of the fire exit, quickly surrounding the man standing at the door of room 2203. Bernard heard themotion behind him and slowly turned around. Eleanor froze when she saw who it was ¡°You are Mr. Law?¡± Chapter 443 Chapter 443 Faced with her questioning. Bernard slightly opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to respond sincerely. But surrounded by cops and staff, he couldn¡¯t say anything. When Pearce saw that it was Bernard who hade, he was even more shocked than Eleanor. ¡°Bernard, you¡¯ve got some weird fetishes or something?¡± Bernard frowned slightly, his icy gaze was fixed on Pearce. Feeling his stare, Pearce subconsciously looked at his feet, feeling thankful he didn¡¯t wear flip¨Cflops today. Bernard slowly shifted his gaze to Eleanor, seeing her staring at him intensely, his heart suddenly felt suffocated. He desperately wanted to tell her the truth, but he forgot that he once forced her like that. If she knew he was Mr. Law, she might hate him even more. In her eyes, Mr. Law was an unforgivable criminal. Bernard stood there, pondering for a few seconds. He casually asked Eleanor, ¡°What Mr. Law?¡± Hearing his words, the shock in Eleanor¡¯s eyes faded a bit, and was reced by confusion. Just now, when she saw Bernard at the door of room 2203, she indeed suspected he was Mr. Law. But on second thought, a month ago, Bernard was still at the space agency, so he couldn¡¯t be Mr Law who hurt her. She didn¡¯t quite understand why Bernard suddenly appeared at this hotel and knocked on the door of room 2203. As Eleanor was thinking about this, the elevator door suddenly opened, and Caleb walked out. His forehead was slightly sweaty, but he looked calm as he approached Bernard. PE ¡°Mr. Laurence, you got the wrong room. I booked the one across the hall for you.¡± After saying that, Caleb took a room card out of his pocket and waved it at Bernard. Luckily, Ms. Penrod told him to keep an eye on Bernard, so he noticed this detail and had someone follow him. He arrived just in time after receiving the message. Hearing Caleb¡¯s voice, Bernard forced himself to look away from Ele and then nced at the crowd indifferently. With just a nce, the surrounding cops and staff stepped aside, making way for him. Bernard walked briskly to the room across the hall, not saying a word the whole time, but radiating a strong oppressive aura. He was puzzled and walked up to Caleb. Caleb, however, acted like it was no big deal and led him to the room across the hall. When they reached the door, Caleb swiped his homemade master key, opening the room that already had guests in it. ¡°Mr. Laurence, pleasee in.¡± Seeing them enter the room across the hall, everyone¡¯s doubts vanished instantly. It turned out to be a misunderstanding. The police felt that they wasted their time and gave the two reporters an unhappy look. ¡°Did you guys falsely report a crime? We¡¯ve been waiting for so long, and the suspect hasn¡¯t shown up. We almost arrested Mr. Laurence by mistake!¡± Who was Mr. Laurence? He was the economic brain of A City and the leader of several important families. Such a noble and respected man could have any woman he wanted; would he forcibly possess an ordinary woman? This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. The police had some doubts, but if Mr. Laurence really did such a thing, they would execute their duties without hesitation. But he just got the wrong room, and these two reporters excitedly rushed out, making the police chase after them. Pearce didn¡¯t hear what the police were saying. He just stared at the closed door across the hall, gasping in shock. Bernard wasn¡¯t Mr. Law; he just got the wrong room. What had he said to Bernard just now? He couldn¡¯t seem to remember hoping Mr. Laurence couldn¡¯t either, and that he could forget his existence After apologizing to the police, Eleanor took out her phone and sent a message to Mr. Law: [Mr. Law, it¡¯s past 10 o¡¯clock. When are youing?] Chapter 444 Chapter 444 Caleb led Bernard into the room across the way and scoped out the surroundings. Realizing that the room upant was conveniently absent, Caleb breathed a sigh of relief. He turned around, faced Bernard, waved the card in his hand, and smiled confidently. ¡°Mr. Laurence, my skills aren¡¯t too shabby, huh?¡± Bernard patted his shoulder in approval, but then his expression suddenly turned cold. ¡°Caleb, are you having someone tail me?¡± As his hand rested on Caleb¡¯s shoulder, Caleb felt tremendous pressure, making him extremely ufortable. He stiffened up and was incredibly nervous, not daring to meet Bernard¡¯s gaze. He had no choice but to hang his head and admit his wrongdoing. ¡°Ms. Penrod was worried about your identity being exposed, so I had no choice but to have someone follow you around¡­¡± Bernard coldly replied, ¡°Don¡¯t forget who you¡¯re working for This chilly reminder was undoubtedly a blow to Caleb¡¯s spirit, making him feel even more sorry for Mr. Laurence. Caleb looked up and solemnly said, ¡°I¡¯m well aware that you saved my life, and I should naturally listen to you. I was just worried that if your identity is exposed, you¡¯ll be hunted down. So, I listened to Ms. Penrod. Sir, you have to believe that I¡¯ll be loyal to you for my entire life, with no other intentions.¡±Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Knowing what kind of person Caleb is, Bernard didn¡¯t say anything more and just withdrew his hand that was resting on Caleb¡¯s shoulder. He pondered why Eleanor would suddenly bring so many cops to catch him. Just then, his private phone started to vibrate. Bernard took out his phone, swiped to unlock it, and saw a message from Eleanor. The storm clouds in his eyes gathered once more. After hesitating for a few seconds, he replied to her: [I can¡¯t go there tonight. Let¡¯s meet at 8 tomorrow morning] He coldly ordered Caleb, ¡°Find out how Pearce learned that Mr. Law forced himself on Eleanor.¡± The only people who knew about his interaction with Eleanor as Mr. Law were him and Eleanor. There was no way a third party could know. Even Caleb and Aidyn, who were often by his side, didn¡¯t know he had met Eleanor alone as Mr. Law. Moreover, these encounters took ce three years ago. Eleanor had known Pearce for less than half a year, so she couldn¡¯t have told him voluntarily. If Eleanor really wanted to catch him, she would have done so when he returned to the country. But not only did she note for him; but she also added him to a cklist after returning home. This move clearly showed that she didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with Mr. Law anymore. But now, after so long, she suddenly removed him from the cklist and set a trap to catch him. It was just too strange. Caleb respectfully answered ¡®Yes¡®, and quickly left the room. Eleanor stood outside the door, and her expression slightly changed when she saw Mr. Law¡¯s reply. Mr. Law had agreed to meet but suddenly said it was inconvenient and changed the location to his hideout. Could it be that Mr. Law had already arrived, saw her with the police ready to catch him, and changed his mind and location on the spot? She looked up and surveyed the floor. Besides the emergency exit, there were only two elevators and two luxury suites. Suite 2203 had two police officers on guard, while 2204 across the hall was Bernard¡¯s room. The emergency exit was also sealed off by them. There was nowhere for Mr. Law to hide, and he couldn¡¯t possibly know the future and predict all these events, right? Chapter 445 Chapter 445 Eleanor looked across the room, utterly baffled. Bernards sudden appearance seemed a little too convenient. He had a private estate in A City and was a notorious neat freak. Even the most luxurious hotels couldn¡¯t satisfy his standards. So why on earth was he here? While pondering, Eleanor noticed Pearce ncing at her phone. *So, Mr. Law¡¯s not showing up? The cops, who were about to go back to the fire exit to wait for the criminal, halted at the sound of Pearce¡¯s surprised voice. ¡°What happened?¡± Eleanor snapped out of her thoughts and quickly exined herself to the police. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. ¡°Officers, I¡¯m sorry. It seems Mr. Law got wind of our operation and changed his ns. He¡¯s noting today.¡± After apologizing, she bowed to the cops again in apology ¡°Sorry to have you guys run around for nothing. Though they felt like their time was wasted, the cops didn¡¯t me her. Instead, they reminded the two to call them if anything came up. After thanking the police, Eleanor and Pearce watched them leave. The rest of the hotel staff quickly evacuated the building. After they left, Pearce and Eleanor stepped into the elevator, headed to the underground parking lot, and got in the car. While starting the car, Pearce asked Eleanor, ¡°Mr. Law is a sly fox. Are you still going to meet him tomorrow? Eleanor seemed uncertain, ¡°The Midnight Bar is his turf. I might walk in and nevere back.¡± After driving out of the parking lot, Pearce nced at Eleanor, ¡°We¡¯ve already bothered the cops today. It won¡¯t feel right to call them again tomorrow. But if you really want to catch him, I can call some buddies to back you up!* Eleanor felt the warmth in Pearce¡¯s offer, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Hooper.¡± Pearce lifted his right hand from the steering wheel, raised his index finger, and wagged it, ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I just love the thrill of catching criminals!¡± Eleanor, She shouldn¡¯t have expected anything from Pearce¡¯s kindheartedness. Back at the hotel, Bernard received a message that everyone had left. He quickly exited his room. He hurried into the elevator, intending to find Eleanor. Just then, a call from Caleb came in, ¡°Sir, I found out. A month ago, someone impersonated you and attacked Ms. Shultz in the hospital¡¯s underground parking lot. He even tried to assault her. Pearce saved her.¡± Bernard¡¯s gaze Who dared I on the descending elevator numbers, ¡°Who?!¡± Se him to harm his woman, and even tried to vite her?? Caleb¡¯s respectful voice came from the other end of the line, ¡°A man who is strikingly simr to you!¡± Bernard¡¯s phone tightened, with his knuckles turning white and his face darkening. Although Caleb couldn¡¯t see Bernard, he could sense his boiling rage through the phone. This was the first time someone dared to impersonate Mr. Law. Not only did he impersonate him, but he also did vile things to his woman. Such audacity to provoke Mr. Law. Caleb heard Bernard¡¯s icy voice ring in his ear. ¡°Address!¡± aAfter sying this, Bernard hung up the phone. He quickly left the hotel, got into his sports car, started it, and hit the gas. His Bugatti roared and sped towards an abandoned factory in the suburbs. Chapter 446 Chapter 446 He arrived swiftly at his destination, swung open the car door, and hopped out. Caleb, who¡¯d been waiting at the factory entrance, promptly handed him his gear. ¡°Boss, he doesn¡¯t seem to know about Mr. Law. He¡¯s just following someone else¡¯s orders to copy you and mess with Ms. Shultz.¡± If he didn¡¯t know about Mr. Law, then it was best for Mr. Law to stay undercover and not show his face to avoid being exposed. Bernard, with a frown on his face, put on the mask that Caleb handed him and let Caleb tattoo a dragon on his neck. Then he put on a pair of ck gloves. His right hand was injured, so he¡¯d have to wear gloves whenever he was on a mission, but that wouldn¡¯t stop him from kicking the asses of the bad guys in this world.) After getting into his Mr. Law getup, he stepped onto the cold ground, leading a group of masked men, all dressed in ck, towards the abandoned factory. The guy tied to the pir saw from a distance, at the factory entrance where al group of masked men, surrounding an incredibly distinguished man, walked in. The man¡¯s uniform fit him perfectly, and he was close to six foot three. His powerful aura was like that of a long-standing ruler, extremely oppressive. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. His lean physique, along with his immactely groomed hair, made him appear all the more noble. Upon seeing the golden-bronze mask on his face, the guy tied to the pir, recognized him, then his face turned pale. He was stripped bare, with a piece of cloth stuffed in his mouth, unable to plead for mercy. All he could do was whimper in a struggle. Bernard strode up to the man, coldly inspecting thesh marks all over his body. They didn¡¯t look alike in the face, but their bodies were simr. He made a good stand-in. But there could only be one Mr. Law in this world. Bernard towered over the man, watching him for a few seconds, then signaled for someone to remove the cloth from the guy¡¯s mouth. ¡°Spare me, please. I don¡¯t know anything. Some guy just gave me money to impersonate you guys,¡± the man pleaded, with tears streaming down his face.. ¡°I truly don¡¯t know who the guy is. He sent me outfits, masks, and knives and paid me a deposit, promising to pay me the rest once the job was done. But I failed, and because of my ipetence, he refused to pay me the rest.¡± ¡°I tried to track him down, even checked with the bank. But the ount holder is an innocent old man who knows nothing about this and is too poor to pay me. I¡¯ve been set up, please let me go.¡± Bernard pulled out a golden knife, and rested the de on the trembling man¡¯s neck, who was scared shitless. ¡°Did you touch her?¡± The man felt the sharp, ice-cold de. It seemed like it had tasted the blood of many. He was shaking like a leaf. ¡°I¡­I didn¡¯t touch her¡­I just¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, he felt a chilling sensation on his neck. The cold sensation of blood gushing out made him scream in pain. ¡°Ahhh! Don¡¯t kill me!!!¡± Caleb, seeing him making such a fuss, stepped forward, and smacked him hard across his face. ¡°Answer my question and cut the crap. Quit whining like a crybaby!¡± Chapter 447 Chapter 447 The man didn¡¯t dare to squawk anymore. After a sob, he opened his mouth, and spilled the beans. ¡°I just¡­ ripped her clothes, grabbed her hands and feet, and¡­id on top of her.¡± ¡°But I swear, I only touched her there, I absolutely, absolutely didn¡¯t vite her! Please don¡¯t do anything drastic to me because of this!¡± ¡°I¡­¡± He didn¡¯t even get to finish his well¨Crehearsed speech before Caleb pped him hard across his face. ¡°Shut up!!!¡± He had dealt with so many bad guys, but none was as annoying as this one. His incessant noise was about to drive him crazy. If it weren¡¯t for the boss handling this personally, he would¡¯ve gagged this guy and not let him make a peep. Bernardpletely disregarded the man¡¯s words, the small knife in his hand slowly moving downward. ¡°Where did you hurt her?¡± This time the man didn¡¯t dare to stall, quickly confessing, ¡°Her arm, I just poked her with a knife, I didn¡¯t dare to go too hard.¡± The task he was given was to vite her, not hurt her. He was afraid of retaliationter, so he didn¡¯t dare to be too vicious. Who would¡¯ve thought that even though he didn¡¯t seed, the people who wanted revenge for her still showed up, and they seemed like no ordinary bunch. After getting his answer, Bernard suddenly withdrew his knife. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Just when the man thought he was going to be let go, he saw Bernard grip the knife handle, flip his wrist, and stab down hard into his arm. That small knife, though it looked tiny, was ten times sharper than the one sent by the puppet master behind the scenes. At the moment it pierced his skin, the pain was so intense that he couldn¡¯t even speak. Yet the man in the golden bronze mask had no intention of letting him off the hook that easily. ¡°Ah!!!¡± The man screamed in pain and fainted. Seeing this, Caleb immediately ordered someone to bring a bucket of cold water and douse him with it. After just a few seconds, the ice¨Ccold water awakened the man who had passed out from the pain. His pupils dted at the sight of the man holding the knife, slightly tilting his head, and staring at him coldly. The fear that unconsciously surfaced in his eyes made him cry again, with snot and tears running down his face. ¡°Sir, I was just being employed. Please, I beg you, let me go¡­¡± Bernard tapped the man¡¯s bloodless face with the small knife, ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± The man shook his head desperately, ¡°No¡­¡± Bernard said, ¡°If you want me to let you go, do something for me.¡± Hearing that he might be spared, the man hastily pledged his loyalty, ¡°As long as you let me go, I¡¯ll do anything for you!¡± Bernard nced at him coldly, taking the handkerchief from his bodyguard and wiping the blood off his knife, then looked at Caleb. ¡°Two things, get him a change of clothes, and find out who¡¯s behind him.¡± No matter who¡¯s behind this, he¡¯ll find out. And then he¡¯ll send all those who¡¯ve hurt Eleanor straight to hell! Chapter 448 Chapter 448 Caleb had a bunch of documents ready in less than two hours and was on his way to the penthouse suite at the Midnight Bar. In front of the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows, the man was sprawled out on the U¨Cshaped sofa. His long legs lazily crossed. The dim light highlighted his cool and elegant demeanor. Caleb barged in, quickly walking over to Bernard with all the documents he had gathered. ¡°Boss, the one letting that guy impersonate you was Sophie.¡± Bernard, took a nce at the documents but didn¡¯t take them. He just motioned for Caleb to continue. ¡°Three years ago, you had us mess with her every month.¡± ¡°She¡¯s been harboring a grudge against us ever since, which is why she used our identities to get back at Ms. Shultz.¡± Bernard¡¯s cold gaze fell on Caleb. ¡°How did she find out about my identity?¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t know you are Mr. Law.¡± Confusion filled Bernard¡¯s eyes, and Caleb quickly exined. ¡°Do you remember, two years ago on Ms. Shultz¡¯s death anniversary, you were drunk and took us to get back at Ms. Ratliff? That¡¯s when she saw you wearing a mask. She didn¡¯t recognize you, and she thought you were our boss.¡± as able to find so ¡°That¡¯s why she was able to find someone with a simr build to impersonate you. She did it to kill two birds with one stone.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°By having the impersonator harm Ms. Shultz, she could destroy what you care about most. And if you found out about it, you¡¯d definitely go after the culprit.¡± ¡°Ms. Ratliff¡¯s move was brilliant. She used the impersonator to harm Ms. Shultz and your hand to take us down. Her n was perfect, except she didn¡¯t know you are Mr. Law.¡± After Caleb finished his report, the man lounging on the sofa was suddenly filled with murderous intent. If Sophie wasn¡¯t someone the boss had cared about since they were young, she would have been taken care of long ago. Who knew that hisst bit of sympathy for the boss could have led to Eleanor being vited? How could he let that slide? ¡°Lock her up!¡± With only one hour until eight, Bernard, who was anxious to see her, didn¡¯t have time to deal with Sophie. He could only lock her up first, exin things to Eleanor, and then settle the score with Sophie. ¡°Yes!¡± Caleb left as ordered. Meanwhile, Pearce had rounded up a bunch of thugs and hurried to the Midnight Bar with Eleanor. Eleanor looked over the rough men who surrounded her in the elevator. Each of them had tattoos on their arms and looked quite intimidating. But when they spoke, they seemed a bit silly, like they weren¡¯t the sharpest tools in the shed. Eleanor was seriously doubting whether Pearce had been conned or if he was just unreliable. She felt that these ¡°brutes¡± were no match for Mr. Law. Just as she was about to give up, the elevator doors opened. The brutes immediately raised their clubs and charged out, making a racket. Eleanor had no choice but to follow. The presidential suite at the top of the Midnight Bar was the only room. They quickly reached the door to the suite. Pearce held a small club, with her chin raised, indicating for Eleanor to knock on the door. Eleanor¡¯s heart was racing, and her thumb and fingertips were constantly rubbing against each other until they were warm. She took a deep breath, raised her fair and delicate hand, made a fist, gathered her courage, and firmly knocked on the door three times. Chapter 449 Chapter 449 Behind that tightly shut door, there soon came the sound of firm and powerful footsteps. When the steps reached the door, they suddenly stopped. Eleanor thought the person inside would open the door immediately, but she didn¡¯t expect everything to be so quiet afterward. Just as she was about to knock again, the door suddenly swung open. A hand reached out, grabbed her wrist tightly, and then yanked her inside at lightning speed. All Pearce saw from outside was a hand reaching out, and then Eleanor was gone. The help he brought didn¡¯t even get used. He stood still, with his facial muscles involuntarily trembling. Just then, a group of bodyguards suddenly rushed over from somewhere. One of them pointed at him and shouted, ¡°Take them to the police station, they¡¯re causing trouble here!¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Those helpers, hearing this news, were so frightened that they immediately dropped their iron rods and fled in all directions. Those iron rods fell, allnding on Pearce¡¯s feet, causing him so much pain that he broke out in a cold sweat. Before he could catch his breath, one of the bodyguards squatted in front of him, patting his shoulder in a friendly manner. ¡°You¡¯reing with us.¡± Then Pearce was carried into the elevator by four bodyguards. He was upright when he went in, but he came out horizontally, which was to be expected. In the room, Eleanor turned pale with fright after being pulled in. But when she smelled a familiar scent, she looked up in surprise. The lights were on, the curtains were open, and the rising sun shone on the man¡¯s face, revealing his features. He held her wrist with one hand, and her waist with the other, staring at her intensely with his thick eyshes. Eleanor met his gaze, looking at him in disbelief. ¡°Bernard, how could it be you?¡± Before she could finish her sentence, she heard a sobbing sounding from behind him. Eleanor turned her head, looked past Bernard, and saw the man kneeling on the ground. He was wearing a mask on his face, and there was a dragon tattoo on his neck, undoubtedly Mr. Law. She stood there dumbfounded, looking at Mr. Law for a while, then turned her gaze back to Bernard. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Isn¡¯t this Mr. Law¡¯s suite? Why was Bernard here? And why was Mr. Law subdued on the ground? Bernard didn¡¯t answer, but grabbed her hand and led her to the man, looking down at the man kneeling on the ground. ¡°I heard you mention Mr. Lawst night, so I sent someone to investigate and found out that over a month ago, he had bullied you in the hospital parking garage.¡± So that¡¯s what happened. Eleanor looked up at the man beside her, ¡°Thank you for catching Mr. Law for me.¡± The man kneeling on the ground heard this and immediately protested, ¡°I¡¯m not the so¨Ccalled Mr. Law, I was just acting on orders to pretend to be Mr. Law. On the day you were discharged, I waited for you in the garage. Miss, please let this gentleman spare me, I¡¯m not Mr. Law.¡± Hearing this, Eleanor stepped forward, bent down to the man, and reached out to remove his mask. What was revealed was apletely unfamiliar face, no distinct features, no smooth skin, but full of blemishes. She had once touched Mr. Law¡¯s face, a face so sharp as if it was carved by a knife, with wless skin. But the man in front of her had a round face. Even though she had never seen Mr. Law¡¯s true face, she could still be sure that he wasn¡¯t Mr. Law. If this man was just pretending, then where was the real Mr. Law? Eleanor looked questioningly at Bernard, who suddenly raised his finger and waved at the bodyguards. ¡°Take him out, get rid of him.¡± Before he even had a chance to plead, the man on the ground was muffled by the bodyguards and led out with his arms being held. The empty suite immediately quieted down, the sunlight shining on them and casting a faint golden light. Eleanor¡¯s questioning and doubting gaze fell on Bernard¡¯s wless face, ¡°The Mr. Law who hurt me in the hospital parking garage over a month ago was an imposter, but the one who texted me toe here was the real Mr. Law. Do you know who he is?¡± Bernard held her face, stared into her eyes, and answered seriously, ¡°Eleanor, it¡¯s me.¡± Chapter 450 Chapter 450 ¡°I¡¯m Mr. Law.¡± He gently caressed her delicate face with his index finger, and the affection deep in his eyes was more intense than the sunlight outside. Eleanor stared hard at the man before her, so noble and unapproachable. Even though she suspected it was him, she still found it hard to believe. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. After a moment of shock, she picked up the golden bronze mask in her hand, stood on her tiptoes, and put it on for him. When Bernard ovepped with Mr. Law in her memory, Eleanor felt a moment of dizziness. Her gaze slowly moved down, looking at the tattoo on his slender neck. ¡°It¡¯s fake.¡± Bernard seemed to see through her doubts and softly exined. The tattoo was fake, and so were the dressing style, the messy hair, the hoarse voice, and the scent on him, all deliberately disguised. She found it hard to ept and stepped back, ¡°Why¡­why did you force and deceive me with a false identity?¡± Her soft question was like a dagger, stabbing into his heart, making him feel guilty, uneasy, and scared. He was afraid he would lose her, so he recklessly pulled her into his arms, using all his strength to hold her. Eleanor¡¯s hands rested on his firm chest. She stopped struggling and just looked up at Bernard. ¡°Do you think I was stupid, foolish, and fun back then, so you deliberately yed me?¡± ¡°No!¡± Bernard vehemently denied it and tried to exin, but was interrupted by Eleanor¡¯s cold voice. ¡°What then?¡± ¡°Because¡­¡± ¡°Because you think I¡¯m easy to bully, I should be your toy!!!¡± The anger erupting from her chest made Eleanor shiver with fury. Her eyes were filled with extreme disappointment. ¡°Bernard, I¡¯ve been with you for five years, but you¡¯ve always hurt me, forced me, and deceived me. Don¡¯t you see me as a human?¡± Seeing her resentful eyes filled with tears, Bernard¡¯s heart clenched. ¡°Eleanor, listen to me¡­¡± As he stepped forward, she hid her feelings and headed for the door. Bernard quickly removed the mask from his face, strode forward, and grabbed her wrist. He pulled her into his arms, one hand gripping her slender waist. He lowered his head and kissed her red lips. His passionate kiss left Eleanor breathless. She struggled to free her hands and pped him hard. ¡°Bernard, do you realize we¡¯ve broken up?¡± The man slightly tilted his head, ignoring the pain on his face, and pinned Eleanor against the wall. ¡°I know, I just wanted to tell you¡­..¡± ¡°In the past, I treated you that way as Mr. Law because I was crazy about you!¡± ¡°Every day I couldn¡¯t control myself, I wanted to see you, to hold you, to make love to you!¡± ¡°And it¡¯s the same now, I want you, I¡¯ve never stopped!¡± Hearing these bold and explicit words, Eleanor thought of his text messages and felt he was a lunatic. Looking into her angry eyes, he said in a hoarse voice: ¡°Eleanor, back then, I couldn¡¯t openly love you, I could only express my love as Mr. Law.¡± ¡°But now, I can do it because no one will hurt you anymore, I can love you without any restraint.¡± ¡®Do you understand?¡± Chapter 451 Chapter 451 ¡°I seriously don¡¯t get it!¡± Eleanor clenched her fists tightly, staring at the man in front of her with anger in her eyes. ¡°You forced me with a fake identity, making me believe that I was vited by a stranger. That indescribable feeling of difort tortured me, making it hard for me to let go. And you¡¯ve been hiding the truth on purpose, not mentioning it at all. Have you ever thought about how I feel?¡± Her words pierced Bernard Laurence¡¯s ears like needles. ¡°Eleanor, I didn¡¯t mean to hide it from you. It¡¯s just that so many things happened between us after you came back. All I could think about was how to win you back, and Ipletely forgot about the whole Mr. Law thing.¡± After saying that, he hugged the furious Eleanor tightly once again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Eleanor. No matter what, I was too selfish and didn¡¯t consider your feelings.¡± Eleanor struggled to push him away, but she couldn¡¯t resist his strength, and her petite body trembled. Bernard raised his fingers and gently stroked her back, soothing her. ¡°Eleanor, this is also a mistake I made back then. You can me me, hate me, it¡¯s alright. But please don¡¯t be angry, okay? Your health is not good.¡± He spoke softly tofort her. But Eleanor wasn¡¯t buying it, ¡°The best way to care for me is to let me go.¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Bernard shook his head slightly, his deep voice filled with sadness, ¡°Eleanor, I can¡¯t let you go. If I could, I wouldn¡¯t be living in such pain.¡± Hearing this, Eleanor lifted her head from his embrace and looked at the man holding her tightly, ¡°If it¡¯s so painful, why did youe looking for me?¡± Time would fade everything if they never met again, healing the wounds in their hearts. Why bother entangling themselves like this, torturing each other? Bernard stiffened, his exhausted eyes filled with bloodshot veins, ¡°Eleanor, do you not care about me at all anymore?¡± Still angry, Eleanor clenched her fists and bluntly said, ¡°That¡¯s right, I don¡¯t care at all!¡± After saying that, she tried to push Bernard away again, and this time, she easily broke free from his embrace. She didn¡¯t even nce at him as she turned to open the door. But before her hand touched the doorknob, there was a sudden ¡®thud¡® behind her. The sound of something heavy falling made her instinctively turn back, just in time to see Bernard copsed on the floor, his face pale and bloodless. Eleanor¡¯s heart tightened, and she quickly approached, trying to help him up. But he stopped her with a raised hand, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m fine, just a bit of a headache, don¡¯t worry.¡± Seeing him like this, some of the anger in Eleanor¡¯s heart inexplicably faded. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± She squatted down, looking at the man rubbing his temples in a daze. ¡°Probably just too exhausted.¡± Bernard saw the worry in her eyes and knew that her earlier statement of not caring was just said in anger. He smiled slightly, but also worried that she would be overly concerned, so he endured the physical difort and stood up from the ground. After steadying himself, he picked her up and ced her on the sofa, reaching out to touch her slightly dazed face. ¡°Eleanor, I came to see you because there¡¯s something I need to talk to you about. Can you give me some time to exin everything, please?¡± His voice was pleading, as if there was something urgent he needed to rify with her. Chapter 452 Chapter 452 Eleanor tilted her head slightly and looked at his pale face, opening her mouth to speak, ¡°You should go to the hospital first.¡± He had mentioned having a headache when he was in W City, and this time he fainted because she pushed him away. She didn¡¯t know what was wrong with him. ¡°Nothing is more important than you.¡± Bernard scooped up Eleanor and let her sit on hisp, leaning his head gently on the couch and looking up at her. She was on top, and he was underneath, the position quite suggestive. Eleanor struggled to get off his lap, but he held her waist so she couldn¡¯t move, ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t move.¡± Eleanor felt something was off beneath her, so she stopped moving and just stared at him. The man held her waist, restrained the restlessness inside him, and opened his thin lips, ¡°Eleanor, actually Mr. Law is not a fake identity, but another identity of mine. When I was seven, Mr. Whitfield established an organization called Siren for me. This organization spans the world, and I am their leader.¡± Eleanor thought Mr. Law was just a random name he made up, but she didn¡¯t expect him to have another identity. No wonder he could easilye in and out of that building in W City, and the staff inside was extremely respectful of him. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. It turned out that in addition to being the head of the three great families, he also had such a powerful and untouchable background. Eleanor¡¯s expression gradually changed from incredible to out of reach, and the fleeting inferiority in her eyes made her lower her eyshes. Bernard mistakenly thought she was scared, so he hurriedly lifted her chin to make her look at him and softly exined, ¡°Eleanor, this organization is not a harmful existence. It¡¯s just rted to the business world and the major families. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t say much in response, just nodded slightly. Bernard continued, ¡°With them, I¡¯ve solved countless business cankers, so I¡¯ve offended many people. If my identity is exposed, not only will I be hunted down, but everyone in the organization will be implicated.¡± Eleanor¡¯s heart trembled when she heard the words ¡°hunted down.¡± She looked down at Bernard, a little shocked and a little scared. ¡°Since you can¡¯t expose it, why tell me?¡± Eleanor asked. Bernard let go of her slender waist and traced the outline of her enchanting face. ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to lose you.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t understand this sentence, but Bernard lovingly stroked her eyebrows and eyes, and slowly exined, He continued, ¡°That night, you saw me with Gianna in the restaurant, because something happened at the Siren Organization headquarters. This incident happened because Gianna¡¯s brother provoked Robin Spencer, and the names of the headquarters members were exposed. The rule I set is that whoever causes trouble should solve it themselves, but Gianna¡¯s brother was injured in a previous operation and couldn¡¯t move. Gianna knew she couldn¡¯t fight Robin, so she stopped my car, invited me into the restaurant, and begged me to help her brother. At that time, just wanted toe back and see you, but when I heard that it involved the lives of thousands of people in the headquarters, I, as the person in charge, had no choice but to agree. The situation was very urgent that night, I didn¡¯t have time toe back and find you, so I could only call you and wanted to tell you, but you didn¡¯t answer. I had to call the home number, and the maid told me you were already asleep. I didn¡¯t have the heart to disturb you, so I didn¡¯t let the maid wake you up. I didn¡¯t expect you to be outside the restaurant that night.¡° Chapter 453 Chapter 453 Bernard paused and continued, his eyes turning red again from not having much rest for days as he lo He said, ¡°Eleanor, that French restaurant ain¡¯t just for couples, it¡¯s just a regr restaurant Plus, you can¡¯t see what¡¯s going on outside through the ss at night Eleanor, already stunned, felt her eyes quiver uncontrobly upon hearing these words. Bernard¡¯s fingers gently caressed her eyes, as if soothing her insecure feelings. He said, ¡°Gianna¡¯s identity involves the royal family, it¡¯s kinda special. If she needs to make a mors, she¡¯s yma idke an al She asked for my help, to pretend to be her lover. But I didn¡¯t wanna do it, and just then, you came looking for me! After saying this, he pulled her petite body into his embrace, his apologetic eyes peeking out from under his tick speaker, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t see you then. If I knew you were outside, I would¡¯vee out to find your He said. Eleanor frowned, staring nkly at the man in front of her Bernard said, ¡°I was wearing earphones and contacting the organization when I left the restaurant, so I didn¡¯t hear you calling my name. I¡¯m sorry for letting you wait outside the hotel in the rain, and for making you think I was hooking up with Genna Actually, I have nothing to do with her. After faking the alibi in the hotel, we left through the back dec Upon hearing this, Eleanor snapped out of her daze, her eyes full of doubt as she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°How do you know all this¡­¡± ¡°Surveince.¡± He saw her despair in the surveince footage. If he hade out of the hotel¡¯s main entrance that night, his Eleanor wouldn¡¯t have had to endure the rain all night, nor would she have had to leave heartbroken. Bernard said, ¡°Eleanor, the text message and bed photos that Teresa sent are all fake. I, Bernard, have only ever had you as my woman. I feel disgusted by any other women. You have to believe me, I never did anything to betray you. That night, I really just went to handle some organization stuff After Eleanor nodded slightly, she lowered her eyshes to hide theple emotions in her eyes. When he returned to the W City vi, the first thing he did was exin why he didn¡¯te home in time. He had already made it clear that there was an urgent matter in the organization, so he didn¡¯t make it After she was heartbroken, she didn¡¯t care about what he was doing and didn¡¯t question if he was really handling the matter&r booking up with Gianna. Now that he had told her the whole story, she felt at a loss and didn¡¯t know what to say.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Bernard seemed to sense her emotions and softlyforted her, ¡°Eleanor, it¡¯s all my fault. I didn¡¯t tell you beforehand, and I didn¡¯t exin things clearly after it happened. I even thought you left to see Garett and did something bad to you in anger. I¡¯m really sorry¡± After apologizing, he raised his head and gently kissed her red lips, ¡°Eleanor, Teresa has been dealt with il personally handle Sophie Ratliff, who had someone impersonate me to hurt you. You¡¯re already divorced with Garett, and there¡¯s nothing standing in our way. Can we get back together, please?¡± Chapter 454 Chapter 454 He gently kissed her, just a little peck, and then let go. His fingertips traced her hair, lightly caressing her cheek, feeling cool to the touch. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Eleanor slightly turned her head away, dodging his touch. This subtle move stirred up a whirlwind of emotions in the man¡¯s heart, making him feel a sudden pain, ¡°You don¡¯t want this anymore?¡± He already knew the answer, but couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Eleanor nodded, her eyes clearing of theplex emotions that filled them. Her answer was like thest straw that broke his faith, leaving him feeling powerless. ¡°Why?¡± Bernard asked. Why, even after exining everything, she still didn¡¯t want to be with him. Why, despite his best efforts to hold onto her, he could never really grasp her. All he ever wanted in his life was her, but he couldn¡¯t have her. Eleanor lowered her head, pondered for a moment, then lifted her bright eyes to look at him, ¡°Do you know what I was like eight years ago?¡± The past eight years belonged to Garett, and Bernard had no idea. Although he didn¡¯t want to hear about their past, he still shook his head when faced with her. ¡°To love someone, you can give your all, without hesitation, but¡­¡± Eleanor¡¯s eyes grew dark, as if shrouded by the shadows of the past, losing their luster. She continued, ¡°I once knelt before Garett, crying, begging him not to abandon me, not to forget me, but all I got was despair. Though five yearster, when he regained his memory, he told me it was all a misunderstanding, I was truly hurt. And it was because of that injury that my personality became sensitive, no longer daring to boldly love someone.¡± As she spoke, she looked at Bernard¡¯s face, which had caused her pain for eight years, and once again fell into the dusty memories, unable to break free. Eleanor said, ¡°Back then, I knew you wouldn¡¯t marry me or love me, yet I still fell in love with you. But the injured me no longer had the courage to love, only daring to silently stay by your side. I was praying every day that the end of our agreement would came slower, but you ended it early. Later, you and Sophie appeared together, taunting me, hurting me, making me lose hope in you. When you said, ¡®Don¡¯t delude yourself that I¡¯ll love you,¡® that sentence made me never expect you to love me ever again.¡± Tears filled Eleanor¡¯s eyes as she cried, speaking to the man holding her about the past that weighed on her heart. She said, ¡°Bernard, I¡¯ve been hurt. I have no sense of security, and I¡¯m very sensitive. My trust in you is fragile. Even under these circumstances, I still gathered the courage to agree to be with you, but as soon as I opened my heart, I saw you with another woman entering a hotel. Even if you tell me now that it¡¯s all fake, I saw it with my own eyes, and I¡¯ll still feel disappointed, desperate, and scared. These feelings torment me, leaving me without the courage to even ask you questions. I¡¯m no longer the person I was eight years ago, and my personality has be extremely sensitive. If I encounter a simr situation next time, I¡¯ll still back down. Being with you like this will not only hurt me but also hurt you. We¡¯re simply not right for each other.¡± Chapter 455 Chapter 455 Bernard lifted his trembling fingers, wiping the tears on her cheeks over and over again. Her teary¨Ceyed appearance made the man¡¯s eyes well up too. It was the first time he had heard her express her love for him, orying with disappointment. It was only at this moment that he realized that his Eleanor loved him so much. But he had hurt her and never gave her enough security, making her so sensitive He wanted her, but he never thought about how much pain he caused he His fingers went around her hair and held the back of her head, letting her oy uncontrobly on his shoulder, ¡°Eleanor, I promise you, from now on, there won¡¯t be any other women beside me except for you Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. As he said this, it was like a vow, and the emotions in his eyes were unwavering farth and a commitment to be for life. Eleanor, leaning on his shoulder, hugged him tightly and cried. Then she raised her hand and wiped the tears from theer of her eyes bit by bit. After she slowly recovered from her past emotions, she sat up straight and looked down at the man wit etened eyes, ¡°Bernard, it¡¯s not only these things that aren¡¯t working between us The man on the couch didn¡¯t respond, just using his fingertips to wipe the tear sans on her fact Eleanor opened her mouth to continue speaking, but Bernard pressed his cold fingertips organst her lips ¡°Eleanor, your eyes can¡¯t cry like this. No more crying in the future.¡± He didn¡¯t want to hear her say anything about them not working, in his view, there was nothing not wording As long as they loved each other, everything else would work out. Eleanor gently pushed his fingers away. In her light¨Ccolored pupils, after shedding the sadness of the past, there was only entere rity and reason, ¡°Bernard, I know you don¡¯t want to hear it, but since you asked me, I still have to make it der to your The man slightly raised his chin, a pair of dark red, exhausted eyes quietly staring at her ¡°Eleanor, go ahead, I¡¯m listening.¡± No matter what she said, he would ept it, even if it meant giving his life for her After taking a deep breath, Eleanor slowly began, ¡°You just said that the restaurant isn¡¯t a romantic one, but a regr one. I was fooled by Teresa because I couldn¡¯t read French if could, there would have been fewer conflicts between us. Also, the ss you mentioned, I don¡¯t even know what it is, let alone heard of it. Even horse riding, I can¡¯t do it. Basically, I can¡¯t do anything you can. I¡¯m not very knowledgeable, and I don¡¯t have a photographic memory. Even if I start making up for my shorings now, there¡¯s still a huge gap between us, like the distance of a gxy, Moreover, you¡¯re from a wealthy family, one of the three major families, and the leader of the family organization. You have a prominent status that no one can match, while I¡¯m just an orphan with no background. I have nothing, no achievements. Not only are our ideas different, but our statuses are unequal. We are not from the same world? After showing her deep¨Crooted inferiority in front of him, Eleanor lowered her eyes and gazed at the wless face, her lips slightly curving up. People from different worlds had different frequencies. One was at a high frequency while the other was at a low frequency. Even if they forced themselves together, they would eventually separate due to the differences in space and time. Chapter 456 Chapter 456 Bernard stared at Eleanor for a while before saying, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯ve never cared about your background. All I love is you, no matter who you are or what people think. You¡¯re enough for me.¡± Because of this, he never thought too much about these issues and never realized that deep down inside Eleanor, there was always a standard. This standard was always measuring the gap between them, but for him, these were never obstacles. He touched Eleanor¡¯s cheek and said affectionately, ¡°What¡¯s mine is yours. If you¡¯re willing, I can give you everything right now.¡± Eleanor just smiled at him without saying much. He could give her everything, but not the spiritual wealth she needed. This kind of wealth rted to cognition could only be owned by oneself, and Bernard couldn¡¯t understand that. Seeing the smile on her lips, the man felt a little helpless and suddenly embraced her, flipping her over and pressing her onto the sofa, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯ll give you enough ty and confidence in the future. These things won¡¯t be obstacles.¡± Eleanor looked up at the stubborn ¡°What about children?¡± and tinate man on top of her and sighed deeply, Bernard¡¯s body stiffened, and his determined eyes suddenly showed a hint of panic, ¡°You¡­¡± Eleanor slowly shifted her gaze to her t belly, ¡°I heard what you said to me in the hospital that day. The doctor said I¡¯ve taken too many contraceptives and it¡¯ll be difficult for me to get pregnant.¡± Bernard¡¯s already pale face turned even paler. He let go of Eleanor and sat up, copsing onto the sofa with extreme exhaustion. Watching the proud man let go of his arrogance and stare nkly at the ceiling, Eleanor sighed again, ¡°You¡¯re the head of the Laurence family, and you definitely need children for inheritance, but I can¡¯t get pregnant.¡± Bernard thought she was ming him, but when he heard her worrying about him, the panic in his eyes faded. He reached out again and pulled her into his arms. He hugged Eleanor tightly and whispered in her ear, ¡°Eleanor, the Laurence family has many descendants. We don¡¯t need my children for inheritance. Don¡¯t worry about these things. Leave everything to me.¡± Sitting on hisp, Eleanor looked at him and asked, ¡°What about you? Do you want children?¡± Bernard answered without hesitation, ¡°No, I only want you.¡± Eleanor lowered her head, looking outside the window at the bright sun, which couldn¡¯t shine into her heart. After staring at the blue sky and white clouds for a while, she gently said, ¡°But I want to. Can you make up for it?¡± The man holding her stiffenedpletely, his blood turning ice cold. Seeing his silence, Eleanor gradually looked back at the speechless man, ¡°Bernard, I don¡¯t feel secure, I¡¯m not equal to your status, and I can¡¯t have children. These are my obstacles. In the future, I¡¯ll try to ovee these problems, but for now, we¡¯re not suitable for each other. It¡¯s better for both of us to separate and cool down for a while.¡± Her voice was very calm, gentle, and even too rational for Bernard to find words to say. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. He slightly released the woman in his arms, leaned back on the sofa, and quietly watched her wless face. Eleanor also looked at the man who was holding her tightly and wouldn¡¯t let go. Neither of them spoke, just gazing at each other. Silence filled the room as time quietly passed, slowly eroding their calmness. Finally, Bernard spoke, ¡°Eleanor, if you think we¡¯re not suitable for each other right now, let¡¯s break up.¡± Eleanor was about to nod when Bernard suddenly lifted her chin, revealing a domineering and assertive look in his eyes, ¡°After we break up, let me pursue you.¡± Chapter 457 Chapter 457 Eleanor tilted her head slightly, confused by Bernard¡¯s words, ¡°Did I not get what you meant, or did you just not make it clear?¡± He gently touched her cheek and calmly said, ¡°I¡¯ve never pursued you before, but starting now, I will. If you think we¡¯re not a good fit, then I¡¯ll give up and stop bothering you.¡±, She opened her mouth and wanted to refuse, but Bernard pressed her lips with his finger, ¡°You need time to ovee your mental barriers, so during this time, I¡¯ll pursue you and be there for you.¡± Eleanor¡¯s original intention was to grow independently without hispany. He insisted firmly, ¡°That¡¯s it, you can leave now.¡± Eleanor¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, ¡°You¡­¡± Bernard hugged her waist and pulled her toward his abdomen, ¡°If you don¡¯t leave, then help me.¡± As she felt the changes in his body, Eleanor¡¯s face turned red, and she quickly got off him. She didn¡¯t even dare to look at him as she turned around and left, walking very fast. Watching her petite figure disappear into the suite, Bernard struggled to support his body, then suddenly copsed onto the sofa. He raised his hand to rub his aching temples. Although his eyes were tired, they still shone with anticipation.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. As He long as Eleanor still loved him, that was enough. He would work hard to ovee all the obstacles between them. c on the sofa, took a break, then took out his phone and called Liana. Liana was working at the hospital. Seeing his call, she immediately handed her work over to another doctor. She stepped out of the ward and answered the call, ¡°Mr. Laurence, what can I do for you?¡± Bernard¡¯s cold Liana them? Why Voice came through the phone, ¡°Eleanor has difficulty getting pregnant. Help her with her body.¡± was puzzled. Wh Why was Mr. Laurence suddenly concerned about pregnancy? Had there been any progress between the two of She felt a faint excitement, ¡°Congrattions, Mr. Laurence. Are you two going to¡­¡± Before she could finish, he hung up the phone. 1 Liana stared at the ck screen, confused. They were already nning to have a child, why wasn¡¯t Mr. Laurence happy? After hanging up, Bernard opened his contacts, found Ryan¡¯s number, and quickly dialed it. Ryan answered quickly, ¡°Mr. Laurence, what Juan I do for you?¡± Bernard said coldly, ¡°Carve out a piece ofnd in the north of the city, rebuild Lawrence Group Headquarters, and have Emilia from Cornerstone Construction Co. design it.¡± Ryan was a bit confused, ¡°Mr. Laurence, our headquarters was designed by a world¨Cfamous architect. Are you unhappy with it?¡± Bernard replied indifferently, ¡°Tired of it.¡± Tired of it. Lawrence Group Headquarters was so big that it took more than two hours to drive around. Mr. Laurence hadn¡¯t even been inside, how could he be tired of it? Ryan wanted to persuade him that even though he had a lot of money, he shouldn¡¯t waste it so casually. Unfortunately, before he could speak, Bernard had already hung up the phone. Ryan was speechless. Bernard let go of his tightly clenched phone, rubbed his temples again, waited for his emotions to calm down, and then continued making calls. The other party was busy handling ount cancetions. Seeing his call, they immediately stood up and greeted him respectfully, ¡°Mr. Laurence, hello.¡± Bernard leaned on the sofa, obviously tired, but his voice remained steady, ¡°Restore Eleanor¡¯s identity.¡± Her current identity still belonged to Emilia. Only after restoring her identity could he let her participate in the international architecturepetition under the name ¡®Eleanor¡® after shepleted the design of Lawrence Group Headquarters. At the same time, he could transfer all his assets to her name. Chapter 458 Chapter 458 After Bernard finished giving orders, he put down his phone and dragged himself to the study. He took out another phone specifically used for contacting the organization members and sent a message to Caleb. After Caleb pushed Sophie into the basement, he took off his face mask and took out the vibrating phone. He nced at it, and quickly replied, ¡°Kidnapped her already.¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He then sent an address to Bernard, who casually nced at it before turning off his phone and chugging down a cup of strong coffee on the table. He put on ck gloves, grabbed his mask, and hurried towards the door. As he walked towards the elevator, he could faintly hear Pearce¡¯s voice, ¡°You guys keep carrying me up and down the stairs, over and over again. What the hell do you want?!¡± Four burly men carried him by his hands and feet, up and down, making him so dizzy! As the private elevator doors opened, the bodyguards stopped teasing Pearce when they saw the tall, cold¨Clooking man in front of them. They threw Pearce onto the ground. With a thud, Pearce violently hit the ground, dazed and disoriented. Then, he saw a face wearing a bronze¨Cgold mask. ¡°Mr. Law?! Pearce struggled to get up from the floor, leaning against the wall, weak and powerless, but still asked loudly. ¡°Where¡¯s Eleanor? What did you do to her? Why isn¡¯t she out?!¡± He asked. Bernard nced at him indifferently and stepped into the elevator without a care. Pearce wouldn¡¯t let him go, clenching his fists and staring him down. ¡°If you don¡¯t hand over Eleanor, I¡¯ll fight you to the end today!¡± Pearce said. The bodyguard behind him helplessly held his forehead and pped Pearce, sending him flying onto the elevator. Then the bodyguard dragged Pearce out and pressed the elevator button for the man inside. As the elevator doors closed, the man¡¯s cold voice came from inside, ¡°Dislocate his right hand for three days!¡± Hearing this order, Pearce¡¯s face contorted with anger, ¡°My right hand is for drawing designs, can you pick another one?!!!¡± Bernard stepped out of the private elevator and got into his Bugatti sports car. He removed his mask, started the car, and quickly drove to the address Caleb had sent. Half an hourter, Bernard put his mask back on and got out of the car. The powerful aura emanating from his body as he stepped out of the car was enough to instill fear in anyone. His long, straight legs beneath his uniform pants took steady steps as he walked into the dimly lit basement. Sophie, hearing footsteps approaching, shrank into the corner and hugged herself tightly as the lights in the basement turned on. She looked up at the man slowly walking down the steps. When her eyes met the bronze¨Cgold mask, Sophie trembled in fear. This man was the leader of the gang. She had only seen him once before, but that was enough to leave asting impression. That night, he had approached her just like this, not saying a word, just coldly staring at her. She couldn¡¯t see the eyes hidden beneath the mask, but she felt they were frightening. She still didn¡¯t understand why these people kept bothering her every month. Although they had never done anything particrly severe to her, the physical and mental pain never ceased. She had sent countless people to investigate the gang¡¯s origins, but every time they were about to discover something, someone would intercept and destroy the information. That was when she realized these people were not ordinary¨Cthey had powerful backgrounds, so powerful even she couldn¡¯t reach them. As the man approached her and slightly tilted his head, looking down at her condescendingly, Sophie trembled and finally spoke, ¡°Who the hell are you? Why do you keep torturing me like this?¡± Three years of tomment was enough to break anyone, let alone the daughter of the Ratliff family. Bemard removed his mask, revealing his handsome face. His arrogant gaze fell on her making Sophie, unbelievingly, widen her dark eyes. Chapter 459 Chapter 459 ¡®Bernard?¡± Sophie asked. How could it be him? The guy who had been tormenting her for the past three years was actually Bernard¡®?! She loved him so much, how could he be so cruel to someone who loved him? She didn¡¯t want to believe it, tears welling up in her eyes as she shook her head forcefully, ¡°You didn¡¯t do this, did ypat Bernard¡¯s gaze slowly fell on the mask in his hand, as if even looking at her for a moment longer would disgust him. Sophie looked up at the cold, unapproachable man in front of her, finally epting the reality ¡°Why are you doing this to me.¡± Bernard casually stroked the mask, giving her a cold look, ¡°Don¡¯t you get it?¡± Sophie wanted to deny it, but she was too smart not to know the reason he treated her like this. It was all because of what happened three years ago with Joelle in the mall bathroom when they messed with Eleanor But still. Sophie couldn¡¯t ept it, and she yelled at Bernard, ¡°To get back at Eleanor, you¡¯ve already bought out the Ratliff Group! You demoted my father from chairman to executive director, and I was stripped of my presidency and became a powerless manager. You¡¯ve taken everything from me, so why do you still let these people humiliate me every montr This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She hated chasing after someone she could never have, while Eleanor got him so easily! And all she did was bully that woman once, and Bernard had been taking revenge on her for three years. Why? She let go of her crossed arms and stood up straight in theer, head held high and chest out, walking up to him. She said, ¡°Bernard, that p you gave her felt so good every time I think about it, if you had killed her then, it would¡¯ve been even better¡± He had sent people to tie her up in the basement, even personallying here, taking off his mask, and revealing his true face to her. This meant that he had found out about her orchestrating the masked man incident to hurt Eleanor, and he knew Eleanor was still alive. So Sophie knew very well that Bernard wasn¡¯t here to humiliate her this time, but to end her If they were enemies now, why should she continue to grovel and please him like before! Bernard¡¯s icy gaze seemed to look at her as if she were already dead, and after a cold nce, he turned and sat down on the leather chair. His long legszily crossed under his well¨Ctailored uniform, the incredibly distinguished man leaned back in the chair and spoke calmly, ¡°Twice.¡± Caleb next to him quickly understood and walked up to Sophie, raising his hand and harshly pping her face twice. Sophie covered her swollen cheek, unbelievingly looking at the man in the distance, hidden in the dim light. ¡°Wonderful,¡± A enraged Sophie with her face distorted in anger and heavy makeup, stormed up to him. Her hand hadnt even touched his shoulder when the tall, burly masked man pushed her away. Sophie, who was pushed away, trembled all over. ¡°Bernard, what exactly is so attractive about that worthless woman that you love her so much?!¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Caleb pped her face again and said, ¡°Sophie, if you insult Ms. Shultz one more time, don¡¯t me me for being ruder Already furious, Sophie didn¡¯t care about Caleb, or even her own face. She just stared with tear filled eyes at the man who was high above, not even willing to speak more to her She said, ¡°Bernard, I don¡¯t understand, she and I look somewhat alike, but you just can¡¯t stand me, why is that? Chapter 460 Chapter 460 The guy sat on the leather chair, not responding to her words, and it seemed like he wasn¡¯t in the mood for talking he just came to see her results. Sophie looked at this cold-blooded man, the hatred in her eyes disappeared, and tears uncontrobly flowed down again. ¡°Bernard, considering that we grew up together since we were kids, and I¡¯ve loved you for so many years, please answer me just once.¡± Sophie said. Bernard slightly turned his head, his indifferent gaze swept over Sophie from head to toe. ¡°I¡¯ve never thought she looked like you. If you¡¯re under that illusion, then destroy that face that resembles hers.¡± He said. Sophie¡¯s tears suddenly stopped, her pupils dted, and she looked at him in disbelief once again, ¡°You¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, she was pinned to the ground by two masked people. Then, a small knife brutally shed a cross on her face. The cold sensation of the de cutting through her skin made Sophie scream in pain, ¡°Ah-my face!¡± Her father once said that she was the best-looking among her siblings, and it was something she took great pride in! Now Bernard ruined her face because of that woman. How could she not hate him? How could she not me him? ¡°Bernard, you¡¯ll regret this!!!¡± Sophie yelled. The manzily watched all of this, his eyes full of indifference, ¡°If you weren¡¯t the woman my brother liked, I would¡¯ve treated you the same way you did!¡± Sophie trembled with anger, then suddenly stiffened. His meaning was that if she sent someone to Eleanor, he would send someone to her! She sat on the ground, covering her bloodstained face and looked at the man she had loved for half her life. She said, ¡°I never thought that the man behind the mask would be you. If I knew, I wouldn¡¯t have been stupid enough to send someone to impersonate you! I would have quietly kidnapped that woman, peeled off her skin, pulled out her tendons, burned her to ashes. And thrown her into the sea, so you could never find her!¡± As a dying person, there was nothing to worry about. Sophie recklessly provoked the man who always looked at her coldly. But¡­ Even though she was furious to the extreme and used vicious words to insult his woman, she couldn¡¯t catch his attention. He just sat there, looking at her like a clown, remaining silent and cold, with no emotion in his eyes. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. It seemed as if he was trying topletely consume the remaining affection for his brother, tolerating her arrogance at the end of her life. When Sophie saw through his thoughts, her straightened body suddenly fell backward. She had tried so hard for so many years, but still failed. Bernard didn¡¯t love her, he just didn¡¯t. After Caleb pped Sophie twice, he heard the man¡¯s cold-blooded voice, ¡°Clean it up.¡± After saying this, the man got up and left without looking back. Sophie watched his back and suddenly smiled, ¡°Bernard, you can¡¯t kill me now because, I¡¯m t he only one who knows the truth about your brother¡¯s death.¡± His footsteps, about to step onto the stairs, suddenly stopped. Bernard turned around, his bloodshot eyes now looking even more ruthless, ¡°What did you say?¡± Sophie slightly raised her blood-covered chin, staring at the man who stopped for her. This time, she didn¡¯t say anything else, just proudly looked at him and smiled. He would let her continue to live. Chapter 461 Chapter 461 A confident, arrogant, and provocative smile appeared on Sophie¡¯s face. This guy who was always looking down on others didn¡¯t hesitate for long before returning to his cold and ruthless self, ¡°Take care of her.¡± Sophie thought that when she taunted him with the reason for her brother¡¯s death, he woulde to her and ask for details But who would have thought that he would just be slightly surprised and then ordered someone to deal with her again? Didn¡¯t he care about his brother at all? Sophie couldn¡¯t believe it, nor could she ept it. She stared at the man who had always been emotionally cold but still made her heart flutter, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know the truth about your brother¡¯s death?!¡± Bernard slowly took off his gloves, looking coldly at Sophie kneeling on the ground, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t tell me, I can find out.¡± In other words, whether she was the only one who knew the truth or just talking nonsense, it didn¡¯t matter to him. His goal now was to get rid of her and eliminate any future troubles. As for the rest, there was nothing Bemard couldn¡¯t find out! Sophie had known Bernard for his decisive and ruthless actions, leaving no room for mercy. But only after experiencing it firsthand, Sophie truly realized how terrifying this man could be. However, she said, ¡°Bernard, there are things you can¡¯t find out. The forgotten past was something only I know!¡± The man standing at the bottom of the stairs seemed already tired of dealing with her, directly looking away and turning to leave. Seeing his resolute back, Sophie clenched her fists in anger, her resentment deeper than ever. She yelled, ¡°Bernard! Your brother loves me so much. If he finds out you treat me like this, how will you face him in the future? You also promised him that you would marry me and take care of me. Are you going to break thesemitments?¡± Upon hearing this, Berard chuckled coldly and said, ¡°He¡¯s always been taking care of you even until his death, and yet you deceive his feelings. Do you think you deserve his love?¡± He turned his profile, his expression cold, and said, ¡°You better think about how you¡¯re going to face him when you meet himter! The man, after saying this sentence, did not turn back and left the basement directly. Sophie trembled all over, her eyes widened as she stared fixedly at the deeply engraved figure in her memory. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. But as soon as she nced, a person immediately ced a cotton linen bag over her head. The invading darkness made her scream in terror, ¡°Ah ¨C Bernard, don¡¯t forget, my father is still alive. If he finds out how you¡¯ve treated me, he will definitely seek revenge against you!¡± But the man had already left the basement,pletely blocking out her cries, apparently not caring about her fate. When he came out, he handed his ck gloves to Caleb. The sun outside was still shining brightly, casting light on him without any warmth. He looked at the swaying trees, raising his chin slightly to reveal a smooth jawline. His eyes were lost in thoughts of the past. At the age of five, a little boy in a uniform knelt on cobblestones, enduring one hit after another. In his home, all the adults watched without helping him, allowing him to be beaten until he was covered in bruises. Only his brother rushed out, using his thin body to shield him, shouting at the woman, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t hit my brother. It wasn¡¯t him who broke the vase, it was me. If you want to hit someone, hit me.¡± The little boy looked up at his brother, who was taller than him, his eyes full of shock. He didn¡¯t expect this brother, who had just returned from abroad, to stand up and protect him. What shocked him even more was that the woman spared him because of his brother¡¯s plea. This was something he didn¡¯t expect, and he stared at his brother. ¡°Let me see your injuries.¡± The little boy¡¯s brother squatted down, carefully lifting the bloodstained clothes on his body. Seeing the boy covered in wounds, tears rolled down his eyes. He gently held the boy¡¯s arm and blew on it, thinking it could ease the pain. After that, he gently stroked the boy¡¯s hair, ¡°I¡¯ll protect you.¡± However, the energetic young man didn¡¯t fulfill his childhood promise. At the age of twenty, he ended his life. Bernard lowered his head, and after a few minutes of silence, he calmly said to Caleb, ¡°Look into the cause of my brother¡¯s death! Since childhood, he had lived under his father¡¯s indifference and his mother¡¯s abuse. The only person who loved and protected him was his brother. So, no matter if Sophie¡¯s words were true or false, he had to find out. Chapter 462 Chapter 462 At Hailey¡¯s vi, after Liana checked Eleanor, she finally understood why Mr. Laurence was unhappy. She nced at the calm Eleanor, then at her pulse, and finally showed a reluctant smile. ¡°Long¨Cterm medication can indeed affect pregnancy, but please believe in my medical skills.¡± She said. Liana was a general practitioner who is good at both traditional and modem medicine. She had helped many patients with women¡¯s fertility issues. Eleanor¡¯s physical condition was not good. She had had major surgery and still needed to continue taking medication. The situation was indeed a bit tricky. But Liana believed that with her medical skills, she could help Eleanor get better. Hearing this, Eleanor withdrew her hand and smiled at Liana, ¡°Liana, thank you for making a special trip for me.¡± As soon as she returned to the vi, Liana came with a medical kit. After Liana exined her intentions, Eleanor found out that it was Bernard who decided to let Liana come to help her get better. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She felt that it was difficult for her to get pregnant with her body that needed long¨Cterm medication. But Liana was panting after her trip, and she was too embarrassed to refuse. After writing down a bunch of medicinal materials that Eleanor couldn¡¯t understand on the prescription, Liana looked up at Eleanor and said, ¡°I will use traditional medicine to treat you for a while, and then you can try to get pregnant with Mr. Laurence.¡± Hearing this, Eleanor blushed. After getting better, she would have to try sleeping with him? Seeing that her ears were red, Liana joked on purpose, ¡°How can you know if the medicine I prescribed for you works if you don¡¯t try?¡± Eleanor thought Liana was a serious, cold, and efficient doctor, but she didn¡¯t expect her to be so bold in speaking. She picked up the coffee on the table and pretended to drink it casually. Before she could swallow it, Liana¡¯s voice came again, ¡°Eleanor, can I ask if you and Mr. Laurence had sex in W City and how many times?¡± The coffee had just entered her throat, and she was choked by Liana¡¯s words, coughing. Eleanor could only cough while reaching for a tissue to spit the coffee out before she recovered. Liana looked at her with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t be shy, I¡¯m just helping you record it as a doctor. This will help with your recovery.¡± Did such questions also need to be recorded? Eleanor began to doubt Liana¡¯s intentions, but when she saw Liana¡¯s sincere and innocent eyes, she believed her. She said, ¡°We, we did. But I, I don¡¯t remember how many times.¡± After she finished speaking, her face was already flushed. A bright smile appeared on Liana¡¯s face. Eleanor, who secretly nced at Liana, saw her cunning smile and then realized she had been tricked. ¡°Liana!!!¡± Eleanor said. Liana immediately got up, picked up the medical kit, and hurried away. As she walked, she looked back and said, ¡°I just wanted to ask how far your rtionship with Mr. Laurence has progressed. Sorry to disturb you goodbye.¡± Eleanor watched her quickly disappear into the garden, feeling both angry and amused. Through the white fence, she watched Liana¡¯s red car and reminded her, ¡°Drive careful and be safe.¡± Liana rolled down the window and waved to her, ¡°I¡¯ll bring you medicine tomorrow.¡± Eleanor nodded with a smile, and then Liana started the car and drove towards the hospital. Watching Liana leave, Eleanor picked up her phone to call Hailey. When she got home, the nanny told her that Hailey had been busy with her night job sincest night and hadn¡¯te back yet. She wanted to ask Hailey if her night job went well, but before she could dial the number, Pearce¡¯s call came first. Chapter 463 Chapter 463 She pressed the answer button gently, and Peare¡¯s heavy volen came through the phone night away, ¡°Eleanor, you okay? adn¡¯t seen Pearce or been able to reach him by phone Eleanor had just left the Midnight Bar enite She figured with so many people around Pearce, he should be fine, text message and went home Now, hearing Pearce¡¯s voice, she nervously asked, ¡°Mr. Hooper, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Pearce shook his head bitterly and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine, just want to tell you, besides owing me a pair of golden slippers, you owe golden right hand too.¡± Relieved that he was alright, Eleanor frowned and asked, ¡°What golden right hand? I don¡¯t get it¡± Pearce smiled faintly and said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to understand, just give it back to me¡± She was fed up with the word golden by now, and said, ¡°Fine, when the project moneyes in, I¡¯ll go to the gold shop owner and have him make it for you.¡± Hearing her promise, Pearce felt a bit more relieved in his heart, ¡°Remember to make a left hand too. It¡¯ll look morefortable if it¡¯s symmetrical.¡± Eleanor nodded repeatedly, ¡°Alight, whatever you want, I¡¯ll make it for you since you¡¯re my mentor¡± Pearce hung up the phone and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chest with a rxed sigh Having an apprentice felt pretty good, but when he saw Ryan in uniform standing outside the office door, his smile vanished. He said on the phone, ¡°I have two good news and two bad news, which one do you want to hear first?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t hesitate, ¡°The bad news.¡± In his heart, Pearce thought he had said the good news first, so why didn¡¯t she answer in that order? Forcing himself to adjust his mood, Pearce said, ¡°Alright, the good news is that Lawrence Group Headquarters wants to rebuild the building, and they¡¯vee to ourpany!¡± Lawrence Group Headquarters was fine, why did they need to rebuild? Eleanor frowned, wanting to ask Pearce about it, but his other good news arrived, ¡°My dream was to win the design rights to the Laurence Group building and use it to participate in the international architecturepetition, defeating my master Ethan. I didn¡¯t expect to finally see Lawrence Group Headquarters being rebuilt Hearing this, Eleanor put her doubts aside and felt happy for him, ¡°Congrattions, your dream is about toe true.¡± Pearce gave a bitter smile, ¡°You¡¯re congratting too soon. I haven¡¯t told you the two bad news yet.¡± Considering his help multiple times, Eleanor replied patiently, ¡°Please tell me.¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Pearce red at Ryan outside the door and took a deep breath, ¡°The first bad news is that the Laurence Group wanted you to design it, not me!¡± Finally, an opportunity to rebuild, and the Laurence Group chose his apprentice for the design! How infuriating was that?! They actually chose her? Eleanor was a little dazed, not understanding what Bernard wanted to do. Seeing that she didn¡¯t respond, Pearce thought she was secretly pleased and got even madder, ¡°Are you happy or delighted?¡± Eleanor came to her senses, and shook her head, ¡°I have over 50 projects to do, I don¡¯t have time to take on more. You should do it¡± Pearce was waiting for Eleanor to say this, ¡°Good student, I¡¯m gratified that you¡¯re giving it to me, but unfortunately, I can¡¯t do it¡± Eleanor frowned again, ¡°Why?¡± Looking at his right hand, Pearce gritted his teeth, ¡°That¡¯s the second bad news. I¡¯ve dislocated my right hand!¡± Mr. Law, better not let me find you. If I did, I would break your right hand and cut off your left leg! ¡°What happened?¡± Eleanor asked. ¡°Don¡¯t ask what happened, just report to thepany on time tomorrow, and I¡¯ll take you to get the project!¡± After saying that, Pearce hung up the phone and nced at Ryan outside the door. ¡°My boss wille to yourpany to sign the contract tomorrow!¡± Ryan said. He wanted to refuse, but the Laurence Group project wasn¡¯t something anyone could get. This project would have a significant positive impact on Cornerstone Construction¡¯s reputation, so it was still necessary to do it. Ryan gave a sly smile, ¡°Mr. Hooper, my boss will personallye to yourpany to sign the contract, you and Ms. Eleanor just wait.¡± Chapter 464 Chapter 464 Mr. Laurence personally came to theirpany to sign the contract? Pearce was surprised and confused at the same time. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Didn¡¯t Mr. Laurence give up on Eleanor in W City already? Why would hee to see her again? Could it be that Mr. Laurence had some special feelings for his student and wanted to get close to her through the project? Pearce slowly lowered his head, looking at his right hand. He felt that dislocating his hand at this time seemed a bit off, but he couldn¡¯t figure out what was wrong. Eleanor looked at the extinguished screen, full of doubts. Why would Bernard let her take over such a big project? After thinking for a while, she called Pearce again, ¡°Mr. Hooper, if you don¡¯t want to do it, just say no. I have other projects to catch up on. I¡¯ve got no time.¡± Just after seeing off Mr. Wiseman, Pearce¡¯s smile disappeared again when he heard this. ¡°You don¡¯t need to do field research for other projects. Leave them all to me. Just focus on drawing the design ns.¡± He said. Eleanor wanted to say something, but Pearce interrupted her with a ¡°Already discussed with them, and that¡¯s it¡°. She took a deep breath, called Hailey, and asked her when she would be back. Hailey said Cedric had some issue and asked her to stay with him for three days, so she couldn¡¯te back now. She also warned Eleanor that if she returned to A City, she should look for Bernard first, as he had urgent matters to discuss with her. Eleanor wanted to tell Hailey that she was already back and had seen Bernard, but Hailey hung up the phone. She had no choice but to put down her phone, get up, and go to the study to work on the design n for the second project. When she put down her pen, it was already 8 a.m. the next day, and there were only preliminary sketches on the table. She didn¡¯t have time to polish them carefully, so she put down her pen, went to the bathroom to wash up. She rolled up the sketches, and hurriedly left home. Her sister¡¯spany was a two¨Cstory red building with French design, a dome, and quite unique. When she arrived at thepany, she called Pearce, who quickly came downstairs wearing slippers and walking briskly. Seeing his tightly wrapped arm, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but frown, ¡°You seem to be seriously injured, are you okay?¡± Pearce forced a smile, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a dislocation. Wanna try some dislocated citrus? I can help you.¡± Eleanor pretended not to hear and continued to walk into thepany. The office equipment inside thepany was one¨Cto¨Cone, even the designers were in pairs, a total of eight. Pearce said there used to be nine designers, but he felt ufortable with that, so he one, and it felt much better. Eleanor followed him upstairs, listening to his chatter. Pearce took her to Emilia¡¯s office, and when he pushed the door open, he looked a bit mncholic, as if thinking about something. Seeing the usually not¨Cso¨Cserious and slightly willful Pearce showing such emotions, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but touch her chest. Pearce said, ¡°Your sister¡¯spany may not look big, but it¡¯s quite famous in the architecture world. After your sister passed away, thispany should have been taken over by my master Ethan, but his condition is unstable now, so I took over. Since you¡¯re back now as Emilia, you¡¯ll be in full charge of thispany from now on.¡± Hearing Pearce¡¯s words, Eleanor came back to her senses, looked up at Pearce, who leaned against the door frame casually. ¡°I don¡¯t have any experience managing apany. I might not do well.¡± Eleanor said. ¡°How would you know if you can do well without trying?¡± Pearce patted Eleanor¡¯s shoulder seriously. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate yourself too much.¡± Feeling as if Pearce had seen through her thoughts, Eleanor slowly lowered her head. ¡°Thispany is your sister¡¯s hard work. Taking over as her, helping her continue her design philosophy would also fulfill her dream.¡± Pearce looked around Emilia¡¯s office with great respect. Emilia was the only designer he admired besides Ethan. That famous designer with a natural talent for design since childhood, who persisted in designing even when suffering from ALS In this chaotic world, such a spirit was rare, and he hoped Eleanor could carry it on. Chapter 465 Chapter 465 Eleanor looked around the spacious office, her heart suddenly pounding. It was as if her sister¡¯s fiery spirit was boiling within her, making her nod in agreement with Pearce¡¯s suggestion. ¡°Alright¡­¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Just as she finished speaking, the sound of cars rolling over the pavement came from downstairs. About a dozen luxury cars, led by a Koenigsegg, parked right outside. Bodyguards in ck suits got out of the cars, forming two lines and standing on either side of the building. From inside the Koenigsegg, Aidyn quickly got out, walked over to the passenger side, and opened the door for the extremely distinguished man inside. Under the sunlight, the man had a slender figure and delicate facial features. He wore gold¨Crimmed sses, which concealed his thick eyshes. The man standing by the car door had ditched his usual ck suit and white shirt for a royal blue one. The tailor¨Cmade, extravagantly expensive blue made the man appear noble, exuding elegance and grace with every move. He slightly tilted his perfect chin, looking towards the second floor, and pushed up his sses with a finger. Eleanor, peeking out the window, suddenly thought of the phrase ¡°a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing¡± when she saw this gesture. Pearce, standing beside her, seemed to hear her thoughts and angrily added, ¡°A beast in human clothing!¡± Eleanor turned her head in surprise, looking at Pearce, ¡°Why is he here?¡± With his dislocated arm, Pearce pointed at the man downstairs and said, ¡°Why? He¡¯s here to hit on chicks!¡± After saying this, Pearce nced meaningfully at Eleanor, whose eyes were downcast, ¡°Stop hiding, he¡¯s here for you!¡± Eleanor wanted to argue, but there was nothing to say. She looked away from the window and stepped back. With his client¨Cfirst mentality, Pearce briefly exined, ¡°Bernard is here to sign a contract,¡± before heading downstairs to greet him. Leading eight designers, Pearce dropped his anger and put on a ttering smile as he approached Bernard, ¡°Mr. Laurence, hello!¡± Pearce bowed slightly and gestured for Bernard to follow, ¡°Mr. Laurence, pleasee with me. My boss is upstairs, eagerly awaiting your arrival.¡± Selling out his boss for the sake of business didn¡¯t seem like a big deal. After all, the three of them had an unspoken understanding. Bernard¡¯s gaze slowly moved away from the second¨Cfloor window and casually swept over Pearce. The light reflecting from his sses, coupled with the coldness in his eyes, made Pearce shiver involuntarily. Did Bernard hear him calling him ¡®a beast in human clothing¡± from upstairs? As he pondered this, Bemard confidently strode into Cornerstone Construction Co. Just as Pearce was about to follow, Aidyn brushed past him and coldly nced at him, ¡°Mr. Hooper, your smile is kind of ugly.¡± If he wanted to insult him, why did he have to be so polite, even adding ¡°Mr. Hooper¡°? Annoyed, Pearce clenched his fists, caught up with Bernard, and led him to the second floor. Eleanor, sitting at her desk, slowly raised her head as she heard the office door open. Bernard strode in from outside. Pearce, who was behind, also wanted to enter, but before he could take a step, he saw a man inside with his back turned, who closed the door with a kick. Chapter 466 Chapter 466 He walked up to Eleanor, his tall posture giving off an unexinable oppressive vibe. Eleanor watched him get closer, feeling a bit nervous, and stepped back slightly to put some distance between thern. The man, through his sses, estimated the distance between them and stepped forward once more. Eleanor subconsciously took another step back, but he relentlessly followed suit. With this back¨Cand¨Cforth, Eleanor¡¯s back was pressed against the office desk, as if she was about to be forced to sit on it. Eleanor seemed a bit uneasy, slightly raising her soft chin, looking up at Bernard, ¡°You¡­¡± The man leaned down, pressing her against the desk, his deep voice whispered, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m here for you to sign the contract.¡± Eleanor leaned back again, looking down at him, ¡°Just sign it then; don¡¯t stand so close.¡± The corner of Bernard¡¯s lips lifted slightly as he moved closer to Eleanor¡¯s ear, ¡°We¡¯ve been closer before, don¡¯t worry about this.¡± His bold words, apanied by his hot breath, made Eleanor¡¯s ears tingle instantly. Eleanor awkwardly turned her head, pushing him away forcefully, getting off the desk and walking to the office reception area. She adjusted her mindset, putting on a business¨Clike demeanor as Emilia, and gestured for Bernard to sit, ¡°Mr. Laurence, please have a seat.¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Dressed in a light¨Ccolored professional suit, with neatly cut short hair, her beautiful face exuded an intellectual and elegant aura. Bernard gazed at her affectionately, wanting to embrace her, but fearing that he might scare her by rushing things. He resisted the urge to have her, sitting down on the sofa as she suggested. As soon as he sat down, Eleanor immediately called out to the door, ¡°Mr. Hooper, make some coffee!¡± If Pearce came in, she wouldn¡¯t be so embarrassed. However, Pearce, who was being pinned against the wall and had his mouth covered by Aidyn, could only stare at him helplessly. Aidyn was also irritated, staring back at him. If it weren¡¯t for fear of Pearce disturbing Mr. Laurence, would he really need to pin him against the wall like a protective husband? Pearce thought to himself, ¡°You¡¯re pinning me against the wall like a woman; you might as well just punch me to death!¡± Seeing that no one wasing in, Eleanor quickly stood up, intending to make the coffee herself, but was stopped by Bernard, who grabbed her hand. With a gentle tug, Eleanor found herself sitting on hisp, her heart racing as she tried to get up, but he held her waist down. ¡°Eleanor, I don¡¯t want coffee.¡± Bernard said. ¡°What do you want to drink then? I¡¯ll get it for you.¡± Eleanor tried to seize the opportunity to leave, but he held her struggling body in ce. His gaze clearly shifted to her lips, which looked soft, moist, and utterly tempting. Eleanor saw him staring at her lips, knowing what he was thinking, and forcefully broke free from his embrace. Leaning on his chest, she pushed him down and used the opportunity to get off hisp. Just as she steadied herself, her slender waist was encircled by a hand. A man embraced her from behind, making her turn and sit on hisp. His strong, broad arms wrapped tightly around her petite frame. He lowered his head, resting his cheek on her soft hair. Bernard¡¯s chest pressed against her back, gradually warming up. The fresh scent of his shower lingered on him, making it hard to resist. This faint fragrance filled her nostrils, causing Eleanor to doubt if he was deliberately trying to seduce her. She lowered her head, looking at the hands holding her tightly, and reminded him, ¡°Mr. Laurence, don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re here to sign a contract.¡± A hint of amusement shed in Bernard¡¯s eyes as he softly replied, ¡°No rush.¡± Eleanor opened her mouth, bluntly responding, ¡°You might not be in a hurry, but I am.¡± Bernard released one hand, hooked her chin, and made her look back at him, ¡°Oh? What are you in a hurry for?¡± His ¡®oh?¡® seemed to be deliberately teasing her, his voice carrying a pleased upward inflection. Eleanor pinched her palm, ncing at the man wearing gold¨Crimmed sses, ¡°If you keep doing this, we won¡¯t cooperate anymore.¡± Bernard raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised that his seduction tactics weren¡¯t working on Eleanor. It seemed that the book Cedric had sent himst night, How to Chase Girls like a Real Man, wasn¡¯t of much use after all. Chapter 467 Chapter 467 After Bernard apologized, he easily let go of Eleanor, then sat down seriously and looked back at the door. ¡°Aidyn.¡± He said. Hearing the cold voice from inside, Aidyn quickly let go of Pearce, turned around, picked up his briefcase, and walked into the room. Pearce stared at Aidyn¡¯s back, swearing in his heart that he would get back at this guy for all the humiliation he suffered today! He gritted his teeth and silently swore, then followed inside, only to see Eleanor straightening her messy clothes. Pearce nced at the wall clock subconsciously, then looked at Bernard with disdain, leaned in close to Eleanor¡¯s ear, and whispered, ¡°He¡¯s a bit quick; didn¡¯tst long. Maybe you should reconsider. After all, it affects the quality of your married life.¡± Eleanor almost choked, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Pearce wanted to persuade Eleanor more, but suddenly felt a cold gaze staring at his left hand. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. He slowly turned his head, just in time to see a pair of deep eyes staring at his left hand. At this moment, Aidyn took out three contracts from his briefcase and ced them one by one on the ss table in the living room. Pearce took the opportunity to hide his left hand behind his back, and smiled at Bernard, ¡°Mr. Laurence, let¡¯s sign the contract first.¡± He then pulled Eleanor to use her as a shield, ¡°Go sign the contract quickly.¡± Eleanor nced at Pearce and sat down across from Bernard. She picked up the contract and was taken aback by the amount written on it. She looked up at Bernard in disbelief, ¡°One billion?!¡± For just a design drawing, one billion was a bit too exaggerated! Pearce heard the amount and screamed, ¡°How much?! One billion?!!!¡± He rushed over, snatched the contract from Eleanor¡¯s hand, flipped to the contract page, and counted the zeros with trembling fingers. After confirming the amount, he handed it to Eleanor, ¡°Hurry, sign it!¡± Eleanor ignored Pearce and looked at Bernard seriously. Did he want to use this method to quickly help her raise her status because she told him they weren¡¯t equal? Bernard didn¡¯t answer her question, but Aidyn spoke up, ¡°The design fee for Lawrence Group Headquarters has always been this amount.¡± Eleanor looked back at Pearce, asking him with her eyes if that was true. Pearce couldn¡¯t answer because the designer who helped Lawrence Group Headquarters design had already passed away. Who knew how much they got? Seeing the two still doubtful, Aidyn spoke again, ¡°The reason we offer such a high amount is conditional.¡± Upon hearing there were conditions, Pearce immediately took back the contract from Eleanor and read it carefully. Besides the penalty for breach of contract, there were no particrly harsh requirements. There was only one use- ¡°Do you n to use this work to participate in an international architecturepetition?¡± Pearce asked. Pearce was a bit confused as to why the project owner would care about this. ¡°Yes, we want to increase our visibility through thepetition, and the profits we¡¯ll gain at that time will be far more than one billion.¡± After Aidyn exined, he pointed to the use in the contract and said, ¡°Of course, the copyright still belongs to you.¡± Pearce read the contract carefully again and felt that it was reasonable for the copyright to belong to the designer. He looked at Eleanor and nodded to her, indicating that the contract was fine. Giving so much money was just Mr. Laurence¡¯s way of pursuing her. The more Pearce thought about it, the happier he became. The new boss¡¯s financial resources were really strong. With this project, he could live afortable life for years toe. Chapter 468 Chapter 468 When Eleanor heard that they were just using her work to make money in thepetition, she felt a bit relieved, but¡­ She looked at Bernard again, ¡°I¡¯ve got a ton of projects to work on, so my designs might be a bit slow.¡± With one hand supporting his head and the other pushing up his sses, Bernard said, ¡°No matter how long it takes, I¡¯m willing to wait for you.¡± His words seemed to hint at something, and his gaze was deep. Eleanor quickly avoided eye contact and picked up the pen to sign. Before she could sign, Bernard¡¯s cool and pleasant voice came from above, ¡°Sign as Eleanor.¡± Eleanor¡¯s hand holding the pen paused, and she looked at Bernard with some confusion. ¡°Emilia is the world¨Crenowned designer, I¡¯m just a newbie.¡± Eleanor said. ¡°With my name on the entry, there¡¯s no way you would win.¡± Moreover, the person named Eleanor had passed away three years ago. Bernard straightened up, crossed his elegant legs, and touched Eleanor¡¯s short hair, ¡°Listen to me.¡± His way of talking to Eleanor, like a boyfriend, made Pearce feel a bit ufortable. Eleanor quickly lowered her head, avoiding his touch, and signed her name. After signing, putting her fingerprint, and stamping the contract, she handed the three copies to Aidyn. Aidyn gestured for Eleanor and Bernard to shake hands, signaling a sessful coboration. However, Pearce reached out his left hand first, and said to Bernard, ¡°Mr. Laurence, it¡¯s a pleasure to work with you!¡± The man on the sofa, with his thick eyshes lowered, coldly looked at Pearce¡¯s left hand through his sses. Just one nce made Pearce shiver, feeling that if he didn¡¯t retract his hand, his left hand would end up like his right one. After signing the contract, Bernard had no reason to stay any longer. He stared at Eleanor quietly for a while and then walked towards the door. As the boss, Eleanor naturally had to see the guest out, so she followed Bernard, intending to escort him downstairs. Aidyn and Pearce walked out first, and Bernard suddenly stopped. Eleanor, who had been following with her head down, bumped into Bernard¡¯s upright back. Just as she was about to cover her hurt nose, Bernard turned around and hugged her. Lowering his head, he whispered in her ear, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯ll wait for you downstairs.¡± Eleanor tilted her head back ufortably and asked him, ¡°Wait for me for what?¡± Bernard approached her ear again, ¡°To take you home.¡± Before Eleanor could say she¡¯d take a cab, Bernard let her go and walked downstairs.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Watching that proud and elegant figure, Eleanor subconsciously squeezed her nervous palm. Some people in this world could easily disturb one¡¯s heart, and Bernard was always one of a kind. She sighed softly, turned around, picked up the contract from the table. She caressed it a few times, and walked to the window. As before, Pearce respectfully escorted Bernard to his car. He watched the cars leave before returning to thepany. Upstairs, Eleanor saw the Koenigsegg parked in the parking lot, then Aidyn got out of the car and got into another one. Soon, more than a dozen luxury cars left, leaving only the Koenigsegg standing there quietly. The car¡¯s imposing presence resembled that of its owner, giving off a stubborn and paranoid vibe. Chapter 469 Chapter 469 Pearce hurried upstairs and excitedly rushed to Eleanor, ¡°Ten billion! We¡¯ve got to take thepany peeps out to celebrate!¡± Eleanor looked up at him, ¡°How do you wanna celebrate?¡± Pearce crossed his arms, resting his chin on his hand, pondering, ¡°I heard Hailey¡¯s got the best stuff, even better than Midnight Bar How about hitting her nightclub for a wild party?¡± Seeing his eagerness, Eleanor teased, ¡°Mr. Hooper, what about setting an example as a mentor?¡± Pearce corrected her seriously, ¡°You¡¯re wrong, I¡¯m not a teacher, I¡¯m not even a human, I¡¯m just a highly evolved animal.¡± Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, took out her phone, and called Hailey to reserve a luxury room. The space agency¡¯s payment came through, so Pearce had the funds to treat thepany to a wild night. Eleanor looked up and asked Pearce, ¡°People in thepany have seen my sister, right? Will there be any issues?¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Pearce waved his hand dismissively, ¡°Emilia¡¯s been abroad for a long time and rarelyes back. Plus, everyone in thepany was hired by me.¡± Eleanor rxed and said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s celebrate the day after tomorrow night.¡± She had stayed up all night working on designs and was a bit tired. Besides, Hailey¡¯s ce had been booked by Cedric for three days, so they had to wait for him to leave before the room was avable. Seeing Pearce had no objections, Eleanor turned around, picked up the design drawings from the table, and handed them to him, ¡°This is the second project¡¯s design. I only made a rough sketch, so the rest is up to you. Also, please finish surveying my sister¡¯s other projects as soon as possible, so I canplete them.¡± Seeing her like this, Pearce was reminded of Emilia and instinctively straightened up, ¡°Got it!¡± After greeting the designers and familiarizing herself with the office, Eleanor picked up her bag and left. As if anticipating her departure, an expensive Koenigsegg pulled up in front of her. The man opened the car door and got out of the driver¡¯s seat, gantly opening the passenger door for her. ¡°Eleanor, get in,¡± Bernard said. Eleanor nced at him, hesitated for a few seconds, then went straight towards him without further ado. As she bent down to get in the car, the man¡¯s hand shielded her head. His careful gesture made Eleanor pause, as Bernard had never done this before. The man walked around the car, got in, closed the door. He looked at Eleanor, who was quietly sitting. The small space, filled with a faint fragrance, made the atmosphere between them slightly ambiguous. Feeling a bit uneasy, Eleanor mustered the courage to ask him why he wasn¡¯t driving, when he leaned towards her. As his tall, wless face neared, Eleanor¡¯s heart clenched. She gripped her hands tightly, staring into his gold¨Crimmed sses, unable to describe the affection that prated deep into her heart. The man¡¯s powerful fingers reached past her head towards the window, gently unbuckling her seatbelt and then fastening it for her. Eleanor thought he would leave after fastening the seatbelt, but he came even closer. His prominent nose brushed against her cheek, then he gently turned. He swept past her hair, and lightly bit her upper earlobe, ¡°Eleanor¡­¡± His breath, even hotter than in the office earlier, sent shivers down her spine as it entered her ear, like being touched by an electric current. ¡°Help me¡­¡± He muttered. Eleanor curled up in the seat, not daring to move. Hearing this, she widened her eyes in surprise. Bernard seemed not to notice. His lips slowly moved downward, biting her lower earlobe and gently kissing it. ¡°Eleanor, help me.¡± His deep, maic voice made her tremble again, and Eleanor¡¯s heartbeat suddenly elerated. She subconsciously looked at his abdomen, swallowing nervously, ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t¡­¡± Bernard lifted his charming eyes and gently brushed Eleanor¡¯s skin with his long, thick eyshes, ¡°You can.¡± Just as Eleanor was about to say she couldn¡¯t, she heard the man¡¯s clear and pleasant voice near her ear, ¡°Help me take off my sses?¡± Eleanor was speechless Chapter 470 Chapter 470 Eleanor was speechless She suspected that Bemard did it on purpose and ss a kim anghy cant padat pre Seeing her ears turning rad Bemard smiles sightly 7 wanted you to help me Eleanor took a deep breath, patiently that her delicate hand and haiget fem are often see As soon as she took them off, the man turned his heat and hose teret igs hading test wes While kissing her, he put his hand on her waist, making her grass and the botez w gh Bos Eleanors hands pushed against his chest trying to push him saggy for the coudre al sheaks When Bernard was almost out of breath from kosing he reursantly a go of the women in de same inde He had tasted her countless times, and every time it of him wanting more real seats were servers became irresistable He looked at Eleanor, who was sitting next to him, Bok angry and going or from. His eyes novel & teminat se one for him in this life ¡°Eleanor, give me your phone¡± Bernard said Eleanor was still angry and didn¡¯t respond to him, tunting her heat to look of the car wind Bernard approached her again, gently costing her ¡°Beanor I¡¯m sony Can you stop seng met Dece He wasn¡¯t very good at using words to coar wornen, he could only lowers his tone and say some gentle words MRICT NE finit Eleanor locked at him angrily, ¡°What do you need it for Bernard raised his hand, smoothing her messy short hair, ¡°Give it to me and you¡¯ll se Eleanor hesitantly took out her phone and handed it to him Bernard took it, saw the screen with a password, and asked sofly Pessword? Of course, Eleanor wouldn¡¯t tell Bernard her phone password She snatched her phone back and turned her body to a position where he couldn¡¯t see, then secrety not the password Bernard nced at Eleanor, who was guarding against him, then looked at the numbers reflected in the car window. he couldnt help butugh. Eleanor, who thought she had done a wless job, handed him her phone after entering the password. Don¡¯t go through my seconds¡± Bernard took her phone, opened the contacts, Whatshop, and othermunication apps, and removed himsef from the Debris Eleanor thought he didn¡¯t have a phone and wanted to borrow hers for an emergency She don¡¯t expect him to retove aimsef from ter blocklist. She watched his slender fingers quicklyplete the operation, then turned his head agan, hs ee?ant eyes focused on her face ¡°Eleanor, do you have a new WhatsApp ount? Bernard asked Eleanor shook her head, trying to hide her new ount, but saw that finger open WhatsApp again and switch ounts She hurriedly reached for Xer phone, but saw a message from Hailey pop up just as she was about to close it. [Eleanor, Bernard can¡¯t find you, and he¡¯s so worried that he¡¯s spitting blood. Maybe give him another chance? This was a message sent earlier. Eleanor had been using her old WhatsApp ount, so she didn¡¯t see the message from Halley This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Now seeing the words ¡®spitting blood, Eleanors expression suddenly became serious. She thought of the night in the suite when Bernard fell to the ground and couldn¡¯t get up after she pushed him lightly. She recalled his pale face that day, his eyes full of red veins, and she subconsciously gripped her phone sightly slowly turning to the man beside her. Eleanor said, ¡°Hailey said that day you were looking for me, you spit blood. What happened to you?¡± Chapter 471 Chapter 471 The guy nced down at the chat box and slowly looked up at her. ¡°Are you worried about me?¡± His voice waszy and casual, as if he was deliberately tempting her to say what he wanted to hear. Eleanor didn¡¯t fall for it, she just stared at him, sizing him up. His deep, bright eyes were now free of redness, but still carried a hint of pale crimson. His thin lips were covered in her lipstick, concealing their original color, but his stunning cheeks looked unusually pale. Seeing him like this, Eleanor¡¯s eyes were filled withplex emotions. Her lips parted slightly, about to speak, when he suddenly leaned in. His unique, refreshing scent hit her face, making Eleanor¡¯s heart tremble and she unconsciously leaned towards the car window. Her back had just touched the window when she saw his neatly trimmed fingertips glide across her cheek and brace against the window. With her surrounded, the man lowered his eyes, ¡°Eleanor, answer me.¡± His handsome face got closer and closer to her, and Eleanor¡¯s gaze fell right into his starry eyes. The twin kling stars in his eyes gradually entered hers, making her nod involuntarily without being tempted.¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He gently pursed his lips, a small smile appearing, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry.¡± His voice was clear and strong, falling on her ears like a spell that could calm her down. After confessing his feelings, the phrase he said the most to her was ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t worry.¡± Eleanor reached out, wanting to touch his cheek like she did in the W City, but lost her courage as she got closer to him. She slightly retracted her fingers, intending to let go, but he held her hand tightly. He held her hand gently against his cheek, ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Don¡¯t be afraid to touch him, to love him, or to start over with him; he would give her the most unique love in the world. After a few seconds of silence, her fingers spread out on his face, feeling his unusually cold temperature, Eleanor furrowed her brow. ¡°Are you really okay?¡± She asked. Bernard covered her small hand with hisrge palm and shook his head at her. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He said. ¡°Have you seen a doctor?¡± Eleanor asked. Bernard didn¡¯t answer, his beautiful eyes fixed on Eleanor, as if trying to find a hint of love in her expressions. Eleanor realized that he wasn¡¯t answering and lowered her head, not asking any more questions. Bernard took her phone, found Liana¡¯s number in the contacts, called and put it on speaker. Eleanor was puzzled when he suddenly called Liana, ¡°Why are you calling Liana?¡± Bernard lowered his head and gently touched her cheek with his tall nose, ¡°Don¡¯t you believe me when I say I¡¯m fine?¡± The meaning of his words was that Liana knew his condition, and having Liana tell her directly would ease her doubts. However, she would feel embarrassed to use her own phone to call Liana and ask about his health. ¡°I believe you, give me my phone!¡± She said. Eleanor tried to grab her phone back, but he reacted faster, swinging his long arm back, making it impossible for her to get it. Eleanor¡¯s face turned red with anger, and at that moment, Liana answered, ¡°Hello, Eleanor, what¡¯s up?¡± Hearing Liana¡¯s voice, Eleanor could only take her gaze off Bernard and look at the phone screen, ¡°I, I dialed the wrong number.¡± Bernard turned his head and raised his thick eyebrows slightly, ¡°Hmm?¡± Liana, who was doing rounds with a group of doctors, stopped in surprise when she heard Bernard¡¯s voice from Eleanor¡¯s phone. After standing still for a few seconds, she quickly took her hand out of her white coat pocket and waved to the doctors behind her. After the doctors left the rounds, she hurried to a hidden corner, covering the phone and whispered, ¡°Eleanor, are you with Mr. Laurence?¡± Liana deliberately lowered her voice, fearing that Bernard would hear, which made Eleanor helpless, ¡°Yeah, I dialed the wrong number, I¡¯ll hang up.¡± After saying that, she wanted to press the end call button, but Bernard grabbed her hand. He forcibly intertwined their fingers and calmly said to Liana, ¡°She¡¯s worried about my health; you tell her.¡± The cold voice from the other end of the phone startled Liana, but she quickly understood the deeper meaning of his words. With one hand in her pocket and the other holding the phone, a yful smile crossed Liana¡¯s lips, ¡°Oh¡­¡± Chapter 472 Chapter 472 This intensely emotional ¡°oh¡± made Eleanor feel super awkward. Before she had a chance to correct it, Liana blurted out something even more embarrassing, ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t worry. Mr. Laurence is in great health; it won¡¯t affect you guys having a baby.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t respond. Was she really concerned about the baby issue? Eleanor looked up and saw Bernard surrounding her, his face stiff. She wanted to retort, but suddenly swallowed her words. Bernard hung up the phone and handed it back to her, then gently touched her hair before letting her go and sitting up straight. He didn¡¯t say anything, just silently started the car and drove towards Hailey¡¯s vi. The flirtatious atmosphere in the car faded, leaving only the man¡¯s destion, filling the narrow space with sadness. Eleanor¡¯s side¨Cnce secretly observed him, and just one look made him suddenly let go of the steering wheel and grab her hand. Their fingers intertwined once again, and t he tight grip made Eleanor turn her head towards him. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°You¡­¡± Eleanor said. ¡°Eleanor, you¡¯ll definitely have a baby.¡± As he said this, he couldn¡¯t face her with courage like before. Eleanor looked down at his hand, the veins bulging from the force, and sighed softly, following his words, ¡°Yeah, I will.¡± Hearing this, Bernard¡¯s tense face rxed a bit. ¡°It¡¯ll be ours.¡± He said. He turned his head, his eyes revealing a strong and dominant look. Eleanor belonged to him, and her child could only be his, Bernard¡¯s. Eleanor didn¡¯t answer him, just turned her head to look at the scenery speeding by outside the window. Not getting her answer, Bernard held her hand even tighter.. After a while, he finally heard her say, ¡°In my life, I¡¯ve only ever made love with you.¡± These words seemed to untie the knot in his heart, making him unable to help but tear up. She had never told him these things, always deceiving him with sarcasm. Those ¡°I¡¯ve done it and slept with others¡± words, how many times had they stabbed into his heart, causing him pain? Now, hearing her say, ¡°In my life, I¡¯ve only ever made love with you.¡± Bernard felt that this was the most beautiful love confession he had ever heard. He grabbed her hand and gently kissed the back of it. In his heart, he silently added, ¡°For the rest of our lives, it can only be me.¡± The car stopped in front of the vi, and he held her hand the whole time, slowly letting go and getting out of the car. He opened the passenger door, unbuckled Eleanor¡¯s seatbelt, and held her hand again, helping her out of the car. Eleanor stood steady in front of the car door and said to him, ¡°Thank you for driving me home. I¡¯m going in now.¡± As she walked past him, he grabbed her wrist again, ¡°Eleanor, I have a gift for you.¡± Eleanor looked back at him, ¡°I don¡¯t need a gift, I don¡¯tck anything.¡± Bernard smirked, forcibly held her hand, and led her to the other side of the vi. There was a brand¨Cnew luxury car parked there, a Koenigsegg, the same model as Bernard¡¯s car. The model, body, color, and even the price, needless to say, were one of the top ten luxury cars in the world. Bernard led her to the car door, slightly lifted his chin, signaling her to open the door. Eleanor looked up at the tall, handsome man next to her, ¡°The gift you¡¯re talking about isn¡¯t this car, is it?¡± Bernard nodded lightly, opened the car door, and said to Eleanor, ¡°Eleanor, give it a try and see if it suits your taste. If not, we can change it.¡± Eleanor refused to try the car, ¡°I won¡¯t try it. You can return it.¡± She couldn¡¯t afford such an expensive car and didn¡¯t know how to drive a sports car. For her, a car was just a convenient means of transportation. If she had one, she¡¯d drive it; if not, she¡¯d take a taxi. Bernard mistakenly thought she didn¡¯t like having a matching car with him, so he immediately took out his phone and made a call. ¡°Aidyn, bring that Aston Martin to Hailey¡¯s vi.¡± As he finished speaking, it seemed like he thought of something and looked at Eleanor, who was still standing there, lost in thought. ¡°Eleanor,e with me to the garage and pick a car you like.¡± He said. He hung up the phone and pulled her back into his car. Eleanor immediately broke free from his hand. ¡°I¡¯m not going, and I don¡¯t want your car either.¡± Eleanor said. Bernard looked down at her, and after only a few seconds, he saw through her thoughts. ¡°Eleanor, this car was given to me by anotherpany. It doesn¡¯t cost anything, so don¡¯t feel burdened.¡± He said. Eleanor opened her mouth to refuse again, but Bernard bent down and sealed her unspoken words with a kiss. ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t reject me anymore.¡± He held her waist, pulling her close to his body, then lowered his head again, deepening the kiss. Chapter 473 Chapter 473 Under the dim streetlight, a handsome guy was tightly holding a petite girl, kissing her passionately Eleanor was forced to tilt her head back, unable to resist his intense kiss, her bright eyes staring at him. ¡°Bernard.¡± She muttered. As his lips left hers, Eleanor pushed him away, ¡°What are you doing again? Bemard¡¯s eyes were hazy, and hearing her question, he started to control his impulses, ¡°Sorry¡± He let go of her slender waist, took a step back, trying to keep a distance from her, and his body swayed slighty Luckily, there was a car behind him. He leaned on the car door, trying to stay calm. A headache that had persisted for several days made him unable to control himself. He slowly raised his hand, wanting to he temples. However, when his gaze fell on the woman in front of him, he changed his mind and started to caress her stotihar Enduring the severe pain, he whispered to her, ¡°Eleanor, the car is yours. I won¡¯t take it back. If you don¡¯t want to do it now, it¡¯s fine You can drive it when you feel like it.¡± After finishing, he quickly withdrew his hand, ced the car key in her palm, and whispered. 7 leave now. You should take some rest and I¡¯ll pick you up tomorrow.¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He didn¡¯t say what he would pick her up for, just trying to maintain the bnce of his body and turned to walk to the other end of the vi. He didn¡¯t look back, opened the car door, got in, and quickly found a bottle of painkillers, swallowing a few pills. After calming down a bit, he looked through the car window at the woman still standing in ce Looking at her, he suddenly thought of something, took out his phone, and sent her a message: Eleanor open the trunk) He had hidden it well, and Eleanor didn¡¯t notice anything unusual, only thinking that he walked away so quickly because he was afiad she wouldn¡¯t ept the car. She stood there, watching him, thinking about how to return the car when her phone vibrated. She opened it and took a look, hesitated for two seconds, then walked to the back of the cat picked up the car key and pressed the trunk¡¯s unlock button. The trunk slowly opened, and a scent of roses hit her face. A bouquet of light pink flowers came into view. Eleanor stared at the bouquet, and after a while, she slowly lowered her gaze, covering the sadness in her eyes. She reached out and touched the elegant flower She had asked him for lychee roses before. However, he told her, ¡°That¡¯s not what you¡¯re supposed to have.¡± Now, seeing this bted bouquet of lychee roses, her eyes suddenly became moist She raised her head, holding back her tears, and looked at the distant car. She didn¡¯t have the courage to question him, so she just picked up her phone and replied to his message: [If I¡¯m not supposed to have it, why did you give it to me?] Inside the car, Bernard stopped rubbing his temples and replied with trembling fingers: [Its flowernguage is first love, and I was once jealous that your first love was Garett, not me] Seeing this, Eleanor¡¯s eyes turned red, and she felt a littleforted. As she was about to put down her phone, she received another message from Mr. Law: [Eleanor, my first love is you] In his heart, it had always been her, only her. Eleanor stared at the message on the screen for a long time, then picked up the bouquet, holding the key to the four¨Cseater Koenigseg sports car, and walked past his car. She didn¡¯t stop, but entered the vi with the flowers he had given her Bemard watched her figure, a faint smile gradually appearing on his face. Eleanor went back to her bedroom, found two vases, took the flowers off the bouquet one by one, and put them into the vases After arranging them, she turned around, and opened the wardrobe. Taking out a set of pajamas, she went to the bathroom to wash up, and then hurried to the study. She sat down at the desk, turned on her phone, and signed up for a French training course. She had been deceived by Teresa in the W City because she couldn¡¯t understand French. So, she thought, she should get back up where she fell. Back when she was in school, hernguage talent was pretty good. Through her teachers¡® guidance and her own efforts, she could speak fluent foreignnguages. At that time, she had a calm mindset and could focus entirely on her studies. Butter, too many things happened, and she could no longer keep her mind clear. Now, she had taken over her sister¡¯spany and had made progress in the field of architectural design. Everything was moving in the right direction. So, she had to calm down, cherish every minute and second, and work hard to make up for her inadequacies. People without backgrounds could only be better through their own efforts so that they could¡­. Eleanor put away her messy thoughts and called the owner of the gold shop, asking him to make a pair of gold slippers and a pair of gold bracelets. Chapter 474 Chapter 474 She¡¯s got a big chunk of cash from a space agency project right now, about 10 million assets, which is more than enough to pay back Mr. Hooper for all his help. In the past few months, she wouldn¡¯t have made such progress so quickly if it wasn¡¯t for Mr. Hooper¡¯s careful guidance. Afterpleting these things, Eleanor turned on theputer and began to open various software rted to architecture, as well as some self¨Cstudy videos. She was a design major herself, and she had been exposed to these software in school, and she only needed to review it a few times before she could remember it. She was currently busy with project engineering and had only produced a first draft. After finishing her sister¡¯s project, she would definitely take over other projects. Therefore, she needed to understand the process of each step, from the rough draft to the final version, to get a grip on every step and make things faster and clearer. She studied until ten o¡¯clock in the evening. In order to protect her eyes, she turned off theputer on time, then got up and went back to the bedroom to rest. In the early morning of the next day, her phone was on the bedside table and suddenly vibrated, waking up Eleanor who was in a light sleep. She reached for the phone and took a blurry look. It was a message from Mr. Law: ¡°Eleanor, are you awake?¡± Eleanor rolled over in bed and replied, lying down. ¡°Wake up.¡± ¡°Nine o¡¯clock, I¡¯ll pick you up¡± Seeing that it¡¯s not nine o¡¯clock, yet, Eleanor put down her phone and closed her eyes and continued to sleep. At this time there was a nanny knocked on the door, ¡°Ms. Shultz, Dr. Terrill is here.¡± Eleanor had no choice but to get up, ¡°Tell Dr. Terrill to wait in the living room for a moment.¡± Eleanor threw back the covers and got up quickly. After washing, she put on a white shirt and light blue jeans. Then, she tied her shoulder¨Clength hair into a half bun. In the mirror, she saw a fresh and pretty face, looking super cute. She applied some lipstick and then hurried downstairs to the living room. As soon as she came down, Dr. Terrill handed her a box of medicine, ¡°Here¡¯s some traditional Eastern medicine, already prepared and divided into bags. When you are not taking modern medicine every day, drink one bag in the morning, noon and evening.¡± After taking the medicine box, Eleanor gratefully said, ¡°Thank you, Dr. Terrill.¡± Dr. Terrill waved his hand and checked his watch, ¡°I¡¯m going abroad for an academic conference in a few days, Eleanor. If you feel unwell while taking this medicine, call me, and I¡¯ll send a doctor to check on you.¡± Before Eleanor could respond, Dr. Terrill hurriedly said, ¡°I need to catch my flight now, so I won¡¯t say more.¡± Eleanor immediately put the medicine box on the table and grabbed Dr. Terrill¡¯s wrist, ¡°I¡¯ll take you out.¡± Hand in hand, they walked through the garden and out the vi gate, where Eleanor saw a Bentley parked at the door. In front of the car door stood a man in a light gray uniform, exuding a refreshing vibe. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He was gentle and elegant, handsome, and quite young, looking like a recent graduate. He nced at Eleanor politely and then turned to Liana with admiration in his eyes. Eleanor quickly recovered and asked Liana with a mysterious smile, ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± Liana was older than Eleanor, and she didn¡¯t feel awkward at all but introduced Dr. Webb to Eleanor naturally. ¡°This is our hospital doctor, Dr. Webb.¡± After the introduction, Liana turned to Dr. Webb and said, ¡°This is my good friend, Eleanor.¡± Dr. Webb showed a gentle smile and extended a friendly hand to Eleanor, saying, ¡°Hello.¡± As Eleanor raised her hand, Liana stopped her, ¡°Farewell, I don¡¯t want Mr. Laurence to get jealous.¡± Eleanor wanted to embarrass Liana, but Eleanor didn¡¯t expect to be reversed by Liana again. She had no choice but to withdraw her hand, nod awkwardly at Dr. Webb, and say, ¡°Hi¡­¡± The two greeted briefly, and Liana said to Eleanor, ¡°Eleanor, Doctor Webb and I are going to catch a ne.¡± Eleanor replied with an ¡®okay,¡® watching Dr. Webb open the passenger door for Liana and carefully fasten her seatbelt, feeling surprised. The two of them seemed more than just colleagues at the hospital, especially Dr. Webb, who looked at Liana with gentle and firm eyes. As for Liana, she went to hold a seminar abroad with Dr. Webb alone, obviously because she wanted to give Dr. Webb a chance to pursue her. What about Tyler Howell¡­. What would Tyler do if he knew¡­? Chapter 475 Chapter 475 She stood at the entrance of the vi, stayed for a while, and saw Bernard¡¯s car pull up in front of her The car window rolled down, sunlight streaming in, revealing a finely chiseled face with distinctive features. He was wearing a pair of ck sunsses on the bridge of his nose, and when he turned his head to look at her, she couldn¡¯t see the expression in his eyes clearly. He pushed open the car door and got out, his tall and mighty figure overshadowing Eleanor Through the sunsses, he lowered his eyes and carefully looked at the woman in front of him exuding an aura of innocence. ¡°Eleanor, you¡­ today.¡± He bent down, tilted his head slightly, and whispered seductively into her ear, ¡°You look beautiful today¡± Eleanor raised her hand, covering her ear, keeping his hot breath on the back of his hands. ¡°You¡­can you stop getting so close every time you speak, I can hear you clearly¡­¡± Bernard¡¯s lips parted slightly, a slow smile forming.. He indulgently patted her on the head, ¡°Your hair has grown¡­¡± He looked forward to seeing her waist¨Clength hair in the near future. He hoped he could wait for that day. With silent Eleanor by his side, he opened the passenger door for her to get in and then took a bouquet of flowers out of the trunk and handed it to her. When Eleanor saw the bright lychee roses, she looked up at Bernard, who was holding the flowers, ¡°Didn¡¯t you already send them yesterday?¡± Bernard handed the flowers to her and said softly, ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll give you a bouquet every day¡­¡± As long as he was alive, he¡¯d send her a bouquet every day, never stopping. Eleanor was silent for a few seconds, then reached out and took the flowers he offered. She held the flowers in her arms, looking sideways at Bernard, who was still wearing sunsses, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your eyes? The weather wasn¡¯t too hot, and the sunlight wasn¡¯t too strong, so he shouldn¡¯t need to wear sunsses while driving. But he was wearing them, which she found odd. After hearing this, Bernard calmly replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep well, and my eyes are bloodshot. I¡¯m afraid it would scare you.¡± Eleanor¡¯s hands holding the flowers tightened slightly, but she ultimately didn¡¯t have the courage to take off his sunsses. Bernard took a thermal box out of the storagepartment and handed it to Eleanor, ¡°This is breakfast,¡± Eleanor looked at the thermal box and then at Bernard, ¡°Did you make it?¡± He nodded and opened the box, asking Eleanor, ¡°Which one do you want to eat first?¡± Eleanor took a bite and couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Mr. Laurence, you better not cook anymore.¡± Bernard also took a bite and saw her smile. Even if it tasted terrible, it became sweet, ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t cook anymore¡­ He had been too confident before, not knowing that the food he tried to make could be so terrible. And Eleanor¡­ He looked at Eleanor, who was nibbling on a dessert and sipping milk, and asked, ¡°How did you eat it all before if it¡¯s so bad?¡± Eleanor took a sip of milk, didn¡¯t answer his question, and instead changed the subject, ¡°Where are you nning to take me?¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Bernard didn¡¯t let her change the subject, his sunsses¨Ccovered eyes stared at her intently, ¡°Is it because I made it?¡± Eleanor looked up at him with a ¡®you¡¯re overthinking it¡® expression, then lowered her head and began to concentrate on eating breakfast. Bernard started the car, backed up with one hand, and then drove smoothly towards the shopping mall¡­ Behind his sports car, dozens of luxury cars followed, all driving into A City¡¯s most luxurious mall. Bernard opened the car door and elegantly helped Eleanor out of the car, then held her hand in front of many peopleing and going Eleanor saw many people looking at them and felt ufortable, trying to shake off Bernard¡¯s hand, but he held on tightly He leaned in slightly, whispering into her ear, ¡°Eleanor, I owe you something¡± Eleanor looked up at the tall man, ¡°What?¡± As Bernard led her towards the mall, he answered, ¡°A public rtionship.¡± For those five years, she had lived in the shadows, unable to see the sun. From now on, he wanted her to live a life of integrity Chapter 476 Chapter 476 He took Eleanor to the jewelry district and only asked ¡°Is there anything you like?¡± After being rejected, he didn¡¯t ask any more questions, and directly asked the salesperson to deliver thetest diamond jewelry to the vi. The salesperson nced at Eleanor enviously, then respectfully replied, ¡°Yes, Mr. Laurence.. Eleanor, who was led out of the jewelry district by Bernard, couldn¡¯t help but stare at his back Sending cars, flowers, essories, next, he won¡¯t give her clothes again, right? Eleanor¡¯s guess was spot on. Bernard took her to the haute couture area and didn¡¯t hesitate to book the entire ce. Watching the salespeople busily packing clothes, shoes, and bags for her, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but touch her forehead. She lowered her head and looked at the man who was kneeling down to help her try on shoes. ¡°Where did you learn these tricks?¡± She felt that Bernard couldn¡¯t possibly do such things, so there must be someone teaching him behind the scenes. The shoe in Bernard¡¯s hand suddenly stopped, and he slowly looked up, his deep eyes flickering with light. ¡°Cedric Laurence.¡± Eleanor gasped, bending down to meet his gaze. ¡°Next time, don¡¯t believe whatever he says.¡± She suddenly leaned closer, and her faint lychee rose scent apanied by her body fragrance gently drifted into his nose. Her warm breath brushed against his cheek like an electric current, making him forget to breathe. His eyes were fixed on her red lips, and his face was slightly hot. Eleanor couldn¡¯t see the expression in his eyes, but saw that the tips of his ears were starting to turn red¡­. She hesitated for a moment, and just as she was about to straighten up, he lifted his chin and gently kissed her red lips. The salesperson holding several pairs of shoes nearby saw this scene and excitedly signaled their colleagues¡­ They all sneaked nces at the couple and whispered among themselves: ¡°Is she Mr. Laurence¡¯s girlfriend¡­?¡± ¡°She looks more like his wife¡­¡± ¡°So envious¡­¡± Hearing these words, Bernard straightened up and confessed frankly. ¡°Right now, I¡¯m pursuing her. In the future, she¡¯ll be my wife.¡± The salespeople were even more excited to see the usually cold and noble Bernard actually talking to them. ¡°Mr. Laurence, we wish you sess!¡± Bernard smiled after receiving the blessingand asked them to pack up all the clothes in the store, Eleanor hurriedly stopped, ¡°That¡¯s too much, I can¡¯t wear them all and they¡¯re too expensive¡­¡± Bernard gently stroked her head and said indulgently, ¡°My sister Veronica Laurence¡¯s shopping mall free of charge.¡± Veronica, who had been standing outside the door for a while, raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. ¡°Bernard¡­ Eleanor shifted her gaze from Bernard¡¯s face to the woman who walked in from the door. Dressed in haute couture and with long hair flowing down to her waist, her delicate makeup made her look even more elegant and noble. Her intellectual beauty contrasted sharply with Bernard¡¯s appearance, as she was only half a head shorter than him. When they stood side by side, they looked like two perfect sculptures, as if they were hand carved by God himself. Eleanor had seen Veronica at the store before, watching her link arms with Bernard and get into a car together. Although she didn¡¯t know this wornan, hearing her call Bernard¡¯s name so familiarly, she understood their rtionship. She thought they had something important to discuss, so she nned to leave first, but Bernard held her wrist tightly He held her tightly in his arms, then turned to Veronica and nodded politely. ¡°Veronica¡­ Eleanor froze, she nced at Bernard in disbelief, then at Veronica who was smiling. Are they¡­ siblings? Did she misunderstand their rtionshipst time? Veronica didn¡¯t look at Bernard, her gaze gently sweeping up and down Eleanor¡¯s body. She saw that Eleanor was clean and refreshing, with clear, kind eyes, and nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Ms. Shultz, following Bernard, you must have experienced a lot of difficulties¡­¡± Like a big sister, she took Eleanor¡¯s hand and gently patted the back of her hand lightly. ¡°Thank you for being there for him.¡± The words warmed her heart, and she looked at Veronica with both emotion and surprise ¡°I know all about your situation.¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Veronica exined briefly, and then looked at Bernard, whose eyes were fixed solely on the woman in his arms. ¡°Marry her soon.¡± After giving her advice, Veronica waved to the salesperson. ¡°Give Ms. Shultz a limited¨Cedition gown from the designer Ellie.¡± Eleanor felt that the famous designer¡¯s dress was too upscale for her, so she quickly waved her hands. ¡°Sister Veronica, there¡¯s no need¡­¡± Faced with her refusal, Veronica just smiled gracefully, said nothing, and turned to ept the gift bag from the salesperson. After handing the bag to Bernard, she said to Eleanor, ¡°I hope you will wear this dress next time you attend the Laurence family banquet.¡± Chapter 477 Chapter 477 So Veronica showed up, just to meet Eleanor, and now that she saw her, she turned around and left. Seeing that elegant andposed figure, Eleanor¡¯s tense heart gradually rxed¡­. She originally thought that the people of the Laurence family would look down on her like Joelle did, or even insult her. But she didn¡¯t expect Bernard¡¯s sister to be so graceful and generous, without the arrogance of superiority at all¡­ What she disyed was the true nobility and a highly educated vision. Bernard lowered his head and asked the woman in his arms, ¡°Eleanor, when will youe with me to the Laurence family¡¯s banquet?¡± Eleanor stared at that incredibly beautiful face and said silently in his heart:ter. At present, she has not reached the position to be worthy of hirm, and to be able to attend the family banquet of the Laurence family. He didn¡¯t get a response from her, but he saw her reaching out to take the paper bag from his hand, which meant she agreed. Bernard wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to his back. ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± Eleanor smiled softly in his arms. ¡°Shall we go?¡± Her gentle smile, like a rose, touched his heart and entered his eyes, leaving only the bright moonlight. ¡°Eleanor, I I like your smile.¡± His voice was filled with delight. He released his tight grip on her waist, intertwined their fingers, and led her out of the mall. Eleanor thought it would be over after they finished shopping, but he took her to the beach. The blue sky met the sea, reflecting a clear blue light on the water¡¯s surface. Looking into the distance, it was endless. The sea breeze blew, lifting her hair and fluttering in the wind, and the seagulls in the distance are rising and falling on the beach. A tall and handsome man led a delicate woman, walking quietly along the beach¡­ The n ting sunlight shone on them, casting long shadows that ovepped and separated behind them. He took out his phone, opened the camera, and with the golden light, took a picture from the angle of their holding hands. Eleanor looked up and saw Bernard taking a picture, a little surprised. ¡°Are you¡­ taking photos of the scenery?¡± Bernard put down his phone, looked at her through his sunsses, and stared intently at the woman in front of him. ¡°For me, the most beautiful scenery is you.¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Eleanor was stunned, not expecting Bernard to take a picture of her with his phone¡­. She once wanted to leave some memories for him and had the courage to ask him to take a picture of her, but¡­ He didn¡¯t agree¡­ Now he was taking pictures of her on his own initiative, which made Eleanor a little unspeakable. The love and things she couldn¡¯t get in the past, Bernard was making up for little by little¡­ Eleanor slightly raised her chin, looking at the man with his back to the blinding sunlight. ¡°Bernard, thank you¡­¡± I want to thank you for helping me let go of my past, and for making up for my past regrets. Bernard lowered his head, his eyshes trembled slightly, but he didn¡¯t say much. He held his phone tightly and suggested to Eleanor, ¡°Eleanor, let¡¯s take a picture together, okay?¡± They had known each other for eight years, but they didn¡¯t have a single photo together, which was a great regret. Chapter 478 Chapter 478 When Eleanor heard this, she didn¡¯t refuse and just nodded slightly: ¡°Alright.¡± Seeing her agree, a faint smile appeared on Bernard¡¯s lips. He restarted the camera, reached out his long arm, and wrapped it around Eleanor¡¯s waist. Before taking the photo, Bernard gently pinched the woman in his arms. Feeling the pain, Eleanor instinctively looked up at the man next to her. Her red lips slightly parted, but before she could question him, he lowered his head and kissed her. At the same time, his finger pressed the camera button. Eleanor thought he just wanted to take a picture together, but she didn¡¯t expect it to be such a photo. Seeing him put away his phone; Eleanor hurriedly tiptoed and nced at the screen. When she saw the image of them sweetly kissing under the blue sky and sea, her cheeks turned red. ¡°delete it quickly and take another one.¡± After catching the hand trying to delete the photo, Bernard quickly put away his phone. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯ll take you to dinner.¡± Holding her hand tightly, he led her towards the rest area, while Eleanor was staring at his pocket. When they eatter, if he takes off his coat, she¡¯ll try to get his phone. But what¡¯s his mobile phone password? ¡°My phone password is your birthday.¡± The man seemed to have read her mind, he answered without hesitation and then put his phone in his trouser pocket. Eleanor¡¯s gaze fell on the phone near his thigh, and she immediately gave up any ns to ¡°sneakily delete the photo.¡± Bernard took Eleanor on a four-story private yacht, which was spa cious, luxurious, clean, and simple. As they boarded, the yacht staff guided them to the top-floor restaurant. A luxurious lunch was set on the exquisite table, and outside the floor-to-ceiling windows was the vast sea. As they sat down to eat, the yacht slowly started, and the white waves swept past the hull, creating a sparkling scene. Eleanor ate slowly with her head down, while Bernard tilted his head slightly, watching her quietly. Although they didn¡¯t speak, the atmosphere was harmonious and beautiful. After eating, they came to the first floor, where the staff had already ced two spa cious and comfortable white lounge chairs on the deck. After letting Eleanor lie down, Bernard fetched a nket, covered her abdomen, and gently stroked her hair. ¡°Take a nap.¡± Having gotten up early, walked around, and spent a long time by the sea, Eleanor felt tired, so shey on the lounge chair and fell into a deep sleep. Seeing her breathing steady, Bernard gently picked her up and let her lie on his chest. He wrapped one arm around her waist, took off his sunsses with the other hand, revealing his bloodshot eyes, making him look exhausted. A staff member nearby was startled and wanted to ask what was wrong but was stopped by his raised hand. He rubbed his red, swollen eyes and put his sunsses back on.. The suppressed headache started to slowly return as the painkiller wore off. Enduring the pain, he slowly tightened his grip on the woman in his arms. When Eleanor woke up, she was surprised to find herself lying in his arms. Seeing that he hadn¡¯t woken up yet, she quietly slid off of him. She sat beside him, gazing at his handsome face. After a while, she picked up the nket and gently covered him. Then she got up, walked to the railing, faced the sea breeze, and looked out at the distant sea, her mncholy slowly fading. Bernard took her to enjoy beautiful scenery and experience the most wonderful times. After that, he sent her back to the vi. Chapter 479 Chapter 479 Eleanor went up to the second-floor bedroom without turning on the light. With the dim light, she looked down at the Koenigsegg car and the man in it. Through the half-open car window, he seemed to be texting on his phone. A few secondster, Eleanor¡¯s phone started to vibrate. She took her phone out of her pocket, opened WhatsApp, and saw a photo he sent. It was a picture of them at the beach. He texted, ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t delete. Keep it as a memory.¡± Memory? Why would it be a memory? Eleanor wanted to reply, but seeing his profile picture suddenly changed to her photo. He sent another message, ¡°Eleanor, I love you. Good night.¡± After thinking for a few seconds, Eleanor replied, ¡°Good night.¡± The next morning, Eleanor received the roses he sent on time. Aidyn delivered them, but he didn¡¯t come. Aidyn exined, ¡°Ms. Shultz, Mr. Laurence has several international meetings today, so he asked me to deliver this instead. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± Eleanor shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Please tell him thank you for me.¡± Aidyn agreed, got into the car, and called Bernard. ¡°Mr. Laurence, I¡¯ve done what you asked me.¡± The man lying in bed with a splitting headache couldn¡¯t even speak when he heard Aidyn¡¯s voice. With trembling fingers, after hanging up the phone, he stretched out his hand with great difficulty, picked up the painkiller, and put it in his mouth. Eleanor went to the training center, and after a day of sses, she sent Pearce Hooper a message. After the two made an appointment to meet at the nightclub, Eleanor grabbed a bite and went to Hailey¡¯s nightclub early. The nightclub, which had been booked for three consecutive days, was still not withdrawn. Hailey, bending down to pour the wine, handed the ss to the man sitting in the sofa area, hidden in the dark corner. ¡°Mr. Laurence, this is thest good wine from our The Secret Garden. Try it. If it still doesn¡¯t suit your taste, then I¡¯m out of options.¡± Hailey¡¯s beautiful face was stiff and emotionless. The fatigue in her eyes made her toozy to fake a professional smile anymore. Cedric leaned casually on the sofa. The dim, ambiguous light cast on his handsome face. He lifted his sharp eyes and nced at the red wine in Hailey¡¯s hand, saying coldly, ¡°Let my woman try it first.¡± Hailey looked at Norene in his arms, the top performer at the Midnight Bar and Cedric¡¯s ex-girlfriend. Cedric brought his ex-girlfriend to provoke her. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Hailey nced at the time on her watch, 7:53 PM. By 8 PM, this service would be over. From then on, let Cedric and his ex-girlfriend go to hell. She would part ways with him and never see him again. With that thought, Hailey put on the demeanor of a business owner, holding the wine, and offered it to Norene, ¡°Miss Norene, please have a taste.¡± Seeing the once rival woman acting so humble, Norene couldn¡¯t help but want tough, ¡°Miss Hailey Vulpe, ever since you took Cedric from me, I warned you that I would take him back one day!¡± Hearing this, Hailey calmly corrected, ¡°Miss Norene, he was with me only after breaking up with you. Please get the timeline right and don¡¯t drag me into this because you can¡¯t keep a man.¡± Norene was stunned, her face turning red with anger. She snat ched the wine ss from Hailey¡¯s hand and viciously sshed it on her face, ¡°You shameless woman, how dare you talk back!¡± Chapter 480 Chapter 480 Chapter 4 8 0 The coolness of the red wine sshed on her face suddenly made Hailey close her eyes subconsciously, and her chin, which had never been lowered, also flinched. She slowly lowered her eyshes, her face full of embarrassment, making her look extremely vulnerable and lonely, like a helpless child. Seeing the always unruly Hailey showing such a helpless expression, Cedric¡¯s heart ski pped a beat, and suddenly felt a bit painful. He quickly withdrew his hand from Norene¡¯s waist, trying to grab the tissue on the table, but Hailey was already one step ahead, reaching out with her delicate hand. After pulling out several tissues, she wiped the dripping red wine off her face, then slowly straightened up and raised her chin. Her gaze passed over Norene and looked at Cedric lightly: ¡°Mr. Laurence, it¡¯s over¡± She meant that her service time was up, but Cedric thought it was the end of their rtionship. He nervously tried to grab Hailey¡¯s wrist, but before he could touch her, he saw her pick up a bottle of beer She shook it a few times and then, without even using a bottle opener, she just bit it open with her teeth. The beer inside rushed out instantly. Before Cedric and Norene could react to what Hailey was doing with the beer, they felt the chill on their faces. Hailey arrogantly spat out the bottle cap, holding the beer and sshing it fiercely on the two people sitting on the couch ¡°I¡¯ve been angry with you for three days, now it¡¯s time, and it¡¯s time to change roles!¡± Beer is more irritating than red wine, making it extremely ufortable when sshed on the face. Norene, who loves cleanliness, is the first one who can¡¯t stand it. She covered her face and cursed at Hailey, ¡°You b itch, stop!¡± Hailey sneered and continued to ssh them with beer while calling for the waiter to bring more. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°I¡¯ll let you take a beer bath today to see if you can cleanse your brains!¡± Thest time she had a video call with Eleanor, Cedric came to beg her to get back together. She saw that he was drunk and talking nonsense, so she didn¡¯t agree to him. Who knew that within a few days, he brought Norene to provoke her and bully her. After Hailey graduated from high school, she struggled in the nightclub and was bullied countless times! She went from enduring it silently to realizing that people would take advantage of her kindness! So, she developed a strong personality, always making sure to get back at those who bullied her! She had endured it for three days, just because she was the boss and didn¡¯t want to fight back during her service. Now that it was over, she wouldn¡¯t let them off easily! She took the bottles of beer handed to her by the waiter and sshed them on the two people. Norene wanted to fight back, but Cedric held her shoulder, not letting her move. With a puzzled face, she looked at Cedric, who was being continuously sshed with beer. He didn¡¯t even nce at her, just slightly raised his chin and watched Hailey under the light, being wildly unrestrained. When Hailey got tired of sshing, she mmed the beer bottle on the table and looked coldly at the two of them. ¡°Don¡¯te here in the future, I won¡¯t serve you!¡± She was about to turn and leave after saying this when Cedric said indifferently. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to leave so easily Hailey took a deep breath and was about to retort when the door of the private room was pushed open, and the manager walked in. ¡°Boss, Mr. Spencer is here. He wants to reserve your venue¡­¡± Hearing this, Hailey turned back to look at Cedric, who was on the couch. ¡°Mr. Laurence, sorry, my boyfriend is here, so I might not be able to serve you in the future!¡± The man who was slowly wiping his face with a handkerchief heard the words ¡®my boyfriend¡± and his expression froze. He threw away the handkerchief, quickly stood up, and grabbed Hailey, who was about to leave. ¡°Who is it?¡± Hailey tried to break free from his grip but couldn¡¯t, so she raised her chin defiantly and said provocatevely, ¡°A man you can¡¯t afford.¡± Cedric clenched her wrist, unconsciously increasing his grip, ¡°speak clearly; when did you have a boyfriend?!¡± Chapter 481 Chapter 481 Hailey smiled slightly and said, ¡°This has nothing to do with you, Mr. Laurence.¡± It doesn¡¯t matter? Cedric, who was always polite to women, looked absolutely pis sed. ¡°Hailey Vulpe, are you sure you want to mess with me?¡± Hailey felt that he was turning ck and white, and his face became serious. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mr. Laurence, please make it clear that you brought another woman to provoke me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not because you didn¡¯t know what to do a few days ago, so you rejected me without even thinking about it!¡± Hailey¡¯s anger suddenly turned into confusion. Cedric had dated many women before, but he never took any of them seriously, and the rtionships always ended quickly. In theory, he shouldn¡¯t have lowered his status to beg her to get back together. But that night, he got drunk and hugged her like a child, nuzzling her neck. ¡°Hailey, I kinda miss you. Please don¡¯t leave me, okay?¡± She smelled the strong aroma of wine on Cedric and thought he was just talking nonsense, but she didn¡¯t expect him to be serious. Hailey was surprised for a moment, and then regained herposure¡­. Whether he is serious or not, these three days he has gone too far and cannot be forgiven! She didn¡¯t answer Cedric¡¯s question, and instead forcefully broke free from his grasp, turned around, and left. Looking at that unrestrained back, Cedric didn¡¯t know what was wrong with him, and his heart was in a panic. After Hailey left, she followed the manager, wearing high heels, and quickly walked towards the luxurious private room upstairs. ¡°How long has Mr. Spencer been here?¡± ¡°Just arrived¡± Hailey entered the elevator, pressed the button, and told the manager, ¡°Hammer, about what I just said about Mr. Spencer being my boyfriend, make sure everyone here keeps their mouths shut and doesn¡¯t spread the word. We can¡¯t afford to mess with Mr. Spencer.¡± Hammer quickly nodded, ¡°Boss, rest assured, I¡¯ll handle it.¡± After respectfully responding, Mr. Hammer sneakily nced at Hailey. Seeing her hair and clothes were all wet, he mustered the courage to take out a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Hailey. ¡°Boss, dry yourself off before you see Mr. Spencer¡­¡± Without thinking too much, Hailey said ¡®thank you and took it. Mr. Spencer had visited once before and was punctual, so Hailey didn¡¯t go to change her clothes. She stepped out of the elevator and quickly went to the private room. Inside, a bunch of bodyguards in ck uniforms surrounded the sp aci ous and luxurious room. It was a bit scary. Hailey had seen the scale of Bernard¡¯s trips before, so he wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he encountered such a simr situation, but he would feel a little trembling. Perhaps it was because ordinary people had an innate fear of those who had always been in high positions for a long time¡­. After waving Hammer away, Hailey clenched her fists, walked past the bodyguards, and approached the man sitting in the sofa area. ¡°Mr. Spencer, something has been dyed downstairs, sorry to keep you waiting. Please forgive me.¡± Hailey stood in front of him, very respectful. After exining, she looked up at him. The man lounging on the sofa had an extraordinarily handsome face under the light. He exuded a powerful aura, but at the same time, he seemed to have a fierce vibe, as if he was extremely dissatisfied with every person and ce in this world. Chapter 482 Chapter 482 Hailey looked at the man in front of her, who seemed to exude an aura of violence, and felt a huge pressure. It reminded her of the first time she met Bernard. They were simr. The aura was too strong and the sense of oppression was too great. But the two men were very different. Bernard was noble and unapproachable, while Mr. Spencer was¡­ short-tempered. Like right now, if he didn¡¯t reply, Hailey wouldn¡¯t dare to speak again, she even held her breath in his presence¡­ She vividly remembered thest time Mr. Spencer booked the entire venue, and because a waiter made a mistake pouring wine, he smashed the wine ss on the spot. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Seeing that this guest had a bad temper and was difficult to get along with, she quickly asked the waiter to step back and personally served him. Maybe her service was decent enough, and when Mr. Spencer came again this time, he would call out her name and reserve her ce. Hailey thought Mr. Spencer would ask her to pour wine, but he stared intently at her face. With his arrogant and rude gaze on her, even the usually calm Hailey couldn¡¯t help but swallow nervously. ¡°Mr. Spencer, this is a legit entertainment venue, we don¡¯t do any other business besides serving drinks!¡± If it were any other guest, she would have blurted that out, but Mr. Spencer wasn¡¯t someone she could mess with. While Hailey was secretlyining about him in her heart, Mr. Spencer looked away and asked, ¡°Do you know Emilia?¡± The deep, and maic voice slowly came from the ears, it was nice and pleasant. Hearing the name ¡°Emilia,¡± Hailey¡¯s innerints subsided. Of course, Mr. Spencer wouldn¡¯t be interested in someone like her. It had to be Eleanor. However, Eleanor belonged to Bernard, and Mr. Spencer better not interfere at this time¡­ Hailey remained calm and looked at Mr. Spencer, ¡°I know her. What do you want with her, Mr. Spencer?¡± Mr. Spencer raised his eyebrows n tingly, as if dissatisfied with Hailey¡¯s question, his expression instantly became displeased: ¡°Where is she?!¡± Hailey carefully observed Mr. Spencer and realized that his tone didn¡¯t sound like he was fond of Eleanor but rather looking for trouble. Hailey was extremely cautious about anything rted to Eleanor, regardless of the other party¡¯s status, she would confront them directly. ¡°Mr. Spencer, if you¡¯re looking for my friend, you should at least tell me the reason first. Otherwise, I have no obligation to tell you.¡± When the bodyguards saw that a nightclub owner dared to speak to Mr. Spencer in such a tone, they all raised their hands and touched their lower backs. Seeing their synchronized movement, Hailey was shocked but kept a poker face and stared at Mr. Spencer. One was standing and the other was sitting. Neither of them gave in. After looking at each other for a while, the one who was sitting raised his hand and waved. The bodyguards quickly pulled their hands back and retreated to the side, staring coldly at Hailey as if she were a prisoner. Hailey originally thought Mr. Spencer just had a bad temper and was afraid of him, but now she felt he was extremely dangerous. She wasn¡¯t sure if this seemingly well-connected Mr. Spencer was looking for the deceased Emilia or Eleanor. Since the outside world didn¡¯t know about Emilia¡¯s death or Eleanor impersonating her, Hailey didn¡¯t ask beforehand. Worried about stirring up trouble, she decided to observe Mr. Spencer¡¯s intentions silently first¡­ Mr. Spencer tried hard to control his temper, slightly raised his head, and stared at Hailey. ¡°I need to talk to her about something.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± The man on the couch, seeing Hailey pressing for details, felt his suppressed anger suddenly surge. ¡°Ms. Vulpe, before I lose my temper, just tell me where she is, or don¡¯t me me for being rude!¡± Chapter 483 Chapter 483 Chapter 4 8 3 Hailey saw the bodyguards reaching for their waists, her heart pounding nervously, but she forcibly stabilize her mind and started to babble. ¡°She¡¯s in G country, with Ethan Ziegler. If you want to find her, go to G country¡­¡± Go ahead, go fight with Ethan, I want to see, which of you two can fight the other¡­ Hearing this, Mr. Spencer¡¯s barely suppressed anger almost burst out of his eyes. ¡°I found out she came back from G country, and the first person she met was you, right here!¡± The first time he came here, he wanted to ask her about Emilia¡¯s whereabouts, but he ended up being pis sed off by a waitress. This time, he came back with a better mindset, but he didn¡¯t expect her to act dumb in front of him. It¡¯s like she¡¯s asking for trouble! After he finished speaking, he suddenly stood up, his tall and mighty figure enveloping Hailey, who was still shorter than him even with high heels. He bent down, and with his fierce eyes, stared straight into Hailey¡¯s eyes. ¡°Ms. Vulpe, I¡¯ll ask you one more time, where is she?¡± Hailey was frightened by his interrogation and took a step back, but he grabbed her arm with such force that it almost broke! ¡°In W City!¡± Hailey was a bit rebellious, the more he pressured her, the less she wanted to tell him. Let him search for her like a needle in a haystack! Mr. Spencer stared into Hailey¡¯s eyes, trying to discern the truth from her gaze, but instead, she blinked her big eyes and flirted with him. What the¡­? Feeling nauseous, he let go of her, stood up straight, and said coldly, ¡°If she¡¯s not in W City, I¡¯lle back and take your eyes!* Upon hearing this, Hailey swallowed hard, ¡°You can check the flight records. She went to W City more than a month ago. I¡¯m not lying!¡± Mr. Spencer was too impatient to check the records, but it didn¡¯t matter. In any case, Hailey only lied to him to get him to leave, so she could find Bernard and tell him someone was looking for Eleanor. As long as the leader of the three powerful families, Bernard, stepped in, Mr. Spencer wouldn¡¯t dare do anything to Eleanor, no matter how powerful he was! As for her eyes, she could just tell Mr. Spencer she didn¡¯t know Eleanor had returned when he came looking for her again.. Mr. Spencer got the information he wanted from Hailey and left the private room with his bodyguards¡­ Just as Cedric reached the entrance of the private room, his expression darkened upon seeing the man coming out. ¡°Robin Spencer.¡± Bernard¡¯s lifelong enemy is back in the country?! As Robin brushed past Cedric, he sneered. That provocative smile made Cedric clench his fists, wanting to beat him up, but Hailey grabbed his arm. ¡°Mr. Laurence, don¡¯t cause any trouble in my ce¡­¡± When Hailey heard Mr. Spencer¡¯sst name, she guessed he was from the Spencer family, but she didn¡¯t expect him to be the head of the family. She worked in this industry, so she knew the names of the people in power of the various families. So when Cedric said Robin¡¯s name, she knew it. The Spencer family and the Laurence family were both wealthy families with equal power. If they had to compare, Bernard, who controlled the three major families, might be more powerful. So the only one who could fight against Robin was Bernard. When Cedric heard her words, he thought she was defending Robin. His face turned pale with anger, and he pushed her against the corridor wall. ¡°What did you two do in there?!¡± He stared at her bright lipstick, noticing traces of it being wiped off, and his heart suddenly felt suffocated. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Did you guys kiss?! Did that madman bully you?!¡± Cedric couldn¡¯t ept it and raised her hand to wipe her mouth. Chapter 484 Chapter 484 This was the first time for Hailey to see such a y boy who was usually so free and easy, showing such a flustered expression, he could be¡­ ¡°Mr. Laurence, you are acting all concerned and nervous, don¡¯t you really fall in love with me?¡± Cedric paused, gazing at Hailey¡¯s beautiful face, lost in a moment. He thought to himself, how could he fall for her? They were together for three years, and he just couldn¡¯t let go. Cedric had been with so many women; it was impossible for him to fall for a divorced woman like her! ¡°Robin is my brother Bernard¡¯s enemy, and you¡¯re my ex-girlfriend. It¡¯s better if you don¡¯t get involved with him¡­¡± Cedric¡¯s weak excuse didn¡¯t convince Hailey, but she didn¡¯t question him further. Cedric was too much of a womanizer, and Hailey, being a divorcee, wasn¡¯t his ideal partner either. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Their three-year rtionship was just a casual fling; neither of them should have caught feelings. Hailey nodded: ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t¡­¡± She then nced at Norene, who was waiting for Cedric at the end of the hallway. ¡°Norene might be a bit petty and have a temper, but that¡¯s only because she cares about you. Since you chose to get back with her, treat her well and stop messing around. Women can¡¯t handle that.¡± With that, she pushed past Cedric and walked towards the elevator. As the elevator doors closed, Cedric slowly took his hand off the wall. Eleanor bought a few things that Hailey liked from the pastry shop and then entered the nightclub¡¯s elevator. As she stepped out, she looked up and met a pair of malicious eyes. Startled, Eleanor quickly lowered her gaze and tried to move away. ¡°Stop!¡± The melodic voice, like magic, made Eleanor freeze in her tracks. She turned around and saw a tall man approaching her. ¡°Can I help you, sir?¡± She had to look up to talk to him, as he was about the same height as Bemard. Robin looked down at her condescendingly. ¡°You look familiar. Have we met before?¡± Eleanor hesitated, as his opening line sounded like a pick-up attempt, but his expression was impatient. She shook her head politely. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± As she tried to walk away, Robin grabbed her sleeve. ¡°Hold on!¡± Annoyed, Eleanor snapped, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± She pulled her hand away and stepped back, bumping into a bodyguard. The bodyguard grabbed her shoulders and pushed her towards Robin. He didn¡¯t touch her again but examined her face closely, from her eyebrows to her nose, lips, and figure. Robin had forgotten to bring a photo, so he couldn¡¯t recognize her. He reached out to touch Eleanor¡¯s face, hoping to recognize her by touch, but before his slim, delicate hand could reach her, someone grabbed his wrist from behind. Before he could react, a tall, cold, and elegant man pulled Eleanor away and held her tightly. With his other hand, he gripped Robin¡¯s wrist firmly. His charming eyes, usually filled with stars, suddenly turned dark and cold. ¡°Robin, do you want to die? How dare you touch my woman?!¡± Chapter 485 Chapter 485 Bernard hugged Eleanor tightly, his eyes deep and cold, staring intently at Robin. He gripped Robin¡¯s wrist tightly, just a little more force, and it would dislocate the guy¡¯s wrist. Robin couldn¡¯t break free, his face instantly turned cold and his eyes filled with violence. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Bernard, you¡¯ve been living toofortably, huh?¡± He said coldly and waved his hand, and a bunch of bodyguards rushed over. Eleanor, in Bernard¡¯s arms, saw him fighting a group of people alone, her heart raced, and she began to worry. ¡°Bernard, you better leave.¡± Hearing their conversation, it was clear they knew each other before, and the rtionship wasn¡¯t good. Bernard didn¡¯t bring any bodyguards this time; he might be no fighting match for Robin.. Just as Eleanor was worrying, Bernard lowered his head, looked at her, his eyes clear and firm, making her feel at ease. ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± He quickly lifted his leg and kicked hard at the rushing bodyguard. The bodyguard who was kicked down was in unbearable pain, a mouthful of blood spraying out. The other bodyguards behind him saw this and fumbled for their guns at their waists, panicked. However, Bernard suddenly grabbed Robin¡¯s neck and pushed him hard against the elevator door. The elevator door made a loud bang, and the echo reverberated in the corridor, like a warning bell. The veins on Bernard¡¯s arm bulged, and his beautiful face was a bit distorted from the exertion. He slowly looked up, his eyes cold, staring intently at Robin. ¡°Do you dare¡­ touch my woman?!¡± His voice was cold, and the tone suddenly intensified, like thunder, full of threats. Robin, trapped against the elevator door, turned purple¨Cred, his eyes filled with unwillingness. ¡°Sh¡­shoot!¡± The bodyguards heard Robin¡¯s order, pulled out their guns, and aimed at Bernard. Eleanor saw so many guns, her face turned pale, and she was frightened and clueless. At that moment, she felt Bernard pull her into his arms, her face pressed against his warm chest. Eleanor looked up at Bernard, who was as steady as a rock, giving her a sense of security. Just as the bodyguards were about to pull the trigger, Bernard suddenly grabbed Robin¡¯s neck and lifted him up¡­ Robin¡¯s legs dangled in the air, experiencing a suffocating feeling he had never felt before, unable to breathe. This unprecedented pain made his nerves confused, crushed his pride, but couldn¡¯t suppress the anger in his heart. He couldn¡¯t speak, could only stare wide¨Ceyed at the man staring at him. If only his body was better, and he could learn fighting skills, maybe he wouldn¡¯t have been bullied by this demon, Bernard, since he was little. Eleanor worried Bemard would really hurt Robin, so she hurriedly pulled on her shirt and said, ¡°He didn¡¯t touch me¡­¡± Hearing this, the coldness in Bernard¡¯s eyes softened a bit, but he was still unwilling to let Robin go, instead, he increased his strength. Eleanor saw this and understood that their conflict was not just caused by her, but years of resentment. She was afraid that once Bernard let go, Robin¡¯s bodyguards would open fire, and she was also afraid that Bernard hurting Robin would cause big trouble. She subconsciously hugged his waist tightly and said, ¡°Bernard, I¡¯m scared, but I¡¯m even more scared that something will happen to you.¡± Chapter 486 Chapter 486 She felt all flustered, and as she held Bernard tight, a bunch of bodyguards, led by Cedric, rushed over from the elevator and security exit, and arge group of people immediately surrounded Robin. ¡°Elder brother!¡± Even though she knew that Robin had always been no match for her brother physically, seeing him bring so many people over made Cedric quite worried. But when he pushed through the crowd and saw his brother fighting alone, trapping Robin by the elevator door, he couldn¡¯t move at all. Cedric breathed a sigh of relief, and at the same time, he looked disdainfully at the almost suffocated Robin, ¡°Just admit defeat, there¡¯s no way you can beat my brother!¡± Robin was weak, but he persisted, ¡°¡­If you¡¯ve got the guts¡­just kill me!¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. His stubbornness only brought greater strength, and if it weren¡¯t for Eleanor pulling on Bernard¡¯s sleeve again, Robin might have been strangled to death by him. Bernard shoved Robin away, quickly took the wet towel handed over by the bodyguard, and wiped his fingers while looking at him proudly. ¡°Don¡¯t let me see you again!¡± Robin could breathe fresh air, and gradually, his reddish-blue face returned to its normal color. But his eyes were full of irritation and rage, turning very bloodshot, as if he couldn¡¯t wait to kill them to vent his anger! Seeing him panting heavily, like he was having an attack, the bodyguard immediately supported him and whispered, ¡°Hold back, don¡¯t let them see.¡± The head of the Spencer family had bipr disorder, and it was best not to let the Laurence family know about it, or they would definitely use this weakness against him! Robin was extremely agitated, and it wasn¡¯t until he grabbed the bodyguard¡¯s hand tightly that he calmed down a bit. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± He coldly spat out the word, and with the bodyguard¡¯s help, turned around and walked into the elevator. The moment the elevator door closed, Eleanor¡¯s face and the woman¡¯s face in the photo almost ovepped! ¡°Emilia!¡± No, she looked more like Emilia¡¯s mother, who was his aunt! Why would Bernard¡¯s woman look like Emilia¡¯s mother?! She wouldn¡¯t be the daughter of his aunt, too, because his mother told him that his aunt only had one daughter, Emilia. But Bernard¡¯s woman looked different from Emilia in the photo, which means she wasn¡¯t Emilia. With questions filling his mind, Robin clutched the bodyguard¡¯s arm tightly and ordered coldly, ¡°Find out who that woman is.¡± ¡°Yes, young master,¡± the bodyguard respectfully replied. arm to panic. After the group left, Eleanor, who was still in Bernard¡¯s arms, was still in a panic, holding his waist and forgetting to let go. Bernard looked down at her, and the corner of his mouth slowly curved into a smile. He gently waved his fingers. Cedric got the hint and left with the bodyguards, but he couldn¡¯t help looking back at the two intimately close people. Life is so unpredictable¡­. It used to be Robin showing off his women in front of Bernard, but now it was his woman being snat ched away by someone else. How true that saying was, life is unpredictable and da mn annoying! But Robin liked Eleanor, not Hailey, which gave Cedric some bnce in his heart. He was a bit looking forward to what would happen if Robin and Bernard¡¯spetition shifted from business to fighting over women. Holding Eleanor, Bernard¡¯s fingers stroked her back again and again, ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here.¡± I I His voice was no longer cold, but lower and softer, like a feather, soothing her panicked heart. Eleanor leaned against his chest, nodded lightly, and although she realized she was still holding him, she didn¡¯t let go¡­ The man felt her concern and importance for him, and his heart seemed to be filled with sweetness, the sweet feeling surging up. He gently lifted her chin, leaned down, approached her eyes, and with a low voice, tempted her, ¡°Can I kiss you?¡± Eleanor nced at him, opened her mouth to answer, but then heard Hailey¡¯s anxious voiceing from behind- Chapter 487 Chapter 487 ¡°Eleanor, are you alright?!¡± Hailey had just finished talking to Cedric upstairs and went straight to the office. After freshening up in the bathroom and changing her clothes, she heard Mr. Hammer say: Robin was flirting with Eleanor, and Bernard caught them. Now they¡¯re downstairs having a gunfight. Scared out of her wits, Hailey didn¡¯t even have time to put on her high heels. She rushed downstairs wearing slippers and with her wet hair hanging loose. Hearing Hailey¡¯s voice, Eleanor quickly pushed Bernard away just as he was about to kiss her, and turned to face the frantic Hailey rushing towards her. ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t run so fast, be careful not to fall.¡± Hailey came to a stop in front of Eleanor and checked her over. Seeing that she was indeed unharmed, Hailey¡¯s heart finally settled down. ¡°Eleanor, you scared me to death! I thought something bad happened to you guys!¡± Eleanor raised her hand and patted Hailey¡¯s chest. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s here.¡± It was then that Hailey looked up at Bernard, who stood behind Eleanor like an ice sculpture. Hailey always felt that Bernard¡¯s eyes had an indescribable feeling when he looked at her¡­ It was like he wanted to teach her a lesson, but had to hold back because she was Eleanor¡¯s best friend¡­. Racking her brain, Hailey still couldn¡¯t figure out Bernard¡¯s intentions, so she took Eleanor¡¯s arm and said: Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯ve prepared the super VIP luxury private room for you. Let me show you, I guarantee you¡¯ll be satisfied!¡± Bernard happened to see Eleanor entering the elevator when he passed by the nightclub, so he stopped the car, let his bodyguards wait, and went to find her alone. He thought she was here to visit Hailey, but it turned out she was here to book a private room, which made Bernard¡¯s mood darken. He grabbed Eleanor¡¯s other arm, pulling her away from Hailey. Bernard: ¡°Eleanor, you¡¯re here to party?¡± Eleanor was about to say she was here for apany celebration when Hailey snat ched her back. Hailey: ¡°Eleanor, how many male models do you want?!¡± No way! Her bestie from childhood wasn¡¯t someone Bernard could just take away! Bernard raised an eyebrow at her words, bent down, and got up close to Eleanor. ¡°You¡­ want male prostitute?¡± The burning and intimidating breath on her face made Eleanor ufortable, and she shrank her neck. Just as she was about to shake her head, she saw a gentlemanly finger extended in front of her. Bemard: ¡°Eleanor, male models aren¡¯t as fun as I am. Come on, be good ande home with me to y.¡± Eleanor blushed at his bold words and turned to look at Hailey. Hailey kept a straight face, but thought: Da mn, I can¡¯t even say such things. I admit defeat! She pushed Eleanor back to Berard and waved at them: ¡°You two do whatever you want!¡± Bernard immediately wrapped his arm around Eleanor¡¯s waist and whispered in her ear, ¡°I promise, after ying with me, you won¡¯t think about male prostitute again.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t want to hear his bragging anymore and covered her ears. ¡°I¡¯m here for apany celebration, not to order male models! Don¡¯t be fooled by Hailey!¡± Bernard¡¯s jealousy subsided a bit. ¡°Really?¡± The man¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°I¡¯ll join you.¡± In the super VIP luxury private room, Eleanor looked at the cold and noble man sitting next to her. ¡°You¡­¡± Bemard saw her open her mouth, turned his body, and looked at her affectionately with one arm resting on the sofa. Eleanor tried several times to ask him to leave, but his gaze stopped her, and she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say it. ¡°Eleanor¡­ He spoke up first, showing no courtesy. ¡°It¡¯s a bit hot. Help me take off my coat.¡± Eleanor looked at his beautiful slender hands. ¡°Don¡¯t you have hands?¡± Under the dim and ambiguous lights, Bernard exuded a bewitching charm. ¡°I want you to help me.¡± The soft, boneless touch on his body was like an electric current, drilling into his heart and lungs, making him itch! He picked up Eleanor and made her sit on hisp, tilted his chin up to kiss her, but she blocked his lips with her hand. ¡°Stop messing around! Pearce Hooper and the others from thepany areing soon!¡± Bernard swallowed hard, suppressing the heat in his lower abdomen. Eleanor shivered and struggled to get down, but he held her in ce, not letting her move¡­ Chapter 488 Chapter 488 ¡°Eleanor, undo my shirt.¡± By unbuttoning his shirt he means unbuttoning the cor of the shirt. Eleanor didn¡¯t dare touch him, nor did she want to: ¡°Do it yourself.¡± Bernard moved slightly, and this tiny movement brought a trembling sensation, making Eleanor¡¯s ears blush. ¡°If you help me undo it, I¡¯ll let you go.¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. The man¡¯s voice was unbearably deep and h o ar se: ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Eleanor finally raised her hand to touch the silver-white shirt after seeing him agree. She unbuttoned the first three buttons for him, and saw part of his chest exposed below the open cor¡­. His chest was strong, his skin delicate, his corbone se**y and well-defined, and his Adam¡¯s apple alluring. Looking up further, there was that face, half-hidden in the dim light¡­. Eleanor stared at the C ¡°Eleanor, I miss you so and the more she looked, the more she felt he was seducing her¡­. The many on the couch, looking up at the woman sitting on hisp, he hadn¡¯t touched her in a long time, and he missed her. In this matter, Eleanor, who experienced many years with Bernard, could understand his meaning but chose to pretend not to hear and change the subject. W ¡°You said you¡¯d let me go after unbuttoning your shirt!¡± Not only did Bernard not let go, The man held her The pain swept through him He instinctively let go But the intense ¡°Bernard!¡± he also pressed gently on her waist, and without warning, Eleanor fell on him. hand and stroked her back with the other, about to kiss her, but suddenly his temple started to ache. turning his face pale and draining the color from his lips. of Eleanor, enduring the pain, and put her on the couch before standing up to leave¡­ ain,bined with his unsteady steps, made him copse on the couch. Eleanor saw him suddenly fall and quickly reached out to help him, but he fell on herp. She quickly held him and, feeling a bit at a loss, asked softly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Last time at night, he suddenly fell, and now it happened again, what was going on with him? Bernard seemed not to his beloved woman to worry about him, his face was pale, but he still forced a smile. ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m fine, just a headache, I¡¯ll be fine after some rest.¡± He tried to turn his body, hugged Eleanor¡¯s waist, and then buried his face in her belly, as if she couldn¡¯t see his face that way. Eleanor raised her hand, touched his cold face, and suddenly felt scared: ¡°Let¡¯s go to the hospital!¡± She tried to help him up, but the man¡¯s trembling hand tightly gripped her waist: ¡°Eleanor, I don¡¯t want to go to the hospital¡­¡± Eleanor asked him puzzledly, ¡°Why?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t answer her, but asked: ¡°Eleanor, would you be sad if I were gone?¡± Eleanor¡¯s face turned serious, and she coldly said, ¡°Bernard, I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying. All I know is, if you don¡¯t n to be with me, don¡¯t bother me again.¡± She had already experienced two disappointments, and she didn¡¯t want to face despair again when she was about to give up for the third time. It wouldpletely break her. Bernard tried to suppress the pain, raised his slender hand, and gently touched Eleanor¡¯s cheek: ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m sorry, I was just talking nonsense, don¡¯t be mad, okay?¡± Eleanor looked at Bernard¡¯s pale face, devoid of any color, and her anger was reced by worry: ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± He smiled slightly, and in a soothing voice,forted Eleanor: ¡°It¡¯s just a migraine, don¡¯t worry.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t believe a migraine could cause him to be so unsteady, but Bernard forced himself to slowly stand up from her side. He leaned against the couch, acting as if nothing had happened, turned his head, and smiled at her: ¡°I¡¯ll be fine after some rest.¡± Eleanor frowned, walked to him, and was about to persuade him to go to the hospital when the door of the room was pushed open from outside. Pearce walked in with golden slippers in one hand and golden gloves in the other, followed by everyone from thepany, all excited and boisterous. ¡°Boss, look¡­¡± Before he finished speaking, he saw Bernard sitting on the couch, hidden in the dark corner. ¡°You¡­ you¡­ you¡­ how are you here?¡± Chapter 489 Chapter 489 Pearce received a gift from the owner of the gold shop and nned to use it to thank Eleanor and show off in front of everyone. However, he didn¡¯t expect to meet Mr. Laurence here, what bad luck! The smile on Pearce¡¯s face suddenly froze: ¡°Dude, this ain¡¯t cool!¡± How are we supposed to have fun and celebrate with such a serious guy at the party? The designers behind Pearce saw the chilling man and their smiles also froze halfway. They didn¡¯t even dare to enter, standing at the door, shoving each other: ¡°You go first¡­¡± ¡°No, no, no, you guys go first¡­¡± Eleanor nced at the hesitant designers and then at Bernard. She swallowed and whispered, ¡°How about you go out first, and I¡¯ll join you at the hospital after I deal with them?¡± Bernard loosened his tight grip and gently touched her hair, ¡°I¡¯ll go to the hospital tomorrow, I¡¯ll be with you tonight.¡± He didn¡¯t give anyone a chance to refuse, then lifted his indifferent eyes and coldly stared at the people at the door: ¡°Come in.¡± With just those two words, the designers shuddered, not wanting to go in, but their feet involuntarily moved forward. They sat far away from Bernard, not daring to get close, but Pearce mustered up the courage and approached Bernard. ¡°Mr. Laurence, your presence at our celebration really adds glory to ourpany, I¡¯m truly honored¡­¡± He forced a smile, thinking: I don¡¯t feel any glory or honor, just leave already! Bernard¡¯s starry eyes seemed to have the power to prate people¡¯s hearts, seeing right through Pearce¡¯s thoughts. He patted the sofa next to him, ¡°Pearce, sit down and let¡¯s chat?¡± Seeing Bernard¡¯s cold, gloomy eyes staring at him, Pearce felt a chill down his spine. ¡°Mr. Laurence, I¡¯ll ask the manager to bring something over, you can chat with my boss. Goodbye!¡± He turned to leave but ran into Aidyn, who had just arrived. After a moment of eye contact, Pearce was pushed back in. ¡°Go have a nice chat with our president¡­¡± Pearce couldn¡¯t resist Aidyn¡¯s force and was dragged to sit down next to Bernard. He held the gold bracelet and gold slippers in his hand, and couldn¡¯t help but tremble a bit. He slowly turned his head and looked at the frosty man next to him. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Uh¡­ Mr. Laurence, we don¡¯t really have anything to talk about, do we?¡± Bernard¡¯s cold gaze shifted to his hand, ¡°Who gave you this?¡± Pearce lifted his chin, pointing at Eleanor, ¡°My boss gave it to me!¡± Bernard raised an eyebrow, his eyes with deep meaning looked at Eleanor. I¡¯ve never received a gift from you, yet you gave one to another man! Eleanor seemed to understand his thoughts and tried to exin. However, Pearce was busy showing off the gold as if he was making an offering, disying it right in front of Bernard. ¡°Mr. Laurence, look at this gift my boss gave me. Do you think it looks good and is it high quality?¡± Bernard¡¯s fingers on hisp gently rubbed together, then he snapped his fingers. Aidyn outside the door immediately came in with a group of bodyguards, ¡°Mr. Laurence, what can I do for you?¡± Bernard lifted his chin and coldly ordered, ¡°Call a waiter over to keep Mr. Hooperpany.¡± Chapter 490 Chapter 490 ¡°Waiter?¡± Pearce had no idea, looking at Eleanor. Eleanor didn¡¯t know either, shaking her head at him. Just as they were both confused, Aidyn walked in with a shiny, handsome guy. Pearce looked at the ¡°waiter¡±, actually a male prostitute, swaying his hips and walking over, feeling utterly terrified: Oh my Go d! He was so scared he tried to run, but the male prostitute pinned him down on the couch. A mix of male and female perfume filled his nostrils, and Pearce almost threw up: ¡°Get off me!¡± The male prostitute not only didn¡¯t let go but reached out to touch his handsome face: ¡°Buddy, I¡¯m all yours tonight, let me help you rx!¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Before Pearce could finish, he felt something cold on his cheek! His eyes widened, and Pearcepletely broke down! ¡°Oh my Go d! I¡¯ve been tainted!¡± A group of designers in the distance saw this andughed so hard their shoulders shook: ¡°Pearce, you¡¯re such a lucky dog!¡± Pearce, who was resisting with all his might, desperately struggling, thought: I want a woman, not a male prostitute! Eleanor was seeing such a big scene for the first time, her big bright eyes staring at Pearce and the male prostitute struggling. Just as she was getting fired up, a strong hand suddenly covered her eyes, and a warm touch came to her ear. ¡°Eleanor,e with me.¡± Eleanor¡¯s heart trembled, avoiding his touch and shaking her head. ¡°I haven¡¯t started celebrating with them yet, it¡¯s not good to leave like this, wait for me¡­¡± Before she could finish, she was suddenly picked up by a man who lifted her from the couch. Holding the woman in his arms, he faced the crowd: ¡°I¡¯ll cover tonight¡¯s expenses, you guys have fun.¡± With that, the man carried Eleanor and walked straight out of the room. Pearce, pinned to the couch, looked desperate as he watched Eleanor¡¯s retreating figure. ¡°Remember, you owe me!¡± Eleanor heard Pearce¡¯s voice and felt a little sympathetic, gently tugging on Bernard¡¯s sleeve. ¡°He¡¯s my teacher, don¡¯t be like that to him¡­¡± Bernard¡¯s eyes dropped to Eleanor in his arms. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just a joke.¡± Eleanor sighed in relief and gently patted his arm. ¡°Then put me down.¡± His face was pale, probably still in pain from a headache, yet he still had the strength to carry her. The man didn¡¯t say anything, just held her tightly in his arms, unwilling to let go. Eleanor looked at the dim light in the hallway and the stubborn man in front of her. ¡°Bernard¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± He answered softly, his voice trembling as if enduring pain. Eleanor¡¯s hand on his shoulder unconsciously tightened: ¡°Let¡¯s go to the hospital now.¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Bernard¡¯s face was pale, showing a faint smile: ¡°I¡¯ll go tomorrow, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°No problem, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± He always used such words to soothe her anxiety. She looked up at the man¡¯s razor-sharp face, pondering the question she had just asked: Would she be sad if he was dead? Would she? Eleanor couldn¡¯t find the answer, so she just buried her face deep in his chest. couldn¡¯t ¡°Bernard, you have to take care of yourself. He was so strong that no one could take him away, not even death itself. ¡°Alright¡­¡± He answered her softly again, as if making a promise, giving her endless hope. Chapter 491 Chapter 491 As he led Eleanor into the elevator, Hailey hurried over from the hall ¡°Wait a moment, I¡¯ve got something to tell you guys¡± Hailey had been so worried about Eleanor¡¯s condition earlier that she¡¯d forgotten to tell them why Robin hade to the nightclub. ¡°Mr. Laurence, Eleanor¡± Hailey walked up to them and said, ¡°Robin came to the nightclub to look for Emilia.¡± Upon hearing this, Eleanor immediately gestured for Bernard to put her down. Once she was standing steadily, she frowned at Hailey. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Why is he looking for my sister?¡± Could it be that Robin recognized her because he knew her sister? ¡°From the way he talked, it seemed like he was here to cause trouble for Emilia.¡± ¡°My sister¡¯s enemy?¡± Hailey shook her head, indicating that she wasn¡¯t very sure. ¡°I only know that he came here because he found out that you were the first person I met after returning from G country, and that our meeting ce was the nightclub. That¡¯s why he came looking¡± ¡°I told him your whereabouts. I guess he doesn¡¯t know that Emilia has passed away, so I deliberately misled him, saying that Emilia had gone to W City. I don¡¯t know if he¡¯ll be fooled?¡± The news of Emilia¡¯s death had been concealed by Ethan, and only a few people who were close to her knew about it. Robin didn¡¯t even know that Emilia had died, which meant he wasn¡¯t a close acquaintance of hers and might indeed be seeking revenge. After exining the situation, Hailey looked at Bernard: ¡°Eleanor is still using Emilia¡¯s identity, which is very dangerous.¡± Bernard understood her reminder, but didn¡¯t say much. He just nodded lightly at Hailey: ¡°Leave it to me.¡± Those words slightly eased Hailey¡¯s tension. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll rest easy then.¡± She finished speaking, patted Eleanor on the shoulder, and said, ¡°I¡¯m off to get busy. You go back and rest soon.¡± Eleanor nodded, waved to Hailey, and then was led into the elevator by Bernard. He looked at Aidyn, who followed them in: ¡°Regarding Eleanor using Emilia¡¯s identity, make sure everything is taken care of so Robin can¡¯t find her.¡± Aidyn respectfully nodded: ¡°Yes, Mr. Laurence.¡± After giving the order, Bernard lowered his head and said to Eleanor, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯ve already ordered your identity to be restored. From now on, just use your own identity.¡± Eleanor hesitated for a moment, looking up at the tall man, ¡°But my sister¡¯s project isn¡¯t finished yet¡­¡± Bernard smiled faintly, touching her shoulder¨Clength hair, ¡°You can continue using her identity to help herplete the project. There¡¯s no conflict in that.¡± Even if there were conflicts with having a double identity, he would help her handle everything behind the scenes. The reassuring touch of his hand slightly eased Eleanor¡¯s worries: ¡°Can Robin really not find me?¡± She had been to W City before and met the person in charge of the aerospace project. As long as Robin checked the surveince footage, he might know her real identity. If Robin found out that she wasn¡¯t actually Emilia, would hee after her for old scores? Bernard scoffed, ¡°When could Robin ever find the information I want to hide?¡± Seeing the confidence shining in his eyes, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help butugh too, feeling more and more at ease with him around¡­ Chapter 492 Chapter 492 In the extendent version of Lincoln, Aidyn got into the driver¡¯s seat and automatically put down the sun visor. Eleanor nced at Bernard, noticing his pale face, and couldn¡¯t help but worry, ¡°Are you alright?¡± Bemard shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Eleanor frowned. Before she could finish her sentence, Bemard reached out with his long arm, grabbed her, and pulled her onto hisp, lifting his chin to kiss her. Eleanor¡¯s small hands clung to his broad shoulders, tightly gripping his silky white shirt, as she lowered her head to ept his passionate, wild kisses. Already insatiable, the man felt it wasn¡¯t enough. Bemard suddenly slid his hand to her waist and pressed forward. ¡°Kiss or make love, choose one.¡± As he spoke, Bernard had already moved to her ear, biting her earlobe. The scorching heat seemed to prate her eardrum, making her instinctively want to avoid it. But the man raised his broad palm, holding the back of her head, not allowing her to move¡­. ¡°If you don¡¯t choose, let¡¯s start with a kiss.¡± Eleanor opened her mouth to say she didn¡¯t want either, but was suddenly kissed on the earlobe. The burning sensation, like an electric current piercing through, spread throughout her body in an instant. She couldn¡¯t stand Bernard¡¯s seductive skills, pushing him away and turning her head to avoid him. But the man took advantage of her turning her head, lowered his head to kiss her neck, and then slowly devoured her corbone¡­ The feeling of his lips and teeth grazing her skin was so numbing that it prated her bones, making even her fingers clinging to his shoulder curl up. Eleanor¡¯s delicate body, under his relentless kisses, uncontrobly trembled¡­ Sensing her trembling, the man seized the moment, supporting her waist, and flipped her over, pressing her onto the car seat.. He leaned down, kissing her red lips, their hot bodies entwined together. Just as they were about to suffocate, the man¡¯s hand grabbed her small hand and ced it on his belt¡­. A husky, s**y voice came from between his lips, ¡°Help me, undo it.¡± Eleanor blushed when she saw the expensive belt, ¡°No, I can¡¯t¡­ As if suddenly snapping out of her trance, she pushed the man off her, sat up straight, and tidied her disheveled clothes. Bernard, whose eyes were already filled with lust, stared intently at her lovely side profile. ¡°Is it too inconvenient in the car? We can do it at home, huh?¡± He didn¡¯t touch her again but asked her this question, making Eleanor¡¯s face even redder. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Is your headache gone?¡± ¡°It still hurts.¡± ¡°Then why¡­ He lightly pecked her red lips again, ¡°To prove to you that I¡¯m fine.¡± No wonder he suddenly kissed her; it was because of this. Taking a deep breath, Eleanor raised her slender hand and touched his temple.. While rubbing Bernard¡¯s head, she whispered softly: ¡°Take care of your health, get some rest when we get home, and don¡¯t stay upte.¡± Her warm, caring voice, along with her soft, white fingers, eased away all his pain. Bernard looked up at her, and his cold heart gradually felt warmth¡­ His Eleanor seemed to be caring more and more about him, how wonderful¡­ Chapter 493 Chapter 493 The car quickly arrived at Hailey¡¯s vi, and Eleanor withdrew her fingers that rubbed his temples, and said to him, ¡°I¡¯ll apany you to the hospital tomorrow.¡± Bemard nodded lightly, held her waist, raised his head, and kissed her again before reluctantly letting go: ¡°Good night.¡± Eleanor also replied ¡®good night¡® and got out of the car. As she reached out to push the vi door, she looked back. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Behind the half¨Clowered car window, his face appeared, as pure and noble as the moonlight Eleanor smiled at him, then turned around and walked into the vi¡­. In the car, the man saw the door close, and his struggling body suddenly fell onto the back seat. ¡®Aidyn, painkillers.¡± Aidyn quickly took out the painkillers, raised the partition, and handed the pills to Bernard. The man took them, put them in his mouth, his face deathly pale. Seeing Mr. Laurence like this, Aidyn¡¯s brow furrowed, and his face was full of worry. ¡°Mr. Laurence, when did you start having headaches?¡± If he remembered correctly, Mr. Laurence¡¯s older brother also started having headaches before he died. With one hand supporting his head, Bernard looked at Aidyn with cold eyes that seemed like ice. ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone to know about my headaches.¡± Aidyn didn¡¯t obediently nod like before, but looked at him uneasily. ¡°Is it because you¡¯ve taken too many sleeping pills over the past three years, plus not sleeping much lately, that¡¯s causing the headaches?¡± His older brother took control of the Laurence family at eighteen, overworked himself to death, and headaches were the first symptom. Mr. Laurence had been whipped and abused by Donna Stanley¨CLaurence since he was a child, and his body was already full of scars¡­. After losing Ms. Shultz, Bernard nearly died from a gunshot wound while saving Garett Falsey, even though his suicide attempt failed. After barely being saved, he relied on cigarettes, alcohol, and sleeping pills to get by, or he worked tirelessly¡­ When Ms. Shultz came back, he was even more heartbroken because he couldn¡¯t make up for his past mistakes, and he suffered from several stomach bleeds¡­ Lately, he hadn¡¯t slept well since returning from W City, staying up until his eyes were bloodshot, and now he¡¯s having headaches. Aidyn was afraid that Mr. Laurence would wear out his body just like his older brother did¡­. ¡°It¡¯s just a headache, I won¡¯t die.¡± After saying this, he ordered Aidyn: ¡°Transfer all my assets to Eleanor in secret, without her knowing.¡± Upon hearing this, Aidyn¡¯s face turned even paler with fear. ¡°Mr. Laurence, what¡¯s going on?¡± Why would he suddenly transfer all his assets to Ms. Shultz? Could it be that Mr. Laurence was really in a bad state, so he started making arrangements for after his death?! The man leaning back in his car seat, gripping his temples with one hand, rubbed them hard: ¡°I said, once she regains her identity, I¡¯ll give her everything I have.¡± Aidyn stared at him, trying to discern the truth from his words, but couldn¡¯t see anything. He wanted to ask Mr. Laurence what was going on, but then he heard his cold, indifferent voice- ¡°Aidyn, I love her very, very much.¡± That love had seeped into his bones, so he was willing to give her everything unreservedly. Aidyn didn¡¯t understand love, nor did he know how deep Mr. Laurence¡¯s love was for her. He only knew that the Mr. Laurence he used to know was restrained, patient, calm, and distant, never touching any emotions. But since meeting Ms. Shultz, he had be scarred, battered, and even willing to give up his life. Aidyn gripped the steering wheel tightly, looking at the man in the rearview mirror, and sighed heavily. ¡°Mr. Laurence, since you love Ms. Shultz so much, I hope you take good care of yourself, don¡¯t lie to me, and don¡¯t lie to her.¡°/ Bernard turned his head and looked out the car window. Seeing the warm yellow light on the second floor of the vi, his eyes. overflowed with twinkling stars. He had promised her that he would make up for everything in his life, and he would never let her down again, unless she didn¡¯t want him¡­ Chapter 494 Chapter 494 Eleanor had a rough night and still felt a bit crappy when she woke up the next morning She got out of bed, walked out of the bathroom, grabbed her phone and bag, and left the vi. She nned to find Bernard and go to the hospital with him, but he was already waiting for her outside. The dude was wearing an expensive suit, sunsses, and holding a bouquet of roses, leaning against the car door. He saw Eleanoring out and shed a good looking smile, ¡°Eleanor¡­¡± Eleanor also gave a slight smile as they both walked towards each other. Bernard handed the flowers to Eleanor: ¡°These are for you.¡± Eleanor took the flowers, looked up at the man in the backlight, and bravely took off his sunsses. She saw his once bright eyes now covered with red veins, no longer shining ¡°Your eyes¡­¡± Bernard raised his hand, gently touched Eleanor¡¯s hair, and whispered to her, ¡°It¡¯s because of poor sleep.¡± He then took the sunsses from Eleanor, put them back on, and held her hand. Eleanor looked at Bernard holding her hand and subconsciously tightened her grip. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the hospital for a check¨Cup.¡± Bernard nodded, led her into the car, and carefully helped her buckle up her seatbelt. He fed her breakfast before driving to the hospital. Liana was abroad attending a medical conference and hadn¡¯t returned yet. The deputy dean received Bernard. After checking his eyes, the deputy dean said that his eyes were seriously congested, indeed caused by poor sleep, and would be fine if he improved his sleep. Next, they checked his head. The deputy dean looked for neurological issues but didn¡¯t say much, only arranging for him to have an MRI Eleanor couldn¡¯t enter the MRI room, so she waited outside. About half an hourter, Bernard came out. Eleanor saw the deputy deaning out with him and asked anxiously, ¡°Is his head okay?¡°, The deputy dean nced at the cold¨Cfaced Bernard and replied, ¡°It¡¯s just a migraine, no big deal.¡± Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief but still cautiously asked the deputy dean, ¡°Where¡¯s the report?¡± The deputy dean nodded, and the nurse brought the report to Eleanor. Eleanor carefully read the report, and when she was sure there were no problems, she finally rxed. Thank goodness it was just a migraine. Bernard saw the tense Eleanor finally rx and couldn¡¯t help but ruffle her hair, ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t worry.¡± Eleanor obediently replied ¡®okay¡® and went to find the deputy dean to prescribe some medication for migraines and sleep improvement. After sorting these things out, Eleanor checked the time on her phone and quickly said to Bernard, ¡°I have to go to ss now. You should go home and rest after picking up your medication. Don¡¯t go to the company.¡± She wanted to leave after speaking, but Bernard grabbed her wrist, ¡°What ss are you going to?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t tell him, only giving a mysterious smile, ¡°You¡¯ll find outter.¡± Seeing her smile, a hint of a smile appeared in his eyes, ¡°Let me take you.¡± ¡°No need, I¡¯ll call a cab. She was still a bit embarrassed to tell him about her secret French sses, so she turned down his offer. Bernard watched her hurry away from the hospital, a bitter smile on his lips as he gazed at her petite figure, Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. He slowly looked away, his bloodshot eyes coldly staring at the deputy dean behind his sunsses, ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone know about this, including Liana.¡± The deputy dean looked up at him and answered very respectfully, ¡°Yes, Mr. Laurence. After leaving the hospital, Bernard got in the car, took out his phone, and made a call to the dean of the W City. Chapter 495 Chapter 495 After Bernard hung up the phone, Caleb, who was disguised, opened the car door and got in. ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve looked into the cause of the young master¡¯s death.¡± Bernard put down his phone, looking tired, and nodded for Caleb to continue ¡°The young master indeed died from overwork, which led to a sudden brain disease. I¡¯ve thoroughly investigated the doctors, nurses, who took care of the young master, and everyone who had been in contact with him, including the drugs he used. Everything checks out, no discrepancies.¡± Bernard slightly furrowed his brows, his pale expression carrying a hint of coldness, ¡°You mean Sophie Ratliff is lying?¡± Caleb quickly concluded, ¡°Ms. Ratliff probably lied about the young master¡¯s cause of death to protect herself.¡± Bernard recalled the past events and felt a headacheing, with no energy to delve deeper, he just waved at Caleb. As Caleb was getting out of the car, he looked like he remembered something and asked, ¡°Mr. Laurence, wasn¡¯t there no autopsy done on the young master back then?¡± Bernard rubbed his temples and nodded. To preserve their brother¡¯s dignity, both the Laurence family and the Stanley family didn¡¯t do an autopsy. Caleb¡¯s hand on the car door tightened. Without an autopsy, the doctors could only determine the cause of death based on the previous symptoms. There was too much room for maniption in this. Perhaps there was indeed some hidden truth behind the young master¡¯s death. Caleb looked at Mr. Law¡¯s tired face, thought for a while, but still didn¡¯t tell him this baseless guess. Instead of worrying him, it was better to investigate further, and then find him when he had solid evidence. After Caleb left, Aidyn, who was waiting nearby, quickly got into the car, ¡°Mr. Laurence, is the inspection report out?¡± Bernard, who just dealt with Caleb, impatiently threw the report at Aidyn, ¡°See for yourself.¡± Aidyn carefully reviewed the report several times before finally rxing, ¡°Good, everything¡¯s fine.¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Bernard nced at him and couldn¡¯t help but smile when he saw the usually unsmiling Aidyn grinning. ¡°Is Robin¡¯s matter taken care of?¡± ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± In W City, Robin stood in front of the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows, listening to his assistant¡¯s report with an agitated expression: ¡°Young Master, we found Bernard¡¯s woman, Eleanor. She¡¯s just an orphan with no background.¡± ¡°An orphan?¡± Robin raised his eyebrows, looking impatiently at his assistant, ¡°Did you check her rtionship with Emilia?¡± The assistant didn¡¯t dare to waste any time and quickly replied, ¡°I did, and they have no connection whatsoever.¡± Robin angrily smashed the wine ss in his hand, ¡°Then why do they look so alike?!¡± The shattered ss hit the assistant¡¯s leather shoes, but he didn¡¯t dare to move, ¡°Could it be that they¡¯re the child of that man and his mistress?¡± The child born to that scumbag and the third party?! Robin felt increasingly agitated when thinking about theseplicated questions. Due to his bipr disorder, he couldn¡¯t concentrate on thinking. Once he started, his head felt like it was about to explode. Seeing Robin¡¯s impending meltdown, his personal assistant quickly spoke up to help clear up his doubts. ¡°Young Master, she can¡¯t be their child. If she were, she wouldn¡¯t be an orphan.¡± ¡°Moreover, she wouldn¡¯t have gotten involved with Bernard for just a little bit of money, let alone rely on being his lover to elevate her status¡­¡± Chapter 496 Chapter 496 Chapter 496 The personal assistant¡¯s words gradually calmed Robin¡¯s annoyed and chaotic mood ¡°Bernard is only worthy of such a woman.¡± He sneered, then turned and sat on the sofa, with a gloating smile in his eyes. Seeing the young masterugh, the special assistant continued to tter him: ¡°Young master, you are much better than Bernard in this regard.¡± Of course, he would never be interested in a woman who sold herself! With Bernard¡¯s cold personality, probably no woman would want him, so he had to settle for any trashy woman he could find. Robin felt much better, raised his finger, and asked his assistant, ¡°Where¡¯s Emilia in the W City right now?¡± The assistant, who had been standing still, turned around and faced him when he heard the question. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Miss Emilia is no longer in the W City, she took a private jet to the Pacific.¡± ¡°Pacific Ocean?¡± Robin¡¯s emotions, which had just calmed down, became agitated again. ¡°What is she doing in the Pacific?!¡± The assistant stuttered while rying the information he had found: ¡°They say¡­ Miss Emilia likes fishing¡­¡± Upon hearing the word ¡®fishing Robin trembled with anger: ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± The assistant shook his head innocently, ¡°Young master, the information I found is indeed like this. If you don¡¯t believe it, I can take you to the Aerospace Bureau to inquire.¡± Robin¡¯s hand clenched the leather sofa tightly. He tried to control his temper and asked coldly, ¡°Where in the Pacific?¡± The assistant swallowed and trembled as he answered, ¡°Not¡­ not sure, they can¡¯t find the specific location!¡± The man on the sofa suddenly destroyed the leather sofa, and the sponge inside tumbled out. *Useless! A bunch of useless people!¡± He got up and wanted to kick the assistant hard, but his personal assistant stopped him. ¡°Young master, don¡¯t be impulsive. At least we know Miss Emilia is in the Pacific now. It¡¯s better than having no news at all a few months ago.¡± Robin clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, ¡°Prepare the private jet! To the Pacific!!!¡± The special assistant opened his mouth, wanting to persuade Robin to send someone to investigate the specific location first, but he was afraid it would anger him. Also, he felt that this modus operandi seemed very familiar, very much like the way Bernard once tricked Robin into running around the world. During this period, Pearce began to survey construction sites all over the world. He nned to visit more than 50 project sites in one go, connecting with all the other parties. After that, Eleanor only needed to stay at home and draw design sketches, and thepany¡¯s people would take care of the rest. After learning that Bernard had only suffered from a migraine, Eleanor was busy attending French sses during the day and drawing blueprints at night. Except for when he went on a business trip to the W City and sent Aidyn to deliver flowers, every time Eleanor opened the door, she would always see him waiting for her with flowers in his hands. Every time she received the roses he sent, Eleanor would carefully unwrap them and put them in a vase. When she was tired of drawing, she would look at the flowers. The light pink, elegant, and charming petals were like the warmth he brought to her, gradually seeping into her heart. As Eleanor was staring at the flowers in a daze, Hailey¡¯s voice came from outside the door: ¡°Eleanor, there¡¯s a Dr. Howell looking for you.¡± Dr. Howell? Tyler Howell? Eleanor put down the tools in her hands, stood up, and walked out of the study. From afar, she saw Tyler, in a neatly dressed suit, standing by the car at the entrance of the vi. Chapter 497 Chapter 497 Chapter 497 Sitting on the yoga mat in the living room, Hailey wipes the sweat off her forehead with a towel and asks Eleanor, ¡°Who¡¯s that guy?¡± Hailey hadn¡¯t seen Tyler before, so she had no idea who he was Eleanor exined, ¡°He¡¯s Liana¡¯s brother She remembered Liana mentioning that although Tyler was technically her brother, they weren¡¯t actually rted by blood, and their rtionship was prettyplicated. Hailey eyed Eleanor nervously, ¡°Is Liana¡¯s brother into you or something?¡± Coming to find Eleanorte at night, it was obvious he was up to something. If Bernard found out, Tyler would probably be screwed. Eleanorughed and took the milk from the maid, handing it to Hailey, ¡°Tyler¡¯s Liana¡¯s boyfriend. Don¡¯t overthink it.¡± Hailey, who had just taken a sip of milk, almost choked, ¡®Cough, cough, cough! What¡¯s going on?!¡± Aren¡¯t they siblings?! After teasing Hailey, Eleanorughed and walked out of the vi. ¡°Dr. Howell, what brings you here sote?¡± Tyler, who was smoking, saw hering out, broke the cigarette in his hand and threw it in the trash. ¡°Is Liana here?¡± Liana didn¡¯t have many friends, and the only ones she was close to were Eleanor and Hailey. Tyler had been looking for Liana for nearly half a month, and since he couldn¡¯t find her, he had no choice but to swallow his pride ande to Eleanor. Eleanor shook her head, ¡°She¡¯s not here.¡± A look of anxiety appeared on Tyler¡¯s handsome face, ¡°Do you know where she went?¡± Eleanor looked puzzled at Tyler, ¡°Liana¡¯s at an international conference, didn¡¯t you know?¡± Tyler¡¯s face turned pale, ¡°The conference ended early, but she and Dr. Webb didn¡¯te back.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t know how to respond to this, so she just stared nkly at Tyler. Under the dim streetlight, Tyler stood in front of Eleanor for a long time. Finally, without saying anything, he turned and left. Eleanor watched his retreating figure and called out, ¡°Dr. Howell¡­¡± Tyler opened the car door, didn¡¯t look back, but stopped in his tracks¡­ Facing the moonlight and the cool breeze in May, he said with red eyes, ¡°You women, do you all like to seduce men and then abandon them without hesitation?¡± Eleanor wanted to exin on behalf of Liana, but Tyler had already gotten in the car, closed the door, and quickly drove away. The day Liana came back, Eleanor had just finished taking her medication. Liana seemed to have timed it perfectly, showing up with the medicine at this exact moment. Eleanor was sitting in the garden, arranging flowers in a vase while talking on the phone with Bernard, who was in W City. ¡°Eleanor.¡± Hearing Liana¡¯s voice, Eleanor quickly turned around and saw the s***y and charming Liana in a red dress and quickly stood up. ¡°Liana, you¡¯re back?¡± Liana walked up to Eleanor with a smile and picked up the medicine box in her hand, shaking it, ¡°I brought you your medicine.¡± Eleanor said ¡°thank you¡± before telling her, ¡°Liana, Tyler¡¯s been looking for you everywhere. Have you seen him?¡± Liana¡¯s cheerful expression disappeared when she heard Tyler¡¯s name, ¡°I don¡¯t want to see him.¡± Eleanor hesitated but didn¡¯t ask Liana why. She just took the medicine box from her and ced it on the small round table in the garden. Liana and Tyler had always seemed close the few times in the past, but Liana apparently wasn¡¯t happy and seemed forced. There must be some unspeakable history between them. Since Liana wasn¡¯t talking, Eleanor wouldn¡¯t ask to avoid reopening her old wounds. Liana didn¡¯t exin further, only changing the subject, ¡°Eleanor, after taking the medicine for half a month, you should be able to try with Mr. Laurence again. Put it on the table, turn on the hands-free phone, Bernard¡¯s voice suddenly came through the phone, ¡°Try what?¡±Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Chapter 498 Chapter 498 Liana was freaked out, ¡°Mr. Laurence¡­.¡± How did he end up on the phone? Eleanor quickly picked up the phone and said into the phone, ¡°Got to hang up. We¡¯ll chatter Just as she was about to press the hang-up button, the man on the other end reacted quickly and said, ¡°Wait till I get back, and then we¡¯ll try Liana couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Eleanor, I guess I¡¯ll wait until you guys have tried it before I make a new prescription for you.¡± Eleanor blushed, hung up the phone quickly, and heard Hailey, who was lying on the balcony, asking loudly, ¡°Try what? I want to try it too!¡± Liana couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore andughed so hard she bent over. Standing by the white fence, Tyler saw Liana¡¯sughter, and his nk expression softened a bit. Eleanor raised her hand to her forehead and saw Tyler outside the vi. She quickly nudged Liana) ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Liana followed Eleanor¡¯s gaze, looked back at the fence, and herughter stopped when she saw that handsome figure. She stopped smiling, thought for a few seconds, and then got up and said to Eleanor, ¡°Let me go see him, and we¡¯ll chatter.¡± Liana walked quickly out of the vi and went to Tyler, her cold face raising a deliberate smile. Tyler saw the smile on her face, and his heart felt like it had been pricked, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯ve been faking your smile.¡± She had never shown him such a sincere and natural smile before; she had always given him a fake smile. Tyler approached Liana, pushing her against the fence, and asked her, ¡°Did you get close to me and seduce me just for revenge?¡± Liana clenched her fist and shook her head with a smile, ¡°I got close to you because I love you. How could it be for revenge?¡± Tyler sneered, ¡°If you love me, then why did you go on a trip with Dr. Webb after the seminar?¡± Liana raised both hands when she heard this, hooked his neck, and asked him with a smile, ¡°Are you jealous?¡± She thought Tyler would reply with his usual, ¡°How could I possibly be jealous of an ordinary woman like you?¡± But he suddenly became angry, grabbed her face like a madman, and roared through gritted teeth, ¡°Yes, I am jealous! I¡¯ve been searching for you for half a month, and you went on a trip with another man! Do you know what I¡¯ve been doing the entire time? I¡¯ve been begging the Howell family to let me marry you, and you¡­¡± He didn¡¯t finish his sentence, but his eyes suddenly turned red. He had always loved this woman deeply, but she didn¡¯t love him anymore¡­ Maybe she never loved him, and everything was just a lie. Liana looked at Tyler, who was gradually losing control because of her, and the anger in her eyes became clear. ¡°So, did they agree to let you marry me?¡± Tyler didn¡¯t answer her question, but asked her with red eyes, ¡°Liana, how far have you gone with Dr. Webb?¡± Liana broke free from his tight grip, and said coldly, ¡°I¡¯ve decided to ept him¡­¡± Tyler¡¯s heart ached violently when he heard those words. He could hardly breathe, but a sarcastic smile appeared on his face. ¡°Liana, did you forget? You¡¯re my woman, and I¡¯m Tyler Howell!¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. He grabbed Liana¡¯s waist and pulled her tightly into his arms, lowered his head and kissed her lips. He tried his best to punish Liana for her disobedience, but she pushed him away forcefully. Chapter 499 Chapter 499 ¡°What am I to you?¡± Liana looked up at the man who was taller than her. He continued questioning her, ¡°You never acknowledged me, never really included me in your life, and definitely will not marry me. So what am I to you? Just a bed buddy? Tyler, tell me, what sort of rtionship do we have?¡± Tyler¡¯s face turned pale, and he hugged Liana again, gently resting her head on his chest, ¡°Liana, I¡¯ll find a way to marry you. Can you wait a little longer for me?¡± Liana saw the panic in Tyler¡¯s eyes, he was afraid she would leave him because of this. Liana knew that her n had probably seeded, but there was still one more step to take- And that was to make Tyler pay the price! Lianay quietly in his arms and asked, ¡°When do you n to marry me?¡± After a few moments of silence, Tyler answered firmly, ¡°Leave the Howell family, and cut off all ties.¡± After saying this, he gently lifted Liana¡¯s chin, looking straight into her eyes, ¡®Liana, I will marry you. Don¡¯t ept Will.¡± Liana gently pushed Tyler away. When she looked up at him again, there was no more fake love in her eyes, only hatred. She smiled slightly, ¡°But I don¡¯t want to marry you. I never wanted to marry you.¡± Tyler¡¯s heart trembled. He thought he knew what Liana¡¯s intentions were, but he still didn¡¯t believe it. He reached out to hug her again, but Liana coldly pushed him away. His hand hung in the air for a moment, as he tried to suppress his emotions. He grabbed Liana¡¯s shoulders and hugged her tightly, ¡°Liana, take back what you just said. Let¡¯s pretend nothing happened.¡± Liana could feel his body shaking. She sneered, ¡°Tyler, you already know the answer in your heart.¡± His hands stiffened for a moment, but uncontrobly hugged her tighter, ¡°Liana, did you fall for Will? Is that why you¡¯re saying these cold words to me?¡± Liana didn¡¯t respond and chose to remain silent instead. Not because she felt sympathy for him, but because she believed the best way to torture someone was to do it slowly. Liana would torture him bit by bit. She would make Tyler kneel and apologize in front of her! She would make Tyler repent for everything he had done to her for the rest of his life! Tyler didn¡¯t get a reply from her and thought she had really fallen for Dr. Webb. His expression suddenly changed again. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. He tightly gripped her chin, staring at the face that had fascinated him, and yelled again, ¡°Speak!!!¡± Compared to the emotional Tyler, Liana seemed extremely calm, as if she had no involvement in this. She provokingly said, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± As soon as she spoke, a hand brutally pped her face. Liana turned her head, blood dripped from the corner of her mouth. It was a shocking and heart¨C wrenching moment. Tyler hid his trembling hand behind him, his eyes reddened, staring intently at Liana. A few secondster, he took a step forward, but Liana took a step back, ¡°Please don¡¯te any closer.¡± She raised her hand to stop him from approaching her. She gently touched her face; it was swollen from the impact. She looked up at Tyler, ¡°When will you stop hitting me?¡± As she said this, tears suddenly fell¡­ Ever since they were young, whenever Tyler got angry, he would always beat her up, destroying all her love and admiration for him Tyler, oh Tyler, did you know, I once loved you so deeply. Why did you have to be so cruel, ruining everything we had! Chapter 500 Chapter 500 Those tears fell and felt like fire rolling down her cheeks, deeply hurting Tyler¡¯s heart. His hands trembled behind him He clenched his fists and walked towards Liana, but Eleanor and Hailey rushed out of the vi and blocked his way Hailey hugged Liana tightly. She checked the injuries on her face, while Eleanor stood in front of Liana, scowling at Tyler ¡°Dr. Howell, what the hell are you trying to do?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t understand Tyler¡¯s intentions. She knew Tyler cared about Liana, so why would he hurt her? Tyler didn¡¯t answer Eleanor. His deep eyes were full of confusion, and he stared at Liana. Liana covered her face, also looking back at him. All she saw in his eyes was disappointment. After a moment of staring at each other, Liana spoke first, ¡°Tyler. After all these years, I said I loved you and wanted to marry you, I was lying. I don¡¯t love you, and I don¡¯t want to marry you¡­.¡± Tyler¡¯s handsome face turned pale, ¡°What are you saying¡­. Liana lowered her hand, revealing her swollen face, and gently smiled, ¡°You hurt me once, and now I¡¯ve hurt you too. We¡¯re even, and it¡¯s over between us.¡± After saying that, she grabbed Hailey and Eleanor¡¯s hands and turned away. Tyler looked at her back, his heart ached. It was an unbearable pain. ¡°Liana, did you ever like me?¡± Was everything just for revenge? Liana stopped, turned around, and looked at the man who had been with her for most of her life. She suddenlyughed. ¡°I used to like you very much¡­. When she was 14, the boy she had always called Tyler saved her life, and she had fallen for him. Her deep affection for him made her follow him everywhere. She never wavered her feelings, no matter how he treated her. She hoped Tyler would like her too, but¡­. Lianaughed and then cried, ¡°Tyler, do you know, I studied medicine because of you. You once told me that if I became an excellent doctor like you, you would marry me. You said it casually, but I took it seriously. It was a lifelong pursuit, even though I never like medicine¡­¡± Tyler¡¯s heartache grew more intense, ¡°You never told me.¡± From childhood, she was like a little mute. She followed him silently, and never expressed her true emotions or smiled. She faced his teasing and ridicule, and looked at him stupidly. Did the Liana, who couldn¡¯t be driven away or scolded away, like him? ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Tears filled Liana¡¯s eyes, but she forced a smile as she looked at Tyler, ¡°On my 18th birthday, I wanted to tell you that I liked you. What did you do that night? You arranged for me to be sexually assaulted, and so many people held me down. I kept calling your name, hoping you would save me, but you just sat in the car without reacting¡± As Liana said this, she held back her tears. The look in her eyes was filled with hatred instead of love. She tightly held Hailey and Eleanor¡¯s hands, using all her strength. She screamed out all the resentment she had hidden deep in her heart for years, ¡°Since then, I got pregnant. I didn¡¯t know who the father was. All I knew was that my uterus was weak and I couldn¡¯t have an abortion. But you did the surgery yourself, took out my baby, and insulted the unborn child and me. You were the one who pushed me to this point, but you turned around and insulted me? W hy were you so careless during the abortion? I got an infection! You¡¯re a medical genius. You were more than capable of preventing it, but you didn¡¯t. You took out my uterus, deprived me of the chance to be a mother, and left me weak-bodied, in a remote ce. Do you know, if it weren¡¯t for my cousin and Mr. Laurence showing up that night, I could have died? ¡°Can I say that I used to like you? Do I still like you?¡± Chapter 501 Chapter 501 Chapter 501 Tyler¡¯s face was so pale it was almost transparent. The terrifying memories shed through his mind and made him tremble all over. ¡°Liana, I¡­ I didn¡¯t know you used to like me, I thought that night you were going to leave with another guy, His words were all jumbled up as he took a step forward, wanting to hug Liana. He wanted to exin the misunderstandings they had from their youth. He wanted to tell her that if they didn¡¯t remove her womb, she would have died. He wanted to exin that throwing her into the wilderness wasn¡¯t his intention. But Liana just looked at him coldly, ¡°Tyler, do you know how I survived during those ten years abroad? My hatred for you gave me the strength to hold on. Every day I thought I had to make you fall in love with me, and hopefully take my revenge!¡± Had she nned and waited for ten years for this moment? Tyler stood still. He was so close to Liana, but their hearts were so far away fromn each other. He stared at her, but he could no longer see any love for him in her eyes. Not even a pretence. S o, his Liana was really taking revenge on him¡­ Those intimate moments, those words of love, they were all fake. The heart-wrenching pain left Tyler suffocating in agony. He looked deeply at Liana showing a faint, helpless smile. ¡°Liana, you have seeded¡­¡± She sessfully got to his heart and made a home there. From this point on, a girl named Liana would forever be in his heart. Liana watched his shaky figure as he turned and walked away, wiping away the tears on her cheeks. The frigid look in her eyes disappeared and she looked at Hailey and Eleanor, who always supported her. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. She smiled and said, ¡°Sorry for making you guys witness this.¡± Hailey and Eleanor shook their heads, then reached out and hugged Liana. The silent embrace made Liana¡¯s eyes well up again¡­ During those years in B City, no one ever gave her a shred of warmth. Those noble kids would only follow Tyler to mock and ridicule her. Thinking of those difficult days, her tears continued flowing¡­ Eleanor lifted her fingers and wiped away Liana¡¯s tears. ¡°Liana, don¡¯t cry, and don¡¯t be afraid, we¡¯re here.¡± She initially thought Liana and Tyler were long-lost lovers reunited in this life. Now she knew that Liana had been betrayed by the one she loved. She was gang-raped, and had her womb removed by the man she cared for¡­ Eleanor couldn¡¯t imagine how much pain 18-year-old Liana went through, but she knew she was a strong woman. Fuelled by her hatred for Tyler, she survived the ten years abroad on her own, without anyone by her side. Her onlypanions were those unbearable memories, daily nightmares, and the pain of living a life worse than death. None of this defeated Liana. She lived on, became a strong, independent woman who was both admired and loved by many, Eleanor hugged Liana tightly. Hailey gently fixed the messy hair on her face and tucked it behind her ears. She was like an older sister. ¡°Liana, Eleanor and I will be your family from now on, if you don¡¯t mind. We¡¯ll always protect you.¡± Hearing such warm words, Liana couldn¡¯t help but let her tears flow¡­ She raised her arms and hugged them tightly, crying out all the grievances and bitterness from the past¡­. Chapter 502 Chapter 502 The whole drama between Liana and Tyler started with Aidyn¡¯s mom , who was a notorious home¨Cwrecker in B City, known for seducing married men. After getting pregnant with Aidyn and moving up in the world, she drove Tyler¡¯s mom to her death. Five¨Cyear¨Cold Tyler witnessed his mom jumping off a building andnding right in front of him with blood sttered on his face Since that traumatic incident, sweet little Tyler became ruthless and tried to get rid of baby Aidyn. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. To protect Aidyn, his mom sent him to live with the Laurence family and entrusted their butler to take care of him.. Aidyn¡¯s mom took in her orphaned niece, raising her and educating her. She also forced Tyler to be her son and call her mom, or else his dad would beat him up. Young Tyler couldn¡¯t fight Aidyn¡¯s mom, so he took all his pent¨Cup hatred out on Liana¡­ He knew Liana was innocent, but he was torn between wanting to kill her and wanting to save her¡­ In this twisted web of love and hate, he and Liana were entangled for half their lives¡­. Aidyn knew everything was his mom¡¯s fault, so he didn¡¯t want to go back to B City or visit her, and he had no idea what kind of life Liana lived. It wasn¡¯t until Aidyn apanied Mr. Laurence on a mission that he realized his cousin was living a hellish life in the Howell household. Liana was holding on to dear life. He asked Mr. Laurence to help save Liana and sent her abroad. Aidyn thought it was all over, but Tyler still couldn¡¯t let go of Liana. Who knew what went through his head? After years of living together, being entwined for so long, he couldn¡¯t let her go¡­. When Eleanor and Hailey found out about all this, they held Liana even tighter. The grudges between the older generations had ruined Liana¡¯s life. Who ever cared about her? Liana had a good cry, and when she opened her eyes tofort Eleanor and Hailey, she saw Will not too far away. Will wore a light grey suit, walked towards her with determined steps¡­. Liana quickly let go of Eleanor and Hailey and turned to leave, but Will grabbed her wrist. Liana looked back at him and saw the pain in his red eyes. She took a deep breath and asked, ¡°You heard everything?¡± Will nodded. He didn¡¯t speak; he hadn¡¯t figured out what to say yet. Liana felt relieved after she exposed her ugly past, and was no longer afraid to face Will. She raised her chin confidently and said to him, ¡°My past is too horrible. Don¡¯t bother pursuing me anymore.¡± Her body and soul were crushed. She felt like she didn¡¯t deserve happiness. She pushed Will¡¯s hand away, but he was one step ahead of her and blocked her way. ¡°Liana, if I had met you in the past, I would¡¯ve protected you.¡± He held her shoulders, looking at her with the utmost sincerity. ¡°Liana, I wasn¡¯t there for you before, but rest assured, you can count on me from now on. I¡¯ll provide a happy future.¡± He didn¡¯t say things like ¡°I don¡¯t mind your past¡± or ¡°I won¡¯t judge you.¡± He just made a promise. He firmly grasped her shoulders, as if holding onto Liana¡¯s future, giving her endless assurance and strength. Liana looked at Will in a daze as he took her hand and politely said to Hailey and Eleanor, ¡°Could you two give Liana and me some time alone?¡± Eleanor nced at Liana and saw that she didn¡¯t object, so she took Hailey¡¯s hand and walked back into the vi, giving them some space. Chapter 503 Chapter 503 Chapter 503 Eleanor couldn¡¯t sleep well all night. It was probably because she found out about Liana¡¯s scary past. When she woke up in the morning, she still felt a bit surprised. She picked up her phone and saw the time. Bernard usually would have called her by now, but not today Feeling a little uneasy, she put her finger on the dial key and mustered up the courage to call, but he didn¡¯t pick up. Eleanor got out of bed and walked to therge floor-to-ceiling window. She became lost in thought as she looked at the rising sun outside. She visited Liana at the hospital with Hailey, finished her sses at the training centre, andpleted her design sketches in the study. She then realized Bernard hadn¡¯t called. Shey in bed, clutching her phone, staring at their chat. An hour went by, it turned into a whole night, but he never called. It was nearing dawn, she finally sumbed to sleep and had a strange dream. She couldn¡¯t remember the scene in her dream. She only recalled that Bernard walked past her with a stern look. She chased after him, grabbing his sleeve, red-eyed, and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean it.¡± He stopped, didn¡¯t look back at her, but pushed her hand away and said, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯ve really tried my best. I¡¯ve given my life for you. I don¡¯t have the energy to chase you anymore. Let¡¯s just end it here.¡± She stood there, watching him get into the car and leave. She suddenly broke down, covering her face and squatted on the ground, crying. Eleanor woke up from the dream, pressed her aching chest, and sat up in bed. She took a long time to recover Far away in W City, Bernard had just woken up from treatment. He panicked when he saw the time on the hospital wall clock. He opened his phone with trembling hands, and saw that Eleanor had tried to video call him. He quicklyThis material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. got out of bed and hurried out of the hospital. He got into the car, tidied up his messy hair and then called Eleanor. Eleanor sat in a daze at the head of the bed. Her panic gradually went away when she saw Bernard¡¯s iing call. She picked up the call and before she could speak, Bernard¡¯s anxious voice came through. ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m sorry, I was in a closed-door meeting for a day and a night. I didn¡¯t call you on time. It¡¯s my fault. I¡­. Eleanor interrupted him, ¡°When are youing back?¡± Bernard clenched his phone and asked her, ¡°Do you miss me?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t avoid it this time, and firmly said, ¡°Yes.¡± The man on the other end of the video was taken aback; he couldn¡¯t believe she missed him. A warm feeling spread from his heart, ¡°I¡¯ll be back today¡± Eleanor looked at the video and nodded slightly. ¡°Do you want me to pick you up at the airport?¡± Bernard smiled slowly and said, ¡°Wait for me at home.¡± He took a private jet from W City to A City, it was close to midnight. Eleanor almost drifted off to sleep when the doorbell rang outside the vi. She went out in a thin coat to open the door, and before she could look up, her petite body fell into a sturdy embrace. The man picked her up, pinned her against the vi door, and kissed her lips, savoring her sweet aroma. His faint cedar scent gave Beanor¡¯s empty heart a sense of security. She took the initiative to wrap her arms around Bernard¡¯s waist and looked up to respond to him. Her dream from the other night told her that she would break down if Bernard left. Bernard felt the woman¡¯s emotional changes in his arms, his desire suddenly erupted. ¡°Eleanor,e home with me.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t respond but leaned against his chest. The tall man picked her up and put her in the car, quickly starting the car and driving to the mansion. Bernard parked the car in front of the mansion, picked her up again and quickly walked into the mansion. Bryson and the s***ts saw him carrying Eleanor and discreetly stepped aside, not disturbing them. Bernard carried Eleanor straight to the master bedroom on the second floor, and without turning on the light, he pressed her against the wall and kissed her deeply. His slender fingers tore open her clothes, pinching her delicate waist, and pressed her close to his abs, making him even crazier ¡°Wait, wait a second¡­.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± The man raised his lust-filled eyes. They were bloodshot and overwhelmed with desire, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to try it?¡± Eleanor touched Bernard¡¯s thick hair and blushed, lowering her head, ¡°I, I haven¡¯t taken a bath yet.¡± With a free hand, he lifted Eleanor¡¯s slender legs, letting her tightly wrap around his waist, and carried her into the bathroom. ¡°I¡¯ll help you wash.¡± In the s***s bathroom, Eleanor was pressed against the bathtub, feeling each wave of the man¡¯s thrusts. She clung to his back, and gently kissed his forehead. The light cast in from the window. ¡°Bernard, don¡¯t let me down again.¡± Chapter 504 Chapter 504 The man¡¯s eyes were red as he stared at her face ¡°Eleanor, Il never let you down in this life¡± He gently Efted her chin, showering her with kisses on her red lips, eyebrows, cheeks, and chin He kissed her as if she was the most precious treasure in the world, gently and lovingly on every part of her body Holding her tightly, he bit her earlobe and whispered, Theanor, I love you.¡± It took him ten years to go from infatuation to deep love. It took courage to love and pursue her After Eleanor opened her heart and epted him again. He received the deepest love and adoration that belonged to him alone. That night, they experienced a feeling they had never felt before, the tenderness that only two people in love could share. Eleanor was about to fall asleep, unable to hold on any longer, when Bernard kept seducing her, ¡°Eleanor, can we try a few more times, please?¡± ¡°No,¡± she replied. She pushed him away lightly, turned around, hugged his pillow, and fell into a deep sleep Even though he wanted her more, Bernard didn¡¯t want to wake her up, so he suppressed his desire. He propped his head up with one hand, and watched the sleeping woman quietly A momentter, Eleanor suddenly turned around and snuggled into his arms. A tender smile appeared on Bernard¡¯s face. Eleanor, I¡¯ve promised you a lifetime. For you, I will strive to live. Unless you wanted my life, no one could take me away from you! Even the devil himself wouldn¡¯t take me away from you! When Eleanor woke up, it was morning Wrapped tightly in the man¡¯s arms, she looked down to see his eight¨Cpack abs Looking further down, her face turned red. She didn¡¯t know what he had done after she fell asleep, but¡­. She gently moved to push him away, trying to break free from his embrace and get up. Hisrge palm pressed against her waist. ¡°Sleep a little more.¡± Eleanor couldn¡¯t sleep, so shey in his arms, closed her eyes for a few seconds, then moved her body and reached for the cup on the bedside table. Thirsty?¡± She nodded, and Bernard released her. He sat up straight, stretched out his long arm, picked up the cup, supported her waist, and fed her water. As soon as Eleanor¡¯s red lips left the cup, the man lowered his head and kissed her. The cold sensation was followed by a passionate attack. Want to try again?¡± Eleanor¡¯s small hand pressed against his firm chest and said with vigor, ¡°Why not?¡± The two carried on until two or three in the afternoon. Eleanor was too exhausted to get out of bed, while Bernard was full of energy and stepped out of the master bedroom. He asked Bryson to prepare some food and bring it up to them. He personally fed Eleanor. Afterward, he went to the side of the room, bent down, and took a few pills Eleanor saw him secretly taking the medicine and frowned slightly, ¡°Is that for treating migraines?¡± The handsome man turned his head and gave her a reassuring look, ¡°Yes.¡± He put the medicine in the drawer, and suggested that Eleanor rest a bit more. He went to the bathroom. Hearing the sound of water, Eleanor forced herself to get up from bed despite her difort. She opened the drawer, and took out the bottle of medicine he had just taken. She saw that the packaging said it was for treating migraines. Opening the bottle, she saw small white pills that didn¡¯t seem too suspicious. Eleanor put down the medicine bottle. She was about to close the drawer when she saw a golden¨C bronze mask, nt dyes, and paintbrushes also inside. She remembered that Bernard had sent her many text messages as ¡°Mr. Law¡± after she died. She had already deleted all those messages, but they should still be on Bernard¡¯s private phone. She suddenly wanted to see what he had sent. Eleanor reached out, picked up the phone on the table. She entered her birthday, and unlocked the phone quickly. As soon as she opened the messages, she saw the man wrapped in a towel quickly walk up to her and press her hand. ¡°Eleanor, dont look¡± The messages contained not only deep longing messages, but also some bold words that weren¡¯t necessary in that moment.. Eleanor looked up at Bernard, and saw a hint of flush on his handsome face, she couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Are you shy?¡± Why wasn¡¯t he shy when sending those messages? Bernard raised an eyebrow, didn¡¯t answer, and just took back his phone. Eleanor stared at his reddened ears and spread her hands in front of him, ¡°Give it to me.¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. The man smiled, bent down slightly, leaned into her ear, and whispered softly. ¡°The messages aren¡¯t worth looking at. I¡¯ll show you something better instead Chapter 505 Chapter 505 Eleanor, influenced by Bernard, actually thought hed show her some appropriate stuff. He held her hand and let her touch that heated sensitive area near his groin. His voice sounded hoa rse and his lips gently rubbed against her neck is it nice to look at?¡± Now it was Eleanors turn to blush ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± He had a faint smile on his face. Well is it useful?¡± Eleanor covered her reddened checks, looked up at Bernard only to see a pair of eyes shining like stars In his eyes, she saw her reflection, tender and affectionate It was like a gentle spring breeze, easily lost and difficult to pull away The faint smile bloomed slowly, so beautiful it was beyond reproach. Eleanor stared at his noble and restrained face, unable to connect it to the nonsense¨Cspewing man she heard She looked away, wanting to let go of his hand, but he held her tightly ¡°Eleanor, it¡¯s time to help me, isn¡¯t it?¡± Eleanor always ended up losing in these situations. This time, she gathered her courage, stood on her tiptoes, and gently but his earlobe ¡°No¡± Her seductively soft breath entered Bernard¡¯s ear, triggering the tingling sensation. An electric¨Clike sensation passed from his ear to his entire body, making his magnificent figure tremble slightly. He lowered his thick eyshes, looked at the woman challenging him, and theughter in his eyes grew even deeper. Then let me help you.¡± He bent down, picked her up in one swoop, ced her on the soft sofa, and then pressed down on top of her. ¡°Bernard!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± 1, I don¡¯t want it anymore!¡± He replied ¡°okay; but didn¡¯t let her go. The man held the back of her head, closing in on her red lips, ¡°Eleanor, say my name.¡± Trembling all over, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but softly call his name, ¡°Bernard¡­. He patted her waist, staring at her seductively, ¡°Call me like you used to.¡± Eleanor¡¯s face turned red, gripping his strong and muscr shoulders. She fell into temptation once again, ¡°Bernard.¡± Her one ¡°Bernard¡± was exchanged for countless ¡®Eleanor.¡± It turned out that the name he had once called out deeply had always been hers. Hailey called to ask Eleanor where she wentst night and why she hadn¡¯t returned home today. Eleanor, who was being held by Bernard while eating dinner, stammered and couldn¡¯t speak. Bernard stretched out his slender hand, snat ched the phone from her hand, and said softly, ¡°Focus on eating.¡± Hailey, on the other end, paused for a moment, and said, ¡°Sorry for bothering you,¡± and quickly hung up. She was wondering when Bernard had taken Eleanor when she heard Marina calling her. ¡°Miss Hailey, there¡¯s a gentleman looking for you.¡± Hailey thought it was Tylering to bother her again, but the person who came was Cedric. He sat on the hood of the Rolls Royce, head down, revealing a head full of thick hair. Under the dim streetlight, he was ying with the lighter in his hand. His slender fingers held a cigarette. Cedric didn¡¯t smoke and never allowed Hailey to smoke, yet now moke surrounded him. Hailey leaned against the vi¡¯s entrance, arms crossed over her chest, looking him up and down, ¡°What do you want from me?¡± Hearing her voice, Cedric slowly raised his head. His eyes reddened by alcohol, wet and full of pity. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. He squinted at Hailey, raising his chin, ¡°Hailey, I¡¯ve been dumped.¡± Chapter 506 Chapter 506 Chapter 506 Hailey once predicted that the well-known p**y Cedric would eventually break up with Narene, but she didn¡¯t expect it to happen so soon. She didn¡¯t really care about it, ¡°What¡¯s your breakup got to do with me?¡± It¡¯s not like she caused the breakup, so why did hee to her? It¡¯s just absurd! Cedric stood up, wobbled over to Hailey Hailey smelled the strong scent of alcohol frowned, and pinched her nose, ¡®Stay away from me. You stink!¡± But Cedric refused to leave, raising his arm and leaning against the wall above her head. He trapped her in his embrace He buried his head in Hailey¡¯s neck like a child, ¡°It¡¯s all your fault! You made Norene and I break up.¡± annoy. me.¡± Hailey rolled her eyes, I think you¡¯re just drunk and can¡¯t find anyone to vent to, so you purposely came to Hailey raised her sharp nails, aimed at his temple, and poked hard. His head immediately slid off her shoulder, She took the opportunity to push him away, and the drunk Cedric stumbled before he fell to the ground. There was a loud noise when the back of his head hit the edge of a flower pot at the entrance of the vi. Then the sound of ceramic breaking followed. Hailey was startled. Cedric felt no pain. He only stared at Hailey with wide eyes, ¡®Help me up¡­.¡± Halley saw that he seemed to be alright. She stood still and didn¡¯t move, ¡°Get up by yourself and go home. Don¡¯t bother me again¡± The pain slowly reached his brain, and Cedric subconsciously touched the back of his head¡­ He felt a handful of warm liquid. He opened his palm and showed Hailey, ¡°Look, am I bleeding?¡± Hailey saw the blood all over his hand and was startled. She quickly helped him up while cursing him. For the first time in his life, Cedric was seriously injured and instead of beingforted, he was getting scolded by Halley. He felt really annoyed and hugged Hailey, pinning her against the wall. He lowered his head and kissed her lips, silencing her chattering mouth. He was drunk and stronger than Hailey, so she couldn¡¯t break free no matter how hard she struggled. Hailey desperately tried to kick Cedric¡¯s lower body, but before her foot could hit him, he caught her slender leg¡­. He pulled it hard, and Hailey¡¯s leg was draped around his waist. Standing on one foot, Hailey couldn¡¯t keep her bnce and had to lean on him. Cedric was in control, he grabbed Hailey¡¯s hands and pinned them above her head, kissing her as he pleased. He let her go when she gasped for air and stopped resisting, then provocatively asked, ¡°You want to curse me again?¡± Hailey was finally took a breath of fresh air, she red at Cedric and cursed him fiercely, ¡°You shameless Jerk!¡± Cedric kissed her again when she tried to curse him again. Every time she cursed him, he kissed her, and eventually, Hailey closed her mouth. Once it was quiet, Cedric raised his hand and pointed to the back of his head. ¡°You pushed me, and you¡¯re now responsible for me.¡± Hailey held back her anger, pulled him into the vi, and lifted the hair on the back of his head to check the wound. She found a small cut and fetched the first aid kit. She poured alcohol into a ss, and rinsed the wound. Cedric¡¯s face turned pale instantly, ¡°Hailey, are you trying to kill me?¡± 3 Hailey puffed her cheeks and didn¡¯t say a word. She grabbed lodine and tried to clean his wound. The wound didn¡¯t hurt that much, but after her meddling, Cedric was in cold sweat from the pain. If he had known, he wouldn¡¯t have let her take care of it. Hailey had no empathy at all. Hailey took the gauze and wrapped it tightly around his head like tape, she wrapped it around severalThis material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. times. In the beginning, only the back of Cedric¡¯s head hurt, but now he felt pain all over his head, ¡°You¡¯re really ruthless.¡± Hailey patted his head, which was now shaped like a dumpling. She pointed to the vi¡¯s entrance, ¡°Take care, bye.¡± Cedric turned his head. He wanted to have another round with Hailey, but his eyes caught the sight of her swollen lips from his kisses. He stared at them for a while, and his expression gradually became serious, ¡°Hailey, let¡¯s get back together.¡± Chapter 507 Chapter 507 Chapter 507 Halley shook her head firmly, ¡°I never forget how you humiliated me in those three days Just go With that, Hailey got up and walked upstairs without even looking back. She seemed indifferent to Cedric Cedric watched her figure walk away, his heart felt like it was being squeezed by something It was a bit sour and a little painful Taking advantage of his drunkenness, his injuries, and being in her house, he could have said some inappropriate things without any hesitation. But for some reason, he just couldn¡¯t bring himself to say, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have treated you like that.¡± After dinner at the Laurence Manor, Bernard led Eleanor to the backyard garden. What was once a garden full of blooming flowers was now filled with roses, their fragrance filling the air. Eleanor sniffed the flowers, looking at the endless sea of pink. The garden was wrapped in starlight and streetlights, but her expression stiffened The wless man beside her gently ruffled her hair, Tant this better than a text message?¡± Upon hearing this. Eleanor suddenly felt the romantic atmosphere ruined, ¡°So you were just teasing me on purpose?¡± Bernard smiled faintly, raising his slender fingers and waving to the s***t behind him, ¡°Scissors¡± The s*t qui*ckly brought scissors. Bernard took them, walked into the flower bushes, and cut eleven roses. After carefully removing the thorns, he held the flowers in both hands and handed them to Eleanor, ¡°Eleanor, I haven¡¯t given you flowers today.¡± As Eleanor took the bouquet, she heard him say, ¡°Eleven, for a lifetime.¡± Eleanor bent down to him. He was now a head shorter than her, Where did you learn this from?¡± Bernard¡¯s eyes revealed a guilty smile, but he didn¡¯t answer her. Instead, he lifted her from the steps she was standing on. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. He carried Eleanor through the flowers, step by step, to the small courtyard in the center of the garden. After cing her on a lounge chair, Bernard knelt on one knee in front of her, gazing at her affectionately, ¡°Eleanor, what does your dream proposal look like?¡± Eleanor stared nkly at the man in front of her, stunned, ¡®Proposal?¡± Bernard raised his chin and nodded seriously, ¡°I want to marry you.¡± There were no fancy words, just a few simple ones, but they made Eleanor so emotional. She had been waiting for Bernard¡¯s ¡°I want to marry you¡± for many years Now, he was kneeling humbly in front of her, even asking her for an opinion on the proposal ceremony. Looking into his sincere eyes, Eleanor finally asked Bernard, ¡°I¡¯ve been divorced, and I might not be able to have children. We also have different social statuses. Do you still want to marry me?¡¯ Bernard raised both hands, caressing her face and firmly said, ¡°Yes.¡± He had wanted to marry her for many years now. Eleanor¡¯s heart trembled slightly, her hands gripped her skirt tightly, nervously rubbing it¡­. Seeing her unresponsive, Bernard¡¯s expression changed to panic, ¡°Eleanor, tell me, what¡¯s your answer?¡± Chapter 508 Chapter 508 Chapter 508 Eleanor let go of her skirt and told him, ¡°Let me think about Bernard became more and more anxious. How long will it take for you to decide?¡± Eleanor looked down at her belly She didn¡¯t care about the status difference between them. She believed that as long as she worked hard, she could close the gap. But the issue of having a child In such a prominent and powerful family, how could he, the head of the Laurence family, not have any kids? Not to mention how the media would gossip The elders of the Laurence family would definitely have a hard time epting it Eleanor thought long term, so she didn¡¯t immediately agree to his proposal Instead, she pondered for a moment and said softly, ¡°About half a month¡± Liana said that after taking the nourishing medicine, she should be able to try to get pregnant. She wanted to see if she could get pregnant after half a month Bernard knew that the longer they waited, the worse it would be So, he lifted her chin and said firmly, ¡°No, that¡¯s too long.¡± Eleanor locked into his affectionate eyes and didn¡¯t insist anymore but shortened the time, Then ten days¡± Bernard titted his head slightly, as his hair swayed in the wind. He looked carefully at Eleanor and slowly understood what she meant-she wanted to see if she could get pregnant first before giving her final answer. Bernard saw through her thoughts, raised his head, and said decisively, ¡°Eleanor, whether you can have a child or not, I want to marry you. That¡¯s it.¡± After saying that, he grabbed her hand and said firmly, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to marry me, I will force you to.¡± Eleanor smiled helplessly. ¡°Since you¡¯re going to force me anyway, what does waiting for ten more days matter?¡± Bernard held her hand, a little nervously, and asked. ¡°What if you still can¡¯t get pregnant after ten days¡­¡± Eleanor held her chin with her other hand, locked down at him, and joked, ¡°Then you can force me to marry you.¡± Bernards heart finally settled, and a hint of a smile shed in his eyes, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± That night, Bernard couldn¡¯t escape Eleanor¡¯s grip and handed over his private phone to her¡­ Eleanory in his arms, looking at the thousands of text messages with a happy smile on her lips. After reading all the messages, she lifted her head from his chest, looking at the man with his eyes closed. Taking advantage of the sunlight shining through the window, she secretly kissed the man she had loved for eight years. ¡°Bernard, you nted roses for me through all the four seasons, and I will promise you a lifetime, okay?¡± After some tender moments, Bernard took Eleanor to the training center. As he watched her walk in, he quickly took out his phone and sent a message to the family group. ¡°Married men, pleasee to thepany to see me.¡±] Cedric, who was in thepany, saw the message and replied. [¡°If we haven¡¯t been married, are we not worthy of seeing you?¡±] Bernard thought about it and felt Cedric¡¯s book on winning over women was still helpful, so he replied, ¡°You cane too.¡± Cedric immediately took off hisb coat, grabbed his suit jacket, and ran to the conference room. At that time, Bernard was sitting in the first seat of therge conference room, and the others were sitting on either side. Cedric walked in and saw his brothers discussing their past proposal experiences. Even Matthew, who was in Africa, was on a video projected onto the big screen. He contributed to the strategy Cedric listened for a while and finally understood that Bernard was going to propose, so he asked his married brothers for advice. Cedric rubbed his forehead with one hand and asked, ¡°Bernard, did you really pursue Ms. Shultz using that book I gave you?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t answer, just raised his eyebrows. Cedric was speechless. How was such a terrible guidebook a sess? He looked at the smiling man next to him, and for some reason, he felt more and more annoyed. ¡°Will Grandpa agree?¡± Cedric asked. As soon as this question came out, the conference room quieted down, and everyone looked at Bernard in the first seat. Bernard was in charge of the Laurence family, didn¡¯t his marriage have to be approved by Grandpa? Everyone heard that the girl he wanted to marry was not from a prestigious family and even had no parents. Would Grandpa agree to this? Bernard ced his fingers on the table, tapped three times, and then stopped. He looked up with a hint of coldness in his eyes. ¡°What does it have to do with him?Bernard said He would marry whoever he wanted to marry, and no one could stop him! Cedric wanted to use Grandpa¡¯s power to restrain Bernard but found that he wasn¡¯t afraid of Grandpa at all Bernard nced at them indifferently and said, ¡°1 want your proposal ns within an hour.¡± Cedric thought, if knew this was the oue of this family meeting, he wouldn¡¯t havee! The others thought, what is it like to have a brother who has never been in love or proposed? Terrible!This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 509 Chapter 509 Eleanor walked out of the training center with her French book, only to see a group of suit wearing the sporting folks heading her way Berard had mentioned that hed send bodyguards to pick her up after ss, so Eleanor assumed these were the guys She stayed put, not walking away, but then noticed a dude with a scar on his face leading the pack, and his expression wasn¡¯t too friendly ¡°Ms Shultz, do you know a Mr. Law?¡± The name Mr Law made Eleanor¡¯s heart race, and her hands holding the French book began to tremble Bernard had warned her that if Mr. Law¡¯s identity was revealed, he¡¯d be in danger How did this guy know about Mr Law? She clenched her fists forcing herself to calm down, and then put on a guarded face, ¡°Who are you, and how do you know my name?¡± Of course the guy wasn¡¯t going to tell her who he was. He replied, ¡°Answer me, do you know him or not?¡± Eleanor was freaking out inside but tried to y it cool, Why should I respond to you when you won¡¯t answer my question?¡± She was being difficult and the guy got annoyed. ¡°You reported a crime at the police station and used the name Mr. Law, right?¡± Eleanor turned pale. Did her reporting the crime expose Mr. Law¡¯s identity? She gripped the book tightly, telling herself not to panic She pretended to be calm, ¡°I remember now, that did happen. ¡°But I¡¯ve already made up with Mr. Night. He gave me a ton of money, so I let it go. Why hasn¡¯t the police station closed the case?¡± Scarface furrowed his half¨Cshaved brow, suspiciously asking, Mr. Night? Not Mr. Law?¡± She realized he didn¡¯t have the police¡¯s detailed information and only knew the name Mr. Law, Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief. She looked at Scarface innocently, making stuff up. ¡°Yeah, Mr. Night. If you don¡¯t believe me, go ask him yourself.¡± Mr. Night had an even worse reputation than Cedric. He was known for forcing women, and had been in and out of the police station several times. Scarface obviously knew this, and although he was still suspicious, he hesitated when he saw Eleanor¡¯s clueless expression. Someone beside Scarface leaned in and whispered something to him. After, he gave Eleanor an up¨C and¨Cdown look and then left with his crew Watching their car speed away, Eleanor finally loosened her sweaty grip on the book. Worried they¡¯de back if they sensed something fishy, Eleanor didn¡¯t wait for Bernard¡¯s people to pick her up and hailed a cab instead. Once in the car, she sent Bernard a message, warning him that someone hade asking about Mr. Law and to be careful. Bernard was busy with an international designer picking out a diamond ring. He saw the message and his face darkened. He immediately got up to leave thepany. He called Eleanor while instructing Aidyn to get the car. Eleanor saw the call and was worried the taxi driver would overhear ¡°Mr. Law,¡± so she took out her earphones. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. As soon as she answered, Bernard¡¯s worried voice came through, ¡°Eleanor, where are you? I¡¯ming to get you.¡± Eleanor replied. ¡°Tm on my way back to Hailey¡¯s vi. You don¡¯t need to get me, I¡¯m fine. They just asked a few questions.¡± After exining what happened, she heard Bernard tell Aidyn to deal with the bodyguards who didn¡¯t pick her up on time. Eleanor quickly defended them, ¡°It wasn¡¯t their fault. Our teacher had somethinge up, so ss ended half an hour early¡± Bernard firmly signaled Aidyn with his eyes to take care of it and then ordered, ¡°Send twenty more bodyguards to protect her.¡± Aidyn obeyed, ¡°Yes, Mr. Laurence.¡± With everything arranged, Bernard¡¯s cold voice turned gentle, ¡®Eleanor, tell me your license te number.¡± Eleanor reluctantly gave him the taxis te number. Twenty minutester, over a dozen luxury cars blocked the taxi The taxi driver watched in awe as a man got out of a Koenigsegg sports car. He looked like a god descending from the heavens as he approached them. Then, the man opened the back door, bent down, picked up the woman inside, and walked away. The taxi driver rubbed his eyes, making sure he wasn¡¯t seeing things, then took out his phone, snapped a picture of the scene, and posted it online. The news spread on the inte quickly, and various stories about ¡°Mr. Laurence and his little wife¡± started circting. Usually, news involving the CEO of the Laurence Group would be taken down immediately, but this time, no one was doing anything about it. Netizens quickly spected that this ¡°little wife¡± might be the future Mrs. Laurence. Chapter 510 Chapter 510 Chapter 510 The man was in the far-off B City, and seeing all this news, his face gradually lost color In the video, her face wasnt shown, but that silhouette was something he¡¯d never forget in his whole life He knew he would probably hear about her getting married to him soon¡­. The man in the wheelchair looked up at the blue sky and white clouds outside the wall. The sun was so warm and so bright. So why did he always feel cold The cold wrapped around him like vines, keeping him restless all night¡­ Colter and Yilia behind him exchanged nces, then grabbed a nket and put it on his legs. ¡°Mr. Clowers, should we go find her?¡± He pursed his lips slightly, looked at the two of them, and showed an innocent juvenile air. ¡°No one is allowed to disturb her¡­¡± ¡°In this life, whether he¡¯s alive or dead, he won¡¯t tell her. Just let her be happy with the person she loves most Eleanor woke up from her sleep, looking a little dazed with Bernard by her side. He sat against the headboard, rubbing his temples with one hand. She worriedly asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you take the migraine medicine on time every day? Why does it still hurt so much?¡± Hearing her voice. Bernard dropped his slender fingers and reached out to touch her face. ¡°It¡¯s normal. It hurts asionally. Don¡¯t worry.¡± She saw his face turn pale and Eleanor quickly straightened up, raised her hand, and gently massaged his temples. Bernard looked at the woman who had his figure reflected in her eyes. He gritted his teeth through the pain, and said to her, ¡®Eleanor, I¡¯m going to W City for a few days on business. In ten days. I¡¯lle pick you up and take you to Jorvik¡± This time, without a doubt, Eleanor was sure he wanted to propose in Jorvik. Her heart couldn¡¯t help but feel joyful, but¡­. Eleanor frowned slightly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hand over the space agency project already? Why do you still have to go on a business trip there?¡± Bernard¡¯s heart tightened, and he helplessly hugged her tightly into his arms, Tm sorry, there¡¯s a lot going on.¡± Eleanor shook her head, ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize for being busy with work. Go ahead, I¡¯ll be busy too¡­. She wanted to give him a design n for the reconstruction of the Jared Group Headquarters on the day he proposed, so she wouldn¡¯t have much time to apany him¡­. Bernard raised his well-defined fingers, pressing Eleanor¡¯s head into his arms. His eyes slowly reddened. Hopefully, everything would go smoothly. She sent Bernard to the airport, then was protected by a group of bodyguards when she went to the Northern District. She wore a hard hat and personally surveyed the construction site with the Laurence Group project manager. Then Eleanor returned to the car to sort out the data. The Laurence Group project wasrger than the other projects Pearce had sent her. It came with a huge workload and required more effort. But it was okay. Eleanor wasn¡¯t afraid of challenges. As long as she focused on studying the nning map and remembered the measurement data, she could design it She worked non-stop for eight days, and on the ninth day, after a video call with Bernard in the morning, Liana called her. ¡°Eleanor, can youe to the hospital? I¡¯ll do a checkup for you.¡± Eleanor, was drawing with a pen and ruler, asked in confusion, ¡°What kind of checkup?¡± Liana smiled mysteriously, ¡°You¡¯ll know once you get here¡± Eleanor had no choice but to put down her tools and change into clean casual clothes. She drove the car Bernard gave her, and went to the hospital. She hurried to the dean¡¯s office and knocked on the door when she saw Liana, ¡°Dr. Terrill, I¡¯m here.¡± Liana, who was carefully looking through patient records, quickly got up and walked over to her, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go to the gynecology department.¡± Hearing ¡°gynecology,¡± Eleanor immediately realized what Liana wanted her to do and her face turned red. ¡®Liana, how how did you know?¡± She had intended to buy a pregnancy test and secretly get tested. Who would expected Liana to know? Liana pulled her hand out of her white coat and poked Eleanor¡¯s flushed cheek, ¡°Eleanor, you¡¯re the most cooperative patient I¡¯ve ever seen. Good job!¡± She actually went to try it Mr. Laurence was quite proactive too. He knew that you could test for pregnancy between 8 and 11 days.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Chapter 511 Chapter 511 Eleanor went to the gynecologist with her face covered, following Liana. After the checkup, Liana took her back to the dean¡¯s office to wad for the results. Back in W City, Bernard was even more anxious, constantly calling them. Liana put the phone on speaker. Sitting on the couch, Eleanor buried her face in a small pillow, too embarrassed to look at Liana. Thankfully, the nurse quickly brought in the report. Liana quickly took it and skimmed through it, her hopeful expression gradually fading. Seeing Liana¡¯s expression, Eleanor knew she wasnt pregnant. She felt a slight disappointment. It seemed that it was really difficult for her to get pregnant. Liana put down the report, walked over to Eleanor, andforted her, ¡®Eleanor, maybe it¡¯s too early to tell. Or maybe you haven¡¯t been taking the fertility medicine long enough. Just wat a bit, dont worry, and don¡¯t lose hope¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Hearing Liana¡¯s words, Bernard felt as if his heart was squeezed, the pain was unbearable. He was the one who had hurt her. He gripped his phone tightly, suppressing his pain, and said to Eleanor, ¡°Eleanor, I just want you, not a child.¡± Eleanor softly replied, ¡°I know.¡± Pressing his throbbing temple, he said anxiously. ¡°No matter what, you have to marry me.¡± Seeing his restlessness, Eleanor quickly cheered up andforted him, ¡°Alright, don¡¯t worry.¡± Bernard, his eyes bloodshot, looked at the dean who was signaling him to end the call and solemnly said, ¡°Wait for me.¡± After Eleanor obediently replied ¡°okay¡± they ended the call Just as Liana was about tofort Eleanor again, there was a suddenmotion outside the door. Will, holding a bouquet of red roses, approached Liana amidst the noise of the nurses and doctors. He kneeled on one knee in front of Liana, his eyes filled with sincerity. ¡°Liana. I like you, will you be my girlfriend?¡± His words caused another round ofments from the onlookers. Dr. Terrill, say yes, he¡¯s been crushing on you for a long time!¡± ¡°Yeah, your photos are all over hisputer!¡± ¡°Yes, Dr. Terrill, he¡¯s been following you since school!¡± ¡°Dr. Terrill, say yes, say yes!¡± Liana nced at the roses, then at Will, seemingly surprised by his public confession. Her hand, hidden in her white coat, hesitated to reach out and take the roses. Liana had never been in love or received a serenade before. This was her first time, and she was both nervous and unsure. Seeing her hesitation, Will didn¡¯t rush her, but kindly said, ¡°Liana, it¡¯s okay if you reject me. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± He heard that Liana had never been truly loved, and no one had ever professed their love to her. This was his first confession, and there would be countless more. Whether it was 99 times, or 9990 times, or even 99900 times¡­. He didn¡¯t expect Liana to ept his countless confessions, he just hoped that he could give her a little bit of love. Just as Liana was about to ept the roses, feeling Wills sincerity, a figure suddenly rushed over. Tyler snatched the roses and threw them on the ground, stepping on them hard before he walked up and grabbed Liana¡¯s wrist. ¡°Come with me!¡± Liana was startled by Tyler¡¯s sudden appearance, ¡°Are you out of your mind!¡± She tried to push Tyler away, but couldn¡¯t match his strength, and was dragged away by him Chapter 512 Chapter 512 As Will got up from the ground, he saw Tyler was still forcing himself on Liana, he clenched his fists and charged at Tyler. However, before his fist could make contact with Tyler¡¯s face, he was already kicked to the ground by Tyler. Tyler looked down at Will ¡°Don¡¯t you darepete with me over a woman!¡± After saying this, he held Liana¡¯s hand, raised his foot, and continuously kicked Will hard, one kick after another. If you ever express your love to my woman, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± The other doctors and nurses saw the genius doctor Tyler was actually beating someone up in their hospital. They wanted to help, but they were surrounded by Tyler¡¯s bodyguards. Tyler kicked Will with his heavy boots, and each kick was very lethal Will was kicked until he spat out blood. Liana was so angry that she was shaking, so she opened her mouth and bit hard on Tyler¡¯s arm. She bit him with all her strength until Tyler felt the pain, forcing him to stop Tyler looked up angrily and stared at Liana for a moment. Then he bent down to pick her up. Liana realized that Tyler was going to forcefully take her away, so she clenched her teeth and desperately resisted, Tyler. Put me down, or Il die with you!¡± The already crazed Tyler, did not let go, but instead leaned down to kiss Liana, ¡°It¡¯s better for us to die! together than to see you with another man!¡± Liana tried to bite back and pushed Tyler away with all her might. She struggled to get down again, and was ced on Tyler¡¯s shoulder Liana, who was pinned on Tyler¡¯s shoulder and could not struggle, looked toward the direction of the office. Eleanor saw the plea for help in Liana¡¯s tear¨Cfilled eyes, she gathered her courage and ran over to stop Tyler. Tyler, forcing Liana away like this against her will, will only make her hate him more.¡± Tyler was hurting Liana too deeply. Attempting to win her back this way would only backfire Tyler did not understand this, he ignored Eleanor and said coldly, ¡°None of your business.¡± Eleanor saw Liana shaking with anger and was unable to speak. She continued to persuade him, ¡°Tyler, Liana she¡­. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Tyler, who had been provoked, lifted his foot and kicked Eleanor away. He didn¡¯t care whether the person in front of him was innocent or not. ¡°Get lost!¡± Eleanor, who was kicked to the ground, felt a pain in her chest, and the suffocating pain made her face instantly pale. Liana noticed that Eleanor was hit because of her. She clenched her fists and hit Tyler¡¯s back with all her might.. ¡°Tyler, I¡¯ll hate you for a lifetime!¡± Tyler didn¡¯t care and continued to carry her. Eleanor clutched his foot tightly and looked up coldly, ¡°Tyler, put down Liana. I won¡¯t hold a grudge against you today.¡± Tyler suddenly sneered, ¡°Do you think you can talk to me like this because you¡¯re with Bernard now?¡± Before Eleanor could shake her head, she heard Tyler¡¯s mocking voiceing from above her head, ¡°You have no right to criticize me because you¡¯re worse than me! At least I wouldn¡¯t abandon someone who has taken care of me for over twenty years after gaining power!¡± Eleanor¡¯s heart trembled, the wind blew through the empty corridor and lifted her short hair at her corbone. It covered her almost transparent pale face. 1 Tyler saw her ashamed look and felt a moment of satisfaction; he got justice for his friend! He lowered his head and used Eleanor, who was also unable to get up from the ground. ¡°Do you know what kind of life Jason has been living in B City these past few months?! While you and Bernard are happily together, you owe him an apology!¡± Chapter 513 Chapter 513 Chapter 513 Eleanor¡¯s fingers trembind as they clung to Tylerk pants, her face pale and expression nk. She slowly looked up at a scornful Tyler What what happened? Tyler, held back a thrashing Liana and sneered. You don¡¯t deserve to know!¡± He kicked away Eleanor¡¯s clinging hand, hoisted Liana on his shoulder and made a beeline for the elevator Eleanor¡¯s feeble figureying on the floor filled Liana with quit. She was more worned that Eleanor would be influenced by Tyler¡¯s provocation and break up with Mr. Laurence again They vee so far, how could they break up again because of her? With that thought, Liana¡¯s eyes filled with hatred Tyler, I¡¯ll make you regret this for the rest of your life¡± Tyler stiffened when she spoke but remained silent, holding her tighter Lana, I just want to bring you home, back to B City, back to me Even if I regret it as long as youe back, it¡¯s fine As the elevator doors closed. Liana looked at Eleanor, who was desperately trying to stand up. Her heart warmed, and tears welled up in her eyes ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t worry:e back safe Wat for me When the elevator doors closed, the bodyguards quickly left Will was rushed to the ER, and a kind nurse asked Eleanor if she was okay Eleanor shook her head, resisting the pain in her chest. She gripped the railing of the hallway and s***ed towards the window. Downstairs, Tyler put Liana in the car. Even after she pped him hard, he swallowed his anger and buckled her seatbelt for her. Eleanor looked lost She walked into the bathroom, turned on the tap, and washed her face with cold water She looked up at her reflection in the mirror. Do you know what Jason¡¯s been going through in B City these past few months?¡± This sentence echoed in her ears like a deadly poison, making her restless. Eleanor trembled and took some tissues, dried her face, and left the hospital quickly The bodyguards waiting downstairs saw Eleanoring out of the elevator. Her face was as pale as a ghost, and they immediately became anxious. Ms Shultz, are you okay?¡± A lost-looking Eleanor looked up at the head bodyguard. She noticed his worried face and quickly shook her head. Im fine¡± She thought bringing so many bodyguards to the hospital for a check-up would draw too much attention, so she didn¡¯t ask them toe upstairs Little did she know she would encounter a crazed Tyler, Fortunately, he didn¡¯t kick her so hard like he did Will, he just kick her away Otherwise, her transnted heart might not have been able to take it¡­. Relieved, the bodyguard asked, ¡°Ms Shultz, where to now?¡± Eleanor handed her car keys to the bodyguard. Please take me home¡± Back at the vi. Eleanor went to her study and picked up a ruler and pen. She tried to concentrate on the design that seemed like it would never be finished. The more she drew, the more mistakes she made, messing up the structure¡­ Eleanor put down her pen and picked up her phone. She opened her contacts, and when she saw Garett¡¯s name, she froze. She mustered the courage to call him, but remembered he once said they should not contact each other again. Eleanor stared at the name while lost in thought Suddenly she received three texts. The first one [¡°I handle Tyler. He won¡¯t bother you again.¡±] The second one [Tm doing well. I¡¯m about to marry the daughter of the Herman family.¡±] The third one [¡°Wish you happiness.¡±] Eleanor¡¯s eyes welled up as she read the messages Holding her phone, she hesitated for a while before replying with two messages: I¡¯m sorry¡±] ¡°Wish you happiness too¡±] She¡¯s sorry, for letting go of Garett, who she once loved. Wish you happiness too. Hoping that he would be well in the rest of his lifeProperty of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Chapter 514 Chapter 514 Chapter 514 Here are two messages that will never be answered, just like the conversation box¡¯s time ends here Throughout her life, she couldn¡¯t tell who she loved more, Garett or Bernard She only knew that the one she loved now was Bernard This name, like the teeth marks he left on her shoulder, was deeply engraved in her heart. She couldn¡¯t live without him. She followed him, experienced pain, harm, and joy, but never really followed her heart. This time, she wanted to love him bravely and wholeheartedly Eleanor put down her phone, picked up her pen and ruler with a determined look, and began to redraw the design¡­. On the day Bernard proposes, she would give him this design and tell him that she had loved him for eight years without any change Eleanor stayed up all night and finally sketched out the blueprint of the design Then she put down her pen and prepared to get cleaned up, but Bernard called her on a video call She frowned when she saw the man on the screen, who looked thinner ¡°Have you been s***g meals?¡± She gently soothed the man¡¯s panicked heart with her caring words A faint smile slowly spilled from his lips Eleanor, be at the airport tomorrow morning at ten He didnt answer her question, just told her he wasing back. Eleanor stared at Bernard¡¯s pale face with a worried look Are you okay in the W City?¡± Bernard nodded gently In the video, he turned his head and nced at a ce where Eleanor couldn¡¯t see, then turned back to look at her. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Eleanor. I¡¯ll pick you up tomorrow afternoon to go to Jorvik¡± After he said this, he stared at her somewhat reluctantly, ¡°Now, I have a meeting.¡± Eleanor always felt that Bernard was hiding something from her, but she felt that he wouldn¡¯t lie to her, so she hung up the call after saying a few nagging words. Bernard wasing back tomorrow, and he was anxious to take her to Jorvik, he must be eager to propose, he should be fine. After reassuring herself, Eleanor turned and went to the bathroom. After washing up, she drove to the property trading center¡­. She had always had her eye on the vi next to Hailey¡¯s. She wanted to buy it, but she was short on funds, so all she could do was look. Recently, she received some project payments, and the assets she had were enough to buy the vi, so she decided to go for it without hesitation. Eleanor knew that after he proposed, he would soone to marry her. At that time, she couldn¡¯t let the Laurence family see her get married from Hailey¡¯s house, right? Although Bernard wouldn¡¯t mind these, Eleanor didn¡¯t want to embarrasse him. After buying the house, she went to the hair salon and had the stylist add waist-long hair extensions. When she was in the W City, she had promised Bernard that she would grow her hair out for him¡­.. She hoped that the first thing Bernard saw when he came back was her with her old wavy curls. Bernard had juste out of the hospital and got into the car with the help of his bodyguard. He gritted his teeth against the pain and called Cedric ¡°Tomorrow, the Laurence family, go to Jorvik, propose.¡± At first, Cedric didn¡¯t understand what he meant, but after thinking about it carefully, he finally got it. His brother was actually nning to take the whole family to the romantic country of Jorvik to propose to Ms. Shultz! He took this proposal ceremony so seriously that he asked all the members of the Laurence family to witness it Chapter 515 Chapter 515 Cedric was taken aback for a moment, but quickly replied ¡°No problem 11 take care of t He was about to hang up when he heard his brother¡¯s voice, broken and distant Also, Hailey, Liana Those were her good friends, and they wanted to be there to witness her special moment too His thoughtfulness his deep affection, even Cedric was moved by it Bernard, you better find happiness¡± The love you have been pursuing with Ms Shultz must bring you happiness You¡¯ve been waiting for long A smile spread across Bernards pale face Cearc hung up the phone and immediately started to arrange for a private jet for the Laurences to get to Jorvik on time. Then he called Liana, but no one answered after several attempts, so he called Aidyn to find Liana With everything arranged, Cedric picked up the ss from the bar and downed the drink in one gulp With a ¡°bang¡± he put down the ss, picked up the suit jacket next to him, and headed to the nightclub. Hailey was entertaining the guests in the VIP lounge with a ss of red wine when Cedric barged in The customers in the sofa area saw Cedric and all stood up to give him room Cedric didn¡¯t even nce at them, he walked straight towards Hailey, extending his hand to her. ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯re heading to Jorvik Hailey apologized to her guests with a smile, then turned round and red at Cedric, ¡°Stop making a scene.¡± Ever since they broke up. Cedric had been causing trouble here often. Cedric stared at Hailey, but he didn¡¯t find her annoying. In fact, he thought she was kind of cute After staring at Hailey for a few seconds, he said, ¡°My brother is going to propose to Ms. Shultz in Jorvik, I¡¯m here to pick you up.¡± Hearing the word ¡°proposal¡± Hailey immediately put down the bottle in her hand, excitedly asking, ¡°Proposal? Is it true?!¡± After all these years of Eleanor secretly loving Bernard, after everything they¡¯ve been through, were they finally going to have a happy ending? It was the first time Cedric had seen her excited like this, he kindly smiled, ¡°Of course¡± Upon receiving confirmation, Hailey was thrilled ¡°Great, I need to go tell Eleanor to get ready!¡± But Cedric stopped her, ¡°If you tell her in advance, the proposal will lose its element of surprise.¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. She thought it over and agreed with Cedric. It was a proposal, if the woman knew beforehand, it would indeed be ruined. So, she decided to secretly help Eleanor put on makeup right before the proposal, so that she could look her best when Bernard proposed. Hailey originally nned to travel to Jorvik with Eleanor the next day, but Cedric took her straight to the airport, saying ¡°My brother will pick up Ms. Shultz himself. Youe with me to Jorvik to prepare in advance, stop focusing on other people¡¯s wives.¡± Hailey didn¡¯t even have time to pack her luggage, and she rolled her eyes at him. But since it was for Eleanor¡¯s happiness, she decided to put up with him for now. Hailey and Cedric arrived in Jorvik before the others, then Cedric told Hailey that he didn¡¯t know the exact location of the proposal because, h is perfectionist brother did not approve of their proposal n. Later at the hotel, Cedric got battered by Hailey, who then called Bernard to ask for the address of the ce of the proposal Before getting on the ne, Bernard sent him the address and warned him not to bully Eleanor¡¯s friend! Cedric sighed helplessly, he did bring Hailey to Jorvik in advance with the intention to mess with her¡­. But Halley was not as gentle as Eleanor, after getting the address, she found a trantor and went straight to the ce to watch the Northern lights. The original n to tease Hailey was disrupted, and all Cedric could do was to call a car and follow closely behind Hailey. He was worried that she would get into trouble Chapter 516 Chapter 516 A City Aidyn couldn¡¯t reach Liana, so he hustled over to her ce, but she was nowhere to be found. Without a second thought, Aidyn sped off to the hospital There, he found out from the doctors that Liana had been forcibly taken by Tyler And to top it off, Tyler had the audacity to hurt Eleanor Messing with Mr Laurence¡¯sdy? Was he asking for a death wish? Fuming. Aidyn whipped out his phone to call Bernard But Bernard was already flying high in his private jet, with his phone switched off Aidyn had no choice but to download the surveince footage and send it to Bernard¡¯s phone, then make a beeline for B City to find Liana. The next morning, as Eleanor was deep in focus, pencil in hand, finalizing thest building on the blueprint, her phohe rang. S he nced at the caller ID, and her hand slipped, sending her pencil skidding off the ruler. There on the screen, the name Ethan Ziegler made her pause before she reached for the phone. Ethan hadn¡¯t called since he returned to the G country, and now suddenly he was on the line. Was he coming back? Sure enough, the first words out of Ethan¡¯s mouth were, I¡¯m back.¡±Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. His deep voice on the other end of the line made Eleanor freeze up. She simply murmured a soft ¡°mm¨Chmm,¡± not daring to respond or ask why Ethan was back. Ethan lounged on a U¨Cshaped couch, and casually asked, ¡°Has Robin been looking for you?¡± Eleanor had expected Ethan to ask her to fulfill the second agreement, but he asked about Robin instead, which was a relief. ¡°Yes,¡¯ she replied, then added, ¡°More urately, he¡¯s looking for Emilia.* Ethan scoffed at this. When Emilia¡¯s mother had taken her daughters to plead with the Pine family and the Spencer family, how had they responded? They had kicked the three of them out, leaving them with nowhere to go. They heartlessly dered that whether they lived or died, neither the Spencers nor the Pines would lift a finger to help And now, for the sake of the olddy of the Pine family, they were looking for Emilia. They were shameless! Ethan curtly told Eleanor, ¡°Don¡¯t reveal your identity while Robin is sniffing around.¡± Eleanor reassured him, ¡°Dont worry, he doesn¡¯t know about my sister¡¯s death, or that I took her ce.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t respond, his finger idly tapped the ss in his hand. ¡°Bernard¡¯s been helping you evade Robin¡¯s search for Emilia, hasn¡¯t he?* Eleanor was surprised that Ethan, all the way in the G country, was in the loop about her affairs. ¡°Yes,¡± she admitted. A smirk appeared in Ethan¡¯s eyes at her firm reply. Tve told you before, Bernard isn¡¯t right for you. Why are you still with him?¡± Eleanor put down her pencil, her brow furrowed. ¡°Ethan, you keep saying Bernard and I aren¡¯t a good match. What do you mean by that?¡± Instead of answering. Ethan casually said, ¡°Ille see you in a bit. Just stay put.¡± Before Eleanor could ask why he wanted to see her, he hung up. When she tried to call back, he wouldn¡¯t pick up. Eleanor had a feeling Ethan¡¯s visit wouldn¡¯t be good news, so she quickly rolled up her blueprints, and nned to wait for him at Bernard¡¯s mansion But as she got up, a scar¨Cfaced man suddenly came in through the window and gagged her with a cloth. She didn¡¯t even have time to scream or struggle. A few secondster, her eyes rolled back, and she passed out. Chapter 517 Chapter 517 The ne arrived at the airport on time, and a tall man quickly walked out of the airport under the protection of a bunch of bodyguards After getting in a luxury car, he took out his personal phone to give Eleanor a call to let her know he was okay, but suddenly he was hit with a severe headache That handsome face turned pale in an instant He tossed the phone away trembling as he took out the painkillers the Dean of W City Hospital had prescribed. He popped several into his mouth The bodyguard in the front seat saw him still in pain and worriedly suggested, ¡°Sit, why don¡¯t we just go for the surgery?¡± The surgery would mean opening up his skull, who knew if he would be able to wake up and see her after that. He wasn¡¯t willing to take that risk. Bernard endured the pain, and shot his bodyguard a cold look ¡°Did you forget what I said?¡°¨C The bodyguard immediately shut up. The boss had ordered no one to mention his sickness once they were back home. Tm sorry, sir¡± Bernard withdrew his key gaze, raised his hand to his forehead, and quietly waited for the medication to take effect¡­ When his head wasn¡¯t throbbing as much, the car stopped in front of a vi Bernard struggled to get out of the car and quickly made his way to the bathroom He cleaned himself up, picked out a very formal ck suit from the wardrobe, and had someone style his thick hair When he saw he wasn¡¯t as pale anymore, he opened the safe He took out three valuable items, a scarf, a photograph, and a diamond ring before carefully cing these items into a box, and then carried them out of the vi. He was going to take Eleanor to Jorvik alone, so he didn¡¯t want the bodyguards to follow. After telling them to wat, he drove to Halley¡¯s vi Marina quickly opened the door when she saw him, ¡°Mr. Laurence. Eleanor is working on her designs in the study. I¡¯ll go get her¡­¡± Bernard thanked Marina, Thank you¡± Marina was quite fond of the CEO. He was polite, gentlemanly, and incredibly handsome Most importantly, he was faithful in love. Marina turned and walked into the study, ¡°Eleanor, Mr. Laurence is here to see you,e out¡­. The moment she opened the door, she didn¡¯t see Eleanor. The words she was saying suddenly stopped. Marina said with surprise, ¡°Strange, isnt Eleanor in the study? Where is she?¡± Outside the door, Bernard saw Marina leave the study and head upstairs. He looked concerned and he walked straight in. As soon as he entered, he saw Marinaing out of the bedroom with a frown. He quickly asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t she here?¡± Marina nodded, looking puzzled, ¡°Eleanor isn¡¯t in the study or the bedroom. I don¡¯t know where she went Bernard was suddenly thrown into a panic He quickly walked to the study, where therge wooden desk was without Eleanor There were only rolled up design sketches. Bernard felt a sinking feeling in his heart, but still forced himself to calm down. He asked Marina to check the surveince, while he went back to his car to get his phone He quickly took out his private phone to call Eleanor, Several calls went unanswered¡­ One busy signal after another. The sound of hanging up had him trembling in fear. He had told Eleanor he woulde to pick her up. so she wouldn¡¯t just leave. Something must have happened. He managed to stay calm and called over the group of bodyguards waiting outside the vi He didn¡¯t have time to me them for not protecting Eleanor. He only said coldly. ¡°Find Eleanor. If you can¡¯t find her, you can all get lost!¡± The ne arrived at the airport on time, and a tall man quickly walked out of the airport under the protection of a bunch of bodyguards After getting in a luxury car, he took out his personal phone to give Eleanor a call to let her know he was okay, but suddenly he was hit with a severe headache That handsome face turned pale in an instant He tossed the phone away trembling as he took out the painkillers the Dean of W City Hospital had prescribed. He popped several into his mouth The bodyguard in the front seat saw him still in pain and worriedly suggested, ¡°Sit, why don¡¯t we just go for the surgery?¡± The surgery would mean opening up his skull, who knew if he would be able to wake up and see her after that. He wasn¡¯t willing to take that risk. Bernard endured the pain, and shot his bodyguard a cold look ¡°Did you forget what I said?¡°¨C The bodyguard immediately shut up. The boss had ordered no one to mention his sickness once they were back home. Tm sorry, sir¡± Bernard withdrew his key gaze, raised his hand to his forehead, and quietly waited for the medication to take effect¡­ When his head wasn¡¯t throbbing as much, the car stopped in front of a vi Bernard struggled to get out of the car and quickly made his way to the bathroom He cleaned himself up, picked out a very formal ck suit from the wardrobe, and had someone style his thick hair When he saw he wasn¡¯t as pale anymore, he opened the safe He took out three valuable items, a scarf, a photograph, and a diamond ring before carefully cing these items into a box, and then carried them out of the vi. He was going to take Eleanor to Jorvik alone, so he didn¡¯t want the bodyguards to follow. After telling them to wat, he drove to Halley¡¯s vi Marina quickly opened the door when she saw him, ¡°Mr. Laurence. Eleanor is working on her designs in the study. I¡¯ll go get her¡­¡± Bernard thanked Marina, Thank you¡± Marina was quite fond of the CEO. He was polite, gentlemanly, and incredibly handsome Most importantly, he was faithful in love. Marina turned and walked into the study, ¡°Eleanor, Mr. Laurence is here to see you,e out¡­. The moment she opened the door, she didn¡¯t see Eleanor. The words she was saying suddenly stopped. Marina said with surprise, ¡°Strange, isnt Eleanor in the study? Where is she?¡± Outside the door, Bernard saw Marina leave the study and head upstairs. He looked concerned and he walked straight in. As soon as he entered, he saw Marinaing out of the bedroom with a frown. He quickly asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t she here?¡± Marina nodded, looking puzzled, ¡°Eleanor isn¡¯t in the study or the bedroom. I don¡¯t know where she went Bernard was suddenly thrown into a panic He quickly walked to the study, where therge wooden desk was without Eleanor There were only rolled up design sketches. Bernard felt a sinking feeling in his heart, but still forced himself to calm down. He asked Marina to check the surveince, while he went back to his car to get his phone He quickly took out his private phone to call Eleanor, Several calls went unanswered¡­ One busy signal after another. The sound of hanging up had him trembling in fear. He had told Eleanor he woulde to pick her up. so she wouldn¡¯t just leave. Something must have happened. He managed to stay calm and called over the group of bodyguards waiting outside the vi He didn¡¯t have time to me them for not protecting Eleanor. He only said coldly. ¡°Find Eleanor. If you can¡¯t find her, you can all get lost!¡± The ne arrived at the airport on time, and a tall man quickly walked out of the airport under the protection of a bunch of bodyguards After getting in a luxury car, he took out his personal phone to give Eleanor a call to let her know he was okay, but suddenly he was hit with a severe headache That handsome face turned pale in an instant This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He tossed the phone away trembling as he took out the painkillers the Dean of W City Hospital had prescribed. He popped several into his mouth The bodyguard in the front seat saw him still in pain and worriedly suggested, ¡°Sit, why don¡¯t we just go for the surgery?¡± The surgery would mean opening up his skull, who knew if he would be able to wake up and see her after that. He wasn¡¯t willing to take that risk. Bernard endured the pain, and shot his bodyguard a cold look ¡°Did you forget what I said?¡°¨C The bodyguard immediately shut up. The boss had ordered no one to mention his sickness once they were back home. Tm sorry, sir¡± Bernard withdrew his key gaze, raised his hand to his forehead, and quietly waited for the medication to take effect¡­ When his head wasn¡¯t throbbing as much, the car stopped in front of a vi Bernard struggled to get out of the car and quickly made his way to the bathroom He cleaned himself up, picked out a very formal ck suit from the wardrobe, and had someone style his thick hair When he saw he wasn¡¯t as pale anymore, he opened the safe He took out three valuable items, a scarf, a photograph, and a diamond ring before carefully cing these items into a box, and then carried them out of the vi. He was going to take Eleanor to Jorvik alone, so he didn¡¯t want the bodyguards to follow. After telling them to wat, he drove to Halley¡¯s vi Marina quickly opened the door when she saw him, ¡°Mr. Laurence. Eleanor is working on her designs in the study. I¡¯ll go get her¡­¡± Bernard thanked Marina, Thank you¡± Marina was quite fond of the CEO. He was polite, gentlemanly, and incredibly handsome Most importantly, he was faithful in love. Marina turned and walked into the study, ¡°Eleanor, Mr. Laurence is here to see you,e out¡­. The moment she opened the door, she didn¡¯t see Eleanor. The words she was saying suddenly stopped. Marina said with surprise, ¡°Strange, isnt Eleanor in the study? Where is she?¡± Outside the door, Bernard saw Marina leave the study and head upstairs. He looked concerned and he walked straight in. As soon as he entered, he saw Marinaing out of the bedroom with a frown. He quickly asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t she here?¡± Marina nodded, looking puzzled, ¡°Eleanor isn¡¯t in the study or the bedroom. I don¡¯t know where she went Bernard was suddenly thrown into a panic He quickly walked to the study, where therge wooden desk was without Eleanor There were only rolled up design sketches. Bernard felt a sinking feeling in his heart, but still forced himself to calm down. He asked Marina to check the surveince, while he went back to his car to get his phone He quickly took out his private phone to call Eleanor, Several calls went unanswered¡­ One busy signal after another. The sound of hanging up had him trembling in fear. He had told Eleanor he woulde to pick her up. so she wouldn¡¯t just leave. Something must have happened. He managed to stay calm and called over the group of bodyguards waiting outside the vi He didn¡¯t have time to me them for not protecting Eleanor. He only said coldly. ¡°Find Eleanor. If you can¡¯t find her, you can all get lost!¡± Chapter 518 Chapter 518 The bodyguards turned white as sheets upon hearing this What the hell? They were guarding the door the whole time, how could Eleanor have disappeared? They didnt have time to mull it over. They had to find her, and fast Bernard nned to send Aidyn and Caleb to find her. He returned to the car to grab his work phone which had been off since the nended. Just as he was about to call them, he noticed Aidyn had sent him a videotest night. He saw Eleanor in the video, quickly clicked on it, and saw Tyler kicking at her chest. Bernard was livid Tyler, how dare youy a hand on my woman? You¡¯re asking for a death wish! While he plotted how he would deal with Tylerter, he heard Tyler mention Garett ¡°Did you know, what kind of life Jason has been living these past few months in B City?¡± This made Bernard stop in his tracks. He saw Eleanor in the video, lying on the ground, looking dazed and guilty after hearing these words Bernard froze, his panic was slowly reced by a suffocating pain. Eleanor, did you leave Garett without saying a word because you felt guilty? That was too cruel. She repeatedly abandoned him. How was he supposed to deal with that? He stumbled and fell against the car door. He had never felt this hopeless, even the time he learned he was sick hadn¡¯t affected him like this. He weakly raised his head, staring nkly at the mansion she used to stay in Eleanor, you¡¯re my life. If you have left me, I will be finished. Will you be okay with watching me die? He lowered his head to look at the woman on the screen, but his gaze identally fell on the timestamp Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. The timing was off. The video of Tyler kicking her was from two nights before, and he had called her just yesterday afternoon. She was worried about him losing weight, how could she just leave him because Tyler mentioned Garett? Eleanor had promised she would marry him whether she could have children or not. She had firmly chosen him, and she would never abandon him again. Something must¡¯ve happened to Eleanor! As his thoughts became clearer, he rushed into the mansion where Marina had pulled up the security footage. Bernard took theptop from her, sat on the couch, and stared intently at the video. He didn¡¯t miss a beat and noticed a man with a scarred face sneaking into the backyard while the guards were distracted. The moment he saw that man, he remembered Eleanor telling him about a man with a scarred face asking about Mr. Law. His expression turned frantic, especially when he saw the scar¨Cfaced man climbing through the window into the study. His heart pounded. There were no cameras in the study. Those few minutes of adjusting the video had Bernard dripping beads of sweat. He watched as the scar¨Cfaced man threw an unconscious Eleanor out the window and carried her into an unmarked car¡­ He mmed theptop shut, grabbed his phone, and quickly got into his car while dialing Caleb. ¡°At 11:20 this morning, a car with no license te took my woman from Southern Vis toward the coast!¡± The suspect has a scarred face and is connected to Mr. Law. Find him and take care of it!¡± After giving his instructions, Bernard tossed his phone aside, started the car, and drove off like a madman in the direction the car had left. Chapter 519 Chapter 519 In a rundown shack on a deste ind off the coast, Eleanor was tied to a chair, her lips sealed shut withyers of duct tape. The suffocating sensation slowly roused her from unconsciousness. The moment she lifted her eyelids, she saw a bunch of nasty¨Clooking dudes surrounding her They were all big thugs, gripping weapons like iron rods, and bone knives in their hands Sunlight fittered through the cracks in the wooden shack, casting a silvery sheen on the gleaming des The blinding light pierced Eleanor¡¯s eyes, making her heart race. Instinctively, she tried to struggle, only to discover she was bound on both her hands and feet. She was unable to move. ¡°Save your energy, sweetheart, there¡¯s no escaping this. A scar¨Cfaced man pushed his way through the crowd. His heavy boots thudded against the floor. At the sight of the scar¨Cfaced man, Eleanor quickly realized they were after Mr. Law Eleanor eyed the approaching man, her mind was racing They kidnapped her, probably hoping to pry out the identity of Mr. Law from her. As long as she imed she¡¯d never met Mr. Law, Bernard would be safe. Knowing their motives eased her fear of the unknown.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Judging by their intimidating disy of weapons, it looked like she was in for a beating¡­. Eleanor moped, wondering how she would negotiate with these thugs to minimize her injuries when¡­ The door of the shack creaked open as a man dressed in a suit and sunsses strolled in. Despite his hidden eyes, Eleanor recognized him- the former Chairman of VitaLife Global, Cameron Ratliff. Eleanor felt an odd sense of familiarity when she saw him. Probably because she used to work for his company. She never expected Cameron to be the man who ordered her kidnapping. What did he want with Mr. Law? When Cameron arrived, the scar¨Cfaced man quickly brought a chair over and ced in front of Eleanor. Once seated, Cameron took out a cigar, lit it, and gestured at the scar¨Cfaced man. He quickly got the message and tore the duct tape from Eleanor¡¯s mouth. Finally able to breathe, Eleanor gulped down fresh air while wincing at the pain¡­. ¡°Great to see you again, Ms. Shultz,¡± Cameron said coldly. Eleanor eyed him but didn¡¯t reply. In situations like this, silence was golden. Cameron didn¡¯t care whether she responded or not. He¡¯d brought her here with no intentions of letting her leave, so he didn¡¯t need to hold his tongue. ¡°I thought you were dead. Who knew you¡¯d be resurrected three yearster? Lucky for me, I stumbled upon some information about you. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have known you were still kicking, let alone where to find you¡­.¡± Eleanor was taken aback, ¡°Why were you looking for me?¡± Cameron took another puff of his cigar before slowly saying. Three years ago, you reported to the police that you were being coerced by Mr. Law. I¡¯m here to ask you, who is this Mr. Law who¡¯s been forcing you?¡± Eleanor¡¯s heart skipped a beat. So her abduction was because of the police report she had filed three years ago¡­. Chapter 520 Chapter 520 Chapter 520 Her face was a bit pale, and Cameron could tell she was feeling guilty ¡°Eleanor, you left Mr. Law¡¯s name and details at the police station, why did you lie to me and say it was Mr. Night? It seemed as if you were in love with the man who had f***d you and wanted to protect him?¡± Eleanor frowned. She had intended to deny it all along. If she continued to deny, it would appear as though she was hiding the truth Cameron would certainly start to investigate everyone she knew. She had no choice but to admit that she knew Mr. Law, but she had to do it in a different way With this in mind, she began to calm down, 1 led to you because of them. They were so rude to me when they came over Why should I tell them the truth? How could I tell if they are good or bad people? Besides, this is my private matter have a right to speak or not!¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Cameronughed. ¡°Ms Shultz, you¡¯re still as you were Eleanor looked at Cameron with a haughty gaze, Tm just telling the truth.¡± Cameron chuckled. ¡°Alright, whether you want to protect him or not, it¡¯s none of my business. I just want to know who he really is¡± Eleanor responded calmly, 1 don¡¯t know who he is. I¡¯ve never seen his true face. If you find him, let me know so I can get my revenge!¡± Cameron seemed to have guessed she would deny it and took another puff of his cigar, ¡°Ms. Shultz, you better tell the truth while I¡¯m in a good mood.¡± Eleanor¡¯s mind was clearing. What do you want me to confess? If I really knew who he was, why would I call the police on him multiple times? I called the police because I didn¡¯t know him.¡± Hearing this, Cameron was taken aback for a few seconds, then he said, ¡°I never realized what a clever mind you have, Eleanor¡± Eleanor quickly suggested, ¡°I really don¡¯t know who Mr. Law is How about this, you let me go, follow me back to the city, then I¡¯ll set up a meeting with him. When he shows up, you can catch him and find out who he is.¡± Cameron¡¯s serious expression was reced by a cold smile, ¡°Eleanor, you can¡¯t fool me with such tricks.¡± He checked his watch, I¡¯ll give you three minutes to decide. If you choose to talk, I let you go. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯m sorry, but don¡¯t me me for being merciless¡± Eleanor knew that regardless of whether she spoke or not, Cameron wouldn¡¯t let her go, but he wouldn¡¯t kill her either. Cameron, if he could find Mr. Law¡¯s whereabouts, he wouldn¡¯t bother kidnapping a minor yer like her. He couldn¡¯t find Mr. Law for many years, so he was pinning his hopes on her. But, why was he so determined to find out Mr. Law¡¯s identity? Eleanor used the three minutes to calm herself down, then she asked Cameron, ¡°Are you looking for Mr. Law for revenge too?¡± The word too indicated that she chose not to reveal the truth. Cameron understood Eleanor¡¯s meaning. He took the knife from Scarface, and as he felt the de, he slowly answered Eleanor, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not for revenge. He took my daughter. I want. to find him and ask him where my daughter is¡­.¡± Eleanor¡¯s face froze. Why would Bernard take Sophie Ratliff? Chapter 521 Chapter 521 Chapter 521 Before she had time to ask why, Cameron cut the ropes binding her injured hands and feet with the knife in his hand. Eleanor thought Cameron would let her go, but he spun the knife around out of the blue. The sharp tip was pointing at Eleanor¡¯s neck Then Cameron said, ¡®Ms. Shultz, you have a soft neck. I guess one slice should do it, huh?¡± As the cold knife grazed her skin, Eleanor was sweating bullets, but she forced herself to stay calm and look at this middle-aged man ¡°Cameron, I don¡¯t know who he is Even if you kill me, I can¡¯t tell you anything Why are you giving me such a hard time?¡± While she spoke softly, her eyes gave away her determination. No one was getting any information on Mr. Law¡¯s whereabouts from her. She was determined to protect Bernard and wouldn¡¯t let him get hurt. Even if she was threatened, she wasn¡¯t afraid! Seeing her remain so defiant, Cameron figured she must have guessed that he wouldn¡¯t kill her, so she refused to confess. Looked like he needed to give her a taste of despair. After all, at the brink of desperation, people did tend to choose survival first¡­. Cameron waved his hand and a man with a scar brought over a huge drum full of water. Before Eleanor could react, someone held her head and pushed her into the dram The feeling of suffocation was overwhelming, making her struggle to breathe. Cameron showed no signs of stopping the man. Instead, he seemed to enjoy watching Eleanor struggle, puffing on his cigar andughing. ¡°Ms Shultz, you have quite the lung capacity. I¡¯m impressed you¡¯ve held out this long¡± Eleanor couldn¡¯t hear a word he was saying, all she saw the bubbles she made as she gasped for air. As her struggling hands gradually lost strength, shes of her life experiences filled her mind¡­. She had no regrets. The only regret was her failed promise to marry Bernard. Just as she was about to die from ack of oxygen, the door of the cabin was kicked open. A man appeared at the door. When he saw Eleanor, seemingly lifeless in the tub, he was furious! The guard standing at the door saw the man kick the door down. He raised his iron stick to knock the man out, but the man grabbed the guard¡¯s wrist, and the sound of breaking bones followed The guard¡¯s eyes rolled back into his head and he passed out. When the others saw this, they rushed over. But Bernard knocked them out one by one with the iron stick! In just a few seconds, he fought his way through from the door to the scarred man, and broke the hand that held Eleanor¡¯s head with the stick Then, he pulled Eleanor out of the water When he touched her cold body, he was nervous and petrified. He was shaking as he tried to check if she was still breathing. She suddenly coughed and spat out several mouthfuls of water Bernard breathed a sigh of relief. He held her weak body tightly in his arms, and kissed her forehead. ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m here, you don¡¯t have to be afraid anymore¡­..¡± He was going to make those who hurt her pay a painful price!Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Chapter 522 Chapter 522 Chapter 522 Eleanor looked up at Bernard. You¡¯ Before she could finish, she spotted a man with a knife rushing towards Bernard from behind ¡°Watch out!¡± Bernard¡¯s reaction was surprisingly quick. As soon as Eleanor¡¯s scream echoed, he swung his iron stick, and gave the man a good whack! The man was hit right in the belly, and couldn¡¯t even hold onto his knife. He crumbled to the ground, groaning in agony. The others saw this and immediately charged at Bernard. They outnumbered Bernard and thought they could easily defeat him. But boy were they wrong! While protecting Eleanor, Bernard handled the ambush like a pro. His moves were silky smooth, and he looked like a hard core professional warrior Watching him was enough to send chills down everyone¡¯s spines. Safe and sound in the distance, Cameron leisurely puffed on his cigar In the past, he never dared to test Bernard However, Bernard abandoned his daughter for a woman who looked like Sophie, and even bought out the Ratliff Group. He had Cameron be a chairman from an executive director How could he possibly be nice to such an ungrateful person! Cameron red at Bernard with his cigar stub under his foot. He didn¡¯t mind dealing with Bernard first if it meant he wouldn¡¯t find Mr. Law. After all, they were both his enemies! He squinted and ordered the scar-faced man, ¡°Call everyone in!¡± Bernard was just one man. No matter how tough he was, he couldn¡¯t possibly defeat a bunch of professional thugs! Eleanor was hit with a wave of worry and fear when she saw another group of thugs rushing into the cabin. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Bernard seemed to sense her unease in the heat of the battle. He squeezed her hand a little tighter. Eleanor, don¡¯t be scared¡­.¡± She gripped his hand tightly, trying to keep calm so she wouldn¡¯t distract him. They were almost done, but the endless stream of thugs kept surrounding them. Even Bernard, as formidable as he was, couldn¡¯t possibly hold off an army. The longer the fight dragged on, the more his stamina drained. He was hit with a sudden, overpowering headache. The splitting pain made it hard for him to focus. Just when things couldn¡¯t get any worse, the thugs shifted their attention to Eleanor. They circled to her and tried to attack her. Bernard noticed this and did his best to protect Eleanor. He couldn¡¯t let them hurt her¡­ He¡¯d stumbled upon this ce by instinct. He had forgotten to alert Caleb of the location as he was in a rush. There was no backuping. Bernard kept his cool. He tried to wipe out the thugs quickly, but more and more kept running in. As he turned to kick a thug reaching for Eleanor, an iron stick mmed into his back¡­ Eleanory safe in his arms, and saw him take a hit. She clutched his hand, ovee with worry. ¡°Bernard, just go!¡± She¡¯d rather die at Cameron¡¯s hands than see him get hurt because of her! But Bernard cared about her so much, how could he possibly abandon her? After giving her a reassuring look, he quickly swung back, smacking the thug¡¯s head with his stick. Sadly, there were just too many of them. As soon as he took down one, another raised an iron stick, aiming for his head! Suddenly, the world went quiet. He¡¯could barely make out his surroundings and the colors. He was starting to¡­see nothing. The moment Bernard got distracted, a stick struck him hard in the back. Chapter 523 Chapter 523 Chapter 523 Eleanor was startled and immediately let go of his hand. She tried to shield him, but Bernard, who just snapped out of his daze, grabbed her wrist. He was exhausted, but used his body as a barrier to protect her. As he guarded her in his arms, someone suddenly stabbed his lower back with a sharp knife. Eleanor heard a stifled grunt from him. He forced her head down, he could not let her see him in the current state Eleanor, help is on its way for you¡± Caleb was quick with his duties, he should be here soon. As long as he protected Eleanor, she would surely get out of there safe and sound. He said, ¡°Help is on its way for you,¡± not ¡°for us,¡± which sent shivers down Eleanor¡¯s spine. ¡°Bernard, let me go, she pleaded She struggled to touch his back, but he held her tightly, and she couldn¡¯t move. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Bernard¡¯s eyes were filled with his affection for her. ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m okay Dont worry¡± Just as he finished speaking, another rod harshly hit his head, cutting his forehead open. Blood sttered dying his hair red, it dripped down his forehead. The drops of blood sshed on Eleanor¡¯s head and face. She was so scared to the point that her legs gave out. Using the hand on Bernard¡¯s chest, she touched the part where the blood had smeared on her face The warmth of it triggered something in her. She frantically struggled to free herself and look up at the man in front of her. His face was covered in blood, but his eyes were fixed on her ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t look. It scare you,¡± he said. Immediately after he spoke, someone stabbed him in the back again. His face turned pale, as if he was hit in a vital spot. The hands that held her began to tremble uncontrobly Tears welled up in Eleanor¡¯s eyes. The thought of him protecting her at all costs made her emotional ¡°Bernard, you can escape alone. Please go. Don¡¯t worry about me,¡± she urged. He shook his head, holding her tightly to his chest, not letting anyone harm her. Just then, the cabin door was kicked open from the outside. Ethan walked in with a ck gun in hand. He fired without hesitation, as if this was second nature to him. Cameron, who had been observing the situation from the second floor, saw someone barging in with a gun and his face darkened. Cameron quickly took a few steps back. He hid in a dark corner Bernard turned his head at the sound of the gunfire. Through his blurred vision, he made out Ethan charging towards him. He forced his body up, picking up the metal rod again. Ethan quickly got in front of them. He locked eyes with Bernard for a second, then said, ¡°Too many of them, not enough bullets. I can only take one of you with me¡± When Eleanor saw Ethan appear, it was like seeing a lifeline. She heard him mention he could only take one person and her heart sank, She was down for a second, but then quickly made her decision, ¡°Take him!¡± Bernard, however, had made a decision even quicker. He pushed her towards Ethan. Then, with all his strength, he held back the gang. Ethan was now out of bullets. He quickly threw away his gun, grabbed Eleanor¡¯s hand and started to run. There was no way Eleanor was going to let Bernard stay behind alone, even if it meant they would die together. She struggled to break free from Ethan¡¯s grasp, trying to go back for Bernard, but Ethan lifted her onto his shoulder The moment he carried her out of the cabin, Eleanor saw someone raising a rod ready to strike Bernard¡¯s head again. Before he fell, Bernard turned to look at Eleanor, to make sure she was safe. Chapter 524 Chapter 524 Bernard Bernard.¡± Eleanor¡¯s agonizing screams pierced through the silent, deste forest, resonating past the cabin and striking the heart. The blood¨Csoaked man lying on the ground seemed to hear nothing Only utter silence surrounded him. Like a dying man, he peered through the dense branches at the figure that was gradually moving further away from him He wanted to call out Eleanor¡¯s name once more, but no sound woulde out. All he could do was watch her silently Not until Eleanor hadpletely disappeared from his sight did he slowly close his eyes. Eleanor was being forcefully carried on Ethan¡¯s shoulder. She struggled with all her might, desperately resisting like a madwoman. ¡°Ethan, let me go. Let me save him. Please let me Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. han!¡± Her frantic yell was filled with fear. She couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine what she would be without Bernard. All she knew was that she had to save him. Even if she couldrit, she wanted to stay by his side. She wanted to share life and death with Bernard. She never wanted to be separated from him 1 beg you, let me go to him. Even if it means death, I want to be with him.¡± She had never told him ¡°I love you,¡± she needed to go back and tell him. Bernard, there¡¯s a girl named Eleanor who¡¯s loved you for many years. Please don¡¯t leave her alone. When Ethan heard that she wanted to die with Bernard, his tone became stern. You can¡¯t die¡°¡± He firmly said, ¡°Your heart is mine!* Eleanor¡¯s life and death depended on him! Upon hearing this, Eleanor went insane, ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to die, then help me save him. Without him, I¡¯ll die anyway¡°¡± Ethan, carrying Eleanor, said nonchntly, I can¡¯t beat them.¡± Besides, the Laurence family had taken so much from the Ziegler family, why should he save Bernard? He had only rushed in earlier to take Eleanor out. With the gun he had in his hand, he could have easily taken more people out. He wanted Bernard to die there. Not only could he take revenge for the Ziegler family, but he could also have Eleanor¡¯s heart all to himself. How great that would be Ethan said gravely, ¡°He¡¯s injured badly, even if he doesn¡¯t die, hell be crippled. There¡¯s no point in saving him.¡± Even if he didn¡¯t die, he would be crippled¡­ But he¡¯s Bernard. The untouchable, high and mighty Bernard. How could he die, how could he be disabled? Eleanor couldn¡¯t ept it. She frantically hit Ethan¡¯s back, ¡°I don¡¯t care what state he¡¯s in, I need to go back and get him!¡± Ethan furrowed his brows, losing his patience, ¡°So annoying!¡± He quickly put Eleanor down, and as she turned and prepared to run back, he raised his hand, aiming at the back of her neck, and pped her hard! Eleanor waspletely caught off guard. Her world suddenly turned ck before she had a chance to react. Her body went limp, copsing to the ground¡­ Chapter 525 Chapter 525 Chapter 525 Cameron strolled downstairs with a smirk stered on his face. He spotted Bernard sprawled out on the floor unconscious ¡°Well, wel well I never thought I¡¯d see the day, huh Bernard He kicked Bernard with the tip of his shoe, puffing on a cigar in disdain He had expected this oue After a hefty kick, he turned to his henchman Scarface. The bloke¡¯s still breathing Give him a few more stabs, finish him off! Scarface hesitated. He was familiar with Bernard and aware of the potential retaliation from the Laurence Group. Swallowing nervously, he stuttered, 1 Icant Cameron was unfazed, and removed his cigar and sunsses. He studied Scarface as he fondled his cigar, ¡®Did you forget? Your family¡¯s life is in my hands¡± His words were met with bowed heads from the rest of the crew. They weren¡¯t here for the money, but for their families-otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have risked their lives in the fir Cameron nced at the dead bodies on the floor, I give them a proper send off Their families will receivepensation, and their loved ones will be set free But He put out his cigar warning the group, ¡°If any of you step out of line, your families will meet the same fate as them¡± The room fell silent until Scarface stepped forward, raising his knife towards Bernard¡¯s heart. ¡°Do not dare touch him!¡± Caleb kicked the door open, his golden pistol aimed at Scarface¡¯s leg. He fired without hesitation. Scarface was caught off guard and copsed to the ground. The bullet lodged in his thigh. As the sound of the gunshot echoed, a sea of people flooded in from outside¡­. Bullets flew, and within seconds, the room was in chaos as everyone s****d, trying to protect Cameron. ¡°Wipe them all out. Leave no one behind!¡± Caleb shot Cameron in the leg, his aim precise. His crew chased after the s***g crowd while Caleb quickly checked Bernard¡¯s pulse Bernard needed immediate medical attention, or he would die. Caleb was so used to seeing Bernard injured, he remained calm and carried Bernard out of the woods. ?nce Bernard was in the car, Caleb instructed the driver to head to the hospital while he tended to the wound. When he stopped the bleeding, Caleb knelt in front of Bernard, checked his watch and waited anxiously¡­. Once the bleeding had stopped, Caleb gently shook Bernard¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Sir¡­.¡± After several calls with no response, Caleb¡¯s expression became wary. Bernard had survived worse injuries before and recovered quickly. There was no response Could he have sustained a head injury? Caleb remained calm, stared at the blood on Bernard¡¯s forehead, and a mix of worry and fear creepedContent rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Chapter 526 Chapter 526 The car screeched to a halt at the entrance of Liana Hospital The sight of a bloodied Bernard turned the deputy director¡¯s face pale with shock He quickly pulled himself together, simultaneously directing the medical staff to rush Bernard into the emergency room white asking Caleb, who was right behind him, ¡°Where¡¯s the wound? Caleb responded calmly. Two stab wounds in the back. His head was whacked with a club Not sure how many times, you¡¯ll have to check The deputy director¡¯s brow furrowed when he heard about the head injury. He quickly examined Bernard¡¯s head and confirmed, ¡°Two blows to the head, one to the back of the skut Thats a potentially fatal injury He remembered Mr. Laurence¡¯s existing brain condition and quickly instructed his assistant, ¡°Call the director of WCity Hospital right away. I need to speak to him¡± After giving the order, he turned to the other doctors, ¡°Notify the surgeons to treat the stab wounds immediately and get a neurologist here, stat A group of doctors swiftly wheeled Bernard into the emergency room, discussing his condition, ¡°Mr. Laurence is seriously injured, but luckily no internal organs were hit. We just need to stop the bleeding.¡± The brainstem is in critical condition. We need to clear the hematoma immediately. Surgery is a necessity¡± ¡°Other areas have minor bruises Clean the wounds, the damage isn¡¯t significant.¡± ¡°But performing multiple surgeries at once is risky.¡± After the surgeons and neurologist finished their assessments, they quickly reported back to the deputy director, leaving him with the decision of whether or not to proceed with the multiple surgeries. As the deputy director hesitated, he recalled Mr. Laurence¡¯s instructions against opening his skull. The director of W City Hospital decisivelymanded, ¡°Crack his skull open now!¡± Even though Mr. Laurence had forbidden any cranial surgery, it was the only way to save his life under the current circumstances The director of W City Hospital was Mr. Laurence¡¯s primary physician, so the deputy director had no choice but to follow hismand. He ordered the doctors to proceed with the surgery Outside the operation room, Caleb was staring nkly at the red light when he suddenly remembered Mr. Laurence¡¯s mission to rescue Eleanor. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. They had stormed in but found no sign of Eleanor. If Mr. Laurence woke up to find he hadn¡¯t found Eleanor¡­ Caleb quickly pulled out his phone, preparing to send out a search party when he saw Mr. Laurence¡¯s most trusted bodyguards approaching The head bodyguard stopped in front of Caleb and anxiously asked, ¡°How is Mr. Laurence, Caleb?¡± After Caleb briefly filled them in, he demanded an exnation. When he heard that they had failed to protect both Eleanor and Mr. Laurence, he lost his head, ¡°What the hell? You lost Eleanor and let Mr. Laurence go out alone. Don¡¯t you know there are people out there wanting to kill him?¡± The head bodyguard hung his head in shame, I¡¯m sorry. Mr. Laurence ordered us to find Ms. Shultz, so I sent all my men. I didn¡¯t expect him to go alone We left him and he got badly hurt. It¡¯s my fault.¡± Caleb berated them, ¡°What are you still doing here? Go find Eleanor. If Mr. Laurence wakes up and doesn¡¯t see her, you¡¯ll have bigger problems!¡± The bodyguards quickly apologized and rushed out of the hospital to find Ms. Shultz. After they left, Caleb called Aidyn, ¡°Mr. Laurence is in trouble, get back here ASAP!¡± Given Caleb¡¯s unique status, he couldn¡¯t stay at the hospital too long without risking exposure. Aidyn was ready to storm into Tyler¡¯s mansion for a rematch. He turned pale upon hearing the news. Tming back right now!¡± Not sparing a second thought for Lians, he dropped his weapon, jumped into his car, and ordered his driver to head for the B City Airport. Chapter 527 Chapter 527 When Aldyn rushed to the hospital, the surgery had been underway for several hours Caleb, who had been hiding in the shadows, immediately appeared when he saw Aidyn He quickly gave him the lowdown, then dashed back to the cabin to deal with Cameron and the goons who had hurt Mr. Laurence Aidyn took over Caleb¡¯s post and anxiously paced outside the operation room while dialling Cedric¡¯s number Cedric was in Jorvik setting up the proposal When Aidyn¡¯s call came through, the bouquet in his hand dropped to the ground. Hailey saw this and casually thought Cedric was not being serious. She was about to give him a piece of her mind when she noticed his pale face ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Hailey asked Cedric as she put down the floral crown she was holding, concerned Cedric said nervously, ¡°Bernard¡¯s been seriously injured. The proposal¡¯s off. We need to head home ASAP!¡± Hailey asked nervously, ¡°What happened? How did he get hurt all of a sudden?¡± Cedric grabbed Hailey¡¯s hand and started walking briskly towards the airport, ¡°I have no clue. Let¡¯s just get home first¡­. Cedric started contacting the Laurence family who were en route to Jorvik. He urged them to head straight to the hospital to see Bernard. At A City Hospital the family members started trickling in, each waiting quietly outside the operation room. Despite being arge family that had weathered many storms, they always managed to keep their cool in the face of adversity. Their worry for Bernard was evident in their tense expressions Inside the operation room, carts kepting and going carrying medication and sma. By eight in the evening, the surgery had been underway for six hours. The deputy director and the lead surgeon came out looking exhausted Removing their masks, they lowered their heads and said softly, ¡°Mr. Laurence had two stab wounds on his back. They aren¡¯t too severe. The main issue is his brain. It was hit three times. We managed to remove the clot but he¡¯s still critical. If he doesn¡¯t wake up in the next 48 hours, prepare for the possibility of him slipping into a deepa_ Veronica swayed slightly at the news. A deepa could mean Bernard could end up in a vegetative state. He was the one holding the reins of the Laurence family How would they cope if he ended up like this? How would their grandfather handle the demise of his handpicked sessor? Veronica looked suspiciously at the deputy director. Something felt off. She asked bluntly, ¡°Are you keeping something from us?¡± The deputy director, remembering Mr. Laurence¡¯s instructions, quickly shook his head. Veronica didn¡¯t buy it. In a cold, firm tone, she said, ¡°You either spill the beans to me now or I¡¯ll have someone investigate. And if it¡¯s thetter, say goodbye to your career!¡± Hearing Veronica¡¯s voice, Deputy Director Lee¡¯s hands started to shake.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. With so many doctors and nurses involved in the surgery, this secret might be hard to keep. After some thought, he decided toe clean, ¡°When I examined Mr. Laurence before, I discovered he had a brain disease. It was a deep¨Cseated tumor. An open skull surgery would riska and paralysis. Mr. Laurence refused the surgery and chose conservative treatment. He also didn¡¯t allow me to tell anyone. To prevent you all from worrying, he decided to go to W City for treatment. Based on our communication with the director of W City hospital, we decided to remove the tumor while cleaning the clot. The surgery has been sessful so far, but given the severity of his injuries, it¡¯s unlikely hell wake up¡­¡± Chapter 528 Chapter 528 The word ¡°brain disease always reminded them of their eldest brother, Dominic Laurence, who passed away due to a brain disease Now, so many yearster, Bernard had been diagnosed with a brain disease too. A brain tumor to be exact He chose to hide h and even refused to go under the knife. If it wasnt for this ident, the Laurences would still be in the dark. Veronica was usuallyposed, but now she was flustered and furious ¡°What a farcel She frowned and asked the vice deputy. So, are you saying he cant wake up because he had a brain tumor and then got a knock on the head?¡± The vice deputy answered truthfully, ¡°Medically speaking, if he doesn¡¯t wake up within 48 hours, his chances of surviving are slim. Unless a miracle happens. Furthermore, the chances of recurrence are very high even if he wakes up Veronica said, ¡°Bernard has always been tough, he got through every injury he¡¯s had since he was a kid. It¡¯s just a turnor, we¡¯re not scared¡± After speakingposed, she turned her head to Aidyn, who was standing outside the operating room with a worried look, ¡°Where¡¯s Eleanor?¡± Bernard deeply loved Eleanor, if she were here, he¡¯d surely pull through Audyn exined how Cameron had people kidnap Eleanor and how Mr. Laurence got injured trying to save her. ¡°Our guards are still searching for Eleanor. We¡¯re not sure where she¡¯s been taken.¡± Veronica reacted quickly and asked Aidyn, ¡°Why did Cameron kidnap Eleanor?¡± In front of Veronica, Aidyn was anxious. As Bernard¡¯s special assistant, he was no stranger to such situations. He exined calmly, ¡°Cameron probably kidnapped Eleanor to get back at Mr. Laurence for buying the Ratliff Group.¡± He didn¡¯t tell Veronica that Cameron kidnapped Eleanor in order to find Mr. Law. The Laurences didn¡¯t know about Mr. Laurence¡¯s other identity, nor did they know that Mr. Laurence had been trained by the Siren Organization since he was a child. So, he kept it to himself Aidyn knew Cameron¡¯s real motive for the kidnapping because Mr. Laurence confided in him. When he was asked to modify some documents, he was informed that a man with a scar was trying to find Mr. Law When he heard Bernard mention the scar again, he guessed that they were the people behind the kidnapping. He didn¡¯t expect Cameron to be the mastermind behind it. Aidyn guessed that Cameron probably started investigating Mr. Law because of Sophie¡¯s disappearance. Despite understanding the cause and effect, Aidyn kept silent. Veronica¡¯s eyes were filled with anger. She quickly turned her head to the Laurences standing outside the operating room. ¡°Kendrick, send all of Cameron¡¯s rtives working in the Ratliff Group to the police station for bribery!¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Taylor, immediately blocked all news about Bernard¡¯s injury. Don¡¯t let anyone or any media outlet know about this!¡± ¡°Matthew, inform grandfather as soon as possible. Regardless of whether or not he can handle it. Ask him toe back quickly!¡± First of all, anyone who dared to mess with the Laurence family should consider the consequences. Secondly, since Bernard took over, his ruthless and decisive actions have offended many people. They must not let outsiders know about his condition. Dominic also fell into aa due to a sudden brain disease. Everyone kept it from their grandfather because they didn¡¯t want him to worry, and as a result, he didn¡¯t even get to see Dominic for thest time. The vice deputy didn¡¯t say Bernard would certainly fall into aa, but who could guarantee there wouldn¡¯t be any unexpected circumstances? Dominic had woken up from aa only to pass away unexpectedly. After Veronica gave her orders, the family members all went off to carry them out. Chapter 529 Chapter 529 Chapter 529 By the time Cedric got there, it was already the c****k of dawn the next day When he found out what had happened from Veronica, he was so p****d off his face turned blue What the heck does Cameron think he is toy hands on my brother? I¡¯m going to make him regret it Cedric was fuming. He was ready to storm off to get back at Cameron but Veronica stopped him in his tracks ¡°Stay out of it and don¡¯t cause any more trouble¡± The one thing Cedric feared the most when growing up was his sister. When she scolded him, he slowly cooled down Veronica looked at Cedric, Cedric, you¡¯ll be acting president for now You¡¯re in charge of the Laurence Group. Remember, dont reveal Bernard¡¯s situation to anyone¡± With Bernard still unconscious in the ICU, Cedric was hardly in the mood to run the Laurence Group. He was about to refuse when Veronica¡¯s gaze shifted to Hailey ¡°And who are you? Hailey was still wondering why Eleanor had been kidnapped. She was taken aback by Veronica¡¯s question. Cedric quickly jumped in ¡°She¡¯s a good friend of Ms. Shultz¡¯s, and her name is Hailey¡± Veronica nodded, then noticed their hands tightly sped together, her eyes flickering slightly Even though Veronica didn¡¯t say anything. Hailey, being the sensitive one, got her drift. So, she said to Cedric, go find Eleanor. Let me know if Mr. Laurence¡¯s condition improves She tried to pull her hand away, but Cedric held on tight. ¡°We¡¯ve already got a bunch of people out looking for Ms. Shultz. You should stay here with me and wait. Don¡¯t go anywhere, it¡¯s too risky¡± Hailey was about to say something when she saw a woman who she had met before in the gynecology warde up to Cedric. ¡°Mom and dad will be here soon Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Sigrid briefly reminded Cedric, leaving him momentarily stunned. Taking this opportunity, Hailey managed to pull her hand free. She looked up at Sigrid, returning her polite nod with a cordial smile before quickly leaving. She thought this beautiful and elegant woman was Cedric¡¯s new me, but it turns out, she was his younger sister. She knew well that Cedric wasn¡¯t the one for her. As Hailey walked out of the hospital, she looked up at the sky, and her mood grew increasingly somber Eleanor, where are you now, are you hurt, are you still alive¡­. As Hailey thought about the worst-case scenario, tears started to roll down her cheeks. Had she known how cruel fate could be, she would have taken Eleanor away from all this chaos when she had the chance. In the hospital, 48 hourster, the members of the Laurence family all gathered outside the ICU Each of them looked handsome dressed in suits. Even the old man with his full head of white hair, looked lively. They seemed uneasy, but they maintained the coolposure characteristic of the Laurences. They remained silent as the doctor delivered the news. Tm sorry. Please prepare yourselves for a severea-¡° Chapter 530 Chapter 530 Eleanor woke up from a droway sleep. She opened her eyes to find herself in a vaguely familiar ce The grand chandelier, the French d¨¦cor. This was G country! Ethan and Emilia¡¯s vi! Eleanor was shocked. She tried to force herself out of the bed despite her exhaustion But, her body was too weak and she fell back down. She raised her hand to rub her forehead. She tried hard to recall how she ended up in G country, but she had a nk memory Ethan, sitting in the living room, seemed to hear something from the room and walked in with a cup of water. Eleanor had her hand on her forehead. She saw Ethane in and frowned, ¡°Did you drug me?¡± She felt groggy and weak, as if she had been drugged. Ethan replied casually. ¡°Every once in a while, I did slip you some sleeping pills. You slept pretty well, didn¡¯t you?¡± After his admission, he handed her the cup of water, ¡°Why don¡¯t you get some more shut eye?¡± Eleanor thought he was beyond helpful, but she didn¡¯t have the energy to argue with him. She forced herself up from the bed, asking him, ¡°How¡¯s Bernard?¡± She remembered going back to find Bernard and was knocked out by Ethan. Then she woke up! here. She may have woken up from time to time, but because he kept drugging her, she couldn¡¯t remember anything and had no idea how much time had passed She was worried sick. She wanted to be back by Bernard¡¯s side, to check on his wounds, to take care of him herself, and to be there for him. Ethan put down his cup and sat on a single sofa, resting his chin on his hand and said, ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡± Dead? Eleanor turned pale, ¡°What are you saying?¡± Ethan watched her reaction, raising an eyebrow, ¡°You heard me clearly. Why ask again?¡± Eleanor was in disbelief¡­. She stared at Ethan Suddenly, she screamed at Ethan, Do you even know what you¡¯re saying?¡± He had promised to marry her. How could he be dead? Eleanor gathered all her strength, picked up a pillow from the bed and hurled it at Ethan. ¡°You har! You¡¯re tricking me!¡± He wouldn¡¯t just leave her! He hadn¡¯t heard her say I love you, nor had he seen her pregnant with his child. How could he be dead! After a few rounds of a pillow assault, Ethan¡¯s calm expression was gradually reced by annoyance. He lifted his hand to grab Eleanor¡¯s wrist and said coldly. ¡°Enough!¡± Eleanor was now out of her senses and couldn¡¯t stop. She grabbed a cup from the bedside table and threw it at his head. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Ethan could tolerate the water mixed with sleeping pills sshed on his head, but a cup smashing his forehead made him furious. His face darkened. He stood up, grabbed Eleanor¡¯s throat with one hand and shoved her onto the bed. His cold gaze fixed on Eleanor¡¯s pale face, devoid of any emotion. His expression was filled with only possessiveness. ¡°For the sake of your sister¡¯s heart, I can tolerate this tantrum of yours, but not a second time.¡± if you darey a hand on me again, don¡¯t hate me for being unkind to you!¡± After the warning, he pped Eleanor¡¯s face with his other hand. ¡°Listen, Bernard is dead from his severe injuries¡± ¡®I suggest you give up on the idea of going back to him and stay here in G country with me!¡± Eleanor, who was struggling and resisting wildly, gradually calmed down. She stared at Ethan wide¨Ceyed, unable to believe him. She was trying to discern the truth in his eyes but she saw nothing. ¡°It¡¯s not possible Eleanor shook her head, tears falling down her cheeks. She kept saying it was possible, but the images shing in her mind were all of Bernard being hit with a rod, being stabbed Who could survive such severe injuries..? She looked at Ethan nkly. She couldn¡¯t say a word, just hoping he would say. ¡°Eleanor. I only led to you to win over your sister¡¯s heart. However, not only did Ethan not give her a glimmer of hope, but he also cut off all her retreats- Chapter 531 Chapter 531 You probably don¡¯t know yet. Bernard had a brain disease, a tumor-¡± A droplet of blood from Ethan¡¯s forehead fell on Eleanor¡¯s pale forehead, soaking in slowly like a blooming flower Her eyes looked Meless as she stared at Ethan She looked like a puppet, frozen Do you think with his condition, he could survive multiple physical traumas?¡± Ethan¡¯s cold voice echoed like a death knell, utterly ruthless. Eleanor gripped the bedsheet tightly. A chill coursed through her body from head to toe, causing her to shudder. 1 wont believe a word you say¡­ He once said it was just a migraine, how could it be a tumor? Ethan could be lying to her.. Don¡¯t believe me?¡± Ethan raised an eyebrow and scoffed. ¡°Why don¡¯t you look into where all the assets under your name came from?¡± Eleanor stared nkly at Ethan, seemingly not understanding what he was saying Ethan retracted his smile, staring at her nkly. ¡°Bernard restored your identity, just to transfer the assets to your name. He had already made a will for you, paving the way for your future, and you still don¡¯t believe it?¡±Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Ethan¡¯s voice was low, but his words were chillingly cold. Eleanor gripped the bedsheet tightly; her trembling body felt like it was in an ice cave. ¡°No way! He helped me restore my identity so that I could design the Jared Group Headquarters in my own name!¡± ¡°He transferred the assets to me because he was afraid that I would feel unworthy of him, that¡¯s why he gave me everything he had! ¡°He can¡¯t possibly be dead! ¡°Bernard cant possibly be dead!¡± Eleanor yelled, seemingly on the brink of copse. She struggled desperately. Ethan didn¡¯t respond. He watched her coldly as she sank into anger. His cold gaze made her feel increasingly desperate. In her confused and numb state, she suddenly remembered a photo Bernard had sent her. At that time, he had said to her¡­ He said, ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t delete it, keep it as a memory¡­.¡± Three years ago, she knew she wouldn¡¯t live long, and wanted to leave him a photo as a memory. Could it be¡­he really left like that? He had promised to be with her for a lifetime, how could he just leave?! Eleanor went from disbelief to copse in just a few seconds. She clutched her aching chest, crying hysterically Ethan let go of her when she seemed to have finally believed him. He stood up and took a handkerchief out of his suit pocket. He slowly wiped the blood off his forehead and nced at Eleanor indifferently. Then he turned to leave ¡°Ethan¡­.¡± Ethan stopped, turned his head, and looked coldly at the woman on the bed. Eleanor, with all her strength, crawled out of bed and knelt in front of him. ¡°Please, let me go back¡­.¡± No matter the situation, life or death, she wanted to be with Bernard. She thought she didn¡¯t love Bernard that much, but now she knew that she couldn¡¯t live without him, nor could she lose him. If her remaining life was without Bernard, then her life would lose its purpose and beauty. She was willing to die with him, but before that, she wanted to go back and see him one last time, even if it was just his body. There were too many regrets between them¡­. When she loved him, she thought he didn¡¯t love her, so she wasted an opportunity. When she didn¡¯t want to love him, she thought they were not right for each other, so they broke up. After eight years of twists and turns, she finally waited for his proposal, only for him to risk his life to save hers¡­. Eleanor remembered how he shielded her with his broad back, protecting her from harm. Her trembling fingers clutched her chest, as she pleaded with Ethan through her tears ¡°Ethan, for the sake of my sister, please let me go back to him¡­.¡± He had to let her go to him, she missed him terribly. An unprecedented longing that made her wish she were dead She thought, if they couldn¡¯t be together in life, they would be together in death. At least she could be with him¡­. Chapter 532 Chapter 532 Chapter 532 Ethan stood at the doorway, watching her from afar watching as the hope of life slowly disappeared from her eyes, and his face instantly darkened. He moved back to Eleanor, gripping her cheek, looking down at her coldly, ¡°You really want to die with him?¡± Eleanor Efted her tear-soaked eyshes. She didn¡¯t answer him, but her silence spoke volumes. Ethan understood her, cruelly shattering her hopes, ¡°Stop dreaming about dying with him Every time you die. Il save your Eleanor looked up at him, her eyes full of despair, ¡°Why?¡± Why was the right to die with him taken away? Ethan shghtly bent over, getting closer to Eleanor¡¯s face, ¡°In this lifetime, you can only live for your sister¡¯s heart!¡± Hearing this, Eleanor suddenly startedughing softly, until tears flowed non-stop from her eyes. She wasughing and crying at the same time, a sight so wild that Ethan was stunned for a few seconds, ¡°What are youughing at?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t answer, just knelt on the ground, curled up, crying andughing out of her mind like a madwoman. Ethan stared at her for a while, slowly squatted down and asked her in a deep voice, Tell me. What are youughing at?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t answer him and giggled absurdly The creepyughter sent chills down Ethan¡¯s spine He stood up and immediately called George in, ¡°Check her Is she m****y disturbed?¡± George stood still and didn¡¯t move. He seemed to be angry with Ethan, ¡°You just want her heart. If she bes crazy due to a m****l disorder, you can manipte her however you want Isn¡¯t that exactly what you wish for?¡± Ethan frowned in a deep voice he said, ¡°You tricked me back to G country. I haven¡¯t settled that score with you, and you want to argue with me?¡± George didn¡¯t think he was wrong. 1 tricked you back to G country because I don¡¯t think you should tie Eleanor to your side After all, she¡¯s not Emilia. She¡¯s a person with Emilia¡¯s heart. You¡¯re so desperate to hold on to her, but she¡¯s innocent.¡± Ethan stared at George coldly. ¡°If you¡¯re not willing to help her, then get out.¡± George choked. He wanted to leave, but when he saw Eleanor¡¯s madness, he heaved a deep sigh. He brought the medical kit, took out a tranquillizer and injected it into Eleanor When she closed her eyes, he helped her to the bed, put down the syringe and turned to face Ethan. ¡°What did you just say to her?¡± Ethan cast a nce at Eleanor, and said nonchntly, ¡°I told her that Bernard is dead.¡± George couldn¡¯t believe it, ¡°I really don¡¯t understand you. Mr. Laurence is in aa, not dead Why would you lie to her like this?¡± Ethan sat on the sofa, crossed his legs, looked at Eleanor¡¯s pale face and said lightly, ¡°Bernard wanted to marry her. If I didn¡¯t lie to her, would I still have a chance to keep Emilia¡¯s heart afte she got married?¡± As he said this, he was shrouded in a gloomy atmosphere. It was as if he had no hope and was lost in endless darkness. ¡°But you are lying to her and causing her to have a m***l breakdown. Have you considered her feelings?¡± Ethan abruptly raised his eyes. ¡°Who will consider my feelings if I consider hers?¡¯ All he wants is Emilia¡¯s heart. She once loved him. Why couldn¡¯t he keep it? Seeing Ethan losing his mind left George feeling helpless. He didn¡¯t argue with him anymore. ¡°Im going to see Nina¡­.. During Ethan¡¯s stay in the country, he fought with Emilia¡¯s ex-husband over the child and didn¡¯t have much energy to find Eleanor George thought that after bringing Emilia¡¯s child back, Ethan would give up on Emilia¡¯s heart. He was wrong Ethan was still focusing on Eleanor. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. As George turned to leave the bedroom, he heard Ethan¡¯s cold voice from behind- ¡°Don¡¯t tell her that Bernard is not dead!¡± Bernard was in aa and could never recover. As long as Eleanor¡¯s hope waspletely cut off, she would stay with Ethan forever. Even if she became a madwoman, what did it matter? As long as her heart was there, that would be good. George stood still. He didn¡¯t agree with Ethan¡¯s request. He didn¡¯t turn back to look at him and after a moment of silence, just he gritted his teeth and left the room Chapter 533 Chapter 533 To prevent Eleanor from killing herself, Ethan ordered some men chain her hands and feet to the bed. Eleanory in bed and was as silent as a tomb. She stared nkly at the ocean outside the window The hired help taking care of and watching her didn¡¯t have a clue what was going on in her head, but saw tears streaming down her face Eleanor kept crying, but didn¡¯t make a sound. She was like a lifeless doll. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. This went on for a week. Eleanor refused to eat or drink she seemed to want to die on her terms. Ethan wasn¡¯t about to let her die He had people pumping her with nutrients to keep her on life support George was changing her IV noticed Eleanor¡¯s nk stare, and got the heebie jeebies He tried waving his hand in front of Eleanors face, but she didn¡¯t react. That¡¯s when he realized she was blind George quickly grabbed some eye meds from the medicine box and shaved them into Eleanor¡¯s mouth, but she spat them out. George tried to persuade Eleanor, but saw her dragging her chains. She turned her back to him and whispered toward the sea, ¡°George I saw himing for me Let the go, will you?¡± Let her go in this state to go after Bernard George stood by the bed and red at Ethan who had been eyeing his every move. You¡¯re getting a kick out of torturing Emilia¡¯s little sister, aren¡¯t you?¡± Ethan lounged on an armchair and massaged his temples. As cool as a cucumber, he looked at George saying. Your job is to keep her alive, not to lecture me¡± George thought Ethan was beyond reasoning. ¡°She¡¯s going to die if this continues¡± Ethan, unfazed, replied. Then drug her up, and turn her into a vegetable¡± Just like before, sheid quietly in bed and did not make a fuss. How peaceful. George balled his fists and stormed out in a huff. After he left, Ethan got up, walked over to Eleanor, and frowned at her pale face. Don¡¯t forget, you still have to draw designs for your sister. If you cry your eyes out, how are you going to draw?¡± Eleanor, lying on the bed, didn¡¯t react. It was like she didn¡¯t hear him at all. For the past few days she had been like a ghost. She only said a few words to George Looking at Eleanor in this state, Ethan was getting antsy. He grabbed Eleanor¡¯s face, pried open her mouth, picked up a cup of water from the table, and forced it down her throat. Eleanor choked, coughed violently, and sprayed water all over Ethan¡¯s hand. Ethan looked at the water on his hand. His frown deepened, but he swallowed his anger and wiped her mouth with a tissue ¡°If you want to give up on life, I won¡¯t stop you. But before that, please finish the designs for your sister. ¡°Also, you still have two things left on our agreement that need to be done.¡± Eleanor turned her head to avoid close contact with him. Then shey down facing the sea, choosing to remain silent. He just wanted to prolong her life, to let her live for her sister¡¯s sake¡­ But to her, without Bernard, what was the point of living? Ethan¡¯s indifferent gaze fell on her petite figure that was turned away from him. After coldly staring at her for a while, Ethan promised, ¡®Once you¡¯ve done these, I¡¯ll take you home.¡± What he was best at was making deals. Eleanor had been duped a few times, so she didn¡¯t buy it. Her silence made Ethan lose his patience. He got up and stormed out of the room. Two weekster, the IV couldn¡¯t sustain Eleanor¡¯s life anymore. Ethan¡¯s face was getting grimmer. As he sat by the bed, trying to force her to drink again, she suddenly grabbed his hand. ¡°Bernard, is that you?¡± She trembled, tightly holding Ethan¡¯s hand, slowly intecing their fingers. ¡°Why are you onlying for me now? I¡¯ve been waiting for you every day, and now I can¡¯t see clearly¡­¡± Ethan cast his eyes down at her small hand holding his, his expression changing slightly, but he didn¡¯t pull away immediately. She followed his hand to touch his face, but didn¡¯t feel the familiar features. Disappointment shed in her eyes. ¡°So it¡¯s not him She let go, lowered her eyes and turned away. She buried her head in the nket, and began to cry quietly. So it was just a hallucination. Bernard, you won¡¯te into my dreams, you won¡¯te for me, have you forgotten me¡­ Chapter 534 Chapter 534 Chapter 534 Ethan¡¯s gaze fell on the petite figure. ¡°You miss him that much, huh?¡± Eleanor stayed silent, her face expressionless Ethan wasn¡¯t angry, he just tilted his head and continued to look at her, Tasked you before, do you love Bernard? You said no. But a few monthster, you¡¯re head over heels for him?¡± Knowing she would probably stay silent, Ethan didn¡¯t pause this time and started to answer his own question, ¡°You¡¯re not being true to yourself, you clearly love him but refuse to admit it, and now that you¡¯ve missed your chance, you¡¯re ready to die with him. How weird is that?¡± He acted like G***d and used Eleanor from a third-person perspective He then asked with confusion, ¡°But there¡¯s one thing I don¡¯t get¡­¡± He unfolded his legs and got up from the couch again, kneeling next to the bed, forcing Eleanor to face him. 1 looked into your history with Bernand He had you as his secret lover for five years and didn¡¯t cherish you when he was with you He pped you after breaking up and caused your early death He hurt you badly, so why did you forgive him?¡± Despite Bernard¡¯s actions, Eleanor chose to forgive him, even willing to give her life for him. Why did Emilia choose to leave him forever? Ethan looked at her with confusion, trying to find the answer in her lifeless eyes Eleanor just stared nkly. She was too drained and uninterested to clear up his confusion Ethan didn¡¯t want her to clear up his confusion, he just wanted her to say, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I forgive you¡± He knew very well that what he had done was far worse than Bernard¡¯s actions. Emilia would never forgive him¡­ A hint of self-mockery shed in his eyes, he let go of Eleanor and looked at her hands and feet that were reddened and bruised by the chains. His mind drifted back to the past, when he realized that he couldn¡¯t hold onto Emilia. He had used the same method to keep her by his side What was Emilia like back then? Resistant, argumentative,promising, deceiving, and finally ran away and disappeared¡­ Ethan thought of the past with Emilia, his eyes started to turn red. ¡°I don¡¯t get it, she¡¯s the one who betrayed me first. Why am I the one stuck in hell¡­?¡± Stuck in that hell where Emilia trapped him. Leaving him unable to escapel Eleanor¡¯s eyshes trembled a bit when she heard Ethan¡¯s words. She still chose to stay quiet. Ethan looked at the face that resembled Emilia¡¯s, as if he was seeing his former lover. He stared at Eleanor quietly for a while, raised his cold fingers. He yed with a strand of her hair, and casually started talking. ¡°I just figured out what the second agreement should be¡­¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t answer, Ethan bent down and whispered in her ear, ¡°I want you to pretend to be Emilia, live with me for a while¡± Eleanor struggled to turn her eyes and slowly looked at him, ¡°After I die, let George take my heart out and give it back to you¡± This was the first time she had spoken to him in more than half a month. Her cold and piercing tone made Ethan¡¯s face drop. ¡°You can refuse if you want¡­. Ethan was angry for a moment, then regained his calm. ¡°Do you want to visit Bernard¡¯s grave?¡± Eleanor¡¯s heart suddenly throbbed ¨C he was already buried? She hadnt even had a chance to say goodbye, and now they were separated by life and death? She clenched her fist, digging her nails into her palm. She tried to cause physical pain to suppress the heartache. Could the physical pain really suppress the pain of losing her beloved? The feeling was worse than death. Eleanor let go of her hand, letting the heart-wrenching pain consume her, and letting the tears flow. Ethan sneered when she started crying again, ¡°If you want to go, then agree to my terms ¡± For Eleanor, whether Bernard was alive or dead, she wanted to see him. Since she had something to ask for, she would definitely agree to his terms. She wouldn¡¯t die easily He knew the human heart well, but he couldn¡¯t figure out what Eleanor was thinking. She only said one sentence about returning the heart, and then she never spoke again Ethan couldn¡¯t be bothered with her, as long as her life was sustained and her heart was supplying blood normally. Her condition was none of his business.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Chapter 535 Chapter 535 The person on the bed was getting weaker and weaker. George was trying to keep her alive with all kinds of nutrients, but she seemed to have lost her will to live. When George saw those dim, lifeless eyes, his hand suddenly stopped giving her the infusion. Heyanked off the infusion tube, turned around and faced Ethan, who was always watching him ¡°She¡¯s not going to make it just let her go Ethan leaned back on the couch and casually nced at the Meless Eleanor. Do whatever it takes to keep her alive!¡± ¡°You know darn well that the only way to keep her going is by telling her the truth that Bernard isn¡¯t dead¡± George couldn¡¯t ept or understand Ethan¡¯s cruel treatment of women. You have to understand, once she¡¯s gone, Emilia¡¯s heart is gone too Ethan uncrossed his legs and leaned forward slightly His elbow rested on his knee as he looked at George impassively. ¡°So, you have got to figure out a way to keep her alive.¡± George stared at Ethan, let out a helpless sigh and turned back to look at Eleanor, who was unconscious on the bed. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. He opened the medical box, took out a few more shots and injected them into Eleanor¡¯s arm. He stayed by her side waiting for her to wake up. When Eleanor opened her eyes, George¡¯s face was reflected vaguely in front of her George had been tirelessly giving her injections and feeding her medicine. He preserved her vision, but this was not the oue Eleanor wanted She weakly opened her lips and stuttered to George, ¡®Can you stop saving me¡­.¡± George raised his wrinkled hand and patted Eleanor¡¯s hand, ¡°Eleanor, you¡¯re pregnant¡± Eleanor¡¯s long¨Cdead heart started beating again, as if a beam of light had suddenly shone into the dark world. She widened her eyes, trying to make out the truth from George¡¯s eyes, but couldn¡¯t see his expression clearly George saw some reaction In her eyes atst, and his guilt lessened a bit. You have to live for the child.¡± He clenched his fists as he said this, not daring to meet Eleanor¡¯s eyes. He feared that she would detect his lie Eleanor suddenly started tough, her body shook withughter. Her voice was hoarse and nasty, like a madwoman. George was startled, thinking she had gone mad. She stoppedughing and stared at him with empty eyes. ¡°George, why are you lying to me?¡± Liana had checked for her before, she was not pregnant at all. George didn¡¯t expect her to know everything, but still insisted, Tm not lying to you, you really are pregnant, one month along.¡± He randomly pulled out a blood test tube from the medical box and showed it to Eleanor, ¡°This is the result of your blood test. Before, I only gave you nutrient infusions and never did any checks. Recently, I realized your eyesight was poor and I took your blood while you were unconscious George confidently imed one month, which left Eleanor stiff. She and Bernard did sleep together a month ago. But no pregnancy was detected after that. However, Liana also said that it could be undetectable because a short time had gone by. Could it be¡­ Chapter 536 Chapter 536 Chapter 536 Eleanor still couldn¡¯t wrap her head around it. Shouldn¡¯t she have at least felt something if she was pregnant? How did this even happen? She painstakingly lifted her hand to touch her belly ¡°How do you know it¡¯s been a month already?¡± George nced back at Ethan, knowing he wouldn¡¯t let him spill the beans. He had to keep up the charade with Eleanor, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m a doctor, I can tell In reality, he was just taking a wild guess based on the timeline. It had been twenty days since Ethan brought Eleanor back And before that, she must have been with Bernard He was simply guessing If Eleanor said they hadn¡¯t been intimate, he¡¯d tell her the truth. He was lying to her to give her a reason to live. But when Eleanor responded with ¡°How do you know?¡± George knew he had hit the nail on the head He hoped this white he could give her a reason to live and go back to see Bernard. There¡¯s always hope as long as you¡¯re breathing, right? After he finished speaking, George leaned down to whisper encouragingly in Eleanor¡¯s ear, ¡°Stay alive, only then can you go back to him.¡± He subtly hinted at Eleanor, but she was already brainwashed by Ethan, thinking she was going back to see Bernard in his grave She touched her belly, a myriad of emotions crossing her face. Why did she have to get pregnant at a time like this? Was Bernard trying to keep her from joining him? Without him, what was the point of having a child? Eleanor clutched her belly Her eyes were empty as she looked at George, ¡°Help me¡­.¡± She wanted to say ¡°help me abort,¡± but couldn¡¯t get the words out This was his child, a child they both had hoped for She missed him so much, she just wanted to die and see him. How could she die now with a child? ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Eleanor curled up in agony, ¡°Why, why. Why is this happening to me?!¡± She just wanted to be with him. Was she not allowed to die? Why, why was this happening? Her h****e wailing pierced through Ethan¡¯s eardrums as he slowly lifted his head. He stared at the frail figure, a strange emotion flickering in his eyes. He too, seemed unwilling to witness such a scene. Standing up, he left after uttering a single sentence, ¡°You can go home as long as you agree to my terms.¡± George wanted tofort Eleanor, but Ethan¡¯s cold nce shut him up. He picked up his medical kit and left. Ethan, seated on the living room couch, looked like a demon straight out of hell. He pulled out a cigarette, lit it and took a drag. His face was half-lit in the dim light George watched him for a moment before asking in a serious tone, ¡°What terms did you ask her to agree to?¡± Ethan ignored George¡¯s question, impatiently puffing on his cigarette. Just as George was about to press on, Ethan¡¯s assistant walked in from outside. The assistant stood before them, panting. ¡°Mr. Ziegler, three groups of people havee to the G country looking for Ms. Shultz.¡± Ethan crushed his cigarette butt in the ashtray and looked up at the assistant, ¡°Who are they?¡± The assistant answered truthfully, ¡°One group is Robin¡¯s people, looking for Miss Emilia. The second is Bernard¡¯s bodyguard; the other group is unknown. It seems like they¡¯re from some organization¡± Ethan let out a coldugh, ¡°So Robin has finally found his way to the G country after all this time. He¡¯s an idiot, not worth worrying about. As for Bernard¡¯s bodyguard, it was not worth considering unless Bernard had woken up. No one knew it was me who took Eleanor¡­¡± After his light chuckle, Ethan turned serious again, looking straight at the assistant, ¡°This organization you mentioned, is it the Siren Organization?¡± The assistant couldn¡¯t find any information on the Siren Organization and didn¡¯t dare to make any assumptions, only replying, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s the Siren Organization¡­.¡± Ethan turned back, looking down at the bedroom under the spiral stairs, ¡°If it¡¯s the Siren Organization, then she is not an ordinary person.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t know much about the Siren Organization. He only knew that it was made up of the offspring of major families, all high IQ individuals that mainly helped families resolve internal disputes. To join the Siren Organization, one must pass an assessment, with intelligence and loyalty being two vital characteristics. Ethan wasn¡¯t sure if the Siren Organization was here for Eleanor, but for safety¡¯s sake, he made a decision quickly, ¡°Pack up, we¡¯re going to the N Country.¡± Chapter 537 Chapter 537 Chapter 537 Alter Ethan made up his mind, he set up a private jet right away and snuck out of G country By the time their group arrived in N country, it was in the middle of the night. A ***t carried Eleanor off the ne, looking quite fragile against the bating cold wind Ethan, trailed behind them, spreading the coat he had slung over his arm onto Eleanor. George caught sight of this subtle gesture and his expression shifted slightly but he didn¡¯t say anything He just followed behind with Nina in his arms The weather in N country was freezing below zero degrees. Eleanor was shivering from the cold a few minutes after getting off the ne and when they left the airport. The vi¡¯s chauffeur turned up the heating on full st once he picked them up. It did nothing to alleviate Eleanor¡¯s chills. Ethan saw her in the back seat, curled up, arms wrapped around herself, refusing to use the coat he gave her. His eyes turned cold. He forcibly wrapped the coat around her. Eleanor didn¡¯t resist, but as soon as he went back to his seat, she pushed the cont away again His eyes perceived this silent action as a provocation, and he couldn¡¯t be bothered to deal with her anymore. The kid snuggled up in George¡¯s arms was constantly staring at Eleanor huddled in the back. Eleanor reminded her of being locked up in her room. She stretched out her little hand to touch Eleanor¡¯s hair, but her arms were too short. So she wriggled out of George¡¯s arms, slid down and walked over to Eleanor, gently touching her face and said. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. The soft touch of her hand against her face made Eleanor¡¯s heart palpitate. She couldn¡¯t see clearly and could only guess from the childish voice that it was a kid She touched Eleanor¡¯s face and suddenly burst into tears, ¡°Mommy you¡¯re Nina¡¯s mommy¡± Nina hugged Eleanor and buried her face in her chest, ¡°Mommy, why didn¡¯t youe back to see Nina? Don¡¯t you want Nina anymore?¡± Hearing the name ¡°Nina,¡± made Eleanor realize that this was her sister Emilia¡¯s daughter. The one she had with her ex husband. She¡¯s a girl, but why was she here? Eleanor gently stroked the young girl¡¯s hair and softly said, ¡°Nina, I¡¯m not your mommy, I¡¯m your aunt¡± Nina didn¡¯t believe her. She cried out. ¡°You¡¯re lying! I look at your picture every day. You¡¯re my mommy.¡± Eleanor was trying to exin gently to Nina, but a cold voice sounded beside them, ¡°She¡¯s not your mom. Go back to your seat.¡± Seeing Ethan¡¯s icy gaze, Nina was so scared that she stopped crying and didn¡¯t dare to speak. She let go of Eleanor and silently went back to George with her head hanging low Eleanor couldn¡¯t see Nina¡¯s dejected expression, but she could feel the child¡¯s fear. Her depressed mood was gradually taken over by anger Nina was lying on George, but she couldn¡¯t let it go. She turned her head back to look at Eleanor, sobbing and muttering, ¡°She is my mommy George gently patted Nina¡¯s back, consoling her softly, ¡°Your mommy and your aunt just look alike, Nina. You¡¯ve mistaken her¡­¡± Upon hearing these words, Nina burst into tears again, ¡°Then where is my mommy? And where is my daddy?¡± Ever since that strange uncle in the back took her away, her daddy hadn¡¯te to pick her up. Her mommy, who was in heaven, didn¡¯te back to see her when she turned five like daddy said. Thinking about this, Nina felt betrayed and cried her heart out. No matter how much Georgeforted her, she couldn¡¯t stop¡­ Ethan was irritated He frowned and shouted angrily, ¡°Shut her up!¡± George shot Ethan a re, then went back to patting Nina¡¯s back patiently. ¡°Nina, don¡¯t cry Eleanor¡¯s heart was aching like it was pierced by a needle. Her sister was gone, but Nina didn¡¯t know. She subconsciously touched her belly. How was she going to tell her child that their father was no longer around. Thinking about this, Eleanor¡¯s heart hurt¡­.. The pain was like a hand choking her, making it hard to breathe. Her tears were like broken beads, falling uncontrobly¡­ If she had known this would be the oue from the start, she wouldn¡¯t have pushed him away again and again when he was still alive. Eleanor turned to her side, tightly hugged herself and hid her face with her hair. She buried all her regrets under it. Chapter 538 Chapter 538 Chapter 538 Everyone in the car kept their mouths shut all the way to Ethan¡¯s vi in the N Country It was a pretty remote and isted ce, even cell service was non-existent After the housekeeper showed Eleanor and the kid to their rooms, Ethan brought out a pack of smokes, tossed it to George, and they both stepped outarde. Ethan lit up a cigarette for George, then one for himself. They smoked in silence George looked at Ethan. Backlit by the setting sun, and asked, ¡°What¡¯s your n7¡å Ethan answered c***y, n for what?¡± George s***d his frostbitten hands into his coat pockets You s*d Em**ilia¡¯s kid and brought Ms. Shultz back. Are you nning on ying house with them forever?¡± Ethan took a drag shot back at George, Why Can¡¯t I?¡± George exhaled heavily, ¡°Under what pretense are you going to live with them?¡± Nina had her own father, Eleanor had her own lover. They had nothing to do with Ethan. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Ethan answered dismissively. ¡°Who says I need a reason to live with them?¡± George frowned. With so many people looking for Eleanor, do you really think you can live with her forever?¡± He added, ¡°Do you love Emilia?¡± If he loved her, why would he be thinking about spending his life with her sister? Ethan answered indifferently. ¡°No¡­¡± George looked at Ethan, helplessly ¡°You¡¯re really pathetic¡­.¡± You hurt someone, can¡¯t even admit you love her. You don¡¯t even have the guts to face her. It¡¯s disgraceful and wicked. George stubbed out his cig, turned around and went back into the vi. Behind him, Ethan¡¯s cold voice floated over, ¡°Let her live.¡± George didn¡¯t answer. He pushed open the ss door, and took the hot towel handed to him by the housekeeper. He wiped his hands and then went to the bedroom to pick up the already sleeping Nina, taking her to Eleanor¡¯s room. Eleanor was still the same as she was in G country, lying in bed with a hopeless look, pale face, eyes tightly shut, unclear whether she was asleep or not. George carefully ced Nina next to her, telling her, ¡°Ms. Shultz, please take care of this child¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t respond, but her fingers brushed Nina¡¯s little hand. The soft touch eased some of her pain. George felt a bit relieved when she didn¡¯t reject the child. As long as she spent more time with the child, she would start having hope, and wouldn¡¯t give up on her own life so easily. George had the chance to tell Eleanor the truth, but he¡­.. He lifted his head, looking out the window at Ethan who was still standing alone in the cold, and smoking. He didn¡¯t agree with Ethan¡¯s actions, but deep down, he was on Ethan¡¯s side. Not just because of their long-time friendship, but because he had seen how Ethan, once a brilliant designer had gradually turned into a madman¡­ How did Ethan get through the news of Emilia¡¯s marriage to someone else? It was days and nights of unbearable pain, long periods of heart-wrenching agony, and a pathetic obsession get Emilia back. However, Ethan¡¯s revenge on Emilia, and his hypocrisy, had cost him Emilia forever¡­ He felt sorry for Ethan, hoping he could move on from the pain of losing Emilia, and also let go of the guilt he felt towards her. But George knew, Ethan needed time, a lot of time to let go. And during this long period of time, his madness would hurt those who were rted to Emilia. He believed that when Ethan finally let go, he would also let go of these innocent people. He chose to stand with Ethan, but also hoped that Eleanor would survive After struggling with his conflicting feelings, George called for the medical kit, and started to give Eleanor an IV Then, he sat down by the bed, gently advising her, ¡°Eleanor, starting from tomorrow, you need to eat more, so the child in your belly can grow up healthily¡± George knew from the start when he first started treating Eleanor three years ago that her health was not good and her menstrual cycle was erratic. On top of that, her health had deteriorated significantly in the past month, and she didn¡¯t get her period. That¡¯s when he lied about her being pregnant¡­ But this be wouldn¡¯t hold up for long. Once she had the will to live and her health improved, she would surely find out the truth.. George thought, no matter what, let her survive first. As for her and Ethan¡¯s business, he couldn¡¯t meddle too much¡­ Chapter 539 Chapter 539 Chapter 539 Eleanor kept her silence, and George didnt pressure her to speak instead, he often came to visit her with Nina in his arms in the days that followed During the day. Nina would sprawl in front of Eleanor¡¯s bed and y with her face using her adorable little fingers. ¡°Auntie, you look just like the doll my daddy bought for me. She¡¯s pretty too, but she doesnt talk George must have influenced Nina somehow, because she initially called Eleanor ¡°Mommy¡± now she started calling her ¡°Auntie.¡± Every time Nina called her Auntie, it warmed Eleanor¡¯s heart. At night, she couldn¡¯t resist holding Nina¡¯s tiny body tightly in her arms. It was like finding a solitary beat in this shy world, carrying her around and showing her a beautiful scenery. Eleanor bent her head to look at the child in her arms, wanting to see her face. Only then did she realize that she was blind, and a wave of regret washed over her. Would she see the light again after she died? If not, she wouldn¡¯t even be able to see Bernard¡¯s face after death¡­ Eleanor held Nina and her hollow eyes stared into the distance. Bernard, did you know? I got pregnant with your child. If you were still here and heard this news, you¡¯d be happy, wouldn¡¯t you? Unfortunately, you¡¯re gone. You took away my hope for life, yet gave me a reason not toe and find you¡­ What should I do? If I were to keep the baby, I¡¯m afraid he or she will end up like Nina, without parents. If I were to abort the baby, it¡¯s your only bloodline, and I can¡¯t bear to do it. What should I do to keep the baby and still find you? She prayed painfully for a whole night, but Bernard didn¡¯t appear in her dreams. She sat on the edge of the bed, contemting for a while, and then gave herself an answer. She would give birth to their child, send the child to the Laurence family, and then go to be with Bernard. She didn¡¯t feel anything for the baby in her belly yet. That could change in the future, but for now, she just wanted to see Bernard. When Ethan walked into the room with a bowl of oatmeal, he expected Eleanor to be lying in bed as usual. However, she was sitting on the edge of the bed, gently patting Nina¡¯s back. The sunlight from outside the window shone on her through the ss, making her glow. She radiated a motherly aura. Ethan stood at the door, watching for a few seconds, then walked up to Eleanor and asked, ¡°Have you made up your mind?¡± Eleanor nodded without emotion, ¡°How long?¡± Her voice was cold, but Ethan didn¡¯t mind, ¡°Depends on my mood¡­.¡± Eleanor¡¯s hand, which was stroking Nina¡¯s back, suddenly stopped, her expression cooling, ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Ethan put down the bowl of oatmeal, bent over to look at the now-blind Eleanor, and said affectionately, ¡°I want to see Emilia again.¡± Eleanor blinked slowly, speaking in a low voice, ¡°Even if I pretend to be her, I¡¯m not her. You need to understand she¡¯s dead.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t respond to her words, but asked, ¡°If there was someone who looked like Bernard and had his heart, would you want him to pretend to be Bernard, or even be Bernard?¡± Eleanor scoffed, ¡°There¡¯s only one him in this world. No matter how simr anyone else is, it has nothing to do with me.¡± Ethan raised an eyebrow, ¡°That¡¯s just because you¡¯ve recently lost him.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t want to argue with this l***c, and coldly stated her terms, ¡°One month. I¡¯ll y along with your madness. After that, let me go back to my country.¡± She knew Ethan didn¡¯t keep his word just like he had promised not to use her as a substitute before, but still did. She was choosing topromise now, waiting for her eyes to recover and her body to regain strength before nning her escape. Ethan stared at her for a moment, then nodded, ¡°Okay¡± Eleanor saw him agree and touched her long hair, adding another condition, ¡°Don¡¯t cut my hair.¡± This was the long hair she kept for Bernard. No one was allowed to touch it! Ethan nced at her waist-length curls and casually agreed again. Eleanor thought for a moment, then said, ¡°And don¡¯t touch me!¡± Ethan rolled his eyes at her, ¡°Even if you begged me, I wouldn¡¯t touch you!¡± Eleanor held Nina tighter, relieved to some extent, and didn¡¯t say anything else. Ethan, however, chuckled nonchntly He had predicted that Eleanor would agree to his terms when George lied to her about being pregnant. But what Ethan wanted wasn¡¯t just for her to pretend to be Emilia for a month, but for a lifetime At a hospital in A City.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Chapter 540 Chapter 540 Chapter 540 It¡¯s been two months since Bernard slipped into aa The man on the hospital bed had a handsome and refined face, his eyes tightly shut, andshes long and thick. Hey there silently on the crisp white bed, as if he had already left this world, leaving behind just a body Cedric took a cotton swab from Aldyn, dipped it in warm water, and moistened the man¡¯s dry, lifeless lips. Grabbing a clean towel, he wiped the man¡¯s forehead and asked the head bodyguard standing behind him, ¡°Still no luck?¡± The bodyguard looked down, guilt written all over his face ¡°Sorry we couldn¡¯t find anything in G country either¡­¡± Hearing this, Cedric spun around and hurled the towel at the bodyguard¡¯s head. You¡¯re useless! You can¡¯t even find a single person!¡± The bodyguard leader didn¡¯t move. He let Cedric vent his anger. Three months ago, she was seen boarding a private jet to G country. Why can¡¯t we find her?¡± Cedric¡¯s face turned grey with rage. He pointed at the bodyguard and cussed him out ¡°We¡¯ve got leads, and you still can¡¯t find her. What good are you?!¡± The bodyguard still didn¡¯t speak. Cedric looked around for something else to throw at him, but Aidyn stepped in. ¡°Mr. Laurence, the private jet belonged to Mr. Wilson of G country. But he says he doesn¡¯t know Eleanor and denies she was on that flight. It¡¯s possible there¡¯s been a mistake¡± Cedric¡¯s handsome face showed anger and fatigue from running the Lawrence Group over the past few days. He was anxious over Bernard¡¯s prolongeda He furrowed his brows, took a deep breath to calm his rage, and sat back down by the bed. He looked at the man on the bed, his eyes filled with worry and quilt ¡°Bernard, I¡¯m sorry. We still haven¡¯t found Eleanor¡­¡± He leaned back on the couch, looking at that wless face and murmured softly. ¡°Bernard, if you don¡¯t wake up soon, we might never find Eleanor. Can you really bear to see her disappear from this world.¡± Cedric rambled on, but the man on the bed didn¡¯t respond. It¡¯s as if he had already gone, and left behind Eleanor, the Laurence family, and this world. Cedric stood up in despair, telling Aidyn, ¡°Take good care of him.¡± Aidyn nodded and watched as Cedric left looking worn out. He took out his phone to call Caleb ¡°Caleb, has Cameron talked?¡± ¡°No.¡± Caleb was gripping Cameron¡¯s cor, ready to knock him off if he didn¡¯t spill the beans. Hearing Aidyn¡¯s call, he tossed the half-beaten Cameron to the ground. ¡°He¡¯s afraid that if he leaks Eleanor¡¯s whereabouts, hell be silenced for good. So, he refuses to talk.¡± Aidyn scoffed, ¡°He¡¯s got some nerve¡± Caleb kicked Cameron hard, ¡°Not just nerve. He¡¯s quite smart too. Almost escaped a few times.¡± Aidyn instructed, ¡°He¡¯s the only one who knows where Eleanor is. Keep an eye on him. Also, are they still searching in G country?¡± Caleb replied, ¡°Never stopped. Mr. Wilson won¡¯t spill the beans, but I¡¯ve kidnapped his family. We should have results soon.¡± Aidyn nodded, ¡°Caleb, the bodyguards probably won¡¯t find anything. The Laurences..they¡¯re not happy with Eleanor. They think she¡¯s the reason for Mr. Laurence¡¯s condition and don¡¯t want to use the Laurence Group to find her. It¡¯s all on you now.¡± Caleb responded, ¡°I got it¡± and hung up Aidyn put down his phone and turned to look at the man on the bed. He stared for a while, then, like Cedric, sat next to Bernard and started talking softly. He read online that people inas could still be conscious Talking to them could stimte their brain and possibly wake them up. For Mr. Laurence, Eleanor was his lifeline. Talking about her should wake him up, right? After chatting for a while, Aidyn wanted to get a drink. But as he got up, he saw Bernard¡¯s slenderContent rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. fingers on the white sheet twitch slightly¡­. This small movement shocked Aidyn. He stared wide-eyed, frozen in ce, and eyes glued to that hand ¡°Mr. Laurence, are you waking up?¡± Chapter 541 Chapter 541 Chapter 541 Aidyn snapped back from shock rushed to the bedside and stared into Bernard Laurence¡¯s eyes, excited as hell Those thickshes were fluttering like they were fighting with a dream. He was trying so hard to open his eyes, but they just wouldn¡¯t budg He was trapped in a beautiful dream where Eleanor Shultz was holding their child and they were living a happy life. He was soaking in this dream, not wanting to leave, but then one day. another Eleanor, lifeless and empty, reached out to him. She was rubbing her belly, looking at him, night after night, crying, ¡°Bernard, I miss you, when are you coming to get me?¡± He turned around and looked at Eleanor who was holding their child and smiling. Then at the Eleanor who was crying in the fog. He couldn¡¯t figure out who was his Eleanor, and all he could do was be stuck in this dilemma, struggling between happiness and heartache. In the end, he chose to walk towards the Eleanor that made his heart ache, and the closer he got, the more he felt that she was his Eleanor. As he reached out to wipe her tears, she suddenly disappeared, everything a mirage. The scenery around him quickly disappeared, even the Eleanor who was always smiling at him holding ther child was gone too. Dizzy, he called out ther names. ¡°Eleanori¡± As he shouted her name, his eyes suddenly popped open. Aidyn and Bernard locked eyes, Aldyn was so shocked he couldn¡¯t speak, then he just started crying with joy. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you¡¯re really awake¡± Aidyn, his hands shaking hit the button next to the bed, ¡°Come quick, Mr. Laurence is awake!¡± The deputy director who was keeping an eye on the ward, heard Mr. Laurence was awake and? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. immediately stood up, bringing a bunch of doctors to the ward. They kept checking on the man in the bed until the reports showed nothing was wrong. They were so sure this was a miracle. Looking at the pale Bernard, the deputy director couldn¡¯t believe it, ¡°Mr. Laurence, I thought you would never wake up, I didn¡¯t expect He didn¡¯t finish his sentence, it didn¡¯t matter what he was going to say. Mr. Laurence was awake and that was all that mattered. Thinking about this, the deputy director let out a sigh of relief¡­ The Laurence family almost demolished the hospital! The director had been taken away and hadn¡¯t returned yet, leaving all the pressure on him. Now that Mr. Laurence was up, he could finally get some rest. Bernard looked around at the people in the ward, there were no familiar faces. Looking at Aidyn, he struggled to speak, Where is she ¡± Aidyn quickly motioned for the doctors to leave, then walked over to him, ¡°Mr. Laurence, Eleanor went home to rest, she¡¯ll be here tomorrow, don¡¯t worry.¡± He was afraid that Mr. Laurence wouldn¡¯t be able to handle the news that Eleanor had been missing for two months as soon as he woke up, so he chose to hide it and nned to tell him slowly once Mr. Laurence was stable Bernard wanted to see Eleanor right away, but when he heard she was resting, he chose to hold back his longing. His voice was h***se, he asked Aldyn in bits and pieces, ¡°How long¡­ have I been out?¡± Aidyn replied, ¡°It¡¯s been two months¡­¡± Two months, Eleanor had been taking care of him all this time, she must be so tired. Aidyn, as if he could see through Bernard¡¯s thoughts, avoided his gaze and turned around to pour some water ¡°Mr. Laurence you must be thirsty, let me give you some water After pouring the water, Aidyn picked up the spoon and prepared to feed him, but Bernard turned his head slightly. With his indifferent eyes, he looked at Aidyn, ¡°Have you been sending her flowers every day?¡± Adyn¡¯s heart s*d a b**eat, Mr. Laurence woke up and didn¡¯t care about his own body at all. He only cared about Eleanor, if he knew she was missing. Seeing Aidyn zoning out, the man in the bed became cold, ¡°You didn¡¯t send them, did you?¡± He had promised to send her flowers every day as long as he was alive, how could Aidyn not help him keep that promise? Scared by his cold voice, Aidyn quickly said, ¡°I did, as you ordered, if you couldn¡¯t send them, I would, I followed your orders.¡± Aidyn had it all nned out, if Mr. Laurence never woke up, he would send flowers for him for a lifetime. Hearing this, Bernard rxed a bit, after a while, he looked at Aidyn again, ¡°There¡¯s one more thing, you need to do¡­ Aidyn asked respectfully, ¡°Mr. Laurence, what is it?¡± Bernard looked weak, but his eyes were cold as ice, ¡°You go take care of Tyler!¡± He had said before that once Eleanor was rescued, he wouldn¡¯t let him off the h*!********** Is Mr. Laurence out for revenge or what? Chapter 542 Chapter 542 Chapter 542 Aldyn quickly agreed. ¡°No worries, leave it all to me After giving his orders, Bernard tried to force himself up, only to realize he couldn¡¯t even budge His fingers were the only thing he could move He clenched his fingers one by one, gathering all his strength in his hand. He tried to muster up the power in his fingers, but it was in vain Seeing the fine beads of sweat on his face, Aidyn knew he was trying to get up and quickly stopped him Mr. Laurence, you just woke up from aa, you cant move around yet. Have a good rest for a while and then start your rehabilitation¡­. After several attempts to get up, Bernard gave up struggling He remembered his Eleanor had once been unconscious too. He had never felt her pain before, but now he knew how hard it was. Thinking of her spending those three years alone, his heart ached uncontrobly He thought, as soon as he could move, he would stay by her side and make up for the pain. The doctor came in with a bunch of medicine and another IV to give Bernard. Aidyn quietly texted Caleb to find Eleanor as soon as possible, preferably within a day After sending the message quickly, he also notified Cedric by text, reminding him to keep the matter of Eleanor a secret for now. Cedric, who was in a meeting, left immediately when he heard that Bernard had woken up. He rushed to the hospital room, and just as he was about to enter, he saw a beautiful woman standing by the window. She was looking inside through the ss, her hands folded across her chest, supporting her chin with one hand. ¡°d he is awake.¡± Gianna murmured to herself. As she turned to leave, she saw Cedric grimacing at her. Gianna locked Cedric up and down and guessed he was one of Bernard¡¯s brothers when she noticedProperty of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. the resemnce She loved messing with younger boys. Gianna flicked her curls away from her chest with her slender fingers, giving Cedric a flirtatious look, ¡°Handsome, give me your contact.¡± If it were a couple of months ago, Cedric would have wrapped his arm around her shoulder and walked away. But now, for some reason, he had no interest in that. Instead, he asked puzzled, ¡°Who are you and how did you get in?¡± This was the top floor VIP ward of the hospital, which required a card to enter. How did this woman get in here? nna yed with her curls and walked up to Cedric in her high heels, seductively said, ¡°Ask your brother.¡± After saying that, she lifted her proud chin and elegantly walked past Cedric Cedric was anxious to see Bernard, he didn¡¯t care how the woman got in. He quickly turned his gaze and rushed into the ward. ¡°Bernard!¡± As soon as he opened his mouth, Aidyn sitting in front of the bed raised his finger to his lips and made a shushing gesture Pointing to the sleeping Bernard who was under the influence of the medication, Aidyn said, ¡°He fell asleep again after he woke up¡­.¡± Cedric got it, nodded, and walked quietly to Bernard, bending over to look at him. Seeing Bernard¡¯s steady breath in his sleep, his eyshes trembling asionally, he finally rxed¡­ Great, his brother finally woke up! He took out his phone and dialed Hailey¡¯s number first, then notified the Laurences¡­ After sending out the notifications, Cedric asked Aidyn, ¡°I saw a really beautiful woman outside the door just now. She seemed to know Bernard, do you know who she is?¡± Hearing ¡°really beautiful,¡± Aidyn guessed it was Ms. Penrod. She hade with Caleb when Mr. Laurence was unconscious, so Aidyn knew her. But as a member of the Siren Organization, Aidyn was not at liberty to tell Cedric, so he made up a lie. ¡°Could be a doctor. There are a lot of female doctors in the hospital who have a crush on Mr. Laurence and sneak up to see him.¡± Cedric didn¡¯t doubt anything after hearing this. It¡¯s very possible for a doctor toe up in casual clothes at this time. But thatdy told him to ask Bernard. Her words were kind of suggestive, did they know each other before? Cedric frowned and wanted to ask more, but then his phone rang. It was his grandfather calling back¡­ Hearing that his grandfather wasing to see Bernard, he quickly got up, told Aidyn, and left the hospital quickly to pick him up Chapter 543 Chapter 543 Chapter 543 When Bernard opened his eyes again, it was already the next day Seeing the Laurences crammed in his hospital room, he slightly furrowed his brows, looking a bit imitated The Laurences knew he liked peace and quiet, so they didn¡¯t make a fuss and just stood silently However, their silence made it feel like a family meeting was about to start Sitting in front of the bed was a man nearly seventy-five, dressed in a suit. His hair was white but his face was still youthful. This nimble old man, with his straight back, stared at Bernard¡¯s pale, thin face He gripped his cane tightly and said deeply ¡°Bernard, you¡¯ve had it tough.¡± His voice was deep and powerful, and he exuded a strong aura, something that was innate to the Laurences A trait that came from holding high positions for a long time, something no one could easily mimic Bernard nodded lightly and didn¡¯t say much. Old Mr. Laurence seemed to feel the distance between them. He became more and more ufortable and awkward sitting there. When Bernard was a child, he had silently allowed Donna¡¯s actions and hadnt firmly stood up for his grandson. He had always emphasized on grooming Bernard but they weren¡¯t close. As an adult, Bernard seldom returned to the old house to visit him. Old Mr. Laurence knew of Bernard¡¯s resentment towards him, so he didn¡¯t stay for long. After giving a few instructions, he got up and left. As the Laurences followed Old Mr. Laurence out of the hospital room, Bernard looked at Cedric who was left behind ¡°Did shee?¡± Cedric and Aldyn looked at each other, then he lowered his head and said, ¡®Eleanor came. After you fell asleepst night, Hailey and she came to see you. But Haley wasn¡¯t feeling well, so Eleanor left with her Bernard¡¯s frown deepened, ¡°Cedric, when you lie, your eyes unnaturally look down.¡± Cedric opened his mouth to argue, but Bernard angrily cut him off. ¡°Did something happen to her?¡± Cedric hung his head, trying not to answer. Bernard¡¯s cold gaze swept over to Aidyn. He saw Aidyn also lowering his head, and instantly got angry. ¡°Speak!¡± Bernard snapped, his body shaking, whether from his ill health or worry for Eleanor, he didn¡¯t know. Anyway, the panic clogged his chest, making him feel suffocated, as if someone was clutching his throat and making it hard to breathe. Cedric had to spill the beans, Eleanor has been missing for two months. I¡¯ve had people looking everywhere, but we haven¡¯t found her yet, we don¡¯t even know where she went.¡± Hearing that Eleanor had been missing for two months, Bernard suddenly spit out a mouthful of blood ¡°Bernard¡± ¡°Mr. Laurence! Cedric and Aidyn turned pale with fright, rushing over. One checked his body while the other rang the bell urgently. The previously immobile Bernard, ignored his bleeding and stubbornly pushed Cedric away. He threw off the nkets, and tried to get up from the hospital bed He grabbed the edge of the bed, intending to find Eleanor himself, but his legs gave out, and he fell to the floor. After being in aa for two months, his body was stimted and revived by medication, high- pressure oxygen, acupuncture, and other methods. He couldn¡¯t start moving immediately However, Bernard still refused to give up, he struggled to get up from the floor again and again.. Cedric and Aidyn wanted to help him up, but were scared still by his icy gaze ¡°Mr. Laurence, I¡¯m sorry. I made the decision myself. I was afraid you wouldn¡¯t be able to handle the news just after waking up, so I kept it from you.¡± After apologizing. Aidyn knelt dowp in front of Bernard, forcibly picked him up, and put him back on the bed. ¡°Mr. Laurence, your body isnt ready for movement yet. Wait until you¡¯re fully recovered to find Eleanor. Otherwise, if you force yourself to get up now, you¡¯ll hurt your muscles and bones. Eleanor would be heartbroken if you ended up disabled.¡± The words ¡°Eleanor would be heartbroken calmed Bernard¡¯s anger. He clenched his fists and red coldly at Aidyn.. The man who took her is Ethan Ziegler, you guys go to the G country immediately and bring her back. Also¡­.. When Bernard paused, a hint of murderous intent shed in his eyes, ¡°Bring Ethan to me He had thought that Ethan came to rescue Eleanor, he didn¡¯t expect Ethan would be the one to take Eleanor away! If he had known Ethan¡¯s intentions earlier, he would have fought to the death, and he wouldn¡¯t have let Eleanor go with Ethan! Thinking about Eleanor being taken away for two months, it filled Bernard¡¯s heart with hatred. Ethan, you took my woman, I¡¯ll let you have a taste of what true pain is!Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Chapter 544 Chapter 544 The morning in N Country was a sight for sore eyes, the sunshine filtering through the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows of the vi into the red brick house Basking in the sunlight, a slender figure with thick curly hair resembling a high texture oil painting from afar. Eleanor was cradling Nina, fumbling with a piece of bread on her te. She slowly tore it apart with her gloved hands and reached it towards the little girls mouth. Nina opened her mouth, stretched her neck to reach the toast Eleanor was handing her. After biting into the soft toast, she looked up at the person across her Ethan was leisurely cutting his steak with a fork and knife. He sliced it into strips and handed a portion to Eleanor. ¡°Emilia, open up ¡°Ethan said, addressing Eleanor by her false name. Nina, confused, because she had been told by Uncle George that her mom was Emilia and her aunt was Eleanor. But recently, this weird uncle kept calling her aunt Emilia, making it hard for her to tell her aunt and mom apart. Nina was at a loss and didn¡¯t dare ask She was afraid this weird uncle might scold her, so she kept her head down and quietly ate her breakfast. Eleanor turned her head slightly at the steak close to her mouth, ¡°Too greasy, I can¡¯t eat it.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t force her. He put down the steak, picked up a golden spoon, scooped a spoonful of cereal porridge, and again brought it to her lips, ¡°You can have this instead This time, Eleanor didn¡¯t resist. She opened her mouth and epted the spoonful of porridge. Seeing her eat. Ethan began to smile, his warmth matching the sunshine outside A man feeding a woman breakfast, a woman feeding a child breakfast, it was a picture perfect family of three. Only the woman herself knew that she was trapped in a cage built by the man, with no escape in sight. She reluctantly agreed to y Emilia, but to prevent her from running away, Ethan stopped the medication for her eyes At first Eleanor resisted Ethan, but her feeble efforts were no match for a madman. Like half a month ago, she stumbled around in the dark trying to escape, only to end up lost in the forest because she couldn¡¯t see After Ethan found her, he said she had been naughty and needed to be punished, which meant harming Nina. Upon hearing Nina¡¯s cries, Eleanor was forced to smarten up. She didn¡¯t dare to run away anymore and realized that being blind made escape impossible She had never wanted to regain her sight as much as she did now. Only then could she think of a way to escape with Nina. For this glimmer of hope, Eleanor yed the part of Emilia while coaxing Ethan into giving her the eye medication When he was in a good mood, he let George his assistant give her some medicine, but always in controlled doses. Eleanor wasn¡¯tpletely blind now, she could barely see some light and shadows. This was George trying his best to prevent her from going blind. She also cooperated fully with George¡¯s treatment, knowing that only when her health improved could she stand a chance against Ethan. After Ethan fed her, he sat under the bright light, resting his chin on one hand, quietly watching Eleanor who was still feeding Nina. Through her silhouette, he saw Emilia again, which made him reach out to touch Eleanor¡¯s cheek. The icy touch of his fingers made Eleanor shrink her neck, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree that you wouldn¡¯t touch me?¡± She turned her head away, letting Ethan¡¯s fingersnd on her thick curls. His eyes darkened at the sight. He withdrew his hand, coldly replied, ¡°I touched Emilia, not you.¡± Ridiculous! Eleanor didn¡¯t argue with him. Instead, she asked Nina softly. ¡°Are you full? If you are, I will take you out to catch some sun. Nina wanted to eat a bit more, but seeing Eleanor didn¡¯t want to stay with that uncle, she quickly wriggled off Eleanor¡¯sp and reached out her soft little hand to hold Eleanor¡¯s ¡°Auntie, I¡¯ll show you the way.¡± After giving her a warm smile, Eleanor got up and followed Nina out of the vi Ethan was leaning back in his chair, watching the two figures, one big and one small, sitting on a swing, yfully poking each other¡¯s cheeks. Seeing this scene, his eyes turned red. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. If Emilia hadn¡¯t married that man, she would have borne his child too, and they would have had a peaceful and happy life But Emilia, you promised to love me forever. Why did you betray me in my most difficult times! Thinking of the past, Ethan became very angry He clenched his fists and swept everything off the table The assistant who had juste in from outside saw him throwing a tantrum, hesitated to approach, but had to ¡°Mr. Ziegler¡± The assistant involuntarily swallowed, then reported in a low voice, ¡°The president of the Laurence Group has woken up.¡± Ethan stiffened, his bloodshot eyes ring at the assistant, ¡°What did you say?¡± Chapter 545 Chapter 545 The assistant repeated carefully, ¡°Bernard¡¯s awake¡± Ethan was taken aback for a few seconds, but quickly regained hisposure. He seemed to have anticipated this, not taking it to heart He nonchntly picked up a napkin from the dining table to wipe the cereal smears off his fingers¡­ After cleaning up, he looked towards the surveince camera and said to the assistant, ¡°Since Bernard¡¯s awake, Ill send him a gift Bernard will be thrilled when he saw it, but I wonder if he¡¯d get so ecstatic that he¡¯d pass out again¡­. He was beginning to look forward to Bernard¡¯s reaction Lying in his hospital bed. Bernard was agonized by the surveince footage sent to his phone, feeling as if his guts were being ripped apart Shivering, he swiped away the first video of Ethan feeding Eleanor, but uncontrobly clicked on the second one¡­ In the video, Eleanor was brimming with a tender smile, sweetly calling him, ¡°Ethan¡­¡± Ethan reciprocated with a happy smile and reached out to caress her hair. The next video showed Ethan carrying a sleeping Eleanor from the living room to the bedroom, not coming out the whole night. When Bernard got to this part, he couldn¡¯t bear to watch any further, feeling suffocated, as if his neck was being strangled. He clenched his phone, trying to muster the strength to get up, but failed¡­ His immobilized body, the smothering pain in his heart, and the unbearable restlessness were driving him towards edge¡­ But Bernard, who was always good at keeping his emotions in check, soon steadied his breathing¡­ With a serious face, he picked up his phone again and continued watching the videos, focusing intently on Eleanor. There were over thirty clips, each capturing a moment of the day where Eleanor was gentle towards Ethan, showing no other emotions, never once looking at the camera. Bernard couldn¡¯t discern her true emotions from her eyes, he could only stare at her silhouette, trying to read something from it, but to no avail She seemed to have moved on from him and fallen for Ethan, but when Bernard saw her waist¨Clength wavy hair, he knew that she had kept it for him. His Eleanor once said, whether she was pregnant or not, she would marry him, so she wouldn¡¯t just fall for someone else in a mere two months. Bernard didn¡¯t believe the videos for a second, only trusting in Eleanor¡¯s love for him¡­.. They had been through so much, separated so many times due to mistrust. Now, no matter what happened, he would unwaveringly trust her! Bernard clicked on a video and sent it to Aidyn, who had already arrived in G country. ¡°This video doesn¡¯t look like it was shot in G country, go check the IP address¡­¡± After saying that, he forwarded all the sender¡¯s information to Aidyn. Aidyn had just met with Caleb when he received Bernard¡¯s call, quickly responding with a ¡°yes¡°. He immediately asked his people to check, then put down the phone and looked at Caleb, who had just come out of Ethan¡¯s vi. ¡°Did they run?¡± Caleb nodded grimly, then kicked the tied¨Cup Mr. Wilson in the car. ¡°Spill it! Where did Ethan go?!¡± Mr. Wilson kept his mouth shut. Ethan had once saved his life, how could he easily betray his savior? Seeing him silent as a mute, Caleb angrily pulled out a gun from his waist and pointed it at his forehead. ¡°If you don¡¯t speak up, I¡¯ll shoot!¡± Damn, these were the two most tight¨Clipped people he had ever encountered in his career! One was Cameron Ratliff, who was impervious to any beating or threat! The other was this blue¨Ceyed, white¨Cskinned Wilson. Even with his family held hostage, he remained silent! These two were a real pain in the ass! Wilson, a member of the Royal Family of Arvandor, was not at all scared by the gun threat and even provoked Caleb with a smile. ¡°You can kill me Caleb gritted his teeth, ¡°Don¡¯t think I won¡¯t do it!¡± But Wilson didn¡¯t flinch, he even turned his head, showing ack of concern for whatever Caleb might do. Caleb was really up against a tough nut this time. Just as he was about to pull the trigger, Aidyn snatched the gun from his hand and shot Wilson in the thigh. Aidyn then aimed the gun at Mrs. Wilson¡¯s leg, and without blinking an eye, fired. He then aimed at Wilson¡¯s child Just as he was about to pull the trigger, Wilson screamed in pain, ¡°Ethan¡¯s in N country! Please, spare my child¡± Only then did Aidyrylift the gun, blowing away the smoke from the muzzle, he coldly looked at Wilson, ¡°If you had just told the truth from the start, you wouldn¡¯t have had to suffer this Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. pain!¡± Chapter 546 Chapter 546 Caleb couldn¡¯t help but pat Aidyn on the shoulder when he saw him sessfully force Wilson to spill the beans about Ethan¡¯s whereabouts, ¡°Join our team, man¡± After Audyn closed the car door and had Wilson¡¯s family sent to the hospital, he turned to Caleb and said, ¡°My 10 aint high enough¡± Scratching the back of his head. Caleb thought to himself that his 10 was probably not much better, considering how long it took him to find the information, While doubting his own intelligence, Caleb quickly arranged for a private jet and headed towards N Country at warp speed The assistant who always kept tabs on G country caught wind of Wilson¡¯s confession and hurriedly ran to inform Ethan ¡°Mr. Ziegler, Bernard¡¯s men have located the vi in G country and captured Mr. Wilson¡¯s family. They forced him to spill your location.¡± 1s that so?¡± Ethan chuckled coldly, not at all concerned, ¡°Well, let theme.¡± He then ordered his assistant in a cold tone, ¡°Get my helicopter over here and park it in the backyard.¡± After the assistant left, Ethan took out a prepared audio recorder and videotape and put them in his suit pocket. He got up and left his study. As he was hurrying downstairs, he saw Eleanor waiting for him at the bottom of the staircase, holding Nina¡¯s hand. Ethan seemed to know what she wanted to say. With his hands in his pockets, he casually walked down the stairs Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. As he passed by. Eleanor called out to him, ¡°Brother¨Cinw, it¡¯s been a month now. Can I go home?¡± Ethan stopped in his tracks and looked at the vacant¨Ceyed Eleanor, ¡°Sure¡± Eleanor had prepared a long speech to try to persuade Ethan, but before she could say anything, he agreed readily. This made her suspicious. She thought Ethan¡¯s quick agreement indicated he was up to no good. Feeling anxious, she tried to read Ethan¡¯s expression but couldn¡¯t make it out. All she heard was him whispering, ¡®Pack your things, we¡¯re leaving soon¡± Eleanor was puzzled, ¡°Are you going back with me?¡± Ethan was standing on thest step, he bent down to look into Eleanor¡¯s eyes, ¡°You can¡¯t see clearly, what if you get kidnapped if I don¡¯t go with you?¡± George had just returned from the hospital with thetest medicine. As he pushed open the ss door, he saw this scene unfolding. He had always felt that the way Ethan looked at Eleanor didn¡¯t seem like he was looking at Emilia. He couldn¡¯t pinpoint what was off, but something felt off. George intentionally coughed to interrupt Ethan¡¯s thoughts, ¡°I saw your assistant bringing two helicopters. Where are you guys heading?¡± Ethan slowly stood up and looked at George, ¡°Going home.¡± When George heard this, he was stunned, ¡°You¡¯re letting Ms. Shultz go?¡± Ethan curved his lips into a smirk and replied, ¡°Yep, but his possessive gaze made George shudder. Eleanor couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that something was off. N Country to Nordheim was such a long distance, how could they take a helicopter? She couldn¡¯t see clearly, nor could she decipher Ethan¡¯s words. She could only board the helicopter with Nina with their help. When Caleb and Aidyn arrived, they heard the sound of the helicopter taking off. It had already flown to a height of nearly a hundred meters, out of their gun range. Ethan looked at the shrinking crowd on the ground and lifted Eleanor¡¯s curls with a smile, Tll have a surprise for you when wend.¡± Eleanor turned her head to avoid his touch and said, ¡°Once the time is up, I won¡¯t pretend to be Emilia anymore. And don¡¯t touch my hair¡± Ethan withdrew his hand, turning his face towards the window with no expression. After a while, he finally replied, ¡°You don¡¯t get to decide.¡± Chapter 547 Chapter 547 Caleb and Aidyn watched the chopper vanish into the distance, then exchanged a knowing look. Caleb, swallowing his rage, quickly ordered his guys to track the helicopter¡¯s path, They returned to the vi, nning to follow Ethan once they had the route. They found a voice recorder, a tape and a note addressed to Bernard in Eleanor¡¯s bedroom. ¡°Caleb, these were all under the note Looks like Ms. Shultz left them for Mr. Laurence¡± Caleb took the items and yed the voice recorder. Hearing the familiar voice from it, he froze, turning to Aidyn, ¡°This is Aidyn¡¯s face hardened. It¡¯s Ms. Shultz¡¯s voice¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Aidyn took the tape from Caleb, saved it on a USB, and plugged it into theputer. The video made them uneasy Holding the items tightly, Aidyn said to Caleb, ¡°You go after Ethan. I need to head back to A City and let Mr. Laurence make the call.¡± Caleb looked serious, nodded, and went after Ethan with his guys. Aidyn quickly returned to A City Before entering the sickroom, he gripped the items tightly He wasnt sure if Mr. Laurence could handle the news, but he didn¡¯t want to keep it from him any longer. Determined, Aidyn gathered his courage, pushed open the door, and approached Bernard. Bernard, lying in the hospital bed, brightened slightly at Aidyn¡¯s entrance, ¡°Did you find her?¡± Seeing that Mr. Laurence¡¯s mind was still on Eleanor, Aidyn sighed, gripping the recorder and USB tightly. He was silent for a few seconds, then shook his head, ¡®Not yet.¡± Bernard frowned, giving Aidyn a cold look, Then why are you back here?¡± Aidyn handed Bernard the items, ¡°I came back to ask if you want to continue searching for Ms. Shultz.¡± Bernard didn¡¯t quite understand what Aidyn meant and thought something had happened to Eleanor, his heart pounding ¡°What happened to her?¡± Aidyn bit his lip, pressed y on the recorder, and Eleanor¡¯s clear voice filled the room- ¡°Bernard, I¡¯m sorry. I realized I don¡¯t love you as much as I thought, so I can¡¯t marry you.¡± ¡°Please forgive me and respect my choice. I¡¯m livingfortably with my Ethan now, so stop sending people after me.¡± ¡°I hope you¡¯ve received the video I sent; it proves that I¡¯m doing well. Don¡¯t bother me anymore.¡± Eleanor¡¯s cold words were like a frosty de, piercing Bernard¡¯s heart. He trembled uncontrobly, struggling to sit up but ultimately copsing back onto the bed. He coldly told Aidyn, ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. Whatever it takes, bring her back to me=¡± Unless he saw her in person and heard her say ¡°I don¡¯t love you,¡± he absolutely wouldn¡¯t believe it! Aidyn seemed to know he wouldn¡¯t believe it, turned on theputer, plugged in the USB¡­ When Bernard saw the video, he turned deathly pale, his body shaking as though drained of all life. He felt like he¡¯d lost all hope¡­ Aidyn steadied Bernard¡¯s trembling body, asking him in a low voice, ¡°Mr. Laurence, do you still want to find her?¡± Ms Shultz had hurt you like this, didn¡¯t bother with her anymore. You¡¯ve done enough, just let it go¡­ That¡¯s what Aidyn wanted to say, but he didn¡¯t voice it. Even he thought Ms. Shultz was in the wrong, let alone Mr. Laurence. However, Bernard grabbed his wrist, his voice cold, ¡°It¡¯s all fake. You have to help me find her!¡± Aidyn was surprised that Mr. Laurence, who had always been indifferent about love, had fallen so low. Aidyn nodded, then asked, ¡°What if we find Ms. Shultz, and she doesn¡¯t want to see you?¡± Bernard replied coldly- ¡°If she won¡¯te, carry me to her. I want to see her, even if it kills me!¡± Chapter 548 Chapter 548 Ethan¡¯s choppernded behind a mountaintop and they immediately hopped onto another one. After a few rounds of this, they finally arrived at Eldridia. After being forcibly taken into the vi, Eleanor handed Nina over to George ¡°Look after her for a bit, will ya? I gotta have a word with him¡± George knew Eleanor had been deceived all the way here, and now she was going to confront Ethan. He took Nina and gave them space After George left with the child, Eleanor fumbled her way onto the living room couch with the help of the servants. Once settled, she lifted her barely seeing eyes and tried to find Ethan. Once she found him, she asked him coldly: ¡°What¡¯s your game, Ethan? You promised me that after a month, you¡¯d let me go home. Now you¡¯ve tricked me intoing to Eldridia, what are you really up to?¡± Ethan, pulling out a cigarette from his pack, nced at her: 1 told you from the get¨Cgo, I don¡¯t do promises.¡± He it his cigarette, took a drag, and exhaled slowly. Eleanor spat out, Ethan, my name is Eleanor, not Emilia. I have my own life, you just want to see my sister, so you tied her sister to you. Is this your way of showing love to her, or just a way to ruin me?¡± It had been a while since Ethan heard her speak so clearly and logically. Lately, she¡¯d been ying the part of Emilia, obediently doing his bidding, but she seemed more like a puppet, devoid of any thoughts of her own. Now, seeing a spark of the old Eleanor, he couldn¡¯t help but notice her personality. Ethan stared at her and replied gravely. ¡°You can take it as me taking revenge on her.¡± Eleanorughed coldly, ¡°You¡¯re not taking revenge on her, you¡¯re taking revenge on me.¡± Ethan said, ¡°You can think what you want. To me, you¡¯re her.¡± Eleanor touched her own face, ¡°Sometimes, I want to destroy this face, rip out this heart, but I still haven¡¯t seen him.¡± Her tears began to fall, ¡°Can¡¯t you just let me go back and see him once, Ethan? Just once.¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Seeing her cry again for Bernard, Ethan said coldly, ¡°Keep crying, and you¡¯ll gopletely blind.¡± Eleanor held back her tears She got up from the couch, and once again knelt humbly before Ethan, ¡°Ethan, please, let me go.¡± She was desperate. She couldn¡¯t see, she couldn¡¯t escape. She had agreed to pretend to be Emilia hoping for a glimmer of hope, but he still wouldn¡¯t let her go. All she wanted was to see him in his grave, was that too much to ask? Ethan looked at the woman kneeling on the ground, reminding him of how Emilia had once begged him to let her go. Was he really that terrifying? Why did everyone want to stay away from him? All he wanted was to keep her, the one with Emilia¡¯s heart. Was that too much? He stared at the crying figure while holding his cigarette. When the burning end of the cigarette touched his skin, he came back to himself. He averted his gaze and said, ¡°I can¡¯t possibly let you go.¡± He tossed the cigarette away, got up and left without a backward nce, as if he was afraid that seeing her pathetic state would make him go soft. Hearing his footsteps fade away, Eleanor copsed on the ground, cursing like a fishwife, Ethan, you big fat liar! You promised me, you said you¡¯d let me go home, why don¡¯t you keep your word? Why did you deceive me?!¡± Her heart¨Cwrenching cries, although blocked by the door, still reached George and Nina¡¯s ears Nina, who was ying with her Lego, put down her toys and wanted to go to her aunt, but was held back by George. George tried tofort Nina, ¡°Nina, darling, your aunt and your uncle had a little argument. Let them sort it out, okay?¡± Nina frowned, ¡°But my aunt is crying Can¡¯t Ifort her?¡± George felt he wasn¡¯t as mature as a child and let go of Nina, ¡°Alright, go and keep your auntpany¡± Nina ran to the door, stood on her tiptoes and turned the doorknob. She ran to Eleanor and touched her tear¨Cstreaked face with her soft hand. ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t cry, let Nina wipe your tears¡­¡± Nina used her sleeve to wipe Eleanor¡¯s cheeks. Chapter 549 Chapter 549 Ethan¡¯s choppernded behind a mountaintop and they immediately hopped onto another one. After a few rounds of this, they finally arrived at Eldridia. After being forcibly taken into the vi, Eleanor handed Nina over to George ¡°Look after her for a bit, will ya? I gotta have a word with him¡± George knew Eleanor had been deceived all the way here, and now she was going to confront Ethan. He took Nina and gave them space After George left with the child, Eleanor fumbled her way onto the living room couch with the help of the servants. Once settled, she lifted her barely seeing eyes and tried to find Ethan. Once she found him, she asked him coldly: ¡°What¡¯s your game, Ethan? You promised me that after a month, you¡¯d let me go home. Now you¡¯ve tricked me intoing to Eldridia, what are you really up to?¡± Ethan, pulling out a cigarette from his pack, nced at her: 1 told you from the get¨Cgo, I don¡¯t do promises.¡± He it his cigarette, took a drag, and exhaled slowly. Eleanor spat out, Ethan, my name is Eleanor, not Emilia. I have my own life, you just want to see my sister, so you tied her sister to you. Is this your way of showing love to her, or just a way to ruin me?¡± It had been a while since Ethan heard her speak so clearly and logically. Lately, she¡¯d been ying the part of Emilia, obediently doing his bidding, but she seemed more like a puppet, devoid of any thoughts of her own. Now, seeing a spark of the old Eleanor, he couldn¡¯t help but notice her personality. Ethan stared at her and replied gravely. ¡°You can take it as me taking revenge on her.¡± Eleanorughed coldly, ¡°You¡¯re not taking revenge on her, you¡¯re taking revenge on me.¡± Ethan said, ¡°You can think what you want. To me, you¡¯re her.¡± Eleanor touched her own face, ¡°Sometimes, I want to destroy this face, rip out this heart, but I still haven¡¯t seen him.¡± Her tears began to fall, ¡°Can¡¯t you just let me go back and see him once, Ethan? Just once.¡± Seeing her cry again for Bernard, Ethan said coldly, ¡°Keep crying, and you¡¯ll gopletely blind.¡± Eleanor held back her tears She got up from the couch, and once again knelt humbly before Ethan, ¡°Ethan, please, let me go.¡± She was desperate. She couldn¡¯t see, she couldn¡¯t escape. She had agreed to pretend to be Emilia hoping for a glimmer of hope, but he still wouldn¡¯t let her go. All she wanted was to see him in his grave, was that too much to ask? Ethan looked at the woman kneeling on the ground, reminding him of how Emilia had once begged him to let her go. Was he really that terrifying? Why did everyone want to stay away from him? All he wanted was to keep her, the one with Emilia¡¯s heart. Was that too much? He stared at the crying figure while holding his cigarette. When the burning end of the cigarette touched his skin, he came back to himself. He averted his gaze and said, ¡°I can¡¯t possibly let you go.¡± He tossed the cigarette away, got up and left without a backward nce, as if he was afraid that seeing her pathetic state would make him go soft. Hearing his footsteps fade away, Eleanor copsed on the ground, cursing like a fishwife, Ethan, you big fat liar! You promised me, you said you¡¯d let me go home, why don¡¯t you keep your word? Why did you deceive me?!¡± Her heart¨Cwrenching cries, although blocked by the door, still reached George and Nina¡¯s ears Nina, who was ying with her Lego, put down her toys and wanted to go to her aunt, but was held back by George. George tried tofort Nina, ¡°Nina, darling, your aunt and your uncle had a little argument. Let them sort it out, okay?¡± Nina frowned, ¡°But my aunt is crying Can¡¯t Ifort her?¡± George felt he wasn¡¯t as mature as a child and let go of Nina, ¡°Alright, go and keep your auntpany¡± Nina ran to the door, stood on her tiptoes and turned the doorknob. She ran to Eleanor and touched her tear¨Cstreaked face with her soft hand. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t cry, let Nina wipe your tears¡­¡± Nina used her sleeve to wipe Eleanor¡¯s cheeks. Chapter 550 Chapter 550 Nina woke up in a daze half¨Casleep. The room was pitch ck, she couldnt find her aunt, which scared the daylights out of her and she started waiting. Her tantrum quickly attracted George and Ethan George barged into the room, turned on the light, picked up Nina, and tried to soothe her As soon as Ethan saw there was no sign of Eleanor in the room, he beelined for the bathroom. When he pushed open the bathroom door and saw the blood all over the floor and the pale woman in the bathtub, he was gobsmacked ¡°George, we¡¯ve got a situation!¡± He rushed forward, picked up Eleanor, and as soon as he got her on the floor, he pressed down on her bleeding wrists George dashed into the bathroom, saw Eleanor¡¯s suicide attempt, was taken aback for a second, then got his act together He called for the servants to fetch the first aid kit, stopped the bleeding in a fluster, and started emergency treatment on Eleanor Just as the woman on the floor was about to lose herst breath, George managed to save her. ¡°Get her back to bed¡± Seeing George finally breathe a sigh of relief, Ethan then lifted Eleanor and ced her on the bed. After George put an oxygen mask on her, he turned towards Ethan, ¡°Happy now?¡± Ethan didn¡¯t respond, his eyes fixated on Eleanor¡¯s pale face He stood still like a statue for a couple of minutes before he reached out and touched Eleanor¡¯s hair. Seeing this. George had a weird feeling surging inside him. He nced at Ethan who was now caressing Eleanor¡¯s hair and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Ethan, are you after Emilia¡¯s heart, or Ms. Shultz?¡± Ethan was baffled by the question, ¡°What do you mean?¡± George walked up to him, ¡°If all you want is Emilia¡¯s heart, then take it out. I¡¯ll put it in another body, and leave Ms. Shultz alone. If it¡¯s Ms. Shultz you want, then treat her right Upon hearing George¡¯s words. Ethan¡¯s gaze fell on the frail figure lying on the floor. After staring for a while, he coldly said, ¡°Emilia¡¯sst wish was to keep her heart within her, not to give it to someone else!¡± George looked at him with uncertainty, ¡°Is it really Emilia¡¯sst wish you care for, or you just can¡¯t bear to see Ms. Shultz die?¡± Ethan retorted, ¡°Do you even know what you¡¯re talking about?¡± George locked eyes with him, pointing at Eleanor, ¡°Tell me, who do you see now? Emilia or Eleanor?¡± Ethan¡¯s gaze slowly moved from the hair to Eleanor¡¯s face. He tried to see through Eleanor to find Emilia, but found himself seeing Eleanor instead of Emilia. He drew back his finger in shock, disbelievingly looking at the woman on the bed, ¡°Impossible¡± Dropping these words, Ethan turned and left as if being chased by a monster, fright filling his whole being George watched as Ethan left in a hurry, sighed deeply, ¡°Ethan, when will you stop lying to yourself and others?¡± The next morning, Eleanor woke up, and knowing that she was still conscious, she realized they had saved her. Just as Ethan had said, for every time she tried to die, he would save her, not even letting her die! Eleanor opened her eyes, although her sight was blurry, she tried to focus on the person sitting at the edge of her bed¡­. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Ethan didn¡¯t respond, just quietly watching her, ¡°Get better, and you¡¯re free to go.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t believe a word he said, and turned to look out the window, ¡°Kill me, take my heart.¡± Her heart was a gift from her sister, had nothing to do with Ethan, but since he wanted it so badly, she would give it to him! Etnan looked at the woman determined to die, hesitated a few seconds, and then said, ¡°Bernard is alive, I lied to you, he¡¯s been searching for you. Eleanor, already hopeless, sneered. ¡°To keep me alive, you¡¯d stop at nothing!¡± He had never told her the truth, he had been deceiving her all along, he had said Bernard was dead, and even lied about her being pregnant, now he was saying that Bernard was alive, what a joke! Ethan didn¡¯t bother to exin, just coldly said, ¡°Believe it or not, right now, all I want is for you to get better and stay away from me!¡± Stay away from him, so he wouldn¡¯t have to struggle figuring out whether she was Emilia or Eleanor! Ethan stood up and quickly left Eleanors room¡­. Outside the door, his assistant waited and quietly asked Ethan, ¡°Bernard¡¯s people have brought him to our helicopternding site,¡± Ethan sneered, clearly didn¡¯t give a damn, ¡°Have Cecilia, who¡¯s good at mimicking Eleanor¡¯s voice, figure out a way to turn Bernard down!¡± Just because he¡¯s letting Eleanor go, didn¡¯t mean he¡¯s handing her over to Bernard The Laurence family had already taken a lot from the Ziegler family. Bernard could dream on about getting what he wanted from him!N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Chapter 551 Chapter 551 After giving orders to his assistant, Ethan switched locations, bringing them all to Azure Ind In the days that followed, Ethan cuffed Eleanor to the bedpost to prevent her frommitting suicide, restricting her movements. He even had servants watching her around the clock to stop her from biting her own tongue Once he had made sure Eleanor couldn¡¯t take her own life, he had George treat her This time, he went all out to bring in the best medical equipment and wouldn¡¯t stop until her eyes were healed. Eleanor just let Ethan do as he pleased. Her desire to die never wavered. Not until three monthster when George brought in a tablet He opened up the news and handed it to Eleanor, Look. He attended the press conference for the reconstruction of Jared Group Headquarters He¡¯s not dead The man in the video, dressed in an expensive suit, exuded an aristocratic air. Countless shes were aimed at his incredibly handsome face, capturing every detal The man never blinked, his gaze indifferent as he stared into the camera. He answered each question from the reporters with a cold, emotionless voice. Just like Bernard when they first met eight years ago. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . He seemed to have returned to his past self, no, even colder than before. He looked as if he was fed up with the world. Seeing the man in the video, hearing his voice, Eleanor¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. Was he¡­ really not dead? Ethan didn¡¯t lie to her this time! But she hadnt believed Ethan and had waited for three months! During those three months, she had tried every possible way to kill herself. If it hadn¡¯t been for George saving her, for Nina warming her, she would have¡­ Tears rolled down Eleanor¡¯s face. Her hands trembling as she reached out to touch the face on the screen She had hope to live again. It was wonderful. Her I love you¡± wouldn¡¯t have to wait for the next life. She could tell him in this life. Tears streamed down Eleanor¡¯s face as sheughed at the figure in the video. Seeing her smile, George sighed in relief After his lie, no matter what he said, Eleanor wouldn¡¯t believe him. Luckily, Bernard attended the press conference. Otherwise, he didn¡¯t know how to make Eleanor believe him. George raised his hand, pressing on her hand to remove the IV, ¡°You¡¯ve recovered enough. You can leave now. ¡°Can¡­ Can I leave?¡± Eleanor asked. For the first time in three months, Eleanor spoke to George. He was somewhat taken aback. He thought Eleanor would never talk to him again. But there was no hatred in Eleanor¡¯s eyes when she looked at him. George nodded excitedly. ¡°Ethan said as soon as you¡¯re fully recovered, he¡¯ll let you go.¡± His words made Eleanor somewhat skeptical. But she didn¡¯t distrust Georgepletely like before. She just asked, ¡°When?¡± George shook his head, ¡°Wait for Ethan toe back. At least say goodbye to him.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t want to say goodbye to Ethan. But she wanted to take Nina with her, so she agreed. She wouldn¡¯t let Nina wander around with Ethan. Nina needed to go to school when she¡¯s older. Ethan took the child back to get back at his sister¡¯s ex¨Chusband. He didn¡¯t really care for Nina. She couldn¡¯t let her sister¡¯s child miss out on school to wander around with Ethan. After deciding, Eleanor asked George, ¡°Can I borrow your phone?¡± She wanted to call Bernard and tell him she¡¯d being back to him soon. George hesitated a bit. Ethan nned to let Eleanor go, but he didn¡¯t n on letting Bernard pick her up. Plus, if Bernard knew how Ethan treated Eleanor, he would probably seek revenge George was worried about Ethan, so he never told Bernard. Although it was selfish, he had no other choice. Eleanor saw George¡¯s hesitation and withdrew her hand. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Ill go back to him myself¡± After apologizing. George took out the key to the handcuffs Ethan had given him and unlocked the cuff attached to the bedpost. The sound of the lock opening made Eleanor smile again, and George couldn¡¯t help but smile too ¡°Ms. Shultz, you¡¯re free He had said that only when Ethan truly let go would these innocent people be spared. Although it was late, it finally happened What Ethan let go of might not be Emilia, but some indescribable emotional change. This change scared him enough to let go. Unable to figure out what Ethan was thinking, George exchanged a smile with Eleanor He picked up his medical kit and left the room. Chapter 552 Chapter 552 Ethan got back home in the dead of night Eleanor was fighting off sleep, holding Nina while waiting for him Ethan had barely seen Eleanor in the past three months. Even when they did cross paths, he just pretended like she wasn¡¯t there and walked off This time, as he pushed open the vi door and saw Eleanor and Nina waiting for him in the living room, he chose to ignore them like he usually did. Just as he was about to leave, Eleanor stopped him. Im pretty much recovered now and nning to leave tomorrow. I¡¯m taking Nina with me. She had no patience to argue with Ethan anymore and made her demand straightforwardly. Ethan paused, turned back to look at her ¡°Why would you take her? She¡¯s not your kid¡± Eleanor responded calmly. ¡°Nina is my sister¡¯s child. I am her aunt, and have guardianship rights. Of course I can take Nina.¡± Ethan scoffed, ¡°So you¡¯re saying I¡¯m not fit to raise her?¡± Eleanor coldly replied, ¡°Whether you¡¯re fit or not, you know very well.¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Upon seeing her back to her old self, Ethan knew that she had seen the news about Bernard attending the press conference. He gave Eleanor a once over, before warning her, ¡°You¡¯re so eager to see him, doesn¡¯t mean he wants to see you. Don¡¯te crying back to me when that happens.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t understand what he was implying and continued, ¡°Nina is of school age now. Either let me take her back to A City, or send her back to her father. It¡¯s not good for her to be wandering around with you all the time¡± Ethan frowned, walked over to Eleanor, bent over and looked at her, his hands resting on the arms of the chair. Listen up, you either stay here to help me take care of Nina, or you leave by yourself. Don¡¯t get too greedy!¡± He had decided to let go of the issue about Emilia¡¯s heart. But he would never let go of Emilia¡¯s child¡® Eleanor tried to argue back, but Nina pulled her sleeve and said sensibly. You should go back first. I am willing to stay with Ethan.¡± Nina had be less afraid of Ethan after spending so much time with him. Sometimes, she even dared to make faces at him when he got mad at her. Nina¡¯s world was innocent. She thought Ethan looked quite pitiful when he sat alone on the vi¡¯s steps, staring nkly at her mom¡¯s picture. Like her, when she missed her mom, she would also hide in a corner looking at her mom¡¯s photo. She thought maybe Ethan missed her mom too much, so he kidnapped her to keep himpany. And as for why he kidnapped Eleanor, it was probably because Eleanor looked too much like her mom, and that¡¯s why Ethan treated her that way. Because she felt sorry for Ethan, Nina not only forgave him, but often took the initiative to cuddle up to him. At first, when she got close to Ethan, he would scold her, get mad at her. But one time after he came out of Eleanor¡¯s room, he suddenly hugged her tightly, burying his head in her tiny shoulder, saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve done something wrong recently, almost let your mom down¡­¡± Nina touched Ethan¡¯s handsome face with her little hand, ¡°Mom was really nice, she won¡¯t me you¡­ After that, Ethan never got mad at her anymore. Nina thought she must have melted his heart with her cuteness. Chapter 553 Chapter 553 Eleanor didn¡¯t really get the dynamic between the two. Seeing Nina being so mature, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a pinch in her heart. ¡°Nina, he Before Eleanor could finish her sentence, she saw Nina struggling to get off herp and opened her arms for Ethan to hold her Ethan not only didn¡¯t refuse, he picked Nina up immediately Nina snuggled into his arms and waved at Eleanor ¡°Eleanor, you can go home without worry¡± Eleanor was shocked to see Ethan holding Nina and going upstairs. She initially wanted to fight for Nina¡¯s custody but didn¡¯t expect Nina to actually want to stay with Ethan. Looking at their backs, she didn¡¯t know why, but the more she looked, the more they seemed to resemble each other¡­. A thought suddenly crossed her mind Could Nina be Ethan and her sister¡¯s child? Eleanor was taken aback by this thought and quickly shook her head to dismiss it. Ethan did keep his promise this time. He let Eleanor go and even arranged a private ne for her. After reluctantly waving goodbye to Nina, Eleanor got into the car and headed to the airport. When she was all alone flying high in the sky, Eleanor couldn¡¯t contain her excitement. She would soon see the person she had missed for over half a year. How wonderful. A City had entered winter. The day Eleanor got off the ne, the sky was sprinkling with the first snow. Dressed in a thin coat, she made her way towards the Lawrence Group. Ethan did let her go. But he didn¡¯t give her any money or any electronics, just let her return to her home country. Eleanor didn¡¯t ask for too much, being able to return safely was already a big deal. She braved the cold wind and arrived at the entrance of the Lawrence Group. As she attempted to go in to find Bernard, she was stopped by the security guard. ¡°Miss, do you have an appointment?¡± Eleanor shook her head and told the security guard, ¡°I¡¯m here to see your CEO. Could you tell him¡­¡± The security guard interrupted politely, ¡°Miss, many womene here every day to find Mr. Laurence. If you really know him, please show your appointment card or call Mr. Laurence to pick you up. Otherwise, I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t let you in.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t make it difficult for the security guard, instead, she asked him shyly, ¡°Can I borrow your phone?¡± Just as the security guard was about to hand her his phone, he heard his team leader¡¯s voice in his earpiece, ¡°Mr. Laurence ising out, be ready.¡± The security guard gestured quickly and the guards at the entrance quickly lined up on both sides of the entrance.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Seeing their serious and orderly appearance, Eleanor guessed that Bernard might being out. Just as she was guessing, she saw a man surrounded by bodyguards step by steping down the high steps. He looked the same as before. Except a bit thinner¡­ When Eleanor saw him alive with her own eyes, she breathed a sigh of relief, but her tears uncontrobly fell once again. ¡°Bernard¡® She took a step forward, her voice trembling as she called out his name. The figure suddenly halted, looking coldly at her standing at the entrance of the Lawrence group. Chapter 554 Chapter 554 Bernard stood there, staring at her, then slowly started to move towards her. Eleanor saw him stepping out of the group anding her way, couldn¡¯t help but tear up, and quickly rushed towards him ¡®Bernard, I Just as she was about to call out his name, she saw him walk past her with a nk expression, not even ncing at her Eleanor froze, and the tears in her eyes finally couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. She slowly turned around, staring somewhat disbelievingly at the man who was descending the stairs with a bunch of bodyguards, not looking back. His tall and straight figure seemed untouchable, hard to approach Eleanor gazed at that figure, as if in a dream, a nightmare she once had. She felt like she might have died a long time ago. Because she couldn¡¯t ept Bernard not loving her, she wove a beautiful dream, fantasizing that he loved her. It wasn¡¯t until the moment of reincarnation that this beautiful dream ended like a nightmare, and now is the ending of this nightmare. She fet either tortured to the point of not distinguishing between reality and dreams, or she had gone mad, not knowing whether she was alive or dead. She hugged her shivering body tightly, standing in the cold wind, looking at the man she missed for half a year with tearful eyes. ¡°All this is fake, right? Her voice was very soft, as if she couldn¡¯t bear the blow, weak and painful. The figure, who had already descended the stairs and was about to get into the car heard her voice and suddenly stopped. Eleanor saw him stop but didn¡¯t look back. She didn¡¯t dare to approach him, but wanted to confirm for herself whether this was real or a dream. She gathered her courage, walked to his side, extended her thin little hand, and gently tugged at his sleeve. ¡°Bernard, is that you?¡± she asked Was this the same Bernard who had imed he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her? Bernard looked at her ¡°It¡¯s me ¡°His voice pulled her back from her trance. ¡°So it¡¯s not a dream.¡± She wanted to touch the face in front of her, but he caught her wrist. ¡°Eleanor.¡± He called her name coldly, just like calling a stranger. Eleanor¡¯s heart was bleeding, as if a sharp knife was tearing her heart apart. She looked up at the expressionless man in front of her without saying a word, seemingly waiting for him to speak. But Bernard didn¡¯t say anything, just gently let go of her hand and said to her, ¡°Don¡¯te looking for me again.¡±N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Upon hearing these words, Eleanor raised her head a little higher, she thought she wouldn¡¯t cry this way, but the tears still flowed uncontrobly. ¡°Why?¡± Her heart was about to break, but she just silently shed tears, looking at the cold and ruthless man in front of her. He never really looked at her, so he didn¡¯t know what he was thinking. Chapter 555 Chapter 555 Eleanor was waiting for an answer from Bernard, waiting for so long that he still didnt respond. In the end, she just chuckled, saying ¡°I get it, you don¡¯t want me anymore. She raised her hand, wiping away the tears at the corner of her eyes, stepping back, disappointed She didn¡¯t leave just stood there alone, looking at the silent man before her, and whispered. ¡°Can you at least give me a reason?¡± Yet, the man didn¡¯t speak or look at her, seemingly using a cold silence to force her to leave ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Eleanor, realizing his intentions, stroked the scar on her left hand a memento of her suicide attempt for him. Only then did she truly experience what real heartache felt like, more unbearable than death itself. She stared at Bernard, holding back the pain. You promised to marry me to stay with me forever, why would you go back on your word?¡± The man before her, frowned at Eleanor who blended in with the falling snowke. His eyes conveyed a murky emotion that couldn¡¯t be deciphered. Where were you when I was unconscious in the hospital?¡± Twas..¡± ¡°You were with Ethan.¡± Bernard cut Eleanor off, his cold eyes full of despair ¡°After I woke up, I hoped every day that you woulde back on your own. But you didn¡¯t, not even once.¡± 7 was taken by Ethan. * Eleanor hurriedly reached out to grab his sleeve, wanting to exin. But he pushed her hand away, stopping her from speaking. ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯ve tried. I¡¯m out of steam chasing you. Let¡¯s end this, okay?¡± With that said, he quickly withdrew his gaze from her, opened the car door, and got in. Seeing him about to leave, Eleanor hurriedly lunged forward. But before she could even touch the car door handle, the car zoomed off Her outstretched hand brushed past the car, like trying to grasp flowing water, it just slipped away from her sight. She watched the car drive away, recalling his words, they were exactly the same as in her dream. She stood there in a daze for a while, then like a madwoman, she tilted her head back, looking at the sky, andughed lightly Eleanor, half¨Ccrazy, half¨Cawake, felt lost without an answer, and lowered her head. Snowkes were falling all around,nding on her slender shoulders, like withered flowers She, who had lost all vitality in an instant, wrapped her arms tightly around herself, slowly knelt down, burying her head in her arms. The icy wind prated her clothes, chilling her body, but it couldn¡¯tpare to the coldness inside her heart. Look at that, the man she was willing to die for once again mercilessly left her, How ridiculous. ¡°Ha, ha Eleanor hung her head down, staring at the snow on the ground. Sheughed and cried intermittently, her mind bing increasingly delirious. Chapter 556 Chapter 556 The man in the car kept a close watch on the figure in the rear view mirror, shrinking as she squatted on the ground Until the figure turned into a little ck dot, the man suddenly let go of his clenched fist and yelled out ¡°Stop the car!¡± The driver hit the brakes immediately, and a dozen or so luxury cars behind him also stopped quickly Bernard, trembling, picked up his ck coat and pushed open the car door, striding quickly towards Eleanor Stepping on the snow, he stopped in front of her, hearing herugh in an odd way, and took a deep breath. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°Eleanor He called her name and the person on the ground shivered but didn¡¯t dare to look up Bernard stared at the frail figure, his aloof eyes turning red in an instant He knelt on one knee in front of her, spread the coat in his hands, and wrapped her skinny body in it. It¡¯s freezing Why are you dressed so lightly?¡± His voice made Eleanor feel dazed again. It wasn¡¯t until the coat brought her warmth that she came back to her senses. She slowly lifted her head, looking at the man kneeling before her¡­. ¡°The Eleanor you just called, was it me?¡± She cautiously asked him. The Eleanor I¡¯ve been calling has always been you.¡± Eleanor tilted her head with a puzzled look, somewhat confused ¡°But didn¡¯t you break up with me?¡± If he broke up with her, why was he still calling her Eleanor and kneeling in front of her to cover her with a coat? Bernard stared at her pale face, his eyes red, and said softly, ¡°It was you who dumped me.¡± Hearing this, Eleanor was even more confused. ¡°When did I dump you?¡± Seeing her innocent expression, Bernard suddenly found himself unable to me her. ¡°Forget it, since I can¡¯t be heartless to you, why should I me you¡­¡± He raised his hand, touched Eleanor¡¯s cold face, and then hugged her tightly ¡°As long as you¡¯re willing toe back to me, that¡¯s enough.¡± Even if she had hurt him so badly three months ago, it was okay as long as she came back. After persuading himself, Bernard carried Eleanor back to the car. He had the driver turn up the heat and warm the seat, then wrapped Eleanor in a nket. Then he grabbed her frozen red hands and rubbed them in his palms Eleanor looked at the man, unable to discern what he was thinking. She even thought she was still trapped in a dream. But the warmth from his hands was real. After warming her hands, Bernard cupped her icy face and gently stroked it, ¡°Are you still cold?¡± Eleanor shook her head, ¡°No¡­¡± He gently stroked her thin cheek and said with heartache, ¡°How did you lose so much weight? Didn¡¯t he treat you well?¡± Eleanor didnt understand what he was saying, frowned and asked, ¡°Who are you talking about?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t want to mention too much of that man, only saying, ¡°Ethan.. Eleanor¡¯s voice suddenly rose, ¡°How could he be nice to me?!¡± Bernard endured the pain in his heart, ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys together?¡± Eleanor said, ¡°Who said I¡¯m with him? She stared at Bernard and said, ¡°You just said I¡¯m with Ethan, so you thought I was with him?¡± Chapter 557 Chapter 557 Just as Bernard was about to reply, she suddenly grabbed his sleeve, exining excitedly 1 didnt, I wasnt with him!¡± ¡°He drugged me with sleeping pills and took me to G country!¡± ¡°He led to me that you were dead I thought you were really gone, I wanted to see you onest timel ¡°But he used that as a threat, made me pretend to be my sister I didn¡¯t agree, I wanted to end it all. But then he tricked me into thinking I was pregnant!¡± Eleanor rambled on, touching her stomach, looking at Bernard, yelling with all her might ¡°I thought I was carrying your baby I agreed to his demand thinking I was going to have our child!¡± ¡°But a monthter, I found out that I wasn¡¯t pregnant at all!¡± ¡°He fooled me! He¡¯s been fooling me all along!! After Eleanor had finished shouting, she calmed down, looked into Bernard¡¯s eyes, and asked with a smile, ¡®Do you know how I made it back?¡± Bernard was trembling, looking at the Eleanor in front of him who seemed a bit off, and asked incredulously, ¡°How did you make it back?¡± He was shaking but was afraid that any of his actions would set her off, so he could only suppress his endless fear and go along with her Eleanor lifted her sleeve, revealing a scar and showed it to him. ¡°He only let me go when I almost died from suicide¡­¡± She paused, and then said through gritted teeth ¡°But he still chained me to the bed, kept me locked up for three months before he let me go!¡± She finished speaking, and then asked him crazily. ¡°Don¡¯t you think he¡¯s a monster?!¡± Bernard wanted to hold her, but she pushed him away. ¡°You haven¡¯t answered me yet!¡± He looked at her, who was on the verge of losing control, his eyes red, and agreed with her, ¡°He is a monster.¡± Getting the answer she wanted, she suddenly turned ferocious, if you knew he was a monster, why would you think I was with him?!¡± She seemed to realize her outburst, quickly pulled down her sleeve, and shrunk into a corner, looking at him cautiously Tm sorry, I¡¯m not crazy, I¡¯m just, just¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t find the words to describe, couldn¡¯t speak, and could only humbly pull at her curly hair and smile at Bernard. ¡°Look, I kept my hair long for you. Don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t leave me, okay?¡± Hearing her words, the tears Bernard had been holding back suddenly lost control and flowed down. What kind of torment had his Eleanor been through these days to turn out like this? Just a moment ago he was cold to her because of a misunderstanding, almost cruelly leaving her in the snow. Bernard was in extreme pain and regret He reached out and held her tightly in his arms ¡°Eleanor. Im sorry, I failed to protect you¡­¡± His embrace, his voice, his breath, gradually brought Eleanor back to her senses Feeling safe, she snuggled into his arms and held onto his waist. ¡°Bernard, don¡¯t treat me like that again. If I can¡¯t handle it, I¡¯ll really break down¡­¡± If it werent for him turning back, putting that coat on her, and holding her in the car, she might have already broken down¡­. The man holding her couldn¡¯t speak, just held onto her tightly Bernard still loved her, so she could now tell him her own ¡°I love you¡°¡­ She gathered all her courage, and lifted her head from his chest ¡°There¡¯s a secret I¡¯ve never told you¡­ She softly asked Bernard, ¡°Do you want to hear it?¡± The man tried to press her head back into his chest, but she broke free He could only awkwardly face Eleanor, but she didn¡¯t mind, lifting her hand and cupping his face. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. She stared into his eyes, leaned into his lips, and kissed him She had never kissed him before, her movements were a bit clumsy, but left Bernardpletely stunned Eleanor kissed him, and gently told him, ¡°Bernard, I love you. I¡¯ve loved you for eight years, and that¡¯s never changed-¡± Chapter 558 Chapter 558 She said she¡¯d loved him for eight sold years. She said she¡¯d tried to off herself, just to see him She said if he treated her like that again, sheld lose her marbles. Things turned out she loved him to death. Bernard was heartbroken for three months. But the moment she kissed him, he finally got to breathe. He lifted his hand gently touched her face ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯ve been waiting forever for you to say you love me¡­¡± His ten years, her eight They¡¯d been on and off. Luckily, they¡¯d always loved each other, or they would¡¯ve missed each other. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. He held Eleanor¡¯s face in his hands, as if it was something precious. ¡°Can we never split up again, okay?¡± Eleanor nodded slightly ¡°Okay¡± Her response was a promise for a lifetime. They would never break up. They couldn¡¯t. Bernard gave a slight smirk, turned to the driver, ¡°Get out¡± The driver nced at him through the rear view mirror, saw his cold stare, and got out of the car real quick. The moment the car door closed. he took her by the chin and kissed her. They kissed like wild things. Bernard lifted Eleanor onto hisp and pressed her against the window. Looking at the man in front of her, Eleanor smiled. She reached out, touched Bernard¡¯s throat. She slowly unbuttoned his shirt, caressed his abs. The moment Eleanor¡¯s hand moved lower, Bernard tensed up. Eleanor thought he was nervous. When she looked up, his face was pale as if he was reminded of something terrible. Fear was in his eyes Eleanor didn¡¯t know what was wrong, so she stopped. She didn¡¯t dare to make a move or get closer to him. Then, Bernard pulled her back into his arms, I¡¯ve missed you. I might hurt you.¡± Bernard was afraid to hurt her, not disgusted by her? Eleanor tried to read his eyes. But he didn¡¯t give her a chance. He just ripped open her clothes. Bernard said to her. ¡°Eleanor, if it hurts, tell me.¡± Eleanor held him tight, smelled his faint scent, responded, Tm not in pain¡­¡± He was desperate. His moves were rough and wild. But he tried his best not to hurt her When Eleanor reached climax, she blushed. She kissed his lips without thinking¡­ This was the most daring she¡¯d ever been, as if this was the only way she could feel his presence¡­. Her response made Bernard forget about the images that had been haunting him for three months, and he moved wildly again. Chapter 559 Chapter 559 Afterwards, Eleanory in his arms and reached up to touch his cheek. ¡°Why were you so cold to me just now?¡± He obviously didn¡¯t want her earlier, that¡¯s why he left her out in the snow And when he came back, he probably just wanted to cover her with a coat, he didn¡¯t actually n to take her with him. Eleanor knew it all too well. This reunion, Bernard wasn¡¯t as proactive as before She was scared of losing him, so she exined and confessed like a mad woman, taking the initiative to get close to him. If she hadn¡¯t been so desperate to hold onto him, Bernard might not have even touched her In fact, she could feel that he still loved her and trusted her, she just didn¡¯t know what had happened to make him suddenly so cold towards her. Was it because he saw her dressed as her sister and getting along sweetly with Ethan after she went blind and thought she didn¡¯t want him? So Bernard decided to be cold to her after seeing her? Seeing the confusion in Eleanor¡¯s eyes, Bernard slowly hugged her. ¡°When I was in aa at the hospital, you never came to see me. I was a bit pissed¡­ He stroked Eleanor¡¯s hair gently, speaking softly. ¡°Eleanor, I was just mad at you. When I found out you had no choice, I wasn¡¯t mad anymore. Don¡¯t overthink it¡­ ? Those malicious, dirty, and embarrassing things are better not known to her. He wanted his Eleanor to remain pure and beautiful forever. When Eleanor heard the words in a deepa¡®, she was filled with fear before she could even question¡­ ¡°Ethan said you had a brain tumor, is it true?¡± She used to believe him. But after she found out her pregnancy was a lie, she didn¡¯t believe anything Ethan said. Bernard gently nodded, exining to her, ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you because I didn¡¯t want you to worry. I didn¡¯t mean to hide it from you.¡± Eleanor reached up to touch his head, her tears unstoppable. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Seeing her cry made Bernard even more upset than she was. He wiped away her tears while comforting her, ¡°I¡¯ve already had the surgery. The tumor had been removed. Don¡¯t worry, okay?¡± Eleanor said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. When you needed me the most, I wasn¡¯t there for you.¡± Bernard shook his head gently, saying softly, ¡°There were many times when you needed me and I wasn¡¯t there for you. I¡¯m the one who should be sorry.¡± He was the one who owed her. There was no need for her to apologize to him in tears. It was enough that she loved him. Eleanor looked at the man in front of her and asked fearfully, ¡°Tumors can recur, will you¡­¡± Bernard quickly shook his head, ¡°No, the chances of recurrence are not very high.¡± The doctor said the chance of recurrence was high, but so what? Even for her, no matter how many times the disease recurs, he will try his best to find the best treatment to get through it! The only thing he was afraid of was that she would worry in the future. He hoped that she could live the rest of her life happily, without ever having to worry about these problems again. Chapter 560 Chapter 560 Bernard gently leaned in and kissed her lips, Eleanor, dont worry. Just stay by my side Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Eleanor choosed to believe him. She wrapped her arms around his waist, telling him, ¡°You have to let me apany you for your check-ups every six months¡± Hearing this, Bernard chuckled, ¡°We¡¯re not even married yet, and you¡¯re already bossing me around?¡± Eleanor raised an eyebrow at him, ¡°Mr. Laurence, am I not allowed to boss you around?¡± He lovingly stroked her nose, ¡°Of course, you can¡± Only then did Eleanor feel at ease Bernard was alive, and the tumor was gone. They live happily ever after, right? She asked Bernard, Ive been on a ne for so long. I¡¯m tired. Can I sleep in your arms for a bit?¡± He replied, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m all yours. You can hold me however you want, no need to ask.¡± Eleanor rxed her body, closed her tired eyes and fell asleep in his arms. Bernard watched Eleanor in his arms, waiting for her to fall asleep before gently lifting her left hand. He saw the scar on Eleanor¡¯s wrist. Ethan, you¡¯ve abused and imprisoned my woman, and men tally tortured me for three months with your despicable tactics! I won¡¯t let you off. The entire Ziegler family will go to hell with you! Bernard could hardly wait to drink Ethan¡¯s blood and eat his flesh! He held Eleanor tighter, wrapped her in his ck coat after putting her head on his shoulder. He just held her like that, until she¡¯spletely asleep, then carefully moved her to the back seat. His Eleanor, belonged to him alone, no one else was allowed toy an eye on her! Bernard, filled with possessiveness, straightened his clothes after putting Eleanor down, then moved to the driver¡¯s seat. The driver and bodyguard in the distance, heard the car door opening, quickly turned around to face Bernard. They were well-trained and knew in this situation they cannot look, ask or listen, but also need to help him shield. So just now, when the driver got out of the car and signaled, the bodyguards from a dozen cars got out and stood back to back in a circle to prevent anyone from disturbing them. The driver noticed Mr. Laurence moving to the driver¡¯s seat and realized he wanted to drive himself so he smartly choosed another car. The convoy originally parked on the Lawrence Group street, quickly leaved and swiftly enterd Laurence Manor. Bernard parked the car, opened the door and walked to the back seat, then gently lifted the sleeping Eleanor. She¡¯s much lighter than six months ago, her body had be thin. Thinking back to the horrifying experiences she recounted like a madwoman, he felt both rage and heartbreak.. He must take revenge for her! Chapter 561 Chapter 561 He wrapped his arms around her tightly, ushering her into his master bedroom. Then, he bent down and nted a gentle kiss on her forehead Eleanor jotted awake from his peck, thinking it was Ethan who was touching her. She freaked out and immediately opened her eyes Then, she realized that the man in her sight was not Ethan but Bernard Her anxiety eased a little. ¡°Eleanor, did I frighten you?¡± Eleanor shook her head andzily patted the spot next to her, ¡°Can you keep mepany for a bit?¡± Bernard was originally going to instruct Caleb to prepare for action, but seeing her wanting him to stay, he swallowed his anger. Hey down beside her, holding Eleanor close to him, stroking her back, softly lulling her to sleep Eleanor leaned against him,forted by his subtle scent, and quickly fell back into slumber. Bernard, a man who hadn¡¯t had a good night¡¯s sleep in three months, also found sce in her presence. Yet, he dared not fall asleep, only gazing at her Perhaps her steady breathing wore him out. Bernard struggled to stay awake for a while but eventually sumbed to sleep. He thought holding her would ward off nightmares, but as soon as he fell asleep, he was haunted by dreams again In the middle of the night, Eleanor was sound asleep when she heard Bernard murmuring in a shaky voice. Frightened, she opened her eyes and saw Bernard, who had pushed her away and was curled up in a corner. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. He seemed trapped in a nightmare, shivering and pale, his forehead drenched in cold sweat His fists clenched tight, nails digging into his flesh till it bled, but he was still not able to wake up from the nightmare, instead sinking deeper Seeing him in pain, Eleanor¡¯s heart ached. Her longshes were wet with tears welling up in her eyes. She wanted to hold him, but then she heard him say ¡°Eleanor, please, don¡¯t do this to me Please, don¡¯t punish me like this.¡± 1 can¡¯t bear it, please let me be¡­ Eleanor froze upon hearing these words uttered in his sleep. Did she cause his nightmares? Did she hurt him unknowingly? She had only rejected him once when she came back from G country. She hadn¡¯t hurt him otherwise. Why would he say such things. ¡°Eleanor, please, stop torturing me. I won¡¯t bother you anymore, okay¡­¡± At this moment, Bernard was as vulnerable as an abused child, his helplessness breaking her heart. Eleanor stepped forward and held him, calling him gently, ¡°Bernard, you¡¯re having a nightmare Wake up.¡± But he was stuck in his dream. Eleanor had to call him again and again until she managed to pull him back to reality The moment he opened his eyes and saw Eleanor holding him, his eyes filled with tears, revealing a deep¨Cseated despair. Eleanor anxiously looked at his pale face and asked, ¡®Bernard, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Bernard regained hisposure and pulled her into a tight embrace, ¡®Eleanor, I¡¯m sorry. I lost control Did I scare you?¡± This was how he had spent thest three months He thought once she came back, the nightmares would stop But who would¡¯ve known.. He shouldn¡¯t have let her see him at his weakest Eleanor was indeed scared, but she was more worried about him, Tell me the truth, did Ethan do something to you?¡± He had just said, he wouldn¡¯t bother her anymore,¡® which made Eleanor wonder, with Bernard¡¯s capabilities, how could he have not found her all this time? There must be someone pulling strings in the dark, preventing him from finding her or making Bernard give up on her!. And the only person who could be up to such mischief was the madman, Ethan! Ethan must have used her name to mess with Bernard. Chapter 562 Chapter 562 Upon understanding this. Eleanor quickly shook his arm, ¡®Spill the beans, what exactly did he do to you?¡± Looking at Eleanor¡¯s worried face, Bernard didn¡¯t answer her directly, he just softly asked, ¡°Eleanor, how do you want Ethan to kick the bucket?¡± His voice was low and filled with a bloodthirsty killing intent, as if he wanted to off Ethan right then and there Eleanor, slightly shaken, locked into his cold eyes. Before that, tell me what happened?¡± The man¡¯s knitted brows drooped, hiding all the bitterness and despair in his eyes The painful memories seemed like thorny vines spreading from his mind, binding him tightly, he couldn¡¯t break free. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . He stood still, silent for a few seconds, then said softly, ¡°Eleanor, three months ago, I came looking for you. Something happened that made me misunderstand you, Surveince footage, voice recordings, videotapes ¨C he didn¡¯t believe any of them. But when he went abroad in a wheelchair to find her, he saw it with his own eyes¡­ in a room with a half¨Cwindow, two naked bodies were passionately entwined.. Sounds of heavy breathing leaked from the gap of the door, like a sharp knife, stabbing his heart over and over again. He fet chilled to the bone, his face pale, even his soul seemed to have been ripped out in an instant He clung tremblingly to the handles of the wheelchair, struggling to stand up, then staggered towards the locked door. At that time, he was like a madman, fists clenched, pounding on the door, calling her name, begging her to stop. The woman inside, still lost in pleasure, ignored him, continuing to intertwine with the man, again and again. He slowly pulled back his blood¨Csoaked hands, standing outside, looking in through the ss. That scene made him understand what karma really meant. Hadn¡¯t he done the same thing to Garett Falsey? Only Back then he was the man inside the room, not knowing how Garett felt outside. It was only when he experienced it himself did he understand what living hell felt like. He thought he would be stronger than Garett, at least he wouldn¡¯t stick around to see them finish. But who would¡¯ve thought¡­ He ended up staying, like a fool, watching, listening, waiting. Until nightfall, when they finally had enough, his woman finally got dressed and came to the door. She didn¡¯t open the door or turn on the lights, in the dim light, he could only see her face, covered by her long har, through the ss. He stared at that familiar profile, his voice trembling as he asked her, ¡°Did you ask me toe alone just so I could see this?¡± She didn¡¯t answer his question, just turned around and coldly said, ¡°Just leave, I¡¯m very happy now, don¡¯t bother me anymore.¡°. Hearing her voice confirmed it was her, his heart ached so much he could hardly breathe, but he still pleaded with her, ¡°Eleanor, I can¡¯t live without you,e back with me¡± The woman inside was unmoved, ¡°After all this, you still want me?¡± Like Garett back then, he nodded without hesitation, ¡°Yes, as long as youe back to me.¡± As long as she was willing toe back, he would try to forget all this, even if he couldn¡¯t forget, it didn¡¯t matter, he wouldn¡¯t hold it against her. Chapter 563 Chapter 563 Regrettably, hispromise not only failed to touch the woman turning her back on him but it actually made her mock him ruthlessly ¡°You¡¯re such a loser. I¡¯ve slept with someone else and you still want me. Dont you have any pride? These brutal words made him freeze on the spot, as if he was drained of blood, his face turned pale. He stared at her silhouette After a while, he suddenly clenched his fists and roared like a madman. ¡°Yeah, I am a loser If I weren¡¯t, how could I fail to let you go over and over again!¡± After he finished yelling, he lifted his bloodshot eyes and begged her ¡°Eleanor, can you stop hurting me like this¡­¡± ¡°No!¡± The woman with a resolute attitude didnt even turn her head. To tell you the truth, I came back from G country to revenge. My goal is to make you fall in love with me so deeply that you cant extricate yourself, and then kick you away. The day I was kidnapped, when I saw you risking your life to save me, I knew I had seeded. That¡¯s why I went back to G country with Ethan, but I didnt expect you toe to find me after you woke up, forcing me and Ethan to hide from you everywhere, it¡¯s so annoying!¡± She finished, and then turned her head, looked at the man outside the door, and said contemptuously ¡°Ethan treats me well, he is a man I can rely on. I want to be with him, so please stop haunting me like a nightmare, it¡¯s disgusting!¡± After she finished speaking, she wrapped her clothes tightly and went to the bedroom bathroom. Immediately after, the man who was lying on the bed and couldn¡¯t see his face, also followed into the bathroom. Soon, moaning sounds came from inside. The man who had lost all hope, with tears in his eyes, stared at the door, speaking to her, and also to himself, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯ll wait for you ten hours. If you¡¯re willing toe out, I let bygones be bygones. If you¡¯re not, we¡¯ll never meet in this life!¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. However, his ten hours, his ten years, ultimately did not get her to turn back¡­ How did he leave? He was sent back to his country after he fainted for the second time due to shock. After he woke up, he couldn¡¯t forget those scenes, being tortured every day, every moment, every minute, every second. He couldn¡¯t think straight, drugs and counseling didn¡¯t work, he could only endure. If she hadn¡¯te back to find him and exin everything, he probably would still be trapped in those scenes, unable to get out. He stroked Eleanor¡¯s thin cheek, stared at her bewildered eyes, lowered his head, and gently kissed her red lips. Thank God, you¡¯re back.¡± Thank God, she¡¯s back¡­ Thank God, he didn¡¯t have the heart to leave her in the snow. Thank God, all of this was fake¡­ Eleanor asked him: What happened to make you misunderstand me?¡± Bernard¡¯s expression became gloomy, his eyes full of murderous intent: ¡°A woman impersonated you and did some bad things.¡± The woman¡¯s voice, profile, figure, hair, and silhouette were all very simr to Eleanor¡­ And the man had his back to him, he couldn¡¯t see his face, so he couldn¡¯t tell if it was Ethan. But just seeing that scene and hearing her say those words was enough to make himpletely lose control,pletely lose the ability to think and judge¡­ If it weren¡¯t for such a shock, how could his Eleanor have been locked in bed for three months? Bernard didn¡¯t say it very directly, but Eleanor could guess some things from it. Maybe Ethan sent someone to impersonate her and did some disgusting things in front of him. No wonder when she touched him in the car earlier, he became stiff all over. It turned out that someone impersonated her, hurt him, and left a shadow in his heart. Eleanor thought about his obsession with cleanliness, and her doubts gradually turned into sympathy Under the mistaken impression that she had been touched by others, he only treated her coldly once, and then immediately came back to find her He never med her, but said to her: ¡°Forget it, since I can¡¯t be ruthless to you, why should I me you?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t understand the meaning of this sentence at the time, but now thinking about it, she only felt that Bernard must have been heartbroken at that time Yet he endured his broken heart, picked her up without hesitation, returned to the car, said nothing, and was concerned about whether she was cold. Such a man, a bit silly, but loving her wholeheartedly. No matter what she became, as long as she turned back, he¡¯s there. Chapter 564 Chapter 564 Eleanor¡¯s eyes were red as she stared into those eyes that only ever had room for her. Through teary eyes, she said, ¡°Bernard, of all the man I¡¯ve known, it¡¯s only ever been you. You were my first, and you¡¯re myst.¡± She tenderly lifted her fingers, tracing the lines of his furrowed brow, whispering, Whatever you¡¯ve been through, well get through it together Her soft voice had a soothing charm that gradually eased Bernard¡¯s anxiety, fear, and restlessness He scooped Eleanor up into his arms, using all his strength to pull her small frame into his embrace Eleanor, don¡¯t ever leave me again.¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Eleanor reached out, hugging him just as lightly in return ¡°The same goes for you, don¡¯t leave me ¡± They made a vow to stay together for the rest of their lives, never to be separated unless death parted them. In a low voice, Bernard asked, ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Eleanor shook her head. He asked again, ¡°Still sleepy?¡± She shook her head again. He smirked, ¡°Thene take a shower with me! He lifted her legs, letting her wrap them around his waist as he carried her towards the bathroom. The moment the door closed, he pressed her against the wall, his towering figure leaning into her like a wild beast, iming her entirely. This time he didn¡¯t hesitate as he had in the car Instead, he let go of his inhibitions, just like before¡­ No, even more than before¡­ Eleanor was too overwhelmed topare this to the past, all she knew was that he was almost devouring her with his fervor With one hand on her waist. Bernard¡­ Eleanor blushed and gently pushed his chest, ¡°Let¡¯s shower already.¡± But he simply lowered his head, nuzzling her neck, Tam¡± Eleanor¡¯s cheeks reddened further, about to retort stop talking nonsense, when he turned on the shower. The warm water cascaded down, hitting Eleanor¡¯s flushed face, making her slowly lift her eyes. That¡¯s what he meant¡­. As Eleanor blushed, Bernard whispered in her ear, ¡°Eleanor, I like you¡± His deliberately hushed voice, apanied by the sound of water flowing, felt like a jolt of electricity. Eleanor tried to avoid his touch, but he held her head, forcing her to meet his gaze. His hair styled, only a few strands fell against his long eyshes, making him look ruggedly handsome. His cheeks washed by the water, somehow stimted Eleanor¡¯s hormones, making her swallow hard. Faced with such a beautiful man, she gathered her courage, boldly wrapping her arms around his neck, trying to seduce him. If I get too weakter, you have to help me.¡± This man, lured by her, smirked, pleasure dancing in his eyes. He gently kissed her ear, whispering. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll y along¡± Chapter 565 Chapter 565 Eleanor was pinned against the wall by Bernard, her face flushed, her lips slightly parted kissing the man with tender sips She only took a step forward, but he couldn¡¯t resist The moment she touched him, his blood boiled instantly Bernard grabbed her waist out of control, pulling her close to his body, then he started to fight back He lowered his head to kiss her, kissing her wildly and intensely, not giving her a second to catch her breath. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. With each kiss, he wished he could crush her and swallow her, it was suffocating, but also fatally tempting Eleanor blinked her eyshes gently trying to open her eyes to see the emotional Bernard, but he covered her eyes with his hand Then, she heard his hot breath and his hoa rse and low voice in her ear. ¡°Eleanor, at times like this, you need to concentrate.¡± She could actually withstand Bernard¡¯s irresistible madness, but she was a little overwhelmed by him whispering in her ear, or kissing her earlobe, which was her most sensitive spot Every time Bernard wanted her, he would first kiss her earlobe, as if he had mastered her weakness and deliberately stimted her like this, and she would always surrender This time was no exception. After he had touched her a few times, Eleanor was already tingling all over, without the strength to fight back, she could only weakly lean against him, letting him take control of her. Warmwater flowed continuously from the shower¨Chead. The man was kissing her, and at the same time, he lifted his eyes, facing the water flow, looking at the woman with her eyes closed. Eleanor¡¯s face was flushed, as if she was shy, or it was the emotion that came out after being emotional Seeing her so tempting, the man¡¯s eyes were full of desire, wishing he could entwine with her day and night. The only thing that could restrain his impulse was his worry that she couldn¡¯t bear it. Because he remembered this, he didn¡¯t go too far He held Eleanor against the wall, the sink, the bathtub, and after a few times, Bernard held her body with one hand, and her hands with the other, above her head. ¡°Eleanor¡­¡± Hearing him call her name the exhausted Eleanor slowly opened her confused eyes and looked at him with blurry seductive eyes ¡°Hmm?¡± He rubbed gently against her neck, whispering seductively, 7 want to hear you say, you love me.¡± When he made love to her in the W City, he asked her to say she loved him, but she didn¡¯t say it. This time, she should satisfy him While enduring the tremors he brought, Eleanor looked into his expectant eyes with deep affection, her voice trembling. Bernard, I love you, I love you so much¡­¡± She revealed her heart without reservation, filling Bernard¡¯s long¨Cempty heart with sweetness, bit by bit. He lowered his head, gently biting her lips, sighing reluctantly, 1 really don¡¯t want to let you go.¡± Later, at Eleanor¡¯s request, the man suppressed his impulse to continue, carefully carrying her out of the bathroom. He ced Eleanor on the soft bed, brought a hairdryer, and gently dried her wet hair. As he touched her waist¨Clength curly hair, the smile on Bernard¡¯s corner of mo uth deepened, and his eyes softened In the past three months, the emotions of unease, anger, fear, and pain gradually dissipated in every intimate contact with her His Eleanor, could take his life, but also save his life. Fortunately, this woman who he deeply loved in his bones, also loved him just as much. After drying her hair, Bernard gently kissed her forehead and said, ¡°Eleanor, when you¡¯ve recovered, don¡¯t forget to make it up to me all at once.¡± The exhausted Eleanor didnt delve into what he meant by ¡®making it up all at once, she just turned over, hugged the pillow and fell asleep. Bernard¡¯s gaze fell on the pillow, after looking at the annoying pillow for a few seconds, he quietly pulled the pillow out of her arms, then cuddled himself into her arms, letting her hold him. as they fell asleep. Chapter 566 Chapter 566 The next afternoon, Eleanor woke up from her slumber, the first thing she saw was Bernard¡¯s wless profile Eleanor poked her head out from his embrace, propped up her hands, resting under her own cheeks, and closely observed Bernard. When she used to work at the Ratliff Group, her colleagues, including Jeannie, had made a ranking list for the rich, Bernard topped the list. Jeanne said those who could make the list not only had to be rich, but also good looking Looking nationwide, Bernard was the top dog Back then, Eleanor didn¡¯t pay much attention, but now, upon closer inspection, Mr. Laurence was indeed quite a catch¡­ Thinking about this, she chuckled and mustered up courage to steal a kiss from this top¨Cranked tycoon Just as she leaned in, Bernard¡¯s closed eyes slowly opened ¡°Mrs Laurence, what are you up to?¡± He seemed to see right through her, and was looking at her with a smirk Eleaner was a bit embarrassed, but she coolly got up and drew back the curtains behind him. There was no sunshine today, and small snowkes were still falling in the backyard. When Eleanor saw the backyard turned into a ss greenhouse, she looked surprised. She looked back incredulously at Bernard, who was propping his head with one hand and only had eyes for her. ¡°Did you build a greenhouse just to protect the roses?¡± Bernard nodded, I¡¯ll protect anything you like.¡± Hearing this, Eleanor¡¯s heart was filled with a bittersweet feeling: ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever given you anything¡± From the time they met till now, he had always been giving, while she had never given him anything, not even done anything for him. Eleanor hung her head in shame, but the man reached out his long arm and wrapped her in his embrace: ¡°Your love for me is the best gift.¡± Hecked nothing but her love, so¡­. The man lifted her chin forcefully, ¡°Promise to love me for a lifetime, no giving up, no leaving me.¡± Eleanor smiled and obediently responded, ¡°Alright, I absolutely won¡¯t leave Mr. Laurence¡­ Bernard savored the title ¡°Mr. Laurence, suddenly remembering something. But before that, there was something else to deal with. Thinking about this, he picked up Eleanor and stood up from the bed, hooked her legs to sit on his waist, and walked toward the desk with her in his arms. He casually picked up a phone from the desk and dialed a number: ¡°Caleb, locate Ethan.¡± After giving the order, he put down the phone and looked down at Eleanor: ¡°Eleanor, after dealing with Ethan, I¡¯ll propose to you, don¡¯t rush.¡± He no longer wanted to go to Jorvik, so the previous proposal n needed to be redesigned. Eleanor was still thinking about how he would deal with Ethan, but was pulled back to reality by the words ¡°don¡¯t rush¡± She blushed and red at him: ¡°When was I in a hurry?¡± Bernard chuckled lightly: ¡°I am.¡± Only then did Eleanor look away and snuggled into his arms: ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± As soon as she spoke, a tentative knock came from the butler Bryson outside the door. ¡°Mr. Laurence, are are you awake?¡± Bryson thought It¡¯s been almost a day and a night, it should be about time. With this thought, he was encouraged by a group of servants to knock on the door Bryson, not knowing if he would be scolded, was nervously standing at the door when it opened. Bernard, holding the neatly dressed Eleanor, didn¡¯t even nce at him as he walked past. ¡°Prepare nutritious food for dinner¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Hearing his order, Bryson was stunned This was the first time in days that Mr. Laurence had made a request about food. His gaze fell on the woman who was tightly held in Mr. Laurence¡¯s arms It was this woman who easily controlled Mr. Laurence¡¯s life and death, and he didn¡¯t know whether it was a blessing or a curse. Bryson sighed, waved to the servants to prepare dinner, and specifically reminded, ¡°Prepare more nourishing food for women.¡± Seeing the two so close, they should be getting married soon, naturally, they needed to take care of the future Mrs. Laurence¡¯s health. Chapter 567 Chapter 567 Chapter 567 Bernard had just sat down with Eleanor at the restaurant when a Rolls Royce pulled up outside the mansion. Cedric stepped out of the car wrapped in a navy blue coat, and with a steady strade, quickly walked into the vi He handed his coat to a s***t, brushed the s***s off his hair, then asked, ¡°Where¡¯s my brother?¡± The s*****t cautiously pointed towards the dining room, saying. Mr. Laurence is having dinner¡± Following the direction of the s**t, Cedric looked towards the dining room His face immediately sank when he saw the woman in his brother¡¯s arms He quickly walked up to them and pointed at Eleanor, saying. How dare you show your face to my brother?¡± Before Eleanor could respond, the man holding her suddenly lifted his eyes and coldly red at Cedric, ¡°Do you not want your fingers anymore?¡± Only then did Cedric realize his overreaction. He quickly withdrew his finger and, facing Bernard¡¯s cold gaze, puzzledly asked, ¡°After what she did to you, why are you still with her?¡± Three months ago, Bernard was carried back home, unconscious for several days. Even after he woke up, he was so heartbroken that he vomited blood frequently. If not for their grandfather bringing in the world¡¯s best doctors, he would have been a goner. His brother nearly lost his life multiple times for this woman. But what about her? She had an affair with Ethan and even did that in front of him! Yet Bernard protected her reputation and kept it all a secret. If he hadnt overheard Aidyn at the hospital, he would still be in the dark. Cedric¡¯s gaze at Bernard was full of iprehension. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a clean freak? How could you?¡± He was about to say how Bernard could ept a tainted woman when he was startled by a loud ng. The soup spoon mmed onto the ss bowl, causing Cedric to swallow his words instantly ¡°Apologize!¡± The handsome man at the head of the table stared at him indifferently Cedric¡¯s eyebrows furrowed His brother seldom treated him so coldly Well, resigned to his bad luck, Cedric nced at Eleanor, turned his head, and muttered a reluctant, Sorry.. His apology was for pointing rudely earlier, not for what he had said He didn¡¯t think he was wrong Bernard saw the defiance in Cedric¡¯s eyes, lifted his chin, and looked down at him, saying. ¡°Your attitude is inappropriate Apologize again.¡± Inappropriate attitude?! It was Bernard who was blinded by beauty! Cedric¡¯s handsome face was twisted in anger. He wished he could c***ck open his brother¡¯s head to see what was going on inside Seeing Cedric grinding his teeth, Eleanor quickly tugged at Bernard¡¯s sleeve and softly said, ¡°Let it go, he doesn¡¯t know the whole story.¡± But Bernard didn¡¯t let Cedric off. He leaned back in his golden dining chair and coldly said, ¡°Cedric, listen well. No matter the circumstances, you cannot be impolite to your sister-inw, nor can you doubt her if I find out you¡¯re treating her like you did today, don¡¯t me me for disowning you as my brother.¡± Look at that, his brother, whom he had admired since childhood! He would treat his brother like this for a woman who betrayed him. Cedric felt all their years of brotherhood were wasted. Just as he felt heartbroken, Bernard coldly lifted his hand and waved. ¡°Get out¡± Don¡¯t stay here, disturbing him by feeding Eleanor the tonic.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Chapter 568 Chapter 568 Chapter 568 Cedric felt a lump in his throat that kept him from speaking Bernard gave him another icy nce What, still here?¡± P***d off, Cedric s****d his coat from the se***t, draped it over his shoulders, and turned to leave Eleanor quickly stood up and called out to him, ¡°Mr. Laurence, wait a second¡± Cedric, still steaming didn¡¯t want to give Eleanor the time of day, but remembering his brother¡¯s warning, he stopped in his tracks. He had no choice Since they were kids, who dared disobey Bernard¡¯s orders? Eleanor approached Cedric, looked at him earnestly, and exined, ¡°Cedric, don¡¯t get it twisted. I didn¡¯t betray your brother. Someone impersonated me to prevent him from 1finding me. It¡¯s all a hoax¡± Cedric looked at the frail Eleanor and asked. Then where have you been for the past six months? Why didn¡¯t youe to find him?¡± Eleanor cast her eyes down to her left wrist and truthfully replied, ¡°I was imprisoned by Ethan. I couldn¡¯t escape.¡± Cedric was taken aback. No wonder when he told Hailey that Eleanor had betrayed Bernard, Hailey never bought it, insisting that Eleanor must have been held captive by Ethan, and that¡¯s why she couldn¡¯t return. They even had a massive argument about it. Ignoring his advice, Hailey insisted on bringing an interpreter to G country to search for Eleanor. Then, Hailey heard that Bernard had personally met with Eleanor, and that¡¯s when she returned from G country¡­ Probably Aidyn had shown her those surveince tapes, audio recordings, and videos, so Hailey stopped looking for Eleanor. Cedric didn¡¯t know if Hailey was convinced, but when he tried to find her again, she wouldn¡¯t give him the time of day. And that¡¯s why he held a grudge against Eleanor ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . So when he saw Eleanor just now, he couldn¡¯t control his anger. But it turned out he misunderstood her. What now? Seeing Cedric in shock, Eleanor quickly smiled at him and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I would never betray your brother, because¡­¡± She nced at the man sitting in the main seat of the dining table, propping his chin on one hand, always staring at her, and whispered, ¡°I love him.¡± Upon hearing this public confession, Cedric¡¯s frown deepened Great, his brother and Eleanor were finally on the same page, but¡­ He hadnt spoken to Hailey for three months because he didn¡¯t trust Eleanor! He looked at Eleanor with aplex expression, then at the man in the main seat who was urging him to leave with an indifferent look. Cedric suddenly felt suffocated, as if these two were somehow messing up his love life. He stood there in a daze. At this point, Bernard stepped forward and lifted Eleanor into his arms. Not even ncing at his brother, his gaze was fixed on Eleanor¡¯s feet. It¡¯s cold down there, did you freeze your feet?¡± Cedric rolled his eyes at the sight of the two inseparable figures. There is underfloor heating everywhere, how could you freeze your feet?! He awkwardly said to Bernard. Ill be going then¡± The man, who had already sat back down at the table with Eleanor in his arms, didn¡¯t even lift his head, instead, he picked up a new pair of spoons, scooped up a spoonful of soup, and offered it to Eleanor. Eleanor, afraid that Cedric would feel too awkward, quickly waved at him, ¡°Mr. Laurence, take care¡­¡° Bernard held Eleanor¡¯s chin, straightened her little head, and said indulgently, ¡°Why bother talking to him? Just eat your meal¡± Cedric stormed off, pi**d Chapter 569 Chapter 569 Chapter 569 Watching his retreating figure, Bernard turned to Eleanor and said. ¡°Eleanor, Ms. Vulpe doesn¡¯t know you¡¯re back yet. I¡¯ll take you to see her tomorrow¡± Eleanor was thinking the same and promptly nodded, saying, ¡°Great, I was nning to go see her tomorrow. I¡¯ve been MIA for half a year She must be worried sick ¡± Cedric overheard their conversation and immediately halted his steps. He stood in ce, wavering for a moment, then gritted his teeth and turned back into the dining room. The dashing Mr. Laurence stepped up to Eleanor ced his hand on his chest, gave an extremely gentleman-like bow, and then sincerely apologized to Eleanor ¡°Ms. Schultz, my apologies. I shouldn¡¯t have been rude to you or doubted you. Please forgive my lapse¡± Eleanor was taken aback by Cedric¡¯s action. Before she could even react, the man holding her spoke. ¡°So, what¡¯s the catch?¡± Cedric, noticing he finally had Bernard¡¯s attention, slowly caught on So he had been giving him the cold shoulder just to make him apologize In the end, Bernard pinpointed his weak spot, forcing him to apologize, and only then did he engage in conversation with him. Cedric had no choice but to y along. ¡°Let me be the one to inform Ms. Vulpe of Ms. Schultz¡¯s safe return.¡± Bernard stirred his soup, giving Cedric a nonchnt look. ¡°Anything else?¡± Cedric politely replied, 11 personally bring Ms. Vulpe over tomorrow, so the sisters can have a good catch-up.¡± The man at the head of the table finally gestured towards the door, saying. You may leave now.¡± Cedric gritted his teeth and walked out. Eleanor saw Cedric seething, almost fuming, and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle: You¡¯re protecting me like this, I¡¯m going to make enemies.¡± Bernard spooned another mouthful of soup for Eleanor, saying softly yet firmly, ¡°You¡¯re my wife, if I don¡¯t protect you, who will?¡± The term ¡°wife¡± warmed Eleanor¡¯s heart, the sweetness felt like the s***s falling outside, serene and beautiful. Eleanor made a wish in her heart: to always be happy. Then she picked up the soup spoon and fed Bernard His stomach wasn¡¯t good, so she¡¯d take care of it from now on. As long as Mr. Laurence was healthy, her happiness wouldst. Looking at Eleanor, Bernard couldn¡¯t help but feel it was all a dream. But this wasnt an illusion, it was real love. He set down the spoon, pulled Eleanor into his arms, and lifted his chin slightly, looking into her eyes. ¡°Eleanor, when did you fall in love with me?¡± When did she fall in love with him? He had never fett her love before. He wanted to know when exactly she fell for him. When did she fall for him? This question made Eleanor lower her head. After a while she looked up at Bernard meeting his expectant gaze Eleanor stared at his handsome face and those hopeful eyes, suddenly feeling at a loss. She wasn¡¯t clear when she fell for him either, only knowing that when she realized she was in love with him, that feeling had permeated her bones and was impossible to extract.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Chapter 570 Chapter 570 Chapter 570 She bowed her head in deep thought, then lifted her gaze to the man who was waiting for her answer and gently replied 1 don¡¯t know when I fell for you. All I know is that when you said you liked long hair, I started growing mine out for you, when you said your stomach was upset and you didn¡¯t want to eat, I wanted to cook you some light porridge¡± ¡°Every time you came to pick me up, I would be thrilled for a long time, but when you left in anger, Id feel terrible. I guess when your action and every word could tug at my heartstrings. that¡¯s when I fell in love with you¡± Hearing her words, Bernard¡¯s affectionate gaze deepened. She didn¡¯t tell him the exact moment she fell in love with him, but she let him understand the concept of love that growing over time. Eleanor probably fell for him unconsciously during their time together. But it¡¯s okay Now that he knew she¡¯s been in love with him for a while, it¡¯s not toote. Bernard deeply regretted not cherishing her before, but now. He lifted his slender finger and gently touched Eleanor¡¯s face. ¡°Eleanor. I promise you. I will not let you down in this lifetime¡± Eleanor smiled and nodded at him. S***s were still falling outside the window, and the loving couple was enjoying their dinner in the restaurant. Everything was peaceful and beautiful. The moment Caleb found out Ethans location, he was so shocked that he immediately called Bernard. ¡°Sir, Ethan has returned to the country, he¡¯s at his vi.¡± Bernard, who picked up the call, nced at Eleanor, who was sleeping sweetly in his arms. Not wanting to disturb her, he gently moved her hand from around his waist, pulled off the nket, and got out of bed. Walking into the bathroom, Bernard¡¯s expression suddenly darkened. ¡°He dares toe back?!¡± Caleb was also incredulous 1 don¡¯t know what he¡¯s thinking. He managed to hide pretty well before, even the Siren Organization had trouble tracking him, but now he just tantly returns.¡± Caleb figured either Ethan thought he was off the h***k after letting go of Ms. Shultz, so no one would come after him for revenge, Or he knew they woulde for him but figured he couldn¡¯t escape anyway, so he might as well give himself up.. Regardless of which it was, they were not going to let him go! Ethan had been messing with Caleb for months An aggrieved Caleb didn¡¯t wait for Bernard¡¯s orders, he volunteered, 111 go bring him in!¡± Bernard nced back at the bed, coldly instructing, ¡°Take him to the basement!¡± Eleanor was pure and kind-hearted, it¡¯s better she didn¡¯t witness such b***dy scenes After giving the order, Bernard stepped out of the bathroom, put down his phone, and took a gun from the safe. He changed into casual clothes, tucked the gun into his waistband, then went to Eleanor and leaned down to kiss her forehead before turning to leave the room. As he came down the stairs, he coldly told Bryson, ¡°Take good care of her, don¡¯t let her worry¡± Seeing Bernard not wearing a mask or disguising himself, and just tucking the gun into his waistband, Bryson was worried, ¡°Mr. Laurence, what are you going to do?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t answer but briskly walked out of the vi with a poker face. He drove out a new, unlicensed car from the garage and headed swiftly towards his destinationN?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Chapter 571 Chapter 571 Chapter 571 Bernard was halfway through his drive when Caleb suddenly called ¡°Mr. Laurence, some s***t just hit the fan. Please head straight to Ethan¡¯s vi¡± Bernard¡¯s face became serious in an mstant What¡¯s up?¡± Caleb, on the other end of the phone hesitated, saying. You¡¯ll know when you get here¡± Bernard furrowed his brows, a chill shed in his eyes, as cold as the s****s outside the window. After hanging up, he quickly changed course and headed toward Ethan¡¯s vi. Eleanor woke up from her sleep, instinctively reaching out to find the bed cold and empty. Bernard¡¯s gone? Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Eleanor¡¯s heart lightened, she quickly got out of bed, turned on the bedsidemp, and started searching for him. Without even bothering with slippers, she searched the bathroom, the dressing room, and the study, but Bernard was nowhere to be found. Her panic and unease grew with each passing second She threw on a coat, went barefoot, and ran downstairs. ¡®Bryson, where the hell is Bernard?¡± Bryson, who had been woken up, quickly opened the door. Seeing Eleanor¡¯s anxious face, he reassured her, ¡°Mr. Laurence probably had something to sort out. You know how he is, always on the move.¡± Eleanor was already aware of Mr. Laurence¡¯s identity. Bryson spoke without hiding anything: ¡®He alwayses back safe; don¡¯t worry.¡± Eleanor was still worried, feeling something was off Just as she was fretting, thendline in the corner of the living room started ringing. Bryson frowned at the phone. ¡°Odd, this phone hasn¡¯t rung in ages, why the hell is it ringing now?¡± Despite the panic, Eleanor followed Bryson toward the phone. Bryson answered, and after a moment, his expression changed, and he turned to look at Eleanor It¡¯s a Mr. Ziegler for you.¡± Wasn¡¯t that Ethan? How did he know the number to Laurence Manor, and why was he calling sote? Eleanor hesitantly took the phone from Bryson. As soon as she put it to her ear, Ethan¡¯s casual voice came through. ¡°Bernard¡¯s at my vi;e get him.¡± Without waiting for a response, he hung up Eleanor put down the phone and asked. ¡°Did Bernard go out with his mask?¡± Bryson shook his head, clueless ¡°He used to wear it when he was in action. He didn¡¯t this time.¡± No mask meant he wasn¡¯t on an S mission, he was probably on a personal vendetta, and that vendetta was likely Ethan¡¯s. Strangely, with Bernard¡¯s abilities, he should¡¯ve caught Ethan by now. How did Ethan get a chance to call her? Eleanor was frantic, fearing for Bernard. She quickly told Bryson, Tm going to find him, and rushed out the door. Bryson sensed it had to do with Mr. Laurence, immediately called a driver, grabbed a few bodyguards, and instructed them to follow in pursuit¡­ In the car, Eleanor, nervous as hell, just told the driver to step on it when a few cars surrounded them. Men from those cars got out, waving baseball bats and smashing at their car. The bodyguards quickly got out and started fighting. As the two groups started brawling. Eleanor¡¯s car window was suddenly smashed from outside, and then a luxury car pulled up beside her. After the door on her side was opened, a hand reached out from the luxury car, yanking struggling Eleanor into the car. Chapter 572 Chapter 572 Chapter 572 When she finally got a good look at the man who had grabbed her, Eleanor¡¯s face turned ghostly pale She tried to open the car door in a panic, but it had already been locked when she was dragged into the car Unable to get out, Eleanor looked at Ethan in terror. Didn¡¯t you let me go? Why are you here again?¡± Dressed in a neatly ironed white shirt, Ethan turned his head slightly at her question Tm here to confirm something¡± Before Eleanor could ask what it was, he suddenly leaned in, causing her to scramble backward in fright. ¡°Ethan! What are you doing?¡± Ignoring her, Ethan advanced until he had her pressed against the car window, then lifted a hand to cup her chin The cold and unfamiliar touch caused a wave of revulsion to spread over her face Eleanor¡¯s blood seemed to run in reverse, prompting her to struggle. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± But Ethan didn¡¯t care about her struggle or resistance. He held her firmly against the car window, his gaze dropping to her lips. After a few seconds, he suddenly leaned in for a kiss Ethan, is this how you honor my sister Emilia? Is it?¡± The man paused at her words but then continued his advance Just as he was about to kiss her, a smirk appeared on his face. Eleanor, still trembling in fear, saw Ethan¡¯s eyes turn red withughter. ¡°Have you lost your mind?¡± She thought Ethan must have gone mad-his brain scrambled-to do such irrational things Afterughing for several minutes, he released Eleanor and sat up straight, pulling out a picture from his pocket and gently running his fingers over it. ¡°Emilia, I didn¡¯t betray you I¡¯m not interested in her at all. Don¡¯t me me.¡± Eleanor was stunned, looking at Ethan with aplicated expression. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell Emilia and me apart?¡± Was it because he couldn¡¯t tell whether she was Emilia or Eleanor that he let her go to keep her away from him? Now he was here to check if he could tell the difference. After confirming it, he told Emilia that he hadn¡¯t betrayed her. Ethan imed he didn¡¯t love Emilia, but in his heart, he was head over heels for her. Sadly, Emilia would never return. Ethan slowly turned his head to look at Eleanor with a casual smile. Ill take you to see Bernard.¡± He didnt answer Eleanor¡¯s question, he just lowered his eyes to gaze at the woman in the picture When Eleanor heard that Ethan was taking her to see Bernard, her panic gradually subsided. She didnt know why, but at this moment, she was willing to trust Ethan. Perhaps it was because she was touched by his deep love for Emilia Soon, the car stopped at a mansion Ethan led Eleanor toward the penthouse. The rooftop had a bulletproof ss house which was hard to prate with regr handguns Caleb and his group were standing outside, watching the passionate embrace between ¡°Eleanor¡± and a man in the ss house. The more Caleb watched, the more nauseated he felt. He turned to look at the man beside him, who was radiating a chilly aura ¡°Mr Laurence, are you okay?¡± Even though he knew the woman in there was fake, Bernard couldn¡¯t help but clench his fist when he saw the scene. Swallowing his anger, Bernard pulled out his handgun, aimed at the ss and began shooting like a madmanConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Chapter 573 Chapter 573 As Eleanor was heading upstairs, a gunshot made her jump out of her skin. She grabbed the railing to steady herself She quickly climbed the stairs and through the crowd, catching sight of the scene in the ss room Her face turned pale in an instant. She instinctively looked at Bernard, who was sting away with his gun. Seeing his trembling hand holding the gun, she knew he was falling apart She wanted to rush over to Bernard, but Ethan grabbed her wrist and said, ¡°Let him see it for himself, or it¡¯ll haunt him forever¡± This kind of thing true or false, will stick like a thorn in his heart, making him suspicious and paranoid over time Eleanor, who didn¡¯t grasp Ethan¡¯s deeper meaning, gave him a fierce re, saying. ¡°He¡¯s already traumatized by this kind of thing, and you¡¯re just making it worse. That¡¯s just cruel¡± Ethan snorted, Tm cruel?¡± He slowly dropped his mocking smile, looking at Bernard¡¯s back with a hint of jealousy in his eyes. ¡°At least what he saw was fake, what I saw was real¡± After whispering those words, he lowered his gaze to the surprised Eleanor, ¡°You tell me, who¡¯s the real cruel one?¡± The jealousy in his eyes gradually turned to despair. What Ethan meant was that he had seen Emilia doing such things with other men So, the more he loved Emilia, the more he hated her, hating her so much that he¡¯d rather live in agony than follow her in death. Eleanor didn¡¯t know what kind of grudges existed between him and Emilia All she knew was that Ethan was now overshadowed by darkness and seemed to have lost hope in life. She even felt that Ethan wanted to die but was afraid that he would see Emilia in the afterlife. He didn¡¯t want to see Emilia, but he missed her madly. This contradictory feeling was torturing him mentally As Eleanor opened her mouth to say something, there was a loud bang, and the ss room was shattered by Bernard. The man stepped in with his gun, kicking the guy on the bed to the floor with his heavy boots. He hooked the woman¡¯s chin with his gun. Seeing her face, the darkness in Bernard¡¯s heart disappeared, and the vines binding him broke free ¡°Bernard!¡± Eleanor¡¯s soft voice came from behind, making his trigger finger pause. He slowly lifted his head, looking at Eleanor, who was walking steadily towards him through the crowd. She was wrapped in a beige coat, with snowkes on her head and a faint smite on her fair face Her clear, bright eyes reflected his figure as if he were the only one in her world Watching her walk up to him, Bernard felt as if he had found the antidote to his nightmare He put away his gun, took off his coat, and wrapped it around Eleanor. Then he pulled her tightly into his arms and said, ¡°It¡¯s so cold; why didn¡¯t you stay at home and rest?¡± Eleanor lifted her head from his chest and said, ¡°I woke up and didn¡¯t see you. I was worried something might have happened to you, so I came to find you.¡± After her soft reply, her gaze shifted to the woman on the bed, covered in nkets Seeing the face so simr to hers, Eleanor¡¯s breath hitched: ¡°She does look a lot like me. No wonder she fooled you¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Chapter 574 Chapter 574 Chapter 574 Bernard took one look at that woman and swore to never look twice, as if one more look would dirty his eyes He took Eleanor¡¯s hand and led her out of the ss room, giving Caleb a cold order: ¡°Ruin that woman¡¯s face! No one in this world was allowed to have a face simr to Eleanors-not even a resemncet The woman, hearing about the destruction of her face, pleaded frantically. ¡°Mr. Laurence, I didn¡¯t mean to imitate Ms. Shultz, I was just following orders, please spare met Her voice was identical to Eleanor¡¯s. Eleanor couldnt tell who was real let alone Bernard. She turned to look at the woman, wrapped in a nket, kneeling on the bed, begging for mercy. After staring at the woman for a while, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but plead for her. ¡°Bernard, just teach her a lesson, don¡¯t ruin her face.¡± A woman¡¯s face is important. Ruining her face is like ruining her whole life. Seeing Eleanor plead, Bernard knew she was soft hearted, but he didn¡¯t want to destroy her purity. He hesitated for a few seconds, then lifted his icy eyes and coldly nced at Caleb. ¡°The man should be her lover, let her taste the bitterness of betrayal.¡± An eye for an eye was always Mr. Law¡¯s style But this time, for Ms. Shultz, Mr. Laurence¡¯s methods were a bit softer. Caleb and the people of the Siren Organization sighed in their hearts. Was there any hope for the decisive and ruthless Mr. Laurence? In Bernard¡¯s eyes, full of deep affection, there was only Eleanor. ¡°Eleanor, how did you know I was at Ethan¡¯s vi?¡± Knowing she couldn¡¯t hide it from Bernard, Eleanor didn¡¯t hold anything back. ¡°Ethan brought me here.¡± Bernard¡¯s face darkened. He could let the woman go, but he would never let Ethan go. Where is he?!¡± Eleanor looked towards the rooftop door but didn¡¯t see Ethan. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Just when she thought Ethan had escaped, the sound of a wine bottle smashing on the tiles came from downstairs Ethan was sitting at the bar, his expensive watch-wearing hand holding a ss of red wine, drinking. The light from the crystalmp hanging above the bar illuminated his handsome face, revealing a gloomy paltor. Ethan didn¡¯t care about the people upstairs, he just kept drinking his wine, one gulp after another, Seeing him like this, Eleanor remembered the year they spent together in G country. He often drank alone like this. His eyes were lifeless, his face void of color, and his whole body radiated despair. Eleanor thought that maybe he didn¡¯t leave because he had lost the will to live and he was waiting for them, Bernard raised his hand, and the Siren Organization members holding guns pointed them at Ethan. Hearing the sound of the triggers being pulled, Ethan slowly lifted his head and looked at Bernard. ¡°Do you still feel pain?¡± Bernard¡¯s indifferent gaze fell on Ethan ¡°You brought me here, and then you brought her here to ease my pain?¡± Ethan sneered, I¡¯m not that kind-hearted I just¡­ He looked at the cute and obedient Eleanor standing next to Bernard. 7 just want Emilia¡¯s sister to have a better life in the future.¡± Chapter 575 Chapter 575 Chapter 575 Hearing the words ¡°Emilia¡¯s sister, Eleanor could tell that Ethan seemed to have let go of his longing for Emilia She looked at Ethan, who was gradually being swallowed by darkness, and felt a pang of sympathy, but she didn¡¯t know what to say. Ethan¡¯s elbow was propped up on the bar, and he was lightly swirling his drink in one hand while sizing up Bernard with the other ¡°You¡¯re one lucky b****d You hurt Eleanor, and yet you managed to get her forgiveness I, on the other hand, might never get that chance in my lifetime¡± Bernard held Eleanor¡¯s hand tight, his gaze bing moreplex as he looked at Ethan. He knew nothing about what had happened between Emilia and Ethan and found it hard to empathize But the topic of getting Eleanor¡¯s forgiveness hit Bernard right in the feels. If it weren¡¯t for her forgiveness, he feared he might end up in the same boat as Ethan. Seeing the mixed emotions in Bernard¡¯s eyes. Ethan downed his drink and casually tossed the ss aside. The ss traced a graceful are in the air before shattering on the floor tiles. Ethan stood up, sauntering over to Eleanor with a sway in his step and crushing the ss shards underfoot. He bent down to look at Eleanor¡¯s heart, reaching out to touch but was stopped by Bernard¡¯s grip on his wrist. ¡°Ethan, she¡¯s my woman. Try touching her and see what happens. At this, Ethan smirked like a l****tic, his gaze fixed on a stone-faced Bernard, letting out a deranged laugh. ¡°How hrious My lover saved yours with her heart, yet you won¡¯t even let me touch her?¡± Bernard pushed Ethan away, looking down at him with cold eyes. ¡°You know Eleanor is my woman. Why should I let you touch her?¡± ¡°Why should you?¡± Ethan leaned against the cold wall, his eyes red,ughing bitterly ¡°Bernard, if it weren¡¯t for my lover¡¯s heart saving her, your woman would be dead by now!¡± ¡°It was my lover who saved her, giving you the chance to get her forgiveness.¡± Your woman would be dead by now. Those words were like a dagger, stabbing Bernard right in the heart. He was right. If it weren¡¯t for Emilia¡¯s heart, the one falling apart wouldn¡¯t be Ethan, but him after completely losing Eleanor. Seeing Bernard¡¯s pale face, Ethan knew he was also living with regrets. His smile faced slowly Take good care of her heart for me.¡± With that, he st***ed back to the bar, opened the liquor cab, and pulled out a gun. He gently caressed the gun, nced at Eleanor, and gave a faint smile. ¡°You asked me earlier if I couldn¡¯t tell you apart from Emilia. I haven¡¯t given you an answer yet. Let me tell you now.¡± Eleanor thought he was going to answer, but instead, he suddenly lifted the gun, pointing it at his headConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Chapter 576 Chapter 576 Chapter 576 Watch out, Ethan!¡± Eleanor screamed in terror at Ethan¡¯s actions! Bernard, beside her, reacted even quicker He rushed over, s********ng the gun out of Ethan¡¯s hand. Once the gunnded in Bernards hand, with a swift flip, the muzzle was pointed back at Ethan. ¡°Thinking you could just die and get away with it after messing with my woman? That¡¯s too easy!¡± Bernard, radiating a chilling aura, coldly spoke, then lowered the gun toward Ethan¡¯s thigh. Paralysis or jail, pick onel¡± Ethan, now disarmed, supported himself on the bar counter, giving Bernard a nonchnt nce ¡°You don¡¯t want me to die?¡± Knowing Bernard¡¯s decisive nature and that his woman was messing with him and hurting him, he must have wanted to finish him off right away. Now, he chose to end his life graciously, but Bernard took his gun away, clearly not wanting him to die. ¡°Why?¡± There was no hint of sympathy in Bernard¡¯s indifferent gaze 1 wish you were suffering!¡± Ethan stared at Bernards arrogant and imperious eyes and let out a soft chuckle He picked up a bottle of liquor again, poured a ss, took a small sip, and slowly curled up the corners of his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ve been wishing I was dead for years.¡± His voice was very soft as if he were speaking to Bernard or himself. ¡°Then continue to atone for your sins for the rest of your life.¡± Bernard aimed at his thigh, not even blinking, ready to pull the trigger. Just as the situation reached a critical point, a soft voice came from outside the door. ¡°Don¡¯t bully Uncle Ethan!¡± Nina struggled down from George squeezed through the crowd with her petite body, and ran to Ethan, spreading her short arms to block in front of him. ¡°Handsome man, why are you pointing a gun at Uncle Ethan?¡± Nina looked up at Bernard She thought her dad and Uncle Ethan were very handsome already, but the man in front of her was even more handsome. Just like the characters she saw in the movies when George took her to the cinema, so handsome that they seemed to sparkle But this handsome man was pointing a gun and bullying Uncle Ethan, and no matter how handsome he was, she didn¡¯t like him anymore. Bernard looked at the little girl who suddenly appeared and frowned impatiently. ¡°Who let a child in? Take her away!¡± Ethan, who had been intent on dying, froze when he saw Nina¡¯s small frame in front of him. He subconsciously looked at Bernard, and seeing his trigger finger stop moving, he felt a bit relieved. At this point, Eleanor quickly came over, picked up Nina, who was being aimed at, and after moving her to the side, she squatted down and touched Nina¡¯s face. ¡°Nina, you and Uncle George go out first. I¡¯ll talk to Ethan, and then he¡¯lle find you, okay?¡± When Nina saw that the person holding her was Eleanor, she immediately reached out, hocked Eleanor¡¯s neck, and buried her head in her shoulder, acting like a spoiled child. ¡°Eleanor, I missed you so much¡± Eleanor fell warmed by the child¡¯s voice and raised her hand to gently pat her back, saying, 1 missed you too.¡± Nina, as if knowing that the adults had things to do, quickly stopped being spoiled and let go of Eleanor, looking at Ethan and saying, ¡°Uncle Ethan, you promised to pick me up after meeting Eleanor and take me back to G country Keep your word!¡± Seeing the little face that looked so much like Emilia, revealing a bright smile. Ethan¡¯s eyes reddened: ¡°You go back to G country with George by yourself, find your father, and stop following me Hearing Ethan try to send her away. Nina pouted and started to cry you didn¡¯t keep your promise you¡¯re a bad uncle¡± I¡¯m the one who killed your mom You better stay away from me, or next time, you¡¯ll be the one I kill!¡± Nina was frightened by his harsh words, and she shrank back into Eleanor¡¯s arms But she stubbornly kept her tear filled eyes on Ethan, who had suddenly turned fierce. Seeing that he had scared Nina, Ethan felt a bit suffocated but forced himself to look away and said to Eleanor, ¡°Take her away¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Chapter 577 Chapter 577 Chapter 577 Eleanor scooped up a frightened, sobbing Nina, who was too scared to make a noise and handed her over to George ¡°Bernard, can I have a few words with Ethan first?¡± Bernard hesitated, not wanting Eleanor to talk to Ethan, but obediently lowered his gun Eleanor tried to approach Ethan, but Bernard grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her back. ¡°Talk from here¡± Eleanor nced at Bernard, who was behaving oddly, then turned to Ethan, who was nursing a drink at the bar. ¡°Ethan, you said what you saw was real, but have you thought about it? Emilia has been chasing you for ten years; she loves you so much. How could she betray you so easily? There must be some misunderstanding I want you to look into it again¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Eleanor nced back at Nina, who was sobbing in George¡¯s arms. Also, I always thought Nina was your and Emilia¡¯s child.¡± Ethan¡¯s hand froze around his drink, then he scoffed. The paternity test says we¡¯re not rted at all¡± He had doubled it, but the result came from George, a renowned doctor. Surely he couldn¡¯t be wrong? Eleanor was taken aback by the revtion of the paternity test, and then she voiced her disbelief ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed that Nina looks a bit like you and Emilia?¡± Ethan stiffened, slowly raising his eyes to look at Nina. Did she? If she did, why couldn¡¯t he see 1? Ethan lifted his drink, draining it in one gulp, thenughed mockingly. ¡°Don¡¯t try to restore Emilia¡¯s reputation at my expense.¡± With that said, he mmed his ss down, stood up, extended his hand to Bernard, andughed carelessly. ¡°Come on, Mr. Laurence, if you want revenge, just get on with it. Stop wasting time.¡± His nonchnt attitude earned him a flicker of admiration from Bernard. Bernard had experienced misunderstandings, probing, distrust, mutual hurt, and life-or-death separation. Now he agreed with Eleanor Emilia, who had been chasing him for ten years, wouldn¡¯t easily betray the man she had tried so hard to win over. And Nina did look like Ethan. Bernard looked up; his indifferent eyes seemed to pierce Ethan. He ruthlessly exposed Ethan¡¯s deepest fear. ¡°You¡¯ve hurt Emilia deeply, so youck the courage to investigate again.¡± Ethan¡¯s face turned pale What¡¯s there to investigate? Betrayal is betrayal No need to look into it again!¡± Bernard held Eleanor¡¯s hand tightly, pressing it firmly into his palm. If I¡¯m not wrong, you¡¯re afraid that the results of a new investigation will be different from what you found before. That¡¯s why you dare not look into it again.¡± Ethan, whose thoughts had been exposed, suddenly became angry. ¡°Bernard, what the hell do you want? If you want to kill me, just do it. Why talk so much?!* While Bernard didn¡¯t care about Ethan¡¯s life or death, he had to consider Eleanor¡¯s sister Emilia and the child. You have two choices: either go to jail or find out the truth. Clear Emilia¡¯s name You choose!* Chapter 578 Chapter 578 Chapter 578 Ethan, unfazed, mocked Bernard. How head over heels are you for Eleanor? You¡¯re even willing to let your enemy off the h***k for her sake?¡± Bernard, cold as ice, showed no emotion, his eyes shingplex feelings What¡¯s it to you whether love Eleanor or not?¡± Ethan acted like he knew Bernard¡¯s every thought ¡°Of course, it¡¯s none of my business. I just think it¡¯s pretty wimpy of you to go soft for a girl. One of these days, she might just be the death of you¡± Bernard, having backed off continuously, was now at his limit. Hearing Ethan disparage Eleanor, his icy eyes suddenly shed a murderous intent ¡°You wanna die? I oblige¡± His chilling voice had barely faded when the gun in his hand was suddenly raised and aimed at Ethan¡¯s thigh, and he pulled the trigger at an extremely fast speed. Seeing this, Eleanor¡¯s heart tightened, but it was toote to stop it Just as the bullet was about to pierce Ethans thigh, Nina suddenly started crying loudly in the distance. 1 already lost my mom, I can¡¯t lose Uncle Ethan, don¡¯t kill my Uncle Ethan!¡± The soft, helpless voice of the child seemed to snap Ethan back to reality, and he instinctively dodged the bullet. The bullet w****d past Ethan¡¯s leg. piercing the floor-to-ceiling window behind him, and the ss shattered instantly with a loud bang. The exploding sound scared Nina, making her cry even harder. Ethan unconsciously looked at Nina¡¯s face, her eyes were filled with clear and sparkling tears. She was still struggling to get away from George This little girl was werd No matter how much he yelled at her, hit her, or abused her, she still wanted to be around him. She even clung to him, and now, seeing him in danger, she wanted to protect him and was crying like this, even though they had no blood rtion. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Eleanor was relieved to see Ethan dodge the bullet after hearing Nina¡¯s crying She could also tell that Ethan still cared about Nina ¡°Ethan, Nina needs you and cares about you. For her sake, stay alive and keep looking for the truth¡± She turned to the man next to her, who was fuming, and gently soothed him ¡°Bernard, let¡¯s not hold a grudge against Ethan for his unusual behavior since losing his loved one. Let¡¯s go home.¡± Her soft and gentle voice was like a soothing balm. Bernard swallowed his anger and threw the gun back at Ethan. ¡°If you want to die, do it where no one can seel¡± Bernard gave Ethan a disdainful look and then, with a disgusted expression, pulled out a few tissues from the bar and wiped his gun-holding fingers After cleaning his hands, he took Eleanor¡¯s hand and headed for the door. Seeing that Bernard hadn¡¯t hurt Ethan, George¡¯s heart settled. He picked up Nina and rushed to Ethan, asking. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ethan shook his head, looked up through the crowd, and watched the two figures walking side by side His gaze slowly moved from the tall and upright man to the petite woman. He saw the woman stop, turn around, stand on her tiptoes, and help the man remove a s***ke from his hair. Outside the floor-to-ceiling window, arge number of s****s were falling In the silver wrapped scene, Bernard and Eleanor blended with the beautiful scenery. They were like a rare painting in the world, making people yearn for and envy them. Chapter 579 Chapter 579 Chapter 579 Ethan pulled his gaze back from the distance, lowering his head to look at the little girl hugging his leg Nina had a long trail of snot dangling from her nose, getting longer and thicker with each sniffle Ethan frowned, about to wipe her nose with a tissue when he saw her using his pants instead Irritated, Ethan tried to shake her off But she just plopped down on top of his shoe, clinging tightly to his leg and refusing to let go. ¡°Uncle Ethan, swing!¡± She demanded Rolling his eyes, Ethan looked towards George, who was grinning indulgently ¡°Get her away from mel¡± George shrugged ¡°I need to get someone to clean up your house, so I¡¯m leaving Nina with you¡± With those words, George casually left the vi. Spotting Eleanor about to get in a car, he quickly called out to her. ¡°Ms. Shultz Eleanor figured George must need something from her, so she asked Bernard to wart a bit longer. Mr. Law, for the first time, was taking his time, but he didn¡¯t seem to mind. He nodded and went to fetch an umbre from the trunk. Therge ck umbre shielded her from the wind and snow, warming Eleanor¡¯s heart and putting a smile on her face. Bernard, dressed in a thin suit, looked like a statue carved by God himself. Despite the cold that seeped through his clothes, he was willing to hold the umbre for her George, noticing this, had a pleased smile on his lips as he politely congratted Eleanor. ¡°Ms. Shultz, I¡¯m d to see you and Mr. Laurence back together. Wishing you a happy future.¡± ¡°Thank you, Dr George Is there something you need from me?¡± George nced back at the vi, sighed heavily, and said, ¡°Ms Shultz, I was the one who conducted the paternity test for Nina and Mr. Ziegler. They¡¯re not rted by blood. If you asked Mr. Ziegler to do another test, it would be like rubbing salt in his wounds. I¡¯m afraid it might push him over the edge¡± Eleanor was surprised to hear that George had conducted the test himself, but she was also confused. If they¡¯re not rted, why does the child look so much like him?¡± George hesitated before saying. ¡°Emilia¡¯s ex-husband is Mr. Ziegler¡¯s brother, an illegitimate child who was adopted by the royal family of G country. The Ziegler family¡¯s situation is quiteplicated. All you need to know is that Nina looks like both Mr. Ziegler and his brother¡± Eleanor was stunned ¡°So, Nina looks like Ethan because of Ethan¡¯s rtionship with his brother?¡± George nodded. This was also why he felt sorry for Ethan. The illegitimate child was the man Ethan hated the most, yet Emilia had married him and had a child with him. How could Ethan not feel hatred and pain?Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Chapter 580 Chapter 580 Eleanor clenched her hands together; her words stuck on the tip of her tongue ¡®Did Emilia betray Ethan?¡± As for that, George wasnt too sure either. 7 was not in G country those years. I have no idea how Emilia and Mr. Ziegler suddenly had a falling out. The only one who knows the real story is Mr. Ziegler himself, but he wouldn¡¯t tell a soul¡® That chapter of his life was a thorn in Ethan¡¯s side, and being as proud as he was, there was no way he¡¯d bare his wounded heart for others to see Eleanor got the picture and nodded at George After spilling the beans to Eleanor about his deepest secrets, George suddenly rxed and said. ¡°Ms Shultz, if the truth he uncovers turns out to be the same as before and it affects him, please, for Emilia¡¯s sake, lend a helping hand to Mr. Ziegler¡® Eleanor didn¡¯t quite get what George meant when he said, ¡°How can I help?¡± George¡¯s gazended on Bernard, who was standing next to Eleanor and he suddenly closed his mouth. So he hid the turmoil in his eyes andughed it off ¡°Never mind, we¡¯ll cross that bridge when wee to it With that. George left them standing in the snow and headed back toward the vi. Bernard watched George¡¯s retreating figure, his indifferent eyes slowly filling with a deep, unreadable emotion. The meaning behind Georges words and the answer that Ethan had left unsaid before his suicide gave Bernard food for thought. Whether Ethan could differentiate between Eleanor and Emilia, Bernard didn¡¯t know. Ethan had not given any answer, or maybe he had, but no one knew about it. Bernard, umbre in hand, looked at Eleanor, who was still lost in thoughts about Emilia A strong sense of possession suddenly filled Bernard¡¯s eyes. Regardless of Ethan¡¯s answer, whether he could tell the difference or not, Eleanor could only ever belong to him, and no one else had bettery a finger on hert He chucked his umbre to Caleb, bent down to scoop up Eleanor, buckled her into the car, and then said, ¡°Eleanor, let¡¯s go home¡± Eleanor snapped out of her daze and gave him a sweet smile. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go home¡± Late into the night, a line of cars followed the Koenigsegg, their wheels churning up the snow and painting a beautiful scene against the silent night. Perhaps to avoid drawing too much attention to Eleanor, Bernard carried her back to her room. After she fell asleep, he grabbed his phone and dialed a number. Cedric, who had just managed to convince Hailey to open the door, was interrupted by his ringing phone before he could even step inside, Just as he was about to pull out his phone, Hailey suddenly mmed the door shut, nearly whacking him in the face Cedric, clutching his aching nose, looked at the closed door in confusion. ¡°Hailey, didn¡¯t we agree that I coulde in and apologize properly?¡± ¡°No need, deal with your flock of girls. I¡¯ll go find Eleanor myself tomorrow, and you don¡¯t need to pick me up.¡± Cedric¡¯s heart sank. He wanted to say something, but he saw through the white fence that Hailey had already walked into the living room without looking back. Then all the lights in the vi were turned off, the curtains were drawn, and everything was pitch ck. She didn¡¯t even leave him a silhouette to look at. Furious, Cedric pulled out his phone, about to unlock it and vent, but saw the name on the screen: Dear, Bernard. His anger boded over Mr. Laurence had not only ruined his ns but also called him in the middle of the night, causing Hailey to think it was one of his many femalepanions calling him. He couldn¡¯t even get in the door now; it was damnable! Cedric gritted his teeth and said. ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s up?¡± He was pissed, but his tone was gentle, seemingly maintaining his usual polished image N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Bernard, careful not to wake Eleanor, lowered his voice to a whisper and said, ¡®I¡¯m requisitioning the proposal n you set up before. You handle it tomorrow.¡± Cedric sucked in a breath, calmed himself down, and asked in a seemingly friendly manner. ¡°Didn¡¯t you look down on my n before? Why the sudden change of mind? Im in a hurry to get married¡± These four words left Cedric speechless. Before he could even retort, the other party hung up the phone. Cedric, burning with rage, clutched his phone and stood there in the cold wind and snow, cussing Bernard out Chapter 581 Chapter 581 In realty Eleanor Shultz, who was lying in bed went sleep at all. She couldn¡¯t help but let a smile spread across her face It turned out he couldn¡¯t wait to make bar his missus Bernard Laurence dialed another number. Eleanor could vaguely hear him instructing Caleb to investigste Emilis and Ethan Ziegler It turned out that even if she didn¡¯t sek for his help he would still quietly soke st of her problems Mr. Laurence always made her feel safe After Bernard had taken a shower and saw Eleanor curled up on the bed and sleeping soundly, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a rush of affection He dried his hat put down his towel lifted the nket, and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind After he had her snuggh in his arms, he leaned down to kiss her hair before holding her as he drifted off to sleep Still awake Eleanor took in the faint scent of the man behind her free from his bath She felt as if everything that was once out of reach was now hers. This made her incredibly happy She waited for Bernard to fall asleep, then turned in his arms to hold him, stealing a kiss on his chin Thank you Bernard The man who was kissed let out a soft chuckle This time he didn¡¯t open his eyes. pretending to be oblivious Sometimes he needed to feel her love too, it made him happy The next day Hailey dressed in a pink and white coat, pushed open the vi door to see Cedric Laurence standing in the snow He was wearing a ck coat, leaning against the car, arms crossed, head titted, sizing up the woman walking out of the vi 7 promised Bernard I would take you to see Eleanor today¡± He said then gentlemanly opened the car door, hinting for Hailey to get in with a look Hailey nced at the limited edition Rolls¨CRoyce Phantom, made up some excuse about not being able to afford a ride in such a vehicle, and walked to her car As she was about to take out her car keys, Cedric grabbed her hand and, without a word, lifted her into the Rolls¨CRoyce Weve been at odds for long enough, stop being mad at me After Cedric buckled her seatbelt, he walked around to the driver¡¯s seat and drove away from Hailey¡¯s vi Hady forcefully stuffed into the car, brushed her messy hair off her face and looked at Cedric Tet it slide this time for Bernard¡¯s sake. Don¡¯te looking for me again Cedric nced at her through the rear view mirror, and seeing no emotion in her eyes, he let out a cold laugh. ¡°You think Im eager to see you? Take a look at yourself. Are you worth it?¡± Hadley felt a twinge in her heart. She pulled her gaze away from him and looked out the window People who shouldn¡¯t cross paths due to all sorts ofplicated rtionships always inevitablye together Perhaps this is what people call karma. Although Cedric won the verbal battle when he saw her silence and looking out the window, he suddenly felt a blockage in his heart. He tried to cough a few times to get her attention, but when it didnt work, he had no choice but to continue driving The two arrived at Laurence Manor in silence and one after another entered the vi Compared to Cedric and Hailey, who were like strangers, the handsome man and beautiful woman on the couch in the living room looked much warmer The cold, noble and handsome Bernard was quickly handling business on theputer The genteel Eleanor holding a book on architectural design theory was quietly flipping through the pages The two did not disturb each other yet they were peacefully together, each busy with their things, creating a calm and peaceful atmosphere Halley saw Eleanor return safely to Bernards side and a relieved smile spread across her face Cedric saw the happy look on Bernards face with his beautiful woman by his side but he felt a surge of dissatisfaction Humph, this happiness was bought, with his misery! Eleanor!Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Chapter 582 Chapter 582 Hearing Halley¡¯s long¨Clost voice, Eleanor boked up, just in time to see Halleying in from outside the vi A warmth spread through Eleanor¡¯s heart. She quickly put down her book got up and hurried toward Hadry ¡°Hailey!¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Perhaps it was the excitement of not enning each other for a long time. Eleanor opened her arms and hugged Haley tightly How have you been these past six month? No need for words a hug was enough to elicit a warm and radiant emile from Halley Just the same I¡¯ve just been buty making money, everything¡¯s been going pretty wall With that Hailey let go of Eleanor gave her a once¨Cover and frowned when che saw how much thinner nor had be. You on the other hand, have jer a lot of weight fou must¡¯ve had a hard time these past cis monthe Eleanor didn¡¯t want to worry Hailey so she yed it down Yesh te been tough but I made it through Hailey knew what Ethan did to Eleanor, so the didn¡¯t pry any further Instead, she gently stroked Eleanor¡¯s curly hair and said. Eleanor Fm sorry, it¡¯s my fault if I had found you sooner you wouldn¡¯t have had to suffer so muc Eleanor would never me Hailey. Even Aidyn Reyes couldn¡¯t find me, let alone you. It¡¯s not your faut, so don¡¯t me yourself. Besides, you went to a foreign country all by yourself to for me I should be thanking you¡± This morning the anked Bernard about Hailey and was told that Hailey went overseas to look for her Eleanor was both grateful and worried She was afraid that Halley might encounter danger alone in a strange country Hailes, if this ever happens again, don¡¯t you dare go looking for me by yourself. It¡¯s too dangerous¡± You tcared the hell out of me this time, and you¡¯re already nning for the next time? What are you thinking?¡± i misspoke, please forgive me, Hailey¡± Hailey teased her like an elder You¡¯re such a handful.¡± Eleanors smile deepened. Hailey was like a ray of sunshine, always warming her heart Eleanor linked arms with Hailey and led her towards the living room, saying ¡°Hailey, let¡¯s go inside and sit for a bit. Once you¡¯re warmed up, I¡¯ll go home with you.¡± Bernard, who was handling business on hisputer, paused when he heard Eleanor was going home with Hailey He slowly lifted his cool, icy gaze to the silent Cedric, who was following behind the two women With just one look Cedric understood, ¡°Eleanor, I have a date with Haileyter You should stay here for now¡± Hailey nced at Cedric noticed him winking at her, and understood what he meant but didn¡¯t y along ¡°Cedric, did you get it wrong? When did I agree to a date with you?¡± Cedric who was already sitting on the sofa, had his gentle expression fade at her words Hailey Vulpe, when I say we have a date, we do have a date. You dont have the right to refuse Hailey crossed her arms and tilted her head saying. ¡°Sorry, I have a blind dateter if you really want to go on a date with me, wait till I¡¯m done with that.¡± Chapter 583 Chapter 583 Cedric felt a stab of pain in his heart, but he didn¡¯t let it show on his face. You¡¯re going on a blind date? With who?¡± Hailey didn¡¯t answer, but politely turned to Bernard and said. ¡°Mr. Laurence. Eleanor will be safer here with you, I wont take her home¡± Bernard, having achieved his goal nodded at Hailey and said, ¡°Go ahead and chat.¡± He closed hisptop and stood up to give orders to the servants Take good care of Mrs. Laurence¡¯s friend.¡± The title of Mrs Laurence gave Eleanor a serise of security and gave Hailey a good impression of Bernard Hed already imed Eleanor as his wife even before theyd tied the knot, giving her a ce to stay where the servants wouldn¡¯t look down on her. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Bernard was thorough and left no room forints from Hailey Over the past three months. Hailey has seen Bernard cough up blood and nearly die for Eleanor several times. She thought that even though this man had immense power and influence, his love for Eleanor surpassed his own life, and that was enough. Cedric wanted to question Hailey further about who she was going on the blind date with, but Bernard shot him a cold look. Cedric had no choice but to stand up ¡°Hailey, well settle thister¡± Hailey pretended not to hear settling herself on the couch as the servants brought in coffee and pastries She said. ¡°Thanks, picked up her coffee, and took in the luxurious decor of the living room as she sipped Eleanor, on the other hand, picked up a piece of cake and offered it to Hailey ¡°Hailey, are you going on a blind date?¡± Hailey returned her gaze and epted the cake ¡°You remember Mr. Hammer, right? He said there¡¯s a guy with good prospects for me to meet. SoWhy not? Well see how the date goes. If it doesn¡¯t work out at least I¡¯ve made a new friend¡± Eleanor understood Hailey¡¯s intentions But she looked up at the study on the second floor and asked, ¡°What about Cedric?¡± She could tell Cedric still had feelings for Hailey, but she wasn¡¯t sure how deep they ran After all, everyone in A City knew Cedric was a yboy, he¡¯d been through countless women. There might have been one or two exceptions, but those were just the ones he¡¯d dated for a while, marrying them was out of the question. Hailey followed Eleanor¡¯s gaze to the study and said, ¡°He¡¯s too much of a yboy Not my type¡± Every time Eleanor asked Hailey about Cedric, this was her response. So Eleanor didn¡¯t push any further. ¡°Do you need me toe with you on the blind date?¡± Hailey shook her head quickly and said. ¡°No need, you should rest at home¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t insist. They sat drinking their coffee and chatting about their own experiences over the past half year. Sometimes they were sad, sometimes theyughed. But when the conversation turned to Liana, Hailey suddenly put down her cup, her expression serious, a hint of pity in her eyes. ¡°Liana¡¯s been having a tough time these past few months¡± ¡°Did Tyler Howell do something to her again?¡± Eleanor had asked about Liana this morning. Bernard had only told her that Liana hade back from B City but did not borate. Having just returned herself, Eleanor wasn¡¯t clear about Liana¡¯s situation after her return. Chapter 584 Chapter 584 Hailey sighed, saying, ¡°Liana tried to escape from the cage Tyler built for her, jumped off the building, and broke her leg. If it werent for Mr. Laurence sending Aidyn for revenge, no one would we noticed her lying in the bushes She¡¯s been in the hospital for months¡± Is it serious?¡± ¡°She¡¯s healed now, she might have some trouble walking in the future but shouldn¡¯t be limping But she can¡¯t wear high heels anymore¡± Every time Eleanor saw Liana, she was in high heels, radiant, confident, and poised. Not being able to wear high heels seemed like losing Liana¡¯s unique confidence. Eleanor found it hard to ept ¡°What about Tyler, that jerk? What¡¯s his fate?¡± Hailey frowned ¡°The Howell family is also prominent in B city. Aidyn couldn¡¯t kill him, just beat him up badly. At least he got your revenge, fight fire with fire, you broke his ribs ¡± After saying this, Hailey lowered her eyes to hide theplex emotions in them. If it werent for Garrett Falsey stopping Aidyn, Tyler would¡¯ve suffered more than broken ribs. But since Eleanor has firmly chosen Bernard, it¡¯s better not to let her know about Garrett Eleanor was gritting her teeth and fuming ¡°Don¡¯t be mad, Liana pulled through just like you, she¡¯ll be discharged in a few days¡± Eleanor was still worried about Liana¡¯s situation Tyler didn¡¯te looking for her again, did he?¡± Hailey shook her head ¡°The Howell family doesn¡¯t approve of Tyler and Liana, they¡¯ve locked him up, he can¡¯te to A city to bother Liana for now. Plus, Mr. Laurence has sent bodyguards to protect Liana, even if Tyler is released by the Howell family, he won¡¯t be able to get close to her.¡± Eleanor finally rxed ¡°Then I go to the hospital to see her tomorrow¡± ¡°I¡¯ve made arrangements with Liana, I¡¯ll pick her up when she¡¯s out, you can go with me then. I don¡¯t trust you wandering around alone.¡± ¡°Alright¡± The two chatted for a while, and soon it was lunchtime. The s****ts had prepared the food and respectfully invited Hailey to eat When Hailey saw the table full of various dishes and expensive supplements, she couldn¡¯t help but exim, Is this the treatment of a rich housewife?¡± Seeing her make fun of herself, Eleanor said helplessly, ¡°Hadey don¡¯t be like this.¡± Hailey was about to tease Eleanor again when she saw two tall figures on the staircase Both men were handsome, the only difference was that the former had a stronger aura and looked very devoted to love, while thetter was a p****oy. Seeing Cedric behind her, Hailey immediately lost her appetite Eleanor. Im going to pass on this lunch ¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Eleanor wanted to persuade her to stay for lunch but was dismissed by her saying, ¡°Next time¡± ¡°When Liana is discharged, remember to pick me up.¡± Hailey nodded, took her bag, and left. She didnt even look at Cedric as she passed him Seeing Hailey¡¯s proud figure, Cedric felt a lump in his throat, and he didnt want to stay for lunch either Chapter 585 Chapter 585 He was about to say hi to Bernard when he saw Bernard stop Hailey ¡°Ms Vulpe, can I have a minute?¡± Halley stopped in her tracks and turned to Bernard ¡°Mr. Laurence, what¡¯s up?¡± Bernard gestured towards the outside of the vi, indicating for her to follow ¡°Let¡¯s talk outside¡± Hailey nodded and followed Bernard outside After a brief exchange, Hailey took off Taking advantage of Bernard¡¯s absence, Cedric turned to Eleanor. ¡°Eleanor, is there anything you want?¡± What are you up to?¡± Cedric pointed to Hailey, who just left, hoping Eleanor could do him a favor: ¡°Can you find out who she¡¯s being set up with? Whatever you want, I¡¯ll buy it for you¡± Eleanor, standing in front of the dining table, looked at Cedric and said, ¡°Are you really into Hailey?¡± Cedric was a bit confused by the question. ¡°What do you mean by ¡°really into?¡± Seeing his reaction, Eleanor knew that he hadn¡¯t figured out his feelings yet and sighed: If you like Hailey, go after her and give her a promising future. If not, just let her go on a blind date¡± The mere mention of a blind date made Cedric irritated Fine, never mind¡± With that. Cedric turned and left Tm not refusing to help you, but I know that Hailey has always wanted a family. She made many sacrifices in her first marriage but was ultimately disappointed. I don¡¯t want her to get hurt again in her second marriage. I hope you understand¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. What she wanted was Cedric¡¯s sincerity. Otherwise, she couldn¡¯t help him. Cedric, standing still with his back to her, seemed to understand what Eleanor meant. His face showed a trace of worry To give Hailey a future and a family, he meant to marry her. Could he do it? After getting married, could he ensure that he would behave? Cedrick repeatedly asked himself these questions, but his mind was a mess, and he couldn¡¯t find the answers. Frowning, he quietly left. Bernard, who had been listening to their conversation, saw Cedric¡¯s troubled face but didn¡¯t say anything. He walked over to Eleanor, slightly bent down, and ced his snow-covered hair in front of her ¡°Can you help me out?¡± The previous night, Eleanor had helped him remove the s***s from his hair, worried that he would catch a cold. She didn¡¯t expect him to ask for help again today. Eleanor wondered if this man was trying to act cute While pondering, she tiptoed and reached out to brush off the melting s****s. As her hand gently moved through his hair, it felt like a kitten scratching his heart, causing a tingling sensation. He couldn¡¯t help but hold her tightly. With a gentle kiss on her cheek, Bernard held her waist tightly and said, ¡°I should find a doctor to help you get better.¡± This energetic man couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. But for the sake of Eleanor¡¯s health, he didn¡¯t push her, even when they were passionately kissing, he gritted his teeth and let go. Chapter 586 Chapter 586 ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯ve got to step out for a bit this afternoon.¡± ¡°Where?¡± He bowed his head, nting another kiss on Eleanor¡¯s forehead ¡°Just hitting up the office, no biggie¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. That put Eleanor somewhat at ease. Bernard then led her to the table to sit down Bernard whipped out his phone, dialing Aidyn toe over with backup and keep an eye on Eleanor Aidyn, who was at the hospital taking care of Liana, dropped everything at the nurse¡¯s hand and skedaddled over to the mansion With Adyn and a bunch of bodyguards watching over Eleanor, Bernard finally took off from the vi, heading for his proposed proposal site Cedric, who had utterly botched Hailey¡¯s blind date, was in a rotten mood after getting chewed out by Hailey. But no matter how foul his mood was, he still carried out Bernard¡¯s orders. But it would be impossible for Cedric not to be jealous. Bernard was nning a sweet proposal, while Cedric was nursing a broken heart alone! Bernard hopped out of his Koenigsegg, striding towards the site with a posse of bodyguards in tow. Always being a perfectionist, he scanned his surroundings. Cedric, in a c****y mood, asked, ¡°So, how¡¯s it look?¡± ¡°Not bad, but you look like you¡¯ve been sucking on lemons¡± How¡¯s a heartbroken guy supposed to look cheerful? Cedric was about to start a fight with Bernard when he was shut down with one sentence. When I¡¯m popping the question, don¡¯t show your face. I don¡¯t want to spoil the mood.¡± Like hed want to be there! Cedric left in a huff. Bernard didn¡¯t give a rat¡¯s a**s, focusing on the proposal site. Feeling like something was amiss, he made another call, and a group of programmers hustled over. On the day Liana was discharged, Hailey arrived on time to fetch Eleanor ¡°Eleanor, Liana¡¯s holding a recovery banquet, let¡¯s s***p the hospital and head straight to the dinner.¡± With that. Hailey pulled out a custom-made evening gown from a fancy paper bag and handed it to Eleanor: ¡°Wear this, it¡¯s perfect for you.¡± The gown looked pricey, and Eleanor asked in surprise, ¡°You bought this?¡± Swallowing guiltily, Hadley tried to keep her cool Yeah, I got it for you a while back, give it a try.¡± Eleanor seemed to realize something andughed, not resisting anymore but instead going to change into the gown that suited her so well. Seeing her reflection in the mirror, wearing an impable silver white gown, something sweet and joyfulfilled her heart, and she couldn¡¯t help but smile. It must have been Bernard who got Hailey to handle all this when he had that chat with her outside the vi that day. Seeing Eleanor easily slip into the dress, Hailey breathed a sigh of relief. Then she found an excuse to put light, elegant makeup on Eleanor and do her hair. With all that done, Hailey draped a cream-colored coat over Eleanor¡¯s shoulders and said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s hit the road!¡± Chapter 587 Chapter 587 Hailey drove Eleanor to the seaside Eleanor gazed at the sea through the car window, vaguely remembering that Bernard had brought her here once That night, he thought she and Jason Clowers were fast asleep. As Mr. Law, he sent tons of messages and made loads of calls, but she didn¡¯t pick up So he had no choice but to intercept her and bring her here to this sea Back then, Bernard had one hand on the window, holding her in his arms and asking how many times she had slept with Jason and whether he was in her heart. But all she was waiting for was for him to say he loved her They probably never imagined that one day he would propose to her and she would agree to marry him. Hailey parked the car in front of a museum ¡°Eleanor, we¡¯re here The dinner party is inside. Let me guide you in.¡± Hailey¡¯s voice brought Eleanor back to reality. ¡°Hailey, when did a museum pop up here?¡± She remembered that three years ago when Bernand brought her here, this seaside was a wastnd. Now it¡¯s all neat, with a road and a crystal pce-like museum Probably some real estate development project.¡± After saying that, she urged Eleanor to get out of the car quickly and not make everyone wait too long. Eleanor had no choice but to curb her curiosity, take off her coat, and get out of the car as Hailey requested. As soon as she got out of the car, she looked up and saw the name of the museum. Eleaber Hall This ce belonged to Eleanor and Bernard. Bernard had built it especially to propose to her Eleanor¡¯s lips curled into a sweet smile. Snow was still falling from the sky. The s***snded on Eleaber Hall, creating a thinyer of snow. The sea breeze blew, taking away the s****s. Her hair fluttered like seaweed, blending in with the snowscape. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Hailey looked at Eleanor beside her and found her very beautiful tonight She couldn¡¯t resist lifting her hand, brushing back Eleanor¡¯s hair, and tucking it behind her ear. ¡°Eleanor, let¡¯s go in¡± Hailey¡¯s gentle voice rang in her ear, causing Eleanor to look away. Eleanor picked up her dress and slowly walked up the stairs against the snow. The crystal door of Eleaber Hall slowly opened for her. But it was pitch ck inside, she couldn¡¯t see anything Eleanor turned around in surprise, but Hailey just waved her hand, gesturing for her to continue. She had no choice but to keep going. Who would have thought that as soon as her high heels touched the floor, a gxy lit up beneath her? She tentatively stepped on the floor again, and the images it disyed were still the vast gxies from space Eleanor paused for a few seconds, then lifted her dress and took one step at a time. As she moved forward, the floors lit up one after another The gxies were all moving under her feet as if she were in space. Eleanor was deeply shocked by the sight in front of her. She didn¡¯t even realize when she reached the end; she was too busy admiring the changing gxies. Chapter 588 Chapter 588 As she gazed in awe, the swirl of stars on the floor suddenly dissipated reced by a sea of roses The vanished starry cloud had reappeared overhead at lightning speed As she looked up at the neb, the walls surrounding Eleaber Hall suddenly erupted in green auroras. Eleanor was taken aback. These were man made northern lights He had remembered her desire to see the northern lights, he had never forgotten He wanted to create a personal aurora for her-her aurora show-to watch as long as she wished. She understood Bernard¡¯s intent and fet sweetness washing over her She let the she was drowning in honey and found herself tear-stricken without realizing it. She stood there watching the worlde alive. A man in a white suit was walking towards her amidst the auroras. A soft glow surrounded him, making him look like a g****d descending from the heavens, so majestic and aloof that he was nearly untouchable. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Yet this perfect man was willing to stay grounded for her for a whole decade, with all his heart, only for her. Eleanor watched Bernard, the man waking towards her. Her vision was blurred by tears, but she kept a soft smile. Bernard dropped to one knee without hesitation He held out the diamond ring box in his hand Eleanor¡± He called her gently. His eyes, as beautiful as snow, looked at her face with deep devotion. Even the experienced Bernard was feeling a bit nervous at this moment. He wanted to recite a long vow to her, but his mind went nk As Eleanor waited for him to continue his proposal he suddenly looked down at the ring box. Seeing what was in the box, a sh of anger crossed his eyes Cedric told him that he would forget his words due to nerves during the proposal, so he suggested he prepare a cheat sheet in the ring box. Just to be safe, he did as Cedric suggested and ced a small note in there. Who would have thought Seeing Cedric¡¯s big headshot in the box, Bernard¡¯s expression became icy cold. Behind the curtain, Cedric, who was directing the programmers to operate the system, smirked. Dear Mr. Laurence, do you like my handsome selfie? Have a great time stuttering your proposal tonight. Holding back his anger, Bernard took out the ring and looked up at Eleanor. Eleanor, will you marry me?¡± No vow could be more important than the words ¡°Will you marry me¡±. Eleanor lowered her head, nced at the sparkling diamond ring, and then at the man proposing to her. She had been waiting for his proposal for many years, and apart from being moved, she felt a sense of a dreame true. She looked at Bernard, who was anxiously waiting for her answer, the tears in her eyes reced by a smile. She tilted her head teasingly and asked, ¡°Is that it?¡± Is that ? Bernard frowned. He had studied the proposal process many times, but he had no idea what to do next. Chapter 589 Chapter 589 Eleanor pointed at the diamond ring box in his hand, rifying his confusion. ¡®Didn¡¯t you prepare a love deration?¡± Cedric, hiding far away, and the Laurences, tucked away in a corner, couldn¡¯t help but chuckle Hearing theughter, Eleanor was startled She looked around but saw no one else. Just as she was puzzled, Bernard seized her hand. He opened his mouth and tried to say the love deration a few times but ended up asking eagerly. ¡°Will you marry me?¡± Eleanor was sure that if she didn¡¯t answer, Bernard might die from holding his breath. So she quickly nodded at him, smiling. ¡°Yes!¡± If not him, then who? She was destined to be his The anxious and nervous look on Bernard¡¯s face gradually faded, reced by a faint smile He took Eleanor¡¯s hand, putting the diamond ring engraved with their names on her left middle finger This position is closest to the heart, symbolizing that the other person is in the heart and representing loyalty to love and marriage. After he put on the ring for her, he didn¡¯t get up but remained kneeling, looking up at her: ¡°Eleanor, I promised you forever, and that promise will never change. In the future, I will apany you until we¡¯re old and gray, loving and protecting you all my life¡± His confession, without any fancy words, just heartfelt vows, was the best love deration for Eleanor She bent down and gently kissed his lips. ¡°Bernard, if possible, I like to book you for my next life¡± Hearing this, Bernard¡¯s eyes lit up with a happy smile: ¡°Not just the next life, but forever¡± He lifted her chin, still kneeling in front of her, and passionately kissed her. As they were lost in the kiss, the Laurences, who were hiding in the corner until their legs went numb, pped their hands at Cedric¡¯s instigation. Hearing the apuse, Eleanor was startled and pushed Bernard away Eleanor turned her head to look at the peopleing out from behind the wall. One group after another. It seemed to be all the Laurences. Veronica Laurence led her family out, came to Eleanor, and offered her sincere blessings. ¡°Ms. Shultz, I wish you and Bernard a happy and blissful life¡± After she gave her blessing, the Laurences behind her also followed suit, wishing them well. Their politeness and warmth gradually eased Eleanor¡¯s nervousness She turned her head and looked at Bernard. He must have been worried that she might have reservations about his family, so he brought them all to propose. Everything he did was just to put her at ease The kindness and warmth she had never experienced before flooded her that night, helping her, who had been lonely, finally find a home. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Eleanor turned her head to look at Hailey, who had been recording everything with her phone outside the door, and showed her a tearful smile. Hailey in this world, was about to have a home of her own. Chapter 590 Chapter 590 Hailey seemed to see what Eleanor was thinking from the book in her eyes, and her own eyes started to well up with tears. They were both orphans, and the one thing they craved the most growing up was a home to call their own. Eleanor had waited many years for this home, and now that she finally had it, she had to make the most of it Hailey sent Eleanor the best wishes and used her phone to capture this significant moment of Eleanor stepping into happiness The Laurences were all around them, egging them on for another kiss ¡°Smooch! Smooch! Eleanor blushed, while Bernard shot the Laurences a nce When that unfathomable expression passed over their faces, the Laurences automatically shut their mouths Until his gazended on the most boisterous one, Cedric Cedric was in for it now! Cedric received that look and turned to leave, but then he heard a chilling voice from behind ¡°Cedric, you¡¯re going to Africa for work tomorrow¡± ¡°Come on, Africa again? Can I go somewhere else? Or can we discuss this? ¡°No discussion With that Bernard harshly picked up Eleanor in a bridal carry and walked away. As Eleanor nestled in Bernard¡¯s arms, she looked back at the Laurences sheepishly ¡°Why are you sending Cedric to Africa?¡± ¡°He¡¯s asking for it¡± Just as Eleanor was about to ask how Cedric was asking for it, Bernard lowered his head and gently kissed her lips ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t worry about him. I¡¯m taking you somewhere¡± Hailey, who was recording all this, immediately switched to photo mode and captured this moment. In the frame, one man in a white suit, cold and aristocratic, and one woman in a silver-white dress, gentle and elegant The man carrying the woman, gently touching her lips, the backdrop of the powerful Laurence family, the changing stars and aurora around them. This beautiful scene was so breathtaking that even Hailey was stunned when she captured it. The only w was that the elders of the Laurence family didn¡¯t attend this proposal maybe they didn¡¯t want to participate in the younger generation¡¯s ceremony. Hailey didn¡¯t think about it. She recorded the Laurences waving goodbye, edited a short video, and sent it to Liana Liana, who originally nned to watch Mr. Laurence¡¯s proposal, suddenly fainted before leaving the hospital. She could only lie on the hospital bed, urging Hailey to record the video and send it to her Now she finally got the video from Hailey and hurriedly opened it. When she saw the stunning proposal scene and Mr. Laurence¡¯s heartfelt confession, Liana excitedly sent Hailey a voice message Who nned this? It¡¯s quite creative.¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°Cedric¡¯s idea, but the venue, the stars, and the aurora were all arranged by Mr. Laurence; the rest was Cedric¡¯s idea¡± Im looking forward to Mr. Laurence¡¯s wedding now, I wonder if it will be even more shocking¡± ¡°Definitely, after all, Mr. Laurence is loaded Liana sent aughing emoji, and Hailey replied with a ¡®be right back, then she put her phone in her pocket. Hailey wrapped her coat tighter around her, walked out of Eleaber Hall, and saw a ck luxury car parked by the sea. Chapter 591 Chapter 591 The passenger seat of that car, half covered by the window, revealed a handsome face Even in the dim street lights, Hailey recognized who he was. She froze for a few seconds, then hurriedly trotted towards the car in her high heels ¡°Garrett¡± Her voice trembled as she called his name. The man in the car smirked, ¡°Hailey¡± His voice made Hailey¡¯s eyes glisten with tears: What are you doing here?¡± These past few days, whenever she called Garrett, either his phone was off or he didn¡¯t answer. She even went to B City to look for him, but he refused to meet her His coldness made it seem like he wanted to cut ties with herpletely. She thought she would lose him forever, but surprisingly, he showed up on the day Bernard proposed to Eleanor. Did this mean Garrett was keeping tabs on them all along and just never bothered them? Garrett reached out to catch a snowke outside the window, his eyes were filled with unvanishing sorrow. He stared at the snowke melting in his hand, and after a moment, he finally responded to Hailey. ¡°I was just passing by, saw the beautiful scene here, and decided to take a look¡± Passing by? Who the hell would go out of their way to pass by a ce so far from the city center? Hailey naturally didn¡¯t believe him, but she didn¡¯t call him out on it, she only asked with teary eyes, I heard you¡¯re getting engaged?¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Garrett gave a bitter smile and said. ¡°Yeah, getting engaged¡± There was no hint of joy in his smile Hailey felt terrible ¡°You¡¯re not getting engaged just to let Eleanor and Bernard be together, are you?¡± Tm doing it willingly¡± Seeing him like this, Hadley couldn¡¯t figure out what he was thinking, so she chose to trust him and say. ¡°Then I wish you happiness.¡± Garrett clenched his fist slowly, his eyes filled with profound pain He would never be happy in this life Garrett looked at Eleaber Hall, his eyes glistening with tears. ¡°Can I go in and have a look?¡± Hailey followed his gaze in the direction of Eleaber Hall, thinking it might upset him, and wanted to refuse. But Garrett said 1 just saw Bernard carrying Eleanor out of there, both of them with happy smiles on their faces. It looked so beautiful.¡± He looked at Hailey with a pure smile and said, ¡°1 also want to go in and see. Maybe Ie out happily too.¡± Tears welled up in Hailey¡¯s eyes So Garrett still hadn¡¯t let go of Eleanor ¡°Okay, III take you in.¡± ¡°Thank you¡± Hailey turned her back, wiping away the tears at the corners of her eyes. She didn¡¯t understand why the three of them, who had grown up together, now felt so distant, as if there would be no intersection in their future lives. In the back seat, Cotter Clowers took out a wheelchair from the trunk and put it on the ground. He opened the car door, carried Garrett out of the car, and put him in a wheelchair. ¡°Garrett, can your legs be cured?¡± Hadley looked at Garrett, who couldn¡¯t take care of himself, and her tears kept falling. He used to be the favorite of heaven, was he going to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair? Garrett casually touched his numb legs and said, ¡°They can¡¯t be cured, but it¡¯s fine, I¡¯m used to it.¡± Hadey wanted to say something, but Garrett took the umbre from Cotter and handed it to Hailey, saying. ¡°Hailey, life is unpredictable. I¡¯ve gained a lot, losing two legs isn¡¯t a big deal. Please don¡¯t be sad for me¡± His calmness made Hailey feel even worse, but she still held back her sadness and took the umbre he handed her. Because the snow made it hard to push the wheelchair, Hailey couldn¡¯t do it herself. In the end, it was Colter who pushed it while she held the umbre to shield him from the snow. Chapter 592 Chapter 592 Silently, they arrived at Eleaber Hall Garrett, sitting in a wheelchair, stared nkly ahead Tonce wanted to build a ce like this¡± For Eleanor. A ce that belonged to them. A ce named after them Garrett¡¯s lips curled into a bitter smile that spread to his heart, making it hard for him to breathe Seeing the once robust and energetic boy now so thin and frail, Hailey¡¯s heart ached ¡°Garrett, have you been having a hard timetely?¡± Im doing fine Colter, pushing the wheelchair from behind, frowned. ¡°Mr. Clowers, how can you say you¡¯re fine when you¡¯re clearly¡­¡± Garrett¡¯s face darkened ¡°Shut up!¡± Unable to voice his heartache, Colter fell silent Seeing them like this, Hailey understood. Without Eleanor, every day must be like a year for Garrett. After all, he loved Eleanor so much, but they ultimately missed each other Cotter pushed Garrett into Eleaber Hall. The dazzling starry sky and colorful auroras inside made his eyes well up again. He pushed the wheelchair alone to the center of the clouds and the gxy. ¡°Bernard proposed to Eleanor here, didn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°How¡¯d you know?¡± Garrett gave a slight smile, ignoring Hailey¡¯s question. Because if he were to propose, he would kneel here, too. In the center of the universe, the most important and most beautiful ce, kneeling before the one you love and asking her to marry you-how perfect! After a while, Garrett lowered his gaze to the pink roses covering the floor. He remembered that Eleanor used to like red roses. Did she now prefer pink ones? That¡¯s true, over time, who would only like one type of flower forever? Just like no one would wait for someone in the same spot forever. Garrett looked around at the auroras as if he were lost in memories She once held his arm, demanding a future ne ticket. ¡°Garrett, let¡¯s make a promise. When we¡¯re thirty, take me to see the auroras, okay?¡± At the time, he put down his pen and yfully touched her nose Why wait until we¡¯re thirty?¡± She pointed to the piles of books on the desk. ¡°Look at all these books By the time you finish your undergraduate degree and get your Master¡¯s or PhD, won¡¯t that be after thirty? So I have to book your future now.¡± ¡°No need to wait till thirty. Once I get this schrship, I¡¯ll buy the tickets and take you to see the auroras You can start thinking about which country to go to.¡± He smiled indulgently. Hearing that he would take her to see the auroras, she smiled happily. ¡°Any country is fine, as long as you¡¯re with me¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. But after that, he forgot to take her to see the auroras due to onepetition after another. She never med him. Now, thinking back, he wished she would¡¯ve been less understanding. If she had med him more, maybe the memory of the auroras would be theirs, not Bernard¡¯s and hers. Garrett chuckled, but then tears uncontrobly welled up in his eyes. What right did he have to reminisce? He was the one who kept her waiting. Shed asked him many times, ¡°Garrett, when are you going to marry me? When will you give me a home?¡± He always used the excuse of giving her a better future and never proposed. He never realized that what Eleanor wanted wasn¡¯t a wealthy life. What shed always wanted was wholehearted love and a home filled with love Realizing this now, Garrett¡¯s face turned pale, and he slumped in his wheelchair. He covered his eyes regretfully ¡°Hailey, don¡¯t tell her I was here* Eleanor had found a man who could give her a home, a man willing to give his life for her. Garret was just the boy from the past whod kept her waiting. Let him stay in the past forever. Chapter 593 Chapter 593 Seeing Gareti in such pain. Hailey¡¯s eyes welled up with tears, ¡°Garell, are you seriously never going to see her again?¡± Garett remained silent if he didn¡¯t see her, he wouldn¡¯t miss her. But if he did see her, who knew if he would go insanely jealous? He sat there in deep thought, and finally managed to gather his emotions, ¡°Hailey, take care of yourself¡± With that, he pushed his wheelchair towards the exit ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Hailey¡¯s heart ached she quickly followed him, and asked, ¡°If I call you in the future, will you pick up?¡± Garett lifted his puffy eyes and nodded slightly ¡°Garett, when you¡¯ve let go of Eleanor, tell me.¡± Garett still nodded with a smile, with noints on his gentle face. Garett left Eleaber Hall On a cold, snowy night, he sat alone in his wheelchair, looking up at the falling snowkes. ¡°Cotter¡¯ He called out softly, Colter immediately walked behind him, he bent over to ask him what¡¯s wrong, but saw his eyes filled with tears. 1 miss her so much, but she¡¯s married now¡± The wind and snow blew, carrying his voice away, the same way it wanted to take away his unwilling memories. Cotter stood there watching this big shot from B City His heart was mixed with emotions. People thought Garett could let go of Eleanor. But only Cotter knew that this man who left his heart in A City, would never let go in this lifetime. ¡°Cotter, I can¡¯t marry the one I want to.¡± ¡°Mr. Clowers, there will be better ones¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Garett didnt reply and just lowered his head Standing on the steps of Eleaber Hall Hailey watched Garett¡¯s retreating figure, and her heart ached When did Garett fall for Eleanor? It was a long time ago, so long she couldn¡¯t count the years. But she knew his love was not less than Bernard¡¯s. Sometimes Hailey thought, if Garett had married Eleanor earlier, maybe Bernard wouldn¡¯t have happened. But some people are just destined not to be together. So. between Garett and Bernard, who came first, who cameter, who could tell? ¡°Garett, I hope you can find your own happiness in the future.¡± Hailey walked down the stars to her car, and she looked up to see a coat being thrown at her. The always courteous Cedric, ungentlemanly gestured at her, ¡°Put it on ¡± Holding the coat, Hailey was confused. ¡°I thought you left. Why are you back?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯te back, I wouldn¡¯t have seen you on a date with another guy.¡± Cedric put his hands in his pockets, his gaze fixed on the car in the distance. He was too far away to see the man in the wheelchair. He didn¡¯t know Garett, so he couldn¡¯t have guessed it was him. The downcast Hailey was in no mood to exin. She just handed back the coat to Cedric, then silently opened her car door. Just as she was about to get in, Cedric held the door and ¡°bang,¡± he mmed the door shut. ¡°What are you up to?¡± Chapter 594 Chapter 594 With a cold face. Cedric draped his coat over her, and pulled her into his embrace. ¡°Hailey, let me ask you, if we got hitched, would you stop messing around?¡± She had just finished meeting her matchmaker in the afternoon and by evening, she was already out seeing other men,pletely disregarding Cedric Upon hearing the word ¡°marriage,¡± Hailey was taken aback, but thetter part about messing around brought her back to reality ¡°Cedric, let me make this clear There is no way I am marrying you. As for messing around, it¡¯s none of your business I¡¯m not your girlfriend.¡± Having said that, she pushed Cedric away She turned around to open the car door, only to be held tightly from behind. Cedric buried his chin in the crook of Hailey¡¯s neck, rubbing it a bit weakly. Hailey. I¡¯ve noticed that ever since we broke up, I always want to see you I want to look for you.¡± 7think I might have started to like you¡± Hailey was a bit surprised, ¡°Did you get drunk again?¡± Every time he was drunk, he would say sweet nothings to lure her back. Cedric shook his head. ¡°This time, I didn¡¯t drink ¡± Hailey turned her head back, watched the falling snow under the streetlight. She stayed silent for a while. ¡°Cedric, your ex-girlfriends all begged and clung to you after you dumped them. I didn¡¯t do that, and that¡¯s probably why you think I¡¯m special.¡± Hailey paused for a moment When she spoke again, her eyes were filled with reason, ¡°That little bit of liking you have for me is only because you can¡¯t ept the loss¡± Cedric stiffened, and asked incredulously, ¡°You¡¯ve gotten over me?¡± They had been apart for so long but Hailey had never said she had totally got over him. He thought she liked him a bit. But now, she suddenly said she hadpletely moved on. So, his year-long pestering was just a joke to her? ¡°We didn¡¯t have much emotion in those three years we dated. It¡¯s been so long since we broke up, isn¡¯t it normal to move on?¡± Hailey said nonchntly. Cedric felt a tightness in his chest, a suffocating feeling overwhelmed him. He was both breathless and annoyed. ¡®Say what you just said again.¡± He gritted his teeth. ¡°Cedric, I¡¯ve gotten over you¡± Harley her eyes seemingly full of snowkes, stared at Cedric¡¯s dark face. Cedric could feel his heart getting tighter to the point where he couldn¡¯t breathe. This pain that he could feel in his palms, still couldn¡¯t suppress the anger brought by her words. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ¡°Hailey, it¡¯s my own damn fault foring back to you time and time again!¡± He angrily let go of her hand, dropped an ¡°I won¡¯t bother you again,¡± and then turned around and walked away quickly Hailey stood still, slowly lowering her head. It¡¯s not that she didn¡¯t have the courage to ept Cedric. She just didn¡¯t have the courage to try marriage again. And Hailey looked back at Cedric who drove away This man, was younger than her. He still looked like a child. Chapter 595 Chapter 595 Snow was falling thick and fast There were about a dozen luxury vehicles pulled up in front of No 8 Mansion The back door of the leading Koenigsegg slowly swung open, and a man in a white suit emerged. He was as elegant as a statue carved by God himself, aloof and regal, intimidating to approach However, this seemingly unapproachable man bent down to greet the woman in the car His icy eyes instantly softened and warmed at the sight of the woman in the car it was as if only this woman, dressed in a silver-white gown, could bring out his fender side Eleanor ced her hand in his palm, relying on his strength to get her out of the car. She looked up at the ssy No 8 Mansion ¡°What are you bringing me here for?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see when we go in.¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Bernard fetched a coat and draped it over her He then lifted her up in his arms. Eleanor didn¡¯t ask any further and wrapped her arms around his neck, curling up in his embrace. He carried her into the elevator, and went directly to the top floor of No. 8 Mansion, where they used to spend the most time together. Seeing the room that had been specially arranged. Eleanor blushed slightly. Bernard had once said that once she recovered, she would have to make it up to him. Was he nning on iming that compensation tonight? He was always greedy in that regard. If it was on the night he proposed, she would be in for a rough night. While Eleanor was lost in thought, Bernard had alreadyid her on the bed and was preparing to undress her. 1. I¡¯m not ready yet.¡± Eleanor quickly closed her coat, wrapping herself tightly ¡°I know you¡¯re not ready, what¡¯s up?¡± Thaven¡¯t fully recovered let¡¯s not do this tonight ¡°Eleanor stammered Bernard leaned in close to her ear. His nose lightly touched behind her ear, ¡°Not do what?¡± His scent, his warm breath, all held lethal temptation. His deep voice was like a spell, bewitching her and attracting her. ¡°Mrs Laurence, I just wanted to help you take off your coat. Eleanor wished she could dig a hole and crawl into it. As she was stuck in an awkward situation, Bernard gazed at her reddened cheeks and smiled. 1 get your hint, but don¡¯t rush. We¡¯ll talk about itter¡± ¡°When did I hint? I didn¡¯t!¡± Seeing her anxious, he gently stroked her messy hair, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I want to show you something first.¡± Chapter 596 Chapter 596 Upon hearing him still cracking jokes, Eleanor gave up struggling in bewilderment. She turned around and fell onto the bed, burying her head in the soft duvet She tried to regain some dignity from her embarrassment. The man standing by the bed had a full grin on his face. Eleanor, I was out of line just now Can I apologize to you?¡± ¡°How are you going to apologize?¡± Bernard pulled her into his arms, ¡°Can I apologize with my lifetime?¡± Eleanor smirked slightly. Nope You¡¯ve already promised a lifetime, try again.¡± The man¡¯s lips parted He was about to speak, when her finger covered his mouth again, ¡°You¡¯ve used ¡°forever¡± too. You can¡¯t use that again¡± Bernard¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°Then Eleanor, what do you want me to do?¡± 111 punish you by making you stay with me for the rest of your days.¡± The man raised an eyebrow, as if to say, isn¡¯t that the same thing? ¡°Alright, whatever you say Eleanor finallyughed, ¡°You said you were going to show me something. What is it?¡± TII show you now The man held his wife and walked towards the French windows. The moment they got close, there was a bang from outside. Countless fireworks lit up the snowy night sky, illuminating the whole of A City, and the entire No. 8 Mansion, Eleanor¡¯s eyes widened in surprise Did you arrange this?¡± ¡°It was Cedric¡¯s idea¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ¡°How long are these fireworks going tost?¡± ¡°All night.¡± ¡°Can you make it stop?¡± Eleanor was helpless. ¡°Dont you like it?¡± Eleanor quickly waved her hand, 1 do like it. It¡¯s just, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit of a disturbance at this time?¡± Bernard heard another meaning in her words Fireworks all night was tacky and childish, stop it already. He had rejected the idea when Cedric suggested it. He kept it after the Laurences persuaded him. It was clear that the Laurences¡¯ taste wasn¡¯t amazing His and Eleanor¡¯s was much better Bernard put Eleanor down, and turned around to make a call. The fireworks outside the window stopped immediately. Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief. She turned her head and looked at the man sitting in front of the sofa, and couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly. Although his romantic ideas were all from Cedric, he always tried to do things that made her happy. The once aloof and noble man had slowly changed for her. How did this not move her? Chapter 597 Chapter 597 The man was messing around with the safe on the table. After Bernard finished inputting the password on the safe, he raised his head and called her over. ¡°Come here¡± When he said these two words it reminded Eleanor of the past it was also at No. 8 Mansion when he first spotted her. The phrase he said to her the most was ¡°Come here¡± Back then, he was bossy and heartless, but now he was full of warmth. He showed her all his tenderness. Eleanor walked up to him. Before she could stand straight, the man had her in his arms. He hugged her from behind and opened the safe on the table When Eleanor saw the cream colored scarf, her photo, and a letter mended with countless strips of tape inside, she was stunned She reached out to touch the scarf and lowered her head She thought hard, then she remembered that these were the belongings she left at No. 8 Mansion. But that photo was a picture of her sleeping face. She picked up the photo, ¡°When did you take this?¡± ¡°You wanted to leave me a picture before, so He didnt finish his sentence, but Eleanor understood. That year, she thought she was dying and begged him to take a picture of her hoping he would keep it as a memento. Bernard angrily refused back then. This was probably because he had heard her calling Garett¡¯s name in her dream.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Eleanor thought there would be no progress after his refusal, but surprisingly, he sneakily took a picture. It eased some of her regret. ¡°Eleanor, during those three years, I would look at this picture and miss you.¡± Without this picture, the Eleanor in his illusion would have been blurry That¡¯s how he survived so many difficult days and nights. Eleanor heard him and kissed his forehead, ¡°Let¡¯s forget about the past. Now I¡¯m here with you, you don¡¯t need to rely on the picture anymore.¡± She put the photo back into the safe, ¡°In the future, Ill take more photos with you¡± He had been haunted by the past. Hearing her promise, Bernard felt his heart gradually fill with warmth Eleanor¡¯s fingers touched the letter taped together, I remember tearing it up. ¡°Anything you left for me, even if it was torn, I mended it¡± Just like their rtionship. Even when it was shattered, he would do his best to mend it. If he didn¡¯t, would there have been a present? Eleanor scolded him for being a fool, but her fingers picked up the brief farewell note. Seeing the naive handwriting she once left, and a few more lines written below, her eyes gradually reddened [Bernard He said, don¡¯t dream that I will love you So, he doesn¡¯t love me] The following is his handwriting: [Eleanor Actually, I have fantasized about you falling in love with me. Unfortunately, you don¡¯t love me] The ink handwriting had been smudged many times, bing blurred. It looked like it was written a long, long time ago. Eleanor guessed that maybe he picked it up, taped it together, and then wrote these words after she tore the letter into pieces. She did not know what kind of pain the man had gone through at that time. However, he did write these three lines in response to her. She just knew, when she held the crumpled letter, she couldn¡¯t help but shed tears Some people said, when you¡¯re obsessed with something, or are missing someone, there will always be a response And she, finally got his response Chapter 598 Chapter 598 Her tears, fell onto the back of his hand, which caught the man who was lost in memories off guard He cupped her face, wiping away her tears Eleanor. I didn¡¯t show you these to make you cry, but to tell you that I¡¯ve always loved you¡® He couldn¡¯t travel back in time, so he could only tell her this way. The man from the past, was also secretly in love with her Feeling his love. Eleanor gently nodded, but blurted out unexpectedly. ¡°Is my makeup smudged?¡± Hailey spent half an hour doing her makeup, only to have it ruined by tears on the night of the proposal. She must have looked awful now 1 don¡¯t mind, but your eyes aren¡¯t looking good Please stop crying?¡± His voice was always cold, but it was always soft in front of her. This preference always warmed Eleanor¡¯s heart. Bernard, has anyone ever told you that you look good when you smile?¡± Upon hearing this. Bernard nodded, ¡°Yes¡± Eleanor was suddenly a bit jealous, Who?¡± He hardly ever smiled, who would say he looked good when he did? The ones whoplimented a man¡¯s smile were usually women Who could it be? Bernard¡¯s smile deepened in his eyes, ¡°Guess.¡± ¡± don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Mrs Laurence, are you jealous?¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Tm not Stop talking nonsense¡± Eleanor¡¯s thoughts were read and she showed some hints of embarrassment in her eyes. However, she refused to admit her jealousy. Bernard leaned down to find her lips. ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯ve been waiting for you to be jealous for eight years. I¡¯m d it happened¡± Eleanor wanted to tell him, that she was always jealous of him and Sophie after they separated, but Bernard didn¡¯t give her a chance to speak. He held the back of her head, kissing her passionately and fiercely Eleanor was almost out of breath. She struggled to push him away with all her might, ¡°You haven¡¯t told me who said you look good¡± ¡°Who else would think I look good, but you¡± Eleanor was a bit unsatisfied, she hummed and pretended to be annoyed. She wanted to escape to the bathroom to ease the embarrassment, but he scooped her up in his arms. ¡°Eleanor, do you remember what I said aboutpensation?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember¡± Thats okay I do¡± Chapter 599 Chapter 599 His eyes were like bottomless ck holes Dnce looked into, they would tuck in all the surrounding stars Eleanor was to enthralled by them that she didn¡¯t even notice when he hadid her down on the bed It wasn¡¯t until his tall figure loomed over her that she snapped back to reality. She hastily grabbed his cor and said nervourly. ¡°Im scared¡± Bernard looked at her lying on the soft bed Her tailor made silvery dress fit her perfectly without a single w. Her long curly hair sprawled out on the bed like seaweed, looking sexy and captivating Eleanor, I¡¯ve been holding back for days¡± Eleanor opened her mouth, wanting to use her body as an excuse, but he lowered his head and lightly bit her earlobe His hot breath stirred a tingling sensation Anthe electric current swept through her body he lifted her waist, bringing them even closer He buried his head in her neck. Eleanor For nails dug into his firm muscles. Eleanor covered his eyes. Don¡¯t look at me. Turn off the lights. Turn off the lights Bernard¡¯s lips curved into a smile His lightughter sounded like it was soaked in sugar water, making him incredibly satisfied N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. After ten years he finally had her heart, body, and a marriage with her As he was about to lose himself in the woman beneath him, he whispered into her ear- ¡°Eleanor, have I ever told you, I love you so much¡± Chapter 600 Chapter 600 Who¡¯d have thought this guy would be so hot to trot, cooping her up in No. 8 Mansion night after night? By the end of the week, Eleanor was exhausted. Her body so tired her legs were shaking. And yet this man was still not satisfied. He made her try all kinds of new positions This was just after a sessful proposal She could only imagine what the wedding night would be like What worried her more wasthat he was feeding her all kinds of health supplements for her body. It was bad enough that she had to deal with his insatiable desire, now she had to eat these nasty things too Those things were truly disgusting Couldn¡¯t he taste them himself? Eleanory on the bed and red at the man who was feeding her, ¡®Can¡¯t we just order takeout?¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Bernard wiped away the soup stan on her mouth with a napkin, ¡°Takeout isn¡¯t healthy: you should eat what I make Eleanor reluctantly decided to bottle up her resentment for now, forcing herself up when she felt somewhat recovered She went to the kitchen. She cooked a very salty dish herself, and proudly served it to Bernard, Try what I made Bernard looked at the dish, with undissolved satt still on it, and nonchntly put it in his mouth. Do you have no taste buds?¡± Eleanor curiously watched him eat without any reaction. Bernard shook his head, his face full of adoration Thave taste buds, but he paused, this is made by you, so I¡¯m going to finish it.¡± Eleanor was stunned and quickly stopped him, ¡°Stop eating.¡± She just wanted to get back at him, but he had no reaction and was nning to finish the meal. Eleanor remembered that he had a weak stomach. She quickly took his utensils, and reced it with a bowl of beef soup she had made. ¡°You should have some too. Bernard leaned his head to the side like a king overlooking his subjects. 1 don¡¯t need it.¡± Seeing his confident look, Eleanor suddenly remembered what her friend Liana had said, that Mr. Laurence was very strong. She raised her eyes and took an unconscious look at him from head to toe. Indeed, he didn¡¯t look tired at all, instead, he was glowing. He was indeed strong Eleanor quietly scooped herself a big bowl. He didn¡¯t need it, but she did The next day, Bernard brought a five¨Cstar chef home They stayed at No 8 Mansion for half a month, and Bernard had put his business on hold. His employees were running around like headless chickens, and Cedric the interim CEO, was forcibly sent to Africa at this critical time. Only Aidyn knew where Bernard was, but he didn¡¯t dare to disturb him. He could only squat outside the ss window of the No. 8 Mansion, waiting for Eleanor toe downstairs. When Eleanor dide downstairs, it was midnight. She was half sleep and needed to use the bathroom. Suddenly, she saw someone squatting outside the window. She was so scared that she almost passed out Chapter 601 Chapter 601 Luckily, she didn¡¯t have the habit of screaming her lungs out, otherwise the guy upstairs would have sted the sneaky Aidyn with a single bullet as soon as he heard the noise. After the scare. Eleanor understood Aidyn¡¯s intention and quickly exined. I told him already, he will go to the corporation tomorrow¡± She had tried to convince Bernard before, but the dude seemed uninterested in the billion¨Cdor deals He only wanted to spend time with her Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Hearing Mr. Laurence would go to the corporation tomorrow, Aldyn quickly tiptoed to the window and whispered, ¡°Thank you, Ms Shultz Eleanor couldn¡¯t reach the window even on tiptoes, so she had to stand on a stool and wave at him, ¡°No problem¡­¡± Aldyn turned to leave, and Eleanor asked with concern. Has Liana been discharged from the hospital?¡± Aidyn nodded, ¡°She was discharged yesterday Everything is fine¡± Only then did Eleanor rx, raising her hand again to wave at Aidyn, ¡°Goodbye¡± After the polite farewell Aidyn avoided the surveince cameras and slowly moved towards the door along the wall Upstairs, the man had caught the entire conversation between the two and quietly said, ¡°Aidyn.¡± Caught red handed Aidyn shivered at the sound of the voiceing from upstairs, a chill rushing from his feet to his brain. He slowly straightened up, walked out of the wall crevice, and looked up at the man at the window upstairs, ¡°Mr. Laurence¡­. The man looked tall and handsome with an unblemished face. He spoke coldly. ¡°Send me the files required to be processed by the corporation.¡± Aidyn thought he was going to get a scolding, but didn¡¯t expect him to ask for files, so he breathed a sigh of relief. But then came that icy cold voice again Deduct three months¡® sry¡± Aidyn didn¡¯t need to ask to know it was a punishment for ¡°having ate¨Cnight conversation with his wife¡­ The next day, when Audyn came to pick her up, he just responded with hums to Eleanor¡¯s conversation, refusing to say a word. Eleanor found it very strange and kept eyeing him Bernard saw this and coldly said, ¡°Deduct another month¡± Aidyn thought, No, I would never keep quiet. Even for the sake of money, I would have to speak up! He quietly asked. ¡°Mr. Laurence, should I talk or keep quiet? Can you give me a straight answer?¡± Bernard was helping Eleanor into the car. He stood in front of the car door and looked back at Aidyn When his gaze touched Aidyn¡¯s decent face, he asked, ¡°When are you getting married?¡± Seizing the opportunity, Aidyn immediately asked for money, ¡°Mr. Laurence, I¡¯ll get married once I earn enough!¡± He thought Mr. Laurence would reward him with millions or something, but all he got was an ¡°All the best.¡± Something was wrong! When Caleb wanted to buy a mansion, Mr. Laurence casually threw a check with eight digits at him! Why did things change when it came to him? Aidyn scratched his head, unable to figure it out, when Mr. Laurence spoke again, ¡°Deliver the gifts I prepared earlier to Hailey¡¯s vi. I¡¯m going to meet my future inws today¡± Eleanor had no family, she only had Hailey, who was not her blood Ntive Since she regarded Hailey as her sister, he would respect her as his elder and personally discuss marriage matters with her. For Bernard, marrying the woman he loved meant that no step should be overlooked Marriage is the most important moment in a woman¡¯s life. It should be respected and taken care of with every detail, so she won¡¯t have any regrets¡­. Chapter 602 Chapter 602 After giving his instructions, Bernard gave Aidyn a once¨Cover, ¡°Once the gift is sorted, move straight into the mansion you¡¯ve got your eye on ¡± Aldyn¡¯s eyes sparkled, suddenly feeling that having four months of his sry deducted wasn¡¯t a big deal at all Just as he was about to agree, he remembered the mansion he fancied was worth a billion Scratching the back of his head, he reminded Bernard somewhat awkwardly. ¡°Mr. Laurence, the one I¡¯m interested in in the one in the east side of the city¡± The tall and aloof man standing by the carughed coldly, ¡°You think I can¡¯t afford (17¡± Aidyn quickly waved his hands. How could a sessful man like him fail to afford a mere mansion? That was just absurd! Mr Laurencecked nothing but money Reluctantly epting this mansion would just help lighten his load. With that in mind, Aidyn immediately felt justified, and bowed respectfully to him, ¡°Mr. Laurence, don¡¯t worry Ill take care of 1¡± Bernard didn¡¯t bother with Aidyn anymore. Instead he opened the car door and got in, reaching out to pull the woman beside him into his arms. Eleanor was in the car and hadn¡¯t heard ther conversation She was too focused on figuring out how to bring up going back to Hailey¡¯s mansion As he embraced her, Eleanor leaned against his shoulder. She stole nces at him before plucking up the courage to voice her request. Bernard, I need to go back to Hailey¡¯s¡± The design she made for Jared Group Headquarters was still in Hailey¡¯s study. She had to get it to give to him. Her phone was still in the bedroom, Pearce Hooper, who went all over the world inspecting construction sites, could have tried to contact her many times She and Pearce had agreed that he would send her the requirements of each ce after he had inspected it. She had been away for so long First, she was abducted by Ethan and then spent so much time with Bernard She wondered how frantic Pearce could have been right now. She had bought a house next to Hailey¡¯s mansion and needed to rush to renovate it before the wedding. And her French lessons, which she had stopped for half a year. She needed to re¨Cenroll¡­ There were so many things to do, she really needed to go back. The man holding her lowered his thick, long eyshes, looking at her, ¡°Alright, go pack your things and move to the estate¡± Eleanor¡¯s face changed as she looked up at Bernard¡¯s defined profile, Well I think it¡¯s better if we live separately before the wedding¡­ Bernard tilted his head slightly. ¡°Why?¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Why? Of course, for the sake of her petite body! His desire was so strong, she simply couldn¡¯t handle it! So, living separately before the wedding was her only request. As for after the wedding she could only leave it to God¡¯s n. But she was too embarrassed to say this out loud¡­ As she was contemting an excuse, the man next to her suddenly asked, ¡°You don¡¯t want to live with me?¡± Looking into his captivating eyes filled with disappointment. Eleanor felt a pang of guilt, ¡°I do, but¡­.¡± She swallowed hard and finally gathered the courage to say ¡°I have to stay at home before the wedding, it¡¯s more proper that way¡­.¡± This seemed to have made Bernard pause His beautiful eyes were filled with hesitation, 1 don¡¯t feel comfortable with you living alone¡± Hearing his concern for her safety. Eleanor felt a warmth in her heart. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. This time I lock all the doors and windows and stick to Hailey like glue, okay?¡± Bernard pulled Eleanor onto hisp and kissed her Ips affectionately. ¡°Not okay¡­.¡± Eleanor had no choice but to bury her head in his corbone, pleading and sweet¨Ctalking until she finally got the chance to live alone before the wedding. But given his previous experience, he called a bunch of female bodyguards to follow her around before he got out of the car Looking at the group of female bodyguards, Eleanor could already imagine what her life would be like in the run¨Cup to the wedding Shed probably have someone following her even when she went to the bathroom. But that would be okay, at least it would ensure her safety. Chapter 603 Chapter 603 She initially thought Bernard was just dropping her off at Hailey¡¯s vi and then head off to the Lawrence Group To her surprise, he followed her into the vi Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Seeing Bernard, her nanny Marina was over the moon She weed him into the living room as if he were her own son inw ¡°Mr. Laurence, please make yourself at home 11 whip up some coffee for you Marina cast a nce at Bernard before encouraging Eleanor with a thumbs¨Cup and a look that said ¡°You go, girl Eleanor rubbed her forehead slightly and walked over to Bernard, ¡°Bernard Thave a gift for you, let me fetch It.¡± Bernard lounged on the sofa with his legs crossed elegantly He broke into a smile upon hearing about the gift, ¡°Sure¡± As Eleanor headed to the study. Bernard dialed Haley, who was working at a nightclub. Just as he hung up, Eleanor rushed out from the study, ¡°Marina, have you seen my blueprint that was in the study?¡± Marina, who was brewing coffee in the kitchen, poked her head out to answer, ¡°Didn¡¯t Mr. Laurence take that blueprint?¡± Eleanor turned to Bernard on the sofa, ¡°You took my design for the Jared Group Headquarters?¡± Bernard then realized that the gift she wanted to give him was the blueprint, ¡°Yes, I took it and have already started using it for development¡± Eleanor paused for a second, then recalled the news about the reconstruction of Jared Group Headquarters and finally pieced it together. ¡°You were still mad at me back then, why would you use my design?¡± Bernard casually pulled her into his arms, 1 promised to use your design and to submit it to the competition. I always keep my word, regardless of the circumstances¡± Helping her seed in the architecture field mattered more to him than his personal feelings Eleanor felt a lump in her throat and buried her head into his chest, whispering, Bernard, you¡¯re too kind¡­.. A smile shed in Bernards eyes as he patted her back gently, I forgot to tell you, your design made it through the first round and is currently being re¨Cevaluated I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll hear about it scon Eleanor was still overwhelmed with gratitude and instantly felt a surge of anxiety hearing this, ¡°Is it for that international architecturepetition?¡± He nodded and Eleanor began to panic, 1 can¡¯t do this, I have no experience. If I make it to the finals, I¡¯d have to present my design concept on stage¡­.* She always got nervous on stage. She would always be unable to speak, let alone at such a grand event like the international architecturepetition. All the participants were renowned architects What if she made a fool of herself? Bernard let go of her waist, pinching her smooth cheek, What¡¯s there to fear when I¡¯m here?¡± He had a knack for putting people at ease, and Eleanor felt a great sense offort around him. However, he couldn¡¯t take her ce on stage She had to face this herself. Eleanor clung onto his suit cor, gently stroking it, trying to calm herself down. She had only passed the first round, the results of the re¨Cevaluations were still pending. It would be a bit premature if she started worrying about the performance now. She might not even make it past the re¨Cevaluation stage Thinking of this, Eleanor was no longer as nervous Being a newbie and making it to the finals was a long shot. Once she calmed down, she looked up at Bernard, ¡°My original gift was the blueprint, but since you took it ahead of time, the element of surprise is gone. Let me find another gift for you¡­. Bernard answered with a smile. His bright eyes watched Eleanor think about what to gift him. Seeing her distressed look yet still indecisive, Bernard cleared his throat and suggested. There¡¯s a new estate in the city¡¯s east central area. I bought it as a wedding house three years ago, but haven¡¯t had time to decorate it. How about a design for the wedding house as a gift?¡± Chapter 604 Chapter 604 Eleanor waspletely gobsmacked by the sudden revtion. Was the house she bought for her wedding three years ago Sophie¡¯s all along? She didn¡¯t dare to ask directly. She just lowered her head and looked at her hand gripping his shirt tightly. The man seemed to sense her disappointment and quickly exined. That house was meant for you, just like the wedding dress. They were both bought at the same time and have nothing to do with anyone else They¡¯re all yours¡± Eleanor remembered the priceless diamond wedding dress and felt her disappointment slowly dissipating. Three years ago, he had bought her an expensive wedding dress intending to propose to her, but Eleanor didn¡¯t want to dwell on the past, so she put up a brave front and looked at him, ¡°Alright, I give you a design for our wedding house.¡± After saying that she nestled in his arms again, smiling and asking. ¡°Any special requests for the design, Mr. Laurence?¡± Seeing the smile on her face, Bernard felt less tense. Your wish is mymand ¡°In other words, she was free to design their wedding house however she liked. He wouldn¡¯t object Eleanor looked at his handsome face and couldn¡¯t resist leaning in and giving him a peck. Just then, Marma came out with coffee and couldn¡¯t help chuckling when she saw them, ¡®Oh wow. Mr. Laurence and Ms. Shultz, when¡¯s the big day?¡± Eleanor blushed and tried to slide off Bernard¡¯sp, but he held her back. He casually rested her head on his chest before turning to Marina who was still grinning. Tm here to propose today¡± Eleanor was stunned. She realized that his absence from work was because he was nning to propose. This¡­ was happening way too fast, wasn¡¯t it? Marina heard that he was proposing and grinned even wider, ¡®Really? Then I better call Hailey back.¡± A proposal was best witnessed by family Since Eleanor didn¡¯t have any, Hailey would do Marina shared the same thoughts as Bernard, and immediately turned to call Hailey. At that moment, Hailey walked into the vi. Behind her, a group of people carrying briefcases followed. One of them was Aidyn, holding some documents. Seeing the two of them enter, Eleanor felt a bit nervous but quicklyposed herself and walked over to Hailey. ¡°Hailey Before she could finish, Hailey pulled her aside, ¡°Eleanor, Aidyn told me Bernard is here to propose. Did you know?¡± Eleanor nodded and lowered her voice. 1 just found out too. What¡¯s wrong?¡± Hailey seemed nervous. She said with her hand on her chest, ¡°What do we do? I¡¯m so nervous, this is the first time we¡¯ve had a proposal at our house.¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Eleanor looked at Hailey Her tiny fists clenched in nervousness, Eleanor found her rather adorable. Why are you more nervous than me?¡± Hailey clenched her fists and whispered into Eleanor¡¯s ear, ¡°If it were an ordinary person, I wouldn¡¯t be scared, but that man¡­.¡± Eleanor followed Hailey¡¯s gaze and looked back at the man sitting on the couch He looked incredibly distinguished, ¡°What about him?¡± Hailey replied. ¡°He¡¯s not ordinary. If he brings a lot of gifts, how many should I prepare in return?¡± Hailey¡¯s reminder suddenly made Eleanor realize something and she started to get nervous, ¡°Should we not do it?¡± Hailey gently tugged her sleeve, ¡°How can we not? We must!¡± Chapter 605 Chapter 605 The two were discussing and Aldyn had already ordered the locked cases to beid out on the ss table. Then he reported to the man on the s ¡°Mr. Laurence, I have the gifts ready and kes been notified Whatever his reaction, I brought the crew here anyway.¡± Bernard gave a slight nod. When Eleanor and Hailey finished their chat and returned to the living room, he got up from the couch, and walked over to Hailey ¡°Ms. Vulpe, I¡¯m here today to discuss marriage with you You¡¯re her sister, so it¡¯s only right we talk about this¡± Bernard knew that she and Eleaner weren¡¯t rted by blood but sisters in name, but his respect for her showed he was a man worth trusting Hailey¡¯s fondness for Bernard increased a bit more. She quickly waved her hands. Let¡¯s discuss this together After she finished, she signaled everyone to sit down on the living room couch and asked the maid to prepare some afternoon tea When everyone sat down. Adyn, at Bernard¡¯s cue, ordered his men to open the rows of locked cases on the table and the big ones ced on the carpet. Then he respectfully said. ¡°Ms. Shultz, Ms Vulpe, these are the gifts prepared by Mr. Laurence¡± Seeing this. Hailey and Eleanor exchanged a nce. They had initially thought that these locked cases were filled with cash. To their surprise they were filled with documents, bank cards and the likes Adyn used his palm as a guide. Pointing to the locked cases on the table, he said to Eleanor, Ms. Shultz, these are all Mr. Laurence¡¯s personal assets, which have been transferred to your hame Now these documents are all yours¡± Upon hearing this, Hailey was so astonished that her eyes widened. Bernard¡¯s personal assets, how much would that be! Once Aidyn finished speaking, he pointed to the locked cases on the carpet and said ¡°Ms Vulpe, these are the assets of the Laurence family. Mr. Laurence is using all the Laurence family¡¯s fortune as the wedding gift to marry Ms. Shultz.¡± Upon hearing this, Eleanor froze. The entire Laurence family¡¯s assets as the wedding gift to marry her? Hailey thought Bernards personal assets were already generous enough as gifts, but it turns out they weren¡¯t the gifts! The assets of the entire Laurence family were the real gifts! Oh my God. The entire Laurence family fortune. How much would that be! Could it be spent in ten lifetimes? Hailey was so stunned that she was lost for words. She could only look at Aidyn and think: Oh my God, how could I ever reciprocate? Even if I were to sell myself now, it would be hard to match even a small part of the Laurence family¡¯s gifts, wouldn¡¯t it? To ease their pressure, Aidyn immediately said, ¡°Ms. Vulpe, Ms. Shultz, don¡¯t worry. These are just previous assets, and the Laurence Group will coon get them back into the ount. As for your wedding gift, don¡¯t worry Ms. Shultz marrying our Mr. Laurence is the most precious gift itself Ms. Shultz marrying Mr. Laurence is the most precious gift itself. These words deeply moved Hailey, but she still insisted on giving out gifts, As for the return gift, i will handle it property¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. epting others gifts and giving return gifts is only natural. But the Laurence family still had elders, would they really not oppose Bernard using the entire family¡¯s assets as a bride price? That was also Eleanor¡¯s thoughts. She immediately said to Bernard. ¡°epting your assets is already more than enough. I don¡¯t need the Laurence family¡¯s.¡± Hailey, who agreed with this, also nodded, ¡°The Laurence family¡¯s assets are indeed too much, I¡¯d better not¡­.¡± Chapter 606 Chapter 606 Bernard, who hadnt said a word, looked at the two under pressure, and said. ¡°The current assets of the Laurence family were earned by me it¡¯s not rted to the Laurence family Whol want to give them to is my business Don¡¯t Think about too much and His eyes turned to Eleanor¡¯s face saying firmly. ¡°All my future assets will belong to Eleanor His gift was more than just the Laurence family¡¯s wealth It was his worth and all he uture earnings Every penny was a gift! Hailey wanted to say something but Bernard interrupted her, Ms Vulpe, wealth is just a worldly possession to me I don¡¯t care about it. I¡¯m willing to give my life to Eleanor So dont worry about the gift¡± Feeling his sincerity, Hailey stopped trying to persunde him and just asked. ¡°Your elders, Eleanor hasn¡¯t met them yet. Do they agree?¡± Bernard¡¯s face darkened a bit. Nam in charge of the Laurence family. My wife doesn¡¯t need to meet them ¡± As he said this, he exuded the aura of someone who had long been in a high position, which shook Harley She almost forgot that the man sitting on the opposite sofa was the head of the Laurence Group, the Stanley family, and the Ratliff Group Even if the Laurence family elders disliked Eleanor she wouldn¡¯t have to bow down to them With such a strong backing Eleanor wouldn¡¯t be bullied when she married him Thinking about this. Hailey stopped worrying about Eleanor, who was still worrying about too many gifts, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s settled!¡± Once Hailey made the decision, the matter was settled The wedding was set for Valentine¡¯s Day Even minor things like taking wedding photos were scheduled After the wedding arrangements were settled, the man on the sofa coldly ordered Aidyn, ¡°You stay here and protect them¡± The word ¡°them made Hailey feel more appreciation for Bernard He must have considered her as Eleanor¡¯s sister and loved her as well After the matter was settled, Bernard had to go back to the group for work Seeing that he had something to say to Eleanor Hailey quickly got up to give them space When Harley left, Bernard got up and walked over to Eleanor. He bent down to pick her up and sat her on hisp, then leaned in to kiss her red lips. Eleanor bring you flowers every day. Also, remember to call me if you want to go anywhere I¡¯ll pick you up ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Eleanor was about to say that it wasn¡¯t necessary, but she saw the reluctance in his eyes and quickly hugged him ¡°Okay, I listen to you. Bernard¡± Bernard held the back of her head, took her lips, and kissed her deeply for a while before reluctantly letting her go. I¡¯m going back to work¡± ¡°Mhm, go ahead¡± Compared to Bernard¡¯s determined reluctance, Eleanor was much more cheerful. The man raised his hand and helplessly scratched her nose, then put her down. Just before stepping out of the vi, he looked back hesitantly at Eleanor. Wait for me at home¡± Eleanor obediently nodded at him. She saw that he seemed to want toe back and nag her some more, so she quickly waved, ¡°Bye¡± Only then did Bernard stop and leave the vi Just before getting in the car, he reminded Aidyn to take good care of her. Adyn pointed to his eyes and promised again and again. These eyes will definitely watch Eleanor all the time ¡°Only then did Bernard leave with peace of mind Chapter 607 Chapter 607 After Bernard left. Eleanor immediately got up to look for Hailey in the master bedroom She saw Hailey sitting at the vanity, staring nkly at some papers in her hand. So, the quickly knocked on the door Hailey, what are you looking at?¡± she asked Hearing the knock, Hailey gicky stashed away the folder that Garett had given her earlier into a drawer Garett had told her not to give the folder to Eleanor until her wedding day, so Hailey kept it a secret Eleanor, of course noticed Haley¡¯s panic but didn¡¯t probe Instead, she said. Hailey, I bought a vi next door to yours¡± Hailey was about to say that there was no need to buy a vi and that living with her was fine. But before she could say it, she understood what Eleanor meant Eleanor was worned about the Laurences looking down on her so she had prepared a vi for herself The thought of marrying into a wealthy family was quite a headache Luckily, Eleanor had a talent for design, and one design could earn her millions Just this talent alone amazed people Hailey had no special talent. She only worked in a nightclub Hailey was a bit silent. She suddenly remembered that she had no chance of marrying into a wealthy family. Being a nightclub owner was enough. With that thought, Hailey regained her confidence. She reached out and pulled Eleanor to sit next to her. By the way about your wedding gift, I n to give you 50%, shares of the nightclub, plus all the savings and properties I have umted over the years. Eleanor remembered when Hailey got married for the first time, she only gave her a couple hundred grand. Later, when Hailey went to W City, she secretly returned a total of a million to Eleanor The couple hundred was a part of that million Now Hailey wanted to use all her assets to help her, which moved Eleanor deeply She held Hailey¡¯s hand tightly and softly said, ¡°Hailey, these are your life¡¯s foundation, you can¡¯t give them to me I¡¯ll figure it out myself¡± There were nearly two months until Valentine¡¯s Day, she could draw more designs and probably earn quite a bit of money Atthoughpared to what Bernard gave her, it was a drop in the ocean, but that was all she could offer Hailey still wanted to persuade Eleanor to ept, but Eleanor suddenly stood up and ran out, ¡°Hey, where are you going?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t look back. She headed straight for the study downstairs, ¡°I¡¯ve been gone for more than half a year. Pearce must have sent a lot of messages. I need to call him back ASAP!¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Hailey chased after her quickly exining told him about your situation, he knows!¡± But Eleanor had already run into the study,pletely ignoring what Halley was saying, and frantically looked for her phone She remembered that when she was kidnapped by the scar¨Cfaced man, her phone was on the desk, where was it now? Eleanor was nning to ask Marina about some things, but then she saw her phone in perfect condition on the bookshelf. She quickly picked up the phone, returned to the desk and charged it. It turned on, and she opened WhatsApp As soon as Eleanor logged in, Pearce¡¯s messages came through like bombs. They bombarded her one after the other, leaving her overwhelmed She held her phone, waiting for the message count to stop at 99+ Then she started to read each one¡­ At first, he was sending information rted to the project, but since she never replied, his messages slowly turned into [Are you there?] If you¡¯re there, please reply] Why havent you replied yet] [Do you want me to call and check on you] [Thats not going to happen, international calls are expensive] 1 A bunch of trivial words, she just scrolled past, to thest one inces JOh, Hailey said you were taken away by Ethan, I sympathize with that, also, hope you adjust well to the new environment] So Pearce knew she was taken away by Ethan, and that¡¯s why he stopped messaging her, but¡­ He was Ethan¡¯s apprentice He knew Ethan did something wrong to her, and yet he didn¡¯t help her. He had even hoped she would adjust well. This was too much! Eleanor was so angry her teeth were grinding She immediately scrolled through her contacts, and gave Pearce a very angry call Pearce, who was in the middle of a construction site, heard his phone. It hadn¡¯t rung for more than half a year, but it suddenly rang with a pleasant tone. He immediately jumped up He took off his dusty gloves, and excitedly took out his phone He saw it was Eleanor calling He answered with a big smile on his face. ¡°Hello. So you¡¯re still alive?¡± Chapter 608 Chapter 608 Eleanor snorted, ¡°Pearce, you knew Ethan was the one who took me Why didn¡¯t youe to save me?¡± Pearce casually brushed off the dust on his face. 1 can¡¯t beat him Trying to save you would have been suicide¡± He added, ¡°I bet the big boss of the Laurence Group wouldn¡¯t just of back and watch. So, why not leave the hero¨Csave¨Cprincess opportunity to him? Aint that nice?¡± Eleanor was left speechless: ¡°You sure know yourself well¡± Pearce tried to force a smile. ¡°Self awareness That¡¯s my motto Before he could finish, a group of workers appeared, pointing in his direction and shouting. ¡°There he is The bastard who owes us wages!¡± ¡°Everybody, raise your shovels and follow me Let¡¯s get him!¡± Eleanor could hear the sound of Pearce running away on the other end of the phone ¡°Eleanor, I have spent half a year of surveying construction sites for you. I¡¯ve been beaten up by these workers countless times! ¡°You better remember this, when I¡¯m back, you owe me a golden statue Then the call was cut off, leaving Eleanor unsure whether Pearce was knocked down or had managed to escape. After a moment of thought, she texted him [How many more construction sites do you have left to survey?] She thought Pearce wouldn¡¯t respond, but the next second she received his message [Just one more, and you¡¯ll probably have to do the survey yourself | When Eleanor asked why she had to go. Pearce didn¡¯t answer Hemstead sent a string of gibberish Now Eleanor was sure Pearce had been caught by the workers¡­ ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . In his tone, she replied with [Hope you enjoy your new surroundings] She scrolled through their chat history and saw that Pearce had been to construction sites in eight different countries over the past month. She couldn¡¯t help but admire his dedication Pearce worked really hard to ensure Eleanor couldfortably earn the billion from the Jared Group Headquarters rebuild. He was meticulous about every project He created a presentation for each site, including project introductions, site photos, videos, measurement data, style preferences, and a lot more. Everything was crystal clear and detailed All Eleanor had to do was draw the sketches based on the information Everything else would be taken care of by Pearce and Vanguard Architects. She thought for a moment and prioritized these projects in a timeline. After assigning tasks, the decided to start with the wedding room design She had to finish the design before the wedding so she could arrange the decorations in advance Due to the tight schedule for drafting. Eleanor decided to postpone her French lessons until after the wedding Once she had a concrete n for the uing tasks, she texted George to ask about Nina George quickly sent a voice message, which Eleanor openedter To her surprise, it was Nina¡¯s Voice. Auntie Eleanor, we¡¯re back in G country I want to tell you that Uncle George is annoying He wants to send me back to dad¡¯s house. I miss dad, but I don¡¯t want to leave Uncle George. Auntie Eleanor, can you help me figure out how I can stay here?¡± Hearing the gentle voice, Eleanor felt a warm feeling in her heart She held her phone, pressed the voice button and replied softly. ¡°Nina, I suggest you listen to Uncle George Go back to your dad¡¯s house, and go to school What do you think?¡± Nina¡¯s dissatisfied voice came from the other side. ¡°No, I dont want to go to school and I don¡¯t want to leave Uncle George Auntie Eleanor, you¡¯re mean. I won¡¯t talk to you anymore!¡± Chapter 609 Chapter 609 Eleanorughed. She was about tofort Nina agan when she saw a message from George. No worries, Ms. Shultz. I make sure Nina goes to school¡± Eleanor replied. ¡°Dr George, if Nina still wants to spend time with Ethan, I hope you can take care of her, and make sure she¡¯s not hurt.¡± George quickly repled ¡°Actually Ethan is pretty good to Nina You can chill out¡± Eleanor stared at the message She thought for a while, and replied with a simple ¡°Okay¡± At first, Ethan wasnt nice to Nina, but he seemed to have warmed up to her. Perhaps having Nina around would help him gradually recover from the pain of losing his sister and embrace a new life Eleanor sat at her desk. She zoned out for a while, put down her phone, and got up to find Hailey After being apart for half a year, they didn¡¯t get to hang out much Now that she was back, Hailey was over the moon She pulled Eleanor onto the bed. They applied face masks and chatted This scene reminded her of three years ago, the night before Hailey¡¯s wedding. They were sitting just like this, talking about the past and the future Only this time it was her turn to get married And Hailey, who always advised Eleanor not to marry Bernard, was now speaking up for him. She kept telling Eleanor to treat Bernard better in the future, so they could have asting marrage Eleanor listened to Hailey staring at the ceiling, and smiling. At this moment, she suddenly understood the meaning of getting a second chance at life. It was to make up for her regrets, knowing that Bernard had loved her too. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. To return to Hailey¡¯s side to feel the care and warmth of family And that young man who chose to sacrifice himself, gave her constion When Eleanor didn¡¯t respond, not even a nod, Hailey quickly looked at her. Eleanor, what are you thinking about?¡± Eleanor snapped back to reality, smiled at her. 7 was thinking Why haven¡¯t you thrown out the wilted flowers he sent?¡± The garden downstairs was filled with lychee roses from half a year ago Most had witted, but Hailey didn¡¯t clean them up. Shed just piled them up Hailey chuckled. ¡°They were for you I was waiting for you toe back and see them You had to experience Bernard¡¯s romantic act Eleanor snuggled up to Hailey, cooing Hailey, you¡¯re the best¡± Halley teased her, if I wasnt good, how could I be your husband¡¯s sister?¡± Eleanor blushed shyly saying. Thaven¡¯t even married him yet. Why are you changing titles to quickly?¡± Hailey crossed her legs, swinging her foot andughing, it¡¯s only a matter of time. No rush¡± Eleanor thought, why did everyone think she was the anxious one? The anxious one wasnt her at Tak about a misunderstanding As they talked, the topic shifted to Liana. They agreed to visit Liang tomorrow. Then they washed ther faces, did their skincare routine,id in bed, and drifted off to sleep. Early the next morning. Eleanor was awakened by a kno the door from Marina, ¡°Ms. Shultz, a Mr. ke is looking for you¡± Hailey was half asleep, mistook it for Bernard She mumbled sleepily. ¡°So early? His wife isn¡¯t going anywhere¡± She mumbled, turned over, and fell back asleep But Eleanor who was fully awake, heard every word ke Bernards grandfather The head of the Laurence family, ke Laurence That important figure who once held sway in the business world was actually looking for her Chapter 610 Chapter 610 Eleanor had never met Bernard¡¯s granddad ke But, she had heard plenty about him Word had it that ke was so powerful during his time, even the Big Four in the M Continent had to give him a wide barth His determination and decisiveness had made the Laurence Group a powerhouse in markets worldwide Now, such a big shot suddenly came looking for her. It was likely that he was here to discuss her marriage Eleanor quessed that was why he was here, and she was both nervous and scared But she put on a brave face, got herself together, and went downstairs to meet him ke was wearing a suit that fit him like a glove. He leaned on a cane and stood tall in the living room Despite being 75, this old man looked youthful, full of vim and vigor. There was a cold aura about him Eleanor could feel his presence even before she got close to him. She needed to muster the courage, firm up her nerves, and step up to him. ¡°Grandpa ke She greeted him politely Only then did ke shift his attention from the surroundings to her. His gaze was calm and deep, as if he was scanning Eleanor from head to toe Eleanor felt his cold stare, and it was making her nervous. But she kept her coul and didn¡¯t show any fear. Seeing that ke stayed silent, she suggested they sit down, ¡°Grandpa ke, why dont we sit down and have a chat?¡± She motioned for him to take a seat on the couch, but he waved her off. ¡°No need. I¡¯ll just say a few words and then I leave,¡± ke¡¯s voice was hoary, but it was still strong andpelling You had to obey his wish. Eleanor had no choice but to retract her hand and look up at the tall ke, ¡°Grandpa ke, is there something you¡¯d like to tell me?¡± She didn¡¯t directly ask why he was looking for her, but asked what he wanted to tell her, as a sign of respect Hearing this, a hint of disdain in ke¡¯s eyes faded slightly. He looked at Eleanor and asked, ¡°On the night Bernard proposed to you, all the elders of the Laurence family were invited.Do you know why we didn¡¯t attend?¡± Eleanor got his point, but she pretended not to know and shook her head, ¡°Grandpa ke, please do tell.¡± ke straightened up and said coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t approve of your marriage¡± Hearing his intention, Eleanor felt a sense of relief, ¡°Grandpa ke, all decisions about my marriage to Bernard are made by him. If you disagree, please discuss it with him.¡± She and Bernard had gone through a lot. Now, at this final stage, they were facing opposition from the elders. This was beyond her control. All she could do was hand it over to Bernard ke didn¡¯t expect that this seemingly prim and proper youngdy could stay cool under his pressure and even throw the ball back in his court. He sized up Eleanor again. This woman must have known that he had voiced his opposition to their marriage in front of Bernard. That was why she dared to suggest he discuss it with Bernard. This woman seemed to have deep thoughts. No wonder his grandson was so smitten with her. ke dropped his disdain and became wary. ¡°Ms Shultz, my grandson is head over heels for you. He will definitely marry you, so dont try to fob me off with him. Let¡¯s be straightforward with each other¡± Eleanor noted his tone getting serious and her heart raced, ¡® ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Before she could respond, the old man cut her off, I won¡¯t beat around the bush. As an elder, I just have a few questions for you.¡± Eleanor tightened her grip and nodded, ¡°Sure, sir. Fire away¡± -ke raised a finger and asked Eleanor, ¡®First question, does your background match up to my grandson¡¯s?¡± Chapter 611 Chapter 611 Eleanor felt a pang in her heart as she lowered her head. What kind of background could she have had as an orphan? ke sneered when he saw her silence. Tve done my homework on your You¡¯re an orphan. Even though you¡¯ve found your sister, she¡¯s just a designer, how could she ever match up to my grandson? True, if youpared their backgrounds, she couldn¡¯t match up But, Even as a designer, my sister has achieved remarkable sess in her field¡± He could belittle her background, but her sister was off limits ke clearly looked down on a mere designer, but he didn¡¯t argue with Eleanor, simply stating ¡°You know that¡¯s your sister¡¯s achievement. It has nothing to do with you.¡± His point being, her sister¡¯s sess didn¡¯t reflect her own. Eleanor agreed with this. But he misunderstood her She was just defending her sister.. Eleanor tried to exm, but ke moved on from the first issue to the next, ¡°Ms. Shultz, where did you graduate from?¡± This question hit her hard, darkening her eyes Seeing her silence, ke answered for her, ¡°Didn¡¯t even get into the University of A, just some regr college. And my grandson got into a top school at a young age. You still think you¡¯re good enough for him?¡± Eleanor¡¯s fingers clenched tightly, as she faced ke She was not intimidated by his aura but doubted herself because of his questions¡­Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Compared to her, ke was calm, ¡°Ms Shultz, women who have married into the Laurence family have eache from wealthy families. Even if they¡¯re not from wealthy families, they have impressive educational backgrounds. But your background, is not even one of a regr family I¡¯m not looking down on ordinary families. If you work hard and achieve a high education, I¡¯d ept it, at least it guarantees good genes for the Laurence family. But you poor background, low education, how can I agree to this marriage?¡± Eleanor took a step back from his words, but she gathered her courage and dered her feelings for Bernard Laurence, ¡°Mr. Laurence, I know my background isn¡¯t good, and I didn¡¯t get into a good college But, I will strive to improve myself and do everything I can to make myself good enough for him¡± ke always valued talent. He scoffed, ¡°Ms. Shultz, sess in academics isn¡¯t achieved by effort alone. If you were talented, it would have shown when you were in college. Why wait untilter to further your education?¡± Eleanor looked glum Was it because shecked talent that she didn¡¯t get into a good college, or was it because her heart condition worsened during the exam? She couldn¡¯t find the right answer anymore. Her past self was so focused on graduating and starting work to support herself, she didn¡¯t have the courage to go back and try again. Outsiders wouldn¡¯t understand these matters of her past. If she spoke about it, she¡¯d probably getughed at So Eleanor didn¡¯t bother exining, just quietly looked at Mr. Laurence ¡°I understand your point, but I¡¯m sorry, I won¡¯t leave Bernard just like that.¡± He once said, if she left him again, he wouldn¡¯t be able to bear it And she, couldn¡¯t lose him again Seeing Eleanor still determined, ayer of frost formed on Mr. Laurence¡¯s handsome face ¡°Since you won¡¯t leave him, I¡¯ll ask you the third question¡­. His cold and indifferent gaze moved from Eleanor¡¯s face to her belly, ¡°Ms. Shultz, I heard you can¡¯t have children, is that true?¡± Chapter 612 Chapter 612 Eleanor¡¯splexion, which had somewhat improved under Bernard¡¯s care, had gone pale agam She trembled, took a weak step back, her cold fingers lightly touching her lower abdomen. She and Bernard had slept together so many times but she had never shown any signs of pregnancy Could it be she couldn¡¯t have kids? Seeing her turn pake. ke reminded her coldly. ¡°Ms Shultz, The head of the Laurence family needs to have an her If you can¡¯t bear a child, how can you be part of the Laurence famay?¡± Letting the Laurence family¡¯s leader get married to a woman without any background, low education and mability to have children, it would make the family aughingstock. He would never let that happen! After saying this ke took out a check from his suit pocket, already prepared, and handed it to Eleanor He wants to marry you with the entire Laurence family¡¯s fortune. I wont take back what he has given you Here¡¯s another check, you can write any amount you want on it. The only condition is that you leave him¡± Kr Laurence said all this just to get her to leave. He hit her weak spot with simple words, thinking he had seeded. He ended the conversation by giving her a check. However, Eleanor tore up the check and handed it back to him ¡°Sir, trying to send me away with a check will not only hurt your grandson but also make me look down on the former head of the Laurence family¡± Having said this, her face gradually regained some color. As for what you said about background, education, and children Lonce rejected him for these reasons, but he said he didn¡¯t care He said he didn¡¯t need children, all he wanted was me by his side¡± ke was a clever man, he read between the lines. Bernard loved her deeply and couldn¡¯t leave her. Regardless of her background, education, or children, if Bernard was willing to sacrifice for her, he would never agree to this marriage The Laurence family had many enemies. Many from other powerful families hoped for Bernard¡¯s death if they knew this woman could make Bernard give up everything, if they used her as leverage in the future, the Laurence family would be done for! Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. This was also why Mr. Laurence had always taught Bernard not to have emotions. An heir to a powerful family, devoid of emotions, would have no vulnerabilities. Without vulnerabilities, the Laurence family would endure forever. Bernard¡¯s father didn¡¯t heed the advice and met a gruesome end. He didn¡¯t want his well groomed grandson to follow in his father¡¯s footsteps With this thought, a cold glint shed in ke¡¯s eyes When he spoke again, his voice was filled with a chill. Im not here to negotiate with you. I¡¯m here to tell you, if you¡¯re willing to listen to me, I¡¯ll send you abroad for further study. If you¡¯re not, I have to make you disappear¡± Eleanor never thought Bernards grandfather would want to kill her. She was a bit scared but still bravely said, ¡°Sir, I¡¯m sorry. But I can¡¯tply with you.¡± Her words were polite, but firm, causing a slight change in ke¡¯s expression. The girl showed some courage, but sadly she wasn¡¯t Bernard¡¯s ideal partner. ke tucked away his sympathy for her, waved his hand, and a few ck¨Cd bodyguards immediately appeared at the door ¡°If you wontply, then don¡¯t me me for being ruthless. Take her away!¡± Just as the bodyguards were about to grab Eleanor, a cold voice suddenly came from outside the door- I''d like to see who dares!¡± Chapter 613 Chapter 613 It was still snowing outside today, and a man in a ck coat, wearing gold¨Crimmed sses, walked through the door. Behind him was a wobbly Aidyn, along with a bunch of bodyguards in suits, circling around him like stars orbiting the moon The man didn¡¯t even have time to take off his coat With show all over him, he walked past Mr. Lourence, quickly moving towards Eleanor ¡°Did he hurt you?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t even nce at Mr. Laurence he was only concerned about checking Eleanor¡¯s condition, afraid that something could be wrong Seeing him arrive, Eleanor¡¯s panicked heart gradually calmed down ¡°No, we were just chatting. You don¡¯t need to worry¡± The worry in Bernard¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t diminish, it increased ¡°Don¡¯t mind anything he says. Leave everything to me.¡± The man¡¯s deep voice had a calming power it seemed that any obstacle, any difficulty could be handled as long as he was around And it was indeed so Seeing him, ke clutched the check in his hand tightly, his face turning somewhat awkward and embarrassed. If he had helped Bernard years ago, he wouldn¡¯t have feht guilty facing him now. But it was toote to go back. Mr. Laurence, feeling quilty towards Bernard, coughed lightly and took the initiative to speak, ¡®Bernard, I just came to chat with her. You don¡¯t need to be so tense¡± Bernard, who had been paying attention to Eleanor, coldly looked at Mr. Laurence when he heard his words. Tve warned you before, not to disturb her. Did you take my words as wind passing by your ears?¡± Seeing him being so rude to an elder, Eleanor tugged at his sleeve, trying to remind him not to be like this. She didn¡¯t know that Bernard had always spoken this way to ke The rtionship between Bernard and Mr. Laurence broke when he was first whipped by Donna¡­. At that time, he was only a few years old He was covered in bruises from his mother¡¯s beating and crawled to Mr Laurence for help, but Mr. Laurence turned a blind eye. From then on, he understood that Mr. Laurence cultivated him to be the heir, not because of family ties, but because he was of use. For ke, the key to keeping the Laurence family standing forever business world was the strong hand of the heir And Bernard, just like Mr. Laurence when he was young, was chosen and carefully nurtured by ke. He indeed appreciated ke¡¯s cultivation. But if you ask how much affection they had for each other, it was more like they used each other. ke needed to cultivate the sessor of the Laurence family, and he needed power to break away from Donna¡¯s control. In this deal, they both knew what was up without saying it Now that his deal had reached its goal, and he had his own power, ke couldn¡¯t control Bernard, so he turned to his woman. He guessed ke was afraid that Bernard would drag the whole Laurence family down because of Eleanor. In the face of interests, ke certainly wouldnt consider the consequences of him losing Eleanor They didn¡¯t know that if Bernard had lost his life because of this, the Laurence family, without a suitable heir, would also go bankrupt¡­ This was something ke couldn¡¯t understand, and Bernard didn¡¯t want to be honest with him. He just stared at the check torn in half in his hand, and said coldly. ¡°You need to understand. Do you want to use this check to drive away my woman, or do you want me to leave the Laurence family?¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Chapter 614 Chapter 614 Upon hearing this ke¡¯s face darkened. Would you really ditch the Laurence family for a woman?¡± Bernard¡¯s face was impassive he scoffed. ¡°So what if I give up on the Laurence family?¡± Mr. Laurence didn¡¯t know Bernard had another identity, he only knew that Bernard bought the Stanley and Ratliff families Therefore, he thought Bernard was using these two families as bargaining chips. ¡°The Stanley and Ratliff families are not as strong as the Laurence family, you should think this through Bernard raised an eyebrow aloofly, his eves full of coldness. Do you still think the Laurence family is the same as when you were in charge?¡± ke, who had been silently observing from behind, knew full well that the Laurence family was now entirely under Bernard¡¯s control He also knew he had shareholders around the world at his beck and call But so what? Without Bernard, couldn¡¯t the Laurence family find another leader? In his heart. ke knew that among the current generation of the Laurence family only Bernard had the charisma and ability to expand the family¡¯s influence The other grandkids couldn¡¯tpare to him. If someone else took over the Laurence family would decline, just like it did when the ipetent Cedric messed up many projects during his short stint as acting CFO Thinking about this. ke stopped arguing with Bernard about power and changed the subject, ¡°Bernard, I don¡¯t object to your marriage. Ms. Shultz¡¯s background and education don¡¯t matter, but she can¡¯t bear children How can I and the Laurence family ept this?¡± Mr Laurence¡¯s words hit Bernard¡¯s sore spot, making his already cold expression even colder. He slowly let go of Eleanor¡¯s waist, and walked up to ke His tall and straight figure aloof demeanor, and the intimidating aura made ke shiver He looked down at him His gaze was icy and his tone extremely unpleasant. What does her ability to bear children have to do with you?¡± ke frowned He wanted to say it was of course rted, and that they needed his excellent genes to cultivate the next sessor. But unfortunately, before he could say it, he was suppressed by Bernard¡¯s powerful aura- 1m warning you for thest time. I¡¯m marrying her. If anyone gets in the way, expect me to be ruthless!¡± After saying this, he looked towards the door, Please leave I won¡¯t see you out¡± ke was so angry that his face turned green, and he could barely stand steady with the help of his cane. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. He couldn¡¯t find a breakthrough with Bernard, so he turned his icy gaze to Eleanor Ms Shultz, a marriage without elders blessings will not go smoothly. Think it over¡­¡± After saying this, ke, leaned on his cane and walked towards the door with his bodyguards As he passed Aidyn, the old man gave him a cold nce. It was probably Aidyn who tipped¨Coff Bernard. How else could Bernard have arrived so quickly? This kid who had grown up with Bernard was really annoying Ardyn felt the gaze and was indeed startled, but then he thought, the Laurence family now was Bernard¡¯s turf, what was there to be afraid of? He straightened his back and bowed politely to Mr. Laurence ¡°Goodbye, Mr. Laurence¡± ke scolded him coldly ¡°power abuser,¡± then withdrew his gaze and left quickly with his people. Chapter 615 Chapter 615 When ke left, Eleanor felt all antsy She looked up at Bernard, Tthink I really cant get pregnant Being childless was a bigger blow to her than the elders of the Laurence family opposing their marriage Bernard gently pulled her into his arms,forting her softly Eleanor, I don¡¯t need a kid ¡® In his lifetime, having her was enough Hadidn¡¯t want a kid to distract him Eleanor knew Bernard didn¡¯t want a child But the elders of the Laurence family were right, how could the leader of the Laurence family not have a child? She leaned her face gently against his solid chest, sighing deeply Bernard, maybe we shouldnt get married yet.¡± Bernard was the leader of the family and the youngsters followed him, but the elders didn¡¯t respect her. She didn¡¯t deserve him. Ther social status was unequal, she couldn¡¯t have children, and the elders didn¡¯t bless them All these issues made Eleanor scared and hestant Her words made Bernard freeze. His face instantly turned pale. His eyes intensely gazed at her After staring for a long time, he said in a low voice Eleanor, you promised to marry me How could you choose to leave me because of a few words from others?¡± His voice trembled and his eyes turned red. Her hesitation seemed to have hurt him Seeing Bernard so helpless. Eleanor felt quilty, reaching out her arms and holding him tightly ¡°Bernard I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m not leaving you I just think I don¡¯t deserve you, I want to wait until I¡¯ve aplished something before marrying you¡± He held her tighth, almost suffocating her. Eleanor, I¡¯ve said it many times, I don¡¯t care about these things. If you do, Ill give up everything and be an ordinary person.¡± Eleanor, gasping for breath in his arms, wanted to persuade him, but he shut her up with his finger ¡°Your background talents, skills, none of it matters. I only want you, Eleanor. Just you. Do you understand?¡± Eleanor¡¯s heart ached She didn¡¯t expect her words to make him so scared, which made her feel guilty I¡¯m sorry¡± He held her tightly, trying to control his emotions, resting his chin on the top of her head. Eleanor, I can give up everything, even my life for you. But please, dont leave me easily for these reasons¡± He wasn¡¯t afraid of death He was afraid of being left by her. That deep¨Cseated pain, he didn¡¯t want to bear it for the second time, it was too painful. It wasn¡¯t until this moment that Eleanor felt his pain, and she was also heartbroken. For Bernard, he was always overly worried that she would leave him Yet, her Bernard, loved her despite the worry Eleanor looked up at the man with red¨Crimmed eyes and solemnly promised, ¡°Bernard, It never leave you, unless¡­¡± Before she said the words ¡°unless you no longer want to be with me,¡± Bernard stopped her with a kiss, ¡°There¡¯s no unless I will always love you.¡± He held her tightly, his fingers gripping the back of her head, leaning down and kussing her deeply before slowly letting her go. The man looked up at her. Her cheeks were flushed, as she shyly looked at him. Bernard spoke softly. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Thandle things with the Laurence family, don¡¯t worry. As for the child, I¡¯ll definitely make you have our child.¡± He would resolve all her doubts and wornes, and let her marry him with peace and happiness When Eleanor was confronting Mr Laurence, Hailey was already awake. She had been listening upstairs, waiting If Bernard hadn¡¯t shown up in time, she would have rushed downstairs and had a brawl with the people ke sent to kidnap Eleanor. Now, hearing Bernard¡¯s promise to Eleanor, Haley naturally breathed a sigh of relief What was the most important thing in marriage? It was whether your husband loved you and whether he cared about you. As long as your husband treated you well, the elders at home were not important. They were people who sent gifts on special days and those you met once in a while or had a meal. Ordinary families were like this, let alone those big families that had thin affections for each other Halley didn¡¯t ask for anything else she just hoped that Bernard would always love Eleanor, always protect her. That was enough Chapter 616 Chapter 616 She came down from upstairs. She coughed deliberately, interrupting the two tightly embraced people who didnt want to let go. ¡°About having a kid let¡¯s go see Liana again Liana hasn¡¯t diagnosed Eleanor as infertile, so there¡¯s still hope¡± Even though Hadley didn¡¯t think having kids was the most crucial thing, she still had to consider their future. When they got older, they would want a child Having a kid by their side would make life less lonely Besides, she didn¡¯t want them to be two lonely old people, running to her house to y with her kids. Wait a minute, why was she thinking about having kids? Hailey was startled by her own thoughts She quickly tossed them out of her mind and looked towards Eleanor who was approaching Eleanor, get ready We¡¯re supposed to see Liana today Let her check you out. You can try for a kid soon. Hailey kept talking about having kids, which made Eleanor, who was a bit shy, blush. She gave Hailey a look as if to say, don¡¯t say these things in front of Bernard, it was awkward But Hailey didn¡¯t get the hint. She went up to Bernard, reminding him, ¡°You should also get checked at the hospital¡°. Having kids was a two¨Cperson thing. You couldn¡¯t me it all on the woman. Maybe the problem was with the man. Bernard¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly He looked Hailey up and down with a sharp gaze This was the woman Cedric liked? They were indeed a good match. Aidyn, standing nearby, prayed silently for Hailey before whispering ¡°Ms Vulpe, Mr. Laurence has already been checked¡± Eleanor seemed to guess what Hailey was about to say and quickly stopped her, ¡°Hailey, he¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have to ask anymore¡­ Only then did Hailey swallow back the question is his sperm okay?¡± And replied ¡°as long as he¡¯s fine.¡± Then she dragged Eleanor upstairs to get ready. While the two were upstairs getting ready. Bernard raised his (cy eyes and said to Aidyn, ¡°Tell them to come back to the old house tonight.¡± The ¡°them¡± he referred to were the elders of the Laurence family. It seemed Mr. Laurence was ready to deal with his family issues. Aidyn understood the president¡¯s meaning and respectfully replied, Tl arrange it right away¡± Aidyn left the vi to handle things and came back at Bernard¡¯smand. He took out a bouquet of lychee roses from the car When Eleanor walked down the stairs again, the handsome man was holding the pink flowers. He stood there, obediently waiting for her. She saw the bouquet and felt a warmth in her heart. She walked up to him, took the flowers he handed her, looked up at him, and said ¡°thank you.¡± The man bent down slightly with a smile, brought his immacte face close to hers, and said, ¡°Reward¡± This was the first time Eleanor saw him actively asking for a kiss She was surprised and found it amusing, but all these feelings turned into sweetness. She smiled slightly, stood on her Tiptoes, and gently kissed his cheek. The light contact of their lips brought an electrifying sensation, making the man¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bob Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Hewrapped his arm around her slender waist, pulling her tightly into his arms. ¡°You have to make it up to me on our wedding night.¡± Eleanor blushed and chided him softly, ¡°Didn¡¯t I just make it up to you? Why do you want me to do it again..?¡± Just as the man holding her was about to say something, Hailey¡¯s ghost¨Clike voice came from the staircase- ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys leaving?¡± Bernard looked up at Hailey Vulpe who was leaning against the railing, he thought that Cedric would be back home. Receiving his gaze, Hailey felt something was off, but she couldn¡¯t put her finger on it. She felt uneasy. Just as she wanted to get a clearer look, Bernard had already withdrawn his cold gaze and reluctantly let go of Eleanor. 11 drive you guys¡± After saying these words, he took Eleanor¡¯s hand and led her into the stretch Lincoln. Soon, the car stopped in front of Liana¡¯s vi. Liana, who had been informed of their visit, was already waiting at the door. Seeing Eleanor and Hailey getting off the car, a bright and enthusiastic smile appeared on her beautiful face. She stepped forward, held Eleanor¡¯s hand tightly, looking at her excitedly. ¡°Eleanor, long time no see.¡± Eleanor was delighted to see Liana, but she noticed that Liana was limping. Even though it wasn¡¯t very obvious, it was noticeable. Liana, a beautiful and charming woman, was loved by everyone. But now, because of Tyler, she was physically handicapped Eleanor¡¯s eyes were full of sympathy, Liana, you¡¯ve suffered.¡± Liana shook her head. This suffering is nothing¡­ Just jumped off from upstairs and crippled a leg. Compared to the pain of having her uterus removed by Tyler, this was nothing Chapter 617 Chapter 617 She didn¡¯t want her issues to rain on everyone¡¯s parade so she hastily invited them in. ¡°It¡¯s chilly out here Come on in ¡± Just as she was about to usher the duo into the vi, the door of the Lincoln car slowly opened, and a man of almost 19 meters tall stepped out Liana thought that Mr Laurence would dive off after dropping them, but to her surprise, he got out of the car and walked up to her, saying seriously, Liana, give her a check¨Cup first. Taken aback, Liana looked at the perfectly fine Eleanor. What¡¯s wrong? Feeling under the weather?¡± Before Eleanor could even blush, Hailey quickly jumped in, ¡®She¡¯s having trouble conceiving Can you check her again?¡± Only then did Liana catch on. She quickly ushered them into the living room and got them seated on the couch. She then turned to fetch her equipment. She asked Eleanor to stretch out her hand and then lifted her fingers to her wrist, intently conducting the test. Just then, the door to the kitchen swung open and out came Will, dressed in a grey suit, locking clean and gentle, with coffee in hand. The sight of Will appearing in Liana¡¯s house left Eleanor and Hailey exchanging surprised nces. However, Will was the picture of cool as he ced the coffee on the table and nced at them. ¡°Help yourself to some coffee He said so as if he was entertaining quests, polite and cordially giving off an air of proprietorship. Could it be that Liana and him¡­? Liana offered no exnation, but simply looked up at Bernard and said respectfully, ¡°Mr. Laurence, Eleanor¡¯s fertility issue is the same as before, not much has changed. But the medicine! prescribed does seem to have some effect. I rmend continuing with the medication and extending the course¡± The previous medication course was too short to show any results, which was normal, especially given it had been discontinued for half a year How could she possibly get pregnant? But Liana firmly believed that as long as the medicine was adjusted ording to Eleanor¡¯s condition, there was still a high chance of pregnancy Lana¡¯s words gave Bernard a glimmer of hope and somewhat eased Eleanor¡¯s mind, ¡°So how long do i need to take the medication?¡± Liana put away her equipment and locked at Eleanor, smiling. ¡°Try for a month, and if you¡¯re not pregnant, then take it for another month and try again. Keep repeating this, and you¡®!! know how long you need to take the medicine.¡± Eleanor¡¯s face turned beet red at this, feeling massively awkward and wishing she could hide in a hole The man sitting next to her, however, remained unfazed and coolly replied, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give it my all¡± Unable to contain herself, Hailey burst intoughter. Herughter was so infectious that even Liana and Will joined in¡­ Eleanor felt utterly embarrassed in front of her friends and wondered if she could get any dirt on them to even the score. After getting his answer, Bernard left all his bodyguards at the vi, instructing them to protect Eleanor, before he headed off to thepanyN?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Once he left, the atmosphere in the living room gradually lightened up The three carefree individuals curled up on the sofa, clutching their cushions and engaging in idle chatter All that had happened during Eleanor¡¯s half year disappearance, and Hailey¡¯s frequent visits to Liana, had all been shared. They all knew about each other¡¯s experiences, so they didn¡¯t delve into it much. Instead, they chatted about wedding rted stuff After several rounds of teasing from Liana and Hailey, Eleanor looked up at Will who was busy in the kitchen, ¡°Liana. What¡¯s up with him?¡± Liana picked up her coffee, looking at the man in the open kitchen, she smiled, ¡°He proposed to me.¡± Eleanor and Hailey, their eyes wide in surprise, ¡®Proposed?¡± Even more shocked than Eleanor, Hailey added, ¡°When did this happen. Howe I didn¡¯t know?¡± Liana put down her coffee cup and rested her elbow on the cushion She casualty said, ¡°Just a few days ago, he proposed to me while kneeling in the snow. I wanted to surprise you guys, -so I didn¡¯t tell you. Judging from Liana¡¯s tone, had she said yes? Both Eleanor and Hailey were somewhat in disbelief, yet they didn¡¯t know what to say. They could only stare nkly at Liana. Liana, on the other hand, leaned back on the couch, watching their surprised faces Are you wondering why I said yes?* They both nodded, Liana extended her far fingers. She drew back the curtain, looked at the snowy scene outside, and said softly, ¡®All this while, it¡¯s been Will taking care of me. His attentive care made me feel loved¡± She used to always think that she was despised, but it turns out she was loved too na looked out the window at the snow¨Cit white light, and softly said, ¡°Will asked me why I epted his proposal I told him, I wanted to feel what it¡¯s like to be deeply loved too Liana¡¯s words sent a sharp pang of pain through Eleanor¡¯s heart It was like she could feel the sadness for her Hailey on the other hand, was very rational and calm She asked Liana, Liana, do you love Will?¡± Liana answered the question frankly. Who knows Maybe one day in one moment, I might just fall in love with him,¡± She couldn¡¯t promise that she would fall in love with Will right away, but she would try to let go of the past and live a good life with him. Whether she loved him or not seemed less important Because to her, loving someone would mean going through hell and high water for them. But if she didn¡¯t love them, she wouldn¡¯t care much about their behavior and wouldn¡¯t get hurt Liana had made up her mind. The ongoing love hate entanglement would only bring her pain. It would be better to let go and start anew. And her revenge n against Tyler had worked, hadn¡¯t? The time when she jumped off the building. Tyler was so scared that his whole body was shaking. His face was pale, and he didn¡¯t even have the courage to take a second look at her. If he wasn¡¯t afraid of losing her, he wouldn¡¯t have let Aidyn take her away Tyler once said that if she was to die, they would die together, she couldn¡¯t leave him But this time, seeing her lying in a pool of blood, he chose to let go. Liana realized that Tyler did love her, just like she once loved him. But falling in love was the beginning of pain. Liana had achieved her goal. She wouldn¡¯t care about the pain Tyler would suffer in the future, she just wanted to start over Wilt in the open kitchen, heard Liana say that she might love him in the future. His lips curled into a gentle and serene smile. He didn¡¯t ask for Liana to love him now. As long as she was willing to start anew, he would do everything in his power to love her and protect her Hailey understood what Liana meant and nodded to her. ¡°As long as you¡¯re sure, then I wish you and Will a long and happy life together¡± Liana gave a bright smile, thanked Hailey, and then turned to Eleanor, What about you? Do you agree with me marrying Will?¡± Eleanor obviously agreed, but she asked worriedly. ¡°You¡¯re marrying Will Tyler won¡¯t try to stop it, will he?¡± Tyler, like Ethan, was aplete nutcase Liana¡¯s marriage to Will could provoke him even more Liana responded fearlessly. ¡°We won¡¯t have a ceremony We¡¯ll just get the marriage license. Once we have that, Tyler will have no reason to bother me.¡± Once she bes a wife, Tyler would have no reason to bother her, even if he was powerful Besides, the Howell family wouldn¡¯t let hime to A City. Hearing this, Eleanor didn¡¯t say much. She only hoped that Tyler could let Liana go and let her live for herself for once. Hailey wasn¡¯t worried about Tyler, after all, Bernard was there to protect Liana What could Tyler do? What she was really worried about was Will¡¯s family. Will was younger than Liana, very handsome, polite, and elegant. He knew how to respect and protect women, and he came from a well¨Ceducated family This kind of man was very ideal in the eyes of parents. Hailey was concerned that if Liana married Will, his parents could have an issue with Liana not being able to have children. Eleanor and Hailey both had their concerns, but during dinner, Will addressed them and made a solemn promise, ¡°Eleanor, Hailey, I¡¯ve already talked to my parents. They¡¯ve all agreed and epted Liana Please don¡¯t worry.¡± As for Tyler, I¡¯m not afraid of his power or tactics. I¡¯ll protect Liana and will never let her get hurt again¡± Eleanor and Hailey looked at each other, both very satisfied, and nodded. As friends, as long as the man treated their friend well, they wouldn¡¯t interfere too much The two of them put their worries aside, picked up their chopsticks, and began to enjoy the meal that Dr. Webb himself had prepared. The four of them sat at the dinner table, chatting andughing At this moment, a hidden camera in the corner slowly turned In the distant B City, Tyler, who was confined to his room and unable to move, watched this scene through the surveince camera. His expression was gloomy, and he wished he could tear apart the man who kept serving food to Liana ¡°So, Liana, you¡¯re going to marry another man? Fine, just wat Im going to send you a wedding gift¡± At the Laurence Manor, lines of shy cars parked at the front yard Chapter 618 Chapter 618 na looked out the window at the snow¨Cit white light, and softly said, ¡°Will asked me why I epted his proposal I told him, I wanted to feel what it¡¯s like to be deeply loved too Liana¡¯s words sent a sharp pang of pain through Eleanor¡¯s heart It was like she could feel the sadness for her Hailey on the other hand, was very rational and calm She asked Liana, Liana, do you love Will?¡± Liana answered the question frankly. Who knows Maybe one day in one moment, I might just fall in love with him,¡± She couldn¡¯t promise that she would fall in love with Will right away, but she would try to let go of the past and live a good life with him. Whether she loved him or not seemed less important Because to her, loving someone would mean going through hell and high water for them. But if she didn¡¯t love them, she wouldn¡¯t care much about their behavior and wouldn¡¯t get hurt Liana had made up her mind. The ongoing love hate entanglement would only bring her pain. It would be better to let go and start anew. And her revenge n against Tyler had worked, hadn¡¯t? The time when she jumped off the building. Tyler was so scared that his whole body was shaking. His face was pale, and he didn¡¯t even have the courage to take a second look at her. If he wasn¡¯t afraid of losing her, he wouldn¡¯t have let Aidyn take her away Tyler once said that if she was to die, they would die together, she couldn¡¯t leave him But this time, seeing her lying in a pool of blood, he chose to let go. Liana realized that Tyler did love her, just like she once loved him. But falling in love was the beginning of pain. Liana had achieved her goal. She wouldn¡¯t care about the pain Tyler would suffer in the future, she just wanted to start over Wilt in the open kitchen, heard Liana say that she might love him in the future. His lips curled into a gentle and serene smile. He didn¡¯t ask for Liana to love him now. As long as she was willing to start anew, he would do everything in his power to love her and protect her Hailey understood what Liana meant and nodded to her. ¡°As long as you¡¯re sure, then I wish you and Will a long and happy life together¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Liana gave a bright smile, thanked Hailey, and then turned to Eleanor, What about you? Do you agree with me marrying Will?¡± Eleanor obviously agreed, but she asked worriedly. ¡°You¡¯re marrying Will Tyler won¡¯t try to stop it, will he?¡± Tyler, like Ethan, was aplete nutcase Liana¡¯s marriage to Will could provoke him even more Liana responded fearlessly. ¡°We won¡¯t have a ceremony We¡¯ll just get the marriage license. Once we have that, Tyler will have no reason to bother me.¡± Once she bes a wife, Tyler would have no reason to bother her, even if he was powerful Besides, the Howell family wouldn¡¯t let hime to A City. Hearing this, Eleanor didn¡¯t say much. She only hoped that Tyler could let Liana go and let her live for herself for once. Hailey wasn¡¯t worried about Tyler, after all, Bernard was there to protect Liana What could Tyler do? What she was really worried about was Will¡¯s family. Will was younger than Liana, very handsome, polite, and elegant. He knew how to respect and protect women, and he came from a well¨Ceducated family This kind of man was very ideal in the eyes of parents. Hailey was concerned that if Liana married Will, his parents could have an issue with Liana not being able to have children. Eleanor and Hailey both had their concerns, but during dinner, Will addressed them and made a solemn promise, ¡°Eleanor, Hailey, I¡¯ve already talked to my parents. They¡¯ve all agreed and epted Liana Please don¡¯t worry.¡± As for Tyler, I¡¯m not afraid of his power or tactics. I¡¯ll protect Liana and will never let her get hurt again¡± Eleanor and Hailey looked at each other, both very satisfied, and nodded. As friends, as long as the man treated their friend well, they wouldn¡¯t interfere too much The two of them put their worries aside, picked up their chopsticks, and began to enjoy the meal that Dr. Webb himself had prepared. The four of them sat at the dinner table, chatting andughing At this moment, a hidden camera in the corner slowly turned In the distant B City, Tyler, who was confined to his room and unable to move, watched this scene through the surveince camera. His expression was gloomy, and he wished he could tear apart the man who kept serving food to Liana ¡°So, Liana, you¡¯re going to marry another man? Fine, just wat Im going to send you a wedding gift¡± At the Laurence Manor, lines of shy cars parked at the front yard Chapter 619 Chapter 619 A man stepped out of one of the luxury cars, treading on marble steps. He was followed by a few suited bodyguards carrying briefcases, and entered the courtyard. Walking through the winding corridor, and passing round archways and corner stone statues Through thevish entrance hall across the cloister, and straight into the living room. The living room was all glitz and mour. The wooden tables, chairs, sofas, and countless decorations of various shapes and colors highlighted luxury The elder members of the Laurence family were already seated all over the living room, fervently discussing the purpose of this meeting 1 bet hes pissed that we didn¡¯t show up to his proposal ceremony ¡°That Ms Shultz, is she even worth our time?¡± Exactly, a woman who can¡¯t evenpare to us in status, is not even worthy enough to polish my shoes, why should we go?¡± ¡°Right, even if he¡¯s the family¡¯s head, we don¡¯t have to bend over backwards for him Not just the proposal ceremony, we won¡¯t go to the wedding!¡± Yeah, we wont go to the wedding either, let¡¯s see what he can do to us¡­¡± Apart from these elders, the younger generation of the Laurence family was also present. Upon hearing these discussions, their faces turned grim. They all remained silent. Only the youngest, Sigrid, looked quite discontent and scoffed ¡°You guys think he cares whether you attend or not? If he didn¡¯t want to showplete sincerity to Eleanor, you probably wouldn¡¯t even have received an invitation. You say you won¡¯t even go to his wedding, have the guts to say it to his face. Let¡¯s see if he would invite you¡± Being used by the younger generation, made the uncles ufortable and they started pointing fingers at Sigrid¡¯s parents Look at this, this is the excellent student you¡¯ve raised. Doesn¡¯t even have basic manners, and you dare call her an excellent student)¡± 1think either she¡¯s be stupid from studying abroad, or she¡¯s been corrupted by Chase¡± Im sure its Chase who corrupted her, that¡¯s why she doesn¡¯t show respect to her elders.¡± ¡°If she respected her elders, she wouldn¡¯t have let Cedric take her to the hospital for an abortion¡­.¡± ¡°Abortion? Whose child?¡± ¡°Who else, Chases child of course!¡± Upon hearing these words, Sigrid¡¯s face turned as cold as ice. She was unable to utter a word. Veronica, heard the conversation bing increasingly inappropriate, picked up her phone and mmed it on the table She was about to blow up, when a group of people walked in through the door. The moment Bernard appeared in the living room with his bodyguards, all discussions ceased. The room was so quiet that it was as if there was no one there. The man who walked in from the outside didn¡¯t even nce around He walked directly towards the head of the room with a cold expression ke, leaning on his cane, was sitting at the head. His face turned to an ugly grimace as he saw Bernard enter. But he invited him to sit down. Bernard gave the old man a cold look. He didn¡¯t greet him, and sat down next to him. The man leaned back on the single leather sofa, his long legs spread outzily under his suit pants. His posture and demeanor were like a king¡¯s He rxed casually One hand supported his chin. He lifted his icy eyes, and looked at the rtives sitting below one by one. What were you just discussing? Say it again, let me hear it.¡± Those who had been using Sigrid fell silent immediately, not daring to speak. They all lowered their heads, disappearing into the crowd. ¡°I gave you a chance to refute Since you all choose to stay silent, then listen to me! ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . The man sitting at the head, slightly tilted his head, revealing a face of clear contours under the dim light. Those who ndered my wife and med my sister, don¡¯t have toe to work at the Laurence Group anymore. As for the shares¡­¡± Bernard paused, his cold gazending on the third oldest, ¡°Kendrick, you handle the cash out.¡± Kendrick Laurence, received his older brothers order and nodded immediately. ¡°Alright, It arrange it right away¡± Kendrick, who was efficient in doing things, quickly left the living room to make arrangements Seeing that Bernard was serious, the Laurence family¡¯s rtives couldn¡¯t sit still anymore, they all objected ¡°Why should we cash out? We don¡¯t want to. We want to stay and have shares in the Laurence Group¡± Their shares might not be much, but the dividends were not small. With those little shares, they could live for several generations ¡°On what grounds?¡± Bernard scoffed With his scarred hand, he flicked the snowkes off his sleeve, and slowly began. ¡°Since the establishment of the Laurence Group, you¡¯ve not contributed anything You just rely on the family name, you¡¯ve got a quota of shares. You sit quietly and enjoy the benefits, I could turn a blind eye, but what have you done behind my back? epting bribes, manipting the stock market, selling projects, one after another. All are destroying the Laurence Group, why should I keep you?* Chapter 620 Chapter 620 After Bernard¡¯s speech, a bunch of rtives were left speechless. They didn¡¯t see iting that the big cheese of the Laurence family would be in the know of their shady deals ¡°Sure, we did this stuff, but you can¡¯t just kick us all out of the Laurence family, right?¡± They didn¡¯t believe that other folks in the Laurence family hadn¡¯t done the same, so why were they the first to take the hit? ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Big bro, you gotta stand up for us. We hardly have any shares as it is, if they¡¯re taken back now, how will we get by?¡± The ¡°big bro¡± they were referring to was ke, the father of the Laurence family These rtives were ke¡¯s siblings, both close and distant, all part of his generation. Although ke wasn¡¯t the top dog anymore, his word still carried weight Regardless of Bernard¡¯s power, he couldn¡¯t just bypass ke, right? As long as ke stood up for them, Bernard¡¯s decision would mean squat! It was because of kes backup that they dared to y dirty behind the scenes But ke valued the Laurence family¡¯s interests more than anyone Anything that harmed the family¡¯s interests, he wouldn¡¯t let slide. Though he didn¡¯t agree with Bernard summoning everyone back to the old mansion for a woman, he sided with Bernard on this matter Bernard had dug up the dirt and nned to deal with the rtives who were abusing the Laurence family¡¯s name, and ke of course supported him. However, they were all part of the same n, even if he detested their actions, he had to keep up appearances. Thinking this. ke put on a show of anger, banging his cane on the floor, ¡°Bernard, we¡¯re all family here, a little lesson is enough. Don¡¯t go overboard¡± Bernard gave ke an indifferent nce, 11 deal with you after I¡¯m done with them. Don¡¯t rush ke, who had tried to y the good guy, looked grim at these words. What was this supposed to mean? He was about to ask when Bernard looked away, turning his cold gaze to the disgruntled rtives ¡°You¡¯ve got a minute Ether take the buyout and leave, or be sent to the police station. Your choice¡± As soon as his words fell the bodyguards in the living room stepped forward, ready to haul anyone who didn¡¯tply off to the station. The rtives were in shock. They saw that Bernard was nning to deal with ke after them. Was this a rebellion? They wanted to resist, but the bodyguards¡® icy stares and intimidating presence, were as formidable as Bernard¡¯s, and it made their hearts tremble with fear. They really blew it this time. If they had known better, they would have just attended Bernard¡¯s proposal ceremony instead of getting into all this mess. They had med Bernard for being an authoritarian, but now that he had them by the balls, they began ming the old man for stirring the pot. They were fuming, but couldn¡¯t make up their minds within a minute and began whispering among themselves At this point, Veronica spoke up, ¡°Guys, I suggest you take thepensation Embezzlement alone couldnd you behind bars for years. You wouldn¡¯t want to drag your kids into this, would you?¡± After she finished, her brother Taylor chimed in, ¡°Considering Bernard still has some scruples about turning on his own family: you better take the buyout and split. He won¡¯t have the patience or time for your dilly¨Cdallying¡­¡± Everyone knew how much these rtives had profited from the Laurence family, but chose to turn a blind eye because they were ¡°family¡°. Now that they had pissed off Bernard, there was no good ending for them. Nevertheless, they were all rtives and didn¡¯t want things to get too awkward, in case they still faced each other in the future. They felt embarrassed listening to the younger ones advising them to take the buyout. If they didn¡¯t take thepensation now, they wouldn¡¯t have a choice and they wouldn¡¯t go to jail. If that happened, it wouldn¡¯t just be a matter of getting embarrased, but their children would be affected too. Fine, well take thepensation. But can our children still work in the Laurence Group?¡± One of the men was the first to agree, with a condition. As long as their children could still work in the Laurence Group, thepensation would be enough tost them for generations. Bernard didn¡¯t respond just nced at Taylor. The newly appointed Vice President of the board, Taylor, immediately stepped in. 11 have people conduct risk control checks if they weren¡¯t involved in your crimes, they can stay If they were, they¡¯re forever banned from the Laurence Group, including their descendants.¡± This rule was actually established when the Laurence Group was first founded. It¡¯s just that these rtives had been profiting from the Laurence Group for so long. They didn¡¯t give a damn about the company¡¯s rules Chapter 621 Chapter 621 When they heard what Taylor had to say, those rtives wholl dragged their kids into the feud started to regret it. They should¡¯ve known that as long as Taylor stayed in power, and they contributed in the future, they could potentially regain their shares What they were doing now was like shooting themselves in the foot, and ruining their own kids futures. Those rtives who hadn¡¯t dragged their kids into the mess breathed a sigh of relief, they were d that the disaster didn¡¯t affect their offspring. They didn¡¯t want to be the first to face the music, so they just hung back and waited Bernard ran out of patience, nced at his watch and said coldly. ¡°Times up¡± His ky voice sent the bodyguards forward, which scared the rtives into immediate action, 11 take the cash buyout!¡± ¡°Me tool ¡°And me! Once they made their decisions, they were ready to leave, but the man at the head of the table had no intention of letting them off the hook ¡°Hold on.¡± The rtives stopped in their tracks, looking at Bernard with confusion. They¡¯d already been kicked out of the Laurence Group, what else did they need to stick around for? Bernard cocked his head, saying slowly. ¡°Apologize.. One of the rtives asked in confusion, ¡°Apologize for what?¡± Bernard looked up, his gaze cold, ¡°Apologize to my wife.¡± The guy was taken aback, realizing how deeply Bernard held grudges. More importantly, as the family patriarch, his protection of a woman made her an obvious weakness, didn¡¯t it? C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. The man at the head of the table, as if reading his mind, said again coldly. ¡°If you dare toy a finger on my wife, you¡¯ll learn what weakness really means.¡± The rtive was taken aback. The man in front of him was ruthless enough to send his own mother to prison, and clearly did not care about familial ties Such a man would be a sharp sword, stabbing anyone who dared to harm him. Everyone should steer clear of him and not provoke him. Certainly they should not hurt those he cared about, or they would end up in a worse state than his mother. The rtives were stunned by Bernard¡¯s words. They didn¡¯t dare say anything more and started to apologize. ¡°We¡¯re sorry. We shouldn¡¯t have disrespected your wife, and we shouldn¡¯t have spoken out of turn, we hope you can forgive us¡­.¡± Bernard leaned back at the sofa, nodding faintly in Sigrid¡¯s direction, ¡°And her.¡± Since Bernard¡¯s wife had married into the family, she was officially thedy of the house, so it was fine for the rtives to apologize to her. But to apologize to the youngest member of the family was too much. They were elders tool The rtives unsurprisingly didn¡¯t want to apologize, and expressed their opposition, ¡°As elders, it¡¯s normal for us to criticize the younger ones. Apologizing to Sigrid. No way!¡± Bernard¡¯s cold gaze slowly swept over to Aidyn. With just a nce, dyn understood his meaning and ordered the living room door to be closed. He turned to everyone in the room, saying coldly, ¡°Our president said, if you don¡¯t apologize, none of you gets to leave!¡± The rtives were furious, ming Bernards grandfather for not controlling him. ¡°ke, look at this This is your well¨Cnurtured grandson!¡± Right ke are you just going to sit there calmly and let a youngster bully your siblings?¡± 1 think our brother must be either confused, or doesn¡¯t consider us family. Otherwise, how could he not say a word for us?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t consider us family. Now that he has his own family, and such excellent descendants, what are we to him?¡± Upon hearing these words, ke¡¯s serious face became extremely embarrassed. His hand clutched the walking stick trembling with anger. ¡°Bernard He shouted, hoping Bernard would back off, but Bernard just looked at them coldly as if he hadn¡¯t heard. ¡°Even you dare to insult ke. It shows how deep your resentment towards him is¡± ¡°Since there are so many problems, why don¡¯t you cut ties with him and go your own way¡± After he finished, the hall fell silent, no one dared to make a sound However, Bernard just lowered his feet, straightened his back, ced his hands on his knees and stared at them with cold, fierce eyes. ¡°Remember, change yourst names You don¡¯t deserve to share the same surname as mel The Laurence family¡¯s prosperity was his achievement. These close and distant siblings did nothing but leech off him. After sucking his blood, they even dared to call themselves elders in front of him! They even dared to carelesslyment on his wife and bully his sister! Chapter 622 Chapter 622 ke, who was initially pretty pissed off, wasiil aware of his siblings¡® dissatisfaction with him until Bernard revealed that these people even dared to insult him He looked up and took a fresh look at the brothers and sisters he had once taken care of, feeling weirdly disconnected all of a sudden. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. at seemed that everyone had gradually drifted away from him after they had their own familles. They rarely visited, only seeking him but when in trouble or in need. No matter how good he was to them, they only saw him as an older brother of some use ke pondered for a bit choosing to keep his mouth shut and leaving everything to Bernard Bernard was about to give orders with his slender fingers raised when a rtive walked up to Sigrid. ¡°Sigrid, sorry I was too harsh just now Please forgive me Seeing her usually snooty rtive apologizing to her Sigrid was quite shocked Fortunately, she had received a good education from a young age and could control her emotions, epting the apology calmly and graciously ¡°I ept your apology, but please stop spreading rumors that I had an abortion. I just had a check up at the gynecologist because I wasn¡¯t feeling well She took this opportunity to rify the rumors about herself but didn¡¯t deny having dated Chase Seeing someone apologize first, the others followed suit, as apologizing was nothingpared to being kicked out of the family Of course, even as the head of the family, Bernard didn¡¯t have the right to kick them all out, but ke did. It was only when they saw ke remaining silent did they step forward to apologize. You can¡¯t piss off the big brother who can still support you, or else they¡¯d be nobodies in the Laurence family The apologizing rtives, whether sincere or insincere at least allowed Siged to restore some dignity in this situation. She gratefully looked at her brother It was because of his kindness to his siblings that they would follow his orders Also, it was because of his decisive actions and fair rewards and punishments that everyone admired him so much Her brother Bernard, was the most formidable head of the Laurence family, even grandpa seemed a bit less in his presence Bernard stretched out his long legs, leaning back on the sofa, looking down at the five uncles below These were ke¡¯s sons and the fathers of Bernard¡¯s cousins. This rtionship was much closer than that ofteral rtives. Seeing Bernard eyeing them, the uncles got nervous, thinking back if they had done anything inappropriate in the Laurence family. Even Veronica¡¯s parents were nervously holding her hand, afraid and saying. ¡°If he takes action against uster, you must defend us¡­ Veronica raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Did you embezzle funds, take bribes, or manipte the stock market?¡± Her parents immediately shook their heads. ¡°We work under his supervision, how dare we do such immoral things?¡± Veronica smiled and said. ¡°Then what are you afraid of, Bernard is not the kind who can¡¯t separate work affairs from family ones Her parents disagreed, ¡°We listened to your grandfather and didn¡¯t attend his proposal ceremony, he will definitely hold a grudge against us! Veronica gently patted her parents¡® hands, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, how could Bernard remember such a thing¡± The reason everyone was summoned to the old house today was because grandpa went to find Eleanor on his own and tried to harm her, right? As the head of the family, he naturally had toe back to fix grandpa¡¯s personnel affairs, take back grandpa¡¯s influence, so grandpa wouldn¡¯t dare to point fingers at the head of the family in the future. Although grandpa was very good to Veronica, she also felt that grandpa¡¯s rtives were over the line. She had warned them many times, but grandpa always turned a blind eye, pretending not to know Veronica had already anticipated conflicts with her rtives and was not worried about it. On the contrary, she felt that grandpa should retire at his age. Just as she was thinking about this, Bernard¡¯s icy gaze slowly moved from the uncles to grandpa, ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn- ke caught his icy gaze, smirked, and snonid, ¡°What¡¯s your game n for me?¡± Chapter 623 Chapter 623 The man¡¯s eyes were filled with coldness. Tve prepared a mansion for you in Y Country You¡¯ll be on a private jet tomorrow and will live out your golden years there¡® kenever thought hed see the day when his own grandson would banish him abroad He looked at Beard in disbelief, ¡®Do you even know who put you where you are now?¡± Bernard leaned his hand against his chin and casually replied, ¡°Of course it was you ¡± Propping himself up with his walking stick, ke scoffed. ¡°I was beginning to think you¡¯d forgotten¡± Bernard slightly fitted his head, his indifferent gaze coldly fixed on the old man, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t forget, and neither would I forget your colilness back in the day¡± Upon hearing this. ke couldn¡¯t even bear to meet his gaze and subconsciously averted his eyes. ¡°I did wrong by you back then, but you can¡¯t just treat your own grandfather like this over a woman, can you?¡± Bernard withdrew his gaze, looking out the window as he calmly said, ¡°When I invited you to my engagement ceremony, I told you that she¡¯s my life. Without her, there¡¯s no me, yet you still wanted to hurt her.¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . He paused for a moment, then turned back to the elderly man, ¡°Since you don¡¯t value my life, why should I value you?¡± ke¡¯s heart skipped a beat as if, through Bernard, he saw his estranged son kneeling before him crying and begging him, ¡°Dad, she¡¯s my life Hurting her is like killing me. Please, don¡¯t hurt her fim begging your His handling of the matter back then had forced his son to marry Donna, leading to a tragedy that lasted for over 20 years. ke slowly lowered his head, seemingly lost in the past. Yet, he snapped back to reality in an instant. His son had been stubborn, and paid for it with his life He couldn¡¯t let Bernard walk down the same path! As he tapped on the ground with his walking stick, he told Bernard. ¡°The head of the Laurence family must be cool headed to avoid having any weaknesses! Just like your grandmother and I, our marriage was purely business, no emotions involved That¡¯s how I could deal with enemies decisively. They couldn¡¯t find any weaknesses, and that¡¯s how the Laurence family has gotten where it is today¡± 1 He went on, ¡°it¡¯s not just the Laurence family it¡¯s the same for other established families. Marriage is a business link. You can¡¯t invest emotions in it, or else once the enemy finds your weakness, the Laurence family is toast!¡± The five sons in the room weren¡¯t too pleased to hear this, especially since it involved their own mothers. They naturally resented ke¡¯s words Only Veronica¡¯s father extended a hand to his younger brother, ¡°See, I told you our father had no feelings for our mothers. You didn¡¯t believe me and even made a bet. Now pay up the 500 million!¡± His brother was speechless. This was a bet they had made when they were ten years old. He couldn¡¯t believe his brother still remembered it. He was over fifty now, how could his memory be so good? While they were having their private conversation ke still insisted on his positions, trying to stop Bernard¡¯s marriage. ¡°No matter what, I wont agree Bernard scoffed, ¡°I¡¯m not here to ask for your opinion. I¡¯m here to inform you. Don¡¯t get it wrong.¡± After finishing his words, Bernard stood up from the sofa, turned sideways to face ke, ¡°Tomorrow morning. I¡¯ll send someone to pick you up.¡± Bernard dropped the mic and walked out Chapter 624 Chapter 624 ke was shaking mad, grinding his teeth as he said, ¡°Bernard, you¡¯re gonna grel crossing mel Bernard paused, turned his head slightly, and gave kes casual nce ¡°Lalready do¡± he said coolly, ¡°I regret not marrying her sooner Sigrid thought Bernard was such a badass She was super pumped, clenched her fist, and gave him a thumbs up Im on your side Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Her support didn¡¯t earn a response from Bemand, but it did earn a cold stare from ke ¡°Matthew, control your daughter!¡± Matthew swallowed hard, took his daughter¡¯s hand, and boldly said, ¡°Dad, let the kids handle their own business¡± They had all grown up, yet still being controlled by their father. Their mamages had been influenced by his interference in the past, and now he wanted to meddle in the matters of his grandchildren¡¯s marriages an well ke always preached about not letting emotions rule, but his achievements over the years hadn¡¯t outshone his love struck grandchildren. Seeing Matthew also disregarding his words. ke was so mad he almost passed out! He clutched his chest, gasping for air, his face deathly pale, and soon enough, he copsed When he woke up, only Veronica¡¯s dad was by his bedside making him tea and fetching him water kelocked at him and thought his second son was the only one who was nice to him, the rest were ungrateful brats. Veronica¡¯s dad. Trey was sitting by the bed frowning at his father. ¡°Dad, I stayed to give you some straight talk ke, who¡¯d just taken a sip of water, furrowed his brow ¡°If you¡¯re here to lecture me save it!¡± ¡°Nah, not here for that Try added, ¡°I¡¯m here to have a heart¨Cto¨Cheart¡± ke put his cup on the bedside table ¡°The Laurence family doesn¡¯t have a single grateful child!¡± Trey replied, ¡°It¡¯s not about that ¡± ke didnt want to bother with his son and waved him off ¡°Go away you¡¯re an eyesore.¡± But Trey firmly shook his head. ¡°If I don¡¯t say it, it¡¯ll eat me up inside. Just let me say it A weak ke lifted his hand, touching his forehead, and sighed in exasperation ¡°When you were born, your head got a little squeezed, making you a bit slow Your grandpa advised me to disown you, and now ! regret not doing so!¡± Yet Trey had such a smart daughter in Veronica If it wasn¡¯t for her, Trey would¡¯ve been kicked out of the Laurence family a long time ago. Trey didn¡¯t care that his father thought he was not bright enough, he just retorted, ¡°I¡¯m a dark horse, don¡¯t underestimate me.¡± After his retort, he said. ¡°Dad, because you didn¡¯t let my brother marry the woman he loved, it led to his death. You know Bernard has the same temperament as him, so why are you still pushing him?¡± Chapter 625 Chapter 625 ke wanted to speak, but Trey didn¡¯t give him a chance and just kept going ¡°How many times has heard told you. Eleanor is his life You know he¡¯s tried to take his life many times because of her Are you really going to tear them apart because of your stubborn views and push him back to the edge? ¡°Your eldest son, your wrong decision back then cost him his life. Are you going to do the same to Berard now? That¡¯s like making sure he has no descendants, isn¡¯t it? ¡°And let¡¯s not forget, no one in the Laurence family can step up to the te, only Bernard can lead us to make the Laurence family stronger if you let him die over this wedding stuff, then the Laurence family is really Toast After finishing. They grabbed kes pants leg and said, ¡°Dad, you¡¯ve been thinking about this for so many years, don¡¯t you get it yet?¡± ke pushed his hand away and yelled. ¡°Scram Do you think I need you to remind me of these things? Don¡¯t I understand?¡± Try shot back ¡°You obviously don¡¯t, that¡¯s why you¡¯re so damn stubborn, and got a p from kel Luckily Trey was quick to dodge, which pissed off ke enough to almost jump out of bed and give him a good beating They leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, looking at ke and said. ¡°Dad you didn¡¯t let us brothers meddle in Donna¡¯s affairs back then, and we listened to you I still feel guilty towards Bernard, don¡¯t you?¡± That hit a nerve for Bake, and his hand that was about to grab a pillow and smack Trey slowly dropped ¡°Of course I feel guilty, that¡¯s why I handed over the whole Laurence Group to him to manage these years Trey didn¡¯t want to expose ke¡¯s intentions of using Bernard to expand the Laurence Group, he just casually said ¡°if you feel guilty about him, then let him get married as apensation, I believe Bernard will be grateful ¡°This way, not only can the Laurence Group continue to grow, but he can also marry the love of his life, maybe it¡¯ll patch things up between you two, wouldn¡¯t it be nice for the family to be happy and harmonious? ¡°Like me, even if Veronica marries a manager. I never stopped her, as long as the child is happy. Of course, if the son¨Cinw treats my daughter badly in the future, I can always be her biggest support and bring her back at any time, what¡¯s them to be afraid of?¡± Try¡¯s words made ke see him differently At least Trey was open minded But right now he was feeling dizzy and confused, and he didn¡¯t know if sticking to his original decision was right or wrong, so he waved at Trey: ¡°Get out. They had said enough, whether ke could understand or not, that was on him. ke was about to be shipped off to Y Country to enjoy his twilight years, he was too tired to struggle anymore Unless he understood that he shouldn¡¯t stop young people¡¯s marriages, otherwise he would spend the rest of his life overseas. ke thought what he said made sense, but he still said. ¡°Trey, that girl can¡¯t bear children, letting Bernard marry her is like cutting off your elder brother¡¯s line¡­¡± Trey stopped in his tracks and looked back at the old man sitting on the bed. ¡°Dad, do you think if Bernard doesn¡¯t marry her, hell marry someone else and have kids? Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Im telling you, that¡¯s not going to happen. Bernard¡¯s not like his dad, he¡¯s not going to easily give in to your threats and then regret it. If you still don¡¯t get it, pushing him too hard, the Laurence family might be Finished¡± Given Bernard¡¯s current ability, he could easily take over the Laurence family with a word. If he wasn¡¯t a Laurence, he wouldn¡¯t give a damn about the Laurence Group. Unfortunately, the old man who had been out of The business world for a long time had no idea about the ever¨Cchanging situation. After saying all this. Trey left with a ¡°think about it, and then turned and left the bedroom Chapter 626 Chapter 626 ke sat on the bed for a long while, then picked up his phone and had his assistant find Eleanor¡¯s number. He gave her a call. Eleanor was busy designing her wedding room Seeing an unknown caller, she instinctively didn¡¯t want to answer But oddly enough, she forced herself to pick up On the other end of the line came kes tugged voice ¡°Ms. Shultz, it¡¯s me Eleanor was taken aback, not expecting ke to call She was a bit nervous, ¡°ke, what¡¯s up?¡± Even though he once thought about killing her she still asked him politely what he wanted. On this point, Bake was satisfied and his tone became softer. ¡°I have a question for you¡± Eleanor put down the pencil in her hand sat up straight and said. ¡®Please go ahead¡± ke got up from the bed walked over to the floor to ceiling window, looked at thenterns in the courtyard, and then slowly asked, ¡°Do you love my grandson?¡± Eleanor thought he was going to ask her some hard¨Cto¨Canswer questions, she was surprised that he asked this She didn¡¯t answer immediately, but collected her thoughts and then answered seriously. ¡°Mr. Laurence, it might sound rash to say I love him, but I really can¡¯t lose Bernard. That¡¯s something I only understood after lost him Even though it was Ethan¡¯s lie it let her truly experience the feeling of loss Because of this, she knew that some people were impossible to let go, impossible to forget, and that must be love ke thought for a while then asked again, ¡®He¡¯s hurt you before Don¡¯t you hate him?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t answer this question, but asked him instead, ¡°Has anyone ever taught him how to love?¡± Bake was taken aback and fell silent Noticing his silence, Eleanor continued. ¡®I heard his grandpa only taught him to be emotionless, his mom only taught him to be cold hearted, his dad only taught him not to care. He was born into such a good family but no one taught him how to love¡± No one taught Bernard how to love, so he lost control, even disregarding familial ties? ke¡¯s face darkened. Did he furn Bernard into a cruel person, and then this cruelty hurt him in return? He thought of Bernard¡¯s siblings. They seemed to have no emotional defects, very kind Only Bernard¡­ N He looked at the picture on the desk, a photo of Bernard¡¯s father when he was young Sunny, confident, very smart, and always listened to him. He was the perfect sessor, but he died early because of a woman. This was something ke could not ept. He was the head of the family, he could have any woman he wanted. Why did he choose the daughter of an enemy? Wasn¡¯t this clearly opposing the family? C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. The eldest son of the Laurence family was dead, leaving only Bernard. He was the only hope of the family, the only one who could take over and expand the Laurenice Group. ke did feel somewhat guilty towards him Supporting him seemed to be the right decision. But, ke was not satisfied with this future granddaughter inw But at this point, ke seemed to have no power to refuse But to ept her immediately, he couldn¡¯t do it.. After considering all the factors. ke decided to give himself and Eleanor some time to make a decision, ¡°Ms. Shultz. I¡¯ve epted the fact that you have no power or status But I can¡¯t ept that you can¡¯t have children. However, for Bernard, I can give you two months if you get pregnant within these two months, §±l ept you as my granddaughter¨Cinw. If not, I hope you can be wise and leave on your own¡± Chapter 627 Chapter 627 Eleanor didn¡¯t want to y this kind of game with the old man Bernard wasn¡¯t a baby making tool, and neither was the The old man, however hung up the phone right after he finished speaking His autocratic nature was very simr to Bernand¡¯s ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . She held her phone and gently caressed it a few times, then sent Bernard a text ¡°Did you find ke?¡± Just got off the car, Bemard, seeing this text, lowered his head and replied ¡°Come out Meet me Eleanor turned her head and looked out the window just in time to see snowkes flying around, and a man in a ck coat standing next to a luxury car She immediately got up, put on a thick coat and walked out of the vi As soon as she opened the vi door she saw the mane forward and scoop her off the steps Eleanor let out a surprised cry Before she could react the man open his ck coat and wrap her petite figure inside. This way of holding her made her look like a child, with only a small head peeking out, locking up at the tall and straight him ¡°Why are you here sote?¡± The man looked down to see the pale little face, the eyes sparkling like stars. ¡°Miss me?¡± Eleanor felt a bit likeughing. It was obviously him who missed her, but he turned it around and asked her if she missed him. How shameless! ¡°I just saw you this morning. Bernard just loved her way of saying something but meaning the opposite ¡°You don¡¯t miss me, that¡¯s okay, I miss you, that¡¯s enough* Hearing him say he missed her made her feel sweet, like her heart was coated with sugar She held onto the man¡¯s slender waist, pressing her face to his firm chest, quietly enjoying the warmth of his embrace in the snowy weather Bernard lifted her chin to face him, looking at those pink and moist lips, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing ¡°Eleanor,e home with me. ¡° What? She only stayed at Hailey¡¯s for one night, and he wanted her to go home with him? Wasn¡¯t this premamage freedom too short? After seeing the hint of longing in his eyes, Eleanor quickly shook her head ¡°No, I want to stay with Hailey¡± They had been fucking like bunnies at Eighth Mansion for more than half a month. It was time to take a break, they couldn¡¯t keep indulging themselves. However, the man after years of celibate didn¡¯t take rest seriously He half¨Clifted Eleanor, making her look at him, lowered his long eyshes, and looked at her with deep eyes from top to bottom He then slightly tilted his head to avoid his high nose and deeply kissed her lips. His scent, apanied by the chill brought by the snow pierced Eleanor¡¯s heart, making her tremble all over As she received Bernard¡¯s passionate kiss, she pushed away the somewhat excited him: ¡°We are in public. Don¡¯t do this. The man pulled back from her lips, his charming eyes innocently looking at her ¡°Just one kiss, okay?¡± Hearing him say he just wanted a kiss. Eleanor¡¯s cheeks turned red in an instant. Just as she was about to nod in agreement, the man suddenly let her go. Bernard put her back on the steps, keeping a distance from her, and said softly: ¡°Eleanor, it¡¯s cold, you should go back¡± Eleanor bit her swollen lips looking at Bernard somewhat incredulously He actually asked her to go back at this moment? She carefully observed the man¡¯s expression, seeing his passion fade away, his expression became natural, as if he really wanted her to go back. She felt a bit ufortable, and was about to go back to the vi, but saw his fingers rubbing lightly, as if a bit nervous It only took Eleanor one nce to realize that this man was setting a trap. He definitely wanted her to take the initiative to kiss him, so he deliberately used a strategy of retreating before advancing Eleanor who saw through Bernard¡¯s intentions, stood on the steps and waved at him: ¡°Okay, fll go first. You should also go home and rest earlier. Goodbye¡± Chapter 628 Chapter 628 When she saw the petite figure tum around without hesitation and start to leave, Bernard humedly stepped forward and hugged her tightly from behind. He rested his chin on her shoulder and whispered in her ear with a sigh, ¡°You drive me nuts¡± Eleanor her back to him just smirked ¡°Bernard don¡¯t pull this move again it wont work on me¡± Hearing this, Bernard raised an eyebrow ¡°Seems like you prefer me to be more straightforward Leaning down, he softly bit her eat, his tongue teasing her sensitive skin Treally want you¡± His warm breath on her ear sent tingles down her spine, almost making Eleanor lose her bnce. ¡°Stop¡± She tried to wriggle free but he pinned her against the wall ¡°Px, I¡¯m only going to kiss you¡± His words were brutally honest Even more honest was the way he lifted her hand above her head, wrapped his arm around her waist, and pulled her soft body against his own heated one Eleanor kissed against the wall by him, was about to give inpletely. If she hadn¡¯t had a shred of sanity left, they would ve Eleanor, her body weak, managed to find her voice when he finally released her lips. ¡°Bernard, let go of me!¡± The man who had been passionately kissing her neck and nibbling her ear froze, then a smile tugged at his lips ¡°Call me hubby and I¡¯ll let you go.¡± Eleanors cheeks were burning. His words made her blush even harder ¡°No, I can¡¯t¡®ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . He lifted his lust filled eyes and stared intensely at her ¡°Huh? Why not?¡± Eleanor stammered ¡°We were not mamed yet The smile on Bernard¡¯s face deepened ¡°Soon enough. Just get used to it¡± Eleanor retorted. ¡°Why don¡¯t you start calling me wifey then?¡± He gently set her down from his half embrace and ced one hand on top of her head. Leaning down, he brought his face close to hers ¡°If you want to hear it, I say it. Wit ¡°Ah! Stop Eleanor covered her face and yelled This damn man, she knew he was a sly fox. Now he¡¯s on the offensive, almost having his way with her and then teasing her like this. It¡¯s too much! Bernard looked at Eleanor, his eyes filled with affection, as if he were looking at the most precious thing in the world. His smile was so indulgent With a grin, he reached up and ruffled her long, curly hair. ¡°Eleanor, be ready for our wedding night. You gotta call me that then¡± Eleanor peeked at him from between her fingers. ¡°What are you nning.¡± Bernard locked serious ¡°What am I nning? What happens on a wedding night?¡± Eleanor coughed lightly, changing the subject. ¡°Your grandfather called me earlier.¡± The smile on Bernard¡¯s lips disappeared instantly. ¡°What did he say to you?¡± Seeing Bernard¡¯s serious expression, Eleanor didn¡¯t hesitate to ry the old man¡¯s message: ¡°ke said he epts me, but he still can¡¯t ept that I can¡¯t have children. So, he¡¯s giving me a deadline, hoping i can get pregnant within two months.¡± Bernard scoffed ¡°ignore him. Whether you want to have children or not, that¡¯s your decision it has nothing to do with anyone else.¡± Eleanor nodded While she did want to have children, she didn¡¯t like the idea of it being set as a task with a deadline. She wanted her and Bernard to have a child out of love, not just to meet a goal. They were on the same page about this, so they chose to ignore the old man¡¯s deadline. The next morning, the old man was sent off to Y Country without any chance to argue. Chapter 629 Chapter 629 After kebacked off from meddling in their mamage Bernard whisked Eleanor off to various parts of the world for their wedding shoot He custom¨Cmade a ton of wedding gowns for Eleanor just for a few snaps, even the wedding rings were designed by top notch designers worldwide Bernard hired a bunch of famous teams makeup artists, stylists you name it all for the sake of making her look fabulous on her big day. Once that was all sorted, he went off to n the wedding venue. After setting everything up, he kept it a secret from Eleanor probably nning to surprise her Eleanor didn¡¯t press him about it, instead immersing herself in designing their love nest Initially, Eleanor nned to hand over the design to the renovationpany. But when Bernard caught wind of it, he swiped her blueprints, insisting on taking care of it in the following days she was chugging down the herbal tea Liana brought over while giving her all to the project her sister left behind To rake in her wedding gifts, Eleanor started to work her butt off, busy with designing from dawn to dusk, even brushing off Bernard when he came looking for her Bernard, who was left standing at the door, watched her brisk exit and his mood took a nosedive Back at Laurence Manor, he retreated to his study, pulled out his private mobile and shot Eleanor a text saying. I¡¯m homel in the past, she would have responded promptly, but this time he waited and waited but her reply never came. It was a downer He sat on the sofa, clutching the phone, staring at the screen. Hoping sheid text back sooner, but the night came and went and still nothing Lately she seemed distracted and didn¡¯t seem to care about his wellbeing, what¡¯s up with that? Beinard wanted to ask her several times but couldn¡¯t bring himself to. He was scared she¡¯d say she regretted agreeing to marry him This anxiety wrapped around him, plunging him from the heights of happiness to the depths of despair, cloaking him in gloom Caleb walked in, oblivious to his mood, and started reporting work stuff. ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve looked into Ethan and Emilia¡¯s matter, here are the details.. Caleb handed the documents to Bernard who didn¡¯t react at all his gaze fixed on the phone. Caleb thought he was waiting for an important call and stood by patiently After a while, Bernard, seemingly agitated, cast the phone aside Only then did Caleb notice something was off and asked. ¡°Sir, are you not feeling well?¡± Bernard slowly lifted his eyes to look at Caleb, ¡°When did youe in?¡± Caleb was speechless. He had been standing here for like half an hour already ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Caleb cleared his throat awkwardly and repeated, ¡°I¡¯ve found out what happened with Ethan and Emilia, I came to report¡± Chapter 630 Chapter 630 Bernard took a deep breath, keeping his inner hustration in check and signaled to Caleb who immediately handed over the documents. While Bernard was flipping through the documents. Caleb started to brief him ¡°Emilia almost got beaten to death while begging in G country at the age of five Ethan saved her, and later even funded her education Emilia fell hard for Ethan, and spent a good ten years chasing after him. Ethan was not initially interested in Emilia, but for some reason he epted her and they¡¯d been in love for six years. The breaking point in their rtionship was the year Ethan was framed and thrown into jail Ethan was locked up for a year waiting for Emilia to visit him, but she never showed up which really got his goat Upon his release, he found out Emilia had marned his brother, the illegitimate child of the Ziegler family that the Royal Family of Arvandor had adopted, and they even had a one¨Cyear¨Cold daughter ¡°Ethan couldn¡¯t swallow this pill and hepletely lost it when he saw Emilia with the royal member To get back at Emilia, he used his family¡¯s power to force her to divorce and kept her by his side During that time Ethan took some really nasty measures against Emilia, who had just been diagnosed with ALS. ¡°Later, Emilia was forced to carry Ethan¡¯s child under mental and physical forment, but Ethan didn¡¯t buy it and kicked her pregnant belly Perhaps this was thest straw for Emilia, so she started to sweet talk Ethan. tried to make him let go of his resentment, and to follow the royal member once again ¡°Ethan was even more tormented Rumor has it that he stirred up trouble within the Royal Family of Arvandor just to force the royal member to hand over Emilia.. Latec unable to bear the pain of ALS and to escape from Ethan forever, Emilia chose euthanasia. But at this time, George found her biological sister, Eleanor and Emilia decided to return home to donate her heart.¡± After Caleb finished his report he looked at Bernard who didn¡¯t seem to be paying attention at all Caleb didn¡¯t understand why Bernard looked so down. He was about to get married, he should be happy. Why did he look so gloomy? Caleb cleared his throat and gently reminded him, ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve finished the report..¡± Bernard was silent for a few seconds, put down the documents in his hand, and looked at Caleb, ¡°Whose kid is that Nina?¡± He didn¡¯t care about the disputes between Ethan and Emilia, but that child was the only family Eleanor had in this world. He had to help her find out, who Nina¡¯s biological father was Caleb nced at Bernard, took out two paternity test reports from the stack of documents he had just read, and sighed helplessly ¡°St as you can see, these two reports show that Nina and Ethan are not biologically rted, but she is rted to the royal member¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. After carefully examining the reports several times, Bernard¡¯s brow slowly furrowed. The fact that Nina and Ethan were not rted by blood meant that Emilia did betray Ethan¡­ Chapter 631 Chapter 631 He lightly grazed the report with his fingers, seemingly lost in thought After a moment, he picked up the report and asked Caleb, ¡°When was this measured?¡± Caleb answered respectfully. ¡°This was done a long time ago by George So, this DNA test was from a while back and cant be used as a reference now Bernard Laurence tossed the report aside and coldly ordered Caleb, ¡°Don¡¯t tell her about this Find a way to get Ethan and Nina¡¯s hair and report to me after you¡¯ve done the DNA test yourself¡± Eleanor firmly believed that Emilia didnt betray Ethan, but the information they had found indicated that she had. To protect her belief in her sister, it would be best to wait until they had uncovered the truth Caleb scratched his head in uncertainty. ¡°Si Ethan is a ck belt, it¡¯s hard to get close to him¡± Bernard looked up at Caleb with an icy stare. ¡°Let Gianna¡¯s brother do it, he¡¯s friends with Ethan.¡± Caleb thought about the cold¨Chearted nna¡¯s brother and shivered, but he agreed. After all, he found Bernard scarier than Gianna¡¯s brother Ahe Calebs left the study. Benard picked up his phone again, opened the chat window, and found no reply. He held his phone tightly, took a deep breath, and thought that Eleanor must have fallen asleep, which was why she didn¡¯t see his message. The more heforted himself, the more anxious he felt in the end, he made a call Eleanor was sketching in her studypletely oblivious to his iing call. Seeing she didn¡¯t pick up. Bernard immediately got up from the sofa and drove straight to the vi Startled awake by the doorbell, Marina saw it was Bernard and quickly opened the door. ¡°Mr. Laurence, what brings you here sote?¡± ¡°Is she asleep?¡± Bernard walked in, nced at the brightly lit living room, and didn¡¯t see Eleanor He assumed she had gone to bed. ¡°She¡¯s still up, working on some designs in her study. You can Before Marina could finish, she saw Bernard hastily heading for the study Bernard rushed into the study to find Eleanor standing at her desk, engrossed in her drawings. Seeing her safe and sound, he let out a sigh of relief, walked over, and pulled Eleanor into his arms tight ¡°Why didn¡¯t you reply to my message?¡± Eleanor was startled, but the familiar scent of him slowly calmed her heartbeat. She turned her head, looking at his handsome face in confusion, ¡°I didn¡¯t check my phone what message did you send?¡± She had been so focused on her designs that she had forgotten where she left her phone. Seeing Bernard so anxious, she thought something bad must have happened. She tried to turn to ask him, but he held her tight, not letting her move or turn around ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± El He lightly grazed the report with his fingers, seemingly lost in thought After a moment, he picked up the report and asked Caleb, ¡°When was this measured?¡± Caleb answered respectfully. ¡°This was done a long time ago by George So, this DNA test was from a while back and cant be used as a reference now Bernard Laurence tossed the report aside and coldly ordered Caleb, ¡°Don¡¯t tell her about this Find a way to get Ethan and Nina¡¯s hair and report to me after you¡¯ve done the DNA test yourself¡± Eleanor firmly believed that Emilia didnt betray Ethan, but the information they had found indicated that she had. To protect her belief in her sister, it would be best to wait until they had uncovered the truth Caleb scratched his head in uncertainty. ¡°Si Ethan is a ck belt, it¡¯s hard to get close to him¡± Bernard looked up at Caleb with an icy stare. ¡°Let Gianna¡¯s brother do it, he¡¯s friends with Ethan.¡± Caleb thought about the cold¨Chearted nna¡¯s brother and shivered, but he agreed. After all, he found Bernard scarier than Gianna¡¯s brother Ahe Calebs left the study. Benard picked up his phone again, opened the chat window, and found no reply. He held his phone tightly, took a deep breath, and thought that Eleanor must have fallen asleep, which was why she didn¡¯t see his message. The more heforted himself, the more anxious he felt in the end, he made a call Eleanor was sketching in her studypletely oblivious to his iing call. Seeing she didn¡¯t pick up. Bernard immediately got up from the sofa and drove straight to the vi Startled awake by the doorbell, Marina saw it was Bernard and quickly opened the door. ¡°Mr. Laurence, what brings you here sote?¡± ¡°Is she asleep?¡± Bernard walked in, nced at the brightly lit living room, and didn¡¯t see Eleanor He assumed she had gone to bed. ¡°She¡¯s still up, working on some designs in her study. You can Before Marina could finish, she saw Bernard hastily heading for the study Bernard rushed into the study to find Eleanor standing at her desk, engrossed in her drawings. Seeing her safe and sound, he let out a sigh of relief, walked over, and pulled Eleanor into his arms tight ¡°Why didn¡¯t you reply to my message?¡± Eleanor was startled, but the familiar scent of him slowly calmed her heartbeat. She turned her head, looking at his handsome face in confusion, ¡°I didn¡¯t check my phone what message did you send?¡± She had been so focused on her designs that she had forgotten where she left her phone. Seeing Bernard so anxious, she thought something bad must have happened. She tried to turn to ask him, but he held her tight, not letting her move or turn around ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Eleanor felt his unease. She raised her hand to cover his gently stroking his knuckles in an attempt to soothe him, The man holding her buned his face in her neck seeming restless. He rubbed his face against her neck and said. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want me anymore.¡± Eleanor felt a tingle run through her body. She controlled the sensation and asked in confusion, ¡°Why would I not want you?¡±ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . They were about to get married. How could she change her mind at such a crucial time? eanor felt his unease. She raised her hand to cover his gently stroking his knuckles in an attempt to soothe him, The man holding her buned his face in her neck seeming restless. He rubbed his face against her neck and said. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want me anymore.¡± Eleanor felt a tingle run through her body. She controlled the sensation and asked in confusion, ¡°Why would I not want you?¡± They were about to get married. How could she change her mind at such a crucial time? Chapter 632 Chapter 632 Bernard tumed to gaze at her uniquely beautiful face hesitated for a few seconds then let it out. ¡°You¡¯ve been giving me the cold shouldertely¡± After saying this, he felt a wave of panic. He was terified that she would take this opportunity to break up with him. But if he didn¡¯t say anything he couldn¡¯t bear the pain of feeling both close yet distant with her Eleanor raised her eyebrows in surprise. ¡°Ive been cold to you?¡± Unaware that shed been neglecting Bernard due to her work, Eleanor looked incredulous When had she been cold to him? She was so busy yet she still found time to meet him, wasn¡¯t that enthusiastic mought Bernard didn¡¯t expect her to react like this and asked with some concern, ¡°You still want to marry me, right?¡± Eleanor¡¯s eyebrows furrowed deeper, ¡°If I don¡¯t marry you, then who do I marry?¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . She thought Bernard was being ridiculous, forcefully pulled away from his embrace, turned to face him, ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you tonight?¡± Bernard, having realized what was going on, stared at her face his lips slowly turned up, revealing a faint smile it turned out, Eleanor hadn¡¯t been cold to him because she didn¡¯t want to marry him, but because the was oblivious to how she¡¯d been neglecting him Bernard shifted his gaze from her face to the design drawings on the table, ¡°Have you been busy with thesetely?¡± Eleanor followed his gaze to the designs on the table and nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been working on these designs every day, why?¡± Bernard finally understood Eleanor had been too busy to pay him attention. Bernard, who¡¯d been overthinking thingstely, felt a weight lifted off his heart once he knew the reason. His mood, once in the dumps was back on cloud nine, and his downturned lips deepened into a smile. Seeing him keep quiet while smiling at her freaked Eleanor out a bit. Just as she was about to ask him again, she was suddenly lifted off her feet. Eleanor, now in Bernard¡¯s arms, looked at him with wide eyes. puzzled. ¡°Huh? What are you doing?¡± Bernard holding Eleanor in a princess carry, headed towards the door, ¡°Eleanor, where do you want to do it?¡± Eleanor, face flushed, grabbed his cor and retorted, ¡°I asked what are you doing, not where¡± Bernard, still holding her lowered his long, thickshes, and locked at her with a teasing expression, ¡°Same difference¡± How was it the same?! Eleanor struggled to get down, but Bernard just walked out of the vi with her, seemingly nning to take her back to the mansion if they were going back to the mansion, Bernard wouldn¡¯t let her go so easily She was still busy with her designs Thinking about this, Eleanor quickly buried her head in his chest and whispered like a little kitten, ¡®Let¡¯s go to the room in the next door vi The renovation work there was alreadypleted. The renovators finished the job quickly and any formaldehyde had been removed by professionals. She had already purchased all the furniture and household items, and could in fact move in now. But she was so used to living in Hailey¡¯s vi, she hadn¡¯t had a chance to move yet Bernard knew all along that she had bought a new wi When he heard they were going to her new ce, he couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°Does your room have a bathroom?¡± Eleanor¡¯s face immediately turned red. She snuggled closer to his chest, lowered her head, and nodded softly. ¡°Yes¡­¡± After they returned from their wedding photoshoot in Mn, he had asked her whether she preferred the bed or bathroom. She casually said the bathroom, and he mistakenly thought that she especially liked making love in the bathroom, so he would always choose to do it in a bathroom. This time was no exception. He didn¡¯t even nce at the bed and took her straight to the bathroom. He undressed her, leaned her against the wall of the bathtub, then whispered in her ear, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m going to teach you some new moves¡± Eleanor was speechless. What a big misunderstanding, and what a variety of techniques he had! As she was mentallyining, he hooked her chin from behind. She tilted her head to ept his passionate kiss white experiencing the sensations he was giving her Her mind slowly turned nk under his kiss. and she couldn¡¯t control herself,pletely falling under his charm The man was equally entranced by her charm. His heart finally rxedpletely when he entered her it seemed, only when he could feel her presence, could he truly let go of his worries. Chapter 633 Chapter 633 Eleanor was working her butt off for her wedding gifts, doing her best to finish the designs, but no matter how fast she pedaled, she couldn¡¯t beat the impending wedding day She ended up only designing eight architectural drawings and when she handed them over to Pearce, she was worn to the bone ¡°Go finalize the handover and turn these into cash ASAP Pearce was sat at his desk, munching an apple while eyeing Eleanor ¡°You¡¯re about to marry the richest dude in the whole A Country, why are you busting your chops?¡± C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. If he was mamed off to a wealthy woman, he wouldnt even nce at the golden paintbrush, someone else would be footing the bill, he wouldn¡¯t need to lift a finger to draw Eleanor, sprawled on the table peeking at the PPT for the next project, murmured ¡°Mr Hooper, Ineed to get my wedding gifts ready¡± She was going it alone without any family and since someone was taking her as his wife, she wanted to do it with some dignity Thinking of her wedding. Eleanor immediately raised her eyes towards Pearce¡¯s pocket ¡°M. Hooper, the Laurence Group project brought in a billion, you took a 30% cut you¡¯re not strapped for cash, right? Could you lend me some¡± Pearce immediately clutched his pocket. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about my money. I¡¯m not short of anything except money, you think too highly of me if you expect me to lend money? Eleanor reached out snatched the apple from his hand ¡°No borrowing, no eating my apple Pearce was left speechless Just as he was reaching for the fruit te on the table, Eleanor scooped it up and put it on the floor Halley recently got a pug that¡¯d been tailing Eleanor Seeing her drop the fruit, it pounced on it, licking it all over. Pearce thought, an orange licked by a dog, if peeled should still be edible, right? While Pearce was caught between disgust and hunger, Eleanor bent over, shooed the pug, and scolded it: ¡°Pippy, do not eat everything you see!¡± Somehow, hearing the name, Pearce suddenly lost his appetite Hailey gave the dog a name close to his own. So naive He thought about buying a simr pug and naming it Hally for symmetry Just as Pearce was secretly disgruntled about Hailey¡¯s way of doing things, Marina¡¯s voice came from outside the door- ¡°Ms Shultz, there¡¯s a Mr. Casey looking for you¡± Casey? Who the hell was Casey? Eleanor looked puzzled, she turned to Pearce ¡°Do you know him?¡± Pearce shrugged, spreading his hands. ¡°No clue. I¡¯m just a guy without an apple¡°¡± Eleanor rolled her eyes at Pearce and headed for the door Walking through the living room, she saw a young man in a white suit outside the vi. He was far away and could not be seen clearly, being stopped by a bunch of bodyguards, and was lowering his head taiking. so it was even less clear. She was a bit wary of strangers now and wanted to have Marina find an excuse to send him away, but the man saw her and immediately waved at her ¡°Ms. Shultz, Im Emilia¡¯s ex¨Chusband- Eleanor, who was about to turn away, suddenly stopped in her tracks and turned back to look at the man named Casey. He looked a bit like Ethan. After getting a good look at him, Eleanor started to waver on the thought that Nina might be Ethan¡¯s daughter. Like George said, Nina not only resembled Ethan but also this Mr. Casey who just showed up Chapter 634 Chapter 634 In the end. Eleanor had her bodyguards step aside and invited Casey into the living room. She even had Marina serve him a cup of coffee The man sitting on the sofa moved and acted very much like Ethan, the only differencey in their eyes. Ethan¡¯s eyes held a sense of mncholy and sharpness, while Casey¡¯s showed an air of calm and indifference as if nothing really bothered him. They both camed the same casual,id¨Cback vibe, but their manner of speaking differed. Casey seemed more of a gentleman than Ethan After sizing up Casey, Eleanor took a seat and asked what brought him here ¡°Mr Casey, what can I help you with?¡± Casey didn¡¯t rush to answer instead he raised his eyes to look at the dozens of female bodyguards standing behind her, and the weird guy sitting by the dining table, munching on an apple while staring at him After taking a quick look around, he turned his attention back to Eleanor his refined face breaking into a rxed smile when he noticed her slight tension. ¡°Ms. Shultz take it easy Im just here to ask you, where is my daughter, Nina? His daughter Was Nina really his daughter? Suppressing her doubts, Eleanor answered truthfully ¡°Nina¡¯s with Ethan¡± Did he not know that Ethan had taken Nina from him? Why would hee asking her? Casey gave Cleanor an elegant once¨Cover, adjusted his silver rimmed sses, and started speaking ¡°Before Ethan took my daughter away, he promised that he would return her to me in eight months The deadline has now passed but i cant find him. Do you know where he is?¡± Eleanor was taken aback. She thought Ethan had snatched Nina from Casey Why did they have an agreement? Was Casey not worried that Ethan might harm Nina, or was he confident that Ethan wouldn¡¯t, hence set the deadline? Filled with doubt, Eleanor couldn¡¯t fully trust this sophisticated yet slightly cold man before her ¡°Why are you asking me about Ethan¡¯s whereabouts?¡± Her tone was wary, which made Casey smile slightly ¡°Ms Shultz, I came to you because I heard that Ethan took you away eight months ago. My daughter was also taken by him around the same time, so I figured you might have seen her. If you have, you should know where she is, night?¡± Casey¡¯s words hit the nail on the head, leaving Eleanor unable to refute. But she had another question. ¡°You said Nina was taken by Ethan. Then why did you make an agreement with Ethan?¡± Why would there be a deal involving someone who was taken away? Ethan didn¡¯t seem like the type to make deals with people In face of Eleanor¡¯s question, Casey didn¡¯t panic. He picked up his coffee, took a sip, and then answered ¡°Nina was indeed taken by him. To ensure her safe return, I offered Emilia¡¯sst words as a bargain. As long as he returned my daughter after eight months, I would tell him what Emilia¡¯sst words were¡± So, Casey used his sister¡¯sst words as a token for Nina¡¯s safe return, but why was the deadline set within eight months? It seemed Casey saw her confusion, and he gently put down his coffee ¡°Ms Shultz, on paper, I¡¯m your brother¨Cinw, and Ethan is just a madman who took someone else¡¯s with and child¡± He was reminding Eleanor that he was Emilia¡¯s husband Had it not been for Ethan¡¯s interference, he and Emilia wouldn¡¯t have divorced As Emilia¡¯s sister, Eleanor should be on his side and not helping a madman Eleanor got his point. She put her doubts aside for the moment and then answered Casey¡¯s question ¡°Some time ago, Ethan nned to send Nina back, but she didn¡¯t want to leave him, so she stayed. At that time, they were at their vi in G country I¡¯m not sure where they are now After listening Casey lowered his eyes slightly, seemingly pondering something. He didn¡¯t immediately respond to Eleanor While he was deep in thought, Eleanor took out her phone and texted George, asking him where Ethan had taken Nina. As soon as she finished texting, Casey on the other side started speaking again ¡°Ma Shultz, did you just say Nina didn¡¯t want to leave Ethan7¡± Eleanor shifted her gaze from her phone screen to the man opposite her Seeing a hint of mncholy on hisposed and elegant face, she frowned. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡®Mr Casey, you Casey raised his hand, cutting off her words offort. Im fine ¡± He waved his hand dismissively, then sighed in resignation ¡°Eight months is enough time to form attachments¡± Chapter 635 Chapter 635 In Cleanor¡¯s eyes, Ethan was supposed to be Casey¡¯s love rival. But Casey still decided to let his daughter spend eight months with him Eleanor couldn¡¯t wrap her head around this decision, after some hesitation, she feltpelled to voice her concerns, ¡°Mr Casey you definitely know the more time a kid spends with an adult, the deeper their bond bes Why would you let them spend eight months together? Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a bit too long?¡± Casey seemed to have expected Eleanor¡¯s question, so without hesitation, he responded, ¡°I have my own selfish motives for letting them spend so much time together I want my daughter to spend more time with him, to remind him of Emilia¡¯s existence in this world and her continuing lineage hope that he can let go of everything rted to Emilia and himself, so he won¡¯t bother me and my daughter again Eleanor, with a frown, asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried that after spending so much time with your daughter, he might get too attached to her and refuse to hand her back to you?¡± Casey shook his head, ¡°No hell give her back to me because of Emilia¡¯sst words¡± Hearing this, Eleanor felt a moment of confusion If Ethan knew about Emilia¡¯sst words, why did he try to kill himselfst time? Given Ethan¡¯s mad love for Emilia, he should have toed to fulfill Emilia¡¯sst wish and keep living, even if he was being hunted down by Bernard. However, he chose tomit suicidest time The more Eleanor thought about Ethan¡¯s unspoken answer before his suicide, the werder it fitt Was it because he could tell her apart from Emilia that he chose suicide, or because he couldn¡¯t? Eleanor couldn¡¯t find the answer, so she had to look up at Casey. ¡®Mr. Casey could you tell me, what were Emilia¡¯sst words?¡± Casey gave a slight smile. Tm sorry, Ms. Shultz, Emilia instructed me that only Ethan could watch that video¡± A video, not just a fewst words? If it was a video, then there must be images of Emilia. Eleanor had never seen Emilia in motion before. She really wanted to see what the Emilia who stood under the Eiffel Tower in Pans, wearing a red dress and watching the sunset, looked like But obviously, Casey wouldnt let her watch the video left by Emilia Eleanor locked at Casey with a hint of regret and expectation Casey on his handsome face, showed a bit of an apologetic smile, ¡°I must respect the wishes of your sister¡± Eleanor could only give up helplessly. ¡°Then after Ethan has watched it, il ask him for the video that Emilia left¡­¡± Hearing this Casey, who was about to pick up his coffee, suddenly paused His clear eyes looked at Eleanor, Ms. Shultz, it seems you trust Ethan a lot?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t realize that her words had shown trust in Ethan Now hearing Casey¡¯s question, she was taken aback for a few seconds. Why would she assume that Ethan would share the video with her that Casey wasnt willing to Eleanor¡¯s expression gradually became serious. Trusting a disturbed person was definitely not a good thing Seeing Eleanor¡¯s changed expression, Casey moved his hand holding the cup and slowly picked up his coffee After taking a sip of his coffee gracefully, he started to tell Eleanor about Emilia¡¯s story. ¡°You probably don¡¯t know that the year Emilia and I got married, she was diagnosed with ALS¡± Eleanor shock her head wanting to ask about Emilia¡¯s condition, but Casey kept going. ¡°When she was diagnosed, she was already pregnant with Ninadvised her to abort the baby, but she refused. She even said she must bear this child for me¡± Casey paused for a moment, his thoughts seemed to go back to the past, a fond smile even appeared on his face, ¡°I had feelings for her from a very early age, but she never noticed me back then. Ethan was the only one in her eyes. But who would have thought that she would end up choosing me, even deciding to bear our child for me¡°. As he spoke, the smile in Casey¡¯s eyes gradually faded, reced by restrained anger, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Ethan insisting on taking her away from me after he got out of jail, Emilia and I wouldn¡¯t have had to experience Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. separation He tightly gripped the cup in his hand, slowly lifted his eyes, and looked at Eleanor across the table. ¡°Ethan caused the death of your sister, and he even tried to take away the child of your sister and me. Why do you still trust him?¡± Chapter 636 Chapter 636 Eleanor didn¡¯t expect him to spill so much tea about the past He wasn¡¯t really talking about missing her sister, but more so ming herself. Eleanor took a good look at Casey He seemed chill on the surface, but he was actually more of a tough nut to crack than Ethan She couldn¡¯t read Casey¡¯s mind and didn¡¯t feel like answering his questions. Instead, she flipped the script and asked him ¡°If my sister only had eyes for Ethan, why did she choose you? And why did Ethan end up in ja?¡± Casey didn¡¯t expect Eleanor to back up Ethan like that His eyes fumed on a dime and became guarded ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t tell you¡± Eleanor¡¯s forehead wrinkled ¡°Why?¡± Casey put down his coffee sped his hands together and said seriously ¡°You¡¯re on Ethan¡¯s side, so sorry¡± He got up and started to head for the door Eleanor quickly called out to him ¡°Mr. Casey, hold on a sec¡± Casey stopped in his tracks and turned back to Eleanor, his eyes back in alert mode: ¡°What else do you need, Ms. Shultz?¡± Eleanor walked up to him, looking up at Casey who was a head taller than her and exined: ¡°I¡¯m not on Ethan¡¯s side I¡¯m just in the dark about my sister¡¯s business, so I don¡¯t know who to trust¡± Ethan said Emilia chased after him for a decade, Casey said Emilia only had eyes for Ethan, but Emilia ended up choosing Casey. It left Eleanor a bit bamboozled. She felt a woman who spent ten years chasing after the love of her life wouldn¡¯t just change her heart like that, unless Ethan hurt Emilia before this. She didn¡¯t know the full story, so she wouldn¡¯t just take anyone¡¯s word at face value Hearing her exnation, Casey¡¯s eyes softened ¡°Ms Shultz, your sister chose me because Ethan betrayed her first Eleanor was totally gobsmacked Wasn¡¯t it Emilia who betrayed Ethan first? Now it¡¯s Ethan who betrayed Emilia first? Who should she believe. Casey or Ethan? Seeing her confusion, Casey, ever the gentleman, exined. ¡°Your sister often saw Ethan getting cozy with other women when she was chasing after him. She loved Ethan so she chose to bear it. However, Ethan kept up his old ways even after they got together, leaving her alone at home while he was out painting the town red with other women¡® Casey finished speaking, and gave a helpless smile ¡°Emilia was with Ethan for six years, and he kept hurting her like this. Any woman would get fed up, don¡¯t you think so, Ms. Shultz?¡± Eleanor had noeback to Casey¡¯s words. But Ethan seemed to love her sister so much, could he really be the kind of person Casey described? Just as Eleanor was trying to dig deeper into who Nina¡¯s parent was, Casey suddenly nced at his wristwatch. ¡°Ms. Shultz¡± Casey moved his gaze from his watch, looked at Eleanor and took a business card out of his suit pocket and handed it to her. ¡°Thave some urgent matters to deal with today. If you know where Nina is, could you give me a call, thanks¡± Eleanor took the card and nodded at Casey, who then turned and left. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. As soon as Casey left, Pearce, who had been munching on an apple in the restaurant, waved at Eleanor, ¡°Over here¡± Putting away her thoughtful look, Eleanor turned to Pearce, who was tossing his apple core into the trash bin, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± T Pearce, legs crossed, with an air of I know it all, said, ¡°Come here, §±l tell you the truth.¡± Considering Pearce was Ethan¡¯s apprentice and Emilia¡¯s employee, she thought he might know something, so she walked over ¡°Spill it¡® ¡°Bend down¡± Eleanor rolled her eyes at him, but obediently bent over Pearce covered his mouth with his hand, leaned into her ear and whispered ¡°Casey was lying¡± Eleanor raised an eyebrow, looking at the mysterious Pearce, ¡°How do you know?¡± Pearce replied. ¡°Because when he was talking, his gaze wasnt steady, and he kept drinking coffee to hide his inner unease.¡± Eleanor was speechless. She thought Pearce knew something, turned out he thought he was some kind of professional psychological detective?! Without a word, Eleanor picked up the fruit te on the table and turned to walk away At that moment, her phone in her pocket started vibrating She pulled out her phone and nced at it. It was a video call from George. She quickly put down the fruit te and answered the call. The person who appeared on the other end of the call wasn¡¯t George, but Nina sitting on the ground Chapter 637 Chapter 637 ¡°Eleanor.¡± Nina¡¯s sweet baby voice came from the other end of the screen, warming Eleanors heart ¡°Mina, did you miss me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Alter nodding. Nina swept her phone camera around her. Then she pounced on the screen, covered her mouth with her little hand, and whispered, ¡°Eleanor, that man brought me to this cemetery I saw your picture here But he says the person in the picture is not you, but my mom Eleanor is the person under that tombstone really my mom?¡± Nina blinked her long eyshes, innocently staring at Eleanor on the screen Seeing Nina¡¯s innocent face. Eleanor¡¯s heart, for a moment, felt a pang of pain. She didn¡¯t know if she felt sympathy for Nina, or because the heart she inherited from her sister ached at the sight of her daughter She raised her hand to cover her aching heart, her voice trembling as she reassured Nina, ¡°He¡¯s lying to you, don¡¯t believe him¡± Getting a response from Eleanor, Nina finally breathed a sigh of relief, her tense expression fading ¡°My dad once told me, mom went to heaven and wille back to see me when I turn fire. Although she didn¡¯te on my fifth birthday. I believe she wille back to see me Eleanor forced a smile and asked Nina. ¡°Do you know what heaven is?¡± Nina patted her small chest confidently. I know My dad told me that heaven is a ce for beautiful people. He also said that only beautiful people can go there Thinking of beautiful people, Nina suddenly remembered the man she had met earlier who was even more handsome than a movie star Recalling Georgesment that the man would soon be Eleanor¡¯s husband. she couldn¡¯t help but giggle. ¡°Eleanor, George said you¡¯re going to marry him soon. Will you have a baby that¡¯s as handsome as him?¡± Eleanor couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Yes, I will¡± Nina raised her hand and gave a thumbs up. ¡°Great I¡¯m going to have a handsome little brother!¡± Eleanor wanted to ask Nina why she assumed it would be a brother and not a sister, but Nina interrupted her by eximing excitedly. ¡°A handsome man like him should be living in heaven, just like my mom Eleanor¡¯s heart tightened Despite Nina¡¯s innocent remark, the ominous implication made her heart race. ¡°Nina, he has a lot of things to do, he¡¯s not going anywhere, especially not heaven. Don¡¯t say things like that again Nina, being very understanding, noticed Eleanor¡¯s difort and immediately toned down her excitement, she lowered her head and apologized, ¡°Im sorry Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Seeing Nina so upset, Eleanor suddenly felt guilty, ¡°Nina, I was too harsh just now, don¡¯t take it to heart¡± Nina was sensitive but forgiving, she said, ¡°Eleanor, I don¡¯t mind, but I think I understand what heaven is now¡­¡± Her voice faltered as she continued, ¡°I heard on TV that heaven is where people go when they die, but I didn¡¯t want to ept that my mom had passed away, so I chose to believe my dad¡¯s words. However, when I saw that you didn¡¯t want him to go to heaven, I knew my dad was lying to me.¡± Chapter 638 Chapter 638 Tears welled up in Eleanor¡¯s eyes and she couldn¡¯t hold them back. Turned out this seemingly innocent kid understood everything Seeing Eleanor cry in the video, Nina quickly nted several kisses on the screen ¡°Eleanor Fil watch what I say from now on Seeing Nina, who was still so young to concerned about others feelings, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but feel sad. She herself was all alone, which led to her developing a low self esteem and sensitive personality since childhood She didn¡¯t expect Nina to be just like her observing others feelings and putting them before her own at such a young age. Thinking about Nina growing up to be as cautious as her, Eleanor¡¯s tears fell A more ¡°Nina, you don¡¯t have to be too careful Say whatever you want in front of me don¡¯t feel restrained¡± Nina nodded her head in a half¨Cunderstood way. ¡°Then you should stop crying, okay?¡± Eleanor agreed then wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes. ¡°Nina, where are you living now?¡± Nina held her phone, switched the camera around to show a small house at the foot of a cemetery ¡°Right there in that little house¡± Nina really didnt like it here, because at night, there would always be all sorts of noisen outside, and she had been scared to tears several times. If it weren¡¯t for George being there, she would ve bolted Upon hearing that Nina and Ethan were living at the foot of a cemetery. Eleanor¡¯s brows furrowed, ¡°Nina, hand the phone to George¡± Ninaplied, then ran over to George, ¡®Grandpa George, Eleanor wants to talk to you George took the phone while pinching Nina¡¯s little belly ¡°How many times have I told you, I¡¯m only forty, not old enough to be your grandpa. Nina used to call him uncle, but after learning his age she started calling him grandpa Hearing George¡¯s age, Eleanor was also shocked, ¡°George, you¡¯re only forty?¡± When she first saw him, she thought he was already in his sixties, she didn¡¯t expect him to be this young George touched his forehead helplessly. ¡°Eleanor, let¡¯s not discuss age¡± Eleanor apologized. ¡®I¡¯m sorry George, Nina¡¯s father, Mr Casey just came to see me¡± George¡¯s hand felt, his previously helpless expression instantly turning serious. ¡°Why did hee to you?¡± Eleanor answered honestly, ¡°He came looking for Nina¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Upon hearing her father was looking for her, Nina immediately poked her small head over. ¡°Eleanor, where is my dad?¡± Before Eleanor could answer Ethan¡¯s voice came from the other end, sounding casual. ¡°Tell him I¡¯m at the cemetery Then a slender finger reached towards the screen, and the video call was abruptly ended. Eleanor stared at the slowly darkening screen, pondered for a few seconds, then pulled out a business card from her pocket. Ethan didnt oppose Casey looking for him, but Nina couldn¡¯t keep living with Ethan at the cemetery All she had to do was enter the series of numbers on the card into her phone and dial, and everything would go back to normal. But for some reason, she had an uneasy feeling, like something big was about to happen, which made her hesitate to call Casey Chapter 639 Chapter 639 Eleanor sat on the fence for a while, but still didnt make that call She always screwed up when she was all in a p, better wait till she cooled her jets to make a decision She pocketed her phone and was about to return to her study when a tall man walked in from the door. He was dressed in a ck coat and a white shirt underneath, the neck of which was carelessly undone. disying his fair corbone. His shirt was tightened by a ck belt, beneath which were straight, slim legs hidden beneath suit trousers The man stood against the light, his face indiscernible, but the cold aura he exuded seemed to drop the room¡¯s temperature by a few degrees Pearce, who was happily peeling an orange while holding Pippy, suddenly shivered. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ¡°Man, why¡¯s it suddenly so chilly 7 Pearce clutched Pippy hoping to get some warmth from the tiny dog However, Pippy hopped out of his arms, scampered into the kitchen and vanished into thin air Pearce sniggered, ¡°Won¡¯t even let me hold you, not worthy of being named after me As he was mocking Pippy, he noticed a shadow cast over him, reflecting on the ss table top and outlining a beautiful figure Pearce slowly turned his head, raised his eyes, and saw the towering man that looked like a god Upon recognizing the figure against the light, Pearce quickly stood up, forced a grin and greeted, ¡°Bernard, what brings you here?¡± What¡¯s going on? Why is he here? Bernard lowered his eyes, looking down at Pearce disdainfully ¡°I think I should be the one asking you that¡± ¡°Erm Scratching his head, Pearce seemed to just realize he¡¯d been freeloading at Hailey¡¯s for several days. ¡°Haha, sorry, my bad I forgot this is your turf fil skedaddle right away? Pretending to be in a frenzy. Pearce grabbed the fruit te and made for the door, but he was stopped by an icy voice from behind ¡°Aidyn-¡± Aidyn, who had been waiting outside, received themand and blocked Pearce ¡°Il take you home¡± Pearce, who was a head shorter than Aidyn, raised his head to look at him ¡°Aidyn, Bernard didn¡¯t tell you to take me home!¡± Aidyn looked down at Pearce, who seemed like a rookie in his eyes ¡°Same difference.¡± With a snap of his fingers, two suited bodyguards with sunsses walked up to Pearce. Before Pearce could react, he was lifted off the ground and taken out of the yl. Pearce, being swung around like a pendulum, twisted his neck, red at Aidyn and gritted his teeth. ¡°Big guy, I swear I¡¯ll get back at you for this and thest time¡± What was thest time about? Aidyn blinked twice, thought for a while, and gradually remembered when he had cornered someone¡­ Gross! Aidyn quickly waved his hand, ¡°Get him out of here, now!¡± Seeing the bodyguards speeding up. Pearce gave up resisting, ¡°Alright, just don¡¯t lose my fruits¡± Watching Pearce being taken away, still clutching his fruit te, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Ah, there went another te of fruits! The man beside her raised his hand, his knuckle clearly pressing on the back of her head, making her turn to look at him, ¡°Eleanor I¡¯ve been here for a while, and you haven¡¯t even nced at me All eyes on Pearce, whos the husband here? Eleanor shed a gentle smile. ¡°What are you jealous?¡± Bernard, looking at the smiling woman, didn¡¯t bother hiding his jealousy, ¡°Yes¡± Eleanor titted her head, asking gently. ¡°What can I do to make you not mad?¡® Chapter 640 Chapter 640 Bernard seemed a bit arregant, lifting his firm chin, and scoffed. ¡°Figure it out yourself Eleanor couldn¡¯t help butugh at his words, yet found this version of Remaid inesistibly attractive She reached out with her fair hand, took the initiative to wrap her arms around Bernard¡¯s neck Standing on her tiples she leaned in kissing theer of his lips ¡°is that mough?¡± Bernards gaze was tight, his throat moved slightly but he didn¡¯t respond, ¡°Not enough¡± Eleanor loosed one hand sliding it down from his broad shoulders, around his waist, and onto his expensive belt Her hand, paused for a few seconds at the metal buckle, then unbuckled his belt Just as she was about to reach into his shirt, he grabbed her hand, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Eleanor standing on her tiptoes again, whispered back in his ear. ¡°What do you think?¡± Her warm breath, carrying the scent of gardenias, blew into his ear, and the man¡¯s abdomen lightened, along with his arrogant eyes Little devil Bernard lowered his tense gaze to see her biting her tender lips and immediately surrendered His slender fingers moved to her waist, pulled her tightly into his arms A turned on man, going wild, was hard for a woman to bear just like Elcanar at this moment, who was almost been kissed breathless Eleanor whimpered in pleas intermittently and the man finally asked in a low voice. ¡°You dare seduce me, but you don¡¯t dare to face the consequences?¡± As the man spoke he did not leave her lips, caressing and gently beting in any case, the repeated contact made Eleanor¡¯s hest numb and trembling. She lifted her eyes, which were wet from the kisses, and pleaded at the man who was pinning her against the wall Tve been a bit tiredtely can¡¯t¡± Her sweet and soft voice fell into his heart, bringing a faint smile to his eyes. ¡°But you were just touching my belt Eleanor blushed, towering her head ¡°I wanted tofort you Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. The man lifted her chin, making her look straight at him, then said firmly. ¡°Next time, don¡¯t let other men int Eleanor nodded eagerly promising not to let Pearce in, and only then did the man reluctantly let her go. He stepped back, creating a distance between them, suppressing his urge, and then stepped forward again to pick up the blushing Eleanor She nestled in his arms, asking sweetly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you let me go?¡± Bernard held her tightly, walking towards the neighboring vi ¡°You¡¯re tired, you should go home and rest¡± Eleanor struggled to get down from him, ¡°Wait, fm suddenly not tred anymore let me down!¡± At Hailey¡¯s vi, he might just be affectionate but if they went home she would surely get a taste of his stamina Knowing Bernard¡¯s behaviors well, Eleanor surprisingly found the strength, tightly grabbed his arm, and jumped off him. Bernard slightly raised his thick eyebrows. leaning towards Eleanor, ¡°You¡± He wanted to ask her where she got such strength, when she suddenly pulled out a business card from her pocket and waved it in front of him ¡°Bernard, I just came across a problem, can you help me decide?¡® Bernard¡¯s eyes moved from her face to the business card, ¡°Casey? Seeing those two letters, his eyes suddenly lifted, ¡°How do you have his card?¡± Eleanor didnt hide it and said straightforwardly, ¡°He came to find me just now, asking about Nina¡¯s whereabouts, and left me his card¡± Bernard straightened up, took the card, looked at it for a few seconds, then asked Eleanot, ¡°What did he say to you?¡± Eleanor told Bernard every word Casey had said, and then hesitantly asked him, ¡°Do you think I should tell Casey that Ethan and Nina are at the cemetery?¡± The man, already sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed, looked at Eleanor indifferently, ¡°When did you start contacting Ethan?¡± Chapter 641 Chapter 641 Eleanor hadn¡¯t expected Ethan to be the guy Bernard was so concerned about. She found it a bit amusing. ¡°Bernard why do you have an issue with evi yone?¡± The man sat on the sofa tense, not letting his guard down for even a second. His eyes, clear as snow, were bumming withplex thoughts His silence made Eleanor who was sitting opposite him, slowly drop her smile and start to feel a bit uneasy as she observed him ¡°Ive never actually spoken to Ethan. He just told me to tell Casey that he was at the cemetery when I was on the phone with George¡± She thought that her exnation would lighten Bernard¡¯s mood, but his expression only grew darker and more worried Eleanor got un immediates and walked over to Bernand gently touching his face ¡°What¡¯s wrong. Bernand Feeling her cautious touch, Bernard¡¯s furrowed brow rxed a bit. Tm Fine Eleanor¡± Ahe saying this, he extended his long fingers, leading her to sit next to him. He then turned his body to face her, studying her face intently ¡°Eleanor can Ethan tell who you are¡± If Ethan couldn¡¯t tell who she was, that meant he still loved Em If Ethan could tell who she was then he might have feelings for Eleanor 100. Im not sure¡± Eleanor herself was unsure about Ethan¡¯s thoughts and couldn¡¯t give a precise answer Her confusion seemed to rx Bernard¡¯s tense expression a bit. Maybe it was better that she didn¡¯t know Bernard handed Eleanor back her business card ¡°Wait untd the resultse out, then make your decision¡± As Eleanor took her business card, she asked confusedly. ¡°Wait for what results¡± The man replied ind fferently. ¡°The paternity test between Ethan and Nina¡± Eleanor locked bewildered, not quite understanding. She was about to ask for nification when her phone¡¯s vibration interrupted her thoughts. A bodyguard nearby immediately handed Bernard his phone. ¡°Mr Laurence, it¡¯s Caleb¡® Bernard took the phone and pressed the answer button Caleb¡¯s voice immediately came from the other end ¡°Sir, we found out.¡± Bernard answered nonchntly. ¡°What¡¯s the result?¡± After ncing at the man next to him. Caleb hesitated and then said ¡°Mr Penrod says he wants you to come to his hotel to pick it up Bernard smirked. ¡°Does he have a death wish? Daring to provoke me?¡± The man sitting on the leather sofa motioned for Caleb to hand him the phone. ¡°Give me the phone¡± Caleb swallowed hard and handed him the phone, frantically signaling him with his eyes God, dont say anything to piss off Mr. Law if he gets angry, none of us at thepany will have peace! However, the icy manpletely ignored Calebs signals, took the phone, and started speaking loudly ¡°Either you handle Robin Spencer for me or youe get the report yourself Pick one¡± Bernard was on speakerphone, so Eleanor could hear the other person¡¯s voice clearly His voice was deep and husky, very maic, and had an indescribable allure Even if someone had never seen him, just hearing his voice would be enough to imagine what he looked like ¡°Evan Penrod Im warning you again, don¡¯t mess with Robin¡± The Spencer family had already gotten a list of thousands of people if Evan¡¯s personal feud dragged more people into this, Bemard would deal with Evan himself. However Evan didn¡¯t seem to care at all. He swirled his red wine around and said. ¡°I ept your warning, Mr. Law, but whether I heed it is not up to you.¡± Bernards grip on his phone tightened. He wanted to warn Evan again, but he knew that a person like him would not listen, so he held back his words and simply said, ¡°Send me the results within five minutes After saying this, he hung up Eleanor saw that his face had gone a bit pale, seemingly enraged by this man named Evan. She quickly hugged his waist ¡°Don¡¯t be mad Her soft voice, gently tapping at his heart, warmed him up He lifted his hand tightly holding the woman in his arms, and gently kissed her forehead Eleanor leaned into his chest and whispered. ¡°Will he send it to you?¡± Bernard lifted his chin and sneered. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t dare not to.¡± Even if Evan was lur Penrods adopted son, so what? He still had to obey hismands That was the rule Upon hearing Evans arrogant tone. Eleanor felt that he wouldn¡¯t send it How just as she thought this the phorie next to them started vibrating again, Bernard unlocked his phone with one hand it was a message from Evan A paternity test report and a line of t Ethans hair was hard to get wire me ten million Bernard ignored the text and opened the report in front of Eleanor Father than Daughter Nina Test result 9999C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. When Eleanorid her eyes on the report, she wasn¡¯t exactly bowed over Chapter 642 Chapter 642 She had always had the hunch that Nina was Ethan¡¯s daughter Now with the DNA results staring her in the face it further confirmed her gut feeling Nina beng Ethans daughter meant her sister didnt betray Ethan Ethan had been barking up the wrong tree all these years And Casey knowing full well that Nina was Ethan¡¯s daughter, didn¡¯t spill the beans to Ethan, but instead lied that Nina was his own. Did Casey do this because he loved her sister so much that he wanted to have her niece all to himself, or was it just to get back at Ethan? As Eleanor was trying to figure out Casey¡¯s real motive, Bernard gave a nod to his bodyguard ¡°The Gles¡± The bodyguard caught on immediately dashed out of the vi, retrieved a file from the car, and handed it over Bernard didn¡¯t take it but gave Eleanor a nce. The bodyguard quickly got the hint and respectfully handed the files to Eleanor ¡°Madam, these are the Eles on Ethan and Emilia¡± Eleanor said ¡°Thanks¡± and took the files from the bodyguard, opened the envelope, and began to sift through the pile of documents 1 found this a few days ago, but didn¡¯t tell you right away because the DNA results were off The man¡¯s deep voice echoed in her ears prompting Eleanor to lift her head ¡°Bernard, thank you¡± Ethan had wronged Bernard in the past, but Bernard didn¡¯t hold a grudge and helped her dig up information without a second thought Moreover, despite having the files, he sent someone to get Ethan¡¯s hair for a retest because he knew Eleanor firmly believed her sister didn¡¯t betray Ethan. Knowing her conviction, that was why he did what he did. The lengths this man went to for her The man turned his head slightly and murmured, ¡°No need to thank me just make it up to me tonight¡® Touched by his actions. Eleanor blushed at his words. ¡°I knew you would say that.¡± She pretended to push him away in anger, but he pulled her back in with one swift tug Left with no choice. Eleanor left the files on hisp, nestled into his arms, and continued to read about her sister and Ethan¡¯s past. After she finished, she pieced together the information with Casey¡¯s words Though some of what he said lined up with the files, like Ethan having done time. But Casey lied about Nina¡¯s parentage, and that alone was a dead giveaway that Casey was not to be trusted So, she decided not to let Casey know Ethan¡¯s whereabouts Eleanor¡¯s thoughts became clearer. She closed the files and looked at Bernard again. ¡°Can i make a call to George?¡± Bernard moved the files off hisp and scooped Eleanor up onto hisp. He leaned back on the couch, slightly lifted his chin, and fixed his gaze on Eleanor. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. *George did the DNA tect in the file if you don¡¯t suspect George is on Casey¡¯s side, you can call him ¡± George was a world renowned medical expert. It was highly unlikely he would screw up something like this, but the DNA results were Eleanor had her doubts too but George had been good to Ethan, hardly someone who would stab him in the back She always had a feeling that George might not know the whole story. After all, anyone could fiddle with a report. In fact, if she could just call Ethan directly, there wouldn¡¯t be so many worries. But she was afraid Bernard might not take it well, so she didn¡¯t bring it up. Chapter 643 Chapter 643 She stared at the handsome man¡¯s face and after a few seconds of hesitation, she wrapped her arms around his neck ¡°Beard, can I call Ethan?¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°No¡± His cold refusal disappointed Eleanor instantly ¡°Why?¡± He lifted her chin and said firmly From now on, you can¡¯t see Ethan, you can talk to him, and you can¡¯t contact him¡± So, how was the supposed to tell Ethan that her sister didn¡¯t betray him and that Nina was his biological daughter? Seeing her frown, he reached out picked up his phone and made a call Eleanor nced at the disyed number then checked the number on the file A slow grin appeared on her face Hed rather call Ethan himself than let her do it Man, this guy was jealous as hell Beard dialed twice but got no answm, so he gave up and texted the Two files to Ethan. Then he put down his phone locked at Eleanor and said. ¡°Ive sent the files to him You can¡¯t interfere with Ethan anymore¡± Seeing his concern for Ethan, Eleanor obediently agreed but she was uneasy, feeling that things were not that simple Seeing her frown, Bernard asked with concern, ¡°What¡¯s wrong¡± Eleanor lowered her head and didn¡¯t dare to say more Bernard lifted her chin to make her look at him ¡°Are you worned about Ethan?¡± Eleanor quickly denied it ¡°fm not worned about him I just just She touched her heart and said, ¡°This heart is my sister¡¯s. It seems to worry about Ethan¡± Bernards eyes becameplicated when he looked at her heart. He originally didn¡¯t want to deal with Ethan¡¯s affairs anymore, but¡­ Whatever, if Ethan hadn¡¯t put his heart into Eleanors body, he might be the one suffering now Bernard picked up his phone and called Caleb ¡°You go check the graveyard¡± Caleb, who was investigating the cause of death of the eldest son of the Laurence family, immediately answered, ¡°Sir, fm in Q City. Ite back immediately¡± Bemard frowned it would take four hours to get from Q City to A City. Looking at Eleanor he made a decisive decision. ¡°Never mind, I¡¯ll go myself¡± Seeing that he was about to leave. Eleanor quickly grabbed his hand ¡°I go with you¡± But Bernard raised his hand and affectionately stroked her hair ¡°You wait for me at home¡± At the graveyard, when George took Nina down the hill he looked back at the man standing in front of the tomb. ¡°Ethan, the DNA test results for you and Nina are out. I take Nina to the hospital to get them Don¡¯t stay here too long The man standing in front of the grave didn¡¯t turn his head, just locked down at the tombstone The sun slowly set, and the yellowish light through the mottled branches shone on him, making him look even more lonely The cold wind was piercing, and the cold gradually seeped into his coat and through his thin shirt, but he didn¡¯t feel cold. He stood silently in front of the grave, his face full of gloom, as if shrouded in darkness ¡°Emilia, I¡¯m going to test again if shes not my daughter, I won¡¯t forgive you even if i die¡± He reached out and gently touched the tombstone. When his fingers touched the photo on it, he paused for a few seconds ¡°She has regained her identity. This photo should be reced with yours. He withdrew his hand and took out a photo from his pocket. The girl in the photo was wearing a red dress, facing the hot sun, and looking at the distantndscape She liked to pose like this when taking photos, because she was always looking for freedom in her life Ethan¡¯s fingers stroked the photo, and he smirked, ¡®Ha, freedom She ended up as a handful of dust, lying in a cold and sunless tomb. Was this the freedom she wanted? What a joke. As Ethan mocked Emilia there was a sound of footsteps behind him¡­.. Chapter 644 Chapter 644 ¡°Ethan, long time no see, huh?¡± Holding a bunch of lilies in his hand. Casey, escorted by a bunch of bodyguards, slowly ascended the stairs, heading towards Ethan. The man standing in front of the grave didn¡¯t even tum his head just slipped the photo he was holding into his pocket, close to his heart Having been rivals with Ethan for years, Casey knew all too well that Ethan didn¡¯t give a damn about his presence He walked straight to Ethan¡¯s side,id the flowers in front of the tombstone, and then raised his eyes to look at the photo on it. ¡°Eleanor7¡± All these years, he had never been able to locate Emilia¡¯s grave Turned out the name on the gravestone was Eleanor, not Emilia Ethan really had everything nned out to keep Emilia all to himself, but what was the use? Emilia still betrayed him Casey smirked slightly, whispering. ¡°Ethan, the eight months are up You should give Nina back to me now Ethan, who had been silent all along lowered his head and gave Casey a cold nce ¡°What were her last words?¡± Casey straightened up, standing shoulder to shoulder with Ethan in mnt of the tombstone, gazing at the flower bed on the ground, and spoke softly ¡°She¡¯s dead, do herst words matter?¡± Ethan shoved his hands into his suit pockets, straightened up, and replied indifferently, ¡®I quess not. Seeing than ying his usual two¨Cfaced game, Casey couldn¡¯t help but pat him on the shoulder ¡°Ethan, oh Ethan, your downfall is being too stubborn¡± Casey¡¯s arrogant and all¨Cknowing aura was what Ethan despised the most. He pushed Casey¡¯s hand away, saying coldly ¡°You¡¯re not worthy to say my name¡± Compared to Ethan¡¯s outright disgust, the ever¨Cdisguising Casey seemed pretty calm. He didn¡¯t mind Ethan¡¯s attitude, but instead wore a gentlemanly smile and chuckled lightly. ¡°Emilia¡¯sst words were in a rather lengthy video, meant for your eyes only¡± As Casey said this, the smile on his lips gradually became crafty ¡°Do you know what she said?¡± Ethan¡¯s face was incredibly gloomy ¡°Either give it to me or get lost Stop with this act in front of me Underneath Casey¡¯s gentlemanly exteriory a cold¨Cblooded beast, there was no one more ruthless than him in this world Whether it was Emilia or the royal family, no one knew the methods behind Casey¡¯s mask except for Ethan who had witnessed it firsthand They had battled so many times, fully aware of what kind of people they were Why was Casey still pretending in front of him? Wasn¡¯t he tired? ¡°Of course, I give you the video but before that, I have a question for you¡± Ethan was clearly impatient, giving Casey a cold nce ¡°Spit it out! Casey extended his hand, gently caressing Emilia¡¯s tombstone then leisurely asked C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. ¡°Eleanor said that Nina has been with you for eight months and has developed feelings for you. She doesnt want to leave you. What about you?¡± Ethan¡¯s eyes suddenly filled with confusion ¡°Why would you ask that?¡± Casey casually tapped on the tombstone with his finger, saying ¡°Oh, I just want to know if you would have feelings for Nina?¡± Ethanughed coldly: ¡°Shes your child, why would I have feelings for her?¡± Upon hearing this, Casey¡¯s fingers tapping on the tombstone abruptly stopped He didn¡¯t say a word, just raised his hand and waved to the bodyguards behind him ¡°Bring them up. Seeing George and Nina being camed up the hill, Ethan¡¯s face suddenly turned gloomy ¡°Casey, what the hell are you trying to do?¡± Chapter 645 Chapter 645 Casey pulled out a gun from his waist spinning it in his hand. ¡°Ethan, you wouldn¡¯t want to leave Nina would you?¡± Ethan stared firmly at Casey *So, you set up Nina and me to be together for eight months just to see if id get attached huh?¡± He could see Caseys game, but he couldn¡¯t fathom why he¡¯d y it Casey was threatening him with his own daughter¡¯s life. Was he czy or just in stupid? Casey obvioush didn¡¯t see it that way, he looked at Ethan andughed, full of confidence ¡°Ethan, you know I¡¯ve wanted you dead for years, right?¡± Ethan nced at him ¡°You cant kill me if he died, the whole Ziegler family would make sure Casey joined him Casey chuckled while loading his gun ¡°Of course I cant kill you. But your daughter, and Emilia¡¯s video, they can.¡± C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Ethan¡¯s gaze slowly shifted back to Casey ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Casey finished loading the gun, his finger hovering over the trigger He looked up at Ethan ¡°used to think you loved Emilia Ithought when she died, you¡¯d follow her Wasted a bloody good n, but it doesn¡¯t matter. Casey paused the grin on his face growing darker ¡°Eight months ago, I found a chip in the ne Nina often wears Luck had it, the chip contained Emilia¡¯sst words to you, revealing all the truth. ¡°Then you came to snatch Nina. I thought let you have her Maybe in a fit of rage, you¡¯d kill her Then eight monthster, Id reveal the truth and watch you lose your mind. That would be fun ¡°But i didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d not only not harm Nina but start to like her That was a real bore. ¡°But threatening you with your own daughter¡¯s life now that¡¯s kind of fun, don¡¯t you think?¡± Casey¡¯s words were like a stone thrown into ake, causing massive tipples striking Ethan like lightning He stared at Casey¡¯s malicious eyes in disbelief, ¡°What did you say?¡± Casey pointed the loaded gun at Ethan¡¯s pale face. ¡°I said you¡¯re both stupid and pathetic¡± With that he moved the gun to Ethan¡¯s thigh and pulled the trigger without hesitation. The pain of the bullet piercing through skin and muscle made Ethan break out in a cold sweat his body involuntarily buckling. Biting down hard, he resisted the pain, not letting himself fall. Instead, he knelt on one knee in front of the gravestone, staring at the tomb As if he could see through the stone he saw Emilia, kneeling before him, crying and exining: ¡°Ethan, Nina is actually your daughter I beg you, take a paternity test, okay?¡± What did he do back then? He pped her hard, called her a loose woman, and used her of having no shame, making him the fool while expecting him to ept the truth! Emilia, as if awakened by his p, covered her face, knelt on the ground, and from then on, chose to remain silent It was always him not trusting her, so she chose to pursue her freedom in death without hesitation Chapter 646 Chapter 646 Casey looked at Ethan, who was kneeling in front of a tombrione, his face full of regret. A slow smile crept onto Casey¡¯s face ¡°Ethan, I told you before all your failures in life are caused by yourself. You didn¡¯t believe me do you now?¡± If Ethan wasn¡¯t so damn cocky would he have only just found out that Nina was his daughter? Ethan had always camed himself with an au of superiority. He seemed to think the world was his cyster Back then, Casey, locked in a small cage, always wondered why he as the eldest son of the Ziegler family, was kept in the dark, while Ethan got to bask in the limelight Was it just because his mother was a prostitute? Casey didn¡¯t understand as a kid, and he still didn¡¯t understand now He med everything on Ethan who took away everything that should have belonged to Casey If it hadn¡¯t been for Ethan, would he have been kicked out of the Ziegler family and became a dofter? He still remembered nearly getting beaten to death trying to steal food for Emilia And Ethan? He just sat in his car and said ¡°stop¡± like he was doing them a favor From then on, Emilia only had eyes for Ethan Why? Just because he couldn¡¯t afford to send Emilia to school? Just because he wasn¡¯t the snooty aristocrat sitting in the car? But He was the first to meet EmiliaC0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. He was the one who spent countless terrifying nights with her Why did Ethan have to steal his only light when he showed up? Ethan had already taken his home why did he have to steal his light too? Casey, huddled beside a trash can, shivering in the rain, thought One day he would take back Emilia his home, everything Ethan took from him! Look, now was the time to take everything back Casey held a gun, squatting next to Ethan, his eyes deep Theard from Emilia that you¡¯ve never told her you love her, even when you were with her Why is that?¡± Emilia studied hard to keep up with Ethan just wanting to be a bit closer to him. She chased after Ethan for ten years, but he never budged. Why did he agree when he saw him actively pursuing Emilia? Casey thought, he agreed to be with Emilia just to spite him, so he couldn¡¯t say the word ¡°love¡± But then, he put Ethan in jail, and heard from the prison guards that Ethan asked every day if Emilia had visited. Every time the answer was no, Ethan would look lost, sitting by the window silently staring cutside. The guards said they didn¡¯t know what Ethan was thinking, but they could see that he missed Emilia. Then Casey realized. Ethan had fallen for Emilia long ago, and he just didn¡¯t want to admit it Casey thought, since Ethan had feelings for Emilia, using his weakness might get him into trouble. As expected, after only one intimate encounter with Emilia, Ethanpletely lost control Love, it was a scary thing. Casey shook his head, then raised the gun in his hand aiming at Ethan¡¯s head ¡°Ethan, how about I show you the video Emilia left, then use a bullet to end your life?¡± The man looked like a walking corpse, as if he hadn¡¯t heard what Casey said, or felt any pain, just staring nkly at the tombstone His face was as pale as a sheet, his eyes full of regret, which gave Casey an inexplicable thrill. He put away his gun, stood up, and waved to his bodyguards. ¡°Put him on the helicopter When Bernard arrived, he only saw blood on the ground, no sign of Ethan He frowned, then coldly told Aidyn. ¡°Find out where he is¡± Chapter 647 Chapter 647 A chopper parked in front of a swanky mansion, and Casey ordered his guys to toss Ethan into the basement The basement was dank and pitch¨Cdark, and no light or signal could creep in Ethan, who used to seize every chance to escape seemed to have given up all hope this time, choosing to keep silent George, who was roughly bound and kicked into the basement burst into tears when he saw Ethan shrunk into a ball on the floor ¡°Ethan Hearing Georges voice. Ethan, who had been unresponsive, slowly lifted his deep set eyes to George¡¯s pale face. ¡°Why¡± Why did George deceive him with a fake appraisal report? He trusted George so much, why would he deceive him like this? George, who already knew the appraisal results, shook his head immediately when he saw Ethan looking at him with such disappointed eyes ¡°Ethan, I didn¡¯t fake it and I didn¡¯t lie to you!¡± ¡°You personally collected the blood, you personally ran the tests, and you say you didn¡¯t lie to me?!¡± Emilia had exined to him many times that Nina was his child, so he naturally went for a DNA test But the result was not what he expected! He never questioned the report, because it was tested by George, the only mutual friend he and Emilia had. Who would have thought George would deceive him on this?! ¡°I didn¡¯t¡± George still shook his head in denial, his wronged expression made him look particrly pitiful ¡°Ethan, when I was testing, a doctor came to see me, maybe that¡¯s when someone tampered with it¡® George lifted his head, looking at the man lying on the floor, looking both ragged and helpless. ¡°Ethan, I would never betray you, you have to believe me? ¡°Do you think saying that now helps? His Emilia couldn¡¯te back to hear him say Tm sorry¡± Ethan¡¯s eyes were filled with despair, lifeless Seeing Ethan lost the will to live because of guilt, George quickly shuffled over to him ¡°Ethan, you still have a daughter, you need to pull yourself together and snatch Nina back from Casey ¡°You want to snatch my daughter?¡± The basement door was pushed open, and Casey walked in holding Nina. The moment he stepped in, the dark basement was filled with light, instantly brightening up. Ethan¡¯s gaze moved from George to Nina nestled in Casey¡¯s arms Howe he never noticed before, that the child looked a lot like him? if he had noticed earlier, would Emilia not have left so soon? Ethan¡¯s eyshes drooped it was not that he didn¡¯t notice, it was that he didn¡¯t want to believe Casey was right, he was his own worst enemy He was hypocritical, self¨Crighteous, and that was why he lost Emilia forever Seeing Ethan¡¯s leg continuously bleeding. Nina covered her mouth in shock, staring at Ethan wide¨C eyed. ¡°Sir, what happened to your leg When Casey shot Ethan, Nina and George were already stuffed into the chopper, so they didn¡¯t see nor hear the gunshot Seeing Nina womed about him, Ethan felt a warmth in his heart. He stretched out his hand to cover the bleeding wound He didn¡¯t want to expose the child to such a bloody scene, so he smiled lightly and said to Nina, ¡°Nina don¡¯t be scared¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. This was the first time he called her by her name directly, and Nina was thrilled, revealing an innocent smile ¡°Sic I like it when you call my name it sounds nice.¡± Tears welled up in Ethans eyes. ¡°Nina. Im sorry¡± Nina tilted her head, looking at Ethan, then waved at him. ¡°It¡¯s okay Dad said as long as you admit your mistakes, you can be forgiven¡® Then, Nina turned her head to Casey ¡°Dad, even though he took me away, he didn¡¯t hurt me. He just made a small mistake, he should be able to be forgiven, so Can you let him and George go?¡± Casey lowered his head looking at the little girl in his arms, a warm and kind smile shed in his eyes. ¡°Nina, there are some private matters between him and me it doesn¡¯t matter whether he took you away, you understand?¡± Nina seemed to understand a bit nodded, but still pleaded for Ethan ¡°So, dad, can you let the doctor treat his leg wound first?¡± His leg was bleeding a lot, would he die from excessive blood loss if it wasn¡¯t treated? Thinking Ethan might die. Nina felt very sad, she didn¡¯t want him to die Chapter 648 Chapter 648 ¡°Nina, do you really like him?¡± ¡°Yep¡± Nina didn¡¯t hesitate at all nodding her head strongly Casey lifted his hand and gently touched Nina¡¯s nose ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy¡± Casey let go of Nina instructing her ¡°Nina go find a doctor with your bodyguard¡± On hearing her dad asking her to find a doctor, Nina immediately bolled out happily Ethan watched Nina running away his anxious heart finally calming down a bit. However, Casey walked in front of him, locking down on him and crushing his hopes ¡°Do you think i deliberately let Nina go because I didnt want her to witness the bloody scene?¡± Casey lifted his boot and stepped on Ethan¡¯s wound, bending over slightly ¡°Ethan, after watching the video, I take you and Nina on a round of life and death game¡± Ethan had seen Casey¡¯s tactics, but he didn¡¯t want Nina to experience it. After all, Nina had called Casey ¡°Dad¡± for almost six years, she really saw Casey as her father If his hatred towards him ruined Nina¡¯s trust in a father, Nina¡¯s young heart definitely couldn¡¯t take it. Hed rather Nina not recognize him as her biological father than see Nina get hurt. Thinking of this Ethan grabbed Casey¡¯s ankle and with a swift twist, Casey was thrown onto the ground Ethan, struggling to get up from the ground, his clenched fists made him look like a demon straight from hell George saw a glimmer of hope in Ethan and let out a relieved smile With Ethan¡¯s skill, Casey couldn¡¯t get close to him. The only disadvantage was that Casey had a gun However, as long as Ethan could seize Casey¡¯s gun, dealing with him wouldn¡¯t be a problem! Unfortunately, Ethan was injured. He only had a few rounds with Casey before another shot was fired at his other leg ¡°Ethan George screamed struggling to save him, but his back was ruthlessly stepped on by Casey ¡°Di George, stop struggling Today is Ethan¡¯s death day, and no one can save him.¡± Hearing this, George looked up at Casey in disbelief ¡°You know he¡¯s the son of the Ziegler family, and you still dare to kill him?¡± Even if Casey was the adopted son of a royal family, so what? Ethan was the heir of the Ziegler family, killing Ethan would lead to the Ziegler family seeking revenge, even the royal family would be retaliated against Was Casey willing to give up his hard earned royal power and fame just to kill Ethan? Casey of course, wanted royal power and fame, but that didn¡¯t stop him from wanting Ethan¡¯s life He stepped on George¡¯s back, bent down to look at him. ¡°Dr. George, do you know who tampered with the tests?¡± George lifted his eyes ring coldly at Casey ¡°Who else could it be but you?¡± Casey curled his lips slightly a strange smile in his eyes. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. ¡°You¡¯re quite smart¡± George ignored Casey. Instead looking at Ethan who was kneeling on the ground, trembling with pain ¡°Ethan, you should believe now that I didn¡¯t lie to you, right?¡± George was always an honest doctor, never deceiving his patients Being harassed by someone like Casey now, he felt furious. He could never understand why there were annoying people like Casey in this world? Feeling George¡¯s anger, Casey slightly raised the corner of his mouth, rxed and smiling. ¡°Dr. George, I can see Ethan¡¯s regretful face now, all thanks to your diagnosis report¡± George went pale with anger, wishing he could get up and give Casey a good beating. However, he was tied up, unable to move, could only grit his teeth and re at Casey ¡°Casey you¡¯ll get your karma!¡± Casey let out a coldugh ¡°People always believe in this so¨Ccalled karma, when I do good, God doesn¡¯t give me any special treatment, when I do bad, there¡¯s no special punishment either, why should I be a good guy for the sake of karma?¡± George strongly disagreed with his logic ¡°it¡¯s just not the time yet? Casey just smiled, didn¡¯t argue with George, but walked over to Ethan ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll show you the video¡± Ethan, pale as a sheet, didn¡¯t react as if he didn¡¯t care about the contents of the will anymore. Or perhaps, he was afraid He was afraid that he had misunderstood Emilia. He was afraid that all the information turhad found was fake. He was afraid He didn¡¯t dare to watch However, Casey had hig men help him get up and took him to the home theater at the other end of the basement Ethan was tied to the chair by his waist, but his hands and feet were not restrained, as if to give him room to struggle The door to the theater gently closed the lights went off, and the giant screen slowly lit up Chapter 649 Chapter 649 Emilia was wearing a red dress, sitting in a rocking chair on the balcony, the breeze blowing gently lifted her short hair. Under the blue sky and white clouds, the sun shone through the branches and sprinkled on her face, making her look peaceful and beautiful. She didn¡¯t speak when the video started, just staring at the camera. It¡¯s like she could see her lover through that lens, which made her a little excited and a little confused. After watching quietly for a long time, her lips gently curled up into an elegant smile. ¡°Ethan.¡± She called out his name with a trembling voice as if she had a lot of reluctance. When Ethan watched her call himself, the sadness in his heart was finally uncontroble, and tears fell instantly. Emilia, his Emilia, that Emilia who had disappeared from the world and would never be seen again. Emilia on the screen, her eyes welling up after calling his name, still managed to keep that smile, looking into the camera andughing. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯ll ever see this video, but I need to exin onest time before I die. Ethan, I agreed to marry Casey not because I love him but because if I didn¡¯t say yes, he wouldn¡¯t help me save you¡­ The man you killed was Casey¡¯s brother. He was of royal family, I was worried that you would not be able toe out after you are imprisoned. I knew you despise Casey, but I had no other choice, I had to beg for his help. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± After Emilia said this, she felt weakly on rocking chair, struggling for a long time to catch her breath. Her face was pale, looking at the camera, her eyes were flushed, and endless apologies were revealed in her eyes. ¡°Ethan, I¡¯ve been trying to visit you in prison, but the royal family won¡¯t let me in. I¡¯m so useless, aren¡¯t I?¡± Seeing Emilia¡¯s frail body curled up in the chair, looking weak, Ethan was so heartbroken he could hardly breathe, his tears uncontrobly streaming down. ¡°Emilia, I¡¯m the one who should be sorry for you¡­¡± ¥ë Emilia on the screen seemed to be able to feel Ethan¡¯s response, and tried to sit up straight again, approaching the camera. ¡°Ethan, Nina is really your daughter, she¡¯s the child you had before you were jailed¡­ I was nning to tell you on your birthday. But that night, I was harassed by Casey¡¯s brother, which drove you to murder. Before I could tell you, we just missed it. ¡± Ethan turned his head, unable to see Emilia anymore, but her voice was everywhere, echoing in his ears. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Ethan, actually, I¡¯ve always been sorry for you. The thing I am most sorry for you is that I was drunk that night. I totally didn¡¯t realize that I mistook Casey for you. I betrayed you, so when you confronted me, I couldn¡¯t say anything. I just confessed. I have to admit, I really did betray you¡­¡± Ethan covered his eyes, plugged his ears, tried to get up, not wanting to hear anymore. But he was firmly tied to the chair, there was no escape no matter what, he could only hear Emilia say again and again that she had betrayed him!The image of her making love to Casey on the bed was like a nightmare, relentlessly invading his mind¡­. Chapter 650 Chapter 650 At that time, he was tied to a chair, and could only watch from a distance through the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows, unable to do anything Ethan felt like he was about to lose his mind. He desperately tried to break free, but no matter what, he couldn¡¯t get rid of those locked chains He could only copse despainngly onto the chair back, his eyes bloodshot, staring at Emilia who was also unable to hold himself on the screen ¡°Ethan, from the very beginning. I¡¯ve been chasing after you. I have liked you since I was fourteen years old, and I have been pursuing you all the time. My behavior must have caused you great pain. Now, I¡¯ve got ALS. I might not have much longer. After I¡¯m gone, no one will bother you. If, I mean, if you still remember me, you cane and see my grave¡± Emilia lowered her head, looking at her withered, yellow hands, and smiled softly. ¡°I remember, the first time we held hands, I was the one who initiated it. At that time, I thought you would reject me, but you didn¡¯t, so I had the courage to chase you¡­ I was so willful, not realizing that someone¡¯s persistence could hurt another person¡­¡± After she finished speaking, she lifted her head, looked at the camera, and smiled again. ¡°When I was young, I was really too ignorant. I knew you didn¡¯t like me, but I kept chasing you. But I don¡¯t regret loving you. Life¡¯s so short, and no one can be sure when they¡¯ll leave, so why regret the past, right? What do you think?¡± Emilia paused, looked away, and tears slid down her eyes. If ¡°My only regret is that I never heard you say you love me. Many times, I¡¯ve thought, do you love me or not? If you love me, why have you never said you love me¡­ you don¡¯t love me, why did you agree to be with me? Since we¡¯re together, why have you always been so cold to me these six years. Ethan, I really want to know the reason and hear you say you love me, but I may not be able to wait for your answer¡­¡± Emilia raised her thin fingers, wiping away her tears, and looked at the camera. ¡°Ethan, I haven¡¯t left you anything physical in this world, only Nina. If you see this video, could you name her? If you don¡¯t want her to have your surname, then let Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. her have mine¡­ Emilia seemed to have said all she wanted to say, reaching out to turn off the video. But just as she touched the screen, she suddenly stopped. She looked at the camera, her eyes full of reluctance ¡°Ethan.¡± She called his name again, her voice shaking. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I love you-¡± Then, the video was cut off, and the whole theater plunged into darkness. Ethan leaned back in his chair, his eyes glowing red, staring hard at the screen. His body felt like it had been drained of strength, so weak it was like a walking corpse. His Emilia, she had indeed betrayed him, and she really couldn¡¯te back¡­ What was ironic was that even though he deeply loved her, he never openly admitted it, as a result, she didn¡¯t know his love until thest part of her life. Chapter 651 Chapter 651 In the video Emilia left behind, she never said anything to me Ethan at all, but kept apologizing to him. Between the two of them, he was always on top, while she was always at the bottom, hoping that he could give her a little love. Ethan recalled the first time he saw Emilia. He was sitting in his car, the window half open, watching Emilia and Casey being surrounded by a bunch of homeless people. At that moment, his car was stuck in the middle of the road, waiting for the traffic lights. Out of boredom, he nced over and spotted Emilia, head in her hands, curled up on the ground amidst the grubby crowd When he saw her looking up at him, there was a clear and bright light in her eyes, that rity was ipatible with this messy environment, his heart skipped a beat and he shouted, ¡°Stop¡± Back then, he didn¡¯t know that Casey, who was protecting Emilia, was actually the illegitimate son of the Ziegler family, and his half¨Cbrother. If he knew Casey and Emilia were in the same group, he wouldn¡¯t have supported Emilia. He heard from Emilia that since he started sponsoring her, she always waited for him silently at the door of the Ziegler family after school, just to wait for him toe out and say thank you to him, but every time he sat in the car in and out, never lowered the window to look at her again. Emiliater worked her butt off to get into his school, became his ssmate, and slowly got closer to him. But he didn¡¯t really like seeing Emilia. Back then, Ethan didn¡¯t know squat about love. All he knew was there was this girl who would leave breakfast on his desk every morning, and follow his car on her bike after school. She would stop after a short distance, watching his car drive away, with a smile on her face. When he was concentrating in painting in the art studio, she would sneakily stand by the window, resting her chin on her hand, watching him through the ss. Later, he often saw her sitting in the art studio as well, painting various strange shapes with several colors. No one in the studio understood her art, but Ethan could tell she had talent with just one look, so he took a few more nces at her. It may be that several times of his gaze made her find the direction of life, Emilia firmly chose architecture. And Ethan, being a man who valued talent, invested some funds in her and hired many teachers to train her after he found out she was the little girl he¡¯d been sponsoring Emilia didn¡¯t let him down. Before long, she became an architect, impressing even him. After winning an award, Emilia came to thank him with her trophy in hand. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. That time, she boldly took his hand, and for some reason, Ethan didn¡¯t pull away. He always thought her hands were warm, even warmer than the sun above his head. Seeing that he didn¡¯t reject her, Emilia boldly tiptoed up and snuck a kiss on him. Stunned, Ethan watched as Emilia blushed and smiled at him after kissing him, saying, ¡°Ethan, I like you.¡± Then, without waiting for his response, the little girl holding the trophy turned and ran off. Ethan watched her retreating figure, raised his hand to touch his cheek, and said softly: ¡°I didn¡¯t feel it, she should have kissed me longer next time. At that time, he started to have a feeling for Emilia, right? He didn¡¯t know that it was liking, thinking it was merely habit. Because Emilia was always by his side, making him feel like she would never leave him. Like a personal butler, always by his side. He assumed Emilia would be the same, so he never had the idea of approaching her proactively. Chapter 652 Chapter 652 The only time he ever took action was when he saw Casey, a royal descendant, passionately pursuing Emilia, and took Emilia off the field. The two of them running against the sunset on the field, with everyone around cheering for them, it was like they were acting out some epic romance movie Ethanughed disdainfully, he thought Emilia would not ept Casey, so he didn¡¯t care at all. That was, until George told him, Emilia hadn¡¯te home. At that time, Emilia had rented a house outside of school, which was owned by George for the convenience of painting. Worried about Emilia¡¯s safety, Ethan asked George, who lived next door, to check on her frequently. It so happened that this time when George came back, he saw that the lights in Emilia¡¯s room had not been turned on, so he called Ethan When Ethan heard that Emilia hadn¡¯te home, he stopped the paintbrush in his hand, and what came to his mind was the picture of Emilia tiptoeing and kissing Casey¡¯s cheek. He felt like he was going crazy. Emilia only liked him, why would she kiss Casey? He reassured himself, it¡¯s impossible! But the more he thought about it, the more irritable he became, he threw away the paintbrush in anger, picked up his coat, and drove to find Emilia. He searched for her the whole night, until he saw her coming out of Casey¡¯s house, and his blood felt like it was boiling suddenly. He bolted out of the car, grabbed Emilia¡¯s hand, and demanded to know why she came out of Casey¡¯s house. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Emilia was a little surprised when she saw him, but she didn¡¯t speak, and pushed his hand away. Ethan felt a pang of anxiety for the first time when Emilia pushed his hand away. Desperate, he grabbed Emilia, who tried to leave, and growled, ¡°What are you hiding?¡± Emilia kept her head down, refusing to answer, as if she had suddenly changed her mind and didn¡¯t care about him anymore. Ethan was very angry, pushed her to the car door, grabbed her shoulders tightly, and lowered his head to ask her, ¡°What were you doing at Casey¡¯s housest night?¡± His anger seemed to blur Emilia¡¯s vision, ¡°Ethan, do you care what I did with Casey?¡± Ethan, still fuming, didn¡¯t want to hear more from her, he just wanted an answer, ¡°Answer me!¡± Emilia sighed deeply. ¡°Ethan, I¡¯ve been chasing you for nearly a decade. I¡¯m tired, I don¡¯t want to chase you anymore, let me go.¡± Hearing this, Ethan tightened his grip on her shoulders as if holding her tighter would keep her from leaving. But Emilia pushed his hand away, turned and left. Ethan couldn¡¯t understand, why did she give up on him just because Casey pursued her? He drank wine for several nights in a row but still couldn¡¯t figure it out. He had no choice but to brace his drunken body, came to her door, and knocked. Emilia initially didn¡¯t want to see him, but she opened the door when she saw him passed out drunk. Under the influence of alcohol, Ethan leaned her against the door, asking, ¡°Emilia, didn¡¯t you promise you¡¯d always love me? Why are you giving up now?¡± Emilia tightly gripped his arm, looked up at him, her eyes filled with helplessness: ¡°Ethan, I¡¯ve been chasing you for so long, you never responded. When Beth came back, you got along so well with her, you even let her hold your hand, didn¡¯t mind. her kissing your face. The things she did, the things I did, they¡¯re the same, even the way I pursued you was the same, but you obviously prefer her. I guess, if you already have someone you like, it would be meaningless for me to pester you.¡± Beth was his next¨Cdoor neighbor, the two grew up together, their rtionship was closer. Same as Beth, she also forcefully held his hand and kissed his face when he was unprepared. But after these two times, Ethan never let Beth get close to him again, but he didn¡¯t realize that Emilia saw both instances. Ethan didn¡¯t exin, he just stared at her moving lips, finding her speaking manner very attractive Without a word, he lowered his head and kissed her. When he kissed her lips, she finally stopped talking. Chapter 653 Chapter 653 He found her silence even more captivating than before, and subconsciously he wanted to get to know her more deeply. At that moment, Emilia¡¯s appearance was deeply etched into Ethan¡¯s mind, and he couldn¡¯t help but smile every time he thought of it She opened her eyes wide and looked at him in disbelief. Finally, when he let her go, she raised her chin confidently, hooked her arm around his neck, and asked with a yful smile: ¡°Ethan, you like me more than Beth, right?¡± Ethan didn¡¯t answer her question, but pinched her chin and said, ¡°If you keep arguing. I¡¯ll just kiss you again.¡± Emilia, far from being shy, stood on her tiptoes, leaned in close to his ear, and whispered, ¡°Ethan, I like it when you kiss me.¡± Her warm breath sprayed in his ear. That night, they got together naturally, no one really knew who made the first move. Before their first intimate moment, Emilia grabbed his cor, wanting to exin what happened when she left Casey¡¯s house. But Ethan told her, ¡°III figure it out myself, no need for exnations.¡± And as for the result after trying¡­. The next morning. Ethan woke up with one hand gripping Emilia¡¯s waist, pinning her beneath him. Looking at her flushed face, he dered assertively. ¡°Listen clearly, I¡¯ll take responsibility for you, and you can only be mine.¡± Unlike other men, Ethan always seemed aloof and indifferent, but once he took someone seriously, he would go all out. If betrayed, he would never let the person off easily, no matter the consequences. He was a man of his word, and throughout their six years of dating, he was always responsible for her. He was always proud, he only knew how to enjoy Emilia¡¯s kindness to him, But he never bowed his head for her Perhaps because of this, Emilia had always felt he didn¡¯t love her. However, in her career, Ethan was her biggest supporter, pushing her to be a world¨Crenowned architect. When she received acim worldwide, Ethan stood behind her with his hands in his pockets, slightly tilted his head, and watched Emilia on stage, full of C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. confidence. Seeing her in a red dress receiving one award after another, he suddenly felt the urge to marry her and take her home. Once he had this idea, he would make it happen. So, he chose his birthday to propose to Emilia. However, that night, Casey and his brother crashed the party¡­ Casey¡¯s brother, being the heir to the royal family and no one dared to mess with him, began to harass every woman in sight, even stretching his filthy hand towards Emilia¡­ Ethan didn¡¯t say anything at the time, just sat on the couch, tilting his head, sizing up Allen who was holding Emilia andughing at him. In the end, Ethan called Allen out of the banquet hall, and without hesitation, drove his car straight at him. After hitting Allen, Ethan got out of the car, bent down, and lightly patted Allen¡¯s face. Allen, spitting out blood, only heard Ethan whisper in his ear. ¡°Touching my woman can be dangerous. Would you do it again?¡± Allen never expected that just for hugging his woman, he would be crushed by the wheels. But Ethan remembered that Allen was just knocked into the air, not dead at all. The police who came to his house to arrest him, insisted Allen was killed by him on the spot Thinking about it now, all of this was probably a trap set by Casey by using his hand to get rid of his adoptive father¡¯s only son; Casey could seize power and get rid of hispetitor Ethan chuckled lightly. Casey took advantage of Emilia, who was once loved by him. Could Casey really bear to do that? Of course Casey could. In his eyes, he loved Emilia so much and treated her so well, but in Emilia¡¯s heart, there was only Ethan. So why should he continue to treat Emilia well? Since he could take advantage of Emilia, why not do it? Chapter 654 Chapter 654 Casey mmed open the doors of the home theater. As the doors swung open, the lights flickered on. He was wearing military boots, descending the steps towards Ethan, step by step. With his holstered hand, he pressed the button of the front seat. The seat swiveled slowly and Casey perched himself on it, looking up at Ethan. ¡°You should know that I designed you to go to prison.¡± Ethan slowly lifted his head, looking at Casey coldly ¡°Allen has been good to you since childhood, like a brother. Why did you kill him? ¡°Anyone who stands in my way must die. It doesn¡¯t matter if he¡¯s my brother or not. He is not my biological brother. I don¡¯t think there is anything pitiful about it.¡± Casey let out a nonchnt grin. To him, life was just a game. ¡°You thought killing Allen would make the royal family hand over the inheritance to you?¡± How could the royal family let inherit by an adopted son who was not rted by blood. ¡°Of course, the royal family wouldn¡¯t give me the right to inherit. I did this for you¡­¡± He had set a trap for Ethan and was just waiting for him to jump into it. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. So only after Ethan knocked Allen down and left, he drove over Allen, killing him. His n was, if Ethan paid with his own life, he wouldn¡¯t have to take the next step. However, the Ziegler family would rather go against the royal family than abandon Ethan, so Ethan was only sentenced to a year in court. The reason turned out to be that after someone saw Ethan leaving, another person drove into n¡­.He did not expect such a situation, and it was confirmed by someone. He also didn¡¯t expect the Ziegler family to keep collecting evidence in order to protect Ethan. Fortunately, the witness didn¡¯t recognize him as the man who drove over and killed Allen again. ¡°You know, when the court sentenced you to just one year, I wished I could kill you on the spot. However, what I worked so hard to obtain cannot be destroyed on a whim¡­ So, I started the next step.¡± Casey sat up straight with his hands on his knees and smiled at Ethan. ¡°I told Emilia you killed a member of the royal family, you would either be executed by shooting, or you would nevere out. That fool who can¡¯t even enter the court, actually believed it and knelt in front of me and begged me to save you¡­ It is natural to seize the opportunity and continue with my n. I told Emilia that if she agreed to marry me, I¡¯d save you¡± Ethan used to not beleive Emilia¡¯s words, because he was clearly sentenced to just one year, but Emilia insisted she married Casey to save him! It was ridiculous. He was only sentenced to one year! Did she need to sacrifice her marriage to save him? During that period, he didn¡¯t tell Emilia then that he was only sentenced to a year. He thought Emilia hadpletely betrayed him. When he got out of prison, he thought she was approachable again, so she started lying to him. He didn¡¯t realize that all this was Casey¡¯s scheme! From the start, Casey didn¡¯t target Allen, his real target was him, Ethan! ¡°You must know by now that before you went to jail, she was pregnant with your child and also diagnosed with muscr dystrophy. She risked her own health to give birth to your child. Want to see what she went through?¡± After speaking, Casey pped his hands, and the theater¡¯s big screen lit up, ying a video of Emilia. She was lying on a hospital bed with blood under her body, staining her pants red. He watched Emilia on the bed, and saw her hands trembling. ¡°Doctor please¡­ save my baby¡­ don¡¯t worry about me¡­¡± She was willing to risk her own life for their child But after he released from prison, he started doubting her, not trusting her. Even when she held Nina out for him to have a good look, he refused. He firmly believed that a person who had once betrayed him, especially in his most difficult time, could not to be trusted! He left Emilia to bear the torment he inflicted on her alone, yet she never med him. Ethan lifted his shaking hand to cover his tear¨Cfilled eyes, refusing to look at Emilia anymore. Chapter 655 Chapter 655 Seeing Ethan¡¯s utterly frustrated face, Casey couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of joy. He let out a soft chuckle and then began to look for opportunities to prod him. ¡°Ethan, I always know how to break your heart. So, after you got out of prison, I set up a reality show for you.¡± Casey pped his hands again, and another video came on¡­ It was of Emilia and Casey, getting hot and heavy in bed. Ethan clenched his fists, itching to punch Casey. But he was chained up, his hand only reaching Casey¡¯s forehead. He growled angrily at Casey: Tm going kill you! I swear I am going to kill you!¡± Casey sneered ¡°Ethan, if I was the tramp before, you could kill me easily, like killing an ant, but I am not now, I was adopted by the royal family, and your father was also surprised by this, isn¡¯t it?¡± Casey stretched out his neck, letting Ethan¡¯s hand touch his face. Even though Ethan was giving it all he got, Casey didn¡¯t budge an inch. Casey wasn¡¯t giving Ethan an outlet for his anger, he was telling him: ¡°See, this is all you can do now. You can¡¯t kill me¡­¡± After saying this with a smirk, Casey leaned back in his chair and turned his attention to the screen. The screen was still ying their intimate scene, and Casey couldn¡¯t help but get lost in thought¡­ ¡°No wonder you fell for Emilia, her body is just too exquisite. I only had a taste once and I¡¯m hooked!¡± ¡°Shut up, you jerk!¡± Ethan was shaking with anger, his face twisted like a demon from hell. ¡°You can¡¯t disrespect Emilia, you can¡¯t disrespect her!!!¡± Seeing Ethan¡¯s determination to defend Emilia¡¯s honor, Casey couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Ignoring Ethan, he continued:¡°Pity, after Emilia came to her senses, she never let me touch her again. She kept suspecting that I had seduced her.¡± After saying this, Casey turned his head to look at Ethan, who was shaking in fury yet powerless against him. ¡°Do you think I seduced her?¡± Ethan clenched his fists, his eyes red, ring at Casey. However, the sound of their heavy breathing in the video kept ringing in his ears. Ethan wished he could strangle Casey with the chains that held him. He had slept with his woman and even kept a video to taunt him! He swore he would kill Casey, he would kill him!!! Seeing Ethan¡¯s angry face, Casey couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°I think you¡¯ve already guessed it. I seduced her, and I was the one who kidnapped you¡± He paused, pointing at Emilia on the screen andvishing her with praise. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Casey stared at the screen, his fierce eyes gradually softening when he saw Emilia snuggled up against him. ¡°I was wondering, does Emilia like me a little too?¡± ¡°You¡¯re full of crap!¡± Ethan¡¯s angry outburst wiped the softness from Casey¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡¯re right, I was daydreaming! But I was still waiting¡­I was waiting if she loved me, I wouldn¡¯t have to use her! But she doesn¡¯t love me, she loves you, always has.¡± Chapter 656 Chapter 656 Casey pulled his gaze away from Emilia and turned around to coldly look at Ethan, who was bound to the chair, unable to move ¡°I fooled her into marrying me, then lured her into sleeping with me, all to piss you off! You were tricked by me, and you started to lose control, torment Emilia, and seek revenge on me¡­ but it¡¯s not even close to enough! To make youpletely lose control, I intentionally ran away with Emilia. The moment Emilia ran away, you totally lost control. I am very happy to see you out of control!¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. He continued. ¡°Especially when I found out the Ziegler family ditched you and chose their nephew as the heir, I was almost out of control with joy! But I never expected Emilia would choose euthanasia¡­¡± When Casey said thest sentence, the joy on his face suddenly disappeared. ¡°Do you know why Emilia chose euthanasia?¡± Casey straightened up, grabbed Ethan¡¯s pale face, and yanked it up. Looking down at Ethan¡¯s bloodshot eyes, Casey sneered: ¡°Emilia didn¡¯t choose death because she was afraid of the pain of ALS, nor because she wanted to escape from you, but because she felt she had betrayed you, and didn¡¯t deserve to live, that¡¯s why she chose death-¡± Heaning this. Ethan felt a heartache so strong he could barely breathe. The sharp pain hit him hard, causing his body to convulse as if he couldn¡¯t bear the blow, suddenly losing control.. His Emilia, from beginning to end, everything was for him! And yet, because of these misunderstandings, he tormented her during her sick days! Thinking of the scene when Emilia was pregnant with their second child, how she pleaded with him to spare their baby, Ethan¡¯s heart felt like it was being torn apart. She was already on her knees, crying, ¡°Ethan, Nina is your child, and the one in my belly, that¡¯s your child too¡­.¡± But he still wouldn¡¯t believe her, thinking she had met with Casey secretly, that the baby must be Casey¡¯s! He forced her to have an abortion. Emilia refused, threatening him with her death, but he still stayed¡­ But then, when the baby was five months along, Emilia met with Casey again, seemingly nning to run away. In a fit of rage, he kicked her, and the developing child could no longer survive. At that time, Emilia brought the embryo of the child to him, losing control, telling him: ¡°Ethan, the doctors have confirmed it, it¡¯s a boy. Nina wanted a little brother, look, she has a brother now¡­¡± Emilia didn¡¯t cry, she just held the bloody embryo, gently touching it with her finger. Seeing it motionless, she suddenly smiled again. Like an innocent child, she asked him with a smile: ¡°Ethan, look, he¡¯s asleep, can we take him home?¡± Ethan thought she was sick, he grabbed the undeveloped child and threw it in the trash.. When Emilia saw her child being thrown into the trash, she suddenly broke down. She rushed to the trash can, bent over due to the muscle atrophy caused by ALS, frantically searching for her child with her withered hands in the trash. She rummaged through the garbage, fearlessly dirty, murmuring, ¡°It was just thrown in, how can I not find it¡­¡± She didn¡¯t cry until she found the undeveloped child covered in trash. She held it in her hand, looking at the piece of flesh and blood, she quietly shed tears. ¡°Ethan, I¡¯m dying, I can¡¯t have children anymore, I wanted to leave you a child, but I didn¡¯t expect¡­¡± Chapter 657 Chapter 657 When Ethan heard this, his heart ached. But instead of hugging her, he uttered a heart¨Crending sentence: ¡°People who are not worth living shouldn¡¯t be in this world.¡± Emilia stood there like a statue, clutching the embryo in her hand Slowly, she turned around to look at him. Ethan couldn¡¯t remember what his own expression was at that moment. He was probably just cold and detached, standing silently off to one side, watching her Anyway, when Emilia saw his expression, her shock slowly turned into disappointment. In the end, she didn¡¯t say anything, just lowered her head and stared nkly at the embryo in her hand. He had already walked far away when he heard her voiceing from behind him- ¡°So, I should die.¡± Ethan stopped in his tracks, turned around, and looked at Emilia, standing next to the trash can, her face pale. She looked so thin, like a dying person, a sight that always pained Ethan whenever he thought of it. What was he now? Just a walking dead man too scared to see Emilia. It was probably because of his words ¡®should die¡® that she had such thoughts. So it was him who ended Emilia¡¯s life prematurely. He killed her! Ethan slumped in his chair, as if a giant hand was clutching his heart, causing him to tremble in pain. What the hell was he doing in this life, what was he doing, to push away someone who loved him so much, to kill her with his own hands! C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. He was worse than a beast, he didn¡¯t deserve to live, he should die, and even in death, he shouldn¡¯t see Emilia again, he didn¡¯t deserve it! Casey enjoyed seeing Ethan in pain, it gave him a perverse pleasure, like a taste of revenge. Casey pulled out a gun from his waist, aimed it at Ethan¡¯s injured thigh, and shoved it into the bloody wound. Ethan¡¯s face went pale with pain, he was dripping with cold sweat, but he gritted his teeth and didn¡¯t make a sound. His eyes were fixed on Casey. Casey stared back at him, he looked at Ethan and smiled, then casually said: ¡°Ethan, you know, I was hoping you¡¯d die after torturing Emilia, but you didn¡¯t, so I have to continue my n with your daughter¡­¡± He sighed, then regretfully said: ¡°I actually quite liked Nina, I was good to her, but she¡¯s not my daughter. The eight months she spent with you mean more to her than the five years she spent with me. I raised her with great difficulty, but she prefers you. Just like Emilia, the first person she knew was me, but she liked you more. It¡¯s obvious you¡¯re not good to them.¡± Tears welled up in Casey¡¯s eyes, ¡°I just don¡¯t get it¡­¡± Despite being so good to them, why did they prefer Ethan? The same went for the Ziegler family. Why did Ethan, from the moment he was born, want to drive him away? If he didn¡¯t leave, they would beat him with a stick. Was he not worthy of living, not deserving of love? As Casey thought about this, he snapped his fingers, the giant screen instantly went ck, and the lights in the cinema came back on. The bodyguard led Nina in from outside. Casey put the gun away and looked at the embarrassed Ethan from a height. ¡°You should be clear about the past now, it¡¯s time to start a game with your daughter!¡± Chapter 658 Chapter 658 Mina saw the guy all tied up in the chair, both legs shot up and bleeding like a stuck pig It was a scary sight She quickly wriggled out from her bodyguard, man to Casey, and grabbed his pants and shook then ¡°Dad, I¡¯ve called the doctor over Can you let him take a look at the sur¡¯s legs fast?¡± The guy was all pale and trembling Nina didn¡¯t know if it was because he was scared of her dad or his wounds were killing him All she knew was that song him like this made her heart ache The guy she remembered was always cool andid back, hands in his pockets She¡¯d never seen him look so helpless She hoped her dad would let him go and let the doctor get to work because if they dyed any longer he¡¯d bleed out Casey looked down at the little girl tugging at his pants and slowly, a gentle smile spread across his face. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ¡°Nina, how about you y a game with daddy, then fill let the doctor cure his legs, okay?¡± ¡°Okay¡± Nina nodded obediently, without a hint of suspicion Casey scooped up Nina and handed her the gun ¡°Remember how daddy taught you to shoot?¡± Nina nodded again. ¡°I remember¡± Casey reached out and flicked Nina¡¯s nose ¡°You¡¯re so smart, Nina¡± Nina pleased with the praise, lifted her round chin and sought a reward from Casey ¡°Dad, since I¡¯m so smart, can you let this guy go?¡± Caseyughed and nodded ¡®Sure, but you have to y a game with daddy first.¡± Nina tilted her head and asked innocently, ¡°What game?¡± Casey grabbed Nina¡¯s little hand, ced it on the trigger, and said with a smile, ¡°You¡¯ve practiced shooting before, but you¡¯ve never shot at a real person. How about today we use this guy as a target? You shoot okay?¡± Nina might be young, but she understood what her dad was saying She struggled with it and finally shock her head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to hurt him. Casey¡¯s smile broadened. ¡°Nina, you just need to fire once, and daddy will let him go. Otherwise, daddy won¡¯t let him leave¡­¡± Ethan, who¡¯d been regretting everything, looked up in disbelief when he heard their conversation. ¡°You taught her to shoot? Ning was not even six and Casey had taught her to shoot! ¡°Not teach her to shoot? Should I teach her to read instead?¡± After his mocking reply, Casey turned back to Nina. ¡°Do you like reading?¡± Nina quickly shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t like reading, but I also don¡¯t like..¡± She didn¡¯t finish the sentence. She was afraid her dad would be upset if she said ¡°killing¡± No matter how much George tried to coax Nina into reading, she refused! So Casey had been feeding Nina anti¨Creading ideas since she was young?! He thought that if Casey loved Emilia, he would at least treat Emilia¡¯s child well. He didn¡¯t expect that this was how Casey taught his child?! This man was so cruel that he didn¡¯t even spare children! Ethan¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Nina holding the gun It was all his fault if he had believed Emilia, Nima wouldn¡¯t have been corrupted by Casey Ethan held back deep regret, his eyes red and low, looking at Casey ¡°If you want to kill me just do it. Don¡¯t make Nina kill She¡¯s just a child¡­¡± Casey still wore a gentle smile in front of the child. ¡°Nina, look, I didn¡¯t say I wanted to kill him. it¡¯s him whos forcing me to Nina looked at Casey, then at Ethan, and finally lowered her head without saying a word. Having been through countless situations like this with Casey, how could Nina not know that her father wanted to kill this guy? She just didn¡¯t expect her father to ask her to do it Why was this happening? What was the problem between her father and this guy? Nina couldnt figure it out, her round little face looking utterly dejected Seeing her upset, Casey took the gun from her, removed the magazine, and took out three bullets He reassembled the gun, then handed it back to Nina ¡°Daddy took out three bullets Now there are only three left. You shoot once, it could be empty, or it could shoot a bullet. But if you don¡¯t shoot, then I have to do it myself Casey kissed Nina¡¯s face, then showed a kipsile ¡°You know, my marksmanship is very urate¡± Yes, Dad¡¯s marksmanship was indeed very urate Once, a bodyguard made mistake and almost lost her When her dad found gut, he just gave the bodyguard a look, drew his gun, and shot him down in one go At that time, the blogid that sshed out from the bodyguard¡¯s chest got on her face, giving her nightmares for a night Chapter 659 Chapter 659 If he shot that strange man himself, that man would definitely be like a bodyguard, stter his blood all over her, and then close his eyes forever If she had shot herself, the bullet might not havee out, and the strange man might still be alive. Thinking of this Nina mised the gun in her hand in a standard posture, and decisively pulled the trigger¨C George, who had moved from the basement to here, screamed in shock at the sight ¡°Nina, you can¡¯t kill your own father?¡± But Nina had already pulled the trigger Luckily, no bullet came out. The gun was empty! George on the floor rxed Only the man sitting in the chair stared at Nina, his face white as a sheet His own daughter, turned into a tool for Casey¡¯s revenge What a joke He could¡¯ve given Nina a better education, a better fe, but he ruined her! He supposed this was hiseuppance huh? But why drag Nina into this murder game Ethan struggled to get up from his seat. His fists clenched, his eyes filled with rage, ning fixedly at Casey¡¯s hypocritical face ¡°Casey, you better kill me today, or I swear I¡¯m going to kill your Casey, who was stroking Nina¡¯s hair, ignored Ethan and just looked at Nina ¡°See, it¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t spare your werd dude. He brought it on himself And if I don¡¯t kill him, he¡¯ll come after me. Nina, your daddy¡¯s in a tight spot. What do you think I should do?¡± Nina was still pondering what George meant Her big eyes darted between Ethan and Casey, suddenly unsure what to do. She held the gun in one hand and Casey¡¯s shirt in the other, pleading softly for Ethan, ¡°Dad, you promised me. If I fired once, you¡¯d let the weird dude go Casey pinched Nina¡¯s chubby cheeks ¡°Silly girl that¡¯s just the first level of the game. There¡¯s a second level and a third level for you to complete.¡± Nina realized that her dad had no intention of sparing the werd dude. The game was just an excuse. She struggled to get down from her father¡¯sp, but Casey wouldn¡¯t let her. He carried her down the cinema stairs, He put Nina down under the big screen, squatted down, and looked at Nina, who was pouting ¡°Nina, daddy needs to test your shooting skills¡± Casey pointed to the spot under Nina¡¯s feet and then to the man tied up in the audience. Nina followed his gesture, and heard Casey say ¡°There¡¯s quite a distance between these two points. Can you try shooting your gentleman from here to see if you can hit him?¡± Nina¡¯s hand holding the gun trembled. She looked at the man on the table When he gave her a faint smile Nina threw the gun away and stepped back Her tiny body leaned against the curtain, shaking her head in fear at Casey ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to kill the gentleman Dad can¡¯t you stop forcing me to kill him? I really like him, I don¡¯t want to kill him!¡± Nina began to cry uncontrobly, her pale little face covered in tears. She ignored Casey¡¯s reaction, ran towards Ethan while sobbing Once in front of him, she unceremoniouslyid down at his feet, wrapping her arms tightly around his leg ¡°Sir, can you apologize to my dad and ask him to spare you? I don¡¯t want you to de Ethan¡¯s heart ached tears streaming down his face He reached out, picked up Nina from his feet He gently wiped the tears from Nina¡¯s face, his voice shaky as he tried tofort her ¡°Nina, dont cry¡± But Nina shook her head, continuing to cry into her hands. Even when her voice went hoarse and her little body trembled, she refused to stop Ethan pulled the sobbing Nina into his arms.. When he opened his mouth to appease Nina, a gun was suddenly ced on Nina¡¯s head ¡°No ¡± Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Wina shivered, lifting her tear¨Cfilled eyes to look at the man pointing a gun at her head. ¡°Dad, are you going to kill me?¡± ¡°No, daddy just wants to y a game with you¡± Casey reached out his hand to Nina ¡°Nina,e, continue to y the shooting game with me¡± Nina shook her head, reaching out her little hands to hug the man She clung to him tighth, not wanting to reach for the gun anymore. Seeing this, the smile in Casey¡¯s eves slowly disappeared ¡°Nina, you¡¯re being naughty Naughty children need to be punished The thought of being locked in the dark room whenever she was naughty turned Nina¡¯s face pale Feeling the little body trembling in his arms, Ethan¡¯s heart ached inexplicably Chapter 660 Chapter 660 This kind of pain, mixed with heartache, sadness, regret, and remorse, was indescribable making him feel suffocated After tightly hugging Nina, he released her, reached out his hand and grabbed the gun pointed at Nina¡¯s head. He wanted to snatch the gun and shoot Casey dead! However, Casey was faster, pulling out another gun from his waist and pressing it hard against Ethan¡¯s head Without any advantage and locked in his chair Ethan was utterly helpless, forced to lower his head again. ¡°Casey, don¡¯t use the child¡® Nina didnt know he was her biological father if Casey forced Nina to kill him today, how would Nina face this if she found out in the future? Ethan didn¡¯t want Nina to live her life in regret and remorse He hoped that Nina could maintain her innocence, happiness, and health Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Obviously. Casey would not let Ethan die so easily He bent down, staring into Ethan¡¯s hawk like eyes, and smiled. ¡°How about this, Nina is the target, and you shoot.¡± Ethan thought the real madman was Casey! He kept lowering his head, and Casey was still using his daughter, which made him very angry! He clenched his fists, shouting wildly and hysterically. ¡°Casey! What the hell do you want?!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡°Casey sneered, pulling back the gun that Ethan had grabbed, standing straight up, and looking at him coldly ¡°I want your daughter to kill you with her own hands¡± He pointed the gun at Ethan¡¯s head, then at Nina¡¯s head ¡°Or you, kill your daughter with your own hands¡® Either way, today, only one of you can live, you choose!¡± After Casey finished speaking, he revealed a mysterious smile ¡°Remember, your father also forced me to y this kind of game¡± The Ziegler family¡¯s self proimed noble old man abandoned his mother and forced him to kill his mother himself. This resentment must be repaid He felt that it was more than appropriate to let the old man¡¯s beloved son pay the price Ethan waspletely uninterested in the problem between Casey and his father, so he had never understood the problem between them. When he heard Casey¡¯s words, he was surprised, but didn¡¯t say much, just lowered his head to look at Nina Simrly, Nina was also looking at him. Her lips were rosy, moved, and trembled, but in the end, she couldn¡¯t say a word. Chapter 661 Chapter 661 The rtionship between a father and a daughter is always very special, and they only need to make eye contact to understand each other¡¯s thoughts. Ethan gently lifted his hand, cradling Ninas plump cheek, looking her straight in the eye and seriously said ¡°Nina, what your dad said just now is all false he is ying games with you¡± He had a gut feeling that he might not be walking out of this mansion alive today If this was indeed his death day, he¡¯d rather Nina never found out that he was her dad Having never fulfilled the responsibilities of a father, never having cared for Ni?a, he didn¡¯t deserve the privilege of being called dad by the best daughter in the world Ethan¡¯s fingertips slid down from Nina¡¯s eyes, tracing to her shoulders Despite his reluctance, he had to let her go Feeling Ethan¡¯s grip loosen, panic set in for Nina She held onto him tightly crying out. ¡°Ethan, apologize to my dad, he¡¯ll let you off the hook I swear he will Even now, she held onto the belief that her father Casey, would spare Ethan for her sake She didn¡¯t care about who her real dad was All she knew was that in her heart, her dad and Ethan were equally important After pleading with Ethan, Nina turned to Casey with teary eyes. ¡°Dad, for my sake can you cut Ethan some ck? Please?¡± She wanted her dad and Ethan to get along, to grow up with both of them by her side. That would make her truly happy.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. But her dad. he didn¡¯t respond. He just stood there, watching her with a cold gaze She had never seen her dad look at her like that before. To her, he had always been gentle This was the first time she saw him like this, as if he was disappointed with her, disappointed to the point where he didn¡¯t like her anymore. Nina was suddenly at a loss for words if her dad no longer loved her, then no one would save Ethan. To appear obedient Nina let go of Ethan, got off hisp, and walked over to Casey ¡°Dad, be the target, give the gun to Ethan.¡± After she finished, she lowered her head and took small steps towards the stairs Seeing Nina bravely volunteering to be a target. Ethan¡¯s eyes welled up again¡­ Look at his daughter, always ready to step up to the te when danger was imminent. Even if it meant death, it was worth it right? Ethan held out his hand nonchntly towards Casey ¡°The gun¡± But Casey didn¡¯t hand him the gun, instead he gave a nod to the bodyguards. They immediately untied their guns, aiming at Nina and George Casey used the gun Nina had shot, lightly tapping Ethan¡¯s face ¡°Ethan, stick to the rules of the game If you shoot me after getting the gun, they¡¯ll be shot on the spot.¡± Ethan gave a faint smile, an indifferent grin that caught Casey off guard He was momentarily taken aback, then walked behind Ethan and handed him the gun. The moment Ethan got the gun, he did consider turning around and firing at Casey But¡­ Turning around took time, and this gun only had three bullets Maybe the first one was a nk, and firing several shots would take time. In this time frame, those bodyguards would definitely shoot faster than him. He couldnt gamble with Nina and George¡¯s lives All Casey wanted was his life. If he died, Nina and George would be safe Chapter 662 Chapter 662 Alter Ethan understood the situation, he gently raised his finger stroked the gun, and looked up at Nina who was standing under the curtain, obediently waiting for him to shoot Her round little face, her eyebrows, her features were all very much like his own, but her eyes were like Emilia¡¯s, so clear, no bright Such clear eyes shouldn¡¯t be tainted by a bloody scene Ethan looked at Nina and smiled ¡°Nina, promise me one thing.¡± ¡°Okay¡± Nina didn¡¯t even ask, and nodded obediently. Seeing how obedient she was, Ethan was reluctant to let go of his own daughter, but he still forced himself to say it ¡°You tum around first Obediently, Nina turned around Looking at her round little back, Ethan¡¯s eyes filled with tears once again. ¡°Nina, when you hear the gunshot don¡¯t turn around, unless I call your name, got it?¡± ¡°God¡± Nina responded loudly, her crisp voice echoing around the whole theater. Ethan finally felt relieved, his eyes lowered, tears falling onto the back of his hand He wiped away the tears with his fingers, then suddenly lifted the gun and fired four shots into the wall The gun, which Casey had removed three bullets from, had three left, Nina fired once, so it was empty Now the four shots he fired, two were nks, the other two, had fired two bullets. Only one bullet left Ethan saved it for himself Without any hesitation, he pointed the pistol in the direction of his heart¨C Truth be told, he didn¡¯t deserve to live long ago, but he just didn¡¯t have the courage to face Emilia. Now this bullet, on the contrary, freed him, only¡­ He couldn¡¯t bear to leave his daughter He raised his reddened eyes, looking at the back figure that hadn¡¯t turned around, andughed His daughter listened to him, even if they had only been together for eight months, she still liked him. At this moment, Ethan suddenly wanted to hear Nina call him ¡°Dad¡°¡­. He wanted to know what it felt like to have a cute little girl running after him, calling him ¡°Dad¡°. But he knew he didn¡¯t deserve it Nina¡¯s ¡°Dad¡± was destined to be a regret Just like Emilia never heard him say ¡®I love you¡°. That¡¯s okay, at least he got to experience Emilia¡¯s unwillingness before she left. Only then could he genuinely leave with regrets for Emilia. ¡°Ethan!¡± When George saw the blood gushing from Ethan¡¯s heart, he screamed frantically on the ground. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Let me go!¡± ¡°Let me go!¡± ¡°Let me save him¡± Nina, who had been facing the curtain all the time, seemed to know something upon hearing George¡¯s heart wrenching screams She really wanted to turn around, but he hadn¡¯t called her name yet, she couldn¡¯t disobey him, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t like her Everyone likes obedient children, she had to always obey that gentleman, so that gentleman would always like her¡­. Ethan coughed quietly a mouthful of fresh blood trickling from the corner of his mouth¡­ He didn¡¯t care, he lifted his hand, gently wiping away the blood Then, he covered his bleeding heart, looking at the little figure- ¡°Nina¡± He called out to the little girl, who immediately turned around and ran towards him. The bodyguard behind her, at Casey¡¯s signal, picked her up¡­ Nina struggled to get down, she saw the gentleman¡¯s beautiful hands bleeding. There was a lot of blood, so much that it stained the gentleman¡¯s white shirt red. Chapter 663 Chapter 663 Seeing all that blood, Nina quickly understood That gentleman didn¡¯t shoot at her, he chose to shool himself He gave his life to protect hers She wanted to see him, to stay with him But she was held back by the bodyguards Nina, all weak and helpless suddenly burst into tears, crying her heart out- ¡°Mister, can you get up and give me a hug?¡± Ethan, still sitting in his chair, remained calm and collected. He looked at Nims from a distance, his lips trembling as he struggled tofort her ¡°Nina don¡¯t cry As soon as he said these words, blood gushed from his body. Nina went pale with fright ¡°Dad, hurry up and save him, please The man she called ¡°Dad¡± didn¡¯t respond, instead he walked up to Ethan and smirked at him. ¡°Ethan, who would¡¯ve thought, huh, that you¡¯d see this day Casey wiped some blood off Ethan¡¯s lips with his finger studied it for a moment, then leaned down to look at him. ¡°Do you remember what i said to you the day you were with Emilia?¡± He had said that one day he would drive Ethan to suicide and rob the Ziegler family of everything Now, Ethan was dead, and the Ziegler family was next! But he wasn¡¯t in a rush, he could take his time Casey patted Ethan¡¯s pale face ¡°Ethan, take good care of your daughter-¡± Casey smirked, straightened up, and left the stage. Seeing Casey leave, the bodyguard immediately picked Nina up and followed him out of the theater Nina, held by the bodyguard, twisted her body and, stretching her neck, cried out ¡°Mister- Ethan, gradually losing consciousness, heard Nina, managed to say in a weak voice ¡°Nina study hard in the future Even though his voice was so faint, Nina heard him and cried back ¡°Mister, I promise to study hard, you have to promise to stay alive, okay?¡± Ethan¡¯s tears unable to be controlled, flowed down his cheeks He watched Nina leave the theater, gently, ever so gently, nodding his head. Okay if there¡¯s a next life, I live it well- George, lying on the ground, cried his heart out! Because he was tied up, he couldn¡¯t help Ethan. He could only watch as Ethan slowly lose his vital signs This was the most helpless moment in George¡¯s career as a doctor! He never thought Casey could be so cruel as to make him, a doctor, watch his good friend die in front of him!! Ethan looked at George who was crying his heart out, he wanted to tell him not to cry, but he had no strength left to speak. When Bernard Laurence arrived, Ethan was covered in blood, slumped in his chair Even for a man who had seen countless brutal scenes, the sight before him was hard to take. He rushed to Ethan¡¯s side, reaching out to check his breathing. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Before he could confirm whether Ethan was still breathing, a blood¨Csoaked hand weakly touched his suit pants Ethan, Lying hard to stay conscious, opened his dull eyes, looked at him, and opened his mouth slightly. ¡°Eleanor Shultz¡± He wanted to see Eleanor Chapter 664 Chapter 664 In the study room of Hailey¡¯s vi, Eleanor was concentrating on her drawing but no matter how hard she tried, the lines were still skewed She felt a little ufortable in her heart, as if she was about to lose something She felt uneasy, so she put down her brush, slumped in the chair, and rubbed her brow Then, the phone next to the desk rang Seeing the call was from Bernard Cleaner answered it ¡°Bernard, have you seen Ethan?¡± she asked There was a silence on the other end of the line for a few seconds, then a voice came through ¡°Eleanor Ethan¡¯s been shot¡® Upon hearing this Eleanor¡¯s heart tightened, feeling a dull pain. This feeling wasn¡¯t her own, but she couldn¡¯t control her emotions She get up in a panic identally bumping into the corner of the table She velped in pain, and Bernard on the other end of the line apparently guessed her anxiety, but said nothing further ¡°Ethan¡¯s been taken to Mercy Hospital Ive sent someone to pick you up.¡± He said. When Eleanor arrived at the hospital Bernard was standing at the door of the ward. ¡°Bernard, how¡¯s Ethan?¡± she asked breathlessly Bemard took a handkerchief out of his pocket, helped her wipe her sweat while answering her question. ¡°The bleeding¡¯s stopped, but the bullet hit his heart, there¡¯s no saving him now¡± On the way to the hospital, Eleanor had heard about Ethan¡¯s condition from Bernard she knew this was Casey¡¯s doing She didn¡¯t expect that even though she hadn¡¯t told Casey Ethan¡¯s location, Casey had still found him so quickly Casey, the liar, had said hed wait eight months before looking for Ethan to take the child, but he¡¯de to kill him Thankfully she hadn¡¯t been fooled by Casey, if Ethan¡¯s current situation were because of her, she would never forgive herself. Thinking about how she was almost used, and Nina being forced by Casey to shoot her own father, the felt incredibly angry ¡°m handle Ninas case. You go see Ethan first Berard said,forting her Eleanor nodded and then went into the ward Ethan, lying in the hospital bed, was covered in blood, the sheets and quilt were all stained red George sat next to him, holding Ethan¡¯s hand, sobbing desperately ¡°Ethan, I¡¯m sorry, I couldn¡¯t save you, I¡¯m so sorry Hearing George¡¯s voice. Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but tear up Seeing the bloody scene on the bed, her heart ached violently She pressed her chest, then walked over to Ethan¡¯s bed. Ethan, lying on the bed, struggled to move his eyes, looking vaguely at Eleanor approaching His eyes fell on her, who was wearing a red dress, short hair draped over her shoulders, a bright, confident smile on her face, waving at him ¡°Ethan, if I win this game, would you be with me?¡± Ethan tried to stay awake, answered softly. ¡°Ok¡± The answer that had always been in his heart, at this moment, finally came out. Emilia, who hade to see him for thest time, should have heard it, right? After George made space, Eleanor sat in front of the bed, saw Ethan looking at her said to her, ¡°Ok¡± She realized, Ethan saw her as his sister Ethan tried to lift his trembling hand, gently touched her face Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Emilia are you my Emilia?¡± Eleanor¡¯s heart convulsed violently, her tears couldn¡¯t help but flow out. She wiped away her tears, nodded at him. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Emilia¡± Her sister¡¯s heart had been in her for four years in these four years, he had always forced her to y the role of Emilia Only this time, she willingly yed her sister¡¯s role, just to see him off. Upon hearing her answer, Ethan smiled contentedly, ¡°So my Emilia is still alive.¡± That¡¯s great, if he could get through this time, he could live a good life with Emilia, and Nina Sadly he was about to leave this world Chapter 665 Chapter 665 Ethan touched her cheek lightly, and lowered his gesture feelily When he lowered his fingertips, he touched her long hair Emilia didn¡¯t have such long hair In Ethan¡¯s blurry vision, the features gradually forming were simr to Emilia¡¯s, yet different Turns out, it was Eleanor, not Emilia He mistook someone again Ethan¡¯s bright eyes gradually dimmed. His gaze moved, slowly looking towards her heart as if he could feel Emilia¡¯s presence, which gave him immensefort ¡°Eleanor.¡± He struggled to say her name. Sitting next to him, Eleanor saw him regaining consciousness, quickly wiping her tears and moving closer to him. Ethan¡± Her kindness made Ethan feel ashamed After a few seconds of silence, he suddenly spoke, sincerely saying to Eleanor, Tm sorry¡± Perhaps because death was drawing near, he realized how heartbreaking his past actions were. Now his apology seemed more sincere Eleanor knew Ethan was apologizing to her, she shook her head at him, but when she opened her mouth, she didn¡¯t know what to say Ethan¡¯s weak gaze when looking at Eleanor, held a hint of pleading in his faint expression ¡°The agreement do you remember it?¡± ¡°I remember ¡°Eleanor nodded. First,plete the project for her sister Second, be her sister¡¯s stand in for a month Third, Ethan hadn¡¯t mentioned it yet. ¡°The third one¡­ Ethan struggled to say then ran out of energy Lying in the hospital bed, his hand tightly gripping the blood¨Cstained sheets, he took a moment to rest. His bloodied lips slowly opened ¡°Look after Nina for me¡± Eleanor would have taken care of Nina even without him asking. Don¡¯t worry, I will take good care of Nina¡± Ethan knew, with Bernard¡¯s help, Eleanor would definitely help find Nina. So when Casey bok Nina away, he wasn¡¯t too worried. But he was still a bit concerned, hence he used the third term of the agreement, asking her to look after Nina. It might not have been the right thing to do, but he had no other choice Casey was part of the royal family, who adored him. Even if they found out Casey killed him, they¡¯d try to protect Casey. Ethan knew clearly, the only one who could go against Casey and the royals was Bernard, he was the only one with enough power He didn¡¯t want Bernard to avenge himself, he just wanted a safe ce for Nina to take refuge As long as Nina was under their protection, away from Casey, able to study and grow healthily, that was enough. As for his hatred, it didn¡¯t matter anymore, he was supposed to die¡­ Ethan shifted his gaze, slowly looking towards Eleanor ¡°Bury bury us together.¡± While Eleanor frantically tried to stop the blood from his mouth with a tissue, she managed to nod tearfully, ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll be buried together.¡±C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Chapter 666 Chapter 666 Upon seeing her agreement, Ethan felt a sense of relief, a faint smile graced his lips, but his gaze reluctantly shifted towards the door. A stem and noble figure still stood there The answer that was left unsaid, the man outside the door, he probably knew. But none of this mattered anymore because in his life, he only loved Emilia. He couldn¡¯t recall when he started falling for her, maybe it was when she chased behind his car on her bicycle, carefree and joyful. Each time he saw her figure, he confident smile in the rearview mirror, he would smile too Some people never understand love until they lose it, and his mealization came eventer¡­ Until the very end et his life, when snippets of her like movie scenes, shed across his mind- He realized that he had fallen deeply in love with Emilia, but, it was all toote. In hisst moment, he reached out his trembling hand, wanting to feel Emilia¡¯s heart onest time, and tell her: Emilia, Im sorry, I love you 100 But, he no longer had the strength In the end, he didn¡¯t manage to say I love you in hisst moments And Emilia, she didn¡¯te to meet him, outside the door, there was no one On the hospital bed, he peacefully closed his eyes with this regret The sound of medical equipment and Georges anguished cries echoed in his ears- Eleanor didn¡¯t hear any of it, she was just sitting there in a daze, silently watching Ethan. His face was pale, like an angel who had been through the trials of the world his body returning to dust, his soul quietly departing He returned to where he belonged, or maybe where his sister was, either way, he was no longer of this world. Eleanor stared at him for a long time reached out her hand, and held the hand Ethan had extended but didn¡¯t have the strength to move anymore. At this moment, she seemed to know what Ethan wanted to do in thest moments of his life she gently ced his hand on her heart. His hand was still warm, before his hearingpletely disappeared, Eleanor whispered into his ear ¡°Ethan. I heard your answer, I know you loved me deeply, we will meet again in the next life- After saying this, her heart didn¡¯t hurt as much, as if she hadpleted some mission for her sister, she involuntarily let go of Ethan¡¯s hand But, when she looked at Ethan¡¯s face, she suddenly covered her face and cried uncontrobly. Her sister loved Ethan so much, and Ethan, he loved her sister too, yet their ending was so tragic She couldn¡¯t express her feelings at this moment, she only felt regret, felt pity She didn¡¯t know if Ethan and her sister had a next life, but if there was¡­ She hoped Ethan would fall in love with her sister first so they wouldn¡¯t have to suffer as much. As Eleanor covered her face and cried, Bernard gently ced his hand on her shoulder. ¡°Eleanor¡­¡± When Eleanor heard Bernard¡¯s voice, she turned around, hugged him tightly, and buried her head deep in his embrace Her tears wouldn¡¯t stop flowing, for her sister, for Ethan, for the unfortunate Nina Bernard didn¡¯t say anything, he just gently stroked her hair, silentlyforting her His icy gaze when he saw Ethan who had already passed away wasplicated and deep He wasn¡¯t good at expressing sympathy, maybe because he had experienced too many separations, his emotional reactions weren¡¯t obvious. He sently watched for a while, then he looked down at the woman crying in his arms. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯mte¡± he said. Histeness made her heart ache. Eleanor shook her head, this had nothing to do with Bernard Ethan had once hurt Bernard, but because he was worried about Eleanor, he searched everywhere for Ethan, even personally looking for a long time. Casey was the real murderer! Casey achieved his goal, but he made Nina lose her biological father forever. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Thinking about Nina bing an orphan like her, she felt endless sorrow it was too painful to bear In the end. Eleanor could only stand steady with Bernard¡¯s support, watching the hospital staff take Ethan¡¯s body to the morgue. in her heart, she thought, sister, Ethan should have gone to find you, can you see him? Answering her was only the silence in the room, and the snow falling in the night sky. There has been a lot of snow this year, but no snowfall was like tonight The snowkes, like goose feathers, fluttering down from the sky, disappearing when they touched the ground Just like her sister and Ethan, forever disappearing from this world Ther death was the end of their stor Chapter 667 Chapter 667 Pearce Hooper rushed to learn about the situation, and Ethan¡¯s body was frozen hard. He stood in the morgue, staring in disbelief at Ethan¡¯s figure, now covered by a white cloth Unlike the scene Eleanor had witnessed, Ethan had been cleaned up and dressed in fresh clothes Hey there, as if he were just sleeping calm as ever, with no signs of death. Taking tentative steps, Pearce moved closer, reaching out a hand to touch Ethan¡¯sce, only to find he didn¡¯t have the guts ¡°Master.¡± he whispered Normally, if he disturbed his masters sleep, he¡¯d get a good scolding. But now, Ethany there quietly, unresponsive to his call Tears welled up in Pearce¡¯s eyes ¡°Master what happened? We still had a deal didn¡¯t we?¡± Ethan had once patted Pearce¡¯s shoulder, promising. ¡°When you have more trophies than me, I build you a golden house¡± Knowing Pearce¡¯s love for gold, his master would asionally buy him small gold trinkets to put in his vault Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Even though they were gifts for him, his master would always joke about reiming the vault when he ran out of money His master wasn¡¯t exactly a saint, nor was he thoroughly wicked. But he was, in a way, a pitiful man He never seemed to express himself right often saying the opposite of what he meant, which made a lot of people dislike him) Only Pearce saw the loneliness in his master Sometimes, seeing him lost in thought in his office, he felt pity for him. At times like this. Pearce would try his best to crack a joke to make his master smile. His jokes were never funny, but his master would always respond with a faint smile and a casual rebuke, ¡°Pearce, get lost!¡± Now, looking at Ethan¡¯s frozen body, Pearce cried, ¡°Master, why aren¡¯t you scolding me?¡± What was meant as a joke sounded so heartbreaking to George¡­.. His two frends were both gone He knew he¡¯d always known, that Ethan had been ready to leave ever since Emilia passed For Ethan, death might be the best release But those left behind had to live with the grief and longing forever George¡¯s tears had long since dried up, leaving his face void of any expression, while Pearce¡¯s pain had just begun. Pearce had been orphaned since childhood It was Ethan and Emilia who had supported him When he was in high school, he used to draw on the streets of G country for money One day, Ethan and Emilia walked by holding hands. They stopped and stood behind him, silently observing his drawing for a long while Pearce became irritated. They neither bought his paintings nor left. In annoyance, he turned around and said, ¡°What are you looking at? Careful, or §±l pluck your eyeballs out and stick them on my canvas!¡± Emilia burst intoughter, while Ethan gave him a nonchnt look, ¡°Your paintings are not impressive, but your words are certainly unique¡± Having grown up on the streets, Pearce was naturally impertinent and strong He was about to start a fight with Ethan, but Ethan grabbed him by the cor before he could throw a punch. He admitted Ethan was taller That was why he was being picked on, not because he was weak. Emilia stopped Ethan from disciplining him, saying that he was just a child, and told Ethan not to care about him Emilia bought all his paintings, and Ethan proudly handed him a business card. Ethan suggested that Pearce stop street drawing and apply for architecture school instead, promising to cover all his tuition and living expenses At first, Pearce thought Ethan was strange and ignored him, until a friend saw the business card and told him who Ethan was. Only then did he realize Ethan came from a renowned architectural family. And the woman holding his hand was an internationally famous architect, whom Ethan had personally guided to the top. So, Pearce followed his advice. With his talent and hard work, he was admitted to the best architecture school. After he was admitted, Ethan had him pick up blueprints from thepany and personally instructed him After graduation, Emilia paved the way for him to join Vanguard Architects It was these two people who created the current Pearce, but his life mentors had left him one after another. Chapter 668 Chapter 668 When Pearce burst into tears, George reached out and patted him on the shoulder ¡°Mc Ziegler left his company in your hands before he passed away This was a tough challenge, but it was what kept Pearce going His mentor who had supported and educated him all his life, was still looking out for him even in death Usually a jolly person, Pearce broke downpletely at that moment. Eleanor was still sitting in the hospital room, leaning on Bernard¡¯s shoulder, quietly awaiting news. Bernard sent Caleb to stop Casey¡¯s private jet, but he wasn¡¯t sure if it had worked She found out from George that Casey didn¡¯t allow Nins to go to school, and only taught her how to shoot a gun. Casey¡¯s endgame was simple he wanted Nina to kill her own father Even if Ethan hadn¡¯t let a will, she would never let Nina live with such a crazy foster father She had to get Nina back, to give her a home, and let her grow up carefree This was the only thing she could do for Emilia and Ethan. It was not until the early morning of the next day that Caleb¡¯s call came through Eleanor quickly sat up, nervously looking at Bernard¡¯s phone Caleb¡¯s clear voice quickly came over the phone ¡°St, I¡¯m sorry, something went wrong and we didn¡¯t manage to stop them. ¡°You guys couldn¡¯t even handle such a simple task, what the hell are you doing?¡± Caleb was silent for a few seconds, then said troubled, ¡°Ms. Penrod stopped me She said she would come to see you personally. She is downstairs at the hospital, hoping you would meet her alone¡± Bernard froze, nced subconsciously at Eleanor. Seeing her downcast look, his heart tightened, without hesitation, he said coldly. ¡°Let here up.¡± Then he hung up the phone, his voice softened exining. ¡°There¡¯s nothing going on between Granna Pentod and me She probably just wants to discuss organization matters privately, don¡¯t get the wrong idea Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Eleanor, hearing this, looked up nkly, ¡°What happened?¡± Bernard paused for two seconds, somewhat disappointed, letting go of her hand, ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡± He thought she was upset because she misinterpreted his rtionship with Gianna, but her mind wasn¡¯t on it at all Ever since Eleanor heard that they failed to stop Casey, she became distracted Now, she only cares about Nina. Bernard seemed to understand what was on her mind, he reached out, pulling her tightly into his arms. ¡°Eleanor, I will bring the child back¡± Eleanor nodded gently, leaning against his chest, her anxiety gradually subsided. It felt so good to have him around. Gianna, carrying her designer bag and wearing high heels, stood at the door of the hospital room, seeing the two of them leaning closely on each other She had never seen Bernard so affectionate, somewhat surprised, so he could be tender to. She pretended to clear her throat ¡°Mr. Laurence, may Ie in?¡± Her voice, dignified yet elegant, carried a hint of tenderness that was very pleasing to the ear Eleanor looked up, and what she saw was Gianna¡¯s angelically beautiful face She leaned against the door frame, seeminglyzy and indifferent. It¡¯s just that her pair of beautiful eyes lingered on Bernard¡¯s body all the time. Chapter 669 Chapter 669 Eleanor had only met nna twice and each encounter left an impression of beauty This kind of beauty lively and full of vitality, was fascinating and made people intoxicated at a nce. At the same time, her aura of elegance could also make one feel inferior Eleanor lowered her head, while the man next to her took her hand, providing a sense of security Bernard hold Eleanor¡¯s hand and ced it on hisp, propped his chin with one hand, and looked at Gianna nonchntly ¡°Exin the situation with Cary Seeing him getting straight to the point without any pleasantries, Gianna understood that he was worried about his wife misunderstanding Ganna scoffed at him internally but didn¡¯t let it show, and she walked in She didn¡¯t want to talk ether, took a ck and white mask out of her bag and handed it to Bernard ¡°You know what this is night It was her adoptive father¡¯s mask, meaning she wanted Bernard to butt out of the Ziegler family¡¯s feud with the royal family The news of Ethan being driven to death by Casey had reached the Zieglers, and now the situation in G country was very unstable And some members of the royal family knew Bernard¡¯s identity, so he¡¯d better stay out of it. ¡°My father wants me to tell you, for the greater good, to stay out of this¡± Bemard took the mask, ran his finger over it, and tossed it aside. ¡°I won¡¯t interfere with the Ziegler and royal family¡¯s business, but I¡¯m going to personally find my wife¡¯s niece¡± Seeing him disregard even her father¡¯s words, nna couldn¡¯t help but re at him before turning her gaze back to Eleanor ¡°Mt. Laurence, my father disapproves of your marriage to Ms. Shultz, but he respects your choices. So, respect his decisions¡± ¡°Ms. Penrod Bernard said coldly ¡°tell him lil handle this as the head of the Laurence family¡± Basically he was going to handle this personally, and no one could stop him, not even his adoptive father who raised him. nna understood, ¡°I let him know. But, remember, the royal family isn¡¯t easy to deal with¡± Bernard nodded calmly and didn¡¯t say anything else. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Watching Gianna leave, Bernard took out his phone and dialed a number, ¡°Prepare the jet for G country¡± After hanging up, Bernard lowered his head to the woman sitting next to him, ¡®Eleanor, I¡¯m going to G country to bring Nina back Hearing that he was going to G country personally, Eleanor¡¯s heart raced, ¡°Bernard, Ms Penrod was telling you to stay out of it¡± Their organization probably has ties with the royal family, with Bernard¡¯s status, it¡¯s not appropriate for him to confront Casey to get the child back. Plus, Casey is cunning she always had the feeling that something would go wrong if Bernard went to G country now She tightly held his hand, not letting him leave ¡°Bernard, don¡¯t go. I¡¯m scared¡± Bernard looked at her anxiety due to worrying for him and smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, no one dares to hurt me.¡± Though he always spoke with great confidence, the message from Ms. Penrod was clear, they didn¡¯t want him to intervene as Mr. Law. What if they couldn¡¯t get Nina back and something happened to Bernard, what would she do then? The endless panic made her hug Bernard¡¯s waist tightly, refusing to let go. Bernard lifted his hand, again and again, gently stroking her hair. ¡°I was toote to save him from Casey, so bringing his daughter back is the least I can do¡± Bernard felt quilty, and not just because of Eleanor ¡°If you¡¯re going, take me with you¡± Whether in safety or in danger, they were to be together, never to be separated. Feeling Eleanor¡¯s immense love Bernard¡¯s heart trembled slightly, ¡°Eleanor, sweetie, I¡¯ll be back safe and sound¡± Just like Gianna said, the royal family was not that easy to shake. He wouldn¡¯t let her get involved if there was even a hint of danger She was worried about him, and he was equally worried about her But to reassure Eleanor Bernard spent the whole night patientlyforting her. After she fell asleep, he carried her back to their vi, asked Hailey to take good care of her, and left Aidyn Reyes behind. He told Adyn to have bodyguards protect her hours a day, and then Bernard took the people, boarded the special ne, and headed to the G country¨C Chapter 670 Chapter 670 When Eleanor woke up, she found out that Behard had already gone to country She rarely lost her temper with Bemard, but this time she was so pissed off she was shaking They had agreed to go to Greuntly together, but Bernard had left alone who she fell asleep She clutched her chest nervously picked up her phone and called him but the phone was constantly turned off Eleanor, with her phone in hand, couldn¡¯t control her shaking She guessed he might still be on the ne, but she kept calling him anyway Hailey walked in, saw her sitting on the cold hard floor, and quickly helped her up ¡°Eleannt why are you sitting on the floor? Hailey asked C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Eleanor was too nervous to stand steady and could only lean against the corner, which gave her a slight sense of security ¡°Hailey, when did he leave?¡± che asked Hailey helped her sit on the sofa nced at her phone screen, ¡°He left this morning, and he should still be on the ne. Don¡¯t worry, he should call you back once hends¡± Eleanor put down her phone, rubbed her tired eyes and said, ¡°Even before Casey started hunting Ethan, I was already oh edge Now I¡¯m even more worried that something might happen to him¡± With that thought, she picked up her phone again, opened the ticket booking app, and was about to book a ticket to G country but Hailey stopped her ¡°Eleanor, Bernard told you to rest at home. He will bring your sisters child back¡± Hailey took her phone away and told her, ¡°Now there¡¯s a situation you need to handle Ethan¡¯s parents are here and they want to take Ethan¡¯s body George said Ethan left a will, wanting to be buried with Emilia, and not allowing his parents to take his body. They re arguing in the hospital right now, and Liana asked me to find you to make the decision¡± Ethan¡¯s parents wanting ther son¡¯s body was normal, but Ethan wanting to be buried with his sister made it moreplicated. The will was addressed to Eleanor, so the decision had to be made by Eleanor Eleanor suppressed her anxiety and followed Hailey to the hospital. At the entrance of the morgue they ran into Ethan¡¯s parents. A mature, gentle and cultured middle aged man, hugging a sobbing middleaged woman, reprimanded, ¡°Ever since Emilia died, Ethan wanted to end his life He wasn¡¯t strong crying now does no good,¡± The woman, hearing this angrily pushed him away,pletely disregarding her appearance, pointing at the man and yelling ¡°if it wasn¡¯t for your affair with that prostitute after our engagement, would there be Casey? You¡¯re the one who made the mistake, yet you me my son for wanting to die, why don¡¯t you just drop dead?¡± The man being yelled at didn¡¯t get mad, instead heforted the woman, ¡°Dear, I¡¯ve exined to you, that woman seduced me and deliberately had my child Since she had the child. I couldn¡¯t just kill him, night?¡± ¡°If I knew back then that he would cause my son¡¯s death, I would have let you kill him. It¡¯s because I was too soft hearted that my son was harmed I only have one son, and he¡¯s gone now, what am I going to do?¡± By the end of her tant, she was crying again The man was about to continue exining, but when he looked up and saw Eleanor, he immediately stopped talking and his expression became calm. ¡°Are you Emilia¡¯s sister?¡± Eleanor politely nodded and walked towards them, ¡®Im Emilia¡¯s sister, Eleanor The middle aged woman was crying, but when she heard her voice, she looked up at her through teary eyes It was just a casual nce, but when the saw Eleanor¡¯s face, she suddenly froze, even her crying stopped Chapter 671 Chapter 671 She stared at Eleanor for a while before she could speak, ¡°Ms Shultz, do you know who your mother is?¡± Eleanor locked at Evelyn Ziegler, who just lost her son was strange that she was first concerned about her nwn mother, but the answered truthfully, ¡°I dont know The tension on Ethan¡¯s mother¡¯s face clearly rxed a lot it¡¯s good not to know. The secrets of the Pine family should remain bunted forever after Emilia¡¯s death. As for this orphan who knows nothing, she doesn¡® need to worry at all After getting the answer she didn¡¯t look at Eleanor anymore and turned into the morgue leaving a middle¨Caged man facing Eleanor, ¡°Were taking Ethan¡¯s body back Eleanor was a bit embarrassed, she frowned. ¡°Ethan left a will, he wanted to be buried with my sister. I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t let you take him¡± Ethan¡¯s father, Mr Ziegler, saw that although she spoke softly, her attitude was firm His face immediately became serious, ¡°He is my son, it is natural that I should take him, besides, he and Emilia were not mamed Eleanor replied calmly. ¡°They were married¡± She was married to Ethan in her sister¡¯s name, they had a wedding in the church and a manage certificate it was a fact Mr Ziegler probably heard about this baffling matter, he simply said they divorcedter, then changed the subject. ¡°The descendants of the Ziegler family should be buried in the Ziegler family¡¯s cemetery, this is not negotiable. Im just informing you¡® Eleanor actually had no right to forcibly keep Ethan¡¯s body, after a moment of silence, she made a suggestion, I happen to be going to the G country, how about this, I will move my sister¡¯s grave back to the G country, and let my sister be butled with him in the Ziegler family¡¯s cemetery?¡± She grew up in the G country and has the nationality of that country, which contains all her memories She should also want to go back, it¡¯s better than being buried here namelessly Besides, as long as they can be buried together any method is eptable 1 But Mr Ziegler disagreed. ¡°No, Emilia has been entangled with my son all her life, causing him mental tension, and even losing his inheritance I don¡¯t want them to be buried together¡± He used to like Emilia, thought she was talented and a good fit for the Ziegler family¡¯s daughter¨Cinw. But his wife didn¡¯t like her, said she looked like Trouble, and that marrying into the Ziegler family might turn the house upside down. He didn¡¯t take it seriously at that time Not until his two sons fought over her did he realize that his wife was right. Emilia was a troublemaker, and without her his son wouldn¡¯t have fallen to his current state Now Emilia¡¯s sister even wants to bury Emilia in the Ziegler family¡¯s cemetery isn¡¯t this forcing him to admit that Emilia is the daughter¨Cinw of the Ziegler family? He absolutely couldn¡¯t allow it! Eleanor seemed a bit tired, she sighed deeply ¡°Mr. Ziegler, I¡¯ve made a concession. If you don¡¯t agree, then we¡¯ll follow my brother¨Cinw¡¯s will and act ording to hisst wishes. That¡¯s it¡± After she finished speaking, she tumed to leave, but Mr. Ziegler stopped her. His hand hadn¡¯t touched her clothes yet when Aidyn, who was following behind Eleanor, firmly grabbed his wnst, ¡°Mydy is not someone you can touch¡± Even Cassius Ziegler, who has seen countless dignitaries, was deterred by Aidyn and the bodyguards in the corridor. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. As far as Cassius knew, Emilia¡¯s sister was just an orphan without any special abilities He didn¡¯t understand why she always had so many bodyguards when she went out. If people didn¡¯t know the situation, they might think a royal family member was traveling Cassius asked in surprise, ¡°Whose wife is this?¡± If it¡¯s an orphan, he doesn¡¯t need to be too polite to her. But if she¡¯s married to a wealthy family, he needs to be more careful. Cassius thought to himself, as long as it¡¯s not the biggest tycoon in the A Country, the Laurence Group, he doesn¡¯t need to bother with other families The tall and mighty Aidyn, standing in front of Eleanor pronounced a few words from a high position, ¡°The wife of the president of the Lawrence Group, Bernard.¡± Cassius was stunned for a few seconds, his eyes gradually filled with incredulous expression. He was surprised that Eleanor happened to be Mrs. Laurence, ¡°Howe I¡¯ve never heard of your marriage?¡± Aldyn coldly replied, ¡°Their wedding will be in a while, Mr. Ziegler, it¡¯s best not to offend mydy at this time¡± Chapter 672 Chapter 672 An embarrassed look appeared on Cassius¡¯s face ¡°We were just discussing my son¡¯s funeral, how did it turn into offending someone?¡± He understood the reason for Ms. Shultz¡¯s tough stance she had the support of the big shot Laurence Group But this confidence was granted by a man Cassius despised this kind of behavior in his heart Just like Ms Shultz¡¯s sister, who had no status or background but was trying totch onto his son Always stirring up trouble, even in death she couldn¡¯t Im everyone be at peace She even caused his son¡¯s death What¡¯s so good about her? Eleanor noticed Cassius¡¯s contempt, but she didn¡¯t have the mood to care about it. She simply said, ¡®Mr Ziegler, think about it and give me a response in four hours¡± Four hourster, Bernards ne should have reached the G country. She could decide whether or not to go to the G country Ethan was Cassius¡¯s son. He wanted to take his son¡¯s body away, he didn¡¯t need Eleanor¡¯s agreement. He just wanted to give her a heads up because of his son¡¯sst words if she agreed, great, if not, he was still taking him But he didn¡¯t expect Eleanor to be Bernard¡¯s fiancee, whichplicated things Casssus exined the situation to Evelyn Ziegler and let her make the decision. Either let Emilia be buried in the Ziegler family¡¯s cemetery and ept her as our daughter inw, or oppose the president¡¯s wife of the Laurence Group and take Ethan away What do you think?¡± When she heard that Eleanor was the Laurence Group¡¯s president¡¯s fiancee, it took Evelyn a while to process it. ¡°You said she¡¯s Bernard¡¯s fiancee?¡± Cassius nodded impatiently thought she didn¡¯t have any background, but she¡¯s Bernard¡¯s fiancee.¡± Evelyn was wiping her tears, her hands trembling slightly ¡°Do you know who their mother is?¡± Cassius didn¡¯t care about this ¡°what does it have to do with me But it did matter to her otherwise why would her son like Emilia so much and why wouldn¡¯t she let Emilia in? She thought Ms. Shultz didn¡¯t know anything, had no background, so there was nothing to worry about. But she didn¡¯t expect Ms. Shultz to have such a strong background. Could some secrets really not be hidden? Evelyn hugged her son¡¯s cold body in fear, trembling all over Cassius thought she was just too sad, so he didn¡¯t pay it any mind. He just gently stroked his son¡¯s body and cried softly¡­ Inside the directors office Hailey and Liana sat quietly, asionally exchanging nces Eleanor, on the other hand, was clenching her phone, anxiously waiting for Bernard¡¯s call Soon, the four hours were up. As soon as the time came, Eleanor immediately dialed a number After two rings, it was picked up ¡°Eleanor.¡± Hearing his voice, her anxiety eased a bit but she felt wronged ¡°Bernard, you¡¯ve deceived me. I won¡¯t marry you when youe back.¡± He knew she was angry and tried tofort her while getting off the ne. ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll be back in two days tops.¡± But Eleanor was still worried, her voice trembling ¡®Casey is too cunning. He even drove Ethan to death. I¡¯m afraid you¡± The man, surrounded by a group of people, had a cold and arrogant face ¡°I am not Ethan¡± He wasnt Ethan He had enough means to make Casey back down voluntarily with the child. It was just a trivial matter, not worth mentioning. The man wad confident about this, so he didn¡¯t say much Tl bring th child to see you in two days Wait for me at home¡± Again, she felt like she couldn¡¯t do anything but wait for him at home. ¡°You¡¯re right. I can¡¯t provide any help¡± She hung up the phone and sat on the sofa, feeling a bit powerless and lowered her head Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Bemard felt that she was angry, and hurriedly tried to call back, but someone blocked his sight. He slowly lifted his head Chapter 674 Chapter 674 Evelyn Ziegler maintaining her high¨Csociety demeanor, and politely exined to Eleanor ¡°Ma Shultz, Emilia fell in love with Ethan many years ago I told her that our family would never ept her, but she didn¡¯t care as long as she could be with Ethan You know our kind of family cannot ept a daughter¨Cinw of unequal status¡± Eleanor gazed at Evelyn and noticed that she avoided direct eye contact, which seemed strange ¡°Evelyn, do you know me?¡± she asked Evelyn lightly held her husband¡¯s hand trembling slightly, but tried to remainposed and smiled ¡°Thave always lived in the Gcountry How could I possibly know you?¡± Eleanor was about to ask why she couldn¡¯t look her in the eve, but Evelyn stood up and looked at her firmly ¡°Ms. Shultz, I have made myself very clear it was your sisters choice to be with Ethan, gardless of whether she had the title of Mrs. Ziegler She didn¡¯t care about it during her lifetime, and I don¡¯t think she would mind alter her death¡± Eleanor knew that Ethans mother had previously told her sister that she would not let her join this family ¡°Evelyn, my sister loved your son, but their feelings were mutual Ethan deeply loved my sister to the extent that he would even die for her Don¡¯t fabricate facts after my sister¡¯s death just because of your prejudice¡± Facing Eleanor¡¯s questioning, Evelyn¡¯s expression changed, and the courage in her eyes diminished in an instant. _Mr. Ziegler, seeing his wike in this state, thought she was being bullied and immediately confronted Eleanor in anger. ¡°Ms Shultz, what exactly do you want?¡± Eleanor sighed again ¡°Mr Ziegler, I don¡¯t want anything, I just want to fight for a title for my sister, as recognition for her lifelong devotion¡± George who had been silent all this time spoke up. ¡°Emilia has always wanted to marry Ethan, and Ethan wanted to marry her too. It was Evelyn who opposed and hindered them from being together. They couldn¡¯t be together in life so at least let them reunite in death¡± George bluntly pointed out Evelyn¡¯s obstruction of their rtionship, which displeased her After silently cursing George in her mind. Evelyn still held her ground and shook her head. ¡°She didn¡¯t leave behind any children for Ethan. It¡¯s really inappropriate to bury her in the Ziegler family cemetery¡± George sneered ¡°Em gave birth to Ethan¡¯s daughter She¡¯s already sex years old. How can it be inappropriate?¡± Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Before George said those words, Eleanor winked at him, but he didn¡¯t notice, and the words slipped out Both Evelyn and Mr. Ziegler were stunned ¡°Ethan has a daughter?¡± Ethan and Emilia had been together for six years, but Ethan¡¯s parents had always opposed their rtionship. Mr Ziegler asked urgently. ¡°Where is the child?¡± Even Evelyn changed her attitude, speaking softly to George, asking him to take her to see the child She only had one son. Ethan, and she thought her family would end with his death. She never expected to have a granddaughter It was a big surprise for her, although the child was born to Emilia. George replied, ¡°Casey took the child away You can go find Casey Upon hearing Casey¡¯s name, Evelyn was filled with anger. ¡°That scoundrel who killed my son and took away my granddaughter! I will make him pay!¡± She gritted her teeth and then pointed at Mr. Ziegler, and shouted angrily. ¡°Let me tell you, if you don¡¯t hold Casey ountable for my son¡¯s death this time, I will make sure the Ziegler family cannot survive in the G country!¡± Back then, the Ziegler family was forced to the G country by the Laurence family, and it was her family that extended a helping hand regardless of the i Laurence family¡¯s power How did the Ziegler family repay her? Her husband Cassius Ziegler even had an illegitimate child, and that child ended up killing her son! She couldn¡¯t bear this hatred. She would make that scoundrel pay! After Evelyn finished speaking angrily, her body was a little unsteady, and Eleanor reached out to support her Evelyn¡¯s body froze instantly. She would rather tean against the wall than let Eleanor touch her Eleanor felt that she seemed to be afraid of something, but she didnt know the exact reason. So she stayed on the side silently observing her Chapter 675 Chapter 675 Evelyn seemed to realize her actions were a bit too obvious, immediately raised her hand to tidy up her sleeves, and looked at Eleanor, her eyes looked very natural ¡°Ms Shultz, since your sister bore a daughter for my sonJet her be buned in the Ziegler family plot as Ethan¡¯s wife¡± She lowered her tone, and at the same time put forward her request, ¡°However, this child must be raised by me in the future¡± George only realized he might have spilled too much tea when he heard Evelyn wanted to take over the child He quickly ined to cover his tracks ¡°Ethan¡¯s will, it leaves Ms. Shultz in charge of the child¡± For Ethan¡¯s parents, it¡¯s always been a game of self interest When Ethan was obedient, they groomed him as their heir if he was disobedient, they¡¯d rather pass the inheritance to a nephew they could control, not him if they treated then own son like this, dont even get me started on their granddaughter Eleanor was hip to their game, quickly chiming in ¡°This will is legally binding He left me in charge¡± Evelyn couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at their words. What kind of logic is this? The grandparents are still alive and kicking how could it possibly fall to her to take care of the child? Though Evelyn thought this way she still assured Eleanor ¡°Ms Shultz dont worry I won¡¯t shortchange the child. Til take good care of her, give her the best love, send her to the best schools¡± This might be sincere given Evelyn¡¯s deep love for Ethan But Eleanor couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that Evelyn was hiding a lot, like she had some beef with them if there was resentment, would Evelyn truly treat Nina well?Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Eleanor remained suspicious of Evelyn. She thought she might even go to court if necessary to keep her sister¡¯s child with her. But right now, the most important thing was to get Nina back She figured Mt. Ziegler having lost one son, wouldn¡¯t dare harm another, even if he was an unwee illegitimate child. So, more talk with him was pointless Word had it that Evelyn came from a big family in G country, and Mr Ziegler always walked on eggshells around her With Evelyn¡¯s grudge against Casey backing her up, getting Nina back should be easier After analyzing the situation, Eleanor said to Evelyn ¡°Evelyn, let¡¯s discuss the child¡¯s custodyter. The most important thing right now is to retrieve the child from Casey What do you think?¡± Seeing Eleanor didn¡¯t immediately agree. Evelyn know that Eleanor didn¡¯t intend to give the child to her to raise However Eleanor was right, now wasn¡¯t the time to fight over custody. The most pressing matter was to sort out Ethan¡¯s funeral, then get the child back, and finally bury Casey with him The coldness in Evelyn¡¯s eyes was all seen by Eleanor, and she felt a chill in her heart, but she didn¡¯t say anything Chapter 676 Chapter 676 After finishing the joint burial, two days had passed, during which Bernard would report to her every hour that she was safe. She wasn¡¯t as worried anymore, and fell asleep bredly on her bed. After waking up, the reached for her phone The night before. Bernard had messaged her that Nina was already picked up by him His private jet would arrive at A City airport the next morning at 10 15 Looking at the time, she figured the ne must bending soon, so she checked her call history and called him, but his phone was off Assuming he hadn¡¯t disembarked yet, she got up in freshen up and packed a few sets of clothes. After getting ready for her trip to the G country she picked up he plone again, only to see that he hadn¡¯t returned her call. Sitting in front of her dressing table she called Bernard several times, the calls went through, but he didn¡¯t answer The sound of the disconnected call echoed repeatedly, filling Eleanor with sudden dread She quickly got up, heading out while instructing Aidyn to drive her to the airport ¡°Sitting in the car, she kept calling Bernard, but he didn¡¯t answer Eleanor¡¯s heart pounded in anxiety her intuition telling her something had happened to Bernard! Usually, he¡¯d answer her calls or reply to her messages instantly, but not this time Her hand clutching the phone started to sweat, her body shivering The car stopped at the airport, and without waiting for Aidyn to open the door, Eleanor quickly got out and ran towards the arrivals exit. Crowds of people wereing out of the airport but she couldn¡¯t spot any familiar figures. Eleanor¡¯s face gradually turned pale. She put down her phone, leaned against the cold wall and hugged herself, seeking some semnce of safety Aidyn, standing nearby, also couldn¡¯t reach Bernard So, he called Bernard¡¯s bodyguard, but no one answered. Even Aidyn started to feel that something might have happened to Bernard, so he called Caleb from a secluded spot, but he didn¡¯t answer either This didn¡¯t make sense Picking up a kid was a small matter, surely Bernard couldn¡¯t have messed it up Perhaps there was a problem on the way back? Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Aidyn quickly contacted people in the G country, who confirmed that Bernard had already taken off Aidyn checked the private jet¡¯s into again and saw that it hadnded, but no one had disembarked Feeling puzzled, he revealed his identity and took Eleanor into the airport straight to the parked private jet They were just about to rush up to find someone, when a tall man, leading a little girl holding a doll, appeared at the cabin door. The little girl seemed to have just woken up and was a bit wobbly The deepening night made his expression hard to read All Eleanor knew was that the sight of Bernard brought tears to her eyes. She stood still, watching his figure from afar the waiting felt like an eternity, which was unbearable for her. For the first time, she ran up to him without a care in the world and held onto Bernard tightly. ¡°You scared me to death, I thought something happened to you¡± He lifted his hand and pulled Eleanor into his embrace Holding her tightly, he murmured. ¡°I promised you I¡¯d be back in two days, so you didn¡¯t need to worry¡± He¡¯d made a promise to her that he¡¯d be back in two days, and no one could stop him from returning, no matter how ruthless their tactics! Eleanor hugged him and smelled the familiar scent of pine trees on his body, and slowly rxed, ¡®Since you¡¯re back, why didn¡¯t you answer my calls?¡± After she finished speaking, she tried to lift her head from his arms, but his big hand was on the back of her hand, why didn¡¯t he let her raise her head? Bernard pressed her head to his chest, his voice low and hoarse, ¡°Your niece is too noisy, I didn¡¯t hear your call¡­¡± Nina, standing nearby, looked at him strangely but didn¡¯t say anything. Chapter 677 Chapter 677 When he mentioned Nina, it was then that Eleanor shifted her focus on to Nina She saw that Nina had be thinner now she felt very sad Immediately she wriggled out of Bemard¡¯s arms, crouched down and gently stroked Nina¡¯s little face ¡°Nina, how did you lose so much weight?¡± Seeing Eleanor Nina opened her pink little mouth as if to say something, but in the end, she didn¡¯t say anything at the end. Seeing Nina lower her head ying with her toy in silence. Eleanor felt a deep sadness Nina must have been forced to y sheeting games by Casey and witnessed her father¡¯s death, which traumatized her, turning her silent, right? Bernard struggled to steady himselt exining to Eleanor, ¡®She¡¯s traumatized, showing signs of stress response She¡¯ll need to see a psychologist¡± After assassinating Ethan, Casey¡¯s attitude towards the child also became brutal. These past few days he locked the crying Nina in a dark room, even locked her in a cage, only providing her with little food and drink if he hadnt amyed in time, the child might not havested three days ¡°Hearing about Nina¡¯s ordeal, Eleanor was heartbroken. She held the thin Nina tightly in her arms, gently patting her back while consoling her, ¡°Nina, live with me from now on. I take good care of you. I wont let you get hurt again¡± Nina¡¯s long eyshes flickered, but she did not respond to Eleanor Her spirit seemed entirely shattered, going from a lively, sweet talking child to a silent puppet Seeing Nina like this, Eleanor felt a deep sadness. She picked Nina up and saw Bernard suddenly putting on a heavy coat Looking at him in confusion, she saw his face was pale like he was sick Startled, she asked him what was wrong Bernard clenched one hand into a fist and put it over his mouth, coughing. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just a cold. He finished speaking and nodded to Aldyn standing by, ¡°You hold the child.¡± Eleanor was about to hold her, but Nina wiggled free and reached out to Aldyn Nina had be very obedient and cautious now She seemed to be afraid they would abandon her, making her extremely sensitive to their words and deeds Eleanor looked at Nina, who was obediently lying on Aidyn¡¯s shoulder with her toy, and felt a deep sadness. Bernard took her hand and put it in his coat pocket, ¡°Eleanor, let¡¯s go home¡± Eleanor felt his cold hand, withdrew her gaze, and looked at the pale Bernard ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Now, his face was so pale, even his lips were trembling She refused to believe it was just a cold, ¡°Bernard, if you have any problems, just tell me directly, don¡¯t hide it from me and don¡¯t try to deceive me me¡± Bernard¡¯s eyes showed exhaustion, but he still remained patient, lowering his head ¡°It is really a cold, you can touch my forehead if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± Eleanor stood on her toes, reached out and touched his forehead it did feel a bit hot, ¡°Have you taken any medicine?¡± He gave a slight nod and a small smile. ¡°Mrs Laurence, you¡¯re so concerned about me. Do you love me very much?¡± Her eyes were full of love no reservations, ¡°I love you very much, so Mr Laurence, you have to take care of yourself¡± Bernard was just trying to cheer her up, make her rx a bit, but hearing her response, he was somewhat surprised. That¡¯s right, she would feel at ease only if he was in good health. The two of them depended on each other, and he had to keep his promise. The man gently lifted her chin and kissed her lips, then held her hand fightly and led her off the ne Their elegant figures created long shadows under the dim airport lights¡­ C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Caleb walked out of the cabin with a group of doctors, frowning at Bernard. At neither a close nor far distance, he saw a red liquid rolling down Bernard¡¯s coat¡­. Caleb took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, his hand trembling a bit. He lit one and took a deep puff He rarely smoked, rarely felt his hands shaking, but seeing Bernard suffering such a serious injury, he couldn¡¯t help but want to smoke. Chapter 678 Chapter 678 Bamard popped open the car door and helped Eleanor in, then he winced in pain as he bent down to sit next to her Seeing him in such pain, Aidyn in the front row couldn¡¯t help but squeeze Ninas hand tightly Just now Benant faced Eleanor, with his back turned to him, he could see clearly His expensive white shirt was stained with patches of blood, blooming like flowers He was so scared that he almost screamed, but Bemard gestured at him to be quiet. in front of Eleanor, Bernard seemed to not care about his own life or death, he wouldn¡¯t even let her worry about him Aidyn couldn¡¯t describe how deep Bernard¡¯s love for Eleanor was, he just told the driver to drive faster, even faster C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Bernard was sweating in pain, but he still held her tight as if he missed her terribly after not seeing her for a few days Eleanor tried to lift her head to look at him several times, but he pushed her head down, he wouldn¡¯t even let her hold his waist She felt strange and said ¡°Bernard you¡± Just as she lifted her head from his chest, he leaned in and sealed her lips with his cold ones He held the back of her head, before he kissed her, he nced at Aldyn, ¡°Cover the kid¡¯s eyes¡± Then he lowered his long eyshes parted her lips, and tasted her His kisses were always full of aggressive, her breath was taken away by him, and her hands held tight by him, and the initiative waspletely in his hands. Eleanor was almost deprived of oxygen by his kiss, her body fell limply on hisp, as powerless as a puddle of water. She struggled a bit, and a low moan came from the guy¡¯s throat, it wasn¡¯t the sound of a kiss, but the sound of pain It turned out that Bernard was distracting her with a kiss, and the moan made Eleanor suspicious. Eleanor opened her eyes and saw Bernard, sweating and silent The car stopped in front of Hailey¡¯s vi, Eleanor got out of the car. Bernard didn¡¯t follow her he exined, ¡®Eleanor, I have some urgent matters to handle tonight, you go back and rest, I pick you up tomorrow if it was before, he would definitely take her back to the mansion, he would never let her return to Hailey¡¯s vi Eleanor nodded, took Nina from Aidyn, waved goodbye to him, then turned and went into the vi Watching her figure disappear into the living room, Bernard leaned against the car window, enduring the pain, his face even paler than before Aidyn hurriedly asked the driver to go to the hospital, but was stopped by Bernard, ¡°Don¡¯t let Liana know¡± Liana and Eleanor had built a close friendship, Liana would tell Eleanor everything, but it was best to not worry her too much. The guy¡¯s hand curled up in pain on the front seat, he gritted his teeth to speak through the pain- ¡°We need to get back to the mansion to see a doctor¡± Caleb was already at the mansion with a doctor, seeing Aidyn helping the injured man in, he immediately instructed the doctor to treat Bernard. The doctor cut open the shirt on the man¡¯s back, which was a bloody and covered with wounds¡­ Even Aidyn, who had seen Mr. Laurence injured countless times, was shocked by this, stepping back a pace. ¡°How did this happen?!¡± He was asking Caleb, Mr Laurence was acting as the head of the Laurence Group this time, it had nothing to do with Mr. Law. But Caleb knew about his injury and had even arranged for a doctor at the mansion in advance This means Mr. Laurence¡¯s injury was not caused by Casey, but by the Siren Organization Caleb stood aside holding an unlit cigarette in his hand, and kept turning it, as if he was thinking about something, but he couldn¡¯t think of a good solution, so he could only let out a long sigh. ¡°Mr Penrod did it.¡± The title ¡°Mr Penrod in very scary to Aidyn, and it fills him with fear but treated M Laurence was different from how he treated othert Chapter 679 Chapter 679 ¡°Why did M. Penind suddenly attack Mr. Laumen? [remember he always liked Mi Laurence¡± Mr Pened was terrible, but the way ha He never punished Mr. Laurmon, instead he trusted him immensely. As soon as Mr. Laurence came of age, he immediately handed over the reins of the Siren Organization to him. Such favoritism not even his adopted son and daughter had enjoyed Caleb didn¡¯t know how to describe theplicated situation of the Siren Organization now, he simply exined a few things * Penrod didn¡¯t want Mr Laurece medding in the affairs of the Ziegler family and the royal family, but Mr Laurence insisted on getting involved which led to their disagreements ¡°Do they often have disagreements¡± And this time Me Laurence didn¡¯t act as Mi Law, what does Mr Penrod have to worry about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s aplicated issue, not easy to exin in short, M. Pented agreed to Mr. Laurence¡¯s request for a child, but after having the child, Mr Laurence had to leave the Siren Organization and then was attacked by Mr Penrod Aidyn roughly understood him, she was somewhat angry Was it necessary to hurt Mr. Laurence like this?¡± Caleb seemed distressed ¡°It¡¯s not M. Penrod¡¯s fault¡± Aidyn wanted to ask more but suddenly there were soft footsteps from outside the door, and she immediately stopped talking When they were helping Sernard Laurence up, they had warned the servants not to disturb them upstairs The person who could sneak into the second floor must have sneaked in from outside They didn¡¯t know who it was who could secretly trick all the bodyguards and just swagger upstairs Caleb and Aidyn looked at each other, then quickly hid in the bathroom Aidyn carefully picked up a gun and slowly approached the door Just as he was ready to shoot, there was a knock on the door. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Bemard¡­¡± Hearing the voice of Eleanor Shultz, Aidyn and Caleb were stunned, and Bernard, who was lying in bed in pain, was also stunned ¡°Dont let her in His current state would surely scare her Aidyn got the order so she chose to remain silent. The room was quiet without any sound but The servant had clearly told her that Mr. Laurence had gone straight into the bedroom when he came back and had note out since. He was in the bedroom but didn¡¯t make a sound, which made Eleanor feel uneasy She braced herself against the fear in her heart and knocked on the door again ¡°Bernard. I know you¡¯re hurt, open the door, let me see you¡­¡­¡± But no matter how she knocked, there was no response from the room. Eleanor felt a bitst and lowered her head. They had once promised to be together for a lifetime, but he kept everything from her Didn¡¯t he know she would worry? Eleanor felt lost, she dropped her hand, but didn¡¯t turn around and leave, instead she stood quietly outside the door waiting Aidyn listened for a while, didn¡¯t hear any movement, she thought the person outside had gone, so she turned back and nodded at Bernard. The doctors began to speed up the treatment, using their professional skills to quickly stop the bleeding, suture the wounds, apply ointment and relieve pain After all this, the chief doctor took off his gloves and said to Aidyn. ¡°You need to rest in bed for the next while, you can¡¯t touch water and you need to pay attention to your diet After giving his advice, he said, ¡°Just now on the ne, due to ack of medicine and medical equipment, we could only do simple treatment, which may have caused an infection. He may have a fever tonight. You must monitor his temperature, if it¡¯s too high, tell me immediately¡± Aidyn and Caleb nodded in understanding and the doctors packed up their things and left with the medicine kit and medical equipment. The moment the automatic door opened, a woman leaning against the railing slowly turned her head. The doctors standing at the door when they made eye contact with her, were all scared into stopping in their tracks. Mr Laurence¡¯s private ne had justnded, and calls from Eleanor had been non¨Cstop However, when Mr Laurence passed out due to pain and was resuscitated after emergency treatment But when he saw her rushing over, he pushed their hands away, put on his clothes and got off the ne if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that she was the one he loved how could Mr. Laurence risk his life just to stop her from worrying The person Mr Laurence cared about deeply because they opened the door and found out about Mr. Laurence¡¯s injunes, how could the doctors not be scared? Chapter 680 Chapter 680 tallic smell and almost buckled at the knees, but she steeled herself, pushed past the Even though the door was only slightly opened the strong smell of blood still permeated out. Eleanor got one doctor and quickly entered Aidyn and Caleb were cleaning up the blood on the floor and when they saw Eleanor barging in the two stopped in fright ¡°M: Shultz?¡± She didn¡¯t leave? Eleanors bright eyes moved past the blood on the floor and focused on the man lying in bed, airenity deep sleep His strong sturdy back had been cleaned treated with medicine, but left unwapped, and the dense knife wounds could be seen at a nce. The sheets underneath him, perhaps not yet changed, were soaked in blood dripping onto the floor Seeing the usually cold aloot, and untouchable man now weak ke a child, Eleanor panicked. She staggered to the bedside, squatted down, and reached out a shaking hand wanting to much those wounds but fearing she might cause him pain After some tentative a strokes, she ced her hand on his perfectly sculpted arm, ever so lightly touching him Feeling the touch. Bernard woke up and instinctively grabbed her hand, even though he was still half asleep ¡°Bernard it¡¯s me¡± His eyes were foggy, but his ears were sharp. Hearing her voice, he immediately let go His gaze was as cold as a hawks but softened considerably when he focused on her ¡°You didn¡¯t leave?¡± Eleanor saw his eyes open, and tears instantly fell ¡°How could leave when you¡¯re hurt like this?¡± Bernard saw her tear¨Cstreaked face and sighed gently He hadnt wanted to worry her, which was why he hadn¡¯t told her Yet shed still found out The man bore the pain, reached out and gently caressed her face ¡°Hey don¡¯t cry¡± The one hurt was him, yet he was the oneforting her. This only made Eleanor cry more. Seeing the wounds on his back, she couldn¡¯t imagine what he¡¯d gone through, but she could imagine the pain he was in That pain made her so heartbroken that she dared not even touch him, afraid that she might hurt him. ¡°Is it painful Her sobbing voice was nasal, making Bernard¡¯s heart ache¨Cnot from his wounds, but from seeing her cry ¡°Tve taken painkillers. It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore, don¡¯t worry¡± The pain was indeed unbearable when he was on his way back to Laurence Manor. The doctor had treated his wounds, and the pain had reduced. Besides, he¡¯d grown up getting injured and enduring pain, how could he not handle this? It was precisely because he was too strong, too indifferent to his own life, that Eleanor worned so much She tightly held his hand, crying. ¡°You¡¯re such an idiot, risking your life for me over and over again¡± Everyone said that Bernard loved her, loved her enough to risk his life for her. And it was indeed true But she didn¡¯t want Bernard to love her this much because the was terrified he might one day truly give up his life for her. Seeing her cry, so hard, Bernard was at a loss. All he could do was wipe away her tears. ¡°Eleanor don¡¯t cry, my injures have nothing to do with you. There was some issue within thepany¡± Eleanor looked at him with tear¨Cfilled eyes. ¡°Diant Casey hurt you?¡± ¡°How could he hurt me?¡± The man scoffed recalling something unpleasant, his eyes suddenly cold and wild Seeing his eyes full of murderous intent, Eleanor quickly asked who had hurt him, but Bernard didn¡¯t tell her, wanting to protect her He didn¡¯t want to talk and Eleanor didn¡¯t want to push, but the horrifying knife wounds still made her heart ache. ¡°How can there be such cruel people in the world, using a knife to cut your back over and over again?¡± No. Bernard was so powerful, how could anyone get close to him? Unless he let them. Eleanor was frightened by her own thought, but also thought it might be possible. She looked up, her eyes swollen and red at the silent Bernard ¡°Bernard, tell me, did you run into some trouble?¡± Seeing her overthinking. Bernard quickly reassured her *Theres nothing that could trouble me You don¡¯t need to worry I can handle it¡± Eleanor looked at him, and after a while she felt he wasnt lying She then grabbed his hand again, cing it over her heart ¡°Bernard, can you take better care of yourself from now on?¡± Regardless of who had hurt him turd time if only he cared more about himself he wouldn¡¯t have to risk his life for her Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. The man responded firmly cant Youll always be my number one¡± in other words, she waymore important than himself and Eleanor was both moved and helpless ¡°You are like this, how should repay you¡® The man didn¡¯t want to see her cry anymore, his tone yfully lightened, ¡°Wait till I recover, let me love you a few more times.¡± Chapter 681 Chapter 681 Eleanor was initially upset, but after heating this, she felt puzzled ¡°You¡¯re hurt how can you still think about this¡± Bernard didn¡¯t give it much thought at first, but seeing her confused and crying his eyes turned a dark red filled with desire C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. He suddenly remembered theirst intimate encounter on the carpet, her soft crying her desperate pleading His throat moved, ¡°if I wasn¡¯t injured you wouldn¡¯t be able to leave this mansion these few days¡± Whenever he saw her, he wanted to be intimate with her No reason, he just craved her body, her heart, only then would he feel satisfied Eleanor didn¡¯t know how to respond, she stared nkly at him for a few seconds, then changed the topic. ¡°Are you thirsty want some water?¡± Bernard returned to his normal state, shaking his head. ¡°Eleanor, I have Aidyn send you back to rest, don¡¯t worry about me He didnt want her to overwork, Eleanor understood this, but he needed someone to take care of him now, how could she just ignore him? Eleanor touched Bemard¡¯s pale face. Till feel better staying here and taking care of you Hearing that she wanted to take care of him. Bernard¡¯s heart warmed, she had never taken care of him before, only ¡°That child also needs your care Ive already asked Hailey to help take care of her one night and Fil bring Nina over tomorrow¡± She had arranged everything, which was why she came here, otherwise she would worry about Nina Bernard saw her insistence, so he didn¡¯t refuse anymore, he endured the pain and called Aidyn over ¡°Help me go to the bathroom¡± He was a clean freak, unable to bear the blood on him. So no matter how Eleanor and Aidyn tried to persuade him, he wouldn¡¯t listen, pulled off the IV needle, and insisted on going to the bathroom to clean up.. He had taken painkillers, so it wasnt that painful for now, but he couldn¡¯t move his back, Aidyn couldn¡¯t help him wash, so Eleanor had to do it. Eleanor and Bernard were already familiar with each other¡¯s bodies, being naked in front of each other didn¡¯t make them ufortable. She helped him sit on the edge of the bathtub, took a clean towel, dipped it in warm water, and naturally started cleaning him. The man had a broad shoulder and narrow waist, a strong body firm abdominal muscles, and long legs. His body was like a piece of art perfect and wless. The only regret was the many injunes on his body On his arm were scars left by Donna Stanley¨CLaurence with a belt. Below the corbone, near the heart, was a gunshot wound from saving Garett There were also some other minor injuries, probably from performing tasks. When Eleanor¡¯s fingers touched those scars, her heart ached again. ¡°Bernard, don¡¯t get hurt anymore¡± Whenever she touched him, the man¡¯s body would tremble, not from pain, but a kind of numbness, like being shocked by electricity, making him feel hot all over His lower body had already reacted to her, at this moment he couldn¡¯t hear her, tightly holding her hand, pulling her into his arms. Eleanor was still feeling sorry for him, suddenly being pulled into his arms, holding a towel in her hand, Then, she heard a deep and lustful murmur from above, However, he was so sick that he was in a daze, and soon, his tall body fell onto her shoulder Even though he wasn¡¯t heavy, for the frail Eleanor, it felt like the world was falling apart After she managed to wrap Bernard in a towel, she called Aidyn who was tidying up the bed sheets and duvet Together, they helped him back to bed, hooked him back up to the IV drip, and ording to the doctor¡¯s advice, fed him some medicine. The man was sick and in a daze, but he wouldn¡¯t let go of Eleanor¡¯s hand, holding her tightly as if afraid she would leave. Eleanor wanted to get a towel to help him cool down, but he held her and she couldn¡¯t move, so the task was left to Aldyn. After Bernard¡¯s temperature stabilized, Aidyn put down the towel and said to Eleanor, Ill go out first. Call me if you need anything¡± Eleanor nodded, leaned against the headboard, staring at Bernard¡¯s delicate face She touched his forehead from time to time, always paying attention to whether he had a fever again. Eleanor had pulled an all¨Cnighter, fighting off fatigue to keep an eye on him Chapter 682 Chapter 682 It wasn¡¯t until the morning sun came in through the windows that she began to feel a little tired The man who just woke up opened his hazy eyes and looked at the woman who was leaning against the head of the bed in light sleep. The warm light sprinkled on her body, exuding a soft breath Just looking at her seemed to ease some of the intense pain he felt as the effect of the medicine wore off A smile appeared on his pale face Maybe because she was too worried about him. Eleanor had a light sleep She quickly opened her eyes and instinctively mached out to feel his forehead But it happened to meet those star¨Clike eyes, as if they were attractive, they suddenly struck her, making her unable to look away He was so handsome, even the stars couldn¡¯tpare in her heart, he was the only one, iparably good looking She stared at him in surprise for a moment then ced her hand on his forehead. His temperature was normal, no longer feverish ¡°Are you hungry? The man shook his head, bearing the pain, held her hand and asked her to lie down next to him ¡°Take a good sleep first, don¡¯t worry about anything else) She was not his maid she didn¡¯t need to do these things, just being by his side was enough. Eleanor smiled warmly nodding her head Before she closed her eyes, she couldn¡¯t help but nce at the wound on his back The man covered her eyes with his hand ¡°Sleep¡± His deep, maic voice sounded in her ear slowly easing her worries and fears. Eleanor curled up next to him, clutching his hand, and soon fell asleep Her days of fatigue anxiety, and restlessness were slightly alleviated with his return. When she woke up, the doctor had amived to treat Bemards wounds Since there had been an infection, they needed to disinfect before treating the wound Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Seeing Bernard shiver slightly as the doctor disinfected him, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but shed tears again. Bernard, who had been watching her the whole time saw her crying for him again and frowned. ¡°Aidyn, take her to pick up Nina¡± He wanted her to leave not wanting her to witness such a bloody scene, but Eleanor refused to leave She held his hand tightly waiting until the doctor had finished treating his wound, applied sterile dressings, and started an IV Only then did her tense heart slightly rx ¡°Bernard, you rest well. Ill be back after I pick up Nina¡± The medication made Bernard drowsy He nodded, ¡°Ardyn, protect her Upon hearing Aidyn¡¯s respectful yes, Bernard slowly closed his eyes Seeing that Bernard had fallen asleep, Eleanor got up to pick up Nina As soon as she stepped into Hailey¡¯s vi, she saw Liana squatting in front of Nina, luring her to talk with a lollipop. ¡°Nina, just call me once, and I¡¯ll give you a box of lollipops!¡± As soon as Liana finished speaking, Hailey who was next to her, tapped on a big box on the ground ¡°Look, these are what Liana got for you. You can eat them for a year. Say hi to her Nina was clutching her doll, her head slightly tilted to one side looking at the two beautiful women in front of her In the past. Nina would probably reach out to touch Liana and Hailey¡¯s faces, then jump at the box full of lollipops But now, no matter how Liana and Hailey tempted her, she just wouldn¡¯t speak. Hailey thed to coax her for a while but when her patience ran out, she preferred to y on her phone than to continue coaxing her. Unlike Hailey Lana had more patience and affinity She always had a gentle and kind smile on her face, comforting Nina. Seeing Liana hugging Nina one moment and kissing her face the next Eleanor knew that na loved children However, the ability to bear children was taken away from her by the man she loved the most. Even if she loved children, she couldn¡¯t have them. Eleanor¡¯s nose tingled a bit, but she didn¡¯t show it. She walked straight towards the three people in the garden¡­. ¡°Haley, Lana Nina Hearing Eleanor¡¯s voice, the three people in the garden all turned around When Ning saw her her lifeless eyes seemed to light up a bit, but she didn¡¯t rush over as she used to Eleanor walked up to Nina and stroked her head, ¡°Nina, are you getting used to living here?¡± Nina nodded. With beautifuldies, delicious food, and afortable home, of course, she was used to it. Eleanor chatted with Nina for a while, noticing that Liana and Hailey seemed to have something to say. So she had Aidyn take the kid to the swings nearby. Chapter 683 Chapter 683 ¡°How¡¯s Mr Laurence doing?¡± Lians wanted to check on his injuries, but Mr. Laurence has a thing about not letting female doctors examine him whenever he¡¯s injured. Hed only allow the guys to do it. He usually paid attention to his personal cleanliness, letting anyone touch him except for Eleanor ¡°He took a pretty harsh beating but the silver lining is that his vital organs am intact Doctors said he can only recover gradually through medication and rest ¡°Then what about your wedding¡± Hailey frowned Valentines Day was next Monday, and Bemard getting injured at this time seemed like a real wedding crasher ¡°He can only rest in bed now so the wedding probably can¡¯t go as nned. I discuss a new date with himter Eleanor was keen on having the wedding as nned, but under the circumstances, she had to consider Bernard¡¯s health ¡°I seems that we can only reschedule Hailey sighed Liana, however was nomittal ¡®Mr Laurence will definitely not agree to reschedule¡± Mr. Laurence has wanted to marry Eleanor for years now How could he postpone the long¨Cawaited wedding just because of injury? Hes a man of his word. Even if he was injured to the point of immobility, he would still marry Eleanor, let alone just a back injury Liana was full of confidence, but Hailey was skeptical ¡°He can¡¯t even move right now if we don¡¯t reschedule, are we supposed to carry him to his own wedding?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it, let¡¯s make a bet shall we? Liana crossed her arms and dered Upon hearing about the bet, Hailey immediately got excited ¡°Alright, let¡¯s bet a hundred grand, loser pays!¡± Then she tumed to Eleanor ¡°Are you in?¡± The bride herself was suddenly dragged into a wedding het, wagering on whether the groom would be able to make it to the wedding? Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Eleanor shook her head helplessly ¡°You guys go ahead and bet Tim going to take Nina home¡± At that moment, Aidyn came over holding Nina ¡°What¡¯s with this kid today? She doesn¡¯t want to y with me¡± Andyn¡¯sint was met with a cold stare from Nina: This guy is not handsome enough, and he¡¯s as dull as a log. She¡¯s not interested in ying with him. Liana seemed to see through Nina¡¯s thoughts and teased, ¡°Maybe you¡¯re just too boring, and it¡¯s normal for Nina not to want to y with you¡± Aidyn acted as if he didnt hear, put down Nina, stood aside with his hands behind his back, like a log just as Liana said, boring ¡°Nina, would you like to stay at the Laurence family mansion for a while?¡± Eleanor knelt down and asked Nina Although Nina did not speak, she was very sensible and knew that Bernard was injured and needed Eleanor¡¯s care. She didnt want to distract Eleanor Nina shook her head, turned around, and hugged Hailey¡¯s leg The four adults were surprised by Nina¡¯s action, especially Hailey, her eyes widened ¡°Does this kid like me?¡± She curiously reached out and pinched Nina¡¯s face ¡°If you like me, then I wont go to work for a while and stay home with you, how¡¯s that?¡± Hailey beat her to the punch, and Liana was a little unwilling, bending down to ask Nina¡¯s opinion. ¡°Hailey is very busy, why don¡¯t youe home with me? I¡¯m good at taking care of kids¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t expect Nina to be so popr, and she touched her forehead helplessly ¡°Let me take him with me¡® Before Hailey and Liana could speak, Nina hugged Hailey tightly and refused to let go no matter how they coaxed her. Seeing this. Hailey picked up Nina and looked at Eleanor. ¡°Bernard is so injured, you go take care of him first, fll take care of the kid¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid ¡± She was about to speak when Hailey interrupted. ¡°There are plenty of bodyguards here, there won¡¯t be any problems, don¡¯t worry¡± Although Liana didn¡¯t get the kid, she also nodded in agreement, ¡°With Hailey. I cane by to see her every day If she went to Mr Laurence¡¯s ce, I don¡¯t think I could even speak, let alone y with the kid ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay here for a while, and well take care of the kid together?¡± Hailey suggested Liana immediately agreed ¡°Great idea, it¡¯s settled then, I¡¯ll move in tomorrow.¡± Eleanor was speechless. They didn¡¯t give her a chance to speak during their discussion, made the decision directly, and even arranged for the psychologist Chapter 684 Chapter 684 ¡°Will Webb is a psychologist, and he is good at it. Since we have some free time right now, we can ask him to lend a hand ¡°Wow Will is that good, huh? You two are like a match made in heaven When are you guys tying the knot?¡± ¡°After Mr. Launce and Eleanor¡¯s wedding.¡± Liana had a happy smile on her face Halley was amused, and seemed to find Eleaner standing beside her muddenly, and said in surprise, ¡®Hey, Eleanor, why haven¡¯t you left yet? After instructing the bodyguards to take care of them, Eleaner returned back to Laurence Manor with Aidyn Bernard was already awake with a line of people wearing masks standing in the room Caleb was their leader Just as Eleanor was about to enter, Bernard¡¯s voice echoed in the empty room ¡®Caleb, hand over the evidence about Casey killing someone in a car ident and pinning it on Ethan Ziegler to the royal family¡± For years, the royal family has bem harboring a heartless person. Even without Bernard¡¯s intervention, Casey would pay the price Moreover Ethan¡¯s mother could use her family¡¯s power to pressure the royal family to hand over Casey It won¡¯t be long before the news of Casey¡¯s downfall for Ethan¡¯s sakees. Since so many people are seeking revenge for Ethan, Bernard has done what he can. Now, the most pressing issue is the Siren Organization Thinking this he looked at the members in front of him He wanted to say more but saw Eleanor leaving from theer of the door Bernard nodded to them: ¡°Carry cut my orders immediately¡± The group respectfully replied ¡°Yes,¡± and swiftly put on their masks and left. All dressed in uniform ck outfits, they looked strong and fit, but each wore a different mask Each mask represented a different identity Only they knew who each other were, others had no clue These mysterious masked men all stopped to bow to Eleanor as they passed her ¡°Good day. Mrs. Laurence!¡± Their voices were solemn and in unison, it was more like they were asserting dominance rather than greeting. The intimidating aura was quite scary Eleanor looked at them, dazed for a few seconds, then lifted her hand to wave¡­.. ¡®Hello¡® The masked men politely nodded and left the mansion at a rapid speed. Eleanor saw Caleb still in the room, seemingly discussing important matters, so she didn¡¯t go in But Bernard called her in with a soft voice ¡°Eleanor,e inC0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Eleanor, who was nning to cook, returned to the room when she heard him call. ¡°Bernard, you guys discuss first go cook dinner, don¡¯t worry about me¡± Bernard, who was sitting on the sofa, asked Caleb to leave first, then gestured Eleanor over Seeing that Bernard seemed to have something to say, she walked over. Just as she stood steady he pulled her into his arms¡­. Despite his injuries and pale face, he was still quite strong. Eleanor, worried about his wounds, reminded him to be careful, but he gently pinched her chin. ¡°Do you want to ask Liana to postpone our wedding?¡± Liana, eager to win Hailey¡¯s bet of a hundred thousand, spread the news fast. Eleanor, lying in his arms, patiently exined: ¡°You can¡¯t move right now let¡¯s take care of your injuries first¡® Bernard smirked, retorting ¡°Cant move? How did I get from the bed to the sofa then?¡± Eleanor wanted to argue, but then his lips neared her ear ¡®Are you worried that I won¡¯t be able to move on our wedding night?¡± She was actually worried about his wounds, why did he only think of such inappropriate things? Eleanor pushed him away but his hand firmly gripped her waist, pulling her closer He stroked her skin, speaking softly in her eat ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Ni make sure you¡¯re satisfied on our wedding night¡± He¡¯s always been quite direct. Eleanor was used to it. Today, however he took it to a whole new level Hes not even embarrassed to say such things, seems like men in ther thirties do not get shy. Eleanor a bit younger than him, was quite embarrassed Blushing she quickly changed the subject. ¡°Im going to cook dinner¡± As she was about to get up, he held her waist With one hand around her, and the other lifting her chin, Bernard said firmly ¡°Eleanor, the wedding must take ce as nned, no dys, understand?¡± Chapter 685 Chapter 685 Bernard¡¯s decision was always unwavering Orice he made up his mind no one could change it Eleanor reached out, flipping open his loose home robe, revealing a sterile mult covering his hack He got up from the bed to deal with Casey¡¯s matte, putting on his clothes Even though his wounds hadn¡¯t healed he still insisted on going ahead with the wedding Eleanor couldn¡¯t hear it ¡°Can you rest first and well talk about the weddingter, okay? She gently put down his clothes took his arm intending to help him back to bed, but he grabbed her wrist tightly ¡°Eleanor are your feet getting cold again?* He looked down at her his eyes slightly red He¡¯d been looking forward to the wedding for so long, he wouldn¡¯t ept her brushing him off with that answer ¡°I¡¯m just worried about your injury. ¡°Even if it kills me I want to many you first¡± Eleanor didnt want to hear about death She hastily covered his mouth, a little flustered, ¡°What are you talking about!¡± After that theforted him gently ¡°You need to recover first. Once you¡¯re healed, we¡¯ll have the wedding, okay?¡± After stanng at her for a while Bernard let go of her hand and remained silent When he didn¡¯t speak, his face was cold, and there¡¯s a bone¨Cchilling coldness in his eyes Eleanor was a bit scared of this version of Bernard. He seemed god¨Clike aloof and untouchable She clenched her fists, rubbing her fingertips about to say something but Bernard had already got up, leaning on the wall, stumbling to the bed He picked up his phone scrolled through it, and made a call ¡°Doctor, I need you to heal me within a week¡± On speaker Eleanor heard the doctor receive the order, sounding a bit troubled, but eventually replied, ¡°I do my best¡± Bamard tossed his phone aside, staring at Eleanor, ¡°Problem solved Can we proceed with the wedding now?¡± Eleanor couldn¡¯t argue with him and quickly caved in after his phone call ¡°Okay as nned But you need to rest and recover over the next few days. No more messing around¡± C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. The man¡¯s lips, which had been tightly pressed together, slowly rxed into a smile. His beautiful eyes also softened ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about these things. Just prepare to be a beautiful bride¡± He waved her over, ¡°Come here, let me hold you¡± Eleanor got up helplessly and walked over to him. He lifted her onto hisp, making her nervous about possibly hurting his wound. He didn¡¯t care, holding her, resting his chin on her neck. ¡°Eleanor, I love you¡± Eleanor heart¡¯s warmed. ¡°For those who are in love, the three words I love you¡® is the most heartwarming, sweetest and most secure thing you can hear¡± He loved her very much and couldn¡¯t wait to marry her She couldn¡¯t let him down, even if she worried about his injury. But if that¡¯s the case, Hailey would lose that 100k bet to Liana in their group chat. Eleanor sent the news that the wedding would proceed as scheduled. Hailey was so mad she started hitting her pillow ¡°Why doesn¡¯t Mr. Laurence stick to the script?¡± Sitting on the living room rug, ying Lego with Nina, Liana was grinning ear to ear, ¡°I knew Mr. Laurence wouldn¡¯t agree to change the date¡± Mr Laurence was too tough and Eleanor was always obedient. Their standoff wouldn¡¯tst long, they¡¯d eventuallypromise Still smiling, Liana didn¡¯t forget about her bet with Hailey, ¡°Hailey, give me the 100k, thanks¡± Chapter 686 Chapter 686 Even though Hailey¡¯s annual ie was over ton million and he assets were in the hillions, the will felt heartbroken when the faced the possibility of losing a hundred grand It was not that she didn¡¯t want to spend the money, but that it was not worth the money, because she didn¡¯t understand why she het with Liana? Is so na to do that How boring! Hailey sitting on the sofa, hugging a cushion, was pissed at her own stupidity which made Ning burst intoughter Seeing Nina¡¯s innocent and radiant smile Liana was dumbstruck for a few seconds ¡°Hailey look, Nina is laughing¡± Hailey saw it too reached out and gently pinched Nina¡¯s face ¡°Alright for yourughter¡¯s sake that money is well spent ¡± Liana, with her knee bent elbow resting on her knee, and one hand propping her cheek watched Nina Seeing Nina Isugh and then lower her head to y with Lego, Liana yearned for something. ¡°Haley I wish I could have a baby too¡± If she could have a baby she would give the best things in the world to her child But she didnt have a uterut Liana¡¯s eyes were full of maternal warmth and hidden loss Seeing Liana like this, Hailey didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment, but after a few seconds, she tried tofort her ¡°Liana have you and Will ever thought about adopting a child after getting married?¡± Liana loved children so much if she couldn¡¯t have one, why not adopt one and raise him or her as her own? Maybe it could ease some regrets ¡°We have considered it. After we get married well adopt one¡± She hadn¡¯t thought about it that strongly, but after spending time with Nina, she really hoped to have a child, even if she can¡¯t give birth, adopting one is also good Liana was a strong woman Despite her regrets, she always found a solution She dared to love and hate Even if she was hurt by Tyler Howell, when someone told her they love her she dared to try again Hailey and Liana were different Even after all these years of toughing it out she might look like a tough woman, but that¡¯s just on the surface In reality, she¡¯s afraid to love again She¡¯s scared of being deceived and hurt just like now. She saw a photo and post by Cedric Laurence and suddenly felt she should remove him They had blocked each other at first, then added back. They never cut tiespletely, always maintaining aplicated rtionship, which makes her look a bit immature Hailey took onest look at the photo The background was in Africa, the girl in Cedric¡¯s arms was laughing happily, she¡¯s quite good looking The girl was like a cornflower, pure and elegant And Hailey she¡¯s noble and elegant, dignified and virtuous, intelligent and generous Cedric had one arm around the girls shoulders, looking at her with eyes full of love and affection She rarely saw such expression on Cedric Reading his words, it¡¯s not surprising He said ¡°Being stationed in Africa, meeting my first love, it¡¯s a kind of fate¡± This was his first love no wonder this girl was different from other women. Under her innocent appearance, she exhibited an intellectual quality Hailey recalled the scene in Eleaber Hall Cedric holding her calling her ¡°Hailey¡°, then angrily leaving after being rejected by her. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. She felt their rtionship waspletely severed in that snowstorm, deleting each other was the best choice. She clicked on Cedric¡¯s avatar, her finger hovered over the delete button, hesitating After a few seconds, she clicked delete without hesitation, and since then, she will never have any contact with Cedric again. Chapter 687 Chapter 687 Halley didn¡¯t show any obvious emotion After putting down her phone, she sat on the carpet and asked Liana, ¡°You mentioned before that you were going to introduce a doctor to me, when are we meeting him? ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who decided not to blind date again after experiencing it once? Liana looked surprised Previously Mr Hammer had proposed to set Hailey up on a blind date, but the catch was that he was the date himself Hailey was in a coffee shop watching Mr Hammer nervously confess his feelings to her, and the whole thing was both amusing and slightly annoying She never knew that Me Hammer had been crushing on her for so many years, and they both had a failed mainage under their belts, so they had that inmon But she didn¡¯t have any strong feelings for him, he was just a reliable business partner to bet She could work with M Hammer in the long run, but sharing a life with him made her feel uneasy She was preparing to reject him in a way that was both polite and respectful but her ns were disrupted by the sudden appearance of Cedic Cedric who inherited the dominance and arrogance of the Laulence family swept her into a kiss without saying a word With him ¨Cming his territory so assertively. Mr Hammer had no choice but to pack his briefcase and leave in embarrassment To Mr Hammer, messing with a spoilt rich kid like Cedric was out of the question A few threats from Cedric were enough to make him quit his nightclub job. Adding to that Harley clearly wasn¡¯t interested in him, and he had already confessed his hidden feelings, which made things even more awkward, so he decided to sell his shares and leave Haifey tried to persuade him a few times, but seeing his determination, she reluctantly agreed Losing a vital business partner because of the blind date had left Hailey peeved, so she told Liana she would never go on another one But now she wanted to try and find someone who genuinely loved her just like Liana had Aher all she had never truly experienced what it felt like to be loved Still, she would stick to her principles, not easily giving her heart to anyone, unless they were truly worth it Seeing that Hailey didn¡¯t respond, Liana seemed to have guessed something, and didn¡¯t push further instead, she replied, ¡°My family¡¯s been pressuring me to set up Aidyn on a date. I just introduced him to a female doctor The meeting is after Eleanor¡¯s wedding, do you want toe along?¡± Before Mr. Laurence¡¯s wedding. Aldyn would definitely be too busy for a date, and after the wedding. Mr. Laurence would surely take Eleanor on a honeymoon. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. So Aidyn would have free time, and it would be a perfect opportunity to arrange a date for him. After helping Ning with the Lego blocks, Hailey looked at Liana and asked, ¡°Won¡¯t this be awkward?¡± Who has ever heard of a double blind date? What if the male doctor introduced to her ends up liking the female doctor introduced to Aidyn? Wouldn¡¯t that put her and Aldyn in a really embarrassing position? Liana thought about it and agreed that it might not be the best idea. ¡°How about this, I could have my colleagues at the hospital host a dinner party. I invite the finest and most upright doctors from our hospital, and you can choose whoever you like, how does that sound?¡± Hmm, this sounded like a selection process for male concubines? Even though Hailey was somewhat conflicted in her heart, she still answered ¡®yes¡® bravely. Mainly because Liana promised to invite some good¨Clooking doctors for her to choose from, and Hailey, who had high standards for her partner¡¯s looks, was filled with anticipation Chapter 688 Chapter 688 Recently, Eleanor has been by Bernard¡¯s side, taking good care of him. Seeing his wounds slowly healing the tension in her heart gradually eased After waiting for the doctor to change the medicine, she asked anxiously ¡°Will these scais fade after the wounds heal?¡± ¡°Shallow scars might fade, but deep ones are rtively difficult. But i use the best meds to help Mr Laurence to the best of my ability Even though he used the phrase ¡°to the best of my ability, the doctor was an internationally renowned surgeon With him around, the problem shouldn¡¯t be too big Getting a straight answer Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief ¡°Thank you¡± ¡°You are wee¡± After chatting with Eleanor the doctor left with his crew Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Bernard, Ethans funerals done and he¡¯ll be buried the day after tomorrow I¡¯m heading overseas tomorrow to take Emilia¡¯s ashes¡± The Ziegler family had called her first thing in the moming, hoping she¡¯d get a move on. Also, Casey had been thrown in the mmer by the royal family, sentenced to life, but he had supposedly offed himself pretty soon after Everyone knew Casey wouldn¡¯t have done the dirty himself. The only one who could¡¯ve done him in under these circumstances was Evelyn Ziegler She had said she would have Casey join the funeral procession, and she definitely meant it. Evelyn¡¯s determination left the Ziegler family with no time to protect Casey With the funeral over, Emilia and Ethan¡¯s matters could be put on hold for a while. But the task of transporting the ashes had to be done by Eleanor herself. Sitting at the bedside, Bernard, who was using hisptop, stopped typing when he heard she was leaving He looked up at Eleanor ¡°Do you really have to go?¡± Eleanor nodded, ¡°Let me do thisst thing for Emilia¡± Bernard thought for a moment, put down hisptop, picked up the phone and called Aldyn ¡°Prepare for tomorrow¡¯s special ne ¡°Tomorrow. I go with you¡± He didn¡¯t feel good about her going alone ¡°Pearce Hooper will be with me, you need to rest and recover¡± Ethan was Pealces teacher, and Emilia was his boss, he would go to see them off for theirst journey She was worried that Bernard wouldn¡¯t be convinced by Pearce alone, so she added. ¡°And George, he¡¯s also heading back¡± Bernard didn¡¯t say much at the time. The next day, when Eleanor was boarding the private jet with the urn, a tall man in a ck suit walked towards them from the tarmac His handsome face was a bit pale, but he still managed to climb the steps and board the ne Eleanor quickly got up to help him, ¡°Why are you here? Weren¡¯t you supposed to be resting at home?¡± She should be the one to transport the ashes. Berard should be resting at home How would his wounds heal if he was bouncing around with her? The man sat down in a spacious, neat seat looked up and smiled faintly, ¡°I was worried about you¡± Following him, Aidyn and Caleb frowned at the seemingly rxed Bernard He was seriously injured Who knew what those scheming bastards would do if they found out he was going abroad again? To protect Bernard, Aidyn had arranged for several private jets, all filled with top¨Cnotch bodyguards Caleb had also summoned reliable members of the Siren Organization to wait at the destination. They would be fully protected as soon as theynded Chapter 689 Chapter 689 Eleanor didn¡¯t understand how serious the danger was, looking worriedly at Bernard. ¡°Did you bring a doctor? Bernard nodded soothing her by stroking her hair, then he nced at Nina in the corner Nina noticed his gaze quickly lowered her head and began ying with her toy doll Bernard soon averted his eyes When he looked away. Nina began to sneak peeks at Bernard out of theer of her eye Sitting across from Bernard it only took a quick nce for her to see Bemard¡¯s clear face He looked handsome, a bit thinner than before but still as charming His handsomeness was unmatched by any other man, as if he was blessed by angels, the epitome of allure Nina watched Beard for a while, then handed him the doll, without saying a word, giving him the most important thing Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Because when she was locked in a dark room nearly dying, it was this man who kicked open the door. At that moment, Nina saw the sunlight pouring over him, like the arrival of God. He stepped into her line of sight, wearing military boots and carrying a gun After freeing her from the cage, he tucked his gun into his waistband, knelt down, and scooped her up into his arms. As Nina rested her head on his shoulder, she began to cry. ¡°Im so thirsty, so hungry Just like now, he didn¡¯t say much in response to her crying only lightly patting her back He seemed naturally aloof, not even responding emotionally to a little girl as cute as Nina But hisforting pat on her back gave her a sense of security. Nina felt that no words could be more powerful than this gesture. Bernard was a man of few words, but he would prove himself through his actions. Like his love for Eleanor, he might not be good at expressing it, but he would always protect her through his actions. Nina thought Bernard was very responsible, so she could trust him with the doll left by her mother Her mother had told her, when she found someone she could trust, give him the doll, he would know what to do. She trusted Eleanor, but she trusted Eleanor¡¯s husband even more Bernard nced at the filthy doll and stiffened, obviously reluctant to ept or touch it But Nina was locking at him with expectant eyes, as if she wouldn¡¯t take it back if he didn¡¯t ept it. Bernard coughed lightly, fist to his lips, and Aidyn immediately tried to take the doll from Nina But before Aidyn¡¯s hand could touch it, Nina pulled the doll back into her arms. Hmph, forget it, viin! Nina turned away, locking unhappily out of the window, secretly deciding to ignore Bernard from now on! Bernard felt a bit of a headache and regret, wondering why he had to nce at Nina Now he¡¯d upset the little girl Hed always hated dirt and disorder, but this time he made an exception, reaching out to lightly touch Nina¡¯s back ¡°Give it to me His tone was cold but his voice pleasant, slightly unwilling Nina could tell he was reluctant, which made her even angrier. She leaned against the window, refusing to turn around After thinking for a moment, Bernard reached out and snatched the doll from Nina¡¯s arms. He then quietly put it aside and promised Nina, ¡°When we get back home, I¡¯ll buy you a bunch of new dolls.¡± He originally wanted to say that the doll should be thrown away because it was dirty, but when Nina turned around to re at him, he immediately swallowed his words. Aidyn, who had witnessed the whole thing, felt that Bernard would definitely be a doting father Even someone else¡¯s daughter could make him unconditionally yield, let alone his own. He began to look forward to the scenes of Bernard spoiling his daughter Aidyn nced at Eleanor, who was making calls to Pearce and George, everything depended on Eleanor Eleanor had been busy calling them to inform about the boarding location, so she didn¡¯t notice the little incident between Bernard and Nina. Once Pearce and George boarded the ne, it quickly took off Chapter 690 Chapter 690 As the private jetnded, a bunch of Siren Organization members, d in casual west, dispersed around, yet they kept a steady pace following Eleanor and her che At the airport exit Eleanor hand in hand with Nina, and Bernard, holding Eleanor looked just like a happy family of three The man was cool and high¨Css the woman graceful and extrmontinary, and the kid cute as a button. They were all quite a night for some eyes Behind them, a group of bodyguards in suits and ties followed The two leaders of the group wem also quite the lookers. Their appearance at the airport caused quite a stir among the bystanders. Many people even whipped out their phones to snap a few photos. But they only managed to capture the backs of this group as they quickly get into a line of luxury vehicles, creating quite the spectacle. After a night¡¯s mest in the presidential suite, they slipped into ck outfits the next day and headed to the Ziegler family¡¯s cemetery The Ziegler family was huge their cemetery alone took up an entire hill. They were quite the big n The Laurence family and the Ziegler family had a history of business rivalry, so Bernard didn¡¯t feel comfortable getting out of the car He stayed inside with Nina Eleanor camed Emilia¡¯s urn, Pearce held an umbre, and Aidyn, along with a group of bodyguards, escorted them to the cemetery At Ethan¡¯s grave. Mr. Ziegle mourned in silence, Evelyn Ziegler was a crying mess, and the hundred or so members of the Ziegler family stood quietly behind, paying their respects ¡°Me Ziegler Evelyn, Emilia¡¯s um is here Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Upon hearing this the Ziegler family members tumed ther heads Seeing Eleanor carrying the urn, they automatically made way for her Eleanor walked through the crowd, came up to Mi Ziegler and Evelyn, and handed them the um. Evelyn seemed reluctant to have Emilia and Ethan buried together, she didn¡¯t even give the um a nce. Mr. Ziegler also just gave it a cursory lock ¡°Just put it in,¡± he said Someone took the urn from Eleanor and ced it in the grave with Ethan¡¯s urn The tombstone read Ethan¡¯s wife Emilia and there was a picture of them when they were young. Eleanor finally felt a sense of relief, and a glimmer offort began to shine in her eyes Emilia, you and Ethan were not able to be together in life, but at least you are now in death. I hope you both find peace in heaven, Eleanor thought to herself She took the chrysanthemums from Aidyn, bent over and ced the flowers in front of the tombstone Pearce and George followed suit. Then, the priest began to pray Eleanor and the others stood still, staring at the picture on the tombstone mourning with the Ziegler family members Nina, leaning against the car window, watched the tombstone from afar She didn¡¯t look away until the priest finished his prayers ¡°Actually he is my father, right?¡± Hearing Nina suddenly speak, Bernard raised an eyebrow in surprise ¡°You already know?¡± He didn¡¯t try to coddle Nina, but calmly asked her instead. Nina, who had lost both her parents and suffered abuse from her foster father had matured a lot. She turned to Bernard and nodded ¡°He was willing to shoot himself to save me. I had a hunch! After saying this, she clutched her doll in a lost manner. ¡°I once promised him that id focus on my studies and stop ying with guns. But he didn¡¯t keep his promise to stay alive¡± Thinking about this. Nina felt a heaviness in her heart. Her nose stung and tears started to roll down her cheeks Bernard unfolded his long legs, leaned in slightly, and stared at her ¡°Do you want to see your parents?¡± ¡°Eleanor is wormed that someone might try to take me, so she won¡¯t let me go¡± Bernard rarely felt this empathetic. He pulled out a tissue and handed it to Nina. ¡°As long as Im here, no one will dare to take you.¡± Chapter 691 Chapter 691 His presence was enough to keep others from picking on her With just a simple word, he got Nina to stop crying instantly ¡°i am going to send a bouquet to my parents¡± She had seen people in the royal family die, and they also put a bouquet of flowers in front of the tombstone Her parents were gone, to as their only child, it was her duty to bring them flowers At Bernards gesture someone immediately fetched arge bouquet it was somewhat heavy but Nina managed to hold it. Bernard opened the car door for Nina and tredly, got out himself Seeing this. Caleb quickly inter med ¡°Sir, don¡¯t go The Zieglers won¡¯t let you off the hook¡± Bernard, hand on the car door replied to Caleb ¡°They wouldn¡¯t dare¡± If they had the guts toy a finger on him, they would have done so when they found out his flight detalls, no need to wait till now As Bernard was about to head for the cemetery a small hand suddenly caught his He looked down at the child struggling to hold his hand and without hesitation, he brushed her off He then looked into her innocent eyes and emotionlessly said, ¡°Remember only your aunt can touch me¡± Nina huffed in annoyance and sprinted towards her aunt She had decided not to bother with Bernard anymore, yet here she was again initiating conversation. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. This time Nina vowed to herself, she would remember not to talk to him again. Nina flowers in hand, weaved through the crowd to her aunt¡¯s side. Her appearance shocked the Ziegler family. They all stared at the little girl. ¡°Isnt that Casey¡¯s child?¡± ¡°No, our eldest brother locked into it She¡¯s Ethan and Emilia¡¯s¡° They say Casey tricked Ethan into thinking she wasn¡¯t his. That¡¯s why the child ended up with Casey¡® ¡°That is poor Ethan. He paid with his life and his child still has to call his enemy father¡± ¡°What enemy? That¡¯s our eldest brother¡¯s child too. He might be illegitimate, but he¡¯s still of our brother¡¯s blood¡± ¡°Dont talk about the bloodlinel Our sister¨Cinw dealt with Casey, our brother is left with nothing The Zieglers were different from the Laurences. The Zieglers were full of internal strife, all fighting for the inheritance. Ethan¡¯s father was powerless against these siblings, that¡¯s why he temporarily handed the inheritance to a nephew he could control. Mr. Ziegler initially nned to give the inheritance back to Ethan once he sobered up, but he never expected Ethan to be driven to death by his illegitimate son Mr. Ziegler was devastated One was his beloved legitimate son, the other his unwanted illegitimate son He lost his legitimate son, and was left with an illegitimate one. If he brought him back and nurtured him, maybe this illegitimate son could be a strong candidate to expand the Ziegler empire. But his domineering and ruthless wife was adamant about killing the illegitimate son to apany the legitimate one in death, leaving him sonless. Mr Ziegler had given up on having more children. But when he saw a little girlying flowers at the tomb, he suddenly had a new idea This girl was Ethan¡¯s daughter, his granddaughter, his bloodline Why not make her the heirl While Mr. Ziegler was contemting this. Evelyn was also nning to groom her granddaughter to be her family¡¯s heir The couple were thinking separately, staring at Nina Chapter 692 Chapter 692 Eleanor was a little surprised to see Ninaing She Turned around and noticed a man standing behind the crowd with one hand in his pocket. He was dressed in a ck mut like a statue His facial features are three¨Cdimensional and his appearance is extremely perfect. When Bernard got out of the car. Eleanor instantly knew that it was he who had brought Nina to mourn for Emilia and Ethan She had orginally nned to bring Nina after all the Zinglers had left She was worsed that they might snatch the kid away But seeing Bernard standing there all self¨Cassured, it seemed like he wasnt worried about the Zieglers taking the kid at all So, why not let Nina say her final goodbyes to her parents, in case she mgrets itter? Eleanor reached out and ruffled Ninas hair ¡°Nina, your mom¡¯s right here You can tell her anything you want to say¡± Nina stared at the tombstone at the pictures of her mom and the gentleman. After a while, she reached out and touched their photos ¡°Mum Dad wait for Nina in heaven I want to be your child again in my next like Eleanor waspletely floored when she heard Nina speak ¡°Nina, how did you know he was your dad¡± Nina looked up at Eleanor ¡°Casey told me Even though the gentleman denied it, I already figured it out¡± She was smart, was smarter than other kids her age. She quickly understood theplicated rtionships. 1 M: Ziegler and Evelyn were thrilled to see such a bright child. They immediately bent down to pick her up The moment a stranger¡¯s hand touched Nina¡¯s shoulder she was startled and quickly hid behind Eleanor ¡°Mr Ziegler Evelyn, Nina¡¯s been through a lot Please don¡¯t scare her.¡± Eleanor stood in front of Nina, calmly staring them down. She might look frail but her eyes were on high alert Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Mr Ziegler and Evelyn were educated intellectua¡¯s They wouldn¡¯t get physical, but they could attack psychologically ¡°Ms Shultz, now that Ethan and Emilia have beenid to rest, it¡¯s time to discuss the custody of the child¡± Mr Ziegler extended his hand, pointing towards the rest ares outside the cemetery gesturing an invitation ¡°Shall we sit over there and discuss?¡± Before Eleanor could respond Bernard¡¯s voice echoed from the crowd ¡°Discuss what?¡® Bernard came up to Eleanor and turned to face Cassius Ziegler He wore gold rimmed sses that made him look quite refined But his gaze was ice cold Cassius had never had a direct encounter with Beard He had only seen him on the news a few times, so this was their first meeting He stated at Bernard sizing him up. ¡°You do lock a bit like your father¡± Bernard¡¯s art of nobility seemed to surpass even his father¡¯s Even though Cassius was based overseas he knew more about hispetitors than anyone else. He knew that Bernard despite his young age had already expanded the influence of the Laurence Group globally, economically outpacing other families He also knew that Bernard¡¯s method was much more ruthless than his father¡¯s, it could be said to be extremely cruel. He knew Bernard never left any room for hispetitors to survive. Such a majestic man in the business world would marry an orphan with no background. This was something Cassius had never understood Chapter 693 Chapter 693 Cassius guessed that Bernard might be as devoted to love as Ethan Simply put, once they have form beliefs, they will stick to it and are unwilling to change. This is probably because they wem brought up under a strict regime with le room for emotional exploration He figured if they had more experience they wouldn¡¯t be so hung up on one woman Cassius thought he had Bernard all figured out. So he started throwing around his seniority acting all high and mighty ¡°At Laurence since you¡¯re set to mamy Me Shultz, you¡¯re technically family You¡¯ve got a say in the kid¡¯s custody If you don¡¯t mind, we can sit down in the lounge and hash this out Discussing custody with the son of his enemy Carsius figured he was already making a huge concession As the younger man Bernard should show some respect Cassius even thought Bernard might feel guilty enough to address him with a title of respect But Bernard didn¡¯t even nce his way simply stating. ¡°Talk to mywyer N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Then he turned to Eleanor and asked. ¡°Are we done?¡± Eleanor looked down at Nina. ¡°Anything else you want to tell daddy and mommy?¡± King knew the middle aged couple wanted to snatch her away, so she shook her head. Eleanor took Ninas hand and replied to Bernard ¡°Lets go Bernard nodded, took her hand and they walked directly towards the cemetery, parting the crowd. After they left, Pearce and George exchanged a nce It seemed they didn¡¯t fancy hanging out with the Ziegler n ether. After bidding Emilia and Ethan goodbye, they also took their leave. Just as Eleanor was about to get in the car. Evelyn suddenly caught up and stopped her ¡°Ms Shultz I have a few words about your mother¡± Eleanor, on the verge of getting into the car paused at the mention of her mother. She turned to look at Evelyn, somewhat surprised that the knew about her mom Beard also looked back at Evelyn ¡°Bernard, fim going to see what she wants, okay?¡± Eleanor¡¯s voice brought Bernard back to reality. He took her hand and said somewhat apprehensively, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you¡± Eleanor nodded lightly They walked over to Evelyn Bernard was imposing, which made Evelyn feel a bit pressured. She clenched her fists, summoning the courage to ask Bernard ¡°Mr. Laurence, I would like to ask you to leave. Otherwise I will not tell her¡± Why let Bernard leave? Eleanor looked at Evelyn suspiciously Thes my husband, why let him go?¡± ¡°Ms. Shultz, you just listen to me Evelyn¡¯s mysterious manner made Bernard furrow his brows Evelyn was the sole heiress of her family, a family with a century¨Cold legacy. How could she know Eleanor¡¯s mother? And she wanted him to leave, as if she didn¡¯t want him to know who Eleanor¡¯s mom was. Or perhaps she was trying to warn Eleanor to stay away from her Bernard hit the nail on the head. He let go of Eleanor¡¯s hand and walked towards the nearby woods For Bernard, as long as there was a stired of information, there was nothing he couldn¡¯t figure out. So it didnt matter if he heard it or not When Bernard was finally out of sight, Evelyn let out a sigh of relief. It was undeniable, the oppressive aura of the Laurence family¡¯s bigwig was overwhelming ¡°Evelyn how do you know who my mother is?¡± Evelyn gently touched her racing heart before turning to Eleanor Instead of answering night away, she reached out and gently caressed Eleanor¡¯s cheek Chapter 694 Chapter 694 Eleanor felt a bit ufortable with her touch, drawing back slightly ¡°Evelyn.¡± Her sch reminder brought Evelyn back to earth. ¡°Sorry, I lost myposure¡± took her a long time to ovee her fear of this face after she retumed from Genuntry Anyway, her son was not in this world anymore So, her karma was bound to catch up with her why should she still be afraid? Thinking about this, Evelyn gave a wry smile ¡°Ma Shultz, you know you¡¯re the spitting image of your mother¡± Was it because she looked exactly like her mother that Evelyn was so shocked when she first saw her? Butpared to shock Eleanor felt that Evelyn seemed to fear her more. Did Evelyn do something bad to her mother and is now afraid of her? Eleanor was full of suspicions, Evelyn looked at her face and gave a gentleugh¡­ Your mother was a real knockout, just like you, before she messed up her face. What a shame.¡± Evelyn didnt go on from there. The fear in her eyes seemed to be a fear of the past Evelyn fell silent. Eleanor had no evidence, she could only ask ¡°Why did she ruin her face?¡± Evelyn shook her head, unwilling to spill the beans about the past. Eleanor thought for a moment. Her mother¡¯s disfigurement must have something to do with Evelyn, otherwise, Evelyn wouldn¡¯t fear her Since it has something to do with Evelyn, she had to y her cards close to her chest, otherwise, Evelyn would be on guard. Eleanor changed the subject ¡°Evelyn, please, who was my mother?¡± She asked this question nervously, her fists clenched A kid who was dumped at an orphanage, knowing that she has a sister was already beyond her wildest dreams Now someone is telling her that they know her mother it¡¯s enough to make anyone anxious for the answer. But Evelyn didn¡¯t tell her, instead, she locked in the direction where Nina was. ¡°Ms Shultz, if I tell you who your mother was, would you be willing to hand over Nina to me?¡± Even though Evelyn had done a lot of bad things to Eleanor¡¯s mother But as a businesswoman, everything is all about the bottom line until the other party finds out This is the principle of her family¡¯s business that Evelyn always keeps in mind, never forgetting Eleanor didn¡¯t expect Evelyn to use her mother as bait to get Nina It felt like her hopes were suddenly dashed ¡°Ms Evelyn, if you don¡¯t want to say it, let¡¯s leave it at that! She turned to leave after she finished, Evelyn immediately grabbed her hand. ¡°Ms Shultz, this deat is fair and square. If you knew who your mother was, you wouldn¡¯t marry Bernard¡± Eleanor stopped in her tracks. She turned around frowning at Evelyn_ Ethan had said more than once that Bernard was not her dream guy. Now his mother was saying something simr She and Bernard had no hard feelings except for some misunderstandings at the beginning Why would they say that? ¡°Ma Shultz, you should think about it for your future happiness Evelyn turned around to block Bernard¡¯s line of sight, then handed Eleanor a business card ¡°This is my card, my number is on there Give me a call once you¡¯ve made up your mind¡± Eleanor nced at the gold card, then locked up at Evelyn calmly ¡°It¡¯s Evelyn, what does it have to do with my motherhood if I marry Bernard?¡± Evelyn didn¡¯t get Nina, so she didn¡¯t tell Eleanor everything She chose to keep silence ¡°Twant for your call¡± She patted Eleanor on the shoulder and then turned and left Watching the elegant and luxurious Evelyn disappear into the crowd, Eleanor fell into deep thought. Bernard came over, nced at the business card in her hand But he didn¡¯t ask her any questions just took her hand and said, ¡°Eleanor, let¡¯s go home.¡±Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Chapter 695 Chapter 695 His words snapped Eleanor out of her stupor She lifted her chin to look at the tall upright man before her She opened her mouth as if to say something But in the end, she said nothing and just nodded at him Bernard helped her into the car and sat down beside her, then buckled her seat belt Eleanor watched as the man buckled her seat belt, clutching the business cand in her hand lightly, then suddenly let go Bernard¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Bernard¡¯s voice was pleasant, deep, and maic ¡°Evelyn knows who my mother is But she¡¯s using Nina as a bargaining chip.¡± ¡°She also said.¡± Seeing her pause, Bemard took the initiative to speak ¡°She wants you to keep your distance from me, right?¡± Eleanor was taken aback by his urate guess. She hesitated for a few seconds before deciding to tell him the truth. ¡°She said that as long as I know who my mother is, I won¡¯t marry you¡± Trom her words. I can sense that there might be some conflict between my mother and you¡± Bernard was already wary of someone stirring up trouble before their wedding but expected it to happen. He momentanly stared at Eleanor¡¯s face, then tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear ¡°What do you think?¡± Eleanor clutched the business card in her hand and shook her head. Seeing her silence, he assumed she was hesitating. He felt a bit imitated. He sat quietly, then suddenly reached up to loosen his tie Without the constraint of the tie, he could breathe a little easier. But he was still irritated He reached into his pocket but found no cigarettes. Although he quit smoking long ago, he suddenly craved one Unable to find a cigarette, he rolled down the car window and let the cold wind blow in fiercely He let the cold wind sober him up. Then he looked at the woman who was deep in thought ¡°Eleanor¡± As he said her name, his face was expressionless, but his fingers on hisp were tightly clenched. 7 have many enemies, so many that I can¡¯t even remember them all¡± ¡°But judging by your mother¡¯s age, these conflicts should have been with the previous generation of the Laurence family¡± _ Surprisingly, Bernard¡¯s eyes welled up with tears as he spoke ¡°If you don¡¯t want to marry me because of this, then ¡± He knew Eleanor didn¡¯t have much trust in him. But he loved her deeply and wanted to marry her He did not know how to make her trust himpletely. He could only look at her silently, hoping she would understand him If he couldn¡¯t marry her, he would be heartbroken. His life without her would be miserable. Considering how much he loved her, he truly hoped she wouldn¡¯t abandon him. Eleanor had been pondering the meaning of Evelyn¡¯s words, so she didn¡¯t notice the change in Bernard¡¯s emotions. Only when he stared at her she realized her inattentiveness had hurt him deeply Eleanor took the initiative to wrap her arms around his neck and kissed his thin lips. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Bernard, I once promised to marry you. Even if we have a huge conflict, I still marry you¡± She had been an orphan since childhood and knew nothing. Therefore, how could she bear the conflicts of the previous generation? The unease intensified when he heard her affirmative answer He kissed her again, though he was still very uneasy His kiss was cautious as if he was afraid she would leave him because of the conflict Even though she had made a promise to him, he was still uneasy in this rtionship, the person who never felt secure was actually Bernard. Because her love was not obvious or profound, he felt insecure. When Eleanor understood his thoughts, she framed his face with her hands and deepened the kiss Chapter 696 Chapter 696 Surprisingly, Bernard¡¯s eyes welled up with tears as he spoke ¡°If you don¡¯t want to marry me because of this, then ¡± He knew Eleanor didn¡¯t have much trust in him. But he loved her deeply and wanted to marry her He did not know how to make her trust himpletely. He could only look at her silently, hoping she would understand him If he couldn¡¯t marry her, he would be heartbroken. His life without her would be miserable. Considering how much he loved her, he truly hoped she wouldn¡¯t abandon him. Eleanor had been pondering the meaning of Evelyn¡¯s words, so she didn¡¯t notice the change in Bernard¡¯s emotions. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Only when he stared at her she realized her inattentiveness had hurt him deeply Eleanor took the initiative to wrap her arms around his neck and kissed his thin lips. ¡°Bernard, I once promised to marry you. Even if we have a huge conflict, I still marry you¡± She had been an orphan since childhood and knew nothing. Therefore, how could she bear the conflicts of the previous generation? The unease intensified when he heard her affirmative answer He kissed her again, though he was still very uneasy His kiss was cautious as if he was afraid she would leave him because of the conflict Even though she had made a promise to him, he was still uneasy in this rtionship, the person who never felt secure was actually Bernard. Because her love was not obvious or profound, he felt insecure. When Eleanor understood his thoughts, she framed his face with her hands and deepened the kiss She rarely showed such enthusiasm, this was almost the first time Bernard paused momentarily, then motioned for Eleanor to sit on hisp Perhaps it was her passion and initiative kiss that calmed his heart He was no longer as anxious Eleanor sensed his gentleness turning into a firmness, realizing his desire was intensifying She quickly pushed him away ¡°Watch our surroundings.¡± The man¡¯s hand, which had quietly slipped behind her, came to a stop His captivating eyes gazed at her affectionately ¡°One more kiss¡ä¡ä If they kissed a bit more, there was no way she would get off the car Fortunately, the driver had already lowered the partition before getting in Nina and the others were sitting in a different car Otherwise, Eleanor would genuinely be embarrassed Eleanor used her hand to block the man leaning in, then said to him, ¡°Bernard, let¡¯s register our marriage when we return home. With the mariage certificate, he wouldn¡¯t be so anxious anymore Surprise reced the desire in Bernard¡¯s eyes. Register our marriage?¡± Still sitting on hisp. Eleanor lowered her head and locked at him ¡°Don¡¯t you want to?¡± The man paused for a few seconds, then quickly reacted. ¡°Of course, I want to How could he not want to? He wished they could get married immediately! He was just surprised that she was the one to propose registering their marriage first He had nned to hold a grand wedding for her and then register their marriage afterward But he didn¡¯t expect her to bring it up first. This gradually dissipated Bernard¡¯s anxiety To avoid unnecessary trouble, registering the marriage first was the night choice. That way, no one could stop them With this in mind, Bernard held Eleanor and said demmantly. Then you¡¯re not allowed to change your mind.¡± Eleanor obediently nodded, ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t change my mind ¡± Bernard affectionately touched her nose. ¡°Regarding your birth, I will help you investigate You don¡¯t need to hand the child over to Evelyn Ziegler Eleanor nodded again, this time more docilely ¡°Okay, listen to you Bernard looked at her lips, which had tumed red from his kisses. His sexy Adams apple bobbed. ¡°Let me kiss you again¡°¡± in the luxury car following behind, Nina leaned against the window with her doll her big eyes fued on the car ahead. ¡°Aunt and uncle seem to be kissing¡± Immersed in a gloomy atmosphere Pearce Hooper sat up straight upon hearing this and looked at the car ahead, which had tinted windows ¡°I can¡¯t see clearly, there¡¯s no kissing¡± Pearce thought he would witness a live broadcast, but he was deceived by a child Losing interest, he slumped back in his seat. He continued reminiscing about the kindness shown to him by his master and boss Nina nced at him disdainfully and said, ¡°You have a problem with your eyes, why you can¡¯t see properly¡± Pearce took a deep breath and pointed at Nina, saying: ¡°Kid, I¡¯m in a bad mood, don¡¯t push me to hit you!¡± Nina used her toy to hit Peare saying, ¡°Tm not just any random kid I have a name?¡± Speaking of names, George remembered Ethan Ziegters final words. He felt sad and sighed, ¡°Nina you indeed have a name. Your father gave you a name before he passed away¡± Nina instantly became docile upon hearing George¡¯s words. ¡°What name did Daddy give me?¡± ¡°Serenina Ziegler, it doesn¡¯t sound perfect¡± Pearce interjected, causing Nina to feel dissatisfied. She unbuckled her seat belt, preparing to crawl to the back seat to hit him, but George pulled her back ¡°Don¡¯t move around in the car, it¡¯s dangerous¡± ¡°But this ugly guy really makes me angry¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the ugly guy?ur Pearce got angry and picked up a cushion from the backseat, lightly hitting Nina¡¯s head it was just yful banter. Aher Emilia¡¯s death, Pearce would visit Nina in the G country a few times each year on behalf of his boss. That¡¯s how they had been interacting However, today¡¯s Pearce seemed deliberately provoking a dispute. It was as if he wanted to dissipate the shadows in Nina¡¯s heart with this approach Nina quickly burst intoughter becayde of Pearces teasing She held her toy threatening him. They yfully wrestled with each other ¡°The ugly guy is your Pearce reached out and grabbed Nina¡¯s cor pulling her up from her seat, then tickled her ¡°Repeat it, whos the ugly guy!¡± ¡°Pearce¡± Pearce stopped and looked at Nina in surprise ¡°How did you know my name is Pearce?¡± Nina turned her head and looked outside the window She wouldn¡¯t tell Pearce that Hailey had told her! ¡°It must be Hailey Vulpe Pearce tapped his thigh and gritted his teeth, ¡°Once Im done with things here just wait until I teach her a lesson¡± Nina thought in heart: Hailey, I didn¡¯t tell him, he figured it out himself! Chapter 697 Chapter 697 Pearce decided to stick around in G country to deal with Ethan¡¯spany affairs He didn¡¯t n to return home immediately George¡¯s family and medical career were all in G country, so he wasn¡¯t going anywhere. He had to say a reluctant goodbye to Nina. ¡°Ning, I won¡¯t be around you anymore Listen to your aunt and your uncle inw, and study hard¡± Hina, being very sensible, clung tightly to George¡¯s leg behave, don¡¯t worry George gave a warm smile. He looked at Nina, then tumed to Eleanor and Bernard ¡°T have to trouble you guys from now on Eleanor shook her head. Tm Ninas aunt its no trouble at all George knew Eleanor wouldn¡¯t find it troublesome But most women, after marriage, still needed the support of a man Eleanor¡¯s husband was the head of the Laurence family. His status was untouchable. Eleanor married him with a child already George nced at Bernard, finding him looking back George¡¯s worries gradually disappeared This man even helped Ethan get revenge, showing his big heart. What did George have to worry about? George rxed and nodded at Bernard Then he bent down to hug Nina again. ¡°ni call you once a week. Remember to answer the phone. And I¡¯lle to see you every year on your birthday¡± ¡°Okay¡± Nina hugged George¡¯s neck and kissed his cheek. ¡°George, you take care of yourself too George let her go. gently ruffled her hair, then got into the car, rolled down the window, and waved goodbye. Nina waved back and ran a little, not stopping until the car was out of sight. She didn¡¯t really like goodbyes She always worried that those who left would suddenly disappear like Ethan did Eleanor gently told Nina, ¡°Nina, whenever you miss George, your aunt and I will take you to G country to see him, okay?¡± Upon hearing this, Nina nced at Bernard and sensibly shook her head, ¡°Let¡¯s wait for George to see me instead¡± Thest time this handsome guy saved her, he was taken away by a bunch of guys in ck wearing masks. When he returned, he was covered in blood as if he¡¯d been through a life and death battle, barely making it. Nina felt that the handsome guy had many enemies in G country, so it was best not to let hime to G country again Eleanor couldn¡¯t figure out Nina, and Bernard gave her a look. His look seemed to say, ¡°Kid, you¡¯re pretty smart¡± Understanding his look, Nina covered her eyes with her hands and made a face at him. On this trip. Aidyn and Caleb were on edge the whole time. They were afraid something would happen It was only when everyone safely boarded the private jet andnded safely that the two of them could breathe a sigh of relief Bernard was all about getting the marriage registration done. As soon as the nended, he had the driver head to Hailey¡¯s vi He urged Eleanor to hurry inside to get the documents. But after seeing them, Eleanor stopped to chat a bit more with Liana and Will. Waiting in the car Bernard impatiently pushed open the car door and went inside. Eleanor was talking to Will, ¡®Nina can speak now. But she still gets scared by nightmares at night.¡± Will gently stroked Ninas hair it¡¯s okay, I have a few days off Leave her to me, fl help her¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Eleanor smiled gratefully at Will ¡°Thank you so much.¡± Just as Will was about to smile back and say. No need to thank me he felt a strange presence behind him Chapter 698 Chapter 698 He got the chills Turning around, he saw a tall man standing at the door, staring at him The man was shockingly handsome. He cored an aristocratic elegance from head to toe, an intimidating aura that screamed Dont approach Bernard was looking at him with a cautious and even hostile gaze He was a little nervous He couldn¡¯t recall offending Mr Laurence Why was he looking at him like that? was freaking scary Will was puzzled And Eleanor knew why Bernard was seting this way. She was both amused and imitated, shooting Bernard a side nce ¡°Hold on, go upstairs to get the documents¡± The living room was left with only Hailey, Liana, Nina, and Will when she disappeared upstairs. The first three were used to Bernards frosty demeanor Only Will seemed awkward on the couch, torn between smiling or conversing The man standing at the door was eyeing him asionally looking like an ice sculpture If Eleanor hadn¡¯t returned quickly, he might have decided to bail out in three seconds Eleanor walked over to Bernard, naturally taking his arm, and whisked him out of the living room Watching them leave, Will finally rxed. But he couldn¡¯t help but feel pity for Eleanor. She was brave enough to hold the arm of such a cold man Will had forgotten entirely about their uing nuptials When the car stopped at their destination, Bernard¡¯s hanging heart finally fell He helped Eleanor out of the car, tightly holding her hand and leading her in Getting a marriage certificate wasn¡¯tplicated, and they had the documents in hand before long Bernard was smiling With this, Eleanor would be his for life No one had the right to take her away. Their marriage was legal now. Seeing his smile. Eleanorughed. ¡°Mr. Laurence, feeling relieved now?¡± Bernard took her hand bent down, and whispered, ¡°Mrs Laurence, be ready for our wedding the day after tomorrow¡± Only after the wedding would he feel genuinely at ease Eleanor gently agreed and then turned to enter the restroom As soon as she entered, she heard whispers from the stalls ¡°Did you see that? Me Laurence is so handsome¡± Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. *Besides being handsome, he¡¯s also rich. He¡¯s all decked out in designer gear. His watch alone is worth millions¡± ¡°Oh my god, he¡¯s loaded I can¡¯t believe such a handsome and rich man would marry a divorcee. What was he thinking?¡± ¡°I¡¯m also surprised Cant believe such a rare catch of a man would marry a divorcee¡± ¡°Did you see the picture of Ms. Shultz¡¯s ex¨Chusband? He was handsome too. Such a shame they divorced¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to pity? Her current husband is way hotter than her ex if I were her, I¡¯d choose her current husband too!¡± She pushed open the door, her face growing darker Yes, she was divorced, but Bernard had no mamage record She stood at the door, took a few seconds to shake off her guilt towards her ex-husband and current husband, and stepped in She owed Garett an apology She loved Bernard Having deaded to choose Bernard, the gossip of others couldn¡¯t change her mind When she returned from the restroom, she saw Bernard carefully putting the marriage certificate into a safe. Eleanor was bbergasted. The man actually brought a safe? She walked over in surprise and reached out to Bernard, ¡°Give me a copy¡± Bernard looked up and said, ¡°I keep it¡± In case of disputes in the future, if she wants a divorce, she wont have the marriage certificate. Chapter 699 Chapter 699 The man locked the safe and tumed his back to her to change the password Eleanor was speechless Yet, this guy had just handed over all his personal assets and the Laurence family fortune to her Yet, he was particrly protective of their marriage certificate She found it amusing and helpless ¡°Bernard, we¡¯re already hitched I wont bal on you, no need to stress¡± Her promise seemed like a chill pill, but Bemard still thought it wouldn¡¯t hurt to double down on secunty After resetting the password, he flicked his hand to signal the bodyguards to take away the safe Then he pulled her into his arms. ¡°Mrs. Laurence, how do you fancy spending our wedding night?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t respond, just shed him a smile Tm injured right now, not really up for a wedding night¡± Bernard took her silence as agreement and beamed ¡°Our love nest is ready Shall we head there?¡± When heughed, his eyes sparkled, shaping into crescents. He looked incredibly dashing Eleanor was so captivated by his smile that she didnt realize he had already picked her up. She Instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck Holding her in his arms, he looked down at hec ¡°Mrs Laurence, let¡¯s head home¡± Eleanory in his arms, worrying about his back injury. But he showed no difort, just continued carrying her towards the car The motorcade got moving one car after another It was quite a spectacle The folks who just came out of the restroom were bbergasted ¡°Look, she¡¯s been divorced once, yet she¡¯s still cherished, she¡¯s one luckydy¡± ¡°Mr. Laurence locked up their mariage certificate in the safe is he scared she might divorce him?¡°. ¡°He must be Who else would be crazy enough to lock up their marriage certificate? He must be afraid of her bailing¡± ¡°Oh my god, when will meet a guy like that?¡® ¡°You might need a little nip and tuck first. Their car pulled up at Blue Bay Ind. This was a private residence Bernard had bought years ago. The new house was right by the sea No other residences nearby, just a castle that looked super fancy As night fell the lights from the castle rlluminated the whole building, making it shine like gold. The castles exterior was designed by a world¨Crenowned desi, while the interior was done by Eleanor. She¡¯d been here once before Thest time she was here the castle was all bare Now, it had been decorated perfectly ording to the blueprint Even the most minor details were exactly as nned On top of the cory and minimalist design, Bernard added some tech elements to the house. ¡°This is our home from now on.¡± As Eleanor looked around. Bernard wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°This is our home Eleanor repeated silently Her heart felt warm But she also cried because she finally had a ce to call home. This home wasn¡¯t just a house, it was having someone to grow old with. She turned to look at Bernards handsome profile ¡°Bernard, thank you¡± Thanks to him, she now had a home something she had longed for many years. Bernard turned his head, leaned close to her ear, and whispered, ¡°And how¡­ do you n to thank me?¡± His breath and lips gently brushing against her ear sent shivers down her spine. Eleanor knew he was teasing her, but she yed it cool: ¡°How about sing you a song as a token of my gratitude?¡± Bemard drawled ¡°Singing is fine, but ¡± His fingers traced her chin, kissing softly. ¡°It has to be in bed¡± With that, he turned and started kissing her Due to his injury, he hadn¡¯t been able to touch her for a long time, even a kiss was off limits Now that they were married, he wouldn¡¯t let her go easy He was determined to make love to her tonight, no matter what His movements became a bit hasty, as if he feared she would push him away. But just as he was about to undress her, the vi¡¯s doorbell rang out of the blue Chapter 700 Chapter 700 Beard abruptly hated and nced towards the front entrance than immediately- He shihed his gare, lowmed his hand and kissed Flessons lips, continuing to do so without a care Eleanor thought he would anewer the door butpletely ignored whoever was outside She just had to push him away while passionately kissing her neck ¡°Go open the door ¡°Hold on¡± Even if it was someone significant at the door, he would get it on Brati He scooped her up in one fell swoop with one hand supporting he wa?ST Eleanor found herself pinned on the soft couch He grabbed her hand and ced it on his belt. ¡°Help me undo this¡± Eleanor nodded. ¡°You¡¯re stili injured, don¡¯t do anything too strenuous¡® Bernard was already ranng to go and her words only served to fan the mes of his desire He tightened his grip on Eleanors hand somewhat impatiently looking at her with desire filled eyes. ¡°A little bit of action can help soothe the injury Darling are you sure you won¡¯t help me?¡± Every word he spoke was clear and distinct His words were like magic making the heart flutter Eleanor tumed her head away and shook her head firmly ¡°No¡± It wasn¡¯t because she was ying hard to get, she was worried about him being too intense She couldn¡¯t control herself and would end up scratching his back if she identally hit his wound The thought alone was painful She cared about him and didn¡¯t want him to get hurt. She was also afraid of disappointing him by refusing him After all, today was their first official manage day, when they becamewful husbands and wives. But he was injured, and as his wife, she had to consider him Eleanor thought momentanly and proposed a win¨Cwin suggestion ¡°How about this, you go open the door first We can continue tonight. If Aidyn and the bodyguards outside allowed the person to ring the doorbell, he must be important Otherwise, this person wouldn¡¯t be able to get close to the vi This vital person looking for Bernard must have urgent business. Once he went to handle it, she could sneak back into the vi Then she could sleep with Nina for the night and avoid being caught by Bernard Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor¡¯s n was good, but the man didn¡¯t follow her He grabbed her hand and forcefully undid his belt He kissed her lips and then trailed downwards along her chun. The sensation of his touch made her body shudder He was determined to possess her His skills made her rx in no time Feeling her body change, Bernard clicked. With a smile, he bit her ear and asked ¡°Still want to wait until tonight?¡± His words were like an ant bite, making the woman¡¯s body shiver slightly Eleanor held him tightly, his shirt half unbuttoned revealing his corbone, she gripped it tightly ¡°I want for Bernard said. ¡°You said it yourself¨Cyou want to She let her guard down! She originally nned to trick him! But she fell into his trap instead The man outside ringing the doorbell had already been waiting for two hours His face had frozen stiff, but the people inside still didn¡¯t open the door A woman wrapped in white fur in a luxury car squinted at the man on the steps ¡°bro, theres heating in the cat, you want toe in and sit for a while?¡± Her brother was such a stubbiom person Today was Mr Law¡¯s wedding day, the couple would get it on Who would care about him if he came ove now? Ganna Penrod thought that if the person outside wasnt her brother she would¡¯ve already gone out and told him, ¡°You¡¯re nuts¡± Chapter 701 Chapter 701 nna stared at the man who was as cold as an ice sculpture, who didn¡¯t respond to her She sighed in frustration To, let¡¯s try again tomorrow While Bernard was enjoying some sweet time with his newlywed wife, Evan Fenrod was lurking under the eaves the man with nothing better to do at sing at the tightly closed front door wouldn¡¯t be surprising if anyone thought he had special and unique feelings for Mt. Inw Mr Pentod from the Siren Organization had grown up training with Mr Law and had developed deep kelings for him. But due to their genders he could only bury this leve deep in his heart Until he saw Mt Law registe to many another woman with his own eyes. M Penrodpletely broke down and headed to M. Law¡¯s bridal chamber histade tima He rang the doorbell for a long time Still Mt Law was only interested in enjoying his meet time with his new wepletely ignoring Mr. Penrod The heartbroken M. Peared could only wait outside the door honing that M Law woulde to see him after enjoy Ganna constructed a love story between two men in her mind. Then the sow Evan turn around and nce at her endly ¡°Get an umbre¡± Gianna poked her head out to look at the night sky and found it had started raining She felt that She took out a transparent umbrelis and handed it to he assistant ¡°Quick, give him the umbre, don¡¯t let my billy big brother get wet¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Evan took the umbre opened it and then continued to ring the doorbell tmosphere matched the some of Mr Panrod waiting for M Law Bernard, who had just finished but still wanted to continue heard this annoying sound, and his face immediately turned terrible ¡°Damn it!¡± He The Eleanor¡¯s chin and kissed her swollen lips, ¡°Wait for me a bit. I¡¯m going to get rid of him! Eleanor was too tired to speak, so she could only wave her hand for him to deal with it. She needed to catch her breath Bemard covered her with a nket, chose a set of clothes from the wardrobe to put on and then picked up a gun and headed to the door The man in a tailored suit outside stood under a transparent umbre on the steps. His face turned even darker when he saw Bernarding out with a gun ¡°Mi Law, you kept me waiting for over two hours and you dare toe out to meet me with a gun?¡± Benard saw it was Evan, and the hand slowly lowered the gun. A vignt expression appeared on his face ¡°How did you know I was here?¡± He had just arrived at the new house and people from the Siren Organization were already there Could Mr Penrod have been watching him all along? ¡°This has nothing to do with my foster father I saw you register for marriage and specifically followed you here¡± Evan seemed to know what Bernard was thinking He closed the umbre, walked up the steps, and stood before him Although he was not as handsome as Bernard, his tall stature and deep facial features gave people a feeling of a Greek sculpture. He looked at row after row of castles, his eyes revealing coldness ¡°Mr Law, ant you going to invite me in?¡± Beard gripped the gun in his hand and nced at him coldly. ¡°You better haw a business to deal with ¡± This statement implied that if he didn¡¯t have anything to do, he might start shooting Evans expression immediately became tense. Why would hee looking for him if he didn¡¯t have anything to do? Chapter 702 Chapter 702 Bemard repressed his annoyance and opened the door while Evan stepped in, seething angrily Eleanor dressed and went downstairs after Bernard left the room to prevent conflict between them Bemard tore her shirt cor, revealing bletchy hickey marks and her corbone. The man who had just entered immediately noticed Eleanoring down the esctor His gaze fell on the marks on her neck and stiffened Were they having sec Evan, who had just caught on, realized why Ganna had asked him to return tomorrow But it wasn¡¯t his fault Evan was clueless about these things. Growing up, all he knew was training and he had no contact with women Evan, in a daze stared at the man nest in Eleanor, who drew a gun- Evan came back to his senses looking at Bernard in surprise Just for looking at his woman, he was ready to fire? Bernard didn¡¯t hesitate to raise his gun and pressed it against Evan¡¯s forehead. ¡°Evan, don¡¯t gawk at what you shouldn¡¯t After saying that the man looked at Eleanor¡¯s exposed skin ¡°Cover up¡± Eleanor nced down, revealing only a tiny portion of her corbone But what he said went. She hastily pulled up her shirt. Typically bold, Evan dismissed Bernard¡¯s warning ¡°Eleanor night?¡± He waved his hand at Eleanor, ¡°Come here and let me look at you for a few minutes I dont believe hell dare to shoot¡± Eleanor was speechless She suddenly regretteding downstairs As if to challenge Bernard¡¯s patience Evan pushed away his gun and walked up to Eleanor, staring at her Eleanor wasnt the kind of woman who dazzled at fast nce. But once you met her gaze you¡¯d realize she had an irresistible charm. Evan unconsciously took a few extra nces As a result, Bernard pped him on the back of his neck! Evan, nearly passing out, leaned on the esctor and turned around. ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t shoot.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t shoot, but he¡¯ll definitely smack you¡± A woman¡¯s voice came from the door, and all three turned to look Gianna was alluring But her elegance and grace made people think twice before offending her She went up to Bernard and pushed away the gun he had pointed at Evan- Eleanor became tense Even though nna only moved the gun away, she was afraid she would touch Bernand¡¯s hand In fact, the more Eleanor cared about Bernard, the more she feared other women better than her getting close to him, Because of this worry, she became more vignt and jealous. She was afraid that the man she loved would be taken away by someone better She would be very aware even if the other person made a simple touch Fortunately. Bernard gave her enough security Before Gianna could bouch his hand, he had already taken back his gun Seeing Bernard put down his gun, Gianna also retracted her hand. Then she turned to look at Evan, who was holding his neck ¡°Bro, don¡¯t you have important business to discuss with Mr Law? Howe you suddenly got interested in his wife?¡± This sentence sounded like she was both making peace and stirring trouble Evan and Bernard were simr, cold on the outside and persistent on the inside. if Eleanor could easily make Bernard submit, then Evan, who was simr to Bemard, would probably¡­ Gianna¡¯s gaze swept over Eleanor Although not as beautiful as herself, she had a naive charm. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. There is no need for her to pose intentionally, standing quietly could quickly stir a man¡¯s deepest desire No wonder her dense brother was staring at Eleanor if she were in his shoes, she¡¯d probably do the same. The more Gianna thought about it, the lessfortable she felt. After giving Evan a re, she intentionally moved closer to Bernard ¡°Mr Law shall we talk in the study?¡± Eleanor¡¯s hand tightened on the railing Just talking required getting so close? ¡°Stay out of this, I handle it.¡± But before Bernard could respond, Evan pashed Gianna aside, straightened up, and stood in front of Bernard ¡°Where¡¯s the study¡°¡± Bernard didn¡¯t nce at the subfings, walked over to Eleanor, and took her hand. ¡°You go upstairs and rey Ille to find you once I¡¯ve taken care of things¡± He gently ruffled her Mail, tus eyes full of affection Eleanor obediently nodded. ¡°Okay¡± Chapter 703 Chapter 703 Soning this Gianna thought she could never be as calm and collected as Eleanor Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. She sneaked another peek at Evan, who was still staring at Eleanor, and couldn¡¯t help but ask ¡°Do you like women like her? Evan numbly nodded his head. He wanted to ask Gianna what he meant but all he got was a toll of her eyes And then.. He got a smack on the back of his neck again! Evan helplessly followed Remard into the study When the study door closed Eleanor and Gianna exchanged a look. The atmosphere was a bitplicated, a bit awkward ¡°Ms Shultz, got any coffee¡±¡± After a moment of silence Gianna was the first to break it Eleanor said yes then turned around to make some colle But Eleanor unfamiliar with the new house couldn¡¯t find the coffee. The atmosphere got awkward again She tumed around her waist still hurting to look at nna, who was also looking for coffee ¡°Would water do Ganna raised an eyebrow, ¡°Whatever She didn¡¯t want coffee. the just wanted to ease the awkwardness Sa, Eleanor brought two sses of water and sat across from Gianna in the living room Bernard had actually asked her to go upstairs and rest. But with a quest hem, she couldn¡¯t just leave, could she? After a few sips of wate. Gianna put down her ss and looked at Eleanor. ¡°Ms. Shultz, can I ask how you got Bernard to like you?¡± Straight to the point ¡°Ms Penrod, why do you ask?¡± Gianna pointed to the study. ¡°Cause i want to chase him¡± This ¡°him¡± refers to Bernard Eleanor tightened her grip on her ss, about to say I¡¯m married to Bernard you chasing him is a third¨C party intrusion But before she could say it, Gianna interrupted, ¡°Or you could teach me some tricks to chase men?¡± She wants to chase my husband and wants me to teach her how to do it? Is there no justice in the world? Eleanor lowered her ss and angrily said, ¡°Ms Penrod, he¡¯s mine you better not get any ideas Ganna got even angrier hearing that ¡°Ms Shultz, you seem like a good person, I didn¡¯t expect you to be so greedy¡± Gianna was on the offensive Eleanor couldn¡¯t match her but asked bravely. ¡°How am I greedy?* Gianna looked at Eleanor seriously. ¡°You already have Bernard, yet you want my brother too. Int that being greedy?¡± Eleanor was speechless So the person Gianna is chasing is her brother, not Bernard? Eleanor who was about to spill the beans, swallowed her words She sighed in relief internally but externally, she just smiled and said ¡°Ms Penrod don¡¯t get me wrong, i have no interest in your brother¡± Ganna scoffed ¡°Ms Shultz, dont y innocent with me it won¡¯t work¡± Eleanor looked at her and smiled, ¡°Ms Penrod, I thought you liked Bernard, which is why I got so worked up¡± Granna paused immediately understanding ¡°Bernard is even more aloof than my brother. If I liked him, wouldn¡¯t that be a death wish?¡± Evan was already hard enough to chase. It she liked Bernard, could she ever get married? Gianna stood tall and impatiently asked ¡°Are you gonna teach me¡± People from the Siren Organization always have an air of dommance, and Gianna was no exception. They were free spirited yet oppressive Now that she knew Gianna was not her rival, Eleanor admired the aura she gave off But to teach Ganna how to chase men? Eleanor had never chased a man, how was she supposed to teach? As she considered declining politely, and Gianna gave her an invitation. ¡°Ms Shultz, im throwing a party at the club tomorrow night. My brother will be there. You can teach me how to chase him then.¡± Eleanor, briefly locked at the invitation, paused briefly for a few seconds, then shook her head ¡°I cant I¡¯m getting married the day after tomorrow I must stay home the night before the wedding¡± If Bernard found out she was going to a partyte at night, he would be angry, wouldn¡¯t he? Granna, rubbing her manicured nail looked at her ¡°Ti make it a bachelorette party Ma Shultz, you can experience yourst moments of singlehood, how about it?¡± No good! Bernard would never gree But Gianna seemed to have seen through her thoughts She leaned in a bit close, persuading her ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I pick you up secretly tomorrow night, no one will know Chapter 704 Chapter 704 Eleanor shook her head firmly. ¡°No way¡± She was already hitched, so why would she go to a singles party on earth? Gianna, however, wasn¡¯t taking no for an answer. ¡®It¡¯s settled (1) dwing by tomorrow to pick you up ¡± Eleanor helplessly responded. ¡°Ms. Penrod, even if you show up. I¡¯m not going¡± Ganna didnt say anything, she just shed a small smile before standing up to leave. She looked incredibly graceful and natural Watching Gianna¡¯s retreating figure Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief Thank goodness Gianna wasn¡¯t into Benard, otherwise, shed be some seriouspetition She took a sip of her water ncing towards the study it was quiet in there, she wondered what they were discussing Within the well¨Cinsted study. Bernard was lounging on a leather sofa, staring at the equally aloof Evan ¡°Evan, what¡¯s your game?¡± Evan straightened up on the sofa, resting his elbows on his knees as he looked at Bernard ¡°Onest mission you pull this off, my foster father will let you leave the Siren Organization Bernardughed coldly ¡°Im still healing from my back injury. You guys sending me out there? So you want me dead or what?¡± Evan didnt respond, just shook his head ¡°M: Law, you¡¯re the only one of our guys who coulde out alive from the underworld¡± ¡°Even though you¡¯re injured. But you¡¯re the only one who could pull it off in the Siren Organization My foster father hopes you can help the Siren Organization again¡± Bernard responded nonchntly Years ago, I already said Im not getting involved with stuff happening overseas ¡°But aren¡¯t you the head of the Siren Organization?¡± Evan¡¯s retort left Bernard in thought After a few seconds of silence, he said calmly. ¡°Evan Do you know how did I get out of the underworld?¡± ¡°No.¡± Bernard turned his head to look at the photo on the desk it was his wedding photo with Eleanor ¡°I promised her I would return to the country within two days. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have survived the life and death game in the underworld.¡± He stared at the photo for a while, then slowly shifted his gaze back to Evan, his eyes cold ¡°If it were before, it wouldn¡¯t matter if i sacrificed myself for the Siren Organization. But now i have a family¡± Having a family meant he couldn¡¯t just throw his life away. He wished to leave the Siren Organization because he had a family. But Mr Penrod was right, he did take advantage of the Siren Organizations power to grow stronger when he was young Now that Siren Organization needed him, there was no way he could walk away. But what kind of ce was the underworld? The Siren Organization couldnt even determine who was pulling the strings behind the scenes. They always sent him in alone, wasn¡¯t that just sending him to his death? He couldn¡¯t die! He needed to be with Eleanor to take care of Eleanor, until death did them part. Otherwise, what would his previous promise mean? Following his gaze. Evan looked at the photo. The usually serious Mr. Law had a smile of unprecedented happiness on his face Evan seemed to understand something and sighed softly, ¡°Mi Law it we don¡¯t find out who¡¯s pulling the strings, more people will die¡± Bernard responded without emotion, ¡°What does other people¡¯s death have to do with me?¡± Evan thought the same, what did those people¡¯s deaths have to do with him, but- ¡°Wasn¡¯t the original purpose of the Siren Organization to help those in need?¡± Their organization made up of heils, aimed to reach out to those in need apart from eliminating business cancers Even though they used the power of the Siren Organization for personal revenge, it was a legitimate counterattack after persecution. Thinking about it since his stepfather had ordered them to find out who was manipting things from behind the scenes, they had toplete the mission no matter what. Hearing Evan¡¯s naive words, Bernard scotted, ¡°Mr. Penrod founded the Suen Organization to avenge a woman¡± Before Mr. Penrod adopted Evan and Granna, he already knew that the seemingly gentle man was not as kind as he appeared to be He was ying a chess game This game was still not over Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. He didn¡¯t know what Mr. Penrod wanted to do or why Mr. Penrod wanted to cultivate him as the leader of the Siren Organization What was the implication? But he knew Ar Penrod was cunning No one could see through his seemingly kind exterior to the dark thoughts hidden beneath He was waiting to see the beginning of the chess game Maybe Mr Penrod would bring him a surprise or even a shock he couldn¡¯t predict In short, he was waiting Chapter 705 Chapter 705 Evan had heard his foster father telling stored shout his youthful first love. A love that was forever out of reach. Even though he had never seen this woman¡¯s appearance, he knew that his foster father had remained a bachelor because of her Bernard had derailed his train of thought Now they were discussing the affairs of the organization What the Siren Organization originally stood for was no longer that important. What mattered most now was to stick to its current mission Evan solemnly promised Bernard. Tl be with you, dude. Whether we¡¯re gonna live or die, I be there¡± He had never expressed such loyalty to Bernard before This was his first time. He thought Bernard would be moved by his sincerity, but Bernard didn¡¯t appreciate it. He even nced at Evan, ¡°You¡¯re just going to slow me down¡± Evan was so mad he clenched his fists, ¡°Bemard, don¡¯t get so full of yourself How often have I had to clean up the mess after your actions? Do you think you canplete the mission smoothly? Bernard arrogantly lifted his chin and said, ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s all you¡¯re good for N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Evan was infunated by Bernard¡¯s arrogance, thinking, ¡°How can this guy be so smooth with words¡°!¡± ¡°Evan, I must go to my wife, you can see yourself out¡± After Bernard finished his sentence, he got up and left ¡°Are you going or not?¡± Bernard did not answer and walked towards the esctor ¡°Mr. Low you think you can keep your hands clean by not going?¡± ¡°Dont forget you once showed your face in the ck market Aren¡¯t you afraid they¡¯lle knocking L Law was trapped in his foster father¡¯s scheme when he agreed to go to the ck market to save the child His foster father didnt initially want Mr Law to get involved. But after losing so many Siren Organization members, he had no choice but to let Mr. Law give it a shot Before his foster father let him into the ck market, he had prepared for the rescue just like before Who would have thought he woulde out safe and sound? The fact that he came back means he has the capability Who would take risks if thepetent leader didn¡¯t hit the front line? Evan¡¯s words slowed Bernard¡¯s pace slightly, but he didn¡¯t stop Looking at that cold back, Evan felt powerless and sighed Once the people from the ck markete knocking, his wife would be the first target He wanted to protect his family But he was deep in this game How could he protect his family if he didnt eliminate these cancers? The house was well soundproofed Eleanor looked at the project ns in the primary bedroom and didn¡¯t hear the noise downstairs There were still many projects left unfinished by her sister After she finished the wedding, she would have to speed up toplete these projects. She was sitting on the sofa, scrolling through her phone looking very focused Seeing this, Bemard felt unusually peaceful He crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe, quietly watching her She was pure and wonderful But he was born in darkness, full of blood. Would marrying her harm her? Eleanor saw him leaning at the door and staring at her Sheughed softly, looking very serene ¡°Mi Laurence, we¡¯ve known each other for so many years, haven¡¯t you seen enough of me?¡± Bernard walked up, bent down, and passionately kissed her hair ¡°I never be tired of looking at you in this lifetime¡± The elegant scent of cedar filled the air, making people feelfortable Eleanor held onto his cor and pulled him in for a kiss. ¡°You¡¯ve said often that you¡¯ll be with me for the rest of your life You cant back out in the end Bernard suddenly stiffened. He stared into Eleanor¡¯s eyes. His gaze was full of iprehensible emotions Generally he would sweet talk her in this situation, but this time he chose silence Eleanor was a little nervous and let go of him Seeing his face wasn¡¯t looking good, she guessed he might be in trouble She held Bernard¡¯s hand, made him sit by her side and then looked at him thoughtfully ¡°Bernard, did Evan ask you to deal with Robin Spencer again?¡± Bernard shook his head. This time he was not up against Robin but an unidentified organization ¡°Is this rted to your injuryst time?¡± Seeing Eleanor had guessed some of it, Bernard gave a slight smile ¡°Eleanor, I wont back out and will protect you¡± He reached out and gently stroked her cheek as if he was touching the most precious thing in the world Eleanor took his hand and held it in her palm, her movements just as gentle ¡°Bernard it doesnt matter if you protect me What matters is you protecting yourself if She paused then smiled at Bernard ¡°If things get too dangerous, dont worry. I leave with you without anyints¡± ¡°Simrly if someone threatens you and uses me to force you to do something, don¡¯t worry I wont be your burden¡± Although she was mild¨Cmannered once she fell in love with someone she would stay by his side Her world was simple, without too manyplications. She just wanted to live an ordinary life. That was her happiness. Chapter 706 Chapter 706 Bernard had neversted her love before But being with her, he ohen felt her deep sflection He thought he loved her more But hearing her words, he suddenly malized their love was njual He held her hand tightly and pulled her into his arms ¡°I won¡¯t let anyone hurt you¡± His determination and murdmous intent whim he said this were chilling Evan was right, he was now in deep shit and could not prefect himself alone But he won¡¯t let them harm his girl, whither it¡¯s the Siren Organization or the underworld. He vowed to protect her even if it meant giving his life Because nothing was more important to him than Eleanor She was his life, his lifelong purnull He would never disappoint the person he¡¯s warted three years to meet again Eleanor and Beard didnt stay in their new house that night. They were about to get hitched, so the contemporary home needed to be set up. She also needed to set up her own bridal chamber But she hired professionals to help, she only needed to supervise Eleanor got up early the day before the wedding and took the decoration team to the vi Then Aidyn showed up. He brought several convoys, delivering wedding dresses, wedding shoes, headpieces, jewelry, and bridesmaid dresses, all high¨Cvalue items at a nce. Bernard had everything about the wedding under control Even the makeup and hairstyle team for the bride were internationally renowned stylists It was said that more than forty people were just for her makeup and dressing Whether it was the wedding process or the details, Bemard didn¡¯t let her worry But there was one thing he didn¡¯t tell her about the wedding venue. She also didn¡¯t know when the wedding would be held Eleanor thought that was enough no matter where the wedding was held as long as she could marry him smoothly After Aidyn delivered the items needed for the wedding he packed Eleanor¡¯s things and sent them to Blue Bay Ind. She would marry Bernard and live with him on Blue Bay Ind They would have a few kids and spend the rest of their lives together if lucky Thinking of kids. Eleanor subconsciously touched her belly She had been taking the medicine Liana gave her. But it had been two months, and there was no sign of They could have done IVF, but Bernard disagreed. He¡¯d rather not have a child than see her in pain pregnancy ke Laurence once said he would ept her as his granddaughter¨Cinw if she could get pregnant before the wedding. If not, he won¡¯t take her Now she was not pregnant, then Eleanor thought for a moment and then picked up her phone to send ke a message Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. [Grandpa, Im sorry I¡¯m not pregnant yet. But I hope you cane to my wedding with Bernard] She and Bernard were already legally married, ke surely knew So she changed her address to him Now they were married, whether ke agreed or not, they were a legal couple, no one could change that She was about to be a part of the Laurence family, so she needed to invite the elders to the wedding Bernard wont take the initiative to invite, only Eleanor could maintain the family ties between Bernard and the Laurences. Now in Y Country, ke received Eleanor¡¯s message and disregarded it He didn¡¯t reply or call to scold Eleanor He¡¯s just waiting for Bernard¡¯s response But the older man wasted all day and Bernard didn¡¯t respond. ke was fuming. Eleanor didnt know what was going on with ke Just as Eleanor put the things Aidyn brought into the vi¡¯s wardrobe, nna¡¯s car pulled up at the vi¡¯s entrance The woman in the luxury car, a cigar clenched between her fingers, was very domineering She gestured to Eleanor ¡°Ms Shultz, please get in ¡± Eleanor held the car door and bent over to ask her, ¡°Do you mind if i bring Bernard?¡± Chapter 707 Chapter 707 Danna held her cigar between her fingers and flicked the ash gently ¡°My Shultz, have you heard about the event where married couples attend a singles party?¡± Eleanor anticipated nna¡¯s refusal, but why? ¡°Did Gianna invite me to the party to leam how to pursue Evan Peted? If that¡¯s the case, it wouldn¡¯t hurt if I bring Bernard Laurence along it wouldn¡¯t hinder me from teaching her how to pursue Evan, right?¡± After considering these thoughts, Eleanor looked at Ganna sincerely and said. ¡®Ms. Penrod, Bernard and I have gone through decades of ups and downs, and we have finally reached the point of getting marred | don¡¯t want any unexpected urences before our wedding¡± ¡°All I hope for is to wear the wedding gown he gave me tomorrow morning and marry him in the best state hope you can bless us¡± There was a change in Granna¡¯s expression as hearing these words, and Eleanor knew that she indeed had a purpose. She smiled slightly Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Ms. Penrod if you genuinely want me to teach you how to pursue Evan, then let¡¯s discuss it after I am married is that eptable?¡± Gianna did not expect Eleanor to understand so clearly She was not an innocent young girl without worldliness On the contrary, it seemed that she deeply loved Bernard and wanted to ensure her own safety before the wedding Previously, Gianna had no particr regard for Eleanor and even looked down upon her But now, as Gianna looked up at Eleanor and carefully observed her, she saw a clean and beautiful face, especially those bright eyes that held no deceitful thoughts Compared to Gianna, who had been trained on the shooting range from a young age. Eleanor appeared more sincere and innocent Gianna the gas, pondered for a few seconds, and then locked back at Eleanor ¡°Ms Shultz, you¡¯ve misunderstood I simply wanted to invite you to the party¡± ¡°Do you really like Evan7¡± Instead of calling out Gianna¡¯s intentions, Eleanor just counter questioned. Gianna looked at Eleanor, puzzled ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Eleanor replied, ¡°If you truly like Evan, then you¡¯d understand how I feel¡± If Gianna truly understood how difficult it was to marry the person one had patiently waited for, she wouldprehend Evan¡¯s situation. Gianna paused, cigar in hand, contemting the situation Eleanor was well aware of the potential dangers that apanied a man like Bernard, so she proceeded with caution Gianna, aware of her ulterior motives, hesitated Persuading Eleanor at this moment might give the impression of dishonesty However, she had a task to fulfil Summoning her resolve, Gianna hardened her heart and addressed Eleanor, saying, ¡°Ms. Shultz, I¡¯ve invited all your close friends to the party Are you absolutely certain you won¡¯t attend?¡± The events of the morning clicked into ce Hailey¡¯s sudden trip to the nightclub, Liana and Will Webb¡¯s absence when Nina was expecting them¨Cit was no coincidence. They had been invited to the party by Gianna Was she attempting toer Eleanor into attending? Understanding Gianna¡¯s intentions. Eleanor turned around, pointing to the group of bodyguards at the vi gate ¡°They¡¯re all Bernard¡¯s men. The moment I go with you, they¡¯ll report to Bernard right away Are you sure you want me to go?¡± Gianna smirked. They wont catch up to our car After saying this, she said to Eleanor ¡°Ms. Shultz, let¡¯s go ¡± This gentle persuasion was a new experience for Eleanor, leaving her feeling somewhat powerless. She gazed at Gianna, managing a faint smile ¡°Ms Penrod, what exactly do you want from Bernard?¡± she inquired. Gianna shrugged nonchntly downying the situation, ¡°Just want him to investigate an organization¡± However, Eleanor sensed that there was more to it than Gianna let on Frowning, she pressed further, ¡°if I agree to go with you, will my friends be safe?¡± Gianna nodded, her expression serious. ¡°Originally, our intention was to negotiate with Mr. Law without putting others in danger. But if you refuse to go. She paused, her voice trailing off as she contemted the consequences, ¡°I cant guarantee the safety of your friends.¡± She was well aware that her foster father was not a merciful man. He would stop at nothing to achieve his goals However, she also believed that he wouldn¡¯t harm Bernard and would do his best to protect him during this risky undertaking However, he wouldn¡¯t care about Bernard¡¯s people, subordinates or family, and even disliked his family Chapter 708 Chapter 708 Once Eleanor got what nna was saying she asked, ¡°Can i go home and change first Ganna saw right through her ¡°Ms Shultz, you should be more womed about your friends situation What she meant was, she had Eleanor¡¯s friends under control. Whether Eleanor wanted to alert her bodyguards or call out to them, it wouldn¡¯t help After a moment of consideration. Eleanor released her grip on the car door she was holding and gestured to her bodyguards Following her gesture, she quietly opened the car door and climbed inside Observing Eleanor¡¯spliance Gianna extinguished her cigar and started the car As they sped away she nced at the marview mirror and confirmed that the bodyguards were indeed failing them Shifting her gaze, Ganna pressed the elerator, skillfully leaving the bodyguards behind. As the captain of Team 5, evading the pursuers came naturally to her Eleanor held onto her seatbelt tightly, trying to stabilize herself and suppress the queasiness that overwhelmed her. Her chest pounded, and she fought off the waves of nauses while observing Granna¡¯s reckless dining ¡°You don¡¯t genuinely care for Evan, do you?¡± Eleanor asked, her voice strained Ganna remainingposed, must have devised a story to deceive her into going to the club ¡°No, I truly do like him,¡± she responded. Ganong at Eleano Gianna calmly stated, ¡°I did invite you to the party, but I received new ondersst night¡± Her adoptive father saw that Evan couldn¡¯t convince Bernard, so he sent her to find Eleanor She figured it would be more effective to take Eleanor away through the party, then let Evan negotiate with Bernard. It was a low move but she had to use it on Eleanor due to the organization¡¯s orders. For this, she felt sorry Eleaner realized that Evan and Bernard¡¯s negotiation must have failed yesterday, so they were using her to threaten Bernard. She reached into her pocket. She didn¡¯t know Gianna¡¯s intention when she came out. And since she came out to reject the party invitation, she didn¡¯t bring her phone She knew Ganna wouldn¡¯t hurt her or do anything drastic, so she wasn¡¯t worried about her safety What womed her more was that Bernard might give in to their demands because of her. Bernard was the leader of Team 5 If there¡¯s a problem with Team S. he would deal with it immediately This time Evan came to him, but he didn¡¯t agree, which means the matter was very dangerous If that¡¯s the case she couldn¡¯t let them threaten Bernard no matter what By the time Eleanor sorted out her thoughts, the car had already driven into the club This club was different from other entertainment venues. It was a beach club located by the sea Under the night sky and sea breeze, men and women in suits and dresses, holding wine sses, were walking on the beach The soothing melody was in the air if she wasn¡¯t here with a purpose, she would feel the atmosphere here like a beach singles party. After getting out of the car. Eleanor didn¡¯t see Halley and the others. She frowned instantly, ¡°Ms. Penrod, where are my friends?¡± Ganna locked the car and tossed the keys to a valet, ¡°Ms. Shultz, people like me don¡¯t usually keep all the hostages in one ce¡± Ganna had tricked her again! Eleanor clenched her fists, angrily saying, ¡°Ms. Penrod, you¡¯re ady of high birth, such tactics are really beneath you¡± Gianna did not deny it, but admitted, ¡°True, it¡¯s not honorable But you know what? My adoptive father saved me many times. Without him, there would be no me. His love and care for me, I can¡¯t let it go to waste. Eleanor had no mood to argue about feelings, and simply asked coldly. ¡°Since I¡¯m here, can you let my friends go?¡± But Ganna just shook her head, ¡°Ms. Shultz, now that you¡¯re here, stop dreaming You have no idea what kind of upbringing I had and what i¡¯m capable of Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. What she meant was Eleanor could not fight her and had to y by her rules, there was no escape Actually, Eleanor wanted Gianna to let Hailey and the others go. This way she would have a better chance of escaping Chapter 709 Chapter 709 Gianna stopped putting up a fight and Eleanor started using her emotional appeal ¡°Ms Penrod, you know Bernard has only ever cared about me¡± ¡°Holding my friends hostage isn¡¯t doing you any good Why put innocent people through this? Gianna looked into Eleanor¡¯s clear, bright eyes for a moment, then waved her hand dismissively ¡°Fine as long as you¡¯re here¡± She made a call, and after the other end hung up and gave her a slight nod, she exined to Eleanor ¡°Your trends don¡¯t know they¡¯ve been kidnapped I just stirred up some trouble for them No need to mention this when you go back Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. So that¡¯s why Hailey left early in the morning and Liana didn¡¯t make it to the vi They weren¡¯t kidnapped, they just fell into a trap set by Gianna¡¯s people 3 2 2 3 2 3 2 But ording to Gianna, if she didn¡¯te the trappers would definitely harm Hailey and the others Gianna only chose the softer approach out of consideration for Bemard. Otherwise, it would be more convenient to just kidnap them directly. But no matter who Ganna was considering or what she was thinking, it didn¡¯t matter anymore What mattered was that Hailey and the others were safe and she could start looking for a way to escape. Eleanor assessed her surroundings, taking note of the bustling club surrounded by buildings and throngs of people Trying to navigate through the crowd and reach the highway seemed like an impossible fest However she noticed that the standalone restroom next to the club appeared unguarded. She nced at the restroom for a moment before turning to face Gianna With a calm expression, the stated. ¡°I need to use the restroom.¡± Given that everyone present was under Ganna¡¯s watchful eye. Gianna didn¡¯t express any concern about Eleanor attempting to escape. She simply nodded and replied. ¡°Go ahead¡± Eleanor began making her way towards the restroom. As she stepped onto the staircase, she identally collided with someoneing down. The man swiftly reached out and steadied her shoulder, his voice camying a maic and rxed tone as he spoke. ¡°Miss, where were you rushing to** Eleanor looked up at him, straight into a pair of calm eyes Those eyes seemed somewhat familiar at the sight of her Having seen the handsome Bernard, Eleanor didn¡¯t react much to the stunning man in front of her She quickly averted her gaze and apologized to him ¡°Im sorry, I was lost in thought and didn¡¯t notice you¡± She tried to sidestep him and head to the women¡¯s restroom, but he grabbed her arm again. Eleanor instinctively shook off his hand and said sternly. ¡°Sir, Ive already apologized, what more do you want?¡± Her defensiveness made the man raise his hands, indicating that he was just nervous. ¡°I just wanted to ask your name¡± Was he hitting on her? No, everyone here was Giannas people How could this man not know who she was? Seeing her confusion, the man shrugged and exined ¡°Ms Penrod invited me to the party I don¡¯t know everyone¡± Gianna had just said that she was originally nning to throw a singles party, but changed her mind due to an unexpected assignment So, this good looking man didn¡¯t know that Team S was on a mission. He was just here for the party. Realizing this, Eleanor didn¡¯t feel anything special. She nced at the man and said. Tm married, so please don¡¯t get any ideas¡± With that, she walked away, but heard the man¡¯sughter from behind. ¡°Miss. I just thought you looked familiar. I didn¡¯t have any intentions. Besides, your figure and looks don¡¯t appeal to me.¡± Chapter 710 Chapter 710 Eleanora steps suddenly halted She wanted to throw a few snarky reksits back at him, but was worried about wasting time. So, the ignored him and quickly pushed open the door to thedies room Once inside, the scanned the room and spotted a small window Bushing over she shoved it open Outside was a road t she could get out this way she¡¯d be able to reach the mad and her chances of escaping would increase Without a second thought, she rolled up her sleeves and began to climb the tall window Meanwhile, a man sitting on the road with one leg bent and a hand resting on his knee was smoking and watching her window escapade How odd! If she wanted to leave she could just walk out the club¡¯s main entrance or through the beach Why bother with the window? Hey¡± He yelled out, starting Eleanor and causing her to fall from the window Shended hard, the pain making her grit her teeth Luckily, shended on sand otherwise she¡¯d definitely have broken something She got up and red at the smoking man on the road ¡®Jerk¡® The man lifted the hand that was resting on his knee, took a puff of his cigarette, blew out a smoke ring, and looked at her. ¡°Why are you climbing walls?¡± Eleanor ignored him, and with a hand on her sore waist, she tried to pass through the bushes to get to the road. Gianna¡¯s voce came from behind- ¡°Ms Shultz, didn¡¯t I tell you not to try and escape Hearing Gianna¡¯s voice, Ms Shultz let out a disappointed sigh The man still sitting on the road flicked the ash off his cigarette, and smirked. ¡°So, you¡¯re Eleanor¡± Seeing the man¡¯s gaze on Eleanor, Gianna quickly stepped forward to remind him ¡°Mr Pine, this is Mr. Laurence¡¯s wife¡± She didn¡¯t say anything else. The title of wife was enough to deter any ideas he might have about Eleanor Pine, who originally had no intentions, suddenly had a wicked thought upon hearing Mr. Laurence. He smirked mischievously. ¡°Oh, Mi Laurence¡¯s wife, you say? Now, I¡¯m even more interested¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Gianna crossed her arms and looked up at the man sitting on the road. ¡°Elbert Pine, don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you You can¡¯t touch her¡± Elbert put the cigarette back in his mouth, propped himself up with his hands behind him, and looked up at Eleanor while smiling His smile held a strange mix of righteousness and wickedness His eyes, however, didn¡¯t reach his smile, making his intentions hard to read. Eleanor was curious about Elbert¡¯sst name, and wanted to ask about its origin She remembered her sister¡¯s formerst name was the same as his But seeing the way he was looking at her she figured he was a yboy If she initiated any conversation, it would probably only feed his ego. So, she decided not to ask and instead turned to Gianna ¡°Let¡¯s go She didn¡¯t manage to escape this time, but she¡¯d figure out another wayter At Laurence Manor, Bernard kicked Evan down and pulled out a gun from his waist, aiming straight for his heart. ¡°Tell Mr. Penrod, if he dares to touch my woman, he¡¯s asking for a fight. Let him think it over¡± They need me yet they kidnap my wife to threaten me. Have they lost their minds? Even hadn¡¯t expected Mr Law to be willing to confront Mr. Penrod rather than go to the secret location. This was getting moreplicated. After giving Evan a fierce re, Bernard holstered his gun and headed to the backyard ¡°Start the helicopter¡± ¡°Yes, sir¡± Aidyn Reyes replied respectfully and ran to the backyard ahead of Bernard. On thewn in the backyard, a row of helicopters were parked. They were originally prepared for picking up the bride the next day, but now were being used for a rescue mission. The tall, handsome man in a ck suit was putting on gloves as he bent over to get into one of the helicopters Once his gloves were on, he waved at Aidyn, ¡°Ill pilot¡± Adyn, who had just started the helicopter, immediately vacated the cockpit and quickly got off, signaling the other helicopters to follow. One helicopter after another roared across the night sky of A City, flying away quickly- Chapter 711 Chapter 711 Eleanor had bolted three times already, but each time she was tracked down and hauled back. asionally she would look over her shoulder at Gianna who was casually failing her Deanor noticed Gianna was constantly on the phone seemingly discussing something Howeym, she wasn¡¯t close enough to make out what she was saying, only catching Bernard¡¯s name here and there She had no clue it Bernard had agreed to their demands or what the current situation was All the knew was she didnt want to be a burden to him Staring at the raging sea, she jumped in without a second thought after a few moments. She had said before, if anyone tried to use her as leverage against Bernard she wouldn¡¯t be his bunden nna was busy trying to convince her adoptive father not to threaten Berard anymore. Seeing Eleanor jump into the sea she turned as white as a shee ¡°Eleanor¡± she screamed, dropping her phone and ready to dive in after her, but Elbert beat her to it Elbert Jumped in and vigorously swam towards the figure being swept away by the waves Gianna, still on the beach, could initially see two figures, one in front of the other, bobbing on the surface of the water. But the waves were too high and the wind too strong, tossing them about until the two figures were lost from sight. Witnessing this, Gianna felt her heart stop. She fell doomed Just then, several helicopters appeared in the starry night sky. The blinding lights from the helicopters illuminated the darkness Theynded one after the other on the beach with a thunderous noise Bemard, weaning white gloves a gun m hand, and military boots briskly stepped out of the helicopter Themanding auta radiating from this cool and noble man left Gianna¡¯s men too scared to even move The situation had taken an unexpected tum. Their n had been to release Benard¡¯s wife after Mr. Penrod and Mr. Law reached an agreement. How did things spiral out of control so quickly? Mr. Law discovered that his wife had jumped into the sea, they would likely face dire consequences themselves. The realization left Gianna¡¯s men increasingly frightened, their fear manifesting as cold sweat However they dared not make a move in front of Mr. Law. Bernard scanned the area anxiously, unable to spot Eleanor instead he found nna kneeling on the beach, her head down, refusing to meet his gaze Sensing something amiss. Bernard quickly approached her ¡°Where is she?¡± he demanded, his voice tinged with restrained anger. Gianna involuntarily shivered, not out of fear of Bemard, but due to the overwhelming guilt she felt for her actions, which seemingly led to Eleanor¡¯s demise. ¡°She, she jumped into the sea¡± she confessed Bernard¡¯s tall figure stiffened, as if he had misheard. He looked at Gianna in disbelief, questioning her, ¡°What. what did you say?¡± Meanwhile, on the other side of the beach, Elbert managed to swim to the shore, pulling Eleanor along. Choking on seawater, she began coughing intensely, as if the were about to cough up her lungs Exhausted, Elbert copsed onto the sand, gasping for air heavily After catching their breath, Elben sat up and looked at Eleanor ¡°You cant escape. You should have asked for my help instead of trying to escape into the sea Had it not been for his good swimming skills, she might have already drowned Eleanor clutched her painful chest, not looking up to respond ¡°You¡¯re Gianna¡¯s friend, you wouldn¡¯t help me.¡± ¡°Sister, how would you know I wouldn¡¯t help if you didn¡¯t ask?¡± When she heard the word ¡°sister¡°, she stopped wringing her clothes Slowly, she lifted her head to look at Elbert Under the moonlight, his mixed¨Crace features were prominent and deep Although he was soaking wet, his elegant demeanor remained unaffected Staring at his face. Eleanor asked him, ¡°Why do you call me sister?¡± Elbert propped himself up with both hands behind him and raised an eyebrow at her, ¡®It¡¯s just a term of address Besides, I¡¯m only twenty, there¡¯s no way you¡¯re older than me¡± Though it was just a term of address. Eleanor strangely felt a sense of familiarity, as if the man sitting on the beach was truly like aBelonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Chapter 712 Chapter 712 Eleanor pondered a bit before asking him, ¡°Your name¡¯s Elbert Pine, do you know She wanted to ask if he knew Emilia Before she could finish, Elbert cut her off, ¡°I take you back¡± Heaning this, Eleanor stopped talking and frowned at him, ¡°lescaped with great effort, why would I go back? Elbert sighed slighth ncing at her, ¡°I meant, take you home.¡± Eleanor nodded standing up from the beach, she needed to hurry back and tell Bernard- That she had escaped the was okay she hadn¡¯t be a burden to him, and he didn¡¯t need to be threatened She followed Elbert off the beach, watching as ambnces rushed off in the direction of the beach club. She stopped in her tracks looking up at the distant beach She couldn¡¯t make out any figures, just various boats heading out to sea Eleanor hung her head in thought feeling that Gianna wouldnt send so many people to rescue her Could it be Bernard? Bernard came and found out she had jumped into the sea, he might be scared to death. With this thought in mind. Eleanor changed her mind. ¡°Let¡¯s go over there first?¡± Shed like to take a look if Bernard hadn¡¯te, they could still leave Ebert hands in his pockets, chuckled lightly. ¡°Why should I listen to you? Eleanor turned to look at him, a small smile ying on her lips, ¡°Arent you my little brother?¡± Seeing her faint smile. Elbert paused slightly looked so familias, like one he had seen in a photo when they were young Where had he seen it? He couldnt remember Shaking his head. Elbert headed towards the beach club. Bernard, having dived into the sea for the third time and plunged into the depths, still didn¡¯t see Eleanor Suddenly despairing, his eyes reddened Eleanor.. If I cant find you, could I join you at the bottom of the sea? Aidyn, who had jumped into the sea with him, swam towards Bernard as he saw him sinking Having trained in the sea since he was a child, the water didn¡¯t bother him. He quickly reached Bernard¡¯s side Aidyn reached out to grab him, but the man in the sea pushed his hand away, seemingly wanting to sink even deeper Startled, Aidyn sped up to keep upText property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. This time he didn¡¯t grab Bernard, but held onto him from behind, pulling him up with all his might The man, who had been submerged underwater for an extended period, was utterly exhausted Despite his fatigue, he fought with every ounce of strength to push Aidyn away, desperate to break free. If it werent for the intervention of numerous individuals rushing to assist, Bernard may have already managed to escape Aidyn¡¯s grasp and descended to the depths of the sea. Finally brought back to the safety of the shore, Bernard¡¯s body was weak and battered. He had ingested a substantial amount of seawater, causing hisplexion to tum pale His recently healed wound on his back had reopened leaving a trail of blood Disregarding bis own condition, Bernard forcefully pushed away the people surrounding him, an overwhelming determination to plunge back into the sea and search for Eleanor consuming his thoughts ¡°Bernard¡± Bernard Only she would utter his name with such tenderness. Started, Bernard abruptly turned his head, his eyes reddened from the seawater. He caught sight of the woman rushing towards him, her presence providing sce amidst the chaos The frigidness he had endured for so long seemed to dissipate in an instant, just as rain washes away the umted coldness. She was okay That was good Bernard got up, staggered towards her Eleanor ran to him, opened her arms, and hugged the pale man tightly ¡°Were you scared?¡± Bernard lifted his shaking hand, holding her petite body tightly, as if trying to melt her into his own body ¡°I thought you He thought she had left him again, thought he had lost her again, thought she had sunk to the bottom of the sea, maybe even without a body to find. He was scared, scared like four years ago, not even having ast glimpse of her, just separated by life and death. Then he¡­ ¡°I decaded, if i cant find you again, il sink to the bottom of the sea with you¡± He wouldnt live on reluctantly like four years ago, he would definitely follow her. Eleanor held his shaking body tightly again and again, she gently rubbed his back ¡°Bernard, fm sorry, I couldn¡¯t escape and I was afraid of being a burden to you, so I jumped into the sea ¡°I was too impulsive I didnt consider your feelings, Im sorry, really sorry Chapter 713 Chapter 713 Beard held Eleanor tight feeling the warmth of her body His heart was numb from the pain, and was just now starting to calm down, + He slowly let go of Eleanor, looking at her soaked body, shivering from the cold. His heart ached again. should apologize if it wasn¡¯t for me, you wouldn¡¯t be in this mess¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Wew husband and wife. We share the good times and the bad¡± Eleanor finished, looking down at her hand only to find it covered in blood. She immediately turned pale ¡°Your back wound must have opened. We need to get to an ambnce right away¡± She had thought it was seawater but it turned out to be blood. Her back wound must have reopened! Eleanor tightly held Remard¡¯s hand and began leading him towards the walling ambnce However, Bernard abruptly pulled her back. ¡°Eleanor, it¡¯s just a minor injur¡± he assured her His attention then shifted to Gianna, who stood nearby. With determination in his eyes. Bernard commanded, ¡°Arrest her and inform Mr. Penrod. Tell him to personallye and retrieve her or else she won¡¯t Addressing Aidyn, he added. ¡°Take care of it¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Gianna understood that Me Law wouldn¡¯t let her escape without consequences Seeing Aidyn appmach, she remainedposed, not showing much reaction On the other hand, as Eleanor and Elbert arrived, Gianna felt a sense of relief. As long as Eleanor was safe, she was willing to face any punishment. Aidyn politely ¡°escorted¡± Gianna onto the waiting helicopter. Once the door closed, Gianna couldn¡¯t help but inquire, ¡°Where is Evan?¡± Aidyn looked at Gianna and gave a cold smile. ¡°Ms Penrod, kidnappers usually don¡¯t keep all the hostages in one ce¡± Heaning these words, Gianna sighed. She was once a kidnapper, now she was the hostage. After dealing with Gianna, Bernard was about to board the helicopter with Eleanor when azy voice sounded from behind. ¡°Hey, I saved your wife and you¡¯re just gonna walk away? Not even a thank you? That¡¯s pretty rude, what do you think?¡± Bernard turned around, his icy gaze darkening when he saw the man leaning against a wall, smoking a cigarette ¡°Elbert¡± Elbert lifted his chin slightly, his lips curling into a smirk, ¡°Oh, you remember me How sweet¡± Bernard gripped Eleanor¡¯s hand tighter. ¡°Eleanor, he¡¯s the one who saved you?¡± Eleanor nodded. ¡°Yes, he saved me What¡¯s the matter?¡± Bernard opened his mouth to say something but in the end, he just shook his head He looked away from Eleanor towards Elbert, ¡°lowe you one¡± Elbert removed the cigarette from his mouth, crushed it under his heel, and gave Bernard a wicked grin. Silently, he gave Eleanor a scornful look before turning to leave Observing Elbert¡¯s retreating form, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but express her gratitude, saying, ¡°Thank you for your help today Elbert didn¡¯t bother to look back, merely waving his hand dismissively, indicating that he didn¡¯t require her thanks Witnessing Eleanors interaction with Elbert, Bernard¡¯s demeanor softened, his eyshes trembling slightly. ¡°Eleanor, he is the heir to the Pine family business. It¡¯s best if you avoid him in the future. As for his assistance I will find a way to repay him¡± Eleanor looked up at Bernard her brow furrowed in confusion. ¡°Why?¡± Bernard appeared lost in unpleasant memones, his gaze turning cold ¡°The Laurence family and the Pine family have a deep¨Cseated feud.¡± This conflict went beyond mere businesspetition. It was a full fledged war The Laurence family and the Pine family were bitter enemies Chapter 714 Chapter 714 Eleanor got the picture and nodded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take your advice Now you either get on the ne or the ambnce¡± If he didn¡¯t get his bleeding stopped asap, he wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it Sewing her worry for him, Bernard decided to follow her advice and held her hand as they boarded the ne That night Eleanor stayed by Bernard¡¯s side waiting for the doctors to stop his bleeding, stitch up his wound, and change his dressing Only after all these tacks werepleted, did the let out a sigh of met As dawn approached, Eleanor realized the wedding might not happen on time, so the suggested to fernani, ¡°Can we postpone the wedding by one day?¡± But Beard, who was helping her dry her han, firmly said. ¡°No, we have to have the wedding today Eleanor, holding some cold medicine turned to Berard with concern, ¡°But what about your injury. Beard nonchntly dismissed her womy, dering. ¡°No injury is more important than our wedding¡± Before Eleanor could respond. Beard grabbed a hairdryer and began drying her han Afterwards, he drove her back to Hailey¡¯s vi himpelt, his grip on the steering wheel firm. ¡°At 11 o¡¯clock, I wille to pick you up along with the Laurence family he stated firmly. Originally scheduled for 10 o¡¯clock, Bernard decided to give Eleanor some extra rest, concerned about her fatigue. After tousing Eleanor¡¯s hair yfully he waved at Aidyn. ¡°Make sure there are a hundred bodyguards stationed here, and don¡¯t allow anyone toe close¡± he instructed. ¡°Understood¡± Aidyn promptly responded reaching for his phone to coordinate with the bodyguards Bernard held Eleanor¡¯s hand tightly, and with a sense of responsibility, he personally handed her over to Hailey He repeatedly reminded her of various matters before finally departing Hailey and Liana were relieved to see Eleanor safe and sound ¡°Eleanor you know Liana and I were almost scared to death¡± ¡°Me tool¡± Nina ran over from Marina¡¯s side and ran up to Eleanor, her chubby hand extended for a hug Eleanor bent down to pick up Nina and looked at Hailey and Liana apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t expect this to happen! Hailey and Liana wanted to go find Eleanor, but Aidyn asked them to wait at home for news, so they wouldn¡¯t add to the chaos. After considering they felt they couldnt help anyway and might cause trouble, so they agreed to stay The three chatted in the living room for a while before Hailey urged Eleanor to go upstairs and rest. When the makeup and styling team arrived, they would wake her up After the night¡¯s chaos, Eleanor was truly timed. She put down Nins, went back to her room, and immediately fell into a deep sleep. At 9 am. Hailey roused Eleanor from her slumber, informing her, ¡°Eleanor, the makeup and styling team has arrived. They are waiting for you in the neighboring vi¡± Eleanor groggily opened her eyes and nodded wearly, responding. ¡°I will get up right away¡± She hurriedly got out of bed, threw on a coat and made her way to the next vi. Outside, a group of over forty individuals stood, each holding makeup cases. Upon seeing Eleanor emerge. they respectfully nodded and greeted her ¡°Good morning. Mrs Laurence¡± Eleanor smiled warmly and replied ¡°Good morning, everyone¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. She opened the door to the vi leading them inside, before proceeding to take a bath. Once she finished showering the stylists guided her to sit at the makeup table. Meanwhile, the fashion designer opened the wardrobe, inquiring. ¡°Ms Shultz which wedding dress are you nning to wear?¡± Inside the closet, there were two wedding dresses one that Bernard had previously purchased at great expense, and another that he had recently bought Eleanor had informed Bernard that she already had a wedding dress, but he had decided to acquire a new one as a gesture of respect Through the vanity mirror, Eleanor gazed at the wedding dresses in the closet, her eyes lingering on the exquisite dress adorned with diamonds. The dress reminded her of a fashion designer who had once mentioned that the expensive dress would suit her better. She didn¡¯t understand it at the time but now it made sense. Everything was predetermined She collected her thoughts and gently raised her delicate fingers, pointing to the diamond¨Cstudded dress, ¡°That one, it suits me better¡± She wanted to wear the wedding dress that Bernard had bought for her the first time, to beautifully and happily marry him Chapter 715 Chapter 715 The designer stood there, gobsmacked, the moment he got his hands on that wedding dress The wedding dress was a magnificent creation, constructed withyers uponyers of delicate chiffon. Soft satin roses adorned the gown, while diamonds were intricately embedded throughout, shimmering against the brilliant white fabric. The design exuded elegance and sophistication, with scattered speckles and seamless diamond enbellishments, creating an opulent and breathtaking num if his memory served him right this dress was the creation of a renowned bridal designm, a truly unique masterpiece Years ago, it had been showcased as an exhibit overseas and was rumored to have been purchased for a substantial sum As it tumed out, the one who managed to acquire this extraordinary dress was none other than the CEO of the Lawrence Group it was clear that he held a deep affection for Cleanor, willing to invest such a significant amount Within the wardrobe, there was also another piece, a limited edition of immense value, once again a one of a kind creation in the world. ¡°Mrs. Laurence your husband must be absolutely infatuated with you¡± remarked the stylist, unable to contain her admiration Cleanor gracefully epted thement simply nodding in response He did love her indeed, willing to give her the best of everything be by her side and even die for her She decided, from this day forward, she would treat Mr Laurence right, making sure his love wouldn¡¯t go down the drain. ¡°Mrs. Laurence, with your killer looks, it¡¯s no wonder Mr Laurence treasures you, the makeup artist said ¡°I reckon it¡¯s because Mes Laurence is kind hearted, gentle and generous¡± the hair stylist said. ¡°Td say it¡¯s a bit of both, M Laurence must¡¯ve fallen for Mrs. Laurence at first sight the clothes stylist chimed in. As they worked, they couldn¡¯t stop singing praises of Eleanor Theyplimented hei wless skin that needed no cover¨Cup, just a simple touch¨Cup would do They raved about her perfect body ratio, saying she would look drop¨Cdead gorgeous in the diamond¨C studded wedding dress They even gushed about her hair, long, thick and silky like seaweed, the best they¡¯d ever seen Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor knew they were fishing for tips, so she dialed up Hailey ¡°Hailey, do we have any gifts prepared?¡± Eleanor asked ¡°We do Hailey replied nodding vigorously Hailey was getting her makeup done downstairs To distract herself the night before, she had Liana and Nina help her prepare a bunch of gifts. She believed that Bernard would ensure Eleanor¡¯s safe return and that the wedding would go on as nned Fearing ast¨Cminute frenzy, she had everything prepared in advance After answering Eleanor¡¯s question, she put down the phone and told her makeup artist, ¡°ll go get the gifts, wait for me¡± Even the world¨Crenowned makeup artist had to nod respectfully at Hailey¡¯s words, ¡°Take your time¡± Had it been anyone else, the makeup artist might¡¯ve been miffed, but they couldn¡¯t afford to upset any friends of Mr. Laurence. Liana, who was also getting her makeup done patted Nina¡¯s head when she saw Hailey getting up to fetch the gifts ¡°Nina, remember to walk in line with Israel when you¡¯re the flower girl, don¡¯t fall behind¡± Mr. Laurence had already made the decision regarding the flower girls and bridesmaids for the wedding Initially, Hailey hesitated. She had been a bridesmaid at Eleanor and Garett Falsey¡¯s ill¨Cfated wedding and didnt want to nok any bad luck this time around. However, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to decline Mr. Laurence¡¯s heartfelt invitation Fortunately. Eleanor had returned unharmed, and the wedding preparations were proceeding smoothly Otherwise Hailey would have med herself for any misfortune that befell them Nina dressed in her enchanting attire, tilted her head and blinked herrge eyes upon hearing the name Israel. ¡°I don¡¯t know Israel,¡± she responded. Lians reached out and tenderly stroked Nina¡¯s nose,forting her ¡°Israel is your age¡± ¡°I introduce you to him at the wedding¡± ¡°Okay¡± Nina nodded and picked up the lipstick on the table and began applying it to her lips. Seeing her applying lipstick, Lana couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Nina, do you want to put on makeup too?¡± After applying a coat of lipstick, Nina turned to look at Liana, ¡°How do I took?¡± Seeing the little girl¡¯s tender lips covered in bright lipstick, the makeup artist next to her couldn¡¯t help butugh ¡°Nina, if you want to wear makeup, I can have my colleague do it for you, how about that?¡± The makeup artist suggested, pointing to a gentleman nearby ¡°That guy right there, he¡¯s done makeup for a lot of big stars) Hearing the words ¡°big stars¡°, Nina¡¯s eyes Lt up instantly ¡°So, will look as pretty as a movie star after he does my makeup?¡± The gentleman, without waiting for the makeup artist to respond, nodded with a smile. Nina, the beauty loving gui, immediately put down her lipstick and ran over to him. ¡°Thank you then¡± Chapter 716 Chapter 716 This httle girl was such a culie Anyone who saw her was going to fall head over heels for her As Haley stepped out of the vi, she spoted a car parked next door She stopped and watched a man sitting in a wheelchair by the car door ¡°Garren¡± Hearing Hailey¡¯s shaky voice Garrett Falsey slowly turned his head A smile shen up on his face ¡°Hailey I heard the¡¯s getting married today. Thought Id swing by, you don¡¯t mind, do you?¡± Hu polite tone made Halley Teel like crying She wanted to say 1 don¡¯t mind, but women Garett¡¯s presence might mess up the wedding After all for Eleanor Schultz she hadn¡¯t seen or mentioned Garrett since their hospital goodbye. She¡¯s sure Emanor had moved on from Gt But Eleanor felt guilty about Garrett She feared Eleanor might feel even guiltier if she saw Garrett But keeping Garrett from Eleanor seemed way too harsh Halley never thought shed be stuck in the middle between two good buddies, not knowing what to do Gament seemed to catch her drift and gave a small smile ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it the wedding will go smoothly¡± He knew that he¡¯s no longer in his Eleanor¡¯s heart The girl who used to follow him around calling him Garrett, had long moved on from him Seeing Garrett, his face pale from the cold wind sitting in the wheelchalt, Hailey felt heartbroken ¡°Gamert let¡¯s go see her She stepped forward and took the wheelchair from Colter Clowers. She pushed Garrett slowly into the vi Eleanor¡¯s makeover was all done The stylist had helped her into that insanely expensive wedding dress She standed in front of the mirror, swishing her long wedding dress train around, checking herself out when she noticed the reflection in the mirror She lifted up her train and stared at the figure in the mirror, taking forever to finally turn around ¡°Garrett¡± Hearing her voice made Garrett incredibly happy He¡¯s so happy he¡¯s on the verge of tears. Im sorry I know we agreed not to see each other But I just couldn¡¯t resisting to see you¡± Garrett, sitting in the wheelchair looked at Eleanor, politely saying. ¡°Thope you don¡¯t mind¡± The best ex is the one you never see again after breaking up. But shes getting married, he¡¯s got to be there Seeing Eleanor locking a bit lost, Garrett wheeled himself up to her His slow approach felt like an eternity, it seemed as though tume has stopped. Eleanor watched him in his white suit struggle with the wheelchair, her eyes welling up with tears ¡°Garrett¡± She called his name again but didnt know what to say to him. She felt guilty Garrett wheeled himself to a stop in front of her He saw her in that diamond studded wedding dress. ¡°This dress must be way more expensive than the one I bought.¡± ¡°Garrett¡± ¡± suits you perfectly¡± Garrett smiled, then asked her, ¡°Can I touch it?¡± Eleanor nodded. He put his hand gently on her wedding dress train. When his fingers touched the diamonds, they suddenly start to tremble uncontrobly¡­ He only touched it for a moment before pulling back his hand. He looked at Eleanor again, his face full of regret ¡°Eleanor why didn¡¯t I think of putting diamonds on the wedding dress back then?¡± It¡¯s a pity you can only have one wedding Otherwise, hed give her a diamond studded wedding dress too. Hearing this tears started to stream down Eleanor¡¯s face ¡°Garrett, Im sorry.¡± She promised to marry him when she was young, but she let him down on the wedding day Garrett shook his head. To him, that wedding was a memory for the rest of his life. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but it¡¯s just a bit of regret. But it¡¯s okay he can witness her wedding with someone else. Even though he¡¯s not the groom, its still a beautiful thing Seeing her cry, Garrett reached out to wipe her tears But he stopped before his hapd can touch her face He¡¯s no longer entitled to wipe her tears Garrett slowly lowered his hand smiling ¡°Eleanor, you need to be the most beautiful bride today Don¡¯t ruin your beautiful makeup by crying¡± ¡°Garrett, 1.¡± ¡°Dry your tears¡± Garrett interrupted her gentlyforting herContent rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 717 Chapter 717 Whenever Eleanor was bullied at school shed for all lost and helpless, not able to keep her emotions in check Garrett would always pop up right about then, sit in front of her and soothe her withforting words. Eleanor cherished Garretty kindness and that¡¯s why the memories hit hei hard ¡°Are you so upset because you still care about me?¡® Garett joked, reaching out in Cleaner ¡°If you do care, how about youe away with me?¡± Garrett said,ughing, but his tone was dead serious He¡¯d thought about letting go, wishing her happiness Puttely, he¡¯s found himself unable to let her go. He just couldn¡¯t ignore his deep feelings Bemard couldn¡¯t live without Eleanor, and he fet the same So, fieanor, will youe with me? Eleanor clutched her wedding dress tightly, her eyes welling up as she looked at Garrett Tm sorry¡± was at she could muster, apologizing to Garrett Gamet felt like heid lost big time. His hand was suspended in mid at, feeling the sting of disappointment. It¡¯s a good thing he said all that in a joking tone Because he knew Eleanor wouldn¡¯t go with him. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. He knew the answer, but he wanted to see her reaction anyway. ¡°Eleanor, I wish you and Bernard all the happiness in the world¡± Garrett looked at Eleanor tenderly After this, he wouldn¡¯t have any reason to see her again. As he was watching her, the sound of helicopters echoed from outside One chopper after another landed on thewn, They were decked out with ribbons and balloons Seeing this, Gt just hung his head. ¡°Eleanor he¡¯s here to marry you After saying this, Garrett stepped back, pushing his wheelchair ¡°Goodbye, Mrs Laurence¡± He tumed around, pushing the wheelchair, tears sliding down his cheeks He thought she¡¯d be his wife But here she was, nine yearster, Mrs. Laurence. Talk about a twist of fate ¡°Gt Eleanor called him, trying to go to him, but he raised his hand to stop her ¡°Eleanor just stay there Say whatever you want to say from there So Eleanor stopped and watched his retreating figure, wishing him well. ¡°Garrett, I wish you happiness 100¡± Gamett had told her he was about to get engaged Eleanor thought that Garrett would find his true love one day. ¡°Thanks for your wishes, Mrs. Laurence¡± By calling her Mrs. Laurence, he was putting a distance between them, like an uncrossable chasm Eleanor wiped the tears from her eyes She said nothing, she just turned around and looked out the window. On thewn, a line of helicopters stood, and the door of a white one was slowly opening A man in a custom¨Cmade white suit, noble and cold, like a nobleman, stepped out of a painting His face was like a sculpture finely¨Cchiseled wless His features came together to form a perfectposition on his face He looked strong and dominant This man was like an eagle in the night. He held arge bunch of lychee roses and walked toward the vi with a smile. Behind him were people from the Laurence family, from Kendrick Laurence to Cedric Laurence Every one of them was in a suit, holding roses of the same color slowly descending from the helicopters He wasing with the sincere intention of greeting his bride. And as his bride, how could she let him down on the wedding day? Eleanor turned around, the man she had once loved deeply was already gone He always knew when toe and when to go. He never made her worry or put her in a difficult position Chapter 718 Chapter 718 Eleanor gave a faint smile looking towards the empty space Thank you Me False¡± When he was younger, he once told het 7f one day you many someone else and I attend your wedding, I hope you will call me Mr. Falsey¡± Eleanor at that time lying on the desk, naively asked him ¡°Why?¡± Gt, wearing a school uniform, Touched the tip of her nose with a pen ¡°Because I can¡¯t marry you, at least let me be your husband once¡± Eleanor wiped away her teart with a smile and picked up the foundation to touch up her makeup Hadey already dressed in bridesmaid¡¯s attime, stood at the door with a pile of documents in her hand watching Eleanor daydream She had just seen Garrett and remembered that when he left the hospital, he had given her a set of papers Garrett wanted her to give this to Eleanor on her wedding day Hailey ran her fingers over the papers, hesitated for a low seconds, and then walked over to hand them to Eleanor ¡°Eleanor, this is a wedding gift from Garrett¡± Eleanor looked down at the thick document bag and asked Hailey. What is it?¡± Hailey motioned for her to open it and see for herself Eleanor didn¡¯t ask again and pulled out the stack of papers ¡°This is what Gament gave me when he decided to let you go to be with Bernard¡± Eleanor held the documents, flipping through them page by page Jason Clowers Personal Asset Transfer Agreement¨CEleanor All property under Jason¡¯s name Transfer Agreement¨CEleanor The Clowers Group¡¯s 70% share transfer agreement¨CEleanor N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Jason, also known as Garrett, had left her everything he had Eleanor walked over to the window and saw Garrett in his wheelchair, looking towards her room He was filled with reluctance and also helplessness Eleanor thought for a moment, then picked up the hem of her dress, wearing the crystal shoes Bernard had given her, and headed downstairs When Bernard walked across thewn to the vi¡¯s entrance, he saw Garrett at a nce. His steps suddenly halted Garrett saw him too, didn¡¯t say a word, didn¡¯t nod, just nced at hum, and then locked away Cedric, who was there to pick up the bride looked at Bernard with aplex expression, then at Garrett sitting in the wheelchair Why would Jason choose to show up at the wedding? Was he trying to tantly steal the bride? He looked at Aidyn Reyes standing outside the vi, questioning him with his eyes: What¡¯s going on? Aidyn looked towards Hailey, indicating. She¡¯s the one who brought Garrett in, it has nothing to do with Aidyn Cedric followed Aidyn¡¯s gaze to Hailey, who wasing down the stairs. Hailey saw him and then looked away Seeing that she didn¡¯t care about him, Cedric clenched the bouquet in his hand Hailey Vulpe had already deleted her contact She was still ignoring him; did this mean she had completely moved on from him? When Eleanor came down the stairs and saw Bernard, she bypassed him and went straight to Garrett As she passed by hum, Bernard had already reached out his hand. But when he realized she was going to Garrett, he suddenly stopped. He turned and watched the woman in her wedding dress confidently marching towards Garrett His heart was filled with an unbearable pain, so painful that he couldn¡¯t breathe Eleanor so as long as he appeared you would choose him without any hesitation, right? Then what dids Bernard mean to you? The lychee roses he held in his hand drooped weakly So no matter how hard he tried, he could never surpass Garrett Even if he were willing to give his life for her, he could never surpass Chapter 719 Chapter 719 The folks of the Laurence n watched Bernard suddenly lose his mojo They red at the woman walking towards Gamett, resentment in their eyes. They knew how much Benard loved hee Why was the treating him this way? she couldn¡¯t get over her first love, the shouldn¡¯t have agreed to Bernard¡¯s proposal. Why did she have to humiliate hun like this on their wedding day? Deanor was clueless. She walked up to Garrett and said, ¡°Garrett, I know you want to give me the best. But you¡¯ve already given me the best in the past ¡°can¡¯t and shouldn¡¯t ept these assets. Lowe you too much already, don¡¯t make me owe you more, okay?¡± Eleanor turned to face the man who had his back to hei, gathering the courage to confess her love for him in front of Gavett. ¡°Gamett, I know what I¡¯m about to say is going to hurt. But fim really sorry. Hove Bernard. Im willing to give it all for him ¡± To give it all Game reyed there words in his mind over and over So she was willing to take a bullet for him on their wedding day because she was willing to give it all for love Before he wasn¡¯t sure whether Eleanor loved him or Bemard more Now he understood Garrett took the documents, smiling at Eleanor When I saw you crossing over Bernard and heading towards me just now, I thought maybe you¡¯d changed your mind and wanted to be with me¡± ¡°But there was always this voice in my head telling me that its impossible. Because I know the one you love is not me anymore¡± Garrett said this with a deeper smile, as if he were narrating someone else¡¯s story. ¡°Mrs. Laurence, I¡¯ve known for a long time that you love him deeply You don¡¯t need to feel guilty about the wedding gift I gave you. It was meant for Bernard in the first ce I was Bernard who helped him reim these assets. How could he a man confined to a wheelchair, have regained these assets by himself? Garrett handed the documents to Colter, who was standing beside him ¡°Give this to Mr Laurence, and wish him a happy marriage¡± After Colter took the documents, he looked up at the man, who had already turned around, and smiled ¡°Mr Laurence, don¡¯t get me wrong Ive had this gift ready for a long time¡± ¡°Now that I think about it, it seems a bit inappropriate Gifts should naturally be given to the groom¡± ¡°Also, you must have heard your wife confess her love for you So rest assured¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°If she falls in love with someone as long as that person doesnt betray or abandon her, she won¡¯t leave Garrett looked at Eleanor and said, ¡°Mrs Laurence, I wont be attending the wedding. Go find him, and stop worrying about me¡± Eleanor looked at Garrett, thinking he hadn¡¯t changed at all. He was still the same determined and persistent young man. Once he made a decision, no one could change it. She knew Bernard wouldn¡¯t ept his gift, so she didn¡¯t try to convince Garrett anymore. She just said, ¡°Garrett, I¡¯m leaving first, you She didn¡¯t have the courage to invite him to the wedding And Garrett had made it clear to her that he wouldn¡¯t attend the wedding She didn¡¯t say anything more and turned to walk towards Bernard When she got to him, she reached out and took his arm, feeling that his body was a bit stiff She looked up at him and said, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Bernard seemed a bit upset, shot her a nce, and didn¡¯t say a word. He just clenched her hand tightly and turned to face Colter next to him. ¡°Take it back, I don¡¯t need a gift¡± Colter shook his head and said, ¡°Mr. Laurence, my boss sincerely congrattes you. Please ept it, or he wont be able to leave with peace of mind) Chapter 720 Chapter 720 Halley seeing them bickering over a pit stepped forward took the bag looked at them, and said ¡°m Halley¡¯s minder made anni firm in hai decision and asted the tension on the murences fares Bernard nced at Garrett again seeing the man in the wheelchair amshashady staring at Fles Heat ufortable and sympathetic Thereplex emotions made him ne rritated He simply took Eleaners hand and handed in the backyard. Emano foliowed behind him and quietly and ¡°Are you getting jealous again Homard full of pade in his voice mid te pralous?¡± He would never tell he that his haait almost broke when the ignoted him and walked toward Gane Eleanor nced at the hand tightly holding hers, and a happy smile appeared on her lips Het afraid of her leaving but wouldn¡¯t admit it. Here like a proud peacock who won¡¯t acknowledge it She looked up at Bernard¡¯s handsome tide and said. ¡°Theannck, where are we getting married?¡± Bernard lowered his head. furrowed his brows and asked ¡°What peacock?¡± for you day! Whather you want it or not, wati talk about it after the wedding. Don¡¯t ak?tatima Eleanor dropped the hand that was holding her dress and patted his arm its the nickname I just came up with for you. Do you like Bernard, who had been annoyed by her twice on their wedding day pinched her cheek and said. ¡°You wait, you¡¯ll regret it tonight¡± Eleanor lifted her chin and moved closer to him. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, we can switch to jealous king¡± Berand Eleanor hugged his arm and shook it. ¡°Quick, tell me where are we getting married?¡± The man looked at her acting cute and his unsettled heart foundfort in ¡°Irnd¡± bnd is a ce where divorce is forbidden Choosing such a ce was to tell her in his mamage, there¡¯s no divorce, only death do us part They both dressed in white wedding attire,ughed heartily and walked toward thewn Behind them were the Laurmces, the bride¡¯s friends, her niece And a forty something makeup team as well as hundreds of bodyguards They all boarded the helicopters, leaving the man in the wheelchair to watch the helicopters fly by in the sky. After a long time, he lowered his head to look at his legs, then said. ¡°Colte after we get back to B City, cancel the wedding with the Herman family¡± He and Ms. Herman had signed an agreement. They didn¡¯t love each other, it was a mamage of convenience Ms. Herman wanted to avoid pressure from her family to get marned. He didn¡¯t want Eleanor to feel guilty and hesitate to choose Bernard Now that she had removed the obstacles in her heart and directly told him that she couldn¡¯t live without Bernard So this agreement no longer had a purpose Everything was over ¡°Mr Clowers actually. Ms Herman is not bad, maybe you could..¡® ¡°Your wedding with Yilia is alsoing up soon Before Colte could finish, Garrett interrupted him saying ¡°Just tell me what gift you want! Colter looked at the pale man and gently shook his head ¡°I don¡¯t need a gift, I just hope you can cheer up¡± Let go of the past thirty years memory and look forward there is still a long time waiting for him. As the president of the Clowers Group, he didn¡¯t need to stay stuck in one ce for a woman who no longer loved him Garrett looked up again at the sky. The helicopters were still flying toward the blue sky and white clouds ¡°Cotter, if you own your life only for one person, you¡¯ll find that you can never move on¡± ¡°And 100# Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Colte followed his gaze to the sky and said. ¡°Look at what?¡± Garrett amuied and said ¡°Look, the weather wasn¡¯t this good on the day of our wedding¡± This proved that he was not Eleanors perfect match, only that guy named Bernard was Because even the heavens were blessing them Chapter 721 Chapter 721 Sigrid Laurence arrived a tadte. As she approached the vi, she spotted Jason who was once rumored to be engaged to he She ambled orm and greeted him in a geous and elegant manner. ¡°M Clowers¡± Garretts gare slowly fell from the sky filled with longing The woman before him was dressed in a cream colored strapless sick haute couture gown, exuding elegance and nobility. Garrett nced at her and nodded courteoushy but did not say much Signd also nodded at him and then turned to walk towards thewn where thest helicopter was parked On Valentine¡¯s Day February 14 hundreds of helicopters flew across the A City sky, circled around, and landed at the airport Half an hourte fifty colorfully decorated white nes rushed towards trnd National news reported ¡°President Berard of the Lawrence Group has arrived in tnd on February 14. A wedding of the century in aliout to take ce in Irnd It is reported that this wedding cost 1 billion and the wedding scene is Incredibly luxurious and astounding The journalists who followed only took photos of the scene. These photos were taken before the newlyweds arrived Before the newlyweds entered, all the journalists at the scene were asked to leave The reporters had no idea who the wife was whom the president of the Lawrence Group had pursued for ten years and spent a huge amount of money to marry. They hid behind the trees and waited Soon, hundreds of luxury cars adorned with ribbons and balloons parked at the castle gate N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. The lead car was wrapped in litchi roses. The car door was slowly pushed open from the inside A man in a white suit got out of the car and reached his hand into it Reporters held ther breath and zoomed in on the president of the Lawrence Group- Soon a slender hand was ced in Bernard¡¯s hand The man¡¯s hand tightly held that hand and carefully led the person out Diamonds shimmered like stars in the camera lens The wedding dress made ofce roses and precious diamonds, entuated her perfect figure The veil was draped behind her. The bride did not look back, and all that could be seen in the camera were their backs The bride lifted her wedding dress, the groom looked at her sideways, and the solemn castle was ahead If this photo was rendered in dark tones, it would be an ancient wedding of the century Reporters wanted to take a few more shots, but a group of bodyguards in ck suits appeared They gestured at the reporters expressionlessly. The reporters handed over their cameras obediently, out of fear The bodyguards solemnly checked the cameras and only returned them when they found no frontal photos of Eleanor Mr Lawrence¡¯s identity was very special it¡¯s best for outsiders don¡¯t know what his family looks like or who they are. But a back photo doesn¡¯t matter However, such a back photo caused a huge stir domestically. Many people were guessing who the person in the back photo is Specifically, who won the heart of the president of the Lawrence Group and let these tycoons greet her with hundreds of helicopters, private jets, and luxury cars? Eleanor the person involved, had no idea how the situation had evolved. She just lifted her wedding dress and followed closely behind the man, heading towards the castle Chapter 722 Chapter 722 The Gothic castle surrounded by roses and rosettes kit like stepping into a fairy tale world with tall pointed roofs that reach the sky The castle was surrounded by an endlesswn shaded by green trees, sorge that you need to take a camage to get around Sunlight streamed in through the windows inside the castle, shining on the ceremony stage Florists had lied the entire castle with thousands and thousands of lychee roses At the top of the castle was a clear crystal, surrounded by walls emitting a red aumia and an elegant and wless champagne colored carpet, transforming the wedding venue into a work of art The most famous priest waiting at the some and the royal orchestra add a sense of holiness and chann to this work of art Seeing the dreamlike scene in front of hes, Eleanor es mosten She and at the man next to her thinking Thank goodness she lived to see this man¡¯s love for her with her own eyes Beard seemed to understand her gaze. He let go of her hand, allowing her to hook his arm ¡°Mrs. Laurence walking down this red carpet with me is a promise cf a lifetime, am you ready?¡± Eleanor looked at him affectionately, nodding gently Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Tim ready Mr Laurence¡± Bernard gave her a deep, affectionate smile, then turned and waved to the two little flower children However, the two little flower children seemed to be at odds. They were grabbing petals from the flower basket and throwing them at each other¡¯s faces Therael I hate you!¡± ¡°Sermina Ziegler hate you too I never want to see you again!¡± Nina stomped her foot in anger She put down her little basket and was about to rush up to argue with Israel Liana quickly stopped her ¡°Nina, your job today is to be a flower girl, not to argue¡± ¡°But Israel ripped my flower wreath. He¡¯s always provoking me it¡¯s so annoying¡± in order to get the two little flower children familiar with each other, they were allowed to sit together on the private jet When they first met, Israel and Nina were wry shy and polite But six¨Cyear¨Cold Israel was a bit naughty and always pulled at Nina¡¯s flower wreath Nina struggled to protect her wreath from being ruined, and as a result, it was ripped to shreds Nina argued with Israel the entire way, and even though the makeup artist made her a new wreath, she was very unhappy Veronica Laurence, seeing her son and Nina at odds, quickly put down her handbag and said to Nina, ¡°Nina, how about let you pull out ten of Israel¡¯s hairs after you finish today¡¯s task with him?¡± Nina¡¯s eyes lit up at the sound of this. But when she saw israel¡¯s innocent face, she immediately waved her hand. ¡°Never mind I was bom an hour earlier than Israel, making me his older sister I won¡¯t hold it against him¡± Veronica was very pleased to see Nina being so generous, and she patted her head ¡°Your willingness to do this shows your kindness. But if he does something wrong, he must be punished. That¡¯s the rule of the Laurence family¡± Chapter 723 Chapter 723 Halley noticed Veronica was pretty strict when it came to raising kids She reckoned that if Eleanor could marry into such a family it would be a jackpot The other rtives were all very friendly As Eleanor¡¯s sister, she had to do a good job educating Nina too Hailey gently pinched Nina¡¯s cheek ¡°Nima, you also sad some natty stuff to israel After Israel¡¯s punishment, you should apologize Otherwise he might feel it¡¯s not fau Israel started it by messing with Nina¡¯s flower crown, but Nina was the first to throw insults. That kicked off the fight between the two kids Nina was a good listener when it came to Hailey, she nodded obediently and said ¡°I will apologize¡± With that the kids squabble was settled Veronica stood up giving Hailey an approving look while praising her Then Veronica¡¯s gazended on the woman standing next to Cedric Compared to Cedric¡¯s old Fame Veronica liked Hailey better It¡¯s just a shame Cedric was no ky and always seemed to have his head in the clouds He knew full well his parents didn¡¯t approve of him being with his ex but he still brought her to the wedding Who knew what he was thinking Cedric couldn¡¯t take his eyes off Hairy But Halley didn¡¯t nce back at him once she just pushed Nina and Israel inside After Nina and Israel arrived in front of Eleanor and Bernard with their little flower baskets, they bowed and said, ¡°Sorry, we¡¯rete Eleanor and Beard exchanged amused nces, smiling ¡°No worries, the bells haven¡¯t rung yet. The wedding hasn¡¯t started¡± As if on cu a castle worker standing on high ground gently rang the bell three times, signaling the start of the wedding Eleanor, holding onto Bemard¡¯s arm with one hand and her bouquet with the other, began to walk towards the ceremony tform to the sound of cheerful music Her wedding dress trailed on the carpet, stiming up a flurry of pink rose petals, adding a pop of color to the pure white dress Behind them were the bridesmaids Hailey and Liana, the best man Cedric, and Matthew Laurence, who had flown in from Africa. The priest at the tform, holding the scriptures, asked after his wedding speech ¡°Groom, in sickness and in health, for nicher or poorer, in youth and in old age, are you willing to care for her for life never to part?¡± Bernard, who had been looking at Eleanor all the while, had a determined look in his eyes when he heard this This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°Absolutely His voice was maic and filled with affection The priest then turned to Eleanor, smiling *Bride in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, in youth and in old age, are you willing to care for him for life, never to part?¡± Eleanor, who had been exchanging loving looks with Bernard, nodded resolutely ¡°I do¡± *Then, pleasee up and sign Eleanor was somewhat puzzled Shouldn¡¯t they be exchanging rings now? What was this signing about? Bernard, holding Eleanor¡¯s hand, helped her lift the heavy hem of her dress as they walked towards the stage. Two framed documents were ced on the stage. The thick papers read Today is February 14th, Valentine¡¯s Day Groom Bernard Bride Eleanor They will be husband and wife Mamage contract period one hundred years. Only death can separate them Signature Bernard signed his name without hesitation As he handed the pen to Eleanor, he looked at her as if asking if she dared to sign Eleanor smiled at him, took the pen, and carefully wrote down her name Ther love story began with a five¨Cyear lovers agreement. Their ending was a hundred year life and death contract. Signing this contract in Irnd, where divorce is forbidden, and making this promise meant eternal commitment Chapter 724 Chapter 724 After the signing ceny the priest instructed the couple to change rings, all witnessed by the Laurences and Hailey Liana Dernard, in his white suit took hold of the diamond ring and grabbed Eleanor hand The moment the massive diamond ring slid onto her ring finger Eleanor almost burst into tears After putting on the ring. Bernand lowered his head to tenderly kiss the back of Eleanor¡¯s gloved hand When he finished, he looked up at the woman in hont of him, dressed in a pure white wedding dres ¡°Eleanor, I love you¡± ¡°I love you too Eleanor thought the wedding ceremony would end after the champagne was poured But she didn¡¯t expect Bernard to head towards a stage on the side and sit before a grand, expensive na His fingers lightlynded on the keys, then he looked towards Cedric, sitting on the opposite side The spotlight shane on them making them look like ancient nobles from the West ¡°This is a piano piece my brotherposed for you He will be the lead, and I will apany him¡± ¡°And my sister will dance for you¡± Cedric, in his ck suit, snapped his fingers. The spotlight shifted to Eleanor She stood there nervously looking at the man sitting at the piano He had taken off his suit jacket and was only wearing a white shirt. The fabric of the shirt was smooth and wrinkle¨Cfree This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Bernard was as beautiful as a god descended from heaven His fingertips were on the ck and white piano keys, as if dancing for the gods. Eleanor thought Bernard¡¯s appearance and temperament had already reached a peak, but she didn¡¯t expect Bernard ying the ng at this moment made her heart flutter Cedric who had been well¨Cversed in music and good at ying the piano since childhood, was ying along with Bernard¡¯s rhythm skillfully And Signd, quietly dancing They were the best of the Laurence family¡¯s generation, willing to y second fiddle at the wedding just to win a smile from the bride. Upon seeing this, Liana and Hailey exchanged nces, their faces showing unprecedented envy Hailey gently nudged Liana. ¡°If you¡¯re envious, have Will Webb throw you one¡± Although Liana was envious she was still sensible Mr Laurence spending a billion is nothing to him. But Will¡¯s spending a billion would deplete a lot of his savings. I would feel bad¡± Laughing, Hailey said. ¡°You¡¯re not even his wife yet, and you¡¯re already worrying about him Is this love?¡± Liana quickly changed the subject to ¡°Cedric ys the piano really well¡± Distracted, Halley agreed. ¡°He is indeed very talented in that area¡± In the three years they were together, Cedric often yed the piano after making love, bringing her joy. At those times, Hailey would lie on the bed, watching this noble prince¨Clike man ying the piano for her withplex emotions ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with Cedric Hailey¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by a soft voice from a woman behind them. Chapter 725 Chapter 725 Hailey and Liang veled their heads at the same time looking at the woman who was questioning them. She appeared fragile¨Cthe kind that easily triggered mens protective instincts Liana di recognize her But Harley did in a heartbeat. She was Cedric¡¯s first love the one he was hugging in the pictures he¡¯d posted Hailey had expected that Cedric would bring his first love to the wedding it was like he was publicly dering their rtionship Hailey¡¯s gamdrifted to the man sitting on the stage. He was smiling It seemed like he was pretty content with the current situation. At least he had stopped messing around and started dating seriously with manage in mind Even though the person he was going to marry wasm Hailey Without answering Liana spoke up ¡°We¡¯re friends of the bride, we just happen to know the bridesmaids and groomsmen The girls guard came down after hearing this, and she looked at them, smiling and asked, ¡°I am Cedric¡¯s girlfriend Hertha¡± Liana fraze for a few seconds, subconsciously ncing at Hailey next to her but keeping her facial expression unchanged. She nodded at Hertha and said ¡°Hello¡± After greeting her Liana turned her head back asionally srieaking nces at Hailey from the corner of her eye Seeing that there werent any significant emotional changes on Hailey¡¯s face, she sighed in relief Cedric and Halley must have broken up. Once the wedding was over and they were back home, Hailey would be choosing a boyfriend at the ball The wedding ceremony in the castle was nearing its end Eleanor stood on thewn with the bouquet in her hand her back to the unmarried men and women, ready to throw the bouquet behind her, 1 Before she threw the bouquet, she specifically looked at where Hailey and Liana were throwing it in their direction without hesitation The bouquet was originally caught by Harley But Hertha had pushed the bouquet towards Sigrid, who was standing next to her Sigrid quickly nced at Hertha who had pushed the bouquet towards her jumping up and once again throwing the bouquet towards Hailey Liana dickly stopped Hertha, who had tried to push the bouquet away once more So the bouquet ended up in Hailey¡¯s hand Harley feeling a bit embarrassed, handed the bouquet to Hertha and said, ¡°Here, I actually don¡¯t need it¡± Before Hertha could say anything Sigrid walked over and said, ¡°She just pushed the bouquet towards me to try and get on my good side. Ms Vulpe you don¡¯t have to pay her any Hertha her intentions exposed by Sigrid, blushed and lowered her head mumbling in a small voice. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, I wanted to Before she could finish her sentence. Sigrid turned around and walked away. The other Laurences, who had nned to snatch the bouquet, shot her a disdainful look Hertha¡¯s face grew increasingly embarrassed, but in front of Hailey and Liana, she still managed to keep smiling Im sorry I didn¡¯t mean to After saying that, she turned around and briskly walked towards Cedric Hailey saw Hertha wrap her arm around his and start acting coy Then Cedric started walking toward her Cedric suddenly extended his hand toward her Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Ms Vulpe, my girlfriend would like a bouquet of flowers, could you give it to me?¡± Hearing this, Hailey hesitated and looked at Hertha Didn¡¯t Hertha just reject it? What did it mean for Cedric to ask for it? Chapter 726 Chapter 726 Hertha, holding Cedric¡¯s arm gently said. ¡°Cedric, don¡¯t make a fuss about it. 115 just a bouquet of flowers Ms Volpe didnt do it on purpose. Haley got the picture Hertha was just taking out on her the frustrations the got from Sigud Because it was the who made it impossible for Hertha to please Supid and also suffer humiliation from her If she had dodged when Sigrid pushed the flowers back to her, Hertha wouldn¡¯t have had Cedric pick a bone with her She didn¡¯t expect that Cedric would actually confront her for being a maniptive girlfriend and demand the flowers that should have been hers without any besitation. if she had just admired his piano ying now Hailey smided didnt say anything and handed over the flowers in her hand to himm Cedric just stared at the bouquet Maybe he himself felt it was a bit petty so the dant ruth to take it ¡°You wanted it didnt you? Why arent you taking it? Seeing that he didnt take it or respond Halley offered the flowers again. ¡°It¡¯s just a bouquet of flowers i don¡¯t really care Flowers don¡¯t care and people don¡¯t care either Those who have been through a failed marriage wouldn¡¯t expect too much anyway Harleys nonchnt demeanor made Cedric frown. He seemed a bit pissed ¡°Halley it older than me Of course she would be more generous ¡± 7 Harley chuckled, flicked her hair that was blocking her vision behind her ears, and stole a nce at Hertha ¡°If i were unreasonable, your girlfriend would be pissed Better be generous instead if I were to really take action, both you and your girlfriend wouldnt be able to take it.¡± Her actions exuded maturity. But her words were tough. Her eyes were also firm it seemed that if they kept causing trouble, she would really take action. Seeing Hailey like this. Liana thought that if this wasn¡¯t Eleanors wedding Hailey would have probably taken action against Hertha already in Hailey¡¯s words, she¡¯s just an ordinary person, not some high¨Cborndy if anyone pissed her off, she would take action directly When she was divorcing her ex-husband, her ex and a third party distorted the truth in court The first thing Harley did after leaving the court was to grab a few guys and beat the crap out of the third party and her ex¨Chusband For Harley she would rather take action than reason to avoid breaking the peace. ¡°Do you want it or not?¡± Haley¡¯s clearly impatient tone made ?edric¡¯s face turn even sourer He clenched his teeth, reached out, snatched the bouquet, and handed it to Hertha in front of Hailey ¡°Baby catch this bouquet. This symbolizes a wonderful marriage ising which should be ouring marriage This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Hertha happily took the bouquet tiptoed, and passionately kissed Cedric¡¯s cheek ¡°Cedric, you¡¯re just like before. You always help me get what I want. Im really touched¡± As Hertha said this, she inadvertently looked at Hailey This woman older than Cedric seemed to have a love¨Chate rtionship with him When she was studying abroad, she heard about Cedric¡¯s rtionship with an older girlfriend, who was also a divorcee Could it be the woman in front of her? Hertha still maintained a gentle smile on her face, watching Hailey¡¯s gentle smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t really want this bouquet But I really want to marry Cedric, so I asked him to get it from you. I hope you won¡¯t me Cedric. It invite you to dinner as an apology¡± Was she prised Who saw that she was pissed at Cedric? She thought Norene was annoying enough, but there¡¯s someone even more annoying Hailey looked at Eleanor and Bernard surrounded by the elders of the Laurence family in the distance if this wasnt Eleanor¡¯s wedding and to avoid making the scene awkward she really wanted to break her teeth. Hailey took a deep breath and decided to ignore them Just as she was about to pull Liana away. Cedric sneered ¡°if shes mad at me maybe the sun will rise from the west¡® ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Hertha asked innocently, and Cedric lovingly touched her head ¡°Because her heart is like a stone, cold as ice. How could she possibly get mad?¡± Even if he got married right now, she wouldn¡¯t have any emotional reaction Chapter 727 Chapter 727 Hailey¡¯s face was dead serious Her ex¨Chusband used to call her as stiff as a block of wood And now Cedric was doing the same. Was it because she hadn¡¯t been good enough in the past three years, or was it her destiny to be belilled by men ¡°Cedric, don¡¯t talk about Haley like that She may be a bit order than you, but she¡¯s a woman after all Hertha looking all poised and alegant, grabbed Cedric¡¯s arm lightly ¡°You¡¯re Hertha, right? You seem quite mature You must be no spring chicken yourself Hertha was taken aback by the personal attack from Hailey¡¯s friend Her face turned red with anger She bxt her lower lip and looked down, trying to y the vulnerable victim to win Cedric¡¯s sympathy N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. But Liana didnt give her that chance. She pulled out a gold embossed business card from her handbag and handed it to Hertha with a simile ¡°own a hospital We¡¯ve got a department for stic surgery¡± ¡°If you have some free time, you coulde by for a facelift or some Botox, it might make you look younger¡± ¡°We¡¯ve only just met, but you could be a potential client I could give you a 20% discount¡± Hertha just about to y the victim was taken aback. She looked at Liana in disbelief. She was obviously younger than them, it was clear as day And she wanted her to get Botox and a facelift? Hertha¡¯s cheeks were trembling with rage, but she gritted her teeth, ring at the business card. But when she saw the name of the hospital, she froze It was the most famous and luxurious private hospital in A City it was rumored to be so expensive that ordinary people wouldn¡¯t dare to register there. She couldn¡¯t believe that this rude woman owned such an expensive hospital. Hertha clenched her fists but didn¡¯t show it and didn¡¯t throw a fit there. Instead, she reached out and took the card. ¡°Well, thank you. Liana Terrill.¡± ¡°Cedric lets go¡± Hertha said taking Cedric¡¯s arm and resuming her gentle demeanor, looking at Hailey and Liana ¡°Ladies. I¡¯m sorry Cedric and I are off to y in Irnd Town, we¡¯ll chat next time. ¡°And She raised the bouquet of lychee roses, waving it at Hailey with a smile ¡°Thanks for giving me the bouquet, Hailey¡± As Hertha said this, she raised an eyebrow it was as if she were saying. Thanks for handing over Cedric to me She happily led Cedric away. As Cedric turned to leave, he nced back at the silent Hailey For some reason, Haileys expression made him feel oppressed. it felt like he was about to lose something making him feel restless, but he didn¡¯t know why As Cedric and Hertha turned to leave a cold heartless voice came from behind ¡°If you dare to take those flowers, I¡¯ll chop off your hand¡± Bernard walked up with Eleanor He nced at Cedric, then looked coldly at Hertha ¡°I didn¡¯t invite you here After uttering those cold words, he signaled to the staff nearby ¡°Please ask thisdy to leave Hertha looked at Bernard in disbelief, but she was shaking with fear She quickly lowered her head, clutching Ceoric¡¯s arm, trembling ¡°Cedric, I¡¯m scared¡± Cedric took a deep breath and pleaded with Bernard ¡°Shes my grifriend now don¡¯t be like this to her Bernard said emotionlessly ¡°Only the Laurence family acknowledged one can be your girlfriend¡± Then he added without expression ¡°Return the flowers to Ms Vulpe before I lose my temper¡± Hailey wanted to say not to let a bouquet ruin the brothers rtionship But before she could speak, Eleanor stopped her. Eleanor signaled Hailey not to speak, then stepped forward, sizing up Hertha from head to toe The moment Hertha locked eyes with Eleanor she immediately yed the victim, leaning behind Cedric She looked as if a nce from Eleanor would devour her appearing very scared and wronged. Eleanor turned to Cedric wth absolute honesty and said. Chapter 728 Chapter 728 ¡°When I threw the bouquet, it was Hairy who might it first. But your girlfriend shoved it out of Hailey¡¯s hands to buck up to your sister If you don¡¯t believe me ask your sister¡± Eleanor meant to clear things up from the get go to prevent Dent from bearing just one side of the story is just that they got held up by the older forks of the Laurence family for a bat After Laying her part. Eleanor chucked, ¡°Also after your sister shoved the bouquet back to Hailey Hailey immediately returned it to your girlfriend. You gifriend didnt want it. I don¡¯t know why she refused it only in as you for it Cedric¡¯s handsome face darkened at this revtion. When he looked at Hertha there was a coldness in his eyes Was it said that she swallowed her pride and asked Harley for the bouquet, but Harley refuted saying she wasnt worthy? Hertha felt his gaze and immediately looked downcast She said misunderstood Hailey i thought she didnt want to give it to me As she finished, she looked at Cedric almost on the verge of tears ¡°Cedric, remember how my ear got messed up when | saved youst month? I must¡¯ve misheard which caused this misunderstanding¡± Cedric frowned and didn¡¯t say anything else. is silence meant he was hesitant Hertha knew Cedric¡¯s personality well so she didn¡¯t bother exining further. Sometimes caving too much could make things worse. Hertha knew what Cedric was thinking She chuckled to herself but maintained a cool exterior and bowed in apology to Eleanor and the others. ¡°I¡¯m sorry my ear had problem. I didn¡¯t mean to cause any misunderstanding¡± ¡°I have the best ENT specialists in my hospital who are internationally renowned. You shoulde check it out¡® Liana coped Hertha¡¯s demeanor smiling, but her words were sharp, piercing through her lies. Hertha was so angry the was almost suffocating She was about to have her ties exposed, and her grip tightened around the bouquet She tried to control her temper, but the man standing behind the bride was staring at her with his sharp eyes ¡°Give the bouquet back to Ms Vulpe Bernard was always the quiet type, never one to engage in women¡¯s squabbles But he wouldn¡¯t let anyone off easily if they bulled his wife¡¯s friends Hertha was fuming. To add to her fury Cedric didn¡¯t give her a nce after hearing the bride¡¯s words. His eyes were glued to the woman across from him, not budging a bit At first, she had her doubts. But now she was a hundred percent sure that woman was the one who had been with Celine for three years. No woman hadsted more than half a year with Cedric, but this woman, older than Cedric, had managed to stay with him for three years Why her? Hertha was beyond pissed But what pissed her off more was the head of the Laurence family He knew she was his brother¡¯s girlfriend, yet he didn¡¯t give her any face Hertha clenched her fists and red at Bernard, Cedric¡¯s parents, and the other Laurences if they hadn¡¯t stopped her from marrying Cedric, the would¡¯ve been Cedric¡¯s wife by now These high and mighty tycoons looked down on her family background her education, and her looks! But no matter, she had won Cedric¡¯s heart back with her life¨Csaving act. She would marry into the Laurence family someday. When she does the will get revenge for being snubbed by the Laurence family With this in mind Hertha swallowed all her emotions and handed the bouquet back to Hailey with a gracious smile ¡°Hailey I¡¯m sorry I shouldn¡¯t have asked for this bouquet i truly apologize¡± The more humble the acted the more immature Hailey would appear In such contrast, there was no way Cedric could still have feelings for that woman But to her surprise, Hailey didnt refuse the bouquet instead she took it and said ¡°I didn¡¯t know what kind of person you were. I thought giving you a bouquet wasn¡¯t a big deal¡± ¡°But after hearing what you just said I think giving you this bouquet, a symbol of the bride and groom¡¯s love, would tarnish the purity of the bouquet and their love This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. With that. Hailey didn¡¯t even nce at Hertha or Cedric and walked away Watching Halley¡¯s retreating figure Cedric suddenlyughed He was irritated when she didnt say anything But when she spoke up, it brought him some joy This meant that at least she had some emotional reactions. Chapter 729 Chapter 729 After Hailey left, Bernard shot a frosiy nce at the side staff ¡°Get her out.¡± The staff caught on at once and walked up to Hertha, gesturing for her to leave ¡°Madam, you¡¯re not wee here. Please leave at once¡± Hertha hadn¡¯t expected the head of the Laurence family to actually kick her out! She was seething but she kept her temper in check in front of Cedric There was no way she was going to ruin her good image in Cedric¡¯s eyes Only by maintaining this good image could she possibly convince Cedric to marry her. With this thought in mind. Hertha lowered her head, feigning humility, and said to Cedric, Then 111 leave first.¡± Cedric didn¡¯t seem to care much and just nodded. ¡°Alright, you go ahead¡± Hertha thought that by saying this, he would hold her hand and leave with her. She couldn¡¯t believe he just told her to go ahead. Hertha gave Cedric, who was still looking in the direction of the pld woman, an incredulous look. Her expression suddenly twisted a bit. She was fuming inside but she silently turned around and left. Just wait she thought. She would find a way to make that old woman back down voluntarily After Hertha left, the wedding banquet was not over yet, the Laurence family and Bernard¡¯s friends were still in the dining area, drinking and chatting As the bride and groom, they couldn¡¯t leave while the guests were still there. Bernard was clearly a little impatient, but he put up with it. Seeing many people raising their sses to toast Bernard, Eleanor said something to him and then took Liana to find Hailey Hailey was sitting on thewn, eating snacks. She seemed okay, but Eleanor, who knew her well, understood that she was upset. She sat down next to Hailey and said, ¡°Hailey, don¡¯t take what Cedric said to heart. He just doesn¡¯t know any better¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Liana also sat down andforted Hailey with a pat on her shoulder, saying, ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s just like that. Don¡¯t stoop to his level.¡± Seeing that her two good friends were worried about her, Hailey felt warm inside and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Im just wondering why all the men I meet are like this. Isn¡¯t there a single good one?¡± Liana chuckled and said. ¡°Wait until we get back home. I¡¯ll throw a ball, and there will be plenty of great men for you to choose from.¡± Hearing this, Hailey cheered up quite a bit, her eyes even lit up. ¡°Can I be the belle of the ball then?¡± Liana joked with augh, ¡°Do you want to be a princess?¡± Without any shyness, Hailey nodded. ¡°Yes, I want to be a princess.¡± Eleanor was utterly confused and asked the two. What ball?¡± After Liana briefly exined, Eleanor expressed some regret. Too bad, I¡¯ll be on my honeymoon. Otherwise, I would love to go¡± Hearing this, Liana waved her hands in fright and said, ¡°Even if you weren¡¯t on your honeymoon, I wouldn¡¯t dare invite you. Don¡¯t say things like that in front of me, it scares me.¡± Eleanor was about to say that Liana was exaggerating when Pearce Hooper and George rushed up to her. ¡°We¡¯re very sorry, we were robbed on the way here, so we¡¯rete¡± A still panting George pointed at Pearce andined, it¡¯s all his fault. He insisted on taking the ferry, and we ended up getting hijacked by a bunch of people. I don¡¯t even know who they are.¡± Chapter 730 Chapter 730 Pearce was far from pleased when he heard George¡¯s words. He retorted, ¡°Yeah, I did suggest taking the ferry. But you didn¡¯t object, did you? And would we have gotten into trouble if you hadn¡¯t hit on a girl on the ferry?¡± George was so angry that his lips were trembling You you you didn¡¯t you flirt with a girl too?¡± Pearce firmly denied 11 say it again, I didn¡¯t hit on her. She came onto me! George gritted his teeth and said. ¡°Whats the difference? The trouble was all because you insisted on taking the ferry!¡± Seeing that the two were about to go at each other¡¯s throats, Eleanor stepped in and pulled George away, saying. ¡°You should be prepared for problems when you¡¯re with Pearce Seeing Eleanor¡¯s experienced demeanor, George felt like he had found someone to confide in He comined, 1 can handle problems. But he only brought ten thousand bucks, and the robber wanted nine thousand nine hundred and ny¨Cnine of it. He even insisted on giving the guy an extra dor And I got beaten up because of it.¡± Pearce couldnt be bothered to argue with them. He asked Eleanor. ¡°Has the wedding started?¡± Eleanor pointed to the setting sun and said. ¡°The sun¡¯s going down, what do you think?¡± Pearce simply replied, ¡°What a pity, I missed it.¡± There was a hint of regret in his eyes, but it vanished quickly. ¡°Since I missed the wedding, I don¡¯t have to give a gift, right?¡± ¡°You still have to give a gift, whether you attend or not You¡¯re not going to be stingy about this too, are you?¡± Hailey had already busted Pearce before Eleanor could respond Pearce red at Hailey, then turned to Eleanor with an awkward smile ¡°Sorry, my gift money got stolen. I don¡¯t even have money for a flight home. I might need your help¡± N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Liana couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud. Pearce was really an interesting guy Liana¡¯sughter made Pearce even more embarrassed. George also felt awkward. ¡°Uh metoo¡± After saying this, George patted his chest and vowed, ¡°I¡¯ll make it up to you when I get back!¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t care about the gift, she smiled and said to them, ¡°it¡¯s okay, as long as you guys are safe¡± George insisted. ¡°But I still want to give you a gift, what do you say, Pearce?¡± Pearce nced at George and said if you want to give, then give. Why drag me into it? Do I look rich to you? But in front of others, Pearce nodded and said, ¡°Dr George, you¡¯re right. We should definitely give!¡± After saying this with gritted teeth, Pearce sat down next to them, taking deep breaths while eating snacks and drinking wine. George also sat down and, after taking a sip of wine, started recounting the embarrassing incidents along the way At first, everyone who was gathered around felt sorry for George. But when they heard about Pearce¡¯s bizarre encounters, they all burst intoughter. Especially Hailey who wasughing so hard that she was bending over and patting Pearce¡¯s shoulder. Her brightughter irritated Cedric That guy seemed to get along well with her No matter what he said, she wouldugh. He didn¡¯t understand what was so funny. Chapter 731 Chapter 731 Up in the castle, Veronica took ke¡¯s hand and asked him, ¡°Gramps, don¡¯t you want to meet Eleanor?¡± ke Laurence, leaning on his cane, turned and snorted What¡¯s so special about her that I should meet her?¡± Seeing his reluctance, Veronica called him out ¡°If you didn¡¯t want to see her, you wouldn¡¯t havee to their wedding¡± Sure, he¡¯s been lurking around, watching from a distance without showing his face But he sure did rush over at the drop of a hat when he got Eleanor¡¯s text ke scoffed. ¡°She better be pregnant if she wants to be a part of the Laurence family¡± Veronica grined and said. ¡°Gramps, you might¡¯ve forgotten. The Laurence family is now run by Bernard You don¡¯t have a say anymore¡± ke grt his teeth and red at Veronica ¡°Are you trying to get a rise out of me?¡± Veronica waved it off. ¡°Oh, I wouldn1 dare. I respect you too much¡± ke coldly said, ¡®Don¡¯t tell them I was here* Being a man who cared about faces, ke turned and left after his parting words. Veronica watched the old man¡¯s stubborn back and shook her head They mighte back from their honeymoon with a¡¯baby That would put the old man in an awkward position. As dusk fell and the wedding feast ended, the guests left. Eleanor and Bernard boarded a boat Bernard had postponed his trip for a month and bought a huge ship just for this honeymoon Rumor had it that he wanted to take her around the world But being the CEO of the Laurence Group, he only had time for a month¨Clong trip Before the ship set sail, Hailey, Liana, and Nina gave them the wedding gifts they¡¯ve prepared. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Hailey and Nina¡¯s gifts were two small suitcases, while Liana¡¯s was a big red suitcase Liana kept telling Eleanor to only open the luggage before bathing at night, not at any other time. Eleanor was curious about what¡¯s inside, seeing Liana being so mysterious Just as she¡¯s about to ask Liana about the gift, Hailey shoved two big suitcases at her. ¡°This big one is the dowry from the Laurences It¡¯s full of bank cards¡± ¡°Each card has a password written on it. There¡¯s probably a lot of money. You can check it out when you get back.¡± This other one is your clothes and the money you prepared. Make sure you take it all¡± Eleanor thought for a moment, then pushed the dowry suitcase back to Hailey ¡°You take this home for me. It¡¯s not safe to take it on the trip. And also¡­¡± Eleanor took a deep breath. ¡°Hailey, the gifts from Garrett are too precious¡± ¡°When you get back, help me return all those transfer agreements to him.¡± She already owed him too much¨Cmore than she can repay in this lifetime. She can¡¯t ept his gifts anymore Even if she knew it¡¯s his intention. But what right did she have to ept his intention? Hailey knew Eleanor wont ept. She nodded understandingly, saying. ¡®Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make a trip to B City when I get back¡± After giving these instructions, Eleanor nced at Nina, who¡¯s about to fall asleep in George¡¯s arms, and says, ¡°Please take good care of the child¡± Eleanor had originally nned to take Nina with her. But George, Hailey, and Liana all disagreed, and Nina herself was against it Nina was a sensible child. She knew her aunt and uncle are going on their honeymoon and doesn¡¯t want to disturb them. So she¡¯s adamant about not going Hailey assured her there¡¯s no need to worry Bernard had assigned many professional bodyguards to protect them. There won¡¯t be any problems. Eleanor finally waved goodbye to them and walked towards the man waiting for her in the sunset Chapter 732 Chapter 732 The sunset glow spilled onto him, painting him in a soft golden hue that was gentle yet bright Eleanor stood in her wedding dress, the warm yellow light illuminating her and making the diamonds on the gown sparkle It was only then that the audience understood why the dress was hailed as a one of a kind masterpiece It turned that, under the evening light the dress radiated colors resembling a sea at sunset. It was breathtaking Eleanor was staring at her dress in awe when Bernard, impatient, hurried over to lead her up to the ship¡¯s top deck. ¡°What¡¯s the rush¡± Eleanor asked Bernard, holding her hand and ncing down at her neck and chest, replied, ¡°Guess?¡± ¡°To watch the sunset?¡® Eleanor guessed To watch you.¡± Bernard answered Eleanor was about to ask him what he meant when he suddenly swept her off her feet, wedding dress and all With practiced ease, Bernard carried her up to the fourth floor He kicked open the closed door and quickly stepped inside. Before Eleanor could take in the room, Bernard had already ced her on the bed He devoured her with his eyes for a few seconds before descending onto her with fervent kisses. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Eleanor pushed him off, saying. Thaven¡¯t removed my makeup or showered Dont rush.¡± She hoped for some romance tonight to make some sweet memories. She didn¡¯t want to dive straight into sex like they usually did¡­ But Bernard removed her hand and held her wrists above her head. He leaned down to kiss her again. Like a parched man, only contact with her could quench his inner thirst. How many times had he wanted to pin her beneath him when he saw her skin at the wedding ceremony? If not for wanting to give her a perfect ceremony, he would have taken her away earlier. But it wasn¡¯t toote, he still had a month with her. Bernard¡¯s actions made Eleanor think their honeymoon was going to be spent in bed Eleanor was on the verge of tears when Bernard¡¯s hand slipped under her wedding dress. He was trying to undo the dress¡¯s ties but found them to be endless. Bernard looked at the ties skeptically before continuing to unravel them, only to find more. Eleanor watched his furrowed brows and couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Mr. Laurence, this feels familiar, doesn¡¯t it?¡± The first time they met, she deliberately wore lots of clothes, making him undress heryer byyer like a Russian nesting doll. Bernard nced at her and asked, ¡°What did you call me?¡± Eleanor tilted her head at him and said, ¡°Mr. Laurence.¡± Bernard let go of the ties. He leaned down to gently touch her ear with his mouth. ¡°Darling, I¡¯ll give you another chance, what should you call me now?¡± His flirting skills were undoubtedly top¨Cnotch. He gripped her chin, not allowing her to dodge ¡°What should you call me?¡± After marriage, she should naturally address him as her husband But for some reason, she felt extremely shy about calling him that directly. ¡°Sweetheart, call me husband Let me hear it ¡± Chapter 733 Chapter 733 Eleanor¡¯s face turned red and she opened her m outh She tried to speak, but no sound came out Yikes, I cant get a word out¡± She covered her flushed face with her hand, hoping to hide her embarrassment. ¡°Huh? Cant make a sound¡± The man nibbled on her ear, his lips against her sensitive skin, causing her to tremble uncontrobly She pulled her neck in an attempt to avoid him, but his hot breath left her no escape. Wat I make you scream- Bernard tugged at the tangle of fies, easily undoing the wedding dress that would normally take several dressers to put on. He tossed the dress aside, his eyes filled with desire, looking at a woman who was only wearing pasties He seemed to be seeing such things for the first time, What¡¯s this?¡± Seeing his confusion. Eleanor deliberately misled him. ¡°It¡¯s a great thing to prevent per verts¡± Bernard saw the insinuation in her smiling eyes. He smirked, a doting smile appearing on his face. His fingertip intentionally traced her most sensitive area. You¡¯re being n aug hty, you need some punishment.¡± Eleanor dared not move, her breath quickening under his touch. She looked at the man on her, perfectly dressed with not a single har out of ce, while she was the one always disheveled first. Somewhat indignant, she reached out and h oo ked Bernard¡¯s neck, using all her strength to push him under her¡­. In these matters, Bernard was always the one with the upper hand, but this time she unexpectedly took the initiative A hint of surprise shed in Bernard¡¯s eyes, quickly reced by delight, ¡°are you going to make the first move this time?¡± Eleanor mustered up her courage, mimicked his seductive moves, lowered her head and nuzzled his ear, ¡°Together, alright?¡± Her sweet scent, gentle breath, and warm exhtion, like an electric current, ignited a heat in the man¡¯s lower abdomen. He reached out to grab her wrist, trying to regain control, but she held his tie, with a shy and yful smile: ¡°Take it easy, I¡¯ll do it¡± ¡°Hmm? Bernard put on a small smile. ¡°So, you like it this way¡­¡± Eleanor leaned into his ear and whispered, ¡°Do you know what my zodiac sign is?¡± ¡°Scorpio ¡°After he answered, he lifted his hand to hold her waist, ¡°You really hold a grudge¡± He didnt expect to be revenged by her after all these years, true to her Scorpio nature. But he found it extremely enjoyable ¨C Eleanor jabbed Bernard¡¯s muscr chest with the tips of her fingers, ¡°As long as you know, be a good boy from now on.¡± ¡°From now on, whether it¡¯s in bed or out of bed, Fil listen to you, okay?¡± Eleanor replied with a ¡°That¡¯s more like it¡±, was about to get up and try to break free, but the man grabbed her with one hand. ¡°But there¡¯s one condition, you have to satisfy me tonight.¡± ¡°Then let me take a bath first¡± ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go to the bathroom¡± ¡°No, you have a wound on your back¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°It¡¯s just a small wound¡± In the bathroom, a soaking wet Bernard, for the first time in such circumstances, was driven into a corner by her However, the woman teasing him was still whispering in his ear: ¡°Mr. Laurence, can you really handle it A man can ept all criticisms, but never someone saying he cant do it! Bernard pinned her fight against the bathroom wall ¡®Mrs. Laurence, enough ying around, let¡¯s get down to it¡± Chapter 734 Chapter 734 If someone were to peep through the window and catch a glimpse of what was happening in the cabin, they¡¯d be blushing like a tomato It was just starting to get light outside. In that moment of total rxation, the dude who had her in hisp whispers in her ear ¡®Sweetie, let¡¯s go again¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. This guy after getting hitched, seemed to have let loose his wild side Eleanor, sprawled over his shoulder, muttered weakly ¡°Bernard, hands off for a month!¡± This guy who was always eager to get close to her furrowed his brows at her words. ¡°Darling a month is too long, how about a week?¡± Eleanor reached out and lightly scratched his back, causing Bernard to wince. ¡®Ouch Thurt too.¡± The dude is still up for it, how was that possible? When she says it hurts, Bernard wouldn¡¯t dare push it. Her well being trumped his uncontroble desires The man set her down on the spa ci ous bed, covered her with the nket before checking her body Seeing her like this, Bernard looked utterly heartbroken. Honey Ill go get some medicine¡± Bernard returned quickly with the medicine and helped her clean up But Eleanor was shy, pulling the nket over her and burying her face in it Seeing her bashfulness warmed his heart He swiftly applied the medicine, then headed for the bathroom Within a minute, the sound of running water could be heard Standing under the shower, the guy slowly calmed down under the cold water Eleanor was exhausted and fell asleep before Bernard returned Bernard, having dried his hair, came out of the bathroom to see she was already asleep Her sweet demeanor warmed Bernard¡¯s heart it was as if nothing else in the world mattered as much as she did. Ten years no, it should be eleven now, he finally had her all to himself His future was her, and only her Bernard climbed into bed, his tall and strapping figure wrapped around her from behind He held his wife and peacefully slept till the next afternoon- The violent shaking of the ship, the abrupt change of course woke him up Bernards first instinct was to check on Eleanor Seeing that she hadn¡¯t been woken up, he let out a sigh of relief He tucked her in then quietly got out of bed, got dressed and quickly left the cabin Caleb, who was outside the door, saw hime out and put down his hand that was about to knock ¡°Mr. Laurence, Mr. Penrod is here¡± When Bernard went abroad, he usually took Caleb with him, so Aidyn Reyes didn¡¯te along Chapter 735 Chapter 735 ¡°He¡¯s on that ship, inviting you over for a chat.¡± Bernard followed the direction of Caleb¡¯s finger and looked at the massive ship sailing alongside them A man, exuding an aura of elegance with a beret hat on, stood on the deck of the ship Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Upon seeing Bernard, he took off his beret and nodded at him with a smile Bernards calm expression suddenly became serious, and his eyes became as sharp as a knife ¡°How¡¯d be know my route?¡± ¡°Mr. Penrod¡¯s ship must have followed ours after we set sail Which means that since he left the castle, Mr. Penred had been tailing him Bernard didn¡¯t like the feeling of being controlled, being watched His face became even more serious. Mr. Penrod on the ship, however, moved his lips without making a sound But Bernard could read his lip movements He clenched his fists turned back and nced at the woman sleeping soundly on the bed. A few secondster, Bernard turned back to Caleb and said seriously, ¡°Make sure to keep her safe After saying this, Bernard took a gun from Caleb¡¯s waist and boarded the gigantic ship with a group of bodyguards Mr Penrod was a man in his fifties, well¨Cmaintained, elegant, and seemed very gentlemanly Seeing Bernard board the ship, the smile on his face became more obvious, ¡°Bernard, happy honeymoon.¡± Mr. Penrod had been mentoring Bernard since he was a child, teaching him how to use guns and make ns. Every time he saw him, Bernard would show respect. However, now. Bernard¡¯s respect for Mr. Penrod vanished the moment he had people point guns at Eleanor and threatened him Bernard, holding the gun tightly and with a poker face, asked, ¡°What do you want?¡± Mr. Penrod raised his gloved hand and patted Bernard¡¯s shoulder, ¡®Of course, I¡¯m here to congratte you on your marriage.¡± Bernard pushed his hand away with the gun, coldly looking at him, scoffed, ¡°Really?¡± Congratte him on his marriage while tailing him, even using a ship to ram his? Mr. Penrod smiled elegantly. ¡°Of course, there are also some things I wish to discuss with you.¡± Eleanor was awakened by the ringing of the phone She groggily reached out for her cellphone She answered the call without checking the screen On the phone, a middle¨Caged woman¡¯s voice came through ¡°Ms Shultz, have you thought about the deal of exchanging Nina for your parentage information?¡± Hearing the voice of Evelyn Ziegler, Eleanor finally checked her phone. It was an international long¨C distance call. ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind.¡± When will you bring Nina?¡± Eleanor opened her eyes, rubbed her temples, and sat up straight. ¡°I won¡¯t bring her.¡± ¡°Not bringing her? Why? Didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯ve decided?¡± On the other end of the phone, Evelyn¡¯s voice was sharp and sudden, making Eleanor wake up fully. ¡°You heard me there¡¯s nothing to think about.¡± Eleanor¡¯s tone was a bit confrontational, Evelyn was taken aback, and then her voice became gentler. ¡°Ms Shultz, don¡¯t you want to know who your parents are?¡± 1 dont¡± Eleanor hung up the phone after saying this. She didn¡¯t care who her parents were. Even if she knew, it wouldn¡¯t change anything. If she found out, it might stir up some old grudges and conflicts. By then, the family she worked so hard to build might cease to exist She didn¡¯t want to lose the home she had been longing for all her life because of this, nor did she want to lose Bernard, who loved her so much that he was willing to give up his life for her Chapter 736 Chapter 736 She put down her phone, looked around, but couldn¡¯t find any trace of Bernard She figured he must¡¯ve gotten up to grab a bite to eat, so her gazended on therge suitcases in the room. With trembling legs, she cautiously got up from the bed She used the wall for support, taking it step by step towards the suitcases, squatting down with difficulty to open one She remembered Liana advising her to dig into the suitcases just before her nighttime shower. Bernard was in such a hurryst night He forget to open them. Who knows what he might¡¯ve missed¡­ Filled with anticipation and excitement, she opened the suitcase It was packed with medicines and a set of ck lingerie,ced, and very revealing Has Liana gone wild recently, sending her stuff like this?! She tossed the lingerie aside and continued rummaging through the suitcase¡­ What she found next made Eleanor blush to her ears. There¡¯s even a user manual?! Flustered, Eleanor took off the note Liana left in the suitcase [Eleanor, go get em with Mr. Laurence, and make a baby soon] That¡¯s enough, Eleanor quickly closed the suitcase Her eyes moved to the suitcase Hadley gave her. Hailey wouldn¡¯t be so eager for her to have a baby, would she? A little nervous but also excited, she carefully opened Halley¡¯s suitcase¡­ Just as she thought, Hailey and Liana were friends, the gifts were identicall Eleanor quickly closed Hailey¡¯s suitcase and then looked at Nina¡¯s suitcase¡­ Nina¡¯s wedding gift wouldn¡¯t be so embarrassing, would it? She quickly opened the suitcase, it was neat and clean inside, just three bank cards and three notes attached. The first bank card was from Hailey, who wrote [Eleanor, I want to give you all my savings] The second bank card was from Liana [Eleanor, the money learned from the hospital, all yours] The third bank card was from Nina This is my money, it¡¯s yours too] Tears shimmered in Eleanor s eyes, her heart filled with warmth. With such friends, what does she have to fear? They¡¯re all she needs. She put back the bank cards, closed the suitcase, took out a set of pajamas from her own suitcase, and prepared to go to the bathroom As she passed therge window, she pressed the switch, and the automatic curtains slowly opened- She had intended to just open the curtains and then take a bath, but she saw Bernard on the boat across. Why was he on someone else¡¯s boat? Eleanor dropped her pajamas, put on her own clothes, walked out of the room, and came to the top deck. She leaned on the railing, looking at the man in ck uniform exuding a cool aura. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Across from him stood a middle¨Caged man. He was no longer young, but his demeanor radiated calmness and elegance Eleanor had never seen him before but she was attracted by his elegant demeanor and couldn¡¯t help but take a few extra looks. Mr. Penrod on the boat across seemed to notice her gaze, he looked up and nced at her casually The moment Mr. Penrod¡¯s eyes met hers, his body stiffened, then he pushed Bernard away and took a step forward. ¡°Vanya Pine! Chapter 737 Chapter 737 ¡°Nah, Vanya¡¯s already gone That youngdy amt her Mr. Penrod stared nkly at Eleanor, and Bernard¡¯s expression shifted too. ¡°Mr. Penrod, do you know my wife?¡± Mr. Penrod snapped back to reality, his eyes regnining theirposure. 15 she your new wife?¡± Mr. Penrod shot back ¡°Didn¡¯t you check her background¡± Bernard asked suspiciously. Wasn¡¯t Mr. Penrod supposed to be watching him? Howe he didn¡¯t check the background of his wife? Mr Penrod turned to look at Bernard, who looked on quard ¡°Bernard, I treat you like my own son. Why would I investigate your wife?¡± The doubt in Bernard¡¯s eyes vanished in an instant. Mr. Penrod treated him even better than his own con As a kid, he had doubts about this, but as he grew older, he figured Mr. Penrod might be seeing him as a valuable tool But Mr Penrod never exploited him, in fact, the tasks he gave him were aimed at giving him an advantage in the business world As Bernard was deep in thought, Mr. Penrod patted his shoulder again Bernard, your new wife looks exactly like Vanya of the Pine family¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you check her background before you married her?¡± Bernard froze, slowly turning to look at Eleanor. The woman on the ship saw him looking at her and immediately waved to him ¡°Shes an orphan, she has nothing to do with the Pine family¡± Even if she did, what of it? She¡¯s his wife, their love can¡¯t be stopped by anyone ¡°You better be clear, don¡¯t let your wife be driven to death by the Laurence family too! After hearing this, Bernard¡¯s expression stiffened, his eyebrows furrowed. ¡°What do you mean ¡®too?¡± Did the Laurence family drive someone¡¯s wife to death before? ¡°Wait till my chess game is over, and you¡¯ll know who was driven to death¡± Mr. Penrod, as if posing a riddle, put his hat back on and patted Bernard¡¯s shoulder again ¡°Bernard Ille for you in six months. Don¡¯t forget what you promised me.¡± N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. With that, Mr Penrod turned and walked into the ship Watching hisposed figure, Bernards brow furrowed even more He returned to his own ship, handed the gun back to Caleb, who called out to him ¡°Mr. Laurence, Atte just sent me Mrs. Laurences background.¡± Caleb handed his phone to Bernard ¡°All the info is in this file. Have a look¡± Bernard looked down at the phone, and seeing ¡°the Pine family, he felt Lke he was plunged into an ice cave He took the phone ready to continue reading, but a gentle voice sounded from behind him ¡°Bernard I have a wedding gift for you Come upstairs with me¡± Bernard quickly handed the phone back to Caleb, giving him a look, then turned and followed Eleanor. Why didnt you sleep a bit longer?¡± Evelyn¡¯s call woke me up¡± Bernard suddenly stopped, looking down at Eleanor who was standing in front of him ¡°What did she say to you?¡± ¡°She wanted to trade my background information for Nina, but I didn¡¯t agree Bernard¡¯s brows gradually rxed then suddenly looked scared, holding Eleanor tightly ¡°Eleanor, no matter what happens in the future, you must believe that I will never hurt you¡± Hearing this, Eleandr lifted her head from his chest, only to see his face was somewhat pale ¡°What did that man just say to you?¡± His emotional reaction was so strong, it must have something to do with that seemingly elegant gentleman Bernard shook his head. How could he tell her that in six months, he would be going to the Area Opaca alone? Chapter 738 Chapter 738 Eleanor, that guy was from the Siren Organization, he was locking for me Bernard hestated for a moment, then said nonchntly, but didn¡¯t spill the beans about what it was That ce was indeed a ticking time bomb, he didn¡¯t want Eleanor to constantly worry about him for the next half¨Ca¨Cyear ¡°So, he¡¯s Mr. Penrod Eleanor watched the distant boat, murmured quietly, then turned to Bernard ¡°What did he want from you?¡± Mr. Penrod once tried to kidnap her to threaten Bernard, but didn¡¯t seed. Now he was seeking him out in person, there must be something important. ¡°Just some internal stuff of the Siren Organization, don¡¯t sweat too much about it Seeing he was being tight¨Clipped, Eleanor didn¡¯t pry further, instead, she held his hand tightly. ¡°Bernard, let¡¯s head to the rooftop, I¡¯ve got a gift for you.¡± ¡°That didn¡¯t sound gentle enough.¡± Bernard wrapped one arm around her waist, lifted her chin with his other hand, locking at her quietly ¡°Darling will you go to the rooftop with me?¡± ¡°Remember, I¡¯m your loving hubby.¡± Bernard pinched her cheek, with a strong and domineering look in his eyes. 11 punish you in bed whenever you forget it, until you remember.¡± Eleanor chuckled, looking at him ¡°Do you deserve a punishment if you¡¯re not gentle with me?¡± ¡°Then punish me in bed ¡± Eleanor was speechless, she never won a verbal battle with Bernard, better not dig herself a hole. She tried to lead him upstairs, before she could step forward, she was lifted up by him. He carried her, then looked down at her face. ¡°You just applied medicine, it¡¯s not convenient for you to walk.¡± Eleanor¡¯s face was evidently blushing Especially when she saw rows of bodyguards standing on the deck, her face was so red. This man was so straightforward that he might as well announce to the world how wild their sexst night werel Eleanor was so embarrassed that she covered her face and buried it into his chest, it was less awkward this way. Looking at her like this. Bernard had a deep smile in his eyes. His wife was quite cute when she blushed. He carried Eleanor to the rooftop, gently put her on the couch, then squatted in front of her, looking up to her. ¡°What gift do you have for me?¡± Eleanor reached out, took a small bag, pulled out a bank card from it, and handed it to Bernard. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t have much money, but it¡¯s all for you¡± b She earned quite a bit from her design drawings, and she also made a lot from designing the rebuilding of Jared Group Headquarters for the Laurence Group. Although these added up were not as much as Bernard gave her, it was all she had. Since she had been with him, she had never bought him anything or given him any gifts. But she promised that she would give him everything she could. Bernard¡¯s gaze moved from the bank card to her face, looking at her crystal clear eyes. ¡°Are you a silly, why give me all your assets?¡± He put the bank card back in her hand and gently closed her hand. ¡°Before or after our marriage, what¡¯s yours is yours, and what¡¯s mine is all yours.¡± ¡°If something happens to me one day and I¡¯m no longer around, all my assets will belong to you.¡± Chapter 739 Chapter 739 Eleanor couldn¡¯t stand him saying ¡°Im not here anymore. She wrestled free from his grip, frowning ¡°Say that again, I dare you¡± 1 said Bernard wanted to repeat it, but peeing her tearful eyes he stopped instantly He looked a bit flustered, reaching out to hold her Twont say it again, dont be mad, okay?¡± ¡°No¡± Eleanor pushed him away She looked tense, her eyes full of worry. You had a brain tumor before, and I¡¯ve looked it up, there¡¯s a chance it coulde back. Why would you say such a thing? Are you doing this on purpose?¡± Bernard stiffened. He thought he could hide it from her, but it turned out he couldn¡¯t hide anything He reached out, touching her pale face. Im sorry, I won¡¯t say such things again. Don¡¯t worry, okay?¡± Eleanor¡¯s eyes were red After staring at him for a few seconds, she lunged into his arms. ¡°You said you¡¯d be my husband forever. You have to take care of yourself, you can¡¯t let anything happen.¡± Bernard held her close, his chin resting on her shoulder. ¡°Okay, I promise. I¡¯ll take care of myself.¡± Just like their wedding vows, they would stay together till they were old, sharing life and death. Hearing his promise, Eleanor rxed a bit. She pushed Bernard away and nced at the bank card in her hand. ¡°If you don¡¯t want my money, then I¡¯ll use it to buy you clothes, buy you gifts.¡± Why would she buy things for him when he didn¡¯t need anything? But it was her way of showing her feelings, so Bernard had to agree ¡°Okay¡± It¡¯s said that Kendrick and Taylor had families now, but their wives never bought them any clothes. When Bernard wore the clothes Eleanor bought him to work at the Laurence Group, they might be green with envy Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Thinking about this. Bernard suddenly felt better. He patted Eleanor¡¯s head with anticipation. ¡°Buy me clothes when you get home¡± Eleanor sweetly replied, ¡°Okay¡± As they were in a sweet embrace, the phone rang again. It was Evelyn. Eleanor hung up immediately, then turned off the phone. Seeing this, Bernard frowned slightly, hesitating for a long time In the end, he decided to tell her the truth ¡°Eleanor, Caleb just found out about your background. Do you want to see it?¡± Eleanor paused, then looked up at him, ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± Bernard was a bit surprised, ¡°Don¡¯t you care?¡± Eleanor shook her head decisively ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t care, I just think, I¡¯ve always been an orphan, without deep family ties. And before Emilia helped me escape, my mother had already passed away, my father never seemed to care about us Plus, Evelyn knew my mother, which means my mother probably came from a powerful family, But such a family didn¡¯t care about my mother¡¯s life or death, Emilia and I had to run away So, even if I knew my background, what¡¯s the point?¡± Evelyn once said, if she knew who her mother was, she wouldn¡¯t choose to marry Bernard. So why should she chase after this information? In her future life, there¡¯s only Bernard, and if she¡¯s lucky, maybe they will have children. That¡¯s her real family, where she¡¯ll live for the rest of her life Eleanor, beng the forward¨Cthinker that she is, isn¡¯t one to dwell on the past, even Chapter 740 Chapter 740 it includes a mystery mom she¡¯s never met. Emilia, on the other hand, knows who her mother is and understands all the family drama, yet she chose not to go back to her parents¡® family That tells you all you need to know about her feelings for her family. She chose to stay in G country opting for Ethan Ziegler¡¯s financial support over going back home If Emilia, who knows all the det, made that choice, why would Eleanor, who¡¯s been living solo for thirty years, look back? Hearing her say this. Bernard breathed a sigh of relief but also felt a twinge of worry, ¡°What if I¡¯m your mortal enemy?¡± Eleanor pondered for a few seconds, then asked him, ¡°Did you kill my mother?¡± ¡°I¡¯m only a year older than you how could I have killed your mother when I was just a kid?¡± He knew, from looking into Emilia¡¯s background, that Emilia¡¯s mother died shortly after giving birth to Eleanor. ¡°Well, since you didn¡¯t kill my mother, we can¡¯t be mortal enemies As for other rtives, they were just that, rtives. Whether there was any bad blood, she didn¡¯t know, and frankly, she didn¡¯t care. Bernard stared at Eleanor, and after a long moment, reached out and gently touched her hair. ¡°I understand now, thank you, Eleanor ¡°If you want to thank me go cook me a meal.¡± Bernard locked a bit taken aback ¡°Didn¡¯t you say my cooking makes you want to hurl?¡± So bad, it made her cringe, and she¡¯d loudly dered him banned from the kitchen. ¡°It¡¯s our first day as a married couple, of course you¡¯re cooking¡± That¡¯s just how it¡¯s done! This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Hed better get used to it ¡®cause he¡¯s on kitchen duty from now on. How edible it would be¡­ well, they¡¯d cross that bridge when they got to it Bernard saw right through her little scheme and affectionately tapped her nose. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m on it¡± He got up and headed to the galley, with Caleb following closely behind, phone in hand. ¡°Mr. Laurence, do you still need this information?¡± ¡°Spit it out¡± Bernard didn¡¯t even look up, seeming disinterested now that he¡¯d talked to Eleanor. Caleb nodded respectfully before speaking ¡°Mr. Laurence, Eleanor is Vanya¡¯s daughter¡± At the mention of Vanya, Bernard paused Mr. Penrod had just been on the boat and had called Eleanor by Vanya¡¯s name. He¡¯d assumed Mr. Penrod had mistaken her for someone else, but now it seemed Mr. Penrod knew Vanya? Even he, who had a grudge against the Pine family, didn¡¯t know Vanya. How could Mr. Penrod, who has nothing to do with the Pine family, know her? And Evelyn had said that Eleanor was the spitting image of Vanya before the disfigurement, which meant Mr. Penrod must have known Vanya a long time ago. ¡°Caleb, didn¡¯t you see a picture of Mr. Penrod¡¯s first love when you were a kid? What did she look like?¡± Caleb was about to continue with his report when Bernard¡¯s sudden question interrupted him. He paused, then recalled a childhood memory He¡¯d been severely punished by Mr Penrod for just touching the photo in a book. If Mr. Law hadn¡¯t stepped in to protect him, he might not be alive today. But since he was caught with just one nce, he didn¡¯t remember much. ¡°I definitely can¡¯t remember what she looked like, but I do remember the name on the photo.¡± ¡°What was the name?¡± Chapter 741 Chapter 741 Her name is Tammie Pine¡± Is she also a member of the Pine family?¡± There¡¯s no mention of her in the records. Maybe they just happen to share the samest name?¡± Samest name? What a coincidence Bernard seemed puzzled but didn¡¯t press on He just nodded at Calch ¡®Go on¡± ¡°Alright¡± Caleb continued to report on Eleanor¡¯s mother with his phone in hand. Vanya was originally engaged to Robin Spencer¡¯s father, York Spencer¡± ¡°But there were a few others who had a thing for York Spencer, one of them was Evelyn, and another was Vanya¡¯s own sister, Wendy Pine These two, green with jealousy over Vanya and York Spencer¡¯s mutual affection, did a lot of nasty things behind Vanya¡¯s back¡­¡± ¡°The worst of it all they ruined Vanya¡¯s face That was Evelyn¡¯s doing, using some chemical substance that left Vanya unrecognizable¡± ¡°York Spencer ditched Vanya, whose face had been destroyed, and married her sister Wendy Pine instead¡± The Spencer family didn¡¯t want Vanya anymore, and to the Pine family, Vanya was of no value either. So, they kicked her out.¡± Hearing this, Bernard unconsciously clenched his fingers around the ingredients he was holding ¡°Caleb, is the Ziegler family trying to break into the G country market?¡± Caleb, interrupted nodded in confirmation. ¡°Yes, the Laurence family even gave them a project * Take it back and revoke the Laurence family¡¯s qualifications. Don¡¯t give them any projects in the future.¡± If not for Nina¡¯s standpoint, he would definitely treat them as they treated others. Ruining Eleanor s mothers face for a man, and in the end not even able to marry York Spencer, what was Evelyn really after? Moreover, Evelyn refusing to let Emilia in, was probably due to her guilty conscience over this matter, not daring to let her in ¡°Does Ethan know about these things?¡± ¡°Ethan only knows that Emilia is from the Pine family. He doesn¡¯t know that Evelyn once ruined Vanya¡¯s face.¡± How could Evelyn let her own son know about the terrible things she did back then? ¡°So, where did Vanya go after that?¡± ¡°After Vanya was kicked out by the Pine family, she disappeared without a trace When she reappeared, she had undergone stic surgery and looked nothing like the old Vanya¡± ording to an old servant of the Pine family, Vanya returned home for help with Emilia and baby Eleanor¡± ¡°She came back because she found out that Eleanor inherited her congenital heart disease.¡± So, Eleanor¡¯s heart disease was from her mother¡­ This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°Worried that the child wouldn¡¯t survive, Vanya kneeled at the door of the Pine family, begging her parents to take her in.¡± ¡°But her parents said that she would rather marry off with the Pine family¡¯s fortune than give it to them.¡± ¡°Now that she has been duped out of all her assets, shees to them. They had no interest in such a deal and kicked Vanya out again.¡± Bernard put down the ingredients in his hand, turned around, and looked at Caleb coldly ¡°Who did Vanya marry?¡± All the information he received was about Eleanor¡¯s mother. Her father was never mentioned. Caleb shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know¡± ¡°Vanya underwent stic surgery, changed her identity, and then disappeared. Nobody knows where she went after that. The trail ends there.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve tried to find out all we know is that before Vanya left G country for her stic surgery, there was one record of her returning to the country¡± This suggests that the man she married was probably from Nordheim Vanya married off with a huge fortune, only to have it all swindled by her newly married husband¡­ Bernard thought for a moment, raised his indifferent eyes, and ordered: ¡°Go check who in Nordheim had a business or corporation that rapidly rose in a short time thirty years ago.¡± Caleb nodded, and Bernard asked again, ¡°So, what happened to Eleanor¡¯s mother?¡± Chapter 742 Chapter 742 Wrapping things up, Caleb couldn¡¯t help but sigh Later, penniless Vanya, with her child, starved to death on the streets of G country¡± ¡°By the time she was found, her body was frozen stiff, with Emilia and Eleanor huddled tightly by her side¡± ¡°People from a charity took care of the body but no one paid for her burial so her ashes were scattered at sea¡± ¡°Emilia scattered the ashes herself, holding the urn in her hands while carrying baby Eleanor on her back¡± At this point, Caleb paused, clearly pained, and heaved another sigh. Long story short, Vanya had a hard life and a tragic death. There was no happy ending ¡°And her kids were hunted down Emilia had to take her sister and run, but she lost her sister during the escape Who was after them?¡± ¡°Vanya¡¯s parents. They were afraid that when the girls grew up, they¡¯de back to im their inheritance, so they wanted to wipe them out.¡± Just like Donna Stanley Laurence, their parents were so ruthless they didn¡¯t even spare their own children. ¡°Emilia kept searching for Eleanor in the G country not knowing that Eleanor was taken back home by human traffickers. They missed each other for a lifetime, never getting the chance to meet ¡°Luckily, Ethan started supporting Emilia, otherwise she wouldn¡¯t have survived. And Eleanor, who was left at the doorstep of an orphanage was.. Mr. Laurence knew the rest of the story, and it involved his arch¨Crival, so Caleb stopped there. After hearing all this, Bernard thought it was best that Eleanor didn¡¯t know about her past. It would only bring her pain and wouldn¡¯t help at all. The way the Pine family treated Eleanor¡¯s mother, yet Evelyn still told Eleanor that knowing her mother¡¯s identity would stop her from marrying Bernard. Compared to the hatred between Eleanor¡¯s mother and the Pine family, what did the generations¨Clong feud between the Laurence and Pine familles mean to Eleanor? Thankfully he didn¡¯t reject Caleb earlier, otherwise he¡¯d still be worried that Eleanor would leave him once she knew everything. Now that he knew the truth, he felt relieved. He knew that regardless of whether Eleanor knew her past or not, she would never leave him. And those from the Laurence family who were killed by the Pine family, had nothing to do with Eleanor If the Laurence family wanted to give Eleanor trouble, he would never allow it. After sorting out his thoughts, Bernard felt a lot better, but the vengeance for Eleanor¡¯s mother¡­ ¡°Caleb, deal with the Pine family when you get back¡± Although the Pine family were the secondrgest family in the country before being driven out by the Laurence family, and despite their recent decline, they weren¡¯t easy to crush But if the Siren Organization went after them, it would be easy. It was just a pity that the revenge couldn¡¯t be taken out on Vanya¡¯s parents. Those two oldies had long passed away The current head of the Pine family was Sheldon Pine, Eleanor¡¯s uncle. Thinking about how Elbert had helped Eleanor, Bernard frowned and then rxed. Oh well, let¡¯s just consider it a bond between blood After Caleb responded with a yes, he started reporting on another matter. ¡°Robin has been looking for Emilia, hasn¡¯t he?¡® ¡°Our people found out that it was because his mother, Wendy Pine, was suffering from an incurable disease and wanted to see Vanya¡¯s child onest time. That¡¯s why she asked Robin to This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. find her.¡± ¡°On Robin¡¯s end, he just realized that he¡¯s been led around by the nose by you, and he¡¯s nning to come back home to settle the score with you.¡± Chapter 743 Chapter 743 ¡°He¡¯s such a dumb one, hed be better off at the bottom of the Pacific¡± Bernard shed a smirk Wendy Pine managed to rece Vanya and snag York Spencer for herself I¡¯m sure the¡¯s pulled some tricke She wanted to see Vanya¡¯s kid onest time before che died what she was thinking As he said this. Bernard looked up his gazending on Cateb You¡¯ve gotta watch out, dan¡¯t let Robin find out where Eleanor is ¡± Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve given him a different lead We¡¯ll see if Robin¡¯s game to go chasing after if ¡± Bernard¡¯s lips curled into a smirk as he picked up the recipe book and began to study it intently With such dedication to learning surely his cooking wouldn¡¯t be worse than before, right? Standing nearby. Caleb couldn¡¯t help but smile at Bernard¡¯s rare show of cheerfulness ¡°Mr. Laurence you go ahead and cook for Mrs Laurence I¡¯m gonna grab something to eat from the other chefs¡± Bernard waved him off his gesture saying. You really think their cooking is better than mine? Caleb remembered once hearing the foreign servantsin Mr. Laurence¡¯s food was so bad, even the dogs wouldn¡¯t eat inN?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. He shook his head in amusement at Bernard, before turning to leave As he reached the door, he seemed to remember something and turned back to Bernard ¡°Mr Laurence, there¡¯s one more thing ¡± ¡°Spit it out¡± ¡°Cameron was rescued by the people from Area Opaca¡± How did Cameron know about Mr. Law, let alone that it was Mr. Law who took Sophie? Who was bbing? Bernard was suspicious, thinking there was a mole within the Siren Organization, which is why he didn¡¯t have Caleb deal with Cameron straight away He¡¯d been keeping Cameron in the basement, trying to squeeze out the traitor through torture But he didn¡¯t expect Cameron to be rescued by the Area Opaca. But why would the Area Opaca rescue Cameron? Could it be the person who sold out Mr. Law to Cameron is from the Area Opaca? ¡°Why would the Area Opaca rescue him?¡± ¡°Who knows every time we send someone into the Area Opaca, they end up six feet under. We can¡¯t figure out why they¡¯d rescue Cameron.¡± At this, Caleb walked back to Bernard ¡°Mr. Laurence. I¡¯ve had people sniffing around the Area Opaca. They say the only ones who are certain to die in there are from the Siren Organization.¡± ¡°Others can get out if they pay a few billion, lose an arm or a leg, something to leave behind as coteral.¡± ¡°But somehow, the Area Opaca knows our roster. Some of our smaller teams have already been taken out.¡± ¡°I¡¯m wondering, are they specifically targeting the Siren Organization?¡± Hearing this. Bernard remembered what Mr. Penrod had said on the boat- who knows ¡°Bernard their target is the Siren Organization They want all members to disappear from the world. If you want to protect yourself, you have to eliminate the Area Opaca¡¯s influence Otherwise, they wont let us go, let alone you¡± As the captain of the Siren Organization, there¡¯s no way the Area Opaca would let him go easily if he wants to live out his days peacefully with his wife, hell have to find a way to wipe out the Area Opaca Last time he entered the Area Opaca, he went in as the CEO of the Lawrence Group. No one knew he was actually Mr. Law. If the Area Opaca is only after the Siren Organization, then he should still have a chance of survival if he goes in as the CEO of the Lawrence Group in six months. The only thing he needs to be careful about is not letting anyone know that he¡¯s Mr. Law ¡°Caleb.¡± Bernard put down the menu, his voice cold ¡°Destroy the entire roster of the Siren Organization¡± As long as the captain of the Siren Organization, he can remember who his team members are, there¡¯s no need to keep the roster. Caleb understood that Mr Laws order to destroy all rosters was to minimize harm to the team, so he nodded immediately 1 handle it right away¡± After Caleb left. Bernard picked up the cookbook again, focusing on making food for his wife. By the time he emerged from the kitchen, sweat soaked and tired, two hours had passed Eleanor, who was starving, was sitting with Caleb on the deck, enjoying the sea view and a five star dinner Mrs Laurence, arent you worried Mr Laurence will be jealous that you¡¯re eating with me?¡± Im not worried¡± ¡°But I am¡± Eleanor paused in cutting her steak, looking up at Caleb¡¯s panicked expression ¡°Don¡¯t be Hemight be a bit petty but he wont do anything to you. We have nothing to fear Caleb nodded in agreement Mr Laurence is indeed a bit petty in this regard If anyone so much as nced at Mrs Laurence Mi Laurence acted like he wanted to gouge their eyes out What would happen if he saw Caleb and Mrs. Laurence having dinner together in the sunset? Caleb was contemting when he suddenly felt a strong shadow cast over him. His fork and knife trembled in his hand- He slowly looked up to the source of the shadow- Mr. Laurence Bernard, backlit and with downcast eyes coldly stared at him. You took my seat, mocked me for being stingy, have I been too nice to youtely?¡± Oh? Mr. Laurence, don¡¯t take my words out of context! It was your wife who first called you stingy, he was just going along with her words! Chapter 744 Chapter 744 Caleb was just about to get up to exin when he saw Bernard rn his te onto the table-¡°You two finish the meall cooked or else¡ª- Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°There¡¯s no need to say or else, Ill eat it, I¡¯ll eat it right now! Caleb quickly made his stance clear before Bernard could finish his sentence Eleanor, who was already full grinned at Bernard ¡°Darling ¡°Calling me darling wont help.¡± Eleanor had to shut up, looking at Caleb helplessly Then, they each picked up their tes, ced them in front of them, and began to eat with full attention. Caleb took a bite and nearly spat it out, but under the icy gaze of the man beside him, he forced it down. The moment he swallowed, Caleb¡¯s handsome face changed it¡¯s really awful, too awful, can someone save him? Bernard slightly bent over, his fingers on the table, ¡°Is it good?¡± Caleb struggled to swallow the food in his mouth and gave him a thumbs up. It¡¯s good, really good.¡± Bernard slightly raised the corners of his mouth, smiling. ¡°Great, from now on, I¡¯ll cook your dinner.¡± He needed a guinea pig, so his dishes could improve with each attempt. Upon hearing that Bernard would cook his dinner, Caleb dropped his fork and knife, ran to the railing, and sat down. If you¡¯re going to cook my dinner, I jump from here!¡± Bernard stood straight, crossed his arms, looking at him haughtily ¡°But didnt you say it was good?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not good, it¡¯s too bad, even a dog wouldn¡¯t eat it!¡± Eleanor looked up at him. Bernard didn¡¯t care, waved his hand, signaling Caleb to jump. Jump then. After you¡¯re fished out, Ill have someone open up your stomach and pour the rest of the food in¡± Without hesitation, he jumped off the railing, went back to the table, and continued to eat. Eleanor nced at Caleb, then at Bernard, and asked, ¡°Where are we going on our next trip?¡± Bernard raised his hand and gently ruffled her hair Wherever you want to go, well go Eleanor pointed in the direction behind him. There¡¯s an ind over there, how about we go there?¡± She thought Bernard would turn around, then she could dump that dish into the trash can, but Bernard didn¡¯t move He even pulled up a chair, sat between them, like a personal surveince camera, always watching them. Bernard leaned back in his chair, legs casually crossed, fingers tapping lightly on the table The setting sun shone on him, making him lock tike a god bathed in golden light, very captivating, just a bit stingy Eleanor shot him a re, then shoved a spoonful of food into her mouth, it was just an overly salty crab dish, no big deal Bernard watched her puff out her cheeks, looking angry as she chewed, a slight smile appearing at the corners of his mouth, showing a trace of indulgence He reached out and grabbed the spoon from her hand if it¡¯s not good, don¡¯t eat it ¡± Caleb immediately locked up: ¡°What about me?¡± Bernard nced at him coldly ¡°You¡¯re not my wife¡± With that, he grabbed the te of crab and threw it in front of Caleb Eat this too.¡± Caleb Why did I have to say unnecessary words, ask unnecessary questions? If I hadnt asked, wouldn¡¯t everything be fine?! Bernard asked Eleanor if she was full, Eleanor said she was full, then, he took her hand, leading her to the rooftop, As soon as the door closed, Eleanor was pressed tightly against the wall, then, a low voice came from above- ¡°Darling, to prove that Im indeed stingy, Ive decided to change the method of our punishment¡± ¡°What punishment?¡± ¡°Guess¡± Eleanor, who was pushed into the bathroom, soon figured it out, oh that¡¯s what he meant ¡ª Chapter 745 Chapter 745 When Halley arrived at B City, she got a text from Eleanor, a picture of the Aurora Borealis [Hailey, we¡¯ve safely arrived, saw the real Northern Lights, totally worth at Then a few short videos followed, Bernard running under the green autora, even with the breathtaking view in front of him, his eyes were only for Eleanor After watching, Hailey smiled and sent a voice message, telling them to enjoy their honeymoon and reach out to her if they needed anything She closed her phone put it in her bag, donned her sunsses, and walked out of the airport She hailed a taxi and while waiting she took out a cigarette box from her bag and casually lit one up. Dressed in a light coffee¨Ccolored off shoulder dress, with a chain bag hanging from her shoulder, she leaned against a white pir, casually smoking Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Surrounded by smoke, her skin was smooth, her lips as beautiful and enticing as rose petals. She exuded a captivating aura, with a hint of worldliness but also an enticing charm. After finishing her ogarette, she bent down to throw the butt into the trash can, her hair falling with the motion, then being blown by the slight breeze In a passing Rolls Royce. Cedric Laurence saw this and was stunned, then immediately told his driver to stop As Halley was about to light another cigarette, a hand pressed down on the box. She slowly lifted her eyes, hidden behind sunsses, to see Cedric¡¯s handsome face, her eyelid twitched slightly as she quickly pushed his hand away ¡°Mind your manners, Mr. Laurence, you should keep your distance¡± Hailey stepped back, increasing the distance between them, her cold demeanor like encountering an inappropriate stranger. Cedric¡¯s face changed, he was displeased, he didn¡¯t understand why he detested Hailey¡¯s aloofness It was she who first attracted him, it was she who buttered him up for her own gain! It was her who acted like she couldn¡¯t live without him, loved him, that¡¯s why he let her stay with him for three years So she attracted him and now was ignoring him? Was he just some toy to be used and tossed aside?! Cedric frowned, took a step forward, and grabbed Hailey¡¯s hand. ¡°Ms. Vulpe, are you here in B City for business?¡± He held her hand pushed her against the white pir, using his tall body to pin her ¡°In A City, you charge a hundred grand a night, so how much is it here in B City?¡± Hailey worked in a bar, not sleeping with people, but drinking with them. Cedric knew this, but he still wanted to insult her this way Through her sunsses. Hailey looked at the man younger than her and suddenly felt he was a stranger In the past three years, even though Cedric knew she was using him, he had always been gentle and polite After they broke up, he became immature, always looking for ways to mess with her. How to describe this feeling? Like being harassed by a boy at school, he would pull your hair, mess with your stuff, kick your chair In general, he would do everything in his power to make you ufortable Cedric was now that kind of guy Hailey tried several times to push him away, but he was stronger, so she could only lower her head and stopped struggling. Chapter 746 Chapter 746 She seemed totally uninterested in what he was saying, and this left Cedric feeling a bit down in the dumps, even anxious. He had a sinking feeling that Hailey might nevere back to him Without thinking, he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close into his embrace The faint smell of tobo lingered on her, wafting into his nostrils This familiar scent stirred a pang of nostalgia within him. He turned his head towards her hair, taking a gentle sniff ¡°Hailey, you¡¯ve been smoking again. Didn¡¯t you promise me you¡¯d quit? Why are you breaking your promises?¡± His voice was filled with reproach, but also a sense of helplessness and fondness towards her ¡°Cedric you have a girlfriend, is it appropriate for you to hold me like this?¡± Her voice rang softly in his ear, causing Cedric to stiffen instantly, but he stubbornly continued to hold her. ¡°Hailey, you once promised me that you¡¯d apany me to see the snow When are we going?¡± ¡°Cedric, you have a girlfriend, this is not appropriate. Please let mega¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°Hailey. I.¡± ¡°Cedric Hailey¡¯s angry shout made Cedric shut his mouth instantly. He withdrew his hands from her back and waist He reverted to his aloof demeanor, took a step back and put some distance between them. ¡°Ms. Vulpe, you know I¡¯ve been a bit of a nostalgia junkietely, always trying to hit on my exes. Dont take it to heart.¡± Everyone in town knew that Cedric was a bit of a yer. If he showed care, it probably meant he was after a one¨Cnight stand Hailey always remembered this and dared not take his so¨Ccalled care as genuine As an ordinary woman, she could notpare with a rich yboy. The smartest thing to do was to cut her losses promptly Moreover, she was three years older than Cedric As a woman over thirty, she didn¡¯t have time to fool around with a young guy Hailey looked at Cedric, casually replied ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± then went back to the roadside to wait for a cab. As she stood there, Cedric suddenly had a desire to take her home, lock her up, and never let her out again. This thought surprised even him He had always been casual with women from his past, not really caring about them. But now, why would he have such feelings for Hailey Vulpe? Cedric hated this feeling of losing control and got into his car with a hint of annoyance. As his Rolls¨CRoyce passed her, Hailey raised her hand and touched her hair. A taxi arrived, and Haley quickly snapped out of her thoughts, opened the door, and hopped in. The car drove into the city center and stopped in front of the Clowers family mansion. Hailey got out of the car with her purse and walked up to the grand, imposing mansion She had been here a few times, and the security guards recognized her. Hearing that she was here to see Garett, they let her in right away It was Sunday, and Garett was not at the Clowers Group Instead, he was sitting in the garden, engrossed in a book. He was wearing a white shirt with a ck coat thrown over it, and a nket draped over his legs If not for the wheelchair, he still looked like the pure, untarnished boy he once was, as if untouched by the dust of the world. Every time Hailey saw Garett like this, her heart ached. He was such an outstanding person, but he had lost the use of his legs and could no longer stand. She stood behind him, silently watching him for a long time, then walked over and softly called out, ¡°Garett¡­¡± Chapter 747 Chapter 747 Garett¡¯s finger paused on the page of his book. After a few seconds, he slowly swiveled his wheelchair to face Hailey Hailey, what brings you here¡± 1 came to see you¡± She moved to sit across from him at his gesture They sat in silence, their eyes revealing a longing for a long lost sibling They were both on the verge of tears. ¡°Garett, how are things in B City?¡± Hailey was the first to break the silence, her voice full of concern ¡°Not bad,¡± Garrett responded. He closed his book and ced it on the table beside him. Then he ordered some tea for Hailey ¡°Everyone in B City loves tea Wanna give it a shot?¡± ¡°Sure To Hailey what to drink was secondary Seeing her little brother was what really mattered The conversation fell into silence again. All their previous talks revolved around Eleanor. Bringing her up now would be inappropriate. Were the three of them destined to drift apart forever? Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°How are things with Cedric?¡® Garett asked ¡°We broke up¡± Hailey had a file bag in her purse, unsure of how to return the gift What about you? Did you get engaged to Ms. Herman?¡± At that moment, Yilia brought the freshly brewed tea Garett poured some for Hailey. 1 called off the engagement, Garett simply replied without further exnation. Hailey got his drift. Her hand froze as she reached for the teacup. ¡°Garett, you didn¡¯t lie to Eleanor just to spare her feelings, did you?* Garett poured himself a cup of tea, took a sip, and smiled at Hailey. Try the tea. Do you like it?¡± He clearly didn¡¯t want to talk about it anymore Wisely, Hailey didn¡¯t press further. She took a sip of her tea and shot him a wry smile 1 remember you used to love strong coffee when you were studying Why the switch to tea?¡± ¡°I used to drink coffee to stay awake, to make every second count. I would read as many books as I could in the limited time, thinking it would make me richer. But what true wealth is, I¡¯m still figuring it out¡± He leaned back in his wheelchair, holding his teacup, quietly looking at the tea. Even someone as exceptional as him could get stuck because of emotional entanglement. Hailey didn¡¯t know how to respond. Her heart felt heavy and ufortable Perhaps the most pitiful person in the world is Garett The woman he had loved had left him. His once-healthy legs were now useless. He was alone, sitting in a garden in B City, far away from everyone, possibly spending hundreds of days and nights missing the woman in his heart. But no one responded to him with the same enthusiasm as before, running towards him without hesitation Garett had once received Eleanor¡¯s unconditional love And it was because he had experienced it, that he found it so regrettable, so hard to let go Hailey thought she would have a hard time epting it too. But no one could truly understand Garett¡¯s feelings. So she didn¡¯t know what to say. She couldn¡¯tfort him, but she couldn¡¯t notfort him either. She sat across from him, feeling helplessly lost. ¡°Hailey, did youe to return a gift?¡± Garett seemed to sense her difort. He hid his emotions and put on a faint smile, looking at Hailey Chapter 748 Chapter 748 Garett had pretty much seen iting He knew Eleanor wouldn¡¯t ept anything from him anymore, and that she would send Hailey to return it all. After all, it just didn¡¯t make sense for them to see each other anymore Every time he thought about this, it felt like his heart was being ripped open ¨C the pain was unbearable How did they end up here, two people who were once in love, unable to even face each other? If he knew it was going to end like this, why did they fall in love in the first ce? At least he could have stayed by her side as a friend, calling her ¡°Eleanor Im Indeed here to return the gifts,¡± Hailey nodded slightly, a little embarrassed. She took out an envelope from her bag and handed it to him ¡°Garett, Eleanor said she owes you too much, she won¡¯t be able to repay it in this lifetime. She can¡¯t ept these anymore.¡± Garett didn¡¯t take it instead he put down his teacup, looked at Hailey and gave a slight smile All of this, it¡¯s already in her name What you¡¯re holding is just paperwork¡± Hailey¡¯s heart pained, she bit her lip and said. ¡°Garett, it¡¯s not right for you to give her these things, it will put her in a tough spot After all Eleanor is now married to Bernard. If she continues to ept such precious things from her ex¨Cfianc¨¦, people from the Laurence family would look down on her Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s in the form of a legacy It¡¯ll only be announced by thewyer after I¡¯m gone He had arranged everything for her, so she wouldn¡¯t be put in a tough spot.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°Legacy Hailey¡¯s heart pounded in shock. ¡°Garett, you¡¯re not nning to do something stupid, are you?¡± Garett shook his head Hailey, I¡¯ve been diagnosed with severe depression. Im under treatment, but I¡¯m not sure how long the medication can keep up Severe depression? He Hailey couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. As she blinked back tears, her vision blurred. But even through her tears, she could see the sorrow and weariness in Garett¡¯s eyes. ¡°When when did you get diagnosed with depression?¡± ¡®Im not sure Garett replied as if it was a matter of no consequence ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m even smiling more than before.¡± His smile was pure, just like when they were younger¨Cso natural and carefree. Hailey had heard that it¡¯s not always obvious when someone has depression. Maybe his inner world was already on the brink of copse¡­. She didn¡¯t need to ask why, she knew Garett was suffering from depression because he couldn¡¯t let go of his past rtionship ¡°Garett, tell me, what can I do to help you get through this?¡± Garettughed again at her words. ¡°Hailey, don¡¯t try to help me get over this. What if I forget about her? I promised her I would never forget. I intend to keep that promise, to remember her forever¡± he paused before adding. ¡°even in the next life.¡± Hadey finally understood Garett¡¯s deepest fear was not missing out, but forgetting Eleanor. He loved Eleanor so much that he locked his whole life in this love and refused to leave, even if it meant sinking into depression, consumed by darkness, dragged to hell by demons, he would still love her unwaveringly. It seems like the greatest treasure in his life was to love Eleanor, to remember Eleanor. ¡°Garett She sighed, overwhelmed by his profound feelings. What was he supposed to do? Who could help him? Garett just shook his head. Nobody could help him, not even himself. He was trapped in his own world, only death could free him. Thinking about this, the smile on his face slowly faded. He looked up at the sea of flowers in the distance and spoke softly ¡°Hailey, I want to leave this world, but I¡¯m afraid shell feel guilty. I don¡¯t dare to die¡± He was suffering from depression and wanted to leave, but because he was afraid Eleanor would feel guilty, afraid she wouldn¡¯t live well for the rest of her life, he chose to keep living. Hailey couldn¡¯t help it, she burst into tears ¡°Garett, why why are you so silly Garett saw her cry and managed a small smile. ¡°Hadey, what I mean is, for her, I won¡¯t die¡± He ain¡¯t gonna kick the bucket, but he¡¯s sure gonna live a life of misery Hailey never had depression, so she cant really step into his shoes But she knows that Garett must be in a world of hurt What kind of life has he been living in the past year in B City? How could a healthy bloke suddenly fall into a deep hole of depression? Hailey looked at the smiling Garett, couldn¡¯t ept the truth, tears just kept oning Chapter 749 Chapter 749 Lost his love, lost his legs, and now with severe depression, why is Garett¡¯s life full of bumps and ruts? People often say some folks are here to endure hardships, and it will be alright after they¡¯ve gone through it, so Hailey, don¡¯t shed tears for me Garett took a tissue from the table and handed it to her. His gentlemanly gesture made Hailey think he was the best man in the world. ¡°Garett, you said you ain¡¯t gonna die for her, then you gotta live well. You can¡¯t take your life lightly¡± She finished speaking and opened her phone, showing him the picture she had taken carber of Eleanor making a wish in front of the deity ¡°Look, this is a picture of Eleanor making a wish for your health. Even though you two have chosen different paths in life, to Eleanor, you are still the most important person. So Garett, you must take your medication and recover well, don¡¯t let her down¡± Garett saw Eleanor¡¯s devout prayer, his eyes brightened a bit He stared at the picture on Hailey¡¯s phone and after a while, he looked up and smiled at Hailey ¡°Can you send me this picture?¡± All their photos from their younger days had been destroyed, except for the photoshopped wedding one. He had no pictures of her, let alone pictures of them together, which seemed to foretell their end ¡°Sure¡± Hailey took back her phone and sent the picture to his phone Upon receiving it, a gentle smile appeared on Garetts face He stared at his phone for a long time before looking up at Hailey ¡°Hailey don¡¯t tell her about my situation, let her and Bernard live happily ever after.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Garett raised an eyebrow Till live happily ever after too¡± Maybe fearing that Hailey wouldn¡¯t believe him, he added. ¡°If you¡¯re worried, juste check on me more often.¡± After marrying Yilia, Cotter didn¡¯t have as much time to spend with him Sometimes he felt lonely and wanted to chat with someone, but couldn¡¯t find anyone¡­ And his good buddy Tyler Howell was trapped too, unable to save himself, let alone him Hailey would definitely visit him often She nodded decisively: ¡°Garett, I wille see you often¡± Garett nodded, poured out the cold tea, and poured her another cup: ¡°give it a try¡± Hailey picked up the tea, took a sip, and seemed to taste a bit of bitterness. She responded, ¡°It¡¯s a bit bitter.¡± A bit bitter, like Garett, living a life like tea, tasting the bitterness of life. He walked the earth, experienced the various states of life tasted the bitterness of emotions, maybe this was his growing process¡­ Hailey stayed and had dinner with the Clowers family, then stayed for two more days During these two days, she pushed Garett around and took him to the B City attractions they used to dream about when they were kids. Hailey took a lot of pictures for him, and also took a lot of pictures with him. Just like when they were young, three of them went somewhere and left a lot of memories. Only this trip, they were one person short Garett hoped Hailey could stay a few more days, but the Clowers Group needed him. He couldn¡¯t afford that luxury. His father had woken up, but was still paralyzed, unable to get around, and couldn¡¯t return to help him at the Clowers Group. He had to endure the torment of depression, put on his suit, and pretend to be normal to protect his father¡¯s century¨Cold business. Hailey told Garett to call her when he was feeling down or needed anything. He shouldn¡¯t bear it silently She kept reminding him at the geport until Garett waved and said goodbye with a smile. Then she boarded the ne. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Hailey, with a heavy heart returned to A City As soon as she got off the ne, she received a message from Lianal ¡°Tonight at eight, Oceanview Hotel, rooftop banquet hall, dance party¡± Chapter 750 Chapter 750 Hailey¡¯s worry about Garett had her in no mood for the party, but thinking about how long Liana had been nning this for her, she decided to go anyway After freshening up at home, she slipped into a champagne¨Ccoloured evening dress that was more understated andfy than outright fancy She grabbed her purse hopped in her car, and before long she was at the Sea Cloud Hotel In the banquet hall, under dim lights, men and women in formal wear and evening gowns, wine sses in hand, stood in little clusters, chatting with smiles. As the music started. Hailey¡¯s gloomy mood lifted a bit. She snapped a photo of the banquet hall and sent it to Garett. [Garett, my blind dating journey hasmenced Look, Ive been through a failed marriage and came out the other side, you can do it too 1 Original from N?velDrama.Org. This bit of encouragement, though not exactly earth¨Cshattering, managed to put a smile on Garett¡¯s face The guy in B City, wheelchair¨Cbound, replied with an ¡®OK¡¯emoj after reading the heartwarming message Only then did Hailey rx, sliding her phone back into her purse and heading further into the hall. This party was a blind dating event Liana had arranged specifically for Aidyn and her Aidyn had arrived earlier, dressed in a light grey suit, sitting straight as an arrow on the couch, his hands on his knees, looking like he was at a job interview as he scrutinized the female doctor across from him Tve got a vi in the city, plus about a dozen apartments.¡± Ive got a few luxury cars as well. Assets wise, we¡¯re talking eight figures¡± ¡°That¡¯s where I¡¯m at. Any questions?¡± The female doctor swallowed hard after hearing all this. So the PA to the president of the Lawrence Group was indeed loaded What could she possibly object to with conditions like these? She quickly waved her hands, grinning. ¡°No, I have no questions¡± ¡°Next¡± The female doctor¡¯s smile froze. Was this Aidyn¡¯s way of saying he wasn¡¯t into her? ¡°You¡¯re not my type, sorry¡± Seeing the female doctor hadn¡¯t moved, Aidyn waved her off. The female doctor gave Aidyn a pissed off re before storming off. Liana, sitting not far away, saw Aidyn dismiss another girl and muttered a serves him right for being single through gritted teeth Nina, eating dessert in Liana¡¯s arms, locked up at Liana, ¡°Aidyn is just like me with high standards. He likes pretty girls¡± Will Webb grabbed a drink from a server, put in a straw and handed it to Nina, ¡°So you¡¯re saying the girls here aren¡¯t pretty enough?¡± Nina took a sip of her drink and shook her head, ¡°No, not really Some are pretty, butpared to Eleanor, Hailey and Liana, they¡¯re no match. It¡¯s only normal for Aidyn, who¡¯s used to super beauties, to not settle for just any pretty face¡± ¡°Hailey, there you are,e sit with us,¡± Liana called out to Hailey Nina also got down from Liana¡¯sp, toddled over to Hailey and led her to a seat next to them. Chapter 751 Chapter 751 Nina was all pumped up. No sooner had Hailey sat down than she whispered in het ear ¡°Look over there. There¡¯s a really hot dude. Ive had my eye on him for a while. Take a look see if you¡¯re into him. If you do, I can feel him in for you¡± Hailey, helpless facepalmed. But she did look over where Nina had pointed In the corner on a couch was a doc in a ck suit He wore silver framed sses and had a studious look about him Hmm The doc¡¯s look was definitely up her alley Hailey brushed her hair behind her ears and nodded at Nina. ¡°Go on, bring him over ¡°Alright!¡± Nina jumped up and headed towards the eye¨Ccandy Hailey saw Nina gently tap the doc¡¯s hand, and he turned to Nina with a soft smile. Then he passed some snacks to Nina and she pointed at Hailey ¡°Thatdy over there, she¡¯s interested in you. She asked me to bring you over¡­¡± Just then, the music in the hall changed, and Nina¡¯s words echoed all around. Hailey, mortified covered her face, but Nina was still pointing her out. The one covering her face, got it?¡± That man named Dr. Yeager looked in the direction of the young girl, at Hailey, who was covering her face After a few seconds, he looked away and smiled at the young girl. 1 see her, can you take me over to meet her?¡± ¡°Sure thing!¡± Seeing sess on the horizon, the young girl grabbed Dr. Yeager¡¯s hand and headed towards Hailey. Liana, sipping her wine, chuckled at Hailey That¡¯s Dr. Yeager, just returned from abroad. His family and looks are top¨Cnotch. Who knew the kid had such good taste?¡± Hailey, still cringing, turned to Liana for help. ¡°Can you exinter that it wasn¡¯t me who made the first move? It was all Nina¡¯s game! Liana burst outughing ¡°Hailey, Dr. Yeager is usually aloof at the hospital, barely talks to female doctors.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s willing toe over now, it means he¡¯s taken a shine to you too, otherwise, he¡¯d have brushed off Nina straight away.¡± Will, who was standing nearby, also tried tofort Hailey ¡°That¡¯s right, unless it¡¯s in the OR with female doctors and nurses, he mostly keeps his distance¡± ¡°Dr. Yeager¡¯s family is much like mine, very strict. He usually doesn¡¯t make the first move unless he meets the right girl.¡± What initially seemed like a good looking doc now sounded like a potential marriage material Suddenly, Hailey felt nervous. With such good conditions, he deserved better. She was a divorcee, should she even be considering this? As she was mulling over how to decline, she suddenly heard Dr. Yeager greeting Liana and Will Then Liana invited Dr. Yeager to sit across from them, not introducing Hailey right away. Instead, they started discussing medical stuff¡­ Hailey soon felt awkward But from their conversation, she gathered that Dr. Yeager was a surgeon. She never looked up at Dr. Yeager, just stole a few nces at his wine ss. As she was sneaking a peek, Dr. Yeager from across, took a drink from a passing waiter and handed it to her¡­. ¡°Long time no see.¡± Long time no see? Haley was taken aback. She finally locked up and met a pair of sparkling eyes Do you remember me?¡± Dr. Yeager pointed at himself ¡°Arina High School, Yeager Alis* Nina was all pumped up. No sooner had Hailey sat down than she whispered in het ear ¡°Look over there. There¡¯s a really hot dude. Ive had my eye on him for a while. Take a look see if you¡¯re into him. If you do, I can feel him in for you¡± Hailey, helpless facepalmed. But she did look over where Nina had pointed In the corner on a couch was a doc in a ck suit He wore silver framed sses and had a studious look about him Hmm The doc¡¯s look was definitely up her alley Hailey brushed her hair behind her ears and nodded at Nina. ¡°Go on, bring him over ¡°Alright!¡± Nina jumped up and headed towards the eye¨Ccandy Hailey saw Nina gently tap the doc¡¯s hand, and he turned to Nina with a soft smile. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Then he passed some snacks to Nina and she pointed at Hailey ¡°Thatdy over there, she¡¯s interested in you. She asked me to bring you over¡­¡± Just then, the music in the hall changed, and Nina¡¯s words echoed all around. Hailey, mortified covered her face, but Nina was still pointing her out. The one covering her face, got it?¡± That man named Dr. Yeager looked in the direction of the young girl, at Hailey, who was covering her face After a few seconds, he looked away and smiled at the young girl. 1 see her, can you take me over to meet her?¡± ¡°Sure thing!¡± Seeing sess on the horizon, the young girl grabbed Dr. Yeager¡¯s hand and headed towards Hailey. Liana, sipping her wine, chuckled at Hailey That¡¯s Dr. Yeager, just returned from abroad. His family and looks are top¨Cnotch. Who knew the kid had such good taste?¡± Hailey, still cringing, turned to Liana for help. ¡°Can you exinter that it wasn¡¯t me who made the first move? It was all Nina¡¯s game! Liana burst outughing ¡°Hailey, Dr. Yeager is usually aloof at the hospital, barely talks to female doctors.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s willing toe over now, it means he¡¯s taken a shine to you too, otherwise, he¡¯d have brushed off Nina straight away.¡± Will, who was standing nearby, also tried tofort Hailey ¡°That¡¯s right, unless it¡¯s in the OR with female doctors and nurses, he mostly keeps his distance¡± ¡°Dr. Yeager¡¯s family is much like mine, very strict. He usually doesn¡¯t make the first move unless he meets the right girl.¡± What initially seemed like a good looking doc now sounded like a potential marriage material Suddenly, Hailey felt nervous. With such good conditions, he deserved better. She was a divorcee, should she even be considering this? As she was mulling over how to decline, she suddenly heard Dr. Yeager greeting Liana and Will Then Liana invited Dr. Yeager to sit across from them, not introducing Hailey right away. Instead, they started discussing medical stuff¡­ Hailey soon felt awkward But from their conversation, she gathered that Dr. Yeager was a surgeon. She never looked up at Dr. Yeager, just stole a few nces at his wine ss. As she was sneaking a peek, Dr. Yeager from across, took a drink from a passing waiter and handed it to her¡­. ¡°Long time no see.¡± Long time no see? Haley was taken aback. She finally locked up and met a pair of sparkling eyes Do you remember me?¡± Dr. Yeager pointed at himself ¡°Arina High School, Yeager Alis* Chapter 752 Chapter 752 Arina High School was where Hailey had her schooling, with Yeager Alis being the student council president back then. Hailey used to get points docked for beingte by Yeager Alis The Yeager Alis she remembered was a quiet guy with thick sses But the Yeager Alis standing in front of her now had smooth skin and was good looking, a far cry from his high school self. ¡°Are you really Yeager Alis?¡± Haley gawked at him in disbelief. When did you be such a hottie?¡± ¡°Back in school I was all about studying didn¡¯t really care about my looks ¡°Yeager replied with a smile. The awkwardness melted away from Hailey when she found out he was an old schoolmate, and she felt more at ease. She looked at Yeager and eximed, ¡°You¡¯ve really changed a lot, I didn¡¯t even recognize you¡± She used to think Yeager was a bit of an ugly duckling, but now she realized he was actually quite a looker. Back in high school she was all about making money, didn¡¯t really pay attention to him. It was surprising that he still remembered her. Liana, noticing they were old schoolmates, sensed potential gossip and gave Will a nudge. Getting the hint, Will patted Yeager on the shoulder, ¡°Since you two know each other, why not catch up?¡± He then picked up Nina, held Liana¡¯s hand, and walked towards the lounge area Once they left, it was just Hailey and Yeager in the couch areal plus an Aidyn showing off his wealth on the side Hailey rxed and took a sip of the drink Yeager had handed her earlier, then turned to him. ¡°Didn¡¯t you move abroad with your family after high school, Yeager? What brings you back?¡± ¡°I studied medicine abroad, did pretty well, and felt like my country could use good doctors. So I decided toe back, home is where the heart is, after all¡± Hailey nodded, then asked him how he became a doctor ¡°I remember you didn¡¯t take the college entrance exam, how did you end up a doctor?¡± ¡°I got rmended for college, then switched to medical school¡± He looked at Hailey and said in a softer tone. ¡°Seems like you didn¡¯t really care about me back then.¡± Hadey taughed awkwardly. ¡°Sorry. I was too busy worrying about making money, didn¡¯t really care much about school stuff¡± She wasn¡¯t really close to her schoolmates, didn¡¯t even join the high school alumni group because she had to work while studying. Being an orphan, she had no choice but to fend for herself, she couldn¡¯tpare with kids from well¨C off families. Yeager had heard from their ssmates that Hailey was an orphan who had to rely on herself, her constant tardiness was understandable. It¡¯s always polite to keep quiet about someone¡¯s past, so Yeager didn¡¯t continue on the subject. ¡°You still look pretty much the same as you did in school.¡± His eyes were still as clear and bright as ever, as if untouched by the worries of the world. ¡°There are some changes¡± Life¡¯s twists and turns do leave their marks, how could there be no changes at all? Even if the outside doesn¡¯t show much difference, the inside has been through a lot. ¡°I still remember the first time I saw you, you jumped off a wall andnded on me. You were in such a rush to get to ss, you didn¡¯t even look at me, just said sorry and ran off. I was hobbling behind you, yelling, Hey, wait up, you broke my hand I wanted you to take me to the infirmary, but you ran off so fast, you were gone in a blink¡± The story Yeager told made Hailey, who was feeling down, burst outughing. ¡°Really? Was I really that bad back then?¡± ¡°Yes¡± The atmosphere between them lightened up with the reminiscing. After sharing some high school memories, Yeager Alis hesitantly asked, ¡°Hailey, I remember in high school, you had a lot of admirers, guys asking you out and confessing to you. Why are you partaking in a blind date event?¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Chapter 753 Chapter 753 hapter 753 Talking about this topic, Hailey felt a bit insecure and lowered her head ¡°When I was a student, indeed, there were a lot of guys chasing after me but that was a long time ago ¡°And now, I¡¯m a divorcee The fact that I¡¯m able to join your doctors blind date event is because of your dean¡¯s favor Hailey didn¡¯t have the courage to look at Yeager, not knowing what his reaction might be All she heard was him saying ¡°Divorce is no biggie If people aren¡¯t suitable for each other, they shouldn¡¯t force themselves to stick together.¡± ¡°After all, marriage is not a shackle to bind people but a warm home.¡± Marriage is not a shackle, but a home Slowly, Hadley lifted her head, looking at Yeager If she came to the blind date event just to see whats up But now, the suddenly felt that meeting a good man might be worth considering However, Hailey took a nce at Yeager and asked tentatively, ¡°Do you know any popr entertainment ces in A City?¡± Yeager, who usually focuses on his medical studies and seldom visits such ces, shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m not really sure, but I¡¯m willing to hear your detailed introduction¡± ¡°The number one is Midnight Bar, followed by The Secret Garden. And I run The Secret Garden¡± Yeager didn¡¯t expect her to be a bar owner, and he was somewhat impressed, ¡°You¡¯re really amazing¡® Hailey thought that Yeager would be put off by her owning a nightclub, but his reaction was totally different. While she was still in a daze, she heard Yeager say, ¡°Well, our department is having an event tomorrow How about we go to your ce? We can also support your business.¡± On the surface, it was to support her business, but in fact, he thought she was pretty cool and wanted to take things further. Understanding his intentions, Hailey was caught in a dilemma, not knowing whether to agree or decline. Just as she was stirring the ice cubes in her cup with a straw, the background music changed, and the lights became ambiguous. Hearing the host on stage calling everyone to dance, Yeager stood up, slightly bent over, and extended his hand to Hailey ¡°Hailey. I¡¯ve seen your high school prom video. You dance beautifully Would you do me the honor of showing me?¡± I havent danced in a long time I¡¯ve forgotten how, and I¡¯m afraid.¡± That¡¯s okay I can lead you¡± Yeager¡¯s sincere invitation made Hadley¡¯s refusal seem a bit too much. They were here for a blind date after all. If she thought he was okay, why not spend more time with him? Besides, he was her old schoolmate Just like at the prom, what¡¯s wrong with a friendly dance? With that in mind. Hailey ced her hand in Yeager¡¯s palm and stood up, following him to the center of the dance floor. Liana, who was ying with Nina in the distance, saw Yeager leading Hailey into the dance floor and felt happy Indeed, its great to be schoolmates. They wereughing and dancing together so quickly. It seemed promising Liana immediately took out her phone, recorded a short video, and sent it to Eleanor. [Eleanor, check this out! Your Hailey is hitting it off with her date] In the far end of Jorvik, Eleanor, lying in Bernard¡¯s arms, looking at the starry sky, opened the video. Music filled the air, creating an intimate atmosphere Bernard heard the sound and nced at the phone screen. Seeing Hailey dancing with a stranger in the dance floor, Bernard raised an eyebrow Eleanor excitedly typed on her phone, asking What¡¯s his name? How old is he? Which department does he work in?¡± Liana, who was taking care of the children, replied. ¡°They actually know each other from high school, he¡¯s a senior.¡± A senior? That means he¡¯s a bit older than Hailey It¡¯s not some cradle¨Crobbing situation, so Hailey doesn¡¯t need to worry too much Eleanor was satisfied. She sent a kiss emojito Liana and replied, ¡°Hailey¡¯s happiness is in your hands now.¡± She put down her phone, cuddled up to Bernard, and said with a smile, ¡°Hailey might have a boyfriend soon.¡± N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Bernard didn¡¯t respond just casually smiled He wondered what Cedric¡¯s rudction would be when he sees this video? Chapter 754 Chapter 754 Chapter 754 Cedric was sitting in the VIP lounge of the Oceanview Hotel, schmoozing with several internationally renowned CEOs. As he had temporarily acted as CEO in the past, every time Bernard took a vacation or was otherwise engaged, the CEO duties would fall back onto him. He wasn¡¯t fond of management, but when it came to socializing, he was far better than Bernard. Whether it was knocking back drinks, having fun, or discussing projects, he was a natural. Of course, the smooth negotiations were mainly due to the support of the Lawrence Group behind him. Most of the people who invited him out were just trying to get close to him. Cedric was well aware of this. He nned to down a few drinks and then head home. But the other party seemed to know his love for fun and invited some fresh faces to join him. ¡°Thesedies, I brought them over from abroad. What do you think?¡± The speaker was some hot-shot CEO who thought that bringing a few s exy foreigndies would help him get closer to Cedric. But he clearly didn¡¯t know Cedric well. Even though Cedric liked to have fun, he wasn¡¯t down to y with just anyone. Cedric leaned on the sofa with one leg draped over the other, a wine ss perched on his knee. He tapped the ss absent-mindedly, looking a bit impatient, but he didn¡¯t say anything. Seeing that he didn¡¯t refuse, the foreigndies mustered their courage, walked up to him, poured him a drink, and tried to give him a shoulder massage. But before their hands could even touch his shoulders, his smile stopped them in their tracks: ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡± His face bore a gentle smile, his eyes curved like crescent moons, alsoughing. But the coldness in his eyes was like a bone-chilling frost, an inherent sense of nobility that ordinary people couldn¡¯t match. When he smiled, it was even more terrifying than when he was stone-faced. This fear was bo ne-deep, making people involuntarily feel scared. Just one look was enough for the girls to realize that he was not someone to mess with. Cedric, fun-loving, flirtatious, nonchnt, but not someone to be trifled with. The foreigndies immediately withdrew their hands and stood obediently to one side. Cedric put down his leg, stood up, and smiled at the CEOS. ¡®Let¡¯s call it a night. I¡¯m taking off.¡± With that, Cedric headed for the door. As he reached the elevator, he saw Aidyning down from the emergency exit. He stopped in his tracks, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Upon seeing Cedric, Aidyn put away his lighter, ¡°Liana organized a ball and insisted that I attend a blind date.¡± Those female doctors were only interested in his wealth, and after asking about it, they didn¡¯t care about anything else, totally boring. He had had enough, and while Liana was busy with the kids and couldn¡¯t keep an eye on him, he snuck out for a smoke to cool off. Cedric saw Aidyn¡¯s dejected look and knew he wasn¡¯t in good spirits. ¡°Try dressing a bit younger next time.¡± Dressed like a grumpy old man, no one would give him a second nce. With that, Cedric was about to enter the elevator, but Aidyn said, ¡®Ms. Vulpe is also on a date upstairs.¡± Cedric, already stepping into the elevator, stopped in his tracks and turned to Aidyn, ¡°Who did you say?¡± Aidyn knew Cedric had heard clearly, he just didn¡¯t want to believe it. Aidyn patiently repeated, ¡°Hailey is on a date upstairs, seems to be going pretty well, they¡¯re dancing¡± Hearing this, Cedric¡¯s expression darkened instantly, obviously annoyed, ¡°Take me up there.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Chapter 755 Chapter 755 Chapter 755 Hailey hadn¡¯t danced in a while and identally stepped on Yeager¡¯s foot a few times, thest one pretty hard, causing Yeager to wince in pain. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, let¡¯s stop dancing. I¡¯ll take you to rest over there.¡± Yeager told her it was fine, but Hailey didn¡¯t want to dance anymore, worried her heels might hurt Yeager¡¯s foot if she stepped on him again. Supporting Yeager, Hailey started to leave the dance floor. But before they could reach the sofa, they were blocked by a tall man. Cedric, dressed in a tailored suit, was strikingly handsome and debonair with an aura of deep nobility about him. His eyes coldly stared at Hailey¡¯s hand on Yeager¡¯s arm. ¡°Ms. Vulpe, are you on a blind date here?¡± Hailey didn¡¯t want to engage with him. She tried to walk around him with Yeager, but Cedric blocked their way. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°Dr. Yeager, did you know Ms. Vulpe and I dated for three years?¡± Cedric was taller than both of them. Looking down at Yeager who was wearing silver rimmed sses. Yeager, having just returned from abroad, was clueless about a lot of things. But he knew the man before him. He was the hospital¡¯s big boss Bernard¡¯s cousin, even his name Cedric was famous at home and abroad. Compared to Yeager, Cedric was clearly more powerful¡­ But for some reason, Yeager wanted to refute Cedric when he saw the disdain and superiority in his eyes. Holding Hailey¡¯s hand, he stood tall, chin up, facing the young but arrogant Cedric. ¡°She was with you for three years, now she¡¯s not. There¡¯s no need for you to tell me this.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Cedric took a step forward, looming over Yeager with his height. ¡°Dr. Yeager, are you okay with picking up my leftovers?¡± Cedric¡¯s words hurt Hailey. Hailey thought she wouldn¡¯t feel this hurt anymore, but his words still stung. ¡°Cedric, were you just ying with me during those three years we were together?¡± ¡°Or were we in a rtionship?¡± Cedric looked at her a bit angrily. Hailey felt a chill run down her spine, her hands and feet going cold. They were together for three years, and he was very good to her. He would prevent her from smoking, helped her quit smoking; when she was on her period, he would take care of her, when she had a headache from staying upte, he would hold her, gently rubbing her neck to ease her pain; when she was unhappy, he would buy gifts to cheer her up, flowers, food, drinks, and would pick her up and drop her off every day¡­ In Cedric¡¯s view, were these not considered being in a rtionship, but just a game? Hailey¡¯s face turned serious, her eyes full of disappointment looking at Cedric, ¡°I understand.¡± She tried to leave with Yeager, but Yeager tightly grabbed her hand. ¡°Cedric.¡± Yeager held Hailey¡¯s hand tightly, looking up at Cedric, ¡°Since you insist on using pick up¡¯ to insult Ms. Vulpe, then I will unhesitatingly ept her.¡± The warmth from his hand felt somewhat unfamiliar to Hailey, but she didn¡¯t shake it off, seemingly out of some kind of spite, so she didn¡¯t push him away. Cedric looked at their tightly sped hands, his face unhappy, his eyes seemingly flickering with rage. He stared at Hailey, after a long silence, he gritted his teeth and asked: ¡°Since you didn¡¯t push him away, are you nning to ept him?¡± Chapter 756 Chapter 756 Chapter 756 Hailey paused, considering the fact that he¡¯d had several girlfriends post-breakup and she hadn¡¯t uttered aint. She¡¯d simply been on a blind date, and he acted like she¡¯d done something wrong. What the hell was this? Was she forbidden to date anyone else just because she¡¯d been with Cedric? No way, she was definitely going to date! Hailey reached out and intertwined her fingers with Yeager Alis¡¯, looking up at Cedric. ¡°That¡¯s right, I ept him. From now on, Dr. Yeager and I are a couple. Cedric was so incredulous he burst intoughter. ¡°Huh, you¡¯re ready to be his girlfriend after you just met him once today? You really don¡¯t have any standards.¡± ¡°Who said I just met him once?¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. Hailey shifted her gaze from Cedric to Yeager, who was quietly watching her. ¡°He was my senior in high school, we¡¯ve known each other for a long time. We reunited and found we liked each other, so we decided to date. Is that being frivolous?¡± Cedric felt a pang in his chest at the words ¡°known for a long time.¡± His face turned ashen, his eyes ring with rage. ¡°Hailey!¡± He forcefully pulled their hands apart, intending to drag Hailey out of the banquet hall, but she forcefully shook him off. ¡°Cedric, you¡¯re just someone I used to date. We broke up, we¡¯re not together anymore, so please stop bothering me.¡± His chest tightened at her words, the pain spreading from his fingertips, slowly creeping into his heart and then throughout his body. ¡°Hailey, if you dare, say it again!¡± Hailey was about to repeat it, but the sight of his reddening eyes stopped her. For the first time, his eyes were out of control, the corners turning red¡­ Cedric hated this loss of control. He grabbed Hailey¡¯s wrist and pulled her into his Yeager Alis tried to intervene, but was stopped by Cedric¡¯s fierce re. ¡°If you freaking dare toe over, I¡¯ll make sure your whole family pays!¡±, Seeing Cedric genuinely angry, Aidyn quickly stepped in to block Yeager. ¡°Dr. Yeager, it¡¯s better not to provoke him.¡± Aidyn, being physically stronger, managed to pull Yeager away. Cedric turned his attention back to the woman in his arms. ¡°Say it again, what am I to you?¡± He gripped her chin, forcing her to look at him. arms. The Cedric at this moment was no longer the frivolous y boy, but a man exuding dominance. Seeing his aggressive gaze, Hailey realized that although he was younger, he was different. ¡°Cedric.¡± Hailey clenched her fists, taking a deep breath. ¡°I admit, I did have feelings for you when we were together.¡± The men she¡¯d encountered throughout her life were ordinary, only Cedric was unique. He was wealthy, handsome, and gentle to his girlfriends. Hailey felt there was nothing wrong with liking him. ¡°But¡­ ¡°But what?¡± Cedric, hearing her admit that she¡¯d liked him, felt his irritation and tension subside, reced by excitement as he gazed at her intensely. But Hailey lifted her moist eyes, looking at him with disappointment. ¡°You looked down on me for being divorced during our three years together, afraid of being ridiculed by your friends, unwilling to take me out.¡± ¡°Even when we bumped into each other on the street, you¡¯d push me away or introduce me as your friend.¡± ¡°At that time, I started to think that there might not be a future between us, so I stopped liking you¡­¡± Chapter 757 Chapter 757 Chapter 757 ¡°So¡­you¡¯re not into me anymore?¡± She said it so nonchntly. But that nonchnce hit Cedric right in the chest, making it hard for him to breathe. Back then he was indeed afraid of his friends¡¯ jokes, but he never once felt disgusted by her. Even though she had a past, he was still willing to have her as his girlfriend. But how could she just stop liking him because of all this? Cedric was kinda thrown off. He lifted Hailey¡¯s face. ¡°Hailey, let me tell you again, I never once cared about you being divorced. If I did, may I be struck down!¡± His vow left Hailey at a loss for words. It seemed like he said those words in an attempt to win her back. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. He had plenty of women, why try to win her back? Hailey didn¡¯t think Cedric was doing this because he liked her. Maybe he had a bit of a crush on her, after all, Hailey wasn¡¯t clueless, she could feel it. But it was more like a kid¡¯s tantrum, his ything of three years suddenly leaving him, he was bound to feel a bit lost. Hailey knew Cedric well, if he treated her as a toy, he¡¯d throw her away once he was bored. Just like how he wooed Norene back, then dumped her a few dayster. Hailey was wounded, she didn¡¯t dare to get hurt again, afraid she couldn¡¯t bear it, also afraid once she fell in, she¡¯d never get out. After all, Cedric was different from Austin Zimmer, he was far superior than Austin. If she fell for him, she¡¯d be done for¡­ Thinking of this, Hailey forced herself to stay calm, looking at Cedric. ¡°Cedric, your first love Hertha, she likes you more, you guys should get back together.¡± Seeing Hailey reject him again, Cedric felt a knot in his stomach. He was getting antsy, pulling her into his arms. ¡°Hailey, I¡¯ll break up with her right away. Would you love me again? This time, I promise, I¡¯ll introduce you to my friends, and even take you¡­¡± to meet my parents! But before he could finish, Hailey pushed him away. ¡°Cedric, you forgot, I just epted Dr. Yeager, I¡¯m his girlfriend now.¡± Cedric once said he liked to rekindle old mes, always trying to win back his exes when he ran into them, Hailey remembered this clearly. He said so much to win her back, but she still rejected him. After breaking up, it was always him begging to get back together, Hailey never¡­ And she had the nerve to say she once loved him, was that love? That was clearly cold-hearted. He actually thought about introducing a woman like this to his parents, what a joke! What was so special about Hailey that he should lower himself to take her to meet his parents? Cedric stared at Hailey¡¯s face for a while, then straightened up, taking a step back¡­ ¡°Hailey, congrattions on finding a suitable partner. Allow me to wish you a happy life in advance.¡± He said each word very slowly¡­. Hailey knew he was mocking her previous failed marriage, but she didn¡¯t argue with him, just nodded. ¡°Thank you, I will definitely have a happy life!¡± She firmly believed she wouldn¡¯t be so unlucky again, to meet another partner who would betray her. After saying this, Hailey didn¡¯t wait to see Cedric¡¯s reaction, turned around and walked towards Yeager Alis. Cedric clenched his fists, staring at Hailey¡¯s retreating figure, his heart aching unbearably. The sense of loss was unbearable, he clenched his fist and punched the wall! Chapter 757 His hand was soon blo ody, blood seeping out¡­ But this physical pain couldn¡¯t suppress the pain in his heart, making him feel incredibly irritated, as if he wanted to vent his anger. Chapter 758 Chapter 758 Chapter 758 Aidyn watched his rebellious back, heaving a sigh of frustration. Cedric was always the one doing the dumping, few dared to dump him. The folks in A City would say that Cedric was even colder and heartless than Bernard. He never treated any woman with sincerity, switching girlfriends like changing clothes. In Aidyn¡¯s view, Cedric just hadn¡¯t met a woman who made his heart flutter, hence his frequent girlfriend changes. With his wealth, leisure, talents, and looks, he had the Laurence family to back him up whenever he messed up and was pampered by his family when he didn¡¯t. With this kind of background, of course, he could afford to y around. It¡¯s just that now he¡¯s met a woman who has touched his heart, he¡¯s running into trouble. But such is life, it¡¯s highs and lows. It¡¯s about time Cedric got a taste of his own medicine in the women department. As Aidyn mulled over these thoughts, he pulled out a cigarette. A female doctor passing by him saw this and tapped him on the shoulder. ¡°Sir, if you want to smoke, please go to the smoking area, don¡¯t smoke here.¡± Aidyn turned around and saw the female doctor. She looked gentle and generous, somewhat familiar. He racked his brain but couldn¡¯t figure it out. However, the doctor recognized him first. ¡°Mr. Aidyn, what are you doing here?¡± The doctor looked surprised for a moment, then remembered that the hospital¡¯s director had organized this party for the purpose of introducing her to him. She had met Aidyn once before when he had rushed off in the middle of a meal after receiving a phone call. Jill Naylor figured he had not been interested in her and had nned to find a suitable doctor at this party, but unexpectedly ran into the. star of the party while stopping him from smoking. Jill noticed Aidyn staring at her and gave him a generous smile, ¡°Do you remember me? I¡¯m Jill Naylor, we¡¯ve met before.¡± Jill extended her hand politely, her movements more rxed than before, showing some personality. Since he wasn¡¯t interested in her, there was no need to be nervous. It was no big deal to greet an acquaintance. Aidyn moved his gaze from her face to the hand she extended and shook it politely, ¡°I remember, you¡¯re Dr. Naylor.¡± Seeing that he remembered her, Jill smiled slightly, ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m Dr. Naylor, a surgeon.¡± Aidyn saw the gentle smile on the girl¡¯s face and was stunned again. Last time he had been too busy eating because he was hungry and hadn¡¯t really looked at her. But today under the banquet hall¡¯s lights, he thought she was rather attractive. Having spent so much time around Mr. Laurence, he had also learned to hide his emotions. Even now, seeing that the woman was attractive, he didn¡¯t show any reaction and blurted out: ¡°No wonder your hands are so soft, it must be from handling surgical tools.¡± After saying that, he wanted to p himself. Commenting on the softness of her hands after only two meetings, wasn¡¯t that creepy? ¡°What I meant was¡­¡± ¡°I understand Jill interrupted Aidyn¡¯s exnation: ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± After these words, Aidyn fell silent. Before the awkward atmosphere could spread, Jill quickly said, ¡°I need to go to the restroom.* As she walked around Aidyn towards the exit of the banquet hall, Aidyn suddenly called out to her, ¡°Um¡­ Dr. Naylor* Jill stopped in her tracks and turned around to look at him, ¡°Mr. Aidyn, what is it?¡± Aidyn scratched his head, mustering up the courage to ask, ¡°Could you leave your¡­¡± ¡°What are you doing here?!¡± Just as Aidyn was about to ask Dr. Naylor for her contact information, a voice came from behind him. 12:03 Chapter 758 N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Aidyn was about to turn around when he was forcefully pushed against the wall, and immediately after, a figure emerged. The figure quickly took out a pair of handcuffs and with a ¡®click¡¯, cuffed Aidyn¡¯s hands together- ¡°Ha ha ha ha, I finally got you cuffed¡­¡± Recognizing the familiarughter, Aidyn quickly shifted his gaze from the handcuffs to the one who was laughing. Seeing Pearce Hooper¡¯s face under the ck hat, Aidyn¡¯s face instantly darkened. ¡°Pearce, what the hell are you doing?!¡± Pearce looked smug as he raised an eyebrow at Aidyn, ¡°You scared mest time, now it¡¯s my turn to get back at you!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Pearce reached out and shoved Aidyn against the wall, then raised his other hand above Aidyn¡¯s head. Pearce, being shorter than Aidyn, had to stand on his tiptoes to look him in the eye. This position was so weird it defied description. Pearce even pointed a finger at Jill, ¡°Humph, this is my man, you can¡¯t have him~¡± Chapter 759 Chapter 759 Chapter 759 Aidyn was dumbstruck for a moment, unable to snap back to reality until Jill at his side said, ¡°Oh, so you have a partner.¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s not my partner, he¡¯s my¡­¡± Aidyn finally got the point and hastily replied. Jill waved her hand and chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I won¡¯t tell the principal, your secret¡¯s safe with me.¡± With that, Jill turned around and left, not giving Aidyn a chance to exin. Aidyn was so mad his face turned beet red, and the instigator was still thereughing at him. ¡°Hahaha, the chance for revenge is here, I finally got a good opportunity!¡± ¡°Enough!!!¡± Aidyn shouted in anger, lifted his leg, and kicked Pearce to the ground. He wanted to clench his fists and beat him up, but his hands were handcuffed, making it difficult to move. ¡°Where are the keys?!¡± ¡°I flushed them down the toilet!¡± Da mn it! Aidyn was so pis sed he wanted to kick Pearce again. But Pearce took the chance when he lifted his leg, flipped over and got up from the ground. Free Pearce ran towards the corridor while making a provocative gesture at Aidyn. ¡°Come on,e chase me! Bet you can¡¯t~¡± ¡°You better pray I never see you again!¡± All of Aidyn¡¯s anger was vented on Pearce. He was going to ask her out but was ruined by Pearce, his hands were still handcuffed, and it took a long time for a locksmith to unlock the handcuffs. Aidyn gritted his teeth, picked up a big knife, and charged towards Pearce¡¯s residence. But George told him that Pearce had already left for the G country in the night¡­ Aidyn threw the knife like a dart and it stuck in Pearce¡¯s door!!! After Aidyn left, George tried to pull out the knife, but it was deeply embedded in the door. He silently took out his phone, recorded a short video and sent it to Pearce: [You better nevere back. It¡¯s too dangerous] Pearce, enjoying the sun on the beach, casually replied with a voice message: [Wait for Eleanor to come back, then I¡¯ll return] No matter how tough Aidyn is, he wouldn¡¯t dare to mess with Eleanor. With Eleanor around, he wouldn¡¯t have to fear Aidyn in this lifetime, and he could even suppress Aidyn! How awesome! Furious all day, Aidyn got Dr. Naylor¡¯s cellphone number from Liana and added it to his contacts. He didn¡¯t want her to misunderstand, so he wrote a lot of text to exin, but after writing, he felt it was too verbose. So he deleted it, rewrote it, revised it back and forth, and in the end, only sent one sentence: [I¡¯m straight, I like women!!!] Dr. Naylor, who had just finished a surgery, couldn¡¯t help butugh when she saw the message. She was about to reply when Yeager Alis urged everyone to go to The Secret Garden for team building, so she put down her phone and hurried to the dressing room. Aidyn waited for a long time, but she neither replied nor acknowledged him, and his mood plummeted. Just then, Liana called him to tell him that the surgeons at her hospital were going to Hailey¡¯s nightclub for a team building activity that night. Dr. Naylor would also be attending, and she suggested he also book a booth at Hailey¡¯s nightclub with a few friends, and she would arrange for him to meet Dr. Naylor there. Aidyn insisted that he didn¡¯t want to bump into Dr. Naylor by chance, but wanted to rify to Dr. Naylor that he wasn¡¯t g ay. Liana sounded a bit impatient, replied ¡°Okay,¡± and then hung up the phone. Staring at the now ck screen of his phone, Aidyn scratched the back of his head. He didn¡¯t have many friends and wasn¡¯t sure who to ask to book the booth with. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Chapter 759 After thinking for a while, Aidyn sent Cedric a message: [Cedric, are you free toe to The Secret Garden nightclub tonight?] Cedric had been around the social circle for many years and should know a thing or two about pursuing girls, he nned to ask Cedric for advice. Chapter 760 Chapter 760 Chapter 760 Cedric Laurence was sitting alone in the bar, drinking. After checking his messages, he replied with a simple ¡°Not going¡±. He had no intention of meeting up with Hailey Vulpe; he didn¡¯t fancy putting up with her mood swings. He put down his phone and downed the Macan Blue Diamond whiskey on the bar counter. ¡°Another one,¡± he said, tapping the counter. The bartender quickly whipped up another one and slid it over to him. He picked up the ss and took a refined sip when his phone started buzzing again. He figured it was Aidyn Reyes nagging him to hit the nightclub. He picked up his phone, only to find out it was a message from the family group chat. ¡°New clothes.¡± After Bernard sent the text, he followed up with a photo. Cedric opened the photo, zooming in with his index and middle finger. There stood the tall Bernard, donned in a pink shirt, under a palm tree, with blue skies and emerald seas behind him. The scenery was pretty decent, and the man looked decent too, but that pink shirt¡­ This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°Wow, Bernard, I¡¯m totally thrown by your shy shirt!¡± Before Cedric could make ament, the usually subtle Matthew Laurence made a rather ¡°tactful¡± statement. Then came Kendrick Laurence and Taylor Laurence, each expressing their high cultural literacy: ¡°If the salesman kidnapped you, blink twice; I¡¯lle and rescue you.¡± ¡°That pink is way too bright; it¡¯s blinding. Stick to ck, white, and gray, or I won¡¯t even admit you¡¯re my brother.¡± Seeing his brothers teasing Bernard, Cedric¡¯s mood lifted. He started typing his reply: ¡°Honestly, you would look better naked than in that shirt.¡± ¡°Where did you get this knockoff? It¡¯s hideous!¡± ¡°Ever since you got married, your taste has gone down the drain. I can¡¯t even bear to look!¡± As Cedric was going all out, he failed to notice a new member had joined the group chat before he sent his first message. Bernard: ¡°My wife bought the shirt.¡± But Cedric was too busy typing away to notice until the screen was flooded with messages: ¡°Eleanor Shultz has such a good eye! The pink really suits Bernard!¡± ¡°Exactly, pink makes you look fair. It brings out Bernard¡¯s rosy lips, white teeth, and sharp features. He looks amazing! ¡°Absolutely, Eleanor has a unique taste. I hope she can help me pick out some clothes in the future.¡± Cedric: ¡­ So Eleanor only saw his messages mocking the ugliness of the shirt and not the others¡¯? That¡¯s so unfair! Cedric screenshotted the messages where his brothers were mocking and sent them to the group chat, tagging Eleanor. If he was going down, he was taking them with him. Even if he died of embarrassment, he wouldn¡¯t go down without a fight. After sending the messages, he decided to sit back and watch the drama unfold, only to find the chat became eerily quiet. Just as he was wondering why nobody was reacting, Bernard¡¯s message popped up: ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Oh no! He forgot to edit the screenshot and censor out the names! Now his nickname was stered all over the screen: F*** you, Bernard. Compared to the previous awkwardness, the panic he was feeling now made him feel sick to his stomach. Bernard straightened up, gripping his phone, and pressed down the voice input key, his voice icy: ¡°Cedric, wait till I get back.¡± After the message was sent, Eleanor saw Cedric leave the group chat. 1/2 17.02 Chapter 760 Then, thirty secondster, the group owner who had been silent this whole time, Veronica Laurence, added Cedric back into the group. His new nickname was: Bernard is my idol; please spare me. Seeing the new nickname, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but chuckle: Cedric¡¯s survival instinct is pretty strong, huh. But then she turned to look at the man next to her, wearing the pink shirt. She was thinking that most of Bernard¡¯s clothes were ck, white, and gray; she just wanted to try something new for him, and she didn¡¯t expect the feedback to be so negative. But Bernard¡¯s skin was so delicate, and the pink shirt gave him a youthful vibe; why did they find it ugly? Her gaze moved from the pink shirt to Bernard¡¯s meticulouslybed hair. Was it because his hairstyle was too formal? Chapter 761 Chapter 761 Chapter 761 Thinking of this, she picked up a trendy magazine from the side, ced it in front of Bernard, and pointed out the hairstyle of a male star on it. ¡°Darling, fancy trying out this hairstyle?¡± The man, engrossed in typing, trembled at the sight of the silver-gray hair of the actor in the magazine. Could he say no? ¡°Honey, what¡¯s the matter? Don¡¯t you like it?¡± Bernard lifted his head; his eyes were full of refusal, but his face didn¡¯t show any discontent. ¡°I like it.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go get you a makeover right away.¡± Bernard was a bit shocked upon hearing this, but he quickly found an excuse. ¡°Honey, we¡¯re going to the casinoter; this hairstyle might not be a good fit.¡± Some noble friends who were also vacationing in Las Vegas saw his social updates and invited him and Mrs. Laurence to join them at the casino. Bernard wasn¡¯t really into gambling or clubbing. But since Mrs. Laurence bought him new clothes, he wanted to show off a little, so he agreed¡­ However, the thought of going to the casino with this hairstyle made Bernard feel uneasy. Eleanor noticed his reluctance to change his look and put down the magazine without forcing him. Bernard, thinking that Eleanor was upset, immediately called a few stylists to the hotel. A few hourster, a handsome, charming man appeared under the elegant starlight. His silver-gray, sh aggy hair was neatlybed back, highlighting his already smooth skin. His eyes sparkled with a sharp, icy light, like an angel descended. He was incredibly handsome. Eleanor was seated on a single sofa, staring at him in awe. Bernard leaned over, his hands on either side of the sofa, looking straight at her. ¡°Mrs. Laurence, this outfit I¡¯m wearing, you bought it for me. Do you think it¡¯s a good match? You like it?¡± He wore a silk white shirt on top, knight pants down below, and ck leather boots on his feet. The ck belt around his waist entuated his broad shoulders and slim waist. This outfit was already heart-stopping. And his silver-gray hair made him look extremely handsome, much more so ¡°I love it!¡± ? ? Eleanor could no longer describe the moment with words, only Seeing her staring at him in awe, Bernard smiled and leaned into her than the actor in the magazine. that this man made her heart flutter. Savin Hearing this, Eleanor was a bit disappointed: ¡°You look good; dye it b ¡±???? So ¡°Dack tomorrow.¡± He¡¯s on his honeymoon now; not having to go back to work, changing his hair color, changing his clothes, and rxing a bit would be great. ¡°If you promise me one condition, I won¡¯t dye it back.¡± ¡°What condition?¡± Bernard gently pulled her waist, bringing her closer to him, then lightly bit her ear. Twice a night, every night.¡± This man looked absolutely pure and holy, but his mind was filled with impure thoughts; he was hopeless! ¡°So, do you ept this proposal?¡± Eleanor gave him a nce, somewhat fascinated by this version of Bernard, so she reluctantly agreed. ¡°We¡¯re going to the casinoter; if you can win fifty million, I¡¯ll agreel¡± ¡°Heh, Bernard raised an eyebrow. Fifty million for him didn¡¯t even qualify as a bet. His wife obviously didn¡¯t know their game rules. Well, he would take her to experienceOriginal from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 762 Chapter 762 Chapter 762 Rows of top-notch luxury cars were parked in front of the most luxurious casino in the entire city. The bodyguards hopped out quickly, opening the door of the leading ck Cayenne. A man wearing golden sses stepped out, leading a woman in a silver dress. The doorman waiting at the entrance of the casino had his eyes lit up when he saw these two strikingly attractive andvishly dressed individuals. He had worked here for quite some time, yet this was the first time he had encountered such captivating individuals, whose outfits alone were probably worth tens of millions. And when you added in the eye-catching man and his gang of bodyguards, it was enough to take your breath away, not to mention the rows of luxury cars. The doorman instantly bowed down and stepped forward, hoping to butter them up with a few ttering words and maybe score some extra tips, when he saw the casino bossing out. ¡°Mr. Laurence, long time no see!¡± Fiman, followed by a bunch of his men, approached Bernard, greeted him, and then cast his gaze on Bernard¡¯s hair. ¡°What happened to your hair? Did it mutate?¡± Mutate? Eleanor nced at Bernard¡¯s hair, finding it quite appealing. Why were these men¡¯s aesthetics so different from hers? The tall and upright man beside her, slinging his arm around her shoulders, lifted his chin with a hint of pride. ¡°My wife likes it.¡± Bernard gave Fiman a cold sweep. ¡°What, you got a problem?¡± ¡°Me? Problem? No way.¡± Fiman was a half-breed, grew up overseas, and spoke fluent Mandarin. ¡°Whatever color your hair turns into, it¡¯s none of my business.¡± After saying that, Fiman nced at Eleanor. ¡°Ms. Shultz, do you remember me?¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°I do.¡± Eleanor had seen him at the racecourse before; Fiman was one of Bernard¡¯s friends, and she had a vague memory of him, so she nodded. Fiman, seeing that she remembered him, raised his eyebrows, extending his hand to her in a gentlemanly manner. ¡°I forgot to tell you my namest time; let¡¯s reintroduce. I am Fiman.¡± Just as Eleanor was about to extend her hand, intending to shake his out of politeness, she was pulled back by Bernard. ¡°You sure do bber a lot.¡± Upon receiving Bernard¡¯s icy stare, Fiman shivered, finding Bernard¡¯s behavior quite exasperating. ¡°Alright, no handshakes; let¡¯s go in.¡± Fiman led a group of people into the super-luxurious underground casino. Inside was a gigantic casino, a U-shaped structure divided into the lobby, VIP rooms, and super VIP rooms. Compared to the smoky, noisy, small, and big casinos, the design here had a tech vibe. The surrounding walls and the floor were all white, the same color scheme as the pyramid-shaped ceiling. Embedded in the hollowed-out ceiling were crisscrossed long lights, emitting dazzling white light like the Milky Way. Under the rows of sparkling lights, men and women in groups, holding chips, sat around the gaming tables. Just by their attire, you could tell that those who could enter here were either renowned tycoons or noble offspring. Even every dealer at each table had a supermodel-like figure. This was Eleanor¡¯s first time in a casino. Seeing such a scene, she was awestruck, couldn¡¯t help but look around. ¡°Mrs. Laurence.¡± Fiman, who was leading them to the super VIP room, called Eleanor and introduced her to the surroundings: ¡°All the facilities and equipment here are provided by the Laurence Group, including the hidden cameras in the walls.¡± 1/2 12.04 Chapter 762 He pointed at the wall; Eleanor followed his direction but couldn¡¯t spot any cameras; they were indeed hidden. Fiman led them to the super VIP room. Several aristocratic youths they had met at the racecourse were already waiting for them in the sofa area. Upon seeing Bernard, they quickly got up to greet him. Then, like Fiman, they stared at Bernard¡¯s hair, asking if he had mutated recently. The culprit behind Bernard¡¯s ¡®mutation¡¯, hung her head in embarrassment without uttering a word. Bernard, who was teased by his friends, hugged her waist with one hand, enjoying himself. ¡°As long as my wife likes it, it doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s a mutation.¡± ¡°Besides-¡± He paused, his cold voice filled with arrogance and disdain: ¡°What does it have to do with you?¡± The aristocratic youths looked at each other. Later at the gambling table, they¡¯d win a good round from him and teach him a lesson about the consequences of favoring love over friends! Chapter 763 Chapter 763 Chapter 763 After Bernard had Eleanor settled in the couch area, she leaned in and whispered, ¡°Babe, maybe go back to your original hair color tomorrow?¡± She really liked this color, but she didn¡¯t want to see Bernard being the butt of his friends¡¯ jokes-even if they were just friendly banter, she couldn¡¯t stand it. Bernard grabbed a ss of red wine from a waiter and turned to look at her, asking, ¡°Does our deal still stand?¡± He didn¡¯t give a da mn about the hair color, but he didn¡¯t want to miss out on the thrilling experience he¡¯d been promised twice tonight. It couldn¡¯t just be cancelled like that. Eleanor propped her chin on her hand, thinking for a moment, then pointed to the gaming tables and asked, ¡°Do you know how to y any of these?¡± The man¡¯s eyes were full of confidence, but he shook his head at her on purpose and said, ¡°Nope.¡± Hearing him say he couldn¡¯t y, Eleanor was immediately overjoyed. ¡°Then let¡¯s stick to the original deal. If you win fifty million tonight, it counts.¡± Winning fifty million here was amon urrence, but gambling wasn¡¯t just about skill; luck yed a huge part, too. And the man beside her seemed to be a newbie. Even if he were a quick learner, he might not get the hang of it right away. He¡¯d have to rely on luck. With that thought in mind, Eleanor eagerly watched Bernard, who was lounging on the couch. ¡°When do we start?¡± ¡°Right now.¡± Seeing her getting antsy, Bernard smiled, lifted his head, and signaled to Fiman, who was clinking sses with his friends. Fiman instantly put down his ss and moved to the gaming table. The huge square table was filled with various kinds of chips. Fiman leaned on the table, looking towards the couch area. ¡°Tonight, the dealer is yours truly.¡± As soon as Fiman voiced this, everyone except Bernard started cracking jokes. ¡°So, you¡¯re personally dealing because you¡¯re scared we¡¯ll clean out your casino?¡± As Fiman put on white gloves, he retorted, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Scared to gamble with me? Or just broke?¡± ¡°Weck a lot of things, but money isn¡¯t one of them.¡± ¡°Da mn straight.¡± After a bit of banter, Fiman gathered everyone and took a seat at the table. He threw a dart at the wall to decide the first round¡¯s game. ¡°One chip¡¯s worth ten.million. Let¡¯s start the betting!¡± Fiman tapped his fingers on the table, and the four yers began pushing their chips forward. ¡°Two bets, ten chips each, totaling two hundred million.¡± ¡°Three bets, three hundred million.¡± ¡°Four bets, four hundred million.¡± rchips After the other three had ced their bets, all eyes were on Bernard, who waszily sprawled on the white leather couch. Bernard was twirling a brown cigar between his fingers. He hadn¡¯t lit it; he was just gently rolling it. Everyone was waiting for his bet, but he just kept his eyes on Eleanor. Seeing this, everyone else rolled their eyes. The woman wasn¡¯t going anywhere; why was he so fixated on her? As the host, Fiman knocked on the table to remind Bernard, ¡°Bernard, are you in or out?¡± Bernard ignored him and leaned in to whisper to Eleanor, ¡°Darling, fifty million ain¡¯t enough to bet. You¡¯ve already lost, haven¡¯t you?¡± Eleanor knew they would cerge bets, but she hadn¡¯t expected them to be so massive. One chip was worth ten million? The bets had soared from two hundred millio to four hundred million! She had thought the maximum would be ten million, but they were throwing around hundreds of millions like it was nothing. She was taken aback, but she knew that the game hadn¡¯t started yet andThis text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Bernard might not win. 12:04 Chapter 763 But, just in case, to avoid being bothered twice in one night, Eleanor began praying in her heart. Please give Bernard some bad luck; let him lose this game! Bernard, meanwhile, lifted his finger and pushed out twenty chips. The three men at the table, including Fiman, were taken aback. ¡°You¡¯re saying you¡¯re going all in with two billion in the first round?¡± Bernard leaned back on the couch, crossing his legs. He raised an eyebrow at Fiman and said, ¡°It¡¯s you who¡¯s giving me two billion: Chapter 764 Chapter 764 Chapter 764 ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve!¡± Fiman snorted and tapped on the table, signaling the dealer to deal the cards. Soon, a pile of cards was neatlyid on the green table. Fiman ced the cards on the long bar and dealt two cards in a row to the yers at the table. He, as the dealer, also dealt himself two cards, one face down and one face up, while the other four yers revealed their cards immediately. Eleanor, holding the rule book, carefully studied it and roughly understood the game. The rules were simple. In poker, the Ace could be considered 1 point or 11 points, while J, Q, and K were 10 points, and the remaining 2-10 points were the numbers on the cards themselves. Each yer would initially get two cards. If the yer¡¯s total points were still far from 21, they could continue to ask for cards. When the yer¡¯s points were close to or reached 21, they could stop asking for cards. After stopping asking for cards, if the yer¡¯s points exceeded the dealer¡¯s, they would win; otherwise, they would lose. If the points of the yer or the dealer exceeded 21, it would be considered a bust, which meant losing. After understanding the rules, Eleanor nced at the two cards in front of Bernard. An Ace and a jack. If he asked for a Q, K, another A, or a 10, he could directly get 21 points. Even if he got a 9, he could be close to 21 points. As long as the dealer¡¯s points didn¡¯t exceed his, he might win. Eleanor side-eyed Bernard, wondering how he got such good cards right off the bat. Feeling the gaze beside him, Bernard turned his head and intentionally brushed her cheek lightly, saying, ¡°Mrs. Laurence, tell me the rules.¡± A man who didn¡¯t even know the rules dared to bet 2 billion chips. Such audacity! But it was indeed helpful for her deal. Eleanor immediately closed the rule book and hid it in the gap of the sofa behind her, then began to seriously exin the rules to him. Bernard was nodding his head as he listened, without a hint of doubt, fully trusting his wife, which made Eleanor feel a bit guilty. As she hesitated with her head lowered, holding his arm, Bernard raised his hand and tapped on the table. ¡°Deal.¡± The other three yers, who didn¡¯t get good cards, were still guessing what the dealer¡¯s hidden card was, but Bernard was the first to ask for a card. ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve.¡± Fiman mocked him but still continued to deal the cards, handing them to Bernard at the table. Eleanor craned her neck to look; the third card was a 2. The cards Bernard got were: the first card was an Ace, the second was a Jack, and the third was a 2. If Bernard considered the first Ace to be 1 point, his total would only be 13 points. Not enough; he needed to continue to ask for cards. However, she only told Bernard that the value of an Ace was 10, yet she didn¡¯t tell him that an Ace could also be used as 1 point. He must think his points have already exceeded 21, and he can¡¯t ask for more cards and can only wait for the dealer to take his chips. If he didn¡¯t ask for more cards, he would only have 13 points, and the dealer¡¯s card could berger than his, and Bernard could possibly lose. Eleanor again fell into indecision. At this point, Bernard, who didn¡¯t understand the game rules, once again raised his hand and tapped on the table./ ¡°Deal.¡± Eleanor looked at Bernard in shock. Did he already understand the rules? Bernard smirked at her and said, ¡°Honey, you¡¯ve already lost.¡±Original from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 765 Chapter 765 Chapter 765 What a low-down, sneaky, sly move! He clearly knew the game rules, yet he yed dumb to trick her! Eleanor silently prayed to the go ds: Let him draw a 10 on the fourth card; let him go bust! After asking the other three yers if they wanted more cards, Fiman red at Bernard and said, ¡°What¡¯s the rush? Wait for the next round.¡± Fiman asked the other yers one by one and added a third card for them and himself before finally dealing the fourth card to Bernard. Bernard, with one arm around Eleanor¡¯s waist, leaned down and gently kissed her cheek in front of everyone: ¡°Darling, you flip the card.¡± Upon seeing this, Fiman got so mad he tossed his cigarette away. ¡°How much money do you want? I¡¯ll give it to you straight. Just take your wife and go home.¡± The other three yers couldn¡¯t stand it either, banging on the table in protest: ¡°We¡¯ll give you all our chips; just go home; stop bullying people here!¡± Bernard, holding his blushing wife, smiled provocatively at them: ¡°You¡¯ll have to put up with it because you guys don¡¯t have wives.¡± Fiman: ¡­ Three yers: N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. They understood that this guy didn¡¯te to y; he came to show off his wife! Fiman clenched his fists, cracking his knuckles. ¡°Guys, I want to punch him!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been wanting to do that too!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you guys are single; you¡¯re too rude.¡± Bernard chuckled. ¡°Can we punch him now?¡± ¡°Once we¡¯re done at the table, you can punch him however you want.¡± Bernard didn¡¯t take the ¡®peaceful¡¯ exchange between the young men seriously. He thought these men without wives could only vent their frustration with words. And Eleanor, the object of showoffs, kept her head buried low, holding her face with both hands. She tried to make herself as invisible as possible, while Bernard leaned over to whisper in her ear: ¡°Sweetheart, help me-flip the card.¡± This man, with his tone frivolous and erratic tone, whispered softly in her ear with just one sentence. His warm breath and maic voice, made her cheeks even redder, like a ripe tomato. She frowned, ring at Bernard. Not only Fiman and the other young men wanted to hit him; she herself wanted to punch him too! ¡°Hmm?¡± Seeing her not move, he raised an eyebrow at her again. The card was right in front of him, but he just wouldn¡¯t flip it himself. Suppressing her anger, Eleanor gritted her teeth and reached out to flip the fourth card. Upon seeing the number on the card, she didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry. ¡°The fourth card is actually an 8!¡± The yer sitting to the right of Bernard called out to Fiman when he saw it. ¡°Hey, hang in there!¡± Fiman, with a gold ho ok in his hand, was ready to fight for Bernard¡¯s chips after this round. Originally, Bernard¡¯s first three cards were A, J, and 2, totaling only 13 points; he would definitely request another card. But asking for a fourth card was very risky. If he got 7 or below, his chances of winning wouldn¡¯t be high, if he got 9 or above, he would lose the game. Who would have thought that Bernard¡¯s luck would be so good? The fourth card he asked for turned out to be the only 8 that could bring his total to 21! Fiman nced at his own cards: A, Q, 9, totaling 20 points, less than Bernard¡¯s¡­ What bad luck! He must tie with Bernard to keep his two billion from being won by Bernard! But if he wanted to tie with Bernard, he would have to ask for another card. Could he be as lucky as Bernard and get an A? Chapter 766 Chapter 766 Chapter 766 There were three yers left in the game. Even though Fiman was seething on the inside, he couldn¡¯t let his frustration show on his face He put on a show of cheerfulness and continued to ask the other yers if they wanted a fourth card. Kenny asked for a fourth card, but his total score exceeded 21, so he was out. Another yer, Jose, got his third card, scoring 19. He was afraid he might go over 21 if he took another card, so he chose to stick. The third yet Jeff, ended up with a score of 20 and decided he didn¡¯t need another card either. Now it was the dealer Fiman¡¯s turn to decide whether to deal himself another card. He was in two minds about it. While he was hesitating, Bernard, without needing to guess, just looked at the card that was face- down, challenging Fiman with a c ocky lift of his chin. ¡°Turn it over.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°That¡¯s just not fair!¡± Fiman muttered, but he turned his card over as Bernard had demanded. By turning over his card, he was choosing not to take a fourth. 20 points, not as high as Bernard¡¯s.¡± A yer started banging on the table, stirring up the crowd. ¡°We¡¯ve yed here so many times, and it¡¯s always Fiman who wins. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen him lose!¡± ¡°If I¡¯d known this would happen, Bernard should¡¯ve bet everything, making Fiman lose so badly he wouldn¡¯t have to open his establishment tomorrow!¡± Compared to Fiman losing twenty billion, the other yers losing two or three billion seemed like small change, and they weren¡¯t as pis sed off as Fiman. Fiman, his face alternating between green and pale with rage, didn¡¯t mind losing money so much as losing face. He urged everyone to keep ying. Let¡¯s go another round. I refuse to believe Bernard is always this lucky!¡± But Bernard, who had just won twenty billion, didn¡¯t even nce at Fiman. His eyes were fixed on Eleanor. ¡°My darling, twenty billion is so much more than fifty million. Shouldn¡¯t our dealings increase proportionally?¡± He leaned in close to her, whispering in her ear, ¡°How about we change it from twice a night to four times?¡± Eleanor looked at him expressionlessly and rolled her eyes. ¡°If you want me to drop dead, just say so.¡± Seeing her eye roll, Bemard gave her an indulgent smile, thinking to himself, It¡¯s not her who¡¯s going to die from this; it¡¯s me. Eleanor, unaware of his thoughts, looked into his sparkling eyes, asking him, ¡°Do you want to keep ying?¡± Bernard nced at Fiman, who was in the grip of a gambling fever. ¡°He¡¯s lost money; he¡¯s not going to let me go that easily.¡± Eleanor¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Our deal is, if you win fifty million tonight, it counts. But if you keep ying, you could still lose. If you lose, or if you don¡¯t win fifty million, you can forget about it for the next month.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re changing the conditions?¡± ¡°Do you agree or not?¡± The man rotated his cigar in his hand, counter-questioning, ¡°What if I win big? Do we double?¡± Eleanor hesitated for a few seconds, then held up a finger and said, ¡°One hundred billion, double!¡± Bernard¡¯s lips curled into a smirk, as if Eleanor had just fallen into a trap. ¡°Hey, you two, enough with the lovey-dovey stuff. Hurry up, start the second round!¡± Fiman, desperate to win his money back, tossed the dart to Bernard, hoping he would start the second round of the game. Bernard threw the dart back and said, ¡®Let¡¯s change the game for the second round.¡± Chapter 767 Chapter 767 Chapter 767 Fiman was taken aback and asked, ¡°You want to change the rules?¡± Bernard nced at the chips on the table and said to Fiman, ¡°Let me be the dealer this time.¡± Fiman immediately got his point: ¡°So you want to be the dealer and win everyone¡¯s money?¡± Bernard stood up, hands in his suit pockets, and walked towards Fiman. ¡°I just want to use your ce for a while; win or lose, it¡¯s on me.¡± This guy is really c ocky. In someone else¡¯s casino, he not only took over the ce for his game but also wanted to win the casino owner¡¯s money. Talk about having some serious balls. Fiman t out refused, but his chips were sn atched away by Bernard in an instant. Bernard firmly said, ¡°For the stake, I need more than just the chips on the table.¡± Seeing Bernard change the rules and raise the stakes, a few rich men suddenly became interested in the game. ¡°What do you need? Spill it.¡± Bernard put down the chips, leaned over the table with his hands supporting him, and looked at the people at the table. He said, ¡°Kenny¡¯s yacht, Jose¡¯s private jet, Jeff¡¯s mansion in Las Vegas, and¡­ N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. His gaze slowly moved to Fiman¡¯s casino. ¡°That¡¯s too audacious!¡± Fiman was pis sed: This is just too unfair! Why do others only need to stake their luxury cars and mansions while he had to put his beloved casino on the line! So Fiman retorted, ¡°What if you lose?¡± Bernard stood upright, crossed his arms, and said, ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to lose.¡± Who gave him the audacity to be so c ocky? ¡°I don¡¯t care if you lose, all your properties in W City are mine!¡± Fiman said. Bernard nodded, signaled the dealer to deal the cards, and beckoned Eleanor, ¡°Come here; I need you.¡± Seeing the situation, the rich men all rolled their eyes. They were going to make Bernard lose everything! Eleanor was surprised that Bernard made such a big decision for this game: ¡°Have you lost your mind?¡± Bernard pulled her waist, sat her down next to him, and asked the waiter to bring her some food. ¡°Once I win 10 billion, we¡¯ll go home.¡± So, he was doing this because he was in a hurry to win money? Is she the only thing on his mind? A man who is fully focused on his honeymoon, with only his wife in his mind, has no room for anything else. Bernard took the Y Country noodles from the waiter and fed her himself, saying, ¡°You need to replenish your energy first.¡± Luckily, the VIP room and the gambling table were big enough, and people were far apart, so they couldn¡¯t hear their conversation; otherwise, she would die of embarrassment. The dealer had dealt the cards, and the game was about to start. Eleanor reached out to take the Y Country noodles from his hand, but he didn¡¯t let her. ¡°I¡¯ll feed you.¡± ¡°You focus on the cards.¡± Even in such a high-stakes game, he still had the mind to feed her. Wasn¡¯t he afraid that his properties would be divided by the rich men present? Bernard didn¡¯t care about these minor properties. He just nced at the numbers on the card table and continued to feed her. He fed her the Y Country noodles, then some cut fruit, and even asked the waiter to prepare a low- alcohol coc ktail for her. While the other four were nervously calcting the dealer¡¯s cards, the dealer was here, tantly showing off his love, causing everyone present to seethe with anger. ¡°Who the hell invited Bernard to y?¡± ¡°It must have been Jose. He¡¯s always liked ying with Mr. Laurence.¡± ¡°Nonsense, the one who really enjoys ying with him is actually Fiman.¡± ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t enjoy ying with him; I actually like him!¡± Fiman, who got the same cards as Bernard in thest round, mmed the A, J, and 2 on the table. ¡°Just watch, I like him. I like him so much, I want him to hand over his properties in W City to me!¡± Fiman was rubbing his hands together, staring at the fourth card the dealer handed over. It has to be an 8! The dealer put down the card and flipped it over. ¡°You¡¯re kidding me; am I possessed by the jinx tonight? Howe it¡¯s another 2?¡± Chapter 768 Chapter 768 Chapter 768 Jose nced at Bernard, giving a thoughtful nod towards the man who oozed charisma. ¡°He¡¯s definitely up to something shady.¡± Sure enough, Bernard¡¯s hidden card turned out to be an 8! King, 3, and 8, their total was 21. He naturally chose not to draw a fourth card. Seeing his move, Kenny, Jose, and Jeff understood that Bernard had a strong hand. ¡°This is a disaster; we can¡¯t keep ying!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve only yed two rounds, and we¡¯re already up the creek without a paddle!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve just lost some cash, Fiman.¡± Jeff looked at Fiman, sprawled on the poker table like a worn-out dog. ¡°You¡¯ve even lost your casino; should we keep going?¡± If they continued, they could take over Fiman¡¯s ce and clean him out! ¡°I quit; I surrender, okay?¡± Fiman waved his hands in defeat. Fiman looked up at Bernard, his face full of distress. ¡°You really want my casino?¡± Without lifting his head, Bernard replied, ¡°Just get me ten billion and transfer it to my ount.¡± So he didn¡¯t want the casino, just the money. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll transfer it right away.¡± Fiman jumped up, happily calcting his chips. The others exchanged nces. Something didn¡¯t feel right. It felt like they¡¯d be They yed Even a more rounds, the? Eleanor app, N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. conned by Bernard, but they couldn¡¯t figure out how. time not for money but for drinks. beat Bernard, cursing and swearing they¡¯d never gamble with him again. also decided she wouldn¡¯t gamble with Bernard again; his luck was just too good; no one could beat him. Bernard rushed off to finalize the deal with Eleanor, took a few sips of red wine, and left with her. As they exited the VIP room with th squad of bodyguards, they bumped into Elbert Pine in another VIP room. Under the white lights, Elbert¡¯s handsome features hardened as he saw Bernard. After staring coldly at Bernard for a few seconds, he turned his gaze to Eleanor. ¡°I always thought you were a good girl; I couldn¡¯t believe you¡¯de to a ce like this.¡± Bernard was taken aback, looking at Eleanor. Did she already know about her heritage? Eleanor, who didn¡¯t notice Bernard¡¯s gaze, retorted, ¡°Can¡¯t a good girle here?¡± Elbert walked up to her, boldly bending down to look at her. ¡°Good girls stay home. They don¡¯te to ces like this.¡± Good girls¡­ Bernard realized what was happening. This little punk, Elbert, was hitting on his wife. He wrapped his arm around Eleanor¡¯s waist, pulling her away from Elbert, and coldly said, ¡°Back off.¡± Eleanor looked up at Bernard, noticing his frosty expression. He didn¡¯t seem to like Elbert near her. However, she found Elbert strangely familiar-aforting presence, like family. But Bernard had told her that the Laurence and Pine families had deep-seated feuds, so as Mrs. Laurence, she had to keep her distance from Elbert, no matter how familiar he felt. Elbert¡¯s intense gaze moved from Eleanor to the hand that was holding her waist. Bernard¡¯s affection for Eleanor showed how important she was to him. Very important. Interesting. Elbert straightened up, hands in his pockets, and took two steps back, making way. Without even sparing him a nce, Bernard, arm in arm with Eleanor, walked off with his bodyguards. 12.06 Chapter 768 As they reached the end of the corridor, Elbert¡¯s clear and resonant voice echoed from behind. ¡°Mr. Laurence, let¡¯s have a bet. If you lose, your wife has to give me a kiss.¡± Chapter 769 Chapter 769 Chapter 769 Elbert¡¯s arrogance made Bernard stop in his tracks. He slowly turned around, his eyes seemingly filled with an entire gxy, glinting with a merciless, cold light like a hardened sword. Clearly, Bernard¡¯s killer instincts were ring up, but Elbert still marched up to him,pletely fearless. ¡°If you win, my girl can keep youpany for the night; how about that?¡± Elbert, hands in his pockets, arrogantly taunted Bernard. The woman following Elbert sneakily eyed Bernard. His silver-gray hair was casually swept back. Although the color didn¡¯t match his regal demeanor, his strikingly handsome face was still a sight to behold. His appearance and physique were top-notch, enough to make hearts race. The masculine pheromones he gave off were like a beast lurking in the deep sea-potent and invasive, enough to make one flush at a single nce. Elbert¡¯s girl thought that spending a night in the arms of such a man would be an unforgettable experience. She gently lifted a finger, twirling her long hair around it, striking a seductive pose, and constantly throwing flirty nces at Bernard. But Bernard paid no heed to her advances; his icy, fierce eyes were like sharp des, fixed on Elbert. ¡°How do you want to die?¡± Elbert¡¯s wager, win or lose, was nothing more than a sick joke. If he had the guts to provoke him, he was basically asking for death! ¡°Mr. Laurence, lighten up a bit.¡± Elbert said this with a smirk on his face full of audacity and arrogance. ¡°I just asked you for a game of chance; I didn¡¯t ask you to do anything else. Why so tense?¡± Bernard snorted coldly, his eyes full of disdain. ¡°Why should I gamble with you?¡± Elbert looked up, his eyes filled with arrogance and defiance. He looked past Bernard to Eleanor at hisN?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. side. ¡°Because I once saved her.¡± Bernard¡¯s expression changed suddenly, he recalled that Elbert had indeed saved Eleanor. He frowned. Seeing Bernard¡¯s silence, Elbert lifted his chin, making his proposition to the taller Bernard. ¡°y a round with me; consider it paying off your debt.¡± To sicken him, he was forcing him to gamble-utterly ridiculous! ¡°So, are you in or out?¡± Elbert took a step forward, closing in on Bernard and showing no fear whatsoever. Eleanor thought Elbert was too full of youthful vigor, anyone else wouldn¡¯t dare talk to Bernard like this. She let go of Bernard¡¯s arm and took a step forward, wanting to reject Elbert¡¯s proposal outright, but Bernard pulled her back. ¡°Using a woman as a wager, how despicable.¡± Bernard pulled out a gun from his waist, flipped it around, and pointed it at Elbert. ¡°If you want to gamble with your life, I can y a round with you.¡± Hearing the words ¡®gamble with your life¡¯, Eleanor¡¯s heart clenched, and she reached out to grab Bernard¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Bernard¡­¡± Bernard put his other hand, the one not holding the gun, around her waist, patting gently to soothe her. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared.¡± He easily calmed Eleanor¡¯s nervous heart. It seemed like no matter what problem arose, he could turn a crisis into safety. Seeing that Bernard would rather gamble with his life than let Eleanor kiss him, Elbert¡¯s smile became more pronounced. Bernard¡¯s protection of Eleanor showed he cared about her a lot. If he cared about someone, that person could be his weakness. If she was his weakness¡­ Now he was even more curious to see Bernard¡¯s reaction after Eleanor kissed him. Chapter 770 Chapter 770 Chapter 770 Elbert, having this idea, felt a little excited and pointed at the rules on the wall. ¡°How about we follow the casino¡¯s rules and decide by drawing lots whose proposal to ept?¡± Bernard withdrew his gun, handed it to his bodyguard, and then coldly looked at Elbert. ¡°I am the rules!¡± Bernard didn¡¯t give two hoots about other people¡¯s rules; he was the rule himself! This was the first time Elbert had met such a capricious person. He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°True to the Laurence family¡¯s boss, so domineering. But this isn¡¯t the Laurence Group! If you¡¯re here, you should follow the casino¡¯s rules. Otherwise, what¡¯s the point of this game?¡± Elbert wasn¡¯t about to back down; even though the game hadn¡¯t started, it seemed he was already squaring off with Bernard. Eleanor nced at Bernard, saw him coldly staring at Elbert, his eyes filled with murderous intent, and she sighed inside. If it weren¡¯t for Elbert having saved her once, Bernard would¡¯ve already made his move. There was no way he¡¯d let Elbert be so c ocky. That¡¯s right, Elbert was so c ocky in front of Bernard because he had saved Eleanor and knew Bernard wouldn¡¯t hurt him. ¡°Mr. Laurence, we¡¯ll decide whose bet to ept by drawing lots, so the game will be fair.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s start.¡± Before Elbert could finish, Bernard coldly cut him off. Bernard obviously wasn¡¯t interested in this game. He looked impatient, as if he couldn¡¯t be bothered to gamble with Elbert, but he had to because he owed Elbert for saving Eleanor. Elbert loved seeing Bernard¡¯s helpless but forcedpromise. He felt great, so he raised his hand and pped. ¡°Dealer!¡± Hearing the sound, the casino dealer respectfully walked over. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. ¡°Mr. Pine, any instructions?¡± ¡°Bring the drawing tube.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The casino staff quickly brought the drawing tube. ¡°Mr. Laurence, pick a letter.¡± Elbert pointed at the two letters on the tube and let Bernard choose first. Bernard seemed a bit impatient. He chose a K. Elbert raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll pick M.¡± After saying that, he signaled to the casino staff, ¡°Open.¡± To avoid any foul y, this sort of drawing was carried out by the casino staff. The drawing tube was ck on the outside, and you couldn¡¯t see inside. The casino staff opened the drawing tube first. After letting the two yers see that there was nothing inside, they put the balls with the letters K and M in. Then they pressed the roll key, waited for the letter balls inside to rotate a few rounds, and then opened the small lid on top of the drawing tube. ¡°Who will draw?¡± The casino staff looked at the two men at loggerheads. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you do it¡± Elbert seemed to be absolutely confident that he would win, always giving way to Bernard. Bernard couldn¡¯t be bothered to be polite with him. He let his bodyguard take a ball for him. ¡°M¡± Seeing the letter on the ball, Elbert gave a slight smile. ¡°It looks like we¡¯ll have to go with my proposed bet.¡± He took the letter ball and shook it in front of Bernard. 1/2 12:07 Chapter 770 ¡°If you lose, your wife has to give me a kiss. If you win, my date stays the night with you.¡± As Elbert was saying this, he pushed his date towards Bernard. The woman giggled shyly, nced at Bernard, then moved downward, stopping below his waist. That curious and unabashed look, when it fell into Eleanor¡¯s eyes, made her feel extremely ufortable. She never thought that another woman would be so interested in her husband¡¯s physique, even ignoring her existence. What was more irritating was that Elbert, knowing they were married, proposed such a bet to provoke them; he was doing it on purpose. Looking at Elbert¡¯s expression, she knew in her heart that he had be a jerk. She wished she could give him a good lesson right now. Chapter 771 Chapter 771 Eleanor was giving Elbert the eye, but he didn¡¯t give a hoot. He cocked an eyebrow at her, then turned to stride towards the VIP room He extended an arm gracefully, gesturing an invitation towards Bernard Mr. Laurence, how about a game?¡± ¡°Mr Laurence, don¡¯t y with him!¡± Fiman, Kenny, Jose, and Jeff popped out from the VIP room, trying to stop Bernand ¡°He¡¯s the kingpin of the casino here, nobody has ever beat him.¡± Fiman was the first to step forward, positioning Bernard behind him and trying to persuade Elbert to be a casino owner ¡°Mr. Pine, you¡¯re a regr here, and it¡¯s Mr. Laurence¡¯s first time. Isn¡¯t it a bit bullyish of you to invite him to y?¡± Elbert snorted at this ¡°Fiman, are you trying to use your status as a casino owner to meddle with our game?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean.¡± ¡°So, what do you mean, then?¡± Fiman¡¯s expression turned icy ¡°Mr. Pine, if you want to y with Mr. Laurence, fine, but let¡¯s not gamble, let¡¯s change the rules¡± Elbert always won at gambling Even though Bernard had just won a game,pared to Elbert, who was a regr in the casino, he was just small fry Everyone knew what kind of guy Elbert was; they couldn¡¯t just let Bernard get duped Seeing a group of young guys stand up for Bernard, all Elbert could do was sneer. It was a sight to behold, seeing people actually help a cold guy like Bernard. Elbert was still somewhat intimidated by Fiman, after all, he still relied on Fiman¡¯s family here, so he nodded in agreement. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll change the game, I¡¯ll win no matter what anyway Elbert finished, turned, and gazed towards the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window at the end of the hallway ¡°How about a race?¡± Bernard, holding Eleanor¡¯s hand, gave Elbert a cold nce. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Racing was Bernard¡¯s specialty He was crowned a top racer when he was only 18. Elbert suggested a race with him, wasn¡¯t he just asking for trouble? ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Elbert didn¡¯t answer Bernard¡¯s question, he just strutted off downstairs. Watching the arrogant young man¡¯s retreating figure, Fiman shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s still too young how could he possibly beat Mr. Laurence in a race?¡± ¡°Even though that¡¯s true, Mr. Laurence hasn¡¯t driven in a long while.¡± ¡°Absolutely, all his des were from when he was 17, and given his age now, does he even remember how to drive?¡± Fiman¡¯s gaze shifted from Elbert¡¯s back to Bernard¡¯s. ¡°All we can do is pray that Mr. Laurence¡¯s memory serves him well and doesnt mix up the elerator for the brake.¡± Jose, Kenny, Jeff He¡¯s only in his thirties, surely his memory isn¡¯t so bad that he has dementia? They quickly arrived at the race track. With a wave of Elbert¡¯s hand, two vehicles were immediately brought out. Seeing the two vehicles, Fiman and the rest were taken aback. ¡°Motorcycles?¡± They had initially thought it would be a four¨Cwheel drive race, not a two¨Cwheel motorcycle race. This was bad, Bernard had never been around motorcycles because he found them too noisy! If they were racing motorcycles, he was definitely going to lose! Elbert took off the helmet hanging on the motorcycle, strode over, mounted the bike, and shot a challenging look at Bernard. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Mr. Laurence!¡± Seeing the two motorcycles, Eleanor felt a sense of danger and unconsciously tightened her grip on Bernard¡¯s hand. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Sensing her unease, Bernard squeezed back without uttering a word, just coldly watching Elbert ¡°I have a condition¡± ¡°What?¡± Elbert frowned, not quite getting Bernard¡¯s drift. ¡°I win, I get to p you twice¡® Bernard¡¯s condition was that he didn¡¯t want Elbert¡¯s girl, he only wanted to p him twice Did Bernard dislike him so much that he didn¡¯t even want the girl he offered, he just wanted to hit him? Chapter 772 Chapter 772 Elbert never made a bad deal. If Bernard wanted to change the stakes, he better offered something of equal value in return ¡°You want to change the rules? Sure, no problem. But during the race, your wife has to ride shotgun on my bike¡± Elbert patted the back seat of his bike and gave Bernard a challenging look ¡°Elbert, don¡¯t push your luck!¡± The veins on Bernard¡¯s clenched fist bulged. He was itching to walk over and knock Elbert down a peg ¡°Then we won¡¯t change the rules!¡± He had already won the draw, the stakes should be ording to his terms. Why should they change them? Eleanor knew Elbert. Win or lose, his aim was to ruffle Bernard¡¯s feathers Only by changing the stakes and letting Bernard win could she avoid having to kiss Elbert, and Bernard wouldn¡¯t be vited by someone else She believed that her husband made this proposal because he was confident he could win. But Elbert wasn¡¯t easy to deal with, so they had to offer something in return. Eleanor looked at Elbert, who seemed a bit shady, let go of Bernard¡¯s hand, and quickly walked towards him. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll ride on your bike Let¡¯s start the race¡± With her words, everything was decided Bernard didn¡¯t even have time to stop her. ¡°Eleanor, what are you doing?¡± Eleanor looked back at Bernard and signaled with her eyes that he should not worry ¡°Sweetheart, you have to give it your all. You must win!¡± Bernard¡¯s furrowed brows rxed, seemingly understanding Eleanor¡¯s intentions. Though he didn¡¯t know what she was up to, Bernard trusted Eleanor unconditionally. After reassuring Bernard, Eleanor clenched her fist and punched Elbert in the back. ¡°Give me a helmet! This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Elbert winced, looking back at Eleanor in pain. ¡°What the hell did you eat growing up to be so strong?¡± ¡°People¡± ¨C Elbert took off his helmet and handed it to Eleanor, showing her how to wear it properly. Then he turned to Bernard on the other side ¡°How about you take my girl instead?¡± As soon as he said this, the female spectators at the track shot Bernard eager nces They all fantasized about being tightly held by this man. Bernard slowly removed his helmet and gave Elbert a cold nce ¡°Mr. Pine, you¡¯ve never been hit before, have you?¡± ¡°Why would I ever get hit?¡± Elbert was the darling of the Pine family. He was always the one doing the hitting, never the one getting hit. Bernard¡¯s question was absurd ¡°That¡¯s good, then ¡± ¡°What do you mean that¡¯s good?¡± Elbert looked at Bernard, full of confusion, but Bernard ignored him. Bernard swung his leg over and settled onto his bike He lied back his silver hair and slowly put on his helmet. His movements were poised and elegant, and his profile was cold and sharp. But his face was expressionless, like a thousand year¨Cold statue frozen in time Elbert found Bernard¡¯s disregard amusing. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal?¡± He sneered, then turned to give Eleanor an indifferent nce. ¡°Get on!¡± Eleanor put on her helmet and grabbed the back seat of the bike. ¡°Hold me!¡± ¡°No!¡± Eleanor would rather hold onto the bike¡¯s handle than hold him. Elben saw this and gave her a cold re ¡°If you get thrown off and senously injured, it would have been better if you died when you jumped into the seast time!¡± Eleanor¡­. But she still didn¡¯t hold him, she just clutched his clothes tightly. Elbert didn¡¯t bother arguing with her and quickly started the bike. On the track, there were officials in charge of the race After checking both vehicles and ensuring everything was in order, the official returned to the starting line The official began the countdown, then raised the gun and fired into the night sky! Bang! Chapter 773 Chapter 773 The instant the gunshot sounded, two motorcycles shot off like arrows. From the bike Bernard was driving, a small booklet flew out Fiman stepped forward and picked it up. Upon opening it ¡°Holy cow, it¡¯s a motorcycle manuali Original from N?velDrama.Org. He just saw Bernard driving so effortlessly that he thought Bernard had prior experience with motorcycles. It turned out he was winging it Damn, that¡¯s impressive Really impressivel Eleanor had been holding onto the hem of Elbert¡¯s shirt, but due to the speed, she had to grab onto the back of his cor. The bike was going faster and faster. Every time Eleanor grabbed, the cor would tighten, making it hard for Elbert to breathe, his eyes rolling back ¡°Can you let go? I¡¯m about to get choked to death¡± Eleanor, afraid of being thrown off, refused to let go or say a word. Elbert couldn¡¯t take it anymore and was forced to slow down Because every time he sped up, she would lean back, making the cor tighten even more! But the moment he slowed down, the other bike easily overtook him! Stuck between speeding up or being choked to death, Elbert hesitated for a moment before choosing to speed up again! No matter what, he couldn¡¯t let Bernard get the better of him That would be too embarrassing! So when he was on a bend in the track, he suddenly sped up to chase after Bernard¡¯s bike The speed was too much To prevent being thrown off, Eleanor had to let go with one hand and wrap it around Elbert¡¯s waist. Elbert looked down at the hand around his waist and couldn¡¯t help but smirk and chuckle. ¡°I knew you would do that.¡± With that, Elbert sped up again, pushing the bike to its limits, forcing Eleanor to wrap her other hand around his waist. Seeing that both her hands were around him, Elbert was even more motivated to catch up to Bernard. He purposefully whistled at Bernard in a taunting manner. ¡°Look, your wife is hugging me now!¡± Bernard¡¯s cold gaze swept over the cocky Elbert. The disdainful look seemed to say, It¡¯s really embarrassing that she has a brother like you. However, Elben was excited, speeding up again and rushing forward This track required them to go through a winding mountain road. After the mountain road, they would return to the track for a final sprint to the finish line. After the turn, both bikes entered the mountain road. The road was very bumpy, but Elbert, with his skilled driving, managed to avoid all obstacles. He smoothly came out of the mountain road, leaving Bernard¡¯s ck bike behind, ready to rush into the track. Seeing Elbert about to reach the finish line, Eleanor again raised her hand to choke him. This time she used all her strength, as if she were determined to choke him to death! Elbert was choked to the point of rolling his eyes. ¡°Let go of me.¡± Now he knew that Eleanor was a troublemaker He should have known better than to let her sit at the back. Not only did Eleanor not let go of Elbert, but she also grabbed her long curly hair to scratch his neck. While scratching, she kept apologizing. ¡°Im sorry, really sorry.¡± Elbert was speechless. After all the annoying things she¡¯s done, she still has the nerve to apologize. Elbert felt that all his patience had been given to Eleanor. if she was really his sister, he would need to teach her a lesson What kind of sneaky tactics were these? Being choked by Eleanor and scratched, Elbert found it hard to breathe, his neck itched unbearably, and he couldn¡¯t concentrate! In this distracted state, the ck bike behind him overtook him at an extreme speed and rushed past the finish line in the blink of an eye. Seeing the bike about to reach the finish line, Elbert panicked, ¡°Eleanor, stop it!¡± Eleanor kept scratching while apologizing, ¡®Sorry Elbert, I want Bernard to win!¡± Elbert dodged Eleanor¡¯s curts, and a gunshot came from the finish line. Bernard swerved at the finish line, pointing his bike towards Elbert He took off his helmet, revealing a sharply handsome face and a head of silver gray hair His ttened hair was a bit messy He straightened it out with his hand, then signaled to the person in charge Elbert saw Bernard¡¯s lips move slightly, and the person in charge immediately turned around to get a pair of studded gloves Bernard took the gloves, got off the bike, and walked towards Elbert while putting them on Elbert was screaming inside Oh god, are the two ps Bernard talked about going to be with those studded gloves?! Chapter 774 Chapter 774 When Bernard strolled over with a poker face, Elbert hesitated for a hot second, then instantly turned his bike around, burning rubber towards the mountain road Sitting behind him, Eleanor nearly got thrown off, only staying on by grabbing onto his clothes for dear life. ¡°Elbert, you can¡¯t stand losing, can you?¡± Eleanor¡¯s pissed off voice, apanied by the roaring wind, buzzed in his ear. ¡°Who asked you to mess with the race? Elbert, even more ticked off, shot her a re over his shoulder. ¡°If you weren¡¯t choking me and tickling me, I¡¯d be the champ!¡± Eleanor was momentarily stumped, then bit back. ¡°Who asked you to make me sit at the back?¡± Elbert was so pissed off that he turned green and was tongue tied for what felt like ages. But he had to admit that she wasn¡¯t wrong. He shouldn¡¯t have asked her to sit at the back. But Bernard winning the race thanks to Eleanor messing it up wasn¡¯t exactly ying fair either. Elbert wasn¡¯t epting this oue, no way He nced at Bernard restarting his bike to catch up through his rear view mirror, thinking if he can catch up to me, then I¡¯ll take those two ps; otherwise, there¡¯s no way I¡¯m admitting defeat! He gunned it, flooring it down the original route, seemingly determined to have another face¨Coff with Bernard. Eleanor turned around, looking at Bernard, hot on their trail. The distance was a bit too far to see his expression, but it was clear he was chasing them like a madman. He¡¯s probably afraid Elbert II take her away, so he¡¯s giving chase with all he¡¯s got Eleanor was scared Bernard would get into trouble chasing them like this, so she reached out to pull at Elbert¡¯s cor again. ¡°Elbert, stop it right now, or I swear I¡¯ll strangle you!¡± ¡°Just strangle me then, I¡¯d rather die than stop!¡± He¡¯d rather die than lose to his enemy and get pped twice! Elbert was truly going all out this time, pushing the pedal to the metal and going full throttle He figured if he wasn¡¯t disturbed, Bernard couldn¡¯t possibly overtake him. But boy, did he underestimate Bernard Bernard, who thought Eleanor had been kidnapped, chased them down like a bat out of hell. The lightning¨Cfast ck bike overtook the white one in a sh, then swiftly swerved and kicked up its tail. All you could see were the deep tire tracks on the road, and the bike¡¯s front end pointed right at them. Bernard didn¡¯t even have a helmet on, he just hopped off his bike and walked over to the forced¨Cto¨C stop white bike. He nced at Elbert but went straight to pick up Eleanor from the back seat. Eleanor was held tightly in his arms, his heart beating so fast it was like it was about to leap out She couldn¡¯t help but look up at Bernard, seeing his pale face and knowing he was worried about her. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Honey, I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry Eleanor immediatelyforted him in a soft voice. Bernard didn¡¯t say anything, he just lifted his trembling hand to touch her wind¨Cchilled cheek. The worry in the man¡¯s eyes gradually turned into coldness and bloodlust. Elbert had just taken off his helmet when he saw Bernard¡¯s murderous eyes and involuntarily swallowed. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you caught up to me; you won this round, but could you not use the studded gloves?¡± To hit me- Before he could even spit out the words, Elbert was knocked to the ground by a fierce palm wind. Chapter 775 Chapter 775 Bernard gave Elbert a hell of a smack that left his face sporting a five finger souvenir Elbert hit the deck and, after a few seconds, lifted his head to look up at the towering powerful figure of Berard Elbert¡¯s face was now a lovely shade of lobster. Well, this was a fine mess. His first time getting smacked, and by his nemesis no less This wasn¡¯t a fight, it was a one sided p fest. Talk about a real kick in the pants! Elbert felt mortified, looking around, hoping nobody saw him. Before he could even get a good look around another power pnded on his face. He didn¡¯t even have time to catch his breath before the second p hit, leaving him seeing stars¡± And why the heck was Bernard only smacking his right cheek? Couldn¡¯t he switch it up a bit? Getting smacked in the same spot was making him see stars! Just as Elbert was about to blow a gasket, Bernard¡¯s hand rose again, this time aiming for Elbert¡¯s left cheek. p! If once wasn¡¯t enough, he went in for another Bernard¡¯s look seemed to say, ¡°There, happy now?¡± Bernard had said he would only p him twice, but he went ahead and added two more for good measure. This left Elbert ready to explode! He clenched his fists, ready to go a few rounds with Bernard. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. But before he could even get up, he was kicked right back down to the ground. Elbert tried to get up again, but Bernard¡¯s leg was holding him down, making it impossible to move. Bernard was standing on Elbert¡¯s chest, his elbow resting on his knee, looking down at him with a cold gaze ¡°The first p was for Eleanor,¡± he said ¡°The second one was because I don¡¯t like your face¡± Elbert didn¡¯t get it, he felt like Bernard was taking advantage of him, and it pissed him off. ¡°You said two ps, I took them. But what gives you the right to p me two more times?¡± Bernard chuckled. His eyes suddenly held a chilling glint ¡°You took my wife without my permission. That¡¯s why.¡± Bernard patted Elbert¡¯s now¨Cswollen face. ¡°You should thank your lucky stars. I was in such a hurry to chase the car that I took off my studded gloves. Or else your face would¡¯ve been a real mess.¡± With those final words, Bernard kicked Elbert away, turned, and held out his hand to Eleanor. ¡°Eleanor, let¡¯s go home.¡± Eleanor gave a small nod, and after a few steps, she turned back to look. That twenty¨Cyear¨Cold boy, who cared about his dignity, was trying to get up from the ground. He looked around, relieved no one saw him get pped. But he was still ring at Bernard. He caught Eleanor ncing back at him. Their eyes met. Eleanor saw his swollen face and burst intoughter. And he, seeing her smile, could only stand there, dumbfounded. That smile seemed familiar, like he had seen it somewhere before. Elbert thought about it but couldn¡¯t remember. All he remembered was seeing a photo in his dad¡¯s drawer when he was a kid. He couldn¡¯t remember if the person in the photo had the same smile as Eleanor. All he remembered was his father telling him that the woman in the photo was his aunt, Vanya Pine. He wasn¡¯t sure if Eleanor looked like Vanya, but the familianty was undeniable. Sadly, his grandparents had destroyed the photo. Otherwise, he could¡¯vepared the two Elbert watched Eleanor for a while She reminded him of Vanya in the photo. And then it hit him. Robin Spencer was looking for Vanya¡¯s daughter. Could Eleanor be Vanya¡¯s daughter? Chapter 776 Chapter 776 The moment the idea popped into his head, Elbert immediately whipped out his phone, found Robin¡¯s number, and dialed it quickly Robin was on his way to Hailey¡¯s nightclub Seeing the call from Elbert, he answered it with an annoyed look. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Aren¡¯t you looking for Emilia? Do you have a picture of her? Can I take a look?¡± Robin was holding Emilia¡¯s photo in his hand, trying to memorize her face. ¡°What do you want with her picture?¡± Elbert nced at the figure, who obediently followed Bernard away ¡°I saw someone who looked familiar, and I wondered if it was the person you¡¯re looking for! Upon hearing this, Robin immediately hung up the phone and sent Elbert Emilia¡¯s photo. After receiving the photo, Elbert zoomed in to take a closer look. The Emilia in the photo did bear some resemnce to Eleanor. But it was just a resemnce. Eleanor was not Emilia, meaning she was not Vanya¡¯s daughter or the person Robin was searching for He remembered his father saying that when Vanya came to ask for help, she brought two children with her a five year¨Cold girl named Emilia and a baby But the baby had already died of a heart attack when Vanya starved to death on the streets, and Emilia was running around carrying the baby. This was a story Emilia herself told the Pine family, and they thought a five¨Cyear¨Cold child wouldn¡¯t lie, so they didn¡¯t investigate further. Elbert wondered if this Eleanor, who looked like Emilia, could be the supposedly dead baby As he was lost in thought, Robin¡¯s call came in again. ¡°Is the person you think is familiar the one I¡¯m looking for?¡± Robin was always straight to the point and had little patience, so he asked for the result as soon as he called ¡°She¡¯s not the one you¡¯re looking for, but could she be Vanya¡¯s other daughter?¡± ¡°Are you suggesting that the baby miraculously came back to life and is now bouncing around right in front of you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a possibility.¡± Upon hearing this absurdity. Robin lost his temper. Holding his phone tightly, he cursed, ¡°Elbert, all you do is y around all day. The Pine family will go down the drain if it¡¯s left in your hands!¡± Feeling Robin¡¯s tone, Elbert quickly shut up, worried that if he continued, Robin might smash his phone in anger. Elbert quietly hung up the call, but he couldn¡¯t help looking in the direction where Eleanor had left. His father would definitely remember Vanya¡¯s face. Once he got a photo of Eleanor and asked his father about it, everything would be clear Then Robin, who always criticized him for not being serious, would kneel down in front of him and say, ¡°Elbert, I¡¯m sorry, I was wrong.¡± At this moment, Robin, who was being imagined as kneeling down by Elbert, was very angry. He threw his phone away and red at the driver. ¡°Are we there yet?¡± The driver, who was waiting for the traffic light, turned around shakily ¡°Just a little bit more, please wait a moment.¡± Having spent so much time on the other side of the Pacific, Robin had been feeling frustrated and had nowhere to vent. He had originally nned to return home to settle things with Bernard, but was told that Bernard had already gone on a honeymoon with his new wife! Robin couldn¡¯t understand how a cold blooded person like Bernard could get married. But when he found out that Bernard¡¯s wife was an orphan with no background, Robin¡¯s anger subsided a bit. So what if he got married before him? He still had to marry a woman with no background. He couldn¡¯t compare to him! Robin scoffed, urging the driver to hurry up, or else the ce might be closed by the time they got there. He couldn¡¯t find Bernard or Emilia, so he had to continue looking for Hailey And Hailey was entertaining Yeager Alis and his colleagues in the nightclub,pletely unaware that Robin was looking for her ¡°Enjoy yourselves, everyone If you need anything, just let me know After generously ordering several cases of drinks, Hailey hoped everyone would have fun. Yeager Alis was sijing on the couch Seeing Hailey busy serving guests and not sitting down, he got up and approached her. ¡°Hailey, why don¡¯t you sit down and join us?¡± Hailey was about to refuse, but a few enthusiastic female doctors immediately dragged her to the sofa area ¡°Ms. Vulpe, Dr. Yeager rarelyes to ces like this. He made an exception for you, so you should spend some time with him.¡± Hailey felt that it might be inappropriate for her, an outsider, to join their department¡¯s team building activity. But she couldn¡¯t resist their enthusiasm, so she joined them in a few rounds of card games. Chapter 777 Chapter 777 After a few rounds of games, Hailey noticed that Yeager Alis didn¡¯t seem to frequent these kinds of entertainment spots, and he was even bad at ying cards. She took a longer look at Yeager Alis ¡°You don¡¯t smoke, drink, or y around, do you?¡± Yeager Alis had a good hand but didn¡¯t know how to y it. He chuckled and said, ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t smoke, drink, or mess around¡± He was nothing like Cedric Yeager Alis was clean cut and free from any had influence, making him a good boyfriend But it seemed unfair to him that he became her boyfriend after an argument with Cedric Yeager Alis saw her staring nkly at him, and he smiled gently and asked, ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Hailey shook her head and looked down at her cards. As she did so, her hair fell over her eyes. Just as she was about to brush it aside, a slender hand reached out and tucked the hair behind her ear His fingertips brushed her cheek. Hailey was taken aback. She couldn¡¯t put a finger on her feelings, only that things were moving a bit fast between them. But it was she who asked Yeager Alis to be her boyfriend at the blind date banquet yesterday. Since they were a couple now, it wasn¡¯t a big deal to progress quickly Feeling a bit shy, Hailey thanked Yeager Alis. To which he replied gently, ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m your boyfriend now, there¡¯s no need to thank me.¡± Hailey nodded but didn¡¯t dare look up at Yeager Alis. To the people outside, it looked like she was being shy After getting rejected by Ardyn, Cedric had a few drinks, hoping to drown his sorrows and avoid going to the nightclub. But he overestimated himself. When he was drunk, all he could think of was Hailey This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. He missed her so much that he lost control of himself and staggered to the nightclub with a bottle in his hand. He wanted to ask Hailey why he missed her so much, as if she had put a spell on him. But what he saw when he arrived at the nightclub was her ying cards with her new boyfriend Back when Hailey was with him, he¡¯d always be the one to tuck her hair behind her ear.. Now Cedric leaned weakly against the door, watching Haileyugh and chat with Yeager Alis. He would no longer be the one to tuck her hair behind her ear or the one lying beneath her. Thinking about it, Cedric¡¯s eyes reddened, and he let out a bitterugh Just a woman. No big deal. He¡¯d forget her after not seeing her for a while With onest look at Hailey, Cedric turned around and walked away After ying with Yeager Alls and his colleagues for a while, Hailey was called out by the manager, saying there was an important guest She waved at Yeager Alis and headed downstairs, but she saw Cedric leaving the nightclub as she was stepping out of the elevator He seemed to have had a lot to drink, was staggering, and could barely stand up straight. Hailey saw Cedric almost get hit by a speeding car, and she rushed out. Before she could even call out his name, she saw Hertha rushing into the traffic to help Cedric. Hertha helped him to the side of the road, crying as she threw herself into his arms. Cedric didn¡¯t hug Hertha back but instead turned to look at Hailey, who was standing in the nightclub lobby. He thought she was so cold¨Chearted She saw him almost get hit by a car but didn¡¯te over to check on him. Cedric sneered, and, in front of Hailey, he hugged Hertha¡¯s waist and walked away with her Hailey lowered her eyes. Her heart gradually calmed down, and she turned around Suddenly, she saw Robin¡¯s perfect face and his angry eyes. Just one look at him made her calm heart pound again. ¡°Mr. Spencer Seeing Robin again took her by surprise, and she took a step back in fear But Robin took a step forward, right in front of her ¡°Ms. Vulpe, long time no see.. Chapter 778 Chapter 778 ¡°Mr. Spencer, what can I do for you?¡± Robin was a looker, but he¡¯s got a bit of a short fuse Thest time he rented out the whole ce looking for Emilia, Hailey was so scared she didn¡¯t dare make a peep. She was scared out of her wits, but to protect Eleanor, she tricked Robin into thinking Emilia had skipped town for G country Now he¡¯s back and probably knows she lied,ing at her like a bully looking for a fight. While Hailey¡¯s trying to figure out why Robin¡¯s looking for her, she¡¯s acting cool as a cucumber and shing him a smile. When dealing with hot¨Cheaded folks, you¡¯ve got to keep it cool and y along. ¡°Same question where¡¯s Emilia?¡± Robin¡¯s standing there, hands in his pockets, a head taller than Hailey, and he has to look down to see her Luckily, he popped a pill before he left the house to keep his temper in check, otherwise, he would¡¯ve blown his top by now As the head honcho of the Spencer family, his status is no joke. And here¡¯s Hailey, making him stand while talking. She didn¡¯t know the first thing about doing business. Hailey was just so scared that she forgot to invite him to sit down in a private room. It¡¯s not like she didn¡¯t know how to do business For any other rich guy, she would¡¯ve rolled out the red carpet. But because she lied to him, Hailey¡¯s guilty conscience was making her hesitate But now that he¡¯s only asking about Emilia and not giving her a hard time, Hailey breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed like Robin¡¯s just like she thought, too impatient to look up Emilia¡¯s flight information and ended up buying her story If he bought her story, then he wouldn¡¯te back looking for payback. That¡¯s not too bad. But how¡¯s she going to exin Emilia? Hailey thought it over and decided to keep up the charade. He didn¡¯t seem too bright anyway. ¡°UmHailey coughs, covering her mouth, and puts on a sad face. ¡°Emilia passed away. She was buried not long ago. If you came a bit earlier, you could¡¯ve seen her one ¡°What?¡± Robin looked like he¡¯s been struck by lightning, his eyes burning with rage and ring at Hailey. ¡°Say that again!¡± Hailey¡¯s hand is at the small of her back, and she is pinching herself hard while forcing the tears to come out. ¡°Mr Spencer, Emilia¡¯s dead.¡± Robin feels suffocated, not because of Emilia¡¯s death but because the person he¡¯s been looking for so long is suddenly dead. ¡°Where¡¯s her grave?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Robin was half¨Cbelieving, half¨Cdoubting The news he got was that Emilia was still alive Herpany, Vanguard Architects, was still up and running. How could she be dead all of a sudden? What he didn¡¯t know was that Ethan Ziegler had already changed all of Emilia¡¯s information from recent years to prevent the Pine family from finding her, including the news of her death And Bernard had also changed all the information to prevent Robin from tracing it back to Eleanor, who has used Emilia¡¯s identity. In other words, almost all the information Robin had found about Emilia in recent years was fake. The only real information was that ¡®Emilia¡®, who came back from G country a year ago, said that first person she looked for was Hailey. Other than that, he knew nothing. So if he wants to dig up some information, he has to go to Hailey But then the first thing Hailey said was that Emilia had passed away. Who can he go to confirm this? Robin had spent so much time and resources looking for Emilia, even neglecting his own business. And now the person he¡¯s spent all this time looking for was dead? Robin is livid, so angry that not even the pills can keep his rage in check His face has turned pale from anger, and his expression is stem. He strides forward, grabs Hailey¡¯s throat, and pushes her against the wall. ¡°Tell me! Where is her grave?¡± Chapter 779 Chapter 779 Hailey saw the blood¨Cred glint in Robin¡¯s eyes, making her heart shudder Why was this guy so moody? How did a normal conversation turn into a choking match? ¡°She was buried in the Ziegler family cemetery in G country¡± Hailey was afraid that if she mentioned the Ziegler family cemetery, Robin would find out that Emilia had passed away But then she thought, Robin probably wouldn¡¯t bother to check when Emilia died He just wanted to confirm if Emilia had really died. The specifics of when she died weren¡¯t important. After all, she was already gone, what was the point of dwelling on it? So as long as he didn¡¯t check Emilia¡¯s exact time of death, he wouldn¡¯t suspect Eleanor, who was impersonating Emilia. If he couldn¡¯t find Eleanor, then telling Robin where Emilia was buried would give him more convincing proof. And once Robin knew that Emilia was dead, he wouldn¡¯t bother her anymore. ¡°The Ziegler family?¡± If Emilia was buried in the Ziegler family cemetery, then her death seemed somewhat credible His mother had once told him that Emilia had grown up with Ethan¡¯s support, and they had a romantic past, so it wasn¡¯t odd if she was buried in the Ziegler family cemetery. But if Emilia really was dead, what would his mother do? ¡°Mr. Spencer, I¡¯ve told you everything I know please let go of me If he didn¡¯t let go of her, Hailey felt like she was going to have trouble breathing. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Robin nced at her, then finally let her go. Once she regained her bnce, Hailey rubbed her reddened neck, her eyes shifting towards Robin, whose expression was constantly changing ¡°Mr. Spencer, would you like toe in and sit down?¡± Robin, who was pulling out his phone, tried to suppress his emotions upon hearing this. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m in the mood to sit down and chat?¡± Hearing his angry remark, Hailey promptly shut up, but she was still sneaking curious nces at him. ¡°Mr. Spencer, can I ask why you¡¯re going through all this trouble to find Emilia?¡± Robin was the head of the Spencer family, a big shot who ranked high in finance magazines. But he was willing to be exiled to the other side of the Pacific by Bernard, patiently searching for Emilia all over the world. This meant he had some important business with Emilia, but whether that was good or bad, Hailey had no idea. She figured Robin wouldn¡¯t tell her, but she decided to ask anyway. If she could get some information from Robin and pass it on to Eleanor and Bernard, they could be prepared. But Robin just gave her a cold look, didn¡¯t say a word, and left the club with his bodyguard. Once in the car, Robin quickly pulled out his phone and made a call. The call was picked up quickly, and before he could say anything, the person on the other end asked anxiously, ¡°Did you find her?¡± Robin paused for a moment, then said coldly. ¡°Just got word, she¡¯s dead¡± The person on the other end of the phone fell silent, then asked worriedly. ¡°If Emilia is dead, what will our mother do?¡± Robin frowned, looking somewhat annoyed. ¡®She¡¯s buried in the Ziegler family cemetery. Send someone to check if it¡¯s true.¡± The person simply replied, ¡°OK¡°, and hung up. Robin put down his phone, looking out the car window, feeling like everything was happening too suddenly and seemed surreal. This unreal feeling made him suspicious of whether Hailey was lying to him, but half an hourter, he received confirmation. The person who had called earlier said, ¡°Emilia is indeed dead, she was buried in the Ziegler family cemetery a while ago, buried together with Ethan.¡± Chapter 780 Chapter 780 Robin was frowning, his voice heavy. ¡°Why didn¡¯t anyone tell me Ethan was buried with someone else when he died?¡± The news of Ethan and Casey¡¯s deaths was known within the family circle, but the cause of their deaths remained a mystery N?velDrama.Org owns all content. This was a royal secret, the news was sealed off, and no one knew the reason, let alone that someone was buried with Ethan ¡°I just found out too. The Zieglers were keeping a tight lid on it, they didn¡¯t spill a peep¡± The voice on the other end of the line exined ¡°Weren¡¯t the Zieglers always against Emilia joining the family? Howe they agreed to bury her with Ethan after his death?¡± ¡°Maybe they wanted to give Ethan a wife, considering he never married in his lifetime.¡± Robin had a hunch that there was more to the Zieglers agreeing to the joint burial than meets the eye, but he couldn¡¯t put his finger on it There was another thing that piqued Robin¡¯s interest. ¡°How did Emilia die? When did she die?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure Emilia¡¯s information in recent years seems to have been tampered with, I can¡¯t find a trace. Was it because someone knew his intention of finding Emilia, so they blocked her real information ahead of time? He always thought there was something fishy about this, but everything he knew made sense, so he never suspected someone was ying tricks behind his back. Now, however, he fell that most of the information he had received might be bogus. But who was the one changing Emilia¡¯s information? Was it Bernard who was always messing with him? But why would Bernard want to tamper with Emilia¡¯s information? Did they have any connection? Robin was perplexed and getting more imitated with each passing moment. Finally, he decided to stop thinking and told the person on the other end of the line in a cold voice, ¡®She¡¯s dead now It¡¯s pointless to keep digging Find a suitable time and let mom know. ¡°What about mom?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out.¡± With that, Robin hung up, his eyes icy as he stared out the car window Meanwhile, Hailey returned to her office right after Robin left the nightclub and video¨Ccalled Eleanor. ¡°Eleanor, Robin came looking for Emilia again. I told him Emilia was dead and buried in the Ziegler family cemetery. I don¡¯t know if he bought it.¡± Hailey finished, looking at Eleanor on the screen, her face half¨Ccovered by a ck mask. ¡°Are you sick? Why are you wearing a mask?¡± ¡°No, not sick.¡± Eleanor on the other end of the video sighed ¡°There¡¯s this guy named Elbert who¡¯s been filming me with his phone. I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s up to, so I had to wear this mask to fend him off.¡± This Elbert guy was strange, not only sneaking pictures of her but also stalking her and Bernard Wherever they went, he followed When confronted, he would say the road didn¡¯t belong to them and he could go wherever he wanted. Bernard said if it weren¡¯t for Elbert saving her before, he would have dealt with him already. ¡°Let¡¯s forget about Elbert. Let¡¯s talk about Robin What¡¯s he trying to achieve by finding Emilia?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I asked him, but he didn¡¯t answer. But with his determination, I suspect he has a hidden agenda¡± Eleanor agreed, nodding her head. ¡°You¡¯re right. People usuallye to you when they want something. I¡¯m worried he has some kind of ulterior motive.¡± ¡°Yeah, I just wanted to warn you guys to be careful and not let him find out about you.¡± The event at Yeager Alis was about to end, and she needed to see them off. Hailey said a few more words before hanging up. Eleanor put down her phone, looking at Bernard, who was lost in thought. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± While she was video¨Cchatting with Hailey, he seemed to be pondering over something troublesome. Chapter 781 Chapter 781 Bernard turned around and gently patted Eleanor on the head, saying ¡°No worries, go grab some food in the dining hall. I¡¯ll go find Caleb.¡± Eleanor mistakenly thought there was some business Bernard had to handle, so she obediently nodded, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go ahead then.¡± Bernard responded, and after watching Eleanor leave, he tapped lightly on the ship¡¯s window, prompting Caleb toe in ¡°Mr. Laurence, what do you need?¡± *Robin has been searching for Emilia Send someone to find out why he¡¯s looking for her.¡± Robin¡¯s mother, Wendy Pine, is Vanya¡¯s sister, which makes Robin a cousin of Emilia and Eleanor. Robin has been tirelessly looking for Emilia. He must know she¡¯s his cousin, and he must also know how the Pine family treated Vanya and her two daughters. Knowing all this, and yet, yearster, he¡¯s still actively searching for Emilia. He definitely has some sort of ulterior motive. He didn¡¯t believe that the Spencer family was trying to reconnect with their family. If it was about family, they wouldn¡¯t have sent people to kill Emilia and Eleanor Therefore, he needed to figure out Robin¡¯s true intentions for finding Emilia. Because Emilia was already dead. Now, only Eleanor was left. If they¡¯re trying to use Vanya¡¯s daughter for something, then Eleanor was in danger Even though he¡¯d wiped out all the information about Eleanor, making it hard for Robin to find her, it doesn¡¯t mean he won¡¯t ever find her. To prevent any idents, he needs to figure out their intentions and n ordingly. One thing, though, that confused Bernard¡­ Back then, Vanya went for help with both Emilia and Eleanor Normally, the Pine and Spencer families should know about Eleanor¡¯s existence. But Robin was only looking for Emilia, not Eleanor. Could it be that the Pine and Spencer families think Eleanor has gone missing, so they stopped looking for her? But if they want to use Vanya¡¯s daughters, they should look for both of them. After thinking for a bit, Bernard concluded that the Spencer family was not looking for Eleanor for one reason: The Pine and Spencer families must think Eleanor is dead. Obviously, they won¡¯t look for someone who¡¯s dead. Having figured this out, Bernard withdrew his hand and waved Caleb off. ¡°Get on it, now¡± He must find out their intentions before Robin discovered Eleanor is still alive As for why the Pine and Spencer families mistakenly think Eleanor is dead, it doesn¡¯t matter. Let them maintain this misunderstanding! ¡°Yes, sir¡± Caleb turned to leave; his phone buzzed. He nced at it. It was a message from the Siren Organization. ¡°Mr. Laurence.¡± Caleb returned to report the news. ¡°The list ofpanies that rose rapidly in the country thirty years ago that you asked me to investigate has beenpiled by the Siren Organization. I¡¯ll send you the files.¡± Bernard¡¯s phone, which he used tomunicate with the Siren Organization, quickly received the message from Caleb. He unlocked his screen and quickly scanned the dozen or so pages of information. ¡°Thirty years ago, many businesses rose rapidly in a short period of time. There are too many of these businesses to determine any specific ones.¡± Bernard nodded without responding His eyes were as cold as ice, scanning over the list ofpanies as his finger swiped across the screen. When he read ¡°VitaLife Global¡± at the top of the third page. Bernard¡¯s expression paused slightly ¡°Isn¡¯t the Ratliff Group a prestigious family? Why are they on this list?¡± ¡°Mr. Laurence, if you¡¯ve never paid attention to VitaLife Global, you might not know the Ratliff Group had a period of decline thirty years ago ¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. Caleb stepped forward and exined, ¡°At that time, the Ratliff Group was in really bad shape. Without a massive injection of funds, it would have been impossible for them to rebound¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably why the Siren Organization included the Ratliff Group in the list.¡± The Ratliff Group rebounded because of a massive injection of funds. And Vanya brought a huge inheritance when she got married¡­ Sophie Ratliff and Eleanor did have some simrities This can¡¯t be just a coincidence, can it? Chapter 782 Chapter 782 ¡°Mr. Laurence, are you doubting if Cameron Ratliff is Mrs. Laurence¡¯s dad?¡± Bernard gave a slight nod, while Caleb seemed a bit puzzled, scratching the back of his head. *If Cameron really is Mrs. Laurence¡¯s dad, then howe he doesn¡¯t know when Mrs. Laurence has been working at hispany for so long?¡± Bernard put down his phone, leaned back on the couch, and looked up at Caleb. ¡°Didn¡¯t the information you foundst time say that Vanya returned to our country only after her face was ruined?¡± Perhaps Vanya had stic surgery after her face was messed up, then changed her identity information before she met Cameron Her changing her identity might be enough to show that she didn¡¯t want to talk about her painful past, so she definitely didn¡¯t tell Cameron about her past. Cameron had never seen what Vanya looked like before and didn¡¯t know about her past, so of course he couldn¡¯t recognize the orphan Eleanor With this hint from Bernard, Caleb also understood the logic. ¡°So, does that mean that Sophie is Eleanor¡¯s sister?¡± Bernard, tapping his fingers on the couch, paused for a moment Sophie is Eleanor¡¯s sister? No way Sophie¡¯s mother, Silver Ratliff, died in a car ident ten years ago. But the incident of Vanya seeking help from the Pine family with her two kids happened thirty years ago. This timeline totally doesn¡¯t make sense, indicating that Silver couldn¡¯t possibly be Vanya after changing her identity. There must be something else going on. ¡°Look up when Cameron married Silver. I want the information in five minutes.¡± Five minutester, the information was sent to Caleb¡¯s phone, who then forwarded it to Bernard. Bernard picked up his phone again, his eyes as cold as ice, quietly checking the timeline. The time when Cameron married Silver was exactly when Vanya went to G country, seeking help from the Pine family The timing of the wedding was too coincidental, even seamless. What¡¯s even more incredible was¡­ Before Cameron married Silver, Sophie was already born¡­ Based on this timeline, Cameron must have betrayed Vanya long ago, driving her and her two daughters away. If this was true, then Cameron was a heartless bastard who abandoned his wife and kids. ¡°Cameron had a secret wife before he married Silver. His secret wife helped the Ratliff Group with capital injections when they were facing difficulties.¡± So it was a secret wife; no wonder no one knew she had ever existed Bernard¡¯s guess should be correct. Vanya brought a lot of assets to her marriage to Cameron and helped the Ratliff Group with capital injections. But four yearster, Cameron betrayed Vanya and married Silver That exined why the Pine family said that Vanya¡¯s husband had tricked her out of all her assets And Sophie and Eleanor were very simr in some ways, especially their eyes. If one looked closely, both of them do resemble Cameron. However, thisplex family rtionship made Bernard feel heavy. Eleanor didn¡¯te from a good background, both her mother¡¯s and father¡¯s families were not good people. How heartbroken would she be if she knew that her mother was abandoned by her family and husband? Original from N?velDrama.Org. She had no need to know about these rtives, let alone their existence. Anyway, in the future, he will protect her, take care of her, and not let anyone bully her. Let those filthy people exist only in file documents. Bernard put down his phone, fifted his indifferent eyes, and looked at Caleb coldly ¡°Don¡¯t let Eleanor know about this, and don¡¯t let anyone else find out, either¡± ¡°Find out why Robin is looking for Emilia!¡± If he finds out that Robin is looking for someone to bully Emilia and Eleanor, he will definitely strike first! Chapter 783 Chapter 783 Caleb was quick on the draw, getting down to business with Bernard the very next day. But things didn¡¯t pan out as expected ¡°Mr. Laurence, I only found out that Robin¡¯s mom is sick, that¡¯s why he sent him to look for Vanya¡¯s daughter¡± ¡°The nitty gritty? Only Robin, his mom, and his sister know the scoop. Even the Pine family is in the dark¡± The Spencer family is a high¨Cflying n overseas, leaving the Pines and the Hoopers eating their dust. Before Robin went off his rocker, he and Bernard were birds of a feather, tough as nails Even after losing a business battle with the Laurences, Robin took the reins of the Spencer family and bounced back in the blink of an eye. But his condition often leaves him unable to think straight. Too much thinking sends him up the wall. Robin often bellyaches about his health and bad luck, ming them for his losses to Bernard Can¡¯t say he¡¯s wrong. If Robin was fit as a fiddle, he¡¯d be a formidable foe for Bernard So, getting the lowdown on the Spencers ain¡¯t easy, unless they spill the bears themselves. Bernard knew this, so he didn¡¯t give Caleb a hard time. He just told him to keep on digging until he struck gold Caleb pondered momentarily. To delve into the depths of the matter, he needed an ingenious guise to infiltrate Robin¡¯s sister¡¯s life. Only then could he unearth valuable secrets The hospital stood fortified, akin to the impregnable walls of Fort Knox Caleb¡¯s associates found themselves barred from essing Robin, forcing them to navigate through the enigmatic pathways of his sister¡¯s world ¡°In any case, Mr Laurence, rest assured that your honeymoon with Mrs. Laurence will be under vignt surveince. I shallmence my inquiries regarding Robin¡¯s hidden agenda,¡± Caleb assured, his words carrying an air of intrigue. Bernard remained silent, merely grunting in response. Just as Caleb was about to depart, a sudden realization gripped him. He spun around and remarked, ¡°Oh, Mr. Laurence, I recall you inquiring about the appearance of Mr. Penrod¡¯s first love, correct?¡± ¡°Last night, my operatives returned to headquarters and ndestinely glimpsed the photograph Mr. Penrod had concealed. They discreetly captured an image and promptly forwarded it to me. Care to take a look?¡± he proposed, hinting at the ndestine discovery Bernard, who was about to go look for Eleanor, plopped back down when he heard this. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°Hand it over.¡± Caleb quickly handed over his phone to Bernard. The picture was yellowed with age, but it was in mint condition. The woman in the picture was standing under a tree, dappled sunlight around her, a faint smile on her face. She was a teen, beautiful, a bit green but obviously a looker. Mr Penrod was gobsmacked when he first saw Eleanor, yelling ¡°Vanya¡± He thought Vanya was Tammie Pine, that¡¯s why he was so shook when he saw Eleanor. But the woman in the picture, Tammie Pine, looked nothing like Eleanor. They had different faces. Evelyn mentioned that Eleanor and Vanya, pre¨Cdisfigurement, looked very much alike. If Mr. Penrod¡¯s first love was Eleanor¡¯s mom, he would¡¯ve approached Eleanor. ¡± But Mr. Penrod just had a brief freak¨Cout, then quickly regained his cool, didn¡¯t go to Eleanor, didn¡¯t even speak to her. This means. Mr. Penrod probably only knew the pre disfigurement Vanya, got excited seeing an old friend. Bernard thought, Tammie Pine might just share a surname with Vanya and nothing else But who was this Tammie Pine? ¡°Mr. Laurence..¡± Caleb swallowed hard, pointed at the picture, and plucked up the courage to say: ¡°Do you think this Tammie Pine looks a bit like you?¡± The eyebrows, the expression, the features, they were strikingly simr Hearing this, Bernard¡¯s hand, clutching the picture, froze. His gaze was fixed on the woman in the picture. There was a resemnce But what did it matter? Mr. Penrod¡¯s first love couldn¡¯t possibly be rted to him, could she? Bernard, having dispelled his previous suspicions, waved Caleb off impatiently ¡°Don¡¯t let Mr Pefirod find out someone snapped a pic of his picture.¡± Anything involving Mr Penrod¡¯s first love was likely to stir up a ho¡¯s nest. So, better safe than sorry, don¡¯t want any coteral damage. ¡°Got it.¡± Seeing that Mr. Laurence didn¡¯t react to his words, Caleb didn¡¯t press on He simply nodded his head and turned to leave Caleb refrained from revealing his investigation into Mr Laurence¡¯s brother¡¯s death. With pressing matters at hand, he postponed it. Unraveling Robin¡¯s motive for finding Emilia took precedence, everything else could wait Chapter 784 Chapter 784 After arranging for Farr to stick close to Mr Laurence for added protection, Caleb dialed Aidyn, telling him to hotfoot it to Las Vegas. Aldyn was having dinner with Dr Naylor When his phone rang, he was a bit thrown. He put down his fork, muttered an apology, and took the call Dr. Naylor watched Aidyn¡¯s tall figure, a slight grin on her face. Aidyn had been busy these past days trying to squash rumors about him being gay. During team building activities, he slyly set up a small get¨Ctogether in the room next door, creating a chance encounter After exining the situation amidst chaos and tension, he asked her out to dinner. Jill Naylor was no spring chicken. She understood Aidyn¡¯s intention. If he was interested, why not give it a shot? When Aidyn returned from his call, he looked apologetic and scratched the back of his head. ¡°Dr Naylor I¡¯m sorry, something urgent came up. I need to head to Las Vegas This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. As the personal aide to the president of The Lawrence Group, Aidyn was often swamped. Dr. Naylor was understanding, giving a nod ¡°You go do your thing When you have time, take me out for dinner again¡± Dr. Naylor¡¯s unperturbed reaction to his sudden departure and her eagerness to schedule another meeting prompted Aidyn to take a closer look. As his gaze lingered upon her, he gradually discovered her gentleness, intelligence, beauty, and grace. Liana¡¯s words resonated within him. Perhaps it was time to contemte settling down. With this realization, Aidyn shared his personal number with Dr. Naylor, encouraging her to reach out directly if she needed assistance Apologizing once more, Aidyn expressed his need to depart. Swiftly retrieving his coat from the chair, he bid his farewell and left. A soft smile graced Dr. Naylor¡¯s lips as she picked up the piece of paper bearing his contact information. This new version of Aidyn starkly contrasted the rigid and food¨Cfocused man she had initially encountered. This time, he attentively cut her steak, initiated conversation, and even said goodbye when he left. This showed that Ardyn wasn¡¯t a cold, heartless person. If he wasn¡¯t cold¨Chearted, then he was someone she could rely on. He wasn¡¯t the type to fall for every girl he meets, but once he was interested, he would pursue. Marrying a man like that would be the right choice. She would feel secure for the rest of her life. There would be a lot fewer things she would have to worry about. How great Before boarding his flight, Aidyn sent a message to Liana, asking her to keep an eye on Dr. Naylor. He also told her to stop setting up blind dates for Dr. Naylor as he intended to meet Dr. Naylor¡¯s parents when he returned. Liana couldn¡¯t believe what she was reading She thought Aidyn would be single for life. She never thought he would have his eye on someone, let alone nning to get married. She showed the message to Hailey. At the same time, Dr. Naylor sent a message saying that she thought Aidyn was a good catch and suitable for marriage. She told Liana to stop setting Aidyn up on blind dates because she¡¯s interested in him. Liana said to Hailey, ¡°You thought you and Yeager Alis were moving fast? Look at these two!¡± Hailey, holding Nina, took Liana¡¯s phone with a smile, ¡°This is good At least you won¡¯t have to worry about Aidyn every day. They like each other, they should just get married. It would save a lot of trouble¡± Liana agreed, ¡°Yeah, if Aidyn gets married, I can finally give my family an update instead of them nagging me every day.¡± Hearing this, Hailey looked worried, ¡°Has your family mentioned anything about Tyler Howell? He won¡¯t cause a scene on your wedding day, will he?¡± Mentioning Tyler, Liana¡¯s face darkened, ¡°He¡¯s still locked up as far as I know. The Howell family won¡¯t let him out, so he can¡¯t cause trouble¡­¡± Chapter 785 Chapter 785 She said Tyler had gone without eating for a while and was extremely hungry. In the end, the Howell family softened their hearts and told Tyler that they would let him go as long as he didn¡¯t marry her However, Tyler firmly disagreed. Hey on the bed, silent like a dead person, staring out the window every day. It¡¯s quite ridiculous. She had been asking Tyler all along if he would marry her. He always replied, ¡°How could I possibly marry someone like you, a woman who can¡¯t bear children?¡± Despite looking down on her like that, he was attracted to her, deceived by her, and fell in love with her. And now he was so determined to marry her But s, she stubbornly refused to marry him! Not only did she refuse, but she also wanted to marry someone else! This was the revenge she had nned for ten years! Hailey saw the deep hatred in Liana¡¯s eyes and sighed softly. ¡°Liana, you¡¯re about to marry Will Webb. It¡¯s time to let go of the past¡­¡± She would have her own family, even though she couldn¡¯t have children. Future happiness was what mattered most. Hailey didn¡¯t want Liana to be trapped in past resentments. She only hoped that she and Will would spend their remaining years happily. ¡°Yeah, I will let go, Liana said and then took Nina from Hailey¡¯s arms. ¡°Nina, your dolls are dirty. Shall I wash them for you?¡± ¡°No¡± Nina clutched the dolls tightly to her chest upon hearing about washing them Liana and Hailey exchanged knowing smiles, attributing it to a child¡¯s attachment to toys. ¡°They can have them back when they return,¡± Liana assured, assuming Bernard Laurence¡¯s OCD would deter him from wanting them: They would wait for Eleanor Shultz to clean the doll. Considering its dirtiness and potential germs, it was unsanitary for a child to y with it for too long After dinner, Hailey, Liana, and Nina video¨Ccalled Eleanor They chatted until Nina grew sleepy, bidding Eleanor goodnight before ending the call. Eleanor ced her phone down and nced at the man engrossed in a finance magazine on the sofa ¡°I¡¯m a bit hungry I¡¯ll go to the kitchen for something to eat,¡± she said, her gaze drifting towards the woman in thin pajamas on the bed. Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Hungry?¡± He ced the magazine aside and got up, heading towards Eleanor ¡°Didn¡¯t I feed you earlier?¡± Seeing the tall figure approach her again, Eleanor swallowed nervously ¡°I¡¯m not hungry anymore. I want to sleep.¡± She tightly hugged the nket, rolled around a few times on the huge circr bed without covering herself properly, and then saw a tall and handsome man standing by the bedside, his hands crossed in front of his chest. He loosened his grip, slightly bent over, ced his hands on either side of her head, lowered his body, and brought his face close to hers. ¡°Last time at the casino, you lost and said you would double it. How about we y a few more times¡­ Eleanor covered her swollen lips, kissed by him just now, with the nket and cursed in her mind. He did nothing all day except making love with her, it¡¯s really annoying! Chapter 786 Chapter 786 Eleanor walked into the kitchen with a smile, opened the fridge and was about to scrounge for some grub when she suddenly heard the sound of a shutter click behind her. ¡°Darn it, I forgot to mute it¡­¡± Elbert Pine was hiding behind the door, decked out in a chef¡¯s outfit, holding his phone towards her Eleanor was taken aback to see him sneaking onto the ship just to snap a pic of her. She gave him a once¨Cover and said, ¡°Mr. Pine, are you out of your mind?¡± Caught red handed. Elbert didn¡¯t bother pretending anymore. He yanked off his chef¡¯s hat and mask, and slumped down onto a chair ¡°Truth be told, you look familiar, so I wanted to snap a pic of your face and send it to my dad to see if you¡¯re a rtive of mine.¡± He¡¯d been tailing her for days, yet could never get a good front¨Cfacing shot It was so frustrating! A guy named Aidyn Reyes came on board today, and Elbert seized the opportunity to sneak onto the ship. He finally managed to catch her in the kitchen, but in his excitement and haste, he forgot to mute his phone. As if that blunder wasn¡¯t enough, he ended up being bossed around by the head chef to chop onions all day¡­. He¡¯d never cooked before, let alone chopped veggies. He didn¡¯t even know the basic fact that onions could make your eyes sting, so he ended up chopping and crying, wiping his tears with his hands¡­ His eyes had been soaking in water for an hour to relieve the sting, but they were still swollen and stinging like crazy! Recalling his ordeal, Elbert suddenly felt incredibly wronged. ¡°Eleanor, considering the hell I¡¯ve been through, can I take a picture of you?¡± Despite being twenty, Eleanor was still a bit soft hearted and walked over to him. ¡°I do feel sorry for you, but I¡¯m not letting you take my picture.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°Why not?¡± Elbert was baffled. It was just a picture, why was she being so defensive? Eleanor gazed at Elbert, their dissimr faces in stark contrast, and took a seat opposite him. ¡°You mentioned earlier that I seem familiar and wanted to take a picture to show your father, to determine if I¡¯m a rtive of yours?¡± she inquired. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. I assure you it¡¯s solely for that purpose, nothing illegal,¡± Elbert affirmed. Upon hearing this, Eleanor¡¯s fingers subtly curled on her thigh. ¡°Who do you think I resemble?¡± she probed, intrigued by the notion ¡°I believe you bear a resemnce to my aunt, although I can¡¯t quite recall her appearance. Hence, I thought of taking your picture to seek confirmation from my dad,¡± Elbert exined. Elbert¡¯s aunt Eleanor pondered for a moment, then decided to delve a bit deeper. ¡°Do you know Emilia?¡± She¡¯d wanted to ask him if he knew Emilia the first time she saw him. Now he was saying she looked like his aunt, and Evelyn had said she resembled her mother. If Elbert knew Emilia, then she must be¡­. Chapter 787 Chapter 787 ¡°Of course I know her, she¡¯s my aunt¡¯s daughter, how could I not know her? We just haven¡¯t met¡± Elbert replied looking puzzled at Eleanor. ¡°You know Emilia, what¡¯s your rtionship with her?¡± Eleanor froze, staring nkly at Elbert. Not only did Elbert know Emilia, but he also said that Emilia was his aunt¡¯s daughter¡­. If Emilia was his aunt¡¯s daughter, then wouldn¡¯t he be her cousin? Turns out they were rted by blood. But this blood rtionship wasn¡¯t what she wanted. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. She remembered Bernard telling her that the Laurence family and the Pine family had a deep¨Crooted feud. This was a deep¨Crooted feud, not a businesspetition, a real life and death feud. With such deep hatred, she married Bernard. If people from the Laurence family found out, would she still have a ce to stay? Eleanor thought again, Bernard had previously looked into her background, he must have known her identity, then him¡­. He didn¡¯t mind, and he told her that no matter what happened, she should trust him and he would never harm her! With him, people from the Laurence family wouldn¡¯t break them up, right? As long as the Laurence family epted her, then the Pine family¡­. Her sister would rather be homeless on the streets of G country than return to the Pine family for help, which meant the Pines weren¡¯t good to them How could she reveal her identity and let Elbert take her picture and send it to his father? She wanted to live a peaceful life with Bernard, she couldn¡¯t let people know she was from the Pine family. Eleanor regained herposure, suppressing her surprise and regarding Elbert with a rational gaze. ¡°Just a casual inquiry, of course I¡¯m aware of such a famous architect. I never expected any familial connection, she casually remarked, dispelling Elbert¡¯s doubts with a single sentence Understanding dawning upon him, Elbert nodded, saying. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡± Recognizing Elbert¡¯s susceptibility, Eleanor cautiously ventured, ¡°Indeed, children from affluent families have their own unique paths, Your cousin¡¯s exceptional achievement as a world¨Crenowned designer at such a young age is truly remarkable.¡± Elbert readily epted Eleanor¡¯s words, adding ¡®Emilia wasn¡¯t raised within the Pine family. My grandparents held a disdain for my aunt, and once she married, they ceased all contact.¡± Thus, it became evident that Elbert¡¯s grandparents harbored ill feelings toward Emilia¡¯s mother, resulting in their severed connection. Eleanor just wanted to know why the Pines treated Emilia this way. Now that she knew some of the reasons, she stopped asking. She had been wandering outside since she was a child and felt estranged from her rtives. Even now knowing she was a member of the Pine family didn¡¯t feel particrly special The only thing that made her a little curious was her mother. She didn¡¯t know why a daughter of the Pine family would choose to marry beneath her. Eleanor raised her hand, propped her elbow on the table, and rested her chin on her hand, looking at him, ¡°How many siblings does your aunt have?¡± Were there too many siblings that Elbert¡¯s grandparents didn¡¯t like his aunt? Elbert red at her again, ¡°Don¡¯t you read the news? Thest generation of the Pine family only had three siblings.¡± Eleanor gave him a mocking look, ¡°Why would I read the news about your Pine family? There¡¯s no big news that interests me.¡± ¡°Who says there¡¯s no big news?¡± Elbert beckoned Eleanor over, ¡°Come here, I¡¯ll tell you something that outsiders don¡¯t know¡­¡± Eleanor immediately leaned in, ¡°What¡¯s this secret that outsiders don¡¯t know?¡± Chapter 788 Chapter 788 Elbert lowered his voice and whispered. ¡°My dad¡¯s generation, there were actually four kids, one was a love child¡± What a hot mess the Pine family is. Eleanor was a bit annoyed inside, but still feigned shock, ¡®So your grandpa was quite the clever one, only had four kids Original from N?velDrama.Org. It sounded like she was throwing shade at his grandpa, but Elbert didn¡¯t quite catch on, and continued whispering ¡°That love child did something to hurt the Pine family, so my grandpa kicked her out. She was originally the second daughter of the Pine family¡± Eleanor wasn¡¯t too familiar with the family rankings, so she asked out of curiosity. ¡°So who¡¯s the second now?¡± Elbert provided the family hierarchy, stating ¡°Wendy Pine is the eldest, Tammie Pine is the second, Vanya Pine is the third, and my father, Sheldon Pine, is the youngest With Tammie¡¯s departure, Vanya now assumes the position of the second daughter.¡± Realizing that Emilia¡¯s mother¡¯s name was Vanya, Eleanor wondered if Emilia¡¯spany, named after Vanya, served as a tribute to her Curiosity piqued, Eleanor leaned in closer to Elbert, urging him to share the additional information he had mentioned With a hint of mystery. Elbert revealed, ¡°When I was a child, I overheard something while eavesdropping on my grandparents. Among my dad¡¯s three sisters, one of them isn¡¯t actually a Pine One of them isn¡¯t a Pine? Could it be that Vanya wasn¡¯t a Pine, and that¡¯s why Elbert¡¯s grandparents didn¡¯t like her? Eleanor wanted to ask for rification, but was afraid of arousing Elbert¡¯s suspicion. He already thought she looked like Vanya, better not give too much away, lest he finds out that she¡¯s the baby Emilia lost when she was a kid. Let them stay in the dark. ¡°Well, now I¡¯ve told you all my family secrets, is it my turn to take a picture?¡± Elbert mmed the table, jolting Eleanor out of her thoughts Sheposed herself, gave Elbert a sidelong nce ¡°No way!¡± With that, she got up and left. ¡°Hey, wait!¡± Elbert chased after her and stopped Eleanor ¡°I¡¯ve told you such important secrets of my family, at least let me take a picture.¡± ¡°After I send it to my dad and get a confirmation, I¡¯ll leave you alone, okay?¡± Eleanor looked up at this man who was significantly taller than her, and shook her head firmly ¡°No way, my face is too precious for you to photograph.¡± Elbert clenched his teeth in frustration but held back his anger ¡°Name your price for a picture, I¡¯ll pay¡± Seeing his persistence, Eleanor raised an eyebrow slightly. ¡°To tell you the truth, I¡¯ve had stic surgery, I didn¡¯t always look like this.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Elbert looked as if he¡¯d been struck by lightning and reached out to touch Eleanor¡¯s face to confirm if she¡¯d really had stic surgery. But Eleanor pped his hand away. Tve told you my face is valuable, don¡¯t touch it randomly, what if my nose copses?¡± Elbert was speechless. So his persistent suspicion that she was Vanya¡¯s dead child was just him being overly idle? Eleanor took out her phone, found an extremely unattractive picture, and showed it to Elbert. ¡°See, this was me before!¡± Looking at the pockmarked, mole covered face on the phone screen, Elbert nearly vomited. *That¡¯s disgusting, put it away, put it away.¡± Eleanor finally put away her phone, raised her hand, and patted Elbert¡¯s shoulder seriously. ¡°So, there¡¯s no way I could look like your aunt. I just admired Emilia and had my surgery to look like her. Maybe after the surgery. I looked more like Emilia, that¡¯s why you find me familial ¡± After Eleanor¡¯s wordspletely dispelled Elbert¡¯s doubts, she gripped her phone and turned to leave. Leaning against the door and retching, Elbert took a while to recover. He¡¯d never seen Lomeone so ugly in his life! So ugly that it was unbearable, she really should have had stic surgery to avoid scaring people But¡­ Elbert looked in the direction Eleanor left, and felt something was off Bernard would never marry a woman who¡¯s had stic surgery. Eleanor must be lying to him! No, he had to get his dad over here to see for himself, then everything would be clear However, before he could carry out his n, Eleanor, who had just left the kitchen, immediately called Aidyn over ¡°Ajdyn, Elbert disguised himself as a chef and snuck into the kitchen, kick him off the boat¡± Belpre Elbert had a chance to call his dad toe over, a bunch of burly bodyguards stormed into the kitchen and literally threw him off the boat. Chapter 789 Chapter 789 Eleanor and Bernard abandoned their Las Vegas ns and embarked on a whirlwind journey, including a trip to the Maldives. Half a month flew by in the blink of an eye. During this time. Hailey and Yeager Alis spent increasing amounts of time together. Despite the hospital¡¯s chaotic atmosphere, Yeager always found a way to visit Hailey He would bring her breakfast in the morning and act as her chauffeur at night Even during Harley¡¯s demanding overnight shifts, be patiently awaited her clocking off. Every time Hailey spolled Yeager waiting for her, she felt a wave of affection. His sweetness was a rarity that melted her heart. Encouraged by these warm feelings, Hailey started to rx and enjoy asional outings with Yeager, grabbing meals or catching a movie Their dates became more frequent, allowing them to grow closer and deepen their connection Holding hands and other affectionate gestures felt increasingly natural. One day, after Hailey finished a night shift, she noticed Yeager standing at the entrance of her workce, holding an umbre as heavy rain poured down ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe in out of the rain?¡± She asked Yeager held out his hand, waiting for Hailey to put her hand in his, then said, ¡°The rain¡¯s not that bad¡± Hailey noticed the gloom in Yeager¡¯s eyes, as if he was troubled by something. So, she furrowed her brow and asked, ¡°What¡¯s up?* N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Yeager, standing under his ck umbre, lifted his downcast eyes, looked at Hailey for a moment, then dropped his umbre and pulled her into his arms. Yeager¡¯s chin gently rested on Hailey¡¯s shoulder. She froze for a second, but she didn¡¯t push him away, instead, she seemed to be trying to ept his embrace, Holding Hailey, Yeager¡¯s aching heart found some sce, easing the pain and sorrow in his eyes a bit. ¡°I couldn¡¯t save a young man in surgery tonight¡­ Yeage said, his arm around Hailey tightening around her waist. He thought he could save the young man, but in the end, he was powerless ¡°Sometimes I wonder, why did I be a doctor? To heal people, or to watch them leave this world?¡± Hearing this, Hailey turned her head towards Yeager, seeing the look of defeat on his face, she knew he was upset because he couldn¡¯t save the young man¡¯s life. After a moment, Hailey mustered up the courage, wrapped her arms around Yeager, her slender, pale fingers gently stroking his back. ¡°Dr Yeager, fate calls the shots. Even though doctors have the skills, they can¡¯t guarantee to save everyone. Don¡¯t beat yourself up over this¡­¡± While sheforted him and patted his back, she added. ¡°Actually, without doctors, I wouldn¡¯t know who to turn to when I¡¯m sick. It¡¯s because of doctors that so many patients have hope. So, to me, doctors are always something special.. If she hadn¡¯t been so busy working part¨Ctime in high school, she might have hit the books harder and tried to be a doctor herself. Hailey¡¯sforting words eased Yeager¡¯s anxiety a bit. He held onto her hand tightly, unwilling to let go. ¡°Hailey, thanks for the pep talk.¡± Hailey heard the lift in his voice, knew he was feeling a bit better, so she tried to break away from him. ¡°Let¡¯s head back¡­¡± She didn¡¯t push him away directly, she just made an excuse to leave. However, Yeager Alis, hooked on her embrace, didn¡¯t want to let go. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, can I hold you a bit longer?¡± He, her boyfriend, had to ask for her permission to hug her. That¡¯s messed up. Hailey didn¡¯t reject him, she just let him hold her. But her mind wasn¡¯t on him, her eyes were scanning the surroundings. Across the street, she spotted a Rolls Royce parked. A man in a ck suit was leaning against the car door in the rain. He was coldly staring at them, the embracing couple. Cars were whizzing by on the road, a blur in Hailey¡¯s vision. When the traffic cleared, the man at the car door, now soaking wet, got in the car. A big truck blocked Hailey¡¯s view, when it passed, the Rolls¨CRoyce was gone. Chapter 790 Chapter 790 Hailey was taken aback when she unexpectedly spotted Cedric Laurence in her line of sight. Mixed emotions swided within her, but she reminded herself that she was now with Yeager Yeager enveloped her in aforting hug before opening an umbre to shield her from the rain. With his assistance, he guided her into the car and drove her to the vi As Hailey stepped out of the car, she bid farewell to Yeager from the front of the vi Just as she was about to enter, Yeager called out to her, causing her to pause. ¡°Hailey.¡± Yeager, appearing slightly bashful, took a step closer to her after uttering her name Curious, Hailey tilted her head up to meet his gaze Usually Yeager would depart after dropping her off. What made this instance different? Yeagerbent his head to look at Hailey¡¯s tempting red lips. He blushed, wanting to kiss her but not knowing how to broach the subject. They were both experienced in love. The expectation in Yeager¡¯s eyes made it clear to Hailey what he wanted. But¡­ It felt a bit too soon for her. But they were adults, not exactly young anymore, so this progress wasn¡¯t really that quick. But for some reason, she felt it was too soon. She felt a sort of resistance, afraid to kiss Yeager or take things further Unaware of what was going on in Hailey¡¯s mind, Yeager just mustered up the courage to ask her in a low voice, ¡°Can I kiss you?¡± He asked directly, no beating around the bush, but his face was a bright shade of red. Hailey looked at Yeager¡¯s face, even his ears were red. It was as if she could see his heart pounding That kind of nervousness that was usually associated with youth, Yeager was disying it right in front of her. He looked like a pure¨Chearted high school boy¡­ Seeing Yeager like this, Hailey suddenly clenched her hands¡­. ¡°Yeager, do you like me, or do you just think I¡¯m marriage material?¡± Usually, blind date prospects are people suitable for marriage, hence the further development. But Yeager gave her a different feeling¡­. Yeager looked at Hailey¡¯s beautiful face, swallowed hard in nervousness ¡°I like you¡± Even his eyshes were trembling as he said this. ¡°When we were in school, I¡­I liked you already¡­¡± He recalled the moment she jumped down from the school wall,nding on him. At that moment, he felt incredibly happy But back then, Yeager didn¡¯t know that it was love at first sight. All he knew was that besides studying, he often thought of her. He even dreamt countless times of her runningte, panting as she ran up to him. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. But he thought he and Hailey were impossible, so he didn¡¯t dare to talk to her much in school, too chicken. He kept a girl like this in his heart, focusing on studying medicine, not expecting to run into her after graduation. Yeager, determined to take their rtionship further, gathered his courage to confess his feelings to Hailey. ¡°Hailey, I like you. It¡¯s not just because you fit my ideal vision of a life partner¡­¡± he began, his face slightly flushed. 4 Hailey, taken aback, had assumed that Yeager had developed feelings for her during their recent time together. To her surprise, he revealed that his feelings had existed since their school days. She looked at Yeager, whose face showing a hint of nervousness, unsure of how to respond to his heartfelt confession. Chapter 791 Chapter 791 Yeager saw Hailey staring at him nkly and realized he¡¯d acted too abruptly, and quickly apologized ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to scare you.¡± He shifted his gaze away from Hailey and awkwardly said, ¡°It¡¯ste, you should head in and get some rest¡± As he turned to leave, Hailey grabbed his arm, ¡°Yeager, give me a goodnight kiss¡± Yeager froze, unable to believe what he just heard, he turned back to look at Hailey Original from N?velDrama.Org. She was standing on her toes, holding his arm, and kissed his lips. Hailey¡¯s lips were soft, when she gently kissed him, Yeager¡¯s eyes sparkled with joy. He didn¡¯t expect her to make the first move After a brief touch of their lips, Hailey let him go, ¡°Goodnight.* His face blushing. Yeager nodded, ¡°Goodnight¡± She waved at him, ¡°You should get going¡± Usually, Yeager would watch Hailey go inside before he drove away. But this time, he was too ted, obediently got into his car. As he started the car, he rolled down the window, lingered on Hailey. Seeing her waving goodbye, he finally drove away. After his car was out of sight, Hailey touched her lips. She thought, first holding hands, then kissing. If things continue smoothly, she would let her guard down and be with Yeager. She thought, maybe a second marriage would bring her warmth. After all, marrying someone who¡¯s been crushing on you for a long time, you¡¯re bound to be cherished An olddy at the orphanage once told her, women should marry men who love them, not men they love. That¡¯s how they get spoiled by their husbands. She didn¡¯t understand this until she experienced it herself. Marrying someone who loves you is indeed easier Unlike Eleanor, she didn¡¯t meet someone like Bernard who loves her deeply, and she hadn¡¯t experienced passionate love She was just an ordinary woman, her safe harbor was a marriage that could provide her a peaceful old age. Loneliness had gued Hailey deeply, and despite her apprehensions about the challenges of marriage, she dreaded the prospect of growing old alone, confined to a nursing home, watching the world pass by from a rocking chair. Driven by these fears, Hailey made her decision and let her hand drop, entering the vi. However, before she could even reach the iron gate, she was forcefully pushed against the wall from behind. Her hands were seized, her body pressed firmly against the wall, and when she lifted her gaze, she was met with Cedric¡¯s bloodshot eyes, filled with intensity and distress. ¡°Hailey Vulpe, did you guys kiss?¡± That was the first thing he asked, as if he saw it, but couldn¡¯t believe it, so he ran over to confront her Hailey nced at him, saw his flushed face, smelled the alcohol on him, and knew he was drunk. She gently responded with a ¡®mm¨Chmm, answering Cedric¡¯s question, and didn¡¯t say anything else. However, this simple ¡°mm¨Chmm¡® struck Cedric like a lightning bolt, his eyes filled with disbelief, gradually turning to rage. ¡°Hailey, how could you let another man kiss you?!¡± Hailey was his, Cedric¡¯s. How could she fet another man kiss her?!!! ¡°Ha_¡± Cedric¡¯s words made Hailey burst intoughter ¡°Cedric, Yeager is my boyfriend, why cant he kiss me?¡± Chapter 792 Chapter 792 Cedric felt a suffocating sensation, clearly furious as he grabbed Hailey¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Is he your boyfriend?¡± He looked extremely annoyed. ¡°I¡¯ll make Yeager disappear from your life tomorrow Let¡¯s see who dares to be your boyfriend Mr. Laurence¡¯s ability to make people vanish was widely known throughout the city of A City, including by Hailey herself. However, she struggled toprehend Cedric¡¯s motives behind such actions Raising her head. Hailey locked eyes with Cedric, her confusion and frustration evident. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you have the privilege of intimacy with your girlfriend. So why do you wish to make him disappear? What gives you the right?¡± She questioned Cedric¡¯s authority over others lives when he seemed unable to control his own emotions. How could he expect to govern her feelings and love? Cedric, realizing Hailey¡¯s anger, swiftly released his hold on her cheeks and instead enveloped her in an embrace, attempting to bridge the emotional gap between them ¡°Hailey, I haven¡¯t had any physical contact with Hertha, not even a kiss. Since we broke up, I haven¡¯t had any contact with any woman¡­¡± It had been a long time since he had any physical contact with a woman At first, he thought he had lost interest in women, butter he realized that ever since he broke up with Hailey, he didn¡¯t want any physical contact with anyone He didn¡¯t quite understand this feeling, but he knew that his world had undergone a tremendous change, all because of Hailey N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°Hailey, break up with Yeager Alis. I can¡¯t stand you being together. I¡¯m really afraid¡­¡± He was afraid that if he didn¡¯t take action, they would be intimate. Just imagining them together in bed was enough to make him incredibly uneasy He had considered giving himself ten days or half a month, believing he could forget Hailey, but he couldn¡¯t resisting to see her He didn¡¯t expect that before he could even meet her, he saw them tightly embracing outside a nightclub, and by the time he caught up, they were already kissing Gripping the steering wheel tightly, he hoped against hope that he had misunderstood the situation. Only when Hailey confirmed it did Cedric realize that they had indeed kissed. If their rtionship continued on this path, consequences were inevitable ¡°Hailey, end things with him I¡¯ll marry you,¡± Cedric proimed, driven by his longing for a family, as Eleanor had once shared with him the longing of orphans like them. Hearing the words ¡°I¡¯ll marry you,¡± Hailey briefly questioned if the person standing before her was truly Cedric. She was momentarily stunned before regaining her Could a former yboy truly forsake his promiscuous lifestyle andmit to marriage with her? The thought lingered, leaving Hailey both surprised and uncertain. Only if the sun rose from the west. Hailey didn¡¯t believe him ¡°You¡¯re drunk and talking nonsense again¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not, I.. ¡°I kissed Yeager just now and I n to date him seriously and then get married¡± Hailey¡¯s decision interrupted Cedric¡¯s sincerity It was the first and only time he had said he wanted to marry her. ¡°Hailey¡­¡± He called out her name, but he couldn¡¯t say anything else. ¡°You¡¯re really cruel ¡± Several minutester, he uttered these words and then turned and left. Watching his figure disappear into the rainy night, Hailey let out a deep sigh¡­ ¡°Cedric, we¡¯re not suitable¡± We¡¯re not suitable in terms of age, social status, and especially our personalities. He might like me now, but who can say what he¡¯ll do next? Cedric, with his unstable character, would likely do something inappropriate even if we got married. Hailey couldn¡¯t bear this instability of the possibility of a marriage that could hurt her. Having been betrayed once before, how could she endure it again? Hailey had always been cautious and clear headed. She wouldn¡¯t overly trust others, only herself. Chapter 793 Chapter 793 After their initial encounter, Cedric seemed to vanish, leaving Hailey feeling as if he had disappeared completely. It wasn¡¯t until she caught sight of him on the news that Hailey realized Cedric had been preupied with work all this time. The news segment depicted him looking sharp. in a suit, sporting a stylish tie and impably groomed hair, exuding a powerful and authoritative aura. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Having watched the financial news segment, Hailey switched off the television and swiftly retrieved her phone. Dialing Yeager number, she inquired if he had arrived as nned The weekend was here again, and Hailey needed to visit Garett She had promised Garett to visit him every weekend. Plus, considering she had been seeing Yeager for a while now, she decided to bring him along to meet Garett Maybe seeing her muster up the courage to start a new rtionship would also give Garett the courage to get out of his rut. This time, at the airport exit, they bumped into Sigrid Laurence who was being pestered by a man. Hailey immediately dashed over. ¡°Signd, are you okay? Should I call the cops?¡± When Sigrid recognized the person helping her was Hailey, she waved Hailey off ¡°No need to call the cops.¡± After saying this. Sigrid wriggled out of Chase¡¯s grip and spoke up. ¡°Chase, we¡¯re done. You need to let go Chase attempted to grab her hand again, but she stepped back. ¡°Our parents don¡¯t approve of us being together, let¡¯s heed their advice.¡± Sigrid didn¡¯t necessarily agree with her parents, she was just exhausted from her past rtionship with Chase Chase, like her brother, was a party animal and a yboy But unlike Cedric, Chasecked self¨Ccontrol. Chase was the type to cheat on his girlfriend, whereas her brother would never do that. Having been Chase¡¯s girlfriend before, she had witnessed him in bed with other women. Back then, Sigrid would stand at the doorway, telling herself that once she got over the initial shock, she wouldn¡¯t feel pain over Chase anymore. Now, she was no longer in pain over him. In fact, she could look at him calmly, even smiling while doing so. Seeing her smile, Chase was heartbroken but he knew there was nothing he could do to win her back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry After mumbling his apology, he stumbled away. Sigrid watched his retreating figure, a knowing smile in her eyes. When her parents found out about how she was being treated abroad, they forced them to break up. After the breakup, Chase quickly moved on while she¡­. She was trapped in a vi overseas by her parents, living a miserable life. He never even bothered to visit her once. She also received numerous news about Chase¡¯s romantic escapades. During that difficult period. Hailey sought sce in the corner, her tears blurring her vision as she struggled to break free from the overwhelming pain. She had fought hard to escape the emotional quagmire, yet Chase inexplicably expressed regret for his actions and relentlessly pursued her ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± became Chase¡¯s repetitive mantra, uttered countless times in the hopes that Hailey would respond with ¡°it¡¯s okay.¡± But the damage inflicted was deep and irreversible, making it impossible for her to offer forgiveness so easily As Sigrid shifted her gaze from Chase to Hailey, she noticed something unexpected¨CHailey and Yeager together, even holding hands. ¡°You two?¡± Sigrid eximed, recognizing him but perplexed as to why they were in each other¡¯s company. Chapter 794 Chapter 794 ¡°Sigrid, let me introduce you to my boyfriend, Yeager Alis, Hailey said without any hesitation or embarrassment. On hearing this Sigrid was taken aback. She was thinking. ¡®So you have a boyfriend now? What about my brother?¡± She recalled her own experiences and could deeply understand what women feel What woman on earth can tolerate a man who can¡¯t keep his eyes in one ce? Although her brother was slightly better than Chase, he was a yer too. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Ever since he¡¯d started dating he¡¯d been changing girlfriends like he was changing clothes. With these thoughts in mind, Sigrid decided not to say what she had originally nned. She just nodded politely to Hailey. ¡°Ms Vulpe, you¡¯ve got good taste. When are you nning to get hitched?¡± she asked, in a probing manner. She could tell that her brother still had feelings for Ms Vulpe. Sigrid wasn¡¯t trying to help her brother She was just worried that things might move too fast between Hailey and Yeager and wanted to give her brother a heads up. About the mamage thing. Hailey didn¡¯t know how to respond. It was up to Yeager to answer. ¡°We haven¡¯t popped the question yet. We¡¯ll set the date after the proposal,¡± Yeager said. He thought it was only fair to ask Hailey first. If she was willing to marry him, then he would propose It was all about respect. Seeing that they were still in the dating phase and hadn¡¯t thought about marriage yet, Sigrid didn¡¯t probe further. ¡°Let me know when there¡¯s good news,¡± she said, nodded politely, and then got ready to leave the airport As Sigrid was preparing to depart, she noticed two men entering the airport. One, Colter Clowers, was smartly dressed in a suit and pushing a wheelchair. The upant of the wheelchair exuded an air of elegance, draped in a white shirt with a thin nket covering his knees, resembling a wless painting. Upon spotting Jason Clowers, Sigrid briefly paused but swiftly continued on her way, grabbing her bag and striding past him. Garett, with his lifeless gaze, also caught sight of Sigrid She offered a polite nod, and he acknowledged her presence. Having previously informed Garett of her ns, Hailey was surprised to see him personally picking her up at the airport. She approached him with Yeager in tow ¡°Garett, didn¡¯t I tell you I was going straight to your ce? Why did youe to pick me up at the airport?¡± Hailey inquired curiously. Garett smiled faintly, his clear face showing a hint of amusement. ¡°I¡¯m not busy today, so I thought I¡¯de and pick you up.¡± Then his gaze turned to Yeager ¡°Dr Yeager?¡± Yeager, who regrly reads financial magazines, naturally knew about Mr. Clowers, who had once been on the cover Seeing him in a wheelchair but still looking impressive and refined, he was just like the magazines described talented and elegant. Yeager always respects talented people. He couldn¡¯t help but take a step forward and greeted Garett. ¡°Mr. Clowers, hello, I¡¯m Yeager Alis, Hailey¡¯s boyfriend.¡± Tve heard about you from her.¡± Garett responded politely He knew Hailey must think highly of Yeager since she often mentioned him in her messages. Seeing Hailey¡¯s encouraging words, Garett would also try to struggle. But he found that the more he struggled, the deeper he got stuck. He decided to just go with the flow, nothing was moreforting than letting life slowly pass by Hailey had no idea that Garett suffered from severe depression, filled with gloom, darkness, loneliness, and confusion. But seeing him looking well and smiling, she felt reassured that he was living a good life. Yeager, being a doctor, could tell that there was something different about Garett. At first, he just felt a little off. But through smiles, eye contact, chatting, and dining, in just one day, he could tell Garett was putting on a facade. That feeling of wanting to struggle but being powerless to do so made Garett feel like he¡¯d fallen into hell, unable to climb out no matter how hard he tried¡­. Chapter 795 Chapter 795 After Garett had dinner with the two. Yilia passed him his medication and some water Upon seeing the bottle of pills, Yeager understood why Garett always seemed to be living on the edge of death yet couldn¡¯t din Turns out the guy was suffering from depression From the look of him, it seemed like he was in the severe stage, just keeping it under wraps the whole time Garett didn¡¯t worry about Yeager finding out He calmly took the medicine and water and took them on schedule. Hailey had told him that as long as he took his meds on time, he would gradually get better. He was waiting for the day he¡¯d bounce back to health ¡°Garett after you¡¯ve taken your meds, let¡¯s take a walk outside the vi. During this time, herpany had improved Garett¡¯s mood. Even though it was only a fleeting weekend, it filled some of the void. ¡°Dr Yeager,e with us¡± Yeager nodded in understanding, refraining from asking any further questions or disying any judgment. He simply followed Hailey¡¯s lead. Hailey had previously shared with him that she and Garett had grown up together in an orphanage. Despite Garett being adopted into the prestigious Clowers family and assuming the role of president of the Clowers Group, their bond remained strong. Hailey viewed Garett as a younger brother, and their closeness endured throughout the years. The depth of their friendship, spanning two or even three decades, was not easily relinquished Yeager Alis comprehended the significance of their enduring rtionship and respected their deep connection, And since Hailey was willing to introduce him to her brother, it meant she wanted her family to ept him. Of course, he was thrilled and had no objections He looked at the night in B City, found it a bit hot, so he bought a few bottles of cold water from a vending machine by the road and handed them to Garett and Colter He warmed Hailey¡¯s bottle in his hand before opening the cap and handing it to her ¡°Take a sip first, see if it¡¯s cold¡± ¡°I want it cold.¡± ¡°You¡¯re weak, better to drink less cold stuff.¡± Yeager¡¯s concern had Garett giving him a few extra nces A smile appeared in his eyes, seeming to ept him Garett¡¯s hand rested on his wheelchair, watching Hailey who was refusing to drink the warm water. ¡°Hailey, Dr. Yeager is just looking out for your health. Stop being a baby¡± ¡°Ah, Garett, you¡¯ve grown some balls, huh? Even bossing me around?¡± Garett propped his chin with one hand staring at Hailey and Yeager, a small smile on his face. ¡°Not me, its Dr. Yeager who¡¯s bossing you around. I, as your younger brother, am just going with the flow¡± Seeing the knowing smile on Garett¡¯s face, Hailey also startedughing ¡°Garett, seeing you getting better day by day makes me happy. So¡­ warm water it is, I¡¯ll drink it.¡± Hailey took the water bottle, tilted her head back, and took a gulp Yeager, standing next to her, immediately took out a wet wipe, wiping the corner of her mouth. His gentle care reminded Garett of a girl from his memories. Back then, every time she finished her milk or food, she woulde to him for him to wipe off the remnants around her mouth. He was always busy with his studies, always very perfunctory, casually pulling out a tissue to wipe her mouth Then she would lean on his desk, sighing deeply ¡°Garett, if you keep treating me like this, you¡¯ll lose me Back then, Garett hadn¡¯t seen the disappointment in her eyes Now looking back, he felt a deep pain. ¡°How is the doing now?¡± Hailey and Yeager were chatting happily when they suddenly heard Garett, sitting in his wheelchair, asking this question. Hailey¡¯s steps hatte her expression turnedplex as she looked at Garett This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. She had thought Ke would let it go, but he never did Hailey stared at him, silent for a while before finally saying ¡°She and Bernard are on their honeymoon¡± ¡°Oh ¡± Garett nodded, seemed to think of something, then looked at Hailey with a small smile ¡°She¡¯s married, of course she has to go on a honeymoon. Look at my memory. I can¡¯t remember a thing he muttered, masking his true feelings behind feigned forgetfulness It wasn¡¯t a matter of him forgetting, it was hus fear of facing the reality. The person he had once envisioned marrying and embarking on a honeymoon with was now someone else¡¯s wife. Halley was well aware that Eleanor had never ced excessive demands on Garett In order to avoid burdening him, she even saved money for their wedding herself. But Carett, driven by his desire to provide more for Eleanor, was unable to fulfill everything immediately. Instead, he resorted to using time as a means of dying leaving Eleanor waiting for the life they had envisioned together Chapter 796 Chapter 796 Back then, Hailey sat on the sideline, resting her head on her hand, watching the two of them talking One person was itching to lie the knot and build a family while the other always found ways to dodge the bullet. Back then, she¡¯d figured Garett would kick himself one day, and it turned out she was right Looking back, it was Garett who had gradually pushed Eleanor away during their time together Garett was probably drowning in regret, unable to forgive himself Thinking about this, Hailey snapped out of her trip down memoryne, walked over, and gently rested her hand on Garett¡¯s shoulder, bending down to look him in the aya ¡°Garell, what¡¯s that saying, right? No use crying over spilled milk and don¡¯t sweat the small stuff. Don¡¯t tie yourself down with all this.¡± ¡°Your life is barely half over There¡¯s still a ton of years ahead. Don¡¯t keep yourself locked up in the past.¡± Hailey wasn¡¯t good with deep, meaningful words. All she could do was offer theseforting words, hoping Garett would snap out of it. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Garett might not take herfort, but Hailey couldn¡¯t tell if he had really heard her. All she saw was him nodding with a small smile. Yeager Alis, standing nearby, didn¡¯t know what they were talking about but he guessed from the bits and pieces that Mr. Clowers might have had his heart broken. The situation seemed to involve the influential figure at the hospital. Yeager couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the hospital executive¡¯s new spouse was Garett¡¯s former love interest As Yeager Alis contemted their connection, Hailey¡¯s phone began to ring. Since she was upied pushing Garett¡¯s wheelchair, she asked him to grab the phone for her. ncing at the screen, Yeager saw the caller¡¯s name but decided not to vocalize it. Instead, he simply informed Hailey, ¡°It¡¯s for you¡± Unaware of the caller¡¯s identity, Hailey turned to Yeager and inquired, ¡°Who is it?¡± Yeager remained silent, but Garett, instinctively recognizing the name on the screen, stole a nce at the phone. The mention of Eleanor¡¯s name caused his heart to sink,¡± and it took him a moment to regain hisposure. Hailey, oblivious to Garett¡¯s reaction, took the phone from Yeager and saw that it was Eleanor calling. She then nced back at Garett, sensing that something was amiss. ¡°Garett i need to take this call. You guys go ahead. Garett wanted to say ¡°let me hear her voice¡®, but felt it wasn¡¯t right, so he pushed his wheelchair a little further away. Watching his lonely figure, Hailey answered the call, ¡°Eleanor, why are you calling sote? What¡¯s up?¡± On the other end of the phone, Eleanor had seen Will¡¯s post on social media. She then called Hailey, ¡®Hailey, I saw Will¡¯s post. He¡¯s getting married to Liana tomorrow. I just arrived in Germany and can¡¯t make it back. Could you buy a gift for me and give it to them?¡± Hailey was surprised, ¡°They are getting married tomorrow? I thought they were waiting for you guys to come back.¡± Eleanor wasn¡¯t sure, ¡°Maybe they changed the date.¡± Hailey nodded, ¡°Okay, I¡¯m in B City right now. III rush back tomorrow and buy two gifts to congratte them.¡± Eleanor, leaning against the vi¡¯s railing, heard that Hailey was in Beijing, she straightened up a bit, ¡°What are you doing there?¡± Hailey was taken aback, realizing she had inadvertently spilled the beans, ¡°1¡± Hailey wasn¡¯t good at lying, so she told the truth, ¡°I came to see Garett¡± Eleanor¡¯s phone was on speaker Bernard was sitting on the patio sofa, looking at the phone Hearing Garett¡¯s name, his slender fingers scrolling on the screen paused slightly, then quickly returned to normal, continuing to scroll up Eleanor nced at Bernard subconsciously, seeing no reaction on his face, she calmly replied, ¡°Okay¡± Any other words, like how is he doing, or say hi for me, would seem too contrived. Only ¡®okay¡® could end the topic and sound normal¡­. After hanging up the call, Eleanor put down her phone and walked over to Bernard. Under the right sky, the man¡¯s profile looked as if it was sculpted by God himself, with clear lines. His eyshes were long and thick, casting a shadow over his eyes when he looked down. He was checking the financial data of the Lawrence Group, his fingers constantly sliding on the screen. But his speed was so fast that it gave away his mood to Eleanor. She didn¡¯t say anything just sat next to him. After a few seconds of silence, seeing that he didn¡¯t pay her any attention, she reached out and held his phone screen. ¡°Bernard, do you know any doctors who can treat leg diseases?¡± She still hoped that Garett could stand up. Only then would she feel less guilty Chapter 797 Chapter 797 Bernard got Eleanor¡¯s point, but was a tad irked that she still cared about her old me In his life, he feared nothing, except a man named Garett Even the mere mention of the name could have him lied up in knots¡­. It was hard to put into words He always had this feeling that one day, all his happiness would be Garett¡¯s A weird thought indeed. Maybe he cared too much, or treasured the present so much that he feared losing it. But the fact that Eleanor could ask him for help without hesitation meant she had moved on from Garett Otherwise, they would¡¯ve been tiptoeing around the name, the person. Their ability tomunicate honestly, to express their inner thoughts, was a step toward the future. Realizing this, Bernard¡¯s irritation cooled down a bit ¡°I know a few..¡± ¡°Do you need their contact info?¡± Bernard nced at Eleanor, reminding himself not to be petty, to be more magnanimous. After convincing himself, he opened his contacts in front of her and dialed a renowned international expert. After confirming the expertise and avability of the leg treatment specialist, Bernard handed over the contact information to Eleanor. ¡°Send this to Ms. Vulpe, but don¡¯t contact him directly,¡± Bernard instructed. *Mr. Laurence, you look adorable when you¡¯re jealous,¡± Eleanor remarked yfully, cupping his face and nting a kiss on his forehead, attempting to ease his jealousy. Her gesture seemed to have the desired effect as Bernard appeared pleased, subtly raising an eyebrow ¡°Send it to Ms. Vulpe right in front of me,¡± Bernard requested, his nervousness evident Suppressing herughter, Eleanor discreetly nced at him, contemting whether he was concerned about her privately contacting Garett. However, she obediently sent the specialist¡¯s contact information to Hailey Seeing her finish, Bernard pulled her onto hisp. ¡°Actually, after he got injured, I found experts to treat him, but he refused¡± ¡°Now that the best treatment time has passed, the experts I found might not even be able to help him stand up.¡± He lifted his head slightly, looking at Eleanor¡¯s face. This was the first time he brought up Garett voluntarily. ¡°Prepare yourself mentally. Don¡¯t thinkter that I didn¡¯t want to help him.¡± Upon hearing this, Eleanor lifted her hands, encircling Bernard¡¯s neck, and said to him, ¡°How could that be? You¡¯ve always been helping him¡­¡± If not for him, Garett would¡¯ve been gone a long time ago. But¡­. ¡°We should try again, maybe it¡¯ll work ¡± Bernard was not one for wishful thinking, more of a realist. But he didn¡¯t shatter Eleanor¡¯s hope, just nodded slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t let him know I found the doctor¡± If he were Garett, if he knew the doctor was found by his rival, he would refuse the help even if it meant he couldn¡¯t stand for the rest of his life. Bernard¡¯s words made Eleanor realize She was so focused on helping Garett, she hadn¡¯t considered this, and was momentarily at a loss. Seeing her lost in thought, Bernard, thinking she was thinking about Garett, gave her waist a squeeze ¡°Honey, you can only think about me, no one else.¡± Eleanor held up his wless face and asked, ¡°Then will you still be jealous?¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Bernard slightly turned his face, his good¨Clooking eyebrows twitching slightly. A few kisses will do¡± He knew how to use his advantages Whichever side of his face looked better, he¡¯d use it to attract her Eleanor fell for it, leaning down to leave several lipstick marks on his face, ¡°Is that enough?¡± Holding her waist, Bernard¡¯s eyes were blurry even without liquor He gazed at her, ¡°Not enough. I want you to likest time Eleanor, surprised by his request, hurriedly opened her mouth to bite his shoulder, but he lifted her onto his shoulder. Holding her waist, his eyes burning, he whispered into her ear. Only then did Eleanor understand what he meant¡­ Chapter 798 Chapter 798 After Hailey hung up the phone, she found a good time to share with Garett about the specialist She didn¡¯t mention Eleanor, just said she knew a specialist who could treat leg issues, and she had already scheduled a meeting Garett smiled and nodded. ¡°Thanks, Hailey¡± Faced with his innocent smile, Hailey felt guilty and dared not look into his eyes, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s what I should do.¡± Garett and Hailey had grown up together, and he knew well that Hailey was bad at lying and could easily see her quilt. Hailey had found the specialist after talking to Eleanor, it could be that Eleanor had asked Bernard to help. Garett had aplicated feeling, but he didn¡¯t expose her, only told Hailey. ¡°You can stay overnight in the vi.¡± Hailey nced at Yeager Alis, fearing he would not be ustomed to staying in someone else¡¯s house, so she shook her head and declined, ¡°Not tonight, we¡¯lle back tomorrow¡± Garett didn¡¯t insist, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll show you around B City tomorrow¡± After watching them leave the vi, Garett looked up at the night sky, a ne quietly flying overhead. He watched for a while then turned to Colter and said softly. ¡°I want to go out for a walk Colter asked, ¡®Aren¡¯t you waiting for the specialist?¡± Garett answered, ¡°Of course I am¡± He would definitely wait because it was her intention, and he couldn¡¯t let her down. ¡°Ill be back before the specialist arrives Seeing his willingness to ept treatment, Colter finally felt relieved. ¡°When are you nning to leave?¡± ¡°The day after tomorrow¡± He would go after Hailey returned to A City ¡°Then I¡¯ll arrange for a private jet, bring some people with you¡­¡± Garett remained unresponsive, requiring constantpanionship due to his current health condition. Being in a wheelchair made him vulnerable to losing his bnce and falling, leaving him feeling helpless. Upon returning to the hotel, the receptionist inquired about the number and type of rooms needed. Yeager nced at Hailey, deferring the decision to her. ¡°Two suites, Hailey replied, appreciating Yeager considerate nature and his willingness to involve her in the decision making process. The front desk swiftly processed their registration, providing them with two room cards. Yeager took the cards and handed one to Hailey *I¡¯ll be staying next door. If you need anything during the night, feel free to find me,¡± he offered, implying that it might be unsafe for a woman to stay alone in a hotel and assuring her that he would be there for assistance if necessary As soon as the words left his mouth, Yeager realized how his statement could be misconstrued, causing his face to flush with embarrassment. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that¡­ This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°I know¡± Hailey gave him a gentle smile, her bright smile eased his embarrassment. ¡°Then let¡¯s go upstairs.¡± Hailey nodded and followed him towards the elevator Just as the elevator door opened, they ran into the man who had been pestering Sigrid at the airport. Hailey knew him. His name was Chase When Hailey and Cedric were together, his friends all made fun of her for being divorced, but Chase did not. Hailey was a person who returned kindness, but she didn¡¯t expect Chase to have a conflict with Sigrid. She had pretended not to know him at the airport, and now she had to continue to pretend that they had never met. Chase did not greet her either, his charming eyes were looking at Yeager next to her Just before leaving the elevator, he noticed the floor Yeager pressed.. After seeing Sigrid at the airport today, he suddenly didn¡¯t feel like ying anymore and came down to smoke a cigarette to clear his head. But he didn¡¯t expect to bump into Cedric¡¯s longest ex¨Cgirlfriend. They had broken up over a year ago, so it was normal for her to start a new rtionship. Chapter 799 Chapter 799 Chase was leaning against the pir at the hotel entrance Smoking a cig and staring at the bustling B City, his eyes gradually became blurry After puffing on a few sticks, he got bored, tossed the butt, hand in pocket, and headed to the top floor of the hotel. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Upon entering, he spotted Cedric sitting in the lounge area, a ss in hand, hiding in the dim light. Thedies around were trying to catch his eye, but he seemed unresponsive, like a man who¡¯d lost his soul¡­¡­¡­ Chase lingered at the door for a moment, then walked over and sat next to him. ¡°What¡¯s up? Lost interest in women, or is something bothering you?¡± Cedric, thezy bum lounging on the couch, shot him a cold nce. ¡°If you¡¯ve got nothing to say, Zip it.¡± Chase chuckled lightly, took the drink handed over by the waiter, and took a big gulp. ¡°Is this disoriented look of yours because of Hertha?¡± He knew what his bro was thinking, but he just had to push his buttons. ¡°If you miss her, I can give her a call. She¡¯d be here in a heartbeat¡± Cedric nced at Chase, then spoke in a low voice, not bothering to refute him Witnessing Cedric in such a state was a first for Chase, surpassing even the time when he was unexpectedly dumped by Hertha during his first rtionship. Checking his watch, Chase estimated that after a shower and some time to adjust his mood, it would be time to address the matter at hand. If he dyed any further, the woman Cedric couldn¡¯t forget might bid him farewell forever. Grabbing a bottle of hard liquor, Chase handed it to Cedric, offering a proposition. ¡°Down this, and I have news for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested, Cedric replied dismissively, his current state of mind rendering him indifferent to anything If it weren¡¯t for the contractual obligations in B City, he wouldn¡¯t even consider leaving the confines of his home. Observing Cedric¡¯s demeanor, Chase ced the ss on the table, lit a cigarette, and began to speak. ¡°It¡¯s about Hailey¡± Finishing his sentence, Chase nced at Cedric, noticing a subtle change in his handsome face, though he remained rtively unresponsive. Chase quirked an eyebrow. ¡°Not even interested in the woman you¡¯ve doted on for three years?¡± Cedric chuckled lightly. ¡°Women mean nothing to me. How could I have doted on her for three years?¡± Chase said leisurely: ¡°I don¡¯t know who it was, but when our bros made fun of her being divorced, you immediately got into a fight.¡± ¨C With that, Chase kicked him lightly, ¡°Hey, I remember that was your first fight, right?¡± He remembered that for a woman, Cedric even got into a fight with his own brothers, and it ended up at the police station. But the irony was, Hailey had no idea, she even thought he didn¡¯t want to take her out because she was divorced. Cedric didn¡¯t want to hear Chase mocking him about the past, telling him to shut up, but Chase kept yapping on. ¡°And another time, Ms. Vulpe called you saying she had a stomachache. You braved the rain in the dead of night to get her medicine.¡± ¡°You even remembered her menstrual cycle. Isn¡¯t that special treatment?¡± Mr. Laurence had many girlfriends, but he was always the one being taken care of, never seen him take care of someone like this. So this woman named Hailey, was obviously special to Cedric¡­ Chapter 800 Chapter 800 Thinking of this, Chase took another look at his watch. ¡°You better gel going now, or you might be too late Cedric shot him a nce, ¡°Just spit it out if you have something to say. Chase decided to spill the beans, ¡®She¡¯s on the 8th floor, with another man¡® Cedric froze, looking at Chase with disbelief, ¡°Hailey?¡± Chase blinked, ¡°Yeah, I saw her going up to the 8th floor with a guy¡± ncing at his watch once more, Chase wondered about their activities during the past half hour. Without dy, the man beside him swiftly dashed out of the room, disappearing in a sh before Chase could fully process what had happened Amused by the sudden departure, Chase chuckled, recognizing that despite Cedric¡¯s ims of not caring, he had sprinted faster than anyone the moment he heard she was with someone else Cedric had undeniably been defeated by a woman this time. However, Chase¡¯s amusement quickly faded, reced by a gloomy expression He lifted the ss of wine and took a few sips with his fair hand. Once believing alcohol could alleviate all wornes, he now found it bitter. The more he drank, the more bitterness enveloped his senses, perhaps indicative of the heartache he carried within Chase thought to himself ¡°Cedric is a cautionary tale now I hope you won¡¯t repeat his mistake. Figure out your feelings and treat others right¡± Just after Hailey finished her shower, she received a call from Liana. ¡°Liana, why are you calling sote? Is it Nina causing trouble?¡± Hailey was off to B City for the weekend and had asked Liana to look after Nina for safety reasons. Usually, it was Hailey who took care of Nina. She knew that Nina was quite a handful before bed. If you didn¡¯t y with her for half an hour, she would refuse to go to bed and that could be really infuriating. ¡°It¡¯s not Nina, she¡¯s a good girl¡­ Really? The Nina, pretending to be asleep in Liana¡¯s arms, seemed so well¨Cbehaved, if not for her perky ears that gave her away. Hailey ran to Liana again toin When Hailey gets back, she¡¯ll make sure to extend her mischief time to an hour. Looking at the Nina showing her little fangs, Liana didn¡¯t have the time to deal with her for now ¡°Is Yeager Alis there? His phone is off, the hospital can¡¯t reach him.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°He has a patient whose condition has suddenly worsened. If he¡¯s there, tell him to call the hospital ASAP The hospital couldn¡¯t get hold of the attending doctor so they had to reach out to the dean. Knowing that both had gone to B City, Liana hurriedly called Hailey. Hearing the urgency in Liana¡¯s voice, Hailey hastily wrapped herself in a bathrobe and knocked on the door next door. ¡°Yeager, Liana said that your patient¡¯s condition has suddenly worsened. You need to call the hospital right away¡± Just as Yeager opened the door, he hurriedly said to Hailey ¡°My phone fell into the bathtub, it¡¯s waterlogged and temporarily unusable. Can I borrow your phone?¡± He was just reaching for his phone when he heard the ring, but he didn¡¯t grab it securely, and it fell into the bathtub. The screen was shattered, and it was waterlogged. He was trying to dry the phone with a hairdryer, hoping to get it working again, when he heard the urgent knocking at the door. Turns out the hospital was looking for him. ¡°You better take the call. Hailey handed him her phone, and Yeager took it, looking at Hailey awkwardly. Cedric urgently requested Hailey¡¯s help in drying his phone, which contained vital patient records. As the attending doctor, he felt responsible for assisting the patient even while away Without hesitation, Hailey entered the room, grabbed a hairdryer, and began drying his phone. Meanwhile, Yeager excused himself to the bathroom to take a call. Having descended from the rooftop, Cedric realized he couldn¡¯t ess the 8th floor without a room card. He hurried to the front desk, obtained a room card, and swiftly pressed the elevator button With an icy¨Ccold expression, clenched teeth, and intense focus on the elevator¡¯s floor indicator, Cedric seemed ready to unleash his anger ¡°Hailey, Hailey, Hailey his thoughts echoed contemting the consequences of any potential betrayal. The mere thought fueled a vengeful urge that threatened harm to both Hailey and Yeager Alis. As the elevator reached the 8th floor, Cedric¡¯s shoes made heavy thuds on the carpet as he forcefully kicked each closed door, ¡°Hailey,e out now! Chapter 801 Chapter 801 ¡°Are you outta your mind?¡± ¡°Seriously, what are you doing sote at night?¡± Some hotel guests were startled by the noise and came out in anger, shouting at Cedric Cedric just shrugged them off, waved his hand, and a group of bodyguards stepped in These bodyguards whipped out their wallets and handed out some cash, pacifying the angry quests who then retreated to their rooms. All the guests who had been disturbed came out to scold Cedric, only two rooms remained tightly shut. Hailey who was blow¨Cdrying her hair, didn¡¯t hear themation outside due to the loud noise from the hair dryer. Yeager, wearing noise¨Ccancelling headphones and deeply engrossed in rernotely monitoring a surgery, didn¡¯t hear themotion either. Cedric walked over and gave the door a hard kick. With no response, he turned his attention to the other room. This time, he kicked the door with full force, the vibration was so intense that the sign hanging on the door fell off. Seeing this, Hailey quickly turned off the hairdryer, sensing someone knocking on the door. She put down her phone in confusion and walked toward the door. ¡°Hailey, open up!¡± Just as Hailey was about to open the door, she froze upon hearing Cedric¡¯s angry, irritable voice ¡°I know you and Yeager Alis are in there, open the door now!¡± Seeing the door that was shaking from the kicks, Hailey couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°Cedric, what on earth are you doing?¡± Outside, Cedric, who was about to kick the door again, felt a chill run through his blood when he heard her voice Had there been no response, he could have gone back and punched Chase, ming him for talking nonsense in front of him. But now, he heard her clearly Cedric¡¯s heart was pounding This man, who had never experienced something like this before, even broke out in cold sweat. His angry heart suddenly felt numb. If it wasn¡¯t for his panting, he would have thought his heart had stopped beating Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Suddenly, Cedric didn¡¯t have the courage to open that door. He was scared, scared of seeing what he didn¡¯t want to see¡­ But if he didn¡¯t open the door, wouldn¡¯t those two enjoy the whole night to their heart¡¯s content? Why should they be so happy? Cedric kicked the door once more. ¡°Open up, or I¡¯ll break this door down!¡± ¡°Have you gone mad!¡± Hailey cursed, but still didn¡¯t open the door. Seeing her not opening the door, Cedric assumed she was too guilty to do so, and his face darkened even more. Holding back his anger, he stepped back and waved his hand, signaling the bodyguards to join him in kicking the door. Just as the solid door was about to be kicked open, Hailey gritted her teeth and opened the door! ¡°Cedric, what are you doing?¡± As the door opened, Cedric raised his furious eyes to meet Hailey¡¯s. Hailey¡¯s wet hair was draped over her shoulders, she was only wearing a robe, under which was a thin nightgown. Upon closer inspection, it seemed Hailey wasn¡¯t wearing any underwear, her ample breasts were barely visible under the ck nightgown. Below the nightgown were a pair of straight, long legs, barefoot on the carpet, wearing disposable hotel slippers Seeing Hailey like this, what else didn¡¯t Cedric understand At that moment, Yeager¡¯s voice could be heard from the bathroom. ¡°Hailey, are you done with your hair? Can youe in and help me? Done with her hair, Hailey entered the bathroom to assist Cedric, wondering what she could possibly do in a man¡¯s bathroom. However, Cedric¡¯s impatience was building. almost causing him to burst in As Hailey turned around, she responded calmly, ¡°Sure, wait a sec She looked at Cedric with a confident gaze and asked, ¡°You were in such a hurry to find me, what¡¯s up?¡± Hailey held the door with one hand and gripped the door frame with the other, creating a barrier that clearly indicated her reluctance to let him enter Cedric trembled with rage, needing a moment to regain hisposure. Then, he reached out and lifted her nightgown. ¡°How does it feel to be with Yeager Alis in the nightgown I bought for you?¡± Chapter 802 Chapter 802 Hailey followed his finger¡¯s direction and looked down at her pajamas When she was with Cedric Laurence, he threw away all her old clothes and sent a bunch of custom¨Cmade outfits every other week. Her wardrobe was filled with clothes, bags, and jewelry he bought, with new designer items arriving whenever they were released There were so many of them, and Hailey, who had been ustomed to frugality since she was young couldn¡¯t bear to throw them away so the continued to wear these clothes. Now, being reminded, she seemed to realize that after breaking up, she should return her ex boyfriend¡¯s things, but why didn¡¯t she think of returning them before? After realizing this. Hailey¡¯s expression suddenly changed ¡°When I go back, I¡¯ll return everything you gave me,¡± she said burnedly, closing the door as if she didn¡¯t want to look at Cedric again. Cedric propped his foot against the door frame, pushed it open with his hand, and walked in sideways. Hailey took a step back when she saw him entering it might have been a defensive move that angered Cedric. He grabbed her wrist and pushed her against the wall With great strength, Cedric held her hands behind her back and pressed against her his lowered nose repeatedly brushing against Hailey¡¯s luscious red lips. Unable to move her hands. Hailey kicked Cedric with her foot. In the struggle, their lips identally met his face several times. It was just a few light touches, but Cedric felt an electric current passing through. However, being angry at the moment, he didn¡¯t think about it in that way at all. He red coldly at Hailey, who was resisting relentlessly, and used his long and slender legs to tightly mp down on her wild struggles ¡°Cedric, what are you trying to do¡± Although she hadn¡¯t done anything with Cedric, how could she exin it to Yeager if he saw them like this? Cedric freed one of his hands and firmly grasped Hailey¡¯s cheek, bringing her beautiful and radiant face up to his eye level. ¡°I asked you a question, and you haven¡¯t answered me yet He stared at Hailey¡¯s red lips, his mind consumed by thoughts of their past intimacy, and his fury grew at the idea of those lips being touched by another man ¡°Tell me! How does it feel to be with Yeager Alis? Is it better than being with me?¡± His voice wasced with anger and jealousy Their time together in bed had been passionate and exhrating, and he believed that no one could surpass him. Hailey¡¯s ex¨Chusband was a fool who didn¡¯t know how to satisfy a woman. Now that she was with Yeager, Cedric questioned whether he could understand her better than he did. But what did understanding matter? He had been the one to teach Hailey all her skills in bed, including her seductive expressions. The woman he had meticulously trained would now lie beneath another man and use those skills to seduce him. How could she? How could Yeager Alis? The more Cedric thought about it, the angrier he became. He lowered his head and bit Hailey¡¯s red lips. ¡°Have you had a rtionship with Yeager Alis? I don¡¯t mind.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. He didn¡¯t mind if she had been with someone else before and then had a rtionship with him. Cedric didn¡¯t mind at all! With all his might, Cedric bit Hailey hard, causing tears to flow from her eyes. She stared at Cedric, in pain and anger. This man must be insane, otherwise, how could he bepletely irrational? After biting her, he grabbed her cheeks and tried to kiss her. He kissed her so fiercely, as if he wanted to consume all the air from her mouth, refusing to let her go. If he had enough hands, Hailey dared to bet that Cedric would strip off her clothes in the next second! ¡°Hailey, are you ready? I¡¯m waiting for you¡­¡± Worried that the noise outside would disturb the surgery. Yeager connected his noise¨Ccanceling earphones to Hailey¡¯s phone. He only took them off when he spoke to Hailey and put them back on when waiting for her reply. The surgery was still in an unstable stage, and he needed to anticipate any potential emergencies through the medical records on the phone. Removing one earphone, he shouted outside, but when no one responded, he got up and walked towards the bathroom. ¡°Dr Yeager, the patient¡¯s abdominal cavity is suddenly bleeding Chapter 803 Chapter 803 He hadn¡¯t even opened the tightly closed bathroom door when the voice of the chief surgeon came through his other earpiece Yeager returned to his seat, putting his headphones back on and fully focusing on quiding the patient¡¯s surgery. Meanwhile, Cedric continued to kiss Hailey intensely almost causing her to struggle for breath Hailey was furious, her body trembling with anger 4 Although she desperately wanted to p him, Cedric held her hands and feet tightly, rendering her immobile. She could only grit her teeth and express her rage through her words ¡°Cedric, do you realize I have a boyfiend? How am I supposed to face him when you treat me like this?!¡± The mention of her boyfriend reignited Cedric¡¯s anger that had momentarily subsided ¡°I never asked you to break up with him. If you re unwilling then be prepared to date both of us at the same time!¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. He was extremely angry and as he uttered these words, Hailey stared at him in shock, unable to believe what she was seeing ¡°Your moralpass is senously wed!¡± ¡°No doubt about it!¡± Cedric lowered his head, gritting his teeth. ¡°My moralpass is messed up, I¡¯m wed. I¡¯ve been abnormal since I was a kid!¡± He said this loudly, and his voice echoed throughout the room, leaving Hailey pale with fright. ¡°Lower your voice!¡± ¡°Are you afraid he¡¯ll hear?¡± Cedric reached out and pinched her face, giving it a firm squeeze ¡°Are you afraid he¡¯ll see?¡± He leaned in closer to Hailey¡¯s ear, deliberately blowing on it gently ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind live streaming it for him to watch¡± ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± Hailey gritted her teeth and cursed at him, ¡°Once you¡¯ve had enough of your madness, let me go and get out of here!¡± But Cedric bit her car instead. ¡°Hailey, the reason I¡¯m going crazy is because of you it¡¯s you who¡¯s pushing met He had never understood why his brother cared so much about Eleanor Shultz being with someone else. Now he was experiencing it, and it felt painful Didn¡¯t he mind? No! He minded it to death! He couldn¡¯t ept it, truly couldn¡¯t ept it! Cedric buried his head in the nape of her neck, like a wounded beast. Even though he had found an outlet, the wound couldn¡¯t heal He caught a whiff of her familiar scent, and his eyes gradually turned red. ¡°Hailey, I have never been bullied like this before.¡± He softly reproached Hailey. ¡°You¡¯re the one who seduced me, and you¡¯re the one who dumped me. I¡¯ve tried to reconcile with you several times, but you always refuse Do you know I¡¯ve never begged anyone before? Why do you treat me like this?¡± His family pampered him, and no one dared to bully him outside Women came to him one after another. Before meeting Hailey, he lived a carefree and unrestricted life every day. After meeting Hailey, he was afraid of making her unhappy and didn¡¯t even speak to her loudly, yet she mentioned breaking up several times He understood that Hailey was older than him and thought his behavior was too frivolous for a long term rtionship He could change his behavior and not be so frivolous in the future! Why wouldn¡¯t she give him a chance and just outright reject him? Cedric was at a loss, unsure of how to appease Hailey¡¯s anger As he dwelled on his own grievances, a sudden intense pain gripped his stomach, causing him to double over in agony. The pain was unbearable, and in that moment of vulnerability, Hailey was able to push him away Caught off guard, Cedric stumbled and fell to the ground. Drenched in cold sweat, Cedric clutched his stomach, swollen from the effects of heavy drinking With his blurry, swollen eyes, he looked at Hailey, unable to discern her true emotions. Her face remained impassive, indicating her indifference andck of concern for him. ¡°Hmph-* Despites excruciating pain, Cedric mustered the strength to rise from the ground Determined, he approached Hailey, his grip tightening around her waist Chapter 804 Chapter 804 ¡°What exactly do you want to do? Cedric forcefully pulled Hailey to the bathroom door and pushed her against it. Startled, she immediately turned her head and saw their reflections on the frosted ss, Yeager standing with his back towards them Yeager, wearing noise¨Ccanceling headphones, didn¡¯t notice, but Hailey was afraid he might, and her heart raced while her chest heaved dramatically However, Cedric paid no attention to her terror One hand grabbed her wrist while the other slipped into her nightgown. He knew exactly where she was most sensitive, and that gentle touch immobilized her. ¡°Cedric, you¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, a chill swept across her swollen, bitten lips.. The scent of smoke and alcohol permeated the air, stealing even her breath away. As if punishing her, the man kissed her fiercely, ravaging her with a hand that grew even more merciless. This was the first time Hailey had seen Cedric like this,pletely losing his sanity without any regard She was terrified, struggling with all her might, but this man, three years younger than her, had astonishing strength When he left her lips and bent down to feverishly kiss her earlobes and neck, Hailey suppressed her anger, lowered her voice, and said to him. *Cedric, there¡¯s nothing between me and Yeager Don¡¯t do this. He¡¯s innocent. Don¡¯t hurt him¡± Upon hearing that she hadn¡¯t done anything with Yeager, Cedric¡¯s heart, which had been on the verge of breaking, eased a little. But the next sentence stimted him once again! He grabbed Hailey¡¯s flushed face, his lips curved in a mocking smile. ¡°Hurting him is not allowed, but hurting me is?¡± Hailey shook her head and struggled twice in an attempt to break free from his grip. But the more she struggled, the tighter his hold became. Eventually, she gave up and gritted her teeth, ring at him She didn¡¯t even say a word, infuriating Cedric and causing his chest to rise and fall while his fingers trembled in anger. ¡°Don¡¯t want him to find out, huh?¡± ¡°Then I make sure he sees¡± After Cedric angrily nodded, he pushed Hailey away and reached for the bathroom door. Terrified, Hailey quickly grabbed Cedric¡¯s hand, tightly holding onto him ¡°Don¡¯t go in¡­¡± She would tell Yeager what had happenedter. But she couldn¡¯t let Yeager witness the entanglement between her and Cedric Yeager he was good, really good. Hailey genuinely wanted to be with him. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. However, with Cedric¡¯s interference, she suddenly felt unworthy of someone as wonderful as Yeager. Cedric was right, she had seduced him in the first ce, and now she had to face the consequences As an orphan like her, she should grow old in loneliness, spending her remaining days alone That way, Cedric would be satisfied. ¡°Come back to me, or else I¡¯ll go in right now and meet your boyfriend¡± Upon hearing those words, Hailey let out a coldugh. ¡°Come back to you? Will you marry me?¡± Cedric was still angry, and he sneered, ¡°I once considered marrying you, but now¡­¡± He stared intensely into Hailey¡¯s eyes, which revealed no specific emotions, grinding his teeth ¡°I will never marry you in my entire life!¡± When he said, ¡®I will marry you¡® earlier, Hailey felt surprised, but now she felt a chill in her heart. He wanted to keep her entangled, preventing her from dating someone else or getting married, but he wouldn¡¯t marry her. Was this his revenge? Revenge for her having once captivated him and then abandoning him? If this was his revenge, then Hailey, be prepared for a lifetime of solitude. The harsh reality suck Hailey forcefully, and her tightly wound nerves suddenly rxed. When she looked at Cedric again, her gaze appeared calm. ¡°I will break upwith Yeager Alis immediately, so you can leave.¡± She already had a boyfriend but had been kissed and touched by her ex¨Cboyfriend. Such a version of herself was utterly unworthy of the pure Yeager. Since they hadn¡¯t been dating for long it would be best to end their rtionship now to prevent Yeager from getting hurt in the future. Chapter 805 Chapter 805 Heaning about her uing split with Yeager, Cedric¡¯s anger simmered down a bit He stared at Hailey for a moment, then lifted his arm to pull her back into his embrace Just like finding a lost treasure, he held Hailey tight, unwilling to let go. ¡°Hailey, after you break up with him, let¡¯s get back together like before.¡± ¡°I promise, it¡¯ll be just you and me. If you¡¯re willing. I¡¯ll take you to meet my.¡± Meet my parents, propose to you. He didn¡¯t finish his sentence, but the woman in his arms gently shook her head. ¡°No, I won¡¯t get back together with you.¡± His hand wrapped around her waist, suddenly stiffened. Cedric looked down at the woman in his arms, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you hear me?¡± Hailey, without any fear, looked up at him. ¡°I won¡¯t get back with you, I won¡¯t have another boyfriend. I will live alone for the rest of my life¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. No need for any man, just earn a good living, buy a nursing hometer, and have someone take care of her in her old age. That sounds pretty good As an orphan who nobody cared about, she¡¯s meant to not have a home, meant to be alone, meant to be lonely to the old age. Hailey pushed Cedric away hard, his face devoid of any emotion, as if his spirit was sucked out in an instant. ¡°You¡± Cedric didn¡¯t expect her to be so firm, rather not having a boyfriend than getting back with him. Does she really not want to be with him? ¡°Hailey.¡± He took a step forward, closing in on Hailey ¡°You¡¯ve rejected me again, remember, there won¡¯t be a next time of me begging you to get back together.¡± Hailey didn¡¯t take his words seriously, no matter if there¡¯s a next time or not, she showed annoyance and pushed him away. ¡°Please leave first, at least let me break up with him alone, you can¡¯t be watching when I¡¯m breaking up right?¡± When Hailey said this, her tone was calm, as if she had epted everything Cedric frowned, stared at her for a moment, then turned to leave. Before leaving, he paused, turned back, and looked at Hailey coldly. ¡°Make it clear, if I see you with him again, you¡¯ll see the consequences of crossing me.¡± After saying that, Cedric walked away Halfway, he clutched his trembling chest and leaned against the wall to catch his breath ¡°Go watch them¡± He coldly ordered the bodyguard, who immediately crept into the room. Seeing the bodyguard go into Yeager¡¯s room, Cedric finally felt relieved. From now on, he, Cedric, will never let any other man touch Hailey, not even a finger! He didn¡¯t realize his strong possessiveness towards Hailey until tonight, he truly cares about her! He cared about Hailey so much that he would rather cut ties with her than let her get close to others. Cedric didn¡¯t usually smoke, but at this moment he snatched a cigarette from the bodyguard¡¯s hand, ¡°Light it for me¡­¡± The bodyguard looked at the pale, sweating Cedric, worriedly, ¡°Mr. Laurence, you can¡¯t smoke.¡± He had bronchitis as a kid, so his trachea isn¡¯t good, best to avoid tobo He shouldn¡¯t drink, but he wouldn¡¯t listen to advice! ¡°Just light it and stop talking, looking for trouble?!¡± The once elegant and gentle Mr. Laurence, after breaking up with Ms. Vulpe, had be more and more irritable The bodyguard missed the carefree Mr. Laurence of the past. Chapter 806 Chapter 806 The bodyguard couldn¡¯t convince him, so he pulled out a lighter, flicked it on, and held the me up to the cigarette that Cedric had stuck in his mouth. ¡°Mr. Laurence, don¡¯t inhale on your first drag you¡¯ll cough¡± ¡°Cough, cough, cough.¡± Before the bodyguard could finish his sentence, Cedric had already taken a draw, inhaling deeply, and started coughing non¨Cstop ¡°Mr. Laurence, are you okay?¡± The bodyguard, scared out of his wits, started patting Cedric¡¯s back in a frenzy Not wanting to hurt him. Cedric ended up scratching his back lightly like tickling him, but it didn¡¯t help at all. Cedric adjusted his breath on his own, then picked up the cigarette again and put it back in his mouth. If Hailey can smoke, why can¡¯t he? Before he could even mp down on the cigarette, a fair hand reached over and snatched it out of his mouth. ¡°And you still want to smoke like this?¡± Seeing Chase, dressed in a white suit and behaving elegantly, Cedric¡¯s face darkened even more. ¡°Give it back!¡± Chase ignored him, lifted the cigarette, and threw it into a trash can not far away in an orc ¡°Keep this up and don¡¯t me me for calling Veronica Laurence toe and get you¡± If Bernard, the CEO of the Laurence Group, is not around, getting Veronica would definitely restrain an out¨Cof¨Ccontrol Cedric Thinking of Veronica¡¯s stern and selfless face, Cedric didn¡¯t ask for the cigarette again, but the anger on his face didn¡¯t subside. Chase saw that he was pretty pissed off, reached out and gently patted his shoulder ¡°Cedric, I¡¯m doing this for your own good. If you like her, cherish her, cut her some ck, don¡¯t make a fuss with her¡± ¡°If you argue with her,pete with her, you¡¯ll end up like me, crying and begging her, but she won¡¯t even give you a nce¡± In Chase¡¯s bright, starry eyes, there was a deep mncholy As if regretting his past self, as if feeling pain for his past sentimentalism. In the end, he just tucked away those heart wrenching memories, and once again patted Cedric¡¯s shoulder hard ¡°Take my advice, don¡¯t wait until you¡¯ve lost her to regret it, by then it¡¯ll be toote¡± I¡¯m not like you¡± Chase had been trying to persuade him for a while, and all he got back was I¡¯m not like you The helpless man slightly raised his eyebrows, ¡°Alright, you¡¯re Cedric, the best, nobody is like you.¡± Chase thought, if Cedric hadn¡¯t deeply loved someone, he wouldn¡¯t understand this, he would have to experience it for himself. Let him experience it then, just as long as he doesn¡¯te crying to him afterward Chase considered himself the worst when it came to emotions and felt unqualified to mentor Cedric. Unable to convince him, he decided not to say much more and instead issued a warning ¡°Remember, no smoking, it¡¯s best to stay away from that stuff, or Ell tell your siblings.¡± In the Laurence family, only Cedric¡¯s siblings held any control over him, so threatening him with their involvement would be the most effective Afterward, Chase nced at the bodyguard. ¡°Be careful. If anything happens to him, you won¡¯t be able to handle the consequences.¡± Hearing this reminder, the bodyguards realized the gravity of the situation. They broke out in a cold sweat, grateful that Cedric had been intervened just in time. If something were to happen to Mr. Laurence during his business trip to B City, they knew they would pay with their lives. The bodyguard expressed gratitude and assured Chase, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we will take good care of Mr. Laurence.¡± Chase nodded and headed upstairs. He had other friends waiting for him. As long as Cedric hadn¡¯t done something extreme like murder, he felt at ease.N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Chapter 807 Chapter 807 Hailey stood at the bathroom door, gathered her courage and swung it open once Yeager Alis finished his call with the hospital Yeager Alis turned around and saw Hailey standing there, her face senous He furrowed his brow, removed his noise¨Ccancelling headphones, and walked towards Hailey ¡°What¡¯s up. Hailey? What happened?¡± As he got closer, he noticed Hailey¡¯s flushed face and swollen lips, it looked like she¡¯d just had a passionate kiss. Hailey didn¡¯t know how to face Yeager Alis. She lowered her head in an attempt to hide her embarrassment, but Yeager Alis grabbed her by the shoulders ¡°Hailey, did someone mess with you? Tell me who it was, and I¡¯ll sort them out!¡± There was a hint of anger in Yeager Alis¡¯s calm voice. It seemed like he didn¡¯t care what Hailey had done, he just wanted to know if she¡¯d been bullied This made Hailey feel even more guilty Yeager Alis was such a great guy. How could she ever be good enough for him? She decided it was best not to drag him down. ¡°Let¡¯s break up¡± Hailey took a deep breath, mustered her courage, and said it. Their rtionship was still fresh, barely half a month old. She thought it would be better to end things sooner rather thanter. Hailey didn¡¯t want to prevent Yeager Alis from finding a better match. But Yeager Alis was taken aback by the sudden break up He stared at Hailey¡¯s swollen lips, then asked her straight up. ¡°Hailey, did you get into some trouble, and you¡¯re worried it¡¯ll affect me, so you want to break up Hailey knew that even if they were to break up, she needed to exin the situation. She didn¡¯t want to leave Yeager Alis in the dark, so she told him everything ¡°Cedric came to see me earlier¡­ you saw¡± Hailey pointed to her swollen lips, bitten by Cedric, and said softly ¡°Even though we broke up over a year ago, he still won¡¯t leave me alone.¡± ¡°Even now that we¡¯re together, he won¡¯t stop bothering me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want you to get hurt because of me, so let¡¯s break up¡± Yeager Alis understood So Cedric had found out about them getting a room and had assumed the worst, wihch lead him to harass Hailey He had noticed at the matchmaking banquet that Cedric still had feelings for Hailey But he liked Hailey too, so he hadn¡¯t backed down But now he was being forced to leave Hailey just because of this. Of course, Yeager Alis wouldn¡¯t agree. Without saying a word, he took Hailey¡¯s wrist and started leading her out of the room¡­. ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± ¡°To meet Cedric and tell him to stop bothering you!¡± He wasn¡¯t someone to be pushed around. No one could bully him just because of their family background¡± Hailey thought that Yeager Alis would agree to break up after exining the situation. But instead, he was going to confront Cedric? She looked at Yeager Alis, who was leading her out. Seeing his upright figure, she suddenly felt that he was very righteous. She had always thought of him as a gentle and refined person, unlikely to sh with anyone. But now her perception of him had changed. He was going to confront Cedric just for her. Even his family could be involved, as Cedric was not a man to be messed with. Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡®Don¡¯t go. Yeager Alis had already reached the door. Hearing her plea, he immediately stopped, turned around and looked at her ¡°Are you asking me not to confront him because you¡¯re worried about him, or because you¡¯re worried about me?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯m worried about you¡± Hailey was concerned about him getting involved. Yeager Alis, however, chose to hear what he wanted to hear. He held Hailey¡¯s hand tightly, looked at her and smiled. ¡°If you¡¯re warned about me, then I must go.¡± Protecting his girlfriend was his responsibility Yeager Alis didn¡¯t allow Hailey to refuse, he took her hand and led her out of the room. Cedric had already returned to the VIP lounge on the top floor, leaving only a few bodyguards. After asking the bodyguards, Yeager Alis, without hesitation, dragged Hailey towards the top floor. Just as Cedric had forced his way into Yeager Alis¡¯s room earlier, Yeager Alis now forced his way into the VIP lounge. The room was filled with wealthy people from B city Seeing someone barge in, they all paused their entertainment and looked at them curiously Chase hadn¡¯t even finished his drink when he saw Yeager Alis and Hailey storm in with full of righteousness. He was immediately intrigued ¡°Mr Laurence, your love rival is here to challenge you-¡± Chapter 808 Chapter 808 Cedric saw it His bodyzily sprawled on the couch, stiffened at the sight of Hailey holding hands with another guy. The eyes that had cooled down from his anger were again boiling, slowly filling with rage. He had asked Hailey to break things off. Not only had she not done so, she even had the guts to bring her boyfriend to him. Yeager Alis, in a crowd of young folks, pinpointed Cedric, who was lying low on a couch, hall concealed by dim lights. ¡°Mr Laurence¡± He walked over, holding Hailey¡¯s hand, undeterred by Cedric¡¯s reputation or the power of the others around. He stood straight and came before Cedric ¡°I¡¯m here to tell you to quit messing with my girlfriend, or else ¡°Or else what?¡± Yeager Alis was interrupted by Cedric¡¯s cold voice before he could finish. The guy on the couch, lifting his chin, looked disdainfully at Yeager Alis ¡°Given your petty background, do you think you can do me in or get me arrested?¡± Yeager Alis choked on his reply Cedric was right, who could mess with the Laurence family, but¡­. ¡°I may be infenor in terms of background, but we need to talk sense here.¡± ¡°You know Hailey is my girlfriend, yet you still made a move on her.¡± ¡°For people like you, who disregard basic morality, what¡¯s the good of having a fancy background?¡± ¡°You¡¯re just morally bankrupt,cking in manners Yeager Alis¡¯s scolding made the young crowd nervous for him. ¡°Who¡¯s this dude, so ballsy to say Mr. Laurence has no manners?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°Don¡¯t know him, but he¡¯s brave Daring to curse Mr. Laurence, respect!¡± ¡°Respect what? He¡¯s asking for trouble. Mr. Laurence, beat him up, and we¡¯re with you!¡± Chase didn¡¯t join the others in their jeering but instead cast a side nce at Cedric Seeing him so angry he was going pale, his hand clutching the wine ss trembling, he knew how pissed Cedric was For his buddy, he raised his head to look at Hailey ¡°Ms. Vulpe, if there¡¯s an issue, talk it out privately Don¡¯t make it this awkward. It¡¯ll be hard to wrap this up.¡± It was a warning and a threat Hailey got the message But for some reason, Yeager Alis had gone this for for her If she backed down now, wouldn¡¯t it be letting down his sincenty? No one had ever stood up for her before. She had always taken on everything herself If she could beat the bullies, she would go all out. If she couldnt she would bear it Yeager Alis wasn¡¯t afraid of Mr. Laurence, what was she afraid of? Cedric was the one who started this With that thought, Hailey wasn¡¯t afraid anymore. She tightened her grip on Yeager Alis¡¯s hand and looked at Chase and Cedric ¡°Yeager Alis has made it very clear, Mr. Laurence, please refrain from disturbing us in the future.¡± Having said that, Hailey pulled Yeager Alis¡¯s hand and turned to leave. Bang! The sound of a wine ss hitting the floor came from behind, along with Cedric¡¯s voice. ¡°Did I say you could leave?!¡± Cedric got up from the couch ¡°Mr. Laurence, what else do you want¡­ Before Yeager Alis could finish, his handsome face was met with a hard punch Cedric was strong With one punch, he knocked Yeager Alis to the ground, causing Hailey to fall as well. ¡°Yeager Alis!¡± Hailey wanted to check on Yeager Alis but was pushed aside by Cedric He threw Hailey aside, then reached out to choke Yeager Alis ¡°You said I have no manners, huh?¡± ¡°Let me show you what no manners is He raised his clenched fist and delivered blow after blow to Yeager Alis¡¯s face Yeager Alis, gentlemanly as he was, wouldn¡¯t willingly take a beating. He raised his hand to fight back after a few seconds daze. Cedric took a punch to the face, but it only fueled his anger. He went all out in his attack. Yeager Alis, always a good student, had never trained physically and was soon defenseless against Cedric Seeing Yeager Aliss handsome face bruised and bloody, Hailey, who had been trying to pull Cedric away, decided to stop restraining him and threw herself on Yeager Alls to shield him from Cedric¡¯s next punch. Chapter 809 Chapter 809 Cedric¡¯s fist was about to m down when he saw Hailey rushing over and immediately pulled back Hailey had already closed her eyes, mady to take a punch, but there was no movement behind her, which left her slightly confused. She knew Cedric had withdrawn his hand, but she didn¡¯t turn around, just looked down to check the damage on Yeager Aliss face ¡°Are you alright? Yeager Alis had been staring nkly at her as she charged over. Only now, hearing her voice, did he snap out of his surprise I¡¯m okay¡± He hadn¡¯t expected Hailey toe rushing over to protect him, which only served to affirm his decision to stand up for her. Seeing Yeager Alis was hurt but still conscious, Hailey turned to face Cedric, his face a picture of disbelief and rage ¡°Mr Laurence, you forced me and hit my boyfriend. I¡¯m going to call the cops, see you at the police station¡± With that, she pushed off the man sitting on top of Yeager Alis, helped him up and started to leave the VIP room. The drama ended just like that, leaving the remaining people to help Cedric up after they left. ¡°Mr. Laurence, get up Cedric brushed off everyone¡¯s hands and just sat there on the ground, looking utterly disheveled His eyes, bloodshot from anger, were fixed on the direction where the two had left¡­ Hailey you promised to break up with Yeager Alis. Why didn¡¯t you keep your word? And¡­ why did you jump in front of Yeager Alis? Did you really fall for Yeager Alis? If you fell for him, what am I supposed to do? Chase knew that Cedric was a proud man, never showing embarrassment in front of his friends. But now because of Hailey, even his image was thrown out the window He sat there like a deted balloon. He always said he d cherish and not quarrel with women, but he wouldn¡¯t listen, it serves him right! Chase pushed a few people away. ¡°Let¡¯s call it a night. I¡¯ll handle the rest here.¡± At this critical moment, no one mocked Cedric. They just reminded Chase to talk some sense into him and left Once everyone had left the VIP room, Chase reached out a hand to Cedric ¡°Get up. You look ridiculous sitting there¡± Cedric ignored him but pushed himself up from the ground. Yeager Alis¡¯s punches werent light. Even his mouth was bleeding After getting up Cedric wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth His eyes, previously red filled with hatred at the sight of his bloodied hand. He took out his phone, ready to make the Hooper family pay for what Yeager Alis did, but Chase stopped him ¡°Cedric, doing this will only push Ms. Vulpe further away.. Chase, who had figured out what he nned to do, snatched Cedric¡¯s phone and tossed it onto the sofa behind him ¡°If you like her, learn to let go, don¡¯t push her too hard¡± ¡°Like?¡± Cedric scoffed, about to say he didnt like Hadley at all His reaction tonight was clearly more than just desire So, this is what it feels like to be in love? Has he really fallen for Hailey? Upon realizing this, Cedric¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. His grandfather had told him that love was aplicated thing Once you got involved, you¡¯d be irrational He hated who he had be, losing all basic manners over a woman! His temper had worsened, and now hed even started to get physical. It was not worth it! But he couldn¡¯t just give up on Hailey and let her and Yeager Alis be together. That was impossible! ¡°I wont let go He looked at Chase, raising an eyebrow Tve fallen for her. Why should i let go?¡± Naturally, he¡¯d do everything to win back the girl he liked Letting her go was out of the question! ** His reason even left Chase speechless for a while until he managed to say, ¡°Although your reasoning makes sense, don¡¯t you feel like you¡¯re the third wheel in this?¡± Cedric, not caring picked up the red wine on the table and downed it in one gulp ¡°Lwant to be the third wheel that breaks them apart!¡± Anyone who dares to steal hus girl was asking for trouble!N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Chapter 810 Chapter 810 After Hailey took Yeager to the hospital, she wasnt afraid of making a scene and went straight to the cops. Cedric was taken to the police station after returning to his vi in B City Wormed that the police in the B City would notify the Laurence family, he obediently climbed into the police car As soon as he arrived at the station, he saw Hailey Vulpe holding an ice bag to Yeager¡¯s face He snorted in annoyance turning his head away, only to be pushed by the police towards the interrogation room. When asked why he hit someone, his only response was to tell them to call hiswyer. Chase was roused from sleep by the police, and rushed to the station without even changing his clothes to sort out Cedric¡¯s mess. It took a lot of negotiation with the police for them to agree to handle the situation privately. But the police warned ¡°If Ms. Vulpe sues Mr. Laurence for harassment, it may end up in court, Chase acknowledged, nodding in understanding Chase entered the interrogation room, asking Cedric to join him in apologizing to the victims, Hailey and Yeager Cedric fiercely refused stating ¡°Td rather be detained than apologize to them.¡± Chase rolled his eyes at Cedric¡¯s defiance threatening. ¡°If you don¡¯t go, I¡¯ll call Bernard and Veronica Laurence¡± Cedric frowned but turned away stubbornly, saying ¡°Go ahead, I won¡¯t apologize to Hailey and Yeager, even if theye He believed that Yeager provoked him and Hailey infuriated him, making an apology unnecessary If it wasn¡¯t for wanting to protect the Laurence family¡¯s reputation in B City, he would have dealt with this issue long ago. He wouldn¡¯t let them walk all over him! Seeing Cedric¡¯s stubbornness, Chase had no choice but to go and try to mediate with Hailey and Yeager After Hailey finished applying the ice bag to Yeager¡¯s face, she fetched some iodine to apply to the comer of his injured mouth. ¡°Yeager, brace yourself, it¡¯s going to sting¡± Yeager looked at Hailey gave a small smile, but winced as he identally pulled at his wound. He let out a yelp of pain, causing Hailey to jump ¡°Did I hurt you?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m just happy that you stood up with me.¡± Yeager shook his head Hailey put down the iodine ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Yeager You got hurt because of met This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t leave me, I don¡¯t care about this pain¡± ¡°Yeager, I let him touch me while being with you I feel so guilty. I¡¯m afraid this will happen again in the future. After all, Cedric is not easy to deal with. That¡¯s why I wanted to break up with you Hailey still felt quilty ¡°I don¡¯t mind, it was all forced by him, it has nothing to do with you.¡± Hailey didn¡¯t expect Yeager to be so understanding. She was stunned. Then Yeager¡¯s voice rang again in her ears: ¡°Hailey, you said in the hotel that you wanted to break up with me What about now? Do you still want to break Now¡­ up? fight him to the end!¡± and nail Let¡¯s see what he can do! Hailey looked at the wounds on Yeager¡¯s face, and after a moment of silence, she firmly said, ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to break up. She didn¡¯t believe that Cedric could continue to act so recklessly. If he continued to mess around, she would fight him Just as Chase emerged from the interrogation room, he heard Hailey¡¯s words. He turned around to look at Cedric, who was staring at them through the ss Chase thought to himself, Cedric really shouldn¡¯t have been so impulsive. Now look, he¡¯s pushed the woman he likes into another man¡¯s arms. Isn¡¯t that asking for trouble? Chapter 811 Chapter 811 Chase approached them with a rxed stride, offering a casual greeting before delving straight into the matter at hand. ¡°Hello there, I¡¯m Cedric¡¯swyer, here to explore the possibility of resolving this situation privately, he stated Hailey and Yeager exchanged a knowing nce upon learning his profession, their determination unyielding as they simultaneously dered. ¡°We have no interest in mediation¡± Despite already involving the police, they remained resolute in pursuing charges against Cedric for assault and sexual harassment. However, Chase remained unfazed by their refusal, shing them a confident grin ¡°I understand where you¡¯reing from, but let¡¯s look at the facts. It was Mr. Yeager who initiated the verbal altercation, and Cedric merely responded in kind,¡® Chase asserted, aiming to present a different perspective ¡®He clearly made advances towards my girlfriend first. I was merely defending her What gives him the right to throw a punch? Yeager retorted, his lone growing heated. Sensing Yeager¡¯s rising agitation, Chase swiftly ced a calming hand on his shoulder, attempting to diffuse the tension in the room. ¡°Easy there Let¡¯s talk about the terms of the mediation first Regardless of whether Yeager and Hailey were willing to listen, Chase just pulled over a chair and sat down opposite them. ¡°Mr Yeager, I¡¯ve looked at your medical report. Your injuries don¡¯t even qualify as minor. Taking him to court could be a bit tricky. How about this, we¡¯ll cover all your medical expenses andpensate you with an additional 100,000 for emotional damages. As for Cedric¡¯s disrespectful behavior towards Ms. Vulpe, he misunderstood the situation and lost his cool. I¡¯m willing topensate Ms. Vulpe with 500,000 on Cedric¡¯s behalf How does that sound?¡± If it were Hailey¡¯s ex husband Austin Zimmer, he definitely would¡¯ve agreed But sitting next to Hailey now was Yeager ¡°We don¡¯t need your money, and you can¡¯t buy us off. We¡¯re taking this to court. Let Cedric wait for his summons!¡± Seeing that the negotiation was going nowhere, Chase dropped his smile ¡°Mr. Yeager, do you really think your minor injures are enough to put Cedric behind bars?¡± ¡°They might not be, but I can make it happen Hailey said, her tone resolute. ¡°Ms. Vulpe,¡± Chase cut her off, ¡°do you think it¡¯s easy to win a sexual harassment case? Without evidence, it can¡¯t be confirmed as harassment. Plus, you and Cedric were in a rtionship for three years It could just be seen as a lovers¡® spat.¡± These words deted Hailey¡¯s newfound courage. That¡¯s right, how could they possibly sue Cedric? He had kissed her and touched her in the hotel room. The hotel Yeager had taken her to was high¨Cend and valued their guests¡® privacy. There was no way there was surveince in the room. Without evidence, there was no way they could sue him, and even if they did, it would probably just be a formality. The same went for Yeager¡¯s injuries. Even the court¨Cappointed medical examiner couldn¡¯t confirm that they were serious enough to warrant legal action ¡°I¡¯ve said my piece. You guys can do whatever you want next. But, just to be clear, if you decide to sue him, I¡¯ll be the one defending him.¡± In other words, it¡¯s unlikely that Cedric would have to go to court over this minor issue. This was just sheer arrogance. With that, Chase handed Hailey a business card and told her to contact him if she decided to take the mediation Then he just walked away. Pausing and turning back, Chase locked his gaze on the silent pair before him. ¡°Ms. Vulpe, let me remind you once more of the weight on Cedric¡¯s shoulders. If you genuinely care for him, it¡¯s advisable to consider mediation sooner¡± he cautioned. Aware of the ethical boundaries as awyer, Chase couldn¡¯t help but be influenced by his friendship with the stubborn Cedric N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°Mr. Chase, refrain from threatening Hailey I won¡¯t back down, even if it means sacrificing everything for my family, Yeager defiantly asserted. Adjusting his gold¨Crimmed sses, Chase shot him a meaningful look. ¡°Sult yourself,¡± Chase replied tersely, leaving the consequences of Yeager¡¯s decision hanging in the air. Questioning Yeager¡¯s true intentions, Chase wondered if he genuinely desired to provoke a confrontation with Cedric or if his words held a hint of jest. Chapter 812 Chapter 812 After Chase left, Yeager held Hailey¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°Hailey, don¡¯t let him get to you. He¡¯s just trying to intimidate you* Hailey tried to smile back, but didn¡¯t say anything Her biggest worry was causing harm to innocent people. Cedric was quickly taken away by Chase, leaving Hailey and Yeager waiting outside the police station for a cab Thin contrast was too much Back at the hotel, Hailey treated Yeager¡¯s wound again before heading back to her own room to rest. But she tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. She decided to sit up, staring at the quilt for a while, then picked up her phone She wanted to call Eleanor Shultz, but she didn¡¯t want to disturb her while she was on her honeymoon. After much hesitation, Hailey decided not to make the call and got out of bed to find Yeager instead Yeager was on the phone, seemingly talking to awyer. Hailey waited for him to finish his call before she walked in. ¡°Did you find awyer?¡± Yeager nodded and gestured for Hailey to sit on the couch ¡°Thewyer I found said that Chase is a well knownwyer in the country, good at litigation, especially in court. His debating skills are top¨Cnotch¡± Hearing this, Hailey felt even more that she couldn¡¯t win against Chase, but Yeager reassured her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, thewyer I found also has a lot of court experience.¡± But Hailey was still womed ¡°Let me sue him alone. You have family, you guys shouldn¡¯t get involved in this.¡± Chase was right, even if Cedric was sued, he wouldn¡¯t have a big problem. But Hailey wanted him to learn a lesson to prevent him froming after her again. As for how Cedric would retaliateter, she wasn¡¯t afraid to face him alone. But Yeager had a lot of rtives, and she didn¡¯t want them to get involved. After all, Cedric wasn¡¯t an ordinary person. Behind him was power, not just money. Not to mention the president of the Laurence Group, Bernard, even Cedric¡¯s parents would be a big problem. Yeager¡¯s family was a schrly family, how could they fight against the Laurence family? If it didn¡¯t involve personal background, just looking at Cedric¡¯s character, once he was unhappy, he could make his enemies bankrupt No matter how Hailey thought about it, she felt that the one who would ultimately be hurt was Yeager. She didn¡¯t want Yeager to pay a huge price for her, it wasn¡¯t worth it. Seeing her worry, Yeager reached out and held Hailey¡¯s hand in his own ¡°Hailey, no matter what, I¡¯m going to protect you. Even if it means going bankrupt, I¡¯m going to sue him.¡± Despite the potential financial repercussions, Yeager chose to persist in his fight against Cedric ncing at Yeager, Hailey expressed her concern, unsure of how to dissuade him from his course of action. Suddenly. Yeager¡¯s phone rang, and he answered to find it was thewyer he had recently contacted. ¡°I regret to inform you that Mr Chase advises against taking on your case,¡± thewyer ryed Yeager¡¯s face twisted into a frown. But we have enough money, don¡¯t we? Can¡¯t we win?¡± Thewyer rified, ¡°There seems to have been a misunderstanding Chase called me to provide further details. Unfortunately, weck sufficient evidence.¡± Yeager¡¯s frustration grew. ¡°What do you mean there¡¯s no evidence? Look at the injury on my face!¡± Thewyer pointed out, ¡°Cedric also has facial injuries. It could easily be argued as a mutual fight. Your chances of winning are slim. Pursuing this further would only waste time and resources¡± Yeager reluctantly came to realize the futility of his actions, feeling as though he was squandering valuable time and resources, ¡°You¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Before Yeager could get angry, the man on the other end quickly interrupted him. ¡°Yeager, you know, in our circle, including the legal field, Chase¡¯s words are likew. We can¡¯t afford to offend him¡­¡° His words were clear. With Chase around, no one in the legal field would dare to take their case. Just one Chase was enough to prevent them from even hiring awyer, let alone suing Cedric in court. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Yeager The call was quickly ended on the other end. Yeager held the phone, his expression serious. Knowing that Yeager was upset, Hailey quietly sat beside him, keeping himpany Chapter 813 Chapter 813 After a while. Yeager¡¯s emotions gradually subsided 1ll give my cousin a call. He¡¯s awyer, though he primarily handles property cases. Perhaps he can offer some assistance Yeager said, determinedly Yeager dialed his cousin¡¯s number, and the call was promptly answered He exined the situation to his cousin, anxiously awaiting his response. However, a sigh emanated from the other end of the line ¡°Yeager, I genuinely want to help you, but this matter seems rather trivial it doesn¡¯t meet the threshold for legal proceedings,¡± his cousin informed him His cousin continued. Moreover, why did you involve yourself with Cedric¡¯s ex¨Cgirlfriend? is it because our family is affluent or holds influence?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a kid anymore, you should consider your parents more, instead of ¡°Alright, I get it¡± Yeager hung up the phone 1 have a ssmate who¡¯s awyer too, I¡¯ll give him a call.¡± He picked up his phone, ready to seek help again. Hailey reached out and held his phone. ¡°Yeager, stop seeking help.¡± ¡°You mean I should stop making calls? Yeager looked up at Hailey ¡°The twowyers have made it clear.¡± The problem still wasn¡¯t solved *But¡­¡± Hailey cut him off, ¡°How about this, I¡¯ll contact Mr. Chase, see if we can modify the mediation terms, have Cedric apologize to you, and ensure he won¡¯t bother me anymore¡± ¡°Cedric will not agree I give it a shot anyway¡± Hailey left Yeager and went back to her room, picked up Chase¡¯s business card and called Chase¡­..¡­¡­.. Chase was startled awake by the phone call at five in the morning ¡°Who the hell is calling at this hour¡± ¡°Mr. Chase, it¡¯s me A soft voice came from the phone. ¡°We don¡¯t ept the mediation terms, can they be modified?¡± Hearing Hailey¡¯s voice, Chase was surprised that she had given in so quickly Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What do you want to modify them to?¡± ¡°Have Cedric apologize to Yeager, and make sure he won¡¯t bother me anymore.¡± This was more difficult than payingpensation. Chase sat up in bed and said Ms. Vulpe, I might be able to keep Cedric away from you, but getting him to apologize to Yeager is impossible¡± Hailey, also sitting up in bed, frowned at Chase¡¯s refusal. ¡°He started it, shouldn¡¯t he apologize Chase chuckled, ¡°Ms Vulpe, it was Yeager who first said that Cedric was uncivilized Although it¡¯s wrong for him to bother you, it¡¯s not right tobel him as uncivilized, right?¡± Hailey opened her mouth, seemed to want to say something, but felt that the term ¡®uncivilized did indeed touch on the Laurence family¡¯s elders. ¡°Mr Laurence is facing the usation of being uncivilized, perhaps for the first time. Regardless of one¡¯s upbringing it someone were tobel me as uncivilized, particrly apetitor, believe it or not, I would swiftly respond with a punch, rendering them unrecognizable to their own mother Chase expressed, acknowledging the intensity of the situation and the visceral reaction it could provoke ¡°Mr. Laurence has been quite tolerant, he held it in for so long if he didn¡¯t hear you make such harsh comments about him, I believe he wouldn¡¯t have been angry enough to hit someone. To be exact, the cause of the problem was your bias.¡± As awyer, Chase shifted all the me onto Hailey in just a few words, leaving her speechless Seeing silence on Hailey¡¯s end, Chase started talking again. ¡°So, Ms Vulpe, how bout Yeager apologizes to Mr. Laurence first, then I¡¯ll have him apologize to Yeager? Is this a schoolyard fight where everyone has to apologize? Hailey sensed that Chase was toying with her, yet she struggled to find concrete evidence to support her suspicions Indeed, Chase was purposefully toying with Hailey, driven by his misguided belief that women were inherently naise and easily manipted However, this conflict extended beyond mere gender dynamics. It became a matter of personal dignity Transcending gender boundaries. Yeager publicly used Cedric of moral corruption and uncivilized behavior if Cedric chose not to retaliate, his friends would step in to defend his honor. But these things were unnecessary to say to Hailey, it would only magnify a small issue if she got involved The priority was to dissuade her from suing and to maintain the original mediation Terms ¡°Ms Vulpe, you think about it and call me when you have made up your mind¡± Chase didn¡¯t wait for Hailey¡¯s response and hung up the phone, as if he had control of the situation, believing she wouldn¡¯t sue him again. Although this was a bit arrogant, it was realistic Powerful people could always dominate in any situation. Hailey put down the phone,y in bed, staring at the dazzling night view outside the window, staying awake all night. Chapter 814 Chapter 814 On a business trip in B City, Sigrid heard from a friend about Cedric getting into a fight at a nightclub She rushed over to Cedric¡¯s vi that same night and found him hugging a bottle of liquor,pletely hammered ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you? Why did you hit Ms. Vulpe¡¯s boyfriend? she approached and gave Cedric a nudge Cedric saw Sigrid¡¯s face through his blurry vision, and shoved her hand away impatiently. ¡°None of your beeswax¡± Sigrid tried to snatch the bottle. ¡°Stop drinking you¡¯re gonna wreck your stomach if you keep this up!¡± All he did was party and enjoy himself instead of doing anything meaningful. She should totally film this and show it to Bernard, so he could put Cedric in his ce. Of course, Cedric wouldn¡¯t give in, ¡®Quit bugging me and go home¡­¡± Unable to take the bottle from him, Sigrid snapped, ¡°Fine, drink yourself to death for all I care¡± She picked up her bag and stormed out, but halfway through the door, she couldrit help but nce back at him. She couldn¡¯t handle him, but she could ask others for help. With that in mind, Sigrid left the vi, called Veronica, told her the situation, and then drove off Veronica was also in B City. Upon hearing the news, she immediately ordered a car and rushed over to Cedric¡¯s vi, Cedric, who waspletely wasted, had barely hit the bed when Veronica¡¯s bodyguard picked him up and tossed him into the bathtub. ¡°Turn on the water, hold him under to sober him up!¡± Following the order, the bodyguard soon woke Cedric up with cold water. Struggling to climb out of the bath, Cedric saw Veronica¡¯s stern face. ¡°Veronica?¡± Cedric, enduring difort in his stomach, sat by the bathtub and looked at her ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡°why am I here¡°?¡± Veronica looked at his pathetic state and felt like pping him! Believing that Cedric had transformed while effectively overseeing the Laurence Group, simr to Bernard, she had hoped for his continued growth. However, upon arriving in B City, he began exhibiting foolish behavior, causing harm to Dr. Yeager and ending up in custody His delusion of winning back Ms. Vulpe was nothing more than an absurd fantasy, tarnishing the family¡¯s honor in the process. Furing with anger, Veronica stormed over to Cedric, seizing him by the cor. Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Let¡¯s go home!¡± she demanded. ¡°I¡¯m not going!¡± Cedric retorted defiantly, swatting Veronica¡¯s hand away. In his unsteady state, he lost his bnce and stumbled, ultimately copsing onto the floor. Veronica angrily walked over, intending to p him. But she stopped just before her hand reached his face. When they were kids, she could discipline him with a whip. But now he was the acting CEO of the Laurence Group, and pping him in front of the bodyguard would not exactly respect his dignity Not wanting to embarrass Cedric too much, Veronica decided to hold back and just red at him. ¡°Cedric, you used to change girlfriends like socks, and you never made the same mistake twice, what¡¯s the deal now?¡± ¡°You keep bothering Ms. Vulpe even though she has a boyfriend That¡¯s not like you¡± Cedric leaned against the edge of the bathtub, gagging from difort Hearing this, he turned to look at Veronica His eyes gradually turned red, ¡°I really don¡¯t want to bother Hailey, but ¡­ I love her¡­¡± Hearing Cedric say something like ¡°love¡± is a real rarity Chapter 815 Chapter 815 Seeing Cedric¡¯s aggrieved face, Veronica couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit heartbroken, and went over to pat his head ¡°Cedric, it¡¯s okay to love Ms Vulpe, but you gotta think whether she likes you back if she doesn¡¯t fancy you, making a big fuss will only turn her off even more Did he really make a fuss? Why did everyone think he was kicking up a ruckus? It was clearly Hailey who pissed him off first, and he just ¡°Does Hailey treat me like this because she doesn¡¯t like me?¡± Veronica was taken aback. This poor kid, he didn¡¯t even seem to know the difference between liking and not liking It seemed that his romantic experiences over the years were rather shallow, and now that he was truly smitten, lie was hitting a wall. Veronica wasn¡¯t in a good position to answer Cedric¡¯s question, since she didn¡¯t really know Hailey¡¯s thoughts, having had limited interactions with Ms Vulpe She thought for a moment, and decided to guide Cedric for now and stop him from bothering Ms. Vulpe any further. Veronica helped him up and said. ¡°You go home first, I¡¯ll go ask Ms. Vulpe about her feelings towards you. If she still likes you, I¡¯ll try to talk her round. If she doesn¡¯t, promise me you won¡¯t bother her again¡­¡± Cedric nodded, determined not to give up easily, regardless of Hailey¡¯s feelings towards him. Having spent a sleepless night, Hailey woke up early and decided to meet Garett. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Choosing not to divulge the conflict between Cedric and Yeager from the previous night, she simply mentioned that Yeager had to return to City A due to a hospital matter Garett didn¡¯t think much of it. Upon learning that Liana was getting married, he apanied Hailey to the mall and helped her select a gift. Carrying three gifts, Hailey watched as Garett got into his car to head home. She turned around, intending to return to the hotel and find Yeager However, her gaze caught sight of the graceful figure of Veronica, who approached with a subtle smile. ¡°Ms. Vulpe, do you have a moment?¡± Seeing Veronica looking for her, Hailey knew what she was here for ¡°Sure.¡± Veronica pointed to a high¨Cend coffee shop next to the mall, ¡°Shall we sit in there?¡± Halley nodded and followed Veronica into the coffee shop Veronica ordered two cups of coffee before turning her attention to Hailey. ¡°Ms. Vulpe, I have two things to discuss with you.¡± Hailey looked at the straightforward Veronica, drawn to the charisma she exuded She was concise and firm, yet soft spoken without any arrogance. She was beautiful too, with a delicate face, Hong Kong¨Cstyle puffy hairstyle, and simple professional attire. At first nce, she was neat and tidy, notcking in intellectual beauty, and exuded an aura of being well¨Cread and well¨Cmannered. Veronica was not just any socialite or ordinarydy of a prominent family, she was a true noblewoman. Hailey had a very good impression of both Veronica and Signd, and she felt more at ease when dealing with them, without any prejudice. ¡°Miss Veronica, feel free to speak your mind¡± Veronica was very polite, waiting for Hailey¡¯s response before continuing. ¡°Firstly, I¡¯m here to apologize on behalf of Cedric After saying this, Veronica lowered her head and sincerely said I¡¯m sorry¡® to Hailey Cedric messed up, and having his sister apologize for him made Hailey feel a bit awkward, so she quickly waved her hand. ¡°You don¡¯t need to feel awkward. This incident is also due to myck of discipline towards Cedric I should apologize too¡± After saying this, she paused for a moment, and a hint of embarrassment appeared on her beautiful face again. ¡°The second thing is, I¡¯m here to ask about your feelings on his behalf¡­¡± ¡°What feelings? Hailey asked puzzled. ¡°Your feelings towards Cedric ¡± The question of ¡°whether you like him is something that young people would ask. Someone of Veronica¡¯s age would feel a bit embarrassed to ask this outright Chapter 816 Chapter 816 Hailey got what Veronica was hinting at, paused for a short while, then answered her question straightforwardly ¡°I used to have a thing for him¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. She really did. That¡¯s why she kept the gifts he gave her even after they broke up. Perhaps she was still holding onto a shred of hope back then? She used to be into him, which means Cedric failed to win her heart, and that¡¯s why it¡¯s all in the past now But this answer left Veronica at a loss for words. She wanted to give advice, but it was clear that Hailey and Cedric were history Yet, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit regretful about it ¡°So, what about now ¡°I have a boyfriend now! Hailey cut Veronica off firmly ¡°If possible. I¡¯d like you to convince Cedric to stop bothering me and Yeager.¡± Having made her decision, Hailey remained steadfast and resolute Unless Yeager ended their rtionship, no external influence could sway her Veronica, understanding that Hailey had moved on from Cedric and firmly chosen her current boyfriend, recognized that further words were unnecessary. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll keep an eye on him,¡± Veronica responded, acknowledging their conversation¡¯s conclusion. As their coffees arrived, Hailey took a few sips, sensing the potential awkwardness of lingering. She stood up, signaling her departure. Veronica didn¡¯t attempt to stop her, merely nodding politely as a farewell gesture After Hailey left, Veronica made her way to a nearby booth, leaning against the railing and gently knocking on it. ¡°Did you catch all that?¡± Veronica had tried to convince Cedric to go home, but he insisted oning. Now that he had heard Hailey¡¯s feelings firsthand, he should be able to face reality, right? Cedric was slouched in the sofa, staring at the pictures of him and Hailey during their dating days on his phone. In the photos, Hailey was all smiles, her eyes full of love when she looked at him. He at that time was expressionless facing the camera, but a hint of happiness could be traced in his eyes. He used to not understand why he felt sofortable and happy being with Hailey, his heart filled with sweetness. Now he realized, that was love, a mutual one¡­. Cedric stared at the photos for a long time, then lifted his gaze to Veronica. ¡®Does ¡®used to have a thing for him mean she¡¯s over me now?¡± Veronica saw the glimmer of heartbreak in his eyes and reluctantly nodded She had to make him face the truth, or he would keep being so stubborn, which would hurt both him and Ms. Vulpe Veronica¡¯s nod confirmed that Hailey was indeed over Cedric He knew it deep down, but he didn¡¯t want to believe it and thus denied it. He leaned back on the sofa, tears welling up in his eyes. ¡°I think I just realized I love her, but it¡¯s toote. What should I do?¡± For the first time, Cedric was seeking advice from Veronica about a rtionship problem, like a wronged child looking for help from an adult. But Veronica was also at a loss. She couldn¡¯t force Ms. Vulpe, could she? Without responding. Veronica let Cedric find his own answer ¡°I get it. If I apologize to Yeager, she will love me again.¡± It must be because he hit Yeager that Hailey started to dislike him. With this thought in mind, Cedric grabbed his coat and rushed out of the caf¨¦. ¡°Hey..¡± Veronica called out to Cedric, but he remained oblivious, driving hastily towards the hotel where Hailey was staying. Rolling her eyes in exasperation, Veronica couldn¡¯t help but feel frustrated. Cedric¡¯s belief that a simple apology would magically mend their rtionship seemed naive and misguided Observing Cedric drive away, Veronica sighed, resigned to the fact that he was at a loss for how to salvage the situation. It became increasingly evident that his impulsive nature continually fed him to lose control of his emotions. Chapter 817 Chapter 817 Halley and Yeager had just checked out and were about to head back to A City when Cedric came rushing up to them His hair was all over the ce from the wind, and his tie was all messed up. He looked like a hot mess Yeager, assuming that Cedric was up to no good again, stepped in front of Hailey and warned him. ¡°If you try anything funny, I won¡¯t hesitate to call the cops¡± But for Cedric, this threat was as effective as a chocte teapot. His dark red eyes were fixed on Hailey, who was shielded by Yeager ¡°I overheard what you told Veronica. I take it as a bted confession of your feelings¡± ¡°And since you¡¯ve dered your feelings for me, I have to tell you, Hailey, I have feelings for you too, maybe even love, although I¡¯m not quite sure yet¡± His words were all over the ce, and he reeked of booze, rambling like a drunken fool. Hailey, as the person involved, was utterly baffled Even if she could understand his words, she found it hard to believe that a yboy like him would say such things As an observer, however, Yeager saw right through Cedric¡¯s feelings¡­ N?velDrama.Org owns all content. This young man¡¯s sudden realization of love might have beente, but it was profound. Who in this world could resist Cedric¡¯s relentless pursuit? Yeager, feeling somewhat worried, stepped in front of Hailey again. ¡°Mr. Laurence, Hailey is my girlfriend Your words are out of fine.¡± Cedric shot him a sidelong nce, his eyes full of disdain ¡°She¡¯s only your girlfriend, not your wife. I have every right to express my feelings.¡± With that, he pushed past Yeager, walked up to Hailey, grabbed her shoulders and asked, ¡°Would you reconsider if I apologized to Yeager?¡± He suddenly bowed his head, catching Hailey off guard. Cedric willing to apologize to Yeager? Was this the same arrogant and self¨Crighteous Mr. Laurence? While Hailey was still in shock, Cedric let her go and turned to face Yeager ¡°I¡¯m sorry Short and sweet but still as proud as ever The apology didn¡¯t seem sincere. It was more of apromise to win back the one he wanted to win back. After apologizing, he turned his gaze back to Hailey and asked her earnestly. ¡°I¡¯ve never humbled myself before anyone, but for you, I¡¯m willing to do so. Will you.. reconsider?¡± Cedric implored, his voice filled with desperation. However, before Hailey could respond, Yeager swiftly extended his hand and firmly pulled her to his side. ¡°Mr. Laurence, let me remind you once again, Hailey is my girlfriend,¡± Yeager asserted, his grip on Hailey¡¯s hand tight, their fingers intertwined ¡®Mr. Laurence, we have a ne to catch. We must depart now ¡°With that, Yeager steered Hailey away, leaving Cedric standing there, his plea unanswered As Yeager was about to leave with Harley, Cedric grabbed her other hand. Cedric, looking down at Hailey, who was a head shorter than him, was firm. ¡°Hailey, I need an answer ? ¡°We don¡¯t have time. Hailey¡® Yeager¡¯s reminder cut Harley off again. Yeager tried to pull Hailey away, but she turned her head to look at Cedric, who was still gripping her hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I once had feelings for you¡­¡± But each time he left her coldly, her love for him faded a little more. Even if Cedric now says he likes her, even mentions that he loves her, it¡¯s toote. She had a boyfriend already She believed that Yeager could give her a warm and secure home, while Cedric once said he would never marry her in his life. Hailey didn¡¯t have the time or the energy to y emotional games with a restless man. Who knows if he would get bored and chase other women after giving him another chance? Hailey didn¡¯t want to take that risk Upon hearing Hailey¡¯s response, Yeager breathed a sigh of relief and quickly led her away from the hotel After they got into the car, Hailey, who was sitting by the window, looked back at Cedric, who was still standing in the hotel lobby He stood there like a house of cards, ready to copse at any moment But the man named Cedric seemed unafraid of falling, his eyes glued to her As the car quickly drove away, his figure gradually shrank in the rearview mi Chapter 818 Chapter 818 Veronica observed the entire ordeal unfold from the sidelines. Once Yeager and Hailey departed, she approached Cedric and gently patted him on the back ¡°Cedric, you need toe to terms with reality Ms. Vulpe isn¡¯t interested in you, she¡¯s already involved with someone else. We can¡¯t go around meddling in other people¡¯s rtionships, Veronica advised, hoping to instill some sense of reason. Expecting Cedric to argue or protest Veronica was surprised when he simply nodded in acquiescence ¡°Alright,¡± Cedric replied his attempt to maintainposure indicating a sense of injustice he was experiencing Veronica couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of sympathy for Cedric, sensing that he believed himself to be on the receiving end of an unfair situation. She couldn¡¯t put her feelings into words, but thinking about the once cheerful Cedric, now¡­ She nced at him and noticed him staring at the ground, trying hard to hide his emotions ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it, life¡¯s a long road, you¡¯ll meet someone who¡¯s right for you eventually¡± ¡°Really?¡± Cedric looked up, his face returning to its usual expression ¡°I did give it my all, didn¡¯t 17¡± Veronica nodded, he really did try She remembers when Cedric was a kid, small and skinny, always being bullied by his ssmates. He would always fight back, leaving those ssmates ck and blue The school principal had to call in the parents, have the kids apologize to each other, and that was that. But after the ssmate apologized, he refused to apologize, even saying he¡¯d only apologize over his dead body. And now, that kind of guy was bowing his head to his love rival for the sake of wooing Ms Vulpe That was truly rare ¡°If she doesn¡¯t like me, then it is what it is, right?¡± Veronica didn¡¯t know how to respond ¡°If she doesn¡¯t like me, then I don¡¯t like her¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Veronica looked surprised at Cedric who was talking to himself Whenever he faced problems, he always knew how tofort himself, like just now when he rushed to apologize, all on his own ord. His personality waspletely different from Bernard¡¯s. Bernard was good at controlling his emotions, Cedric was driven by them. Those driven by emotions are bound to face setbacks And Mr. Laurence had just experienced a setback in his love life Veronica knew the more upset he was, the more nonchnt he would appear. She pondered a bit, then asked him: ¡°Cedric, do you remember when you were infatuated with Hertha? You had even mentioned wanting to marry her. If you still have that desire, I can help persuade your family How does that sound? Veronica offered, attempting to find a potential solution for Cedric¡¯s longing Cedric had met Hertha during his youth, but Veronica held a dislike for the girl. In fact, Hertha had set her sights on Bernard, attempting to get close to him and even nning to drug him. The entire family was aware of this, but they chose to withhold the information from Cedric in order to preserve his favorable impression of his first love Later on, Hertha made a demand, insisting that Cedric marry her. Unfortunately, being a young man with little understanding of the gravity of marriage, Cedric agreed and subsequently found himself entangled in a web ofplications. Bernard was the first to object, saying that Cedric was only seventeen, not even an adult, how could he possibly get married Cedric¡¯s parents were also strongly opposed, they warned Cedric, if he dared to marry Hertha, they would break his legs. The young couple was undoubtedly forced to break up by their families At the time, Cedric didn¡¯t have much of an emotional reaction, at least not like he is now constantly pestering Ms. Vulpe. Veronica thought, Cedric had so many girlfriends, but Hertha was the only one he ever mentioned marrying Getting married early might calm him down, so he wouldn¡¯t bother Ms. Vulpe every day. Those who are marned tend to settle down a bit. Although this has a bit of a damn the torpedoes feel to it Hearing Veronicas words, Cedric gave a poker face, ¡°She tried to seduce Bernard, I know¡± ¡°How did you know? Veronica was startled, her eyes wide with surprise. Everyone kept this secret deep within their hearts in order for him to remember the good parts of his first love, but he knew about it all along? Cedric didn¡¯t answer, just quietly watched in the direction Hailey had left ¡°Why would you want to get back together with Hertha knowing that?¡± Why? It was nothing but his own foolishness. He wanted to make Hailey jealous, but realized that none of it worked She didn¡¯t like him anymore, no matter what he did, no matter how much he made a fuss, it was useless. Thinking about this, Cedric let go. ¡°I think I need to go abroad for a while¡± With that, Cedric held his chest and walked towards the exit of the hotel. Chapter 819 Chapter 819 Veronica sighed helplessly as she watched him walk away Why were her brothers such a handful? First, it was Bernard He¡¯d tried to kill himself four times, nearly scaring her to death. Now it was Cedric¡¯s turn. And the other brothers were always a pain in the neck too At the airport, Yeager bought a bottle of water, opened the cap, and handed it to Hailey, who was waiting in the departure lounge ¡°Thanks¡± Hailey took the water. Yeager sat down next to her, sneaked a few nces at her, then plucked up the courage to ask her ¡°Hailey, I stopped you from answering Cedric¡¯s question twice. You¡¯re not mad at me, are you?¡± Hailey shook her head, not saying anything Seeing this. Yeager felt guilty and apologized to her. ¡°Im sorry Hailey I just didn¡¯t want him to take you away, that¡¯s why¡­¡­..¡± ¡°I know, it¡¯s okay Hailey gave Yeager a slight smile, her expression nonchnt. Seeing her smile. Yeager felt a weight lift off his chest. He had been ying these mind games just to keep her around. w Hailey saw through Yeager¡¯s intentions, but she understood his perspective as well. Any current boyfriend would be sensitive about ex¨Cboyfriends, especially after Cedric¡¯s confession in front of Yeager. *Don¡¯t worry, Cedric won¡¯t bother me anymore after this; Hailey assured Yeager. Having been together for three years, she knew Cedric well and could sense his disappointment in her However, Hailey remained unfazed Cedric and Hertha were happy together, and she and Yeager were also content Choosing the right person was the key to happiness. After experiencing betrayal in her previous marriage, Hailey¡¯s heart grew stronger. Loving herself became a priority, protecting herself from further hurt. Putting oneself first was the right choice, regardless of others¡® opinions. ¡°Okay¡± Yeager nodded, then held Hailey¡¯s hand tightly. After apologizing to Yeager, Cedric stopped pestering Hailey, and the matter was put to rest. Hailey and Yeager returned to A City that day. As soon as theynded, they received a call from Will Webb. ¡°Hailey, do you know where Liana went?¡± As soon as Hailey answered the phone, she heard Will¡¯s anxious voice. ¡°We were supposed to meet at the city hall at 2 pm today, but she hasn¡¯t shown up. I went to the hospital looking for her, but she wasn¡¯t there. No one was home, I don¡¯t know where she went!¡± Hearing about Liana¡¯s disappearance, Hailey felt a sudden tension in her heart, but she quickly calmed herself down andforted Will. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, let me call her..¡± ¡°Her phone is off, and Nina doesn¡¯t know where she went either.¡± On the other end of the phone, Will was so scared his heart was trembling at the thought of why Liana suddenly changed their wedding date. ¡°Hailey, originally Liana and I nned to register our marriage and have a simple party after Ms. Shultz and the otherse back.¡± ¡°Do you know why she suddenly wanted to change the time? It¡¯s because someone called to tell her that Tyler Howell had been released¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know about it before, she told me after she saw my social media update¡± That social media update, only Liana, Eleanor, and Hailey could see it, no one else could. He just wanted to document his journey with Liana from dating to marriage, nothing more Now that Liana was missing, he even suspected that his social media update had attracted Tyler. Hearing this, Hailey felt a chill in her heart. Liana was always determined to marry Will, she wouldn¡¯t run away on the day of their marriage registration, it must be Tyler who took Liana away!Original from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 820 Chapter 820 The pale sky greeted Liana as she groggily opened her eyes, her gaze catching a fleeting seagull soaring past the window A gentle sea breeze wafted through the open window, bringing along a delicate fragrance from the burning incense in the room The scent was her favorite, and the view of the sea outside was a picture perfect scene. Even the room¡¯s decor matched her ideal vision of a wedding suite However, those dreams remained in the past, mere illusions that couldn¡¯t align with the present reality Liana prided herself on moving forward, yet some individuals seemed stuck in the confines of bygone days As the door creaked open, Tyler entered the room, dressed in a crisp blue shirt, carrying a tray adorned with milk and bread After a stint behind bars, he had lost a considerable amount of weight. His once handsome face was now sunken and his eyes dull He ced the breakfast tray on the bedside table, looking at Liana pretending to be asleep on the bed. ¡°If you¡¯re awake, grab something to eat,¡± he said After picking up Liana from city hall, Tyler hadn¡¯t spoken a word to her, blindfolded her, and whisked her away by boat to an ind. Cooped up in a closed room, Liana had screamed all night Ignoring her, Tyler didn¡¯t even step into the room. He seemed disinterested in understanding why Liana wanted to marry Will, as if it held no significance to him anymore. Liana remained unaware of Tyler¡¯s thoughts, choosing to ignore him as she focused on her bound hands. After struggling throughout the night with her restrained limbs, exhaustion eventually overcame her, causing her to drift off to sleep. ¡°If you don¡¯t get up, I¡¯ll have to feed you myself.¡± Tyler warned, rolling up his shirt sleeves and removing his watch, casting it aside. He knelt on the bed to support Liana, paying her no attention as he reached for the milk on the bedside table, attempting to pour it into her mouth. Liana refused to drink, keeping her lips tightly shut. The milk slipped from the corner of her mouth and stained Tyler¡¯s shirt. Tyler nced at his soiled shirt and then shot Liana a cold look. ¡°Not hungry?¡± He casually put down the cup, reached for Liana¡¯s clothes, and gave them a sudden yank, tearing her top easily. Tyler didn¡¯t say a word and just pinned her down. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Liana didn¡¯t want Tyler touching her! Tyler just gave a cold sneer and slipped his hand into her pants ¡°Are you trying to save yourself for him? He leaned in close to Liana¡¯s ear, lowering his voice. ¡°Dream on¡± Liana tried to push Tyler away, but he was too strong for her. He forced himself on her. The dry pain made Liana¡¯s tears flow She red at Tyler in anger. Tyler grabbed her bound hands and ced them on a spot on his waist where a dozen stitches were visible. ¡°Liana, can you guess how I got these injuries?¡± Liana pulled her hand away, unwilling to touch him. ¡°I heard from the surveince that you¡¯re nning to marry Will. I felt I had to stop you¡­¡± Surveince? Tyler actually installed surveince in her house?! No wonder he knew when she was going to the wedding! So, he had been watching her all along! The shock on Liana¡¯s face pleased Tyler. Although he understood her confusion, he didn¡¯t exin about the surveince. Instead, he continued. ¡°You know, those old sticks in the mud from the Howell family wouldn¡¯t have let me out. So, I had to cut myself. Seeing my wound, they felt sorry for me and let me out.¡± ¡°Look.¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. Tyler grabbed Liana¡¯s hand and ced it on his stitched wound. ¡°If it had been a little deeper, it would have hit my kidney¡± Liana tried to break free, but when her hand touched the stitched area, she instinctively opened her fingers and pressed down hard The wound was fresh, and the flesh hadn¡¯t fully healed yet. When Liana pressed down, blood suddenly oozed out. Seeing the blood, Liana was startled but also felt like he deserved it. So she gritted her teeth and pressed down harder¡­ Chapter 821 Chapter 821 ¡°Liana, it hurts so much, the man on top of her voice suddenly quivered, sinking lower ¡°Then let me go if it hurts!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not here that hurts¡± Tyler grabbed her hands again, cing them an his heart. ¡°It¡¯s here¡± His deep sel eyes stared at Liana¡¯s face, revealing a touch of sorrow. ¡°Liana, I nearly died from not eating for days and days, just so I could marry you¡® ¡°But you hid it from me, getting married to another man, do you have any idea how much it hurts here?¡± After that, Tyler raised his other hand stained with blood touching Liana¡¯s face ¡°Tell me, if I hadn¡¯t stopped it, would you be someone else¡¯s wife by now?¡± Liana turned her head to avoid his touch, her eyes filled with disgust and hatred. The man suddenly clenched Liana¡¯s cheeks ¡°Liana, we agreed that once I convinced the Howell family, you would marry me, why are you marrying Will now?¡± He spoke lightly, but the fingers pinching her cheeks used full force, causing Liana¡¯s face to sink in. She maintained her silence, seemingly indifferent to Tyler¡¯s actions, using this cold violence to push him away Tyler wasn¡¯t annoyed, the hand holding her cheeks slowly moved down. His warm fingertips crossed her neck, moving straight down, bringing a tingling sensation of coldness. Liana endured the harrowing experience, her pride intact as she lifted her chin and stared at Tyler with icy resolve. To her surprise, she encountered a level of hatred in his eyes that surpassed her own Observing his venomous gaze, Liana sneered in response. What right did Tyler have to hate her? Wasn¡¯t all of this a result of his own actions? Tyler¡¯s fingers froze at her lower back, ceasing their movement. He looked up at Liana, who continued to re at him¡­ ¡°Liana, can you say it once more, like you used to? I love you?¡± he asked, desperation seeping into his voice. ¡°I will never love you,¡± Liana sneered, her words filled with disdain. After subjecting her to such heinous acts, orchestrating her vition and even depriving her of the ability to bear children, Tyler still hoped for her love. Liana felt a twinge of mercy within herself for not seeking vengeance, but that was the extent of it. Tyler didn¡¯t mind her words at all, instead he patiently lowered his head to kiss her lips. ¡°Liana, you lie to me again¡­¡± Even if it¡¯s a lie, he¡¯d be satisfied. ¡®I¡¯ve already told you very clearly, everything I said and did in those years was just to take revenge on you, I will never love you in my life¡­¡± ¡°I know¡± Tyler extended his index finger ced it on Liana¡¯s lips, signaling her to shut up: ¡°So, I asked you to lie to me ¡°Dream on!¡± Liana sneered again. Tyler¡¯s smile froze on his face. ¡°Liana, if you don¡¯t behave, you¡¯ll be punished.¡± Liana closed her eyes, ignoring this madman. Her body suddenly lifted in the air, then flipped over Tyler emerged stealthily, his presence jolting Liana¡¯s senses, blurring her vision. In that moment, thoughts of Will flooded her mind, imagining him patiently waiting for her at the city hall¡­ Soft rain fell, setting the stage for Liana¡¯s intended dash towards him, sheltered beneath a translucent umbre.. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Yet, before she could traverse the street, Tyler swooped in from behind, hoisting her up. Gagged and forcefully bundled into the car, she stole ast glimpse of Will, anxiously ncing at his watch. Their n had been to rendezvous at two, to exchange vows at the city hall, emerging as wedded partners in life. the dream of bing husband and wife teetered on the edge of uncertainty But now In this predicament, mattered little who did what, the weight of consequences rested heavily on them both Entangled for half their existence. Liana yearned for the embrace of an affectionate love, capable of liberating her from the depths of darkness But now she was plunged into the darkness once again As Tyler was punishing her harshly, the phone in the dinner te suddenly rang It was her phone. Liana¡¯s phone had been taken by Tyler yesterday, why was it in the dinner te now? The phone kept ringing. Tyler nced at the name on the screen, revealing a sly expression. His hand moved away from Liana¡¯s waist, reaching for the phone in the dinner te, and pressed the answer key Will¡¯s anxious voice quickly came from the other side of the phone. ¡°Liana, where are you? Are you okay? L¡­¡± ¡°Liana, after this time, let¡¯s try again, okay?¡± Chapter 822 Chapter 822 ¡°Tyler¡® Liana snapped back to reality, howling in rage and agony, as if her heart were being torn to shreds. She felt like killing him. ¡°Shush ¡°Tyler motioned for her to be quiet ¡°You¡¯re shouting to loud, did I make you feel really good or something.. ¡°You¡¯re insane!!! Tyler chuckled, his fingers gently moving from his lips to caress Liana¡¯s back, sliding across her skin. ¡°Liana, you used to call me crazy in bed too, didn¡¯t think you hadn¡¯t changed at all¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Tyler didn¡¯t hang up the call. It was still connected. Even though the other party had stopped making noise, Liana knew that Will was still listening ¡°Tyler, just hang up the call¡® Bound and helpless, Liana could only turn her head and implore Tyler. She could endure the humiliation, but she didn¡¯t want Will to get hurt. He was innocent. Why would Tyler, who was punishing her, hang up? He maintained a gentle smile, but his actions were anything but. Holding Liana by the waist with one hand and the phone with the other, he ced it where their bodies met, deliberately letting Will hear their voices. When Liana realized what Tyler was doing, her eyes turned red and tears rolled down her cheeks, staining the bed sheets ¡°Will, please hang up¡­¡± She knew Tyler, the sick bastard, wouldn¡¯t hang up. So now, she just hoped Will would end the call, and not listen any further. She felt like a baby bird stripped of its shell, her innermost, ugliest parts exposed. She felt she had no dignity left, her heart filled with embarrassment and shame. How could she let Will hear all this? Will, on the other end of the call, could indeed hear the crude and violent noises. He tried to speak several times, but couldn¡¯t make a sound He stood at the gates of Liana¡¯s mansion, holding the phone tightly, standing dumbly under the night sky, his lone figure cast a long shadow. ¡°Will Liana called out to him again, her voice full of pleading Will¡¯s hand gripping the phone tightened, then slowly rxed ¡°Okay¡± Hearing his response, Liana cried andughed at the same time. Finally, she clenched her fists so tight that her veins bulged. Biting down, she turned her head to re at Tyler. ¡°One day, I¡¯m going to tear you to pieces!¡± Tyler raised an eyebrow, his face indifferent. ¡°Whatever¡± He leaned over Liana¡¯s back, his cold lips tracing her skin. ¡°Liana, admit it, you still love me. Otherwise, your body wouldn¡¯t react this much.¡± ¡°In your dreams!¡± She roared through gritted teeth. Liana¡¯s heart harbored a deep¨Crooted loathing for Tyler, a seed that had blossomed into a majestic tree of animosity. Her soul pulsed with fervent emotions, an unstoppable surge coursing through her veins The sh between her and Tyler could only culminate in one of their demises, for otherwise, serenity would elude her indefinitely N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Once naive, she once believed that luring Tyler into love and then discarding him would serve as the ultimate retribution Yet, she failed to realize the peril she had unknowingly ced herself in. Now as he ensnared her within these walls, she resolved to slowly poison him in the days toe. If this ¡®poison¡± failed to snuff out his life, they might as well meet their end together. How else could she unleash the entirety of her vengeful fury? And how could she alleviate the disgrace of this present day? Chapter 823 Chapter 823 Liana dug her nails deep into his flesh, and Tyler grabbed her by the nape of her neck with one hand, pulling her lips towards his. ¡°Liana, I know you hate me, even wish I were dead, but even in death, I don¡¯t want you to marry another guy¡± In Tyler¡¯s eyes, Liana could kill him, but she could never let him watch her marry someone else Upon uttering those words. Tyler lowered his head, his lips tenderly brushing against hers, painting a vivid scarlet mark ¡°Liana, you belong to me and me alone¡­ Again and again, he vented his frustrations upon her, relenting only when he sensed her consciousness stirring sping the drenched Liana in his firm embrace, he guided her to the bathtub, cleansing her form meticulously before dressing her with care. To ensure her captivity and prevent any harm befalling him, he left the ropes bound tightly around her wrists and ankles throughout the entire process. In this very moment, Liana could only mimic a marite under his control, entirely subservient to his whims. Tyler picked up a hairdryer, gently tending to her damp locks, and assisted her in slipping into her shoes. After getting dressed, he looked up at her. ¡°Liana, I¡¯ll take you home¡± Liana¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, but she was shocked to her core. She had thought that Tyler would keep her trapped here until she died. She had been prepared to die with him here, but she hadn¡¯t expected him to take her home. Liana had no idea what Tyler was up to, and she watched him warily. However, he just looked into her eyes and gave a kind andfortable smile. That smile was no different from before, but only Liana knew that those times were long gone. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He picked up a piece of ck cloth, blindfolded Liana, and then hoisted her up. When they came, she was brought in the same way, and Liana had no idea where she was. When they left, Tyler wouldn¡¯t let her know where she was either. He carried Liana onto a boat, then into a car after leaving the ind His actions were gentle, careful, and considerate, just like a perfect boyfriend. Only after the car entered the city did Tyler remove the ck cloth from Liana¡¯s eyes. Seeing the environment outside the car window, Liana finally dared to believe that Tyler was really taking her home.N?velDrama.Org owns all content. She didn¡¯t quite understand what he was trying to do, but she never asked, as if speaking more would make her seem lowly. Hailey and others had been unable to find Liana. They reported to the police that night and had been searching for her with the police. Suddenly, Will called and sent Liana¡¯s location to the police, then hung up. Hailey and Yeager hurried back to Liana¡¯s vi to ask Will about the situation, but they found that Liana had already returned. Seeing Tyler personally driving Liana home, Hailey wanted to rush over, but her steps suddenly stopped. When Liana got out of the passenger seat, her clothes were torn and tattered, her face pale, and she seemed to have trouble standing. Tyler, who was skinny as a rail inside the car, shed a smile. ¡°Liana, remember, every time you¡¯re with him. I¡¯ll punish you¡± The hand Liana had on the car door paused. So, the reason he brought her back was to try to prevent her from marrying Will in this way She knew it! How could a scumbag like Tyler let her go so easily?! Chapter 824 Chapter 824 Liana spun around, gritting her teeth, ring at Tyler ¡°As long as I¡¯m breathing. I¡¯m gonna marry Will¡± She thought that after this incident, Will might not want her anymore. But she decided, even if she lost, she would stick to it. The more Tyler objected to her marrying Will, the more she would persist! Words can be poison, and she¡¯ll keep it up as long as she can! ¡°Fine Tyler exhaled a puff of smoke, his expression obscured by the smoky haze. His gaze was deep and cold, like an eagle staring at its prey, watching Liana ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting¡± He raised an eyebrow at Liana, then turned the steering wheel and drove off. Liana clenched her fists, coldly watching the ck luxury car speed away ¡°Liana, are you okay?¡± Hailey ran out, grabbing Liana¡¯s shoulders, checking her over Im fine¡± Liana shook her head, then, as if remembering something, she quickly turned and rushed into the vi. She took a baseball bat from behind the door and searched every corner of the vi. Finally, in the living room, bedroom, and bathroom ceilings, she found hidden cameras. She smashed the cameras to pieces. Seeing Liana return and go on a smashing spree without a word, Hailey and Yeager were stunned, but nobody dared to interfere After smashing everything Liana came down from thedder, sat on the floor, and began to take apart the smashed cameras piece by piece. Even when sharp fragments cut her fingers, Liana didn¡¯t stop, gritting her teeth and continuing ¡°Liana.¡± ¡°Hailey, I just need some space¡± Before Hailey could approach, Liana cut her off calmly. Seeing Liana¡¯s bad mood, Yeager quickly stopped Hailey from rushing to bandage Liana¡¯s wounds ¡°Hailey, let¡¯s leave Liana alone for a bit, we¡¯ll wait outside¡± Hailey could only leave bandages on the floor, telling Liana not to hurt herself before turning to follow Yeager out After they left, a pale¨Cfaced Will arrived. The three exchanged nces for a few seconds before Will spoke first. ¡°I¡¯ll go check on her¡± He had seen Tyler dropping Liana off when he was sitting under the streetlight. Hailey and Yeager moved aside to let him pass, and Will entered the room. Liana was still dismantling the cameras, venting her anger in this way, letting out her frustration. Seeing her fingers cut by the sharp fragments, blood smeared, Will frowned. He walked over, picked up the iodine and bandages on the floor, and sat beside her Without speaking, Will took Liana¡¯s hand, wiped off the blood with a tissue, applied iodine, and put on a bandage Liana stared nkly at Will. She didn¡¯t expect him toe back to her, or that his first concern would be her wounds. Speechless at the man in front of her, Liana just stared at him. Noticing her staring, Will forced a smile, then reached out to adjust a wrong button on her cor. His fingers trembled involuntarily when they touched the purplish hickey on her neck, but he didn¡¯t let his emotions show, just silently adjusting for her. ¡°All done.¡± It¡¯s all good, Will thought, and then extended his hand to Liana Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Liana¡¯s gaze flickered to his outstretched hand, and with a jolt, she snapped out of her daze ¡°Where are we going?¡± she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity Will gently enclosed her hand within his own, a warm gesture of reassurance. ¡°We had nned to invite friends to our new house after officially registering our marriage,¡± he replied ¡°My parents have prepared a meal for us, eagerly awaiting our arrival. Let¡¯s bring Hailey and Yeager along,¡± he suggested, his words carrying a touch of consideration. Adding a final thought, Will continued, ¡°As for Ms. Shultz and Mr. Laurence, we can arrange a separate meal to celebrate with them upon their return. What do you think of this arrangement?¡± Liana¡¯s gaze remained dull as she processed his words, eventually lowering her head. ¡°Will, we didn¡¯t register our marriage yesterday¡± she murmured. ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± he responded, patting her hand reassuringly ¡°Let¡¯s gather today and make up for it tomorrow. The sentiment remains the same.¡± His words lingered, hinting that he still desired her as his wife. Chapter 825 Chapter 825 ¡°She¡¯s already in this state, would Will still want her?¡± Liana found it hard to believe ¡°Will, L ¡°Liana, are you gonna dump me?¡± Liana asked in surprise and caution, ¡°You you¡¯re afraid I might leave you?¡± ¡°Yes¡± Will lifted his hand to pull Liana into his arms. ¡°I¡¯ve known about you and Tyler from the get¨Cgo, I¡¯ve been ready for it. As long as you don¡¯t leave me, I won¡¯t leave you His gentle voice, inching into her ears, slowly warmed up Liana¡¯s cold body. So there was someone in this world who loved her this much¡­ She stretched her hand to embrace Will, but felt too dirty to do so. As if a single touch would corrupt him. She slowly retracted her hand ¡°Will, I¡¯m not good enough for you anymore, just leave me She felt filthy, alive or dead. She was utterly hopeless. She was ready to dive into the mud, pick up the sword of hatred and descend into hell with Tyler forever ¡°Liana, I just heard you say, as long as you¡¯re alive, you¡¯ll definitely marry me.¡± ¡°I lied to Tyler.¡± ¡°But I took it seriously.¡± Will let go of Liana, looking at her with sincere eyes. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°Don¡¯t go back on your word, okay?¡± As long as she was willing, no matter what she bes, Will would marry her All this time, Liana was treated gently by Will. Being with him felt peaceful, but she never expected him to love her at all costs. So this is what being loved feels like, it¡¯s warm, warm enough to make tears uncontrobly roll down. Liana, who was not typically prone to emotional outbursts, found herself unable to stem the flow of tears. The present moment was fraught with bitterness and pain, unlike any she had experienced before. ¡°Will, you¡¯re so silly¡± she managed to utter through her tears. Will simply chuckled in response. ¡°Sometimes, a little silliness in life can prolong our happiness, don¡¯t you think?¡® His words pierced through the darkness, casting a radiant dawn upon Liana¡¯s world. Making another attempt, Liana reached out to touch Will¡¯s back, her hand only grazing his clothes, her hesitation preventing her from going any further. However, without hesitation, Will took hold of her hand, allowing her to cling to him tightly as he rested his chin upon her shoulder. ¡°Liana, from the moment you agreed to marry me, I have regarded you as my wife. And as your husband, don¡¯t be afraid to embrace me,¡± he reassured her ¡°But¡­¡± Liana¡¯s voice trailed off, her apprehension lingering ¡°No buts, Liana. As long as you trust me, I will always be by your side,¡± he affirmed Gradually, the tension in Liana¡¯s hand eased, and after a brief moment of hesitation, she summoned the courage to hold him tightly, finding sce and strength in his presence Feeling his warmth, a bitter smile appeared on Liana¡¯s pale lips, her teary eyes filled with helplessness Liana thought, if Tyler didn¡¯t exist, she would definitely fall for Will just like she did for Tyler when she was young, hopelessly in love. But Tyler does exist. His existence was like a thorn between her and Will Liana was just not good enough for Will For thest time, Liana held Wirtight, like saying goodbye, then mustered up the courage to push him away ¡°Tyler said that every time 1m with you, he will take me away once, he will haunt me like a nightmare for the rest of my life. Will, you¡¯re still young, don¡¯t waste your time on me. You need to get gomeone suitable and live a good life.¡± Chapter 826 Chapter 826 After being pushed away by Liana, Will didn¡¯t say a word just silently watched her After a while, he tried to embrace Liana again, but she dodged him Will¡¯s hand hung in the air, his eyes gradually turning red ¡°What about you?¡± he asked. ¡°Me?¡® Liana looked down at her fingers, tightly wrapped in bandages. She felt like her life was like these fingers seemingly intact on the outside, but bleeding inside. She gave a self¨Cdeprecatingugh, ¡°Will, some people just aren¡¯t meant to be happy I¡¯m one of them, so I¡¯m not sure where my future is headed¡± The one thing she was sure of was that she didn¡¯t deserve Will¡¯s love, she owed him, they should part ways. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you where your future is headed¡± Will held her hand tightly, his eyes full of anger. ¡°Liana, from today on. Tyler is your enemy, and mine too. I¡¯ll fight him with you¡± He told her he had hired awyer and would sue Tyler for viting his wife, no matter the cost. ¡°If thew cant punish him, then I¡¯ll do it my way, even if it means destroying myself. I¡¯ll get justice for you¡± He decided to help Liana, he couldn¡¯t let her face someone like Tyler alone If he were to leave when Liana needed help most, he wouldn¡¯t be worthy of her love. His determined eyes, resolute words, and actions, all left Liana stunned. To this day he still chose her, even ready to fight till the end with her. He truly loved her, and was indeed a fool¡­.. If other men knew their fiancee had been vited by someone else, they would probably have left already, but he refused to let go. Liana struggled toprehend, her eyes fixed on the man before her as she sat on the floor, wrapping her arms tightly around herself. ¡°Liana,¡± Will murmured, his touch gentle as he stroked her hair. ¡°I understand that epting me may be difficult for you right now. It¡¯s alright. Take your time, rest at home, and give me your answer in two weeks.¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. He had initially nned to introduce her to his parents that very night, but considering Liana¡¯s current state, he decided to postpone their meeting. He was willing to wart patiently, allowing Liana the space she needed to ovee her distress. During this waiting period, he resolved to make the most of his time. He would ensure that Tyler faced justice and would not escape thew¡¯s grasp ¡°Can I assist you in returning to bed? Will asked softly, seeking Liana¡¯s consent. Liana remained silent for a moment before cing her hand in his Will forced a smile, maintaining his composure as he helped her back to bed. Bowing down, he crouched on the floor, collecting the shattered remains of Liana¡¯s broken monitor and disposing of them in the trash. As Liana¡¯s tear¨Cstained gaze fixated on his receding figure, her tears cascaded down uncontrobly, dampening the pillow beneath her head. Fearing the release of her sobs, she quickly turned over, facing the window, seeking sce in the solitude of her own grief, Chapter 827 Chapter 827 After tidying things up, Will turned to nce at Liana. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found words too weak He stood in the room for several minutes, then turned and left the bedroom Hailey and Yeager were waiting outside, and they stepped forward as soon as they saw him ¡°How¡¯s Liana?¡± Will looked again in the direction of the bedroom ¡°She¡¯s emotionally stable now but she¡¯s still on guard Having said that, Will turned his gaze back to Hailey ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m going to need you to stay here for a while and take care of her¡± ¡°No problem¡± Even if Will hadn¡¯t asked, Hailey was already nning to stay and look after Liana ¡°If you can bring Nina over too¡± Liana loved kids, and having a child around might make her feel warm ¡°Okay¡± After Hailey nodded, Will left. Half a monthter, Will took Tyler to court Meanwhile, with thepany of Hailey and Nina, Liana slowly regained her vitality On the day Eleanor and Bernard returned to the country. Yeager and Will visited Liana¡¯s vi Hailey took the groceries from Will and asked him, ¡®How¡¯s thewsuit going?¡± ¡°Just submitted to the court, still waiting for the summons¡± Lawsuits aren¡¯t that fast, but Will wasn¡¯t in a hurry. He had all the time in the world Hailey nodded and looked at Liana, who was sitting on the sofa holding Nina ¡°Liana¡¯s been much bettertely, thanks to your asional encouragements.¡± After arranging the groceries, Will smiled at Hailey ¡°Once I beat Tyler, I¡¯ll give her a grand wedding¡± Hailey clenched her fist and gave Will a thumbs¨Cup. Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You got this, I¡¯m looking forward to your wedding¡± ¡°At that time, you¡¯ll have to prepare a big red envelope.¡± ¡°Of course Hailey smiled and waved at Will. ¡°Go keep Lianapany, Yeager and I got this.¡± Will replied ¡®okay¡® and then left the kitchen ¡°Hailey.¡± ¡°Hmm? Hailey, who was preparing the food, turned to look at Yeager. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°When are Mr Laurence and Ms. Shultz arriving?¡± Hailey checked her phone ¡°It¡¯s four o¡¯clock now, their private jetnds at six¡± ¡°So we only have two hours, we need to hurry¡± Yeager sped up his vegetable washing, looking a bit nervous ¡°Do you think Mr. Laurence will eat our home¨Ccooked meals?¡± ¡°Uh ¡°Hailey¡¯s expression was unsure, ¡°Maybe he will?¡± Who knows if Bernard who had been spoiled since childhood, would eat home¨Ccooked meals? ¡°As long as he cap stomach it ¡± Seeing Yeagers nervousness, Hailey couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Dr. Yeager, are you a bat scared?¡± Yeager wasn¡¯t really scared, he was just a little nervous because he hadn¡¯t interacted with Bernard before and knew he was the big boss of the hospital. ¡°Your friend, Mr. Pearce, once told me that Mr. Laurence is quite fierce, didn¡¯t he? I¡¯ve heard such rumors, so I¡¯m a bit nervous. After all, we¡¯re going to have dinner together in two hours¡± Pearce had once visited Liana and happened to run into Yeager He had pulled Yeager aside and talked a lot about Bernard¡¯s bad side. Quite a bold move Hailey showed sympathy and nced at Yeager, who had been criticized by Pearce ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Eleanor¡¯s husband won¡¯t bite¡± To be honest, theseforting words were just for show. She herself had never dined with Bernard, who knows if he would bite? Chapter 828 Chapter 828 At the airport, when the private jet smoothlynded, Bernard looked down at the woman dozing off in his arms ¡°Mrs. Laurence, we¡¯re home¡± Eleanor opened her eyes, groggily taking in the scenery outside the window. The setting sun was still zing with a golden glow that was somewhat dazzling Bernard shielded her eyes, blocking the harsh light, then turned to the man sitting in front ¡°So, you¡¯re not leaving the ne. You want to hitch a ride home with us? The man in front put down his gaming console, turned around, and gave Bernard a cautious nce ¡°I can drive you guys home ¡°No need Bernard gave Cedric a cold nce The frost in his eyes gave Aidyn the chills. Word on the street was that Bernard and Mrs. Laurence¡¯s honeymoon had been less than ster. Their nned romantic getaway turned into a packed group tour During the first half of the month, an adventurous youngster named Elbert Pine made his presence known, dragging along his partner in mischief, Sheldon Pine The chaos they caused left poor Mrs Laurence seeking refuge behind a fortress of scarves. As the month progressed into its second half, Cedric joined the group, seeking an escape from personal drama, much to Bernard¡¯s displeasure. The perpetual scowl on Bernard¡¯s face grew even deeper To make matters worse, Cedric seemed to possess an innate understanding of women¡¯s needs that eluded Bernard. While Eleanor went shopping, Bernard remained clueless about female products, whereas Cedric boasted an impressive knowledge of the big brands, exquisite taste, and an uncanny ability to charm with his words He would say things like, ¡®Eleanor, you look stunning in that.¡± ¡°This brand is like made for you¡± ¡°Trust me, this color is perfect for your skin tone Thesements made Bernard feel like a third wheel. Aidyn still remembered how Bernard could only stand by the door with his hands in his pockets, watching as Cedric helped Eleanor pick out gifts, while the shop assistants mistook Bernard for the head of security and hung all the shopping bags on him¡­. Thinking back, Aidyn still felt the shivers. Yet, Cedric managed to win Mrs. Laurence¡¯s favor, smoothly joined the group, and somehow dodged any harsh lecture from Bernard Lucky guy After being rejected by Bernard, Cedric ignored him and turned to Eleanor. ¡°Eleanor Even though Cedric was a pain, he always had a smile on his face Who would refuse a smiling face? Eleanor wouldnt. She reluctantly returned the smile. ¡°We¡¯re going to Liana¡¯s for dinner Hailey and her boyfriend will be there. Are you really sure you want to give us a ride?¡± During a video call with Nina, she spilled all the tea about the love triangle between Cedric, Yeager, and Hailey Eleanor wasn¡¯t sure if Nina, the gossip queen, might have exaggerated the story, but she knew it was a pretty big deal. Upon hearing Eleanor¡¯s words, Cedric¡¯s smile froze for a moment, then he shrugged it off. His smile showed a careless attitude. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? We might have broken up, but we can still see each other, right?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean ¡± Eleanor was worried about the awkwardness when the trio met, but Cedric didn¡¯t seem to care. ¡°I¡¯ve had many girlfriends I can¡¯t avoid them all because of fear of awkwardness¡± Cedric insisted on going, so Eleanor had no choice but to agree ¡°Alright, then. You can go¡± Bernard, who was watching this unfold, frowned. ¡°Dear, aren¡¯t you going to ask my opinion?¡± Eleanor leaned on his arm, rested her head on his shoulder and looked up at him in a coquettish manner. ¡°I think he just wants to see Hailey and is using us as an excuse. If you disagree, he¡¯ll keep pestering me.¡± Cedric had traveled all this way to butter her up, seemingly hoping she could put in a good word for him with Hailey once they got back. But he didn¡¯t say it outright, so Eleanor wasnt sure ¡°He¡¯s a piece of wor N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Bernard let out a Chuckle, but then remembered how he had once epted Josef Caporal¡¯s invitation just to see Eleanor. Seems like he didn¡¯t have much room to talk Well just let him go Chapter 829 Chapter 829 Chapter 8 2 9 Cedric took the wheel, driving Bernard and Eleanor to Liana¡¯s vi. As they arrived, Hailey and the group emerged,pletely disregarding their driver and rushing towards Eleanor, who was stepping out of the backseat ¡°Eleanor, it¡¯s been over a month! We¡¯ve missed you¡± they eximed in unison Eleanor beamed, opening her arms and embracing Hailey, followed by Liana Tmissed you guys too.¡± Not to be left out, Nina suddenly appeared out of nowhere,tching onto Eleanor¡¯s leg and looking up expectantly, anticipating a warm embrace What about me, what about me she pleaded, a hint of mischief in her voice ¡°Hurry up and hug me, do I look fatter? Nina inquired, yfully seeking validation. Under Hailey and Liana¡¯s care during the month Eleanor was away. Nina had noticeably gained weight Eleanor found it a tad challenging to lift Nina, given the added weight she had acquired in just over a month ¡°Nina, I noticed not only did you get plump.¡± ¡°But prettier too?¡± Hailey and Liana burst intoughter. ¡°What Eleanor means is you¡¯ve gotten a lot fatter¡± Only then did Nina catch on, holding her chubby arms tightly, huffing at Eleanor. ¡°Hmph, you¡¯re making fun of me, I want a hug from Mr. Laurence.¡± Bernard had just gotten out of the car when a pair of chocte¨Ccovered hands reached out to him, wanting a hug¡­ He looked at the hands, raised an eyebrow, his eyes full of distaste. ¡°Wash your hands first¡± Nina, who had just been hit hard, opened her mouth wide to cry, but was choked by Bernard¡¯s words. ¡°You look even dirtier when you cry.¡± Nina¡¯s wide open mouth, frozen in surprise, after a while¡­ ¡°I¡¯m so mad..¡± Nina clenched her little fists, swearing she¡¯d never talk to Bernard again, he¡¯s too annoying. Seeing that Nina was quite upset, Eleanorughed and reached out, touching Nina¡¯s angry and twisted face. ¡°Nina, we bought you a lot of presents, wanna go see?¡± ¡°Where?!¡± Nina, who had just sworn not to talk to Bernard, immediately changed her attitude when she saw a pile of gifts. ¡°You¡¯re the best to me!¡± Seeing that Nina was busy unwrapping gifts in the trunk and didn¡¯t have time to bother her, Eleanor turned to Yeager who was standing behind Hailey. ¡°Is this Dr Yeager?¡± Hailey nodded, stepped aside, allowing Yeager to face Eleanor and Bernard, then introduced ¡°This is Yeager, a surgeon.¡± After Hailey¡¯s introduction, Yeager politely extended his hand. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Laurence, nice to meet you¡± His hand was extended towards Bernard, very respectful, but his fingers were slightly trembling Bernard lowered his gaze, moving from the trembling fingers to Yeager¡¯s face His eyes were like stars in the night sky, bright yet inscrutable Although Yeager had met many wealthy people, facing such indifferent eyes still made him nervous. He wasn¡¯t scared, it¡¯s just that the man in front of him exuded a natural elegance and nobility. As Yeager was staring at Bernard Bernard reached out and gently touched his fingertips, even this slight contact surprised Hailey But Hailey knew, the only reason Bernard would break convention was for Eleanor.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Chapter 830 Chapter 830 It¡¯smon courtesy to treat a friend¡¯s boyfriend with respect, and Hailey was no exception. She promptly asked Aidyn for a wet wipe and handed it over to Bernard ¡°Please wipe your hands.¡± ¡°Is Mr. Laurence a germaphobe?¡± Bernard was poised to take the wet wipe when he caught sight of Yeager With a brief nce in his direction, he epted the wipe from Hailey and proceeded to clean his hands ¡°Indeed, just a bit I hope that¡¯s alright, Dr. Yeager Bernard acknowledged, his tone courteous. ¡°No problem, I understand,¡± Yeager responded politely, gesturing for them to proceed. ¡°Mr. and Mrs Laurence, pleasee in,¡± he continued, his demeanor noticeably formal, creating a slightly tense atmosphere, perhaps due to their first meeting To lighten the mood, Eleanor chimed in withughter, reminding everyone that they were all friends and there was no need for unnecessary tension As they made their way towards the vi, Cedric lowered his car window, revealing his handsome face. Hailey turned around, surprised to see him there He satzily in the car, waving at her. ¡°Hey, Ms. Vulpe.¡± He wore a casual smile, as if the previous conflict never happened. Hailey was taken aback by his greeting, responded politely but didn¡¯t say much before walking away. Watching her leave, Cedric¡¯s expression darkened He watched her for a few seconds, then turned the steering wheel. Just as he was about to reverse and leave, he saw Yeager¡¯s hand on Hailey¡¯s waist. His heart ached, a feeling that was incredibly annoying He mmed on the brakes and without hesitation, got out of the car and headed for the vi. The people who were just seated were stunned at the sight of Cedric Only Nina tilted her head and naively asked ¡°Hey, Mr. Cedric, are you here for dinner?¡± Having seen Cedric at the wedding and knowing he was part of a love triangle. Despite not seeing him often, she was very curious about this man rumoured to be quite thedies¡® man. She thought, if she had the chance, she¡¯d interview him and ask how many girlfriends he actually had Cedric, the ¡°interviewee,¡± responded, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here for dinner, and walked in nonchntly. ¡°Liana, you don¡¯t mind setting another ce, do you?¡± He yed it off as if he was there for dinner, pulled out a chair next to Bernard, and sat down. Liana, after regaining herposure, nced at Cedric, then at Hailey and Yeager. She finally looked away and fetched a set of cutlery from the kitchen, setting it in front of Cedric They were serving western food and Cedric seemed quite adept, picking up the knife and fork, cutting a steak, and putting it in his mouth. He ate quietly, asionally ncing at the people at the table. Seeing their surprised looks, he quickly shook his head. ¡°What are you all looking at? Eat!¡± Cedric said this without daring to look at Bernard, fearing he would be kicked out. Bernard, ufortable with the situation, indeed wanted his bodyguard to kick Cedric out But then, Yeager held up a bottle of red wine and poured some into Cedric¡¯s goblet. ¡°Mr. Laurence, we only invited a few friends over. Since you came uninvited, why not join us for a drink?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. There was a clear note of provocation in his words. Bernard, witnessing Cedric being provoked by a romantic rival for the first time, found it quite amusing and withdrew his hand Chapter 831 Chapter 831 *Dr. Yeager, you sure you wanna booze up with me?¡± Cedric leaned against his chair, chin slightly lifted with a look of disdain towards Yeager. After pouring the drinks, Yeager put down the bottle, a harmless smile on his face ¡°Mr. Laurence, you chicken out?¡± Cedric snorted, ¡°Me, scared?¡± He was a regr in the party scene. Yeager drinking with him was like asking for trouble. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re so brave, down this ss Yeager¡¯s words were clearly a challenge Cedric¡¯s face shifted from indifference to anger, ¡°Who are you to tell me to drink?¡± Seeing Cedric getting heated, the corner of Yeager¡¯s mouth curled up, ¡°Mr. Laurence, it¡¯s just a drink, no need to get so worked up¡± He added. ¡°If you need a reason, let¡¯s say it¡¯s to settle the score fromst time.¡± Settle the score fromst time? Clearly a jab at Cedric for bowing his head to him over a girl, Cedric couldn¡¯t stand it, he was about to get up and punch Yeager when Bernard spoke up. ¡°If Dr. Yeager asks you to drink, you drink. What¡¯s with the getting up?¡± Cedric swallowed his anger and sat back down. When he looked up again, his eyes held a fiint of restraint. ¡°Dr. Yeager, didn¡¯t anyone ever tell you, before you make someone else drink, you should take a sip yourself?¡± he asked coldly. ¡°Really?¡± Yeager retorted, getting no response, he calmly picked up the bottle and poured some into his ss. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have one first.¡± Just as Yeager was about to drink, Cedric knocked on the table, ¡°Fill it up.¡± Yeager didn¡¯t argue, just nodded and put down his ss, picked up the bottle and filled it up. ¡°This booze is from the club, it¡¯s quite strong, can you handle it?¡± Hailey was a bit worried. *I can.¡± Yeager said with a warm smile, then took his ss and downed it in one. Seeing Hailey with a wrinkled brow, worrying for Yeager, Cedric couldn¡¯t help but feel annoyed, so he also picked up his ss and downed it in one go. He drank a bit too fast and choked, coughing and looking for a tissue, a bit embarrassed. Hailey hesitated for a moment, but still handed Cedric a tissue. There was a moment of eye contact before Cedric shifted his gaze to the tissue and took it naturally. ¡°Thanks.¡± He said politely The conversation widened the gap between them, like familiar strangers with nothing to say to each other. Original from N?velDrama.Org. After Yeager finished his drink, he put down his ss. He noticed Cedric sneaking looks at Hailey. Cedric¡¯s face changed slightly, but he didn¡¯t say anything. Will noticed the tension between the two had eased a bit, he quickly raised his ss, suggesting a toast. After a few drinks, the atmosphere was noticeably lighter. With the lively little Nina there, everyone eating, drinking, and ying with the child, the atmosphere was very harmonious, However, this harmony didn¡¯tst long. Soon, Yeager said to Hailey. ¡°Hailey, my family wants to meet you, when are you avable?¡± Eleanor and Liana exchanged nces, then both looked at Hailey, who had been eating quietly. When Yeager had just egged Cedric to drink, Eleanor felt it was inappropriate, Now Yeager was asking Hailey to meet his parents in front of everyone, Eleanor fell it was even more inappropriate. Everyone there knew Cedric was Hailey¡¯s ex. Although it wasn¡¯t a big deal, Eleanor felt there was a competitive edge to it Eleanor hoped the person to spend the rest of Hailey¡¯s life with would be someone pure like Will, not someone with a provocative intent. Chapter 832 Chapter 832 Before Cedric showed up, Hailey had been hanging her head low, not daring to lift it With an ex boyfriend sitting across, and current boyfriend sitting next to her, it was just too damn awkward She had nned to grit her teeth, finish the meal, and get out of there. But she didn¡¯t expect Yeager to suggest meeting his folks under these circumstances it only added to the awkwardness She stared at the food on her te for a few seconds, then shifted her gaze and looked up, pretending to be calm, and asked Yeager ¡°So, your folks know about us already?¡± ¡°Yep, thought they should meet you, so I told them¡± After saying this. Yeager looked at Hailey, noticed that she looked a bit off, thought she didn¡¯t want to go, and quickly added, ¡°Hailey, if you don¡¯t wanna meet them, that¡¯s cool too. I can blow them off¡± Yeager¡¯s parents had already expressed their desire to meet her. If Hailey made Yeager turn them down, shed look overly sensitive and immature After all, they were dating with marriage in mind. If she refused to meet his parents, she¡¯d definitely catch k for it. Hailey thought for a bit. They¡¯d only been dating for a month, but since they¡¯d known each other for a while, meeting the parents so soon seemed normal. So, she agreed. ¡°No need to blow them off. I¡¯ll go¡± Then, Cedric suddenly threw down his cutlery, ring at Hailey. ¡°Ms. Vulpe and Dr. Yeager sure are so fast. You¡¯re already agreeing to meet the parents. Are you nning on getting hitched right after?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Hailey wasn¡¯t going to respond to that kind of snark However, Yeager raised his head, gazing at Cedric with a smirk on his face ¡°Exactly because we¡¯re getting hitched, we¡¯re meeting the folks. Haven¡¯t you ever introduced your girlfriends to your parents?¡± Yeager taunted. ¡°Cedric began to retort, but Yeager interrupted him. ¡°Oh, I forgot. You¡¯re just messing around, not nning on marrying them, so of course, you wouldn¡¯t introduce them to your folks, Yeager sarcastically remarked. Liana and Will exchanged uneasy nces, feeling a sense of awkwardness in the air upon hearing Yeager¡¯s snidement. Meanwhile, Nina, observing the adults squabble, set down her utensils, captivated by the unfolding drama. Cedric paid no attention to Yeager¡¯s words, his concerny solely with Hailey. However, as Yeager belittled him, Hailey remained absorbed in her te, not lifting her head to engage in the argument. True lovebirds ¡°Wish you guys happiness.¡± With that, Cedric picked up his coat off the chair back and stood up to leave. Seeing that he was pissed off, Liana and Will quickly followed. ¡°Mr. Laurence¡± Cedric turned back, looked at the two who followed him, but his gaze inevitably fell on Hailey. Hailey was sitting at the table, not even turning her head to look at him He was even more pissed off ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°We¡¯re really sorry. We¡¯ll treat you to dinner next time.¡± Even if he was pissed. Cedric wouldn¡¯t lose his temper at innocent people. ¡°No need¡± He turned around and left, his face full of anger Hearing the sound of a car starting Hailey tightly clutched her cutlery, continuing to cut her steak with a poker face. Bernard had enjoyed the show dropped his hand from his chin. His icy eyes casually nced at Yeager Looks like Cedric met his match this time Bernard thought that someone should teach Cedric a lesson, to stop him from acting out But this Dr. Yeager, with a ss of wine and a sentence, made Cedric leave. It seemed he really had some hidden abilities ¡°Dr. Yeager, aren¡¯t you going to offer me a drink?¡± Yeager had just finished cutting Hailey¡¯s foie gras. When he heard Bernard¡¯s words, he was taken aback. He didn¡¯t expect Bernard to take the initiative to get him to buy him a Chapter 833 Chapter 833 Yeager suspected Bernard was teaming up with Cedric, but he wasn¡¯t quite sure Without time to ponder, he quickly grabbed a bottle of wine and made his way to Bernard He poured some red wine into Bernard¡¯s ss, then poured himself a ss. ¡°Mr Laurence, let¡¯s have a drink¡± Just now, he had offered Cedric a full ss of wine. Breaking his own rule once, he had to keep it up. So, the ss he offered to Bernard was also filled to the brim. Yeager drained his ss in one go, while Bernard only took a sip. It seemed like a gesture of respect for Yeager, yet also a bit awkward Yeager was good at reading the room, so he didn¡¯t say anything He just nced at the wine ss, then smiled friendly at Bernard ¡°Mr. Laurence, take your time. Yeager wanted to leave after finishing his drink, but how could Bernard let him go so easily? ¡°Aidyn also wants to drink with you, hope you don¡¯t mind?¡± Aidyn, who was engrossed in his food, immediately put down his fork and knife and picked up his wine ss when he heard Mr. Laurence called his name. He stood up and approached Yeager ¡°Come on, Dr Yeager, it¡¯s a great day. Let¡¯s get a little tipsy Aidyn had a strong build. When he put his arm around Yeager¡¯s shoulder, there was nothing Yeager could do but to be dragged to the corner to drink. Eleanor nced at Yeager, who was being forced to drink by Aidyn, and wanted to say something but found her hand being held by Bernard ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Aidyn knows his limits¡± ¡°I know¡± Eleanor¡¯s gaze fell on Hailey who kept her head down ¡°I¡¯m womed that Hailey would feel upset since Yeager is her boyfriend.¡± Bernard¡¯s intention was to gauge Hailey¡¯s level of concern for Yeager If, even in such circumstances, Hailey still showed sympathy for Yeager, then Cedric had no chance at all. Unaware of Bernard¡¯s motives, Eleanor stood up and approached Hailey, offeringfort ¡®Hailey don¡¯t worry, Aldyn won¡¯t let Yeager drink too much.¡± ¡°Um. Hailey responded, feeling unsure and at a loss for words Caught in an awkward situation, Hailey found herself torn. If she knew that Bernard was aiding Cedric, stopping Aidyn from pressuring Yeager to drink would mean opposing her good friend¡¯s husband. Yet, if she allowed it to happen, she would feel guilty for betraying Yeager¡¯s pleading eyes. Hailey felt trapped in a dilemma. From Bernard¡¯s perspective, Hailey¡¯s internal conflict suggested that Yeager wasn¡¯t as significant in her heart, leaving an opening for Cedric Recognizing this, Bernard lifted his gaze and subtly signaled Aidyn with a wave of his hand. ¡°Take it easy¡± Only then did Aidyn pat Yeager¡¯s back with augh This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°Dr. Yeager, you can hold your liquor pretty well Next time we¡¯ll have another good drink, but that¡¯s enough for today¡± ¡°Alright¡± After being forced to drink several sses of red wine, Yeager seemed a bit tipsy Aidyn chuckled inwardly. Yeager can¡¯t hold his liquor yet dared to provoke Cedric in front of Mr. Laurence He didn¡¯t know where Yeager got his guts After putting down the wine bottle, Aidyn turned and went back to his seat, picked up his fork and knife, and continued eating He hoped to finish eating quickly and then go to sleep Nina, sitting opposite Aidyn, gave Aidyn a thumbs up. ¡°You¡¯re really something¡± ¡°Huh? What makes me something?¡± Aidyn asked Nina curiously while eating Nina turned her thumb toward Yeager ¡°You managed to get Hailey¡¯s fianc¨¦ drunk, that¡¯s something!¡± Upon hearing this, Aidyn stopped cutting his steak and looked at Nina ¡°Don¡¯t you feel sorry for Haley¡¯s fianc¨¦?¡± ¡°Why should I feel sorry for him?¡± Nina felt she still preferred Will ¡°I thought you¡¯d lose your mind at the sight of a handsome man ¡°Humph, I¡¯m not like that¡± Well, this kid knows her own mind ¡°Alright, stop talking to me, I need to eat!¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a foodie_¡± Nina pouted, lifting her eyes to Hailey who was pouring sobering tea for Yeager ¡°I still think Cedric and Hailey are a better match.¡± Chapter 834 Chapter 834 Though Will was polite to Yeager, he didn¡¯t act all humble around Bernard He totally respected Bernard as his own boss. ¡°No need¡± Bernard added, trying to save Will from any embarrassment. ¡°Tve got a poor stomach, cant eat much¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Will was concerned Hearing about Bernard¡¯s stomach condition, he promptly stood up ¡°Let me get you some stomach¨Cwarming soup Bernard wanted to stop him, but Will was already off to the kitchen. Eleanor, returning to her seat and catching this, asked Bernard with a chuckle, ¡°Liana¡¯s husband, not too shabby, huh?¡± Liana and Will weren¡¯t officially married yet, but Eleanor was oblivious and assumed they were. Bernard, having some knowledge about Will, knew he was a decent doctor and nodded ¡°He¡¯s alright¡± ¡°What about Dr. Yeager?¡± Eleanor rarely saw Bernard giving praise, so she couldn¡¯t help but ask Bernard nced at Yeager, who was passed out on the dining table Instead of answering, he retorted. ¡°What do you think?¡± His question pretty much gave away his opinion. Hailey felt a tad awkward hearing this and nced at Bernard ¡°Sorry for the embarrassment¡± Bernard knew Hailey had heard him and shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s Cedric who¡¯s causing you the embarrassment. I¡¯ll teach him a lesson when we get home¡± Bernard had Aidyn force Yeager to down a few drinks as punishment, but it didn¡¯t mean he would tolerate Cedric¡¯s behavior. Hailey was surprised to see Bernard, who seemed indifferent, was actually quite clear cut in his actions, not leaning towards any side, which she found quite admirable. Eleanor certainly married the right man. A calm, decisive, emotionally stable husband like Bernard was worth relying on for a lifetime. Hailey thanked Bernard and then went to support Yeager ¡°Let me take you home¡± Yeager, not a good drinker, was already wobbly after a few drinks. ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m the man, I should take you home¡± Hailey steadying Yeager, tried to reason with him. ¡°You¡¯re drunk, how can you take me home? Just listen to me. I¡¯ll take you home¡± ¡°No, I want to take you.¡± Yeager, drunk, wouldn¡¯t listen. Will,ing out of the kitchen with the soup, handed it to Bernard and went to help Hailey with Yeager ¡°I got it, I got it ¡°Could you please help him into the car?¡± ¡°Are you leaving now?¡± Will asked Hailey after steadying Yeager ¡°He¡¯s so drunk, better take him home first¡± Considering Yeager had a surgery the next day, Will didn¡¯t insist on them staying ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll help him into the car¡± After Yeager was in the car, Hailey released a sigh of relief and thanked Will ¡°Thank you¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ¡°We¡¯re friends, no need to be formal.¡± Will waved and then frowned, asking Hailey, ¡°How are you going to get him upstairs when you get back?¡± Tll ask the security guard for help¡± Hearing her reply Will didn¡¯t ask further Liana and Eleanor, seeing them leaving first, also followed suit ¡°Hailey, drive safe¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Hailey waved at them, then got into the car, buckled up, and headed for Yeager¡¯s apartment. Yeager, lying in the passenger seat, groggily opened his eyes and looked at Hailey who was driving ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m sorry. I messed up tonight¡± Hailey¡¯s fingers paused slightly on the steering wheel, but she remained silent, shaking her head Yel, Yeager persisted. Hailey 1 shouldn¡¯t have pressured him to drink, nor should I have mocked him,¡± Yeager admitted ¡°But I don¡¯t understand why, every time I see him approaching you, I lose control,¡± he confessed 1 dislike him being around you, and I don¡¯t appreciate the way he looks at you It always feels like he¡¯s still expecting something from you,¡± Yeager expressed his concerns. ¡°Do you think¡­ Has he not let go of you yet?¡± he trailed off, his words growing fragmented until he fell into silence. Hailey nced at the reannew mirror, observing Yeager gradually sumbing to sleep. She looked at him, seemingly not truly seeing him, her thoughts tangled in disarray. Without a word, she averted her gaze and focused on driving Eventually, the car came to a stop in front of Yeager¡¯s apartment. Just as Hailey was preparing to step out and locate the security guard, she noticed a sports car parked in front of her vehicle. Cedric, tall andposed, emerged from the car and rapped on the driver¡¯s side window with an indifferent expression ¡°Open the door!¡± he demanded Chapter 835 Chapter 835 Hailey didn¡¯t pop the car door open she just cracked the window to get a look at Cedric outside ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°That doesnt matter, just open up!¡± ¡°Im not opening until you tell me what you¡¯re up to ¡± How was she to know if he was here to stir up trouble with Yeager? How could she just let him in? Cedric swallowed his anger, lowered his head, and locked eyes with Hailey through the window gap ¡°I¡¯m here to help carry the drunk guy upstairs!¡± What else could he do? He can¡¯t start a fight or get physical, so all he¡¯s left with was offering a hand. ¡°You¡¯re helping me get Yeager upstairs?¡± Hailey was taken aback and didn¡¯t expect Cedric to step up ¡°Hailey, are you hearing what I¡¯m saying?¡± Seeing Cedric on the verge of losing it, Hailey hesitated for a few seconds before finally unlocking the door Only then did Cedric get to the back seat, open the door, grab Yeager by the arm, and haul him out of the car ¡°Hey, easy there, you¡¯re going to bang his head¡°¡± ¡°He had iting!¡± Hailey didn¡¯t even park properly, she just hurriedly followed ¡°Cedric, be careful, he¡¯s already hit his head a few times!¡± ¡°Can you not drag him across the stairs? His head will get hit.¡± ¡°Ah-¡± Yeager woke up with a jolt, but the pain knocked him right back out. Hailey, trailing behind, was terrified and immediately rushed to stop Cedric, who was taking this as an opportunity to get back at Yeager. ¡°How old are you acting so childish?¡± Cedric was all set to drag Yeager upstairs, but seeing the stern look on Hailey¡¯s face, he switched to carrying him instead He carried Yeager to the door, grabbed his hand, hit the fingerprint scanner, the door swung open, and he tossed Yeager right in. A loud thunk! Hailey, scared out of her wits, immediately checked on Yeager¡¯s breathing. Thank God, he was still breathing. Hailey sighed a breath of relief and struggled to sit Yeager, who was sprawled on the floor, on the couch Then she got up to get a basin of water and a towel from the bathroom, nning to wipe Yeager¡¯s face. But before she could touch Yeager¡¯s forehead, the towel was snatched from her hand by Cedric ¡°I got it Cedric seemed to be venting, he held Yeager¡¯s face, scrubbed left three times and right three times, just like wiping a table, gave him a good wipe down, and tossed the towel away N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°Done¡± ¡°You can leave now!¡± Cedric told Hailey to leave. Hailey was worried about leaving Yeager alone; she hesitated. Cedric thought she wanted to stick around to take care of Yeager, his face darkened instantly ¡°Hailey, a drunk man is capable of anything: are you nning to spend the night with him?¡± So Cedric came all this way because he was worried something might happen between her and Yeager? How childish! Yeager was so hammered, what could he possibly do? ¡°Don¡¯t make assumptions about Yeager¡¯s character¡± Dr. Yeager had shown excellent academic performance and character during his studies and had be an upright doctor as an adult. Hailey fully trusted Yeager¡¯s quality. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you want to stay and take care of him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant ¡°Then what do you mean?¡± Cedric walked over to Hailey, his tall figure was intimidating, and his familiar scent filled her nostrils. Hailey turned her head to avoid him, but her peripheral vision caught sight of Yeager¡¯s face, he seemed to be sleeping soundly, which made Halley feel a bit guilty Chapter 836 Chapter 836 Even though she knew Yeager Alis wouldn¡¯t exactly be thrilled about Cedric Laurence¡¯s visit, she still let him upstairs. If Yeager found out¡­ Seeing it from Yeager¡¯s perspective, Hailey felt she was being a total jerk. She quickly pushed Cedric away, creating some distance between them. ¡°It¡¯s chilly tonight, I¡¯ll get a nket for him, and then I¡¯ll leave¡± Cedric went over to the sofa, casually grabbed a throw nket, and covered Yeager with it. He was so unceremonious that he ended up covering Yeager¡¯s entire face with it. Hailey red at Cedric, moved the nket off of Yeager¡¯s face, and opened a window for venttion before leaving Seeing that she had no intention of staying overnight, Cedric¡¯s gloomy face regained a bit of color. They walked through theplex, one in front of the other, their silhouettes growing more and more distant under the dim streetlights. Cedric, the one in front, would slow down every time he took a turn, waiting for the shadow behind him to catch up before continuing on After exiting theplex they should have each driven their own cars, but Cedric knocked on Hailey¡¯s window as she got into her car. ¡°I¡¯ve had a few drinks, I can¡¯t drive Mind giving me a lift?¡± ¡°How did you get here, then? Hailey nced at him. ¡°I didn¡¯t see any cops on the way¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be the same going back Hailey ignored him, buckling up and starting the car. Cedric¡¯s hand reached in from the window, quickly pressing the unlock button. Before Hailey could react, the back door was already open Hailey¡¯s car was quite small, so a bulky man like Cedric looked quiteical sitting inside ¡°Didn¡¯t buy you a car? Why are you still driving this clunker? I¡¯m practically squished.¡± Cedricined as he slouched in his seat ¡°If you think its cramped, you can drive your own car¡± His sports car wasn¡¯t exactly spacious either, it was probably less roomy than hers. Hearing Hailey suggest he drive his own car, Cedric stoppedining x ** Halfway through the ride, Cedric, who was clearly ufortable, couldn¡¯t help but grumble: ¡°Next time, drive the car I gave you. This one¡¯s a junker.¡± Through the rearview mirror, Hailey nced at Cedric ¡°I¡¯ve already returned the car you gave me, along with everything else, to your house¡± Cedric had been overseas after their fallout and didn¡¯t know Hailey had sent everything back. Hearing this, his heart clenched, and his face, which had previously softened, gradually hardened with anger. ¡°Hailey Vulpe, are you treating my house like a dump now?¡± What did she think he was? An ex¨Cboyfriend who nitpicked over everything? Or did she think he couldn¡¯t afford these things? Or did she look down on the things he had given back? ¡°I just want to put an end to everything¡± ¡°End?¡± Cedric scoffed. ¡°How? By having Eleanor Schultz and Bernard divorce? Or by cutting ties with Eleanor?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Hailey felt Cedric was talking nonsense, so she turned to re at him. ¡°What does Eleanor have to do with any of this?¡± ¡°Of course she matters! As long as they¡¯re around, we can¡¯t avoid meeting. And if we meet, we can¡¯t end things¡± What kind of twisted logic was that? Hailey ignored him, turned back to the road, and focused on driving Cedric, sitting in the back, adjusted his fie in annoyance. ¡°If you really want to end things with me, then return the skills you learned in bed¡± ¡°How do I return that?¡± This was ridiculous. How could you return a physiological response? Was he out of his mind? ¡°I don¡¯t care how, but you have to return them¡± Cedric, ever the obstinate one, didn¡¯t care whether his demands were reasonable or not. ¡°Cedric, don¡¯t push me to hit you¡± The first time they met, she identally bumped into him, and he insisted she pay him two thousand bucks. He was so childish then, and four yearster, he was still the same Chapter 837 Chapter 837 Seeing her pissed off, Cedric forced himself to cool down, but his gaze was still glued on Hailey Hailey didn¡¯t want to deal with him and angrily hit the gas. After a moment of silence, Cedric lifted his foot and gently kicked Hailey¡¯s seat. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°Anything I give to a woman. I never take back Come to my house tomorrow and take your stuff. ¡°What a coincidence¡± While driving, Hailey responded, ¡°What I return, I never take back.¡± ¡°Hailey, are you really mad at me?¡± Hailey didn¡¯t respond. She was silent and felt heavy in her heart. ¡°Cedric, I returned your gifts because I never wanted your money when we were together. After we broke up, I naturally returned them. Don¡¯t overthink it. Also¡­¡± Hailey paused for a moment and took a deep breath. ¡°Yeager said he doesn¡¯t like you alwaysing to me.¡± ¡°Is it him who doesn¡¯t like it, or you?¡® Hailey didn¡¯t answer Cedric¡¯s question, she just continued to speak. ¡°As you heard. I¡¯ll meet his parents soon. After that, we¡¯ll talk about marriage¡± ¡°I n to marry Yeager. It¡¯s not appropriate for me to see you often. It¡¯s best to give me a wide berth when you see me Cedric¡¯s fingertips were rubbing his palm, feeling as if even the flesh hurt. ¡°Hailey, you know, it was Yeager who provoked me first tonight. He did this just because I beat him up last time. He¡¯s still bearing a grudge and wanted to get back at me in front of everyone Can¡¯t you see what kind of person he is?¡± He could say that Yeager was an upright doctor, but the premise was that he¡¯s also a man with ws. How could Hailey only see one side of a person? ¡°You can¡¯t just deny a personpletely based on one dinner gathering¡± Hailey admitted that she also saw Yeager provoking Cedric. But Yeager also exined that he couldn¡¯t control his emotions because Cedric was always bothering him. Hailey thought that if she kept some distance from Cedric, maybe Yeager wouldn¡¯t be like this anymore. ¡°Hailey, you¡¯re really stubborn!¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m stubborn. What I decide, I stick with. So stay away from me.¡± She¡¯s already with Yeager, and now they¡¯re even at the point of meeting his parents. She can¡¯t just give him up because he had a few ws, can she? ¡°Fine!¡± Cedric, annoyed, pped the car window. ¡°Stop the car¡± Hailey pulled over and stopped the car. Cedric got out. Before he closed the door, Cedric lowered his head and looked at Hailey, who didn¡¯t dare to look up ¡°Hailey, I alwayse to you because I like you and want to win you back. If not, do you think I would come to you?¡± Cedric spoke directly and recklessly. Once he confirmed that he liked Hailey, he never beat around the bush. It¡¯s just that Hailey pushed him away time and time again, making him feel tired and disheartened. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best not toe to you anymore.¡± With that, Cedric closed the car door and turned around, but he couldn¡¯t help looking back at her. ¡°By the way, when I wished you happiness, I was lying. I don¡¯t want you to be happy¡± Cedric threw his coat over his shoulder and strode down the road with his hand in his pocket. Looking at his defiant figure, Hailey helplessly lifted the corners of her mouth. Whether she was happy or not, it was not up to him to decide Chapter 838 Chapter 838 After Hailey left, Will Webb mustered up the courage and forced Bernard to finish a bowl of soup, finally putting an end to that dinner Due to the argument between Cedric and Yeager, Eleanor didn¡¯t notice Liana until now, only to find her looking pate ¡°Liana, what¡¯s up with you? Are you sick or something? You look off Liana, who was about to see the quests out of the vi, halted and looked at Eleanor, who was scrutinizing her ¡°Nah, probably just a bit under the weather¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s because some weird guy took Liana away a while back¡± Once Nina spilled the beans, Eleanor immediately knew who she was talking about and quickly grabbed Liana to give her a once¨Cover ¡°Was it Tyler Howell? Did he mess with you or hurt you?¡± Liana didn¡¯t reply right away but shot Nina an imitated look instead ¡°Didn¡¯t we agreed not to tell Eleanor Nina, clutching her grubby plushie, pouted ¡°I hate how you grown¨Cups always have to y hide and seek¡± Liana could only helplessly reassure Eleanor, ¡°He dide see me, but it¡¯s all good now, don¡¯t worry¡± Regarding Tyler¡¯s harassment, Liana didn¡¯t want to talk about it, and neither did Nina, so they glossed over it. ¡°Are you really okay?¡± Liana¡¯s face looked as if she¡¯d been through a serious illness. ¡°If I was really sick, would I be able to prepare all these dishes for you guys?¡± Liana nned to handle the Tyler issue herself, thus, she didn¡¯t want to involve Eleanor and possibly trouble Mr. Laurence. Liana never caused Bemard any trouble and always sorted out her own problems. It was her principle. Her feud with Tyler wasn¡¯t something that could be solved by Mr. Laurence stepping in From misunderstanding to conflict, they were destined to be tangled with each other forever Liana also admitted that she was at fault for falling in love with the boy who saved her from the swimming pool when she was young. Eleanor didn¡¯t buy Liana¡¯s words, so she squatted down and asked Nina. ¡°Nina, tell me, what happened to Liana while I was away?¡± Nina, who knew little, shrugged helplessly ¡°All I know is that some guy took Liana away, as for the rest, I¡¯m clueless.¡± Liana chuckled and pinched Nina¡¯s nose. ¡°You little bugger, you¡¯re trying to snoop into my business, are you asking for a spanking?¡± ¡°I know about Hailey¡¯s stuff, so of course I should know about yours too. That¡¯s only fair¡± Nina, covering her nose, giggled secretly Liana affectionately ruffled her hair. ¡°I see nothing gets past your ears!¡± ¡°Of course!¡± This little banter lightened the mood a bit, but Eleanor was still suspiciously looking at Liana Her eyes were as clear as spring water, and even Bernard and Liana had a hard time meeting her gaze. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Liana didn¡¯t meet Eleanor¡¯s gaze, but she held her hand and led her out of the vi ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t worry about me I¡¯m really fine. You should go Eleanor was led to the car door Bernard was already in the car chatting with Will Seeing the car hadn¡¯t started yet, Eleanor grabbed Liana¡¯s hand again, saying with deep concern. ¡°Liana, if you¡¯re having any problems, just tell me, I¡¯ll do my best to help¡± The warmth among friends alwaysforted Liana She raised her hand and patted Eleanor¡¯s ¡°Eleanor things are a bit messy for me right now, and I havent sorted it all out yet. Once I do, Ill let you know¡± Only after hearing Liana¡¯s words did Eleanor finally ease up ¡°Okay¡± Only when she saw Eleanor wasn¡¯t worried about her anymore did Liana turn her gaze to Eleanor¡¯s stomach ¡°Eleanor, have you been taking the medicine I gave you on time?¡± Before Eleanor went on her honeymoon, Liana gave her a box of medicine, enough for a month, thinking that by the time Eleanor returned, she would be pregnant However, it seemed there was no news yet Chapter 839 Chapter 839 Eleanor followed Liana¡¯s gaze and nced down at her own belly Tve finished all those meds, but Eleanor sighed somewhat despondently ¡°I think I might not be able to get pregnant.¡± She¡¯d tried a ton of medications, but none had worked She was afraid she might never be able to have kids. ¡°Eleanor Have you considered IVF? Eleanor turned her head and nced at the man in the car ¡°He wouldn¡¯t agree Bernard knew that both the IVF process and childbirth were painful, and he was worried that it would hurt Eleanor, so he chose not to have kids. Understanding Bernard¡¯s thoughts, Liana didn¡¯t propose IVF again I will adjust the medication, try again after you finish¡± Eleanor wanted to say it¡¯s not necessary, but Liana firmly pushed her into the car, saying. Tll prepare the meds and send them over tomorrow¡± Liana finished speaking closed the car door, took a step back, and waved at Eleanor ¡°Shoot me a text when you get home ¡°Get some rest too.¡± After Eleanor responded, the driver started the car and drove away from Liana¡¯s vi Watching a line of luxury cars leave, Liana turned to Will and said, ¡°You should head back too.¡± Liona felt quilty every time she saw Will since she was assaulted by Tyler, never letting him stay over ¡°Let me take you back to your room help you clean up the dishes, and then I¡¯ll go, okay?¡± Will knew Liana had been feeling downtely, he was always very careful, afraid to upset her. ¡°Alright Liana nodded, turning and walking towards the house. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Will followed behind her, watching her back, wanting to say something several times but stopping himself. Not until he finished washing the dishes, cleaned up the dining table and kitchen, then rolled down his sleeves and went to Liana ¡°Liana, I¡¯ve cleaned up, should I head out now?¡± It was a question, Liana was changing the TV channel. She caught his meaning but acted like she didn¡¯t, just nodding ¡°Alright, be careful on the road Will picked up his coat, and as he was leaving the vi, he still stopped and looked back at Liana. ¡°Liana, we agreed that you¡¯d give me an answer in half a month, the time¡¯s up, can you give me an answer now?¡± Liana paused in her movement She leaned on the sofa silent for a few seconds, then answered without hesitation ¡°Will, like I said before, I¡¯m not good enough for you, let me go If Tyler hadn¡¯t assaulted her, Liana might have drummed up the courage to ept Will But now, Liana felt that she, a person who had been hurt by Tyler, didn¡¯t deserve someone as good as Will ¡°Liana, I don¡¯t have to marry you, I can just be with you. Is that okay?¡± Liana put down the remote control in her hand and looked up at Will, standing the door ¡°Will, your parents wouldn¡¯t want you to live like this for the rest of your life¡± Will walked over, squatting in front of Liana. ¡°You¡¯ve never met them, how can you be sure they wouldn¡¯t ept me?¡® Liana couldn¡¯t answer, she even felt meeting Will was a form of shame, let alone meeting his parents ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to meet your parents¡± ¡°Liana Liana raised her hand to covet Will¡¯s mouth. ¡°Will you said you saw me at a lecture and fell for me, but maybe you only fell for my outward beauty and sparkle.¡± ¡®Once you see the turmoil and confusion inside me, youll slowly grow tired of me Before that happens, you¡¯d be better off giving up on me.¡± Thope there will always be someone in this world who remembers the best side of me.¡± Liana finished speaking and walked past Will, heading upstairs But Will rushed over and hugged Liana tightly from behind His deep voice came from behind her ear ¡°Liana, in my eyes, you¡¯ve always been the best Please don¡¯t give up on me because of this.¡± The first time Will saw Liana was at a lecture Hier confidence andposure were impressive when she was teaching a group of medical students But that didn¡¯t mean he only valued Liana¡¯s appearance ¡°Liana, when I found out about what happened to you, I felt more sympathy for you, I never despised you.¡± ¡°I know, I know you don¡¯t despise me, but i despise myself As Liana thought about this, tears welled up in her eyes The warm tears seemed to scald Will¡¯s hand and touch his heart. ¡°Liana, if you haven¡¯t figured it out yet, then I¡¯ll give you another month, is that okay?¡± Chapter 840 Chapter 840 ¡°No need, I¡¯ve made up my mind Liana wiped away the tears at theer of her eyes and pushed Will¡¯s hand away. ¡®I¡¯m sorry After taking revenge on Tyler, she did n to be with Will. But she realized that a peaceful life of being loved didn¡¯t belong to her. ¡°Liana, no matter how you refuse me, I¡¯ll wait for you¡± He will avenge her for the harm Tyler caused ¡°Will, stop being a fool.¡± For Liana, pushing Will away was actually protecting him Tyler, that nut job, was a ticking time bomb capable of anything ¡°You know I¡¯m a fool, so stop treating me like this¡± Will dropped these words, turned around, and left the vi. His stubborn silhouette left Liana powerless as she copsed onto the steps. In the car ¡°Uncle Bernard * Nina, holding her doll, called out to Bernard, who was covering Eleanor with a nket Bernard lifted his thick eyshes and said, ¡°Quiet down, don¡¯t wake her.¡± Nina She was already speaking softly, okay? Nina held out her doll to Bernard and asked, ¡°Are you taking this doll or not?¡± The doll was so dirty that Bernard didn¡¯t even want to look at it. ¡°No.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. It¡¯s too dirty, he feared he wouldn¡¯t sleep for half a year if he epted it Nina was almost infuriated by Bernard ¡°Hmph, if it wasn¡¯t for my mom telling me to give this toy to the person I trust the most, I wouldn¡¯t give it to you!¡± Only then did Bernard shift his gaze from Eleanor to the doll in Nina¡¯s hand and asked, ¡°Is this doll a keepsake from Emilia?¡± Nina nodded proudly and said. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a doll my mom made for me when I was very little. Coal, isn¡¯t it?¡± Bernard stared at the doll thoughtfully for a few seconds, then tapped Aidyn Reyes on the back and said, ¡°Gloves.¡± Aidyn, who was almost asleep in the passenger seat, immediately perked up at Mr. Laurence¡¯s voice, opened the glove box, fetched a pair of gloves, and handed thern over Bernard put on the gloves and took the doll from Nina. He felt the doll¡¯s belly carefully and didn¡¯t find anything unusual. He then asked Nina, ¡°Do you mind if I tear it open?¡± Nina, hearing that he wanted to tear apart her doll, quickly reached to snatch it back, saying ¡°Don¡¯t tear my doll apart, it¡¯s the only toy mommy left for me¡± Bernard knew how important toys were to children, so he didn¡¯t force Nina to say, ¡°I suspect your mother hid something in this doll, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have asked you to give it to the person you trust most. If you trust me, let me tear it open. If you don¡¯t trust me, then forget it.¡± He handed the choice to Nina, which made her wonder, ¡°Can it be sewn back together after it¡¯s torn?¡± Bernard nced at Aidyn, and Aidyn immediately brought out his skills of coaxing children. ¡°Sure, of course, it can be sewn back up after it¡¯s torn.¡± After fooling the child, Aidyn silently wept in his heart Why did he have to do the dirty work of tricking children? It¡¯s so thankless! Nina, who was fooled, trustingly handed the doll back to Bernard, saying ¡°Then you tear it. Bernard signaled, and Aidyn quickly handed him a knife In less than two minutes, Bernard had torn the doll to shreds. He searched through the cotton stuffing and finally found a chip. Bernard took out the chip and examined it under the car light Nina, on the other hand, was holding a pile of cotton and crying loudly Aldyn asked anxiously, ¡°Mr. Laurence, what should we do if the child cries?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t care ¡°Comfort her¡± Aidyn was at a loss, scratching his head ¡®How tofort her?¡± The man looked up from the chip and gave Aidyn a cold nce.¡± ¡°If I knew, what would I need you for?¡± Aidyn picked up the cotton scattered on the ground and stuffed it back into the doll¡¯s stomach ¡°Nina, don¡¯t cry, the doll¡¯s skin isn¡¯tpletely torn. It can still be used if we sew it up.¡± As she sobbed and wiped her tears, Nina asked, ¡°How many stitches will it need?¡± Aidyn, ¡°Maybe a few dozen?¡± He paused, then raised another doubt ¡°Or maybe a few hundred?¡± Nina Aidyn, ¡°Should we ask a doctor?¡± Chapter 841 Chapter 841 Eleanor was jolted awake by her crying, and the moment she opened her eyes, she saw Aidyn frantically stuffing cotton into a doll while Nina was clutching the doll¡¯s head and sobbing ¡°What¡¯s the deal?¡± She grabbed a tissue and began to wipe Nina¡¯s tears away ¡°Bernard is a fraud¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Nina was crying so hard that she was huping Seeing Eleanor awake, she abandoned the doll and latched onto Eleanor¡¯s arm, tearfully using Bernard and Aidyn ¡°He tore apart the doll my mom left me, and he can¡¯t even fix it.¡± Aidyn So, the innocent can get caught in the crossfire too He nced at Bernard, who was sitting next to him. Bernard was also looking back at him with a look that seemed to say. This one¡¯s on you¡°. Taking a deep breath, Aidyn thought. Whatever, if he was going to live in someone else¡¯s mansion, he might as well take the responsibility. ¡°Mis Laurence, there¡¯s a chip inside the doll Aidyn pointed to the chip in Bernard¡¯s hand, then gave Eleanor a meaningful look, hoping she could figure out who the real culprit was Eleanor,pletely fascinated by the chip, didn¡¯t even consider who had taken the doll apart ¡°Why is there a chip inside the doll?¡± Bernard was rubbing the chip in his hand, deep in thought ¡°Maybe your sister left it for Nina Or maybe she left it for you¡± Eleanor took the chip from him and examined it for a while before looking up at Bernard and asking. ¡®Does it need some kind ofputing process to open it?¡± Bernard nodded, then looked rather troubled at the still crying Nina and said, ¡°Your mom left something inside the doll. To get it out, we had to take the doll apart. You get¡± that, right?¡± Nina was wiping her tears and runny nose with her sleeve, nodding, ¡°I understand, but I¡¯m really sad. This is a memento my mom left me. Without it, I feel like I don¡¯t have her anymore¡± Eleanor felt a pang in her heart and immediately pulled Nina into her arms. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely help you fix the doll, and it will stay with you¡± ¡°Thank you¡± Only then did Nina rest her head against Eleanor. Eleanor stroked Nina¡¯s hair, soothing her. Before long, the exhausted Nina fell asleep. Eleanor took a wet tissue and cleaned Nina¡¯s face Seeing that Nina was sound asleep, she nced at Bernard, who was sitting next to her. Even though Eleanor didn¡¯t directly me him, her look made Bernard feel a little uneasy ¡°I didn¡¯t think that much when I took it apart.¡± Eleanor gave him a cold look. ¡®I¡¯m going to sleep with Nina tonight¡± Bernard was a bit nervous, reaching out to grab her hand. ¡°Darling¡± ¡°Even God can¡¯t help you now.¡± Aldyn, from the side, suddenly burst outughing Bernard¡¯s face turned dark Aidyn immediately wiped the smile off his face and sat up straight Bernard red at Aidyn, then reached out to grab Eleanor¡¯s sleeve ¡°My dear, I¡¯m used to sleeping with you. I can¡¯t sleep without you.¡± Eleanor deliberately ignored him. Seeing this, Bernard, who was getting desperate, looked at the dirty¨C faced, crying Nina and reluctantly agreed. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll stay with you guys¡± Eleanor was somewhat surprised, raising an eyebrow and saying, ¡°Mr. Laurence, sleeping apart once in a while is good for a couple¡¯s rtionship¡± Bernard held her hand in his and said, ¡°To me, being apart means disharmony¡± Eleanor felt his reason was a bit of a stretch: ¡°I¡¯m not ming you for tearing the toy apart. It¡¯s just that I haven¡¯t spent time with Nina for over a month. I want to be with her tonight You can go to sleep first.¡± Bernard was silent for a while, looked away, and stared at the chip Working on this chip should take some time, right? Maybe even the whole night? Chapter 842 Chapter 842 Eleanor tucked Nina into bed in the living room on the first floor Nina was fast asleep, and Eleanor didn¡¯t wake her Eleanor covered Nina with a nket, then headed to the study, where Bernard was engrossed in working on a chip He looked so charming when he focused on his work She leaned against the door and watched him under the deskmp. After a while, she asked the nanny to heat up some milk. When the milk was ready, she ced it on the desk ¡°So, how long will it take to crack the chip?¡± ¡°Maybe all night¡± All night? Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be super good at everything? Why would processing a chip take all night? ¡°You can sit with me¡± While Eleanor was still surprised, Bernard, with his eyes as beautiful as the gxy nced at the couch next to him, inviting her to sit. Her husband was cracking the chip for her. It would be inappropriate not to keep himpany. She walked around the desk and sat next to him Bernard¡¯s fingers were dancing on the keyboard, and a bunch of codes Eleanor couldn¡¯t understand quickly appeared on theputer screen Bernard, who initially thought cracking the chip would be easy, started to furrow his handsome brows as he discovered the chip had a password. ¡°Emilia studied architectural design, right? How does she know aboutputers?¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± What he meant was that it was hard to crack. Bernard tried to decrypt it many times, but he failed every time. A red warning sign kept popping up on the screen. Eleanor finally understood. Her all¨Ccapable husband had met his match. ¡°Should we get a professional to crack it?¡± ¡°Let me try again¡± At quarter past five in the morning. Eleanor yawned and persuaded Bernard. ¡°Honey, please, let¡¯s get a professional¡± Only then did Bernard¡¯s fingers leave the keyboard. He reached for his phone and called Cedric Cedric, who had just fallen asleep, grabbed his phone when he saw Bernard calling. ¡°What¡¯s up¡­¡± ¡°Come to my ce.¡± Before Cedric could respond, the call abruptly ended. Cedric ¡­ He had four other brothers, could he disown Bernard? Poor Cedric, after a mental struggle, gritted his teeth, got up, and drove to Bernard¡¯s ce. When he arrived, Eleanor briefly exined why they needed him Cedric burst intoughter after hearing the reason ¡°Hahahaha, Bernard can¡¯t crack a password, he¡¯s such a noob.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± At this point, Cedric¡¯s smile vanished He leaned over to Eleanor and whispered, ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t you find Bernard¡¯s begging face annoying?¡± Bernard suddenly pulled Eleanor away, using his tall body to block the space between them ¡°Cedric, you¡¯re not the only programmer in thepany¡± Cedric shrugged Indeed he wasn¡¯t the only programmer, but when it came to crackingplex passwords, he was unparalleled. However, seeing Bernard helpless in front of Eleanor was quite pitiful, so he decided to begrudgingly help him out. ¡°Alright, move over, let theputer expert handle this.¡± Bernard, who wasnt very good in this field, reluctantly moved aside with a frown.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Chapter 843 Chapter 843 Once Cedric sat down and took a nce at the code, he began rapidly cking away at the keyboard N?velDrama.Org holds this content. He was even more focused than Bernard when he was working Indeed, people were always at their most serious when they¡¯re doing what they¡¯re good at Eleanor, having stayed up all night, was a bit tired Bernand suggested she take a rest, and he would wake her up once the hacking was done She asked the nanny to prepare breakfast for the two men and went to her room to catch a few winks, cuddling Nina. Even though Cedric was aputer whiz he still spent quite some time on this chip It took him about two hours before he finally stopped. ¡°Emilia is really something! This chip is soplex I solved one part, and there¡¯s another one waiting Who knows what secrets it holds?¡±¡± Bernard, arms crossed, standing behind Cedric and staring at the lines of code popping up on the screen, asked coldly. ¡°Done yet?¡± ¡°Of course, there¡¯s no code I can¡¯t crack¡± In the realm ofputers, Cedric could finally find some presence among his elder brothers He leaned back in his chair, legs propped up, waiting for the code topile with a smug look on his face. ¡°Once its done, leave¡± Did this mean he didn¡¯t want him to see what was inside? ¡°What¡¯s left inside is a video. I¡¯ll have to piece it together step by step, there¡¯s no way I can avoid seeing it.¡± Bernard frowned at this If the information here involved Eleanor¡¯s background, he wouldn¡¯t exactly want outsiders to know, but¡­ ¡°Whatever you see, pretend you don¡¯t.¡± Cedric looked up at the man standing in the morning sunlight. ¡°You¡¯re being so serious. Is there some big secret inside?¡± ¡°You talk too much.¡± Seeing the shut up look in Bernard¡¯s eyes, Cedric immediately shut up What rotten luck! If any major secrets got leaked, Bernard wouldn¡¯te after him first, would he? ¡± With this thought, Cedric couldn¡¯t help but feel a little scared. ¡°Maybe you should learn some coding yourself in the future, don¡¯t involve me in this kind of stuff¡± He didn¡¯t want any part in this, he just wanted to be a carefree yboy. He wanted to stay away from this kind of trouble, it was too scary Bernard nced at the frightened Cedric and said. ¡°Keep talking, and you can go train in Africa¡± ¡°Ok, ok, I¡¯ll shut up¡± With that, Cedric¡¯s fingers returned to the keyboard, starting to write code andpile the video. ¡°Ten minutes, and fill be done You go get Eleanor With that, Bernard got up to go find Eleanor Eleanor, who had been sleeping for a few hours, opened her eyes groggily when she felt someone enter. The first thing she saw were Bernard¡¯s affectionate eyes. Every time she saw his eyes, Eleanor always felt at ease. ¡°Did you crack (17 Bernard gave a gentle nod Eleanorzily stretched, preparing to get up from under the covers, but unexpectedly fell into a warm embrace ¡°I¡¯ll carry you¡± With him by her side, Eleanor had bezy She wrapped her arms around his neck and let him carry her. When Bernard walked into the study with Eleanor in his arms, Cedric raised his hands to cover his eyes. This was really none of his business! Bernard put Eleanor on the p chair, picked up a butterfly¨Cshaped hair tie from the side, and tied up Eleanor¡¯s waist¨Clength curly hair. Cedric, who had witnessed the whole process: Everyone else wag lovey dovey, but he was heartbroken and still had to help out. Man, his luck really sucked! Chapter 844 Chapter 844 After Cedric finished editing the video, he converted it to a different format and hit the space bar The screen transitioned from darkness to light, a burst of vibrant color slowly emerging The video backdrop was a seaside fishing vige, serene and beautiful. The camera panned over the surroundings, then focused on the beach, zooming in slowly to reveal a small figure bent over picking up seashells. ¡°Emilia, be careful, don¡¯t get too close to the sea. A gentle voice came from the video, followed by a young Emilia turning around, revealing a face somewhat simr to Nina¡¯s ¡°Mummy, I¡¯ll be careful Mummy? N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Eleanor was taken aback Was the person filming the video Emilia and her mother? Eleanor stared at the screen, her fingers curled up in anticipation and nervousness. When Emilia finished collecting the shells and ran over, the camera turned to a baby in a cradle next to her ¡®Mummy, when my sister turns one. I¡¯ll string these shells into a bracelet and give it to her as a birthday present.¡± *Okay..¡± After the gentle voice responded, a hand reached out to touch the baby¡¯s cheek ¡°My Elena. Il take you to meet your grandparents tomorrow. They¡¯ll give us money to see a doctor. You must hang in there.¡± Hearing this. Bernard raised an eyebrow. Was this a video Vanya Pine filmed before asking for help? ¡°You must hang in there Emilia also came over, kissing the baby¡¯s face. Then, the camera shook a few times, and a woman¡¯s figure appeared on the screen. Eleanor saw a strange but gentle and kind face, and she was stunned Was this her mother, who had undergone stic surgery? ¡°Emilia, Elena. I¡¯m not sure how much longer I can live, so I¡¯m making this video to tell you the truth.¡± ¡°My real name is Vanya, the daughter of the Pine family¡¯s Jensen Pine.¡± At this point, Cedric suddenly hit pause Jensen Pine is the murderer who killed our family!¡± ¡°Eleanor, your mother is actually Jensen Pine¡¯s daughter?¡± Eleanor was startled by Cedric, looked up at him, and then at Bernard sitting next to her. Bernard was looking coldly at Cedric ¡°Why are you so worked up? What does this have to do with Eleanor?¡± Cedric How could this not matter? If ke found out that Eleanor was Jensen Pine¡¯s granddaughter, it would cause major trouble! The Pine family was the enemy of the Laurence family, who had killed many of our family members. Laurences hated them with a passion, and Bernard actually Wait, looking at Bernard, it seemed like he knew about Eleanor¡¯s identity all along. He even married her. Was he nning to go against the Laurence family? Cedric had a headache and covered his head with his hands. While watching the video just now he didn¡¯t think much, as he hadn¡¯t turned on the sound and only saw the images He didn¡¯t expect the video to involve Eleanor¡¯s origins. This was a blood feud, the Laurences and the Pines would absolutely not intermarry. What on earth was Bernard thinking? Cedric irritatedly ran his fingers through his hair as Bernard¡¯s icy voice drifted into his ears. ¡°If you dare to let it out, I¡¯ll have Aidyn kill you.¡± Cedric If he had known this would happen, he would have left right after watching the video. Now that he was entangled in this secret, his future days were bound to be tough Talk about rotten luck Having frightened Cedric, Bernard took Eleanor¡¯s hand and said. ¡°The Pine family¡¯s matters have nothing to do with you. Don¡¯t worry about it¡± Eleanor, who already knew her background, didn¡¯t react much to this. ¡°You¡­¡± Before she could Phish, Cedric immediately pledged his loyalty. ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t worry, even if it kills me, I won¡¯t let it out. I still want to live a few more years¡± Eleanor smiled slightly I¡¯m not saying that, I just¡­ Cedric interrupted again I dont care what you think, I care what I think. Let¡¯s continue watching the video.¡± If Eleanor spoke a few more words to him, the jealous Bernard next to him might re a hole through him. Before he was bored to death, the curious Cedric decided to finish the video first. If he was going to die, he might as well die knowing the truth, right? Cedric reached out to y the video again. Chapter 845 Chapter 845 In the video. Vanya goes on to say ¡°When I was a kid, my parents didn¡¯t really like me at all Seeing me all petited and stuff, my grandpa took me in and raised me himself ¡°I guess it¡¯s because I was the only one by his side when he kicked the bucket, an he left his fortune to min.¡± ¡°Truth be told, I didn¡¯t need his money but my parents we so greedy. They did all these messed up things to me, all because of that inheritance ¡°Im a pretty stubborn chick, you know? The more they want something, the less I ward to give it to them. So, our rtionship just went down the drain¡± ¡°At that time. I was head over heels for this guy, York Spencer We were crazy about each other, and I thought I was going to marry him.¡± Vanya touched her face her eyes filled with loneliness and despair. ¡°Evelyn Ziegler was my BFF, but I had no idea she was into York Spencer too¡± ¡°Maybe it was out of jealousy, but when we were doing this science experiment together, she basically ruined my face with chemicals.¡± After my face was messed up. I realized that all this talk about love was a bunch of bull ¡° ¡°York Spencer dumped me, but to ally with my family, he chose to marry my sister¡± ¡°While I was in bed, suffering like hell, he and my sister were having their wedding night ¡± ¡°My parents tried to squeeze the inheritance out of me at this time refused, so they kicked me out of the house ¡°I was bloody and alone, wandering the streets. People were scared of me, except for this one guy who didn¡¯t treat me like a freak and extended a helping hand.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t mind my disfigured face, gave me food, and even offered me a ce to stay¡± ¡°I lived in his ce for a while and never told him who I was or what I used to look like¡± ¡°He never pried, he just encouraged me to pull myself together With his help, I found hope in life again.¡± ¡°He left after a while, and I went back home, found a good doctor, fixed my face, changed my identity, and started over.¡± ¡°I nned to use my grandpa¡¯s inheritance to travel the world, but at the airport, I ran into the guy who helped me. He didn¡¯t recognize me, but I recognized him¡± ¡°From our conversation, I learned that hispany was going belly up. To thank him for his help, I decided to invest in hispany.¡± ¡°As time went by, we got to know each other better. He said I could help him in his work and that we were a good match in life. He wanted me to marry him.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t agree at first, but his proposals got to me. Little did I know, another nightmare was about to begin Vanya paused here, her eyes turning red. She seemed to have suffered a lot but didn¡¯t know how to voice it ¡°Maybe your father was just being kind when he helped me back then.¡± ¡°It was me unting my wealth, showing him I had lots of money, that made him think of snatching my fortune.¡± ¡°He married me, but it was all about the money. The one he truly loved was his childhood sweetheart, Silver Ratliff¡± ¡°After I gave birth to Emilia, I found out he had built a home with Silver, and their child was born soon after.¡± ¡°When I found out, I wanted a divorce, but he begged for my forgiveness, hoping I wouldn¡¯t leave him for the sake of our child. He even promised to cut ties with Silver.¡± ¡°At that time, I was worried about our child growing up without a father, and he seemed to have really broken up with Silver, so I didn¡¯t leave him.¡± ¡°We had four years of peace. I supported him from behind, and hispany became a big shot in A City in no time! ¡°He said he bought a yacht to thank me and took me and our child on a trip to unwind.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ¡°Who¡¯d have thought that after I spent all my wealth and gave him everything, he would harm me and our child?¡± ¡°He could have told me he didn¡¯t want to continue with me, and I would have leftwith our child, but he deceived me with lies¡± ¡°When I was least expecting it, he pushed me, Emilia, and little newborn Elena into the sea.¡± ¡°Before I fell into the sea. I saw Silver with her child on the deck, giving me a smug and victorious smile.¡± ¡°That¡¯s when I realized they never really broke up. They were just fooling me, waiting for the perfect moment to rob me blind and then gang up on me ¡°If I wasn¡¯t a good swimmer, if there werent a reef for me and the kids to hide, we would have drowned before the fishing boat came to rescue us. Chapter 846 Chapter 846 After Vanya finished speaking she gestured to their surroundings ¡°This is where the kind fisherman saved me ¡°I stayed here with you guys for a while, but because Elena choked on water and her congenital heart disease red up, I had to take you guys away¡± ¡°My life hasn¡¯t been a bed of roses, and I hope that yours will be better than mine.¡± ¡°Andstly, I need to tell you who your biological father is ¡± ¡°His name is Cameron Ratliff¡± ¡°If one day you run into him, I hope he never recognizes you.¡± ¡°I also dont want you to seek revenge on him, I just want my children to grow up safe and healthy¡± ¡°As for those who hurt and bullied me, let them remain forever in my memory¡± The screen froze and switched to the next clip. Bernard, who already knew all this turned his head to look at Eleanor next to him She clenched her fists and stared at the screen in shock He tenderly pulled her into his arms ¡°So Cameron is my father¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. No wonder she felt this inexplicable familianty with Cameron No wonder when George said that Emilia¡¯s real name was Emilia Ratliff, she didn¡¯t expect they were Cameron¡¯s children. No wonder her eyebrows and eyes looked a bit like Sophie Ratliffs, so she and Sophie are half¨Csisters with the same father. Her mother was hurt by her biological family, had her face ruined by a so¨Ccalled friend, and was abandoned by her fianc¨¦e. Thinking she had met a kind hearted person, she didn¡¯t expect to be deceived from beginning to end in this marriage Elena and Emilia were children born under this deception Was it because they were not weed in this world that she and Emilia had to live such a hard life? Their mother hoped their lives would be better than hers, but Emilia died young And would she be able to survive without Emilia¡¯s heart? Seemingly sensing what Eleanor was thinking, Bernard held her hand tighter. Her ordeal was his doing, and this left an indelible mark on Bernard¡¯s heart. He was grateful to Emilia for giving Eleanor a chance at a new life, and he was grateful to Eleanor for epting him again. He would use the rest of his life to protect her. He stared at Vanya s face in the video and said in his heart Mother, rest assured. I will make sure Eleanor lives a safe and healthy life. Your daughter, Elena, will be happy, she will definitely be happy. Cedric, who had just finished watching the video, stared at Bernard and Eleanor¡¯s tightly sped hands He seemed to understand why even knowing Eleanor came from the Pine family, Bernard still insisted on her. Aside from their love and hatred, Eleanor¡¯s mother was truly innocent and pitiful. Having grown up in a loving family with harmonious parents and good sibling rtionships, Mr. Laurence¡¯s life was easy and carefree. He rarely understood the feelings of others, but this time, he felt pity for Eleanor¡¯s mother The Pines treated their own children too cruelly They were like a group of beasts in suits. Cedric clenched his fists in anger The next video appeared, still featuring Vanya, but this time the scene was a street in G country. Compared to the previous video, Vanya looked much older, her face was pale, her body was weak, and she looked like she could be blown away by a gust of wind She looked very weak, leaning against a dirty wall Emilia was already asleep next to her, and there was Elena, wrapped in swaddling clothes. Vanya¡¯s eyes were wide, staring at the camera. It took her several attempts to get her hoarse voice out. ¡°Emilia, Elena, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m so useless, we were kicked out by your grandparents¡± ¡°They med me for taking their inheritance and marrying a stranger, so they refused to lend me money. I had no other choice but to take you guys begging¡± ¡°But it seems like my body isn¡¯t doing well, I can¡¯t hold on much longer¡± At this, Vanya phoked up, tears rolling down her face. Her tears were dry, probably from crying too much. ¡°I dont want to die. I¡¯m afraid if I die, you guys will freeze or starve to death on the streets You guys are still so young¡± ¡°Im sorry, I really am I shouldn¡¯t have brought you into this world¡± ¡°But because of you guys. I know that my life has meaning¡± ¡°Your soft bodies, your sweet smiles¨Cthey¡¯re all the cure for everything for me ¡°I don¡¯t regret having you, but I feel sorry that I couldnt provide a good life for you¡± ¡°Im sorry, my children.¡± Chapter 847 Chapter 847 The video ended with a series of Tm sorry¡± Vanya¡¯s life was full of pain, but in the end, she harbored no resentment, only regret for her own child. Bernard felt a cold welness on the back of his hand, looking down to see Eleanor¡¯s tears Eleanor had no memory of her mother, but she cried for Vanyas suffering It was both from empathy as a woman and also the helplessness in each Im sorry¡°. Warm fingers wiped the tears from her eyes, and through her blurry vision slowly appeared Bernard¡¯s face. ¡®Don¡¯t cry He wasn¡¯t good atforting people, but his eyes were filled with pity Eleanor nodded Seemingly understanding her own origin and all the cause and effect rtionships, her mood was not as heavy She didn¡¯t care whether the Pine family and the Laurence family had deep¨Cseated hatred because the Pine family never regarded her mother as one of their own, so she didn¡¯t need to bear the Pine family¡¯s hatred All she needed to know was that there was someone who loved her by her side. As for whether the Laurence family would find out her identity in the end, she¡¯d just let it be ¡°Eleanor, Ill keep your identity a secret for sure I¡¯ll re¨Cencrypt this video, you and Bernard just live your lives¡± Although he hated the people of the Pine family. Eleanor¡¯s mother was innocent, they were just unfortunately born into this family, and it had nothing to do with them. ¡°Thank you, Cedric¡® Cedric was startled ¡°It¡¯s like you¡¯re calling me this way for the first time, it feels a bit awkward but also kind of nice. What¡¯s up with that?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Cedric bypassed Bernard and walked to Eleanor ¡°Eleanor, call me again Ah- Bernard picked up a pen from the table and hit Cedric¡¯s head hard, causing him to wince in pain. ¡°Could you be a little gentler? That hurts!¡± ¡°Yeah, Cedric¡¯s so smart, you can¡¯t afford to ruin his brain¡± Eleanor, who had regained herposure, shot Bernard a re Bernard furrowed his good¨Clooking brows, looking at Eleanor in confusion ¡°How is he smart?¡± ¡°He can crack the codes you can¡¯t, that proves he¡¯s smart¡± After saying this, Eleanor suddenly muttered, ¡°Smarter than you¡± Bernard pointed to the door and said, ¡®Out¡± Cedric smugly shook his head and said, ¡°I need to stay and encrypt the video, right, Eleanor?¡± Eleanor nodded ¡°Right, Cedric still has work to do, you can go first¡± Bernard, who was ganged up on by his wife and brother, turned green with anger and said, ¡°Eleanor Calling her by full name meant he was really pissed. Eleanor quickly raised her hand and poked his arm. ¡°You bullied me before, so now I can¡¯t bully you?¡± Bernard grabbed her hand and held it in his own. ¡°You can bully me, but you can¡¯t gang up with others to bully me.¡± Cedric was about to retort, but his phone in the drawer suddenly started vibrating Cedric was sitting right next to the drawer, he casually opened it and picked up the vibrating phone from a pile of devices. When he saw the iing call disy, marked as Z. a hint of confusion crossed Cedric¡¯s eyes. Chapter 848 Chapter 848 ¡°Some dude named 2 just called for you What¡¯s the deal with that? Who is he? Why the code name?¡± Bernard took the phone with a poker face, let go of Eleanor¡¯s hand, and headed to his study Cedric felt something was off when he saw Bernard walk away to take the call. He jabbed at Eleanor¡¯s clothes with his pen. ¡°Eleanor, aren¡¯t you curious about who this ¡°Z quy is?¡± Eleanor, knowing it was Caleb who called, shook her head at Cedric ¡°You¡¯re soid back Cedric, unaware of Bernard¡¯s alter ego, pointed to the man standing outside his study, frowning as he listened to the phone. ¡°Look at Bernard handsome and fit, he¡¯s a total babe ma when he¡¯s out.¡± ¡°That ¡°Z¡± is probably some seductive young girl. You better watch out!¡± That seductive young girl was video calling Bernard. ¡°Mr Laurence ¡± Bernard¡¯s eyes widened slightly when he saw Caleb on the screen. ¡°What happened to you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even ask¡± Caleb touched his swollen face,ining ¡°I had to change my identity to get close to Robin Spencer¡¯s sister, and now I¡¯m her bodyguard ¡°Who knew she¡¯d be stronger than a bodyguard and insist on dragging me out for workouts every morning?¡± ¡°My face, my head, all battered by her¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m beginning to wonder if she knows I have ulterior motives for being around her.¡± ¡°And also ¡°Stick to the point¡± Bernard cut off Caleb¡¯s lengthyints Seeing that Bernard wasn¡¯t in the mood for his woes, Caleb reluctantly fell silent. ¡°Do you remember Mr. Ben?¡± ¡°Uh huh¡± Mr Ben was his subordinate, so of course he remembered. ¡°I tried to contact him recently to check on Robin, but I couldn¡¯t reach him¡± ¡°Others said he disappeared after dealing with Sophie.¡± ¡°Everyone thought he had taken a solo mission from headquarters, so he didn¡¯t report to me.¡± Their Siren Organization had both team and solo missions, so this wasn¡¯t unusual. But the thing is¡­ ¡°Once I couldn¡¯t reach him, I sent someone to check up on him. It turned out that Mr. Ben had betrayed the Siren Organization and switched sides to Area Opaca.¡± Bernard¡¯s face darkened Members of the Siren Organization were always loyal, they wouldn¡¯t just up and join Area Opaco for no reason ¡°You said Mr. Ben disappeared after dealing with Sophie? ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to handle Sophie yourself? Why was it, Mr. Ben?¡± Caleb was clearly remorseful about this. Im sorry You had asked me to investigate your brother¡¯s death I was so eager to get to it that I passed the Sophie thing to Mr. Ben¡± ¡°And did Mr. Ben actually deal with Sophie?¡± ¡°He sent me a message saying he did, but I didn¡¯t see it firsthand¡± So, they weren¡¯t sure if Sophie was really dealt with And Mr. Ben switched sides after supposedly handling¡® Sophie. Not long ago, Caleb mentioned that Cameron was also rescued by Area Opaca. Could it be that Sophie didn¡¯t die, and Mr. Ben took her to Area Opaca, which then led to them saving Cameron? But Thest time he saw Sophie, he had revealed his true identity as Mr. Law Knowing his true identity, if she knew he was Mr. Law she¡¯d definitely seek revenge with Area Opaca, but she didn¡¯t This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. And even now Area Opaca hasn¡¯t made public that the CEO of the Lawrence Group is the leader of the Siren Organization Another question why didn¡¯t Mr Ben deal with Sophie? Did they strike some sort of deal? Chapter 849 Chapter 849 If Sophie were still alive, Bernard would find many things hard to exin If Sophie was dead, he couldn¡¯t understand why the folks from Area Opaca would save Cameron. While his mind was in turmoil, Caleb piped up ¡°Mr. Laurence, the guy who was watching over Sophie. Mr. Ben, they spent some time together Maybe Mr. Ben has the hots for Sophie?¡± Caleb was saying Mr. Ben fell for Sophie, that¡¯s why he didn¡¯t leave her, he even flipped the bird to the Siren Organization and joined Area Opaca But even Bernard had only heard of Area Opaca¡¯s existence through Mr. Penrod How did Mr. Ben get the scoop? Bernard was at a loss, his biggest fear now was that Mr. Ben and Sophie knew his identify, and their existence was a major threat to him. ¡°Caleb have someone check if Sophie is still alive and find Mr. Ben, I want him here!¡± He wanted to ask Mr. Ben why he betrayed the Siren Organization ¡°Sure, I¡¯m on it¡± ¡°And, has Robin¡¯s side been cleared up? What¡¯s the deal with finding Emilia?¡± ¡°Mr Laurence, I¡¯ve only met Robin¡¯s sister, I haven¡¯t even seen Robin¡¯s face. I¡¯ll try to worm my way into the hospital and ask his mom¡± Young folks sure can keep their lips sealed. Caleb¡¯s attempts to get some information were fruitless, and he got a good beating from Robin¡¯s sister, Katharine Spencer. How unfair Bernard replied with a curt ASAP and ended the call. Turning back to Eleanor, his chaotic thoughts began to clear. Despite many unresolved issues, one thing he was sure of Sophie, Cameron, Robin, Elbert Pine, Vanya, Tammie Pine, and Mr. Penrod, including Area Opaca, they were all crucial to the mystery of Eleanor¡¯s past. In the study, Eleanor was arguing with Cedric ¡°What are you talking about? Bernard wouldn¡¯t have other women¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°Then who¡¯s this Z person?¡± ¡°A friend of his.¡± ¡°A guy or a gal?¡± ¡°Of course a guy!¡± ¡°Great, he¡¯s switched sides¡± Eleanor rolled her eyes at Cedric, identally catching sight of the man standing outside the study. She saw him not return after his call. Standing by the window, looking at her through the ss, she frowned. She got up and walked out of the study to Bernard, saying, ¡°Darling, what¡¯s up? Why did Caleb call you at this hour? Something happened?¡± Bernard shook his head and wrapped his arms around Eleanor I¡¯ll be arranging a lot of bodyguards to protect you and Nina, I hope you won¡¯t mind Hearing about the bodyguards, Eleanor guessed something had happened to the Siren Organization ¡°Alright, Il follow your lead.¡± She was his wife, it was his duty to protect her and to love her. Only then could she fulfill Vanya¡¯s wish and spend their lives with Emilia¡¯s heart Bernard lifted his hand, stroking Eleanor¡¯s hair. Not knowing what difficulties and challengesy ahead, he hoped he could hang in there. Only by staying strong could he protect her and love her As the two held each other tightly, Cedric¡¯s loud voice echoed from inside: ¡°Eleanor, your phone, it¡¯s an international call;e get it International call Chapter 850 Chapter 850 Eleanor and Bernard exchanged nces, and Bernard¡¯s expression turned rigid as he led Eleanor back to the study to take the call ¡°Ms Schultz, hello This is themittee for the 17th International Architecture Competition¡± Eleanor initially thought the call was from Evelyn about the kids, but it turned out to be about the internationalpetition. She breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Hello, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Ms Schultz, your work Jared Group Headquarters, has passed the final round of judging. The committee has unanimously decided to award you the title of champion of thispetition Please come to the B City International Architecture Exhibition Hall to receive the award and deliver your eptance speech tomorrow afternoon¡± Won Eleanor couldn¡¯t believe it and looked at Bernard. He rebuilt the Jared Group Headquarters to pursue her and let her reach the peak of the architecture industry under her own name. She thought that, as a newbie, she wouldn¡¯t be able to make it through the final round. But not only did she win, she became the champion This sudden surprise made her so excited that she hugged Bernard ¡°Darling. I won! I¡¯m the champion!¡± Bernard¡¯s tense expression gradually rxed, and a smile crept up his face. ¡°Are you happy?¡± ¡°So happy!¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s build a few more branches, all designed by you¡± At these words, the smile on Eleanor¡¯s face froze. She pushed Bernard away and looked at him with furrowed brows. ¡°You didn¡¯t rig this championship title for me, did you?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Cedric, next to them, who loved to watch the fun, pointed at Bernard. ¡°It was him, it was him¡­ Eleanor¡¯s joy instantly disappeared. ¡°I thought I won because of my work, not because of you. How can I ept this fishy championship?¡± She picked up her phone, preparing to call themittee and tell them to re¨Cevaluate and not take the chance with other designers. But before she could dial, a hand pressed down on her screen. ¡°I didn¡¯t influence thepetition, I just helped you submit your work.¡± Just as Bernard finished exining, Cedric stirred up trouble again: ¡°Eleanor, your work is called Jared Group Headquarters. Themittee would know it¡¯s from the Laurence family just by the name. How could they not give you the award? Eleanor thought Cedric made sense and quickly nodded, saying ¡°Right, I can¡¯t ept this award. I should decline¡± Bernard snatched Eleanor¡¯s phone with one hand, looking coldly at Cedric ¡°When Ms. Vulpe and Yeager tie the knot, I¡¯ll definitely gift them a vi as a wedding present.¡± Cedric, who was enjoying the drama instantly stiffened, saying, ¡°You¡¯re being a pest, so annoying.¡± Bernard¡¯s voice was cold as ice. If you¡¯re annoyed, then shut up! Shut up. Why are you so aggressive? Cedric sneaked a nce at Bernard and then sat up straight, diligently continuing to code the encrypted video. Bernard shifted his gaze to Eleanor and said, ¡°Darling, the members of the internationalmittee are all masters in the architecture industry. They focus on the work, not the background. You have to believe that you¡¯re capable¡± Eleanor was somewhat skeptical, but Ethan Ziegler had said the same thing before Most architects were like straight lines on a blueprint They¡¯re very direct, either it works or it doesn¡¯t, having a big backer doesn¡¯t help Perhaps her work was truly recognized by the masters, and having a backer was just a bonus With that thought, she nodded her head and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll start preparing my eptance speech¡± Just as she was about to leave, Bernard pulled her back into his arms, pressing his hand against her waist ¡°How are you going to thank me?¡± His fingers slid up her clothing, caressing her skin. The hot touch was clearly hinting at how she should thank him. Eleanor feigned ignorance. After I receive the award. I¡¯ll treat you to street food in B City You¡¯ve never had it before, right? I take you there¡± ¡°What I want is a demonstration of gratitude¡± Eleanor ballester hand into a fist and lightly punched Bernard¡¯s sturdy chest. ¡°Liana said that overindulgence can harm the body¡± Bernard caught her fist and said, ¡®Liana also said that I¡¯m very robust Mrs Laurence doesn¡¯t need to worry¡± Cedric, who was still coding nced at the pair, who shamelessly flirted in daylight, and angrily pounded his keyboard. Bang bang, bang! Eleanor heard the noise and remembered there was someone else in the study. She quickly pushed Bernard away, saying ¡°Don¡¯t say inappropriate things in front of the kid.¡± Kid Cedric Bang bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bangi Chapter 851 Chapter 851 Eleanor walked up to Cedric and asked ¡°Cedric, can you grab a screenshot from the video my mom left me? I want it as a keepsake¡± ¡°Sure thing¡± Cedric responded, ¡°I get you anything you want, even the moon if you ask for it # With a few quick strokes on the keyboard, he turned the video into a still image, copied it, and sent it to Eleanor. Eleanor grateful for his help, muttered a quick thanks and suggested, ¡®How about we go to B City tomorrow? I¡¯ll treat you to some seafood¡± Cedric just waved her off ¡°No need for that, I¡¯m happy to help He then handed her a chip and said, ¡°The video is encrypted now. Keep this safe, Fm off to bed After receiving the chip and saying thanks again, Eleanor watched as Cedric grabbed his coat and left. He walked out of the study, passed through the living room, and was about to leave when he bumped into Hailey and Liana Terrill, who were carrying some medication. He nced at Liana and then at Hailey Hadey¡¯s face stiffened a little at the sight of him, and it was clear she felt awkward Cedric strolled up to Hailey and gave her a once¨Cover knew we¡¯d bump into each other eventually¡± Hailey lowered her gaze, avoiding his. Seeing her ignore him, Cedric walked away ¡°What¡¯s so great about Hailey anyway?¡± He thought, ¡°What¡¯s she to me once I stop caring?¡± But he stopped mid step and turned back to ask, ¡°When are you meeting Yeager¡¯s parents?¡± Upon hearing his question, Hailey halted too. She looked back at him ¡°His parents are still overseas, there is no set date yet.¡± ¡°Oh Cedric responded, a bit taken aback. When he thought of what to say next, Hailey was already walking away with Liana. Back in the study. Eleanor was working on her award eptance speech when she heard that Hailey and Liana had arrived. She immediately put down her pen and stood up ¡°Liana, Ive adjusted the prescription and prepared the medication. Try it out.¡± Liana handed the medicine box to the maid. ¡°Put it in the fridge. Warm it up before drinking Remember, three times a day Remind your mistress to take her medicine on time¡± The maid responded with a quick ¡°okay¡± took the medicine box, and headed to the kitchen. Seeing Liana¡¯s thoughtful actions, a smile of happiness spread across Eleanor¡¯s face. She then led them to the sofa area. They hadn¡¯t seen each other for over a month, and they had a lot to catch up on. They started talking about their honeymoon trip, then moved onto Hailey and Yeager¡¯s blind date experiences Upon hearing that Aidyn had found the perfect girl, Eleanor was taken aback. ¡°Aidyn is so straightforward. Decides to marry after one blind date. Impressive¡± Liana took a sip of her coffee ¡°They¡¯ve set a date for the wedding. I guess invitations will be sent out soon. Just as she finished her sentence, Aidyn walked in cheerfully with a red invitation and Dr. Jill Naylor. ¡°Mr and Mrs. Laurence, I¡¯m getting married! I¡¯m here to give you the invitations.¡± Eleanor, Liana, and Hailey shared a smile. Eleanor rose from the sofa, walked through the corridor, and entered the living room ¡°Aldyn, congrattions¡± Aidyn saw Eleanoring and immediately walked over, handing her the invitation. The wedding¡¯s on the 15th of next month, at the Oceanview Hotel. You and Mr. Laurence muste + Eleanor took the invitation, nodding with a smile ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll be there¡± She then turned to look at the woman standing next to Aidyn, Dr. Jill Naylor. ¡°Mrs Laurence, hello, I¡¯m Jill Naylor, a surgeon, Jill Naylor greeted, seeing Eleanor looking at her Jill Naylor¡¯s grace and charm impressed Eleanor She thought Aidyn had made a good choice and responded with a smile, ¡°Dr. Naylor, hello.¡± After the greetings, Aidyn took out a mended doll from his bag and handed it to Eleanor Mrs. Laurence, this is Nina¡¯s doll. Dr Naylor helped sew it back together. Can you pass it on to her?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Eleanor was surprised to see the mended doll. ¡°Dr. Naylor, how did you manage that?¡± Chapter 852 Chapter 852 Jill Naylor raised her hand, pointing at the doll where it was mended I bought the same fabric and stitched it back together bit by bit It was unbelievable how well the sewed. ¡°Thank you Dr. Naylor, you must have spent a lot of time on this, right?¡± Eleanor anginally nned to do the repair herself, but Aidyn said he knew a doctor who could help At first, she thought he was referring to a toy repair specialist, but it turned out to be a surgeon. Jill Naylor waved off thepliment, saying ¡°Protecting a child¡¯s innocence is worth any amount of time. Those words warmed Eleanor¡¯s heart, and when she looked at Jill Naylor, she seemed to glow with a sacred light ¡°Dr. Naylor, you¡¯re such a kind soul. Aidyn, you better treat her night Aiden scratched the back of his head shyly ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll treat her like Mr. Laurence treats you.¡± Mr. Laurence was famously generous Hearing this eased some of Jill Naylor¡¯s fears about their whirlwind marriage. She felt assured in her decision. Ardyn said his goodbyes to Bernard and then left with Jill Naylor Eleanor took the doll and went to the living room on the first floor Nina had thrown off her nket and spread out on the bed fast asleep Seeing her cute little butt sticking up in the air, sleeping so sweetly. Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but smile She walked over and put the doll on the nightstand, hoping that when Nina woke up and saw her doll all in one piece, she¡¯d be happy As Liana and Hailey were about to leave, Eleanor asked, ¡®Hailey, are you really nning to marry Yeager?¡± Hailey paused and then smiled, saying ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve agreed to meet the parents, so of course we¡¯re getting married¡± Since Hailey had made up her mind, all Eleanor could do was offer her blessings: ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give you a wedding gift when you guys get married¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, just you and Bernard being happy is the best gift for me¡± Hailey rose to her feet, patting Eleanor¡¯s shoulder N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Hailey always had a way of warming Eleanor¡¯s heart ¡°Then I won¡¯t get you anything you better not call me stingyter on¡± Haileyughed and assured her she wouldn¡¯t, then left with Liana, saying, ¡°We have to go now, we¡¯ll come see you get your award in B City tomorrow afternoon.¡± Hailey was confident that with Eleanor¡¯s talent, she¡¯d not only win this award but the next one as well. So they were going to see her win her first award Just as they left, Pearce Hooper called, ¡°I just heard you won the 17th International Architecture Award¡± As Eleanor made her way to Bernard¡¯s study, she answered ¡°I just got the notification from the committee, and you already know? You¡¯re pretty quick on the uptake, huh?¡± Getting a clear answer, Pearce was a bit miffed. ¡°I thought I was going to be the grand prize winner of this architecture contest, I didn¡¯t expect you to beat me to it ¡°You were in this contest too?¡± Eleanor was surprised ¡°Do I even need to say it? Is there ever a contest I don¡¯t participate in?¡± ¡°Given your experience and talent, you don¡¯t need contests to prove yourself anymore. Why are you still participating in them?¡± ¡°Because I made a promise to Ethan Pearce¡¯s voice was a bit shaky He had promised Ethan that if he ever won more awards than Ethan, Ethan would build him a house of gold. Even if he won more awards now, no one would build a house of gold for him. But that didn¡¯t matter as long as he kept going, he could prove that Ethan was still in his heart. When someone passed away, if no one remembered them, they disappear forever. As long as he remembered Ethan, Ethan would live on in Pearce¡¯s heart. Hearing Ethan¡¯s name always saddened Eleanor ¡°Was this award very important to you?¡± ¡°Not particrly, I just want to keep going for the sake of a promise And besides, you¡¯re my student, I¡¯m happy when you win¡± With that, Pearce pulled himself together and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be at the award ceremony tomorrow too, you better thank me in your eptance speech, or I¡¯ll be upset!¡± Eleanor nodded earnestly. ¡°Of course you¡¯re my mentor, and you¡¯ve always been there for me. Not only will I thank you, I¡¯ll buy you a gift with the prize money ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡± Pearce chockled He hung up the phone and, like an unseen hero, disappeared into the night Chapter 853 Chapter 853 The next afternoon, Eleanor, in her silver evening dress, attended an event at the B City International Architecture Exhibition Hall People she cared about were with her, all dressed up to witness her first major win in the field of architecture When the master architect on stage announced the name of the 17th overall champion, the lights in the award hall lit up Eleanor sitting in the front row The dazzling light shone on her face. She was like a rising star, standing out from the crowd ofpetitors Eleanor felt nervous, but when she saw her work disyed on the screen on stage, she suddenly rxed Bernard backstage gave her strength, the apuse of her friends gave her motivation, and her work gave her courage She stood up, picked up her dress, and walked onto the stage under the light. When she turned around, her eyes sparkled with confidence There were journalists on site, Bernard, to protect Eleanor, did not apany her to receive the award but watched her make the award speech from backstage. She said that her design concept came from her lover, so the new campus of Jared Group Headquarters, viewed from the sky, is heart¨Cshaped, representing love She hoped that people working at the Laurence Group can find love in afortable environment, do what they love, and live a life full of love After she finished speaking, a reporter asked. ¡°Ms Schultz, who is your lover? Can you tell us?¡± Eleanor looked at the camera and said lovingly. ¡°My lover should be watching me right now¡± Bernard smiled, his eyes full of love. After Eleanor received the trophy, she thanked everyone, especially her teacher, Pearce When everyone heard that she was a student of Pearce, they were all surprised ¡°No wonder she won the first time she participated in thepetition, she turns out to be Pearce¡¯s student¡± ¡°Pearce¡¯s teacher, Ethan, is also very good his buildings are very exquisite¡± ¡°Pearce¡¯s teacher is Emilia, right? Her design style is even more avant¨Cgarde than Ethan¡¯s¡± ¡°It seems that Ms Schultz¡¯s award is well deserved because she is a famous teacher¡± Hearing these discussions, Eleanor lifted the trophy and looked up at the sky through the ss ceiling of the award hall N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. She will continue to shine in the field of architecture in their honor Bernard¡¯s assistant, Aidyn, seeing Pearce in the camera, was very angry. ¡°Mr Laurence. I need to leave for fifteen minutes¡± Bernard was focused on his wife; he didn¡¯t look up, just waved his hand casually Pearce had juste out of the bathroom and was blocked by Aidyn at the door. Seeing Aidyn, Pearce turned around and tried to run. But Aidyn walked in front of him, blocking his way When Pearce was backed into a corner by the tall Aidyn, he crossed his arms, hugging his own arms tightly, and said nervously: ¡°What are you going to do? This is an exhibition hall, there are a lot of people, you can¡¯t mess around¡± Aidyn looked down at Pearce, who was shorter than him, raised his thick hand, grabbed his cor, and pushed him against the wall. ¡°You¡¯ve been hiding from me for over a month, and now you finally show up¡± Pearce, hanging in the air, saw many peopleing in and out of the bathroom his eyes widened, staring at them, and then he hurriedly begged Aidyn for mercy ¡°I was wrongst time, I shouldn¡¯t have intentionally approached you in front of your date. Can you put me down?¡± He had just shown his charm in front of the camera, the award ceremony was not over yet, and his image was about to be shattered. He couldn¡¯t ept it. Chapter 854 Chapter 854 ¡°Let you go?¡± Aidyn gave a sarcasticugh, deliberately getting close to Pearce and posing suggestively ¡°I grew up with Mr. Laurence if there¡¯s anything I¡¯ve learned, it¡¯s to fight fire with fire!¡± Pearce¡¯s heart pounded, and his eyes were wide open. ¡°Help¡± ¡°You¡¯re not really going to kiss me, are you?¡± Just then, a reporter came out to use the bathroom and was so shocked by the scene that he forgot to walk. ¡°Mr Pearce so you you like this kind of stuff?¡± From then on, there was a tumor in the architecture world that Pearce liked beefy guys. Why beefy guys¡± When Pearce saw the reporter, he nervously pushed Aidyn, lost his bnce, and almost fell. Aidyn reflexively caught him his handnded on Pearce¡¯s butt, and this scene was captured by the reporter. The picture was dubbed ¡®Beefcake¡± by the designers. After the award ceremony. Eleanor took the group to eat local snacks. Bernard scooped a spoonful of cream mushroom soup, it was yellow with a touch of green. Upon tasting it, his handsome face turned gloomy If he hadn¡¯t cared about his image, he would have spat it back into the bowl like Pearce and the others. Suppressing his nausea, he took a handkerchief out of his pocket, spat into it, then nced at Eleanor, who wasughing her head off ¡°Eleanor, you just wait Bernard couldn¡¯t bear it anymore, he suddenly got up and rushed into the restroom in the mall. Eleanor propped her cheek with one hand and said, ¡°Bernard, I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡± Knowing the snack was hard to stomach, Hailey shook her head ¡°Just to prank him, you made Liana, Yeager, and even Nina suffer¡­¡± Turning her head. Hailey saw Nina with a giant water bottle, chugging water like she wanted to stick her head in it. Pearce next to her was even more exaggerated, he was retching into a trash bin and saying. This feeling, it¡¯s like identally tasting an old man¡¯s armpit in the hot summer Aidyn thought the tofu pudding tasted fine, but suddenly it felt really smelly What¡¯s going on? While they were messing around andughing over in G country¡­. An old woman lying in a hospital bed saw the award recipient on live TV; her hollow eyes suddenly widened. ¡°Vanya¡­¡±N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Sitting on the sofa and chopping apples, Robin heard Wendy Pine¡¯s voice. Following her gaze, he nced at the TV. When he saw Eleanor¡¯s face, he felt like he knew her but couldn¡¯t remember. He kicked the bodyguard next to him and asked, ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± The bodyguard, who had met Eleanor with Robin before, helplessly said, ¡°That¡¯s Bernard¡¯s girlfriend, Eleanor. Didn¡¯t you meet her before?¡± ¡°Do you expect me to remember everyone I meet?¡± Robin kicked the bodyguard again He had prosopagnosia, how could he remember everyone¡¯s face? After dealing with the bodyguard, Robin turned to Wendy Pine and said. ¡°Mom, her name is Eleanor, not Vanya¡± Slowly recovering from the shock, Wendy Pine shook her head and said, ¡°She¡­ looks exactly like my sister when she was young¡± ¡°What did you say? Robin stopped peeling the apple. Wendy Pine reached out, and the nurse immediately bent over to help her stand up from the bed. The olddy shaky and weak, walked step by step to the TV, taking a close look at Eleanor in the frame. After carefully observing for a while, she firmly said, ¡°She must be Vanya¡¯s daughter, you go find her quickly!¡± Chapter 855 Chapter 855 hapter 855 Robin reckoned his mom might have gotten the wrong end of the stick ¡°Muin, Emilia has kicked the bucket¡± Elbert barged in, ¡®Emilia has bitten the dust, true, but not Vanya¡¯s second daughter¡± Robin shot him a cold look. The second daughter¨Cdidnt she die in the cradle?¡± ¡°We only heard from Emilia that her sister passed away. We neverid eyes on the body Who knows if Emilia was pulling our leg?¡± Wendy Pine was huffing and puffing after just two sentences, trying to hold herself together. ¡°You¡¯re right. We might¡¯ve been had by Emilia, thinking a kid with a heart condition could be pushing up the daisies anytime¡± Her trembling finger pointed at the TV screen and at Eleanor ¡°She¡¯s a spitting image of Vanya, she must be Vanya¡¯s second daughter¡± Robin didn¡¯t bite He was racking his brain, looking at Elbert ¡°How did you figure she was Vanya¡¯s second daughter?¡± Elbert spilled the beans I saw a picture of Vanya when I was a kid it¡¯s all a bit fuzzy now, but Eleanor rings a bell¡± He wanted his old man to ID Eleanor, but she was as tight as a drum, all wrapped up, with no glimpse at her mug With Bernard acting like a brick wall and guarding Eleanor, his dad didn¡¯t stand a chance to get a good look at her. He ended up getting chewed out by his dad. His dad gave him a hard time for not caring about thepany, never being at home, always living it up, and now acting all hush hush. He was beyond help Had he not just heard Wendy Pine say Eleanor was Vanya¡¯s daughter, he would have been barking up the wrong tree. But¡­ He approached Robin and Wendy Pine and asked, ¡°Why are you hunting for Vanya¡¯s daughter?¡± Wendy Pine¡¯s old eyes were filled with determination, yet so profound. ¡°I just want to see her family one last time before I kick the bucket.¡± Elbert always respected and trusted his elders. Hearing Wendy Pine say this, he didn¡¯t push it ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it, I¡¯ll tag along with Robin to find Eleanor Wendy Pine raised her trembling hand patting Elbert¡¯s shoulder ¡°Goodd, it¡¯s tough on you. This is my dying wish Thinking of Wendy Pine¡¯s health, Elbert was filled with pity. ¡°You need to take it easy. I¡¯ll make your dying wish came true.¡± Wendy Pine nodded weakly ¡°Then off you go.¡± Elbert agreed with a ¡®sure¡± and turned to Robin, saying ¡°Let¡¯s hit the road.¡± Robin nced at his mom and asked, ¡°Did you forget? This Eleanor is Bernard¡¯s bird¡± Not just Bernard¡¯s bird, but his wife. Though it¡¯s not public knowledge, Robin knew it all too well. Of course, Elbert knew too. ¡°We just want to invite her to see Aunt Wendy Pine onest time. It shouldn¡¯t be a big deal, right?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. He had crossed paths with Bernard before. He knew Bernard was not a penny pincher. At least when he, as the heir to the Pine family, faced Bernard, Bernard didn¡¯t do anything negative to him directly. That made Bernard quite a decent guy Upon hearing Eleanor was Bernard¡¯s girlfriend, Wendy Pine¡¯s face fell, but she didn¡¯t say another word -Thinking about having to deal with Bernard again, Robin was wound up. He tugged at his tie, but due to his mom, he had no choice but to go He put his feet down, looking annoyed. He kicked his bodyguard and asked, ¡°What are you gawking at? Get the private jet ready. Do you want me to drag the ne out myself?¡± Bodyguard Bernard was by the sink, about to hurl his guts out Chapter 856 Chapter 856 The bodyguard standing by looked genuinely sympathetic, constantly handing him wet wipes Once he was pretty much done throwing up, he washed his face, took the bodyguards wet wipe, and cleaned his hands. Then he looked at himself in the mirror, gently dabbing the corners of his mouth Mrs. Laurence seemed to be getting more and more ballsy. He had to teach her a lesson, or she might have the audacity to challenge him Just as Bernard was about to go give Eleanor a piece of his mind, Caleb¡¯s call came in He nced at the bodyguard and said, ¡°Out. Stand outside. No one gets in¡± The bodyguard nodded and said. ¡°Sure.¡± Once the bodyguard was gone, Bernard swiped to unlock his phone and asked. ¡°Did you find her?¡± Caleb nodded. ¡®We found her Sophie¡¯s not dead. She entered the ck market with Mr. Ben¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Bernard¡¯s expression turned icy in a heartbeat. ¡°Caleb, this is your biggest screw up since you joined me! Caleb was filled with guilt and said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t expect Mr. Ben to betray us I didn¡¯t expect him not to get rid of Sophie.¡± Considering Bernard¡¯s identity was revealed in front of Sophie and Mr. Ben knew who he was, Caleb was feeling mighty jittery ¡°If they tell the ck market who you are, you¡¯re toast. What do we do?¡± Caleb was anxious, if he could turn back time, he¡¯d go back and knock some sense into his past self Why didn¡¯t he deal with the issue personally before leaving? What a blunder! Dealing with Sophie was ancient history. The ck market hadn¡¯te after him yet This suggested Sophie and Mr. Ben hadn¡¯t spilled the beans about his identity. He was safe for now. But one thing Bernard couldn¡¯t wrap his head around was why didn¡¯t they use this ace up their sleeve? After a few seconds of deep thought, Bernard told Caleb, ¡®Don¡¯t tip them off. In half a year, I¡¯ll go to the ck market myself to investigate.¡± Hearing Bernard¡¯s n to return to the ck market, Caleb¡¯s face turned pale ¡°You almost got killed last time. Why on earth would you go back?¡± Bernard needed to find out who was pulling the strings in the ck market and catch the puppet master. But he didn¡¯t tell Caleb this His order was, ¡°Find out why Robin is looking for Emilia .¡± Compared to his own life, he was more worried about Eleanor. As long as she was okay, he could rest easy. Nodding in guilt and anxiety, Caleb said, ¡°Please be careful. I¡¯ll go dig up some info from Katharine Spencer.¡± Bernard grunted in response, hung up, and was about to leave when another wave of nausea hit him. ¡°Damn it He emptied his stomach again, cleaned his lips, and, with a pale face, went back to find Eleanor. Pearce and the rest of them seemed to have stronger stomachs than him, after throwing up, they were back to their boisterous selves, Bernard was nning to go straight to Eleanor, but seeing her radiant smile, he paused When he was there, her friends seemed a bit uptight When he wasn¡¯t around, the vibe was a lot more rxed. In fact, it seemed a bit too rxed Bernard frowned. Was he that unwee? He refused to believe it and walked into the dining area. His towering figure appeared in the dining area, the noise died down instantly, and the smiles on people¡¯s faces froze It seemed like he really wasn¡¯t very popr. Bernard took out his phone, pretended to take a call, then walked out As soon as he left, Pearce burst outughing, and even Aidyn seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Bernard gritted his teeth, clutching his phone, leaning against the car door, staring into the dining area Chapter 857 Chapter 857 Eleanor peered out the window at the man standing under the streemp, not bothering them She quirked a smile, her eyes filled with love ¡°Hailey, look at him, isn¡¯t he a bit of a goof?¡± Hailey followed her gaze and found Bernard actually waiting outside, which made herugh too ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s a bet of a loon¡± Eleanor put down her cup, turning to Hailey and Liana and saying. Ill go to him now, let¡¯s head back to A City together tomorrow¡± Hailey¡¯s hand holding the chopsticks stiffened a bit Cleanor, you guys go ahead tomorrow, I¡¯ve got some other stuff to do.¡± Being in B City, she naturally wanted to see Garrett Falsey. Eleanor, who was just about to stand up, sat back down, hesitating for a few seconds before asking. ¡°You are you going to see Garrett?¡± Seeing her mention Garrett, Hailey didn¡¯t feel as guilty as before, so she nodded and said, ¡°Since I¡¯m in B City, I might as well drop by to see him¡± Eleanor clenched her fists, aplex emotion shing in her eyes. Did that orthopedic specialist you foundst time go check on his leg? What did the expert say?¡± Hailey honestly answered, ¡°He just got back from traveling and hasn¡¯t met the expert yet. Il let you know once the expert has checked his leg¡± Eleanor lifted her soft eyes, looking at the man leaning against the car door waiting for her like a goo!. Bernard saw her looking at him again and slightly opened his mouth, as if saying, ¡®Honey, when are we going home? Eleanor shifted her gaze back to Hailey ¡°Alright, let me know whether it can be treated or not, I¡¯m going out to him now¡± Hailey waved her hand and said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you and your hubby can roam around 8 City, Liana and I will take Nina back¡± Eleanor nodded, told the others. Enjoy your meal, Im stepping out for a bit, then got up and went outside¡­ Seeing here out, Bernard didn¡¯t wait for her toe to him but quickly walked towards her. Eleanor stood in ce, waiting for him toe over. Looking at the man walking towards her, Eleanor realized that their rtionship has always been him chasing her while she never took the initiative. As Bernard was about to reach her, Eleanor suddenly took a step closer to him. ¡°Honey, let¡¯s go check out the night view of B City, shall we?¡± Bernard lowered his eyes and nced at her. ¡°No need for the night view, let¡¯s go home and settle some scores Eleanor¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She smiled and reached out to hold his arm ¡°Honey¡± ¡°Calling God won¡¯t help Hey why did that sound so familiar? While Eleanor was lost in thought, she suddenly felt a hand around her waist. Looking down, he had already picked her up and thrown her into the car. ¡°We¡¯re going back to the vi¡± ¡°Why are we going back to the vi?¡± ¡°I need to settle some scores with you¡± ¡°How are we going to settle them?¡± ¡°Seven times in one night.¡± In these situations, Bernard never pulled his punches. The next day Eleanor woke up with legs so weak she couldn¡¯t walk; even getting on the ne, he was carrying her. Nina, hugging her doll, tilted her head and asked Liana, ¡°Is Eleanor sick? Why can¡¯t she even walk?¡± Liana softly patted her head and said, ¡°Adult stuff, kiddo, you don¡¯t need to ask. Because the answer you get might not be what you wish for.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Nina looked puzzled. Were there good and bad answers? Chapter 858 Chapter 858 Upon their return to A City. Bernard swiftly guided Aidyn to the Lawrence Group Liana retreated to the hospital, while Pearce explored their new home with Eleanor N?velDrama.Org owns all content. After wandering the Fiord Roundabout with Pearce, Eleanor led him to her study. On entering. Pearce acknowledged, ¡°Mr. Laurence knows how to pamper ady, gifting you such a spacious study¡± As Eleanor brewed coffee, she responded, ¡°After the wedding and honeymoon, I need to dive into Emilia¡¯s designs. So, I need my study¡± Bernard had his pursuits, and she had her career Once married, they each attended to their own affairs in harmony. What¡¯s wrong with a simple life, right? Handing Pearce his coffee, she asked, ¡°You mentioned a client wanting me to visit the construction site?¡± Pearce took a sip of the coffee and smiled lightly after tasting his favorite vor, ¡°Indeed, they requested your presence¡± ¡°Which one was it again?¡± Eleanor sat on the sofa opposite Pearce. She had nced at the client¡¯s name before but didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. Upon hearing this, Pearce sat up straight and said seriously. ¡°North Fund, the Sharp family, ever heard of them?¡± Seeing Pearce being so serious, Eleanor guessed the Sharp family must be a big deal. ¡°I don¡¯t keep up with financial news, just spill the beans.¡± ¡°Chairman Yates Sharp, is a big shot in North Fund, very influential, has prestige and status, quite a big deal. Heard he even established many elite organizations Such a heavy hitter wants Emilia to do the design? ¡°Why does he want Emilia to check in person?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that. When I went, they rejected me, insisting that the chief designer should go.¡± Eleanor frowned ¡®He¡¯s not an Emilia fan, is he?¡± Pearce nearly spit out his coffee. Luckily, Eleanor dodged quickly, or she would have been drenched. Pearce wiped his mouth with a napkin. ¡°Yates is in his seventies, how could he be an Emilia fan?¡± ¡°Some old guys in their seventies like young women¡­ He grimaced, showing an awkward smile. ¡°You got a point there¡± ¡°Right? It¡¯s not unheard of.¡± Pearce stopped talking and focused on his coffee. A whileter, Eleanor asked again, ¡°Should I finish the designs for the otherpanies first, then go check the site there?¡± ¡°That could work, their person in charge said they¡¯re willing to wait until whenever you¡¯re avable.¡± That sounded nice? Eleanor felt something was off, ¡°Is there a catch?¡± Pearce nced at her, ¡°What are you scared of? You just go check the site and we can head back. Scared of a wealthy businessman Eleanor didn¡¯t ask any further, she walked over to her desk, picked up a business card and handed it to Pearce, ¡°Here, for you¡­¡± Pearce nced at the card and looked up. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Eleanor put her hands behind her back, and put on a bright smile, ¡°A gift I bought for you with the bonus, as a thank you for your guidance.¡± After finishing, she pointed to the number on the card. ¡®Contact them directly. They¡¯ll deliver it to you once it¡¯s ready¡± Upon hearing it was a gift. Pearce¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°At least you¡¯re not heartless He pulled out his phone and started dialing the number on the card, asking while dialing. ¡°What¡¯s the gift?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know when you get it.¡± Eleanorughed without saying a word Upon receiving a house of gold, Pearce was utterly taken aback. He squatted down gently, touching the golden miniature with reverent fingers, his eyes welling up with unshed tears So, even in Ethan¡¯s absence, someone remembered his dream of a golden home. As Pearce caressed the precious house, he gazed into the horizon¡­. Did Ethan influence Eleanors dreams, leading her to craft this golden symbol of their shared secret? Having arranged Nina¡¯s school admission, Eleanor shifted her attention to the design sketches. Mindful of her eyesight, she took a break every two hours, basking in the outdoors. On one sech tranquil walk, the abrupt honk of a car disrupted her peace. As Eleanor raised her gaze, Robin, seated inside the car, gestured towards her. ¡°Ms. Shultz, would you minding here for a moment? There¡¯s something I require your assistance with Chapter 859 Chapter 859 ¡°Need a hand?¡± Eleanor strolled to the big iron gate, peeked through the bars at Robin outside. ¡°Step outside for a sec. I gotta talk to you¡± Robin tried to coax Eleanor patiently Eleanor held onto the bars, chin up ¡°Why should I step out?¡± Robin, unable to locate Emilia, had resorted to seeking her out. Who knows what he was nning? She wasn¡¯t going to budge Tve got a t tire any spare one I could use?¡± His reasoning seemed far¨Cfetched, even to the skeptical security guard at the gate. ¡°Mr Robin, this isn¡¯t a tire depot Need a tire? Try a garage Parading his shy car around Fiord Roundabout several times, even going to the extent of intentionally damaging his tire, all just to get near Eleanor Talk about dedication ¡°Don¡¯t park in front of my house. Get them out¡± Having said this to the security, Eleanor released the bars, spun around, and strolled off,pletely ignoring Robin Robin¡¯s face darkened instantly, his eyes filled with desperation and imitation. ¡°Eleanor, we¡¯re family I just wanna talk, why are you putting up walls?¡± When Eleanor heard her name from Robin, she froze in ce. They know who she is already? She slowly turned around staring at Robin in the car The man was already getting out of his car, walking towards the gate. The security guard at the door reached for his weapon as he saw him approach. ¡°Hait!¡± Robin didn¡¯t pay any attention to the security guard, but he stopped a certain distance from the gate. ¡°Eleanor, if you don¡¯t want me to spill your real identity to the Laurences,e out and meet me The Laurence family and the Pine family are arch¨Cenemies. If ke found out that their heir married a Pine girl, could Eleanor still be in the Laurence family? N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Eleanor really wanted to know why Robin was looking for Emilia, but at this moment, she couldn¡¯t admit her true identity, or she¡¯d be walking into a trap After some thought, Eleanor feigned confusion. ¡°What are you yammering about? I don¡¯t get it. Who¡¯s Elena? And who are you?¡± She simply acted like she didn¡¯t know Robin. They¡¯d only met once, so it was normal to forget him. Hearing Eleanor¡¯s words, Robin¡¯s face turned ugly. He clenched his fists, trying to stay calm. He reminded himself, Eleanor is his cousin. Robin gritted his teeth, forced himself to cool down. Then he let go of his fists, and held his head high, trying to smile. ¡°Eleanor, your real name is Elena, and you¡¯re Vanya¡¯s daughter. I¡¯m your cousin, Robin.¡± ¡°You¡¯re Robin?¡± Eleanor crossed her arms, looked at Robin up and down through the ck bars. ¡°I heard from my husband that you¡¯re his enemy¡± She then wore a puzzled look ¡°You¡¯re not making up a story to lure me out, kidnap me and then threaten my husband, are you?¡± Eleanor mimicked a richdy¡¯s demeanor, stretched out her manicured pointy finger, pointing at Robin¡¯s nose, arrogantly said. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t even think about it. We¡¯ve got loads of bodyguards; they will toss you out!¡± So far, the only word Roben had for Eleanor was ignorant Chapter 860 Chapter 860 He was aware that she had been brought up in an orphanage and had willingly be Bernard¡¯s mistress to rescue her ex¨Cboyfriend¨Ca rtionship that had endured five years Given these facts, Robin assumed that her education wasn¡¯t particrly impressive But was she truly thatcking¡± He tried to console himself that Eleanor simply had a few quirks¨Cnothing serious. ¡°Bernard must be aware of your history. If he hasn¡¯t told you, you can ask him. He¡¯ll tell you¡± Robin imed. Bernard was no simpleton¨Che had to be aware of Eleanor¡¯s identity he just hadn¡¯t disclosed it Robin himself wouldn¡¯t tell Eleanor either. It was only Eleanor s naivety that made her appear less than smart, and who would disclose such crucial information to a scatterbrain? Despite Bemard¡¯s silence, he was a faithfulpanion, even to the extent of marrying such a ditz. And he married someone from the Pine family Wasn¡¯t he afraid of being found out by the Laurence family? With that thought, Robin suddenly realized something.. Eleanor was his cousin, and she was married to Bernard. That meant Bernard was his inw This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. No way, he was NOT going to be rted to Bernard!!! The more he thought about it, the more it seemed off, and Robin suddenly didn¡¯t want to acknowledge Eleanor as his cousin any more. But he was a dutiful guy, so he swallowed it down. ¡°Why should I listen to you and ask my husband such a dumb question? Eleanor yed dumb. Robin¡¯s anger, which he had just suppressed, red up again. ¡°You, woman, why can¡¯t you understand?!¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I just need to stay pretty every day anyway¡± Robin was on the brink of losing control, eager to confront her, but Elbert held him back. ¡°Allow me to deal with this, just let me¡­ Elbert managed to calm the irate Robin and turned to Eleanor, disying a friendly face ¡°Do you recall when I mentioned that you bear a resemnce to one of my rtives?¡± Upon noticing that Elbert was in Robin¡¯spany. Eleanor¡¯s expression altered subtly, but she nodded, feigning ignorance. ¡°Yes, I remember. But didn¡¯t I tell you I underwent surgery to look like Emilia? Have you forgotten my previous appearance? Want another glimpse?¡± As she spoke, Eleanor reached for her phone in her pocket, but Elbert quickly intervened. ¡°No need to show me that unpleasant picture.¡± Compared to Robin, who had a short fuse, Elbert seemed to have more patience. ¡°My rtive saw you on TV receiving an award and said you looked just like another rtive of mine when she was young. So, don¡¯t use the stic surgery excuse. anymore¡± So, it was during the award ceremony that she was spotted by Robin¡¯s mom, which sparked the suspicion. Why would Robin¡¯s mom be interested in an architecture award ceremony? There wasn¡¯t even a live broadcast of their ceremony, only news reports uploaded to the inte, so how did she happen to see it? Was Robin¡¯s mom always keeping tabs on the architecture industry? Was the person who really wanted to find Emilia, Robin¡¯s mom? On consideration, Eleanor concluded that must be the case. Otherwise, Robin¡¯s mom wouldn¡¯t pay attention to the architecture industry. She must know that Emilia was a renowned international architect, which was why she kept an eye on the industry. But why did Robin¡¯s mom want to find Emilia? Chapter 861 Chapter 861 Eleanor was still trying to get her head around things when Elbert took a step forward He was talking to her from a distance, through the fence ¡°Maybe I would¡¯ve believed you didn¡¯t know anything about your origin if you hadn¡¯t lied to me about getting stic surgery. ¡°You not only deceived me, but also wouldn¡¯t let me take pictures, and even covered yourself with a scarf out of fear that my father would recognize you. ¡°All of this shows that you knew all along how much you resemble your mother when she was young. So you were scared we¡¯d recognize you.¡± With just a few sentences, Elbert had busted Eleanor¡¯s lies. Robin, who had originally nned to hop in the car and leave everything to Elbert, suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Eleanor Her demeanor had shifted from being smug to calm and serious, her eyes sparkling with rity. So.. was Eleanor who apparently knew everything, just messing with him?! This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. With a scoff, Robin strode forward, brushing past the bodyguards with determination and stood in front of Eleanor. Only a metal gate separated them, but through it, Robin dould clearly see Eleanor¡¯s features. She had striking eyebrows, beautiful eyes, and vibrant lips. Her hair, like seaweed, flevied to her waist. She was slim, her waist small, her scent fresh, and her charm irresistible Her deep, star¨Creflecting eyes captivated Robin. He¡¯d seen Eleanor before but hadn¡¯t truly noticed her. Now her image was indelible. ¡°Elbert has made his point. Stop toying with us.¡± Eleanor¡¯s eyes flickered, betraying nothing, as she watched Robin, held at gunpoint by the bodyguards. ¡°You¡¯re so certain I¡¯m your cousin without even doing a DNA test?¡± Did Elbert not say that one of Wendy, Vanya, and Tammie Pine wasn¡¯t a Pine family child? She believed Vanya couldn¡¯t be a Pine, otherwise why would the Pines treat her so poorly? Eleanor, who wanted to push Robin into doing a DNA test, sneered at them after saying this. ¡°You rich folks sure are casual about recognizing kin¡± Robin, hands in his pockets, looked her up and down. ¡°Your face is proof enough. We don¡¯t need a DNA test.¡± Her face was strikingly simr to Vanya¡¯s, which indeed made it hard for her to shake these two off. She could only probe their reasons for seeking her out. ¡°If you insist on iming I¡¯m your cousin, fine, whatever. Since we¡¯re done with this family reunion, why don¡¯t you two go home? I¡¯m tired and want to go to sleep.¡± Eleanor pretended to turn to leave, but Elbert beat Robin to the punch in stopping her. ¡°Hold on a moment.¡± Elbert tried to push past the bodyguard blocking him, but couldn¡¯t. He was left standing there, trying to persuade Eleanor. ¡°We didn¡¯t juste to find family. We also hoped you could say goodbye to Aunt Wendy onest time.¡± So that was why they sought her out? Was it that simple? Eleanor, suspicious of their motives, sized Elbert and Robin up.. Elbert¡¯s gaze was clear and bright, even a bit sincere. He didn¡¯t seem to be lying. But Robin, with his cold demeanor and inscrutable eyes, didn¡¯t look like a good guy Chapter 862 Chapter 862 ¡°She wishes to see her sister¡¯s kin before she passes away. That¡¯s why we¡¯re here¡± ¡°It¡¯s her only wish in this world. Can you travel with me to G country? I promise to bring you back safe after you meet her.¡± Had Eleanor Shultz not seen the video left by her mother, she might have been moved by Elbert Pine¡¯s words. After all, she¡¯s an orphan who years to find her own family. But unfortunately, Eleanor already knows the truth¡­ Vanya was once kicked out of the Pine family, while Wendy, Robin¡¯s mother, married Vanya¡¯s ex¨Cfianc¨¦ Not only was Evelyn Ziegler involved in the scheme, Wendy was also cunning How else could she have married into such a rich family so easily? Wendy marned Vanya¡¯s ex¨Cfianc¨¦ guilt¨Cfree. But when Vanya came asking for help with her two children, she offered no assistance Decadester, they sent two brothers to find Eleanor, hoping to see the kin of their sister onest time. Who would dare to do such a thing? Eleanor guessed that Elbert might not know the Spencer family¡¯s real intentions, and was just trying to persuade her out of goodwill. So she didn¡¯t me him, just shot a cold nce at Robin. ¡°If you want me to go to G country, go ask my husband. If he agrees, I¡¯ll go.¡± Robin, who had thought Eleanor was a fool, now had to take a second look. Pushing away the bodyguard¡¯s gun pointed at him, he took another step forward, leaning on the ck railing ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go. then I¡¯ll have to go find ke, and talk to him about your past¡­¡± Eleanor nervously looked at him, but still pretended not to care, smirking at Robin. ¡°Suit yourself.¡± After saying that. Eleanor quickly turned around, heading back to the castle. She needed to call Bernard as soon as possible, to figure out what to do. After all, Bernard¡¯s grandfather had always denied her. If he found out she was rted to the Pines¡­ She could ask for a DNA test to prove she¡¯s not from the Pine family. But that was risky. Who knows if the information Elbert provided was urate? If it was, she could use that as a reason to get rid of her Pine family identity, to fend off the Laurence family¡¯s hatred. If it wasn¡¯t, Bernard¡¯s grandfather would definitely go ballistic, probably even forcing them to divorce. She and Bernard had been marned for less than two months, their sweet and peace days hadn¡¯tsted long. She didn¡¯t want Robin to mess it up. Watching Eleanor¡¯s retreating figure, Elbert frowned. ¡°Bro, why does it seem like she doesn¡¯t believe us?¡± Robin shot a nce at the impassive bodyguard beside him, annoyance simmering, and made his way towards the car. ¡°Hey, bro, are we just leaving? Not trying to persuade her anymore?¡± ¡°If persuasion worked, she¡¯d be with us already!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ¡°So, what¡¯s the next step?¡± With Mrs. Pine apparently on death¡¯s doorstep, time was of the essence. ¡°What¡¯s next..¡± Robin flung open the car door, settled in, and cast a frosty look towards the castle. He had a penchant for resolving issues swiftly. Since she showed no fear of her identity being exposed, it was time to muddy the waters. Once she¡¯s kicked out of the Laurence family, would she still have so many bodyguards? By then, taking her by force would be a piece of cake! Robin buckled his seatbelt, ordering the driver to start the car. The driver, trembling, turned his head: ¡°Sir, the tire you just punctured it.¡­¡­. Did you forget? Robin gritted his teeth, and kicked the driver. ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you fixing it, what are you waiting for, me to turn into a tire?!¡± The driver, clutching his kicked arm, hastily opened the car door to find a spare tire. Hut looking around, only the Laurence family lived in the entire Fiord Roundabout. Was he supposed to walk down the mountain and call for another car? Inside the car, Robin, frustrated, ripped off his tie, took out his phone, and called kes Chapter 863 Chapter 863 Eleanor retumed to her living room and promptly dialed Bernard, divulging everything about Robin¡¯s unexpected drop in Already informed by his bodyguard, Bernand reassured her in a soothing tone, ¡°Stay calm, Eleanor. I¡¯ve got this.¡± He had been alerted by his bodyguard and had already reached out to Y Country, instructing them to monitor ke. If Robin intended to expose Eleanor, ke would be his first target. So Bernards strategy was to keep ke busy. The rest would be easy. On heanng his calm yet affectionate voice, Eleanor¡¯s anxiety began to recede, ¡°That¡¯s good I was worried sick.¡± Seated in his office, the man chuckled softly, a smile gracing his lips, ¡®Don¡¯t stress. Leave everything to me.¡± No matter what the situation, this was his go¨Cto phrase ¡°Okay, with you around, I won¡¯t worry.¡± A smirk appeared on Remard¡¯s face. ¡°If you want to step out, have Scott tag along. Don¡¯t be scared of anyone.¡± Scott was just Scott, one of Bernard¡¯s assistants alongside Caleb: He¡¯d been assigned to keep Eleanor safe. He¡¯d been prepared for Eleanor¡¯s identity to be exposed. He seemed to have everything under control, showing no signs of panic. Eleanor, phone in hand, sweetly replied ¡®Okay, thanks honey, hung up and went back to her design sketches. Bernard, putting down his phone, turned his stern gaze to Taylor, ¡°The project in North Fund is wrapped up. Why don¡¯t you go have a vacation abroad?¡± His father had been killed by Jensen Pine. If Robin was nning to make trouble for the Laurence family using Eleanor¡¯s background, he wanted his loyal brother to stay out of it to avoid any resentment towards Eleanor. Hearing this, Taylor pped Kendrick Laurence¡¯s thigh in surprise, ¡°Did you hear that? He¡¯s actually giving me a vacation. I¡¯m not hearing things, am I?¡± Kendrick, lounging on the couch, arms crossed, nced at Taylor, ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? It¡¯s just a vacation. I haven¡¯t had one in a year, and you don¡¯t see me freaking out Kendrick looked at Bernard, ¡°I haven¡¯t had a vacation in a year! Some people take a month off for their honeymoon, some get breaks for every project, and I haven¡¯t had a single day off. Must be nice for those in aerospace research, not needing any breaks..¡± Taylor chided, ¡°Quit your whining, didn¡¯t you get a week off when you got married? Bernard¡¯s been more than fair¡± Kendrick snorted, ¡°Do you know why I don¡¯t have a kid yet?¡± Taylor asked, ¡°Because you can¡¯t have one?¡± Kendrick red at him, ¡°Because I can¡¯t? Because I don¡¯t have time, okay?! I spend every day in the lab, I can hardly remember what my wife looks like, let alone have a kid¡±This is from N?velDrama.Org. Kendrick looked at Bernard, grinding his teeth, ¡°I haven¡¯t had a vacation in a year, I need a break!¡± Bernard, expressionless, said, ¡°You can¡¯t take a vacation until theb project is finished¡± Kendrick angrily stood up to leave, ¡°I don¡¯t want to stay here¡­¡± Taylor waved, ¡°Take care¡± Chapter 864 Chapter 864 Bernard checked the time, then turned to Taylor, ¡°nning to mooch off my lunch, are you?¡± Taylor waved his hand nonchntly, ¡°Nope, my wife¡¯s bringing me lunch. I¡¯ll hang here for a bit then take off Bernard blinked, ¡°Your wife¡­ delivers your lunch every day?¡± Taylor beamed, ¡°Yeah, she insists outdoor food is sketchy, so she prefers to deliver herself.¡± As if on cue, a graceful figure emerged outside the CEO¡¯s office. There stood Taylor¡¯s wife, lunch box in hand, waving at him Seeing his wife, Taylor sprang up. ¡°Time for me to split. Don¡¯t forget to eat.¡± As Taylor epted the lunch box from his wife and they strolled hand in hand towards the elevator, Bernard¡¯s expression subtly changed. He picked up his phone on the table, hesitated for a few seconds, then texted Eleanor [Eleanor, the grub at thepany canteen sucks] Eleanor, who was busy painting, blinked at the unexpected message. Well, how about eating out? There are plenty of posh restaurants near Laurence Group. Take your pick] Bernard raised an eyebrow before typing back. [No, the food outside sucks too] [What about takeaway then?] And just like that, the conversation ended. Looking at the popped up message, Bernard gave a wry smile. Forget it, he didn¡¯t want to bother his wife. She should just chill at home. Seeing that Bernard didn¡¯t reply to her message, Eleanor put down her paintbrush, propped her chin on her hand, and scrolled through their chat. Was he¡­ hinting that he wanted her to bring him lunch at thepany? She had never been to Laurence Group as Mrs. Laurence. Maybe she should check it out. With that in mind, Eleanor got up and went to the kitchen, personally cooked up some chicken soup, and prepared a few light dishes She put the food in a thermal container, called Scott, and with a bunch of bodyguards went to the Laurence Group. Bernard was sitting in front of hisputer when the knock came, ¡°Come in.¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. The CEO¡¯s assistant came in, ¡°Mr. Laurence, it¡¯s time for your grub.¡± The assistant, Amy, was Bernard¡¯s personal assistant. She was in charge of Bernard¡¯s meals during work hours, so she always reminded him to eat on time. Bernard didn¡¯t look up, just nodded and continued to focus on hisputer. Amy hesitated for a few seconds, then plucked up her courage to knock on the door again, ¡°Mr. Laurence, I¡­ I¡¯ve got your lunch.¡± Since her first day at thepany, Amy had been harboring a crush on Bernard. Hating recently been promoted to his personal assistant, she hoped this position would allow her to get closer to him. Without waiting for Bernard¡¯s nod, she approached his desk, cing a tastefully packaged lunch box on the surface. Once it was arranged, she passed Bernard a clean pair of cutlery, ¡°Mr. Laurence, have a taste. Let me know if you enjoy this ce¡¯s food. If so, I can order more. If not, I won¡¯t bother.¡± Just as Eleanor was nearing the CEO¡¯s office, she glimpsed this scene through the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window, her pace slowing. Chapter 865 Chapter 865 When Amy saw Bemard didn¡¯t take the lunch box she handed over and nced at her coldly, her heart rate spiked instantly. But she mustered the courage and handed it over again: ¡°Mr. Laurence, have a taste¡­¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. i Bernard¡¯s handsome face showed a touch of indifference, ¡°Who asked you to bring me lunch?¡± His personal assistant just needed to remind him to eat, and there was no need for these lowly, ingratiating acts. His words were cold, and Amy was a bit scared¡­ Aidyn said your stomach hasn¡¯t been good, I was worried about the hygiene of thepany¡¯s cafeteria, so I¡­ I volunteered to go out and buy some.¡± Bernard¡¯s eyes were full of disgust, ¡°Out!¡± Amy was so scared that she froze on the spot. She thought by bringing him lunch, he would see her as a thoughtful little assistant, but instead, he asked her to leave. Amy felt somewhat hurt, looking at the handsome man in front of her, who didn¡¯t even give her a nce, as if one extra look would make him feel disgusted. Amy considered herself beautiful and intelligent, and the male colleagues in thepany were always warm to her, but he was so cold. Even though she felt hunt, she knew she should leave, so she pouted her mouth, turned around and left, but was called back by Bernard. ¡°Hold on!¡± Hearing Mr. Laurence call her back, Amy thought she still had a chance and smiled again. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you¡­ Bernard¡¯s face was cold, and he said disgustingly: ¡°Take this trash away, and you, you¡¯re fired-* Even though the high¨Clevel executives and employees of the Lawrence Group did not attend his wedding, everyone in the Lawrence Group knew he was married. He still wore a wedding ring engraved with Eleanor¡¯s name on his finger. This assistant had the audacity to use work as an opportunity to get close to him. There¡¯s no need to keep such inappropriate people. The thought of being fired simply for bringing lunch had never crossed Amy¡¯s mind and tears immediately streamed down her cheeks. ¡°But Mr. Laurence, I only brought lunch, I didn¡¯t do anything wrong, why¡­¡± Before she couldplete her sentence, Bernard cut her off icily. ¡°Enough, leave now! Amy hadn¡¯t anticipated such cold¨Cheartedness from Bernard. Ovee with embarrassment and anger, her face flushed crimson.. Sobbing, she gathered her belongings from the table, snatched herrge bag to cover her face, and ran out, still weeping Observing the distraught girl flee, Eleanor was taken aback. She had been pondering ljow to address this situation. She hadn¡¯t foreseen Bernard dealing with it so. directly, sparing her the need to step in. It seemed her husband was quite loyal. Eleanor carried the thermos box and knocked on the door of the president¡¯s office. A cold voice came from inside, ¡°Get out!¡± Scott, who was following Eleanor, couldn¡¯t help but raise an eyebrow, ¡°Madam, he¡¯s aking you to leave.¡± Hearing this, Eleanor smiled, ¡°Scott, why don¡¯t you ask him if he¡¯s telling me to leave? Scott loved doing things like this and immediately nodded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll ask him, see what he says¡± Eleanor stepped aside, and Scott went ahead, pushed open the door of the presidents office, ¡°Sir, your wife came to bring you lunch.¡± Bernard thought Amy hade back, but it turned out to be Scott who opened the door, ¡°Where is she?¡± Scott, who liked to stir up trouble, deliberately said: ¡°Didn¡¯t you just tell her to leave? She¡¯s already left.¡± Eleanor, hiding on the side, couldn¡¯t help but cover her mouth andugh at Scott¡¯s mischief. Chapter 866 Chapter 866 Hearing that Eleanor had left, he hopped up in an instant, not hesitating to stride out if the room, making a beeline for the elevator Eleanor and Scott exchanged nces, then walked over and gave him a light pat on the shoulder ¡°Honey, I¡¯m right here, where the heck are you off 50?¡± Bernard turned his head to see Eleanor smiling at him in the sunlight, his mood instantly brightening up Eleanor held up the lunchbox in her hand, giving it a little shake in front of him, ¡°Let mosey on over to your office for lunch¡± Seeing the lunchbox in her hand, a surprised smile couldn¡¯t help but spread across Bernard¡¯s face. My wife brought me lunch at the office, how sweet! Bemard took the lunchbox in one hand, with his other hand he held Eleanor¡¯s, guiding her into the CEO¡¯s office ¡°What did the chef to prepare?¡± ¡°Actually, I made it myself¨Cfour dishes and a soup, all your favorites. Even Nina dost get treated like this¡± On hearing this, Bernard¡¯s grin broadened. ¡°How could Nina possiblypete with me?¡± Seeing his self¨Csatisfied expression, Eleanor couldn¡¯t resist ribbing him ¡°Had I known a hot babe was delivening your lunch, I wouldn¡¯t have made the effort Bernard¡¯s fingers, mid¨Cway in opening the lunchbox, halted ¡°Dear, that assistant took it upon herself to bring my lunch. She didn¡¯t have my consent. Don¡¯t get the wrong impression. I¡¯ve already sacked her Eleanor propped her check on one hand, looking at the flustered Bernard. ¡°You didn¡¯t just kick her out because I wasing, did you?¡± ¡°No need to exin, I know what men are like when they re at work¡± Bernard put down the lunchbox, wrapped his arm around Eleanor¡¯s waist, and pulleder onto hisp ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m not like other men, you¡¯re the only one for me, don¡¯t make jokes like that Eleanor, who had been nning to continue the joke, saw his senous face and decided to zip it ¡°I was just kidding¡± ¡°Even joking is off limits¡± Eleanor said nothing further N?velDrama.Org holds this content. His nagging was starting to get on Eleanor¡¯s nerves, and she nced at the lunchbek on the table. ¡°If you don¡¯t start eating soon, the food¡¯s gonna get cold¡­¡± Only then did Bernard stop talking and let her go. Before picking up his chopsticks, he gave her another piece of advice: ¡°Don¡¯t ever say things like that again.¡± Eleanor tried to get off hisp, but he held her waist, not letting her leave. ¡°Just sit tight, Il feed you¡± Although Eleanor wanted to say it wasn¡¯t necessary, she was worned he would start ragging again, so she obediently sat there, waiting for him to feed her. Before Bemard started feeding her, he took out his phone and snapped a photo Eleanor leaned over to take a look, seeing him editing an Instagram post, her eyes widened. ¡°You¡¯re not really going to post this on Instagram, are you?¡± Berard simply nodded. He wanted Taylor to see that his wife would bring him tuncpo, right? ¡°You¡¯re actually tagging Taylor?¡± ¡°Because he rubs me the wrong way¡± ¡°Mr. Laurence, is there anyone in the Laurence family you fancy?¡± ¡°No¡± The man responded curtly, put down his phone, picked up a soup spoon, and offered Eleanor the first mouthful. He kept feeding her until she was full, then finished the remainder himself Eleanor slid off hisp and took a seat on the sofa next to him. She rested her check on one hand, observing Bernard eat slowly. He¡¯s a germophobe and quite an intense one But he¡¯s never exhibited any signs of repulsion around her Her husband truly loves her Eleanors heart swelled with affection, her gaze softening as she watched him She was content to spend her life with him just like this, paying for divine blessings when she saw him finish eating, she moved to tady the lunchbox, but the man stopped her He caught her hand, ced it in his own, and gazed at her with his beautiful eyes ¡°Darling don¡¯t do this again Your hands are meant for sketching designs, not for cooking¡± Eleanor, standing up, bent slightly towards the man¡¯s ear and whispered, Chapter 867 Chapter 867 ¡°If you get me a lychee rose every morning. I¡¯ll bring you lunch every noon. Let¡¯s see whosts longer Bernard broke into a grin, hus eyes bright as sunshine, lighting up the room. ¡®Mrs. Laurence, you¡¯re such a gem.¡± ¡°Im not that great, the first lunch was made by me, but the rest will be the chef¡¯s job She didn¡¯t have much time to cook, but¡­ ¡°On special asions, I¡¯ll cook for you¡± Eleanor finished, picking up mouthwash and handing it to Bernard He had a habit of cleaning his mouth after meals. Bernard took the mouthwash and headed for the bathroom. When he came out, he saw Eleanor leaning against the bookshelf, holding a book on management. She was standing in the sunshine, peach fuzz on her face sparkling in the light. In the sunlight, her skin was as wless as a peeled egg, making Bernard¡¯s heart skip a beat His clear eyes flickered with unusual emotions. He nced at the resting room in the office, thinking about the bed inside¡­. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°Honey¡± He walked up to Eleanor with a mischievous smile. ¡°We haven¡¯t done it in the office yet, want to give it a try?¡± Hearing this, Eleanor quickly straightened up and moved away from him. ¡°Stay away!¡± Although Bernard said to stay away, he still walked up to Eleanor and picked her up ¡°It¡¯s lunch break, no one will disturb us.¡± He kicked I open the door to the resting room, then closed it with his foot. With a bang, the curtain automatically pulled up, and the resting room darkened. ¡°Bernard, the office is for work, not for messing around¡± Eleanor tried to persuade him, but it was no use. He started to kiss her. Eleanor pushed him away, ¡°I don¡¯t want to!¡± He replied in a deep voice, ¡°Wait for another two minutes, and you won¡¯t say you don¡¯t want it.¡± Eleanor wanted to voice her disbelief, but his kiss preemptively silenced her. His fervor washed over her like a wave, immersing her in the ambiance of a tropical rainforest Her body softened, and her legs instinctively coiled around his waist. She clutched the bedsheet, stealing a nce at the bedside clock. As expected, two minutes had passed. When Bernard ended the kiss, he abruptly pulled away and cast a look at Eleanor. ¡°Do you still want to leave now?¡± Eleanor defiantly replied. ¡°Yes.¡± Bernard nodded and climbed off the bed. As she surveyed his smooth muscr lines, she perceived him as more than just attractive, he exuded a potent masculine allure. This robust masculine allure triggered her hormones, leaving Eleanor¡¯s lips parched and inducing a sensation of thirst. But to take the initiative, that was impossible. She could never express her desires in this situation, it was too embarrassing! She pulled the nket over her face, but also lifted aer, secretly watching Bernand He was slowly getting dressed, looking like he had no intention of going any further Eleanor stared at his firm abs and the hair hanging down covering his handsome food She gritted her teeth and reached out from under the nket, making a surrender gesture at him, ¡°Honey, I surrender¡± Chapter 868 Chapter 868 Bernard gave a sideways nce at the woman wrapped up in a nket, with only on finger showing, a smile tugging at his lips ¡°Come over.¡± Eleanor was a shy girl. She asked him toe over, but he asked her toe. Washit that her making the first move? Eleanor was a bit miffed. ¡°Youe over.¡± Bemard¡¯s eyelids twitched slightly, suppressing the urge to kiss her. He bowed his head, pretending nothing was amiss, and continued dressing. Seeing him about to buckle his belt, Eleanor suddenly threw off the nket and rushed over to hug his waist. ¡°You forced me to make the first move.¡± When her hands wrapped around his waist, Bernard let out a sigh of relief. He was about to lose control, ready to give up. But his wife couldn¡¯t hold back either. It was kinda nice¡­ A smile yed on Bernard¡¯s lips as he turned around. His hand gripped Eleanor¡¯s body and lifted her into his arms. He lowered his head, about to kiss her, but was stopped by her hand. ¡°Slow down, let me do it¡­ Bernard raised on eyebrow, disbelief in his eyes. ¡°You do it? How are you gonna do it? Eleanor, who wanted to get back at him, got off him, and suddenly pulled his belt, causing both to fall back onto the bed. Her cold hand slid from his abs to his belt. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Bernard watched her fingers linger on the lines of his abs for a few seconds before she suddenly unbuckled his belt- ¡°Honey, what what are you gonna do?¡± Eleanor seductively lowered her head and kissed his lips. ¡°Do what you want to do.¡± The faint scent of a woman,ced with a hint of a kiss, grazed his lips, triggering a light numbness Bernard felt warmth pooling in his belly, and with a growing surge of heat, his rising excitement transported him to a state of euphoria. Impatiently, he gripped Eleanor¡¯s waist, intending to flip her over for a fervent kiss. However, just as he moved to part her thighs, Eleanor halted his hand. Confused, Bernard lifted his gaze to her, questioning, ¡°Huh? We¡¯re not doing it? Eleanor shook her head, suddenly reversing their positions by pushing him down and straddling him. Bernard was perplexed, his eyes locked on the enticing woman before him¡­. ¡°You¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Bernard¡¯s body stiffened. This was the first time his wife had done this in bed. For a moment, Bernard¡¯s body was burning, he wanted to meld her into his bones, drowning in her sweet kisses. Two minutester- Eleanor nibbled on his earlobe and seductively asked: ¡°Honey, do you want it?¡± The man controlled by desire gently nodded, ¡°Yes¡­¡± Eleanor¡¯s lips curled into a victorious smile as she leaned down to continue kissing him. Three minutester- The man, unable to bear it, grabbed her head, pressing his forehead against hers, begging her: ¡°Honey, you¡¯re driving me crazy¡± Eleanor raised her finger, gently pushing his shoulder away. ¡°I won¡¯t let you- It wasn¡¯t just that she wouldn¡¯t let him, she also pushed him away when he was on the verge of going mad. Then, she picked up her clothes off the floor, quickly ran into the bathroom, and locked the door. Hey, you think you can outsmart her? Deal with it yourself, dude! Chapter 869 Chapter 869 A man brimming with desires, sneaking a nce at the captivating figure in the bathroom, suddenly grasped that he had been outwitted Keeping his desires in check, he casually grabbed a towel nearby, wrapped it around his lower half, and leaned against the door. ¡°Honey, how long are you nning to stay in there?¡± he asked Eleanor, changing clothes, heard his voice but didn¡¯t turn around ¡°Until you lose your boner, she answered. She¡¯d wait for him to lose his interest and then make her escape. Laughing softly, Bemard responded, ¡°Alright, stay in there then, I¡¯ve got a meeting to attend Eleanor wasn¡¯t about to fall for his ploy, she¡¯d rather sit on the toilet, scrolling through her phone than go out. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Halfway down the hallway, Bernard noticed that she hadn¡¯t emerged from the bathroom. Seems like his wife had grown wiser. After stanng at the bathroom door for a while, Bernard changed his clothes, turned around and left the lounge. Heaning the sound of the door opening and closing. Eleanor thought he had really left She got up, tiptoed to the door, and quietly opened it She peeked through the crack, scanned the lounge, didn¡¯t see Bernard anywhere, so she stepped out Just as she was about to quickly open the lounge door, she bumped into someone. Deanor looked up along the strong chest, saw a perfect face, smiling at her ¡°Honey, you need to be punished for fooling me.¡± ¡°No way!¡± Eleanor tried to retreat and run back into the bathroom, but he lifted her up. He held hr, threw her onto the bed, and couldn¡¯t wait to press down on her. ¡°Today, whether you agree or not, you¡¯ll have to ept.¡± His desire red up, and it must be extinguished, or he wouldn¡¯t be able to stand it. Eleanor got into the car. She leaned powerlessly against the window, rested for a while, then picked up her phone to check the time¡­ Four¨Cthirty, an entire afternoon wasted by him, really pisses one off¡­ Eleanor gritted her teeth and said to Scott, ¡°Scott, Nina gets off at five, let¡¯s pick her up from school first.¡± The school she arranged for Nina was the same one Ismael was in, very secure, no need to worry too much. Scott, who was driving, nced at her, ¡°Madam, you look pretty beat, do you still have the energy to pick up the kid?¡± His words made Eleanor blush, ¡°. I¡¯m not tired. Scott frowned, ¡°Really? You can barely walk, and you¡¯re saying you¡¯re not tired?¡± Eleanor helplessly covered her forehead. What kind of person had Bernard found? Just like him, they dared to say anything Scott said, ¡°How about I drop you home first, then send someone else to pick up the Hid?¡± Eleanor: ¡°Whatever.¡± If they continued the chat, she was afraid Scott would ask her what it felt like to be mate with Bernard. Eleanor leaned against the car window and rested for a while. When she opened her eyes, the car slowly stopped at Fiord Roundabout. She got off the car and looked up to see a bunch of people standing outside the castle Bryson was inside the iron gate, hesitating whether to open it. He was facing Eleaner¡¯s direction, so he saw Eleanor get out of the car through the crowd ¡°Bryson, Eleanor is back, why don¡¯t you ask her if they cane in¡­¡± After the Bernard transferred Bryson from Laurence Manor to Fiord Roundabout, he told him, no one was allowed into the castle, including the people of the Laurence family, unless they were friends of the madam, or no one coulde in. Bryson, who strictly adhered to this rule, was almost pissed off by ke. Now seeing Eleanor back, he felt like he had seen a lifesaver ¡°Madam, ke says he has something to discuss with you¡­ Eleanor stood in front of the car door. When ke turned around, she instinctively clenched her phone. Chapter 870 Chapter 870 There¡¯s a whole bunch of people, all members of the Laurence family led by ke. These included rtives Cedric had mentioned and others Eleanor barely knew, having only seen them at the wedding. The minute theyid their eyes on Eleanor, they were seething with hostility. They looked like they wanted to tear her into pieces right there and then Under such gazes, Eleanor started breaking out in a cold sweat, instantly soaking her clothes ke, leaning on his cane, approached Eleanor, sizing her up with his sharp eyes. ¡°Should I call you Ms. Shultz, or Ms. Elena?¡± Looks like Robin had spilled the beans. Eleanor gripped her phone tightly, ncing back at Scott. Scott, sitting in the car, had already sent a message to Bernard. Seeing Eleanor looking his way, he nodded at her immediately. Taking the hint, Eleanor gathered her courage to face ke again. ¡°Grandpa, let¡¯s go inside to talk.¡± ¡°No!¡± ke raised his hand to stop her. ¡°Don¡¯t call me grandpa.¡± Despite her inner turmoil, Eleanor kept herposure and responded gently, ¡°Then just call you ke.¡± ke scoffed dismissively. ¡°Whatever you call me, it can¡¯t change the fact that youte from the Pine family. You changed your name, got close to my grandson, schemed your way into bing his wife. What are you up to? Are you seeking revenge against the Laurence family, or after our wealth?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Eleanor paused, then replied, ¡°ke, I grew up in an orphanage in A City. My name was given by the headmistress, as was my ID. I¡¯m Eleanor, and I¡¯ve never changed my name. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can check. There are records¡± ke didn¡¯t buy it. ¡°The Pine family excels in forging IDs. I¡¯ve been fooled once, do you think I would fall for it again?¡± Eleanor was puzzled, but didn¡¯t have time to think it over. ¡°ke, everything I said is true. I¡¯ve always been Eleanor. As for Ms. Elena, I only found out recently Besides, my mother has been expelled from the Pine family. She and I have nothing to do with the Pine family anymore. Moreover, my mother might not even be from the Pine family. You can¡¯t¡­¡± ke cut her off impatiently. ¡°Enough, no amount of exnation will do.¡± In other words, as long as she was from the Pine family, regardless of her reasons, like would never let her off. Eleanor said nothing more. ¡°ke, why did you bring all these people? What do you Want?¡± ke was direct. ¡°Divorce Bernard, and leave the Laurence family immediately.¡± Eleanor responded somewhat helplessly, ¡°ke, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t agree to that.¡± How could she divorce Bemard? How could she survive without him? ¡°Ms. Elena, do you know how many people the Laurence family lost because of the Pine family?¡± He raised his cane, pointing at an old woman, ¡°Her husband was killed by Jensen Pe¡± He then pointed at a young girl next to the old woman, ¡°Her mother was killed by Jensen¡¯s son, Sheldon¡­¡± Each time he pointed his cane, it was as if he was counting a lost life. His gaze swept across the courtyard, where everyone was a member of the Laurence family. all of them viewing the Pine family as mortal enemies. Finally, ke¡¯s canended on two portraits, ¡°My son and daughter¨Cinw, they were just in G country for a project, but met with disaster in a foreignnd.¡± At this point, ke¡¯s eyes turned red, filled with endless hatred. ¡°It was the Pines who killed them, who killed my son. Do you think I can tolerate your presence?!¡± Chapter 871 Chapter 871 ke¡¯s next words came out as a roar, showing just how much he despised the Pine family. But Eleanor was so Innocent. She had never even met the elders of the Pine family, yet she was the first to face the family¡¯s hatred. ¡°ke, I get your pain and sympathize with all that you guys have been through, but this has nothing to do with me, I haven¡¯t.¡± She wanted to say that she wasn¡¯t part of it, but suddenly, ke¡¯s cane came crashing down towards her. He moved so fast that Eleanor couldn¡¯t dodge in time and her small arm took the full force of the blow. The old man tried to swing again, but before his cane couldnd, it was caught by a hand. Scott snatched the cane away, rested it on his knee and snapped it in half. ¡°I¡¯m here, anyone who tries to bully ma¡¯am will have to go through me first!¡± Scott had thought that ke, at least, was a reasonable old man, but he was shocked to see him lose his rationality andsh out at Eleanor Caught off guard, Scott was a step toote when ke swung the first time, leaving Eleanor to bear the brunt. After ring at the old man, Scott tumed to Eleanor. ¡°Are you okay?¡± The pain from the hard object striking flesh indeed hurt a lot, but Eleanor bravely shook her head. She held her left arm, raised her eyes and looked at the still furiously old man. ¡°ke, it¡¯s clear that even if you beat me up, it won¡¯t erase the hatred in your heart. Instead, it¡¯ll drive a wedge between you and your grandson. Why would you do that?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ke roared. ¡°You¡¯ve got my grandson wrapped around your finger, making him lose his senses, even forget his family¡¯s hatred. Why, you ask?¡± Initially, ke held reservations about Eleanor¡¯s suitability for his grandchild. Nevertheless, he chose to honor Bernard¡¯s wishes and allowed their marriage to proceed. In a surprising turn of events, he epted Eleanor¡¯s wedding invitation and attended the ceremony. ke firmly believed that marriagescking the blessings of elders were destined for unhappiness. Despite his reservations, he secretly yearned for his grandson¡¯s marriage to be filled with joy. Consequently, he set aside his pride and joined the celebration. Little did ke anticipate that Eleanor belonged to the Pine family¨Cthe sworn enemies of the Laurences. The head of the Laurence household marrying into the Pines? 1f Eleanor harbored any hidden agenda, it could spell doom for the Laurences This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. -Even though Bernard now managed all of their assets, ke couldn¡¯t idly stand by and watch. The Laurence family had toiled relentlessly to build their business, and it couldn¡¯t be wrested away by the Pines. Knowing reasoning with ke might not work, Eleanor changed her strategy, ¡°ke, how about this, you guyse in and sit for a while. Wait for Bernard toe back from work and then ask for his opinion. Divorce isn¡¯t something you can just talk about and it¡¯s done¡± Whether Bernard would agree or not, ke knew well. That¡¯s why he came to Eleanor in advance, ¡°Divorce isn¡¯t just talk. But if you agree to divorce, I can make him. agree.¡± Eleanor frowned, ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, I won¡¯t agree.¡± The other members of the Laurence family snickered at her words, ¡°If you don¡¯t agree, then we¡¯ll resort to the Laurence family¡¯s way of dealing with enemies¡­¡± Chapter 872 Chapter 872 Eleanor lifted her head, looking at the person who was speaking. ¡°What¡¯s your game?¡± Bernard¡¯s sister, hands on hips and high heels clicking, strutted up to Eleanor, ¡°We should off her¡± The way the Pine family treated the Laurence family, is exactly how the Laurences would treat the Pine family. No one had it easy Eleanor wondered, when would this cycle of vengeance end? Wasn¡¯t it just fueling the fire of hatred? But this idea, the Laurence family wouldn¡¯t buy it. They thought if divorce wasn¡¯t on the table then killing her was fair game How cold blooded. Eleanor was a bit lost. She looked at ke, ¡°ke, you should consider Bernard¡¯s feelings.¡± Using Bernard¡¯s feelings to threaten him, that was augh, ¡°Ms. Elena, in this world, no one is indispensable¡± Just like Bernard¡¯s father, he lost that woman, yet he still married Donna Stanley Laurence, had kids, and Bernard could do the same. Eleanor looked down at her own wnst, thinking of the four scars on Bernard¡¯s wrist, and fell into deep thought, ¡°He¡¯s tried to off himself four times for me. The love between Bernard and me, it¡¯s the kind that was even more important than life itself. If either of us lost the other, we¡¯d seek death. Do you really want to see him dead?¡± Her words struck a chord in ke. He remembered the scenes of Bernard being saved time and time again. His eyes showed a glimmer of pity. ¡°Of course I don¡¯t want him to die, so I want you to divorce him. If you agree to the divorce, I¡¯ll ensure your safety¡± Eleanor clutched her throbbing arm, her plea filled with desperation, ¡°We¡¯ve shared so many years together. Can¡¯t you see that we wouldn¡¯t just dissolve our mamage like that?¡± She exerted all her efforts to sway the old man, hoping he could release his animosity and cease meddling in their union. However, ke remained unyielding, his voice stern, ¡°You must divorce. It is imperative that you part ways!¡± Eleanor yearned to question why their togetherness was deemed impossible, but befere she could utter a word, Bernard¡¯s sister intervened, curtly cutting her off, ¡°Don¡¯t bother exining to her. It¡¯s futile. Once our brother arrives, he will owe us an exnation.¡± ¡°Arlene speaks the truth. He owes us an exnation. This predicament cannot be remedied through divorce alone! We require answers!¡± This group of rtives, previously exiled by Bernard, seized the opportunity to reim their stake in the Laurence Group, hence their alliance with ke. They sought to exploit him once more, ensnaring him in an unspeakable secret. Deep dowit all ke truly desired was to separate Eleanor from Bernard, employing any means necessary, even lending support to the rest of the Laurence family in tormenting her No matter what these people said, Eleanor had Bryson open the door and let them in Scott, fearing ke would get violent again, stuck close to Eleanor. After Eleanor led everyone in, she had the servants make tea and took her seat at the head of the table. ke told Eleanor to stand, saying she didn¡¯t deserve to sit at the head, but Eleanor didn¡¯t back down this time ¡°ke, I¡¯m still my husband¡¯s wife, so I¡¯m thedy of this house. It¡¯s only fitting that it here.¡± She leaned back on the sofa, arms crossed, looking every bit the mistress of the house, which made ke a bit ufortable. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see how long you can keep up this charade!¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Once they were divorced, Eleanor would be like a stray dog, kicked out of the Laurenior family! Eleanor¡¯s confidence stemmed from her belief that Bernard wouldn¡¯t divorce her, so she waited patiently. Chapter 873 Chapter 873 At about quarter past six, the man who heard about Eleanor getting hit by his grandfather came strutting in from outside the castle, long legs moving fast. He had a whole squad of bodyguards trailing behind him, and they all lined up behind the folks from the Laurence family who were sitting on the couch. The scene was like they were there to wipe them out. The distant rtives of the Laurence family got a bit antsy and shrunk back Arlene just scoffed and sneered, ¡°What¡¯re you up to?¡± Bemard didn¡¯t even nce at her, walking straight to Eleanor and checking out her arm. The bright red mark of a cane on her exposed arm, was indented into her skin, it was clear that a lot of force had been used Bernard tenderly touched it, and Eleanor winced in pain. It wasn¡¯t an act ¨C it really hurt likely a bone injury. When she pulled back her arm, Bernard¡¯s heart ached too. ¡°Aidyn, get a doctor, now! T Aidyn agreed, whipping out his phone and calling Liana, asking her to bring an orthopedic doctor ASAP Bernard tenderly ran his hand through Eleanor¡¯s hair, his voice filled with determination. I will seek justice on your behalf.¡± Having finished speaking, he stood tall and fixed a piercing gaze upon the old man You were responsible for this, weren¡¯t you?¡± ke exhibited no shame as he unabashedly admitted, ¡°So what if I was? Are you going to retaliate?¡± As the elder and Bernard¡¯s grandfather, he saw no issue with disciplining his wife, especially considering her connection to the Pine family. Bernard emitted a coldugh, his icy gaze shifting towards Scott. ¡°Bring me the card Without hesitation, Scott handed over the fractured walking stick to Bernard. Bernard took hold of it and tossed it before ke. ¡°Whichever hand you used, use that one to strike yourself. Do it on your own ord.¡± ke and the rest of the Laurence family were left in stunned silence. Arlene was the first to regain her composure, her words filled with indignation, ¡°He is your grandfather! Are you truly going to let him harm himself over an enemy? Do you not possess any respect for your elders?¡± Eleanor attempted to pull Bernard back upon hearing these words, but he firmly held her hand and settled down beside her, crossing his long legs. Tilting his sharply chiseled chin, he locked eyes with ke and uttered with a piercing gaze, ¡°She is my wife, and he struck her. Does that demonstrate any respect for me?¡± Arlene, unable to keep her cool, pointed at Eleanor and used, ¡°Grandpa knew she¡¯s from the Pine family and was worried she had ulterior motives for marrying you. He just scolded her a bit and she argued back, saying it had nothing to do with her. Clearly, she was the one being disrespectful, that¡¯s why grandpa hit her!¡± The Laurence family chimed in, ¡°Yeah, you can¡¯t just ignore that. She was the one bang disrespectful to ke first. Can¡¯t an elder discipline anymore?¡± Eleanor, who was initially going to let it go, closed her mouth when she heard this. Her clear eyes stared straight at ke. In her view, even though the old man never epted her, he was not a stubborn person who couldn¡¯t tell right from wrong. But to her surprise, he chose to remain silent. Luckily, Scott, who witnessed the whole thing, stepped forward, ¡°Bullshit. Thedy was always polite. It was ke who couldn¡¯t handle his anger and didn¡¯t even let her finish talking before he hit her!¡± Arlene wanted to argue back, but Scott¡¯s next words shut her up, ¡°Enough talking. There are security cameras all around the castle. We should check the footage before saying anything else!¡±N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Chapter 874 Chapter 874 As soon as they heard about checking surveince, everyone in the room went silent Arlene, however, didn¡¯t back down, ¡°Grandpa hit you out of anger You know as well as I do, my mom, and the rest of the Laurence family, were all killed by the Pine family. And you married a woman from the Pine family How could grandpa not be mad? He hit you because he was too angry!¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Arlene sure can talk, but unfortunately for her, Bernard wasn¡¯t buying it. ¡°The feud with the Pine family and hitting my wife are two different things.¡± Bemard pointed directly at the two broken pieces of the cane resting on the table, his voice resolute, ¡°You¡¯ve always taught me that what goes aroundes around. Let¡¯s witness you striking yourself with this stick first, and then we can address the matter of the Pine family.¡± In essence, regardless of what was being said, Bernard was unwavering in his determination to have ke inflict self¨Cpunishment with the cane as retribution for his wife. Without this act, he deemed any further discussion meaningless. ke¡¯s face tumed pallid, his anger causing his chest to rise and fall rapidly. ¡°So, Beinard, you¡¯ve found some courage now, huh? You think you can bully me?¡± Bernard sat upnght, his gaze fixed upon ke, his tone icy, Tve aheady told you, she is my life. Any harm inflicted upon her is a blow against me. If you choose to disregard my words, why should I hesitate to treat you harshly?¡± What had ke ever done for him? He had stood idly by while Donna subjected him to abuse, relentlessly exploiting him. What else could be expected? In his memory, he never felt any familial love. If he didn¡¯t have any use, they probably would¡¯ve thrown him away long ago! The only light in Bernard¡¯s life was Eleanor. But why couldn¡¯t these people let him be? Feeling his hand trembling slightly. Eleanor knew he was remembering his unhappy childhood. She held his hand back, trying to reassure him. With the warmth of her hand, she told Bemard. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m always by your side, always with you, never leaving or abandoning you. Bernard¡¯s hand finally steadied, ¡°I won¡¯t let her get hurt for no reason. So, do as I say! ke looked at Bernard with utter disappointment, ¡°I guess I made the wrong choice when picking my sessor Bernard didn¡¯t care. He tilted his head, his hair falling down on his forehead, ¡°It¡¯s toote for regrets now! ke, extremely disappointed, nodded, ¡°Okay, I understand¡­ He reached out for the cane on the table and held it. As he stroked it, his eyes reddened. Seeing ke¡¯s sorrowful expression, Eleanor stood up to stop him, ¡°ke, if you hit yourself today, then tomorrow Bernard will have the reputation of disrespecting his elders. I don¡¯t want him to disappoint the Laurences because of me, so I won¡¯t let you do this.¡± Bernard didn¡¯t care about his reputation; he just didn¡¯t want Eleanor to suffer for hing But Eleanor shook her head at him, signaling him to let her handle it. Bernard, suppressing his anger, remained silent. After Eleanor took the stick from ke, she looked at him and said gently, ¡°You hit mic with this stick, so consider it a punishment on behalf of the Pines. But ke, there are many misunderstandings. I hope you can calm down and let me exin everything to you, okay?¡± Chapter 875 Chapter 875 To ke¡¯s astonishment, it wasn¡¯t his granddaughter seated next to him or Bernard in the prominent position who took the cane from his hand¨Cit was Eleanor herself, the one who had just been struck by it. Eleanor¡¯s gentle andpassionate smile managed to stir something within ke You are a Pine, and there is nothing that needs to be addressed,¡± he stated. Eleanor, unperturbed by her Pine lineage, responded, ¡°Regardless of whether I am a Pine or not, there is still something that needs to be rified¡± She ced the cane back onto the table and directed her words to everyone present am aware of the longstanding enmity between the Pines and the Laurences. I understand that you have suffered the loss of loved ones, and it is undoubtedly painful. However, what you may not know is that the Pines have endured far greater losses than the Laurences, as far as my knowledge goes.¡± ¡°You drove the Pines away to G country, and to this day, they dare not provoke the Laurences. I was not even born when the Laurences subjected the Pines to such cruelty. It is truly unfair to heap all this hatred onto me, Eleanor asserted. Arlene scoffed, ¡°As long as you¡¯re a Pine, you can never be innocent!¡± Eleanor nced at Arlene but didn¡¯t retort immediately. Instead, she continued, ¡°I¡¯ve already exined to ke that my mom, though from the Pine family, was kicked out when she was young, and has long severed lies with them. ¡°Even if I am a Pine, they don¡¯t acknowledge me or my mom. Why should we bear the consequences of the disputes caused by them? That¡¯s not fair to us!¡± After saying this, Eleanor stressed again, ¡°Besides, I grew up in an orphanage and never even met my mom. I don¡¯t even know how many people there are in the Pine family. How could I possibly be a spy sent by them? It just doesn¡¯t make sense Bernard¡¯s family members, trembling, interrupted, ¡°How do we know if what you¡¯re saying is true or false?¡± Before Eleanor could reply, Cedric, dressed in a white suit, walked in from the door, true!¡± Everyone¡¯s attention turned to Cedric, ¡°You better have proof to back up your words, don¡¯t just take Bernard¡¯s side for no reason.¡± Cedric took off his coat and casually threw it to a servant, then sat down nonchntly. ¡°Of course I have proof, or else do you think I would just bber?¡± Arlene reached out to him, ¡°If you have proof, then show it to us.¡± Cedric crossed his legs and nced at her, ¡°If you want to see it, look it up yourself. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s hard to find.¡± Arlene¡¯s face turned red with anger, ¡°You!¡± Cedric took his eyes off her and looked at ke, ¡°Grandpa, this happened so many years ago. Bernard was just a baby when they passed away. He¡¯s been living with his uncle, and he doesn¡¯t hold a grudge about it. Why are you still hung up on the past? ¡°Besides, didn¡¯t we already hit the Pines pretty hard? Only one son of Jensen from their generation is left. We¡¯ve caused them a great deal of harm. The current head of the Pine family is that son, Sheldon, and he¡¯s been very well¨Cbehaved in recent years. He hasn¡¯t done anything drastic, and hasn¡¯t evenN?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ke¡¯s face darkened even more, ¡°Cedric, have you grown bold enough to criticize me?!¡± ke roared, causing Cedric to lower his voice, ¡°I just wish¡­¡°. Chapter 876 Chapter 876 ke was livid, ¡°You dare to argue with me?¡± Cedric quieted down, fearing he might really piss grandpa off. The Laurence family began to bicker, apparently demanding an exnation from Bernard. Bernard, seated on the sofa, was losing his patience with the noisy crowd, ¡°What my wife said is all true. The Pine family¡¯s issue has nothing to do with her. If you don¡¯t believe it, check it out yourself. If you still want to hold grudges against her, don¡¯t me me for not showing mercy¡± In short, even if the investigation results contradicted with what Eleanor said, he would firmly protect Eleanor. The Laurences seemed to have seen through his mind. But as the family patriarch, was it really a good thing to act like this for a woman? This is from N?velDrama.Org. Arlene anticipated that this woman would eventually exploit Bernard¡¯s vulnerability Once a person in power revealed their weakness, they were bound to be taken advantage of. She eagerly awaited the day when he would regret his actions Unfazed by their thoughts. Bernard confidently raised his hand and signaled to his bodyguards. ¡°Escort them out,¡± hemanded. The Laurence family members who hade seeking shares couldn¡¯t simply leave without a response ¡°ke, say something! We can¡¯t allow this woman from the Pine family to dismiss the Laurences¡® grudge as if it has no relevance to her,¡± one of them implored. The wife of ke¡¯s brother, Beck squinted her weary eyes, fixing her gaze on Eleanor ke, regardless of the circumstances, she is a member of the Pine family. You must handle her just as you did before. Otherwise, I won¡¯t keep your secret any longer!¡± Heaning this, the Laurences started to ask, ¡°What secret, Beck?¡± Becl didn¡¯t respond, her silent gaze shifted to ke. ke felt a little panicked inside, but kept cool on the surface, ¡°Don¡¯t ask about thing you shouldn¡¯t know!¡± They respected ke and kept silent. Only Arlene looked thoughtful at her grandpa After ke calmed everyone down, he promised thedy. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle this You take the others back first.¡± Having received ke¡¯s promise, Beck leaned on the sofa, suppressing her physical weakness, and left with the Laurences As they walked away, they could still be heard asking, ¡°Is this really it?¡± Beck stopped and turned back to look at ke in the living room, ¡°He will handle it. Let¡¯s just wait¡­¡± After they left, ke straightened up and told Bernard and Eleanor seriously. ¡°You two must divorce!¡± Cedric was the first to react, ¡°Why, grandpa? It¡¯s been so long, don¡¯t ruin their marriage over this!¡± ke nced at Arlene sitting next to him, ¡°You should leave too.¡± Arlene sensed that grandpa was about to reveal a secret but didn¡¯t want her to know. Clearly, he didn¡¯t trust her. She was a bit pissed off, grabbed her bag and prepared to leave, ¡°You¡¯re always like this, only caring about your grandson and ignoring me, your granddaughter.¡± For the first time, ke felt that having too many descendants was not necessarily a good thing, as it was impossible to satisfy everyone. ¡°It¡¯s in your best interest not to know about this.¡± Arlene didn¡¯t quite believe him, but ke was her biggest support in the Laurence family. Even if she didn¡¯t believe him, she had to listen, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll leave then¡­¡± After Arlene left, ke became extremely serious, ¡°Even if there¡¯s no feud, you can¡¯t be with her¡­¡± Bernard rested his forehead in one hand, clearly annoyed, ¡°Just spit it out, stop talking in riddles.¡± Chapter 877 Chapter 877 ke got up, ¡°Come to the study with me.¡± Did he mean he didn¡¯t want to discuss it in front of Cleaner and Cedric? Cedric and Eleanor exchanged nces, then looked at Bemard. Bemard didn¡¯t move, ¡°Is there something they can¡¯t hear?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ke turned around and said coldly, ¡°You can ecide if you want to tell them after you hear it.¡± Bernard¡¯s handsome brow furrowed slightly. After a few seconds of hesitation, he looked at Aidyn. ¡°Is Liana here yet?¡± Aidyn respectfully responded. The hospital is quite a distance away, but she¡¯s on her way and should arrive soon.¡± Bernard shifted his focus, tenderly holding Eleanor¡¯s hand. ¡°Are you in significant pain, my love?¡± Eleanor¡¯s heart warmed at his caring gaze. ¡°I¡¯m feeling better now. Don¡¯t worry about the. There are thing more important than this¡± Bemard affectionately stroked her hair, then addressed Aldyn with a cold tone. ¡°Once Liana arrives, ensure she promptly tends to my wife.¡± Aidyn nodded in understanding, and Bernard rose from his seat, heading towards the study. Mr Laurence sat on the sofa, silently observing his surroundings. When Bernard entered with an expressionless face, he took a seat opposite ke. ¡°Let¡¯s begin,¡± Bernard demanded. Mr. Laurence wasn¡¯t pleased with Bernard¡¯s attitude, but he was powerless to intervene. He no longer held control over his grandson ke felt a tinge of disappointment, sighing heavily. ¡°This is aplicated matter, and it all traces back to your father.¡± As he mentioned Bernard¡¯s father, ke¡¯s gaze turned from cold to gloomy, as if weighed down by a heavy burden, making him look even more aged. Bernard¡¯s impression of his father was of a drunkard, always tipsy. Even if Donna hit or scolded him, the drunkard would ignore her. There was no familial love between them, ¡°What does he have to do with this?¡± Mr. Laurence said seriously. ¡°Of course it has to do with your father. When he was young, he met a woman in the G country, imed to have fallen in love with her and wanted to marry her. I allowed him to bring her back to meet me. She was very klicent, respectful and well¨Cmannered. When I asked about her family background, she said she was from the Hooper family, and I agreed.¡± Bernard frowned, ¡°If you approved of the daughter of the Hooper family, why did he erjd up marrying Donna?¡± Mr. Laurence said, ¡°She¡¯s not the daughter of the Hooper family. She¡¯s the illegitimate daughter of Jensen Pine. How could I agree to them being together?¡± Bernard nced at him, ¡°So, you made them break up?¡± Mr. Laurence nodded, then shook his head, ¡°I initially forced them to break up, but your father was very determined to marry her. He made a big fuss, but how could your grandmother possibly agree to the daughter of the Pine family marrying into our family? I had no choice but to threaten your father with the girl¡¯s life, forcing him to marry Donna¡± ke¡¯s guilt towards Donna started here. The Stanley family married Donna to his son for a business alliance, and he did it to make his son forget the illegitimate daughter of the Pine family. ¡°On their wedding day, I had your father take some concoction. Not long after, Donrii became pregnant with your older brother. But your father never forgot about the girl from the Pine family. Donna might¡¯ve found out, and it weighed on her. She always had conflicts with your father during her pregnancy. ¡°Your father found Donna to be controlling and somewhat neurotic, leading him to consider a divorce. However, Donna¡¯s love for him was profound, having admired him since their youth. It was already difficult for her to be his wife, so she resisted the idea of a divorce, As a result, your father felt trapped, often staying abroad for extended periods, sometimes up to six months¡­ ¡°Perhaps I was too lenient at that time. I didn¡¯t harm the other woman; I simply ensured her departure. Now, fate has brought them together again in a foreign location. After experiencing the vtility of his rtionship with Donna and reuniting with a lost love, your father¡¯s mental state has be chaotic, leading to aplete mess.¡° Chapter 878 Chapter 878 Speaking of which, ke shot Bemard a nce, his expression inscrutable. ¡°He got that bastard daughter pregnant and Donna, upon finding out, immediately flew overseas, hoping they¡¯d abort the baby. Your dad was dead against it. Hell, he even wanted to use the kid to force Donna Into a divorce. Donna was livid, called nie up to sort the mess out N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°What was I to do, huh? On one hand, I had my son who had been begging for my help, and on the other, my carefully chosen daughter¨Cinw I was stuck in the middle, felt like helping either was wrong. But let¡¯s be real, people always favor their own kin. I tried to reason with Donna, told her the kid was innocent. Donna agreed the kid was Innocent. But she said this whole affair, either the mom dies and the kid stays, or the entire Laurence family knows and they all gang up on the Pine family girl. ¡°How could I let the Laurence family find out? I had no choice but to agree to kill the mom and keep the child. But your dad still wouldn¡¯t have it, begged me on his knees. I¡¯d never seen him like that, not once. I hesitated, Donna saw my hesitation, and sent photos of their affair to every member of the Laurence family ¡°Things spiraled out of control then, the Laurence family demanded I punish the Pine family girl. I had no choice, the pressure was too much, so despite your dad¡¯s feelings. I had the Pine family girl taken away. As we were dealing with her, she cried and begged me to wait until she had the baby, and then she¡¯d kill herself. I was hesitating when Donna showed up, she agreed to let the girl have the baby. ¡°Your dad didn¡¯t know about the deal Donna made with the Pine family girl, thought we¡¯d let her go, so he warmed up to Donna. Later, who knows what tricks Donna pulled, but she slept with your dad again, and before long, she announced she was pregnant. ¡°No one knew that Donna, upon announcing her pregnancy, started plotting. She acted all sweet and caring, brought chicken soup to the girl every day, and said nothing when she saw your dad, completely different from the angry, conflicting, and crazy woman she used to be. This made your dad feel more and more guilty, and the girl also felt bad for Donna So, when Donna suggested that as soon as the baby was born, the girl should leave your dad, she agreed Seeing her agreement, Donna promised the girl she wouldn¡¯t harm her and would even escort her away The two women, behaving like sisters, left me utterly bewildered. Then, the girl gave birth, and Donna bribed the doctor to deceive your father, iming the baby was stillborn. He was devastated for a period of time. In return, Donna promised the girl that as long as she kept the baby a secret from your dad, the child would be reunited with her once she left¡­ ¡°After giving birth, the Pine family girl¡¯s focus shifted away from your dad. Driven by strong moral compass, she made the difficult decision to step out of your dad and Donna¡¯s marriage. Once she regained her strength, she fulfilled her promise saying hurtful things and engaging in actions that led your dad topletely give up. He believed that she no longer wanted him, feeling betrayed, and he let her go as well. ¡°However, Donna failed to keep her promise. On the way to visit the baby, she tragically strangled the girl with a rope. Your dad, feeling abandoned and consumed by pain, turned to alcohol to numb his sorrows. When you were around five years old, your father discovered the truth, and it shattered his marriage with Donna, ¡°Donna still didn¡¯t want to divorce your dad, so she came to me, hoping I could persuade your dad. I found him, said some harsh words, your dad got mad, and we had a big fight. That night, your dad got drunk, set a fire while your brother was still in the room¡­. ¡°To save them, Donna rushed in without thinking. Her face and body were burned, and her legs crushed by burning beams. She did her best and managed to save your brother but was unable to save your dad Your dad died in the fire¡­¡± Thinking of the raging fire, ke felt suffocated, his eyes filled with sorrow. All these tragedies started because of him. He owed his son, owed the Pine family girl and owed Donna. Sometimes, he felt great regret. He should have found a way to hide the Pine family girl¡¯s identity and let them be together. It wouldn¡¯t have caused his son to lose his life, but now it¡¯s all toote. Chapter 879 Chapter 879 Bemard,cking any empathy, listened to all this with nothing but a hint of confusion. ¡°What about the illegitimate daughter of Jensen? Where¡¯s her kid?¡± ke slowly let go of his regretful expression, looked at the stone¨Cfaced Bernard and said, with a sigh. ¡°She¡¯s grown up now, turned out to be someone quite extraordinary.¡± Bernard didn¡¯t give a damn about what she looked like, all he asked was, ¡°Where is she?¡± Suddenly having a half¨Csibling from the same father but different mother, naturally, he was curious. After staring at him for a while, ke revealed a long¨Chidden secret that had been buried deep in his heart, ¡°He¡¯s sitting right across from me¡± Bemard¡¯s casual face instantly froze, ¡°What did you say?¡± ke put down his leg, looking serious, ¡°Donna was never pregnant. After the Pine family¡¯s daughter gave birth, she sent the baby back to the Stanley family. When her due date came, she brought you over, iming you were her own. She even fooled me. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your grandmother identally discovering the abuse and bing suspicious, she wouldn¡¯t have revealed this secret to me. When I asked her why she did it she admitted it was to seek revenge against your father and told me to stay out of it. ¡°Half of your bloodlinees from the Pine family. Every time I look at you, I am reminded of the Laurences who were killed by the Pines. Moreover, it was my doing that forced your father to marry Donna. I owed her, so I allowed her to take it out on you.¡± No wonder Donna treated him that way; he wasn¡¯t her biological child. However, he interjected, ¡°I¡¯ve had DNA tests¡­ He had taken the tests through his own sources, and they couldn¡¯t have been forged Yet, ke confessed, ¡°I tampered with the results. If anyone else discovered. that you are not a Laurence but the deceased child of the Pine girl, do you think you would still be alive today?¡± So, the reason he survived was because Donna wanted to exact revenge on his father otherwise, he would have perished long ago. No wonder Donna looked so hateful when she beat him; there was bad blood between them. His father ignored him because he thought the child the Pine girl gave birth to was stillborn. His grandfather ignored him because half of his blood was from the Pines. Bernard¡¯s body, which had frozen, slowly turned cold, even his blood felt cold. If ke hadn¡¯t told him about the past, perhaps he could¡¯ve remained indifferent. Now, he looked at ke with disbelief. ¡°What was my birth mother¡¯s name?¡± ke paused for a couple of seconds, then answered coldly, Tammie Pine.¡± Tammie Pine¡­. Mr. Penrod¡¯s crush was also named Tammie. So¡­ Mr. Penrod nurtured him, took care of him, treated him even better than his own son because he was Tammie Pine¡¯s child. All the things Bernard couldn¡¯t figure out over the years suddenly became clear at this moment, except¡­. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. If he was Tammie¡¯s child, then he and Eleanor¡­ were siblings?! Unable to ept the reality, Bernard copsed onto the sofa, looking as if he had lost all his strength, his face turning ghastly pale. Seeing his understanding look, ke reached out and patted his shoulder lightly. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t want you two to be together.¡± Bernard was as still as a statue, showing no reaction. Seeing this, ke couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°Bernard, you¡¯re siblings. You can¡¯t be together. You should divorce her as soon as possible and let her go. Otherwise, they will make this public, and you be in hot water!¡± The man sat quietly on the sofa, after a while, he shook his head, ¡°I won¡¯t divorce her¡± ke didn¡¯t expect him to be so adamant, his face turning red with anger, ¡°Bernard, tiu¡¯re her brother! How can you be together?!¡± Bernard¡¯s eyes were filled with stubborn light, ¡°Even if she¡¯s my sister, I want to be with her!¡± They wouldn¡¯t understand. He had loved Eleanor for 11 years. This feeling was deeply engraved in his heart. How could he possibly leave her? ke was stunned by his words, it took him a long time to react, ¡°Bernard, you¡¯re disregarding basic human decency, have you gone mad?!¡± Bernard gave a faint smile and said coldly, I¡¯ve been mad for a long time. When I thought she was dead, I was already mad. So¡­ He slowly raised his eyes, his gaze was like a demon from hell, staring at ke, ¡°Don¡¯t push me to divorce, or when I go mad, I¡¯ll be even crazier than my father!¡± ke stared nt Bernard in shock. ¡°You Chapter 880 Chapter 880 Bemard closed his eyes, not wanting to continue the conversation. ¡°Get out.¡± ke sat there, staring nkly at Bemard. ¡°If you don¡¯t agree to a divorce, then I can¡¯t help you hide the fact that you have half of the Pine family¡¯s blood¡± Beck had agreed to keep this secret because he gave her 10% of the shares. Now that Bernard has taken back the shares, she definitely won¡¯t let it go if she finds out that Bernard isn¡¯t getting a divorce or dealing with Eleanor, she¡¯ll spill the beans Then what would Bernard¡¯s position be in the Laurence family? ke was determined to prevent Bernard from following in his father¡¯s footsteps. He was open to Cedric¡¯s advice, willing to temporarily set aside the longstanding grudges between the Pine and Laurence families. However, ethical concerns couldn¡¯t be ignored. If this secret were to be revealed, it would undoubtedly bring ndicule upon them Furthermore, ke was convinced that if these two individuals were to have a child, the child¡¯s health would bepromised. Their union was simply not feasible. Yet, Bernard boldly asserted that even if she were his sister, he wanted to be with her. This madness surpassed even that of his father¡¯s actions As ke sat there, awaiting Bernard¡¯s response, he was met with silence. It seemed that Bernard disregarded these concerns entirely. With a sigh, ke rose from his seat. Upon reaching the door, he paused and nced back at Bernard. ¡°Think about it.¡± In the living room, Eleanor and Cedric observed ke¡¯s somber expression as he departed. They surmised that the conversation had not gone well ke looked exhausted. He was swaying as he walked, like he was about to fall. Cedric immediately stood up to help him. ¡°Grandpa, are you okay?¡± ke raised his hand and waved it off. Clearly, he didn¡¯t want him to know what the secret was, so Cedric didn¡¯t ask any further ¡°I¡¯ll take you home¡± ke nodded, and with Cedric¡¯s help, he left Fiord Roundabout. Seeing them leave, Eleanor, whose arm was bandaged, walked into the study. Bernard was slumped on the sofa, lifeless. She hurried over ¡°Honey, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Hearing her voice, Bernard slowly opened his eyes and looked at her arm. He touched her arm. ¡°What did Liana say?¡± Eleanor told him the truth. ¡°Liana said it¡¯s just a flesh wound. It will be fine with some pintment.¡± Bernard seemed relieved. ¡°If you feel ufortable, tell me immediately¡± Eleanor nodded. Seeing his pale face, she asked, ¡°Honey, are you okay?¡± Looking into her clear eyes, Bernard didn¡¯t know how to respond, so he just held herjoghtly. He held her as if he was afraid he would lose her, as if he wanted to meld her into his body. Whenever he held her like this, it meant he was troubled. This unease came from his conversation with ke. But she didn¡¯t know what they had discussed. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Eleanor held him tightly, resting her chin on his shoulder. ¡°Dear, if you have any problems, you must tell me. Don¡¯t just tough it out alone.¡± Dear¡­ Bernard gave a bitter smile. He was overwhelmed with emotions. He lowered his head and kissed her neck gently. His kiss was passionate, moving from her corbone up to her lips. He tasted her sweet breath, as if he had lost his sanity. Eleanor was breathless from his kiss, her body under his control. Soon, they were both undressed, and he entered her. Suddenly, Bernard felt a wave of guilt. He stared into Eleanor¡¯s dazed eyes and startedughing. Chapter 881 Chapter 881 Eleanor grew increasingly concerned as Bernard abruptly halted and burst intoughter. ¡°Bemard¡­ what¡¯s happening to you?¡± she questioned, her worry evident in her voice. Clutching her tightly. Bernard¡¯s voice trembled as he spoke, ¡°Eleanor, why can¡¯t we be together?¡± Eleanor¡¯s heart sank upon hearing this, an inexplicable heaviness enveloping her ¡°What¡­ what do you mean?¡± she asked, her mind racing. Did he want to divorce her? Was it because of his conversation with ke? Fearfully, Eleanor clung to Bernard¡¯s waist, her voice filled with desperation, ¡°You once promised me forever. You can¡¯t abandon me.¡± Unbeknownst to Bernard, Eleanor found herself falling deeper in love with him. If he rected her, she wasn¡¯t sure she could bear it. The fear in her eyes deeply pained Bemard¡¯s heart. ¡°I want you, Eleanor. I want you.¡± he dered, his voice tinged with a hint of madness in his own tumultuous state, he vowed to have her by his side, no matter the circumstances Looking at Bernard¡¯s zing eyes, Eleanor was a bit stunhed. ¡°Bemard, what¡¯s gotten into you?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t answer, just madly kissing her until he was exhausted¡­ He gently swept away the sweat¨Csoaked hair on her forehead, and kissed her forehead. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Would he be affected by the ¡°brother¨Csister¡± rtionship? He could adjust, as long as she was there. For him, there were no morals or ethics, only Eleanor. After he said that, Eleanor obviously felt his movements be gentle, even his kisses were filled with endless love. Her dazed consciousness and blurry vision were led by Bernard into an unprecedented experience, an unforgettable experience for her. In the end, it was Bernard who supported her waist and gently patted her back, which brought her back to some rity. She leaned in his arms, tiredly asking. ¡°Howe¡­ you know so many tricks?¡± Bernard whispered in her ear, ¡°I learned it all for you¡± He hoped she would remember forever, a man in bed, who could make her remember for a lifetime. Heaning this, Eleanor was full of sweetness, but still worried for him, ¡°Can you now tell me, what did your father say to you just now?¡± Bernard¡¯s rxed expression gradually became serious, ¡°I learned a secret, but I can¡¯t tell you.¡± Eleanor frowned and asked, ¡°Why?¡± Bernard kissed her cheek lightly, ¡°Because I can handle the secret without divorcing, but if you knew, you would definitely ask for a divorce.¡± Her sense of morality was much stronger than his, so why should she bear this guilt? Let him bear everything, after all, he has no morals to speak of. Eleanor was even more confused, what kind of secret would make her ask for a divorce if she knew? Eleanor thought for a while and gently persuaded him, ¡°No matter what the reason, ill never divorce you, unless we are siblings, but that¡¯s impossible. So you should tell me, maybe I can help?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. The man holding her heard her words, his body stiffened for a moment and then rxed, ¡°No problem, let me handle it, I will sort out all the troubles.¡± He didn¡¯t want to say, and Eleanor didn¡¯t force him, ¡°Okay¡­¡± Bernard bent down again, kissed her forehead, and then carried her back to the master bedroom. ¡°You go to sleep first, I¡¯ll handle the troubles.¡± After he said this, he pulled the quilt over and covered her, then got up and left the bedroom. Looking at his tall, upright and stubborn figure, Eleanor sighed deeply. This man always solves any problem by himself. For her, he really loved her to the extreme, never letting her worry about anything. Eleanor thought, as long as he could not be influenced by others and not divorce her she should give him some personal space Chapter 882 Chapter 882 With swift strides, Bemard hastened back to his study, retrieving his phone and dialing a number. Beck, already tucked in bed, jolted awake at the sound of the ringing phone. Startled to see Bernard¡¯s name on the caller ID, she was taken aback. Bemard seldom reached out to her voluntarily. What could he possibly want at this hour? She reached out with her aged fingers and answered the call, her voice filled with curiosity, ¡°Hello, Bernard.¡± Without wasting a moment on pleasantries, Bernard¡¯s voice turned icy as he spoke, will return 10% of the Laurence Group shares to you and offer an additional 5% in stock options for your son. However, you must keep that secret hidden forever and cease instigating trouble for my wife within the Laurence family Failure toply will result in profound regret for both you and your son!¡± The news of Bernard returning her shares and providing her son with more options brought a faint smile to her lips. However, before Beckcould even fully embrace the happiness, his threatening words left her paralyzed with fear ¡°You¡­¡± Bemard cut her off, ¡°You have five seconds to think about it.¡± This was clearly coercion! She cursed him, ¡®Don¡¯t you dare!¡°, but when the countdown was over, she nodded, ¡°Alright, I agree.¡± Her husband was long gone, the resentment from all those years was not as deep anymore. Trading the secret for shares and securing her son¡¯s future, and even her grandkids¡®fortable lives, was a good deal. Having achieved her goal, she naturally agreed. As for the other members of the Laurence family she had incited, what did it have to do with her? If they asked her why she got her shares back, she would pin everything on ke and let him deal with it. Her n was excellent, but she just didn¡¯t expect Bernard to be so sharp, to have figured out so quickly that she was the instigator. He was truly a man in power But¡­ getting benefits from Bernard was no easy task, might as well try for more, ¡°Bemard, I have another daughter, I would like her to get an additional 5% in stock options, in exchange for another secret, what do you think?¡± Upon hearing this, Bernard¡¯s finger slowly dropped, ¡°If it¡¯s a trivial matter you¡¯re using to bargain with me, you know what I¡¯m capable of.¡± Beck wasn¡¯t afraid of his threat, ¡°It¡¯s about your father and brother. I don¡¯t think thats trivial matter, do you?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Bernard frowned, then agreed, ¡°Go ahead¡± She went into detail, ¡°Your father didn¡¯t die from self¨Cimmtion, and your brother died from a medication error. That¡¯s all I know. And I believe with your resources, you can find out the truth.¡± After saying this, she hung up. Bernard stared at the now dark screen, lost in thought Donna had killed his biological mother, but had kept him by her side to torment him to get back at his father¡­ His father, after learning of Tammie¡¯s death, chose to set himself on fire. Despite the danger, Donna had tried to save him. No matter how he thought about it, he couldn¡¯t believe that Donna would try to save his father. At most, she would have tried to save his brother. But she had never denied it. He began to wonder, was Donna connected to his father¡¯s death? What about his brother¡¯s death? He suddenly remembered, that Sophie had once told him that she was the only one who knew the truth about his brother¡¯s death. His illegitimate identity, his rtionship with Eleanor, the death of his father and brother, all these matters came rushing to his mind, giving him a splitting headache He lifted his long fingers to his temples and rubbed them hard, but the pain wouldn¡¯t go away The doctor had warned him that his brain disease could easily recur if he overworked himself, but he was already at his limit. He copsed in his chair, staring at a dusty drawer for a long time before finally opening it and pulling out a pack of cigarettes. When Eleanor woke up, she reached out habitually for Bernard, only to find emptiness Her fingers brushed over the cold, soft sheets. She opened her eyes and didn¡¯t see Bernard. She quickly turned on themp and checked the time. It was already four in the morning and he hadn¡¯te back to rest Eleanor got out of bed and searched the house, but couldn¡¯t find him anywhere. Finally, she found him sitting on a wooden chair in the garden. As far as she knew, Bernard had quit smoking a long time ago. But there he was, sitting amongst the flowers, a slender cigarette between his long fingers. Under the hazy smoke, his face was half hidden, like a hawk lurking in the shadows, radiating an aura of ¡®stay away, which stopped her from approaching. Eleanor didn¡¯t go over to disturb him, she just quietly kept himpany from afar. Chapter 883 Chapter 883 No one knew how many smokes Bernard had gone through before he finally took out his phone and dialed a number. Upon receiving Mr Law¡¯s call, Caleb swiftly sought out a location free of surveince cameras, eager to respond This is from N?velDrama.Org. *I am still investigating the reason behind Robin¡¯s pursuit of Emilia. However, I have gained Katharine¡¯s trust recently, and I believe I will soon acquire the necessary information, Caleb reported, taking the initiative without waiting for Mr. Law¡¯s inquiry It felt somewhat unjust that Caleb had to make personal sacrifices to gain Katharine¡¯s trust. He could already envision Robin¡¯s fury if he discovered Caleb¡¯s connection with his sister Nheless, Caleb remained undeterred. He was unafraid of the consequences. If push came to shove, he would simply marry her. After all, he was still single. Bernard got even more irritated thinking about Robin But he controlled his emotions and said calmly. ¡°I called you to ask about something else¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Did you find anything suspicious when you were looking into the cause of my brother¡¯s death?¡± Caleb thought back to the clues he had found before and frowned ¡°When I first looked into it, I asked you if your brother had an autopsy You said no, and I suspected something was wrong So, I did a few more investigations on my own, hoping to present you with the evidence when I have everything But since rive asked. I tell you now. The hospital said your brother died from a brain disease, but I found that the medication he was taking before he died had been switched. I haven¡¯t figured out what it was reced with yet¡± Bernard¡¯s face immediately turned serious. It seemed Beck wasn¡¯t lying then who could¡¯ve killed his brother? Suddenly, a sharp female voice came from Caleb¡¯s end ¡®Caleb, what the hell are your doing hiding in the stable in broad daylight?!¡± Caleb was startled and quickly covered his phone whispering, ¡°I have to deal with t fiery woman¡± Bernard grunted in response, hung up the phone, and looked up to see a woman in t clothing standing quietly by his side He was startled for a moment, then noticed the cigarette in his hand. He immediately threw it away, crushed it with his foot, and walked over to her. ¡°Darling, I smoked again. Im sorry¡± The tall man before her was apologizing as if he had done something wrong, which ade Eleanor chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I understand¡± She walked over and straightened his disheveled shirt. ¡°You haven¡¯t slept all night Why don¡¯t you get some sleep while it¡¯s still dark?¡± Her voice was gentle and delicate Bernard quickly fell into her tenderness, his previsti imitation gradually subsiding. Eleanor didn¡¯t even ask who he was speaking to on the phone. She simply trustingle reached out, took his hand, and led him back to their master bedroom. Sheforted him to sleep the same way he hadforted her. The man who couldn¡¯t fall asleep easily, gradually drifted off under her tenderfort. When he opened his eyes, he saw Eleanor sitting by the bed, with a sketchpad in har diligently working on a design. Seeing her staying by his side without leaving, Bernard¡¯s heart was filled with warm A hint of a smile appeared on his usually icy face, ¡°Baby, thank you.¡± Eleanor shifted her gaze from the sketchpad to him, looking at his face that seemed particrly beautiful in the morning sunshine. ¡°Now that you¡¯re awake, get cleaned up We¡¯ll have breakfast together¡± Bemardplied without resistance, rising from the bed and entering the bathroom Upon emerging, he resumed his customary cold and dignified demeanor. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We will proceed downstairs,¡± he stated. The previous day, Scott had brought Nina back home. In the morning, while Bernard slept, Eleanor had taken the responsibility of feeding the child breakfast before sending her off to school with Scott In the dining room, the two of them sat alone. Aware of Bemard¡¯s sensitive stomach, Eleanor had requested the chef to prepare a pot of nourishing porridge and personally fed it to him. Although Bernard chenshed this life, there were matters that required his attention After finishing breakfast, he informed Eleanor, ¡°I need to visit the prison.¡± Eleanor, just as she was about to instruct the maid to clear the dishes, turned towards him and inquired. ¡°Why are you going to the prison?¡± Contemting the lunatic held within the prison walls, Bernard¡¯s gaze grew cold. To visit my mother. I want to know if she¡¯s still alive.¡± he replied. Chapter 884 Chapter 884 Eleanor heard it from Liana that Bemard had been tortured by Donna since he was a kid, everything he cared about, including people, was crushed by Donna When she first touched Bernard, she felt the tiny scars on his back She thought those scars were from fights he got into on the streets, but it turned out they were from his mother beating hirm with a belt. She couldn¡¯t imagine what kind of environment Bemard grew up in; all she knew was that hearing about his past made her heart ache ording to na, Bernard was struggling to survive. For him, just being alive was enough, he didn¡¯t care about anything else. Now, Eleanor understood Bernard¡¯s indifference. If she were in his shoes with a mother like that, she might be even more cold. Even though Bemard should hate Donna, he decided to visit her after talking to ke Why? Bernard wouldn¡¯t say, and Eleanor didn¡¯t press. She took the coat the servant handed her, helped him put it on, and tenderly tied his tie. At the mansion, Eleanor would help him put on his coat and tie before he left, like a wife. Back then, Bernard would fantasize about how nice it would be if she were his wife, but he always held back his urge to keep her, reminding himself constantly The man she loved was Garrett Falsey, and he was afraid that if Donna found out, he wouldn¡¯t be able to marry her, so their rtionship was doomed to be a fleeting one However, his persistence finally made her his wife. Everything she did was so beautiful and heartwarming. ¡°Alright then.¡± After adjusting the cor of his shirt, Eleanor looked up and smiled at him, saying. ¡°Off you go, I¡¯ll be waiting for you at home.¡± Bernard didn¡¯t really want her to know about his past, but after she went to thepany yesterday and ke hurt her, leaving her alone at home, he couldn¡¯t help but worry, so he took her hand and said, ¡°Come with me.¡± Compared to his ugly, bloody past, Eleanor¡¯s safety was more important. Seeing that he wanted to take her with him, she didn¡¯t refuse. She nodded and put her hand in his. She followed Bernard to the prison. Bernard didn¡¯t make her wait in the car but took her directly to see Donna. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Through the thick ss, when she saw Donna for the first time, Eleanor was stunned She had never confronted Donna face¨Cto¨Cface, she had only seen her in the news. Donna, the former chairman and power figure of the Stanley family, was now sitting in a wheelchair, holding a book. Her surroundings didn¡¯t look too bad, outside was lush greenery, with sunlight filtering through the trees and casting mottled shadows on her face. Her face was not covered by a mask, nor was it hidden in any way; her entire face had been burned and was covered with twisted, worm¨Clike scars. Such a face, even in the sunlight, was frightening. Seemingly aware of being watched, Donna¡¯s gaze moved from her book and slowly tose When she saw Bernard standing outside the door with his hands in his pockets, her eyes immediately filled with resentment. If it weren¡¯t for the burns on her face, Eleanor might have felt some sympathy, ignoring the signs. But her eyes exuded a deep sense of guilt, like a killer hiding in the shadows. A single nce was enough to make one¡¯s heart tremble, and Donna¡¯s gaze was just that sharp. Eleanor had never seen such a terrifying and cold gaze before, the strong impact mode her instinctively hide behind Bernard. If she hadn¡¯t died back then, would she have fallen into Donna¡¯s hands and been tortured to death like Bernard¡¯s childhood friend? Because of her small movement, Donna noticed her blood red gaze slowly moving to the side. When she saw Eleanor¡¯s face, the resentment in Donna¡¯s eyes, with the corners of her mouth lifting, gradually turned into malice. ¡°Aren¡¯t you dead yet?¡± She thought Eleanor was long dead; she never thought she would see Eleanor again one day, and she was holding hands with Bernard Donna stared at Eleanor with a cold smile and said, ¡°You¡¯re so lucky to have faked your death to escape; otherwise, I would have made sure you knew what it felt like to be tortured to death¡± Chapter 885 Chapter 885 She guessed it right, Donna did n it that way. But why would Donna want to hurt someone Bernard cherished? Eleanor just came here with Bernard. Even though she couldn¡¯t understand, she wouldn¡¯t say a word. She just held Bernard¡¯s arm tightly and stood quietly by his side. Seeing that she was silent, Donna turned her cold and cruel gaze back to Bemard. Seeing the wedding ring on his left ring finger, her face turned icy instantly. ¡°You guys are married?¡± The man who once tried to hide Eleanor was now tantly holding her hand, letting Donna clearly see their wedding rings ¡°I didn¡¯t live up to your expectations; I eventually married her.¡± Once she got a clear answer, the coldness in Donna¡¯s eyes turned into anger. She tossed the book in her hand and pointed a withered, burnt tree bark¨Clike finger at Eleanor. ¡°You once promised Dominic that you would marry Sophie. How could you break your word and marry her?¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. That angry voice echoed out of the window. The volume didn¡¯t decrease, but instead carried a sense of hatred. ¡°Are you so bewitched by this woman that you¡¯ve forgotten how good Dominic was to you?¡± Donna was like a madwoman, her sunken eyes filled with hatred as she yelled at Bernard. ¡°If you have a shred of conscience, divorce her and marry Sophie. Or Dominic won¡¯t rest in peace!¡± It was then that Eleanor truly understood how painful it was for Bernard to be forced into marrying Sophie. She looked at Bernard¡¯s profile and saw that he had no reaction, just coldly watching Donna¡¯s tantrum, so she didn¡¯t say anything. Liana once mentioned that Donna had a mental illness. Any slight trigger would make her behave abnormally. It seemed like she was having an episode now. Donna cursed for a long time until Bernard raised his hand and a prison guard came in and gave her an injection, and then her emotions gradually calmed down. But she still didn¡¯t give up, with her weak yet hateful words, she continued to use Bernard: You knew Dominic¡¯s wish was to marry Sophie, but you didn¡¯t help him make it happen. But Dominic was so good to you.¡± Bernard stood outside the door, emotionless, looking through the clear ss at the woman tied to the wheelchair, who had no strength to struggle. ¡°If Dominic knew I had a lover, he would never force me to marry Sophie. All of this is just a moral shackle you use to bind me.¡± ¡°Heh-¡± Donna started to snicker. Her wrinkled, drooping eyelids suddenly lifted. Eleanor saw the eyes under those lids, red as if filled with blood vessels, which made her heart race. Bernard¡¯s mother could scare people with just a look. Her methods must be terrifying Noticing that Eleanor was a bit scared, Bernard slightly lowered his head tofort her, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I will protect you. She won¡¯t be able to hurt you in this lifetime.¡± Eleanor nodded gently, gripping his arm tightly again. It seemed that being closer to Bernard made her feel safer. Seeing their sweet and harmonious scene, Donna felt very ufortable, as if a tho was stuck in her heart. She wished she could rush over and pull their arms apart! Why did her son die while Tammie Pine¡¯s son could have everything¨Cpower, his beloved, and a happy life? While her son was in a cold grave. This was so unfair! Donna was gnashing her teeth in anger, ring at Bernard, ¡°You wait, when I get out of jail, I will make your wife restless!¡± Eleanor felt terrified, as if Donna would attack her the next second. As for Donna¡¯s threats and curses, Bernard didn¡¯t care at all: ¡°Whether you can get oor not, is all up to me!¡± Donna didn¡¯t retort but smirked at Eleanor. She felt that she could still kill someone pretending to be mentally ill and escaping from prison It seemed that Bernard could see through her thoughts. He coldly stared at Donna an said, ¡°If you dare to hurt her, I¡¯ll make the entire Stanley family pay!¡± Even if Donna had no chance to hurt Eleanor, Bernard blocked her way with just one entence. Donna¡¯s face turned gloomy, and no one could tell how deep the malice in her heart was, Chapter 886 Chapter 886 After warning her, Bernard didn¡¯t waste time beating around the bush with Donna. He cut to the chase I¡¯m here for two things. If you y it straight with me, I won¡¯t interfere with your brother¡¯s plea for a reduced sentence. But if you y coy, III p more charges on him, maybe enough to get him the death penalty.¡± Donna¡¯s brother had tried to drown him in a swimming pool when he was five, and Bernard was not about to let bygones be bygones. Now he could use her brother as leverage to squeeze the truth out of Donna, which was a fair deal in his books Donna didn¡¯t have much of a soft spot, but her little brother, who had always been at her beck and call was her Achilles heel. So she took the bait: ¡°What do you want to know?¡± Bernard asked coldly. ¡°First off, did you start the fire that killed my father?¡± Hearing that, Donna caught on quick: ¡°So, you¡¯ve figured out who your birth mother is?¡± Eleanor, hearing this, shot Donna a surprised look, then turned to Bernard. No wonder Donna had always treated him so harshly, she wasn¡¯t his birth mother after all. And it all made sense why Bernard hade to visit Donna in prison right after his chat with ke Eleanor got the drift, but if Donna wasn¡¯t his mother, then who was? Bernard didn¡¯t spill any beans about his mother to Eleanor; he just demanded, ¡°Answer me, did you or didn¡¯t you?¡± Donna didn¡¯t answer, she just smirked at Bernard and said, ¡°Since you¡¯ve figured it out, why don¡¯t you tell me, was it right or wrong for your father to cheat on your mother after their marriage?¡± Eleanor was taken aback again. If his father had cheated on his mother, then Bernard was a love child. It wasn¡¯t something Bernard would have wanted to say in front of Eleanor, but he knew he couldn¡¯t dodge the bullet. But it wasn¡¯t fair that he had to pay for his parents¡® sins, was it? And considering all the abuse he had suffered growing up and everything he cared about being destroyed, hadn¡¯t he paid his dues already? Then who would stand up for him? Seeing Bernard¡¯s silence, Donna knew he was at a loss for words, and that was enough for her: ¡°Your father cheated after marriage, don¡¯t you think he deserved to die?¡± Her tant admission gave Bernard a new perspective on her ¡°So you wanted to burn him alive because he asked for a divorce and you didn¡¯t agree?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Donna scoffed ¡°Do you think I wanted him dead from the start? It was his constant betrayal that made me want to burn him alive.¡± Donna heaved a sigh. ¡°The world doesn¡¯t punish unfaithful men and their mistresses, so I had to take matters into my own hands. I just wanted to kill Leonard Laurence¡¯s woman, humiliate his son, and watch him die. I was only doing justice; do you think I was wrong?¡± Now, Bernard was nothing but calm towards Donna. ¡°It¡¯s ke¡¯s fault. He tore my parents apart, and he hurt you.¡± This was the first time Bernard had spoken to her so calmly, which took Donna aback. However, his acknowledgement of her pain eased her rage somewhat: ¡°If you had been like this when you were a kid, maybe I would have treated you better.¡± Chapter 887 Chapter 887 Bernard gazed at the woman in the wheelchair, the same woman who had once brought him endless pain, with an emotionless face. He said coldly. ¡°I once tried to please you.¡± When he was six, he imitated his brother in a desperate attempt to earn a sliver of motherly love. On Donna¡¯s birthday, he bought her favorite cake and ran excitedly to Donna. ¡°Mom, I got your favorite cake. I wish you health and happiness forever.¡± But Donna didn¡¯t respond with the same tenderness she showed his brother. She didn¡¯t take the cake, and she patted his head gently Instead, she kicked him away, crushing the cake with her high heels, all the while cursing. ¡°Even if the bastard buys me something, I wouldn¡¯t eat it even if it was to feed the dog¡± Until yesterday. Bernard could not understand why Donna was so cruel to him. But now that he knew the truth, he felt relieved. They weren¡¯t mother and son. How could he ever hope to get a shred of motherly love from Donna? Donna seemed to recall Bernard¡¯s attempts to please her too, but that flicker of emotion vanished in an instant. She would never see him as her son. She kept him alive only for revenge, for torture, and for venting. To her, Bernard was always just a tool to alleviate her pain Don¡¯t expect her to have any feelings for him. Donna built a high wall in her heart, but when she saw Bernard¡¯s face, so simr to Leonard Laurence¡¯s, she slowly lowered her proud head. Was she wrong? Really wrong? No, she was wrong. She exposed Tammie Pine as a member of the Pine family to get Leonard Laurence. She was the one who broke them apart first, then tantly hinted to ke that she was the one fit to be Leonard Laurence¡¯s wife. ke proposed a business marriage to the Stanley family; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to marry the man she had been in love with for so long. She thought Leonard Laurence would forget Tammie Pine once he married her. But he drank every day and night, calling Tammie Pine¡¯s pame in his dreams. Other than the one time when he was drugged on their wedding day, he never touched her again. Even seeing her made him feel guilty toward Tammie Pine. She couldn¡¯t stand her husband¡¯s heart and eyes filled with another woman. Every day was like a mental breakdown, quarreling with him until he left. The next news she got was that Tammie Pine was pregnant with his child. His exnation was that he forced Tammie Pine, and it had nothing to do with her. This was undoubtedly a greater blow. She couldn¡¯t even force him to touch her, yet he would travel a long distance to force someone else. How much did he hate her? Since then, Donna had begun to hate Leonard Laurence. She swore that she would never let them have a good life, including their child! She seeded in the end, but suddenly, she couldn¡¯t tell right from wrong¡­ She looked at Bernard and the woman beside him. The little kindness in her heart disappeared, reced by evil. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. No matter what, Bernard shouldn¡¯t have defied Dominic Laurence¡¯sst wish and married the woman he loved, so¡­ Let him carry thebel of illegitimate child¡± and live a tough life! After finding out that Donna was the one who set the fire, Bernard no longer struggled with the issue of right or wrong and continued to ask, ¡°Since you set the fire, why was Dominic in the room?¡± Thinking of Dominic, Donna slowly lowered her eyes to her own legs, which were crushed by a beam. ¡°Who would have thought that he would run into Leonard¡¯s room in the middle of the night?¡± If she hadn¡¯t learned from the butler that Dominic was in that bastard¡¯s room, how could she, who was cheering from afar, have rushed into the fire? After all the doubts in Bernard¡¯s heart were resolved, he asked the second question: ¡°The second thing is that the medicine Leonard took before he died was switched. Who did it?¡± Upon hearing this, the cold and ruthless look in Donna¡¯s eyes vanished in an instant, and even her face turned pale. This matter seemed to have touched Donna¡¯s most painful past, causing her to slump weakly in her chair. After a while, she slowly started to say, ¡°It was me.¡± Chapter 888 Chapter 888 Even the cold¨Chearted Bernard Laurence didn¡¯t expect the person who switched the medications to be Donna Stanley Laurence He was dumbstruck for a while before he could barely believe it: ¡°You actually tried to harm your own son?¡± Donna¡¯s eyes were red and swollen, and she was shaking her head frantically ¡°No, no, I was trying to give you the drug, but somehow, even though I clearly switched your medications, he ended up taking it. How could this have happened?¡± Upon hearing this, Eleanor Schultz felt a pang of sympathy, clutching Bernard¡¯s arm lightly. ¡°So, she was actually trying to kill you.¡± *Bullshit!¡± Donna roared, pointing at Bernard, ¡°Who said I wanted to kill him? The drug would only make him less intelligent; it wouldn¡¯t kill him. He¡¯s my pet project, I want to torment him for a lifetime, why would I kill him?¡± Her son, who had finally gained power, became ill due to overexertion at a young age. Since childhood, Bernard has been seen as the smartest kid by ke, who groomed him privately to take her son¡¯s ce in the future How could Donna tolerate the children of that couple taking away what belonged to Dominic? So she switched his medications when he was seriously ill. Who would have thought that the drug, which elerated brain degeneration, would be eaten by her own son? Bernard finally understood why Donna wanted to kill him but didn¡¯t actually do it. It turned out she wanted to keep him around, to torment him for a lifetime¡­. This kind of thinking shattered thest bit of morality left in Bernard¡¯s heart. He took Eleanor¡¯s hand and stepped forward, looking coldly at the suffering Donna through the ss. ¡°You¡¯re really pitiful.¡± Wanting to harm him but ending up killing her own son, how does Donna have the face to live in this world? Instead of reflecting on her mistakes, Donna angrily yelled at him, ¡°Bernard, did you switch the drugs? Did you?!¡± Looking at Donna, who had fallen into madness, Bernard said emotionlessly. ¡°You always thought you were smart, but you don¡¯t even know who switched the drugs, pathetic She kept guessing but never thought of Sophie Ratliff, which shew how clever Sophie was, even fooling Donna. Likewise, if Sophie hadn¡¯t once said that she was the only one who knew the truth of Dominic Laurence¡¯s death, Bernard wouldn¡¯t have suspected her Donna switching his medications to something that lowers intelligence wasn¡¯t a one¨Ctime thing, it had to be done regrly. If someone found out during this time, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising Sophie once said that she agreed to be Dominic¡¯s girlfriend to get close to him. With this motive, if Sophie discovered Donna switching Dominic¡¯s medications, she would naturally take action. But why didn¡¯t Sophie just throw away the drugs, but gave them to Dominic instead? Didn¡¯t she know that the drug would harm Dominic¡¯s life? Or did she actually want to use Donna¡¯s n to kill Dominic? Now Sophie¡¯s in prison, the reasons for all this can only be found out once he gets into prison, finds her, and grills her; otherwise, Dominic would die in vain. Thinking of this. Bernard lifted his eyes to look at Donna, who was still wildly guessing In the end, he still didn¡¯t tell Donna who switched the drugs. Let Donna live out the rest of her life in prison with this doubt and guilt towards Dominic. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Bernard tightly held Eleanor¡¯s hand, turning around to leave the prison. Chapter 889 Chapter 889 As they settled into the car, Eleanor noticed Bernard supporting his head with one hand, lost in thought, and she guessed he figured out who the med switcher was Eleanor didn¡¯t pry into the Laurence family¡¯s secrets, but Bernard turned to look at her, his eyes shining with an emotion too deep to fathom. ¡°Babe, I just found out yesterday that my birth wasn¡¯t all that kosher, you. you won¡¯t ditch me, will you?¡± It turned out he was worried that Eleanor would scorn his birth, hence the intense look. Eleanor lifted her fair and delicate hand, gently stroking his thick hair ¡°No matter where youe from, I wouldn¡¯t scorn you. What I love is just you¡± Even if he¡¯s not rich or dazzling. Eleanor would love him all her life. Bernard¡¯s tense expression gradually rxed, and with his long hand, he lifted her onto hisp His head rested against the car seat, his chin lifted, and he smiled faintly at Eleanor, his lips curling in sweet happiness. ¡°Say you love me a few more times, and I¡¯ll teach you a new one tonight.¡± Eleanor blushed, instinctively ncing at Aldyn Reyes. She noticed Aidyn had already put the partition down, and she sighed in relief. Thank heavens the partition was down. If Aidyn had heard, she would have been super mortified. After her sigh of relief, Eleanor lifted her fist and lightly thumped Bernard. ¡°You¡¯re too blunt, so annoying¡± After her little thump, she slid off hisp, grabbing the car door handle tightly, no matter how much Bernard tried to pull her back. Bernard had no choice but to surrender, leaning in: ¡°I won¡¯t say stuff like that anymore, can I hold you?¡± His solid chest pressed against her back; the heat seeped through their clothes, making Eleanor tingle. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Seeming to sense her reaction, Bernard deliberately leaned in to nibble her earlobe. ¡°Babe¡­ His husky voice made her go weak, and Eleanor pushed away the man behind her and said, ¡°Behave¡± Bernard reached out again, hugging her from behind. ¡°Mmm? How do you want me to behave?¡± This ¡°Mmm¡± came from deep in his throat, sensual enough to make Eleanor¡¯s ears turn red. This man¡¯s flirting game was too strong Eleanor turned her head, her lips brushing his face. Bernard¡¯s eyes darkened, he was just teasing her, but now he was getting turned on. Bernard held her waist, lifting her to where she was sitting before, letting her sit on hisp. Then he pulled her down, and Eleanor sat right on his¡­ She rubbed her forehead helplessly, asking him in an annoyed tone, ¡°Sweetheart, who¡¯s your birth mother?¡± Eleanor asked not out of curiosity but to get him to behave and chat about something serious. But she noticed his face darken drastically. Seemingly touching a forbidden line, the light in his eyes dimmed, and he looked like a man who had lost his soul, devoid of energy. Eleanor¡¯s heart clenched; she reached out to touch his face tofort him, but he grabbed her wrist tightly, and the next moment, she was gently moved aside. After setting her down, Bernard raised his slender, pale fingers, pressing hard against his temples, looking utterly exhausted. Chapter 890 Chapter 890 Seeing Bernard massaging his temples like he used to, Eleanor rushed over nervously and grabbed his arm. ¡°Honey, is your headache acting up again?¡± Bernard¡¯s head was indeed throbbing but he didn¡¯t want to worry her So he quickly dropped his hand and tried to brush it off ¡°I¡¯m not in pain, just a bit tired. Don¡¯t overthink it¡± He had a brain tumor before. How could Eleanor not worry? ¡°If you¡¯re not feeling well, you have to tell me. Don¡¯t hide it from me.¡± Bernard nodded with a conflicted and hesitant look on his face. It seemed like he was torn between keeping her in the dark and sharing the truth with her Eleanor had been with Bernard for so many years that she could predict his every move. Now, just mentioning something about his birth mother, he was already in severe pain, even unable to confront himself. It suggested that his birth mother was rted to her. Eleanor thought back to when ke insisted on divorce after discovering she was from the Pine family. She had assumed it was due to a family feud, but it seemed there was more to it. After Bernard had a talk with ke in the study, he seemed to have fallen into despair. He hesitated even when touching her, oveing difficulty to do so. The old Bernard never hesitated when touching her Now just mentioning his birth mother, he immediately left her, as if he dared not touch her anymore¡­ All these signs made Eleanor wonder could they be siblings? Eleanor thought of this because she once told Bernard that she would never leave him for any reason unless they were siblings. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. At that time, Bernard¡¯s body stiffened noticeably, as if he had been hit right on the spot. He subconsciously averted his gaze, not daring to look at her. When Eleanor connected all these doubts, she turned to look at Bernard, who was avoiding her gaze. His eyes were hidingplex emotions. ¡°Is your mother from the Pine family?¡± Upon hearing this, Bernard¡¯s blood seemed to run cold. His shock was even greater than when Donna admitted that she was the one who switched Dominic¡¯s medication. He sat there, motionless, his face gradually turning pale. Would she leave him after knowing the truth? Seeing him like this, Eleanor knew she was right: ¡°How could you not tell me about this?¡± Bernard looked up at her weakly and said, ¡°If I told you, what would you do? Leave me?¡± Eleanor frowned. ¡°If you really are from the Pine family, it does involve ethical issues. I indeed have difficulty crossing the moral gap, but¡­ Before she could finish, Bernard put a finger on her mouth and said, ¡°Stop talking: I can¡¯t leave you. Don¡¯t think about this anymore.¡± Eleanor¡¯s eyes slowly widened. Even though she knew there was a rtionship between them, he still didn¡¯t want to divorce her; he even wanted to hide everything and live a lifetime like this. Her husband seemed to have little moral sense. Not only did Bernardck moral sense, but he was also anxious and uneasy because she had discovered this. ¡°Whether you can ept the truth or not, you must stay with me. I can¡¯t live without you¡± She was used to his intense dominance, but in her previous understanding, Bernard was willing to give everything for her. Now she knew his love for her went far beyond that After all, he had once be the third party for her; now he had abandoned morality. Would he even risk his life for her in the future? Chapter 891 Chapter 891 Eleanor didn¡¯t want to delve into the future, instead, she brushed off the hand covering her lips and asked, ¡®Is your mam Wendy Pine or Tammie Pine?¡± When Bernard saw that she even knew about Tammie Pine, he realized there was no point in hiding it anymore, gritted his teeth and confessed, ¡°It¡¯s Tammie Pine¡± Eleanor got it and nodded Elbert Pine had mentioned before that one of the three sisters wasn¡¯t a Pine family member, but she didn¡¯t know who While she was pondering. Bernard suddenly gripped her chin forcefully, forcing her to look at him and ask, ¡°Are you thinking about divorce?¡± Eleanor opened her mouth and said, ¡°No.¡± Before she could finish, Bernard cut her off again with teary eyes. ¡®We¡¯re just cousins, it¡¯s not a problem, please don¡¯t divorce me.¡± Eleanor, who had been interrupted twice, looked at the pained expression on Bernard¡¯s face and slightly furrowed her brows. ¡°We still share blood, how can your moral line be so low?¡± These words were like a bullet to Bemard¡¯s heart, making it hurt even to breathe ¡°So, Eleanor, are you nning to leave me?¡± As he said this, his icy eyes welled up with tears, as if he would start crying the moment Eleanor nodded. Eleanor felt that Bernard¡¯s trust in her was not enough, maybe she didn¡¯t provide a sense of security, so he was so afraid to lose her But if Elbert hadn¡¯t told her in advance that one of the three sisters wasn¡¯t a Pine, she would indeed had chosen to give up on Bernard. In her opinion, siblings can¡¯t be together, her moral values wouldn¡¯t allow her to do so, and she can¡¯t live with her own brother. Seeing her silence, Bernard thought she was tacitly agreeing, his body went cold, as did his heart. He lowered his head, and in his despairing eyes, her face was the only thing that could fit: ¡°Eleanor, without you, I¡¯ll die.¡± He said this many times, each time moving Eleanor to say, ¡®Me too.¡± With just this sentence, Bernard¡¯s suffocating heart got some relief, Eleanor truly was his life. He reached out, stroking her face. ¡°Since you feel the same, can you not give up on me easily because of these things?¡± Eleanor nodded at him, ¡°I won¡¯t give up on you, and I want to tell you, I suspect my mom is not from the Pine family, because Elbert told me he said one of the three sisters, Wendy Pine, Vanya Pine, and Tammie Pine, is not a Pine, so let¡¯s go and get a DNA test now.¡± Hearing this, the pain in Bernard¡¯s eyes gradually faded. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?¡± He was scared to death just now. Eleanor tilted her head and med him: ¡°I was about to tell you, and you interrupted me twice at that. How was I supposed to say anything?¡± So she just wanted to say that, he thought she wanted to propose a divorce or say something that would hurt him, so he interrupted her. After hearing this news, Bernard suddenly rxed. This is from N?velDrama.Org. His long hand dropped the visor, and he coldly told Aidyn, ¡°Go to the hospital right away.¡± Aidyn responded alright, then the car made a U¨Cturn and headed straight for the hospital. Chapter 892 Chapter 892 Inside the Dean¡¯s office, Eleanor and Beinard were sitting on the couch, anxiously waiting for the DNA test results. Bernard¡¯s hand was clutching Eleanor¡¯s tightly, the heat from his palm seeming to seep into her skin. Although his facial expression didn¡¯t show much change, Eleanor could sense his tension ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything will be fine,¡± Eleanor tried to reassure him Then she lightly tickled his palm, hinting for him to rx But Bernard turned to Eleanor and asked, ¡°What if Wendy Pine really is the adopted daughter of the Pine family? Then we¡¯d still be cousins and siblings. What would you do?¡± Elbert once mentioned that one of the three sisters wasn¡¯t a biological daughter of the Pine family That meant, apart from Vanya and Tammie Pine, Robin Spencer¡¯s mother. Wendy Pine, also had a 30% chance of being adopted. Although Eleanor had her suspicions about her mother not being a biological Pine, until the DNA results came out, everything was up in the air. Bernard was worried about the unknowTI Eleanor had thought about this issue. Could she cross moral boundaries for Bernard? In her heart, if it were for Bernard, she could try to ept it. But then, they wouldn¡¯t be able to have children¡­.. Because of the child issue, Eleanor hesitated and didn¡¯t immediately respond to Bernard¡¯s question. Misinterpreting her silence as hesitation, Bernard let go of her hand and stood up ¡°Where are you going?¡± Eleanor asked. ¡°To the bathroom,¡± Bernard replied. Then he quickly left the Dean¡¯s office to find Liana, who was handling the DNA test. ¡°Mr. Laurence, the results aren¡¯t ready yet. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Liana said when she saw Bernard hurriedly enter, assuming he was anxious to see the results. But Bernard didn¡¯t respond. He walked up to Liana and coldly instructed, ¡°If the results show we¡¯re siblings, change the report.¡± Hearing thismand, Liana¡¯s hand shook, and she looked up at Bernard, not believing he¡¯d ask her to do such a thing. ¡°This isn¡¯t really appropriate, is it?¡± Liana tried to argue. But Bernard wasn¡¯t having it. He coldly said, ¡°Being without Eleanor is not appropriate.¡± He wanted Eleanor as his wife, even if it meant resorting to underhanded methods. So what? Bernard admitted his thoughts were selfish, but so what? He had made so many efforts to get Eleanor, he couldn¡¯t lose her over something like this. ¡°You¡¯ve done fake DNA reports before. I believe it¡¯s not difficult for you¡± Bernard said before turning to leave. Liana stood dumbstruck as she watched Bernard leave. She had done a fake DNA report for Eleanor before Was Bernard subtly hinting at that? Looking at the DNA numbers in her hand, Liana slightly smiled. If he wanted a fake report, so be it! Bernard was gone for quite a while. By the time he returned, Eleanor was nearly asleep. ¡°You were gone for so long,¡± she said. Bernard sat next to her and calmly said, ¡°The bathroom here isn¡¯t very clean¡± Eleanor, without any doubt, tightly hugged his arm and leaned against his shoulder. She softly said, ¡°You asked me what I¡¯d do if Wendy Pine was the one adopted by the Pine family. I¡¯ve thought about it. I can live without children. As long as I have you, I¡¯m willing to live like this for the rest of my life/ Bernard If he knew she¡¯d say that, he wouldn¡¯t have had to go find Liana Somewhat helplessly, he put his arm around Eleanor¡¯s waist and gently pinched her, saying, ¡°Next time I ask you something, answer me right away¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor was a bit confused, leaning on his shoulder and looking at him sideways. I¡¯ll answer anything you ask; just give me time to think first.¡± She¡¯s a bit slow to react, needing some time to mull things over in her head Otherwise, she might say something without thinking and hurt someone¡¯s feelings Hearing her say this. Bernard reached up and stroked her face, his eyes filled with tenderness. ¡°Next time, I¡¯ll wait for you to finish.¡± Just then, they heard three knocks from outside the door, followed by Liana¡¯s voice: ¡°Mr. Laurence, Eleanor, the DNA results are out.¡± Chapter 893 Chapter 893 Bernard said, ¡°Come in,¡± and only then did Liana push the door open. Seeing the report in her hand, Eleanor was a bit jittery, her hands clenching together tightly Even though she was prepared to ept any oue, the moment of truth still made her nervous Liana, with a hint of a teasing attitude nced at Bernard and then unfolded the bag containing the report in front of them ¡°What¡¯s the result?¡± In contrast to Bernard¡¯s calmness, Eleanor was more anxious. She didn¡¯t wait for Liana to hand over the report, she leaned in to ask directly Liana pulled out the report and handed it to Eleanor: ¡°You and Mr. Laurence are not rted by blood¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Seeing the result disyed on the report, Eleanor finally let out a sigh of relief: ¡°So it seems Elbert didn¡¯t lie to me.¡± She walked over to Bernard with the report in hand, pointed to the result, and said excitedly. ¡°Darling, look, there¡¯s no rtion between us, are you relieved now? Bernard¡¯s eyes seemed to be asking Liana if the report was real or fake. However, Liana seemed to ignore his questioning, her eyes fixed on her own toes. Bernard didn¡¯t ask directly in front of Eleanor, he had to hold back. Seeing Bernard¡¯s reaction to the report made Eleanor even more nervous; she thought he was acting strange. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Isn¡¯t this the result you wanted?¡± Standing by Liana crossed her arms and leaned on the desk. Upon hearing Eleanor¡¯s question, she almost burst outughing ¡°Mr. Laurence definitely wanted this result, or else he wouldn¡¯t have Bernard grabbed Eleanor¡¯s hand and pulled her towards the door. ¡°Now that the report is out, let¡¯s go back Eleanor still wanted to chat with Liana for a while. ¡°There¡¯s no rush to go back, right? I want to hang out with Liana a bit longer.¡± Liana saw Bernard¡¯s flustered look andughed, ¡°Yeah, Eleanor, I have something to talk to you about¡­¡± Scottter?¡± As soon as Eleanor heard that Liana had something to say to her, she immediately stopped. ¡°Darling, you go ahead, can I go back with With the result of the report. Eleanor was very happy, like a schoolgirl, her hands sped together at her chest, her eyes sparkling with excitement. ¡°With Scott by my side, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Bernard always indulged Eleanor A few secondster, he looked at Liana coldly and said, ¡°You,e out.¡± Seeing Bernard couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer, Liana smiled and said, ¡°Eleanor, Mr. Laurence probably has something to tell me, wait for me, okay?¡± Without suspicion, Eleanor held the report and kept flipping through it. Her mood was extremely joyful. This report indicated that she could openly be with Bernard within the bounds of morality. In the VIP room, Bernard looked unhappy. He sat on the sofa and asked Liana coldly, ¡°What¡¯s the appraisal result?¡± Dressed in a white coat, Liana originally wanted to tell him a white lie but gave up the idea after seeing Bernard¡¯s icy stare. ¡°The report is true, you and Eleanor have no blood rtions. So, your request for a fabricated report was unnecessary¡± Upon hearing Liana¡¯s words, Bernard breathed a sigh of relief, his tense nerves instantly rxed. His towering figure leaned on the sofa, his pale face from the past two days slowly regaining its color. Seeing Bernard¡¯s relieved expression, Liana smiled faintly again. ¡°Mr. Laurence, what if I let it slip while chatting with Eleanor?¡± Bernard¡¯s cold eyes instantly lifted ¡°I have twelve vis, you can pick any one, but for this matter, you must keep it a secret forever!¡± His actions¨Cit¡¯s best not to let Eleanor know, or else the image he painstakingly built in her heart might crumble in an instant. Liana genuinelyughed, saying. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you¡¯re really willing to spend money for Eleanor. But with my bad record, even if I ept the vi, I might spill the beans¡± A bad record¡­. Bernard quickly realized that Liana¡¯s opposition today was because of his disrespect towards her in the lab earlier. But he responded, ¡°The evidence of your past fabrication of reports is irrefutable, you can¡¯t clear your name.¡± Liana Bernard ignored Liana¡¯s reaction, stood up, and left after saying those words. If he and Eleanor weren¡¯t blood rted, then who among their mothers was the adopted daughter of the Pine family? Chapter 895 Chapter 895 Wasn¡¯t it just wonderful? Bernard said. ¡°You can¡¯t spill the beans about who I am to anyone.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. He definitely didn¡¯t want to pose as Robin¡¯s cousin, it¡¯s just so awkward Eleanor cocked her head and stared at him, her face full of defiance She deliberately teased him, saying, ¡°Alright, cuz I¡¯ll keep your secret zipped Bernard, who was at the wheel, didn¡¯t process it immediately He took a detour, then turned to look at Eleanor and asked, ¡°What did you just call me?¡± Eleanor rested one hand on the car window, grinning ¡°Cuz, got a problem with that?¡± Bernard was a bit puzzled ¡°Why are you calling me ¡®cuz?¡± Eleanor chuckled and exined, ¡®Before the DNA test, you thought I was your cousin, didn¡¯t you? So, calling you ¡®cuz isn¡¯t wrong¡± Bernard Eleanor, taking delight in his difort, leaned in and said, ¡°Cuz, your moralpass seems a bit off, want me to give you a little lesson?¡± Looking at Eleanor¡¯s adorable expression, Bernard couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°You, give me a lesson? How do you n on doing that?¡± With that, he drove the car into a small grove on the outskirts Eleanor asked, ¡°Where are we going?¡± Bernard turned to look at her, his face a blend of smiles and smirks. ¡°Somewhere quiet, to properly listen to your lesson.¡± Eleanor quickly understood his intentions: ¡°Stop it, okay? I won¡¯t give you the lesson, alright¡± Bernard smiled, his eyes full of mischief. ¡°You don¡¯t want to teach, but I want to learn, cuz. Be a good girl and give me my lesson Eleanor¡­. She knew she shouldn¡¯t have teased him; now the tables had turned. As Bernard pushed her onto the seat, he whispered in her ear, ¡°Cuz, why aren¡¯t you calling me ¡®cuz¡® anymore?¡± Eleanor gritted her teeth, trying to fight back, but was silenced by his passionate kiss. Robin had been waiting for days for ke to kick Eleanor out of the Laurence family so he could find her. But after two days, there was still no news. He was furious: ¡°ke is totally useless. If my father was here, he would have kicked that woman out and then had her assassinated!¡± Elbert, who had just entered, heard Robin¡¯s angry voice and quickly took out his phone. ¡°Eleanor texted me. She wants to meet up.¡± At the sound of this, Robin immediately stood up from the sofa. Meeting Elbert meant she acknowledged she was part of the Pine family. That¡¯s good. ¡°I¡¯m going with you.¡± But Elbert said, ¡°She only asked for me, not you¡± Robin red at him and said, ¡°So what if she didn¡¯t ask for me?¡± Elbert rubbed his ear and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that. I think she¡¯s a bit afraid of you. I¡¯m worried if you¡¯re there, I might not be able to persuade her toe with us to G country.¡± Robin didn¡¯t seem to care, waving his hand. ¡°You go meet her; I¡¯ll wait outside.¡± Once they¡¯re out, he¡¯ll send someone to bring Eleanor to G country. Any persuasion or coaxing is just a waste of time; taking her directly is the most efficient. But considering Elbert¡¯s presence, he figured he might have to take him along to avoid having to concoct some excuse for Elbert after taking one person away, which would be more troublesome. Elbert, unsuspecting, nodded andughed, saying, ¡°Alright, just don¡¯t scare her off. I¡¯ll slowly persuade her.¡± Chapter 896 Chapter 896 Robin¡¯s ride was stashed away in a dark corner Elbert beat the clock and showed up early at the coffee shop they agreed to meet at He sat by the window, savoring his coffee and keeping an eye out for Eleanor. Around eight, Eleanor finally emerged from the car Seeing the figure in a canary yellow dress, Robin furrowed his brows slightly Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Weirdly, he remembered what Eleanor looked like, recognizing her at first nce Robin eyed the stretched limo as Eleanor got out, followed by a tall and sturdy figure Upon seeing the face he utterly despised, Robin turned beet red in anger, saying. ¡°How can I snatch her with him around? Nathan immediately made a noise to appease him ¡°Don¡¯t worry, just kidnap Bernard together¡­¡± Robin raised his hand and knocked him violently ¡°Can you beat others? You must kidnap them together. Can you be smart?! Holding his forehead, Nathan moved his head seriously: ¡®Sir, how about this? You can go in and hold off Bernardter, and then we can take the opportunity to take people away!¡± Then Robin was calmed down. ¡®Remember, put on the hood, pretend to be a kidnapper, and kidnap them together.¡± Before Bernard took Eleanor into the coffee shop, Scott whispered by his side, ¡°Sir, there¡¯s a suspicious car parked across the street.¡± Eleanor heard that and wanted to take a look, but Bernard stopped her by cing a hand on the back of her head and saying, ¡°It¡¯s probably Robin¡­¡± Eleanor looked up at Bernard and said, ¡°He wouldn¡¯t be staking me out just because he knew I was meeting Elbert, would he?¡± Bernard, holding her hand and walking into the caf¨¦, said, ¡°His motive for finding you isn¡¯t just to get you to see Wendy Pine. With Robin¡¯s temperament, he wouldn¡¯t have the patience to lurk in the shadows.¡± Scott, always on high alert, analyzed, ¡°He¡¯s got a few cars trailing him and a bunch of guys. By the looks of it, he¡¯s nning to snatch you away.¡± Bernard chuckled coldly and instructed Scott, ¡°If Robin shows up and distracts me, you guard her Don¡¯t let him take her away¡± Scott got the hint and nodded obediently. ¡°Right, I¡¯ll look after thedy and keep her safe.¡± Elbert¡¯s face fell when he saw Eleanore in with Bernard. ¡°Eleanor, why did you bring him?¡± The moment Elbert saw Bernard, he was reminded of the four ps he gotst time. Bernard wasn¡¯t any elder of his. Who gave him the right to punish him like that? He had to find a way to get back at him, or else it would eat him alive Bernard nced at him and sat down across from him with a poker face. His overwhelming presence filled the room the moment he sat down. Elbert felt an uncontroble fear just by locking eyes with Bernard. He clutched his chest, trying tofort himself, attributing the fear to his previous beating by Bernard. Eleanor was noticeably kinder than Bernard. ¡°I was worried about my safety, so I asked my husband to apany me. Don¡¯t sweat it.¡± How could Elbert not care? ¡°Sis, next time we meet, can you just sneak out and not bring him? Every time I see him, I feel annoyed. Chapter 897 Chapter 897 A chilling iciness flickered in Bernard¡¯s gaze, his head subily inclined, seemingly weighed down by murderous intent In response, Elbert swallowed a lump in his throat, bewilderment washing over him. Never before had he perceived Bernard as daunting. Why then did he feel like a cornered animal now? Confusion tethered Elbert Scratching his scalp, he tactfully veered the conversation elsewhere. ¡®Ah summoned me to discuss your return to Ennd with me, have you?¡± Eleanor lightly shook her head, revealing her intentions, ¡°No, you¡¯re here because I require a single strand of your hair¡± Elbert quipped back. ¡°I understand if you need a loan due to matrimonial turbulence, but asking for a piece of my hair? That¡¯s beyond myprehension¡± His remark was a thinly¨Cveiled swipe at Bernard Eleanor noted Elbert¡¯s boldness in baiting Bernard and found it amusing. ¡°It¡¯s for a DNA test, you see Elbert¡¯s face lit up, ¡°Oh,¡± but then he added, ¡°You look so much like my sister, it¡¯s obvious that you are from the Pine family is a test still necessary?¡± Eleanor picked up where he left off, ¡°There are lots of people in the world who look alike. Just because you look like my sister doesn¡¯t mean you are her daughter. It¡¯s better to have a test to make sure, otherwise, I won¡¯t believe it¡± Elbert nodded. ¡°Okay, go ahead and use my hair for the test. But once it¡¯s done, will you go with me to G country?¡± The Without hesitation, Eleanor said, ¡°If the result shows I¡¯m part of the Pine family, then it¡¯s right to go to G country to see her onest time. If not, then I won¡¯t go. Is that okay¡°¡± Elbert was overjoyed when Eleanor agreed to go to G country, patting his chest, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you must be part of the Pine family.¡± After saying this, he sneaked a nce at the expressionless Bernard, ¡°But you¡¯ve married the enemy of the Pine family, we definitely won¡¯t ept that. Can you divorce him once the resultse out?¡± Bernard, leaning against the sofa, lightly cracked his knuckles. Upon hearing the cracking sound, Elbert swallowed nervously again. Eleanor brushed him off nonchntly. ¡°We¡¯ll cross that bridge when we get to it.¡± Elbert agreed, deciding not to rush things. Eleanor nodded and held out her hand, ¡°Give me your hair.¡± Right as Elbert was about to pull out his hair, Bernard gestured to Scott beside him. Scott caught the signal and beat Elbert to it, grabbing his hair, ¡®Mr. Pine, let me do it.¡± Without waiting for Elbert¡¯s consent, Scott yanked at his hair, pulling out a big tuft in an instant. Elbert clutched his head, screaming in pain, ¡°Are you out of your mind?!¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. Scott awkwardlyughed, ¡°Mr. Pine, I¡¯m really sorry, I think I might have been a bit too forceful¡­ Elbert was sure, if his head wasn¡¯t so hard, he would have had a concussion from that Seeing Elbert in pain, Eleanor felt sorry for him, ¡°Um, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll go get the test done¡­¡± Elbert nodded while suppressing his pain, ¡°Once the report is out, contact me right away¡­ Eleanor agreed and was about to get up when she saw someone approaching fasi, ¡°Bernard, something urgent came up. Come with me!¡± Chapter 898 Chapter 898 Bernard¡¯s eyes fluttered opennguidly, casting a frosty gaze upon the fidgety Robin Spencer, ¡°You honestly think that on your mere say so, I should skedaddle? Who do you fancy yourself to be?¡± Bernard¡¯s air of superiority grated Robin the wrong way, yet he had to bite his tongue. ¡°Why else would I trouble myself to seek you out, if this didn¡¯t concern you? A sardonicughter escaped Bernard¡¯s lips, Robin, unless my memory fails me, you and I share a bond of hostility. If this ¡®urgent issue indeed involves me, wouldn¡¯t you relish my misfortune instead of seeking me out?¡± A valid point indeed Should Bernard fall into dire straits, Robin would undoubtedly be the first to revel. But the present circumstances dictated otherwise, ¡°Fine, remain immobile if you wish. But don¡¯t im ignorance when Evelyn Ziegler whisks away your wife¡¯s niece¡± Evelyn had recently engaged a high profile international attorney, freshly returned to their homnd, with the intent of legally confronting Eleanor within days. Aware of Evelyn¡¯s scheme. Robin saw this as a fitting pretext to steer Bernard out of the equation But Bernard didn¡¯t react at all after hearing this, he just looked deeply at him with a nonchnt gaze, as if he had already seen through his n It was unsettling Bemard¡¯s nonchnce was normal, but Eleanor was bound to react, Mr Spencer, how did you know that Evelyn ns to take my niece?¡± She pretended to be very worried and asked Robin, looking genuinely concerned. She even stood up, resting her hands on the table, staring at Robin standing outside the table. Robin, almost as tall as Bernard, looked up and met her clear,ke¨Clike eyes It was like a stream flowing through his heart, which startled him, making him instinctively avoid her gaze. ¡°I just ran into her, with a bunch of people, saying she¡¯s going to snatch the kid from your ce¡­ ¡°I must go back right away to check!¡± Eleanor pretended to be very anxious and stood up quickly, but was held back by Bernard. *Ms. Vulpe needs you for something urgent. You go see her, I¡¯ll check on the situation.¡± Perhaps Bernard couldn¡¯t stand Robin¡¯sme excuse, he made up his own and walked out. Eleanor held back herughter, took Bernard¡¯s hand, and pretended to worry. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the urgent matter, I would go with you.¡°, Bernard patted her hand,forting her, ¡°I can handle it. And with me around, Evelyn wouldn¡¯t dare to make a fuss at our home.¡± Seeing that Eleanor nodded without any signs of acting, Bernard finally got up and picked up his coat. Robin didn¡¯t expect to fool Bernard so quickly. His lips curled up into a smirk. Before he could gloat over his victory, Bernard, who was halfway out of the door, turned back suddenly. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Robin, since you¡¯re close with Evelyn, why note with me?¡± ¡°Why should I meddle in your affairs with Evelyn? I¡¯m not the one involved.¡± Bernard draped his coat over his arm, hands in his pockets, smiling at him, ¡°How do I know you¡¯re not trying to get me out of the way to kidnap my wife?¡± Robin was hit where it hurts and became anxious, but tried to y it cool, ¡°Your wife is so unattractive, who would kidnap her? Only a madman would do that.¡± Eleanor had never been criticized like this before. She red at Robin, only to find him sneaking a nce at her. After eye contact, Robin seemed a bit guilty and turned to Bernard, ¡°What a bother¡­¡± Bernard signaled his bodyguard Scott to protect Eleanor, then followed Robin out of the cafe. Robin was on high alert, insisting Bernard ride with him. ¡°My car is better than yours, let¡¯s take mine.¡± Yet, holding the reins of power, Bernard wouldn¡¯t permit Robin to dictate his actions, Then, I¡¯ll choose to stay put.¡± Robin¡¯s face clouded over at Bernard¡¯s resistance, but between gritted teeth, he conceded, ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll take your ride!¡± Bernard gestured to his bodyguard who dutifully swung the car door open, allowing Robin to slip inside. A softening of Robin¡¯s stern features was visible. However, the sight of Robin stepping into the adversary¡¯s vehicle threw his bodyguard, Nathan, into a tizzy. He hurried over, warning. ¡°Don¡¯t get into Bernard¡¯s car! It¡¯s a trap!¡± Across the street, Robin discerned Nathan¡¯s anxious shouts As he began to turn, Bernard obstructed his view Once they were inside the car, Bernard reclined slightly a sinister grin creeping onto his face, ¡°Mr. Spencer, before we arrive at my ce, how about a little detour, hm?¡± Chapter 899 Chapter 899 Robin knew something was fishy and with a frown, he asked, ¡°Where are we going?¡± Bernard gave a nod to the driver who promptly locked the doors and sped off. Nathan made a futile attempt to tail the departing vehicle. His next course of action was to quickly jot down the license te number, and mobilize The Spencer family¡¯s full security detail in search of Robin. Selecting an opportune moment, Nathan morphed into a faux kidnapper, two bags in hand, shepherding a group into a caf¨¦. His strategy was to initially seize Eleanor, then orchestrate a swop for Robin However He had anticipated an easy capture of Eleanor and Elbert, but Bernard had left a formidable obstacle in his path. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Scott, the unrivaled powerhouse of the Siren Organization, who even Caleb couldn¡¯t topple, incapacitated half of Nathan¡¯s detail in a blink. Observing his guards writhing in agony on the floor, Nathan balled his fists, steeling himself to confront Scott, though fear suddenly gripped him. However, given the pressing circumstances, he had to expedite a resolution, for the sound of an iing police siren hinted at impending arrests. Knowing he was no match, Nathan still bit the bullet, mustered up the courage, and called the other bodyguards to charge with him ¡°Don¡¯t try to fight him, just pin him down. As long as he can¡¯t move. It¡¯s all good¡­¡± After changing their strategy, the bodyguards charged at Scott, enduring his attacks while trying to get close to him. One brave bodyguard ran over and, like an octopus, jumped onto Scott¡¯s back, holding onto his neck tightly, not letting go no matter how Scott Iwisted¡­ After this bodyguard seeded, more and more people jumped onto Scutt, and soon, Scott was pinned to the ground. No matter how strong Scott was, with a dozen people on his back, even those who had just been knocked down by him limped over and held him down. He couldn¡¯t break free no matter how hard he tried. Seeing this, Eleanor and Elbert were stunned, especially Elbert, who was very intrigued, took out his phone to record, andmented as he filmed, ¡°Look at these kidnappers, no weapons, just pinning people to the ground, no ss¡­ After he finished recording he was ready to show his friends. At this point, several kidnappers with ck hoods, only eyes and mouth visible, approached them. Elbert, seeing this, said to Eleanor, ¡°I thought they were here for you, didn¡¯t expect them to target us¡­¡± By the time Bernard warned her, Eleanor had already braced herself. Now seeing this group nning to kidnap Elbert together, she didn¡¯t understand what Robin was thinking He was even kidnapping his own people, what on earth was he thinking? Seeing Scott pinned down and unable to get up, Eleanor quickly shouted, ¡°Aidyn Reyes!¡± Before Robin¡¯s people came in, Eleanor received a message from Bernard saying that he had left Aidyn for them. If Scott couldn¡¯t handle it, she could call Aidyn for help. Eleanor wasn¡¯t sure where Aidyn was, but the moment she called Aidyn¡¯s name, the door to the VIP room was suddenly pushed open. Aidyn, with a group of straightced bodyguards, rushed out from inside. ¡°Madam, you should leave here first!¡± Aidyn barely had time to say this before he and his bodyguards joined the fight. Eleanor responded with a cunt ¡®ok¡®, her gaze darting towards the entrance. Robin¡¯s men had barged in, masquerading as abductors. As soon as they entered, theypelled the baristas to bolt the doors, and blockaded all possible exits, effectively ensnaring the patrons. If she hoped to make a covert escape amidst the mayhem, she had to outmaneuver the bodyguards fortifying the exits. Indeed, Robin¡¯s men had plotted meticulously. They hadn¡¯t embroiled everyone in the conflict, instead positioning some guards at the exits to thwart any attempts at flight. Elbert, who since his youth seemed to have developed a nonchnce towards abduction, wasn¡¯t rattled by the situation. In fact, he seemed eager to engage, to test his boxing prowess. However, spotting Eleanor surveying for an exit, he lowered his fists. He lightly tapped Eleanor¡¯s shoulder, whispering softly. ¡°Follow my lead if you want to break free¡­¡± Chapter 900 Chapter 900 Eleanor initially thought this whole scheme was orchestrated by Elbert and Robin. However, after seeing Elbert¡¯s clueless reaction and almost getting hauled off with the kidnapper, she quickly realized that Elbert wasn¡¯t in cahoots with Robin. Feeling reassured, she asked Elbert, ¡°Do you know how to get out of here?¡± Elbert brimmed with confidence. He winked at Eleanor with his twinkling eyes and said, ¡°Just follow me!¡± As Elbert turned towards the electrical box, Eleanor quickly followed Passing the dinner table, Elbert nonchntly picked up a steak knife and a freshly poured ss of wine. He walked over to the electrical box, emptied his wine ss in ene gulp, and tossed the ss aside. As the shattering sound echoed through the room, the lights in the caf¨¦ went out. Before Eleanor could react, someone firmly grabbed her wrist, and a clear voice rang out above her, ¡°Come with me.¡± Elbert deftly navigated Eleanor through the throng, along a shadowy corridor, and out of the caf¨¦ through a service exit in the kitchen. A motorcycle sat idle on the curb. Elbert swung onto the seat, handed Eleanor a helmet, and beckoned her with an outstretched hand ¡°Jump on!¡± The sight of the motorcycle reignited memories of the perilous race between Elbert and Bernard. Eleanor quickly rebuffed him, ¡°No need, I can make it home on foot, it¡¯s fine¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. There was no way she was getting back on that lethal contraption. Caught halfway fastening his helmet, Elbert eyed her, ¡°Didn¡¯t you mention needing to urgently see Ms. Vilpe? Why the sudden shift to walking?¡± Eleanor realized her slip¨Cup and quickly revised her response, ¡°I¡¯m anxious about Evelyn possibly snatching the kid. I need to get home right away¡± Elbert was skeptical but patted the back of his bike, ¡°You can still ride with me¡± He nced back at the cafe, ¡°With all the cops, your bodyguard may be held for questioning. It¡¯ll take a while before he can drive you Riding with me would be quicker¡± Cornered by the cops and having no other options, Eleanor reluctantly climbed onto the bike with a forced smile. Nathan, pinned to the ground by the police, saw a motorcycle shooting off like an arrow through the cafe window. His heart jumped into his throat. Shit, Eleanor hadn¡¯t been kidnapped, but Elbert had been dragged into it. He could be mistaken for one of the kidnappers and taken to the station. Nathan didn¡¯t know if Elbert could get back safely, or if he would be punished Inside Bernard¡¯s car, Robin looked out at the darkness and his face turned grim, ¡°Bernard, what are you trying to do?¡± Bernard, sitting next to him, shed a rare friendly smile, ¡°Nothing much, just kidnapping you..¡± When they turned into the suburbs, Robin realized Bernard didn¡¯t trust him at all and he dropped the act, ¡°When did you figure it out?¡± Bernard pulled a small knife from the glovepartment, wiping it down with a wet wipe, ¡°Before we walked into the caf¨¦.¡± Robin took a deep breath. He wasn¡¯t afraid of the knife in Bernard¡¯s hand. He was just realizing how stupid he¡¯d been, ¡°If I had known, I wouldn¡¯t have left the car outside.¡± Bernard made a small cut on the knife with his fingertip, his face expressionless, ¡°Whether the car was outside doesn¡¯t matter what matters is His voice trailed off, bing dull like the wind on a cliff edge, giving a feeling of falling into an abyss. Bernard paused for a moment, then looked up with icy eyes. As his gaze met Robin¡¯s, the knife was at Robin¡¯s throat, ¡°Why are you always after my wife? What are you really up to?!¡± Chapter 901 Chapter 901 Robin dropped his gaze to the knife at his throat, a smirk ying on his lips. ¡°So you wanna know, huh?¡± He chuckled as if he knew Bernard wouldn¡¯t really hurt him. There was a touch of sass in his grin. Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Well, I ain¡¯t spillin Knife in hand, Bernard stared at Robin¡¯s raised eyebrows. His initially emotionless eyes gradually turned icy ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me ¡± As his words fell, the knife slowly slid down to his chest. Feeling his heart pounding faster, the knife pointed straight at the heart. ¡°But your heart, might just get ripped out.¡± Robin was fully aware that if Bernard truly decided to strike, it would be a hell of a showdown. But he wasn¡¯t scared one bit. ¡°If you don¡¯t want your kin to end up like the Pine family, go on, give it a shot.¡± He was the leader of the Spencer family. If Bernard actually killed him, the Spencers might end up on the Laurence family¡¯s shit list just like the Pines. Even with all the tricks up Bernard¡¯s sleeve, he wouldn¡¯t mess with his own bloodline, right? That¡¯s what Robin thought. He believed Bernard would consider his descendants. However, without any hesitation, Bernard gripped the knife handle lighter, and plunged it straight in. Feeling his heart suddenly stop beating, Robin¡¯s face turned ashen within seconds. Looking up at Bernard in disbelief, he stammered. ¡°You¡­¡± Bernard pulled out the knife, pressing the de against his lips, ¡°Do you know why you can never beat me?¡± Robin clutched his bleeding chest, enduring the pain with a coldugh. ¡°Because I¡¯m not ruthless enough, right?¡± Bernard pulled out a wet wipe, slowly wiping off the blood¨Cstained de, ¡°Not that you¡¯re not ruthless, just not as ruthless as me! He remembered Mr. Penrod telling him as a kid, as a future leader, he had to be more ruthless than anyone, or else he¡¯d be the one to bite the dust. Bernard never forgot that and never showed mercy when dealing with enemies. Robin always aspired to stand on equal footing with him, but s, he¡¯d always been a coddled child, untested by life¡¯s harshest trials. How could one who had never traversed darkness truly embody ruthlessness? Robin¡¯s gaze lowered to his chest, spotting the knife that had narrowly missed his heart, prompting another burst ofughter, ¡°If you truly had a ruthless streak, you wouldn¡¯t have stayed your hand just now.¡± Bernard also permitted a faint smile, ¡°You still haven¡¯t answered my question, what exactly does your mother seek from my wife?¡± Robin¡¯s eyes widened imperceptibly. Despite the shock, he endeavored to maintain hisposure, ¡°She wishes to meet her sister¡¯s child, one final time¡± Despite his best efforts to cloak his surprise, Bernard discerned the subtle shift in his gaze. It appeared Robin was taken aback by Bernard¡¯s knowledge of his mother¡¯s quest for Eleanor. Toying with the petite knife in his grip, Bernard swiveled to face Robin, a smirk etched on his face, ¡°Your father was originally betrothed to your mother¡¯s sister. Surely, you¡¯d be more informed about how your mother ended up with your father, right?¡± Hearing this, Robin¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly. ¡°What the hell are you on about?¡± There was a trace of confusion in his eyes, and it didn¡¯t look like an act. Did Robin really not know about the history of his family¡¯s previous generation? Chapter 902 Chapter 902 Robin gritted his teeth, fighting the metallic taste of blood in his mouth, and retorted painfully at Bernard, ¡°Tor the record, it was Eleanor¡¯s mother who pressured my dad into the engagement The woman my dad¡¯s always been in love with is my mom!¡± His parents, in their quest to save face in their marriage, had conveniently shifted the me onto Vanya Pine Clever ploy, really No wonder their son turned out so ¡®naive¡­ Bernard didn¡¯t want to argue with Robin on this He just responded coldly. ¡°Look up what the Pine family did back in the day yourself¡± Was he suggesting his parents had lied to him? Impossible. His parents loved him, they would never deceive him. Robin found himself cornered. Bernard leveled a frosty re at him, ¡°By my estimate, you¡¯ve got roughly twenty minutes. Reveal why your mother is seeking Eleanor within that timeframe, and I might consider saving you.¡± Despite his heart remaining unscathed, he risked sumbing to blood loss. Robin was no stranger to such perilous circumstances, having engaged in this deadly dance numerous times. He needed to think this through. Shaking off his daze, Robin resolved to ponder his options, but he refrained from spilling the true motive to Bernard. Instead, he offered apromise, ¡®Fine, take Eleanor and apany me to G Country My mother merely wishes to meet her sister¡¯s offspring.¡± Once they set foot in G Country, the Spencers domain, he could seize both Eleanor and Bernard in one fell swoop, settling the score for today¡¯s embarrassment Thankfully, Robin had preemptively swallowed a mood stabilizer before stepping out, enabling him to construct this escape n while maintaining hisposure. His meticulously crafted n nearly betrayed him. Bernard saw straight through his fa?ade, ¡°Do you genuinely expect me to believe you?¡± His gaze flickered to his steadily bleeding wound Impatience creeping in, yet Robin willed himself to maintain his calm. Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Maybe like you said, my mom did something wrong to her sister and wants to apologize, or she wants to tell Eleanor a secret about her sister. That¡¯s why she wants to see Eleanor onest time¡± Robin¡¯s exnation was more convincing than before. Bernard seemed almost swayed, but¡­. Bernard looked up at a pale¨Cfaced Robin, ¡°There¡¯s something about you¡­ reminds me of myself.¡± Robin thought he would either agree or refuse outright. He didn¡¯t expect him to say something like that. Although Bernard seemed a bit off, Robin asked out of curiosity. ¡°What part of me reminds you of yourself?¡± Bernard gave a slow smile. ¡°The willingness to protect those you want to protect, even at the risk of your own life, without choosing betrayal.¡± What did he mean by that? Robin waspletely baffled He looked at Bernard and said, ¡°Sometimes, I really think you¡¯re nuts.¡± Bernard lifted a finger, tapping on the car window, ¡°Give him the hemostatic¡­¡± The bodyguard waiting outside immediately turned around, got a bottle of hemostatic from another car, and handed it to Robin. Robin epted the medicine, puzzled again, ¡°Bernard, I really think you¡¯re not just nuts, you¡¯re seriously messed up.¡± Robin thought to himself, ¡°He attacked me without asking for a reason, said some cryptic things, and now he¡¯s giving me a hemostatic? Doesn¡¯t that prove he¡¯s seriously messed up?¡± Chapter 903 Chapter 903 Bernard rolled up the car window, turned his head, and said with a cool indifference, ¡°Tomorrow at 8 am, we¡¯ll meet at the airport¡± Robin, like him, wouldn¡¯t betray the ones he wanted to protect. For Robin, that person was his mother. So even if it killed him, he wouldn¡¯t spill the beans. So let¡¯s just keep ying this game, after all, no risk, no reward In five months, Bernard would be off to God knows where, his fate uncertain But before that, he¡¯d clear the deck of any threats to Eleanor Only when she was safe and under the protection of the Laurence family would he be able to leave with peace of mind. And the biggest threat to Eleanor right now was Robin¡¯s mother. Next in line was Evelyn, who was fighting Eleanor over the kid. Once he¡¯d dealt with Robin¡¯s mother, Evelyn was next. He would clear the path for Eleanor, no matter what. Robin had assumed Bernard would reject his proposition outright. However, Bernard¡¯s swift agreement took him aback. What was he nning now? Burned once, Robin swiftly pieced together the potential implications of Bernard¡¯s n. Yet, still in the crosshairs, he refrained from exposing Bernard¡¯s machinations. His priority was to get back, alert his mother to brace herself. That held more importance than engaging Bernard in a battle of wits. With this rationale, Robin chose to y along. ¡°You¡¯re wee to use my private jet Bernard, already disembarked, swiveled around, casting a downward nce at Robin, ¡°Mr. Spencer, you appear to forget, the game is never yed on your terms ¡± With a final statement, he forcefully shut the car door From the exterior, a chilling voice echoed, ¡°The car gets dirty, so feel free to abandon it.¡± Elbert was throttling his motorcycle at a breath¨Ctaking pace, making a beeline for the Fiord Roundabout. He mmed the brakes, a plume of ck smoke unfurling in his wake as he screeched to a halt. Removing his helmet. Elbert twisted around to check on Eleanor, ¡°Eleanor, are you alright?¡± Eleanor gave her head a shake, and once her sense of bnce restored, she gestured to Elbert, ¡°I¡¯m okay, I¡¯ll dismount now¡­¡± She grabbed hold of the rail and climbed down from the high motorcycle. The moment her feet touched the ground, she let out a sigh of relief- The motorcycle had been going too fast, it had scared the living daylights out of her. She was never going to ride it again, it was just too terrifying. Elbert saw her pale face and the queasy expression on her face and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Eleanor, you really can¡¯t handle it. What are you going to do next time Bernard and I race, and you have to ride with me?¡± Yes, Elbert had it all nned out. Waiting for the right moment, he would challenge Bernard to another race. Loser ps the winner four times. With his riding skills, there was no way he was going to lose to old man Bernard again. Twenty¨Cyear¨Cold Elbert was convinced that Bernard¡¯s winst time was just a fluke. Just as he was mulling this over, his phone started buzzing non¨Cstop. He took out his phone, saw it was a call from Robin, and quickly answered, ¡°Hello¡± ¡°So you were the one who helped Eleanor escape from the cafe?¡± ¡°Yeah, things got pretty hairy there. I was worried something might happen to her, so I helped her get away¡­¡± ¡°You idiot!¡± An ear¨Csplitting shout came from the other end of the line, tinged with a note of exhaustion. Elbert held the phone away from his ear, waiting until Robin had vented before bringing it back. ¡°She¡¯s my cousin, of course I¡¯m going to protect her¡­¡± His unrepentant attitude made Robin so angry he pushed away the bodyguard¡¯s hand He¡¯d nned to kidnap Eleanor, but ended up getting kidnapped by Bernard instead. Given Bernard¡¯s intricate scheme, it was understandable that Nathan had failed. But what he just couldn¡¯t wrap his head around was why Elbert had helped Eleanor escape ¡°Elbert, you knew my mother wanted to see Eleanor. Why didn¡¯t you just take her to the G country after you helped her escape?¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Well¡­ I needed her consent, didn¡¯t I? Can¡¯t just drag her off¡­¡± Elbert said in a wronged tone, ¡°You know I don¡¯t do that sort of thing anymore.¡± Robin was so angry it hurt, he almost started bleeding again, ¡°You¡± He clenched his teeth, but didnt let it out. Some things Elbert couldn¡¯t know, so he couldn¡¯t have warned him in advance. ming him now would only give himself away. Even though Nathan had failed, Bernard agreeing to bring Eleanor to see his mother the next day could be considered a ¡®sess¡® of sorts Chapter 904 Chapter 904 With that. Robin gave a warning to Elbert ¡°You gotta Meer clear of that delinquent woman¡¯s daughter Don¡¯t treat her like your sister or you¡¯ll be the one getting hurt With that said Robin hung up the call Elbert pocketed his phone, deep in thought ncing at the figure entering the vi Right, he almost forget the rule of the Pine family Vanya¡¯s daughter in not to be considered family However, he found Eleanor to be really gentle, much more so than Katharine Spencer. He always wanted a sister like that. Elbert felt a bit tom. He averted his gaze, restarted his motorcycle, and headed towards the Fiord Roundabout Just then. Bernard¡¯s car passed by Elbert¡¯s motorcycle and they shared a nce. It waste and Elbert was still here, which meant he had escorted Eleanor home This young man seemed to care a lot about Eleanot Through the rearview mirror, Bernard watched the motorcycle driving away, thinking that those four ps were not enough. Once back at the castle, the first thing he did was to check on Eleanor. Seeing her safe and sound, telling stories to Nina with her sketchbook in hand, he let out a sigh of relief. Eleanor looked up to see him return unharmed, her eyes rxed and she gave a sweet smile Noticing Eleanor¡¯s gaze. Nina followed it to the door Catching sight of Bernard, she feigned closing her eyes, pretending to settle in for the night. Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I suggest we all hit the sack. I¡¯m exhausted and ready for bed¡± With that she gathered the nket and cocooned herself Observing Nina¡¯s charming antics elicited a chuckle from Eleanor ¡°Nina, goodnight¡± ¡°Goodnight¡± The muffled voice emanating from beneath the nket provokedughter from Eleanor as she rose from the bed. She flicked off the room¡¯s main light and ventured towards Bernard. Just as she halted before him, Bernard captured her hand and guided her to the study Following a brief discussion about the next day¡¯s ns, he indulged in a moment of gentle caresses on the sofa before releasing her ¡°Babe, head upstairs and rest. I need to call Caleb Robin would surely set a trap in G country in advance, so he couldnt go into this unprepared. Knowing Bernard had matters to deal with, Eleanor nodded and quickly left the study Once she was upstairs, Bernard took out his phone used for contacting members of the Siren Organization, looked up Caleb¡¯s number, and called In G country, Caleb was dealing with the overly enthusiastic Katharine Hearing the specific ringtone, he hurriedly pushed her away. ¡°Babe, wait for me I gotta take this coll¡® To avoid suspicion, Caleb changed Bernard¡¯s contact name to ¡°Dear Dad¡± Katharine, who was already undressed and ready, nced at Caleb¡¯s phone screen ¡°Your dad calls a lot¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s always calling¡± Calebined while putting on his pants. Tve been a bit forgetfultely scared I¡¯d forget you so I call you often.¡± Caleb tried to grab his phone and leave, but a slender hand held down the screen. Katharine wrapped in a nket climbed onto Caleb¡¯s back, snatching the phone from his hand ¡°I find it odd that every time your dad calls, you avoid me. Is this not your dad, but your girlfriend?¡± ¡°No way Caleb tried to take back the phone, but Katharine quickly turned around and he missed. Katharine suspected Caleb was lying, her eyes gradually filled with murderous intent if it¡¯s impossible, let me listen to the call if it were anyone else, Katharine would have attacked already She gave Caleb a chance because he had kept her satisfied in bed But if she found out Caleb was lying to her after the call was picked up Katharines other hand slowly opened the drawer of the bedside table, taking out a gun. She pulled the trigger, spinning the gun with the muzzle pointed at Caleb¡¯s forehead, then lowered her head, signaling him to pick up the call Caleb¡¯s life was hanging by a thread, he suddenly thought of Scott Il Scott were toplete this mission, he could have defeated Katharine by now But sadly, he¡¯s not Scott, he couldn¡¯t beat Katharine, he was forced to answer the call His heart was pounding like a drum, but he had to keep lus cool and reached out to answer the call- Chapter 905 Chapter 905 The moment Bernard answered the call, Caleb didn¡¯t give him a chance to utter a word. He shouted, ¡°Hey, Dad, it¡¯s Caleb How¡¯s that memory of yours?¡± Bernard¡­. He began to suspect that Caleb¡¯s association with the Spencer family was diminishing his intellect His ruse was pitiful, on par with Robin¡¯s pathetic attempts. Suspecting someone else was in Caleb¡¯s company, Bernard decided to y along feigning an aged tone, ¡°A slight improvement, but it still need a doctor¡¯s consultation. Kathanne, hearing the deep masculine voice on the line, rxed her grip on the gun slightly and gestured to Caleb to maintain the conversation. Catching Katharine¡¯s unsuspecting gaze, Caleb nonchntly proceeded, ¡°So, when are you nning to see the doctor? Have you made an appointment?¡± Bernard, his fingers drumming on the ss table, replied icily, ¡°Your mother will apany me to the doctor in G country tomorrow. If you have time, bring your fianc¨¦e along When Caleb heard Bernard¡¯s words, apanied by the tapping on the table, he knew it was Morse code. He quickly understood Bernard¡¯s meaning. He wanted Caleb to bring Katharine to the destination. Even though he didn¡¯t know Bernard¡¯s real purpose, he would still do as told ¡°Alright, when do we meet?¡± Bernard said expressionlessly, ¡°Eight o¡¯clock tomorrow night¡± Caleb nodded obediently. ¡°No problem, 111 bring her to meet you guys tomorrow¡± After Bernard hung up the phone, Caleb put away his phone and looked at Katharine, ¡°Did you hear that? My dad¡¯sing to G country. He wants me to bring you to see them. See, I wasn¡¯t lying to you, was 17¡± Katharine heard all the conversation, she put down her gun and said, ¡°The fiancee you mentioned.. is it me?¡± Katharine looked somewhat taken aback. In her view, she and Caleb were merely fooling around. Had Caleb seriously considered marrying her? Observing Kathanne¡¯s beautiful face, Caleb felt a pang of guilt However, Bernard remained his priority, an unwavering position in his heart. Thus, he hardened his resolve and continued to mislead Katharine. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve spoken about you to my parents. They¡¯re quite intrigued and have been longing to meet you¡­ While uttering these words, his thoughts were preupied with acquiring a sedative for Katharine the following day, without which he wouldn¡¯t be able to take her away Unaware of Caleb¡¯s internal machinations, Katharine found herself emotionally stirred by his derations She¡¯d had previous boyfriends, but they all found her too intimidating. None wanted to marry her; they merely viewed her as an amusement. Caleb was the first¡­. Katharine approached Caleb, slung her arms around his neck, pressed her lips against his, and whispered, ¡°Caleb, I thought you were merely ying games. I hadn¡¯t anticipated your sincerity¡­¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Caleb stiffened, a sense of guilt rising in his heart He really wanted to tell Katharine that his real name wasn¡¯t Caleb. It was just a pseudonym he used for the mission. He didn¡¯t have a real name. The name ¡°Caleb¡± was a code given to him by Mr. Penrod when he joined the Siren Organization, cede name $0883Caleb. But Caleb knew well that this secret should never be known to anyone, especially Katharine, who had feelings for him¡­. Because from eight o¡¯clock tomorrow, he and Katharine would go downpletely different paths. Their closeness was just a temporary rtionship. Katharine¡¯s body pressed against Caleb¡¯s firm chest, shy yet bold, she whispered in his ear. ¡°I need you.¡± Caleb fell into deep thought If their meeting hadn¡¯t been because of the mission, but in some other way, perhaps there could have been a different ending between them. But life has no ifs¡­. Chapter 906 Chapter 906 After hanging up the phone, Bernard gazed at the street lights outside the window Tomorrow, he¡¯d be headed to G country, where Robin would no doubt beying a web of traps for him. If he wanted to get out of this mess unscathed, Robin¡¯s beloved baby sister was his best shot Bernard shifted his gaze back, dialed up Liana and asked her to run a hair test on Eleanor and Cibert tonight. Liana was nning to chill out, but as soon as Bernard called, she got straight to work. Will Webb watched as Liana received two samples from the bodyguard, and he turned to enter the testing room, hesitating before finally following her in As Liana slid into her gloves, she spied Will lingering in the doorway, his stance caught between a longing to enter and a fear of overstepping A pause seeped into her movement Sinceying out bare truths with him, she¡¯d taken refuge in distance, her words having been a fortress, unyielding and devoid of hopeful whispers. Now, she saw the toll it had taken his slimmer form, the pallor recing his once rosyplexion, eyes receding into shadows of steepless nights. A twinge of guilt echoed in Liana¡¯s heart. Her fierce battle for societal eptance had wounded the one soul that cherished her unconditionally No longer able to face Will, Liana lowered her gaze and dived into the sea of her exam Will didn¡¯t intrude on Liana¡¯s space, choosing instead to stand sentinel outside, silently observing. His respect for Liana remained unscathed, irrespective of circumstances For Tyler Howell was yet a wall between them, one that needed to be crumbled before he could reim proximity to Liana Otherwise, his approach would just be seen as unnecessary clinginess by Liana, and then what was the difference between him and Tyler? Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Afterpleting the overnight test, Liana sent the results to Bernard By the time she left the hospital, it was already three in the morning She thought Will had left long ago, but when she got home, pulled the curtains and was ready to go to bed, she saw a car parked across her vi. She knew exactly what kind of car he drove and what the license te number was, having been around him for so long Liana¡¯s hand paused on the curtain, then with determination, she pulled them shut, blocking everything downstairs, including people, behind the blue curtain. Will saw her get home safely and turn off the lights to sleep before he finally started the car and left. In a week, the court summons would be served to Tyler. By then, he would definitely charge Tyler with rape! Only by sending Tyler to jail, could he spend the rest of his life peacefully with Liana Bernard looked at the test report, it was already the next morning. Just as he was about to read it, an excited voice came from the side ¡°I was right, my mother is not from the Pine family¡°¡± Eleanor had just stirred awake, nestled within his embrace, her vision still cloaked in the fog of slumber. Blinking at his phone, the report caught her gaze. The sight of those figures and conclusions instantly dispelled her drowsiness, her vision sharpened, she seized his phone and dove into the details. ¡°This report! It will silence anyone trying to drive us apart based on my supposed Pine lineage!¡± Eleanor¡¯s joy erupted, brandishing the phone towards Bernard, her animated and endearing manner more carefree than ever. Her smile proved contagious, making Bernard¡¯s heart dance. With one arm curled around her waist, he invited her to nestle closer within his hold, eyes warmly surveying her. ¡°Even if you did hail from the Pine family, no one could bully me into divorcing you.¡± ¡°Mhm!¡± Her delicate hands found their ce around Bernard¡¯s sturdy waist, her face seeking sce against his chest, tuning into the rhythm of his robust heartbeat. In this moment, happiness swept over her¡­. She wasn¡¯t a Pine, she wasn¡¯t his cousin, their love was unshackled, their future together unrestrained! ¡°Honey, please send this report to ke soon¡± ¡°No rush, we¡¯ll deal with it when we get back from G country¡± Once he had sorted out the issue with Robin¡¯s mother, he would return to deal with these matters, one by one, paving the way for her Chapter 907 Chapter 907 Right on cue at 8, Bernard and Eleanor made their appearance at the airport, and after rendezvousing with Robin and Elbert, they each ascended into their respective private Jets, setting their course for G country Caleb, the maestro of meticulousness, had deduced the clock would stake 6 in the evening when he slipped a potion into the soup he¡¯d crafted for Katharine, serving it with his own hands Observing Katharine devour the soup, and then scurry to adorn herself in makeup, sprucing up to meet his parents, Caleb¡¯s brow furrowed Was she genuinely developing feelings for him? However, she pummeled him frequently, erupted at the most trifling matters, and appeared to covet his physique, not his soul. How then, could she be nurturing affection for him? Just as the fog of unconsciousness imed Katharine, she reached out to Caleb, ¡°What, what did you mix into my soup? Why would you¡­¡± Her words faded into oblivion as she surrendered to the induced slumber Caleb caught her limp farm, scooped her up and settled her into the car. As he fastened her seatbelt, beholding her closed eyes, as if locked in an endless sleep, guilt flooded Caleb once more. Suddenly, he found his thoughts adrift to Mr. Ben. In that moment, he seemed to fathorn why Mr. Ben had sumbed to Sophie Ratliff¡¯s charm Navigating theplex world of women was indeed a challenging feat. But, getting emotionally involved with a mission target was a mistake itself, Caleb wasn¡¯t Mr. Ben, he wouldn¡¯t repeat Mr. Ben¡¯s mistakes, nor would he betray Mr. Law, so Caleb quickly cut off the strange emotions welling up inside him, withdrew his gaze from Katharine, started the car emotionlessly and drove towards their destination. Bernard¡¯s private jet was scheduled tond at 8 in the evening. Before he even got off the ne, Robin was waiting with a bunch of bodyguards to take him to the hospital. Robin stood in the cabin with his hands in his pockets, looking down at Bernard, ¡°Sorry, but this is my turf. As the host, I¡¯ll be calling the shots from here on out¡± His arrogance and disrespect got the undercover Siren Organization¡¯s members, disguised as bodyguards, on their feet. They wouldn¡¯t tolerate anyone disrespecting Bernard, they were ready to teach Robin a lesson, but Bernard stopped them. Bernard gestured for them to stay calm, then he reached out to Eleanor He said, ¡°Let¡¯s go see her, see what she has to say to you?¡± Eleanor understood, nodded, and ced her hand in his. As Bernard walked past Robin with Eleanor, he gave Robin a good shove in the chest Robin had just had stitches in his chest, and this nearly ripped them open. He wanted tosh out at Bernard, but before he could, the members following Bernard off the ne took turns bumping into him. Robin¡¯s bodyguards were unable to protect him as they swarmed him, aiming specifically for his injured chest. Nathan, with a bruised face, held up Robin, ¡°Mr. Spencer, next time let¡¯s not provoke him directly, let¡¯s attack when he least expects it.¡± Taking him head on was a losing battle, look at what they had done to him now. If the cops hadn¡¯t stepped in when they did, Scott would have beaten his brains out. Robin, armed with his covert strategy, spearheaded the formation, a phnx of cars ensnaring Bernard¡¯s convoy, trailing them from the airport to the hospital Scott, the man at the wheel, cast a quick nce into the rear¨Cview mirror, ¡°Should we lose them?¡± Cradling Eleanor¡¯s hand. Bernard delivered a dispassionate verdict, ¡°No need¡± If Robin was itching for haste, let him. Bernard hadn¡¯t the leisure to engage in a chase of cat and mouse. The hospital loomed soon enough. Upon disembarking, Robin guided Bernard and Eleanor towards the upscale wing of the hospital¡­ As they shadowed him into the patient ward, Robin suddenly jabbed the automatic door button. The robust white door swept shut with a resounding thud, effectively severing the Siren Organization¡¯s members who hadn¡¯t prated the threshold yetThis is from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 908 Chapter 908 Elbert, tailing behind, however, was left high and dry He watched as the blinds were pulled down, a slight crease in his brow He could get why Robin wouldn¡¯t let Bernard¡¯s bodyguard in, but why was he also kept outside? Inside the room, Robin closed the door, hands in pockets, walked towards them, his gazending on Eleanor. ¡°Eleanor,e with me Robin¡¯s smile seemed harmless enough, but his eyes told a different story His ill intentions had Eleanor on edge, but Berard, taking her hand,forted her. Though the undercover member from Siren Organization didn¡¯t make it in, Bernard¡¯s presence was reassuring enough. Eleanor¡¯s heart began to steady Hand in hand with Bernard, she followed Robin through a series of white doors, till they reached the innermost hospital room. As Robin pushed open the door, Eleanor¡¯s gaze fell on the woman lying on the hospital bed ¨C Wendy Pine. She was past fifty, and the ravages of illness had erased her former beauty. She looked frail, pale and thin, the apparent signs of severe illness, but the determination in her sunken eyes told a story of survival. ¡°Vanya¡­¡± Wendy was on oxygen. As soon as she saw Eleanor, her eyes widened ¡°Are Are you here to take me?¡± Eleanor tilted her head Wendy seemed shocked and afraid of Vanyaing for her. Did she feel guilty about something? ¡°Mother¡± Drawing near, Robin captured her hand, unraveling the truth with a gentle tone, ¡°She isn¡¯t Vanya. She¡¯s Eleanor, Vanya¡¯s daughter.¡± At the sound of her son¡¯s voice, a ripple of recognition flickered across Wendy¡¯s eyes, deftly veiling the tremors of shock that sparked within, reced by a vacant stare. ¡°So she¡¯s her offspring. I thought she sought me out¡­ Wendy¡¯s voice trailed off, as her hand extended, which Robin swiftly sped. With Robin¡¯s aid, Wendy hoisted herself upright, prying open her fatigueden eyes to scan the duo standing sentinel at the door. First, she perused Eleanor, then her gaze traversed to Bernard, a furrow creasing her brow as she discerned the chill radiating from him. ¡°Mr. Laurence, could you step out for a moment? I need to have a word with Eleanor¡­¡± She didn¡¯t even share a sentimental word about their reunion and wanted Bernard to leave right away. That was a bit too hasty ¡°He¡¯s my husband. What can¡¯t be said in front of him?¡± Eleanor quickly jumped to her husband¡¯s defense before Bernard could say a word Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Wendy, rebuffed by the younger generation for the first time, looked slightly taken aback, but quickly regained herposure ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to marry into the Laurence family. If your mother knew, she¡¯d be heartbroken. The Pine family and the Laurence family are sworn enemies¡­¡± So you¡¯re nning to guilt¨Ctrip her using Vanya? Even if her mother was a Pine, Eleanor wouldn¡¯t let Bernard leave over a family feud. Eleanor didn¡¯t y along. ¡°My mother is long gone. How do you know she would be heartbroken? Have you asked her? Or have you seen her?¡± Wendy didn¡¯t expect Eleanor to be so sharp¨Ctongued. She figured with Eleanor¡¯s resemnce to her mother, her personality would be just as mild and easy to manipte A few exchangester, Wendy realized Eleanor wasn¡¯t one to mess with, quickly adjusting her strategy and forced a smile onto her aged face. ¡°The Laurence family has caused many deaths in the Pine family I¡¯m not ready to let go of that grudge yet, please forgive my earlier words if they offended you.¡± Chapter 909 Chapter 909 Though Eleanor harbored doubts, she forwent further contestation, merely offering a slight mod in response Noting Eleanor¡¯sck of retaliation, Wendy caught the cue and ceased to provoke Bernard Mustering her strength, she waved Eleanor closer. ¡°Would you mind drawing near so I can see you clearly?¡± Up until this juncture, aside from Robin stationing his bodyguard at the door, and Wendy¡¯s fruitless endeavors to unsettle Bernard, Eleanor had remained unscathed. This resulted in a ripple of perplexity washing over the pair What was Wendy¡¯s endgame? After exchanging querying looks, Eleanor and Bemard, still hand in hand, approached Wendy¡¯s bedside and perched themselves down. Wendy, glossing over Bernard, stretched out her rugged, trembling hands towards Eleanor¡¯s visage. ¡°I always believed Emilia bore a striking resemnce to your mother, but it seems you mirror her even more distinctly.. Her rough fingertips brushed against Eleanor¡¯s face, making her ufortable. She turned her head slightly aside ¡°What do you want from me?¡± Stop trying to manipte me with family ties. Can you just spit out what you¡¯re after? Why this performance? Wendy¡¯s gaze seemed to casually slide over Bernard¡¯s face before she nonchntly reached for Eleanor¡¯s hand. ¡°I just wanted to see you onest time. Now that I have, I¡¯m satisfied¡­¡± Despite this, Wendy¡¯s words were still baffling Was she really just wanting to see her once? As Eleanor questioned, Wendy gently patted her hand and said with deep sincerity: ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your mother¡¯s death. I¡¯ve always wanted to apologize to her, but never had the chance. So, I found you, hoping to make amends, so I won¡¯t leave any regrets or guilt after I die¡± On hearing this. Eleanor frowned slightly. ¡°Did you kill my mother?¡± Wendy shook her head regretfully ¡°I didn¡¯t harm her. She came to me for money when she was pregnant, and I turned her down. I could¡¯ve lent her the money, but my parents wouldn¡¯t allow it. They warned that anyone who lent Vanya money would get their legs broken. The Pine family rules were strict, nobody dared to defy my parents.. As Wendy spoke, her eyes didn¡¯t seem as gloomy but rather filled with regret. Eleanor also felt she wasn¡¯t lying. But she couldn¡¯t ept this apology on her mother¡¯s behalf, all she could do was sit there, with a complicated look on her face, watching the pale woman on the bed. Wendy held Eleanor¡¯s hand tight, as if she was holding onto Eleanor¡¯s mother, and didn¡¯t let go. ¡°Vanya and I were only a year apart, we were like sisters But I was too obedient to my parents, refusing to lend her money, which led directly to her death. Each time I think of it, I feel immense guilt and can¡¯t sleep¡­¡± With this, she looked into Eleanor¡¯s eyes, tears welling up. ¡°Kid, I¡¯m sorry for your mother. This is also why I sent my son to find you to make up for past regrets. Don¡¯t overthink it¡­ Sensing Bernard¡¯s awareness of the truth, Wendy chose her words with candidness, void of any deceptive undertones. Eleanor, however, wasn¡¯t quick to swallow the bait ¡°The person is gone, seeking out her daughter to apologize seems pointless, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Wendy aimed to disarm her, but Eleanor was neither frail nor naive, eager to uncover Wendy¡¯s authentic motives. The girl was sharper than her mother, yet there¡¯s always a key to a puzzle Actually, apart from expressing my remorse to her daughter, I seek to borrow something from her¡­¡± Witnessing Wendy veering to the crux, Eleanor scoffed in bemusement. ¡°One minute you¡¯re on about amends, the next you wish to borrow from me. Doesn¡¯t that seem rather inconsistent?¡± Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Wendy shook her head, negating the im. I intend topensate. I own a 30% stake in the Pine estate, which will bequeath to you upon my demise. It will be enshrined in my will. As for the borrowing I simply require a sample of your blood for an examination¡­ At this, a crease of confusion furrowed Eleanor¡¯s brow, ¡°An examination for what?¡± Chapter 910 Chapter 910 Wendy refused to hide, yanking away the covers to reveal her weak legs. Before I go, I want onest walk in the sun Blut look at me, frail and unable to move.¡± She paused, guilt nickering across her face as she nced at Eleanor Your mom once mentioned that both you and Emilia share my blood type, AB She asked for a loan and promised to repay the favor with blood if I ever needed it F Her remorseful and desperate gaze pleaded with Eleanor. ¡°Im sorry for not helping your mom back then. But I was wondering if you could donate some blood for me¨Cjust 40¨Cto get me on my feet Though her words sounded sincere, there were fishy elements in her request Firstly, neither she nor Emilia had AB blood type, they both had themon 0 type. Wendy might be searching for them because their mom had lied about their blood type to secure the loan. Secondly, 40 of blood wouldn¡¯t be enough to restore Wendy¡¯s strength She likely wanted the blood for testing purposes, with uncertain intentions afterward Before Eleanor could respond, a cold voice cut in ¡°My wife¡¯s blood is not avable for lending¡± Bernard¡¯s blunt refusal left Wendy looking taken aback. She turned to Eleanor. ¡®Kid, I just need a little blood. It won¡¯t hurt you.¡± After some thought, Eleanor nced at Robin and made a condition, ¡°If you tell me how you ended up marrying York Spencer, I let you take a small tube of blood. If you lie, sorry no blood donation¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Just yesterday, Bernard told her that Robin had no idea about his parents¡® past and thought Vanya was the homewrecker. She had to clear her mother¡¯s name in front of Robin Moreover, the fact that Wendy wanted her blood for testing indicated that she might need an organ from Eleanor, or more specifically, from Emilia. But since Emilia was dead, she came looking for Eleanor. But before needing an organ, Wendy needed to confirm if Eleanor¡¯s blood matched, hence the blood test. What Eleanor didn¡¯t expect was that Wendy didn¡¯t know Vanya wasn¡¯t a real Pine. Elbert had once said that he overheard his grandparents¡® conversation when he was young It was quite understandable that Wendy, who was only a year older than Vanya, didn¡¯t know the secret. Eleanor figured that giving Wendy a blood sample and letting her figure out that she wasn¡¯t a real Pine might be more convincing than showing ke the test results herself This could also get rid of Wendy¡¯s intention to get her organs and change Robin¡¯s opinion about her. As soon as Eleanor made the offer, Bernard understood her intentions. But he didn¡¯t want Eleanor to get hurt, not even if it was just a blood draw. Eleanor, however, squeezed his hand and brushed his palm lightly with her fingertips, telling him not to worry Wendy didn¡¯t notice their small gesture. She waspletely absorbed in Eleanor¡¯s proposal. The question, ¡°How did you end up marrying York Spencer?¡± pierced through Wendy, leaving her feeling utterly exposed. It was as if Eleanor held all the knowledge and was merely ying along with her charade. The sensation of being seen through, even while fully clothed, ignited a seething rage within Wendy She suspected that Eleanor had uncovered the truth when she married Bernard Presenting the question now was a tactic to force her to confess her wrongdoings in front of her own son. If Wendy revealed the truth, the carefully constructed image of herself as a devoted mother in her son¡¯s eyes would crumble. On the other hand, if she lied, Eleanor would refuse to provide the much¨Cneeded blood. After carefully weighing her options, Wendy chose to sidestep the impending bullet and speak the truth. ¡°Following the disfigurement of your mother by Evelyn, York Spencer divorced her, effectively terminating the strategic marriage alliance between the Pine and Spencer families. However, my parents couldn¡¯t let go of the opportunity to align themselves with the Spencers, so they arranged for me to marry him instead¡­¡± Chapter 911 Chapter 911 Seeing her being cautious, Eleanor decided to provoke her, ¡°I¡¯ve met Evelyn, she said you were the one who egged her on to ruin my mother¡¯s face Wendy went pale and derved it strongly, ¡°Bullshit All I did waspliment your mother¡¯s beauty in front of her and she got so jealous that she went nuts! She was the one who hurt Vanya and now she¡¯s trying to pin it on me!¡± Eleanor was surprised by the revtion, ¡°If you didn¡¯tpliment my mother in front of Evelyn, why would she get so jealous that she would ssh chemicals on my mom¡¯s face?¡± Wendy got emotional and denied. That¡¯s not what happened, I had nothing to do with it!¡± Eleanor pushed further, ¡°What about your shady move to marry York Spencer, are you going to deny that too?¡± Wendy continued emotionally, ¡°I was there for him when he couldn¡¯t ept Vanya¡¯s disfigurement. If anyone¡¯s to me, it¡¯s him for getting drunk. We naturally ended up Together, but how¡¯s that immoral?¡± Robin, who had been quietly peeling an apple, paused as he heard this. When he was small, Wendy had told him that his father loved her very much When he grew up. Vanya intervened with her immoral act, and got engaged with his father. But Vanya got her just desserts when her face got ruined The Pine family felt embarrassed to offer such a daughter to York Spencer, so they reced her with Wendy Who would have thought that the real story was his mother had been the one to act immorally and get involved with his father while he was still engaged His sharpened gazended on Wendy, who looked weak but had a venonious look in her eyes. At this moment, he found her so unfamiliar¡­ Feeling her son¡¯s gaze. Wendy quicklyposed herself, let go of Eleanor and reached out to Robin, ¡°Son, don¡¯t get the wrong idea. Your father and I had feelings for each other, that¡¯s why we ended up together..¡± Robin brushed her hand off before she finished, ¡°After all this is over, I¡¯ll find out the truth on my own.¡± From now on, he wouldn¡¯t trust anyone¡¯s words, only the facts he found himself. Otherwise, he¡¯d just keep getting yed for a fool:¡°As the head of the Spencer family, he couldn¡¯t afford that. Wendy sighed in relief when she heard that Robin would look into the matterter, As long as her son was willing to help her, she felt secure knowing she could tweak the truthter. She put on a helpless look, ¡°I¡¯ve told you everything, can we do the blood draw now?¡± Observing Robin¡¯s reaction, Eleanor recognized that he was not the type to blindly take sides. With a nod, she agreed, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s proceed.¡± The doctor, who had been waiting attentively, took a step forward with a syringe, only to be halted by Bernard. His icy gaze swept over Robin¡¯s pale countenance ¡°Let my own people handle it, he dered Bernard refused to allow anyone else to touch Eleanor. Who knew what ulterior motives someone might have during the blood draw? It was a risk he was unwilling to take Had Robin been unaware of his parents¡® history, he likely would have resisted However, now drained of energy, he simply nodded weakly. ¡°Let him in¡± After Bernard exchanged a few whispered words with Scott, thetter departed to fetch the necessary medical supplies. Soon, a small quantity of blood was drawn from Eleanor. Observing the meager amount, Wendy grimaced and remarked, ¡°Seems like Mr. Laurence has genuine affection for my niece¡± After Bernard covered the puncture wound with a cotton swab, he nced at Wendy. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Wendy was taken aback, ¡°Why would I have a problem? I¡¯m d you¡¯re treating my niece well. But aren¡¯t the Laurences going to say anything about you marrying a Pine?¡± Before Bernard could respond. Eleanor beat him to it, raising an eyebrow at Wendy. ¡°Who said I¡¯m a Pine?¡± Wendy¡¯s expression changed, ¡°What did you say?¡± Meanwhile, the phone in theb rang Robin picked up, ¡°Speak.¡± The doctor on the other end respectfully said, ¡®Mr Spencer, Ms. Shultz¡¯s genes don¡¯t match your mother¡¯s She can¡¯t undergo the transnt surgery¡± Chapter 912 Chapter 912 Robin¡¯s face shifted slightly. ¡°Why can Emilia but she can¡¯t, aren¡¯t they full sisters?¡± The doctor exined, ¡°Sir, even if they are full sisters, a bone marrow transnt isn¡¯t a sure match Robin nced at Wendy, noticing her big wide eyes, full of hope staring at him, aplicated feeling welled up inside him About a year ago, a blood sample in the blood bank showed a match to Wendy¡¯s HLM gene type. Robin found out that the blood was left by Emilia after she signed an organ donation agreement, so he started searching for Emilia everywhere However, Emilia had passed away This news was tightly sealed by Ethan Ziegler, even the hospital wasrit aware. He thought all hope was lost, but then he found out she had a sister, but the doctor told him, even with full sisters, a bone marrow transnt can¡¯t guarantee a match Wendy saw Robin looking at her without uttering a word, her heart sank, ¡°What did the doctor say?¡± Robin held his phone, silent for a few seconds, then bluntly said, ¡°The bone marrow can¡¯t match.¡± Hearing this, the hope in Wendy¡¯s eyes dimmed instantly. She snatched Robin¡¯s phone and asked the doctor. ¡°What about the heart?¡± The doctor on the other end of the phone hearing her voice respectfully answered, ¡°The typing isn¡¯t a match at all, a heart transnt isn¡¯t possible¡± The doctor¡¯s wordspletely shattered Wendy¡¯s hope. She sat on the hospital bed, stunned and speechless. ¡°How can this be The doctorforted, ¡°Madam, we¡¯ll continue to look for a suitable donor for you You need to rest and as long as there¡¯s enough time¡­ Wendy suddenly lost control of her emotions, yelling at the phone, ¡°What do you mean as long as there¡¯s enough time? I¡¯m running out of time, you¡¯re all talk and no action, you took my money but can¡¯t cure me, why should keep you on, get lost, all of you get lost¡­¡± Seeing her outburst, Robin reached out and took the phone back, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s not their fault that there¡¯s no suitable donor.¡± What was supposed to calm her down ended up hitting a nerve with Wendy. ¡°if I¡¯m not ming them, then I¡¯ll me you two for not being a match. I gave birth to two children who can¡¯t help me and I have to turn to someone else¡¯s child. The one that could¡¯ve matched is already dead and the one who can¡¯t match is here to piss me off.¡± Robin¡¯s handsome face bore a mix of emotions¨Cdisappointment, pain, and a hint of disbelief. It was as if he hadn¡¯t expected his mother to say such words. ¡°You loved me and Katharine the most, and now you me us for not being able to donate?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Hearing this, Wendy quicklyposed herself and reached out to grab Robin¡¯s sleeve. ¡°That¡¯s not it, son. You and Katharine are my world. My illness affects my emotions, and I shouldn¡¯t have said those things. Please forgive me¡­¡± This was his mother, and despite Robin¡¯s doubts about her love, he chose to forgive. You can say those things to me, but please spare Katharine. It would break her heart¡­¡± Before Wendy fell ill, she had loved them unconditionally, always wanting the best for them. That¡¯s why Robin and Katharine searched tirelessly for a suitable donor, hoping to extend their mother¡¯s life. But now, in her fight for survival, it seemed that her love for them had faded. Robin wondered if it was her true nature or simply a side effect of her illness. He believed it. must be thetter, for how could he face the warm memories of their past otherwise.. Chapter 913 Chapter 913 When Eleanor heard the news that the bone marrow didn¡¯t match, she was already taken aback. But she never expected Wendy to go as far as wanting her heart. Wasn¡¯t that tantly asking for her life? Luckily the marrow didn¡¯t match, otherwise how could she be sitting here peacefully, watching the mother son duo, Wendy and Robin, squabble over the failed transnt? Seeing their argument was dying down, Eleanor said to Robin, ¡°Since it¡¯s got nothing to do with me, I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± With that, she tried to get up and leave with Bernard, but he stayed put. He leaned back in his chair, his slender fingers tapping on his knee. His icy gaze swept coldly towards Wendy. ¡°Trying to harm my wife, huh? You think I¡¯m an easy target?¡± His words were cold and light, leaving Wendy frozen in ce. The anger in her eyes, fuelled by perceived injustice, started to fade ¡°Nothing matched, so what¡¯s all this about bullying?¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What if it had?¡± If it had, she would have had Bernard sedated and brought Eleanor into the operating room immediately for the transnt. Being the eldest daughter of the Pine family and thedy of the Spencer family, surely her life was worth more than Eleanor¡¯s, right? Wendy thought so, but outwardly she remained impassive. She delicately said, ¡°If it had, I would¡¯ve only asked her for a marrow donation¡­¡± ¡°And the heart?¡± Eleanor interjected, asking Wendy. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want me to give you my heart, would you?¡± Wendy¡¯s inward sneer tightened its grip. She yearned to retort with chilling words, ¡°In your dreams. I would im your heart for myself. Yet, sheposed herself and replied, ¡°Of course not. I will find another suitable donor¡­¡± Eleanor remained unconvinced, her words cutting through the air like a sharp de. If my sister were here today, I have no doubt you¡¯d coerce her into donating marrow and then snatch her heart away¡± Eleanor¡¯s blunt statement left Wendy¡¯s countenance wearing a grim expression. In Bernard¡¯s presence, she suppressed her rising anger. ¡°I have seen your sister¡¯s organ donation agreement. Could you enlighten me, who ultimately received her heart?¡± Having recently learned of Emilia¡¯s demise, Wendy hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to investigate the recipients of her organs, particrly her heart. The possibility of locating the recipient ignited a spark of hope within her, a potential leverage Eleanor shattered her fleeting fantasy ¡°Her heart was donated to me. However, I¡¯m sorry, I won¡¯t let anyone possess my sister¡¯s heart.¡± Wendy stood stunned, her gaze drifting to Eleanor¡¯s chest. ¡®Donated to you?¡± Her insidious intention didn¡¯t escape Bernard¡¯s notice. He saw right through her facade. ¡°You¡¯re advancing in years, with little purpose to live. Perhaps I should just end it for you? As he said this, Bernard drew out a gun from his waist and toyed with it, his cold eyes never leaving Wendy Seeing the gun, Wendy¡¯s eyes widened in fear and she quickly retreated to the corner of the bed Robin, seeing his mother shivering in fright, quickly came to her defense. ¡°Bernard, my mother simply asked who received Emilia¡¯s heart. You didn¡¯t have to pull a gun on her!¡± Bernard scoffed, ¡°You think she¡¯s just asking?¡± Regardless, Robin chose to believe his mother ¡°Alright, since it¡¯s not a match, you can leave¡­¡± But Bernard just stared coldly at Robin. Robin was getting irritated and his brow furrowed. ¡°What do you want?¡± Bernard slowly caressed the gun. ¡°If you want me to leave, you have to agree to one condition ¡°What¡¯s your condition?¡± Chapter 914 Chapter 914 ¡°I want the Spencer family¡¯s business to pull out of this area right away¡± Robin¡¯s face darkened instantly. ¡°That¡¯s too much!¡± Bernard cornered his mouth in contempt. ¡°If you want to see your sister again, you¡¯d better listen to me¡± He threw that line in the air and was about to leave with Eleanor when Robin yelled, ¡°What do you mean by that? Have you kidnapped my sister?¡± Bernard halted turned around, scanned Robin who looked bewildered, ¡°You should know, I don¡¯t fight unprepared battles¡± Robin quickly understood Bernard¡¯s scheme. He had suspected that they kidnapped his sister, Eleanor, in advance because they needed her organs N?velDrama.Org holds this content. However, now that the gene matching process has failed Eleanor held no value for Robin He naturally wanted to let her go, but Bernard refused to leave without Robin¡¯s sister He nned to use her as leverage to threaten Rebin, a smart move on his part Robin deeply cared for his sister and was well aware of Bernard¡¯s devious tricks. He worried about what Bernard might do to her. After careful consideration, Robin finally made a decision, saying ¡°Alright, I agree. Let Katharine go.¡± A faint smile finally appeared on Bernard¡¯s handsome face as he said, ¡®Mr. Spencer, tell your mother not to mess with my wife again, or you guys will pay a much bigger price¡± The smile on his face was anything but genuine, hinting that anyone who dared to cross him will pay with their life. Robin, having dealt with Bernard on numerous asions, reluctantly admitted that Bernard was more cunning than he was. He didn¡¯t reply to Bernard but turned to Eleanor, ¡°You just said you¡¯re not from the Pine family. What¡¯s that about?¡± Eleanor saw this as a good opportunity to reveal the truth to everyone through the Spencer and Pine families. She answered truthfully, ¡°Elbert told me He said among the Pine sisters. Wendy Vanya, and Tammie, one isn¡¯t a Pine. I borrowed some hair from Elbert and did a DNA test. We have no blood rtion.¡± Robin¡¯s gaze shifted to the window, through the blinds, looking at Elbert outside¡­. Such an important matter, and Elbert didn¡¯t tell him but told Eleanor, an outsider. He looked at Elbert, seething with anger. Just as he¡¯s furious, Wendy¡¯s voice reached his ear, ¡°Robin, figure something out. Avoid Bernard and bring Eleanor back. I need her heart!¡± Robin was stunned. ¡°Mother, her gene doesn¡¯t match yours. Even if you get her heart, it won¡¯t work.¡± Wendy refuted firmly. ¡°Her heart is Emilia¡¯s. Emilia and I are a match. How can it not work?¡± Faced with his mother¡¯s irrational behavior, Robin was losing patience, The doctor already said you and Eleanor don¡¯t match. Why won¡¯t you ept the fact?¡± Wendy seemed to have lost her sanity, screaming at Robin angrily, ¡°I don¡¯t care. Bring her back, take her heart out, and transnt it into me!!! Robin looked at her in disbelief, ¡°Katharine is still under Bernards control. You want me to bring Eleanor back, do you not care about Katharine¡¯s life?¡± Wendy who¡¯s lost her reason, scoffed darkly. ¡°It¡¯s fine. As long as I can survive, I will avenge Katharine later Hearing his mother say these words, Robin couldn¡¯t ept it and stepped back, ¡°You don¡¯t even care about your own daughter for the sake of survival¡­ It made Robin think, if either he or Katharine¡¯s heart or bone marrow could match their mother¡¯s, they might have been seen as organ donors long ago He couldn¡¯t believe that the mother he loved the most had be like this¡­ Chapter 915 Chapter 915 When Robin was too shocked to epi, Wendy extended her trembling hand, clutching at his clothes, ¡°Robin, your mom wants to stick around a bit longer, so I need to fight to stay alive. You gotta help me out here I once had a nightmare about hell, and it was terrifying I don¡¯t wanna end up there¡± Robin stared at her pale face for a long time before slowly pushing her hand away. ¡°Only people who¡¯ve done a lot of bad stuff end up in hell, mam. You¡¯re a good person, you won¡¯t end up there.. Upon heanng this, Wendy¡¯s hand, which had been reaching for Robin¡¯s clothes, froze in mid air Was she a good person? No. She¡¯d done a lot of bad things She was the one who fell for York Spencer first, but York Spencer was smillen with Vanya¡¯s looks. He had even begged outside the Spencer family¡¯s doorstep for three days and nights to marry Vanya. This had made her swallow her pride, so she intentionally got close to Vanya¡¯s good friend, Evelyn, subtly encouraging Evelyn to run Vanya¡¯s looks Evelyn had hesitated before throwing the chemical on Vanya¡¯s face. Fearing Evelyn would back out, Wendy had purposely bumped into her, ensuring the chemical sshed onto Vanya¡¯s face. If this was ever ounted for, the demons of hell mighte knocking on her door¡­. When Vanya came asking for money, it was Wendy who reminded their parents, saying that Vanya would rather take her grandfather¡¯s inheritance and marry someone else than help them. She imed Vanya was a disobedient daughter who wouldn¡¯t repay the money even if they lent it to her, so they didn¡¯t. Despite Wendy¡¯s questionable actions, there was a twist to her character When Vanya sought financial help from Wendy¡¯s brother, Sheldon, he initially refused her but secretly sent her money through Wendy However, Vanya used the money to buy a designer bag for someone in the slums instead of using it for her own needs, betraying Sheldon¡¯s trust. Unaware of this, Sheldon believed Vanya gave the money to someone else, which angered him When Vanya tragically died on the streets, Sheldon didn¡¯t bother to visit her. Given Wendy¡¯s wrongdoings, she didn¡¯t believe she would escape punishment in the afterlife. She desperately clung to the desire to stay alive, reaching out to Robin and pleading. ¡°Son, we have to try anyway, right? You can¡¯t let me die, can you? This shows Wendy¡¯s fear of facing the consequences and her desperate attempt to prolong her life Robin thought she hadpletely lost it, but he didn¡¯t try to convince her anymore. He just nodded nonchntly. ¡°Alright, I promise you. I¡¯ll bring her back¡­¡± Leaving these words behind. Robin pushed her hand away and walked out. Watching his retreating figure, Wendy was lost in thought. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Every time Robin left in the past, he would always tell her to rest well. This time, however, he didn¡¯t say anything. Was it because she had shown her true colors and disappointed her son? Butpared to staying alive, disappointing her son didn¡¯t seem too bad. Once she managed to survive, she could always make up for it As for her daughter¡­she would eventually be part of another family. Since it was bound to happen sooner orter, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to let go a bit earlier. Nathan followed Robin out with his bodyguard, cautiously asking, ¡°Mr. Spencer, are we going to find Ms. Shultz again?¡± Before opening the door, Robin turned around and looked at the most private room of the hospital. After a moment, he turned back and coldly said, ¡°No need¡± If they couldn¡¯t find a match, there was no point in looking for her. He would just let his mother wait¡­ Of course, even if he was disappointed in Wendy, he wouldn¡¯t give up looking for other donors. Because, after all, she was his mother who once loved him, night? Chapter 916 Chapter 916 Seeing Robine out, Elbert immediately dashed over ¡°Robin, I just saw her leave, she didn¡¯t look happy, I didn¡¯t dare to say hi. Did she have a bad chat with Wendy or something?¡± Robin, recovering from his downcast mood, raised his hand to smack Elbert, but Elbert was quick on his feet and dodged it ¡°What the hell, man?!¡± Robin withdrew his hand, clenching it into a fist. ¡°Elbert, Vanya isn¡¯t a Pine, why didn¡¯t you tell me that first?¡± ¡°Vanya isn¡¯t a Pine?¡± Elbert furrowed his brows in confusion, ¡°How do you know she isn¡¯t?¡± With a cold and intense stare, Robin locked eyes with Elbert, his voice dripping with usation. ¡®Eleanor took your hair for DNA testing. It turns out you two don¡¯t share any blood rtion.¡± Taken aback, Elbert inhaled sharply, his mind racing to process the revtion. ¡°So, the person my grandparents mentioned. was Eleanor¡¯s mother..¡± Caught off guard by Elbert¡¯s revtion, Robin¡¯s frustration got the better of him, and he impulsively hit Elbert on the head. ¡°When did they say that?!¡± Clutching his head in pain, Elbert cried out, ¡°Easy! My hair hasn¡¯t fully grown back since someone pulled it out!¡± Boiling with anger and impatience, Robin snapped, turning to Nathan. ¡°Nathan, pull out all of his hair!¡± Elbert took a step back, rmed, and hastily exined. ¡°I overheard my grandparents talking about it when I was a child, but I wasn¡¯t sure who among us wasn¡¯t a true Pine¡­¡± Realizing Elbert¡¯s genuine confusion, Robin¡¯s anger subsided slightly, and he pressed further, seeking rity. ¡°Did your grandparents adopt Vanya, or did they find her?¡± Elbert¡¯s response hangs in the air, carrying the weight of potential revtions. Elbert shook his head, ¡°All I know is there¡¯s someone in my family who isn¡¯t a Pine, but how they got there, I have no idea.¡± ¡°Does your father know?¡± ¡°Apart from me, I don¡¯t think anyone knows this secret¡­¡± Guess I¡¯ll have to dig around then. Robin was annoyed and didn¡¯t want to y detective. To him, anyone who didn¡¯t match his mother was worthless, so he wouldn¡¯t waste his time. ¡°Did your grandparents ever mention anything else?¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Elbert thought for a moment, then shook his head ¡°Just that the Pines have an illegitimate daughter. Beyond that, I¡¯m clueless.¡± Despite being a Pine, there were many secrets from his grandparents¡® younger days that he couldn¡¯t unearth. Robin knew very little about the Pines. His mother never talked about their family¡¯s gossip, and in his memory, the image of the Pines his mother had created for him and his siblings was always harmonious and loving Add to that the fact that he and Elbert were about ten years apart in age, they essentially had no common ground. Their meetings were always awkward, they would never chat about the Pine family¡­. But now, hearing from Elbert that the Pines had an illegitimate daughter, Robin was both shocked and hopeful¡­ ¡°Where is she?¡± Doctors advised looking for direct rtives first when finding a match, then close rtives, and if all else fails, the blood bank. The Pines and the Spencers had all tried to find a match, even distant rtives were tested. Now they¡¯ve even found Vanya¡¯s child for testing, only the illegitimate daughter hasn¡¯t been tested yet. If they could find the illegitimate daughter¡­ ¡°My father told me she¡¯s already dead, apparently driven to death by the Laurence family¡­ ¡°Driven to death by the Laurence family?¡± Elbert nced at the ward through the ss, then leaned in to whisper in Robin¡¯s ear ¡°Wendy should know about this, hasn¡¯t she told you?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to talk, stay away from me¡­¡± He already knew the illegitimate daughter was dead, as for how she died, he didn¡¯t care. Chapter 917 Chapter 917 Elbert tried to beat around the bush, but Robin didn¡¯t bite. He had no choice but to spill the beans ording to Elbert¡¯s father, the illegitimate daughter was actually Granddad¡¯s love child with another woman Fearing Grandma¡¯s discovery Granddad hid her with the Hooper family However, heter deceived Grandma by iming that bringing the illegitimate daughter back would bring wealth to the family, which convinced her to agree. Surprisingly, it turned out that the illegitimate daughter became Bernard¡¯s dad¡¯s mistress Granddad slyly integrated her into the family but eventually kicked her out because of their rtionship The shocking news of the Laurences mistreatment and the death of the Pine family¡¯s illegitimate daughter reached Grandma¡¯s ears. She realized that the one raised by the Hooper family, coincidentally named Tammie Pine, was actually Granddad¡¯s love child. Furious, Grandma nearly filed for a divorce Robin, amidst all the details, focused on the key fact the Pine family¡¯s illegitimate daughter was Bernard¡¯s dad¡¯s mistress. Upon hearing this, a thought shed across his mind Could it be that Bernard was the child of the Pine family¡¯s illegitimate daughter? The thought quickly vanished though. If Bernard really was the child of the Pine family¡¯s illegitimate daughter, how could the Laurence family let him be the family head? But what if Robin thought for a moment. Even if it was a long shot, Bernard wasn¡¯t necessarily a match. Plus, he couldn¡¯t exactly dig out Bernard¡¯s heart, could he? While Robin¡¯s thoughts were all over the ce, Elbert kept rambling in his ear, ¡°I can¡¯t believe Eleanor isn¡¯t my cousin. Such a pity. I¡¯ve always wanted a sweet sister like her..¡± Hearing this, Robin pictured Eleanor¡¯s pretty face, ¡°Is she sweet?¡± Elbert nodded,paring her to Robin¡¯s sister, ¡°A thousand times sweeter than your sister!¡± Upon seeing Robin¡¯s knitted brows. Elbert suddenly had an epiphany. ¡°It¡¯s even better that she¡¯s not my cousin. Now I can chase after her?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Robin shot him a displeased look, ¡°She¡¯s mamed¡± Elbert shrugged nonchntly, ¡°I know, but so what? Let her get a divorce. After all, her husband is from the Laurence family, ruining their marriage would be like avenging my deceased family¡­¡± Robin was speechless. While he was about to find Katharine with his bodyguards, Bernard called Robin nced at Elbert who¡¯s been tailing him, deliberately moved further away before picking up the call. The moment he answered the call, Bernard¡¯s icy voice came through, ¡°You better exin to ke in the same way you lied about my wife not being from the Pine family¡± Robin sneered, ¡°And if I dont?¡± A voice filled with contempt and disdain came from the other end. ¡°Then your sister will have to stay with me for a while longer¡± Before he could respond, the call was abruptly ended Bernard¡¯s arrogant attitude turned Robin¡¯s face green with anger, ¡°Bastard!¡± Elbert, who just came over, saw his cousin smacked his phone in rage and quickly took a step back, not daring to get any closer. Robin was about to explode. His mother couldn¡¯t be saved, they even lost the business project in A Country, his sister got kidnapped, and now he had to personally clear up the internal dispute he had stirred up in the Laurence family. What the hell was going on?! Chapter 918 Chapter 918 Seeing Robin leaning against the wall, red¨Cfaced and panting. Elbert cautiously asked, ¡°You alright, mate?¡± Robin lifted his bloodshot eyes and red at Elbert, ¡°Buzz off! Elbert quickly left but not before reminding Nathan ¡®Don¡¯t forget to give him his meds¡± Nathan retrieved a pill from his pocket, grabbed some water, and handed it to Robin, saying, ¡°Take this pill to calm down¡± Struggling to control his anger, Robin reluctantly took the pill and swallowed it Gradually, his demeanor transformed as his eyes turned cold and clear Picking up his phone from the ground, Robin searched for ke¡¯s number and dialed it ke was taken aback by Robin¡¯s exnation, eximing, ¡°What? She¡¯s not a Pine?¡± Losing patience, Robin shouted, ¡°Are you deaf or blind? Didn¡¯t you hear what I just said? How many times do I have to repeat myself?¡± Unustomed to being yelled at, ke retorted. Im not deaf or blind! You¡¯re the one who cant communicate properly, and you dare to yell at me?¡± Furious, Robin fired back, ¡°You bastard!¡± ¡°You bloody bastard! After a heated exchange of curses, ke scrutinized the DNA report that Bernard had left behind With Robin, the very person who had spread the rumor about Eleanor being a Pine, now confirming she wasn¡¯t, it meant the report was true Even though he didn¡¯t like Eleanor as his daughter inw, ke felt relieved. With that in mind, ke texted the Laurences, exining the situation and warning everyone not to bother Eleanor. Therr he called a fertility specialist Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Hello, do you have any treatments for infertility that don¡¯t involve IVF, just taking some pills?¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re still trying to treat infertility at your age?¡± While ke was busy seeking the expert¡¯s help, Bernard received a text from Robin: [it¡¯s been taken care of, let my sister go] Bernard had only kidnapped his sister as a precaution. Now that the danger was gone, he texted Caleb to release her Upon receiving the ¡®release¡® message. Caleb breathed a sigh of relief. Great, his boss hadn¡¯t ordered him to hurt Katharine, just to kidnap her for a while, Katharine would understand, right? After putting away his phone, Caleb turned and entered the hotel room. Katharine was tied tightly to a chair, ring at him with angry eyes. A thought crossed his mind. Oh crap, she didn¡¯t seem to understand Chapter 919 Chapter 919 Caleb swallowed hard, crouched down in front of Katharine and apologized, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to kidnap you¡± With a scarf stuffed in her mouth, Katharine couldn¡¯t talk All she could do was re at Caleb Her haleful stare sent chills down Caleb¡¯s spine. ¡°I¡¯m letting you go now, can you stop looking at me like that?¡± Hearing his words, Katharine reluctantly lowered hershes, hiding the anger in her eyes, and faked a submissive nod at Caleb. Seeing her helpless look for the first time, Caleb¡¯s heart softened. He stepped forward and removed the scarf from her mouth Taking a deep breath of fresh air, Katharine adjusted her breathing, her eyes red and swollen, staring at the rope that bound her ¡°Untie it¡± Caleb followed her gaze to the rope around her body and instinctively shook his head ¡°If I untie you, you¡¯ll definitely hit me¡­¡± Caleb could foresee that if he untied her, she would definitely attack him He still needed to live to help Mr. Law sort out the mess. Even if he had to die, he couldn¡¯t die at the hands of a woman. Seeing he wouldn¡¯t untie her, Katharine clenched her fists, held back her anger, and looked up. ¡°Caleb, I like you, I won¡¯t hit you¡­ Caleb was somewhat taken aback, looking at the haggard Katharine, her body tightly bound by the rope. ¡°I drugged and bound you, and you still like me?¡± Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Seeing his disbelief, Katharine shed a brilliant smile I believe you must have your reasons for doing this. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t hurt me, especially since¡­¡± Katharine paused, her gaze falling on Caleb¡¯s legs. ¡°We¡¯ve slept together so many times, there must be feelings, right?¡± Seeing her gaze on his legs, Caleb slightly closed his knees 1.. ¡°Don¡¯t you like me?¡± This teasing question left Caleb at a loss for words. He had thought that after removing the scarf, Katharine would yell at him. But now she was confessing her feelings? This was not like the Katharine he knew, who was bold and brave. She was probably trying to trick him into letting her go. Caleb shook his head, reminding himself not to be fooled. He then picked up Katharine and headed out of the hotel. ¡°I¡¯ll take you home, and someone will untie you when you get there¡­¡± Being carried on his shoulder, Katharine was seething! Caleb obviously didn¡¯t care about her. Faced with her advances and weakness, he seemed indifferent. He was just like all the other men! No! He was worse! Other men might just y games with her, but Caleb was clearly using her! As a member of the Spencer family, it was unbearable for Katharine to be used like this. She wished she could bring a cannon and st Caleb to smithereens! After putting Katharine in the car, Caleb reached out to touch her cheek, but she turned her head away. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Her voice was as cold as ice, even a little angry. Caleb knew he had lost her. He withdrew his hand and got back into the driver¡¯s seat. Lying on the back seat, Katharine stared at Caleb who was driving. After a while, she gritted her teeth and asked, ¡°Who are you really? Why did you get close to me? And why did you let me go after kidnapping me without doing anything?¡± Through the rearview mirror, Caleb looked at the woman filled with hatred. ¡°I sorry, I can¡¯t tell you¡­¡± He wasn¡¯t going to betray Mr Law or Bernard. All he could do was apologize to her¡­. Katharine clenched her fists, bit her teeth, and said angrily, ¡°Caleb, when I can move, I¡¯ll make you pay!¡± Caleb knew Katharine was vengeful, ¡°After I drop you off, I¡¯ll leave. We won¡¯t see each other again¡± Chapter 920 Chapter 920 Despite her initial anger, Katharine felt a sharp pang in her heart upon hearing Caleb¡¯s words. The pain was undeniable, she had truly fallen for him. Cursing herself inwardly, she mustered a threat towards Caleb, ¡®No matter where you go, I¡¯ll find you until I get my revenge! This time, Caleb remained silent a slight smirk ying on his lips Being a member of the elusive Siren Organization, he knew he couldn¡¯t be easily found unless he willingly revealed himself. He had no intention of risking his life for a woman, so this would be their final goodbye As Katharine observed Caleb¡¯s determined gaze through the reannew mirror, her fury and resentment grew ¡°Caleh, you¡¯re no man! He had seduced her, made her fall in love, taken her body, and that was one thing But to also deceive her and n to flee after failing to overpower her? That was a betrayal she couldn¡¯t bear In her eyes, Caleb was not a man, he was a beast. How could such a man exist in this world? And to think she had fallen for him¨Cit was absurd! Guilt gnawed at Caleb as he parked the car at the entrance of the Spencer family¡¯s mansion. He slowed down, parked by the roadside, and stepped out, making his way to the back seat He opened the car door, leaned in, and helped Katharine up. With this movement, their faces met. If Caleb looked carefully, he could see through the anger in Katharine¡¯s eyes that she was actually a bit reluctant to let him go¡­. But Caleb forced himself not to look at her He just lowered his head and untied the rope hinding her right hand ¡°Ill let you free one hand. You can p me as much as you want. Just hope you won¡¯t be so mad after you¡¯re done. The doctor says Its not good for a woman¡¯s health to be angry..¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Before he could finish his sentence, Katharine, who had freed herself, pped Caleb hard across the face, then grabbed his hair Before Caleb could react, he was pulled into the car by her. Then, like rain, her fists crazily pelted his chest, making his chest hurt, his breathing difficult, and his eyes seeing stars¡­ Caleb endured the intense pain without fighting back. Not until Katharine tired herself out did he finally catch his breath. ¡°Feeling better?¡± Katharine gritted her teeth and shouted, ¡°No!¡± Caleb swallowed hard, grabbed Katharine¡¯s right hand, and ced it on his cheek. ¡°Then¡­ you continue¡­¡± He could take it for a while longer, as long as she felt better But Katharine didn¡¯t move anymore. She just stared at him coldly ¡°Caleb, I¡¯ll hate you forever!¡± Caleb had already guessed that she¡¯d hate him forever. But hearing it firsthand still hurt. After adjusting his emotions, he smiled at Katharine. ¡°If hating me makes you feel better, just hate me.¡± His bright and cheerful smile made Katharine find this deceiver utterly repugnant. I¡¯ll definitely get my revenge on you!¡± Caleb nodded When Katharine tried to untie the rope with her right hand, he grabbed her wrist and quickly tied her hand tightly again Katharine, who had been tied up again, hated that she had only thought of venting her anger and hadn¡¯t managed to untie the rope in time. Now she was back in this scoundrel¡¯s hands. Caleb tied her hand back up, then looked up at Katharine with reluctant eyes. He stared at her for a while, then suddenly grabbed the back of Katharine¡¯s head and kissed her lips in the face of her resistance. That warm touch made Katharine frown. It seemed like at that moment, she could feel that the kiss from this deceiver was sincere. But he still let her go. ¡°I have to go. You¡­ take care¡­¡± After saying that, Caleb got out of the car ¡°Caleb¡® Katharine stared at his broad back, angrily asking. ¡°Everything you¡¯ve done to me all this time, was it all to deceive me?¡± Caleb was a member of the Siren Organization, which the Spencer family had been investigating. It seemed that there was no good ending to his rtionship with Katharine. It was better to not linger, lest he end up implicating the Siren Organization Thinking of this, Caleb didn¡¯t turn back. He just left one sentence ¡°Everything I have done was just to deceive you¡­ Those words were like a cold de. When they stabbed in, she didn¡¯t think it would hurt. But it still did. Holding back tears, Katharine watched the figure gradually moving away, shouting angrily, ¡°Caleb, you deceived me, you¡¯ll get what¡¯sing to you!¡± But no matter how much she cursed, that figure never stopped. Katharine¡¯s voice gradually grew weaker. ¡®Caleb, don¡¯t go Even Caleb, who had lied to her about his name, left without hesitation. He never paused his steps for her¡­ Chapter 921 Chapter 921 When Robin found Katharine, she was sitting in the car, staring nkly into the distant woods. It was the first time Robin had seen his strong sister looking so lost. It broke his heart. ¡°Katharine, did Bernard¡¯s people do something to you?¡± Katharine¡¯s eyes slowly turned towards Robin, who was untying her ¡°Was I kidnapped by Bernard¡¯s people?¡± As Robin struggled to untie her, he nodded. ¡°Bernard¡¯s wife is Emilia¡¯s sister I thought she could match with Mom, so I brought her here. I didn¡¯t expect that Bernard¡¯s people had kidnapped you before this. He did this to keep me in check. It¡¯s my fault you¡¯re suffering. Robin untied the ropes and apologized to Katharine. After understanding the situation, Katharine shook her head emotionlessly. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± So, Caleb was one of Bernard¡¯s guys. He approached me before, probably to find out why we were looking for Emilia, right? Now, Bernard is using my brother¡¯s n to make his own. Once he knows our purpose, I¡¯m worthless. No wonder Caleb left so heartlessly. I didn¡¯t expect that in his eyes, I was just a tool to help Bernard. Once I¡¯m useless, I¡¯m discarded. After understanding all this, Katharine let out a coldugh¡­. Thatugh sent chills down Robin¡¯s spine. ¡°Katharine, are you okay?¡± Katharine still showed no emotion and shook her head. ¡°Did the n seed?¡± Robin didn¡¯t answer, but his helpless look gave Katharine the answer. She didn¡¯t ask again, just said, ¡®I¡¯m going to see Mom.¡± Robin got out of the car, Katharine quickly jumped from the back seat to the driver¡¯s seat, reversed, and left the mansion quickly. Watching the car drive away quickly, Robin was a bit worried and frowned ¡®Nathan, follow her and let me know if anything happens.¡± When Katharine arrived at the hospital and saw her mother curled up in pain on the bed, her heart ached. ¡°Mom, are you okay?¡± Wendy clutched her chest tightly, struggling to breathe. Her vision finally cleared. Seeing it was her daughter, Wendy shakily reached out to touch her face, but she had no strength. In the end, it was Katharine who took her hand. Wendy touched her skin and said with all her might: ¡°Katharine, I might not hold on for much longer. When I go, you have to take care of yourself.¡± Katharine¡¯s most beloved person is her mother. Hearing her say this, she couldn¡¯t ept it. She shook her head frantically ¡®No, I won¡¯t let you go¡­ Under the oxygen mask, Wendy managed a faint smile ¡°Girl, life and death are beyond our control.¡± Katharine tightly gripped Wendy¡¯s hand, tears welling up as she looked into her eyes. ¡°I will find a suitable donor as quickly as possible to prolong your life.¡± Upon hearing this, Wendy¡¯s blurry gaze, concealed behind a facade of affection, revealed a cunning glint. ¡°Emilia is gone. There are no suitable donors left in the world¡­¡± Katharine refused to ept such pessimism. ¡°No, we will persist and find a solution. Just wait, I will search all the blood banks worldwide for a match¡­¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. As she prepared to leave, Wendy¡¯s frail hand clutched Katharine¡¯s wrist, her voice taking on a chilling tone. ¡°There is no need to search the blood banks. There is one perfect heart¡­¡± Startled, Katharine halted and turned to face Wendy. Anxious, she asked, ¡°Whose heart is suitable?¡± A coldness flickered in Wendy¡¯s eyes. ¡°It is Bernard¡¯s wife, Eleanor¡¯s heart.¡± Chapter 922 Chapter 922 Katharine stood momentarily astounded, ¡°Did you not mention a failed match? If the match failed, even obtaining the heart would be futile, as transnting it would result in rejection, potentially leading to immediate fatality However, Wendy, consumed by madness, remained unconcerned about feasibility, stating. I shall use Emilia¡¯s heart. If Emilia can, then surely I can as well.¡± When Wendy uttered these words, a deep¨Cseated resentment flickered in her eyes, instilling fear within Katharine. Her mother had always been gentle and graceful, so why did she reveal such an expression just now? Could it be that Katharine misinterpreted? Katharine lowered her gaze, seeking further rity, but Wendy had already reverted to a fragile demeanor ¡°Katharine, would you like me to continue apanying you?¡± ¡°Indeed, I yearn for it¡± Otherwise, why would she and her brother go around looking for donors? Isn¡¯t it just to let their mother live and always apany them? ¡®Since you want it, can you help me get Emilia¡¯s heart back?¡± ¡°Um. Katharine hesitated a bit Emilia¡¯s heart had been transnted to Eleanor Shultz, which meant Eleanor was alive. To get a living person¡¯s heart back¡­ ¡°It seems that you and your brother, are not really wanting me to live¡­¡± ¡°No, you are the person I can least bear to part with Wendy, trembling, patted the back of Katharine¡¯s hand. ¡°I also can¡¯t bear to part with you, that¡¯s why I asked you to find Eleanor¡­¡± Katharine still had some resistance, but she didn¡¯t say anything Seeing this, Wendy sighed. ¡°Although the doctor said that her heart can let me live a few more years, but if you don¡¯t want to, I won¡¯t force you to do things you don¡¯t want to do.¡± ¡°The doctor said it¡¯s possible?¡± The doctor said it wasn¡¯t possible, but Wendy didn¡¯t listen to the doctor ¡°Yes, the doctor said that it¡¯s Emilia¡¯s heart, it matches with me, and can be transnted into my body.¡± Katharine, who didn¡¯t understand these things, after hesitating and struggling for a while, bent down and touched Wendy¡¯s face, which looked old due to illness. ¡°If it¡¯s possible, then you rest here, I¡¯ll help you and bring Eleanor back¡­ If Bernard Laurence hadn¡¯t sent someone to get close to her, maybe she would consider the fact that Eleanor was alive and not do such a outrageous thing But every time she thought of being deceived by Caleb, she wished she could tear them apart! Since Bernard¡¯s wife could save her mother, then. even if she dies!Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. With a firm determination, Katharine promised Wendy, stood up straight, and walked out of the ward. This time, she not only wanted to bring Eleanor back, but also to catch Caleb and make him her ve for life! Nathan, who was eavesdropping in the dark, heard that Katharine was going to take Eleanor¡¯s heart, and hurriedly called Robin Spencer. Robin perceived his mother aspletely deranged, hastily ending the call with Katharine, only to find that she had turned off her phone. Clutching his mobile device, he paced back and forth in the same spot, eventually opening his contacts and dialing Bernard¡¯s number¡­ Bernard happened to be in the midst of bathing, oblivious to the ringing phone. Eleanor emerged in her changed sleepwear and noticed the incessant vibrations on the table. She approached and nced at the phone The caller ID disyed the name: ¡°Fool¡± Eleanor almost burst intoughter Mr Laurence rarely used such vocabry, leaving her curious as to which fool had been fortunate enough to enter Mr. Laurence¡¯s contact list Curiosity piqued, Eleanor pressed the answer key and uttered, ¡°Hello¡­¡± Upon hearing that melodic voice, Robin¡¯s heart trembled, as if he hadn¡¯t anticipated Eleanor to be the one answering the call. But how could he have known that it was Eleanor on the other end? He didn¡¯t have much contact with her, how could he remember her voice so quickly? Seeing that the other party called but didn¡¯t speak, Eleanor asked patiently: ¡°May I know who¡¯s speaking?¡± Robin suppressed the strange feeling in his heart, quickly came back to his senses, and said coldly ¡°Katharine ising to carve out your heart, watch out¡­ Chapter 923 Chapter 923 Hearing the voice on the other end, Eleanor froze for a second, surprised that the idiot was Robin But in an instant, she snapped back, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say the matching failed? Why do you still want my heart? Are you guys nuts?¡± Would taking it even work? Wasn¡¯t Wendy afraid of immediate rejection resulting in death? She¡¯d do anything ridiculous just to survive, wouldn¡¯t she? Robin found the situation absurd ¡°My mother may be mentally disturbed, but Katharine is reasonable. Once I find her, I will persuade her Upon hearing these words, Eleanor restrained her seething anger. ¡°You had better convince her, or else you¡¯ll witness the terrifying wrath I am capable of!¡± For some reason, as Eleanor uttered this threatening remark, Robin found himself imagining her clenching her teeth, looking ferocious¡­ This thought frightened him to the point where he abruptly ended the call! Was there something wrong with Bernard¡¯s wornan, causing such unpleasant images to form in his mind? Robin flung his phone aside and slumped onto the couch. Hmph, a woman who sells herself. Only a fool like Bernard would ever find her appealing!¡± As he muttered to himself, the threatening phrase kept echoing in his ears¡­.when I get angry, it¡¯s gonna get ugly!¡± Next, the image of her fierce face popped up again in his mind! ¡°Damn, there¡¯s gotta be something wrong with my head¡°¡± Just as he was about to call a doctor, Nathan beat him to it. ¡°Mr. Spencer, Katharine¡¯s at the airport, she might be going back home I can¡¯t beat her or stop her, what should I do?¡± After a brief moment of contemtion, Robin frowned and spoke coldly, ¡°Prepare a private jet. I¡¯m going back to intercept her.¡± Bernard emerged from the bathroom and happened to see Eleanor holding his phone. A slight smirk formed at the corner of his lips. ¡°Mrs. Laurence, are you doubling me?¡± Eleanor held the phone firmly and turned to face him ¡°Yes, indeed I wanted to see if Mr. Laurence was hiding anything from me.¡± Bernard approached, his arm encircling her waist as he pulled her into his embrace. ¡°And what did you discover?¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor¡¯s serene face adorned a smile. ¡°Unfortunately, I found nothing except for a sister named ¡®Fool who wants to take my heart! Bernard inquired, ¡°Did Robin call?¡± Eleanor nodded and returned the phone to him ¡°He mentioned that Katharine intends to im my heart, so I should be cautious.¡± It seemed that some individuals had grown impatient, repeatedly stepping forward to meet their demise. After giving his phone a slight squeeze, Bernard intentionally lowered his head, using his damp hair to brush against Eleanor¡¯s neck. ¡°Ah, you got my new pajamas wet.¡± Eleanor checked her cor, arge wet patch there, Bernard just chuckled. ¡°You¡¯reughing She red at him, Bernard raised his slender fingers, gently touching the pouting woman. ¡°Go change.¡± Eleanor was nning to go straight to bed, but now she had to change her wet pajamas, she pushed him away in frustration. ¡°Dry your hair before Ie back, or I¡¯ll show you a boxing demonstration right here.¡± Hearing her stern voice, Bernard¡¯s smile deepened. Once the dressing room door closed, he slowly wiped away his smile and picked up his phone again. ¡°Laurinda, have you gained control over the medical division of the Spencer Group?¡± Laurinda, also a member of the Siren Organization, operated under Evan Penrod¡¯smand. In order to seek revenge against Robin, Evan had sent numerous individuals to infiltrate the Spencer Group. ¡°Mr. Law, I have just started getting involved. Do you have any instructions?¡± ¡°What would happen if Robin¡¯s mother¡¯s oxygen supply were to be disconnected?¡± Laurinda froze. While Evan harbored animosity towards Robin, his actions were focused on gradually undermining the Spencer family. Mr. Law, on the other hand, proposed directly removing a mother¡¯s oxygen supply. The depth of his hatred must be immense to resort to such extreme measures. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but once I get in touch with the doctors and nurses in the hospital, I will have them try.¡± What Laurinda was best at was bribery, and if that didn¡¯t work, she¡¯d just pay more. No one in this world can resist money. ¡°As soon as possible¡± After saying this, Bernard hung up. His damp hair made him look gentle, but his expression was cold as ice. Those who dare to hurt his wife don¡¯t deserve to live- Chapter 924 Chapter 924 The next day at noon, afterpleting her design sketches, Eleanor initiated a video call with Nina. ¡°Nina, have you eaten a good meal at school today?¡± ¡°Yes, I have. There are many delicious things here, but Israel always snatches my egg tart.¡± Nina hadined numerous times, expressing how attending the same school as Israel was tormenting her Upon hearing this, Eleanor asked for Nina¡¯s opinion, inquiring if she wanted to change schools. Being a clever little one, Nina dered that it was the best school in A City and she didn¡¯t want to switch. She was determined to stand up against Israel. Eleanor couldn¡¯t do much about the situation, but she admired Nina¡¯s positive attitude. It was as if she were an unwavering young warrior. Thus, she encouraged her to continue in this manner ¡°Nina, if he tries to snatch your egg tart again, you can tell him that you¡¯re willing to share it with him, do you understand?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll try that next time. But if he still insists on taking it from me, I¡¯ll drag him to a corner and give him a good lesson!¡± Eleanor wanted to advise Nina against resorting to violence, but suddenly she heard the teacher on the other end of the video calling the children to go for their afternoon nap ¡°I gotta go nap¡± ¡°Alright, off you go then.¡± After waving goodbye, Eleanor ended the call and was about to head downstairs for a bite, when she heard Bryson say ke was here. She was grabbing the handrail when she froze, ¡®Bryson, tell him I¡¯m not here, say I went¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, a deep and powerful voice came from outside, ¡°What, are you scared I¡¯ll eat you?¡± Hearing ke¡¯s voice, Eleanor knew it was toote to bail. She turned around and went downstairs, ¡°ke, what brings you here?¡°,. ke approached Eleanor with a new cane in hand, gently tapping it on the ground ¡°I have consulted your husband¡¯s opinion,¡± he said. Eleanor had initially been inquiring about his purpose foring, but ke¡¯s response indicated that he had already sought Bernard¡¯s approval beforeing here. There was no need for further questioning Eleanor understood why ke was allowed entry. Bernard had epted him. Eleanor stepped forward and gestured for ke to take a seat on the sofa. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. ke raised his hand and shook his head. ¡°No need. I came here to examine you, and once that¡¯s done, I will leave.¡± Just as Eleanor was about to ask what he meant by examining her, she noticed him looking up, his gaze fixed on the doctor entering through the door. ¡°Keith,e here quickly¡± The doctor named Keith was drenched in sweat, wiping his brow and gasping for breath. This estate is so huge, and they wouldn¡¯t let me drive in. It¡¯s truly exhausting¡± After venting his frustration, Keith ced his heavy medical kit heavily on the table and waved to Eleanor ¡°Come here, let me take a look at.¡° Eleanor stood stift, she looked at Keith, then looked at ke, finally she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°ke, what¡¯s all this about?¡± ke straightforwardly stated, ¡°Although you are not a member of the Pine family, I cannot ept the fact that you cannot have children. This gentleman here is someone I brought in. He is a specialist in treating infertility. Let him examine you, and he should be able to cure you¡­¡± Eleanor was taken aback by ke¡¯s decision to bring in a doctor to treat her condition. She was somewhat shocked. ¡°Well¡­ actually, Dr. Terrill has been treating me. already¡­¡± Keith took the water handed to him by a servant and drank it all in one gulp before addressing Eleanor. ¡°Liana, that youngdy, may be my student, but I have more experience in the field of gynecology¡± Chapter 925 Chapter 925 Eleanor was taken aback, then said respectfully. ¡°So you were Dr. Terrill¡¯s mentor¡­¡± Mr. Keith put down his cup and humbly waved his hand, ¡°I can¡¯t be called her mentor, I just guided her for a few years and helped her win some awards in medicine.¡± ke, sitting next to him, leaning on his cane, said, ¡°Stop ying the humble card, show Eleanor!¡± Mr. Keith nced at him, saying, ¡°You always look so grumpy, like an old man. Be careful not to get hemorrhoids!¡± ke was furious at being scolded in front of the younger crowd, and he retorted, ¡°Keith, you¡¯ve crossed the line!¡± Eleanor wanted tough but restrained herself. She reached out her hand, attempting to defuse the argument between the two elderly men. ¡°Mr. Keith, could you check if I have a chance to recover¡­¡± Mr. Keith, who had intended to respond to ke, noticed Eleanor¡¯s gesture and had to keep quiet. After a while, Mr. Keith looked up and asked Eleanor, ¡°Have you been taking too many medications? Can you try to stop?¡± Eleanor shook her head, ¡°The anti¨Crejection drugs for my heart and the drugs for treating my eyes can¡¯t be stopped.¡± Mr. Keith subconsciously nced at her heart. She had a heart transnt at such a young age, no wonder she looked so weak Seeing him silent, Eleanor cautiously asked, ¡°Can I still have children?¡± Mr. Keith withdrew his hand and looked at her, ¡°How many major surgeries have you had?¡± Eleanor answered truthfully. ¡°I¡¯ve had two major surgeries, both rted to my heart, and some minor ones¡­¡± Hearing that she had so many surgeries, ke frowned, ¡°Is it because she¡¯s had too many surgeries that she can¡¯t have children?¡± Mr. Keith shook his head while putting away the cushion, ¡°No, she can have children.¡± Hearing the doctor¡¯s words, both ke and Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief. Just as Mr. Keith was about to say something, Bryson¡¯s voice came from outside- N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°Madam, there¡¯s a toughdy outside who knocked down all the bodyguards, you better go check it out¡­¡± Hearing this, Eleanor knew it was Robin¡¯s sister and immediately stood up. ¡°ke, Mr. Keith, wait for me a moment, I¡¯ll go handle this¡­¡± ke nodded, and Eleanor left. After Eleanor left, Mr. Keith frowned at ke, ¡°I suggest, it¡¯s best not to let her have children.¡± ke, who had just let out a sigh of relief, suddenly appeared worried again and asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Mr. Keith exined, ¡°Eleanor¡¯s health is very fragile. If she were to have a child, it would pose significant risks to her well being. There could beplications during the operation, or it might even shorten her lifespan¡­¡± Despite the potential harm to Eleanor¡¯s health, ke was determined that she should have a child, stating, ¡°Regardless of the consequences, she must give birth. The Laurence family needs an heir¡­¡± Understanding ke¡¯s perspective, Mr. Keith attempted to reason with him, saying, ¡°Your grandson may not agree to subject Eleanor to such a significant risk for the sake of having a child. You should consider his feelings¡­¡± However, ke remained steadfast in his decision, warning Mr. Kelth, ¡°Mr. Keith, you must keep this information confidential, including from the couple and your student. If you dare to disclose it, I will withdraw any financial support for your medical business¡­¡± Mr. Keith called him a ¡®stubborn old man¡®, but for his own benefit, he agreed, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll listen to you, after all, you¡¯re my good friend of many years¡­ After ke was reassured, he instructed again, ¡°You must use the best drugs to help her adjust her body, we¡¯ll talk about the childbirthter.¡± Relying on the Laurence family¡¯s medical system, it was impossible for their daughter¨Cinw to have an ident on the operating table. As for the statement that it would shorten her life by thirty years, ke didn¡¯t believe it! Chapter 926 Chapter 926 Eleanor stepped out of the castle, her gaze traveling past the iron gate to a scene of Scott and Katharine locked in fiercebat. When Caleb returned, he informed Eleanor about Robin¡¯s sister, Katharine, describing her as a fierce fighter Initially, Eleanor was skeptical and didn¡¯t fully believe him. However, when she witnessed it firsthand, she was genuinely shocked Even someone asrge as Scott was struggling to defend himself against Katharine, who had him pinned down. ¡°Ms Spencer¡± A gentle voice came from beyond the railing, causing Katharine¡¯s tightly clenched hands to slowly unclench She straightened up, turned around, and looked at Eleanor standing in the iron gate. ¡°Are you Eleanor?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The sight of Eleanor standing in the sunlight, nodding slightly, left Katharine momentarily stunned. How could she harm such a vibrant person? But she didn¡¯t want to lose her mother either. Katharine hesitated for a few seconds, then walked towards Eleanor, only to be blocked by Scott. ¡°Back off from Mrs. Laurence, or we¡¯re going to have a problem.¡± He had been treating Katharine with kid gloves, because he didn¡¯t hit women. But if she dared to harm Mrs. Laurence, he wouldn¡¯t show any mercy Katharine nced at Scott, clearly underestimating him, and instead, her attention was fixed on Eleanor through the sturdy iron bars. ¡°Mrs. Laurence, would you mind stepping outside? I¡¯d like to have a conversation,¡± she said. ¡°No, thank you,¡± Eleanor firmly rejected the offer. ¡°I know why you¡¯re here. We can talk right here,¡± Eleanor stated, refusing to be lured outside, sensing Katharine¡¯s intentions of kidnapping her. Startled by Eleanor¡¯s readiness, Katharine realized her n might have been anticipated, and Eleanor was on guard ¡°Your brother contacted me. He informed me that you¡¯re here to take my heart, Eleanor revealed. It suddenly made sense why there were bodyguards stationed outside the castle and why someone as formidable as Scott was on high alert. Her brother must have tipped them off about the situation. Katharine, who had been set up by her own brother, admitted openly since it was already out in the open. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡± Eleanor gave a wry smile. ¡°Ms. Spencer, your doctors have taken my blood and done gic matching. I¡¯m not a match for your mother. If you insist on taking my heart for her, it only shows your ignorance. An ipatible transnt would kill her immediately due to a rejection reaction.¡± This left Katharine momentarily stunned. It took her a while to recover. ¡°But my mother told me that the doctor said your heart belonged to Emilia, and it would match my mother¡¯s.¡± ¡°Did she tell you that?¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Katharine nodded. Eleanorughed, ¡°She¡¯s fooling you. The heart transnted into me has already be part of me. My cells, my blood, they¡¯re all ipatible with her. How could an individual organ possibly match?¡± Katharine was somewhat disbelieving but couldn¡¯te up with any counter¨Cargument, ¡°How do I know you¡¯re not lying?¡± Just as Eleanor was about to respond, she saw Robin walking briskly over, ¡°She¡¯s not lying¡­¡± Seeing her own brother, Katharine turned around in irritation, ¡°I thought you hated Bernard. Why are you helping him?¡± Robin nced at Eleanor, then turned his attention to Katharine, ¡°The doctor personally told me the results. They¡¯re not a match, neither bone marrow nor heart. If you insist on taking her heart for our mother, it will cause more harm than good¡­¡± Hearing this, Katharine¡¯s internal struggle subsided somewhat, but she still retorted defiantly. ¡°Then why would mother say it would work?¡± Robin thought of Wendy¡¯s angry face when she med him for not being able to perform the transnt. His face darkened, ¡°Our mother might have changed¡­¡± Katharine frowned, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®changed?¡± Robin couldn¡¯t answer this question, he just told Katharine, ¡°Anyway, her heart can¡¯t be used Go back now and stop causing trouble here!¡± But how could Katharine possibly leave without a clear exnation, ¡°Speak up. I¡¯m not leaving until you do.¡± Chapter 927 Chapter 927 Robin didn¡¯t hold back anymore and blurted out in two seconds t, ¡°If our marrow or hearts could match with our mom¡¯s, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to ask us for a transnt, because she¡¯s med us for being born but not being able to give her a transnt. Hell, she doesn¡¯t even care about your life, she¡¯d have me rip out Eleanor¡¯s heart for her! He looked down at his stunned sister, ¡°Katharine, our mom lied to you about the heart matching, and wants you toke someone else¡¯s heart. If that¡¯s not sick, I don¡¯t know what is. She¡¯s not the selfless mother she used to be wake up.¡± Katharine shook her head. ¡°No way, my mom wouldn¡¯t say something like that.¡± Eleanor, although she didn¡¯t want to butt in, feltpelled to speak up for the sake of her own heart, ¡°Ms. Spencer, it¡¯s true, she did me you guys for not being able to give her a transnt¡± Eleanor s blunt words hit Katharine like a bolt from the blue, leaving her pale and in shock. She looked from Eleanor to Robin, seemingly unable to ept the truth Seeing her disbelief, Eleanor suggested, ¡°How about this, draw another tube of my blood, run the tests again. You¡¯ll probably trust the doctors more than you trust me.¡± Katharine hesitated for a moment, then shook her head, ¡°No need, I trust Robin.¡± From childhood, Robin, who loved her dearly, had never lied to her. And Robin loved their mother so much that he was willing to travel the world to find a donor, despite suffering from bipr disorder. Such a devoted person would never nder his own mother unless she herself had spoken those words¡­ She believed that if Eleanor¡¯s marrow and heart could match, Robin would stop at nothing to secure her as a donor. Moreover, for Robin, Bernard¡¯s wife would be even easier to target. But Robin let her go, and in order to prevent himself from making a mistake, he personally returned to the country, indicating that Eleanor¡¯s heart and marrow were of no use Katharine, who understood her brother very well, gave up the idea of taking a living person¡¯s heart, ¡°What about our mother?¡± Robin also wanted Wendy to survive, but admitted, ¡°A donor for someone with both heart disease and leukemia is hard to find, but I won¡¯t give up.¡± Bernard, who had just gotten out of the car, heard this and scoffed, ¡°What¡¯s there to find? A cunning woman like that should have kicked the bucket a long time ago.¡± All eyes turned towards the source of the cold voice, revealing a man dressed in a striking sapphire blue suit. With his long, elegant strides, he approached the group Upon seeing Bernard¡¯s arrival, both Robin and Katharine¡¯s expressions dropped, and Robin muttered, ¡°You just want all of us dead, don¡¯t you¡­¡± Bernard, walking past Robin, tilted his head slightly and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Are you only just realizing that? His arrogant and disdainful tone was undeniably intended to provoke Robin Robin, consumed by anger, turned pale and snapped back, ¡°Bernard, I should have let my sister harm your wife¡­¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Robin was ready to retaliate, fueled by his fury. However, his rage subsided momentarily when he witnessed Bernard stepping forward and encircling his arm around Eleanor¡¯s waist. Robin felt there was something wrong with him, constantly noticing Bernard¡¯s woman. After forcing himself to look away, Robin told Katharine, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± But Katharine refused, ¡°You go first, I need to find someone here.¡± Before Eleanor turned to leave, Katharine stopped her: ¡°Mrs. Laurence, could you please help me find Caleb? Eleanor paused. Chapter 928 Chapter 928 Scott and Eleanor were clueless about how Caleb had gotten close to Katharine Only Bernard knew the drill. ¡°Caleb¡¯s not here If you need him, hit him up yourself¡± ¡°If I could reach him, I wouldn¡¯t be here looking for him, would I?¡± Katharine tried her best to keep her anger in check, her fists clenched tightly as she walked up to Bernard ¡°Where is he? Bernard looked down at her, his gaze cold. ¡°No idea.¡± Afterpleting his mission, Caleb went straight back to the Siren Organization¡¯s headquarters. But Bernard wasn¡¯t the type to b about the Siren Organization¡¯s business. Katharine¡¯s expression instantly shifted, her chest heaving as she held her breath. However, she managed to maintain her composure as she confronted Bernard ¡°You sent him to approach me, to entice me, to deceive me. And now you¡¯re telling me you have no idea where he is?¡± Bernard¡¯s thick eyshes fluttered slightly as he weighed his response. While he hadn¡¯t devised the n himself, he had indeed sent the man, so he had to ept some responsibilityN?velDrama.Org is the owner. Just as Bernard was about to speak, Robin, who had been standing behind Katharine, unexpectedly stepped forward and firmly grabbed Katharine¡¯s arm. ¡°You¡¯re saying Bernard sent someone to trick you?¡± Caught red¨Chanded, Katharine had nothing to hide and nodded. Robin looked shocked for a moment, then grabbed Katharine¡¯s shoulders, looking her up and down. ¡°That Caleb guy, he didn¡¯t do anything over the line, did he?¡± When they were kids, he was physically weak and his sister was strong, so their dad sent her to learn Taekwondo But she didn¡¯t just stop at Taekwondo. She also picked up Sanda and became stronger and stronger to the point where people steered clear of her. As they grew older, she had encountered men from affluent backgrounds, but they were all intimidated by her strong demeanor. She struggled with expressing her emotions and confronted injustices directly. Robin greatly admired this quality in her. He believed that girls should stand up for themselves. They shouldn¡¯t hide and nurse their wounds when mistreated. Instead, they should fight back fiercely, leaving the other party to pick up their shattered pride. Robin was always there to support her, and she had nothing to fear To Robin, the Spencer family was financially well¨Coff, and his sister didn¡¯t need to marry for money. If she couldn¡¯t find the right person, he was willing to provide lifelong support. However, he couldn¡¯t tolerate anyone approaching his sister with hidden motives! Katharine knew her brother loved her and was afraid of men taking advantage of her. He had always taught her that there were few good men in the world. Those who treated her well were either after her body or her wealth. Despite all that, she fell for a man full of lies¡­. She didn¡¯t want to disappoint her brother, nor did she want to lie to him. After hesitating for a few seconds, she told the truth, ¡°He¡­ did what he had to do¡­¡± Robin¡¯s hands, which were gripping her shoulders, froze. His handsome face darkened as though ink could drip from it. ¡°How could you.¡± He wanted to me her, but he held back, ¡°It¡¯s okay You¡¯re a grown woman. You do what you want. I won¡¯t interfere. But I will avenge you if someone deceives you!¡± Seeing how much Robin loved her, Katharine¡¯s nose stung. Im sorry. I didn¡¯t listen to you, and that¡¯s how I got deceived. But I can handle this ¡± For the first time, Robin saw tears in Katharine¡¯s eyes, and it hurt him. He reached up to gently stroke her hair, but didn¡¯t say anything Instead, he turned his cold and ruthless. gaze on Bernard, ¡°You dared to let your man hurt my sister. Do you want to die?!¡± Chapter 929 Chapter 929 Bernard seemed to agree that his approach wasn¡¯t quite right. For the first time, he didn¡¯t argue with Robin, but instead, offered a suggestion, ¡°If your sister is willing to marry Caleb, I can sel up a proposal to the Spencer family¡± Part of Bernard¡¯s n before his undercover mission was to revoke Caleb¡¯s membership in the Siren Organization, allowing hirn to establish a family worry¨Cfree. As long as they were in love, it was all right to help Caleb break away from the Siren Organization in advance. Katharine was taken aback by Bernard¡¯s words and was about to say something when Robin beat her to it, ¡°No way! Even if my sister never gets hitched, she won¡¯t marry one of your guys A bodyguard thinking he can marry into the Spencer family? That¡¯s just arrogant Upon hearing this, Scott raised an eyebrow Caleb was a member of the Siren Organization and a subordinate of Mr. Law. He wasn¡¯t just any regr bodyguard Robin was being narrow¨Cminded. ¡°Your sister is such a strong woman, only our Caleb wouldn¡¯t mind. And you¡¯re calling him arrogant? Seems like your sis is the one pretending to be ssy here!¡± The atmosphere, which had been calmer, suddenly tensed up again because of Scott¡¯s retort. Kathorine, without missing a beat, punched Scott, knocking him over. She then turned to Bernard, ¡°Tell him. Even if all the men in the world died, I still wouldn¡¯t marry him!¡± Seeing his sister stand by his side gave Robin more courage. He puffed up his chest and warned Bernard, ¡®Bernard, I swear I¡¯ll never forgive you for letting your guy mess with my sister!¡± ¡°What are you going to do about it?¡± ¡°Hand over that Caleb. Otherwise, I¡¯ll destroy your Fiord Roundabout¡± The Fiord Roundabout was the house Bernard gave to Eleanor as a wedding present. It was filled with Eleanor¡¯s hard work and creativity. For Robin to threaten to destroy it was like a madman talking nonsense. ¡°I won¡¯t repeat what I just said After saying this. Bernard took Eleanor¡¯s hand and left, not even turning back to look at Robin who was banging on the door. Eleanor did look back though. Seeing Robin fighting so hard for his sister made her feel a bit envious¡­ She wished she had a brother like that, but she wasn¡¯t a Pine. Robin wasn¡¯t her brother, and Elbert Pine wasn¡¯t her brother either. In the end, she was alone Well, notpletely. She had Bernard who loved her, her niece, and Hailey and Liana¡­ She was happy. After Robin made a scene at the door for a while, Katharine pulled him back to the car. Once in the car, Robin tried to calm Katharine down, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Katharine. I¡¯ll make Bernard hand over Caleb. Then, you can do whatever you want with him, even if it means punishing him severely.¡± Katharine looked at her brother who was visibly angry, yet trying tofort her, and couldn¡¯t help but smile. She wanted to respond to Robin with a smile, but for some reason, tears started to fall. Robin was taken aback by Katharine¡¯s sudden burst of tears. ¡°What what¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked, concerned Katharine shook her head and replied. ¡°It¡¯s nothing I think I¡¯vee to realize that I¡¯ve developed feelings for that jerk, and I can¡¯t bring myself to be too harsh on him¡­¡± To Robin, love was a foreign concept. He had never experienced any deep emotions towards women. The reason was simple he had difficulty remembering people¡¯s faces. Remembering faces was more challenging for him than making business deals. Consequently, he couldn¡¯t fullyprehend Katharine¡¯s feelings. He silently observed her for a moment and then handed her a tissue ¡°If you can¡¯t bear to be apart from him, then perhaps you should consider epting Bernard¡¯s proposal and let him marry you,¡± he suggested Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Although he didn¡¯t understand, he could feel her emotions. Even though he didn¡¯t want to give his sister away to a con man, if she loved him, what could he do? Chapter 930 Chapter 930 Katharine watched her brotherpromise with his enemies for her sake, tears streaming down her face like rain, ¡°You¡¯re so good to me ¡± Robin sighed helplessly, ¡°I only have one sister, I have to protect you¡± Have you ever heard of a sister protecting her brother? In their family, it was the norm. From childhood to adulthood, whenever there was a problem, it was Katharine who stood in front of him to protect hirm. This is from N?velDrama.Org. His father had Katharine leam fighting skills for the sole purpose of protecting him. Katharine understood this, but she neverined. She regarded protecting him as her most important task. Since his sister was so good to him, he naturally had to treat her in the best possible way to repay her for the pain she suffered during her martial arts training. Katharine thought the same way Given how good her brother was to her, how could she let him down? ¡°I won¡¯t marry him.¡± Their family backgrounds were mismatched, he lied to her, he didn¡¯t care about her, he was just following Bernard¡¯s orders, reluctantly agreeing to marry her How could such a marriage be happy? Katharine said clearly, ¡°Once I find him and get my revenge, I will cut ties with him, then follow my father¡¯s advice, marry someone beneficial, and in the future, I can also help you against Bernard¡­¡± Robin¡¯s lips formed a slight smile as he said, ¡°I don¡¯t require your assistance.¡± Katharine wanted to respond, but Robin handed her a tissue and instructed, ¡®Clean your face. It looks quite messy¡± epting the tissue, Katharine chuckled. With a supportive family like hers, who needed a man? Let all those bothersome men go to hell! After Robin¡¯s car departed from Fiord Roundabout, another vehicle, concealed in the shadows, slowly emerged and halted at the entrance of the roundabout. Evan, dressed, in a grey suit, exited the driver¡¯s seat and walked over to the passenger side. He opened the door, and Granna Penrod, wearing a tight, red, floor¨Clength dress, stepped out. She looked at the car descending the mountain along the highway and said to Evan, ¡®Your enemy looks weak, why don¡¯t I handle it?¡± Evan leaned against the car door and said coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t mess with him. When he gets angry, he¡¯s like a mad dog¡± Although Robin was physically weak, his subordinates were all left by York, and they were all very strong Evan had suffered a lot from him, even the burn on his back was caused by Robin, and this time the damage even led to the leaking of the Siren Organization¡¯s headquarters list¡­ Gianna knew this was Evan¡¯s personal grudge, so she didn¡¯t interfere, just nodded, ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t mess with him, let¡¯s go in..¡± Evan raised his hand, ordered someone to take out the stuff from the trunk, and then went to exin their purpose. The bodyguard carefully asked three times before turning on the videophone. Bernard on the other end of the video just said ¡°No¡± and then turned off the video. The bodyguard helplessly raised his hands, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you two should go back.¡± Evan was a bit angry and wanted to force his way in, but was stopped by Gianna, ¡°The mistakest time was ours, we came here to apologize, so we should have an apologetic attitude.¡± Evan could only suppress his anger, put one hand in his pocket, stood aside, and let Gianna handle the problem. Gianna asked the bodyguard to call Bernard again, but he did not pick up, which was clearly a rejection of them Gianna had no other choice but to pull Evan back to the car, ¡°We¡¯ll wait here for a while, they¡¯lle out eventually..¡± Gianna had previously soft kidnapped Eleanor, and ended up being locked up by Bernard. The time they spent honeymooning was the time she and Evan were locked up. If it weren¡¯t for their foster father finding Bernard to make a deal, they would probably still be locked up in a dark basement. It has to be said, Bernard was indeed cruel to lock them up for so long But after they came out and heard that Bernard agreed to go to Area Opaca, Gianna and Evan¡¯s resentment towards him diminished a lot Bernard¡¯s willingness to go to Area Opaca indicated that he still cared about the Siren Organization, which was enough. So they both decided to go and apologize to Bernard and Eleanor, especially Gianna, who felt extremely guilty towards Eleanor. After all, they could have been friends, but she ruined it with her own hands. On this visit, she did not expect Eleanor to forgive her, but just hoped to find some constion¡­. Chapter 931 Chapter 931 Inside the castle, Bernard wrapped up a video call and issued an order to Bryson, ¡°Get ¡®em outta here. Don¡¯t let anyone see¡± Bryson answered with a hasty ¡°will do¡± before skedaddling out the other end of the castle. Seeing Bryson off to shoo folks away. Bernard headed back to the living room. ¡°If you¡¯re not leaving, you nning to stay for dinner or what?¡± His words were blunt, leaving Mr Keith a bit put off. Eleanor quickly stood up, tugged at his sleeve, and Bernard added, ¡°Mr. Keith, you¡¯re wee to stay for dinner¡± At this, Mr. Keith arched an eyebrow at ke. ¡°Alright, I haven¡¯t had a meal at the Laurence¡¯s before. I¡¯ll stick around.¡± ke, leaning on his cane, stood up with a look that screamed ¡°I¡¯d rather be anywhere else.¡± Eleanor was a bit intimidated by ke, but she stepped up to stop him anyway ¡°ke, you can stay for dinner too.¡± ke red at Katharine, but his gaze shifted to Bernard Observing Bernard¡¯s emotionless expression, ke stormed off in frustration. With ke gone, it was evident that Mr. Keith had no intentions of staying for dinner either. He swiftly rose from his seat and followed ke, shooting Bernard a meaningful look before departing However, in the end, Mr. Keith said nothing. He merely informed Eleanor, ¡®Ill have Liana bring your medications. Ensure you take them on time.¡± Before Eleanor could even express her gratitude, Mr. Keith had already left the castle. Once both men had left, Eleanor scolded Bernard for his disrespect towards ke. Bernard retorted, ¡°Have you forgotten how he used to treat you?¡± Eleanor fell silent for a few moments before reluctantly admitting. ¡°But he is your grandfather, after all.¡± Bernard understood that Eleanor was attempting to mend rtions between him and ke, but he didn¡¯t require her to do so. ¡°You¡¯re my wife. You don¡¯t have to please anyone.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Those words brought a joyful smile to Eleanor¡¯s face. ¡°Darling for you, I¡¯d be pleasant to anyone* Bernard felt a sweet warmth fill his heart, like he¡¯d just been fed honey. ¡°Come here, let me taste your lips. See if you¡¯ve been smearing honey on them.¡± Eleanor ran into his arms, puckered up her lips and brought them close to his. ¡°Taste away.¡± Catching his wife as she ran into him, Bernard gently pinched her chin and bent down to kiss her. ¡®Mmm, your lips are really sweet.¡± After a while, Eleanor finally pushed him away ¡°Darling, Mr. Keith said I could have a baby now. Once I finish his prescribed meds, we might be able to have a baby I¡¯m really looking forward to it¡­¡± Bernard wasn¡¯t too excited about having a baby, mostly because he was worried about Eleanor going through the pain of childbirth. But seeing how Eleanor obviously wanted one, and hearing that ke had brought in Liana to treat Eleanor, he allowed ke to visit. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have let ke in. Now, seeing how happy and hopeful Eleanor was about having a baby, Bernard couldn¡¯t help but share her joy. ¡°You need to take good care of yourself. Having a baby is no walk in the park¡± Eleanor wrapped her arms tightly around his waist and nodded in his arms. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take good care of myself and bring you a healthy baby.¡± Bernard¡¯s eyes, shining like the stars, were filled with lovingughter. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be waiting¡­¡± Chapter 932 Chapter 932 After dinner, Eleanor had the servants take Nina to bathe, while she herself sat on the single sofa at the study door, pretending to read while eavesdropping on Bernard and Caleb¡¯s phone conversation ¡°If you wanna tie the knot, I can go and have a chat with Robin¡± On the other end of the phone, Caleb instinctively resisted upon hearing this. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Boss, I¡¯m not into Katharine You don¡¯t need to plead with Robin on my behalf¡± He could totally picture the reaction Robin would have if the boss went to talk to him about it! He didn¡¯t want the boss to swallow his pride and plea to Robin on his behalf. That would be worse than death. Besides, Caleb was fully aware that, given Katharine¡¯s personality, if she found out he had deceived her, she definitely wouldn¡¯t be willing to marry him. So why should the boss have to humble himself to his enemy for an impossible cause? ¡°Caleb, I can help you break free from Siren Organization, then you won¡¯t be bound by your status anymore, and you can be with whoever you want. I¡¯ll have someone protect you.¡± Upon hearing this, Caleb felt a warm feeling in his heart. He was deeply touched. Although he also desired freedom, the boss was going to the ck market in five months, and he had to apany him. If he can¡¯t protect the boss, he¡¯d give his life to do so. After all, the boss had been helping and taking care of him since he was a child and had always appreciated him. ¡°No need, boss. I still have a lot of missions toplete¡­ After saying this, Caleb took a deep breath and, gripping his phone, said: ¡°If Katharine is still looking for me, just tell her where I am.¡± If he was going to be with her, he had to take responsibility. He just hoped that when Katharine saw him again, she wouldn¡¯t want to kill him. Anything else, she could do as she pleased After failing to persuade Caleb multiple times, Bernard felt somewhat tired and stopped talking. After hanging up the phone, he saw Eleanor eavesdropping The corners of his lips turned up slightly, revealing a beautiful curve. ¡°Mrs. Laurence, you still have the habit of eavesdropping¡± Eleanor was caught in the act and felt a twinge of embarrassment. She quickly grabbed a book and used it to shield her face. ¡°Um¡­ I was just wondering if Caleb finally agreed to marry Katharine.¡± Bernard approached, removing the book that concealed her face and casually tossing it aside. Leaning over her, he ced his hands on the sofa¡¯s armrests. ¡°Why don¡¯t you join me in discovering something new? Afterwards, I¡¯ll fill you in¡± It didn¡¯t sound like anything good ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to learn.¡± Bernard¡¯s eyshes lowered slightly as he deliberately brushed against her cheek. ¡°Hmm? Don¡¯t you want to know the answer?¡± His tone was seductive, and Eleanor usually gave in within a few seconds. But this time, she held her ground. ¡°I suddenly don¡¯t want to know. I¡¯m going to go be with Nina.¡± She was about to get up, but Bernard grabbed her waist. Her world spun, and she fell into his warm embrace. ¡°You may not want to know, but I insist on telling you.¡± Eleanor was carried into the elevator by Bernard and brought to the penthouse. He kicked open the door, and the themed decor immediately caught her eye. Eleanor found herself tightly embraced by Bernard, a mixture of surprise and curiosity evident on her face. I remember envisioning this space as a rooftop flower room. When did it transform into this?¡± Bernard held her waist with an impassive expression. ¡°This was specially arranged for you. Don¡¯t you like it?¡± They were enclosed within an iron cage, adorned with flowing red gauze. Beneath the gauze, a circr bed was covered in a sea of red roses. On the floor, a technologically designed gxy slowly shifted and moved. Eleanor shifted her gaze from the mesmerizing scene to Bernard¡¯s noble andposed countenance She had known long ago that he was a bit offbeat in this respect, but she didn¡¯t expect that his entricity wasn¡¯t just a bit, but extreme¡­ Seeing her resistance, Bernard frowned slightly. ¡°If you don¡¯t like this room, we can switch to another one.¡± There are other rooms?! Eleanor clung to his neck. ¡°Let¡¯s just stick with this one¡­¡± That was all she could ept for now Chapter 933 Chapter 933 Bernard set Eleanor down, his long fingers gripping her hand, securing it on the railing Eleanor turned her head, questioning him, ¡°What are you up lo?¡± Bernard gently began to undress Eleanor, his body pressing against her back as he reached to switch off the light. The room descended into darkness, with only the soft glow of decorative lights on the floor illuminating their surroundings Eleanor attempted to turn around and face him, but he firmly held her waist, lifting her up. It finally dawned on her what his intentions were The realization hit her hard. In fact, if Bernard hadn¡¯t supported her waist, she would have stumbled and fallen. This was crossing a line, far beyond what she had anticipated or desired. ¡°Caleb wouldn¡¯t approve,¡± his voice resonated coolly in her ear. Eleanor cursed inwardly Why was he bringing up Caleb now? Was it a deliberate move to intensify the tension between them? She turned her head, attempting to push him away, but he kissed her neck fiercely ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Unable to control herself, she let out a sound, quickly adding to cover her embarrassment Why would he approve?¡± The tone of her first ¡°mmm and the second one differed, Bernard catching onto the difference. A hint of amusement shed in his eyes, ¡°Want to know why?¡± Eleanor vehemently shook her head, ¡°No, not at all¡­¡± Disregarding her protest, Bernard released his grip on her, only to lift her up again. A deep shade of red spread across Eleanor¡¯s face. Bernard chuckled softly Exhausted, Eleanor copsed onto the bed, feeling utterly drained. Shecked the energy to even lift a finger. Bernard gently carried her to the bathroom, where she washed up before he carried her back to the bedroom. Lying beneath thefort of a soft down quilt, Eleanor fought to keep her weary eyes open. Turning to the man holding her, she asked, ¡°Can you finally tell me why Caleb wouldn¡¯t marry Katharine?¡± Bernard was taken aback by her sudden interest in Caleb and Katharine. Raising an eyebrow slightly, he replied, ¡°Caleb simply said he doesn¡¯t like her.¡± Eleanor knew Caleb got closer to Katharine for her sake, which was why she was so concerned. But she didn¡¯t expect Caleb not to like Katharine, however¡­ ¡°Katharine seems to really like Caleb Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Caleb doesn¡¯t like her, so nothing else matters.¡± Eleanor didnt reply. ¡°I think Caleb might like Kathanne, otherwise why would he get close to her?¡± Bernard lowered his eyes, looking at Eleanor. ¡°He was just doing his job. Besides, men and women are different. ¡± Eleanor looked up, gazing intently into Bernard¡¯s eyes. ¡°So, would you sleep with someone else just for a job?¡°. Chapter 934 Chapter 934 Bernard realized he¡¯d screwed up big time, his hand, which had been ying with her hair, suddenly stopped. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± It was less than convincing ¡°Are you sure?¡± Eleanor straightened her finger, listing Bernard¡¯s past mistakes. ¡°You used to hold hands with Sophie Ratliff.¡± Bernard turned silent. ¡°You even carried her to the hospital¡± ¡°And¡­¡± Bernard quickly interrupted her. ¡°You¡¯re talking about sleeping. I haven¡¯t, and I won¡¯t. Plus, we were just pretending to be lovers before¡± Eleanor argued back, ¡°So you¡¯re saying Caleb was just pretending too, but he was more into it?¡± Bernard got flustered, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I don¡¯t know what Caleb thinks, and you can¡¯tpare me to him.¡± Eleanor scoffed, pushed him away, rolled over andy down on the edge of the bed. ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep, leave me alone.¡± Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Bernard behind her waspletely caught off guard. They were just so close in the room, but now they were sleeping separately. It¡¯s all Caleb¡¯s fault! Bernard stared at her back, hesitated for a few seconds, then, nket and all, hugged her and pulled her back. He actually wrapped her up in the nket so that she looked like a giant dumpling, with only her head poking out, sitting in front of him. Bernard, leaning against the headboard, waspletely oblivious to his inappropriate behavior, just holding her tightly, taking responsibility for his past mistakes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for my childish behavior in the past, I really am.¡± ¡°If I could go back, I wouldn¡¯t have tested you like that, I would have told you straight up, I love you¡± ¡°Sweetie, don¡¯t be mad about the past, I¡¯ve turned over a new leaf, I won¡¯t use other women to make you angry anymore.¡± Eleanor, her lower face covered by the nket, had a slight smile on her lips. ¡®So you can promise not to use other women to make me angry anymore?¡± ¡°I promise, I will absolutely not use other women to make you angry.¡± ¡°What if there are?¡± Bernard paused, seemingly predicting how likely this was, finally shaking his head in denial. *Unless I fall in love with someone else, I would never use another woman to make you angry, but what I can confirm is, I can¡¯t love anyone else in this lifetime.¡± He lifted his own pajamas, letting Eleanor bite him on the shoulder. ¡°Bite until it bleeds.¡± That way, every time he saw the mark, it would remind him, he could never let her down. ¡°Are you nuts? I was just teasing you¡± She was actually just messing with him, not really mad at him. Those things happened so long ago, how could she still hold a grudge? ¡°You just don¡¯t want to bite, right?¡± ¡°Uh¨Chuh, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll hurt you¡± Eleanor, nket and all, jumped into Bernard¡¯s arms. ¡°Sweetie, go to sleep¡± Seeing her no longer dwelling on the past, Bernard breathed a sigh of relief, holding her tightly. ¡°Caleb getting close to Katharine has nothing to do with you, don¡¯t feel guilty, I¡¯ll handle everything.¡± ¡°But can it really be resolved?¡± ¡°Mhm¡± If Caleb wanted to get married, he¡¯d prepare a gift, take Caleb to the Spencer family to propose. If Caleb didn¡¯t want to get married, he¡¯d respect Caleb¡¯s decision. There was nothing he couldn¡¯t handle Eleanor nestled in his arms, nodding slightly She still hoped Caleb and Katharine could be together, but as for matters of the heart, they should face them themselves. Chapter 935 Chapter 935 Robin went through all the trouble of hiring bounty hunters and releasing wanted posters to find Caleb, but no luck. Pissed off, he once again showed up at Fiord Roundabout to demand Bernard from Bernard He had barely stepped out of his car when Evan and Gianna came to apologize. ¡°What the hell are you two doing here?¡± Evan and Gianna hade from another route, totally unaware of Robin¡¯s car, otherwise, they would have steered clear of burping into him. Robin had been digging around about Siren Organization, and with Evan poking his nose into Robin¡¯s business multiple times, Robin was starting to get suspicious. Now, with Evan suddenly showing up at Fiord Roundabout and getting spotted by Robin, Robin would definitely start doubting Bernard through Evan Gianna had encountered Robin on previous asions but had nevere face¨Cto¨Cface with him. In a swift motion, she grabbed Evan¡¯s hand and yfullyined. ¡°You promised me a beautiful location for photos, but it turns out we stumbled upon a private property guarded by so many people staring at us How are we supposed to take any pictures here?¡± She snuggled closer to Evan, her chest brushing against his arm, causing him to feel slightly ufortable. ¡°I saw the castle from the hill and assumed it was open to the public. I had no idea it belonged to someone. Let¡¯s find another ce, okay?¡± Gianna yed along, nodding in agreement. ¡°Sure, I actually prefer vibrant and lively spots anyway¡­¡± Evan pushed Gianna away, opened the car door, without even sparing a nce at Robin. However, Robin, who was standing nearby, stepped forward to intercept him. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Hold it!¡± Robin looked stern as he approached their sports car and stared down Evan. ¡°Your men say you¡¯re not interested in women, and yet here you are, sightseeing with a woman. You think I¡¯ll buy that?¡± Evan, leaning against the car door, tilted his head slightly and shot him a cold look. ¡°Who do you think you are? Whether I bring a woman to sightsee is none of your business Do I need your approval? Are you out of your mind?¡± Gianna was taken aback by her brother¡¯s harsh words, but secretly felt a sense of satisfaction at his boldness. ¡°Who is this guy? He¡¯s so unpleasant and impolite. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d assume he was a beggar on the street¡­¡± Robin, in a confrontational mood, had intended to use this confrontation as a tactic to pressure Bernard into revealing Caleb¡¯s whereabouts. However, he hadn¡¯t anticipated someone picking a fight at this particr moment. ¡°You think you¡¯re good¨Clooking? With your sly expression, do you work at a nightclub or perform at entertainment venues?¡± Gianna fell silent, stunned by the fact that a man had called her ugly for the first time. She made a mental note to remember Robin¡¯s behavior and vowed to handle him ordingly in the future. After exchanging heated words with Gianna, Robin turned his attention to Evan, who was clenching his fists. ¡°What¡¯s your connection to Bernard?¡± Evan scoffed, ¡°Bernard and my family have never had any business dealings, what kind of rtionship could we possibly have?¡± Robin scoffed right back, ¡°You¡¯re from the Siren Organization, going to different ces for missions. Now you¡¯re here, right at Bernard¡¯s doorstep. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit too coincidental?¡± He was now sure that Evan was from the Siren Organization, including the woman in the red dress standing next to Evan. Robin had interacted with the Siren Organization before, and he knew that only their members would repeatedly use cover¨Cup tactics to hide their actions. Just like the two in front of him, pretending to be a couple, putting on a show, all just to cover-up that they didn¡¯t know Bernard. In reality, they were doing all this to protect Bernard Chapter 936 Chapter 936 Robin was dead sure they knew Bernard, and that they were old pals ¡®Mr Penrod, you¡¯d better spill the beans, or when I find the truth, I¡¯m gonna put you guys on st!¡± Evan was feeling a bit antsy, but kept his poker face. ¡°Mr. Spencer, have you verified that I¡¯m a member of the Siren Organization, or have you seen me in contact with any of them?¡± Robin stuffed his hands in his pockets, looked Evan straight in the eye. I¡¯ve seen the Siren Organization¡¯s member list once, your name was on it.¡± Evan scoffed, ¡°You¡¯re from a noble family too, you should know that they mix in other nobles¡® names to throw everyone off the scent. Even if my name was on the list you saw how can you be sure I¡¯m a real member?¡± The Siren Organization was pretty light¨Clipped, mixing in fake members to the list, so even if it leaked, it would take some time to verify But the list at their HQ was the real deal, and that list had been destroyed by Bernard No list, no way to figure out who¡¯s in. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Robin, who had been relentlessly pursuing the Siren, was aware of the use of fake identities. The higher the person¡¯s status, the more likely their name appeared on the list. He had caught a few imposters in the past, which had angered certain individuals. While using this as an argument against Evan didn¡¯t hold much weight¡­ Closing the distance between them, Robin locked eyes with Evan ¡°One of my men exposed you once. That should count as evidence, shouldn¡¯t it?¡± Evan didn¡¯t even flinch, his gaze unwavering ¡®Where is this man of yours? Bring him here to identify me face to face Otherwise, you¡¯re just spinning tales¡± Robin pointed a finger usingly at Evan¡¯s chest. ¡®You forget that you snapped his neck on the spot!¡± Evan, who had ended numerous lives in that manner, remained unfazed ¡°You can¡¯t find this man, so you¡¯re fabricating a feeble excuse to brush me off, am I right?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t confirm his status, but when I arrived, he was still breathing. He divulged everything he witnessed¡± Robin countered. Robin jabbed Evan again, then suddenly reached up, grabbed his throat, and flung him against the car door. ¡°Evan, whether you admit it or not, in my eyes, you¡¯re it!¡± ¡°You suddenly looking for Bernard means he¡¯s part of the Siren Organization too!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the deal with your group, screwing up the business environment, what are you trying to pull?¡± Seeing Evan being choked by Robin, Gianna clenched her fists. Evan subtly gestured for her to keep cool. Now that Robin had pegged him as a Siren, he couldn¡¯t let Gianna get dragged into this. And right now, the priority was to protect Bernard, he couldn¡¯t let Mr. Law get dragged in. Thinking this, Evan pushed Robin away in faux anger, then grabbed him by the throat and pushed him against the hood of the car. Robin¡¯s bodyguards started towards them, but Evan turned his head and warned them coldly. ¡°If you want him dead,e on over!¡± The bodyguards immediately froze, not daring to risk ticking Evan off. They were scared Evan would snap and kill the helpless Mr. Spencer. Evan shifted his icy gaze from the onlookers to Robin, whose face was turning red due to theck of air caused by his choking. ¡°You¡¯re starting a confrontation with me, yet you can¡¯t even support your ims,¡± Evan stated coldly. Humiliated and filled with fury, Robin red back at his adversary ¡°Are you just angry because you can¡¯t find a valid reason to defend yourself?¡± Evan taunted. ¡°Heh-¡± Evan smirked and lightly patted Robins face. ¡°Your intellect, it¡¯s certainly not the sharpest tool in the shed. If Bernard and I were the viins you believe us to be, would I openly seek him out and let you stumble upon us so easily?¡± Chapter 938 Chapter 938 Bernard¡¯s appearance solved the problem in no time When Robin found out that Evan was not a member of the Siren Organization, he was utterly baffled He turned his gaze to the towering Bernant. This was A City, Bernard¡¯s turf. He could only see what Bernard wanted him to see However, these bits of information were provided by foreign cops who specialized in investigating the Siren Organization, not the local ones. Even with Bernard¡¯s considerable capabilities, he couldn¡¯t possibly have pulled that off, could he? Besides, during this time, Robin hadn¡¯t seen himmunicating with anyone. Could he really predict the future, knowing that he¡¯de to the police station to clear his name, and have everything set up in advance? Robin was so confused, his head was about to explode If he had known, he wouldn¡¯t have acted first. Waiting until he found out Bernard¡¯s information, then telling the whole world, using them, that would have been way better than holding a bunch of information whose authenticity he couldn¡¯t verify! He stared at Bernard for a moment, then tossed the files in his hand, got up and walked away. As he passed Evan, he purposefully bumped into his shoulder, as if that could express his defiance When Robin left, Evan rubbed the spot on his clothes where he had been bumped. ¡°You should have given him a Siren Organization identity, so that the other families would act against him together, and we could get some relief¡­¡± Bernard gave him a cold nce. ¡°Robin is already suspicious of me. At this time, if I give him a fake identity, wouldn¡¯t I be exposing myself too obviously?¡± Evan realized then that his idea was too impulsive, and immediately apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t think it through.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Bernard raised his cold eyes to Evan and Gianna What are you guys doing here at the Fiord Roundabout?¡± Gianna apologized awkwardly. ¡°We¡¯re here to apologize for the Eleanor kidnapping incident, but we didn¡¯t expect to cause you more trouble.¡± Since they were there to apologize, they arrived unguarded. Who could have guessed they¡¯d run into Robin at the doorstep? Luckily, Bernard took care of it. Bernard spoke coldly. ¡°I don¡¯t need your apologies, and if there¡¯s nothing else, don¡¯te looking for me.¡± After saying that, Bernard got into his car. Watching the car drive away, Gianna and Evan exchanged a nce. Their rtionship seemed to have grown even tenser. Bernard in the car had just leaned back in his seat, hoping to rest his eyes for a bit, when Robin¡¯s call came in, incessant like a death knell. He calmly answered the phone. On the other end came Robins enraged yet immature voice: ¡°You guys stirring things up made me almost forget the main point. Tell me where Caleb is, or hand him over. If not, I¡¯ll be at your house causing a ruckus every day!¡± Bernard opened a new message, sent Caleb¡¯s location to Robin, and then ended the call without saying a word. Robin, who had just been hung up on, was about to lose his temper when a new message popped up. It was Caleb¡¯s location, which made his expression shift slightly He thought getting Bernard to hand over Caleb would take some time. Who knew it would be this easy? Hmph, whatever, he¡¯d take Katharine and settle ounts with Caleb first! As for the Siren Organization stuff, he¡¯d deal with that after he¡¯d helped his sister revenge! After sending Caleb¡¯s location to Robin, Bernard sent another message to inform Caleb Caleb was a bit uneasy when he received the message. To be honest, he was a bit scared of Katharine. But he had done something that upset people and he had to take responsibility. So, when Katharine and her gang barged in, Caleb didn¡¯t move an inch, just raised his eyes, silently watching her charge towards him. Chapter 939 Chapter 939 Katharinended a mean punch on Caleb, with strong strength As the wind of her punch passed, a trace of blood trickled from theer of Calebis mouth. She was about to throw another punch, but the sight of blood made her instinctively pause ¡°Why didn¡¯t you dodge?¡± ¡°I deserved it Caleb wiped the blood from his lips, looking up at an angry Katharine. ¡°I apologize I shouldn¡¯t have treated you like that. It¡¯s my fault¡± Katharine¡¯s fistnded heavily on Caleb¡¯s face again! ¡°is that all you did wrong treating me like that?¡± Caleb, clutching his aching face, stared dumbfounded at Katharine ¡°I cant think of anything else I did to wrong you¡­¡± ¡°Nothing else?¡± Tears welled up in Katharine¡¯s eyes. ¡°You even lied about all details, did you ever think about my feelings?¡± Caleb was taken aback, opening his mouth to exin, but realized he had indeed deceived her ¡°I apologize its my fault I didn¡¯t consider your feelings He thought Kathanne was just spending time with him, taking what they needed from each other, and then they could easily part. So from the beginning, he didn¡¯t think too much about it. Now, being questioned tearfully by Katharine, he suddenly felt he was being unreasonable. ¡°You don¡¯t like me, of course you wouldn¡¯t consider my feelings.¡± Again, she hit him with a sentence he couldn¡¯t rebut ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± The fondness Caleb felt deep down couldn¡¯t be voiced, all he could do was apologize. ¡°Is that what I want, your apology?¡± ¡°Then what do you want me to do?¡± He was willing to do anything to calm her down. But to Katharine, it seemed Caleb had not truly realized his mistake She looked at Caleb disappointedly She had been giving Caleb chances, if only he said he liked her, she would consider forgiving him. But Caleb never expressed any affection, only apologies, which to a woman, was undoubtedly an insult! Katharine wanted to give him a good beating, but couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it. Not because she couldn¡¯t bear to, but because she had fallen for this jerk and didn¡¯t want him to get hurt. Katharine, you¡¯re hopeless, she thought, releasing her clenched fist. ¡°Caleb, Caleb Katharine took a deep breath ¡°From now on, I won¡¯t like you anymore.¡± Caleb was stunned, apparently not realizing that Katharine truly liked him ¡°You said you liked me back at the hotel, was that true?¡± The straightforward Katharine didn¡¯t hesitate to admit it Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It was true, but not anymore¡­ Caleb instinctively stood up, grabbing Katharine¡¯s shoulders, wanting to lean in for a kiss, to coax her with sweet words, but got punched away. He covered his swelling face, looking at Katharine Her exterior was tough like a turtle shell, hiding her inner fragility, leaving him unsure how to handle the situation. Caleb was at a loss. At this point, Katharine raised her fair arm and signaled to the people behind her. ¡°Take him away!¡± If she couldn¡¯t do it herself, she¡¯d keep him in her sight forever, make his life a living hell. How else could she went her anger? Caleb knew he could be given a task at any time Seeing the bodyguards flocking towards him, he quickly jumped back onto the couch. ¡°Katharine, I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t go with you now Give me six months! If you still remember me in six months, and I¡¯m safe and sound, I¡¯ll marry you!¡± Marry her? He had said the fame thing before, when he was using her, he had promised to marry her She was over the moon, willing to give him the best things in the world. But what was the result? It was all a scam Now he was saying this again, was it to escape? How could a man who had never told her he loved her sincerely intend to marry her? ¡°Caleb, listen to me! From the moment you started lying to me, it¡¯s over between us! I will only hate you in this life. I will never marry you! So, just stay in my cage!¡± Kathanne has an underground cage Caleb had seen it. After their first intimate encounter, Katharine took him by the hand and showed him She said, if he ever betrayed her, she would lock him in that cage. Now, Katharine was here to keep her promise, but Caleb couldn¡¯t keep his¡­ ¨C Caleb pushed away the approaching bodyguards and dashed towards the window. *Caleb Chapter 940 Chapter 940 As Caleb prepared to leap off the windowsill, Katharine swiftly reached out and grabbed his arm She forcefully yanked him back inside through the window, her anger evident Without hesitation, she threw a punch at him Helplessly Caleb nced at the approaching bodyguards and had no choice but to catch Katharine¡¯s punch Kathanne tried to free her hand, but Caleb¡¯s grip proved unexpectedly strong. He tightly held onto her fist, preventing her from breaking free Confusion filled Katharine¡¯s mind Wasn¡¯t she supposed to have the upper hand in this situation? This is from N?velDrama.Org. With one hand firmly grasping her fist and the other securing her waist, Caleb pulled her into his arms, swiftly maneuvering into the bathroom. He locked the bodyguards out, turned around holding Katharine, pressed her against the door, and looked down at her. ¡°I¡¯m not incapable of fighting you, I just don¡¯t want to¡­ After saying this, he gently stroked her face and leaned down to kiss her lips. His familiar scent lingered in her nose Katharine was stunned and even forgot to resist His kiss was a bit awkward, but it made him seem innocent to Katharine His body was pure, but sadly, his heart was not Thinking about this, Katharine tried to push him away with all her strength, but her hands were tightly bound by him. The man who was kissing her only let her go when she was about to suffocate. Their lips parted, and Katharine heard him say: ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± After he said this, his hand suddenly raised and swung towards her neck. ¡°You¡± Before Katharine cked out, she saw remorse in his eyes¡­ If she had another chance to look, she would see that underneath that remorse was deep regret He held the unconscious Katharine tightly and gently kissed her cheek. ¡°I¡¯m d you like me.¡± After saying this, he gentlyid Katharine on the ground and opened the bathroom door As the bodyguards rushed in to help Katharine, he sprinted to the bathroom window at high speed. He climbed onto the window sill, looked back at Katharine who was being hurriedly assisted by the bodyguards He didn¡¯t say anything, just forced himself to look away and jumped Robin, who was waiting downstairs, saw him jump from the second floor window and immediately gave chase To shake them off, he hopped into a car, put on the seatbelt, started the engine, and sped off in three seconds. Watching the car speed away, Robin immediately opened his own car door, hopped in, and gave chase. He bullied his sister and thought he could just run away? No way! Robin was a skilled driver and soon cornered him. He opened the car door, took out a baseball bat from the trunk, and walked towards Caleb dragging it on the ground Caleb sat in the car, motionless, watching Robin surrounded by bodyguards in the rearview mirror. Caleb opened the glove box, took out a small knife, nning to get out of the car and fight Robin to the death. Suddenly, Katharine¡¯s voice came from behind the bodyguards- ¡°Brother, let it go. Let him leave¡± Robin, holding the baseball bat, turned his head, looked through the crowd, and saw Katharineing over, holding her neck and staggering ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who wanted to catch him and beat him up? Why are you letting him go now?¡± Katharine looked at the ck car, the corner of her mouth turned up slightly in a bitter smile I¡¯ve beaten him, Ive cursed him That¡¯s enough¡± ¡°How is that enough? He deceived your feelings and he Katharine cut him off, Being deceived by a man is not a reason to kill him¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that enough¡± Robin was even more furious than Katharine! ¡°You got hunt, you should fight back. I¡¯m here to help you, what are you afraid of?¡± Kathanne offered a bitter smile. She wasn¡¯t scared, she was justpletely disappointed in Caleb While Caleb was kissing her, she was wondering if Caleb might like her a bit too But she didn¡¯t expect that he was just trying to knock her out with the kiss to make his getaway For a man like this, Katharine didn¡¯t even have the desire for revenge, she just hoped she would never see him again. ¡°Brother I¡¯m not angry anymore, let¡¯s go home.¡± In the rearview mirror, Katharine, with a relieved smile on her face, seemed to have let it go and turned away Looking at her retreating figure, Caleb suddenly felt that in half a year, Katharine would have completely forgotten hurm Calebs heart ached a bit, but he gritted his teeth and didn¡¯t get out of the car Chapter 941 Chapter 941 Robin took a nce at Katharine¡¯s retreating figure, then looked back at Caleb in the car. He had no clue what just happened upstairs that made his sister choose to give up Romance wasn¡¯t really Robin¡¯s forte Instead, he lifted his baseball bat and swung it viciously at the driver¡¯s side window ss crumbled, and Robin¡¯s bat lodged in the smashed window, pointing straight at Caleb. ¡°If my sister wants me to let you off, then you¡¯re off the hook. But from now on, you better stay out of my sight. If I ever see you again, I¡¯ll beat you up every time,¡± he warned. After his warning. Robin casually tossed the bat aside, turned around, and swiftly got back into his car with his bodyguard. Caleb watched Robin¡¯s retreating convoy in the rearview mirror, shrinking into a tiny dot, then slowly looked away. Goodbye, Katharine Robin took Katharine straight back to the Spencer family mansion, where they ran into their father, York Spencer, who had just returned from work. York took off his suit jacket, handed it to a servant, then beckoned to Katharine ¡°Katharine,e here¡± Looking upset, Katharine paused on her way upstairs and turned around to approach him. ¡°Dad, what¡¯s up?¡± Once Robin had also taken a seat, York said, ¡°There¡¯s a kid from the Sharp family who¡¯s not bad looking and well educated. The only thing is he won¡¯t inherit the family wealth. What do you think?¡±This is from N?velDrama.Org. Robin had always been against arranged marriages ¡®Dad, Katharine should be the one to decide on such a big matter.¡± York didn¡¯t respond, ¡°This is not just any arranged marriage. This is the Sharp family from North Fund. Being able to establish a rtionship with them is a rare opportunity¡± Though York didn¡¯t want to sound too pragmatic, the fact remains if Katharine marries into the Sharp family, Robin¡¯s business in North Fund would have an easier timepared to other families. Robin frowned, ¡°Even if it is the Sharp family, what of it? I just want my sister to be happy¡± His sister was currently in love with Caleb. Forcing her into an arranged marriage after a heartbreak felt like adding insult to injury. York countered, ¡°How is marrying into the Sharp family unhappy? The guy is handsome and fit. Lots of girls would kill to marry him. It¡¯s her luck that I found such a good match for her.¡± Robin disagreed, ¡°How can there be happiness in a marriage where the two have never even met?¡± York raised his hand adorned with an expensive watch, ¡°Enough from you, let your sister speak.¡± Both men turned their gaze to Katharine Not wanting to cause a fight between her father and brother because of her, Katharine hesitated for a moment before nodding at York, ¡°Dad, you arrange it. I¡¯ll go with your decision.¡± If it could help Robin, she didn¡¯t mind sacrificing her own happiness. Seeing her agree. York was very pleased, ¡°Good. I¡¯ll arrange for you to meet him.¡± Katharine forced a smile, trying not to cry, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going upstairs to rest¡­ Watching Katharine struggling to climb the stairs, Robin¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Dad, if you really need the Sharp family¡¯s help, let me marry into their family. Don¡¯t make her suffer.¡± When they were younger, Katharine had trained hard in fighting skills, enduring countless injuries just to be stronger and protect him. Now that they were grown up and she was still sacrificing her own happiness for his sake, Robin felt guilty. ¡°Yates Sharp only has grandsons, no granddaughters, not even a granddaughter¨Cinw. How could I arrange such a marriage for you?¡® It was said that Yates Sharp desperately wanted a granddaughter, but neither his sons nor his daughters had fulfilled that wish. ¡°This decision is final. Don¡¯t worry too much about Katharine.¡± With that, York stood up and went straight to his study. After hearing their conversation from upstairs, Katharine had a bath to wash away her fatigue, theny in bed. Unable to sleep, she got up, grabbed her car keys, and drove to the hospital. The nurse who was about to remove Wendy¡¯s oxygen tube saw Katharine arrive, quickly let go, and pretended to be helping her adjust her clothes. Oblivious to what had just happened, Katharine waved the nurse away and sat by Wendy¡¯s side to keep herpany Chapter 942 Chapter 942 The moment Wendy woke up, she saw Katharine sitting next to her, her lips slightly dry, gently forming a smile. ¡°Hey, how are you?¡± Seeing the tender look in her mother¡¯s eyes, Katharine suddenly felt a surge of quiet. ¡°Mom, you know I¡¯ve recently bumped into this mal jerk, he ¡°Where¡¯s Eleanor?¡± Katharine was forced to hold back the troubles she wanted to share with her mother. ¡°Where is she?¡± Wendy was only concerned about Eleanor¡¯s whereabouts,pletely ignoring Katharine ¡°Robin says her gic makeup doesn¡¯t match yours, so¡­¡± ¡°So you didn¡¯t bring her back?!¡± Wendy¡¯s sudden change in tone startled Katharine ¡°Mom, her heart doesn¡¯t match yours, it¡¯s pointless to bring her back¡± Wendy shot Katharine a harsh look with her swollen eyes. ¡°But you promised me, you said you¡¯d bring her back!¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you keep your promise?!¡± Katharine had never seen her mother in such a state of fury In her memories, her mother was always gentle, never raising her voice But now, her mother didn¡¯t just yell, she red with anger. ¡°I want Eleanor¡¯s heart, and her bone marrow, you better bring her back!¡± Kathanne¡¯s first thought was that her mother must have lost control due to unbearable pain. ¡°Mom, she¡¯s not your donor, it¡¯s useless to bring her back.¡± Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t care! Wendy reached out with her frail hand, clutching Katharine¡¯s sleeve lightly ¡°I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s useless, I want her heart and her bone marrow!¡± She¡¯s gone mad! Robin was right, their mother had changed, she¡¯d be twisted Katharine looked at Wendy, who seemed to have lost her mind, and after a while, she pushed her hand away. ¡°Mom, Robin and I will continue to look for a suitable donor for you, just hold on a little longer ¡°You two are useless, you¡¯ve been looking for so long and haven¡¯t found a donor, you¡¯re absolutely useless!¡± That hurtful remark hit hard and Robin, who stood outside the door, felt a chill down his spine They thought the Spencer family was a loving one, but the truth behind the scenes was far from it. 4 Their mother med them for their ipetence, their father only cared about his own interests, there was no difference between the Spencer family and the Pine family ¡°Katharine, tell your brother to hurry up and find me a donor, or else I¡¯ll take your hearts!¡± Katharine couldn¡¯t believe the verbal assault, she slowly stood up, looking at her mother who was waving her arms from the bed ¡°Mom, wake up. Robin and I are your children. ¡°I am awake.¡± Wendy, now sitting upright, stared coldly at Katharine with her gloomy eyes. ¡°I raised you, took care of you, gave up so much, it¡¯s time for you to repay me.¡± Wendy made a gesture to Katharine with her frail hand ¡°Come, Katharine,e here, let me see if your heart is still healthy¡­¡± Hearing this, Katharine knew her mother¡¯s mental state hadpletely copsed She reached out to press the emergency button, wanting to call for a psychiatrist to check her mother¡¯s condition, but suddenly felt a sharp pain on the back of her hand. Looking up, she met Wendy¡¯s bloodshot eyes, she was holding a fruit knife, staring fiercely at Katharine ¡°Sweetie, let me see your heart¡± As Wendy lunged at her, Katharine didn¡¯t resist, she thought, if the knife could make her mother feel better, then she should let her do it That¡¯s her way of repaying her However, when the knife actually pierced her, Katharine still felt the pain. ¡®I thought you wouldn¡¯t be able to She was her child after all, she always thought she wouldn¡¯t be able to do it, but Wendy did Robin was a bitte, seeing this, he felt a mix of emotions, rushing over to snatch the knife from Wendy ¡°Are you okay? The wound wasn¡¯t deep, it didn¡¯t hit any vital parts, just a bit of blood Katharine, who always kept herself fat, should be able to handle it, she just shook her head. ¡°ImVine¡® Maybe it was the sight of Katharine¡¯s blood that finally calmed Wendy down She copsed onto the bed, clutching the oxygen mask, gasping for breath, but it was no use. She tried her hardest to breathe, showing just how desperate she was to live. But fate didn¡¯t give her that chance, despite her best efforts, her life was nearing its end. Wendy, knowing she was about to die, reached out to them- ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t wanna die.¡± Chapter 943 Chapter 943 Her voice was barely a whisper, and the hand she reached out was shaking She, in this state, was a far cry from the woman who was just wielding a knife to rip out hearts. It was as if she was struggling in her final moments Robin and Katharine, looking at Wendy in this condition, exchanged nces. They weren¡¯t sure if she was putting on an act or if she was really on the verge of death. Katharine, who always believed in her mother even when she was hurt by her, held her trembling hand while clutching her own wound ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t wish for you to die, but I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t find a suitable donor for you¡­¡± Hearing her daughter¡¯s words, tears welled up in Wendy¡¯s eyes ¡°Katharine, my child. I¡¯m the one who should apologize to you¡± Her apology brought some relief to Katharine She shook her head, ¡°I won¡¯t me you¡± Wendy blinked as if to say thank you, for allowing her to find some redemption in herst moments. She shifted her gaze to Robin. ¡°My son.. Seeing Wendy extend her other hand, Robin hesitated for a moment before reaching out to her. ¡°Seems like I won¡¯t be able to wait for your donor¡­¡± Robin held her hand, gripping it subconsciously. ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll call the doctor.¡± Wendy held his hand tightly, using all her strength. ¡°No need.¡± Facing death, Wendy realized it wasn¡¯t as terrifying as she thought. It was as if fate was forcing her to confess something. She held her children¡¯s hands gently, hesitated for a while, then told them everything she had done to Vanya Pine *** ¡°Evelyn Ziegler was a close friend of Vanya¡¯s. I was consumed by jealousy and intentionally drove a wedge between them. I even persuaded her to cause harm to Vanya¡¯s face. The woman your father intended to marry was Vanya. I interfered, employed maniptive tactics, and convinced your father to abandon Vanya, choosing to marry me instead. All of it¡­ was my doing.. Robin and Katharine were struck with shock. They had always believed their mother to be pure and innocent, unaware of the darkness lurking beneath her gentle exterior. They stared at Wendy in disbelief as she unveiled a twisted smile. ¡°Confessing¡­ feels liberating¡­¡± After she finished speaking, she tasted blood in her mouth. The rusty taste spread, making her scared. She held Robin and Katharine¡¯s hands tighter. ¡°You two, take care, and¡­¡± Wendy looked at her child, whom she had desperately given birth to, with great reluctance. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ She was sorry for the hurtful words she said to her children, causing their disappointment, in the final moments of her life. Her vision began to blur until she couldn¡¯t see their faces anymore. As she closed my eyes, for a brief moment, she turned my head and seemed to catch a glimpse of Vanya¡¯s figure at the doorway She smiled, knowing that everything she had done in life would be judged even after death, and she deserved it. It was only when they heard the sound of dripping that Robin and Katharine realized their mother had passed away. Katharine threw herself onto Wendy, crying in pain. Robin anxiously pressed the call button. Upon hearing the sound, doctors and nurses rushed over. A group of people surrounded Wendy They tried their best, but Wendy couldn¡¯t be saved Robin stood in ce, bowing his head, looking at Wendy¡¯s pale, lifeless face, and softly spoke. ¡°Mom, you didn¡¯t even wait for me to find the donor I promised you. How could you leave like this¡­¡± The caregiver waiting outside saw that Wendy had passed away and immediately turned to call Laurinda After hearing the news, Laurinda immediately called Bernard ¡°Mr Laurence, Wendy has passed away¡± Bernard, who was in his office, raised an eyebrow lightly ¡°Did they disconnect the oxygen so quickly?¡± ¡±This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Laurinda shook her bread ¡°Our staff hadn¡¯t had a chance to do anything, and the olddy passed away. The doctor said it was due to mental issues that caused emotional distress, leading to her death.¡± No matter how the passed away, as long as she was gone, it was for the best -Bernard responded nonchntly with a sim Chapter 944 Chapter 944 The Spencer family initially nned to set up a meet between Katharine and the Sharp family¡¯s kiddo, but they had to put that on hold to deal with Wendy¡¯s sudden funeral. After Wendy¡¯s funeral, York retreated to his study and pulled out a photo from his drawer, staring at the face on II. Robin barged in and went, ¡°Dad¡± York heard Robin¡¯s words and swiftly concealed the photo back in the drawer. Robin was taken aback, puzzled by his father¡¯s sudden panic. He had assumed his father was merely looking at a picture of his mother, so why the abrupt reaction? York closed the drawer, rose from his seat, and dered, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Robin started to turn and leave but then abruptly halts. After a moment of contemtion, he turned back and approached the desk. Curiosity got the better of him, and he opened the drawer again, only to discover a picture of Eleanor. No, wait, it¡¯s a picture of Vanya! Realization dawned on Robin that his father had been secretly keeping a picture of Vanya all this time. Had his father not forgotten her after all? The revtion stired conflicting emotions within Robin, causing him to question the authenticity of the love his parents had shown him. He used to look down on Eleanor, thinking she sold herself for money, a low¨Cborn woman who had no self¨Crespect. But now he figured that it¡¯s his parents who have forced Eleanor to live this way His mom hurt Vanya in every way she could just so she could marry his dad. His dad abandoned his fianc¨¦e Wendy just so he could get some help. Who is he to judge Eleanor? Thinking about this, Robin was ovee withplex emotions. It seems like when people die, we forgive them for what they¡¯ve done, just like Robin is doing now. He knowed that Wendy hurt Vanya, causing Emilia and Eleanor to live a life of hardship. But Wendy was now dead. Could the past be buried with her? Robin couldn¡¯t find an answer. He gently touched Vanya¡¯s picture before putting it back. Sheldon Pine came to the Spencer home to ask York for a keepsake from Wendy York went back to his room and brought Sheldon a ne. ¡°This was her favonte ne. Take it.¡± Sheldon was stunned when he saw the initials inscribed on it. ¡°This is the ne Vanya gave her¡­¡± Robin came out and heard Sheldon mention Vanya. He thought about Wendy¡¯sst words. She may be dead, but those still alive were suffering from the harm she caused. This must be settled. ¡°Sheldon, I have something to tell you¡± Sheldon, nearly 50, in a sharp ck suit, turned around and looked at Robin, all cool as a cucumber ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Robin hesitated, ncing at York, uncertain whether he should reveal this information in front of him. However, he concluded that York likely wouldn¡¯t care about his mother¡¯s actions. ¡°Before my mother passed away, she confessed all her misdeeds to Katharine and me,¡± Robin began. ¡°Misdeeds?¡± Sheldon was confused. ¡°What kind of misdeeds could she havemitted?¡± Robin¡¯s gaze shifted to the ne in his hand. ¡°You sent her money to secretly give to Vanya. But instead, she used it to buy herself a bag and threw it at some less fortunate individuals¡± Sheldon¡¯s shock was evident as his eyes widened. ¡°No way, she wouldn¡¯t do that. She and Vanya were close. Why would she behave in such a manner?¡± Robin didn¡¯t provide further exnation. He simply stated, ¡°That¡¯s what she told me on her deathbed¡± Sheldon didn¡¯t believe it and turned to Katharine Is he telling the truth?¡± Katharine, always blunt and honest, said, ¡°It¡¯s true. He¡¯s not lying¡± They loved their mother so much Why would they tarnish her reputation after her death? So, they must be telling the truth. Sheldon couldn¡¯t ept this and sat down on the sofa, stunned. ¡°How could this happen¡­¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Vanya deserved justice. The living shouldn¡¯t wrongly me her for everything when it was really Wendy pulling the strings behind the scenes. He believed that his mother confessed to him and Katharine before she died because she wanted them to tell York and Sheldon the truth. Chapter 945 Chapter 945 ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s her York stumbled back a step as the truth hit him He¡¯d always found something off about Wendy, but her gentle, kind demeanor made it hard to believe she could be capable of such acts. Turns out, she was the one who ruined Vanya¡¯s face, the one who drugged his drink. Damn, Wendy, you really know how to put on a show! You¡¯ve been ying this role for over thirty years, impressive! York thought and clenched his fists, mming them down on the table in fury. ¡°Your mother ruined both mine and Vanya¡¯s lives!¡± Robin¡¯s response was cold and biting ¡°You can¡¯t solely me her for everything. After all, when you learned about Vanya¡¯s disfigurement, you chose to abandon her as well, didn¡¯t you, Dad?¡± York¡¯s angry gesture froze in mid¨Cair, his son¡¯s words piercing deep into his core. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for your mother¡¯s encouragement, Evelyn wouldn¡¯t have ruited Vanya¡¯s face. And then Vanya wouldn¡¯t have been cast aside by my father, leading to our engagement being broken off. Your mother is the one who caused all of this! A smirk formed on Robin¡¯s face as he witnessed his father¡¯s outburst ¡°Dad ask yourself honestly, could you truly have married someone who was disfigured? Could you have spent your life looking at a face that was no longer the same?¡± York recalled the first time he saw Vanya after her disfigurement, fear had gripped him. But he was just a naive twenty¨Csomething back then. What about now, would he still be scared? Could he ept it? This question seemed to torment his soul, digging deep into his heart, leaving him momentarily speechless. Sheldon Pine, clueless about everything, felt overwhelmed by the sudden influx of information and stood up from the sofa. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it He gripped his ne, turning to leave. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing you need to know.¡± Sheldon Pine¡¯s steps halted, but he didn¡¯t have the courage to look back at Robin. ¡°Vanya is not a biological daughter of the Pine family¡± So that¡¯s why his parents always treated Vanya like dirt, either beating or insulting her at will. It all made sense now: Vanya wasn¡¯t a real Pine. Basking in the morning sunlight, he was struck with a realization. The details flooding his mind served as a reminder that Robin hadn¡¯t lied to him. Robin revealed the truth to them in hopes of seeking justice for Vanya, but also to instill a sense of guilt towards Vanya that they¡¯d carry for the rest of their lives, living in perpetual remorse. People should always pay some kind of price for the harm they¡¯ve caused to others. Even though the two individuals in front of him were his elders, Robin felt it necessary He shoved his hands in his pockets and gave a nod to Katharine and Elbert, who were sitting in silence on the sofa. Both stood up immediately and followed him into the study ¡°Dude, you haven¡¯t told them Eleanor is Vanya¡¯s daughter¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I asked you guys toe in.¡± Robin sat on the sofa, meeting their gaze with a serious expression. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°Regarding Eleanor being Vanya¡¯s daughter, we can¡¯t let anyone know. It¡¯s better if they believe that both of Vanya¡¯s daughters are deceased¡± Elbert questioned, ¡°Why? Both my father and your father have done terrible things to Eleanor¡¯s mother. They should make amends to Eleanor Robin responded, ¡°What can the Pine family and the Spencer family truly offer as amends? Family connections? She doesn¡¯t belong to the Pine family. Financialpensation? She¡¯s now married to Bernard andcks for nothing¡± Elbert was left speechless He wanted to argue, but he couldn¡¯t deny that Robin had a point. What meaningful amends could the Pine family and the Spencer family provide? Robin let out a soft sigh ¡®Let my father and your father live with the guilt they feel towards Vanya for the rest of their lives. That can be a form of amends and punishment.¡± After this was over, York locked himself in his room for several days and nights, refusing to be disturbed When he appeared again, he was still as impably dressed and full of vigor as if nothing had happened. As he was putting of his watch and hurrying downstairs, he said, ¡°Katharine,e with me to meet the son of the Sharp family¡± Katharine, who had been arranging flowers, paused upon hearing his words ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go and change¡± she replied, her backcking any signs of enthusiasm. As Robin emerged from his room, he observed Katharine¡¯s distant demeanor, his expression filled with seriousness. After contemting for a while, he finally decided to take out his phone and send Bernard a message. My sister is on the verge of being arranged to marry the son of the Sharp family if that jerk still has feelings for her, he better act fast and find her-] Chapter 946 Chapter 946 When Bernard received this message, he was apanying Eleanor to pick up Nina. After staring at the message for a while, he smirked ¡°I seems Katharine really likes Caleb Otherwise, Robin wouldn¡¯t have put aside his pride toe find me he thought. Though Bernard couldn¡¯t influence Caleb¡¯s choice, he still gave him a call to advise him to win back Katharine. ¡°Is she really going to marry into the Sharp family? Caleb¡¯s hand trembled as he held the phone, but he tried hard to control his emotions ¡°You should hurry to London. You still have time to stop them from meeting. Bernard suggested. Caleb, already in London, hesitated for a few seconds before offering his best wishes ¡°The Sharp family seems fine, and Katharine marrying their scion would be a suitable match I won¡¯t disturb them,¡± he said, while everyone in the car¨CEleanor, Scott, and Aidyn¨Ccould hear his response through the hands¨Cfree feature. They exchanged nces, unsure of what to say ¡°Sit, Mr. Penrod has assigned me another task. I have to go and attend to it. Caleb said quickly, hanging up the phone. He wanted to approach this matter calmly, but his emotions were in turmoil. He realized that giving up on someone could be so difficult, even causing physical pain in his heart. He couldn¡¯t forget how determined Mr. Laurence had been to pursue Eleanor back in the day Though he couldn¡¯t fully understand it then, he now experienced the deep emotions involved. After putting down his phone, Caleb pushed open the window, gazing at the view of the square outside, but he dared not ask where Katharine and the Sharp family¡¯s scion were meeting Meanwhile, Katharine followed York to meet the Sharp family¡¯s scion, Peterson. He stood at an impressive 6¡¯2¡®, with a stunning figure and handsome looks. Every move he made exuded elegance. His eyes, especially, were like clear springs, revealing his thoughts without being too revealing. When Yorkplimented him, Peterson merely smiled gracefully and replied. ¡°Thank you for your kind words.¡± Peterson raised his wine ss, took a sip of red wine, and, in the dim lighting, nced at Katharine ¡°Ms. Spencer, would you like to take a walk outside?¡± York felt it was appropriate to give them some time alone, so he nudged Katharine and said, ¡®Go ahead. Mr. Sharp will take you hometer¡± Katharine was reluctant, but she still took her bag and followed Peterson, rising from her seat. As they stepped out, Peterson adjusted his tie with a slight looseness before opening the car door for Katharine. He showed gentlemanly manners as he helped her fasten her seatbelt before returning to the driver¡¯s seat to start the car. ¡°Im not very familiar with this ce. Where would you like to go?¡± Peterson asked. ¡°Just take a stroll around the scenery here is quite nice, Katharine replied absentmindedly, her mind elsewhere. ¡°Ms Spencer, you don¡¯t have to be so reserved. We are merely meeting each other. If you don¡¯t like me, you can reject me,¡± Peterson said, ncing back at her while focusing on driving ¡°I have a bad temper and strong force, I¡¯ve scared away many scions of wealthy families, and it¡¯s always been them rejecting me. It¡¯s never been the other way around,¡± Katharine implied that in this marriage, unless Peterson rejected her, she had no say. Understanding her intention, Peterson turned back again, giving Katharine a casual and carefree smile. ¡°In that case, after we return, I¡¯ll tell your father I didn¡¯t take a liking to you.¡± Katharine was taken aback by his response. She hadn¡¯t expected this man to be so easygoing. ¡°Will your father be upset if you say that?¡± After all, this was a marriage alliance involving the interests of both families, not something two juniors could easily resolve N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°He won¡¯t. My family is open¨Cminded and well¨Coff. We don¡¯t need to consolidate our position through marriage,¡± Peterson boasted about his family while subtly downying the Spencer family it seemed that the Sharp family¡¯s scion was not as refined as he appeared. Peterson¡¯s proposal was indeed the best way out. But for Katharine, who prioritized family interests, epting it would mean disappointing her father. After a moment of hesitation, she decided to decline. ¡°Il pass. Marrying you would still be a good choice¡­¡± At least Peterson seemed clean¨Ccut and not like a yboy, possessing genuine gentlemanly manners and refinement. However, Peterson, who could see through her thoughts, gave her a meaningful nce and said, ¡°If your Spencer family wants to expand your business, let your brother earn it through his own capabilities. Just like the Laurence family, integrate through scientific research slowly¡± Katharine felt a bit embarrassed, looking at Peterson who suddenly turned serious when discussing business matters. ¡°1¡± Katharine began, but Peterson interrupted her. ¡°We, the Sharp family, don¡¯t rely on marriage for business gains Even if you reluctantly marry me, it won¡¯t change anything. It will only sacrifice your future¡± Peterson was frank, making him the most candid scion she had ever encountered. Perhaps the Sharp family had reached a level and status beyond what the Spencer family could match, allowing them to be so unconcerned. Chapter 947 Chapter 947 ¡®If that¡¯s your decision then let¡¯s do it your way, Katharine said, visibly relieved She had initially wanted to help her brother, but Peterson had immediately brought up the issue of interests. Without any personal gain, there was no need to sacrifice the rest of her life. Seeing Katharine visibly rx, Peterson curiously asked. ¡°Why are you the only woman who has discussed marriage with me but doesn¡¯t want to marry me? Peterson¡¯s directness prompted Katharine to be open about it. ¡°Because I already have someone I love ¡®I see,¡± Peterson responded. What about you?¡± During their conversation, Katharine hadpletely rxed and yfully smiled as she questioned Peterson. ¡°If you im that you don¡¯t need marriage o secure the family¡¯s status, why do you keep meeting those potential alliance panners over and over again?¡± Because when I choose a partner, I also have to consider their family background and social status.¡± Peterson paused before continuing, ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯ll end up like my brother, constantly arguing with his wife Catharine was puzzled, ¡°Why would they argue?¡± Peterson responded while driving. ¡°Only through arguing can they resolve the conflicts ausing from differences in family background and education Naturally, Katharine understood this. ¡°So you¡¯ve had such an experience¡± Peterson raised an eyebrow, ¡°Yeah¡± His current demeanor was in stark contrast to his previous gentlemanly image, which made Katharine burst intoughter. The tension between the two hadpletely dissipated. They exchanged contact information After a leisurely drive around town, Peterson dropped Katharine at her ce As Katharine was unbuckling her seatbelt, she noticed a shadow lurking in the corner near her front door. She paused if she wasn¡¯t mistaken, that shadow was Caleb ¡°Looks like the guy you¡¯ve fallen for has the hots for you too.¡± Peterson¡¯s calm voice brought Katharine back from her thoughts. ¡°He rejected me¡± Meaning he wouldn¡¯t fall for her. ¡°Do you want to test him?¡± ¡°How?¡± Katharine turned to look at the excited Peterson Without answering her, he got out of the car, walked over to the passenger side, and extended his hand to her. ¡°Just pretend that our date went swimmingly, and let¡¯s see if hees out¡± Katharine figured the scaredy¨Ccat Caleb wouldn¡¯t dare, but she still yed along and ced her hand in Peterson¡¯s. He led her towards the Spencer family¡¯s front door, asionally slowing down to adjust Kathanne¡¯s hair messed up by the wind. ¡°Forgive me if my acting is a bit rusty, it¡¯s my first time.¡± Katharine found Peterson quite amusing and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Her soft and tranquil smile made Caleb clench his fists Katharine usually wore a cold hard expression, rarely did she smile like this, but now she was grinning at Peterson. Feeling uneasy. Caleb didn¡¯t want to see Katharine smiling at other men But.. It was actually Caleb who gave up first, wasn¡¯t it? Even though it made him ufortable, he had to silently endure it ¡°What does the person you love do? Peterson seemed surprised that Katharine would love a bodyguard But everyone has their own choices, and Peterson didn¡¯tment since he didn¡¯t know the reasons. ¡°We¡¯re at the doorstep now Let¡¯s embrace each other, and if he doesn¡¯te out, then I can only suggest you give up.¡± When Katharine heard those words, she chuckled bitterly She had already given up, but she responded when Peterson hugged her. The sight of the two tightly embracing each other was seen by Caleb, as if they had a mutual understanding and had already confirmed their rtionship. He felt his heartbeat elerate, wanting to rush forward and separate them, but he suppressed his emotions. In the face of the mission, he couldn¡¯t prioritize women. It was something Mr. Penrod had always taught them since they were young, and Caleb kept it firmly in mind. ¡°No need to test him anymore, I admit defeat¡± Hearing this, Peterson let go of Katharine and looked at her sympathetically Peterson stepped back, looking at the Spencer family¡¯s front door ¡°Go in, I¡¯ll handle things with your father¡± Katharine thanked Peterson and asked where he would be staying tonight, considering he hade specifically to see her 1 will return to my country overnight to meet the next alliance partner,¡± Peterson replied. Katharine smiled and said, ¡°Well, I wish you sess¡± Peterson raised an eyebrow at Katharine, then turned and got into his car. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Katharine watched the car drive away before slowly walking towards her home.. ¡± 10DE IN Just as she was about to push open the door, she stopped in her tracks, as if waiting for Caleb toe over. However, she waited for a long time, but there was no sign of him. Katharine gave uppletely. Chapter 948 Chapter 948 York got home and saw Katharine zoning out in the living room, which was a bit of a bummer. He gave her a once¨Cover with his eyes. ¡°Peterson just called said he¡¯s not that into you Did you turn him down?¡± When he proposed the arranged marriage to the Sharp family, York brought a photo of his daughter Peterson agreed to meet after seeing the picture, saying she¡¯s not bad. There was a golden opportunity right in front of them, but after the meeting, Peterson suddenly backed out. York, having been through his fair share of young love, knew exactly where the problem lied ¡°Dad, Peterson said that even if I marry him, he won¡¯t be able to provide any resources for the Spencer family¡± Katharine said. Upon hearing this, York furrowed his brow but neither agreed nor disagreed. He took off his coat and sat across from Katharine ¡°As long as you marry him and cultivate a rtionship with him, he will gradually provide resources in consideration of your reputation¡± York responded. ¡°Peterson may seem easygoing on the surface, but he has a very stubborn personality and won¡¯t make concessions for a woman,¡± Katharine sighed deeply ¡°You¡¯ve only met him once How can you understand what kind of person he is?¡± Katharine sighed again. ¡°Dad, I also want to help you, but clearly, Peterson doesn¡¯t have any special feelings for me. If he did, he wouldn¡¯t have been so direct with his words. We¡¯re both adults, and we understand this reality, don¡¯t we?¡± York wanted to say more, but seeing the exhaustion on Katharine¡¯s face, he remained silent. His daughter had always listened to him without rebelling, and in addition, despite arranging so many men for her, none of them had any special feelings for her. Peterson couldn¡¯t be an exception either. With this in mind, York sighed again, ¡°Look at you, you¡¯re not ugly, just a bit too strong. Why can¡¯t anyone feel anything special for you?¡± Robin, walking in from the door, snorted coldly. ¡°If no one¡¯s into you, just stay at home I can afford to take care of you¡± This remark sounded more like a jibe Katharine retorted. ¡°Robin, you¡¯re no better¡­¡± One¡¯s got depression, the other¡¯s got a bad temper They both had their own issues, no one¡¯s in a position to mock anyone. Thinking about his children, York felt a headacheing on ¡°Sort your own mess out¡± He picked up his coat and went upstairs. After York left, Robin sat down and asked. ¡°That jerk didn¡¯t show up?¡± Kathanne shook her head then nodded. ¡°He did, but didn¡¯t have the guts to see me Robin chuckled at the coward, then nced at Katharine. ¡°If you¡¯re into bodyguards, why not switch to another one? Nathan¡¯s not bad Katharine let out a speechless sigh, ¡°Robin, figure out what like¡® means before you try to console me.¡± She picked up the pillow in her arms, got up, and went back to her room. After washing up, shey on the bed, staring nkly at the ceiling In the middle of the night, after the lights in the Spencer family¡¯s mansion had all been extinguished, Caleb climbed onto the windowsill, pushed open the window, and skillfully made his way to Katharine¡¯s bedside Bathed in the moonlight that streamed in from outside, he gazed at the sleeping Katharine for a while, then gently touched her cheek. As his hand made contact with her face, Kathanne¡¯s hand inside the covers trembled slightly, as if she knew who it was, but she didn¡¯t open her eyes. Caleb released his hand and then leaned down to nt a gentle kiss on her forehead. His actions were tender, but they seemed to carry a sense of reluctance, as if bidding a final farewell. After the kiss, he stepped back and walked away. ¡°Im sorry¡± Caleb whispered softly, releasing his hold on Katharine and turning towards the windowsill. Just as he was about to jump off, Katharine¡¯s voice came from behind, ¡°If you leave like this, never come looking for me again¡­¡± Caleb froze in ce, turning his head to see Katharine lifting the covers and walking towards him. Caleb had expected her toe and p him hard, but he hadn¡¯t anticipated the calm expression on her face, devoid of any trace of anger. This side of Katharine was something Caleb had never seen before. It seemed like she had let go of him. Realizing this, Caleb¡¯s heart was in turmoil. ¡°Katharine, I¡­ ¡°Did youe here thiste just to sneak a kiss?¡± Katharine cut him off, took a step forward, and looked up at Caleb sitting on the windowsill. ¡°Do you still crave my body, is that why you¡¯re here to bother me in the middle of the night?¡± ¡°No¡± Caleb shouldn¡¯t havee, but he couldn¡¯t control himself. What could this mean? It only meant that he liked Katharine, just not as intensely as others, and was still somewhat rational, not losing control Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. He came here just to say goodbye quietly. He never thought about getting Katharine back, but he didn¡¯t expect to be discovered by her Caleb was at a loss for words, unable to say anything ¡°Then why did youe looking for me ¡°I came just to say goodbye¡± Upon hearing this, Katharineughed. I see. Well, since you¡¯ve said goodbye, you can leave now¡± She gestured towards the window, signaling Caleb to leave Chapter 949 Chapter 949 Caleb was stuck in a serious bind, he was supposed to leave but his feet just wouldn¡¯t budge ¡°So¡­you and Peterson, what¡¯s the deal?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a great guy we¡¯re getting hitched in a few days¡± Caleb froze, then hopped off the window sill, tightly gripping Katharine¡¯s shoulders, words tumbling out in a panic. ¡°You¡¯ve barely met the guy and you¡¯re rushing into marriage? At least date for half a year, get to know him properly before tying the knot ¡± ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± Her cool retort left Caleb speechless. He stared into Katharine¡¯s eyes, took a deep breath and pulled her into a tight embrace ¡°Don¡¯t marry him Katharine tried to push him away, but his hold only tightened. ¡°Wow, really? You don¡¯t fancy me but you¡¯re here to stop me from marrying someone else. Are you out of your mind?¡± Caleb lowered his head, resting his chin on her shoulder, nting a weak kiss on her cheek ¡°Katharine, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t fancy you, it¡¯s just. I have some stuff to deal with that I can¡¯t put into words. Can you wait for me?¡± ¡°No.¡°Katharine mustered all her strength, shoved Caleb away and pped him across the face. ¡®Get out, I don¡¯t want to see you!¡± The force of Katharine¡¯s p left a massive swelling on Caleb¡¯s face, the imprint of her fingers was clearly visible. Caleb touched his throbbing cheek and looked at Katharine. ¡°Even if I tell you I like you, you¡¯d still marry him?¡± ¡°You¡¯re toote Why didn¡¯t he show up when she was acting with Peterson? Now he¡¯s sneaking into her room for a goodbye, not to win her back. This proved that even if Caleb did like her, he didn¡¯t like her enough. She¡¯s afraid of men like him, who might abandon her at any moment. Ignoring the pain tearing through his cheek, Caleb moved closer, embracing Katharine once again, Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Katharine pushed him away, he leaned in to kiss her. He kissed her until she was breathless, until she couldn¡¯t resist, until she was moved. Only then did Caleb slowly let her go ¡°Deceiving you to get close was my mistake, but my feelings for you are real.¡± Kathanne touched her swollen red lips, ring at Caleb. ¡°How much of your like is mixed with deception?¡± Caleb took a deep breath, he apologized again for his previous actions. ¡°I was wrong before, but I¡¯ve had some time to think I could¡¯ve approached you differently but I chose the lowest of the low, maybe because I was already attracted to you and didn¡¯t realize¡­ Among all the remarkable women who had shown interest in him, Caleb was only ever drawn to Katharine. He couldn¡¯t help but tease her, test her, because his feelings for her were evident. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have dared to touch her. ¡°I really don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re trying to say,¡± Katharine retorted, pushing him away, fully aware of how to provoke Caleb. ¡°Whether you currently have feelings for me or not, it doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ve made up my mind to marry Peterson, Katharine dered firmly. Caleb had hoped that confessing his feelings would lead to her forgiveness, but she remained resolute in her decision to marry Peterson Anxiety started to consume him, causing him to tightly grip Katharine¡¯s wrist. As he sensed her struggling to break free, his hold only grew tighter. ¡°Let go of me!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± Caleb looked at Katharine, his eyes filled with deep affection. ¡°If I let go, you¡¯ll marry Peterson, I don¡¯t want you to marry him.¡± His eyes were shing with emotions Katharine had never seen before. She was slightly moved, but quickly regained herposure, questioning Caleb ¡°You came to say goodbye, but now you¡¯re holding onto me and stopping me from marrying someone else, don¡¯t you find that weird?¡± Caleb was in pain, his brow furrowed. ¡°If you don¡¯t marry him, I won¡¯t hold you back.¡± Katharine scoffed ¡°So you¡¯re saying, you don¡¯t want me but you won¡¯t let me marry anyone else, is that it?¡± ¡°Katharine, there¡¯s a reason why I have to do this, please don¡¯t push me ¡°What could possibly be so important for a bodyguard like you?¡± Before all the emotional turmoil, Caleb had always been carefree and never felt so conflicted But because of Katharine, his anxiety had skyrocketed to the point whereb almost revealed his affiliation with the Siren Organization, the very group that Robin was investigating Suddenly, he found himself empathizing with Mr. Ben¡¯s decision to betray the Siren Organization for Sophie. In moments like these, it was incredibly difficult to maintain control over oneself. Caleb didn¡¯t want to end up like Mr. Ben, and he certainly didn¡¯t want Katharine to marry someone else. However, under the weight of Katharine¡¯s pressure, he was at a loss for what to do next. ¡°If you can¡¯t tell me why, then please leave¡­¡± Caleb stared at Katharine¡¯s icy face, after a while, he turned around in frustration and left. Tve said all there is to say. If you want to marry him, go ahead.¡± Watching Caleb¡¯s retreating figure, Katharine clenched her fists in anger, punching a figurine on the bookshelf. Chapter 950 Chapter 950 Not long after, Caleb returned Katharine was sitting on the sofa, crying, and when she saw hime back, her crying intensified It was the first time Caleb had seen her cry, and he could sense her deep distress. He humed over, crouching in front of her frantically wiping away her tears Im sorry, I¡¯m sorry I went too far with my words earlier Kathanne felt embarrassed She was disappointed in Caleb, but here she was, crying in front of him, and his return tofort her eased some of her pain. She despised herself for being this way, but her emotions werepletely under Caleb¡¯s control. Every move he made affected her Her tears continued to flow, and Caleb, in a panic, hugged her patted her back, and took hold of her hand, urging her to stap him several times. ¡°Go ahead, as long as it stops you from crying You can p me as many times as you want As Kathanne looked at Calebs swollen right cheek, she weakly reached out and touched it ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Caleb shook his head ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt. I can take more ps.¡± Seeing the affection in his eyes, Katharine sighed in relief ¡®Forget it, if you don¡¯t want to tell me why, then don¡¯t. She decided to let him off the hook, and to let herself off too. Just go with the flow In the end, she was the one who gave in Touched, Caleb held her tightly ¡°Thank you for understanding¡± This time Katharine didn¡¯t push him away. She was probably tired from crying. She rested on his shoulder without making a sound. In Caleb¡¯s eyes, Katharine was a proud woman, but her heart was pure and soft Caleb saw through her. No matter how she behaved, he would always let her have her way. ¡°Katharine, Ill talk to Peterson tomorrow¡± Katharine spoke calmly ¡°What are you going to say to him?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell him not to marry you.¡± ¡°If he doesn¡¯t marry me, will you?¡± ¡°Yes, I will!¡± Caleb let go of Katharine, held her face, and looked deeply into her eyes. ¡°I can be with you for five months, but after that, I have to leave. If Ie back safely. Fll marry you. Are you willing?¡± Upon hearing this, Katharine felt that Caleb was making an empty promise. What does he mean by being together for five months, then leaving, and asking her to wait for him to come back? He was a bodyguard Was he going to carry out dangerous missions like the members of the Siren Organization that her brother investigated? Katharine felt like Caleb was lying to her again. She pushed him away angrily ¡°Just go, I don¡¯t need you to marry me Her sudden change in attitude left Caleb a bit helpless ¡°I promise, after I finish this job. I¡¯ll start a family with you and never let you down.¡± Only this one time, he¡¯d apany his employer to solve the problem, thene back, marry Katharine, and have a few kids. His gaze was sincere, not feigned, as if he really had something to do. This made Katharine feel that Caleb was not an ordinary person. ¡°Are you really just Bernard Laurence¡¯s bodyguard?¡± ¡°Yes¡± Caleb nodded without hesitation, but silently apologized in his heart, Kathanne sensed that Caleb had many things he hadn¡¯t told her, and while she understood that some things were difficult to talk about, she couldn¡¯t ept hisck of honesty, which created a sense of conflict within her. ¡°You should go back for now. Let me think in peace, Katharine said ¡°But what about Peterson Caleb still worried that she would turn around and marry Peterson, hoping to soothe his inner turmoil. Katharine, however felt annoyed and red at him. ¡°You are not allowed to go find him!¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Okay ¡°Caleb rubbed the back of his head, looking confused, which warmed Katharine¡¯s heart. ¡°If you don¡¯t leave now, I will call my brother.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t Caleb covered Katharine¡¯s mouth with his hand. In the dim light, they looked at each other for a while Caleb suppressed his urge to kiss her and turned to leave. In the following days, Caleb climbed in through the window every night to ask Katharine for an answer, but she always refused and pushed him out forcefully In fact, Katharine had already agreed in her heart. She just didn¡¯t want to forgive him that quickly Otherwise, wouldn¡¯t all the grievances she had endured be for nothing? Chapter 951 Chapter 951 One moming around eleven, Robin saw that Katharine was still not up. He thought she¡¯s sick and went knocking on her door with a concerned look. After a while, the door cracks opened just a bit, ¡°Robin, what¡¯s up?¡± Even through the tiny gap. Robin caught a glimpse of a man darting into the bathroom and tissues scattered all over the floor.. Upon seeing this and the hickey on Katharine¡¯s neck, he¡¯s taken aback, ¡°You¡± Katharine raised her finger to her lips in a shushing gesture. ¡°Keep it down, Rosin. Don¡¯t let Dad hear.¡± Even though York thought she¡¯s unmarriageable, he didn¡¯t want her to rush into marriage. He needed time to wrap his head around her rtionship with Caleb. But Robin couldn¡¯t wrap his head around it first. He clenched his fists, ¡°Stand aside, I¡¯m going in to give that bastard a piece of my mind!¡± Kathanne blocked the door, refusing to let him in, ¡°Robin, Caleb and I are cool now Let¡¯s not make a fuss¡± The text he sent to Bernard was to avoid upsetting his sister, but it doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s cool with Caleb Regretting his decision, Robin forcefully tried to push the door open, ¡°He¡¯s disrespecting you in my house. I won¡¯t let him off the hook!¡± Katharine blushed, whispering, ¡°Robin, I initiated it.¡± Robin was speechless He¡¯s fuming, and Katharine quickly tried to calm him down. ¡°Robin, he¡¯s beening over every night to apologize. He¡¯s really remorseful¡± ¡°Hold up!¡± Robin cut her off, ¡°He¡¯s beening over EVERY night?!¡± They hadn¡¯t been making love every night, had they? ¡°Open the door! ¡°Brother ¡± ¡°What¡¯s all the fuss between you two upstairs?¡± The voice of York came from the living room downstairs. Katharine jumped in fright ¡°Robin, brother, I¡¯m begging you, just let it go.¡± Robin clenched his fist, trying hard to contain his anger. ¡°And use protection! Don¡¯t drop a nephew on me out of the blue!¡± With that, Robin stormed off in a huff. He really shouldn¡¯t have texted Bernard that day!!! Now the Spencers hard¨Cwon marriage alliance was off the table, and they had gone off to negotiate with the Laurences. His beloved sister was also with Bernard¡¯s bodyguard.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. The feeling of getting the short end of the stick was driving Robin up the wall! Chapter 952 Chapter 952 In the Laurence family, aside from Sigrid and her folks, Bernard, Veronica and Cedric Laurence were all present Bernard was originally nning to bring Eleanor along, but Eleanor said hertest project had to do with the Sharp family. She was worried that as his wife, if she showed up now, it would be obviouster when she was dealing with the Sharp family as Emilia, so she didn¡¯te After meeting Kathanne, Peterson went home and met two other people, but they weren¡¯t the right fit, so grandpa set him up with the Laurence family His grandpa was a big fan of the Laurence family¡¯s way of doing things, while Peterson was more impressed with Bernard¡¯s business chops Bernard was different from the others. He didn¡¯t rely on marriage alliances or the worldly stuff, but rather on projects andpetence. His little brother, Taylor Laurence, snagged quite a few projects from the Sharp family when they moved into North Fund Although it was Taylor who did all these, the man calling the shots behind the scenes was Bernard Peterson wanted to see Bernard¡¯s mettle, so he agreed toe. Now that he was seeing Bernard in person, he felt like the guy had a powerful aura Everything about him screamed ¡°blue blood¡°. He was pretty sure that his big brother would really like Bernard, because they were both big shots in the business world. After sizing up Bernard, Peterson turned his gaze to the others present, finally resting on Sigrid. She seemed as reserved as Katharine, as if her mind was elsewhere. It seemed she also had a story to tell. So, was he going to have to y a part in this drama too? As Peterson was thinking, Sigrid¡¯s parents called her over to get him a ss of water. Dressed in an appropriate outfit, Sigrid rose to her feet, took a small water jug and filled his ss. ¡°Enjoy it¡± Sigrid¡¯s voice was quite pleasant Peterson gave her a look. Seeing Peterson looking at their daughter, Sigrid¡¯s parents exchanged nces. ¡°So, Peterson, what have you been up totely?¡± The Laurence family were heavyweights in A Country, while the Sharp family were big yers in North Fund. Their strength and wealth were pretty much on par, so Sigrid was a good match for Peterson Putting family background aside, Sigrid¡¯s folks cared more about the other party¡¯s capabilities ¡°Ive been working on some money¨Cmaking projects¡± As Peterson said this, a meaningful smile yed on his lips. Sigrid¡¯s parents wanted to ask him what exactly he was doing, but he had summed it up in one sentence. They wanted to ask for more details, but Bernard, sitting in the main seat, suddenly asked, ¡°Do you fancy her?¡± Peterson raised an eyebrow seeming a little surprised by Bernard¡¯s directness. ¡°We¡¯re not that familiar with each other yet, need to get to know each other first.¡± Bernard turned his head to look at Sigrid, who had been keeping her head down. ¡°Are you okay with that?¡± Sigrid reluctantly nodded her head ¡°Let¡¯s give it a shot¡± Peterson could easily tell that Sigrid didn¡¯t have any particr feelings for him. Sigrid breathed a sigh of relief, while Bernard made a decision. ¡°Alright, you guys get to know each other first, then consider an aliance if it works out.¡± This statement was directed at Peterson, who nodded politely in agreement. ¡°No problem¡± Bernard nced at his wristwatch. It¡¯s gettingte. You guys chat. I¡¯ll leave first¡± Peterson had thought that Bernard might use this opportunity to discuss the North Fund market with him, but instead he found Bernard already standing up to leave. Since he didn¡¯t want to take this opportunity to get closer to me, Peterson could only smile politely. ¡°Mr. Laurence, take care.¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Bernard draped his suit jacket over his arm, also nodding politely to him before leaving. Watching his retreating figure, Peterson thought that marrying into a family like this wouldn¡¯t be so bad. It suited his style. The two young people seemed to have a good impression of each other, so Sigrid¡¯s parents wouldn¡¯t interfere too much. ¡°Peterson, please take good care of our daughter¡± Peterson nodded politely again. The two families exchanged a few more words, then Sigrid¡¯s parents got up to leave, giving the young people some space. Once the elders had left, Peterson turned his gaze to Cedric. ¡°Do you have a problem with me?¡± Throughout the meeting. Sigrid¡¯s family, including Sigrid herself, had all seemed satisfied with him. Only Sigrid¡¯s own brother had been ring at him the whole time. Veronica gave Cedric a light kick Chapter 953 Chapter 953 Cedric was prepared to take action and teach Peterson a lesson but was stopped by Veronica ¡°Peterson, you probably haven¡¯t explored much of A City Why don¡¯t you let Signd take you out and show you around?¡± Peterson feigned indifference and withdrew his sympathetic gaze ¡°This is my first time here, and I haven¡¯t had much chance to explore Would Ms. Laurence be willing to show me around?¡± Sigrid immediately stood up I take you to the seaside then.¡± Peterson politely agreed and prepared to leave Cedric also stood up ¡°I¡¯lle along too.¡± Veronica grabbed his sleeve and pulled him back onto the sofa ¡°Sigrid, you take Peterson. I have something to discuss with your brother.¡± Sigrid looked at her brother¡¯s grim face, wondering why he had such a strong aversion to Peterson. But in this situation, they had to save face for Peterson, otherwise, he would think theycked manners. Sigrid gestured a ¡®please¡® to Peterson ¡®Peterson, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll drive you around.¡± Only then did Peterson walk out. When they reached the door, he couldn¡¯t help but look back at Cedric ¡°Is your brother okay with this?¡± Seeing Peterson pointing at his own head, Sigrid awkwardly smiled ¡®He had an illness when he was young Don¡¯t mind him.¡± After Sigrid and Peterson left, Veronica dropped her smile and looked at Cedric coldly ¡°What¡¯s your problem?¡± ¡°I have issues with him.¡± Veronica didnt believe that ¡°Are you still upset about Chase?¡± ¡°No.¡± After saying this, Cedric picked up his coat and left. Watching his retreating figure, Veronica sighed deeply Cedric didn¡¯t look back, just waved his hand. He took the keys to the sports car from the valet, quickly got in and drove towards Chase¡¯s vi Chase had taken on Will Webb¡¯s case, nning to help Will and Tyler Howell with theirwsuit He had just returned from B City and was nning to discuss the case with Liana tomorrow. He was at home right now. Entering the vi, Cedric walked into the living room and was immediately hit by the strong smell of red wine. Chase was slumped over the bar, his suit and white shirt half¨Cunbuttoned, revealing a scar. The hideous scar looked especially harsh under the light Cedric nced at the scars, wrinkling his nose in distaste, walked over and lightly kicked the drunken Chase ¡°My sister and the Sharp family¡¯s son are dating now, and you¡¯re here getting drunk instead of trying to win her back.¡± Half¨Cdrunk Chase opened his blurred eyes, and in his blurred vision, he saw Cedric¡¯s disgusted face. ¡®Drunk people smell so bad. I should drink less¡­ Mumbling these words, Cedric kicked Chase again. ¡°Can you hear me?¡± Struggling with his alcohol¨CHaden brain, Chase slowly sat up straight. ¡®Is it Peterson.¡± Cedric picked up a clean wine ss, poured some red wine into it, sipped it gently, and then replied. ¡°Right, he¡¯s not bad looking. My sister couldn¡¯t even lift her head when she saw him. I guess she likes him.¡± As a part of the same circle, Chase was well aware of the Sharp family¡¯s golden boy ¡°They make a good match¡± After saying that, he picked up the bottle and poured a full ss of wine. Seeing him lift his head and drink arge ss of wine, Cedric sympathetically snatched the ss from his hand. ¡°So you¡¯re giving up just like that?¡± Chase lifted his finger, wiped the wine from the corner of his mouth, and gave a slight smile. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who gave up?¡± This counter question made Cedric pause with the ss in his hand After staring at each other for a few seconds, Cedric mmed the ss onto the bar ¡°Anyway, I told you Whether you give up or not, that¡¯s your business.¡± Cedric put his fiands in his pockets and turned to leave Chase still had no reaction, just continued drinking This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. But this sip of wine tasted much better than before. Chapter 955 Chapter 955 After pulling an all¨Cnighter solving problems, Bernard lifted his gaze from theputer screen and spotted Eleanor, cozily wrapped in a nket, snoozing away on the sofa. Sunlight poured over her, casting a golden glow, a picture of summer enchantment that stirred the heart, and brought a smile to Bernard¡¯s eyes. He kept his gaze on Eleanor, and after a while, he got up and walked over to her, gently poking her cheek with his long fingers Wakey wakey¡± She swatted his hand away and turned her back to him ¡°Shush, I¡¯m sleepy¡± Bernard patiently bent down ¡®Didn¡¯t we agree that you¡¯d reward me once I finished the problems?¡± In her half¨Cawake state, Eleanor¡¯s heart raced, but she kept feigning sleep ¡°Babe, I¡¯m so tired, tonight¡¯s¡­¡± With a lightugh, Bernard responded, ¡°Sweetheart, if you dy the deal, you owe me double, you know¡± Eleanor couldn¡¯t care less and nodded ¡°Double it is then.¡± When night fell, she continued to make excuses and y coy. Seeing through her tactics, Bernard reached over and indulgently ruffled her hair. ¡°So, you better be ready and stay put at home¡± His voice was somewhat cold, sending a shiver down Eleanor¡¯s spine, uncertain of the horrors that awaited her that night¡­. After intentionally putting some pressure on her, Bernard left the study room, freshened up in the bathroom, and hurriedly dashed off to the Lawrence Group. While in the car. Bernard received a video call from Caleb ¡°Sir, I want to take a five¨Cmonth leave to spend time with Katharine. Is that okay?¡± Having nned for Caleb to start a family, Bernard naturally agreed. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°If you want to leave the Siren Organization, I can¡­¡± ¡®No need for now, just these five months without any assignments would do.¡± Upon hearing ¡®five months, Bernard¡¯s smile faded. ¡°Why five months?¡± ¡°Well, Katharine suggested we try dating for five months, and then maybe consider marriage¡± To avoid making his boss worry, Caleb chose to fib. Bernard was good at making connections, and quickly thought about that secret ce. ¡°That ce, you can¡¯t just go as you please, don¡¯t make hasty decisions.¡± Sir, rest assured, being with the one I love, I treasure my life even more.¡± The love for life shining in his eyes somewhat eased Bernard¡¯s doubts. After hanging up on Caleb, Bernard shifted his gaze from the phone screen to the passing trees outside the car window¡­. Now that Wendy¡¯s problem had been resolved, and Caleb had found his ce, and Aidyn was also about to get hitched, all they needed was to have Scott stick around to protect Eleanor Everything he had nned was almost done, now he just needed to sort out Evelyn Ziegler¡¯s issue and some business projects, then he could head to the secret ce with peace of mind On top of that, it¡¯d be best to make Cedric the president of the Lawrence Group as soon as possible so he could protect Eleanor for life. This was the worst¨Ccase scenario, but Bernard knew he had to do it Chapter 956 Chapter 956 Caleb and Katharine had been sly as a fox in their rendezvous, always having Robin cover for them to make sure York didn¡¯t catch wind of their rtionship For instance, when Caleb would sneak in through the window and York would hear a noise, Katharine would distract him with a phone call and send him off to do something else Or when they would go out on dates, grab a bite, or watch a movie ¨C Robin was always the third wheel Robin had enough of all this, so he hopped on a jet overnight and flew back home, buying a mansion right across from Fiord Roundabout. He suspected Bernard was part of the Siren Organization and wanted to keep a close eye on him Although the Siren Organization was known for eliminating the bad eggs in the business world, their methods were far from kosher. Robin was determined to unmask the puppet master behind the Siren Organization. Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Despite feeling guilty about the Pine family and the Spencer family¡¯s issues, he knew he had to keep his professional and personal life separate. For Eleanor¡¯s sake, he decided that even if he discovered Bernard was part of the Siren Organization, he wouldn¡¯t blow his cover His ultimate goal was simply to expose the big cheese behind the Siren Organization. Robin didn¡¯t believe Bernard was the top dog of the organization. If he was, he would¡¯ve used the organization¡¯s power to buy up every industry and be numero uno the While helping Nina set up a telescope for her astronomy assignment, Eleanor stumbled upon a surprising discovery She casually picked up a mini telescope and noticed a light illuminating the long¨C abandoned mansion near Fiord Roundabout. To her shock, a tall figure stood by the window. As she focused her gaze, she recognized the handsome face and piercing, cold eyes of Robin. Feeling unnerved, she immediately shared the news with Bernard, blurting out, ¡°Why would your cousin suddenly start living near us?¡± Bernard¡¯s expression turned grim as he nced towards the mansion. ¡°He¡¯s probably trying to figure out if I¡¯m a member of the Siren Organization.¡± Aware that Robin had witnessed Evan and Gianna¡¯s visit to apologize, Eleanor grew concerned. ¡°What should we do?¡± Robin¡¯s suspicions had the potential to cause havoc for Bernard. However, Bernard brushed it off nonchntly, shrugging. ¡°His line of thinking won¡¯t lead him to me. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± How many members of the Siren Organization could Robin even remember if they appeared in front of him? Seeing Bernard¡¯s confidence, Eleanor felt a bit relieved. ¡°You¡¯re right, he doesn¡¯t seem too bright.¡± Bernard smirked at this, ¡°He used to be pretty sharp, but after his bipr disorder kicked in, he lost his ability to think straight¡± Eleanor was under the impression that Robin was naturally hot¨Ctempered, but she didn¡¯t know he actually had bipr disorder. ¡°Guess he¡¯s got it tough.¡± Seeing the sympathy in her eyes, Bernard gently pinched her waist, ¡°You can¡¯t feel sorry for other guys.¡± Eleanor took this opportunity to sit on hisp, wrapping her arms around his neck. ¡°I adore your jealous side.¡± She then waved at him, ¡°Come on, darling. I want to see you jealous again¡± Bernard lightly tapped her forehead, ¡®Don¡¯t let my spoiling make you conceited.¡± Robin looked across the way, his gaze fixed through the lens of his telescope. As he observed the scene unfolding before him, a pang of sadness tugged at his heart. Back at home, he had endured the sight of Katharine and Caleb¡¯s affectionate disys, and now he found himself subjected to witnessing his rivals engaging in simr acts Was there no respite from this torment? Frustration welled up within Robin, and he set the telescope aside, summoning Nathan with a beckoning call ¡°Nathan, do you happen to know any enjoyable ces we could visit?¡± Nathan hurriedly made his way over, a glimmer of excitement evident on his face. ¡®Absolutely! The Midnight Bar and The Secret Garden are widely renowned nightclubs in A City Would you like to give them a try? Robin gave Nathan a withering look. I¡¯m not interested in women¡± Nathan quickly added, ¡°They have male prostitutes models too.¡± Robin was speechless. Ten minutester, Nathan walked into The Secret Garden sporting a swollen face, trailing behind Robin. Chapter 957 Chapter 957 Nathan, who was initially feeling a bit down, instantly perked up when Robin called ady over to keep himpany ¡°You¡¯re a real mate!¡± Robin rolled his eyes at him, ignored him, and raised his ss to drink his wine. As he took a sip a woman suddenly sat next to him, Her hand began to slide up his thigh¡­ Robin reacted instinctively, grabbing her hand, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Thedy didn¡¯t seem scared at all, she moved closer to him, ¡°Mr. Spencer, we¡¯re here to have fun, right? How about I keep youpany tonight?¡± Truth be told, Robin was still a bachelor, he hadn¡¯t been intimate with anyone yet, and thought maybe it was time he tried something new? But when the woman sat on hisp, Robin was reminded of Eleanor sitting on Bernard¡¯sp¡­. ¡°Bugger off!¡± The sight of this made Robin so angry, he yelled out loud Thedy sitting on hisp was startled. ¡°Mr. Spencer, did I do something wrong?¡± Robin turned his deep eyes to her, giving her a cold nce. ¡°Bugger off!¡± Chase got drunk and took two days to visit Liana. But on his way to see Liana, he bumped into Sigrid. She was wearing a revealing outfit, a crop top and short shorts, with a baseball cap on her head She was bent over, checking her car, which seemed to have broken down on the side of the road. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. The zing sun was shining on her, making her look like a doll wrapped in golden light, drawing all the attention to her. She used to rush over without hesitation when she saw him, cling onto his waist, and look up at him with a smile. But now. Sigrid¡¯s warning still echoed in his mind. ¡°We¡¯re done. Don¡¯t bother me anymore.¡± That sentence was enough to wake Chase up in his dreams He stared at her figure, and after hesitating for a few seconds, he got out of the car ¡°Ms. Laurence.¡± Just as Chase was about to walk over to Sigrid through the traffic, Peterson appeared in front of her. ¡°Car trouble?¡± Sigrid looked up, her face covered in sweat, at the tall and well¨Cbuilt Peterson. ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong it just stopped all of a sudden¡­¡± Peterson moved closer and took a look at the engine. ¡°You should call a tow truck.¡± Sigrid thought he would at least help her identify the issue ¡°I did call, but it¡¯s going to take a while.¡± Sigrid nced at her watch, she had ns to y golf with some friends, but now it seemed she was runningte. ¡°Are you in a hurry?* Seeing her checking the time, Peterson asked ¡°I made ns with friends to y golf, it wouldn¡¯t be nice to bete¡± Peterson nced at his own tar ¡°Maybe I can give you a ride?¡± That night, Sigrid jook Peterson on a tour around A City¡¯s beach, they went on a boat ride and took a stroll. There was nothing particrly special about their interaction. They were both well educated and came from prestigious backgrounds, their conversation was deep and meaningful, and they had a decent impression of each other. But they didn¡¯t n to meet again, it was an unspoken agreement. When they bumped into each other on the road, Peterson suggested offering her a ride purely out of kindness, Sigrid didn¡¯t think much of it ¡°Would that interfere with your ns? A rxed and elegant smile appeared on Peterson¡¯s handsome face it¡¯s my pleasure to help you¡± After saying that, he waved at his assistant in the car ¡°Wait here¡± His assistant respectfully replied ¡®yes¡®, then Peterson gestured for Sigrid to get in the car. Signd didn¡¯t refuse, she got in the car with Peterson. As the automatic car door was closing, she saw Chase standing on the side of the road. When she saw his eyes fixed on her, Sigrid didn¡¯t show any emotion, she looked away as if she was looking at a stranger, emotionless. Chase slowly brushed his chest with his fingers, maybe she had forgotten that when she was bullied by a group of foreigners in aer overseas, it was him who risked NGE_____ life to save her, even taking a few stabs Yes, she did forget after her high fever, she thought someone else had saved her, she thought he didn¡¯t care about her, didn¡¯t love her enough, but now he thought it was her who didn¡¯t love him enough¡­ Chapter 958 Chapter 958 Chase, despite the excruciating pain, took his eyes off the floor, swaying a bit as he made his way to Liana¡¯s hospital bed Liana was a bit taken aback after hearing why Chase hade to see her She thought that after Chase and Will had called it quits, he¡¯d given up But, surprisingly, he had been nning all along on how to get Tyler behind bars. ¡°My client is about to go to court with Tyler and we need you to testify¡± he said. Liana appeared dazed and Chase¡¯s expression grew serious in response ¡°Based on your expression, it seems like you¡¯re not enthusiastic about going through with thewsuit against Tyler, right?¡± Chase remarked Liana shook her head. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to proceed, rather, she felt that it would be a futile battle. Who was Tyler, truly? Was he someone who could be easily taken down? ¡°If you¡¯re not interested, then tell Mr. Webb to drop the charges. Don¡¯t waste my time,¡± Chase stated, unaware of the history between Liana and Tyler. Chase assumed that Liana might still have feelings for Tyler, so he decided not to push the matter further. As he got up to leave, Liana suddenly said, ¡°Mr. Chase, if I agree to testify, how sure are you that we can win?¡± Chase paused, turned to look at her. ¡°That depends on you. Do you really want to put him behind bars?¡± ording to the information provided by Will, Tyler had taken Liana away on the day they got their marriage certificate and vited her. When Chase asked why Tyler would do such a thing. Will was reluctant to discuss it, clearly wanting to protect Liana¡¯s privacy. But how could you keep something like this from thewyer in awsuit? Chase, being a top¨Ctierwyer in the country, understood the importance of having all the facts straight before going to court. His reputation and position demanded meticulous preparation. That¡¯s why he sought out Liana for more details. Liana genuinely wanted to see Tyler held ountable for his actions, as his harassment had taken a toll on her. However, she doubted their ability to sessfully prosecute him or predict the length of his potential sentence. ¡°I¡¯m worried that not only will we lose the case, but it might also provoke him further¡­¡± Liana expressed her concerns, fearing the possible retaliation from Tyler. She felt scared and unsure of her ability to handle any consequences. Observing Liana¡¯s vulnerability, Chase took a moment before speaking quietly, ¡°I have never lost a case¡­¡± Chase recognized that it might not be appropriate to make such confident statements to his clients as a lawyer. However, witnessing Liana¡¯s helplessness reminded him of when Sigrid had faced bullying from foreigners. Perhaps it was due to this personal experience that his sympathy was triggered, prompting him to offer reassurance His words gave Liana some confidence. She put her hand on her knee, clenched her fist, and nodded at Chase. Now that Will hade this far, she couldn¡¯t back down at a crucial moment After leaving the hospital, Chase received a text message. It was about a new case. He frowned for a few seconds, quickly scrolled through his contacts, and called Will. ¡°Mr. Webb, I¡¯m sorry, but could your case wait a few days?¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Will was a bit surprised to receive this call. ¡°Mr. Chase, how long are we talking about?¡± Thewyer Will had initially hired wasn¡¯t Chase. He had switched to Chase in hopes of increasing their chances of putting Tyler behind bars. Chase was a top-notchwyer who had never lost a case Getting him on board was no easy feat. ¡°I¡¯m currently dealing with a child custody case¡± Will was a bit anxious. He had to get rid of Tyler before he could bring Liana back into his life. He was keeping his distance from Liana so that Tyler couldn¡¯t mess with her. But that didn¡¯t mean Tyler wouldn¡¯t stir up trouble in the future. Tyler was like a ticking time bomb hanging between him and Liana Tyler must have already received the court summons by now, and Will was worried that Tyler would take revenge on Liana during this time.. ¡°So, if I show up in court on the court date, would that be okay?¡± The court date wasn¡¯t here yet, do no matter how anxious Will was, there wasn¡¯t much he could do. *Then please, Mr. Chase, gather as much evidence as possible. We must get him convicted.¡± ¡°No problem¡± After hanging up, Chase immediately sent a message to Cedric |Cedric, I need d your helpl Chapter 959 Chapter 959 Bernard from the Lawrence Group just wrapped up a global meeting and retreated to his office. He fired up hisputer and spotted an email about a court summons. Just as he was about to open it, Cedric barged in without knocking ¡°Bernard, Chase just told me that Evelyn has sued you and Eleanor for kidnapping her granddaughter Did you get the summons?¡± Bernard, who had just received the summons, gave a slight nod ¡°You barged into my office without knocking That¡¯s a month¡¯s sry docked.¡± Cedric thought Bernard would at least be a bit rattled upon hearing about thewsuit. But what he seemed to care more about was docking his sry ¡°Evelyn¡¯swyer is well known internationally, and he¡¯s won all the internationalwsuits he¡¯s handled. Aren¡¯t you worried about not beating him?¡± The concept of not being able to win never existed in Bernard¡¯s vocabry Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Only those with nothing better to do would pick on him over such trivial matters It was truly annoying. Cedric, pissed off, stormed out of the room. But remembering his friend¡¯s advice, he steeled himself and walked back in ¡°Why don¡¯t you have Chase handle thiswsuit? He¡¯s a famouswyer too.¡± Bernard gave him a cold look ¡°The Laurence Group has its own legal team. We¡¯ve never lost a case¡± ¡°But this is different. It¡¯s a personal matter about kidnapping Letting a professional handle it might make winning easier.¡± ¡°You¡¯re using this as an opportunity to get Chase and Sigrid back together, aren¡¯t you?¡± Caught on to his scheme, Cedric immediately shut up and nodded. ¡°You know that Chase and my sister broke up because of my parents.¡± Only Bernard, Veronica, and Cedric knew the truth. Sigrid was kept in the dark. Back then, Cedric s parents despised Chase, ming him for corrupting Cedric and stealing Sigrid. They threatened Chase with his family and Sigrid¡¯s future, forcing him to find an excuse to break up with Sigrid. As to what excuse Chase used, Cedric had no clue. He only knew that his friend and sister wouldn¡¯t have broken up if not for his parents. ¡°Your sister is over him¡± Too much time has passed. Trying to force them back together now would be pointless. ¡°But he still loves her.¡± Cedric defended his friend. ¡°Give him another chance. Let him fight for her. If he fails, he can finally move on. Otherwise, he¡¯ll be miserable.¡± Bernard frowned. ¡°She¡¯s about to marry into the Sharp family¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s not ideal, but they¡¯re not officially married yet, right? Cedric leaned over the desk, patiently trying to persuade Bernard ¡°Let Chase use thiswsuit to get close to my sister again. If she still won¡¯t forgive him, I¡¯ll stop speaking up for him¡­ Cedric rarely pleaded for others. This was the first time. Bernard hesitated for a few seconds and then, out of respect, agreed. ¡°Thewsuit must go wlessly Just as they were dealing with Wendy¡¯s death, Evelyn showed up. Bernard, who was nning to handle each issue one by one, could not afford any mistakes with this ¡°Thank you!¡± Cedric happily agreed and turned to leave. Bernard watched him go and asked, ¡°What about you?¡± Cedric stopped in his tracks, his body stiff. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± Hailey had told him to avoid her whenever they crossed paths, and he¡¯d been doing that religiously Even when he¡¯d stumbled upon Hailey and Yeager on a sweet date, he¡¯d held back from interrupting them. Cedric believed that before long, he¡¯d forget all about Hailey, the woman who caused him so much heartache. Chapter 960 Chapter 960 Cedric left the president¡¯s office and thaled Chase, asking him where he was Chase responded by sending him a location of a golf course Cedric drove to the golf course and found Chase sitting under an umbre, wearing sunsses and a mask, staring intently at some figures in the distance Following Chase¡¯s gaze, Cedric saw Peterson teaching Sigrid how to swing a golf club ¡°She¡¯s ying golf now¡± Chase didn¡¯t look up, just stated the fact. Cedric got the picture and pulled up a chair to sit next to him. ¡°I bet it was Peterson¡¯s idea to teach her.¡± Sometimes guys use the pretext of teaching women golf to get closer to them. He thought Peterson was a sincere young gentleman, but turns out he¡¯s just another guy trying to score with a pretty girl. ¡°It was your sister who wanted to learn.¡± Chase looked up and nodded slightly towards Sigrid. ¡°They made a bet with two other couples. If they hole in one, they have to tip five million to everyone present.¡± So it was because of this bet that Sigrid and Peterson were ying golf together. What a game! Cedric didn¡¯t have a high opinion of Peterson. He always thought that Peterson was exploiting his sister. ¡°Let¡¯s join them and wipe the floor with that Peterson!¡® Cedric took off his coat, rolled up his sleeves, revealing his muscr arms. ¡°Forget about it.¡± Chase stopped Cedric, ¡°Your sister doesn¡¯t want to see me. Let¡¯s not piss her off.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re just going to be a wuss and follow them around, watching their romance?¡± Cedric asked Chase nced at Peterson, who had Sigrid in his arms, and a bitter smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. ¡®What else can I do?¡± Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Besides, Sigrid probably has long since gotten over him. The girl who used to only have him in her heart during her adolescent years is now lost. ¡°What else? Either fight for her or move on. Don¡¯t dither around.¡± Cedric said Chase looked up at him, his eyes red¨Crimmed. ¡°I¡¯ve tried my best. I¡¯ve tried everything, but she remains indifferent.¡± Cedric was taken aback. He didn¡¯t expect the usually dignified Mr. Chase to be so dejected ¡°Cedric, I want to give up too, but all these years, I¡¯ve never truly let go¡­¡± Chase seemed to be in a deep funk, as if he were stuck in an abyss, struggling but unable to escape He was engulfed in darkness, his loneliness making Cedric sympathize. He was fighting for her dignity, he was trying all sorts of ways to let go, but he was stuck. How painful must that be? Cedric felt the pain too. He reached out and patted Chase¡¯s shoulder lightly. ¡°I¡¯ve already persuaded Bernard to hand Evelyn¡¯s case to you. If you win, what will you do?¡± He asked, even though the case has nothing to do with Sigrid directly. Even if Chase helped win the case, Sigrid wouldn¡¯t even give him a ¡°thank you. However, Chase chuckled bitterly, ¡°At least I can use this opportunity to exchange a few words with her.¡± In other words, he just wanted to find an opportunity to have a normal conversation with Sigrid. He looked up at Cedric again. ¡°After the case is over, can you help me make some arrangements? I have something I want to tell her clearly.¡± She¡¯s already given up on himpletely. It should be okay to tell her the truth now, her parents won¡¯t me him anymore, right? With that thought, Chase reminded Cedric again, ¡°Remember to invite everyone.¡± She wouldn¡¯t see him alone. Only by inviting everyone could he find a calm way tomunicate Cedric thought Chase was going about it the wrong way but considering Sigrid wouldn¡¯t give Chase the time of day, he agreed, ¡°Alright, once we seed, I¡¯ll make the arrangements¡± Chapter 961 Chapter 961 Chase muttered a ¡°thank you¡± and turned his gaze to Sigrid and Peterson ¡°Think they can nail it in one go?¡± Before he finished, Sigrid was up on her feet, eximing. ¡°Holy cow, you actually did it!¡± Standing behind her, Peterson had one hand in his pocket, a slight smile ying on his lips as he looked towards the field ¡°Saved you five million. How¡¯re you gonna thank me?¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Sigrid¡¯s youthful face lit up with a beaming smile. ¡°How about I treat you to bungee jumping considering you¡¯ve been helping me practice thesest few days?¡± Peterson took a good look at petite Sigrid. I never figured you for an extreme sports fan, Ms Laurence¡± Sigrid, with her baseball cap askew, shed him a sweet smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t like it at first. But someone used to tag me along.¡± At this, her smile seemed to freeze a bit. Peterson noticed her change of expression. ¡°Someone you cared about?¡± Sigrid hesitated for a moment before finally nodding. ¡°Yeah, but that¡¯s all in the past. Peterson nodded, understanding. When Sigrid saw his nonchnt response, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What about you? Ever had a crush?¡± Without hesitation, Peterson admitted, ¡°At my age? Definitely.¡± ¡°Why arent you together?¡± ¡°She¡¯s married How could we be together?¡± Sigrid had been expecting a tragic love story, but who would¡¯ve thought Peterson¡¯s crush was a married wornan? Seeing her widening eyes and her attempt to suppress her reaction, Peterson¡¯s lips curved up into a slight grin. ¡°You seriously bought that?¡± ¡°Wait, were you kidding?¡± He took the golf club from her hands and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Ms. Laurence, fancy another round?¡± Peterson clearly didn¡¯t want to dwell on the past, so Sigrid didn¡¯t push. ¡°Sure thing¡± Peterson led Sigrid off again, his gaze subtly falling on a man in shades in the distance. Where he and Sigrid were, that man was too. What a coincidence. As Chase caught him staring, he quickly looked away. ¡°I gotta go.¡± Just as Cedric emerged in his baseball gear, he saw Chase stand up. ¡°You¡¯re not ying anymore?¡± Chase waved as he walked off. ¡®I¡¯m done Gotta prep for Bernard¡¯s case. I can¡¯t afford to lose.¡± Watching Chase¡¯s retreating figure, Cedric lost the mood for the game. He was just about to follow him when he spotted Hailey and Yeager, hand¨Cin¨Chand, approaching. She always took good care of her skin and loved working out. Whenever she could, she did yoga to maintain her figure and youthful appearance. Even though she¡¯s a bit older than him, she still looked youthful and vibrant, even more so than her peers. Now, under the sweltering sun, walking towards him step by step, she looked fearless and radiant. Seeing Hailey like this, Cedric felt his breath hitch, his mind filled with images of her lying beneath him, all soft and gentle. If she weren¡¯t holding Yeager¡¯s hand, Cedric would definitely have rushed over, held her close, and begged for a second chance. Thankfully, their intertwined hands interrupted Cedr Chapter 962 Chapter 962 Yeager had nned to hit the golf course with his buddies, and brought Hailey along to introduce to them. But he didn¡¯t expect to bump into Cedric here Instinctively, he lightened his grip on Hailey¡¯s hand. Hailey, who hadn¡¯t noticed Cedric, was drawn by his sudden movement and followed his gaze to Cedric Standing on the lush green golf course, Cedric was dressed in casual whites, a baseball cap on his head, and a golf club in hand. Under the parasol, he looked like a painting Lately, during her dates with Yeager, she had coincidentally bumped into Cedric a few times. But each time, Yeager chose to avoid him. Hailey knew he would do the same this time, so she quickly looked away ¡°Let¡¯s go change in the locker room¡± Hailey wanted to lead Yeager towards the locker room, but the path to the locker room was right behind Cedric, they had to circumvent him. She had no choice but to bite the bullet, leading Yeager past Cedric She thought he would just ignore her, but Cedric suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡± His fingers were warm, the heat transferring through her skin, feeling like an electric current. Every time Cedric touched her, her body would react this way, causing her to always be a beat behind, and many times, she dared not move casually. But when she was with Yeager, she didn¡¯t have this feeling Even when holding hands tightly, she felt calm, without any excitement. Involuntarilyparing the two in her mind, Hailey felt guilty towards Yeager, so she immediately shook off Cedric¡¯s hand. ¡°We¡¯ve already talked everything throughst time, there¡¯s no need to talk again.¡± Cedric tried to grab Hailey¡¯s hand again, but Yeager stepped up and shielded her. ¡°Cedric, I know you like to flirt with women, but can you show some decency? Hailey is my girlfriend now, how can you touch her so casually? Where do you think you¡¯ve put me?¡± Hearing this, Cedric¡¯s handsome face noticeably darkened. ¡°Who do you think you are, why should I care about you?¡± When Cedric said this, the aura he gave off was so strong it was suffocating. His aura was innate. ¡°You can disregard me, but please respect Hailey¡± Cedric sneered ¡°If I don¡¯t respect her, do you think you¡¯re still worthy to be her boyfriend?¡± He had been restraining himself from respecting her, that¡¯s why he chose to let go. ¡°So you¡¯re saying, Hailey is someone you don¡¯t want, that¡¯s why it¡¯s my turn?¡± ¡°What else? How else would it be your turn?¡± Cedric continued along the topic Yeager raised,pletely oblivious to the damage his words had on Hailey. Her lowered eyshes trembled slightly, then she raised her hand to stop Yeager, who wanted to continue arguing with Cedric ¡°Let¡¯s go, your friends must be waiting¡± Throughout the whole process, Hailey didn¡¯t look at Cedric once, she just took Yeager¡¯s hand, turned around and headed towards the locker room. Watching her sexy, charming figure walk away, Cedric realized what he had just said. He fell agitated, and suddenly threw away the golf club in his hand! He felt like he shouldn¡¯t havee here today, such bad luck! Chapter 963 Chapter 963 Hailey stepped out of the dressing room, Cedric was already nowhere in sight She let out a sigh of relief and headed towards Yeager Yeager introduced her to some of his friends, and they all got along well However, when Hailey came out of the restroom, she heard people talking about her to Yeager ¡°Dr. Yeager, your girlfriend is a nightclub owner. That doesn¡¯t seem like a very respectable job. Do your parents approve?¡± ¡°Your info is iplete. Dr Yeager¡¯s girlfriend isn¡¯t just a nightclub owner. She¡¯s also a divorcee.¡± ¡°Wow, I would never have guessed she¡¯s been divorced Does she have any kids?¡± ¡°Who knows? Maybe she had a kid, maybe she had an abortion, or maybe she left the kid with her ex. She¡¯s a real looker, so she probably uses her looks to snag wealthy men, not burden herself with a kid¡± Heaning these words, Hailey felt ufortable. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Normally. Yeager would have stepped in to stop such talk, but today he chose to remain silent He was still bothered by Cedric grabbing Hailey¡¯s wrist, so he was a bit distracted. In reality, he wasn¡¯t a petty guy, it was just that Hailey was always resisting his advances. Many times, he wanted to get closer to Hailey, but she would always find an excuse, tactfully turning him down. But Hailey didn¡¯t resist Cedric the same way, this contrast made him ufortable His silence only encouraged the others to gossip louder Hailey nced at Yeager¡¯s back. Although he didn¡¯t participate in the gossip, his silence was equally disappointing She hesitated for a few seconds, then mustered up the courage to chime in ¡°Sure, I¡¯m divorced, childless, and I own a nightclub. I make over a hundred million a year, I don¡¯t need to depend on wealthy men.¡± Her words silenced the crowd. Yeager finally snapped back to reality and got up to stop Hailey from leaving ¡°Sorry, they don¡¯t know the whole story and said those things¡± ¡°They don¡¯t know? Don¡¯t you know either?¡± Hailey shook off Yeager¡¯s hand and turned to leave. Yeager, afraid of losing Hailey, quickly followed As they left, a golf ball suddenly flew by The man who was just gossiping about Hailey was hit hard in the chest by the ball. He clutched his chest, gasping for breath, and looked in the direction the ball came from Against the light stood Cedric, holding a golf club on his shoulder. ¡°Sorry, my bad¡± His words were an apology, but his actions were clearly provocative. The man wanted to confront him but was held back by his friends. ¡°That¡¯s Cedric from the Laurence family. He¡¯s notorious for being a tough guy, don¡¯t mess with him.¡± Hearing Cedric¡¯s name, the man could only swallow his pain and bear it silently. Yeager caught up to Hailey at the dressing room door and started exining ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m really sorry I was lost in thought and didn¡¯t realize what they were saying. If I had, I would have stopped them.¡± After several rounds of golf, Yeager was indeed distracted Hailey was a bit angry but still concerned about him. She frowned and asked: ¡°What were you thinking about?¡± Yeager gripped Hailey¡¯s shoulders tightly, staring into her eyes, hesitating before finally speaking ¡°I was thinking about your and Cedric. It seems like¡­ He stopped short, unable to continue. Hailey immediately understood when she saw his reaction. I¡¯m Gorry I keep my distance from him in the future¡± As his girlfriend being caught by her ex would naturally bother anyone, right? Thinking like this, Hailey understood his feelings and apologized to Yeager. After all, she was the one who had upset him ¡°Hailey, you don¡¯t have to apologize it¡¯s my fault for not protecting you in front of my friends.¡± Hailey shook her head. ¡°There will always be some conflicts between us. As long as we talk it out, it¡¯s okay¡± Her forgiveness allowed Yeager to breathe a sigh of relief. ¡°Haley, you¡¯re so good¡± He stepped forward to hug her and naturally lowered his head to kiss her. Hailey instinctively wanted to resist, but when she saw Yeager¡¯s pleading eyes, she gave in. The sight of a man and woman kissing against the wall fell into Cedric¡¯s eyes¡­ He found it hard to ept and took a step back. Hailey¡­ Cedric always thought that Hailey was still around, even if she had a boyfriend, she was still there. He thought Hailey was just ying hard to get with him and that¡¯s why she was with Yeager. Her heart was still with him. However Watching the two of them so engrossed in their kiss, Cedric¡¯s worldview copsed. So, his Hailey wasn¡¯t lying. She had truly moved on from him¡­. Chapter 964 Chapter 964 Sigrid just finished her performance and was about to head off to the dressing room to change. When she saw what was happening, she hurried over to her brother, Cedric ¡°Cedric, you okay?¡± Cedric held out his pale hand ¡°Give me a hand¡± When Sigrid took her brother¡¯s hand, she felt how cold and weak it was. His eyes were drooping,pletely red, like he had taken a severe blow They were empty, lifeless ¡°Cedric ¡± She whispered his name, feeling as if she could sense the pain in his heart. She tightened her grip on his hand, her own heart aching. She had once walked in on Chase making out with another woman in their bed. She had felt the same way Cedric did now. She had loved Chase deeply, just like Cedric loved Hailey now. But in the end, Hailey had chosen someone else. Sigrid couldn¡¯t tell who was right or wrong. Hailey was in a simr situation to what she had experienced The only difference was that her brother, he was truly in love with Hailey¡­ Seeing the person you love passionately kissing someone else, how painful could that be? Sigrid looked up at him, noticing his face was pale, devoid of colour ¡°Take me away Too weak to walk, he might have copsed if not for her. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Sigrid nced over at the man and woman at the entrance of the dressing room. Their kiss was public Her brother didn¡¯t even have the right to stop it. The only way to save some dignity was to leave as quickly as possible. Without even changing her clothes, Sigrid helped Cedric to his feet and they left When Yeager finally let go of Hailey, she caught sight of Cedric¡¯s red eyes and retreating figure His staggering made Hailey¡¯s heart squeeze. Had he seen them? Definitely, otherwise, the pain and anger in his gaze wouldn¡¯t make sense. After they broke up, even though Cedric had two girlfriends, he never kissed in front of her. Hailey had kissed Yeager twice and both times Cedric saw it. This was a bit Then she thought, they had already broken up, why should she care so much about him? After resolutely apanying Yeager to dinner and a movie, Hailey finally returned home. She parked the car and got out Locking the door, she turned to walk towards the vi, only to see a man sprawled at the entrance The tall man was drunk, leaning against a tree, heaving his guts out She watched him for a long time, recognizing him from his silhouette¡­ Hailey held her car keys, hesitating for a few seconds before walking towards him. ¡°Cedric, what are you doing here?¡± Upon hearing her voice, the hand gripping the tree trunk stiffened Cedric pulled a handkerchief from his pocket with a trembling hand, wiped his mouth, and stood up to face Hailey ¡°I took a wrong turn, is that a crime?¡± The strong smell of alcohol hit her. Hailey couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°Why did you drink so much ¡± She knew his respiratory system was weak, she would always remind him not to drink too much. Now their rtionship was so tense, Hailey didn¡¯t have the right to say such things anymore. Cedric remembered how Hailey used to gently rub his stomach and take care of him when he was drunk. Now¡­ She just silently watched him, even took a step back, clearly showing her dislike. He just didn¡¯t want to ept it. ¡°Haileye here Hailey was about to call his assistant to pick him up when she saw Cedric weakly waving at her. Hailey sighed, pocketed her phone, walked over to him. Before she could steady herself, Cedric reached out and pulled her into his arms. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± Cedric had always been casual with his hugs, which had upset Yeager. Hailey remembered the promise she made earlier to Yeager, agreeing to keep her distance from Cedric. Now, however, she found herself forcefully pulled into his arms ¡°Let me go!¡± Hailey struggled, attempting to push Cedric away. But he refused to release his grip. ¡°Your lips have kissed another man, I won¡¯t touch them again¡± Cedric¡¯s words left Hailey stunned ¡°Then why are you holding me?¡± Hailey demanded, her confusion evident Cedric¡¯s gaze fixated on her lips for a long moment before suddenly lifting her onto his shoulder ¡°Cedric, what the hell are you doing?¡± Hailey eximed, clenching her fists and pounding his back. ¡°I have a boyfriend. How am I supposed to face Yeager?!¡± she protested ¡°So you can¡¯t face him, but you can face me?!¡± Cedric retorted angrily. He forcefully opened the car door, shoved Halley inside, followed suit, and swiftly locked the doors. Chapter 965 Chapter 965 Hailey, unable to leave, red at him in anger and frustration. ¡°What on earth are you trying to do?¡± Cedric grabbed a bottle of water from the side of the car, unscrewed the cap, dampened a tissue, and moved to press it onto Hailey, one hand holding her face. The other hand, holding the tissue, wiped it across Hailey¡¯s red lips¡­. ¡°Wipe it off, so there¡¯s no other man¡¯s scent left ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Hailey turned her head, refusing to let Cedric wipe, but he held her chin, immobilizing her. Drunk Cedric, eyes bloodshot, strong handed, held onto her lips, wiping relentlessly. As if in this way, he could erase the traces left by Yeager, also erase the memories that almost drove him mad¡­. ¡°Hailey, clean it off, then go back to me, okay?¡± At first, Hailey struggled, but upon hearing these words, her heart suddenly ached She raised her hand and gently touched Cedric¡¯s face, and those tear¨Cfilled eyes. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean for you to see¡­¡± She thought he had already left, but he was still there. If Hailey knew he was there, she would still reject Yeager When her hand touched her cheek, Cedric slightly lifted his head As if not wanting her to see his lowly emotions, but there was nowhere to hide in this narrow space. ¡°How many times have you done it behind my back?¡± If the number was too many, could he still help her clean up? Hailey looked into his eyes and shook her head sincerely ¡°Not many¡± Cedric¡¯s tense body suddenly rxed, then somewhat aggrievedly hugged Hailey, resting his chin on her shoulder. ¡°Hailey, you¡¯re not lying to me this time, are you?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± He held her tightly, his cold cheek pressed against hers. ¡°Then can we get back together?¡± Hailey, now calm, slightly turned her head to look at Cedric, begging like a child for candy ¡°Cedric, you¡¯re toote. I¡¯ve already agreed to meet Yeager¡¯s parents and promised to marry him.¡± Her voice sounded nice, but it also stung his heart. ¡°Even if I tell you that I love you very much, want to marry you, is it toote?¡± He had only said he liked her before, never love. This was also the first time Hailey felt that he loved her in his heart, but it¡¯s just toote. ¡°It¡¯s toote¡± She gently pushed Cedric away ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you to grow up. Many times, when I met you, I always hoped you could be less rude, because I have feelings too¡± His words of being fed up, never wanting to marry her in his lifetime, what does she count for, all hurt Hailey deeply ¡®Til change, I won¡¯t say things that hurt you anymore, okay?¡± Cedric grabbed her hand, promising eagerly Cedric¡¯s willingness to do anything for Hailey revolved around his desire for her to return to him. However, Hailey¡¯s fears extended beyond just verbal harm. She was apprehensive about Cedric¡¯s personality as well. Although he loved her now, she couldn¡¯t shake the worry that he might fall in love with someone else in the future and abandon her, just as he had done to Norene. Having experienced abandonment before, Hailey was genuinely afraid of going through it again, especially if it were at the hands of Cedric. Despite her concerns, she reached out and gently touched Cedric¡¯s face As her hand made contact, he tightly held onto it ¡°Hailey, look at me. I have never pleaded with you like this Cedric implored, his desire to have her back evident in his words. He didn¡¯t want to see her with Yeager or any -other man. He yearned to marry her, to keep her by his side, and to ensure that no one else would touch her as they had that day In Cedric¡¯s mind, Hailey belonged to him and him alone. ¡°I think, you might cheat, you know, I don¡¯t have the courage to endure my husband¡¯s infidelity again, 50. *No way!¡± Cedric¡¯s eyes, so red that the original color was unclear, whether it was from alcohol or genuine emotion. ¡°I won¡¯t cheat, I promise you, I will only love you, for a lifetime¡­¡± Chapter 966 Chapter 966 ¡°You¡¯re such a dunce, who on earth would only ever love one person?¡± She had once loved her ex¨Chusband, Austin Zimmer, and then fell for Cedric She had room in her heart for two people at once, let alone fickle ones like Cedric ¡°I don¡¯t believe in forever love, I only believe in stable marriages.¡± ¡°You were born to be free, not tied down, you can¡¯t give me the kind of marriage I want¡± ¡°Even if I go back to you now, our endgame would still be a total mess.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a wreck again, let our good memories stay in my heart forever.¡± Her and Cedric, they never really had good days. Even though when they were together, Cedric treated her well. Even after they broke up, some unpleasant things happened, but that¡¯s just life. Two people who were once in love, are bound to have some troubles and setbacks, you can¡¯t justbel him as an unforgivable bad guy, right? Hailey and Cedric wereplete opposites. Cedric wanted her back, but Hailey wanted a stable future, a future Cedric can¡¯t give her At least in Hailey¡¯s mind, she didn¡¯t believe that Cedric would give her a future where he is forever loyal and only loves her. Cedric held her hand tightly, gazing at her for a long time, then weakly rested his forehead on her shoulder. ¡°Hailey, what do I need to say, what do I need to do, for you to believe me¡­¡± He really didn¡¯t understand, he had made his intentions clear, told her he loves her, wants to marry her, why is it still not enough. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. He felt extremely exhausted, a feeling he had never experienced before, it was worse than death¡­ ¡°I know, you¡¯ve let go of me, I¡¯m not in your heart anymore, that¡¯s why you¡¯re rejecting me so gently, but I¡¯m really upset¡­¡± He drank so much, but still couldn¡¯t forget the scene of Yeager kissing her. He thought she was his woman, how could she be kissed by someone else. He asked himself, why did he feel that Hailey was his woman. He then realized that he loved her. ¡°Do you know, when I saw you kissing Yeager, I almost went crazy¡­¡± ¡°Why do you have to hurt me like this, why can¡¯t youe back to me? Why¡­ When he said these words, his voice choked up, the helplessness and grievances in his heart made his eyes red. If he had known this day woulde, he would never have let Hailey go¡­. Looking at Cedric like this, Hailey asked herself in her heart: Hailey, do you dare to gamble? Do you dare to put everything on Cedric? She didn¡¯t dare. It wasn¡¯t until this moment that she realized, she didn¡¯t have the courage like Eleanor and Liana. Because only she knew how much it hurt when she saw Austin and his sister in bed, and heard them mocking her Only she knew how unbearable she was during thewsuit, with messy hair, like a madwoman, hands on hips, loudly condemning the unfaithful couple She didn¡¯t want to, didn¡¯t want toe to such a state with Cedric one day, and didn¡¯t want to see herself, in order to regain some of her assets and dignity, fall into chaos and dispute again. ¡°Cedric, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± With tears in her eyes, Hailey said this sorry, making Cedric freeze. Only then did he understand what Chase meant, what kind of feeling it was. Wasn¡¯t he also so humble, begging Hailey, putting down all his pride. Chapter 967 Chapter 967 He gently lifted his head from her shoulder, his eyes filled with anger ¡°Halley, how can you be so sure that Yeager won¡¯t cheat on you after you guys are hitched?¡± Naying She¡¯s worried about him ying the field, does she think Yeager isn¡¯t capable of that? Why would she rather bet on Yeager and not even spare him a nce? ¡°He won¡¯t¡± Even if he did. Hailey could stomach it, but not from Cedric ¡°He won¡¯t? Any guy could why wouldn¡¯t he?¡± Any guy could See, that¡¯s exactly Cedric¡¯s mentality, who would dare pin their hopes on him? Realizing he had spoken out of turn, Cedric clutched her shoulders and hastily rified. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that, I meant most guys would, but there are good ones too I think I wont in the future, you believe me, right¡­ His exnation was a mess, making Hailey realize Cedric was stered tonight. ¡°Quit your drunken rambling, let me take you home.¡± Cedric held onto her tightly, not letting her leave Alcohol made his head heavy as he rested it on Hailey¡¯s shoulder once again. He nuzzled into her neck, rubbing his face against it. ¡°Hailey, Hailey, Hailey¡­ He called her name over and over again. Each time he called, Hailey¡¯s heart would flutter Cedric was like a drug, no matter how hard she tried to resist, she couldn¡¯t fend off his constant advances. ¡°Cedric, you¡¯re drunk. Let me take you home.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. She gently patted his back,forting him softly ¡°No, I want to sleep at your ce.¡± Helpless, Hailey called Marina and together they helped Cedric upstairs. As Cedricid down, Hailey assisted him in removing his jacket and shoes before gently wiping his face with a towel Just as she was about to leave, Cedric grabbed onto her clothes, pulling her back onto the bed Hailey found herself falling into his arms, caught off guard. Before she could react, Cedric rolled over, pinning her beneath him. His kisses rained down upon her with an intensity akin to a storm, leaving her body numb and her mind in a state of confusion. ¡°It¡¯s been two years, and we haven¡¯t been intimate I miss you, Cedric confessed, his breathced with the scent of alcohol as he nibbled on her ear, deliberately arousing her desires. With each kiss, there was a bittersweet tinge, igniting a passionate response from every fiber of her being. ¡°Cedric ¡± ¡°Mmm¡± ¡°I have a boyfriend now please don¡¯t do this.¡± Hailey maintained her rationality cing her hands on his chest, avoiding his kisses. If a woman, even in this situation, is still considering her boyfriend¡¯s feelings, it means she really doesn¡¯t love him anymore. Cedric got up from Hailey¡¯s side, holding onto the edge of the bed, swaying he staggered away. Without his jacket or shoes, barefoot, like a humiliated dog, as if fleeing, he left the vi Driving, he ran several red lights, heading for Fiord Roundabout. He wanted to find Eleanor, ask her, why is Hailey so heartless? But he¡¯d consumed too much alcohol, unable to see the road, everything was blurred¡­ The car zigzagged, upon entering the highway, it collided with another car The two cars crashed, the fronts severely damaged, by the time Cednic came to, his forehead had hit the steering wheel, blood was flowing. He painfully turned his head, looking up at the dark night sky thinking, if Hailey didn¡¯t want him anymore, he¡¯d rather die As Bernard was holding Eleanor, the phone rang interrupting him, but he didn¡¯t answer Not long after, Bryson knocked on the door anxiously, Mr. Laurence, the cops just called, Cedric¡¯s been in a car ident at Fion Roundabout¡­¡± Chapter 968 Chapter 968 Upon hearing the news of the ident, Eleanor was startled and hastily pushed Bernard away. ¡°Let¡¯s go check out what happened¡± Bernard¡¯s face disyed a mixture of desire and impatience, suggesting he was preupied with something Bryson noticed a huskiness in Mr. Laurence¡¯s voice, as if he had been interrupted mid¨C activity, and a trace of anger crossed his face. ¡°Is it senous?¡± Bernard asked his tone revealing his concern Bryson ryed the information he had heard, ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure, but I heard that the front of the car was smashed, someone got hit, and Cedric was covered in blood. They refused to take him to the hospital. It was evident that the situation was dire. Reluctantly, even Bernard had to act promptly. After straightening his attire, he noticed that Eleanor had also changed her clothes. ¡°You stay home and rest. I¡¯ll handle this Bernard instructed However, Eleanor, pulling her hair back into a bun, walked towards the door and responded determinedly. ¡°I¡¯m going with you¡± Cedric had helped Eleanor analyze a video and had stood up for her in front of ke. She couldn¡¯t simply ignore the fact that he was in trouble and needed assistance Seeing her insistence, Bernard didn¡¯t try to stop her anymore. He held her hand and quickly arrived at the scene of the ident As soon as the car stopped, they saw Robin with a bunch of bodyguards, giving the police an arrogant look. ¡°His family needs toe, or no one can go to the hospital.¡± Robin was pissed off His car was hit, and the other party even elerated, almost knocking his head off. Thankfully, he was sitting in the back seat and had buckled up. Otherwise, he would be lying on the ground, soaked in blood like Cedric ¡°If you want to die, just drive into the seal Why hit my car!¡± Robin covered his broken hand, his face pale with anger. His hand, now broken and hurting like hell. Bernard¡¯s bodyguards, after pushing away the surrounding police, Eleanor saw Cedric lying on the ground. Blood was constantly flowing from his forehead, staining his white shirt red. The doctor next to him was trying to stop the bleeding, but he didn¡¯t respond. Eleanor, who initially thought it wasn¡¯t that serious, got a shock when she saw this. Having a post¨C traumatic stress disorder towards car idents, she started to tremble unconsciously Bernard, who was next to her, put his arm around her waist, whispered ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t be scared in her ear, and quickly went to ask about Cedric¡¯s situation. ¡°The person causing the ident is unconscious, it¡¯s unclear how bad the injuries are, he needs immediate medical attention¡­¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Upon hearing the paramedic¡¯s words, Bernard¡¯s face turned stern. ¡°Get him to the hospital now!¡± The doctor seemed a bit hesitant, looking up at Robin who had pushed away the bodyguards and walked over. ¡°No one¡¯s taking him!¡± Bernards gaze turned icy as he slowly directed his attention towards Robin. With a cold took, he waved his hand to signal the bodyguards. Reacting swiftly to Bernard¡¯smand the bodyguards stepped forward and instructed the doctor to lift Cedric onto the ambnce. However, Robin¡¯s associates intervened and prevented Cedric from entering the vehicle. ¡°Bernard, your brother has already assaulted me once, and now he wants to do it again. Isn¡¯t this intentional? Wait until mywyer gathers evidence. He can¡¯t just walk away!¡± Robin eximed, attempting to make his case. Bernard¡¯s eyes remained as cold as ice, his words cutting through Robin like sharp icicles. ¡°If he truly wanted to harm you, would he bother driving the car himself?¡± His words dripped with contempt, insinuating that Cedric could easily dispatch someone else to deal with Robin. The disdain in his voice infuriated Robin, pushing him to the brink of charging at Bernard. But before he could make a move, Bernard¡¯s cold voice broke through the tension. ¡°What are you waiting for? Can¡¯t you handle him?¡± Themanding tone reverberated through the Flord Roundabout, even the chirping birds fell silent in the surrounding forest Bernard¡¯s bodyguards immediately seized Robin, engaging in a fierce altercation. As the scuffle unfolded, the police attempted to intervene, but they were positioned on the outskirts and were unable to reach the scene in time In this chaos, there were police, bodyguards, and doctors who kept shouting ¡°don¡¯t hit, patientes first, the scene was aplete mess. In the midst of the chaos, Bernard grabbed the doctor¡¯s cor and ordered him to immediately take Cedric to the hospital. Then, he took Eleanor and got in the ambnce Robin, surrounded by Bernard¡¯s bodyguards, watched the am Chapter 969 Chapter 969 Cedric was quickly rushed to the hospital, where he was promptly taken into the emergency room. Upon receiving news of his car ident, his entire family humedly made their way to the hospital That night, the entrance to the emergency room was filled with an array of luxury cars, a testament to the Laurence family¡¯s presence. Approximately two hourster, the doors of the ER swung open, and the Laurence family eagerly gathered around to receive an update. The doctor informed them that Cedric had lost consciousness due to a cut on his forehead from the shattered windshield, resulting in significant blood loss. Fortunately. there were no major issues with his skull or brain However, his spine had sustained an injury, necessitating a month of bed rest. Hearing this, the Laurences breathed a collective sigh of relief ¡°As long as he¡¯s not paralyzed, that¡¯s all that matters A month in bed isn¡¯t a big deal. It¡¯ll teach him a lesson so that he won¡¯t drive his sports car recklessly they remarked scolding Cedric as they annously made their way to his room However as soon as they left, the police arrived to question Bernard regarding Cedric¡¯s drunk driving and involvement in a hit and run ident Meanwhile, Robin was also brought to the hospital He demanded that the Laurences foot the entire bill and send someone to take care of him. With the police mediating, the Laurences, as the guilty party had no grounds to refuse So, they sent Taylor to look after Robin However, Robin wasn¡¯t satisfied Out of desperation, Bernard sent Kendrick Laurence, but Robin still kicked him out Bernard wanted to settle the matter privately, but that depended on Robin¡¯s willingness. So, he and the Laurences went into Robin¡¯s room. ¡°Pick one¡® Seeing the room full of Laurences, Robin felt ted. Even his injured arm seemed to hurt less. He smirked at the Laurences, his eyes finallynding on Bernard ¡°You¡¯ll do The Laurences thought Robin was nuts, daring to ask Bernard to take care of him? Even Robin¡¯s bodyguard thought he was overstepping With his hands in his pockets, Bernard¡¯s eyes shed with a cold light. ¡°You better pick someone else¡± He warned Robin, if he was the one to take care of him, he¡¯d show Robin the dark side of society. ¡°Pick someone else? Alright, if you say so. I¡¯ll pick someone else.¡± It seemed Robin was just using Bernard as a stepping stone. He agreed and his game suddenly shifted to Eleanor¡­. ¡°She seems nice enough, let her take care of me¡± Everyone knew that messing with Bernard¡¯s wife was crossing his line Robin sure had some guts. But Robin didn¡¯t care, he continued to gesture at Eleanor. ¡°Youe here Eleanor never expected to be the one picked by Robin. She felt like she was really down on her luck ¡°I¡¯m not part of the Laurence family, I have no obligation to take care of you¡± Robin raised an eyebrow looking determined ¡°As Bernard¡¯s wife, you¡¯re a Laurence How can you say you have no obligation?¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Spoiled people always make spoiled demands. Eleanor clenched Bernard¡¯s arm, shooting Robin a disapproving look ¡°Why don¡¯t you let my husband take care of you?¡± It was incredibly embarrassing for Eleanor, a married woman, to find herself in a position where she had to take care of an unmarried man, especially in front of the Laurence family. She couldn¡¯t help but feel the weight of the shame and wondered how she would face everyone after this incident However, Eleanor was determined not to fall into Robin¡¯s trap ¡°I won¡¯t do it. I only want you to take care of me, she firmly stated, refusing to give in to Robin¡¯s stubborn demands Bernard¡¯s handsome face darkened, resembling a stormy sky. He warned Robin, ¡°Don¡¯t push it!¡± With a slight titt of his head. Robin smirked, testing the limits ¡°if you¡¯re willing to let Cedric go to jail, then I won¡¯t push it¡± The Laurence family was ustomed to handling situations where the other party wasn¡¯t severely injured. However, this time Cedric had struck Robin, their known enemy. They couldn¡¯t simply let it slide The Laurence family members realized the implications of this altercation and their eyes instinctively scanned Eleanors face, expecting her to agree with their course of action But just as Eleanor was about to step forward andply Bernard pulled her back, preventing her from making a decision. ¡°Aidyn, go get awyer¡± He was done dealing with it. They could do whatever they wanted, even if it meant sending Cedric to jail. But he would never let his wife deal with it Robin, who had the upper hand, was furious that Bernard was no longer ying his game ¡°Bernard you¡¯ll regret this! As they left the room, Eleanor looked worried, ¡°Drunk driving and hit¨Cand¨Crun is a big deal, you.¡± Bernard cut her off emotionlessly. ¡°He wasn¡¯t seriously injured.¡± ¡°But still Bernard pulled her into his arms, ¡°You¡¯re my wife. I won¡¯t let you take care of another man¡® That would never happen. Not unless he was dead! ¡°Let the police and thewyer handle it.¡± Eleanor knew about his strong possessiveness and didn¡¯t argue, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to you¡± Chapter 970 Chapter 970 After a night of bustling activity, only Cedric¡¯s parents and Sigrid remained at the Laurence family home, the rest were sent home by Bernard Cedric eventually regained consciousness, and the first person he saw was Bernard, sitting by his hospital bed with hands folded across his chest, watching him intently Despite attempting to move. Cedric found his body unresponsive ¡°You sustained a hit to your spine, that¡¯s why you can¡¯t move for now, Bernard informed him. Cedric¡¯s parents scolded him and gave him stern looks. ¡°You were well aware of how drunk you were, why on earth did you drive to find Bernard?¡± they reprimanded him. The memories of his car crash from the previous night came flooding back, and he fell silent, his expression subtly changing This was the first time Bernard had seen such a desperate look on Cedric¡¯s face, akin to someone who had just experienced heartbreak and was feelingpletely miserable Bernard had a hunch that something else was bothering Cedric He asked Cedric¡¯s parents to go home and rest, promising to stay and keep an eye on things. Cedric¡¯s parents reluctantly agreed and offered some advice before leaving Once they were gone, Bernard looked down at Cedric, who was pale as a ghost. ¡°Why the hell did you crash your car twice? Were you trying to off yourself?¡± Cedric looked even paler, a little wronged, but didn¡¯t say much. ¡°I mistook the gas pedal ¡± He would never admit he was trying to end it all. But this kind of excuse might foot Eleanor, but it couldn¡¯t fool Bernard. ¡°And why did youe looking for me in the middle of the night?¡± Cedric¡¯s eyes were red and swollen. He nced at Eleanor sitting on the sofa. He seemed to have something to ask her, but after the car crash, he felt it was pointless. ¡°I took a wrong turn Normally, if Cedric felt wronged, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to voice it out, but now he just vaguely answered. ¡°Looks like your wound is quite serious¡± Bernard was referring to the wound in his heart. Cedric understood, but chose to stay silent. Out of respect for his parents, Sigrid hadn¡¯t told Bernard about what happened yesterday. Now, seeing that Cedric was unwilling to talk, Sigrid got up and signaled to Bernard.¡± They found an excuse and left the room, leaving only Eleanor and Cedric. The atmosphere became awkward. ¡°Do you want some water?¡± Cedric couldn¡¯t move his neck, he just blinked. ¡°Thanks, I¡¯m good.¡± Eleanor seemed hesitant to speak up, but ultimately she chose to remain silent. Shortly after, Bernard reentered the room and immediately directed his gaze towards Cedric. He asked if Cedric wanted him to call Ms. Vulpe. At first, Cedric¡¯s eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope, but it swiftly faded away. He responded, ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to see her.¡± Despite his words, Cedric¡¯s expression revealed his true feelings. He obviously wanted to see Ms. Vulpe, but he stubbornly said no. Bernard watched Cedric, observing him quietly, then raised an eyebrow ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tell everyone not to tell Ms. Vulpe about your ident.¡± Cedric¡¯s eyes dimmed, but he braced himself against the pain. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Bernard nced at the somewhat ufortable Cedric, then turned his gaze to Eleanor With just a nce, Eleanor understood her husband¡¯s intention. In fact, she had been suspecting that Cedric¡¯s car ident was due to a fallout with Hailey and was hesitating whether to tell Hailey about it. Now seeing Bernard¡¯s hint, she immediately found an excuse to leave the room Chapter 971 Chapter 971 When Hailey got the call from Eleanor, she was just stepping into a restaurant with Yeager Upon hearing that Cedric had been in a car ident and had hit someone, she instantly froze in her tracks. ¡°Is he how¡¯s he doing row? Her voice was shaky Eleanor picked up on it and figured Hailey still cared about Cedric ¡°He lost a lot of blood and it¡¯s pretty senous stuff You you wanna go see him?¡± Eleanor asked. Yeager overheard and said. ¡°You should go check on him.¡± When Yeager suggested she should go see Cedric, Hailey nced at him. Seeing his open and calm gaze, Hailey no longer hesitated This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°Eleanor, send me the address of the hospital. Hailey said. After receiving the address, Hailey anxiously said to Yeager, ¡°I¡¯m going to see Cedric first, I¡¯lle back and have dinner with youter.¡± With that, she rushed off in the direction of the parking lot, forgetting even to invite Yeager toe with her. Yeager watched Hailey¡¯s receding figure, his fist subconsciously clenched. Over at Cedric¡¯s, once Chase heard about the situation, he brought a bunch of friends to see him. Seeing the crowded room, Bernard decided to take Eleanor and step out. With Chase around. Sigrid wouldn¡¯t stick around either, so she left with thern. Surrounded by a bunch of guys, Cedric was annoyed and shooed everyone away After the room emptied out, Cedric swiveled his eyes, his face clouded with gloom as he looked out the window. Hailey drove quickly to the hospital and practically ran to Cedric¡¯s room. Peeking through the ss, seeing Cedric lying in bed with bandages around his head and a pale face, Hailey¡¯s heart hurt. She quickly moved towards the room¡¯s entrance. Just as she pushed the door open, she saw Hertha coming out of the bathroom. ¡°Cedric, is there anything you want to eat or drink? I can go get it for you¡± Hertha naturally sat by Cedric¡¯s bed, holding his hand and looking at him lovingly. ¡°You¡¯re hurt so badly, you need to take in some nutrients Hertha said. Cedric tried to pull his hand back but couldn¡¯t move. I¡¯m fine, he responded tly. Hertha reached out and touched his forehead, ¡°You¡¯re still bleeding After saying that, she sadly added, ¡°I was just away for a bit and you got hurt so badly. Seems like you really can¡¯t manage without me.¡± Hearing this, Hailey instinctively closed the door again. She had thought that Cedric had broken up with Hertha since he stopped bringing her around. Turns out Hertha was just away, and that¡¯s why Cedric hadn¡¯t been seen with her. It seemed that what Cedric had said to herst night was just a way to kill time when his girlfriend wasn¡¯t around and he was lonely. A pang of pain hit Hailey¡¯s heart. She didn¡¯t know why it hurt, it just did. The pain made her clutch her chest and lean against the wall outside the room, struggling to regte her breath. That¡¯s when Yeager came over, carrying fruits and flowers. ¡°Hailey, why aren¡¯t you going in?¡± Hailey hadn¡¯t expected Yeager toe. After the initial surprise, she didn¡¯t know how to exin to him. Yeager peered into the room through the ss, gave a small smile, then walked up and took Hailey¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go see Mr. Laurence together¡­¡± Hailey was a bit reluctant, but Yeager pushed open the door, tightly holding her hand, and led her in. ¡°Mr. Laurence, my fianc¨¦e and I havee to see you¡­¡± Chapter 972 Chapter 972 Cedric, in a cold tone, told Hertha Tve already broken up with you. I don¡¯t need your care ¡°But I want to care for you¡± Just as Hertha was responding to Cedric, a man¡¯s voice came from outside the door She turned her head to look ¡°Mr. Laurence, my fiancee and I havee to see you.¡± Upon seeing Hailey appear Cedric¡¯s heart unexpectedly clenched. He hadrit anticipated her showing up if it weren¡¯t for Yeager being by her side. Cedric might have thought she came out of genuine concern for him. Unfortunately, she arrived hand in hand with Yeager Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Cedric¡¯s face darkened, and his eyes gleamed coldly Hertha¡¯s contemptuous tone and Cedric¡¯s displeasure added to the awkward atmosphere, making Hailey feel ufortable Nevertheless. Yeager pulled her along, leaving her no choice but to steel herself and approach Cedric ¡°Mr Laurence, I heard about your car ident Yeager and I came to see you¡® Hailey stated, trying to sound sympathetic Cedric couldnt help but feel hurt. He wondered if she came to witness his struggle, to see how he suffered for her After all, she had already hurt him the night before, and now she had brought her fiance to see him. It felt cold and uncaring Cedric, holding back his anger, turned his gaze out the window, not wanting to look at them again. His resentment was totally understandable Even Hailey felt that she and Yeager shouldn¡¯t have been there After standing still for a few seconds, she took the fruit from Yeager, walked to the bed, and put the fruit on the bedside table ¡°Yeager bought some fruit for you I leave it here Take care of yourself We¡¯ll be going now.¡± After saying this. Hailey turned around, wanting to leave the room quickly. But then she heard Cedric¡¯s angry voice behind her ¡°Do I need your fruit?!¡± Cedric stared at Hailey¡¯s retreating figure, fire in his eyes. He was already deeply hurt by Hailey, even had a car ident, why did she still hurt him? The more Cedric thought about it, the angrier he became Enduring the pain, he lifted his hand and knocked the fruit to the floor. ¡°I don¡¯t need your pity Take your things and get out! Hailey was stunned, but when she saw Cedric sweating from the pain of moving his hand, she stepped forward in concern ¡°You¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what Cedric said? Get out!¡± Hertha red at Hailey and grabbed a nearby towel to wipe the sweat from Cedric¡¯s face. Her heart broke seeing him in so much pain. ¡°Why did you have to do it yourself? You¡¯re in so much pain, it breaks my heart¡± Hertha expressed with concern. Cedric, trying to avoid giving Hailey the wrong impression, slightly turned his head, which Hertha noticed and found irritating ¡°How long do you n on staying? Do I need to call security to kick you out?¡± Hertha sternly questioned Feeling the tension, Hailey looked at Cedric, who closed his eyes as if not wanting to see her, and decided to leave with Yeager Outside the room, Yeager nced at Hailey and then at the flowers he was holding beforeing to a halt ¡°Hailey wait here for me I give him these flowers ¡°He won¡¯t ept them He even knocked over the fruit How could he possibly ept our flowers? ¡°Since we¡¯ve already bought them, we can¡¯t waste them, right?¡± After saying this, Yeager didn¡¯t wait for Hailey¡¯s reply and went straight back to Cedric¡¯s room. Chapter 973 Chapter 973 Cedric¡¯s trying to get Hertha to leave right now, but she¡¯s still begging him to stay ¡®Look, Hailey¡¯s already taken You don¡¯t have to be so hung up on her Let me stay with you¡± Just as Cedric was feeling overwhelmed and about to push Hertha away in despair, Yenger unexpectedly appeared again, further aggravating the situation feeling ¡°What the hell are you doing back here? Cedric eximed in frustration Yeager casually strolled over, holding a bouquet of flowers in his hand ¡°Just came to see your priceless face, mate,¡± he replied with a smirk. Ignoring Cedric¡¯s imitation, he ced the flowers on the bedside table and then turned to look down at Cedric with an almost taunting expression. ¡°You had that ident because you saw me and Hailey kissing, didn¡¯t you?¡± Since his rival had already spilled the beans, there was no point in Cedric ying coy. ¡°What¡¯s it to you!¡± Yeager chuckled, bent down to pick up an apple from the floor and gave it a spin ¡°Maybe it¡¯s none of my business. Just thought you should know that I¡¯ve kissed Hailey many times behind your back Cedric felt a chill run down his spine. His blood seemed to turn icy, sending shivers down his body Noticing the dramatic change in Cedric¡¯s emotions, Yeager¡¯s smirk deepened ¡°Do you want to hear.. more¡­ about me and Hailey? ¡°Shut up!¡± Cedric roared. His heart rate monitor beeped faster, reflecting just how furious he was. Even though Hertha really disliked Hailey, she thought Yeager was being a total jerk for saying those things while Cedric was injured, so she couldn¡¯t help but butt in ¡°Watch your mouth. You¡¯re asking for trouble¡± Yeager cast a nce at Hertha, clearly not giving a damn. He handed the apple he just picked up to Cedric ¡°Here¡¯s another fun fact for you. Hailey didn¡¯t even want toe today I had to dmg her here¡°. Cedric¡¯s hand holding the apple started to shake uncontrobly Seeing this, Yeagerughed ¡°Mr. Laurence, you better get some rest. It¡¯d be a shame if you couldn¡¯t make it to our wedding¡­¡± Cedric, burning with anger, ignored his pain and threw the apple at Yeager¡¯s head. Hailey, who had just returned, saw Cedric attacking Yeager. She rushed over, pulled Yeager away and stood between them. ¡°Mr. Laurence, why are you hitting him?!¡± Without waiting for an exnation, Hailey confronted Cedric, which only infuriated him further. ¡°Why am I hitting him?!¡°Cedric clenched his teeth, pointing at Yeager ¡°Ask him why!¡± Hailey was bewildered. She couldn¡¯t understand why Cedric wouldsh out like this. Was there a reason behind his anger? N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Meanwhile, Yeager had put on a serious expression and looked at Hailey helplessly ¡°He¡¯s probably just not a fan of me. He threw away the fruit I brought, didn¡¯t want the flowers.¡± he exined with a simple sentence, conveying the weight of Cedric¡¯s displeasure without the need for further boration. Cedric, still seething with anger, managed to utter a threat despite his fury. ¡°Yeager, once I¡¯m back on my feet, you¡¯re gonna pay!¡± Hailey¡¯s sympathy for Cedric began to mix withplex emotions. She tried to mediate the situation. ¡°Cedric, Yeager came to visit you out of kindness. Even if you¡¯re upset, there¡¯s no need to blow up at him.¡± Hearing this, Cedric was so mad he could hardly contain himself. His eyes turned bloodshot. ¡°Hailey, do you know what he just said to me, he ¡°No matter what he said, I trust him.¡± This statement from Hailey was even more hurtful than Yeager¡¯s usation Cedric¡¯s bloodshot eyes gradually dimmed, filled with despair. Unfortunately, the pain in his spine was pulling at every nerve, making his heart race and his body shake. ¡°Hailey take your fiance and get out I don¡¯t want to see you again¡­¡± Chapter 974 Chapter 974 ¡®I don¡¯t wanna see you again.¡± That was the first time Cedric had said something like that. His face was pale, his eyes red, looking as if he¡¯d been wronged in a big way Hailey wanted to approach to find out what was going on, but Yeager stopped her ¡°Mr. Laurence might be too injured, making him emotionally unstable Let¡¯s leave and allow his girlfriend tofort tum.¡± Yeagers reminder made Hailey realize that Cedric¡¯s girlfriend was still present Hailey kept quiet, stole a nce at Cedric, and then looked away as she followed Yeager out Once they were gone, Cedric curled up in pain, and the monitor started ring Seeing Cedric in such agony Hertha became rmed and immediately called for the doctor. Cedric was taken to the ER that day and it was touch¨Cand¨Cgo for a while, but he managed to pull through. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. When he finally opened his eyes again, the anger had vanished, reced by disappointment. Looking at Cedric lying pale and fragile in the hospital bed. Hertha fell both heartbroken and unsatisfied. ¡°When you were younger, you had a thing for me. How did all these years pass and you ended up falling for that woman?¡± Anyone could see that Cedric was head over heels for Hailey, to the point where he passed out from a single sentence she said. ¡°What¡¯s so great about her besides pissing you off?¡± Hertha mumbled in dissatisfaction as she poked a straw into a cup. ¡°You¡¯re senously injured now, and she¡¯s here with her fianc¨¦, bullying you. It¡¯s clear she doesn¡¯t give a damn about you¡± ¡°You broke up with me for her, sent me abroad, and what did you get? Nothing¡± Cedric didn¡¯t say anything just stared out of the window Seeing him seemingly lose interest in everything due to heartbreak, Hertha helplessly put down her cup. ¡°Cedric, I was your first love too, I even saved your life. How can you not feel anything?¡± The man on the bed remained silent. Tired of talking, Hertha decided to stay quiet She picked up the cup, pried open Cedric¡¯s mouth, and put the straw in ¡°Get some water in you¡± Cedric refused to drink and spat out the straw. *Get out!¡± Hertha¡¯s face turned blue with anger, but thinking of marrying Cedric, she swallowed it down. ¡°Who¡¯s gonna look after you if I go? You¡¯re expecting that woman to take care of you?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t even want to see you. It was her fianc¨¦ who dragged her here.¡± Hearing these words, Cedric¡¯s long eyshes fluttered slightly, then he looked at Hertha with cold eyes. ¡°Did you not hear me when I told you to get out, or are you deaf?!¡± Seeing him lose his temper, Hertha put down her cup, grabbed her cigarettes and lighter, and left the ward Just as she stepped into the safe passage, a figure appeared in front of her ¡°Are you Hertha?¡± Hertha looked up at Yeager ¡°I¡¯ve had nothing to do with you, what do you want?¡± Yeager took the lighter from Hertha¡¯s hand and lit her cigarette for her. ¡°I need your help¡± After taking a puff, Henha rased an eyebrow and asked ¡°Help with what?¡± Yeager handed back her lighter ¡°Unless I¡¯m mistaken, you want to marry Cedric, right?¡± ¡°Do you need to confirm that? Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Hertha nced at him, she had been eager to marry into the Laurence family for many years. ¡°So if Hailey asks you why Cedric hit me, do you know what to say?¡± Hertha didn¡¯t expect Yeager to be so thorough, even considering the unlikely possibility that Hailey mighte to her No wonder Cedric couldn¡¯t beat Yeager. He wasprehensive, detail¨Coriented. How could Cedric, with his casual attitude, ever stand a chance? Ahhough Hertha didn¡¯t want to cooperate with Yeager, knowing that Cedric was deeply in love with Hailey made her change her mind. I Hailey knew that Cedric hit Yeager out of anger, wouldn¡¯t that patch up the rift between them? Andy! the rift between Hailey and Cedric was mended, how could she marry Cedric? So, for her own future, she had to team up with Yeager ¡°I know what to say, you can go now¡­¡± Only then did Yeager turn around and leave the safe passage. Back at home, Halley couldn¡¯t sleep thinking about how Cedric looked when he was upset. So, she got up, went to the balcony, lit a cigarette, and put it in her mouth. As she took a drag, she suddenly thought of Cedric. He would always snatch the cigarette from her mouth. ¡°Hailey, smoking¡¯s not good for women, don¡¯t do it again¡­¡± The mostmon sentence he said to her was to persuade her to quit smoking Looking at the burning cigarette in her hand, Hailey put it out for the first time. Then she grabbed a jacket, hopped in the car, and headed straight for the hospital. Chapter 975 Chapter 975 Now with Hertha gone, it¡¯s just Cedric left in the ward As she walked in, Cedric shot her a nce,pletely uninterested The look in his eyes stopped her in her tracks, as if she just remembered that he¡¯d mentioned not wanting to see her again. Hailey stood in the doorway, eyeing Cedric, unsure of what to do for a good while before gathering up the courage to walk up to him. ¡°You¡­ you okay?¡± At first, Hailey hade to inquire about the events of the day, but when she saw Cedric¡¯s pale face, her concern kicked in instinctively Cedric remained unresponsive, as if he didn¡¯t want to talk to her or see her again, and he shut his eyes. Feeling unsure of what to say, Hailey stood awkwardly at the foot of his bed for a moment before finally asking. I came here to ask why did you hit Yeager?¡± This question seemed to strike Cedric¡¯s already low spirits even harder. He retorted, ¡°Why, are you mad at me for hitting Yeager?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not mad about that,¡± Hailey replied gently. ¡°I¡¯m just worried about you.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Cedric¡¯s gaze turned cold as he interrupted, ¡°Worried that after I recover, I¡¯ll go looking for trouble?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, once I¡¯m back on my feet, I¡¯ll make sure he pays! He, Cedric, had never been so humiliated in his lifel Even if Hailey were to protect Yeager, he¡¯d make sure Yeager pays! Cedric¡¯s intense gaze filled with murderous intent sent Hailey¡¯s heart racing ¡°Cedric, don¡¯t do anything stupid,¡± she pleaded ¡°Whether I do or not, it¡¯s none of your business anymore,¡± he coldly replied, lifting his head to nce at the door ¡°Out. Don¡¯te looking for me again,¡± Cedric ordered. Her heart ached at his words, but the coldness in his eyes crushed her courage. She felt responsible for his ident, and any further concern from her might seem insincere Telling him to rest well, Hailey turned and left the room, carrying a heavy sense of regret. Outside the ward, she bumped into Hertha. Seeing Hailey emerge from the room, Hertha instinctively nced at Cedric, noticing the grim expressions on both of their faces She knew that their conversation had not gone well and sighed with relief. *Come with me.¡± She reached out her hand, gesturing for Hailey to follow. Hailey thought that Hertha was looking for a fight, so she followed her to the end of the corridor, quickly starting to exin herself. ¡°Don¡¯t get the wrong idea. I just wanted to ask Cedric why he hit Yeager¡­ Hertha was impressed by Yeager¡¯s foresight and also surprised that Hailey didn¡¯t know that she and Cedric had broken up. But this was also a good thing, as she could use this opportunity to make things between Cedric and Hailey even worse¡­ ¡°So thats all you came for? Here I thought you were still hung up on Cedric.¡± Hailey was taken aback, and it seemed like Hertha had read her mind. She lowered her head in embarrassment ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s good then Cedric¡¯s my boyfriend. You, about to be married, should stop pining for him and not meet or worry about him alone when I¡¯m not around It¡¯s not fair to me or your future husband¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t think about all that, I just had some questions and wanted to ask him alone¡­ In front of Yeager, Hailey couldn¡¯t show any doubts, so she had to ask in private. But she didn¡¯t consider that Hertha might be upset ¡°You were there in the ward too, you could¡¯ve told me just the same¡­¡± Hertha gave Hailey a contemptuous look, but continued speaking. ¡°Yeager came with flowers, picked up fruit for Cedric, told him to rest up ande to your wedding!¡± So it was because Yeager invited him to the wedding that he got so mad and hit Yeager? ¡°Cedric¡¯s just like that. After we broke up, he was a mess over me. Don¡¯t think that he¡¯s like this because he loves you too much. He just can¡¯t stand seeing his ex-girlfriend suddenly with someone else My ex¨Cboyfriend was the same way just a few words of well wishing got him to hit someone, including every girl he dated afterwards. In Cedric¡¯s mind, he¡¯s always had this possessiveness over things from the past¡­¡± ¡°Really?¡± Hailey asked with a sarcastic smile, as if she was reflecting on her own overthinking and misunderstanding of Cedric, not realizing that he was like this with all his ex¨Cgirlfriends ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Norene She and Cedric were together for a long time.¡± ¡°No need, what you said is enough¡± Hailey didn¡¯t know about Hertha and Cedric¡¯s past, only that Hertha was Cedric¡¯s first love, his publicly acknowledged girlfriend. Her words, without a doubt¡­. Feeling awkward, Hailey said I should go and, like she was running away, left the hospital. Watching Hailey¡¯s hasty departure, a smug smile crept onto Hertha¡¯s face Chapter 976 Chapter 976 The next day, Eleanor woke up, saw Nina off, and immediately dialed Hailey ¡°Hailey, have you visited Mr. Laurence yet?¡± I¡¯ve been ¡± 1 Hailey who was having her breakfast, replied absent¨Cmindedly Hearing Hailey¡¯s indifferent reply Eleanor could tell that she didn¡¯t seem to care much about Cedric, which baffled her ¡°Have you sorted out your issues with him?¡± Sigrid had already filled Bernard in on Mr. Laurence¡¯s car ident N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Therefore, Eleanor was aware that Cedric had the ident because he was upset after witnessing Hailey kissing Yeager She thought that if there was a conflict between the two, and the man got hurt, a visit from the woman should help ease the tension. ¡°His girlfriend was there, so there¡¯s nothing for me to sort out * Eleanor was taken aback when she heard that his girlfriend was present. ¡°His girlfriend is_7¡± If Cedric had a girlfriend, he would usually show her off, but she hadn¡¯t seen any woman around him recently ¡°It¡¯s the same one as before, Hertha¡± Upon hearing Hertha¡¯s name, Eleanor finally understood ¡°If I knew this, I wouldn¡¯t have called you.¡± Seeing Cedric¡¯s ex¨Cgirlfriend in such a situation must have been ufortable for Hailey ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not your fault¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t know that Cedric¡¯s girlfriend was there, which had nothing to do with her. ¡°So, did your conflict with him get worse because of Hertha?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just about Hertha_¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Eleanor was a bit confused Besides Hertha, was there someone else? After pondering for a moment, Hailey decided to tell Eleanor the whole story. After a period of silence, Eleanor finally understood the situation and her eyebrows furrowed slightly She believed that Cedric¡¯s ident indicated that he still had feelings for Hailey. And the fact that Hailey was so worried about Cedric¡¯s ident showed that she still cared for him. However, Hailey¡¯s current boyfriend was Yeager, and saying too much would only put Hailey in a difficult position. After a mental struggle, Eleanor decided to speak her mind ¡°Hailey even though Yeager is your boyfriend, I still want to say that Cedric isn¡¯t a brute.¡± Eleanor could never forget that one stormy night five years ago when she was soaked to the bone and couldn¡¯t find a ride home. Cedric stopped and let her in his car. Seeing her shivering, he even turned up the heat and gave her an umbre. He was polite and gentlemanly throughout Maybe Cedric¡¯s personality had changed a bit after he and Hailey broke up, but he was essentially a gentleman. Even if he was a yer, he wasn¡¯t a man without ss. There must be some misunderstanding ¡°Last time at Liana¡¯s vi, a few words from Yeager pissed off Cedric. This time at the hospital, in your absence, Yeager might have said something inappropriate. It doesn¡¯t make sense that he would get so angry that he would resort to violence just because he was invited to a wedding Eleanor¡¯s words gradually calmed Harley¡¯s turbulent emotions She thought carefully and realized the truth in Eleanor¡¯s words. Cedric was a man of few words and didn¡¯t like to y the victim, so he wouldn¡¯t say much when she asked him. And knowing that Hertha wanted to marry Cedric, she still went to Hertha for answers How could she expect the truth? She had acted impulsively wafiout thinking, but ¡°Yeager doesnt seem like the type to lie Plus, he was the one who asked me to visit Cedric.¡± It seems like it¡¯s often easier for outsiders to see the truth. Just like when Eleanor was in trouble, Hailey was there to remind her. Now it¡¯s Eleanor¡¯s turn to help analyze the situation for Hailey ¡°When he asked you to visit Cedric, he was indeed open¨Cminded But why did he wait until after you left to bring flowers and fruit to the hospital?¡± A truly open¨Cminded person wouldn¡¯t have gone after you, or would have suggested going together when you nned to visit, or simply wouldn¡¯t have gone. These are all things a boyfriend could do. But to let you go first, then follow alone, then awold you to go back to Cedric, was that really okay? ¡°So you¡¯re saying Yeager did it on purpose?¡± Eleanor found it hard to respond to this. She wasn¡¯t sure if Yeager did it on purpose or simply to protect his girlfriend Either way, Eleanor felt it wasn¡¯t right for him to go to Cedric when he was injured Any other time would have been fine Seeing that Eleanor wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. Hailey didn¡¯t press further. She decided to ask Yeager herself what he had said to Cedric Chapter 977 Chapter 977 She¡¯d just hung up the phone with Eleanor when Marina walked in with Yeager ¡°Dr. Yeager, have you had your breakfast yet? Do you want me to get some food for you?¡± Yeager politely declined, ¡°Thanks Marina, but I¡¯ve already had my breakfast, so don¡¯t trouble yourself ¡° Marina was always fond of these polite youngsters, unlike that Mr. Laurence who was always haughty and expected Hailey to wait on him hand and foot Marina chuckled and led him to the dining room, Hailey, Dr. Yeager came bright and early to see you¡± Hailey was just about to go find Yeager, but seeing him already there, she invited him to sit down Marina cleaned up Hailey¡¯s leftover breakfast, then brought them both a cup of coffee After Manna had finished her tasks, Hailey turned to Yeager, ¡°I was just about to go look for you, didn¡¯t expect you to beat me to the punch¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Yeager didn¡¯t ask why Hailey was looking for him, instead he reached out, holding Hailey¡¯s hands tightly, apologizing sincerely ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m sorry I was too selfish yesterday I was the one who suggested you visit Mr Laurence, but I couldn¡¯t help but tag along Maybe I was scared you¡¯d go back to him because he¡¯s hurt I was so dumb to try to keep you by my side this way, I didn¡¯t realize my presence would piss off Mr Laurence. I¡¯m really sorry¡± Yeager¡¯s eyes were filled with regret, looking like he¡¯d made a huge mistake, appearing extremely quilty and helpless. Hailey shifted her gaze away from Yeager¡¯s face, looking down at the hands that were tightly gripping hers. She felt an urge to pull away, but Yeager¡¯s grip was strong. holding on like a lifeline ¡°Hailey let me finish, and then you can decide whether or not you want to let go of my hand,¡± Yeager said, determination in his voice. Puzzled. Hailey looked at him and asked, ¡°What?¡± Yeager took a deep breath, preparing toy everything out. After I went back to the room yesterday, I said some not¨Cso¨Cnice things to Mr. Laurence¡± Hailey had expected to have to pry the information out of him, so his immediate admission left her taken aback. ¡°Why would you say nasty things to him?¡± Anger slowly began to show on Yeager¡¯s face as he exined further. ¡®Because he doesn¡¯t respect you. You rushed to see him and he knocked over the fruit we brought and asked us to leave. I was really mad then, and I felt it wasn¡¯t fair to you. Why does he let his girlfriend provoke you, but you can¡¯t bring your boyfriend to see him?¡± ¡°I was so mad, that¡¯s why I took the chance when delivering flowers to go back to the room and give him a piece of my mind. I was angry, so of course what I said wasn¡¯t pleasant But I didn¡¯t say anything too out of line, just spoke about our harmonious interactions. But he couldn¡¯t ept it ¡°Hailey, Mr. Laurence¡¯s feelings for you aren¡¯t just shallow desires, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t be unable to ept it. He clearly still wants to have you, but I¡¯m your boyfriend now He¡¯s always hovering around you, watching you, what am I supposed to do?¡± Yeagerid out his selfishness, which made even the annoyed Hailey suddenly see things from his perspective, and even felt that what he did wasn¡¯t that unreasonable ¡°Hailey, the reason I didn¡¯t tell the truth when Mr. Laurence questioned us was because the situation made it hard for me to speak out. You know his girlfriend was there, if I said Mr. Laurence loves you, what would his girlfriend think? It would be awkward for all of us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry he was misunderstood, and I¡¯m sorry I lied to you, if Here, Yeager suddenly paused, and when he looked up at Hailey again, his eyes were filled with tears. Chapter 978 Chapter 978 ¡°if you think I¡¯m a jerk, then you can choose to leave me I won¡¯tin, just He took a deep breath, gripped Hailey¡¯s hand again, and ced it in his own palm ¡°I¡¯ve liked you since high school my feelings for you have always been genuine and unchanged If it wasn¡¯t for Mr. Laurence, I wouldn¡¯t have be like this. He exined what happened yesterday, admitted his mistakes, expressed his desires openly med Cedric, and chose to step back ¡°Now you want to let go of my hand? The choice is yours¡± Hailey stared at Yeager¡¯s clear and bright eyes, a bit confused for a moment ¨C| ? ¡°I know in your heart you prefer Cedric. If you choose to leave me, choose him, I¡¯ve got nothing to say Prefer Cednic N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Yes, she couldn¡¯t let go of Cedric, while being with Yeager at the same time, which was unfair to Yeager. So, even the nice guy Yeager, would provoke Cedric and say some nasty things because of her, all of this was actually her fault¡­. Tm sorry. Yeager, I didn¡¯tpletely cut off ties with him, which led you to do some disgraceful things, I.¡± ¡°You¡¯re about to let go of my hand, right?¡± The smile at the corner of Yeager¡¯s mouth grew more bitter, as if he was prepared to be abandoned by her, but his heart was in extreme pain. ¡°It¡¯s okay, as long as you and Mr. Laurence are happy, just think of me as a brief passerby He finished speaking, held Hailey¡¯s hand to his cheek, then painfully let go of her hand. Seeing that Hailey didn¡¯t hold his hand in return, Yeager¡¯s eyes were filled with loss, as if he was falling into the abyss. ¡°You take care of yourself, I¡¯ll go now¡± As he got up, he identally hit the corner of the table, rubbing his thigh in pain as he rushed to leave, leaving Hailey clenching her fist. She sat in the restaurant, staring nkly at the table, when suddenly Marina¡¯s panicked voice came from outside- ¡°Haileye quick, Dr. Yeager had a car ident!¡± Hailey¡¯s heart raced. She immediately got up and ran outside, seeing Yeager¡¯s car crashed into a wall, the front end caved in, smoke billowing in a state of panic, Hailey screamed and rushed over to the car. Through the window, she saw Yeager¡¯s slumped form, his face against the airbag, and a deep cut on the hand that had been gripping the steering wheel, blood pouring out. Desperate to help him, she tried to open the car door, but it was locked. She frantically pounded on the window, urging him to wake up. ¡°You need to wake up! Open the car door quickly!¡± Yeager, though still somewhat conscious, managed to twitch his eyshes slightly Seeing Hailey¡¯s distress as she desperately knocked on the window, his eyes gradually cleared Despite the pain, he tried to reach for the unlock button. As soon as the door opened, Hailey quickly moved to assist him. ¡°Are you okay?¡± The helped¨Cout Yeager leaned against the door, sitting on the ground ¡°I¡¯m fine ¡°Your hand is cut, are you hurt anywhere else?¡± Hailey was some what worried, carefully checking Yeager¡¯s injuries, but Yeager tightly gripped her hand. ¡°Hailey, don¡¯t worry, only my hand is hurt, the rest of me is fine.¡± ¡°We should still go to the hospital to check¡± Hailey helped him up. Marina by the side said, ¡°I¡¯ve called an ambnce, it will be here soon Upon hearing this news, Hailey didn¡¯t forcibly drag Yeager away, ¡°Marina, can you get me a first aid kit? Let¡¯s stop the bleeding first.¡± Yeager is a surgeon if his hand is injured, how will he perform surgeries in the future? We must make sure that there is no problem with his hand. Marina quickly brought over hemostatic powder and gauze, and when Hailey sprinkled the powder on the wound. Yeager couldn¡¯t help but cry out in pain. ¡°Does it hurt a lot? Il be gentipe Hailey¡¯s movements graddally became gentler Yeager looked at the fully concentrated Hailey who was stopping his bleeding, he couldn¡¯t help but grip her hand again ¡°Hailey, I just realized that breaking up is so painful. I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m going to get through the days without you. The warmth passing between their fingers made Hailey freeze in her tracks She looked up at Yeager, his hair all wild and messy, his forehead slick with cold sweat He looked like a completely different person from the gentleman she first met. She knew that all this disarray was because of her Yeager had racked his brain to keep her by his side, including the strategic moves he just made. Hailey had seen it all. But he also honestly told her that all this was because Cedric wouldn¡¯t let go of her The blood trickling from Yeager¡¯s hand dripped onto Hailey¡¯s, causing her to hesitate for a long while before she raised her hand again to stop his bleeding ¡°Have you set a date to meet with your parents?¡± Yeager looked puzzled at her sudden question ¡°Yeah, they¡¯reing back next month¡± After saying this, Yeager added ¡°Don¡¯t worry, when I go back, I¡¯ll call and cancel their trip.¡± Hailey paused for a moment before lifting her head to look at him. ¡°If you¡¯ve already set a date, then don¡¯t change it Yeager was taken aback, then quickly caught on ¡°You. You¡¯re not nning to break up with me?¡± Hailey shook her head firmly ¡°No.¡± She¡¯s not the kind of person who changes her mind easily. Yeager hadn¡¯t done anything fundamentally wrong, he just did some shady things out of fear of Cedric. It wouldn¡¯t be fair to ditch Yeager just for that. Seeing that Hailey had no intention of breaking up, Yeager was overjoyed Ignoring the wound on his hand, he pulled Hailey into a tight hug. ¡°I thought after today, I wouldn¡¯t get another chance to be with you¡­¡± He rested his chin on Hailey¡¯s shoulder, saying with great affection, ¡°Hailey, thank you for choosing to forgive me¡± Hailey didn¡¯t say anything, just gently patting his back. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the hospital first¡± After Yeager was treated and stitched up at the hospital, Hailey sat down in front of his bed. ¡°Mr. Laurence was wrongly used, we need to give him a fair treatment. I¡¯ll go see him now, apologize and then cut off all contact. Will you mind?¡± Hailey¡¯s words meant she nned to sever ties with Cedric. Yeager, being the smart guy he is, caught her drift. ¡°I won¡¯t mind, but the person who should apologize is me, not you. After all, I¡¯m the one who wrongly used him,¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to go.¡± Hailey shook her head, and Yeager¡¯s eyes fell ¡°I know that Mr. Laurence, like me, doesn¡¯t want to see me and you together¡± Hailey could see the pain written all over Yeager¡¯s face. Gazing into his handsome features, she spoke calmly, ¡°I truly want to marry you and build a life together Once Imit to someone, I¡¯m loyal and won¡¯t easily change my mind, unless you betray me. So, you don¡¯t need to worry about Mr. Laurence anymore, and please don¡¯t provoke him. If you repeat this mistake, I won¡¯t be able to forgive you.¡± Her words were firm and resolute. Harley made it clear that she wouldn¡¯t tolerate any further provocations towards Cedric, and her love had its limits Yeager understood the gravity of her words. He looked at her and nodded, promising, ¡°Okay, I hear you I won¡¯t provoke him again.¡± Although he acknowledged that his actions weren¡¯t entirely fair, he believed that keeping the love of his life by his side was worth taking a different approach. Yeager didn¡¯t see anything wrong with using certain tactics to get what he wanted. He should do everything possible to fight for it! After clearing things up with Yeager, Hailey left to go to the hospital where Cedric was As soon as she got in the car, Eleanor called ¡°Hailey, did you ask Yeager? Did he tell you what nasty things he said?¡± While driving. Hailey answered Eleanor¡¯s question ¡°He didn¡¯t tell me what he said exactly, but it¡¯s not important now I¡¯ve made up my mind¡± Chapter 979 Chapter 979 The warmth passing between their fingers made Hailey freeze in her tracks She looked up at Yeager, his hair all wild and messy, his forehead slick with cold sweat He looked like a completely different person from the gentleman she first met. She knew that all this disarray was because of her Yeager had racked his brain to keep her by his side, including the strategic moves he just made. Hailey had seen it all. But he also honestly told her that all this was because Cedric wouldn¡¯t let go of her The blood trickling from Yeager¡¯s hand dripped onto Hailey¡¯s, causing her to hesitate for a long while before she raised her hand again to stop his bleeding This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°Have you set a date to meet with your parents?¡± Yeager looked puzzled at her sudden question ¡°Yeah, they¡¯reing back next month¡± After saying this, Yeager added ¡°Don¡¯t worry, when I go back, I¡¯ll call and cancel their trip.¡± Hailey paused for a moment before lifting her head to look at him. ¡°If you¡¯ve already set a date, then don¡¯t change it Yeager was taken aback, then quickly caught on ¡°You. You¡¯re not nning to break up with me?¡± Hailey shook her head firmly ¡°No.¡± She¡¯s not the kind of person who changes her mind easily. Yeager hadn¡¯t done anything fundamentally wrong, he just did some shady things out of fear of Cedric. It wouldn¡¯t be fair to ditch Yeager just for that. Seeing that Hailey had no intention of breaking up, Yeager was overjoyed Ignoring the wound on his hand, he pulled Hailey into a tight hug. ¡°I thought after today, I wouldn¡¯t get another chance to be with you¡­¡± He rested his chin on Hailey¡¯s shoulder, saying with great affection, ¡°Hailey, thank you for choosing to forgive me¡± Hailey didn¡¯t say anything, just gently patting his back. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the hospital first¡± After Yeager was treated and stitched up at the hospital, Hailey sat down in front of his bed. ¡°Mr. Laurence was wrongly used, we need to give him a fair treatment. I¡¯ll go see him now, apologize and then cut off all contact. Will you mind?¡± Hailey¡¯s words meant she nned to sever ties with Cedric. Yeager, being the smart guy he is, caught her drift. ¡°I won¡¯t mind, but the person who should apologize is me, not you. After all, I¡¯m the one who wrongly used him,¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to go.¡± Hailey shook her head, and Yeager¡¯s eyes fell ¡°I know that Mr. Laurence, like me, doesn¡¯t want to see me and you together¡± Hailey could see the pain written all over Yeager¡¯s face. Gazing into his handsome features, she spoke calmly, ¡°I truly want to marry you and build a life together Once Imit to someone, I¡¯m loyal and won¡¯t easily change my mind, unless you betray me. So, you don¡¯t need to worry about Mr. Laurence anymore, and please don¡¯t provoke him. If you repeat this mistake, I won¡¯t be able to forgive you.¡± Her words were firm and resolute. Harley made it clear that she wouldn¡¯t tolerate any further provocations towards Cedric, and her love had its limits Yeager understood the gravity of her words. He looked at her and nodded, promising, ¡°Okay, I hear you I won¡¯t provoke him again.¡± Although he acknowledged that his actions weren¡¯t entirely fair, he believed that keeping the love of his life by his side was worth taking a different approach. Yeager didn¡¯t see anything wrong with using certain tactics to get what he wanted. He should do everything possible to fight for it! After clearing things up with Yeager, Hailey left to go to the hospital where Cedric was As soon as she got in the car, Eleanor called ¡°Hailey, did you ask Yeager? Did he tell you what nasty things he said?¡± While driving. Hailey answered Eleanor¡¯s question ¡°He didn¡¯t tell me what he said exactly, but it¡¯s not important now I¡¯ve made up my mind¡± Chapter 980 Chapter 980 Eleanor, who was in the middle of a sketch, paused, put down her pen and ruler, and picked up the phone ¡°What¡¯s been cooked in your noodle?¡± ¡°I only agreed to date when Cedric shows up Yeager Ager because I was pissed at Cedric Thad my selfish reasons, but Yeager really took it seriously. He¡¯s been great to me, only getting out of line Eleanor got the gist Halley knew what Yeager had done, but chose to forgive him, only¡­. ¡°What about Cedric? He must be pretty bummed out, being misunderstood and all¡® Eleanor was coaxing Hailey to consider Cedric¡¯s feelings too As Hailey thought about Cedric¡¯s red faced rage and how he had been misunderstood, guilt washed over her, but she suppressed it. She exined to Eleanor, ¡°When I agreed to marry Yeager, he had already set the date with his family I can¡¯t push him away just because of my mistake. I have to take responsibility for my actions and not deceive him or his family, otherwise, I¡¯ll feel guilty¡± It became clear that Hailey was already aware of the dilemma she was facing Her consideration extended beyond just personal feelings, and she felt a sense of responsibility towards Yeager and his family, which made her decision even moreplicated If Eleanor were in her shoes, she wouldn¡¯t be able to help Hailey make the right decision either. After a few seconds of silence, she advised Hailey ¡°You haven¡¯t been with Yeager for long, maybe give it more time before you consider tying the knot?* It was apparent that Yeager was not a bad person, but Hailey¡¯s feelings towards him seemed to be lukewarm at best. Hailey believed it¡¯s preferable to marry someone who loved her rather than someone she loved. This way, even if she got hurt or betrayed eventually, she could walk away without regrets. For her, no love meant no pain. Hailey¡¯s perspective on marriage was valid, and she wanted to protect herself from potential heartache. However, as Hailey¡¯s friend, Eleanor wished for her happiness. She shared her own experience of choosing a man she loved, which led to a happy marriage despite initial pain. Eleanor¡¯s approach was to face whatever the future held with the person she loved. But Hailey¡¯s past negative experience with marriage had left asting impression, shaping her cautious outlook on love andmitment. Both Hailey¡¯s and Eleanor¡¯s viewpoints had their merits, reflecting their individual perspectives and life experiences. Ultimately, Hailey¡¯s choice would be influenced by her own understanding of love, trust, and the desire for a fulfilling rtionship. As her friend, Eleanor could only hope for the best for Hailey and support her in whichever decision she made. ¡°I know you¡¯re worried about me, but don¡¯t sweat it, I be fine.¡± Eleanor wanted to reason with Hailey further, but Hailey didn¡¯t want to talk about it anymore. ¡°You¡¯re busy enough, stop worrying about me. Get ready for your court thing¡± Hailey knew about Eleanor being sued by Evelyn Ziegler and having to go to the international court. Eleanor swamped with Hailey¡¯s stuff, it s not fair to burden Eleanor with her love life too After brushing off Eleanor, Hailey found an excuse and hung up. Eleanor stared at the nk screen, feeling down, and let out a deep sigh. Sitting on the couch, Bernard, who was reading a financial report, waved her over ¡°Come here¡± Eleanor put down her phone, got up from her desk, and walked over to Bernard. Stopping in front of him, Bernard reached out his fair hands, put his arm around her waist, and had her sit on hisp ¡°So Ms. Vulpe has decided to forgive Yeager Eleanor wrapped her arms around his neck, rested her forehead against his. ¡°Darling how did you know?¡± After saying her piece, Eleanor released her hold on Bernard¡¯s neck and yfully pinched his face. ¡°Look at my memory you were right across from me, you must have heard everything,¡® she teased Bernard had an incredibly handsome face, and normally his face and hair were off limits to touch, but Eleanor was the exception. She always enjoyed pinching his face and messing with his hair in the past Eleanor, who was in the middle of a sketch, paused, put down her pen and ruler, and picked up the phone ¡°What¡¯s been cooked in your noodle?¡± ¡°I only agreed to date when Cedric shows up Yeager Ager because I was pissed at Cedric Thad my selfish reasons, but Yeager really took it seriously. He¡¯s been great to me, only getting out of line Eleanor got the gist Halley knew what Yeager had done, but chose to forgive him, only¡­. ¡°What about Cedric? He must be pretty bummed out, being misunderstood and all¡® Eleanor was coaxing Hailey to consider Cedric¡¯s feelings too As Hailey thought about Cedric¡¯s red faced rage and how he had been misunderstood, guilt washed over her, but she suppressed it. She exined to Eleanor, ¡°When I agreed to marry Yeager, he had already set the date with his family I can¡¯t push him away just because of my mistake. I have to take responsibility for my actions and not deceive him or his family, otherwise, I¡¯ll feel guilty¡± It became clear that Hailey was already aware of the dilemma she was facing Her consideration extended beyond just personal feelings, and she felt a sense of responsibility towards Yeager and his family, which made her decision even moreplicated If Eleanor were in her shoes, she wouldn¡¯t be able to help Hailey make the right decision either. After a few seconds of silence, she advised Hailey ¡°You haven¡¯t been with Yeager for long, maybe give it more time before you consider tying the knot?* It was apparent that Yeager was not a bad person, but Hailey¡¯s feelings towards him seemed to be lukewarm at best. Hailey believed it¡¯s preferable to marry someone who loved her rather than someone she loved. This way, even if she got hurt or betrayed eventually, she could walk away without regrets. For her, no love meant no pain. Hailey¡¯s perspective on marriage was valid, and she wanted to protect herself from potential heartache. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. However, as Hailey¡¯s friend, Eleanor wished for her happiness. She shared her own experience of choosing a man she loved, which led to a happy marriage despite initial pain. Eleanor¡¯s approach was to face whatever the future held with the person she loved. But Hailey¡¯s past negative experience with marriage had left asting impression, shaping her cautious outlook on love andmitment. Both Hailey¡¯s and Eleanor¡¯s viewpoints had their merits, reflecting their individual perspectives and life experiences. Ultimately, Hailey¡¯s choice would be influenced by her own understanding of love, trust, and the desire for a fulfilling rtionship. As her friend, Eleanor could only hope for the best for Hailey and support her in whichever decision she made. ¡°I know you¡¯re worried about me, but don¡¯t sweat it, I be fine.¡± Eleanor wanted to reason with Hailey further, but Hailey didn¡¯t want to talk about it anymore. ¡°You¡¯re busy enough, stop worrying about me. Get ready for your court thing¡± Hailey knew about Eleanor being sued by Evelyn Ziegler and having to go to the international court. Eleanor swamped with Hailey¡¯s stuff, it s not fair to burden Eleanor with her love life too After brushing off Eleanor, Hailey found an excuse and hung up. Eleanor stared at the nk screen, feeling down, and let out a deep sigh. Sitting on the couch, Bernard, who was reading a financial report, waved her over ¡°Come here¡± Eleanor put down her phone, got up from her desk, and walked over to Bernard. Stopping in front of him, Bernard reached out his fair hands, put his arm around her waist, and had her sit on hisp ¡°So Ms. Vulpe has decided to forgive Yeager Eleanor wrapped her arms around his neck, rested her forehead against his. ¡°Darling how did you know?¡± After saying her piece, Eleanor released her hold on Bernard¡¯s neck and yfully pinched his face. ¡°Look at my memory you were right across from me, you must have heard everything,¡® she teased Bernard had an incredibly handsome face, and normally his face and hair were off limits to touch, but Eleanor was the exception. She always enjoyed pinching his face and messing with his hair in the past, she didn¡¯t dare to be so affectionate, but after getting married, Bernard had given her a sense of security that allowed her to feelfortable showing her love in such yful ways Bernard enjoyed ler antics and grabbed her wandering hand, looking up at Eleanor with affection. Her eyes were bright, and her face was adorned with a happy smile. ¡°Even if I didn¡¯t hear I could guess¡± ¡°Huh? How can you predict the future?¡± Bernard gently pinched her nose, then lifted her up in one swift move. Caught off guard, Eleanor had no choice but to wrap her legs around his waist. ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± ¡°To check on my unfortunate little brother, see if he¡¯s crying his eyes out ¡± , she didn¡¯t dare to be so affectionate, but after getting married, Bernard had given her a sense of security that allowed her to feelfortable showing her love in such yful ways Bernard enjoyed ler antics and grabbed her wandering hand, looking up at Eleanor with affection. Her eyes were bright, and her face was adorned with a happy smile. ¡°Even if I didn¡¯t hear I could guess¡± ¡°Huh? How can you predict the future?¡± Bernard gently pinched her nose, then lifted her up in one swift move. Caught off guard, Eleanor had no choice but to wrap her legs around his waist. ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± ¡°To check on my unfortunate little brother, see if he¡¯s crying his eyes out ¡± Chapter 981 Chapter 981 While waiting for the traffic light, Hailey spotted a candy store by the street and remembered how Cedric once told her he loved orange vored gummy candies Back then, she was nestled in his arms and asked him why he liked a candy usually favored by little girls. He told her that on the night she identally hurt him, he relied on these qummies to ease the pain, and every time he had one, it reminded him of her Hailey stared at the candy store, hesitated for a few seconds, then parked her car and went in. It took her a while to find the orange vored gummies She bought a heap of them and headed to the hospital, walking directly to Cedric¡¯s hospital room. The room was packed with people, mostly Cedric¡¯s friends, all trying to cheer him up. However, Cedric didn¡¯t show much reaction, his expression changed only slightly when he spotted her through the crowd Seeing her arrival, Chase quickly found an excuse to leave with the others. Once they were gone, only Hailey and Cedric were left in the room Cedric didn¡¯t seem interested in talking He just closed his eyes. Hailey nced at him, walked over, and sat where Chase had been sitting ¡°Mr. Laurence, I know you don¡¯t want to see me again, but rest assured, after this, I won¡¯t bother you anymore.¡± Cedric¡¯s hand clenched slightly, then rxed ¡°What do you want?¡± he asked, finally breaking his silence. Seeing him speak, Harley¡¯s eyes showed a hint of apology ¡°I¡¯ve found out about the false charges Yeager put on you. I¡¯m sorry for all the trouble you¡¯ve been through¡± Her apology stung him a little. Although he tried to hide his hurt, it was still a tough pill to swallow. But Hailey¡¯s ¡®sorry for the trouble¡± eased his pain a bit. ¡°Do you finally see Yeager for who he is?¡± He red at Hailey, hurt evident in his eyes. Hailey nodded, didn¡¯t say anything else, just handed the gummies to Cedric. ¡°Your spine¡¯s injured, I assume it hurts more than when you broke a bone. I bought a bunch of orange¨C vored gummies for you. Have one when it hurts.¡± Cedric looked at the several bags of gummies, his nose stinging even more. Nearly two years had passed since they broke up. Hailey hadn¡¯t shown any concern orfort for him¡­ He thought she had forgotten his love for this particr candy but she remembered. Cedric felt a little better, even though his heart was still aching ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll let it slide just because you bought me some candy¡± Seeing Cedric acting like a child, Hailey smiled a little, took another candy from the bag, unwrapped it, and held it to his lips. ¡°I¡¯m not a kid. I don¡¯t want it N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Cedric kept his lips tightly closed, refusing her. But when Hailey kept trying to pop the candy into his mouth, he finally gave in and ate it. In reality, he was just like a child, easily appeased by a piece of candy. Although Hailey knew this, she had never acted on it, which hurt him. Seeing Cedric savoring the candy, Harley couldn¡¯t help but tear up. ¡°Cedric, I bought you a lot of candies. If you get hurt in the future, have one, but¡­¡± She paused, taking a deep breath,¡°I hope you won¡¯t remember me anymore.¡± No sooner had Cedric tasted the sweetness of the candy than it turned bitter because of her words. He stopped chewing, lifted his eyes, and looked at the woman sitting in front of him. Just one look was enough to tell him why she was here. ¡°So even knowing Yepger treated me unfairly, you still have no intention of leaving him, huh?!¡± He had thought that her knowing the truth and buying him candies tofort him meant she wanted to make up. He didn¡¯t expect her to have no ns of breaking up with Yeager Chapter 982 Chapter 982 Halley watched as Cedric¡¯s eyes gradually turned bloodshot, her hand unconsciously clenching ¡°Yeager hasn¡¯t done anything out of line, so I don¡¯t have any reason to break up with him. But I feel like I owe you an apology because I¡¯ve tarnished your reputation¡± that Hailey had given Cedric felt like aplete chump, his mood easily changed with a piece of candy In just a short minute, he had already forgiven her. But what was him? ¡°So, you won¡¯t break up with him just because he hasn¡¯t done anything wrong? Would it take Yeager betraying you like your ex¨Chusband did for you to break up with him? If that¡¯s the case, Hailey, I have to say your taste is questionable, and if you end up getting dumped, it¡¯s your own damn fault¡± Cedric¡¯s words were harsh. His strong voice hammered into Hailey¡¯s heart, draining the color from her eyes. ¡°Cedric, even if I end up getting dumped, that¡¯s my business, not yours¡­¡± Cedric couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°If it¡¯s none of my business, then why don¡¯t you run off to Yeager? Why are you still sitting here?!¡± Hailey, looking at the prickly Cedric, took another deep breath ¡± ¡°I¡¯m still here because I want to tell you that we shouldn¡¯t see each other anymore. If Yeager finds out, he might do something bad. For your own good, let¡¯s disappear from each other¡¯s lives after today¡­¡± ¡°Heh, for my own good¡­¡± Cedric, deeply disappointed in Hailey, couldn¡¯t help but sneer. ¡°I told you yesterday that I didn¡¯t want to see you anymore, I thought I made it clear that I wanted to cut tiespletely. You didn¡¯t have toe all the way here to repeat With that, Cedric once again raised his hand and threw the bags of candy at Hailey. ¡°Take your candy and give it to your Yeager I don¡¯t want it!¡± Hailey, hit by the flying candy, didn¡¯t argue with Cedric. Like in the old days, when he lost his temper, she would just quietly bend down and pick up the candy he threw on the floor. Watching her squatting on the floor, quietly picking up the candy, Cedric felt both angry and wronged. ¡°Hailey, you know I love you, right?¡± Hailey¡¯s hand, clutching the candy, stiffened momentarily, but quickly rxed After she put the candy back in the bag and ced it on the bedside table, she looked up at the fuming Cedric ¡°I know, but Yeager and I are at the point of getting married, I can¡¯t break my promise, I¡¯m sorry¡± ¡°What about me? What am I supposed to do?¡± Cedric¡¯s voice trembled as he asked, his pale face drained of color. He could sense that Hailey was resolute about severing all ties with him this time. Despite his anger towards her, he couldn¡¯t bear the thought of letting her go. Admitting his weakness, he knew he was in love with Hailey, despite her ws In that moment, Cedric appeared utterly pathetic and heartbroken in front of her, and Hailey¡¯s own heart ached witnessing his pain. She tried to console him, saying, ¡°Cedric, you¡¯re a good guy, and you¡¯ll find someone better than me in the future.¡± Despite the pain, Cedric still reached out and pulled Hailey into his arms. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°No, no one is better for me than you, and I don¡¯t want anyone else, I only want you.¡± Cedric held her tightly, as if trying to melt her into his bones, using up all his strength ¡°Hailey, I only want you¡± Hailey had never felt such passionate love from Cedric before, and for the first time, her heart started to race. ¡°Cedric, I¡¯m too selfish, I don¡¯t deserve you.¡± She was a selfish woman. The person she loved most was always herself. Because look, even though Cedric had a girlfriend, he didn¡¯t hesitate to confess his love to her. She couldn¡¯t imagine if she were with Cedric, would he confess his love to her while holding another woman? Just imagining that scenario ferrified her, how could she possibly choose him? She thought that evepif Yeager betrayed her, it wouldn¡¯t shatter her heart like Cedric would. So, to protect hergell, she decided to let go of Cedric, she decided to continue being selfish¡­. Chapter 983 Chapter 983 She lifted her hand, giving Cedric a light pat on the back, just like the way she used tofort him when he needed it. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you po hang tough¡± ??? Even pulling her into a tight embrace, Cedric could feel her slipping away Fear crept in, and he held Hailey lighter ¡°Hailey. If you walk away today, I¡¯ll be mad at you He was a decent guy, he wouldn¡¯t go overboard even if he was mad. Hailey gently stroked his hair ¡°Cedric, I can¡¯t turn back¡­¡± He thought If he held on to her, she wouldn¡¯t leave, but she still wanted to go. Cedric slowly let go of Halley, his eyes filled with helpless fatigue. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Hailey stood in front of the sickbed, looked at him, and then slowly nodded. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. She was always a determined woman, once she made up her mind, it was hard to change. Cedric knew her character well. But facing such a determined Hailey, Cedric¡¯s eyes were full of helplessness and fatigue. ¡°Then go ¡± Hey in bed, turning his head to look out the window. Looking at his pale yet still handsome profile, Hailey drew a full stop in her heart for their five¨Cyear rtionship ¡°Mr. Laurence, goodbye¡± Hailey¡¯s figure gradually disappeared, Cedric turned his head, watched her, his fists clenched. ¡°Hailey, if you walk out that door today, there¡¯s noing back!¡± This was hisst chance, if missed, it would be gone. Hailey paused for a long time, but in the end, she still left. ¡°Hailey¡± Cedric tried to get up and chase after her, but the pain stopped him. ¡°Hailey.. Cedricy on the bed, desperately calling her name, but she didn¡¯t stop despite his plea Tears silently streamed down his face,nding on the back of his hand. He pulled up the nket, covering his face. Bernard and Eleanor stood outside the door, witnessing the emotional scene. They exchanged nces, and Eleanor leaned in to whisper in Bernard¡¯s ear. ¡°Darling, I¡¯ll go check on Hailey You gofort Cedric Cedric appeared to be in distress, so it seemed like a better idea for Bernard to go instead of Eleanor Bernard frowned, feeling unsure about his ability to console someone ¡°I¡¯m not good atforting people,¡± he admitted Eleanor gently rubbed his arm, reassuring him ¡°Just say something kind and supportive.¡± With that, she turned around and went to find Hailey with Scott Hailey had just run out of the ward, looking quite flustered. They weren¡¯t noticed by her at the door, and they didn¡¯t know how she was doing now. After Eleanor left, Bernard crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, waiting for the person inside to vent and sort out his emotions before he walked in. He was tall and handsome. He walked in and sat down on the chair in front of the sickbed, crossing his legs, looking like he was interrogating a criminal ¡°Except for losing a toy fight when we were kids, I¡¯ve never seen you cry.¡± Cedric was the darling of the Laurence family and the kingpin of the house. No one dared to make him cry growing up. This might be the first time, Hailey really did a number on him. Afterposing himself, Cedric lifted his red eyes, looking at Bernard. Usually, he would try to argue but this time, he chose to stay silent. Chapter 984 Chapter 984 Bernard was a bit out of his element, but remembering Eleanor¡¯s advice, he gently spoke up ¡°What if you just let them date for a while, see how I goes¡± If it wasn¡¯t Bernard on the other side. Cedric would have exploded by now ¡°You¡¯re terrible atforting so just sit quietly with me for a bit¡± Bernard lowered his head, thinking seemingly unable to find any soothing words, so he shut up. After a while, he couldn¡¯t help but speak again ¡°If they date for a bit and realize they¡¯re not a good fit, they¡¯ll break up naturally. Then you can try to patch things up with Ms. Vulpe again, it¡¯ll be much more effective than bothering her now¡± For the love of God please stop talking.¡± Though Bernard¡¯s words weren¡¯t exactlyforting, they were the truth After understanding the whole story, he believed that sooner orter, Yeager would screw up in an unforgivable way. After all, a leopard cant change its spots, Cedric didn¡¯t need to be so anxious. Bernard nced at the gummy candies on the bedside table, took one out, and put it in Cedric¡¯s hand. ¡°The tighter you try to hold onto something, the more it ships away. Just let go, and it might juste back on its own¡± Cedric¡¯s head hung low as he examined the orange gummy candy a bitter smile forming on his lips ¡°Ever since we broke up. I¡¯ve been the one begging for reconciliation, and not once has it worked. What does that tell you?¡± he sighed, his grip tightening around the candy. Gradually. Cedric¡¯s emotions seemed to settle, and he continued, ¡°It tells me she never loved me. And someone who doesnt love me is nevering back¡± Bernard remained silent, observing Cedric attentively, his hand supporting his chin as he tilted his head slightly. After a moment of contemtion, Cedric gazed at the candy for a while before finally looking up at Bernard. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Do you think I did something wrong?¡± he inquired, seeking Bernard¡¯s perspective Bernard blinked, his bright eyes disying a deep understanding, and he prepared to offer his thoughts ¡°Yes, you did¡± Cedric looked at him, puzzled. ¡°What did I do wrong?¡± ¡°I told you a long time ago, don¡¯t mess around with women you don¡¯t really like.¡± But he epted everyone How could Ms Vulpe, an orphan longing for a stable family dare to be with him? Looking into Bernard¡¯s clear and bright eyes, Cedric seemed to understand something . ¡°So it was my past behavior that made her not love me.¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t dare.¡± Didn¡¯t dare? What¡¯s there to fear in loving someone? Cedric didn¡¯t argue, he just felt that Hailey didn¡¯t love him for who he was So, Cedric, it was time to wake up if she didn¡¯t love him, let her go gracefully. With this thought, Cedric unwrapped the candy and put it in his mouth. Although it was sweet, it had a bitter taste. After finishing this candy, he would let go of Hailey, and their messy painful past Swallowing the bitter candy, he put aside all the emotions he shouldn¡¯t have, lifted his head, and smiled at Bernard ¡°I promise you, I¡¯ll work hard like you from now on, no more fooling around.¡± He seemed to have grown up all of a sudden, his words bing more mature than before Bernard looked at Cedric like this for a while, then followed up on his words. ¡°If you want to work hard, then learn management with me from now on.¡± He thought it would take a bit of persuading but Cedric didn¡¯t resist at all and just nodded ¡°Once I can move, you can give me more work¡± Bernard knew be wanted to use work to numb himself, so it wouldn¡¯t hurt so much, just like he once did¡­ Thinking about the time when he was down and out, how Cedric was always there, caring for him, Bernard put his hand on his shoulder ¡°You¡¯ll get what you want, just be patient¡± He gently patted Cedric¡¯s shoulder ¡°And the person who hurt you, I¡¯ll make sure he pays¡± With that, Bernard stood up and left. Aidyn, waiting at the door, handed hum a wet towel. ¡°Mr, Laurence, Dr Yeager is at Liana¡¯s hospital* Bernard nodded slightly, and with a group of bodyguards, headed straight for the hospital and called Yeager into the dean¡¯s office Chapter 985 Chapter 985 With his hands all wrapped up in bandages, Yeager pushed open the door to the dean¡¯s office, only to find Bernard, looking sharp in a ck suit This guy was sitting on the desk, slender, hands in pockets, slightly turned face, like a perfect sculpture. beautiful. His face was stunningly beautiful, features deep, like a work of art, like God¡¯s favorite kid. But such a man exuded an air of nobility and elegance, like Cedric, an aura that was innate N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. When Yeager saw Bernard, he had to admit, he felt inferior in front of Cedric, and timid in front of Bernard ¡°Do you know why I called you?¡± Cold voice, indifferent atmosphere, oppressive feeling. Yeager felt a bit suffocated He looked up at Bernard, and from those star¨Clike deep eyes, he could feel the killing intent ¡°I know¡± Under Bernard¡¯s cold gaze. Yeager stiffened up, clenched his fists, and walked up to him. ¡°Did you call me here to avenge Cedric?¡± Bernard looked at him from beneath his longshes, with a prating power. ¡°Avenge is a bit of a stretch. I just want to ask Dr. Yeager, how do you n to deal with the charges against Cedric?¡± Bernard¡¯s gaze was unfathomable, full of aggression. Yeager found it difficult to maintain eye contact with Bernard. After a few seconds, he involuntarily looked away. ¡°Is such a small matter also something that needs Mr. Laurence to handle personally?¡± Yeager asked, attempting to appear nonchnt despite feeling nervous inside. Knowing he was Hailey¡¯s boyfriend. Yeager felt confident that Bernard wouldn¡¯t take any action against him, regardless of how he treated Cedric. He assumed Bernard would show restraint for Hailey¡¯s sake, so he dared to provoke him However, Bernard seemed to see through Yeager¡¯s thoughts. His eyes flickered with a hint of scornful amusement. ¡°I¡¯ve always handled his problems while growing up. Does Dr. Yeager have a problem with that?¡± Bernard responded, challenging Yeager. Yeager shook his head, also revealing a scornful smile. ¡°It¡¯s nice to have a good brother.¡± He scored Cedric, thinking that such a yboy only relied on the protection of his family, and that it was his brother who had to clean up his mess If Cedric had no family background, no good looks, he wouldn¡¯t even be able topare to him, let alone dream of snatching Hailey away Bernard saw his disdain, but he had no reaction, not even exining what family meant, because he felt it was unnecessary. ¡°For the sake of Ms. Vulpe, I indeed won¡¯t do anything to you. But you need to exin the charges against him. I believe Ms. Vulpe won¡¯t mind ¡± -The card Yeager was relying on was stated so bluntly by Bernard, making him a bit awkward As the CEO of the Lawrence Group, Bernard certainly had a decisive way of speaking ¡°So, Mr. Laurence, how do you want me to handle this?¡± Bernard showed a slight smile. ¡°What do you think you should do?¡± This kind of counter¨Cquestion undoubtedly gave the decision to Yeager, letting him make his own choice and pay for his actions. But Yeager wasn¡¯t willing to give in¡­. ¡°Mr. Laurence, suppose Garett kept trying to get back with your wife¨Cwhat would you do?¡± Yeager asked boldly, seemingly unafraid to address the sensitive issue. Hearing this, Liana and Aidyn, who stood nearby, exchanged nces, impressed by Yeager¡¯s audacity to bring up Garett. They knew Garett was Eleanor¡¯s first love and someone she had been emotionally attached to for many years¨Ca subject that was off limits for Bernard and an obstacle he could never ovee in his lifetime. As Hailey¡¯s boyfriend, Yeager should have been aware of this history between Garett and Eleanor. Even if he wasn¡¯t, when Hailey introduced him to Garett, he should have sensed that there was something significant there Byparing Garett to Cedric, Yeager seemed to underestimate Bernard¡¯s potential reaction. Did he genuinely believe that Bernard wouldn¡¯t take any action against him just because of Hailey¡¯s presence? The situation was filled with tension, and all parties wondered how Bernard would respond to Yeager¡¯s daring question. Chapter 986 Chapter 986 If this were in the past, those words would¡¯ve deeply affected Bernard However, now he had Eleanor, so he was feeling much more rxed. ¡°No one can rece Garett¡± His point was that Garett wasn¡¯t Cedic. He wouldn¡¯t suddenly appear after they got married and attempt to go back in time. That scenario was not even a possibility ¡°So, Mr Laurence, do you think what Cedric did was uneptable?¡± Yeager had a talent for getting to the heart of the matter This question was truly thought provoking Even Liana and Aidyn couldn¡¯t answer ¡°I never said he messed up That was exactly the answer Yeager was fishing for He couldn¡¯t help but let a satisfied smirk creep onto his face ¡°Why are you getting in my face if you think Cedric made a mistake?¡± I¡¯m here to address your framing of Cednic. Get it straight, Dr. Yeager,¡± he rified, showing his concern was solely about Cedric¡¯s situation, not Yeager¡¯s involvement with Hailey But Yeager seemed to be blurring the lines between the two matters. ¡°Mr. Laurence, I framed him because he kept pursuing Hailey, attempting to restart their rtionship. I felt I had a reason to act. So he should face the consequences, right?¡± Yeager defended himself. It was only then that Bernard understood why Ms. Vulpe chose to forgive Yeager ¡°Dr. Yeager, you¡¯re quite the smooth talker. It¡¯s a waste of your talents to be a doctor,¡± Bernard remarked,paring Yeager¡¯s personal actions to his professional life. Yeager didn¡¯t appreciate theparison. ¡°Mr. Laurence, bing a doctor is my dream Please don¡¯t make fun of it, he responded politely but with a hint of difort. It seemed Bernard had hit a nerve, and Yeager responded as if Bernard had crossed a line. Bernard hadn¡¯t mocked Yeager¡¯s profession. He simply believed Yeager was deceptive and couldn¡¯t be trusted, just like a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing¨Cand in that regard, he wasn¡¯t wrong ¡°You may have your reasons, but you shouldn¡¯t have manipted Ms Vulpe. It¡¯s shady and not above board¡± Yeager shrugged it off, spreading his hands ¡°So what? At least it keeps Hailey by my side, right?¡± His tone and gestures were as if to say, ¡°Look, Cedric, the fool, just won¡¯t take a hint. He¡¯s clueless about strategy. And what did he get? Misunderstood and dumped by Halley But look at me, a little cunning, and Hailey chose me. This is the right way.¡± Bemard didn¡¯t agree with his view but didn¡¯t debate. He just arched his eyebrows and asked, ¡°How long do you think she¡¯ll stay with you?¡± Yeager suddenly fell silent. He realized that Hailey¡¯s heart was not with him. His trump card was suddenly worthless. Bernard was seated at his desk. As he stood up, his height gave him a dominating presence that was suffocating Bernard took one step forward, and Yeager instinctively took a step back. It was as if maintaining a certain distance kept him safe from Bernard¡¯s powerful aura. A man who¡¯s used to having the upper hand indeed has a natural fierceness. Just one look could make Yeager cower, even too scared to look up. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Dr. Yeager, you may have plenty of seemingly reasonable excuses, but those don¡¯t concern me. All I know is, my brother has never suffered injustice. I¡¯m here to seek justice for him. If you get my drift, come up with a solution. If you don¡¯t, then y by my rules.¡± What were his rules? Yeager had worked in his hospital long enough to have heard some stories. Apparently, the CEO of the Laurence Group was known for cracking down hard on employees who messed up. Bernard¡¯s power was so immense, who knows if he¡¯d obliterate Yeager¡¯s medical career for his little brother¡¯s sake. The more power one has, the more intimidating they are. What could a schr like Yeager do against a CEO like Bernard? But he just couldn¡¯t swallow this! Why could Cedric do whatever he pleased because of his background? And why was he facing retaliation for using a few tricks to keep his girlfriend? Yeager despised these powerful people who could crush everything with just a word! ¡°Hailey has already forgiven me. Why are you still harping on it, Mr. Laurence?¡± Chapter 987 Chapter 987 If it was someone else, they might be swayed by Yeager¡¯s words, might even start to believe that he wasn¡¯t at fault, that it was all on Cedric But sorry, the bloke standing in front of Yeager wasn¡¯t Hailey but the ultra rational and cool headed Bernand ¡°Dr. Yeager, I¡¯ve said my piece, and I won¡¯t be repeating myself You¡¯ve got five minutes to think it over¡± In other words, Bernard was sticking to his guns, no matter what Yeager had to say, he wasn¡¯t about to budge Yeager was getting ticked off, fists clenched tight. ¡°Mr. Laurence, didn¡¯t you do the same thing to me, snatching Ms. Shultz right out from under Garett¡¯s nose?¡± If he¡¯d only mentioned it once, it could be said it was unintentional, but bringing it up a second time? That¡¯s picking a fight in and simple Yeager¡¯s words weren¡¯t just aimed at Cedric, he was taking a jab at Mr. Laurence¡¯s character. Liana, the matchmaker between Yeager and Hailey, was getting twitchy for Yeager, and tried to give Mr Laurence a heads up before he blew his top ¡®Dr. Yeager, watch your mouth She was hoping Yeager would apologize, but Yeager pretended not to catch on, fists still clenched, ready to take on Bernard. ¡°I heard that Mr. Falsey and Ms. Shultz grew up together, they were always lovebirds. So, why did she end up marrying you?¡± ¡°Dr Yeager, if you don¡¯t know the full story don¡¯tpare Cedric to Mr. Falsey!¡± Liana was really losing her cool, her warning escting from a reminder to a threat. Using her authority as the dean, she warned Yeager not to provoke Mr. Laurence anymorel Yeager finally looked up, meeting a pair of icy cold eyes. He seemed to realize he¡¯d crossed a line, but it was toote to take back his words. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°I did snatch her.¡± Just as Yeager was expecting Bernard to throw a punch, or maybe kick him, Bernard suddenly dropped this bombshell. Those words let Yeager breathe a sigh of relief, and it also gave him the guts to counterattack Bernard. ¡°So, are you saying that you and I are birds of a feather, Mr. Laurence?¡± Bernard chuckled coldly, lips curving upwards in disdain. ¡°I¡¯m not like you I took what I wanted fair and square, not by sneaking around¡± After saying this, Bernard slightly lowered his head, looking down on Yeager with a smug expression. ¡°You¡¯re probably angry because you think that if you had my background, snatching Ms Vulpe would have been like taking candy from a baby. But what you don¡¯t realize is, some people, even if they do have the backing, can¡¯t always get what they want. As it happens, Ms. Vulpe and my wife are cut from the same cloth.¡± His words were deep, and Yeager was lost. But Liana got it. In fact, Hailey values a person¡¯s character the most. Once Hailey sees through Yeager¡¯s true colors, she¡¯ll dump him for good. Even if he wins temporarily, what¡¯s the point? Hailey will ultimately make the right choice based on her true feelings. Yeager didn¡¯t answer, seemed like he was considering how to respond. While he was deep in thought, Bernard closed in on him again. ¡°Dr Yeager, do you feel inferior to Cedric?¡± The man¡¯s icy voice slowly echoed in Yeager¡¯s ears: ¡°Do you know why?¡± Upon hearing this, Yeager clenched his fists tighter. At first, he didn¡¯t think he was any worse than Cedric. When Cedric was bullying Hailey, he¡¯d stood up to Cedric with Hailey. But Cedric had his gang backing him up, even when they ended up at the police station, he had friends to bail him out, while Yeager couldn¡¯t even find awyer. Chase¡¯sment about how could hepete with the Laurence family with his background, had driven a thorn into Yeager¡¯s heart that he hadn¡¯t been able to shake off and now he was feeling more and more inferior to Cedric. This inferiorityplex made him lose his confidence in front of Hailey He could sense that Hailey still had feelings for Cedric, but she was afraid to be with him because she didn¡¯t want to get hurt, so she chose Yeager. Of course, Hailey had made it clear before they started dating that she was with him because she was mad at Cedric, but he had said he didn¡¯t mind. But as time went by, he started to mind. It was inevitable, emotions can be fickle, but Does that mean he deserved to be bullied by Bernard? Chapter 988 Chapter 988 Yeager firmly believed he was meless, ready for a face¨Coff with Bernard ¡°I don¡¯t have his family background, nor a big bro who can solve all my problems, so it¡¯s only natural i can¡¯t outdo him¡± Bernard smiled a gentle, knowing smile ¡°Besides, Cedric doesn¡¯t need to y any tricks to win over Ms. Vulpe¡± His gazended on Yeager¡¯s bandaged hand as he said this Yeaper was taken aback that Bernard had seen through his attempt to fake Cedric¡¯s car ident and felt cornered It was like being stripped naked, no cover left, his inner selfid bare with a few simple sentences As he was drowning in embarrassment, Bernard¡¯s cold voice,ced with mockery, echoed in his ears. ¡°The biggest difference between Cedric and you is that he wouldn¡¯t stoop to your level topete for Ms Vulpe. If he did, you wouldn¡¯t stand a chance¡± The words were patronizing and made Yeager feel like crap It was like a thorn in his heart, exposing his true self. He knew that even though Cedric was a yboy, he was living an honest, carefree life. But from another perspective, if he wanted something, he had to y dirty What¡¯s wrong with that? ¡°You¡¯re not in the wrong but even if you were Cedric, he wouldn¡¯t stoop to that¡± The most significant distinction between them was their character While one could argue that Cedric was at fault for his yboy behavior and persistently pursuing Hailey,pared to Yeager¡¯s maniptive tactics, Cedric didn¡¯t seem as much in the wrong. Yeager¡¯s heart pounded, and he couldn¡¯t meet Bernard¡¯s gaze, showing his inner fear. He knew there were no secrets when facing Bernard. However, despite this knowledge, Yeager tenaciously tried to negotiate with Bernard, seemingly believing that mere words could restore his dignity ¡°You¡¯re siding with Cedric because he¡¯s your cousin, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± Bernard admitted it bluntly, leaving Yeager dumbstruck. ¡°Dr Yeager, you have two options. Either apologize to Cedric personally or leave this hospital.¡± Considering Ms. Vulpe¡¯s reputation, this was the oue. If Ms. Vulpe weren¡¯t Eleanor¡¯s good friend, Bernard probably wouldn¡¯t even bother talking to Yeager Making Yeager apologize to Cedric was out of the question, leaving the hospital¡­ Yeager looked atLiana, who was signaling him to choose the former. This made him resist. *Hailey has already apologized to Cedric on my behalf.¡± Heaning this, Bernard¡¯s disdain for Yeager grewN?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°You let a woman clean up your mess, and you have the guts to say that?¡± Bernard must have been really pissed to say that Yeager, having already pissed him off and stepped on toes, was not afraid to go further. ¡°Mr. Laurence, arent you afraid I¡¯ll say something nasty again if I go apologize? Bernard¡¯s gaze was full of impatience and sharpness. ¡°Dr. Yeager, I won¡¯t let the same person hurt Cedric in the same way again.¡± In other words, if Yeager dared to do it again, he would face more than just leaving the hospital. Yeager was working on an important report with Will Webb and couldn¡¯t leave before the results were in Once he got the results, his status would be more than just a regr doctor. After weighing his options, Yeager chose to apologize without hesitation for his own benefit. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go apologize to himter¡± What¡¯s so shameful about saying sorry? Seeing Yeager, who had been full of righteousness, bow down to his interests, Bernard¡¯s handsome face was full of mockery ¡°Dr Yeager, you gure know how to protect your own benefit.¡± This was a digat hisck of backbone, which Yeager epted Who would damage their own interests for a moment of dignity? ¡°Well, I¡¯ll go meet Cedric Yeager thought he could just say a few words and slip away, but Bernard stopped him ¡°Dr. Yeager, after all this talk, don¡¯t you want to ask me how I ended up with Ms. Shultz?¡± When Yeager heard this, he felt his heart race Chapter 989 Chapter 989 After dealing with Cedric, Bernard steered the conversation back to himself clearly seeking a debate. Turning to face Bernard, Yeager couldn¡¯t help but shudder under his intense gaze ¡°I don¡¯t know everything about your affairs, so I won¡¯tment. Mr Laurence. I think you know what¡¯s what Yeager replied cautiously ¡°Really¡± Bernard¡¯s smile had a chilling seriousness to it ¡°I heard that some time ago, Ms. Vulpe took you to meet Mr. Falsey? Bernard inquired Yeager didn¡¯t fully understand why Bernard was bringing this up but didn¡¯t dare respond casually, so he simply nodded ¡°Ms Vulpe treats Mr Falsey like a little brother Taking you to meet him means she wanted Mr. Falsey to approve of you I¡¯m sure after meeting you, he thought you were decent and entrusted Ms. Vulpe to you But then you go behind his back and talk about him and my wife. Don¡¯t you think you should apologize to Mr. Falsey Dr Yeager?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t talk about him and Ms. Shultz I was criticizing you for taking what¡¯s not yours In his haste to clear things up. Yeager spoke too quickly, giving Bernard a handle. ¡°So you¡¯re saying, as long as you¡¯re criticizing me, you don¡¯t need to apologize¡°¡± Turns out Bernard was using Mr. Falsey¡¯s name to force an apology out of him. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Just as Yeager was thinking this, Bernard whipped out his phone, found a picture of Jason, propped it up on the desk behind him, then tapped lightly on the screen. ¡°Mr. Falsey is here Apologize and we¡¯ll let it go.¡± Aidyn couldn¡¯t help butugh at the side. Mr. Laurence wasn¡¯t trying to get Yeager to apologize to Garett, he was clearly trying to get Yeager to apologize to him. After all, the person in the photo was Mr. Laurence, not Garett Hearing Aidyn¡¯sughter, Yeager felt a bit embarrassed ¡°Mr Laurence, I was just using Mr. Falsey as an example, isn¡¯t this a bit too much?¡± ¡°Absolutely necessary.¡± Bernard stood tall with his hands in his pockets, moving his gaze from the photo to Yeager ¡°Some people you can¡¯t just casually use as examples. I¡¯m doing this to teach you a lesson, Dr. Yeager¡± Yeager¡¯s face turned dark. ¡°Mr. Laurence, are you really going to push me like this without considering Ms. Vulpe¡¯s feelings?¡± ¡°Trying to guilt trip me with Ms Vulpe isnt a smart move. If I were you, I¡¯d be more flexible.¡± His proudly flexible response was now being used against him by Bernard Damn! Yeager clenched his fists, seething with anger. Bernard didn¡¯t back down, just looking at him coldly. This time, Bernard didn¡¯t give him a second option. Anything crossing the line involving his wife was intolerable. At this point, Yeager regretted using Garett and Eleanor to challenge Bernard¡¯s authority when he was in the right. ¡°If I apologize to you today, can I leave your office?¡± ¡®Hmm.¡± Bernard raised an eyebrow, effectively unting his power. Looking at the arrogant Bernard, Yeager was filled with hatred. But if he could get out of here safely, an apology didn¡¯t seem like a big deal. He looked at Liana and Aidyn, nervously asking, ¡°Can they leave first?¡± Bernard nced at the two Liana and Aidyn quickly left the office Then, Yeager turned to Bernard, swallowing his pride to say ¡®sorry Bernard watched him, then bent down to squat in front of Yeager, staring coldly into his eyes. ¡°Dr Yeager, remember if something shouldn¡¯t be said, then don¡¯t say them. Otherwise, there¡¯s a price to pay.¡± With that, Bernard stood up, grabbed his phone and left the office. Yeager turned his head, watching Bernard¡¯s cold and proud figure. He gritted his teeth hard Just as the door was about to close, Bernard paused, turned around like a king with the power of life and death in his hands, and nodded at him. ¡°Dr Yeager, don¡¯t forget to apologize to Cedric ¡± Chapter 990 Chapter 990 Word got around pretty fast that Bernard had a bone to pick with Yeager and Hailey got wind of it in no time Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Eleanor, who was with her on a shopping and dining day out, offered to y peacemaker, but Hailey turned her down t She said. Yeager had stirred up this homet¡¯s nest himself, so he should be the one to deal with it. Bernard wasn¡¯t in the wrong for standing up to him Hailey¡¯s mind was as clear as a bell It¡¯s just that things between the two of them had progressed to the point where they were talking marriage, so they had to keep moving forward Eleanor was more worried about Hailey¡¯s mamage if this one went south too, Hailey might be scared off marriage for good However, Hailey said Cedric wasn¡¯t a great catch either Yeager might have hus issues, but Cedric was a yboy and that was just as bad Hearing this, Eleanor had to admit there was some truth to it. After all, what girl would want to roll the dice with Cedric? But then¡­.. ¡°Cedric onceed over you¡± Hailey paused for a moment as she was picking up some food, then seemed to remember something and cracked a small smile. ¡°He once got up in the middle of the night in my tiny apartment, stepped on a mouse, and cried his eyes out.¡± *For real?¡± Hearing this juicy piece of gossip, Eleanor¡¯s eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. ¡°A grown man, scared to tears by a mouse?¡± ¡°Yep, can you believe it?¡± Hailey put a deboned fish into Eleanor¡¯s te. ¡°So you see, he¡¯s just a big baby Crying doesn¡¯t mean anything¡± Just as Eleanor was about to stand up for Cedric, Liana rushed over After taking a seat, Liana filled them in on what happened in the hospital director¡¯s office. Mr Laurence didn¡¯t let her leave his office, obviously intending for her to be the messenger to tell Hailey what kind of man Yeager really was It was crystal clear what Mr. Laurence was aiming for, he wanted Hailey to reconsider her choices once she knew the real Yeager. She didn¡¯t necessarily have to choose Cedric, but she definitely needed to think twice about Yeager. After all, marriage was a big deal. So, Liana spilled the beans, including everything that involved Garett Hearing this, Hailey¡¯s face clouded over. She hadn¡¯t expected Yeager to drag Garett into this just to get back at Bernard. Garett was family to her and Eleanor. Their past was long behind them, and Bernard had never yed games with Garett. Even though he¡¯d once wooed Eleanor away, it was all fair game, he never stabbed Garett in the back Bernard and Garett had been through a lot together, and in the end, they let each other go for the other¡¯s sake. Eleanor was able to start over with Bernard because they both stepped aside This was a far cry from their current situation. Now Yeager was using Garett to mock Bernard, essentially denying Garett¡¯s character and disrespecting Eleanor. And his words ¡®didn¡¯t you also fancy Eleanor back in the day, just like me? was a clear provocation towards Bernard Hailey could understand Yeager using this tactic against Cedric. After all, Cedric was the one who started pestering her. But Eleanor and Garett were the two people she cared about most, and she wouldn¡¯t allow them to be used as ammunition for someone else¡¯s fight ¡°Mr. Laurence made it pretty clear, he just wants justice for his brother. He doesn¡¯t give a hoot about what¡¯s going on between you and Dr. Yeager. This should have been dealt with separately. Dr. Yeager misunderstood Mr. Laurence, and an apology would have sorted things out. But Dr. Yeager didn¡¯t take this lying down, so he used Garett to mock Mr. Laurence. At first nce, those two sentences Dr. Yeager said about Garett don¡¯t seem to be a big deal. But if you think about it, it shows that Dr. Yeager doesn¡¯t respect or care about Garett, even knowing he¡¯s your family. Because when he felt challenged, the first thing he thought of was to use Garett, who could inock Mr. Laurence. to defend himself Liana¡¯s words were straight to the point, but they were also very truthful and clear. After she made her point, she patted Hailey¡¯s hand. ¡°Normally, since me and Will introduced you to Dr. Yeager, we¡¯d naturally hope you two hit it off. But what Dr. Yeager said to Mr. Laurence today changed my mind¡± Chapter 991 Chapter 991 Dr. Yeager was a recent returnee from abroad and had not been working in the hospital for long. He was known for his polite and gentle manner when interacting with colleagues and patients, always speaking softly and avoiding harshments However, his private behavior didn¡¯t entirely match this positive image Though Dr. Yeager didn¡¯t do anything extremely harmful to Mr Laurence, his actions were questionable, and when Mr. Laurence sought a fair resolution, Dr Yeager evaded the issue To be frank, he tended to avoid responsibility ande up with excuses to persuade Mr. Laurence Furthermore, Dr Yeager used Hailey as a shield on two asions Instead of facing the situation directly as her boyfriend, he used her as a human shield, hoping Mr Laurence would go easy on him for Hailey¡¯s sake However, it was Eleanor who gave Hailey that face in the first ce, so she yed a crucial role in this situation. Dr. Yeager thed to deflect the issue by involving Garett, iming that Gatett had no connection to it Yet, the past involving Garett and Eleanor is intertwined, and Dr. Yeager should have considered how his words might affect Eleanor The issue that Liana raised was also a matter of concern for Hailey, making her feel guilty and embarrassed ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t expect Yeager to use Garett to mock Bernard if I¡¯d known, I wouldn¡¯t have brought him to see Garell.¡± She had thought that since Garett had severe depression, introducing Yeager to him could show that she, too, had endured a failed marriage and came out stronger She hoped Garett would see her renewed life and motivate himself to break free from depression. Meanwhile, she hoped Garett could ept Yeager. However, she didn¡¯t expect this to be a weapon for Yeager to oppose Bernard Whenever Garett was mentioned, Eleanor still felt a bit guilty. Therefore, her friends, including Will, never mentioned the issue of Yeager using Garett to mock Bernard in front of her. Not knowing how to express her feelings, Eleanor just waved at Hailey ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s all in the past. Don¡¯t me yourself for Dr. Yeager. You brought him to see Garelt to reassure him about your future husband. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong¡± Hailey took a deep sigh and suddenly looked up at Liana. ¡°Did Yeager say anything else other than this?¡± He knew about Garett¡¯s severe depression. If this were made public, Eleanor would definitely feel extremely guilty, and her wonderful life with Bernard might be disrupted ¡°No, just these two things¡± Liana picked up on Hailey¡¯s worried look. ¡°Are you worried about what Dr. Yeager might say to Mr. Laurence?¡± Hailey awkwardly shook her head. Seeing her reluctance, Liana didn¡¯t push further. She took out her phone, pulled up a surveince video, and handed it over to Hailey ¡°Before I came here, I went to the hospital and pulled out the surveince video from Mr. Laurence¡¯s room. Have a look¡­¡± Liana was the one who brought these two together, so if something went wrong, Liana was ountable. So, I made a trip to the hospital Hailey seemed a bit surprised, apparently not expecting Liana to pull up the surveince video, so she took it immediately. The video clearly showed two things. First, Cedric and Hertha had broken up, he didn¡¯t say ¡°I love you¡± while still dating her. Second, watching Dr. Yeager¡¯s words to Cedric in the video, Hailey was stunned. ¡°I just wanted to tell you that sometimes in ces you can¡¯t see, Hailey and I have kissed many times. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Do you want to hear¡­more about my intimate moments with Hailey?¡± ¡°Also, I want to tell you something, Hailey didn¡¯t want toe today, it was me who insisted, and she reluctantly came with me.¡± These words seem like a provocation to Cedric, but are actually insulting Hailey Private matters between two people shouldn¡¯t be used to provoke a rival, and it¡¯s rather disrespectful towards her. Moreover, what Yeager said wasn¡¯t true. Most importantly, the words Yeager said to me after provoking Cedric¡­ Hailey didn¡¯t want to consider whether Yeager was just acting, she didn¡¯t want to think of him as too dark, so she forcefully stopped this train of thought. Seeing Hailey in pain, Liana and Eleanor looked at each other and then turned off the video. ¡°Hailey, maybe you should think about it again?¡± Liana was always straightforward, and Hailey knew that Liana meant well. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she spoke. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll think about it again. If I find out he¡¯s really not good, I¡¯ll choose to stay single for the rest of my life! She thought, when I get old, I can invest in a nursing home, which can ensure my life in myter years, although it might be a bit lonely And, I might not get the chance to experience a family, which would be a bit of a pity But other than that, everything else is okay, and I don¡¯t necessarily need a man to survive¡­ Chapter 992 Chapter 992 The three of them were chinwagging at the restaurant, and Yeager went to apologize to Cedric Cedric, lying in his hospital bed shot a cold nce at Yeager as he entered and then turned his gaze to the window Yeager had thought that, likest time Cedric would lose control when he saw him. But this time, Cedric was so cool, it looked like Hailey had straightened it out with him. He was probably over it for good. Yeager walked up to him and just said. ¡°Sorry¡± He didn¡¯t specify what he was apologizing for, but Cedric got it His eyes were calm, no ripples, he just looked at Yeager with indifference ¡°If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t apologize even if you broke my leg Why apologize? Isn¡¯t that just lowering his own status? ¡°In front of power, the ones who know the score are the clever ones. I¡¯m different from you, I have people to take the fall for me.¡± Yeager¡¯s silence provoked a scoff from Cedric ¡°You¡¯re Hailey¡¯s boyfriend. Even if you don¡¯t submit, Bernard wouldn¡¯t really harm you. You know this, right?¡± Yeager¡¯s expression shifted as he realized Cedric¡¯s assessment was urate. Bernard wouldn¡¯t actually take any significant action against him due to his respect for Hailey The apology was likely a result of beingpelled to do so in person However, in the past, Yeager¡¯s envy and jealousy were sparked when he witnessed Bernard utilizing his CEO status to seek justice for his brother. As a result of these irrational emotions, he used Garett to provoke and mock Cedric Looking back, Yeager understood that if he had focused solely on Cedric¡¯s obsession with Hailey, regardless of the means he employed, it would have been justified. Bernard wouldn¡¯t have had a reason to force him into an apology. However, the mention of Garettplicated matters. Yet, when Yeager observed the contempt in Cedric¡¯s eyes, his feelings of regret vanished, and he shifted the me onto Cedric, believing it was Cedric¡¯s fault. If not for Cedric, how could he have said those words to provoke him, or put on a show in front of Hailey, let alone apologize to Bernard it was all Cedric¡¯s doing! ¡°If you hadn¡¯t been so hung up on Hailey, I wouldn¡¯t have misunderstood you. Bernard wouldn¡¯t have come after me, and I wouldn¡¯t have had to apologize to you.¡± Cedric¡¯s eyelids slowly dropped ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to make amends long before you two were together¡­ I¡¯m used to it¡­When she agreed to be with you, it was because she was mad at me. I always thought she had feelings for me, so I deliberately used you to set me off, trying to win her back. After this incident, I realized she doesn¡¯t care about me at all. I misunderstood.¡± Cedric spoke honestly and calmly looked at Yeager. ¡°Sorry for disturbing your girlfriend twice It must have made you ufortable. But don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t bother her anymore¡­¡± Yeager didn¡¯t expect Cedric to admit his mistake so directly and apologize to him. His behavior from the beginning was wrong Apologizing as Bernard suggested was the right thing to do¡­. As for the initial idea of taking drastic measures against Yeager¡¯s family, Cedric gave up on it after Hailey talked to him. He felt it was unnecessary. In the future, he and Hailey would go their separate ways. How she and Yeager live is none of his business. But.. Cedric couldn¡¯t help but give a piece of advice. ¡°Dr. Yeager, she¡¯s been married before and betrayed. She¡¯s a bit afraid of marriage. The fact that she could move on and marry you means she trusts you a lot. Please, be good to her After saying this, he picked up the paper bag on the bedside table and gave it back to Yeager. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°She bought candy to exin things to me You take it back for her. I don¡¯t need it¡­¡± Hailey¡¯s act of buying so much candy served as a reminder for Cedric to set clear boundaries. When he returned the candy, it symbolized an end to their previous rtionship dynamic However, Dr Yeager didn¡¯t fully grasp the significance behind Cedric¡¯s actions. He simply epted the bag of candy and observed Cedric¡¯s pale expression silently In response, Dr. Yeager pointed out that on the day Cedric got so upset that he ended up in the emergency room, it was evident that he still cared about Hailey Dr Yeager questioned why Cedric was giving up on their rtionship so easily it¡¯s possible that Cedric used returning the candy as an excuse, employing a strategy of retreating to ultimately advance and demonstrate his magnanimity ¡°If she loved me, I wouldn¡¯t give up His words implied that only by realizing Hailey didn¡¯t love him could he regain his sanity ¡°You¡¯re right if she loved you, she wouldn¡¯t be with me. You should let go sooner. It¡¯s a kind of release for you because¡­¡± Yeager paused, hands in his pockets, looking down at Cedric from above. ¡°A guy like you, with a background, good looks, a hacker genius, the title of yboy suits you better¡± Chapter 993 Chapter 993 Yeager¡¯s words were loaded with hidden usations that made the bystanders cringe ¡°Mr. Laurence might be adies¡® man, but he¡¯s always been faithful to each of his girlfriends, never cheating on them Chase pushed aside the crowd and walked in with a proud and confident stride. Yeager nced at him, then turned his gaze to Cedric ¡°With so many girlfriends, dont you find it rather unfortunate?¡± he remarked Upon hearing this, Cedric struggled to maintain hisposure and attempted to stand up, but Chase ced a restraining hand on him. ¡°Mr. Laurence simply enjoys dating women to pass the time, without engaging in any hasty entanglements, Chase exined, taking a step closer to Yeager ¡°But in this aspect, Mr. Laurence still cannot match Dr. Yeager¡¯s¡­¡± Yeager¡¯s face darkened, and he asked sharply. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Chase¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile, and he replied, ¡°Dr. Yeager, after graduating from high school, you immigrated abroad to a society that is more open and sparsely popted Finding certain information there wouldn¡¯t be too difficult¡± His implication was that Yeager¡¯s past could be easily uncovered with a little money, so it would be best not to stand on a moral high ground to criticize others, as it might backfire on him. Yeager clenched his fist but only said, ¡®I fell for Hailey back in high school, and she¡¯s the only person I missed after going abroad. You¡¯d better not confuse me with Mr. Laurence¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Chase did not refute, but instead nodded in agreement. ¡°You have a point, though¡­¡± He stared at Yeager, scrutinizing him from head to toe. ¡°Are you saying that you¡¯ve been in love with Ms. Vulpe since high school?¡± Yeager didn¡¯t understand his point, but answered firmly Chase¡¯s lip curled up slightly, his eyes filled with doubt ¡°Being in love with someone for such a long time shows your deep affection for her If you love her that much, why didn¡¯t you find her as soon as you got back? Instead, you waited until Dr. Terrill¡¯s party to approach her. By then, you were already back for quite a while. If you love Ms. Vulpe that much, why didn¡¯t you find her right away and pursue her boldly?¡± Yeager wanted to exin, but Chase cut him off. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t know Ms Vulpe was divorced and single, or that you were afraid of disturbing her I might believe that if you were still a high school student, but now, you¡¯re a sessful doctor who doesn¡¯t even go after the woman you love; that¡¯s a bit hard to swallow¡± Chase paused and raised two fingers: ¡°So, to a normal person, these two points sound like excuses¡­ Yeager¡¯s countenance grew even more grim ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯ve been too preupied,¡± he defended ¡°It¡¯s not just about being busy. It¡¯s about forgetting about her when you¡¯re apart and only realizing her worth when you meet again, rekindling the emotions of youth,¡± Chase articted In truth, Yeager¡¯s feelings for Ms. Vulpe might not be as strong as Mr. Laurence¡¯s, but Chase couldn¡¯t speak bluntly about it, considering Ms. Vulpe is now Yeager¡¯s girlfriend. If there were any issues between Ms. Vulpe and Yeager in the future, this topic could be used by Yeager as a counterattack, causing her more distress. Yeager found himself unable to retort against Chase¡¯s verbal onught. ¡°You¡¯re awyer, and I can¡¯t argue with you,¡± he said, turning away and leaving Once outside the hospital, he nced at the candy in his hand for a moment before tossing it into the trash. Sitting inside his car, he took out his phone and dialed Hailey¡¯s number. As for Cedric, no matter what his brothers might say they wouldn¡¯t have a significant impact on him. However, the matter of using Garett to taunt Bernard was something he needed to exin to Hailey immediately Before Hailey learned the full extent of it, he had to take preventative measures to ensure she would believe him. Hailey was absentmindedly having her meal when she heard his call. At first, she was reluctant to answer, but he persisted with several calls in a row, leaving her no choice but to pick up Yeager asked where he was, and she said she was eating out. Yeager wanted to join her, but Hailey said Liana and Eleanor were there, and whatever it was, they could talk about it when she got back Hearing Liana was there, Yeager seemed to predict what Liana would say His eyes flickered, but he didn¡¯t say much, only reminding Hailey to enjoy herself After hanging up. Yeager drove straight to Hailey¡¯s vi and waited in the garden for Hailey. He waited for a long time. It was dark when Hailey finally drove back Chapter 994 Chapter 994 Upon entering. Hailey noticed that Yeager appeared somewhat nervous, standing up with an expression as if he hadmitted a grave mistake, looking utterly bewildered. ¡°Hailey, did Dr. Terrill tell you everything that happened today?¡± Yeager initiated the conversation, surprising Hailey, who had expected him to act nonchnt ¡°Mhm,¡± she nodded, approaching Yeager ¡®Are you waiting here to tell me something?¡± Hailey wanted to hear Yeager¡¯s exnation of the situation Yeager didn¡¯t go into detail but simply said, ¡°Liana told the truth I did indeed use Garett Falsey to taunt Bernard Laurence¡± Upon hearing this, Hailey fell into deep silence before speaking. ¡°Bernard came to see you not to meddle in our affairs but because his brother was treated unfairly and ended up in the emergency room due to distress. He just wanted to rify the matter with you. From the beginning, he told you that he wanted a fair resolution and even allowed you to suggest the solution yourself. He did that in the hopes of getting an apology from you for the misunderstanding, but you chose to retaliate with Garett Yeager lowered his head and questioned, ¡°Cedric Laurence was the one who harassed you first. The person who should apologize is him, not me Why should I apologize to Bernard?¡± Looking directly at him, Hailey replied, ¡°You¡¯re right, Cedric was indeed in the wrong initially. However, you could have been firm and, when Bernard asked for a solution, suggested that Cedric apologize to you first. I believe Bernard is a reasonable person, even if he isn¡¯t, he would agree to your request for my sake. But instead, you chose to provoke Bernard with Garett. Do you think that by doing so, you can stop Bernard from seeking justice for his brother¡¯s mistreatment, while also standing on the moral high ground to condemn all three of them for their past actions? Yeager opened his mouth but found no words to refute. He had indeed wanted to stand on the moral high ground and condemn those who wielded power and influence Seeing his silence, Hailey calmed down and said gently: ¡°You know, Garett and Eleanor are the closest people to me in this world. We¡¯ve shared many years together, missing out on much due to misunderstandings It¡¯s a regret. But now Eleanor and Bernard are married, which means their issues have been settled. But you still use Garett to mock Eleanor¡¯s husband, did you ever think about how awkward this makes me feel¡± As she spoke, a hint of doubt shed in Hailey¡¯s eyes. ¡°Do you truly love me?¡± If he really loved her, he should have defended her when his friends badmouthed her, right? If he really loved her he should have thought about her feelings before doing or saying anything, right? However¡­ it seemed like Yeager didn¡¯t do that He was just fighting with Cedric N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Hearing her doubts, Yeager¡¯s heartbeat quickened, he quickly held Hailey¡¯s shoulders and said, ¡°Hailey, I truly love you. Don¡¯t question my feelings for you because of this. I admit part of why I did this was to challenge authority, but I didn¡¯t consider how it would bother you, how it would affect your feelings. That was my mistake¡± He took Hailey¡¯s hand and ced it on his cheek, ¡°Or how about this, you hit me a few times, let off some steam?¡± Last time when he seemed weak and helpless, Hailey had been soft hearted and forgiven him. But this time, Hailey remained unmoved and asked, ¡°How did you know Cedric was harassing me?¡± Except for that time at the hotel when Cedric mistakenly thought they were sharing a room and angrily barged in to harass her. After that incident, Cedric hadn¡¯t bothered her again. It was only when they bumped into each other on the golf course and Cedric saw her kissing Yeager that he lost it and came after her again. But Yeager wasn¡¯t there at the time, how did he know? Asked by Hailey, Yeager felt a bit uneasy and looked away. The kiss on the golf course was actually on purpose. He knew Cedric hadn¡¯t left, so he deliberately kissed Hailey Only in this way could he prove that he was better than Cedric, and he guessed that Cedric would bother Hailey because of the kiss. Sure enough, the next day. Cedric had a car ident. Seeing Hailey¡¯s anxious expression, he felt jealous but had to pretend to be generous and told Hailey to rush to the hospital to see Cedric He followed her to the hospital with some gifts, just to provoke Cedric Cedric had once made it impossible for him to find awyer for awsuit. They had a grudge against each other, so he wouldn¡¯t let him off easily. But how could he tell Harley all this? Yeager made up an excuse. ¡°I saw it by ident¡­.* Hailey kept pressing. ¡°Where did you see it?¡± Unable to answer, Yeager quickly changed the subject, ¡°Cedric is so in love with you, he must be harassing you all the time. I don¡¯t need to see it to know it¡¯s happening¡± Chapter 995 Chapter 995 Hailey¡¯s eyes were filled with mixed emotions, slowly slipping into disappointment Ever since we started dating, there were only two instances ¨C once in B City, and now. All the other times, Cedric has kept his promise, avoiding me whenever he sees me, never bothering me. But you always suspect that he¡¯s hanging around me, that in your heart, you also think I¡¯m a person who cant make up her mind, is that it?¡± does this mean The voice struck Yeager¡¯s heart like a hammer, making him feel a sense of guilt. It¡¯s not like that. I believe in your character, and I know you have been rejecting Cedric It¡¯s Cedric¡¯s own instability that led him to disturb you, even when you have a boyfriend. It¡¯s his fault, and I¡¯m also at fault for doubting you I¡¯m sorry for being too direct in my words and disappointing you.¡± Hailey watched him silently for a while and then calmly said, ¡°I think. we might not be right for each other. We should end this rtionship¡± Upon hearing this, Yeager immediately felt panicked ¡°Hailey, please don¡¯t do this. My parents know you¡¯re the girl I¡¯ve liked since high school. They hold you in high regard, which is why they put aside all their work and took a long leave just to visit you. Don¡¯t break up with me now because of the situation with your ex boyfriend. I can¡¯t bear it, and neither can my parents Hailey was an orphan, and because it involved his parents, she felt that breaking up with Yeager would be disrespectful to them, especially since they hade specifically to see her As Hailey hesitated. Yeager grabbed her hand, and suddenly, blood began to flow from his hand, staining the bandage and turning his hand¡¯s back a bright red. The blood also dripped onto Hailey¡¯s hand. Yeager let go of her, raised his bloody hand, and held it out to Hailey ¡°Hailey you know what, under Bernard¡¯s oppression, all I could do was resist¡­¡± In reality, Bernard hadn¡¯t said anything. It was Yeager who had provoked him first, but Yeager insisted on twisting the story. If Liana were there, she¡¯d definitely call him out. But Liana wasn¡¯t there, and Hailey didn¡¯t know the specifics, she only knew what Yeager had told her. Now with Yeager¡¯s words, she didn¡¯t know how to respond N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Seeing Hailey¡¯s silence, Yeager¡¯s voice carried a hint of resentment. ¡°Hailey, this battered hand was hurt by Bernard. To be honest, I¡¯ve already paid a heavy price for falsely using Cedric. It should be enough, so you shouldn¡¯t break up with me as punishment, it¡¯s too cruel¡­¡± Hailey looked at his bloodied hand, unsure of who was right and who was wrong As she felt lost, Yeager kept begging Hailey, hoping that she would give him another chance for their parents¡® sake Hailey stared at his hand for a long time, but didn¡¯t express any intention of forgiving or not forgiving him. She just asked Marina to bring the first aid kit to stop the bleeding and change the dressing After the bandage was done, Hailey used theteness of the hour as an excuse for Yeager to leave first. She would think it over and discuss itter. Yeager had no choice but to leave with heavy steps. Chapter 996 Chapter 996 Yeager spent a sleepless night, feeling that it was Liana¡¯s meddling that led to Hailey breaking up with him. As a result, he vented all his frustration on Liana The next day. Yeager arrived at the hospital looking dispirited As soon as he sat in his office, he saw Will Webb approaching with a beaming smile, holding a stack of documents Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°Dr Yeager, the drug I¡¯ve been developing has seeded Will eximed Upon hearing the news. Yeager eagerly took the documents Will handed him. ¡°These are praises from international experts,¡± Will continued. ¡°Yes, even our hospital will give recognition,¡± he added. Yeager was overjoyed, his hands trembling as he clutched the documents. ¡°In that case, with this drug, do you think we have a chance to win the Nobel Prize in Medicine?¡± Yeager asked with excitement. Will nodded casually and waved his hand as if it didn¡¯t matter much. ¡°All that stuff doesn¡¯t matter. The important thing is that these drugs can relieve patients¡® pain and cure them¡± Will believed that a doctor¡¯s duty is to save lives, personal glory isn¡¯t that important. But Yeager didn¡¯t think so. ¡°Saving lives and personal glory are equally important¡± Will didn¡¯t argue with him anymore. People chase different things and naturally have different thinking It¡¯s no big deal. As they excitedly looked through the documents, the director walked in smiling, patting Will on the shoulder ¡°Mr. Webb, you did great The Nobel Prize in Medicine should be yours this time.¡± Will scratched his head, a bit embarrassed. ¡°It¡¯s a team effort, Dr. Yeager also helped a lot.¡± The director nced at Yeager and smiled. ¡°Dr Yeager only assisted, the one who will ept the award will definitely be you¡± Then, the director walked over to Yeager, patting him on the shoulder ¡°Dr. Yeager, you¡¯re also excellent I believe that in the near future, you¡¯ll also achieve great things like Mr. Webb.¡± Yeager tightly clenched the documents, squeezing them hard, but his face showed no expression. ¡°I will work hard,¡± he said. Yeager spent the morning in his office before getting up to find Will. ¡°Mr. Webb, are you writing the paper?¡± he asked Will looked away from theputer and smiled at Yeager more ¡°The drug development was sessful, and the director wants me to finish the paper quickly. Whether we can win the award depends on this paper¡± Yeager nodded, observing Will, who had refocused on the keyboard ¡°Mr. Webb, I have a surgery in the afternoon, but my hand is injured, and I might not be able to perform it. The patient can¡¯t wait either. Could you help me with it?¡± Will hesitated for a moment. ¡°I can assist with the surgery, but I¡¯m not familiar with your patient. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be in the operating room with you in the afternoon, guiding you,¡± Yeager assured. Hearing this, the ever helpful Will agreed readily ¡°Okay¡± At two o¡¯clock in the afternoon, with Will taking the lead and Yeager guiding from the side, a major incident urred during the surgery. The patient suddenly died on the operating table. The hospital¡¯s top management, including Liana, rushed to the scene The deceased patient was an internationally reputed medical expert. Although he was old and retired, he still held a high status in the global medicalmunity. This should have been a very safe surgery, but due to Will¡¯s mistake, the patient died. The patient¡¯s family members rushed over, hundreds of people gathered outside the hospital, emotions running high Will leaned against the wall, his gaze fixed on the sterile surgical gloves, drops of blood kept falling. He couldn¡¯t understand how such a simple surgery could have resulted in a medical ident, Chapter 997 Chapter 997 A bunch of doctors and nurses were gathered around the sink in the hallway, stripping off their gloves and scrubbing their hands clean with soap, casually chatting away ¡°Mr Webb really drew the short straw christ helping Dr Yeager with one surgery and ham Who¡¯s going to take the hit? ¡°Well, who else but Mr Webb? After all, he was the one who performed the surgery ¡°Well, even if that¡¯s the case. Dr. Yeager should take some of the heat, right?¡± The head nurse nced at the doctor who spoke, ¡°Who¡¯s to me isn¡¯t the pressing issue here. What¡¯s important is that the deceased¡¯s family are convinced it was all Mr. Webb¡¯s doing¡± The doctor paused in his hand washing looking up at the head nurse, ¡°What do you mean?¡± The head nurse looked around before leaning in to whisper, ¡°Did you know the deceased was a world renowned medical expert? He had consulted Mr. Webb before and they had a few run¨Cins over their medical philosophies. The expert stormed off after a heated argument and openlybelled Mr. Webb as a quack¡± The doctor nodded in understanding. So, there was bad blood between the deceased and Mr. Webb. No wonder the family¡¯s pointing fingers at him¡± Another doctor nearby chimed in, ¡®Mr Webb isn¡¯t the type to hold a grudge. He wouldn¡¯t intentionally harm a patient over such a petty disagreement. He might have even forgotten about the whole thing. Otherwise, he would have refused to assist Dr. Yeager with the surgery.¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. The doctor at the head of the sink turned to them, ¡°Talking about it now is pointless The family is clinging onto their conspiracy theory. Even with a mouthful of excuses, Mr Webb wouldn¡¯t be able to clear his name The head nurse asked, ¡°What does the hospital administration say?¡± ¡°They¡¯re still in a meeting. Not sure what they¡¯re going to decide¡± The doctor who mentioned the bad blood between Mr. Webb and the deceased spoke up again, ¡°My guess is they¡¯re going to throw Mr. Webb under the bus. The patient was clearly out to get Mr Webb. The hospital administration wouldn¡¯t want to drag another excellent doctor into this. The damage is already done, and for the hospital¡¯s reputation, sacrificing one doctor seems like their safest bet¡­¡± The chatter of these doctors and nurses reached the ears of Mr Webb He was leaning against the sink on the other side, concealed from view by therge basin. No one noticed him there. Yeager opened the door to the surgery corridor and found Mr. Webb huddled up in the corner, looking lost. ¡°Mr. Webb¡± Yeager¡¯s voice surprised the doctors and nurses, who seemed not to have expected him to be present. They quickly washed their hands and left the room. Yeager nced at them and then shifted his gaze to Mr. Webb ¡°Mr. Webb, I truly had no idea that the surgery would go wrong. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have asked for your help, and now you¡¯re being affected by this. I am sincerely sorry¡± Will remained silent, his eyes fixed on the distance, lost in deep thought as he tried to figure out where the problemy Observing this, Yeager bent down and sat on the floor beside Will ¡°Mr. Webb, the patient was of advanced age, and this type of surgery already carries inherent risks. You shouldn¡¯t me yourself excessively¡± Finally, Will looked up, turning his face to Yeager sitting next to him. ¡°Dr Yeager, apart from cardiovascr issues, does the patient have any other underlying conditions that were not detected during routine examinations?¡± Yeager lowered his head, pondering for a moment, and then shook his head gently. ¡°What about the autopsy results? Did the medical examiner have any opinions?¡± ¡°The forensic examination also showed no problems¡­¡± Will stared at his blood stained hands in disbelief. ¡°Did I really mess up¡­ Seeing Will doubt himself, Yeager hastily patted his shoulder ¡°Mr Webb, it¡¯s not about your judgement its because the patient was too old to withstand the surgery¡± Will shook his head. ¡°The surgery failed, and I cannot me the patient. It¡¯s all my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have ignored your advice and performed the procedure on a major blood vessel¡­¡± He had only wanted to help the patient by eliminating their suffering from the illness after the surgery, but he never expected such an ident to ur Seeing him burdened with seme, Yeager felt a sense of quilt and patted his shoulder again. ¡°Mr Webb, this patient was originally under my care, and you were just assisting in the surgery. All the responsibility lies with me, and it has nothing to do with you.¡± After saying that, yeager took a deep breath and made a solemn promise. ¡°Please rest assured that I will exin everything to the hospital management and the patient¡¯s family¡± As he was about to leave, Will stopped tum ¡°The family already believes it was intentional retaliation on my part. If you take responsibility now, it will only implicate you and won¡¯t make any difference. Besides, I don¡¯t care about the me, what I care about is that because of my mistake, someone¡¯s life ended.¡± Yeager wanted to say something, but Will raised his hand to stop him ¡°Dr. Yeager, you¡¯re excellent, and you will undoubtedly make great achievements in the medical field. Don¡¯t let this incident tarnish your reputation, let me face it alone¡± Will¡¯s ethics and character made Yeager feel ashamed, and he looked up. ¡°Mr. Webb, the Nobel Prize in Medicine is crucial to you I¡¯m sorry Chapter 998 Chapter 998 In the hospital¡¯s conference room, Liana grilled everyone involved with the surgery. They all agreed that Mr. Webb¡¯s surgical mishap led to the ident. She suspected Yeager of deliberately concealing the patient¡¯s condition, so she personally checked the patient¡¯s previous medical reports. Finding nothing wrong, she requisitioned the surveince footage of the operation. The video showed Yeager warning Mr. Webb against messing with the major blood vessels. The autopsy report also stated the cause of death was a botched repair of a major blood vessel. Without concrete evidence, Liana couldn¡¯t justy the me on Yeager. She had to deal with the medical dispute, fork over a heftypensation to the patient¡¯s family, and promise them that the hospital would give Mr. Webb the boot and seriously discipline him. As for the drug developed by Mr. Webb, the dead patient¡¯s students (who were all top dogs in the global medical field) kept showing up at the hospital to have their say. They believed Mr. Webb was a bad apple and shouldn¡¯t get the Nobel Prize in Medicine. If Mr. Webb won, they would team up with major hospitals andpanies in the medical device field to give their hospital a hard time. On hearing this, Liana outright said they didn¡¯t need the honor, but they had to keep Mr. Webb¡¯s name as the developer of the drug. However, other hospital bigwigs believed that the research was authorized by the hospital and Mr. Webb was assigned to develop it. They thought Mr. Webb was just the head honcho in the team and the sess of the drug was a team effort, not all down to him. They insisted that they had to get the prize, as it was a feather in the hospital¡¯s cap. To put the hospital on the map internationally with this drug and gain influence, the hospital leaders unanimously decided to have Yeager, who helped with the development, rece Mr. Webb in completing the paper. They intended to hand over the fruits of Mr. Webb¡¯s hard work to Yeager. Liana disagreed with this decision and wanted to talk to Bernard. But the hospital leaders said, ¡°Medical idents are par for the course, and we can¡¯t run to investors every time something goes wrong. Investors only care about the bottom line and don¡¯t run the hospital. The handling of idents should be done by the hospital director and management, not always running to investors.¡± Liana smacked the table in anger and said, ¡°We¡¯ve been discussing, but everyone¡¯s opinion is all over the ce, so I wanted to involve the investor.¡± One of the hospital leaders sarcastically replied, ¡°You¡¯re the only one who disagrees, the rest of us are on the same page. Are you the be¨Call and end¨Call of this medical system?¡± Seeing the argument escte to a national medical system level, Mr. Webb quickly stepped in to stop the arguing Liana, ¡°This is my fault, and I¡¯m willing to take all the me. Let¡¯s decide by vote ording to hospital rules.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. That was pretty much Mr. Webb burning his bridges. Liana just stared at him, momentarily lost for words. The rest of the hospital management started voting, all in favor, with only Liana opposing. Even as the director, Liana couldn¡¯t protect Will. Seeing the overwhelming support in the vote count, the hospital leaders made a decision on the spot. As the crowd dispersed, Liana lifted her clear eyes to look at Will sitting below. Just then, he was calmly looking back at her with a faint smile. Chapter 999 Chapter 999 After a long stare¨Cdown, Will was the one to break the silence. ¡°I know you want me to go for the award, thinking that it¡¯s a honor I deserve, but honestly, I couldn¡¯t care less. As long as the patients are getting better using the drugs I developed, I¡¯m good.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°But¡­¡± Liana tried to say something, but Will cut her off with augh. ¡°Trust me, okay? I¡¯ve got a knack for this drug development thing. Even if I don¡¯t score this time, there will be a next time. As long as I stick with medical research all my life¡­¡± Right at that moment, the afternoon sun sneaked through the window, casting a soft golden light on Will, making him look absolutely dazzling. Seeing Will like this, Liana couldn¡¯t help but feel proud. She nodded, ¡°I believe you can develop drugs in other fields, but your reputation¡­ Will caught her worry, ¡°All I need is your trust. Fame is no big deal.¡± Later on, Will and Liana discussed, ¡°The medical system is a real can of worms, with so many people and interests involved. We shouldn¡¯t drag Mr. Laurence into this, nor should we pick a fight with that expert¡¯s student for my sake. I worry if things get out of hand, they might revoke my doctor¡¯s license. So, I guess I¡¯ll stick with the pharmaceuticalpany. After all, I¡¯m better at developing drugs, don¡¯t you think¡­¡± Liana knew that Will really enjoyed doing surgeries, but he had a point. Given the current situation, Will might have to take one for the team for a while, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Will. I¡¯ll find the evidence to clear your name. Then, you can return to this hospital with your head held high.¡± Will smiled and nodded, then returned to his office under Liana¡¯s watchful eyes. As he packed his stuff, the other doctors kept their distance and stayed silent. It was only after Will left that they started chattering. Will didn¡¯t let it bother him. He walked out of the hospital with a box in his arms, got into his car, and took onest look at the outpatient clinic. Liana was standing there in herb coat under the scorching sun, watching him from afar. Will¡¯s eyes welled up with tears, but he didn¡¯t roll down his window to wave goodbye to Liana. Because of Tyler¡¯s presence, they were just colleagues for now. Until Tyler was out of the picture, any closeness or attachment Will showed would only hurt Liana. He always knew how to restrain himself, to respect and protect her. But in the end, he lost Liana, and he lost his job. But if Will was asked if he regretted anything, he would definitely say no. Since the moment he first saw Liana at the lecture, he had decided to give it his all. Bernard was informed about the hospital incident a bitter. To appease the student patient, the hospital announced the disciplinary action first. Bernard didn¡¯t interfere with hospital matters. All hospital managers had the right to decide on such actions by voting, even the dean couldn¡¯t decide on his own. After getting a full picture of the situation, Bernard sent Aidyn to conduct an investigation. Their conclusion was the same as Liana¡¯s, suspecting Yeager, because it was too much of a coincidence. But their suspicion wasn¡¯t evidence, they couldn¡¯t just act against Yeager, they could only get close to Yeager and investigate quietly. After making arrangements, Bernard called Will, offering him a job at the Laurence Group¡¯s pharmaceuticalpany to focus on drug development, promising that he would find out the truth to clear his name. Will thanked Bernard for his trust, promising to develop more drugs to bring glory to the Laurence Group¡¯s pharmaceuticalpany. After hanging up the phone, Liana also thanked Bernard. Bernard suggested that the hospital was huge and needed management, hoping that Liana could take on more responsibilities. Liana understood and epted Bernard¡¯s instruction not to tell Hailey and Eleanor about this prematurely. Agreeing with a nod, Liana understood. Chapter 1000 Chapter 1000 Once the matter was settled, Bernard was summoned to the hospital by Cedric¡¯s parents. Cedric¡¯s parents were trying to smooth things over because Cedric had broken Robin¡¯s bones in an ident. But Robin was as stubborn as a mule. No matter how much they tried to mediate, he wouldn¡¯t budge and was hell¨Cbent on getting Cedric thrown in jail. When Bernard and his crew stormed into Robin¡¯s hospital room, Robin was lying on his hospital bed, ying cards with Caleb, Katharine and Elbert¡­ Upon seeing Bernard, Caleb jumped up and respectfully greeted him. Robin, on the other hand, was leaning back on his bed, looking smug and arrogant. ¡°Caleb, is it me or is the wind particrly strong today, strong enough to blow your boss in here¡­¡± Caleb yed dumb, scratching his head. ¡°Is it windy? I didn¡¯t notice. Let me check by opening the window¡­¡± Just as he was about to open the window, Robin gave hirn a re and he quickly pretended to be scared and sat back down. Seeing Caleb¡¯s fright, Katharine red at Robin, ¡°Robin, stop bullying Caleb, it breaks my heart.¡± Then she held Caleb¡¯s arm andforted him, ¡°Caleb, my brother is just a bad¨Ctempered guy, don¡¯t mind him.¡± Caleb took the opportunity to hug Katharine and kissed her on the cheek, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Then, the two started making out. Everyone in the room turned silent. Robin felt like his eyes were about to pop out, ¡°Enough, you two!!!¡± Caleb and Katharine finally stopped and sat properly, ying cards and asionally giggling sweetly. Robin was speechless. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. He turned his attention to Bernard, ¡°What are you here for?¡± Bernard shifted his gaze from Caleb to Robin, ¡°Why don¡¯t you get a psychiatrist to check them out?¡± Having a girlfriend has made him weird out of the blue. There must be something wrong with his mental health, otherwise, his behavior wouldn¡¯t be so abnormal. Upon hearing this, Aidyn couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Caleb, you really are acting weird. You should listen to Mr. Laurence and get your brain. checked.¡± Before Caleb could respond, Katharine jumped in, ¡°Caleb¡¯s brain is fine! He doesn¡¯t need a check¨Cup!¡± Seizing the chance to tease Katharine, Elbert chimed in, ¡°So it¡¯s you who needs a check¨Cup¡­¡± Before he could finish, Katharine punched him. Elbert cried out in pain, clutching his arm.. Katharine punched him a few more times, causing chaos in the room, which annoyed Robin to no end, ¡°SHUT UP, all of you!¡± Once the room was quiet, Robin asked Bernard again why he was here. Bernard pulled up a chair and sat down, then stated his purpose, ¡°Tell me, what do you want to let Cedric off the hook?¡± Robin responded fearlessly. ¡°I¡¯ve mentioned my conditions before. If you don¡¯t agree to have your wife take care of me, there¡¯s no room for negotiation Bernard¡¯s eyes changed slightly, the chill in his gaze prating. ¡°Why are you so insistent on her? Have you fallen for my wife?¡± Chapter 1001 Chapter 1001 The folks in the ward quieted down, with a good number of eyes trained on Robin on the hospital bed. Having a thing for another man¡¯s wife? Not exactly something to brag about, right? Robin can¡¯t be that desperate for a woman, can he? Robin¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but only for a moment. He quickly masked his feelings. ¡°I¡¯m not blind, you know.¡± He shot Bemard a quick nce, his face brimming with obvious distaste as if Eleanor was some kind of demon. Bernard stared into Robin¡¯s eyes, trying to read him. All he got was disdain and contempt. ¡°So why on earth would you want her to take care of you then?¡± Robin crossed his arms nonchntly, lifting his chin as he responded. ¡°We owe her mom a favor. I wanted to make it up to her, strengthen ties, give her something back.¡± With that, Robin looked at Bernard again, not sure if he was hiding something or just trying to put him at ease. He didn¡¯t beat around the bush ¡°Turns out her mom isn¡¯t part of our family after all, but she grew up with us. You could say we¡¯re cousins.¡± Bernard¡¯s icy gaze remained fixed on Robin, almost as if he could peer into his soul. Despite his heart racing, Robin refused to avert his eyes, allowing Bernard¡¯s intense stare to continue. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Bernard withdrew his cold gaze and issued a warning in a detached manner, ¡°You better not have any ulterior motives, or else III break your legs! As the suspicion in Bemard¡¯s eyes gradually faded, Robin felt an overwhelming sense of relief, though he couldn¡¯t quite understand why. After all, he didn¡¯t even have any feelings for Eleanor. He only recalled her face, so why did he experience guilt in front of Bernard? This perplexing feeling bothered Robin. ¡°Do you think your wife is some kind of treasure? That everyone should adore her the way you do and treat her like she¡¯s some precious gem?¡± Bernard flicked his sleeve. ¡°The best treasures in the world can¡¯tpare to my wife. You could only be jealous.¡± Robin nearly exploded, ¡°Jealous? Me, the head of the Spencer family, jealous of you?!¡± He asked thrice in a row, but Bernard couldn¡¯t care less, even chuckling, ¡°Who knows?¡± Robin turned red with rage, ¡°We¡¯re on par in terms of family background and looks, what do I have to be jealous of?!¡± A hint of amusement shed in Bernard¡¯s eyes, ¡°I have a wife, but you don¡¯t.¡± Robin, who had always been inpetition with him, was speechless¡­ He clenched his fists, grinding his teeth, ¡°One day, I¡¯ll marry a woman better than your wife. How will youpete with me then?!¡± Bernard smirked, ignoring him, ¡°Let¡¯s get back on track. My wife is not going to take care of you. You better think of something else.¡± Robin turned away. ¡°I thought I made it clear. There¡¯s no room for negotiation.¡± Bernard¡¯s icy gaze fell on him again, ¡°So, you insist on my wife taking care of you?* Robin raised an eyebrow casually, ¡°Not necessarily. You could take care of me.¡± Cedric¡¯s parents stood at the entrance of the ward. Hearing this, they exchanged worried nces. Bernard¡¯s thick eyshes dropped slightly. After a pause, he looked at Robin again. ¡°I¡¯ll hand over a major project to you. That¡¯s my offer. If you refuse, just wait and see.¡± The man got up and left, his arrogant figure making Robin¡¯s face darken instantly. ¡°Bernard, you need my help now, and you dare to threaten me?!¡± Bernard paused, his hand in his pocket, before turning around to face Robin. With a smirk on his face, he looked down at him and said, ¡°Whether I have the guts or not, that¡¯s for me to decide. Think it over and give me a call.¡± As Bernard walked away, the atmosphere in the ward was tense, and everyone¡¯s attention shifted to the fuming Robin Elbert tried to offer some advice, saying, ¡°You seem to be really losing to him¡­¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Before Elbert could finish his sentence, Robinshed out and swung at him. Fortunately, Elbert managed to dodge in time. Confused, Elbert eximed, ¡°I¡¯m on your side! Why would you hit me?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re undermining me and boosting his ego. That¡¯s why you deserve it!¡± Robin retorted, his fists clenched in anger, especially when he noticed Cedric¡¯s parents outside the door, making his frustration even worse. ¡°Mark my words, I won¡¯t let Cedric off easily. He better be ready for thew!¡± Seeing that Robin was unreasonable, Cedric¡¯s parents didn¡¯t say anything more and followed Bernard out. After they got home, Cedric¡¯s mother, Latonia, thought for a while, then asked the driver to take her to Fiord Roundabout. Chapter 1002 Chapter 1002 Right now, Bernard was swamped with work at the Lawrence Group, leaving Eleanor all by herself at home. Eleanor was in the middle of sketching some designs when Bryson told her that Cedric¡¯s parents were here. She immediately dropped her pencil As she got up to head downstairs to the living room, she wondered why Cedric¡¯s parents would suddenly seek her out when they¡¯ve had little interaction before Latonia came from a well¨Coff family, was backed by Jason, and was quite the looker. Her whole being radiates an air of good upbringing, and even in her older age, she maintainws an elegance and intellect. Her words were spoken gently, without a hint of arrogance. Seeing Eleanor, she smiled andplimentd her on her looks and taste in fashion. She also mentioned the interior design of the Fiord Roundabout, saying it¡¯s beyond anything international designers could muster. She added that her brother has a manor that needed redecorating and invites Eleanor to take on the design. Eleanor caught on that Latonia needs a favor from her, and so she agreed to the request: ¡°Thank you for the business opportunity. I¡¯ll take on your brother¡¯s manor project. But there must be something else you want to talk about, right? You didn¡¯t juste here to pitch me a project, did you?¡± ¡°There is indeed something else I need your help with.¡± After chatting for a while and downing several cups of coffee, Latonia awkwardly revealed her actual intention: ¡°Eleanor, could you perhaps have a word with Robin?¡± Eleanor was taken aback by the request, ¡°I¡¯m not really tight with Robin, talking to him might not do any good.¡± She instinctively declined, but Latonia moved to sit next to her, gripping her hand tightly and patting it gently. ¡°Sweetie, I know it¡¯s a bit out of line to ask you to talk to him, but Robin told you to look after him because he feels guilty that his family didn¡¯t treat your mother right. He wants to use this opportunity to get closer to you and make amends. So I¡¯m thinking, if you talk to him, it might work.¡± After saying this, Latonia added, ¡°Of course, if you¡¯re not willing, that¡¯s fine too. We¡¯ll figure out another way.¡± Everyone in the Laurence family knew about Robin revealing Eleanor¡¯s identity in the past, but they all chose to stay silent. They did this to protect her, for which Eleanor was very grateful. Now, Cedric¡¯s mother was tactfully making a suggestion, not forcing her. She had been married into the Laurence family for quite some time, and aside from the initial objections from her grandfather, everyone in the Laurence family had been good to her. With this in mind, Eleanor nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give it a shot, but I can¡¯t guarantee it¡¯ll work.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay, it¡¯s worth a shot¡± This issue could have been easily resolved, but because it involves Robin, a big shot, it¡¯s a bit of a hassle. If Eleanor could persuade him, then Bernard wouldn¡¯t have to hand the project over to Robin. After epting the invitation, Eleanor felt it might be inappropriate to go alone, so she called Sigrid and asked Sigrid to apany her. Robin¡¯s hospital room was located just above the floor where Cedric as. Since they were not far from each other, Eleanor and Sigrid decided to visit Cedric first. They found Cedric propped up in bed, engrossed in hisptop, obviously hard at work. Eleanor and Sigrid didn¡¯t want to disturb him too much, so they just left the things they had brought, said a few words of care, and left the room Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. As they headed towards the elevator, Sigrid, arm in arm with Eleanor, said: ¡°These past few days, my brother seems like apletely different person, always busy¡± Eleanor knew this had something to do with Hailey, but she didn¡¯t borate, simply responding: ¡°Bernard is willing to let him take over as president of Crystal Area, so of course he has to work harder.¡± Bernard said that thepany had a lot of business, and with Vice President Taylor Laurence about to enter the North Fund market, there would be no one to manage Crystal Area, so they have to train Cedric Eleanor wasn¡¯t sure why they need to train Cedric, but she knew that Bernard seemed to be distributing important positions within thepany one by one. This was a bit puzzling to Eleanor, as Bernard himself was fully capable of managing these positions, and his current actions seemed like he was nning to step down soon. Eleanor couldn¡¯t figure it out, and Bernard wouldn¡¯t give her any answers, so she stopped asking and just hoped he would stay safe and by her side. The two women, arm in arm, arrived at Robin¡¯s hospital room. As they pushed open the door, they caught Robin standing at the bathroom door, looking straight ahead, while his bodyguard Nathan was crouched down, zipping up Robin¡¯s suit pants¡­ The sight had the two people outside the door gobsmacked. Chapter 1003 Chapter 1003 Robin noticed and nced up to find them staring at his lower half, causing him to look down unconsciously. At this moment, Nathan was in a battle with his zipper. ¡°Mr. Spencer, next time just wear your hospital gown. This zipper is stuck. It¡¯s not convenient for you, nor me¡­¡± Upon hearing these words, Eleanor and Sigrid exchanged a look. So, it turned out that Robin had never been in love or married because he had a special preference for Nathan¡­. The unusual expressions in their eyes made Robin feel uneasy. ¡°What¡¯s with those faces?¡± Sigrid justughed without a word, grabbed Eleanor and turned around to leave. ¡°Sorry to interrupt, you guys carry on, carry on¡­¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Hold on!¡± Robin kicked Nathan away and rushed to catch up, blocking the two like a wall. He raised his hand, pointing at his stered right hand and then at his unzipped pants. ¡°I hurt my hand and my pants are broken. I had to ask Nathan for help. We¡¯re not in any other rtionship!¡± Eleanor and Sigrid exchanged another nce. ¡°Got it, we totally got it.¡± ¡°What do you mean, got it?!¡± Robin was getting impatient. ¡°I¡¯ve told you, I asked Nathan for help because I was injured and inconvenient.¡± Eleanor nodded like a pecking chicken, ¡°Well, let him help you first. We¡¯lle backter.¡± ¡°No way!¡± Robin stepped forward, blocking Eleanor¡¯s way. ¡°I don¡¯t discriminate on the basis of gender. Don¡¯t get any weird ideas.¡± After saying that, he frowned. Why did he have to exin so much to her? What did his views on gender have to do with her? Eleanor was thinking the same. ¡°Whether you have prejudices or not is none of my business. I won¡¯t think too much about it. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Robin was left speechless and decided not to exin anymore, ¡°Think whatever you want. I¡¯ve got nothing to hide.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t respond, but simply raised her eyebrows and gave a sweet smile. Seeing this, Robin¡¯s heart pounded even harder. He didn¡¯t know why, but he raised his hand to press against his chest. After doing so, his heart rate returned to normal, so he didn¡¯t think much of it. ¡°What did you guys want to talk about?¡± After asking, Robin seemed to remember something and quickly walked towards the bathroom. ¡°Wait outside. I¡¯ll be night out.¡± After changing his pants in the bathroom, he came out looking a bit annoyed. But instead of being cold as usual, he seemed more approachable. ¡°Come in.¡± He sat on the sofa, nodding to the two of them. Eleanor didn¡¯t mind and led Sigrid to him. ¡°Mr. Spencer, we came to talk about Cedric.¡± As Eleanor spoke, she took a step closer to Robin, and a gentle breeze from the window lifted her waist¨Clength curly hair, caressing his face. This unexpected touch seemed to stir something within him, causing him to instinctively lean back. ¡°Keep your distance!¡± Robin blurted out, taken aback by the sudden proximity. Eleanor was surprised by his reaction. She didn¡¯t think she was that close to him, but she respected his personal space and immediately stepped back further. However, even with the increased distance, Robin still felt annoyed. Those few strands of hair that brushed his cheek seemed to be constantly irritating his heart, which bothered him greatly. He wondered if he could really confront her about such a trivial matter. After all, how could hein about her unintentional action of brushing her hair against his face? Robin clenched his fists tight, holding back the pain. Chapter 1004 Chapter 1004 *Why does everyone keep bothering me about Cedric? It¡¯s so annoying ¡± ¡°So you mean if I take care of you, you can let Cedric off the hook?¡± Robin, who looked imitated, had the fire in his eyes slowly fade away after hearing that. ¡°You¡¯re agreeing to take care of me?¡± Before Eleanor could respond, Sigrid tugged at her sleeve. ¡°It¡¯s not worth it, sacrificing for my brother.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Eleanor gently patted her hand, soothing her. ¡°Your mother belongs to the Pine family, and my mother grew up in the Pine family too. We have some connection and history. It¡¯s reasonable for me to call you cousin, and you feel the same. So I¡¯m going to boldly take on this cousin role. It has no problem for me to look after my cousin, but¡­¡± Eleanor paused, her eyes gently lifted, revealing a tender smile. ¡°I¡¯m your cousin and Cedric is my brother, so indirectly you guys are somewhat rted. Mr. Spencer, could you perhaps cut Cedric some ck for this rtion¡¯s sake?¡± Robin took a nce at Eleanor, standing far away, with a soft smile on her face and gentle eyes. ¡°By your logic, simplifying the rtionship, Cedric could be considered my brother too?¡± That was indeed the case That¡¯s what Eleanor thought, but her face was filled with an innocent smile as she nodded at him. ¡°As my cousin, can you let this slide, considering the rtionship? Please?¡± Her voice was as soothing as a flowing stream. The furious Robin, upon hearing her gentle voice, had his anger gradually settling down. He lifted his eyes, staring at Eleanor, and found himself thinking that Bernard¡¯s wife was quite a sight¡­ Upon realizing this, Robin was startled and decided to see a neurologistter. Something must be wrong with his brain. ¡°So you¡¯re just trying to avoid looking after me. Don¡¯t say one thing and do another.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who said you wanted me toe and take care of you, to get closer to me. Now that I¡¯m doing it, you¡¯re using me of climbing the socialdder.¡± Robin took a while toe up with a counterargument, and after a moment, he managed to spit out: ¡°I meant, don¡¯t use Cedric to get closer to me.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s the truth¡­¡± ¡°Well, I can¡¯t let him off just because of that!¡± Eleanor looked at him, silently nodded a few secondster. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll take care of you. But I wonder for how long?¡± Robin nced at Eleanor, ¡°Until I¡¯m discharged from the hospital.¡± Nathan piped up, ¡°Mr. Spencer, we¡¯re being discharged this afternoon¡­¡± Robin went silent. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Before he could even speak, Eleanor quickly interjected, ¡°That¡¯s settled then, I¡¯ll take care of you until you¡¯re discharged.¡± Robin wanted to back out, but seeing Eleanor sessfully wrapping up the issue, she covered her mouth, giggling with Sigrid. He was originally quite irritated, but theirughter eased his mood a bit, ¡°Alright then, until I¡¯m discharged.¡± Eleanor quickly rified, ¡°So you won¡¯t have any more disputes with Cedric, right?¡± Robinzily crossed his long legs, ¡°That depends on your performance.¡± Despite his haughty tone, there was a hint of relenting. Eleanor and Sigrid caught that, very pleased, while Nathan was dumbfounded. ¡°Mr. Spencer, when did you be so easy¨Cgoing? Weren¡¯t you ranting about sending Mr. Laurence to jail? Didn¡¯t you say even if an angel came to persuade you, you wouldn¡¯t listen? Howe you agreed just like that after she said it?¡± This change was too sudden?! It simply didn¡¯t make sense, it was absolutely nonsensical! The one who loved talking nonsense and acting recklessly, that¡¯s their Mr. Spencer, this one must be a fake! Robin pped Nathan on the head, ¡°What does my decision have to do with you?!¡± Nathan cupped his head, whimpering, ¡°Your decision is always right, and it has nothing to do with me¡­¡± Chapter 1005 Chapter 1005 Robin shot Nathan a sidelong nce, then turned away, beckoning to Eleanor, ¡°Come here.¡± Eleanor hesitated for a few seconds, then walked up to him. Robin gently tapped the ster on his right hand with his left, ¡°It¡¯s been bandaged for too long, the skin around it is a bit itchy, scratch it for me.¡± Eleanor retorted, ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me to keep my distance?¡± Robin replied, ¡°That was just then, now I need your help, can you stay away?¡± Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but think to herself that Robin wasn¡¯t as clever as he appeared, and she considered Bernard to have poor taste. She noticed the disdain in Robin¡¯s eyes but wasn¡¯t entirely sure what he was plotting. Sigrid also observed the tension between them and wondered if Robin had some ulterior motive involving Eleanor. However, he quickly dismissed the idea, realizing that if Robin had any ill intentions, he wouldn¡¯t let Eleanor take care of him so tenderly; instead, he might be trying to embarrass Bernard. As for Robin¡¯s sexual orientation, Sigrid wasn¡¯t certain, but he felt relieved that he could be there to prevent any gossip about Eleanor. Meanwhile, Eleanor nced at Robin and then rolled her eyes in response to his behavior. She found a spot on the sofa beside him and decided to sit down. ¡°Mr. Spencer, give me your right hand,¡± she calmly requested. Feeling pleased by Bernard¡¯s wife obeying hismand, Robin dly extended his right hand to her. However, as Eleanor¡¯s fingers touched the sleeve over his ster, an unexpected sensation washed over him. His body tensed up, and his heart started racing uncontrobly. Surprised by his sudden reaction, Robin looked up at Eleanor, taking in her clear and wless face with its smooth skin, beautifully arched eyebrows, and delicate, cute features. Each aspect of her appearance seemed to have a mesmerizing effect on him, making him feel both tense and breathless. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Especially when her fingers touched his skin, it was like an electric current hitting him, making his previously tense body suddenly rx. He was shocked at his own reaction, ¡°What the hell?!¡± Eleanor was originally nning to scratch him hard, but seeing him suddenly jump up, she got scared thinking he had discovered something, so she quickly withdrew her fingers. Robin red at Eleanor angrily, ¡°You¡­ stay away from me from now on!¡± Eleanor was confused, ¡°You told me to keep my distance, and you told me toe closer, Mr. Spencer, are you okay?¡± Robin lowered his head, about to answer Eleanor, but when he saw her clear, spring¨Clike eyes, his heart raced. Eleanor saw him about to say something, but then suddenly stop after seeing her face, she tilted her head to ask him, ¡°Do you still want me to take care of you?¡± Hearing her voice, Robin awkwardly looked away. ¡°No need, you can go now.¡± Eleanor quickly asked. ¡°What about Cedric?¡± Robin seemed a bit impatient, he turned around and waved his hand, ¡°I¡¯ll deal with it when I get a chance.¡± The meaning of that was, he decided to let Cedric go. Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief, and Sigrid, who was sitting not far away, also breathed a sigh of relief. Although she didn¡¯t understand why Cedric suddenly changed his attitude, Eleanor still expressed her gratitude, ¡°Thank you,e over for dinner sometime.¡± After she finished speaking, she got up, went to Sigrid¡¯s side, took her hand, said ¡®let¡¯s go¡® and quickly left the ward. Looking at Eleanor¡¯s charming back, Robin showed a faint smile, which only disappeared when Nathan came into his line of sight. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Nathan circled around Robin. ¡°Mr. Spencer, you seem a bit different, your attitude towards Ms. Shultz seems¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no Ms. Shultz, that¡¯s my cousin!¡± Nathan wanted to argue, but was harshly kicked by Robin. ¡°What are you still doing standing there, go get my discharge procedures sorted out!¡± Chapter 1006 Chapter 1006 After Eleanor and Sigrid had a chit¨Cchat about Robin¡¯s sexual orientation, they parted ways and headed home. Once back at Latonia¡¯s ce, Sigrid spilled the beans about everything In gratitude, Latonia made a special trip to the Fiord Roundabout with a little something for Eleanor. Feeling a bit awkward to reject the gift, Eleanor epted it, and then returned the favor by sending a gift to Latonia¡¯s family. Through this exchange, the rtionship between Eleanor and Cedric¡¯s parents got closer. However, Bernard seemed a bit off, not uttering a word while sitting on the study room couch after getting home. Seeing him not fiddling with his phone or reading a book, just staring at her, Eleanor slowly put down the ruler in her hand. ¡°What¡¯s up, babe?¡± she asked, after he had been sitting for nearly ten minutes. Bernard felt unsettled. He stretched his long legs and put one foot on the other knee. ¡°What do you think?¡± he asked. Bernard, sitting on the sofa in his suit with his legs crossed, looked quite imposing. Eleanor, resting her cheek on one hand, admired her husband, ¡°I think, you are mad about what happened today.¡± Bernard shot her a cold nce, ¡°What happened today? What are you talking about?¡± Seeing him ying dumb, Eleanorughed, ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t know, let¡¯s just pretend nothing happened.¡± Bernard¡¯s handsome face darkened with annoyance. After a while, he couldn¡¯t resist the urge to confront Eleanor, so he stood up and walked over to her. His long fingersnded on the architectural blueprint, and his tall figure leaned towards her. ¡°Babe, are you trying to piss me off on purpose?¡± he asked. Eleanor, still resting her chin on her hand, looked up at him and tilted her head in response. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t know what happened? How can it piss you off?¡± she retorted, using her wit to challenge him.. Unable toe up with a good counterargument, Bernard decided to walk around the desk and lift her up in one swift motion. ¡°Looks like I need to teach you a lesson in the bathroom,¡± he said assertively. Knowing she couldn¡¯t break free from his grip, Eleanor let him carry her. ¡°Going to the bathroom? Who¡¯s going to be taught? We have yet to see,¡± she teased. Bernard reached the door, wearing a smirk on his face. ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re going to teach me?¡± he inquired yfully. Putting on a proud expression, Eleanor lifted her chin and replied, ¡°Depends on my mood.¡± Bernard chuckled at her boldness. ¡°Only you dare to act up in front of me,¡± he remarked. Saying this, he hoisted Eleanor, kicked open the bathroom door, and ced her on the sink. Soon, intense sounds came from the bathroom,sting into the deep night. It was unclear who was the one being taught. Around midnight, a man¡¯s voice,ced with lust, came from the bathroom- This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°After I¡¯m done teaching you, I¡¯ll go teach Robin.¡± ¡°How are you going to teach him?¡± ¡°Whichever hand of his touched you, I¡¯ll chop it off.¡± ¡°So if my nails scratched his arm, you¡¯re going to chop off my hand too?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± After a while, Eleanor¡¯s voice came, teaching Bernard- ¡°Robin is gay, and his boyfriend is Nathan.¡± Their passionate conversation ended there, along with Bernard¡¯s words: ¡°Next time you meet your cousin, please tell him, I wish him happiness¡± Once Robin stepped in, Cedric¡¯s problem was solved. Next up was the matter of Yeager. The person Bernard sent to investigate Yeager came back and reported, ¡°There are only two possibilities. One, Yeager is hiding his illness, only he knows and hasn¡¯t told the patient, or hasn¡¯t had the time to. This is why he could take advantage of it. The other possibility is that Yeager bribed the coroner to produce a fake autopsy report. I personally lean towards both possibilities being true, otherwise, it would be too perfect, with no issues to be found.¡± After hearing this, Liana agreed with the analysis, ¡°Mr. Laurence, shall we summon the coroner for questioning? If he was bribed, we can offer him more money. As long as he tells us the truth, we can go easy on him.¡± Bernard, sitting in his office chair, pondered for a few seconds before asking Liana, ¡°How for has the rtionship between Ms. Vulpe and Dr. Yeager progressed?¡± Liana was taken aback, but then quickly got it, ¡°After I told Hailey everything that happened that day, they had a fight at home. Hailey seems inclined to break up. But Dr. Yeager threatened Ms. Vulpe with his parents, insisting they at least meet first before discussing a breakup. Probably afraid that Ms. Vulpe would really break up, he brought over his parents who were supposed to visit next month. The meeting is set for the end of this month.¡± Bernard,prehending, nodded, ¡°Then let¡¯s wait until they meet.¡± Liana was puzzled at his words, but after some thought, she understood Mr. Laurence¡¯s intention. He probably didn¡¯t want to deal with Yeager at this time out of respect for Hailey. They would wait until Hailey had met the parents and then decide what to do. She then asked, ¡°Mr. Laurence, what if Hailey agrees to marry Yeager due to parental pressure?¡± Bernard¡¯s determined eyes radiated a sense of nned resolve, ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± They could only deal with Yeager without worry once Ms. Vulpe let go, to keep their hands clean. Chapter 1007 Chapter 1007 Sorting out Yeager¡¯s mess has be a pressing issue, but Aidyn and Dr. Naylor¡¯s wedding can¡¯t be postponed either. As the personal assistant to the President of the Laurence Group, Aidyn¡¯s wedding was a big deal, with luxury cars lining up outside the Grandview Hotel. Not only were celebs from A City present at the wedding, but folks doing business with the Laurence Group also flocked to wish the couple well. Aidyn had booked out the whole hotel, ensuring there was room for everyone, invited or not. Aidyn was born to Tyler¡¯s stepmother, and a member of the Howell family was in attendance too, namely Tyler. Upon entering the hotel, Tyler kept mum and only stopped Liana when he saw her at the end of the corridor. Dressed in a sharp ck suit, Tyler oozed an air of elegance. With a reserved look on his face and his lips tightly pressed together, he looked somewhat cold. ¡°I got a subpoena from the court. You guys really have the guts to take me to court.¡± Tyler gently brushed Liana¡¯s cheek with his hand, but she coldly avoided him. ¡°You dare to harass me during awsuit? Aren¡¯t you afraid of adding another charge?¡± Tylerughed, his smile elegant yet confident, as dazzling as the bright lights in the room, but somewhat blinding. ¡°Liana, given our rtionship, you can¡¯t win thiswsuit. I¡¯m still in a good mood now, better drop the charges, or else¡­¡± With one hand against the wall above Liana¡¯s head, Tyler lowered his head and kissed her lips deeply. It was a light touch at first, but after tasting her, Tyler pulled Liana into his arms unwillingly ¡°Liana, I miss you.¡± Taking advantage of his emotional outburst, Liana forcefully pushed him away, ¡°Get lost!¡± Tyler held her hand to his wrist, ¡°Look, all these scars are because of you.¡± Touching the numerous scars, some already scabbed and some not, Liana could see they crisscrossed over his veins and arteries. As a doctor, Liana knew these were self¨Cinflicted from cutting his wrist, but what did that have to do with her? She coldly shook off his hand. Tyler didn¡¯t grab her hand again, just lifted his wrist andughed lightly, ¡°If I knew you¡¯d be so heartless, I wouldn¡¯t have cut my wrist to see you.¡± His smile, once fresh and handsome, now carried a hint of bitt emess, as if he had suffered a lot recently. Indeed, he had. After stopping their marriage registration, he was locked up by the Howell family. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. He had no choice but to starve and cut his wrist repeatedly to be released. Just after being released, he received the subpoena. Liana, who once imed to love him dearly, was suing him with another man and even trying to put him in prison. He never thought Liana could be so cruel and heartless. Was he supposed to be deceived and tra mpled upon by her? As he thought about this, a hint of sadness appeared in Tyler¡¯s eyes. He grabbed her chin, lifted her head, and made her look into his eyes. ¡°Liana, you want to put me in jail and live happily ever after with Will, right?¡± He lowered his head, the neatly arranged hair on his forehead falling and lightly brushing Liana¡¯s clean face. It was like being crawled on by an insect, making her heart race. ¡°Let me tell you, unless I¡¯m dead, you¡¯ll never be with him. From the moment you deceived me, you, Liana Terrill, are destined to be mine!* With that, the man suddenly let go of Liana¡¯s chin, turned around and left without any hesitation. ¡°As for the court stuff, I¡¯ll make you guys lose big time!¡± With his arrogant figure disappearing around theer, Liana lost her footing and slowly crouched down against the wall. Will got hurt. Yeager¡¯s issue was still unresolved, and now they had Tyler, a tough enemy to deal with. How should they proceed with this battle that hadn¡¯t even begun yet? Chapter 1008 Chapter 1008 Eleanor clung to Bernard¡¯s arm as they walked into the banquet hall, running smack dab into Tyler, who wasing out. They stopped dead in their tracks. Tyler chuckled at the sight of the pair, his eyes radiating disdain. ¡°Ms. Shultz, long time no see Ignoring Bemard, he greeted Eleanor, his eyes filled with contempt. Eleanor didn¡¯t respond, just wanted to steer Bernard clear of Tyler. But just as they were about to leave, Tyler snickered This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°Ms. Shultz, you certainly look better than thest time I saw you. Marriage seems to suit you.¡± His jibe was so tant that she had to respond, otherwise it would seem like she¡¯s too submissive. ¡°Whether I¡¯m happy or not has nothing to do with you, Dr. Howell.¡± Tyler¡¯s lips curled into a smirk. ¡°True, it doesn¡¯t concern me. But I happen to know that your happinesses at a great cost to someone else.¡± Eleanor felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment, and she froze in response to the situation. Bernard noticed her reaction, and he furrowed his brows, thinking carefully before meeting Tyler¡¯s gaze head¨Con. ¡°Did Garett send you to say this?¡± Bernard questioned Tyler, suspecting someone else might be behind this confrontation. Tyler snorted dismissively. ¡°Why would he send me to say such things when he chose to step aside for you?¡± he retorted, indicating that Garett had willingly given way to Bernard. Dressed in a ck suit, Bernard remainedposed, barely raising an eyebrow. His icy re exuded a sense of strength and invincibility. ¡°Since he didn¡¯t send you, are you standing up for him, or are you suggesting that Garett is narrow¨C minded?¡± Bernard asked with a cool and cutting tone. Tyler was taken aback by the sharp retort. He realized that his actions were not only failing to provoke them but also tarnishing his friend¡¯s reputation. His face fell, and he admitted, ¡°I just thought Garett was suffering. I didn¡¯t like it, so I made a few sarcastic remarks. It¡¯s not about Garett Bernard raised an eyebrow, understanding Tyler¡¯s loyalty to his friend. However, he made it clear, ¡°As Garett¡¯s friend, I can see why you would defend him. But his reputation can¡¯t withstand your constant jabs. Next time, don¡¯t use his name to insult my wife.¡± Tyler wanted to say something, but remembering Garett¡¯s warming, he bit his tongue. He said, if you use my situation to hurt Eleanor again, we¡¯re done being friends. Not wanting to lose Garett as a friend, Tyler bit the bullet and walked away. He was only here to see Liana. After that, there was no reason to stick around. Besides, Bernard¡¯s wedding wasn¡¯t worth his time! Once Tyler had left, Bernard squeezed her hand ¡°You didn¡¯t wrong Garett. Don¡¯t me yourself.¡± Years ago, she crawled through the pouring rain on a night in search of help to save him. Yearster, even though she was in love with Bernard, she still saw Garett as one of the most important people in her life Bernard held onto her hand tightly, as if he was grasping onto the love of his life. ¡°I understand your guilt, ites from the legs that were sacrificed for you.¡± He lowered his gaze to meet Eleanor¡¯s clear eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will heal his legs.¡± Just like how he kicked away the gun in his hands without hesitation years ago, he will heal Jason. Only by healing Garett can his wife¡¯s quilt fully dissipate Feeling his determination and strength, the guilt in Eleanor¡¯s eyes gradually receded, reced by gratitude. ¡°My love, thank you¡­¡± Thank you for your tolerance, and for being willing to do everything to help Garett. You saved him, spent money and resources to protect him, avenged his parents, helped him reim the Clowers family, and recently, even hired experts to treat his legs. Eleanor remembered all of this. Seeing the tears shimmering in her eyes, Bernard¡¯s lips curled into a smile, ¡°You look just like you did last night.¡± Last night? Eleanor blushed, recalling how he had her pinned against the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window, making her cry. But she wasn¡¯t crying out of pain, but¡­ Eleanor sheepishly nudged him, ¡°There are people around, what are you talking about?¡± Bernardughed, then took her hand and led her to the head table, calling over a waiter for a shawl. ¡°Why do you need a shaw!?¡± As he draped it over her, he leaned in close and whispered, ¡°Didn¡¯t the doctor tell you to keep warm? The air conditioning here is pretty strong. I don¡¯t want you to catch a cold. Also¡­¡± His eyes traveled down to her slightly exposed neckline, ¡°The doctor told us to exercise more. My dear, you wanted to thank me, right? How about rewarding me by making love with me a few more times every night¡­¡± Chapter 1009 Chapter 1009 As he said this, someone happened to pass by and seemed to overhear. They shot the two of them a weird look. Eleanor¡¯s round face tumed all red and she quickly said, ¡°Shut up, will you¡­¡± She covered his mouth with her hand and said loudly, ¡°Weren¡¯t you the quiet type before? Howe you¡¯re so chatty now?¡± Bernard opened his mouth to reply, but she pped her hand back over his mouth. ¡°No more talking, zip it!¡± As this couple was yfully arguing. Aidyn arrived at the hotel with the bride and everyone in the banquet hall took their seats. The emcee took the stage, filling the atmosphere with cheer. He gave a long speech full of wedding blessings before inviting the newlyweds onto the stage. As the spotlight hit the bride, she glowed softly, making Dr. Naylor look like a fairy descended from heaven. She stood at the other end of the aisle, beaming, elegant and gracious, waiting for her handsome groom toe to her¡­ Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Aidyn, holding roses, dressed in a ck tuxedo, hair slicked back, looked full of energy as he approached Dr. Naylor. After handing her the flowers, he took her hand, and under the apaniment of the wedding music, they walked down the aisle towards the stage. All the lights swept over the guests andnded on the newlyweds as they exchanged rings, made their vows, kissed, and popped the champagne. Then, they began to have a good time. Caleb and Scott were the most boisterous¡­ They were having a great time, even rushing down to the audience to try and drag Bernard on stage for a performance. Bernard gave them a cold look and they immediately stopped. Pearce Hooper, sitting next to Eleanor, looked like he wanted to give it a try, he pulled a grin and said, ¡°I¡¯ll give it a go¡­¡± Pearce had bullied Aidyn a few times before, Scott knew about this, ¡°Go ahead, aren¡¯t you afraid Aidyn will punch you off the stage?¡± Pearce put on a stiff smile that he thought was friendly. ¡°Today is a special day, so he won¡¯ty a hand on me, don¡¯t worry.¡± It¡¯s just a challenge to down a line of champagne, not a big deal. All he needed to do was offer a small gold bar as a prize¡­ Prepared, Pearce ignored Scott and Caleb¡¯s warnings and stormed onto the stage. The stage was full of people messing around, but when he got up there, it turned into apetition between him and Aidyn. Theypeted to drink lines of champagne, with each line adding a gold bar. Pearce gave it his all, knocking Aidyn out in the end, taking a stack of gold bars and wobbling off the stage¡­ Aidyn, on the other hand, just passed out and had to be helped into the car by the bride. Apparently, Pearce¡¯s antics ruined their wedding night. Dr. Naylor bore a grudge against Pearce, mocking him every time she saw him. After the wedding, the guests left one after another, and Liana sighed in relief watching the departing crowd. She couldn¡¯t settle down and have kids, but her cousin could, and that was enough happiness for her. Liana¡¯s only wish was for Aidyn to stay by Mr. Laurence¡¯s side, hoping he would always be happy and safe. After bidding farewell to Eleanor and Liana, Hailey decided to leave first. As she stood up, she noticed a man sitting in a wheelchair at the other end of the VIP section. He was dressed in a white shirt, which gave his face a more mature andposed appearance than usual. In the past, he would have been the most active and lively person at such events, but this time, he seemed subdued, sitting quietly. He looked thinner, and his tall figure appeared somewhat frail. Though hisplexion had improved, it still retained a slight paleness. Cedric noticed that the crowd had mostly dispersed, so he maneuvered his wheelchair around to where Hailey was waiting for the crowd to clear. Their eyes met, and rather than avoiding each other, they simply stared. Hailey wanted to look away quickly, but instead, Cedric nodded at her gracefully. Unlike their previous interactions, his gaze now seemed much clearer, as if he had finally let her go from their past entanglements. After nodding politely, Cedric pushed his wheelchair towards another exit, without looking back. Watching his back disappear into the crowd, Hailey retracted her gaze, picked up her pace, and walked towards the exit of the banquet hall. After Aidyn¡¯s wedding, Eleanor was busy handling Evelyn¡¯swsuit, Liana was busy finding the truth to prove Will¡¯s innocence, and Hailey was busy meeting Yeager¡¯s parents. The meeting ce was the most expensive restaurant in A City, which required a one¨Cmonth advance reservation. Marina said this showed Yeager¡¯s family was taking her seriously and chose such a high¨Cend restaurant for the meeting. She should dress up and make a good impression on Yeager¡¯s parents. Although Hailey agreed, she didn¡¯t dress up especially, she just did her usual light makeup, wore conservative clothes, and headed out¡­ Chapter 1010 Chapter 1010 Hailey stepped into the restaurant, spotting Yeager seated in a cozy round booth. Seeing her, he immediately stood up and waved, ¡®Hailey, over here!¡± Looking at the handsome Yeager, Hailey was a bit nervous and wanted to withdraw. But she was already here, and she had to face it no matter what. She clenched her hands and walked towards Yeager, only then spotting the middle¨Caged couple seated in the innermost part. The man was dressed in a sharp suit with a ck tie, standing tall and handsome, bearing a slight resemnce to Yeager. The woman was elegant with a slim figure and a refined, kind¨Chearted look. Upon seeing Hailey, they immediately put on weing smiles, ¡°Ms. Vulpe, pleasee in and have a seat.¡± They were very warm, asking Hailey to sit down and asking her what she¡¯d like to eat, letting her order her own food, while Yeager was busy calling the waiter. The friendly attitudes of the three eased Hailey¡¯s nerves. She ordered some drinks and then told them not to fuss over her anymore. Yeager¡¯s father was not much of a talker, leaving most of the conversation to Yeager¡¯s mother, Janice Alis. She inquired, ¡°Ms. Vulpe, how long have you and Yeager been dating?¡± Hailey nced at Yeager, who was cutting his steak, and replied, ¡°About two months, not a very long time¡­¡± A smile graced Janice¡¯s gentle face as she said, ¡°Although the time is short, Yeager mentioned that he¡¯s liked you since high school. Such youthful feelings¡­ quite romantic¡­¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. After Yeager finished cutting the steak, he ced it on Hailey¡¯s te. She thanked him, then continued answering Janice, ¡°I only found out about this two months ago at a blind date banquet. When we were in school, I had no idea about his feelings.¡± Janice¡¯s serene expression changed slightly, but Yeager quickly jumped in to add, ¡°Those were all my thoughts at the time. Hailey probably didn¡¯t even know I existed.¡± Janiceughed and teased, ¡°So, Ms. Vulpe, were you quite popr in school? Were you the top schr of the whole school?¡± Holding her knife and fork, Hailey froze slightly. Just when she was about to exin, Yeager spoke up, ¡°Mom, let¡¯s not bring up the past. It¡¯s quite embarrassing to talk about it too much.¡± Janice looked at Yeager and smiled indulgently, ¡°Alright, we won¡¯t talk about it.¡± Yeager¡¯s brows rxed, and he cut some foie gras for Hailey, cing it on her te with great care. Hailey originally wanted to eat quietly, but after a few bites, Janice asked again, ¡°Ms. Vulpe, you¡¯re nning to marry my son, aren¡¯t you? There are some things I¡¯d like to rify in advance. I hope you don¡¯t mind¡­¡± Hailey put down her cutlery and looked up at Janice, ¡°Mydy, feel free to ask anything. I don¡¯t mind.¡± She was very polite to her elders. Janice nodded approvingly, ¡°I heard that you¡¯re an orphan, without parents. How have you been living these years?¡± Hailey answered straightforwardly, ¡°I was in an orphanage when I was young, and I worked part¨Ctime jobs to support myself after growing up. Whether it was in a convenience store or a small restaurant, as long as there was an opportunity, I took it.¡± Janice looked at her with sympathy in her eyes, ¡°It must have been tough. Working in a small restaurant wouldn¡¯t bring much ie. How did you be the owner of a nightclub at such a young age?¡± Hearing these two questions, Hailey understood that Janice was questioning the source of her wealth. Her background would indeed raise doubts, but Hailey didn¡¯t me Janice. She stated the truth, ¡°I worked in the entertainment industry after graduating from high school and saved some money. Then, two of my rtives had an ident and left me some property. I took some of the money and bought shares in The Secret Garden. After making a return, I paid back my friend. That¡¯s how I made my money.¡± After listening, Janice nodded thoughtfully, ¡°I see. But you¡¯re so young. A stable job would suffice. Why did you specifically choose this industry? Do you have any particr reasons?¡± Chapter 1011 Chapter 1011 Her words were a bit subtle. Other young girls might not have caught her real meaning, but Hailey was different, ¡°I don¡¯t have any big secrets. I just want to settle down in A City. The cost of living here is sky¨Chigh. If you want to live here, you gotta have the dough. I don¡¯t want to make money through power games, I just ear my keep through customer interaction. I want to buy an apartment. At first, I thought such a life was pretty sweet, but then I was bullied by those who have power and wealth. I don¡¯t think a stable job can give me much.¡± Hailey¡¯s words cleared up Janice¡¯s misunderstanding that ¡®she raised her social status through shady means¡®. ¡°I gotcha. Your story is kinda like mine. I worked my way up through studies and exams, finally settled down in a foreign university. Being a woman, it ain¡¯t that easy, I feel you.¡± Janice didn¡¯t show any noticeable distaste, but her words were dripping with a sense of superiority that made Hailey ufortable. Hailey looked at Yeager, who seemed to miss his mother¡¯s point entirely, didn¡¯t utter a peep for her, just kept serving her dishes. Hailey prodded the food on her te with her fork but didn¡¯t eat. Yeager noticed, ¡°What¡¯s up, don¡¯t you like these dishes?¡± Hailey shook her head. Janice nced at them, immediately called the waiter, handed the menu to Hailey after grabbing it, ¡°Ms. Vulpe, if you don¡¯t like the food, you don¡¯t have to eat it. Order something you like. My husband has some savings abroad to cover this, don¡¯t be shy.¡± Hearing this, Hailey nced at thedy of the house, then at the silent middle¨Caged man, finally her gazended on Yeager. Seeing him nod at her, Hailey smiled, ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll order a few more dishes.¡± Hailey picked two moderately priced dishes. Janice thought it was too cheap, so she added a few signature dishes and a bottle of Lafite red wine. Once the waiter left with the menu, Janice readjusted her beige long dress. Every stitch of the dress was handmade, Hailey noticed, but she didn¡¯t bother about Janice showing off their wealth in front of her. Janice saw that Hailey didn¡¯t try to please her, so she backed off, ¡°Ms. Vulpe, this might make you ufortable, but you know my son. He has not really dated or been married, so I¡¯m quite curious about your past. Could you share the reason you divorced your ex?¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Hailey turned to Yeager, ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell your parents about this?¡± Yeager was about to answer, but Janice interrupted, ¡°He did. After you two confirmed your rtionship, Yeager told us. He didn¡¯t go into details, though. I thought we could chat about it when we meet.¡± Hearing this, Hailey had no reason to doubt Yeager anymore. After hesitating for a moment, she openly said, ¡°I divorced my ex¨Chusband because he cheated on me. He had an affair with his sister. By the time I found out, their child was already nine months old.¡± Janice, startled by the news, eximed, ¡°His biological sister?¡± Hailey shook her head, ¡°They were adopted, not biological.¡± Janice asked, ¡°Then¡­how did you find out?¡± Hailey replied, ¡°His sister was hospitalized in my friend¡¯s hospital. I happened to pass by and identally saw their behavior, I caught them red¨Chanded.¡± Janice eximed, ¡°That¡¯s outrageous! How could they do such a thing in a hospital!¡± After saying this, she grabbed Hailey¡¯s hand and asked, ¡°What happened then?¡± Anyone else might not have pried further, but Janice obviously wanted to expose all her secrets without considering her feelings. Hailey nced at Yeager again, hoping he would intervene and stop Janice from asking more, but Yeager was engrossed in his food. Helpless, Hailey had no choice but to share her legal battle with Austin Zimmer in detail. Chapter 1012 Chapter 1012 After getting a good grasp on Hailey¡¯s past, Janice chuckled and said, ¡°Ms. Vulpe, here¡¯s the thing. I¡¯m kinda nosy about Yeager¡¯s affairs. He¡¯s a total bookworm, only knows how to hit the books, totally clueless about the ways of the world and courting girls. Being his mom, I tend to fret a bit more. But hey, that¡¯s just how all parents are, you get me, right?¡± Hailey, an orphan, get what exactly? Feeling a bit fidgety, she forced a smile, made a quick excuse, and said, ¡°Excuse me, I need to use the restroom. You guys take your time.¡± Once Hailey had left, Janice¡¯s elegant smile faded. ¡°Yeager, she might sound convincing, but I don¡¯t buy that someone who¡¯s been around the block in the entertainment industry could be squeaky clean.¡± In a posh round booth nearby, a man leaned back against a Cartier¨Cupholstered couch, tilted his head slightly, his hair falling with it, his sharp eyes glued to themp¨Clit red wine in his ss. Chase, sitting beside him, seemed eager to eavesdrop. He swiftly took out his phone and aimed the microphone towards the neighboring table. Yeager was aware of Hailey¡¯s past rtionship with Cedric, but he hadn¡¯t spilled the beans to his parents. Now hearing Janice say this, he was reminded of Hailey and Cedric¡¯s past, a bit unsettled, but not feeling any disgust. ¡°If she¡¯s not innocent, your grilling won¡¯t make her slip up. Why still doubt her?¡± Janice frowned, ¡°Look at her looks, her figure, even her stride oozes sex appeal. How could such a beautiful and attractive woman bepletely spotless? I just can¡¯t buy it.¡± Yeager¡¯s father, Ableson Alis, followed Janice¡¯s gaze, taking a gander at Hailey heading to the restroom: ¡°She¡¯s quite a looker, any average Joe would have a thing for her, not to mention those men frequenting entertainment venues. Any high roller could make her kneel. Her words seem a bit far from reality.¡± Janice nodded, ¡°Right, your dad and I can easily see through a girl. This Ms. Vulpe doesn¡¯t y by the rules. If she marries you, she might¡­¡± Yeager disagreed, ¡°Hailey isn¡¯t like that, she would never betray me¡­¡± Janice retorted, ¡°Even if you trust her character, I still can¡¯t stand her.¡± Yeager got a bit antsy, ¡°Mom, didn¡¯t you already agree? Why are you backing out now?¡± Janice patted Yeager¡¯s arm, ¡°Boy, she¡¯s an orphan with only a high school diploma, no background, no culture. How are you going to take her abroad? Even introducing her to our friends would feel awkward.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Yeager wanted to argue, but he found some sense in what Janice said. Seeing Yeager unable to refute, Janice pressed on, ¡°She¡¯s been married before, spent a lot of time in nightclubs, and her background is worlds apan from yours. Youe from an academic family, everyone is involved in schrly research. Not to mention, you¡¯re a promising young doctor, with potential to nab a Nobel Prize in Medicine. Once you get that, your status will skyrocket. How could someone like Ms. Vulpe match up to you?¡± Yeager didn¡¯t ept this. ¡°No matter how great I am, I only want Hailey. I¡¯ve liked her since high school, how can I be satisfied without her?¡± Seeing his determination, Janice sighed helplessly, ¡°I know your stubbornness. You never let go of things you can¡¯t get. But bringing someone like Ms. Vulpe home would be a bit disgraceful. Why not choose Bernice instead, she and the child¡­¡± At that moment, Ableson coughed, which prompted Janice to swiftly change her topic, ¡°¡­she¡¯s overseas, waiting for you¡­ Yeager¡¯s usually handsome face turned somber, and he spoke firmly, ¡°Mom, Bernice and I are history. Don¡¯t bring her up in front of me.¡± Seeing her son¡¯s cold reaction, Janice had no choice but to agree, ¡°Alright, alright, I won¡¯t mention her again. But once you¡¯ve won the medical prize, there¡¯ll be countless aplisheddies abroad vying for you. I just hope you won¡¯t rush into marriage. Think it over once you¡¯ve received the award, okay?¡± Yeager appeared a bit impatient as he responded, ¡°I¡¯ll make my own decisions. And Mom, your questioning earlier made Hailey ufortable. I didn¡¯t intervene out of respect for you as my mother, I let you have your moment. But when Haileyes back, please say some kind things and be a bit more courteous.¡± Janice got the hint. Her son still wanted to marry Hailey Vulpe. Although she was reluctant, she had to y along for the time being. She would find a way to break them upter. ¡°Fine, you¡¯re my pride and joy. I¡¯ll listen to you¡­¡± Chapter 1013 Chapter 1013 Hailey just wanted to find an excuse to get away for a bit. She spent some time washing her hands over and over in the sink before finallying out. The restaurant was pretty big, and the waitress led her through several twists and turns before she got back to the private booth Yeager had booked. When she returned, she expected Janice to continue grilling her, but instead, Janice simply took her hand and said tenderly, ¡°Sweetie, you¡¯ve had it tough. When you¡¯re with my Yeager, you can just chill at home, no need to hustle anymore. You¡¯ll be happy, I promise.¡± Hailey felt a bit awkward and tried to pull her hand away, but stopped when she saw the look of concern in Janice¡¯s eyes. ¡°Even if I marry him, I won¡¯t quit my job.¡± She made it clear she didn¡¯t want to be a stay¨Cat¨Chome wife. To her surprise, Janice not only didn¡¯t object but supported her, ¡°Of course, you run such a big entertainment venue, with a huge ie every year, it¡¯s all yours. I¡¯m just saying. Yeager will always back you up.¡± Hailey gave a slightly embarrassed smile, ¡°You switched gears pretty quick.¡± Janice¡¯s face stiffened a bit, then sheughed, ¡°What can I say?¡± Hailey was straight to the point, no sugarcoating. ¡°You were asking me all these questions, I thought you didn¡¯t like my background or job. But then Ie back from washing my hands, and you¡¯re suddenly okay with everything. Did you say something to her?¡± Thest sentence was directed at Yeager, who just chuckled and nodded, ¡°She was asking you too much, it wasn¡¯t fair. I just said a few words to her, sorry for not cutting her off when she was questioning you. I told her off afterwards.¡± Yeager was always like this, never arguing back when criticized, but would apologize at a suitable time later. His reasons sounded so logical that Hailey often wondered if she was overthinking things. Later, Hailey realized this was just high¨Clevel dating tactics, but at the time she just felt grateful for Yeager¡¯s help. Fearful Hailey wasn¡¯t eating enough, Janice ordered two more dishes and asked with a wide grin, ¡°Ms. Vulpe, when do you n to get married? We need to prepare in advance.¡± Hailey looked at Janice and Ableson with clear eyes, ¡°Yeager and I haven¡¯t been together for long. We still don¡¯t know much about each other¡¯s personalities, values, thoughts, etc. I think we should spend more time together before talking about marriage.¡± Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Hailey could sense that Yeager¡¯s parents weren¡¯t entirely supportive of her, and there had been previous disagreements with Yeager that made her ufortable. Therefore, she decided to follow her friends¡® advice: get to know him better and not rush into marriage, which could potentially lead to a disaster. Upon hearing this, Janice felt relieved but couldn¡¯t help feeling displeased that Hailey was the first one to reject the idea. She thought it was unfair to her son and expressed, ¡°Ms. Vulpe, Yeager has had special feelings for you since high school. Isn¡¯t that enough time to understand each other?¡± Hailey responded gracefully with a generous smile, ¡°His understanding of me might be sufficient, but I¡¯ve only known him for a short two months.¡± Both Janice and Ableson felt a bit awkward with Hailey¡¯s response. Nevertheless, she didn¡¯t pay much attention to their reaction and simply smiled at Yeager, asking, ¡°What do you think?¡± If it weren¡¯t for Cedric¡¯s influence, Hailey might have readily agreed. Yeager¡¯s resentment towards Cedric had deepened, but he kept aposed expression and replied, ¡°We can date for as long as you want. I will respect your decision.¡± Relieved she wasn¡¯t being forced into marriage after meeting his parents, Hailey let out a sigh of relief, not even realizing it herself. After leaving the restaurant, Chase raised his hand to get back his cellphone, ¡°I¡¯ll edit it when I get back, then send the recording to Ms. Vulpe.¡± The man sitting at the head of the table gave him a cold nce, ¡°Mind your own business.¡± Chase, who was about to put his phone back into his suit pocket, suddenly stopped, ¡°Oh, Mr. Laurence, are you nning to ignore Ms. Vulpe¡¯s affairs?¡± Chapter 1014 Chapter 1014 Cedric took a sip of his red wine, ¡°Don¡¯t sweat the small stuff. If they end up ming you, it¡¯s not worth it.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Chase nced at his phone, ¡°I have a recording as evidence I¡¯m not just shooting the breeze¡± Cedric calmly responded, ¡°Yeager stood up to his mother, which is kinda siding with Hailey. What can a recording prove?¡± Chase shot him a look. ¡°What do you mean stood up? He let his mom interrogate Ms. Vulpe, there¡¯s another woman waiting for him abroad, and judging from his tone, he doesn¡¯t really care about Ms. Vulpe. He¡¯s just sour grapes because he can¡¯t have her. This recording has enough juice to show Ms. Vulpe Yeager¡¯s true colors. Why aren¡¯t you jumping on this opportunity?¡± Cedric nonchntly swirled his red wine. ¡°Yeager¡¯s a smooth talker. He can turn night into day. If I bring out the recording now, Yeagerl definitely say I forged it to sabotage them. Then, even if I¡¯m innocent, I¡¯m screwed.¡± Chase pondered for a moment, ¡°So, you¡¯re suggesting we should just let it slide?¡± Cedric didn¡¯t answer. Chase raised an eyebrow, ¡°Mr. Laurence, this isn¡¯t like you. You used to go all out for Ms. Vulpe.¡± Considering the derogatory remarks made by Yeager¡¯s parents just now, the old Mr. Laurence would¡¯ve already thrown a punch, Not only has he held back today, he¡¯s also telling Chase to mind his own business. Does he really not care anymore? Cedric put down his wine ss and said lightly, ¡°I don¡¯t feel like spending another month in the hospital.¡± Chase nced at the wheelchair nearby. Cedric¡¯s spine was damaged. Although he was out of the hospital, he still needed the wheelchair to move around. The price he paid was indeed heavy. But, ¡°Did you hear that Ms. Vulpe is postponing the wedding and now you¡¯re pretending not to be in a hurry?¡± Cedric chuckled, ¡°What¡¯s there to pretend? I¡¯ve done what I can. If she doesn¡¯t want toe back, I¡¯ll let her go. It¡¯s not the end of the world.¡± His tone was very light, as if he had truly let go. Chase stared at him for a few seconds before finally speaking, ¡°Whatever you¡¯re thinking, I can¡¯t control. But I¡¯m keeping this recording. It mighte in handy in the future.¡± Cedric didn¡¯t respond, which Chase took as consent. He quickly tucked his phone into his pocket, then looked out the door. ¡°Speaking of which, the representative from H Country sure has a high horse.¡± ¡°The rep is just giving us a hard time because they found out I¡¯m the new CEO of Crystal Area.¡± The thought of thepany not epting him still gave Cedric a headache. ¡°Make sure you check the contract they give uster. We don¡¯t want any issues that Bernard will have to clean up.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Just as he finished speaking, a woman in sunsses, a custom¨Cmade dress and holding a handbag walked in elegantly. ¡°Which of you is Mr. Laurence?¡± Chase and Cedric exchanged nces. ¡°Me¡± Cedric answered, then asked her, ¡°And you are?¡± The woman ced her handbag on the couch. ¡°I¡¯m the representative from H Country, Judith.¡± Judith climbed the steps and reached out to Cedric, ¡°Mr. Laurence, I got stuck in traffic on the way here. Sorry to keep you waiting¡± Chapter 1015 Chapter 1015 The old Cedric would¡¯ve been thrilled at the sight of a stunner like this, but now, he just gave her a quick nce and looked away, ¡°No biggie, have a seat.¡± Judith found that he wasn¡¯t as flighty as the rumors suggested. There was a cold indifference in his eyes that left her unsure. ¡°Mr. Laurence, discussing projects and contracts is usually done at more upscale entertainment venues, this fancy restaurant doesn¡¯t seem quite night.¡± Cedric pointed to the wheelchair next to him, ¡°Im Injured, can¡¯t exactly roll into a club now, can I? That¡¯d be aughing stock. Besides, it¡¯s just a contract signing, no need to hit up ces like that.¡± His words were full of distance that left Judith at a loss. Herpany sent her here specifically to use her good looks to charm Cedric and get Jared Group Headquarters to give up some benefits. But the legendary yboy didn¡¯t even spare her a nce, even rejected her insinuation, leaving Judith somewhat clueless. After staring at Cedric for a while, she slowly sat down, ¡°Mr. Laurence¡­¡± ¡°Got the contract?¡± Cedric cut her off, wanting to wrap things up quickly. ¡°Hand it over to mywyer. If he gives it the all¨Cclear, I sign it right away.¡± Judith forced a smile, ¡°Are you in some kind of rush?¡± Cedric nodded, ¡°Just took over the Crystal Area business, it¡¯s pretty hectic. Can¡¯t afford to waste time here.¡± His words implied that he didn¡¯t value her, and that he wanted to get rid of her as soon as possible. Judith, a prominent figure in H Country known for her beauty, felt a sense of indignation she had never experienced before. She decided to take a sip of her wine and moved closer to Cedric, saying, ¡°Mr. Laurence, there¡¯s no need to rush into signing the contract. Let¡¯s enjoy a drink first¡­¡± Cedric looked her up and down, reminding her that herpany was a strategic partner of the Laurence Group and relied on their support for expansion projects. He mentioned that he had been waiting for her outside for an hour, insinuating that her behavior might. be an attempt to take advantage of him under the influence of alcohol. His tone was reminiscent of Bernard, whom she had met a few times at the headquarters. Bernard¡¯s seriousness and perceptiveness had left an impression on her. She knew better than to underestimate the Laurence family¡¯s influence and power. Judith didn¡¯t say anything more. She took the contract out of her bag and handed it to Chase. Watching Chase scrutinize the contract word for word, Judith sneered, ¡°Mr. Laurence, this contract has been reviewed by both parties¡® legal departments. Are you suggesting that yourwyer is better than the Laurence Group¡¯s legal team?¡± With a casual attitude, Chase pointed to the numbers on the contract and said, ¡°Judith, I¡¯vepared this paper contract with the one approved by the legal system, and they¡¯re not the same. A few uses are missing.¡± After carefullyparing the contracts, Cedric indeed found the issue, ¡°Judith, if you¡¯re not here for a genuine coboration, let¡¯s just call it off. The Laurence Group doesn¡¯t need yourpany¡¯s project that desperately.¡± Judith red at Chase and quickly took out another identical contract from her bag and handed it to them. ¡°This contract is exactly the same as the one reviewed by both legal departments, there¡¯s no issue.¡± Chase took the contract and nced at her. ¡°Even if there¡¯s no issue, we need to check it again. Maybe you have a third different contract in your bag¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Before Judith could retort, Chase interrupted her, ¡°Don¡¯t distract me, I need to concentrate on the contract.¡± Frustrated and at a loss for words, Judith resorted to picking up her wine ss and taking a big gulp After a moment, Chase handed the contract to Cedric. Being old friends, they understood each other¡¯s intentions with just a nce Cedric took the pen, signed his name on the contract, and then proceeded to stamp it with thepany seal. Following suit, Judith also signed and stamped the contract before cing it back in her bag. Just as she was about to say something. she noticed Chase smiling at her. *Judith, when ites to legal matters, you¡¯re no match for me,¡± Chase remarked, seemingly taunting her Judith remained silent, feeling increasingly irritated. In the end, she couldn¡¯t take it anymore and stormed off. Once she had left, Cedric and Chase raised their wine sses and clinked them together in celebration of their sessful deal. Out at the door, Judith turned back to look at Cedric.. Her frustration dissipated, reced with a spark of interest and a hint of a smile. Cedric of the Laurence family was handsome, and his character was quite to her liking¡­ ?? Chapter 1016 Chapter 1016 Cedric, as soon as Chase was out of the door, turned to his assistant and snapped, ¡°You get your ass to F Country right now and look up someone called Bernice.¡± Janice was about to say something, but was cut off by a cough from Ableson. There were definitely some secrets between them, secrets that even Yeager didn¡¯t know about. If it was really like that, then Hailey was really unlucky. Cedric pondered carefully. After all, they were acquaintances, and even if she didn¡¯t love him, he couldn¡¯t just watch her fall into trouble. Now he understood that impulsiveness wouldn¡¯t bring any benefits but rather make him vulnerable to maniption. He should learn from Bernard, approach matters by investigating the facts, gathering evidence, and then revealing the truth through others. Hailey sat in her car, gazing at her house, suddenly feeling reluctant to go inside. Once she entered, Marina would undoubtedly ask her about her date and when she nned to get married. The idea of marriage had be a tremendous pressure for her, and she couldn¡¯t understand why it had turned out this way, especially when she thought she was ready to remarry. With a deep sigh, Hailey started the car and headed towards Fiord Roundabout. While waiting at a traffic light, she rolled down the window for some fresh air and unexpectedly caught sight of Cedric. He was sitting in the passenger seat and had also rolled down his window. They exchanged a brief nce, which felt somewhat awkward. Cedric looked at her for two seconds, then quickly averted his gaze, rolled up the window with seamless motion. Hailey blinked her eyshes slightly, then turned her head to look ahead at the red light. This was the result she wanted, but when he truly treated her like a stranger, she felt somewhat sad. Hailey smiled to herself. She never expected that one day she would be so sensitive. Initially, Cedric had intended to go to Fiord Roundabout, but upon seeing Hailey heading in that direction as well, he instructed the driver to change the route. Hailey nced at the rearview mirror, seeing the luxurious car making the turn, and her expression subtly changed, though she didn¡¯t show any emotional response. This way, it¡¯s probably for the best. Meanwhile, Eleanor had been busypleting the design drawings left by Emilia. When she heard Bryson say that Hailey had arrived, she paused her work. It was the weekend, and Nina was at home, happily ying on the living room carpet with the servants. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Hailey walked in and saw that Nina had gained a few more pounds, looking like a little ball of flesh, sitting cross¨Clegged on the carpet. She went over and tried to pick up Nina but couldn¡¯t. manage it. ¡°How much has Eleanor been feeding you? You¡¯ve put on quite a bit!¡± Nina felt a bit embarrassed and covered her chubby face. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just growing taller, so it¡¯s natural to gain a little weight. When I grow up, I¡¯ll be as slim as you guys.¡± Hailey gently touched her chubby belly. ¡°Who knows how long it¡¯ll take for you to grow up¡­¡± Nina raised her hands and gestured in front of Halley. ¡°If I get fat for another ten years, I¡¯ll be grown up¡­¡± Hailey couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, pinching her cheeks. ¡°You¡¯re still cute like this.¡± Nina tilted her head and grinned, ¡°My teacher says I¡¯m cute too. Looks like he¡¯s not lying about being my future husband.¡± Hailey widened her eyes in surprise, ¡°What future husband?¡± ¡°Her homeroom teacher,¡± Eleanor chimed in,ing down the stairs with a smile. ¡°She says she wants to marry him when she grows up.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite something! Thinking about marriage at such a young age.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Eleanor agreed. She stood in front of the two and patted Nina¡¯s head. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that her teacher is handsome, she wouldn¡¯t want to marry him.¡± Nina imitated the way adults do and snapped her fingers, ¡°Eleanor got it right! It¡¯s because he¡¯s handsome that I want to marry him!¡± Hailey pretended to put on a serious expression and told Nina, ¡°You need to change that mindset. Just because someone is good¨Clooking doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s a good person.¡± Nina thought for a moment and retorted, ¡°True, not all good¨Clooking people are good, but not all ugly ones are bad either. So, I¡¯ll choose a handsome bad person. At least he won¡¯t be unpleasant to look at.¡± Hailey went speechless. Eleanor burst intoughter. ¡°She has a whole bunch of theories. You can¡¯t out¨Cargue her Chapter 1017 Chapter 1017 Hailey couldn¡¯t believe it and insisted on having a deep convo with Nina, but Nina just kept throwing out interesting remarks that left Hailey speechless. ¡°Kids these days are really something else, quick¨Cwitted and fast on their feet.¡± Liana walked in just in time to catch thatment. ¡°I once did an IQ test for Nina. She scored higher than you, so don¡¯t treat her like a child.¡± Hailey questioned if this was true, Liana justughed and said, ¡°With parents as brilliant as hers, of course she¡¯s gonna be amazing.¡± Eleanor noticed that Liana and Hailey had arrived and after they hung out with Nina for a bit, she took them to the lounge area. She called for a barista to brew some coffee, served some desserts, and then asked Hailey, ¡°Did you meet Yeager¡¯s parents today? How did it go?¡± Hailey came to Fiord Roundabout to talk with Eleanor about this. ¡°His dad didn¡¯t say much, but his mom seemed to look down on my background and job. Even though she wasn¡¯t outright dismissive, I could still feel it in her words.¡± Eleanor and Hailey were both orphans and knew what it felt like to be looked down on. ¡°Did Yeager stand up for you?¡± Hailey initially shook her head, but then she nodded. ¡°He didn¡¯t say anything when I was there, but when I came back from the restroom, his mom changed her attitude. So, I guess he must have said something.¡± Liana was concerned about the oue. Seeing Hailey¡¯s uncertainty, she asked, ¡°So, what¡¯s your n? Are you going to get married or¡­?¡± Hailey waved her off, saying, ¡°I feel like his mom isn¡¯t too pleased with me, and I don¡¯t want to rush into marriage either. So, I suggested postponing the wedding in front of his parents.¡± Eleanor asked, ¡°Did Yeager agree?¡± Hailey nodded, replying, ¡°He agreed. He said he¡¯ll listen to me.¡± Eleanor and Liana exchanged looks, unsure of how to judge the situation. Finally, Liana said, ¡°It¡¯s okay to postpone. You guys haven¡¯t been together for too long, and you don¡¯t really know each other¡¯s character and qualities that well. There¡¯s no rush to get married.¡± If it weren¡¯t for Yeager setting up Will, Liana might have thought he was a decent marriage prospect. Now, she just hoped her matchmaking wouldn¡¯t hurt Hailey. Fortunately, after meeting Yeager¡¯s parents, Hailey decided to postpone the wedding. Everything was still manageable, but since they hadn¡¯t broken up yet, how to investigate Yeager became an issue. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Liana didn¡¯t dare to make the decision alone. She left the drugs Mr. Keith gave her with Eleanor and left Fiord Roundabout under the guise of hospital business. She drove to the Lawrence Group to report to Bernard. After hearing Liana¡¯s report in his office, Bernard calmly asked, ¡°Did the people we sent out find anything?¡± Liana shook her head, ¡°The only solution right now is to grill Yeager and the coroner.¡± Bernard fell silent for a few seconds, then said indifferently, ¡°Then let¡¯s wait a little longer.¡± Once they break up, Bernard would definitely step in and have people arrest Yeager and the coroner. For now, while they¡¯re still together, Bernard could only y the waiting game. He needed to consider Eleanor¡¯s feelings, and on the other hand, he was afraid that taking action would cause unnecessary trouble for Hailey. So, he decided to wait. Understanding Bernard¡¯s thoughts, Liana didn¡¯t say much, just responded with an ¡®okay¡® and left the CEO¡¯s office¡­ Eleanor just saw off Hailey when a car pulled up in front of her. Then, the car window slowly rolled down, revealing a face that was extraordinarily refined and stunningly beautiful. Chapter 1018 Chapter 1018 ¡°Ms. Shultz, long time no see.¡± When Eleanor saw that the person in the car was Gianna, she felt a pang of tension, instinctively. She looked around to make sure there were no suspicious vehicles tailing her before letting out a sigh of relief. ¡°Ms. Penrod,st time you and your brother came looking for me, Robin found out. How do you dare come looking for me in public again?¡± Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Gianna removed her sunsses, revealing a pair of cunning eyes. ¡°I won¡¯t get out of the car, Robin won¡¯t see me, don¡¯t worry.¡± After saying this, Gianna picked up a gift box from the co¨Cpilot seat and handed it to Eleanor. ¡°I¡¯ve always felt sorry for the kidnapping incident before. I bought something and hope you can ept it.¡± Although it was a long time ago, Eleanor no longer held a grudge. However, for Gianna, she once forced Eleanor to jump into the sea, risking her life. It wasn¡¯t something she could easily forget. Furthermore, if anything had happened to Eleanor under Gianna¡¯s watch, Bernard would never have let her off the hook. So, Gianna felt fortunate that Eleanor was still alive, and she wanted to personally apologize and express her gratitude. Eleanor epted the gift box, saying, ¡°You were also forced by Mr. Penrod. You can¡¯t shoulder all the me.¡± Gianna shook her head, assuming the responsibility, ¡°It was my own decision. I chose the wrong way, so I am to me.¡± Seeing her so self¨Cming, Eleanor didn¡¯t say anything more, but opened the gift box in front of her. Eleanor said to Gianna with a smile, ¡°I really like this gift, you don¡¯t need to apologize for this matter in the future.¡± Gianna was infected by her sweet smile, ¡°I¡¯m d you like it. I hope you and Bernard will always be happy¡­¡± Gianna was proud, and receiving her blessings made Eleanor very happy, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will be good with him.¡± When it came to feelings, Eleanor thought of Gianna and Evan¡¯s affairs, ¡°By the way, how are you and Evan now, have you confessed to him?¡± Gianna blushed as she responded, ¡°Why bring him up¡­¡± 11 With the gift box in her arms, Eleanor tilted her head and said, ¡°But you asked me to help you chase him before, so why can¡¯t I mention it now?¡± Giannaughed, ¡°Oh, you still remember that! Well, there¡¯s no need for your help anymore. It¡¯s clear he doesn¡¯t have feelings for me.¡± Curious, Eleanor asked, ¡°How do you know?¡± Gianna sighed, ¡°There¡¯s a new girl in ourpany, and she¡¯s even prettier than me. Everyone, including Evan, seems to be attracted to her. Seeing that, I didn¡¯t want to bother him anymore.¡± ¡°A new girl?¡± Eleanor wondered, ¡°Why didn¡¯t Bernard mention it?¡± Gianna gave her a nce, saying, ¡°Evan is not like your husband. He wouldn¡¯t mention such things. He¡¯s not the type to be easily swayed by someone else¡¯s looks.¡± Eleanor smiled teasingly, ¡°Looks like Ms. Penrod, you¡¯ve got yourself somepetition, and she¡¯s even prettier than you¡­¡± Gianna touched her own face and replied, ¡°I¡¯vee to terms with it. With my looks, why should I cling to Evan? I should explore more diverse ces and find young, energetic people, right?¡± Eleanor nodded with a smile, without answering. Gianna raised her eyebrows and said to her, ¡°I heard your friend Ms. Vulpe runs a nightclub, why don¡¯t you apany me to pick some handsome guys?¡± Eleanor gave her a nce, ¡°You¡¯re not nning to kidnap me again, are you?¡° Chapter 1019 Chapter 1019 Gianna said, ¡°I swear, if I¡¯m here to kidnap you, I¡¯m screwed!¡± Eleanor replied, ¡°Even if you swear, I can¡¯t go with you. If he knew I was going clubbing, I¡¯d be toast.¡± She¡¯d better not to do this kind of dangerous thing. Saving her skin was the most important. Gianna retorted, ¡°Usually people are scared of their wives, howe you¡¯re scared of your husband?¡± Eleanor chuckled softly, ¡°You tell me if he¡¯s scary.¡± Gianna nodded, ¡°He¡¯s scary.¡± The two of them burst intoughter at this. ¡°I¡¯ll give you Hailey¡¯s number. If you really want to have some fun, give her a call and she¡¯ll reserve the best box for you.¡± Eleanor took out her phone, sent the number, and then looked up at Gianna with a sly smile. ¡°But at her ce, the handsome waiters will just sing songs and feed you food, what you want might not be avable¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for handsome waiters just to sing songs and eat food, what do you think I want to do¡­¡± Eleanorughed without saying a word. Gianna looked at her sideways. ¡°After getting married, why are you full of dirty thoughts?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Before Eleanor could defend herself, a limited¨Cedition luxury car drove up. When she saw who was in the passenger seat, Gianna mmed the gas pedal to the floor and drove off towards the mountain road. In a heartbeat, the luxury car was left behind, as racing on a mountain road was deemed unsafe. After half the chase, the luxury car returned to its original spot and came to a stop in front of Eleanor. The car window rolled down, revealing a handsome, intense face. ¡°Eleanor, was the woman in that car just now the one who came with Evanst time?¡± Caught off guard, Eleanor felt a little flustered, but she maintained herposure on the surface. ¡°Who¡¯s Evan? When has he been here?¡± Robin stepped out of the car, walked around the front, and approached Eleanor with determination. ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb. They¡¯ve been here too many times. They must be looking for Bernard. Tell me, is Bernard a member of the Siren Organization?!¡± 1/2 Eleanor held onto her box, pretending to be scared and took a step back, ¡°Cousin Robin, aren¡¯t you getting a bit excited, why so scary?¡± Hearing her call him cousin, Robin was ufortable, he growled, ¡°Don¡¯t call me cousin, I¡¯m not your cousin.¡± Eleanor timidly said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say, my mother grew up in the Pine family, technically I could be your cousin, why can¡¯t I call you cousin now?¡± One sentence, Robin was choked and couldn¡¯t find a retort, ¡°This is different. From now on, we¡¯re not cousins.¡± Eleanor looked up at him, ¡°One moment you want me to be your cousin, the next you deny me?¡± Her tone was soft, not angry at all, but every sentence was filled with sarcasm. It took Robin a while to understand, ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject, who was that woman just now?¡± Eleanor tilted her head and asked him, ¡°Do you remember what Sigrid looks like?¡± She asked this question out of the blue, Robin was a bit confused, he thought for a while but couldn¡¯t remember Sigrid¡¯s face, ¡°How would I remember what she looks like.¡± Eleanorughed, ¡°That woman just now was Sigrid. She came to give me a gift.¡± She handed Robin the box in her hand, ¡°Look, she came to wish me and my husband a quick pregnancy.¡± Robin nced at the gift, his brow furrowed slightly, ¡°You¡­and Bernard are nning to have a child?¡± Eleanor nodded, ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve been preparing.¡± Robin suddenly seemed upset, his face turned gloomy,. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Eleanor asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Robin turned his head away, ¡°That woman, obviously Evan brought her, it¡¯s not possible to be Sigrid, why are you lying to me?¡± He may not remember faces, but he would make a point to remember people around Evan, so he could remember the general features. That woman had foxy eyes, and Sigrid¡¯s face was nothing special, very ordinary, so that girl was definitely not Sigrid. Eleanor must know everything, she just didn¡¯t tell him. Why hide it from him? There¡¯s only one possibility, Bernard is their enemy, and she¡¯s protecting him. Chapter 1020 Chapter 1020 Eleanor felt somewhat surprised. Wasn¡¯t Robin supposed to have face recognition issues? How could he remember Gianna¡¯s appearance after only meeting her once? She was contemting how to dispel Robin¡¯s doubts when he suddenly took a step closer to her. His action made her feel a bit awkward, causing Eleanor to subconsciously take a step back. Unfortunately, her foot identallynded on a rock, causing her to lose bnce and lean to the side. Just as she was about to fall, a hand reached out and supported her waist, steadying her. With Robin¡¯s help, Eleanor regained her bnce and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± However, Robin discreetly withdrew the hand that had touched her. Whether it was due to the scorching weather or extreme nervousness, he felt his palm slightly sweaty. Eleanor gently exined, ¡°The person who came just now was indeed Sigrid. If you don¡¯t believe me, I can call her in front of you.¡± Robin¡¯s gaze remained fixed on her slender waist, and in his mind, the image of embracing her kept reying. The touch of his fingers not only felt her soft waist but also her fragrant cascading hair. The sensation of those soft strands gliding through his fingertips was like ying the strings of his heart. Though itsted only a few seconds, he waspletely captivated, and even after she regained her bnce, he was reluctant to let go of her hand. He reyed these scenes in his mind so incessantly that hepletely missed what Eleanor was saying. It was only when she raised her hand and waved it in front of his eyes that he slowly snapped out of his trance and asked, ¡°Huh? What did you say?¡± Eleanor sighed helplessly, ¡°You didn¡¯t hear a word I said. I exined everything for nothing.¡± Robin inquired, ¡°What did you exin?¡± Eleanor tilted her head looking at him, ¡°Mr. Spencer, are you looking for trouble?¡± Only then Robin remembered his original mission was to investigate the Siren Organization. But Eleanor¡¯s presence had him unnerved, his gaze at her turning a bit unfriendly, ¡°Stay away from me!¡± Eleanor was taken aback, ¡°You were the one who came closer. I didn¡¯t mean to get near you, why should I back off, why don¡¯t you?¡± Robin was at a loss for words at her counter question. Eleanor seized the chance to say, ¡°You always tell me to back off, should wemunicate with a megaphone from a hundred meters apart?¡± Robin¡¯s face turned awkward as he spoke, ¡°You have a certain scent, and I¡¯m not used to it when you¡¯re too close.¡± ¡°A scent?¡± Eleanor instinctively sniffed at her shoulder, puzzled. ¡°How¡¯s that possible? I wash very thoroughly every day, and my clothes smell nice.¡± 1/2 12-18 Hearing her clean exnation, Robin¡¯s mind conjured up another image, causing him to blush. ¡°I gotta go.¡± However, Eleanor quickly stepped forward to stop him. ¡°Tell me what smell it is so I can get rid of it¡­¡± Robin was speechless. He thought for a while and finally squeezed out a sentence, ¡°Pollen scent, I¡¯m allergic to it.¡± Actually, it wasn¡¯t that. What really got to him was a captivating scent that drew him in. Each time he smelled it. He couldn¡¯t control himself and wanted to get closer to her. But that was wrong. He could desire any woman, but definitely not Bernard¡¯s woman. How awkward! Eleanor, hearing it was the scent of pollen, finally felt relieved, ¡°Since you¡¯re allergic to pollen, we won¡¯t meet again.¡± Robin was taken aback, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, I was trying to say, your scent¡­ah, never mind¡­if you don¡¯t want to see me, fine.¡± His exnation was a mess, making himself angry instead. After spitting out those words angrily, he went to open the car door. He sat in the car, waiting for several seconds, but no one started the car. Then he realized he was in the passenger seat. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Feeling utterly embarrassed, he got out of the car in front of Eleanor, walked around the car and got into the driver¡¯s seat. After he drove away in a huff, Eleanor finally withdrew her gaze, mumbling under her breath, ¡®How weird¡®. Chapter 1021 Chapter 1021 Upon hearing that Gianna was on her way, Bernard, who was monitoring the situation, felt a chill run through his handsome face when he saw what was happening. Robin saw a certain fondness in his gaze towards his wife. Could that man, who couldn¡¯t even remember people¡¯s face, actually be falling for his wife? Bernard sat in his swivel chair, chin propped on his hand, deep in thought before he ced a call to Gianna and shot off a message to Sigrid. Soon, Robin saw Gianna¡¯s car through his binocrs. Those mischievous eyes were clearly visible now. Robin was thrilled. Just as he was about to put down his binocrs and go find someone, he saw the owner of those mischievous eyes slowly turning her head¡­ In the lens, that face, with its mischievous eyes, was different from the one he had seen before¡­ He looked up some information about Sigrid online, brought up a picture, erged it, andpared it with the person in the binocrs. The person in the photo had light makeup, while the one in the binocrs was heavily made up. Different makeup, but the same person. Could he have been mistaken? He picked up his binocrs again and took a careful look at the license te and clothes, which were exactly the same as before. If it was the same person, then why did she flee as soon as she saw his car catching up? She was clearly a bit frightened! As he was pondering this, the driver of the car tossed something to the security guard and sped off towards the mountain road at the same breakneck speed. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Could this just be her driving style and not a reaction to seeing him? After all this, Robin was utterly confused¡­ He picked up his binocrs again and saw Bernard getting out of the car. Before the man entered the mansion, he paused for two seconds, then turned to the side and cast a cold nce opposite. When those icy eyes appeared in the lens, Robin¡¯s heart pounded. Feeling as if he had done something wrong, he immediately put down the binocrs and didn¡¯t dare look again¡­ In truth, he did have some forbidden thoughts¡­ Bernard averted his gaze and walked into the castle with a nk expression. Eleanor was in the living room working on a design when she saw hime in and immediately got up to greet him. ¡°Dear, why are you back so early today? Isn¡¯t thepany busy?¡± She reached out to take his coat, but he handed it to a servant instead. Eleanor¡¯s hand hung in the air¡­ Bernard undid his tie, revealing a sexy and sharp Adam¡¯s apple. After loosening up, he sat down on the plush sofa, lifted his long legs, andzily crossed them. Eleanor thought he would wave her over as usual, hold her on hisp, and kiss her deeply. But to her surprise, after Bernard leaned his head back on the sofa, he closed his thick, longshes and didn¡¯t look at her again. Unable to bear his indifference, Eleanor stood there for a moment before gathering her courage. and gently tugged at his sleeve. ¡°Dear, what¡¯s wrong?¡± The man seemed to be sulking and ignored her. Eleanor stared at his handsome face before turning to walk towards the kitchen. She had made soup for him and had nned to serve him when he came home to warm his stomach, but now she didn¡¯t feel the need and decided not to make it! Just as Eleanor turned around, Bernard opened his eyes. Seeing her slim figure disappearing from his sight, he immediately regretted his actions and hurriedly got up. He ran to the kitchen, hugged Eleanor tightly from behind, and rested his chin on her shoulder. ¡°Dear, I¡¯m sorry, I was a bit out of line just now, don¡¯t be mad. Chapter 1022 Chapter 1022 Eleanor ignored him, not pushing him away or asking why he was behaving strangely. She continued to serve soup into her bowl,pletely disregarding Bernard¡¯s presence. Feelingpletely ignored, Bernard realized he had been too cold earlier and had upset her. He quickly apologized, ¡°Darling, I know I was wrong. Please don¡¯t ignore me.¡± Still not responding to his apologies, Eleanor remained distant. Worried, Bernard took the spoon from her hand and pressed her against the wall, kissing her. While kissing, he cooed, ¡°Sweetheart, I felt jealous when I saw Robin holding your waist, and it made me uneasy. I promise I won¡¯t ignore you anymore. Please don¡¯t be angry with me, okay?¡± It turned out that his earlier coldness towards her was due to his jealousy towards Robin. But this was completely unreasonable since it wasn¡¯t Eleanor¡¯s fault to be close to Robin. Bernard¡¯s temper hadn¡¯t changed much over time. Whenever he got jealous, he tended to act coldly. He knew he needed to change this bad habit, or else he would end up losing his temper every time he felt jealous, which Eleanor couldn¡¯t bear. Remaining calm, Eleanor pushed Bernard away, saying, ¡°I¡¯m not angry anymore. Go wash up and get ready for dinner.¡± Even though she said she wasn¡¯t angry, there was no sign of forgiveness on her face. Seeing this, Bernard felt a bit lost and hugged her tightly, saying, ¡°Darling, I feel like you¡¯re still angry with me.¡± Eleanor mockingly raised an eyebrow, ¡°How dare I be angry? After all, in this household, you have the final say. What say do I even have?¡± Bernard could sense the sarcasm and said, ¡°Darling, I know my cold attitude was wrong. I promise I won¡¯t act that way again. Please don¡¯t be like this.¡± This was truly frightening for Bernard. Eleanor finally relented and replied, ¡°Hmm, whatever you say.¡± Seeing that his attempts to console her weren¡¯t working, Bernard grew anxious and pleaded, ¡°Darling, please don¡¯t be like this.¡± This Eleanor reminded him of the time they broke up years ago, totally disregarding him. Eleanor turned her head away, ignored him. Bernard reached out, held her chin, kissed her, this kiss more urgent and passionate than usual. Eleanor, pinned against the wall, struggled to handle his kiss. Her nails dug into her palm, helping her stay upright as her body started to weaken. She didn¡¯t respond, let him keep kissing her. When Bernard felt her coldness, his heart felt like it was being crushed, the pain unbearable. He slowly let go of her, a bit drained, used his high nose to lightly touch her cheek, ¡°Baby, tell 1/2 17.40 me, what should I do so you won¡¯t be mad?¡± Eleanor thought of Gianna¡¯s suggestion, plucked up the courage to say, ¡°I¡¯m going to Hailey¡¯s nightclub with Gianna tonight, okay with you?¡± Bernard instinctively frowned, ¡°No way.¡± Ms. Vulpe hired a group of handsome waiters recently, making it even more appealing than Midnight Bar. However, he was hesitant to let Eleanor go to a ce like that, fearing that the strange and wild sights there might confuse or entice her. Seeing his disapproval, Eleanor chose not to say more and turned around todle soup for Bryson. ¡°Bryson, the soup¡¯s ready. Let the cook know they can start serving.¡± ¡°Ah, here ites¡­¡± Bryson responded. Bernard wanted to hold Eleanor, but upon hearing Bryson¡¯s voice, he quickly withdrew his hand. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you¡¯re back,¡± Bryson greeted Bernard with a smile, but received a cold response that left him puzzled. Bernard turned to leave before Bryson could inquire further, leaving him to wonder. ¡°Madam, did you guys fight?¡± Bryson asked Eleanor after she had finisheddling all the soup into the bowl. She put down the spoon, washed her hands, and turned to look at Bryson. ¡°He¡¯s giving me the cold shoulder again. I need to figure out how to handle him.¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s it.¡± Bryson finally understood, showed his support for Eleanor, ¡°You should definitely handle it.¡± Eleanor gave a smallugh, ¡°He has a sensitive stomach, don¡¯t forget to have him drink more soup.¡± Seeing her concern for him, Bryson chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, even if Mr. Laurence is mad, I¡¯ll make sure he drinks a bowl of soup first.¡± Chapter 1023 Chapter 1023 The kitchen was filled withughter, while the man in the living room was restless. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. His anxiety was interrupted by the sight of Nina bouncing down the stairs with a bag of chips. He waved to the little girl in an uncharacteristic move, ¡°Serenina Ziegler,e here.¡± Nina, thinking she had been caught red¨Chanded, quickly hid the chips behind her back, ¡°I only had a little bit, don¡¯t punish me.¡± Bernard was too preupied to care about her snack intake, he just nodded at her, ¡°Do me a favour and I won¡¯t punish you.¡± With that, Nina approached him and asked, ¡°What do you need me to do?¡± Bernard nced at the kitchen and said, ¡°Go smooth things over with Eleanor.¡± Nina immediately understood, ¡°Did you tick off Eleanor?¡± Bernard shot her a look, ¡°Don¡¯t ask what you¡¯re not supposed to.¡± Nina pouted, ¡°You¡¯re asking me for a favour and you¡¯re being mean. I won¡¯t help you.¡± Bernard¡¯s indifferent eyes fixed on the snacks in her hand, ¡°Your choice, want to be punished or do as I asked?¡± Upon hearing this, Nina¡¯s cheerful expression vanished, ¡°You¡¯re such a jerk¡­¡± Bernard shrugged, ¡°There¡¯s plenty who don¡¯t like me, one more won¡¯t make a difference.¡± Nina found talking to him to be infuriating, especially with him having something on her. What a pain! She gritted her teeth, thrusted the chips into Bernard¡¯s hands, ¡°I¡¯ll do your bidding, you keep an eye on my chips. When I¡¯m back, you feed it to me!¡± Bernard watched her determined figure, chuckled and tossed the chips to a maid, ¡°Just throw it away.¡± Unaware of her chips¡® fate, Nina ran into the kitchen and hugged Eleanor¡¯s leg, ¡°Eleanor, are you mad at Bernard?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t expect Bernard to send Nina as a peace envoy. She chuckled and pinched Nina¡¯s nose, ¡°Your plea won¡¯t help.¡± Nina gave her puppy eyes, ¡°I¡¯m not pleading for him, I just feel sorry for him. Please don¡¯t be mad.¡± Eleanor remained unmoved. Nina tugged at her clothes, ¡°Eleanor¡­¡± Nina wouldn¡¯t usually butter up Eleanor for Bernard, she must have been caught doing. something sneaky. ¡°Did you steal snacks again?¡± 1/2 12.18 Nina, frightened, waved her hands frantically, ¡°No, definitely not! I¡¯m just doing him a favour!¡± Kids will be kids, easily lured into spilling the beans, ¡°As long as you didn¡¯t take any. If I find out, you¡¯ll get a spanking.¡± Nina nodded vigorously, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t.¡± Eleanor gently pushed Nina away, ¡°Off you go, time to wash up for dinner.¡± As Nina turned to leave, she looked back, ¡°Eleanor, are you still mad at Bernard?¡± Eleanor smiled gently, ¡°Not anymore, now off you go.¡± Nina cheerfully ran out of the kitchen. But her joy was short¨Clived when she was told by the maid that her chips had been tossed in the bin. Nina plonked down on the floor,ining loudly, ¡°Liar! Big fat liar!¡± Bernard shot her a cold nce, ¡°Cry louder, let your beloved Eleanor hear.¡± Nina immediately mped her mouth shut, ¡°If I wasn¡¯t scared of Eleanor finding out about me sneaking snacks, I¡¯d cry all night just to annoy you!¡± Bernard replied indifferently, ¡°Eat less. Losing weight when you¡¯re older is tough.¡± Even though it was sound advice, why did it sound so annoying? Ninained, ¡°Bernard, you¡¯re so annoying¡­¡± Just as Bernard was about to retort, Eleanor emerged from the kitchen. He swiftly stood up and headed to the dining room. Taking the te from her hands, he looked at her cautiously, ¡°Darling, are you still mad at me?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t respond, she simply said, ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± Then she went to call Nina, not giving Bernard a chance for a private word. After dinner, Eleanor spent time with Nina, helping her with homework and telling bedtime stories. Even though Nina was still young, Bernard, who had always insisted on gender boundaries, never entered Nina¡¯s room, waiting patiently outside. Chapter 1024 Chapter 1024 After spending about ten minutes in Nina¡¯s room, Eleanor finally emerged. Bernard was waiting for her by the stairs and as soon as he saw her, he moved to scoop her up like a princess. As he carried her outside, Bernard murmured in a deep and slightly hoarse voice, ¡°Darling, if you want to hit Ms. Vulpe¡¯s club, I¡¯ll take you. Can you chill out now?¡± His tone sounded like he had been wronged and felt helpless, but it only strengthened Eleanor¡¯s resolve. ¡°I¡¯m going alone.¡± Bernard stiffened, and a sh of anger crossed his handsome face. ¡°Eleanor, you know I care about you so much.¡± ¡°You care so much that you always ignore me?¡± Eleanor retorted. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. His brows furrowed at her response. ¡°I¡¯m trying to change.¡± He leaned in and nted a light kiss on her lips, pleading, ¡°Give me another chance.¡± Although Eleanor was swayed by his gesture, she remained firm, ¡°I¡¯ve promised Gianna.¡± His lips tightened, and his face turned cold. After staring at Eleanor for a while, he set her down without a word and returned to his study. The moment the door closed, Eleanor¡¯s heart skipped a beat. His anger was really scary. But¡­ Eleanor decided to brave his wrath and go find Scott. As they left the estate, Scott tried to dissuade her, ¡°Madam, going to the club thiste will upset Mr¡­¡± Eleanor knew this would hurt him, but his neglect hurt her too, ¡°I¡¯m just going to take a look, I won¡¯t do anything crazy.¡± Seeing her stubbornness, Scott could only look helplessly out of the window, spotting over a dozen luxury cars following them. Scott shook his head, their little squabbles always ended up causing trouble for the drivers, just their luck¡­ Eleanor met Gianna in the super VIP room, and they ordered a ton of food. Every now and then, Hailey would drop by. Thinking the crowd was too small, she invited Liana. Gianna had met Sigrid before and thought she was cool, so she invited her too. What started as a two¨Cperson gathering had turned into a party of five, singing and ying games, having the time of their lives. Outside the club, a man in a car rested his arm on the window. His cold eyes stared at the club¡¯s lights, but every so often, he nced at his watch, the second. 1/2 12:48 hand ticking away. Seeing that it was already three and no one hade out, he pushed open the car door and quickly strode into the VIP room on the top floor. His sudden appearance startled everyone. When nna, Hailey, Liana, and Sigrid saw who it was, they shared a knowing smile. Bernard¡¯s gaze was icy as he quickly scanned the sofas, relieved to find no handsome waiters, he walked over and grabbed Eleanor¡¯s wrist. ¡°Enough ying, we¡¯re going home.¡± Eleanor raised an eyebrow at his grip. ¡°We¡¯re not done yet, no need to rush.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The four people present were startled to their feet by Bernard¡¯s intimidating gaze. ¡°We¡¯re done here, let¡¯s all head home¡­¡± ¡°Wait, didn¡¯t we agree to party all night?¡± Eleanor grabbed Gianna¡¯s hand, signaling her to resist Bernard. But Gianna shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m so sleepy. I can¡¯t do it¡­¡± Eleanor was speechless. Gianna shook off her hand and ran off like a rabbit being chased by a wild beast. Eleanor turned to Hailey, Liana, and Sigrid, ¡°What about you guys?¡± The three of them didn¡¯t even say goodbye before they sprinted off, moving as fast as rockets. Chapter 1025 Chapter 1025 After the fourdies left, only Eleanor and Bernard were left in the private room. Bernard looked at her with a deep smile. ¡°Babe, if you wanna keep this game going, I¡¯m game.¡± He loosened his shirt cor, revealing his solid Adam¡¯s apple and corbones. Under the dim light, Bernard bent over, supporting himself on the sides of the sofa, enveloping her under him. His lips drew close to her ear, whispering, ¡°Tell me, how do you want to y?¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor was afraid of his temptations, but pretended not to care, ¡°I¡¯m done ying, let¡¯s head home.¡± Bernard tried to kiss her, but she dodged it. He was a bit bummed, not sure what to do next. Looking at the indifferent Eleanor, he helplessly buried his head into her shoulder, gently rubbing, ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t be mad.¡± Eleanor¡¯s heart was touched by his cooing, but she remained calm. She said nothing. To Bernard, it felt like torture, ¡°Babe, could you say something?¡± Eleanor simply said, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Unable to change her mind, Bernard picked her up and put her in the car. Back at Fiord Roundabout, Eleanor took a shower and then went to Nina¡¯s room. Unable to find her, Bernard was filled with disappointment. For the first time, they were sleeping in separate rooms due to a fight. Bernard stood by the window, staring at the vi across the street. His gaze was icy, as if he wanted to storm over there and beat Robin. But he knew well that Eleanor was mad at him because of his indifference, not because of Robin. Bernard controlled his emotions, sitting on the sofa, his eyes never leaving the vi. And Eleanor, holding Nina, enjoyed her sweet sleep¡­ The next morning, Bernard received a message from Chase. After reading the message, he remembered he had a meeting with Chase today to discuss thewsuit. Eleanor would certainly be very concerned about Evelyn¡¯swsuit over the custody of the child. Thinking of this, Bernard turned off his phone and walked into the bathroom. 1/2 12:49 Eleanor originally wanted to continue giving Bernard the cold shoulder, but remembered that she had to go see Chase with him today. Evelyn was suing both of them. They had to attend court together, so naturally they had to see the lawyer together. Having no choice, she went upstairs, found him still in the bathroom, and waited for him. After waiting for a while, the person in the bathroom still didn¡¯te out. Eleanor sighed, got up and knocked on the ss door. ¡°Bernard Laurence, you¡¯re meeting Chase at ten. If you keep showering, we¡¯ll bete.¡± Before she could finish, the bathroom door was pushed open, a hand covered in water droplets reached out, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her in. The man¡¯s strong arms lifted the petite her onto the washbasin, one hand holding her waist, the other propped on the mirror shrouded in steam. Surrounded by him, Eleanor lowered her head, sneaking a peek at his abs. Sparkling droplets of water were slowly rolling down his solid muscles. Dripping onto¡­ Eleanor averted her gaze, turned her head, only to see his strong, muscr arm. Perfect muscle lines, smooth skin, every spot, every inch, was irresistibly attractive. Eleanor felt the more she looked, the more she¡¯d get lost, so she raised her head, looking at the ceiling, hoping to avoid his allure. However, just as she lifted her head, the man¡¯s lips suddenly kissed her exposed, graceful neck¡­ At the same time, the hand holding her waist suddenly exerted force. Her soft chest was pressed tightly against his¡­ His body was all wet, soaking her clothes in an instant. The wet clothes sticking to her body felt very ufortable. Eleanor reached out to push him away. However, the man against her didn¡¯t let her go, lightly biting her neck, his deep voice asked, ¡°What did you just call me?¡± Chapter 1026 Chapter 1026 His soft kiss slid down her skin, feeling like a shock of electricity that leaves her tingling. Eleanor¡¯s tense body gradually rxed, her fingers wrapping around the man¡¯s shoulders, tightening slightly. Sensing this subtle change, his gripped on her intensifies, as if he was about to break her waist. His kisses fell without hesitation, like he was tasted something delightful, covering her neck and corbone. ¡°What did you just call me?¡± Eleanor resisted responding to him. ¡°Say it again.¡± She still didn¡¯t answer, and his kisses turned from tender to scorching. Pressed against the bathroom counter, Eleanor gradually gave in. ¡°I¡­I called you Bernard Laurence, isn¡¯t that your name?¡± Bernard chuckled, hoisting her up with one hand, wrapping her around his waist, and carries her under the showerhead. Warm water cascaded down, soaking her thin blouse instantly, revealing her skin to him. His gaze lingered on her chest for a few seconds before he lowered his head to touch her gently through her blouse. Eleanor surrendered immediately. ¡°I won¡¯t dare to call you by your full name again, spare me.¡± He snorted coldly. ¡°Toote.¡± He rubbed her forcefully, as if he was deliberately getting back at her. Eleanor¡¯s body wentpletely limp, and if it wasn¡¯t for the cold wall supporting her, she would have copsed. She was supposed to be figuring out how to deal with him, but after just one night, he¡¯s got her figured out again. ¡°Hold on, hold on¡­¡± Bernard lifted his hazy eyes and nced at her. ¡°We¡¯ve started, so I can¡¯t wait.¡± As he spoke, Eleanor instinctively wrapped her fingers around his neck, looking into his face. 1/2 12:49 ¡°But, I¡¯m still mad at you,¡± she said. Holding her tightly, he whispered reassuringly, ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t do it again. Eleanor buried her face into his neck, seekingfort. ¡°Every time you¡¯re cold to me, I get scared,¡± she admitted. Bernard tightened his hold on her, remorseful. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I won¡¯t do it again, I promise.¡± Like a little kitten, Eleanor gently rubbed his neck, showing some affection. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll forgive you one more time, but if you do it again, I¡¯m not speaking to you for a month.¡± Her tone was both forgiving and warning. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. He was miserable after she ignored him for one night. She was afraid he would go crazy if it was a whole month. His mo uth opened, as if he wantd to say something, but she suddenly kissed him. His words were swallowed by her sweet kiss, causing him to forget what he wanted to say. Their breaths mingled, the kiss so deep they can hardly separate¡­ A momentter, Eleanor¡¯s legs wrapped weakly around his waist, tighter and tighter¡­ She thought it was over, but he carried her out of the bathroom and tosses her onto the bed. ¡°Oh my, enough already!¡± Such energy so early in the morning was a real pain. This man didn¡¯t seem tired at all, patiently coaxing her. ¡°Need to make up forst night¡¯s sleep.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t want to deal with him, struggling to leave, but her legs were pinned by him. With a little force, he pulled her back into his arms. When the man pressed down on her from behind again, Eleanor turnd her head and red at him. ¡°I have a meeting with Mr. Chase at ten, we¡¯re running out of time¡­¡± ¡°Let him wait.¡± Bernard grabbed her hand, cing it above her head, then hisrge hand slid down her arm, covering her hand. He separated her fingers, intertwining them with his, then with his other hand, he grabbed her waist¡­ Eleanor felt like she was about to lose her mind. Chapter 1027 Chapter 1027 It¡¯s already noon. Chase had made several phone calls to her, but eventually decided toe directly to her home. Eleanor blushed and felt her heart pounding. Afterposing herself, she walked over and sat across from Chase. Noticing that she seemed a bit unsteady on her feet, Chase asked, ¡°Ms. Shultz, are you feeling unwell?¡± Eleanor tried to respond, but as soon as she opened her mouth, a severe cough reced her words due to her dry throat. Seeing her in such a bad condition, Chase refrained from ming her and simply said, ¡°My time is valuable, please be on time next time.¡± Once Eleanor had recovered from the coughing fit, she blushed and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I will definitely be on time next time¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay if you¡¯re not on time, but if you¡¯re sick, please inform me promptly,¡± Chase replied. Finally, Chase nced at her once more and inquired, ¡°Is your illness alright? It won¡¯t affect our appearance in court, will it?¡± Eleanor blushed again and shook her head, ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll be okay by tomorrow¡­¡± Standing upstairs, Bernard was looking at his watch while staring at the direction of the living. room. Hearing this, he cracked a slight smile. ¡°Where¡¯s your husband?¡± Eleanor looked up and saw Bernard¡¯s smile and red at him. ¡°He¡¯s throwing a tantrum.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Chase was tidying up his files while looking at her. Eleanor waved her hand awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯m just messing around.¡± Chase was no fool, he could tell something was up between these two. Looking at Eleanor¡¯s clothes, long sleeves and trousers in summer, with a scarf, if he couldn¡¯t tell, he¡¯d be an idiot. He cleared his throat, ¡°Call him down, I need to go back and work on the case after we talk.¡± Just as Eleanor was about to get up to call him, she saw a man dressed neatly, sauntering down. Chapter 102/ Looking at his neck, Eleanor thought, next time she¡¯d leave a few bites there too. The clueless man sat down next to her, took her hand, and ced it in his palm. He stretched out his long legs and lounged on the couch, ¡°Start.¡± The words were for Chase. His naturally cool voice and noble temperament made people feel pressured. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Even Chase, a regr nightclub¨Cgoer, felt somewhat tense in front of Bernard. However, the topics being discussed were Chase¡¯s specialty, so he managed to keep hisposure and appear more confident. While Chase talked incessantly. Bernard couldn¡¯t help but recall a past scene when Chase was pleading with Latonia on the floor as she pressured him to end things with Sigrid. As Chase inquired about all the case details and presented potential courtroom situations, he nced up at Bernard. Noticing Bernard scrutinizing him, Chase felt uneasy and asked, ¡°Mr. Laurence, did I miss anything?¡± Bernard replied nonchntly, ¡°No, please continue.¡± Chase then handed over the well¨Corganized materials. ¡°I¡¯ve listed out the questions the opposing lawyer may ask. Take a look,¡± he said. He had been remarkably thorough, analyzing all possible case scenarios and preparing the questions that the opposingwyer might raise. This showed how much he wanted to win this case, because the client was the rtive of the woman he had been silently in love with for many years. With the full cooperation of Bernard and his wife, Chase quickly collected all the data. After recording it in his notebook, he got up to leave. Chapter 1028 Chapter 1028 After Chase left, Bryson moseyed over, ¡°Mydy, Robin wants to meet you.¡± Eleanor, deep in her research, was taken aback and looked up, ¡°Me?¡± She and Robin didn¡¯t cross paths often, and when they did, it was always by chance. This was the first time he¡¯d sought her out. ¡°Did he say what it¡¯s about?¡± ¡°Nah, just asked you to step out.¡± The man next to her, holding a document, his fingers slightly stiff, his face gradually darkening. Noticing this, Eleanor quickly grabbed his arm, reassuring him with a soft voice, ¡°Sweetie,e with me.¡± Bernard managed a grimace, forcing a smile, ¡°You go ahead, I¡¯ve got things to handle.¡± Robining to see her this time didn¡¯t set Bernard off, nor did he give her the cold shoulder, he even managed a smile. Assuming he really was busy, Eleanor didn¡¯t press him, got up, and headed outside. Watching her petite figure slowly disappear from sight, Bernard clenched the document in his hand. On a scorching summer afternoon, Eleanor walked through the gate to meet Robin, who was waiting outside. She shielded herself from the sun with a ck parasol. Robin was dressed neatly in a white shirt and grey trousers, but he seemed a bit goofy. Despite the heat, he insisted on standing in the sun, and the back of his shirt was soaked with sweat. Concerned about his condition, Eleanor asked, ¡°Mr. Spencer, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Startled by her voice, Robin turned around, and his ears turned bright red as he saw Eleanor¡¯s face, which reminded him of a dream he had the previous night. Noticing his flushed ears, Eleanor asked, ¡°Why are your ears so red?¡± Panicking, Robin thought she might have discovered his dream, so he quickly covered his ears in response. Just as he did, Eleanor said, ¡°Keep this up, and you¡¯ll get a sunburn.¡± So, she thought it was due to the sun. Robin¡¯s racing heart gradually rxed, ¡°No worries, I ain¡¯t afraid of a little sun.¡± Eleanor couldn¡¯t care less whether he was afraid of the sun or not, ¡°Spill, why are you here?¡± Robin finally dered his purpose, ¡°My sister and Caleb sent some stuff from their trip, asked me to deliver some to you.¡± Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. 12-10 Although Caleb was now with Katharine Spencer, he was still part of Bernard¡¯s crew. He would normally send stuff directly to Bernard. Why would he ask Robin to deliver? Eleanor shot Robin a puzzled look, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t Caleb just send it to us?¡± As if he could read her eyes, Robin quickly exined, ¡°Probably my sister, trying to get me closer to Bernard.¡± As if fearing Eleanor wouldn¡¯t believe him, he added with a hint of pride, ¡°But I ain¡¯t getting chummy with him, so I came to you.¡± Her suspicions ayed, Eleanor didn¡¯t press, ¡°If you don¡¯t wanna get chummy, you could¡¯ve just had a bodyguard deliver it.¡± When Robin received the package, he initially nned to have someone else deliver it, but for some reason, he ended up deciding to do it himself. Faced with Eleanor¡¯s questioning and unable to exin his actions even to himself, he quickly came up with an excuse, ¡°The guard¡¯s not around.¡± Intrigued by his response, Eleanor asked curiously, ¡°Did you manage to tick them all off?¡± Robin remained silent, shooting her an impatient look, ¡°Just tell me, do you want the stuff or not?¡± Realizing he was getting agitated again, Eleanor decided to curb her curiosity and simply reached out to him, saying, ¡°Hand it over.¡± Only then did Robin turn around, open the car door, and feel a cool breeze as he bent down to get the package. The breeze helped cool him down, but it also reminded him of how odd his behavior had been. Hand¨Cdelivering the package was one thing, but waiting at the gate, as if he were genuinely excited to see her, was quite unusual. He couldn¡¯t help but think about the dream he hadst night just because he touched her waist. He could¡¯ve strangled himself. Chapter 1029 Chapter 1029 Thest person he ever wanted to think about was Bernard¡¯s woman. And now? He¡¯s actually pondering over Bernard¡¯s woman? Robin was so annoyed with himself! He suppressed his anger, took a gift box from the front passenger seat and stuffed it into Eleanor¡¯s hands. He had intended to leave after delivering the gift but because he was in a hurry, his fingertips. identally brushed against her hand. The warm touch startled him and he jerked his hand away as if he had been burned. Even after he moved away, his fingertips still felt like they had been scorched. He took a few steps back, quickly went around the front of the car, got in, and floored the gas pedal. Eleanor was just about to look up and say ¡®thank you¡®, when she saw Robin¡¯s car crash into a tree by the roadside. She was so shocked that she widened her eyes. Before she could react, the car quickly backed out and sped away. In just a moment, the car had swerved around a few roads and drove up the hillside next to the sea¡­ From a distance, she could still see the white figure who, after getting out of the car, kicked the car door furiously. Eleanor thought Robin was acting very strange, but she didn¡¯t pay it any mind and turned around to return to the castle with the gift box. Bernard was still sitting on the sofa, gazing deeply at some documents. Eleanor put the gift box in front of him, ¡°This is a souvenir from Caleb¡¯s trip, do you want to open it and see what it is?¡± The man didn¡¯t seem interested in her, but remembering the lesson fromst night, he quickly looked up at her and nodded, ¡°Go ahead.¡± Inside the gift box, Eleanor found a picture frame disying Caleb and Katharine sitting in a meadow, radiating happiness. The ss piece was adorned with a bouquet of evestings, and in the lower right corner were the names of Eleanor and Bernard, apanied by heartfelt wishes of eternal love. Upon seeing these thoughtful gifts, Eleanor felt overjoyed. She smiled at Bernard and suggested, ¡°Dear, the next time we go on a trip, we should also send them gifts.¡± However, Bernard seemed preupied, and inattentively replied, ¡°Okay.¡± Eleanor was ustomed to his distant demeanor. She picked up the picture frame and the evesting flowers, deciding to ce them on her desk in the study. Meanwhile, Bernard, seated on the sofa, continued to gaze at the gift box for a long time. Eventually, he called for Bryson, saying, ¡°Please invite Mr. Spencer to have dinner.¡± Bryson was taken aback and protested, ¡°Mr. Laurence, you want to invite Robin to dinner? He¡¯s your enemy!¡± Bernard looked at Bryson coldly and stated, ¡°His sister sent us a gift. Out of gratitude, shouldn¡¯t I extend an invitation for a meal?¡± Bryson, who was old and didn¡¯t understand theplicated situation, knew that Bernard was jealous, ¡°I¡¯ll go invite him right away!¡± Hearing that Bernard had invited him for dinner, Robin¡¯s pupils gradually dted, ¡°What does he mean?¡± Nathan shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. The old man just said Bernard wanted to thank your sister for the gift, so he invited you to dinner.¡± Bernard wouldn¡¯t care about these meaningless gifts. He must have some other motive. Nathan said cautiously, ¡°I think this dinner might be a trap, should we decline?¡± Robin scoffed, ¡°Why? Is he going to kill me?¡± Nathan said, ¡°I¡¯m worried he might poison your food.¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Robin was silent for a moment¡­ He pushed Nathan aside, stood up and went upstairs to take a shower and change his clothes. He wanted to see what Bernard was up to. Chapter 1030 Chapter 1030 Robin first set foot into Flord Roundabout, and was a bit taken aback by the surroundings. Bryson trailed behind him, chiming in, ¡°Mr. Spencer, everything you see here, is all Mrs. Laurence¡¯s doing.¡± Robin tightened his lips and muttered, ¡°None of my business.¡± With a smirk, Bryson responded, ¡°Well yeah, it¡¯s got nothing to do with Mr. Spencer, just giving you the rundown.¡± Ignoring him, Robin headed straight into the castle. Just inside the entrance, he noticed the walls adomed with wedding photos of newlyweds. In each pic, the couple was gazing into each other¡¯s eyes, beaming with joy. After a quick look around, his gazended on Bernard, standing by the spiral staircase. The guy in the white shirt, slightly tilting his head, looked at him with a glint in his eyes, as if trying to convey something. Just as Robin was about to question why he was invited for dinner, Eleanor bolted in from behind, hugging Bernard tightly. ¡°Honey, Pearce Hooper hit me with another architecture problem, it¡¯s so hard I can¡¯t crack it. Can you help?¡± Eleanor usually had a poker face in front of him. This was the first time he saw her acting all girly, snuggling up to her husband.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Her husband¡­ Something clicked in Robin¡¯s mind. He kept his emotions under wraps and took a step forward. ¡°Weren¡¯t we supposed to have dinner? Where¡¯s the grub?¡± Hearing Robin¡¯s voice, Eleanor peeked out from behind Bernard. ¡°What the¡­ Mr. Spencer, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°I invited him.¡± Bernard lifted his hand, holding Eleanor¡¯s wrist tight, and then intertwined his fingers with hers. ¡°Mr. Spencer, dinner isn¡¯t ready. Maybe sit for a bit?¡± For some reason, Robin¡¯s eyes darted to their intertwined hands. He sensed something off, and when he tried to look away, he found himself caught by Bernard¡¯s probing, gloomy gaze, making him feel guilty as hell. ¡°Mr. Spencer, this way please.¡± He thought Bernard was onto something, but instead, he saw him nonchntly heading towards the sofa area. Robin felt relieved and followed him. Eleanor nced at Bernard, then Robin, puzzled. Two sworn enemies having dinner together, trying to make peace? She didn¡¯t quite understand, but didn¡¯t probe either, saying to Bernard, ¡°You guys chat. I¡¯ll go solve the problem.¡± She didn¡¯t want to intrude, but Bernard held her hand tight, got her to sit on the couch. ¡°The problem can wait.¡± Wait for what? Soon enough, Eleanor found out Bernard, right in front of Robin, held her light, then locked eyes with Robin.. Robin seemed a bit uneasy. After scanning both of them, he asked coldly. ¡°Why did you invite me over?¡± Bernard casually said, ¡°To thank your sister for the gift she gave us.¡± No matter how Robin saw it, Bernard didn¡¯t seem genuinely thankful. Instead, it looked like he was using this opportunity to warn Robn. But why? Did Bernard figure something out? Was his crush on Eleanor that obvious? Thinking about this possibility, Robin became even more irritated. He knew Eleanor was someone else¡¯s wife, but his heart still raced every time he saw her. He wasn¡¯t quite sure what this feeling was, but seeing Bernard¡¯s hand around Eleanor¡¯s waist made him ufortable, very ufortable. He felt like rushing over, removing Bernard¡¯s hand from Eleanor¡¯s waist, yes, removing that hand, and then taking Eleanor away¡­ When this thought crossed his mind, Robin realized something was off with his emotions. Just as he was wondering why he was having these thoughts, Bernard suddenly said, ¡°Mr. Spencer, you haven¡¯t seen my bridal suite yet, have you?¡± Robin collected his wild thoughts, and red at him, ¡°What¡¯s so special about it?¡± Bernard grinned, a mysterious smile on his face, ¡°You¡¯ll know when you see it¡± Regardless of whether Robin was up for it or not, Bernard let go of Eleanor, asked her to solve the problem, and then got up to lead the way Robin¡¯s face turned gloomy as he followed Bernard, touring the study, then the bedroom, then the garden. Bernard didn¡¯t take him to any private areas, but as they walked past, Robin still caught a glimpse of some traces there These were traces he imagined. He thought if he were Bernard, he would hold Eleanor and have sex with her in everyer¡­. Chapter 1031 Chapter 1031 Robin was taken aback. He looked down at his hands, those hands that had once held Eleanor¡­ So, this is what it feels like to be in love? A Katharine once told him that if you like someone, your heart will beat faster, you¡¯ll feel happy when you see her and sad when you can¡¯t You¡¯d have a strong desire to possess her, to not tolerate anyone else gelling close. He felt this way about Eleanor, but¡­ The first woman he had ever been attracted to was Eleanor, a woman he once looked down on a woman Bernard deeply loved. He found it hard to ept. He took a step back and then turned to leave ¡°I just remembered, I¡¯ve got stuff to do. Catch youter¡± He intended to skedaddie quickly, but Bernard¡¯s cool voice sounded behind him, ¡°Mr. Spencer, you really should stay for dinner, no matter what¡± Robin turned around and looked at the noble and elegant man. ¡°Why?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t answer him, only asked Bryson, ¡°Is everything ready?¡± Bryson nodded, ¡°Everything is ready. We can start the meal now¡± Bernard smiled and said, ¡°Mr Spencer, shall we?¡± Robin nced at the bodyguard standing outside the door, then followed him into the dining room apprehensively. Eleanor was already in the dining room. As soon as she saw them, she immediately invited them to eat. Bernard naturally walked to Eleanor¡¯s side and gently stroked her hair Seeing their intimate gesture, Robin, who had just realized his feelings, felt a little bitter in his heart. He suppressed his feelings and sat across from them Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Just as he picked up his knife and fork, he saw Eleanor scoop a bowl of soup and ced it next to Bernard. Then she, with the politeness of a hostess, invited him to enjoy his meal. But Robin had no appetite at all. However, Bernard seemed to enjoy his meal quite a bit. ¡°Honey, feed me.¡± If everything before was merely testing the waters, this moment marked the official plunge into unfamiliar territory. Uncertain about Bernard¡¯s intentions, Robin couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that Bernard was doing it deliberately However, when he witnessed Eleanor picking up a spoon and naturally feeding soup to Bernard, Robin realized that this was simply a normal interaction between a married couple. Giving a bitter smile, he remarked. ¡°You two are really affectionate¡± Bernard¡¯s cold gaze shifted from Eleanor to Robin, and he uttered two words, ¡°12 years.¡± Twelve years ¨C such a long time. It made Robin wonder: What makes him think he can take Eleanor away from Bernard? Lost in his thoughts, Robin was abruptly brought back to reality as he saw Bernard reach out, gently grasp Eleanor¡¯s chin, and kiss her. Instinctively, Robin clenched his fist. His pupils dted as he watched their lips meet, and an unexpected ache gripped his heart. Bernard stole a nce at Robin during the kiss, noticing his pale face, and a cold smile crept onto his lips. In front of Robin, he slowly released Eleanor, leaned in close to her ear, and gently said, ¡°Thank you¡± The thanks he was expressing was because she had just helped him drink the soup. This was a common urrence between them, and Eleanor was used to it. Only today with someone else present, she felt a bit shy and gave Bernard a sidelong nce, ¡°This isn¡¯t appropriate¡­ Bernard obediently nodded. ¡°Alright, whatever you say¡± What¡¯s with this man today, speaking as sweet as honey? Eleanor nced at Robin, who didn¡¯t look too good, was her husband intentionally riling up this single guy? Eleanor had no idea what the two men were arguing about. She looked at Bernard and then at Robin, finally deciding to focus on her meal. Bernard, however, lifted his eyes filled with amusement and casually looked at Robin, ¡°Mr. Spencer, aren¡¯t you going to keep asking questions?¡± Robin snapped out of his thoughts and frowned, ¡°Ask what?¡± The man leaning back in his chair slightly curled his lips. ¡°For instance, how my wife and I met, and how we fell in love?¡± Eleanor, who had been focusing on her meal, felt that Bernard was showing off and nudged him with her elbow, ¡°Why are you talking about this? Just eat¡± Even though it was just a casualment, it still stung Robin. It was strange, why did he care so much about her opinion? Bernard¡¯s gaze softened when he looked at Eleanor, ¡°It¡¯s alright to talk about it I believe Mr. Spencer wouldn¡¯t mind, right?¡± His eyes were on Eleanor but he was asking Robin The stiff man across from him nodded, ¡°Whatever, it¡¯s your house Say whatever you want.¡± After all, Bernard¡¯s purpose of imating him to dinner tonight wasn¡¯t for business revenge, but to assert his territory Robin, who had seen through his intentions, rxed and leaned back in his chair, awaiting Bernard¡¯s love story But Bernard didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, he asked El Chapter 1032 Chapter 1032 Eleanor looked up at the central space and asked, ¡°Wasn¡¯t everything fine just a moment ago? Why did it suddenly break down? The equipment at Fiord Roundabout is top¨Cnotch and has never had any issues. Why did it break tonight?¡± Bernard spoke in a cold tone, ¡°Bryson, go and take a look,¡± Bryson agreed and went down, but he didn¡¯t call anyone to fix the air conditioning He just stood outside the door. With the air conditioning broken, it was very hot. Eleanor was wearing a bit too much clothing and soon couldn¡¯t bear it. Feeling the heat, she couldn¡¯t help but raise her hand and loosen the tightly wrapped scarf around her neck. Robin asionally stole nces at her and identally noticed the love bites on her neck. Blue and purple, a dense cluster of love bites, just like the ones he had seen in his dreams¡­ Yes, she was the subject of his first sexual fantasies, someone else¡¯s wife. All the tenderness, passion, madness, and intensity were directed at her However, his desires were just fantasies. In contrast, Bernard¡¯s desires were real. Bernard¡¯s, on the other hand, was a reality Realizing this, Robin lowered his head in frustration. Bernard who saw his mood change quickly figured out Robin¡¯s thoughts. Ever since they were kids, he¡¯s always beenpeting with Bernard for everything. Now, even his woman was in his sights. Robin sure had guts Bernard¡¯s gaze suddenly exuded a chilling frost, ¡°Mr. Spencer, my wife and I promised to love each other forever.¡± When he said this, his bright eyes stared fixedly at Robin¡¯s face, as if warning him not to fantasize. Robin¡¯s first fluttering heart suddenly came to a halt. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Despite feeling uneasy, Robin pretended not to understand the underlying tension. He nced at both of them and forced a light heartedugh, saying, ¡°Is that so? Then I wish you both¡­ eternal happiness¡± Acknowledging his ce, Bernard lifted his chin with arrogance and replied, ¡°Thank you¡± Eleanor couldn¡¯t fullyprehend the unspoken agreement between the two men, but she sensed that something wasn¡¯t quite right. It seemed Bernard¡¯s invitation to dinner wasn¡¯t for reconciliation, but rather to discuss their past. As for Robin, Eleanor didn¡¯t pay close attention to his expressions, so she remained unaware of what he was truly thinking. However, his remark about ¡®eternal happiness¡± sounded bitter to her, and she nced at him subconsciously. But Robin quickly averted his gaze, put down his cutlery, and stood up, stating, ¡°I have something to do, I¡¯ll go first.¡± Having aplished his intention, Bernard didn¡¯t object, ¡°Take care, no need for me to see you out.¡± Once he left Fiord Roundabout, Robin¡¯s legs felt weak, and he leaned against a wall to steady himself. Gazing at the starry night sky, the beautiful scenery helped calm his cluttered mind. After a while, he regained hisposure, slowly moved his heavy steps, got into his car, and drove home Upon seeing Robin¡¯s somber expression upon his return, Nathan asked with concern, ¡®Mr. Spencer, did Bernard poison you?¡°/ Robin suddenly pushed him away. ¡°This is a big problem.¡± He staggered and fell on the sofa, looking up with lifeless eyes, staring at the chandelier on the ceiling. His dejected appearance stanled Nathan, who rushed over, ¡°Mr. Spencer, are you hurt somewhere?¡± Robin pointed at his chest, ¡°My heart hurts a bit, but it¡¯s nothing serious.¡± Nathan thought he had a heart problem, and was frightened, ¡°We can¡¯t take this lightly, heart problems are serious. We need to go to the hospital immediately. Robin¡¯s eyes filled with hope, ¡°Can the hospital cure it?¡± Nathan nodded vigorously. ¡°Of course, the hospital can treat all diseases¡± But is falling in love with someone a disease? Robin asked himself this question in his heart, then turned around andy on the sofa with his back facing Nathan. Nathan was nagging in his ear, urging him to go to the hospital, but he seemed to not hear it. In his heart, he kept asking himself. ¡°What should I do if I fall in love with someone I shouldn¡¯t?¡± After asking, he felt very annoyed and jumped up from the sofa. He felt extremely embarrassed, not only did he fall in love, but Bernard also found out! Thinking about the scene tonight, he waspletely controlled by Bernard, and he felt like aplete fool in front of Bernard Robin¡¯s heart was both angry and painful. He finallyy back on the sofa, hitting the pillow wildly, trying to vent his anger¡­ Nathan, who witnessed everything, quietly sent a message to Katharine: ¡°Your brother seems to have some issues.¡± Chapter 1033 Chapter 1033 After scoping out Robin, Bernard put down his binocrs and pulled the curtains Eleanor was sitting at the vanity, massaging aromatic oils into her hair. Seeing her so quiet and obedient, Bernard couldn¡¯t help but walk over and pull her into a hug ¡°Baby, you¡¯re mine and mine alone Nobody else should get any ideas Eleanor found his sudden deration amusing ¡°I¡¯m already married, who would be making moves?¡± Clearly, she had no clue Bernard, being a bit of a rascal, had no intention of telling Eleanor. He simply lifted her chin and nted a kiss on her lips ¡°Babe, you been feeling anythingtely?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Bernard¡¯s hand brushed across her belly The mere mention of this dampened Eleanor¡¯s mood. ¡°Still no changes¡± She was starting to fear that she might be infertile. Even the medication Mr. Keith prescribed seems to have no effect. ¡°It must be that I haven¡¯t done enough.¡± He hasn¡¯t done enough? He¡¯s been trying day and night, practically gluing himself to her side, but¡­¡­.. ¡°Why are you suddenly asking about kids?¡± He never cared about kids, always advising her not to have them. Tonight though, he brought it up out of the blue. Strange. Without answering. Bernard scooped her up and headed for the bedroom¡­. At four in the afternoon the next day, Eleanor got a call from Hailey. Apparently, Yeager¡¯s mother tried to kill herself. Eleanor was taken aback. ¡°Why would she suddenly try to kill herself? What happened?¡± With a sigh, Hailey exined, ¡°She doesn¡¯t approve of us, so she pulled this stunt to split us up.¡± Last time they met, she seemed all caring, asking when they were getting married. Now, not long after, this happened. Upon hearing the news, Eleanor frowned. ¡°She¡¯s okay, right?¡± With a helpless tone, Hailey said, ¡®She didn¡¯t cut deep, seems like she was just putting on a show¡± Upon hearing this, Eleanor¡¯s impression of Yeager¡¯s mother took a further hit. But she didn¡¯t really care about Yeager¡¯s mother. Her concern was for Hailey. ¡°What did Yeager say?¡± Leaning against the hospital wall, Hailey looked back at the ward. ¡°He¡¯s been with his mom the whole time, hasn¡¯t had a chance to talk to me yet.¡± After a few seconds of silence, Eleanor sighed, ¡°What are you going to do about this?¡± After some thought, Hailey replied, ¡°What can I do? If she chooses to act this way, I¡¯ll have to respect her wishes. I can¡¯t just let her dre¡± Truth be told, Yeager¡¯s mother¡¯s actions had given Hailey a sense of relief. No one knew that when she threatened to split them up by killing herself, Hailey actually felt relieved. She wanted to agree right then, but seeing Yeager gripping her hand tightly, refusing to break up, she swallowed her words¡­ She felt torn and wanted Eleanor¡¯s opinion, ¡°I actually want to break up, but seeing Yeager like that, I feel guilty.¡± After a moment of silence, Eleanor calmly said, ¡°Hailey, you need to respect your own feelings. Only by respecting your feelings can you make the right decisions. Even if Yeager disagrees, you need to express your thoughts honestly Otherwise, if you¡¯re together only out of obligation, it will only bring pain.¡± Hailey agreed with this, but added, ¡°I don¡¯t know how to bring it up, and I¡¯m afraid of how he¡¯ll react You know, I can¡¯t always get through to him.¡± Eleanor could sense that Hailey was afraid to bring up the topic of breaking up with Yeager. So, she offered, ¡°Hailey, I¡¯lle to you. We can discuss this face to face.¡± She realized that discussing such a sensitive matter over the phone might not be the best idea. Additionally, they could take some belongings and visit Yeager¡¯s mother¡¯s ce to understand the situation better. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Hailey agreed to Eleanor¡¯s suggestion, and they ended the call. Just as Eleanor hung up, she received a call from Nina¡¯s school. A woman, iming to be Nina¡¯s grandmother, wanted to take Nina away. Feeling anxious, Eleanor replied, ¡°I¡¯ll be right there, and hurried downstairs. She instructed Scott to rush to the school while dialing Bernard¡¯s number. Bernard, who was on the line, was on his way to the Laurence Group branch. Fortunately, his route would take him past the school, so he reassured Eleanor not to worry and that he¡¯d go there first His calm and mature voice had a soothing effect on Eleanor¡¯s nerves. + After calming down, Eleanor dialed Hailey again to fill her in on the situation¡­. Chapter 1034 Chapter 1034 hapter 1034 Out in front of the bilingual International primary school, Evelyn squatted down to Nina¡¯s level, trying to convince her. ¡°Nina, I¡¯m your dad¡¯s mom. You shoulde with me.¡± Chubby little Nina, munching on a lollipop, cocked her head and looked at her ¡°Are you Casey¡¯s mom?¡® Evelyn¡¯s smile froze in an instant. She was certainly not that deadbeat¡¯s mom! ¡°No.¡± ¡°So if you¡¯re not Casey¡¯s mom but you say you¡¯re my granny, are you a fraud?¡± With that Nina tugged on her teacher¡¯s trouser leg *Is she a baddie who kidnaps kids? You should call the police and have her arrested!¡± Evelyn was taken aback. Once she regained herposure, she quickly waved her hands. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not a bad person, I¡¯m really your granny. We even met at your father¡¯s funeral.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Nina raised her eyebrows ¡°I don¡¯t seem to recall.¡± ¡°How can your memory be so bad?¡± ¡°Kids have bad memories.¡± With a shrug, chubby Nina spread her palms, as if surrendering to the situation, ¡°That¡¯s my bad.¡± Seeing this cheeky kid, Evelyn was starting to get irritated, ¡°You¡­¡± Nina yfully put a finger to her lips and stuck out her tongue at Evelyn, giggling mischievously, ¡°Hee hee hee¡­¡± W Already annoyed, Evelyn¡¯s frustration only grew as she saw Nina¡¯s antics, ¡°Is this the kind of behavior Eleanor taught you?¡± She couldn¡¯t believe what she was witnessing and scrutinized Nina from head to toe. ¡°She¡¯s turned you into this?!¡± Finishing her evaluation, Evelyn then grabbed Nina, ¡°Come on, go home with me. I will hire the best tutor for you, even if I have to ask the royal family for help I will ensure you receive a proper education¡± Although Nina was a little plump and young. Evelyn¡¯s strong pull nearly sent her tumbling forward. But, just as she was about to fall, a hand reached out and caught her, effortlessly lifting her up. As the world spun around her, all Nina could see was a chillingly cold yet remarkably handsome face. ¡°Bernard!¡± Seeing Bernard, Nina was thrilled. She spread her arms and hugged him around the neck. Today¡¯s Bernard was just as cool as when he had stormed into the dark room and rescued her from the cage. As Nina hugged Bernard, her lollipop smeared onto his clothes¡­. Bernard put up with it for two seconds, then couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He held her by the cor and put her down. Nina¡¯s eyes dropped, it was the same aloof Bernard after all. Bernard¡¯s icy gaze turned to Evelyn. ¡°What, think you can¡¯t win thewsuit so you¡¯re resorting to kidnapping?¡± Evelyn snorted. ¡°Hmph, Nina is my own granddaughter, why would I need to snatch her?¡± Nina pointed at Evelyn andined to Bernard ¡°This nasty woman said, when it¡¯s time for the court, I should choose her.¡± The man had guessed Evelyn¡¯s intention. He lowered his head and looked at Nina ¡°So, did you agree?¡± Nina said angrily, ¡°I didn¡¯t agree, so she was trying to drag me away Luckily my teacher stopped her.¡± The teacher standing at the school gate swallowed hard when he saw Bernard¡¯s icy look. He was d he reacted fast and didn¡¯t let Evelyn take the child away, otherwise this man would definitely give him hell! He didn¡¯t dare to ask himself why he felt this way, but that look was really scary, like he could erupt at any moment¡­. Bernard just casually nced over, unaware of how terrifying he looked. He even thought his look at the teacher was quite friendly. After taking back his friendly gaze, without sparing Evelyn another nce, he said to Nina: ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± After Nina responded, she reached out her small hand to hold Bernard¡¯s, but retracted it quickly under his intimidating gaze. Alright, she forgot, only one person could touch Bernard, and that was Eleanor. No other woman could touch him, herself included. As Nina hopped away with Bernard, Evelyn clenched her fists in fury! N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. She thought to herself, ¡°Fine, let them have her for a few more days. Let¡¯s see what they can do when the court makes its decision!¡± Chapter 1035 Chapter 1035 Eleanor was already halfway when she heard Bernard was bringing Nina back. She immediately breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly told Scott to turn around After getting home, she had a chat with Nina and finally understood Evelyn¡¯s intention of looking for the kid¨Cshe wanted Nina to choose her in court. Chase had once mentioned that in international courts, the judge would ask for the child¡¯s opinion if the child chose her, then the judge would simply grant custody to her Thankfully, Nina was a smart cookie. She knew what it meant to go to court and what Evelyn was implying Otherwise, she would have definitely been tricked by Evelyn. Concerned about Nina¡¯s safety going to and from school before the court session, Eleanor decided to personally drop her off and pick her up during this period Bernard had originally nned to send someone, but seeing her worry, he agreed, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you¡± Whenever Eleanor went out alone, Bernard felt uneasy. Thankfully, recently Cedric Laurenice had been helping with the group¡¯s affairs, reducing his workload and freeing him up to apany her. Eleanor wrapped her arms around Bernard. Somehow, whenever he was around, she felt fearless. After a while, she got up to find Hailey Nina was safe at home, so she didn¡¯t need to worry, which is why she dared to go out. Bernard apanied her to the hospital, but he was only there to chat with a friend. As a big guy, he felt out of ce, so he waited in the car Just as Eleanor got to the hospital room, she saw Yeager holding Hailey¡¯s hand, begging her desperately, ¡°Hailey, don¡¯t break up with me, I¡¯m begging you.¡± Hearing this Eleanor immediately understood. Hailey had made up her mind, hence the breakup. She just didn¡¯t know how Hailey had brought it up Yeager¡¯s reluctance to let go made Hailey, who had gathered her courage, somewhat helpless, ¡°Yeager, your mom doesn¡¯t want us together, why are you insisting?¡± Yeager gripped her hand tightly, pleading with teary eyes, ¡°Hailey, my mom doesn¡¯t speak for me. Her disapproval doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t want to You can¡¯t break up with me because of her I can¡¯t handle it ¡± Hailey nced at the people in the room, ¡°But your mom has alreadymitted suicide. Aren¡¯t you concerned about her life?¡± Yeager shook his head, ¡°I can¡¯t worry about all that now. I just want to be with you. I don¡¯t want to lose you¡­¡± Hailey knew Yeager couldn¡¯t ignore his biological mother. He was just saying such words impulsively because she wanted to break up. She stayed silent for a while, then advised. ¡°You and your mom are inseparable. You can¡¯t ignore her forever. The more you do this, the more tired you¡¯ll get, and eventually. you¡¯ll give in. Since you¡¯re going to give in eventually, we might as well break up now to spare your mom frommitting suicide over and over again¡± Seeing this, Hailey no longer beat around the bush. She pointed out Janice¡¯s intentions directly to Yeager. However, Yeager seemed not to understand. He hugged Hailey tightly. ¡°If you break up with me like this, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll be the next one tomit suicide.¡± Hailey was startled, ¡°Yeager, what are you saying?¡± Yeager held her tighter, ¡°Hailey, although we haven¡¯t been together long, I¡¯ve always liked you. This is true. Without you, I don¡¯t know what to do¡­¡± He truly liked her His crush when he was young was sincere, as was his fluttering heart when they met again. It¡¯s just that he used some methods to keep her, but he never really had her Now they were breaking up because of his mother¡¯s interference, and he was really unwilling. Facing such a Yeager, Hailey didn¡¯t know what to do and felt helpless. ¡°Yeager, you¡­ Yeager interrupted her, ¡°I¡¯ll handle my mother¡¯s affairs. You don¡¯t need to worry, I won¡¯t let her cause trouble in front of you again.¡± Hailey opened her mouth, ¡°.. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°Hailey! I¡¯m begging you. Don¡¯t give up on me. Chapter 1036 Chapter 1036 Halley was dumbstruck, frozen in ce for a moment before she tried to grab him, but he shoved her away Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Seeing all this, Eleanor suddenly realized why Halley couldn¡¯t put it into words Facing such a pitiful man, it¡¯s not about being unable to make a decision, but about being unable to make this decision Because you would think he didn¡¯t do anything wrong, and if he didn¡¯t, why treat him like this? It¡¯s not fair. Eleanor wasn¡¯t sure if Hailey felt the same way, but that¡¯s how she felt now. It¡¯s hard to make a decision. It¡¯s a tough feeling The hospital was bustling Yeager was drawing a lot of attention. Hailey felt like she was carrying mountains on her chest, not knowing what to do. Yeager wasn¡¯t talking anymore, just looking up at her with teary eyes. Facing Yeager like this, all Hailey could do was nod, feeling somewhat choked up. Seeing her nod, Yeager finally rxed, ¡°Hailey, thank you.¡± Hailey just shook her head, helped him up without a word After standing up. Yeager said to Hailey, ¡°I¡¯m going to talk to my mom now, tell her to stop nosing around.¡± Hailey just grunted in response, didn¡¯t follow him. As she turned around, she saw Eleanor not far away. For some reason, Hailey¡¯s nose started to get runny, she felt like crying, but she was too stubborn to let it out. Eleanor walked over, seeing her eyes blurry with tears, immediately hugged her. ¡°Hailey, it¡¯s okay.¡± No matter what Hailey was going through, Eleanor was always her rock, they had been each other¡¯s family for years. Eleanor¡¯s hug gave her a bit of strength, made Hailey feel that she could lean on someone, and she rested her head on Eleanor¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m a bit tired.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re tired, go home and rest.¡± Without asking more, Eleanor just helped Hailey into the car and drove her home. Back at home, Hailey discovered a pack of cigarettes and lit one up. However, she remembered that Eleanor was trying to get pregnant and decided to put it out Eleanor, who had just arrived with a ss of water, noticed Hailey putting out the cigarette in the ashtray and expressed concern, ¡°If you want to smoke, just do it. I might not even get pregnant.¡± Hailey shook her head, knowing how important it was for Eleanor to have a baby for Bernard. Whether she could get pregnant or not, Hailey didn¡¯t want to smoke in front of her. Understanding Hailey¡¯s nature, Eleanor didn¡¯t press the matter and simply handed her the ss of water, saying, ¡°Have some water¡± Hailey took a sip and began to talk about her feelings. ¡°I brought this on myself. I shouldn¡¯t have lost my temper, I shouldn¡¯t have fantasized about marrying a reliable man, and I definitely shouldn¡¯t have dreamt of having a family of my own. Now that it¡¯se to this, it¡¯s all my own doing¡± Eleanor responded to her, ¡°Hailey, wanting to have your own family isn¡¯t wrong. You don¡¯t have to carry everything on your own. Nobody predicted that Yeager¡¯s mother would threaten suicide. It¡¯s not your fault.¡± Hailey¡¯s smile was bitter as sheughed softly. ¡°When I was with Austin Zimmer, I thought his kindness was love, so I gave him everything without hesitation. After he betrayed me, I thought that experience would teach me everything. Only now do I realize how arrogant I was I was arrogant enough to think that marrying Yeager would let me live a peaceful life, and give me a chance to lose my orphan status. But when the ss issue came up, I wasn¡¯t good enough. As a divorced woman, I shouldn¡¯t fantasize about marriage anymore¡± Chapter 1037 Chapter 1037 At night, Eleanor held onto Hailey¡¯s hand tightly, ¡°Hailey, don¡¯t be like this. Everyone has the right to dream about marriage, it¡¯s just the quality of the marriage that matters.¡± Halley¡¯s eyes were filled with helplessness. Why do I always end up with the bad ones?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t know how to answer this, because it was true that Hailey had always ended up with the bad ones. Her ex¨Chusband Austin deceived her. Cedric was just ying around, and Yeager, although he seemed like a good guy, had a lot of issues. Seeing Hailey¡¯s face getting thinner, Eleanor sighed deeply, ¡°You didn¡¯t reject Yeager just now, his mother will definitely cause more trouble.¡± Hailey also understood that Janice would cause more trouble. ¡°In that situation, I really didn¡¯t know how to reject him. Seeing him like that, I just couldn¡¯t make up my mind.¡± After saying that, Hailey thought of Cedric. When he tried to reconcile with her, he never used threats or hysterical tactics, but Yenger¡­ Why was she thinking of Cedric again? She had decided not to go back, so why was she still comparing them? Had she not let go yet? Hailey felt annoyed. She put down her cup,y down on the sofa, and stared nkly at the ceiling. In Eleanor¡¯s memory, Hailey was always steadfast and decisive, but she was hesitant about Yeager. She couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Hailey, why can¡¯t you firmly reject Yeager?¡± Yeah, why couldn¡¯t she make up her mind? She had no hesitation when she rejected Cedric, but now she was unable to decide about Yeager. She lowered her head and thought for a long time, but couldn¡¯t understand. Eleanor gave her a hint, ¡°Sometimes I can¡¯t make up my mind because of some moral constraints¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Hailey suddenly raised her head, ¡°Yes, threats of self¨Charm and suicide, aren¡¯t they also a kind of threat and constraint? But Yeager doesn¡¯t seem like that Yeager indeed didn¡¯t seem like that, Eleanor couldn¡¯t simply judge that Yeager was threatening Hailey based on her feelings, she asked again, ¡°So what¡¯s your n?¡± Hailey answered without hesitation, ¡°Wait till Yeager gets annoyed by his mother, he¡¯llpromise¡­ Eleanor and Hailey chatted for a while, remembering that Bernard was waiting outside. ¡°You rest at home, I¡¯lle to see you after I drop off Nina tomorrow.¡± As Hailey got up to see her out, she asked, ¡°Is Nina okay?¡± Eleanor replied, ¡®She¡¯s fine, Bernard arrived in time when Evelyn tried to take Nina.¡± Knowing that Bernard was there, Hailey knew everything would be sorted out. She nodded, ¡°That¡¯s good, I¡¯ll apany you to court that day¡± Eleanor agreed, then got in the car, waved goodbye to Hailey and turned to the man beside her, ¡®Have you been waiting long? Are you tired?¡± Bernard put down his phone, and pulled Eleanor onto hisp, ¡°Did Ms Vulpe break up with Yeager?¡± ¡°Oh? Eleanor wrapped her arms around his neck and asked uncertainly, ¡°You didn¡¯t use to care about these things, why are you suddenly so interested now?¡± Bernard¡¯s face remained expressionless, devoid of any emotion. ¡°I¡¯m just curious. It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want to talk about it,¡± he said calmly, knowing he could find the answer himself In response, Eleanor yfully pinched his cheek, teasingly amodating his curiosity. ¡°Since you¡¯re so eager to know, I¡¯ll indulge you, Hailey and Yeager haven¡¯t broken up.¡± Bernard¡¯s eyes grew a shade darker, revealing his impatience as if he were anticipating something. He remarked casually, ¡°Ms. Vulpe seems to have a good temperament.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t fully grasp his intent and assumed he was praising Hailey. ¡°Indeed, my Hailey has always been known for her good temperament since she was young Bernard gave a small smile without saying anything During the three years Eleanor was gone, Cedric¡¯s neck and arms were often scratched by Hailey. Was this what they called a good temperament? Chapter 1038 Chapter 1038 Yeager had shipped his parents back home. Now Hailey can chill and focus on running her club, while Eleanor was prepping for the court stuff The night before the court hearing, she couldn¡¯t catch a wink of sleep. When she went downstairs for a drink, Nina, holding a little pellow, walked up to her, and gently pulled on her robe. ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t sweat it. I¡¯ll definitely pick you.¡± Eleanor¡¯s heart warmed, she put down her ss, squatted down and looked at Nina eye to eye. ¡°Why are you still up¡± Nina tilted her head and grinned. Tm just like you, can¡¯t sleep¡± Seeing Nina¡¯s innocent smile, Eleanor also smiled softly back. ¡°Are you nervous too?¡± ¡°Totally¡± Nina didn¡¯t hide her feelings at all. ¡°Sometimes, I do miss the days in G country, butpared to you, those don¡¯t matter! Aside from teaching her how to shoot, Casey had always been good to her, let her grow up carefree, and sometimes spoilt her rotten. Of course, she was also happy during the time with her biological father in G country. Thinking of Ethan Ziegler, Nina¡¯s eyes started to well up¡­. ¡°Eleanor, if Ethan was still alive, you and my grandma wouldn¡¯t need to go to court.¡± Hearing this, Eleanor was taken aback, suddenly recalling Ethan¡¯s carefree manner, her heart clenched. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. No matter what someone did in their life, once they¡¯re gone, the bad parts fade away, leaving only the good parts behind. In her memory, Ethan¡¯s features and face had all be blurred, but she could never forget his tight grip on her hand before he died, urging her to take good care of Nina Thinking about Ethan brought tears to her eyes, so she held them back, not wanting Nina to see her sorrow, and embraced the little girl. ¡°Nina, parting due to death is something we all have to face in life. Your father just left a bit earlier, but his love for you is still here.¡± Nina seemed to understand Eleanor¡¯s words, curling up in her arms and nodding lightly. ¡°Then Eleanor, will you and Bernard also leave me like this one day?¡± Eleanor reached up and patted her little head gently. ¡°We¡¯re older than you, so it¡¯s normal for us to leave first.¡± Nina¡¯s eyes filled with tears. Then won¡¯t I be left alone in this world?¡± Eleanor reassured her. ¡°Not at all. I will have a baby in the future, and the new baby will grow up with you, so you won¡¯t be alone¡± Hearing this, Nina stopped crying and looked at Eleanor¡¯s belly. ¡°Then Eleanor, when will you have a baby?¡± The conversation came back to children again. ¡°Don¡¯t rush, it will happen.¡± Nina gave a hum, and curled up in Eleanor¡¯s arms again, seekingfort. Looking at the tightly embracing adult and child, Bernard¡¯s lips curled up slightly In reality, as long as he was there, there was no need to worry too much about anything. The custody trial began on time. Chase was fully prepared, sessfully leaving the opposingwyer speechless. In this case, the first choice for custody should have been Evelyn, no matter what, her odds of winning should have been higher But Chase based his argument on the deceased¡¯s will, then brought up Evelyn¡¯s adamant refusal to ept her daughter¨Cinw, even going as far as to destroy evidence of the child¡¯s parents, and sessfully convinced the judge. Apart from Chase, George and Pearce also testified, using Evelyn of treating Emilia poorly, even not allowing her to be buried with Ethan after her death. They argued that such a mother couldn¡¯t possibly be good to the child, plus the child herself wanted to choose Eleanor, so the trial went extremely well. The judge quickly announced in court that the custody of Nina would be awarded to Eleanor and her husband. Evelyn, who failed to win custody, watched Eleanor and Nina happily high five each other, a dark shadow gradually filled her eyes. When everyone left the court, Evelyn suddenly rushed over from behind, snatched Nina from Eleanor¡¯s hands, and held her in her own arms Chapter 1039 Chapter 1039 ¡°Evelyn what the hell are you doing? Eleanor, scared out of her wits, rushed over, only to be stopped by Bernard The man¡¯s icy gaze held a hint of anger ¡®Let her go Evelyn seemed a bit frightened ton, stammering This is my granddaughter my son¡¯s child left to me Witnessing the situation George stepped forward and reproached Evelyn. The court has made its decision, yet you¡¯re still clinging to the child. Have you thought about her feelings? Hearing this. Evelyn nced down at Nina in her arms, only to find the little girl batting her big eyes, clearly disappointed Evelyn fait aplicated mix of emotions Noticing her hesitation, Eleanor spoke up. Evelyn, Nina wants to be with me, not you If you truly love this child then please respect her choice Evelyn seemed reluctant holding Nina close and shaking her head at Eleanor ¡°She¡¯s my granddaughter With her around, I don¡¯t have to miss Ethan by staring at his pictures all day Ms Shultz you¡¯re still young you can have children In the future, you¡¯ll have your own kids. But for me, all I have is her The longing for her son was evident on Evelyn¡¯s face, causing Eleanor to frown slightly ¡®But Ethan¡¯s last wish was to entrust the child to me Ning¡¯s wish is to be with me too Shouldn¡¯t you consider their perspectives Before Evelyn could respond to Eleanor¡¯s words, Nina shed her a toothy grin and eximed, ¡°Bad woman, you only force me to leave from my love ones I don¡¯t want to go with you, let go of me, or Ill bite you Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. True to her word. Nina bit down on Eleanor¡¯s hand After her son¡¯s death, Evelyn had lost so much weight due to loss of appetite that even with Nina¡¯s full force, she only bit into ayer of skin Looking at Nina, Evelyn inexplicably loosened her grip. Nobody paid much attention to why she let go. As soon as she did, George rushed over and scooped up the child. The crowd nced at her, then climbed into their cars. Only Eleanor turned around to look at Evelyn It was this look that gave Evelyn courage to stop Bernard¡¯s car¡­ Bernard thought she was about to snatch the child again and was about to have Aidyn Reyes get out of the car to drive her away, but then he saw her bend down to look at Eleanor in the car ¡°Ms Shultz, can I can I visit Nina at your ce in the future?¡± She had realized her harshness towards her son and daughter¨Cinw when George and Pearce used her in court Evelyn had spent most of Ethan¡¯s childhood pushing him to study, solely concerned about him taking over the Hooper and Ziegler families, but without truly caring for him as a person. This became especially evident when she discovered Ethan¡¯s rtionship with Emilia. She went to great lengths to try and break them up. Her actions yed a significant role in the conflict between Emilia and Ethan When George challenged her in court, she found it difficult to respond because she knew she had been unkind to Emilia Thoughts of Ethan brought immense pain to Evelyn¡¯s heart. She believed that taking custody of the child, Nina, would somehow ease her sorrow. However, it wasn¡¯t until this moment that she realized even having Nina wouldn¡¯t bring Ethan back. She questioned if she should selfishly ignore her son¡¯s last wish This realization eventually led Evelyn to give up her struggle for custody understanding that it was the right thing to do Despite her decision, it was hard for Evelyn to let go of the fact that Nina was Ethan¡¯s biological daughter and her own granddaughter The first time Eleanor saw Evelyn, she appeared lively, but now on this asion, she noticed the toll that time had taken on her her face was lined with wrinkles, and ber hair had turned white Feeling pity for Evelyn, Eleanor turned to ask Nina. ¡°Serenina, are you okay with this?¡± She respected Nina¡¯s choice Chapter 1040 Chapter 1040 Nina peered at the frail old woman outside the window, hesitating for a moment before nodding, ¡°As long as you don¡¯t force me to go with you like you did before, I¡¯ll let you see.¡± Upon hearing this, Evelyn¡¯s eyes immediately filled with tears, ¡°Girl, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t be so impulsive again in the future. After acknowledging with a hum, Nina turned around to grab the snacks she had secretly stashed in the back seat storagepartment Eleanor noticed and lightly patted her bottom ¡°Nina,¡± she said, her tone a tad reprimanding, yet her voice gentle, Tve told you many times, these snacks are unhealthy. They¡¯ll ruin your teeth. Why don¡¯t you listen?¡± Hearing this, Evelyn was reminded of Ethan when he was young She seemed to have never spoken to him in such a tender tone. Thinking of this, Evelyn¡¯s gazended on Eleanor again, ¡°If she keeps disobeying, why don¡¯t you just take away her snacks and throw them away?¡± After stopping Nina, Eleanor turned to look at the people outside the window, ¡°When I was in the orphanage, I had a weak heart and was too frail, slow at eating and walking But the carer who looked after me never lost her temper at me, she was always patient. Perhaps that¡¯s why I never lose my temper with children¡± Evelyn gradually felt relieved, ¡°With your temperament, Eleanor, Nina will definitely grow up to be a good girl¡± Eleanor smiled without saying a word. Evelyn continued, ¡°Ms. Shultz, could I entrust her with the affairs of the Hooper and Ziegler families?¡± Eleanor disagreed with burdening such a young child with a family mission, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it when she grows up.¡± Evelyn rified. ¡°That¡¯s what I meant, when she grows up.¡± Eleanor responded, ¡°Well, you can ask Nina herself then.¡± She wouldn¡¯t make any life choices for the child, everything would be left to her. Bernard in the front seat was getting impatient and shot her a nce Eleanor stopped talking to Evelyn ¡®it¡¯s gettingte, I¡¯m taking the kid home now¡± Evelyn responded with an ¡®okay, then seemed to remember something and said somewhat awkwardly, ¡°About your mother. I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m really sorry¡± Vanya Pine had been her best friend since childhood, but she had let herself be provoked by a few words from Wendy Pine and ended up disfiguring her face Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. This incident has always made Evelyn feel guilty. Until she found out that Emilia was Vanya¡¯s daughter, she didn¡¯t dare to face Emilia, let alone let her into her house¡­ She felt guilty towards all the Pines. If it wasn¡¯t for her, Emilia marrying Ethan would¡¯ve been a perfect match, and Eleanor wouldn¡¯t have ended up in an orphanage. In the end, it was her own fault that God took her son¡¯s life¡­. Eleanor hade to understand that it was Wendy who had identally bumped into Evelyn¡¯s hand, causing Evelyn¡¯s potion to inadvertently ssh onto Vanya¡¯s face. Therefore, her resentment towards Evelyn wasn¡¯t as profound as before. Yet, she still found herself unable to say ¡°it¡¯s alright¡± on behalf of her mother. All she could do was nod at Evelyn, indicating that she epted the apology. Evelyn too understood that the other party wouldn¡¯t forgive her easily. Had it not been for Nina, she might not have had another word to exchange with her. Luckily, with Nina around, it gave her an opportunity to further apologize to the only daughter of Vanya. This, in turn, alleviated some of the guilt she harbored towards Vanya in her heart. Chapter 1041 Chapter 1041 After saying goodbye to Evelyn, Cedric organized a gathering at Chase¡¯s request, inviting everyone who had once appeared in court. Everyone, except for Hailey In the courtroom, Cedric and Hailey were seated close to each other, yet they never shared a nce. Even when they identally brushed against each other while leaving the courthouse, they simply murmured polite sorrys before parting ways. Given their current circumstances, everyone understood why Cedric didn¡¯t invite Hailey. However, Chase suspected that it might not sit well with Cedric He raised his ss, clinking it against Cedric¡¯s, Just letting it go like that?¡± Drinking. Cedric replied. ¡°I¡¯ve tried my best, I¡¯m tired.¡± He was tired, tired of pursuing Hailey. There was no point anymore, and things were quite alright as they were. Just as Chase was about to offer further words of encouragement, he noticed Sigrid walking through the door, a glimmer lighting up his eyes. However, as soon as he spotted Peterson Sharp trailing behind her, that spark quickly faded Following his gaze towards the door, Cedric spotted Peterson and frowned, ¡°Why did hee along? He had warned Sigrid not to invite others to Mr. Chase¡¯s dinner, but she didn¡¯t listen. Sigrid arrived with Peterson and turned to Bernard, ¡°You don¡¯t mind one extra person, do you?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t mind, but Eleanor¡­. He turned his head, but Eleanor was nowhere to be seen. He was surprised. Pearce, on the other hand, had a smug smile on his face. He stood up and reached out to Peterson, Remember me?¡± The Sharp family was the client for thest project Emilia took on Pearce, who wanted to visit the construction site, had naturally met him. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Peterson had a good memory. When he saw Pearce, he shook his hand politely. ¡°Emilia¡¯s chief designer.¡± His father had met Emilia once and was very interested in her. It took him a long time to arrange a meeting with her to design a house for the family. Seeing that Peterson still remembered him, Pearce¡¯s smile grew even wider, ¡°Looks like my face is quite memorable, otherwise a big shot like you would definitely forget¡± With a stiff smile on his face, Peterson forced augh, ¡°Indeed, you¡¯re quite memorable. I remembered you the moment I saw you.¡± He had never met someone who sought bnce even inughter. How could he forget? Upon receiving thepliment, Pearce was overjoyed, ¡°Come, sit here, let¡¯s have a drink.¡± Before Peterson could even greet Bernard, he was enthusiastically pulled down by Pearce. Just as Pearce sat down, he saw Bernard ring at him coldly and jumped in fright, ¡°Mr. Laurence, why are you looking at me like that? I didn¡¯t steal yourdy, she just went to the bathroom¡­¡± When Peterson walked in, Eleanor quickly ran into the bathroom to avoid being seen by him. This way, her true identity wouldn¡¯t be revealed when she visited his construction siteter. Bernard obviously knew she was hiding. He didn¡¯t like Pearce¡¯s obsequiousness, so he gave him a cold nce before nodding at Sigrid. Since Pearce had already made him sit down, he could only nod, but¡­. Bernard¡¯s cold eyes nced at Chase across the table. Was he trying to take this opportunity to talk to Sigrid more? Unfortunately, the clever Sigrid didn¡¯t even want to give him that chance¡­ After sitting next to Peterson, Sigrid, without hesitation, raised her ss to Bernard, ¡®Bernard, here¡¯s to you and Eleanor winning thewsuit.¡± Then, she turned to Nina, who was sitting next to George, busy devouring a lobster, ¡°And Serenina, congrattions on bing a member of Bernard¡¯s family.¡± Nina looked up, her greasy little face smiling at Sigrid, ¡®Not only am I part of Bernard¡¯s family, I¡¯m also a member of all of your big family¡­¡± Nina¡¯s innocent voice warmed Sigrid¡¯s heart, ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right.¡± Chapter 1042 Chapter 1042 Peterson surveyed the people around the table, finding it quite amusing but then. His gaze fell on the private room¡¯s restroom Why had Mr. Laurence¡¯s wife been in there for so long? Growing increasingly anxious, Eleanor pulled out her phone and sent a message to Bernard, [Dear, please find a way to get Peterson out ] Bernard, who had been contemting how to tactfully steer Peterson away, saw the message and revealed a doting smile, [Do you want me toe in and keep youpany? What did he mean by that? Eleanor responded [I¡¯m sure you can find a way I Bernard replied: [Wait a moment] Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Setting his phone aside, Bernard turned to Peterson, ¡°There¡¯s a project I¡¯d like to discuss with you. Could we move upstairs for a chat?¡± The building they were gathered in was under Bernard¡¯s ownership, with a regr restaurant on the ground floor and entertainment venues upying the rest. Although he knew that the projects of the Sharp family werent under his management, he still chose to discuss them with Peterson at this moment, obviously intending to lead him away Peterson understood all this but didn¡¯t call it out. Rising gracefully, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± After the two of them left, Sigrid¡¯s expression subtly shifted. It seemed like she knew Bernard had deliberately separated Peterson, and this realization left her feeling a bit uneasy She knew that Chase was helping Bernard with hiswsuit, just to get close to her, even bringing Peterson as a wingman, She initially thought Chase would back off on his own, but she didn¡¯t expect Bernard to help him¡­¡­.. After taking a swig of her drink, she turned to Cedric, ¡°Bro, I¡¯ve got some work to do at my studio. I¡¯ll take off first.¡± Sigrid had a studio in the country where she designed various crafts. She was about to exhibit her work, so things were pretty hectic. Cedric knew she was busy, but he couldn¡¯t let her leave just like that tonight, ¡°You saw how Bernard stood up for him. Give him one more chance to exin.¡± Sigrid didn¡¯t look up at Chase, ¡°We¡¯ve discussed everything we need to years ago. Is there anything we need to talk about now?* Chase¡¯s eyes were starting to well up. It seemed like he felt that Sigrid hadpletely let go of him. He was deeply saddened, but he tried his best to act nonchnt, patting Cedric¡¯s shoulder lightly. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Don¡¯t push her.¡± Cedric looked at Chase¡¯s lifestyle over the years, ¡°Sigrid, he had no choice but to break up with you. You should at least hear him out.¡± Sigrid slowly lifted her eyes, looking at Chase¡¯s pale face. She sighed, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s talk outside¡± She put down her ss and stood up. Chase watched her figure, frozen for a few seconds. Then, with a nudge from Cedric, he hurriedly followed. After they left, Pearce curiously asked, ¡°Were they a couple before?¡± Cedric gave him a nce, ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± Pearce looked innocent, ¡°If this has nothing to do with me, can¡¯t I ask?¡± Cedric was speechless. ¡°If this has nothing to do with me, can¡¯t I be curious?¡± ¡°If this has nothing to do with me, I don¡¯t have the right to know?¡± Cedric was still speechless. Whatever, he is Eleanor¡¯s mentor Just bear with it, this meal will be over soon. Sigrid strolled down the street. Chase stared at her retreating figure, following at a slow pace. When they reached an uphill road, Sigrid stopped and turned back to look at Chase, ¡°Alright, spill it.¡± Chapter 1043 Chapter 1043 Ever since Sigrid saw Chase spending time with other women on multiple asions, she had locked herself in her room, staying awake day and night without eating or drinking Back then, she had hoped that Chase woulde to see her, even if not for reconciliation, at least for comfort. But he didn¡¯t Since then, Signd had not seen Chase again. Even many yearster, when Chase suddenly came knocking, saying he was now ready to be with her, she ignored him Cedric had told her that Chase had no choice but to break up, and Sigrid understood this in her heart. However, she no longer cared, nor did she ever inquire about the reason She didn¡¯t know, and she didn¡¯t want to know anymore. As if reading Sigrid¡¯s mind. Chase, standing at the bottom of the slope under the dim street light, smiled at her. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to say She had let go Saying it would only cause a rift with her parents. Why bother? Let her live happily ever after, knowing nothing. Thinking of this, tears welled up in Chase¡¯s eyes, and he turned away subconsciously. ¡°If you don¡¯t say it tonight, you¡¯ll never get the chance¡± ¡°If I say it, will you forgive me?¡± ¡°No.¡± There was a bitter smile on Chase¡¯s face. ¡°Then I won¡¯t say it He waved his hand casually. Watching the figure gradually moving away, Sigrid remembered the first time she saw him. Back then, Chase was sitting in a booth at the Midnight Bar, lounging on the sofa, smoking alone. Hidden in the dim light, he didn¡¯t fit in with the bustling crowd around him, as if he was carrying loneliness. Good girl Sigrid, always couldn¡¯t resist the charm of such men, even though her friends warned her that this man was a yboy she must not fall for him. But she still gave a brilliant smile and said in her heart, sorry, it was love at first sight for me, your advice came toote Later, Chase became close to her brother, and she often saw himing and going from her house¡­ Every time Young Sigrid saw him, her heart raced, always hiding behind the door and peeking at him. After plucking up the courage, she would bring coffee, fruits, desserts, etc., push open her brother¡¯s room door, and approach him. At that time, Chase, who was ying games, would asionally nce at her. His eyes were in, seeming to have no particr interest in this young girl Sigrid went to ask her sister how she could grow up faster Veronica Laurence patted her on the head and said, ¡°You¡¯re only sixteen, just started high school, why are you in such a hurry to grow up?¡± Sigrid just smiled and didn¡¯t say anything. She looked up information on the inte about breast enhancement, body shaping, skin care, and she was doing all of them Starting from the age of sixteen, she paid particr attention to her image management Later, when she learned that he had received an eptance letter from a prestigious foreign university, she studied frantically She hoped to follow Chase¡¯s footsteps, to let him see her brilliance Filled with passion and admiration, she finally gained admission to the university he attended. Through her own efforts, she finally had the chance to be with him. However, it was only after being with him that she came to understand the warnings of her friends. A fickle man wouldn¡¯t care much for his girlfriend. Yet, she was deeply in love with Chase then, so much so that she lost her dignity, lost herposure. She pushed away all the women around him, arguing with other women like an impolite person, even resorting to crudenguage without fear She didn¡¯t know why Chase fell for her, perhaps only because he saw her crazy love for him. When she would incessantly quarrel with other women, he would suddenly hold her in his arms, with tears in his eyes, telling her that he would protect her love her well And he did. He loved her deeply, treated her extremely well, even to the point of helping her wash her underwear When she had her period, he wouldn¡¯t let her touch any cold water When she missed food from home, he would look for it everywhere, and if he couldn¡¯t find it, he would fly back home to buy it and cook it specially for her. in the winter, knowing that she would feel cold, he would hold her, let her lean on his arm, maintain a position all night, even if his arm was numb, he wouldn¡¯t let go In the years they were together, Chase lowed her deeply, telling her he loved her every day, hugging her, kissing her, even touching her carefully, afraid that she would feel pain. If another mandooked at her more, he would be jealous, afraid that she would be taken away by someone else, he would protect her, pamper her, and not let anyone bully her However, Chase, who loved her so deeply, suddenly proposed to break up two years after graduation, saying he was tired and didn¡¯t want to be with her anymore. Sigrid was spoiled by his love, couldn¡¯t live without him, didn¡¯t want to break up, and even threatened to commit suicide. He was crying and holding her when she slit her wrists, why didn¡¯t it take long for him to decide to break up with her?Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Chapter 1044 Chapter 1044 During that time, Sigrid was totally at sea, clueless as to why Chase didn¡¯t love her anymore. She kept on him like a dog with a bone, pestering him with the same question. ¡°Do you still love me?¡± Chase insisted that he no longer loved her, but Sigrid refused to ept this. She tried to hurt herself again, yet this time, he didrit shed tears or rush to save her, instead, he packed up his things and left He moved out of the house they once shared and relocated to a remote ce. It took Sigrid a long time to find him, only to discover he was living with another woman. Even so, Sigrid didn¡¯t give up. Like a fool, she walled in the living room, tidying up their room once their business was done. At that time, as she was gathering the scattered clothes on the bed, she told herself that as long as she cleaned up, everything would be okay. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. She believed that once Chase grew tired of other women, he would remember her goodness and return to her side. That was how she managed to get through, time and again. Thest straw came when Chase yelled at her, telling her not to be so humble. Only then did she pick up the other woman¡¯s clothes, slowly squatting down by the side of the bed She remembered that she didn¡¯t cry then, but only asked him one question, ¡°Do you truly no longer love me?¡± When she heard him say that he no longer loved her, she finally woke up. Once some people change their hearts, they truly can¡¯te back Alterwards, she locked herself up, on the one hand, persuading herself to let go, and on the other, hoping that he woulde to see her In these days, she gradually developed depression How did she pull through? Through daydreams, self¨Credemption, and thepany of her parents That period was so long and painful for her, her heart would ache whenever she thought back on it. She told herself, never again would she go through such pain. Luckily, as time went on, her pain started to fade She realized she had finally put that painful chapter behind her. Having moved on, she looked at Chase¡¯s solitary figure and whispered. ¡°Chase, let¡¯s clear the air, so you can let go, and I can find peace¡± He had been pursuing her just to clear up the past. After all, breakups often leave loose ends. Once those loose ends are tied up, you can find satisfaction and finally let go. Just like her, she had let go of the man she once loved deeply, hadn¡¯t she? Chase¡¯s steps slowed to a halt, but he didn¡¯t turn around. His eyes, blurry, were fixed on the shadows cast by the streemp. ¡°Do you remember, you asked me why I, being so young, was frequently seen in nightclubs?¡± ¡°Mmm, I remember.¡± He was just a senior in high school, but due to his status, he was constantly in and out of all sorts of nightlife spots. She was curious, softly asking him multiple times while clinging to his arm, but he never gave her an answer. ¡°It was my stepmother who made me go.¡± She was a stepmother, afraid he¡¯d threaten her son¡¯s position, afraid he¡¯d take away his father¡¯s love. So she forced him into nightclubs, tarnishing his image so that his father would leave the inheritance to her son ¡°Didn¡¯t you fight back?¡± Chase turned his head and smiled at Sigrid. ¡°My grandma was under her control¡± It¡¯s often said that children without mothers are the most pitiable, with no one to love them. Chase was just like that. ¡°When I was young, I didn¡¯t have the strength to fight back Seeing Chase¡¯s unconcerned smile, Sigrid held her tongue, quietly waiting for him to continue. ¡°In the two years after graduation, I knelt and begged your mom, hoping she wouldn¡¯t look down on me because of my identity.¡± Sigrid was stunned, apparently never imagining that it was her mother who caused Chase to leave her ¡°But at that time, your mom still looked down on me.¡± Chase¡¯s smile wasced with indifference ¡°I didn¡¯t really care, but she found out about my grandma¡± Mentioning his grandma, the light in Chase¡¯s eyes dimmed. ¡°After I pushed you away, my grandma somehow got wind of it. To stop being a burden to me, she¡­ Chapter 1045 Chapter 1045 If Chase¡¯s betrayal and harm dealt her a fatal blow, then her family was the one that hurt her imperceptibly Sigrid couldn¡¯t ept it. She let go of Chase¡¯s clothes, covered her face, and slowly squatted down Chase squatted down with her, trying tofort her, ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish, I lied to you just to win you back, and you actually believed it¡± Sigrid couldn¡¯t hold back and her tears rolled down, ¡°Your grandmother she was indirectly killed by my family Seeing her crying like this, Chase was heartbroken. ¡°That¡¯s not true. I was lying to you. You know I never speak the truth. Don¡¯t cry With teary eyes, Sigrid looked at him, ¡°And those other women?¡± Chase reached out his hand to wipe the tears from her face, but she avoided him. His hand hanging in mid air made him realize that the Sigrid who loved him so deeply that she was willing to die for him, was now gone for good. He pulled back his hand, looked at Sigrid, and gave a slight smirk Tve slept with all of them¡± Sigrid, it¡¯s all a lie I never slept with them. I just tried to push you away I led to you. Chase¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. He held them back, stood up, and turned away Sigrid, still squatting on the ground, looked up at his broad back. Something seemed to click for her. She stood up and embraced him from behind. For the first time in many years, she took the initiative to hold him. Chase¡¯s heart, aching so much it trembled, found some relief¡­. He raised his hand, stroked her knuckles, then turned around and hugged her tight ¡°Sigrid, I¡¯ve missed you all these years.¡± His heart was filled with longing Sigrid nestled in his arms, feeling the cold tears sliding down from his eyes,nding on her neck. She started crying too. ¡°Chase, I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t love you anymore¡­¡± The hurt he inflicted was just too much. Even knowing now that he had no choice, Sigrid couldn¡¯t forget those painful days. She knew that it was because she wouldn¡¯t let go, that he brought all those women to push her away¡­ It was all a lie, she could forgive him again, but she found that she truly no longer loved him She cried, because this rtionship that started when she was 16 ended so absurdly, she felt sorrow She knew it very clearly, she had no feelings for Chase anymore. So it turns out that with time, people¡¯s hearts really do change. She just never expected that the one to change would be her, not Chase. Im sorry for making you fall in love with me when I don¡¯t love you anymore The man holding her stiffened gradually, even though he knew this wasing, his heart hurt so much he could hardly breathe ¡°Sigrid¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Sigrid nestled in his arms and nodded lightly. He called her name, but didn¡¯t say anything else. When she looked up at him, she saw his eyes full of tears, streaming down his cheeks. ¡°Love me one more time, can you?¡± No one in this world loves him anymore, could she give him one more chance to be loved? Seeing Chase like this, Sigrid¡¯s heart ached. She reached out her hand and wiped away his tears. ¡°We have too much painful history. If we get back together, well end up parting again. I don¡¯t want us to be enemies Once there¡¯s resentment in the heart, it takes root and can never be eradicated Rather than that, better to end things now At least they can leave behind a beautiful memory of the times when they were deeply in love Chase understood what she meant. To end things amicably, to avoid making things awkward. Maybe, they can still be friends. Slowly, he let her go ¡°You¡¯ve lost a lot of weight, stop being picky with your food, eat more¡± Chase raised his hand, gently brushing Sigrid¡¯s hair He moved stowly, as if he knew once he stopped, there would be no more chances. Indeed, there would be no more chances after this¡­. Sigrid, tears in her eyes, gave a smile and nodded. ¡°You loo Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Chase looked at her, and after a moment, he reached out his arms again ¡°One more hug¡± Signd didn¡¯t hesitate and embraced him proactively Just like before, after crying, she curled up in his arms and rubbed her tears on his clothes. Chase held her tightly, really reluctant to let go, but she didn¡¯t love him anymore The girl who once loved him crazily, once pushed away, would nevere back He remembered a line from a movie he had watched before, which made a deep impression on him. No one will wait for you forever in the same ce Through his own efforts, he shed his oldbel, became a star in the legal world, and eventually won the approval of her mother But she couldn¡¯t see it, because he was toote Chase smiled, turned all his reluctance into thest hug, and with all his strength, he embraced her. ¡°Goodbye¡± ¡°Goodbye¡± After their final farewell, they let go of each other, turned around, and walked away. From then on, their lives had no intersection. * Chapter 1046 Chapter 1046 Through the expansive window, Peterson observed as the pair outside diverged into separate paths. He gave the drink in his hand a gentle swirl, remarking. So, they¡¯ve finally chosen their different roads¡± Bernard trailed his gaze, casting a nce through the window There was a slight change in his expression, though it wasn¡¯t unexpected ¡°My sister has always been firm about her desires,¡± he noted, his voice carrying a hint of admiration and perhaps, resignation ¡°She relentlessly pursues what she wants and once it¡¯s no longer necessary, she doesnt falter in letting go- be it material possessions of emotions.¡± Peterson raised his ss in a nonchnt toast, taking a subtle sip A hint of a smile traced his lips. ¡°You knew I¡¯d witness this scene, yet you still chose this venue What¡¯s your angle?¡± He was, after all, in the midst of discussing a possible marriage alliance with Sigrid Under such circumstances, wouldn¡¯t it have been more prudent for Bernard to shield her past? ¡°Anything hidden is bound to be revealed sooner orter I would prefer that you learn about this from me rather than from a less reliable source.¡± Bernard asserted. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. His gaze drifted back to the window, focusing on the figure making its way to a car. ¡°As for whether you want to continue with the marriage after knowing this, that¡¯s up to you,¡± Peterson¡¯s smile deepened ¡°My decision isn¡¯t what matters, it¡¯s all up to your sister¡± With that, Peterson gave Bernard a thoughtful look ¡°Honestly, I quite like your attitude. It¡¯s just a shame you¡¯re a man¡± Bernard scowled disgust shing in his eyes Seeing this, Peterson burst intoughter. ¡°I¡¯m just messing with you, I don¡¯t have a specific preference for gender.¡± Bernard set his ss down heavily on the table, his face cold ¡°Thest person who imed they didn¡¯t have a gender preference ended up falling for my wife.¡± Peterson suddenly became interested, leaning forward slightly ¡°Who¡¯s got the guts to make a move on your wife?¡± Bernard, lounging on the sofa, shot him a cold nce but didn¡¯t answer Peterson wasn¡¯t upset. He muttered to himself, ¡°I guess your wife must be quite a looker. Is that why you¡¯re keeping her hidden and not letting me see her?¡± Bernard heard what Peterson was implying, but he didn¡¯t care and had no intention of exining. He withdrew his cold gaze and stood up. ¡°You¡¯ll see her after you marry Sigrid¡± Interesting To meet Bernard¡¯s wife, he¡¯d have to marry his sister first. Talk about a catch. Watching Bernard¡¯s carefree figure, Peterson couldn¡¯t help but smirk. In the box downstairs, Chase didn¡¯t return. Only Sigrid did. When Cedric saw this, he knew they hadn¡¯t made up He greeted Eleanor, then grabbed his coat to look for Chase. He thought Chase would have driven off, but found him sitting on the slope, staring up at the sky. Cedric sat down next to him. ¡°Did you tell her everything?¡± Chase nodded Cedric asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t my sister forgive you?¡± Chase¡¯s eyes were red, tinged with pain ¡°She forgave me.¡± Signd had forgiven him, but she no longer loved him. Cedric was about to ask more, but Chase cut him off ¡°If you really have feelings for Ms. Vulpe, don¡¯t wait until things have settled down to find her. Over time, your feelings might fade¡± Cedric was taken aback, then said firmly. ¡°I don¡¯t have feelings for her anymore.¡± Chase chuckled ¡°Really? Why don¡¯t you ask your heart?¡± Cedric thought Chase was uding him as a punching bag because he couldn¡¯t win back Sigrid He got up to leave but heard Chase¡¯s voice behind him. ¡°If you¡¯ve investigated Bernice, give the evidence to Ms. Vulpe as soon as possible. Don¡¯t dy_ in his life, hed lost the woman he loved. He didn¡¯t want his only friend to end up like him. ¡°And after you win back Ms. Vulpe, remember to convince your parents. Don¡¯t let her end up like me After saying this, Chase got up and left His lonely figure made Cedric feel like he could copse at any moment. But he continued to move forward, step by step, without any intention of looking back Maybe even if he did look back, no one would be there waiting for him anymore ¡°What are you nning to do?¡± Chase didn¡¯t answer. He just raised his hand and waved it dismissively It seemed to suggest that life is long and everything is determined by fate There¡¯s no use struggling, just go with the flow Cedric lowered his head, looking at his own reflection at his feet, deep in thought Chase and Signd were once in love, but he and Hailey never were Their life paths wouldn¡¯t follow Chase and Signd¡¯s because there was no touching love sto butween them He pulled out his phone and opened the photos his assistant had sent For a moment, he thought about taking these photos to Hailey, but his previous experience sobered him. Even if he took the evidence to Hailey would she believe him? Cedric was wary of taking risks, he was caught in a conundrum. He feared that if Hailey didn¡¯t believe him, it would be tragic, yet, if she did believe him and forgave Yeager, the pain would be unbearable Unexpectedly, he felt a sense of inferiority in front of Yeager, a doctor whom he deemed worthless. The roots of this inferiorityplexy in his interactions with Hailey Chapter 1047 Chapter 1047 hapter 1047 Sigrid¡¯s mom, Latonia, and dad Quin Laurence, were lounging on the couch in the living room after dinner Latonia was getting a facial from her personal beautician while Quin was engrossed in thetest financial newspaper. It was a slightly rainy night, the pitter patter on the roof added a dash of life to the quiet house Along with the rain came a knock on the door. The maid who was wiping the dining table, put down her cloth and went to pull the curtains. Standing outside the ss door, drenched from head to toe, was Sigrid, her eyes fixated on the people inside The kids had all grown up and moved out Only Latonia and Quin lived in the house now. Their children would asionallye home for a meal, but they¡¯d always give a heads up beforehand. Sewing Signdpletely drenched and disheveled, standing outside their homete at night, shocked both Latonia and Quin. They immediately instructed the maid to open the door ¡°Sigrid, what¡¯s wrong?¡® they asked urgently, reaching out to her. They noticed her shaking from head to toe, a sight that left them unnerved. ¡°What happened, Sigrid? Latonia questioned, trying to wipe the rainwater off Sigrid¡¯s face But Sigrid pulled away avoiding her touch Latonia went stiff, a sudden realization hitting her Seeing Sigrid¡¯s tear¨Cstreaked face, a surge of guilt overwhelmed her Sigrid however, pushed their hands away refusing to step inside the house She stood there under the eaves, her reddened eyes boring into them. ¡°Why did you do this to me? Why did you do this to Chase? she demanded How could they have subjected her to such prolonged suffering? How could they have torn her away from the person she loved the most? They were her parents, who had taken care of her since she was a child yet they pushed her into an abyss, making her life a living hell She couldn¡¯t ept that Chase had pushed her away so ruthlessly, all because of her own parents Her parents, who seemed so kind, so rational ¡°Do you know, Chase¡¯s grandma hung herself because of this Sigrid clenched her fists and for the first time, yelled at her parents,pletely disregarding her image ¡°You guys indirectly killed a person just to separate me and him, and you¡¯ve managed to keep it from me all these years? This heart wrenching scream stunned Latonia and Quin, leaving them filled with quilt ¡°Mom, you have a son too Wouldn¡¯t you feel heartache and sadness if he was treated this way by someone else¡¯s parents?¡± Latonia opened her mouth to say something. but was interrupted by Signd¡¯s bitterugh. ¡°Mom, Chase did have someone who cared about him, but it wasn¡¯t his parents, it was his grandma. Yet you used his grandma to threaten him. You got what you wanted, but in the process, you hurt me, and also dragged his grandma into this. Sigrid had never thought about how Chase had spent those years when she was living a life worse than death. He pushed her away with his own hands, lost his grandma, but never said a word. It was only yearster, after bing a shining star in the legal field and gaining the approval of her parents, that he came back to find her But she forced herself to forget him. When he showed up in front of her, full of joy, holding flowers, and said, ¡°Sigrid, I¡¯m back. We can be together now¡± He seemed so happy, but she didn¡¯t want to say a word to him, and had her bodyguards kick him out He came to find her countless times, but never mentioned that it was her parents who forced him. He only kept asking for her forgiveness. She always thought Chase was the one with a character problem, but it turned out that the ones who made him this way were her own parents. What a joke This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Sigrid couldn¡¯t help butugh until the tears streamed down her face. ¡°Mom, you knew all along yet you pretended to be clueless. You even flew over here to console me, saying that Chase, a yboy wasn¡¯t worth loving Was it him who wasn¡¯t worth loving, or was it you who thought he wasn¡¯t worth it?¡± This was a scornful interrogation that left Latonia with no ce to hide. She reached out to grab Sigrid¡¯s hand but was shrugged off ¡°Don¡¯t touch me Your acting your scheming I find it all disgusting¡± A sharp pang resonated in Latonia¡¯s heart as she looked into her daughter¡¯s spiteful gaze. Speechless, she could only stare back at Sigrid, her own eyes brimming with tears Seeing his wife in such a state. Quin jumped to Latonia¡¯s defense. ¡°Sigrid, your mom was only trying to protect you. Chase was always frequenting nightclubs and even drew your brother into it if it weren¡¯t for him, your mom wouldn¡¯t have had to intervene. If you¡¯re looking for someone to me, it¡¯s him for not taking care of himself.¡± Sigrid, ovee with emotion, broke down in tears. ¡®Dad¡® You tooe from a wealthy background, don¡¯t you understand the dirty games people y?¡± Quin¡¯s face creased into a frown, yet he remained silent. Sigrid fixed her gaze on him and continued, ¡°Chase¡¯s mother died long ago. His stepmother, seeking to ensure her own son¡¯s inheritance, used his grandmother to pressure him, forced him into those nightclubs to tarnish his reputation!¡± Chapter 1048 Chapter 1048 When Quin and Latonia found out about Chase¡¯s past they were shocked Looking at Sigrid, they stammered. ¡°We didn¡¯t know he ¡± ¡°Yeah you didn¡¯t know anything You just assumed and even made choices for me without asking what I wanted Sigrid with tears streaming down her face, cried out. ¡°Did you ever realize that your decision cost me the person who loved me most?¡± Watching Sigrid¡¯s tear¨Cstreaked face. Latonia felt a pang of guilt Sigrid, I¡¯m so sorry. This is all my fault She grabbed Sigrid¡¯s cold, trembling hands, trying to warm them, while exining ¡°I thought Chase was a bad egg, so when I found out you two were together, I tried to break you up But after getting to know him more, I realized he wasn¡¯t as bad as I thought. I thought I misunderstood him, so I eased up on him I thought ¡°You thought that once you let go, he would win me back, and we¡¯d be back together, and you wouldn¡¯t have to feel guilty about what you¡¯ve done, right?¡± Latonia shook her head, but Sigrid was relentless ¡°Mom, tell me, did you ease up on him because you saw that Chase worked hard to make a name for himself and thought he was worthy of me, or because you knew his grandma killed herself due to your pressure?¡± If it was the former, Latonia was just too stuck on social status. If it was thetter, Sigrid would think that her mom didn¡¯t really love her At least, not the way she portrayed it, with undying love for her child ¡°Sigrid, how can you question your mother like this?¡± Quin stepped in again to defend his wife ¡°She did try to break you and Chase up, but when she saw Chase¡¯s efforts, she thought he was decent and eased up.¡± Signd ignored Quin and kept her eyes on Latonia In their family, the real decision maker was Latonia, not Quin Quin, the youngest son in his family, was pampered by his brothers and lived an even smoother life than Cedric. He married the woman he loved and was gentle and unambitious, so he was easygoing and always listened to his wife Whatever Latonia said, he would do, such a father was bound to take his wife¡¯s side. Sigrid used to think this family atmosphere was good, but if the woman in the family was too dominant, their children were bound to be unhappy. Latonia knew Sigrid was waiting for her answer She lightened her grip on Sigrid¡¯s hands, looked into her tear filled eyes and sighed. ¡°Sigrid, I didn¡¯t know that Chase¡¯s grandma killed herself because of me. If I did, I would have told you the truth back then.¡± ¡°Why does someone have to die for you to tell me the truth?¡± Faced with her daughter¡¯s questioning, Latonia bowed her head in shame. ¡°I care about my image. I didn¡¯t want to tarnish your impression of me, so I didn¡¯t tell you I thought once Chase won your heart again, the past would fade with time¡­ She didn¡¯t expect that Chase would keep this secret for her, or that Sigrid would never forgive him¡­¡­ Thinking of this, Latonia gripped Sigrid¡¯s hand tighter, trying to persuade her. ¡°Sigrid, since you know I forced him to break up with you, forgive him, okay? Be with him, I won¡¯t object to your rtionship anymore¡± Sigridughed bitterly, shaking off her mother¡¯s hand. ¡°The chasm between us has been carved out by a life. Do you think we can simply reconcile?¡± While her parents might not have directly caused Chase¡¯s grandma¡¯s death, they bore an indirect responsibility. While Latonia could possibly reconcile with this fact and urge them to reunite, Sigrid couldn¡¯t Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Latonia nced at her rejected hand, disappointment clouding her face. Sigrid, the incident with his grandma is my fault. Allow me to shoulder the me. Don¡¯t abandon Chase because of it.¡± ¡°What a joke¡® Sigrid wasughing, her body shaking with the force of it. ¡°The one who encouraged me to give up on him was you, and now you¡¯re the one urging me not to Don¡¯t you find that ridiculous? Chapter 1049 Chapter 1049 Witnessing her daughter¡¯s erratic behavior, Latonia was terrified and immediately held her, gently patting her back in an attempt to soothe her ¡°Sigrid, it¡¯s all my fault. Don¡¯t scare me like this, okay?¡± After augh, Sigrid leaning on her shoulder, began to shed tears. ¡°You¡¯ve already ruined the first half of my life I hope you won¡¯t interfere with my affairs in the future.¡± She weakly pushed Latonia away, stepped back, wobbled around, and walked down the steps of the long corridor At the round archway, a ck figure stood his eyes glowing dark red, looking at her with a heartache. Feeling that pitiful gaze, Sigrid¡¯s nose twitched with sorrow, but she managed to hold back her tears ¡°Brother, dont ever walk the path I¡¯ve been down.¡± Cedric, withplex emotions on his handsome face, walked over, soaked, and came to Sigrid. ¡°Sigrid, there¡¯s still a chance for you and Chase. He¡¯s always loved you.¡± Signd managed a small smile, bright and vibrant, but filled with infinite pain and a sense of relief. ¡°Brother, I don¡¯t love him anymore¡± If you love someone too much and get hurt deeply, you can¡¯t love anymore. As time goes by, even the person you love the most will be forgotten. Sigrid forced herself not to love Chase, forced herself, and in the end, she really didn¡¯t love him anymore¡­¡­ She shed a brilliant smile nced at Cedric, turned around, and left without looking back. As she walked past him, Cedric could see the determination in her eyes. For Chase, she fell out with her own mother and left so resolutely But he knew that blood ties can¡¯t be cut off, and Sigrid woulde back one day But love can be cut off. Sigrid helped Chase get justice, but she wouldn¡¯t turn back because of it. Her saying she doesn¡¯t love him probably means that she¡¯s let go of him after the passage of time ** It wasn¡¯t until this moment that Cedric understood what Chase meant when he said that time would wear away a person¡¯s love He slowly looked up at Latonia, who wasing toward him with an umbre, and suddenly felt that this gentle face was somewhat unfamiliar¡­. ¡°So you threatened Chase¡¯s grandmother¡­ Look, this is the person with the so¨Ccalled bad character that Latonia and others talk about, who didn¡¯t even tell him about this to prevent him from falling out with his mother Chase is such a fool. He helped his parents, and what was the result? He lost his grandmother, and Sigrid¡¯s loveThis is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Cedric, I ¡°You lied to me, saying you wanted to test Chase to see if he could stand by his love for Sigrid, and the result¡­ Your test led to his grandmother¡¯s death?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t cause his grandmother to die. I just¡­¡± Latonia tried to grab Cedric¡¯s clothes, but he brushed her off After a disappointed look at her, he turned and left. Overnight, two children she loved deeply left her Latonia, holding an umbre, watched their retreating figures, unable to stop her tears from falling Quin walked over andforted her gently. ¡°When they have their own children, they will understand your intentions Latonia had been deeply concerned when she saw that Chase was constantly enjoying himself at such a young age, not wanting her daughter to be involved with such a man She was prepared to let her daughter experience some pain in the present to avoid the potential heartbreak Chase might inflict in the future. Il Chase hadn¡¯t been like that, Latonia wouldn¡¯t have made such a decision. They weren¡¯t narrow minded, they were just worried that their daughter might end up on the wrong path and have a difficult life However, they didn¡¯t realize that what they considered to be for her own good might actually be causing their daughter h?rm. When such harm manifests, the concepts of good and bad lose their significance. Although theyter realized the error in their actions, it was toote for a recovery Even though Quin sympathized with Latonia, even though he disagreed with her forceful tactics regarding Chase, he had allowed her to proceed Now his wife was misunderstood and med by their two children, and Quin lelt powerless and heartbroken for his wife Latonia buried her head into her husband¡¯s shoulder, tears of regret and guill flowing down her face She sat in the living room, sleepless all right. The next day, she personally went to Chase¡¯s vi. After ringing the doorbell for a long time, the door was opened Seeing the man in front of her drunk as a skunk, Latonia¡¯s face lell *Mc Chase, you As Chase, drunk and blurry eyed, leaned against the door, his eyes stufted slightly when he saw it was Latonia ¡°What do you want?¡± Everat this point, his tone was still calm, without a trace of resentment, despite all the harsh words and hurtful things she had said and done to him in the past. The most painful time was when he saw Sigrid trying tomit suicide by cutting her wrists. He broke down, knelt on the ground begging Latonia, begging her not to continue like this, or Sigrid would die, would be killed by him. But Latonia didn¡¯t care. She even pped him, saying that Sigrid would be in danger if she was with him. Chapter 1050 Chapter 1050 Thinking back to the times she had hit and scolded Chase, Lotonia¡¯s heart gave a start, as it fearful of retaliation. She hesitated at the door, not daring to enter ¡°I came here to apologize to you Latonia brought out the expensive gift she had in her hand and offered it to Chase ¡°I didn¡¯t know that your grandma passed away because of me, I¡¯m really sorry¡± Chase didn¡¯t take her gift, just looked at her coolly Seeing him not epting it, Latonia awkwardly left the gift at the door. She then straightened up, lifting her gaze towards Chase. In her eyes was a mix of anxiety and quilt. ¡°Signd had a fight with mest night. From what I can tell, she still cares about you. Maybe you two could¡­¡± Chase cut her off. ¡°She fought with you because of my grandina, seeking justice. It wasn¡¯t because she still loves me. Between her and me.¡­¡­..¡° Chase took a deep breath, his swollen eyes full of pain ¡°It¡¯s over¡± She could love a person passionately, and when she didrit, she could let gopletely No, she never really let go. She was forced awayContent property of N?velDra/ma.Org. His way of forcing her away was too cruel, that¡¯s why she couldn¡¯t look back Latonia didn¡¯t expect their ending to turn out this way She had agreed, but why couldn¡¯t they get back together? Chase didn¡¯t answer her, just bent down, picked up the gift she had left at the door and ced it back in her hands. ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize to me. You¡¯re her mother, worried about her misfortune, and did some things that were over the top. I understand¡± ¡°As for my grandma, she felt guilty for letting me down. That¡¯s why she took her own life. If anyone is to me, it should be me for my inability¡± Latonia stared nkly at Chase, unable to believe that such mature words coulde from someone so young. She suddenly realized how narrow minded her thoughts were Because of this narrow mindedness, she hurt her own daughter, and this young man in front of her¡­. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± Facing Chase, Latonia bowed in apology Watching Latonia¡¯s hunched figure, Chase was reminded of the times she had scolded and hit him, his eyes immediately filling with tears. Lifting his chin to hold back the tears, he turned and closed the door Latonia remained standing, staring at the door for a long time. As she was about to leave, Chase¡¯s deep voice echoed from within. ¡°She¡¯s truly kind She will understand you soon enough. I hope you don¡¯t hold it against her, and please take care of her in the future.¡± Love her more, take care of her for me¡­ Upon hearing these words, Latonia¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. Struggling to find words, she quickly left the ce that filled her with guilt and suffocation Inside the room, Chase leaned against the wall, gradually sinking to the floor. On his phone, photos of him and Sigrid during happier times started to y. He had looked at them countless times, remembering every single detail. Sadly, the woman in those photos no longer needed him Looking at Sigrid¡¯s face, Chase managed a smile, then broke down crying Their story ended here, and he was left in a pit of despair he couldn¡¯t climb out of After visiting Chase, Cedric suddenly drove off to Hailey¡¯s vi. He watched the brightly lit living room for a long time, then picked up his phone, about to get out of the car and go in when he saw the front door open, and Yeager walked out Followed closely by Hailey. He didnt know what she said, but Yeager suddenly bent down and kissed her forehead Yeager¡¯s figure blocked Hailey, and Cedric couldn¡¯t see her expression, only that she covered her forehead. Cedric¡¯s gaze moved from them to the photos on his phone, which seemed so ironic. Before leaving. Yeager smiled and reminded Hailey, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, we have a date tomorrow night¡± Hailey nodded, waved Yeager off, then sensed someone watching her. She halted. Turped around, looking around, but found nothing. The next day was Hailey¡¯s birthday, not the day she was actually born, but the day she was admitted to the orphanage The head of the orphanage set their barthdays as the day they entered the orphanage, symbolizing a new life Hailey seldom celebrated her birthday, but when Yeager found out, he rented the rooftop garden of an international hotel Hailey told Yeager not to spend so much money on her. But Yeager told her, for her, no amount of money mattered. He just wanted her to be happy on her birthday What Hailey thought was, her birthday was actually the day she was abandoned by her parents How could she possibly be happy? But she didn¡¯t voice it out When it was nearly 7 pm, Hailey finally left her workce, grabbed her bag, got in her car, and drove to the top floor of the international hotel Before the elevator doors opened, her phone vibrated. Then, a lot of photos were sent to her from an unknown number. Chapter 1051 Chapter 1051 The photo showed a woman, cradling a toddler who looked to be about a year old Hailey stared at the pictures, thinking at first that they were sent to her by mistake as she didn¡¯t recognize the people in them. But then she saw Yeager in one of the photos and she was stunned Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. What the hell? She was about to question the sender, brow furrowed in confusion, when a message popped up in the chat box [This is Yeager¡¯s ex¨Cgirlfriend, Bernice, and their child together] Yeager had an ex and a kid? As Hailey was still recovering from the shocking revtions, a voice message was delivered to her. She stared at the audio note for a few moments before pressing y with trembling fingers. Yeager¡¯s voice filled the air ¡°If she had something to hide, she wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand your interrogation. Why are you still doubting her?¡°¨C That was followed by the scornful tone of Janice. ¡°Just look at her demeanor, her physique, even her gait exudes sensuality A woman as striking and attention¨Cgrabbing as her, I refuse to believe she doesn¡¯t have something to hide.¡± Next was Yeager¡¯s father, Abelson, ¡°She indeed is exquisite. Any average man would be enticed by her, let alone the kind of men found in nightclubs. Any influential man could easily manipte her. Hence, any word from her could be swayed¡± The background was filled with the tune of a saxophone, the same melody that was ying at the restaurant when she had met Yeager¡¯s parents. Undoubtedly, this was their genuine perception of her expressed while she had excused herself to use the restroom. ¨C Honestly, what Yeager¡¯s parents thought didn¡¯t really bother Hailey. But what Yeager himself said ¡®How can I give up without getting her?¡¯ and ¡®Mom, I didn¡¯t stop you from questioning Hailey out of respect for you, to give you a chance that chilled Hailey to the bone. As she stared nkly at the dimming screen, the elevator doors opened. The rooftop garden immediately came into view with itsfortable red carpet, lush green grass, long wooden tables and chairs, delicious food, elegant surroundings, and the starry sky above¡­. Seeing this scene, Hailey felt a touch of irony, especially when she saw Yeager, impably dressed in a suit and tie, acting the perfect gentleman as he walked towards her. Her heart went cold. Yeager seemed so calm and harmless, so why did he show a different side when she wasn¡¯t looking? The voice message, the photos, they all yed back in her mind, leaving Hailey frozen in ce. When Yeager reached her, he took her hand and found it cold, ¡°Hailey, what¡¯s wrong? Are youing down with something?¡± He seemed genuinely concerned, reaching out to feel her forehead. After a moment, he frowned, ¡°You don¡¯t have a fever, but why are your hands so cold?¡± Hailey slowly lifted her gaze to meet his, staring at the man whose outward appearance didn¡¯t match his true nature. The face of her ex¨Chusband, Austin Zimmer, suddenly ovepped with Yeager¡¯s in her vision, leaving her momentanly unable to distinguish between the two men. Or perhaps, despite their different faces and appearances, their true natures were strikingly simr Austin had deceived her for money And what about Yeager? What had he deceived her for? Seeing her silence, Yeager asked with concern, ¡°Hailey, are you okay? Did something happen?¡± Hailey regained herposure, smiling slightly, ¡°No, I¡¯m just surprised. You prepared such a special candlelit dinner?¡± Compared to witnessing Austin¡¯s infidelity firsthand, this revtion felt like a mere ripple on a calm lake. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t care, but she¡¯d thought she¡¯d finally found someone who truly loved her. It turned out that it was all a facade. Her apparent calmness eased Yeager¡¯s concerns, ¡°Since you find it special, would you please join me for dinner?¡± Hailey nodded nonchntly, following him to the center of the garden. Yeager pulled out her chair for her in a gentlemanly manner, then look her hand and helped her sit down. Everything he did was so polished and refined. It would be really hard to see through him if one only looked at the surface. Hailey watched expressionlessly as Yeager poured some wine into her ss after opening the bottle. ¡°Hailey, today is your birthday and also our hundredth day together. Let¡¯s raise a toast to celebrate.¡± Hailey picked up her wine ss, looking at the red wine inside. ¡°Such an important day, we should definitely toast to that.¡± She clinked her ss against Yeager¡¯s, but didn¡¯t drink, just gently swirling the wine in her ss Under the dim candlelight, the wine shimmered a brilliant, piercing dark red After Yeager had Knished his wine, he noticed that Hailey hadn¡¯t taken a sip, his handsome eyebrows creasing slightly ¡°Hailey, why arent you drinking? Something seemed off about Hailey today as if something big had happened, but she had been holding it back. Yeager felt a bit anxious, but he didn¡¯t rush to question Hailey He just sat there, quietly waiting for her to answer Chapter 1052 Chapter 1052 Hailey put down her cup, her face as calm as still water She looked up at Yeager sitting across from her ¡°Before we start drinking. I¡¯ve got three questions for you Cool?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Yeager also put down his ss, staring at Hailey ¡°What are your three questions?¡± Hailey whipped out her phone and yed a recording for Yeager to hear. Yeager¡¯s face turned gloomy the moment he heard the recording ¡°Hailey, did you record this? Did she start the recording on her phone when she had gone to the bathroom? If that was the case, Hailey wasn¡¯t as simple as she seemed Hailey was taken aback that Yeager¡¯s first reaction was to suspect her instead of realizing his own mistake Sheughed, her eyes brimming with confidence, like a view shrouded in mist- blurry yet captivating Tve got no clue who recorded it for me, but I¡¯m grateful. It showed me how you and your parents really think of me¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Hearing her words, Yeager panicked, reaching out to grab her, but Hailey dodged him ¡°Yeager, what did you mean by how can I give up without getting her?¡± Seeing the disappointment in Hailey¡¯s eyes, Yeager knew that she might propose to break up after he answered the three questions. He no longer denied the authenticity of the recording, but picked up the scissors on the table and snipped the wick of the aromatherapy candle. The light on the table brightened, and the scent got stronger He stared at the flickering candlelight for a while before turning his gaze to Hailey ¡°I like you and want you It¡¯s my instinct, and I believe Cedric feels the same way¡± Hailey asked him a question, but he redirected the conversation to Cedric, obviously trying to distract her If she couldn¡¯t see through Yeager¡¯s tricks before, now she saw it crystal clear ¡°Tve told you, Cedric and I have cut ties Why do you keep bringing him up?¡± ¡°If you really cut ties, how did you get this recording?¡± Yeager¡¯s counter question caught Hailey off guard. ¡°You suspect Cedric recorded it?¡± Yeager gave Hailey a nce, picked up his ss, and took a small sip ¡°He probably knew in advance that I was going to introduce you to my parents, so he deliberately stalked us and seized the opportunity to record the conversation. Then, he waited for the right moment to send it to you from an unknown number¡± Listening to Yeager¡¯s exnation, Hailey had to admit it seemned usible that Cedric might act that way However, having been with Cedric for three years, she was certain he wasn¡¯t the type of person to act in such a manner ¡°Stop making baseless assumptions about Cedric He isn¡¯t like you, always scherming behind people¡¯s backs.¡± This was the first time Hailey had ever defended Cedric so resolutely in front of Yeager Yeager¡¯s grip on his ss tightened noticeably The veins protruding on the back of his hand were a testament to his simmering rage. ¡°Frankly, you¡¯re just upset because you can¡¯t get Cedric out of your head¡± Yeager was adept at diverting the topic, and the old Hailey had been unable to see through his tactics Now, however, she found his behaviorughable. ¡°No matter what you say, I trust my own judgment based on what I see and hear¡± Her voice was even and emotionless, as if she was ready for a breakup and had nothing to fear anymore Chapter 1053 Chapter 1053 Hailey didn¡¯t wait for Yeager¡¯s response, pressing on with her questions ¡°So, the next question. You let your mom pressure me because you think I¡¯m some powerless orphan who¡¯s an easy target?¡± Yeager didn¡¯t see it that way. In his mind his mom was still his mom, and no matter how much he liked a girl, she couldn¡¯tpare with his own mother ¡°You heard it on the recording. I already scolded her for it.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Hailey smiled ¡°You always exin things after they happen. Likest time, when your friend was badmouthing me behind my back, but you said you were distracted and didn¡¯t hear¡± Yeager frowned, wanting to exin, but Hailey cut him off. ¡°The first time I met your parents, you let your mother pressure me. That shows that in your mind, your perception of me is the same as your mother¡¯s.¡± Like Janice, thinking she was impure, without a background, uneducated, divorced, not good enough for him. ¡°I told you about these issues before we got together. You said you didn¡¯t mind, why the contradiction?¡± Her disappointment was written all over her face, making Yeager feel a twinge of pain. ¡°Hailey, I really don¡¯t mind. It¡¯s just because she¡¯s my mom¡­¡± Realizing his mistake. Yeager dropped his gaze. ¡°I was wrong I¡¯m sorry¡± Finally, he apologized, but Hailey wasn¡¯t going to forgive him like before. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t care what you think I¡¯m asking you this to tell you¡­¡± Taking a deep breath, Hailey paused, her eyes welling up with tears ¡°No one has ever loved me, nobody, not a single person. When you came along and told me that you had a crush on me in high school, I was happy, touched, because someone in this world actually liked me I cherish thiste¨Cfound affection, so even when I found out about your little schemes, I put up with them. I always believed that nobody is perfect, that even you would have some ws. But that¡¯s okay, as long as you truly like me. I kept consoling myself, but I realized you didn¡¯t like me that much¡­¡± Hailey unlocked her phone, brought up a photo of Bernice and a child, andid it in front of Yeager. ¡°When you confessed your feelings to me, you said that you had a crush on me since high school and never liked anyone else. You¡¯ve been busy studying medicine and didn¡¯t have time for a girlfriend. You portrayed yourself as pure and innocent, but can you tell me, what¡¯s up with this mother named Bernice?¡± When Yeager saw the picture of him and Bernice in an affectionate embrace, a flicker of uncertainty crossed his eyes. He was about to exin when a photo of Bernice holding a child auto¨Cyed. His pupils dted in shock. ¡°What¡¯s the deal with this kid?¡± Looking at his expression, Hailey couldn¡¯t tell if he was genuinely clueless or just pretending ¡°This is your child¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Yeager suddenly became agitated, snatching the phone from Hailey¡¯s hand to scrutinize the photos. It wasn¡¯t until he saw the text confirming the child was his that he came to a realization. ¡°There¡¯s no way I told her to abort the child. How could she give birth to the child without letting me know? That¡¯s impossible¡± His muttering sounded like he was mocking himself to Hailey ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it, call your mother and ask.¡± That would also verify if the message from the unknown number was real. Yeager seemed flustered, quickly pulling out his own phone to call Janice Hailey sat in silence, observing Yeager¡¯s reactions that ranged from shock and disbelief, to anger, and finally resignation as he slumped into his chair Once he ended the call, Yeager lifted his swollen eyes to look at Hailey, whose expression unreadable. Suddenly, she seemed distant, beyond his reach Refusing to ept this harsh reality, he rose from his seat, walked over to Hailey and squatted down, holding her hands tightly to his face. ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m sorry I did have a brief rtionship with Bernice while I was abroad, but we amicably parted ways after realizing we weren¡¯t right for each other I had absolutely no idea she got pregnant and had a child after our break¨Cup. You have to believe me I only discovered this now.¡± Hailey pulled back her hand, looking calmly at Yeager Chapter 1054 Chapter 1054 ¡°What I care about isn¡¯t that you¡¯ve had past lovers, but that you weren¡¯t honest with me Just like her er husband he was good at putting on a facade Only this time, the man she met was even more cunning than Austin If it wasn¡¯t for the anonymous phone number that sent her those photos and voice recordings, she would still believe Yeager was innocent She also saw herself clearly She was not only easily fooled by men, but also acted without thinking Fortunately, once she saw the true face of the other party, she would decisively leave ¡°Yeager, you have a child with your ex girlfriend. No matter what, you have to be responsible for her Your mother doesn¡¯t like me, and you only care about me because you couldn¡¯t have me when you were young. It¡¯s not that you really like me it¡¯s better for both of us to break up¡± Hailey was giving Yeager face, not saying anything too definitive, nor losing her temper like when she was suing Austin. She simply stood up, picked up her phone from the table, turned around and left after calmly stating her piece As she reached the elevator, about to press the button, Yeager suddenly rushed over and held her tightly from behind. ¡°Hailey, dont break up with me I¡¯ll give Bernice arge amount of child support and cut her off completely I won¡¯t let my parents interfere in our affairs anymore. After we get married, well settle down in our home country I won¡¯t make you go abroad with me. Il solve all the problems you¡¯re worried about, as long as you don¡¯t leave me¡­. To be honest. Yeager¡¯s solution was somewhat attractive. If it was a woman who was easily moved, she might be swayed by him But Hailey saw through everything She thought Yeager was very cruel. A woman who had silently given birth to his child, and he could say he would cut her off and even just give her a sum of child support, and then never contact her again. How is this father different from the parents who abandoned her? Once. Hailey believed that Yeager merely had a few ws. Now, however, she realized that their values were fundamentally at odds. If she forgave him again, believed him again, it would only suggest that she hadn¡¯t been hurt enough Hailey moved her hand, attempting to break free from Yeager¡¯s firm grip on her waist, but he refused to let go. ¡°Hailey. I genuinely care for you. It¡¯s just that sometimes, the feelings I held for you in my youth be clouded when I encounter other women. But that doesn¡¯t mean my affection for you isn¡¯t real She understood Yeager¡¯s feelings for her were genuine, but they were not profound. At least, during their blind date, he couldn¡¯t recall her when she was absent. He simply happened to cross paths with herter, found her still attractive, and thus his old feelings resurfaced Thinking of this possibility, Haileyughed. ¡°If at that meeting. I was an unattractive and fat woman, you probably wouldn¡¯t even give me a second nce¡± Hailey was known for her beautiful appearance and excellent figure What Yeager might have cared about was just this appearance, his understanding of her inner self in the hundred days they were together didn¡¯t seem to be much, maybe he didn¡¯t care At this moment, her face, once obscured by fog suddenly became clear, her features shining brightly under the vast starry sky, like a rose The once decisive Hailey turned back, looked at Yeager, showed a firm smile, and then shook off his hand. ¡°Yeager, goodbye¡± She pressed the elevator button, wanting to leave. Yeager¡¯s fingers, cold as ice, suddenly brushed against the back of her neck. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°Hailey, cant we discuss this further?¡± His fingers moved on her skin, like a snake slithering. Hailey¡¯s pores tightened instantly Chapter 1055 Chapter 1055 She looked back at Yeager, his figure blurred in the candlelight, making it hard for her to make out his expression ¡°You¡­¡± She hadn¡¯t had a drink, nor had she eaten anything Why was it that she couldn¡¯t see Yeager clearly? Not only was her vision blurry, her body was also growing hotter and hotter. At first, she thought it was because of the summer heat. But now, with the restless stirring in her lower body, she realized it was more than just the weather. Until now, she didn¡¯t want to make assumptions about Yeager, but she couldn¡¯t help but ask in confusion. ¡°Yeager, what on earth have you done to me?¡± Seeing her distressed, Yeager immediately moved forward, holding her tightly. ¡°Hailey, don¡¯t be scared, you just inhaled some aphrodisiac.¡± Aphrodisiac¡­ Hailey couldn¡¯t believe it, she looked up at Yeager. ¡°Why would you do this..¡± If his past and his actions had shocked her, then the Yeager now made her scared.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Seeing the fear reflected in her eyes. Yeager lifted his hand, softly caressing the back of her head, trying to calm her repeatedly. ¡°You know, we¡¯ve been acquainted for a hundred days now, and some things are bound to ur naturally, so I prepared some special aromatherapy¡± In other words, his objective for tonight wasn¡¯t to celebrate her birthday, or to mark their hundred-day acquaintance, but rather to take their rtionship to a physical level. ¡°Actually, I had some reservations about using this aromatherapy, but when I sensed you might break up with me, I decided to go ahead with it.¡± Having said that, he gently pressed Hailey against the wall, tenderly kissing her forehead. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Hailey, I didn¡¯t want it to be like this, but I really miss you.¡± Despite his wrongdoings, he apologized as if he were a gentleman, making it seem as if he had no other alternative Seeing Yeager like this, Hailey¡¯s good feelings for him disappearedpletely, without even a shred of pity left. ¡°Yeager, if you let me go now, I won¡¯t sue you. If you force yourself on me, be prepared to face thew¡± Yeager smiled faintly, revealing a graceful smile ¡°I know your ex-boyfriend Cedric has awyer friend, but he can¡¯t help you with this.¡± Yeager¡¯s hand slid from her hair to her face, his fingers gliding over her skin felt like snake scales. Hailey suppressed her body¡¯s reaction, pushed Yeager away, and turned to press the elevator button. But she was grabbed by Yeager and fell back into his arms, then in a dizzying moment, he hoisted her over his shoulder¡­ This rooftop garden has a separate room Hailey hadn¡¯t thought he would do something like this, so she hadn¡¯t given it much thought. Now, seeing him carry her towards the room, Hailey waspletely panicked. ¡°Yeager, I¡¯m not willing. I can charge you with ra pe, you better let me go now!¡± Hearing this, a meaningful smile spread across Yeager¡¯s handsome face. ¡°Hailey, you¡¯re my girlfriend, you came tonight at my invitation, it¡¯s normal for us to sleep together. If you change your mind afterwards and say you didn¡¯t want to, who would believe you.. With that, Yeager took out his room key, opened the door, and carried the struggling Hailey to the bed, throwing her onto a bed covered in rose petals. ¡°Hailey, you¡¯ve had boyfriends, I¡¯ve had girlfriends. We¡¯ve both done this before, don¡¯t be so sensitive.¡± Hailey stared nkly as Yeager, while loosening his shirt and tie, approached her¡­ It was not until this moment that she understood what he meant by ¡°how can I give up without getting her¡±. Unfortunately, she understood toote¡­.. Chapter 1056 Chapter 1056 As Yeager¡¯s hand brushed against her face. Hailey finally snapped out of her shock ¡°Yeager, I¡¯ll give you anything you want¡­ as long as you stop pestering me¡­¡± While she said this, her hand was tightly gripping her phone, her thumb furiously pressing on the fingerprint sensor. She wanted to trigger the emergency alert, or open up the keypad to dial the number 1 That was Eleanor¡¯s number All she had to do was press 1 and but Yeager caught on to her movements, swiftly grabbing her wrist from behind and snatching the phone from her ¡°Trying to call Cedric, huh?¡± A cold smirk spread across Yeager¡¯s face. ¡°Hailey, he¡¯s given up on you. He won¡¯te to rescue you. so stop holding your breath.¡± Yeager picked up Hailey¡¯s phone and casually tossed it into a nearby ice bucket. The bucket was filled with bottles of wine, ice cubes, and water As soon as the phone hit the liquid, the screen quickly went ck. Looking at her now useless phone, thest glimmer of hope in Hailey¡¯s eyes faded. ¡°I never intended to call Cedric, this is just your inferiorityplex acting up¡± He was the one who felt inadequate next to Cedric, that¡¯s why he kept bringing him up. ¡°No matter what you say, his girl is now under me.¡± After he said this, Yeager gripped Hailey, who was straining to rise and flee ¡°Hailey, good girl, don¡¯t move He held her soft body beneath his, beginning to fumble with the buttons on her clothing Hailey felt feverish her mind shrouded in a fog If it weren¡¯t for the sliver of sanity the clung to, she might not even have been able to recognize the man looming over her She knew shecked the strength to push Yeager away. All she could do was scan the room with blurry eyes The room was a ss chamber, situated in the center of the garden, with not a single window it was completely sealed off, invisible from the outside If she wanted to escape, she¡¯d have to pass through the main door. But with Yeager present, there was little chance.¡­¡­.. Her gaze lingered on the ice bucket before returning to Yeager ¡°If you get me, will you be satisfied?¡± Yeager, who was slowly unbuttoning her clothes, looked up with bright eyes and gave Hailey a smile ¡°I don¡¯t know. All I know is that if I want something I do whatever it takes to get it, or else i won¡¯t sleep¡± ¡°Even if it means stooping low? Yeager nodded with a smile ¡°Yes, even if it means stooping low¡± Hailey alsoughed her smile radiant and generous This made Yeager slightly puzzled ¡°Why are youughing?¡± Hailey didnt answer him, she just lowered her head and looked at the ck tie at the foot of the bed ¡°If I hadn¡¯t bumped into you when I jumped the wall in high school, would our paths have never crossed?¡± Her words reminded Yeager of the first time he saw Hailey in high school. He did have a crush on her then. Seizing the opportunity when Yeager was lost in thought, Hailey hooked the tie with her toes. She straightened her upper body and quickly wrapped the tie around Yeager¡¯s neck. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°If you wanted me, you should have just told me straight up no need for these games¡­¡± Yeager was taken aback. He couldn¡¯t believe Hailey was now embracing him. ¡°You.¡± Hailey, who had been practising yoga and Ptes for years, slid her hand down his back while whispering in his ear ¡°Your mother was right I¡¯ve been around the block Who knows what kind of person I am, or how many people I¡¯ve been with?¡± Upon hearing this, Yeager¡¯s eyes darkened There was a hint of disgust, but he didn¡¯t show it because of his anticipation ¡°I never thought you had a double¨Cfaced personality Hailey turned her head and raised her long curled eyshes. After staring into Yeager¡¯s eyes for a couple of seconds, sheughed. ¡°Everyone has two sides¡® As soon as she finished speaking. Hailey abruptly wielded the tie in her hand, wrapping it around Yeager¡¯s neck from behind. Her movements were swift resolute. She used all her strength to choke him, without any hesitation Yeager, already weakened by the aphrodisiac, could barely muster the strength to resist. As Hailey throttled him, he suddenly found himself gasping for air¡­.. Hailey was acutely aware that she wouldn¡¯t be able to owerpower him for long. Without wasting any time, she shoved Yeager onto the floor and straddled him. Using her body weight to pin him down, she stomped on the tie with her foot to free her hand, then reached for a wine bottle from the ice bucket nearby You¡­¡± Chapter 1057 Chapter 1057 Just as Yeager started to speak, Hailey raised her bottle and smashed it on his forehead The moment the ss shattered, the liquor sshed on Yeager¡¯s face, the shards cutting into Hailey¡¯s hand Blood flowed from her wound, dripping onto Yeager¡¯s forehead, mingling with his own blood.. The bright red blood stained the white sheets, and also Yeager¡¯s eyes He had initially thought Hailey was a gentle woman, but he never expected such a violent side from her. ¡°Hailey, you¡¯re really good at disguising yourself¡± ¡°I told you, everyone has two sides, you only saw one of mine.¡± After saying this, Hailey picked up a shard of ss from the berlsheet, and pressed it against Yeager¡¯s throat Yeager was shocked by her actions, tried to push her away, but suddenly he felt dizzy and his vision blurred. He had been hit by a bottle, obviously he was concussed, he couldn¡¯t move, and he could only grit his teeth and re at Hailey who was sitting on him. ¡°Hailey, are you trying to kill me?¡± Hailey shook her head, expressionless. ¡°I just wanted to tell you, we¡¯re done. If you try any dirty tricks on me again, this piece of ss will pierce your throat.¡± Yeager didn¡¯t believe she would dare to bear the guilt of murder, but Hailey just lowered her head slightly, her eyes red and swollen, staring at him fiercely ¡°I¡¯m an orphan, I have no parents, I fear nothing, even if it means risking my life to kill you¡­¡± After saying these chilling words, Hailey quickly climbed off the bed, and before leaving, she grabbed her phone from the ice bucket Holding her phone, she braced against her dizziness, opened the ss door, and staggered towards the elevator, Yeager followed her, clutching his head. ¡°Hailey, we¡¯ve been together for a hundred days. Have you never had feelings for me?¡± Hailey nced back at him, but she didn¡¯t stop pressing the elevator button Yeager leaned against the wall, took a few steps, feeling a bit unsteady, his head spinning He tried to steady himself, wanting to catch up to Hailey, but the elevator doors opened at that moment¡­ Hailey quickly jumped in and pressed the close button- By the time Yeager reached the elevator, the doors had already closed, leaving him outside. As Hailey felt the elevator start to descend, her body felt limp and she copsed against the wall. She hugged her arms tightly leaning against the cold wall, finally feeling a sense of safety With a sickening feeling gnawing at her insides, Hailey frantically tried to turn on her phone. But having been drenched, it didn¡¯t respond. The screen remained ck and as she shook it, water trickled out¡­ Fearful that Yeager mighte after her, she didn¡¯t try her phone again, her eyes anxiously darting to the elevator¡¯s disy panel. As soon as the elevator reached the ground floor and the doors slid open, she made a dash for it. Stumbling towards the hotel reception, she intended to ask the staff to help her call the police or an ambnce. But to her dismay, she realized the receptionist was a foreigner. The hotel was internationally managed and typically catered to high¨Cend business clientele¡­ Despite her circumstances, Hailey managed to stay on her feet. Gritting her teeth, she struggled to maintain bnce as she shakily exited the hotel. Just as she left the hotel, she saw a car parked at the entrance and a tall figure emerging from it. Through her blurry vision, when she saw that handsome face of Cedric, Hailey¡¯s eyes started to water. She leaned against the pirs at the hotel entrance, wanting to call his name, but she saw Hertha rush over and fling herself into his arms. From a distance, Hailey couldn¡¯t make out Cedric¡¯s expression, she just turned around and forced herself to walk down the side road She had to get to a hospital immediately, and also avoid male pedestrians, and be wary of Yeager following her, she endured her pain and took one step at a time. Staggering out of the side road and onto the main road, she kept an eye on the carsing and going, looking for a taxi. In her current state, she couldfit drive and had to take a cab, but she couldn¡¯t find any taxis At that moment, a middle¨Caged man waiting for the bus saw her flushed face and trembling body, he immediately got up and approached her ¡®Miss, do you need help?¡± Hearing the marl¡¯s voice, Hailey instinctively retreated a step This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No need¡± But the man reached out to grab her hand. ¡°You look in so much pain, let me take you to the hospital¡± Halley struggled, but the man was too strong, he pulled Hailey into the nearby greenery Chapter 1058 Chapter 1058 Cedric¡¯s face hardened the moment Hertha embraced him. With a swift, forceful push, he freed himself from her, ¡°Tve made it clear, stop seeking me out!¡± Running into him unexpectedly, Hertha was unwilling to let this chance slip away She grabbed his hand insistently, pleading, ¡°Cedric, don¡¯t be so cruel. I was your first love, your savior You can¡¯t just cast me aside for some older woman This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Shaking off her grip, Cedric rebutted, ¡°Hertha, you did save me once, and for that, I¡¯m grateful. But I¡¯ve returned your kindness through this project. We are square now.¡± A pause hung between them as Cedric¡¯s icy stare bore into her, ¡°And I¡¯m aware of your antics with Bernard¡± At his words, Hertha¡¯s heart raced. She hadn¡¯t anticipated that Cedric would know about her past indiscretion. A wave of awkwardness washed over her face as she struggled to form a response Ignoring her expression, Cedric turned around and headed for the top floor of the international hotel As the elevator doors opened, he didn¡¯t see Hailey, only Yeager lying unconscious on the floor¡­ Frowning he quickly pulled out his phone to call Chase. ¡®Did Yeager do anything to Ms Vulpe?¡± Chase asked before Cedric could even speak Those recordings and photos were all sent by Chase After sending them, he assumed that Hailey would confront Yeager and break up with him. Given Yeager¡¯s ¡°if I can¡¯t have her, no one will¡± attitude, he would definitely act after Hailey broke up with him Having figured out Yeager¡¯s mindset, Chase immediately told Cedric what he had done and urged him to find Hailey Cedric had already stepped back into the elevator. He coldly scolded Chase, I¡¯ve told you many times, she¡¯s still traumatized by her ex husband¡¯s cheating. Seeing these photos would be too much for her. Why didn¡¯t you listen and sent them anyway?¡± Upon hearing this, Chase thought something had happened to Hailey and felt both anxious and quilty. ¡°Ms. Vulpe is okay, right?¡± Just as the elevator doors closed, Cedric took a nce at Yeager, his forehead covered in blood. He seemed to have figured something out and quickly hung up the phone. Hailey not taking care of injured Yeager suggested that something had happened between them. Those photos and recordings wouldn¡¯t cause such a big fuss. Yeager must¡¯ve done something shady, which led Hailey to hit him on the head and run away If that¡¯s the case, then Hailey, now alone, was in great danger. Considering the possibilities, Cedric¡¯s heart clenched. This anxious and uneasy feeling made him rush out of the elevator.. He was calling the hotel management to check the surveince while looking for Hailey around the hotel. If she was drugged, she couldn¡¯t drive, she could only take a taxi to the hospital. Realizing this, Cedric quickly ran to the road next to the hotel, looking around but not seeing Hailey He immediately turned around heading for the road across, but then, he suddenly heard a low hum coming from the bushes behind the bus stop sign. Cedric stopped in his tracks, slowly turned around, staring at the dense bushes. After a few seconds, he sprinted towards it like a madman. Chapter 1059 Chapter 1059 The area was as dark as a crypt, with only the weak glow of a distant streetlight casting an eerie light on the overgrown bramble bush in front, exposing arge indentation in the earth Cedric stepped towards the brambles, bending over, his hands shaking as he pushed aside the prickly foliage The sight that met him ¨C Hailey, lying on the ground, her clothes torn, her body smeared with blood¨C shocked him to his core He¡¯d never experienced such terror before. It was as if his blood had suddenly frozen in his veins His heart pounded against his chest, feeling as though it had been dropped into an abyss, the sheer dread robbing him of breath. He tried to speak, to say something to Hailey, but the words refused to leave his throat. It was as if someone had clenched his throat in a vice. All he could do was extend a shaky hand to touch Hailey¡¯s icy face At his touch, Hailey flinched. She tried to move but found she couldn¡¯t Her tears mixed with the blood, trickling from the corner of her eyes ¡®Please, don¡¯t touch me please Hearing her plea, Cedric¡¯s heart ached so much he could hardly breathe ¡°Hailey, it¡¯s me! His voice stopped Hailey in her tracks She turned her dry eyes towards him, slowly lifting her eyelids Her vision was blurred, and she could hardly make out his face, let alone recognize him. ¡°No matter who you are, don¡¯t touch me¡­ please, don¡¯t touch me Hearing Hailey¡¯s words, Cedric¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. ¡°Hailey, it¡¯s me, Cedric¡® Cedric I know it¡¯s you, Cedric And that¡¯s why I don¡¯t want you to see me like this. Hailey turned her head away, not wanting him to see her in this sorry state, but the tears flowed freely Her body was covered not just in blood, but also in cuts and scrapes from the brambles, too many to count Seeing her injuries, Cedric crouched down, his heart aching He picked Hailey up, ignoring the blood on her neck, and buried his head in her shoulder. ¡°Hailey, don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯ll take you home¡± He knelt down on one knee, holding her tenderly, in a way he¡¯d never done before. Hailey didn¡¯t want him to see her like this, but she was too exhausted to resist. She let go of the rock she¡¯d been clutching, and buried her head in Cedric¡¯s chest. Just let her enjoy this moment of warmth Cedric took off his coat and wrapped it around her, then picked her up. As he turned to leave with Hailey in his arms, a hand suddenly grabbed his ankle The middle¨Caged man who had dragged Hailey into the brambles seized Cedric¡¯s foot, his blood stained face looking up at him pleadingly. ¡°Sir, please, call an ambnce I cant hold on much longer Seeing the man, Cedric was filled with rage Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Get lost!¡± With a powerful kick, he sent the man flying. The man went silent in an instant Without a backward nce, Cedric quickly picked up Hailey and carmed her back to his car, parked at the hotel¡¯s entrance The engine roared to life as he sped towards Liana Hospital Simultaneously he dialed his assistant to deal with the middle¨Caged man. As he hung up the call and his eyes met hers, Hailey felt an unanticipated wave of self¨Cconsciousness and she averted her gaze, staring at herp. Seemingly understanding her thoughts, Cedric remained quiet. He kept his focus on navigating the streets, refraining from probing any further As the car screeched to a halt in front of Liana Hospital, Hailey braved to look up at Cedric who was already unbuckling her seatbelt with haste. ¡°Cedric, she epoaked, her voice barely a whisper, ¡°he didn¡¯t touch me. I hit him in the head with a rock.¡± His fingers stilled for a moment as he was unbuckling her seatbelt. Cedric¡¯s gaze dropped to the pale woman beside him He studied her for a few silent seconds, then without uttering a word, he scooped her up in his arms and bolted towards the hospital entrance. Chapter 1060 Chapter 1060 Hailey wanted to ask Cedric, ¡°Do you trust me?¡± But she didn¡¯t voice it out because he didn¡¯t respond. Cedric didn¡¯t understand why he didn¡¯t answer her question. His feelings for her wereplicated, both caring and angry He was pissed off at why she trusted Yeager, why she wasn¡¯t willing to patch things up with him, why she didn¡¯t love him! With these emotions. Cedric camed Hailey and rushed to the emergency room. ¡°Help! Save her he shouted at the doctors. The doctors immediately checked Hailey¡¯s condition and arranged for the nurses to take her into the treatment room After the door to the treatment room was closed, Cedric leaned against the wall, exhausted. Looking at his bloody hands, tears uncontrobly streamed down his face He didn¡¯t know where Hailey was hurt, he only saw that she was covered in blood, there wasn¡¯t a single spot on her that was unscathed. He had never felt so heartbroken over a woman, to the point of crying. Hailey was the first He hated this part of himself, but he had to admit, he couldn¡¯t let go of Hailey deep down in his heart. Upon hearing the news. Liana quickly rushed over. She was about to ask what had happened when she noticed the tears in Cedric¡¯s eyes. She furrowed her brow and quickly walked into the treatment room, seeing the doctor injecting Hailey with an antidote. ¡°Was the dose high?¡± she asked. ¡°Not high, but it¡¯s been a while, the toxin is difficult to clear, and there are many physical injuries, looks like she¡¯s been in a fight.¡± The doctor answered. At this point, Hailey was unconscious, her face cleaned of blood by the nurses, revealing a face that had been brutally beaten Both her cheeks were swollen, with clear finger marks ovepped, and there were strangtion marks on her slender neck, it seemed like she had been brutally choked. Seeing these injuries, Liana felt a sharp pain in her heart. She lifted the jacket covering Hailey, the clothes inside were torn, and the exposed skin was covered in injuries, apparently the result of being dragged into the bushes and abused At some point, Cedric had entered the treatment room. Seeing the injuries on Hailey¡¯s body, his heart ached uncontrobly again. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. He knelt by the bedside on one knee, holding Hailey¡¯s hand, and noticed that her hand was also wounded, as if cut by a piece of ss, with blood still flowing ¡°Liana, quickly stop her bleeding!¡± Cedric¡¯s trembling voice brought Liana back from her daze, she immediately got the medicine to stop Hailey¡¯s bleeding, then used tweezers to remove the thorns from her body one by one ¡°Mr. Laurence, you should go out first, leave this to us.¡± Liana said, she needed to give Hailey a full body check, which required undressing, it wasn¡¯t suitable for Cedric to be there But he was unwilling to leave, his eyes were fixed on Hailey. Seeing this, Liana didn¡¯t persuade him any further. She witnessed their rtionship firsthand, and knew how they had dated for three years If Mr Laurence wasn¡¯t such a yboy, stubborn, hot¨Ctempered, and unwilling to admit his feelings for Hailey, they would have been together long ago After Liana cleaned Hailey¡¯s wounds and applied medicine, she got up and went out to call Bernard. Eleanor, who was about to go to bed, vaguely heard Hailey¡¯s name on the phone. Regardless of whether she heard clearly or not, she immediately got out of bed. ¡°Was that a call from Liana, what did she say about Hailey?¡± Bernard initially didn¡¯t want to disturb her, but seeing her running over without even wearing shoes, he immediately put down the phone and picked her up. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, Ms. Vulpe had a small incident, but she¡¯s fine now¡± Hearing that Hailey had an ident, Eleanor¡¯s heart rate instantly sped up. As soon as Bernard put her down on the bed, she immediately got up again. ¡°I want to see Hailey.¡± Bernard raised his hand and held her back. ¡°Get dressed first, I¡¯ll go with you¡± He gestured for her to calm down, then got up to fetch her clothes and shoes, helped her dress, and then led her out with her anxious heart Chapter 1061 Chapter 1061 During the ride to the hospital, Eleanor got the news from Bernard that Hailey had been drugged by Yeager and then assaulted by a drunk middle¨Caged man. The attack had urred in the greenbelt, and if Hailey hadn¡¯t fought back fiercely, things could have ended up much worse Upon hearing this, Eleanor was Imd, ¡°How could Yeager do something so disgusting?!¡± She had believed Yeager to be a decent man, not someone who would treat Hailey as Austin had. However, it seemed Yeager was even more despicable than Austin. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Bernard didn¡¯t respond to Eleanor¡¯s outburst. Instead, he gently patted her hand in an attempt to calm her down. As soon as the car pulled up to the hospital, Eleanor was out and rushing towards the emergency room in a sh. # Slowly regaining consciousness, Hailey noticed that her body didn¡¯t feel as heavy and feverish as before. She sighed in relief. She moved her eyes to the figure sitting by her bedside Locking her gaze with deep red eyes, she felt a slight difort and quickly looked away, only to notice her hand firmly held in his Her palm was sweaty, he must have been holding it for quite a while. After hesitating for a few seconds, Hailey tried to pull her hand free, but Cedric held it tighter. Looking up at him, Cedric was frowning as he spoke. ¡°Are you feeling okay anywhere else?¡± Hailey shook her head, her gaze returning to Cedric¡¯s hand ¡°Can you not touch me for now?¡± She didn¡¯t want his touch right now because she felt sort of dirty. After looking at her for a few seconds, Cedric let go of her hand Hailey turned her head to the window, not saying a word. Cedric looked at her, also at a loss for words Both of them stayed silent until Eleanor burst in *Hailey!¡± Hearing Eleanor¡¯s voice, the life returned somewhat to Hailey¡¯s listless eyes. ¡°Eleanor¡­¡± Seeing Hailey¡¯s swollen face, the marks on her neck from being choked, the wound on her forehead, and the bandage on her hand, Eleanor felt a pang of heartache. Rushing over, she held Hailey tightly, soothing her while stroking her back ¡°It¡¯s okay, Hailey, you¡¯re safe now¡± Hailey hadn¡¯t shed a tear since the incident, but when Eleanor held her, she couldn¡¯t hold back her tears. ¡°Eleanor, I thought I¡¯d never see you again.¡± When that middle aged man dragged her into the bushes, she had prepared for the worst She thought that if she couldn¡¯t fight him off, she¡¯d choose to go down with him. Luckily, she was determined enough to grab a rock and smack him hard in the back of the head, saving her own life Holding Eleanor tightly, burying her head in her shoulder, Hailey didn¡¯t want to cry, but tears flowed down her cheeks like a flood. Hailey was always tough, no matter what happened she¡¯d always protect Eleanor, she¡¯d never cried like this before. Eleanor couldn¡¯tprehend how Hailey had managed to survive the night, but she could feel Hailey¡¯s humiliation, fear and pain. Hailey¡¯s life had been a real uphill battle When she was a child, she had to take on everything because she was older. She had to work, take care of the family like a parent, protecting her and Garett from the world with her frail body and little strength. Back then, she was still a child herself When she grew up, she scrimped and saved to buy an apartment, only to be conned by Austin. Not only did he trick her out of her money, he also wanted her to raise his and his mistress child. If she hadn¡¯t stumbled upon Austin¡¯s infidelity, Hailey might still be in the dark, working her fingers to the bone to pay off debts for the three of them¡­. Eleanor¡¯s experience also shifted Hailey¡¯s life trajectory From aw¨Cabiding citizen, she turned into a nightclub owner, started smoking and drinking. After going through a divorce, and the death of her family, she didn¡¯t know how she got through that period¡­ Perhaps during those three years, she had feelings for Cedric. But Cedric was a notorious yboy, Hailey didn¡¯t dare to show him her love. Plus, he never expressed any affection towards Hailey, always acting indifferent. How could Hailey rely on him, trust him¡­.. She thought meeting Yeager meant she¡¯d found her home. Because for Hailey, she didn¡¯t need to marry someone she loved, nor did she need passionate love She felt she didn¡¯t have the right to pursue love, as long as she could marry a reliable, stable man, that would allow her to settle down and start a family. Aren¡¯t many couples like this, respecting and loving each other forever? That¡¯s what she was after, that sense of security. However, she didn¡¯t expect Yeager to think differently His so called secret crush was just something he didn¡¯t get when he was young, he just couldn¡¯t ept it¡­. Chapter 1062 Chapter 1062 Hailey, in her thirties, had experienced numerous trials and tribtions. Eleanor, too, had endured hardships, yet she was luckier than Hailey, for she had at least found her own sister, seen their mother¡¯s video recording, and knew what they look like. However, Hailey remained unaware of her own parents¡® Identity. Reflecting on Hailey¡¯s years of suffering, Eleanor felt deeppassion and embraced her tenderly. ¡°Hailey, it¡¯s my failure for not protecting you adequately,¡± shemented. Eleanor realized that she should have intervened promptly when she recognized Yeager¡¯s true nature, as it ultimately led to Hailey¡¯s ordeal Having shed tears already, Hailey lifted her hand, swathed in gauze, and gently stroked Eleanor¡¯s long tresses,forting her with soft words. ¡°I¡¯m fine now, you needn¡¯t worry or me yourself.¡± The predicament Hailey faced was not Eleanor¡¯s doing. It was her own tendency to misjudge people emotionally, always having to face adversity and invest everything to gain rity. In truth, she, a person of this nature, ought not to attempt marriage; instead, she should embrace a solitary life, thus finding peace and tranquility. Contemting this, Hailey nced at Cedric, who still sat by the bedside, and her heart filled with bitterness, causing her eyes to well up once more. ¡°Mr. Laurence, I thank you for saving me,¡± she said with a calm tone, seemingly attempting to distance herself from him with a simple expression of gratitude. Cedric frowned slightly, wanted to say something, but didn¡¯t. He just wanted to wait until she had passed this painful period before talking to her again. ¡°You rest up, I have some stuff to deal with.¡± With that, Cedric got up to leave, seeing Bernard outside the ward. Where to?¡± Cedric clenched his fist, his forearm muscles tensed, and veins popped out. To find Yeager, that jerk!¡± He was going to make them pay for what they did. As Cedric was about to leave, Bernard stopped him. ¡°I¡¯ve already sent that man to the police station. As for Yeager, I¡¯ll deal with him.¡± Bernard still had to clear Will Webb¡¯s name. So he might as well settle these matters once and for all ¡°You¡¯re dealing with it?¡± What did Yeager have to do with Bernard? Why was he sticking his nose in? ¡°Watch the news tomorrow morning.¡± Bernard didn¡¯t exin, just said this. Cedric wanted to ask more, but Bernard just patted him on the shoulder. ¡°You stay here and keep Ms. Vulpepany In moments like these, when a woman underwent such hardships, havingpanionship was essential, and having Eleanor and Cedric by her side was the best support. Bernard disregarded Cedric¡¯s agreement or disagreement and had Scott stay to protect Eleanor, then turned to find Liana. ¡°Where is he?¡± Bernard inquired. ¡°He¡¯s on the hospital rooftop, Liana responded promptly after learning about the situation. She immediately dispatched an ambnce to take Yeager to the hospital for basic treatment and then discreetly confined him on the top floor. ¡°And the medical examiner?¡± Bernard asked. Liana presented the VIP card for the rooftop, swiped the elevator open, and respectfully replied, ¡°The medical examiner is also on the top floor.¡± Despite not being on duty tonight, a single phone call from Liana had brought him to the hospital. As soon as he stepped into the director¡¯s office, she detained him. ¡°Have you dealt with the surveince footage?¡± ¡°It¡¯s already taken care of, the medical examiner assured her. Only then did Bernard extend his hand to Aidyn. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Aidyn immediately understood his meaning, took out a sealed bag from his pocket, ripped open the packaging, and took out a pair of clean gloves for him. As the elevator doors opened, a tall man leading a group of people slowly put on the gloves and headed towards the isted ward¡­ Chapter 1063 Chapter 1063 When the door to the ward creaked open, Yeager saw Bernard in a ck suit. The man was wearing white gloves, walking firmly, surrounded by a bunch of people, slowly stepping in. His figure stood tall and slender, with chiseled features that were profound, as if crafted by a master artist, exquisite and handsome, without a hint of imperfection. The aura emanating from his entire being exuded an overwhelming sense of dominance. Every time Yeagerid eyes on Bernard in this manner, fear gripped his heart. This fear was not born from guilt, but rather from the innate terror that Bernard¡¯s gaze instilled. Just one nce exchanged with him was enough to send shivers down one¡¯s spine At this moment. Yeager experienced this very feeling. The effects of the philter had already dissipated, leaving behind only a sense of remorse and regret for what he had done to Hailey. If he had approached her with patience, Hailey might have been drawn to his gentle appearance, and what he desired could have unfolded naturally But now, he had sabotaged everything and even provoked Bernard¡¯s retaliation. Indeed, at this moment, Yeager believed that Bernard hade here to seek justice for Hailey. He never suspected Bernard¡¯s true intentions; he merely thought Bernard hade to scold him. However, to his surprise, as Bernard entered, he made a casual gesture, and two burly men approached, seizing Yeager by his arms and dragging him down from the bed, throwing him onto the floor. As Yeager attempted to struggle and rise, one of the men viciously pressed his dress shoe down on Yeager¡¯s back. In that instant, he copsed to the ground, unable to get up. He could only lie there, gazing up at the man walking against the backlight. ¡°Mr. Laurence, this is between Hailey and me. If there are scores to settle, it should be Hailey dealing with me, not you¡± The man, already sitting on the couch, stretched out his legszily, crossed them, and then looked at his white gloves. His face was stone¨Ccold. ¡°Dr. Yeager, let¡¯s put your issue with Ms. Vulpe aside for a moment. We have another score to settle.¡± ¡°What score?¡± Yeager was puzzled, looking at Bernard. As far as he could recall, he hadn¡¯t offended Bernard, except for making fun of him with Garett. But Bernard had made him apologize on his knees for that, and it was in the past. Was Bernard so vengeful that he wanted to get him back for that slight? As Yeager was thinking about this, Liana walked in with the coroner. When he saw the coroner, all the questions in Yeager¡¯s mind cleared up. So, Bernard was here to settle scores for Will¡¯s surgical mishap¡­ ¡°Jess, your ringleader has already confessed. If you tell the truth now, I can let go of your tampering with the autopsy report. But if you don¡¯t cooperate¡­¡± Bernard trailed off, slightly lifting his chin, looking coldly at the coroner standing trembling at the door. *I¡¯ll revoke your medical license, ruin your career, make it impossible for you to lift your head in the medicalmunity, and then, your family will fall apart, your life will crumble.¡± Bernard spoke these words casually as if talking about something trivial, even a smile ying on his lips. ¡°Jess, do you believe I can do all of this?¡± In front of Bernard, Jess had no courage to challenge him. Who didn¡¯t know what kind of person Bernard was in this hospital? Jess was cracking under the pressure. He looked at Yeager, who was in a pitiful state on the floor, and assumed he had confessed Jess immediately started to speak. ¡°1¡± ¡°Jess, don¡¯t confess to something you didn¡¯t do just because you¡¯re under a little pressure!¡± Yeager cut Jess off, his deep eyes hinting at the recorder nearby. Catching Yeager¡¯s gaze, Jess realized Bernard was only trying to scare him, and Yeager hadn¡¯t actually confessed. As long as they both denied it, Bernard couldn¡¯t find any evidence, and they could get away scot¨Cfree With this realization, Jess steadied himself, mustered up his courage, and looked at the man sitting on the couch. ¡°Mr. Laurence, I.. I didn¡¯t tamper with any autopsy reports. I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about¡­¡± The fact that even the president personally intervened in this matter indicated his support for Mr. Webb. If the president intended to help Mr. Webb clear his name, the only way to do so was by exposing their past actions. Despite the president¡¯s assurance not to pursue the past, the revtion process would inevitably involve terms like bribery and involvement with the medical examiner Once these terms were mentioned, it would jeopardize his standing in the medicalmunity, as he, who once conducted autopsies for international experts, would be unable to maintain his credibility Facing condemnation from all medical professionals was far worse than enduring retaliation from the president alone After understanding this, Jess firmly refused to admit any wrongdoing. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°I indeed haven¡¯t done anything, and I fail toprehend why Mr. Laurence brought me here,¡± Jess firmly dered. Chapter 1064 Chapter 1064 Jess¡¯s stubborn attitude impressed Liana, who couldn¡¯t help but marvel. ¡°Jess, you might not know this, but after youpleted the autopsy, I had Hadley conduct another examination, and his report differs from yours.¡± Jess¡¯s body tensed up, and he turned incredulously towards Liana, who stood with her arms crossed against the wall. ¡°You sent Hadley to do another autopsy?¡± Without even blinking, Liana nodded in confirmation. 1 suspected there might be an issue with the patient¡¯s blood vessels, so I sent him to check again. It turns out, there really was a problem with the blood vessels¡± Upon hearing ¡°blood vessels, Jess immediately grew anxious. ¡°If you already found a problem with the blood vessels, why didn¡¯t youe to me right away? And why didn¡¯t you use Hadley¡¯s report to refute those usations from the students?¡± Liana lifted her chin and lightly gestured towards Yeager on the ground. ¡°It wasn¡¯t the right time to reveal it back then¡± This puzzled Yeager, wondering what Liana meant. Liana took a step forward, kneeling down in front of Yeager. ¡°At that time, you were still with Hailey, and out of respect for her, Mr. Laurence and I naturally didn¡¯t take action. But now now it¡¯s time.¡± After saying this, Liana stood up and faced Jess ¡°You should know Mr. Laurence¡¯s personality he only gives one chance. Whether you admit it or not, it¡¯s up to you.¡± Jess couldn¡¯t be sure if Liana¡¯s words were true or not, and he felt flustered. He turned to Yeager. ¡°Dr. Yeager, didn¡¯t you tell me that you were the only one who knew about the issue with the blood vessels? How did Liana find out?¡± Yeager was also perplexed. He looked at Liana and then at Bernard. ¡°Did you all¡­ know everything from the very beginning? Jess questioned with disbelief. ¡°Of course,¡± Liana replied calmly, although in reality, she knew nothing. She had only made deductions based on Will¡¯s major vascr repair surgery. suspecting there might be an issue with the blood vessels, and used that as leverage against Jess. She had no idea that Yeager had actually concealed the patient¡¯s condition from Will. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Yeager was taken aback to learn that Bernard and Liana had already discovered the problem, or rather, that Bernard had noticed it but refrained from taking action or warning him until after Hailey broke up with him. Bernard¡¯s cautious approach was likely due to his fear of Yeager using Hailey as leverage, making him more difficult to deal with, and potentially putting Hailey in harm¡¯s way. Hence, he did not immediately confront the issue. ¡°Did you send the photos and recordings to Hailey?¡± Yeager angrily addressed Bernard, his voice filled with h rage. If Bernard had known about the problem from the beginning, being the calcted individual he was, he would have likely meticulously nned his actions step by step. It was no wonder that when Yeager was just about to enter a rtionship with Hailey, he received photos exposing his secrets from an unknown number all part of Bernard¡¯s premeditated scheme! ¡°Bernard, you truly are cunning!¡± Bernard was nowbeled as ¡°scheming and he lifted his cold and ruthless eyes, casting a chilling nce at Yeager. ¡°Do you find me boring?¡± he retorted. Yeager hesitated for a moment. Bernard was always doing as he pleased, and this time, he didn¡¯t confess. Could it be that he wasn¡¯t behind it after all? If it wasn¡¯t him, then it must have been Cedric. After all, these two brothers always teamed up to torment him and bully him! If they weren¡¯t in the picture, he and Hailey would naturally be together. Why did things have to escte to the point of confrontation? As Yeager shifted all the reasons and resentment onto the two brothers, Bernard, who had grown impatient, spoke coldly again. ¡°Yeager, once you make a clear confession about framing Mr. Webb, I¡¯ll let you return to your country. Otherwise, you¡¯ll stay here forever, and there¡¯s no way you¡¯ll leave this ce.¡± When Yeager came back to his senses, he couldn¡¯t help but scoff defiantly. ¡°Who do you think you are? You act as if A City is your territory, and you can do whatever you want A deep and meaningful light shed in Bernard¡¯s eyes He straightened his body and stepped closer to Yeager With his imposing figure, Yeager instinctively blinked Bernard raised his slender fingers and grasped Yeager¡¯s chin, forcing him to look up. ¡°Dr. Yeager, you might not know this, but in A City. I truly can do as I please.¡± The towering action, disdainful tone, and oppressive gaze made Yeager feel anger rising within him. Who gave the Laurence family the right to be so superior just because they were born into privilege? Why should they have no regard for him? ¡°I don¡¯t care what you want to do, but I won¡¯t admit it¡± ¡°Very well, Bernard nodded. He let go of Yeager¡¯s chin and turned to face Jess, who stood there in bewilderment What about you?¡± With the pressure now on Jess, he was at a loss for what to do. Chapter 1065 Chapter 1065 Just now, when Dr. Terrill mentioned about Hadley¡¯s autopsy, he questioned Dr. Yeager due to his nervousness, which was kinda like admitting indirectly Now Bernard was questioning him again, just to make him clearly exin the whole incident. Only with a detailed process could¡¯they proceed with their investigation If he remained as obstinate as Yeager, the recording lured out by Dr. Terrill would be enough to prove his quilt. If he cooperated, perhaps Bernard might be lenient with him, considering he was just an aplice and not the mastermind. After all, Bernard¡¯s true target was Yeager, not Jess. After carefully weighing the pros and cons in his mind, Jess made a request to Bernard: ¡°Mr. Laurence, I know that once this matter is revealed, you will surely use audio and video evidence to help Mr. Webb clear his name. But my professional career will undoubtedly be ruined. I am willing to take the risk and tell you the truth, but you must find a way to keep me out of it¡± He needed at least to protect his identity from the outside world, so that even if he couldn¡¯t continue working in his home country, there might still be a way forward abroad. Jess deeply regretted epting money from Yeager, but it was the desperation for money that led him to engage in actions that vited medical ethics. However, since the deed was done, he now had to find an exit strategy as soon as possible. As for Yeager, he was struggling to protect himself and had little concern for others. Seeing Jess propose this condition, Yeager clenched his fists and red at him. However, Jess didn¡¯t even look at Yeager, focusing solely on Bernard. ¡°Mr. Laurence, do you ept this condition?¡± Jess asked Bernard. The corners of Bernard¡¯s mouth curled up slightly. ¡°You are the first person to negotiate with me,¡± he remarked. Jess was taken aback by his response, thinking Bernard would reject his offer, but he saw him nod. ¡°Deal.¡± Only then did Jess breathe a sigh of relief and detailed how Yeager bribed him and taught him how to write the report. With Jess¡¯s confession, all they need was to pry the reason why Yeager concealed the patient¡¯s condition from his mouth. Bernard retreated back to the couch, propped up his long legszily, and looked at Yeager who was pinned to the ground. ¡°Jess not only spilled the beans, but also provided the transfer records as evidence. If you still won¡¯t admit your guilt, it¡¯s all for nothing¡± ¡°Then take Jess¡¯s usations against me to court.¡± In any case, the body had already been cremated, and as for the autopsy report conducted by Hadley, it was merely a lie concocted by Liana to deceive Jess. Yeager refused to believe that by steadfastly denying the usations, he could easily be brought down based solely on Jess¡¯s ims. However, it was evident that Bernard had no intention of resorting to legal procedures. ¡°Dr Yeager, do you think I¡¯ve imprisoned you here to press charges against you?¡± Bernard¡¯s words made Yeager¡¯s heart sink, and he squinted as he gazed at the man sitting in the light. ¡°Then why have you detained me?¡± Yeager asked. Bernard didn¡¯t reply, instead, he gestured to Aidyn, who quickly retrieved a small knife from his military boots and handed it to Bernard. Wearing gloves, Bernard lightly flicked the sharp de. ¡°I heard that a doctor¡¯s hands are priceless, what would happen if I cut off your tendons?¡± His voice was t, but full of veiled threats, making Yeager instinctively clench his hands. ¡°If you use torture to force me to talk, it¡¯s invalid in court.¡± ¡°It seems you still don¡¯t get it. Jess next to him couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. ¡°Mr. Laurence means he doesn¡¯t n to go through legal procedures. He just wants to expose what you¡¯ve done to the medicalmunity, so whether he uses torture or not doesn¡¯t really matter¡± After exining in a hurry, Jess anxiously advised Yeager with deep concern. ¡®Dr. Yeager, stop resisting. Mr. Laurence merely wants to give Mr. Webb a clean te. As long as you admit your mistakes, he will allow you to return to your home country. This way, you can still find work abroad with your medical skills. But if your hands are destroyed, you will never be able to practice surgery again Jess pleaded. ¡°What about my Nobel Prize in Medicine?!¡± Yeager¡¯s furious voice left Jess stunned. ¡°That¡¯s Mr. Webb¡¯s research achievement, what does it have to do with you?¡± Jess replied.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°How does it not have anything to do with me?!¡± Yeager red at Jess angrily. ¡°I helped him with experiments, prepared medicinal materials, and even proposed questions and solutions. How can you say it has nothing to do with me?¡± ¡°But you were just helping, it¡¯s not your own research achievement, Jess reasoned. He couldn¡¯t comprehend Yeager¡¯s logic if helping could lead to a Nobel Prize in Medicine, then shouldn¡¯t he also receive an award for assisting Hadley with autopsies? ¡°I don¡¯t care if I was just helping, I must get what I want!¡± Yeager proimed firmly Bernard sat on the couch, leaning forward with his elbow on his knee, staring at Yeager with a gaze filled with resentment and defiance. ¡°You want the Nobel Prize in Medicine, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°As a doctor, who wouldn¡¯t want the Nobel Prize in Medicine?¡± Yeager retorted. Chapter 1066 Chapter 1066 Yeager candidly confessed his ambition, which brought a slight smile to Bernard¡¯s face. ¡°You may be keen on bagging that medical award, but I¡¯m afraid the more you want it, the less likely I¡¯ll let you have it.¡± Hearing such ruthless words, Yeager turned red in the face. ¡°Why?¡± Bernard twirled a small knife in his hand under the sunlight, the de reflecting a blinding light. ¡°Because your life and future are in my hands.¡± The reflected light from the de made Yeager instinctively close his eyes. In the moment he closed his eyes. Yeager felt a cut on his wrist. When he opened his eyes, he saw bright red blood seeping from his skin¡­.. The man who had hurt him didn¡¯t even blink at the sight of the blood, as if life meant nothing to him. Yeager couldn¡¯t believe it. He thought Bernard was just trying to intimidate him, but he was shocked when Bernard actually harmed him. Fear gripped him, and his face turned pale.. Jess was also terrified and tried to back away, but the bodyguard at the door blocked her path, pushing her back. Aidyn handed a wet wipe to Bernard, who casually cleaned the de in front of Yeager. The sight sent shivers down Yeager¡¯s spine. ¡°Dr. Yeager, I¡¯m not a patient man. If you don¡¯t tell me what I want to know, I¡¯ll keep hurting you,¡± Bernard coldly threatened. The pain in his wrist made Yeager realize that Bernard wasn¡¯t making empty threats. He could tell that this man was not only cunning but also fearless. Yeager had misjudged him, never expecting him to be so ruthless. Desperate to escape the situation, Yeager asked, ¡°If I tell you, will you let me go back to my country?¡± Bernard let out a coldugh but nodded nonchntly, leaving Yeager unsure of what to do next as he stared at his bleeding wrist. Bernard was losing his patience. He pointed the tip of his knife towards Yeager¡¯s wrist, ready to cut open his veins. Yeager immediately begged for mercy ¡°Don¡¯t cut my tendons, I¡¯ll tell you, I¡¯ll tell you everything¡­¡± His hand was needed for surgeries, it couldn¡¯t be ruined! Seeing Yeager back down, Bernard withdrew his hand and slowly stood up. Yeager held onto his right wrist and looked up at the man towering over him. ¡°When the director told me I should win the Nobel Prize in Medicine, I had an idea. I had a patient who urgently needed surgery, he had conflicts with me before, so I used the excuse that I was injured and couldn¡¯t operate, asking him to help me. Before the surgery, I checked the patient¡¯s condition and deliberately concealed the fact that the patient had a vascr problem. He trusted me too much and didn¡¯t check again. During the surgery, I intentionally stopped him from handling the blood vessels to remove suspicion from myself¡­I had everything nned out, even the coroner was in my pocket, but I didn¡¯t expect Bernard and Liana to suspect me.¡± Hearing this, Liana¡¯s eyes filled with tears.. Just because of Yeager¡¯s personal reasons, Will¡¯s reputation was ruined. Yet Yeager was still looking forward to winning the Nobel Prize in Medicine! Liana angrily rushed forward to scold Yeager, but Bernard stopped her. ¡°Did you get all that?¡± Bernard asked the man standing next to Aidyn. The man immediately nodded respectfully, ¡°Got it.¡± Bernard coldly ordered, ¡°Send what Dr. Yeager just said to Mr. Caporal¡¯s family and his medical students.¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. He believed that once they received this recording, they would definitely make a scene at the hospital. The hospital¡¯s management would then revoke Yeager¡¯s medical award and clear Will¡¯s name. Also, if Mr. Caporal¡¯s family knew that Mr. Caporal¡¯s death was not due to surgical error, but a calcted act by someone with personal motives, how could Yeager possibly escape? Bernard leaned back on the couch again, crossing his legs, and coldly watched Yeager. ¡°Mr. Webb¡¯s matter has been settled, now it¡¯s time to deal with Ms. Vulpe¡¯s matter¡­¡± ¡°What gives you the right to butt into me and Hailey¡¯s business?¡± Chapter 1067 Chapter 1067 Yeager clenched his wrist, raised his head, his eyes shing red with anger, throwing the question at Bernard. He had recorded his own deeds and sent them to the family of Mr. Caporal and his fellow med students. This was like burning his bridges, there was no escaping the finger¨Cpointing even if he returned to his homnd. Bernard had already gone too far, butting into his business with Hailey now, what right did he have?! N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°On what grounds?¡± The seeminglyid¨Cback man slightly tilted his head, then stretched out his gloved hand, signaling Yeager¡¯s bodyguards. The two bodyguards instantly got the message, grabbed Yeager from both sides and tossed him in front of Bernard. Before Yeager could get up, a hand came down from the sky. The fierce blow, carrying a gust of wind, made his cheeks tremble. Only when the wind subsided did the tearing pain hit him. Yeager, half¨Ckneeling, his left cheek instantly swelling, fresh blood dripping from the corner of his mouth onto his hand, looked up in shock. You¡­ Bernard removed the glove he¡¯d used to p him, threw it into a nearby trash can, took a wet wipe from Aidyn to clean his hand, then looked down at Yeager kneeling on the ground. ¡°Ms. Vulpe is my wife¡¯s sister, in other words, my sister¨Cinw. You hurt my sister¨Cinw, that¡¯s the same as hurting me, don¡¯t you think this is my business?¡± Yeager stared at Bernard, disbelief filling his eyes, it took him a while toe back to his senses. ¡°Even if you consider Hailey your sister¨Cinw, you have no right to hit me!¡± He had never been pped before, let alone by a man. ¡°If you want to settle scores, take me to court and let thew punish me. Who gave you the right to hit me?¡± ¡°Hold your horses¡± Compared to Yeager¡¯s impatience, Bernard was the picture of calm. ¡°You¡¯ll certainly be sued.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why did you hit me?¡± Cutting his wrist didn¡¯t make him as furious as this p! Bernard gave him a cold look. This one¡¯s for my wife.¡± Harassing her sister deserved some punishment. ¡°Just a p, Mr. Laurence has been very restrained.¡± If it had been before, Mr. Laurence wouldn¡¯t hesitate to take action, leaving no room for questions. Maybe it¡¯s the marriage that made him hold back, otherwise, would Yeager still be here talking? This was pointed out by Liana. Upon hearing this, Yeager furiously used Liana, ¡°Dr. Terrill, you¡¯re the one who introduced Hailey to me. Instead of helping me, you¡¯re ganging up with Bernard to bully me!¡± Liana¡¯s biggest regret was holding that matchmaking party that led Hailey to this wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing. If she hadn¡¯t done that, Hailey wouldn¡¯t have been hurt and lying in the hospital unable to move. The thought of the harm Hailey suffered filled Liana with both regret and anger, causing her fists to clench as she rushed towards Yeager! ¡°Smack!¡± A hard pnded on Yeager¡¯s face, hitting the same spot. Although the force was different, it still left Yeager dazed for a moment. ¡°I thought you were an upright person, or at least a responsible man, I didn¡¯t expect you toy hands on Hailey, even almost letting her fall into the hands of a stranger!¡± Yeager was initially very angry, but when he heard that Hailey had almost been vited by a stranger, the fury in his eyes gradually turned into worry. ¡°What happened to her. Did something happen after she escaped from the hotel?¡± Chapter 1068 Chapter 1068 Ignoring the knife wound on his wrist, Yeager reached out to grab Liana¡¯s pant leg, raising his head and looking up at Liana standing high above him in desperation. ¡°Spill it, what the hell happened?!¡± Right now, Liana couldn¡¯t stand Yenger. Just seeing him made her ufortable. Without a second thought, she kicked him away! ¡°Because of you, she almost lost her life tonight!¡± Yeager thought Liana was lying to him, but when he saw the anger filled in her eyes towards him, he didn¡¯t think she was bluffing. ¡°Is she okay?¡± He still has feelings for Hailey, but his lust overpowered his affection for her. So, hearing about her ident still worried him. ¡°Whether she¡¯s okay or not is none of your business now.¡± Liana¡¯s emotionless expression made Yeager frown, ¡°Dr. Terrill, you¡­¡± Yeager started to say. ¡°Stop calling me, you make me sick, Liana interrupted. Yeager had gone to great lengths to frame Will and had bullied Hailey in the process.. ¡°From now on, there¡¯s no ce for you in this hospital, Liana dered, turning to face Bernard. ¡°Mr. Laurence, I¡¯m going to check on Hailey,¡± she informed Bernard, who nodded slightly. Once Liana left the room, Bernard slowly stood up. The tall figure of Bernard loomed over Yeager like a mountain, making him shrink back on the floor. He felt suffocated, seeing himself in such a helpless state. ¡°What¡­ what are you going to do now?!¡± Yeager asked nervously. Though he was concerned about Hailey, he was more afraid of Bernarding after This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. him at that moment. Yeager used to believe that powerful people like Bernard wouldn¡¯t abuse their authority because their reputation mattered. But now, he saw that Bernard yed by his own rules, misused his power, and didn¡¯t care about his reputation at all. Yeager made up his mind, once he escapes, he would expose Bernard¡¯s actions today and make him the center of public criticism! As he was thinking about this, the high and mighty man turned around. ¡°Wait until Mr. Caporal¡¯s familyes to create a scene in the hospital, then hand him over to them!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Yeager was still dazed, seeing Bernard leaving with his men, his eyes were instantly filled with urgency. ¡°Bernard, didn¡¯t you promise that as long as I confess, you would let me go back to my country?!¡± The man who was still wiping his fingers looked back at Yeager who was held down by the bodyguards. ¡°You believed what I said?¡± Yeager couldn¡¯t believe it, his eyes wide open, staring at Bernard. ¡°You¡­¡± Bernard saw him trembling with anger, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips. ¡°Dr. Yeager, you can¡¯t escape charges for attempted murder and attempted rape¡± After saying that, Bernard withdrew his cold gaze and walked away. Looking at the arrogant figure, Yeager clenched his fists. ¡°Bernard, you probably don¡¯t know about Garett Falsey yet, do you?¡± Garett¡­ Every time he heard this name, his heart would involuntarily tense up. He feared nothing and no one, only Garett could make him feel scared. It¡¯s not that he was afraid of Garett, but because whenever he heard her calling his name in her dreams during the past five years, he would feel uneasy. Although Bernard didn¡¯t want to stop his steps, his pace still involuntarily slowed down, as if waiting for Yeager to say something unpleasant Chapter 1069 Chapter 1069 He was mentally prepared, but the moment Yeager opened his mouth, he was still stunned, frozen on the spot. ¡°He¡¯s got severe depression, cause he¡¯s been missing your wife so much Missing her to the point of falling sick¡­¡± Yeager looked at the man who dared not move, his eyebrows raised slightly, and he burst intoughter. ¡°Bernard, you¡¯re ying judge for Hailey, but who¡¯s gonna y judge for Garett? You took away the woman he loved most. You¡¯re livingfortably while he¡¯s stuck in hell forever!¡± As Yeager¡¯s deep voice echoed behind him, Bernard¡¯s face grew increasingly pale. Unable to bear it any longer, Aidyn turned around, walked up to Yeager, grabbed his cor, and knocked him out with a punch! He then tossed the unconscious Yeager aside like a bag of trash and returned to Bernard, speaking in a calm voice to soothe him, ¡°Mr. Laurence, don¡¯t take Yeager¡¯s words to heart. He¡¯s full of crap!¡± Mr. Laurence didn¡¯t owe anything to Garett. They might have both loved the same woman, Eleanor Shultz, but any conflicts arose back when Mr. Laurence broke up with her. At that time, Eleanor and Garett weren¡¯t even dating, so there was no question of stealing someone else¡¯s girlfriend N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Later on, when Garett chose to risk his life for love, Mr. Laurence was there to save him. He did everything in his power to protect and encourage Garett to survive. When Eleanor came back, Mr. Laurence chose to let her go, even helped her avenge her parents and got back the Clowers Group. Even if he owed Garett, he had paid his dues. Aidyn witnessed all the entanglements between these three people, and he didn¡¯t think Mr. Laurence was in the wrong The only fault of Mr. Laurence was that he shouldn¡¯t have been so cold to Ms. Shultz in the beginning. If it weren¡¯t for this, even if Garett had his memories back, he shouldn¡¯t have any problems. But obviously. Bernard didn¡¯t think so. He knew better than anyone the ce Garett held in Eleanor¡¯s heart. If Garett¡­ really fell sick because he missed Eleanor, what should he do¡­. Severe depression could be life¨Cthreatening. Eleanor wouldn¡¯t stand by and watch Garett die. If she found out, what would she do¡­. Bernard¡¯s head was a mess. The splitting headache at his temples came on schedule, making him pale in pain. Seeing him sweating profusely, Aidyn quickly held him up, ¡°Mr. Laurence, what¡¯s wrong? Is it your headache acting up?¡± Bernard clenched his hand, enduring the exploding pain, and coldly ordered: ¡°Send someone to investigate this immediately.¡± Upon hearing this, Aidyn¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, ¡°Mr. Laurence, if the investigation proves Yeager¡¯s words to be true, are you going to tell your wife?¡± Even without love, the affection Garett had for Mrs. Laurence would not allow her to abandon him. What would Mr. Laurence do then? Bernard raised his hand, rubbing his temples hard. The agony of his scattered thoughts made him unable to answer Aidyn¡¯s question. Seeing him like this, Aidyn, full of worry, helped him up, ¡°Mr. Laurence, forget about Garett for now. You need to get a brain check.¡± Although the doctor said to have a checkup every six months after surgery, Mr. Laurence couldn¡¯t wait that long. But Bernard pushed his hand away, ¡°I¡¯m just a little anxious about her. No need for any check¨Cup.¡± Aidyn wanted to persuade him, but Bernard suddenly snapped: ¡°I told you to send someone to investigate it!¡± Aidyn had no choice but to reluctantly pull out his phone and call their contact in B City. The people at Laurence Group were efficient. Not long after, they got a call back. After confirming that Garett indeed had severe depression, Aidyn advised Bernard, ¡°Mr. Laurence, don¡¯t tell your wife. It¡¯ll put her in a tough spot.¡± Bernard didn¡¯t respond, only enduring the pain at his temples, leaning against the wall, and staggered towards the elevator. Chapter 1070 Chapter 1070 In the seventh¨Cfloor ward of the hospital, Eleanor was dabbing ointment on Hailey¡¯s arm with a cotton swab. Maybe she pressed a bit too hard, causing Hailey to yelp in pain. Eleanor immediately stopped and apologized. Hailey wanted to reassure her it was okay, but Cedric had already taken the swab from Eleanor¡¯s hand, saying, 1 got this.¡± Both Eleanor and Hailey were taken aback, but Cedric didn¡¯t mind. He picked up the swab and carefully applied ointment on Hailey¡¯s arm, being extra gentle not to hurt her. Seeing Cedric like this, Hailey hesitated for a few seconds before saying, ¡°Cedric, Eleanor is here with me. You can go ahead.¡± This was something Hailey had said several times, but Cedric just wouldn¡¯t leave. He didn¡¯t say much, just sat there keeping herpany. He said, ¡°Eleanor is not feeling well, let her rest. After saying this, he looked up at Eleanor, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m here, you can rx.¡± Eleanor got the hint. If she didn¡¯t, she would have been a bit dense. She said, ¡°Hailey, Nina is home alone, I¡¯m a bit worried. I¡¯lle see you tomorrow.¡± With that, Eleanor picked up her phone from the table and turned to leave. But when she got to the door, she stopped, turned back to face Cedric, ¡°Cedric, can you step out for a second? I need to talk to you¡± Cedric put down the swab and stepped out of the room. Hailey had no idea what they were going to talk about and could only watch them through the thick ss. Eleanor looked up at Cedric, who was much taller than her, and asked, ¡°Cedric, what are your feelings for Hailey right now?¡± Is it like? Love? Or still ying games? Cedric revealed slightly tired eyes, ¡°I love her.¡± This was the first time he openly admitted his love for Hailey in front of Eleanor, without any cover. Seeing the sincere and serious Cedric in front of her, Eleanor sighed lightly. I¡¯ve told you before, Hailey wants a home. Can you give her that?¡± asked Eleanor. ¡°Can you guarantee that this home will always be stable to let her live in peace?¡± Tve told her, I¡¯ll marry her, give her a home, but she didn¡¯t agree Cedric turned his head, looking through the ss at Hailey lying on the hospital bed. feeling a bit wronged. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but she just doesn¡¯t trust me.¡± Eleanor also looked at Hailey. ¡°It¡¯s not that she doesn¡¯t trust you, but that she dares not.¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Cedric didn¡¯t understand, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t she dare?¡± Eleanor was silent for a while, then said, ¡°Cedric, I can see that Hailey does have feelings for you. Because of this, she is even more afraid to pin her future on you Hearing that Hailey had feelings for him, Cedric wanted to argue with Eleanor, but Eleanor gently interrupted him. ¡°If I were Hailey, I wouldn¡¯t dare to agree to marry you either. Do you know why?¡± Cedric shook his head. He honestly didn¡¯t understand women¡¯s thoughts. They were just tooplex. Looking at Cedric, confused and unsure how to solve his confusion, Eleanor sighed again. *Because she can¡¯t ept that the person she loves would betray her one day¡± Hearing this, Cedric was full of confusion, while Eleanor just looked at him and smiled gently. ¡°If Hailey fully agrees to marry you, I believe, based on your current feelings for her, you two will be very happy after marriage. But what if, one day in the future, you meet someone else you love more? What is she to do then?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t¡­¡± ¡®Don¡¯t rush to speak. You didn¡¯t think about leaving Norene when you met Hailey, did you?¡± Chapter 1071 Chapter 1071 ¡°I¡¯m not saying I don¡¯t trust you, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m a bit scared. If you can promise me that you won¡¯t cheat after marriage, then give it some time before you pursue Hailey. Don¡¯t push her too hard right now¡± Upon hearing this, Cedric looked surprised and lifted his head. ¡°Eleanor, you called me here, isn¡¯t it to keep me away from Hailey?¡± Eleanor responded with a warm smile. ¡°My point still stands, it¡¯s all up to you. If your feelings for Hailey are genuine and she¡¯s willing to ept you, I won¡¯t stand in your way.¡± Cedric didn¡¯t expect Eleanor to be so understanding. A small smile crept up on his face. ¡°Thank you, Eleanor.¡± Eleanor shook her head with a smile ¡°Go keep herpany, I need to find Bernard, no idea where he¡¯s off to¡± As she was about to leave, Cedric stopped her. ¡°Eleanor, when you said that Hailey has feelings for me, was that for real?¡± Eleanor turned to look at him, a puzzled expression on her face ¡°Can¡¯t you tell for yourself?¡± Cedric reflected on when he brought Hailey to the hospital. Was it because she had feelings for him that she exined her situation, afraid that he might think she was tainted? Thinking that Hailey might also like him, Cedric felt a sense of relief. ¡°Eleanor, you should head back¡± Watching Cedric wave goodbye, Eleanor chuckled in resignation. Cedric hurried into the ward and saw Hailey applying medicine on her own. He took over. ¡°Lie down and don¡¯t move, let me do it.¡± Hailey nced at him, noticing his cheery expression, she furrowed her brows. ¡°What did Eleanor say to you?¡± Cedric, focused on applying the medicine, slowed his movements ¡°You¡¯re worried she said something to me?¡± Cedric¡¯s eyes were beautiful. Every time he looked at her seriously, she was attracted. ¡®No¡­¡± She pretended to shrug it off and averted her gaze. But Cedric suddenly reached out and touched her cheek. His fingers were warm and when they touched her cheek, Hailey shrank back. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Does it hurt?¡± His tone was full of sympathy and his movements gentle, which caught Hailey off guard. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore¡± She turned her head, avoiding his touch. She was still uneasy and just wanted to clean up once her wounds healed. Thinking of this, she turned back to Cedric who was still in mid¨Cair ¡°Mr. Laurence, there are doctors here, you can go back now.¡± Upon hearing this, Cedric slowly retracted his hand. I¡¯ll stay at the hospital and take care of you for a while.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°I know you don¡¯t want to be around any men right now, but trust me, I won¡¯t do anything¡± He knew she needed time to recover from this trauma, and he would be by her side, supporting her through this nightmare. The determination in his eyes left Hailey speechless. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you don¡¯t need to take care of me.¡± There was no longer any connection between them, and they had even had quite a few conflicts, which made the situation awkward Cedric didn¡¯t respond to Hailey¡¯s words, he just held her hand and continued to apply her medicine. After he finished, he put down the cotton swab and left. When he didn¡¯te back for a long time, Hailey thought he had left and breathed a sigh of relief. She closed her tired eyes and quickly fell asleep. The man outside waited until she waspletely asleep before he came back in and sat down by the bed Perhaps due to the medication, Hailey slept deeply and had nightmares. Cold sweat broke out on her forehead from time to time, and her frail body curled up. Chapter 1072 Chapter 1072 Scott told Eleanor that Bernard was dealing with some stuff and asked her to hang tight in the hospital for a bit Eleanor found a corner to plop down in, not bothering to check her phone, just sitting quietly. When Bernard walked out of the elevator, he saw Eleanor waiting for him from a distance and his pace gradually slowed Eleanor sensed someone¡¯s gaze fixed on her and instinctively raised her eyes, spotting Bernard in the distance. She swiftly stood up and made her way toward him. As she approached, she noticed something peculiar about his expression. ¡°Sweetheart, what¡¯s bothering you?¡± she inquired, her clear eyes fixed on him. Bernard couldn¡¯t meet her gaze and looked away momentarily Eleanors concern grew as she observed his unusual demeanor. She gently tiptoed and ced her hands on his face. ¡°Is someone giving you a hard time?¡± Ever since they got hitched, Bernard had been the sole focus of Eleanor¡¯s affection, there was no space for anyone else in her heart. Bernard knew that Eleanor was in love with him now, not Garett, she wouldn¡¯t leave him for Garett anymore. But he also knew that Eleanor still felt guilty about Garett, especially about his legs¡­.. If she found out that Garett was suffering from depression because he missed her, she would feel even more guilty, and torn. Garett¡¯s depression was severe, and only the person he cared about most could help him. And that person had a deep friendship with him for over twenty years, even if there was no love, there was still a bond. Garett had given up everything for Eleanor back in the day. If Eleanor found out, she would definitely try to help Garett. But how could she help? Only by staying with Garett could Eleanor help him. Bernard knew this. Eleanor regarded him in silence, her hands slowly dropping from his face. ¡°Sweetheart, what¡¯s really bothering you?¡± she asked with genuine concern. Bernard¡¯s features appeared chiseled and stoic, resembling a sculpture, which was somewhat intimidating. After a moment, he snapped back to reality. taking hold of her hand before he finally spoke up. ¡°Eleanor, what would you do if something happened to Garett?¡± Her eyes filled with worry and concern, Eleanor questioned, ¡°Did something happen to him?¡± Bernard shook his head, trying to hide his hesitation as he looked down. Bringing up Garett had been sudden, and Eleanor thought Bernard was worried. She reassured him by tightly gripping his arm, offeringfort. ¡°Sweetheart, Cedric decided to stay with Hailey and kicked me out. There¡¯s no need for me here anymore. Let¡¯s head home and rest¡± With the daylight already streaming in, Eleanor couldn¡¯t stop herself from yawning. She looked visibly worn out from the long night. Bernard decided to postpone the conversation about Garett for another time, understanding that she needed rest. ¡°Do you need me to carry you?¡± They still had a bit of a walk to the parking lot, she looked so exhausted that it seemed like walking might be an issue Eleanor didn¡¯t really want him to carry her, but she obediently stretched out her arms. ¡°Sweetheart, carry me Her voice was gentle and natural, a little bit coquettish. Bernard¡¯s lips curled into a small smile. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. He bent down, scooped up Eleanor and held her petite frame tightly. Under the curious gazes of others, he headed towards the parking lot. Seeing their backs, Aidyn let out a sigh of relief, then took out his phone and sent a message to Liana to keep an eye on Mr. Laurence¡¯s head condition. This kind of tumor recurrence usually happens due to overusing the brain or after a certain kind of stimtion, and it would suddenly cause headaches. That¡¯s what just happened to Mr. Laurence. Even though he said it was due to worrying over Eleanor, Aidyn was still concerned and decided to keep an eye on it. When Eleanor woke up. Bernard had already gone to thepany Bryson said there was an international meeting in the morning that Bernard had to host He had left early in the morning, seeing how soundly she was sleeping, he didn¡¯t have the heart to wake her up. Thepany was busy, this happened often, Eleanor didn¡¯t mind and just nodded. After breakfast with Nina and sending the kids off to school, she received a call from Cedric. ¡°Eleanor, could you swing by the hospital and bring Hailey some food?¡± Cedric had left the room before Hailey woke up. Since Hailey didn¡¯t want him around, it was best if he stayed away After understanding his thoughts, Eleanor agreed andforted him not to worry, to take things slow. Cedric was much moreposed than before, there was no rush, he could wait patiently. Eleanor saw the change in him, but didn¡¯t say much. After hanging up, she had the chef prepare soup and meals. Chapter 1073 Chapter 1073 When she walked into the hospital carrying a thermos, she ran into a mob of rtives blocking the entrance. Hospital staff were trying to calm down the rtives, but they weren¡¯t having any of it. They held up banners and shouted loudly¡± Eleanor initially thought the dispute was none of her business until she saw Yeager¡¯s photo on one of the banners. That¡¯s when it hit her. These people were here because of Yeager She was taken aback After what Yeager did to Haileyst night, he was left alone on the top floor of the hotel. How did he end up in a medical ident? ¡°Mydy, check out the news.¡± Eleanor was puzzled until Scott handed her his phone. She took the phone, opened the news article, and realized that Yeager had sabotaged Will for the Nobel Prize in Medicine. She used to think that although Yeager had character ws, he was at least a good doctor. She never thought he would do something like this. ¡°Hand over Yeager!¡± ¡°Yes, hand him over, or we won¡¯t leave!¡± When the rtives made enough noise, Liana motioned to the bodyguards to bring Yeager out of the hospital. As soon as Yeager was brought out, Mr. Caporal¡¯s family members rushed over to attack him. The guards couldn¡¯t even stop them. Yeager was brutally held down and subjected to a beating by his rtives until the bodyguards intervened, attempting to shield him on several asions ¡°Stop hitting him, one of the bodyguards asserted. ¡°The police are already investigating Dr. Yeager¡¯s deliberate harm to his patients and his attempt to frame Dr. Will. Please go home and wait for the investigation results.¡± Yeager retreated behind the protective cover of the bodyguards, his expression growing darker as he stared at the furious rtives who sought to tear him apart. He clenched his fists and red back at those who insulted him. In that moment, his eyes caught sight of Eleanor in the distance, and they narrowed with intensity Eleanor paused briefly, waiting for the crowd to disperse a bit. Then she picked up her bag and walked through the outpatient clinic with Scott, heading towards the inpatient department. Upon reaching the seventh floor, she spotted Cedric leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets. Thinking that he might have already left, she said, ¡°Cedric, you can go ahead. I¡¯ll handle things here.¡± However, Cedric shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll go in once she¡¯s asleep.¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Looking at Cedric¡¯s tired eyes, Eleanor sighed helplessly. ¡°Then you go and rest a bit. When Hailey falls asleep, I¡¯lle and get you.¡± Cedric thought for a second, then nodded. ¡°Just remember to wake me up¡± Eleanor agreed and saw him obediently walk into the rest room. Then she turned around to open the door. Hailey was awake. With the help of the caregiver, she had just finished washing up when she saw Eleanor walk in. ¡°Hailey, want some soup cooked by my chef?¡± Hailey didn¡¯t really have an appetite, but Eleanor¡¯s sweet smile made it hard for her to refuse. She nodded her head, and Eleanor opened the thermos of soup and fed it to her. ¡°Open wide¡­¡± Hailey smiled slightly ¡°I can move, you know. You don¡¯t have to feed me.¡± She took the spoon from Eleanor, scooped some soup herself, and drank it. Seeing that she was willing to eat, Eleanor knew that the strong Hailey would recover soon. As for what happened in the outpatient department, she¡¯ll tell her when she¡¯s feeling better. After Hailey managed to eat a bit, the female doctor came in to change Hailey¡¯s bandages. Eleanor immediately got up to make space. She was about to pack up the thermos when she saw Scott waving at her from outside the door. She quickly stepped out of the room and asked Scott, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Scott scratched the back of his head awkwardly, ¡°Ma¡¯am, I need to go to the restroom.¡± Scott always kept her informed of his whereabouts, even when going to the restroom. Eleanor thought it was unnecessary and told him he could go straight to the restroom next time, but he insisted on informing her every time. Chapter 1074 Chapter 1074 Garett suffered from severe depression, a fact well¨Cknown to Hailey and Bernard. Eleanor¡¯s distressing condition became evident when she lost color in her face, and her pale hand weakly leaned against the wall. Yeager, observing the situation, expressed concern about Garett¡¯s well¨Cbeing to Ms. Shultz, acknowledging the potential danger of severe depression. Eleanor seemed shocked and surprised by the question. Yeager felt fortunate that Hailey had introduced him to Garett, as it gave him the opportunity to confront Bernard and protect his friend. Yeager didn¡¯t want to say these things, but Bernard kepting at him. Why should he let Bernard have it easy? He wanted to drive a wedge between Eleanor and Bernard, make Eleanor choose to leave Bernard, make Bernard suffer from depression like Garett, and then take his own life! Thinking about this, Yeager smirked and walked towards Eleanor. ¡°Ms. Shultz, Garett¡¯s depression is because he misses you. You chose to leave him for Bernard. Have you ever thought about how much it hurts him?¡± Yeager¡¯s words hit Eleanor like a sledgehammer. She remembered how Garett had worked on the construction site to help her raise money for medical expenses¡­ He was only sixteen then. He worked tirelessly, bent over, ignoring the sweltering heat, his sweat pouring down, head down, doing all the heavybor. When she found out, Garett justughed and said, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m doing this to get fit, not for the money¡± But the callouses and scars on his hands were all for her¡­. Garett¡¯s whole life was for her¡­ Eleanor¡¯s hand slid down the wall¡­ Seeing her like this, Yeager was pretty sure he was right.. ¡°Ms. Shultz, Garett lost his legs, he can¡¯t stand up anymore, and he¡¯s got severe depression. He might die¡­¡± He might die¡­. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Eleanor gazed at Yeager, her face pale and filled with concern. ¡°Is what you said true?¡± she asked. ¡°Whether it¡¯s true or not, you should ask Bernard. He knows everything.¡± Yeager replied,ughing half¨C heartedly, his expression dark. ¡°But he¡¯s scared of losing you, so he didn¡¯t tell you. He¡¯s actually waiting for Garett to take his own life, he¡­¡± Yeager¡¯s words were cut short by a sudden p across his face. Hailey, the one who pped him, stood there, her eyes red and swollen from fatigue. She showed no pity or hesitation, only pure hatred for Yeager. ¡°Yeager,¡± she said, her voice strained. Hailey stood protectively in front of Eleanor, her emotions simmering with anger. ¡°I regret ever introducing you to Garett, Hailey continued, her anger directed at Yeager. When she introduced Yeager to Garett, she hoped he would bring some happiness into his life. But instead, when Yeager learned about Garett¡¯s depression, he chose to hide it from everyone, including Eleanor. Bernard¡¯s actions were also a source of frustration for Hailey. He promised to help Garett return to his country, only to now make him lose face in front of others. He couldn¡¯t ept this oue, couldn¡¯t ept defeat! It was just a counterattack, he did nothing wrong, absolutely nothing! Yeager clenched his fists, looking at the extremely disappointed Hailey and Eleanor, who was still in shock, and slowly smirked¡­ ¡°Ms. Shultz, did you hear that? Hailey regrets introducing me to Garett. That¡¯s proof that what I said is true!¡± ¡°You dare to say that!¡± Hailey was so angry that she raised her hand to p Yeager, but he caught her wrist. ¡°You dare to say you didn¡¯t hide anything from Ms. Shultz?¡± Eleanor snapped back to reality, seeing Yeager gripping Hailey¡¯s wrist, and pushed Yeager away. ¡°Whether they hid anything from me or not, it¡¯s none of your business!¡± Eleanor clenched her fists and approached Yeager. ¡°Don¡¯t think you can use Garett to get at us!¡± Her pale face had regained some color, as if she had epted the truth and was ready to face it head¨C on. ¡°Yeager, you¡¯ve murdered, framed people, deceived Hailey, hidden the past, drugged her, you¡¯re not innocent. What right do you have to drive a wedge between us?!¡± Eleanor¡¯s usation made Yeager clench his fists tighter. ¡°No matter what you say, Bernard deliberately hid the truth from you. He¡¯s waiting for Garett to die!¡± Chapter 1075 Chapter 1075 Eleanor felt a knot in her stomach, just as she was about to say something, a dark figure suddenly rushed past and mmed Yeager to the ground. Next thing, the figure was on top of Yeager, fist raised, punching Yeager in the face with all his might. ¡°You bullied Hailey and bad¨Cmouthed Eleanor right in front of me. You¡¯re just asking for it!¡± Cedric had never despised someone so much, to the point where he wished they¡¯d just disappear. Without holding back, he poured all his strength into his fist,nding blow after blow on Yeager. Already wounded from a stab, Yeager was no match for Cedric¡¯s attack, especially after getting a beating from his family. Before long, Yeager¡¯s face was covered in bruises, his mouth split open, spitting out blood after just a few hits. Afraid that Cedric might kill him, Hailey and Eleanor quickly intervened, pulling furious Cedric away. Just then, Liana arrived with security. They stepped forward, handcuffed Yeager, Seeing Yeager subdued, Liana turned to check on Hailey and Eleanor. ¡°Are you two okay?¡± Eleanor shook her head, asking Liana what happened. Weren¡¯t the police involved? How did Yeager end up in the ward? Liana exined that after handing Yeager over to the police, he told them he hid some evidence against Mr. Caporal in his office. The security followed him to retrieve it, only for Yeager to shake them off using his knowledge of the hospitalyout. Upon hearing this, Liana guessed Yeager must¡¯ve headed for Hailey¡¯s ward and rushed over with security Yeager would be charged with murder and attempted rape. But he was a foreigner, so international jurisdiction would take some time. Hailey was shocked to find out that Yeager not only had moral issues but also killed a patient for the Nobel Prize in Medicine and even framed Will. This went beyond a moral issue. It was a sign of extreme darkness in his soul¡­ She had thought Yeager was a good doctor. After all, he seemed genuinely upset when a patient died during surgery, feeling powerless. It¡¯s that moment that made Hailey ept Yeager, thinking he was a good person who would never hurt her¡­ Now she realized that moment might¡¯ve been just a fa?ade Yeager put up to win her over quickly. Like she once said, people have two sides. She only saw one side of Yeager¡­. With Yeager locked up, it¡¯s unlikely he¡¯d be out anytime soon. Hailey knew it¡¯s over between them. It was like a nightmare. And when you wake up from a nightmare, the light is still there. But she felt guilty for dragging Eleanor into this. After Yeager was taken away by the police, all Eleanor asked Hailey was if Garett really had severe depression. Hailey nodded and Eleanor didn¡¯t say anything else. Seeing Eleanor like this, Hailey was worried that Garett¡¯s situation would affect Eleanor and Bernard¡¯s rtionship, so she tightly held Eleanor¡¯s cold hand and began tofort her. ¡°Eleanor, Yeager was just fooling you. There¡¯s no way Bernard could¡¯ve known. Garett never nned to tell anyone about his condition. If I hadn¡¯t kept asking, he probably wouldn¡¯t have said anything. Even Yeager just guessed it, so Bernard¡­ ¡°He knew.¡± That¡¯s why Bernard suddenly asked Eleanor what she would do if something happened to Garett. Eleanor¡¯s words cut Hailey off. She stood there stunned, frowning, looking at the bitter smile on Eleanor¡¯s face. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°How could¡­¡± Eleanor gave a wry smile, turned her gaze to Cedric, ¡°Cedric, take care of Hailey for me. I need to go home.¡± Cedric nced at Hailey instinctively. Seeing that she didn¡¯t object, he nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll take good care of her. But, Eleanor, Bernard. Eleanor interrupted him, ¡°I¡¯ll ask him. Don¡¯t worry.¡± With that, Eleanor turned around, nodded to Liana, then, clutching her phone, she quickly walked out of the hospital. Chapter 1076 Chapter 1076 After wrapping up his business at the group. Bernard returned earlier than usual to Fiord Roundabout. He found Eleanor sitting in the living room, head bowed, seemingly deep in thought He shrugged off his coat, then started to loosen his tie as he approached Eleanor. ¡°Sweetheart, why didn¡¯t you continue working on your designs today?¡± Usually, she would be in the study at this time, but today she was just sitting in the living room, zoning out. He found it a bit odd. Hearing Bernard¡¯s calm and gentle voice, Eleanor looked up. ¡°My hand got tired, so I didn¡¯t continue.¡± Upon hearing this, Bernard paused in the middle of loosening his tie, grabbed her hand, and began massaging her wrist. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for wanting toplete the project your sister left unfinished, I wouldn¡¯t have let you work so hard.¡± He just wanted to give her the best life, one that was free of worries. Eleanor watched his hands massaging hers, and after a few seconds of silence, she spoke. ¡°Bernard, did you know Garett has depression?¡± His hands slowly came to a halt. Bernard raised his head to meet Eleanor¡¯s gaze. He noticed the pallor of herplexion and the sadness in her eyes. She already knew the truth, and Bernard realized he couldn¡¯t hesitate any longer. ¡°I know,¡± he admitted, though Eleanor¡¯s reaction still weighed on him. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡± Eleanor¡¯s voice trembled with emotion, her hand slipping from his grip. Settling down on the sofa, Bernard¡¯s eyes betrayed a hint of impatience. ¡°I was afraid it would upset you, make you feel guilty, so I hesitated,¡± he exined ¡°So, you deliberately hid it from me?¡± Eleanor¡¯s brows furrowed, feeling hurt by the revtion Bernard¡¯s gaze deepened with disappointment. ¡°Are you questioning me for Garett¡¯s sake?¡± he asked, causing Eleanor¡¯s heart to skip a beat. ¡°I¡¯m not just doing this for him. I just believe you should have told me earlier,¡± Eleanor replied, trying to make her point clear. ¡°And if I had told you, what could you have changed? Could his illness have been cured instantly?¡± His words made Eleanor hold back what she was about to say, a sh of anger in her eyes. ¡°No wonder you didn¡¯t tell me, so that¡¯s what you think¡­¡± Eleanor stood up from the sofa angrily As she passed by him, Bernard reached out and pulled her back onto the sofa. He straightened his body, leaned over her, preventing her from moving, and asked in a low voice, Now that you know, what are you going to do?¡± His eyes were unfathomable, revealing no emotions. ¡°Are you going to take care of him, or divorce me and marry him?¡± Eleanor stared at his indifferent face, unable to believe that he would say such a thing. ¡°Bernard, do you realize what you¡¯re saying?¡± ¡°If I didn¡¯t, would I be asking you?¡± Eleanor said nothing, her pale face making Bernard feel a sense of irony. ¡°You have two choices, pick one.¡± Knowing that Garett has depression, she would surely help him no matter what. So, Bernard didn¡¯t need to ask, he just presented the options. ¡°You¡¯re right, I won¡¯t just stand by and watch Garett sink into a pit he can¡¯t escape from. I will help him.¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Not because she couldn¡¯t forget, but because Garett had been sincere, caring, and helpful to her since they were young, and she owed him a deep debt of gratitude. Bernard should know this, but his words made it seem like she had changed her heart, which made her very angry. ¡°As for whether I¡¯m going to take care of him, leave you, or be with him, I haven¡¯t decided yet.¡± Her tone was very calm, and it was hard to tell whether she was venting her emotions or actually considering it. Bernard stared at her calm face, and for a moment, he felt a chill run through his veins. Especially seeing the determination in her eyes, he felt an overwhelming sense of despair. ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t leave me for Garett again, but your current attitude tells me that I¡¯m not important to you¡± No matter if love still existed between them or not, her concern for Garett was always special, and Garett was always an obstacle between them that couldn¡¯t be ovee She would give her life for Bernard, but Bernard said that he wasn¡¯t important to her. After all they had been through, wasn¡¯t there any trust left? Her anger was burning brighter, but she didn¡¯t say a word. She just pushed Bernard away, stood up from the sofa, grabbed her phone, and headed for the 10.04 door. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Eleanor ignored Bernard Sitting on the sofa, he stared at her retreating figure, his heart racing, his eyes instantly reddening ¡°Are you going to see Garett?¡± Eleanor, who was putting on her shoes, didn¡¯t look back, replying sharply. ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me to be with him? If not him, who should I go see?¡± Chapter 1077 Chapter 1077 Bernard knew Eleanor was just blowing off steam, but his heart still stung like hell Eleanor was as slow as a snail when ites to changing shoes. After she finally finished, she grabbed her coat but Bernard didn¡¯te over. She gritted her teeth and stormed out the door. The moment the door closed, Bernard copsed onto the couch, his head pounding and seeing stars, unable to get up and chase after her He turned his head, looking through the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window at the mansion¡¯s exterior, watching her small figure gradually disappear into the distance, feeling a deep sense of injustice After leaving Fiord Roundabout, Eleanor didn¡¯t have any specific destination in mind. She just found a shady spot under a tree to sit and cool off her rage alone She sat there for quite a while until she saw Bernard¡¯s car whizzing past her. Only then did she look up. The car had driven a few hundred meters before it suddenly stopped and started to reverse¡­ Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Before the car had evenpletely stopped, the back door was flung open and Bernard jumped out, rushing towards Eleanor. Seeing her drenched in sweat, he felt a pang in his heart. He squatted down and gently wiped the sweat from her forehead with his fingers. ¡°Babe, it¡¯s too hot outside. You might get heatstroke. How about we go home first and we can talk when you¡¯ve cooled down a bit?¡± Even though he was also pissed off, he kept his temper in check and came out to coax her. Eleanor¡¯s anger evaporated instantly. ¡°I didn¡¯te out here to fight with you.¡± Her voice wasced with a hint of grievance, but it wasn¡¯t as sharp as before. Hearing the change in her tone, Bernard immediately reached out his hand to her. ¡°Alright, no more fighting. Let¡¯s go home together.¡± Eleanor nced at his outstretched hand, then got up. Eleanor left her sweaty hand in his, intentionally rubbing it in. She ran out in a huff and almost passed out from the heat, he should get a taste of it too. But Bernard didn¡¯t show any signs of disgust. He held her hand tightly, helped her into the car, and even wiped her hand dry with a wet wipe. Seeing how good Bernard was to her, guilt welled up in Eleanor¡¯s heart. ¡°Honey, I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have used you of keeping things from me.¡± It was because of what she said that Bernard misunderstood, and they ended up hurting each other. This was their problem. They always spoke their minds before fully understanding the situation¡­ Bernard, who was still wiping her sweat, felt his grievance disappear when he saw her apologizing, leaving only sweetness behind. ¡°It was me. I didn¡¯t control my emotions, and I wasn¡¯t rational enough.¡± What he said about ¡®divorcing and remarrying¡® was indeed hurtful, as if he didn¡¯t trust her. She had said that she would love him for a lifetime, so how could he doubt her because of past events? Eleanor, with her gentle nature, might get angry but it doesn¡¯tst long and she doesn¡¯t hold grudges. If it were someone else, they might not forgive him so easily. It was because he met the kind¨Chearted Eleanor that he got a second chance. Without her, what would he have now? Bernard put down the wet wipe and pulled Eleanor into hisp, then looked at her. ¡°Yeager just told me yesterday that he has depression. I thought you were too tired, so I didn¡¯t tell you right away.¡± Hearing him say this, Eleanor slowly understood. This was Yeager¡¯s trick, telling Bernard first, then her, with the intention of driving a wedge between them. Just as Eleanor was about to tell Bernard that Yeager was trying to pit them against each other, she saw him lower his head¡­. ¡°Of course, I also had my own reasons for not telling you Just like she sad, she wouldn¡¯t stand by and watch Garett sumb to a terminal illness without doing anything, she would definitely go and help him. If she goes to help Garett, what about him? Should he just sit around and watch his own wife take care of someone else? And he only has a few months left before going to Area Opaca, he didn¡¯t want to give their remaining time to someone else. Bernard¡¯s dilemma was also Eleanor¡¯s dilemma¡­ Thinking of this, Eleanor took the initiative to wrap her arms around Bernard¡¯s neck, then lowered her head and gently kissed his forehead¡­ ¡°Honey, when Hailey gets better, can we go to B City to see him?¡± Now that she knows, she must go and visit him. Even if they¡¯re no longer lovers, they¡¯re still family. His hand around her waist seemed to be struggling, tightening slightly, but rxed after a while. ¡°I¡¯ll go too¡± Chapter 1078 Chapter 1078 Eleanor was a bit hesitant, worried that seeing Bernard might worsen Garells condition. You must take me along whether you like it or not.¡± Bernard seemed cool and aloof, but there was a hint of jealousy in his eyes. ¡°He¡¯s notying his eyes on me Eleanor fell a warmth in her heart, reaching out to pinch his handsome face. ¡°You¡¯re such a sweetheart¡± Bernard seemed tough, but hed bend over backward for her. As she looked at him, her eyes full of love, Bernard felt secure. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. He lifted his hand, catching her hand as it yfully explored his face. ¡°You can look after him if you want, but¡­¡± He lifted Eleanor¡¯s chin, exuding a powerful dominance ¡°You gotta be back with me when the sun goes down.¡± He would allow her to take care of Garett during the day, but the nights were off¨Climits. He knew Eleanor, seeing Garett so sick, would feel pity He was worried that with enough time, those old mes might reignite. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t trust Eleanor, but emotional matters are out of control, just like himself. He tried not loving Eleanor, but he couldn¡¯t stop himself, fell head over heels. He was certain, as long as she was by his side, her heart would be shackled to him, no escape. Eleanor kissed his lips, giving him endless security. ¡°We¡¯ll see how it goes, then we¡¯ll decide. She needed to understand Garett¡¯s situation first, then make a decision. ¡°Alright.¡± Seeing her willing to take him along, the jealousy in his eyes vanished. He lifted his eyes indifferently towards the driver in the front. ¡°Get out of the car-¡± The driver nced at their boss through the rear¨Cview mirror, instantly understanding his meaning. The driver totally got it, hit the automatic curtain button inside the car, then quickly got out On the screen, the luxury car swayed a few times, Robin seemed to have a clue, threw his binocrs away in anger. After throwing it, he thought his action was weird. After all, it¡¯s normal for them as a couple to make love, why was he angry? The more Robin thought about it, the darker his mood became. Just then, Nathan came running towards him with a sun¨Cprotective jacket. ¡°Mr. Spencer, I finally found the jacket you wanted!¡± Robin looked up, coldly staring at Nathan. ¡°Burn it.¡± ¡°Ah! Burn it? Why?¡± What did Mr. Spencer see through the binocrs that made him want the sun¨Cprotective jacket? Nathan gathered all the staff 16 find it, finally found one, why was it suddenly not needed? Robin lifted his foot, aiming it at Nathan, ¡°Just go burn it, got a problem?!¡± Nathan was speechless. Just as Robin took his anger out on Nathan, Katharine sent him a video. The video was of Caleb kissing, with a text, urging him to quicklyget a girlfriend. Robin watched the video for two seconds, then blocked Katharine, even deleted her contact. Better not see her again! Thinking of this, Robin gave Nathan, who was beside him rubbing his leg in pain, another kick. ¡°Prepare the private jet, I¡¯m going home!¡± ¡°Mr. Spencer, aren¡¯t you going to investigate Bernard anymore?¡± ¡°Investigate what? Them getting cozy?!¡± Staying here for so long, Robin couldn¡¯t find a single clue. Every day, he witnessed either Bernard holding Eleanor or pinning her against the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows, seemingly trying to provoke him without even bothering to draw the curtains. It was bing unbearable, and he felt like he might copse if he continued like this! Nathan wanted to express his frustration, thinking it was obvious that if Robin spied on a couple with binocrs all day, he would naturally see them getting cozy. He couldn¡¯t understand why Robin wasted his time focusing on someone else¡¯s business without being productive. What could possibly Robin However, despite his anger, Nathan didn¡¯t dare to voice his thoughts aloud. He clenched his leg in pain and decided to leave. Once he was gone, picked up the binocrs once more, tempted to take another look, but he hesitated. He knew Eleanor was someone else¡¯s wife, and any hope he had should be abandoned. It was time to forget her¡­.. Robin took a deep breath, even breathing hurt. How unlucky, the first person he liked turned out to be someone else¡¯s wife. He can¡¯t steal, can¡¯t watch, can¡¯t touch, and can¡¯t think about her. Otherwise, he¡¯d be morally corrupt. There¡¯s probably no one more unlucky than him in this world¡­ Chapter 1079 Chapter 1079 Hailey¡¯s injuries were mostly physical, she didn¡¯t stay in the hospital long and was discharged pretty quickly Liana came to the hospital on the day Hailey was discharged, helping her pack up her stuff. Every time Liana saw Hailey, she felt¡¯a pang of guilt because of the whole Yeager thing Liana was the one who introduced Yeager and Hailey, even vouched for the guy So, when everything went south and Hailey got hurt, Liana felt like she had messed up big time However, Hailey didn¡¯t seem to care too much. She evenforted Liana, telling her not to beat herself up. Hailey said that this incident was nothingpared to all the crap she¡¯s been through since she was a kid. ¡°Besides, Yeager got what wasing to him, right?¡± When Bernard got wind of Yeager using Garett to stir the pot, he put some pressure on the people handling the case. Before you know it, Yeager was thrown in the mmer They were not sure if Cedric was involved or not, but either way, thewyer that Yeager¡¯s parents hired got schooled by Chase in court. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Yeager getting life in prison was a done deal, not because he tried to rape someone, but because he intentionally hurt a patient. Mr. Caporal¡¯s family and students have some clout internationally. They were never going to let Yeager off the hook, that¡¯s for sure. The reason Bernard didn¡¯t take care of Yeager right away was because it involved a hospital patient. He thought it was up to the patient¡¯s family to deal with it. Liana was well aware of all this, but she was worried that Yeager triggering Garett¡¯s condition could affect Mr. Laurence and Eleanor¡¯s rtionship. ¡°Severe depression is a challenging condition to treat. I¡¯m not sure what will happen when Eleanor meets Garett,¡± said Hailey, as she was changing clothes. She recalled Garett¡¯s seeminglyposed demeanor, but with a glimmer of despair in his eyes, and her expression turned serious. ¡°In reality, if Garett can let go of Eleanor, he should be able to recover,¡± Hailey added optimistically However, as a medical professional, Liana didn¡¯t share the same view. ¡°Mr. Falsey¡¯s depression may not necessarily be solely because he can¡¯t let go of Eleanor Depression is an illness, not just an emotion, she exined. Hailey was about to ask what they should do in such a situation when a pleasant female voice came from outside the ward. ¡°Mr. Laurence, what are you doing here?¡± Judith had just finished visiting a colleague and saw Cedric with his hands in his pockets, leaning against the wall as if waiting for someone. From a distance, the Crystal Area¡¯s president looked quite dignified. Judith had a favorable impression of him and walked over to greet him. Cedric, on the other hand, didn¡¯t recognize Judith. After pondering for a moment, he finally remembered that she was the representative from the H Country and nodded in acknowledgment Seeing that Cedric didn¡¯t seem interested in chatting. Judith pouted slightly, her beautiful face radiating a mature allure. ¡°Mr. Laurence, who are you waiting for?¡± Judith¡¯s gaze shifted towards the interior of the ward, as if she could see through the curtain to the person inside. She couldn¡¯t help but take a few more nces. ¡°Is it your girlfriend?¡± Judith asked tentatively, which annoyed Cedric. He shot her a cold nce. ¡°She¡¯s my future wife.¡± Hearing this from behind the curtain, Hailey lowered her head slowly while Liana gave a small smile. Looks like Mr. Laurence is starting to get it, knowing how to fend off his admirers now Only Judith caught the hint in his words, ¡°So you¡¯re saying you haven¡¯t won her over yet?¡± Cedric gave a coldugh, ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± His indifference piqued Judith¡¯s interest, ¡°Mr. Laurence, I find you quite intriguing. Since the woman you¡¯re chasing hasn¡¯t epted you yet, you wouldn¡¯t mind one more admirer in the meantime, would you?¡± Cedric thought she was a piece of work, ¡°We¡¯ve only met once, stop talking nonsense and get lost.¡± He had been keeping Haileypany these days and finally felt that Hailey wasn¡¯t as resistant to him anymore. He didn¡¯t want her to get the wrong idea because of this woman¡¯s words. He tried to get Judith to leave, but she casually handed him a business card, ¡°I heard Mr. Laurence is quite a yer, never says no to anyone. So, feel free to look me up when you¡¯re lonely at night.¡± Liana nced at Hailey instinctively, seeing that her expression didn¡¯t change, but her grip on the clothes tightened Liana hurried tofort her, ¡°Hailey. don¡¯t listen to that woman¡¯s nonsense, Mr. Laurence has been on his best behavior these past years, he hasn¡¯t been messing around with women Hailey gave a small smile, Liana, whether Mr. Laurence behaves himself, whether he¡¯s been with other women, I couldn¡¯t care less. Whatever we had is in the past, and there won¡¯t be anything between us in the future.¡± Cedric, who just walked into the ward having discarded the business card, heard this and his face darkened. He couldn¡¯t find the words to exin. He almost forgot, during this time, Hailey was always pushing him away. If he hadn¡¯t made up the excuse that Eleanor wanted him to stay and take care of Hailey, he would have been kicked out long ago. Did Haley even care about him? ** cared for him, Cedric couldn¡¯t feel To him, Hailey was like a log, always elusive. Chapter 1080 Chapter 1080 Hailey actually still had feelings for Cedric But she just lost trust in men and thought she wasn¡¯t cut out to talk about marriage anymore. Without waiting for Liana to respond, Hailey drew the curtains and saw Cedric standing still outside. The light from the window made his eyes look a bit dim. Facing Cedric like this. Hailey couldn¡¯t bear to look him in the eyes, she quickly shifted her gaze and looked down at her feet. Cedric stood there for a while, then asked, ¡°Have you packed all your stuff yet?¡± Hailey nodded and went to pick up the suitcase at her side, only to find that Cedric had beaten her to it, taking it from her in a gentlemanly manner, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you home.¡± He didn¡¯t exin anything about Judith, nor did he ask what Hailey meant by what she said, he just carried the suitcase and left the ward. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Watching his handsome back, Hailey felt guilty. Cedric would rather endure it himself than lose his temper at her. He seemed to have matured a lot. Liana, on the other hand, defended Cedric, ¡°Hailey, youthful recklessness doesn¡¯t mean he can¡¯t change for the better.¡± Hailey understood what Liana meant, but she turned her head and smiled at Liana, ¡°Enough about him, what about you? Now that Mr. Webb¡¯s reputation has been cleared, can you guys get back together?¡± Liana¡¯s eyes gradually dropped, ¡°If I can win thewsuit against Will and Tyler Howell, I¡¯ll definitely be with him for the rest of my life.¡± She and Sigrid were very simr, they both knew exactly what they wanted and what they had to do, and once they made up their minds, they never looked back. But for now, the oue of thewsuit was still uncertain, and she chose not to be with Will temporarily to protect him. Hailey asked, ¡°Is the trial taking ce in B City? Eleanor wants me to apany her to see Garett in B City. Why don¡¯t youe with us too? That way, we can take care of each other.¡± Liana smiled and declined, ¡°No need. I¡¯ll fly to B City the day before the trial so that Eleanor can focus on dealing with Mr. Falsey¡¯s case without any distractions¡± Knowing that Liana didn¡¯t like to trouble others, Hailey nodded, ¡°Alright, if you need anything, just give me a call. I¡¯ll definitely help if I can.¡± After bidding farewell to Liana, Hailey and Cedric got into the car together. Eleanor originally wanted to pick her up, but Hailey felt it was unnecessary, so it was just the two of them in the car, which made Hailey feel a bit uneasy She wanted to open the car window for some fresh air, but Cedric closed the window and turned on the air conditioning. In that moment when the air conditioning started, Hailey felt a little ufortable as she nced at Cedric, who was focused on driving. Despite him taking care of her during this time, most of their time was spent in silence. It felt awkward now, yet they had to be together. Cedric wanted to ask Hailey if she still had feelings for him, but considering what she had just gone through, he held back and decided to give her more time Eleanor nned to visit Garett, and coincidentally, George and Pearce Hooper also intended to visit Nina. So she entrusted Nina to the two of them. George was a bit older and more stable, making Eleanor trust him quite a bit. As for Pearce.. Eleanor nced at Pearce, who was lounging on the sofa, swinging his legs and letting Nina pick up darts for him, ¡°Mr. Hooper, if my husband sees you treating his sofa like this, hell definitelye straight back from the office to settle the score with you¡± Pearce didn¡¯t care at all and took a bite of the banana in his hand, ¡°Once you guys leave, I¡¯m the master of this house, I can treat it however I want.¡± Eleanor red at him, ¡°If you weren¡¯t my teacher, I would never let you into my home.¡± Pearce gave a smug smile. George, who was helping Nina pick up darts, chimed in, ¡°Ms. Shultz, I can handle the child by myself, have your bodyguard kick him out! Just as Eleanor was about to respond, she saw Bernard walk in from outside with steady steps. She quickly turned around, wanting to remind Pearce to sit properly, only to find Pearce, who was shoeless just now, had suddenly put on a neat suit and straightened up his body. His hands naturally rested on his knees, his serious demeanor made Eleanor, George, and Nina all stunned. Bernard¡¯s cold eyes scanned the room, and when he didn¡¯t see anything unusual, his gaze went past Pearce andnded on Eleanor. ¡°The helicopter¡¯s here, let¡¯s go ¡°Hailey¡¯s not here yet, let¡¯s wait a bit longer.¡± No sooner had she finished speaking than Hailey walked in, dragging her suitcase, along with Sigrid ¡°I¡¯m going too Sigrid, dressed in a champagne¨Ccolored long dress, looked graceful and elegant, standing at the door. Tye had depression before, sont know how to get out of it. Take me with you, maybe I can help Mr. Clowers.¡± On ber beautiful face was a clear, determined smile, like the morning sun, able to heal all wounds Chapter 1081 Chapter 1081 They both went through simr experiences of suffering for love, struggling as if in mud or hell, leading to them both suffering from depression. They had wholeheartedly loved, but in the end, their love was not reciprocated. Sigrid managed to ovee this ordeal, understanding that her wholehearted love for that person was driven by helplessness andck of choice. But Jason¡­ He too had to let go due to circumstances beyond his control, but what was even more cruel was that the person who once deeply loved him and gave everything to him ended up falling in love with someone else after he regained his memory. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Who could ept that the person they had loved passionately for over a decade suddenly turned to someone else? Sigrid could empathize with Jason¡¯s current despair, which was why she rushed over upon hearing the news. Not for any other reason but because she once faced depression so severe that she contemted suicide, and she hoped that someone woulde to her aid, even if it was just to lend a helping hand. She had no idea how Jason managed to hold on until now, what belief he used to support himself, but she didn¡¯t want to witness someone afflicted with this illness choosing death. Eleanor was taken aback by Sigrid¡¯s arrival, but knowing that Sigrid had experienced depression herself, she thought she might be able to help Garett ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, let¡¯s go together, Sigrid said, tilting her head and giving Eleanor a gentle smile. ¡°Helping others shouldn¡¯t be considered a bother¡± Having been involved in charity work and assisting many people in desperate situations, Sigrid regarded it simply as doing a good deed. Her mild and amiable personality made Eleanor quite fond of her. With the approval of Fiord Roundabout¡¯s hostess and no objections from Bernard, the three women boarded a helicopter Around 7 pm that evening, the nended at Bernard¡¯s private vi. Seeing that it was gettingte, Eleanor invited Hailey and Sigrid to stay overnight at her ce. The moment Haileyid eyes on the stern¨Clooking Bernard, she felt extremely nervous. Sigrid felt the same, and neither of them dared to stay in the same room with Bernard. They quickly decided to leave first. Sigrid took Hailey to her luxurious apartment nearby, which covered several hundred square meters, decorated in ck, white, and grey tones, with numerous wine cabs, which surprised Hailey. ¡°The style here doesn¡¯t seem to match you, Haileymented. As Sigrid opened a wine cab to fetch some wine, she turned to Hailey with a smile and asked, ¡°What style do you think I am?¡± Leaning against the bar counter, Hailey sized up Sigrid and replied, ¡°You look gentle and elegant, like a girl¨Cnext¨Cdoor type. I never expected your home to have a business elite style.¡± The surrounding decor and furniture were all standard configurations for a business elite style, which gave off a cold and impersonal vibe, far from the warmth one would associate with a home. With a smile, Sigrid pulled out a bottle of wine and two sses, handing one to Hailey, ¡°Hailey, give this wine a try.¡± Hearing her name made Hailey pause for a moment when she took the ss. But she quickly recovered, ¡°It¡¯ste, we should go easy on the drinks.¡± A smirk crossed Sigrid¡¯s face, ¡°Worried you¡¯ll spill some secrets after a few drinks?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got no secrets to spill, Hailey shot back. Sigrid clinked her bottle against Hailey¡¯s ss, ¡°Then let¡¯s drink and see who spills their secrets first.¡± Chapter 1082 Chapter 1082 Hailey is a hothead. She instantly agreed and after a few drinks, she realized that Sigrid wasn¡¯t even tipsy, herplexion was normal and she was smiling at her Only then did Hailey realize that beneath Sigrid¡¯s gentle exterior, there was a wild side. She immediately decided she wouldn¡¯t drink with her anymore. ¡°Forget it, I surrender, no more drinking. Signd, however, pulled her back with augh. ¡°Hailey, if you¡¯re going to surrender, at least do it with some conviction.¡± Hailey went silent. She imagined herself staying at Eleanor¡¯s ce, sitting on the couch with Bernard, which was better than that! 1 really made a mistake,¡± she sighed ¡°What do you want to hear from me?¡± Sigrid asked, holding her wine ss, turning around, and leaning against the bar counter, gazing at the bustling street outside. ¡°Tell me about Cedric ¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Hailey¡¯s gaze dimmed ¡°Do you think I have the right to mention Cedric?¡± Hailey questioned. Sigrid withdrew her gaze and looked at Hailey, who felt inadequate inparison ¡°As long as you are willing, what does having the right even matter?¡± The disdain for societal norms in Sigrid¡¯s words made Hailey feel that Sigrid¡¯s inner maturity surpassed her own Indeed, having experienced such intense and painful love and having suffered from depression, how could Sigrid not be mature? But Hailey didn¡¯t know how to respond to her question. She stared at her red wine, silent for a moment before she finally spoke. ¡°I¡¯m not getting married again.¡± She didn¡¯t mention Cedric, but her answer made everything clear. Sigrid knew well, when a woman no longer loves a man, she would say it without hesitation, like she did. But Hailey was holding back. Not getting married again was self¨Crestraint, but it didn¡¯t mean she no longer loved Cedric She felt that her brother still had a chance, but how to seize this opportunity was up to him. ¡°What about you?¡± Hailey turned her head to look at Sigrid, who was leaning against the bar counter with her. In the spacious apartment, they didn¡¯t turn on all the lights, only the warm lights in the bar area. A few soft warm lights were shining above their heads, casting a warm glow. ¡°Are you asking about Chase, or Peterson Sharp?¡± Seeing her talking about Chase in such a light tone, Hailey knew she had genuinely moved on. ¡°Can¡¯t you give Chase another chance?¡± After knowing about Chase¡¯s situation, Hailey also felt sorry for him. He had lost everything. ¡°Eleanor experienced life and death, and she still gave Bernard a chance. You and Chase only had a misunderstanding, why¡­¡± ¡°The reason Eleanor forgave Bernard was that she still loved him deep down. If she forced herself to stop loving him like I did, Bernard wouldn¡¯t have a chance in this lifetime¡± Sigrid saw through everything, gently interrupting Hailey Hailey looked at Sigrid for a few seconds, then slowly looked away. ¡°What about Peterson?¡± Since she had moved on, there was no need to talk about Chase ¡°He seems to have someone he likes.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Hailey didn¡¯t understand, he even rushed over to marry you.¡± ¡°If one¡¯s heart is dead, it doesn¡¯t matter who they marry¡± Peterson gave her the impression of being indifferent to everything. After thinking about it, Peterson saying that the person he liked was already married might be true. Only after losing a loved one would one feel it didn¡¯t matter who they married as long as the person was suitable. Like her, in the past. ¡°But that¡¯s not fair to you Sigrid looked at Hailey and gave a slight smile. ¡°Hailey, don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s not interested in me and I don¡¯t feel anything for him¡± She believed that Peterson would message her soon, apologizing. ¡°Sorry, Ms. Laurence, maybe we should reconsider.¡± ¡°And what was going on with you two recently?¡± ¡°We were just putting on a show¡± Chapter 1083 Chapter 1083 Eleanor tossed and turned on the bed, unable to fall asleep. She wondered if it was because she slept in a strange environment. She decided to open her eyes and looked at Bernard, who was lying next to her with his eyes closed, seemingly asleep. She reached out to touch his long, eyshes but he caught her wrist and pulled her into his embrace. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°If you can¡¯t sleep because you miss Garett, I will punish you; Bernard¡¯s cold voice was filled with jealousy, causing Eleanor to burst intoughter. I¡¯m not thinking about him, she replied. Bernard slowly opened his eyes. Then what are you thinking about?¡± I¡¯m wondering why the moon is so big and round, it¡¯s keeping me awake, Eleanor teased. Bernard followed her gaze to the moon outside the window. He then released Eleanor, got up, and closed the curtains, turning off the nightmp. ¡°Now you can¡¯t see anything Go to sleep, tomorrow we have to meet Garett,¡± he said, his tone somewhat displeased and even stiff. In the darkness, Eleanor stole a nce at him. Just as she finished, his arm reached out, startling her. ¡°Rest your head here,¡± he said calmly. Whenever she couldn¡¯t sleep, Eleanor liked to rest her head on his arm, lie in his embrace, and ce her legs over his waist. This position always helped her drift off to sleep quickly. Bernard knew about her habit and always indulged her. Many times, even though his arm was numb, he wouldn¡¯t move, being considerate. Eleanor leaned into his arms, smelling the faint scent of cedar on him, and slowly fell asleep. In the dark night, Bernard held her quietly, listening to her breathing. Unlike before, he didn¡¯t hear her mention Garett in her dreams. He still didn¡¯t know why Eleanor would call out Garett¡¯s name in her dreams. Because he didn¡¯t know, he often sat alone at the head of the bed all night, just to see if she would still call out Garett¡¯s name in her dreams. He admitted he was a bit petty, every mention of Garett made him uneasy. Like now, knowing they were to meet Garett tomorrow, he felt very irritable. Bernard stayed awake all night, and Eleanor too seemed to have something on her mind, waking up after only a few hours of sleep. After getting ready. she greeted Bernard, but he didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Bernard, you agreed to this yourself, don¡¯t be so petty now.¡± Bernard was silent for a few seconds, then he took his eyes off his phone screen and looked at Eleanor. ¡°Why do you need makeup just for a hospital visit?¡± Eleanor asked. She had applied some foundation to cover the dark circles under her eyes as she didn¡¯t sleep wellst night, but she didn¡¯t intentionally do a full makeup. ¡°Remove the makeup, Bernard demanded. Eleanor nced at her wristwatch. ¡°I made ns to meet Hailey at 8 o¡¯clock. We don¡¯t have enough time.¡± Bernard¡¯s cold gaze turned anxious. ¡°Then let¡¯s go another day.¡± Feeling helpless, Eleanor had no choice but to return to the room. As she removed her makeup, she appeared even younger, and Bernard regretted his decision. Wouldn¡¯t her youthful appearance evoke memories of their younger days if she went to meet Garett like this? He walked over and untied Eleanor¡¯s high ponytail, then casually tied it into a lower one. He deliberately transformed her image into that of a mature woman, albeit reluctantly, before allowing her to leave. As Eleanor stepped outside, Bernard closely watched her retreating figure. Suddenly, he got up and went after her, reaching out to hold her hand. ¡®I¡¯ll drive you there,¡± he said. Bernard had the driver get out of the car, then opened the passenger door, signaling her to get in. Eleanor felt baffled and amused. She wasn¡¯t going to run away, why was he so nervous? ¡°Why don¡¯t you just put a tracker on me?¡± That way he could monitor her at all times, in case she did run away. The man leaned against the car door and didn¡¯t say anything, just nced at the inside of the car. ¡°Get in Eleanor helplessly got into the car, and only then did the man close the door, walk around to the driver¡¯s side, and started the car. Chapter 1084 Chapter 1084 The car quickly pulled up under Sigrid¡¯s apartmentplex, with Hailey silently waiting by the side. As soon as she saw the car, she rushed forward to open the door. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. When she saw that it was Bernard driving and that Eleanor, who sat in the passenger seat, looked like a middle¨Caged woman in disguise, she swallowed subconsciously She carefully climbed into the back seat. Eleanor asked her if Sigrid wasn¡¯ting Hailey only replied, ¡°Bringing her along right now might seem inappropriate, so let¡¯s check out the situation first, then she cane before falling silent again A husband apanying his wife to meet her first love, what a messed up scenario. Who would dare to say anything? But overall, the vibe during the entire ride was harmonious, with no conflicts arising. When the car pulled up in front of the Clowers family mansion, Eleanor¡¯s face gradually turned pale. Seeing her like this, Hailey remembered that this was the ce where Eleanor had once knelt in front of the Clowers family¡¯s door, begging Garett not to abandon her Familiar memories flooded back, and Eleanor clutched her chest, calming herself down for a while before slowly regaining her normal expression¡­. Bernard, however, thought she was feeling nervous and scared about seeing Garett, which was why she looked so pale His hand gripping the steering wheel felt like it was on fire, and he suddenly tightened his grip. ¡°You have two hours, get out when you¡¯re done examining the patient.¡± How is it still being timed¡± Whilst reminiscing about the past Eleanor, upon hearing this statement, her delicate eyebrows instantaneously furrowed. She perceived Bernard to be utterly untrustworthy, despite the initial agreement. He had promised that during the day, she would care for Garett, and in the evening, she could return, but now he unexpectedly wants to impose a time constraint? Seated in the back, Hailey cast a nce at the displeased countenance of Eleanor, then at the indifferent demeanor of Bernard. To avoid being entangled in the situation, she extended her hand to push the door open. However, just as she was about to do so, Bernard¡¯s cold voice resonated within the car-¡°No contact, maintain distance.¡± Hailey was startled and immediately withdrew her hand, obediently returning to her seat. As for Eleanor, she turned her head and red at Bernard, asking, ¡°Do you have any other demands?¡± Assuming that she wanted him to articte all his requests at once, Bernard lowered his head, earnestly pondering ¡°How about this then? I will take you there together, and you can supervise on the sidelines. What do you think?¡± Sensing her dissatisfaction, Bernard realized he might have overstepped and closed his mouth, not saying anything more. But before Eleanor got out of the car, Bernard still managed to coldly say, ¡°Don¡¯t get too involved, remember to think about me.¡± Eleanor and Hailey remained silent. The squeaking sound from the steering wheel scared Hailey so much that she quickly jumped out of the car Eleanor didn¡¯t want to deal with him initially, but she could understand Bernard¡¯s feelings. If he were to meet Sophie Ratliff, she might overthink too. With that thought, she leaned against the car seat, tumed slightly, and kissed Bernard¡¯s cheek, ¡°Darling, don¡¯t worry, the one I love is you¡± These words seemed to have a magical effect, instantly calming Bernard¡¯s anxiety. He lowered his eyes, a smile tugging at his lips, ¡°Mm, I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± Eleanor gently stroked his chin, lightly kissing his thin lips before finally stepping out of the car. As soon as the car door closed, Hailey rolled her eyes at her, saying, ¡°Only you would coddle a man like this, I certainly wouldn¡¯t.¡± Eleanor¡¯s personality was quite different from Hailey¡¯s. She was more gentle, more understanding of when topromise, ¡®Sometimes, coddling a man is more effective than arguing¡± See, the man in the car, wasn¡¯t he letting her meet Garett peacefully now? Finding the right method is important. Hailey didn¡¯t entirely agree with this, but she didn¡¯t argue, instead, she pulled Eleanor towards the Clowers family mansion¡­. The two of them stepped into the Clowers family mansion, just like they did years ago when they came to find Garett. They entered through the front door, crossing the tall threshold, taking each step inward The only difference was that back then, they forcefully intruded, whereas now they were respectfully invited in by the servants.. Perhaps knowing in advance that they woulde. Garett had changed into clean clothes and sat in his wheelchair, surrounded by a sea of flowers, awaiting their arrival. Upon catching sight of the petite figure approaching him from afar, his crystal¨Cclear and handsome countenance gradually revealed a faint smile. Eleanor, it¡¯s been a long time since west met. Chapter 1085 Chapter 1085 From afar, the guy standing in a sea of flowers still looked as fresh and charming as he did when he was young The familiar face and silhouette gradually became clear in her view, just like a dream. Every step she took towards him, her heart sunk into silence, and countless memories surged into her mind. What she remembered was how well Garett treated her What Garett remembered was the lost Eleanor They locked eyes, in his eyes there was only her, and in hers, there was only relief They once promised each other forever, even made ns for their next lives, but in the end, she no longer belonged to him. Tears blurred Garett¡¯s eyes, hiding his inner pain beneath the tears, revealing a smile as warm as the spring breeze. Seeing his gentle smile, Eleanor stopped in front of him, stretched out her hand like an old friend reuniting after many years. ¡°Garett, long time no see¡± He looked at the hand in front of him, silently for a few seconds, then lifted his hand from his knee to lightly hold hers. The corners of Garett¡¯s eyes turned red ¡°Mrs Laurence, long time no see¡± He gazed at his hands before him, silently contemting for a few seconds. Then, he lifted his hand from his knee and gently sped hers. A tinge of redness appeared in the corners of Garett¡¯s eves. ¡°Mrs. Laurence, it¡¯s been a long time,¡± he addressed her, employing this form of address to create a distance between them and to remind himself that his beloved Eleanor had be someone else¡¯s wife, leaving no room for any delusions. Once deeply enamored lovers, their fingers briefly touched before releasing each other¡¯s grasp One standing the other sitting, they suddenly found themselves wordless. After a few moments, Eleanor, beneath Garett¡¯s bewildered gaze, bent down and squatted before him, compassionately inspecting his legs. ¡°Garett, how are your legs now?¡± she asked, and Garett s gaze shifted from the hands that had just held hers,nding upon Eleanor Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°The expert Hailey rmended said that as long as I cooperate with the treatment, I may be able to stand up¡± Hearing this news, a joyful smile appeared on Eleanor¡¯s face. ¡°Really?¡± Garett smiled and nodded, then looked at Halley next to him. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it, you can ask Hailey.¡± The expert was rmended by Bernard, Eleanor of course believed, but she still looked back at Hailey ¡°I forgot to tell you, but the expert indeed said that as long as he cooperates with the treatment, he may be able to stand up¡± After Halley finished speaking, she looked worriedly at Garett. He was suffering from severe depression and lost interest in the world, would he really cooperate with the treatment? Eleanor was also worried about this, but she didn¡¯t show it, just lifted her chin and smiled at Garett. ¡°Garell, you must cooperate with the treatment. When you stand up, I¡¯ll give you a big gift¡± Garett, who was already in a predicament, didn¡¯t care about whether he could stand up, but Eleanor¡¯s expectations made it hard for him to refuse. ¡°Okay¡± The actual content of the gift was not significant; whatever she mentioned, he would eagerlyply and do his best to fulfill her wishes, ensuring she would never be disappointed As she looked at him, he remained as amodating as he was in his youth. Whatever she said, whatever demands she made, he would readily agree. Her heart was once again filled with guilt. Lifting her gaze, she carefully observed the man seated in the wheelchair. Though his face was still recognizable, he had be so emaciated that barely any flesh remained. His body had weakened to such an extent that it seemed a gust of wind could whisk him away. Hisplexion was as white as a sheet, devoid of any radiance, resembling a person awaiting death, tormented by illness and devoid of hope. It seemed that he hadn¡¯t slept well for several days, with deep hollows beneath his eyes, prominent dark circles engraved on his face like a branded mark. Despite Carett having cleaned himself up to meet her, she could still perceive the weariness and fatigue emanating from him. He wanted to make her believe he was doing well, but in reality, his condition was far from it. If she had known that Garett would end up like this, she would have preferred him to forget her forger rather than witnessing him in this state. She felt ashamed/lowering her eyes and avoiding meeting his gaze. It was as if she feared seeing only herself reflected in his eyes, knowing she would be unable to hold back her tears Chapter 1086 Chapter 1086 ¡°Eleanor, Hailey told me yesterday that you¡¯d drop by I had Yilin prepare a bunch of your favorite dishes. Stick around for lunch¡± When he got the news, he almost chickened out, but then he thought better of it. If he didn¡¯t see her, Eleanor might think he was still hung up on the past He wanted Eleanor to know that he was over it, so she could settle down with Bernard and live the rest of her life happily That¡¯s what she really deserved But it had been so long since he saw her that he was tossing and turning all night. By the time 5 am rolled around, he was sitting in the middle of the flower field, waiting for her. When the morning sun finally came out, he saw the one person who had been on his mind. The moment he saw her, his heart started to race again. He realized that he would never get over the past in this lifetime, but he had to fake it till he made it. ¡°Okay¡± With tears glistening in her eyes, Eleanor smiled and nodded. Garett guided her into the house, and as they passed through the entrance, his wheelchair came to a slight pause. He remembered that in this very spot, Eleanor had once knelt and pleaded with him repeatedly, begging him not to abandon her. If he could return to that moment, he would hold Eleanor tightly and firmly dere, ¡°Alnight, I will never abandon you¡± However, time had passed, and the years could not be reversed. Some things, even with regret, couldn¡¯t be undone As Eleanor entered. Yilia, now married, immediately came forward to greet her ¡®Ms. Shultz, it¡¯s truly been a long time,¡± she said, holding Eleanor¡¯s hand and appraising her from head to toe. ¡°I never expected you to remain as beautiful as ever.¡± ¡°So are you¡± Seeing the happy girl in front of her, Eleanor smiled faintly, but her eyes fell on Yilia¡¯s belly. There was a slight bump on Vilia¡¯s belly Clearly, she was pregnant ¡°This is mine and Colter Clowers¡® baby¡± Yilia pointed to her belly, then wrapped her arm around Colter, resting her head on his arm. ¡°Yilia, congrattions¡± Who would have thought the little girl from the past was now married to Colter. That was really nice In the face of Eleanor¡¯s well¨Cwishes, Yilia¡¯s smile grew even brighter, herplexion rosy, exuding an air of happiness. It was evident that Colter treated her exceptionally well, and this had kept her optimistic, leading a joyous life. Yilia took Colter¡¯s hand and greeted Eleanor before engaging in a brief conversation. After a while, she stood up and went to the kitchen. Hailey followed Yilia to the kitchen, leaving Eleanor and Garett some space. With their departure, the living room suddenly became tranquil, and Eleanor looked at Garett ¡®Garett, your home has such a wonderful atmosphere¡± Garett, who had been sitting quietly beside her, came back to himself and nodded in agreement. ¡°With Yilia and Colter around, life is never dull¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. After saying this, Garett nced at Colter, who had been staring at Eleanor, signaling him not to give her the stink eye. Feeling Garett¡¯s gaze, Colter¡¯s anger subsided a bit, but Eleanor still noticed it. In fact, she had sensed Colter¡¯s hostility when Yilia pulled him over to say hi. He was probably peeved on Garett¡¯s behalf. Eleanor understood and didn¡¯t take it to heart. Time passed in silence, and Eleanor was still unsure how to bring up the depression issue. Just as she was hesitating and wondering how to broach the topic, Garett beat her to the punch. ¡°Eleanor, how¡¯s it going with Bernard?¡± Even though he knew they were doing fine, Garett still asked, as if trying to find out something about her or them. ¡°Doing okay¡± This simple response didn¡¯t reveal much about Bernard, but it conveyed Eleanor¡¯s feelings for him. Chapter 1087 Chapter 1087 Garett didn¡¯t press for more, he elegantly lifted his hand, picked up the coffee pot on the table, poured it into the cup, and handed it over to Eleanor ¡°You used to watch the headmaster making coffee when you were a kid, saying you wanted to be a barista when you grow up. Well, have you learned how to make it now?¡± His words were casual, making Eleanor¡¯s tense face rx gradually She took the cup, put it to her lips, took a slow sip, and then smiled ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I might not have the knack for it¡± Upon seeing Eleanor¡¯s familiar and sweet smile, Garett¡¯s serene eyes gradually revealed a hint of warmth. He began to introduce the different types of coffee to Eleanor Though she seemed to only partially grasp the details, she nodded in acknowledgment. ¡°Garett, when did you start liking coffee? I remember you didn¡¯t care for it before,¡± she inquired. Because you wanted to be a barista, I took your ce and became one This was the silent answer Garett provided in his heart, but he chose not to vocalize it. Eleanor thought her question might have been foolish since he didn¡¯t respond, and she tried to conceal her embarrassment by sipping her coffee. After a few more seconds of silence, Eleanor set down her cup and lifted her gaze, looking at the tranquil Garell (Garett, you were supposed to marry one of the daughters of the Herman family. Why haven¡¯t I heard any news of your impending wedding?¡± Garett¡¯s grip on the coffee cup tightened, and his expression dimmed for a moment. Tve broken off the engagement with her he replied. Eleanor frowned. ¡°Why?¡± Because you married Bernard, I don¡¯t need to pretend anymore. Garett thought, but he said, Because, she found someone more suitable for her.¡± Eleanor looked into Garett¡¯s clear eyes, seemed to notice something, and then turned her gaze away. ¡°Garett, I¡¯m not that great, so you don¡¯t have to give up everything for me. It¡¯s not worth it.¡± She had always avoided discussing their feelings, but¡­.¡­¡­.. She realized that to let Garett let go of the past, they must talk about it. They couldn¡¯t avoid the issue between them. Garett¡¯s long eyshes drooped slowly, and he spoke with a gentle tone, ¡°Eleanor, I have already let go of you, so what is there to give up?¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. He imed to have moved on, so it seemed inappropriate for Eleanor to bring up the topic again. Just like before, Garett always knew how to calm her down. While Eleanor remained silent, Garett¡¯s countenance softened, and he smiled calmly at her. ¡°Are you here today because of my depression?¡± When Eleanor didn¡¯t know how to approach the subject, Garett took the initiative to bring it up, spanng her from feeling too ufortable. He had actually hoped to keep this from Eleanor, but the doctors discovered it, and he had no choice but to reveal the truth to her. ¡°Yes,¡± she finally responded. Eleanor, who picked up her coffee cup again, responded and then looked at the indifferent Garett with some worry ¡°I heard your depression has gotten pretty serious I want to be there for you during this tough time.¡± Garett¡¯s heart suddenly fluttered, picturing a beautiful scene of living together with her, but it was just his wishful thinking. ¡°Who told you I have severe depression?¡± He put down the coffee cup in his hand, calmly facing Eleanor¡¯s probing gaze. ¡°I¡¯m just a bit depressed, it¡¯s not that bad. Why do you need to be with me through this tough time?¡± Chapter 1088 Chapter 1088 No matter howposed and natural Garett tried to appear, Eleanor couldn¡¯t fully believe him. She knew he would do his best to conceal the truth from her Garett always took it upon himself to shoulder everything ensuring she wouldn¡¯t be affected in any way Eleanor understood him very well and knew that beneath his calm facade, he might be struggling tremendously at the moment ¡°Garett, Hailey has already informed me about your condition. You don¡¯t need to hide it from me,¡± she gently confronted him. Garett acted as if he suddenly remembered something, looking at Eleanor with a faint smile ¡°Actually the doctors misdiagnosed I didn¡¯t have a chance to tell Hailey before you both arrived¡± To prove his words, Garett look out his phone and found the contact information of the depression specialist, offering it to Eleanor. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can call my doctor. He shouldn¡¯t deceive you when caught off guard, right?¡± But who¡¯s to say if he had alreadymunicated with the doctor before knowing she woulde? After contemting for a moment, Eleanor pushed away the phone Garett handed her ¡°Garett, I n to come and see you every day Are you sure you don¡¯t want that?¡± This was her way of giving him an opportunity to be together again. How could Garett not want that? ¡°If youe to see me, what about Bernard¡± Garett trailed off, subconsciously ncing at the watch on his wrist. It hadn¡¯t been two hours yet, and he felt a slight sense of relief ¡°I¡¯ve already discussed it with him, and he agrees to let mee and see you¡± Depressed individuals don¡¯t need persuasion or warnings. They needpanionship Even without speaking, just having someone by their side can make them feel slightly better. Eleanor believed that only through this way could he find redemption, and she could find a way to resolve her deep¨Cseated quilt Upon hearing that it was her and Bernard¡¯s arrangement, Garett¡¯s smile shifted from rxed to bittersweet. ¡°Eleanor, there are already Yilia, Colter, my father, doctors, and nurses at home. There are plenty of people, you really don¡¯t need to apany me.¡± He remained upright and honest, even though he truly wished Eleanor could be by his side. However, to avoid jeopardizing their rtionship, he declined. He understood that if they were to meet daily and be together all the time, he might not be able to contro! his emotions. He worried not about Eleanor, but about himself. How could he not yearn for her when she was so close? Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Her tears, hot as boiling water, hit Garett¡¯s heart, making his eyes well up too. ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll stay strong¡± The one thing that kept him going was Eleanor ¡°I know you¡¯d be devastated if anything happened to me. So, I¡¯ll stay strong¡± It was only because of Eleanor that he could fight depression, otherwise, he would have given up long ago. With tears in his eyes. Garett gazed at Eleanor, a faint, pure smile on his face. ¡°You said you¡¯d be with me in the afterlife. I have to wait for you to leave this world before I can follow. I¡¯m afraid you wouldn¡¯t find me if I left first ¡°You¡¯re such a foot..¡± Garettughed again. ¡°If I weren¡¯t a fool, how could I forget you?¡± Those words let loose another wave of tears from Eleanor¡¯s eyes. Chapter 1089 Chapter 1089 When Garett saw her, heughed and said. ¡°You were such a crybaby when you were young, and look at you now, all grown up and still a crybaby¡± Even though he was ribbing her, he gently picked up a tissue from the side to wipe her tears. Mid wipe, he saw the wedding ring on her finger and slowly dropped his hand. ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t worry about me. God looks after good people, and I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll outlive most of them Eleanor dried her own tears, looking at his smiling face, she gave a slight nod ¡°I have a friend who used to be depressed, but she¡¯s well now Can I bring her over tomorrow, and she can tell you how she got better?¡± She knew Garett was stubborn Once he made up his mind, he wouldn¡¯t back down If he wouldn¡¯t agree, she¡¯d just have to find another way Garett turned down herpany, her good intentions. He was too sensitive, too resistant, but he finally agreed ¡°Ainght I¡¯ll do as you say¡± Even if she told him to marry someone else, he wouldn¡¯t hold it against her Once they got that off their chests, the atmosphere between them lightened. ¡°Try a different coffee, see if you can taste the difference?¡± Eleanor quickly stopped him. ¡°Spare me, I really don¡¯t know a thing about coffee.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to taste coffee, then let¡¯s go see the flower fields.¡± ¡°Okay¡± Seeing her interest in flowers over coffee, Garett put down his coffee cup with a smile. He asked Colter to push the wheelchair, but Eleanor beat him to it, grabbing the handles of the wheelchair. ¡°Let me.¡± She pushed Garett toward the garden. The house was in the middle, surrounded by a sea of flowers. Eleanor pushed him from the backyard to the front yard. The golden sun shone through the mottled shadows of the trees, casting a warm light over them, making them look like a loving couple. Garett seemed a bit unwell, just a little sun was enough to make him look pale. Eleanor saw the sweat on his forehead and bent over to persuade him. ¡°Garett, should we go back inside?¡± Garett raised his frail finger and gently waved it off. ¡°I nted a pear tree you love, I haven¡¯t shown you yet.¡± His garden was full of flowers Eleanor loved as a child He used this as a way to remember the past and make up for it. There were wet wipes in the pocket at the back of the wheelchair. Eleanor hesitated for a second, then took one out. She was about to hand it to him, but when she touched his frail figure, she slowly retracted her hand. She crouched down by the wheelchair and used the wet wipe to wipe the sweat off his forehead. When she was sick in the past, he took care of her just like this. She never forgot his kindness. Garett was taken aback, looking into her eyes, his eyes turned red. Bernard saw this scene, his anxiety that had just calmed down suddenly surged back up. Eleanor. I told you not to get too involved, but now you¡¯re not only involved, you¡¯repletely immersed! Bernard reached out and picked up the cell phone in the car ¡°[Two hours are up, when are youing out?]¡± After sending the message, he looked back at the two in the garden.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 1090 Chapter 1090 Eleanor wasn¡¯t distracted by her phone, instead she was intently wiping Garett¡¯s forehead. Garett, touched by her came, looked at her for a while before finally speaking ¡°Eleanor, you¡¯ve got your own family now. It¡¯s not right for you to take care of me like this.¡± Eleanor smiled faintly a trace of sadness shing in her eyes. ¡°Garett if you don¡¯t mind treat me as your sister¡® Though it sounded brutal between them, it was their ultimate destination Let those deep feelings, those unforgettable memories, transform into familial love. Garett¡¯s eyes were blurred with tears. He lifted his head slightly The sunlight pierced through the dense branches, stabbing into his eyes. Though it stung a bit, he bravely faced the light, holding back his tears, and then pretended tough it off ¡°Then, would you mind, my sister, cleaning my face once more?¡± He lowered his head slightly leaning towards Eleanor, his tone brimming with joy, as if embracing her as family. Seeing his agreement, Eleanor¡¯s smile grew even wider ¡°Alright¡± She picked up the wet wipes again, gently cleaned his face, and then stood up to push his wheelchair.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. They found shelter under a tree, and Garett gazed at the yet to bloom branches, a faint smile still on his face. ¡°Eleanor, by next spring, this tree will be adorned with white flowers. It¡¯s going to be beautiful¡± Eleanor followed his gaze to the tree, nodding in agreement. ¡°Then¡­ I¡¯lle to appreciate the flowers with you next spring¡± Garett turned his head, smiling at Eleanor. ¡°Is this a promise?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a promise.¡± Garett felt touched. This promise, like a life¨Csaving straw, pulled him out of the abyss in an instant. Tll be waiting for you next spring, don¡¯t break your promise.¡± ¡°Okay¡± Eleanor¡¯s affirmative response brought a relieved smile to Garett¡¯s eyes. Since they couldn¡¯t be together in this life, let him exist in her world as her brother. Bernard watched the pair through the car window, then slowly retracted his hand. Theirughter and chatter made him think, that¡¯s how it should be. And he was just a sudden outsider in their lives¡­. This thought shed past, Bernard¡¯s eyes drooped, his vision bing blurry¡­. The throbbing pain at his temples caused him to reflexively raise his hand to his forehead¡­ He endured the pain, raising his cold gaze, looking at them as if gazing at distant stars. Garett had prepared a lot of food that Eleanor liked, a table full of delicacies. After Yilia warmly invited Eleanor to sit down, she left the dining room with Colter and the servants, leaving the three of them some space to chat Hailey often visited, so she wasn¡¯t shy, sometimes getting Eleanor to rx a bit. Garett cut a steak for Eleanor and handed it to her ¡°I remember you used to like beef, eat more.¡± Although she seemed a bit more filled out than a few years ago, he still hoped she would eat more. ¡°Okay¡± Eleanor obediently picked up hier fork and ate the steak he had cut for her. The beef was indeed jender and juicy, but she didn¡¯t know when she had stopped liking beef. She remembered following Bernard around No. 8 Mansion, where he always asked the chef to prepare her some delicacies. Probably around that time, her taste was changed by Bernard She didn¡¯t expect that when her mood changed, her taste would change too. Humans are such complex creatures. When she thought of Bernard, Eleanor quickly lifted her wrist and nced at the time on her watch ** Chapter 1091 Chapter 1091 Bernard didn¡¯t return Eleanor¡¯s calls, leaving her clutching her phone, urging the driver to speed up Back at the vi in B City Bernard was sprawled on the couch, getting his head checked out by a private doc. ¡°How¡¯s he doing doc?¡± Aidyn had called the doctor in a panic when Bernard came back with a killer headache After checking him over, the doctor put away his tools, peeled off his sterile gloves, and gave Aidyn the lowdown *Judging from Bernard¡¯s symptoms, it seems like the headache could be due to stress or overworking his brain.¡± Aidyn nced at Bernard, a frown creasing his face. He couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy about the whole situation after all, Mrs. Laurence was meeting her ex with Bernard¡¯s approval ¡°Is there a chance his tumor could recur?¡± ¡°At the moment, we haven¡¯t detected any signs of that. But given the limited equipment I have with me, it¡¯d be best to get a full check¨Cup at the hospital¡± Having said that, the doctor pulled out two bottles of pills from his medical bag and handed them to Aidyn. ¡°These are painkillers. If he¡¯s in pain, he can take two each time¡± Aidyn took the medication and asked, ¡°Anything else we should watch out for?¡± ¡°For someone who¡¯s had brain surgery before, it¡¯s crucial they maintain a bnced diet and keep their emotions in check, Also, it¡¯s best not to overuse their brain.¡± Coincidentally, Bernard was feeling stressed while watching Eleanor take care of Garett, and overthinking had his brain working overtime. ¡°We should ensure Bernard keeps his emotions steady. Right now, it¡¯s just a headache, but if his blood pressure goes up, it could lead to a second brain hemorrhage.¡± Aidyn took note of these points. After sending the doc off, he poured Bernard a ss of water and handed him the pills. He watched Bernard down the meds before trying fo reason with him ¡°Bernard, Garett¡¯s sick and you¡¯re not feeling well either You allowed your wife to help Garett, but who¡¯s going to help you? You really shouldn¡¯t let Eleanor take care of Garett anymore¡± Bernard, who¡¯d had his eyes closed the whole time, barely opened them, a frosty gazending on Aidyn. ¡°It¡¯s just a minor issue, not really sick ¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Aidyn wanted to say more, but Bernard was already looking out the window, a car pulling into the vi. ¡°Get out, don¡¯t bber to Eleanor.¡± Following Bernard¡¯s gaze, Aidyn saw Eleanor stepping out of the car and understood what he meant. He looked at Bernard for a few seconds, but in the end, didn¡¯t say anything just sighed in resignation and left. After getting out of the car, Eleanor headed straight for the master bedroom on the second floor. Seeing Bernard standing by the window, she breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Honey, I¡¯m sorry lost track of time. You¡¯ve been waiting for so long¡± She walked up to him, hugging him from behind, resting her face against his sturdy back. His shirt always had a faint scent about it. Inhaling this familiar smell, Eleanor felt her worries gradually subsiding. ¡°Honey, have you eaten yet? Are you hungry?¡± Bernard looked down at the hand encircling his waist. His eyes sparkled like the stars as he stared for a moment before slowly prying Eleanor¡¯s fingers off ¡°I¡¯m not hungry¡± His cold response betrayed his current displeasure. Eleanor thought he was mad at her foring out two hourste and immediately tried to hug him again. ¡°Sweetheart, don¡¯t be mad. It¡¯s all my fault for noting out in time.¡± When she hugged him from the front and looked up at him, she noticed that Bernard¡¯s face was a bit pale and there was clear pain in his expression. ¡°Babe, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Chapter 1092 Chapter 1092 Eleanor reached out, touching his face, only to have her wrist seized by Bernard That right hand, once wiped Garett¡¯s forehead and face. It made him feel unsettled. He knew he was making a mountain out of a molehill, but he just couldn¡¯t shake off the bad mood This bad feeling, it was like an animal trapped in a cage gnawing at him. He reminded himself, don¡¯t lose temper, don¡¯t give her the silent treatment. So he tried to suppress this strange irritation, ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°But your face¡­¡± His lips were pale, looked like he just went through hell, looked really worn out ¡°Tell me, are you feeling unwell somewhere?¡± Eleanor felt so sorry for him, wanted to touch his face again. But he calmly held her wrist, leading her into the bathroom. He turned on the faucet, cing her right hand under the water. ¡°Your palm is all sweaty Clean it up before hugging me.¡± Eleanor looked up at him. He never cared about her sweaty palms before, why now¡­. She felt somewhat indescribable. She felt that Bernard at this moment was a bit distant. Bernard calmly again and again, helped her clean her hand. ¡°In the future, when you go to see Garett, I won¡¯t apany you¡± ¡°Why?¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Hasn¡¯t he always wanted to be by her side? Bernard didn¡¯t respond, his indifferent eyes were deeply hiding his emotions. He dried her hand, threw away the paper towel, and then washed his hand with soap again Looking at the silent man in front of the sink, Eleanor frowned deeply. ¡°Babe, I thought you were joking. I didn¡¯t realize you were senous.¡± Every time facing this cold Bernard, she felt scared, but she still mustered the courage to hug him. ¡°I promise you, I¡¯ll leave two hours after I see Garett tomorrow Stop being mad at me, okay?¡± When she leaned over, she was like a warm me, gradually warming his body Bernard turned around, lifted Eleanor onto the sink, then looked up at her. ¡°You stay as long as you want, don¡¯t worry about me¡± She could tell he was angry, so she wrapped her arms around his neck hurriedly and kissed his pale lips. ¡°Babe, what should I do to make you stop being mad?¡± Her soft lips touched his, making his Adam¡¯s apple involuntarily roll a bit. ¡°I¡¯m not mad¡± He was clearly moved, but he still pretended to be calm. Seeing him like this, Eleanor kissed his cheek lightly again. ¡°If I¡¯mte for an hour, I¡¯ll make it up to you for an hour, okay?¡± Bernard seemed surprised that she would propose such a condition, his indifferent eyes were a bit taken aback. ¡°I don¡¯t want it Looking at his somewhat pal¨¦ face, Eleanor pondered for a few seconds, then gently reached out to touch his face again. ¡°Babe, you look really ufortable. Should I take you to the hospital?¡± She tried to move away from the sink, but Bernard held her tightly ¡°Kiss me,¡± he requested Eleanor didn¡¯t understand why he suddenly changed his mind, hesitated for a bit, then cradled his face and kissed him. During the kiss, she noticed that he didn¡¯t close his eyes. She thought a quick peck would be enough, but unexpectedly, he suddenly opened his lips. As his lips enveloped hers, Eleanor felt his kiss grow fervent and intense, as if he wanted to devour her whole He pressed her against the sink, everything was so decisive, a stark contrast to his previous cold demeanor when he said ¡°I don¡¯t want it¡°. Bernard opened his eyes, looking at the woman with her hands tightly around his neck, her sharp nails digging into his back muscles. ¡°Who¡¯s the one you truly love? ¡°Darling, it¡¯s you¡­¡± Chapter 1093 Chapter 1093 Eleanor, lost in deep passion, was a bit dazed but her heart knew where her feelingsy, so she naturally uttered these words. Upon hearing her response, Bernard¡¯s inner turmoil gradually subsided, but he didn¡¯t stop until she cried out, only then did he let her go. Bernard¡¯s sexual skills were top¨Cnotch, something Eleanor had experienced long ago. Every time he demanded her, she fell suffocated, even sometimes struggled to resist But tonight, his behavior was especially different, he made love to her like a madman, over and over again, non¨Cstop. Eleanor, wrapped in a thin nket, lifted her longshes and looked at Bernard next to her¡­. ¡°Darling, don¡¯t you worry, I love you¡± She knew he was seekingfort in her because he was disturbed, worried that she would waver upon seeing Garell. She felt guilty and pity for Garett, but she no longer loved hirn, she knew it in her heart, and wouldn¡¯t waver ¡°I know¡± Each time she reached climax, whispering, darling, I love you, in his ear, again and again, he knew she loved him, but¡­ ¡°I¡¯m a bit too fixated on punty, don¡¯t get too close to him in the future, I¡¯d mind.¡± He would mind a lot He could tolerate his wife helping someone with severe depression. But he could never stand her being close to other men, especially Garett. Garett was her first love, maybe if they met again, old feelings would rekindle. He admitted, he was a bit jealous, but so what? In matters of the heart, his eyes wouldn¡¯t tolerate a speck of dust. It took Eleanor a few seconds to realize¡­. ¡°Did you see me wiping Garett¡¯s forehead today?¡± Bernard mped his lips tight and didn¡¯t say a word, but his expression gave her the answer. No wonder he dragged her to the bathroom to wash her hands as soon as she got back, he had seen it. Eleanor opened her mouth to say something, but Bernard lifted her up, holding her legs, making her sit on his waist. ¡°Let this one slide, but don¡¯t do it again.¡± Bernard held her, moved to the desk, swept everything off it, and put her down. ¡°This height is just right, let¡¯s do it again.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question, but a statement. He lifted her nightgown and took her again, using a lot of force. When it was over, he carried her back to bed, and held her from behind Eleanor was too tired to speak but still managed to whisper. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I saw Garett looking so thin because of depression, I felt pity, so¡­¡± Eleanor paused, not speaking anymore. No matter what exnation, it was her not being careful, making Bernard insecure. ¡°I promise, I¡¯ll keep my distance from him, won¡¯t happen again¡± His hand suddenly tightened, his worry and annoyance gradually dissipated at her words He wasn¡¯t sure what he was doing, why he was anxious and disturbed, his thoughts in chaos. He knew, without Garett, Eleanor might not be here today, so why was he so concerned? ¡°Darling I was wrong can you stop being angry?¡± Hearing this, Bernard felt guilty. He pulled her closer, let her lean on him, and then raised his hand to gently stroke her hair ¡°Tired?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Eleanor obediently nodded, although her eyes were filled with exhaustion, she was too afraid of him being angry to fall asleep. Seeing her like this, Bernard hugged her waist tightly. She was so delicate, he could hold her with one hand, yet he used so much force on her, he deserved punishment. Bernard¡¯s hand moved gently over her hair, stroking her frail back,forting her. ¡°If you¡¯re tired, go to sleep¡± His tone softened, no longer angry or ming her Only then did Eleanor rest her head on his firm chest and gently close her eyes. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. The man holding her as she fell asleep, however, didn¡¯t sleep. He just held her tight, gazing at the moonlight outside the window. After what seemed like forever, the woman in his arms suddenly spoke, softly saying a name, ¡°Garell.¡± Chapter 1094 Chapter 1094 Bemard¡¯s heart seemed to stop dead in its tracks. His blood felt like it had turned to ice in his wins. His hands, clutching her so tightly, had also turned cold He looked down in disbelief at the woman in his arms, his mouth gaping open as if to ask her something but no words came out He remembered distinctly when he held her close, she told him she only loved him Then why on earth did she scream out Garett¡¯s name in her sleep? Was it because could it be that Eleanor herself didn¡¯t realize she had feelings for Garett buried deep down inside her? If that was the case, what¡¯s the ratio? Did she love him more or less than Garett? Bemard stiffened. Eleanor quickly looked up at him, her face pale. ¡°Honey, L Before she could finish her sentence, Bernard grabbed her wrist tightly ¡°Whose name did you just call out in your sleep?¡± His grip was strong, Eleanor¡¯s wrist was fragile. His grip hurt her. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Eleanor bore the pain and continued, ¡°Honey, I wasn¡¯t actually asleep. I was thinking about something that happened with Garett today, and I said his name. I didn¡¯t want to upset you, so I stopped talking I¡¯m sorry for the misunderstanding, but I wasn¡¯t calling out his name in my sleep¡± Bernard¡¯s grip on her wrist loosened slowly His face was still pale, as if he was back to the days when hearing Garett¡¯s name from her lips felt like a stab to his heart. This pain made him push Eleanor away. He threw off the nkets, got out of bed, and absentmindedly threw on a shirt. He went to his desk, pulled out a pack of cigarettes from the drawer. Just as he was about to light one, Eleanor¡¯s hand stopped him. The lights in the room were off, only the moonlight streamed through the cracks in the curtains, casting a soft glow on them. In the dim light, they stared at each other, one looking down, the other up. Finally, Eleanor reached out and wrapped her arms around Bernard¡¯s waist, pulling him close. ¡°Have I ever told you why I call out Garett¡¯s name in my sleep?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t answer, but he was desperate to know the reason. He didn¡¯t want to hear her call out Garett¡¯s name in the middle of the night again. He didn¡¯t want to feel panicked every time he heard that name. They loved each other, any news about Garett would make him feel insecure, and his emotions would go haywire. Seeing the pain etched in his face, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but reach out and lightly touch his eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you before because Garett was my first love. Whether it was a good or bad rtionship, I shouldn¡¯t bring it up. But seeing how scared you are now, I think I should tell you.¡± She dropped her hand and let go of Bernard. Then, looking at his handsome face, she spoke softly¡­ ¡°I broke up with him because his twin brother did something that hurt me very much. This incident severely affected my mental health. I couldn¡¯t escape the pain in my nightmares, so I kept calling his name, begging him to stop¡­¡± Hearing this. Bernard¡¯s tense body gradually rxed, but he looked at Eleanor with disbelief. ¡°You.. you¡¯re not lying to me, are you?¡± He had always thought that she called Garett¡¯s name in her sleep because she still loved Garett, missed Garett. He had never imagined it was out of fear. Even after he found out the reason for their breakup, he thought she couldn¡¯t let go, that¡¯s why she was crying out for Garett in her dreams. If it was just out of fear, then he had misunderstood her all these years. And because of this misunderstanding, he had been so cold to her. With a mix of shock and deep regret, Bernard grabbed Eleanor¡¯s hand and ced it on his heart, letting her feel his heartbeat as she answered him. Eleanor looked up at Bernard, his eyes filled with regret, and told him word by word ¡°I didn¡¯t lie to you.¡± Getting her confirmation, the guilt in Bernard¡¯s eyes deepened. Had he asked her about it after she woke up from that dream, would they have avoided all these wasted years? He couldn¡¯t find the answer in the past, so all he could do was hold Eleanor close to him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I should have asked you earlier. I shouldn¡¯t have let my mind run wild.¡± Eleanor shook her head, it was also her fault for not telling him. However Eleanor lowered her gaze, hesitated for a moment, then spoke ¡°Bernard, we¡¯ve been through so much, I¡¯ve expressed my love for you so many times. Why do you still feel insecure when ites to Garett?¡± It was normal for him to feel jealous and insecure when she helped Garett wipe his face today. But a lot of times, just mentioning Garett¡¯s name would make him nervous She thought with all they¡¯d been through, he would understand thal Garett was no longer in her heart. But he still felt insecure, not a bit less. Chapter 1095 Chapter 1095 Bernard held her tightly, resting his chin in the crook of her neck as he tried to answer her question ¡°Because you once loved Garett, just like you love me now.¡± If Garett was just another guy. Bernard wouldn¡¯t have been so terrified, but Garett wasn¡¯t just any guy ¡°He gave his life for you, sunk into depression, loved you so deeply, it scares me. Bernard took a deep breath, enduring the pain in his heart as he whispered ¡°I¡¯m afraid that out of pity you might fall for him again. Just like thest time when he begged her, pleaded for her sympathy, pleaded for her to be with him. Back then, he was healthy without depression, and she was soft¨Chearted, agreeing to be with him. Now, Garett had be like this because of her She would probably be even softer, right? What would he do if she fell for Garett again out ofpassion? He knew he shouldn¡¯t think like this, but¡­ Eleanor once loved Garett so much, but didn¡¯t she stop loving him eventually? He was terrified, terrified that one day, she would stop loving him just like she stopped loving Garett¡­ When Eleanor understood what Bernard was worrying about, she raised her hand and gently stroked his hair, her actions full of affection and sympathy ¡°Sweetheart, I don¡¯t love Garett anymore. A long time ago, when I was on my knees begging him, when his brother pretended to be him and rejected me, when I was on the verge of death in the hospital, I used up all my love for Garett. There¡¯s no way I could go back. After I let go of him, I slowly fell in love with you. You might wonder why I forgave you and chose to be with you, but not Garett, it¡¯s because¡­ deep down, I¡¯ve always loved you, that¡¯s why I chose you¡­ My rtionship with Garett was not just a first love, but a bond formed when he worked part¨Ctime to help me with my medical bills, allowing me to grow up healthy¡­ If he was just a regr ex¨Cboyfriend, I wouldn¡¯t care if he had depression or not, but because of this bond, I rushed to see him when I learned he had severe depression. Otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t be any interaction. between us in this lifetime. Even though he lost his legs and has depression because of me, I won¡¯t fall for him out of pity I only feel pity and quilt towards him. When I saw him today, I treated him as a rtive and a patient, without overthinking¡± After Eleanor finished, she looked at the moonlight outside the window through the gap in the curtains¡­ ¡°I swear to God, in this lifetime, besides you, I won¡¯t fall in love with anyone else, or else, may I die a horrible death!¡± Her final words hit Bernard hard, making his heart pound. The image of her death terrified him, prompting him to hold her tighter. ¡®Don¡¯t scare me like that, you know the thing I¡¯m most afraid of in this life is losing you¡± His world only had Eleanor in it. It was because of her that he was so worried and restless about Garett Now that she had exined her feelings for Garett clearly and honestly, including when and why she stopped loving him, and even made such a solemn vow, if he still didn¡¯t trust her, then his love for her couldn¡¯t go any deeper.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve been overly sensitive¡± She resolved his long¨Cstanding doubts and eased his worries. His Eleanor not only gave him a great sense of security but also soothed his restless heart. ¡°I won¡¯t overthink no matter how you take care of Garett in the future.¡± Upon hearing this, Eleanor was reminded of the matter she wanted to discuss with him. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve had this conversation, i don¡¯t mind talking more about Garett Feeling the man holding her nod, Eleanor began to speak. ¡°I was going to tell you that Garett rejected my offer to apany him, but when I saw the flowers he nted in the garden, all the ones I liked when I was young, I knew he was still stuck in the past, which is why he fell into depression and kept sinking deeper. So, I acknowledged him as my brother, hoping to help him let go of his past. He seemed to understand my intention and agreed I was afraid I was too aggressive and he couldn¡¯t ept it at once, so I promised to go flower viewing with him next spring When he agreed, his eyes were filled with relief. He must have epted it.¡± After Eleanor told Bernard what happened in the garden, she looked up at the man holding her *He rejected me, so I won¡¯t take care of him anymore. I¡¯ll just visit him asionally, as a rtive.¡± Chapter 1096 Chapter 1096 After waking up from the surgery, Garett¡¯s memory was still intact, but he repeatedly disyed violent behavior towards Eleanor, including choking her and telling her to go away. He even kicked over the carefully cooked soup Eleanor brought to the hospital when she was caring for him. Despite all this, Eleanor remained silent and simply apanied him. Eleanor had never nned to give up on Garell, but everything changed when he lost his memory. She believed that if Garett had regained his memory immediately back then ande to her to clear up the misunderstanding, she would have returned to him However, by the time he regained his memory and sought her out to exin, it was already five or six yearster, and she had forced herself to stop loving him and moved on Eleanor knew that Garett had once treated her very well and loved her deeply, sacrificing a lot for her. However, the Eleanor who had moved on could no longer reciprocate that love. She could only be there for him as a family member, caring for him because he was suffering from severe depression. Yet, he rejected her. Despite that, she would still visit him. Both his legs and his depression were a result of her actions. If she were to turn a blind eye to this, she would be ungrateful and deserve punishment When Bernard heard that Garett rejected Eleanor, he was surprised. He hadn¡¯t expected Garett to turn her down. However, upon closer thought, he realized it wasn¡¯t so surprising Garett was willing to suffer from depression for Eleanor¡¯s sake. How could he use his illness to keep her by his side? His character was always noble¡­Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°His generosity only makes me appear selfish, Bernard remarked. Eleanor smiled calmly, ¡°You were generous when you agreed to let me apany him.¡± Her words made Bernard feel somewhat ashamed. He had indeed agreed, but seeing Eleanor with Garett triggered jealousy and moodiness ¡®Mr Laurence, you seem a bit embarrassed, Eleanor teased Bernard indeed felt embarrassed, but he didn¡¯t want to admit it. He quickly looked away, trying to change the subject. ¡°He rejected you. What¡¯s your n to help him now?¡± He didn¡¯t want to watch Garett die, but on this matter, he also felt a bit uneasy, not knowing how to help him. ¡°After he rejected me, I n to bring Sigrid to see him. See if Sigrid, as someone who¡¯s also had depression, can help him.¡± When Bernard heard this, he nodded. Maybe Sigrid Laurenceing over on her own could really help Garett. After everything was clear, Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief, then let go of her hand around Bernard¡¯s waist and stroked his cheek. ¡°Now, can you tell me why you¡¯ve gone pale?¡± She had been honest, and she hoped he would be too. Bernard¡¯s eyshes drooped, and his gaze was a bit dim, reflecting Eleanor¡¯s worried face. He didn¡¯t want her to worry, so he kept his mouth shut. Seeing him like this, Eleanor¡¯s eyes also darkened. ¡°If you keep hiding the truth from me like before, then I won¡¯t share anything that happens to me in the future.¡± She had had a heart transnt and was constantly taking anti¨Crejection drugs, as well as medication for infertility. She didn¡¯t know where a problem might ur. Bernard was always concerned about her health and often asked about it. Eleanor would tell him. But if she chose to hide things¡­. Bernard cared a lot about Eleanor¡¯s health. He looked at Eleanor¡¯s face, hesitated for a while, and then slowly spoke. ¡°I have a headache.¡± Chapter 1097 Chapter 1097 When she heard Bernard say he had a headache, Eleanor immediately started to worry, rushing over to massage his temples. ¡°Is your illness naring up again?¡± she asked The thought of it made Eleanor quickly grab Bernard and head to the door. ¡°We need to get you checked out at the hospital,¡± she said. Her worst fear was something happening to Bernard She wouldn¡¯t be able to bear it if it did. Bemard held onto Eleanor¡¯s wrist tightly, pulling her back into his arms, then lifted her up and sat her on the table. ¡°The doctor has already checked me out. He said it¡¯s just a headache from overworking my brain, not a rpse. You don¡¯t need to worry about me,¡± he said. Eleanor had heard this before. When Bernard was diagnosed with a brain tumor, he said the same thing. And look what happened then? ¡°If you really don¡¯t want me to worry, then listen to me and let¡¯s go to the hospital now,¡± Eleanor insisted She knew that the Laurence Group¡¯s hospital had a branch in B City. No matter what time it was, if Bernard went, there would be a doctor avable to examine him. With this in mind, Eleanor didn¡¯t care whether Bernard agreed or not. She hopped off the table and led him towards the changing room. ¡°I won¡¯t be at ease until we get the results,¡± she said. Watching Eleanor¡¯s anxious figure, Bernard¡¯s icy gaze was slowly reced by a soft smile. ¡°I¡¯m content with you caring for me so much. I don¡¯t want you to tire yourself out,¡± he said. He had already exhausted a lot of energy tonight, stirring her up multiple times. How could he bear to have her running around for him in the middle of the night? He took the shirt Eleanor had taken out from the closet and put it back, then scooped her up in his arms. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Let¡¯s get some sleep first. We can talk about getting checked out tomorrow,¡± he said. Eleanor tried to protest, but was silenced with a passionate kiss from Bernard He held Eleanor tightly, kissing her all the way from the changing room to the master bedroom. If it weren¡¯t for fear of tiring her out, he would probably want to go another round¡­ But in the end, he only kissed her once. That night, Bernard held Eleanor in his arms and slept peacefully The next day, Eleanor texted Sigrid saying she would meet up with herter. Then, she took Bernard directly to the Laurence Group hospital She insisted he get a brain scan and only rxed after the doctor provided the results Watching Eleanor repeatedly ask the doctor for precautions, a small smile crept onto Bernard¡¯s lips. Aidyn, seeing this, shook his head helplessly. Bernard clearly wanted Eleanor¡¯s attention but always yed cool, how childish. After leaving the hospital, Eleanor copsed exhausted into a wheelchair. From the night before, she had been constantly stirred up by Bernard and her legs were still weak. If it wasn¡¯t for her fear of Bernard¡¯s rpse, she would probably stay in bed all day, without moving an inch. Seeing Eleanor so tired she could barely keep her eyes open, Bernard gently lifted her onto hisp. ¡®Let¡¯s go tomorrow, we should rest first today,¡± he said. Eleanor rested her head on Bernard¡¯s chest, rubbing itfortably like a little kitten. ¡°Your sister is also very busy, don¡¯t waste her time.¡± If a time has been agreed upon, be punctual and avoid frequently changing ns Bernard inwardly scolded his unreasonable behavior from the night before, then gently patted her back. ¡°There¡¯s still some distance to her apartment, you can rest for a while first.¡± ¡®Mmm¡­¡± Eleanor adjusted her position, snuggling closer to him. ¡°Honey, can you sing me a song to sleep¡­¡± Chapter 1098 Chapter 1098 ¡°I can¡¯t sing¡± How could the usually quiet and reserved guy possibly sing? Eleanor opened her groggy eyes and gave him a sidelong nce ¡°I thought you could do anything¡± That line sounded familiar to Bernard, but he couldn¡¯t ce where he heard it. He didn¡¯t dwell on it, instead pulling out his phone to quickly download a music app. After it was installed, he cradled Eleanor in one arm and scrolled through the rmended ylists with the other ¡°What song do you want to hear?¡± ¡°As long as you¡¯re singing it, I¡¯m all ears.¡± Bernard was silent for a few seconds before randomly picking an English song Luckily, he had a photographic memory and only needed to listen once to remember the melody. Uncertain, he lowered his gaze to the woman in his arms before he started singing ¡°You sure about this?¡± Eleanor nodded, indicating that she was willing to watch him try. Bernard scowled, reluctantly and indulgently beginning to sing About five seconds into his performance, Aidyn in the front seat suddenly put up the partition. ¡°Mr. Laurence, I didn¡¯t expect your singing skills to be worse than mine.¡± The drowsy Eleanor, hearing this, copsed onto his shoulder, unable to suppress herughter. Seeing Eleanor¡¯s smile, Bernard didn¡¯t take issue with Aidyn¡¯sment, just looking at the partition and saying. ¡°You give it a shot.¡± Aldyn, not sure if it was because Mr. Laurence was in a better mood or for some other reason, started singing despite his usual seriousness. Eleanor, hearing his raspy voice, burst outughing again. Even the stoic Bernard cracked a smile. ¡°Aidyn, you¡¯re no better than me.¡± Aidyn wasn¡¯t really trying to showcase his singing skills, just trying to lighten the mood for Mr. Laurence and his wife. But that didn¡¯t matter. What mattered was that they were all having a good time. Aidyn drove them to Signd¡¯s apartment. After they got upstairs, Hailey brewed some coffee and prepared some snacks Sigrid sought out Eleanor to inquire about Jason. After getting the gist of the situation, she started to analyse it logically ¡®Depressed people are terrified of being alone, what they need most ispany. If Jason¡® depression stems from you, then being with him and encouraging him is the best way to help him out of his predicament¡± ¡°But if he doesnt want you around, it means he hasn¡¯t let go of you. If you¡¯re around, he¡¯ll definitely seize the chance to get out of the him deeper. If you¡¯re not there, he¡¯ll be mired in the past, trapped in a conundrum.¡± funk. But his love for you will only drag ¡°However, considering him as a brother to cut off his longing for you is the right move. The only way to help him out of his predicament is to make him let go of you, to erase you from his heart, just like I forced myself not to love, in order topletely break free from depression¡± They all suffer from psychological disorders because they can¡¯t let go of their past love. Only when they can move on, can they get out of this bind Otherwise, they¡¯ll be stuck in this painful state, unable to extricate themselves and may even consider suicide as an escape. This is a disease that controls both the mind and the body, and it¡¯s difficult to heal. Eleanor understood this, so she wanted to alleviate Garett¡¯s loneliness by being with him and helping him out of this bind. Sigrid was right. This is just treating the symptoms, not the root cause. Garett still needs to let go of the past from the bottom of his heart. ¡°So, what should we do?¡± Sigrid propped up her chin, thinking quietly for a moment before looking at Eleanor. ¡°Distract him¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°He¡¯s currently treating a leg injury. We can get him to focus all his attention on recovery, this way he won¡¯t have time to dwell on past pain, and life won¡¯t be as hard.¡± ¡°But treating a leg injury requires surgery, which is risky and requires a lot of time for recovery. Won¡¯t this pain exacerbate his psychological disorder?¡± Hailey, sitting nearby, asked worriedly Sigrid thought for a moment, then took out a physical therapist certification from her bag and ced it on the ss table. ¡°I like to get certified in my spare time, and I¡¯ve participated in some public welfare activities rted to rehabilitation I understand the psychological problems disabled people face. I can stay by his side, provide psychological counselling, encourage him to persevere, encourage him to live on. This is most suitable. Chapter 1099 Chapter 1099 ¡°Would this be a waste of your time?¡± ¡°I have my own studio, so my schedule¡¯s pretty flexible Plus, my craft designs are on disy all around the citytely¡± Once Sigrid made up her mind, she¡¯d get right to it. So she grabbed her bag, ready to leave ¡°Let¡¯s go, take me to see Jason¡± Eleanor began to say, but Sigrid interrupted her ¡°It¡¯s just a suggestion from me. Whether Jason agrees or not is still unknown. Don¡¯t feel pressured about it,¡± Sigrid said. Eleanor was only concerned about potentially causing trouble for herself. This was just an initial proposal, and whether it could be realized would depend on Jason¡¯s cooperation Otherwise, discussing it here would be mere spection. It would be better to first see how Jason¡¯s situation was Given Sigrid¡¯s response, Eleanor refrained from asking further and prepared to get up. As she nced at the man sitting beside her, supporting his chin with his hand, she inquired, ¡°Honey, are youing with us?¡± Bernard raised an eyebrow, disying an indifferent expression ¡°No, I won¡¯t.¡± He had previously stated that no matter how she took care of Garett, he wouldn¡¯t mind. Since he had decided to trust herpletely, he would set aside any doubts ¡°Then I¡¯ll be back home in two hours,¡± Eleanor said, lifting her wrist with the watch in front of him and shaking it slightly Bernard¡¯s gaze filled with affection as he gently nodded. The four of them went downstairs, and just as Hailey was about to get into the car, Bernard called her over ¡°Ms. Vulpe, can you do me a favor?¡± he asked. Hailey released her grip on the car door and turned to look at Bernard. ¡°What do you need help with?¡± Bernard looked at his phone with a meaningful gaze, then spoke ¡°Chase just texted me, said Cedric got drunkst night and hasn¡¯t woken up. Chase is dealing with urgent matters and doesn¡¯t have time to pick him up. He asked me to do With that, Bernard paused, pushing his sses up the bridge of his nose. I have to go to the branch office, I don¡¯t have time either. Could you, Ms. Vulpe, help me pick him up?¡± Hailey was puzzled. Anyone could do this favor, but Bernard asked only her. She was a bit at a loss. L¡® Before Hailey could refuse, Bernard had already sent her the address. ¡°Ms. Vulpe, I owe you one¡± Bernard put away his phone, thanked her, and got in the car Hailey stared at the car that sped away, holding her phone, standing there dazed In the car, Sigrid saw Hailey¡¯s hesitation, locked the car door first, then rolled down the window ¡°Hailey, go pick up my brother. My sister¨Cinw and I can go see Jason alone.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Before Hailey could finish her sentence, Sigrid stepped on the gas and drove off. Watching the two cars speeding away and realizing she had no car of her own, Hailey stomped her foot in frustration. ¡°You guys at least you could have dropped me off at the subway station!¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Signd suddenly realized that she could have dropped her off near her apartment or called a cab for her But when she looked back, Hailey was gone. Eleanor texted Hailey asking where she was. Hailey quickly replied with a meme indicating she was upset, then didn¡¯t respond anymore. ¡°Great, I¡¯ve annoyed my future sister inw, Sigrid said Putting down her phone, Eleanor turned to Sigrid and asked, ¡°How do you know Hailey will be your sister¨Cinw?¡± The attractive Signd nced at Eleanor through the rearview mirror, pondering her question. ¡°That¡¯s women¡¯s intuition¡± Eleanor rested her elbow on the car window, chin propped on her palm, lost in thought If Hailey became her brother¨Cinw¡¯s wife, what should Bernard call Cedric? As she pondered this question, their car had already stopped outside the Clowers Manor Garett was still sitting in the garden, waiting for Eleanor¡¯s arrival When he saw that Eleanor had brought Sigrid, his expression was a bit stiff He calmly led the two into the living room, then asked Yilia to make coffee and desserts for them. After chatting for a while. Eleanor awkwardly began, ¡°Garett, you should know Ms. Laurence. She used to have depression too, but she¡¯s better now I brought her here to see you¡± Eleanor genuinely wanted to help him, Garett could feel her good intentions. Looking at Sigrid again, his expression wasn¡¯t as frosty, ¡°Ms Laurence and I are not the same. right?¡± After taking a sip of her coffee, Sigrid gracefully replied, ¡°If I were not the same as you, I wouldn¡¯t be here.¡± Because they were the same, she had the confidence to try to persuade Jason But from the moment Jason walked in the door, his deep gaze never left Eleanor. He seemed to be more in love with her than she was with him, no wonder his condition was so serious. Garett actually didn¡¯t care about his depression, because to him, the disease was nothing more than insomnia at night and constant fantasies of his own death. All he had to do was hang in there. But since Eleanor cared so much about him, how could he disappoint her? ¡°Does Ms. Laurence have any good treatment methods?¡± Chapter 1100 Chapter 1100 Sigrid slightly bowed her head without a word, just gazing at the coffee tool in the distance, ¡°Jason, do you like coffee?¡± Following her gaze, Garett nced at it ¡°asionally Sigrid gave a small nod and fell silent Garett didn¡¯t quite get it, but he didn¡¯t pry, just quietly watched Eleanor enjoying her dessert. Since her visit yesterday. Garett slept an extra hour and had a sweet dream. In it, he and Eleanor fulfilled their youthful promises, got hitched, had kids, and loved each other till the end of time. Waking up, Garett looked at the moonlight outside the window, picturing dream him as Bernard, finally stepping out of the dreand. Seeing Sigrid not bringing up the treatment n, Eleanor nced at her After Sigrid gave her a ¡®no rush look, she asked Garett, Jason, can you show me around your crib?¡± Their exchanged nces didn¡¯t escape Garett¡¯s notice, but he didn¡¯t mind, nodding, ¡°Follow me.¡± As Sigrid stood up, she lightly held Eleanor¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Eleanor, you didn¡¯t eat much breakfast, have some dessert first.¡± Eleanor caught on immediately ¨C Sigrid wanted a one¨Con¨Cone with Garelt. So, she nodded, ¡°Garell, you show her around, I¡¯ll grab a bite first.¡± Still pondering the appetion, Garett¡¯s smile was a bit bitter, ¡°Whatever you fancy, just tell Yilia, don¡¯t hold back.¡± Eleanor obediently responded and lowered her head to continue eating, not daring to look at Garett. Compared to yesterday, she was more aloof today. Garett, noticing all this, guessed that she must¡¯ve had a spat with Bernard after leaving his ce, and they made upter His expression was a mix of joy and sorrow He led Sigrid through the corridor to the backyard. Despite the summer, there were plenty of flowers. The warm wind carried ¨¤ noseful of floral fragrance. Sigrid, taking in the scent, felt rxed, ¡°Jason, your ce is like a beautiful botanical garden¡± The garden was filled with all sorts of flowers, each carefully tended to, full of life even in summer. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. After leaving Eleanor¡¯s sight, Garett¡¯s refined face turned cold. ¡°Ms. Laurence, speak your mind,¡± he said sharply. Observing his sudden change in demeanor, Sigrid raised an eyebrow. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect your this side.¡± Sitting in his wheelchair, Garett propped his elbows on the armrests and looked at Sigrid under the umbre. I¡¯ve always been the same,¡± he replied. His demeanor was consistently reserved, though slightly softer when dealing with Eleanor and Hailey However, with women he wasn¡¯t close to, he remained cold and distant He had advised Bernard not to be cold and indifferent to others at his wedding because he saw his own reflection in Bernard. Garett knew from his own experience that he should cherish opportunities and not let them slip away Sigrid, present for charity work, didn¡¯t want to delve into Garett¡¯s personality and went straight to the point. ¡°I just want to ask, if I can help you ovee your blues, would you cooperate?¡± Garett gave a nonchnt smile. ¡°I know my condition best. You can¡¯t help me, and I don¡¯t want to get over it.¡± For him, oveing his depression would mean letting go of his feelings for Eleanor He had done so once, and it led to both of them missing crucial moments in each other¡¯s lives. He was unwilling to repeat that mistake. Seemingly understanding his thoughts, Sigrid frowned. ¡°I know you don¡¯t want to let go of my sister¨Cinw, but have you considered her feelings?¡± Garett frowned, ¡°My issues have nothing to do with her¡± Sigrid straightened up, looking at the stubborn man, ¡°But your leg, your blues, they¡¯re all linked to her. Eleanor always feels guilty, thinking she caused your problems. She feels awful just mentioning you. If you don¡¯t get over this condition, start fresh, she¡¯ll live her life in guilt for you.¡± Chapter 1101 Chapter 1101 Garett¡¯s face stiffened. ¡°My legs, my depression, they¡¯re my own problems and have nothing to do with her. I need to exin this to her¡­¡± Just as he tried to wheel away. Sigrid quickly stretched out a foot to block his wheelchair. Garett Turned around to see Sigrid, standing tall and raising an eyebrow. ¡°You¡­¡± Sigrid, hands crossed over her chest stopped him coldly ¡°Ever heard this, Jason? Even if I didn¡¯t hurt someone directly, if they get hurt because of me, I¡¯m still responsible. Eleanor is that kind of person Regardless of what you say, she¡¯ll always shoulder the me Because you gave her way too much You gave so much that she can never repay in this lifetime. She can only live with this guilt, with my brother. Every time they mention you, there¡¯s an insurmountable barrier Only when you truly let go of the past can she finallyy down this burden¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Garelt got it and smiled weakly ¡°I dragged her down.¡± Sigrid shook her head ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. What I mean is¡­ if you truly care about her, then go all out. Your leg injury and depression are causes for her guilt. If you could heal your legs, stand again, conquer your depression, when you¡¯re healthy again, she can finally let go¡­¡± Garett turned his head, looking through the living room corridor at Eleanor sitting quietly, sipping coffee on the couch. Gentle light filtered in from the window, casting a golden glow on her The sight reminded him of when they first met. She was always so sweet and peaceful, like a clear stream flowing in his heart¡­. From a young age, she was kind and friendly to everyone, too gentle and obedient. She would show affection to ahyone who liked her, even give all she had She craved love and knew how to be grateful. If not for her kindness and loyalty, how could she forgive him after such hurt? If only he hadn¡¯te toote, with her kindness, he might still have a chance to win her love back. Such a kind person, how could she not feel guilty for his problems? Even if she didn¡¯t cause his leg injury and depression, she¡¯d still shoulder all the me because of their past connection. It was his fixation on the past that kept her living in guilt. Garett¡¯s gaze fell on his own legs. It was her guilt that made her find Bernard to treat his leg injury. But because of his depression, he didn¡¯t want to ept treatment. Was it only when he could stand again that she could find peace? Sigrid wasn¡¯t sure what he was thinking at the moment. She just loosened her high heel stuck in the wheel, retracted her foot, sat up straight and said, ¡°Jason, we¡¯re here in this world for all sons of hardships and sorrows, including love and hate. There¡¯s no difficulty we can¡¯t ovee. You can see this as a test of life. If you can ovee it, that¡¯s sess, and next time we meet, we can smile at each other. If you can¡¯t, let me stay with you, face the past pain and guilt together. If you choose to ovee the difficulties. Ill stick around to help. you choose to live the rest of your life with your disease, I¡¯ll leave now Just make your decision.¡± Sigrid handed the decision to Garett with these words. But she didn¡¯t know that he had already made his choice for Eleanor. ¡°You¡¯re not a depression expert, not a psychologist, nor a doctor for leg injuries. If you stay, how could you help me?¡± Seeing his mncholic look, Sigrid pulled out her rehabilitation therapist certificate, psychologist certificate, and a bunch of other credentials from her bag. She handed them to Garett ¡°I¡¯ve helped people who lost sensation in their legs to stand again. I believe that as long as you¡¯re willing to cooperate, I can help you, too. Just remember, we almost got married once, so I hope you won¡¯t feel too awkward when we¡¯re alone.¡± If she hadn¡¯t brought it up, Garett would havepletely forgotten about it. ¡°That was a decision made by the elders, nothing to do with me.¡± He would never marry anyone in this lifetime. Even if he recovered from his leg injury and depression, he would only stay in B City. Sigrid didn¡¯t care who he married or didn¡¯t. It had nothing to do with her, so she wouldn¡¯t bring it up again. ¡°Well, since you agreed, just give me a call when you decide to treat your leg injury She pulled out a business card and handd it to Garett. Garett didn¡¯t n on getting treatment as he had gotten used to his condition. But Sigrid was right. If he cared about Eleanor, he should try harder and not let her feel guilty because of his leg injury and depression. ¡°You might need surgery, and it could take some time.¡± Sigrid didn¡¯t mind, waving her hand dismissively. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for your call. Goodbye¡± Chapter 1102 Chapter 1102 Garett stopped Sigrid from leaving and asked, ¡°How much do you need aspensation?¡± Sigrid had initially wanted to say that she was doing it as a charity and didn¡¯t need any payment. However, she was concerned that Garett might not ept that answer, so she changed her response, ¡°If it¡¯s one hundred thousand dors, can you afford it?¡± The typical cost of a rehabilitation therapist would be a few thousand dors at most. Sigrid deliberately raised thepensation amount to make Garett feel at ease epting her help. Garett didn¡¯t quite grasp Sigrid¡¯s intention, but he found the figure of one hundred thousand dors rather jarring, piercing his heart and leaving him pale ¡°I can afford it, he said Now, he could indeed afford that amount With his agreement, Sigrid turned and left directly Garett stayed in ce for a moment before wheeling himself back to the living room. Perhaps he wanted to say goodbye to Eleanor as she hadn¡¯t left yet ¡°Eleanor, we¡¯ll be heading back now. We¡¯lle to see you another day, Eleanor informed him. Garett nodded, a faint, elegant smile forming on his lips. ¡°Eleanor, Ill be going abroad for surgery soon, and I won¡¯t be in B City for the next few months. You don¡¯t have toe to see me specifically Colter, who was standing nearby, looked at Garett thoughtfully. He knew that surgery could be done here, but Garett chose to go abroad. What was the meaning behind this decision? ¡°Did the doctor advise you to have the surgery abroad?¡± Colter inquired. ¡°Yes, Garett replied. Garett ced his hand on his leg his fingers slightly closing into a fist. ¡°The medical equipment here is not as advanced, the doctor suggested I have the surgery abroad.¡± After saying that, he nced at Sigrid. ¡°When I return from the surgery, Ms. Laurence will help me with my rehabilitation¡± It seemed as if Sigrid had seen through Garett¡¯s thoughts, and she nodded at Eleanor. ¡°Mr. Clowers and I have agreed that I¡¯ll assist in his rehabilitation when he returns from his surgery.¡± Eleanor¡¯s gaze lingered on Garett¡¯s legs for a moment before moving away ¡°Which country are you having the surgery in? Hailey and I cane visit¡± Garett¡¯s eyes expressed aplex emotion. ¡°It¡¯s just a minor surgery, you don¡¯t need to make a special trip. And with you and Hailey here, I¡¯d worry about your safety. Let¡¯s wait until I¡¯m back, then we can have a siblings reunion¡± Using the word ¡°siblings,¡± he was clearly drawing a parallel to their childhood days. They were like siblings back then, relying on each other and living happily together. As they grew older, they each went their separate ways, maintaining a certain distance but still caring for one another. asionally, they would meet, as is typical among siblings. Garett¡¯s intention was to subtly make Eleanor feel a tad guilty for keeping her distance. Perhaps sensing her predicament, he declined her visit. Seeing Eleanor looking weighed down, Garett spoke again, trying tofort her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, with Colter here, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Garett turned to look at Colter, who reluctantly took over the conversation. ¡°Ms. Shultz, you can rest assured¡± Eleanor closed her eyes for a moment, hesitating for a few seconds before slowly opening them. Her clear eyes looked at the man sitting in the wheelchair, a gentle smile gradually appearing on her face. ¡°Alright, when you recover from the surgery, I¡¯ll give you a big gift¡± She had once said that when he could stand up, she would give him a big gift. ¡°For your gift, I¡¯ll work hard to recover.¡± Garett nodded with a smile, then waved goodbye to her. ¡°Goodbye, Eleanor¡® ¡°Goodbye, Garett¡± Watching Eleanor cross the threshold and leave the vi, the sadness in Garett¡¯s eyes burst forth, blurring his vision. As his vision blurred, he couldn¡¯t even make out her figure, but he dared not blink, fearful that tears would escape¡­.. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. If they hadn¡¯t met in the first ce, would there be such heartache? Chapter 1103 Chapter 1103 Hailey rolled up to a swanky hotel in the city. She whipped out her phone, double checked the room number, and then pushed open the door. Inside, it was pitch¨Cck, no lights, no curtains drawn She couldn¡¯t see a thing But the stench of alcohol hit her nose, strong and offensive The staffer trailing behind her flicked on the lights, exining ¡°Ms. Vulpe, Mr. Laurence is knocked out inside Our staff couldn¡¯t wake him, we need you to take him home.¡± The staffer handed Hailey a bill, ¡°That¡¯ll be fifty grand, would you mind settling the bill for him, Ms. Vulpe?¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Hailey nced at the bill, not surprised at all. Cedric always had a taste for the finer things, especially good booze. She reached into her bag, handed over a card, and then headed into the room. As she stepped in, she saw a ssy man sprawled out on the couch. His zer was draped over his stomach, his white shirt was unbuttoned at the cor revealing a tempting neck and well¨Cdefined corbone Underneath the light, there was a faint blush on his face, giving his already fair skin a rosy hue. Cedric was fast asleep, eyes shut. He looked like a resting butterfly His thick hair was brushed back, revealing his forehead. A few strands had fallen loose, probably from tossing and turning, giving him a disheveled look Seeing Cedric like this reminded Hailey of why she had fallen for him in the first ce. After watching him for a while, she crouched down and nudged him, ¡°Mr. Laurence, wake up. I¡¯m here to take you home.¡± Having downed quite a lot of red wine, he seemed annoyed by the disturbance. He furrowed his brows and turned away, hugging a pillow tightly He was sleeping so soundly, curled up with his pillow like a little boy. Hailey knew he was wasted and needed to sleep it off. Unable to wake him, she reluctantly went out, paid some money to the staff to keep the room for Cedric. She sat next to Cedric, texting Eleanor to ask if Garett had agreed to Sigrid¡¯s proposal. Only when she found out he had, did she breathe a sigh of relief.. After a while, Cedric stirred and groggily opened his eyes The moment he woke up, his head felt like it was going to explode. He pinched his brows and instinctively pressed his fingers against his forehead. ¡°Hailey, my head. Get me some hangover pills.¡± His words stopped him and Hailey in their tracks. He was facing the couch, there was no way he could see her. How did he know she was there? Cedric paused, then chuckled bitterly The Hailey Vulpe now was no longer the one who cared for him like before. Why would she bring him hangover pills? He tossed the pillow aside, turned around, and saw Hailey holding a ss of water. Upon realizing it was Hailey, Cedric was taken aback. ¡°You¡­ What are you doing here?¡± Chapter 1104 Chapter 1104 ¡°Your bro sent me to pick you up* After Halley finished speaking, she bent down, handing the water to Cedric¡¯s lips, ¡°No hangover cure around here You better hydrate to ease up a bit.¡± Groggy Cedric nced at Hailey and then at the water she handed him. He was a bit surprised, and a bit delighted, slowly sipping the water He found the mineral water to have a sweet taste Seeing Cedric gulped down the whole ss of water, Hailey got up to help him, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you home¡± He felt her soft fingers. When they touched his arm, his heart rate sped up, feeling a tingling sensation as if electricity was flowing through his body He stood up, looked at Hailey, who was much shorter than him. She was struggling to support his tall frame, ¡°Thanks¡­¡± Hailey shook her head, ¡°Where did you park your car?¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Cedric, with a splitting headache, turned to look at his coat, tried to bend down to get the keys from his coal pockel, but because he was unsteady, he suddenly fell back onto the couch, taking Hailey down with him. Their lips met as they fell. It was just a brief contact, but it froze them both. Hailey was the first to snap back, tried to get up, but was held tightly by Cedric ¡°Hailey¡­¡± He called her name, his eyes full of desire. He had wanted her for two years, but he never seeded. He could only suppress this desire deep in his heart. Maybe because he had been repressing it for too long, or maybe he had too much to drink, Cedric couldn¡¯t help it, he held Hailey and kissed her He kissed her lips, his heart rate sped up, his hands involuntarily held her tight. He kissed Hailey, his fingers constantly stroking her hair and ears, conveying his desire. Hailey looked at him, her eyes closed,pletely lost in the kiss, and she felt a mess His kisses were always gentle, he knew how to flirt. His kissing skills were excellent, they didn¡¯t make one ufortable, instead, they brought immense pleasure. They were always harmonious in bed, a single kiss could make them experience the joy of love, but Hailey valued rationality more She looked at Cedric, silent for a moment, gently pushed him away. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you¡¯re drunk.¡± She got up from him, picked up his coat, put it on her arm, then reached out her other hand to him, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Cedric had only kissed her for a moment, but his body was filled with passion, such passion made him feel burning all the way to his fingertips, but when he saw her calm face, his body¡¯s heat seemed to be suddenly extinguished. He struggled to sit up from the couch, rubbed his temples, grabbed Hailey¡¯s hand tightly, then got up with her help. Hailey supported the swaying Cedric out of the booth, the staff seeing her woke Cedric up, gratefully thanked her, then returned her bank card. ¡°Looking forward to your next visit.¡± Chapter 1105 Chapter 1105 Halley helped Cedric into the underground parking lot, opened the car door, hoisted him into the passenger seat, buckled him up, walked around the car hood, and slid into the driver¡¯s seat. Before starting the car, Hailey turned to look at Cedric who was pressing his head in pain, ¡°What¡¯s your home address?¡± Cedric owned a private vi in B City, but he never brought Halley there when they were a thing, so she didn¡¯t know the ce at all Cedric, with his eyes shul, handed over his phone to her, ¡°Open the GPS, the address is there¡± He then added. ¡°The password is your birthday.¡± Hailey¡¯s hand trembled slightly as she took the phone. Back when they were still daling, she had once asked Cedric to set her birthday as his phone password. But Cedric, being the stubbom mule that he was, always refused And now, two years after their break¨Cup, he had set her birthday as the password Frowning. Hailey unlocked the phone, opened the GPS, found the address, and headed for Cedric¡¯s vi in B City. Cedric, with one hand propping his forehead, didn¡¯t dare to look at her and just kept ncing at the rearview mirror. After dozens of nces, he opened the glovepartment, pulled out a ck bank card and handed it to her ¡°This card is yours¡± He had given her a card with unlimited credit before. She had returned it after they broke up, and now he was giving it back to her, presumably to pay for the expenses at the hotel ¡°No need. I have money¡± If there was one thing she didn¡¯tck at the moment, it was money. Cedric knew she didn¡¯t need money, but he still stuffed the card into her bag. ¡°Just in case¡± The truth was, Hailey had never used his money or his cards during all the time they were together. At most, she just kept them for him. She gave Cedric a nce, wanting to say something, but he had closed his eyes again, so she kept quiet. The car soon stopped in front of the vi. The butler at the door saw someone helping Cedric out of the car and immediately came to assist, but was met with a re from Cedric and quickly stopped The butler got the hint and pretended as if he hadn¡¯t seen anything. By the time Hailey had brought Cedric back to his room, there was no sign of the butler or any other staff. ¡°Why don¡¯t you hire any housekeepers?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t live here often, no need for housekeepers.¡± If there were housekeepers, she could just hand Cedric over to them and leave. She left her coat on the back of the sofa and turned to look at Cedric ¡°You sure you can handle this on your own?¡± Cedric, already seated on the sofa, had both hands pressing on his forehead. ¡°At least make me a hangover soup¡± He looked so miserable, couldn¡¯t she take care of him a bit before leaving? Seeing his pitiful state, Hailey finally turned to go to the kitchen. Through the ss, Cedric watched Haitey bustling around in the kitchen. A smile gradually appeared on his face as he reclined on the sofa. Hailey cooked some soup and ced it in front of Cedric Pretending to be too weak to lift the spoon, Cedric had Hailey feed him. She patiently scooped up a spoonful of soup and fed him This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. However, Cedric took his sweet time, having the soup bit by bit. It took him half an hour to finish the bowl of soup. By the time Hailey put down the soup bowl, her wrist was stiff. As she was massaging her wrist, arge hand reached over to gently rub it for her. Hailey fell silent for a moment, then pushed Cedric¡¯s hand away, picked up her bag, and prepared to leave. ¡°You rest up, I¡¯m heading out.¡± Cedric wanted to ask Hailey to stay, but she bolted out of his vi like a bat out of hell. Watching her retreating back, Cedric¡¯s smite remained. It wasn¡¯t until the butler showed up with a ck bank card that his smile gradually faded. ¡°Thedy left this in the kitchen/ She didn¡¯t ept his money, did that mean she didn¡¯t ept his feelings either? Holding the bank card, Cedric frowned. Just then, he received a call from Chase, who had been at court that day representing Liana and also helping Will Webb with his case *Mr. Laurence, bring some guys over Tyler attacked my client and even hit me. He also took Dr. Terrill-¡± Chapter 1106 Chapter 1106 After hanging up the phone, Cedric, enduring severe headaches, rushed out of the vi and saw Hailey waiting by the roadside for a taxi, realizing she hadn¡¯t driven there. Feeling guilty for not being considerate enough, he quickly approached her ¡°Hailey, there¡¯s trouble with Liana.¡± Cedric said Hailey was checking the route for a taxi and immediately looked up upon hearing about Liana ¡®What happened?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get in the car first,¡® Cedric handed Hailey the car keys and held her hand as they headed back. Once inside the car. Hailey learned that Liana had a court hearing with Tyler today. After the trial, Tyler wanted to take Liana away, but Will intervened. Tyler didn¡¯t say much and immediately resorted to violence, attacking Will Chase stepped in to break up the fight but ended up injured by Tyler¡¯s bodyguards. In B City, the Clowers family and the Howell family had a strong presence, so Tyler acted arrogantly and took Liana away Chase had someone follow them, but they disappeared in a helicopter, and nobody knew where they flew off to After Cedric exined the situation, he took out his phone and contacted a group of people. Not long after, a fleet of luxury cars parked outside the hospital. Cedric, holding Hailey¡¯s cold hand, arrived at the hospital room to see the handsome but bruised Chase, with cuts on his lips and a ck eye, which made Cedric furrow his brows ¡°Don¡¯t you have bodyguards when you appear in court?¡± Cedric asked. Chase, covering his chest that was kicked by a bodyguard, endured the pain and looked at the two people walking¡¯in, along with a group of rich kids from B City. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t have the habit of being overly cautious,¡± Chase replied. His family¨Cthe McCall family didn¡¯t officially acknowledge his existence; others referred to him as Mr. Chase out of courtesy. To him, he was just awyer, and since he was awyer, going to court was enough. Why bother bringing bodyguards? ¡®I¡¯m not seriously injured Mr. Webb look the brunt of it, he added. After wiping off the blood from his lip, Chase gestured towards the ward across the hall. ¡°He just got out of surgery. He¡¯s still unconscious¡± Upon hearing how badly injured Will was. Hailey immediately rushed to his ward. Will had taken a hit to the head, his forehead was bandaged and his fair face bore signs of a heavy beating, which was heart¨Cwrenching to see. Despite his pitiful state, he was still clutching a piece of off white fabric, which looked like it was from Liana¡¯s dress. It seemed Will, after being knocked down by Tyler, had grabbed hold of Liana¡¯s dress, trying to prevent her from being taken. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t stand up against Tyler alone, and even the dress got torn apart. He still couldn¡¯t keep Liana¡­ After chatting with the doctor, Hailey sighed in relief, learning that Will¡¯s head injury wouldn¡¯t leave any permanent damage. Mr. Webb¡¯s brain is a precious asset in the medical field. His research has not only won awards but has also benefited countless patients. He¡¯s an irreceable and brilliant doctor. Will needed time to recover. After staying with him for a while, Hailey returned to Chase¡¯s ward. Cedric had already sent his friends out to look for Liana, but Chase believed their influence in B City was no match for the Howells. It would be a challenge to find her. ¡°Isn¡¯t Bernard also in B City?¡± Cedric, leaning against the window sill, furrowed his brows. He seemed hesitant to disturb Bernard. But this was about Liana. Bernard¡¯s subordinate was in trouble, and he¡¯d probably not turn a blind eye. Considering all this, he dialed Bernard¡¯s number. Seeing Cedric calling Bernard, Hailey, who initially wanted to inform Eleanor, decided to put her phone away. Chapter 1107 Chapter 1107 Liana hadn¡¯t told Bernard and Eleanor about her court case with Tyler to avoid worrying them, so the couple had no idea about the situation. Hearing the news about Will and Chase getting injured and Liana being taken away by Tyler, Eleanor was shocked and quickly got up from the sofa. Bernard also stood up and nced at Sigrid, who was still hesitating with her head down ¡°If you want to go,e with us.¡± Sigrid had initially nned to leave after dropping Eleanor off at home, but Eleanor invited her in for coffee. She didn¡¯t expect to hear about Chase¡¯s situation Considering her currentplicated rtionship with Chase, she thought it might not be appropriate to go with them. However¡­. She had always felt guilty about how her parents treated Chase and the harm they caused to his grandmother. After a few seconds of hesitation, Sigrid decided to join them. The three of them hurried to the hospital and saw Hailey standing at the door of the hospital room. Eleanor quickly approached her to get the details and then went to visit Will Seeing Will, who was already thin due to Yeagers false usations, now covered in bruises, Eleanor¡¯s heart ached. She couldn¡¯t imagine how painful it must have been for Liana to see Will like this Tyler, that scoundrel, actually dared to be so ruthless. And as for Chase¡­ Thinking of Chase, Eleanor turned to the room opposite, where she saw his face also covered in injuries, which furrowed her brow ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Webb and Mr. Chase only have external injuries, no internal darnage¡­¡± Liana patted Eleanor¡¯s shoulder, reassuring her not to be afraid. ¡°And don¡¯t worry about Liana, Mr. Laurence has sent people to look for her. Your husband is here now loo, so we should find Tyler soon.¡± Eleanor nodded, feeling a pang of sadness for Liana¡¯s fate. As long as Tyler was around, Liana¡¯s life seemed to be full of hardships and misfortune. Thinking of this, Eleanor asked Hailey. ¡°What about the court case, did she lose or win?¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Hailey sighed deeply. ¡°The verdict isn¡¯t out yet, the case happened a long time ago. And Tyler¡¯swyer insists on arguing that they were long¨Cterm boyfriend and girlfriend, trying to downgrade the rape case to a lovers¡® dispute. So, there was no immediate verdict, we still have to wait.¡± Hearing this, Eleanor was even more worried, ¡°They just came out of the court, got beaten up, and Liana was taken away. Isn¡¯t he afraid the court will find him guilty?¡± Liana shook her head, indicating that she also didn¡¯t understand. However, Eleanor felt that Tyler¡¯s actions undoubtedly confirmed the fact that he had raped Liana. Once the court learned about it, he would surely be sentenced to prison. Yet, he recklessly took Liana away, seemingly indifferent to the consequences Could it be that he had decided to end both his and Liana¡¯s lives together? Considering this possibility. Eleanor felt restless and anxious. She looked at Bernard, who was dealing with something on the phone, which helped to calm her nerves a little. As long as Bernard was around, they should be able to find out Liana¡¯s whereabouts quickly, and once they knew where she was, they could rescue her. However, if this had happened before, with Tyler taking Liana away, Eleanor might not have been overly worried because she always believed that Tyler would never harm Liana But this time¡­. An indescribable feeling filled her heart with unease, a sense of eeriness reminiscent of how she felt when she learned about Ethan Ziegler¡¯s death all those years ago. Chapter 1108 Chapter 1108 Chapter 1108 When she started to feel anxious, Bernard, who had sent people to look for Liana, hung up the phone, turned around to face an angry Aidyn, ¡°Are you going to investigate it yourself?¡± Aldyn clenched his fists and shook his head. ¡°Mr. Laurence, I need to go back to the Howell family¡¯ Some problems needed to be resolved, or else, he and his cousin would be disturbed by the Howell family for their whole livest After pondering for a few seconds, Bernard arranged a team of bodyguards for Aidyn to go settle those scores with the Howell family After Aidyn left. Bernard had no intention of staying at the hospital for long. Holding Eleanor¡¯s hand, before leaving, he nced at Cedric sitting in front of the hospital bed, ¡°I¡¯ll notify you when we find her¡± Cedric, who had been worried about Chase¡¯s injury, looked up when he saw Bernard was about to leave, noticing Sigrid standing at the door, clutching her purse with a clueless look on her face It seemed like he just realized something, and immediately got up, ¡°Oh, I have an emergency too, Sigrid, could you look after Chase for me?¡± Then, regardless of whether Sigrid agreed, he directly picked up his jacket and followed Bernard out. Downstairs, Cedric stopped Hailey. ¡°I¡¯ve had a few drinks, still a bit tipsy. Could you drive me home?¡± Hailey nced at Eleanor, who was already sitting in the car waiting for her, ¡°You should let the bodyguards take you, I need to go back with Eleanor and wait for news about Liana¡­ Seeing Cedric¡¯s n failed, he was a bit disappointed, but didn¡¯t make a scene. He called for a bodyguard to get in the car with him and rolled up the car window. As the car drove by. Hailey lowered her head. Eleanor, noticing, caressed her hand, but didn¡¯t say anything or ask any questions. As a friend, you need to give the other person some mental space and not pry into their business too much. After everyone left, Sigrid walked up to Chase with her purse, ¡°You¡­ are you okay?¡± Chase didn¡¯t expect her toe. His eyes showed a hopeful look, but he was afraid it would make her ufortable, so he didn¡¯t show it, ¡°It¡¯s just a minor injury, no big Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. deal.¡± Compared to the few times he got stabbed for her in the past, this little injury was nothing. Sigrid stared at him, still bleeding from the corner of his mouth, and after a while, she sat down beside the bed, ¡°You¡¯re not as good a fighter as my brother, why do you get involved in other people¡¯s battles?¡± She put down her bag, took a piece of gauze, and handed it to Chase, ¡°Wipe it off, the corners of your mouth are still bleeding.¡± Chase instinctively looked at the blood dripping onto the nket, he must look incredibly messed up right now, probably making Sigrid ufortable. He hurriedly took th gauze and gave his mouth a quick wipe. Seeing his face now smeared with blood, Sigrid frowned, took the gauze from him, ¡°Never mind, I¡¯ll do it.¡± After taking it, she got up, went to the sink, moistened the gauze, came back and sat down, and carefully wiped off the blood from the corner of his mouth. Chase watched the woman caring for him, feeling as if he was on the edge of despair and then saw a door leading to darkness, with sunshine shining through and warmin his heart. But he knew that Sigrid no longer loved him. She hade to see him, stayed to take care of him, all because of what her parents had done wrong Although he had exined it clearly, but because of this, Sigrid couldn¡¯t completely cut off contact with him, at least not in situations where they had to interact. Chase thought that it was nice to see her once in a while. He would leavepletely only when she got married and spend the rest of his life alone. She didn¡¯t love him, he wouldn¡¯t force her. But he knew without her, he would never marry. He hid this tenacious feeling deep in his heart, he wouldn¡¯t let Sigrid know, as long as she was happ After Sigrid cleaned up the blood, she put down the gauze, ¡°When did the doctor say you could be discharged?¡± Chase snapped out of it, ¡°In about three days.¡± Sigrid nodded, nced at the ward across, ¡°Is someone looking after Mr. Webb?¡± Chase replied, ¡°He¡¯s injured, I need to inform his parents, but they¡¯re overseas and won¡¯t be able to get here until tomorrow.¡± He added, ¡°Bernard also sent a couple of people to look after him.¡± Sigrid nodded again, then sat back down, silently watching Chase. Chase didn¡¯t know what to say and was thinking of a topic when a nurse came in to check his blood pressure. Seeing someone enter, Sigrid started chatting with the nurse, avoiding the awkwardness of being alone together. Chapter 1109 Chapter 1109 When Aidyn mmed open the door of the Howell family, Hackett and Karan were eating at the dining table, and they were stunned when they saw Aidyn barging in Karan was Aidyn¡¯s biological mother Since they parted ways, they hardly ever saw each other. When Aidyn was young, Karan would asionally sneak to A City to visit him. But after being discovered by Aidyn once, she never dared to do so again That time, Aichen med her for being someone¡¯s mistress, causing the death of his mother and making him bear the crime of illegitimate child. He called her a shameless woman and told her to not come to him again for the rest of his life Back then, Karan cried all the way home to B Cily She never thought that being the other woman would earn her own son¡¯s resentment She thought that marrying into a wealthy family and providing a good life for her child was the ultimate kindness, but she didn¡¯t expect her son to have such a strong sense of justice Even when Karan tried to use the Howell family inheritance to lure Aidyn into fighting Tyler, Ardyn didn¡¯t waver. He seemed terrified of any connection with the Howell family Not only did he distance himself from the family, but he would rather be someone¡¯sckey than admit he was a Howell Karan thought such a son was hard to handle So, since then, she never saw Aidyn again, until Liana moved back to A¨CCity She only heard about Aidyn through Liana Even when Aidyn got married, she hid in her car watching the brirle and groom from a distance, not daring to approach Now seeing Aidyn suddenly returning to the Howell family, Karan was shocked, ¡°Why are you back Aidyn led a group of people, walked up to Karan step by step He pulled a knife out of his boot and mmed it into the wooden dining table The knife stuck straight in front of Hackett, scaring him, ¡°You bastard, what do you want to do?¡°¡± Hackett didn¡¯t recognize Aidyn at first, it was only when Karan called him Aidyn that he remembered the child sent to A City Years ago, Hackett knew Aidyn had grown up and sent people to bring him home, but Aidyn refused. Aidyn publicly stated that the Howells were unjust, and he didn¡¯t want to return This infuriated Hackett. He not only stopped trying to bring Aidyn home, but also stripped him of his inheritance and never considered leaving him any property The reason why Hackett could be so heartless was that Karan gave birth to another son for him in her old age. This son was more obedient than Tyler, not as stubborn as Aidyn, and very smart. At a young age, he was already adept in the financial circle. He pinned all his hopes on this third son, so he no longer cared about the first two Whether they went mad or worked for others. But one thing was certain, if it damaged the reputation of the Howell family, Hackett would never allow it. For example, Tyler insisted on marrying his sister. Even if they were not blood¨Crted, it would still beughable How could he allow it? So. Hackett and all the Howells teamed up to restrict and imprison Tyler, aiming to prevent him from losing control outside. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that his life was in danger, Hackett wouldn¡¯t let him out. Unless hepletely changed his character, otherwise.. Hackett¡¯s reminiscing was interrupted by Aidyn pulling him up from his chair, ¡°Your son took my cousin away again, you think I¡¯m a pushover?!¡± Aidyn didn¡¯t know the rtionship between Tyler and Hackett, he only knew that no matter how Tyler behaved, he was always more important than him in Hackett¡¯s heart. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Hearing that Tyler had taken Liana away again, Hackett¡¯s face immediately darkened, ¡°That bastard!¡± He cursed angrily, and then looked up at Aidyn who was taller than him, ¡°He¡¯s now free and more powerful, I can¡¯t control him anymore. It is useless for you toe to mel¡± Aidyn sneered. ¡°He took my cousin, so I¡¯ll take you away to see if it works?!¡± Aidyn dragged Hackett out. The Howell family¡¯s servants rushed up to stop it, but were held back by Aidyn¡¯s bodyguards. Watching Aidyn¡¯s actions, Hackett inwardly med Karan for sending their son to the Laurence family. The Laurences had raised such a defiant son, which made him furious ¡°Aidyn, I¡¯m your biological father, are you not afraid of karma when you treat me like this?¡± ¡°When you were having an affair with my mother behind your wife¡¯s back, did you think about karma?¡± This left Hackett speechless and made Karan feel extremely humiliated. ¡°Aidyn, you Aidyn didn¡¯t look at Karan. He dragged Hackett out of the mansion, threw him into a car, then took out his phone and texted Tyler to exchange Liana for Hackett Chapter 1110 Chapter 1110 Tyler snorted in mockery, His father betrayed his mom, so why the bell should he care if the guy kicks the bucket? They¡¯re threatening him with his dad, It¡¯s so ridiculous! Tossing his phone aside, Tyler passed a ss of milk to Linna¡¯s lips. ¡°There is no food here, just dairy products. Drink some to fill your stomach first Liana, who came out of the court and traveled a long distance with him, came to a foreign country. She had never eaten. Her face was pale, and there was no brilliance in her eyes. Liana spit out the milk, refusing to speak or look at him just sitting in the cage with her eyes shut. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t have the strength to resist, but she had been drugged. Waking up to find herself cuffed in a massive gilded cage, unable to move Seeing that she didn¡¯t drink, Tyler didn¡¯t get mad Instead, he grabbed her chin and poured all the milk into her mouth Liana was choking and coughing Tyler just watched coldly, and after she stopped coughing, he brought a handkerchief and slowly wiped the back of his hands wet with milk Liana, you and Will teaming up against me, trying to get me thrown in jail for rape. But do you really think you can just be with Will once I¡¯m locked up?¡± After drying his hand. Tyler squatted down, grabbed Liana¡¯s hair and yanked her face to his. The pain made her break out in cold sweat ¡°Let me tell you, even if I go to jail, don¡¯t think you and Will can live happily ever after!¡± He grabbed her hair, pulled it hard, and then like a madman, he lowered his head and hit Liana¡¯s lip, which quickly broke through the skin. After the blood flowed out, Tyler licked her lower lip with the tip of his tongue, sucking the taste in her mouth frantically. The smell of blood made Liana feel extremely ufortable She tried to push him away with her hands, but to no avail. Instead, he tore her clothes and put her in a cage like a skinned beast, even if she was dying, but also to bepletely devoured. Tyler pressed her against the cage, biting her neck after the kiss, his fingers pinching her thigh. Then he sat on her ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Liana,¡± Tyler said, his eyes turning dark red. ¡°Am I not good enough? Why are you teaming up with other guys, constantly provoking me?¡± Tyler felt wronged ¡°Do you do you really want me dead?¡± Would she feel sorry or sad if he died? If his death could bring her pity and regret, should he just die? Tyler reached out to open Liana¡¯s eyes, to let her see himself, the man she had tormented. But Liana turned her head away, refusing his touch Even during sex, Liana had no expression or passion. She was just like a dead man, letting him vent. Exhausted, Tyler wrapped his arm around Liana¡¯s waist, pulling her skinny body into his arms. ¡°Liana, since you love Will so much, I¡¯ll let hime and see you in my arms, how does that sound?¡± At his words, Liana¡¯s eyes shot open. ¡°What the hell do you want from me?!¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Seeing the spark in her eyes at the mention of Will, Tyler felt even more hatred ¡°Isn¡¯t this your n?¡± He gently kissed her eyes. ¡°You set the trap, made me fall for you Shouldn¡¯t you be the one to decide when it¡¯s time to stop?¡± If she could just love him like before, he would never do this to her. He would take care of her, love her, forever. Chapter 1111 Chapter 1111 Liana initially wanted to make Tyler suffer, but she didn¡¯t expect that her method of revenge would backfire Now, everything she¡¯s experiencing is her own doing, but it has nothing to do with Will. Why was Tyler being so cruel to Will? When Liana thought about how badly Will was beaten up, her heart trembled, ¡°Tyler, this is between you and me. Please don¡¯t involve Will Can you let him off the hook?¡± Tyler was a madman who could do anything If he really brought Will here, she feared he might assault her in front of Will If that was the case, she¡¯d rather be locked up here forever. But the man holding her waist didn¡¯t pay her any heed. Instead, he coldly looked at her, leaning close to her ear to ask, ¡®Who makes you feel morefortable, me or him?¡± Liana knew that if she confronted Tyler now, she would face even crazier revenge. So she only lowered her eyes, gritting her teeth and said, ¡°Will has never slept with me¡± What she said was the truth. Only Tyler had ever touched Liana. But Tyler didn¡¯t believe her, thinking Liana was lying to him to protect Will, ¡°You have been together for so long and nothing happened? Do you think I am a kid?¡± Hearing this, Liana didn¡¯t bother to go along with him anymore. ¡°Believe it or not, it¡¯s up to you.¡± After that, she closed her eyes again, ignoring him, which made Tyler extreinely angry. She had once fantasized about being loved by Tyler, but she didn¡¯t expect that she would despise doing such things with him now. She always felt like a dog being manipted and controlled by him, completely powerless to resist She hated herself like this, wishing she could go back a decade or so and p the face of her past self who plotted revenge against Tyler. If she hadn¡¯t provoked him, hadn¡¯t hated him, maybe she could still live with dignity abroad. But She knew very well that if she hadn¡¯t provoked him, hadn¡¯t hated him, her past self wouldn¡¯t have been able to survive. She could only hold on until now because of her hatred for him Without this hatred, she might have died in the wilderness long ago, and there would be no her today. Even so, Liana still didn¡¯t understand why she chose such aplicated way to get entangled with him instead of just killing him¡­ This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Tyler vented all his anger on Liana, torturing her until she fainted before he let her go. Tyler leaned against the bars of the birdcage, looking down at Liana who was lying on his leg, obediently closing her eyes and sleeping He lifted his hand, brushing away the sweat¨Csoaked hair on Liana¡¯s face, revealing a delicate and familiar face. He looked at her eyebrows and eyes for a while, then lifted his finger to trace her face over and over, as if trying to etch her image into his bones, tenderly stroking her. After a long time, when night fell and the moonlight shone through the trees on the ind into the birdcage. Tyler picked up the still unconscious Liana and took her back to bed He held Liana tightly from behind, as if holding the whole world, and held her tightly in his arms, ¡°What should I do with you¡­. In the silent bedroom where you could hear a pin drop, a helpless and powerless sigh suddenly sounded. The next day, Liana opened her eyes and saw that she had been dressed in new clothes. It was as if he had been prepared to take her away, the clothes fit her perfectly. tailored to her measurements. However, despite wearing new clothes, she was still trapped in the big birdcage. What was strange was that, after a whole night of being tied up, her hands and feet should be swollen and painful, but she didn¡¯t feel any pain, not even a trace of swelling. Just as Liana was feeling strange, Tyler walked in from outside. His tall figure looked down on her as if he were looking at a trapped wild animal. ¡°Liana, let¡¯s end all this¡­¡± Chapter 1112 Chapter 1112 For Tyler, the world had lost all its color since Liana no longer loved him, and refused toe back to him If Liana were to send him to jail, he¡¯d rather call it quits, ending their rtionship, his pain, and hers too. ¡°How to end it?¡± Liana lifted her head, looking at Tyler coldly. She knew it would be great if things could end, but she also knew Tyler wouldn¡¯t let her off easily He would make her suffer before letting go. Tyler stepped into the birdcage, his towering figure casting a shadow like a beast tamer This shadow weighed heavily on Liana, making her feel oppressed One was sitting and the other was squatting, their eyes were deep and firm, looking at each other. The deep attachment between them seemed insignificant in the face of Liana¡¯s anger After a long hesitation, Tyler spoke softly, ¡°Just like before, stay with me for a month. After a month, I¡¯ll let you go How could Liana believe him? After all the effort he put into bringing her here, how could he possibly let her go so easily? For a person like Tyler, not imprisoning her on a deserted ind was already a mercy. He didn¡¯t make any promises. He just pulled out a gun from his waist and put it in Liana¡¯s palm, ¡°If I don¡¯t let you go after a month, you can shoot me When Liana got the gun, she was silent for a few seconds. Suddenly, she raised the gun, aimed at Tyler¡¯s forehead, and pulled the trigger without hesitation. The gun was empty, no bullets, Tyler was unharmed¡­ ¡°You really wish I was dead¡± Disappointment was apparent in Tyler¡¯s eyes, but she looked away, staring at the gun in her hand. ¡°You really did fool me¡± He gave her a gun with no bullets. What good was that? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Tyler squatted on one knee, looking a bit angry, but he swallowed it down and took the gun from Liana¡¯s hand, opening the clip. When he saw the golden bullet in the magazine, Liana felt a premonition. If she had fired six times earlier, Tyler would have died, but unfortunately, Liana only fired once. Tyler stared at the bullet in the magazine, hesitated for a moment, then closed the magazine and put the gun on the ss table outside the birdcage. He turned around and looked at Liana sitting in the birdcage. ¡°If you agree, this gun is yours.¡± Liana didn¡¯t expect Tyler to give her the gun. Wasn¡¯t he afraid she would fire a few more shots after getting the gun? Tyler seemed to see her doubts, and a bitter smile appeared on his face. ¡°Do you agree or not?¡± Liana didn¡¯t want to interact with Tyler like before, but she knew that temporarypromise was the only way to escape. She hesitated for a moment, then nodded gently. No matter what, get the gun first. Seeing her agreement, Tyler was in a good mood. He picked up the key, unlocked Liana¡¯s handcuffs and leg irons, then picked her up and walked out of the birdcage. As they passed by the gun, Liana frowned. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to give me the gun?¡± Tyler lowered his head, looked into her eyes, and said softly ¡°I will give it to you after a month. In other words, she could only get the gun after spending a month with him. Liana was unwilling Tyler raised his hand and gently patted her cold cheek. ¡°Liana, you don¡¯t have any other choices.¡± He never intended to let her go, so naturally, he wouldn¡¯t give her any choices. But if she coulde back and get the gun while he was asleep, then she might have a shot at victory With this thought in mind, Liana let Tyler carry her downstairs. When they reached the ground floor, she found herself in a mansion, surrounded by lush greenwns, and the boundless sea in the distance This was a deserted ind that Tyler had bought and refurbished, making it very spacious. Liana once told Tyler when she was a child that her favorite ce was a small ind by the sea. If she had the chance, she would like to spend her life on the small ind with her loved one, which would be a wonderful thing. She was very fond of Tyler at that time and deliberately told him about this. But he didn¡¯t seem to care at the time, just nced at her and said that they, young girls, didn¡¯t have anything in their heads but romance, which was very boring Tyler didn¡¯t understand love from a young age, and even now, despite saying he loved her, he treated her harshly, not realizing that his excessive love was actually hurting her. Through the sunlight from the window, Liana looked up at Tyler who was holding her. If her parents hadn¡¯t died, if her aunt Karan hadn¡¯t taken her to the Howell family, she wouldn¡¯t have met someone like Tyler, and her life wouldn¡¯t have been so hard. But in life, there are no ifs¡­. Chapter 1113 Chapter 1113 After setting Liana on the dining chair, Tyler squatted in front of her and gently stroked her hair ¡°What do you fancy eating?¡± he asked softly Liana, clearly not in the mood, replied coldly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat anything¡± Tyler¡¯s hand paused for a moment, then started from the back of her head and touched her lips, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree that you should treat me as before, be gentle with me.¡± How had she treated him before? Back then, she was always sweet and loving, constantly dering her love for him andvishing him with affection Did she need to act like this now just to get her freedom? A hint of disgust shed in Liana¡¯s eyes, but she forced a smile Tll have a cheese sandwich, beef, and orange juice¡­¡± Finally, Tyler¡¯s face lit up with satisfaction. His long fingers stroked her hair again, like petting a small bird. ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡± He expected Tyler to head to the kitchen alone, but he brought her along and had her sit on the clean counter. He then closed the kitchen door, and the two of them were enclosed in this space, before he slowly roll up his sleeves and start preparing the food He probably feared she might grab a knife or something to attack him, so all the cutlery was unusually small, unlikely to cause harm. And Liana wasn¡¯t stupid enough to fight against a tall, powerful man like Tyler with such tiny utensils. She stood no chance Anger swelled in Liana¡¯s heart, but Tyler seemed in high spirits. He cooked a steak and immediately cut off a piece of it, offering it to Liana¡¯s lips. ¡°Try it. How does it taste?¡± Liana had deceived him for years. They had shared moments like this before, but back then there was no disgust in Liana¡¯s eyes. Now, she forced her mouth open, chewing the food he fed her silently, eating without a word Tyler didn¡¯t seem upset. He tousled her hair as if dealing with a yful child, then turned to make the orange juice. They hadn¡¯t had this food on the ind before, so Tyler must have gone shopping that morning. This meant that after they finished eating he would have to go out again During that time, she could grab the gun and make her escape. Liana nced out the window. There was a boat in the distance, but Tyler would certainly take it when he left the ind, rendering it useless to her. To escape, she to get the gun first, then threaten Tyler to let her go. She could also wait for a month, but she didn¡¯t trust Tyler. With these thoughts in mind, Liana slowly rxed. She needed Tyler to let his guard down to have a chance to escape. From now on, she would eat whatever Tyler fed her Only with a full stomach could she have the strength to run. With this mindset, the pair avoided further arguments. But after they finished eating, the hidden tracker detector went off. Tyler¡¯s expression turned serious. He stared at the direction of the tracker, silent for a moment before suddenly handing Liana a phone. ¡°Tell them to stop looking for you.¡± Liana knew who he meant. Eleanor, Hailey, and Bernard had been looking for her. But Tyler had installed a tracker detector, making it hard to pinpoint her exact location However, the detector had just given off a warning signal, meaning they were trying to break through and could soon find her. Liana took the phone and nced at Tyler. ¡°With Mr. Laurence¡¯s capability, he will soon find this ce. Why do you insist on making an enemy of him?¡± Tyler smirked. ¡°So you need to call him and tell him to pick you up in a month.¡± Liana frowned ¡°Why do you insist on spending a month with me?¡± Tyler lowered his eyes, hiding the fatigue in them. ¡°Can¡¯t I just want to spend more time with you?¡± After saying this, he lifted Liana onto hisp and kissed her. ¡°If I tell you I miss you terribly, would you believe me?¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. He missed her so much it hurt, so much that he couldn¡¯t decide how to win her back. So could she stay with him for a month for the sake of his longing? Liana saw the deep love in his eyes and turned away. ¡°Tyler, I don¡¯t love you.¡± Tyler froze. The pain in his heart spread throughout his body, even reaching his fingertips. He didn¡¯t say much, just nodded. ¡°I understand¡± He let go of Liana and handed her the phone again. ¡°This time, I¡¯m not lying. Give me a month.¡± After a month, he would let her leave. Then he would stay on this small ind, living out the rest of his days alone, never bothering her again. Chapter 1114 Chapter 1114 hapter 1114 N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Liana gripped her phone lightly, hesitated for a few seconds, then after she dialed Eleanor¡¯s number. Eleanor¡¯s number was the only one she had memorized. In her heart, this girl who had once suffered from a terminal illness, who had nearly died in a perfume shop attack while showing her gratitude, was a very special existence Eleanor, who had not slept all night, sat in the living room. Her heart pounded when she received a call from a strange number. It wasn¡¯t until she heard Liana¡¯s voice that she breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Liana, where are you? Are you okay? Did Tyler Howell hurt you?¡± A series of greelings warmed Liana¡¯s heart. She replied that she was okay, then under Tyler¡¯s prompting, slowly began to speak. ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯te to me anymore. Tyler and I will stay on this ind for a month and then go back. It¡¯s spring, the scenery is beautiful, and it¡¯s suitable for travel.¡± She didn¡¯t know which country this was, or what ind All she could reveal was that it was an ind, and the season it was spring there Hearing this, Eleanor and Hailey were stunned, not understanding her meaning. Quick to react, Bernard took the phone and said coldly. ¡°Tyler, let Liana go. You will be in so much trouble if I find you.¡± Tyler responded with a smile, ¡°Bernard, this is between Liana and me, you don¡¯t need to meddle.¡± With that, Tyler hung up Cedric, who had been trying to trace the call, didn¡¯t find the location before a red signal appeared on his phone screen. ¡°This guy, quick on his feet,¡± Cedric cursed, then got up to take Eleanor¡¯s phone. The disyed number was unknown, and he had no idea where the call wasing from. Bernard instructed Cedric to continue tracking the number, then coldly told Aidyn, ¡°Send someone to check which countries or inds are currently in spring, including those who studies the development of desert Inds.¡± A narrowed search would be faster. Aidyn immediately responded, ¡°Got it.¡± As he turned to carry out the orders, he saw Hackett Howell tied to a pir, ¡°Mr. Laurence, what about him?¡± He had thought kidnapping Hackett would be useful, but Tyler didn¡¯t care about his father¡¯s fate at all. Bernard gave a cold nce at the pretending¨Cto¨Csleep Hackett, ¡°Release him, then leak a story to the media about Mr. Howell¡¯s son kidnapping his step¨Cwife¡¯s niece and attempting to harm her.¡± Hackett instantly woke up, quickly saying, ¡°No, I¡¯ll send men to find Tyler right now, I¡¯ll hand him over to you myself.¡± Bernard ignored Hackett but someone came over to untie him. Understanding they agreed, he was annoyed at Bernard¡¯s meddling, but didn¡¯t show it, only nodded and murmured a few nice words before leaving the vi. His initial thought was, now that they had escaped, let Tyler and Aidyn fight it out. However, as soon as he got home, a call came in, asking if he had sent people to search. If not, they would post a missing person announcement in the newspaper. This forced Hackett to mobilize his resources to find the rebellious Tyler After hanging up, Liana looked at Tyler, who was working on the anti¨Ctracker. He was a genius in the medical field and good withputers. Despite his sess in his career, why did he have to be such a creep? Liana watched Tyler, who waspletely engrossed in the codes. He not only set up the anti¨Ctracker but also sent a fake location to Cedric using the unknown number. Once the location was sent, Tyler gave a slight smile. The sunlight hit his face, making him look extremely smug. He closed hisptop, scooped up Liana who was sitting next to him, ¡°Didn¡¯t you love lying on thewn watching the sunset when you were a kid? Come on, I will take you to Chapter 1115 Chapter 1115 He was stoked, bringing Liana to the seaside. But instead of heading to the beach, he settled her down on a nearbywn. Perhaps fearing she might bolt, he cuffed her wrist the moment she sat down Seeing this, Liana let out a sarcasticugh. ¡°Thought we were going back to the way we used to be What¡¯s with the cuffs? Scared I might take off?¡± Tyler didn¡¯t seem to care, chuckling ¡°Don¡¯t you think this will enhance the rtionship between us?¡± Liana was pissed, thinking how the hell she was going to get a gun while sleeping at night. While she was thinking of countermeasures, Tyler suddenly pressed her under him, ¡°There are only you and me on this ind, so the possibilities are endness¡± Disgust shed in Liana¡¯s eyes, ¡°Tyler, I don¡¯t want to!¡± Tyler lifted her chin, kissing her while biting her lip, ¡°You once told me that when a woman says she doesn¡¯t want something, she actually does. I remember Liana was speechless, struggling and pushing him away, but his strength was too much When her clothes were stripped off and the weeds behind poked into her skin, she almost wanted to cry Maybe he noticed her difort, because Tyler flipped them over so she wasying on him. She wanted to escape, but she couldn¡¯t break free. She was at his mercy. Sometimes Liana hated herself. How could she still physically react to his touch when she loathed him so much? She kept her eyes shut, refusing to show any emotion. But Tyler could read from her subtle expressions that she was responding. His eyes softened when he saw this side of Liana, a hint of affectionate smile on his face. He wondered, if they kept this up for a month, would she fall in love with him again? With that in mind, Tyler gently kissed her eyes. ¡°Liana, I love you so much.¡± Liana turned her head, looking at the sunset in the distance. The golden light beamed onto her smooth back. It should¡¯ve felt warm, but she felt nothing but cold. What the hell was all this entanglement! Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. The grass clutched tightly in her hand symbolized their satisfaction. Whether Liana was satisfied, Tyler didn¡¯t know. All he knew was he was blissful at that moment. When night fell, Tyler fed her some food and then took her to shower. Her cuffs weren¡¯t removed the whole time, in fact, they were tightened. Once they were in the soft bed, Liana looked up through her falling hair at Tyler who was drying her hair, ¡°My wrist hurts.¡± Tyler ignored her, dried her hair and then climbed into bed to hold her as they slept. Liana, lying with her back to him, felt a bit ufortable. She rubbed her wrist, it really did hurt. Tyler watched her back for a few seconds, then loosened the cuffs before pulling her into his arms, ¡°Go to sleep.¡± Liana seldom showed such good temper, nodding obediently with her eyes shut. But she didn¡¯t really fall asleep. She was waiting for Tyler to doze off so she could creep upstairs About half an hourter, Tyler¡¯s breathing became steady. Seemed like he was asleep. But just to make sure, Liana nudged him gently. Seeing no reaction, she carefully got out of bed Barefoot on the carpet, she tip¨Ctoed to the door. She even held her breath before she gently pushed the door open, fearing Tyler might suddenly wake up. Luckily, he didn¡¯t stir till she was out of the door. She heaved a sigh of relief, then tip¨Ctoed on the chilly floor. She didn¡¯t dare to close the door, just tiptoed towards the stairs. The house was massive. After leaving the room and reaching the corridor, Liana, guided by the moonlight from the window, hastily walked across and climbed up to the third floor.. When she reached the aviary, she found the door somehow locked. It wouldn¡¯t budge. Liana was slowly getting furious when a cold voice came from behind ¡°Liana, you¡¯ve broken the rules. You should be punished¡­¡± Chapter 1116 Chapter 1116 Liana was startled by this weird voice, and the moment she turned around, she saw Tyler standing by the elevator, staring at her coldly The room was sunless, only the eerie moonlight piercing through the rooftop ss, casting a deathly pallor on Tyler¡¯s face, making him look like a demon straight from hell. Seeing Tyler like this, Liana felt a chill, and she subconsciously took a step back, leaning her back against the door of a room. That¡¯s when Tyler walked towards her, untying the white cloth around his wris! When he walked in front of her, the white cloth was just untied Liana saw this scene, thinking he was going to rape her. She was so scared that she wanted to run away, but he pulled her back Using the cloth, he bound her hands above her head, his icy fingers tracing a path from her face to her chest. His hand on her chest, he asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree that you¡¯d get the gun in a month? What¡¯s the rush?¡± Enduring the humiliation, Liana gritted her teeth and retorted, ¡°Tyler, I don¡¯t want to be stuck with you for a whole freaking month¡± Bending his head, Tyler nipped at her neck, ¡°But I want.¡± His tongue on her skin felt like a scorpion sting, causing hier excruciating pain. Struggling against the pain, Liana tried to break free, but he had her pinned against the door, unable to move at all. Tyler bit her and whispered in her ear, ¡°You haven¡¯t tried being abused before, how about trying once as punishment? Liana¡¯s face turned pale when she heard the word ¡®abuse¡°, ¡°Tyler, don¡¯t be silly! Those who had raped her had also abused her. Tyler, as the mastermind, was now treating it as a form of punishment. Just how dark was his heart? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. With a soft kiss on her cheek, Tyler asked in a lover¨Clike tone. ¡°So, are you still thinking of running away?¡± ¡°Getting a gun was synonymous with running away He didn¡¯t need to be so gentle with a woman who didn¡¯t even want to spend a month with him. Scared of being abused by Tyler, Liana reluctantly shook her head, ¡°I won¡¯t run¡­¡± His fingers skimmed over Liana¡¯s chest, ¡°If you¡¯re not running, then let¡¯s go back to bed, shall we?¡± He knew her body well, even a slight touch would get a physical response from her. Enduring her disgust and humiliation, she agreed with a nod However, instead of taking her to bed, Tyler pressed her against the cold door and forced himself on her. He tormented her until she was utterly exhausted, then woke her up again. Although not exactly ¡®abuse, it was pretty close. When Liana woke up, she found her wrists locked together, unable to move or even pick anything up. Feeling desperate, she sat on the living room couch, gazing at the morning sun outside, hoping someone woulde to her rescue¡­. After narrowing down the search area, Aidyn quickly identified three potential countries where Liana could be, based on Tyler¡¯s private jet¡¯s flight records. Upon receiving the information about Tyler¡¯s ind purchases worldwide, Bernard looked at the red¨C marked locations, lost in thought for a few seconds, then remembered something Liana had once said¡­ The ¡®one month period was probably set by Tyler. He seemed to be using this to buy himself a month to resolve the situation¡­ Finding Liana now or in a month would not change the fact that Tyler was facing a prison sentence. Rape and uwful detention were not charges to be taken lightly. Even though the rape charge was yet to be ruled on, there was a record of Will reporting an incident on the day of his wedding with Liana in A City. Even if the B City court did not pass a judgment immediately, it would eventually deliver a fair verdict once the facts were verified. Tyler must have known the oue of the case, which was probably why he openly assaulted and kidnapped someone right outside the court. Initially, Bernard thought Tyler was just a cocky jerk, but now he felt that Tyler might have done all this for the chance to spend an extra month with Liana. Bernard couldn¡¯t exactlyment on Tyler¡¯s motives, but he could guess Tyler¡¯s mindset, like a desperate animal cornered, ready to go all out, no matter the cost. Did Tyler love Liana? Yes, he did. His obsession with her had reached a maddening level¡­ Having received the information, Bernard could find Tyler quickly, but he hesitated, a bad feeling holding him back. Everyone in the hospital room was watching him, including Will¡¯s parents. They were teary¨Ceyed, staring at Bernard, who sat on the couch, a rock amidst the storm. Will, lying on the hospital bed, noticed Bernard¡¯s hesitation and gratitude reced his worry, ¡°Mr. Laurence, thank you for helping me find these countries. Leave the next things to me¡­ Chapter 1117 Chapter 1117 Will was the one directly involved and Bernard, only Liana¡¯s boss, but he had poured a ton of effort and cash into the search for Liana This was already a huge help to Will, so he thought to himself. I continue to trouble Bernard I will feel embarrassed¡± Will¡¯s parents went all jelly¨Clegged when they heard he was nning to look for Liana himself ¡°Will you look so peaky, how are you gonna find Liana?¡± They didn¡¯t object to Will dating Liana, but Liana, a child, was being targeted by a pervert Even though Will wasn¡¯t afraid of anything, as his parents, they were extremely worried. After all, Will was their only child. Seeing his parents all teary¨Ceyed, Will felt a pang of quilt He patted his mom¡¯s hand and reassured her. Don¡¯t worry No matter how bad Tyler¡¯s chamcter is, he wouldn¡¯t dare to kill us. His parents, seeing Will¡¯s firm resolve, swallowed their concerns and respected his wishes. They didn¡¯t try to force him to do anything, just turned their hopeful eyes towards Bernard They mighte from a well bred family, but they were just average Joespared to the might of the Laurence Group So, they had to pin their hopes on him Bernard saw the elder couple¡¯s expectant gazes. He slowly blinked, then looked at Will. ¡°You take it easy I¡¯ll handle the search¡± With that Bernard stood up, took Eleanor¡¯s hand, and headed out of the room. Across the way, Cedric saw his big bro leave, quickly patted Chase McCall on the shoulder told him to rest well, and then he too stood up and left. Once in the car, they split into three groups Aidyn, Cedric, and Bernard each leading one. They each took their teams to a different country to continue the search After they left. Will started studying the map of the ind Tyler had bought overseas. Something didn¡¯t add up¡­. Tyler¡¯s private jet had stopped in all three countries. At first nce, it definitely looked like he was ying them, sending them off in different directions But then, wouldn¡¯t the guy who could use a tracer to send false locations to Cedric also deceive them? Thinking this, Will immediately tried to call them but everyone had already boarded the nes and turned off their phones. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. With map in hand, he zoomed in on South America. After cross¨Creferencing with the info he got back, he focused on Panama¡­ Liana had circled this country on her globe at work. Will had asked her if she had wanted to go there, and she had said someone promised to take her there but never did, so she circled it as a reminder¡­ Liana¡¯s childhood and adolescence were always tied to Tyler. She held a grudge against him especially about the Panama promise. She would remember this deliberately to remind herself. Since they had nned to go to Panama as kids, could they be there now? With this question in mind, when his parents left to find the doctor, Will yanked out his IV, threw on a hospital gown, and bolted from the hospital. Pushing through the pain, he staggered out of the hospital, hailed a cab home, grabbed his passport, and headed straight for the airport. Tyler held up a piece of foie gras and fed it to Liana. ¡°You had a tough night. Eat something and regain your strength,¡± he said. She was starving and gobbled down the foie gras. She tried to grab the cutlery herself, but Tyler stopped her. ¡°No rush. Eat slowly so you don¡¯t upset your stomach,¡± he said. He fed her bit by bit like a baby Liana was famished and kept ring at Tyler. Seeing her fierce expression, Tyler only felt more delighted and evenughed more. After feeding her, he wiped her mouth with a wet wipe, then took her to the basement theater and randomly picked an action movie for her to watch. He held her, demanding she say ¡®I love you¡® like before. Liana didn¡¯t want to, so he pinched her until her waist was bruised and sore. Unable to bear the pain, Liana had to grit her teeth and say, ¡°I love you¡­¡± Chapter 1118 Chapter 1118 Although she said I love you verbally, she didn¡¯t actually love him For Tyler, however, even being fake was satisfying. His stender fingers gently brushed Liana¡¯s cheek, and regardless of whether she was sweaty or not, he would lean down, kiss her forehead and say. ¡°Liana, I love you too¡± Liana scoffed. ¡°Tyler, can someone like you understand what love is? After a passionate night, Tyler bit her lip gently and replied. ¡°I might not understand but does it matter? Knowing he wanted her was enough. Why bother figuring out what love was? If he could keep her by his side, that was love. Liana fell onto the soft carpet, turning her head to watch the embarrassing scenes on the big screen. It seemed that even the performances in the movies couldn¡¯tpete with their passion Her body had beenpletely possessed by Tyler. Not a single part of her was pure. No, from the moment Tyler first had her, she was no longer pure. Tyler seemed a bit lost, as if time wasn¡¯t enough. He held her again and again, as if trying to spend all the time of the month on her¡­. At first, Liana tried to resist, butter she was so worn out that she had to let him do as he pleased The moment he put her into the bathtub Liana felt a bit nauseous. She leaned over the edge of the tub, retching a few times, but nothing came out. Seeing her like this, Tyler, who was leaning against the ss door, froze. These were early pregnancy symptoms, but Liana couldn¡¯t be pregnant because she had no womb. He had fantasized that if Liana could bear a child for him, they could live a carefree life on this ind. He often fantasized that if they had a child, Liana would slowly ept him for the sake of the child. Then he wouldn¡¯t need to force her to express love with lies. But all these were unrealistic fantasies. Because Liana¡¯s womb had been taken away by him. She could never have a child¡­. Regret filled Tyler¡¯s eyes. He walked over to Liana, squatted down, and patted her back gently, asking, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Liana red at him angrily, clutching her stomach, ¡°Your cooking sucks. It¡¯s raw¡± Tyler paused, seemingly surprised that Liana was criticizing his cooking as she used to. A smile slowly appeared on his face, ¡°Then you cook for me tomorrow, okay?¡± Liana turned her head away, ignoring Tyler. But he leaned in close to her ear and whispered, ¡°Your bacon and eggs are my favorite. Will you make them for me tomorrow?¡± Without thinking. Liana nodded, ¡°Mm¡­¡± She thought to herself. I can¡¯t eat Tyler¡¯s terrible cooking every day for a month, can I? Tyler was thrilled when Liana agreed. He stroked her face and gave her a few kisses. ¡°Liana, you¡¯re such a good girl.¡± After kissing her, he unlocked the cuffs on her wrists, ¡°You¡¯ve been so good, you deserve a reward. You don¡¯t have to sleep with these on tonight.¡± He threw the cuffs aside, then picked up a towel and helped Liana take a bath. Afterwards, he gave her a massage. His movements were gentle, as if he was touching the most precious treasure in the world. Liana, who was leaning against the edge of the tub, asionally looked up to see the reflection in the mirror. The figure in the mirror was grinning from ear to ear, seemingly happy as long as she cooperated with him. Looking at Tyler like this, Liana had mixed feelings. She felt like her revenge n had seeded, yet it hadn¡¯t, because their rtionship wasplicated. Tyler carned Liana back to the master bedroom andid her on the bed. Then he turned around, propped his head up with one hand, and looked at Liana who was lying on the bed with her eyes closed. In the moonlight, he traced Liana¡¯s features with his finger, then asked softly, ¡°Liana, was I the only one you liked when you were young?¡± Liana had answered this question before, so she ignored him this time. Tyler didn¡¯t mind He started talking about their past. ¡°I used Although she said I love you verbally, she didn¡¯t actually love him For Tyler, however, even being fake was satisfying. His stender fingers gently brushed Liana¡¯s cheek, and regardless of whether she was sweaty or not, he would lean down, kiss her forehead and say. ¡°Liana, I love you too¡± Liana scoffed. ¡°Tyler, can someone like you understand what love is? After a passionate night, Tyler bit her lip gently and replied. ¡°I might not understand but does it matter? Knowing he wanted her was enough. Why bother figuring out what love was? If he could keep her by his side, that was love. Liana fell onto the soft carpet, turning her head to watch the embarrassing scenes on the big screen. It seemed that even the performances in the movies couldn¡¯tpete with their passion Her body had beenpletely possessed by Tyler. Not a single part of her was pure. No, from the moment Tyler first had her, she was no longer pure. Tyler seemed a bit lost, as if time wasn¡¯t enough. He held her again and again, as if trying to spend all the time of the month on her¡­. At first, Liana tried to resist, butter she was so worn out that she had to let him do as he pleased The moment he put her into the bathtub Liana felt a bit nauseous. She leaned over the edge of the tub, retching a few times, but nothing came out. Seeing her like this, Tyler, who was leaning against the ss door, froze. These were early pregnancy symptoms, but Liana couldn¡¯t be pregnant because she had no womb. He had fantasized that if Liana could bear a child for him, they could live a carefree life on this ind. He often fantasized that if they had a child, Liana would slowly ept him for the sake of the child. Then he wouldn¡¯t need to force her to express love with lies. But all these were unrealistic fantasies. Because Liana¡¯s womb had been taken away by him. She could never have a child¡­. Regret filled Tyler¡¯s eyes. He walked over to Liana, squatted down, and patted her back gently, asking, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Liana red at him angrily, clutching her stomach, ¡°Your cooking sucks. It¡¯s raw¡± Tyler paused, seemingly surprised that Liana was criticizing his cooking as she used to. A smile slowly appeared on his face, ¡°Then you cook for me tomorrow, okay?¡± Liana turned her head away, ignoring Tyler. But he leaned in close to her ear and whispered, ¡°Your bacon and eggs are my favorite. Will you make them for me tomorrow?¡± Without thinking. Liana nodded, ¡°Mm¡­¡± She thought to herself. I can¡¯t eat Tyler¡¯s terrible cooking every day for a month, can I? Tyler was thrilled when Liana agreed. He stroked her face and gave her a few kisses. ¡°Liana, you¡¯re such a good girl.¡± After kissing her, he unlocked the cuffs on her wrists, ¡°You¡¯ve been so good, you deserve a reward. You don¡¯t have to sleep with these on tonight.¡± He threw the cuffs aside, then picked up a towel and helped Liana take a bath. Afterwards, he gave her a massage. His movements were gentle, as if he was touching the most precious treasure in the world. Liana, who was leaning against the edge of the tub, asionally looked up to see the reflection in the mirror. The figure in the mirror was grinning from ear to ear, seemingly happy as long as she cooperated with him. Looking at Tyler like this, Liana had mixed feelings. She felt like her revenge n had seeded, yet it hadn¡¯t, because their rtionship wasplicated. Tyler carned Liana back to the master bedroom andid her on the bed. Then he turned around, propped his head up with one hand, and looked at Liana who was lying on the bed with her eyes closed. In the moonlight, he traced Liana¡¯s features with his finger, then asked softly, ¡°Liana, was I the only one you liked when you were young?¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Liana had answered this question before, so she ignored him this time. Tyler didn¡¯t mind He started talking about their past. ¡°I used to think you liked that guy named Jules¡­¡± Liana was very close to a guy named Jules. He would pick her up and drop her off at school every day. They often chatted and yed together, and they even decided to go to the same university. Every time Tyler saw this, he just pretended not to see. Karan really liked Jules and often invited him over to y She even brought Jules into Liana¡¯s room to give them some alone time. After a while, Jules even had free ess to their house. A few times when Tyler saw them being intimate, he was unhappy and scolded them. But Karan defended Jules, saying that Jules might be Liana¡¯s future husband and that Tyler should be more polite to his future brother¨C inw. to think you liked that guy named Jules¡­¡± Liana was very close to a guy named Jules. He would pick her up and drop her off at school every day. They often chatted and yed together, and they even decided to go to the same university. Every time Tyler saw this, he just pretended not to see. Karan really liked Jules and often invited him over to y She even brought Jules into Liana¡¯s room to give them some alone time. After a while, Jules even had free ess to their house. A few times when Tyler saw them being intimate, he was unhappy and scolded them. But Karan defended Jules, saying that Jules might be Liana¡¯s future husband and that Tyler should be more polite to his future brother¨C inw. Chapter 1119 Chapter 1119 At that time, Tyler only felt very ufortable when he heard this sentence, but he didn¡¯t understand the reason for this ufortable feeling On Liana¡¯s 18th birthday. Karan told Tyler that Liana would be traveling abroad with Jules that night, leaving herselfpletely in Jules¡® hands. The ufortable feeling Tyler felt in the bottom of his heart gradually turned into anger and hatred. He always felt that if his toy was touched by others, he would be pissed off. He sent someone to stop Jules ship, and then hijacked Liana. He thought that those people were just pretending to scare Liana Sitting in the car, he couldn¡¯t see the dim scene under the trees through the heavy car film, nor could he hear the distant cries for help. He thought his men were just scaring Liana, but he didn¡¯t expect¡­ Thinking back, Tyler¡¯s eyes reddened. He was young and reckless back then. He had to leave because of an emergency call from the butler Otherwise, he could have noticed something was off after such a long time¡­ He thought he could punish Liana this way when he was young, but he ended up hurting himself. Even after he dealt with those men, he couldn¡¯t forget the sight of Liana bleeding when he got back¡­.. Even now, thinking back, Tyler felt a pang in his heart. He instinctively hugged Liana and whispered in her ear. ¡°Liana, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry.¡± His apologies made Liana clench her fists. She didn¡¯t know what he was apologizing for, but she didn¡¯t ept his apology either way. Tyler seemed to sense Liana¡¯s resentment. He leaned in and softly kissed her lips, ¡°I¡¯ll treat you well from now on, I promise Liana still didn¡¯t open her eyes or respond. She just pushed his hand away, turned her body, and gazed at the moonlight outside the window. After a while, Tyler hugged her again, ¡°Liana, if I could go back to your 18th birthday, I would have listened to your confession, and then¡­¡± Liana rolled her eyes and cut him off, ¡°If I could go back to my 18th birthday, I would have stabbed you¡­¡± Tyler swallowed his words. After a while, he sighed softly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ Liana didn¡¯t respond, just staring nkly at the sea outside the window. An hour, two hours, three hours passed, a speedboat appeared in the distance, heading towards the ind¡­ Realizing that it must be Eleanor and the others, Liana felt a glimmer of hope. But she didn¡¯t want to wake Tyler, so she quietly moved to the edge of the bed. Perhaps it was the lesson fromst night, Liana didn¡¯t dare to act rashly. She turned back to look at Tyler, waiting quietly. When she was sure he was really asleep, she got 1. up. She moved quietly and slowly towards the door, not putting on her shoes. She didn¡¯t dare to move once she stepped outside, squatting and peeking through the gap at the man inside. When he didn¡¯te out after a while, she finally stood up¡­. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. As she left the estate, the speedboat stopped. When she saw Will who got off, she was shocked, and ran quickly towards Will, not caring about the weeds and thorns under her feet. Seeing Liana really on the ind, Will¡¯s heart rxed. He quickly ran towards her When they grabbed each other¡¯s hands on thewn, Will wanted to hug Liana, but she pushed him away. ¡°Quickly, go! You can¡¯t handle Tyler alone, go get more people¡­ Liana was clear¨Cheaded, but Will was adamant about taking her with him, ¡°Liana, don¡¯t be scared, come with me now, Tyler won¡¯t catch up¡­¡± He had specifically rented a fast boat to get there quicker. His n was to sneak onto the ind at night and then find Liana, but he didn¡¯t expect to see her running out as soon as he got there. This was even better, he didn¡¯t need to find her, he just needed to take her away Will pulled Liana and quickly ran towards the beach. When the two were about to board the speedboat, a gunshot sounded, followed by a bullet, whoosh, passing through the speedboat at an extremely fast speed. The two of them, standing in the seawater, turned back to see who fired the shot¡­.. Tyler, dressed in a white shirt, holding a gun, was slowly walking towards them¡­ Chapter 1120 Chapter 1120 The moment Liana saw Tyler, she was the first to react Shee quickly pushed Will away and said, ¡°Get out of here! Even though Liana knew Tyler wouldn¡¯t hurt her, she wasn¡¯t sure about Will. She feared for him, firmly grabbing his arm and propelling him towards the speedboat. After all, Tyler had a gun, and no one could tell if he would take a shot at Will again Will wasn¡¯t keen on looking like a pushover. He held Liana¡¯s hand, ced it in his own, stood tall and faced Tyler, who was approaching them When Tyler¡¯s gaze fell on their intertwined hands, he finally understood the uneasy feeling he¡¯d had before. Turns out, he¡¯d been green with envy for quite a while now. If he¡¯d realized this sooner, perhaps things wouldn¡¯t have gotten to this point. Tyler slowly shifted his prating gaze away, past Will, onto Liana¡¯s pallid face. ¡°We agreed to stay together for a month, and it¡¯s only been a day¡­ He nudged Liana¡¯s chin with the barrel of his gun, ¡°Are you¡­ that desperate to leave me?¡± Will quickly pulled Liana behind him, standing in front of her, ¡°Tyler, calm down! Don¡¯t threaten Liana like that!¡± Tyler wasn¡¯t bothered by Will. He only looked at Will after hearing his voice, ¡°So, you want me to threaten you instead?¡± No sooner had Tyler finished speaking, he lifted his gun and struck Will hard on the temple Will¡¯s body instantly went limp. Seeing Will copsing into the sea, Liana was frightened and rushed to help him. Her panic, in Tyler¡¯s eyes, seemed extremely ironic. He too squatted down, grabbed Liana¡¯s hair, forcing her to look at him, ¡°You haven¡¯t answered my question yet¡± Liana wanted to keep bluffing him, but seeing an unconscious Will, she snapped, ¡°Yes, I am desperate to leave you I don¡¯t even want to spend another second with you You disgust me, thoroughly!¡± The man squatting in the sea, his body stiffening a growing despair in his heart, suddenly let out a cold laugh, ¡°Is it blissful to be with Will and disgusting to be with me?¡± His icy gaze slowly moved to Will, who Liana was carefully cradling An unprecedented jealousy surged from within him, making him look devilish. Under the bright moonlight, the sea was churning Tyler grabbed Wills cor, yanked him from Liana¡¯s arms, and dragged him into the deep sen Liana hurried after them, but due to her physical condition, she was slow By the time she reached them, Tyler had already tossed Will into the sea. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The fierce waves swallowed Will instantly Without any hesitation, Liana jumped in too Such an act was undoubtedly provoking Tyler He aimed his gun at Will, who was being swept away by the waves, several times. But upon seeing the rescue team, he held his fire Eventually, he threw away his gun like a madman jumped into the sea, and pulled an exhausted Liana up. Seeing how tightly Liana was holding on to Will¡¯s clothes, Tyler swallowed his anger, freed one hand, grabbed Will¡¯s cor, and swam towards the shore with them¡­. The moment they reached the shore, Tyler copsed on the beach, exhausted. Liana, however, didn¡¯t nce at him. She was anxiously checking Will¡¯s condition. Will was lucky His unconscious body naturally floated on the water surface, so he probably didn¡¯t inhale any water. But if he stayed unconscious for too long, it could be dangerous Just as Liana was about to perform CPR on Will, Tyler grabbed her hair, ¡°Are you that worried about him?¡± Liana scoffed, ¡°If I¡¯m not worried about him, should I be worried about you?¡± Tyler paused, then gripped harder, ¡°Since you¡¯re so concerned about him, I suppose you won¡¯t mind me making him suffer a bit more, right?¡± Liana, soaked to the bone, turned even paler at his words, ¡°What are you going to do?!¡± Tyler didn¡¯t respond, he just grabbed Will¡¯s cor again and started dragging him towards the mansion. ¡°Tyler, what the hell are you doing?¡± Liana hurriedly followed him, blocked Tyler, grabbed his hand, and begged for mercy. ¡°If you¡¯re angry, just take it out on me! Don¡¯t hurt him, please.¡± Seeing Liana begging for Will¡¯s sake, Tyler felt like his heart was being ripped apart. He coldly shook off Liana¡¯s hand, and then she dragged Will, and walked quickly to the living room, then up the stairs, straight to the top floor. Liana followed him, fearing that Tyler would harm Will in his rage. She didn¡¯t even dare to breathe loudly and could only hasten behind him. Chapter 1121 Chapter 1121 Tyler took Will into the birdcage room, and locked Will¡¯s hands and feet to the iron rods of the cage with four handcuffs Will¡¯s face was facing into the cage, and he could see everything in the cage, but he didn¡¯t understand why Tyler tied him like that Liana tried to grab the gun off the table, but Tyler swiftly grabbed her wrist and tossed her into the birdcage Tyler produced a pair of handcuffs, looking deep into Liana¡¯s eyes, he asked her, ¡°Would you rather spend another month with me, or would you prefer to stay here with him, Which one will you choose?¡± Liana nced at Tyler, whose eyes were bloodshot, then at the handcuffs, and shook her head, ¡°Tyler, don¡¯t do this. When they find me, you¡¯ll be locked up for a very long This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. time.¡± Tyler smirked, ¡°If I cared about jail time, I wouldn¡¯t have brought you here With a chilling touch, Tyler lifted Liana¡¯s chin, ¡°What¡¯s your choice?¡± Liana couldn¡¯t leave Will alone here, so she chose thetter. Since you¡¯re not nning to let me go, just tie me up 1 No matter what she chose, Tyler would always have control over her, so she might as well stay here with Will. with him: Upon hearing her choice, Tyler¡¯s heart ached. The pain surged like a tidal wave. His eyes reddened as he stared at Liana and asked through gritted teeth, ¡°Do you really love him that much?¡± Did she really love Will that much? So much that she would rather give up any chance of survival, willingly getting locked in a cage just to stay with a dying doctor? But she loved him more, right? The one she loved since childhood, even when he despised, mocked, and bullied her, she loved him unconditionally How could she fall for someone else so quickly? Liana didn¡¯t answer Tyler¡¯s question, she just stretched out her hands and coldly said. ¡°If you want to lock me up, just do it. Enough with the pointless talk, it doesn¡¯t mean anything.¡± Between them, all the talk about love orck thereof was meaningless, and even seemed ironic. She loved him when he didn¡¯t love her and treated her poorly What¡¯s the point of talking about love now? Tyler¡¯s eyes lowered, hiding the bloodshot gaze beneath. He looked at Liana¡¯s pale hands, ¡°Liana, tell me, so I can finally let go¡­ Hearing that he would let go, Liana didn¡¯t hesitate to say what was on her mind, ¡°Since you insist on knowing. I¡¯ll tell you¡± Her gaze fell on the still unconscious Will, ¡°I love him, deeply. If it weren¡¯t for you, I would have married him a long time ago¡­¡± Love him deeply¡­ Tyler mulled over her words and then chuckled, ¡°Indeed, if it weren¡¯t for me, you would have already married him, adopted a child, and lived happily ever after. But Liana_ He paused for a moment, then looked up with bloodshot eyes, staring at Liana, ¡°You were the one who said you loved me first.¡± You confessed your love to me first. I invested all my love in you. Why have you decided to stop loving me? For the first time, Liana saw tears in Tyler¡¯s eyes. His tears shimmered under the dim light, filled with his unexpressed grievances and the pain of unrequited love. It was all reflected in his eyes. Lianacked the courage to meet his emotional gaze, so she avoided it. She remained silent, seemingly indifferent, as if she didn¡¯t care about his pain. Maybe his current situation was exactly what she wanted. Tyler thought about the cold heart beneath Liana¡¯s cold exterior and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. He picked up the handcuffs, locked Liana to the cage, and then stood up to face Will. He stared at Will¡¯s annoying face for a few seconds before pulling a small folding knife from his pocket. As he opened the knife, he slowly moved towards Will. When Liana saw the knife in Tyler¡¯s hand, her face instantly went pale. ¡°Tyler, what are you doing?¡± Tyler gently ran his finger over the de of the knife. His face was grim, and his eyes filled with murderous intent. ¡°I¡¯m going to destroy everything you love.¡± The next second, he plunged the knife into Will¡¯s wrist, severing the tendons. ¡°Ah-¡® Pain jolted Will awake. The first thing he saw were Tyler¡¯s deep eyes. Before he could focus, another wave of agony hit him. That¡¯s when he realized, Tyler had cut the tendons in both his hands. Will was in too much pain to speak. All he could hear was Liana¡¯s anguished cries. ¡°Tyler, Will is a surgeon, he needs to perform surgeries, how could you cut off his wrists tendons!¡± Chapter 1122 Chapter 1122 The hoarse shouting made Will slowly raise his head, cold sweat running down his face,nding on his lashes, obscuring his vision. Still, he saw Liana, unable to stop crying, chained to a birdcage, struggling with her handcuffs, but no matter how much she struggled, she couldn¡¯t unlock them. That feeling of powerlessness made Will slowly smile, a smile tinged with sadness ¡°Liana, don¡¯t be scared, it¡¯s okay.¡± Even though Will was suffering he stillforted her, making Liana feel even more guilty and in pain. She frantically tried to break free from her handcuffs, her wrists rubbed raw and bleeding, but no matter how much she struggled, she couldrit break free from the shackles holding her Tyler looked at the man and woman who loved each other deeply, and couldn¡¯t help butugh coldly. ¡°You two really love each other, don¡¯t you?¡± Just look at Liana crying so heartbroken for Will. Only a love so deep could do that, right? Tyler tossed away the knife in his hand, slowly walking towards Liana, looking down at her, ¡°Liana, how does it feel to have your heart cut out?¡± Was she feeling the same unbearable pain as him? Liana¡¯s eyes were red and swollen, she looked at Will¡¯s bloodstained hands, the light in her eyes dimming to nothing but despair. Her refusal to even look at him only served to fuel Tyler¡¯s anger. He walked over to Liana, grabbing her face. But even when he lifted her face, Liana still didn¡¯t look at him, her unfocused eyes as if she didn¡¯t really see him. The sight of her like this, no doubt because of Will¡¯s injury, made her lose her mind completely. Seeing how much Liana loved Will, the jealousy in Tyler¡¯s heart made him push Liana away. He used too much force, and with a loud thud, Liana¡¯s head hit the iron bars¡­ Realizing his mistake, Tyler quickly tried to help her. But Will¡¯s voice came fmm behind, faster than him, ¡°Liana, are you okay?!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Heaning that urgent voice, Tyler slowly pulled back his hand¡­ Liana was a bit dizzy from the hit, just as she was about to shake her head in response, she heard Will angrily berate Tyler, ¡°You rapist, you hurt Liana, kidnapped her, and now you¡¯re abusing her, are you even a man?!¡± A strange smile crossed Tyler¡¯s handsome face. He slowly turned his head to look at Will who was caged, ¡°Rapist.¡± He suddenly grabbed Liana¡¯s hand, pulling her into his arms, then lifted his head to look at Will, a provoking smile on his face. ¡°Mr. Webb, you¡¯ve never seen how a rapistmits a crime, have you? Do you want to see it for yourself?¡± Liana, who was held tightly in his arms, her numb heart suddenly stopped, her body stiffening She knew Tyler was capable of anything, if he really did it in front of Will¡­ Her thoughts were interrupted when Tyler lifted her, pressing her body against the iron bars as he kissed her crazily. It was a kiss filled with punishment and rage,nding on her neck. In that moment, besides Tyler¡¯s heavy breathing, there was Will¡¯s heart¨Cwrenching screams- ¡°Tyler! You bastard, let Liana go!¡± The intensity of those screams made Liana¡¯s tears surge again. She struggled and fought back, but couldn¡¯t resist the powerful Tyler. Liana was pressed against the iron bars, her hands raised above her head, her pants pulled down, and then her waist was lifted. At this moment, Liana was like a humiliated animal, so naked and at the mercy of others. The man she loved, Will, was caged just like she was before, struggling to free himself from his handcuffs, but to no avail. Watching Will struggle and cry, Liana¡¯s tears rolled down like a broken dam. Her heart felt suffocated, and at this moment it felt as if it had died, unable to feel any pain, only the need to cry, uncontrobly, desperately She cried like a child, gasping for breath, as the man was raping her. Seeing the couple crying, he couldn¡¯t help butugh coldly ¡°Liana, you¡¯re my woman. Don¡¯t cry for other men¡­ His cold finger wiped away the tears at the corner of her eye, then lifted her chin, ¡°Say you love me, and I¡¯ll let you go¡­¡± Liana opened her pale lips, and gave a smile, beautiful like a flower, but she said nothing. She just looked at Will, struggling to the point of bleeding, silently shedding tears of despair. This sight of her smiling and crying was very irritating to Tyler. After a deep frown, Tyler disregarded everything and continued to rape Liana in front of Will Will¡¯s frantic screams, initially filled with anger, gradually turned into begging ¡°Tyler, I beg you, let Liana go, don¡¯t do this to her, I¡¯m begging you, begging you¡­¡± Chapter 1123 Chapter 1123 To Tyler, begging for mercy meant nothing, and only made him feel more disgusted ¡°Once the devil starts hating someone, that person suffers more Tyler seemed to be punishing Liana, but really, he was punishing Will. He wanted the third wheel who rocked up on his ind to wish he was dead At first Liana fought back. But once she was emotionally dead inside, she stopped moving, like a corpse, tied to a pole, a ything for Tyler. After he was done with her, Tylerzily zipped up his trousers Yeah, he didn¡¯t bother undressing to punish Liana, nor did he undress her. He just undid her pants, covered her body with his own hulking frame, his back to Will the whole time. He was a well¨Cdressed monster, doing vile things, but not wanting other men to see Liana¡¯s body. It was a level of twisted beyond saving After tidying up Liana¡¯s messed up clothes, the monster let her off the pole. Liana, weak and drained, copsed to the ground without his support. Her eyes red from crying She didn¡¯t dare look at Will. Will, still caged up, watched Liana, pale as a ghost, and started to cry again. Tyler watched Liana for a moment, then turned and started walking to the door. As he was about to leave the cage, Liana¡¯s hoarse voice came from behind him, ¡°Tyler, take me with you¡± Hearing that, Tyler paused, apparently not understanding what she meant. He slowly turned around, looking at Liana who was sitting on the ground. Liana, wiping the tears from her eyes, looked up at Tyler, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted me to stay with you for a month?¡± She held out her free hand ¡°TII go make you a garlic pork chop.¡± Tyler¡¯s furrowed brows softened a bit. ¡°Do you remember what you promised me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Liana nodded, a mild smile on her face. ¡°I said I loved you first, of course I remember what I promised you.¡± Even though Tyler had been fooled by Liana¡¯s sweet words before, he chose to believe her. He walked over to Liana without hesitation. As he was about to take out the key, he looked at Liana and asked, ¡°What about Will?¡± Liana shook her head, ¡°I¡¯ll make you a garlic pork chop, can you operate on him?¡± Tyler¡¯s gaze turned dark, but Liana gently touched his face, Tyler, I don¡¯t want you to spend your life in prison for murder, I¡­ want to see you again.¡± Her deep, mysterious eyes reflected only him. Even though he knew it was a trap, Tyler fell for it, ¡°Alright.¡± He agreed and carefully untied her hands, then picked her up, ¡°I¡¯ll take you downstairs first, thene back and help him recover.¡± Liana obediently nodded, her eyes passing over the incredulous Will, then slowly looked down, ¡°Tyler, I need to say something to Will, can you put me down first?¡± ¡°What do you want to say?¡± Liana looked up at Tyler with sincere eyes, ¡°I want to tell him I don¡¯t love him and to stop looking for me.¡± Tyler didn¡¯t understand why, but he felt Liana was telling the truth, ¡°Then what you said just now¡­¡± Liana interrupted him, ¡°I only said that because I heard you were giving up, I was just going along with it.¡± Her honesty disarmed Tyler, and he let her go to exin to Will. But he didn¡¯t expect that as soon as he freed her, Liana turned around, rushed to the table, grabbed the gun and pointed it at Tyler¡¯s chest, firing five shots without hesitation- He didn¡¯t know which bullet hit him, but one of them did. The tall man swayed but remained standing, his bloodshot eyes slowly raised to look at Liana holding the gun. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. He thought she would y him for a few days before finding a chance to escape with Will, he didn¡¯t expect her to escape like this. The intense heartache, the loss of blood supply, he was dizzy and his vision blurred, but to get onest look at Liana, Tyler used all his strength to raise his hand and press it against his bleeding chest¡­. Chapter 1124 Chapter 1124 When Liana saw Tyler¡¯s white shirt stained with blood, she tightly held the gun, her hands trembling. She wasn¡¯t sure why she felt this way, whether it was humiliation or fear. Either way, she was in utter chaos. ¡°Liana¡­¡± Will¡¯s voice, filled with gentleness and surprise, echoed in her ears. Trembling. Liana tossed the gun aside and turned to Will ¡°We¡¯re safe now¡­¡± She didn¡¯t dare to look at Tyler With her head bowed, she rushed to him as if possessed, not speaking nor caring whether he was bleeding, she just reached into his pocket looking for the handcuff keys. As she frantically searched to no avail, a blood¨Csoaked hand shakily handed her a key. Tyler had been shot through the heart and couldn¡¯t speak, he could only gaze ot Liana¡¯s pale face Trembling, Liana epted the key without looking at Tyler. Forcing herself to turn away, she rushed towards Will. As she turned, Tyler copsed to his knees, clutching his chest, and weakly copsed. Watching Liana unfasten Will¡¯s handcuffs and gently help him up, Tyler couldn¡¯t see her expression but could tell from her actions that she was in pain. It appeared that her love for Will was genuine and he had been deceived again. Lowering his eyes, Tyler looked at the blood around him. Maybe this was for the best. If he was dead, no one could bother Liana anymore. She could live happily ever after with the man she loved. But, Liana, you still haven¡¯t made the garlic pork chop you promised me. As Liana helped Will walk away, she stepped in a pool of blood. The thick, sticky feeling made her stop. Just then, Tyler, barely holding on, grabbed her ankle She didn¡¯t look at him, her tear¨Cfilled eyes focused on the distant doorway. Dawn had broken, bright light filtering through the cracks in the door. All she had to do was step outside, and she¡¯d leave this hell. But for some reason, her feet felt rooted to the spot, unable to move. Holding her wrist, Tyler struggled to speak, ¡°Liana, 1¡­¡± What did he want to say? Tell her that he had her gang¨Craped just to scare her? N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Tell her that the reason he had her abort was because the child was unhealthy? Tell her that if she didn¡¯t have her uterus removed, she would die from infection? Tell her that she was already infected before his surgery? Tell her that he didn¡¯t leave her in the wilderness¡­ But¡­ He was the one who had her gang¨Craped, even if it was just to scare her. He was the one who performed the abortion, even if the baby was unhealthy. He was the one who removed her uterus, even if it was to save her life. He was the one who performed the surgery¡­. He was the one who made her like this. It seemed that no amount of exnation would matter at this point. No matter the reason, Liana wouldn¡¯t easily forgive him¡­. The harm he¡¯d caused her had already caused a substantial impact, and couldn¡¯t be undone. Realizing this, Tyler felt helpless and slowly let go of Liana¡¯s hand. ¡°Come on, Liana, leave me alone¡­ Liana didn¡¯t turn around, tears welled in her eyes, she didn¡¯t know what to do and just stood there quietly, not moving. Chapter 1125 Chapter 1125 Looking at the beautiful back against the light, Tyler thought Liana was afraid, so he tried to support his body and got up from the ground ¡°Liana, turn around.¡± Hearing his voice, Liona couldn¡¯t help but turn her head. She saw Tyler, who somehow had managed to put on a jacket, and he was wearing an easy smile. ¡°You didn¡¯t kill anybody, and I¡¯ll be fine.¡± He struggled with his bloody body to stand in front of her ¡°I¡¯m a doctor. I know how to stop the bleeding.¡± He raised his hand, full of deep affection and reluctance, and gently touched Liana¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, just leave here.¡± Liana stared at him, dumbfounded for a few seconds before she made up her mind, turned around, took Will¡¯s hand, and quickly left the room. The moment the door was pushed open, Liana, bathed in sunlight, could not feel any warmth. She gripped Will tightly and ran downstairs When Will left the mansion, he looked up at the penthouse and saw a man standing in front of the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window. He couldn¡¯t see the man¡¯s expression or know whether he would die All he felt was that the gates of hell would probably not open for Liana again. Watching the couple board the speedboat, Tyler wondered if Liana would look back at him. But she didn¡¯t, not once. It turned out that when Liana said she didn¡¯t love him anymore, she meant it. When he realized this, his body, which had been struggling to hold up, suddenly slid down the ss. His blood, bright red, stained his clothes, pants, and the carpet on the floor¡­. Tyler sat on the ss, raised his bloody fingers, and touched his chest broken by a bullet. Liana, my heart is broken and can¡¯t be fixed. But you fooled me once, and I fooled you once, so we¡¯re even. He lifted his bleak eyes to the lighting in from the window, only to find that the light had bypassed him and shone elsewhere. He wanted to crawl into the light, but he had no strength left. He could only stay in the darkness, watching his blood drain away drop by drop. At the moment he felt his life ebbing away, Tyler¡¯s mind was filled with images of Liana. Liana was always behind him, no matter how much he disliked or got annoyed with her, she was always enthusiastically calling him, ¡°Tyler¡­¡± When they were young, Liana, a tall and graceful girl, would hide in corners, under trees, in rooms, watching him from every corner of the Howell family estate. As she got older, Liana would also deceive him with lies, always whispering in his ear, Tyler, I love you¡­¡± Had Tyler ever felt love? Yes, he had. But it was a littlete The images in his mind, bypassing a lifetime of darkness, gradually returned to Liana¡¯s eighteenth birthday. He saw Liana, holding a love letter in her hand, walking up to him with a shy smile. ¡°Tyler, I like you, can you be with me?¡± Tyler saw the young man leaning against the tree, his eyes full of dissatisfaction, ncing at the love letter in her hand. ¡°We live in modern society, and you¡¯re still writing traditional love letters?¡± At his words, Liana¡¯s face turned even redder, even her ears were red ¡°So, do you ept it or not?¡± The young man took the love letter from Liana¡¯s hand, then stepped forward and embraced her. ¡°I do.¡± The image suddenly stopped, and all Tyler could see was darkness. He was silent for a while, then he reached out his bloody hand and started to write on the ground. But halfway through, he suddenly stopped¡­. Someone like him, even if he died, nobody woulde looking for him, right? So what¡¯s the point of writing this? He slowly withdrew his hand: He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed, but all the blood in his body had drained away. With his last bit of strength, he turned his eyes to the sea outside the window ¡°Liana, you still owe me a garlic pork chop. Make sure you cook it for me in our next life. Liana, also, please remember, in our next life, stay with me for a month 29 days will be enough.¡± As the corners of his lips gradually spread into a relieved smile, hus eyes suddenly stopped moving, and there was no sign of life left- A voice asked him deep in his soul, Tyler, do you regret it? Tyler said, I regret it, but there¡¯s no chance left¡­N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Chapter 1126 Chapter 1126 Before Tyler had kicked the bucket, Liano had set the speedboat on auto pilot and just slumped to the floor. Her mind was all over the ce and she didn¡¯t even have the guts to look back. Will, with his hands badly injured, gritted his teeth and ced his hand on Liana¡¯s. ¡°Liana, don¡¯t worry,¡± he said, ¡°once we¡¯re safe, I¡¯ll send someone to rescue Tyler¡­¡± He could tell that Liana didn¡¯t really want to pull the trigger, but Tyler had pushed her over the edge, leaving her no choice. The thought of being vited by Tyler made her feel dirty and without a second thought, she got up and moved inside the speedboat Is there any medicine on board, are there a knife and any gauze?¡± She knew she had to stitch him up ASAP, no dilly dallying. She needed these medical supplies to tend to Will¡¯s injuries or else his hands might be toast. In her frantic search, Liana seemed to be tearing apart the boat for supplies, but really, she didn¡¯t know what she was looking for. Watching her flustered figure, Will pondered for a moment before asking. ¡°Liana, do you still love Tyler? Maybe her distress was all because of Tyler? Liana halted her actions and without a beat, she answered Will, ¡°I don¡¯t love him anymore¡± After saying this, she tried to steady her own emotions and finally spotted the medkit in the corner of the boat. She found the clotting agent and bandages and immediately rushed to Will¡¯s side to stop the bleeding. Hernds were shaking, but gradually, they started to steady ¡°We¡¯ll go to the hospital as soon as we reach the shore,¡± Will looked up at Liana. ¡°What about Tyler¡­¡± Liana¡¯s face turned even paler ¡°He¡¯s a brilliant doctor, he¡¯ll be fine,¡± She tried to reassure herself. Tyler, who was hailed as a medical prodigy since he was young, was leagues ahead of her and Will when it came to medical skills She believed that such arge manor might have prepared a scalpel and medicines. A person like Tyler would not be willing to die like this. He would save himself, he definitely would. As Lianaforted herself, her heart felt heavy, like something was slipping away, causing a painful ache. Liana sat on the edge of the speedboat, hugging her knees, and slowly turned to look back at the distant ind. The speedboat was soon ashore. Liana gathered her thoughts and helped Will ontond, then saw a roadside sign. It was only then she realized where they were- the country Tyler had promised to take her to when they were children. So, he did not forget the promise. When Will¡¯s blood dripped onto Liana¡¯s skin, she snapped back to reality, hailed a cab, and rushed Will to the hospital. Liana sat outside the operating room, staring at the blood on her hands, not knowing if it was Will¡¯s or Tyler¡¯s. As she was lost in thought, a pair of handcrafted shoes suddenly entered her line of sight. Her eyes, empty and devoid of life, followed up from the shoes and pants to a wless face. The owner of the face was looking at her with cold, icy eyes¡­ ¡°Mr. Laurence¡­¡± Bernard gave a slight nod, his gaze went past Liana andnded on the operating room door. ¡°Is it serious?¡± Liana nodded. ¡°Will¡¯s tendons have been severed¡± After saying this, she looked up at Bernard and asked, ¡°Mr. Laurence, what brings you here?¡± Bernard¡¯s eyshes were thick. He blinked gently. 1 He had a bad feeling before boarding the ne, thinking something was up. So, he hesitated for a moment, sat in the cabin, thought it over, and realized something was off He knew Tyler was a smart guy, there was no way he would reveal the locations of three countries so easily, it must¡¯ve been a trap. But the private jet was already on its course and couldn¡¯t change the direction. They had to wait until the destination, then based on the news from Chase, find Will¡¯s flight and track down the location to Panama to find them. He rushed as fast as he could, but he was still a stepte, Will was already injured. But given Tyler¡¯s character, he wouldn¡¯t let Liana go easily. Did they escape after a fierce battle? At this crucial moment, Bernard didn¡¯t press for details. He just retracted his gaze, lowered his head, and looked at Liana, who was covered in blood. ¡°Are you alright?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Liana shook her head and then aimlessly wiped the blood on her clothes. Seeing her flustered, like she had something on her mind and had lost her usual calm, Bernard couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Where¡¯s Tyler?¡± AN Liana paused in her clothes¨Cwiping motion. Chapter 1127 Chapter 1127 ¡°He¡¯s still on the ind,¡± she finally replied. She opened her mouth again to tell Bernard that she had shot Tyler, but for some reason, she couldn¡¯t get the words out. It felt as if something was stuck in her throat, silencing her Bernard, hands in his pockets, standing outside the operating room, gave his bodyguard a cold command after a moment. ¡°Go to the ind and bring him back¡± Hearing this, Liana¡¯s tense body began to rx. Bringing Tyler back, whether to hand him over to the police or whatever, they would treat Tyler first. He was going to be okay, and she could use this opportunity to get away from him. ¡°Liana!¡± At the sound of Eleanor¡¯s voice, Bernard turned towards the elevator, just in time to see Cedric leading Eleanor and Hailey running towards them. Seeing these three, his brow furrowed Eleanor hadn¡¯t slept since she heard Liana was kidnapped and had followed them to another country, even wanting to go to Panama with them. Worried about Eleanor¡¯s health, Bemard had gone to Panama alone after meeting with her and Hailey. Before he left, he had warned Cedric to take good care of the two women, but unexpectedly, he brought them here. Bernard gave Cedric a cold look. Cedric, feeling his icy gaze, shivered. His eyes were clear, but showed an expression of innocence and helplessness. In his mind, he grumbled about his brother, but his face wore a conciliatory smile as he approached Bernard ¡°So, did we catch that Tyler guy?¡± Bernard ignored him, turning instead to Eleanor who had reached Liana. ¡°If anything happens to her on your watch, I¡¯ll hold you responsible.¡± Cedric mentally rolled his eyes at him, ¡®Everything¡¯s quiet now, what could happen? Besides, am I not capable of protecting her?¡± Bernard seemed to think of something, his expression darkening ¡°As long as you can protect her, that¡¯s good enough.¡± Cedric didn¡¯t understand his words and frowned, ¡°What do you mean?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Bernard didn¡¯t answer, his eyes softened as theynded on Eleanor¡¯s worried face. On their way here, Cedric had already informed Eleanor and Hailey about Liana¡¯s situation. Seeing Liana sitting there, covered in blood, they were on edge. They squatted down on either side of Liana, checking her over. Once they confirmed she wasn¡¯t injured, they let out a sigh of relief. After a few seconds, Eleanor stood up, pulling Liana into aforting embrace ¡®Liana, it¡¯s okay¡­ You¡¯re safe now¡­¡± Liana had been suppressing her emotions, but the sight of them brought tears to her eyes. Emotionally, she reached out and hugged Eleanor tightly. She said nothing, simply leaning into Eleanor¡¯s embrace, grabbing onto Hailey¡¯s hand. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Dealing with Tyler wasn¡¯t easy, but they had found her in such a short time. They must¡¯ve put in a lot of manpower, resources, and money. Liana felt insignificant, but there were so many people who cared about her. Maybe, just maybe, her existence mattered. ¡°Liana, you¡¯re our family. You don¡¯t need to thank us.¡± Eleanor gently patted her back, her touch and words warming Liana¡¯s heart. Unable to control her emotions, she hugged Eleanor even tighter, clinging to her like a lifeline. Physical exhaustion and mental torment seemed to ease in Eleanor¡¯s embrace. Like a big sister, Hailey gently swept the messy hair sticking to Liana¡¯s face behind her ear, careful not to disturb the quiet moment Time seemed to slow down, Liana¡¯s tumultuous heart started to calm, no longer feeling panicked because of Eleanor¡¯s embrace and Hailey¡¯s gentle touch. Once Liana¡¯s emotions had been vented and her expression rxed, Eleanor took her to clean up the blood. Hailey went to buy new towels and clothes. Chapter 1128 Chapter 1128 After helping Liana freshen up, they had nned to take her back to the hotel for a rest. But worried sick about Will, Liana insisted on staying at the hospital until his surgery was over. Only when the doctor announced that Will¡¯s surgery was a sess, did she let out a little sigh of relief. Even though Will was still knocked out from the anesthesia, Liana managed to pull herself together when she was assured he was alright. But just as she was about to leave the ward at Hailey¡¯s urging, Bernard¡¯s bodyguard called. ¡°Mr. Laurence, Tyler is dead by gunshot.¡± Hearing this, Bemard¡¯s face fell. He didn¡¯t even wait for the bodyguard to finish speaking, he hung up the phone and turned to Liana, who had frozen in her tracks. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he said, ¡°Liana, Tyler¡­ he¡¯s dead¡± Liana¡¯s body went rigid Whether it was fear or something else, her hands began to tremble and her knees turned to jelly. If it hadn¡¯t been for Eleanor and Hailey supporting her, she would¡¯ve copsed. Her face tumed pale and her body shook uncontrobly. She stood there, frozen, for what felt like an eternity, until Bernard¡¯s voice brought her back. ¡°What?¡± She hadn¡¯t heard him clearly, too shocked to process his words. It was as if the world had stopped and all she could hear was the ringing in her ears, preventing her from understanding what Bernard was saying.. Bernard took the phone and walked up to Liana. ¡°The police won¡¯t let us move his body yet. If you want to see him, you can do it before they get there.¡± Since it was a criminal case, the scene had to be secured, and with the local police on Tyler¡¯s trail, they couldn¡¯t just move the body. Liana felt dazed. It wasn¡¯t until she heard ¡°body¡± did she fully realize Tyler was dead. But he was obviously a renowned doctor, how could he¡­. When he was young, he had survived a gunshot wound in the wilderness by operating on himself. Why couldn¡¯t he do that now?. Liana looked down at her hands. They were clean, no traces of blood, but for some reason, she still felt like they were covered in blood. She stared at them for a while before abruptly letting go of Eleanor and Hailey, rushing out of the ward and into the bathroom, trying desperately to wash the ¡°blood¡± off her hands. But it wouldn¡¯te off. She rested her hands on the edge of the sink, looking up at her reflection in the mirror. Her face was pale, her lips colorless, and there were dark circles under her eyes. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. She told herself, ¡°Liana, you¡¯re like this because of Tyler. He¡¯s dead now. You can live the rest of your life in peace. No one will bother you anymore.¡± No one would bother her anymore¡­. Thinking about this, for some reason, her eyes welled up with tears. She pped herself hard. Why was she being so stupid? Why was she feeling sad? Why should she be sad?! He was dead. What was the point of being sad?! But¡­ her tears were still uncontroble and rolled down. Tyler, the man she had loved with all her might when she was young. She actually shot and killed him with her own hands. She pped herself again, scolding herself for crying over a man who had bullied her since childhood and even made her infertile. He deserved what he got. He deserved it! Feeling like she was being torn apart inside, she turned on the faucet and sshed cold water on her face. After wiping her face with a piece of tissue, she looked at herself in the mirror, her face expressionless. Chapter 1129 Chapter 1129 When she came out, Bernard, Cedric, Eleanor and Hailey were all standing outside the door, watching her as if waiting for her to give an answer na clenched her fists and said firmly, ¡°I shot him, and of course I wasn¡¯t going to take onest look at him¡± After she spoke, she walked past the four of them, quickly entered the ward, and sat in front of Will¡¯s bed, waiting for Will to wake up¡­ The local cop handling the case asked Bernard, ¡°What did she just say?¡± Bernard¡¯s gaze was cold. He gave the cop a chilly look that scared him off, and he didn¡¯t dare to ask again. Slowly recovering from the shock, Eleanor looked at Liana, who was sitting in front of the bed, through the ss of the ward. She looked so calm, but she must be panicking inside. She must have been pushed to the brink to kill the man she once deeply loved, right? She thought Liana and Tyler would be entangled in hatred for a lifetime, but she didn¡¯t expect their final fate would be to pay with their lives. She recalled the way Tyler used to look at Liana, filled with possessiveness, obsession, perversion, and madness. Yet beneath all these feelings was a deep love. Tyler did love Liana, but his love was too extreme, unbearable. This ending, however, who knows if it¡¯s good or bad¡­. Hailey, not too sensitive to emotions, found it hard to tell if Liana still loved Tyler. She only felt that Liana seemed to be shaking all over¡­ After standing still for a moment, she walked into the ward, put her hand on Liana¡¯s shoulder, giving her some strength. Feeling the strength from the fingers, Liana¡¯s heart gradually settled down, but the words ¡®Tyler is dead¡® kept echoing in her mind¡­ Cedric didn¡¯t feel much about Tyler¡¯s death. His only regret was that Tyler was aputer genius, and it was a pity he was gone. Before the cops arrived, Bernard¡¯s bodyguard nervously called, ¡°Mr. Laurence, I wanted to tell you. Before Tyler died, he wrote a will in blood on the ground, and he was holding a gun. It looked like he was trying to make it look like a suicide¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Bernard quickly realized Tyler¡¯s intentions and ordered the bodyguard, ¡°Erase any traces of Liana and WIL¡± Even if Liana acted in self¨Cdefense, she would face punishment. Since Tyler wanted to protect Liana, they would honor his wishes and protect her. The bodyguard replied, quickly hung up, and before the police arrived, cleaned up all traces, even wiping off all fingerprints on the gun. After doing all this, the bodyguard put the gun back in Tyler¡¯s hand, then raised his gloved hand, waved at the others, and quickly left the scene. Bernard stared at Liana in the ward, hesitated for a moment, and finally told Liana about the will Tyler left and his attempt to stage a suicide. Whether she wanted to see Tyler was her decision. After a while, Liana looked up at Bernard and asked, ¡°What did he write?¡± Bernard shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask. I don¡¯t know.¡± Liana¡¯s hand clenched even tighter. Once the scene was sealed off, the body would be taken away by the police, and she would never see Tyler again. It was just as well, he brought it on himself, didn¡¯t he? If he hadn¡¯t hurt Will, hadn¡¯t threatened Will¡¯s life and forced Liana, she wouldn¡¯t have shot him. It was his own fault. It had nothing to do with her. Why should she see him onest time? Why? By what right? N?velDrama.Org content rights. Liana weakly lifted her hands and ran them through her hair. Her chin, which was lowered, hit the edge of the bed, causing a sharp pain. But she didn¡¯t feel it at all. The strange thing is that the ticking of the clock can be heard in her ears. The ticking seemed to tell her that if she waster, it would be toote. Suddenly, Liana stood up and rushed out of the ward at a very fast speed. Chapter 1130 Chapter 1130 Aldyn, who just arrived, saw his cousin running out like a madwoman. He quickly called after her, ¡°Where are you going?¡± Liana didn¡¯t answer him, nor did she look back. She just bolted straight for the hospital exit. Even she didn¡¯t know why she was doing this, all she could hear in her head was a voice incessantly urging her, just wait a moment, just wait a moment. She hurried back to the ind and the moment she stormed into the room, she saw Garett sitting in a wheelchair with Colter Clowers standing next to him. Their backs blocked Tyler from her view. The first thing she saw was these two dapper figures. The sunlight from the rooftop ss showered down on them, casting a soft golden glow on them. Garett might have known that she wasing and slowly turned around to look at her. ¡°You finally showed up.¡± When Garett received the news of Tyler taking Liana away, he had already left the country. He had nned to have surgery, but postponed it. He never expected to see his friend who he thought was already dead His eyes were reddened, clearly having been through some grief. The inner suppression kept him in a daze for a long time. He just sat there, staring nkly at the man he thought was dead. Liana looked at Garett¡¯s reddened eyes. After a while, she lifted her heavy feet and walked towards him step by step. It was only when she got closer that she saw Tyler sitting on the floor. The light was harsh, shining down and enveloping Tyler in it. He was surrounded by a golden glow, a faintyer that seemed to be his shield. He looked like an angel descended from heaven. This angel was leaning against the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window. One knee was bent with his right elbow propped up on it. Between his long, slender fingers, he was holding a gun. The muzzle was pointed at his own heart, and his stiff body made his posture very standard without the slightest movement The distance was still long, Liana couldn¡¯t see Tyler¡¯s face clearly. She could only face the light and follow the dry blood trail, step by step towards Tyler When Liana stood in front of Tyler, she saw his tightly closed eyelids, casting a silhouette in the light, covering his malicious eyes when he was alive. Now, he had let down all his defenses, escaped from the darkness, and was left with the paleness from excessive blood loss. But he still looked so handsome. The only regret was that he was now a corpse, devoid of life. Liana stood, Tyler sat, a ray of light stretched from Tyler¡¯s toes slowly to Liana¡¯s feet. The moment they connected, Liana finally moved her gaze from his face to his chest under the suit She slowly squatted down, extended her trembling hand, lifted the ck suit jacket covering his chest. The ring blood red had soaked Tyler¡¯s white shirt. There wasn¡¯t a spot on Tyler that wasn¡¯t stained with blood. The blood on Tyler had dried and stuck to his skin. Liana tried many times before she could tear off the clothes stuck to his chest. What she saw was a bloody gunshot wound¡­ Liana was a doctor, she could tell at a nce that this was a wound from a bullet passing through the heart¡­ She stared at the wound in shock for a while, then slowly turned her head, her eyes desperately searching for the bullet, but she couldn¡¯t find it. She only saw a dent on the wall where Tyler was standing, but she didn¡¯t notice it at the time¡­. She lowered her head, looking at her own hands. She had never fired a gun before, yet she was able to hit the target on the first try. She thought her shooting skills were bad and wouldn¡¯t hit his heart, but that wasn¡¯t the case¡­. Liana¡¯s vision gradually blurred, she looked at Tyler again. She could imagine how his blood slowly dried up, and then he died¡­ N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. He felt death approaching bit by bit, but he could only sit there helplessly waiting for death¡­ Liana¡¯s hand trembled as she touched the gunshot wound. Although it was rotten and hard, she could still clearly see the hole¡­ She didn¡¯t look at Tyler once after she shot him, she just ran to find the key. She only knew he was bleeding, continuously bleeding, but she was too scared to look. at him. If she had looked at him then, would she have noticed that she had hit his heart¡­ If she had gone back to save him then, could she have saved his life? If she had told Mr. Laurence about Tyler¡¯s condition when he asked her, Mr. Laurence, not wanting her to be charged with murder, would have also sped up sending someone to save him. But she didn¡¯t She was just furious at Tyler for severing Will¡¯s hand. Facing the now dead Tyler, some questions kept nagging in her heart: Did Tyler really deserve to die? Who was to me for his faults? Wasn¡¯t it her who fell for Tyler first? Wasn¡¯t it her who pursued Tyler, who tried to get close to him? Chapter 1131 Chapter 1131 Just because he didn¡¯t like her, rejected her, even hated her, should he be held ountable? He had always held a deep grudge against her family, because her aunt was the homewrecker who destroyed his family and the main culprit behind his mother¡¯s suicide. This culpnt took away the fatherly love that should have belonged to him alone. Wasn¡¯t his disgust for her justified? If tracing the source of the hatred, it all goes back to the despicable acts of their elders, which cast a lifelong shadow on their generation, a shadow that apanied them throughout their lives. If Tyler¡¯s hatred onginated from his elders and converted into hatred for her, then her hatred originated from Tyler¡¯s insults to her, which was simply karma. So, what goes around,es around. Their fate was her scheming to make Tyler fall in love with her in revenge. But in reality, he didn¡¯t love her, it was her who dragged him into the abyss. If she hadn¡¯t used such means to make Tyler fall for her, then Tyler might not have entangled with her, and their final oue might have been indifferent to each other, how could there be a life¨Cand¨Cdeath battle? But under the rule of cause and effect, she still dragged him down. Since they had already entered the endless abyss, there would inevitably be no good end, they could only fall into such a predicament. Liana felt that her hatred was finally released. She couldugh happily, and say, Tyler, you had it coming¡± But at this moment, she couldn¡¯t utter these words She looked at Tyler¡¯s bloodless corpse, recalling the first time she saw him. She was wearing old clothes, carrying a dirty little suitcase, standing in the living room, looking around at the luxurious surroundings, and saw Tylering down the stairs¡­. He was dressed in a white suit, ck leather shoes, his hair neatlybed, his face clean and handsome, but without a hint of a smile¡­ Liana was from a small town and had never seen a child of her age like this. She felt the boy before her was emitting an aura of nobility, with a hint of fierceness and wildness in his eyes. He was only seven years old, but looked extremely mature, coldly staring at her¡­. Back then, Karan pushed her from behind, ¡°Liana, say hi to Tyler¡­ Liana saw Tyler¡¯s obviously unfriendly eyes, was a bit scared, but still cautiously said, ¡°Hi, Tyler¡­¡± Tyler ignored her and walked into the dining room by himself. Liana saw that as soon as he sat down, two servants immediately came to serve him. Liana wondered if this young boy was just spoiled and had no real abilities. It wasn¡¯t until she saw him calmly wearing sterile gloves, pushing through the crowd, and saving a suddenly ill old man when he was young, that she realized this spoiled young boy was different from other rich kids. At that time, Liana saw a kind of glory in Tyler. For this glory, she was willing to give everything, so she followed behind Tyler, loudly called out to him, ¡°Tyler, Tyler, could you teach me some medical skills to save others?¡± Tyler mostly ignored her, when he got annoyed by her questions, he would yell at her, ¡°You¡¯re not gifted, wait until you grow up and learn by yourself.¡± He meant she was too young to learn. Liana didn¡¯t understand and was scared into tears by his yelling. Tyler at that time, both annoyed and helpless, heforted and scolded Liana, ¡°Liana, I can¡¯t stand you, stop crying, or my head is going to explode!¡± Their rtionship from the start was like trivial conflicts between children, sometimes good, sometimes bad, but they never really hurt each other. However, when did this rtionship start to go bad? Oh right, Liana remembered, it was when Tyler and Karan had a dispute. Liana was too young to understand the reason for the dispute. All she knew was that Hackett pped Tyler several times, and Tyler fell to the ground convulsing. If it wasn¡¯t for Tyler¡¯s grandfather arriving in time, he might have died. After that, Tyler transferred his hatred for Karan to Liana. The once kind and handsome Tyler, who smiled at her, was asionally irritable, was never seen again. Instead, there was only the dark, bloodthirsty Tyler¡­This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Chapter 1132 Chapter 1132 But when she was in trouble, Tyler wouldn¡¯t hesitate to save her, like the time she almost drowned as a kid and he jumped in to rescue her Her first futter of feelings for him was when she saw his fearless figure in the water. From then on, she slowly started to have feelings for him. He not only saved her life, but when she was being bullied at school, he would step in and take the hit for her. She would ask him back then, ¡°Tyler, do you still care about me?¡± Tyler, in his school uniform, leaning against the railing, would nce at her and then arrogantly say, ¡°In this world, only I can bully you.¡± Back then, Liana didn¡¯t understand what this meant, but now she suddenly realized that Tyler might have had some feelings for her at that time, he just hadn¡¯t realized it himself. Thinking about this, her eyes suddenly welled up with tears. He¡¯s gone now, no one can tell her the answer anymore. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. She reached out and traced down Tyler¡¯s pant leg to the dried blood on the ground, hisst words, four lines: [Liana, I¡¯m gone. I don¡¯t have to worry about you marrying someone else anymore] So, he was afraid of her marrying someone else till his dying breath. He doesn¡¯t have to fear seeing her marry someone else now that he¡¯s gone. That¡¯s why he let himself die without trying to save himself, without even calling out to her for help. Yes, Tyler sought her out many times because she was going to marry Will. He was afraid of losing her, but he didn¡¯t know what to do. He had to take the hard way, regardless of whether she was willing or not, his actions were indeed extreme. Just like he always bullied her, yet saved her. Liana couldn¡¯t take it, she questioned him, but he would always say, ¡°I do what I¡¯want, no reason needed¡± He was just that stubborn, a strong independent thinker, no one could change his mind, like his persistent belief in medicine, ho matter how many medical experts disagreed with him. But Tyler didn¡¯t understand, when ites to love, you can¡¯t treat your loved one the same way you treat other things, it would only push her further away, even to the point of pushing her into a pit of fire, the one being loved, out of resentment, would grab his hand, dragging him into that pit as well It was in this decade¨Clong revenge n that Liana made him, who didn¡¯t know how to treat a loved one, be so extreme. There¡¯s no what if now, Tyler¡¯s gone. As she thought about this, tears rolled down her cheeks. Through her blurred vision, she saw another line of words. [Liana, I¡¯m sorry, I love you] ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± was an apology for the mistakes he made. ¡°I love you¡± was his bted confession. Liana ran her fingers over the crookedly written words, a whirlwind of emotions hidden within her fingertips. The tearing in her heart split her in two, half of her mocking herself for having masochistic tendencies, the other half taunting her for killing the person she once loved the most. The sound of the wheelchair echoed in her ears as she lifted her head, but her tears gushed out the moment she did. Seeing Liana like this, Garett¡¯s mncholic eyes filled with pity. He didn¡¯t say anything, just looked away to the third line of words: [Jason, heal your legs, and then live on] Other than Liana, the only person Tyler couldn¡¯t forget was Garett. In Tyler¡¯s heart, he wasn¡¯t Garett, but Jason Clowers, his best friend. How did they be friends? This goes back to when they first met. He remembered Tyler, tall and in a doctor¡¯s uniform, carrying a medical kit, standing in front of him with ease. He tilted his head, signaling him with his chin ¡°I¡¯m Tyler, the best doctor. The medical fee is expensive, can you afford it?¡± He introduced himself like this, a bit arrogant, a bit unrestrained, but full of confidence. This personality made Jason, who had lost his memory, a bit envious, so he also signaled Tyler. ¡°If I can¡¯t afford it, you won¡¯t treat me?¡± Tyler raised an eyebrow, a smile on his handsome face. ¡°I will, because you¡¯re my best friend¡¯s little brother.¡± Yes, Tyler¡¯s first best friend was Garett¡¯s older brother. But now the order has reversed, the one saying goodbye to a friend is no longer Tyler, but him. Chapter 1133 Chapter 1133 Tyler might be a bit cuckoo in the head, but he¡¯s loyal as hell when ites to his friends. Even when Garett¡¯s brother asked him to keep tabs on Garett, Tyler didn¡¯t spill any dirt. In fact, he bent over backwards trying to help Garett regain his memory Even when Tyler thought Garett was pushing up daisies, he would sit by his grave with a couple of bottles of booze, clinking sses with his tombstone. He could sit there the whole day When Garett showed up back in B City, Tyler was over the moon, even shed a tear or two. He didn¡¯t treat Garett, who lost his legs, like a cripple. Instead, he pushed him around town. He tried his best to fix Garett¡¯s legs, but Garett, without love, had lost faith in standing up again and kept giving Tyler the cold shoulder. Garett figured that if he hadn¡¯t given Tyler the brush off, with Tyler¡¯s medical skills, he could definitely stand again. But things between Tyler and Liana were a hot mess. Tyler¡¯s life was hard enough as it was, how could he have Tyler running around for his legs and depression? It never crossed his mind that on his deathbed, Tyler was still thinking about his legs and encouraging him to never give up. Garett felt like crap, hanging his head in shame. When he touched Tyler¡¯s cold face, he couldn¡¯t help but tear up again. Tyler, I¡¯ll fulfill yourst wish. Rest in peace, buddy. Liana¡¯s finger skipped over the message left for Jason and slid to the fourth line. [Next life] Only two words were written, then nothing. Judging by the blood stains, it didn¡¯t look like he died before he could finish. Rather, it seemed like Tyler suddenly felt like nobody woulde to see him, that it was pointless, so he stopped writing N?velDrama.Org content rights. After all, to Tyler, his dad only cared about his stepmom after getting married. The feud between Tyler and his stepmom strained his rtionship with his dad to the point of bing enemies. His dad wouldn¡¯t give a rat¡¯s ass about him. Without his grandparents shielding him in the past, Tyler would¡¯ve been kicked out by his dad and stepmom ages ago. Sadly, his grandparents passed away after he grew up, so he figured no one would im his body, that anyst words were useless. Did he ever consider that Liana mighte back? He must have. But until his blood ran dry, she never turned around, so he knew she wouldn¡¯te back. That¡¯s why hisst words stopped at ¡°Next life¡°. They didn¡¯t know what Tyler wanted to do in his next life. To meet her again or to never see her again? Liana couldn¡¯t guess, she just wondered, if Tyler had liked her since his younger days, then why would he send people to hurt the girl he loved? She looked at Tyler¡¯s face for a long while, then slowly raised her head to look at Garett, ¡°Jason, do you know why he treated me like that back then?¡± Garett¡¯s eyes teared up, he gently shook his head, ¡°Tyler never liked to talk about the unpleasantness between you two¡± What Tyler talked about the most was Liana¡¯s likes, where Liana wanted to go, whether Liana cared about him, why Liana hadn¡¯t called him yet, if she had stopped missing him¡­ Most of these were blurted out when he was boozed up. It proved that Tyler cherished his feelings for Liana, cherished them so much that he was careful even when mentioning her. But the issues between them were just too big¡­ Garett only knew these from others, because in the circles of B City, everyone knew that Tyler, in his revenge against Liana,mitted heinous acts like raping her. forcing her to abort, and even personally removing her uterus. As for the unknown reason behind all this, only one person knew- That was Tyler, sitting by the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window, already departed from this world. Chapter 1134 Chapter 1134 Garett himself didn¡¯t know, in fact, probably no one did. Maybe Tyler was just being a total jerk at the time, maybe he really did want to bully Liana, so he sent people going after her. After all, his old dislike towards Liana, even a slight fondness wouldn¡¯t be able to cancel out his long time grudge against her. Besides, he might be unconsciously falling for her. Liana, with no answers, slowly lowered her head, looking at Tyler still under the sunlight. Her cold fingers, unconsciously, touched his face¡­ When her fingers touched his cold, hard cheek, it seemed like Liana wanted to hold him, but she didn¡¯t move, just quietly looking at him¡­.. After God knows how long. Liana asked Garett again, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know who killed him?¡± Garett looked at Liana¡¯s frail figure, let out a sigh and said, ¡°He wanted to protect you, so who the killer is doesn¡¯t really matter anymore¡­ Even if Tyler had faked his suicide, Garett knew him we!! Tyler might have forced Liana to shoot because of his violent behavior, but he loved Liana deeply and didn¡¯t want her to bear any guilt, so he faked suicide in hisst moments Garett pondered for a while. If he were Tyler, he would do the same as Tyler. Some people¡¯s love is obsessive, but that is true love, so they are willing to give everything, even their lives¡­. But with such an ending, the dead might find relief, but the living, especially the one who killed, might not. So who can really tell in this tangled love¨Chate rtionship over the years, who¡¯s the winner, who¡¯s the loser? Garett wouldn¡¯t me Liana because she¡¯s the one his friend wanted to protect. He would respect his friend¡¯sst wish, but Liana might me herself, because she killed a person, whether she feels quilty or scared, these emotions would haunt her for the rest of her life. And that was the case, when the rm sounded from downstairs, Liana¡¯s fingers tightened unnaturally. She wanted to hold the man she once loved one more time before the cops arrived, but she never had the courage. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Until the cops came upstairs, rushed towards her, pulled her up, she looked at Tyler gradually leaving her sight, and her heart ached. She knew the cops would take away his body From then on, she would never see Tyler again¡­. She broke free from the cops, rushed to Tyler, knelt on the ground, and hugged Tyler¡¯s stiff body¡­. She held him, buried her head in his neck, holding him like she used to, but she couldn¡¯t feel his warmth anymore, only the cold skin and hard touch¡­ At that moment, Liana realized clearly. Tyler was really dead, he couldn¡¯te back, the man who said he loved her, who hurt her, was really gone¡­ Tears rolled down her cheeks, ¡°Tyler, I¡¯m sorry¡­ She gently turned her head, kissed Tyler¡¯s pale face, lifted her hand again, and lightly touched his eyebrows and eyes. When her hand touched his closed eyes, Liana began to recall. Whether he was young or mature, whenever those eyes looked at her, they were always filled withplex emotions, hatred, disgust, and a hint of pity. Underneath that pity, hidden, might be fondness. She didn¡¯t know how conflicting and painful he was at that time. After all, he hated her so much, yet he liked her, he must have been in great pain. Liana¡¯s fingers gently stroked him, she didn¡¯t want to let go, but the police persuaded and pulled her away, eventually taking her away from the scene. It seemed like she saw Tyler leaning against the window, bathing in the sunlight, gradually fading. Slowly, he and the light became one, until in the end, she couldn¡¯t see anything. Chapter 1135 Chapter 1135 Just like that, Liana was led downstairs, dumbstruck by the sudden turn of events. Aidyn walked up to her then, ¡°Liana¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. Seeing her looking lost, Aidyn thought she was scared and quickly patted her on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Tyler¡¯s gone now. No one¡¯s gonna bother you anymore.¡± Liana masked her tears, forcing a smile, ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s gone. No one¡¯s gonna bother me anymore. That¡¯s just great¡± Aidyn didn¡¯t pick up on her real feelings, thinking she was genuinely relieved. He then turned and pointed in the distance. ¡°Eleanor and Hailey are waiting for you over there¡­¡± Following Aidyn¡¯s direction, Liana saw Eleanor and Hailey standing by the boat, waiting for her. Seeing Liana, Eleanor and Hailey quickened their pace, almost running, and embraced her. Liana felt a touch of warmth and hugged them back. But for some reason, even with their support, Liana felt her heart sinking, suffocating, and she could barely breathe. She didn¡¯t express her feelings, just rested her chin on Eleanor¡¯s shoulder. She didn¡¯t even look back when Tyler¡¯s body was carried out. Eleanor gently rubbed Liana¡¯s back She knew the moment Liana ran out of the patient room that Liana felt guilty about Tyler, and hadplicated feelings. Was it because she killed a man she once loved, or because the long entanglement suddenly ended, or¡­ Whether Liana still loved Tyler, only Liana knew Even Eleanor who knew her well couldn¡¯t see clearly Afterforting Liana, Eleanor let her go, preparing to take her on the boat. But looking up, she saw Colter pushing Garett out of the vi gate. Eleanor was surprised, but quickly realized that Garett was Tyler¡¯s friend. It made sense he¡¯d be here after hearing about Tyler¡¯s death. Colter was going to bypass Eleanor with Garett, but Eleanor stopped him and greeted him politely. He greeted Hailey first, then nodded to Eleanor, acting appropriately without crossing any lines. Eleanor responded in kind. He didn¡¯t say much, just told Eleanor and Hailey to take good care of Liana. Eleanor told him to take care of himself. After agreeing, he let Colter push him away. Hailey was worried about Garett and followed them. Seeing Haileyforting Garett as they walked, Eleanor felt relieved. With Hailey there, Garett would feel better. After Garett boarded the boat, she took Hailey back to Bernard¡¯s boat. Before they boarded, Bernard walked out of the cabin. He was tall, bending over to take Eleanor¡¯s hand and helped her onto the boat. Garett watched from another boat as Eleanor naturally took Bernard¡¯s arm after boarding, and whispered something in his ear. Garett couldn¡¯t hear their conversation, but he could feel their love. The tall man bent over to listen to his wife, rather than letting her stand on tiptoe. Even after she finished talking, he didn¡¯t straighten up, just raised his hand to stroke her hair, as if to reassure her It was a simple, subtle gesture, but Garett¡¯s eyes reddened. He watched the girl he once loved deeply, loving another man so much. Garett¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile, a sense of relief slowly surfacing. The woman he loved found a man who loved her just as much. That was a form of happiness too. He decided to let go of the past and wish her well. As long as she was happy, that was enough. Chapter 1136 Chapter 1136 After the local cops had closed off the scene and investigated the cause of the shooting, they confirmed that Tyler hadmitted suicide and got in touch with the authorities in his home country. Those cops, after getting the lowdown on the story, passed the buck back to the local police. They sent Tyler¡¯s body to the crematorium to be turned into ashes. Liana watched as Tyler¡¯s body was tossed into the cremator When his body suddenly sat up due to nerve reflex, she wished it was real. But as a doctor, she knew the score For about three days after someone dies, their muscles aren¡¯t totally dead yet. When the muscle tissue feels the scorching pain, it causes a nerve reflex Tyler sitting up in the cremator was just his body¡¯s muscles reacting to the pain. Tyler was gone, never to return. He¡¯d protected her before he died, shielding her from any fallout, but got branded as a rapist and kidnapper himself. His reputation was shot to hell after he died, and Hackett wiped him out of the family tree The Howell family wouldn¡¯t have a Tyler anymore. Just to save their image, they still had someone come to pick up Tyler¡¯s ashes N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Along with Hackett came Karan, and the kid she had in herter years. The kid, only seven, was named Damien Howell. He was young, but his gaze was ice¨Ccold When Liana handed over Tyler¡¯s urn to Damien, he just took it for a moment, then recoiled like it was a box of trash, and tossed it to a servant behind him. He never looked at it again. Liana didn¡¯t have much to say. She was the one who¡¯d killed Tyler, after all. What could she expect from a seven¨Cyear¨Cold kid? Especially when Tyler hadn¡¯t exactly been nice to the kid. Still, why did Karan crack a smile when she touched Tyler¡¯s urn? She¡¯d been the one to drive Tyler¡¯s mother to her death, ruining Tyler¡¯s life. How the hell could she still smile? Back in the day, Karan had been real good to Liana, always telling her, ¡°Liana, Tyler is such a good boy. You gotta get along with him, show him some love, don¡¯t make him angry.¡± Liana thought, ¡°Since Karan is being so nice to me, I gotta do as she says and treat Tyler right.¡± So she always tried to get close to Tyler, to please him When Liana was still young. Karan would tell her, ¡°Liana, look at Tyler. He¡¯s getting more and more handsome. If you can win his heart, you¡¯ll be able to live with me forever once you marry him¡± Liana, who already had feelings for Tyler, would blush at such words. Seeing this, Karan asked Liana, ¡°Are you falling for Tyler?¡± Liana, not willing to spill her secret, shook her head no. Seeing Liana¡¯s reaction, Karan just smirked and didn¡¯t push it. After that, Karan started having the nanny prepare delicious meals to put in lunch boxes for Liana to take to school for Tyler. She even had Liana go into the bathroom to give Tyler a towel while he was showering, even though Tyler never asked for one. And when Tyler was sleeping, she¡¯d have Liana bring him a cup of milk Back then, Tyler didn¡¯t care for Liana. He dealt with her kindness and attempts to get closer in a pretty rough way. He¡¯d throw the lunch directly into the trash, fling the towel in Liana¡¯s face, and ssh the milk all over Liana. Liana, hurt to her core, didn¡¯t want to do it anymore, but Karan told her to suck it up, saying that Tyler would eventually be moved by her efforts. Liana didn¡¯t get it and asked Karan why she had to do this. Karan, with a smile, touched her nose and said, ¡°I¡¯m doing this for your own good. Since you like Tyler, 1 should help you¡± Karan didn¡¯t seem to give a damn whether her actions vited any moral norms. Even though Liana and Tyler weren¡¯t blood¨Crted, they¡¯d grown up under the same roof, with a familiarity that couldn¡¯t be deeper. Was it really appropriate for Liana to get close to Tyler like this? t Chapter 1137 Chapter 1137 Young Liana, hitherto unreflective upon this matter, merely deemed her aunt to be assisting her in pursuing the young man of her affections, thus, she felt the need to disy greater courage and obedience. She adhered to Karan¡¯s desires, ever attentively caring for Tyler, consistently following in his wake. She even resorted to employing the pretext of poor academic performance, seeking Tyler¡¯s aid, despite their rtions being acrimonious to the extreme, nheless she mustered the fortitude to approach him She harbored the belief that through unwavering persistence, Tyler would assuredly be swayed by her charms, and subsequently, develop a fondness for her, eventually leading to love s, reality proved otherwise Tyler, due to his aversion towards Karan, equally held disdain for her Each time she drew near, he would irrationally erupt in anger, asserting that she was merely Karan¡¯s niece, skilled solely in beguiling men. He consistently demanded that she keep her distance Yet, oddly enough despite Tyler¡¯s aversion to her, he would appear at her room in the dead of night. On the asional moments she awakened, she would find him standing there, his gazeplexly fixed upon her. When discovered, he would cast her a fierce re before turning and departing Having chanced upon Tyler emerging from Liana¡¯s room on several asions, Karan abruptly altered her stance, urging Liana to relinquish her affection for Tyler and instead develop feelings for Jules. Jules was Liana¡¯s ssmate, and on one asion, as she journeyed home after school, she encountered a group of ruffians, from whom Jules rescued her and escorted her safely home. Karan witnessed this incident. Karan investigated Jules family background, finding it to be quitemendable. Although she did not directly urge Liana to pursue Jules, she simply remarked that Jules seemed to be a well¨Cmannered young man, far more cultivated than Tyler, encouraging Liana to befriend him. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Liana, who initiallycked many friends, was further drawn to Jules, particrly due to his refined manners and his proactive approach in engaging her in conversation Observing this, Karan invited Jules to their home, warmly weing him. As they grew acquainted, Karan took the initiative to summon Jules frequently for visits Jules seemed to have a thing for Liana. She could tell but he didn¡¯t confess and she didn¡¯t want to reject him without reason. Considering her affection for Tyler was met with cold shoulders, she became more friendly towards Jules. It was Karan who eventually nudged Jules to confess his feelings to Liana. When she told Karan that she didn¡¯t have feelings for Jules, Karan advised her not to reject him. She reasoned that with the university entrance examing up, a rejection might affect Jules¡¯s performance. Liana agreed and told Jules they could consider dating after they both got into good universities. Jules enthusiastically agreed. Finally, they both got into prestigious schools. Liana sincerely turned down Jules and plucked up her courage to confess her feelings to the one she loved. However, the person she deeply loved, responded to her heartfelt confession by raping her. At that moment, her life trajectory underwent a profound transformation. Learning about Karan¡¯s unfortunate plight, she wept and resolutely demanded that those criminals face justice. Yet, when Karan exposed Tyler as the mastermind, she seemed to lose her sanity, lunging forward with the intent to vanquish Tyler. This vid scene remained imprinted in Liana¡¯s memory. She always believed that her aunt loved her deeply. Upon discovering her brutal assault, Karan not only personally dealt with the perpetrators but also vowed to see Tyler behind bars. However, due to Tyler¡¯s grandfather¡¯s protection, he escaped legal repercussions and only received a severeshing. Tyler remained silent at the time, seemingly realizing the severity of his actions, choosing instead to silently endure all the punishment. Soon after, Karan discovered Liana¡¯s pregnancy and confronted the Howell family, resolute in driving Tyler away. Tyler remained wordless and took her away with him He escorted her to a private hospital, where he personally performed a procedure to terminate her pregnancy. Throughout, he inexplicably reprimanded her, deepening the animosity between them. What truly haunted Liana was that after the surgery, he left her barely alive body abandoned in the wilderness. He did not even show his face, as if he wanted to end her life. In that moment, Liana yearned to confront Tyler and question his cruel treatment. She struggled, enduring the physical pain, crawling desperately through the thorny undergrowth. However, no matter how hard she tried, she could not escape that patch of foliage. Having endured such agony, it was only natural for Liana to harbor hatred towards Tyler. Yet, Karan felt no shame about Tyler; instead, she seemed to revel in triumph, sporting a victorious smile upon seeing the figurative corpse of her enemy. Chapter 1138 Chapter 1138 Liana was puzzled and walked stiffly over to Karan. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± she asked, genuinely curious. Karan didn¡¯t hide her grin, instead, she patted Liana¡¯s head andughed, Tmughing because my dear Liana has finally broken free from that bad guy¡± Her touch was gentle, like she was trying to console Liana, ¡°I saw how much you suffered because of Tyler all these years. Even though his death pains me, it¡¯s worth it if it means you¡¯re free now.¡± Karan was really good to Liana, spoiling her with both money and affection. When Liana first joined the Howell family, Karan even transferred all the money Hackett Howell had given her to Liana¡¯s ount, even throwing in a few properties. Who would¡¯ve thought that the once poor Liana would be a billionaire at such a young age? In Liana¡¯s eyes, Karan was also really good to Tyler, always looking out for him, protecting him. Even when Tyler was cold and cruel towards her, she never held a grudge, instead, she continued to care for him. But behind Liana¡¯s back, Tyler often used Karan of being a hypocrite. Before Karan could even exin herself, Hackett would give Tyler a good beating, and Tyler would stop talking, storming out of the Howell house. Whenever there was a conflict between the three of them, Liana would usually be upstairs. If she identally ran into them, Karan would signal her with her eyes to leave. Liana always felt like she was beneath them, that it wasn¡¯t her ce to get involved in their family matters. So, she would obediently leave. After a while, she developed a habit of avoiding their conflicts and not eavesdropping, so she never knew what their conflicts were about. But in Liana¡¯s mind, Karan was genuinely a gentle and kind person. She never said a bad word about Tyler in front of Liana, always praising him for being smart. Even the servants around her, she never spoke ill of them. Liana thought, maybe Karan was genuinely happy for her, just like Aidyn Reyes. After all, both Karan and Aidyn were her family, they had blood ties. They obviously loved her more than Tyler, who had hurt them. With that thought, Liana didn¡¯t ask any more questions, she simply looked away, at the urn being ced in the ck car. Tyler was gone, whatever grudges they had, it was all over. N?velDrama.Org content rights. But¡­ Liana put her hand on her chest, feeling a weird sense of suffocation. It was as if she had lost her purpose in life, now that she no longer had Tyler to hate. The feeling was unbearable, but she couldn¡¯t control it, she could only let it consume her, pulling her into the abyss, into darkness¡­ Seeing that Liana was no longer suspicious, Karan¡¯s smile slowly faded. But the joy of victory was deeply etched in her eyes. With Tyler gone, no one would verbally attack her anymore, no one would use her of being a homewrecker, no one would oppose her. And her son. could now inherit the Howell family¡¯s fortune without anypetition. From now on, this woman from a small vige, with no proper education, no manners, no morals, could comfortably be thedy of the Howell family. No one would reveal her past, and no one would look down on her. Karan coldly stared at the small ck urn. No matter how stubborn Tyler was, no matter how hard he was to deal with, no matter how capable he was, he had now turned into ashes. Served him right! Karanughed coldly, waved at Liana, and got into the car. As the car window rolled up, Karan and Damien Howell exchanged nces, both of them smiling With Tyler gone, no one would ever find out what she did behind his back, not even Tyler himself. In this world, only she knew what ns she hadid out, and she definitely wouldn¡¯t be stupid enough to reveal her own secrets. As Karan thought of this, she patted the urn containing Tyler¡¯s ashes,ughing heartily. The feeling of joy was unprecedented, it made her extremely happy She had been looking forward to his death for years, and now he was finally gone, of course she was thrilled! Tyler¡¯s ashes got shipped back home by the Hackett family. Chapter 1139 Chapter 1139 Word on the street was that Karan really took Tyler, her stepson, to heart. Hackett once went off the deep end, calling Tyler a good¨Cfor¨Cnothing, refusing to hold a big funeral for him. But Karan and Hackett had a knock¨Cdown¨Cdrag¨Cout over this. She insisted, no matter how bad Tyler¡¯s rep was, he was still part of the Howell family and deserved a grand send¨Coff. In the end, Hackett caved and let Karan take charge of the funeral. Those who came to pay respects at the Howell family said Karan was prostrate before Tyler¡¯s picture, crying her eyes out so much she almost passed out, and had to be supported by the Howell family. The word got around that Karan was a hell of a good stepmom and Tyler was an ungrateful stepson.- When Liana received the news, she was in the middle of administering an injection to a patient. Despite the shocking news, she remainedposed and showed no emotional reaction to the death she had just heard about. It seemed as if she had already detached herself from any feelings rted to the deceased. After returning from Panama, Liana admitted Will Webb to a hospital for his recovery. She took care of him diligently while continuing her regr work. without any disruptions. It was business as usual for her. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Initially, Eleanor and Hailey worried that Liana would be devastated by Tyler¡¯s passing. However, once she returned, Liana seemed unaffected and threw herself into work tirelessly. She always wore a smile, and Tyler¡¯s death appeared to have relieved her of some burden. Liana made it clear to Eleanor and Hailey that they didn¡¯t need to avoid discussing Tyler around her. She no longer felt the need to walk on eggshells, and she didn¡¯t attend the funeral or inquire about it in any way. Observing Liana¡¯s behavior, Eleanor and Hailey chose not to probe further. They assured her that they were avable if she needed anything, and they were willing to help her in any way they could. Liana acknowledged their offer and encouraged them to focus on their own responsibilities. Eleanor had her designs to work on, and Hailey was busy running a nightclub. Both of them were swamped with their own tasks, and Liana didn¡¯t want to cause any additional inconvenience for them after all the trouble she had already caused. After giving the injection, Liana bent down tofort the child with a smile while discreetly administering the shot. The kid was all smiles at first, but burst into tears when Liana pulled the needle out. The parents were trying to calm the kid down, and Liana patted his head with a smile, and pulled a candy out of her pocket like a magician. The kid stopped crying as soon as he got the lollipop, even said a polite ¡°thank you¡°. Liana patted his head again before leaving the room with a smile. Once she left the room, her smile froze and the room started spinning. She quickly reached out to steady herself against the wall, her trembling fingers searched herb coat for her pill bottle. Her mind was flooded with images of Tyler being shot and bleeding out by the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window. The vivid bloody scenes kept reying in her mind, putting her nerves on edge. She could only forget the bloody images by taking pills. She found the pill bottle, took out a pill with trembling hands and forced it down. She leaned against the wall, waiting for her mood to stabilize, when a doctor walked by. ¡°Dr. Terrill, are you okay?¡± Liana had been keeping busy, whether it was neurosurgery or internal medicine, she¡¯d lend a hand wherever needed. Now she was even in pediatrics, making people wonder if Dr. Terrill was setting an example, or numbing herself with work. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Liana waved him off, telling him to go about his business, then forced her tired body back to Will¡¯s room. Chapter 1140 Chapter 1140 Will got his hand treated lickety¨Csplit, so no serious aftermath. He¡¯s now in tip¨Ctop shape and just needs a bit more R&R before he¡¯s sprung from the hospital The moment Will saw Lianaing in, he shooed his parents away from his bedside. They got the hint, gave Liana a once¨Cover, and left the two of them to chinwag while they cleared out. Liana strolled over, sitting in front of Will¡¯s hospital bed, ¡°How¡¯s the day? Can you move your hand?¡± Will nodded, looking at Liana with soft eyes, ¡°My hand will be back to normal, don¡¯t sweat it¡­¡± Liana held Will¡¯s hand, gave it a once¨Cover, and seeing he was on the mend, responded, ¡°You will recover, it¡¯s just that you might not be able to do surgeries anymore.¡± Will didn¡¯t give a hoot, ¡°After some time at the Laurence Group¡¯s pharmaceuticalpany, I found I¡¯m more into drug development than surgery.¡± Liana still felt a pang. ¡°You¡¯re a helluva surgeon. It¡¯s a damn shame you can¡¯t operate anymore.¡± Hearing this, Will¡¯s eyes lit up with a faint smile, ¡°Whether it¡¯s being a doctor or developing drugs, it¡¯s all about healing people. As long as I can save lives, there¡¯s nothing to regret.¡± Thest sentence yanked Liana back to the past. She just froze¡­. Eighteen¨Cyear¨Cold Tyler had said the same thing. Back then, he was leaning against an esctor, hands in his pockets, quietly listening to the Howells debate his career path. Tyler¡¯s grandpa insisted that Tyler, being the descendant of a medical family, should not waste his talent and must follow in their footsteps. But Hackett thought Tyler¡¯s knack forputers made him a hotmodity in finance. They argued non¨Cstop, with Hackett eventually winning out, leaving Tyler¡¯s grandpa fit to be tied. Tyler consoled his grandpa, ¡°No matter what I do, I can still help heal people. As long as I can save lives, there¡¯s nothing to regret.¡± Only because Tyler promised Hackett he would choose finance in college, Hackett decided to groom Tyler as his sessor in the Howell family business Sadly, before Tyler could even graduate high school, he made an irreversible mistake and vited her, leading to him being ostracized by all the Howells. and losing his right to inherit the family business. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. If not for that, Tyler might have followed his grandpa¡¯s footsteps into medicine, instead of bing a whiz in finance and leading the Howells to greater heights in business. Liana told herself that Tyler¡¯s downfall was his own doing and not her problem. When Will asked if something was up, she shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m fine, just a little spaced out, probably because I¡¯m tired.¡± Will studied Liana¡¯s face, trying to read any changes, but she seemed eerily calm, seemingly unfazed by Tyler¡¯s death. After a while, he asked the deep¨Cin¨Cthought Liana, ¡°Liana, as I mentioned before, once Tyler is taken care of, we can patch things up. Now that he¡¯s gone, there¡¯s nothing between us anymore, can we¡­ get back together?¡± Ever since they got hitched and Liana was whisked away by Tyler only to be dumped back, she and Will have been on the outs, with no reconciliation in sight. Will didn¡¯t push Liana. He just figured Tyler was the roadblock, so he decided to take care of Tyler first, protecting Liana and hoping to rekindle their romance. But boy, he didn¡¯t see thising. He knew it might not be the best time to propose getting back together, but he couldn¡¯t help himself. He had this nagging feeling that something was shifting since Tyler¡¯s death, but he just couldn¡¯t put his finger on it¡­ Chapter 1141 Chapter 1141 na looked down at Will¡¯s bandaged wrist, her eyes deep and thoughtful. Then she gave a faint smile and said, ¡°Will, I¡¯m a mess, ever since we got together, you¡¯ve been getting hurt, maybe we should call it quits.¡± Hearing this, Will¡¯s heart gave a violent thump. But strangely, he seemed to have seen iting, that Liana would say something like this, so he wasn¡¯t surprised, just¡­ Liana, Tyler¡¯s gone, there¡¯s no one left to hurt me¡­¡± Liana averted her eyes, lifting her gaze to meet Will¡¯s hopeful eyes. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. I¡¯ve killed before, and I¡¯ve been vited in front of you. About these things, I¡¯ll never forgive myself¡­ She didn¡¯t make up any excuses, she just said what she felt. Actually, when Tyler forced himself on her in front of Will, Liana knew it was over between Will and her. To go through something like that, and then marry that person, and spend your life with them, how hard would that be? Anyone else might not even be able to look at the other person. Liana was strong, at least she could pretend like it was no big deal, even helping Will with his injuries. ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± Will looked at Liana, his eyes filled with concern. ¡°Liana, you were forced, it¡¯s not your fault. Even if you shot Tyler, that was because you couldn¡¯t control your emotions, not because you really wanted to kill him. I understand all of this, so I don¡¯t mind at all, why do you¡­¡± Liana¡¯sughter filled the room, her eyes forming crescents like the brightest moon in the night sky. ¡°Will, I mind,¡± she interrupted Will with a smile, then shifted her gaze to the middle¨Caged couple standing outside the hospital room. Their weary faces and white hair made her sigh deeply. ¡°Will, your parents are getting old; they can¡¯t handle this kind of stress. They love you so much and are so kind. You should consider them more,¡± Liana gently patted her stomach. ¡°Even though you said your parents could ept not having grandchildren, what parents wouldn¡¯t want a grandchild? They only say they don¡¯t need one because they love you and understand you. But you can¡¯t be so selfish¡­¡± Will attempted to argue, but Liana cut him off again. ¡°Will, besides all the reasons I mentioned, I also need to tell you that I haven¡¯t really fallen in love with you yet¡­¡± The words silenced Will, and he swallowed his response. He looked down at his wrist and then reluctantly met Liana¡¯s gaze. ¡°Liana, I know you haven¡¯t fallen for me. But as long as I love you, that¡¯s enough¡± ¡°No, Will, that¡¯s not enough,¡± Liana denied his words but couldn¡¯t help letting out a gentleugh while looking at him. ¡°We¡¯ve been together and you¡¯ve shown me what it¡¯s like to be loved, I thought that was enough for a lifetime of happiness, but I never considered if it was fair to you¡­ He loved her so deeply, she should respond with the same depth of love, but she couldn¡¯t give it, whether Will minded or not, it was unfair to him. ¡°Will, you¡¯re such a great and kind person, you deserve a better woman, and me, a criminal like me, I¡¯m destined to be alone.¡± Even if thew didn¡¯t punish her, she would still pay in other ways, her life would never be peaceful again. Why should she drag Will down with her? Chapter 1142 Chapter 1142 After Liana had finished speaking, she didn¡¯t wait for Will to respond, she just got up and left. Her decisiveness was just like when she faced Tyler with a gun. Liana was never one to dither. Once she made up her mind, she¡¯d tell you straight up and then cut ties, no more crossing paths. But Will knew, Liana wouldn¡¯t just cut him off like that, at least not until his hand was fully healed. She¡¯d still care for him like before. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. To Liana, he was an important person in her life, just not as significant as her lover, but not quite a stranger either. Will knew very well what kind of person Liana was, so he just watched her retreating figure and slowly began to speak- ¡°Liana, if I hadn¡¯te to find you, would you and Tyler have pleasantly spent a month on the ind?¡± Liana¡¯s steps slowly halted but she didn¡¯t turn around. She only paused for a few seconds before continuing to walk away Nobody knew the answer in Liana¡¯s heart, but Will saw it. If he hadn¡¯t gone to find her, Liana would have spent a month with Tyler and returned safely, just like that time, Tyler would have brought her back¡­ Willy in his hospital bed, his gaze fixed on Liana as she approached his parents. With each passing moment, his face grew paler, and a troubling thought crossed his mind ¨C did he indirectly cause Tyler¡¯s death? Liana warmly greeted Will¡¯s parents and reminded them about his condition, cautioning them to keep him away from water, As she turned to leave, she was unexpectedly halted by Will¡¯s parents. ¡°Dr. Terrill, we heard what you said to Will, Will¡¯s mom began, her face showing a hint of hesitation before she steadied herself and thanked Liana with a smile. ¡°Thank you for your understanding and support.¡± Will¡¯s parents had endured enough turmoil, and now they simply wished for their son to lead a peaceful life, free from such intense experiences. They hoped he could eventually have a family with a caring wife and live harmoniously Though Dr. Terrill was a wonderful woman, Will¡¯s mother couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that someone who had deeply loved another person and inadvertently caused that person¡¯s death would always carry profound emotional scars. She feared that Liana might not be able to provide a stable life for Will because of these lingering wounds. Even if Will imed not to mind, she worried he might eventually regret it if Liana never reciprocated his feelings. Such regret could potentially lead to a rift forming between Will and Dr. Terrill. And if that happened, their lives would be far from peaceful. Will¡¯s mother didn¡¯t want her son to me Dr. Terrill, to argue with Dr. Terrill, and then leave Dr. Terrill. In the end, the one who suffered would still be Dr. Terrill. Women understand women. What Will¡¯s mother worried about was exactly what Liana was thinking. So she just smiled, ¡°It¡¯s what I should do, and also¡­¡± Liana bowed sincerely to the elderly couple, apologizing. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry.¡± I¡¯m sorry for getting your son hurt. I¡¯m sorry for rejecting your son. I¡¯m sorry that I can¡¯t be your daughter¨Cinw¡­. Will¡¯s mother stepped forward, helped Liana to stand, and then gave her a hug. After hugging Will¡¯s mother, Liana waved goodbye to the elderly couple and left the ward in her heels. When she returned to the outpatient department, preparing to ask which department needed help, someone patted her on the shoulder from behind. Liana turned around and saw a man in a blue suit. He looked somewhat familiar, but she couldn¡¯t recall who he was, ¡°Who are you?¡± The man revealed a bright smile and said to Liana, ¡°I¡¯m Jules, don¡¯t you remember me?¡± Chapter 1143 Chapter 1143 When she heard his name, Liana finally took a good look at him. He wasn¡¯t that young, naive kid anymore. Now he was all dashing and polished, handsome as hell. Recognizing him, Liana shed a smile and responded, ¡°I heard you¡¯ve settled overseas. What brings you back here, and to a hospital of all ces?¡± Seeing Liana was like seeing an old friend to Jules. It was familiar and warmed his heart, and his enthusiasm showed. ¡°My grandma hasn¡¯t been feeling too well, so my mom asked me toe back and check on her. I didn¡¯t expect to run into you here at the hospital.¡± He then turned his gaze back to Liana, ¡°By the looks of your getup, you¡¯re a doctor now?¡± Liana nodded, not saying much, but Jules continued, ¡°Back in high school, you always talked about going to medical school. I thought you were just blowing hot air, I didn¡¯t expect you to actually be a doctor. ¡°By the sound of it, you don¡¯t seem to think much of the profession, Liana retorted with augh. Jules quickly waved his hands, ¡°Not at all. I just didn¡¯t think you¡¯d follow in Tyler¡¯s footsteps after all that happened¡­¡± He then paused and apologized, ¡°I apologize. I shouldn¡¯t have said that.¡± Liana just shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s alright, that¡¯s all in the past¡­¡± Bringing up Tyler again, Jules asked, ¡°Did you know Tyler passed away?¡± Liana¡¯s face turned pale, but she managed to maintain herposure and nodded, ¡°I know.¡± Jules let out a deep sigh, reflecting on Tyler¡¯s untimely demise, ¡°Though he died young, there¡¯s some truth to the saying, ¡®you reap what you sow. Tyler did a lot of bad things, and that¡¯s why he died so young¡­ Thinking back to his own past regrets and missed opportunities, Jules couldn¡¯t help but feel remorseful. He had intended to confess his feelings to Liana on a boat he purchased, but Tyler had swooped in, taken her away, andter he heard about the mistreatment she endured at the hands of Tyler¡¯s people. Feeling guilty, Jules insisted on taking Liana out for a meal. At first, she declined, but he reassured her, ¡°Liana, don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t have any other intentions. I just see you as a friend.¡± His enthusiasm was hard to resist, so she took off her white coat, handed it to a nurse, and left the hospital with Jules. As they exited, another doctor greeted Liana with respect, revealing to Jules that she was not only a doctor but also the owner of the most expensive and best hospital in town. Impressed, Jules gave her a thumbs¨Cup, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were not only a doctor but also the hospital director. You¡¯re pretty badass now.¡± In the past, Jules had been a shy guy, often too timid to speak up. But now, he felt confident enough to tease Liana, which put her at ease. Instead of taking his car, Liana drove them to a less pricey restaurant. As they sat down, she asked him, ¡°So, what do you do for a living?¡± Jules had originally nned to take Liana to a fancier ce, but he understood her frugal and considerate nature. So, he didn¡¯t push it and replied, ¡°I¡¯m working on research and development abroad, something rted to programming¡± Speaking of programming, he couldn¡¯t help but mention Tyler. ¡°I owe my career to Tyler. If he hadn¡¯t bragged about hisputer skills in school, I might not have gotten into programming just topete with him. But it was because of thatpetition that I got my current job.¡± Jules¡® family was pretty well¨Coff in B City, so Liana asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you take over the family business instead of running off overseas to do R&D?¡± Jules took a sip of his water and replied nonchntly. ¡°My brother¡¯s the heir to the family business, he¡¯ll take care of everything. As for me, I prefer to do what I love without any constraints. Besides, I¡¯ll still get a share of the family fortune, so isn¡¯t that a win¨Cwin?¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. He thenughed at himself, ¡°Don¡¯tugh at me, these are my ambitions.¡± Jules was a good guy, Liana had always known. How could she make fun of such a kind and optimistic person? ¡°You¡¯re doing good.¡± Looking confident and radiant, Jules raised his eyebrows at Liana, ¡°Right? I thought so too.¡± They say a man¡¯s heart always stays young. Jules was a prime example. His good family background and easy goings had shaped his optimistic personality. Liana was amused by him andughed, but it was only on the surface. For some reason, ever since Tyler¡¯s death, it had been hard for Liana tough. genuinely. It was as if she was shouldering a heavy burden that didn¡¯t allow her to let out a genuineugh. Chapter 1144 Chapter1144 In the restaurant, the food quickly hit the table. Both of them were chatting away while enjoying their meal. Somehow, their conversation circled back to the past¡­ Liana hadn¡¯t nned to ask, but upon hearing Jules talk about those who had bullied her and their life after prison, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°They were Just small¨Ctime thugs, how could they live a stable life abroad? Did they have any big business deals?¡± Jules answered, ¡°They didn¡¯t have any big business to do. After getting out of prison, they suddenly became very rich, as if they were bankrolled by some big shot. They even emigrated together. They didn¡¯t do any business and lived a luxurious life. I have no clue where their money came from¡± After the incident, apart from a few who unfortunately drowned while trying to escape, the rest were sent to prison. But their life after prison was extremely affluent. Liana¡¯s hand trembled slightly. ¡°Where are these people now?¡± Jules, thinking Liana wanted to seek revenge, quickly responded, ¡°They are all dead. Some perished at sea, some were killed over gambling, some died in car idents. Their endings were all terrible, maybe it¡¯s God¡¯s punishment.¡± Jules always believed that those who do evil will be punished sooner orter. So, he didn¡¯t give much thought to their demise. However, Liana was full of doubts. Why did they be rich all of a sudden? And why did they suddenly die? This sounded like they knew some secret, extorted a fortune, and then were slowly killed off so as not to draw attention. After pondering for a moment, Liana looked at Jules, who was focused on his food, ¡°How do you know all this? Without lifting his head, Jules replied, ¡°We were in the same country. Their news was all over the local media, of course I know¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Liana¡¯s doubts deepened. She suddenly remembered her previous question. If Tyler really liked her back then, why would he order people to hurt her? No matter how angry, he wouldn¡¯t do such a thing, especially possessive Tyler. With this thought, Liana suddenly stood up, ¡°Jules, I¡¯m sorry, something urgent came up, I¡¯ll treat you next time¡­¡± As Jules was chewing on his food, he saw Liana quickly grab her bag and leave. He wanted to say something, but it wasn¡¯t appropriate. He could only nod and wave goodbye. Liana went straight to Aidyn, asking him to check the bank records of those who had raped her after they got out of prison. Aidyn was puzzled by Liana¡¯s sudden interest in investigating the rapists who had fled abroad. He had initially nned to take matters into his own hands and seek revenge, but Liana believed they were manipted by Tyler and chose to forgive them instead. Now, with Liana asking him to hurry in obtaining information, he wondered if she had changed her mind and still harbored feelings of revenge. Without providing much exnation, Liana urged Aidyn to be quick, prompting him to make a trip to the bank to gather the necessary information. He efficiently obtained the files and returned to Liana with a serious expression on his face. ¡°Who made the transfers? Liana asked, her concern evident. Aidyn didn¡¯t respond verbally; instead, he handed the files to Liana. As she quickly flipped through the documents, it became apparent that the transfers had gone through multiple bank ounts, likely to avoid detection. Despite theplexity of the operations, Aidyn had managed to trace the source of the transfers. As Liana read the name of the sender, her face turned pale, and her hands holding the file started to tremble. Hubert This was Karan¡¯s cousin. Karan¡¯s birth name was Emma, but a fortune teller said she needed to change her name and surname to get rich, so she changed her name to Karan. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Just as the fortune teller said, after changing her name, she met Hackett. From then on, her life became prosperous. Wealth seemed to rush towards her, and she couldn¡¯t escape it. However, such a wealthy person would have her cousin send money to the thugs who had bullied her. This was something Liana couldn¡¯t understand. Chapter 1145 Chapter 1145 Aldyn stood in front of her, and he got a bad vibe the moment he saw Hubert¡¯s name. He instantly told Liana, Karan might¡¯ve stirred the pot when that thing happened. How else would her cousin be transferring money to these folks so conveniently, and all the ounts received the same amount?¡± Even if the money was broken down into many small transfers, the amount was always the same If the man behind it all was Tyler, he would¡¯ve directly opened bank ounts abroad for these people and did the operations Only someone as clueless as Karan would go through many ounts, transferring bit by bit na was a bit lost. She could barely stand without leaning on Aidyn. She grabbed Aidyn¡¯s arm and slowly sat down on the couch N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Seeing her like this, Aldyn immediately pulled out his little knife from his waist, ready to go to B Cily to find Karan. He said, ¡°I¡¯m going to get that woman and get to the bottom of this.¡± Liana stopped him, ¡°Tll go.¡± She wanted to ask Karan herself, why she transferred money to these people, and why sheughed when seeing Tyler¡¯s urn, but cried her eyes out at the funeral after returning to B City. She wanted to ask her aunt who always loved her, why she was two¨Cfaced Liana struggled to stand Aidyn was worried about her and was about to go with her, when Jill Naylor¡¯s call came in. Seeing Aidyn¡¯s smile and hearing him ask ¡°Really?¡± several times, Liana guessed it must be good news. Sure enough, after Aidyn hung up, he cheerfully told Liana, ¡°Liana, Jill is pregnant. Liana¡¯s mood brightened when she heard the good news, ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Aidyn was over the moon and wanted to rush to the hospital to be with his wife. But seeing Liana, he suppressed his excitement, ¡®I¡¯ll apany you to B City first:¡± Liana was understanding. ¡°Your wife just got pregnant, she needs you. Go be with her. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Aidyn already had his own family, and now there was going to be a babying. He was not only Liana¡¯s brother, but also Jill¡¯s husband and their child¡¯s father. He was busy enough and shouldn¡¯t worry about her anymore. Aidyn had severed ties with the Howell family, while she was close to the Howell family, even raised by them. It was only normal for her to confront Karan. It would be better for Aidyn not to go to avoid conflicts. Aidyn wanted to apany Liana to B City after picking up his wife, but Liana refused. She was just going to rify things with Karan, not fight, so it would be fine. Aidyn believed Liana wouldn¡¯t sh with her respected aunt over Tyler¡¯s matter, so he didn¡¯t say much. He just worried about Liana¡¯s safety, so he assigned some bodyguards to protect her, reminding Liana to call him if anything happened. Only after Liana nodded in agreement did Aidyn let the bodyguards apany her to B City. Meanwhile, Aidyn went to the CEO¡¯s office, intending to ask Bernard Laurence for a leave. Maybe because his wife was pregnant, he was so happy that he couldn¡¯t hide the joy on his face when he pushed the door open. At that time, Bernard was reviewing documents. Seeing Aidyning in andughing from time to time, he lifted his icy eyes, nced at him, and asked, ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Aidyn was waiting for Bernard to ask this, so he quickly dropped his hand covering his smiling face, rushed to Bernard, forgetting about Bernard¡¯s germaphobia, and put his hands on his desk, saying, ¡°Mr. Laurence, my wife is pregnant, I want to take a few days off¡­¡± Bernard¡¯s eyes were originally focused on his palms on the desk, but after hearing Aidyn¡¯s words, he slowly moved his gaze to Aidyn, who was beaming with joy¡­. Chapter 1146 Chapter 1146 Seeing Aldyn¡¯s grin, Bernard suddenly felt a weird urge to punch him. Bernard frowned, trying to figure out why Then it dawned on him Aidyn got marriedter than he did, but became a dad earlier And him? He was trying every night, butpared to Aidyn, his efforts seemed fruitless, and it was getting him down N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. He picked up his pen again and coldly said. ¡°Your leave is denied¡± Aidyn¡¯s smile froze, ¡°Why?¡± His wife was expecting Denying his leave was a bit much, wasn¡¯t it?! Bernard ignored him and kept signing papers. Aidyn, getting desperate, pleaded. ¡°Mr. Laurence, please, just give me a day off Seeing Bernard still ignoring him, Aidyn let go of the table, headed for the sofa. ¡°If you won¡¯t agree, I¡¯ll just sit here in protest¡± Bernard nced at Aidyn, opened a drawer, and tossed a bank card at him, ¡°Congrats ¡± Seeing the card, Aidyn was taken aback, then shook his head, ¡°Your good wishes are enough I don¡¯t need the money.¡± Bernard put down his pen again, reached out, and took back the card, ¡°If you don¡¯t want it, then let¡¯s save it for Caleb¡¯s kid¡± Hearing this, Aidyn quickly snatched the card back from Bernard, ¡°I¡¯d rather take it myself than give it to that jerk Caleb I¡¯ll ept your kindness¡± Aidyn happily pocketed the card. ¡°Then, Mr. Laurence, I¡¯m off to get my wife¡­ Bernard just nodded without looking up. It wasn¡¯t until Aidyn left the office that he looked up, watching Aidyn¡¯s retreating figure with a faint smile He was probably the first one amongst his peers to be a father. Of course, he was happy for Aidyn. But when would his own babye. Bernard originally didn¡¯t want a baby. But seeing Aidyn so happy had ignited some anticipation in him. But the thought of Eleanor having to endure childbirth quickly extinguished that Forget it. Without a child, his wife would suffer less. Soon Liana arrived in B City and was back at the Howell family. Karan was in the midst of scolding a servant. Seeing Lianae in, Karan immediately stopped, told the maid to get up, and warmly greeted Liana. She looped her arm through Liana¡¯s, leading her into the living room while exining what had just happened, ¡°N, the maid, ruined my dress with the iron. She was so scared she kneeled and apologized I told her it was okay, but she kept crying because she thought she couldn¡¯t afford to rece the dress Once Karan finished, she waved at the still¨Ccrying N, ¡°N, didn¡¯t you see Miss Liana is back? Stop crying, go help in the kitchen. Make sure to prepare some dishes Miss Liana likes¡­¡± N looked a bit upset, nced at Liana, but didn¡¯t say anything. She just nodded obediently and headed for the kitchen. The old Liana might not have noticed what was going on, but now she could see through the situation in an instant. Maybe it was because she knew Karan¡¯s cousin once bribed some thugs, that she realized her aunt was quite cunning¡­ She remembered how Tyler, when they were kids, criticized Karan for being maniptive. But because it was her aunt, Liana never doubted anything Karan said or exined If she had been more suspicious back then, maybe she would have seen her aunt¡¯s true colors¡­ Thinking of this, Liana, with a calm expression, shook off Karan¡¯s hand, sat on the couch, and stated her purpose, ¡°Aunt Karan, I came to talk about some past events Karan, about to sit on the couch, stiffened momentarily at hearing this. But she didn¡¯t give anything away and sat down, then asked with a smile. ¡°What past events?¡± Liana took a stack of documents from her bag and ced them on the coffee table, ¡°It¡¯s about your cousin Hubert Why did he give money to some thugs after they were released from prison?¡± Chapter 1147 Chapter 1147 Karan was taken aback when she nced at the documents She never thought Liana would go to such lengths as checking bank records. But she quickly regained herposure, feigning ignorance as she took the documents, her face filled with surprise ¡°Wait, I had no clue! Why on earth would he send money to those people?¡± As she scanned through the paperwork, her brow furrowed Liana sat across from her, silently observing Karan, trying to spot any unusual emotions pn her face. But Karan gave nothing away, her expression instead hinting at anger ¡°That scoundrel Hubert, why would he send money to the very people who¡¯ve harmed you?¡± After going through the documents, Karan was so mad she tossed them away, her body trembling with rage. ¡°If that dirtbag wasn¡¯t six feet under, I¡¯d definitely hunt him down and give him a piece of my mind. Why would he do such a thing?¡± Indeed, Hubert was dead If he were still around, Liana could have directly sought Aidyn¡¯s help to nab him. Once they had evidence, they could confront Karan, leaving her no room for excuses But with Hubert gone, Liana had no choice but toe here and try to coax the truth out of Karan Watching the fuming Karan, Liana paused for a few seconds before saying in a nonchnt tone, ¡°Karan, Hubert was sending money to each of those guys once they were out of jail. It suggests he was the real mastermind. Otherwise, he had no reason to send them money¡± Karan¡¯s eyes flickered, buts he pretended to be confused, ¡®Wasn¡¯t Tyler the real culprit? He confessed when we confronted him. How could it be Hubert? Maybe Hubert owed money to those people, and that¡¯s why he sent them money after they got out. You know how desperate people can do anything. Perhaps Hubert was afraid they¡¯de after him, so he paid them off¡± Despite Karans usible exnation, Liana wasn¡¯t buying it. ¡°Those hoodlums were Tyler¡¯s people. They were much younger than Hubert. How could Hubert possibly owe them money? And since he was afraid of being caught, he always gambled abroad. How could he have any connection with them? Besides, weren¡¯t you and Hubert both strongly against Tyler? How could he borrow money from Tyler¡¯s people? Those thugs didn¡¯t have much money either. How could Hubert borrow from them?¡± Karan was left speechless by Liana¡¯s interrogation but was still defiant. ¡°Liana, I don¡¯t know much about Hubert¡¯s affairs, who he was friends with, who he gambled with, who he owed money to, and how much. He never told me anything, he only asked me for money¡­ Maybe he did have some dealings with Tyler¡¯s people. Perhaps Tyler bribed Hubert, leading him to harm you You know Hubert had a huge gambling debt then. Since I didn¡¯t help him pay it off, he might have turned to Tyler out of anger. It¡¯s not impossible for them to have colluded.¡± Knowing it would be tough to get the truth about Hubert¡¯s payments from Karan, Liana changed tactics, adopting a softer approach/¡°Auntie, you must know about Hubert¡¯s dealings He lived off your earnings all his life. If he was bribed by Tyler and did something harmful to me, he would certainly have told you. Tyler is gone now, and my grudge with him is over I won¡¯t fight with you over his matters, nor me you for concealing anything I just want to know the truth.¡± Karan remained calm, scrutinizing Liana Seeing Liana¡¯s continued respect and friendliness towards her without a trace of resentment, she was slightly moved. But she still denied it, ¡°Liana, I really don¡¯t know why Hubert would send money to those thugs.* After saying this, she let out a long sigh. ¡°He¡¯s gone now, and no one knows why he did what he did. But I find it hard to believe that he was the puppet master, especially since Tyler had openly admittedThis belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. he was the one behind everything¡± If Karan had agreed with Liana now, saying Hubert was the puppet master, Liana would have been more suspicious of her. Karan decided to pin it on Tyler instead. After all, he had once entertained that thought, even if only to intimidate. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to use it as an excuse to shrug off responsibility now. Chapter 1148 Chapter 1148 Karan insisted that Tyler had fessed up. Yeah, Tyler did admit it, but Liana hadn¡¯t heard it for herself. She was at the hospital at the time, and all her news came from Karan So, when Liana saw Hubert paying off those little thugs, she was gobsmacked But at the same time, she was confused if it wasn¡¯t Tyler¡¯s doing why would he admit it? Liana wanted to clear up these questions, but Karan was clearly not going to spill the beans. She hesitated for a moment, then walked over to Karan, squatted down beside her like when she was a child, put her hand on her leg, and looked up at her. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m your favorite girl I¡¯ve always considered you as a mother figure We¡¯re both from a small vige, and we should care for each other, help each other, trust each other You know Damien Howell is still young, his cousins are eyeing the inheritance. The Howell family is a shareholder system, maybe one day, these cousins will take over, then Damien¡¯s position as heir will be in jeopardy. Even though I¡¯m in A City now, I have a lot of clout behind me. The Laurence family can influence the Howell family If you trust me and tell me the truth, then I will help Damien be the heir of the Howell family in the future.¡± These words were indeed touching and hit Karan right in the feels Before Tyler¡¯s death, she was worried that Tyler would be the heir and kick her out of the Howell family Now, she had to worry about Damien¡¯s cousins for her son¡¯s sake. This shareholder thing is seriously annoying, it¡¯s like anyone can stick their nose in. Clearly, Hackett Howell is the chairman, even though the Howell family was built by all the siblings together, but Hackett was the head honcho. Why should other people have a say in the heir¡¯s position? Karan was so pissed off just by thinking of it, but she kept silent, looking into Liana¡¯s clear eyes. She felt like Liana was not trying to trick her into revealing the truth, but regardless of whether Liana was trying to trick her, Karan could not spill the beans. Instead, she needed to keep Liana on her side, so she could help Damien in the future, and use the power of the Laurence family behind her, to be Damien¡¯s biggest backup. you Thinking about this, Karan lifted her hand, ced it on Liana¡¯s hand, gently patting while praising her for her understanding. ¡°Liana, I¡¯m so grateful to have a niece like You¡¯re willing to help Damien, and I won¡¯t let you down. When the Howell family redistributes the shares, I¡¯ll have a word with your uncle, and you will have your share¡± This way, both Liana and Damien would have shares, and when it came to choosing the heir, Damien would definitely be the top dog, no one could surpass him Hearing this, the bookish Damien sitting beside them had a shadow flicker in his eyes. The Howell family¡¯s shares had already been allocated, if Liana were to join in, wouldn¡¯t that mean even less for him? If Liana knew the truth and chose not to help him, but instead helped others, wouldn¡¯t that be like creating an enemy for him? Rather than taking this risk, they might as well keep Liana out of the Howell family business entirely, to avoid future trouble Considering these, Damien put down his book, took off his sses, and gave his scheming mother a cold look, ¡°Mom, didn¡¯t you tell Hubert to hurt Liana? Why not admit it?¡± Karan was stunned by this remark. Her wide eyes seemed to ask, how do you know? Damien, seeing through her thoughts, said expressionlessly. ¡°Two years ago, when you and Hubert were arguing in the room, I happened to overhear¡± Two years ago, Hubert dide to her for money Unwilling to support this greedy man any longer, Hubert threatened her with that incident, which led to their argument. She never thought Damien would overhear¡­. Damien was only five at the time, but he remembered so clearly. Why didn¡¯t he tell her right away? Why wait until she proposed giving Liana shares to bring it up? Did he feel threatened? Karan¡¯s shocked eyes met Damien¡¯s indifference, her heart pounding.. Because she suddenly felt like she didn¡¯t know her son at all. She was more scared than when Aidyn used her of being the other woman. At least Aidyn med her for her wed values, used her of not trying hard enough to change, but the feeling Damien gave her was a deep¨Cseated indifference¡­. She suddenly felt that this kind of person could hurt his own family for his own gain, let alone this feeling wasing from a seven¨Cyear¨Cold¡­ Karan was a bit scared, wanting to stand up and teach Damien a lesson. She felt that he was only seven, and there was still a chance to educate him. But she was stopped. by Liana She looked down and saw Liana¡¯s pale face, bloodshot eyes, and trembling body. She realized that Liana knew the truth, and quickly denied, ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t, it was Damien who misheard. He was only five then He didn¡¯t understand anything.¡± Chapter 1149 Chapter 1149 Liana¡¯s eyes were red and swollen, ring at Karan who was trying to exin. ¡°You¡¯re my aunt, and you arranged for those people to rape me, then med it all on Tyler¡°¡± When she found out that the money was sent by Hubert, she had suspected Karan, but she trusted more that it was Hubert¡¯s own doing She never expected Karan¡¯s own son would reveal the truth! Liana couldn¡¯t ept it, she slowly copsed onto the floor So, it was her aunt who arranged for all this to happen, not Tyler And she For ten years, she held a grudge against Tyler, plotted for ten years, and finally seeded in making Tyler fall in love with her. She hurt him mercilessly, fought against him, drove him mad, pushed him to suicide, but when he found out that she truly didn¡¯t love him, he was willing to die by her hand¡­ Thinking of Tyler waiting for his life to end, and how she cruelly didn¡¯t go back to save him, her heart ached uncontrobly¡­ All the emotions she had suppressed during this time copsed in an instant, tears streaming down her face, but she didn¡¯t know how to face Karan.. All she could do was clutch at Karan¡¯s skirt, asking over and over, ¡°Why did you do this, why Seeing Liana in this state, Karan quickly reached out to help her up, ¡°Liana, don¡¯t be too worked up. Damien misheard.¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. After saying this. Karan fiercely turned her head and red at Damien, ¡°Tell Liana that you misheard, stop using me randomly!¡± But Damien didn¡¯t listen to Karan like he used to, instead, he revealed everything Karan had done, ¡°Mom, Hubert ckmailed you for money using this, and in the end, youpromised and gave him millions. He continued to ask you for money intermittently, but unfortunately, his life was cut short. He died shortly after receiving thest payment Damien¡¯s words were clearly hinting to Liana that Karan had killed Hubert. Liana knew they were all truth. She just suddenly found out that all these things were done by her aunt, not Tyler, and she just broke down. How could her own aunt do such a thing? Liana couldn¡¯t believe it, but she had to She stared at Karan. ¡°Now, tell me the truth Why did you do this?¡± Karan, who was framed by her own son to this extent, weakly sat down on the couch. When she looked at Liana again, her face was no longer masked, only coldness remained ¡°If I tell you the truth, will you still help Damien?¡± Liana scoffed in her heart but kept up her previous demeanor, lightly nodding at her aunt, ¡°Aunt, I know you must have had your reasons. Regardless of how cruel the truth is, in my heart, you¡¯re still the aunt who raised and educated me I will never forget your kindness. Liana had always been very grateful to Karan After her parents died she was taken in by the Howell family. All her other rtives didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with her, only her aunt didn¡¯t give up on her. Karan had treated her as her own daughter from childhood to adulthood Liana was always grateful, so she followed whatever Karan said. Little Liana often said that she would give up her own life if her aunt needed it Karan knew this very well and knew that if she didn¡¯t tell Liana now, Liana could find out on her own The reason Liana didn¡¯t investigate immediately after finding out that Hubert was the payer and instead came to ask her, was because Liana still had some trust in her However, this trust might disappear in front of the truth But if Liana found out on her own, there would be a pile of evidence. If an emotional and angry Liana handed the evidence over to the police, did she still have a way out? Now if she spoke about what happened that year, and then appeased Liana, and after Liana wasn¡¯t as furious, she could have someone wipe away all traces from that year Even if Liana found out, so what? At most, Liana would hate her or cut ties But given Liana¡¯s respect and love for her, she wouldn¡¯t really send her to jail. After all, Liana was used to being fukal to her, Karan was sure of this And in this matter, she only added fuel to the fire, the biggest mistake was still Tyler¡¯s. If Liana wanted to hate someone, she should hate Tyler! But what Karan never expected was that Liana had a voice recorder in her bag. She had started recording from the beginning. As long as Karan spoke about these things, no matter where she went, she wouldn¡¯t get off lightly¡­. Liana She could also y the game. ¡°Aunt Karan, tell me the truth¡± Liana, sitting on the floor, clutching Karan¡¯s skirt hem looking pitifully at Karan who was leaning on the couch with her arms crossed. Karan, who nned to stall for time and calm Liana down, slowly started to speak after seeing Liana like this¡­ Chapter 1150 Chapter 1150 ¡°Yeah, those guys were sent by Tyler. He just wanted to scare you, but Hubert caught wind of it. He immediately suggested that I pay them to really rape you. I was so caught up in the moment, thinking that if Tyler fell, I wouldn¡¯t have to put up with his crap anymore, so I made a decision.¡± Karan finished, her hand gently stroking Liana¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Liana. I was out of my mind, blinded by Tyler¡¯s lies I would never have hurt you. Seeing what happened to you, I was racked with guilt Liana stayed still, letting the ice¨Ccold hand trace her face. Her blood ran cold, like falling into a frigid lake, unable to break free, imprisoned by the chill She knew Karan was mixing truth and lies. The only believable part was that Tyler didn¡¯t really want those guys to hurt her, just to scare her. Was that the reason Tyler never exined himself? Suppressing her anger, Liana slowly raised her eyes to meet Karan¡¯s non¨Cviolent gaze and quietly asked her. ¡°Did he not exin himself when you were punishing him?¡± While in the hospital, Liana heard that, apart from the few who had fallen into the water on the spot, the rest who were sent to jail didn¡¯t disclose who was behind it all, saving Tyler the trouble. Only after Liana woke up and was questioned by Karan did she use Tyler. Tyler had stood by her hospital bed, wanting to exin something, but after a few ps from Karan, he chose to remain silent. Liana knew that after Tyler was taken away by the Howell family, he was severely punished. Though she hadn¡¯t seen it herself, she saw a badly wounded Tyler outside her hospital room. He wanted to Until Liana recovered and became pregnant, Tyler never saw her alone. He didn¡¯t exin anything when she had the abortion. If he was just trying to scare her, why didn¡¯t he exin? Karan wasn¡¯t keen on telling Liana, but seeing as Liana didn¡¯t me her, she spilled the beans. ¡°When he was punished, he exined that he just wanted to scare you, but didn¡¯t expect those guys to actually do what they did. I pped him then, using him of making excuses I asked him, even if he was telling the truth about his original intentions, wasn¡¯t this whole ordeal his fault? If he hadn¡¯t pulled this stunt, would you have been hurt? So, regardless of whether it was a scare tactic or not, the harm you suffered was because of him. He shouldn¡¯t be making excuses for his actions. After I finished, he was silent guess he realized that this was indeed caused by him, and there wasn¡¯t anything left to exin¡± So, Tyler also thought this was his doing. Whether he exined it or not, the damage was done. In Tyler¡¯s mind, he probably always thought it was his fault, so he never mentioned this past incident to her. Even during theirter encounters, his attitude towards her stayed the same, treating their rtionship as irreparable due to this incident, and obstinately sticking to her side Liana wanted revenge, so she used his obsession, enticing him, making him fall for her, then brutally hurting him. She thought she¡¯d¡¯seeded in her revenge, but she realized that the person she should be getting back at was sitting across from her, looking at her with pity in her eyes ¨C Karan. ¨C N?velDrama.Org content rights. This person even imed that Hubert instigated her. How could Liana believe her? Hubert wasn¡¯t even in the country at the time, how could he know about Tyler¡¯s n to scare her? And after she got off the boat. Tyler handed her over to those guys to scare her. He then got into his car. Even if Hubert knew about Tyler¡¯s n in advance and informed Karan, there should have been some time for her to intervene and bribe, but there wasn¡¯t. It seemed like Karan was lying to her. After understanding the situation, Liana didn¡¯t hide her feelings anymore. She lifted her hand and wiped away the tears at the corner of her eyes with her fingertips. When she looked at Karan again, there was only coldness left in her eyes. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, you had already bribed those guys. Tyler just unwittingly walked into your trap.¡± At her words, Karan¡¯s face changed dramatically. She clearly didn¡¯t expect Liana to figure it out. She¡¯d hidden the truth, but how could Liana¡­. Karan quickly thought of an excuse to alleviate Liana¡¯s suspicions. But she saw Liana tightly gripping her skirt, her strength so great it seemed she wanted to rip it off Her actions, her expression. Karan couldn¡¯t tell whether Liana was shocked by the truth or suppressing her hatred for her. She just felt that this girl had learned to pretend and ultimately couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. But whether she could control Liana or not, Karan wouldn¡¯t admit her mistake, so she chose to remain silent. Chapter 1151 Chapter 1151 But Liano was smart as a whip Just a nce from Karan and she knew her guess was dead on Karan was the one who took the first swing. This fact made it even harder for Liana to swallow it was even more difficult to ept than knowing Karan used Tyler to push events forward Because that night, regardless of whether Tyler had inadvertently suggested this idea, her own blood aunt would have harmed her in Tyler¡¯s name. All Karan needed to do was grease a few sleazy palms to have them point fingers at Tyler. No matter how much he tried to exin, he could never clear his name. And all it look to stop him was one usation frorn her So, at that time, after Liana woke up, instead of first caring about her, Karan kept pestering her, asking whose idea it all was. Karan was acting in the name of revenge, but in reality, she was using this opportunity to frame Tyler¡­ If Liana had not been blinded by family ties and her hatred for Tyler, she should have kept her cool and thought about why she¡¯d be a pawn, a pawn used for others This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. gains Liana sneered inwardly, but still asked Karan with a poker face ¡°My dear auntie, tell me, when did you start to use me? Was it from the moment you brought me to the Howell family, or when you nudged me towards Tyler¡­¡± Seeing Liana¡¯s red¨Crimmed eyes, Karan suddenly felt like she saw through everything Keeping secrets seemed pointless now. She could feel that her niece would never chensh her like before. Might as well spill the beans and let her remember her good intentions. With that thought, Karan grabbed Liana¡¯s hand again, let her release her skirt and ced her hand in her own. Then she covered it with her other hand. ¡°Liana, I brought you to the Howell family because your parents died I felt sorry for you, I wanted you to have a good life with me. But I never expected Tyler to redirect his hatred for me and Aidyn towards you¡± If she had been using Liana from the start, Karan wouldn¡¯t have sent Aidyn away early. She would¡¯ve used Liana as a shield. But she didn¡¯t n for that, so she didn¡¯t guard against it Liana had be good at distinguishing half¨Ctruths, so she didn¡¯t question the sincerity of Karan¡¯s words. Instead, she kept asking ¡°So, when did it start?¡± When did it start? From the moment Tyler started to mock, berate and hate her, she wished he¡¯d vanish! But Tyler was protected by his grandfather. She couldn¡¯t get a chance to hurt him. Plus, Tyler was sharp as a tack, and very cautious about everything. He even dodged a few underhanded moves from her. The kid was too clever! Fortunately, she saw Liana wouldn¡¯t leave Tyler alone, asking to learn medicine from him. Tyler was much nicer to Liana than her, so she began to consider shifting Tyler¡¯s hatred towards Liana. It could save her some grief. In front of Hackett, she spoke softly about her sympathy for Liana, painting her as pitiful and helpless, often bullied by Tyler. Hackett saw this and favored Liana even more Tyler was young then. Probably felt his father¡¯s love was taken away. So his attitude towards Liana became even more hostile. To exaggerate this hostility, Karan used him of attacking Liana. When Hackett heard of this, he smacked Tyler as soon as he returned from school, knocking him to the ground. Tyler was convulsing, frothing at the mouth, holding on to Hackett¡¯s pants, asking why he hit him. When Hackett said he bullied Liana, Tyler probably thought Liana was ying the victim. Since then, Tyler started to hate Liana with a passion Although the hatred wasrgely shifted, the Howells still wanted the gifted Tyler to be the heir. Even though Tyler did many bad things, the rtives still liked him. To help her son secure the inheritance, Karan figured she needed Tyler to make a big mistake for the Howells topletely give up on him. She started to bait Tyler from time to time, in ces unseen and unheard. Whenever Tyler got angry he¡¯d lose control and insult her. Karan would always seize the opportunity, y the victim when Hackett returned. Hackett would then beat Tyler, regardless of right or wrong. After each beating. Tyler¡¯s hatred for Liana would deepen, and he¡¯d find ways to torment her Whatever Tyler did to Liana, Karan would have the servants spread it around. Everyone in B City¡¯s high society knew, which led to Tyler¡¯s reputation going down the drain. Even the Howells felt Tyler was bing less and less respectable as he grew up. Chapter 1152 Chapter 1152 But this wasn¡¯t enough to make Tyler out of the inheritance. She made Liana get close to Tyler, made Lians fall for him, and then used Liana¡¯s feelings to reel Tyler In. She figured, once na and Tyler were head over heels for each other. A guy like Tyler wouldn¡¯t be able to resist Liana¡¯s charm. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. But Tyler, the stubbom mule that he was, didn¡¯t fall for Liana no matter how hard they tried. Even when Karan had subtly hinted for Liana to make her move in his bathroom and bedroom. Tyler didn¡¯t fall for it Karan thought her n was going down the drain until she spotted Tyler sneaking into Liana¡¯s room one night. She quietly trailed after him and saw Tyler standing by Liana¡¯s bed, staring at her for the longest time before he suddenly leaned in and kissed her. He locked just like a kid who¡¯d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Seeing signs of Tyler¡¯s feelings for Liana, Karan knew her n was halfway to victory Tyler grew bolder, stealing kisses from Liana in her sleep, each time staying longer than thest but never going any further. Karan was waiting for the day Tyler would screw it up, but she didn¡¯t see Hackett¡¯s dispute with his father about his career choiceing Karan was blindsided. Even after Tyler¡¯s reputation was in the gutter, Hackett still hadn¡¯t given up on making Tyler his heir. When she heard Hackett say that Tyler would take over the family business if he chose to major in finance, she started to panic. She didn¡¯t n for all these years just to have Tyler be the heir. What she wanted was for her own son to take over. If Tyler got his hands on the power, she¡¯d be a nobody in the Howell family, possibly even sidelined by Tyler. She was afraid Tyler would find ways to get back at his mother once he grew up. To halt Tyler¡¯s rise, Karan thought about drugging him, coercing him into sleeping with Liana. But then Jules brought Liana home, and Karan saw her chance. She immediately pushed Liana towards Jules, creating opportunities for them to be alone together, deliberately making Tyler jealous. Karan knew that once a young boy gets jealous, he¡¯s likely to lose his temper and make a mistake. But Tyler was tough. Even when he saw Julesing out of Liana¡¯s room a few times, he chose to ignore it. Karan was at her wits end, so she kept on stoking the fire. By the time they were about to graduate high school, she started openly and secretly encouraging Jules to confess his feelings to Liana. At that time, Jules liked Liana but was afraid she didn¡¯t feel the same. Karan told him that if Liana didn¡¯t like him, she would have rejected him a long time ago. She must be shy. In reality, Karan was persuading Liana not to turn Jules down, but Jules was none the wiser. He took Karan¡¯s word for it and confessed to Liana on a ferry, which was also Karan¡¯s idea. Karan waited for Jules to take Liana on the ferry, then found Tyler and told him Jules was going to ask Liana to be his girlfriend. Then they were going to travel the world by boat. To give Tyler the push he needed, Karan grinned at him and said, ¡°Who knows if they¡¯ll get too close after spending two months together like that. If they do, Liana will marry Jules. They make quite the couple. Tyler went pale with rage, cursing Liana for being as shameless as Karan before running off like a madman. Karan wasn¡¯t sure if the furious Tyler would deal with Liana himself or send someone after her. But judging by what she knew of Tyler, he¡¯d choose thetter because he was torn between hatred and fondness for Liana. He might not even be aware of his fondness, which made his hatred for Liana even stronger. Luckily she guessed right. That dimwit Tyler actually thought Liana was going to ruin off with another man. He thought a woman like Liana couldn¡¯t be without a man. So he sent a bunch of guys to scare her, which ended up working in Karan¡¯s favor To let those guys have their way, Karan had someone injure the old butler who had raised Tyler, then tricked the butler into calling Tyler toe back and help. The butler was probably knocked out. He held his bleeding head and quickly called Tyler, who was a skilled doctor. Tyler probably never knew this was his own doing. But whether he knew or not, Karan couldn¡¯t help but laugh every time she thought about this coincidence. How could he be so stupid? Chapter 1153 Chapter 1153 As she reminisced, the smile on her face gave Liana a weird vibe. Liana started to suspect that whether it was persuading her to get close to Tyler as a kid or manipting her into falling for Tyler when she grew up, it was all part of Karan¡¯s garne Including framing herter on, then shifting the me onto Tyler, and shutting him up with just a sentence. All because she knew Hackett wanted Tyler to inhent his wealth She was just a pawn manipted by Koran¡­ Yet, the one who treated her as a pawn kept dodging the me. ¡°Liana, you gotta know this, it was Tyler who provoked me first. From the moment I walked in, he kept throwing insults at me, even bad¨Cmouthed me behind my back, calling me a home wrecker if there¡¯s anyone¡¯s to me, it¡¯s him for not knowing when to shut up.¡± A bitter smile crept onto Liana¡¯s face, and sheughed out loud ¡°Really though?¡± Her eyes were teary as she stared at the stranger in front of her, her aunt ¡°You wanted to change your small¨Ctown girl status, and knowing full well that Hackett was married, you still chose to sleep with him. Tyler saw you, dressed in his mom¡¯s clothes, making love to his father in his mom¡¯s room. Of course he would hate you. And then, you forced your way into the Howell family, driving his mom insane time and time again until she jumped off a building Who else would he me?¡± Liana heard about all of this after she grew up. Although it shocked her at the time, sije chose to believe in Karan¡¯s excuses after her exnation. After all, her excuse was that she had no power or status, and couldn¡¯t escape when powerful Hackett set his eyes on her. But thinking about it now, Karan was quite the smooth talker, twisting the truth with her words. And Liana was so blinded by her affection for her aunt that she fell for all her lies¡­ If the pain Tyler caused her was 10,000, then Karan¡¯s was 100,000. The aunt she thought was gentle and kind was all a sham, even the way she showed affection was all an act No wonder Tyler acted like that towards her, and she still managed to be friendly with him. Turns out, even though Karan wasn¡¯t highly educated, she was a damn good actress. She pretended to be close to Tyler, but was torturing him behind his back, and deceiving Liana from beginning to end, not a shred of truth in her actions Liana¡¯s heart ached like hell, this truth in front of her was more painful than death. Because she really thought of Karan as her mom, a mom who ortce saved her. Unable to control herself, Liana raised her hand to cover her eyes, tears streaming down her face uncontrobly. Why so cruel? Why treat her like a pawn, a pawn that has been used for over 20 years? Karan was her family, how could she do this to her? ¡°Liana, I¡¯ve already told you, Hackett forced me. I didn¡¯t willingly be his mistress Hearing such ame excuse, Liana stopped talking. Arguing too much with maniptive people only makes you look stupid. She wiped away her tears, pushed away the hand that had been covering hers, and slowly stood up, using the edge of the sofa for support. There¡¯s no need to ask anymore. The guys that drowned were probably dealt with by Tyler after he found out she was gang¨Craped. The others who escaped and were put in jail were probably bribed by Karan to keep quiet and take the me themselves. That way, Tyler wouldn¡¯t go to jail, the police wouldn¡¯t investigate, and Karan wouldn¡¯t be exposed. That¡¯s probably why those thugs didn¡¯t rat out Tyler after they were put in jail. Tyler might have thought those goons had some honor, so he didn¡¯t press charges after they got out, and didn¡¯t find out that someone had paid them off. Or maybe Tyler wanted to press charges, but Karan got to them first¡­ Liana didn¡¯t know. All of this was spection. After all, Tyler was already dead, only Karan knew what really happened. Karan knew clearly, but she wouldn¡¯t tell Liana. After those thugs got out of jail, Tyler sent people to kill them. They ran here and there, even to her, threatening her to give them money to leave the country or they would spill the beans. To keep them quiet, Karan used Hubert¡¯s ount to give them the money, N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. At that time, Tyler didn¡¯t check the thugs¡® ounts, he just sent people to kill them overseas. Those thugs¡® idental deaths were mostly Tyler¡¯s fault. Tyler probably never thought that his hatred not only solved Karan¡¯s problem but also brought her benefits, and she didn¡¯t even have to get her hands dirty. Karan looked up at Liana who was turning around to grab her bag ¡°Liana, Ive never killed anyone. Even if you know the truth now, you can only hate me But I definitely won¡¯t go to jail just because of these little incidents.¡± Chapter 1154 Chapter 1154 These little incidents?¡± Liana suddenly burst into bitterughter. ¡°You let me get raped and it¡¯s just a little incident?¡± Seeing na like this, Karan also turned serious Tve already told you, I was impulsive at the time. I didn¡¯t mean it.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t mean it¡­¡± Karan thought she¡¯s a fool, huh? Liana¡¯sst shred of affection for Karan vanishedpletely. She slowly turned her head, equally cold, looking down at Karan. ¡°You say you¡¯ve never killed anyone How did Hubert die then?¡± Karan¡¯s face darkened, ring at the silent Damien sitting aside. If not for him, how could Liana know what he had done? ¡°How would I know how he died?¡± Karan would never admit it, and Liana didn¡¯t care either. ¡°I¡¯ll find out.¡± Hearing this, Karan stopped hiding and scoffed. ¡°Once you find out, what are you going to do ¡°Once I find out.¡± Liana narrowed her reddened eyes, staring at the zing sun outside the window, her voice icy, ¡°I¡¯ll personally send you to prison¡± Karan didn¡¯t believe Liana had the ability to do so and let her be. 4 ¡± ¡°Well, go ahead and investigate, if you can find anything¡± Hubert died from a stroke. All she did was remove his oxygen tank. No one saw it, where could Liana investigate? Unless the dead can talk, she didn¡¯t believe Liana could find anything. + Liana had no more words for her, grabbed her bag and was about to leave, but was stopped by Karan. ¡°Liana, since you¡¯re back, have a meal first. After all, my kindness to you over the years was sincere¡­ She was still trying to persuade Liana to stay, to stabilize Liana, even though she knew Liana hated her and wouldn¡¯t forgive her, she still wanted to keep her, probably to use this opportunity to cover up what she had done. 144 Liana refused to stay. Clutching her bag, she looked at Karan blocking her path. ¡°why, you still have something else to tell me?¡± Karan crossed her arms, nodded at her ¡°Of course¡± 4 After speaking confidently, she raised her chin arrogantly at na. ¡°Do you know why Tyler wanted to get rid of your child?¡± Liana was stunned. Tyler had said that the child was a bastard, that he hated the bastard, so he wanted to abort her child. Was there something else hidden in this? Karan said, if she stayed for dinner, she would tell her. For this bit of truth, Liana chose topromise. When she sat down in the restaurant and saw Karan sending servants out to handle business, she pretended not to see. Anyway, all useful things were in her bag. After the food was served, Liana had a few bites. She knew Karan wouldn¡¯t tamper with anything in her own home, so she dared to eat. Seeing her eat, Karan finally spoke. ¡°When you were pregnant, the doctor said your uterus was infected, very serious, causing the baby to be unhealthy and needed to be removed immediately. I didn¡¯t tell you because I wanted to use your belly to drive the Howell family and Tyler away¡­ N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. This was probably the most vicious thing Liana had ever heard. She knew there was something wrong with the baby in her belly, but they still wanted to use her body for their gain. Liana¡¯s hand holding the fork couldn¡¯t stop trembling. No wonder Tyler immediately took her for an abortion as soon as he examined her body. She had been sick all along. She thought it was because Tyler hated her, that¡¯s why he disregarded her physical condition and insisted on the surgery¡­ Liana bowed her head, her eyes red and swollen. She thought carefully and finally remembered. Tyler had said that there was something wrong with the child and if she didn¡¯t have the surgery, she would be infected to death. But at that time, Liana was blinded by anger and didn¡¯t understand the meaning of his words, thinking Tyler was just making excuses¡­ She clenched the fork tightly, her hand trembling. As those memories became clearer she felt as if her heart was being stabbed by countless knives. So it wasn¡¯t the surgery that caused her sickness, she was sick from the start¡­. Indeed, how could she not get sick in a ce that so many people had touched? A sick uterus, if not operated on, would surely kill her. But why didn¡¯t she realize these problems at the time? Also, Liana raised her head, tears pouring down. ¡°Was it you who dumped me in the wilderness¡­¡± Tyler didn¡¯t have the surgery because he hated her, loathed her, or wanted to punish her. He did it to save her life, to remove her uterus. How could someone who wanted to protect her life dump her in the wilderness after surgery? It couldn¡¯t have been Tyler, it had to be Karan¡­. Sure enough, Karan nodded indifferently while elegantly enjoying her meal. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t done that, how could you possibly hate Tyler to the point of wishing him dead?¡± Only by making Liana hate Tyler could they best punish him. After all, what man could bear the deep hatred of the woman he likes? Chapter 1155 Chapter 1155 Karan remembered vividly, when Tyler couldn¡¯t find Liana, he was all worked up, asking her about na¡¯s whereabouts. Karan sald she didn¡¯t know, she really didn¡¯t know who had taken Liana. Seeing Karan¡¯sest expression, Tyler assumed Liana had left on her own. After all, Tyler had sent some thugs to scare Liana, causing her to go through hell tape, pregnancy, infection, miscarriage. It was no wonder Liana didn¡¯t want to see Tyler again. Guilty as hell. Tyler didn¡¯t go looking for Liana anymore, perhaps thinking she could start over without him. They met again ten yearster. Tyler had grown in that decade. Maybe because of Linna, he wasn¡¯t so harsh on himself anymore. But by then, Damien had been born. To secure Damien¡¯s inheritance, Karan had to fuel Liana¡¯s resentment towards Tyler through text messages. Liana hadn¡¯t forgotten her hatred for Tyler, even scheming a n to make him fall for her as revenge. When Liana had that idea, she wouldn¡¯t give Tyler a chance to exin. Karan was assured that as long as they were at each other¡¯s throats, she could reap the rewards She let them fight, asionally stirring the pot. She would exaggerate everything about Liana and Will Webb to Tyler. Back then, Tyler was under a lot of pressure, being provoked by Karan and pressured by Liana. But he was still determined to marry Liana But how could Hackett agree to such a disgraceful thing? He locked Tyler up. Tyler was locked in his room, starving and forced to endure Karan¡¯s lies. Even though he didn¡¯t show any reaction, Kaman knew Tyler was hurting inside, especially because she was talking about Liana and Will¡¯s entanglement. She even had someone forge photos and had the servants show them to him. Every time Tyler saw those photos, he would get so angry his eyes would turn red. Sometimes he¡¯d feel sick and couldn¡¯t hold back his tears. He probably thought Liage and Will had done something, that¡¯s why he was so pissed. He was even willing to sacrifice his own kidney just to see Liana. Seeing Tyler like this, Karan knew Tyler was deeply in love with Liana, and she knew that one day, Tyler would die by Liana¡¯s hand. Sure enough, not long after, news of Tyler¡¯s death came. As for whether he was killed by Liana, Karan had guessed it when she saw Liana¡¯s reaction. That shot must have been fired by Liana. It was precisely because it was Liana who fired the shot, Liana wanted to know the truth about that year. It was a life, how could Liana not care? But There was a smug smile in Karan¡¯s eyes. ¡°Liana, you killed Tyler. If you want to me someone, me yourself, it has nothing to do with me¡­¡± When Liana was reminded by her, her blood turned cold. She lifted her eyes, full of mist, and stared nkly at Karan.. You killed Tyler, you killed Tyler, you killed Tyler¡­. This sentence kept echoing in her ears, making Liana seem to suddenly realize what he had done. She couldn¡¯t even say a word to fight back. Because, it was indeed her who killed him, it was her¡­ As she thought of this, Liana, out of control, suddenly put down her fork, picked up her bag, and ran out. Seeing this, Karan gave a look to the servants, and immediately several people stepped forward to stop Liana. Liana, blocked by several servants, clutched her bag to her chest, standing still, a bit dazed and foolish. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Just as she was at a loss, not knowing what to do, Aidyn kicked open the door of the Howell family house, leading a group of bodyguards in. Even with his wife pregnant, Aidyn was still worried about Liana¡¯s safety. After visiting his wife and making sure she was settled in at home, he rushed to B City. He arrived just in time, before Karan could do anything to Liana. Otherwise, Aidyn would tear down the Howell family mansion. As soon as Aidyn burst in, he quickly went to Liana, kicked away the servants blocking her, and grabbed her wrist, dragging her out. He didn¡¯t even nce at Karan, making Karan¡¯s face turn green with anger. Her own son, ignoring her existence, was there any family love left? Karan, summoning up some courage from somewhere, rushed up and blocked Aidyn Aidyn, you¡¯ve onlye back twice. The first time you kidnapped your father. and now you want to take Liana. What do you think you¡¯re doing¡­¡± Although it wouldn¡¯t matter much if Liana knew the truth, the people she had sent out hadn¡¯t reported back yet. She had to wait for them to erase the remaining traces before she could let Liana go. Now, she had to keep Liana here, she couldn¡¯t let her leave with Aidyn. Chapter 1156 Chapter 1156 Aldyn was no pushover, forcefully shoving Kamn aside. He was strong while Karan was physically frail and often sickly. After being pushed by him, she fell to the ground with a loud thud. She winced in pain, trying to get herself up, but Aldyn¡¯s ck leather shoe was stepping on her scattered dress. Following the line of his shoe upwards, she saw a dark and stern face. Looking down upon Karan, Aidyn coldly said, ¡°Settle your affairs first. I¡¯ll settle the score with you later¡­¡± After dropping these words, he briskly departed from the Howell family, leaving Karan sprawled on the floor, watching their retreating backs¡­ After a while, augh suddenly escaped from Karan. Her dearly nned for her son and niece, whom she raised, were treating her this way. She really had misjudged them! Once Aidyn got Liana into the car, he nced at her and noticed her pale face, cold sweat on her forehead, and her body shaking uncontrobly. He couldn¡¯t help but feel concerned ¡°Liana, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Liana was usually calm andposed. Was she hurt by Karan? Just as Aidyn was nning to take Liana to the hospital for a check¨Cup, he saw Liana¡¯s trembling hands pull out a recording device from her bag and handed it to him. ¡°Aidyn, could you do me a favor and send this recording to the Howell family?¡± She wanted to expose Karan¡¯s deeds, clear Tyler¡¯s name, and enlighten the Howell family that Karan had wanted to get rid of Tyler since he was little. This alone would make it impossible for Karan to stay with the Howell family. She wanted Karan to face the consequences of her actions, fall from grace, and also¡­ ¡°She murdered Hubert. Could you also find evidence and hand it over to the police? Aidyn, who was listening to the recording, was taken aback by Liana¡¯s words. The hatred in his eyes deepened. ¡°She¡¯s so sick in the head to even kill her own cousin¡­¡± Liana turned her head, looking out the rapidly receding window. She, too, had killed someone, the person who loved her the most. She was also sick in the head¡­ She gave a self¨Cmockingugh. Raised by Karan, she had inherited her cold¨Cheartedness. She could have targeted his legs, his arms, make him unable to retaliate But she was merciless, aiming directly for his heart. She wanted to get rid of him, to permanently wipe out Tyler. That¡¯s why she killed him¡­ Liana covered her aching heart with her hand, repeatedly questioning herself, ¡°Liana, are you happy now that you¡¯ve finally got rid of Tyler?¡± No, she wasn¡¯t. Why? Because it was only today that she realized she had misunderstood Tyler and that the brash, sarcastic, and rebellious young man had once loved her. They should have had a mutual love andmon dream to save people, but all of was destroyed by her own aunt. Now, her aunt had turned Tyler into a corpse and made her a murderer. Their lives¡­. Heh, what lives were left? Their love was a premeditated plot, and their hatred was also a premeditated n. Even the years they spent together were all part of a ten¨Cyear deception. What life was there in such a painful and joyless time? Liana opened her hand, and her mind was filled with bloody images. She shook her head trying to get rid of them, but they only multiplied. She felt hopeless, opened the car window, and let the afternoon heat rush in. She thought it would chase away the chill on her skin, but she still felt as cold as ice ¡°Liana, don¡¯t me yourself. Tyler wasn¡¯t that great. He always bullied you since you were kids. When he got angry, he liked to insult you verbally. He was too rough. He wasn¡¯t good. He wasn¡¯t good at all. It¡¯s okay that he¡¯s dead.¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. But it was Karan¡¯s fault that Tyler had be like this. It was Karan who made them hurt each other. Liana broke down, covering her eyes, letting her tears flow freely. After listening to the recording, Aidyn was seething with anger. He immediately released it to the Howell family and sent it to the B City media. He wanted the media. to help clear Tyler¡¯s name and put pressure on the Howell family. Hackett was in a meeting when he heard that the media were rushing to interview him. He realized that his family¡¯s scandal was now public knowledge. He was livid, immediately pushing away the microphones held out by the media, got into his car, and ordered the driver to rush home. He stormed up to Karan, grabbed her cor, and pped her multiple times, leaving Karan unable to move Chapter 1157 Chapter 1157 Karan was absolutely gobsmacked when she found out Liana had ced a recorder in her bag, edited her words and spilled the beans to the media, saying the used dirty tricks to help her son gain the inhentance rights. Her image, carefully built over many years in the B City social circle, waspletely shattered by this recording From societydies to the onlinemunity. everyone was painting her as a ruthless homewrecker, telling her to drop dead, telling her to bring back Tyler and Alva! She was cooped up at home, too scared to step outside, but what really threw her for a loop was that Hackett wouldn¡¯t even listen to her side of the story. He felt she had disgraced him and threw a fit when he got home. Karan was spitting mad, but she knew Hackett was her husband. If she just uttered some sweet nothings, apologized, he would surely forgive her. But to her surprise, Hackett burst into tears. ¡°Do you know how good and clever Tyler was before you showed up? He not only had a knack for medicine, but also had photographic memory. He could spot the problem just by looking at the data on myputer. Such a wonderful kid, and you¡¯ve ruined him. At this point, Hackett was overwhelmed with emotion. ¡°I should never have epted that ss of wine you offered me!¡± That drink at the business event had caused him to lose himself, to the point of neglecting his own wife and child. For Karan, he even abandoned his wife and child. Now, he was reaping what he had sown Hackett pped himself harshly and stormed off. As she watched him leave decisively, Karan felt panic rise in her throat. She scrambled over to grab his trouser legs ¡°Honey, it¡¯s not my fault. The one who killed Tyler was Liana, not me!¡± Hackett stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Karan, his eyes full of disappointment. Liana was your tool¡­¡± The implication was clear no matter who had taken action, the result would be the same. ? Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Karan, pushed away by Hackett, was livid when she saw him ming Tyler¡¯s death on her. She red at Damien, who was leaning against the railing, looking like a casual spectator She was already at rock bottom, possibly being abandoned by Hackett. Yet her younger son remained indifferent. This made Karan feel both chilled and enraged. ¡°Damien, if it wasn¡¯t for your loose lips, how would that bitch Liana have gotten hold of my weakness? You¡¯re acting like nothing happened, aren¡¯t you afraid that once I fall, your inheritance will be at risk?!¡± Hearing this, Damien let go of the railing, took steps toward Karan in his ck leather shoes, helped her up in a gentlemanly manner. After helping her up, he suddenly looked up at Karan with a creepy smile. ¡°Mom, even if you lose power, it won¡¯t affect me. Because my eldest brother is dead, and my second brother won¡¯te back, and dad won¡¯t let our cousin inherit the family fortune. So, whether you lose power or not, dad will support me.¡± On the contrary, if she lost power, it would be better. His stupid mother would only be a burden in the future. Karan was shell¨Cshocked by this. She had never thought that young Damien could calcte gains and losses so shrewdly, even to the point of giving up her powerful backing. No, in Damien¡¯s eyes, she might not be a supporter, but a pawn, a tool for bearing children. This was utterly terrifying¡­. As Karan felt like she was falling into an ice cave, Damien let go of her hand, bowed politely to her, straightened up, and went after Hackett. Hackett, about to get in the car to handle the news incident at the office, saw Damien following him, thought he was going to defend his mother, and his face immediately became cold. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Damien opened the car door himself, got in, and then put on an innocent face,forting Hackett. ¡°Dad, what mom did to my big brother was her mistake I¡¯m here to apologize on her behalf. Although this apology is trivial, I still don¡¯t want to see you so upset¡­¡± Then, he reached out with his little hand and lightly touched Hackett¡¯s aged face. Seeing his younger son¡¯s clear eyes, Hackett felt somewhat consoled. At least, this son hadn¡¯t been corrupted by Karan. Moreover, at such a young age, he understood finance. He was as excellent as Tyler was when he was young, which could be considered a blessing from heaven. Hackett reached out, took Damien¡¯s small hand, put it in his palm, and gently patted the back of his hand. ¡°You should study hard, and when you grow up, I will definitely hand over the inheritance to you¡­¡± Damien, ying innocent, blinked at Hackett. ¡°I don¡¯t really understand the inheritance rights. I only know that as long as dad is healthy and stays with me for life, I¡¯ll be happy This won him a deep hug from Hackett. ¡°What a wonderful child you are.¡± Being held in his arms, Damien¡¯s eyes gradually became cold, with a cunning smile flickering in his eyes after getting his way¡­ Chapter 1158 Chapter 1158 Hackett had the media in his pocket, but he was no match for the Laurence Group. So, his next best move was toy low and ce all the me on Karan In a sh, Karan became public enemy number one. The Howell family seized the opportunity to pressure Hackett into giving Karan the boot Hackett still had a soft spot for her, he was tom, he didn¡¯t know what to do until the cops came knocking, hauling Karan off. It was then he realized, she had killed her own cousin¡® As Karan was being taken away, she fell at Hackett¡¯s feel, clutching onto his pants, weeping desperately. ¡°Help me, I didn¡¯t kill anyone, tell them to let me go¡­ Hackett was shell shocked. He looked down at the sobbing woman whose face was distorted with pain. He couldn¡¯t believe that beneath her gentle exterior lied such a ruthless heart. She¡¯d killed her own cousin for an inheritance that was already within her grasp and even got Tyler killed in the process It was only then that he saw Karan for who she really was. He didn¡¯t say a word, he just bent down, slowly prying her clutching hands off, then let the cops take her away Seeing Hackett wouldn¡¯t save her, Karan started cursing up a storm, her words so filthy it would make a sailor blush. She even started ragging on Hackett¡¯s parents. In the end, Karan started ying the me game, ¡°Don¡¯t just arrest me, nab that bitch Liana too. She killed Tyler, she¡¯s the one who killed Tyler, why are you onlying after me, why not her!¡± The cops didn¡¯t pay any heed to her, they just shoved her into the cop car, mmed the door and drove off. From then on, Karan¡¯s dirtyundry was aired out for all the city to see, became the talk of the town, the juicy gossip people chewed on over their meals.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Every time the Howell family¡¯s mistress was brought up, people would sigh and mention the eldest son of the Howell family. Theughter would turn into a sigh: ¡°Poor Tyler, he was such a skilled doctor, what a shame he had to die like that¡± In the end, people stopped ming Tyler for being unfilial, his reputation restored. But he himself, he could nevere back. After Karan got locked up. Liana visited Tyler¡¯s grave. She held onto the tombstone, crouching down, looking at the empty grave, her heart aching Every other grave had a picture, but not Tyler¡¯s. Who would have thought that behind the grand funeral was such cold and deste reality. She touched Tyler¡¯s name, each touch an apology in her heart. She looked at the poor quality tombstone and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ve turned down Will, I won¡¯t marry him, you¡­ can rest in peace¡­ What he feared most was her marrying Will. While he was alive, she did not follow his wishes, only after he had passed, she decided to fulfill this wish of his, even though it was meaningless now. Liana opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but couldn¡¯t find the right words. If she said love, did she still love him? If she said she didn¡¯t love him, why was she sad? If she said forgiveness, he had once been violent towards her. If she said she couldn¡¯t forgive him, he hadn¡¯t done anything to deserve death. Liana felt torn inside, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts, she didn¡¯t even know how much pain she was in All she knew was she couldn¡¯t sleep, she relied on drugs to forget that she had shot Tyler, and the sight of Tyler bleeding out, waiting to die. Even though every day was painful, she thought she could hang in there. After all, their hatred for each other was the main thing between them, but¡­ Liana lowered her gaze, remembering how Tyler had protected her till hisst breath. The pain in her heart became a virus invasion, so intense she wished she could die. As she clutched her chest in agony, Damien walked up from behind. ¡°Liana.¡± Hearing his voice, Liana quickly wiped the tears from her eyes, stood up and turned to look at Damien who had already approached her. Liana didn¡¯t say anything. just looked at him. He just put his hands in his pants pockets, and nced at Tyler¡¯s grave. ¡°Liana, you¡¯re mourning the wrong guy here.¡± Liana was shocked at hearing this, her eyebrows furrowed. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Could it be that like Eleanor, Tyler¡¯s body was switched and then revived? This thought shed through her mind and her almost still heart started to beat again. But Damien just curved his lips into a cold smile, interrupting her wild thoughts. ¡°His ashes have been thrown into the sea by my mom a long time ago. What¡¯s lying here is just a pile of sand¡± Who would care about Tyler? Who would open the urn to check if the ashes inside were really his? Because no one would, Karan yed around like it was a game, scattering the ashes into the sea, or rather, letting the wind blow them away. Where would the wind blow the ashes? Some unknown desert sea, a ce with no sign of human life¡­. Karan wanted Tyler to be a lonely ghost, even in death. Chapter 1159 Chapter 1159 Tyler met his end, left no remains, like a gentle zephyr, existed feetingly in this world, leaving no evidence of his presence, taking nothing with him, simply evaporating into nothingness Liana didn¡¯t bother to inquire into which nation his ashes were strewn or over which ocean. She stood in silence before his grave, without even a photograph left of him, and found herself unable to depart. It was only when the rain in B City began to descend in torrents and Aidyn offered her shelter under his umbre that she gradually returned to reality and informed Aidyn, ¡°Let¡¯s make a move¡± She returned to A City and resumed her busy life: healing the ill, asionally visiting the pediatric ward, interacting with the children, and attending to Will Her life remainedrgely unchanged, save for the fact that she required medication to sleep at night, and never dreamt of Tyler What haunted her dreams were images of herself pulling the trigger, each discharge jolting her awake, only to stare nkly at her own hands. After endunng enough of these episodes, she increased her dosage to suppress these nightmares, and gradually, she ceased dreaming. But during one emergency, she spotted a familiar figure, Tyler, donned in a white coat, disembarking from an ambnce. He was just like before, his hair neatlybed back, his forehead smooth and plump, below his dashing eyebrows, were a pair of deep eyes. Looking at those eyes, Liana¡¯s heart stopped. She walked stiffly toward those eyes. ¡°Tyler¡­¡± Tyler heard her, lowered his head, looking at the shorter Liana. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Im here.¡± He said with a faint smile, his eyes crinkling. Seeing his smile, Liana¡¯s eyes turned red. She quickly walked over, hugged Tyler with all her strength. The doctor she hugged was obviously surprised, then awkwardly patted Liana¡¯s back. ¡°Dr. Terrill, I¡¯m not Dr. Howell¡± Those words snapped Liana back to reality, she immediately let go of the doctor she was hugging, but then stared at the doctor¡¯s face for a long time. After she confirmed who the person in front of her was, Liana lowered her head, whispered an ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡® and dashed into the bathroom. She turned on the faucet, washing her face, reminding herself over and over, Liana, you¡¯re not into Tyler anymore, this is just guilt, that¡¯s why you miss Tyler miss him to the point of hallucinations She was telling herself this when she felt a pair of warm hands wrap around her waist from behind, she was startled and turned around, what she saw was a smirking Tyler. He was holding her, his fingers slowly sliding up from her waist, until they touched her chin, then gently lifted¡­. Liana looked up at Tyler, focusing on his eyshes, his eyes, his skin, but she didn¡¯t dare to reach out to touch Tyler. She doubted if everything in front of her was real or just her imagination¡­ So she just let Tyler hold her, didn¡¯t move, didn¡¯t dodge him like before, just stared at him. Seeing her being so obedient, he felt pretty pleased. His long fingers caressed her face, then took her hand, ced it behind his waist¡­ He leaned close to her ear, whispered: ¡°Liana, do you know, I lost a kidney to see you, worked my ass off to get here, and yet you¡¯re marrying someone else, is that fair to me?¡± His voice full of grievance, as if he¡¯d been betrayed and had nowhere to vent but to say these words to her. Yet, Liana was livid at Tyler for his audacious act of kidnapping her. She not only disyed no sympathy for him, but even jabbed at his wound, eliciting a sheen of pain-induced perspiration from him¡­. Reflecting on her actions, a sharp pang of regret pierced Liana¡¯s heart. Instinctively, she eased her grip, gingerly touching his waist, ¡°Does it still hurt?¡± Tyler¡¯s crimson eyes reflected surprise, which swiftly morphed into a look of reproach. He then lowered his head, like a chastised child, nestling his chin in the nape of her neck, ¡°if you caress it, it won¡¯t hurt..¡± Liana conceded with a simple okay, then pivoted to alleviate his difort. However, the moment her hand reached out, she found Tyler, who was holding her mere moments ago, abruptly seated on the floor¡­ His body was drenched in blood. He sat before the window, his torso rigidly erect, his lower body stiff. A gun was pressed against his chest, the sun¡¯s rays casting a glow upon him. But he had long since departed this world¡­ Chapter 1160 Chapter 1160 Liana froze on the spot, freaked out by the sight before her, not daring to move forward. She spun on her heels and bolted for the bathroom door, emotions running wild, carelessly running down the stairs all the way to the dean¡¯s office. She wanted to head back to her office for a breather, but upon reaching the door, Tyler greeted her sight. There he was, decked out in a white suit, arms crossed over his chest, leaning against the wall On seeing her, he cocked his head slightly and nodded in her direction. ¡°Dr. Terrill, you¡¯re still a knockout, even after ten years.¡± Liana couldn¡¯t keep it together, she squatted down, hugging her arms tightly, tears gushing out of her eyes like pearls off a broken string Who can save her? But no one came to Liana¡¯s rescue, she had to save herself, by taking pills for self¨Chelp. She was a doctor, she thought it was just post traumatic stress disorder, she thought, just hang in there for a while, everything would go back to normal, Tyler would be gone But she didn¡¯t see iting, she couldn¡¯t escape this shadow Tyler was everywhere, like a shadow, always by her side. She tried to keep her work regr, while trying to live peacefully with the imagined Tyler, even arguing with him sometimes. Every time this happened, Liana would think, if Tyler were still around, their rtionship would probably be like this, in and longsting Too bad, there are no ifs. Liana thought she was handling it quite well, until one evening, she saw Tyler sitting by her bed, head down, not uttening a word. Fresh out of the shower Liana, hallucination or not, went straight over, squatted in front of him, reached out and gently touched his face, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Tyler felt her touch, slowly raised his eyes, looking at Liana, ¡°You promised to be with me for a month, but you only stayed for a day.¡± Liana¡¯s fingers stiffened, tears slid down uncontrobly. Tyler was indifferent to her tears. He merely tightened his grip on her wrist, yanked her into his embrace, and questioned her icily, ¡°When will you join me?¡± Liana remained silent for a few moments, then she enfolded Tyler in her arms, ¡°Do you desire my company?¡± Tyler nodded, ¡°I¡¯m deste here on my own, Liana. Join me, I¡¯m awaiting your presence¡­. Despite vanishing shortly after uttering these words, Liana stood immobilized, her hand lingering on the spot where he had sat, cold and devoid of warmth. She was aware that he was not real, merely a phantom of her imagination, yet Liana wept unrestrainedly. As it transpires, when someone truly departs, one begins to perceive the weight of the love that lies buried deep within the heart, and how uncontainably it burgeons Liana found herself in this predicament. She believed she no longer harbored love for Tyler, but it dawned on her that genuine detachment from someone implies releasing all sentiments associated with them, even hatred ceases to exist. However, she was incapable of such detachment. For the past decade, her life revolved around despising Tyler. She had never truly relinquished her animosity towards him, which is why she remained entwined with Tyler. Liana stared at the moonlight outside the window, recalling Tyler¡¯s words when he was alive, as long as she stayed with him for a month, he would let her go. Tyler truly wanted to spend a month with her, that¡¯s why he gave her a gun with only one bullet¡­. He did this to tell Liana, if he still couldn¡¯t let go when the time was up, let her pull the trigger. He used this gun to restrain himself, while also testing Liana, to see if she would shoot him to escape him. Tyler lost, or rather, Liana never let him win. So when the bullet hit his heart, he didn¡¯t even make a sound, just tremblingly handed her the handcuff key, letting her and Will leave¡­ Liana wondered, what did Tyler want to say when he grabbed her ankle? Was he trying to exin the past? Why didn¡¯t he say it in the end? Was it because he thought she no longer loved him, only saw Will in her eyes, so he thought it was meaningless to say it? Liana couldn¡¯t find the answer, she just stood up, turned on the bathtub faucet, filled it with water, and climbed in¡­. They say, if the water drowns up to the heart, you¡¯ll die of suffocation after a while¡­ Tyler wanted her to be with him, she should be with him, so he wouldn¡¯t feel lonely in a foreignnd¡­ Thinking of this, Liana closed her eyes, slowly sinking into the bathtub¡­Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 1161 Chapter 1161 Just as Liana was on the brink of suffocation, a series of insistent knocks sounded from the door, one after the other, without cessation. Liana didn¡¯t wish to engage, yet she could faintly discern Eleanor¡¯s anxious entreaties¡­ ¡°Liana, open the door!¡± Upon hearing about Karan, Eleanor and Hailey had attempted numerous times to visit Liana, but they were consistently rebuffed with the assurance that I¡¯m fine. Liana maintained an aura of normalcy, working daily, returning home punctually, her routine indistinguishable from the norm, leading the duo to almost believe that Liana could weather this storm. However, tonight, Eleanor found herself battling insomnia, her heart filled with unrest, her thoughts consumed by Liana¡¯s trials. She felt that Liana was confronting more than minor tribtions. Having been exploited by her rtives since a young age, andter beingpelled to end the life of the person she deeply loved as an adult, how could such torment be easily endured? She fretted that Liana was merely feigning resilience on the surface, but in reality, she was shouldering all the pain in solitude and might resort to rash actions. Thus, Eleanor immediately arose from her bed, donned a robe, and made a beeline for Liana Bernard also came, he sat in the car, slightly turned his face, watching Eleanor knocking on the door. Seeing her knocking for a while, and the door still not opening, a trace of unease appeared on his face¡­.. Just as he was about to get out of the car, the door opened, and Liana, drenched, appeared under the street light, pale, looking as if she had just gone through a life and death battle, extremely tired.. Liana came out wrapped in a towel. Bernard was puzzled, but didn¡¯t ask, instead turned his gaze forward¡­ Seeing that Liana finally opened the door, Eleanor immediately walked up and grabbed her hand, ¡°Liana, you look really pale, are you sick?¡± Liana initially wanted to end her life right there, but she thought there were still many things she hadn¡¯t dealt with, at least she had to tell these people who loved her, so they wouldn¡¯t worry about her, and not just quietly leave. So, she stood up from the bathtub¡­. She held Eleanor¡¯s hand, smiled, and shook her head, ¡°I was just taking a bath in the bathroom, I guess I was in there too long, so I¡¯m probably a little oxygen¨Cdeprived..¡± After saying that, she patted Eleanor¡¯s hand, ¡°I¡¯m fine, you don¡¯t need to worry.¡± How could Eleanor not worry. ¡°You didn¡¯t open the door for so long, I thought¡­¡± Liana smiled, ¡°Did you think I might do something to hurt myself?¡± Eleanor looked at Liana, didn¡¯t say anything, but her eyes had already answered the question. Seeing this, Liana couldn¡¯t help butugh again, ¡°Silly girl, I¡¯m grown up, I won¡¯t act impulsively just because of these difficulties The ease and indifference that Liana showed made Eleanor unable to distinguish the truth, all she could do was open her arms and give Liana a hug. ¡°Liana, if you feel unbearable,e to me and Hailey, we will always be by your side and never leave¡­¡± Eleanor¡¯s hugs were always warm, every time she leaned on her shoulder, she felt healed. But this time, Liana couldn¡¯t feel that warmth, she felt her body was cold as if she was in the North Pole, even Eleanor couldn¡¯t warm her up. Liana¡¯s heart was like in hell, surrounded by darkness, no one could rescue her, even light couldn¡¯t prate that darkness. Behind, she had been struggling in the darkness, while on the surface, she was still pretending to be okay, smiling and patting Eleanor¡¯s back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be fine. If I have any troubles, I would havee to you and Hailey to talk about it.¡± As sheforted Eleanor, she looked up at the man sitting in the luxury car in the distance, knowing that Mr. Laurence was here for Eleanor, so she let go of Eleanor. ¡°Alright, you¡¯ve seen me, I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m living well, so go home and rest, don¡¯t keep your husband waiting¡± When saying goodbye, she joked with Eleanor, just like before, always daring to make jokes about her and Bernard. Seeing Liana like this, Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief, but she was still worried. Til go tell Bernard, let him go back first, tonight, I¡¯ll stay with you.¡± Liana was surprised to hear this, and quickly stopped Eleanor. ¡°Little princess, don¡¯t get me in trouble, if you stay over, he might tear this house down.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°He would, he dares!¡± Before Eleanor could say anything, Liana was already pushing her out. ¡°Go home, stop bothering me, I need to rest.¡± Liana sent Eleanor away, then closed the door, leaned against it, let her body slide down along the door, and finally sat on the floor. She hugged her knees, put her chin on her knees, the room was only lit by a dim littlemp, the light dancing on her haggard face. What was she thinking about? She wasn¡¯t thinking about anything. She just felt that everything in the world had lost its meaning. Why couldn¡¯t she feel it when there were still so many people who loved her?N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Chapter 1162 Chapter 1162 As Eleanor alighted from the car and beheld the dimly lit mansion, she couldn¡¯t help but feel overwhelmed by the palpable loneliness that seemed to envelop Liana. Liana had no servants, no family, only her own solitary self. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. The aunt she had considered her closest kin, who she had believed cared for her the most, had merely exploited her as a pawn. The man she was convinced she should despise the most turned out to harbor a deep love for her. His name was Tyler. Betrayed by her nearest confidante and having extinguished the life of the man who harbored deep love for her, amidst such despair, could she still perceive the love of those around her? Eleanor was fraught with concern. Turning to Bernard, she inquired, ¡°Darling, can I bring Nina and Hailey to apany Liana tomorrow?¡± Bernard gently squeezed her hand, nodding in agreement, ¡°Liana appears to be struggling Ensure to monitor her emotional state.¡± Being ill at ease with femalepany, he had no choice but to entrust this task to Eleanor, in the hope that Liana would realize there were still things in this world worth living for. Eleanor thought for a moment, then held Bernard¡¯s hand against her heart, asking coquettishly. ¡°Can I stay at Liana¡¯s ce?¡± Looking tenderly at Eleanor, Bernard asked, ¡°How long are you nning to stay?¡± Eleanor replied, ¡°¡­for a while.¡± She would decide how long depending on the situation. Bernard gently touched her forehead, saying, ¡°No can do.¡± Eleanor, thick¨Cskinned as ever, tried again, ¡°Darling, I¡¯ll do anything you ask next time, just agree¡­¡± Bernard stubbornly refused, ¡°Hailey or Nina can stay at Liana¡¯s, but you, absolutely not.¡± They were already married. Did she expect him to be home alone? No way. Seeing Bernard¡¯s steadfastness, Eleanor gave up, huffed, let go of his hand and looked out the car window. Her pouting expression made Bernard chuckle. He pulled her into hisp, intending to distract her with a kiss. Not only did he not agree, he was taking advantage of her¡­. Eleanor tried to fight back, but Bernard didn¡¯t give her a chance to breathe. Sometimes, he would kiss her for a long time, like on the way home, he had no intention of letting her go¡­ For a while, Eleanor temporarily stopped working, Hailey handed off her nightclub duties to someone else, and along with Nina, they gave Liana the warmest care. But Liana could still see Tyler. In countless moments when Nina made herugh, midugh, she would see Tylering towards her, covered in blood¡­. She would often zone out for a long time, until Nina grabbed her hand, her young voice saying, ¡°Liana, stop spacing out. Let¡¯s continue our game. I bet ! can beat you this time¡­¡± She would snap back from her trance, but then she would see Tyler sitting across from her, ying the game with them, even holding a child, smiling at her. Liana felt like she was falling apart, but she had to keep a smile on her face. Only then would the people who loved her not worry, even though her heart was being torn apart by pain. She felt like she couldn¡¯t keep going and after some hesitation, Liana suggested a trip, to leave her best friends with some happy and warm memories. The destination wasn¡¯t far, just a nearby coastal city. The three women and a child stayed by the sea, Bernard and Cedric Laurence followed from a distance, protecting them without intruding. In the early morning, Liana was the first one up, sitting on the beach watching the sunrise. She imagined whether Tyler¡¯s ashes were scattered in the sea at dawn or dusk.. Eleanor looked at Liana¡¯s lonely figure from behind the curtain. Seagulls asionally flew by, the breeze tossed Liana¡¯s long hair and skirt. Watching Liana¡¯s figure, Eleanor thought it was the most beautiful scene in the world, but also one she couldn¡¯t hold onto. The thought made Eleanor very uneasy She couldn¡¯t help but treat Liana extra well, thinking that if she made her feel warm, Liana would have something worth remembering. But she overlooked that it¡¯s hard to keep someone with mental issues. At that time, Eleanor only felt uneasy and didn¡¯t think further. Especially when she saw Liana running andughing on the beach with Nina, she thought Liana just needed some time out and would get better.. Liana did seem very happy. She took a lot of photos with Nina, and also with Eleanor and Hailey. The photos and videos were full of smiles, even someone as attentive as Eleanor didn¡¯t notice, not to mention Hailey. Everyone thought she was better. After all, when the trip ended, Liana went back to work as usual. 1 Chapter 1163 Chapter 1163 Apart from Eleanor and her circle of friends, Aidyn and Jill were frequent visitors to Liana¡¯s abode. Despite Jill being with child, it didn¡¯t hinder her from making her way over to Liana¡¯s, whipping up meals, and indulging in chit¨Cchat. She simply avoided any mention of baby matters. Everyone was aware of Liana¡¯s inability to bear children, so Jill was cautious to circumnavigate the topic. Yet Liana remained nonchnt. She would often stroke Jill¡¯s belly, engaging in conversation with the unborn child. Liana would always mention that she had a grand surprise in store for the baby upon its birth¡­ And what was this grand surprise? Liana inscribed in her will. ¡°All my possessions will belong to Aidyn¡¯s child¡­¡± Liana enlisted awyer to entrust her assets in her will and once the arrangements were in ce, she rang up Eleanor. Eleanor, on the brink of stepping out with Nina, was startled by Liana¡¯s call. ¡°Liana, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Casting a nce at her wristwatch, Liana announced, ¡°I¡¯ve just epted a project overseas, need to undertake some volunteer medical work for a month, so I won¡¯t be able to join you today¡± Eleanor halted in her steps, her brow furrowed in concern, ¡°You¡¯ll be away for a month?¡± Liana nodded in affirmation, ¡°Yes, you know how it is with volunteer work, it usually takes a while. A month is actually quite brief.¡± Eleanor asked, ¡°Why¡¯d you suddenly take up something like this?¡± Liana was actually a hospital director, supposed to be running the show, but she was always on the front lines, taking on all sorts of work, now even heading off for volunteer work. Liana replied, ¡°Doing something meaningful beats killing time.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t know how to respond. She couldn¡¯t stop Liana from doing good deeds, so she asked, ¡°So, someone¡¯s going with you?¡± Again, Liana nodded, ¡°Yep, doctors from all sorts of hospitals are going. We¡¯re all in this together.¡± Eleanor felt a bit better, ¡°Then remember to video call me every day, call me every day. If anything happens, tell me right away¡± Liana smiled, ¡°Sure thing.¡± After lots of nagging from Eleanor, which Liana promised to follow, she hung up. Liana grabbed her packed suitcase and hit the road to the airport. The volunteer work was real, Liana¡¯s name was on the list, but she didn¡¯t actually go. It was just a ruse to throw Eleanor off¡­ Seeing the list, Eleanor was relieved and messaged Liana to stay safe on the road. On her way to Panama, Liana saw the message, replied with a smile, ¡®Will do, don¡¯t worry¡®, then turned off her phone, settled into her seat, and gazed out the window¡­ Liana soon reached Panama, rented a ship, andnded on a small ind. The ind had been cordoned off because the owner had supposedlymitted suicide¡­. Liana lifted the tape and ducked under. The ce was overgrown with weeds and abandoned, a stark contrast to when Tyler was around. Standing in the mansion, Liana looked around, feeling indescribable. She walked stiffly, dragging her heavy suitcase, step by step into the vi. As soon as she opened the door, ck footprints were everywhere, left by peopleing and going. The once neat and clean living room was now filthy because of these footprints. Liana put down her suitcase, took out the meat from it one by one, and put them in the fridge. Then she got cleaning supplies from the bathroom and scrubbed the living room until it was spotless. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. She cleaned from the first floor all the way up to the third. When she reached the birdcage room, she froze, afraid to take another step. She seemed scared that if she opened the door, she¡¯d see a sight that would break her. Chapter 1164 Chapter 1164 In the end, she just didn¡¯t have the guts to go in, so she just hung around in the living room downstairs, not doing much, just keeping Tylerpany. She parked herself on the couch, watching TV, and when it was time to eat, she got up to cook. While she was cooking. Tyler was standing there, arms folded, quietly watching her bustle about. Only when she had finished and served the food on the table did he sit down. At this point, Liana would fork up a piece of garlic pork chop and put it on Tyler¡¯s te, ¡°Give it a try, is it good?¡± Tyler would arch an eyebrow, parting his lips as a signal to Liana, ¡°Feed me.¡± With a resigned chuckle, Liana would spear another piece of garlic pork chop and guide it to his mouth. Observing him methodically chew and swallow, her forced smile blossomed into one of genuine affection. Even when a morsel of garlic pork chop tumbled from her fork to the floor unnoticed, she continued to feed Tyler, as if each mouthful could fill a void within her. As the evening unfurled, Liana would sp Tyler¡¯s hand, leading him to the garden beyond the vi. Despite its overrun state, in Liana¡¯s eyes, it was still a garden. Hand in hand, they would meander from the garden to the beach, then settle down on the plushwn, gaze cast towards the celestial tapestry above. They would while away the hours under the starlit sky, engaged in quiet conversation. When the night was deep, Liana would go back to the master bedroom, take a shower, wrap her arms around Tyler¡¯s waist, and then snuggle into his arms and close her eyes to sleep. Even though it was just a pillow, she could feel the warmth andfort of Tyler¡¯s presence. And so, she spent 29 days with Tyler. On thest day, Liana pushed open the door to the birdcage room. Strangely, she didn¡¯t see Tyler sitting by the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window, there was nothing in that spot, just some remaining blood stains. No one cared about Tyler, he was already dead. After his body was removed, no one came to clean up the blood here, it was like it was abandoned. There was a heavy smell of blood in the room, and a hint of decay. This hint seemed to be luring Liana towards death, as if only through death could she find release. Liana held the gun, walked step by step to the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window, and then slowly sat down. The position and posture she sat in was exactly the same as Tyler¡¯s. She killed him to atone for her sins. So, in whatever way he died, that¡¯s how she should leave this world. No one can escape the condemnation of their conscience. Before she pulled the trigger, she sent a message to the local police, exining that Tyler¡¯s death was not suicide, but murder by her. This was herte confession After sending the message, she lifted the gun in her hand, aimed it without hesitation at her own heart, and pulled the trigger hard. Simultaneously, Eleanor¡¯s video call pinged, punctual as always. As it had been for the past 29 days, if left unanswered, she would persist. A surge of blood erupted from Liana¡¯s chest. She could distinctly feel the bullet piercing her heart before lodging itself into the expansive window behind her. Whether the bullet shattered the ss and shot out, Liana couldn¡¯t ascertain. Her gaze remained locked onto Eleanor¡¯s avatar on the phone screen, tears streaming unchecked down her face. She thought, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve disappointed you. You wished for me to live strongly, but I simply couldn¡¯t. My life was a catalogue of errors, my existence from my tender years to adulthood, a colossal mistake. The woman I revered as my mother orchestrated my vition by a crowd, how was I to reconcile with such a truth? She was the one closest to me, the one for whom I would willinglyy down my life. Yet, after exploiting me for over three decades, she revealed it all to be an borate charade. Her supposed affection, her perceived protection, even her tender words and gestures were all part of the fabrication. Yet, I lived under this deceitful veneer, aiding her schemes and sharing her concerns.¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Liana reflected, ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of my existence? It all seems so futile. If that¡¯s the case, why should I go on living?¡± Chapter 1165 Chapter 1165 She didn¡¯t pick up Eleanor¡¯s video call, just silenced it. Suddenly, everything went eerily quiet, like the world had stopped spinning, so silent she could only hear the birds outside. She felt the blood inside her slowly draining away, as if experiencing the pain of Tyler bleeding to death. A small smile appeared on her face. So, waiting for all the blood to drain out was such agony She didn¡¯t struggle but rxed, leaning against the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window, her clear eyes slowly moving to the sea outside. This was the spot from which Tyler had seen her never look back. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t even finish his last words, thinking that she wouldn¡¯t return and no one would collect his body Liana¡¯s clear eyes gradually blurred with tears, also revealing a touch of relief. At that moment, a lifetime of memories shed through her mind. She thought the most would be about Karan, but it was all Tyler, things she¡¯d overlooked before. Like little Tyler following behind her, with his small hands protecting her from falling. Or after little Tyler made her cry, he would ask the old butler for apple pie and sneak it onto her table. And grown¨Cup Tyler woulde into her room after she fell asleep, steal a kiss when she wasn¡¯t paying attention. Even at school, Tyler couldn¡¯t help himself, he would hide behind a book, lower his head, and sneak a kiss while she was lying on the desk. Liana only realized at this moment that her first kiss had been stolen by Tyler, not some hoodlums. She smiled, a smile so bright it brought tears to her eyes. Through her blurred vision, she saw Tyler in a ck suit, walking towards her against the sky full of light. He stopped in front of her, knelt on one knee, and then gently touched her face. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ¡°Liana, I tasted the garlic pork chop you made. It was delicious.¡± Liana nodded and said, ¡°In our next life, I¡¯ll make garlic pork chop for you again, okay?¡± Tyler lowered his gaze, seemingly uncertain about whether they would meet in the next life. He didn¡¯t respond immediately, but instead offered a faint smile. ¡°You¡¯ve been with me for 29 days. That¡¯s enough.¡± Enough. So in the next life, they shouldn¡¯t meet again. Liana released her hand from her chest, reaching out to grasp Tyler¡¯s hand. But all she caught was air. There was no Tyler, it was all just her imagination. She let her hand fall in disappointment. Tyler,¡± she murmured, ¡°if I say I still love you, can we meet again in our next life?¡± There was no answer. Liana didn¡¯t even know if there was a next life. After all, those lost souls who committed suicide and those punished in hell were not granted the opportunity for reincarnation. If¡­ if she could meet Tyler after her death, she would say, ¡°Tyler, I¡¯m sorry, I love you too. If she could¡­ Liana¡¯s body gradually stiffened, the rapid loss of blood made her eyes lose their vitality¡­ Beforepletely sumbing to the darkness, Liana saw herself at eighteen, holding a love letter, blushing and heart pounding, approaching the boy¡­. ¡°Tyler, I¡­ I like you. Will you be with me?¡± The boy under the tree looked a little annoyed at the love letter in her hand. ¡°What century are you living in? You¡¯re still confessing your feelings with such an old¨Cfashioned method.¡± Hearing this, Liana¡¯s face turned even redder, her ears were red too. ¡°So, do you ept me?¡± Tyler took the love letter from Liana, then stepped forward and embraced her. ¡°I ept.¡± Only then did Liana smile happily. To have a mutual understanding with the one you love is probably the most beautiful thing in the world. Liana thought, if it weren¡¯t for that incident, her ending with Tyler would have been this¡­. But unfortunately, life doesn¡¯t have a reset button. Her ending with Tyler could only be one murdered, onemitting suicide¡­.. Because their entanglements and disputes had destined this ending from the start¡­ Chapter 1166 Chapter 1166 Liana promised Eleanor she¡¯d video call her every day, but after 29 days, she stopped Eleanor gripped her dead phone, feeling increasingly uneasy Something wasn¡¯t right, and Tyler¡¯s one month mark loomed ominously in her thoughts. Rushing from her study, she found Bernard on a call His expression was serious, unlike any she¡¯d seen on him before. She paused, hesitant to interrupt, and simply observed his tall, poised stance. ¡°Whatever happens, don¡¯t give up Keep trying to save lives.¡± Once Bernard finished, he hung up and turned to Eleanor Seeing the anxiety and fear in her eyes, he frowned slightly. ¡°Is there something wrong with Liana?¡± Eleanor stepped on the plush carpet, walking slowly towards Bernard. Up close, she could see the regret shing in his eyes Bernard didn¡¯t want Eleanor to worry, but she was bound to find out. After a moment of hesitation, he nodded slightly ¡°She killed herself.¡± ¡°The cops in Panama called. Liana turned herself in then shot herself. By the time they got there, she was lying in a pool of blood, no signs of life¡±This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Bernard wouldn¡¯t give up. He insisted they try to save her, but the bullet had even prated the ss window. It was toote. Heaning about Liana¡¯s suicide, Eleanor froze. Her feet felt cold on the carpet, as if she were in a freezer. She felt so cold¡­ Bernard saw her go pale and quickly pulled her into his arms, stroking her back gently. ¡°It was Liana¡¯s choice.¡± It was her choice, no one could have stopped her, not even Eleanor, who had tried so hard to warm Liana¡¯s heart. Because, from the start, they had overlooked one thing. Liana was still in love with Tyler. It was love that drove her to choose death. If they had known from the start that Liana was still in love with Tyler, they might have been able to save her. But there were no ¡°ifs¡°. Liana had always acted like she didn¡¯t love him Eleanor leaned into Bernard¡¯s chest, clutching his shirt. A mix of guilt, regret, and heartbreak welled up inside her, and she couldn¡¯t stop the tears. If only she had gone with Liana to the clinic, Liana might not have taken her own life, and Eleanor wouldn¡¯t have heard this devastating news¡­.. But Liana loved Tyler so much. After his death, she didn¡¯t show any sadness. She calmly arranged everything, went to Panama to fulfill Tyler¡¯sst wish, and nned to be buried with him. 1 Eleanor finally understood the significance of the 29 days when she shed her tears. But she had failed to realize it sooner because she thought Liana didn¡¯t love Tyler. Everyone thought the same, including Hailey and Aidyn Reyes. Everyone around Liana believed she didn¡¯t love Tyler, that she even hated him. Liana had fooled everyone, even herself. And because of this, Tyler died believing Liana didn¡¯t love him. Eleanor could only imagine how Liana must have felt when she realized this. The regret was palpable. Every time she thought of this regret, she wanted to cry. One person mistook the absence of love and died alone. The other pretended not to love and ended up convincing herself it was true, also dying alone. And yet, they never truly loved each other while they were alive. Even during their years together, Liana was always deceiving Tyler. She never gave him her heart. How could there not be regret? Chapter 1167 Chapter 1167 Bernard, Eleanor, Aidyn and the gang made a midnight dash to Panama, where they found Liana, sitting by a floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window, looking eerily like Tyler. She was seeking redemption in her own way, telling both the living and the dead that she loved him. When Aidyn saw Liana, who had already passed away, he fell to his knees in agony. He was usually a tough nut to crack, but now he was crying like a baby ¡°Liana, it¡¯s all my fault I should have taken better care of you, protected you. If I hadn¡¯t screwed up as your cousin, you wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this. I brought this disaster upon you, made you the scapegoat. I¡¯m to me for all of this.¡± Aidyn pped himself, hard Jill Naylor, nearby, quickly intervened, grabbing his arm and sinking down beside him, tears streaming silently Eleanor released Bernard¡¯s hand and approached Liana, her eyes fixed on Liana¡¯s lifeless features. She couldn¡¯t find words. Just a month prior, Liana had been joyfully running on the beach with Nina, herughter infectious and her skirt dancing in the wind. How could someone so full of life be gone just like that? Struggling with disbelief, Eleanor knelt and gently caressed Liana¡¯s face. It was cold and stiff, she had been gone for some time, leaving no warmth behind. On the way here, she had already cried her eyes out. Now, she just stared at Liana, the grief in her heart was indescribable, she felt like there was a rock on her chest, making it hard to breathe. Next to her, Hailey was holding Liana¡¯s hand, trying desperately to warm it up, but no matter how hard she tried, it was futile. Because Liana was gone, all that was left was an empty shell ¡°Liana, you promised Nina you¡¯d be her godmother forever, to watch her grow up. How could you just leave like this?¡± Hailey held onto Liana, her voice trembling, she could not hold back her tears, her tears fell on Liana¡¯s hand, not rolling off, as if they too were sorry for their loss. Liana was gone, she had left with Tyler. This was a fact, nothing could change that. They didn¡¯t have the power to turn back time, nor the power to bring people back to life. They could only watch helplessly as the police took Liana¡¯s body away. Before the body was cremated, Liana¡¯swyer arrived at the scene and read out Liana¡¯sst will and testament: ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m sorry I can no longer help with your treatment. But my mentor, Mr. Keith, is a better doctor than me. He¡¯ll help you get pregnant. If you have children, I hope one day, you¡¯ll let them call me godmother.. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Hailey, I owe you an apology too. Dr. Yeager, who I rmended to you, wasn¡¯t as good as I said, and you almost suffered the same harm as me. I¡¯ve been feeling guilty about it, I¡¯m sorry. Also, Mr. Laurence is not bad¡­. Dear Aidyn, I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t wait for your child to be born before I hurriedly left. But I believe you can understand me. I¡¯ve been used all my life, and I lost the person I loved the most. How could I continue to live? Death is the best relief for me, so please don¡¯t cry for me. Lastly, Mr. Laurence, thank you for saving me back then and for nurturing me afterwards. Even though you¡¯re only a bit older than me, you¡¯ve always been like a mentor to me. I hope in my next life, I can still be your subordinate Meeting all of you was the luckiest and most beautiful thing in my life. Even though I¡¯m gone, you¡¯re always with me in spirit.¡± After reading the will, thewyer handed the property documents to Aidyn and told everyone that Liana requested her ashes to be scattered at sea, any sea. Aidyn made calls left and right, only to find out that Karan had scattered Tyler¡¯s ashes in an uninhabited sea, on a deserted ind, the exact location unknown. So that¡¯s why Liana left such a will, hoping to be a restless ghost, maybe during her wandering, she could meet Tyler, who was stuck in this world, unable to reincarnate Then, they could meet again in spirit. She could tell Tyler, ¡°even though my love camete, I was always there, please forgive my bted pursuit.¡± Chapter 1168 Chapter 1168 Eleanor was clutching Liana¡¯s suicide note, sobbing uncontrobly. Even though Liana was in extreme pain, she still wrote about her family and friends. Eleanor had promised Liana she would be her family, always there, giving her the warmth of home But before these promises could be fulfilled, Liana was gone. In her memory, Liana had always been there for her since they first met. Whether it was curing diseases or standing up in dangerous moments, Liana was always at the front. Why did such a good person suddenly leave? Unable to ept the reality, she knelt in front of Liana and once again held na¡¯s body lightly She hoped that by holding her, Liana wouldn¡¯t leave She clung tightly to Liana, not allowing anyone to approach. She tried to be like Hailey, hoping her warmth would bring Liana back But everyone knew, Liana was gone and wouldn¡¯te back. Hailey, kneeling beside her, was crying so hard her eyes were swollen. She was recalling the times when she chased after Liana with her bank card, insisting on paying Liana back Back then, Liana had promised Eleanor that she would leave a lot of money for Hailey, and she really did. Liana was so naive and kind. She couldn¡¯t believe such a kind person ended up taking her own life. She was only in her thirties, the prime time of her life, but she chose to leave For Hailey, this was the second time. The first was Eleanor, and she didn¡¯t expect the second to be Liana. She had already experienced the pain of losing a close friend once, and she didn¡¯t expect to go through it again N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Hailey couldn¡¯t express her pain in words. She didn¡¯t know what to do, so she just knelt there, her hand over her mouth, silently crying. In the room, Aidyn was the one crying the hardest. Liana was his family, his only family, and she was gone before he even had a chance to say goodbye. Liana said he would understand, but Aidyn didn¡¯t. He didn¡¯t understand why Liana would follow Tyler. Was it out of guilt? Or was it because she loved Tyler so much that she was willing to leave her family and friends behind? Aidyn didn¡¯t really understand this kind of passionate love. All he knew was that Liana was naive and pitiful. She had a bright life, but it was destroyed by his mother. Liana¡¯s tragedy was all because of his mother. Aidyn gazed at Liana¡¯s lifeless face, his fists clenched ¡°Liana,¡± he thought, ¡°I promise, she won¡¯t get away with this. I¡¯ll make her pay for what she did to you and Tyler¡± Although Bernard often kept his emotions in check, tears now threatened his eyes. The loss of a dear friend brought deep, unexpected sorrow. Looking at Liana, he silently wished, ¡°Liana, may your journey be peaceful. If there¡¯s another life, I hope it brings you happiness with your loved one, free from sacrifices on my behalf¡­¡± Everyone was saying goodbye to Liana, but they didn¡¯t move Liana¡¯s body. They were waiting for someone. Only when he arrived, could Liana be sent for cremation. Now, everyone knew that Liana didn¡¯t love Will Webb, but Will¡¯s love for Liana was deep. Even though Liana was gone, they couldn¡¯t leave without saying goodbye. When Will received the news, he was changing his dressing. As soon as he heard of Liana¡¯s death, his eyes instantly turned red. He couldn¡¯t believe it but immediately boarded Bernard¡¯s private jet to Panama. He stumbled his way onto the ind, practically crawling into the room. Seeing Eleanor holding Liana, Will froze. He couldn¡¯t believe that the person in front of him, devoid of any color, was the same Liana who had been changing his dressing a month ago. Liana had chatted happily with him while changing his dressings, even agreeing to go out to eat with him when he asked. Back then, Will thought he still had a chance, that he could wait for her. But he didn¡¯t expect¡­. Only at this moment did Will understand how deep Liana¡¯s love for Tyler was. If he had known sooner how much Liana loved him, he wouldn¡¯t have taken Liana away. Perhaps then, Liana and Tyler would have had a chance to reconcile. He misunderstood, thinking that Liana didn¡¯t love Tyler, so he impulsively ran to Panama and took Liana away. This not only led to Tyler¡¯s death but also indirectly to Liana¡¯s. Will couldn¡¯t bear it. He knelt on the ground, not daring to step forward, just staring at Liana with bloodshot eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Liana. I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s all my fault.¡± He shouldn¡¯t have gone to the ind, shouldn¡¯t have disturbed her and Tyler¡¯s life. If it wasn¡¯t for him, maybe Tyler wouldn¡¯t have died, and maybe Liana wouldn¡¯t have either Will took all the me, guilt and regret suddenly overwhelming him, making his body cold, as if his blood had frozen. Chapter 1169 Chapter 1169 Will trembled from head to toe, consumed by a pain that seemed to pulse from his very core, extending even to his fingertips. He couldn¡¯t stand up. All he could do was drag himself towards Liana using his hands Although hesitant to touch her, he instinctively reached out, brushing his fingers lightly against her face. The chilling touch confirmed what, as a doctor, he already knew. Liana was gone. The woman he deeply loved was no more Tears streamed down Will¡¯s face, unchecked and free¨Cflowing. He tried to keep his grief private, and in a bid to find some sce, gently took Liana from Eleanor and cradled her to him. Holding her tight, he treated her fragile form like a priceless treasure. Resting his cheek on her cold face, he softly caressed her, careful not to press too hard Tears continued to fall, onending in the hollow of her eye, shining there as if tofort him, whispering. ¡°Will, it¡¯s okay¡­¡± But Will couldn¡¯t control his crying, his heartache was uncontroble¡­ Once Liana¡¯swyer confirmed that the man quietly weeping was indeed Will, he approached him, handing over a handwritten will¡­ ¡°This was written by Liana herself before she passed, she wanted me to give it to you personally¡± Will lifted his tear¨Cfilled eyes, nced at the envelope, and slowly reached out. The moment his fingertips touched the smooth paper, it felt like an electric shock, making even breathing difficult¡­ He took the envelope, holding it in his hand. He didn¡¯t open it immediately, just held it close with Liana, as if this was hisst chance to hold her, he couldn¡¯t bear to let go¡­.. But, even if he was unwilling, Liana¡¯s body had to be taken away. The police had tried their best to respect Bernard¡¯s dignity, not moving the body randomly, but if they waited any longer, it wouldn¡¯tply with the regtions. In theory, as a doctor, Will should remain calm. But this time, he was more emotional than even Eleanor and Hailey, refusing to let go of Liana, vowing to hold her. Despite the efforts of several police officers, he just sat by the window, like a statue, lifeless, just staring at Liana in his arms¡­ In the end, Bernard approached, kneeling on one knee before Will, patting his shoulder, saying, ¡°Liana¡¯s going to find Tyler. Don¡¯t make her wait too long.¡± The words, though harsh, struck a chord of truth in Will, causing him to release his pent¨Cup emotions. Everyone knew what Liana¡¯s wish implied- she desired her ashes to merge with the ocean, seeking Tyler, who was believed to be lost to the same vastness. While Liana¡¯s remains were taken for cremation, Will chose to stay behind. He sat, unmoving, carefully opening the envelope he held. As he began reading the contents, his eyes welled up with tears once more¡­ ¡°Will, I¡¯ve yearned to apologize to you countless times. I vowed to be your wife, yet I never made it to our wedding day. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. I also swore to see Tyler behind bars, but that too remains unfulfilled. It feels as if, since our paths crossed, every assurance I gave, everymitment I made, has been left iplete. I regret it so much. You and I, we had a beautiful time together, but I didn¡¯t give you anything in return. I¡¯m really sorry. I admit I¡¯m a coward I used to say I hated Tyler, but when he died, my hatred disappeared, my heart was empty, I just wanted to find him¡­ Even though I know he¡¯s dead, I¡¯ll never find him, but I still want to find him in my own way. I know that of all the people, I¡¯ve hurt you the most. But Will, I don¡¯t want to lie to you anymore, or to myself, so all I can do is apologize. But I really wanted to marry you, even got the marriage license, just didn¡¯t love you¡­ If nothing had happened, I would¡¯ve been your wife by now, but life is full of unexpected events¡­ I hope you can forget me, find your own unexpected happiness in your new journey. And me, I¡¯m destined to disappear from this world, you don¡¯t have to think of me. anymore. Liana¡± Clutching the letter close to his chest, tears cascaded down Will¡¯s face, wetting the back of his hand. ¡°Liana, from the moment I first saw you during that school lecture, I was captivated. You told me to forget about you, but how could I possibly? And Liana, after Tyler¡¯s passing, you felt your heart was void and you longed to be with him. Don¡¯t you think I feel the same longing for you? Yet, I understand. If I were to seek you out, old tensions between you and Tyler might re¨Cemerge. The thought of causing discord between you two¡­ I couldn¡¯t bear that selfishness, could I?¡± Liana couldn¡¯t answer Will¡¯s words anymore, for she had been sent to the incinerator. The moment the ignition button was pressed, Liana, who once had a heart for charity and loved to help others, left forever, never to return to this world¡­. Chapter 1170 Chapter 1170 When Liana was put into the cremation furnace, Eleanor didn¡¯t dare to watch She turned away, burying herself into Bernard¡¯s embrace, tears rolling down her cheeks. Her best friend, her beloved Liana, had be a pile of ashes, put into a tiny box. She wasn¡¯t sure if her friend had lost her freedom or finally found it. In a nutshell, Liana was gone from this world. She had followed her loved one to another world, seeking her own happiness once again. Tyler and Liana, one thinking the other didn¡¯t love them, the other realizing their love only in death. Regrets? Yeah, there were regrets. But that was the end of it. After Liana was cremated, Will personally scattered her ashes in the sea near the little ind where Tyler was. Even though their ashes were swept away by the wind, leaving no trace, Will still erected a tombstone for them. On the tombstone, their names were inscribed as husband and wife. He figured, after their souls found each other, this would be their resting ce. People need fantasies and expectations, right? What else would hold them up? They all stood vigil before the tombstone, for an entire night, until a storm hit. The wind howled and the tide churned, forcing them to leave. The rain seemed like Liana¡¯s way of telling her friends not to mourn her endlessly, driving them away with a downpour. Everyone left the ind, except for Will. He stood in front of the tombstone, under an umbre, letting the rain soak his clothes. It was like the pain in his heart would lessen this way Eventually, he passed out from exhaustion and was carried back to the ship by Bernard¡¯s people. When he came to, he was on a private jet back home. He made it back safely, while Liana stayed forever in that country, on that ind. Will pulled up the window shade on the ne and looked out at the blue sky and white clouds. For a moment, he felt Liana and Tyler had found each other in this beautiful scenery. This time, their love was pure and unadulterated. He rested his head against the window, his downcast eyes showing he had epted Liana¡¯s departure. Aldyn, sitting in front of him, was staring at the only picture of Liana in the album. After a while, he stood up and walked over to Bernard ¡°Mr. Laurence, I want to avenge Liana.¡± Bernard, in his crisp suit, looked up at Aidyn. ¡°Do you have a n?¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°No.¡± Karan was already in jail. The worst that could happen to her was to rot there. But Aidyn felt that was too light a punishment, yet he didn¡¯t know how else to take revenge ¡°That¡¯s easy. Bernard¡¯s eyes were clear and deep, revealing no emotion. Even his childhood friend Aidyn couldn¡¯t read him. He had no idea what Bernard meant by ¡°easy¡± ¡°Treat her the way she treated others.¡± Bernard took the nket offered by the flight attendant and gently covered Eleanor with it. Then he looked up with his icy gaze, staring at Aidyn. ¡°The more she craves something, the less she should get it.¡± That was the best revenge. So, Aidyn, after returning to his country, stormed into the Howell family mansion, brandishing a knife at Hackett Howell. ¡°You ingrate, what the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± cried Hackett. Aidyn shot Hackett a cold nce, then sat downfortably on the sofa, propped his long legs on the table, ¡°Starting from today, I¡¯m back in the Howell family, as the heir to the Howell family!!! Chapter 1171 Chapter 1171 The moment Damien stepped out of the study and heard these words, his calm face instantly turned gloomy Just when he thought he had gotten rid of Tyler¡¯s problem, Aldyn¡¯s issue popped up. His life was a real rollercoaster. With a deadpan stare at Aldyn, Damien made Aidyn slowly raise his head ¡°Did you tell Liana that Tyler¡¯s ashes were scattered in the sea?¡± Without a hint of emotion, Damien curled his lip. I simply told her that Tyler had kicked the bucket. When Liana came to mourn, I told her the truth. Did I do something wrong?¡± Aidyn extracted the knife embedded in the couch, skimming his finger lightly over the sharp edge ¡°You¡¯re right. If you hadn¡¯t exposed everything to Liana, she would still be here¡± Damien couldn¡¯t quite gauge the emotion in Aidyn¡¯s voice, but he understood the gravity of his words. Rather than retort, Damien shifted his demeanor, putting on an innocent, youthful expression as he approached Hackett. ¡°Dad, if my big brother is returning to run the family business, do I still have to study management?¡± Hackett had been pushing Damien to take management courses early on, aiming to hasten his maturity ¡°You think he can just waltz back in if he feels like it?¡± After answering Damien¡¯s question, Hackett shot Aidyn a cold look. ¡°I personally went to fetch you, but you refused to return You said you wouldn¡¯te back to the Howell family. If you were so adamant, why are you back now?¡± Aidyn smirked. ¡°I did say I wouldn¡¯t return to the Howell family, but what I want now is the right to inherit the family¡± He nned to sell off all the shares of the Howell family after inheriting it, giving the money to those in need! Karan¡¯s ambition was clear. She wanted her son to inherit the wealth, allowing her to revel in luxury upon her release from prison. But he was resolute by the time she was free, she wouldn¡¯t even be able to locate the Howell mansion! Hackett, he mused, would never have aligned with Karan if not for his insatiable greed. Such individuals deserved to face the consequences of their choices. With these thoughts, Aidyn set out to acquire shares in the Howell family¡¯s assets. Given the internal rifts within the family, he believed it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to create further divisions Once he held a stake equal to Hackett¡¯s, Aidyn relished the thought of observing how Hackett handled the family affairs, all while reminding him of the stake he held. Aidyn had the support of Bernard¡¯s power. Everything went smoothly and quickly for him, and in less than a month, he had a good chunk of shares¡­ This made both Hackett and Damien nervous. Damien kept throwing ideas at Hackett, hoping he could handle Aidyn. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. But Aidyn wasn¡¯t the same person anymore. He had power and influence, and even the Clowers family from B City was helping him. Hackett thought Jason Clowers had betrayed their alliance, but in fact, Jason was also avenging his friend, so he gave Aidyn a helping hand behind the scenes. This way, Aidyn stayed in B City, tearing down the Howell family whilst sending valuable items to Karan in jail. For example, he forged evidence of Hackett having a mistress and a child. Karan was shaking from anger after seeing these, wishing she could tear Aldyn apart. But Aldyn just watched her coldly, letting her vent. He not only made Karan feel the pain Tyler¡¯s mother had felt, but he also arranged for Hackett¡¯s mistress and child to visit her in prison from time to time. Soon, Aidyn got the news of Karan¡¯s mental breakdown, but he didn¡¯t react much. He simply felt she got what she deserved. Since Karan had done those things, she had to pay the price. He could end her life directly, but torturing her slowly was the best punishment. Chapter 1172 Chapter 1172 Aidyn was going all out for revenge, and Eleanor, having lost a good friend, hadn¡¯t been able to sleep for a month straight¡­ Every time she woke from a dream at midnight, she saw Liana¡¯s bright face. Serious,ughing, crying, all so vivid, like it¡¯s being deeply imprinted in her mind.. People often say, after someone dies, our memories and image of them gradually blur, until we completely forget.. Eleanor didn¡¯t want to forget Liana. She looked at Liana¡¯s photos every day, constantly having that dream, over and over again, until her mood became extremely depressed and she ended up sick, copsed in bed.. Bernard felt heartbroken He stared at her pale face, sitting by her sick bed. ¡°Honey, what am I gonna do if you¡¯re sick?¡± He needed to go fight a battle, but how could he leave Eleanor like this? His eyes were full of worry ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it Eleanor whispered. Bernard tenderly caressed Eleanor¡¯s fatigued face. ¡°How could I not be concerned when you¡¯re in such a state?¡± In that moment, Eleanor felt a deep connection to Liana¡¯s emotions. If anything ever happened to Bernard, she would be devastated¡­ She lifted her hand to softly touch Bernard¡¯s tired features. Im sorry for causing you such worry¡­Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Bernard responded with a gentle shake of his head, releasing her hand to pick up the bowl of soup. ¡°Bryson made some soup, you want some?¡± Eleanor propped herself up and took the soup he offered. ¡°Mr. Keith wants to give me an IV, have him come this afternoon.¡± Seeing Eleanor¡¯s newfound resolve, Bernard¡¯s face lit up with a subtle smile. ¡°Rest now I¡¯ve got everything else under control.¡± Eleanor nodded in agreement, dutifully finishing her soup before lying down with Bernard watching over her. For Bernard to truly find peace, Eleanor needed to step out from Liana¡¯s shadow. She grasped that Liana¡¯s untimely passing was a reminder to cherish life and not to be consumed by grief. Possibly trying to honor Liana¡¯s final wishes, Eleanor began taking the medication prescribed by Mr. Keith. She often thought, had they started a family earlier, Liana could have been the child¡¯s godmother¡­. While Eleanor wasmitted to her healing, Hailey was seeking sce at the bottom of a bottle. Drinking only intensified her pain, leading her to often ck out in nightclubs. In her inebriated state, Hailey would frequently dial Liana¡¯s number, waiting in vain for an answer and questioning why Liana wouldn¡¯t pick up.. Cedric Laurence, watching from the side, saw her nonstop tapping on her phone screen. He couldn¡¯t help but step forward and snatch the phone from her. ¡°Liana¡¯s gone, calling her won¡¯t make anyone pick up.¡± His empathy was worse than Bernard¡¯s, and he wasn¡¯t close to Liana, so his words came across as cold. A drunk Hailey didn¡¯t want to hear that. She managed to stand and tried to snatch the phone back, but being shorter than Cedric, she failed several times and ended up stumbling into his arms. She was drunk, but Cedric was sober. As he was about to help Hailey like a gentleman, she suddenly jumped up and snatched the phone back. In a haze of alcohol¨Cfueled anger, Hailey swung her arm and pped Cedric across the face before snatching her phone from him. The sharp sting of the p instantly furrowed Cedric¡¯s brow ¡°Hailey Vulpe!¡± he eximed. Yet, Hailey seemed unaware that she¡¯d even pped him. Retrieving her phone, she sank to the ground, huddled in a corner. Frustratedly, she fiddled with the device, pressing its screen with increasing force, muttering resentfully, ¡°Whose damned phone is this? I can¡¯t even unlock it. Stupid phone, stupid phone¡­ Watching her struggle, Cedric¡¯s anger softened. He touched his still¨Csmarting cheek, approached Hailey, and gently assisted her in unlocking the device Hailey was stunned as he easily unlocked the phone, then gave him a smile, ¡°Thanks man.¡± Seeing Hailey like this, Cedric had a thought. He grabbed Hailey¡¯s wrist and pulled her into his arms, ¡°A thanks isn¡¯t enough, you need to prove it.¡± Chapter 1173 Chapter 1173 Hailey slightly lifted her head, leaning in closer to Cedric ¡°So what¡¯s this ¡®action¡® you¡¯re talking about?¡± Her sweet scent, mixed with a hint of alcohol, hit Cedric as she drew near, making his heart flutter. He had wanted to get closer to her, but when Hailey actually leaned in, he got a little scared and turned his head slightly, trying to dodge the close contact. In Cedric¡¯s arms, Hailey, a bit tipsy from the alcohol, was having trouble recognizing the person in front of her. She grabbed his arm, squinted her eyes, and slowly moved closer to him As she got closer, Cedric didn¡¯t dodge anymore, he stiffened his back, staring intensely at her. As her handnded on his chest, his heart skipped a beat, but he stayed cool, watching her quietly Hailey¡¯s fingers gently gripped Cedric¡¯s white shirt. With a yank, she pulled him closer to her ¡°Huh? What ¡®action¡® are you talking about?¡± Her lips, now close to his. There was almost no space between their lips. Cedric lowered his head, gazing at her red lips. He swallowed nervously. ¡°If I tell you, would you do it?¡± Hailey obediently nodded. She was drunk and would do whatever anyone told her to do, without a hint of caution. Cedric watched the half¨Cdrunk Hailey, hesitated for a moment, then mustered his courage, leaned in, and said, ¡°Then give me a kiss, as a thank you.¡± Hailey seemed to understand his words. She let go of his shirt, reached out to touch his face, and then gently kissed him. It was just a light peck, but it sent a jolt of electricity coursing through Cedric¡¯s body. He instinctively clenched his fists, holding Hailey tightly around the waist. Hailey seemed to find the position a bit ufortable and struggled to get up. Cedric watched her, then suddenly lifted her up. Drunk as she was, Hailey felt dizzy from being lifted like this. She felt terrible, her hand sliding up Cedric¡¯s neck and then grabbing his hair, pulling hard. ¡°Cedric, put me down!¡± Cedric¡¯s scalp tingled instantly, and all the intentions he had vanished in that moment. Hailey¡¯s actions confused him. She was actually pulling his hair in this intimate moment. Cedric was a bit helpless, he lifted his head, trying to dodge Hailey¡¯s hand. ¡°Hailey, let me go.¡± If she pulled any harder, she might take his hair out. But Hailey didn¡¯t let go, she kept pulling his hair. ¡°Put me down!¡± ¡°If I put you down, how am I supposed to get you home?¡± She was so drunk that she couldn¡¯t even walk in a straight line. Was she nning on spending the night in the club again? Cedric red at the struggling drunk woman in his arms. ¡°If you don¡¯t behave, I¡¯ll drop you on the ground!¡± Hearing Cedric¡¯s threat to drop her, Hailey immediately stopped moving, lifted her teary eyes, looking at Cedric with an innocent and aggrieved expression¡­ Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Seeing her frightened into submission, Cedric softened, holding the woman in his arms tighter, ¡°Can you please calm down, let me go, and I¡¯ll take you home, okay?¡± Chapter 1174 Chapter 1174 She had indeed be quite obedient, but her hands still clung tightly to his hair, refusing to let him go, as if it were her personal self¨Cdefence weapon. Hailey had gotten her guard up, but she was feeling safe. She got a feeling this guy holding her won¡¯t harm her, so she let go of his hair, curled her hand around his neck, and settled downfortably in his arms. Cedric¡¯s a big guy and Hailey¡¯s kinda petite. She looked like a doll hanging on him when she settled down. He was holding this ¡°doll¡± carefully, walking into the elevator, heading to the underground parking lot, and putting her in the passenger seat, fastening her seatbelt. Then he drove, while sneaking nces at her Seeing her hair all messy and her sleeping peacefully, he couldn¡¯t help but smile. As the smile crept up his face, he reached over with his long fingers, brushed her hair off her face, and lightly touched her cheek¡­. It¡¯s just a light touch, but she grabbed onto it like it¡¯s her favorite pillow at home, holding it tightly¡­. Cedric¡¯s fingers identally touched her soft chest, and he instinctively pulled back. His calm heart was now in a turmoil¡­. He nced at the traffic light, then at Hailey, wishing she¡¯d wake up and grab his hair¡­ Ignoring his desire, Cedric drove one¨Chanded to Hailey¡¯s home. He tried to pull his hand back, but the sleepy girl wouldn¡¯t let him go. A bit helpless, he unbuckled her seatbelt, leaned over, and whispered. ¡°Hailey, if you don¡¯t let go, I might do something intimate to you in the car¡± This seemed to work a bit, as Hailey loosened her grip. Cedric quickly pulled his hand back, unbuckled Hailey¡¯s seatbelt¡­ He opened the car door, walked around the front of the car, opened the passenger door, and bent over to lift Hailey. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. He carried Hailey into the vi, right into Marina¡¯s sight. For the past month, it¡¯s been Cedric who had been driving Hailey home. After handing her over to Marina, Cedric usually leaved without saying much. Marina thought Cedric would do the same tonight, so she hurriedly stepped forward to take Hailey from him, but Cedric didn¡¯t let her. ¡°You go fill the bath, I¡¯ll carry her upstairs.¡± Marina stood stunned for a few seconds, looking at the sleeping Hailey, Hailey was slightly conscious when drunk before, but this time she passed out. Marina figured it¡¯s because Cedric knew she couldn¡¯t carry Hailey, so she nodded and headed to the bathroom to fill the tub. Cedric had been here often since he started dating Hailey. He knew where her bedroom and bathroom are, he didn¡¯t need Marina¡¯s guidance. He carried Hailey into the master bedroom¡¯s bathroom He set Hailey down on the bathroom¡¯s chair, intending to let Marina take care of her, but Hailey grabbed onto his shirt, and then threw up on him¡­ Cedric halted right there and then, looking at the woman grabbing his shirt and puking non¨Cstop, his expression darkened¡­. Marina walked in with a towel just then. She saw the scene, worried that Cedric would get angry, so she hurried over, pulled Hailey away, and apologized to Cedric. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Laurence, she only acts like this when she¡¯s drunk, she didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡± Marina brought a trash can, ced it in front of Hailey. Hailey was feeling extremely sick, she had no idea what she just did, she just clung onto the trash can, and continued to puke. Chapter 1175 Chapter 1175 Witnessing her agony, as if she were about to vomit her insides out, Cedric suppressed his own nausea and nced at Marina. ¡°You can get out, I got her¡± Marina nced back at Cedric and then at Halley, she was a bit worried but still turned to leave The second the door was shut, Cedric stripped off his clothes, originally nning to hop in the shower first. But seeing Harley about to keel over into the trash can, he stopped by her side in an instant, holding her up His warm skin brushed against her clothes. It made Hailey ufortable, so she started trying to push him away but he held her tight and set her in the bathtub Warm water surrounded her from all sides, soothing Hailey enough to stop her struggles. Cedric grabbed some toiletries and cleaned Hailey¡¯s mouth and cheeks. When he was about to get ready to hop in the shower himself, he found Hailey clutching him, her face pressed against his stomach. He bent over looking down at the soaking wet woman in his arms. He stared for a while, then suddenly slipped into the bathtub, pulling Hailey to his chest. He smelled the alcohol on her, his chin resting on her shoulder, ¡°Hailey, do you know who I am. Having emptied her stomach, Hailey was a bit more sober now She lifted her head slightly, looking at the man holding her. His face, etched into her memory, appeared in her blurry vision. She murmured his name involuntarily. ¡°Cedric..¡± She wanted to ask him why he¡¯s here, but he lifted her chin Cedric was a bit thrilled, he leaned closer, ¡°Hailey, remember, you started this tonight.¡± Huh? Before Hailey could voice her confusion, she was silenced by his passionate kiss, and the hot kiss flooded her senses. His hands roamed over her skin, even though there were clothes in between, she could feel the heat of his palms, like a wildfire ready to ignite at the slightest touch. Staring at the handsome face before her, Hailey froze. Maybe it was the liquor talking, but she didn¡¯t push him away, instead, she let him lead her By the time she wasing to her senses and ready to resist, Cedric had already stripped her. He leaned down, kissing her lips once more, a faint scent of alcohol wafting from their mouths ¡°Hailey, it¡¯s been over two years since west made love. After tonight, I¡¯ll marry you, alright?¡± Marry her.. Hailey¡¯s braingged, taking a while to register. She just stared nkly at the man proposing to her. She didn¡¯t respond, and she didn¡¯t react, like a lost deer, so nervous she didn¡¯t know where to put her hands. Seeing her like this, Cedric became even more eager to tease her. ¡°If you don¡¯t say anything, I¡¯ll take it as a yes.¡± He didn¡¯t give Hailey a chance to respond, instead, he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her beneath him. The bathtub was big enough for two. Cedric didn¡¯t n to move, he justid down, kissing her lips once again. They always sync well in bed, one actively seeking pleasure while the other just goes with the flow, responding instinctively. It had been over two years since theyst made love. Once they start, Cedric was like a beast spotting its prey, losing all control. Cedric was sober, so he was much clearer than Hailey. As he experienced the ultimate pleasure, his eyes seemed ready to shoot mes. He lifted Hailey¡¯s sexy thighs, allowing her legs to wrap around his waist, then thrust into her. When he heard her moan in pleasure, he went even harder. Hailey was still drunk and couldn¡¯t think straight, she just clung to his back, scratching it like a kitten scratching a door ¡®Slow down.¡± She whimpered in protest, but it only incited him to go harder, tormenting her until she started to cry, then he gentles.. N?velDrama.Org content rights. After they finish, Cedric was like a kid wanting candy, nibbling her earlobe, asking softly. ¡°Hailey, how was it?¡± Chapter 1176 Chapter 1176 Hailey¡¯s mind was still in a bit of a whirl, having just experienced a passionate sexy, she was feeling pretty satisfied While Cedric¡¯s sweet nothings were still buzzing in her ear, she lowered her head, seemingly lost in thought, but her mind was aplete nk. Even though the heat of the moment had died down a bit, she still clung onto Cedric, her body trembling slightly, her rosy checks refusing to fade, her gaze somewhat dazed. Seeing Hailey in this state, Cedric could pretty much guess what was going through her mind. However, he yed it cool, once again wrapping his arms around Hailey¡¯s waist, lelling her lean into him *Seems like you didn¡¯t fully enjoy it, let¡¯s go another round¡± He preferred it when she took the initiative but it was clear that tipsy Hailey wasn¡¯t up for it Cedric held her waist tightly, gave her a few passionate kisses, lifted Hailey out of the bathtub, grabbed a towel to wrap her in, then carried her out of the bathroom. When heid Hailey back onto the soft bed, the energetic Cedric gently stroked her cheek, trying to get her to open her eyes and look at him. ¡°Do you still recognize me?¡± Hailey looked up, her eyes locked onto Cedric, instead of answering him, she just stared nkly at him. Cedric let go of her chin, his arm resting above Hailey¡¯s head, then he skillfully spread her legs. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Hailey, remember, I¡¯m Cedric.¡± With those words, he suddenly leaned down, iming Halley¡¯s lips, like a predator seizing its prey, dominating her so strongly that Hailey had no choice but to give in. Cedric had always been skilled in this department, and in no time, Hailey was once again caught up in the passion. Overwhelmed, her body trembling uncontrobly beneath the man. She clung to Cedric¡¯s neck like a scared rabbit, panic¨Cstricken yet totally reliant on the man before her¡­. She was drowning in pleasure, this extreme experience had Hailey deep in its clutches¡­. It was like he was flying a kite, controlling her emotions, tormenting her till she responded. Only then would he release her wrists above her head. He moved in closer, gently nuzzling her neck. Cedric knew, in terms of lovemaking techniques, Hailey was well trained by him. Once she was in control, the one who couldn¡¯t resist was him. And it was always like this, every time Cedric wished he could die a happy man on Hailey. Finally, he couldn¡¯t hold back, whispering, ¡°Hailey, I love you.¡± He loved her, willing to be at her beck and call He loved her, ready to give her his all He was incredibly tender towards the woman beneath him, ¡°I¡¯m going to marry you¡± He was going to marry her, and he wouldn¡¯t back out. Under the influence of alcohol, Hailey, with half¨Cclosed eyes, looked at the man before her. Even though her mind was fuzzy, she knew exactly who he was. She reached out, lightly touching his sweaty cheek, ¡°Cedric, you said you¡¯d marry me before, but then you forgot¡­¡± During the orgasm, he would also whisper in her ear, Hailey, let¡¯s get married. Hailey didn¡¯t know how to respond, she would always look away. She didn¡¯t understand Cedric¡¯s thoughts, whenever they finished making love, Cedric would shut up about the promises he made in bed to marry her. Thinking about this, Hailey felt a bit down, she lowered her eyshes, it was all just a dream, to make up for the past dreams, she¡¯d hear Cedric say these things, and do these things with him¡­. Cedric held her soft waist, pulling her into his arms, then gently kissed her forehead, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He thought her silence meant she didn¡¯t agree, so he didn¡¯t think much of it. After all, back then, they were just fooling around, none of them dared to give their hearts to each otherpletely. But whenever they recalled the past, these hurtful details would be magnified. Hailey, who thought this was a dream, didn¡¯t take Cedric¡¯s apology seriously. She just wrapped her arms around Cedric¡¯s neck again, deeply savoring the pleasure he was giving her, ¡°In my dreams, don¡¯t talk about marrying me, I won¡¯t marry again..¡± Cedric stiffened a bit, so she thought this was all a dream. No wonder she kept staring nkly at him. With that thought, Cedricughed, she was drunk, what he did tonight, was him taking advantage of her His expression turned gloomy, but he couldn¡¯t resist Hailey¡¯s allure. Looking at the bold and beautiful woman in his arms, Cedric, driven by desire, put his worries aside and indulged in the passion with Hailey Since Hailey thought this was a dream, he would make here back to reality again and again, he didn¡¯t believe she¡¯d keep thinking it was a dream! That night, Cedricpletely let loose, so did Hailey, the two of them not only shattered the quiet of the night, but also the distance between their hearts Chapter 1177 Chapter 1177 They both had a sleepless night, followed by a full day of sleeping. When they woke up, it was already nearing dusk. When Halley sobered up, she felt a splitting headache and wanted to call Marina, but identally bumped into a man¡¯s chest. The warm touch made Hailey suddenly lift her head, looking fearfully at the wless face. When she recognized who it was, her heart seemed to skip a beat At this time, the sunset outside the window was cast on Cedric¡¯s sturdy skin, reflecting a faint red glow With his eyes closed, he looked like an angel descended from heaven, making people blush and heart race Hailey looked down his face to see the obvious abs and his proud private pari, further down were his long legs¡­. He was naked, she was naked, his long and powerful hand was still on her waist, his penis was still between her legs¡­. Hailey lifted her right hand to cover her eyes, then with the other hand, she moved the hand on her waist, quickly lifted the nket and rolled out of bed. As shended, she grabbed a towel nearby and quickly wrapped herself in it, then turned her head to look at the sleeping Cedric¡­ It turns out thatst night was not a dream, she really had sex with Cedric, and more than once. As for how many times they did it, Hailey shook her head, she couldn¡¯t remember, she was only feeling that her body was sore due to too much lovemaking She recalled those crazy moments, blushed, rushed into the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and buried her head in the water¡­ Using the cold water, Hailey calmed herself down, she lifted her hand, pped herself, ming herself for drinking and then getting frisky! She lifted her face full of water droplets, looking at herself in the mirror, there was not a piece of skin under her neck that was intact, you can imagine how intense they werest night¡­ Although her body was covered in love bites, her face was glowing and healthy. It must be said, after the perfect sex, even her skin was glowing With this thought, she pped herself again. What was she thinking, how could she have such evil thoughts?! Hailey leaned on the sink, clenched her fists, angrily pounded the sink, ming herself for her actions, all this was seen by Cedric ¡°Regretting it now? N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Hearing Cedric¡¯s voice, Hailey instinctively turned her head, and what she saw was still Cedrick¡¯s naked body¡­. She immediately closed her eyes, took a deep breath, ¡°Put some clothes on.¡± Cedric crossed his arms over his chest, leaning against the door, looking down at the clothes at Hailey¡¯s feet, ¡°Do you think. Only then did Hailey open her eyes and saw the white shirt and suit pants at her feet. n still wear that?¡± The scenes fromst night slowly surfaced in Halley¡¯s mind. She first vomited all over Cedric, then he took off his clothes to take a bath, and somehow they ended up in bed? Hailey¡¯s memory was a bit fuzzy, she couldn¡¯t recall too many specific details. She just stretched out her finger, picked up a towel from the side, rolled it into a ball, and without looking back, threw it at Cedric. ¡°I¡¯ve asked Marina to buy you a new set of clothes, wrap yourself up with the towel first.¡± Cedric urately caught the towel, then looked at Hailey¡¯s graceful back. ¡°You¡¯ve seen me naked before, why are you shy now?¡± Although he said this, his hands obediently opened the towel and wrapped it around his lower body. Chapter 1178 Chapter 1178 Hailey sneakily nced at him in the mirror, sighing in relief when she saw he¡¯d covered his private area. But as he approached her, she felt an overwhelming sense of nervousness. If they hadn¡¯t had sexst night, she might have been able to be as calm andposed as before, but now, she felt as if she was tied up, this made her extremely ufortable She held her breath as Cedric drew closer, his slender hands wrapping around her waist from behind and holding her tight Her body tensed up, but Cedric seemed perfectly rxed. His chin rested on her shoulder, ¡°Hailey, you started itst night. You gotta take responsibility for teasing me¡± What? Did she start (17 Would she really have initiated it? Hailey blushed, trying to keep her cool.. ¡°I was drunk, and I don¡¯t remember¡­¡± What she meant was that she didn¡¯t remember anything, so this wasn¡¯t her fault. His hand slowly moved upward, and when he touched her chest, Hailey felt her legs go weak. ¡°If you don¡¯t remember, I can help jog your memory¡± Hailey wasn¡¯t sure if she was feeling guilty or just nervous, but she swallowed hard and grabbed his hand. ¡°I¡¯m good¡± She grabbed his hand to stop him from proceeding and turned her head to face him. ¡°So, how do you want me to take responsibility¡°¡± Upon hearing this, a satisfied smile appeared on Cedric¡¯s lips ¡°Marry me Marry him¡­ But she didn¡¯t want to go through marriage again, let alone with Cedric Her face was full of reluctance. Cedric saw through her thoughts, but pretended not to notice, reaching out to hold Hailey¡¯s face and forcing her to look at him. ¡°Hailey, you agreed to marry mest night. Are you having second thoughts now?¡± She agreed to marry him? Did she really agree to marry him? Cedric must have thought she wouldn¡¯t remember, so he was just making things up ¡°I was drunk, so you shouldn¡¯t take my words seriously.¡± Words spoken by a drunken woman are all nonsensical and should not be taken seriously Cedric didn¡¯t care, he continued to coax Halley. ¡°Last night you said you won¡¯t marry anyone else in this life but me, and even mentioned having lots of kids for me. You were so into it, over and over again. I couldn¡¯t resist. Have you forgotten all about that? Hailey was speechless. She hadn¡¯t forgotten. She just didn¡¯t remember N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. She opened her eyes wide, looking at Cedric with disbelief as if asking. ¡°Did I really say that?¡± Cedric seemed sincere, nodding his head, ¡°They say drunken words are sober thoughts. You must really like me to not be able to resist calling me hubby¡­¡± Hubby? Hailey took a deep breath. Did she actually say that?! No way! Hailey pushed Cedric away, not quite believing it, and turned to face him, ¡°I¡­ I would never call you that. You¡¯re just making things up¡± Cedric lifted his strong arms, fearing them on the washbasin His arms were around Hailey He lowered his head. Jooking at Hailey who was a bit shorter than him ¡°You agreed to marry me, that¡¯s a fact. Don¡¯t think about backing out now¡± He wanted to marry her, even if it meant tricking her into it. Hailey blinked twice, trying hard to remember. She vaguely remembered Cedric proposing, but had she agreed? She really couldn¡¯t remember anything she was at a huge disadvantage. Just when she didn¡¯t know how to react, there was a knock on the door, and Marina¡¯s trembling voice came from outside, ¡°Hailey, Ms Shultz is here¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Hailey immediately ducked under Cedric¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Till go see Eleanor Stay here and don¡¯te out!¡± Watching the woman slip away from under his arms, Cedric¡¯s lips curled into a bright smile. He hadn¡¯t felt this happy in a long time Chapter 1179 Chapter 1179 He was over the moon, but Hailey just covered her face, opened the door to the master bedroom, and said, ¡°Marina, why didn¡¯t you wake me upst night¡­¡± Marina showed an embarrassed smile, I how could I have the nerve to wake you up.¡± Last night, she¡¯d heard the noise and thought Cedric was picking on Hailey So, she rushed to the master bedroom, but when she ced her hand on the doorknob, she heard Hailey¡¯s intermittent moans Even though Marina was old, hearing their sounds, she couldn¡¯t help but blush. She thought they might be mending their rtionship, so she didn¡¯t disturb them Moreover, seeing Hailey¡¯s shy appearance, Marina had understood everything, ¡°If you still like Cedric, just be with him¡± Stunned by Marina¡¯s words, Hailey stared at her for a few seconds before turning her head to look at the man in the bathroom¡­. Was it because she still had feelings for him that she didn¡¯t refuse him after realizing who he wasst night? Although she was initially too drunk to be clear¨Cheaded, after vomiting, she sobered up a bit and recognized Cedric. So, she let him approach her without any guard if it had been someone else, she might have refused, Thinking of this, Hailey sighed deeply. It turned out that because he was Cedric, she was okay with doing it with him. But was he serious when he said he wanted to marry her? ¡°Hailey¡® The voice of Eleanor interrupted Hailey¡¯s thoughts. She immediately turned her head to see Eleanor who had just walked into the revolving staircase ¡°Hurry up, help me get my coat.¡± Marina gave a quick oh and hurried into the dressing room, grabbing a winter coat in her rush. Hailey, who didn¡¯t want to attract attention, stood out even more in the coat. Eleanor had tried calling Hailey several times but got no answer. After what had happened with Liana, she was worried and rushed over, worried about what might have happened to Hailey, who had been drinking heavilytely. But when she came upstairs, she was greeted by a sheepish Hailey wrapped in a winter coat¡­. Eleanor stood there, giving her a once¨Cover, ¡°Hailey, are you nning to celebrate winter early?¡± In such hot weather, she was wearing such a heavy coat. Was this normal? Haileyughed awkwardly, then quickly waved her hands. ¡°No, this is a new coat I bought, just wanted to try it out, you know. What do you think, does it look good?¡± Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. She twirled around in front of Eleanor, but because her movements were too big, it revealed a bruise on her neck. Seeing the mark, even the slow Eleanor understood, ¡°Marina, do you have a lot of mosquitoes here? How did they bite Hailey like this?¡± Marina couldn¡¯t help butugh. Meanwhile, a noise came from the bathroom in the master bedroom. Eleanor instinctively looked up¡­. What she saw was Hailey blushing furiously, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯d really appreciate it if you could let me off the hook today¡­¡± Eleanorughed. ¡°Fine, but you need to tell me who that man is¡­ Hailey extended her manicured finger, gently poking Eleanor¡¯s shoulder, ¡°You probably already know¡­¡± Hearing this, Eleanor said in surprise. ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s Cedric¡­¡± Cedric at this moment, wearing only a bath towel, strode to the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window¡­. Bernard in the Koenigsegg car downstairs, lifted his indifferent eyes, looking towards the window, seeing Cedric standing by the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window¡­ He stood there, hands on hips, looking smug, like he wanted to tell the world he¡¯d conquered Hailey¡­. Bernard watched him for a couple of seconds, then rolled his eyes exasperatedly, pressing the window button and letting the window rise to block his vision Cedric, too, saw Bernard¡¯s car He quickly turned, pulled his phone out of his suit pocket, and called his brother¡­. He had to share such happy news with someone, right? Chapter 1180 Chapter 1180 When Bernard saw Cedric¡¯s iing call, he emotionlessly reached out and hil the end call button. Cedric, not willing to be dismissed so easily, dialed again Bernard¡¯s face darkened before he slid to answer the call Before Cedric could even open his mouth, an angry roar came through the phone, ¡°Get lost-¡± The harsh words silenced Cedric¡¯s urge to speak After a moment of thought, he picked up his phone and sent Bernard a message [I¡¯m at Hailey¡¯s ce right now, and I don¡¯t have any clothes. Can you drop some off for me?] The message was a coded way of saying their night of passion had left him without clothes. Bernard nced at the screen and couldn¡¯t help but clench his fist Cedric waited for a few minutes, but there was no response. He picked up his phone again, opened the family group chat, and tagged Bernard [Bernard, check out the message I sent you] Bernard was speechless. When no one responded, Cedric tagged everyone. Guys, can someone reach out to Bernard for me, I need to talk to him urgently] Taylor Laurence asked worriedly. [What¡¯s the emergency?] As soon as Cedric saw the reply, he immediately responded, I¡¯m getting married] Taylor was momentarily silent So he was getting married, and what did that have to do with Bernard? Taylor couldn¡¯t figure it out, but Bernard knew Cedric just wanted to show off. Cedric, who was eagerly waiting for his brothers¡® shocking faces, suddenly saw a message from Bernard, [Block Cedric] Veronica Laurence, who seemed to understand Bernard¡¯s annoyance, wisely removed Cedric from the group for the time being Cedric, who was kicked out of the group, didn¡¯t care. He took a selfie and opened his social media, sending out a message and tagging his brothers. [Guys, I¡¯m getting married. Any of you have good proposal ideas? Share them with mel Without Cedric in the group, Kendrick Laurence sent a message. [What¡¯s up with Cedric?] The rest of the group started discussing Taylor asked, [is Cedric losing it¡°] Matthew Laurence, who was in Africa, replied, [He must be nuts. Who¡¯d marry him?] Even Nigel Laurence, the sixth son of the Laurence family who was usually very low¨Ckey, chimed in, [If he can get married, I¡¯ll cut off my head and give it to him as a cushion¡®] Kendrick said, [What if he really is getting married?] Nigel, [In my world, there are no what¨Cifs] Kendrick was momentarily speechless. Nigel rarely showed up or spoke, but when he did, he easily caused a round ofughter. As Bernard was scrolling through these messages, Cedric¡¯s call came in again¡­. This time, he didn¡¯t hang up, but answered calmly, ¡°if you don¡¯t have anything serious to say, I¡¯m gonna break your legs.¡± Cedric was undeterred by Bernard¡¯s threat and continued to brag, ¡°Bernard, I¡¯m getting married¡± Bernard replied coldly, ¡°And?¡± Cedric kicked the window with his toes, ¡°Can I borrow your Eleaber Hall?¡°. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Bernard¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°If you want to die, just say it Cedric thought for a moment and decided it wasn¡¯t appropriate, ¡°Never mind, your proposal venue is a bit shabby. I need to find the best ce for Hailey, one she¡¯ll never forget¡± So His real intention wasn¡¯t to borrow a venue, he wanted to show Bernard that he was going to propose and that his proposal was going to be more spectacr? Bernard couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes humorously, ¡°Did Hailey say yes?¡± His question made the somewhat uncertain Cedric start beating around the bush, ¡°You could say she did¡± Hearing this, Bernard knew Hailey hadn¡¯t agreed and a smirk crossed his deep gaze, ¡°She hasn¡¯t even said yes, and you¡¯re telling everyone about it already Aren¡¯t you afraid of being rejected¡± Cedric patted his chest confidently. ¡°This time, no matter what, I¡¯m gonna win her over Just wait for my good news! Bernard gave a small smile, revealing a yful grin, ¡°Have you told your parents?¡± Hip casual question snapped the triumphant Cedric back to reality. Cedric gritted his teeth, I¡¯m going home tonight, and they¡¯re going to prepare everything I need for the wedding!¡± Bernard didn¡¯t expect Cedric to take this step, and his smile deepened. Cedric was senous this time, willing to go through the formal marriage process. It was indeed a happy thing that he was willing to settle down. However, convincing his parents might be a hurdle After all, Sigrid and Chase were prime examples Bernard could only hope Cedric¡¯s parents would spare Cedric, considering Sigrid¡¯s past pain Bernard was thorough in his considerations, but Cedric¡¯s focus was still on bragging. ¡°Bernard, are you going to bring me clothes or not? If not, I¡¯ll go to Eleanor.¡± The man in the car lifted his icy gaze and nced at Cedric, who was standing in front of the floor¨Cto¨C ceiling window wrapped in a towel, ¡°Do you dare?¡± Cedric knew he was being sized up and deliberately twisted his body to show off, ¡°You¡¯ll see if I dare or not¡­¡± Now that he had a wife to back him up, was he still afraid of Bernard? Although his wife was also afraid of Bernard, Eleanor wasn¡¯t. Chapter 1181 Chapter 1181 Cedric listened to Eleanor, and Eleanor listened to Hailey If he could convince Hailey then he would control the narrative. What¡¯s there to be afraid of? Once he sorted out his thoughts, Cedric mustered up the courage, hung up the phone and turned around Just as he turned around, at that split second, Bernard, who had quick reflexes, swiftly opened the car door- The moment the master bedroom door was opened, Eleanor turned her head. Before she could make out what wasing out, her eyes were covered by a big hand Then, a cold yet pleasant voice was heard in her ear ¡°Don¡¯t look, otherwise you¡¯ll go blind¡± Eleanor, whose eyes were covered, chuckled Her husband must be worried about her seeing Cedric in a half¨Cnaked state, right? The thing was if looking once would make her go blind, what about Hailey¡­ Upon seeing Cedric, Hailey¡¯s face turned beet red She rushed over, pushing Cedric back into the room while scolding him, ¡°I told you to stay put, why did youe out?!* Cedric frowned. I¡¯m not some kind of monster. Why can¡¯t Ie out? Besides¡­ Before he could finish, he was shoved back into the room by the surprisingly strong Hailey. After closing him in, Hailey took hold of the door handle and turned to face Eleanor and Bernard. ¡°We didn¡¯t do anythingst night, you believe us, right?¡± Bernard looked at her expressionlessly¡­ Feeling ufortable under his gaze, Hailey quickly changed the subject. ¡°Eleanor, how about we go sit in the living room?¡± Upon hearing this, Eleanor quickly peeked out from between Bernard¡¯s fingers. ¡°Sure-¡± Hailey thought Eleanor would say, ¡°we won¡¯t bother you today, we¡¯ll take off,¡± but instead, she said, ¡®sure.¡± Helpless, Hailey could only cover her face and walk downstairs. ¡°Follow me¡­¡± Watching her hurried departure, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Honey, I¡¯ll talk to Hailey for a bit and then we can leave. You wait for me in the car¡­¡± Bernard¡¯s cold eyes remained fixed on the master bedroom door. ¡°You go. I¡¯ll wait here for Cedric to come out¨C¡± Hearing this chilling voice, Cedric decided he wouldn¡¯te out no matter what- In the living room, Eleanor and Hailey sat on the couch, exchanging nces. After a moment, Eleanor spoke first. ¡°Did you make up with Cedric?¡± Hailey¡¯s continual blush returned as she awkwardly chuckled. ¡°We didn¡¯t make up, I just¡­ identally drank too much, and then¡­¡± Eleanor understood and nodded ¡°How do you feel?¡± Misinterpreting Eleanor¡¯s question as asking about the sexual experience, Hailey quickly waved her hands. ¡°It¡¯s nothing special, just a little ufortable after a few times¡­ Eleanor was speechless for a moment. Laughing, she shifted in her seat. ¡°I meant, did Cedric say he wanted to marry you?¡± With sudden rity, Hailey¡¯s face turned red again. ¡°He did¡­¡± Seeing her like this, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Hailey, this is the first time I¡¯ve seen you so shy¡­¡± Of course, Hailey would feel shy. What was supposed to be a secret one¨Cnight stand became public knowledge. How was she supposed to face that? What Hailey didn¡¯t know was that it wasn¡¯t just a few people who knew, but almost all of their friends Otherwise, she would have been extremely embarrassed Watching shy Hailey, Eleanor felt the gloom of losing Liana slowly dissipating. ¡°Hailey, if Cedric proposes, would you ept it?¡± Mentioning this. Hailey hesitated ¡°Actually, for adults, a one¨Cnight stand isn¡¯t a big deal. We don¡¯t need to get married because of it, right?¡± Her words clearly carried a hint of rejection Hearing this, Eleanor advised her, ¡°You¡¯ve seen what happened to Liana and Tyler Howell Those two people who loved each other, both ended up passing away it¡¯s such a tragedy I think, if you have Cedric in your heart, don¡¯t reject him anymore.¡± The current Cedric was much different from before. He had matured, be rational, and took responsibilities. He was devoted to Hailey, just like Liana said, he was actually really good. Mentioning Liana and Tyler, the blush on Hailey¡¯s face faded, reced by regret. ¡°Mr. Laurence and I don¡¯t have any deep grudges. We won¡¯t end up like Liana and Tyler¡± Cedric wasn¡¯t Tyler. He didn¡¯t have that kind of madness, nor would he hurt her. At most, he would just say a few sarcastic words when he was angry, acting childish She wasn¡¯t Liana either. She hadn¡¯t experienced the pain of being hurt by someone she loved. The most she felt was sadness when Cedric tried to provoke her with other women. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. In reality, their rtionship wasn¡¯t passionate, but in. That¡¯s why they wouldn¡¯t end up like Liana and Tyler¡­. ¡°But if you two end up as strangers, that¡¯d be a pity too, right?¡± After Eleanor finished, she tentatively added, ¡°Of course, if you don¡¯t have feelings for him, then there wouldn¡¯t be any regrets.¡± Unlike Liana, Hailey¡¯s feelings were always obvious. Eleanor could see through her in an instant. She could feel that Cedric was in Hailey¡¯s heart. But Hailey was afraid. She didn¡¯t dare to entrust her future life to Cedric. But life is short, why waste so much time hesitating? Chapter 1182 Chapter 1182 Hailey stared into Eleanor¡¯s bright eyes before slowly releasing her clenched fists, ¡°If he really proposes, I might say yes¡­¡± She was almost sexually assaulted. Normally, that kind of thing would give you nightmares, butst night she didn¡¯t think about it. Instead, she epted Cedric As the saying goes, the body doesn¡¯t lie. Her body responded to Cedric which meant her heart hadn¡¯t forgotten him either¡­ If she still had feelings for Cedric, then why not give it another try? Why she called it a ¡°try¡°, Hailey wasn¡¯t quite sure. She just had this nagging feeling that being with Cedric didn¡¯t give her much stability. She was afraid that once they were married, he might get tired of her and ditch her again. Then what? How was she supposed to face being dumped twice? Deep down, Hailey was scared, but Liana¡¯sst wish was for her to give Cedric a chance, wasn¡¯t it? She thought, Liana wouldn¡¯t lie to her, right? When Eleanor heard Hailey say she might say yes to Cedric, she cracked a smile, ¡°Well then, looks like I¡¯ll be waiting for the good news.¡± They had just made up and definitely needed more time to talk things through, so Eleanor decided to stop being the third wheel. ¡°Cedric¡¯s too scared to go outside because of Bernard. I¡¯ll take him away, and you guys can have a proper chat¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to say to him¡­¡± Although Hailey said this, the corners of her mouth curled up into a smile that even she didn¡¯t notice¡­ When Eleanor saw this, she didn¡¯t call Hailey out on it and went upstairs to find Bernard As soon as Bernard got in the car, he was a little upset, ¡°Once he¡¯s married, I¡¯m sending him to another country far from us¡­¡± Eleanor smilingly said, ¡°He finally got what he wanted. Let him revel in it for a while. Don¡¯t be such a stickler for rules. While helping Eleanor fasten her seatbelt, Bernard coldly said, ¡°He wants to use your Eleaber Hall to propose to Hailey.¡± When she heard this, Eleanor¡¯s smile faded, ¡°Darling, ship him off to another country.¡± Bernard subtly raised his eyebrows, ¡°Darling, he finally got what he wanted. Let him revel in it for a while. Don¡¯t be such a stickler for rules¡­¡± Eleanor clenched her fists, ¡°I¡¯m sleeping with Nina tonight¡± Bernard, who had just started the car, suddenly let go of the steering wheel and grabbed Eleanor¡¯s wrist, ¡°Darling, I¡¯ll listen to you. I¡¯ll send him away¡­¡± Eleanor huffed, ¡°It¡¯s toote to regret now.¡± Bernard, ¡°Forgive me, darling¡­¡± The two of them joked around. Eleanor intentionally ignored him, turning to look out the window. Seeing her ignore him, Bernard gave a slight smile and stretched out his long arm, wrapping it around her waist and pulling her close. ¡°Darling, Hailey will be your sister¨Cinw after marrying Cedric. You¡¯ll be her sister¨Cinw. Are you happy?¡± Eleanor tilted her head to look at Bernard. ¡°Why don¡¯t you consider Cedric as your brother¨Cinw too?¡± Bernard, who was originally nning to change the subject, furrowed his brows when he heard this¡­. ¡°He¡¯s not worth it¡± He¡¯d only call Cedric his brother¨Cinw over his dead body, and then only if he were reincarnated as the youngest son of the Laurence family. But Eleanor kept provoking him, ¡°I don¡¯t care. You must consider Cedric as your brother¨Cinw just like me, or else I won¡¯t sleep with you¡­¡± Bernard¡¯s wless face took on a sinister smile, ¡°Then we better not let Cedric and Hailey get married¡­¡± The thoughtful look in his eyes made Eleanor swallow hard, ¡°Fine, I¡¯llpromise. You don¡¯t have to consider him as your brother¨Cinw¡­¡± Bernard reached p¨²t and gently lifted Eleanor¡¯s chin, repeating her previous words in a teasing tone, ¡°Regretting now? It¡¯s toote.¡± Eleanor pretended not to hear and closed her eyes, feigning indifference. Bernard stared at her lips for a few seconds before whispering. ¡°You said the wrong thing. You¡¯ll be punished seven times when we get home¡± Eleanor took a deep breath, ¡°Don¡¯t push it Bernard, ¡°I¡¯m the winner I should unt my victory, right?¡± Eleanor couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°You¡¯re such a child¡± She hadn¡¯tughed in a month, and seeing her smile improved Bernard¡¯s mood quite a bit, ¡°There¡¯s something I don¡¯t quite get¡± Eleanor was curious and turned to look at the man who was driving and frowning, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Bernard nced at her, ¡°Why did our rtionships get soplicated when Hailey and Cedric are involved?¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. Eleanor burst intoughter and curled up in the car seat,ughing nonstop¡­. Bernard, who was seriously asking, looked at her with a puzzled expression. ¡°What are youughing at?¡± Eleanor straightened up, leaned close to Bernard¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°This is all because of you. You started everything Bernard¡¯s handsome face froze for a moment before he replied, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s necessary to stop their marriage.¡± ¡°Stop joking around¡­¡± Chapter 1183 Chapter 1183 Hailey stood there, as soon as the Koenigsegg drove away, she retreated back to the master bedroom In the room, Cedric was standing motionless by the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window like a model, his gaze closely following the car that was speeding away downstairs. Seeing this, Hailey couldn¡¯t help but cough lightly. ¡°They¡¯re gone, when do you n on leaving?¡± Cedric was allughs, but hearing her voice, he immediately stopped his smile and turned to look at Hailey. He saw Hailey in her neat clothes and squinted his eyes, ¡°I have no clothes to wear, can you let me stay here for one more night?¡± His eyes hid an emotion that was hard to interpret, but Hailey was clear about his intentions. She chose to ignore his gaze, turned around to open the wardrobe in the master bedroom, took out a set of men¡¯s clothing, and handed it to Cedric Seeing that there were other men¡¯s clothes in Hailey¡¯s room, Cedric¡¯s face slightly changed, but he knew he had no right to question her at this moment, so he refused. 11l have my assistant bring clothes over.¡± Meaning, he wouldn¡¯t wear another man¡¯s clothes. Hailey nced at him, then unbuttoned the shirt, showing him the brand on the cor. Seeing that brand, a wave of joy surged in Cedric¡¯s heart, he immediately reached out to take it, ¡°Why do you still keep my clothes?¡± The day when Hailey returned all the things to Cedric, she didn¡¯t know why she kept a set of clothes, maybe it was for a keepsake, but she didn¡¯t expect it toe in handy now, she won¡¯t admit it though. ¡°Marina forgot to pack this set, so I only kept one. Cedric looked into Hailey¡¯s eyes, seeing she didn¡¯t avoid, he couldn¡¯t tell whether she was telling the truth or not, he just reached out, pulled her into his arms along with the clothes. Hailey struggled a few times, but Cedric was too strong, she couldn¡¯t break free and had to let him close to her ear. ¡°Let¡¯s just say, this is a piece of clothing you kept because you can¡¯t forget about me¡± ¡°Why are you so full of yourself?¡± Hailey pushed him away forcefully, ¡°Hurry up, put on the clothes and go, you¡¯re really annoying.¡± Seeing her turn around and leave, Cedric grabbed Hailey and pulled her back into his arms. ¡°Hailey, I want you.¡± He deliberately rubbed his cheek against Hailey¡¯s neck. ¡°Let¡¯s make love one more time, okay?¡± The tingling sensation from his caress made Hailey¡¯s body stiffen, her ears started to turn red. She raised her hand to push Cedric¡¯s head away, but he ignored it, leaned in, and kissed her, passionately kissing her. Compared to the passion ofst night, Cedric was obviously much gentler now, just a kiss made Hailey¡¯s heart flutter and her body go weak. There were two voices arguing in her heart, she got drunkst night and did something irrational. Now that she¡¯s sober, she should push him away immediately As Hailey was struggling, Cedric pushed her onto the couch, outside the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window, the sunset slowly disappeared, and Midnight Bar gradually descended Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. This won¡¯t do, if they keep going like this, they¡¯ll have another wild night. Considering this, Hailey pushed Cedric away, looking somewhat breathless, waving her little fist. ¡°If you mess around again, I¡¯ll let you!¡± Seeing her threatening look, the smile in Cedric¡¯s eyes deepened. He caught Hailey¡¯s two hands with one hand, then pinned her on the couch, making her unable to move. Then, Cedric leaned toward Hailey¡¯s face. ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m grateful that I¡¯m still in your heart¡­ In the past, when Eleanor said he was in Hailey¡¯s heart, he didn¡¯t feel it. But now he does, after all that Hailey has been through, she didn¡¯t resist him, which means he still has a ce in her heart. As long as he¡¯s in her heart, everything is worth it. Cedric used his other hand to brush away the hair covering Hailey¡¯s face, then lowered his head, and sincerely and seriously kissed her forehead. Tll go back and tell my parents, then propose to you, then bring my parents to discuss our marriage, just wait for me at home, be a good girl¡± Cedric bringing his parents to discuss marriage shows how much he values her, this made Hailey¡¯s heart surge with a special emotion¡­. She didn¡¯t verbally respond to Cedric, but she silently agreed in her heart. Cedric didn¡¯t hear it, but he thought she consented. He kissed her forehead and cheeks again, then let go of her, and in front of her, he deliberately took off his bath towel¡­ Haley, who had been a bit moved, screamed when she saw this, jumped up, and pped him! ¡°Pervert!¡± After hitting him, Hailey pushed him away, then covered her face and ran out of the master bedroom. Watching her hurriedly escape, Cedric rubbed his aching forehead, the smile at the corner of his mouth deepened. Fromst night to now, he was always smiling. Cedric thought, the happiest moment of his life, might be this moment. He changed his clothes, left the vi, but didn¡¯t see Hailey around. It¡¯s okay, he thought, they would meet again soon. Cedric returned to his own home, cleaned himself up, then went to the garage, randomly picked a car, and headed to his home¡­ Chapter 1184 Chapter 1184 Latonia and Quin had already seen Cedric¡¯stest updates on social media, so his return didn¡¯t exactlye as a shocker. Sigrid had conflicts with them, but not Cedric Even if he did, he still had to spill the beans about his uing wedding. Cedric came back, but didn¡¯t immediatelyy his cards on the table. The Laurences yed dumb and had the servants serve dinner They chatted in the living room for a bit, then moved to the dining table. That¡¯s when Cedric finally said it, ¡°Mom, Dad, I wanna get married, hope you can help with the prep.¡± Unlike Bernard, Cedric had his parents around, and they had to deal with this. At least when it came to the wedding prep, they had to show up in person. It was his way of showing respect to Hailey. He knew this, and that¡¯s why he came back to discuss with them. But the Laurences just exchanged a nce, and Latonia was the one who finally broke the silence, ¡°Who¡¯s the luckydy?¡± Truth be told, they already had a guess. Cedric had been in a rtionship with a woman three years older than him a few years ago. They had been together for around three years. Even after they broke up, they still kept in touch He¡¯d got drunk one night and hit Robin Spencer¡¯s car, all because of that woman. Later, ended up in the hospital also because of her. Even though the Laurences didn¡¯t stick their noses into these matters, it didn¡¯t mean they were clueless. In fact, they knew too much, and they were not exactly over the moon about their son¡¯s wedding announcement But they¡¯d learned their lesson from the Sigrid saga, and even though she was upset, Latonia put on a friendly face. Cedric gave Latonia a once over, and could tell his mom was putting on a brave face. ¡°Her name¡¯s Hailey, she¡¯s the love of my life, and I have to marry her.¡± After he¡¯d said his piece, he put down his fork and looked at his parents, ¡°You¡¯ve probably already dug up dirt on her, so don¡¯t even bother asking. I¡¯m here today to let you guys know, I¡¯m gonna marry her.¡± Quin didn¡¯t really give a damn about the marriages of his children, as long as they were happy. But Latonia was a different story. She was all about marrying within your social ss and character. She¡¯d done her homework on Hailey, and she obviously thought Hailey was bad news. Seeing her son was dead set on marrying her, Latonia changed her tune from her hardball approach with Sigrid, and said with a soft voice. T¡¯ve heard about Ms Vulpe. If you like her, I won¡¯t stand in your way. But Cedric, she¡¯s only a high school graduate, she¡¯s been married before, and now she¡¯s running a nightclub. If you marry her, I¡¯m worried people will make fun of you¡± ¡°Who dares to make fun of her?¡± Cedric¡¯s face turned stormy, his eyes boring into Latonia, ¡°Are you judging her based on this one¨Csided info?¡± Latonia chuckled, ¡°I don¡¯t have much contact with her, so all I have is the info I got.¡± Cedric replied icily, ¡°She¡¯s a high school graduate, she¡¯s been married before, she worked at a nightclub, so what? I love her. Whether she¡¯s a rich girl, an average Jane, or a homeless person, I said I¡¯m gonna marry her, and I will!¡±N?velDrama.Org content rights. Latonia¡¯s hand clenched under the table, ¡°Cedric, this is your first marriage, but it¡¯s her second. How can you two possibly match?¡± If Hailey had no previous marriage, she might have agreed, but Hailey had already been married once and was three years older than Cedric. How could she ept this as his mother? Cedric didn¡¯t give a damn about Hailey¡¯s marital past, ¡°Even if she¡¯s been married three, four times, what does that have to do with me marrying her?¡± Cedric was far more determined than Sigrid. He wouldn¡¯t take any advice, and Latonia, feeling tense, stopped pushing, just asked, ¡°Are you sure you want to marry her?¡± Cedric nodded without a second thought, ¡°Get the wedding gifts ready. After I propose. I¡¯ll take you to meet her family.¡± He was indeed there just to deliver the message. After speaking, he was about to get up and leave, but he was stopped by Quin. ¡°Cedric, look at your arrogant demeanor. Have you ever considered our feelings?¡± Chapter 1185 Chapter 1185 Cedric frowned, turning around and said. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t treated Sigrid like that, maybe I could have sat down peacefully and had a decent meal with you. But think about it, what did you do to your own daughter?¡± He still felt it was unfair to Sigrid. Chase loved her so much, but was forced to separate because of his parents If it weren¡¯t for giving Hailey a decent wedding, he might never want to return to this family Quin was so angry that he mmed the table. The thing about Sigrid is over, why do you bring it up again, and you¡¯re lecturing us. Do you think you¡¯re grown up now and don¡¯t need to respect your parents?¡± Cedric couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with Quin, ¡°Whatever you say. I¡¯ve said what I wanted to say. You can decide for yourselves¡± If they really disagreed, he could bypass them and let Bernard be the witness. There wouldn¡¯t be much of a difference since the Laurence family wasn¡¯t under his parents¡® control anyway. ¡°Also, don¡¯t go behind my back and approach Hailey like before. If I find out, don¡¯t me me for tearing this house down.¡± Cedric dropped these words, didn¡¯t even nce at the couple, picked up his coat, flung it over his shoulder, and walked away. Watching his departing figure, Quin grew so angry that his face turned red. ¡°Just look at that, the fine son you¡¯ve raised, who doesn¡¯t even respect his own parents.¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. Latonia angrily threw down her cutlery, ¡°Butler, find Ms. Vulpe¡¯s phone number.¡± He thought he was tough, threatening his parents. But Latonia wanted to see, after she secretly contacted Ms. Vulpe, how Cedric would tear down the house! After the butler responded with an ¡®okay¡®, he went to do his task. He quickly found Hailey¡¯s phone number, held the phone with both hands, and handed it to Latonia Just as she was about to dial the number, Quin stopped her, ¡°Although that kid is arrogant and disrespectful, we should not make him the next Sigrid.¡± They had already hurt one child¡¯s heart, they could not hurt a second one. Otherwise, when they got old, they might not even have a grandchild. Latonia didn¡¯t care, she pushed away Quin¡¯s hand, ¡°This woman, she¡¯s no better than Chase. Do you think I could just stand by and watch Cedric marry such a woman?¡± Their family was of great honor, how could they let an orphan marry into their family? Sure, Bernard¡¯s wife didn¡¯t have much background, but she at least had an degree and was a top¨Ctier architect. Plus, Bernard didn¡¯t have parents to control him, he could do as he pleased. But Cedric was different, his parents were still alive, how could they just watch him marry anyone? Quin frowned, ¡°Actually, our son isn¡¯t that great either. He¡¯s been messing around outside these years, making headlines so many times. The proper rich girls won¡¯t even look at him. If he finally wants to marry someone, just let him¡± When Latonia heard this, her face immediately darkened, ¡°I admit my son might not be excellent, but he at least deserves a woman who¡¯s never been married. She¡¯s been divorced, how dare she marry into our family?¡± Quin was silent, this point was indeed valid. Their son was getting married for the first time, marrying a divorced woman, it was indeed hard to exin to others. Seeing Quin had nothing to say, Latonia dialed Hailey¡¯s number without hesitation. Chapter 1186 Chapter 1186 Hailey, who was about to take Cedric off her ck list, reflexively answered an iing call from an unknown number. ¡°Ms. Vulpe, hello, I¡¯m Cedric¡¯s mother Would you like to grab a coffee?¡± The phone in Hailey¡¯s hand was gripped even tighter No sooner had Cedric mentioned informing his parents than his mum rang. That was fast, but¡­. Even though she could guess the reason for his mother¡¯s call, Hailey was somewhat reluctant to go. But as it was about the prospect of marriage, it was understandable for his parents to be cautious. After some hesitation, she finally replied, ¡®Sure! Then Hailey received an address from Cedric¡¯s mum, asking her to meet there. Hailey, dressed in a conservative outfit and with a light makeup, got into her car and drove off. When her car pulled up outside a coffee shop, she spotted a well¨Cdressed woman stepping out of a luxury car. Just one look, and Hailey could guess who it was. The Laurence siblings all inherited good genes from their parents. Cedric¡¯s mother was one such person with superior genes. Elegant, slender, and exuding an air of nobility, she didn¡¯t look her age at all. Regardless of whether she took care of herself or not, Cedric¡¯s mother was fundamentally a beauty, no wonder Cedric and Sigrid were such lookers. Hailey waited for the elegant woman to enter the coffee shop before getting out of the car. Before going in, Hailey stood at the entrance, swallowing nervously. For some reason, she didn¡¯t remember being this nervous when meeting Yeager¡¯s parents¡­ She could feel her heart pounding uncontrobly. She was incredibly nervous and worried. After a pause, she finally plucked up the courage to push the door open. Cedric¡¯s mother, having probably looked up her information, recognized her immediately. ¡°Ms. Vulpe, right this way.¡± Hailey managed a smile and walked over. ¡°Hello, Mrs. Laurence.¡± She even refrained from using a familiar address, preferring the respectful one, as a sign of respect. Latonia didn¡¯t expect this from Hailey. If it had been any other woman Cedric had spoiled, they would have been arrogant and bossy, like Hertha. She was taken aback, then gestured for Hailey to sit down. ¡°Ms. Vulpe, what would you like to drink?¡± Instead of saying anything would do, Hailey took the menu from the waiter and ordered her usual coffee. Her casual and unaffected manner took Latonia by surprise. Once Hailey had ordered, she waved the waiter away. When the waiter had left, Latonia took the opportunity to size Hailey up. She was pretty, had a good figure, and was well maintained. She didn¡¯t look her age, but despite her youthful appearance, she was still three years older than Cedric. Latonia looked down on Hailey a bit, but didn¡¯t show it. ¡°Ms. Vulpe, Cedric came home tonight, which is unusual for him. He said he wants to marry you. I thought, since I haven¡¯t met you, I should call and meet you. You don¡¯t mind, do you?¡± Hailey shook her head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t mind. It¡¯s only natural.¡± Always obedient and respectful to her elders, Hailey made it easy for Latonia to ask her some questions. ¡°Could you tell me about your rtionship with Cedric?¡± Hailey had thought Latonia was here to persuade her to break up with Cedric, but she didn¡¯t ask directly. ¡°What do you want to know?¡± Latonia leaned back elegantly on the sofa and pursed her lips slightly ¡°Do you love him?¡± Talking about love in front of his mother made Hailey feel a little shy, but she bravely admitted, ¡°He¡¯s a great guy I like him a lot.¡± Latonia had asked if she loved him, but Hailey had replied that she liked him. For an older person, this wasn¡¯t a satisfactory answer. ¡°So you don¡¯t love him?¡± Hailey opened her mouth to afgue, but was interrupted by Latonia. ¡°Ms. Vulpe, my son has never been married. He doesn¡¯t know what it¡¯s like. But you seem to have had that experience, so you must know how marriage works, right?¡± Though Latonia didn¡¯t directly ridicule Hailey, her words were still sarcastic, making Hailey feel a little embarrassed. She lowered her head. Yes, I know.¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. Seeing her difort, Latonia finally got to the point. ¡°Cedric thinks that as parents, we should propose the marriage to your parents. But naturally, we should discuss it with your parents first. So, Ms. Vulpe, where are your parents?¡± Chapter 1187 Chapter 1187 The wordsing out of Latonia¡¯s mouth were like a sharp knife, stabbing deep into Hailey¡¯s heart. Her face turned pale, as if all the happiness brought by Cedric vanished in a blink Suddenly, Hailey couldprehend the pain Chase must have felt. Why would this seemingly kind woman utter such harsh words? Hailey had no parents Latonia must¡¯ve investigated her and was aware of it. Clearly, Latonia was intentionally trying to hurt her T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Hailey, who had ns of marrying Cedric, suddenly had a change of heart. Marriage is not just about two people, it¡¯s about two families. Having grown up without a family, she naturally wanted her future husband to have a warm and harmonious one. But this woman¡­ Hailey clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging deep into her flesh, as she tried to keep her emotions in check. ¡°Mrs. Lawrence, I don¡¯t have parents.. Latonia didn¡¯t even feign surprise, she just straight up said, ¡°I know, that¡¯s why I think you and Cedric aren¡¯t a good match¡­ Her implication was clear ¨C a child without parental guidance was not fit to be her daughter¨Cinw. Had it been any other parent, Hailey would have left. But facing Cedric¡¯s mother, she didn¡¯t. Even though the words hit her where it hurt the mos!, she bore 1. it. She did it all for Cedric. She couldn¡¯t deny the love she had for him and if she couldn¡¯t let him go, then she had to fight for him. With this in mind, Hailey unclenched her fists and calmly looked at Latonia, ¡°Mrs. Lawrence, it¡¯s not my fault that I don¡¯t have parents. You can¡¯t assume that because of this. Cedric and I are unsuitable for each other¡± Hailey didn¡¯t directly point out Latonia¡¯s intention but just continued the conversation. Latonia, however, took it as Hailey not knowing when to back off, ¡°Ms. Vulpe, I don¡¯t want to be rude, but since you don¡¯t get it, I¡¯ll spell it out for you.¡± Hailey could almost guess what Latonia was about to say next, her face growing even paler. But Latonia didn¡¯t give a damn about her feelings and continued ¡°My son is from a prestigious family, while you are an orphan, he graduated from a top university, you only finished high school, he is aputer genius, you have no special talents; he¡¯s never been married, you¡¯re divorced, currently, he¡¯s the president of a branch of the Laurence Group, but you just an owner of a nightclub. Whether it¡¯s background, education, marital status, or social status, the gap between you two is toorge. Do you think you arepatible?¡± Compared this way, Hailey was indeed not on par with Cedric. It was only natural for his mother to disapprove of their rtionship. Thinking about this, Hailey felt even more unworthy of Cedric. But Cedric said he loved her and wanted to marry her. Could she let him down? Hailey lowered her head, hesitated for a while, then slowly looked up at Latonia, a woman who had never experienced hardship in her life. ¡°I can¡¯t choose where Ie from. As for my education. Mrs. Lawrence, have you ever thought about how I could focus on studying when I couldn¡¯t even afford food? Back then, I was just trying not to starve. Can anyone bear not eating or drinking for five days straight?¡± At this point, Hailey¡¯s eyes started to well up. Not only did she have to take care of herself, but she also had to look after Eleanor and Garett. As their older sister, she had to set an example. Upon hearing that Hailey once went without food for five days, Latonia was clearly taken aback. She could sense the hardship of an orphan surviving in society, but she chose to turn a blind eye to it because Hailey was about to be her daughter¨Cinw. ¡°Ms. Vulpe, I deeply sympathize with your past, but I¡¯m not the one who caused it.¡± This was indeed a fact, but it made Hailey upset. What was the point of telling Latonia all this? How could someone born with a silver spoon understand the pain of ordinary people? When she was studying, she was busy finding part¨Ctime jobs, hoping to work and earn some money to help Garett and Eleanor, who were good at school. She thought as long as they could seed, she would be satisfied And indeed, Garett and Eleanor were brilliant, which was enough for her. But she didn¡¯t expect that both Yeager¡¯s mother and Cedric¡¯s mother would care so much about this She couldn¡¯t choose her birth or education. She considered herself an ordinary person, so she chose to marry anjordinary person, hoping to lead a peaceful life. But reality was harsh, and a series of difficulties forced her to climb up the socialdder. But what could she climb with? She didn¡¯t have a good family, no one to help, no connections, and only had the inheritance left by Garett. Without that, she wouldn¡¯t even be able to own the nightclub. It¡¯s really hard for ordinary people to seed. So, she too wished for a good family background, to be educated and cared for from a young age, to see the world early on, and to be as brilliant as Cedric if she had good genes¡­. But she didn¡¯t have such a background, nor such parents. All she could do was strive on her own¡­ Chapter 1188 Chapter 1188 Latonia found it hard to understand Hailey, and Hailey didn¡¯t n to waste her breath trying to convince Latonia to understand her. Instead, she tried to see things from Latonia¡¯s perspective and epted her viewpoint. ¡°Mrs. Laurence, if I were in your shoes, I¡¯d also be displeased with a woman who isn¡¯t up to par with my son in every way. I get where you¡¯reing from, but please consider this it¡¯s Cedric who wants to marry me, not the other way round. It¡¯s better for you to talk to him directly. If he changes his mind about marrying me after talking to you, just give me a heads up I won¡¯t bother him anymore. I¡¯ll even steer clear of him if I bump into him in the future.¡± Hailey¡¯s heart was pounding like a drum after she finished speaking. This was probably the first time she¡¯d stood her ground for Cedric. Even though she knew she wasn¡¯t on his level and didn¡¯t deserve him, she just couldn¡¯t let go because he loved her and she loved him too, so she was trying her best. After a while, Latonia looked at Hailey and suddenlyughed, ¡°You just said you didn¡¯t love my son, and now you¡¯re saying you¡¯re not forcing him to marry you. Seems like your feelings for my son are not strong. If that¡¯s the case, why would you choose to marry him just because he really wants to marry you?¡® Latonia¡¯s question was pretty deep, and Hailey found it hard to answer, so she lowered her head. Seeing this, Latonia continued, ¡°Regardless of your personal background, academic abilities, and everything else, I believe every mother hopes her future daughter¨Cinw would love her son wholeheartedly. You can¡¯t even do that, so why should I convince my son?¡± Hailey¡¯s eyshes trembled slightly upon hearing this. If it hadn¡¯t been for that one night stand, she probably wouldn¡¯t have considered marriage again. But after that night, when Cedric said he wanted to marry her, she started to waver. But it wasn¡¯t just Cedric¡¯s words that made her waver, it was also the realization that she still couldn¡¯t let go of Cedric deep down, that made her want to give it her all However, when it came to deep love, she couldn¡¯tpare to Eleanor and Bernard¡¯s feelings for each other. At least in Hailey¡¯s eyes, her rtionship with Cedric could easily fall apart. Cedric was used to doing things his way. Hailey wasn¡¯t sure if he would fall for someone else after saying he loved her. As for this, Hailey didn¡¯t feel secure, so she only dared to say she liked Cedric, not that she loved him. She tried to control herself from falling too hard for him, in fear that she wouldpletely break down and lose her sanity if he betrayed her. She didn¡¯t want to care too much about Cedric, nor did she want to be the discarded wife who was kicked out of the house. Only by controlling her feelings could she stay calm. But obviously, this was hard for Latonia to understand. Latonia was born into a wealthy family, had a worry¨Cfree life since childhood, and had a husband who loved her dearly after getting married, so of course, she couldn¡¯t resonate with Hailey¡¯s thoughts. Hailey didn¡¯t want to point out the ws of Latonia¡¯s son in front of her either. Hailey¡¯s silence made Latonia even more certain that this woman wasn¡¯t good enough for Cedric, ¡°Ms. Vulpe, I usually speak my mind. Besides what we just discussed, there¡¯s something else that worries me.¡± Hailey slowly raised her head, puzzled, and asked Latonia, ¡°Did I do something to upset you?¡± Latonia shook her head, but a trace of anger could be seen in her cold eyes, ¡°Previously, my son got into a car ident because of you and got injured for the first time. I was furious when I got the call in the middle of the night about him needing emergency treatment. My healthy son got hurt because of you, which was bad enough. But you even let your ex¨Cboyfriend hurt him again, it really hurt to see him lying in the hospital bed unable to move.¡± In Latonia¡¯s eyes, Hailey was a troublemaker. She couldn¡¯t me Hailey at the time and could only let the kids sort it out themselves. But now that it involved marriage and it was brought to her attention, she had to step in and rify things. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Back then, Chase loved Sigrid with all his heart and was willing to give up everything for her. But what about you? You neither love my son Cedric nor cherish him How can I, as a mother, let him marry you without any worry?¡± Hailey felt guilty about the incident where Cedric needed emergency treatment, she lowered her head and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I mistook him for someone else before, causing him to be wronged and hurt¡­¡± On this matter, Hailey didn¡¯t make any excuses. It was only natural for Latonia to worry about her son as a mother. Moreover, she agreed with Latonia¡¯s point of view, she hadn¡¯t cherished Cedric previously. She always felt there was no future in their rtionship and they would eventually break up, so she urged herself not to take him to heart. And when it came to people you didn¡¯t care about, you¡¯d always overlook them¡­ Moreover, Cedric had been ying around when they were dating, he didn¡¯t take her seriously. After they broke up, Cedric quickly agreed and hastily ended their rtionship. Who would¡¯ve known that after they broke up, Cedric would be persistent, even to the point of insisting on marrying her¡­ Chapter 1189 Chapter 1189 Hailey couldn¡¯t change the past, but she could make sure about the future. ¡°Mrs. Laurence, if I marry him, I won¡¯t treat him like before. I will love him with all my heart, cherish him, protect him, and never betray him.¡± That was the sincerity Hailey could show. She was always serious about rtionships, including her total dedication to her ex¨Chusband and hermitment to Yeager Once she promised to be his girlfriend, she would do her best to keep her word. Not to mention Cedric, who was already special in her heart. So, if they get married, she would definitely treat him even better. Seeing that Hailey was still not giving up, Latonia switched tactics, ¡°My son isn¡¯t as good as you think. He loves to y around, he¡¯s a yboy, and often the star of gossip columns. But all of that was before he met you. After being with you, he has indeed changed a lot, at least he hasn¡¯t been caught in scandals as often. For that, I have to thank you But are you willing to gamble?¡± Latonia, who had been leaning against the couch, suddenly sat upright, ced her hands on the table, crossed her fingers, and looked at Hailey calmly and seriously N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ¡°Since he was a child, he was spoiled by his father and I and developed a willful character. Whatever he wants, he must have it immediately. Just like when he wanted to marry Hertha, he stirred up a lot of drama in the family. But not muchter, he got bored and didn¡¯t want to get married anymore. Can you guarantee that his sudden desire to marry you now isn¡¯t just an impulse?¡± Regarding Hertha, Latonia knew the inside story, but she deliberately said this to make Hailey give up. Because she had checked up on Hailey and knew about her selfless sacrifices for her ex¨Chusband, including buying a house and spending all her wealth, only to be stabbed in the back in the end. She knew that women who have experienced such things would be more cautious about love artd marriage. So, Latonia¡¯s words were like a needle, piercing directly into the ce where Hailey was most worried and fearful. The person who knew Cedric best was undoubtedly his mother. If even his mother thought he was impulsive, Hailey would naturally be scared. She had also suspected that Cedric wanted to marry her out of a sense of responsibility: But when she was in danger, Cedric silently stayed by her side. He must want to marry her out of love, right? But Hertha was Cedric¡¯s first love. He had once stirred up a lot of drama in the family for her, just like her current situation¡­ So, what aboutter? Cedric ended things with Hertha, just like Latonia said, he got bored and didn¡¯t want to get married anymore. Would he treat her the same way in the future? As Hailey was in a state of confusion, Latonia gently tapped the table: ¡°Ms. Vulpe, I know my own son, his desire to marry you now is definitely impulsive. Once he gets bored in the future, he probably wants to divorce you, stirring up a bunch of trouble. Instead of that, it¡¯s better for you to reconsider avoid experiencing another betrayal in marriage Latonia¡¯s words were persuasive A few simple sentences could make Hailey give up voluntarily. But Hailey believed that even if it was to give up, it should be Cedric saying he wouldn¡¯t marry her, not her discouraging him. She didn¡¯t want to be the one backing out, so she firmly refused, Mrs. Laurence, I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t have the power to change his mind¡­¡± Hearing her say this, Latonia smiled again, ¡°Ms. Vulpe, I¡¯m here discussing terms with you, but I suppose you won¡¯t care. After all, your club is a famous ce in A City, you must have a lot of money You don¡¯tck money, so naturally, you won¡¯t care about Cedric¡¯s love¡­¡± Hailey wasn¡¯t interested in Latonia¡¯s words, because Latonia started to y hardball However, even when ying hardball, she extended her well¨Cmaintained hand, tightly holding Hailey¡¯s hand, cing it in her own palm, patting it gently ¡°Ms. Vulpe, if you make Cedric give up on this idea, I can assure you that your club will continue to thrive. If you can¡¯t do it, I might take some actions. Of course, I won¡¯t let you go bankrupt. After all, you¡¯re Eleanor¡¯s friend, I can¡¯t make things hard for you, but I can make your life difficult.¡± As Latonia threatened her with a gentle demeanor and soft voice, Hailey experienced firsthand Latonia¡¯s power, and she felt even more sympathy for Chase ¡°Mrs Laurence, no wonder Sigrid and Chase broke up. With a mother like you, their only oue could be a breakup.¡± Latonia could touch people¡¯s hearts with her gentle approach and cut off their retreat with her hard stance. Was Chase also threatened like this back then? Chapter 1190 Chapter 1190 When Sigrid and Chase were mentioned, Latonia, always wearing a smile, became slightly more serious, as if thinking about something, and let go of Hailey¡¯s hand ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I¡¯m not heartless, as parents, who wouldn¡¯t worry about their kids? If you came from a better background, had a higher level of education, had higher demands for yourself, why wouldn¡¯t I ept you?¡± The situation with Chase and Sigrid gave Latonia some insight, and she didn¡¯t want to interfere too much in her son¡¯s affairs. But in her view, Hailey was not as capable as Chase, nor was she as good at handling rtionships. If she didn¡¯t even like Chase, how could she like Hailey? ¡°Ms. Vulpe, in aristocratic families, the concept of marrying someone of equal social status is very important, because the education, ideas, foresight. moral values, and knowledge one receives from a young age can be very different. You two are attracted to each other right now, probably just because of hormones. Once this passion passes, you¡¯ll realize how big the gap between you two is.¡± Latonia said a lot, and this sentence made Hailey feel very inferior, and it was something she couldn¡¯t refute. Hailey¡¯s clenched fist slowly rxed. When she looked up at Latonia again, there was a hint of fatigue in her eyes. She didn¡¯t speak, looking as if she was wavering, or thinking. Latonia couldn¡¯t figure out what she was thinking, so she continued, ¡°Although Bernard and Eleanor have a big gap in their family backgrounds, Bernard and Cedric are different. Bernard can ept everything about Eleanor, whether it¡¯s her background or her shorings. I dare say, even if Eleanor does something wrong, Bernard will still love her. But Cedric won¡¯t. He¡¯s still a child,pletely naive. In his view, the things he can¡¯t get are the best, once he gets them, the excitement disappears. Then, think about what you¡¯re going to do?¡± Latonia¡¯s words deeply touched Hailey¡¯s heart. Her innermost fears were all revealed by Latonia, making her feel a tightness in her chest and starting to waver. But because Latonia was too urate, she had nothing to say Seeing Hailey¡¯s expression, Latonia knew her words had had an effect. She picked up her expensive handbag from the sofa, opened it, took out a bank card from inside, and handed it to Hailey. ¡°That¡¯s all I have to say. Ms. Vulpe, think carefully about whether you still want to marry my son. If you choose not to, this card is yours. If you still choose to marry him, your life may be influenced by me. The decision is in your hands.¡± With that, Latonia got up and left. Her elegant silhouette, light steps, in Hailey¡¯s eyes, were like a heavy mountain, making her breathless. This suffocating feeling made her involuntarily pick up the bank card. The dim light shone on Hailey¡¯s face, reflecting a pale light, deste without a hint of color. She sat in the coffee shop for a long time, finally put the card in her bag, and got up and left. When she got home, she filled the bathtub with water,y in it to rx her tense nerves, and pictured Cedric holding her in the bathtub¡­ Was Cedric marrying her out of obligation, or did he really love her? Hailey couldn¡¯t get a clear answer to this question. With her thoughts in turmoil, Hailey buried her head in the water, the warm water washing away her fatigue and clearing her thoughts. Anyway, she had to tell Cedric about Latoniaing to see her and let him make his own decision. Whether Cedric chose his mother or her was up to T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Cedric. If he still insisted on marrying her after knowing about it, she would go and ask his mother for her consent. After all, there¡¯s no harm in asking. But if Cedric chose his mother, they would have no future¡­ It was simple. There were these two oues and there was nothing to be confused about. Having figured this out, Hailey got up from the bathtub, dried her hair, and dove into bed. After what happenedst night and tonight, she was tired and fell asleep quickly The next day, when Hailey woke up, it was almost evening, which showed how tired she was. She got up, freshened up, then picked up her phone, removed Cedric from the cklist, and called him, but he didn¡¯t answer. Looking at the time, Hailey figured Cedric should be at home, so she drove straight to Cedric¡¯s vi. But when she got to the vi, the butler told her that Cedric had been busy and had been staying at an apartment closer to thepany, and hadn¡¯te back to the vi, suggesting that Hailey go to the apartment to find him. So Hailey had to drive to the apartment. When she got to the apartment, Cedric wasn¡¯t there. He had been busy preparing for a proposal during the day and had been dragged out for drinks by friends in the evening Those friends, curious about who he was going to marry, insisted on asking him out for drinks. Cedric couldn¡¯t resist their call, so he went there, mainly because he wanted to show off to everyone¡­ Chapter 1191 Chapter 1191 At the party. Cedric was ying it cool and keeping everyone in suspense, refusing to spill the beans about who he was marrying. This drove everyone nuts and they kept plying him with booze. It wasn¡¯t until he was very drunk that Cedric finally told them about marrying Hadey Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. His buddies all knew Hailey, and when they heard Cedric was tying the knot with her, they were gobsmacked. They thought Cedric had lost his mind, nmng to marry a woman who was older than him and had once dumped him. They tried to talk some sense into him, reminding him that there were plenty of fish in the sea, and hoped he wouldn¡¯t do something he¡¯d regret Cedric, despite being drunk, understood their words and got pissed. He kicked over a chair and started ranting and raving at his friends, nearly throwing punches. If it hadn¡¯t been for Chase holding him back, he would¡¯ve definitely punched those guys who were badmouthing Hailey After cussing them out, Cedric found the whole scene meaningless. He grabbed his jacket and wobbled out. Chase was bummed out and didn¡¯t follow. He just sat in the corner, drowning his sorrows alone with a bunch of friends. Cedric, feeling woozy staggered out of the private room and bumped into Hertha Hertha seemed to be waiting for him on purpose. She didn¡¯t seem surprised when she saw hime out and even approached him. ¡°Cedric, I heard you¡¯re getting hitched?¡± Hertha looked up at Cedric, a hint of disappointment in her eyes. Cedric squinted at the person in front of him, his vision blurry. The figure in front of him doubled and then merged back into one. He couldn¡¯t make out who she was, only that she was a woman. He was engaged now and should keep his distance from other women. So he just sidestepped Hertha and staggered down the corridor. He was so unsteady on his feet that he almost fell. Hertha quickly supported him. ¡®Let go of me,¡± Cedric said. He didn¡¯t want to get too close to other women Hailey wouldn¡¯t like it. He had only Hailey in his mind and pushed Hertha away. Hertha was shoved aside, watching Cedric¡¯s swaying figure. Her beautifully made¨Cup face gradually darkened Cedric had long deleted her from his contacts. She couldn¡¯t see the news of Cedric¡¯s engagement, but she knew Cedric¡¯s friends. She had learned from a friend yesterday that Cedric had announced his engagement. She had guessed who Cedric was going to marry Thinking of what she couldn¡¯t get but Hailey had easily obtained, Hertha was so angry that she was shaking all over. She couldn¡¯t help but follow Cedric He had drunk too much and copsed right outside the hotel. Seeing him fall, Hertha thought her chance hade. She immediately rushed over and helped him up She arrived at Cedric¡¯s apartment before Hailey. She came here because there was a housekeeper at Cedric¡¯s vi who had been instructed not to let her in. She had asked his friends and learned that Cedric had another apartment in the city. Recently, due to work, he often stayed in the apartment closer to thepany Thinking this, Hertha steadied the towering Cedric, lifted his hand to unlock the door with his fingerprint, and thenid him on the bed. The moment sheid him down, the doorbell rang She quickly left the master bedroom and nced out. Seeing Hailey standing outside, her face immediately darkened. Even as Cedric¡¯s first love, she didn¡¯t know the address of Cedric¡¯s apartment, but Hailey seemed so familiar with it. This meant that in Cedric¡¯s heart. Hailey was more important than her Realizing this, Hertha was filled with resentment. Why could this woman win Cedric¡¯s heart, but she couldn¡¯t? The more Hertha thought about it, the angrier she got. Seeing Hailey pressing the bell several times and trying to enter the password, she quickly turned around and walked towards the master bedroom. Hailey entered the password several times, all of which were wrong. She remembered that Cedric had told her the password when they were dating, so she took out her phone and checked her notes. She entered the numbers ording to the password on the note, and the door opened After entering, Hailey called Cedric¡¯s name, but there was no response, so she walked towards the study. Cedric usually couldn¡¯t hear anything outside when he was focusing onputer work Thinking he was busy, Hailey confidently headed for the study. However, as she walked down the corridor, she heard a woman¡¯s moan from the direction of the master bedroom, a sound that was only made during sex Hailey¡¯s heart seemed to stop, and her steps also stopped abruptly She slowly turned around, facing the direction of the master bedroom, standing in ce for a full two minutes, then she started walking again, towards that closed door The closer she got, the louder the woman¡¯s voice. The door wasn¡¯t closed, and Hailey could see the direction of the bed through the crack, but the quilt covered the two people, and she couldn¡¯t see who it WAS She realized what was happening inside, but she didn¡¯t know where she got the courage from, she stretched out her trembling fingers, pushed the door open, and walked in What came into her view was Hertha, covered with a quilt, sitting on the bed, moving on her own. She was moving while moaning, and the whole bed was shaking with her rhythm The person under the bed, even if the light was dim, Hailey could clearly see his side face. At this moment, she seemed to feel the pain of a thousand arrows piercing her heart. Chapter 1192 Chapter 1192 Right now, the pain she felt, was it any different from when she found out Austin Zimmer had betrayed her? Actually, yeah, it was different. She didn¡¯t really care much for Austin, so all she felt was anger when she saw what was happening. But Cedric, her feelings for him were deep, seeing him like this, her heart ached beyond words. Even when Latonia had insulted Hailey, she never cried. But now, her eyes were so swollen, and tears were falling down her cheek uncontrobly With the tearsnding on the back of her hand, Hailey felt humiliated She rubbed her face hard, trying to stay strong and not cry, but the tears wouldn¡¯t stop flowing. Her vision was blurry, she couldn¡¯t see clearly what was happening on the bed, but she heard the soft sobbing of a woman She couldn¡¯t stand it, so she covered her ears Turns out, while Cedric was intimately close to her, he also had a deep emotional entanglement with Hertha. She was wrong, even without them sleeping together, he never really cut off ties with Hertha. Just like thest time, when she was drugged by Yeager and left the hotel, didn¡¯t she see him tightly embracing Hertha? So What did she mean to him? ¡°Cedric, do you like it?¡± Hertha covered Cedric with a nket, asked deliberately, then harshly pinched his waist. Cedric, feeling the pain in his sleep, let out a hoarse moan. This familiar sound made Hailey feel like she had fallen into an icehouse, her hands and feet instantly went cold. Her vision blurred by tears, she held back the difort in her body, turned around, and ran out like a madwoman Latonia was right. Cedric was different from Bernard, he was never trulymitted when it came to rtionships. He could tell one woman that he loved her, and the next moment tell another that he would marry her Even Hailey, who epted him over and over again without limits, couldn¡¯t make him change. This time, Hailey thought Cedric loved her, that he wouldn¡¯t treat her like before. But she forgot, how could a yboy like Cedric ever be faithful to just one person? She was delusional, even thinking about asking his mother for her blessing. She didn¡¯t realize that she didn¡¯t need to because there were plenty of women who wanted to be his wife. After running downstairs, Hailey quickly got into the car, wanting to leave. But because her body was shaking, she didn¡¯t know how to control her limbs. She cried in pain, shedding tears while trying tofort herself. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Hailey, you¡¯ll be fine, you will¡± Hertha pulled back a corner of the curtain, peering out at the car below. She couldn¡¯t see the reaction of the person in the car, but she knew that if she couldn¡¯t have Cedric, neither could Hailey. She quickly closed the curtains, turned around to look at Cedric. He was drunk, already asleep, and completely unconscious. There was so much Hertha wanted to do, but she was helpless She wondered, if she stayed next to Cedric until he woke up, pretended that they had slept together, and then insisted that he take responsibility? She immediately dismissed the idea as soon as it appeared. Even in a drunken state, if anything really happened, he would¡¯ve known. Cedric was a smart guy, he would probably see through her n as soon as he woke up. If he found out what she did, he would not only take action against her but also try to exin to Hailey. Instead of that, she might as well let Hadley misunderstand on her own. Someone like Hailey, she wouldn¡¯t question Cedric, she would just choose to let go. And that was exactly what Hertha needed, for Hailey to let go. Only if Hailey let go, would she have a chance, right? But it was just wishful thinking. She once tried to seduce his brother while dating Cedric. For this reason, Cedric would never give her another chance. After being ruthlessly exposed by Cedricst time, Hertha finally understood that her dream of marrying into the Laurence family waspletely. shattered She had no hope left, but even if she had no hope, she wouldn¡¯t let Hailey¡¯s ns seed. As long as she could make Hailey give up, her frustration would turn into relief. With this thought, a cold smirk appeared at the corner of Hertha¡¯s mouth ¡°Hailey, don¡¯t even think about fighting over a man with me.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. The next day, when Cedric woke up from his hangover, he found himself in his apartment. He thought it must have been Chase who brought him back, so he didn¡¯t think much of it. With a splitting headache, he made his way to the bathroom. After freshening up, he casually made a cup of coffee, and while sipping it, he opened hisptop to check up on thepany news. Seeing that there was nothing particrly important that required his attention, he closed hisptop and went to find his phone. Finding his phone in his pocket, he noticed a missed call from Haileyst night. Cedric was taken aback for a moment, then a wave of joy flooded his heart as he realized Hailey had unblocked him. He immediately called her back, but she didn¡¯t answer. Cedric furrowed his brows, put down his phone, and felt a sense of unease. Chapter 1193 Chapter 1193 While he was feeling super anxious, Hailey sent him a message. Cedric immediately opened it, his body tensed up as he read the content. Once he realized what she wanted to do, he tried to call Hailey, but she didn¡¯t answer and hung up instead. When he tried again, he was blocked. Cedric ended the call, went back to the chat and swiftly typed, ¡°Hailey, what¡¯s up, why won¡¯t you let me propose to you?¡± His message couldn¡¯t be sent, apparently he was blocked once again. Cedric frowned at the message Hailey had sent. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Cedric, don¡¯t bring up the proposal again. I won¡¯t marry you. As for what happened that night, consider it a one¨Cnight stand, don¡¯t dwell on it.¡± So¡­ Hailey didn¡¯t respond immediately because she was considering whether or not to ept his proposal, and now that she made up her mind, she gave him a clear answer? He let everyone know about his intentions, thinking it would corner her, who knew Hailey would still be so adamant. Even though they had been intimate, she could dismiss it as a one¨Cnight stand and didn¡¯t take it to heart. Cedric was fuming, and he threw his phone in frustration. For every step Hailey took, he took ten, always hoping to melt her cold heart. Little did he know, her heart was harder than a rock, and he couldn¡¯t break 1. in. He sat angrily on the sofa, after a while, he picked up his phone and decided to go to Hailey¡¯s ce. However, Hailey wasn¡¯t home. The nanny said she didn¡¯te homest night, Cedric guessed she might be working at the club and drove there immediately. When he got to the club, the manager said the boss hadn¡¯t shown up and asked Cedric where she went. Unable to find Hailey, Cedric panicked and called Eleanor. Eleanor, busy with her design sketches, immediately put down her tools and answered the call. ¡°Eleanor, do you know where Hailey is?¡± Before Eleanor could ask, she heard Cedric¡¯s anxious voice. ¡°Isn¡¯t she at home?¡± Cedric¡¯s anxiety made Eleanor worried too. ¡°If she¡¯s not home, she might be at her club, have you checked there?¡± Hearing Eleanor¡¯s response, Cedric knew that she didn¡¯t know where Hailey was either. ¡°Eleanor, she sent me a message rejecting my proposal and blocked me. Could you give her a call for me?¡± Hearing about Hailey¡¯s rejection, Eleanor¡¯s worry turned into surprise. ¡°Why would she reject you?¡± Cedric felt uneasy, ¡°I have no idea.¡± Hailey had been rejecting him over and over again that he was used to it, it just pissed him off. She clearly had feelings for him, why did she keep rejecting him, what did she take him for? ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± Eleanor frowned. ¡°She told me the other day that if you proposed, she might ept it. Why would she suddenly reject you?¡± Even though Hailey said ¡°might¡°, from her words, it sounded like she wanted to marry him. Hailey rejected him in just a day, there must be a reason, right? The reason, Cedric knew who was behind this just by thinking a little! ¡°I bet my parents went to see her privately. Eleanor, I¡¯m going home, could you call and tell Hailey not to be afraid, leave everything to me.¡± After Cedric finished speaking, he hung up and quickly drove to his parents¡® house. Chapter 1194 Chapter 1194 As soon as Eleanor processed things, she immediately dialed Hailey¡¯s number. Hailey picked up, ¡°Eleanor, what¡¯s up?¡± Hearing Hailey¡¯s voice, Eleanor felt a bit relieved, ¡°Hailey, where are you right now?¡± Walking out of the arport with sunsses on, Hailey softly replied, I¡¯m in M Country now.¡± Eleanor asked, puzzled, ¡°Why did you suddenly go to M Country?¡± Hailey hesitated for a moment but decided to tell her anyway, ¡°Garett just had his surgery, he needs someone to take care of him¡± Mentioning Garett caused a slight change in Eleanor¡¯s expression, but she quickly regained her composure, ¡®Did his surgery go well?¡± Hailey nodded. ¡°The surgery went well, we¡¯ll have to see how he recovers though. But there¡¯s a high chance he¡¯ll be able to walk again.¡± Hearing that Garett might be able to stand up again, Eleanor sighed in relief. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. When do you think you guys will be able toe back?¡± Hailey responded, ¡°He just had his surgery, he needs some time to recover. Probably a month. Once he¡¯s mostly healed, we¡¯lle back for physical therapy.¡± After she got a clear picture of the situation, Eleanor finally brought up Cedric, ¡°Hailey, did you reject Cedric because his parents talked to you behind his back?¡± Hailey knew what Eleanor was calling about and took a deep breath, ¡°His mom was right. We¡¯re just not right for each other.¡± Eleanor was about to say something but was cut off by Hailey. ¡°Eleanor, there¡¯s no chance for me and Cedric anymore. Stop worrying about us.¡± Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. After that, Hailey looked into the distance and saw Colter Clowers waving at her. She quickly waved back and told Eleanor, ¡°Colter¡¯s here to pick me up. Gotta go.¡± ¡°Wai-¡­ Eleanor didn¡¯t finish her sentence before Hailey hung up. Eleanor held her phone, thought for a moment, and called Cedric to let him know Hailey was in M Country, telling him not to worry. Upon hearing that Hailey had gone abroad, Cedric assumed it was the doing of his parents. He was so infuriated that he sped up his car and drove straight back home. Once Hailey got into Colter¡¯s car, she took off her sunsses. Her swollen eyes were revealed, even her colored lenses couldn¡¯t hide the redness in her eyes. She turned her head, looking out the window. The sky was blue, the clouds were white, it was beautiful but she wasn¡¯t in the mood to appreciate it. Her mind was filled with what she sawst night¡­ She thought, what was the difference between her and Hertha? She slept with Cedric when she was drunk and got a promise from him. He slept with Hertha when he was drunk, then perhaps he would give Hertha a promise as well. So, in Cedric¡¯s eyes, he could sleep with her or Hertha, love her or Hertha. So, what was the difference between her and Hertha? Hailey thought for a long time and found the only difference. She was willing to give Cedric freedom. Someone like Cedric should live freely, not confined by marriage. After crying, she looked at herself in the mirror. Her face was streaked with tears and distorted with pain. She looked hideous, like a woman who has been abandoned. She was always afraid she would end up like this ever since she started dating Cedric. But when her fear became reality, she had no choice but to ept 1. it. But she still didn¡¯t understand why, despite only giving a part of her love, she was still so hurt by him that she had to resort to running away to numb herself? Hailey couldn¡¯t make sense of it all, sheforted herself, it¡¯s okay, hiding for a month, and she could forget him. Then they could go their separate ways, not bothering each other anymore. Chapter 1195 Chapter 1195 Cedric, on his way back home, tore down the whole house. He smashed everything inside, destroying various precious and unique iteris. He behaved like a rioter, unstoppable by anyone, going on a rampage and smashing things wildly. Latonia, shocked by her son¡¯s intense reaction, was fuming with anger. ¡°Cedric, for a woman, you¡¯re treating your parents like this? Where¡¯s your conscience?¡± Cedric, holding a baseball bat, smashing while coldly retorting. ¡°You knew I wanted to marry Hailey, yet you had to interfere. Where¡¯s your conscience?¡± Seeing his precious collections being smashed to the ground, Quin, was absolutely livid. He charged forward, ¡°Cedric, what the hell are you doing?!¡± Cedric, ignoring Quin¡¯s attempt to stop him, raised one of the precious items and mmed it hard onto the ground. ¡°Get my mom to apologize to Hailey, or I¡¯ll smash all your beloved collections!¡± Quin, who usually had no authority, was so angry he was panting. Your mom was doing this for your own good, you ungrateful brat! How could you let her lower herself to apologize to a stranger?¡± At this, Cedric smashed another row of bottles and jars. ¡°If you really cared about me, you would have helped me n the wedding, not go behind my back to bad mouth the woman I want to marry!¡± Watching his beloved collections.turn into rubble, Quin was heartbroken. ¡°These are centuries old, priceless treasures, and you¡¯ve smashed them all, you¡­you¡­ Quin was so angry he nearly passed out, if not for the servants holding him up, he would have copsed. Seeing her husband in such a state, Latonia tried to stop Cedric but was pushed aside. ¡°Mom, you better apologize to Hailey, or I¡¯lle here every day and smash everything. If you don¡¯t let me live peacefully, I won¡¯t let either! you N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. It was clear that he was here to stand up for Hailey. Latonia was surprised at how disrespectful her children were to their parents. They werepletely unfilial! ¡°Go ahead and smash everything, I won¡¯t apologize to her.¡± Proud as Latonia was, how could she possibly bow down to a night club girl? ¡°If you don¡¯t apologize, I¡¯lle here every day and smash things!¡± Cedric was stubborn, if his parents won¡¯t let him be, he won¡¯t let them be either. It¡¯s a contest of who¡¯s more stubborn. Watching Cedric smash everything in the house, Latonia, as angry as she was, forced herself to calm down. The more you do this, the less likely I am to agree to her marrying you. Cedric scoffed, ¡°It¡¯s not about whether you agree or not. It¡¯s about me not allowing you to bully her. You better go to the M Country and apologize to her now!¡± At this, Latonia was so angry she turned red, ¡°You want me to go to the M Country to apologize to her, does she deserve it?!¡± Cedric snatched a precious painting that Quin was holding, and tore it to pieces, ¡°If you care about my dad, then swallow your pride and apologize to her!¡± Seeing the scraps of paper flying around, Quin screamed, ¡°Cedric, why are you destroying my stuff when you have a problem with your mom? I didn¡¯t provoke you!¡± Quin hadn¡¯t forced Hailey to break up, it was all Latonia¡¯s doing. What did that have to do with him? Why was Cedric only destroying his stuff, not Latonia¡¯s? Seeing Quin picking up the scraps of paper from the floor, Latonia red at Cedric, ¡°Consider yourself lucky that your father and I aren¡¯t prone to violence.¡± In other families, if a child destroyed the house like this, they would have been beaten up. Who would let Cedric unt his power and act wildly? Cedric couldn¡¯t be bothered to deal with Latonia anymore. After smashing the collection room, he went on to the living room, kitchen, lounge, bedrooms, one by one, leaving no stone unturned. After smashing everything and violently dismissing all the servants, Cedric surprisingly decided to stay at home. He had no other purpose but to make the two pampered middle¨Caged couple serve him, do hisundry and cook for him, basically, be at his beck and call. Also, he nned to smash things at home every day, and scold the couple for good measure. Basically, do whatever pissed them off, stir up trouble and ..that¡¯s it! Chapter 1196 Chapter 1196 Facing their constantly troubled son, Quin started ming Latonia, ¡°I told you, just let him get married and everything would be fine. But no, you had to step in. Now look at me, an old man, and I have to look after him!¡± Latonia, who was also in the kitchen attempting to cook, nced at Quin helplessly, ¡°Stop yapping and making a mess here.¡± ¡°Everyone has their own fate. Let them figure it out. What if your meddling ends up leaving Cedric single?¡± ¡°With his qualities, there are plenty of women who would be lining up to marry him. How could he possibly end up single?¡± ¡°His qualities?¡± Quin turned his head to look at Cedric, who was lounging around in the living room. As his father, he couldn¡¯t see any such qualities in his son. ¡°Darling.¡± Quin turned back to Latonia, reaching out to gently tug at her sleeve. ¡°Do me a favor, go apologize to Ms. Vulpe¡± Please, just get this annoying person out of here. He couldn¡¯t stand it anymore! Latonia took a ss of water and poured it into a burning hot pot, causing the mes to re up. Seeing this, Quin quickly grabbed the lid and covered the pot, putting out the fire. ¡°See, you can¡¯t even cook properly. You don¡¯t even have basicmon sense. What if there was an ident in the house? Just go and apologize.¡± Hearing her husband keep pushing her to apologize, Latonia was very displeased, ¡°Why should I apologize to her?!¡± Latonia lifted the lid and looked at the food inside, which was now burnt beyond recognition. Suppressing her anger, she dumped the food out and started cooking again. She didn¡¯t even want to cook in the first ce. But Cedric insisted she cook personally. At her age, this was the first time she had to cook¡­ Latonia felt wronged and angry, but there was nothing she could do. This was her son. She could only endure it, and gritting her teeth, she urged Quin to do the same. ¡°He¡¯s now the CEO of the Laurence Group¡¯s subsidiary. He has a lot of work to do and can¡¯t always be lazing around at home. Just hang in there a bit longer.¡± Latonia¡¯s thought was just to endure it a little longer. But Cedric brought his work home and was working at home every day¡­ Obviously, if Latonia did not apologize, he would just stay at home, causing trouble. Cedric was their son, they couldn¡¯t do anything to him. They had to swallow their anger and take care of him every day. In the end, Quin couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and called Sigrid, hoping she could persuade Cedric, but Sigrid just hung up on him¡­ Looking at the hung up phone, Quin felt a pang of sadness. Their daughter hadn¡¯t been home since she cut ties with the family. Even when he went to see her, she would avoid him. Quin felt sad. Their daughter didn¡¯t want toe home, their son made a fuss when he was at home. Their old home was no longer the same due to Latonia¡¯s meddling. Quin didn¡¯t know when it started, but he was bing increasingly displeased with Latonia. Many times, when Latonia spoke to him, Quin just ignored her¡­. As time passed, Latonia started feeling tired. But she still didn¡¯t give in to Cedric¡¯s unreasonable demands. Sigrid had thought Latonia would learn from her experience and give her brother a chance. But that wasn¡¯t the case. She didn¡¯t want to go home or talk to Latonia, but she still hoped that things could change for her brother. So, she went to Bernard for help. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Although Bernard was the head of the Laurence family, he never interfered in family affairs. Asking him to help settle this matter was a bit too much. Sigrid was a bit hesitant, but Bernard didn¡¯t mind. He agreed, ¡°I¡¯ll go talk to them. You go back first.¡± Bernard was aware of the issue between Cedric¡¯s mother and Hailey, as well as the pressure Cedric had been putting on his parentstely. But he didn¡¯t immediately step in. He didn¡¯t do this for any other reason. He just wanted Cedric to put more pressure on his parents to prevent them from bullying his wife¡¯s sister recklessly. Bernard couldn¡¯t do this, but Cedric could. Naturally, he chose not to interfere. But now that Sigrid had come to him, he had no choice but to get involved. Chapter 1197 Chapter 1197 After Sigrid left, Bernard put down the pen in his hand, gracefully stood up, grabbed his coat, called for the driver, and soon arrived at Quin¡¯s house. Just as Bernard stepped into the living room, out of nowhere, a te flew towards him. Quick as a whip, he dodged it. The te whizzed past him, smashing into the wall behind him with a loud crash, instantly shattering into pieces¡­. Seeing the broken te on the floor and the chaos in the living room, Bernard frowned slightly He rarely visited Quin¡¯s home, but in his memory, it was always spick and span The ce now looked nothing like the tidy home he remembered, it was more like a doghouse Quin had thrown together in his backyard. Seeing Bernard¡¯s arrival, Latonia and Quin, who were in the middle of a fight with Cedric, quickly put on poker faces. ¡°Bernard, what brings you here?¡± Bernard gave Cedric a nce, his face filled with fury. ¡°Got some work stuff to discuss with Cedric.¡± Latonia initially thought Bernard had been summoned by Cedric as backup. Hearing Bernard¡¯s exnation, she breathed a sigh of relief, not wanting Bernard to get tangled up in their family business. ¡°You guys go chat in the study. I¡¯ll go make some coffee¡­¡± Bernard nodded in agreement, then motioned for Cedric to follow him. Cedric then followed Bernard into the study¡­ Shortly after, Latonia came knocking with coffee. ¡°Bernard, I wasn¡¯t sure what you like, so I picked one based on Quin¡¯s taste. Give it a try, if it¡¯s not to your liking. I can get you a different one.¡± Latonia spoke with a courteous tone to the formidable Bernard, her voice as gentle as if she were talking to her own son. Though Bernard rarely ate out, faced with Latonia¡¯s warmth, he took a sip of the coffee. To him, the coffee tasted awful, but he nodded politely to Latonia, ¡°The coffee¡¯s good. Thanks.¡± Seeing Bernard¡¯s response, Latonia¡¯s mood instantly brightened, ¡°I¡¯ll let you guys chat while I order some food.¡± Her own cooking might be hard to swallow, so ordering in from a restaurant would be a better idea. With Bernard around, she went off to order the food, Cedric wouldn¡¯t start something right now, after all, he couldn¡¯t make a scene in front of Bernard. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. With that thought in mind, Latonia was about to leave when Bernard called out to her, ¡°Can I talk to you?¡± She turned around, pointing at herself in surprise, ¡°Me?¡± Bernard looked indifferent, he lifted his head and gave a slight nod, ¡°Yeah.¡± Latonia looked at him, then at Cedric sitting nearby. It seemed Bernard was here to speak on Cedric¡¯s behalf. She thought it over for a moment, then decided to sit down opposite them. She was curious as to how Bernard would persuade her to apologize to Hailey. As she sat down, Bernard turned his gaze to Cedric. With just one look, Cedric immediately got up, leaving them some space. After Cedric left the room, Bernard slowly turned to Latonia, ¡°Latonia, you¡¯re well aware that Hailey is my wife¡¯s sister, right?¡± Latonia had assumed Bernard would try to persuade her gently. She was taken aback when his opening line was a reprimand, her heart skipping a beat. She tried toe up with an excuse, but Bernard cut her off, coldly stating, ¡°You¡¯re my uncle¡¯s wife, Hailey is my wife¡¯s sister. You should know who¡¯s more important to me, I shouldn¡¯t have to remind you, should I?¡± Seeing Bernard¡¯s harsh words, the mild expression Latonia had been maintaining suddenly turned cold, ¡°Bernard, if you¡¯re going to speak like that, then you¡¯re disrespecting your uncle.¡± Bernard smiled slightly, his tone icy, ¡°Latonia, you knew full well Hailey is my wife¡¯s sister, but you still sought her out to belittle her. Isn¡¯t that also disrespecting me?¡± His repetition of Hailey is my wife¡¯s sister¡® instantly elevated Hailey¡¯s status. This left Latonia, who had been looking down on Hailey, feeling awkward. Chapter 1198 Chapter 1198 Despite the awkwardness, Latonia firmly said, ¡°Even if she¡¯s your sister, she needs my blessing to be part of my family. Don¡¯t I, as a future mother-inw, have the right to have a chat with her?¡± After staring at Latonia for a moment, Bernard retorted, ¡°Who said Ms. Vulpe wants to marry into your family?¡± Without thinking, Latonia shot back, ¡°If she doesn¡¯t want to marry into my family, why has she been hanging around my son for five years?¡± Leaning back on the couch, Bernard gave azy smile, ¡°Seems like you don¡¯t really know your own son.¡± If she didn¡¯t know her own son, who would? She stated firmly, ¡°Cedric is my son, I raised him. No one knows him better than I do.¡± Bernard didn¡¯t argue with the stubborn Latonia, only saying. ¡°You might not know that after Cedric and Ms. Vulpe broke up, he spent two years trying to win her back.¡± Latonia froze, staring at Bernard in shock, ¡°With Cedric¡¯s personality, there¡¯s no way he¡¯d spend two years chasing a woman. That¡¯s impossible!¡± She couldn¡¯t believe her son would do such a thing. In her mind, Cedric was a yboy, not one to settle down. She figured that the only reason they¡¯d been together for five years was because Hailey was desperate to marry into wealth, that she clung to Cedric like glue. Knowing Bernard was defending Hailey, Latonia didn¡¯t want to outright use her, so she subtly said, ¡°Cedric would never do that, it must have been Ms. Vulpe clinging to him.¡± Bernard didn¡¯t care about Latonia¡¯s perspective, ¡°If Ms. Vulpe was clinging to Cedric, then why would she immediately reject his proposal after you approached her?¡± Latonia argued, ¡°She rejected him because she¡¯s ying hard to get, trying to use Cedric against me. Once we fall out, she can swoop in and benefit. Otherwise, she would have knelt before me begging to let them be together. But she didn¡¯t do that, instead she urged Cedric to turn against us.¡± Only Latonia could see Hailey in such a viinous light. ¡°Ms. Vulpe noting to you shows she doesn¡¯t want to marry into your family. And Cedric opposing you for Ms. Vulpe shows how much he loves her. Only someone in love would stick to her like glue.¡± Latonia didn¡¯t agree with Bernard¡¯s view, countering, ¡°He¡¯s just a kid. Look at what he¡¯s doing, it¡¯s clear he¡¯s not grown up. How can a child talk about love? Plus, he¡¯s doing this because he feels I¡¯m controlling him and he¡¯s rebelling. He¡¯s just stubborn about getting what he can¡¯t have.¡± In short, Latonia refused to believe Cedric was in love with Hailey. Realizing the problem, Bernard said coldly, ¡°Before meeting Ms. Vulpe, Cedric might have been a yer, but after meeting her, Cedric stopped messing around¡­¡± Bernard paused, then lifted his cool gaze to Latonia, ¡°You think he stopped ying around because Ms. Vulpe is maniptive and deliberately lured him? If so, then why didn¡¯t he stick with Hertha for five years? And back then, Cedric was even younger, wasn¡¯t he even more immature?¡± If Latonia was a negotiation expert, then Bernard was an opponent she couldn¡¯t find a way to counter. For instance, now, just as she was about to speak, Bernard coldly cut her off. ¡°Besides, if a woman¡¯s maniptions were enough to tie down Cedric for five years, then I wouldn¡¯t entrust someone so impulsive with the position of CEO in my branchpany. It¡¯s because I saw Cedric¡¯s growth and change that I gave him this position. You don¡¯t trust him, do you not trust me either?¡± If the previous sentences defending Ms. Vulpe weren¡¯t enough to convince Latonia, then this sentence ¡®You don¡¯t trust him, do you not trust me either? was a clear warning to Latonia that he would never gamble the Lawrence Group on someone immature.. So, Bernard¡¯s choice to overlook Cedric¡¯s older brothers and give him this important position was due to Cedric¡¯s growth. She had thought Cedric got this position because,pared to his younger brothers, Bernard had a better rtionship with Cedric. She didn¡¯t expect Bernard to be so far from shallow.N?velDrama.Org content rights. Chapter 1199 Chapter 1199 Latonia finally calmed down, lifting her gaze to Bernard and asked him with a puzzled look, ¡°Are you saying that Cedric started to change, to grow, all because he fell in love with Hailey Vulpe?¡± Bernard replied with a stoic face, ¡°Cedric had been turned down by Ms. Vulpe, and then he realized he was head over heels for her. She¡¯s the reason he changed so much. Without Ms. Vulpe, he¡¯d probably still be a good¨Cfor¨Cnothing.¡± Latonia noticed that Cedric was keeping up with his work no matter what he was doing at home ¨C something unheard of in the past. She had lectured him countless times to settle down and stop fooling around, all to no avail. Yet, the moment Hailey appeared, he transformed instantly. This left a bitter taste in her mouth. But she kept it to herself, knowing that no matter what she said, Bernard would always take Hailey¡¯s side. Seeing Latonia¡¯s displeasure, Bernard¡¯s eyes grew colder, ¡°Latonia, you took one side of the story and pegged Chase McCall as a yboy, leading you to break him and Sigrid. apart. Then, after witnessing Chase¡¯s growth, you tried to push him back to Sigrid. But she no longer loved Chase, nor epted any other men. She even rejected someone like Peterson Sharp. She¡¯s still unmarried to this day. And it¡¯s all because of your meddling. You¡¯ve ruined your daughter¡¯s love life. Are you nning to ruin your son¡¯s life too?¡± Mention of Sigrid and Chase stirred up Latonia¡¯s guilt. She couldn¡¯t refute Bernard¡¯s biting words and could only reply in a small voice, ¡°I regret breaking up Sigrid and Chase. But Hailey is different from Chase. She doesn¡¯t love Cedric with all her heart, nor did she beg me to give them my blessing like Chase did. She¡¯s just got my son wrapped around her finger. And as a mother, it¡¯spletely normal for me to step in.¡± What she was trying to say was that the situations between Chase and Sigrid, and Hailey and Cedric were different and shouldn¡¯t bepared. Also, Bernard¡¯s words were too harsh. Just confronting Hailey once wouldn¡¯t ruin Cedric¡¯s life, would it? In fact, Latonia was just using the excuse that Hailey didn¡¯t love Cedric enough to fulfill her controlling desires of choosing her son¡¯s wife and daughter¡¯s husband. Understanding this, Bernard didn¡¯t call her out, but instead, coldly stated, ¡°If even you, as his mother, think that Cedric wouldn¡¯t give his true heart, how would Ms. Vulpe, who has been through a failed marriage, dare to fully love your son?¡± Latonia¡¯s breath hitched, as if guided by Bernard, she suddenly felt what Hailey might have felt. She started to ask herself if she would dare to love again if she met a man like Cedric. The answer was, she wouldn¡¯t. She wouldn¡¯t risk her stable life for a fickle man, but Hailey would. Hailey promised that if she married Cedric, she wouldn¡¯t treat him like before. She would devote herself completely, love him, cherish him, care for him, protect him, and never betray him. How could a woman who made such a promise not love her son? Latonia lowered her head, but when she realized that she was actually thinking from Hailey¡¯s perspective, she found Bernard, the persuader, far too terrifying. Bernard, worthy of being the head of the Laurence family, left her speechless with his negotiation skills. Not only did she ept the fact that Cedric loved Hailey more, but with just one sentence, Bernard made her think from Hailey¡¯s perspective. Following this logic, after making Latonia realize that Cedric loved Hailey more, he continued, ¡°Looking at Sigrid¡¯s past, you didn¡¯t learn your lesson to understand your children¡¯s feelings. Instead, youN?velDrama.Org content rights. persisted in your ways and continued to pressure your son. Have you ever thought that if your son doesn¡¯te out strong like your daughter after losing his love, what would you do? Would you cry holding his dead body, or regret your past decisions?¡± Latonia, frightened by the mention of ¡®dead body¡®, turned pale and said, ¡°Cedric¡­ he wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. Why would he?¡± Chapter 1200 Chapter 1200 Upon hearing this, Latonia bowed her head slowly, her firmly held beliefs began to waver. What was she worried about? Previously, she was worried that a guy like Chase wasn¡¯t suitable for Sigrid, so she pulled all the strings to separate them. Then she discovered Chase actually had his own difficulties. At this time, she was worried that a woman like Hailey wasn¡¯t suitable for Cedric, and she was thinking about meddling again, but¡­ What if one day she suddenly realizes that Hailey isn¡¯t what she thought she was, would she regret her actions today, just like she regretted separating Chase? This thought broke out and a cold sweat ran down Latonia¡¯s back. She hadn¡¯t even taken that step yet, why was she having such thoughts? Was it the impact of past experiences? Thinking about how Sigrid suffered after losing Chase, and how she cut off rtions with her after knowing the truth, gave Latonia the chills. Was losing a daughter not enough, would she lose a son too? Noticing Latonia seemed reflective, Bernard seized the opportunity and said, ¡°What¡¯s the big deal if you let Cedric marry Ms. Vulpe once? If Cedric is like you said, that he wants to marry Ms. Vulpe just because he can¡¯t have her, they¡¯ll eventually divorce. Then, you can pick a suitable wife for Cedric. He won¡¯t resent you, and he¡¯ll feel that you, as a mother, always think about his best interests, and he¡¯ll be grateful But if you try meddling at a time when he loves Hailey the most and split them up, you would not only ruin his marriage but also break the your rtionship. Why would you want to suffer such a loss?¡± Upon hearing this, Latonia had a sudden realization. Yeah, Cedric is not Sigrid, he¡¯s a man, the young master of the Laurence family, and the CEO of the Laurence Group¡¯s division. Even if it¡¯s a second marriage, many women would still want to marry him. What was she worried about? But now, as Cedric said, it¡¯s not a question of whether she can ept it, but she needs to apologize to Hailey. When she thought that Hailey might be her daughter¨Cinw one day, she was even more reluctant to lower her head to Hailey¡­ Latonia couldn¡¯t put down her pride, so she chose silence. She always thought that as long as she didn¡¯t speak, Bernard wouldn¡¯t know her thoughts. But she didn¡¯t expect that Bernard, after seeing her silent for a while, suddenly brought the topic back to the original goal. ¡°In the cafe, you said Ms. Vulpe has no parents, belittled her for being an orphan, have you forgotten that my wife also has no parents and is an orphan?¡± Seeing Bernard even knew where she met Hailey and what she said, Latonia was even more uneasy. ¡°Bernard, I was talking about Ms. Vulpe. I didn¡¯t mention Eleanor. Don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± Bernard seemed a bit impatient and coldly said, ¡°Ms. Vulpe is my wife¡¯s sister. I don¡¯t want to say it a third time.¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. His point was, Ms. Vulpe is his wife¡¯s sister. Even if they don¡¯t have blood ties, they are still family, and he can¡¯t avoid responsibility. Latonia understood his point, knowing that Bernard actually wanted her to propose a solution. So she said, ¡°Let¡¯s do this, I¡¯ll go apologize to Eleanor.¡± Bernard scoffed, ¡°You directed those words at Ms. Vulpe, so you should first apologize to Ms. Vulpe, get her forgiveness, and then go see my wife.¡± In other words, if she couldn¡¯t get Ms. Vulpe¡¯s forgiveness, she had no right to see his wife. How daring of him! Bernard was getting impatient. He took out his phone, sent a message, and then looked at Latonia. ¡°The private jet is ready. You should leave for M Country now to handle this, and report to me when it¡¯s done.¡± Latonia was surprised to be arranged like this. She was just about to reprimand Bernard for disrespecting his elder, but then she saw him stand up and look down at her. ¡°I¡¯m the head of the Laurence family, I hope you do as I say, otherwise¡­¡± He didn¡¯t finish, just ncing at her coldly and then he left. Looking at his elegant back, Latonia suddenly realized that if it weren¡¯t for defending Eleanor¡¯s sister, Bernard probably wouldn¡¯t even bother to look at her, let alone argue patiently with her. She suddenly understood why ke said that Bernard¡¯s feelings for Eleanor were so deep that he might be in danger because of her. At first, Latonia couldn¡¯t understand the deep meaning of this sentence, but now she felt ke was right. How could a person like Bernard, who was so persistent in love and had such a weakness, not be in danger? After all, there are countless people who want the power of the Laurence family¡­ However, people like Bernard, who can achieve their goals easily through conversation, can really be threatened? Chapter 1201 Chapter 1201 In the end, Latonia couldn¡¯t resist Bernard¡¯s pressure and hopped on the private jet, with her son tagging along. Before theynded in M Country, Cedric kept reminding her to watch her tongue when they meet Hailey, or he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to keep making their lives hell Cedric¡¯s threats reminded Latonia of Bernard, but he didn¡¯t have Bernard¡¯s guts. Latonia thought to herself, how great it would be if Bernard was her son. His intimidation alone was enough to force her onto the ne with just a few words. And her son Cedric, he only threatened to take action against his own family, but in reality, he never followed through with anything menacing. Watching Cedric keep jabbering, Latonia yelled at him impatiently. ¡°Shut up!¡± Cedric stopped talking, epted the coffee from the flight attendant and took a sip. ¡°Mom, if you help me get Hailey back, I¡¯ll respect you more.¡± This was something Bernard had told him to say before he left. He wasn¡¯t sure why Bernard wanted him to say it. Hearing such a ¡°touching¡± statement for Hailey, Latonia was quite taken aback, ¡°You really like Hailey that much?¡± Cedric corrected her, cupping his coffee, ¡°Not like, love. I love her a lot.¡± In Latonia¡¯s memory, Cedric had always been irresponsible. This was the first time she saw him so serious and sincere. Thinking about Bernard¡¯s ¡°dead body hypothesis¡°, Latonia unconsciously asked, ¡°What if she¡¯s gone?¡± Cedric turned his head, looking at Latonia, and said seriously, ¡°If she¡¯s gone, I might want to end my life. Like the car identst time, I thought if Hailey doesn¡¯t want me. I might as well be dead.¡± Latonia¡¯s heart trembled, but she scolded him, ¡°You¡¯d actually think about dying for a woman? You¡¯re pathetic!¡± Cedric didn¡¯t mind, he just smiled, ¡°It¡¯s gic. It¡¯s not my fault!¡± His father was the same, willing to give everything for his wife. That¡¯s the good genes of Laurence family. Thinking about Quin Laurence being the same, Latonia felt a little relieved, ¡°All of you Laurences are crazy for love, none of you are normal¡± Cedric immediately countered her, ¡°That¡¯s clearly a good trait.¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Latonia frowned, ¡°Don¡¯t let your grandfather hear that.¡± Cedric chuckled, ¡°Anyway, as long as you help me win Hailey back, I¡¯ll treat you well.¡± Well¡­ he couldn¡¯te up with anything else touching to say, so he just repeated what Bernard taught him. Latonia lifted her head to look at the beaming Cedric. From the moment she boarded the ne, the smile on his face never faded¡­ He was truly happy, so he must mean it when he said he¡¯d respect her, right? Bernard was right, having your son be grateful is way better than having him resent you. Maybe after helping Cedric, she could also use this opportunity to win her daughter¡¯s forgiveness¡­ With this thought in mind, Latonia wasn¡¯t as resistant anymore. After they got off the ne, Cedric led her to the hospital. She heard Hailey came here to take care of their little brother from the orphanage where they spent their childhood together. Latonia didn¡¯t quite understand why she would do so much for just a childhood friend? It wasn¡¯t until she arrived at the ward and saw Hailey through the ss, acting like a big sister, using a towel to wipe Jason Clowers¡® face, then his hands. Her actions were clearly intimate, but there was no romance. She was just sincerely taking care of her own family¡­ This side of Hailey made La Chapter 1202 Chapter 1202 Unaware of the presence outside, Hailey, bending over the man in the hospital bed, asked, ¡°Garett, what do you want to eat? I can make something at home.¡± Garett, who had just undergone major surgery, was pale and skinny, barely had the strength to talk. But when faced with Hailey, he murmured: ¡°Let Colter get it. You don¡¯t have to run back.¡± Hailey had been rushing between the hospital and home for some time and was already worn out. As she swiftly wrung out a towel, she said, ¡°You don¡¯t like the food here, I¡¯ll cook at home.¡± Garett tried to persuade her again but was cut off by Hailey¡¯s gentle words, ¡°I¡¯m just cooking a meal, it¡¯s not tiring. You can only have some light food now, it¡¯s a piece of cake to pr¨¦pare.¡± Is cooking really not tiring? Latonia watched Hailey, Was it because she had been cooking since she was a child that she didn¡¯t find it tiring? Thinking of this, Latonia¡¯s face sank again. Why was she always putting herself in Hailey¡¯s shoes? This habit wasn¡¯t good, she needed to change! Cedric saw Hailey was busy and didn¡¯t disturb her. He approached her after she had finished pouring water and came out. ¡°Hailey.¡± Seeing Cedric here, Hailey was taken aback. She stood there stunned for a while, then quickly lowered her head and walked away. Seeing her ignoring him, Cedric hurried after her and stopped her. ¡°Hailey, I know about my mom contacting you behind the scenes.¡± Hailey had mentioned this to Eleanor, so it wasn¡¯t surprising that Cedric knew. But¡­ Hailey nced at Latonia in the distance. Why was his mother here too? As she was puzzled, Cedric turned around and pointed at Latonia. ¡°I brought my mom here today to apologize to you.¡± ¡°Apologize?¡± Would a high¨Css woman like Latonia apologize to her? Hailey didn¡¯t believe it at all, but Cedric said, ¡°My mom badmouthed you first, so she naturally owes you an apology.¡± After saying that, he turned his head and gestured to Latonia. Latonia then reluctantly walked up to Hailey, ¡°I was too harsh before, Ms. Vulpe, I hope you don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Although she lowered her head, her tone and demeanor were still condescending. But Hailey didn¡¯t care, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± After giving a casual reply, Hailey wanted to go back and cook. Seeing her turn around, Cedric quickly reached out to grab her wrist, ¡°Hailey, you¡­¡± Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. As soon as his fingers touched Hailey¡¯s skin, she recoiled as if touched by something filthy, backing away several steps. Her strong reaction left Cedric stunned. What happened to Hailey? Why was she so resistant to him? Was it because Latonia¡¯s apology wasn¡¯t sincere enough that she reacted this way? Cedric, who thought it was Latonia¡¯s problem, nudged her with his elbow. ¡°Mom, apologize properly, be sincere.¡± When Latonia was filled with anger inside, but seeing Cedric¡¯s pleading eyes, she forcefully suppressed her anger. She held back her anger, adjusted her posture, and was about to apologize again, but Hailey rejected her. ¡°Mrs. Laurence, you don¡¯t need to apologize to me. You¡¯re his mother, and it¡¯s normal for you to worry about him. I understand.¡± Latonia originally thought Hailey would take this opportunity to fight back. But hearing these words, she was also stunned. What did she mean? Hailey took out her wallet from her jean pocket, pulled out a bank card, and handed it to Latonia with both hands. ¡°Mrs. Laurence, this is the bank card you gave me.¡± Seeing the card, Cedric finally knew that Latonia had once insulted Hailey with money. His anger, which had just subsided, red up all at once. ¡°ording to the previous rules, if I ept the card, it means I give up on Cedric. If I don¡¯t ept it, I will return the card to you. Now, I¡¯m giving the card back to you.¡± Hearing this, Latonia raised an eyebrow, quickly understanding that Hailey was ying mind games. See, as soon as she lowered her status to apologize, Hailey immediately chose not to give up. Didn¡¯t this prove her clever tactics? Otherwise, if she genuinely didn¡¯t want to give up, why would she pretend to reject Cedric? Was she trying to get Cedric into trouble? Latonia, who had been persuaded by Bernard, cast all her previous doubts out of her mind after seeing Hailey¡¯s true intentions. ¡°Are you nning to give up your nightclub by returning the bank card to me?¡± Hearing Latonia threatening Hailey in front of him, Cedric was about to lose his temper. But Hailey spoke first. ¡°I returned the card to you because I don¡¯t want your money, and I also don¡¯t want Cedric.¡± Cedric got nervous. Hailey didn¡¯t want him? ¡°Hailey, what are you talking about?¡± Hailey didn¡¯t even nce at him, she just looked at Latonia, and calmly said, ¡°Mrs. Laurence, rest assured, I will never marry Cedric in my lifetime.¡± Chapter 1203 Chapter 1203 As soon as these words were spoken, not only Cedric but also Latonia couldn¡¯t figure them out. Latonia thought to herself, ¡°I apologized personally, isn¡¯t it enough for Hailey? Does she still need to y those mind games?¡± However, Hailey wasn¡¯t deliberately opposing Latonia. She genuinely didn¡¯t want Cedric anymore. After Hailey grabbed Latonia¡¯s hand, stuffed the card into it, and quickly turned to leave, Cedric chased after her like a madman. He grabbed her and pulled her into his arms. ¡°Hailey, if you think my mom¡¯s apology wasn¡¯t sincere enough, tell me. I¡¯ll have her apologize again. Don¡¯t say you don¡¯t want to marry me.¡± Cedric¡¯s embrace was like a vine, tightly wrapping around Hailey, making it impossible for her to break free and causing her pain. He had held Hertha, Norene, and countless other women before. She didn¡¯t care in the past, but now, she felt disgusted. She didn¡¯t even want to talk to him, she just tried to push him away. But Cedric held her tightly, as if she would disappear the moment he let go. ¡°Hailey, my mom was wrong. She knows her mistake and came to apologize. It means she won¡¯t stop us anymore. Don¡¯t be mad, don¡¯t leave me because of this.¡± Unable to break free, the scent of Cedric reminded Hailey of that night. She felt nauseous and pushed him away furiousty. ¡°Get off me!¡± But how could Cedric possibly let her go? He held on to her desperately. ¡°I can hardly see you, how could I let you go!¡± His grip was like a shackle, binding Hailey. Suddenly, she couldn¡¯t control her emotions and exploded- ¡°DO NOT TOUCH ME! DO NOT TOUCH ME, I SAID DO NOT TOUCH ME!¡± This thunderous roar, along with the frantic shoving, startled both Cedric and Hailey herself. She slowly looked up at Cedric, his eyes mirrored her¡­ She wasn¡¯t the gentle Hailey from before, but a distorted, hateful woman. She was afraid of bing a shrew, but because of the 50% love, she turned into what she feared. In the end, she became a shrew¡­ Her strong reaction made Cedric slowly let go. ¡°Hailey, alright, I won¡¯t touch you¡­¡± Cedric¡¯s voice was gentle, but his eyes were fearful. Seeing this, Hailey felt bitter. She remembered when Austin Zimmer cheated on her and got hit, he looked at her the same way. She could imagine how ugly she was when she was angry, enough to frighten the one who made the mistake. She hated being like this, absolutely hated it. But she was strong, unwilling to show her vulnerable side to others¡­ She said ¡°sorry¡± and tried to leave, but was stopped by Cedric again. This time, he didn¡¯t touch her but kept a proper distance. ¡°Hailey, are you okaytely?¡± That night, she was still full of affection and charm when he was with her. How could she be so repulsive after such a short time? Hailey kept her head down and didn¡¯t speak. This silence and calmness made Cedric more uneasy than her outburst. ¡°Is it because of my mom that you¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about your mother.¡± ¡°Then what is it?¡± Besides his mother¡¯s interference, what else could it be? Hailey, now calm, slowly looked up at the man standing in front of her, still maintaining a distance. ¡°You know it yourself. Why do you want me to spell it out? Can¡¯t you leave some dignity to yourself?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Cedric was confused by her vague words. ¡°What do I know?¡± What should he know? Seeing him pretending to be clueless, Hailey¡¯s disappointment in Cedric grew. That night, when Hertha asked if he was enjoying it, he responded. Now he was acting like he knew nothing. Having revealed the truth, it was enough for him to know. There was no need to say something too awkward in front of his mother. ¡°Cedric, there¡¯s no chance for us anymore. Don¡¯te look for me.¡± After saying this, she turned to leave. The surprised Cedric chased after her again. ¡°Hailey, exin it to me. Even if we don¡¯t get married, at least let me understand.¡± Whether it was because of his mother or for other reasons, he should at least know the root of the problem. Chapter 1204 Chapter 1204 Hailey lifted her head, staring at the innocent¨Clooking Cedric in front of her and scotted. ¡°Apparently, I don¡¯t love you that much.¡± She didn¡¯t love him that much¡­ so she didn¡¯t want to marry him. The reason that broke Cedric¡¯s heart more than his mother¡¯s disapproval was this. But¡­ ¡°I know you don¡¯t love me that much. As long as I have a tiny spot in your heart, it¡¯s enough.¡± Watching her son beg Hailey in such a humble way, Latonia suddenly felt painful. She always thought it was Hailey who was clingy, but as Bernard said, it was the other way around. And Hailey, far from being moved, just stared nkly at the almost kneeling Cedric, ¡°Mr. Laurence, you don¡¯t even have a tiny spot in my heart.¡± Cedric didn¡¯t believe this at all. ¡°If there was no ce for me, why did you¡­¡± ¡°I was drunk!¡± Hailey interrupted him coldly. ¡°Even if it wasn¡¯t you sleeping with me that night, it could have been any guy.¡± Those cold and ruthless words pierced Cedric¡¯s heart, making him go pale. ¡°Hailey, have you ever considered how I would feel when you say things like this?¡± ¡°Why should I consider your feelings when I don¡¯t even love you!¡± This angry retort made Cedric¡¯s clear eyes turn red. He stepped forward, grabbed Hailey¡¯s wrist, but she fiercely fought back and shook him off. This repeated rejection instantly enraged Cedric- Without any hesitation, he grabbed Hailey¡¯s shoulders, pushed her against the wall, and encircled her in his arms. Hailey tried to suppress her feelings of disgust and struggled fiercely. He held her hands with one hand and mped her legs with his. After restraining her, Cedric grabbed her chin, forcing her to lift her head, angrily staring into her dodging eyes. ¡°Hailey, look into my eyes and tell me, do you love me or not?!¡± He had intended to be calm andposed, but the unreasonable Hailey made it impossible! Forced to meet his gaze, Hailey calmly answered, looking into Cedric¡¯s angry eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t love you.¡± This answer instantly extinguished Cedric¡¯s rage, leaving him with nothing but cold blood. He stared at Hailey, trying to see any traces of lies in her eyes, but only saw disgust and disdain. Looking at Hailey like this, he stared for a while, then let go of her weakly. Getting the chance to breathe, Hailey turned and ran, as if a moment¡¯s dy would make her stay because of that 50% love. Seeing the breakdown between the two, Latonia immediately went to Cedric¡¯s side and gently patted his shoulder. ¡°I asked Ms. Vulpe before if she loved you or not. She said she didn¡¯t. I think she was telling the truth.¡± Cedric¡¯s heart was bleeding. After hearing this, he pulled up the corner of his mouth and gave a cold laugh. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t love me, then so be it. No one is forcing her!¡± After saying this, Cedric turned around and walked in the opposite direction of Hailey. When he passed a set of tables and chairs in the hallway, he lifted his leg and gave it a furious kick. His toenail in the shoe flipped up due to this angry move¡­ N?velDrama.Org content rights. The Cedric who would feel pain even from a light touch, didn¡¯t notice it this time. Standing in the hallway, Latonia watched the two going in opposite directions, at a loss. This was the result she wanted, but seeing Hailey really rejecting Cedric, she felt somewhat unfair for him. With mixed emotions, she nced at Hailey¡¯s back, then at Cedric¡¯s, and quickly followed her son. After returning to Garett¡¯s house, Hailey rolled up her sleeves, went into the kitchen, and started to get busy. Soon, the aroma of asparagus bacon soup wafted from the pot. Hailey, who should have found it delicious, felt extremely nauseous instead. She thought it might be the bacon going bad. She hastily lifted the lid of the pot and tasted it with a spoon. A wave of nausea almost made her throw up. Luckily, it was just dry heaving. She didn¡¯t care, put down the spoon, picked up the pot of soup, and dumped it into the trash¡­ Chapter 1205 Chapter 1205 Back at the hotel, Latonia found a patch of blood on Cedric¡¯s exposed sock. Latonia was got worried and hastily called for a doctor. Even though the doctor was tending to his wound, Cedric didn¡¯t react at all. He was curled up on the couch, eyes squeezed shut, sulking alone. Seeing her son so down, Latonia¡¯s heart ached. She sat by his side, gentlyforting him. ¡°Son, if she doesn¡¯t want to marry you, so be it. Don¡¯t hurt yourself over a woman like that.¡± Cedric didn¡¯t want to hear it, he turned away, facing the couch. Looking at his tall figure, Latonia sighed deeply. ¡°She¡¯s already told you she doesn¡¯t love you, what are you still holding onto?¡± ¡°She loves me.¡± Hearing this, Latonia couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes. ¡°If she truly loved you, she wouldn¡¯t have hurt you so ruthlessly.¡± Cedric was somewhat angry, his fists clenched tightly. ¡°What do you know?¡± He knew Hailey loved him, just not that deeply, maybe there was just a hint of affection, that¡¯s why she could hurt him ruthlessly. ¡°I may not understand, but if I were you, I would definitely not go looking for Hailey again.¡± Cedric was somewhat hurt, he grabbed a cushion and held it tightly in his arms. ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t want to look for her either, but I love her so much, I can¡¯t let her go.¡± Ever since he realized he was in love with Hailey, he has been unable to control his emotions. He missed the past, no matter what wrong he did, or what wrong he said, as long as he pleaded, she would forgive him. He missed the old her, curling up in his arms like a kitten, cautiously asking him if he had feelings for her. He missed that time with Hailey, he wanted her back. But, he pleaded with her for two years, and she still refused toe back¡­ Cedric felt a sour sensation at the tip of his nose, unconsciously covering his eyes. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have agreed to break up with her two years ago.¡± If he hadn¡¯t agreed, then the Hailey from that time might not have left him. Hearing Cedric¡¯s choke, Latonia¡¯s heart ached. Did he really love Hailey that much? Cedric didn¡¯t answer, but his actions had already proven his deep love for Hailey. Seeing Cedric lying in the hotel, unwilling to go back home, and refusing to eat, Latonia felt heartbroken as well. ¡°Honey, you can¡¯t make Ms. Vulpee back by behaving like this, why bother?¡± He¡¯s making a fuss here, but she can¡¯t see it, why torture himself? Cedric ignored her, just staring out the window, then closing his eyes to sleep, as if he had be a walking corpse. Seeing Cedric like this, Latonia was heartbroken, and she hated Hailey to the bone. But she knew in her heart that if she hadn¡¯t interfered, Cedric and Hailey might not have ended up like this. If it weren¡¯t for her, Cedric might already be happily married now, how could he possibly be like this? Latonia was filled with guilt more and more, she asked the apanying bodyguard to watch over Cedric, and she went to the hospital to find Hailey with her bag. As soon as Hailey walked out of the ward, she ran into Latonia. She was nning to avoid her, but Latonia directly stopped her. ¡°Ms. Vulpe, could you spare a moment to have a cup of coffee with me?¡± Compared to the first time, this time Latonia seemed much more polite, but Hailey still refused her. ¡°I have to go buy a wheelchair. I¡¯m not avable.¡± Latonia stepped forward, blocking her way. ¡°I just want to say a few words, Ms. Vulpe, you don¡¯t have to resist so much.¡± Hailey stopped, looked up, and looked at the high¨Css woman in front of her. ¡°Mrs. Laurence, I rejected your son, so you should take this opportunity to make him give up, instead of coming to chat with me.¡± Unlike the modesty of their first meeting, Hailey was now much sharper in her words. She really didn¡¯t want to marry Cedric, so she stopped being polite, or was it all an act? Latonia was skeptical about this, but she was more inclined to believe the former. After all, if Hailey keeps this up, she and Cedric really have no chance. In Latonia¡¯s view, if Hailey continues like this, she can forget about bing part of her family. ¡°Ms. Vulpe, your rejection of my son was my initial goal, but I didn¡¯tN?velDrama.Org content rights. Chapter 1206 Chapter 1206 Hailey stared ckly at Latonia 1 never threatened your son¡¯s life, so you can¡¯t pin all the me on me.¡± After saying that, she turned to leave, but Latonia¡¯s indifferent voice echoed behind her. ¡°Ms. Vibe, did my son do something wrong What she said to Cedric that day was, ¡°You know it yourself. Why do you want me to spell it out? Can¡¯t you leave some digivity to yourself?¡± Clearly, Cedric did something that hurt her. Latonia wasn¡¯t sure, she just tentatively asked, but Hailey stopped in her tracks. ¡°Ms. Laurence, you should ask your son that question.¡± After saying that Hailey quody walked away. Garett would be able to get out of bed tomorow, she needed to burry up and pick out the best functional wheelchair. Latonia watched Hailey¡¯s retreating figure, stood still for a few seconds, then quicty turned and headed towards the hotel. Back at the hotel the first thing Latonia did was pick up her bag and throw it at Cedric, who was hing motionless on the bed. ¡°Cedric, you bastard, you¡¯re the one who caused the mess, why do I have to clean it up These past few days, she thought it was her meddling that caused them to break un, but it turned out Cedric did something to Hailey first Cedric lying in the bed heard this, slightly furrowed his brows, but didn¡¯t respond to Latonia, Seeing that he still ignored her. Latonia walked over and grabbed his ear. 1 just asked Hailey if you did something to hurt her and she told me to aOOL ¡°Clearly she¡¯s admitting that you did something wrong, tell me exactly what hapcerecor A confused Cedric looked innocently at Latonia. ¡°When did I ever hurt her?¡± After they broke up, he had never been with anyone else. How could he have hurt her? Think carefully, did you sleep with another woman when you were drunk?¡± ¡°No way!¡± Cedric wanted to shake his head in denial, but the moment he raised his hand, be remembered that he had been drunk a while ago. But that time, he woke up without finding any other woman next to him, could it be possible? Seeing her son¡¯s stiff expression, Latonia knew Cedric really did something to hurt Halley She was so angry that she let go of Cedric¡¯s ear, then pointed at his nose and scolded him harshby. ¡°Look at you, you can¡¯t break your partying habits, you shouldn¡¯t have proposed so impulsively. Now look, you involved me and even caused your father to lose so many collectibles! Cedric pushed away the nagging Latonia and quiddy took out his phone. He found Chase¡¯s number from his contacts. Chase was sitting in the dark night, drunk as a skunk. Seeing Cedric¡¯s call, he picked it up in a daze. ¡°Chase, do you remember the night I announced at the party that I was going to marry Halley? Did you bring me home that night?¡± Chase, holding his temple with one hand, thought for a long time with a frown, then shook his head¡­.. 1 can¡¯t remember..* Chase thought to himself. ¡°Did I really bring him home? I don¡¯t think I did.¡± ¡°You can hold your liquor, why would you need me to bring you home?¡± Indeed, he had always been good at holding his liquor, never drunk to the point where Chase had to bring him home. But that night, his friends made him drink too much alcohol, so he got so drunk that he couldn¡¯t even remember the way home. Chase was also drunk and couldn¡¯t help at all so Cedric hung up the call and quickly dialed his assistant¡¯s number. Jacques, check the surveince footage of me leaving the bar on the night of the 27thst month.¡± His assistant, Jacques, was very efficient and quickly found the surveince video and sent it to Cedric When he saw Hertha appear in the surveince footage, Cedric¡¯s heart tightened, and Latonia next to him was so angry that she fainted. ¡°Look at you, it¡¯s clearly your fault, and you¡¯re still making a fuss here. Now you know, I was misunderstood?¡± Cedric nced at Latonia impatiently and continued to scroll through the footage. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. The footage showed him copsing drunk and being helped into a car by Hertha So the one who brought him home was Hertha¡­.. Chapter 1207 Chapter 1207 ¡°Did Hailey reject me because she saw Hertha walking me home?¡± Cedric thought, ignoring the pain in his toes, quickly put on his shoes and rushed to the hospital. He saw Hailey, who had just bought a wheelchair, pushing it into the elevator, and quickly grabbed the handle of the wheelchair. ¡°Hailey, that night, I got drunk and fell at the hotel entrance. Hertha happened to see me and took me home.¡± Cedric was panting, saying all these in one breath, then pulled out his phone, opened the surveince video, and handed it to Hailey. ¡°I swear I didn¡¯t do anything. Don¡¯t reject me because of this.¡± Hailey frowned at the sight of the rugged, unkempt Cedric, ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything?¡± Cedric nodded eagerly. ¡°Yes, nothing!¡± Hailey¡¯s eyes slowly drooped. ¡°Cedric, when will you stop lying to me?¡± Cedric was a little confused, ¡°I didn¡¯t lie to you.¡± ¡°Okay, you said you didn¡¯t lie to me, then tell me, when you and Hertha were in the apartment, why did you respond to her when she asked if you were enjoying it?!¡± Hailey¡¯s question left Cedric dumbfounded. Seeing him speechless, Hailey¡¯s eyes gradually turned red. ¡°Cedric, did you think that I saw nothing, knew nothing, so you used the drunkenness to deceive me?¡± For Hailey, Cedric¡¯s evidence was just an excuse to cover up his mistakes. Facing Hailey¡¯s questioning, Cedric was stunned for a long time until Hailey pushed his hand away, he came back to his senses. ¡°Hailey, I don¡¯t remember anything, I was too drunk that night,pletely unconscious, I¡­¡± ¡°Yes, you unconsciously had sex with Hertha, just like I unconsciously had sex with you!¡± Hailey raised her scarred eyes and quietly looked at Cedric. ¡°But no matter whether you were conscious or not, you slept with her, didn¡¯t you?¡± Cedric, who wanted to argue, couldn¡¯t find any words to defend himself, and could only shake his head weakly. ¡°I don¡¯t remember, I don¡¯t remember anything¡­¡± Looking at Cedric like this, Hailey was extremely disappointed. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t remember, it¡¯s enough for me to witness it with my own eyes when I went to find you in the apartment.¡± Thinking of what she witnessed that night, Hailey couldn¡¯t help but shed tears. As the big tear fell from her eye, Cedric¡¯s heart was like being twisted. ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± What he apologized for was his drunkenness, which gave Hertha an opportunity, not admitting that he betrayed Hailey. He never believed that he would touch Hertha, even if he was drunk and unconscious, he wouldn¡¯t have sex with another woman. But for Hailey, his apology was an admission of having slept with Hertha, which made her feel more desperate than witnessing it. Cedric wanted to help her wipe away her tears, but as soon as his slender fingers touched her face, she flung them away violently. After wiping away the tears on her face, Hailey pushed the wheelchair into the elevator. Cedric wanted to follow her in, but she stopped him. ¡°Don¡¯te to me again!¡± As Hailey¡¯s words echoed, the elevator door closed. Cedric was left outside the elevator, he stared at the elevator door for a few seconds, then quickly opened his phone. He found a few friends who knew Hertha and asked them to send him Hertha¡¯s phone number. Those friends who were closer to Hertha, seeing that he wanted Hertha¡¯s phone number, thought he wanted to get back with Hertha, and quickly sent the number over. After getting the phone number, Cedric immediately dialed it¡­. 1/1 15:29 ¡°Bid Hailey reject me because she saw Hertha walking me home?¡± Cedric thought, fanering the pain in his toes, quickly put on his shoes and rushed to the hospital. He saw Hailey, who had just bought a wheelchair, pushing it into the elevator, and quickly grabbed the handle of the wheelchair. *adex. that night, I get drunk and fell at the hotel entrance, Hertha happened to see me and took me home.¡± Cedric was panting, saving all these in one breath, then pulled out his phone, opened the surveince video, and handed it to Hailey. 7 swear I didn¡¯t do anything. Don¡¯t reject me because of this.¡± Hadley owned at the sight of the rugged, unkempt Cedric, You didn¡¯t do anything?¡± Cedric nocked eagerly, ¡°Yes, nothing!¡± Hailey¡¯s eyes slowly drooped. ¡°Cedric, when will you stop lying to me?¡± Cedric was a little confused, ¡°I didn¡¯t lie to you.¡± Okay, you said you didn¡¯t lie to me, then tell me, when you and Hertha were in the apartment, why did you respond to her when she asked if you were enjoying it?!¡°* Halley¡¯s question left Cedric dumbfounded, Seeing him speechless, Hailey¡¯s eyes gradually turned red. Cedric, did you think that I saw nothing, knew nothing, so you used the drunkenness to deceive me?¡± For Maley, Cedric¡¯s evidence was just an excuse to cover up his mistakes. Facing Hailey¡¯s questioning, Cedric was stunned for a long time until Hailey pushed his hand away, he came back to his senses. Mader, I don¡¯t remember anything, I was too drunk that night,pletely unconscious, I¡­¡± ¡°Yes, you unconsciously had sex with Hertha, just like I unconsciously had sex with you!¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Malley raised her scarred eyes and quietly looked at Cedric, ¡°But no matter whether you were conscious or not, you slept with her, didn¡¯t you?¡± Cedric, who wanted to argue, couldn¡¯t find any words to defend himself, and could only shake his head weakly. I don¡¯t remember, I don¡¯t remember anything¡­¡± Looking at Cedric like this, Hailey was extremely disappointed. It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t remember, it¡¯s enough for me to witness it with my own eyes when I went to find you in the apartment.¡± Thinking of what she witnessed that night, Hailey couldn¡¯t help but shed tears. As the big tear fell from her eye, Cedric¡¯s heart was like being twisted. Halley, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± What he apologized for was his drunkenness, which gave Hertha an opportunity, not admitting that he betrayed Hailey. He never believed that he would touch Hertha, even if he was drunk and unconscious, he wouldn¡¯t have sex with another woman. But for Hailey, his apology was an admission of having slept with Hertha, which made her feel more desperate than witnessing it. Cedric wanted to help her wipe away her tears, but as soon as his slender fingers touched her face, she flung them away violently. After wiping away the tears on her face, Hailey pushed the wheelchair into the elevator. Cedric wanted to follow her in, but she stopped him. ¡°Don¡¯te to me again!¡± As Hailey¡¯s words echoed, the elevator door closed. Cedric was left outside the elevator, he stared at the elevator door for a few seconds, then quickly opened his phone. He found a few friends who knew Hertha and asked them to send him Hertha¡¯s phone number. Those friends who were closer to Hertha, seeing that he wanted Hertha¡¯s phone number, thought he wanted to get back with Hertha, and quickly sent the number over. After getting the phone number, Cedric immediately dialed it¡­ ¡°Did Halley reject me because she saw Hertha walking me home?¡± Cedric thought, ignoring the pain in his toes, quickly put on his shoes and rushed to the hospital He saw Hailey, who had just bought a wheelchair, pushing it into the elevator, and quickly grabbed the handle of the wheelchair, ¡°Hailey, that night, I got drunk and fell at the hotel entrance, Hertha happened to see me and took me home,¡± Cedric was panting, saying all these in one breath, then pulled out his phone, opened the surveince video, and handed it to Hailey, ¡°I swear I didn¡¯t do anything. Don¡¯t reject me because of this,¡± Hailey frowned at the sight of the rugged, unkempt Cedric, ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything?¡± Cedric nodded eagerly, ¡°Yes, nothing!¡± Hailey¡¯s eyes slowly drooped. ¡°Cedric, when will you stop lying to me?¡± Cedric was a little confused, ¡°I didn¡¯t lie to you.¡± ¡°Okay, you said you didn¡¯t lie to me, then tell me, when you and Hertha were in the apartment, why did you respond to her when she asked if you were enjoying for Hailey¡¯s question left Cedric dumbfounded. Seeing him speechless, Hailey¡¯s eyes gradually turned red. ¡°Cedric, did you think that I saw nothing, knew nothing, so you used the drunkenness to deceive me?¡± For Hailey, Cedric¡¯s evidence was just an excuse to cover up his mistakes. Facing Hailey¡¯s questioning, Cedric was stunned for a long time until Hailey pushed his hand away, he came back to his senses. ¡°Hailey, I don¡¯t remember anything. I was too drunk that night,pletely unconscious, L¡­¡± ¡°Yes, you unconsciously had sex with Hertha, Just like I unconsciously had sex with you!¡± Hailey raised her scarred eyes and quietly looked at Cedric, ¡°But no matter whether you were conscious or not, you slept with her, didn¡¯t you?¡± Cedric, who wanted to argue, couldn¡¯t find any words to defend himself, and could only shake his head weakly, ¡°I don¡¯t remember, I don¡¯t remember anything¡­¡± Looking at Cedric like this, Hailey was extremely disappointed. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t remember, it¡¯s enough for me to witness it with my own eyes when I went to find you in the apartment.¡± Thinking of what she witnessed that night, Hailey couldn¡¯t help but shed tears. As the big tear fell from her eye, Cedric¡¯s heart was like being twisted. ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± What he apologized for was his drunkenness, which gave Hertha an opportunity, not admitting that he betrayed Hailey, He never believed that he would touch Hertha, even if he was drunk and unconscious, he wouldn¡¯t have sex with another woman, But for Hailey, his apology was an admission of having slept with Hertha, which made her feel more desperate than witnessing it. Cedric wanted to help her wipe away her tears, but as soon as his slender fingers touched her face, she flung them away violently. After wiping away the tears on her face, Hailey pushed the wheelchair into the elevator. Cedric wanted to follow her in, but she stopped him. ¡°Don¡¯te to me again!¡± As Hailey¡¯s words echoed, the elevator door closed. Cedric was left outside the elevator, he stared at the elevator door for a few seconds, then quickly opened his phone. He found a few friends who knew Hertha and asked them to send him Hertha¡¯s phone number, Those friends who were closer to Hertha, seeing that he wanted Hertha¡¯s phone number, thought he wanted to get back with Hertha, and quickly sent the number over. After getting the phone number, Cedric immediate Chapter 1208 Chapter 1208 Hertha, who was flirting with a man, immediately pushed him away the moment she saw an iing call from him. Making a quiet gesture at the naked man, she answered the call. ¡°Cedric, calling me thiste, are you missing me already?¡± Cedric grimaced at the sound of Hertha¡¯s seductive voice, trying to keep his cool. ¡°Did you do anything to me after you took me home that night?¡± At his words, Hertha responded instantly, a smirk ying on her lips. ¡°Cedric, shouldn¡¯t you be asking yourself that question? Did you do something to me?¡± Cedric was startled by her words, but quicklyposed himself, his voice icy. ¡°If I¡¯ve done anything to you, you¡¯d use it to ckmail me, not choose to leave.¡± The empty bed the next morning, wasn¡¯t it proof that Hertha felt guilty and left first? ¡°Cedric, I left because I knew even if we had gotten intimate, you wouldn¡¯t choose me again. To me, it was enough to have onest intimate night with you before your marriage.¡± If any other woman had said those words, Cedric might have believed them. But Hertha, who once seduced Bernard, how could Cedric possibly believe her? ¡°You better tell the truth or else¡­¡± ¡°I asked you how did it feel that night, and I asked if you enjoyed it. You answered me at that time, but why are you denying it now?¡± The words made Cedric freeze. Hailey had said something simr. Did he really¡­ ¡°No¡­ it can¡¯t be!¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Hertha, lying on the couch, said to the phone. ¡°Cedric, you were drunk that night, you might not remember. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can check the surveince footage.¡± Cedric¡¯s home was not under surveince for privacy reasons, something Hertha knew well. The only reason she¡¯d said that was to make Cedric think he¡¯d really slept with her, because¡­ The truth was known only to her. If she didn¡¯t tell the truth, there was no way to prove it. ¡°Cedric, since you¡¯ve abandoned me, let this misunderstanding cloud your judgment forever! And that bitch Hailey dare to snatch my man, she¡¯ll never have Cedric!¡± Hertha thought. Cedric, feeling a bit dizzy, hung up on Hertha, and had Jacques check the surveince at the apartment elevator. He quickly got the footage, seeing Hertha opening the apartment door with his finger. Soon after, Hailey arrived. She tried to enter the password several times and only seeded after checking her phone, When she went in, the door was not closed, and one could vaguely see her slowly walking into the room. The camera only captured the entrance area, not the situation inside. After a while, Hailey ran out covering her face. She seemed to have encountered something devastating, crying heavily, trembling as she pressed the elevator button, as if she wanted to leave quickly. About three hourster, a disheveled Hertha pushed open the apartment door, staggering out. Her legs were weak and she could barely stand, looking like she¡¯d just had a wild night, exuding an aura of exhaustion yet softness. Cedric, holding his phone, leaned against the wall next to the elevator after watching the entire surveince video. Had he betrayed Hailey in his drunken state that night? If he had, he and Hailey would be over. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. But now, whether it was Hertha, the surveince footage, or Hailey¡¯s ount, they all suggested to him that he had done such a thing. Chapter 1209 Chapter 1209 Cedric gripped his phone, his hand slightly trembling, unable to believe what he¡¯d just done. He furrowed his brow, reying the surveince footage over and over again, noticing a stark difference between his own drunken ckout and Hailey¡¯s. Judging from his own copse at the hotel entrance, his ckout was aplete loss of self¨Ccontrol, Could he have possibly hooked up with someone in such a state? And Hertha and Hailey both entered the door almost simultaneously. The timing was too perfect for a guy with no sense of action to actually start something. Guys usually have no clue what they¡¯ve done when they¡¯re hammered. Cedric couldn¡¯t tell if he¡¯d done anything based on his erection the next day, so he was left judging based on these two points. But just these two points weren¡¯t enough for Hailey to believe him. The only way to clear his name was to get the truth out of Hertha. With a clearer mind, Cedric called up Latonia and asked her to prepare a private jet back home. Latonia thought he was giving up because Hailey wouldn¡¯t forgive his mistake, but he brought Hertha home once theynded. Latonia, who knew what went down, saw Cedric threatening and bribing Hertha. She smiled, seeing a bit of Bernard in him and was d that he was finally learning how to handle things. However, no matter how much Cedric pressed, Hertha wouldn¡¯t admit it. ¡°Cedric, you were wasted that night, but notpletely unconscious. How else would you have thrown me to the bed once we got home?¡± Cedric¡¯s face turned dark instantly but without evidence, he had no words to fight back. ¡°There are no cameras in my apartment. You can nt whatever you want.¡± Hertha, banking on this, bravely provoked him, ¡°Cedric, if you insist I¡¯m nting evidence, then call the cops. Let them investigate and see if you forced me or if I¡¯m setting you up.¡± Cedric, believing in his innocence, couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with her anymore. He took out his phone to dial the police but Latonia stopped him. ¡°Cedric, if you call the cops, she¡¯ll tell them that she was just trying to help her ex¨Cboyfriend who was passed out drunk and had no idea you¡¯d force her once you got home.¡± Latonia, who knew Hertha inside out, looked at Cedric, her eyes gleaming with intelligence. ¡°And you could bebeled a rapist.¡± ¡°I was wasted. How could I have possibly do anything to her?¡± ¡°Who knows if you were pretending to be unconscious?¡± What Latonia meant was, only Cedric knew if he was really unable to do anything. But would anyone believe him under Hertha¡¯s usations? Could that even be evidence? From N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Even if I wanted to, I would nevery a finger on her!¡± Cedric was losing it. When he looked at Hertha, his eyes were filled with disgust. ¡°Just look at her, what¡¯s there to be attracted to?¡± In Cedric¡¯s eyes, Hertha was just trash. ¡°Cedric, you didn¡¯t say that when you were tearing my clothes off.¡± Hertha, despite being held down by two bodyguards, looked at Cedric with seductive eyes. ¡°You said I was pretty, had a great body and that you were very satisfied.¡± Cedric was so mad he almost passed out. He clenched his fists, holding back the urge to hit her. ¡°Even if I had ten mouths, I would never say that to you!¡± Just as Hertha was about to retort, Latonia cut her off with a cold voice. ¡°You said Cedric forced you. Then why didn¡¯t you call the police that night? Why wait until now to use him?¡± Hertha had faced off with Latonia before and seemed a bit more reserved when dealing with her. ¡°I loved Cedric. Even if he forced me, I didn¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°So it was consensual?¡± ¡°At the time, yes. But now that you¡¯ve brought me back here and are forcing me to say Cedric is innocent¡­ I can only tell the truth to the police.¡± Hertha was using theck of evidence to make baseless usations. Looks like they¡¯d have to y hardball to get the truth out of her. Thinking this, Latonia turned to look at a fuming Cedric. ¡°Cedric, your father needs to see you. Go to the study ande find me in half an hour.¡± Cedric had been too sheltered to make tough decisions, unlike her, who was used to handling people like this with ease. After Cedric was sent off, he looked at Latonia, wanting to stay and handle it himself. But upon seeing Latonia¡¯s icy gaze, he hesitated. If before, Cedric¡¯s reckless behavior at home made Latonia¡¯s gaze seem disappo Chapter 1210 Chapter 1210 After Cedric left, Latonia leaned back on the couch, arms folded across her chest, legs crossed casually up straight, staring sternly at Hertha. ¡°Give her a good three ps!¡± Upon the order, the bodyguard quickly raised his hand, smacking Hertha¡¯s face three times quickly. After the hard ps, Hertha flicked her messy hair out of her eyes and red angrily at Latonia. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Why the hell are you hitting me?!¡± ¡°You set my son up, why wouldn¡¯t I hit you?!¡± Having gotten the scoop and checked the surveince footage, Latonia certainly wasn¡¯t blind to the fact that Hertha had staged the whole drama just to piss Hailey off. ¡°I didn¡¯t set him up, he got drunk and came onto me!¡± ¡°Break her ribs, then snap her fingers!¡± Latonia, ignoring Hertha¡¯s angry roars and resistance, continued tomand the bodyguard. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± The stone¨Cfaced bodyguard pulled out a small hammer and took a vicious swing at Hertha¡¯s ribs. The pain left Hertha speechless, leaving her lying on the ground, her red and swollen eyes staring daggers at Latonia. The elegantdy on the couch slowly picked up her coffee and took a gentle sip. ¡°Ms. Hertha, if you just tell me the truth, you won¡¯t have to suffer like this. But if you keep ying dumb, they¡¯ll keep torturing you.¡± Hertha had a recording pen on her, so she didn¡¯t care. She gave a faint smile. ¡°Latonia, you used the same tactics to force me to break up with Cedric. You haven¡¯t learned any new tricks, have you?¡± The hand holding the coffee froze in mid¨Cair. Latonia lifted her eyes to look coldly at Hertha. ¡°You have the nerve to bring up the past?!¡± ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I?¡± Struggling against the pain, Hertha slowly stood up. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you forcing me to break up with Cedric, I would¡¯ve married him long ago. Wouldn¡¯t have wasted all these years.¡± When Latonia heard this, she thought it was hrious. Just as she was about to scold Hertha for seducing Bernard, Hertha¡¯s angry roar interrupted her. ¡°Even if you beat me to death today, I won¡¯t be like before, obeying you, hurting Cedric and suffering the pain of leaving him!¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Do you look down on me because of my background?¡± Hertha didn¡¯t give Latonia a chance to speak and shouted like a madwoman. ¡°But does that mean I don¡¯t deserve love just because I¡¯m low¨Cborn?¡± After shouting this, Hertha¡¯s eyes turned red and she started to sob quietly, crying and saying, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault for being too young back then. I thought Cedric¡¯s mother was my future mother¨Cinw, so I put up with your humiliation. But what did I get in return? Nothing but forced to hurt Cedric and leave him. Now I¡¯m back and have a chance to rekindle our rtionship, but you¡¯re trying to pin me down with something I didn¡¯t do. Latonia, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re a failure as a mother? You¡¯ve done everything to cover up your son¡¯s wrongdoings, spoiling him to the point where he¡¯ll never learn to take responsibility.¡± After Hertha finished, not only did she expose Latonia¡¯s actions to protect Cedric, but she also criticized her for spoiling him too much. Latonia didn¡¯t expect the girl who tried every trick to marry into the Laurence family to grow into a thoughtful, logical, and assertive woman. If Latonia didn¡¯t know Hertha¡¯s true intentions, she might be convinced by her words and begin to doubt whether her son had done something wrong but was too afraid to admit 1. it. Any other parent might give up in the face of this, but Latonia, who had weathered the storms of high society, remained unppable in the face of these petty tricks. ¡°Ms. Hertha, there¡¯s no one else here. No need to keep up the act, because nobody¡¯s watching.¡± Hearing this, Hertha¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. ¡°Mrs. Laurence, I¡¯m not acting. I really did sleep with Cedric that night!¡± She pleaded, looking at Latonia with sincere eyes. ¡°using a man of raping me is not something a woman would be proud of, so I have no reason to lie.¡± ¡°Plus, if I were lying about this, I¡¯d have a motive. But I didn¡¯t threaten Cedric to marry me afterwards, nor did I expose it to the media to ruin his reputation. I just quietly left. Is that wrong too?¡± Chapter 1211 Chapter 1211 Her ability to quibble was truly something. ¡°You just did this to piss off Hailey Vulpe.¡± Facing the direct usation from Latonia, Hertha didn¡¯t even flinch, then furrowed her brows, pretending to be confused, ¡°Pissing off Hailey? What does it have to do with Hailey?¡± Latonia set down her cup, looking coldly at Hertha. ¡°The moment you entered Cedric¡¯s apartment, Ms. Vulpe showed up. You must have known she was coming, that¡¯s why you staged this whole drama.¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Hertha acted as if she finally understood, she lowered her head in thought for a moment, then looked straight into Latonia¡¯s eyes. ¡°Mrs. Laurence, I bumped into Cedric on the street and took him home. During that time, I had no idea Ms. Vulpe wasing. Did Cedric and Ms. Vulpe have a prior appointment?¡± This point was indeed not mentioned by Cedric, so he and Hailey probably had no appointment. Latonia remembered that she went to Cedric¡¯s apartment right after she had a conversation with Hailey that night. Her quick action to find Cedric indicates that she took her advice to break up with Cedric. It seems that Hailey seeing the intimate scene of Cedric and Hertha was also because of her. For a moment Latonia could not find any other response, she had to remain silent. ¡°Judging by your expression, they didn¡¯t have an appointment. If they didn¡¯t, how could I possibly know in advance that Ms. Vulpe woulde to Cedric¡¯s apartment?¡± ¡°If I didn¡¯t even know she wasing, why would I want to piss her off?¡± ¡°Even if I wanted to use this incident to annoy Ms. Vulpe afterwards, it would definitely leave a record of me seeking her out.¡± ¡°You can directly ask Ms. Vulpe if I ever sought her out.¡± ¡°If I didn¡¯t, then you guys are just fabricating evidence to frame me!¡± Listening to these words, Latonia¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Ms. Hertha, I can¡¯t guess your motives, but I know that I won¡¯t let your nder against Cedric go easily.¡± Seeing Latonia signal the bodyguard again, Hertha retorted in fear. ¡°Mrs. Laurence, I did not nder Cedric. He really did sleep with me. Please don¡¯t resort to violence against me!¡± Latonia ignored her and just looked coldly at the bodyguard. ¡°Beat her until she admits she did it!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± The bodyguard started to beat Hertha, who was left bruised and battered, but she still firmly denied it. ¡°I didn¡¯t nder Cedric, he really did sleep with me. Why don¡¯t you guys believe me?¡± Seeing this, Latonia ordered the bodyguard to beat her even harder. Soon, Hertha was almost unconscious from the beating, but she still didn¡¯t change her story. ¡°Mrs. Laurence, are you pressuring me like this because Cedric sleeping with me was discovered by Ms. Vulpe, and you guys want to deceive Ms. Vulpe, so you¡¯re forcing me to say he didn¡¯t do it?¡± Hertha, lying on the ground, her face covered in blood, still stared hard at Latonia. At this moment, Hertha seemed genuinely unaware that Hailey had been there that night. Facing such a stubborn and determined Hertha, even Latonia, who was convinced of the truth, started to find it hard to distinguish between truth and lies. But still, Latonia remained cool and resolute, looking coldly at Hertha, who was curled up in pain in the corner. ¡°If my son says he didn¡¯t touch you, then he didn¡¯t touch you!¡± Hearing this, Hertha sneered inwardly, but on the surface she yed innocent, tearfully saying, ¡°Mrs. Laurence, just because Cedric says he didn¡¯t touch me, does that mean it¡¯s true?¡± Her question stumped Latonia for a moment, and Hertha took the chance to say: Is it possible that Cedric lost control after drinking and doesn¡¯t remember, or he remembers but is afraid that Ms. Vulpe will find out the truth, afraid of losing Ms. Vulpe, so he lied? Otherwise, why would he tie me up here and force me to say he didn¡¯t do it?¡± This argument was something Latonia didn¡¯t expect. She had thought of Hertha as a weak girl she could easily handle, but she didn¡¯t expect that Hertha¡¯s tactics, after her experiences abroad, had already surpassed hers. Arguing with Hertha would not only fail to produce a favorable result, but also fail to find any loopholes. And she couldn¡¯t really hurt Hertha. After a moment of thought, Latonia stood up from the sofa. She walked over to Hertha, slowly squatted down, and gently lifted Hertha¡¯s face with her hand. Their eyes met, and a sharp look suddenly appeared in Latonia¡¯s eyes. ¡°Ms. Hertha, as long as you admit that nothing happened between you and Cedric, your parents can enjoy a peaceful and happy life in the future. If you don¡¯t admit it, they might not be able to make it through this winter¡­¡± Chapter 1212 Chapter 1212 Hertha had been slowly baiting Latonia into threatening her and now that she got what she wanted, she couldn¡¯t help but snicker. ¡°Mrs. Laurence, aren¡¯t you afraid that threatening me might make Ms. Vulpe less inclined to marry Cedric?¡± ¡°Whether she marries Cedric or not is none of my business. I¡¯m doing this for my son.¡± That answer only made Hertha happier. ¡°So, you¡¯re threatening me because you think my family can¡¯t stand against your rich and powerful n!¡± ¡°Since you understand what I¡¯m saying, just do as I say-¡± After taking a deep breath, Hertha straightened up like she was facing her execution. ¡°Alright, if you want to hear me say it didn¡¯t happen, then it didn¡¯t happen.¡± Getting what she wanted, Latonia let go of Hertha¡¯s chin and gave her face a light pat. ¡°Save that for Ms. Vulpe.¡± After she finished speaking, Latonia stood up, took the handkerchief from her bodyguard and elegantly wiped her fingers. ¡°Lock Hertha up and clean up her face. When her wounds have healed, bring her to see Ms. Vulpe.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Just as the bodyguard was taking Hertha away, Cedric entered the living room. ¡°Mom, where¡¯s Hertha?¡± With her back to Cedric, Latonia calmly threw the bloodstained handkerchief into the trash. ¡°I¡¯ve taken care of it. In three days, she¡¯lle with us to tell Ms. Vulpe the truth.¡± Hearing this, the always tense Cedric suddenly rxed. He knew that he couldn¡¯t have done something like that, even if he was drunk. Thank God he hadn¡¯t done anything with Hertha, or he would never forgive himself! Three dayster, Hertha was taken to Hailey on a private ne. At the moment, Hailey was still taking care of Garett, and she looked at Hertha in shock, who was crying. ¡°Hailey, that night, after I took Cedric home and saw youe looking for him, I got jealous and staged a drama. Actually¡­Cedric was already passed out, he knew nothing.¡± ¡°After I heard youe in, I immediately used the quilt to block your view. When I felt you didn¡¯t leave, I was afraid you¡¯d rush over, sol pinched Cedric¡¯s waist, that¡¯s why he made a sound¡­¡± After revealing the truth, Hertha looked up at Hailey with envy in her tear-filled eyes. ¡°I always thought I was Cedric¡¯s first love, and I wanted to start over with him because of this. But I didn¡¯t expect he is in love with you. Seeing him tortured because of the misunderstanding I created, I realized that no matter what I do, he won¡¯t love me again¡­¡± Hailey was back to her senses, she nced at the crying Hertha and the innocent-looking Cedric. When faced with these two, the memories of that night flooded back. Hailey¡¯s memory was very clear, but due to Hertha¡¯s exnation, she couldn¡¯t tell if what she saw was real, or if Hertha¡¯s story was. As she stayed silent, Cedric came to her and gently grabbed her shoulders. When he touched her, Hailey subconsciously pushed his hand away. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. That seemed to be the residual effect of that night, and Hertha¡¯s exnation hadn¡¯t erased it. Cedric didn¡¯t want to force her, he just let his arm hang in mid-air, keeping a safe distance. ¡°Hailey, please believe me, I didn¡¯t sleep with her.¡± That made Hailey hesitate. ¡°Cedric, I¡¯ve said everything I need to say. I need to go now, I wish.. After saying that, Hertha turned around and left, but before she got into the happiness.¡± she looked back at the two of them. In the empty hallway, Cedric looked at Hailey for a long time, then suddenly pulled out a diamond ring and knelt in front of her. ¡°Hailey, I didn¡¯t sleep with Hertha, and I have nothing to do with her now. My mom has agreed to our rtionship, will you ept my proposal?¡± Hailey, in her caretaker uniform, waspletely flustered when she saw Cedric proposing under these circumstances. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be doing this in a hospital¡­¡± She tried to help Cedric up, but he took the opportunity to grab her hand and put the diamond ring on her finger. ¡°I promise you, I will quit all social drinking except for work. Even atpany parties, I will insist on not drinking.¡± After making his promise, Cedric unlocked his phone and deleted the contacts of friends who often took him out drinking in front of Hailey. After doing all that, he looked up at Hailey, who looked very surprised. ¡°I promise you, I will quit my old life and will not have any contact with any woman.¡± After saying that, Cedric grabbed Hailey¡¯s hand tightly and asked sincerely again. ¡°Will you marry me?¡± Chapter 1213 Chapter 1213 Cedric¡¯s sudden proposal left Hailey totally clueless. She didn¡¯t know how to respond and felt lost. ¡°My head¡¯s all over the ce right now. Could you give me some time to think?¡± Cedric seemed a bit too eager during his proposal, like he was trying to seize the moment, but his actions felt rushed. He nced at the diamond ring on Hailey¡¯s finger. Seeing that she hadn¡¯t taken it off and handed back to him implied that she he still go a chance, so he didn¡¯t pressure her further. ¡°So, how long do you need to think?¡± ¡°Garett will be discharged from the hospital tomorrow. I¡¯ll make sure he¡¯s settled back home first, then I¡¯ll give you a clear answer.¡± Cedric could tell Hailey was still confused, and guessed she probably hadn¡¯t sorted out her thoughts yet. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll head back and wait for your answer.¡± Hailey nodded. Cedric stared at her for a while, then suddenly reached out and hugged her tightly. Although Hailey initially wanted to push him away, she stopped when he embraced her with all his might. Feeling that she didn¡¯t instinctively push him away like before, a wave of warmth surged in Cedric¡¯s heart, making him feel extremely sweet. ¡°Hailey, I hope your answer won¡¯t be rejection this time.¡± After saying this, Cedric let go of Hailey, smiled, and turned to leave. Watching his retreating figure, Hailey was lost in confusion. She raised her hand and stared at the diamond ring¡­. Was what Hertha said true? Should she trust Cedric again? After getting in the car, Cedric gave Latonia a big hug. ¡°Mom, without you, I might have been alone forever.¡± Seeing Cedric so happy, Latonia knew that the previous misunderstanding had been cleared up, and she couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Whether you¡¯re alone or not isn¡¯t up to me. Just bring me a grandchild home, and I¡¯ll be happy.¡± ¡°If you want a grandchild, we¡¯ll have plenty of kids after Hailey and I get married.¡± Latonia was still somewhat dissatisfied with Hailey, but she preferred her over Hertha to be her daughter-inw. ¡°After you get married, just live your own lives. Don¡¯t always bring Hailey in front of me.¡± She clearly wanted out of sight, out of mind, but¡­ ¡°If you can speak well of me in front of Sigrid, I won¡¯t mind her being around.¡± Cedric propped his chin with one hand, turned his head, and looked at Latonia with a teasing expression. ¡°So you¡¯re helping me for Sigrid¡¯s sake¡­¡± ¡°Who else could it be?¡± Latonia seemed a bit arrogant, ¡°why should I help you then?¡± Cedric burst intoughter, saying, ¡°Mom, you just can¡¯t say nice things.¡± Latonia raised her hand and tugged his ear. ¡°Since you¡¯re saying that about me, fine, you can pay for your dad¡¯s losses yourself.¡± Cedric immediately put on a ttering smile. ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll definitely invite Sigrid over on my wedding day.¡± He had to save his money for his wife and kids. Hearing his words, Latonia finally let go of his ear. ¡°That¡¯s eptable¡­¡± After Cedric¡¯s car left the hospital, a red car suddenly turned around and came 2 111, Hades seemed a bit distracted. Noticing this, Garett put ¡°Hailey, is something bothering you these days?¡± Lately, Hailey always seemed down, even her smiles felt forced. his book. From N?velDrama.Org. Even though she wasn¡¯t as downcast as she was a few days ago, her eyes still held a hint of worry. Garett was dealing with depression and had undergone a major surgery. He had to endure the severe pain from his leg nerves every day. He was already miserable enough, so Hailey naturally didn¡¯t want to add to his burden. ¡°I¡¯m fine. A younger guy proposed to me and I¡¯m not sure whether to ept him.¡± Garett was smart. Just from the word ¡°younger¡±, he thought of Cedric. In his view, Cedric was a yboy with many female friends, but his scandals had decreased a lot since he got together with Hailey. ¡°If you love him, ept him. If not, reject him.¡± Since Hailey didn¡¯t want to mention who it was, Garett also pretended not to know. He just gave advice as a younger brother, hoping his sister could marry the person she truly loved. Chapter 1214 Chapter 1214 ¡°¡­¡± Hailey wanted to say it wasn¡¯t love, she just liked him, but when she tried to voice it out, she stopped. If it wasn¡¯t love, why would she care about his previous encounters with other women, something she never cared about before? Seeing her unsure about her own feelings, a warm smile appeared in Garett¡¯s eyes. ¡°Hailey, don¡¯t be too scared when ites to feelings. If you care about him, muster your courage once more.¡± Hailey used to be fearless when it came to love, but perhaps her ex-husband¡¯s betrayal and meeting Cedric made her hesitant in love. But in Garett¡¯s eyes, all the efforts are brave for love. If it were him, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate at all. Even if he failed, he could start over. However¡­ He doesn¡¯t have the chance to start over. Hailey didn¡¯t notice Garett¡¯s thoughts, she clenched her fists, for the first time revealing her innermost feelings in front of someone else. ¡°I once mustered up my courage for him, but when I bravely took that step, I found out he did something to wrong me. I backed away, got scared, decided never to love him again. But today, he told me what I saw was a lie created by others, that woman came to exin to me as well, I don¡¯t know if I should continue to believe him¡­¡± Garett got it instantly. ¡°His past actions make you feel insecure, so you don¡¯t him.¡± The issue itself isn¡¯t the key, the key is Cedric¡¯s image. Hailey, who already experienced a failed marriage, was hesitant to fullymit to a new rtionship. The reason she¡¯s like this is because she loves Cedric. If it were anyone else, like Yeager, Hailey wouldn¡¯t care if Yeager had other women before, she wouldn¡¯t be bothered by it. ¡°Yes, his past actions¡­ make it hard for me to trust him¡­¡± Garett thought for a bit, he looked at Hailey, who seemed to have no sense of security at the moment. ¡°Has he changed for you?¡± Hailey carefully recalled. Cedric¡¯s change, from a gentle yboy at first to a wealthy heir, not only did he make her jealous with other women, he also insulted her verbally from time to time. Other changes include him starting to like her. Though, after she encountered difficulties, Cedric became more mature¡­. ¡°If he¡¯s willing to change for you, give him another chance. If he hasn¡¯t changed at all, then give up. But the premise is, you have to give it a shot to know the result, right?¡± Seeing Hailey remain silent, Garett expressed his own thoughts. Hearing Garett¡¯s words, Hailey looked down at her ring. ¡°Maybe, you¡¯re right.¡± Hearing this, Garett knew she made her decision, he lightly smiled. Then, he picked up the book that he never flipped before, and started reading. Seeing Garett reading again, Hailey knew he was once again under the control of depression. She stopped peeling the apple, stood up and walked over, lightly tapping Garett¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Garett, once you¡¯re recovered, there will be many girls who like you.¡± Garett looked up from his book, he casually looked at Hailey, a small smile on his face. ¡°I¡¯m too old to bother those young girls.¡± His words were light, but his deep eyes were full of loss and helplessness. ¡°Garett, no matter your age, you deserve to be loved.¡± Such warm words made Garett feel the warmth ofpanionship, but he preferred to be alone. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m a bit hungry.¡± Only then did Hailey check her watch. ¡°I almost forgot about that.¡± She put on her coat as she spoke to Garett. ¡°Wait a bit, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± After Hailey left, Garett picked up the book once more, staring nkly at the words on the page. Chapter 1215 Chapter 1215 Hailey stepped out of the elevator and just as she rounded theer through the lobby, she saw Hertha, slowing her stride. Upon seeing her, Hertha removed her sunsses and approached Hailey again. ¡°Ms. Vulpe, there are some truths you should know about. Let¡¯s find a ce where I can fill you in,¡± she said. Faced with Hertha¡¯s round two of truth-telling, Hailey found her untrustworthy. ¡°I don¡¯t have the time, and I¡¯m not interested in your so-called truth.¡± Attempting to sidestep Hertha, she made to leave, but Hertha stopped her in her tracks. ¡°Hailey, if you¡¯re hell-bent on marrying Cedric without a second thought, then be my guest,¡± she said, pulling out a voice recorder. ¡°But you should know the truth.¡± She thrust the recorder into Hailey¡¯s hand. ¡°This is proof of what I was forced to exin after Latonia threatened me.¡± The cold recorder in her hand sent a chill up her spine. ¡°So you¡¯re saying your previous exnation was coerced by his mother?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Hertha answered, expressionless, nodding her head. ¡°If I hadn¡¯tplied, I would have been attacked and my parents would have been hurt.¡± To prove her point, Hertha lifted her shirt, grabbed Hailey¡¯s hand, and ced it on her own ribs. ¡°Feel for yourself, several of my ribs are broken, and¡­¡± Hertha extended her limp ring finger in front of Hailey¡¯s eyes. ¡°My finger was permanently fractured.¡± Then, she pulled back her high-cored shirt to reveal a patch of bruised skin on her neck for Hailey to see. ¡°All these marks, they were made by Latonia¡¯s bodyguards.¡± When Hertha said this, her eyes sh with defiance, her lips curled in a mocking smile. ¡°I was just involved with her son, and she went all out against me. She did all this to help her son win you back¡­ Hailey, in thispetition, you won, I lost¡­¡± Hailey suddenly pulled her hand back from Hertha¡¯s ribs after hearing these shocking words. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± She said she didn¡¯t believe it, but her hand gripping the voice recorder tightened unconsciously. ¡°Just give it a listen,¡± Hertha said, her eyes full of sympathy for Hailey. Hailey stared into her eyes for a few seconds, then returned the recorder. ¡°The recording can be faked. How do I know you¡¯re not just trying to scam me?¡± ¡°If you think the recording is fake, confront Latonia. She¡¯s always been one to take responsibility.¡± Faced with Hertha¡¯s determination and solemn vows, Hailey¡¯s mind was full with confusion. Seeing her lost expression, Hertha smirked internally, but outwardly she pushed the recorder back into Hailey¡¯s hand. ¡°I had the recorder ready before they came to see me because I did have sex with Cedric that day. I anticipated they woulde after me, so I thought I¡¯d better cover my back. Little did I know it would actuallye in handy¡­¡± Upon hearing that she and Cedric had been intimate, Hailey¡¯s heart raced, then she felt like she was falling into a bottomless pit. After standing there dazed for a moment, she grabbed the recorder, turned on her heel, and quickly exited the hospital ward. Outside in the garden, Hailey sat down on a bench and turned on the recorder. The sound of Latonia¡¯s orders, Hertha¡¯s screams for mercy, the rough movements of the bodyguards¡­ All these sounds poured from the recorder, chilling Hailey to the bone. So, the so-called exnation, the so-called truth, the so-called reality, were all just a mother¡¯s love for her son. And Cedric¡­ ¡°Cedric might have forgotten because he was drunk. He thought he didn¡¯t do it, so he kidnapped me to get the truth from me. But what I said was the truth, he just doesn¡¯t believe it¡­¡± Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Hertha, who had been trailing Hailey, adopted a nonchnt attitude and sat down next to her. ¡°He doesn¡¯t believe it, his mother doesn¡¯t believe it, so they have to admit to things that didn¡¯t happen¡­¡± After finishing her casual exnation, she looked at Hailey. ¡°Hailey, if it weren¡¯t for my parents, I would never have agreed to Latonia¡¯s request to exin things to you.¡± Hailey, still holding the recorder, looked up at the woman beside her. ¡°If it¡¯s for your parents, why did youe to find me? Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll give the recorder to Mrs. Laurence?¡± In response to Hailey¡¯s attempt at a cool inquiry, Hertha answered calmly. ¡°Because I don¡¯t want you to marry Cedric.¡± ? ?? ? As Hertha looked at Hailey, her eyes betrayed a sense of resentment. ¡°I loved him deeply, I thought I could win him back with the fact that I was his first love, but he only has eyes for you now. My status as his first love was long forgotten¡­¡± She paused, tears welling up in her eyes. ¡°Why should you, a neer, win Cedric¡¯s affection while 1, his first love, am forced to leave by his mother, only to be left despised by him and bullied by his mother? I can¡¯t ept this. Even if it means putting my parents at risk, I don¡¯t want you to marry him!¡± She didn¡¯t hide her jealousy of Hailey, instead, sheid all her resentment bare in front of Hailey. ¡°Also, I believe in your kindness, you won¡¯t make the recorder public.¡± Chapter 1216 Chapter 1216 Looking at Hertha, Hailey was lost for words. She dropped her gaze, staring at the voice recorder in her hands, in a daze. Everyone said that Cedric loved her Hertha said the same, so it must be true, right? She also believed that Cedric loved her, but¡­ ¡°What happened between you and Cedric that night?¡± For Hailey, it didn¡¯t matter how Latonia tried to help her son, all she cared about was Cedric. At this question, Hertha couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Ms. Vulpe, are you still holding out hope for Cedric?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Haileyughed too, the sunlight hitting her face, making her seem incredibly radiant. ¡°I hope all this is a lie, so¡­¡± Hailey paused, taking a deep breath. ¡°Could you give me a usible exnation, like before?¡± Hertha looked at her, seeing the redness in Hailey¡¯s eyes when she said this, she could imagine how hard this must be for her. If Hertha were a kind person, she would feel sorry for Hailey, but sadly, she wasn¡¯t. She was just a woman spoiled by her parents from a young age. She had no empathy, only the urge to destroy what she couldn¡¯t have, no matter the cost. ¡°Ms. Vulpe, think about it. A drunk man and a woman who deeply loves him, spending so much time alone in a room together, what do you think they¡¯d do?¡± Hailey¡¯s face gradually turned pale, gripping the voice recorder tightly in her hands. ¡°Cedric¡­he¡¯s never been the faithful type, he¡­¡± ¡°He said he¡¯d be faithful to me.¡± Hailey cut Hertha off, firmly. Hertha smirked, ¡°Is that so?¡± She looked as if she¡¯d heard a hrious joke, her face full of mockery. ¡°If he were truly faithful, he wouldn¡¯t have slept with me, nor would have let his mother deal with me¡­¡± with After saying this, Hertha looked at Hailey, her hand clenched tightly around the voice recorder. ¡°If you can forgive the betraying Cedric, then go ahead believe that he will be faithful to you.¡± With that, Hertha put on her sunsses, stood up, and left. Watching Hertha¡¯s retreating figure, tears slowly rolled down Hailey¡¯s cheeks¡­ She sat on the bench for a long time, until Colter Clowers came by, snapping her back to reality. ¡°Hailey, you don¡¯t look so good. Do you feel unwell?¡± Hailey shook her head. Colter understood that she was feeling down, so he didn¡¯t press further. ¡°Colter, I need to cook for Garett. Can you give me a ride home?¡± Even though the hospital was close to home, she didn¡¯t have the energy to walk. From N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll go fetch the car.¡± Hailey nodded, once Colter drove the car to the hospital entrance, she bent over and got in. After returning home and cooking, she had Colter deliver the food, then sat down on the couch. She curled up into a ball, hugging her knees, resting her thin chin on them. Her eyes were dull, staring at the voice recorder and diamond ring on the table, looking utterly exhausted¡­ She sat on the couch, motionless, for the entire night. When she got up the next day, she felt a sudden dizziness. She thought it was just due to recent overwork, so she didn¡¯t pay much attention to the subtle changes in her body. Despite feeling exhausted, she washed up, made breakfast like usual, then went to the hospital. Garett was eating breakfast, Colter was handling the discharge procedures, and Hailey was busy tidying up the room. She took out clothes from the cab, squatted down to put them in the suitcase, then quickly stood up to grab the next item. However, the moment she reached out, she suddenly felt dizzy. Everything went ck and she copsed to the floor. Garett, who had just finished his breakfast, heard a thud. He turned around and saw Hailey passed out on the floor. His face turned pale with shock, he quickly hit the emergency call button, and doctors and nurses rushed in- When Hailey opened her eyes, she saw Garett sitting in front of the bed, his gazeplicated as he watched her. ¡°Garett, what happened?¡± She remembered that she might have fainted due to overworking and staying up all night, making her feel exhausted. But it was just a fainting spell, there was no need for Garett to look at her like that, right? Garett looked at Hailey, hesitated for a long time before finally speaking, ¡°Hailey, you¡­you¡¯re pregnant.¡± ¡°What?¡± Shocked by the news, Hailey sat up abruptly, ¡°I¡¯m pregnant?!¡± Chapter 1217 Chapter 1217 Hailey couldn¡¯t wrap her head around being pregnant. She went for a second opinion from another doctor but the result was the same Sitting on the hospital bed, clutching the report and reading it over and over, she finally epted the fact that she was indeed pregnant. She and Cedric hadn¡¯t taken precautions that night. The morning after, she was busted by Eleanor and then called away by Latonia Then she ran into Cedric and Hertha, sad and angry, she dashed off to M Country to find Garett. She hadn¡¯t taken any birth control pills, so it made sense that she was pregnant. But the baby¡¯s arrival was so sudden. Seeing Hailey¡¯s anxious and troubled face, Garett who was standing by the bed also furrowed his brows. ¡°Hailey, is the baby Cedric¡¯s?¡± He asked. Caught off guard, Hailey was a bit embarrassed but didn¡¯t deny it, she just nodded. ¡°So why are you not happy?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you ready to ept Cedric¡¯s proposal? Why are you so troubled?¡± Hailey raised her hand and gently touched her belly. She couldn¡¯t feel any movement yet but it still made her feel heary ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She looked at Garett, tears welling up in her eyes and rolling down her cheeks. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m just being overly sensitive because I¡¯m pregnant.¡± She wiped away her tears and gave Garett a small smile. ¡°Garett, you go ahead, I¡¯ll stay here and clear my head, then I¡¯lle find you, okay?¡± Garett looked at her, not sure if she was being overly sensitive because of the pregnancy or if she was just feeling down. He had a hunch that Hailey had a lot on her mind but didn¡¯t know how to express it, so she had to deal with it on her own. Garett had been through this many times, he could understand her pain, so he didn¡¯t say much. He took out a handkerchief and wiped away her tears. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you at home, but stop crying.¡± A warm smile appeared on Garett¡¯s gentle face, like sunshine in winter, always able to warm others. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll stop crying.¡± Seeing her agree, Garett put away his handkerchief, pushed his wheelchair out of the room, leaving Hailey alone. Watching Garett¡¯s retreating figure, Hailey thought of Garett and Eleanor¡¯s missed opportunity, and of the ending between Tyler Howell and Liana. She wondered, was it really that important whether Cedric had done anything wrong? Maybe she should just simplify things, pretend nothing happened, as long as he was willing to change for her in the future. The realization of her thoughts startled her. Was she really that into Cedric? Was she so into Cedric that she was willing to overlook everything and just be with him? But wasn¡¯t that the root of all her troubles? Whether what Hertha said was true or not, or Latonia¡¯s misunderstanding towards her, she didn¡¯t care, didn¡¯t mind. The only thing she cared about was whether she should let go of everything and unconditionally believe that Cedric wouldn¡¯t do it again. Just like Cedric promised when he proposed, he would never touch alcohol again and would not have any entanglement with any other women. As long as he could do these two things, she would be willing to forget about that night, regardless of whether Cedric and Hertha had a past. She could pretend that he just made a mistake in a drunken stupor. After figuring out what she really cared about, Hailey pushed off the covers and got out of bed. Just as Garett said, if you fail, just start over. What was there to be afraid of? T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Besides, she and he already had a child, this was the birth of a new life, also the start of the family she had been longing for Feeling hopeful, Hailey returned home, helped Colter pack up, and then boarded the private jet back home with Garett. 11.08 Afternding in # City and astling Garett in at the viera family home, Hailey suggested going back to Caty Garait suggested that she reat for a few more days, but Hailey declined, Thave important Wange to deal with! Seeing her eagerness to go back and see Gedne, Garett couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°What about your pregnancy! Hailey pulled up the handle of her suitcase, gave Gerell a determined smile and said, ¡°Til tell fem myself/ Only then did Garell nodded and waved goodbye. After parting ways, Halley immediately headed back to City vele Gwen took que Signde business card He stared at the name on the card, hesitated for a few seconds, then asked Golter to bring him his phone, saved the phone number o the card, and sent a text message. ¡®Me Laurence, I¡¯ve had the surgery and need rehabilitation When are you avable? Signd, who was in B City for a meeting, saw the text message and smiled, then started typing a reply ¡®Please pay the treatment fee of 500,000 fret! Seeing the bank ount number attached to the text message, Garell didn¡¯t think much, just asked Colter to make the transfer Sigrid, receiving the payment notification, thought Garett was quite obedient ¡°You cane to the clinic for treatment tomorrow¡± After sending the text message, Sigrid added a condition. ¡°Except for breakfast, you¡¯re paying for my lunch and dinner from now on¡± After reading the message, Garett simply replied, ¡°Okay¡°, then tossed his phone aside, picked up his book again and continued to stare nkly at the words on the page. Chapter 1218 Chapter 1218 Hailey hastily returned to A City, but at the airport, she spotted Cedric, who was giving a bouquet of flowers to a beautiful woman with a good figure. She slowed her pace. In her view, the bustling airport gradually disappeared, leaving only the three of them. She saw the woman ept the flowers and suddenly tip¨Ctoe to kiss Cedric on the cheek, then she covered her mouth and quickly ran off. Cedric was dumbfounded for a second, then he also turned and left. When their figures disappeared from her sight, Hailey¡¯s world was left in darkness. Turns out, even without Hertha, there were other women in Cedric¡¯s life. The gap between them was not Hertha, but the sense of security he couldn¡¯t provide and the trust she wanted to give but was blocked. The home Hailey wanted to provide for her child was one where the father was loyal to the mother and the mother fully trusted the father, but it seemed neither she nor Cedric could achieve this. When she got home, she sat for a while, then picked up her phone and called the obstetrician she had known before. Marina, who had just walked in with a ss of milk, was so startled by the news that Hailey was going to get an abortion that she almost spilled the milk. Hailey hung up the phone and noticed Marina had heard. She frowned slightly, ¡°Marina, don¡¯t tell anyone.¡± Marina was confused, ¡°Hailey, you¡¯re pregnant. Why do you want to have an abortion?¡± Hailey didn¡¯t answer Marina, she just pulled back the covers and flopped onto the bed. She was so exhausted both physically and mentally. Seeing her so tired, Marina, although full of questions, held her tongue. She put down what she was holding and quietly left the room. Cedric had waited a long time at the airport but didn¡¯t see Hailey, so he urgently called Marina. ¡°Marina, didn¡¯t you say Hailey is on the eleven o¡¯clock flight? Howe I didn¡¯t see her?¡± Marina, who had just left the room, remembered that she had forgotten to tell Cedric. ¡°Hailey is already home, she¡¯s at the house.¡± Cedric could only get information about Hailey¡¯s whereabouts from Marina as his calls were still being blocked by Hailey. Hearing that she was already home, he felt a bit relieved, then quickly turned and headed out of the airport. By the time he got there, Hailey was already asleep. Maybe she was too tired, she was sleeping so deeply that she didn¡¯t wake up even after he sat in the room for a long time. Cedric thought to himself, there¡¯s no rush, she should have a good sleep first, and he¡¯ll talk to her tomorrow. He got up quietly and left the room, just as he stepped out, he saw Marina pacing anxiously outside the door. ¡°Marina, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Marina stopped, looked at Cedric, seemed to have something to say but held back. ¡°Marina, if there¡¯s something, just say it.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Marina guessed that the baby might be Cedric¡¯s, but remembering Hailey¡¯s warning, she hesitated for a long time and eventually did not tell Cedric. ¡°I was just worried because Hailey went straight to bed when she got home, I¡¯m afraid she might be unwell, so¡­ I¡¯m a little worried¡­¡± Marina bing Hailey¡¯s nanny was also a twist of fate. She was brought home by Hailey when she was in trouble. During the most difficult three years of Hailey¡¯s life, Marina was always by her side, taking good care of her, and their rtionship grew deeper. Hailey often treated her like a mother, and Marina, who had no children, also saw Hailey as her own child. Since she was her child, most of the time, she was considering Hailey¡¯s feelings, which Cedric also understood. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s just tired. She¡¯ll be fine after a good sleep.¡± Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Cedric asked Marina to check on Hailey from time to time, then he turned and left. He had some business to take care of at his Watching his tall figure walk away, Marina felt distressed. If she kept this from Cedric, she would be betraying him. But if she told Cedric, she would be betraying Hailey. Marina felt terrible. 11:09 The next morning, Hailey left the house early, not even giving Marina a chance to talk to her. Marina held her phone, hesitating whether to call Cedric. Hailey arrived at the hospital,pleted all the preoperative examinations, andy on the operating table. Before the surgery. Hailey lifted her hand once again to touch her t abdomen. ¡°Baby, forgive my decision. I don¡¯t want you to be bom as a child without a father.¡± She knew the pain of being without parents, even if her child had a mother, without a father, life would be missing an important love. ¡°Ms. Vulpe, we¡¯re going to put you under anesthesia now.¡± Hearing the doctor¡¯s words, Hailey slowly put her hand down. Just as the anesthetic was about to be injected, the door to the operating room was kicked open. Cedric walked in without expression, grabbed the anesthesiologist¡¯s hand, and forcefully pushed him away. ¡°Sir, this is an operating room, please leave!¡± ¡°Get out!¡± The nurse who spoke was startled, the other doctors wanted to call security, but the bodyguards Cedric brought with him chased them out of the operating room. Chapter 1219 Chapter 1219 Soon it was just Cedric and Hailey left in the operating room. Cedric was radiating a cold aura, while Hailey was lying on the operating table. ¡°Why?¡± Cedric stood by, not saying anything extra, just asked this one question. Hailey nced at Marina standing outside the operating room, furrowed her eyebrows, then turned to Cedric. ¡°There¡¯s no reason¡­¡± She knew Cedric hade, the surgery couldn¡¯t be done anymore, so she got up from the operating table, but Cedric grabbed her wrist. His strength was so great that his fingers dug deeply into her skin. Hailey¡¯s face turned pale from the pain, but she gritted her teeth and didn¡¯t make a sound. Seeing her silent and not looking at him, Cedric couldn¡¯t help but feel angry, ¡°Hailey, is this your answer to me?¡± They had agreed before that when they returned home, she would give him an answer. He didn¡¯t expect her answer to be secretly aborting his child. From the moment Cedric received Marina¡¯s call, his hopeful heart suddenly turned cold. He had put in so much effort, only to be shattered by Hailey¡¯s constant rejection. won¡¯t ¡°Hailey, tell me why. After I get the answer, I won¡¯t bother you anymore,¡± he said. He was tired and had enough, but he wanted to understand why. Hailey lowered her eyes, slowly looked up at Cedric. There should be a closure for both of them, and the way to do it was to make things clear. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you and Hertha didn¡¯t have sex,¡± Hailey said. Hearing this, Cedric¡¯s face fell. ¡°She exined very clearly that she was scheming. Why don¡¯t you believe it?¡± Cedric asked. ¡°Because she gave me a tape recorderter, her so-called exnation was just an excuse because she was driven to despair by your mother,¡± Hailey replied. After hearing this, Cedric had some doubts, but he also believed his mother would do such a thing, he wouldn¡¯t doubt Hailey¡¯s words. ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m not sure whether my mother forced her or not. As for the tape recording, I also don¡¯t know. All I know is that I didn¡¯t do it,¡± he said, raising his hands and grabbing Hailey¡¯s shoulders, looking at her seriously, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I didn¡¯t do it, do you believe me?¡± Hailey shook her head, ¡°No.¡± Cedric got the message, he lost because she didn¡¯t trust him. ¡°I¡¯ve been entangled with you for five years, during these five years, I¡¯ve only cared about you, don¡¯t you see that?¡± he said, his eyes gradually filling with tears, ¡°Why would you rather believe others than me?¡± Hailey looked up, looking into Cedric¡¯s aggrieved eyes. ¡°I also want to believe you, but Cedric, what sense of security have you given me?¡± she asked, ¡°After we broke up, you either verbally attacked me or brought other women to humiliate me. In my eyes, all I see are the women around you. You know, I¡¯ve been an orphan since childhood and have suffered betrayal from my husband, I¡¯m scared to experience that again. But you, if it¡¯s not Norene, then it¡¯s Hertha, or other women. How can you expect me to trust you?¡± Hailey¡¯s emotional outburst left Cedric stunned. Then he quickly pulled her into his arms. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize I had fallen in love with you before, so I was stupid enough to use other women to make you angry. I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t give you enough sense of security.¡± This time, Hailey didn¡¯t resist him, instead, she leaned weakly against him. Her voice sounded like she was saying goodbye, she spoke softly and quietly. ¡°Cedric, I don¡¯t trust you, not just in the past, but now too.¡± Simrly, Cedric holding her also felt powerless. ¡°Even if I promise not to interact with any other woman in the future, you still won¡¯t choose to trust me again?¡± Hailey gave a bitter smile. ¡°I actually chose to believe you before. When I found out I was pregnant, I thought it doesn¡¯t matter whether you had sex with Hertha or not, as long as you are dedicated to me in the future. But then¡­¡±. Pregnant Hailey, tears once again uncontrobly fell. ¡°I saw you giving flowers to another woman at the airport, then I understood, the problem between us is not just a Hertha, but you, you can¡¯t change¡­¡± Cedric¡¯s body stiffened, he seemed to understand. He let go of Hailey, grabbed her shoulders, and looked down at her. ¡°Haley, that woman is called Judith, she has been pursuing me, but I have been rejecting her. Yesterday, I just ran into her at the airport She insisted on giving me flowers. I gave them back to herN?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. and told her I was getting married. After wishing me happiness, she quickly 110 kissed me and then ran away.¡± At that time, he was only concerned about his hygiene, hurriedly ran to the bathroom to wash his face, didn¡¯t notice Hailey left the airport at that time. If he knew, he would definitely exin to her. Chapter 1220 Chapter 1220 ¡°I promise you, whether it¡¯s Hertha, Norene, Judith, or any other woman ¨C I¡¯ve cut them all loose. No more drama from now on.¡± Even if other womene after him, he¡¯ll steer clear, give them zero chance. He¡¯ll even wear a mask when he goes out if he has to. Facing a sincere and promising Cedric, Hailey shook her head, ¡°But I don¡¯t trust you.¡± In the process of building trust, she was always defeated by the women around Cedric. Right now, all she had from Cedric were promises, no sense of security. It was hard for her to trust him, and she didn¡¯t want to choose to trust, only to experience the pain of disappointment again and again. Her disbelief left Cedric frozen in ce. After staring at Hailey for a while, he coldly said, ¡°So, you¡¯re still considering abortion?¡± Hailey lowered her head, her silence was affirmation in Cedric¡¯s eyes. ¡°Hailey, I wish I could just open up your heart and see what¡¯s inside.¡± Even after clearing up misunderstandings, she was still so cold. It just showed that she didn¡¯t really love him. With that thought, every breath Cedric took was painful. The heartache made him slowly let go of Hailey. ¡°If you want an abortion, go ahead. I swear, even if I die, I won¡¯t look at you again.¡± After saying that, he took a step back. His bloodshot eyes nced at Hailey onest time before he turned around and left. As his figure disappeared behind the operating room, Hailey leaned on the side of the operating table and slowly squatted down. Outside the ward, Marina saw Cedric storm off and immediately pushed the door open and walked in. ¡°Hailey.¡± Marina squatted down, putting her hand on Hailey¡¯s shoulder. ¡°After all, it¡¯s your child. Don¡¯t give it up just because you¡¯re having issues with Cedric.¡± Ms. Shultz wanted a child but couldn¡¯t have one, Hailey was lucky to have one and should cherish it. Hailey hugged her knees tightly, burying her head in her arms. She was surrounded by fatigue and pain. ¡°Marina, am I a coward?¡± Seeing Hailey curled up in front of her, Marina opened her arms and held her. ¡°Cedric is actually much better than most affluent heirs. It¡¯s just your past experiences that make you afraid to trust him.¡± Marina gently patted her back. ¡°I understand you, but Hailey, life is short. If you take things easier, you will feel stronger.¡± She had issues with Cedric too. Since he was with Hailey, he should go public with their rtionship. Why was he still hiding her? Just for that, Marina looked down on Cedric. But after what happened with Yeager, she realized the surface doesn¡¯t tell the whole story, what¡¯s inside matters most. Although Mr. Laurence was a hedonistic young man, he wasn¡¯t a bad person. He was just young and not very steady, but people grow 1. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Hailey, please give Mr. Laurence a chance to change, and also give yourself a chance to build trust. Don¡¯t rush to abort the baby, you might regret it.¡± While Hailey was still hesitating, Cedric suddenly rushed in. Without considering their reactions, he picked Hailey up. He put Hailey in the car and then took out an agreement and handed it to her. ¡°Marry me. After the baby is born, if you want to stay, stay. If not, you can leave anytime within a year.¡± What he¡¯s saying is, he just wants the baby. Because of Marina¡¯s words, Hailey, who was wavering, suddenly stood firm. ¡°I won¡¯t have this baby.¡± Cedric clenched his hand holding the agreement. ¡°I¡¯m the father, I have the right to decide.¡± After saying this forcefully, he grabbed Hailey¡¯s hand, disregarding her resistance, and forced her to sign the agreement. ¡°Now, whether you want to have this baby or not, it¡¯s not up to you.¡± Cedric put away the agreement and quickly started the car. 1/2 11.0577 Hailey in the passenger seat turned her head and red at him angrily. ¡°Cedric, can¡¯t you respect me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve respected you plenty. What did I get in return?¡± Cedric, equally angry, red back at Hailey. ¡°Why do you get to decide whether to have our baby?¡± He was about to be a father, which should be a joyful thing. But all he felt was anger. ¡°Let me tell you, Hailey. Whether you like it or not, I want our baby to be born healthy!¡± The determination in his eyes stunned Hailey. She¡¯d never seen him like this and felt a bit lost. Cedric drove quickly and took Hailey home. After parking the car, he opened the passenger door, picked her up, and took her to the master bedroom. ¡°Get everything ready. We¡¯re going to register our marriage. Chapter 1221 Chapter 1221 Hailey lowered her eyes, slowly looked up at Cedric. There should be a closure for both of them, and the way to do it was to make things clear ¡°I don¡¯t believe you and Hertha didn¡¯t have sex, Hailey said. Heanng this, Cedric¡¯s face fell. ¡°She exined very clearly that she was scheming Why don¡¯t you believe it?¡± Cedric asked. ¡°Because she gave me a tape recorderter, her so¨Ccalled exnation was just an excuse because she was driven to despair by your mother, Hailey replied. After hearing this, Cedric had some doubts, but he also believed his mother would do such a thing, he wouldn¡¯t doubt Hailey¡¯s words ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m not sure whether my mother forced her or not. As for the tape recording, I also don¡¯t know. All I know is that I didn¡¯t do it,¡± he said, raising his hands and grabbing Hailey¡¯s shoulders, looking at her seriously, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I didn¡¯t do it, do you believe me?¡± Hailey shook her head, ¡°No¡± Cedric got the message, he lost because she didn¡¯t trust him. ¡°I¡¯ve been entangled with you for five years, during these five years, I¡¯ve only cared about you, don¡¯t you see that?¡± he said, his eyes gradually filling with tears, ¡°Why would you rather believe others than me?¡± Hailey looked up, looking into Cedric¡¯s aggrieved eyes. ¡°I also want to believe you, but Cedric, what sense of security have you given me?¡± she asked, ¡°After we broke up, you either verbally attacked me or brought other women to humiliate me. In my eyes, all I see are the women around you. You know, I¡¯ve been an orphan since childhood and have suffered betrayal from my husband, I¡¯m scared to experience that again. But you, if it¡¯s not Norene, then it¡¯s Hertha, or other women. How can you expect me to trust you?¡± Hailey¡¯s emotional outburst left Cedric stunned. Then he quickly pulled her into his arms. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize I had fallen in love with you before, so I was stupid enough to use other women to make you angry. I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t give you enough sense of security¡± This time, Hailey didn¡¯t resist him, instead, she leaned weakly against him. Her voice sounded like she was saying goodbye, she spoke softly and quietly. ¡°Cedric, I don¡¯t trust you, not just in the past, but now too.¡± Simrly, Cedric holding her also felt powerless. ¡°Even if I promise not to interact with any other woman in the future, you still won¡¯t choose to trust me again?¡± Hailey gave a bitter smile. ¡®I actually chose to believe you before. When I found out I was pregnant, I thought it doesn¡¯t matter whether you had sex with Hertha or not, as long as you are dedicated to me in the future. But then¡­¡± Pregnant Hailey, tears once again uncontrobly fell. ¡°I saw you giving flowers to another woman at the airport, then I understood, the problem between us is not just a Hertha, but you, you can¡¯t change¡­ Cedric¡¯s body stiffened, he seemed to understand. He let go of Hailey, grabbed her shoulders, and looked down at her. From N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Hailey, that woman is called Judith, she has been pursuing me, but I have been rejecting her. Yesterday, I just ran into her at the airport She insisted on giving me flowers. I gave them back to her and told her I was getting married. After wishing me happiness, she quickly Chapter 1222 Chapter 1222 Target 4 auf w de My Ambung? Stadt spend Cedi malderly let go of the moved to the dresser, opened the drawer, and started rummaging haley watched Cedric back rated withplex emotions, wave after wave, leaving her at a loss. Sta Ana the chose fun, she would have to ept the constant appearance of other women beside him, be they pursuers or Alleluiae, she would have to endure. Undees te could really stay away from other women, but she knew Cedric couldn¡¯t do that. He probably didn¡¯t realize this, so other moinen would take the opportunity to swoop in, and these opportunities could hurt her She faced the might owes her own standards, epting Cedric¡¯s unfaithfulness, she couldn¡¯t imagine how painful it would be to be such a person With the hailey quickly tied to stop Cedric Stop looking i wont give you any documents needed for mariage registration¡± Cee¡¯s normally gloomy face looked even darker now the way the documents in his hand, didn¡¯t look at Hailey, and tumed to rummage through the bedside table Seeing his stubbornness, Haley went over to stop him, only to be pushed away by an angry Cedric Halles staggered a few steps, lost her bnce, and fell sideways.. but her belly but the wooden armrest of the sofa, causing some pain. ugh, what was in her stomach, just an u baby wouldn¡¯t bind her emotionally But now When the pan cama, a wave of panic and fear suddenly hit her, causing her to subconsciously touch her belly. So.. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Even if it was just an unbom baby she was stil emotionally bound. Just like she didn¡¯t want to fall for Cedric, but still did, no matter how hard she ted to suppress these feelings, she couldn¡¯t change it Haley gave a bitter smile, stood up with the help of the sofa, looking at Cedric who was standing next to her His face was filled with anger, but because he had done something wrong unintentionally, he reached out to her, then awkwardly withdrew his hand. ¡°Do you really want to get marmed?¡± she asked Cedric clenched his fists, staring at Hailey said coldly. The child can¡¯t be motherless¡± ¡°Are you marrying me just because of the child?¡± she pressed See, that¡¯s the problem. She didn¡¯t trust him, she didn¡¯t trust him in any way. ¡°What do you think?¡± he countered. After Harley got that response she seemed to have made up her mind. She turned around, walked to the desk, opened the dranes, took out the documents needed for mariage registration and handed them to Cedric I¡¯m giving you one more chance if the result still disappoints me, then, ording to our agreement, I¡¯m out.¡± Cedric looked down at the papers, then at the determined Hailey He didnt say a word, just took the papers, grabbed her hand, and headed straight to the registrar¡¯s office When the car pulled up. Cedric didn¡¯t unlock the doors. He just sat there, staring at the road ahead in silence. Sjoute having second thoughts Hailey thought he might have acted rashly and was now regretting it. She faft deceived, but then he turned around and looked at her seriously will make you trust me¡± It was his inability to keep his distance from women that led to the misunderstanding If he could be like his brother Bernard Laurence and decisively cut ties with women with it intentions, Haley wouldn¡¯t feel so insecure. He used to do as he pleased, not caring about these things, but from now on, he would make Haley feet safe He was confident that if he could guarantee her safety Hailey would trust him. And he was determined to make it happen This was the most reassuring promise Cedric had ever made to Hailey, and it eased her anxious heart Cedric led Hailey to the registrar¡¯s office. The process was quick and before long, they were officially married¡­ After the whole process. Cedric¡¯s eyes filled with tears No matter how tough the journey, he had finally mamed the woman he wanted Seeing Cedric lost in thought Halley lowered her eyes After five years of entanglement with tum, she thought she could stay rational, but somehow, they ended up getting named One minute they were arguing the next they were married it was ridiculous. But for some reason, Hailey was moved during the mariage registration process She thought, maybe, just maybe, Me would be better with some spontaneity After all, not everything in the needs to be taken so senously Cedric led Halley out of the registrar¡¯s office Orice in the car, Cedric handed the manage certificate to Hailey ¡°What kind of wedding do you want? Hailey took the marriage certificate, nced at it, and saw her name next to Cedric¡¯s. They were officially mamed ¡°Ours is a contractual manage, a wedding ceremony is not necessary What Harley meant was, she was giving him a one year trial period. If he didn¡¯t change within a year, she would leave: So, there was no need for a wedding ceremony to avoid future trouble. Cedno wasn¡¯tfortable with her response and regretted following Bemard¡¯s advice to sign a contract. Now, he felt trapped The been divorced once if we have a wedding, everyone will know and theyugh at you.¡± Haley¡¯s exnation calmed Cedric down, who initially thought she wanted to leave. No one dares to mock the He chuckled, stored the cal, and drove towards his home Halfway there, Haley realized they were on the wrong route and alerted him Where are you taking me?¡± But this is the way to thy house Cedno slowed down and pulled over, then he said Hailey look at what you¡¯re holding istey fellowed fes gaze and looked at their marriage certih, ale egele married, you should, of course,e home with me The implication was clear she would be loving eth him from now on Haley Jonker en Cede, who was tempus/soet even bring a change of clothes Don¡¯t worry aboutg bedric picked up les phone made a call, and soon, all of Haley¡¯s belongings were moved to his vi. Not only that bar Cedric also had his vi redecorated from top to bottom, it was utterlyvish Loring at the red house Haley was speechess it was really not necessary to decorate the house so extravagantly. It wasn¡¯t as if they were sting a banque Chapter 1223 Chapter 1223 After Cedric had the butler clear out the changing room next to the master bedroom for Hailey, he saw her standing in the living room, seeming a little uneasy. He figured she was probably uneasy because he¡¯d never let her stay over before, so he quickly descended the stairs, approached her, and held her hand. ¡°From now on, this is your home. You can do whatever you want with it.¡± From N?velDrama.Org. With that, he lowered his gaze to Hailey¡¯s belly. ¡°It¡¯ste, you should rest.¡± Pregnant people shouldn¡¯t stay up thiste, it¡¯s not good for the baby. Aware that Cedric was showing concern, Hailey nodded gently. But after her shower, would she have to share a bedroom with Cedric? Even though they¡¯d slept together before, Hailey still felt a bit embarrassed, unsure of how to face him. With these thoughts troubling her, she finished showering and drying her hair to find Cedric already sitting on the bed. He was in his pajamas, propped up against the headboard, with hisptop on hisp and his slender fingers tapping on the keyboard. Seeing here out, Cedric stopped typing, lifted his hand, and patted the bed next to him. ¡°Come over.¡± Hailey tiptoed over, lifted the thin nket, andy down by the edge of the bed. Perhaps it was the absurdity and awkwardness of this hasty marriage that made her¡­ After lying down, she turned quickly to face the window, not daring to even nce at him. Looking at her back under the nket, Cedric I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. After watching Hailey for a while, he closed hisptop, turned off the light, andy down¡­ Hailey thought they would each go to sleep, but suddenly felt a weight on her waist and arge hand ced there. Then her back was pressed against Cedric¡¯s firm chest, the warmth of his body, separated by ayer of pajamas, seared into Hailey¡¯s skin. What was worse, Cedric¡¯s chin was resting on the back of her head, his familiar scent gently wafting from behind her ear. His heartbeat was pounding, and so was Hailey¡¯s. She didn¡¯t even know where to put her hand clutching the nket. Seeing that she didn¡¯t push him away, Cedric lowered his head and tried to kiss the back of her neck when Hailey moved. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± She tried to push Cedric away, but in her excitement, her elbow jabbed hard into his chin. ¡°Ouch¡­¡± Cedric held his chin in pain, then looked at Hailey with a furrowed brow¡­ ¡°If you know you¡¯re strong, you should control it.¡± Hailey¡¯s strength was legendary; she could carry two buckets of water up the stairs when she was young, but she was still a bit embarrassed when Cedric mentioned her strength. ¡°Who told you to sneak a kiss?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I kiss my own wife?¡± Cedric¡¯s remark left Hailey speechless. She quickly turned around, facing the window, ignoring him. Feeling that she might be upset, Cedric thought for a moment, then moved closer, hugging her tightly from behind and burying his chin in her neck. ¡°Although you¡¯re strong, it¡¯s not entirely a bad thing. If there¡¯s something I can¡¯t move, you cane in handy.¡± Hailey rolled her eyes in resignation. ¡°If you can¡¯t say something nice, don¡¯t say anything at all. Just go to sleep.¡± She grabbed a nket, wrapped it around her head, and curled herself up. Cedric didn¡¯t even have a corner of the nket, seeing Hailey like this, he couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°I was just joking, I¡¯ve never made fun of your strength.¡± Hailey ignored him and closed her eyes to sleep. Perhaps because of the energy pregnancy consumed, it didn¡¯t take long for her to fall into a deep sleep. Hearing her steady breathing, Cedric gently leaned forward, seeing that she was truly asleep, he lifted the nket and ced his hand on her belly. Here was their child, how wonderful. The corners of his mouth involuntarily curled up, revealing a smile. Chapter 1224 Chapter 1224 Cedric stared at the sleeping Hailey, his gaze lingering on her for a long while before he reached out and pulled her into a tight embrace from behind. He knew he wasn¡¯t a man of his word. His promises were often empty, not just because he never followed through, but also because he was prone to changing his mind. However, he was the only one who knew that the moment he held her, his heart, filled with anger, fear, and anxiety, immediately calmed down. He knew he loved Hailey more, so naturally, he had to bear more grievances than her. But he was a man. He could take a little hardship, as long as he could hold her like this for the rest of his life¡­ Cedric held Hailey tightly and fell into a deep, peaceful sleep, dreaming of a happy family of three. Hailey was jolted awake by the pressure. Cedric¡¯s sleeping posture was terrible. His arms and legs were wrapped around her like a giant python. She opened her eyes and struggled a bit, but he didn¡¯t let go. Holding back her temper, she lifted her elbow and gently pushed the man behind her. ¡°Be quiet, I¡¯m sleepy.¡± His voice, husky and somewhat childish, made Hailey withdraw her hand. She turned over with some effort to look at Cedric, who was still asleep. The sun outside the floor-to-ceiling window shone through the white curtains, casting a dappled light that illuminated his handsome face, making him look particrly attractive. After staring at Cedric for a while, Hailey raised her hand and pped his face lightly. ¡°Cedric, if you keep pressing down like this, the baby in my stomach will be ttened by you.¡± Catching her hand, Cedric pulled her into his arms. He rested his chin on her head and let out a raspy voice. ¡°Stop talking nonsense, our baby will be born safe and healthy.¡± His words, like a warm spring, slowly flowed into Hailey¡¯s heart, making her feel very warm¡­ Cedric wasn¡¯t azy sleeper. After holding Hailey for a while, he gradually woke up. ? He looked down at Hailey in his arms. He had seen her many times when he woke up, but never had he felt as joyful as at this moment. ¡°Wifey.¡± Cedric¡¯s flirtatious address and heated gaze made Hailey feel a little overwhelmed. She lowered her eyshes, trying to avoid him, but was held by Cedric¡¯s hand under her chin. Forced to look up, her lips were captured by Cedric before she could even lift her eyes. With their breathing getting heavier, Cedric¡¯s kiss gradually turned into a bold, deep one. Mid-kiss, Cedric rolled over and pinned Hailey underneath him. His roaming hand started to move from her belly to her thigh. Feeling something was off, Hailey immediately pushed him, ¡°I¡¯m pregnant, don¡¯t mess around.¡± Cedric had no choice but to retract his hand and wrap it around her waist instead, ¡°How long do I have to wait before we can make love?¡± Hailey, held in his arms, looked at the eager Cedric, ¡°However long our agreement said, that¡¯s how long you wait.¡± Cedric¡¯s kiss paused at her neck as he asked in surprise, ¡°A whole year?¡± Actually, three months would be enough, as long as he was careful. But Hailey didn¡¯t want to do that, so she deliberately lied to Cedric. ¡°You have to understand, I¡¯m pregnant now,¡± Cedric, three years younger andcking experience, had to grit his teeth and ept it, ¡°Then I won¡¯t touch you anymore, I don¡¯t want to hurt the baby.¡± Hailey quickly nodded, ¡°Mm, good boy.¡± Cedric didn¡¯t like it when Hailey talked to him as if she were an elder. He pinched her cheek and said firmly, ¡°I¡¯m your husband, you shouldn¡¯t talk to me like that.¡± Husband¡­ Hailey savored the word in her heart, a faint smile appearing on her face, ¡°It¡¯s eight o¡¯clock, you should go to work.¡± Cedric bent down and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead, ¡°I¡¯m not going to the office today, I have other things to deal with. I¡¯ll be back soon, wait for me at home.¡± Before Hailey had a chance to ask, Cedric got up and went to the bathroom. Shortly after, the sound of a car leaving the mansion could be heard from downstairs. Watching him leave, Hailey also got up to freshen up. She had nned to handle some work in the evening, but the butler stopped her, saying that Cedric wanted her to rest at home. Hailey hadn¡¯t been back in the country for a month, and the nightclub manager had contacted her several times, hoping she coulde back and take control. Now that she was back, she was forbidden to go out. Feeling a little anxious, she sat in the living room. Seeing this, the butler immediately brought some supplements for pregnant women. ¡°Madam, these are what the young master specifically asked me to buy. Try some.¡± From N?velDrama.Org. Looking at the pile of supplements, Hailey said ¡®thank you¡¯ and tried a few bites. Hailey thought they were quite delicious, so she had a few more bites. Seeing her enjoy the food, the butler, Roger, finally smiled. ¡°Madam, you¡¯re pregnant now. The young master doesn¡¯t want you to work for your and the baby¡¯s sake. Don¡¯t be mad at him.¡± Of course, Hailey understood this. ¡°I¡¯m not mad, Roger, don¡¯t worry.¡± She and Cedric had been dating for three years, and she would asionallye here. Roger had always been good to her. Seeing Hailey not being mad, Roger chatted with her for a bit more before going back to his own work. Chapter 1225 Chapter 1225 Hailey was about to whip out her phone to tell Eleanor Shultz she¡¯s back in the country when she heard the sound of a car outside. Following the noise, she saw Cedric opening the passenger side door of his car, helping Hertha out. Seeing Cedric bringing Hertha home, Hailey felt a pang in her heart as the sweetness of the morning seemed to evaporate. She felt a sense of despair and didn¡¯t know what to do. All she could do was sit there, watching the two of them walk in. After Cedric led Hertha in, he let go of her hand and pushed her towards Hailey Hailey was a bit puzzled and looked up at Cedric, whose face was etched with indifference. When he caught Hailey¡¯s gaze, he gave her a reassuring look, then withdrew it and looked coldly at Hertha. ¡°Pin her to the table!¡± The bodyguard who followed them in immediately stepped forward, grabbing Hertha¡¯s shoulders and pinning her to the ss table. After being pinned, Cedric squatted down in front of Hertha ¡°Be clear in front of my wife, did I have sex with you?¡± Hailey thought this ordeal was over, but it seemed that for Cedric, it wouldn¡¯t end until the truth was out. His actions gave her a sense of security, and her sorrow gradually faded. Was it because his actions proved his innocence, that she no longer cared? Hertha, who was forcefully pinned to the table, couldn¡¯t see Hailey. All she could see was Cedric, his merciless demeanor infuriating her. ¡°Cedric, you¡¯re really lousy, denying what you¡¯ve done!¡± Hertha ¡°Am I lousy?¡± Cedric retorted, nodding his head, ¡°Alright, very well.¡± He pulled out his phone, dialed the police in front of Hertha, and reported that Hertha was framing him. After calling the police, Cedric put down his phone, looking down at Hertha from his high position. ¡°You better tell the truth before the police arrive, I might consider letting you off.¡± Seeing that he really called the police, Hertha was slightly scared, but she quickly calmed down. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll use you of rape?* Cedric scoffed. ¡°This time, no matter how you frame me, I¡¯ll fight this legal battle with you. Get ready for prison!¡± Cedric had never been this tough before. This was the first time, and Hertha began to feel afraid. She could use Cedric of rape, but that would be a lie. And how could she possibly stand against the power of the Laurence family? Hertha raised her eyes, looking at the towering Cedric. This man, whom she had always wanted but could never have, now became her enemy. ¡°Cedric, did you ever truly love me when we were dating?¡± Cedric, whose youthful memories had long faded, stared at Hertha and said coldly. ¡°I was naive when I was young. I thought you had feelings for me so I responded, that¡¯s all. As for love¡­¡± Cedric said emotionlessly, ¡°I never loved you.¡± This answer, like a heavy blow hit Hertha¡¯s heart. She suddenlyughed. ¡°No wonder you gave up on me so easily when your family opposed us.¡± ¡°The real reason I gave up on you was because while you were dating me, you deliberately seduced my brother. We both know this. How dare you shift the me onto my parents.¡± Cedric¡¯s firm words struck Hailey, who was sitting on the sofa, causing her to falter. ording to the recordings, Hertha imed she was coerced by Latonia. But it turned out, there was more to it. Hailey used to think that Hertha was just using petty tricks because she liked Cedric. She didn¡¯t expect that Hertha was already unscrupulous in her youth. In front of Hailey, Hertha, who waspletely exposed by Cedric, didn¡¯t care anymore. No matter how she framed Hailey, Hailey, this good-for-nothing, still married Cedric They were already married, and no matter how resentful Hertha was, it was to no avail. She could only grit her teeth. 14:34 ¡°Since you¡¯ve never loved me from the start, then you two will forever have me as a thom in your side.¡± Hertha, who had long given up on Cedric, put on a nonchnt attitude. Seeing such a fearless woman, Cedric wished he could strangle her on the spot. But before he could make a move, Hailey beat him to it. ¡°Hertha, you¡¯re no longer a thorn in my side the moment I found out about your lies.¡± Hearing this, Hertha only felt that Hailey was putting on a show. She ignored Hailey, turning to look at Cedric who was focused on her. ¡°Have you forgotten that I saved you before?¡± Mentioning this, Cedric couldn¡¯t help but get angry. ¡°I just found out that the danger I encountered then was actually orchestrated by you!¡± From N?velDrama.Org. Hertha had just set up a trap to get close to him. If someone hadn¡¯t told him the truth, he might still be in the dark. Chapter 1226 Chapter 1226 So it turns out Cedric already knew the truth of the matter. Now that Hertha had lost even herst trump card. She suddenly felt powerless and began to shake inside. But she wasn¡¯t ready to admit defeat. Despite her hesitation, she quickly straightened her back, trying to reach out for Cedric. However, she was held back by the bodyguard behind her. Even then, Hertha refused to back down. She extended her hand towards Cedric- ¡°Cedric, can¡¯t you give me another chance for the love I have for you?¡± Cedric sneered at her. ¡°You didn¡¯t really love me. You¡¯re just after my family¡¯s fortune, trying to use me to fulfill your dream of marrying into wealth.¡± His first love never truly cared for him. She was always scheming to marry into a wealthy family! Despite the ruthless exposure by Cedric, Hertha still refused to give in. She pointed at Hailey. ¡°If I don¡¯t love you, does Hailey? She¡¯s doubted you time and time again. Is that how a woman who truly loves you behaves?¡± Hailey, struck by her words, looked at Cedric. She saw a hint of hurt in his eyes, and guilt surged in her heart. Cedric shrugged it off, ¡°Of course my wife loves me. She doubts me because she loves me, and because I¡¯ve always told her I¡¯d change my flirtatious ways, but I¡¯ve never kept my distance from other women. I didn¡¯t know my boundaries, that¡¯s why she doesn¡¯t trust me¡­¡± After speaking, Cedric looked at a flustered Hailey with deep affection, ¡°From now on, I will engrave those boundaries in my heart and devote myself solely to her.¡± Hearing these words from a once flirtatious man, Hertha was in disbelief, ¡°Cedric, you¡­¡± Before she could finish, Cedric cut her off, ¡°Hertha, if you tell the truth, you might still have a chance with Moran. Otherwise, I¡¯ll make sure your reputation is ruined and you end up with nothing.¡± Moran was a friend of Cedric¡¯s, seduced by Hertha¡¯s schemes into sleeping with her. She thought it was a well-kept secret, but the fact that Cedric knew scared her, ¡°How¡­ how did you find out?¡± Cedric answered casually, ¡°I¡¯ve always known what kind of person you are.¡± Which means he could anticipate her every move. Hertha suddenly realized, if not for provoking Hailey, Cedric wouldn¡¯t have yed out this charade with her. Feeling utterly defeated, she suddenly closed her eyes, ¡°If I tell the truth, can I still be with Moran?¡± Cedric nced at her indifferently, ¡°That¡¯s your problem, not mine.¡± In other words, Cedric wouldn¡¯t tell Moran what kind of person she was. If he didn¡¯t, she still had a chance to be a wealthy wife, otherwise, she¡¯d end up with nothing. Cedric was in control of Hertha¡¯s most important interests, which forced Hertha to make tradeoffs¡­ After some thought, since she¡¯d already lost the bigger prize and only had the smaller one left, she should hold onto it tightly to avoid ending up with nothing. Hertha, a woman who values profit over feelings, after understanding her decision, opened her eyes again and looked towards Hailey firmly. ¡°That night, Cedric didn¡¯t touch me. Everything was a performance orchestrated by me, including the lies I told you. I framed him.¡± Upon hearing this, Hailey instinctively looked at Cedric. Seeing his teary eyes, she couldn¡¯t help but feel sad¡­ He was trying hard to prove his innocence, just to reassure her, yet she never trusted him. If she had trusted him from the beginning when he said nothing happened, there wouldn¡¯t have been so many misunderstandings between them. And he wouldn¡¯t have had to endure so much pain. After proving his innocence, Cedric took out a voice recorder from his pocket, put it to Hertha¡¯s ear, and pressed y¡­ Her confession could be heard clearly. Confused, Hertha looked at Cedric, ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Cedric smirked, showing a cunning smile, ¡°Just borrowing a page from Bernard¡¯s book, treating you the same way you treated me.¡± Hertha was smart and quickly grasped his point, ¡°Didn¡¯t you promise me that you¡¯d let me be with Moran?¡± Cedric smiled and nodded, ¡°I did promise to let you be with Moran, only after you serve your jail time.¡± After saying that, he added coldly, ¡°If he¡¯s willing to wait for you to get out of jail, you two can still be together. Chapter 1227 Chapter 1227 No sooner had Cedric finished speaking than a wave of sirens wailed from outside. He darted a look outside the window to see the security guards opening the gate for the police to enter the estate. Cedric quickly signaled his bodyguard who understood and promptly let go of Hertha. Poor Hertha was still in the dark about Cedric¡¯s scheme. By the time she came to, there were already several cops in front of her, taking her into custody. She never saw thising and flew into a fit of hysteria, yelling, ¡°I told one little lie, and you¡¯re arresting me for that?¡± The cop responded coldly, ¡°Mr. Cedric used you of sexually harassing him. You¡¯reing with us for investigation.¡± She had assumed the usation was about framing someone, but she couldn¡¯t believe that Cedric was reporting her for sexual harassment. ¡°I neverid a finger on you!¡± Cedric snorted. Hertha had been all over him when he was drunk. Wasn¡¯t that sexual harassment? Cedric ignored her, handing his voice recorder to the cop, ¡°I¡¯ll be pressing charges for sexual harassment, defamation, and false usations.¡± The cop took the recorder, ¡°We¡¯ll bring her in for investigation. If you wish to sue, find awyer.¡± With a ¡®thank you¡¯, Cedric turned to Hertha, ¡°As you know, mywyer is none other than the famous Chase McCall.¡± The mention of Chase was a clear sign for her to stop struggling. With Chase¡¯s expertise, no one could escape justice. Hertha¡¯s face darkened, but she continued to hurl insults at Cedric, her foul words disappearing into the mansion as the police car drove away. After dealing with Hertha, Cedric didn¡¯t even wait for Hailey to apologize, picking up his phone to call Judith and asked for an exnation about the incident at the airport. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Lucky for him, Judith wasn¡¯t Hertha. After hearing Cedric¡¯s exnation, she couldn¡¯t help but chuckle before confessing and resolving the issue about the kiss. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Hailey. It was just a goodbye kiss. I didn¡¯t mean anything else, don¡¯t get the wrong idea¡­¡± goodbye kiss At her words, Hailey blushed. Seeing her embarrassment, Cedric quickly took over the phone, telling Judith, ¡°Judith, to put my wife at ease, I¡¯ll be deleting your contact after this call. In the future, please direct all work matters to my assistant.¡± ¡°Mr. Laurence, while I find your actions a bit bizarre, I respect your love for your wife. Do as you wish.¡± With her approval, Cedric quickly ended the call. As he was about to delete Judith¡¯s contact, Hailey held down his phone screen. ¡°She¡¯s a business partner. There¡¯s no need to delete her.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. She can just contact my assistant, same thing.¡± Hailey cast her eyes down, shyly saying. ¡°You make me seem petty.¡± She was subtly admitting her shorings, but Cedric simply nodded. ¡°You might be a bit jealous, but I don¡¯t mind.¡± Seeing Cedric¡¯s grin, Hailey let go of his phone. You can delete her if you want. Might as well get rid of Eleanor¡¯s too,¡± Hailey joked. Having just deleted Judith¡¯s contact, Cedric looked up at Hailey with a feigned innocence. ¡°That¡¯s a bit much¡­ My dear brother Bernard would be furious if he found out.¡± much¡­ Hailey, sitting on the sofa, was just about to punch him when a call from ¡®Bernard is so annoying¡¯ appeared on his phone. Cedric lightly pinched Hailey¡¯s surprised cheek, ¡°Don¡¯t tell Bernard I changed his contact name to this¡­¡± As Cedric got up to take the call, Hailey could tell that a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, making him rxed and carefree. She felt the same way, didn¡¯t she? Hailey gently rubbed her belly. If it wasn¡¯t for their child, they might have gone their separate ways by now. After hanging up, Cedric picked up his coat and said to Hailey, ¡°My brother needs me for something urgent. I need to go to the 1/2 14:34 This time, Hailey didn¡¯t resist, merely nodding obediently, ¡°You¡­ remember toe home early.¡± Cedric, already at the door, turned around at her reminder, bent over to scoop Hailey into his arms and gave her a deep kiss. Hailey was almost breathless from his kiss. A light tap on his chest was all it took for him to release her, grinning like a child with candy as he left. Just as his Rolls-Royce pulled up to the entrance of the Lawrence Group, he saw the towering figure of Bernard stepping out of a limousine. In high spirits, Cedric quickly approached Bernard, ¡°Bro, I¡¯ve got two pieces of good news for you. Which one do you want to hear first?¡± Chapter 1228 Chapter 1228 Bernard gave him a cold nce and said indifferently as he walked into the office building, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in your good news.¡± His aloof personality was something Cedric had long gotten used to. He shrugged it off and quickly caught up with Bernard, ¡°Guess where I went yesterday, bro?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Bernard replied coldly, stepping onto the stairs, ¡°All I know is you¡¯ve been neglecting the Lawrence Group for Ms. Vulpe.¡± Cedric had been busy and hadn¡¯t been to thepany for a while, he felt a bit guilty about it, ¡°I¡¯ll be punctual in the future, bro. I promise I won¡¯t miss out.¡± After making that promise, he leaned in towards Bernard and whispered, ¡°Wanna know why?¡± Bernard, finding him annoying, replied with a chill, ¡°Did you finally get Ms. Vulpe to fall for you?¡± Cedric praised Bernard for his intelligence and grinned from ear to ear, ¡°Not only did I win her over, but she¡¯s also not leaving now.¡± Bernard, who had already figured out the good news, yed along and asked, ¡°How can you be so sure she¡¯s not going anywhere when you haven¡¯t brought her home?¡± Cedric¡¯s smile widened at the returned question, ¡°I¡¯ve married her. We just registered our marriage yesterday. What do you think, shocked?¡± Expecting Bernard to be surprised after keeping the big news a secret for so long, Cedric was taken aback when Bernard didn¡¯t even bat an eyelid. ¡°Bro, are you not surprised at all?¡± ¡°Surprised.¡± ¡°I knew it!¡± He figured Bernard must be used to keeping a poker face. Just as he thought this, Bernard turned to look at Cedric. ¡°I¡¯m surprised that Ms. Vulpe would be so reckless as to marry you.¡± Cedric was speechless. ¡°She was forced by you, wasn¡¯t she?¡± Cedric, stung by his words, red at Bernard. ¡°Absolutely not. I won her over with my charm, that¡¯s why she agreed to marry me.¡± Bernard paused, took a good look at him, and even though his expression didn¡¯t change, Cedric felt insulted. ¡°Bro, what¡¯s with that look? Are you looking down on me?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t reply, just turned away and headed towards the elevator. Cedric quickly caught up with him. ¡°Bernard, now that I¡¯m married to Hailey, shouldn¡¯t you consider me your brother-inw?¡± At this, Bernard halted. He turned to face Cedric, eyes fixed on him. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°Is there something wrong with my logic?¡± Bernard gave him a deep look in response to Cedric¡¯s challenge. ¡°Do you want to die, or want to be expelled from the Laurence family?¡± ¡°Can I choose neither?¡± Bernard tilted his head slightly, staring at Cedric in a way that gave him the creeps. ¡°I take back what I just said. Pretend you didn¡¯t hear it.¡± Cedric, a master at ying dumb, then pressed the elevator button and with a smile, gestured for Bernard to step in. Bro, you said you wanted to have a meeting with me, right? Come in.¡± ohly Only then did Bernard shift his gaze and step into the elevator. There was still one piece of news he hadn¡¯t shared with Bernard and keeping it to himself made Cedric a bit uneasy. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He stealthily cast a nce at Bernard who was standing like a statue in the elevator. Given the choice between being scolded by Bernard and suffocating with a secret, Cedric didn¡¯t hesitate to choose the former. ¡°Bro, I have another piece of good news. Hailey is pregnant. I¡¯m going to be a dad!¡± Bernard had anticipated the marriage news but the pregnancy was a shocker. ¡°Is it from that time?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cedric confidently patted his chest. As if telling Bernard, see, I hit the bull¡¯s eye, cool right? Bernard¡¯s handsome face gradually turned sour. Aidyn, who marriedter than him, was going to be a dad. 2 Cedric, who married eventer than Aidyn, was also going to be a dad. Who¡¯d be next, Caleb? Or would everyone else get pregnant and then hit him with the good news? Seeing Bernard¡¯s gloomy face, Cedric cheerfully nudged him with his elbow. ¡°Bro, if it wasn¡¯t for you convincing mom to apologize to Hailey, I¡¯d probably still be at home fighting with them and wouldn¡¯t know about the baby.¡± Bernard gave him a look and ignored him. Cedric didn¡¯t see that. He continued his words. ¡°How about this, to thank you, I¡¯ll let you name the baby?¡± Bernard scoffed, ¡°The baby isn¡¯t even born yet, we don¡¯t know the gender. What name should I give?¡± Cedric didn¡¯t mind at all, ¡°Then you cane up with one for a boy and another for a girl, right?¡± Bernard looked at him impatiently, ¡°Do you really want me to name them?¡± Cedric, ¡°Of course!¡± Without giving it a thought, Bernard said, ¡°If it¡¯s a boy, name him Boy Laurence. If it¡¯s a girl, Girl Laurence.¡± Cedric responded, ¡°Are you kidding me? You¡¯re way too casual about these names!¡± Chapter 1229 Chapter 1229 The elevator doors swung open, revealing the top floor. Bernard quickened his pace and headed for the president¡¯s office. Cedric, who was left standing in his tracks, heard a frosty remark from outside the elevator. ¡°Not allowed to change names!¡± Bernard had picked out these names and he¡¯s not allowed to change them? Cedric regretted it. If he had known, he would have never made that request. Fearing a scolding from Hailey, Cedric sprinted after Bernard like a madman. ¡°Bro, these two names are so strange. Can you pick something more¡­normal?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t answer. He just turned and walked away. Cedric thought, was he really going to name his kids Boy Laurence and Girl Laurence? Bernard¡¯s urgent business was to call all the brothers back to thepany for a meeting to announce: He had bought back all the shares and was redistributing his own shares. 30% of them went to Cedric, while the remaining four brothers each got 10%. Eleanor had 30%. ke and his soon-to-be-retired children only had management rights. This distribution meant that the Laurence Group was no longer ruled by Bernard alone but was a collective leadership of the brothers. ¡°Bro, why are you giving us all your shares?¡± Cedric, still distressed over the naming issue, waspletely baffled when he saw the share distribution on the screen. The other brothers were also puzzled, looking at Bernard. Was Bernard retiring? Bernard, seated at the head of the table, slowly twirled a pen with his bony fingers. ¡°You¡¯ve all contributed to thepany. It¡¯s only fair you get shares.¡± -¡°But the other brothers have contributed way more than me. Why give me so much?¡± Even though the other four brothers wouldn¡¯t squabble over such things, Cedric felt guilty. ¡°I¡¯ll be grooming you to take my ce over the next period.¡± That just confused Cedric even more. ¡°If I take your ce, where are you going?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t answer that question in front of them. ¡°I have my ns.¡± Kendrick Laurence and Taylor Laurence wanted to ask what ns, but Bernard raised his hand to stop them. ¡°Do you guys have any objections to the way I¡¯ve divided things?! Although they had doubts, no one voiced them. They probably thought Bernard could distribute however he saw fit, they didn¡¯t really mind. It was this trust that allowed Bernard to spend a fortune to buy all the shares, dissolve the board, and hand it all over to them. ¡°Since you trust me, I trust you. I¡¯m giving you these shares without asking for a dime. All I ask is that you do one thing for me.¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. The fifth child of the Laurence family in Africa responded over the screen, ¡°Bro, just say the word. No matter what you need, we got your back.¡± Bernard¡¯s cold gaze moved to the share distribution on the big screen. ¡°As you can see, I¡¯ve given 30% of the shares to my wife, Eleanor¡± ¡°Those are shares you bought with your own money. You can give them to whoever you want.¡± Taylor was the first to respond, and the other brothers chimed in. ¡°That¡¯s right, bro. You split it however you want. We don¡¯t have any objections.¡± A faint smile, tinged with mncholy, yed across Bernard¡¯s lips. ¡°Even though you have no objections, there are others in the Laurence family. I hope you can protect her in the future. Don¡¯t let her suffer any grievances in the Laurence family.¡± Protecting Eleanor was Bernard¡¯s responsibility. Why was he suddenly asking them to protect Eleanor? Cedric and the other brothers exchanged nces, then plucked up the courage to ask Bernard. ¡°Bro, what¡¯s going on? You¡¯re talking like you¡¯re giving yourst will and testament. This is all very sudden.¡± Bernard gave him a sidelong nce, his eyes filled withplex emotions. ¡°All you need to answer is yes or no.¡± Bernard was always a man of mystery. As his brothers, they didn¡¯t dare to pry too much. ¡°Bro, whatever you ask, we¡¯ll do. We promise.¡± Hearing his brothers¡¯ assurances, Bernard¡¯s heavy heart finally lightened. After the meeting, Cedric followed Bernard to his office. Chapter 1230 Chapter 1230 ¡°Bro, you¡¯ve been acting weird today. Why this kind of distribution? Why you want me to take your ce? And we have to protect her?¡± Compared to the other four obedient brothers, Cedric, who had been spoiled since childhood, was naturally the most unruly one. Cedric would feel uneasy if he didn¡¯t ask clearly. Bernard walked over to his desk, sat down in the leather swivel chair, and looked up at the confused Cedric. ¡°I have to go somewhere in a month and I might not be able to contact you guys for a while. That¡¯s why I have to arrange things this way. As to why I want you to take my ce¡­¡± He paused for a moment, and his long, thick eyshes flickered slightly. Originally, he had two more months, but he got a message this morning¡­ This message made him have to act ahead of schedule. Thinking of this, Bernard lifted his head and continued in a cold voice, ¡°You and her, each have 30% of the shares, but she can¡¯t manage thepany, so the power has to be given to you. With the help of your brothers, you can help her stand up against the rest of the Laurence family.¡± Bernard could foresee that once he left, not only ke but also the rest of the Laurence family would target Eleanor. In order to ensure Eleanor¡¯s future life was worry-free, he must let her get the dividends of the Laurence Group¡¯s shares, and also find a/ way to eliminate all obstacles for her. Only those brothers who trusted him and were loyal to him could do this. Especially Cedric, who had been following him since he was a child. ¡°So where are you going?¡± Cedric frowned and asked him after he understood his intentions. ¡°Are you going to the Space Agency?¡± Every time Bernard went to the Space Agency, he handed over his phone and lost contact. ¡°No.¡± Bernard denied it and cut off Cedric who wanted to speak again. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you before I go.¡± There was much more he had to exin. Cedric was stunned. He wanted to ask again, but Bernard seemed a bit impatient. ¡°Ms. Vulpe is pregnant. You should go back and keep herpany.¡± Cedric had to shut up and left the CEO¡¯s office full of doubts. As soon as Cedric left, Bernard¡¯s gaze darkened, and then he took out his phone to open that message. From N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Bernard, this is Sophie Ratliff.¡± Below the message was a picture of Eleanor sitting in the study, concentrating on her design drawings. This meant that Sophie, who joined Area Opaca with Mr. Ben, had been watching them all along. This also meant that someone was threatening him with Eleanor. As for the purpose of the threat, he wasn¡¯t sure¡­ All he knew was that this time when he went to Area Opaca, he not only had to find out who was behind all this, but also had to solve the problem once and for all. Thinking of this, Bernard clenched his phone, his deep and charming eyes were covered by a cold mist. After dealing with these matters, Bernard left thepany early and quickly returned to Fiord Roundabout. Eleanor was drawing the design, and Pearce Hooper was sitting on the opposite sofa, feeding popcorn to Nina. Like a little puppy, Nina would catch wherever Pearce threw the popcorn. However, despite trying for a long time, she didn¡¯t catch a single piece of popcorn, instead, she drooled all over the floor. Seeing this, Eleanor frowned at Pearce, ¡°Pearce, can¡¯t you be a little nicer to my sister¡¯s child?¡± Her sister was Pearce¡¯s boss, and her brother-inw was his teacher, but he treated the kid like a pet. Pearce didn¡¯t care and continued to throw peanuts into Nina¡¯s mouth, ¡°I¡¯m training her reaction ability. How could you, an outsider, understand?¡± Eleanor was speechless, ¡°If you want to train her reaction ability, take her to y basketball.¡± Upon hearing this, Nina was immediately unhappy, ¡°I don¡¯t want to y basketball, I like this game.¡± With Nina¡¯s support, Pearce immediately took a stand, ¡°See, she volunteered, I didn¡¯t force her.¡± Eleanor was speechless for a moment, then said, ¡°When Bernardes back and sees how you treat her, he will definitely punish you.¡± Pearce snorted, ¡°Hmph, he¡¯s not even as nice to Nina as I am. He wants to punish me? More like I should punish him.¡± As soon as the words fell, the study door was pushed open by the maid, and Bernard, with a chilly aura, leisurely walked in from outside. Chapter 1231 Chapter 1231 Hearing footsteps, Pearce, lounging on the couch, instantly straightened up, saying to Eleanor, ¡°I¡¯m feeling a bit woozy, gonna head back home.¡± Now that there was someone to help, Eleanor naturally wanted him to stay, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say if I can¡¯t finish all the design sketches today, you¡¯re crashing at my ce?¡± Pearce waved his hand as he got up, saying, ¡°Oh,e on, I¡¯ve got my own ce, why would I stay at yours? I¡¯lle back tomorrow. Bye for now¡­¡± But as soon as he got up, a slender, fair hand came out of nowhere and rested on his shoulder, pressing him back down. ¡°Pearce, who are you thinking of punishing?¡± Pearce nced at the expressionless Bernard, quickly pulling up his stiff mouth corners to sh a perfectly symmetrical grin. ¡°Why, myself, of course!¡± A yful glint appeared in Bernard¡¯s frosty gaze. ¡°I heard you wanted to punish me.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Pearce chuckled awkwardly. ¡°I was just talking nonsense, didn¡¯t mean it.¡± Who would dare harm Bernard? Wasn¡¯t it a death wish? Like Cedric, Pearce knew when to push and when to yield. He automatically took out a wet wipe and handed it to Bernard. ¡°You touched me, your hand is dirty, Mr. Laurence, clean it.¡± For Eleanor, this was the first time seeing such a sensible Pearce being so considerate. She couldn¡¯t help but prop up her chin with a hand, watching his performance. Bernard stared at his face for a few seconds, took the wet wipe, cleaned his hand, and turned his gaze away. ¡°If you talk behind my back again, I¡¯m going to break your leg.¡± Hearing this, Pearce paused, then asked Bernard in a daze. ¡°I have three legs, which one are you going to break?¡± Bernard lowered his eyelids, looking down at his lower body. Pearce followed his gaze to his own lower body. Then, quickly shielded his third leg. ¡°No can do, I¡¯m not married yet, you can¡¯t harm this leg.¡± Wordlessly, Bernard threw the wet wipe back at him and then walked over to Eleanor. After looking at Eleanor for a while, he bypassed the desk and swept her up into his arms. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Surprised at being suddenly lifted, Eleanor screamed and instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck. ¡°Honey, where are you taking me?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t answer, just looked at her deeply. With just this look, Eleanor knew what he was about to do. What a virile map, not even sparing her in broad daylight. ¡°Why not wait till I finish the sketch?¡± ¡°You can take your time with the sketchester.¡± Now they had something more important to do. Bernard originally didn¡¯t want kids, but¡­ If something dangerous were to happen to him all of a sudden, having a child might be afort to Eleanor. Of course, this was just in case. His n and confidence were to survive in the darkness. Eleanor couldn¡¯t lose him, and he couldn¡¯t lose Eleanor. For each other, they both had toe back alive. Watching Bernard and Eleanor¡¯s retreating figures, Nina, lying on the floor, voiced a question, ¡°Why does it always take so long for my aunt and her husband to reappear when they go upstairs? What on earth are they doing?¡± 1/2 11:00 ¡°Do you want to know?¡± After Bernard carried Eleanor away, Pearcey back on the couch leisurely. ¡°Yes, I do.¡± Curiosity piqued, Nina nodded vigorously. ¡°If you want to know, give me five hundred bucks.¡± This caught Nina off guard. After pondering whether this question was worth 500 bucks, she took out her phone and transferred the money. ¡°I¡¯ve transferred the money, now tell me.¡± Only then did Pearce swing his leg back and forth, munching on popcorn, ¡°Your aunt¡¯s husband is in heat.¡± Nina, with her chin propped up, wore a puzzled expression, ¡°But isn¡¯t being in heat an animal behavior?¡± Pearce nodded sincerely, ¡°Yes, your aunt¡¯s husband, is basically a beast. Think about it, doesn¡¯t that make him an animal?¡± Nina fell silent. Those 500 bucks were definitely not well spent¡­ In the private room on the top floor, Eleanor, leaning against the wall, was panting, bracing her hands on Bernard¡¯s broad shoulders. ¡°What¡¯s up with you?¡± Not only did Bernard finish work early today, but he also wanted to make love to her as soon as he got back. He was never this impatient, even at his worst. Had something upset him? Bernard, half carrying Eleanor, tilted his chin upward to look at her flushed face¡­ ¡°Let me tell you after we¡¯re done¡­ Chapter 1232 Chapter 1232 Whenever Bernard and Eleanor made love, they always put each other¡¯s feelings first, which made Eleanor get lost in it swiftly. She thought once would be enough, but Bemard was like a man possessed, time and time again, until she couldn¡¯t take it anymore. Only then did he take her for a bath. Bernard wasn¡¯t always this tender, but since they got married, he¡¯s be all soft and mushy, even taking on the task of bathing. Watching Bernard wash her hair with such care, Eleanor¡¯s heart swelled with love. ¡°Honey, you said you¡¯d tell me once we¡¯re done. Why haven¡¯t you said anything yet?¡± Bemard¡¯s hand paused, weighing something in his mind, but in the end, he said nothing, only asking: ¡°Cedric sent two pieces of news. Which one do you wanna hear first?¡± He decided to tell her about the Area Opacater. Telling her now would only scare her. Eleanor, enjoying Bemard¡¯s service, felt extremelyfortable and closed her eyes. ¡°Whatever.¡± Bernard leaned down, nted a soft kiss on her forehead, and quietly said: ¡°First, he¡¯s won back Ms. Vulpe, and they¡¯ve tied the knot.¡± Hearing this, Eleanor¡¯s eyes popped open in surprise ¨C ¡°Cedric and Hailey got hitched? When did this happen?!¡± This big news, and Hailey didn¡¯t even tell her? Were they even friends? Seeing Eleanor¡¯s surprise, Bernard¡¯s lips curled up in a loving smile. ¡°Yesterday.¡± They just got married yesterday, so perhaps Hailey didn¡¯t have time to tell her. With that thought, Eleanor jumped up. ¡°I¡¯m gonna ask her.¡± But Bernard reached out, pushing her back down. ¡°I haven¡¯t told you the second piece of news yet.¡± Only then did Eleanor lie back down in the tub, signaling for Bernard to continue. ¡°In ten months, Cedric¡¯s gonna be a dad.¡± Eleanor blinked, not quite catching on. ¡°He¡¯s bing a dad, does that have anything to do with him marrying Hailey, he¡­¡± Eleanor stopped there, staring at Bernard in disbelief. ¡°Is it¡­ is Hailey pregnant?¡± Bernard nodded, smiling. Coming back to her senses, Eleanor took a deep breath. ¡°No wonder they got married so quickly. So Hailey¡¯s pregnant¡­¡± Muttering to herself, she then looked back at Bernard. Did he rush back to find her because he was stimted by Cedric? With that thought, Eleanor looked down at her own belly. Seeing her mood, Bernard quickly lifted her out of the water, sitting her on hisp. ¡°Honey, it¡¯s okay if we don¡¯t have a kid,¡± Although he wanted to give her a child, it was okay if they couldn¡¯t conceive. Whatever happened, he would keep his promise,e back safely, and spend the rest of his life with her, Eleanor saw the deep concern and love in his eyes, knowing he truly didn¡¯t mind. However, she could feel that Bernard yearned for a child deep down. Even if he didn¡¯t want one, he could be swayed by the influence of Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! others. She reached out her soft, delicate hand, gently cradling Bernard¡¯s handsome face, then leaned down to tenderly kiss his lips. ¡°Darling, let¡¯s give it another shot.¡± 1/2 11-00 He would do his best to try, she would do her best to take the medication. One day, she would get pregnant, because positive efforts pay off. ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± Bernard worried about her well-being, but Eleanor didn¡¯t care, wrapping her arms around him. Then she buried her head in his neck, like a little kitten, and nuzzled his neck. The sensation of her lips brushing against his skin sped up Bemard¡¯s heart rate, and his body responded. This slightly cheeky man, despite swallowing hard twice, didn¡¯t make a move. ¡°Darling, are you tired? Not enough stamina?¡± Eleanor, seeing him pretend not to react, she leaned into his ear and whispered this question. Unable to resist her teasing, Bernard grabbed her waist and pressed her down hard. Eleanor, who was nuzzling against Bernard¡¯s shoulder, blushed instantly, but she bit back her cry¡­. Two hourster, Bernard lifted Eleanor¡¯s chin, looking at her teary-eyed expression. ¡°Do you still think Ick stamina?¡± Eleanor blushed and looked away. After they finished, Eleanor went downstairs and had Bryson prepare medicine. After obediently finishing a dose, it was already dark outside. She wanted to go find Hailey, or at least call her to ask when she got pregnant. But considering Hailey and Cedric just got married and were probably enjoying their alone time, she decided not to disturb them for now. Chapter 1233 Chapter 1233 Hailey felt that telling Eleanor through text or a call wasn¡¯t formal enough. She nned to wait until Cedric got home and tell Eleanor in person. Just then, Hailey saw headlights shining past the window, followed by the sound of tires rolling on the ground. After a while, Cedric got out of the car. He was tall and handsome. This was the first time Hailey had waited for her husband to return home. She was a bit nervous, but she didn¡¯t let it show. She just got up from the sofa and walked towards Cedric. Cedric took off his coat and tie, intending to hand them to the maid, but Hailey took them with practiced ease, just like what a wife would do. Seeing Hailey like this, Cedric, who had been feeling down because of Bernard, felt his spirits lift. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this,¡± he said, taking the coat and tie from her and tossing them to the maid. Then he took her hand and they went to the dining room. Seeing that the food on the table was untouched, Cedric knew that Hailey had been waiting for him. He felt warmed by the thought. ¡°You should eat first if I¡¯mte again,¡± he said. Hailey was pregnant with his child, and he didn¡¯t want her to go hungry. Actually, Hailey hadn¡¯t been waiting for him on purpose. She just didn¡¯t have an appetite. But seeing how touched Cedric was, she didn¡¯t tell him the truth. Once Cedric had helped her sit down, Hailey put a slice of steak onto his te. He was very touched by this gesture. ¡°Honey, you¡¯re so good to me,¡± he said. Actually, Hailey just wanted him to try the steak to see if it was too salty. She had seen the maid put too much salt in it. Cedric had no idea about this. He happily ate the steak and smiled at Hailey. ¡°Even though the steak is salty, I¡¯ll finish it because you gave it to me¡­¡± Hailey felt a bit awkward when she heard this and looked down at her te. After dinner, they each went to take a bath, then changed into their pajamas and went back to the master bedroom. Just as Hailey was about to turn off the light, Cedric stopped her. He opened a drawer and took out a safety deposit box. He entered the password in front of Hailey, opened the box, and gave all the bank cards inside to Hailey. ¡°Honey, this is all my money. I¡¯m giving it all to you,¡± Cedric said. Looking at the bank cards, Hailey felt a bit stunned. Her ex-husband Austin Zimmer had tried every trick to prevent her from getting his money, but Cedric had given her all his money just like this. Hailey knew Austin could notpare to Cedric, but the difference between the two men was too great in her heart. She stared at the bank cards for a long time, then took them and put them back in Cedric¡¯s safe. ¡°I have money. I don¡¯t need to use yours,¡± she said. Her ie from the nightclub was high enough to last her a lifetime. She didn¡¯t need Cedric¡¯s money. Cedric didn¡¯t care whether she was wealthy or not. He had given her all his property without reservation. ¡°Whether you need it or not, I want to give it to you,¡± he said. This was his responsibility as a husband. After saying this, Cedric took out a pile of property certificates and car deeds from the drawer and ced them in Hailey¡¯s hands. ¡°I¡¯ll transfer these to your name tomorrow,¡± he said. Surrounded by all this wealth, Hailey looked at Cedric, a bit at a loss, ¡°I really don¡¯t need¡­¡± Cedric looked at her and smiled, putting all the files back in the safe, then gave the safe to her. ¡°You keep it for now. We can use it for our childter.¡± When she heard the word ¡°child,¡± Hailey felt an inexplicable warmth in her heart. She wondered what their child would look like. Would the baby look like her, or like Cedric? As she was imagining, Cedric¡¯s expression gradually became tense¡­ ¡°Darling, what would you do if our child¡¯s name was ugly?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have any special reaction,¡± she said. Cedric was relieved to hear this. But before he could fully rx, Hailey added, ¡°As long as the name doesn¡¯t sound too casual.¡± Hearing this, Cedric gulped and nervously asked, ¡°What if I¡¯m really bad at naming and the name I come up with is very weird or ugly?¡± 1/2 11:00 Hailey closed the safe and looked at Cedric seriously. ¡°If you dare to not take naming our child seriously, you¡¯re dead meat.¡±/ Cedric fell silent for a moment. He knew he shouldn¡¯t have bragged in front of Bernard. Now he could be in trouble¡­. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t just casually choose a name for our child.¡± He¡¯d rather go consult with Bernard. Maybe if Bemard was in a good mood, he¡¯d agree to change the name. ¡°That¡¯s more like it,¡± Hailey said, handing the safe back to Cedric, ¡°Put it back where it was.¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Cedric wanted to say something, but Hailey interrupted him. ¡°We¡¯re married now, it doesn¡¯t matter whose hands it¡¯s in.¡± The phrase we¡¯re married¡± was like a spoonful of honey poured into his heart, filling him with satisfaction. He pulled Hailey into his arms. Chapter 1234 Chapter 1234 ¡°Babe, I want to make love to you.¡± Cedric passionately and eagerly kissed Hailey¡¯s red lips, his big hands wandering restlessly over Hailey¡¯s skin. ¡°I told you before, I¡¯m pregnant now, so we can¡¯t have sex.¡± Hailey, although breathless from his passionate kisses and her body somewhat restless, still maintained her sanity. ¡°Even though I know we can¡¯t have sex, can you still¡­ like before¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Hailey immediately pushed him away. ¡°If you keep this up, we¡¯re going to sleep in separate rooms.¡± Cedric immediately behaved, ¡°No, I don¡¯t want that. Don¡¯t make me sleep in a separate room.¡± Controlled by Hailey¡¯s words, Cedric got off her and then held her tightly in his arms. ¡°Babe, after the baby is born and your body recovers, I want to make love to you non-stop, for days and nights.¡± Hailey looked up at him from his arms, ¡°After the baby is born, our one-year agreement will also end. Whether I will stay then depends on my mood.¡± Cedric, with his arms around her, stiffened slightly, and then let her go.. Cedric seemed somewhat unhappy, turning his body to the side and staring nkly at the tablemp. Hailey, seeing his lonely figure, hesitated for a few seconds before moving forward and hugging him from behind. ¡°I promise you, isn¡¯t that enough?¡± Her meaning was that she would stay, but Cedric didn¡¯t understand her implied meaning. ¡°What good is your promise, you¡¯re still going to leave, aren¡¯t you?¡± Hailey thought he was being childish. She didn¡¯t argue with him, just pressed her face against his back, ¡°You have to go to work tomorrow, go to sleep¡­¡± Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Cedric was silent for a while, then turned to her, looking down at her. ¡°Hailey Vulpe, I want to give you a grand wedding.¡± And then, at the wedding, he would tell the world that he, Cedric, had married her, and she, Hailey, would be his woman for life, with no escape. Hailey looked at Cedric, and then nodded gently, replying, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± There should be no obstacles between them now. So if he wanted to have a wedding, then let¡¯s have a wedding. Cedric, having received her consent, once again held Hailey tightly, ¡°Babe, let¡¯s sleep.¡± Hailey, smelling his familiar scent, slowly closed her eyes and fell peacefully asleep. When she woke up the next morning, Hailey went to the dressing room and took out a recorder from her bag. She handed the recorder to Cedric, saying, ¡°Your mom might not know yet that she was recorded, you better destroy it.¡± Since they were already married, they should not leave behind something that could cause misunderstandings. Let Latonia remain ignorant, after all, Hertha was already in jail. Cedric took the recorder, and looked at Hailey, saying, ¡°Babe, my mom¡¯s not perfect. She¡¯s always so blunt. If you don¡¯t like her, we can avoid seeing her in the future.¡± Hailey listened to his words, shaking her head and replying, ¡°I can understand your mother¡¯s feelings. If I were from a wealthy family and my child wanted to marry someone from a lower social status, I would certainly be dissatisfied. After all, it¡¯s easy to go from poverty to wealth, but hard to go from wealth to poverty. Who would want to see their own child suffer? It¡¯s okay that she said those things to me.¡± In Hailey¡¯s view, much of what Latonia said was true. She was indeed from a poor background, not highly educated, and worked in a nightclub, and was not good enough for Cedric. If it weren¡¯t for the lessons of Sigrid, Bernard¡¯s advice, or Hertha¡¯sparison, Latonia might still not agree to their marriage. Hailey understood this very clearly, so she didn¡¯t mind. And, she would treat Cedric¡¯s mother as her own mother, living harmoniously as a family. Seeing that Hailey didn¡¯t hold a grudge against his mother, Cedric thought even more highly of her, ¡°My mom is so lucky to have a daughter-inw like you.¡± Hailey, drinking her supplement, red at him, ¡°You¡¯re going to be a parent too. Don¡¯t talk about your mother like that.¡± Cedric knew Hailey always respected elders, so he stopped talking about his mother¡¯s faults. He replied, ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t talk about her anymore. I¡¯ll go destroy the recorder.¡± Hailey handed him the recorder to destroy, telling him that since they were married, she wouldn¡¯t hold against him what his mother had done in the past. It seemed that even with the existence of the agreement, Hailey was prepared to have a good life with him, so¡­ as soon as their wedding was over and the baby was born, his wife could truly be his woman! Cedric, with this thought in mind, was in a very good mood. He took out the chip from the recorder, inserted it into theputer, and quickly operated on the keyboard¡­ Chapter 1235 Chapter 1235 Eleanor had nned to go find Hailey with Nina, but to her surprise, Hailey beat her to it. They haven¡¯t seen each other for over a month, so when they saw each other at the front door, they both couldn¡¯t help but smile. Back in the castle, Eleanor asked Bryson to whip up some food for the expecting Hailey. Eleanor then took Hailey by the hand, giving her a once over before reaching out to touch her baby bump. ¡°Hailey, remember what you promised me before?¡± ¡°Of course I do.¡± As Hailey stood there, she gently stroked Eleanor¡¯s hair, ¡°After I give birth, I want you to be the godmother.¡± Eleanor looked up at Hailey and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m really looking forward to it.¡± Her eyes were filled with joy for Hailey, with no trace of sorrow for her own infertility. She¡¯s always been good at keeping her feelings to herself, but Hailey could still sense her emotions, ¡°Eleanor, your time wille soon too.¡± Hailey sat down, taking Eleanor¡¯s hand and gently patting it, ¡°When your babyes, I¡¯ll be their godmother too.¡± Eleanorughed, feeling a lot lighter, ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a good omen. I hope you can be my baby¡¯s godmother soon.¡± Hailey reached out and lightly tapped Eleanor¡¯s nose, saying, ¡°that day wille.¡± Eleanor leaned in, smiling. ¡°Tap a few more times so I can have more babies.¡± Hailey couldn¡¯t help butugh at Eleanor¡¯s antics, tapping her nose ten times whileughing. ¡°I¡¯d like to see if you can actually have ten kids.¡± ¡°Ten?¡± Even though her husband is quite capable, there¡¯s no way she could have ten kids! ¡°I just want two kids, a boy and a girl. Then my life would beplete.¡± This is the dream of every loving couple. Hailey felt the same, but she wasn¡¯t insisting on it. After chatting with Hailey for a while, Hailey felt sleepy. Eleanor immediately showed her to the guest room to rest. She wanted to let Hailey rest, but Cedric couldn¡¯t find her, so he rushed into the castle. ¡°Eleanor, where¡¯s my wife?¡± Eleanor saw Cedric looking around the room without even ncing at her, and she couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Your wife¡¯s here with me. If you want to see her. give me fifty grand.¡± Without thinking. Cedric whipped out his phone to transfer the money, but Eleanor stopped him, ¡°Are you really going to transfer the money?¡± ¡°Well, of course.¡± Eleanor burst outughing, ¡°I was just joking. Hailey¡¯s sleeping in the guest room. Wait till she wakes up then take her home.¡± After understanding, Cedric checked at the sleeping Hailey, then headed to the kitchen. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Seeing the chefs busy at work, he approached Eleanor and said with a smile, ¡°Eleanor, how about Hailey and I have dinner here tonight?¡± Eleanor was already nning to invite them to stay for dinner. Seeing Cedric¡¯s interest in their chef, she nodded and smiled, ¡°As long as you¡¯re not scared of dining with Bernard.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not scared.¡± ¡°I am!¡± Hailey had just walked into the living room when she heard this terrifying topic and immediately interjected. Eleanor put down her phone and looked at Hailey up and down with her hand on her forehead. ¡°Why are you so scared of my husband? He¡¯s not a demon.¡± She expected Hailey to have a reason, but they both blurted out in unison- ¡°He is a dernon!¡± ¡°He is a demon!¡± Eleanor was at a loss for words, then replied, ¡°I¡¯ve always found my husband to be very gentle.¡± Hailey walked over, picking up her bag that was on the sofa, and continued Eleanor¡¯s sentence. ¡°That¡¯s only towards you.¡± Cedric nodded in agreement, took Hailey¡¯s hand, and gently kissed it. ¡°Babe, let¡¯s go home. I¡¯ll hire a good chef to make something delicious for you.¡± Chapter 1236 Chapter 1236 Hailey gave a nod of consent, but Cedric insisted on a kiss. Hailey, however, was not up for it. ¡°There are others here.¡± They used to be tight, but now she referred to Eleanor only as ¡°others.¡± Even the ever-so-amiable Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes. ¡°Just ignore her.¡± Just as Cedric finished, a tall and dashing figure strode in from outside the castle. Cedric quickly bent down, bringing his face close to Hailey¡¯s. ¡°C¡¯mon, hurry up, give me a kiss.¡± Hailey, unaware of Bernard¡¯s arrival, reluctantly gave in and nted a quick kiss on his face. Cedric finally broke into a grin, hugging Hailey and facing the stone-faced Bernard. ¡°Bernard, you¡¯re back!¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Bernard loved to unt his rtionship, and now it was his turn to rub it in Bernard¡¯s face. In response to Cedric¡¯s mockery, Bernard merely nced at them and then walked towards Eleanor. ¡°From now on, let¡¯s not allow anyone like that toe in.¡± Eleanor, taken aback, defended Hailey. ¡°Hailey is good.¡± Bernard, now sat on the couch, gave Cedric a nce. ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking about Ms. Vulpe.¡± Cedric said, ¡°¡­So you mean me?¡± Bernard raised an eyebrow. ¡°If you think so, then yes.¡± Ah well, debating with Bernard was always a losing game, so Cedric shut up. Cedric, hand in hand with Hailey, headed towards the door. As if remembering something, he turned back to look at the cozy couple. The sight of a man holding a woman on hisp, even to the seasoned Cedric, was somewhat embarrassing. Mainly because Bernard was so dominant and tall, and Eleanor was so delicate. It was hard not to imagine with such a strong man holding her. Cedric, not wanting to see this, covered Hailey¡¯s eyes with his hand. Hailey, her eyes covered, shot Cedric a re through his fingers. She had seen it all. Why was Cedric blocking her view? Cedric didn¡¯t notice, he nodded at Bernard and Eleanor. ¡°Don¡¯t forget your gifts for our wedding in three days.¡± After informing them, Cedric quickly left the Fiord Roundabout with Hailey. Eleanor and Bernard watched their retreating figures and shared a smile. Three dayster, Cedric and Hailey¡¯s wedding was held on a massive ship. The ship, bought at a high price by Cedric, wasvishly and intricately decorated, clearly showing Cedric¡¯s love for Hailey. Eleanor looked at the decor on the ship and felt relieved. She saw Cedric¡¯s dedication to Hailey. The wedding was big, everyone was there except for the Laurence family, even ke was invited by Veronica Laurence¡­ Of course, ke seemed reluctant, mainly because he thought Eleanor and Hailey were not a good match for his excellent grandsons. But he had no choice. He couldn¡¯t interfere with the business or their marriages. He had to bear it. Next were Cedric¡¯s parents. Quin didn¡¯t really care who Cedric married, but Latonia was fussy, and so she maintained a serious expression throughout the wedding. Upon seeing this, Cedric reminded Latonia, ¡°Mom, I invited the media to this wedding. If they see you frowning all the time, they will only catch ugly pictures of yours.¡± Hearing this, Latonia¡¯s face softened. She even asionally smiled at the camera, afraid of being labeled as an unattractive aristocrat. The wedding was a cruise trip, sailing for a few days. This meant that Cedric¡¯s friends and family would be with them, witnessing their love. Before everyone boarded the ship, it was still docked at the shore. While the media was filming the bride and groom, Bernard sat in his car, not in a hurry to board. This wasn¡¯t because he was afraid of being photographed, but because he saw some uninvited guests¡­ Chapter 1237 Chapter 1237 Surrounded by a bunch of burly bodyguards d in ck, Sophie Ratliff paused in her tracks, as if she just happened to be strolling by the dock. She nced towards the direction of the ship, then turned her gaze towards Bernard¡¯s car. Through the thick car window, Bernard saw her face, a distinct cross-shaped scar glowing red under the harsh sunlight. Sophie made no attempt to hide it, nor shy away from it. Instead, she even held her head up high, letting him have a clear look at it. A silent reminder that he was the one who left that scar on her face. ¨C Sophie was here, in broad daylight, with Mr. Ben and Cameron Ratliff, to tell Bernard one thing she¡¯ll have her revenge for that scar one way or another! A dark shadow flickered in Bernard¡¯s eyes. Before he could react, Sophie turned and began to head towards the ship. Bernard was a man of mystery, never publicly acknowledging Eleanor as his wife. In public, particrly when the media was around, they would always keep their distance. Eleanor was already on board the ship. Seeing Sophie boarding the ship with her entourage, Bernard realized her target was Eleanor. Immediately, he got out of his car to follow, but Sophie changed her course¡­ As Bernard halted in his tracks, Sophie turned around, giving him a sly grin. It was clear ¨C her real target today wasn¡¯t Eleanor. She was here to test him. A glint of murderous intent shed across Bernard¡¯s icy gaze. Without a second thought, he motioned his bodyguards to follow Sophie. Last time, he didn¡¯t handle Sophie personally and left it to Caleb. But Caleb had to deal with his own stuff and passed her onto Mr. Ben, which led to Mr. Ben¡¯s betrayal. This time, Bernard was determined to handle them himself! On the ship, Eleanor recognized Sophie the moment she turned around. The distance was too far for her to see the scar on Sophie¡¯s face, but she recognized the silhouette. It jogged her memory. Ever since the Ratliff Group was acquired by the Laurence Group, Sophie and Cameron had disappeared. Eleanor had assumed they¡¯d left the country. Seeing them now, her heart raced. She knew who she was now, and seeing them shouldn¡¯t matter. But knowing that Sophie¡¯s father was her biological father and Sophie was her half-sister, it was a lot to take. What really confused her was why Bernard was following Sophie. Eleanor would never suspect Bernard of having any connections with Sophie. She was just puzzled. As she was lost in her thoughts, Garett boarded the ship. Seeing her standing on the deck, his pale face gradually regained its color, and he called out, ¡°Eleanor.¡± Hearing Garett¡¯s voice, Eleanor snapped out of her thoughts and turned to look at him. Garett, still confined to his wheelchair, looked clean and bright. Eleanor cast another nce in the direction Bernard had disappeared to, swallowed her worries and walked towards Garett, ¡°Garett, how¡¯s your leg?¡± Garett touched his leg and said, ¡°I can feel pain now, so the nerves are probably recovering. I believe with rehab, I¡¯ll be able to stand up again.¡± Hailey had previously told her that Garett would recover. Hearing it from Garett himself now eased the pressure in Eleanor¡¯s heart, ¡°I¡¯m happy for you, I wish you a speedy recovery!¡± Garett nodded, and then they ran out of things to say. Their rtionship had evolved from being interdependent to being strangers. After all the ups and downs, all that was left were memories. And these memories, were now only Garett¡¯s. The woman in front of him, in her heart and eyes, was completely taken by another man. Garett¡¯s hands, resting on his knees, slowly clenched into fists. He smiled at Eleanor, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m going to deliver a wedding gift to Hailey, excuse me.¡± Eleanor felt a sense of distance from him. There was no need for them to keep such a deliberate distance. But with Bernard on her mind, she didn¡¯t have the energy tofort Garett. She could only nod in response. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Garett felt his heart taking another step towards the abyss of darkness. But he didn¡¯t voice his feelings. He gave the distracted Eleanor onest nce, then had Colter wheel him away. Once Garett left, Eleanor immediately turned back towards the direction of the dock. With clenched fists, she waited. Waited until all the reporters left, waited until the ship was about to set sail, and Bernard still hadn¡¯t returned. Bernard was a man of mystery, often undertaking secret missions. Eleanor knew better than to disturb him when he was working, but she couldn¡¯t help but worry about his safety. After hesitating for a few seconds, she decided to get off the ship. Hailey came over, intending to take a few more photos with Eleanor, only to find her getting off the ship. She quickly followed and asked, ¡®Eleanor, are you going to find Bernard?¡± Just as Eleanor was about to answer, she saw Bernard and his bodyguards in her line of sight. Seeing the calm and noble figure, Eleanor finally rxed. She strode over, disregarding everything else, and ran towards Bernard. Seeing her running over, Bernard immediately stopped and extended his strong arms to catch her. Nestled in his arms, Eleanor rxed, inhaling the faint cedar scent on him. ¡°Honey, you need to let me know wherever you¡¯re going, okay?¡± Chapter 1238 Chapter 1238 After Bernard responded with a ¡®sure, he lowered his head, tenderly kissed Eleanor¡¯s hair, and said, ¡°Sorry, babe, I didn¡¯t mean to worry you.¡± Eleanor then lifted her head from his embrace, looking up at the man with the chiseled jawline, ¡°I saw you with Sophie earlier. What¡¯s up with that?¡± Bernard stiffened, apparently not expecting her to have seen Sophie. After hesitating for a moment, he casually said, ¡°She¡¯s got a list of members from the Siren Organization. I thought I¡¯d deal with her.¡± The truth was, he was going to take her down, but couldn¡¯t. Sophie was surrounded by people from Area Opaca. If Bernard, with his reputation, took her on, they¡¯d start suspecting him. Once that happened, infiltrating Area Opaca would not only be harder but also riskier. Luckily, he noticed a revealing insignia before he made his move and aborted the n. Otherwise, this Sophie situation would¡¯ve thrown a wrench into his entire n. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. But there was something he couldn¡¯t figure out. V Why didn¡¯t Sophie and Mr. Ben, who knew his identity, spill the secret to Area Opaca? Did the folks from Area Opaca already know and were just baiting him? But their endgame was to take down the leader of Siren Organization. If they already knew who it was, what are they waiting for? Bernard mulled over this, thinking it was strange that Sophie and Mr. Ben hadn¡¯t exposed his identity, not even to Cameron. They were sitting on some pretty big secrets, and he couldn¡¯t figure out what game they were ying. When Bernard said ¡®deal with her¡¯, Eleanor probably took it to mean ¡®teach her a lesson¡¯, not kill her. So she bought his exnation pretty quickly, ¡°Did you get the list back, then?¡± Bernard just shook his head, ¡°There¡¯s this guy with her, Mr. Ben, who¡¯s memorized the list. Unless he drops dead, the list is out of my reach.¡± Eleanor was about to ask who this Mr. Ben was when she noticed Bernard looking extremely serious, his eyes filled with worry. At such times, Eleanor didn¡¯t disturb him. After a moment of contemtion, Bernard bent down slightly, picked her up again, ¡°I¡¯ll handle my issues. Don¡¯t worry about it. Let¡¯s go celebrate Cedric and Hailey¡¯s wedding.¡± Bernard always brought Eleanor peace, never trouble. Even now, with his mind filled with concerns, he didn¡¯t want her to worry. Understanding his intentions, Eleanor wrapped her arms around his neck and obediently responded, ¡°Okay.¡± Her gentleness always soothed Bernard. Her simple words could dispel his gloom and give him the courage to forge ahead, no matter the obstacles. Witnessing all this, Garett slowly lowered his eyshes, hiding the loneliness in his eyes. Sigrid, who was observing him from afar, grabbed a ss of champagne from a waiter and strolled over, ¡°Stop staring, have a drink and lighten up.¡± Sigrid¡¯s proffered ss interrupted Garett¡¯s reverie. He nced at the champagne, a chilly glint in his eyes. ¡°As a doctor, you should know that one should avoid alcohol during recovery. Do I, the patient, need to remind you of that?¡± Sigrid imed to have extensive experience in rehabilitation therapy, which was why Garett had agreed to let her handle his treatment. However, her ¡®experience¡¯ was mostly theoretical and her practical skills were quitecking. He knew what dietary precautions he needed to take that was the least of his worries. The real headache was that she sometimes needed video tutorials to treat him, making him feel like a guinea pig. Garett nned to fire her, but Sigrid asked for one more month to prove her worth. If she still couldn¡¯t deliver, she promised to leave voluntarily. Considering she was Eleanor¡¯s rmendation, Garett agreed. It wasn¡¯t a month yet, but Garett was already hoping for her failure so she¡¯d leave sooner. Otherwise, he feared his condition might wofsen due to her ipetence. Sigrid gave Garett a side nce and responded, ¡°Ohe on, a little drink won¡¯t hurt.¡± Ignoring her, Garett had Colter wheel him away. Sigrid followed. ¡°Are you really not going to drink?¡± ¡°A little bit can help you relieve stress.¡± ¡°Hey¡­¡± Garett wasn¡¯t fond of crowds, but he hid within one so that Sigrid won¡¯t find him. Sigrid watched his disappearing figure, lifted the champagne ss, and downed it in one gulp. Garett was suffering from depression, and Sigrid hoped her approach could help him out of it, Garett, however, didn¡¯t understand this. But Sigrid didn¡¯t mind his misunderstanding. As long as the final result was good, that was all that mattered. Chase McCall, from afar, watched Sigrid drinking alone. He paused, then moved, and finally just watched Sigrid from a distance through the crowd¡­ Latonia¡¯stepped out from the banquet hall, saw Chase watching Sigrid, and felt a pang of sympathy for his yearning yet hesitant demeanor. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she approached Chase, ¡°Mr. Chase, why don¡¯t you go greet to Sigrid?¡± Chapter 1239 Chapter 1239 Chase looked into Latonia¡¯s eyes, slightly reddened, but he forced a smile, ¡°As long as she¡¯s okay, I¡¯m satisfied.¡± If he knowingly approached Sigrid when she no longer loved him, it would only cause her pain. If he could catch a glimpse of her from afar, that would be enough. Seeing Chase¡¯s pain, Latonia felt guilty and quietly apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s my fault that you and Sigrid are suffering.¡± Chase just smiled faintly, ¡°Agreeing to Cedric and Ms. Vulpe¡¯s wedding could be a way to make it up to us.¡± His magnanimity made Latonia feel even more guilty, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Chase didn¡¯t say anything more, just looked towards the wedding hall, ¡°Ma¡¯am, the wedding is about to start, you must be quite busy, right?¡± Looking at Chase, who was polite even when asking someone to leave, Latonia suddenly remembered that Chase had never said a single hurtful word to her. Even when she hit or berated him, he always maintained his manners and politeness. After realizing this, Latonia felt that her past behavior had been really out of line. But time couldn¡¯t be reversed, the damage was done, and no amount of apologies would help. She didn¡¯t apologize again, but turned around and walked towards Sigrid, ¡°Sigrid.¡± Latonia wanted to try and persuade Sigrid for Chase, but Sigrid didn¡¯t even turn her head when she heard her voice and walked away¡­ Looking at Sigrid¡¯s retreating figure, Latonia sighed deeply. It seemed her daughter still couldn¡¯t forgive her¡­ After Bernard helped Eleanor onto the boat, he softly patted her head with a loving look in his eyes, ¡°Dear, I need to deal with some stuff, you go in first.¡± The ¡®stuff¡¯ he referred to were members of the Siren Organization, who were disguised as bodyguards and following him. After a nce at them, Eleanor nodded at Bernard, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you at the entrance of the banquet hall.¡± Bernard gave a nod and watched her walk away. His tender gaze quickly hardened as he turned to the members of the Siren Organization, ¡°You guys stay here and keep an eye on Sophie. Report any news to me immediately¡± The members exchanged nces and asked Bernard with a frown, ¡°What about you, sir?¡± With both Caleb apanying Katharine and Aidyn returning to the Howell family, Mr. Law¡¯s two trusted assistants were not by his side at this critical moment. Bernard was unconcerned, ¡°Just go, with Scott here, no one dares to make a move.¡± Even though Scott was verypetent, his members were still worried, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that the incident just now was a ploy by the enemy to lure you away.¡± As Bernard pondered, the team leader suggested, ¡°Sir, I¡¯ll follow them and leave my team here to protect you and your wife.¡± Bernard wanted all of them to go because he was worried that one person wouldn¡¯t be able to fight them, he said firmly, ¡°You should all go together, I only give orders once.¡± Knowing Mr. Law¡¯s character, the leader didn¡¯t dare to say more. He turned around and signaled to his team before quickly leaving the boat. Bernard watched their retreating figures, his brows furrowed tightly, never rxing. He felt very uneasy. Since Sophie and Mr. Law joined the secret team, members of the Siren Organization had been having problems, either being discovered or disappearing. With a heavy heart, he turned and walked towards the banquet hall. Eleanor said she would wait for him here and stood obediently without moving. Seeing her waiting there, Bernard¡¯s heavy mood lightened a bit. He walked up to her, kissed her forehead affectionately, then took Eleanor¡¯s hand and headed towards the banquet hall. But at the entrance, they ran into Garett, who had been pushed out by Colter. Garett was followed by Sigrid, he hade out of the banquet hall to avoid her, but unexpectedly ran into Bernard and Eleanor. This was Bernard and Garett¡¯s first face-to-face meeting in a long time. Both men were outstanding, one standing and one sitting. They nced at each other, then quickly looked away. Bernard¡¯s gaze fell on Sigrid, while Garett¡¯s gaze fell on their intertwined hands. Neither of them spoke, only Sigrid looked a bit embarrassed and stuck her tongue out at Bernard, ¡°Bernard, I¡¯m going to check on the bride¡­¡± After Sigrid left, only the three of them remained. Bernard and Garett didn¡¯t have any particr emotions, but Eleanor felt a bit awkward. As she was wondering how to break the ice, a loud voice came from behind, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m here to bring your sister a wedding gift-¡± Eleanor turned around to see Robin Spencer, wearing a ck suit, stepping onto the deck with a steady stride. Following him were three people-Elbert Pine, Caleb, and Katharine. The sudden appearance of these people made Bernard¡¯s gaze even heavier. He could understand Garetting to the wedding. Caleb, who he was familiar with, bringing Katharine along, was also understandable. But Robin, who secretly loved Eleanor, and Elbert, who wanted to pursue Eleanor, why were they here? Chapter 1240 Chapter 1240 Robin¡¯s deep, mncholy eyesnded on Bernard, then drifted to Eleanor standing beside him. As Eleanor lifted her head to look at him, their eyes met. Robin quickly averted his gaze. Bernard, holding Eleanor¡¯s hand, noticed Robin¡¯s sneaky nces at his wife. Subconsciously, he let go of Eleanor¡¯s hand and wrapped his arm tightly around her waist instead, then tilted his head slightly, looking at Robin with disdain. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Feeling Bernard¡¯s re, Robin clenched his fists and turned to Caleb beside him. Caleb caught his signal and stepped in to clear the air. ¡°Mr. Laurence, Robin says Eleanor is also part of the Pine family. Her sister¡¯s getting married, so of course they had toe and bring a gift. So, I brought these two.¡± ¨C After exining, Caleb shed a big smile, awkwardly grinning at Bernard and Eleanor. His facial expression and eyes hinted that he was bullshitting. In reality, Robin and Elbert had tagged along because they heard Caleb was bringing Katharine to the wedding! Bernard didn¡¯t feel like dealing with their nonsense and wanted to take Eleanor away. But they were guests, and Eleanor didn¡¯t want to make it awkward. ¡°The bride and groom are in the lounge,¡± she said. ¡°Caleb, why don¡¯t you take them in¡­¡± Caleb mentally gave Eleanor a thumbs-up, then took Katharine¡¯s hand, turning to the smug-looking Robin. ¡°Robin, let¡¯s go in first¡­¡± For Katharine¡¯s sake, Caleb had to suck up to Robin, either by showering him with praise or coaxing him with kind words. He put in even more effort with Robin than with Katharine. Finally, Robin epted him as his brother-inw. Robin nced at Caleb, then walked towards the wedding hall. As he passed Bernard, he deliberately bumped into his shoulder. But instead of knocking Bernard aside, he stumbled and almost fell. Bernard quickly grabbed Robin to prevent him from falling, then looked down at him with a smirk. ¡°Mr. Spencer,¡± he said. ¡°If you¡¯re not feeling well, remember to take some supplements. Don¡¯t end up dying before you even get married.¡± Robin was fuming, just as he was about to retort, he noticed Eleanor staring at his waist. Her gaze seemed to question whether he was unable to get a wife because of his waist! With so many people around, Robin could not defend himself. He shook off Bernard¡¯s hand, raised a finger, pointed at Bernard with gritted teeth, then stormed off towards the hall. As Robin entered, Elbert, who acted as if he was holding a treasure, handed a bouquet of flowers to Eleanor. ¡°Eleanor, it¡¯s been so long. These flowers are for you. May you always stay young, beautiful, and healthy.¡± Eleanor smiled and thanked him for the flowers. Elbert responded with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± After saying this, Elbert gave Bernard, who was looking rather glum, a provocative nce. ¡°Eleanor, if you like the flowers I gave you, can I send you a bouquet every day?¡± Actually, giving a bouquet every day was Bernard¡¯s privilege. Elbert didn¡¯t know that he had stepped on Bernard¡¯s toes. Seeing Bernard¡¯s face darken and his fingers clench into a fist, Eleanor quickly declined, ¡°It¡¯s okay. My husband/gives me roses every day. One bouquet is enough.¡± Elbert just shrugged, ¡°No problem. If you don¡¯t need flowers, I can send you something else. As long as you¡¯re happy.¡± Eleanor forced a stiff smile and gave Elbert an awkward grin. In her memory, Elbert was a free-spirited boy. But after only a few encounters, how did he turn into such a greasy man? Chapter 1241 Chapter 1241 Seeing Eleanor fall silent, Elbert patted his hair and struck a pose he thought was terribly cool in front of her. He then strolled past them into the hall. Silent all this while, Caleb nervously dragged Katharine over to Bernard. ¡°Mr. Laurence, my wife¡¯s family¡­ they¡¯re a bit odd. I hope you understand.¡± Before Bernard could respond, Katharine pped Caleb. ¡°Who are you calling odd?!¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Caleb, clutching his cheek, turned to Bernard with a pitiful look as if to say: Sir, you think they¡¯re normal? Bernard averted his gaze, pretending not to see. Caleb got the message. This was his choice, so he had to bear with it Disheartened, Caleb was dragged by Katharine into the wedding hall. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s so beautiful in here, Caleb. I want a wedding just like this. No, I want a wedding even more beautiful than this¡­¡± Despite being pped, Caleb agreed to all of Katharine¡¯s demands, ¡°Alright, whatever kind of wedding you want, I¡¯ll make it happen, as long as it makes you happy¡­¡± Katharine, holding onto Caleb¡¯s arm, smiled blissfully. ¡°I knew it! You¡¯re the best to me. How about this, after we get married. I¡¯ll have a chubby baby for you!¡± Watching Caleb and Katharine¡¯s retreating figures, warmth gradually returned to Bernard¡¯s cold gaze. Caleb had a home. Aidyn had returned to the Howell family with his wife. Cedric was also married. Everyone important had someone to lean on, he could rest easy. But¡­ Bernard raised his lean, strong hand and stroked Eleanor¡¯s hair. He didn¡¯t know if the assets he¡¯d left behind were enough, whether 30% of the stock was enough, whether Scott whom he¡¯d arranged to stay by her side, could protect her well, and whether his younger brothers would keep their promise to protect her¡­ Feeling Bernard¡¯s unusual mood, Eleanor hugged his waist and snuggled into his arms. ¡°Honey, Robin and Elbert are just trying to rile you up. Don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± At Eleanor¡¯s words, Bernard didn¡¯t respond. Instead, he trailed his hand down from her hair to her back, patting her lightly. ¡°I¡¯m a petty man, of course I¡¯ll take it to heart.¡± If Robin and Elbert dared to make any move on his wife after he was gone, he would teach them a lesson they wouldn¡¯t forget! Upon hearing him admit his pettiness, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°You are indeed petty. The wedding¡¯s about to start, let¡¯s go in¡­¡± Bernard didn¡¯t mind being called petty at all. He held Eleanor close, gave her a loving kiss, then released her. Hand in hand, they walked into the wedding hall The floor was covered in rose petals leading up to the stage, which was also adorned with countless flowers. A fresh and vibrant atmosphere pervaded the hall Above the hall hung a string of crystal chandeliers, twinkling like wind chimes. The sea breeze from outside asionally made them tinkle. The elegance and romance of the wedding venue made everyone who saw it marvel at its beauty. Apart from Cedric¡¯s hard work, he had also usedputer to create two Al models. One represented Hailey, the other represented Cedric. These two humanoid Als stood in the wedding hall, greeting each guest. However, Hailey wasn¡¯t too fond of these Als. To be precise, she thought they were too ugly to bear. Cedric, on the other hand, thought his innovation was great. He pulled Hailey over, insisting she give them a hug. Hailey, in her wedding dress and with her makeup done, felt that today was her wedding day and held her temper, hugging each of them one by one. Chapter 1242 Chapter 1242 Eleanor couldn¡¯t help butugh, recalling how Hailey had been left speechless by these two Als earlier, ¡°Honey, why doesn¡¯t yourpany design the robots to be a bit more appealing?¡± Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Just then, the Al representing Cedric was weing Bernard, ¡°Wee, wee, welco¡­¡± Bernard turned it off mid-sentence, its mouth wide open, revealing a mess of wires. His face hardened. ¡°Cedric rushed the process, didn¡¯t evenplete the basic construction, just pped on the Lawrence Groupbel.¡± Eleanor was talking about appearance, Bernard was talking about internal construction ¨C they were on different wavelengths. Eleanor didn¡¯t say anything more, just squeezed his arm, ¡°So honey, you should make a robot just like you.¡± Bernard looked at Eleanor, ¡°Why?¡± Eleanor tiptoed and poked his cheek, grinning, ¡°Because, I want a husband who says wee to me all day long¡­¡± Bernard chuckled, ¡°I¡¯ll make a robot you won¡¯t even recognize as not being me.¡± Eleanor figured he wouldn¡¯t be able to pull that off and didn¡¯t take him seriously, just replied with a simple ¡®okay¡¯. The emcee then took the stage, announcing the start of the ocean wedding ceremony, asking guests to take their seats as they waited for the bride and groom. After telling Bernard that she was going to find Hailey, Eleanor headed to the rest room. Hailey was sitting in front of the mirror taking deep breaths, but still couldn¡¯t shake off her nerves. Seeing Eleanor, Hailey couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°I¡¯ve been married once already, and I should be used to this. Why am I so nervous, is it because I¡¯m inexperienced?¡± Eleanor chuckled at Hailey¡¯s words, walked over, and took her hand, ¡°Hailey, your nerves are because you are about to marry the man you love, in front of his family, walking down the aisle, exchanging rings, making vows.¡± Hailey thought it made sense, but her nerves were still there, ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll trip over my wedding dress and fall when I get on stage?¡± Eleanorforted Hailey, ¡°No, even if you fall, Cedric will be there, he¡¯ll definitely catch you.¡± Hailey frowned, ¡°Really?¡± But Cedric didn¡¯t catch her, instead, he fell down with Hailey. They had barely managed to help each other up when Cedric¡¯s cufflink got caught in Hailey¡¯s veil Probably because he didn¡¯t notice, when Cedric pulled his hand away from Hailey¡¯s waist, he pulled down the veil covering Hailey¡¯s face. Seeing this, the guests were stunned. Eleanor covered her face, didn¡¯t bear to look. Luckily, the emcee was quick to lighten up the mood. ¡°It¡¯s clear the bride and groom are truly in love, they¡¯re just really nervous today.¡± However, as soon as the emcee finished, Hailey and Cedric fell again, this time on their knees. The emcee fell silent, thinking. ¡°Are you two nning to continue the wedding ceremony like this?¡± The wedding had a bit of a hup, but it went smoothly in the end. It was like Hailey and Cedric¡¯s journey from meeting to falling in love ¨C full of ups and downs, but ultimately beautiful. Their wedding wasn¡¯t covered by the media, only some shots of the cruise ship were taken before the wedding started. It was already making headlines, andizens were starting toment. The initial public opinion was that as long as a girl is beautiful, she can marry into a wealthy family, even without a family background. Then when someone dug out that Hailey had divorced once, the public opinion shifted to, a girl can marry into a wealthy family as long as she is cunning, even if she¡¯s a divorcee. The public sentiment wasn¡¯t great, but Cedric seemed prepared. While everyone was criticizing and belittling Hailey, he posted a scheduled tweet: (We¡¯ve been together for three years, I proposed to her, it took two years for her to say yes. Now I¡¯m finally sessful, and from now on, I will spend a lifetime to love her] Chapter 1243 Chapter 1243 Netizens were taken aback. Cedric Laurence, often referred to as the city¡¯s most eligible bachelor, spent so long pursuing a woman? Many couldn¡¯t believe it, thinking Cedric¡¯s words to be insincere. Yet, his final statement. ¡°I would spend a lifetime, asking her to be with me for the rest of ours,¡± truly left an impression. Everyone eagerly anticipated the future unfolding between Cedric and Hailey. Regardless of what the future held, Cedric and Hailey were living their lives. What others thought wasn¡¯t important. All that mattered was their happiness. Reading the news, Austin was utterly shocked. He stared at the radiant image of Hailey on his screen, feeling he was surely mistaken. He rubbed his eyes vigorously and looked again, scrutinizing every feature on Hailey¡¯s face. Only then was he sure his ex-wife had married into one of the wealthiest families ¨C the Laurence family! Austin could not believe it. After their divorce, his life was a series of miseries. Swamped in debt, constantly hounded by creditors, and struggling to care for Allysha and their child, Austin barely had a moment to breathe, looking more worn each day. Meanwhile, Hailey seemed to be thriving. Not only had she ran a sessful nightclub, but now she was thedy of the Laurence estate. How could Austin ept this? in frustration, Austin took to the inte, berating Hailey. He imed she¡¯d left her first husband to marry into wealth and used her of having rtions with Cedric even before their divorce. Some netizens believed him, further fueling the gossip. Taking sce in his online allies, Austin began spewing even more vitriol about Hailey online. Just as the rumors grew, someone posted revealing that Austin was the actual cheater. usations surfaced about Austin¡¯s deceits during their marriage, suggesting he not only cheated but conned Hailey out of money and property. ims even hinted at inappropriate actions involving his own sister. Austin tried to counter, but a slew of undeniable evidence went viral. Soon, his posts were flooded with criticisms. Between Austin¡¯s defamation and the subsequent truth unveiling, Hailey¡¯s reputation swung from tarnished to admirable. People soon perceived her as a strong, independent woman. She was deceived by her ex-husband yet worked hard, eventually bing a sessful entrepreneur. Though her stature couldn¡¯tpare to the Laurence family, her hard-earned wealth granted her a worry-free life. She became a beacon of inspiration for many. Watching the turn of events, Chase McCall, the silent orchestrator, put down his phone. Looking across the yacht¡¯s deck where Cedric stood holding Hailey, admiring the ocean view, the two shared a knowing smile. The wedding ceremony concluded, but the yacht¡¯s festivities were far from over. The older people gathered on the second deck, dining and chatting, while the younger crowd congregated on the rooftop, engrossed in games. That was initiated by Elbert, who wanted a rematch against Bernard after losing in a motorcycle video game. Cedric and Hailey, though initially reluctant, eventually joined the fun. Since Hailey was pregnant, they couldn¡¯t do anything on their first night, why not stay and have fun? In the end, the couple, along with Chase, the Laurence siblings, and Sigrid joined the gathering. Sigrid, concerned about Garett feeling left out, insisted he attend. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! So, atop the yacht, under the open sky, a diverse group lounged on plush sofas, all eyes on Bernard, eagerly awaiting the next round. Chapter 1244 Chapter 1244 Facing the indifferent Bernard, the folks from the Laurence and Pine families weren¡¯t overly concerned, it was more Garett who felt awkward.. He wasn¡¯tfortable around this couple, always feeling like he was a third wheel. Seeing him hanging his head, seated in a wheelchair, not saying a word, Hailey, who had already changed her clothes, took the initiative to sit next to him and strike up a conversation. With Hailey¡¯spany, Garett¡¯s loneliness began to fade, and he slowly gathered the courage to lift his head and look toward Eleanor, who was sitting quietly opposite him. Her hand was held by a man¡¯srge one, resting on his thigh, an intimate gesture that could onlye naturally after countless practices. Feeling the intensity of his gaze, Eleanor hesitated for a second, then slowly raised her head. As her eyes met Garett¡¯s, she gave a faint smile. Seeing that pure smile, Garett realized Eleanor had made peace with the situation and was no longer feeling awkward, encouraging him not to be shy and to be honest. After letting out a bitter smile inside, Garett also showed a smile in response to hers. Their mutual smiles were caught by Robin, who was sneakily watching Eleanor. He couldn¡¯t help but start wondering what the rtionship between Jason and Eleanor was. Why were they flirting in such a situation? The more he thought about it, the more an idea popped up in his mind are they having an affair? ¨C At this thought, Robin let out a small chuckle, but he couldn¡¯t hold it in andughed out loud. In the extremely quiet cabin, the suddenughter drew everyone¡¯s attention¡­ Robin immediately wiped the smile off his face and, expressionless, kicked Elbert hard. ¡°You are the one who asked me to help you beat Bernard. What are you waiting for?!¡± Elbert, who was kicked for no reason, red at Robin and then asked the waiter to bring the cards. Taking the deck, Elbert spread out the cards in his hand like a magician, then quickly gathered them back. Closing the deck, he ced it on the table, and then provocatively looked at Bernard. ¡°I suggest a simple contest, not relying on intellect or strength, just luck, how about it?¡± Bernard nced coldly at Garett, then at Robin, before finally fixing his disdainful gaze on Elbert. ¡°What¡¯s the stake?¡± ¡°If we lose, we¡¯ll give you a private jet, two limited-edition sports cars, three vis in the city. If we win¡­¡± Elbert looked around, his gazending on Cedric, ¡°Cedric¡¯s ship belongs to my Pine family.¡± Cedric was at a loss for words. Wait a minute, why was his ship at stake in a bet between the Pines and Bernard? ¡°And the two robots downstairs.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± The deal was already made before Cedric had time to stop them. Cedric could only pin his hopes on Bernard, ¡°Bernard, we have to win!!!¡± His wedding and the adorable robots were all witnesses to his love with Hailey, and they must not lose to that annoying guy! Clenching his suit sleeve, Cedric cheered Bernard on, ¡°Bernard, just give the word, I¡¯m ready to do anything for you!¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Elbert, who was shuffling the cards, rolled his eyes, ¡°It seems the Laurence family has relied on dirty tricks to steal so much business from us.¡± His words ignited anger in everyone present, the others from the Laurence family stood up one after another, walking towards Elbert. ¡°What did you just say?!¡± ¡°Dare to repeat that?!¡± Elbert looked up to see a row of muscr men in suits, and instinctively looked behind him. Behind him were his physically weak cousin Robin, his ill-tempered cousin Katharine, and Caleb, who was loyal to both the Laurence and Spencer families. They were outnumbered, they couldn¡¯t win a fight, Elbert quickly backed down. ¡°I think the Laurence family has too many people, it¡¯s unfair. How about we draw lots, divide the teams, and then y together?¡± It was initially a showdown between him and Bernard, but everyone else wanted to join in, so it turned into the current situation with the Laurences against the Pines. But the Laurences were just too many, the Pines were only four, and Caleb didn¡¯t fully count as a Pine. This numerical advantage was simply too unfair. Chapter 1245 Chapter 1245 When the Laurence n heard Elbert¡¯s suggestion, their anger turned into scorn. ¡°There¡¯s no way we¡¯d ever team up with your Pine family.¡± The beef between the Laurences and the Pines runs deep! Out of respect for Eleanor, they could y nice for a bit, but team with them? No way! ¡°Well then, Eleanor can be seen as a Pine, so Ms. Vulpe, her sister, she¡¯s a Pine too, and Mr. Clowers ain¡¯t a Laurence or a Pine, so we¡¯ll count him as a Pine. And then there¡¯s Chase McCall¡­¡± ¡°Hold up, Chase is my buddy, why are you bringing him up?!¡± Cedric retorted. ¡°He¡¯s just your buddy, not Family. Why should he be considered a Laurence?¡± ¡°He was my sister¡¯s first love, so he¡¯s a Laurence for sure.¡± The moment Cedric said this, Chase whipped his head towards Sigrid. She was sitting next to Garett, acting as if she hadn¡¯t heard a word, not reacting at all. Seems like the word ¡°first love¡± didn¡¯t affect her anymore, hence her cool demeanor. Chase¡¯s eyes filled with sadness, a bitter smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Cedric seemed to realize he¡¯d misspoke, and quickly corrected himself. ¡°Anyway, Chase is my friend. He¡¯d never help you Pines against me!¡± With the two sides at a stalemate over who¡¯s with whom, Hailey stepped up to back up her husband. ¡°Mr. Pine, Eleanor married Bernard, so she¡¯s a Laurence. And I married Cedric, so I¡¯m a Laurence. As for Mr. Clowers, he¡¯s my brother, so naturally, he¡¯s with me.¡± ¡°Right! Hailey¡¯s right, they¡¯re all Laurences!¡± With today¡¯s bride, Hailey, speaking up, the Laurences were even more adamant about not joining the Pines. Elbert couldn¡¯t out-argue the Laurences and had to take the hit in numbers. But it was okay, Elbert grew up in a casino. Who can y cards better than he can? ¡°Fine, you guys team up with whoever you want. Us four can still take you down!¡± Elbert finished, turned back to Robin, raising an eyebrow, ¡°Right, bro?¡± Robin gave him a cold look, thinking. ¡°Does Elbert not know how bad his luck is?¡± Elbert, however, saw determination in his angry gaze, so he wasn¡¯t worried. He pped the table. ¡°Alright, folks, let¡¯s get the betting started!¡± Nigel Laurence loved this kind of game. At the mention of betting, he immediately forgot all the bad blood and threw his stakes on the table. ¡°I¡¯m betting a million on me winning!¡± Kendrick Laurence gave him a look, ¡°Nigel, you y video games all day. You sure you can handle this? And you¡¯re betting on yourself?¡± Nigel crossed his arms, full of confidence, and flicked his stylish bangs. ¡°Kendrick, today, I¡¯ll show you what a gambling king looks like!¡± Turns out, the ¡°king¡± lost the first round. Nigel quietly left while the others kept ying. The game was simple, just drawing cards. If you drew the pre-specified number, you¡¯d pass and move on to the next round. Just like Elbert said, it¡¯s all about luck. Those with bad luck would quickly be eliminated, while those with good luck would keep going from number 1 to number 10. Before long, those desperately hoping to pass didn¡¯t, while those not too eager kept getting lucky and winning, like Garett who¡¯d been losing on purpose¡­ His luck was just too good. He kept drawing the right number, even when he didn¡¯t want to y. Apart from him, Bernard, Eleanor, Cedric, Hailey, Elbert, and surprisingly lucky Robin were still in. ¡°The next number is A. If you draw it, you could make it to the final round.¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Just as Elbert finished speaking, Robin drew an A, making him somewhat skeptical. Was Elbert cheating? As he looked confused, Cedric suddenly shouted with the cards in his hand. ¡°Ah! I didn¡¯t get it. It¡¯s up to you guys now. You¡¯ve got to save my ship and robot!¡± Garett, who also didn¡¯t draw, heaved a sigh of relief. Finally, it was over. He put down his cards, pushed his wheelchair away from the crowd, and sat in a corner, quietly watching Eleanor. Seeing her smile, he couldn¡¯t help but smile too¡­ But then, Bernard¡¯s handsome face suddenly appeared in his line of sight and his smile froze. He quickly looked away to avoid Bernard¡¯s gaze, and Bernard¡­ For Bernard, besides Garett, Robin and Elbert were also his rivals. Of course, he didn¡¯t think much of the kid Elbert, but Robin¡­ Throughout the game, Robin¡¯s eyes kept drifting towards Eleanor. He always had that deep, affectionate look in his eyes, as if Bernard didn¡¯t even exist¡­ Bernard had a stone-cold look on his face, plotting in his mind how he was going to deal with Robin while flipping through his cards. An ace was tossed carelessly onto the table. ¡°When¡¯s this gonna end?¡± This boring game, round after round, he didn¡¯t even know what got into him, epting Elbert¡¯s challenge out of the blue. Chapter 1246 Chapter 1246 Elbert looked at Bernard, who seemed pretty pissed off, with a glint of mischief in his eyes. ¡°How about this? We, the Pine family, admit defeat for this round. But everyone who¡¯s in this far must y the final round, only the rules for winning or losing will be reset. What do you think?¡± Before Bernard could open his mouth, Cedric jumped up, all hyped up, ¡°I¡¯m in! Let¡¯s do this!¡± No matter what, he had to save his own ship and those two robots! Bernard didn¡¯t have much of a reaction, just wrapped an arm around Eleanor¡¯s waist, pulling her closer to him, then lifted his icy gaze to Robin. ¡°Do we continue?¡± Robin¡¯s eyes flicked over Bernard¡¯s hand on Eleanor¡¯s waist, then quickly looked away. ¡°The game¡¯s not over yet, of course we continue!¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Bernard¡¯s hand moved from Eleanor¡¯s waist to the back of her head, giving a gentle press, and Eleanor leaned into his arms. ¡°Then let¡¯s proceed.¡± Though the intimate gesture was a little awkward in front of everyone, Eleanor cooperated obediently with Bernard. She leaned into Bernard¡¯s arms, looking up at him. Robin saw this and felt a pang in his chest. His fists clenched, he looked away, no longer looking at Eleanor. After all, Bernard had warned him several times already, in a way that clearly marked his territory. It wasn¡¯t appropriate to keep looking. But it wasn¡¯t that he wanted to look, it was just that his eyes were uncontroble! He couldn¡¯t possibly gouge out his own eyeballs, could he? Elbert couldn¡¯t figure out the undercurrents between Bernard and Robin, so he just focused on the game at hand, ¡°Mr. Laurence, shall we make it harder for the final round?¡± Hailey, who was still in the game, shot Elbert a disgruntled look, ¡°What¡¯s your next scheme?¡± Elbert pulled two cards from the deck, one of them a joker. ¨C ¡°Bernard, you and I will draw cards. Whoever draws the joker first gets to set the rules. The rewards and punishments for winning or losing can be announced after the game.¡± With that, Elbert raised an eyebrow at Bernard. ¡°What do you say, Bernard, do you dare to gamble with me?¡± Hailey thought the game was getting out of hand, ¡°Elbert, if you set the rules, the loser will go broke, won¡¯t they?!¡± Elbert turned to Hailey, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Hailey. The stakes won¡¯t exceed ten million. I know how to keep things in check. I wouldn¡¯t let my little sister lose out.¡± He paused, then turned his gaze back to Bernard, ¡°Besides, the odds of winning are fifty-fifty in this game. How do you know Bernard will lose?¡± His words left Hailey speechless. Bernard¡¯s aura and luck were strong, maybe he could draw the joker. So she kept quiet. The others who had been eliminated found the game thrilling but were also a bit worried. Bernard was the only one without any emotional response, he simply said, ¡°Let¡¯s get started.¡± Bernard joined the game, a smirk ying on Elbert¡¯s lips. He quickly picked up the two cards on the table, ready to shuffle them himself, but Cedric snatched them away, ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡± Elbert was taken aback, ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Cedric scoffed, ¡°I knew you were up to something. Were you cheating?!¡± Elbert was pissed, ¡°I didn¡¯t shuffle the cards just now, how could I cheat?!¡± Cedric hit back, ¡°Even if you didn¡¯t cheat just now, isn¡¯t it obvious you¡¯re trying to cheat now by insisting on shuffling?!¡± The Pine family wanted to shuffle the only two cards? Did they think the Laurences were idiots?! Elbert had intended to do so, and Cedric caught him out, but he still insisted, ¡°I¡¯ll shuffle the cards behind my back¡­¡± Cedric said, ¡°It wouldn¡¯t make a difference even if you shuffled them in the sky!¡± Elbert was speechless. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Shut up, both of you!¡± Robin snapped impatiently, ¡°Let the waiter do it!¡± The waiter nearby was startled, ¡°Me¡­¡± He was about to say ¡®I don¡¯t dare¡¯, when he saw Cedric shove the cards into his hand, ¡°Shuffle them well, get a Joker for my bro!¡± The waiter pulled a face, grumbling inwardly. Why was such a major task given to him, a lowly employee? He didn¡¯t want to get involved! The waiter was unhappy but didn¡¯t dare to voice hisints. He took the cards from Cedric, trembling slightly, turned around, shuffled the two cards a few times, then ced them back on the table. Chapter 1247 Chapter 1247 ¡°Don¡¯t touch it!¡± As Bernard was about to casually draw a card, Elbert suddenly shouted. ¡°I¡¯ll go first!¡± Elbert had already lost his rights to shuffle and cheat. He couldn¡¯t afford to lose his chance to draw first! Under this mindset, Elbert, without waiting for Bernard¡¯s response, jumped to the front of the table, squatted down, seeming a bit nervous, and stretched out his hand¡­ Five minutester, Elbert¡¯s fingers were still flipping through the cards, picking from left to right, then right to left¡­ ¡°Are you gonna draw or not?!¡± Robin, losing his patience, delivered a kick to Elbert¡¯s leg. While rubbing his leg, Elbert looked enviously at the harmonious Laurence brothers. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Look at Bernard, how nice he was to his younger siblings,pared to his own brother¡­ Well, being born into the Pine family wasn¡¯t his fault! Elbert, with trembling hands, reached for a card. Without daring to nce at it, he clutched it to his chest, then gestured for Bernard to draw. Bernard, seeming somewhat bored, stretched out his long, strong fingers and drew a card. Without even a nce, he flipped it over and tossed it onto the table¡­ Perhaps he wasn¡¯t invested enough, he didn¡¯t draw the Joker. ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Elbert, seeing the card, leapt up from the ground in delight, ¡°I drew the Joker!!!¡± He didn¡¯t have to cheat to draw the Joker, how awesome was that! Elbert couldn¡¯t contain his joy, while Cedric rolled his eyes at him. ¡°That¡¯s just because Bernard let you draw first. Otherwise, with your luck, how could you possibly draw the Joker?¡± Elbert, holding the Joker and unable to contain his happiness, didn¡¯t mind Cedric¡¯s mockery. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve drawn the Joker, I get to make the rules. Last round still y with number cards, and still draw the Joker. This time, there are two Jokers, so there are two winners, the rest are out.¡± Cedric was confused, ¡°Why two winners?¡± Elbert gave a mysterious smile, ¡°You¡¯ll find out when the game is over.¡± Elbert drew the Joker and as agreed, he got to make the rules. No one could argue now, it was all up to luck in the final round. Bernard, Eleanor, Hailey, Robin, and Elbert were left. In addition to the two Jokers, there were three random cards. The waiter shuffled the cards facing away from the yers, ced them on the table, and then left. The eliminated spectators each ced their bets on the five yers¡¯ tables, anxiously awaiting as they drew their cards in turn, then revealed them- 1st, Hailey revealed a 2. 2nd, Elbert drew a 10. The rest were Bernard, Robin, and Eleanor. As long as Bernard drew the Joker, he would win. It didn¡¯t matter who the other winner was. Bernard casually drew one of the remaining three cards- Everyone held their breath as they saw his slender fingers slowly flip the card over- Elbert, who was the most nervous of all, let out a sigh of relief when he saw that the card wasn¡¯t the Joker. Good, now he could start messing with Bernard. ¡°Bernard didn¡¯t draw a Joker, so my cousin and sister don¡¯t need to draw anymore. They¡¯ve won.¡± Eleanor was confused. She didn¡¯t understand how she had won. When did her luck turn so good? Robin was equally confused. He hadn¡¯t been lucky since birth, never won at a casino, what was happening today? Regardless of what the two unexpectedly victorious yers were thinking, Elbert stood up and announced the rewards and penalties. ¡°The losers don¡¯t need to ept any penalties. But the two winners need to ept their reward, which is¡­¡± ¡± Elbert, as the rule-maker, announced loudly- ¡°To kiss each other!¡± He didn¡¯t get to kiss Eleanorst time, so he would let his cousin do it this time! He hoped this would really piss off Bernard!!! Bernard, sitting at the head of the table, his face immediately turned gloomy. Not only was Eleanor¡¯s face turning dark, but she also felt that having such good luck was somewhat unlucky. Only Robin¡¯s heartbeat suddenly quickened, his gaze subconsciously drawn to Eleanor¡¯s appealing lips¡­ Chapter 1248 Chapter 1248 Robin¡¯s mind was indeed a mess, all sorts of thoughts buzzing around, but would he kiss Eleanor? Even if Eleanor didn¡¯t have a husband, Robin wouldn¡¯t just make a move on the woman he was into because of a game. He hoped for mutual consent, but from the moment he started having feelings for Eleanor, this mutual consent had been nothing but a pipe dream, something that would nevere true in this lifetime. Robin reined in his feelings, got up and kicked Elbert hard, ¡°What the heck are you thinking? What kind of reward is that?!¡± After saying that, he quickly nced at Eleanor, trying his best to keep his emotions under control, then he got up to leave, ¡°We¡¯ve already delivered the wedding gift, we¡¯re leaving now.¡± Elbert, who failed to provoke Bernard, looked reluctant to leave. Robin gave him a hard stare, and Elbert immediately dared not say anything more, lowering his head and following Robin out. ¡°Hold it!¡± A cold, bone-chilling voice came from behind. Elbert instinctively winced, was Bernard going to do something to him? T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mr. Pine,e here.¡± Elbert swallowed nervously, slowly turning around. Bernard, seated on the sofa, was staring at him with murderous intent. Facing such a murderous gaze, how could Elbert dare to approach him? ¡°Mr. Laurence, I¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re going for another round. We can decide the rules of winning and losingter.¡± Elbert thought Bernard was going to beat him up directly, but instead, Bernard suggested another round. Elbert was puzzled by Bernard¡¯s intentions, always feeling that Bernard would find an opportunity to make a move on him. He cast a pleading look at Robin, but Robin didn¡¯t even nce at him and walked straight out of the room. Robin left, and Bernard didn¡¯t stop him, which meant Bernard¡¯s target was only Elbert¡­ He was done for! Cedric didn¡¯t wait for Elbert¡¯s response, he just handed the two shuffled cards to him. ¡°Here are two cards, if you draw the Joker, you can leave, if not¡­¡± Cedric purposely paused, then turned around, gesturing for Elbert to see the murderous intent in Bernard¡¯s eyes. The people of the Laurence family, except for ke, all showed respect to Eleanor. Some didn¡¯t even dare to look at her too much, to avoid misunderstandings and to respect her. Elbert, this young man, shouting loudly on the Laurence family¡¯s territory was already crossing the line, let alone making Eleanor and Bernard ufortable with the game, he was asking for trouble! Elbert nced at Bernard, thought about it, his luck was so good just now, and he might be able to draw the Joker this time, so he reached out his trembling hand and chose the card on the right¡­ Cedric gave him a cold look and revealed both cards, ¡°The card on the left is the Joker, you¡¯re screwed!¡± Elbert¡¯s heart clenched, and he instinctively looked at Bernard, who was radiating killing intent. ¡°What¡¯s the rule for winning and losing?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t answer him, but took out a pair of white gloves and slowly put them on. After putting them on, the tall man got up from the sofa and walked with a steady and powerful stride towards Elbert. This man was naturally intimidating, coupled with the deterrent from his high status, it was like a mountain pressing down on him. ¡°Do you choose to kneel down and apologize, or do you want me to p you a few times?¡± Although Bernard didn¡¯t wear spiked gloves this time, his palm was quite strong, a few ps and his face would definitely be swollen for a few days. But kneeling down and apologizing in front of the Laurences, not only was it an insult to his own dignity and pride, but also once the word got out, his reputation would be ruined. ¡°My patience is limited.¡± A cold and angry voice rang in his ear, and Elbert inexplicably felt the pressure from his elder brother, which made him very ufortable, ¡°I choose the ps.¡± He would rather be hit than apologize to his enemy, that¡¯s the spirit of the Pine family! Bernard looked up at Elbert, who was stubbornly unyielding, then without hesitation, he pped him hard. Elbert took four hard ps in a row, clutching his swollen face on both sides, looking pitifully at Bernard who was nning to hit him again. ¡°Bro, Mr. Laurence, I was wrong, isn¡¯t that enough?¡± Bernard seemed to remember something when he heard this address, but he only paused for a moment and then raised his hand to hit him again. Elbert quickly fell back to avoid this fatal blow. Then he steadied his body with his waist strength and begged Bernard for mercy. ¡°Bro, I promise I¡¯ll never joke about Eleanor again, please let me go¡­¡± Chapter 1249 Chapter 1249 Cedric stood watching and snorted derisively. ¡°When did I be your bro? Stop calling me that!¡± He was literally his brother. Eleanor silently responded in her heart, then got up and walked to Elbert. ¡°Mr. Pine, you¡¯ve embarrassed me twice through games. It¡¯s not only awkward, but also very disrespectful. Please stop calling me ¡®sister¡¯.¡± What she meant was that a younger brother shouldn¡¯t treat his elder sister like this. But Elbert never considered whether his actions were respectful to others. He just wanted to y a prank on Bernard and didn¡¯t realize it would embarrass Eleanor. Now he gets it, but it¡¯s toote. ¡°I didn¡¯t know who was going to get the Joker. Even if it was me, I would¡¯ve suggested a peck on the cheek. I just wanted to mess with him.¡± But he didn¡¯t expect that Eleanor would be the one to draw it. Due to the game¡¯s atmosphere and remembering thest bet he lost, he impulsively overlooked that Eleanor was already married to Bernard. He was indeed being mischievous, but he certainly didn¡¯t mean to disrespect Eleanor. But who cares what he really thought? His words already showed disrespect. Elbert didn¡¯t want to say any more. He leaned his face in, ¡°Just hit me, and let me go home when you¡¯re done.¡± Bemard looked at his swollen face, pped him hard again, and slowly withdrew his hand. ¡°If there¡¯s a next time, I¡¯ll break your legs.¡± Elbert took the beating obediently and looked up at Bernard. He didn¡¯t know why, but Bernard¡¯s tone was very simr to when Robin disciplined him. And why did he feel¡­Bernard¡¯s eyes looked a bit like his aunt¡¯s? Though his memory was blurry, this feeling seemed familiar. As he was staring at Bernard, Bernard coldly said while taking off his gloves, ¡°Throw him into the sea.¡± Bernard¡¯s cold and indifferent tone instantly cut off Elbert¡¯s thoughts, ¡°Bernard, why didn¡¯t you keep your promise?!¡±. Bernard put down his gloves, took out a wet wipe to clean his fingers, then looked up at him. ¡°Have you forgotten? I make the rules for the bets.¡± In other words, he can do whatever he wants. Elbert was so angry his face turned red! ¡°Bernard, you¡¯re ruthless!¡± Bernard threw away the wet wipe, held Eleanor¡¯s hand, and left the top deck. Eleanor nervously watched as Elbert was carried onto the deck by several bodyguards. ¡°Honey, are you really going to throw your cousin into the sea from such a height?¡± Bernard hid the coldness in his eyes, put on a loving look, and looked down at Eleanor. ¡°I¡¯m just scaring him.¡± Throwing Elbert from the top deck of this huge ship would certainly cause serious injury, even death. Hearing him say this, Eleanor sighed in relief, ¡°He probably won¡¯t dare to do it again.¡± Bernard seemed to remember something, his pace gradually slowed, then he stopped and turned to look at Eleanor. ¡°If I¡¯m not with you and he disrespects you again, make sure to be ruthless and hit him.¡± Eleanor looked at him puzzled after hearing his words. ¡°Where are you going when you¡¯re not with me?¡± Thinking about the impending parting, Bernard¡¯s heart tightened. He couldn¡¯t help but pull her into his arms, ¡°I mean, when I¡¯m not home.¡± Eleanor¡¯s heart finally rxed. She hugged Bernard¡¯s waist. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, if Elbert does it again, I¡¯ll teach him a lesson with a baseball bat!¡± Eleanor¡¯s angry voice made Bernard smile slightly. After smiling, he reached out to caress her soft hair, his eyes full of reluctance. Hailey¡¯s wedding night was truly unique. When Cedric was about to kiss Hailey, a scream suddenly came from upstairs. His action paused, and the screaming upstairs stopped. Then he leaned down to kiss her again, and another piercing scream came from upstairs. Cedric felt like Bernard wasn¡¯t torturing Elbert, but him. Bernard knew that Cedric couldn¡¯t get too intimate with his wife and could only give her a light kiss, but even this tiny pleasure was interrupted. Cedric was so pissed that he ignored the screams upstairs, held Hailey, listened to the screams, and kissed her. No matter what, he had to kiss her on their wedding night! After a night of being scared, Elbert was kicked off the ship by the bodyguards. Robin had been following the wedding ship. He took poor Elbert back to his boat, then turned around and left. Standing on the deck, Caleb looked at the huge ship, his slightly darkening. He hadn¡¯t found a chance to talk to Bernard alone. He didn¡¯t know when he would go to Area Opaca, so he had to go back and find Evan Penrod to ask about it. Once he confirmed the time, he would quietly follow. Chapter 1250 Chapter 1250 A few dayster, the wedding at sea came to a sessful conclusion. Hailey did her utmost to serve all the elders and peers, earning praises from the Laurence family. Hearing everyone¡¯spliments towards Hailey, Latonia paused, turning back to look at Hailey who was standing below the deck. Seeing her handing out gifts to each departing member of the Laurence family, Latonia couldn¡¯t help but crack a smile. Somehow, after only a few days together, she found herself growing fond of Hailey. After everyone had left, Hailey finally turned to Eleanor who had been by her side all along. ¡°I have something else for you, besides these gifts.¡± Never one to stand on ceremony, Eleanor reached out her hand, ¡°What is it?¡± As Hailey handed her the gift, she also took out a photo from her bag and ced it in Eleanor¡¯s palm, ¡°Take a look, see if you like it.¡± Eleanor took the photo which depicted a moment in the open-air cabin with the Laurence and Pine families. Although those present didn¡¯t understand each other¡¯s rtionships, Bernard had managed to bridge two families through his own efforts. In the photo, Bernard sat in the center, the Pine family on his left, the Laurence family on his right, everyone looking at each other. And Bernard, he was staring intently at Eleanor who returned his gaze, surrounded by neat sofas and the endless sea. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. In addition, there was Garett sitting in the corner, and Chase, holding a wine ss, watching Sigrid. All the moments were frozen that night. Eleanor looked at the photo happily, ¡°Hailey, who took this?¡± Hailey looked at Pearce who was walking briskly with Nina, ¡°He took it.¡± On the night they yed cards, Nina had been clinging to Pearce, asking for food and drink. By the time Pearce returned from putting her to sleep, the card game was over. In retaliation, Pearce snapped this picture and then found Hailey, trading it for a gold bar, which is how Hailey got this photo. Hearing the story behind the photo, Eleanor¡¯s mood becameplicated, ¡°That¡¯s so Pearce.¡± Hailey smiled gently, ¡°Even though I lost a gold bar, this photo is a great memento.¡± Eleanor alsoughed, ¡°Yes, this photo is very meaningful.¡± The scene where Bernard and his cousins gathered around a table would probably only happen once in a lifetime, making it significant. After Hailey¡¯s wedding, there was good news from Will Webb. He had won the Nobel Prize in Medicine. Upon his return from receiving the award abroad, Will invited a few of Liana¡¯s close friends for a meal. At the dinner, after a few drinks, Will announced, ¡°I¡¯ve decided to settle down in Panama.¡± Bernard, who had hoped Will could take over Liana¡¯s hospital, frowned at his decision, but did not say anything Everyone has their own choices. Will had lost the one he loved and it was difficult for him to move on. Choosing to stay by her grave was not a mistake. If it were Bernard, lie might not only guard the grave alone, he might choose to end his life. That¡¯s his understanding of love. Therefore, he didn¡¯t try to persuade Will to stay, he just kindly reminded him, ¡°Liana might not want you to do this.¡± Will of course understood that Liana wouldn¡¯t want this, but he said, ¡°Being by her side, sweeping their graves asionally, that¡¯s all I want.¡± The cemetery also needs to be weeded from time to time, so as not to let the grass block the tombstones of Liana and Tyler Howell, Although Will was very clear that both of them did not even leave ashes behind, and they might have turned into wandering spirits. But what does it matter? He believed as long as Liana was lying in the cemetery, that was enough. He could apany her silently for the rest of his life. Seeing such a firm Will, Eleanor asked him in a low voice, ¡°What about your parents? Will had already made arrangements. He answered Eleanor with a smile, ¡°They are willing to go to Panama with me.¡± Hearing this, Eleanor¡¯s eyes also turned red. This family was really good, but Liana¡­ She chose the man she loved, risking her life to find Tyler¡¯s soul. Did Liana find Tyler? Thinking of this, Eleanor¡¯s tears uncontrobly fell. She quickly grabbed a tissue and wiped the tears from her eyes. Seeing her cry, Will¡¯s eyes also turned red, ¡°Ms. Shultz, don¡¯t be sad, Liana will always live in our hearts.¡± As long as we remember her, she is alive. Eleanor nodded, but couldn¡¯t say anything. Hailey by her side held her hand and gently patted it. Since everyone was thinking of Liana, the atmosphere at the table became heavy. Eventually, Will adjusted his thoughts, raised his ss again, and toasted with everyone, gradually easing the atmosphere. Chapter 1251 Chapter 1251 Will hopped on a flight to Panama, and Eleanor and Hailey went along with him. Will told Liana¡¯s tombstone that he scored a medical award. Hailey spilled the beans to Liana that she¡¯s hitched with Cedric and has a bun in the oven. Eleanor was the odd one out with no juicy news for Liana. Liana always wanted her to have a child, that was her wish for Eleanor. She squatted in front of the grave, ran her fingers over Liana¡¯s tombstone, then slowly stood up, facing the setting sun, and whispered, ¡°Liana, I hope you find Tyler soon.¡± She wished for Liana to find her love and be together forever. She¡¯d also try her best to take Liana¡¯s advice and get pregnant ASAP. Then, she¡¯de back to spill the good news to Liana. With thepany¡¯s shares divvied up and Cedric hitched and acquainted with Liana, the next thing on the list was to take Eleanor to the Sharp family. Eleanor had already tackled all the design work, with only the Sharp family project left. Once that¡¯s done, Eleanor would have fulfilled all of Emilia¡¯sst wishes, leaving her sister without any regrets. After wrapping up the Sharp family design, Eleanor nned to announce Emilia¡¯s death and im the design under her own name. Bernard had previously made a name for Eleanor in the architecture world under the Laurence Group, letting everyone see her talent. This was Bernard paving the way for her, so now she could ept the design under her own name, and she¡¯d still get plenty of good gigs. Eleanor packed up her drawing gear like pens and rulers into a box and looked at Pearce, who was sitting on the sofa, trimming his nails, ¡°Mr. Hooper, let¡¯s hit the road.¡± Pearce checked his nails, found no issues, then looked at Eleanor, ¡°I suggest you trim your nails too. Yates Sharp is a clean freak.¡± Eleanor closed the box and found this amusing, ¡°Is Mr. Sharp¡¯s cleanliness obsession a match for my hubby?¡± Pearce pondered for a moment and said, ¡°I¡¯ll have to see Yates¡¯s obsession to answer that.¡± Eleanor rolled her eyes at him, ¡°Hurry and help me get this stuff in the car. Anyter, my husband might break your legs.¡± Pearce reluctantly picked up the pile of drawing tools and headed outside. Before stepping out, Eleanor reminded Nina multiple times to stay home with George, study hard, and do her homework properly. Nina, who only wanted snacks, obediently nodded and waved at Eleanor, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll listen to George.¡± Eleanor then said to George, ¡°Thanks in advance for the hard work these few days.¡± George waved it off, ¡°I¡¯m happy to look after Nina.¡± Originally, Eleanor wanted to ask Hailey to help with the kids, but considering she was pregnant, Eleanor asked George toe over instead. After saying goodbye, Eleanor got in the car. Bernard had prepared a private jet. They headed straight for the ne at the airport to go to the Sharp family Yates ced great importance on meeting with Emilia, even sending the Sharp family¡¯s third son, Peterson Sharp, to pick her up. Eleanor was appearing as Emilia and worried that if she showed up with Bernard, Yates might sniff something fishy. It wasn¡¯t a big deal, but she was afraid if the project party found out the design wasn¡¯t by Emilia, they might hold them ountable. Because Emilia had signed the contract, and the contract clearly stated that the design must be done by Emilia herself. If someone else took her ce, they¡¯d have to cough up a hefty penalty. They could afford to pay this money, but it could cause Emilia to lose trust and possibly ruin her reputation. So Bernard decided to have Eleanor and Pearce go ahead, while he followed behind to protect her. After discussing, Eleanor found a photo of Emilia and applied makeup to look like her. This makeup made her almost identical to the Emilia in the photo. Upon seeing this, Pearce managed a smile, ¡°When did you learn this?¡± Eleanor put down the mirror and raised an eyebrow at him, ¡°Before I found out we were going to the Sharp family¡¯s construction site.¡± For other projects, she didn¡¯t need to be involved, so she didn¡¯t bother, but this time, she had to keep her real identity under wraps. Because previously, she had won an international architectural award under her real face. Even though the Sharp family might not pay attention to such news, she decided to y safe. Soon, the nended at the airport, Eleanor put on her sunsses, and followed Pearce off the ne¡­ As they walked out of the airport, they saw Peterson, in a ck suit leaning against a Maybach, waving at them. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Ms. Elena, Mr. Hooper, this way please.¡± Chapter 1252 Chapter 1252 Last time Pearce was at the Sharp family¡¯s construction site, Peterson was the one who hosted him. So, he recognized Peterson and they were on pretty good terms, shaking hands as they met. ¡°Mr. Sharp, sorry to keep you waiting.¡± ¡°No worries.¡± Peterson brushed it off casually, replying before turning his gaze to Eleanor who was at Pearce¡¯s side. ¡°Ms. Elena, you¡¯re even more stunning in person than in photos.¡± A sh of light crossed his eyes, but it disappeared as quickly as it hade. This was Eleanor¡¯s first face-to-face encounter with Peterson, the first time she was really getting a good look at him. Peterson was a real looker, with chiseled features and a perfect face shapeplemented by his healthy, tanned skin. He was as wless as a sculpture, with manners to match. Beyond his looks, his entire demeanor was top-notch as well. He was graceful and gave off the vibe of a well-bred rich kid. ¡°Mr. Sharp, you¡¯re even more suave in person than on TV!¡± Hearing Eleanor¡¯spliment, Peterson extended his hand towards her with a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s make this official then, I¡¯m Peterson.¡± Eleanor also reached out to shake his hand, ¡°I¡¯m Emilia.¡± Peterson gave a polite nod and let go of her hand, inviting her and Pearce to hop into his car. Typically, a big-shot family like the North Fund would have chauffeurs, but Peterson was driving himself, very down to earth. ¡°My grandfather was a strict disciplinarian. He taught us to keep a low profile and not to be too shy. So, we usually do things ourselves.¡± Peterson exined as he drove, then smiled at Eleanor, ¡°Just because I didn¡¯t hire a driver doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t afford your design fees.¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Hearing this, Eleanor could sense the light-hearted humor in Peterson¡¯s words and started to rx. Sheughed and replied, ¡°Mr. Sharp, you¡¯re pulling my leg. I¡¯m well aware of your family¡¯s financial status.¡± Hearing this, Peterson nced at her and said, ¡°Well, since you¡¯ve already done your homework on my family, I won¡¯t bore you with the details.¡± Eleanor nodded in agreement and didn¡¯t say anything. Peterson then asked, ¡°Ms. Elena, this is your first time in Canada, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve never been here before.¡± Upon hearing this, Peterson rolled down the car windows and opened the sunroof. ¡°Get some fresh air and take in the scenery of Canada. We¡¯ll be home soon.¡± His considerate care for women was clearly ingrained from a young age. His granddad, Yates, must be a kind-hearted old gent. Peterson¡¯s car weaved slowly through the wide streets, nked by dense trees. The natural scenery was very soothing. Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but gaze at the view outside the window, then nced at the rear mirror to see a ck luxury car tailing them closely. She saw it, and so did Peterson, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you invite your friend to join us?¡± He looked at Eleanor and asked with a smile, ¡°Are you afraid we might hurt you?¡± Caught off guard, Eleanor was a bit embarrassed but she recovered quickly, ¡°Well, you know I rarely visit construction sites personally. It¡¯s natural to be a bit wary when I do.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t specify who was tailing them, just hinted at the potential danger, which was pretty cautious of her. But Peterson didn¡¯t seem to mind, ¡°Ms. Elena, you¡¯re a renowned architect, it¡¯s understandable you¡¯d need bodyguards.¡± Eleanor replied with augh, ¡°Safety first, right?¡± Peterson returned the smile and then the conversation tapered off. Soon, they passed through several distinctive small towns and finally arrived at a European-style manor. The ce was somewhat secluded, but the scenery was beautiful. There was a small creek in front of the manor, against a backdrop of green hills. The bright sunshine filtering through made the blue sky and white clouds even more refreshing. Although the manor was neither too big nor too small, it was indeed low-key and not overly luxurious, just as Peterson had said. Seeing Eleanor getting out of the car and surveying the surroundings, Peterson added, ¡°This is where my grandpa¡¯s first love used to live. After he retired, he moved here.¡± Eleanor¡¯s gaze shifted to Peterson who was leading them towards thewn, ¡°Your grandpa¡¯s first love, was that your grandma?¡± Peterson shook his head, ¡°My grandma has passed away.¡± Eleanor was taken aback. That meant Yates was cherishing not his wife, but another woman.¡± Chapter 1253 Chapter 1253 Realizing this, she didn¡¯t press further, fearing Peterson might get upset. Peterson, however, shrugged it off and said, ¡°I used to not understand my grandpa either, but as I grew up, I learned that back in his youth, he was just a pawn in a business marriage.¡± Eleanor, who followed behind him, eximed, ¡°I never thought that even powerful families like yours would sacrifice your freedom to choose who to marry for the sake of preserving family interests.¡± Peterson turned around and looked at Eleanor, ¡°That¡¯s something my grandpa¡¯s generation had to deal with.¡± Eleanor looked up and asked, ¡°Do you still have to go through that now?¡± Peterson smiled faintly, ¡°My grandpa said, one sacrificialmb in the Sharp family was enough. His children could choose who to marry freely.¡± The first thing Yates did when he took over was to change the old customs and rules of the previous generation. The Sharp family now was pretty harmonious, to say the least. Hearing Peterson say this, Eleanor looked at him curiously. Since their family no longer needed to maintain their status through marriage alliances, why was he still looking for opportunities for alliances? Peterson wasn¡¯t sure what Eleanor was thinking, so he just asked tentatively, ¡°Ms. Elena, are you married?¡± Eleanor replied calmly, ¡°I did my research on the Sharp family before I came. Didn¡¯t you do the same on me?¡± The death of Emilia was arranged by Ethan, and her recing Emilia¡¯s identity was arranged by Bernard. They kept the sisters¡¯ affairs very secret. Even the Pine and the Spencer families weren¡¯t aware that Emilia¡¯s sister was alive, let alone the fact that Vanya wasn¡¯t part of the Pine family. These were family secrets and naturally kept under wraps. Aside from Evelyn who knew about Eleanor, she was guilt-ridden over ruining Vanya¡¯s face and causing her son and daughter-inw¡¯s premature death due to interfering in Emilia and Ethan¡¯s rtionship. She had no heart to reveal these matters and so they remained confidential. However, Eleanor wasn¡¯t sure if the Sharp family had the capability to bypass the Laurence, the Ziegler, the Hooper, the Pine, and even the Spencer families, to uncover the information they wanted. So, she chose to counter-question to prevent the truth from being exposed. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Seeing that she was even evasive on this topic, Peterson couldn¡¯t help but smirk, ¡°I never dig into people¡¯s pasts. I believe in being honest when dealing with people.¡± Eleanor, who was subtly criticized by him, smirked, ¡°I think it¡¯s best to get to know the other party before doing business.¡± Peterson raised an eyebrow, ¡°So¡­ I was just getting to know Ms. Elena, but you seem to be very wary.¡± Eleanor was left speechless by his remark and stopped responding. She followed him through thewn in silence, heading towards the winding path. Peterson, however, carried on naturally, ¡°I once attended a dinner party with Ms. Laurence, and saw a silhouette that looked a lot like Ms. Elena.¡± Hearing this, Eleanor¡¯s back stiffened. She had quickly hidden in the restroom when she saw Peterson following Sigridst time, thinking she had done a good job, but he had noticed her anyway. Eleanor was a bit nervous, but tried to stay calm, ¡°You remembered a silhouette for so long, she must have been a beauty¡­¡± Peterson touched his nose and replied, ¡°I just have a good memory.¡± Eleanorughed awkwardly, ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡±. Peterson looked at Eleanor, his eyes inscrutable, ¡°Mr. Hooper was at that dinner party too. Did you forget about that after you left?¡± Was he nning to keep probing? Eleanor thought for a moment, then shook her head, ¡°Mr. Hooper is just my assistant. Why would I go to his dinner party?¡± Peterson pretended to understand and nodded, then turned to Pearce, ¡°Mr. Hooper, do you alsoe from a prestigious family?¡± Pearce, lugging a pile of tools,ined about the rough road while replying, ¡°If I were from a prestigious family, why would I be doing this hard work?!¡± If he were from a prestigious family, he would definitely live in the most prosperous part of Canada, and would have a bunch of servants to carry things for him, not doing it himself! Peterson smiled elegantly, ¡°I saw Mr. Hooper being quite familiar with Mr. Laurence, so I thought you were also a scion of a noble family.¡± Pearce forced a smile, ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with Mr. Laurence, I¡¯m familiar with his wife. I¡­¡± Before he could finish, Eleanor elbowed him. Pearce, wincing, immediately changed his tune, ¡°Peterson, let¡¯s go inside. I can¡¯t carry this stuff any longer!¡± Peterson gave Eleanor a meaningful look, then put away his suspicions, held the door open for Pearce and Eleanor to sit down in the living room, and went upstairs to find Yates. Chapter 1254 Chapter 1254 Eleanor watched Peterson disappear behind the study door, and immediately lowered her voice to Pearce, ¡°Mr. Hooper, Peterson¡¯s very cautious, keep your guard up.¡± Pearce rubbed his wrist, nonchntly replying, ¡°That¡¯s how these people roll. If you act too careful, it¡¯ll only make him more suspicious. So just chill.¡± Having dealt with more big families on project surveys than Eleanor, Pearce¡¯s experience was far richer. Taking his words to heart, Eleanor began to rx, and started observing the surroundings. The house was modestly designed, it didn¡¯t seem overly luxurious, rather more like a typical well-off family home. The only thing that stood out were the vintage photos on the wall. They looked really old, and each one was only half a photo. It was like when she misunderstood Garett back in the day, she cut out his half of the photo with scissors, leaving only her and Hailey. The man in the photos bore some resemnce to Peterson. Judging by the age of the photos, the man should be Yates. And the owner of this house was Yates¡¯ first love, so the person who cut the photos should be Peterson¡¯s first love. Eleanor was a bit puzzled. Why only leave Yates¡¯ photos in her own house, but cut out her own? Pearce leaned in and whispered, ¡°There¡¯s one more secret, Peterson just said his grandma passed away, but he¡¯s lying.¡± Eleanor frowned in surprise, ¡°His grandma didn¡¯t die?¡± Pearce shook his head, ¡°His grandma did die, but she wasn¡¯t his real grandma. As for who his real grandma is, I¡¯m not sure.¡± Eleanor said in disbelief, ¡°You¡¯re not even sure yourself, why tell me?¡± Pearce shrugged, ¡°Isn¡¯t it juicy?¡± Eleanor scoffed, ¡°You don¡¯t even know who Peterson¡¯s real grandma is, and you dare call it juicy?¡± Pearce scratched his head, ¡°Let me think¡­ Ethan did tell me, but I was ying a game at the time, didn¡¯t catch it clearly¡­¡± Ethan always thoroughly checked every project Emilia took on, to avoid dealing with the bad apples in the Sharp family, hence he knew in detail about every project. Ethan was a pro at digging up info, he could uncover not only family secrets, but even minor past events. Back then, Ethan would tell Pearce the stories behind each project, but Pearce was always too busy with his games. Pearce thought hard, and finally remembered a name, ¡°I think it¡¯s¡­ Andonisus¡­¡± Eleanor frowned, That¡¯s weird name.¡± Pearce thought for a while, thenughed awkwardly, ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s the name of a hero in the game I y.¡± Then, he mimicked a move from the game, ¡°Andonisus, Reaper of Souls.¡± Eleanor was speechless¡­ After chatting with the unreliable Pearce for a while, footsteps came from upstairs. ¡°Ms. Elena, could youe up, my grandfather wants to see you alone.¡± Eleanor and Pearce exchanged looks. ¡°Usually, when discussing style with the project party, I need Mr. Hooper to take notes.¡± Peterson, one hand on the banister, slightly bowed his head to look at Eleanor looking up at him, ¡°Ms. Elena, let¡¯s go with my grandfather¡¯s request.¡± His tone was gentle, but it carried a sense of authority, the innate oppressive aura of a family heir. Eleanor hesitated on the sofa for a couple of seconds, opened her toolbox, took out a notebook, then went upstairs. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Watching Eleanor going alone to meet the project party, Pearce felt really nervous, wondering if Bernard would me him if anything went wrong. Chapter 1255 Chapter 1255 After climbing up the stairs, Eleanor approached Peterson. Peterson smiled at her politely, then pushed the door to his study open, inviting her in, ¡°Ms. Elena,e on in.¡± Eleanor stepped in, finding a tidy study filled with wooden furniture and bathed in sunlight, giving it a very warm feel. In this atmosphere, an elderly man dressed in a white suit with gray hair stood with his back to the door, appreciating the view outside the window. ¡°Grandpa, Ms. Elena is here.¡± After bringing Eleanor in, Peterson respectfully called out. Only then did Yates turn around. His deep and powerful gaze, filled with experience and wisdom, sized up Eleanor. She sized him up in return. Despite his age, he was still tall and radiant, just like the pictures downstairs. He didn¡¯t look like an old man, more like a mature, elegant, and calm middle-aged man. ¡°Mr. Sharp, hello.¡± Eleanor greeted first, and only then did Yates shift his gaze to Peterson. ¡®Peterson, give us some space. I want to talk to Ms. Elena alone.¡± Upon hearing this, Peterson took another thoughtful look at Eleanor before turning and leaving the study. After Peterson left, Yates¡¯ puzzled gaze fell on Eleanor again. ¡°Ms. Elena, what kind of coffee do you like?¡± After watching her for a while, he turned to the coffee machine, pulled out two clean cups. From N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor thought he¡¯d invite her to sit first, but instead, he asked what kind of coffee she likes. ¡°Mocha.¡± The hand holding the cup paused slightly, Yates turned around, taking another look at Eleanor. Seeing him look at her again, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit nervous. Did she say something wrong? Just as she thought this, Yates¡¯ serious face and tense expression gradually rxed. ¡°I have a friend who also likes mocha.¡± Hearing this, Eleanor didn¡¯t respond, just watched Yates as he turned back to make the coffee. ¡°Sit wherever you want.¡± Even though Yates seemed somewhat stern, Eleanor found him easy to get along with, even quite kind. So she rxed and took a seat on a small couch. After making the coffee, Yates turned around to find Eleanor sitting on the small couch, hands on her knees, looking very well-behaved. He seemed a bit taken aback. Noticing his distraction, Eleanor instinctively looked at the couch she¡¯s sitting on. ¡°Am I not supposed to sit here?¡± She was about to stand up, notebook in hand, when Yates spoke first. ¡°I don¡¯t have many rules here. Sit wherever you like.¡± Then, Yates walked over with the coffee, handing it to her. ¡®Ms. Elena, where are you from?¡± After thanking him for the coffee, Eleanor looked at Yates, leaning against his desk sipping his coffee elegantly. ¡°I¡¯m from the G country.¡± ¡°Do you have any other family?¡± ¡°I have a sister.¡± ¡°A sister?¡± Yates¡¯ eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°Which sister are you referring to?¡± This question left Eleanor somewhat taken aback. She had a feeling that Yates knew about Emilia, and that Emilia wasn¡¯t a biological member of the Pine family. But she was not sure whether Yates had figured out everything about Emilia, so she was a bit at a loss for how to answer. ¡®As far as I know, the Pine family has four kids this generation. Besides Robin and Elbert, the two boys, there¡¯s only one girl, Katharine Spencer.¡± Confusion showed in Yates¡¯ thoughtful gaze. ¡°Ms. Elena, you mean to tell me you don¡¯t even know your own cousin¡¯s name?¡± Eleanor¡¯s heart raced. Yates had indeed looked into Emilia¡¯s background, But even though he knew the Pine family only has Katharine as a girl, why did he still ask her which sister? Could this mean that Yates already knew about Emilia, knew she¡¯s not a Pine, and even knew about Emilia¡¯s biological sister? But why was it that from start to finish, Yates only looked for Emilia, not Eleanor? Didn¡¯t he know that Emilia¡¯s sister is Eleanor? Chapter 1256 Chapter 1256 Eleanor took a cool moment to think, figuring she didn¡¯t need to sweat it as long as she didn¡¯t spill the beans about her real identity. If he was going to be straight with her, she decided to return the favor. ¡°I¡¯ve got one sibling,¡¯ she confessed. Yates showed no reaction when she admitted being a part of the Pine family, he simply asked again, ¡°Where¡¯s this sibling?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know, we lost touch as kids and still haven¡¯t found each other.¡± No one had a clue that Emilia was dead. The secret was kept by Ethan, Bernard Laurence, and the three families: the Pine, the Spencer, and the Hooper families, including Yates himself. He only knew that the woman named Vanya Pine, who wasn¡¯t a part of the Pine family, had two kids named Emilia and Elena. And the Emilia standing in front of him¡­ Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! She did bear some resemnce to the person in his memory, but she wasn¡¯t the spitting image of her mother, Vanya. Could this Elena kid look like her? Lifting her head, Eleanor asked curiously, ¡°Mr. Sharp) why are you asking about my sister?¡± Sipping his coffee, Yates merely smiled, ¡°Just curious, that¡¯s all.¡± Eleanor shot back, ¡°Mr. Sharp, I noticed the photos downstairs were all cut in half. Some sort of break- up memento?¡± If he could dig into her personal life, she was entitled to do the same. Fair is fair, right? Yates wasn¡¯t ruffled by Eleanor¡¯s question, he calmly exined, ¡°That was my old me. We had a falling out and she cut herself out of our photos. She also took our child and left.¡± Eleanor was taken aback. His old me had his child. ¡°Did you ever find her?¡± Yates replied with the same matter-of-fact tone, ¡°I found her after she passed away.¡± Eleanor rushed to apologize, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know¡­¡± Yates waved it off, ¡°That¡¯s old news. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t n to pry further, but Yates continued, ¡°She had two kids for me. I brought them back and put them under my wife¡¯s name.¡± So, Peterson Sharp¡¯s real grandmother was Yates¡¯ first love. Eleanor felt a bit sorry for Yates¡¯ wife. ¡°Your wife sure is understanding, epting your old me¡¯s kids.¡± Yates didn¡¯t take offense to her sarcasm, ¡°My wife doesn¡¯t love me. Our marriage is nothing more than a business deal.¡± So, they were just using each other. Eleanor felt their family situation was a bit of a mess, ¡°Do your kids know they¡¯re not your wife¡¯s children?¡± Yates nodded, ¡°They know.¡± With that answer, Eleanor understood why Peterson refused to acknowledge that Yates¡¯ first love was his grandmother. Even though they knew the truth, they couldn¡¯t admit it. After all, the kids were under the name of the legal wife. Admitting the truth would just make them aughingstock and a disgrace. They made the kids bear such a burden for a business marriage. It was too cruel, but it wasn¡¯t Eleanor¡¯s ce to judge. Yates asked her, ¡°What would you feel if your mother was my child?¡± Eleanor hesitated for a moment before replying, ¡°If you couldn¡¯t marry your first love, you shouldn¡¯t have gotten her pregnant and she shouldn¡¯t have had the baby.¡± He knew it was wrong, but he did it anyway. He hurt his first love, himself, and his children. Of course, if his legal wife didn¡¯t love him, then at least there was one less person to hurt. Yates¡¯ deep eyes became even more intense, ¡°You¡¯re quite bold.¡± Feeling his intense gaze, Eleanor swallowed unconsciously, ¡°Mr. Sharp, please understand, I didn¡¯t mean anything by it. Don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± She had only been considering things from the perspective of Yates¡¯ children, not considering that she didn¡¯t have the right to judge Yates. Compared to ke of the Laurence family, Yates was much more tolerant. He didn¡¯t mind Eleanor¡¯s rudeness, ¡°I heard your mother isn¡¯t from the Pine family, so which family do you belong to?¡± Seeing the conversation shift back to her, Eleanor¡¯s confusion deepened, ¡°Mr. Sharp, I can¡¯t answer that. I don¡¯t know myself.¡± Chapter 1257 Chapter 1257 Yates realized she honestly didn¡¯t have a clue, so he didn¡¯t press further. He picked up his coffee, crossed his desk, settled into the chair, and then lifted his gaze to Eleanor sitting opposite him. ¡°I¡¯m looking to build a mansion.¡± Finally, they got down to brass tacks. Eleanor promptly took up her notebook and pen, ready to jot down details, ¡°Please let me know your requests, Mr. Sharp.¡± Yates started to describe from his memory to Eleanor¡­ ¡°A white cottage, a garden full of tulips, a fish pond under the arch bridge with lots of little fish swimming, a backyard where fruit trees can be nted¡­¡± Eleanor was a bit taken aback, having expected aplexmercial building design, only to find out it was a simple residential house. ¡°Mr. Sharp, any designer could handle this. Why me specifically?¡± Plus, he wanted Eleanor personally. Yates lifted his coffee again, taking a sip. ¡°My first love once told me that if we ever had a daughter, she¡¯d want to build her a house like this.¡± ¡°And your daughter¡­¡± ¡°We never had one.¡± Yates thought if his first love were still around, their daughter would likely resemble her.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. With this thought, he couldn¡¯t help but size up Eleanor again. The woman in front of him did bear some resemnce to his first love. Eleanor wanted to ask why he still wanted to build such a house, was it to make up for the regret? But then she thought, everyone has their story. Being an outsider, she only needed to design ording to the employer¡¯s request, no need to get nosy. So, she kept quiet. Yates didn¡¯t continue either. They sat in silence for a while before Eleanor packed up her notebook. ¡°Alright, Mr. Yates, I¡¯ll go get Mr. Peterson and he can show me the construction site. I won¡¯t keep you.¡± Normally Yates¡¯s assistant would handle such trifles, there¡¯s no need for Yates to personally intervene. But Yates stopped her, ¡°The site is nearby. I can take you there.¡± Eleanor was taken aback, not expecting Yates would personally apany her. They set off from the backyard, across severalwns, and arrived at a wastnd with an orchard. Yates pointed to the wastnd, telling Eleanor the style and square footage he wanted, and Eleanor jotted them down. After settling business, Yates watched her a bit longer, then invited her to stay for dinner with Pearce. Eleanor declined since Bernard was waiting for her, ¡°Mr. Sharp, let¡¯s have dinner some other time. I still have some other matters to attend to today.¡± Yates quietly nodded, ¡°If you¡¯re busy, see you next time then.¡± Eleanor thought to herself, ¡°We probably won¡¯t meet next time either. After the design isplete, I can just have Pearce deliver it to you.¡± But she didn¡¯t voice this thought, instead she politely bade him goodbye. She breezily returned from the backyard, and Pearce finally breathed a sigh of relief. But seeing Yates was still around, he didn¡¯t ask Eleanor about the specific design details. After handing the notebook to Pearce, Eleanor greeted Peterson, ¡°Mr. Peterson, I¡¯ve finished discussing with your grandfather. When the blueprint is ready, I¡¯ll have Pearce deliver it to you.¡± After a simple ¡®okay¡¯, he seemed to be thinking about something, then gave her another nce, ¡°My lady, may I ask, what¡¯s the nature of your rtionship with Mr. Laurence?¡± Chapter 1258 Chapter 1258 ¡°I¡¯ve got nothing to do with him.¡± Eleanor felt a knot in her belly, but kept her cool, ¡°Why¡¯d you ask?¡± Peterson came out with it, ¡°I reckon you¡¯re Mr. Laurence¡¯s secret wife.¡± Why would this secret wife always dodge Peterson every time she saw him? Peterson didn¡¯t get it, and Eleanor had no intention of telling him. ¡°If I was his wife, do you think I¡¯d be out here running these projects? Nah, I¡¯d be chilling at home, living the high life.¡± Peterson chuckled too, didn¡¯t press further, ¡°Just thought you looked a bit like her, that¡¯s all. Hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± Eleanor kept her cool, responded with a smile, ¡°No worries.¡± Peterson extended his hand, gesturing ¡®after you¡±, ¡°Let me walk you out.¡± Eleanor nodded, ¡°Sure.¡± After seeing them out, Peterson returned to his study, a frown on his face. He found Yates gazing at a photo, stroking it tenderly with his finger. ¡°Grandpa.¡± Peterson approached, ¡°Is this ady the one you¡¯re looking for?¡± Yates¡¯ gaze didn¡¯t leave the photo, ¡°She looks a bit like her, but I can¡¯t be sure.¡± Peterson asked, ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you keep a strand of her hair for a DNA test?¡± Yates sighed deeply, ¡°Pauline only had two kids, your dad and your uncle. There¡¯s no way she had more.¡± Peterson frowned, ¡°Then why does thisdy¡¯s mom look so much like Ma¡¯am Pauline?¡± Even though Pauline was his biological grandmother, Grandpa¡¯s wife Laverne treated them like her own kids. So they held Laverne in higher regard than the never-met Pauline, hence the different titles. Yates didn¡¯t mind much. To him, Pauline was his first love, and Laverne was his best partner. Yates was puzzled too, ¡°Maybe they just look alike?¡± The Emilia who came today did resemble her a bit, but her tone and demeanor were nothing like Pauline¡¯s. Before meeting Emilia, Yates had a glimmer of hope that Pauline had given birth to triplets. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. But after meeting her, this thought didn¡¯t seem so pressing anymore. There are a lot of lookalikes in the world, but that doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re rted. Seeing that Grandpa wasn¡¯t persistent about this, Peterson didn¡¯t press further, ¡°So, Grandpa, are you coming home for dinner today?¡± Every year around this time, Yates would gather with his family. No matter how busy everyone had to come home, even his brother in the entertainment industry. Yates had wanted to invite Emilia to dinner, but she turned him down. Without her, he didn¡¯t want to go anymore, ¡°I¡¯ll pass today. No need for them to fuss.¡± Peterson was taken aback. Why was Grandpa even more depressed after meeting Emilia? Had his hopes been dashed? Facing Yates, they were always respectful. Peterson said, ¡°Grandpa, take care of yourself. I¡¯lle to see you in a few days.¡± Yates put down the photo, opened a drawer, took out a document, and handed it to Peterson, ¡°If there¡¯s something that needs investigating, get on it. Don¡¯t waste time.¡± Peterson reached out both hands, took the document respectfully, ¡°I¡¯ve taken care of most of the things that needed handling. I¡¯ll get on this right away. Won¡¯t let you down.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Yates let out a dull grunt from his throat, carrying an intimidating vibe that made Peterson instinctively lower his head. ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯ll head out now.¡± Yates raised his hand, waved dismissively. Only then did Peterson breathe a sigh of relief, quickly exiting the study. His grandpa always gave off an oppressive vibe when discussing serious matters, Chapter 1259 Chapter 1259 After leaving the Sharp family, Eleanor headed straight for Bernard¡¯s car. As soon as she got in, she threw herself into Bernard¡¯s arms, holding him tightly, resting her head on his chest, taking a deep inhale of his scent, and letting her body rx. ¡°Babe, Peterson¡¯s been suspecting me since hest saw me.¡± Bernard gently held her and moved her to sit on hisp, ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about it.¡± Bernard¡¯s brief reply eased Eleanor¡¯s inner fear. She lifted her chin, and Bernard just so happened to lower his head, and they shared a kiss. Peterson smirked, while Eleanor was all smiles. Bernard looked ahead. The driver caught his gaze in the rear-view mirror and immediately lowered the visor. Pearce, sitting in the passenger seat, was blocked by the visor and rolled his eyes. ¡°Bernard! You domineering jerk! You show-off!¡± He thought. Bernard held Eleanor, kissed her for a whe then stroked her forehead and softly asked, ¡°What was the main reason Yates looked for you?¡± He didn¡¯t believe Yates sought her out just for work. There must be another reason. Taking a breath, Eleanor replied, ¡°He seemed to want to know who I am.¡± Bernard paused, then said, ¡°You know, Peterson¡¯s eyes¡­ they kind of resemble yours.¡± This surprised Eleanor, who asked, ¡°Are you implying my mom was a child of the Sharp family?¡± Bernard¡¯s expression slightly changed and he answered, ¡°It¡¯s a possibility.¡± Eleanor was in disbelief and retorted, ¡°The Sharp family¡¯s status is simr to yours. If my mom was really one of them, how could they not know? Why would they need me to sniff around?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t respond, only asking, ¡°Besides wanting to know about your background, did they do anything else?¡± Eleanor shook her head, ¡°Yates just chatted about his first love, and Peterson just suspected I was your wife, nothing else.¡± Bernard pondered for a while, Eleanor hugged his neck and said, ¡°Babe, I think the Sharp family means no harm, they just want to know who I am.¡± Bernard didn¡¯t care about their intentions, as long as they wouldn¡¯t hurt Eleanor, ¡°Regardless of their intentions, just be careful.¡± He didn¡¯t know if the people looking for Eleanor were good or bad, but he wouldn¡¯t let her be in any danger, her safety was what he needed to ensure. Eleanor felt his concern and gently kissed his forehead, ¡°Babe, don¡¯t worry. Yates doesn¡¯t seem to be looking for a rtive. He probably thought I looked like an old/ friend, so he found me through work. But after meeting me, he realized I wasn¡¯t that person, so he didn¡¯t make a big deal out of it.¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Bernard nodded, but still reminded Eleanor, ¡°Regardless, you should be on your guard.¡± Now that things were settled, he should go.and finish his mission. The one he was most worried about was Eleanor and could only repeatedly tell her to be careful. Eleanor didn¡¯t know that Bernard was about to leave, she casually responded and rubbed her eyes, ¡°Babe, I¡¯m gonna take off my contact lenses, they¡¯re ufortable.¡± Bernard let go of Eleanor and picked up the makeup box on his side, handing it to her. ¡°Drive slowly,¡± he said to the driver, but his eyes never left Eleanor, ¡°be careful, don¡¯t hurt your eyes.¡± Eleanor agreed, quickly took off her contact lenses, took out the makeup remover, and cleaned off her makeup, revealing a wless, radiant face. Seeing Eleanor back to her natural look, Bernard¡¯s eyes darkened. If Eleanor had appeared in front of Yates just now with her natural face, he feared¡­ He didn¡¯t dare to continue thinking¡­ After all, the Sharp family was a business titan too. If Eleanor really was their lost granddaughter, and they came forward to recognize her, he had no way to stop it. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want Eleanor to find her family, but feared that once she found her family, she would often stay with them. He didn¡¯t want to be apart from her, nor did he want to share Eleanor with anyone, even her rtives. But given the current situation, he had to part with her. Thinking of this, Bernard¡¯s expression became heavy. Seeing this, Eleanor, who was wiping her face, put down the wet wipe, turned her head and asked him, ¡°Babe, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Bernard Teached-out, picked her up again, ced her on hisp, and held her tight, ¡°Eleanor, I¡­ have to leave for a while.¡± Chapter 1260 Chapter 1260 Whenever she heard the word ¡°leave¡±, Eleanor¡¯s heart would pound, ¡°Where are you going?¡± Bernard¡¯s fingers gently brushed her face, revealing a hint of reluctance, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you after I get back to the country.¡± There were others in the car, so Bernard couldn¡¯t disclose the specific location. Eleanor guessed it might have something to do with the Siren Organization, so she didn¡¯t press further. She just sat up from his embrace and sat silently by his side. Since they got married, Eleanor rarely was this quiet. This was a first. Just because he was leaving, she put on a protective color as if he was about to abandon her. Seeing Eleanor¡¯s reaction, Bernard felt a little uneasy. He couldn¡¯t help but reach out and tug at her clothes, ¡°Eleanor¡­¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t respond, she turned her head to look out of the car window, her heart full of fear. Although she didn¡¯t know what the mission of the Siren Organization was, she understood that overly confidential matters often came with danger. She deeply loved Bernard and couldn¡¯t bear to lose him. She hoped he could leave the Siren Organization and stay by her side forever. But she also knew that Bemard was the leader of the Siren Organization, he couldn¡¯t leave and couldn¡¯t stay with her forever. Eleanor¡¯s silence made Bernard worried, ¡°Eleanor, I¡­¡± Eleanor turned her head and cut him off, ¡®Let¡¯s talk about it when we get home.¡± That was all she said, then she turned her gaze back to the window. Seeing her cold profile, Bernard sudden lidn¡¯t dare to get closer. They rode in silence until they arrived at the airport. Even when they boarded the ne, Bernard wanted to hold her, but Eleanor didn¡¯t agree. Bernard could only pull back his hand, sit by her side, and silently watch Eleanor¡¯s back. She must have felt that he was going to do something dangerous, didn¡¯t want him to go, but knew he had to. She couldn¡¯t stop him, she could only choose to be angry at him. Understanding her thoughts, Bernard, regardless of whether she was angry, directly reached out and held her tightly. His warm chest against her back, the coldness of her skin reced by his warmth, slowly warming her heart. Eleanor turned around, tightly hugged Bernard¡¯s waist, and buried her face in his, chest. ¨CThey didn¡¯t talk about it on the ne, just silently holding each other, like a pair of lovers about to face life and death. By the time they got home, it was alreadyte at night. They walked into the room, one in front, one behind, no one said a word. Finally, Eleanor turned to look at Bernard, ¡°When are you leaving?¡± Bernard hid the sadness on his face, walked up to her and held her, ¡°In ten days.¡± He had already set a date, meaning he was ready, but only told her now. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Eleanor was a bit angry, ¡°How long will you be gone?¡± Bernard answered softly, ¡°A month.¡± He only gave himself a month, and would only let Eleanor wait for a month. Eleanor lowered her head, thinking about what life would be like without Bernard for a month? She thought about it for a long time, but still couldn¡¯t understand because he was still here and they had never been apart since they got married. She was panting, was silent for a while, then gripped her palms tightly and asked the question she was most worried about, ¡°Will youe back safe?¡± Bernard¡¯s body stiffened for a moment. He almost lost his lifest time he went to Area Opaca, this time¡­ Sophie and Mr. Penrod both knew his identity, who knows what will happen, all in all, he was very uneasy, but he wouldn¡¯t tell her. Seeing her impatience, she pushed his hand away, turned around, her eyes red, ¡°Bernard, will you come back safe?!¡± Seeing the tears in her eyes, Bernard felt heartache, nodded, ¡°I will, I wille back safe.¡± His promise was just a promise, no one can predict what will happen in the future. Eleanor was full of anxiety, she rushed forward, tightly hugging Bernard¡¯s-waist, ¡°Honey, can you not go?¡± Can he not go, can he just be her husband, and live a peaceful life forever? Bernard lifted his long hand and gently stroked Eleanor¡¯s back, ¡°Mr. Penrod promised me, once I complete this mission, I can leave the Siren Organization forever. Then, I will spend the rest of my life with you.¡± He made thest deal with Mr. Penrod so he could spend a lifetime with Eleanor. Bernard was not a heartless person, on the contrary, he valued loyalty highly. Even if it was for a deal, he was willing to risk his life, both to repay Mr. Penrod¡¯s kindness and to save countless lives in the Siren Organization. Love and loyalty, Bernard didn¡¯t want to choose, he wanted both. So he spent a month repaying others for their loyalty and a lifetime apanying love. That¡¯s what Bernard should do. Chapter 1261 Chapter 1261 Eleanor wasn¡¯t exactly sure how strong Bernard¡¯s sense of duty was, she was just worried about him, ¡°Your missions before only took a day or two, but this one will take a month. It must be dangerous, right?¡± Bemard tried to soothe her, ¡°Well, it is a bit risky, but trust me, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t buy it, ¡°Then take me with you.¡± ¥ß With a helpless grin, Bernard ruffled her hair, ¡°Honey, it¡¯s dangerous out there, not really suitable for you.¡± Eleanor understood. Bernard couldn¡¯t take her along. She just wanted to be a bit defiant. But she knew she couldn¡¯t cause him trouble just because she wanted to be stubborn. She weakly gripped his shirt, her cheek against his chest, ¡°I feel so useless.¡± All she could do was wait for him at home, it felt so useless! Bernard gave a faint smile, his eyes filled with affection, ¡°My life wouldn¡¯t mean a thing without you.¡± If she wasn¡¯t around, his life would be in boring. Eleanor brought meaning to his life, how could she be useless? Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! She was supposed to be the oneforting him, but instead, he wasforting her. Eleanor felt sorry for the man who loved her unconditionally, ¡°Honey, I¡¯m giving you a month. If you don¡¯t return,e looking for you.¡± They were husband and wife, bound together in life and death. But Bernard refused, ¡°If I don¡¯t return in a month, I¡¯ll make sure someone lets you know I¡¯m safe. You absolutely can¡¯te looking for me.¡± This meant that the one-month deadline was just tentative. Bernard might not return within a month. Eleanor felt a sinking feeling, ¡°If you don¡¯t return in a month, I¡¯ll remarry.¡± Bernard felt a sudden stab of pain. He was deeply hurt, ¡°Eleanor, I know you¡¯re trying to threaten me, to make me return on time. I promise you I will, but if there are any idents, I might be dyed. But that doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯te back. Can¡¯t you¡­ wait a little longer for me?¡± How could Eleanor not wait for him? Whether he was gone a month or a year, she would wait. But she couldn¡¯t say that. She knew she was the most important person in Bernard¡¯s life. She wanted to remind him that if he didn¡¯te back, he would lose her, and that would make him return earlier. Bernard knew Eleanor was saying this to make hime back sooner, but he also thought that if something really happened to him, her remarrying wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea, at least she¡¯d be able to live on, instead of doing something stupid for him. But the moment this thought crossed his mind, Bernard felt a crushing pain in his heart, it was so intense he could barely breathe. Seeing his face turn pale from the pain, and the cold sweat dripping from his forehead, Eleanor¡¯s resolve crumbled and she clung tightly to Bernard, ¡°Honey, I didn¡¯t mean what I said, whether you return in a month or not, I won¡¯t remarry, I just want you toe back on time¡­¡± Sobbing, she repeated thest sentence over and over, like a child who had done something wrong, lost and not knowing what to do, all she could do was cry, cry and cry¡­. Eleanor¡¯s soft whimpering turned into uncontroble sobbing, which made Bernard¡¯s eyes well up with tears. He held Eleanor tightly. He had manyforting words to say, but when it came to it, all he could say was, ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± Don¡¯t cry, I¡¯m here. Don¡¯t cry, I¡¯lle back. Eleanor could ept the parting, but because Bernard was going to be away for a month, she cried all night long. She couldn¡¯t treat this one month like a business trip because she knew how dangerous Bernard¡¯s mission was. Even though he didn¡¯t say where he was going or what he was doing, she could sense that this goodbye might change the course of their lives, which made her feel uneasy. Bernard felt the same way. But when he thought of the members of the Siren Organization who died one after another, and Sophie¡¯s sharp gaze on Eleanor, he had to go. But he didn¡¯t know how to express all these, all he could do was repeatedlyfort Eleanor, ¡°Honey, don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just a mission, nothing to be scared of, don¡¯t cry.. Chapter 1262 Chapter 1262 Under hisforting presence, Eleanor cried herself to sleep. In her dreams, Bernard, covered in blood, brushed past her. She reached out for him desperately but could never catch a hold of his clothes. She woke up from this nightmare, the moment she opened her eyes and didn¡¯t see Bernard. Had he left so soon? Without even saying goodbye or a hug, had he just left? ¡°Bernard!¡± Wasn¡¯t he supposed to leave after ten days? How did he disappear so quickly? Frantically, Eleanor threw off the covers and jumped out of bed. Before she could steady herself, a graceful man walked in from outside, quickly came to her side, caught her by the foot, and helped her back into bed. ¡°The floor is cold.¡± Hearing his voice and seeing him there, Eleanor¡¯s heart finally settled down. But when she saw the honey lemon tea in his hands, her emotions cooled. Eleanor instinctively looked at her pants, they had been changed¡­ Only then did she realize her period hade, her face instantly flushed, and she asked, ¡°Did you¡­ change them for me?¡± But Bernard was quite calm and nodded. ¡°You were sleeping so soundly, so I didn¡¯t want to wake you.¡± Despite her embarrassment, Eleanor was surprised that the clean freak Bernard would do such a thing, ¡°Next time, you can just wake me up.¡± But Bernard didn¡¯t care, ¡°You¡¯re my wife, it¡¯s only natural.¡± He casually picked up the honey lemon tea and brought it to her lips, ¡°Drink this, then I¡¯ll carry you down.¡± Every time Eleanor was on her period, he would have Bryson prepare lots of nutritious food, no matter how busy, he would stay by her side, watching her eat.. Eleanor was thus nurtured to be healthy, her face plump enough to pinch, and her skin was tender, showing no signs of aging. As for him, his appetite was always poor, he couldn¡¯t eat much, so he looked a bit thin. But Eleanor would always find ways to cook for him, and even if Bernard didn¡¯t feel like eating, he would finish it all. Although he didn¡¯t gain weight, he was still the strong and upright Bernard. The only regret was that despite their efforts to maintain their health, they didn¡¯t have a child¡­ This period once again disappointed Eleanor. Bernard probably sensed her disappointment, and after her period ended, he spent almost all his time making love with her. Like he wanted to wear her out, he locked her in the room every day, not allowing her to paint or go out. He didn¡¯t leave either, just kept making love with her over and over again. Eleanor knew that Bernard not only wanted a child, but also carried the feeling of an imminent separation. No matter how tired, Eleanor would ept the pleasure he brought, because she was also reluctant to let him go. Thest time, just before Bernard was about to leave, Eleanorid on him, burying her head in his neck and said, ¡°Bernard, you know I love you a lot, right?¡± Bernard¡¯s hand paused slightly, but he didn¡¯t respond. He just pulled his arm back and hugged Eleanor tightly. Eleanor lowered her head and gently kissed his corbone, ¡°I love you so much, so you have toe back.¡± Bernard suddenly rolled over on top of Eleanor, recing all words with a kiss, deeply kissing Eleanor¡¯s red lips, straight to her heart. He hugged her with all his strength, he used all his power to fiercely possess her body. This extreme act, Eleanor may never encounter a second time in her life. Eleanor loved Bernard¡¯s tenderness, as well as his passion in bed. Everything about him felt like a spell cast on Eleanor¡¯s heart, making it hard for her to let go. Bernard held her tightly but covered her eyes with his hand, not letting her see his expression. If she could see through his fingers, she would find that the man who was holding her, his eyes were already red. At the climax, Eleanor heard his answer in her ear, ¡°Not only do you love me, but I also love you.¡± That night, they didn¡¯t sleep at all. Eleanor curled up in his arms, while he held her tightly with his strong arms. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. The sound of rain outside fell on the window, leaving traces behind. Bernard stared at the rain, silently feeling the emotion of leaving her. Chapter 1263 Chapter 1263 The rain had been pouring all night, not easing up until early morning. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Bernard looked down at the woman in his arms, holding her for a while before slowly letting go. He thought Eleanor was asleep, so he slipped out of bed, picked up his clothes and tiptoed out of the room. Eleanor, still in bed, opened her eyes and watched his retreating figure. She heard him telling Bryson to look after her, reminding Scott to protect her, warning Nina not to sneak snacks and admonishing her to listen to Eleanor while he was away. He was saying his goodbyes. Eleanor knew this. Yet,pared to her crying and making a fuss ten days ago, she was much calmer now, seemingly epting the fact that he was leaving. Shey there for a while, then, swallowing her pain, got up and went to the bathroom. After cleaning up, she sat at the vanity and put on light makeup, then took out a suitcase and went to Bernard¡¯s dressing room. When Bernard returned from a call with Cedric, he saw a silver suitcase on the floor of the dressing room, and Eleanor, her back to him, was packing neatly folded clothes into the suitcase. Looking at her small, frail figure, Bernard¡¯s heart ached, but he was rooted to the spot. After a while, Eleanor finished packing the shirts and was about to start on the pants when she saw the man behind her in the full-length mirror. She paused, swallowed her sadness, turned around, and smiled at Bernard, ¡°Honey, I¡¯m packing for you. Is there anything special you want to take with you? Just tell me, and I¡¯ll do it.¡± Bernard lowered his eyshes, hiding his reddened eyes, walked up to her, and held her tightly in his arms, ¡°I don¡¯t have anything special I want to take.¡± Eleanor could feel his reluctance, forced back her tears, and pushed him away, ¡°Then you go do your thing. I¡¯ll finish up here, thene find you.¡± Bernard wanted to tell her that the servants could do these things, but he knew that Eleanor just wanted to do something for him before his departure. He didn¡¯t stop her, just said, ¡°Okay.¡± Eleanor smiled at him, ¡°Then go on, get busy.¡±. She didn¡¯t want him to see her tears. If they were destined to part, she would send him off in her best state and let him leave without any worries. Watching Eleanor, Bernard struggled to control his emotions, clenched his fists, and left the dressing room. The moment he turned around, Eleanor¡¯s tears fell,nding on the clean suit pants, wetting them bit by bit. Bernard stood in the hallway on the second floor, looking back at the dressing room. He wanted to go back several times, tell Eleanor that he wasn¡¯t leaving, that he would stay and be with her for the rest of his life, but his rationality stopped him. Cedric reluctantly arrived at the Fiord Roundabout, seeing Bernard standing on the second floor, he casually greeted him, ¡°Bro, why¡¯d you drag me here this early?¡± His voice got Bernard¡¯s attention. Bernard unclenched his fist, turned around, and quickly walked downstairs. ¡°Let¡¯s talk in the study.¡± Bernard¡¯s seriousness gave Cedric a sense of unease. Last time, Bernard had said that he would be away for a while and would tell him where he was going before he left. Was Bernard really leaving? Chapter 1264 Chapter 1264 Cedric frowned as he quickly followed Bernard into the study. Once they were seated across from the desk, Bernard opened a drawer, took out two envelopes, and handed them to him respectively. ¡°If I don¡¯te back in a month, give this letter to Eleanor.¡± The envelope was pink, inside was a letter he wrote himself. Cedric didn¡¯t know what it said, he just took the envelope and looked at Bernard with a puzzled expression. ¡°Dude, where the hell are you going? Bernard held the other white envelope tightly, seemingly hesitant about something, he didn¡¯t answer immediately. Just as Cedric was about to ask again, Bernard suddenly handed him the envelope. ¡°If I don¡¯te back in three months, give this letter to Garett Falsey.¡± Cedric knew about Garett and Eleanor¡¯s rtionship, but he didn¡¯t understand why Bernard mentioned Garett and left him a letter. He could only guess that it was Bernard¡¯sst words! ¡°Dude, where the hell are you going and what the hell are you doing?!¡± Bernard didn¡¯t tell him anything, leaving himpletely in the dark. How could Cedric calm down? Bernard nced at the anxious Cedric and showed displeasure. ¡°With your temper, how can you manage the Laurence Group?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care if I can manage thepany or not, all I know is if you don¡¯t tell me what is happening, I won¡¯t be your messenger!¡± Cedric finished speaking, threw the envelopes away, crossed his arms, and turned his head. He was already married and had a child, but his childishness hadn¡¯t disappeared. Bernard sighed helplessly, ¡°Sometimes, I really envy you! He grew up in a big family and developed a carefree personality. He could always lose his temper, didn¡¯t need to be mature and calm, didn¡¯t need to weigh pros and cons¡­ But him, Bernard, couldn¡¯t be like Cedric. He had to be mature and calm, had to weigh the pros and cons before doing anything, or he would fail miserably. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. For the first time, Cedric felt the helplessness in Bernard¡¯s voice. He slowly turned his head and looked at him. In his memory, Bernard was strong and unbeatable¡­ But this time, Cedric saw that Bernard¡¯s strength was just a facade. He forced himself to grow into a sturdy tree. Maybe, in Bernard¡¯s heart, he didn¡¯t want to bear so much responsibility, but he had to, because the whole Laurence family relied on him¡­. ¡°Bro¡­¡± Cedric called him in a heartbroken voice. The man across from him had already put away his low spirits and returned to his usual indifferent look. ¡°Now, what I¡¯m going to tell you, you can¡¯t let a word out¡­¡± Eleanor had no idea what the two brothers were discussing in the study. All she could see was Cedric staggering out, his eyes lost, as if deeply shocked but without any solution. He could only lean against the wall helplessly and step by step leave the Fiord Roundabout. Watching Cedric¡¯s swaying figure, Eleanor¡¯s heart unconsciously tightened again. She wanted to go to the study to find Bernard and ask where he was going. But just as she was about to reach the study door, she stopped. If Bernard didn¡¯t want to tell her, she shouldn¡¯t force him. She had always been a good and obedient child, so she decided to be good and obedient again. After all, he had promised her that he would be back in a month. Not knowing when Bernard would leave, Eleanor turned and went to the kitchen. She cooked a few dishes and made soup herself. When she finished all this and came back, she saw a ck car parked at the door. Evan Penrod in a ck suit and Gianna Penrod in a red dress came down from the back seat of the car. Seeing the siblings, Eleanor immediately understood, they were here to pick up Bernard. The soup pot in her hand suddenly became heavy. Chapter 1265 Chapter 1265 When Bemard came down the esctor, he saw Eleanor daydreaming in the restaurant, and walked over immediately, taking the soup pot from her hands, ¡°Eleanor, leave this kind of stuff to the servants. Don¡¯t do it yourself. Be careful, you might burn yourself.¡± His tone was full of affection and his voice was soft, causing a mix of emotions in Eleanor. She tried to control herself and responded lightly, ¡°Okay¡±. Bernard put the pot down, nced at Evan and Gianna who walked in, his gaze lingered briefly, then turned around, took Eleanor¡¯s hand, and put it in his own, ¡°Eleanor, I have to go now. Take care of yourself.¡± Although Eleanor told herself she was mentally prepared, she still couldn¡¯t help but tear up when she heard ¡®I have to go¡¯. She didn¡¯t want him to see, so she quickly raised her hand, pointed at the food on the table, and diverted his attention, ¡°Bernard, that¡¯s the dinner I made for you. Can you eat some before you leave?¡± Evan, standing by the door, checked his watch upon hearing this, ¡°Mr. Laurence, we only have half an hour. The boat is about to leave. There¡¯s no time.¡± Ignoring Evan, Bernard just pulled Eleanor to sit down. Seeing this, Evan exchanged a nce with Gianna, then looked at Eleanor. Eleanor also hoped Bernard could stay and finish the dinner she made for him. But she knew she had to be strong. After watching Bernard for a while, Eleanor finally said, ¡°Bernard, don¡¯t make them wait too long.¡± Bernard¡¯s hand, holding the spoon, stiffened for a moment before scooping up a spoonful of soup and bringing it to Eleanor¡¯s mouth. He didn¡¯t say anything, just signaled Eleanor to have it with his eyes. But Eleanor just smiled and shook her head, ¡°Go.¡± His hand holding the spoon tightened, and he looked at Eleanor before setting the spoon down and standing up to leave. He left decisively, not looking back at Eleanor, just like a cold and ruthless businessman. Watching him stride towards the door, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but let the tears fall¡­. She thought they had parted like this, but the car suddenly stopped outside the door, and then a tall figure quickly came back. Eleanor was pulled into Bernard¡¯s arms in surprise, and then, she was kissed by him. His kiss was full of emotion, as if he wanted to pour out all his reluctance, as if he would rather keep kissing her and never leave, but he knew this was impossible. Finally, Bernard gently bit her lip, then slowly let her go as he said, ¡°Wait for me.¡± This promise did not calm Eleanor¡¯s emotions. From N?velDrama.Org. She was afraid he wouldn¡¯te back, but pretended he could, smiling and saying, ¡°Okay.¡± Bernard gently touched her face, then her hair, before finally withdrawing his hand and turning to leave. This time, Eleanor sat in the same spot, waiting for a long time, but Bernard didn¡¯te back. She knew he was really gone. She felt empty, as if she had lost a part of herself. In the car, Evan nced at Bernard, who was constantly looking in the rear-view mirror. He quickly took out his phone and sent a message to Caleb. Half an hourter, Bernard and Evan got out of the car, and Gianna in the backseat rolled down the window, her eyes full of worry. ¡°Mr. Law, please take care of my brother.¡± During the process of persuading Bernard to go to Area Opaca, Evan had promised he would apany Bernard, standing with him, no matter what. Evan was a man of his word, so naturally, he would go. All Gianna could do was pin her hopes on Bernard, after all, only Bernard had ever made it out of that ce alive. Bernard turned his head slightly, nced at her, but said nothing, just walked towards the dock. Chapter 1266 Chapter 1266 Trailing behind Bernard, Evan took a few steps before suddenly stopping and turning to look at Gianna in the car. ¡°If I don¡¯te back, find someone else to marry.¡± Gianna¡¯s heart clenched as she stared at Evan¡¯s retreating figure. Her crush on him had always been unspoken. Evan was always with these things, he had no clue about her feelings. But his words just now seemed to imply that he knew she loved him, that she had always been loving him silently from behind. Gianna¡¯s usually indifferent eyes began to sting and redden¡­. She thought to herself, ¡°Evan, if you don¡¯te back, I¡¯ll be single for life.¡± After Bernard left, Eleanor found it hard to focus on anything. Often, she¡¯d curl up on the couch in the study, staring nkly out the window. Pearce, on several asions, brought Nina to cheer her up when he came to collect the blueprint for the Sharp family. Eleanor would force a smile but it wasn¡¯t genuine. The nights were the hardest. Eleanor was used to sleeping in Bernard¡¯s arms. Now, with him gone, she dared not turn off the lights. Waking up in the middle of the night, she would reach out for him, only to touch cold emptiness, leaving her heartbroken.From N?velDrama.Org. Bernard didn¡¯t bring his cellphone on his mission. She couldn¡¯t contact him or video call him. All she could do was stay home, draw, and wait for him¡­ Over at the Lawrence Group, Cedric followed Bernard¡¯s instructions and announced internally that Bernard was on a business trip to North Fund for a month. In the meantime, he would act as CEO. He managed to reassure the employees, but not the other members of the Laurence family. Upon hearing Bernard was gone, they began to fuss about the share distribution and demanded an exnation from Cedric. Cedric was confronted daily by the troublesome rtives at the entrance of thepany or in the meeting room. Initially, he endured it due to the persuasion of Bernard, but as it happened more frequently, he started to lose his temper.. But the rtives still working at the Laurence Group weren¡¯t easily intimidated. ¡°Cedric, you¡¯re just a stand-in CEO, not the family head. If you can¡¯t give an exnation, just sell the shares openly.¡± They feared that Bernard, the ruthless one, would seek revenge, so they didn¡¯t dare to ask Eleanor for shares. But Cedric was different. He was just an immature kid. Who would be afraid of him? However, they underestimated Cedric. Apart from being hot-tempered and impulsive, he could be pretty ruthless too. ¡°Taylor Laurence, you¡¯re in charge of personnel management in thepany, aren¡¯t you?¡± Taylor nodded, ¡°Yes, my subordinates are in charge of the administrative department. Cedric¡¯s eyes darkened, ¡°Fire all those who oppose Bernard¡¯s share distribution!¡± Everyone in the meeting room was stunned, even Taylor questioned if he had heard right. He leaned forward, ¡°You mean, all of them?¡± There were many rtives currently working in the Laurence family. Firing all of them would lead to a huge consequence. But Cedric was adamant, ¡°Have it done by this afternoon. I don¡¯t want to see them tomorrow.¡± With that, Cedric shut hisptop, got up and left the meeting room. Watching his receding figure, Taylor and Kendrick Laurence exchanged nces Cedric had changed recently, bing more mature and determined. But that was a good thing. They were fed up with those old-fashioned rtives. Now that Cedric had openly broken off rtions, they would have to calm the rtives. With someone giving orders and others cleaning up the mess, the Laurence Group could survive forever. After handlingpany matters, Cedric returned to his office, stared at the countdown on the calendar, filled with worry and uncertainty. He wondered how Bernard was doing and whether he could return in a month. A monthter, Eleanor¡¯s blueprint waspleted and delivered to the Sharp family by Pearce. But Bernard didn¡¯t return as scheduled. Chapter 1267 Chapter 1267 On the 30th, thest night, Eleanor stood outside the castle, eyes glued to the time on her watch. When it was 00:00, the ck car Bernard had left in was still nowhere to be seen on the Fiord Roundabout. Eleanor¡¯s anxious heart sank, and she found herself walking uncontrobly towards the dark end. She wanted to go down to the base of the mountain to see if any cars wereing up, but Scott blocked her path. ¡°Ma¡¯am, it¡¯s toote to go out now.¡± Bernard had instructed him to stick with Eleanor at all times and never leave her side. During this time, Scott would keep his distance while they were in the castle, but at other times, he was always right behind her. ¡°He hasn¡¯te back at the agreed time, how could I care about any danger?¡± Eleanor shoved Scott¡¯s hand aside, and ran down the mountain without a second thought. She had this gut feeling that if she just ran down, she would see Bernard. But she ran like a mad woman to the end of the mountain road where it met the highway, and still, no sign of Bernard¡¯s car. She stood there, lost, her eyes vacant and lifeless as she stared at the passing cars.. She didn¡¯t even have his contact info, she had no idea where he had gone, how was she supposed to find him? Scott, who had been trailing behind her all this time, was also restless, his brows furrowed as he watched the passing cars¡­ As the two of them stood at the intersection, the sky began to drizzle again. Summer was over, and the rainy autumn had arrived. The light rain dropped on her loose, curly hair, as if shrouding her in a cold mist. Scott nced at the increasingly heavy rain in the night sky, then at Eleanor¡¯s thin clothes. He wanted to tell her to go back, but he knew it would be futile. Without hesitation, he took off his coat and handed it to Eleanor. ¡°Ma¡¯am, the rain is getting heavier. Please use my coat to cover yourself.¡± Eleanor stood still, like a lifeless puppet abandoned by its owner. Seeing herck of response, Scott hesitated for a few seconds, then spread out the coat. ¡°Ma¡¯am, forgive me.¡± He then lifted the coat over her head to shield her from the rain. ¡°Scott, do you think he might note back?¡± After a long silence, Eleanor suddenly asked. Scott knew where Bernard had gone, but he couldn¡¯t tell Eleanor. All he could do was reassure her, ¡°Mr. Law will definitelye back.¡± When Bernard had left, Scott had asked him why he didn¡¯t take him along, so he could have one more person to protect him. But Bernard had said that he¡¯d rather have Scott protect Eleanor because she meant more to him than his own life. For Bernard¡¯s sake, Scott chose to stay behind, to silently protect Eleanor and wait for Bernard¡¯s return. ¡°Really?¡± Eleanor murmured softly, not sure if she was asking Scott or herself. She just felt drained. She hugged her arms tight and slowly squatted down, watching the passing cars in the distance, hoping one of them belonged to Bernard. But Bernard¡¯s car never showed up¡­ Time slipped away unnoticed, and Eleanor¡¯s heart felt hollow¡­ After what felt like an eternity, a white car suddenly pulled up in front of her. When the passenger door opened to reveal a pair of ck boots, Eleanor¡¯s heart clenched and she sat up quickly. ¡°Bernard!¡± But the man in front of her was aplete stranger, not the Bernard she remembered. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. The moment she saw him, Eleanor¡¯s excitement turned into cold disappointment. ¡°Are you Mrs. Laurence?¡± Eleanor clutched her hand tight and eyed the stranger warily. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I was sent by Mr. Laurence.¡± Eleanor suddenly remembered that Bernard had said if he didn¡¯te back in a month, he would send someone to notify her. ¡°I¡¯m his wife Seeing her nod eagerly, the man handed her a pink envelope. ¡°Mr. Laurence asked me to give this to you.¡± Hearing Mr. Laurence, Eleanor¡¯s icy blood slowly began to warm up again. She snatched the envelope quickly, tore it open, took out the letter, and unfolded it in a hurry. ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯te back as promised. Can you wait for me for another two months? I promise I¡¯ll be back Chapter 1268 Chapter 1268 Just a single sentence already soothed Eleanor¡¯s anxious heart, but for some reason, tears started streaming down her face, dotting the letter in her hands. ¡°How¡¯s he doing over there?¡± She asked, sobbing, to the stranger who delivered the letter. Seeing Eleanor¡¯s tear-streaked face, the man hesitated for a moment, then gave a nod ¡°He¡¯s doing well, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°When is heing back?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that.¡± ¡°Where is he, can I go see him? ..¡± Before Eleanor could finish, the man interrupted her. ¡°Ms. Shultz, I have other matters to attend to, I can¡¯t stay and chat, excuse me.¡± Without waiting for Eleanor¡¯s reply, he quickly turned around and hopped into his car Eleanor clutched the letter, standing still, watching the car speed away¡­ Across the road, another car hidden under the trees also started up and drove off. Cedric, who was in the car, nced back at the fading figure of Eleanor. He knew Eleanor would never guess that the one offering herfort would be him. Bernard had long arranged for him to go to her. There was never a real letter carrier. Cedric looked down at another white envelope in his hand. He hoped that two monthster, this letter would remain in his grip forever. He also hoped that Bernard would return safely from the dangerous situation as soon as possible. Eleanor held the letter Bernard gave her, repeatedlyforting herself. If he could send someone with a letter, it meant he was alive. As long as he was alive, as long as he was okay, what were two months of waiting? With this belief, she patiently waited for Bernard at home. Duting this time, Hailey would visit, apany her, provide warmth and strength, but none of this could alleviate her longing for her husband. Eleanor lost her appetite, her body growing weak. Bryson, seeing her like this, always encouraged her to eat more, but she had no appetite. Often, she would sit by the window, clutching Bernard¡¯s letter, lost in thought. Another month passed, Eleanor once again woke up from a nightmare. Sweat-drenched, she sat up, leaning against the headboard, clutching her racing heart. The images reying in her mind were of a bloodied Bernard¡­ She had experienced many nightmares, but none as vivid and real as this one. In her dream, Bernard was locked in a dark room, surrounded by men in ck wielding knives, hurting him. He was tied up, unable to move, and those men were cruelly torturing him¡­ Eleanor didn¡¯t know if this was her imagination or if Bernard was actually enduring such torment. All she knew was that her longing had, since the dream, gradually turned into fear. An endless terror washed over her, making her wish she could fly to Bernard¡¯s side and take on all his pain. 25 WE EX Each time this thought surfaced, she would clutch Bernard¡¯s envelope even tighter, telling herself that Bernard was fine since he sent someone to deliver his message. He was okay, he woulde back, so she shouldn¡¯t be afraid, she just needed to be patient and wait a little longer¡­ In this world, besides her anxious waiting, there were two other women also waiting. One was Gianna, who knew their lives hung in the bnce, and the other was Katharine. More impatient than Gianna and Eleanor, after two months of waiting, Katharine had had enough. She marched straight to Eleanor¡¯s house, demanding to see her husband. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°Ms. Shultz, Caleb said he went on a business trip with your husband, but he hasn¡¯te back yet. He didn¡¯t even call me, and I can¡¯t reach him. What¡¯s going on?¡± Hearing that Caleb had also gone with Bernard, Eleanor, holding a cup, trembled suddenly. If it weren¡¯t for Katharine¡¯s quick reflexes, the coffee would have spilled all over Eleanor¡¯s legs. ¡°Why do you look so flustered?¡± Katharine felt something was off with Eleanor the moment she walked in. Not only had she lost a considerable amount of weight, but her eyes were hollow, like a soulless zombie. Chapter 1269 Chapter 1269 Eleanor didn¡¯t see iting that Caleb would tag along as well. Two of them on the same mission, plus Caleb, the jack-of-all-trades ¨C you can just imagine how high the stakes must be. Katharine was clueless, but Eleanor knew the truth. Her anxiety was definitely higher than Katharine¡¯s, yet she had no choice but to keep it under wraps, without anyone to express her worries to. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just I¡¯ve beencking of sleep.¡± Katharine didn¡¯t really care about Eleanor¡¯s state, nor did she bother to read between the lines. She simply shrugged it off. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°I haven¡¯t been sleeping well either,¡± Katharineined.¡¯ ¡°That damn Caleb is to me. Everything was fine until he insisted on going on this trip with your husband. When I asked what he was up to, he simply said it¡¯s ¡®important business¡¯. But what important business takes over two months and still isn¡¯t finished? Plus, I couldn¡¯t reach him. I¡¯ve been losing sleep over this, I¡¯m getting anxious.¡± Eleanor was also on edge, but all she could do was try to pacify Katharine. ¡°They should be back in a month.¡± ¡°Did your husband say that?¡± Eleanor nodded, and Katharine exploded in anger, tearing the leather couch she was sitting on. ¡°I thought they went to some secret ce where they can¡¯t use phones or contact the outside world. Turns out your husband managed to contact you, but that bastard Caleb hasn¡¯t contacted me. Is he out there fooling around?!¡± He once promised her he¡¯d marry her in six months. Now, she was already two months pregnant and that jerk Caleb hadn¡¯t contacted her at all. How could Katharine swallow this? ¡°If he dares cheat, I¡¯ll get an abortion and never see him again!¡± Eleanor, who was staring at the couch, looked up in shock at Katharine, ¡°You¡¯re¡­ pregnant?¡± Katharine didn¡¯t try to hide it and simply nodded, I found out after Caleb left.¡± So Caleb didn¡¯t know Katharine was pregnant. As Eleanor worried about Caleb, she also subconsciously touched her own belly. She¡¯d been so lovesick for Bernard that she was practically ill, with her mood constantly low and no interest in anything else. If it weren¡¯t for Katharine reminding her, she wouldn¡¯t have noticed that she hadn¡¯t had her period for two months. No period for two months, could she¡­ be pregnant too? ¡°Why doesn¡¯t he contact me?¡± Eleanor, wondering if she was pregnant, was brought back to reality by Katharine¡¯s voice. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s just busy.¡± ¡°Busy?¡± Katharine scoffed. ¡°Your husband¡¯s his boss and must be busier than him. If your husband can find time to contact you, why can¡¯t he contact me? Just because we¡¯re not married, I¡¯m not important?¡± Pregnant women are always sensitive, and Eleanor understood Katharine¡¯s restlessness. ¡°My husband only sent one message of safety through someone else, I can¡¯t reach him either Hearing Eleanor say this, Katharine¡¯s resentment eased a bit, only to be reced by endless worry. This anxiety, greater than Caleb¡¯s potential unfaithfulness, made her panic. She was always worried that Caleb would run into some kind of trouble, but couldn¡¯t put into words what this ¡°trouble¡± might be. Eleanor felt the same way, especially after saying goodbye to Katharine. Her heart ached terribly, and then she cut her finger on an A4 paper by ident, leaving a wound on her finger. Although it didn¡¯t really hurt, the sight of bright red blood flowing from the wound oveid with the image of Bernard lying in a pool of blood in her dreams. Her heartbeat sped up instantly, and the weather outside the window suddenly became severe, with dark clouds, wind and tain like madness, creating an atmosphere like the end of the world. A weekter, far away in the G country, Gianna was anxiously waiting when she heard a knock at the door. She quickly got up and opened the door. Coincidentally, it started to rain heavily in the G country. The moment the door opened, the rain rushed in, and Gianna looked at the man outside the door through the rain. When she recognized who it was, nna¡¯s heart, tense for over two months, finally rxed. ¡°Bro, you¡¯re finally back!¡± Gianna ran over and hugged Evan tightly, but felt a hard box against her belly. Following the rain, she slowly looked down and saw an um In front of her. Chapter 1270 Chapter 1270 Eleanor was clutching a piece of paper, sitting by the window, quietly waiting for news from Bernard when Bryson walked in, ¡°Ma¡¯am, Evan¡¯s back.¡± Upon hearing the news, Eleanor was stunned for a moment before her previously lifeless eyes filled with hope. Without even bothering to put on her shoes, she quickly ran past Bryson, dashed downstairs, and bolted into the living room. Evan, who was sitting on the sofa, slowly turned his head at themotion upstairs¡­ When she saw Evan¡¯s familiar face, Eleanor¡¯s clear eyes suddenly brimmed with tears. Evan¡¯s safe return¡­ did it mean Bernard was safe too? Eleanor walked over, standing before Evan, ¡°What about him?¡± Evan cast down his eyes, hiding the sorrow in them, and said softly, ¡°He¡¯s¡­ not back yet.¡± A pang of anxiety hit Eleanor¡¯s heart, and the hope that had just ignited within her was instantly extinguished. ¡°When can hee back?¡± Evan held his hand tightly, ¡°Didn¡¯t he write to you saying to wait for two more months? There are still 22 days left, just hang in there.¡± Eleanor¡¯s eyes were fixed on Evan¡¯s pale face, ¡°Evan, why are you back and he isn¡¯t?¡± Evan, whose face was already pale, turned even paler at the question. He fought back the pain and guilt, and looked at Eleanor, ¡°He still has a mission toplete, so he asked me toe back first to tell you he¡¯s fine.¡± Was it because he was worried about her worrying and so had Evane back first to assure her he was okay? If that¡¯s the case, then it means he¡¯s safe. He¡¯s still alive. Eleanor¡¯s anxious heart rxed a bit, ¡°How is he doing there? Is he hurt?¡± All she worried about was Bernard getting hurt, getting into trouble, not being able toe back. As long as he was fine, the length of the wait didn¡¯t matter. Evan¡¯s hand was shaking uncontrobly, but he forced himself to let go and managed a weak smile to reassure Eleanor, ¡°He¡¯s fine, he¡¯s not hurt.¡± If it was anyone else saying these words, Eleanor wouldn¡¯t believe it. But it was Evan who was speaking. He went with Bernard, and he came back safe. That meant his words were true. Eleanor rxed, took a step back and sat down on the sofa, ¡°Can you tell me where you guys went and what happened?¡± Faced with Eleanor¡¯s eager gaze, Evan awkwardly looked down, ¡°I can¡¯t tell you where we went, and you might not understand what happened.¡± Eleanor looked at Evan, who was unwilling to reveal any information, and felt he was hiding something from her, ¡°Evan, if something bad happened, just tell me straight¡­ I¡­ can handle it.¡± She had faced life and death before. What couldn¡¯t she handle? If something happened to Bernard, she would be there for him. She could handle it. It¡¯s just a pity that their time together was too short. Evan couldn¡¯t meet Eleanor¡¯s eyes, but still concealed the truth, ¡°Ma¡¯am, our mission is not suitable to be revealed to anyone. I hope you understand. I came here on Mr. Law¡¯s behalf, and I hope you trust him and trust me.¡± The sincerity in his words stemmed from the task Bernard had indeed given him, something Eleanor didn¡¯t know. Her trust in Evan was all carefully arranged by Bernard to keep her from worrying too much. Eleanor looked at Evan, who still couldn¡¯t meet her eyes, and was filled with doubt, ¡°Why can¡¯t you look at me?¡± At Eleanor¡¯s words, Evan was taken aback. He then collected all his emotions and looked up at Eleanor, ¡°Miss Eleanor, your clothes are a bit disheveled. I thought it would be better not to look directly.¡± From N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor looked down at her clothes following his gaze and found they were indeed messy. She quickly straightened her coat to cover herself and gave Evan an embarrassed smile, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I thought when you came back, he would too, so I got a bit too excited¡­¡± She had run downstairs without even sorting out her clothes, only to find that Bernard was still not back. Evan tried to stay calm and waved his hand, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Having said that, Evan stood up, ¡°Now that I¡¯ve reported the situation, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± Eleanor stood up too, ¡°Hold on, what about Caleb? When is heing back?¡± Evan¡¯s body stiffened at the question, he didn¡¯t dare to turn his head, ¡°He¡¯s with Mr. Law.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t catch the hint in his words, ¡°So after 22 days, they¡¯ll be back together?¡± Evan¡¯s straight-back showed a kind of exhaustion that seemed to be on the verge of copse, but he still managed to steady himself and nodded slightly, ¡°Yes.¡± Eleanor¡¯s heart, which had been hanging, gradually rxed, ¡°If Katharine knows Caleb will be back soon, she¡¯ll be able to wait for the baby in peace.¡± Wait for the baby? Evan suddenly turned around, looking at Eleanor incredulously, ¡°Katharine¡¯s pregnant?¡± Seeing his surprise, Eleanor was also puzzled, ¡°Yes, she found out shortly after Caleb left. Is there a problem?¡± Evan stared at Eleanor, stunned for a long time before he came back to his senses, ¡°That¡¯s great, Caleb¡¯s going to be a father.¡± Just as Eleanor was about to ask him more, Evan suddenly smiled weakly, ¡°Please pass my congrattions to Katharine.¡± Chapter 1271 Chapter 1271 The painful smile on Evan¡¯s face when he left kept echoing in Eleanor¡¯s mind. She always felt that Evan was keeping something from her, but what exactly was it? Though she had some guesses, she chose not to think about the possibility of something bad happening to Bernard or Caleb. Instead, she relied on the messages Evan brought back, stayed at home, and waited patiently for 22 days. When the clock struck midnight, and there was still no sign of Bernard¡¯s car or Bernard himself at the entrance of Fiord Roundabout¡­ At that moment, all the trust Eleanor had built up inside copsed. She smashed a priceless watch for the first time and also flipped a dining table for the first time. She couldn¡¯t bear it anymore, dashed out of the vi like a lunatic, and ran towards the end of the road. If it weren¡¯t for Scott¡¯s intervention, she might have been hit by a car. Scott held onto the irrational Eleanor tightly, repeatedly trying tofort her, ¡°Ma¡¯am, just wait a little longer. Mr. Law will definitelye back. He will!¡± Eleanor found itughable, ¡°Do you really believe that?¡± Scott was rendered speechless. He did believe it at first, but when Mr. Penrod appeared, he lost that faith.. Area Opaca was a ce where people from the Siren Organization couldn¡¯t get out of once they entered. The fact that Mr. Penrod came back safe and sound probably meant someone paid the price with their life. Who¡¯s life was that, Scott dared not to think. Because whether it was Mr. Law, whom he helped to take care of, or Caleb, whom he grew up with, he couldn¡¯t ept either of their deaths. But even if he guessed the possible oue, he couldn¡¯t tell Eleanor and had to pretend to know nothing, silently apanying her, protecting her. If the person who paid the price was really Mr. Law, then Scott would stay by Eleanor¡¯s side for the rest of his life, protecting Mr. Law¡¯s partner. With even Scott unable to provide an answer, Eleanor¡¯s doubts grew bigger and bigger until she was filled with fear. She resisted the fear, broke free from Scott¡¯s hold, hugged her arms, and slowly crouched down, ¡°Scott, I¡¯m starting to hate him¡­¡± He promised her that he would be back in a month, but he didn¡¯t. He wrote to her again, saying he would be back in two months, but he still didn¡¯t. She didn¡¯t know if his promise of a lifetime would be broken just like these. If he couldn¡¯t even do that, then she would never forgive Bernard. Seeing Eleanor squatting on the ground, Scott¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. ¡°Ma¡¯am, don¡¯t hate him, he loves you very much.¡± Eleanor gave a silentugh, the corners of her mouth slightly lifted, and tears rolled down her cheeks, ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait for him a little longer¡­¡± She would wait for him a little longer, and if he still didn¡¯te back before dawn, then she would go look for him. Whether he was alive or dead, she had to see Bernard. But before dawn, instead of Bernard, she saw Garett¡­ Seeing him walking towards her with the help of a crutch, Eleanor was dumbstruck ¡°Garett¡­¡± Garett, in his white shirt, was just like when he was younger, facing the dawn, taking firm steps towards her. He stood in front of her, didn¡¯t say anything, just stared at her swollen eyes, lost in thought. Eleanor slowly stood up, looking at the legs that could stand, ¡°Can you walk normally now?¡± Garett snapped out of his thoughts and nodded at Eleanor, ¡°I still need the crutch.¡± Eleanor felt relieved inside, ¡°As long as you can stand up.¡± After saying these words, she moved her gaze away from his legs, looked up at Garett, ¡°Why¡­ are you here?¡± Garett hesitated for a moment, then took out a white envelope and handed it to Eleanor. The moment she touched the handwriting on the envelope, written by Bernard himself, her heart sank again. She steadied her trembling body, took the envelope, then slowly opened it with shaking hands. There was only one line: Mr. Clowers, I¡¯m entrusting Eleanor to you] After reading the short letter, Eleanor gave a wry smile, filled with sarcasm. He wouldn¡¯t being back and was leaving her to someone else. Was this what Scott called deep love? Eleanor held the letter, ripped it into two right in front of Garett, her eyes colder than ever before. Seeing her tear up the letter Bernard left) Garett¡¯s eyes dimmed, ¡°He entrusted you to me, but he underestimated your love for him.¡± Garett knew how much Eleanor loved Bernard, so when he received this letter, he came to find her immediately. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened to Bernard, but he must have been helpless to entrust you to me.¡± A man with such possessiveness would never hand over his beloved to another man unless he was dead. ¡°Eleanor¡­¡± ¡°I know.¡± Eleanor cut off Garett, forcing a smile. N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°Garett, don¡¯t take his words seriously. ¡®m his, dead or alive.¡± I¡¯m his, dead or alive. Garett was shocked by her words. He didn¡¯t know if she would love him the same way if he hadn¡¯t lost his memory. Eleanor¡¯s love was always given without reservation. Once given, it was amitment for a lifetime¡­ Bernard, you¡¯d better be careful not to lose such a good girl like he did back then. Chapter 1272 Chapter 1272 Garett had done what he had to, his heart heavy with sorrow, he leaned on his crutch and took a step back, Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ¡°Eleanor, remember to call me if you need anything,¡± he said. He kept a proper distance with Eleanor, never crossing the line, because he wanted to be family to her. Eleanor would always nod silently to whatever he said, just like before, ¡°Okay.¡± With onest deep look at Eleanor, Garett turned around, heading back to his car. The moment the car door closed, Garett looked through the window at Eleanor standing by the road. And Eleanor was looking down at the torn ¡®suicide note¡¯ on the ground¡­ ¡°Scott¡­ Call Evan. I want to see him,¡± she said slowly after Garett¡¯s car disappeared at the end of the road. Scott was afraid of what Eleanor would do when she found out everything. But seeing the determination in her eyes, he nodded his agreement. When Evan got the call from Scott, he knew that he couldn¡¯t hide the truth anymore. So, he packed up, took the urn, and boarded the private ne headed home to the Fiord Roundabout. As Evan entered, Eleanor was sitting on the living room couch, pinching a photo in her fingers. It was a picture she had secretly taken of Bernard while he was asleep. Evan just stood there, looking at Eleanor, her face pale. He walked over to her without a word, cing the urn on the table. ¡°Whose is this?!¡± Her voice was trembling, her body shaking, and tears were streaming down her face. Evan didn¡¯t know what to say. Seeing him like this, Eleanor started to panic. She got up and grabbed his clothes. ¡°Evan, speak up.¡± Trying to hold onto thest bit of sanity, she went from yelling to begging, all for one answer. Evan¡¯s mournful eyes moved from her face to the urn sitting on the table¡­ ¡°It¡¯s Caleb¡¯s urn.¡± Evan lifted his finger and touched the cold urn, ¡°It¡¯s Caleb¡¯s.¡± He repeated it twice before Eleanor heard him clearly. Knowing that it was Caleb¡¯s urn gave her chills, even though it lessened her fear a bit. Scott, who was standing by the side, swayed slightly when he heard that it was Caleb¡¯s urn. Before either of them could react, an incredulous voice came from outside the door. ¡°Who did you say that urn belongs to?¡± Eleanor looked up to see Katharine standing in the doorway, a man in a ck suit, Robin Spencer, behind her. Eleanor had given the servants the day off to make the conversation easier, but she didn¡¯t expect Katharine, who had been waiting for 22 days, toe looking for her again without seeing Caleb. Thinking of the child in her belly and the fact that Caleb would never know about it, Eleanor couldn¡¯t stop her tears¡­ ¡¤ Seeing Eleanor crying, Katharine suddenly understood what had happened, but she didn¡¯t want to believe it. She forced her exhausted body to walk over to Evan, ¡°Why won¡¯t you answer my question?¡± Facing Katharine¡¯s question, Evan swallowed his grief and lowered his head, repeating what he had said earlier, ¡®The urn¡­ it¡¯s Caleb¡¯s.¡± Katharine stood there, staring nkly at the ck urn. ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± Suddenly, Katharine bent down, grabbed Evan by the cor, and yanked him up from the couch. ¡°He just went to work. How could he possibly be dead? You must be lying!¡± Evan, who had been yanked up by Katharine, didn¡¯t get angry. He just kept his head down, looking at the angry Katharine. ¡°Ms. Spencer, please restrain your grief.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Katharine clenched her fist and punched Evan in the face. Caleb is alive and well. Why would you say such a thing to me?!¡± She punched Evan¡¯s face, hitting him over and over again. Even though he was covered in bruises, she still wouldn¡¯t let go. If it weren¡¯t for Scott stepping in and pulling her away, Evan could have been beaten to death. After venting her anger, Katharine suddenly felt a warm flow in her abdomen followed by pain and liquid streaming down her legs, She panicked. ¡°Eleanor, my baby, Caleb¡¯s baby, help me¡­¡± Eleanor immediately rushed over to support Katharine, who was about to copse. Eleanor tightly grasped her hand and frantically shouted at Robin. ¡°Robin, she¡¯s pregnant! Get her to a doctor!!!¡± Robin seemed unaware of Katharine¡¯s pregnancy. He was stunned when he heard this, but then quickly rushed over to Eleanor, took Katharine, who had already fainted, in his arms, and ran out. Eleanor also rushed to the hospital. Only when the doctor assured her that the baby was safe did she feel relieved. Seeing Katharine still unconscious, Eleanor asked Robin to stay with her while she went back to Fiord Roundabout to continue questioning Evan. Robin, who was standing by the bed, suddenly turned to look at Eleanor, ¡°Bernard and Caleb are both from Siren Organization, aren¡¯t they?¡± Chapter 1273 Chapter 1273 Eleanor¡¯s body instantly tensed up, she didn¡¯t answer Robin¡¯s question. But Robin went on, ¡°How much longer were you nning to keep this from me? My sister¡¯s fianc¨¦ is dead.¡± Eleanor lifted her head to look at Robin, saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Robin wanted to snap at Eleanor, could a simple sorry solve everything? But when he saw how red and puffy Eleanor¡¯s eyes were, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it. He chose to avoid Eleanor¡¯s gaze and coldly said, ¡°Go find out the truth first, then I¡¯ll have you answer me.¡± He knew that Bernard had been missing for three months, and now Evan hade back with Caleb¡¯s urn, but no Bernard. Which meant something serious must have happened to Bernard. What exactly happened, Robin didn¡¯t know, but Evan definitely did. Eleanor nodded and then left the hospital. Under Scott¡¯s protection, she quickly returned to Fiord Roundabout. Evan hadn¡¯t left, he was still sitting in his original spot, caressing the urn, waiting for Eleanor¡¯s return. Suppressing her grief over losing Caleb, and fighting to keep her body from trembling, Eleanor walked up to Evan, ¡°Can you tell me now, what exactly happened?¡± The urn held Caleb¡¯s ashes, but that didn¡¯t mean that nothing had happened to Bernard. If nothing had happened to him, he wouldn¡¯t have left that note to Garett. Eleanor had already realized this deep down, but like Katharine, she didn¡¯t want to believe it. Evan removed his hand from the urn to look at Eleanor. ¡°There¡¯s a ce called Area Opaca, simr to the Siren Organization. Only, their target is the Siren Organization. I don¡¯t know if the mastermind behind Area Opaca has a grudge against my foster father or Mr. Law, but once you go in there, you nevere out¡­¡± Upon hearing ¡®nevere out¡¯, Eleanor¡¯s heart felt like it was being squeezed. ¡°So, the ce you guys went to, was Area Opaca?¡± Evan nodded, fear evident in his eyes. Three months ago, Mr. Law and I went to Area Opaca, Caleb arrivedter, but he quickly caught up with us. In the seventh round of the game of life and death, Mr. Law walked into the door of death, Caleb chose to sacrifice himself to protect him¡­¡± Evan caressed Caleb¡¯s urn again, ¡°When the door opened, Caleb fell into a pit of snakes, he was bitten to death, his flesh all eaten by the snakes, what¡¯s in this urn, are the bones Mr. Law and I risked our lives to retrieve¡­¡± All that was left, were fragments of bones. Hearing the cause of Caleb¡¯s death, Eleanor¡¯s blood seemed to freeze. She saw in her mind the image of her and Caleb sitting at the ship¡¯s dining table, admiring the sea view whileining about Bernard¡¯s terrible cooking. Back then, Bernard, hearing their words, had forced Caleb to eat everything he had made with a cold face. After a few bites, Caleb couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, he jumped onto the railing, yelling at Bernard that his food was so bad he¡¯d rather jump into the sea than eat it. Caleb was always so full of life. How could he die in such a horrific way in just a few months? Eleanor couldn¡¯t ept this fact, ¡°Could it be a lie? Could Caleb still be alive?¡± How could such a terrible game exist in the world? How could such a cruel ce exist? She didn¡¯t want to believe it, but Evan told her seriously, ¡°Mr. Law and I saw it with our own eyes.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. A few months ago, Caleb had called him, asking him to let him know before they set off, and Evan had agreed. If he had known then that Caleb would secretly follow them and die there, he would never have sent Caleb the message. Eleanor feltpletely numb, her heart slowly tightening, then choked by a suffocating feeling, making it hard for her to breathe. After a while, she moved her numb fingers, slowly looking at Evan across from her, ¡°And him?¡± Caleb was forever left there, what about Bernard, was he¡­ left there too? Evan removed his fingers from the urn, seemingly not knowing how to exin, he was silent. Eleanor didn¡¯t rush him, she just quietly watched the much thinner Evan. After a while, Evan finally lifted his head, ¡°His situation was even worse than Caleb¡¯s. Eleanor¡¯s heart seemed to stop beating, her ears buzzing, her vision blurring, it felt like the world had stopped, like her soul had been sucked out, she lost all sensation. Evan was prepared for Eleanor¡¯s retaliation, but she had no reaction at all, just nkly staring at him, this look of desperation made Evan¡¯s heart hurt so much. Eleanor sat still for a while, she opened her mouth, tried several times before finally speaking, ¡°How¡­ did he die?¡± Evan lifted his hands, covering his face in agony, ¡°They cut open his skull¡­ the final round of the game of life and death, those who walk into the door of death, they all get brain surgery, then they have everything in their brains scooped out.¡± Eleanor¡¯s tears, suddenly started falling again. ¡°Mrs. Laurence, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Evan stood up from the couch, then knelt in front of her. ¡°The one who was supposed to walk into the door of death was me, but Mr. Law chose to sacrifice himself to keep me alive.¡± Evan bent his tall body, his entire figure trembling from guilt, apologizing over and over again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­ Chapter 1274 Chapter 1274 Watching Evan¡¯s hunched figure, the light in Eleanor¡¯s eyes faded bit by bit. She seemed to be sinking in endless darkness, filled with despair. Her mind was filled with images of Bernard¡¯s skull being cracked open. She didn¡¯t know if they had given him any anesthetic. If they had, at least it would slightly alleviate the pain. If they hadn¡¯t, it meant coldly cutting him open, then feeling the stuff in his brain being scooped out bit by bit¡­ Just thinking about Bernard dying after going through such pain, Eleanor¡¯s heart felt like it was being torn in two. She took deep breaths but couldn¡¯t seem to get enough oxygen. The strong sense of suffocation made her feel like she couldn¡¯t breathe, like even the air couldn¡¯te in. She couldn¡¯t bear even a minor injury to Bernard, yet he was treated so brutally. How could she bear it, how?! Eleanor clutched her chest in pain. She bent over but couldn¡¯t alleviate the heart-wrenching pain. Tears rolled from her eyes, drop after drop, onto the floor¡­. Evan saw the tears on the ground and looked up to see Eleanor in unbearable pain. At this moment, feelings of guilt and self-me welled up in him, making it even harder for him to look at her. ¡°My sister made him protect me, so he protected me¡­¡± Mr. Law had traded his life for Evan¡¯s¡­ Thinking of how Bernard had pushed him to safety, Evan buried his head deeper into his knees. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± The sound in Eleanor¡¯s ears slowly returned. Her swollen eyes moved from her toes, and she looked at Evan who had his head buried in his knees¡­ ¡°You mean, he chose you, so¡­he left me?¡± The words that came after were shaky, she barely managed to get them out. He had promised her that he woulde back, but he had left her to save someone else. Should she praise his bravery or hate his cruelty? A look of endless irony appeared on Eleanor¡¯s pale face. But could she me him for this? No. Because her husband was saving someone, not hurting someone. Eleanor seemed to understand him, but also didn¡¯t. So in the end, she could only suppress all her emotions. She loosened her hand from her chest, wiped the tears from her face, and looked again at Evan who was kneeling on the ground. ¡°Where are his ashes?¡± She needed to see his remains, otherwise she wouldn¡¯t believe that he was really dead. ¡°None of us could see his body.¡± Evan clenched his fists tightly. ¡°I took the door of life, he took the door of death, and our paths were opposite, I couldn¡¯t go back¡­¡± He could recover Caleb¡¯s broken bones, but he couldn¡¯t get Mr. Law¡¯s body. N?velDrama.Org ? content. But he knew that those who entered the door of death would be strapped to an operating table by masked men in ck, have their heads cut open from the back, then have the stuff inside scooped out and thrown into the trash, and the remaining body kicked into the incinerator. When he and Mr. Law entered the final round of the game, the walls around them yed terrifying videos. The fear of death often leads to making the wrong choices. That¡¯s what happened to the gamblers who entered with them. Once the door opened, they were taken straight to the operating table, had their skulls opened in front of the next participant, and then their bodies were incinerated. At thest moment, he and Bernard made different choices. He was ready to face death, but before the door opened, Bernard pushed him into the door of life at a high speed, while he himself entered the door of death, without giving Evan any chance. When she heard that no one had seen Bernard¡¯s body, hope gradually ignited in Eleanor¡¯s eyes. ¡°Did you see his head being cut open with your own eyes?¡± Evan knew what Eleanor was hoping for, but¡­ ¡°Before he entered the door of death, he gave me a deadline, 23 days. If he came back, it meant he survived. If not, it meant something had happened to him¡­¡± So, whether he had personally seen Bernard¡¯s body or not, Bernard wouldn¡¯t being back. ¡°But¡­¡± Eleanor wanted to struggle, but Evan shattered her hope. ¡°Mrs. Laurence, your husband had foreseen everything. The first letter he left for you was before he left, entrusted to Cedric to give to you a monthter because he hoped toplete the mission and come back to you within a month. But he also knew that leaving Area Opaca was not easy, so he told you in the letter to wait another two months¡­ But he also realized that if he couldn¡¯tplete the mission within a month, he wouldn¡¯t be able to do it in two months either. So he wrote a second letter, entrusted to Cedric to give to Garett two months later. He did this in case he didn¡¯te back, someone else could take care of you.¡± As Evan said this, his eyes filled with tears. ¡°Do you know, when I came back, I was also hoping, like you, that Bernard woulde back within 23 days. But he didn¡¯t. He didn¡¯t, and I knew then that he really wasn¡¯ting back¡­¡± Knowing that Bernard wasn¡¯ting back, he chose to face it bravely at the moment he received Scott¡¯s call, instead of continuing to conceal it from Eleanor as Bernard had asked, or helping him take Eleanor to Garett. Because Eleanor rejected Garett, it proved that she deeply loved Bernard. Such a woman, who loved Bernard deeply, had the right to know everything that had happened to him. Chapter 1275 Chapter 1275 Eleanor felt a chill run through her body, extending to her very blood after listening to that revtion. The light and hope she had carefully nurtured were extinguished in an instant. ¡°So it was all a lie¡­¡± From N?velDrama.Org. The reassuring letters, the promise of a month, themitment of two months, and the appearance of Garett in the third month¡­ All were part of a deceitful n. Bernard Laurence was a master maniptor, he yed her, exploiting her soft-heartedness, her obedience, and her reluctance to cause trouble. She felt like a puppet in his hands. She forced a smile, one filled with bitterness and despair. The sight of her despair ignited a sense of guilt in Evan¡¯s heart. ¡°Mrs. Laurence, it¡¯s all my fault. I failed him, and I failed you.¡± Eleanor sat on the couch for what felt like an eternity, shivering from the cold before she finally regained her senses. With her gaze fixed on Evan, who remained kneeling on the floor in remorse, she gave her demand, ¡°Give me the address. I¡¯ll find him.¡± Alive or dead, she needed to see him. Even if he was burned to ashes, she would stand at the spot where it happened. At this moment, Evan understood why Bernard had insisted that he not reveal the truth to Eleanor. Her love for Bernard was so profound that she was willing to risk her life for him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know the address.¡± He wasn¡¯t lying. They were all taken there unconscious, waking up in a cold, unfeeling room filled with electronics, devoid of any human presence. ¡°I¡¯ll find it myself.¡± Eleanor¡¯s voice was firm as she slowly rose from the couch..In her mind, being married meant standing by each other/in life and death. If Bernard was alive, she would find him. If he was dead, she would find his remains. They were always meant to be together. ¡°Mrs. Laurence!¡± Evan quickly got up, blocking Eleanor¡¯s way, ¡°It¡¯s a one-way ticket. Once you¡¯re in, there¡¯s no getting out.¡± Eleanor looked at Evan with tear-filled eyes, ¡°Then how did you get out?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Evan lowered his gaze, unable to meet Eleanor¡¯s determined stare. ¡°I, along with Mr. Law, posed as gamblers. The people of Area Opaca didn¡¯t know we were members of the Siren Organization. If you survive until thest round and make the right choice, you have a chance of getting out.¡± If they found out you were a Siren member, there would be no escape. Those who had infiltrated Area Opaca as gamblers to investigate the mastermind behind it all, were trapped there forever. Members who were sent undercover were not the only ones who were trapped. Those whose identities were leaked were directly taken by Area Opaca and turned into experimental subjects¡­ Bernard had agreed to help Mr. Penrod uncover the mastermind, not just to break free from the Siren Organization and live a peaceful life with Eleanor, but also for the countless members who were mercilessly killed by Area Opaca¡­ ¡°If he couldn¡¯t escape, how did you escape?¡± Evan tried to reason with Eleanor, but all he saw in her eyes was determination and despair. He had wished her to live her life, even remarried if she wished. Bernard wouldn¡¯t mind His words were like salt on her fresh wounds, causing her both pain and helplessness. ¡°He really is a great man, isn¡¯t he? Even my remarriage wouldn¡¯t bother him.¡± Eleanor forced augh, but tears welled up in her eyes. Evan said nothing in return, simply standing in front of her, preventing her from leaving or causing a scene. Eleanor knew Evan wouldn¡¯t let her go. She slowly retreated back to the couch and sat down¡­ ¡°Can you tell me why you went there? Chapter 1276 Chapter 1276 ¡°Only by unmasking the puppet master can we destroy the Area Opaca.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Only by destroying the Area Opaca can the members of Siren Organization live in peace forever. Because the Area Opaca¡¯s goal is to annihte every member of Siren Organization, including Bernard. That¡¯s why they couldn¡¯t afford to ignore this threat. ¡°So, did you find him?¡± Evan shook his head, his eyes filled with self-reproach. If only he had made the right choice, they might still have a chance. ¡°I thought about staying, continuing to tackle missions until I found the puppet master. But when Bernard told me to leave, I chose to do so.¡± Evan knew Bernard wanted him toe back, to bring a message to Eleanor. Bernard wanted Eleanor to keep faith and live on. So, Evan had to choose between continuing a suicidal mission and delivering the message. He chose thetter, knowing it was cowardly but it was Bernard¡¯sst wish. ¡°He wanted me to keep it a secret from you. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t.¡± Eleanor understood. She nodded, her fingers slowly tightening on her knees. Her heart was filled with grief, which was slowly being reced by rage. This hatred spread from her heart to her face, gradually freezing her soft features. Before Evan could leave, Katharine, having recovered from unconsciousness, forced herself back to Fiord Roundabout. Without a word, she stormed in and pped Eleanor. The p was so strong it knocked Eleanor to the ground, ¡°Your husband caused Caleb¡¯s death!¡± Eleanor covered her burning cheek, her eyes red and blurry with tears as she looked at Katharine. Seeing Katharine¡¯s face stained with tears and her body trembling with sobs, Eleanor slowly lowered her head. Evan couldn¡¯t face her, nor could she face Katharine. Even though Caleb didn¡¯t die because of her, he died because of Bernard. No one would forgive someone who caused the death of their loved one, even bystanders would lose all reason out of fear of death. Eleanor didn¡¯t me Katharine, she only felt sympathy for her. After all, Caleb¡¯s death was so tragic. He didn¡¯t even know he was going to be a father when he died¡­ ¡°Caleb said that once he finished hisst task with Bernard, he woulde back to marry me.¡±¡± Katharine looked at Eleanor, who wasying on the ground, crying uncontrobly, ¡°He said he would marry me! But because of your husband, he¡¯ll never Her heart-wrenching scream caused Eleanor to turn her head away, burying her face in her arm. Bernard also said he woulde back, but he didn¡¯t. Maybe¡­ he never will. Shey on the ground, curled up, her destion even more heartbreaking than Katharine¡¯s hysteria. Evan wanted to help Eleanor up, but Robin Spencer beat him to it. Robin grabbed Eleanor¡¯s arm, helped her up, then turned to Katharine. ¡°Her husband didn¡¯te back either.¡± ¡°I know her husband didn¡¯te back either, I just¡­¡± Katharine touched her stomach, Caleb didn¡¯t know I was pregnant with his child. I feel regretful, so! didn¡¯t know what to do.¡± She stared at Eleanor¡¯s pped red cheek, her eyes filled with pain and helplessness. Both of them lost their loved ones. She could vent her anger on Eleanor, but Eleanor couldn¡¯t. Eleanor could only bear it, endure it. After all, it was her husband who caused the death of someone else¡¯s loved one. Katharine med Bernard, but Eleanor was innocent. Perhaps realizing that hitting Eleanor was wrong, Katharine muttered an apology and ran out. Robin let go of Eleanor¡¯s arm, gave her a deep look, then followed Katharine out. Chapter 1277 Chapter 1277 After they left, Eleanor sunk down onto the couch, her vacant eyes filled with despair. ¡°Evan, I need to be alone for a while.¡± In the deste living room, a faint voice echoed, filled with loneliness, coldness, and desperation. Evan¡¯s gaze rested on her slightly swollen face. He opened his mouth to say something, but in the end, he said nothing. His heavy footsteps slowly faded away, leaving the vast room to Eleanor alone. She was like a lonely gust of wind, so light as if she didn¡¯t exist, even her breath was faint¡­. After a while, she lifted her heavy, blurred eyes, looking at the setting sun outside the window¡­. The light was still there, the world was still turning, but her Bernard was gone. No one could empathize with her feelings¡¯ at this moment, and Eleanor wouldn¡¯t burden anyone with her grief. She just sat there, gazing upwards with shattered hope, silently feeling the pain of losing Bernard. After a while, the door opened again, the setting sun poured into the room from the horizon¡­ Cedric Laurence, holding Hailey¡¯s hand, stood at the door, gazing at the Eleanor¡¯s figure, unable to regain his senses for a long time. Eventually, Hailey released Cedric¡¯s hand, stepping into the sunlight, one step at a time, until she came to Eleanor¡¯s side. As she was embraced by a warm hug, Eleanor, who seemed soulless, finally had a slight reaction. She slowly lifted her head from the crook of Hailey¡¯s arm, and saw Hailey¡¯s worried face and tear-stained eyes. ¡°Eleanor, I just found out¡­ I thought Bernard had just gone on a business trip, I¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ If she¡¯d known earlier, she would havee to keep Eleanorpany. But Cedric only told her the truth now, and if it wasn¡¯t for fear that Eleanor might do something rash, he probably would¡¯ve continued to keep it from her. She med Cedric for their way to the house, ming him and all the other men for their arrogance, ming them for not telling their wives anything. Now, when something happened, they were left helpless. Eleanor, feeling as if a mountain was pressing down on her heart, found it hard to breathe. But seeing Hailey crying so bitterly, she still reached out, clumsily, and hugged Hailey back. She didn¡¯t have the strength to speak, she just leaned on her loved one, seeking a littlefort from her. Hailey knew she needed strength, so she gathered all hers and held Eleanor tightly. ¡°Eleanor, it¡¯s okay. Bernard is so strong, he will find a way to save himself. You have to believe in him, you must believe in him¡­¡± Even though she couldn¡¯t hold back her tears, Hailey still endured her shaking voice, gentlyforting Eleanor like an older sister. Her gestures, just like the setting sun she brought with her when she came, gave a glimmer of hope andforted Eleanor¡¯s crumbling heart. Eleanor clung to Hailey like a lifeline, buried her head in her neck, and like a child, sobbed her heart out¡­ Cedric¡¯s eyes, red from holding back his tears, moved away from Eleanor¡¯s face to the urn on the table. For some reason, the moment he saw it, he knew it couldn¡¯t be Bernard¡¯s. The crying in the living room gradually turned into sobbing in the silent room. After a long while, Cedric lifted his heavy gaze to Eleanor, ¡°Ellie, you didn¡¯t choose Garett, so from now on, I¡¯ll protect you.¡± Eleanor slowly lifted her tear-streaked eyes and stared nkly at Cedric, ¡°Do you also believe that he¡¯s dead?¡± Cedric shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Bernard was a master strategist and controller of all. Cedric refused to believe that Bernard was gone just like that. Even if Bernard had leftst words, for Cedric, brothers are connected by heart, and he couldn¡¯t feel death, ¡°I don¡¯t believe it, so he¡¯s not dead.¡± The determination in Cedric¡¯s eyes made the hope in Eleanor¡¯s heart deepened, but she didn¡¯t respond, she just remained silent. She defined Bernard as missing, not gone. Therefore she would find him, no matter what, she would find him. With this belief, Eleanor slowly clenched her fingers. Outside the vi, Scott was ying with Lego blocks with Nina. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! He hadn¡¯t heard their conversation, but he felt it. He had guessed early on that Bernard¡¯s might nevere back, he seemed to have prepared himself mentally, but he was still very sad. Not the kind of sadness thates from suddenly learning of a friend¡¯s death, but the kind of sadness thates from the slow copse of the world. So a tall and strong man, while ying with the child, red-eyed, uncontrobly, several times. Nina was a smart child who was good at reading people¡¯s expressions. Seeing the heavy expressions on the adults¡¯ faces, she knew something had happened. She quietly yed with the Lego blocks while sneaking nces at Scott, ¡°Mister, did Uncle Bernard leave like the weird uncle? Scott¡¯s tall body stiffened for a moment, then he reached out and touched her head, ¡°No, your Uncle Bernard is so strong, how could he leave?¡± Nina shrugged, pretending not to care, ¡°Even though the weird uncle is also pretty strong, Uncle Bernard is stronger, he probably won¡¯t leave¡­¡± Chapter 1278 Chapter 1278 Scott nodded, assuring her to stay home and wait for Bernard¡¯s return. Nina, always understanding, said, ¡°I¡¯ll wait here for Uncle Bernard. He promised to see me grow up.¡± Children are easy to lie to, but Scott couldn¡¯t lie to himself. He raised his eyes to the setting sun, hoping that like the sun, Mr. Law would rise again after his disappearance. As he sat with the child, waiting for the person inside the house to emerge, a car pulled up. Bryson, the gatekeeper, startled from his reverie at the sound of the horn. Propping up his aging body, he peered at the person in the car. Recognizing who it was, Bryson, with trembling hands, pressed the button to open the gate. Today was a special day. Eleanor had given the staff the day off, but Bryson, having been with Bernard for so long, was considered more family than employee and had taken over the gatekeeper¡¯s duties. Like Scott, Bryson had guessed that Bernard was gone, but he clung to Bernard¡¯s final words, to care for Eleanor at all costs, not to let here to any harm. So, even though his heart was filled with grief, enough to affect his aging body, Bryson stayed at Fiord Roundabout, silently apanying the remainingdy of the house. The car sped through the garden and stopped abruptly outside the castle. The passenger door swung open and Aidyn, d in ck, quickly got out of the car. ¡°Scott!¡± Aidyn, his face pale with anger, stormed over to Scott, grabbed his cor, and hauled him up from his seat. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier that Mr. Laurence was going to the Area Opaca?!¡± Aidyn had been in B City dealing with the Howell family and had received no news of Bernard¡¯s trip to Area Opaca. He only knew that Bernard was going on a business trip to North Fund, so he assumed it was a regr trip, given his usual absences of three months to half a year. Who could have guessed that Bernard was actually headed for Area Opaca! ¡°He¡¯s taking such a risk, and you kept it from me for three months?!¡± If he had known earlier, he would have gone with Bernard to Area Opaca! Scott, his eyes red with rage, stared back at Aidyn, ¡°What good would it do if you went, you¡¯d end up dead like Caleb!¡± ¡°At least there would be one more person to protect Mr. Laurencel? Scott smirked, a coldugh escaping his lips,¡±If Caleb couldn¡¯t escape, what makes you think you could?¡± Aidyn was not a member of the Siren Organization, just Bernard¡¯s assistant. Did he think he could change anything by going? Aidyn clenched his fists,nding a punch square on Scott¡¯s face. ¡°I may not be as good as Caleb, but I wouldn¡¯t hide here like you!¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Scott, his fury ignited by these words, swung back, and a fight broke out. Nina, sitting nearby, watched as the two men throwing punches at each other. Gathering her courage, she shouted, ¡°Stop fighting!¡± The piercing scream of a child brought the two brawling men to a halt. Both, exhausted and defeated, released each other. Two bruised men sat on the grass, their backs to the setting sun, heads hanging low, staring nkly at their swollen hands¡­ When the silence had settled, Scott finally spoke, ¡°Your wife is pregnant, so he didn¡¯t want to involve you. And Caleb, he followed Mr. Laurence secretly.¡± Aidyn¡¯s body stiffened, and a wave of grief washed over him, ¡°Mr. Laurence left us behind to protect us.¡± But in doing so, Mr. Laurence could nevere back¡­. Scott, now calm, turned to look at Aidyn, whose mouth was stained with blood. ¡°Bernard, Mr. Law, the leader of the Siren Organization, was not all talk.¡± He might have been cold as ice on the outside, but he was a man of deep loyalty and honor, a beacon in a sea of people. Aidyn remained silent, struggling with his grief. After a long while, he finally spoke. ¡°I grew up with him, don¡¯t you think I understand him?¡± He just couldn¡¯t ept that such a towering figure had been gone so tragically. Seeing Aidyn¡¯s grief-stricken face, Scott suddenly felt that they were all they had left of each other. After a long while, Aidyn gathered himself, rose from the grass, and dered, ¡°I¡¯m going to take down Area Opaca!¡± He turned, pulling a gun from his waist, and briskly walked away. Scott watched Aidyn¡¯s retreating figure for a few seconds before he sighed, rose, and sprinted after him. Reaching him, Scott swung a hand towards Aidyn¡¯s neck. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I promised Mr. Law I wouldn¡¯t let anyone he cared about take any risks.¡± After knocking Aidyn out, Scott carried the imposing man to the car¡­ Chapter 1279 Chapter 1279 Hailey decided to stay by Eleanor¡¯s side, and Eleanor didn¡¯t reject her offer. She knew that in times like these, the presence of loved ones providing silent support andfort was invaluable. Eleanor didn¡¯t make a fuss or shed tears. She quietly allowed Hailey to look after her asionally helping Nina with her schoolwork, maintaining a calm facade as if everything was as it used to be. Even Bryson and Scott started to believe that Eleanor was slowly recovering from her grief. For them, it was a sce, as they had lost their beloved friend, and their only motivation to keep going was to look after Eleanor, who was the love of Bernard¡¯s life. But when everyone had let their guard down, Eleanor picked up Caleb¡¯s urn and headed to the hospital. Ever since Katharine found out about Caleb¡¯s death, she had been bedridden, surviving on IV nutrition. When she saw Eleanor holding the urn, Katharine, who had stopped crying, broke down once again. However, this time, she didn¡¯tsh out at Eleanor or me her; she just sobbed quietly. Suppressing her own grief, Eleanor approached Katharine¡¯s bedside, passing her the heavy urn. ¡°He was your fianc¨¦, it¡¯s only right that I return him to you.¡± Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Katharine stretched out her trembling hand to ept the urn, her warm fingertips brushing over the cold surface as if touching a loved one. ¡°He was such a big man, I can¡¯t believe he ended up in such a smallbox. She looked up at Eleanor, her eyes misty with tears. ¡°Do you think he feels cramped in there?¡± she asked. Hearing this, Eleanor couldn¡¯t hold back her tears that she had been suppressing for almost a week. She bent over to hold Katharine, her pale fingers stroking Katharine¡¯s hair. This kind gesture from Eleanor made Katharine, who had been pretending to be strong for days, finally break down. She held the urn close, leaning into Eleanor¡¯s embrace, sobbing like a child, her body trembling. ¡°He promised he woulde back to marry me, how could he just abandon me like this?¡± As Katharine cried out, she started to understand Caleb¡¯s situation after learning about Bernard¡¯s efforts to protect him since childhood. But, she couldn¡¯t ept his death. ¡°What about when the baby is born? He won¡¯t be there to name him. What will we do? ¡®Her breakdown was not just about Caleb¡¯s death, but also the helplessness of having their child lose his father. Eleanor, struggling to keep her emotions in check, gently patted Katharine¡¯s back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, someone will name the baby.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Katharine asked, clutching Eleanor¡¯s hand. ¡°What name will we engrave on Caleb¡¯s tombstone?¡± ¡°Caleb only had a code name, without a surname. We can¡¯t engrave a code name, can we?¡± Robin, who had found out about their association with the Siren Organization, had looked into Caleb¡¯s background. His code was S0883, he had no surname. No one knew who his family was or how he joined the Siren Organization. All they knew was that Caleb had dedicated his life to the organization. Katharine was heartbroken for Caleb. She had wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, caring for him, but she no longer had the chance. Eleanor¡¯s heart ached as she silently listened. She wished she could say something, but she simply couldn¡¯t find the words tofort Katharine. Once Katharine had managed topose herself, she picked up the urn again, a faint smile appearing on her face, ¡°We¡¯ll engrave Caleb. Even though it¡¯s a fake name, it¡¯s the name he gave me when we first met.¡±. She wanted Caleb to forever remain her Caleb. At this thought, Katharine¡¯s smile faded. ¡°Eleanor, I can¡¯t believe Caleb is dead. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s just¡­ gone¡­¡± She put down the urn, pushed Eleanor away, and got out of bed, ¡°I have to find him. Eleanor watched in silence as Katharine frantically tried to put on her shoes. But her trembling hands made it impossible. In her desperation, she decided to go barefoot and ran towards the door, only to be stopped by Robin who had just entered the room, ¡°The doctor said her emotions have been unstabletely, affecting her behavior, Robin exined to Eleanor as he held Katharine back and led her back to the bed. ¡°Caleb is dead.¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s not!¡± Katharine protested, struggling against Robin¡¯s grip. In their struggle, they knocked over the urn, and the contents spilled out onto the floor. Seeing the bones, which still faintly smelled of decay, Katharine froze. The sight of the bones seemed to pull her back from the brink of madness, bringing some semnce of normalcy back to her chaotic mind. Chapter 1280 Chapter 1280 The moment a person gets used to normality, they start epting things they once couldn¡¯t, So, the moment Katharine¡¯s eyesnded on the shattered bones, she knew. Caleb was dead. He was gone forever¡­ She stared at the broken bones for a long while, then gently pushed past Robin, who stood frozen in shock. Slowly, she stepped onto the cold floor and crouched down beside the bed. Her delicate fingers grazed the bones, and for a moment, she could visualize the horrific scene of Caleb being swallowed whole by a serpent. The mere thought was enough to send shivers down her spine¡­ Trembling, she picked up a piece of bone, cradling it in her arms. She resembled a statue, speechless and petrified. N?velDrama.Org ? content. The realization that Caleb had died a gruesome death was more devastating than the news of his death. It felt like the world was crumbling around her, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. At that moment, Katharine was just like a lifeless doll on the verge of shattering, sitting motionless on the floor. Eleanor watched as Katharine transitioned from pain to madness, and finally, to silence. Her heart ached at the sight. After a while, she walked over and crouched down in front of Katharine, gently stroking her hair. ¡°Ms. Spencer, you¡¯re carrying Caleb¡¯s child. You need to take care of yourself.¡± As for Caleb, she would find him. Yes, unlike Katharine, who was both hopeful and fearful of Caleb¡¯s fate, Eleanor firmly believed that they were both alive. Compare to the devastated Katharine, Eleanor was like a ray of light in the darkness, burning brightly in the face of adversity, illuminating the path for others. Katharine, under the glow of Eleanor¡¯s light, slowly looked up with her numb eyes, staring nkly at Eleanor, ¡°What¡¯s the point of having a child without Caleb?¡± ¡°That child is a festament to your love. As long as you and the baby exist, Caleb will live on.¡± Without Bernard¡¯s protection, Eleanor had to grow up swiftly. She helped Katharine up, guiding her back to the hospital bed. With a determined look in her eyes, she said, ¡°For Caleb, for the baby, you must take care of yourself.¡± Katharine looked at Eleanor, her eyes dull and devoid of life, but she found a glimmer of sce and courage in Eleanor¡¯s words. ¡°By staying alive, Caleb will live on forever?¡± Eleanor nodded. ¡°Alright, I promise you. I¡¯ll take care of myself.¡± Having steadied Katharine, Eleanor left to fetch a doctor. ¡°Eleanor.¡± Katharine called out to her as she was about to exit. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for pping you. I didn¡¯t know Caleb followed Bernard.¡± Eleanor smiled at her, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Leaving these words behind, she quickly walked out of the room. In the lobby, she asked for a prescription for sleeping pills. In order to leave, she had to get rid of Bryson and Scott. The bodyguards were easy to deal with, but Bryson and Scott were not. Eleanor decided to ask for sleeping pills to put them to sleep. After a while, the doctor returned with the results of her blood test. But instead of a prescription for sleeping pills, he handed her a different kind of news. ¡°You¡¯re pregnant. You shouldn¡¯t be taking sleeping pills.¡± Stunned by the news, Eleanor could barelyprehend the doctor¡¯s words, ¡°I¡¯m¡­ pregnant?¡± The doctor nodded, typing up a new prescription on theputer. ¡°You¡¯re showing signs of a fragile pregnancy. I¡¯m prescribing you some prenatal vitamins. You need to rest and take care of yourself.¡± The doctor¡¯s words resonated in Eleanor¡¯s ears, pulling her back from the shock. She should have seen iting. She had missed her period for several months now, it was obvious that she was pregnant. But with all her worries and the chaos surrounding Bernard, she hadpletely neglected her own health. Now, faced with the reality of her pregnancy, she didn¡¯t know how to react. Whether to be happy or not seemed irrelevant. She ran her hand over her stomach, struggling to ept that she was pregnant in such difficult circumstances. But this was the child she had longed for, and now that it was finally here, she should be overjoyed¡­ But Bernard was gone. She had no one to share her happiness with. How could she possibly be happy? And now, what should she do? Should she take the doctor¡¯s advice and stay home to take care of herself and the baby, or should she search for the baby¡¯s father? Who could give her the answer? Chapter 1281 Chapter 1281 Eleanor clutched the medical report as she stepped out of the hospital, feeling lost among the hustle and bustle of the city streets. Her mind was nurnb, filled only with images of Bernard, holding her, kissing her, telling her he loved her. She found herself sinking to the steps outside the hospital, her back against the cold brick wall. Would Bernard¡¯s face light up with joy if he heard the news of her pregnancy? Or would he hoist her up in the air as any jubnt father-to-be would? She couldn¡¯t imagine his reaction. All she knew was that she missed him terribly. The pain of longing was anything but sweet. It was a dull ache that prated deep into her bones, a pain that only the loss of a loved one could bring. As she watched the people passing by on the busy city street, she wished that Bernard would appear, his handsome figure walking towards her in the twilight. But no matter how long she gazed into the distance, the familiar silhouette from her memories never showed. Just when she was about to give in to despair, a little girl, only about five years old, skipped over to her, tugging at her sleeve. ¡°Mister wants me to give this to you,¡± the little girl said, holding out a small box. Eleanor looked at the girl, then down at the box. Scott, who had been watching from a distance, immediately took a step forward, but Eleanor gestured for him to stay back. She epted the box from the girl and opened it to find a golden leaf. ¡°Who gave this to you?¡± Eleanor asked the girl. The girl just shook her head, licking her lollipop. ¡°I don¡¯t know him.¡± Eleanor frowned. ¡°Where is this man?¡± ¡°He gave me some candy and left,¡± the girl said, pointing towards the hospital corridor. Eleanor followed the girl¡¯s pointing finger but saw no one suspicious. She looked back at the golden leaf in her hand, turning it over to reveal an engraved letter ¡®A¡¯. What did ¡®A¡¯ mean? Before she could ask the girl for more information, the girl had already skipped away. Eleanor looked back at the golden leaf, noticing a piece of paper underneath it in the box.. All it said was one word: ¡°Pier.¡± Eleanor¡¯s heart pounded in her chest. Bernard had been at the pier before he disappeared. Could this be a message from him? -With newfound determination, Eleanor rose to her feet and rushed into the hospital corridor. She searched everywhere, but she found no trace of Bernard.. She leaned against the wall at the end of the corridor, catching her breath. The doctor had warned her not to overexert herself due to her recent surgery and poor physical condition. She was at risk of a miscarriage. She had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of her baby, taking all sorts of medications and supplements for the sake of her child. But now¡­ Eleanor looked at the golden leaf again. Could ¡®A¡¯ stand for Area Opaca? If so, the person who gave her the leaf couldn¡¯t be Bernard, but someone from Area Opaca. They must have known she¡¯d search for Bernard and used the leaf to lure her in. But why? What could they possibly gain from involving her? Eleanor pondered on these questions, her hand unconsciously caressing her lower abdomen. She knew in her heart that Bernard took precedence over the unborn child. She loved Bernard more than anything else in the world. With that in mind, Eleanor stowed away the golden leaf, tore the medical report in half, and turned to see Scott, who had been waiting in the distance, looking at her with confusion. Scott hadn¡¯t been with her at the doctor¡¯s office. He didn¡¯t know about her pregnancy, only that she seemed troubled by some medical report. Eleanor didn¡¯t n on telling him. Instead, she wondered where she could get some sleeping pills. Even if she knew how to get to Area Opaca, she wouldn¡¯t be able to shake off Scott and his team. Even though Scott and his men could provide safety, she didn¡¯t want to put them in danger. Determined to go alone, Eleanor knew that it could be a one-way trip. But she had to find Bernard, even if it meant risking her life. N?velDrama.Org ? content. As for the baby, she had wanted to bear a child for Bernard¡¯s sake. Without Bernard, the child¡¯s existence seemed less significant. However, she would still do her best to protect the child. With that thought in mind, Eleanor took out her phone and bought some medicine to prevent a miscarriage. Upon seeing therge amount of medication, Scott couldn¡¯t help but approach Eleanor. ¡°Madam, are you ill?¡± he asked. Chapter 1282 Chapter 1282 Eleanor shook her head at Scott. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a little sleeping problem. Got the doc to prescribe me some extra pills¡± As Scott reached to take the bottle of pills from Eleanor, she smoothly dodged his attempt. ¡°It¡¯s a small thing, I can handle it.¡± Scott didn¡¯t press further, his gaze instead fixed on the golden leaf in her hand. From his distance, he hadn¡¯t been able to see the word on the back of the leaf or the apanying note earlier. All he knew was that it had been delivered to her by a little girl, on behalf of some man. This was Eleanor¡¯s personal business, and Scott knew better than to pry. After all, his primary job was to ensure Eleanor¡¯s safety, not to meddle in her private affairs. As Eleanor turned to leave, she spotted Robin lingering by the entrance of the hospital. Tall and lean like Bernard, he stood bathed in backlight, hands in his pockets, waiting for her. She hesitated for a moment before walking over to him. Robin said to her, ¡°Ride with me.¡± After a moment of consideration, Eleanor followed Robin out. Scott wanted to join her, but Robin blocked his path. Just when they were about to argue, Eleanor put a stop to it, ¡°Scott, wait for me outside the car.¡± Reluctantly, Scott stood by the vehicle, his gaze fixed on Robin through the tinted windows. Robin, however, was looking past Eleanor¡¯s pale, thin face, to the bottle of pills in her hands, ¡°Are you okay?¡± Eleanor gave him a faint smile, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± After a few seconds of silence, Robin spoke again, ¡°I asked you to go back and rify things with Evan, thene to me for answers. Is it time?¡± Confused, Eleanor asked, ¡°Why do you need to know all this?¡± Robin exined, ¡°I¡¯m the vice president of the Premier Entrepreneurs¡¯ League. Siren Organization, backed by powerful families, has repeatedly targeted our association, causing significant losses. It¡¯s my responsibility to investigate Siren Organization and provide answers to the members of our alliance.¡± Eleanor retorted with a coldugh, ¡°But the Siren Organization only eliminated the cancers of the business world.¡± Robin didn¡¯t disagree. ¡°I don¡¯t deny that Siren Organization targeted the cancers, but there¡¯s a reason they exist. They won¡¯t disappear forever just because you forcefully remove them.¡± Robin understood that in this world, where there is sunshine, there is bound to be darkness. It¡¯s like wild grass sprouting under the spring breeze-impossible to remove entirely and always entangling everything in its path. But what did it matter to Eleanor? ¡°They¡¯re gone now, and knowing all this won¡¯t change a thing. You¡¯ve already figured it out on your own. I don¡¯t have anything to tell you.¡± The information Eleanor had about ¡°S¡± wasn¡¯t asprehensive as what Robin knew. Maybe he knew more than Robin did. Robin wasn¡¯t bothered. ¡°Just tell me one thing: did they go to Area Opaca?¡± Eleanor was surprised that Robin knew about Area Opaca. She gripped the box in her hands a little tighter. She wasn¡¯t sure if Robin was connected to Area Opaca, and she didn¡¯t know how to respond. Seeing her nervous demeanor, Robin realized he was right. ¡°No wonder they died inside.¡± Eleanor paused, astonished, looking at him. ¡°You know about Area Opaca?¡± Robin, leaning back in his seat, nced at Eleanor nonchntly. ¡°Heard of it.¡± As the president of the Premier Entrepreneurs¡¯ League, how could he not know about thewless region known as Area Opaca? ¡°Do you know where Area Opaca is, what it¡¯s like inside, why some people who enter can leave while others can¡¯t, and why they target Siren Organization?¡± Faced with Eleanor¡¯s string of questions, Robin didn¡¯t answer. He just stared at her with his deep, prating eyes. ¡°Do you want to go?¡± Eleanor felt her heart race under his scrutinizing gaze but managed to shake her head. Robin shifted in his seat, sizing up Eleanor¡¯s delicate frame. ¡°With that fragile body of yours, you should stay home.¡± His tone dripped with disdain and mockery, making Eleanor ufortable. She pursed her lips and ignored Robin. Sitting next to her, Robin asionally nced at the silent Eleanor, wanting to say something but not knowing what to say. He eventually fell silent. N?velDrama.Org ? content. The atmosphere inside the car became eerie and quiet. Robin grew restless; the small space was filled with a faint fragrance of a woman, and it stirred his heart in a chaotic manner. ¡°Mr. Spencer.¡± Just when he was about to lose hisposure, Eleanor spoke up. ¡°Could you give me some of your sleeping pills?¡± Robin followed her gaze to the sleeping pills on the storagepartment. He had anger management issues, so taking sleeping pills was normal. But why did Eleanor want them? ¡°What do you need sleeping pills for?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t sleep at night.¡± Robin stared at Eleanor for a moment before extending his slender fingers, picking up the box of pills, and handing it to her. ¡°One pill at a time.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Eleanor replied and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll head back now.¡± He had asked all he needed to ask. Robin had no reason to keep Eleanor. He nodded, opened the car door, and Eleanor quickly got out. She followed Scot her own car and swiftly left the hospital. Watching her car speed away, Robin pondered. He lightly tapped the edge of the car window, lost in thought. Chapter 1283 Chapter 1283 Eleanor arrived home to see Hailey and Nina bustling about the kitchen, the sight bringing a tear to her eye. ¨C She could have gone to find Bernard, but there were two people she couldn¡¯t bear to leave behind that would be the two people in the kitchen. Hailey y was married to Cedric, protected by a husband and tethered by a child. Eleanor didn¡¯t worry too much about her. But Nina¡­ Nina had lost her parents and her foster father. Her only support was Eleanor and Bernard. With Bernard gone, and Eleanor, perhaps soon to follow, what would happen to Nina? N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Eleanor stood frozen, then turned to head upstairs, pulling out her phone to message Evelyn Ziegler. Ever since winning the custody battle, Evelyn had asionally visited Nina. Perhaps it was Eleanor¡¯s magnanimity and parenting style that had won Evelyn over. She had mellowed out, bing less brash and more gentle. Like any grandmother visiting her granddaughter, Evelyn brought a heap of gifts for Nina every time, winning over both the child and Eleanor. Their rtionship had grown a little closer. Eleanor messaged Evelyn, asking her to visit Nina asionally. She did not entrust Nina to Evelyn, but merely informed her of an uing business trip that would keep her away for some time. She didn¡¯t want Nina to be lonely, and requested Evelyn to keep herpany. She then called Pearce and George, asking them to stay at Fiord Roundabout for a while. Pearce and George were unaware of the Siren Organization or Area Opaca. They only knew that Eleanor would entrust Nina to them whenever she had to leave, and they were more than happy to ept. It¡¯s not that Eleanor didn¡¯t trust Hailey, but Hailey was pregnant and taking care of a child would be exhausting. Thinking of this, Eleanor¡¯s thoughts drifted to Liana. If Liana was still here, she would have left Nina in her care. Liana, who couldn¡¯t have children of her own, yearned for a child and loved children¡­ Eleanor put down her phone, walked to the window, and gazed at the radiant moon in the night sky. After a moment, she caressed her belly. ¡°Liana, I¡¯m pregnant. It¡¯s a bitte, but you can finally be a godmother.¡± She couldn¡¯t visit Liana¡¯s grave to share the good news for now. But once she returned safely, she would go to Panama to visit Liana. Eleanor joined Hailey and Nina for dinner, managing to maintain a calm and steady demeanor. Hailey, worried that Eleanor¡¯s calmness hid a deeper despair, wanted to stay and take care of her but was refused. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine. Besides, I have Bryson and Scott at home.¡± Still, Hailey was worried. ¡°They¡¯re all men. They can¡¯t enter your bedroom. I should stay and be with you.¡± Eleanor patted Nina¡¯s head. ¡°I have her to sleep with me. What are you worried about?¡± She looked at Hailey¡¯s belly. ¡°I heard from Cedric that your pregnancy isn¡¯t stable. You should go back and rest. I don¡¯t want to exin to Cedric if anything happens to you or the baby.¡± Hailey touched her belly, unconcerned. ¡°I¡¯m more worried about you right now than the baby.¡± Eleanor went forward and hugged her. ¡°Hailey, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be fine Hailey patted her back. ¡°I hope you will be.¡± She didn¡¯t want Eleanor to leave like Liana did, promising not to worry and then disappearing silently. For Hailey, Eleanor was her inseparable kin since childhood. She couldn¡¯t bear the thought of losing her. She didn¡¯t want to let go of Eleanor, but Eleanor gently pushed her away. Hailey wanted to say something more, but Eleanor steered her outside and into the car. ¡°I¡¯lle and check on you first thing tomorrow morning, Eleanor.¡± Hearing this, Eleanor felt a twinge of sorrow. She waved as Hailey¡¯s car drove off. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Hailey. Bernard is missing, and I need to find him and bring him home.¡± She stood there until the car was out of sight. Then, holding Nina¡¯s hand, she returned home. After putting Nina to bed, she wrote a letter, mixed sleeping pills into two sses of milk, and handed them to Bryson and Scott. Once the men were sound asleep, she dismissed the guards outside and left the house with her prepared suitcase and a bag full of prenatal vitamins. But halfway down the road, she ran into Robin¡¯s car. Chapter 1284 Chapter 1284 Robin brought Eleanor¡¯s car to a halt, pushing open the door and tapping on her window, ¡°Open up!¡± Eleanor, with a sigh of resignation, rolled down the window, her gaze meeting Robin¡¯s. ¡°What can I do for you, Mr. Spencer?¡± Robin jutted his chin towards her. ¡°Katharine¡¯s refusing to believe Caleb¡¯s gone, insists on finding him. To put her at ease, I¡¯m nning a trip to Area Opaca. Seems you¡¯re headed there too, so why don¡¯t we go together?¡± Eleanor stiffened, surprised by Robin¡¯s proposition. Had he somehow found out about her ns to visit Area Opaca? And he wanted to apany her? Shaking off her initial shock, she nced at Robin, who despite his size, had been ill for some time. ¡°Caleb, with all his strength, couldn¡¯t make it out alive. What if you¡­¡± Robin interrupted her coldly. ¡°And I suppose you¡¯re in much better shape?¡± Neither of them was in prime condition, and yet Robin¡¯s resilience was known to all. Perhaps his presence would even turn the tides against their enemies at Area Opaca. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Eleanor shook her head. ¡°Ms. Spencer has already lost her fianc¨¦. If she lost her beloved brother too, she¡¯d lose her mind.¡± Robin dismissed her worries with a question. ¡°And you think she hasn¡¯t lost it already?¡± Katharine was in a delicate state, her emotions and mental health in turmoil. One moment, she¡¯d ept Caleb¡¯s death, the next, she¡¯d be in denial. Unless Robin went to Area Opaca himself and returned with confirmation, she wouldn¡¯t ept the truth. Eleanor fell silent, her mind a whirlpool of uncertainty. Robin watched her silently for a moment before he spoke again, ¡°As her brother, it¡¯s only right I do something N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. for her.¡± Eleanor responded solemnly. ¡°Caleb went to Area Opaca with my husband, and all that returned were remains. If youe with me, I fear you might not return at all. How would I exin that to Ms. Spencer?¡± Robin was nonchnt. ¡°She won¡¯t find out. Besides, I¡¯ve devised a foolproof n with a hundred men to apany us. When we reach the right spot, they¡¯ll take care of everything.¡± Eleanor frowned. ¡°If you could think of this n, then my husband must have thought of it too. They must have had it in ce, but they still didn¡¯t make it out. That means Area Opaca is no ordinary ce¡­¡± Robin was well aware of Area Opaca¡¯s strength, but that didn¡¯t deter him. ¡°It¡¯s better than doing nothing and walking into a death trap, right?¡± His words left Eleanor without a response, but she still didn¡¯t agree. Robin, too indifferent to care, moved around the car and pulled open the passenger door. After a moment, Eleanor pressed the unlock button. Robin slid into the passenger seat, fastening his seatbelt as he spoke. ¡°I¡¯ve endured the humiliation of asking Evan for information. Area Opaca is a casino. Those who go there are either rich or desperate gamblers. They gamble on a fifty-fifty chance choose right and you live, choose wrong and you die. It¡¯s all controlled by an electronic system. Those who choose wrong, don¡¯t stand a chance.¡± Having fastened his seatbelt, Robin turned to a stunned Eleanor under the dim light. ¡°Remember on Cedric¡¯s yacht, the fifty-fifty game we yed? You and I were the only ones who made it.¡± Eleanor responded, a hint of resignation in her tone. ¡°We were just lucky. And the games we yed didn¡¯t cost lives.¡± Area Opaca was a ce that reveled in human suffering, far removed from the petty games of wealthy young men. Robin, however, gave her a smug smile. ¡°Who¡¯s to say we won¡¯t continue to be lucky?¡± Chapter 1285 Chapter 1285 Eleanor didn¡¯t agree with his rationale. ¡°Mr. Spencer, I¡¯m not going there for fun, I¡¯m going to find my husband.¡± Robin nced at her dismissively. ¡°So what? You¡¯re looking for your husband, I¡¯m looking for my brother-inw. What¡¯s the issue?¡± Baffled into silence by his retort, Eleanor found herself at a loss for words. Robin then asked her, ¡°Do you have any idea what the situation is like in the Area Opaca?¡± Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! She hadn¡¯t asked Evan about the Area Opaca for fear of raising his suspicions. ¡°I know where it is. That¡¯s enough.¡± Robin¡¯s aloof demeanor chilled slightly. ¡°And how exactly do you know the location of the Area Opaca?¡± Eleanor hesitated for a moment, then decided to trust Robin. She pulled out a golden leaf and a note, handed them to him. ¡°A little girl gave these to me today.¡± Taking them, Robin nced at the note before closely examining the golden leaf. This is an invitation to the Area Opaca. The letter ¡®A¡¯ on the back stands for ¡®Ace¡¯, which is the nickname of Area Opaca.¡± He looked up from the leaf to Eleanor. ¡°The people behind the Area Opaca send out these invitations to those they are particrly interested in. The fact that you received one means you¡¯ve caught their attention.¡± Eleanor¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Does their interest in me mean that Bernard is still alive and they want to use me as leverage to control him?¡± Shaking his head, Robin replied, ¡°I think they¡¯re using Bernard as bait to lure you in. After all, Bernard is already deeply involved in the Area Opaca. Whether he¡¯s dead or alive, they can control him directly.¡± Upon hearing this, Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief. As long as her presence didn¡¯t threaten Bernard, she was okay with it. ¡°Then why do they want to lure me in?¡± Handing her back the golden leaf, Robin said, ¡°You must have something they value to have caught their attention.¡± Confused, Eleanor asked, ¡°What value could I possibly have?! Robin extended a slender finger and tapped on her steering wheel. ¡°Drive to the harbor. I¡¯ll exin on the way.¡± Eleanor stared at Robin for a moment before starting the car and heading towards the harbor. Robin didn¡¯t exin Eleanor¡¯s value to the Area Opaca during the drive because he didn¡¯t know either. But he did provide a thorough breakdown of the situation within the club. Firstly, the origin of the name ¡®Ace¡¯. On the surface, Ace is a ce for the rich and gamblers to entertain themselves. But its actual purpose was to target the Siren Organization. However, without any information about the members of the Siren Organization, they hadn¡¯t been able to take any action. The recent massacres Evan mentioned were due to a member of the Siren Organization named Mr. Ben defecting to Ace with a list of some of the organization¡¯s members. The feud between the Siren Organization and Ace, and why Mr. Ben didn¡¯t expose Bernard¡¯s identity, were things Evan was unclear about. All he knew was that the puppet master behind Ace was even more powerful than Mr. Penrod, the founder of the Siren Organization. The fact that a leader like Bernard had to infiltrate the club personally to find the puppet master indicated that the person pulling the strings at Ace was either on par with or even more powerful than their own influential families. But exactly who that might be was still a mystery. After all, there were many around the world who could match or surpass their families in power. Central European hidden billionaires, Southern European low-profile ns, Nordic royalty, the power yers of North Fund, Australia, and even unknown territories. Any of them could potentially be the one behind the Area Opaca. Chapter 1286 Chapter 1286 Next, they needed to think about the inside information. Not everyone can gain entrance to Ace; one must receive an invitation card issued by Ace and directions to a specific location. Of course, not everyone who gets an invitation from Ace chooses to go. Some wealthy gamblers, however, are drawn by curiosity. In Robin¡¯s words, once you reach a certain level of wealth, life can seem devoid of meaning; only spiritual stimtion can bring joy. Conversely, when one is destitute, only the acquisition of endless riches can provide satisfaction. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. As for how members of Siren Organization infiltrated Ace, it¡¯s because Ace knew that most members of Siren Organization came from prominent families. They had distributed invitation cards to many such individuals long ago, hoping to randomly locate members of Siren Organization. Mr. Penrod sent in those who had received an invitation card in batches to infiltrate Ace.. People like Bernard, Evan, and Caleb were specifically targeted by Ace. However, they didn¡¯t pay much attention to this prior to the mass killings. At that time, even Mr. Penrod and the rest of Siren Organization were unaware of Ace¡¯s true purpose. They only knew of an entertainment venue for the wealthy and gamblers called Area Opaca, codenamed Ace. It was only after Ace initiatedrge-scale killings that they realized Ace¡¯s true intent was targeting them.. After epting an invitation, Ace would secretly observe the invitees at designated locations. Once Ace confirmed an invitee as trustworthy, they would be drugged unknowingly. Upon entry, invitees usually found themselves in an empty room controlled entirely by electronic devices. No one would appear, not even during the deadly games. However, Evan mentioned that a man in ck would appear during the final round to escort those destined to die. Before the games begin, ¨¤ mechanical voice would exin the rules and the win-or-lose mechanism. After the briefing, individuals could choose to leave or stay. Those who chose to stay had to follow Ace¡¯smands. Ace wouldn¡¯t kill randomly; only the losers would face brutal punishment. The games were divided into sections, and invitees could choose their preferred section. However, once a section was chosen, they had to clear all the games within it. If someone entered the door of death and survived, they could continue with the remaining games until the final round. Only then could they decide to leave or challenge games in other sections. Few could make it to the final round. Moreover, those who survived and exited had to sign a non-disclosure agreement, under threat of assassination. This is why members of Siren Organization were unaware of Ace¡¯s initial purpose before the killings began. Additionally, the victors who survived were drugged before being let out, so nobody knew the actual location of Area Opaca. Evan shared this information with Robin despite his personal grudge because he, as a member of Siren Organization, was tasked with uncovering Ace¡¯s mastermind. After failing, he hoped that Robin, as the vice-president of the Premier Entrepreneurs¡¯ League, could do something with the information about Ace. Finally, there¡¯s a difference in treatment between the wealthy gamblers and members of Siren Organization. The fate of wealthy gamblers who lost games would be determined by the door of life and death. However, if members of Siren Organization who infiltrated as gamblers were discovered, they would be taken for experimentation to be turned into Cyborgs. If sessful, they would be held captive; if not, they would be dissected. Chapter 1287 Chapter 1287 A chill ran down Eleanor¡¯s spine as she listened, her skin going cold and her face draining of color. Mr. Ben hadn¡¯t revealed Bernard¡¯s identity, but thetent threat was there. Eleanor steadied herself, pulling her car over to the side of the road before turning to Robin. ¡°You said Area Opaca is using Bernard as bait to lure me into ying their game, right?¡± Robin nodded, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Eleanor slowly clenched her hands, ¡°Bernard once told me that Mr. Ben and Sophie have a list of members from the Siren Organization. Sophie and I had a personal feud before. Could she be the one who¡¯s trying to lure me in?¡± Robin was aware of Sophie¡¯s past with Bernard, ¡°Remove the ¡®could be¡¯. She is the one trying to lure you in. Do you dare to go?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t care about her own safety, only Bernard¡¯s, ¡°If Bernard is still alive, would Sophie use me as a leverage against him?¡± Robin pondered for a moment, shaking his head, ¡°If Bernard is alive and hasn¡¯te back yet, he¡¯s already caught in the web. Regardless of whether you go or not, they can use you against Bernard. My guess is that Sophie is luring you in to get revenge on you. Whether Bernard is dead or alive, she¡¯s betting that you¡¯d go for him. That¡¯s why you received the golden leaf.¡± Eleanor understood. Sophie was targeting her. But how did Sophie get into Area Opaca? And how did she connect with Mr. Ben? Bernard hadn¡¯t told her any of these. Eleanor was still trying to piece everything together. For now, she needed to make her decision. Seeing her silence, Robin¡¯spoke, ¡°She hates you because you stole her fianc¨¦. If you go, she¡¯ll definitely use Ace¡¯s power to get rid of you. It¡¯s best if you don¡¯t go.¡± Eleanor gripped the steering wheel tighter, ¡°They were never engaged. There was no fianc¨¦ to steal. And didn¡¯t you say that Area Opaca doesn¡¯t randomly kill?¡± Robin replied calmly, ¡°It depends on Sophie¡¯s rank in Ace and whether she has the list of Siren Organization members. But ording to Evan, Ace is a ce of strict rules. The person behind the scenes won¡¯t allow any chaos. Unless you make a wrong choice during the game, she can¡¯t harm you. But Bernard might already be dead. Do you really want to take this risk for an unknown oue?¡± Eleanor retorted, ¡°What about you? You¡¯ve seen Caleb¡¯s remains, you know the truth about his death from Evan, yet you¡¯re still following me. Aren¡¯t you also risking everything for the unknown?¡± Robin¡¯s eyes shifted, but he remained silent. Caleb was already dead, he knew that. But he wanted to see it for himself, to tell Katharine the truth. Of course, a big part of it was because¡­ Robin nced at Eleanor¡¯s face, his eyes unreadable. As he stayed silent, Eleanor¡¯s soft voice filled the car,¡± Bernard and I have been through so much together. We cherish each other deeply. Now, the man I love has disappeared, and there are even reports of his death. I can¡¯t just sit at home and do nothing. I¡¯ve been waiting for him for too long.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for him since I fell in love with him. At first, was waiting for him to tell me he loves me, then to marry me, then toe home. Now, I have to wait to see if he¡¯lle back alive. Can I really keep waiting? I¡¯ve already waited for more than three months.¡± Her tone was calm, but her words were filled with helplessness and a tinge of pain. Robin didn¡¯t respond. He simply tightened his grip on his hands resting on hisp. N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°So, whether Sophie is trying to get at me or not, I¡¯ll go. I believe Ace is a ce of rules. I also believe my luck will turn around. I¡¯ve had enough bad luck in my life. If fate continues to be against me, then I¡¯d rather die where he is. Because this time, I don¡¯t want to be left alone.¡± Chapter 1288 Chapter 1288 The resolve in her eyes struck Robin to his core. It was as if he truly understood the depth of Eleanor¡¯s love for Bernard for the first time. It was a love so deep, so profound, it seemed to transcend life and death. For Eleanor, Bernard was like the dawn. If the dawn failed to arrive, she would remain trapped in yesterday¡¯s twilight forever. Life and death were not just words to them. They meant it. When Robin grasped this, he felt a pang of inferiority for the first time. He realized he had lost to Bernard right from the start. But even so, he had to do something for the feelings he had for Eleanor. Otherwise, what was the point of his affection? Eleanor, oblivious to his tumultuous thoughts, said, ¡°Mr. Spencer, I know you said Ace is very strict about rules, but choosing the wrong door could mean death. You don¡¯t have to go. I¡¯ll deal with Katharine¡¯s obsession.¡± Robin took her words as a sign of her looking down on him, which enraged him. ¡°I¡¯ve gathered a lot of people together. We¡¯re going in to take down Area Opaca. Do you think this is a game to me? And why do you believe that I can¡¯t be as lucky as you were in the past?¡± Seeing that she couldn¡¯t dissuade him, Eleanor pulled out the golden leaf and exined, ¡°The reasons I don¡¯t want you to go are firstly, I don¡¯t want to put you at risk. Secondly, without the golden leaf, I doubt the people from Area Opaca would let you in.¡± Wasn¡¯t it said that an invitation from Ace and their assessment were necessary to get in? Robin couldn¡¯t understand why Ace, being of the same aristocratic lineage, didn¡¯t send him an invitation. With this thought, Robin¡¯s anger soared. ¡°I have my ways. You don¡¯t need to worry.¡± Despite Eleanor¡¯s attempt to persuade him further, Robin¡¯s frustration was at its peak. Seeing him on the edge of losing his temper, she finally kept quiet, started the car and quickly drove to the dock. The two of them rode in silence to the dock. Eleanor opened the door and got out of the car, then went to the trunk to get her luggage. Just as she was about to put her luggage on the ground, Robin pulled out a pair of handcuffs and cuffed her left wrist, then cuffed the other half to his right wrist. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Eleanor looked down at the handcuffs, her eyebrows furrowed in subconscious displeasure. ¡°So this is your n?¡± Robin, a hand in his pocket, looked away and ignored her. ¡°What if they cut off your hand for forcing your way in?¡± She believed the people of Area Opaca were capable of such a thing. Robin, who had been seething for a while, red coldly at Eleanor. ¡°Then let¡¯s start a bet to see if they¡¯d really cut off my hand!¡± Eleanor looked at the impatient Robin, wanted to speak, but ultimately decided to stay silent. Robin kicked her suitcase. ¡°Don¡¯t bring these. Ace isn¡¯t kind enough to let you bring belongings.¡± Eleanor brought these items because she had helped Bernard pack in the past, and he had brought a suitcase with him. So she wanted to give it a try: ¡°Let¡¯s see if it works.¡± i Robin didn¡¯t object any further and leaned against the trunk of the car, waiting for the people of Area Opaca to appear. However, despite theing and going of several boats, there was no sign of them After a long wait, a five-year-old girl came to their side, handing Eleanor a note. ¡°Miss, a man told me to give this to you.¡± Eleanor looked at the unfamiliar little girl in front of her, momentarily startled, but epted the note and unfolded it. [Harmonic Voyager No.1] ¡°Did he want me to get on a ferry?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± With her answer, the little girl turned to run away, but was stopped by Robin, who lifted her off the ground by the cor of her dress Chapter 1289 Chapter 1289 ¡°Are you the one carrying drugs for Ace?!¡± The little girl, who clearly had no idea what was going on, was terrified by Robin¡¯s abrupt outburst. Crying out in shock, she burst into tears. ¡°Grandpa, there¡¯s a weird man here, help!¡± she wailed. On the dockside, an old man, having just finished unloading cargo, sat on the ground with his friends, puffing on a cigar. Hearing his granddaughter¡¯s cries, he immediately turned his head, only to see the girl being held up in the air. He sprang to his feet and charged over. ¡°Let go of my granddaughter, or I¡¯ll beat you to a pulp!¡± he threatened. Seeing the man holding his unloading tool and a group of old men charging towards him, Eleanor quickly stepped in. She took the child from Robin¡¯s grip, ced her gently on the ground, and handed a wad of cash to the old men to settle the matter. Having calmed the innocent bystanders, Eleanor turned her wrath towards Robin. ¡°You didn¡¯t think about asking the girl who gave her the note, instead, you used her of being involved with Ace. Are you out of your mind?¡± Robin, realizing his grave mistake, felt a pang of guilt. Yet, he stubbornly retorted, ¡°The person who gave her the note is clearly one of Ace¡¯s men. And who in their right mind would stick around after delivering the note? You think Ace would be stupid enough to wait for me to finish questioning her?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Eleanor was speechless. Robin, on the other hand, pulled out his phone and dialed a number, asking if anyone had seen Ace handing the note to the girl. When the answer was negative, he hung up, clearly frustrated. Eleanor shot a nce at the fuming Robin and picked up her bag, heading towards the Harmonic Voyager No.1. Since they were handcuffed together, Robin had no choice but to follow her. They boarded the nearly empty ferry, assuming this was where Ace would strike. However, just as they were settling in, the ferry started moving. Robin frowned slightly, but he was confident that his men would be able to keep up. When they arrived at their destination, they found that they were still fully conscious. Puzzled by Ace¡¯s tactics, they decided to confront the captain. They both suspected the captain was in league with Ace, but he insisted he had been operating this ferry for years. Regardless of the number of passengers, he followed his schedule every day. He even showed them his certificate to prove his point. Eleanor reasoned that Ace wouldn¡¯t risk involving a regr ferry captain unless he was part of Ace¡¯s crew. But if that was the case, then Bernard¡¯s team would surely have found some trace. With this in mind, they decided to head to Area Opaca. Once they disembarked, they were immediately swarmed by passengers boarding the ferry. Among them was another little girl who handed Eleanor another note: Harmonic Voyager No. 2] They assumed the switch would happen only once, but it happened several times. Eleanor guessed that Ace must have noticed Robin¡¯s men and was intentionally messing with them. This was a clear warning to her. After figuring this out, Eleanor told Robin¡¯s men to back off. As soon as Robin ryed the message, they received new instructions: they were to set foot on the ind within two minutes. They quickly disembarked and headed towards the ind. They expected Ace act on them once theynded, but they waited until the wee hours of the night without any signs of activity. Frustrated, Robin was close to tearing up the ind¡¯s vegetation. Eleanor, on the other hand, eyed him up and down. ¡°They¡¯re probably hesitant because there¡¯s an extra person here¡­¡± 1 She was suggesting that Robin should back off and let her handle Ace. However, Robin was incensed by the disrespect from Area Opaca, and his resolve to take them down intensified. ¡°If they¡¯re so afraid of me, it shows how pathetic Area Opaca really is. Let¡¯s see if they can handle me!¡± Just as he finished his sentence, he felt a sharp pain in his arm. He thought Eleanor was twisting his arm and looked at her, only to see her face multiply before his eyes. As he struggled to stay conscious, he cked out. At the same time, Eleanor felt light-headed, and then everything went dark¡­ After they both copsed, a masked man in ck emerged from the bushes. He looked down at them, then kicked the handcuffs on their wrists. ¡°Boss, this guy is hell-bent oning here. Let¡¯s give him a piece of our golden leaf, see if he can handle us Chapter 1290 Chapter 1290 The slender, strip-shaped LED bulb flickered to life, illuminating the room with a stark, pr brightness that was as blinding as a snowstorm in the Arctic. The intense whiteness lit up not only the vast, empty room but also the clear, well-defined features of Eleanor¡¯s face. Stirred awake by the abrupt lighting and a soft electronic hum, Eleanor slowly opened her eyes. She was greeted by an endless expanse of white; a white ceiling, white walls, white floors. There was nothing else. Rays of white light seeped down from the crevices in the ceiling, blinding to the eye, She reflexively raised her hand to shield herself from the re, the sound of a handcuff clinking against the cold floor echoing in the room. Following the sound, her gazended on Robin, whoy beside her. Seeing his eyes still firmly shut, Eleanor¡¯s memories started to flood back. After Robin had cursed at Area Opaca, they had both passed out, only to wake up in this barren room. They must have reached their destination. From what she could tell, Robin¡¯s people had failed to dismantle Area Opaca. But since that was a foregone conclusion, Eleanor wasn¡¯t too bothered. Instead, she nudged Robin gently. Whether he had offended the people from Area Opaca leading to arger dose of sedative, Eleanor wasn¡¯t sure. After a few unsessful nudges, he showed no sign of waking up. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Eleanor decided to leave him be, instead scanning,the room. Other than the harsh whiteness, there were two beds, which were also white, lending the room a sterile, pristine look. As for the electronic devices that Evan had mentioned, she saw none. She guessed they were hidden somewhere, much like the source of the electronic hum when the lights came on. She slowly rose to a sitting position against the wall, waiting quietly for Area Opaca to announce the rules. But when no such announcement came, she looked around once again, puzzled. There was no one around, just as Evan had described, not even a door. But what surprised her was the sight of her suitcase, which Area Opaca had apparently brought in as well. Seeing it in the corner, Eleanor instinctively touched her stomach. She wasn¡¯t sure if the sedative would have any effect on her unborn child, but she felt calm andfortable, which meant the people from Area Opaca had been careful. But why? Sophie had lured her into this, presumably to eliminate her. So why did people from Area Opaca seem to be showing her mercy? Her mind wandered to Bernard Laurence. Was it because of him? Or was Area Opaca a ce that respected human rights, thereby preventing Sophie from treating her badly? Eleanor couldn¡¯t figure it out. But regardless, she was now where Bernard had disappeared to. She was sure she would see him soon. But what would she say when she saw him? Would she tell him they were going to have a child? Or would she simply say, ¡°Honey, I¡¯ve missed you.¡± Lost in thought, she moved her hand away from her abdomen and touched the gleaming white floor. Bernard was here, she was here, and that was all that mattered. She yearned to see him again. As she was reminiscing about Bernard, Robin stirred beside her, pulling her out of her thoughts. He was grimacing¡­ Perhaps the pain was too much. Robin, still disoriented, instinctively reached for his arm before his eyes were fully open, muttering, ¡°It hurts¡­¡± He moved, and so did Eleanor¡¯s hand. Feeling her hand on him, Robin finally managed to open his eyes to see a face that blended seamlessly with the white surroundings. A sense of longing knocked at his heart, pounding loudly until Eleanor raised her hand, rattling the handcuff that bourid them together. ¡°Where¡¯s the key?¡± Robin pushed aside his feelings and shook his heavy head. His hands found support on the floor as he sat up. Leaning against the wall, he reached for the key in his suit pocket, only to pull out a gold leaf instead. After examining the leaf for a moment, Robin set it aside and continued his search for the key. When he still couldn¡¯t find it, he said, ¡°That¡¯s strange, l remember keeping it here. Where could it be?¡± A look of confusion etched on his handsome face, his sleepy eyes adding a touch ofziness. Chapter 1291 Chapter 1291 But Robin¡¯s nonchnce, in Eleanor¡¯s eyes, was crystal clear idiocy. Barely suppressing her impatience, she unbuttoned Robin¡¯s zer, looking for his house key. After searching every pocket, no key was found. Eleanor¡¯s heart sank. ¡°You didn¡¯t forget your key, did you?¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± Robin frowned, searching his pockets again, but to no avail. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. ¡°It must have been some guys form Area Opaca who took my keys!¡± He clenched his fists in fury. ¡°Those jerks,¡¯I swear if I find them, I won¡¯t show mercy!¡± Eleanor arched a brow, ¡°They even brought my suitcase, why would they only take your key?¡± ¡°What?¡± Robin looked at her, astounded. Eleanor pointed her chin towards a corner, ¡°Over there.¡± Following her gaze, Robin saw a suitcase in the corner. He was in disbelief, ¡°They let you bring a suitcase, but they took my key? Are they targeting me?¡± Aside from the key, all his other belongings had been seized his cell phone, switchde, poison vials, tracking devices, everything he could have used for defense was gone. Tech gadgets were naturally confiscated, Eleanor didn¡¯t mind, but the key to the handcuffs, didn¡¯t that mean she was stuck with Robin? Robin seemed to realize this as well, turning to look at Eleanor. She was also looking at him and their eyes met for a brief moment before they both looked away. They sat against the wall in silence until Robin finally broke the silence, ¡°Is there a knife in your suitcase?¡± Before entering Area Opaca, she had splurged on Robin¡¯s behalf, and now, he¡¯d lost the key, leaving them handcuffed together. Eleanor was naturally upset and didn¡¯t feel like entertaining him, but out of courtesy, she replied, ¡°No.¡± Robin asked again, ¡°Any other tools?¡± Eleanor shot him an annoyed nce, ¡°Nothing, stop asking.¡± Robin lowered his gaze to the handcuffs, studying them for a while before finally saying, ¡°Eleanor, I need to use the bathroom.¡± At his words, Eleanor took a deep breath, suppressing her emotions and replied coldly, ¡°Hold it in.¡± Knowing he had no choice but to endure, Robin fell silent, scanning the room. Besides the stark white walls, there were two hidden doors. Evan had said that Area Opaca respects its guests, so they would provide basic necessities. They wouldn¡¯t treat them like livestock. Before the game started, they didn¡¯t have to worry about what Area Opaca might do to them. The only issue now was how to unlock these damn handcuffs. Robin yanked at the unyielding handcuffs, even biting them. Finding no way to open them, he dragged Eleanor around the room looking for tools. The two hidden rooms were a shower room and a bathroom. Besides the blindingly white showerhead and toilet, there was nothing else, not even a window. Robin kicked the wall in frustration, ¡°When I find them, I swear I¡¯ll mince them!¡± Eleanor took deep breaths to quell her anger, ¡°Before you start talking about mincing, figure out how to unlock these handcuffs first.¡± Robin was getting impatient, ¡°If I knew how to unlock them, do you think I¡¯d be here talking about mincing?¡± Eleanor, now pregnant, was sensitive and had a short fuse. So, she snapped back, ¡°I don¡¯t care, if you don¡¯t unlock, these, forget about using the bathroom!¡± Mentioning this, Robin¡¯s basic needs were suddenly awakened, making him anxious, ¡°Eleanor, can you just be reasonable, I didn¡¯t choose to be handcuffed to you Eleanor retorted, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for your bright idea, would we be in this situation?¡± Just as Robin was about to retort, a mechanical voice suddenly echoed in the room- ¡°Dear yers, wee to Area Opaca. Please ce the golden leaf in the operation table for identity verification.¡± Upon the voice¡¯smand, two card slots popped out of the wall. Eleanor and Robin momentarily paused their bickering and walked over to the operation table. Chapter 1292 Chapter 1292 The entrance to the control panel was gear-shaped, designed to match the serrated edges of the golden leaves. Only when they fit perfectly together could the leaves be inserted. Eleanor and Robin finally noticed that each golden leaf had a unique edge, each designed to correspond with a specific entrance. Robin ran his fingers along the control panel, giving it a thorough inspection before finally nodding at Eleanor. Following the instructions, Eleanor took out a golden leaf, aligning it with the entrance on the control panel. As soon as she inserted it, the gears began to rotate, and a digital voice echoed throughout the room. ¡°Identity confirmed. Inviter ID-Group 2, Number 7. yer¡¯s new codename-Cross¡± After the digital voice had spoken, the control panel ejected the golden leaf. On the front side of the leaf, the word ¡®Cross¡¯ was engraved alongside a small number-2-7. This meant that whoever had invited her to Area Opaca had the ID number 2-7, and had given her a codename that signified her affiliation with them. Eleanor was puzzled. Why would the people behind Area Opaca need to use numbers? Could it be that there was more than one person behind Area Opaca, and that they used these numbers to invite the yers they wanted? But what was the reason behind this? As Eleanor pondered this, Robin also inserted his golden leaf into the control panel. Very quickly, the digital voice echoed once more. ¡°Identity confirmed. Inviter ID-Group 1, Number 4. yer¡¯s new codename-Dunce.¡± Robin fell silent for a moment before retrieving the ejected golden leaf. His eyes slowly moved from the word ¡®Dunce¡¯ engraved on his leaf to Eleanor¡¯s. ¡°Why is your codename ¡®Cross¡¯, and mine is ¡®Dunce¡±?¡± ¡°Probably because your inviter thinks you¡¯re a bit¡­ well¡­¡± Eleanor was not very good at delivering insults, so she let her words trail off, hinting at her meaning without saying it explicitly. ¡°Damn it!¡± Enraged, Robin chucked the leaf aside and started scanning the room for cameras. ¡°Whoever invited me, Group 1, Number 4,e out! I¡¯ll knock your teeth out!¡± The two men in ck sitting in front of arge screen, upon seeing this, exchanged a nce before laughing quietly.. ¡°Mr. Quartus, your choice of yer and the codename you gave him are quite fitting.¡± Hidden behind a mask, Mr. Quartus was about to respond when he saw a man from Group 2, Number 9, suddenly stand up. While Robin ranted about his inviter, another digital message echoed throughout the room. ¡°yers, please keep your golden leaves safe. They are required for identity verification in each round of the game.¡± Robin paused for a moment before begrudgingly bending down to retrieve his discarded golden leaf¡­ ¡°Now, we will announce the game rules. Area Opaca has revised the rules. Initially, only four spaces will be open for y, with nine rounds of games in each space. Each round will begin with a choice of two, gradually increasing in difficulty. Make the right choice, and you¡¯ll enter the ¡®Life¡¯ door. Make the wrong choice, and you¡¯ll enter the ¡®Death¡¯ door.¡± ¡°yers can only select one space to y in. Once selected, the choice cannot be changed or withdrawn until the game is over.¡± ¡°Each round of the game offers a reward and a punishment. In the ¡®Life¡¯ door, there are two reward options: the first offers a cash prize starting at 50 billion, umting over time. The second is an unspecified option. The ¡®Death¡¯ door¡¯s punishment ranges from minor to fatal, with the method of death unspecified.¡± ¡°Let me repeat: yers who enter the ¡®Death¡¯ door will die.¡± ¡°Once again: yers who enter the ¡®Death¡¯ door will die.¡± ¡°yers, please confirm if you wish to continue. If you choose to continue, please insert your golden leaf into the control panel and select ¡®Continue¡¯. If you choose to leave, please insert your golden leaf into the control panel and select ¡®Quit¡±.¡± ¡°yers who choose to quit, please sign the confidentiality agreement. Area Opaca will arrange for your safe departure.¡± After hearing the instructions, Eleanor and Robin looked at each other. ¡°They¡¯ve changed the rules. The choice of two could be a choice of three or more. With the game¡¯s difficulty increasing round by round, the chances of winning are slim. Do you still want to continue?¡± Robin¡¯s question was directed at Eleanor. He hoped she would think it through as this was no child¡¯s y. However, Eleanor didn¡¯t hesitate, promptly cing her golden leaf onto the control panel and pressing the ¡®Confirm¡¯ button. ¡°No matter how difficult it gets, I have to stay here until I find him.¡± Her determination rubbed off on Robin, who also ced his golden leaf on the panel and pressed ¡®Confirm¡¯. Once both of them had confirmed their choices, the digital voice echoed once more: ¡°yer from Group 2, Number 7, ¡®Cross¡¯, has confirmed.¡± ¡°yer from Group 1, Number 4, ¡®Dunce¡¯, has confirmed.¡± Eleanor carefully nced at Robin. His face was pale with anger, his fists clenched. ¡°From now on, in addition to helping you find him, I¡¯m going to find the inviter from Group 1, Number 4!¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. He wanted to rip off the ¡®Dunce¡¯bel and stick it onto the inviter from Group 1, Number 4! Eleanor looked back at the control panel, keeping her silence. Mainly, she didn¡¯t want to fan the mes. Chapter 1293 Chapter 1293 They sat in silence, waiting for ten minutes when suddenly, the wall next to the control panel slid open, revealing the world outside of Area Opaca. ¡°Please select a yer to leave the room.¡± Eleanor and Robin noticed the opened door and promptly moved towards it. Just as they were about to step out, two redser points targeted their foreheads. ¡°Please return to the room if you have not chosen to leave, or you will be shot immediately.¡± Eleanor¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly pulled Robin back a step. The red points on their foreheads disappeared in an instant. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re being watched.¡± Robin followed the direction from which thesers hade, looking at the distant wall that was as dazzling as a snow-covered mountain. It was too far to see where the surveince wasing from, but they knew they were underplete surveince from the moment they stepped in. ¡°We should be careful with our words from now on.¡± Eleanor nodded, and they both examined their surroundings while staying within the infrared lines. The hallway outside was lined with neatly arranged rooms, all with simr interiors and marked with room numbers. Their room was number 9, and the room directly across, also number 9, had its door open too. The man inside was looking at them in surprise. ¡°Why are there two of you?¡± ¡°We came together, Eleanor simply replied. Robin, on the other hand, gave the man a dismissive nce and turned his gaze towards room 10, where an elegantly dressed middle-aged man stood with his hands in his pockets, gazing at them. For some reason, Robin had a bad feeling about this man. Perhaps it was the intimidating scars on his face or his hawk-like eyes that gave off an ominous vibe. But what was more unsettling was the way he was eyeing Eleanor. It was unclear whether he was leering or had some other motive, but his gaze was unsettling enough to make Eleanor subconsciously lower her head. However, just as she lowered her head, a tall and majestic figure suddenly appeared in front of her, casting arge shadow under the bright light. Eleanor hid behind this shadow, avoiding the creepy gaze of the middle-aged man. Each yer in the rooms was observing their surroundings and the people inside. Some chose to give up and promptly left the room after hearing the instruction. Most of the people who came here did not know the rules beforehand. They were either curious about what Area Opaca was like or unwilling to gamble with their lives, so they chose to leave. ¡°Hey.¡± The middle-aged man in room 10 suddenly called out to Robin and Eleanor. ¡°You¡¯re so young, and you don¡¯t look poor. Why are you risking your lives here?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Robin, who was protecting Eleanor behind him, lifted his eyes and coldly stared at the man in room 10. ¡°Why are you staying here, then?¡± The middle-aged man leaned against the door and casually replied. ¡°Cancer, beyond cure. I¡¯m here to see if I can find a miracle.¡± His casual words seemed to resonate with the man in room 9, who chimed in. ¡°I¡¯m terminally ill too. I want to experience something exciting before I die.¡± And so, a conversation began. People in the neighboring rooms started speaking up as well. ¡°I lost everything. I¡¯m here for the huge prize money¡­¡± ¡°I love gambling. I can¡¯t resist an exciting casino¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m on the run for murder. I might as well choose a more interesting way to die¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve crossed a big shot. Ibe hunted down if I leave¡­¡± So, the people who came here were either terminally ill thrill-seekers, desperate gamblers, or murderers. Hardly anyone was there out of normal circumstances, except for Eleanor and Robin. While these people were chattering, the doors to the rooms closed again, presumably after the people who chose to give up had left. Behind the scenes, the people who had selected their invitees to abandon the game threw their cards away in disappointment. ¡°What a waste. I lost before it even started.¡± ¡°Mr. Sextus, I told you to invite more people each round. It reduces the risks.¡± ¡°But it also increases the stakes. I don¡¯t want to lose my stuff to you guys.¡± ¡°Mr. Sextus, you are just as cautious as ever.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± As the two groups of men in ck bickered, a woman¡¯s voice suddenly rang out. ¡°Where¡¯s Mr. Nine from Group 2?¡± Everyone in both groups immediately stopped their banter and looked at the empty spot where Mr. Nine from Group 2 was supposed to be. At the same time, a note popped out of Eleanor¡¯s control panel. It read, [Leave]. Eleanor furrowed her brows. Who wanted her to leave? Robin seemed to sense something. He swiftly grabbed the note and stuffed it into his pocket. Just as he did, a mechanical male voice resonated from the control panel behind the scenes. ¡°The surveince in room 9 is suddenly cked out. Who¡¯s tampering with the system?!¡± Chapter 1294 Chapter 1294 In the backstage viewing area, a group of men in ck suits, all silent, cast their eyes towards room 9. ¡°Nine¡­¡± ¡°room 9 is managed by Mr. Quartus¡¯ group.¡± One of the men from Group 1 was about toment on the absence of Mr. Nine from Group 2, when a woman¡¯s voice interrupted him. The woman¡¯s voice, clearly defending room 9, deliberately pushed the me onto Mr. Quartus. Mr. Quartus didn¡¯t respond, he simply gave the woman a cold nce. The main man of Group 1 remained quiet, and so did the rest of the team. ¡°Mr. Quartus, please have your man report to the detention room for investigation immediately!¡± As the robotic voice faded, Mr. Quartus uncrossed his long legs, got up from his high chair and descended. When he passed room 2-7, he paused slightly. Hismanding presence was intimidating, but the woman at room 2-7, with her arms crossed and eyes forward, didn¡¯t even raise her head. ¡°Wait.¡± Mr. Quartus left this ominous word behind and walked towards the control room. At the corner, he ran into the returning Mr. Nine. As they passed each other, they exchanged a nce. ¡°You¡¯re a step toote.¡± The Area Opaca control system was hard to crack, but Mr. Nine was quite capable despite beingte. At least he was able to switch off the surveince in the yer¡¯s room, eyen if it was for a short time, even if he had to take the fall for it. Mr. Nine, however, didn¡¯t respond to Mr. Quartus, but continued back to the viewing area. Mr. Quartus turned to look at Mr. Nine¡¯s retreating figure, his eyes narrowing slightly beneath his mask¡­ He stood there for a moment before arriving at the control room. After his palm print and iris were verified, the door to the control room opened. He entered, instructing the man responsible for room 9¡¯s system to report to the detention room, and then made his way back. At the same corner, Mr. Nine was waiting for him. Mr. Quartus walked over leisurely, without saying a word. Mr. Nine didn¡¯t bother to break the silence either, he simply uttered two words. ¡°Down there.¡± Mr. Nine¡¯s voice was cold, and his words brief. But Mr. Quartus understood what he was asking. He nced at the monitor, and tapped out a Morse code message on the side of his pants. [The game has begun, no one has the authority to go down there, unless the 1-1 program is cracked], It appeared that Mr. Nine understood the message. He seemed to want to ask something else. Mr. Quartus instinctively looked at his head, then raised his eyes to the direction of the monit Realizing what he meant, Mr. Nine nodded to him before turning and quickly departing¡­ Mr. Quartus watched his retreating figure, a slow smile tugging at his lips. If only this kid was on Group 1. In room 9, Eleanor was staring at Robin, who shook his head at her, signaling her to keep quiet. Realizing they were under surveince, Eleanor stopped speaking and started to wonder who had ordered her to leave. The only possibility she could think of were Bernard and Caleb, ? were missing. But they had entered as yers, controlled by Area Opaca, they could not possibly be Area Opaca¡¯s puppet masters. Furthermore, she didn¡¯t know whether they were dead or alive. In such uncertain circumstances, it was hard for Eleanor to conclude that it was them. Regardless of who it was, the note had been delivered toote. She had already confirmed her participation, it was impossible to leave now. As Eleanor was lost in thought, the electronic voice sounded once more: ¡°Remaining yers, please choose your game area.¡± Following the voice, an electronic screen on the wall disyed four game areas. Eleanor and Robin, still handcuffed together, had to choose the same area. But which one should they choose? ¡°The names of these spaces are quite arbitrary, aren¡¯t they? Youth, Young Adult, Middle Aged, and Elderly.¡± ¡°Do you think it might correspond to the difficulty of the game?¡± ¡°Could be.¡± Then let¡¯s choose based on the names. The Youth space seems like it would be simpler, shall we choose that?¡± Eleanor pointed at the bottom right corner while seeking Robin¡¯s opinion. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ¡°During the elderly phase, action is slow and the mind starts to deteriorate, maybe the Elderly space is simpler.¡± Eleanor thought for a moment and agreed with Robin. ¡°Then let¡¯s choose Elderly.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± With their decision made, they both pressed the confirmation button on the screen. A few minutester, the electronic voice announced again. ¡°Now announcing game difficulty levels.¡± ¡°Youth space, two-star difficulty.¡± ¡°Young Adult space, three-star difficulty.¡± ¡°Middle Aged space, four-star difficulty.¡± ¡°Elderly space, five-star difficulty.¡± Eleanor slowly lifted her cool gaze to look at Robin. When he felt her gaze, he quickly looked away. ¡°Next time you tell me to choose something, I¡¯ll choose it.¡± ¡°Do you think there will be a next time?¡± They had started with the hardest option, whether they could survive nine rounds of the game was uncertain, let alone a/next time. Chapter 1295 Chapter 1295 Feeling the weight of a wrong decision, Robin hung his head, his voice quiet and submissive as he apologized to her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Eleanor wanted to rebuke him, but as she met his gaze, she was reminded of Bernard. Every time he messed up, he would apologize in the same quiet, submissive way. In the end, she said nothing, giving him a glimmer of acknowledgment before returning her attention to the control panel. ¡°Attention yers, please proceed to your designated areas.¡± The electronic voice faded, and the door reopened, revealing not the previous scene, but a staircase leading upward. White light poured down from above the quadruple staircase, reminiscent of the entrance to heaven. ¡°yers, you have one minute to reach your designated areas.¡± ¡°Those who fail to arrive on time will be executed.¡± ¡°Let me repeat, those who fail to arrive on time will be executed.¡± ¡°Countdown begins now, 60, 59, 58¡­¡± With the countdown pressing on, Eleanor and Robin had no time to think. They quickly started climbing the stairs, which had four turns, like passing through the stages of youth, adulthood, middle age, and entering the realm of the elderly. But these were just Eleanor¡¯s guess, as the surroundings were enclosed by heavy white walls, blocking all view. When they reached the fourth level, there were already around ten people there, casually chatting among themselves. One of them was the mboyantly dressed Scarface Man who quirked an eyebrow at their arrival. ¡°Why are you two still handcuffed?¡± His words drew the attention of the other yers, all eyes turning to Eleanor and Robin. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ¡°Were you two forced toe here?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this game supposed to be voluntary?¡± Robin, used to acting superior, didn¡¯t bother to respond. Eleanor remainedposed and aloof, standing to one side. A few of the men, upon seeing Eleanor¡¯s beauty and figure, had a spark in their eyes. ¡°Hey, missy, did this guy trick you intoing here?¡± Eleanor said nothing. ¡°Heh, you seem quite haughty. I wonder how you¡¯d y.¡± At his words, Robin, holding Eleanor¡¯s hand, stormed over. His foot shot out, aiming for the man¡¯s groin with a swift kick. ¡°Ah-!¡± Caught off guard, the man groaned in pain, clutching his groin as he fell to the floor. ¡°Watch your mouth!¡± After his warning, Robin kicked him a few more times until the man begged for mercy. ¡°Behave, or you¡¯ll end up like him!¡± Seeing Robin¡¯s violent temper, the other yers quickly quieted down, no longer ogling Eleanor. Eleanor, in turn, looked at Robin, finding his silhouette gradually growing more imposing. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re not mad at me anymore?¡± Robin¡¯s thick eyshes lowered, his eyes full of hope as he looked at Eleanor. ¡°Yes.¡± Eleanor nodded lightly, realizing she couldn¡¯t me him alone. Seeing her forgiveness, Robin¡¯s lips curved into a satisfied smile. ¡°Attention, yers.¡± The moment the electronic voice started, the previously empty floor raised to reveal four gaming rooms. Each room had three seats, in front of which was a square white table. Opposite the table was arge, square red door, its purpose unknown. ¡°Now, there are four gaming rooms in front of you. Please choose your seats.¡± Before Eleanor and Robin could move, the other yers rushed forward, grabbing the best seats. Their rush left only the 4th room, an unlucky number no one wanted. Eleanor and Robin shared a look before walking over, followed by Scarface Man. As Robin took his seat, he saw Scarface Man following them and frowned. ¡°Why are you following us?¡± Scarface Man shrugged. ¡°There are only twelve people and four gaming rooms, each with three seats. I didn¡¯t have a choice.¡± Robin had no retort, but he kept his guard up. Their seats were close together, and he was wary that Scarface Man might push them into the ¡®death door¡¯ to save himself when it opened. Robin remained on high alert, and Eleanor did the same. After all, in such a mixed bag of a ce, it was necessary to be cautious. Chapter 1296 Chapter 1296 After the yers picked their spots, the mechanical voice echoed again: ¡°Please, yers, insert your invitations into the operating console for identity confirmation.¡± Two small slots appeared on the tabletop, popping out the control panel. Robin stared at the console, hesitating. ¡°yers, insert your invitations within five seconds. Those who fail to do so will be executed.¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± Robin muttered under his breath before taking out his golden leaf, and inserting it into the console. ¡°yer Dunce, confirmed.¡± ¡°Snort-¡± Scarface Man, sitting next to him, heard his codename and instantly burst into fits ofughter. ¡°Hahaha, did you piss off the inviter? They gave you the codename ¡®Dunce¡¯, it¡¯s quite fitting, isn¡¯t it?¡± Robin clenched his fists, ring deathly at Scarface Man, who wasughing until his stomach hurt. ¡°Shut up!¡± Whether it was hitting Scarface Man¡¯s funny bone or what, he just couldn¡¯t stopughing. ¡°Your inviter is 1-4, mine too. Look at the codename he gave me, Scarface, it sounds so cool. Yours, on the other hand, is just too stupid.¡± Furious, Robin raised a fist and charged at him. Scarface Man quickly retreated a step. ¡°Whoa, whoa, I¡¯ll stopughing.¡± Scarface Man raised his hands in surrender, and only then did Robin, holding back his surging anger, turned back to the console. He thought, ¡°1-4, if I ever find you, I¡¯ll tear you limb from limb, I swear!¡± Eleanor nced cautiously at Robin, not so much worried that he would drop dead from anger due to the nickname. 2 Rather, she didn¡¯t expect them to jumpstart the game right after exining the rules. She had no idea how long it would take, or if Robin could keep his cool. However, the infuriated Robin had long forgotten about needing to use the restroom. Now, he just couldn¡¯t wait to find 1-4 and give him a piece of his mind. As they each harbored their own thoughts, the mechanical voice in the fourth space echoed again: ¡°yers, before the first round of the game begins, we will announce the win-loss mechanism.¡± ¡°Rewards of the first round: Option one, 50 million dors. Option two, a night of debauchery.¡± As the electronic voice yed, the sleek table surface morphed into a screen, disying cash and a video of a burlesque show. Eleanor didn¡¯t understand what ¡®a night of debauchery¡¯ meant. Upon seeing the images on the screen, she quickly averted her eyes and looked at Robin, who was staring nkly at the scantily-d women dancing on horseback. Judging by his expression, he seemed indifferent. Scarface Man, on the other hand, was just as excited as the other men in the game room, whistling appreciatively. Only Eleanor was ufortable and lowered her head. ¡°Am I the only female yer here?¡± Eleanor asked. ¡°If you winter and don¡¯t want to y with the ¡®night of debauchery¡¯ prize, you can choose the cash.¡± Before Robin could answer Eleanor¡¯s question, Scarface Man had already interjected. ¡°How do you know I¡¯ll win?¡± Eleanor couldn¡¯t help asking Scarface Man. He shrugged nonchntly. ¡°Just a hunch.¡± As she suspiciously eyed Scarface Man, the images on the screen disappeared, slowly reced by others. At the same time, the electronic voice started again. ¡°The punishment for the first round will be carried out by our Robo Blue, who will sever a yer¡¯s arm.¡± The screen disyed Robo Blue swiftly tearing off a yer¡¯s arm. Eleanor shifted her gaze from the screen to the red door opposite the table. So, this was the so-called life door and death door. If any of them chose wrongly, the robot behind the red door woulde out and remove their arms. Only at this moment did the yers start to feel the tension. However, Area Opaca didn¡¯t give any of the yers a chance to catch their breath and started the game directly. ¡°Area Opaca¡¯s fourth floor, Seniors¡¯ Space, first round officially starts.¡± After the mechanical voice finished, the screen on the table faded, and four ck square boxes popped out. ¡°The question for the first round: Which box has the apple in it?¡± ¡°yers, please make your choice and confirm by pressing the number key.¡± ¡°Those who fail to make a choice within five minutes will automatically enter the death door.¡± So, not choosing also meant death. yers who heard the rules clearly all stepped forward and stared at the boxes. The number keys were on top of the ck boxes. After making their choices, they just needed to press the corresponding number key to confirm. The game room was filled with the ticking sound of the countdown after the game started. Under this pressing atmosphere, everyone started to be cautious. Simultaneously, in the backstage viewing area, the mechanical voice also echoed: ¡°Inviters from both sides, please start betting.¡± Men in ck sitting on luxurious sofas each picked up their own betting tablets, cing bets for their invited yers. After Mr. Quartus ced his bets for his invited yers ¡®Dunce¡¯ and ¡®Scarface¡¯, he turned his gaze to the seat of 2-9. Mr. Nine, sitting upright on the sofa, didn¡¯t move at all, just staring intently at the screen.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Mr. Quartus stared at his back for a moment, then slowly shifted his gaze back to therge screen. Chapter 1297 Chapter 1297 Compared to the spectators above, who were lounging infortable armchairs, the yers below, referred to as the ¡®underworld gaming zone¡¯, were frantically toggling between keys 1-4, trying to keep their arms intact. The countdown timer sounded like a death sentence, making them sweat bullets, yet no one dared to make the first move. Everyone was eyeing other yers, waiting to see who would be the first to make a decision. Would they follow the same fate as in the video, having their arm cut off by Robo Blue? All were petrified except for the hot-headed yer who had earlier mouthed off Eleanor. He grew impatient and without further ado, mmed down the number 3 button. The second he pressed the button, four ck boxes opened simultaneously. Unfortunately, boxes 2-4 were empty. Clearly, the red apple was in the first box. ¡°Damn it!¡± He had hardly finished cursing when two words appeared on the red door opposite him ¨C Death Door. Simultaneously, Robo Blue¡¯s mechanical arm reached out from within the door, extending towards him. The hot-headed man turned to run, but he was a moment too slow. As expected, a human couldn¡¯t outrun a machine, so he only made a few steps before he was seized by the mechanical arm. Robo Blue, with the steel de in its hand, swiftly cut the man¡¯s arm. The de was massive, and the cut was so clean that there was no blood stter or meaty debris. As Blue¡¯s de cut through the arm, a sharp scream echoed in the gaming zone, instilling panic and fear in everyone. The hot-headed man¡¯s gaming zone was directly opposite Eleanor¡¯s. Seeing him writhing in pain, reaching out with his left hand to grab his severed arm, heart pounded in her chest. Eleanor¡¯s Even though the man was obnoxious, the punishment was incredibly cruel and terrifying. The worst part was that they too could face the same fate after making their choice. As Eleanor paled and clenched her fists, Robin¡¯s calm voice echoed in her ears, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. She slowly looked up at Robin. Seeing the determination in his eyes, she loosened her trembling hands, suppressing her fear and calming herself down. The ck boxes gave nothing away. They were at the mercy of intuition and luck, but she wasn¡¯t sure if she could trust her own. While she was still hesitating, Scarface Man, having heard a certain number, quickly nced at the surveince camera. He then leaned towards Eleanor and Robin, whispering, ¡°Cross, choose 2. You, Dunce, choose 1.¡± After saying this, Scarface Man quickly stepped back. Eleanor and Robin nced at each other, their eyes filled with doubt. However, after Scarface Man confidently pressed the number 1 key, the words ¡®Life Door¡¯ appeared on his red door. He had chosen correctly. ¡°Trust me!¡± Scarface Man didn¡¯t exactly give them a good impression. Moreover, Eleanor had been lured into this game by Sophie. How could they know if Scarface Man was nted by Sophie to sabotage them? After all, the mastermind behind Area Opaca valued rules and wouldn¡¯t allow any cheating during the game. However, if someone was nted from the beginning, the mastermind wouldn¡¯t know. If Scarface Man was indeed sent by Sophie, then they might lose an arm in the first round if they followed his advice. Robin thought for a moment. If he wanted to figure out if Scarface Man was a nt, he would have to take a chance. After all, everything was a blind gamble. ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯ll go first. If I¡¯m wrong, you follow. his advice.¡± Before Eleanor could protest, Robin mmed down the opposite number indicated by Scarface Man ¨C Number 2. With a surprised look on Scarface Man¡¯s face, the words ¡®Death Door¡¯ suddenly appeared on Robin¡¯s red door. He looked up, and indeed, two mechanical arms extended from the red door, rushing towards him at lightning speed. Chapter 1298 Chapter 1298 Just as the robotic arms were about to seize Robin, Scarface Man lowered his voice again, ¡°Serpentine motion, now!¡± Robin had no reason to doubt Scarface Man anymore. He gripped Eleanor¡¯s hand, and with a swift serpentine movement, they bolted towards the exit of the arcade. The mechanical arms, besides moving in a straight line, could swerve. Under Robin¡¯s quick zigzagging maneuvers, they extended endlessly and turned infinitely. Blue¡¯s programming was clear: it had to sever an arm before retracting. Otherwise, the relentless automaton would keep chasing him until its mission was aplished. The unfortunate one was Eleanor. Handcuffed to Robin, their fate was intertwined. While Robin was still able to run, Eleanor, frail and weak, was quickly running out of breath. She had considered using Blue¡¯s metal de to cut their handcuffs, hoping it might stop the robot. But the de was too wide, and their cuffs were too close-it was too risky and could end in them losing their arms. Considering that Blue¡¯s programming required human contact to activate, Eleanor immediately dismissed the idea. Gritting her teeth, she kept running with Robin, racking her brain for a n. Seeing their dwindling energy, Scarface Man sprinted to the opposite game booth number three, snatched an arm from a loud-mouthed man, and rushed back to them. Just as Blue was about to grab Robin¡¯s arm, Scarface Man swiftly shoved the severed limb into Blue¡¯s sp. Upon contact, Blue snapped the arm in two with a loud crunch. Tasting the metallic tang of blood, it swiftly retracted its arm. In an instant, danger was averted for Robin. Eleanor¡¯s heart, lodged in her throat, fell back into ce. The only one cursing was the loud-mouthed man, cursing them. Seeing their strategy, the rest of the yers began to follow suit. Even those who had chosen the death door began using those who had chosen the life door as their scapegoats. In game booth number four, only Eleanor, who had just returned, hadn¡¯t had a chance to press the number button. The others tried to rush in and grab her as they ran past the booth, but were promptly kicked out by Scarface Man and Robin. Protected by the two men, Eleanor followed Scarface Man¡¯s previous instruction and quickly pressed the number two button. Sure enough, the word ¡°Life¡± appeared on the red door opposite to them. Seeing this, Robin breathed a sigh of relief. The look he gave Scarface Man changed from suspicion to trust. ¡°Why?¡± he asked. His question was about why Scarface Man was helping them. Scarface Man simply shook his head in response. Robin understood that they were being watched and did not press further. ¡°The first round is over. Please, all winners, choose your rewards.¡± Five minutester, the mechanical voice rang out again, and two reward options appeared on the screen. Both Eleanor and Robin chose the first option: fifty million dors. Scarface Man, however, chose the second option. ¡°Please retrieve your invitations and proceed to the doors of life and death.¡± After the electronic voice faded, the ck box on the control panel retracted and a golden leaf popped out. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor and Robin retrieved their golden leaves. Before entering the life door, both turned to look at Scarface Man, who was following closely behind. He had not only helped them, but he also knew where the apple was. This indicated that he had received information beforehand. Or someone, based on the countdown number, had ryed urate information to him after the game had started. If that was the case, it meant Scarface Man knew someone behind the scenes. Who could it be? It couldn¡¯t be Sophie, who wanted revenge on Eleanor. Could it be Bernard? That seemed unlikely. If it were Bernard, he would have stopped them from entering in the first ce, rather than sending Scarface Man to assist them. And he certainly wouldn¡¯t have waited until they entered and confirmed the game before passing a note advising them to leave. Robin thought that if Bernard were alive and had managed to get behind the scenes, then the note must havee from him. Bernard must have seen him and Eleanor on the surveince cameras, realized they had entered Area Opaca, and tried to send them a note to get out. Unfortunately, he was toote. ¡ê 3 2 8 5 2 5683 As for Scarface Man, he had been in the room before the game started, meaning someone had sent him in as a yer to assist them from the beginning. Under the watchful eyes of the surveince cameras, Robin couldn¡¯t just go and ask Scarface Man directly. He would have to seize the right moment in the midst of chaos to whisper a question or two, just like Scarface Man had done earlier. In the spectator area behind the scenes, the screens of the four games turned off, disying the results and betting amounts. Out of the eighteen invitees, only Mr. Quartus¡¯ invitees had won, which naturally drew some sarcastic comments. ¡°Mr. Quartus, your invitees worked pretty well together. Did they know each other beforehand?¡± ¡°Yeah, and that Scarface, he seemed to know how to avoid risks. You didn¡¯t nt him there in advance, did you?¡± Chapter 1299 Chapter 1299 Upon hearing these words of skepticism, Mr. Quartus merely chuckled. ¡°I believe the game rules are determined by 1-2, are you using them of breaking their own rules and disclosing the game tactics to me in advance? And then I supposedly sent Scarface Man into the game, just to win your bets?¡± The dark-d men murmuring usations against Mr. Quartus in the spectator¡¯s area quickly fell silent. The founders of the Ace Club were three men: 1-1, 1-2 and 1-3, and 1-2 had set up a system to ensure fair gambling: the game rules were handled solely by the Big Two, with each round having different rules. Only 1-2 knew these rules, and even those behind the scenes didn¡¯t have any clue. To use Mr. Quartus of rigging the game was tantamount to using 1-2. ¡°I believe you all understand that my job is to transport the invitees and monitor the yer¡¯s room. The game area is not under my jurisdiction. So watch your words to avoid damaging the reputation of the Big Two.¡± After making his point, Mr. Quartus casually stood up and descended the steps. As he passed by Mr. Nine, the man slowly looked up at him, and in the brief moment of eye contact, it seemed as if they reached some unspoken understanding. After the game area was closed, the operators could move freely. Mr. Quartus returned to his quarters, barely had time to remove his mask and sit down on the couch when there was a knock at the door. Mr. Quartus picked up his mask and put it back on. He pressed the door opener and a tall figure appeared. The man stood at the door for a couple of seconds before stepping in and closing the door. ¡°What brings you here, Mr. Nine?¡± Mr. Quartus sat on the couch, lighting a cigarette while watching through his mask, the silent man. Neither of them spoke for a while. Mr. Quartus was not in a hurry, casually flicking the ashes from his cigarette¡­ After what seemed an eternity, Mr. Nine finally took a seat across him. He began tapping on the table,municating in Morse code: ¡°I can¡¯t speak, I can onlymunicate with you this way.¡± Even in a room without surveince, there were things he couldn¡¯t say out loud. Mr. Quartus was aware of his situation. He simply nodded, indicating him to continue. ¡°Did you arrange for Scarface Man?¡± Mr. Nine asked. Mr. Quartus¡¯ hand paused, and his eyes hidden beneath the mask suddenly shed with a hint of murderous intent: ¡°And what if I did?¡± Mr. Nine¡¯s fingers continued tapping gently on the tabletop: ¡°I want to know, how many rounds will you protect Robin?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Mr. Nine¡¯s inquiry was about Robin, not ¡°them¡±, which indicated that he already knew his identity. Mr. Quartus¡¯ eyes darkened again, and the cigarette between his fingers was quickly extinguished: ¡°Why should I tell you?¡± As Mr. Quartus showed his distrust, Mr. Nine hesitated for a few seconds before he finally took off his mask. Upon seeing the man¡¯s face, Mr. Quartus frowned, apparently surprised by his identity Those who operated behind the scenes all had their own status in the outside world. To avoid exposing their identities, they usually wore masks when entering and leaving Area Opaca and didn¡¯t know each other. They addressed each other as ¡®Mr¡¯ based on their numerical order. The closer to the 1-1¡¯s number, the higher the status. For example, Mr. Quartus, numbered 1-4, was the first to join Area Opaca and was second only to the Big Three founders. Mr. Quartus, once a powerful figure in Area Opaca, had his authority challenged with the arrival of two new members, numbered 2-7 and 2-8. This man and woman, with a list of the members of Siren Organization, gained the attention of the Big Three, pushing Mr. Quartus into the shadows. Now, all Mr. Quartus could do was transport the invitees and monitor the yers¡¯ rooms. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been so defensive when Mr. Seven used him earlier. Chapter 1300 Chapter 1300 Nheless, Mr. Quartus didn¡¯t mind, now that Mr. Nine had shown his true colors in front of him, indicating that they were about to be in the same boat. With this thought, Mr. Quartus tapped the ashtray gently with his cigarette butt. ¡°The final round, until he¡¯s safe¡± He was referring to Robin¡¯s safe departure, not hers. The fingers Mr. Nine had on the table hesitated for a few seconds, then moved again ¡°Can you grant me ess to the surveince of the yer room?¡± Behind the scenes, the invitees couldn¡¯t ess the yer room¡¯s surveince at any time. Only at the start of the game could they see it in the viewing area, it was off at other times. ¡°The programmer who took the fall for you today has been killed by 1-2.¡± Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! The implication was refusal. Mr. Nine understood and didn¡¯t speak again. Mr. Quartus tossed his cigarette into the ashtray and removed the mask from his head. He threw off the heavy mask, lit another cigarette, and in front of Mr. Nine, took a deep puff. ¡°I¡¯ll protect that woman too, don¡¯t mess with my program again.¡± He didn¡¯t want to involve innocent programmers again. Mr. Nine¡¯s stern eyes softened slightly. ¡°Thank you.¡± Mr. Quartus exhaled a puff of smoke, watching Mr. Nine through the fog. ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with that woman?¡± The moment M. Nine saw the woman on the monitor, he immediately stood up to hack the program. Clearly, she was an important person in his life. Otherwise, with Mr. Nine¡¯s cold nature, he wouldn¡¯t have done such a reckless thing. In response to Mr. Quartus¡¯ question, Mr. Nine remained silent, his indifferent eyes revealing a profound depth. Mr. Quartus, with a cigarette in his mouth, stared at his eyes and sneered, ¡°You¡¯re stubborn even when you need a favor.¡±¡± Mr. Nine¡¯s thick eyshes slowly drooped, covering the dark circles under his eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t leave, and I can¡¯t die, I¡¯ll do whatever you want, just don¡¯t ask about my personal affairs.¡± Since Mr. Quartus was obviously going to take advantage of him, he naturally wouldn¡¯t pry any further. ¡°All you need to tell me is if she¡¯s Vanya Pine¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°You knew that all along, didn¡¯t you? That¡¯s why you helped her.¡± Mr. Quartus had known all along. He caught a glimpse of her face on the deserted ind. ¡°You knew, and yet you brought them in. That¡¯s not right.¡± Mr. Nine said. Faced with Mr. Nine¡¯sint, Mr. Quartus smirked. ¡°You¡¯re new here. What do you know?¡± It was his duty to bring back all the invitees who voluntarily went to Area Opaca. And under those circumstances, Robin had no choice but to give him the golden leaf. He also needed to make him pay for his recklessness, otherwise, the brat would never know his ce. After both sides had revealed their hands, even if Mr. Nine didn¡¯t want to discuss personal matters, Mr. Quartus had a rough idea and let him go. ¡°Don¡¯t mess with the game area program. 1-2 is a madman..If you provoke him, you¡¯ll all die.¡± Before Mr. Nine left, Mr. Quartus gave him a reminder. Mr. Nine nced back at him without saying anything and left straight away, ¡°Eight o¡¯clock.¡± Just before the door was about to be opened, Mr. Quartus¡¯ finger tapped on the table a few more times. ¡°I¡¯ll be in the programming room at that time. If you can avoid being tracked,e find me.¡± Mr. Nine clenched his fist subconsciously but didn¡¯t respond directly. He just opened the door and left quickly. Chapter 1301 Chapter 1301 yers in the game zone, each entered the door of life or death, and ording to the game¡¯s rewards and punishments, were sent to different locations. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Those who chose the money reward, as well as those who entered the gate of death, were directly sent back to their rooms, while those who chose a night of debauchery were sent to the room. Even though Robin had entered the gate of death, he survived this round of the game. So, following Eleanor through the door of life was no problem after all, the game was over, and the yers who had entered the Death Door had already paid their dues. When they returned to their rooms, they were once again in a bewildering environment. High walls surrounded them, making it impossible tomunicate with Scarface Man in Room 10, due to the thick, insurmountable walls. Eleanor and Robin sat on the edge of the bed, staring nkly at their handcuffs. After a while, Eleanor began to feel a difort in her lower belly, probably a reaction from running. ¡°Robin, I¡¯m feeling unwell, I need some medicine.¡± She stood up nervously, leading Robin to a corner of the room. Ignoring her difort, she squatted down, opened her suitcase, took out some pregnancy supplements, quickly poured out one, and put it in her mouth. Robin picked up the medicine bottle and after seeing what was written on it, he froze, asking, ¡°You¡¯re pregnant?!¡± Eleanor nodded lightly, ¡°More than three months now. The pregnancy is a bit unstable, sometimes it makes me ufortable.¡± After she finished speaking, she took the medicine bottle from his hand and ced it back in the suitcase. Leaning against the wall for support, she tried to get up and return to the bed to rest, but Robin quickly caught her. ¡°What¡­ what are you doing?¡± Seeing the blood-red color in his eyes, Eleanor was a little scared. Robin held onto her hand so tightly that five finger marks appeared on her pale skin before he finally let go. He seemed angry, his tone full of me, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me that you¡¯re pregnant earlier?¡± Eleanor was confused, ¡°Why do I need to tell you about that?¡± Robin was taken aback, as if he had just realized that he had no right to question her. He fell silent for a moment. He stared at Eleanor for a long time before slowly controlling his anger, and said coldly, ¡°I would never have allowed you toe to this godforsaken ce if you had told me earlier.¡± Eleanor knew he was worried about her, so she smiled faintly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can handle it.¡± ¡°Is he worth you going to such lengths?¡± When Robin asked this, there was an indescribable expression in his eyes. Eleanor didn¡¯t understand, she just smiled at him. She didn¡¯t say anything, but that was the best answer. About Bernard, Eleanor never needed to express her love for him with words. Seeing Eleanor like this, Robin was a bit angry, but he didn¡¯t show it on his face. ¡°You¡¯re really foolish.¡± He pulled Eleanor up and pushed her onto the bed, even bending down to help her take off her shoes. Eleanor was startled and quickly pulled back her feet, looking at him with a hint of surprise. ¡®Don¡¯t look at me like that, I just treat you as a vulnerable group, I¡¯m not interested in you.¡± Although he regarded her as a vulnerable group, she was not so weak that she needed his help to take off her shoes. ¡°I can do it on my own.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± Robin let go of her foot and simplyy down on the bed, staring nkly at the ceiling. After taking off her shoes with one hand, Eleanor nced at him, saying, ¡°Robin, thank you.¡± Today, it was him who took the risk to help her. No matter what, she should say thank you. Robin seemed to be sulking, he simply closed his eyes and ignored Eleanor. Since he was ignoring her, she didn¡¯t bother him either. She quietlyy down next to him. She was very tired, and after taking the medicine, she soon started to feel drowsy¡­ Just as she was about to fall asleep, Robin moved his body and slowly leaned over¡­ ¡°Eleanor.¡± His cold voice fell in her heart, causing Eleanor to pause slightly. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at the person who was calling her name. How she wished it was Bernard, but s, it was not. She hid the hope in her eyes and gave him a slight nod. ¡°Come a little closer.¡± Robin had something to say to her, but he was worried about being monitored, so he could only ask her toe a little closer. Despite her fatigue, Eleanor moved a bit closer to him. Robin looked at the distance between them and felt it was not close enough, so he leaned right into her ear. His movements were a bit rough and as he leaned in, his thin lips identally touched Eleanor¡¯s ear. You could say, he kissed it, and the time was exactly eight o¡¯clock¡­ Mr. Nine, who had just infiltrated the control room, also coincidentally saw this scene on the monitor. Chapter 1302 Chapter 1302 The warmth flooded his senses, causing Robin¡¯s cheeks to flush a brilliant red, even reaching the tips of his ears. His feelings for Eleanor were always suppressed, hidden away. But as he kissed her, it felt as though he could no longer hold them back His heart pounded in his chest, but he had to restrain himself. She was already married, already had a child. He clenched his fist, looking at Eleanor who was ring at him, her brows furrowed ¡°It was unintentional.¡± Eleanor knew it wasn¡¯t on purpose, but she still shot him a few warning nces, ¡°Be careful.¡± Robin hummed a response, pulling a nket over their heads. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Eleanor struggled, trying to push the nket away, but Robin held onto her hand, ¡°There are cameras.¡± Beneath the nket, Eleanor¡¯s gaze fell on the hand that held her, ¡°What exactly do you want to say?¡± Robin leaned in, lowering his voice to a whisper, ¡°I believe Bernard is still alive.¡± His voice was so quiet, so soft, the surveince cameras wouldn¡¯t be able to pick up on it. But Eleanor heard it loud and clear. His words were as light as a feather, yet they struck her heart heavily, filling her with hope. 1: Robin leaned in a little closer, ¡°That note was from him. He wants us to leave.¡± Eleanor had the same thought. The only person who wouldn¡¯t want to put her in danger was Bernard. But she didn¡¯t understand, why didn¡¯t hee home if he was still alive? Even a phone call to let her know he was safe would suffice. She didn¡¯t know what predicament he was in. All she did was push the nket away staring nkly at the ceiling. She wasn¡¯t sure where the cameras were, she just stared nkly. If he was alive, and was able to send her a note, this meant he was now part of the shadowy organization, Area Opaca. Perhaps, at this very moment, he was watching her. ¡°Bernard, if you¡¯re watching me, give me a sign. Let me know you¡¯re still alive, please?¡± Eleanor prayed in silent. Upon seeing her nk, hollow gaze, Mr. Nine, watching from a screen, slowly dipped his head, his thickshes casting a shadow over his eyes. Next to him, Mr. Quartus nced at him, tapping a finger on the table, ¡°They seem pretty close, probably a couple, right?¡± Without replying, Mr. Nine abruptly stood up, his tone icy, ¡°Return their handcuffs key! Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Mr. Quartus shrugged, ¡°I told you before, the game has started. No one is allowed to enter the game area. How can it be returned?¡± ¡°You figure it out.¡± Leaving those words behind, he turned and left the control room. Just as he stepped out, he encountered 2-7. She was standing there, arms crossed, leaning against the wall as she waited for him ¡°You thought I wouldn¡¯t know you¡¯ve been approaching Mr. Quartus?¡± Mr. Nine cast her a cold nce, brushing past her. But 2-7 reached out and grabbed his arm. ¡°You should know by now, wherever you go, I can track you down, right?¡± Mr. Nine¡¯s cold gaze fell on her hand, his expression growing even colder, ¡°Let go.¡± Instead of letting go, 2-7¡¯s hand slid further up his arm. ¡°I¡¯ve monitored what you said to Mr. Quartus. I won¡¯t report you this time, but don¡¯t let it happen again.¡± Just as 2-7¡¯s hand was about to slip into his shirt, Mr. Nine swiftly grabbed her wrist and harshly shoved her away. Without even a nce in her direction, he turned and left. 2-7, leaning against the wall for support, rubbed her sore wrist and huffed. ¡°Don¡¯t think that cozying up to Mr. Quartus will get you a meeting with the founder.¡± Mr. Nine¡¯s steps faltered. 2-7 slowly approached him as she said, ¡°Only I have ess to the founders. If you want to meet them, you¡¯ll have to behave.¡± She raised her hand and lightly tapped his forehead. ¡°I¡¯ve saved you several times already. Don¡¯t make mistakes for irrelevant people in the future, or else don¡¯t me me for punishing you.¡± After dropping this threat, 2-7 turned to leave: Mr. Nine stalked after her, his hand striking towards her neck. As she fell, Mr. Nine drew a dagger, ready to strike. Just then, his head exploded with pain. Dropping the dagger, he fell to the ground, curling up from the pain. In just a few seconds, his body was covered in cold sweat, drenching his uniform. When the pain blurred his vision, a masked man, 2-8, slowly approached him, ¡°I told you, every time you hurt her, I will make you suffer.¡± 2-8 shook something in his hand, tilting his head and giving him a slight smile, ¡°Next time, don¡¯t be so impulsive.¡± Then 2-8 bent down, scooping 2-7 into his arms and leaving. Mr. Quartus, who had just stepped out of the control room, nced at 2-8¡¯s retreating figure before looking down at the unconscious Mr. Nine. He walked over, squatting down in front of Mr. Nine, lifting half of his mask to check his breathing. He was still alive. He gave Mr. Nine a shove. Groaning, Mr. Nine slowly regained consciousness, but his eyes remained closed. Seeing that he was awake, Mr. Quartus slowly stood up, chuckling lightly, ¡®What a bother.¡¯ He then turned and left. Chapter 1303 Chapter 1303 Eleanor and Robin had not consumed a single drop of food or water since the beginning of the game. Even the most hardened of yers would falter under these conditions. Eleanor was especially exhausted, but the uncertainty of Bernard¡¯s survival kept her awake. Robin, on the other hand, was desperate to use the bathroom. However, being handcuffed to Eleanor meant that he could not go, so he had to endure it until he was curled up in difort. As they both wrestled with their own difort, the control panel in Room 9 whirred to life again. This time instead of a card slot, it dispensed two meals. A simple dinner,plete with milk and beverages, and even bottled water, all for the yers. Robin coaxed a reluctant Eleanor to eat and drink. Afterward, he made a request. ¡°Come with me to the bathroom.¡± Eleanor, having just downed herst ss of milk, nced towards the bathroom and then back at him. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± In their current situation, there was no room for modesty. Survival and health were paramount. Once inside the bathroom, Eleanor turned her back to Robin, closing her eyes and blocking her ears with one hand. Robin, previously desperate, found he couldn¡¯t relieve himself. Torn between embarrassment and difort, he chose thetter. He led Eleanor out of the bathroom and threw himself onto the bed, covering his face with his hands. ¡°You can¡¯t keep holding it in, there are still many rounds to go, you¡­¡± ¡°Enough talk, just sleep, I¡¯ll feel better when I wake up.¡± Despite not drinking a drop of water to avoid needing the bathroom again, it didn¡¯t help Robin. He still felt the urge. N?velDrama.Org ? content. By the early hours of the morning, he couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He woke Eleanor from her sleep and, in a state of frantic urgency, pulled her to the bathroom again. When he emerged, he looked utterly forlorn. After all, who would want to do such a thing in front of someone they liked? 1- He dove under the covers, vowing to himself that he would never, ever let Eleanor know about his feelings for her. Eleanor, however, was so drowsy she barely remembered any of this. She didn¡¯t give a second thought to Robin¡¯s bathroom troubles. But Robin did. He was so mortified that he didn¡¯t dare to speak to Eleanor the next day. Eleanor, thinking he was just being moody, left him be. In the following rounds of Area Opaca¡¯s game, which were held once a week, food and drinks would be provided. The yers were not neglected. Eleanor wasn¡¯t sure if they were under constant surveince, but she took her medication and ate her meals as she normally would, preserving her energy and strength. Despite his ownrge appetite, Robin always made sure to leave the nutritious foods like milk and carbs for Eleanor. Eleanor knew he was looking out for her. asionally, when he struggled to use his left hand to pick up food with fork, she would help him. At such times, Robin, would yfully ask Eleanor to feed him. Ignoring him, Eleanor would simply eat all the food herself. ¡°How greedy.¡± Robin teased her, but instinctively pushed his te towards her. ¡°I¡¯m full¡± Eleanor eyed the te of spaghetti, her eyes lighting up. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll help you finish it!¡± She suspected that the baby growing inside her was a little foodie just like Nina. Otherwise, why would she be so eager to eat even Robin¡¯s food? Watching Eleanor tuck into her food, a slow smile spread across Robin¡¯s face. Perhaps¡­ this wasn¡¯t so bad after all. As their interaction became more harmonious, the second round of the game began. It was another choice-based game, but this time, cards were drawn. The Scarface Man chose the same room as them and at specific times, would give them the correct answers. This time, they trusted him. However, when Robin discreetly asked who had sent the Scarface Man to protect them, he would just shake his head and signal Robin not to ask any further as it would bring trouble. Under the protection of the Scarface Man, they managed to survive up to the seventh round. During this period, each round of the life-or-death game was yed once a week. They had spent almost a month in the Area Opaca, witnessing many yers lose their lives as a result of wrong choices. For example, the second round involved amputation of the thigh, the third round, removal of the kidney, the fourth, extraction of the heart, the fifth, being thrown into a vat of boiling oil, and the sixth, the removal of tendons and bones. Their prize money umted to several billions while other yers suffered devastating punishments at every stage. In the end, only the man who had his arm severed at the beginning of the game, and they, remained. After each round, Area Opaca would send the losing yers back to their rooms with medication for self-treatment. It turned out that Area Opaca¡¯s intention was to ensure that the bettors could continue to ce their bets. Eleanor and the others were unaware of this, they didn¡¯t know Area Opaca would be so cruel. The man who had lost his arm had survived till the seventh round by relying on these medications and sheer luck. In this round, the scope of choice was not expanded, but reduced. Chapter 1304 Chapter 1304 ¡°Attention, gamers,¡± the voice boomed. ¡°On screen you can see four familiar insects ¨C a butterfly, a firefly, a moth, and a dragonfly, each secured in separate boxes. Can you guess which creature is in the box before you?¡± Only one boxy in front of them, demanding them to pick one insect out of the four. ¡°You¡¯ve got five minutes, starting now. 60, 59, 58¡­¡± Robin instinctively nced at Scarface Man, who was attentively listening to the answer. Suddenly, the white doors of the backstage viewing area swung open, and a group of men dressed in ck stormed in. 1 In the center, a man walked briskly, his mask marked with the numbers 1-2. It was the first time Mr. Nine seen the founder of the game, and his eyes darkened as 1-2 made his entrance. After 1-2 appeared, the surveince in the gaming area paused or Scarface Man. ¡°Who invited this man?¡± ¡°It was me,¡± Mr. Quartus nonchntly replied, rising from his seat. 1-2 was dressed in a ck protective suit, his whole body well covered. Yet, the deadly cold aura he exuded was palpable. ¡°2-7 used you of interfering the game, Mr. Quartus. Please,e-with me.¡± 2-7 actually made 1-2 personally went down to address the matter. Without haste, Mr. Quartus nced at 2-7, stepped off the stage, and extended his hands. The men in ck following 1-2 handcuffed Mr. Quartus and led him away¡­ Before he exited, Mr. Quartus turned back, casting a nce at Mr. Nine. Both of them were masked, their expressions hidden, yet a silent understanding passed between them. With Mr. Quartus taken away, Scarface Man¡¯s cover was blown. The game in the lower level was over. Watching Mr. Quartus¡¯ retreating figure, Mr. Nine slowly clenched the fingers resting on his knee¡­ Since 1-2 came from the upper level to the middle, he had to make an impact. He didn¡¯t leave immediately but took over theptop handed by the men in ck. In front of everyone, he started coding. Within five minutes, hepletely changed the game. The content of the boxes was also swiftly reced ording to his programming, which meant the information Scarface Man had received beforehand was all wrong. Mr. Nine unclenched his fist and stood up. 1-2 engrossed in coding didn¡¯t even nce up. ¡°Anyone who leaves the viewing area will be shot immediately!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± The men in ck following him drew their guns from their belts, pointing at the onlookers. After 1-2 finished, he closed theptop and turned around, his gaze meeting Mr. Nine¡¯s through the heavy mask¡­ ¡°1-3 said you¡¯re quite good. Don¡¯t disappoint me.¡± His voice was mechanical. Mr. Nine couldn¡¯t discern anything from his voice or face. But these words from 1-2 stirred doubt in him. He had never met 1-3, so why would 1-3 say he was good? Do they all know him? Instead of knowing who the three founders were, Mr. Nine was now more worried about the game in the lower level. After 1-2 rebooted the surveince, he stared at the screen with cold eyes. Scarface Man had, indeed, received the previous information and was also unaware that the game had been rewritten. Following the old information, he informed Robin and Eleanor, and then was the first to press the selection button. This time, the doors of life and death was not on the wall, but beneath their feet. They stood on arge circr symbol. They didn¡¯t know its purpose initially. But now, they understood. Because the moment Scarface Man pressed the selection button, the words ¡®Death Door¡¯ appeared on the circr symbol under him. The symbol suddenly opened, and Scarface Man fell before he could react! ¡°Ah-¡± Scarface Man¡¯s scream filled the air as Robin lunged to grab him, but he was too quick to catch. Helplessly, he watched as Scarface Man disappeared into a sea of snakes. Yes, the punishment for the seventh round was to be swallowed alive by snakes! N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Eleanor, kneeling on the ground, paled as she looked down at the writhing mass of snakes, instinctively thinking of Caleb. Evan had said that Caleb died for Bernard in the snake pit during the seventh game. She had not understood how that was possible until she saw it firsthand. The sight of Scarface Man struggling and screaming in the snake pit ovepped with the image of Caleb in her mind, and she imagined him being engulfed by the towering pile of snakes¡­ She saw countless snakes coiling around Scarface Man¡¯s neck, strangling him before they slithered into his wide-open eyes¡­ The horrific sight made Eleanor sob uncontrobly, her body shaking with fear. Caleb¡­ was this how he had died too? The thought was too much to bear. The mere idea of such a gruesome scene made her cry harder. Amidst her sobs, the cold electronic voice resonated mercilessly- ¡°Ten seconds remaining. Make your choice quickly, yers, or the Death Door will open for everyone, and you¡¯ll all end up in the snake pit!¡± Chapter 1305 Chapter 1305 Robin reacted way faster than Eleanor, and when he realized he couldn¡¯t help the others, he immediately pulled her up, ¡°Don¡¯t look down, choose now!¡± His voice was loud, enough to bring Eleanor back from her thoughts. She steadied herself, staring at the box in front of her, and slowly reached out. The box was sealed shut, impossible to open. And with all four types of insects being lightweight, it was impossible to discern what was inside. As she was anxious and indecisive, the one-armed man next to her, due tock of time, randomly hit the buttonbeled ¡®butterfly¡¯. The box opened, and what flew out wasn¡¯t a butterfly, but a moth. Simultaneously, the Death Door beneath him opened. Fortunately, the one-armed man wasn¡¯t standing on the round mark. He didn¡¯t fall straight down like Scarface Man, but turned around and bolted. He thought that leaving the arcade would save him, but as soon as he took a step beyond the arcade, the tiled floor beneath him opened up. Without any warning, he fell down, and at the same time, the adjacent tiles opened up one after another. Meaning not only was the round mark a trapdoor, the entire floor they were standing on was a trapdoor. Choosing wrong, or not choosing at all, would result in falling down, until they were swallowed by snakes. Seeing the man being slowly devoured by the snakes, his flesh being stripped awayyer byyer, Eleanor felt a wave of nausea. It was only now that she understood why no one ever made it out of the nine-round game. Each round was a matter of life and death, no one could escape. ¡°5, 4¡­¡± ¡°Eleanor!¡± Robin¡¯s voice echoed in her ears again, and Eleanor, seemingly resigned to her fate, like the one-armed man, hit the buttonbeled ¡®butterfly¡¯. The box opened, and a blue butterfly spread its wings and flew out, fluttering towards the sky as if it had found freedom. Once Robin confirmed Eleanor had chosen correctly, he finally rxed. Then, at thest second of the mechanic voice countdown, he hit the button. The moment he hit the button, Eleanor, not daring to look, covered her eyes and staggered backward. But the expected sound of the Death Door opening did note. Instead, she heard Robin¡¯s clear and loud voice, ¡°Eleanor.¡± Hearing his voice, Eleanor slowly opened her eyes, seeing Robin leaning against the control panel, his head slightly tilted, smiling at her. He was actually quite good looking. When he smiled, the dimples on both cheeks, one deep and one shallow, were quite charming. Seeing his safe and sound smile, Eleanor was overwhelmed with joy and broke down in tears. Robin, on the other hand, spread his arms and tilted his chin at her, ¡°Come here, gimme a hug.¡± After the end of the second round game, Eleanor found the key to the handcuffs in apartment of the suitcase, and the two of them were finally freed. Eleanor smiled and walked over to embrace him, ¡°This is our second brush with death.¡± The first time was during the first round, the second was the seventh. In the meantime, with the assistance of Scarface Man, they had not felt endangered. It was, only these two times that were real. Robin, with his wish fulfilled to hold Eleanor, his smile became even more pronounced. Even though it was justfort after surviving a catastrophe, for him, it was enough for a lifetime. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t chosen correctly just now, I had already decided to go down in your ce.¡± After so many rounds of games, Robin had already figured out the trapdoor mechanism. No matter which round of the game, the trapdoor needed one person to fall in for it to end. So watching Eleanor fall down without doing anything was worse than him going down himself. Robin¡¯s words touched Eleanor. She patted Robin¡¯s back gently, whispering, ¡°No one is worth your life, Robin. You need to take good care of yourself.¡± You¡¯re worth it. Robin said in his heart. It was a bit exaggerated, but he was quite like Bernard, willing to do anything for the one he loved. In the backstage viewing area, Mr. Nine stared at the image of the two embracing, slowly sinking back onto the couch. His clenched fist was resting on his knee, bleeding profusely, it slowly started to loosen¡­ No. 2-7 turned his head, following the trail of blood on his fingers, looking at the chilling Mr. Nine, ¡°The person I invited, and the one Mr. Quartus invited, are quite lucky, they managed to pass this round.¡± After speaking, 2-7 let out a coldugh, ¡°I wonder, without the help from the front and the back stage, can they survive the next two rounds?¡± Mr. Nine didn¡¯t respond, his eyes behind the mask were as dark as ink. After rxing from the intense moment, he kept recalling the program 1-2 had rewritten in the viewing area. If he could break the code of the 1-1 game area, get the authorization to go down, then he could see them¡­ N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. But all he knew now was the program code 1-2 used to lock the game, he didn¡¯t know what the program code to break the authorization was¡­ Chapter 1306 Chapter 1306 Eleanor and Robin thought they would have a week¡¯s break before the next round begins after the seventh round of the game, just like before. But as soon as they returned to their room, the mechanical voice immediately rang out. ¡°yers Eleanor and Robin, the fourth level, Elder Space, the eighth round of the game will start tomorrow. Please be prepared in advance.¡± Eleanor and Robin exchanged nces. Could it be because the puppet master behind Scarface Man had been discovered, so the game was advanced? It was highly probable that this was the case. Otherwise, why would the previously established rule of a one week interval between rounds suddenly change? But who exactly was the puppet master behind Scarface Man, why would they send someone to help them without revealing any information? Both of them were confused, but since they were already in the game, they had to follow the rules. That night, Eleanor couldn¡¯t sleep well. She tossed and turned on her bed, her mind filled with the scene of Scarface Man being devoured by snakes. Ever since she arrived here, she had witnessed so much bloodshed. Every time, she would feel fear and terror, but this time was particrly different. Perhaps.. it was because of Caleb. Robin, on the other bed, turned to her when he heard her tossing about. ¡°If you can¡¯t sleep, we can chat.¡± Eleanor turned to him, her hands folded on her cheek, and asked him, ¡°Do you think Caleb was really swallowed by the snakes?¡± Robin knew the answer, but pretended not to know, shaking his head. ¡°He¡¯s so skilled. He should be able to fight his way out.¡± Could he? Could Caleb kill all those snakes in just a few seconds? Seeing Eleanor lost in thought, Robin spoke softly,forting her. ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. We have another game tomorrow. Rest well.¡± Eleanor asked, ¡°What kind of game will it be tomorrow?¡± Robin shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Eleanor asked again, ¡°Do you think we can get through it?¡± Robin nodded firmly. ¡°Yes.¡± Eleanor gave a bitter smile. ¡°You¡¯re quite the optimist.¡± Robin raised an eyebrow. ¡°Today, we made the blind choice correctly. It shows that we are the true aces. And no one can beat aces¡± Eleanor chuckled. ¡°A few months ago, we were indeed the aces at Cedric¡¯s wedding yacht. I hope we can keep this luck tomorrow.¡± Robin smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure you make it to the ninth round.¡± ¡°If I make it to the ninth round, can I see him?¡± Robin felt a slight pang in his heart, and the smile on his lips gradually faded. ¡°If the Death Door opens in the ninth round, the man in ck will appear. He mighte, or he might not.¡± ¡°I miss him.¡± Eleanor said softly after a long silence. Robin didn¡¯t feel like talking anymore. He turned over and rolled his eyes at the white wall. After spending so much time with him, Eleanor was now able to sense his emotional changes. She knew that when he turned his back to her, he was annoyed. She stared at his back for a moment, then called out, ¡°Robin.¡± Robin responded coldly, ¡°What is it?¡± Eleanor covered her stomach, a little embarrassed. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m hungry.¡± Robin¡¯s annoyance dissipated the moment he heard her soft voice. He got up, opened the bedside table, took out an apple, and handed it to Eleanor. ¡°It¡¯s left over from dinner.¡± He knew she was pregnant and often hungry at night, so he had gotten into the habit of leaving some food for her. Eleanor took the apple and started munching on it quietly. ¡°Robin.¡± As Robin turned to go back to his bed, Eleanor suddenly called out to him again. ¡°Thank you.¡± If it weren¡¯t for hispanionship and care, Eleanor would have had a hard time making it this far. Seeing the sincerity in her eyes, Robin waved his hand nonchntly, ¡°After we get out, give me all the prize money you win.¡± ¡°Do you need money?¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. No, but a few billion is not a small amount. It will be a great gift for my future wife. Eleanor smiled, ¡°Do you have someone you like?¡± Robin looked at Eleanor, her gentle smile glowing in the dim moonlight, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Do you want to know?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± ¡°J won¡¯t tell you.¡± Robin climbed back into bed, turning his back to her again, ¡°Remember, give me the prize money. It¡¯s a deal. Making this whole thing a trade would relieve her of any burden. Eleanor thought he didn¡¯t want to share, so she didn¡¯t ask any further and continued eating her apple After finishing the apple and filling her stomach, Eleanor quickly began to feel sleepy As she was about to drift off; Robin¡¯s voice slowly rang out again, ¡°Eleanor, there¡¯s a question I¡¯ve been wanting to ask you, but I¡¯ve been too afraid to.¡± Eleanor forced her heavy eyelids open and looked at Robin, who was also lying on his side. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s wait until after the eighth round of the game. Then I¡¯ll ask you.¡± Eleanor mumbled in agreement, then closed her eyes and fell asleep. But Robin didn¡¯t. He stared at Eleanor for a long time, then got out of bed and crouched down next to her. ¡°Would you consider being with me if Bernard were dead?¡± Robin¡¯s fingertips gently brushed across her face. His eyes welled up with unshed tears, but he couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°You¡¯re not saying anything, so I¡¯ll take that as a yes.¡± Chapter 1307 Chapter 1307 Eleanor had a good night¡¯s sleep and felt somewhat refreshed the next day, easing her nerves for the uing game. The eighth round was different from the previous ones. A screen appeared on the wall, disying a deck of cards, 54 in total. Please select a card,¡± a voice boomed. Eleanor and Robin, unsure of what the game entailed, exchanged a nce. ¡°Perhaps we have to find the same card. The more cards we find, the better,¡± Robin reasoned, and Eleanor agreed. They each approached the screen and selected a card; Eleanor got the A, and Robin got the Two. These cards had a higher probability of being chosen since there were four of each. However, Area Opaca could be unpredictable. After their selection, all 54 cards on the screen flipped over, disying their backs. Simultaneously, the cards shuffled and started rolling in all directions. ¡°Please draw the card you selected. The number and suit must match,¡± the voice instructed. Luckily, Eleanor had remembered the suit of her card, or else she would have been lost. But the task was daunting; how could they possibly find the correct card in five minutes from such a large array? Robin¡¯s words cut through her panic, ¡°Regardless of our strategy, it¡¯s all down to luck. Let¡¯s just go with our gut.¡± His casual demeanor seemed to rub off on Eleanor, and she felt herself rx a bit. Robin stepped aside and gestured for Eleanor to go first. He was prepared to step in if she made a mistake. After all, he had promised her that he would get her to the ninth round. Only by reaching the ninth round would she have a chance to meet the man in ck Robin believed Bernard woulde to see Eleanor if he was still alive. Unless, he didn¡¯t want her anymore. Robin didn¡¯t mention this possibility to Eleanor, he just let her choose first. Eleanor stared at the rolling cards on the screen, trying to discern a pattern but finding none. The cards were rolling randomly, and with the same colored backs, it was impossible to tell which was which. Her anxiety grew, causing a sharp pain in her stomach. But she had no choice but to soldier on. ¡°Just choose one. Don¡¯t be scared.¡± Robin grabbed her hovering hand and squeezed it reassuringly. Eleanor nced at him, ¡°You choose first.¡± Robin shook his head, ¡°Ladies first.¡± Under the ticking clock, Eleanor gritted her teeth and chose a card. The card she selected flipped over, revealing a Three. She hadn¡¯t chosen the right card, and she knew what that meant. Her mind was flooded with images of Bernard, promising toe back to her. JE She only now realized how difficult his journey back to her was. And yet, she was about to leave before he could return. Eleanor stared at the Three on the screen, epting her fate, and closed her eyes. She awaited her impending death, but suddenly felt Robin grabbing her wrist. ¡°Don¡¯t sacrifice yourself for me!¡± she cried out, trying to resist his pull. But he was stronger, and he pulled her away. Eleanor thought the Death Door was at the control station and rushed towards it, only to crash into a ss door. In the moment Robin had switched ces with her, a transparent door had descended between them. The Death Door was now behind Robin, and a redser beam then targeted Robin¡¯s chest. ¡°No!¡± Eleanor pounded against the ss, screaming his name. But theser, devoid of any emotion, pierced through Robin¡¯s heart. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°ROBIN!!¡± Eleanor¡¯s vision blurred as Robin¡¯s blood sttered on the ss. She desperately tried to clean the blood off the ss, but it was on the inside. Eleanor sank to her knees, looking up at Robin¡¯s lifeless body. His face was as white as a sheet, drained of all color. Seeing Robin like this, Eleanor was inconsble. ¡°You said you were going to ask me a question after the eighth round. You haven¡¯t asked yet, how can you leave so soon?!¡± Hearing Eleanor¡¯s cries, Robin managed a weak smile, ¡°I asked while you were sleepingst night.¡± T Frustrated, Eleanor pounded on the ss door, ¡°I didn¡¯t hear you, Robin, I didn¡¯t hear you! Get up and ask me again, please?!¡± Robin, his white shirt now stained with blood, smiled faintly, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter¡­¡± ¡°It does matter, Robin. Get up and ask me again. I promise I¡¯ll stay awake this time and answer your question.¡± Robin looked at Eleanor, her eyes red from crying, and managed another smile, ¡°There¡¯s some food, in the drawer, for you¡­¡± Hearing this, Eleanor¡¯s cries became even more heart-wrenching. ¡°Robin¡­¡± Before closing his eyes, Robin moved his lips onest time. His lips were moving, but Eleanor didn¡¯t see it. His blood on the ss had obscured his lips. Eleanor dashed to the side, wanting to ask again, but a white wall descended behind the ss door, blocking her view of Robin forever¡­ Chapter 1308 Chapter 1308 ¡°Robin!¡± Eleanor clenched her fists, pounding furiously against the ss door. The door retracted, and her fists hit the wall instead. It was painful, yet numb, as she continued to hammer at the wall. Her small fists wore through the skin, blood seeping out, staining the wall a chilling red. But the wall still stood, unyielding, showing no signs of opening. Eleanor used all her strength but could not break through. Her hands slowly slid down from the door. Her despair, etched in blood, made her look like a lifeless doll. ¡°Robin, I can¡¯t break this wall, I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t save you¡­¡± Eleanor knelt on the floor, helpless, staring at the white wall that separated life from death. Her body felt drained of blood, her limbs cold. Robin¡­ That lofty, moody, somewhat odd man, had met his end because of her¡­ Tears welled up in Eleanor¡¯s eyes, rolling down her cheeks. If it wasn¡¯t for her, Robin wouldn¡¯t have died. It was her fault, her ipetence. She hadn¡¯t found Bernard, hadn¡¯t found Caleb, and now Robin was gone. Eleanor covered her face with her hands, letting the tears flow freely. She should have stopped him from following her. Then he wouldn¡¯t have died. Thinking of Robin covered in blood, Eleanor¡¯s heart clenched and her frail body shivered. She leaned against the wall, hugging her knees, burying her face in her arms. The exhaustion from Robin¡¯s death, her physical weariness and mental copse left her faith in survival shattered. She felt unworthy of life, of facing anyone, especially Katharine. ¡°Please, thest yer, return to your room. The ninth round will start tomorrow. Please prepare in advance.¡± The mechanical voice chimed, but Eleanor didn¡¯t hear it. She just sat against the wall in silence. Backstage, the surveince feed stopped, and 2-7 smirked, turning to Mr. Nine. His slender, pale hands were clenched into fists, blood dripping onto his trousers and the floor. The dripping sound was soft, almost inaudible, but 2-7 could hear and see it. And yet, the more blood dripped, the more satisfied she seemed. As if only such punishment could appease her anger. ¡°Now that the man who was helping her is dead, let¡¯s see if she can pass the final round.¡± 2-7 stood up, leaving the room with an air of arrogance. The others followed, leaving only Mr. Nine sitting on the sofa like a statue. Eleanor didn¡¯t know how long she sat there. Eventually, a mechanical arm picked her up and returned her to her room. The empty Room 9, without Robin¡¯s figure sprawling on the bed, seemed colder¡­ The room was now inhabited by her alone. The bleak scene,bined with the stark white walls, was a perfect match in its misery. Numb, she walked to Robin¡¯s bed, pulled open the drawer. Inside were apples, milk, bread. Not much, but it was what Robin had saved bit by bit over the past two months. He was always worried she would go hungry, so he would only eat a little and save the rest for her, yet he was always pretending toin that he didn¡¯t like eating much. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Each breakfast, he would save a piece of fruit, a box of milk, a slice of bread. So there there would always be something for her when she was hungry at night. He said she could only eat one at a time. If she ate too much, there would be none left for the next day. She had to think about the future, as hunger would increase as the months went by. Although Area Opaca provided food, it was always scarce. Plus, she was eating for two, she always felt hungry. So, no matter how hungry she was, she obediently followed Robin¡¯s rules. But Robin was no longer there. No one to limit her, Eleanor could eat as much as she wanted. She took out all the food from the drawer, eating like a madwoman. They were tasteless. As she ate, tears welled up in her eyes again, and before she knew it, they were streaming down her face. She never thought she¡¯d cry for another man, but Robin had moved her deeply. She wished she knew what question Robin wanted to ask, and what hisst lip movements meant? But it was not possible, Robin had left her, left this world, taking all the answers with him. She would never know. Eleanor sat en Robin¡¯s bed, holding thest apple, lost in her guilt and her questions, for a whole night¡­ Chapter 1309 Chapter 1309 It wasn¡¯t until the mechanical voice echoed that she realized that she had to face death again. ¡°Maybe if Robin had taken his time, I might have bumped into him on the way to heaven,¡± Eleanor thought. With a wry smile, Eleanor rose from her seat, clutching the apple Robin had left behind, and walked out of her room. This time, all the doors were wide open. When she first arrived, there were countless rooms, each numbered. People used to lean on their doors, chatting about why they came to this ce. Now, they were all gone, probably lost in the spaces they had chosen. Whether it was the first round or the fifth, no one survived. 1 Eleanor wandered the halls alone, yearning for a friendly face to appear and greet her with a smile, iming they too had survived. But there was none. Following the mechanical voice, she arrived at the casino of the ninth round. It was a departure from the sterile white of the previous spaces, now adorned with grandeur and opulence. The luxury room was a symbol of the man behind the curtain, was a testament to his wealth and the insignificance of those who entered. From his lofty perch, he watched as people gambled their lives away, with no reverence for life, only a cruel desire to toy with it. Infuriated, Eleanor walked up to the console, and carelessly picked an option. She didn¡¯t bother listening to the rules, for she knew it didn¡¯t matter. Whether she chose right or wrong, it all ended the same way ¨C with death. If she chose the door to death, she would confront the grim reaper asking if Bernard was now in the Area Opaca. If she chose the door to life, she would continue to challenge the other games until she found Bernard. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! As for her own life, did she have the courage to face it? She didn¡¯t. With a sense of despair, Eleanor randomly pressed a key, and the door to life slowly opened. She thought fate was ying a cruel joke on her. In the eighth round, when she needed to choose correctly, she didn¡¯t. Now, when she wanted to choose death, she had chosen life. ¡°The yer invited by 2-7, codename Cross, congrattions, you have sessfullypleted all challenges in the Elderly Space.¡± ¡°You may now choose to leave or stay and continue challenging other games in Area Opaca.¡± ¡°If you choose to leave, please enter the Life Door, and Area Opaca will grant you a substantial reward and escort you home.¡± ¡°If you choose to stay, please press the confirm button on the console, and Area Opaca will open a direct passage to other areas for you.¡± Eleanor listened, scoffed, and without any hesitation, moved to press the confirmation button- ¡°Don¡¯t press it!¡± A cool, maic voice came from behind her. Eleanor¡¯s slender white fingers froze in mid-air. Even with the passage of time, she would always recognize his voice. She stood still, listening to the steady footsteps approaching, until he stood before her. She dared not look up, but slowly raised her eyes to meet the man standing in front of her¡­ His face was hidden behind a mask, making it impossible to discern his features¡­ But his physique, the cold aura he exuded¡­ With just one nce, Eleanor knew it was her Bernard, the one who promised to return home in a month but never did. She looked at him, her pale face struggling to muster a smile but failing. She had imagined their reunion countless times, most of them ended with her running into his arms, telling him ¡°Honey, I finally found you¡±, or yfully saying, ¡°Honey, guess what, I¡¯m pregnant. We¡¯re having a baby.¡± But at this moment, Eleanor couldn¡¯t say anything, she just reached out, attempting to remove his mask She wanted to see his face, but he grabbed her wrist, shaking his head in refusal. Enraged by his reaction, she defiantly snatched off his mask. The face from her memories, the sharp features, the deep-set eyes¡­ The face that was etched into her soul, the one she would recognize even if she lost her memory, was now right in front of her. Tears streamed down her face. The man staring at her, too, had teary eyes. They stared at each other, as if separated by a thousand years, it felt so distant. Eleanor reached out, trembling slightly, to touch his face¡­ She wanted to say, ¡°Honey, I missed you.¡± But the words turned into an usation. With a cold, angry voice, she asked him, ¡°Bernard, why didn¡¯t youe home?¡± Chapter 1310 Chapter 1310 Semard didn¡¯t respond, just looked at her with bloodshot eyes. Eleanor¡¯s hand moved from his face down to his shirt. On the ck fabric, a series of golden letters were embroidered. Ace-Inviter-2-9. This meant that he had be a part of Area Opaca, an operative of a higher rank than the average agent in ck. He had joined the backstage of the Area Opaca, at the same level as the one who invited her to join, 2- 7. He had been in Area Opaca all along, watching her, but he had only shown up now¡­ As she realized this, Eleanor¡¯s tears fell like pearls off a string, unstoppably. She gradually gripped Bernard¡¯s shirt, her face wet with tears, her gaze fixed on him, ¡°Were you injured somewhere, that you weren¡¯t able toe home, to contact me, to see me?¡± One tear after another fell, piercing Bernard¡¯s heart, making it hard for him to breathe He raised his hand, gently wiped away her tears, and shook his head, ¡°No, I broke my promise, I¡¯m sorry.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Eleanor didn¡¯t believe him, tried to reach for his head, but he grabbed her wrist. Without any exnation, Bernard gripped her hand and headed towards the exit. Eleanor followed behind him, looking at the back of his head, his thick hair still there, without any sign of brain surgery. He hadn¡¯t lied to her. Eleanor, her eyes blurred with tears, looked at the silent Bernard, her heart shrouded in fog. Without wasting any time, Bernard quickly pushed her towards the exit, uttering one word, ¡°Leave.¡± To Eleanor, that one word was as cold as the written word on the note he left her, chilling her to the bone, making her feel cold all over. Seeing Bernard push her towards the exit and then turn to leave, Eleanor, not even having time to feel heartbroken, rushed towards him, throwing herself into his arms, clinging to his strong waist. ¡°Honey, I¡¯m sorry, I wasn¡¯t questioning you, I just didn¡¯t understand why you were here all this time, and why you only came to see me now. I was a little angry, but I don¡¯t me you. I know it¡¯s hard toe home, and I know you must have a reason for not being able to. Please don¡¯t make me walk alone. Can we go home together?¡± Her cheek against his chest, feeling his warmth, hearing his heartbeat, smelling his scent, all the tension and longing of the past 150 days and nights poured out, making her cry as if she were a helpless child. The frail figure in his arms was the woman Bernard had been longing for, the woman he thought he would never see again after his surgery, the woman he had broken his promises to, and the woman he had to let go of at this moment. Bernard¡¯s hands tightened around her waist, nearly crushing her into his very bones. All his unwillingness to let go was poured into this embrace, only for rationality to pull back all his thoughts a momentter. ¡°Go now.¡± He pushed Eleanor forcefully, sending her through the Life Door, then turned to leave again. Eleanor ran after him, grabbing his wrist very cautiously. She wanted to hold him tighter, but dared not when she saw Bernard¡¯s cold face. In their rtionship and marriage, Eleanor had always been insecure and fearful. Many times, when Bernard turned cold, she didn¡¯t dare to approach him, didn¡¯t dare to raise her voice, didn¡¯t dare to yell at him¡­ She was afraid, afraid that he would suddenly not want her anymore. She tentatively tightened her grip on his arm, ¡°Honey¡­ let¡¯s go home together.¡± Bernard, let¡¯s go home together, don¡¯t make me wait for you anymore. Chapter 1311 Chapter 1311 Bernard stood rooted to the spot, listening to the ticking countdown in his head. After undergoing a brain surgery, a chip was imnted in him. His movements, his speech, everything was being monitored. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! He had just modified the ninth round of the program, and cracked the program set by Agent 1-1, gaining some control in the process. Yet, the moment he appeared here and began to speak, Agent 1-2 had detected that he had tampered with the game¡¯s code. Now, 1-2 hadn¡¯t initiated the detonation program immediately, instead giving him a five-minute countdown. It was hisst warning. He had to watch his words and return to his designated location within five minutes. Otherwise, his brain would explode, and she would die too. Bernard looked at theser dot constantly aimed at Eleanor¡¯s head, and he suddenly eased his curled- up fist. He scooped Eleanor up in his arms and ushered her into the Life Door, then held her shoulders tightly, preventing her from moving, ¡°I can¡¯t go back right now. You need to leave. Don¡¯te looking for me again, it¡¯s dangerous,¡± he warned. His brain was on a leash. If he strayed more than a hundred meters from Area Opaca, it would automatically detonate. Bernard didn¡¯t want her to worry, so he quickly turned and headed for the exit. Eleanor, however, didn¡¯t listen. She tried to follow him but Bernard spun around, snapping, ¡°I¡¯ve told you not toe looking for me. Robin already died for you. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± At that, Eleanor froze on the spot, as if turned into a puppet. She just stared nkly at Bernard, wordless. She had wanted to tell him that she thought he was dead, that she was worried about him, that she didn¡¯t mean to put Robin in danger¡­ but Eleanor didn¡¯t get a chance to say a word. Without even a backward nce, Bernard left, leaving a heartbroken Eleanor behind, her tears rolling down her cheeks uncontrobly. Suddenly, everything seemed meaningless. Outside, Bernard paused for a moment, then quickly moved to the control panel for the fourth level of the space. His fingers flew across the keyboard, punching in codes. The Life Door had a direct route to the exit of Area Opaca, but it was time-limited. Bernard wanted to speed it up so that Eleanor could leave before his brain exploded. However, when he essed the control panel, he found that the Life Door program was looped back to Room 9, not the exit of Area Opaca. Realizing that 1-2 had changed the program because of him, Bernard knew he had to crack the new program within the remaining two minutes. Whether 1-2 would initiate the detonation program after Eleanor left was not important. As long as she was safe, he was willing to die. As the seconds ticked away, Bernard worked furiously on cracking the code. His beautiful eyes, usually bright as stars, were filled with unshed tears. Seeing the red X on the screen again, Bernard¡¯s frustration boiled over. He punched the control panel, shattering the screen. He took a moment topose himself/ then resumed typing. But the countdown was at five seconds, four, three, two¡­ Just when he thought time was up, the ticking stopped. On the program screen, the Life Door was highlighted with a green safety indicator. This meant that the exit route was open, and Eleanor could leave. But it wasn¡¯t his code modification that brought the change. Someone else was pulling the strings. As Bernard¡¯s handsome brow furrowed, a sharp and familiar female voice came from behind¡­ ¡°Mr. Nine, whether your brain explodes and whether she leaves safely, Agent 1-2 has given me control. What do you say, do you want to make a deal?¡± Chapter 1312 Chapter 1312 At the sound of the voice, Bernard turned around, his face cold, to see Sophie Ratliff sauntering towards him in her high heels. Behind her were Mr. Ben, armed with a controller, and a group of security personnel dressed in ck, all tasked with protecting the two of them. Bernard¡¯s icy gaze was fixated on the controller in Mr. Ben¡¯s hands. He held a list of the members in Siren Organization, and 1-2 thought highly of him and had given him the controller for Bernard¡¯s chip. Should Bernard make a move against Sophie, Mr. Ben would manipte him using the controller. If he tried to attack Mr. Ben, 1-2 would activate the chip, causing him pain and forcing him into submission. A closed loop had already been formed amongst them. It didn¡¯t matter who held the controller. The main concern was whether Eleanor could leave, a decision that 1-2 had also handed over to Sophie. Now, Sophie held Eleanor¡¯s life in her hands. Bernard lifted his frosty gaze, coldly locking eyes with Sophie, ¡°Where¡¯s the console to override the permissions?¡± The console he¡¯d used earlier didn¡¯t work. Only by finding the one that controlled the chip could he break the program. ¡°It¡¯s with 1-2. Unfortunately, you don¡¯t have ess to the upper district, so you can¡¯t find him, nor can you break the program that keeps you within Area Opaca.¡± Every time Sophie approached Bernard, she found herself on the receiving end of a ruthless attack. This time, she came prepared, bringing a group of men in ck who had previously subdued Bernard at the Death Door. Despite Bernard¡¯s incrediblebat abilities, he was outnumbered and once again was dragged away by the security personnel for a chip imnt surgery. The image of Bernard, his skull being cut open and blood pouring out, yet not making a single sound, stirred Sophie¡¯s emotions. But Bernard was ungrateful! Despite her pleas to the men in ck to not hollow out his brain and instead imnt a chip, and even helping him hide his true identity, Bernard was indifferent upon waking up, his mind solely focused on that damn Eleanor. Well, in that case, she would show them what a real life-or-death game looked like! ¡°I traded a list of 10 members of Siren Organization for half an hour. She won¡¯t be harmed within that time, but after that, the snipers will..¡± Sophie made a shooting gesture with her hand and brought it to her lips, mimicking the sound of a gunshot. She then broke into a sinisterugh, the cross-shaped scar on her face looking even more terrifying as sheughed. Enraged, Bernard didn¡¯t care if the broken screen would cut his hand. He pulled out a shard and, moving swiftly, lunged towards Sophie! Bernard was agile, but he was no match for technology. With a mere press on the controller, Mr. Ben sent a wave of excruciating pain through Bernard¡¯s head, -causing his eyes to turn bloodshot and his face deathly pale¡­ He had suffered from a brain tumor before and could not bear the pain of having a chip imnted. Unfortunately, the chip developed by 1-2 was designed to control pain receptors, causing agonizing pain each time it was activated. Despite his pain, Bernard didn¡¯t utter a sound. Looking at his lips trembling, Sophie waved her hand, and Mr. Ben swiftly turned off the pain system. Sophie looked at Bernard, a crooked smile on her lips. Silently moving her lips, she told him, ¡°Bernard, you¡¯re the leader of Siren Organization, as are Evan and Mr. Penrod. If you don¡¯t negotiate with me, your names, along with those of the others, will appear in 1-2¡¯s program room in an hour.¡± The murderous intent in Bernard¡¯s eyes was chillingly cold. Once he had gotten Eleanor out, he would kill them all, then infiltrate the upper district as nned, eliminate 1-2, destroy the chip program, and then find 1-1 and 1-3 who had never visited Area Opaca. After all this, he could safely return home, to the home he shared with Eleanor. In the exclusive space of the ninth round of the game, Eleanor obediently stayed within the Life Door. She crouched in the corner, hugging her arms and curling up. Her frail figure seemed even more fragile at this moment. N?velDrama.Org ? content. The silence was deafening, only broken by her soft breathing, a reminder that she was not just a porcin doll, but a living being. But this being had hollow, lifeless eyes. On the screen of the Life Door, a countdown was disyed. When the time came, the elevator-like area she was in would slowly descend, taking her where she was meant to go. As she waited in despair, a cold and aloof figure slowly entered from outside the door. Eleanor looked up, and as her eyes met his, a spark of light flickered in her eyes. ¡°Honey!¡± She sprang up from the floor and ran towards Bernard. But before she could reach him, a document was thrust in front of her. The hand holding the document was slender and attractive ¨C unmistakably Bernard¡¯s. Following the hand to the document, she saw two bold ck letters-Divorce Agreement. The sight of these words was like a hand clutching her heart, the pain so intense that she could hardly breathe. Chapter 1313 Chapter 1313 She slowly raised her eyes, looking at the man who handed her the papers, who remained silent all this while. She stared at him, her lips parting as if to say something, but her words got stuck in her throat, choked by sobs. Moisture welled up in her eyes, spreading, gradually forming into teardrops, cascading down her cheeks, hot and scalding. They dripped onto the divorce papers, soaking the paper and also Bernard¡¯s eyes. He could hardly bear to look at Eleanor. After putting the papers into her hands, he quickly turned his back. His voice trembled, but the coldness in it masked everything else. ¡°Sign it.¡± Eleanor gently tilted her head, looking at the tall figure who had once shielded her from everything. In the end, she loved him. She didn¡¯t say the spiteful words that were on the tip of her tongue. Instead, she reached out her hand, catching his sleeve, making him turn back. When he turned to face her again, she pointed at the screen on the Life Door, her wordsing out in a rush, ¡°You told me to leave earlier, but I¡¯ve been waiting here, waiting for the right time to walk out. When it¡¯s time, I¡¯ll leave immediately and nevere back. Can you please not divorce me?¡± She knew that Bernard was always rushing her, always trying to protect her from danger. So, she decided to stop arguing, to listen to him, to stay in the Life Door. It was because the Life Door of the ninth round stayed open, so she didn¡¯t leave. But did he really have to do this? Eleanor looked at Bernard, her eyes filled with unshed tears, ¡°Years ago, you divorced me because of an unavoidable circumstance. Now I know, you have your reasons for forcing me away. I will leave, but why can¡¯t you just exin things to me? Why do you have to force me like this?¡± From the moment he became Mr. Law, she knew nothing about him. It was only when he was in danger, and she kept asking him, that he revealed some information. She understood that the leader of S had to be cautious, and she understood that Bernard didn¡¯t want her to take risks. But shouldn¡¯t a husband and wife share everything? Why was he always hiding things from her and making decisions for her? Bernard opened his mouth, wanting to exin something to her, but a sudden pain shot through his head, and his face turned deathly pale. At the same time, Eleanor saw Sophie, who wore the number Ace-Inviter-2-7 on her clothes, walking up to Bernard in her high heels, naturally linking her arm with his. ¡°Bernard, has she signed it?¡± The words Eleanor wanted to say got stuck in her throat. She didn¡¯t even look at Sophie, she just stared at Bernard, waiting for him to push Sophie away. Because her husband/wouldn¡¯t let other women touch him. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. After about 30 seconds of waiting, Bernard didn¡¯t push Sophie away. Eleanor felt a pang of disappointment. She lowered her eyes, looking at her belly, which should have shown signs of pregnancy, but didn¡¯t due to her skinny figure. ¡°I won¡¯t sign. Are you using her to provoke me?¡± Sophie let out a derisiveugh, ¡°Ms. Shultz, can¡¯t you see? Bernard doesn¡¯t want you anymore. That¡¯s why he¡¯s divorcing you. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t havee back for you after sending you into the Life Door¡­¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t look at Sophie, she just stared at Bernard. ¡°If she¡¯s threatening you with my life, then Bernard, let me tell you, I came here prepared to die. You live, we fight together. You die, I die with you. We promised each other, to be together in life and death, never to part. Do you remember?¡± Bernard¡¯s eyes slowly moved to her belly. He had seen it in the monitors, her taking medication to prevent miscarriage, her curled up from hunger, her sitting by the bed, asionally touching her belly. He knew she was pregnant with their child. Could he still be selfish and make her and their child risk their lives with him? Bernard stood there for a moment, reining in all his emotions. He lifted his cold, indifferent gaze, looking at Eleanor. ¡°I remember every word I¡¯ve ever said to you. But things are different now. Consider it as I betrayed you.¡± Chapter 1314 Chapter 1314 Eleanor hadid out her cards on the table, and yet the answer she was given was a cold shoulder. She felt a sense of defeat, a smirk ying on her lips, ¡°There should be a reason for your betrayal, right?¡± right?¡± Sophie clung to Berard¡¯s arm, resting her head on his shoulder, ¡°Can¡¯t you see, he¡¯s with me now.¡± A fulugh escaped Eleanor¡¯s lips, ¡°How can he be with you when he despises you so much. If you want to get rid of me, just do it. Don¡¯t disgust him, or me.¡± Sophie didn¡¯t seem perturbed by Eleanor¡¯s words, she simply lifted her fair hand and gently caressed her belly, ¡°Yes, he despised me once, but things have changed. I¡¯m bearing his child, so he should bear some responsibility¡­¡± Eleanor¡¯s body, which she had been forcing herself to keep upright, froze instantly. From her hands to her feet, a chill ran through her body. The belief that ¡®he was doing this to protect me¡¯ copsed abruptly in her mind. Her disbelieving gaze moved from Sophie¡¯s smug face to Bernard¡¯s, ¡°Tell me it¡¯s not true, and I will believe you.¡± Bernard, drenched in cold sweat from the pain, was listening to the ticking of a countdown in his head, simultaneously looking past her face to the redser sight behind her head. The crimson glow at the corner of his eye extinguished in the re of the light, reced by an even more terrifying icy gaze. ¡°I was drunk, so I made a mistake.¡± His words plunged Eleanor into her own personal hell. She tried to w her way out, but countless hands were pulling her back, dragging her into an endless darkness. In that moment, she could neither see nor hear anything, all she could hear was the rhythmic beating of her own heart. So, hearts could still beat, no wonder it hurt so much. It felt as if it was ripped apart, bleeding under the scorching sun, the burning sensation was unbearable, bringing tears to Eleanor¡¯s eyes. ¡°So, you want to divorce me not because you have no choice, but because you made a mistake and impregnated another woman, but Bernard¡­¡± Eleanor lifted her chin slightly, forcing back the tears threatening to spill. She stared at the man in front of her who had wronged her, and said, ¡°I am also pregnant.¡± For some reason, using the word ¡®also¡¯ made her feel like a third wheel. Yet, facing these two people and a divorce agreement, she felt like an outsider. Eleanor could not help but scoff internally, her eyes still fixed on Bernard. She wanted to see how he would react, but he was just looking at her indifferently. She had dreamed that Bernard would be overjoyed to learn she was pregnant and would twirl her around in his arms. None of that happened, only indifference and detachment. His cold gaze was no different from the day he had abandoned her with just a piece of agreement. So, Eleanor understood, he had chosen to abandon her once again, for Sophie. After a bitterugh, Eleanor slowly picked up the divorce agreement, flipping it open to the first page. She found herself remembering their wedding vows signed in Irnd. There was a memorable line: ¡®Today, on February 14th, Valentine¡¯s Day, the groom Bernard, the bride Eleanor, united in matrimony, till death do us part, for a hundred years! Eleanor, who had etched this vow into her mind, silently smirked, ¡°It hasn¡¯t been a hundred years, and the groom has already broken his word.¡± These words caused Bernard to stiffen. He instinctively pushed Sophie away and tried to reach for Eleanor¡¯s hand, but Sophie raised her hand towards the direction of the sniper rifle. Multiple red dots immediately focused on the back of Eleanor¡¯s head, forcing Bernard to retract his hand. Eleanor, who was looking down at the agreement, didn¡¯t see any of this. She just flipped through the pages, as if giving Bernard a chance to stop her. But when she didn¡¯t hear him speak, she knew she couldn¡¯t wait any longer. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Eleanor quickly flipped to thest page, fighting back the tears welling up in her eyes. She looked up at Bernard, ¡°Onest question, did you sleep with her because you were drunk, or because you loved her?¡± Before Bernard could answer, Sophie answered for him, ¡°Well, he was drunk at first, but then we did it a couple more times, so he must have grown feelings for me¡­¡± Eleanor regarded Sophie with such disdain that she didn¡¯t even bother to step on her. She just looked at Bernard, ¡°Is that how it is?¡± Chapter 1315 Chapter 1315 The emotion reflected in her eyes was a bone-chilling coldness, aplete disappointment in him that he had never seen before. Seeing those icy eyes, Bernard knew that if he nodded, it would mean he would lose her forever, with no hope of regaining her love. Because he had hurt her in the same way before, and it had taken them many years to find their way back to each other. If this happened again, with her nature, no matter what his reasons were, she would never give him a second chance. Bernard was loath to let her go and dreaded the thought of her being with another man, butpared to her life, their child, her leaving him seemed trivial at this point. He slowly unclenched his fist and gave a slight nod towards Eleanor. With his answer, Eleanor couldn¡¯t describe her feelings. She just managed a smile, a faint one. If Bernard had imed it was because he was drunk that he had made a mistake, she might have believed him. But he admitted he had fallen for Sophie, and Eleanor knew he had never slept with Sophie. She knew Bernard loved her so much that he would even give up his life for her. How could he possibly fall for another woman in such a short period of time? He was forced to do so. But Eleanor couldn¡¯t ept this kind of action. It was too hurtful, again and again, like a fool, she was unknowingly bearing his forced actions. Eleanor had tried to retain Bernard and even gave him a chance to clear things up. She even expressed that she would fight alongside him, but Bernard remained silent. So, there was no need for her to stay here anymore. Let him be forced alone. She suddenly took the pen clipped on the divorce agreement, signed her name quickly, threw the agreement to Bernard, raised her frosty eyes, and looked at him coldly, ¡°Onest chance, if you tear up this agreement, I¡¯ll wait for you at home. If not, will never see you again.¡± A heart-wrenching pain spread from the tips of his fingers, through every limb, and even his brain, which was constantly stimted by pain signals. Despite this, Bernard stood tall in front of Eleanor, saying nothing. His silence was the answer. Eleanor had no expectations of him anymore. She turned around and walked into the elevator, but as she stepped in, she looked back at Bernard, whose eyes were bloodshot. She stayed in ce for two seconds, suddenly turned around, sprinted towards him, stood on her tiptoes, ripped open his shirt cor, opened her mouth, and bit his shoulder with all her strength, until he was bleeding. Bernard slightly furrowed his brows, feeling herst bite. Even though the pain was intensifying, he didn¡¯t push her away. His fingers on her back even applied more pressure, as if he would hold her tighter and let her continue biting if she stopped. Eleanor bit and cried, her tears mixing with the blood. It tasted salty, but she kept biting until she felt her teeth sinking into his bone. Only then did she gradually let 1. ¡°I was afraid to hurt you before, so I didn¡¯t leave a mark. This time, I did.¡± Bernard understood why she had bitten him. He had once told her that he would never upset her with another woman. He had promised her that he would never fall in love with anyone else in his life and let her bite his shoulder, using the blood to witness his oath. But now he admitted he had fallen for someone else. Eleanor was telling him that he had broken his word in this way. She also reminded him that she didn¡¯t believe he had fallen for someone else. So, she ruthlessly left a mark to let him know that she was no longer afraid of hurting him because she would never forgive him again. Bernard couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and tried to grab Eleanor¡¯s hand, but she pushed him away, turned around, and walked into the elevator. Just before the doors closed, Eleanor spoke again in a cold voice, ¡°Is Caleb still alive?¡± Bernard, who was about to grab her, remembered the scene of Caleb being bitten by a snake and died. He sobered up instantly. He had already lost one person and couldn¡¯t let her die in front of him too. Bernard was able to suppress his unbearable emotions in an instant, stopped in his tracks, dropped his powerless hand, and looked at Eleanor, who was coldly staring at him, ¡°The broken bones that Evan brought back were Caleb¡¯s.¡± Looking at Bernard¡¯s red eyes, Eleanor¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Even though she had already guessed the oue, she still couldn¡¯t help feeling cold all over when she heard of Caleb¡¯s death. She came here, found Bernard, confirmed Caleb¡¯s death, but caused Robin¡¯s death, and divorced Bernard. Everything had an answer, but she and Bernard could never face Katharine again. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! The moment Eleanor looked down, the elevator doors closed and quickly descended. Through the thick ss, she looked up, gave Bernard one Tast look, and in her memory, that tall and upright figure shed by. All she could see was a world of white Chapter 1316 Chapter 1316 Bernard stood frozen for a moment, before mechanically tearing up the divorce papers without a second thought. He suppressed all the reluctance in his eyes before turning to look at Sophie. ¡°I have yed your game, hurt her, and made her sign the divorce papers. Now open the exit to Area Opaca.¡± Sophie, who had been enjoying the drama, didn¡¯t stop him from tearing up the papers. After all, her goal was to make Bernard suffer and to let Eleanor feel the pain of being abandoned. Whether he tore up the papers or not, it didn¡¯t matter to her. T With this thought, Sophie rxed her/crossed arms and wanted to pat Bernard lightly on his chest. But before her fingers could touch him, he swiftly dodged her. Sophie¡¯s hand froze for a moment before she casually stroked her fingertips, ¡°She was already in when Ben opened the door.¡± The man Sophie referred to was Mr. Ben, number 2-8, who¡¯was currently sitting in the control room of the upper sector, holding a chip controller and watching the two of them on the monitor. Bernard shot Sophie a cold nce before quickly heading towards the operation table. On the cracked screen, the green direction key was slowly moving towards the exit of Area Opaca¡­ He kept his eyes fixed on the arrow until it disyed that the door to Area Opaca was open and that the yer had safely exited. Only then did the coldness in his eyes suddenly change into a murderous intent. Without any hesitation, he reached out his slender finger picked up a piece of broken ss, held it in his hand, and quickly returned to the ninth game room. Sophie was casually sitting on the operation table, twirling her hair and smiling at him with a tilted head, ¡°That console, although it can¡¯t modify the program, it links to the life gate channel, and the map disyed on the screen is real. So, I¡¯ve done what I promised, there¡¯s no need to kill me, right?¡± Sophie had guessed that Bernard would try and kill her, so she wasn¡¯t surprised or afraid of him taking action against her. She just lounged there, looking at Bernard who was holding the shard and heading towards her. Without any hesitation, Bernard aimed for her neck, intending to slit her throat. The pain in his head was exploding and rushing towards him, but he held on, cutting- towards her neck. Sophie felt a chill on her neck as a cut was made, and blood suddenly spilled out. If it weren¡¯t for Mr. Ben acting quickly and pressing the level ten pain key, the shard could have easily cut her throat open. Touching her neck and seeing the blood on her fingertips, Sophie suddenly got angry. Like a madwoman, she kicked Bernard who had already passed out on the floor. Seeing her injured, Mr. Ben immediately turned off the monitor of the ninth game room and left the control room. He arrived at the lower sector and saw Sophie crouching on the ground, carefully touching the unconscious Bernard. Seeing this scene, Mr. Ben halted, then walked towards Sophie with the chip controller in hand, looking down at her face marked with a cross scar. ¡°You¡¯ve already achieved your goal of revenge against him and his wife. When will you activate the chip detonation key?¡± Sophie¡¯s hand, which was stroking Bernard¡¯s leg, stiffened for a moment. Then she let go and looked at the controller in Mr. Ben¡¯s hand. A simple press, and this man who had tried to kill her countless times would be dead. She could also relieve her grudge from being abandoned years ago. However, as Sophie stared at Bernard¡¯s stunningly beautiful face, a face that had been etched into her mind for so many years, she felt a sudden reluctance when the moment to act finally came. ¡°I haven¡¯t had enough revenge yet. Let¡¯s lock him in the istion room for now and slowly torture him to death.¡± Mr. Ben, who had been waiting to press the detonation key, was filled with disappointment upon hearing these words. Sophie had promised him that once she had had her fill of torturing Bernard, she would kill him. Why had she suddenly gone soft Bernard stood frozen for a moment, before mechanically tearing up the divorce papers without a second thought. He suppressed all the reluctance in his eyes before turning to look at Sophie. ¡°I have yed your game, hurt her, and made her sign the divorce papers. Now open the exit to Area Opaca.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Sophie, who had been enjoying the drama, didn¡¯t stop him from tearing up the papers. After all, her goal was to make Bernard suffer and to let Eleanor feel the pain of being abandoned. Whether he tore up the papers or not, it didn¡¯t matter to her. With this thought, Sophie rxed her crossed arms and wanted to pat Bernard lightly on his chest. But before her fingers could touch him, he swiftly dodged her. Sophie¡¯s hand froze for a moment before she casually stroked her fingertips, ¡°She was already in when Ben opened the door.¡± The man Sophie referred to was Mr. Ben, number 2-8, who was currently sitting in the control room of the upper sector, holding a chip controller and watching the two of them on the monitor. Bernard shot Sophie a cold nce before quickly heading towards the operation table. On the cracked screen, the green direction key was slowly moving towards the exit of Area Opaca¡­ He kept his eyes fixed on the arrow until it disyed that the door to Area Opaca was open and that the yer had safely exited. Only then did the coldness in his eyes suddenly change into a murderous intent. Without any hesitation, he reached out his slender finger, picked up a piece of broken ss, held it in his hand, and quickly returned to the ninth game room. Sophie was casually sitting on the operation table, twirling her hair and smiling at him with a tilted head, ¡°That console, although it can¡¯t modify the program, it links to the life gate channel, and the map disyed on the screen is real. So, I¡¯ve done what I promised, there¡¯s no need to kill me, right?¡± Sophie had guessed that Bernard would try and kill her, so she wasn¡¯t surprised or afraid of him taking action against her. She just lounged there, looking at Bernard who was holding the shard and heading towards her. Without any hesitation, Bernard aimed for her neck, intending to slit her throat. The pain in his head was exploding and rushing towards him, but he held on, cutting towards her neck. Sophie felt a chill on her neck as a cut was made, and blood suddenly spilled out. If it weren¡¯t for Mr. Ben acting quickly and pressing the level ten pain key, the shard could have easily cut her throat open. Touching her neck and seeing the blood on her fingertips, Sophie suddenly got angry. Like a madwoman, she kicked Bernard who had already passed out on the floor Seeing her injured, Mr. Ben immediately turned off the monitor of the ninth game room and left the control room. He arrived at the lower sector and saw Sophie` crouching on the ground, carefully touching the unconscious Bernard. Seeing this scene, Mr. Ben halted, then walked towards Sophie with the chip controller in hand, looking down at her face marked with a cross scar. ¡°You¡¯ve already achieved your goal of revenge against him and his wife. When will you activate the chip detonation key?¡± Sophie¡¯s hand, which was stroking Bernard¡¯s leg, stiffened for a moment. Then she let go and looked at the controller in Mr. Ben¡¯s hand. A simple press, and this man who had tried to kill her countless times would be dead. She could also relieve her grudge from being abandoned years ago. However, as Sophie stared at Bernard¡¯s stunningly beautiful face, a face that had been etched into her mind for so many years, she felt a sudden reluctance when the moment to act finally came. ¡°I haven¡¯t had enough revenge yet. Let¡¯s lock him in the istion room for now and slowly torture him to death.¡± Mr. Ben, who had been waiting to press the detonation key, was filled with disappointment upon hearing these words. Sophie had promised him that once she had had her fill of torturing Bernard, she would kill him. Why had she suddenly gone soft? Chapter 1317 Chapter 1317 ¡°It was 1-2 who told me to put the chip in his head. The one who turned him into a pawn was also 1-2, because 1-2 saw potential in his skills and abilities, so he let him y his dark games, even hacking into 1-1¡¯s purview instead of having him killed. This shows that 1-2 still needs him.¡± Sophie exined, then stood up and embraced Mr. Ben¡¯s waist, pleading gently, ¡°Ben, 1-2 gave me half an hour of control, not for us to act on our own. We shouldn¡¯t challenge his authority. Let¡¯s send him to the brig and let 1-2 punish him as he sees fit.¡± His hand, already hovering over the detonation switch, retreated slowly at her words, moving to hold Sophie¡¯s waist instead, ¡°But what if we don¡¯t kill him now, and one day 1-2 decides to use him again? What if he uses 1-2¡¯s authority to turn on us? ¡°Remember, we have his biggest secret. If 1-2 decides to trust him again, we¡¯ll expose him. We¡¯ll leave him with nowhere to hide!¡± Seeing the murderous intent in Sophie¡¯s eyes, Mr. Ben nodded in satisfaction. He and Bernard had joined Siren Organization together, but Mr. Penrod had always favored Bernard. He personally taught and nurtured him, and when he came of age, he even made him the leader. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. All he could be was a subordinate to Bernard, not even a right-hand man like Caleb or Scott. He had long despised Bernard, and was tired of his arrogant demeanor. Luckily, fate had shown him the existence of the Area Opaca. At the same time, he had met Sophie, who he loved. Seeing Sophie discarded and tormented by Bernard, Mr. Ben despised him even more. That¡¯s why he took Sophie and together, they joined the Area Opaca. Sophie hated Bernard more than he did, so he let Sophie take revenge. He allowed her to hold the list of the members of Siren Organization and negotiate with 1-2 to be an operator for the Area Opaca. He was content to be second inmand, assisting her. They became influential figures in Area Opaca. Even the feared 1-4 didn¡¯t dare to challenge them. Mr. Ben had never been valued so much as in Area Opaca. It was something Siren Organization couldn¡¯t or wouldn¡¯t give him. He decided if Siren Organization wouldn¡¯t value him, he would destroy them. As for the brotherhood in Siren Organization, it was nothingpared to his current status, or the satisfaction of seeing Bernard miserable. Thinking about Bernard forced to separate from his wife and watching Caleb being swallowed by a snake, Mr. Ben couldn¡¯t help butugh. Bernard probably never thought he¡¯d be yed and controlled by him!¡­ As he looked at the unconscious Bernard, Mr. Ben smirked. Just then, Sophie asked, ¡°Ben, has my dad left yet?¡± Mr. Ben nced back at Sophie, nodding, ¡°Uncle Vernon left a while ago. As soon as the ck-d men guarding Eleanor leave, he¡¯ll take care of her¡­ permanently.¡± Sophie had a greater hatred for Eleanor than Mr. Ben had for Bernard. She believed that Eleanor had stolen Bernard from her, so she could never let Eleanor go. She had a n. As soon as the yers reached their destination, her father would take Eleanor away. This way, she could uphold the rules of Area Opaca and easily kill Eleanor. So, Bernard should have listened to Eleanor and faced it with her together. At least they could die together. Now, he was heartbroken and separated from her. It was quite a show. Thinking about how she had yed them both, Sophie felt ted. Of course, it helped that Eleanor couldn¡¯t let go of Bernard. That¡¯s why she was lured into Area Opaca. Otherwise, Sophie would have had to go out and kill her, which would have been quite a hassle. Sophie scoffed at Bernard in her mind. Since he loved and cherished Eleanor so much, let him suffer the pain of losing her once again! Sophie turned her malicious gaze away and tightened her grip on Mr. Ben¡¯s arm, ¡°Ben, let¡¯s go back to our room and celebrate. We can pop open a bottle of champagne and then¡­¡± Sophie tiptoed to whisper in Mr. Ben¡¯s ear, ¡°I¡¯ll make it worth your while¡­ for as long as you want¡­¡± Mr. Ben grinned, pulling her chin up for a hard kiss, ¡°Sounds good. But first, let¡¯s take care of that wound on your neck¡­¡± Sophie brushed off his concern, cleaning the blood from her neck, ¡°This wound is a testament to our sessful revenge. Let it bleed as we celebrate!¡± Chapter 1318 Chapter 1318 The moment Eleanor stepped out of the Life Door, she suddenly fainted. When she woke up, she found herself back on the deserted ind she had originally arrived on, with her suitcase and a note with an address to collect her prize money nearby. Area Opaca would leave the cash at the designated spot for the sessful yers to pick up, probably to avoid any traces leading back to them. She put away the address in her suitcase and got up to look for a ship by the shore. While she didn¡¯t find a ship, she did run into an acquaintance ¨C one she would rather avoid. Cameron Ratliff, due to his own daughter¡¯s situation, had now be the leader of a group of men in ck from the Area Opaca gang. He was standing on the beach with his men, waving at Eleanor. ¡°Ms. Shultz, long time no see,¡± he greeted. Eleanor knew exactly what Cameron had nned the moment she saw him. She turned and ran. Cameron gestured, and his men in ck swiftly moved to intercept her. Eleanor was fast, quickly disappearing into the tall grass. The men in ck were taller than Eleanor, so they could see where she was headed. They leisurely followed her trail, parting the grass with their des. Once they had their fill of the chase, they quickly found Eleanor, threw a ck hood over her head, and hoisted her up onto their shoulders. They carried her straight onto a ship. Only when the ship had sailed into the deste deep sea did Cameron order his men to remove her hood. As her vision cleared, Eleanor looked up at the man standing on deck. She knew in her heart that he was her biological father, yet he was nning to kill her for the sake of his other daughter. Cameron looked at Eleanor¡¯s face, a slight frown on his. Every time he saw her, he found her familiar, especially her eyes and eyebrows, which resembled those of Sophie Ratliff and somewhat his own. While this resemnce wasforting, it also made him ufortable. Nevertheless, he put away his de and motioned for Eleanor to jump into the sea. Eleanor looked at the blue-green sea, recalling how Vanya Pine had mentioned in a video that Cameron had pushed her, Emilia, and their newborn sister into the sea to save Sophie and her mother. Sheughed at the irony of history repeating itself. Mustering up her strength, Eleanor dusted herself off, got up from the deck, and without any fear, walked towards Cameron. ¡°Why did you help Katrina?¡± she asked. At the mention of Katrina, Cameron froze in surprise. ¡°How do you know her?¡± he asked. Eleanor slightly lifted her face, allowing Cameron to see it more clearly. ¡°You¡¯ve never seen my mother¡¯s true face, have you? She looked just like me.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. This revtion hit Cameron like a bolt from the blue. ¡°You¡­ You are Emilia Ratliff?¡± ¡°No.¡± Eleanor shook her head and said calmly, ¡°I am Elena.¡± Cameron looked at Eleanor in disbelief. It all made sense now; the reason he found her so familiar. She was the baby he had personally taken from the nurse in the delivery room. He had considered sparing them for the sake of the child, but Katrina refused to continue funding him, and Sophie¡¯s mother, Silver Ratliff, insisted he get rid of them, or she would take Sophie andmit suicide. To him, his childhood sweetheart and first love, Silver, was more important than Katrina, with whom he didn¡¯t share a deep emotional bond. So, he bought a cruise ship, tricked Katrina into going on a vacation, and pushed them off the ship when she was not looking. He never expected that they would survive, even the baby. And that she would grow up to work in his company for so many years without him recognizing her! Shocked, Cameron looked at Eleanor and asked, ¡°Where is your mother now?¡± Eleanor thought of her mother¡¯s life and struggles, her eyes welling up with tears, ¡°She passed away a long time ago.¡± Stunned, Cameron had assumed her hatred for him was why she had never revealed herself or sought revenge. He didn¡¯t expect that she was already gone. ¡®And¡­ what about your sister, Emilia?¡± He had some affection for Emilia, his first child, who was smart and obedient since childhood. Remembering her as a little girl, always happy and energetic, running into his arms, Cameron couldn¡¯t help but reach out to grab Eleanor¡¯s hand ¡®Tell me where Emilia is. I want to see her.¡± Chapter 1319 Chapter 1319 Eleanor, repulsed, shoved Cameron¡¯s hand away. ¡°Thanks to you, she¡¯s dead now.¡± Vanya had starved on the streets of G country, and Emilia was left alone. All this was Cameron¡¯s doing. His ruthlessness tore the mother and daughters apart, leading them down tragic paths. Yet, Cameron had groomed Sophie into a well-educated, rich, and beautiful woman, paving the way for her future. He ensured that she never went hungry or cold. He would never allow her to beg like Emilia, or barely cling to life like Eleanor. ¡°She¡¯s¡­dead?¡± As Cameron recovered from his shock, he tried to reach for Eleanor¡¯s hand again, ¡°If she survived on the sea, how did she die? What happened?¡± Eleanor, once again repulsed, shoved his hand away, ¡°Stop pretending to care about them. Just answer my question. Why did you help Katrina back then?¡± She knew how Vanya was killed by Cameron, but she didn¡¯t know why Cameron helped Vanya. Was he aware of Katrina¡¯s identity as Vanya from the start? Did he know she had arge inheritance, and was that why he targeted her? If so, Vanya was caught in a web of conspiracy and treachery, a life that was so unjustly snuffed. Cameron, unusually, didn¡¯t lose his temper at Eleanor¡¯s treatment. Instead, he calmly studied Eleanor¡¯s beautiful face, ¡°I saw your mother, her facepletely unrecognizable, wandering her in fed her, o the streets of G country. I pitied her and took her in, her, gave her shelter, and encouraged her to live on.¡± ??? ¡°When mypany was on the brink of bankruptcy, I bumped into her at the airport. She had undergone stic surgery and I didn¡¯t recognize her. She told me who she was, the woman I¡¯d once helped. She thanked me by investing in mypany. The Ratliff Group managed to survive because of her. I was grateful and married her. We had a child together. I intended to live a good life with her.¡± Eleanor believed the first two parts, but not thest. Vanya had said in the video that Cameron only married her for her money. The woman he truly loved was his childhood sweetheart, Silver. While he was building a family with Vanya, he had another family with Silver. After using Vanya¡¯s assets and abilities to help the Ratliff Group be a tycoon in A City, Cameron ruthlessly discarded Vanya, who had silently supported him. He even bought a cruise ship, tricking her into taking a vacation with their children. Once on board, he pushed the three of them overboard. Once they had outlived their usefulness, they were no longer valuable to him. Without peeding Vanya¡¯s existence anymore, Cameron revealed his true colors and got rid of the burdens. They both knew what happened in the past. Cameron didn¡¯t try to argue much. He just stared at Eleanor¡¯s face, unable to resist reaching out to touch her. ¡°So, your mother was originally¡­ this beautiful¡­¡± Katrina¡¯s past, identity, and appearance were always hidden from him. If he had known, he would have recognized Eleanor when she first joined the Ratliff Group. Eleanor stepped back to avoid Cameron¡¯s touch. The disgust and hatred in her eyes were undisguised. Seeing this, Cameron didn¡¯t get angry but merely chuckled. ¡°You know, the name Elena¡­ was my suggestion to your mother.¡± He approached Eleanor, patting her shoulder in a fatherly manner, ¡°I wanted you to grow up in warmth. Butter¡­¡± ¡°Later, your greed and heartlessness blinded you, and you tried to strangle me in my cradle.¡± Her icy words left Cameron speechless, but Eleanor was only stating the truth, which he couldn¡¯t refute. As Cameron silently stared at Eleanor¡¯s face, his pocketed phone suddenly buzzed. It was a call from Sophie. Seeing the iing call, he withdrew his gaze from Eleanor and turned to answer the phone. ¡°Dad, did you kill that bitch Eleanor yet?¡± Sophie demanded right away. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Cameron nced back at Eleanor, hesitating, ¡°Sophie, she hasn¡¯t done anything to hurt you, let¡¯s just punish her a bit, don¡¯t kill her¡­¡± ¡°Dad, what are you saying?!¡± Sophie, furious, stood up from the sofa, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for her, Bernard Laurence would have married me already. It was her who stole my man, and her who ruined my face. How could I possibly let her go?¡± Chapter 1320 Chapter 1320 Cameron felt a pang of uncertainty. Sensing his unease, Sophie immediately asked, ¡°Dad, what kind of sweet talk did she spin you into that you¡¯re suddenly having second thought?¡± Usually, Cameron would meet all her demands. Nothing was too much for his spoiled princess. So why was he pleading for Eleanor now? ¡°Dad, please don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve been bewitched by her beauty. That would make her the worst kind of woman!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, there¡¯s only ever been one woman in my life, your mother.¡± Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but scoff at his words. Living off her mother¡¯s wealth, raising Sophie with it, now he dered his undying love for another woman right in front of her. It was ludicrous. Cameron didnt see Eleanor¡¯s derisive smile. All he could hear was the heart-wrenching sobbing from the other end of the phone, ¡°Dad, whatever reason you have for defending that tramp, you need to get rid of her today, or I swear I¡¯ll make you regret it!¡± This kind of threat always worked on Cameron, even when Sophie was a child. He turned back to Eleanor. He knew she was his own flesh and blood and felt a degree of guilt, butpared to his beloved Sophie, Eleanor meant nothing to him. So, he begrudgingly agreed, ¡°Fine.¡± Sophie¡¯s crying quieted, but she added one more condition, ¡°Make sure Larson records it all. I need to see it over and over, to rid me of this anger!¡± To please his darling Sophie, Cameron agreed to her request. After hanging up the phone, he tossed it to Larson, ¡°Turn on the camera, record everything.¡± Then, Cameron turned to Eleanor, ¡°I can¡¯t disappoint my daughter for you. So, I¡¯m sorry, Elena¡­¡± Hearing his words, Eleanor justughed coldly. Cameron didn¡¯t give her a chance to respond, lunging forward. But before he could reach her, Eleanor grabbed his wrist, pulling him over the edge of the boat with her. If she was going down, he was going down with her. At least she could get some revenge for her mother. Cameron hadn¡¯t expected Eleanor to pull him into the sea. The moment they sshed into the water, he was momentarily stunned. He quickly recovered, looking at Eleanor with wide eyes. She was holding onto his wrist, not intending to let go. It was clear she wanted him to go down with her. Cameron held his breath, struggling against Eleanor¡¯s grip. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. However, he was stronger. He pried her fingers off his wrist one by one, then pushed her deeper into the sea. Eleanor reached out towards him, but Cameron just looked back at her. He paused for a moment, his eyes meeting hers. Then, without a backward nce, he swam to the surface. Eleanor was supposed to have died as a baby. He was just sending her to join her mother and sister. He was doing them a favor by reuniting them. There was nothing wrong with that. As she watched his retreating figure, Eleanor remembered an old saying: A father¡¯s silhouette is as towering as a mountain. It was true. Her father¡¯s silhouette was indeed towering, but terribly cold and distant¡­ Her hand slowly dropped, and the surging waves began to pull her down deeper. Exhausted and out of strength, Eleanor could only watch as the water closed in around her. What a lousy life she¡¯d led. She never experienced the love of her parents, forced to fend for herself from a young age. Then she thought she would marry her first love, but a car ident and amnesia had torn them apart, even taking her life prematurely. And just when she thought she¡¯d found happiness with a man who¡¯d helped her, he¡¯d been forced to put her through a death experience¡­ Maybe the universe was finally showing her some mercy, lending her sister¡¯s life to let her live a little longer, letting her know that Bernard truly loved her. But now that she¡¯d experienced that, it was time to take back the borrowed life. So, the universe had sent her own father to finish her off. But what about the child in her womb? The child hadn¡¯t even had the chance to see the world yet, and now it was being taken away with her, And what else¡­ what else was there? Eleanor slowly closed her eyes, sumbing to the darkness¡­ Chapter 1321 Chapter 1321 Bernard jolted awake, his heart pounding painfully in his chest. Instinctively, he thought of Eleanor and the pain intensified. He had sent her away without exnation, and he didn¡¯t know whether it was right or wrong. But he felt an unsettling sense of loss, as if something precious was slipping away from him. The excruciating pain turned his face pale, his fingers gently tracing the bite mark on his corbone. The pain eased a little at the touch. Eleanor had left a mark on him, a beacon in his loneliness, a temporary respite from his gloom. Wrapped in darkness, he could hardly see anything. The sound of rhythmic tapping echoed from the adjoining wall: Bernard sat up straight, straining his ears to decipher the Morse code: [It¡¯s me, Mr. Quartus.] With a nod, he tapped back: [How¡¯s Robin doing?] A cold, ruthless look shed in Bernard¡¯s eyes. He had a hard time killing Sophie and Mr. Ben due to the chip control. But he could take someone else down in their ce. With this thought, he tapped back: [Robin died in the eighth round.] Mr. Quartus¡¯ hand froze on the wall, but quickly regainedposure: [Understood.] Bernard lowered his long eyshes, hiding his emotions, and sent another message: [He was Wendy Pine¡¯s son, your nephew. Don¡¯t you want revenge for him?] Mr. Quartus ¨C Sheldon Pine, unmasked, his face showing no signs of aging, handsome and sophisticated, leaned against the wall and tapped back nonchntly: [I said I will get him out.] His inside man in the upper district would tamper with the program after Robin¡¯s game failure. Knowing the rules of Area Opaca, Mr. Quartus would not rely on Scarface Man alone. He had other backup ns. Bernard understood and didn¡¯t reply. Like a moth drawn to a me, he had tried to manipte others to his advantage but to no avail. Sheldon knew what Bernard wanted him to do. He sent another message: [2-7 betrayed me, which my nephew suffer too much. I¡¯ll get rid of them once I¡¯m out.] The eighth round was a shooting game. The people in the upper district could tamper with the program, but the shot would still hit. Whether one could survive was another matter. And he had had enough of those two, unting in Area Opaca as they carried the list of the members of Siren Organization. He didn¡¯t understand why a traitor felt entitled to challenge This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. him. Sheldon asked, [I heard you not only manipted the game but also hacked into 1-1¡¯s privileges to get to the lower district?] Bernard, plotting to use everything at his disposal, replied without emotion, [Yes.] Sheldon continued, [Was it to stop Eleanor from participating in other district¡¯s games?] Bernard didn¡¯t reply, but silence was an answer itself, which made Sheldon frown. Even though he was confined, he had guessed the situation. Bernard would protect Eleanor at all costs, even if it meant challenging the authority of 1-1, but¡­ Sheldon¡¯s deep eyes showed concern, [1-1 rarelyes to Area Opaca, but if he finds out about this, he¡¯ll definitely seek revenge.] Bernard¡¯s expression hardened: [I¡¯m waiting.] Sheldon didn¡¯t know Bernard¡¯s true identity. All he knew was that 1-1 was impressed by Bernard¡¯s skills and wanted to recruit him. But when 1-2 nned to invite Bernard, he showed up first and challenged the seventh round¡¯s game. Bernard¡¯s ally, Caleb, had sacrificed himself for Bernard. So, 1-2 designed the ninth round, which Bernard won by thinking out of the box. But it seemed he was not interested in winning the prize but meeting the man in ck. However, this was just a spection by the people behind the scene. After all, Bernard had reced Evan, and the bond between them might be strong. But they needed evidence, not guesses. Chapter 1322 Chapter 1322 Even though there were still a lot of uncertainties about Bernard, 1-2 decided to grant him the role of a yer inviter, a privilege usually controlled by a specialized chip. The controller of this chip was given to Mr. Ben, but 1-2 still held Bernard in high regard. These events took ce while Sheldon was away from Area Opaca. At that time, he had been used by Sophie of colluding with yers for big betting stakes. The reason for this usation was because the privilege to invite yers was in Sheldon¡¯s hands. Sophie wanted to take away his privilege, snatch the people he led. She reported him many times, but 1-2, who needed the list of S members, asked him to bear with it. Once Sophie spilled all of the names, 1-2 would eliminate them. Sophie and Mr. Ben were smart, they only revealed a name or two each time. Unfortunately, the list was in their heads, no one knew how many there were, or who they were. So, for the time being, they had to appease them and raise them to a certain position before casting them aside. When Bernard first arrived, Sheldon was being punished by 1-2 for being reported by Sophie. He was sent to section C of Area Opaca, which was divided into three major areas: A, B, and C. Each of these areas was divided into three sections: upper, middle, and lower. The privileges of these sections were strictly controlled, with eachyer being monitored by the one above, and no one could move freely. Their rules were simple. The middle area invited yers to watch the life-or-death duels of the lower area yers. The upper area people were concerned about the fairness of the middle area betting. If the members from Siren Organization was discovered or found, they were sent directly to the biochemical area.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. The biochemical area, under the supervision of 1-3, was a separate area dedicated to dealing with the members of Siren Organization. 1-1 was in charge of all area privilege programming and chip research, and 1-2 managed the game programming. The duties were clearly divided, but 1-1 and 1-3 weren¡¯t often present. It was mainly 1-2 who kept control. Now that Bernard had cracked 1-1¡¯s privileges, 1-2 would definitely report it to 1-1, and when 1-1 arrived, who knew what measures they would take against Bernard. If only Sheldon had known earlier that Bernard would act so impulsively for the sake of Vanya¡¯s daughter, he would have informed him about the double-protection n. Then, they wouldn¡¯t both be stuck in the confinement area now. But back then, Sheldon didn¡¯t trust Bernard. After all, their families were arch-enemies. If it hadn¡¯t been for the discovery of Bernard¡¯s care for Vanya¡¯s daughter, Sheldon wouldn¡¯t have made contact with him, let alone revealed Robin¡¯s secret. After some thought, Sheldon knocked on the wall again, ¡°Is Eleanor your secret wife?¡± Bernard, who had been touching the bite mark, moved his hand to the wall, ¡°Yes.¡± Mr. Quartus, having already guessed this, felt a bit mncholy upon receiving the confirmation, ¡°I never thought our two feuding families would be joined in marriage.¡± Bernard, expressionless, replied, ¡®Vanya wasn¡¯t a Pine, and Eleanor isn¡¯t a Pine either.¡± Since Eleanor was Bernard¡¯s secret wife, with Bernard¡¯s abilities, he naturally knew about her background. Sheldon didn¡¯t care about this, but he did feel guilty about Vanya. He hung his head. ¡°Even if Vanya wasn¡¯t a Pine, she was still my sister.¡± She was his sister, who had loved him most from childhood to adulthood. But he, because he believed his eldest sister¡¯s words, had been cold and indifferent to this sister who needed help. He even ignored her. When she starved to death on the streets, he only found out afterwards. Thinking of how Vanya, originally a youngdy of the Pine family, had ended up starving and freezing to death, Sheldon¡¯s eyes filled with pain. *I¡¯ll treat Eleanor as my niece from now on. So, for her sake, the Pines and the Lawrences will cease hostilities for now, no more revenge or killing.¡± Sheldon¡¯s promise was met with a lukewarm response from Bernard. Then the two fell silent. Bernard turned to lean against the wall, his eyes fixed on the dark confinement room, his fingers gently tracing the bite mark above his corbone. After what felt like an eternity, the door to Bernard¡¯s confinement room suddenly opened and a beam of light shone in, illuminating Bernard¡¯s icy face. Having been in the dark for so long, the sudden brightness was a bit too much. The man instinctively turned his head to avoid the blinding light, then lifted his cold eyes to look at the person who had entered. 1-2, not wearing a protective suit and wearing a full-face mask, walked steadily towards Bernard, followed by Sophie, Mr. Ben, and a group of ck-clothed men who had once subdued Bernard. They came in and stared coldly at the man who, despite his current predicament, still retained his past elegance. 1-2 didn¡¯t say anything after entering, he just paced in ce, probably deciding how to deal with Bernard. When he had made up his mind, he raised his hand and waved to the ck-clothed men. Chapter 1323 Chapter 1323 The man in ck, his face a mask of indifference, advanced quickly, pinning Bernard to the ground, immobilising him and giving him no opportunity for counterattack. Bernard could have reacted when the man first approached, but he chose not to. He was waiting for something. His mission will remain iplete until that moment arrived. 1-2 interpreted Bernard¡¯s non-resistance as a sign of defeat. He saw it as an uncharacteristk of fire, and his respect for Bernard diminished slightly. ¡°ording to the rules of Area Opaca, anyone who tries to breach the lower districts must be electrocuted as punishment. But considering your obstinacy, I¡¯ll make an exception,¡± 1-2 said, a hint of mockery in his tone. 1-2 beckoned to the man in ck. After forcing Bernard onto the ground, he pulled a small knife from his pocket. The de shone ominously under the dim light as he approached Bernard, crouching beside him. Underneath his mask, 1-2 observed Bernard through unfeeling eyes. He held the knife against Bernard¡¯s back and began to cut, slowly and deliberately, close to his waist. Bernard clenched his fists, his neatly trimmed nails embedding into his palm, which was painful. But it was a pain that was nothingpared to the piercing agony from the knife on his back. Throughout this, he remained silent. His head turned slightly to the side, his gaze fixed on the wall. His mind was elsewhere, though. He thought of Eleanor, his beloved, who was five months pregnant. In another five months, he would be a father. He wondered if his child would look more like him or Eleanor. No matter who the child took after, he was sure they would be beautiful. As these thoughts upied his mind, 1-2 pressed harder with the knife. Bernard grunted in pain but remained resolute, biting his lip to keep himself from making a sound. Sophie, watching from a distance, couldn¡¯t bear the sight of Bernard in pain. She moved towards him, hoping to give him somefort. But the moment Bernard saw her, he closed his eyes, shutting her out. Sophie¡¯s face twisted in anger and frustration. ¡°Serves you right!¡± she spat out, turning to 1-2. ¡°Sir, let me do it. I don¡¯t mind getting my hands dirty.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. 1-2 nced at her dismissively, making no attempt to acknowledge her offer. He continued to carve into Bernard¡¯s back, treating it like a piece of artwork. ¡°I¡¯m just getting started. Once 1-1 arrives, we can really get to work, 1-2 said, wiping his hands clean with a towel handed to him by one of his cohorts. ¡°Doctor, stitch him up. Make sure he recovers,¡± hemanded, to which the doctor, who had been standing quietly in the corner, nodded in agreement. As the doctor worked on Bernard, without the use of anesthetics, Bernard passed out from the pain. When he woke up, he found Sophie standing in the doorway, her arms crossed and a cold look on her face. Despite the pain he was in, Bernard managed to maintain hisposure. His face was pale, but his features remained unchanged. His hair was slightly disheveled, but there was no sign of the distress he had just experienced. He sat up straight, leaning his head against the wall. His movements were casual but there was an air of arrogance about him. His aloofness and detached demeanor made him seem even more attractive to Sophie. It was a love-hate rtionship for Sophie. She was drawn to him, yet he infuriated her, mainly because he never seemed to notice her. ¡°Bernard, I have some news for you,¡± Sophie said, striding towards him with a triumphant smile on her face, ¡°Eleanor is dead.¡± Bernard froze, his already pale face turning ghostly white. He lifted his eyes to look at Sophie, his gaze filled with a deadly intent. Ignoring the danger in his eyes, Sophie pulled out her phone and showed him a video. ¡°See for yourself,¡± she said, pleased with the shock she had caused. Slowly, Bernard shifted his gaze from Sophie to the video on her phone¡­ Chapter 1324 Chapter 1324 Seeing the moment Cameron pushed Eleanor overboard off the yacht, and she pulled him down with her, Bernard felt as if his heart had stopped beating. His handsome face turned ashen, his usually vibrant eyes clouded over. He stared at the screen, watching as the waves swallowed them up, hoping for a miracle. But only Cameron emerged from the churning sea before it calmed. After the video stopped, the world around him seemed to darken, and silence fell. A feeling of weightlessness overcame him, as if he were falling into a bottomless pit with no hope in sight. Bernard tried to lift his hand to touch the bite mark just above his corbone, but it trembled and fell several times before he could finally steady it with all his strength. She had said, ¡°If my life is in danger and it threatens you, Bernard, know this. I came here ready to die If you live, we fight together. If you die, I die with you. We promised each other, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health.¡± While she was ready to live and die with him, his arrogance led him to believe that he was protecting her by pushing her away. But did he really protect her? If he did, why did she fall into the sea? In the past, his so-called protection had already cost her life once, and now, he had lost her again. Remembering the look of despair in Eleanor¡¯s eyes when she was forced to sign the divorce papers, Bernard felt a chill run through him. It turned out that his presumptuous decisions were always a mistake¡­ He thought by pushing her away, she and their child could survive. Little did he know that the demons from hell were always lurking behind her. The moment he let his guard down, they would tear her to pieces and devour her, leaving him with nothing but regret. He was wrong. He was truly wrong. He shouldn¡¯t have pretended to be with another women, hurting her without considering the consequences. He shouldn¡¯t have left her alone, crying, after causing her pain. He should have held her, shielding her from all harm. Even if it meant they both died on the spot, at least they would be together. As long as they were together, his Eleanor wouldn¡¯t have to face death alone. In this moment, Bernard was filled with regret. The guilt was overwhelming, consuming his every sense. He could no longer hear or see anything. His mind felt like a snapped string, and he felt as if his entire being was copsing. His hand, which was still resting on his corbone, moved away. Without hesitation, he pped himself across the face, leaving a clear imprint of his fingers on his wless cheek. The p caused the recently stitched wound on his back to split open, soaking his shirt with blood that dripped onto the floor. But he felt no pain, only numbness. He slumped against the wall, his hair, eyebrows, and cheeks all reflecting his despair. From the very beginning, he had agreed toe to Area Opaca to escape Siren Organization, thinking he could live a peaceful life with her after this. But now, his initial determination was gone. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Once a person loses their faith, their world crumbles. It¡¯s like having the blood drawn from their bones, leaving them vulnerable to countless diseases, invading their body relentlessly. That was Bernard at this moment, devoid of all hope. Seeing Bernard like this, Sophie pped her hands in delight, ¡®That bitch is finally dead. I¡¯m so happy!¡± She sauntered over to Bernard, bent down, and hit the y button again, ¡°My dad said she died horribly. I wonder if she was eaten by a shark or bitten by some other sea creature. Either way, there¡¯s nothing left of her¡­¡± Bernard, his heart as cold as ashes, gave no reaction, his gaze intently fixed on the video. Sophie moved her hand from the phone to Bernard¡¯s face, tracing his brows, nose, and lips with her finger as if she were teasing a lover, ¡°But I can tell you all the gruesome details of her death¡­ for a price¡­¡± Sophie¡¯s finger moved to Bernard¡¯s chiseled jaw, lifting it before leaning in towards those thin lips she had longed for but never dared to touch, ¡°Be with me for one night, and I¡¯ll tell you everything.¡± Chapter 1325 Chapter 1325 Bernard¡¯s eyshes fluttered, as if he was just regaining his senses. His gaze slowly shifted towards Sophie. In the brief moment their eyes met, Sophie¡¯s finger, which was under Bernard¡¯s chin, was snapped! The sound of the joint breaking was crisp and clear. ¡°Ah-¡°Sophie screamed in pain as a ripping sensation coursed through her wrist. Bernard had gripped her wrist and broken it! Before she could even process the pain, she felt a cold hand gripping her neck. An immediate sense of suffocation washed over her, and a face filled with malicious joy was turning from red to purple within a second¡­ If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that someone was controlling the chip in his head, Sophie would have been killed by Bernard at that moment. Sophie had managed to escape when Bernard was agonizingly clutching his head on the floor. Cupping her neck, she didn¡¯t even have time to get up and began to scramble backward awkwardly. Only after she had put enough distance between them did she hold her broken hand and gasp for air. By the time she fully recovered, Mr. Ben had entered the room. Perhaps he had heard what she had just said, this time he didn¡¯t help her up, only looked at her with disappointment. Seemingly realizing something, Sophie hurriedly reached for Mr. Ben¡¯s hand, ¡°Ben, I was talking nonsense just now, don¡¯t believe it. The only person I love now is you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Mr. Ben scoffed and pulled out a knife, throwing it before Sophie, ¡°Then go stab him to prove your loyalty.¡± Sophie was taken aback. She wanted to use her injured hand as an excuse but saw Mr. Ben ring at her with bloodshot eyes. Mr. Ben was a madman; if he found out that she had never really given up on Bernard, he would undoubtedly kill her. After weighing the pros and cons, Sophie grabbed the knife, got up, and walked over to Bernard. Bernard, if you won¡¯t ept my love, then die! Without any hesitation, Sophie raised the knife and stabbed it into Bernard¡¯s thigh! The man who had passed out on the floor several times showed no reaction. His eyes fixed on the screen. In her womb, there was their baby, conceived after much difficulty. She had boldly walked up to him, ignoring the risks, to tell him about the pregnancy. But¡­ he didn¡¯t show any signs of joy. He just looked at her indifferently, devoid of any concern for the baby she had conceived with such effort and hardship, as if her pregnancy had nothing to do with him. Bernard asked himself, how could he be so ruthless? He shouldn¡¯t be so harsh in the future, he should be kinder to her and their child, he shouldn¡¯t be so self-righteous¡­ But, did they have a future together? No, they didn¡¯t. She said they would never meet again, and truly, they would never meet again.. The door of the confinement room opened and closed again, the only beam of light faded, leaving an endless darkness. Bernardy in a pool of blood, quietly contemting. His Eleanor, what was she thinking when her biological father pushed her into the sea? Would she think of him? He thought she would. Just as he thought of her, to the point of wishing for death, to the point of madness, to the point of wishing he could go find her right now! But could he easily forgive those who hurt her? He couldn¡¯t. He would make them pay a thousand, a hundred times the price! He would rip out their guts, drain their blood, and cast it into the sea as a burial offering for her, for their child! His hand, lying in the pool of blood, clenched into a powerful fist. The veins on the back of his hand were about to burst, twisting and winding like a bloodthirsty dragon about to strike! In the quiet space, a rhythmic knocking sound echoed, repeatedly transmitting the same message. [She killed my sister¡¯s daughter; I¡¯ll definitely throw her into the snake pit. Pull yourself together, and wait for my news]Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 1326 Chapter 1326 Mr. Quartus¡¯ stint in solitary was up and he was promptly set free. Upon being released, he gathered his henchmen and barged into the room where Sophie and Mr. Ben were making love, kicking the door open with a swift boot. His men, dressed in ck, yanked Sophie and Mr. Ben from their bed, dragging them onto the floor like sacks of potatoes. Mr. Quartus, wearing a mask, looked at Sophie as though her sight stung his eyes, and with another swift kick, flipped her over. Thepletely naked Sophie was ogled by the gang of burly men, causing her face to pale and her body to tremble with rage. Caught off guard, Sophie and Mr. Ben were pinned down by the men in ck, immobilized. Sophie could only lift her head, grit her teeth and re at Mr. Quartus, ¡°You dare treat me this way, Quartus, aren¡¯t you afraid of 1-2ing after you?¡± Sophie spat at him. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m terrified.¡± Mr. Quartus retorted, cleaning his boot across the carpet in a casual manner. ¡°Then release us immediately!¡± Sophie demanded. Mr. Quartus scoffed, toozy to argue, and gave his men a simplemand. ¡°Throw this pair into the snake pit!¡± he ordered. Sophie, in disbelief, stared wide-eyed at Mr. Quartus, ¡°Ben and are the right and left hands of 1-2, you wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± ¡°Oh, wouldn¡¯t I?¡± he smirked, nodding at his henchmen. The men in ck promptly hauled Sophie and Mr. Ben off the ground, dragging them towards the elevator. Ben, trained from a young age in the art of survival, managed to break free and rushed over to Sophie, grabbing her wrist and fending off the approaching men. Just as Mr. Quartus was about to shoot, Ben shoved Sophie into a hidden escape tunnel. ¡°1-2 gave you authority before, go!¡± he urged. Reacting quickly, Sophie scanned her iris and the door to the tunnel swung open. She climbed in, attempting to pull Ben in with her, but a bullet from Mr. Quartus¡¯ gun shot in Ben¡¯s chest. Ben, although shot, held his ground, blocking the entrance to the tunnel to protect Sophie. As the door closed, Sophie stared in shock, unable to believe that Ben was willing to sacrifice himself for her. ¡°Damn it!¡± Mr. Quartus cursed, his bullet intended for Sophie¡¯s head hitting the steel door instead. After uttering a profanity, he walked over to Ben who was now clutching his chest and lying on the ground. Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, he fired his gun at Ben¡¯s head, executing him on the spot. In a fit of rage, Mr. Quartus discarded his empty gun, stepping over Ben¡¯s lifeless body. Toss him into the snake pit, let the snakes have a feast,¡± he ordered his men. Ignoring whether Sophie had escaped to report him to 1-2, Mr. Quartus opened the door to the solitary cell. ¡°I¡¯ve thrown Mr. Ben into the snake pit to avenge your friend Caleb, as for Sophie¡­¡± *She escaped through 1-2¡¯s private tunnel. She had clearance, I didn¡¯t, so I couldn¡¯t chase her.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. After exining briefly, he threw the control device to Bernard, who was covered in blood. Ive retrieved it for you, do whatever you want with it.¡± With that, Mr. Quartus turned to leave, but Bernard suddenly lifted his cold, ominous gaze. ¡®I need to borrow your programming room.¡± Chapter 1327 Chapter 1327 Sheldon seemed to anticipate his next move, torn between giving his consent and harboring apprehensions. Eventually, after a few seconds of hesitation, he decisively nodded in agreement, ¡°Follow me.¡± Bernard, ignoring his blood-soaked wounds, rose to his feet and followed Sheldon into the control room. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Once seated at the operator¡¯s desk, he began swiftly altering the program based on the coding on the controller. His long, well-proportioned fingers, stained with blood, danced across the keyboard, hammering out the code. Sheldon alternated between ncing at the screen and checking the time. ¡°We¡¯ve got 10 minutes before 1-2 return to the control room in District A.¡± During this timeframe, the duo was typically in the control room in District B. His time management was extremely strict. Where he spent each interval and what task he undertook had been meticulously nned. Unless there were exceptional circumstances, he would not deviate from his schedule, nor would he waste even a second of their time. ¡°Once he return to the control room and discover you¡¯ve altered the program, then¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Bernard had rewritten the chip controlling his mind. First, he deactivated the tracking system, then the eavesdropping feature, and with lightning speed, reprogrammed the self-destruction function. Mr. Quartus, who had been staring at the screen, blinked in disbelief, sizing Bernard up and down. No wonder both 1-1 and 1-2 were reluctant to kill him¡­ Turned out this man was quite capable. Even though he couldn¡¯tpletely deactivate the self-destruction program, limiting it to half an hour was a remarkable feat. Afterpleting all this, he began to write another set of codes that Mr. Quartus couldn¡¯t make sense of. ¡°What are you up to?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t respond to Mr. Quartus. Once he finished his operation, he hid the controller on himself. Seeing him remain silent, Mr. Quartus didn¡¯t press him further, merely looking at his wristwatch. ¡°Four minutes should suffice. Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll escort you out of Area Opaca.¡± Even if Mr. Quartus had killed Mr. Ben and helped Bernard escape, 1-2 Two would probably spare him due to his status as the earliest member of Area Opaca. However, Bernard, who had audaciously tampered with 1-1¡¯s authority, may not be so lucky. ¡°Hurry, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll grant you ess out of Area Opaca.¡± Mr. Quartus urged Bernard to leave, but thetter, unfazed, picked up a wet wipe from a nearby programmer¡¯s desk and slowly cleaned his fingers. ¡°Do you know the real identities of 1-2?¡± Bernard asked. Mr. Quartus furrowed his brows, looking at Bernard, only to meet a pair of blood-red eyes. The madness and chill in those eyes were akin to a maniac who had crawled out of hell, filled with darkness and evil. Seeing such an expression, Sheldon subconsciously frowned, even his tall body shuddering involuntarily. He felt as though if he answered that he didn¡¯t know, Bernard would wrap his hands around his neck and strangle him, ¡°Why¡­ why are you asking this?¡± Having cleaned the blood off his fingers, Bernard raised his still blood-spattered face, coldly observing Sheldon, ¡°He imnted a chip in my brain. After I get out, I¡¯m going to settle this score with him.¡± Sheldon scrutinized Bernard skeptically. ¡°Even if you are my sister¡¯s son-inw, I cannot divulge their identities. It¡¯s against the rules.¡± Because of Eleanor and Robin, Sheldon had found himself bound to Bernard, cooperating in an unprecedented manner. While they had indeed called a truce, it didn¡¯t mean that he would betray the behind Area Opaca for this trifling connection. For the ever-loyal Sheldon, no one, not even his own son, could extract the true identities of the founders from him. Bernard knew that Sheldon was not Mr. Ben and wouldn¡¯t easily betray Area Opaca. His question was more of a casual probe, and since Sheldon didn¡¯t answer, he didn¡¯t push any further. However, Bernard discarded the wet wipe, raised his sinister eyes, and after staring at Sheldon for a few seconds, suddenly lunged at him, ¡°Sorry about this, Uncle Sheldon.¡± Sheldon, thinking he was merely addressing him as ¡®Uncle¡¯ like Eleanor did, didn¡¯t pay much attention, only focusing on the ¡®sorry¡¯ part. Just as he was wondering why Bernard was apologizing, he was abruptly choked by a firm, powerful arm coiled around his neck. Caught off guard, Sheldon¡¯s face under the mask darkened instantly, ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Bernard wanted to use Sheldon as a pawn, and Sheldon had indeed served that purpose, helping him eliminate his enemies. Moreover, due to Eleanor¡¯s influence, he had promised both the Laurence and Pine families a truce, vowing to cease their mutual ughter. After assisting him in every possible way, Bernard was now suddenly choking him, clearly a betrayal! Chapter 1328 Chapter 1328 ¡°Sorry.¡± Bernard, impassive as an emotionless machine, lowered his gaze, locking eyes with Sheldon, ¡°I need to head up to the Upper District, crack open 1-2¡¯s skull, and install a chip. But I don¡¯t have the authority. I need to borrow your iris and palm prints.¡± Mr. Quartus already had an inkling of what Bernard was up to, and he was anything but agreeable, ¡°I only agreed to help you take down Mr. Ben and Sophie. Don¡¯t you dare drag me into anything involving 1-2!¡± Sheldon struggled, but found himself unable to break free from Bernard, who was as immovable as a brick wall. The coders in the programming room stood up one by one as they witnessed the scene, only to be silenced by a chilling nce from Bernard, ¡°If you want him dead, feel free to step in.¡± Having said that, Bernard lowered his gaze, hiding the coldness in his eyes, and a bloodthirsty smile slowly curled up the corners of his lips, ¡°Mr. Quartus, please apany me.¡± Without waiting for Mr. Quartus¡¯ agreement, Bernard grabbed him and quickly led him to the exclusive passage to the Upper District. Through his mask, Sheldon shot Bernard a cold nce, ¡°You can¡¯t beat 1-2.¡± ¡°Well, how would we know if we don¡¯t give it a shot?¡± Bernard grabbed Sheldon¡¯s hand and ced it on the palm print entrance. After verifying the palm print, he swiftly removed Sheldon¡¯s mask. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°The surveince will show that I was the one threatening you. It won¡¯t bring you any trouble¡± Apart from the palm and iris scans, a facial scan, body scan, and a series of passwords were also needed. Bernard couldn¡¯t force Sheldon toply; Sheldon had to do so willingly. But why would Sheldon cooperate? ¡°I¡¯ve told you, I won¡¯t let anyone harm 1-2.¡± Bernard didn¡¯t respond, just stared at Sheldon, ¡°If you don¡¯t cooperate, I¡¯ll have to use force.¡± His eyes were filled with a sense of despair, and a touch of stubborn determination. He seemed like a walking corpse, his emaciated body kept moving only by the fuel of vengeance. The soul that once animated him had already drifted away with his departed wife, like a feather carried off by a gentle sea breeze. Sheldon watched Bernard and after a few seconds of silence, he shrugged off Bernard¡¯s grip and stepped forward to scan his iris. ¡°If you¡¯re keen on getting yourself killed, I¡¯m not going to stop you.¡± Bernard was no match for 1-2; he would probably be gunned down as soon as he stepped into the Upper District. But Bernard didn¡¯t seem to care. He had to find out who was behind all this and kill Sophie. Those were the only things he had left to do in this world. Once that was done, he could join her. In the eternal depths of the underworld, he vowed to stay by her side forever. After Sheldonpleted the body scan and entered the password, the exclusive passage to the Upper District opened instantly. Bernard strode in. Mr. Quartus wanted to follow, but Bernard stopped him, ¡°This doesn¡¯t involve you.¡± Mr. Quartus had only turned against Mr. Ben and Sophie because of his niece and nephew. It was a personal vendetta, and the founder of Area Opaca wouldn¡¯t hold it against him. 1 But if Mr. Quartus used his authority and followed Bernard to the Upper District, that would be betrayal. If Bernard failed, the founder of Area Opaca would undoubtedly hold Mr. Quartus ountable. Sheldon was well aware of this. His only intention in following was to potentially save Bernard in a dangerous situation. After all, Bernard was Eleanor¡¯s husband; someone had to be left to identify the body. They couldn¡¯t all die here. But Bernard clearly didn¡¯t want to involve bim. Sheldon withdrew his foot, understanding that without his wife, Bernard probably didn¡¯t want to live anymore. Let him face his hatred alone. ¡°Carry on.¡± Sheldon pulled out the gun from his waistband and tossed it to Bernard. Catching the gun, Bernard nced at Sheldon. ¡°Don¡¯t die before you even see 1-2.¡± With that, Sheldon turned on his heel, leaving with a carefree air. The door closed behind him. Bernard gripped the gun tightly in his hand and, as the exclusive passage activated, headed towards the Upper District. Chapter 1329 Chapter 1329 1-2 was originally tied up in District B, but received a call from Sophie, that was when him returned to District A earlier than nned. Stepping out of his private exit, he was greeted by a grim sight. The hallway was littered with men in ck, all shot and sprawled haphazardly on the floor¡­ The river of blood that painted the scene caused 1-2 to instinctively furrow his brow. ¡°Damn it!¡± With his team in tow, 1-2 briskly bypassed the fallen men and headed for the control room. Upon opening the door, he saw Bernard sitting on the central sofa. Bernard was casually reclining, his long legs casually draped over the armrest. His hands rested on his thighs, and between them was a blood-soaked gun, still dripping blood. His head rested lightly against the back of the sofa, chin slightly raised as he looked down at the intruders. There was not a hint of fear in his eyes. In fact, he seemed to be regarding them as if they were already dead, his gaze cold and unblinking. The ck of his outfit obscured the bloodstains, but the bullet holes in his shoulder and leg, from which blood was pouring, were evidence enough of his wounds. ¡°Well done making it all the way to the control room,¡± 1-2 said, pping his hands together in a sarcastic apuse, ¡°You¡¯re just the kind of man we need. You¡¯ve got guts, and I like that, but¡­¡± The pping ceased as 1-2 slowly lowered his hands, taking out his own gun and aiming it at Bernard¡¯s forehead, ¡°If you weren¡¯t the leader of the Siren Organization, maybe I¡¯d let you live!¡± But before he could pull the trigger, Bernard was faster. His shot aimed at 1-2¡¯s abdomen, fast and urate. 1-2 was shot, which caused his aim to falter. Bernard dodged the bullet, rushing towards him amidst the gunfire. 1-2, now clutching his abdomen, was taken by surprise as Bernard reached him, swiftly cutting off his air supply with a solid arm around his neck. Enraged, he struggled against Bernard, but couldn¡¯t break free from his vice-like grip. Bernard even managed to snatch the gun from 1-2¡¯s hand. At this moment, Bernard was like a demon, impervious to pain or danger, er, determined to choke 1-2 to death. Not only did he choke 1-2 to the point of suffocation, he also used 1-2¡¯s body as a shield, seemingly ready to take everyone down with him if they dared to shoot. Who would dare to make a move now? No one dared to act, they could only watch helplessly as Bernard dragged 1-2 into the chip room of the control center¡­ As soon as the door was closed, Bernard activated the lock. Seeing several security locks activated, he suddenly raised his elbow and struck 1-2¡¯s back. 1-2 grunted in pain and tried to retaliate, but Bernard shot him in the shoulder. The excruciating pain of the bullet passing through made 1-2 clutch his shoulder, falling to the floor in agony. Bernard lifted his heavy boot and stepped on 1-2¡¯s back, pinning him down. He roughly grabbed 1-2 by the cor, dragging the injured man towards a row of sterile white surgical pods. Recognizing Bernard¡¯s intention, 1-2 resisted with all his might but was forcefully dragged into one of the pods. ¡°You bastard, you dare to operate on my brain!¡± 1-2 roared. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Without even ncing at him, Bernard mustered all his strength to throw the struggling 1-2 into the pod. He mmed the pod door shut and hit the lock button without even blinking. As soon as the pod was secured, Bernard moved his hand to the activation button. Once pressed, the equipment inside the pod would start operating at lightning speed. Chapter 1330 Chapter 1330 ¡°Go to hell! If you dare to imnt that chip in my brain, I swear to God, I¡¯ll make you regret it!¡± 1-2 banged furiously on the chamber door, cursing Bernard, who just stood there, his face expressionless. Once the machine had released his head, Bernard finally turned away. He walked over to the chamber holding the chips, picked one out at random, and then returned to the surgical chamber. He epted the scalpel handed to him from inside the chamber and then, with deliberate nonchnce, put on a pair of gloves. He took a seat behind 1-2, whose head was now exposed and still cursing him. Bernard didn¡¯t say anything. He just raised his hand and slowly removed 1-2¡¯s full-face mask. It was only then, with the mask off, that Bernard saw 1-2¡¯s true face. He had run through countless possibilities, but he never thought it would be him. Kermit Hyde, father of Teresa Hyde- ¡°Before you crack open my skull,¡± he spat, ¡°tell me, which member of Siren Organization was it that caused my daughter¡¯s death!¡± .??? When he received the news of Teresa¡¯s death, he was dealing with something for Area Opaca. He left Area Opaca behind, he just sped off to find his daughter. What he found there was his daughter¡¯s body, her organs were harvested. That was his only daughter, inexplicably dead at the hands of Siren Organization. Even after a long investigation, he could only find out that it was Siren Organization who did it. But who exactly was responsible?! He despised Siren Organization. When Sophie told him that Berhard was the leader of Siren Organization, infiltrating Area Opaca with the intent to destroy it, he wanted to tear him apart! ¡°My daughter was a doctor, but her fingers were severed, and she died like that. Tell me, who did it, so that I can die knowing!¡± Bernard¡¯s fingers, holding the scalpel, hesitated. He hesitated. After all, Kermit¡¯s words had reminded him of the concept of karma. Although it was Gianna who sent Teresa away, her death was tied to him in more ways than one. If they were to talk about karma, it was Teresa who first sowed the seeds that led to her death. And him, having his skull cracked open by Teresa¡¯s father, it seemed like a consequence of his harsh actions. Now, because his mind was being controlled, indirectly causing Eleanor¡¯s death, it seemed like he was creating another cause. So, the consequence of this operation, it was justified, wasn¡¯t it? Bernard was a bit confused, but he never cared about karma when he did things. Especially now, when his mind was filled with thoughts of revenge, there was no room for rationality. His hesitation was brief. He tightened his grip on the scalpel and cut open Kermit¡¯s skull. He too had been cut open like this, unconscious for over ten days, only regaining consciousness just before Eleanor¡¯s arrival. To perform a brain surgery without anesthesia was a fate worse than death. Bernard could bear it, but 1-2 couldn¡¯t. ¡°Bernard, you¡¯ll pay for this,¡± he seethed. No one had ever dared to cut into his brain before. Once he recovered, he was determined to make Bernard pay. Bernard gave no reaction, just continued emotionlessly, using the same method Kermit had used to cut into his own head, making one incision after another¡­ Once he had finished, he picked up a tissue and wiped away the blood that was flowing freely. Then, with a pair of tweezers, he picked up the chip he had set aside earlier, ced it into Kermit¡¯s brain, and then, like a true surgeon, he tilted his head lik slightly and began to stitch up the wound. Once he had finished, Bernard got up, went over to the console, and opened up the code he had written earlier in Mr. Quartus¡¯ programming room. He linked it to his own chip¡¯s program, and then activated the chip he had imnted in Kermit. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. After binding the two chip programs together, he took out a controller and turned to face Kermit, ¡°Now, the main program is in my hand. If I die, you die. So from now on, you¡¯re going to do exactly as I say.¡± Kermit was sweating profusely from the pain, but he gritted his teeth and made no sound. True to his reputation as 1-2, he was tough as nails. But Bernard didn¡¯t care about that. Instead, he walked over to him, looking down at him, and gave him an order, ¡°I want to see the father and daughter from Ratliff Group within a day. Have your people hunt them down. If you fail, I¡¯ll make you wish you were dead.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t control me!¡± Chapter 1331 Chapter 1331 There was no way Kermit would let Bernard manipte him. Even with the pain making him wish for death, he refused to submit. Bernard didn¡¯t force him, but merely picked up the controller and lightly pressed the button to activate the pain system. Kermit¡¯s scream echoed through the room, a sound so gut-wrenching it was terrifying. His face was pale from the pain, but he still managed to look up at the man towering above him like a mountain. N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°I¡¯ve alerted 1-1. He¡¯ll be here soon, and you won¡¯t have anywhere to hide.¡± Bernard, expressionless, walked over to Kermit. He looked at the old man¡¯s face and spoke in a cold voice, ¡°Do as I say, or I¡¯ll ensure you have nowhere to hide right now.¡± Kermit, almost passing out from the pain, nced at the controller in Bernard¡¯s hand, then at the operating table. The screen showed that the chip in his brain was now linked with Bernard¡¯s. If Kermit wanted to live, he had to obey Bernard. Otherwise, Bernard could use the controller to make him suffer unbearable pain. Unless 1-1 arrived and rewrote Bernard¡¯s chip program, taking back control. But the problem was, he wasn¡¯t here, and it would take a while for him to arrive. During that time, Kermit had to bend to Bernard¡¯s will, or he¡¯d be tortured to death. With that in mind, Kermit lowered his stubborn chin and said, ¡°Activate the full region control key. I¡¯ll inform the fourth to track down the Ratliff family.¡± Bernard seemed pleased with Kermit¡¯s willingness to bend. He turned to the operating table and activated the full region control key. ¡°Speak.¡± Kermit, gritting his teeth against the pain, said, ¡°Quartus, take your men and find the Ratliffs. Bring them back within a day.¡± Sitting in the control room, Mr. Quartus heard the message over the inte. His hand, holding a cigar, froze in surprise. He had thought Bernard was dead, and was waiting for 1-1 to punish him. But it turned out the news was quite different. Had Bernard negotiated with 1-2, or did he defeat him? Mr. Quartus didn¡¯t know. All he knew was his perception of Bernard had gone up a notch. Coming back to his senses, Mr. Quartus stubbed out his cigar and responded, ¡°Understood. I¡¯m on it.¡± Then he left the control room quickly, leading his men to find the Ratliffs. After sending the message, Kermit turned to Bernard, ¡°When 1-1 arrives, your end wille.¡± Bernard sat down on the couch, the picture of fatigue. He was in pain, both physically and emotionally, but he held on like a fearless soldier. He leaned back on the couch and stared at Kermit, ¡°I told you, if I die, you die too.¡± Kermit¡¯s face darkened. He was always the one in control, and now he was being controlled by his tool. How could he not be furious? But even if 1-1 rewrote the program, he couldn¡¯t kill Bernard. Their chips were linked; if Bernard died, so would he. Bernard was using him to control 1-1. So even when he arrived, he couldn¡¯t harm Bernard. They were at a disadvantage. Thinking of this, Kermit clenched his fist in anger. ¡°Let me go. I need to heal.¡± If he died, Bernard would lose his leverage over 1-1. Bernard stared at him for a while before getting up to unlock the surgical pod. Kermit came out of the pod, holding his head, and quickly left the room. The men in ck waiting outside raised their guns, aiming at Bernard. ¡°No one touches him!¡± At themand from 1-2, they all froze. Without any further exnation, Kermit forced himself to walk towards the medical room. Bernard sank back onto the couch, staring at the lights embedded in the ceiling. His red eyes reflected the white light, but he didn¡¯t feel any difort. All he felt was despair. He missed Eleanor terribly. He wanted to hold her, to kiss her, but she was gone. Bernard closed his eyes, the pain overwhelming. His mind was filled with images of Eleanor¡¯s smiles, her frowns, and her disappointment when she left. Twice now she¡¯d left him, both times disappointed in him. He wasn¡¯t worthy of her love. Bernard lifted his bloody hand to cover his eyes. Soon, once this was all over, he could go find her. Bernard waited for a long time. Sophie didn¡¯te, but 1-1 and 1-3 did. Chapter 1332 Chapter 1332 Two men, shrouded in full-face masks and protective suits, pushed open the door to the server room, only to find Bernard, sitting on the couch like a king, unmoving as a mountain. Blood was oozing from every part of his body, even his slightly turned face was smeared with blood. Only his eyes, cold as ashes, held a defiant glint. A surgical knife was stuck in his side, its silvery light reflecting onto the men¡¯s faces, making them look like demons from hell. Anyone else who hade face-to-face with 1-1 and 1-3 would have been terrified, yet Bernard, sitting on the couch, didn¡¯t even bat an eyelid. His stubbornness and indomitable spirit were somewhat admirable to the two founders, but¡­ ¡°If you weren¡¯t the head of Siren Organization, I would have been thoroughly impressed by your audacity to infiltrate the upper district single-handedly,¡± said 1-1 with a tone that was steady and wise as if aged by time. ¡°What brings you to Area Opaca?¡± As if catching up with an old friend, 1-1 pulled up a chair in front of Bernard, sat down without any hint of caution, and lit a cigarette, offering one to Bernard. Bernard, who hadn¡¯t uttered a word till now, took the cigarette with his slender fingers. He watched the burning cigarette silently for a while before putting it in his mouth and taking a deep puff. He had relied on cigarettes to survive the years she wasn¡¯t around. When she returned, he had quit smoking. But now that she was gone, he saw no reason to abstain any longer. Sitting there, leisurely puffing his cigarette, Bernard¡¯s face, beautiful yet stained with blood, was obscured by the smoke, giving away no hint of his emotions. 1-1 watched him for a while before lighting up a cigarette for himself. He didn¡¯t inhale, just twirled it in his fingers thoughtfully. ¡°If you won¡¯t talk, we¡¯ll have to follow Area Opaca¡¯s protocols and send you to the bio-chem district.¡± Bernard took a drag on his cigarette, nced at 1-1 and said, ¡®Take off the mask.¡± Before 1-1 could respond, 1-3, who had been leaning against the door with his arms crossed,ughed, ¡°So, you infiltrated Area Opaca to uncover our identities.¡± His voice was distorted, clearly an attempt to hide his true identity. ¡°Is there any other reason?¡± Bernard removed the cigarette from his mouth, and exhaled a thin stream of smoke. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. To 1-3, this act seemed provocative, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of dying?¡± Bernard¡¯s gaze moved past 1-3 to Kermit standing next to him, ¡°Don¡¯t you care about his life?¡± Kermit, struggling against the pain, looked towards 1-1¡¯s silhouette. 1-1 had entrusted him with the management of Area Opaca, but he had failed to protect it and had instead been overpowered by Bernard. Did 1-1 still care about the life of his partner now that the head of Siren Organization was right in front of him? ¡°Yes.¡± Just one word from 1-1 caused Kermit to heave a sigh of relief. But before he could express his gratitude, he was shot in the head by 1-3. At the sound of the gunshot, the men in ck waiting outside were stunned. Kermit, lying on the floor, watched 1-3 in disbelief, ¡°Why¡­¡± 1-3 blew away the smoke from his gun, ¡°This way, we are no longer threatened.¡± He put down the gun, crouched down, and patted Kermit¡¯s pale face, ¡°You died in the line of duty. So I¡¯ll hang a g in your honor in the control room for future generations to admire.¡± Kermit probably didn¡¯t expect to be killed by his junior after dedicating his life to Area Opaca. He looked towards 1-1 who had been silent throughout, ¡°Did you decide to abandon me the moment you knew I was under control?¡± 1-1 turned around, his face hidden behind the cold mask, ¡°Kermit, I¡¯ll avenge the deaths of your father and your daughter for you.¡± With a single promise, he gave Kermit peace. True to his nature, 1-1 was ruthless and didn¡¯t hesitate to abandon his partner when their interests shed. Kermit had helped 1-1 establish Area Opaca only to meet such a tragic end. With regret and resentment, he coughed up blood a few times before closing his eyes for good. Without showing any remorse, 1-1 ordered his men to remove Kermit¡¯s body. After Kermit was taken away, 1-1 turned to Bernard who had been watching all along. ¡°Did you guess that I would kill him?¡± ¡°If I were you, I would have killed him too.¡± This answer pleased 1-1. If it weren¡¯t for their conflicting interests, Bernard would have been the man he admired the most, ¡°Why did you use the chip to torture him if you knew I would kill Kermit?¡± ¡°To find someone.¡± He wanted to use Kermit¡¯s authority to locate the Ratliff Group. As for keeping 1-1 in check¡­ If he could, he would. If not, it didn¡¯t matter. The result would be the same either way. Chapter 1333 Chapter 1333 The despair and detachment that seeped from his eyes were something 1-1 couldn¡¯t quite grasp, ¡°What¡¯s your beef with Sophie?¡± Upon receiving Kermit¡¯s call, 1-1 had rushed over without dy. He hadn¡¯t had a chance to review the surveince footage yet, so he was unclear about the circumstances. ¡°She killed my wife,¡± replied Bernard. ¡°That sounds serious,¡± 1-1 remarked. Noticing Bernard¡¯s almost burnt-out cigarette, 1-1 quickly pulled out a new one from his pack and tossed it to him, ¡°Let¡¯s strike a deal. You reveal the identity of the founder of the Siren Organization, and I¡¯ll help you find the Ratliffs,¡± 1-1 proposed. Bernard¡¯s fingers slightly paused when he heard 1-1¡¯s words, ¡°You¡¯re going after the Siren Organization without even knowing the identity of the founder. Why?¡± ¡°Same as you. A grudge born from murder, my wife was killed.¡± Bernard¡¯s brows furrowed slightly at this evasive answer, ¡°It¡¯s impossible, that every member of the Siren Organization was responsible for your wife¡¯s murder.¡± 1-1¡¯s intentions to take down every single member of the organization seemed irrational. ¡°I don¡¯t know which member killed my wife. I can only deal with them all.¡± 1-1 finished his sentence nonchntly, ncing at the operatives and men in ck waiting outside. ¡°Their families were also brutalized by the Siren Organization. We banded together for revenge. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Upon hearing this, Bernard¡¯s gaze dropped. Before he took over the Siren Organization, it was managed by Mr. Penrod. Who Mr. Penrod and his people had brutalized before, and how, was unknown to Bernard. But he remembered well the blood he himself had shed. So, it was the Siren Organization¡¯s prior actions that had provoked 1-1, Kermit, Sheldon, and the other operatives into retaliating. Was this karma in action? But the people they eliminated were the scourge of the business world. The number of lives those people had taken was no less than their own. If one were to thoroughly analyze cause and effect from start to finish, it would be impossible to unravel. ¡°So, do we have a deal?¡± 1-1 asked. Bernard¡¯s pride wouldn¡¯t allow him to yield in the face of 1-1¡¯s proposition. ¡°I¡¯ll consider it once I¡¯ve had my revenge.¡± Since 1-1 was avenging someone he loved, Bernard would let him have his way. He would pay for his past sins, but he had to be the one to kill Sophie, or he would never rest in peace. ¡°If you disagree, then I can¡¯t grant your wish.¡± 1-1 stood up, hands in his pockets, looking down at Bernard. ¡°Mr. Laurence, I respect your courage, so I won¡¯t harm you. Follow 1-3.¡± After a few seconds of staring at 1-1, Bernard swiftly raised his gun and aimed at 1-1. But 1-3 was faster. The moment Bernard drew his weapon, 1-3 had his own gun pointed at Bernard¡¯s forehead. ¡°Mr. Laurence, 1-3 grew up in a battlefield. You can¡¯t match his gunmanship. Just cooperate.¡± After finishing his sentence at a rxed pace, 1-1 reached out his glove-covered hand and took Bernard¡¯s gun. ¡°Please.¡± 1-1¡¯s actions were respectful, not showing the slightest contempt or disdain for Bernard. The disarmed man fell silent for a moment before abruptly grabbing a scalpel from the side and slowly standing up. ¡°1-3, don¡¯t touch him until he sees Sophie.¡± 1-1 turned his body, examining Bernard¡¯s tall and straight figure, ¡°My offer still stands until then.¡± It was an opportunity for Bernard to reconsider. 1-1 was reasonable, but Bernard was too proud to ept. After 1-3 escorted Bernard out, 1-1 walked into the surveince room and pulled up the footage from the lower sector. He only wanted to see what had happened during this time. He didn¡¯t expect to see a familiar face. As if afraid he might be seeing things, 1-1 quickly lifted his trembling hands to remove his mask. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Once his vision cleared, he was able to confirm that the face was as familiar and unforgettable as he had remembered. ¡°It¡¯s her.¡± 1-1 was somewhat agitated as he reached out to touch the screen. His fingers trembled as they traced over her face, ¡°It really is her¡­¡± 1-1¡¯s eyes zed over with a thinyer of mist. After staring at the screen for a while, he shook his head gently, ¡°She¡¯s too young. It¡¯s not her¡­¡± She was already dead, and the person on the screen just looked exactly like her. But, they really did look alike. He almost mistook her for someone else. 1-1 gradually collected himself, his gaze fixed on the person on the screen. He watched all the videos rted to her. Only then did he learn that she was Bernard¡¯s wife. Bernard had been operating under the radar, taking risks to ensure his wife¡¯s safety. But he was forced to divorce her due to Sophie and Mr. Ben¡¯s maniption. However, Sophie didn¡¯t keep her word and had Cameron kill her after she left. Seeing the video of her body sinking into the sea that Sophie had shown Bernard, 1-1¡¯s face fell. He had just seen someone who looked exactly like her and hadn¡¯t had the chance to find out if they were rted before she was killed? 1-1 slumped onto the couch, supporting his chin with one hand. His eyes, glowing with a cold light, were filled with the urge to tear Sophie apart. Chapter 1334 Chapter 1334 Meanwhile, Mr. Quartus was leading the father-daughter duo of the Ratliff Group back to Area Opaca, a dayter than initially scheduled. The pair had been tough to locate, proving themselves resourceful in their attempts to hide. Mr. Quartus returned to the control room, expecting to see 1-2, but was met with an unusual sight. 1-1 sat alone on a leather couch, fixated on the screen of the control panel, puffing on a cigar in dead silence. ¡°Where¡¯s 1-2?¡± Mr. Quartus asked. Everyone in the control room turned their attention towards 1-1. The room was filled with operators, all wearing badges with their specific numbers, marking them as a notch above the regr henchmen. They were partners with 1-1. But 1-2 was senior to them, and 1-1 had just killed him. It was clear to them all that if their interests shed with 1-1, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to eliminate them. Just as they were contemting leaving Area Opaca, Sheldon, also known as Mr. Quartus, returned and all eyes turned to him. ¡°Mr. Quartus, Bernard used a chip to control 1-2, tying their fates together. He threatened our boss, and was shot by 1-3,¡± said Mr. Sextus, bringing Sheldon up to speed on the events that urred in his absence. Sheldon was stunned. 1-2 had served Area Opaca diligently for years, and yet he was shot dead by a junior? All because he was forced to threaten 1-1? He cleaned the cold sweat from his brow and looked at 1-1, who sat unflinchingly at the head of the table. ¡°Bro, 1-2 followed you for years. You killed him instead of finding a way to save him. I must say I¡¯m surprised,¡± Sheldon used, not bothering to hide his disappointment. 1-1, surprisingly, did not retaliate but just stared at him coldly. ¡°You once asked me why I didn¡¯t let you run Area Opaca. This is why.¡± Sheldon was too soft and sentimental. These qualities made him a poor fit for a leadership role. Although 1-1 didn¡¯t retaliate, Sheldon was still frustrated. He turned to leave, but was stopped by 1-1, ¡°I won¡¯t hold your mistakes against you. Bring in the Ratliffs.¡± Sheldon was surprised. Had 1-1 really decided to let him off the hook? ¡°I thought you were going to kill me,¡± Sheldon said, watching 1-1 exhale a cloud of smoke. ¡°I enjoy killing, but I don¡¯t kill indiscriminately.¡± His implication was clear ¨C he had killed 1-2 out of necessity. ¡°I couldn¡¯t continue to be controlled by Bernard because of 1-2. By killing him, I can pry the identity of the founder of the Siren Organization from Bernard. Only by finding their founder can we finally take our revenge.¡± These words struck a chord with everyone. Those who were considering leaving slowly rxed and sat back down. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°1-2¡¯s death is unfortunate, but necessary,¡± 1-1 said, inhaling another puff of smoke. ¡°To achieve great things, sacrifices must be made.¡± Although Sheldon agreed with 1-1¡¯s words, he knew that the only reason he had been spared was to maintain order within the ranks. If 1-1 killed him now, it would cause internal chaos. Sheldon understood this, but didn¡¯t let it show. He simply nodded at 1-1. ¡°I¡¯ll bring them in.¡± Sophie strutted into the room, her arms crossed over her chest and her heels clicking against the floor. She believed that she was a major asset to Area Opaca, having provided the names of Siren Organization members and revealing the identity of their leader. She expected gratitude from Area Opaca! As such, she confidently took a seat across from 1-1 without waiting for an invitation, crossed her legs, and leaned back in her chair. Chapter 1335 Chapter 1335 ¡°Boss, Bernard is the head of Siren Organization. When 1-2 found out, instead of offing him, he actually put a bounty on me. That means he¡¯s betrayed Area Opaca. Did you take care of him?¡± 1-1, without missing a beat, gave a slight nod, ¡°I did.¡± Hearing that 1-1 had dealt with 1-2, Sophie was over the moon, ¡°I knew I could count on you.¡± Afterplimenting him, she rose to her feet and made her way over to 1-1, cing her hands on his shoulders, ¡°Boss, I¡¯ve done a lot for Area Opaca. Don¡¯t you think I deserve a reward?¡± 1-1 looked down at the hands roaming his shoulders, ¡°What kind of reward are you thinking, Ms. Ratliff?¡± Completely oblivious to the murderous look in 1-1¡¯s eyes, Sophie leaned in close to his ear. ¡°Since 1-2 is out of the picture, why don¡¯t you let me take his ce?¡± ¡°Sure, but¡­¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Seeing him agree but with a condition, Sophie was a bit anxious, ¡°But what?¡± 1-1 didn¡¯t rush to answer. He just picked up Sophie¡¯s hand, and gently patted her palm. ¡°Ms. Ratliff, didn¡¯t I say that operators are not to interfere with the yers¡¯ fates?¡± Sophie realized that 1-1 was ming her for killing Eleanor and quickly started to exin. ¡°Boss, I broke the rules. I sent someone to kill her after the game was over. It was because of Bernard¡¯s underhanded maniption.¡± ¡°He let Eleanor choose correctly, and then let her go. I thought she was someone who should have died in Area Opaca, so I went after her.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± In response to Sophie¡¯s justification, 1-1 simply chuckled. This eerieughter was absolutely terrifying in Sophie¡¯s eyes. But she thought, having exposed the head of Siren Organization, her merits would outweigh her faults. 1-1 wouldn¡¯t really harm her, would he? ~ Who would have thought that no sooner had she thought this, than 1-1 suddenly grabbed her by the throat, mming her head onto the conference table. ¡°How dare you kill indiscriminately without my approval! You¡¯re asking for death!¡± 1-1¡¯s grip was incredibly strong, and within seconds, Sophie¡¯s face turned red and her body started convulsing. Cameron, who had been standing nearby, thought 1-1 wouldmend them for their work. He never expected this oue. Scared out of his wits, he rushed forward to try and save Sophie, but was held back by one of 1-1¡¯s men. Unable to fight back, all Cameron could do was plead for Sophie¡¯s life, ¡°Sir, please spare my daughter¡¯s life for the sake of what we¡¯ve done for Area Opaca!¡± Indeed, they had helped Area Opaca with the list of Siren Organization members, but that was not a reason to brag. So 1-1 didn¡¯t even spare Cameron a nce. Instead, he was determined to choke Sophie to death. ¡°She¡¯s not dead!¡± Desperate, Cameron suddenly shouted out, ¡°Eleanor¡¯s not dead!¡± ¡°I saved her! Please spare my daughter!¡± Cameron¡¯s pleas fell on 1-1¡¯s ears, and he slowly released his grip, ¡°Not dead?¡± Cameron broke free from the man¡¯s grip, rushed over to the barely-breathing Sophie, and started performing CPR, all the while tremblingly responding. ¡°She should be alive. She was still breathing when I rescued her. I¡¯m just not sure if anyone came to save her after I left.¡± Cameron eventually couldn¡¯t ovee his guilt, and halfway through his escape, he uncontrobly turned back. He exerted tremendous effort to pull her out of the sea and onto the shore. After giving her minimal first aid, he abandoned her and left with his men. The video was edited. There was no other way. He didn¡¯t want to disappoint Sophie, nor did he want Eleanor to die. ¡°Where is she now?¡± ¡°If no one else has rescued her, she should still be on the deserted ind.¡± 1-1 signaled to one of his men, who understood and immediately left to find Eleanor. Sophie, who was slowly regaining consciousness, lifted her bloodshot eyes and red at Cameron, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you kill her?!¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Cameron didn¡¯t know how to face Sophie, and stuttered in response. Upon seeing this, Sophie, filled with rage, grabbed Cameron by the cor, yelling hysterically. ¡°You knew how much I hated Eleanor! Why didn¡¯t you help me kill her, why?!¡± ¡°Because¡­¡± ¡°Because Eleanor is his daughter.¡± The words that Cameron couldn¡¯t voice, were spoken by Sheldon, who was standing nearby. Cameron looked at Sheldon in surprise, his eyes filled with confusion, as if asking how Sheldon knew. Chapter 1336 Chapter 1336 Sheldon¡¯s eyes hadn¡¯t yet revealed anything when he was yanked back by an incredulous Sophie, ¡°Dad, is what he¡¯s saying true?¡± At this point, Cameron had no choice but to admit, ¡°She was my first wife¡¯s daughter.¡± Sophie, who knew Cameron had been previously married, felt a tightness in her chest. It seemed that she hadn¡¯t expected that Eleanor, the conniving woman, was her half-sister. But she had seen with her own eyes how Cameron had pushed Eleanor and her mother off a cruise ship when she was a child. They should have died! How could they still be alive? ¡°Dad, you didn¡¯t kill them off back then, did you?¡± Compared to Sophie, who was knocked sideways by the shocking news, Cameron was much more reasonable, ¡°Sophie, go outside. I¡¯ll exin everythingter.¡± 1-1 seemed to have a different view of Eleanor. It would be better to leave and discuss this elsewhere before any old skeletons are dug up. Sophie, however, was beyond reasoning. She pushed Cameron away, ¡°Get away from me!¡± After pushing Cameron, she grabbed the edge of the table, struggling to pull herself up from the ground. In her disappointment, she nced at Cameron before turning around to look for a weapon. Eventually, she rushed over to Sheldon, snatching the gun from his waist and pointing it straight at Cameron¡¯s chest, ¡°Dad, I never thought that you, who always imed to love Mom the most, not only didn¡¯t kill Eleanor and her mother, but also brought Eleanor into thepany to torment me!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t?¡± Sophie cut Cameron off sharply before he could finish his sentence. ¡°Then how would Eleanor have grown up and worked in ourpany? You must have been ying a show in front of me and Mom, pretending to push them off the cruise ship, then having someone save them and secretly raising them! Mom and I were deceived by you for so many years, and I only found out the truth today. It¡¯s absolutely disappointing!¡± W Sophie was fuming. Cameron could only hope that she wouldn¡¯t pull the trigger. Sophie, however, didn¡¯t hesitate to pull the trigger. ¡°You spared her because of your father-daughter rtionship, ruining my ns. Then¡­ die!¡± Just as the bullet left the chamber, Sheldon raised his foot and kicked Sophie away, swiftly retrieving his gun. ¡°Damn, my gun was almost dirtied by this evil woman.¡± Sheldon cleaned the gun with his own clothes. Sophie, who had lost all reason, rushed over to fight Sheldon. Sheldon raised his foot again and kicked Sophie to the ground, ¡°You even want to kill your own father, you shouldn¡¯t live either!¡± Sheldon was about to pull the trigger and shoot Sophie when 1-1 stopped him, ¡°Spare her for now.¡± Sheldon was confused. Just now, 1-1 had clearly wanted to kill Sophie. Why the sudden change of heart? ¡°Lock her up. We¡¯ll decide what to do with herter.¡± While rubbing his foot on the carpet, Sheldon pointed his chin towards Cameron, who was still standing dumbfounded, ¡°What about him?¡± ¡°Lock him up too.¡± After 1-1 gave the order, Sophie and Cameron were dragged away. As Sophie was being dragged away, she kept shouting about her contributions to Area Opaca, demanding that 1-1 to consider her contribution. With one re from 1-1, the man in ck holding her raised his hand and struck her on the back of the neck. Sophie¡¯s eyes rolled back and she passed out. This time, Cameron didn¡¯t show any sympathy. He just turned his head away in disappointment. After Sophie and Cameron were taken away, 1-1 looked at Sheldon with his aged eyes. ¡°Everyone else out. Sheldon, stay.¡± Sheldon, who was about to leave, suddenly stopped in his tracks. He turned around, looking at 1-1 through the crowd of people gradually leaving the control room. When everyone else had left, 1-1 finally put out his cigarette and gestured for Sheldon to sit down, ¡°Sit.¡± Sheldon wasn¡¯t sure what 1-1 wanted to do. He was a little apprehensive, but he managed to keep his calm as he sat down next to 1-1. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a little about your sister Vanya¡¯s marriage. I don¡¯t know the full story, though. Would you mind sharing?¡± Sheldon usually kept his family¡¯s secrets to himself. But the fact that 1-1 knew about Vanya¡¯s marriage meant he had already done some research. After hesitating for a moment, Sheldon gave a brief ount of how Vanya was disfigured, how her marriage was called off, and how she was killed after being married. He downyed the details, but even the fragmented description made 1-1 ufortable. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying Vanya starved to death?¡± ¡°She died on the streets of G country, starved and froze to death.¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Sheldon¡¯s eyes reddened as he said this. If he had given the money directly to Vanya instead of to his eldest sister, perhaps Vanya and her children could have survived. But who would have thought that his usually kind and gentle eldest sister would take the money he gave her, recklessly buy designer handbags, instead of helping their sister¡­ Chapter 1337 Chapter 1337 ¡°So, after Vanya passed away, her daughters went missing?¡± The voice of 1-1 resounded, pulling Sheldon¡¯s thoughts back to the past. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± 1-1 paused, then asked again, ¡°And what happened after they scattered?¡± ¡°After they scattered, the eldest daughter ended up in the slums, while the younger one was traded several times by human traffickers, ending up back in our homnd as an orphan.¡± 1-1 was not yet sure of Vanya¡¯s identity, but his hands began to tremble, ¡°And then what?¡± ¡°And then¡­¡± Sheldon let out a deep sigh, ¡°The eldest daughter, Emilia, didn¡¯t have it easy either. She died years ago. The younger one, Eleanor, was luckier. She married Bernard.¡± Sheldon didn¡¯t know much about Emilia and Eleanor¡¯s specific experiences, so he simply exined in a few words and didn¡¯t say anything more. ¡°Vanya¡¯s eldest daughter¡­ is dead?¡± 1-1¡¯s eyes were filled with disbelief, but Sheldon nodded and said, ¡°She¡¯s been dead for many years.¡± Noticing 1-1¡¯s shocked expression, Sheldon found it a bit odd, ¡°Why are you so interested in Vanya and her daughters?¡± Snapping out of his thoughts, 1-1 shook his head at Sheldon, ¡°You should go.¡± Sheldon stared at 1-1 and wanted to ask more but eventually didn¡¯t. He got up and left. Immediately after his exit, the man in ck who had been sent out earlier called in. ¡°Sir, there¡¯s nobody on the deserted ind.¡± ¡°I see.¡± No one being there meant that she had been rescued. As long as she was rescued, there was still hope. Thinking this, 1-1 picked up his phone and dialed 1-3, but he didn¡¯t answer. Anticipating what might have happened, 1-1 quickly put on his mask and headed for the biochemical area. As he entered, he saw a bunch of men in ck lying scattered across the floor. Bernard had single-handedly taken them all down with a scalpel. And 1-3 was in the midst of a bloody fight with Bernard, neither willing to back down. Seeing this, 1-1 furrowed his brows, pulled out the gun from his waist, and fired a shot towards the wall. ¡°Bang-¡± The loud gunshot echoed in the room, and the brawling duo quickly stopped and looked towards the source of the sound. ¡°What¡¯s this all about?!¡± Confronted by 1-1¡¯s question, 1-3, somewhat embarrassed, pushed Bernard away and stood up, ¡°This jerk said I couldn¡¯t beat him one on one. I didn¡¯t believe it, so I¡­¡± He had discarded his weapon and started a fistfight with Bernard. As the fight escted, the men in ck saw 1-3 at a disadvantage and joined the fight. To everyone¡¯s surprise, Bernard didn¡¯t utter a word, even when he was surrounded and beaten. 1-3, who had never been bullied before, immediately ordered the men in ck not to use their guns, opting to handle Bernard himself. He was determined to beat Bernard into submission, but after a while, not only had Bernard not given in, but 1-3 had also taken quite a beating. Seeing 1-3¡¯s mask almost smashed to pieces, 1-1 shot him a stern look, then jerked his chin towards the door, ¡°Come with me.¡± 1-3 immediately nodded, stepped over the bodies of the men in ck, and quickly followed 1-1 out of the biochemical area. Bernard, slowly getting up from the floor, watched the two figures recede, his brows furrowing¡­ He was so close to unmasking 1-3. After exiting the biochemical area, 1-3 removed his hood and spat a mouthful of bloody saliva onto the ground, ¡°I must say, Bernard¡¯s got guts. I kind of like him.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice that he was trying to provoke you so he could remove your mask?¡± ¡°I noticed¡­¡± 1-3 wiped the blood off the corner of his mouth, ¡°But he couldn¡¯t.¡± If Bernard dared to unmask him, he would shoot him. ¡°Be more careful around him in the future.¡± Faced with the imposing 1-1, 1-3 was somewhat afraid and quickly nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes.¡± 1-1 took out his cell phone, pulled up the surveince footage, and handed it to 1-3. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Seeing the face on the screen, 1-3 was taken aback, ¡°Who is this?¡± ¡°This girl is Eleanor. She¡¯s Bernard¡¯s wife.¡± 1-1 briefly exined, then coldly ordered 1-3, ¡°Go find her and bring her back home.¡± 1-3 understood, nodding at 1-1, ¡°And what about Bernard?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t touch him for now.¡± 1-3 returned the phone to 1-1, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go find her now.¡± Chapter 1338 Chapter 1338 In the haze of her thoughts, Eleanor saw Bernard push her away, turning to sweep Sophie into his embrace. She froze, then charged towards them, but Bernard merely red at her with furrowed brows. ¡°We¡¯re divorced, Eleanor. Why can¡¯t you let go?¡± Eleanor stood, disbelieving, gazing up at Bernard who towered over her, ¡°We¡¯re divorced?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t respond, only held Sophie closer, showing her tenderness. After standing stunned for a while, Eleanor took a step forward. She wanted to separate them, but then saw Bernard lean down to kiss Sophie. At the moment their lips touched, Eleanor¡¯s world shattered. Reeling from the pain, she slowly opened her eyes. Seeing the white ceiling, Eleanor realized she¡¯d been having a nightmare, one where Bernard was kissing someone else. Just as she was sighing in relief that it had only been a dream, she realized she was lying in a hospital bed. She slowly turned her gaze and a familiar face, handsome and aloof, suddenly came into view. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± The man¡¯s eyes lit up upon seeing her awake, twinkling like a sky full of stars. Eleanor stared at him, momentarily dazed, before reaching out to touch his face. It felt real. He was alive. Eleanor¡¯s clear eyes welled up with tears, ¡°Robin, you¡¯re alive¡­ Thank God¡­¡± Dressed in a hospital gown just like her, Robin gave her a small smile, ¡°What doesn¡¯t kill you¡¯makes you stronger, right? Need a hug?¡± Looking at the man before her, Eleanor was transported back to the day he¡¯d taken a bullet for her. His recklessness and the sight of his blood had filled her with guilt and gratitude. She stared at him in silence for a moment before opening her arms. Without a word, her actions spoke volumes, and the smile on Robin¡¯s face grew deeper. He pushed himself up from his wheelchair, leaning forward to scoop Eleanor into his embrace. She had only intended for it to be a brief hug, a smallfort after their brush with death, but Robin held her tight, refusing to let go. Robin resting his chin on her shoulder had a look in his eyes that wasn¡¯t quite clear, almost fearful, ¡°I thought you were dead when my father brought you in¡­¡± She had been rushed into the ER, surrounded by doctors and nurses. He, on the other hand, had been shot and was unable to help. All he could do was sit in his wheelchair, staring at the ER doors. He had never felt so anxious or scared before, but the panic of that day had shaken him to his core. Eleanor could feel Robin¡¯s fear, and she raised a hand to gently pat his back. ¡°I thought you were dead after you were shot. But we¡¯re both alive now. Don¡¯t be scared.¡± Her words offort seemed to work magic, slowly calming Robin¡¯s frazzled nerves. He was reluctant to let go, but knew that if he held on any longer, he would be crossing a line, and there would be no turning back. Robinposed himself, let go of Eleanor and casually returning to his wheelchair. ¡°Are you feeling unwell? Let me know and I¡¯ll have the doctor check.¡± Eleanor shook her head, her hand instinctively moving to her stomach. She had survived a near-death experience, but had her child made it? The thought of losing the child she had fought so hard to conceive was a heavy blow. ¡°Your baby is safe. I had the doctor make sure of that.¡± Robin knew how important the child was to Eleanor, and had done everything in his power to ensure its safety. ¡°Thanks to the person who rescued you, the baby was saved in time and there was no miscarriage.¡± Eleanor looked up at Robin, and seeing the sincerity in his eyes, she finally believed that her baby was indeed safe. Her hand on her stomach became more gentle, as if the presence of her child eased her pain. She realized she had been somewhat selfish before, only thinking of finding Bernard, never considering her child. But her baby had not caused her morning sickness, nor had it abandoned her. It had stayed with her through it all. This obedient child was a blessing in Eleanor¡¯s life, and she resolved to protect it in the days toe. ¡°Robin.¡± Her voice was soft and sweet, and when she said his name, it sent shivers down his spine. Robin felt that if he got any closer to her, he¡¯d be lost, but he would willingly let himself drown. He stared at Eleanor¡¯s pale face for a moment before nodding, ¡°Yep, I¡¯m here.¡± Eleanor shifted to sit up in bed, looking at him, ¡°Who saved you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, all I know is that the bullet missed its mark.¡± After he was shot, he didn¡¯t know who had taken him out of the Area Opaca. When he woke up, he was on a deserted ind, and his father was with him. His father had said that someone had informed him toe to the ind to pick him up, but he didn¡¯t know who that was. N?velDrama.Org ? content. After his surgery, he suspected that someone from the Area Opaca had helped him, which was why the bullet had missed and he had been saved. Robin had a vague idea who it might be, but he needed to confirm himself once he was better. ¡°And how did your father find me?¡± Thinking of what Robin said about his father, Eleanor asked, ¡°Did he happen to be on the ind?¡± Chapter 1339 Chapter 1339 Robin shook his head with a sigh, ¡°I was the one who sent him to the deserted ind.¡± They were taken from the ind, returned after the game ended, and Robin hoped, if Eleanor could escape, she would appear there. The moment he woke up, he had York send people to guard the ind in hopes of finding her. Luckily, not long after, York found Eleanor on the ind¡¯s sandy beach. ¡°However, my father said when they found you, you were soaking wet, presumably from the sea.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t know who pulled you out of the water, only that someone rescued you,¡± That was why she had managed to keep her unborn child safe. Hearing this, Eleanor was taken aback. At that time, there were no other people around. The only one who could have saved her was Cameron. Could it be that he felt guilty and came back to save her? Eleanor didn¡¯t want to believe this possibility, but felt it could only be him¡­ Even if it was him, Eleanor¡¯s hatred would not lessen. If not for Cameron, how could her mom, her sister and her have suffered so much? If not for Cameron, how could Sophie have bullied her so much? Thinking of Sophie forcing Bernard to divorce her, she was filled with anger. Seeing her clench her fists, her eyes full of anger, Robin reached over and put his hand on hers. ¡°You are not fully recovered yet, don¡¯t get angry.¡± Eleanor slowly retracted her anger and quietly moved her hand off Robin¡¯s. The one who cares first can always feel rejection, even in the slightest movement. Robin¡¯s eyes darkened a bit. He then pretended not to care, picked up the water ss from the bedside table, poured a cup of water, and handed it to Eleanor, ¡°Did you find Bernard afterwards?¡± Taking the water ss, Eleanor paused. ¡°I found him.¡± She lowered her eyes, devoid of emotion, and took a sip of water. Finding Bernard should have made Eleanor happy, but she was not. There was no happiness in her eyes, and Robin found it strange. ¡°What happened between you two?¡± Eleanor, holding the cup, lowered her head, ¡°He doesn¡¯t want me anymore.¡± As she said this, a tear fell into the water ss. Looking at the ripple in the water, Robin was taken aback, ¡°How could that be?¡± Bernard¡¯s possessiveness when he dered his sovereignty in front of him was almost overwhelming. Anyone could see that Bernard loved Eleanor to his core, how could he not want her? If it were before, Eleanor would have kept it to herself, avoiding talking about heartbreaking matters. But now, she wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes and smiled at Robin. ¡°He had no choice, he gave me a divorce agreement and forced me to sign.¡± Robin understood that Bernard had no choice but to push Eleanor away, ¡°Just because he had no choice, doesn¡¯t mean he doesn¡¯t want you.¡± Eleanor nodded lightly, her eyes looking out the window, a hint of sadness in them. Robin watched Eleanor in silence, then finally spoke again. ¡°Is he still a yer of Area Opaca, or is he one of the ones behind the scenes?¡± The only ways Eleanor could have found him were those two. ¡°He¡¯s an inviter.¡± Eleanor raised her hand, pointing to her chest, ¡°There were letters and numbers of the Area Opaca invitee on his clothes. Ace-Inviter-2-9, that¡¯s a higher rank than the men in ck, right?¡± 2-9 is a serial number, representing the order of Area Opaca partners, indeed a high level. Bernard was quite impressive, an undercover agent from the Siren Organization, yet he managed to climb to the position of a partner. ¡°Robin.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Can someone of his rank freely enter and exit Area Opaca?¡± Robin didn¡¯t know how Bernard had be an Area Opaca inviter, but he knew that people of this level were indeed not restricted by Area Opaca. His hesitation was the best answer, and Eleanor¡¯s eyshes drooped again. ¡°If he had called me within 23 days, I wouldn¡¯t have gone looking for him, and then¡­¡± Eleanor choked up and didn¡¯t finish her sentence. Robin watched her, silent for a moment beforeforting her. ¡°He probably still has unfinished tasks. Wait for him to finish ande back, then ask him properly.¡± Eleanor¡¯s fingertips gently caressed the rim of the cup, ¡°When I signed the divorce agreement, I told him that we would never see each other again, life or death.¡± Robin was taken aback, a hint of confusion in his eyes, ¡°Are you ming him?¡± Eleanor nodded, ¡°He hurt me in the same way twice.¡± She would rather die with him than be coldly pushed away. But Bernard thought that was the best way to protect her. She could understand him, but the pain in her heart was something she could take to her dreams. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°I only know he had no choice, but I don¡¯t know why he had no choice. Isn¡¯t that a failure?¡± She had died once, and it took her three years to understand why he treated her that way. She thought that after that experience, he wouldn¡¯t push her away again, but he did. Without knowing the full story, all of Bernard¡¯s unspeakable difficulties were a kind of hurt to Eleanor. Especially since Bernard didn¡¯t tell her anything, most of the time, she felt like an idiot, clueless. Chapter 1340 Chapter 1340 Staring at the visibly distraught Eleanor, Robin was silent for a long time, so long that Eleanor thought he would not speak again. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a lost cause, everyone has their own perspective and thoughts.¡± ¡°Maybe. Eleanor agreed, but her gaze drifted out the window, filled with loneliness, a sight that tugged at Robin¡¯s heartstrings. He knew Eleanor loved Bernard, so her deration of ¡®never see him again in life or death¡¯ was just an outburst after being hurt. Robin understood this clear as day, so he didn¡¯t press the matter further, instead just staying by her side in quiet support. After a period of silence, Eleanor seemed to remember something and turned to look at Robin. ¡°You said something to me behind the door the other day, but it was obscured by blood, and I didn¡¯t see it.¡± She held her ss of water, looking lost, her gaze on Robin, ¡°What did you say?¡± Robin was taken aback, seemingly surprised Eleanor remembered, and he got nervous. ¡°Nothing¡± he said. Eleanor tilted her head slightly, her skeptical gaze lingering on the strangely flustered Robin. ¡°You should tell me, or else I¡¯ll keep thinking about it.¡± Facing the divorced Eleanor, Robin could have confessed his feelings for her. But he knew that as long as Bernard reached out, no matter how hard others tried or how much they liked her, she would follow Bernard. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. In the face of such a love that has weathered life and death, Robin¡¯s affection was insignificant. So, it¡¯s better not to tell her, to avoid making her feel burdened in the future. ¡°I told you to remember to send my prize money to my house.¡± She had been expecting him to say something touching, but he had been worrying about her prize money, ¡°You really need the money that badly?¡± Robin, his eyes reddened, nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± His only chance to confess his feelings in this lifetime had just slipped by. Honestly, it was regrettable, but their current distance was just right. With his back to the light, Eleanor couldn¡¯t see the tears in his eyes. ¡°Do you have a pen and paper? I¡¯ll write down the address where Ace left my prize money for you to pick up.¡± She had put the note in her suitcase, but now that the suitcase was gone, it was okay, she remembered it. ¡°No rush.¡± Robin slowly replied, hiding all theplicated emotions in his eyes, and reached out to take the ss of water from her hands. He put the ss back on the hospital bed tray, reced it with a clean one, poured some warm water, and handed it to her. ¡°Have some water first. I¡¯m going to let the others know.¡± Upon hearing that he was going to inform the others, Eleanor quickly asked, ¡°Do they all know I¡¯m back?¡± ¡°They all know.¡± ¡°Are they okay?¡± Robin nced at the worried Eleanor, ¡°Not very good.¡± Before Eleanor left, she left a letter. It said she was going to find Bernard and Caleb, and asked Hailey and Katharine not to worry. But even Bernard and Caleb hadn¡¯t returned safely, how could Hailey and Katharine not worry? So the two pregnant women, one was constantly crying, and the other was osciting between insanity and tears. Only Cedric, Scott, Aidyn, along with Evan and Gianna, were searching everywhere for the location of Area Opaca, but to no avail, until he and Eleanor returned one after another. Hailey¡¯s baby was due in a few months, she was exhausted but still insisted on staying by the hospital bed, waiting for Eleanor to wake up. It was Cedric who couldn¡¯t bear to see it and forcibly carried her away. Katharine also stayed, because she wanted to wait for Eleanor to wake up and ask her if Caleb was still alive. Robin had told her that Caleb was dead, but she didn¡¯t believe it, insisting on hearing the answer from Eleanor¡¯s mouth. After hearing Robin¡¯s words, Eleanor was filled with guilt, ¡°It¡¯s my fault for making them worry about me.¡± Robin shook his head, ¡°They will understand.¡± After saying this, Robin, forcing himself to stand up from the wheelchair, helped Eleanor lie down, ¡°Rest well, meet them in your best condition when they arrive, so they won¡¯t worry.¡± After helping her to lie down, Robin pulled over the soft nket and covered her. Eleanor thought he made sense, so she obediently closed her eyes again. ¡°Wake me up when they are here.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Robin¡¯s voice was filled with a tenderness that even he didn¡¯t realize. He stared at Eleanor¡¯s sleeping face for a while before taking out his phone. He sent a message to order a light meal to be delivered, then notified the others. But the person who appeared in the hospital room was not Hailey and the others, but Peterson Sharp, the third son of the Sharp family. Looking at the man standing in the doorway against the light, Robin¡¯s handsome face took on a somber expression, ¡°Who are you here to see, Mr. Peterson?¡± Dressed in a gray suit, exuding an air of elegance and nobility, Peterson tilted his chin towards Eleanor, ¡°I¡¯m here to see her.¡± Chapter 1341 Chapter 1341 Robin followed his gaze to the figure sprawled on the hospital bed, lost in deep thoughts. It was Eleanor. He spoke softly, wary of disturbing her, ¡°Why are you here for her?¡± Peterson, ¨ª ¨²nder Robin¡¯s scrutinous g¨¢ze, paced into the room with long strides. ¡°She was working on a project for my grandfather, but there¡¯s an issue with the blueprints. I came to discuss revisions.¡± Peterson eyes moved from Robin to Eleanor, who was in peaceful sleep. ¡°Coincidentally, I was visiting a friend in the next room and noticed her here. What happened to her?¡± Robin knew Eleanor was an architect, so he didn¡¯t find Peterson¡¯s exnation suspicious. However, he retained a hint of caution in his response. ¡°She¡¯s pregnant and her body isn¡¯t holding up well. She¡¯s here for prenatal care.¡± Peterson looked surprised, seemingly unaware of Eleanor¡¯s pregnancy. He cast a nce at the IV bag hanging beside her bed, ¡°I see¡­¡± Robin nodded and said, ¡°She doesn¡¯t have the energy for projects right now. Please, Mr. Peterson, you should go.¡± Peterson looked at Robin, who stood unwaveringly by Eleanor¡¯s side. His eyes, deep as ake, were filled with mncholy, ¡°Alright, I¡¯lle back when she¡¯s awake.¡± Peterson turned and left the room, his appearance seemingly just a coincidence Eleanor, under the influence of the medicine, slept soundly, unaware of Peterson¡¯s visit. However, she was trapped in a nightmare, her forehead and back slick with cold sweat. In her dream, she was repeatedly pushed away by Bernard, falling to the ground unable to get up. When she finally managed to struggle to her feet, she was pushed into the sea by Sophie, Cameron, and Bernard. She reached out for help, but Bernard swam away without looking back¡­ She could only watch his retreating figure and get engulfed by the sea with despair. ¡°It hurts¡­¡± Eleanor clutched her chest, curling into a small ball under the covers. Robin, watching her, hesitated for a moment before taking her hand into his, ¡°Eleanor, you¡¯re having a nightmare. Wake up, it won¡¯t hurt when you¡¯re Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. awake.¡± Eleanor, entangled in the nightmare, couldn¡¯t hear his words. She was shivering from the cold. Robin touched her forehead with his other hand, rmed by the heat. He quickly rang for the nurse, ¡°Doctor, she has a fever again,e quickly!¡± Eleanor had been in and out of consciousness for several days. Her immune system had weakened from the cold, causing her to repeatedly fall into fever. Robin had thought she would improve once she woke up, but her fever spiked again. The doctor came quickly, examined her, and spoke to Robin, ¡°She has a fever. We¡¯ll start with a cold compress. If that doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯ll have to administer medication.¡± ¡°Will the medication affect the baby?¡± Robin asked, then felt like he was acting like the baby¡¯s father, showing such concern. But then he reasoned that it was normal since he had been with Eleanor throughout the pregnancy. While he wasforting himself, the doctor finished the prescription, ¡°We should try to avoid medication. Let¡¯s try to lower her temperature first.¡± The doctor handed Robin the prescription and left after giving thorough instructions. Robin didn¡¯t dy. He quickly called a nurse and left the room. As he walked out, Hailey and the others rushed over¡­ Peterson, leaning against the wall of the next room, frowned as more and more people arrived. ¡°How is Eleanor?¡± Hailey, her belly protruding with pregnancy, hurried to Robin, supported by Cedric. ¡°She woke up for a bit, then her fever came back.¡± Hearing that Eleanor¡¯s fever had returned, Hailey¡¯s heart clenched. She quickly bypassed Robin and entered the room. A nurse was helping Eleanor cool down. Cedric, feeling it inappropriate for him to be there, let Hailey go in alone. Hailey looked at Eleanor¡¯s pale and skinny face, her heart aching. She moved to Eleanor¡¯s side, sitting down and taking the towel from the nurse, I¡¯ll wipe her forehead. You can help with the rest.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The nurse agreed and moved to the other side of the bed, lifted Eleanor¡¯s clothes, and began to wipe her back. Chapter 1342 Chapter 1342 She was feverish, sweating profusely. Her hair was drenched, making her look as if she had just been fished out of the ocean. Seeing Eleanor in this state, Hailey felt a pang of heartache. She gently brushed the sticky strands of hair from Eleanor¡¯s forehead, wiping away the sweat with a towel. For over two months, Eleanor had vanished into the night, leaving nothing but a letter behind. She had broken her promise, leaving Hailey both angry and worried. Pregnant and constantly anxious, Hailey spent her days either bedridden or in tears. She had even prepared for the worst, yet she couldn¡¯t bear to believe it. She hoped that Eleanor, who had already faced death once, wouldn¡¯t be so unlucky again. Thankfully, Robin returned with news that Eleanor was alive, as was Bernard, though they were in some danger. Only then was Hailey able to sleep soundly. She knew that Robin was holding back information, but that was enough for Hailey, who clung to hope. As long as Eleanor was alive, that was all that mattered. Gently, Hailey wiped Eleanor¡¯s forehead, cheeks, neck, and palms, until her fever finally broke and she could breathe a sigh of relief. Eleanor was still in the throes of a nightmare, but this time, a gentle hand was there to pull her from the watery depths. Her furrowed brow rxed, and under the cool touch, she fell into a brief slumber before slowly opening her eyes again. This time, it wasn¡¯t Robin she saw, but Hailey¡¯s radiant face. ¡°Eleanor, are you awake?¡± Hailey asked, dropping the towel and leaning in for a closer look. ¡°Are you feeling okay?¡± Eleanor shook her head gently, then licked her dry lips. ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m sorry for worrying you.¡± Her first words were an apology, which did much to quell Hailey¡¯s anger. She yfully pushed Eleanor¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re pregnant and you run off to some dangerous ce. Do you not care about your safety or our concern at all?¡± Hearing Hailey scold her like an older sister, Eleanor managed a serene smile. ¡°Hailey, did you miss me?¡± Hailey, who had nned to feign anger, burst into tears at the question. ¡°What do you think? You didn¡¯t answer your phone, and we couldn¡¯t reach you. What else could we do but worry?¡± Eleanor¡¯s eyes welled up as well. ¡°Hailey, you¡¯ve always been the best to me.¡± ¡°We grew up together. Who else could match our bond, our shared history? Of course I¡¯ll always be there for you.¡± Hailey said, causing Eleanor¡¯s tears to spill over. ¡°Stop crying, you look terrible.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look so great yourself when you cry.¡± The two womenughed through their tears. Hailey then embraced Eleanor, not minding her growing belly. ¡°All that matters is that you¡¯re back.¡± Eleanor nuzzled into Hailey¡¯s embrace,forted by the familiar scent. After their tears had dried, she reached out to touch Hailey¡¯s belly, ¡°When is the baby due?¡±, ¡°In two months,¡± Hailey replied. ¡°I¡¯m so d I made it back in time to see you give birth.¡± ¡°Oh, please. You should be preparing a baby shower gift.¡± Eleanor gave a small smile. ¡°Cedric¡¯s so wealthy, so you really need my baby shower gift?¡± ¡°Cedric¡¯s money is mine, and so is your gift.¡± ¡°You¡¯re greedy.¡± Eleanor joked, touching Hailey¡¯s belly, ¡°Your mommy is greedy, right?¡± ¡°Even as Mrs. Laurence, you¡¯re so stingy.¡± Hailey smiled. At the mention of Mrs. Laurence, Eleanor¡¯s smile faltered. ¡°Something wrong, Eleanor?¡± Hailey asked, noticing the change in her friend¡¯s demeanor. Eleanor was silent for a moment before finally speaking. ¡°Bernard and I are getting a divorce. Don¡¯t call me Mrs. Laurence anymore, ¡°A divorce?¡± Hailey was taken aback. She had thought that even if she and Cedric divorced, Bernard would never leave Eleanor. After all, his love for her was iparable. But the emotion in Eleanor¡¯s eyes told her the sad truth. ¡°What¡­ what happened?¡± Hailey asked. Eleanor turned onto her side, propping her head up with her hands. ¡°Hailey, was it a mistake that I have gone to find Bernard?¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Hailey, who knew nothing of the situation, was confused. ¡°You can¡¯t think so. If the person you love disappears, of course you¡¯d go looking for them. Having built a home with Cedric, despite the short time they had been together, Hailey felt a deep dependence on him. If he were to suddenly disappear, she knew she would do everything in her power to find him. How could she just sit back and do nothing? Chapter 1343 Chapter 1343 Eleanor nodded slightly, and after a long silence, she ryed the events of Area Opaca to Hailey. Hailey listened, stunned for a moment, and then lifted her hand to tenderly touch Eleanor¡¯s thin face, ¡°You¡¯ve suffered a lot.¡± That was all she said. She didn¡¯t try to console Eleanor or defend Bernard, but her words spoke volumes. Eleanor wanted to shake her head and deny it, but the pain in her heart surged forth at Hailey¡¯s words offort. ¡°Hailey.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Eleanor reached out, grabbing Hailey¡¯s hand that rested on her face, holding it tightly against her chest, ¡°I¡¯m actually quite upset.¡± Of course, Hailey knew she was upset. She had risked everything to find her husband, only to be divorced after their reunion. Who could bear that? Hailey felt for Eleanor and couldn¡¯t help but cover Eleanor¡¯s hand, now skeletal and veiny after months of stress, with her free hand, ¡°If you need to talk, just let it all out to me.¡± Eleanor slowly lowered hershes, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be upset about. I¡¯m used to it.¡± ustomed to Bernard¡¯s cold indifference, used to his rejection. All that was left was the sadness that followed.¡± The word ¡®I¡¯m used to it¡¯ing from Eleanor was, to Hailey, the epitome of injustice. She couldn¡¯t help but repeatedly pat Eleanor¡¯s hand, thinking it might offer somefort. Eleanor, perhaps not wanting Hailey to share her heartache, didn¡¯t continue, only saying, ¡°Hailey, when I¡¯m discharged, I won¡¯t return to Fiord Roundabout. Can you bring Nina to my vi then?¡± She didn¡¯t even want to return to their shared home. Hailey paused for a moment, before agreeing, ¡°Sure.¡± After agreeing, Hailey couldn¡¯t help but call out to her again, ¡°Eleanor.¡± Eleanor looked up at Hailey, who seemed hesitant to speak. ¡°Hailey, whatever you want to say, just say it.¡± Hailey then took her hand, gently patting the back of it, ¡°Whatever decision you make, I¡¯m here to support you. But I need to remind you.¡± Her gaze shifted from Eleanor¡¯s face to her belly. ¡°You¡¯re going to have a child. You can¡¯t let the child grow up without a father, can you?¡± Both of them were orphans, so they knew how painful a fatherless childhood could be. Although Eleanor¡¯s child would still have a mother, a childhood without a father was iplete. When the child grew up, he would spend his entire lives trying to fill the void left by his fatherless childhood. Just like they had, living in the shadow of having no parents to love and guide them. Staring at Hailey for a long moment, Eleanor gently touched her belly, ¡°If he hasn¡¯t considered if our child needs a father, why should I?¡± Though her words silenced all of Hailey¡¯s objections, Hailey could tell Eleanor was being spiteful towards Bernard. Hailey hoped that when Bernard returned and exined why he had hurt Eleanor twice with the same woman, the couple would reconcile. She believed that two people so in love wouldn¡¯t part ways over a difference in opinions. With this in mind, Hailey asked, ¡°Eleanor, is there anything you want to eat?¡± Before Eleanor could respond, there was a knock on the door. ¡°Honey, can wee in now?¡± Hailey looked back at the door, seeking Eleanor¡¯s permission with her eyes. ¡°Sure.¡± Eleanor responded, propping herself up on the bed. Just as she had settled, Cedric, Aidyn, and Scott walked in. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. ¡°Eleanor, are you okay?¡± Eleanor nodded, ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°You look weak. You should rest more. ¡°Okay.¡± Eleanor nodded, then teased Cedric with a smile, ¡°Being a father-to-be really changes a man. You¡¯re so caring now.¡± Cedric, seeing her in good spirits, felt relieved, ¡°People have to grow up at some point.¡± Cedric pulled up a chair next to Hailey, took her hand, and began to idly caress it. Feeling embarrassed to disy such intimacy in front of everyone, Hailey tried to pull her hand away, but he firmly held on, ¡°What are you scared of? Eleanor is our family.¡± ¡°Yeah, and we¡¯re not outsiders either.¡± Aidyn, and Scott, standing nearby, chimed in. After learning Bernard was alive, the gloom that had hung over them for two months finally lifted. Now that Eleanor was safe and sound, so they could finally breathe a sigh of relief, especially Scott, who had nearly turned the city upside down when Eleanor disappeared. After all, it was his job to keep her safe, and when she disappeared under his watch, he was understandably frantic. Moreover, due to this incident, Aidyn had taken the opportunity to beat him up good and proper. No, more urately, he beat him up every time they saw each other. Yet they had to work together to investigate the specific location of Area Opaca, leading to frequent fights between them. Now, both of them sported bruises on their faces. Chapter 1344 Chapter 1344 Eleanor caught a glimpse of the lingering tension in the room, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve made you worried.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not worried, it¡¯s just that Bryson looks like he¡¯s aged a decade from the stress.¡± Scott tried to soothe Eleanor, only to be interrupted by an offhandment from Aidyn.. ¡°He looked old to begin with.¡± Aidyn was obviously trying to provoke Scott, who responded with clenched fists and a fierce re. However, in Eleanor¡¯s presence, they avoided a physical brawl, and instead chose to turn their backs on each other. Eleanor was oblivious to their petty quarrels and offered a few words of apology. Both men quickly dismissed her apologies, expressing their understanding of her situation. After the small talks, Cedric finally cut to the chase. ¡°Eleanor, how is Bernard doing? Is he hurt?¡± Earlier, Cedric had tried to get information from Robin, who was as tight-lipped as if his lips were welded shut. Cedric had been on the verge of punching him a few times, but held back, considering Robin had apanied Eleanor to find Bernard. Eleanor knew they were all worried about Bernard. So, unlike her grieving demeanor in front of Hailey, she responded to Cedric¡¯s query in aposed manner. ¡°He¡¯s not hurt. In fact, he¡¯s be the member of Area Opaca.¡± Upon hearing this, the tension that had been building up over the past few days eased. ¡°He is quite something, isn¡¯t he?¡± Cedric¡¯s eyes radiated pride. It seemed as though Bernard¡¯s sess was the most boast-worthy achievement. Eleanor concurred, albeit subtly, by lowering her eyshes. Noticing this, Aidyn felt a pang of anxiety, ¡°Ma¡¯am, you¡¯re not hiding anything from us, are you?¡± Eleanor snapped out of her mncholy, ¡°Why would I hide anything? He¡¯s absolutely fine.¡± Bernard was unharmed and seemed to be in good health. ¡°Mr. Spencer mentioned that Sophie was also in Area Opaca but she never exposed Mr. Laurence¡¯s identity. Is she plotting something?¡± Eleanor remembered the adoring look in Sophie¡¯s eyes when she saw Bernard, and instinctively shook her head, ¡°She¡¯s still in love with Bernard. That¡¯s why she didn¡¯t expose him.¡± Had Sophie been instrumental in Bernard bing one of the members of Area Opaca? If so, Sophie had made quite a sacrifice for Bernard. Despite his cold-heartedness towards Sophie, she remained blindly in love with him. But it was quite infuriating how Sophie had transferred her unrequited love for Bernard onto Eleanor. ¡°So, Mr. Laurence is safe for now?¡± ¡°He should be.¡± Eleanor thought that if Bernard had be the member of Area Opaca, it wasn¡¯t just Sophie¡¯s doing but also the approval of the people behind the scenes. These individuals must have recognized Bernard¡¯s capabilities, which is why he was given this responsibility. Eleanor believed that as long as Bernard kept his identity a secret, he would be safe. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. ¡°When will he be back?¡± This was Scott¡¯s primary concern. Ever since Evan brought back Caleb¡¯s remains and Mr. Law¡¯s death news, everything had been a mess. Mr. Penrod took charge for a few days, and then passed the hot potato to Evan and Gianna, while he busied himself with investigating the shadowy figures behind Area Opaca. Although Mr. Law had already ventured into Area Opaca for the same purpose, Scott had a hunch that Mr. Penrod knew something they didn¡¯t. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Eleanor was clueless about when Bernard would return. ¡°Considering Mr. Laurence¡¯s progress, he might return after meeting the founder of Area Opaca, perhaps?¡± Aidyn asked with uncertainty. ¡°Maybe.¡± Eleanor¡¯s response was as uncertain as Aidyn¡¯s question. She was unaware of the rules and regtions of Area Opaca, nor did she know about the ess permissions required for the different zones, let alone the chip in Bernard¡¯s brain. She only knew that Bernard had be the one of the Area Opaca members, which meant he was safe from them. The only threat was Sophie discovering his identity. With this in mind, Eleanor offered a word of advice. ¡°If possible, don¡¯t give up on finding the location of Area Opaca. I¡¯m worried that Sophie might lose it one day and expose Bernard¡¯s identity, putting him in danger.¡± Despite her anger and disappointment, Eleanor was genuinely concerned for Bernard¡¯s safety. Sheter realized that as long as Bernard was alive, it didn¡¯t matter if they were apart. It wasn¡¯t a big deal. Their differences in perspectives ¨C with one wishing for a partnership and the other believing in distancing ¨C were evident. It was clear they weren¡¯tpatible, and perhaps it was for the best that they separated. ¡°Ma¡¯am, do you have any other leads?¡± ¡°Area Opaca gave me an address to im a bounty. Does that count as a lead?¡± Aidyn nodded vigorously, ¡°Of course, it does!¡± Eleanor looked at Robin, who had been silent all along, ¡°Should I give it to them?¡± It took Robin a moment to realize that Eleanor was asking for his opinion on whether she should share the bounty address with them. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Robin thought to himself: I¡¯m rich enough, so I don¡¯t need a few billion. Eleanor took Aidyn¡¯s phone and wrote down the address in the notes app. After receiving the address, Aidyn and Scott informed Evan and Gianna, and immediately set off. Once they left, Peterson, who had been waiting outside for a long time, finally knocked on the door, ¡°Ms. Shultz, may I have a moment of your time?¡± Chapter 1345 Chapter 1345 Eleanor was taken aback at the sight of Peterson. She couldn¡¯tprehend how he knew her, let alone why he¡¯de to see her. Could it be that he had figured out she had impersonated Emilia to negotiate a project at his home? ¡°Didn¡¯t I just tell you? She¡¯s not well, so she can¡¯t handle projects, why are you still here?¡± Robin was irked, casting a disdainful nce at Peterson who looked like he had just stepped out of a fashion magazine. Peterson didn¡¯t seem to mind Robin¡¯s arrogance, offering Eleanor a gentle smile instead. ¡°Ms. Shultz, do you have a moment?¡± Pulling herself together, Eleanor nodded, ¡°Of course.¡± Peterson¡¯s gaze shifted to the others, ¡°I¡¯d like to speak with you privately.¡± Robin was about to protest when Eleanor spoke up, ¡°Cedric, could you take Hailey to the lounge to rest?¡± 7 Cedric found Peterson odd. Eleanor had never had direct dealings with Peterson, so why would he seek her out privately? Regardless of his confusion, Cedric respected her decision, assisting Hailey by gently holding her arm and waist. As he turned to leave, he nced at Robin, ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving?¡± 1 Robin was quite the mystery himself. When Eleanor was unconscious, he was by her bed side every day, watching her with such intensity that one might mistake him for her husband. Cedric eyed him suspiciously, which Robin found quite annoying and abruptly exited the room.. Once they had left, Peterson gracefully approached Eleanor, taking a seat where Hailey had sat moments ago, ¡°Ms. Shultz, I apologize for bothering you given your current health.¡± Peterson had a certain elegance about him. His handsome face always wore a soft smile, and he exuded the charm of a well-bred gentleman. ¡°No worries.¡± Eleanor had a good impression of Peterson and reciprocated his politeness, ¡°Now that we¡¯re alone, Mr. Sharp, what can I do for you?¡± Peterson got straight to the point, ¡°Ms. Shultz, my grandfather noticed that you pretended to be Emilia during the project negotiations.¡± Hearing this, despite having suspected Peterson¡¯s motive, Eleanor felt a pang in her heart. ¡°So, did your grandfather send you to demandpensation for breach of contract?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t ask how Peterson¡¯s grandfather had discovered her deception, nor how they had carried out their investigation. After all, the Sharp family was a powerhouse in North Fund, with resources and influence on par with the Laurence family. They had means and ways! ¡°No, actually, I¡¯m here for something else.¡± The project contract stated that if Emilia wasn¡¯t personally involved in the design, a hefty penalty for breach of contract would be required. Eleanor assumed Peterson¡¯s visit was rted to the contract vition, but it wasn¡¯t, which left her puzzled, ¡°If it¡¯s not about the project, then what is it?¡±/ Eleanor had no connections with Peterson, so why would he seek her out? Peterson leaned back in his chair, a nonchnt smile ying on his lips. ¡°My grandfather had a first love named Pauline. Has he mentioned her to you?¡± ¡°He mentioned her, but didn¡¯t provide a name. Why?¡± Bemused by Eleanor¡¯s confusion, Peterson chuckled, ¡°Interestingly, you bear a striking resemnce to Pauline.¡± Eleanor was taken aback, asking, ¡°You¡¯re saying I look like your grandmother?¡± Peterson nodded slowly, ¡°That¡¯s right, and not just you. Your mother, Vanya, also bears a striking resemnce to her.¡± He added, ¡°Your mother looks even more like her.¡± When Yates Sharp mentioned Vanya previously, Eleanor knew he had done his homework. But she hadn¡¯t expected him to have researched Vanya because she resembled his first love. ¡°Ms. Shultz, my grandfather suspects you might be a descendant of the Sharp family, which is why I¡¯m here. He wants a hair sample for a DNA test. Would that be okay with you?¡± Upon hearing Peterson¡¯s revtion, Eleanor began to doubt her lineage. She hadn¡¯t expected the possibility of being rted to the Sharp family. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll just start with the test. Once the results are out, regardless of whether you¡¯re a descendant of the Sharp family, we¡¯ll respect your decision.¡± Eleanor was a bit flustered and hesitant with the news, but Peterson was patient and reassured her. After some thought, Eleanor pulled out a strand of her hair and handed it to Peterson. Regardless of the oue, a DNA test could help her mother, find her roots. ¡°Thank you.¡± Peterson epted the hair strand, looking at Eleanor fondly. He was increasingly drawn to Eleanor, not in a romantic way, but with the affection of a brother for his sister. If Eleanor turned out to be his sister, he would be overjoyed. With the hair sample in hand, Peterson stood to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll get the test done, Ms. Shultz. Once the results are ready, I¡¯lle see you.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor was such a good girl. Peterson couldn¡¯t help but smile indulgently, ¡°Take care. If you¡¯re not satisfied with your doctor, let me know. I¡¯ll arrange the best medical specialist for you.¡± Compared to Peterson¡¯s easygoing nature, Eleanor felt awkward and responded with a forced smile. Chapter 1346 Chapter 1346 After Peterson left, Robin and Cedric came back and asked Eleanor what Peterson wanted with her. Eleanor exined that he wanted to conduct a DNA test. The room fell silent. The men questioned how he¡¯d found her, while Hailey was thrilled. She rushed forward to grasp Eleanor¡¯s hand, ¡°Eleanor, this is just fantastic! Your family has finally found you!¡± Orphans tend to get overly excited about these things, as if they¡¯re the ones being reunited with long- lost family. Hailey¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. ¡°Let¡¯s not get too excited. The results aren¡¯t in yet.¡± There are many people in the world who look like each other and don¡¯t necessarily share blood ties. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for the results before I get too excited.¡± Hailey was pregnant and had put on a healthy amount, of weight, looking adorable. Eleanor couldn¡¯t resist poking her plump little hand, ¡°Cedric has been taking good care of you, right? You¡¯ve put on some weight.¡± Cedric was proud and huffed out his chest, ¡°Of course. Since my wife is pregnant, it¡¯s my job to take care of her.¡± Upon hearing this, Hailey yfully shoved him. It took Cedric a moment to notice Eleanor¡¯s frail, thin frame. He was immediately regretful for his thoughtless words and quickly tried to make amends, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯ll take care of you just as well as I¡¯ve been taking care of Hailey.¡± Eleanor had been alone throughout her pregnancy. She was skinny and frail, as if a gust of wind could blow her away. Cedric felt a pang of guilt. He didn¡¯t know when Bernard would be back, but he hoped he wouldn¡¯t miss Eleanor¡¯s entire pregnancy. That would be a shame. Eleanor, however, wasn¡¯t concerned, ¡°You don¡¯t need to take care of me. Just take care of Hailey. I can handle myself.¡± Seeing that Hailey was about to cry, Eleanor suggested she go rest. However, Hailey refused to leave. Just then, the food that Robin had ordered arrived. Eleanor suggested they all eat together to divert the conversation. After dinner, Eleanor asked Robin about Katharine¡¯s situation. Robin exined that since they¡¯d left, Katharine had been unstable, violentlyshing out and causing several injuries. Fortunately, Robin had left enough people to watch over her and prevent any serious harm to her unborn child. He decided to wait until Eleanor was feeling better before the two could meet. Eleanor was heartbroken. Caleb was truly gone. How was she supposed to face Katharine? And how was she supposed to deliver the news of his death? As Eleanor was lost in her grief, Peterson received the DNA test results. Instead of going straight to Eleanor, he returned to the Sharp family¡¯s temporary residence here to meet with Yates. ¡°Grandfather.¡± Peterson entered the study, handing Yates the DNA report, ¡°The DNA results are in. As you suspected, Eleanor is indeed your granddaughter.¡± Yates, who had always been certain of Eleanor¡¯s lineage, put his work aside to read the report. ¡°It seems Pauline was indeed carrying triplets. But why did she lie to me?¡± When he went to meet Pauline, her loyal housekeeper presented him with a video that she had left behind. In the video, Pauline informed him that she had borne him only two children. However, they had three; why did she deceive him with only two? Did she hate him that much? Was her hatred so intense that she sent away their beloved daughter, just to spite him at this moment, and make him endure the agony of being separated from his flesh and blood? Pauline was a particrly cold-hearted woman; the more Yates thought about it, the more he was convinced that this capricious act was very much within her capabilities. However, the manner she had chosen to enact her revenge seemed excessively savage! ¡°She really is ruthless, using this method to get back at me!¡± Yates was livid, throwing the report aside. Peterson dared not intervene, standing to the side and waiting for Yates to calm down. Yates was filled with regret and sorrow. His daughter, Vanya, had died of starvation and exposure, despite the immense wealth of the Sharp family. He couldn¡¯t bear to imagine the image of Vanya lying unimed in the streets of G Country. He was filled with a mix of anger and hatred. ¡°I¡¯m not attending her memorial service the day after tomorrow. Tell your mother not to bother.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Peterson was stunned. Yates was angry enough to skip Pauline¡¯s memorial service? Peterson didn¡¯t dare question Yates further and dutifully agreed. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll call my mom.¡± After notifying his mother, Peterson returned to the study. Chapter 1347 Chapter 1347 ¨C At this point, Yates had regained hisposure and picked up the report, handing it back to Peterson, ¡°Take this report and bring Eleanor back home. Once she is back, change her name to Eleanor Sharp. And my daughter, Vanya, have her ashes brought back from the Pine family.¡± Having finished his instructions, Yates gave further orders to Peterson, ¡°I just found out that Emilia, was buried in the Hooper family. Bring her ashes back as well, and change her name.¡± Their children of the Sharp family must return to the Sharp surname, and must return to their ancestral hall, to be listed on the Sharp family tree. Peterson, who had received the report, nced at it and then at Yates, ¡°Grandpa, after the way we treated Bernard, Eleanor won¡¯t be willing toe back with me.¡± Yates raised his hand, loosened the tie on his white shirt, rxed his body, and leaned back into the leather executive chair, ¡°Don¡¯t tell Eleanor about Ace.¡± Not telling Eleanor was the right decision. Otherwise, if she knew about them operating on Bernard¡¯s skull, how could she willingly return to the Sharp family? Yates had just found his lost bloodline, so he wouldn¡¯t let that happen. Peterson understood this and agreed, ¡°What about Bernard then?¡± Bernard was Eleanor¡¯s husband and the leader of the Siren Organization. This was both a family rtionship and an enemy. Should they act or not? A hint of hesitation shed across Yates¡¯ eyes, but it was fleeting, and he quickly made a decisive decision, ¡°Don¡¯t tell Bernard about Eleanor being alive, and have Sheldon keep an eye on him, don¡¯t let him get out.¡± Peterson was stunned. Not telling Bernard about Eleanor, does this mean they won¡¯t let him out? As Peterson spected, Yates spoke again, ¡°Have the doctors treat Bernard, but never let him leave Ace.¡± Bernard was not only Eleanor¡¯s husband but also the leader of the Siren Organization. Not killing him, but keeping him alive, was out of consideration for Eleanor. By confining Bernard, the secrets of Area Opaca would never go public. ¡°Also, keep Sophie Ratliff alive, don¡¯t kill her.¡± Bernard was still willing to live, because Sophie had not been killed yet. As long as this hatred exists, he will keep living. And as long as he lives, Yates would have the chance to pry information about the people behind the Siren Organization from his mouth. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Peterson thought Yates¡¯ decision was somewhat cruel. ¡°Grandpa, Eleanor is pregnant and went to Ace to find Bernard, indicating that she loves him a lot. Isn¡¯t it too cruel to separate them like this?¡± Yates¡¯ eyes darkened, ¡°I¡¯ve seen the video. Bernard has already divorced Eleanor. Eleanor said she doesn¡¯t want to see him even in death. Let them be.¡± Yates was always stubborn, only believing in what he thought was right, never considering things from other people¡¯s perspectives. Peterson couldn¡¯t persuade him, nor did he dare to. ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯ll go and take care of things now.¡± Just as Peterson was about to leave, Yates stopped him, ¡°Call Sheldon over here. I need to ask him how Vanya ended up with them.¡± Was it Pauline who sent her to the Pine family? Or did the maid want to keep the money left by Pauline, and didn¡¯t want to take care of Pauline¡¯s child, so she sent her to the Pine family? With the death of the maid, these questions had been buried. Plus, the maid had no descendants, making it difficult to find leads. The only option was to consult Sheldon again. When he first learned about Vanya, Yates had asked Sheldon about her, but he always imed ignorance. Yates guessed that Sheldon probably didn¡¯t want to reveal family secrets, which was why he was evading the issue. At the time, Yates wasn¡¯t sure if Vanya was his daughter, so he didn¡¯t press the issue. This time, he wanted to get to the bottom of things. ¡°Yes.¡± After Peterson left, the icy expression on Yates¡¯ face faded, revealing a lonely old man. He slowly took out a picture of Pauline, staring at the captivating woman in it, his eyes welling up with tears. ¡°Pauline, I lost. I lost to your relentless ruthlessness.¡± He mumbled under his breath. Chapter 1348 Chapter 1348 Sheldon managed to capture Sophie and Cameron and learned that Eleanor was still alive. He wanted to ry the news to Bernard, but he didn¡¯t have the clearance to ess the bio-chem sector. The bio-chem sector was beyond his jurisdiction and it didn¡¯t concern his interests. He hadn¡¯t ced any spies there and now found himself in a bit of a pickle. Through rumor mills, Sheldon had learned that Bernard was the leader of the Siren Organization. Many puppeteers in the Ace wanted Yates to eliminate Bernard. However, Yates had not executed Bernard but kept him locked in the bio-chem sector. Peterson had even instructed a doctor to treat Bernard. The excuse of extracting information about the founder of the Siren Organization from Bernard was convincing enough for most, but not for Sheldon. He thought it would be more logical to use severe punishment to extract information from Bernard, so why send a doctor to treat him? This was not in line with Yates¡¯ usual practices. He was known to personally punish captured members of the Siren Organization, let alone its leader. Sheldon suspected that Yates had other reasons to keep Bernard alive, but he couldn¡¯t figure out what they might be. While Sheldon was processing these thoughts, he received a call from Peterson, asking him to meet Yates. After hanging up and feeling puzzled, he left his current task and headed for A City. Using the evasion route provided by Peterson, he sneaked into the backyard of the Sharp family mansion and made his way to Yates study. Yates was making coffee when Sheldon arrived. He gestured for Sheldon to sit on the couch and poured him a cup of coffee. ¡°I wanted to ask you something,¡± he said, getting straight to the point. Sheldon took the coffee from Yates and asked, ¡°What is it, boss?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not in Area Opaca, so you don¡¯t need to call me boss here,¡± replied Yates. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°Alright, Mr. Sharp,¡± Sheldon corrected himself quickly. Yates was amanding presence, whether in Area Opaca or in private. When conversing with him directly, it was hard not to feel a sense of respect and fear. Yates didn¡¯t beat around the bush. ¡°I saw Eleanor in a surveince video the other day. She looks a lot like my girlfriend,¡± he said. Choking on his coffee, Sheldon eximed, ¡°What?!¡± Unfazed by Sheldon¡¯s reaction, Yates continued, ¡°I had Peterson get a hair sample from her for a DNA test. She¡¯s my granddaughter.¡± Sheldon was stunned. After a moment, he finally managed to ask, ¡°But¡­ she¡¯s my niece, how could she be your granddaughter?¡± ¡°Your sister is my daughter,¡± Yates said with an indifferent expression. Sheldon was shocked and found it hard to believe. ¡°What, my sister is your daughter?!¡± Robin Spencer had told him before that Vanya was not a Pine by blood, but he never expected her to be Yates¡¯ daughter. He studied Yates¡¯ look, and indeed, there were simrities in their facial features¡­ Ignoring the surprise in Sheldon¡¯s eyes, Yates continued, ¡°After my girlfriend Pauline gave birth to her, she sent her away to get back at me. Do you know how she ended up in your family?¡± Sheldon shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that. I didn¡¯t even know she wasn¡¯t our real daughter until my nephew told me.¡± His parents had kept this secret well, If not for Robin revealing the truth after Wendy Pine¡¯s death, Sheldon would still be in the dark. Yates studied Sheldon¡¯s eyes, seeing no signs of deception. He frowned, ¡°Who else in your family knows about this?¡± Sheldon shook his head again. ¡°My grandfather is dead, and so are my parents. No one else in the family should know how Vanya came to be a part of the Pine family.¡± ¡°What about any old servants?¡± Yates probed further. Sheldon thought for a moment and then brought up their old butler. ¡°The old butler who served my grandfather might know.¡± Yates immediately ordered, ¡°Call him.¡± Sheldon replied, ¡°He¡¯s quite old now, and he¡¯s suffering from dementia.. Chapter 1349 Chapter 1349 Yates didn¡¯t respond, just stared at him icily, as if telling him that he just had to follow his order, no more chatter. Sheldon, not one to squabble with an older man, pulled out his cell phone and dialed the butler right in front of him. The butler was really old, and he had his grandson answer his calls. Sheldon asked the butler about Vanya. The butler rambled on and on, much to Yates¡¯ annoyance. Fearing Yates¡¯ wrath, Sheldon finally eximed, ¡°Hey, Greg¡­ Can you hear me? If you can, tell me why my grandfather adopted Vanya!¡± Greg¡¯s voice was shaky and unclear, ¡°What¡­ I can¡¯t hear you¡­¡± Sheldon looked at Yates, ¡°Should we drop it?¡± Yates grabbed the phone, his voice cold, ¡°If you don¡¯t speak up, I¡¯ll send someone to wipe out your entire family!¡± There was a moment of silence on the other end before the voice regainedposure, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I am Vanya¡¯s father!¡± Yates replied. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you,¡± Greg said, ¡°The master said if you were the one looking for him, he¡¯d tell you.¡± Sheldon was stunned. Had Greg been pretending to be stupid? Yates¡¯ voice was icy, ¡°Speak!¡± Greg, who was just following orders, had been instructed by Sheldon¡¯s grandfather not to speak of Vanya¡¯s past to anyone unless her biological father came asking. Sheldon¡¯s group, always curious, had made Greg pretend to be senile to avoid any slip-ups. Now that Vanya¡¯s biological father hade calling, Greg ryed everything as instructed. Sheldon¡¯s grandfather was a friend of Pauline¡¯s sister. She had left her child in her sister¡¯s care. But her sister fell ill and couldn¡¯t look after the child, so she handed her over to Sheldon¡¯s grandfather and gave him all of Pauline¡¯s money. Pauline resented Yates. After all, he had killed Pauline¡¯s first love in secret to win her over and tricked her into thinking her first love didn¡¯t want her Pauline was unaware of the truth, and believed her first love had left her and slowly fell for Yates. But Yates couldn¡¯t marry her. By then, Pauline was pregnant, but Yates forced her to break up with him and married someone else. In her anger, Pauline left him. After giving birth, she encountered an enemy of her family. The enemy, whose origins were unknown, was after her family. Pauline didn¡¯t want to endanger her child, so she left her beloved daughter with her best friend while she and her sons stayed on the run. When Yates came looking for her, he found Pauline had been tortured to death. A deep sadness spread across Yates¡¯ aged face when he learned the truth. He had thought Pauline had given up their child out of spite, not out of desperation. After knowing that Pauline was driven to such a state by the Siren Organization, Yates hated the organization even more! If it wasn¡¯t for Eleanor, he would turn Bernard into a bio-human and throw him into a blender! Yates¡¯ fists clenched, veins bulging. Seeing this, Sheldon instinctively defended Bernard. ¡°That was the work of the original Siren Organization. Bernard had nothing to do with it¡­¡± The original Siren Organization was called Darkness, a long-standing organization that hadmitted many atrocities. But Bernard wasn¡¯t even born back then. How could he be med for everything? ¡°They are all the same!¡± Yates roared. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Just thinking that his granddaughter was married to such a man, Yates was filled with rage. ¡°He may be like the rest, but he¡¯s Eleanor¡¯s husband. Don¡¯t you n to spare him for Eleanor¡¯s sake?¡± Yates scoffed, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Eleanor, do you think he¡¯d still be alive?¡± Sheldon frowned, ¡°He¡¯s still your granddaughter¡¯s husband, and Eleanor is carrying his child. Once the baby is born¡­¡± Yates interrupted him coldly, ¡°Are you saying the Pine family hasn¡¯t suffered enough at the hands of the Siren Organization, or that the Laurence family doesn¡¯t hate the Pine family enough?? Sheldon was speechless. By rights, the Pine family should hate the Laurence family and Siren Organization, but for some reason, he didn¡¯t feel as much hatred as he should. Could it be that his guilt towards his sister outweighed his hatred? Chapter 1350 Chapter 1350 Sheldon couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it, but his mood was steady and he was calm enough to reason with Yates, ¡°Now, under Bernard¡¯s leadership, Siren Organization doesn¡¯t senselessly kill the innocent or seek personal revenge. At most, they¡¯re just weeding out the bad apples in business world. Aren¡¯t we sometimes guilty of baiting these bad apples ourselves with an invite to a charity g or something? Maybe we should let bygones be bygones?¡± ¡°No way!¡± Yates¡¯ animosity toward Siren Organization was much more intense than Sheldon¡¯s. He had witnessed first-hand what they were capable of. How could he let it go so easily? ¡°But¡­¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°If you try to talk me out of this again, don¡¯t me me for getting nasty.¡± Sheldon held his tongue. It was an unwritten rule among the members of Area Opaca ¨C never defend the members of Siren Organization, or you¡¯d be shipped off to the bioweapon facility. ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t argue for leniency anymore. I¡¯ll try to advise you on something else. Yates shot Sheldon a nce sharp as a switchde. Sheldon swallowed back his words about telling Bernard that Eleanor was still alive. He saw a murderous glint in Yates¡¯ eyes. He was on his own here and stood no chance against Yates. It was wiser to keep his head down. Besides, he¡¯d been Yates¡¯ right-hand man for years and saw him as a big brother He had no intention of causing a rift over Bernard, ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave then. Still got some loose ends to tie up.¡± As Sheldon was about to leave, Yates stopped him. ¡°I¡¯m taking Eleanor back to the Sharp family soon. Do me a favor and keep your mouth shut about Ace, and the brain surgery Bernard underwent.¡± Sheldon understood. Eleanor had been to Area Opaca. If she found out that Yates was the founder and his treatment of Bernard, she¡¯d think poorly of them, maybe even harbor resentment. Besides, Sheldon wanted to remain Eleanor¡¯s uncle. So he agreed to keep Yates secrets. ¡°Alright, my lips are sealed. You guys do whatever you want.¡± As he left the study, Yates watched Sheldon¡¯s retreating figure. With Kermit Hyde now. six feet under, should he consider promoting Sheldon to deputy leader and granting him administrative rights over Area Opaca? Although Sheldon could be ruthless, he wasn¡¯t ruthless enough, and Yates worried handing over control to him might backfire. He decided to put the mess in Area Opaca on hold until his personal affairs were sorted out. With that, Yates had Peterson show Sheldon out and then called him back into the study. He instructed Peterson not to reveal his past with Pauline, and to simply say that it was Pauline who, out of spite, had sent the child away. Peterson, oblivious to Yates¡¯ conversation with Sheldon, agreed and then went to find Eleanor with the DNA test results. By then, Cedric Laurence had taken Hailey home to rest, and Robin had gone to change his bandages, there was no one else in the hospital room. Before entering the room, Peterson knocked on the door, ¡°Ms. Shultz, the DNA test results are out. I¡¯ve brought them for you to see.¡± Seeing Peterson¡¯s politeness, Eleanor nodded, ¡°Pleasee in, Mr. Peterson.¡± With her permission, Peterson walked in and handed Eleanor the test results. As my grandfather guessed, you are indeed a descendant of the Sharp family.¡± Eleanor, having just received the report, understood its contents upon hearing Peterson¡¯s words. ¡°So, my mother was really Mr. Sharp¡¯s child.¡± She stared at the DNA test results, her heart heavy with a sigh. The Sharp family was a wealthy family, and yet, Vanya had starved and froze to death. She had helped Vanya find her family, but she didn¡¯t feel any joy. Instead, she looked up at Peterson. ¡°Can you tell me why your grandfather abandoned her?¡± In Eleanor¡¯s mind, abandonment was the only exnation for Vanya¡¯s tragic life. Peterson, following his grandfather¡¯s instructions, replied, ¡°It was Ma¡¯am Pauline who, out of spite, secretly sent the child to the Pine family without telling him.¡± Eleanor was taken aback, ¡°Was your Ma¡¯am Pauline really that hot-tempered?¡± Peterson chuckled, ¡°Yes, she had a fiery temper. Even my grandfather was afraid of her.¡± Eleanor still didn¡¯t understand. ¡°So, because of a fit of anger, your Ma¡¯am Pauline hid her child from your grandfather and sent her away? That doesn¡¯t quite add up.¡± What she meant was that the reason didn¡¯t seem sufficient, but Peterson smiled. ¡°I guess Ma¡¯am Pauline wasn¡¯t just acting out of spite. My grandfather wanted a business marriage, and she retaliated in this way.¡± Eleanor tilted her head, questioning Peterson, ¡°But a woman who is willing to have a child for a man must love him deeply. Why would she retaliate in such a way?¡± Chapter 1351 Chapter 1351 Men and women have different perspectives on rtionships. Peterson couldn¡¯t quite grasp Eleanor¡¯s point of view. He said, ¡°Well, I¡¯m not entirely sure what Madam Pauline was thinking at the time. If you want to know the specifics, you shoulde back home with me and ask Grandpa.¡± Eleanor handed the report back to Peterson. ¡°Mr. Peterson, I appreciate youing to me and letting me know about my mother¡¯s lineage. Now, her grave can bear our family¡¯s name.¡± Peterson¡¯s face stiffened. ¡°Eleanor, I didn¡¯te here just to tell you about your mother¡¯s origins. I came to take you back to the Sharp family. To be Miss Sharp.¡± Eleanor gave a smallugh. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, but I have my own family now.¡± Peterson, following her gaze, noticed her slightly rounded belly. ¡°Just because you¡¯re married, it doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t acknowledge your connection to the Sharp family.¡± Eleanor said, ¡°It¡¯s enough that you know who I am and I know who you are. There¡¯s no need for anything else.¡± Had her mother been around, maybe it would have been different. But she didn¡¯t feel the need to acknowledge the rtionship now. Besides, everyone was living their lives happily without disturbing each other. Peterson tried to argue, but Eleanor cut him off. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that once the results were out, everything would be my decision? I choose not to return to the Sharp family.¡± Peterson hesitated, then said, ¡°Yes, I did say that. But my grandpa wants you toe back to the Sharp family, and he sent me to persuade you. Won¡¯t you reconsider?¡± Eleanor was decisive. She shook her head. ¡°No, I¡¯m living quite well as it is.¡± Peterson asked, ¡°Are you refusing because my grandfather didn¡¯t marry Madam Pauline? Do you think he was unfaithful and that¡¯s why you¡¯re rejecting me?¡± Eleanor neither nodded nor shook her head. ¡°What happened between your grandfather and your grandmother is none of my business, and I won¡¯tment on it. But his actions were indeed inappropriate.¡± Peterson agreed. ¡°I also think he was wrong. If it were me, I¡¯d defy death itself. Would my family dare to watch me die?¡± Eleanor gave a small smile and asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you marry the person you wanted to?¡± She had heard from Sigrid that the person Peterson loved had already married. There must be a story there. Peterson shrugged helplessly. ¡°She didn¡¯t love me. I can¡¯t threaten to die to force her to marry me, can I?¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. His humor was unexpected, and Eleanor¡¯s eyes curved into a smile. ¡°You¡¯re quite respectful of others.¡± Peterson admitted, ¡°I had no choice. My parents always taught me not to bully others just because I have some power.¡± Hearing this, Eleanor thought that the younger generation of the Sharp family wasn¡¯t bad. But even with a good impression, she still wouldn¡¯t acknowledge them as her family. Seeing that she had made up her mind, Peterson didn¡¯t force her. He told her to rest well, then left to make a phone call. Eleanor thought Peterson respected her decision. But the next day, she saw Peterson, along with Bevis and Antoine, standing outside her door. Bevis Sharp, the eldest son, was dressed in a suit and tie. He had a sharp face and fierce eyes, radiating an aura of authority. You could tell he was a CEO at first nce. As for Antoine Sharp, the second son¡­ Eleanor was stunned. She didn¡¯t have much of an idea about celebrities before, but seeing Antoine, she was dazzled. His handsome features, perfect face shape, thick eyebrows and clear blue eyes were all exuding a sense of freshness and happiness. Antoine was a man of stunning beauty. If he were to dress up as a woman, he would be breathtaking¡­ Seeing Eleanor staring at him, Antoine waved his slender fingers at her. ¡°Hey, little cousin, I¡¯m your second cousin, Antoine Sharp.¡± Eleanor came out of her daze and managed a smile. ¡°Hello.¡± Compared to Bevis, Antoine was much more rxed. He naturally sat down in front of Eleanor¡¯s bed and extended his hand for a handshake. Eleanor, out of politeness, shook his hand but didn¡¯t say anything. Seeing her slightly dazed expression, Antoine found her rather adorable. ¡°Our adopted sisters don¡¯t look as good as you.¡± As he spoke, his voice was full of charm. No wonder Antoine was an international superstar. Every move he made exuded a charm that attracted the opposite sex. Fortunately, Eleanor had seen Bernard¡¯s appearance, so she wasn¡¯tpletely dazzled. ¡°Antoine, you¡¯re quite handsome too.¡± Chapter 1352 Chapter 1352 Antoine shed a subtle smile, turning to nce at the stern-faced man dressed in a crisp suit, ¡°Bro, did you hear that? Eleanor said I¡¯m handsome.¡± Bevis, not a man of many words or smiles, gave Antoine a in look and said, ¡°We¡¯re here for serious discussions, not to toot our own horn.¡± After rolling his eyes at Bevis sober mood, Antoine turned his attention back to Eleanor, ¡°Eleanor, Peterson mentioned that you don¡¯t wish to return to the Sharp Estate. May I ask why?¡± Eleanor gently rubbed her belly, ¡°I have my own child now, and my own family. I don¡¯t need to return to the Sharp Estate. It¡¯s enough to know that my family are you guys.¡± Antoine softened his eyes, looking at Eleanor¡¯s belly, ¡°So you¡¯re pregnant. Congrattions, you¡¯re going to be a mom.¡± Thinking of her obedient child, Eleanor¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile, ¡°Thank you for your well wishes.¡± After a chat about her uing baby, Antoine, the more empathetic of the brothers, took the opportunity to strengthen their bond and persuade her, ¡°Eleanor, regardless of the circumstances, it is important to connect with your roots. That way, your child will know his mother¡¯s lineage. Not just for his future, but during his upbringing, having the support of a powerful family like the Sharps will foster confidence and courage.¡± Confidence and courage were what Eleanorcked during her own upbringing, leading her to live passively as an adult. Still¡­ Eleanor looked at Antoine and the silent Bevis, giving them a soft smile, ¡°I can provide my child a confident environment on my own, without relying on the Sharp family.¡± Bevis, who rarely smiled, forced a grin, treating Eleanor gently, ¡°But we, as your cousins, hope you can come home.¡± Eleanor, looking at Bevis sincere eyes, was a bit torn, ¡°I¡­¡± Antoine nodded in approval, ¡°He is right. Even if you don¡¯t live in the Sharp Estate, your mother¡¯s grave should be relocated to our family¡¯s cemetery, and your sister¡¯s too.¡± Eleanor firmly refused, ¡°My mother¡¯s empty tomb can be moved from the Pine family to the Sharp family, but my sister¡¯s can¡¯t. She and her husband were very much in love; they must be buried together.¡± The three brothers exchanged nces, and finally, Peterson nodded, ¡°Then we won¡¯t disturb your sister¡¯s ashes, we¡¯ll just include her name in the family register and restore her status as a Sharp heiress.¡± Without waiting for Eleanor¡¯s response, Peterson continued, ¡°Now, you¡¯re the only child of Pauline who is alive. Even if we want to move the tomb, it requires your presence. Come back with me.¡± Peterson¡¯s words were followed by Bevis, ¡°Our grandfather truly didn¡¯t know that Ma¡¯am Pauline had sent your mother away. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have let you suffer outside all these years. If this is something you¡¯re holding against us, I¡¯ll have him personally apologize to you. How about that?¡± Facing these three handsome and eloquent cousins, Eleanor felt a headacheing on. ¡°Give me some time to think. As for the relocation of the tomb, it must wait until after my child is born. I¡¯m not in a suitable condition to visit the cemetery now.¡± Bevis understood, ¡°In that case, we¡¯ll leave our contact information with you. When you¡¯ve made up your mind, give us a call.¡± Eleanor simply nodded in response, and the three brothers stood up to leave. Just as they reached the door, they bumped into Hailey and Cedric. Hailey¡¯s eyes lit up at the sight of Bevis, even more so when she saw Peterson, but when she spotted Antoine, her eyes nearly popped out of her head! ¡°You¡­ Are you the lead actor in Woond Devastation?!¡± Antoine, maintaining his public image, promptly put on a dazzling smile, ¡°That¡¯s correct, I am.¡± ¡°Oh my god!¡± Hailey squealed in excitement, rushing over to grab Antoine¡¯s arm. Cedric, watching from the side, felt a surge of anger simmering in his eyes. Unaware of Cedric¡¯s reaction, Hailey held onto Antoine, babbling on about her love for his work, ¡°I love your movies! You¡¯re such a terrific actor, I really, really like you!¡± Faced with an enthusiastic fan, Antoine¡¯s grin widened even more, ¡°So, you only like my acting skills? Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m handsome?¡± ¡°You¡¯re handsome! So handsome! There¡¯s no other male star as handsome as you!¡± This was a globally recognized superstar, who couldpare to his looks? Hailey¡¯s words made Antoine quite pleased. He took a pen from his pocket and gave Hailey a flirtatious wink. ¡°Would you like to leave your contact information?!¡± Just as Hailey was about to agree, Cedric stepped between them, using his tall, muscr frame to block their interaction, ¡°Do you want me to leave my contact information for you?!¡± Antoine seemed less perturbed by Cedric¡¯s anger, ¡°If you want to, sure. I don¡¯t discriminate based on gender.¡± Cedric was speechless.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 1353 Chapter 1353 Before Cedric could lose his temper, Hailey grabbed his arm, peeking out from behind him. ¡°So, that movie you did with the Hollywood actor was real?¡± Antoine smirked, touching his nose. ¡°What do you think¡­?¡± Hailey guessed it was real, and Antoine snapped his fingers in approval. ¡°Well guessed!¡± Then Antoine¡¯s gazended on Cedric. ¡°I must say, your husband is quite the looker. Just my type.¡± Hailey was about to ask how Antoine knew Cedric was her husband, but she noticed Antoine ncing at her belly before he left the room in his usual mboyant style. Antoine caught up with Bevis and Peterson, turning back to throw a flirtatious wink at Cedric. ¡°Hey, my cousin Eleanor has my number. Give me a call, will ya?¡± Cedric nearly gagged. ¡°What a nutjob!¡± Hailey, on the other hand, looked intrigued. ¡°Honey, I wouldn¡¯t mind if you two got together.¡± Cedric cursed under his breath. ¡°If I ever ended up with him, I¡¯d rather castrate myself!¡± Hailey pondered for a moment before responding. ¡°Well, he might be gay, so even if you did¡­you could still be together.¡± Cedric was too exasperated to argue. Hailey took his arm, cooing gently. ¡°Mr. Laurence, I¡¯m just joking. Don¡¯t get mad.¡± Cedric couldn¡¯t resist Hailey¡¯s charm. Her innocence always melted him. He wouldn¡¯t dare get mad at her. He wrapped his arm around her waist, his tone authoritative. ¡°Don¡¯t ever go chasing after those disgusting celebs again.¡± Hailey nodded, repeating her agreement three times. Only then did Cedric take her hand, the other carrying a casserole dish, and they entered the room. Once inside, Hailey, full of excitement, approached Eleanor. ¡°Eleanor, Antoine just called you cousin. Are you really rted?¡± Eleanor had overheard their conversation outside and nodded, handing Hailey a document. ¡°So it seems.¡± After reading the document, Hailey patted Eleanor¡¯s hand with a smile. ¡°Eleanor, no wonder you have such a beautiful face. It¡¯s in your genes!¡± Eleanor tapped her forehead. ¡°You only think I¡¯m pretty because you¡¯ve seen Antoine.¡± Hailey waved her hands. ¡°No, no, no. I¡¯ve always thought you were beautiful. Much more than Antoine.¡± The two of them chatted andughed for a while before Hailey changed the subject. ¡°Did theye here to im you as family?¡± Eleanor nodded. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to go back, so the brothers came to persuade me.¡± Even though Hailey was a bit of a starstruck fan, she didn¡¯t try to persuade Eleanor. ¡°Whatever you decide, I won¡¯t interfere. I only support you.¡± Eleanor hugged her with a smile. ¡°Hailey, you¡¯re so good to me.¡± Hailey hugged her back,forting her. ¡°Eleanor, it¡¯s so great that you¡¯ve finally found your family.¡± Knowing where to go when it was time to return to one¡¯s roots wasforting. But it made her feel a bit lost, knowing nothing about her own origins. Cedric saw her sadness and quickly intervened. ¡°You¡¯ve got me, and you¡¯ve got Eleanor. That¡¯s more than enough. Forget about those who abandoned you.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Eleanor agreed with Cedric. ¡°The orphanage director said your parents disguised themselves and left you there. They¡¯ve effectively abandoned you, so you shouldn¡¯t concern yourself with them.¡± She touched Hailey¡¯s belly. ¡°You have me, you have Cedric, and soon a baby. We¡¯re your family. That¡¯s all you need.¡± Hailey nodded, her gloominess fading. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about such depressing things. Let¡¯s eat.¡± Beforeing, Hailey had prepared some dishes and a pot of chicken broth to help Eleanor regain her strength. Now, Cedric was serving the food, observing Eleanor¡¯s reactions as he did. Cedric carefully broached the subject of her recent divorce from Bernard, his brother. ¡°Eleanor, you¡¯re still my family. And Bernard¡­he loves you. He wouldn¡¯t abandon you.¡± Eleanor managed a smile, despite the pain she felt at the mention of Bernard. ¡°I know.¡± Relieved, Cedric continued. ¡°So¡­when hees back safe and sound, could you give him a chance to exin?¡± Eleanor simply nodded, her expression unreadable. ¡°I will.¡± Chapter 1354 Chapter 1354 Eleanor nced at Hailey, seeing the same sentiment in her eyes, she lowered her gaze, ¡°Let¡¯s wait until he gets back.¡± Cedric caught the underlying meaning, his lips curling up quickly, ¡°Eleanor, you¡¯re the best. I¡¯ll get you some extra soup.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Afterdling the soup, Cedric ced the bowl in front of Eleanor. Before she could even take a sip of the warm broth, Robin walked in, ¡°I ran into the Sharp brothers downstairs. Did theye by to deliver a report?¡± Eleanor confirmed, and Robin guessed what the report contained. He was puzzled, ¡°How did Yates know you resemble his lover?¡± Eleanor epted the spoon Hailey passed her, responding. ¡°I had to take my sister¡¯s ce in a meeting once. Mr. Sharp saw me and looked me up, said I reminded him of his girlfriend.¡± She briefly exined, then borated for Robin, ¡°Anyway, they have resources and connections. It wouldn¡¯t be hard for them to find out about me.¡± Even after hearing Eleanor¡¯s exnation, Robin still felt a bit confused, unsure where his doubt wasing from. Because Peterson¡¯s narrative is wless, there¡¯s no room for falsehood. He had no choice but to ask Eleanor, ¡°So, have you decided to go back to the Sharp family?¡± Just as Eleanor was about to answer, Katharine stumbled into the room from outside. ¡°Eleanor! You¡¯re awake?!¡± Seeing Katharine, Robin instinctively furrowed his brows. He purposefully hadn¡¯t informed her. Who¡¯d have thought she¡¯d show up at the hospital herself? She had lost weight in recent times, with her pregnancy barely showing and herplexion pale. She wanted to stay at home and rest, but her concern for Caleb¡¯s fate made her restless. She hade to see if Eleanor had woken up, not expecting Eleanor to not only be awake but also up and about. ¡°She¡¯s awake, but why didn¡¯t any of you tell me?¡± She looked around at all people sitting in the room; she felt as if she was abandoned by everyone, her eyes welling up with hurt. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to worry you because you¡¯re not feeling well.¡± Robin exined briefly, not saying much else. Instead, he tried to lead her away. Katharine shook off his hand, walking up to Eleanor, her eyes red and teary, looking at her. Seeing Katharine in this state, Eleanor was reminded of the image of Caleb being swallowed by the snake, her heart filled with fear and pain. Katharine had already sensed something from Eleanor¡¯s demeanor, yet she still asked Eleanor hopefully, ¡°Eleanor, tell me, is Caleb still alive like Bernard?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t know how to answer, her eyes, bloodshot, didn¡¯t dare to meet Katharine¡¯s. Seeing Eleanor¡¯s silence and refusal to meet her eyes, Katharine quickly raised her pale hand, cing it on Eleanor¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, just tell me what you know. I won¡¯t get angry, and I won¡¯t me you.¡± Katharine¡¯s face had a faint smile, and she seemed emotionally stable. Just as Eleanor was about to speak, Robin stepped forward, once again grabbing Katharine¡¯s arm, ¡°Her answer is the same as mine. Don¡¯t pressure her anymore, let me take you home to rest.¡± Something Robin said must have upset Katharine, she angrily shook off his hand, ¡°I¡¯m just asking her a question. How is that pressuring her?!¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re not pressuring her. I¡¯m just worried about your health, I¡­¡± Before Robin could finish, Katharine, who was emotionally charged, yelled at Eleanor hysterically, ¡°I¡¯m asking you a question. Why aren¡¯t you answering?!¡± Before Eleanor left, she knew that Katharine had been emotionally unstable due to shock. Eleanor felt sorry for her and was worried that she wouldn¡¯t be able to handle the truth. But if she didn¡¯t give a definite answer, Katharine¡¯s heart would never be at peace. So¡­ better to bear a short pain than a long one. Eleanor clenched her fists, lifted her reluctant eyes, and looked at Katharine, ¡°Caleb is dead.¡± Upon hearing the answer, Katharine surprisingly calmed down, her face no longer twisted in anger. ¡°Huh.¡± After a while, she suddenly let out a coldugh, ¡°So Bernard¡¯s life is worth more than Caleb¡¯s? Is that it?¡± Her words struck Eleanor¡¯s heart, more painful than being pricked by a needle. After all, Caleb had died trying to save Bernard¡­ ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t know what else to say, so she apologized. ¡°What good does an apology do?¡± Katharine, standing by the bed, had a grim look in her clear eyes, ¡°Caleb died because of your husband!¡± What she said was the truth, and Eleanor had no rebuttal. Eleanor thought that Katharine¡¯s rant would gradually dissipate. But the moment Eleanor lowered her eyes, a bowl of hot soup was suddenly sshed on her face. The pain was so intense that Eleanor couldn¡¯t even speak. Her vision blurred by the soup sshes, and she saw Katharine reaching for a bowl of steaming soup to ssh on her.. Chapter 1355 Chapter 1355 Eleanor instinctively covered her scalding, red-hot face. Hailey rushed over, embracing Eleanor protectively. Cedric, with lightning speed, pushed away the bowl in Katharine¡¯s hand, while Robin forcefully grabbed her wrist, ¡°What the hell are you doing?!¡± Robin, his thick eyebrows knitted together, red at the furious and irrational Katharine, ¡°It was Caleb¡¯s own choice to take Bernard¡¯s ce, Bernard didn¡¯t force him. If anyone is to me, it should be Bernard, why are you attacking Eleanor?!¡± Katharine, who had lost her sanity, paid no attention to Robin¡¯s words. Like a madwoman, she shoved Robin forcefully. Robin, still recovering from a gunshot wound, almost passed out from the pain as the sudden force aggravated his injury. Robin managed to steady himself by holding onto the table, but the pain from his wound rendered him momentarily speechless. ¡°Caleb died because of her husband, shouldn¡¯t she suffer for it?¡± Katharine, in her deranged state, couldn¡¯t distinguish right from wrong. She was stuck in her own world of anger and me. ¡°All because of her husband, Caleb is dead!!!¡± She stared at Eleanor, tears welling up in her eyes, struggling to suppress her urge to hit someone. She knew she was in the wrong, but she couldn¡¯t help her sudden fits of rage and violence. No one in this world owed her anything, no one should bear her irrationality. But what could she do? Caleb was gone, and she was sick. What was she supposed to do? Katharine couldn¡¯t think straight, nor could she control herself. She picked up a bowl of soup from the table, intending to throw it at Eleanor again. Luckily, Cedric was there. Unlike Robin, he was more ruthless. He grabbed Katharine by the throat. His face stern while he controlled Katharine, then turned to look at Eleanor, who was covering her eyes, unable to open them, ¡°Hailey, go get the doctor, now!¡± Snapping out of her shock, Hailey rushed to the bedside and quickly pressed the call bell for the doctor. Cedric was about to throw Katharine out when she suddenly calmed down, tears streaming down her face. Seeing her like this, Cedric frowned, released her, and stood by, keeping a close eye on her. Despite his wound, Robin walked up to Eleanor, somewhat helplessly, asking Eleanor if she was in pain. Eleanor was in too much pain to speak, so Robin didn¡¯t ask again. He just stared at Eleanor, his heart aching. The doctor arrived swiftly, cleaning the soup from Eleanor¡¯s eyes, allowing her to finally open her stinging eyes. Her vision was somewhat blurry, but at least she could see clearly. Her face, scalded by the hot soup, was an embarrassing shade of red. The doctor warned that if the soup had been hotter, she might have suffered severe burns, and admonished them for their behavior in the hospital room. After treating Eleanor¡¯s burns and leaving some ointment with them, the doctor quickly left the room. After the doctor had left, Katharine curled up in a corner, staring nkly at Eleanor¡¯s red face. ¡°Your husband is responsible for Caleb¡¯s death, so you should bear the pain¡­¡± Through her hazy, pain-filled eyes, Eleanor looked at the lonely figure of Katharine, ¡°Katharine, I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t think Bernard did it intentionally. He probably didn¡¯t expect Caleb to do that.¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. She trusted Bernard, and believed that he would rather face danger himself than sacrifice Caleb. But Katharine didn¡¯t understand this. In her eyes, Bernard had sent Caleb to his death, ¡°He was Caleb¡¯s boss, whatever he asked Caleb to do, Caleb had to do it¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not how it was, there really wasn¡¯t enough time¡­¡± ¡°Not enough time to find someone else to die for him?¡± Eleanor choked on her words. Robin tried to interject, but was cut off by Katharine¡¯s coldughter, ¡°You two, the high and mighty bosses, how could you possibly value Caleb¡¯s life?!¡± Chapter 1356 Chapter 1356 Katharine¡¯s words were harsh, and understandably, Eleanor felt a stab of guilt, ¡°Katharine, I don¡¯t belittle Caleb, and neither does Bernard. He thinks of Caleb as his own brother, and he¡­¡± ¡°He thinks of Caleb as a brother, so he send him to his death?!¡± ¡°Bernard went to Area Opaca, and the first person he didn¡¯t tell was Caleb. He didn¡¯t want to drag him into it, how can you think he would send him to his death?¡± Despite Eleanor¡¯s exnation, Katharine wasn¡¯t having any of it. Her anger, which had just cooled, red up again, ¡°Shut up! I don¡¯t want to hear your excuses, you¡¯re all in this together!¡± ¡°Katharine¡­¡± Before Eleanor could finish her sentence, Katharine, wild with rage, got up and lunged at her. Before Cedric could intervene, or Robin could hold her back, a mature and steady figure rushed in. The figure, upon entering, swiftly raised a hand and pped Katharine across the face. ¡°What an embarrassment!¡± York had a strong hand, and with that p, Katharine lost her bnce and fell to the ground. She felt a pain in her belly, and something began to ooze out. But she just sat there, stunned, looking at York. York didn¡¯t notice the blood. He stood over her, ring at her in rage. ¡°You¡¯ve been secretly dating that bodyguard Caleb, and you¡¯re carrying his child. If you have no sense of shame, fine. But you¡¯re making a scene over a dead man!¡± ¡°He¡¯s not dead!¡± With a strength she didn¡¯t know she had, Katharine pushed away Robin, who had bent down to help her up. She balled her fists and screamed at York, ¡°Caleb¡¯s not dead, he¡¯s alive and well, I won¡¯t let you curse him!!¡± In recent times, Katharine¡¯s mental state had been unstable. York had been keeping a vignt watch over her, taking care of her day and night, but it seemed¡­ she couldn¡¯t be woken up from her delusion. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± York, emotionally exhausted, reached out to pull Katharine up, but she struggled and inadvertently pped him across the face. York was a man of high standing, and he had never been hit by his own child before. His face darkened, but he didn¡¯t retaliate. He just looked at her with a mixture of pain and anger. ¡°Do you have any idea how many people know about your crazy antics over a man? They¡¯re all laughing at you behind your back! How are you going to get married after this?!¡± Hearing these words, Katharine suddenly seemed to regain her senses and stopped struggling. ¡°Dad, is my worth only measured by a business marriage in your eyes?¡± Hearing her words, York felt a lump in his throat. ¡°You¡¯re my daughter, you should marry the best, not a bodyguard. Now that he¡¯s dead, it¡¯s for the best. Otherwise, I would never have allowed you two to be together.¡± This was the end for Katharine and Caleb. They couldn¡¯t be together in life, and even in death, they couldn¡¯t be together. Katharine hugged herself and sat on the ground,ughing bitterly. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°President Spencer, you¡¯re quite the great man¡­¡± Being mocked by his own daughter, York didn¡¯t feel good. He gripped Katharine¡¯s shoulders and lifted her from the ground, ¡°If you make a scene in public again, I¡¯ll lock you up!¡± As soon as Katharine was lifted up, Robin noticed the blood on the ground. His face turned pale. ¡°Katharine, you¡¯re bleeding and you didn¡¯t even notice? Why didn¡¯t you say something?!¡± Following Robin¡¯s gaze, Katharine looked down at herself. Only when she saw the blood did she react, ¡°Robin, I¡¯m hurting so much inside, I didn¡¯t feel it.¡± She grabbed Robin¡¯s arm, tears streaming down her face, ¡°This is Caleb¡¯s only child. I don¡¯t want to lose him. Please help me, Robin, please help me¡­¡± Chapter 1357 Chapter 1357 Ignoring the pain thatced his own body, Robin swiftly scooped Katharine into his arms. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the doctor.¡± ¡°Take her to the doctor, so he can abort the baby.¡± York¡¯s words felt more painful to Katharine than the p he had given her earlier. Her father was afraid that her pregnancy would affect his business alliance. In the end, it seemed that her parents didn¡¯t truly love her as much as she thought. Without paying any heed to York, Robin quickly carried Katharine out of the ward. After they had left, York turned back to gaze at Eleanor, her face covered in burn marks. He had agreed to find Eleanor because he heard from Robin that she was Vanya¡¯s daughter. When he found her on the deserted ind, he had mistaken her for Vanya, and was dazed for a while. But York was rational and didn¡¯t let his emotions get the best of him. To him, Vanya was just a girl he had loved in his youth. Despite the lingering affection, it was all in the past now. York shook off his thoughts, shifted his gaze away from Eleanor, and left the room. After they had left, Hailey picked up the ointment that the doctor had left behind and continued to apply it to Eleanor¡¯s burns, ¡°I don¡¯t know why Katharine would take her anger out on you.¡± Hailey felt more empathy for Eleanor than she did for Katharine. ¡°She was upset, she reacted strongly. Once she calms down, she¡¯ll be okay.¡± Seeing that Eleanor didn¡¯t me Katharine, Hailey let out a sigh and refrained fromining further. Eleanor turned to Cedric sitting beside her, ¡°Cedric, can you go check on Katharine? I¡¯m worried about her baby¡­¡± Exposure to blood could easily trigger a miscarriage, and Eleanor was genuinely concerned. Cedric didn¡¯t really want to go, but he left the room anyway. After a long while, Robin and Cedric returned. Upon seeing Eleanor¡¯s face covered in ointment, Robin¡¯s first concern was for her, ¡°How are you feeling? Does it still hurt?¡± Eleanor, propped up against the headboard, shook her head and asked about Katharine¡¯s baby. ¡°It¡¯s gone.¡± Robin replied. Eleanor and Hailey were both shocked, especially Eleanor who felt a sudden wave of guilt. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. My father did it.¡± When Robin heard the doctor say that they couldn¡¯t save the baby, he wasn¡¯t sure how he felt. He thought that maybe it was God¡¯s way of giving Katharine a second chance by taking the baby away. After all, his sister was still young and had a long life ahead of her. He doubted that God would want her to be stuck at this point. But his sister¡¯s luck was truly terrible. She had lost the love of her life and her first child. It was heartbreaking. Eleanor couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine how devastated Katharine must be right now. Her heart felt heavy, and tears began to flow. As Hailey embraced Eleanor, trying tofort her, all she could do was to clean Eleanor¡¯s tears with a damp cloth. ¡°If anyone¡¯s to me, it¡¯s my father. He didn¡¯t want her to keep the baby and was ruthless, not caring about her health when he pped her.¡± Before they returned, Katharine had already bled a few times. York knew she was weak, yet he acted as he did. Robin felt he had seen the true colors of his parents. Disappointment filled his eyes, but he also felt drained because he couldn¡¯t protect Katharine¡¯s baby. ¡°Eleanor, it¡¯s not good for your eyes to keep crying.¡± he consoled. Then, turning to Hailey, he gently requested, ¡°Ms. Vulpe, would you mind taking care of her? I need to be with my sister.¡± Hailey nodded, and Robin left the room, his steps heavy. After a while, Eleanor¡¯s crying subsided, but her lower abdomen began to ache. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Hailey was frightened and hastily called for the doctor. The doctor advised her to control her emotions and not to cry excessively, or else she might lose the baby. Eleanor stroked her belly, turned to the side, and gazed out of the window, her heart aching so much that it was hard to breathe. Caleb was dead. Katharine had lost her baby and was no longer herself. How could she atone for all this? Eleanor eventually decided to visit Katharine. Chapter 1358 Chapter 1358 Kathariney in the hospital bed, her head turned towards the window. The weather outside was gloomy, without a trace of sunlight, a reflection of the chilling atmosphere in the hospital room. Eleanor stood outside the room for a long time before finally moving towards the bed. ¡°Do you mind if I sit and chat for a bit?¡± Katharine didn¡¯t respond, nor did she stop her froming in. She just quietly stared out of the window. Eleanor¡¯s gaze shifted from Katharine¡¯s face to the two restraint straps around her waist. Robin had told her that Katharine had gone berserk, lost her sanity, and had attacked the doctors, nurses, and care staff. Left with no other choice, the hospital staff had administered sedatives and tied her to the bed. If the doctors diagnosed her with a mental illness, Katharine would probably be sent to a mental institution by York himself. Having lost her loved one, her child, and her freedom, Katharine was left with only one path. Not wanting to see a repeat of what happened to Liana, Eleanor mustered up the courage to visit her. She noticed the scars on Katharine¡¯s wrists, probably from a failed suicide attempt after losing her child. The thought of Katharine¡¯s tragic life made Eleanor reach out and touch her cold and icy fingers. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. She expected Katharine to push her away, and was prepared to retreat, but Katharine held on to her fingers, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time¡­ since anyone visited me.¡± Except for her brother, everyone else had abandoned her. She felt like a circus clown, with everyone laughing at her. They said she had turned into a terrible madwoman all because of a man. So¡­ it had been a very long time since anyone had visited her¡­ Feeling Katharine¡¯s grip tighten around her hand, Eleanor also tightened her hold on Katharine¡¯s fingers. She didn¡¯t worry about Katharine¡¯s previous madness, nor did she fear that Katharine might suddenly lose her sanity and hurt her again. Because to Eleanor, Katharine was not insane, she had just lost the person she loved the most. Katharine¡¯s vacant eyes slowly moved from the window to Eleanor¡¯s still red face, ¡°Is your injury¡­ getting better?¡± Looking at those eyes that were now lucid, Eleanor raised her hand and touched her own face. ¡°Much better.¡± She replied. After staring at her for a while, Katharine sheepishly smiled, ¡°I wanted to check your wound, but I can¡¯t move¡­¡± Eleanor looked at the restraints and without hesitation, untied them for Katharine. Katharine thought Eleanor wouldugh at her like everyone else, saying that she shouldn¡¯t be like this. But Eleanor, without a single word, directly helped her remove her shackles¡­ She did it because she never saw Katharine as a madwoman. Katharine moved a bit to the side to free up some space for Eleanor. ¡°Lie down with me for a while.¡± She patted the empty space next to her, her lonely eyes telling Eleanor that she wanted someone to keep herpany. Anyone else would have been afraid, but Eleanor, after a moment¡¯s hesitation, took off her shoes and lay down next to her. She opened her arms and with her other hand, gently patted her arm, ¡°If you want to cry, you can lean on my shoulder.¡± Katharineughed and said she wouldn¡¯t cry, but as sheughed, tears started streaming down her face. Like a helpless child, she rushed into Eleanor¡¯s arms, holding onto her as she cried her heart out. ¡°Caleb is gone, and my baby¡­ my baby died because of me¡­¡± If she had been stronger, if she had been as emotionally stable as Eleanor, would her baby still be here? Thinking of this, Katharine was filled with guilt and remorse. Her crying became so intense that her voice started shaking. ¡°Do you think Caleb mes me? mes me for not protecting our child so he took it away?¡± Eleanor felt a deep sorrow for Katharine and held her tighter, ¡°No, Caleb wouldn¡¯t me you.¡± ¡°But then why did they both leave me?¡± Eleanor couldn¡¯t answer this question. She could onlyfort Katharine with a hug. ¡°Eleanor, if Bernard died, would you choose to die with him?¡± I would. Eleanor thought inside, but she couldn¡¯t say these words to Katharine. ¡°Katharine, you¡¯re still young¡­¡± All she could do was counsel Katharine, just like Robin had done. Chapter 1359 Chapter 1359 The word ¡®young¡¯ seems to hold no real conviction when spoken. It only seems to limit others. However, as time went by, Katharine found her another ¡°Caleb¡± again, all thanks to that word. Some say, if you¡¯ve ever loved someone deeply, meeting someone who looks just like them could rekindle that love. But Eleanor wasn¡¯t sure if Katharine,ter with a happy family and children, had ever forgotten her Caleb. Back then, Eleanor had crossed paths with Katharine at Caleb¡¯s grave. They hadn¡¯t seen each other in years, both wearing ck berets, carrying flowers, holding their children, heads bowed in their own worlds. When Eleanor reached Caleb¡¯s tombstone and saw fresh flowers, she turned and looked for Katharine among the countless graves. That silhouette seemed to have hurried through and disappeared into the dense forest, never to look back. Every year, no matter how early Eleanor arrived, there was always a bouquet of fresh flowers at Caleb¡¯s grave. She thought, she must never have forgotten. But that¡¯s a story for another time. Now, Eleanor only knew that Katharine, who had attempted suicide several times, was living a life worse than death. Everyone said Katharine had gone mad, and she indeed did for a while. But the loss of her child seemed to awaken her from her haze. She knew it was her own negligence that caused her child to bleed several times, and ultimately leave her forever¡­ She held Eleanor and said many words, all ming herself ¨C ming herself for always hitting and scolding Caleb when they were together, never being gentle with him; ming herself for always demanding things of Caleb like a princess but didn¡¯t love him enough; ming herself for not even protecting thest trace of Caleb in this world,beling herself as a bad, selfish person. Because, from beginning to end, she only cared about herself. After hearing these words, Eleanor cried all night. She knew too well what it felt like to lose a loved one. Before when she thought she had lost Bernard, and she was even more devastated than Katharine. She held Katharine, patted her back, andforted her until she fell asleep, while Eleanor stayed awake. The next day, Katharine¡¯s phone rang. The sound startled her awake. She got up from Eleanor¡¯s arms like a madwoman, not even putting on her shoes, and frantically searched for her phone. She found it and, with tears streaming down her face and trembling hands, she opened thetest message on her social media. It was from Caleb¡¯s new ount, an ount she had forced him to create, allowing him to only communicate with her. She saw a new message from Caleb: [Katharine This message is scheduled. If I¡¯m not back by now, chances are I¡¯m gone I¡¯m sorry. I promised to marry you, to spend the rest of my life with you, but I couldn¡¯t keep those promises I wasn¡¯t a good boyfriend. me me, resent me, it¡¯s okay. Just don¡¯t be sad, and don¡¯t me Mr. Laurence. He¡¯s someone I¡¯d give my life for. When I was a kid, stealing food and being chased by stray dogs, beaten by people, it was Mr. Laurence who saved me. He¡¯s done a lot for me. Many times, he¡¯s been the one to stand in front of me during missions. This time, I think it¡¯s my turn to repay him. So, Katharine, don¡¯t me him, okay? Also, I love you. Even if I¡¯m gone, I¡¯ll still love you in another world. You were the first person I liked, you were my first woman. You¡¯re irreceable in my heart. I don¡¯t want you to be depressed because of my departure. I want you to always be my proud princess. So, princess, go to the church we agreed to visit, pray for me for a year, okay? If after a year in front of God, you still remember me, I¡¯ll definitely visit you in another form. Love you, Your Caleb] After reading this letter, Katharine was in tears. She hadn¡¯t expected Caleb to have predicted his own death. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. He was already prepared, yet he had left her behind. But why, if he had decided to die, did he still want to be with her? Holding her phone, Katharine cried, ¡°It was me who forced him to be with me.¡± Could she me Caleb? No. Her rtionship with Caleb was something she had insisted on. Eleanor held Katharine, who was crying uncontrobly. Unable to find any words, she could only offer her endless tears forfort. Chapter 1360 Chapter 1360 Katharine finally passed out from the extreme pain, Eleanor immediately called for a doctor to rush in for emergency aid. After a whirlwind of medical intervention, York concluded that Katharine was hopelessly insane and nned to send her to a mental institution. Robin was dead against it, engaging in a heated argument with York. It all ended when Katharine, on the brink of despair, cried out, ¡°Dad, you¡¯ve already killed my child. Do you want to kill me too?¡± York protested, iming he was just afraid that if she carried on like this, he¡¯d be driven mad himself. He implored Katharine to show him some mercy. Katharine agreed, promising not to cause any more trouble so he wouldn¡¯t be ridiculed. Stung by her words, an infuriated York stormed off with stern face. After he left, Katharine raised her tear-streaked eyes to the worn-out Robin, ¡°Bro, there¡¯s a church in Clearwater I always wanted to visit with Caleb but never got the chance. Can I go there?¡± Caleb had once told her to pray before the God for a year. If she hadn¡¯t forgotten him by then, he would return in a different form. She had a promise to keep. Robin stared into Katharine¡¯s eyes, brimming with despair, for a solid five minutes before finally deciding, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Katharine tried to refuse, but Robin insisted: ¡°Katharine, no one is more important than you.¡± Unable to hold back her tears, Katharine asked, ¡°Bro, do you me me?¡± Robin shook his head and gently cleaned her tears. ¡°You¡¯ve lost the two people you love most. I can¡¯t let you lose me too.¡± Loss wasn¡¯t just about death. Indifference and abandonment were a type of loss too. Just like York, her own father, had been the first to give up on her. Katharine got up from the hospital bed, flung herself into Robin¡¯s arms, and wept her heart out like a little girl seeking her big brother¡¯s protection. Robin raised his hand and patted Katharine¡¯s hair, but his gaze was on Eleanor, who was standing off to the side, silently weeping along. He knew that he had to say goodbye to the girl he love for a while. After he had reassured Katharine and lulled her to sleep, he left the hospital room with Eleanor. Eleanor asked him, ¡°Can you take care of Katharine on your own?¡± Robin looked at her seriously. ¡°Thene with us.¡± Without thinking, Eleanor touched her stomach. ¡°When are you nning to leave?¡± Her gesture said it all, and Robin stopped testing her. ¡°When she¡¯s more stable, and when my wounds have healed a little.¡± Eleanor nodded and, feeling a little embarrassed, said, ¡°I¡¯ll see you off when you leave¡­¡± Robin shook his head. ¡°No need.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t understand why he was rejecting her offer. ¡°As friends andrades, it¡¯s the right thing to do.¡± Robin gave her a cryptic look. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving for good. There¡¯s no need for any farewell.¡± After he said this, he added, ¡°I¡¯ll be back to give you a gift when your baby is born.¡± Eleanor retorted, ¡°You don¡¯t even know my due date.¡± Robin replied, ¡°I have your OB-GYN¡¯s number.¡± Eleanor was taken aback. Realizing his slip-up, Robin quickly covered, ¡°The doctor gave me the number when I was there to protect your baby.¡± Eleanor was still puzzled. ¡°Why do you care when my baby is due?¡± Robin was getting impatient. ¡°Ever since I found out you were pregnant, you¡¯ve be so motherly. It¡¯s annoying.¡± With those words, he turned around and walked back into the hospital room. Once out of Eleanor¡¯s sight, Robin¡¯s face inexplicably turned red. Katharine stayed in the hospital for a while. During this time, her emotions stabilized, and she stopped crying day and night. With Eleanor¡¯spany andfort, Katharine was able to endure and was soon discharged from the hospital. Without wasting a day, Robin took Katharine straight to Clearwater. That day, both Hailey and Eleanor went to the airport to see them off. Before parting, Katharine turned around and hugged Eleanor, ¡°Eleanor, thank you for your kindness and understanding. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have survived till the day Caleb messaged me.¡± Eleanor gently patted her back. ¡°Katharine, you need to be strong and live on. Only by living can you fulfill Caleb¡¯s expectations for you, and only by living can you keep his memory alive.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Katharine agreed, saying she would remember Caleb for the rest of her life, just like Eleanor would always remember Bernard. They would remember them forever, even though their paths in life were different. After letting go of Eleanor and waving goodbye, Katharine walked into the airport with her assistant. Before leaving, Robin took out his phone and waved it in front of Eleanor, ¡°I¡¯ll continue investigating the Area Opaca. If I get any news, I¡¯ll call you. Make sure you pick up.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Looking at Eleanor¡¯s face, Robin felt a wave of reluctance. He moved forward and embraced her. ¡°Eleanor, take care of yourself while I¡¯m gone.¡± Not far away, Cedric, leaning against a car, frowned at the sight. Luckily, Robin¡¯s hug was just a farewell gesture. Nothing more. Otherwise, Cedric would have raced over to pull them apart. After releasing Eleanor, Robin walked into the airport, looking back every few steps. Once he was out of sight, Eleanor¡¯s eyes welled up with tears, but she quickly cleaned them. She had to be strong, for her unborn child, for herself, and for the ones who were leaving. Chapter 1361 Chapter 1361 Eleanor left the airport and went back to her pre-marriage vi. She sat at her desk, contemting her and Bernard¡¯s future. She couldn¡¯te up with anything, so she texted Aidyn, asking if he had found the address yet. Aidyn replied he hadn¡¯t. With each passing day, she feared Bernard would be in greater danger, especially after what had happened with Katharine. Her heart was filled with uncertainty. However, she had a touch more rationality than Katharine. Perhaps it was because of her experiences that she had grown stronger over time. As she sat daydreaming at her desk, there was a knock at the door. It was the Sharp brothers. They asked if she had made up her mind yet. Eleanor refused them again. The Sharp brothers didn¡¯t say much, and they just told her to rest well. The next day, they sent people with all sorts of gifts, from luxury goods to health supplements, you name it. Even Bevis¡¯ wife came to visit and cooked for her. They even brought their child to keep her company. Their eagerness was hard to refuse. As she hesitated. Yates himself came. He didn¡¯t bring gifts like the others, he brought shares of the Sharp family business. He looked as dapper as the first time they met, with his white hair and suit. He was a picture of health and vitality, not like a man in his seventies. Eleanor, despite everything, respected him. She weed him in and made tea. ¡°I actually don¡¯t like tea.¡± He preferred coffee. Eleanor paused mid-pour, her clear eyes nced at him, ¡°I only have tea in my house. Either you drink it, or you stay thirsty.¡± Challenged by her, Yates didn¡¯t fuss. He picked up the tea cup, took a sip, and began to look around her house, ¡°The style is not bad, but itcks the warmth of the little courtyard house you designed yourself.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t respond, she just continued to make tea. Yates put down his tea cup and watched Eleanor. ¡°My n is for you to live in that little courtyard house, and when your child is born and grows up, I will take him fishing by the river, what do you think?¡± Eleanor picked up a pinch of tea with tweezers, dropped it into the teapot, and then looked up at Yates, ¡°I don¡¯t think much of it.¡± If it had been one of the Sharp brothers, Yates would have been furious. But looking at a face that was so simr to Pauline¡¯s, he actually began to smile, ¡°My granddaughter, you have a simr temperament to your grandmother, always challenging me with your words.¡± ¡°That may be because you are not very likable?¡± ¡°And what does it take to be likable?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t know how to respond to that. ¡°Why don¡¯t you like me?¡± Yates asked again. ¡°How do you know I don¡¯t like you?¡± ¡°Your eyes show your dislike for me.¡± Yates, with his authoritative aura, tilted his head slightly, observing Eleanor who was avoiding his gaze, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°There is no reason.¡± After replying, she felt there was no need to beat around the bush with Yates and looked up again. ¡°You couldn¡¯t marry Pauline, but you seduced her, got her pregnant, then turned around and engaged in a business marriage. Have you ever considered her and your children¡¯s feelings?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. If it weren¡¯t for Yates, her mother wouldn¡¯t have had to remarry, nor would she have been abandoned on the streets. All this tragedy was caused by the irresponsibility of this man. ¡°So you are ming me.¡± Regret shed in Yate aged eyes as he looked back at the past. ¡°It was my fault. I thought that once my business partnership with my legal wife ended, I could divorce and marry Pauline. But I forgot Pauline was a woman of strong character.¡± And he shouldn¡¯t have tampered with her first love. But when he was young, he saw her among many women and fell in love. He wanted her desperately. Later, Pauline fell in love with him too, deeply in love. But she couldn¡¯t ovee her guilt towards her first love and decided to leave him with their children¡­ Yates remembered those days without her as a madman, searching for her everywhere. In the end, all he found was her vited and torn body. Chapter 1362 Chapter 1362 Thinking of her final video message, where she dered that she¡¯d forget him, forever banish him from her memory, Yates felt the moisture welling up in his eyes, threatening to spill over. ¡°Your grandmother, she was always so impatient. If she had only waited for me, your mother would have had a happier life¡­¡± Pauline had always favored her daughter, so she sent her away. Was it only to protect her, or was it also to spite him? After some thought, Yates could only conclude that this must have been the reason for her to tell him in her video that she only had two children. After all, their entire rtionship was based onpetition. From their very first encounter, she was always pushing against him. ¡°Do you think Pauline would get so angry over you marrying another woman that she¡¯d give away her own child? Was there something else?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Eleanor thought he would deny it, but to her surprise, he nodded. ¡°I stepped between her and her first love. She¡¯s held a grudge ever since.¡± He did not disclose much, but Eleanor was able to grasp the crucial information. ¡°Who was her first love?¡± Yates sharp eyes clouded over, ¡°An annoying man.¡± Before Eleanor could probe further, Yates cut her off, steering the conversation in a different direction. She studied his troubled expression for a moment before continuing, ¡°So, Pauline hated you more than she loved you, didn¡¯t she?¡± Yates didn¡¯t take offense at her pointed question and simply chuckled, nodding in agreement. ¡°You could say that.¡± ¡°Then why did she have children with you?¡± Yates straightened, locking eyes with Eleanor¡¯s inquisitive gaze, ¡°That¡¯s a moreplicated question. You should be able to rte.¡± Eleanor knew what he was implying that she had also loved two men. Her face darkened, but Yates continued, ¡°In life, we tend to love a few people. The question is, who do we love the most?¡± With that, he gave Eleanor a meaningful look. ¡°You loved Bernard most, so you were willing to have his child. It was the same with Pauline.¡± Eleanor, her emotionsid bare, did not argue with Yates. ¡°I don¡¯t know the details of what happened between you and Pauline, and you don¡¯t know what happened between me and Bernard. Let¡¯s notpare.¡± Mention of Bernard reminded Yates of the man who had nearly died from an infected wound in the biohazard zone. He grimaced but did not share the truth with Eleanor. ¡°Everyone has their own stories. I won¡¯t judge your past, and you should not judge mine. Let¡¯s just discuss whether you¡¯lle home with me.¡± ¡°No.¡± Eleanor¡¯s answer was firm and decisive. Yates looked at Eleanor, taking a moment before speaking again. ¡°I know you have grievances against me, but if I could do it all again, I would not choose the second option. I would marry her, no matter what.¡± With that, he thought of Vanya, who had died on the streets. A rare look of pain crossed his aged face, ¡°Then, your mother wouldn¡¯t have met such a fate, and you¡­ and your sister¡­¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Yates paused, reaching out to gently pat Eleanor¡¯s hand as she prepared the tea, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m sorry foring toote and causing you so much hardship.¡± His words brought a tear to Eleanor¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s over now. I don¡¯t need anything.¡± She replied. ¡°But you do.¡± Yates grabbed her hand, pleading earnestly, ¡°Come home with me. Let me make up for all the wrongs in the time I have left.¡± Eleanor hung her head, remaining silent as Yates continued, ¡°I don¡¯t want to live the rest of my life in regret. I hope you can give me a chance to reunite with my daughter¡¯s children.¡± Eleanor remained quiet, and Yates tried to appeal to her emotions, ¡°I¡¯m in my seventies, I don¡¯t have much time left. Let me do something for my granddaughter before I go.¡± At this, Eleanor looked up at the old man sitting in front of her. His hair was white and his face covered with wrinkles, clearly showing his age. She wasn¡¯t sure how much time he had left, but she could see the guilt in his eyes. ¡°If Pauline hadn¡¯t tricked me back then, I would have found Vanya, no matter where she was.¡± Yates seemed to be trying to make up for his regret over Pauline by focusing on Vanya¡¯s daughter. Her other two sons were well cared for, but he hade toote for Vanya. The old man felt guilty and wanted to make up for his love for Vanya by caring for her daughter. Eleanor understood why Yates wanted to take her home, but Canada was so far away¡­ Chapter 1363 Chapter 1363 ¡°How about this,e back with me, meet the family. After that, you can decide whether or not you want to live with me.¡± Yates seemed to understand Eleanor¡¯s hesitation and offered her apromise ¨C an introduction to the Sharp family, a chance to feel the family¡¯s vibe. ¡°Your sister¡¯s kid, too, coulde and meet the family. Let her know her mother¡¯s maiden name is Sharp.¡± After a moment of hesitation, Eleanor pushed away Yates hand, sitting upright and serious, ¡°My sister¡¯s child belongs to the Ziegler family, the Hooper family. Her connection to the Sharp family is two generations removed. There¡¯s no need for her to meet the family yet, and as for me¡­¡± She paused, furrowed her brow, then rxed her features, ¡°I can meet the family, but I have my own home. I won¡¯t live with you.¡± Although she was currently at odds with Bernard, she had a home before him. She had her own home, would have her own children in the future, and would naturally live with her children and Nina. There was no need to fully rejoin the Sharp family. Yates understood what Eleanor meant and didn¡¯t press the issue further. For him, Eleanor agreeing to meet the family was a good start, ¡°Tomorrow then, I¡¯ll have Peterson pick you up and we¡¯ll go home together.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t say much, just nodded. Yates stood up to leave, reminding Eleanor to rest well before he left. Eleanor took the file bag from the table, handed it to Yates for him to take back. He said those shares were prepared long ago by his son and grandson, they were what she and Nina deserved. Indeed, in the file, besides Eleanor, there was Nina¡¯s name. Yates was determined to make amends. Eleanor/watched Yates stooping silhouette, thinking he was right about one thing. He said if Pauline hadn¡¯t lied to him back then, he would have searched for Vanya no matter how far. Yates¡­ was not a good husband, but he was a good father. Eleanor agreed to meet the family because of this. She notified Hailey in advance that she was going to Canada. She¡¯d be back right after meeting the family, so the Sharp family wouldn¡¯t bother her anymore. Hailey had heard that Eleanor¡¯s house was filled with things bought by the Sharp family, cluttering the ce. It was indeed annoying, so the sooner Eleanor met them, the better. However, Hailey was a bit worried and wanted to go with Eleanor, but she was too far along in her pregnancy to travel. Eleanor reassured her it¡¯d only be a few days and she wouldn¡¯t stay long in Canada. She asked Hailey not to worry. As the women were discussing, Cedric had already arranged for bodyguards to apany Eleanor to Canada. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Hailey was finally reassured. Eleanor reminded Hailey to take care of herself, and said she¡¯d pick up Nina when she got back. Upon hearing this, Hailey quickly said, ¡°Why not wait until Bernardes back, then take Nina? At least let him know.¡± Hailey thought the two needed a medium for interaction, and Nina staying at Fiord Roundabout was the best medium. Eleanor understood Hailey¡¯s implication, but didn¡¯t reply directly. She just said they¡¯d discuss it when she got back, and they said goodnight and hung up. The next day, Peterson arrived on time and arranged a business car to pick up Eleanor and her bodyguards. Peterson couldn¡¯t help but smile at the sight of so many bodyguards. He didn¡¯t say anything, just courteously took Eleanor¡¯s small suitcase and opened the car door for her. After Eleanor got into the car, Peterson drove them to the airport. The Sharp family had a private ne ready with a nned route. They would depart as soon as it was time. Upon their arrival in Canada, the Sharp family members were waiting at the airport, including Yates two sons, all dressed in suits and standing straight. Seeing the unfamiliar faces, Eleanor felt a headache, especially when Peterson informed her that they were holding a ceremony for meeting the family. Yates said it was not easy to find their lost child and naturally wanted everyone to know. So, they were nning to host a dinner party. Besides the Sharp family members, they also invited people from the North Fund aristocracy, and even considered inviting the media to announce her identity, but Eleanor refused. Yates dropped the media invitation, but insisted on the dinner party. Eleanor had no choice but to go along with it, she just hoped it would end soon. Chapter 1364 Chapter 1364 Before the dinner began, Yates returned to his residence, and he brought Eleanor along with him. Eleanor had once pretended to be Emilia and visited this ce, she knew it was once Pauline¡¯s house. The Sharp family had quite a few properties, but Yates preferred this one. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. After delegating the dinner preparations to his son and grandson, Yates led Eleanor through the garden to the cottage she had designed previously. Yates told her that the cottage would be her home, and she could stay there whenever she wanted. Eleanor didn¡¯t respond, she just followed behind Yates, asionally looking around at the surroundings. After entering the cottage, Yates turned around and asked her, ¡°Are you satisfied?¡± Eleanor replied indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s just a temporary stay, doesn¡¯t matter whether I¡¯m satisfied or not.¡± Yates didn¡¯t mind her underlying meaning, ¡°No matter how long you stay, the fact that you¡¯re back is the best thing.¡± After finishing his sentence, he waved at the butler who was standing nearby, ¡°Miss Eleanor is back, prepare the dinner.¡± Yates reserved the hostess¡¯ seat for Emilia, apensation for her status. After the butler left with the servants, only Yates and the silent Eleanor were left in the spacious living room. Yates could see that Eleanor was somewhat ufortable, so he told a maid to take her to her room. Perhaps knowing that she was pregnant, the master bedroom was arranged on the south side of the first floor withrge space and warm decoration. It was decorated in a Western style, with a pink theme. The window sill was filled with all sorts of dolls, it was obviously a room prepared for a daughter. Yates once mentioned that Pauline loved daughters, so he had Emilia design this cottage for their daughter. At that time, Yates didn¡¯t know that Vanya was his daughter, but because Pauline loved the idea, he had the cottage built. It was hard to describe what he felt, but he thought that Yates was a lovable fool who didn¡¯t know how to love properly. After checking her room, Eleanor told the servant to leave and opened her suitcase to take out her clothes and take a bath. She thought Yates would have left by then, but he was still sitting in the living room waiting for her, saying he wanted to have dinner with her. Yates had specially hired a nutritionist. The meals were all suitable for pregnant women. Eleanor thought that even if she didn¡¯t eat, her child needed to, so she sat down at the dining table. The two had only met twice, and they had nothing inmon to talk about. Eleanor just kept her head down and ate while Yates sat across from her, quietly watching her. His eyes, honed by the years, were usually sharp, but at this moment, they were filled with softness as he looked at the girl eating her meal under the dim light. Although Eleanor hadn¡¯t spent time with the Sharp family, her elegant eating manners were strikingly simr to the children of the Sharps. Yates was more and more pleased with her, a smile tugged at the corner of his lips, ¡°Eleanor, if only I had known you were my granddaughter earlier, how wonderful it would have been.¡± That way, he could have spent more time with his granddaughter, giving her the best things in the world, never letting her suffer or feel wronged. Having finished her meal, Eleanor put down her cutlery and cleaned her mouth with a napkin, then looked at Yates, ¡°Mr. Sharp, I get sleepy after meals during pregnancy.¡± It was a courteous way of suggesting his departure. Yates grasped her hint but remained seated. ¡°Perhaps a stroll outside would aid digestion?¡± he suggested. Eleanor looked out at the night scene ording to his gaze, ¡°The weather is turning cold, I¡¯m not feeling well. If I catch a cold, it could be bad. Let¡¯s pass.¡± She was very tactful. After a moment of silence, Yates stood up and picked up his coat, ¡°Then you rest well. Tomorrow during the day, I¡¯ll take you to meet your grandmother, and then we¡¯ll attend the dinner together.¡± Eleanor agreed, and only then did Yates, somewhat reluctantly, walk away. Despite only being separated by a backyard, it felt as if there was a vast gxy between them, so close yet so far. After seeing off Yates, the butler asked if Eleanor needed a masseuse or a beautician. Eleanor declined all offers and returned to her room, sending Hailey a message. ¡°All is well.¡± Upon receiving the message, Hailey facetimed her, only resting easy after seeing Eleanor was fine. After hanging up, Eleanor put down the phone and sat by the window, lost in thought. Just now in the video, she saw Cedric holding a children¡¯s book, sitting next to Hailey, stroking her belly, as if he was telling a story or educating the baby in Hailey¡¯s belly, She had once imagined that after she got pregnant, Bernard would do the same, but now¡­ She lifted her hand and touched her already bulging belly. It doesn¡¯t matter if there¡¯s no dad to tell stories or educate the baby, right? But why did she feel so lost? Chapter 1365 Chapter 1365 Eleanor hugged her arms tightly and rested them on her knees, gazing at the night scene outside the window. Under the street light, a tall and imposing figure was faintly reflected. Eleanor thought the old man had left long ago, but surprisingly, he was standing in the garden, watching her. Through his deeper and heavier silhouette, she could tell that Yates was reminiscing about Pauline through her. After staring at Yates for a while, she put on a thick coat, changed into her shoes, and went-to the garden. Yates seemed surprised when he saw her. There was a hint of surprise in his eyes. Without saying a word, Eleanor walked towards him and took a few steps forward, implying that she agreed to a leisurely walk to digest. Being a clever man, Yates quickly followed her pace, ¡°Your grandmother seemed tough on the surface, but she was actually very soft on the inside, just like you.¡± Eleanor just didn¡¯t want to wallow in her sorrow. Seeing Yates, she decided to confront him, ¡°I am not Pauline.¡± Yates nodded, ¡°I know you¡¯re not her, but blood ties are something that seep into your bones and bloodstream. You are undoubtedly like your grandmother.¡± Eleanor looked at the old man walking next to her: ¡°I¡¯m curious, why did you fall for Pauline, and why did you take her from her lover? Can you tell me about the past?¡± She was probing, and Yates understood this, but he didn¡¯t hide anything: ¡°That year, I was sixteen. At my birthday party, she came with her friends and yed the piano.¡± Speaking of this, Yates genuinely smiled, ¡°To be honest, your grandmother¡¯s piano ying was really not good. I told her the truth, and she got angry.¡± Yates looked down at petite Eleanor, ¡°At that time, I was the designated heir of the Sharp family. Everyone was ttering me, but she was the only one who dared topete with me.¡± Yates said he initially found the girl interesting, not enough to bepletely in love. But it was when he fell into the swimming pool, and Pauline swam over like an angel and saved him. Yates got close to her as a way of repaying her kindness. However, at that time, Pauline had a childhood sweetheart who understood her more than his domineering and umunicative self. When she was eighteen, Pauline confirmed her rtionship with that man. Yates was so angry that he took Pauline away, locked her in a room, and did some bold things that scared Pauline. The two stopped interacting because of this. It was Pauline¡¯s first love, who realized Yates was coveting Pauline, and repeatedly provoked him and tried to stimte him, leading him to takeover forcefully. When Yates mentioned the phrase ¡°takeover forcefully¡¯, there was no hint of regret in his tone. He felt that Pauline belonged to him, her first kiss was his, her first night was his. and the rest of her life could only be his. He admitted that as a businessman, the tactics he used were not very honorable. As for how dishonorable they were, Yates didn¡¯t say. He only told Eleanor that the only man Pauline ever loved was him, and that other man didn¡¯t count. After talking about his own stories, he began to ask Eleanor, ¡°What about you? How did you get through your childhood?¡± Eleanor responded without any emotion, ¡°Haven¡¯t you investigated my past?¡± Yates replied, ¡°I have, but I only know the general situation, not the specifics.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t want to discuss further, ¡°I just got through it. There¡¯s nothing much to say.¡± She radiated a sense of loneliness, which darkened Yates¡¯ eyes, ¡°Eleanor, I know you¡¯ve had a hard life, I¡­¡± He paused, under the street light, his reddened eyes gently gazed into Eleanor¡¯s clear eyes, ¡°will make it up to you.¡± Eleanor gave a faint smile, her eyes full of indifference, ¡°If I didn¡¯t get the things I wanted as a child at that time, obtaining them now that I¡¯m grown up won¡¯t bring me any joy.¡± Yates understood what Eleanor meant, ¡°Then besides the things you wanted as a child and didn¡¯t get, is there anything you want at this moment?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. After a moment of silence, Eleanor looked up at the stars, ¡°I want the star, to hold a children¡¯s book, and tell stories to my child, to educate them.¡± Yates thought she was joking, and replied, ¡°How can a star hold a children¡¯s book and tell stories and educate a child?¡± After saying this and seeing Eleanor not responding. Yates slowly realized that Eleanor wasparing Bernard with the stars. She was thinking about Bernard. Yates looked at Eleanor¡¯s profile as she gazed at the stars, and for a moment, he felt torn. In the end, reason won over emotion. He pretended not to understand and said to Eleanor. ¡°Peterson gave me a telescope. If you want to see the stars, I can take you?¡± Eleanor had no interest in seeing stars. She withdrew her gaze and declined, ¡°It¡¯ste, I should go back to rest, Goodnight.¡± After saying this, she turned around and left. Watching her slender figure retreat, Yates couldn¡¯t help but call out to her, ¡°Eleanor, is Bernard very important to you?¡± Chapter 1366 Chapter 1366 The fact that Eleanor was Bernard¡¯s wife was something the Sharp n could have easily confirmed, but from the beginning, they refrained from bringing up Bernard in her presence, not even to ask about the child she was carrying. Eleanor thought that the Sharps were unconcerned with who her husband was, only caring about her. Hence, they never brought the subject up. Now that Yates himself was asking, she made no attempt to evade the question. After freezing in ce for a few seconds, Eleanor turned to face Yates. ¡°He¡¯s important,¡± she stated. In her mind, he was important as the stars. But presently, Bernard was obscured by dark clouds, temporarily out of sight. Eleanor had to wait, wait for the clouds to disperse, before she could see him again. Across half of the garden, Yates held Eleanor¡¯s gaze. It was unclear what he was pondering, but after a long wait, he finally spoke, ¡°I¡¯ve looked into it. Bernard hasn¡¯t treated you well. He even endangered your life over another woman. Is such a man really that important?¡± ¡°That was a misunderstanding from the past. We are married now, and we have a child. Let¡¯s not dwell on past grievances,¡± Eleanor responded. Besides, their rtionship was none of anyone else¡¯s business, certainly not Yates¡±. Standing beneath a tree, bathed in the light of a streetmp, her figure was somewhat blurred, yet the determination in her eyes was clear. ¡°He seems to mean a lot to you, but what about him? Is a man who can easily abandon you in the face of danger and threats really worth loving?¡± Eleanor paused for a long moment, then, under themplight, she looked at Yates¡¯ face, lined with the marks of a hard life and full of confusion. ¡°Do you think that only your love is love, and others¡¯ is not?¡± Yates chuckled lightly and crossed the garden, stepping over the cobblestone path and passing a few small trees to stand before Eleanor, ¡°Some have said my love is twisted. I admit it. But right now, we¡¯re not talking about me. We¡¯re discussing your husband.¡± Eleanor lifted her chin slightly, staring into Yates¡¯ defiant eyes, ¡°What gives you the right to interfere in my affairs, and those of my husband, just because I agreed toe back and recognize my kinship?¡± ¡°I have no right to interfere, but Eleanor, I only want to understand you better, to care for you more. I mean no harm.¡± His eyes conveyed sincerity, devoid of ill intent. Yet, Eleanor could distinctly feel that Yates did not want her to be with Bernard, ¡°Mr. Peterson had once approached the Laurence family regarding a marital alliance. It is evident that the Sharp n does not oppose the Laurences, and is even quite pleased with their leader.¡± If Yates were unaware of Bernard¡¯s true identity, he would naturally be pleased with Bernard, even considering him as a son-inw for the Sharps. But now, the two were essentially on opposing sides. As men, they had to stand their ground and protect their own. So, even if Yates was willing to spare Bernard for Eleanor¡¯s sake, the other partners of Area Opaca wouldn¡¯t agree. And Bernard himself might not be willing to let go of past grudges, especially since Area Opaca had massacred many members of the Siren Organization. 7 Yates, being the man he was, considered all angles and made decisive decisions, even when it came to Eleanor, ¡°I told you, I¡¯ve looked into your past. I cannot forgive him on your behalf.¡± The Sharps had a wless way of speaking, making it hard for Eleanor to read them. So she decided to drop the topic. ¡°I just came back to recognize my kin. Don¡¯t meddle in my affairs.¡± With that, Eleanor didn¡¯t wait for Yates to respond. She turned around and walked into the house. The back door closed with a loud ¡®bang¡¯, leaving Yates and the chilly wind isted outside. Yates stayed frozen in ce for a moment, then the old butler came over with a nket, draped it over him, and helped him back into the house. That night, Eleanor pulled out a storybook on her phone and read a story to her unborn child, stroking her belly. Only then did she fall asleep peacefully. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. 1 Yates, on the other hand, spent the entire night awake, holding a picture of Pauline under a deskmp, quietly contemting the importance Eleanor spoke of. The following day, Yates allowed Eleanor to sleep in. Only then did he ask the butler to prepare a nutritious breakfast and fetch a thicker coat to wrap around her. ¡°Your two uncles and two cousins are waiting for you outside. Let¡¯s go.¡± Upon her arrival yesterday, Eleanor had met Yates¡¯ two sons. They were good-looking men, bearing a resemnce to Vanya. They were mature andposed. They weren¡¯t as enthusiastic as Yates, nor as curious as the three Sharp brothers. They simply weed Eleanor warmly as elder rtives and asionally asked how she was doing. In fact, Eleanor preferred theirpany over Yates¡¯. They didn¡¯t press her and genuinely cared for her, which was quite heartwarming. The Sharp family car was a spacious, business-ss vehicle. Her two uncles let her sit in the back seat, helped her buckle up, and even prepared sour dates and plums in case she felt car sick. Chapter 1367 Chapter 1367 Seeing what was ced in her palm, Eleanor looked up at her older uncle, Cyril Sharp, who was driving, and her second uncle, Derrick Sharp, in the passenger seat. They were both looking at her through the rear view mirror. ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡± Eleanor shook her head. She used to dislike these things, but now that she¡¯s pregnant, she¡¯s developed a longing for these sour foods. ¡°Thank you.¡± After thanking them, she opened the snack bag, took out a plum, and put it in her mouth. The sour vor quickly dissipated the stuffiness in the car. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Seeing her quietly munching on her snack, Derrick couldn¡¯t help but smile. If his own sister was still alive, she would probably look like this, right? ¡°Had we known about you earlier, we wouldn¡¯t have waited for your grandfather to step in. Your uncle and I would have been the first ones to bring you home.¡± Eleanor held the bag in her hand, still silent. It¡¯s not that she didn¡¯t want to speak, but she didn¡¯t know what to say. Understanding her shyness, Derrick straightened his posture after hisment and focused on the road ahead, not bothering her anymore. Sitting next to them, Yates nced at his two sons and then at Eleanor¡¯s snack. After a long pondering, he took out a box of cookies from a nearby container and, mimicking his sons, offered it to Eleanor, ¡°It¡¯s a long journey, eat some if you¡¯re hungry.¡± Eleanor looked at the box of cookies and slightly furrowed her brows. ¡°They are so dry, I can¡¯t even swallow them.¡± ¡°Oh my bad.¡± Feeling a bit embarrassed, Yates took back the cookies and took out a bottle of water instead, ¡°Then have some water.¡± Eleanor nced at him, ¡°I¡¯m not thirsty.¡± Everyone in the carughed upon seeing this. It was quite rare to see the usually serious old man in such an awkward situation. ¡°What¡¯s that saying again?¡± The brothers, born from the same mother, exchanged a nce, understanding each other¡¯s thoughts, ¡°Missing the mark and making it worse¡± Thest three words were said quietly by Cyril, so Yates didn¡¯t hear it clearly.. While Yates didn¡¯t get it, the three young people in the backseat couldn¡¯t help but smirk, especially Peterson. Used to being oppressed by his grandfather, he hoped Eleanor would tease Old Yates more, so he wouldn¡¯t bully the young ones. The journey to the cemetery was pleasant, with no difort. Everyone was considerate towards Eleanor. Before getting off the car, Cyril exined to Eleanor, fearing that visiting a cemetery while pregnant might harm her unborn child. ¡°Traditionally, it¡¯s not appropriate for a pregnant woman to visit a cemetery. But my father insisted on bringing you here to see it, you don¡¯t have to go in.¡± Eleanor touched her belly. She didn¡¯t believe in superstitions, so since they were already there, she decided to pay her respects to the woman who had given life to her mother. Seeing Eleanor¡¯s decision, the Sharp family was surprised, but then they apanied her into the cemetery, which was spacious with fewer graves than one might expect. Pauline¡¯s grave stood alone in a patch of greenery, surrounded by flowers and trees. Clearly, Yates had genuine feelings for Pauline. The Sharp family paid their respects to Pauline, while Eleanor silently spoke to the photograph on the tombstone. ¡°Mother, I¡¯ve seen your mother now. I know her name, when she was born, when she died, and where she is now. I¡¯ve seen her for you and paid my respects. May she rest in peace.¡± Yates, dressed in a suit, stood in front of the tombstone, not touching it and mumbling as he usually did. He was still upset with Pauline for sending their daughter away and using this method to take revenge on him. After everyone had paid their respects and slowly left the cemetery, only Yates lingered before turning around. Pauline, I¡¯ve found our daughter¡¯s descendants. Rest assured, I¡¯ll take good care of them. Before getting into the car, Eleanor turned around to look at Yates. The old man with white hair was still energetic, though his steps were a bit shaky. Eleanor watched him for a few seconds before getting into the car. Peterson mentioned there was a dinner party that evening, and he wanted to take Eleanor to get a makeover and buy some new clothes. Yates told the Sharps apany her shopping and set a curfew for eight o¡¯clock that evening. The dinner wasn¡¯t held in a fancy ce, but in Pauline¡¯s house. He believed that by hosting it there, Pauline would be able to see it. Such a stubborn and devoted old man. The Sharp brothers, away from their elders, seemed more rxed. Bevis, who usually seemed rigid, was a different person behind the wheel, driving the car like a sports car on the open road. Antoine, worried that Eleanor might not feel well, asked Bevis to be careful while considering closing the window. However, he saw Eleanor slightly turning her face to the wind. He paused his hand that was about to close the window, ¡°The roads here are wide, and there are many trees. It feels nice to feel the natural breeze. Have you considered staying here permanently?¡± Chapter 1368 Chapter 1368 Eleanor, her cheeks kissed by the soft breeze, lowered her eyes. ¡°There are plenty of beautiful ces in my homnd too. Nature, trees, roads, they¡¯re all the same wherever you go.¡± Antoine¡¯s voice was gentle as he responded, ¡°I don¡¯t often live in Canada either, I juste back from time to time. But if you¡¯re here, I¡¯ll make it a point to visit more often.¡± Eleanor yed along. ¡°If you want to see me, then you cane to my ce.¡± Antoine¡¯s eyes lit up with a yful smile, ¡°Alright, remember you promised.¡± Eleanor, having jumped into the trap, chose not to respond. Peterson, however, couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Antoine. He¡¯s usually swamped with work and wouldn¡¯t have time to pester you.¡± Peterson¡¯s carefree demeanor provoked Eleanor, ¡°And you¡¯re not allowed toe looking for me either.¡± Peterson grinned, his smile as light as a feather, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitelye looking for you whether there¡¯s a reason or not.¡± Eleanor was speechless. The three brothers, along with Eleanor, visited thepany run by Bevis¡¯ wife. Peterson had mentioned that Bevis¡¯ wife was an ordinary woman, not belonging to any wealthy or noble family. However, after meeting her, Eleanor realized that she was quite an affluent woman herself. She was the founder of DK, the luxury brand, her social status was anything but ordinary. It seemed that Peterson,ing from a noble family, had a different perception of what constitutes a noble lineage and wealth. Eleanor was misled by Peterson¡¯sments and when Faustina, Bevis¡¯ wife, visited with her child, she assumed that Faustina was a stay-at-home mom. Seeing Faustina, dressed in a professional suit, high heels, navigating through the office, Eleanor was taken aback. After finishing her work, Faustina lifted her eyes to meet Eleanor and the Sharp brothers, she quickly raised her hand in greeting before leading them to the reception room. Faustina was confident and poised in her professional environment. Knowing that they were there for styling, she assigned a renowned stylist to Eleanor based on her physique and appearance. Faustina patted Eleanor¡¯s shoulder and said in a generous tone, ¡°Eleanor, I have to attend to a client, but don¡¯t worry. If you have any questions, talk to the stylist or my assistant.¡± Afterward, Faustina arranged for her assistant to serve Eleanor milk and cake, ensuring the best service possible. DK was primarily known for its luxury handbags, followed by clothing. Hence, thepany was frequently visited by various stylists and designers. All the clothes under DK were endorsed by Antoine. This was a ssic case of ¡®keeping it in the family¡¯. With the backing of his family and sister-inw, Antoine¡¯s career in the film industry was flourishing. As Eleanor got her makeover, Peterson, with a magazine in his hand, casually exined the family affairs and their businesses to her. Bevis and Antoine were sons of her elder uncle, Cyril. The Sharp family had numerous businesses, and Cyril, unable to manage them all, entrusted the role of CEO to Bevis. Bevis wasn¡¯t interested in business but epted the position for the sake of the family. As the elder son, he shouldered the responsibilities, allowing Antoine to live a more carefree life. Peterson, on the other hand, was the only child of her younger uncle, Derrick. Derrick also had many businesses under the Sharp family but Peterson didn¡¯t help him. When Eleanor asked him why, Peterson simply replied that he loved to have fun and didn¡¯t have the skills to help. To Eleanor, Peterson seemed more capable than his brothers. Because Peterson was a mystery. She wanted to know what Peterson was busy with, but he wouldn¡¯t tell her. Instead, he made excuses about running a winery or a bar. Eleanor didn¡¯t press the matter. When she stopped asking, Peterson closed his magazine, leaned back, and said with a mysterious smile, ¡°Let¡¯s just say, I grew up with grandpa and did as he said.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. The stylist was still working on Eleanor¡¯s hair, so she could only turn slightly to look at Peterson, ¡°Your brothers are all doing their own thing, why do you only listen to Old Man Yates?¡± ¡°Only you dare to call him Old Man Yates.¡± Peterson joked and then casually added, ¡°You might not know, but our grandpa is known for his strict demeanor. My brothers¡¯ personalities don¡¯t suit working under him.¡± Bevis was overly decisive and Antoine was too rebellious. Only he, Peterson, was the perfect bnce between his two brothers, making him the choicepanion for their grandfather. Peterson was raised under a rigorous regimen. Guns and violence weremon, and although he appeared elegant and dignified, there was a cold indifference in his eyes that showed he didn¡¯t value life. In this regard, Peterson was simr to Yates, but Peterson retained his humanity. He wouldn¡¯t resort to violence unless necessary. Eleanor didn¡¯t really care about Mr. Peterson¡¯s story, she only cared about one thing ¨C ¡°What did you do when you were with your grandfather?¡± Chapter 1369 Chapter 1369 Peterson watched her for a few seconds before changing the subject, ¡°Enough about me. Let¡¯s hear about you. This one-sided conversation is getting dull.¡± Eleanor shot back with a smirk, ¡°There¡¯s not much to tell about me either. It¡¯s equally dull.¡± Peterson returned her smirk, ¡°Eleanor, you don¡¯t have to keep your guard up around me like I¡¯m a viin.¡± Eleanor chuckled, ¡°Well, your family treats me like a potential viin too.¡± When asked about how Old Yates tricked Pauline, he kept mum. When asked about what Peterson was up to with Old Yates, he stayed silent too. So, why should she spill her beans to them? Eleanor tossed her wavy hair over her shoulder, strutting confidently into the dressing room. Watching her retreating figure, Peterson folded his arms across his chest and leaned back in his chair, a faint smile ying on his lips. He was curious about how important Bernard was to her. But on second thought, there was no need to inquire. A man she was willing to risk her life for, even while pregnant, must mean more to her than her own life. However¡­ Peterson frowned slightly as he pondered the thought. While he was lost in thought, a child adopted by the Sharp family pushed open the dressing room door, carrying the new collection of handbags. Seeing Peterson, she froze in her tracks, quickly turning to leave. Peterson, however, stood up and walked past her, scoffing, ¡°What are you hiding from?¡± The girl didn¡¯t utter a word, only lifting her eyes to steal a nce at him after he walked away. Peterson had once confessed his feelings for her, iming he¡¯d marry her if she agreed. But she had declined. Peterson¡¯s mother had said that an adopted child was also a child of the Sharp family, and therefore, she was Peterson¡¯s sister. It was improper. The main reason though, was that they looked down on her background. Resigned to her fate, she epted Peterson¡¯s mother¡¯s arrangement and agreed to marry the man they had set her up with. 1 When Peterson returned, she was having her wedding reception. Peterson, being a stable man, didn¡¯t cause a scene. He simply cornered her backstage and asked her why. She told him that she didn¡¯t love him. Peterson fell silent, watching her for a moment before murmuring, ¡°I wish you happiness,¡± and left. He never bothered her again. Later, she heard that Peterson was actively seeking a suitable spouse from a simr background, but to no avail. Meanwhile, she was already expecting a child. With a sigh, she pushed the past from her mind and entered the dressing room. Peterson, who had walked away, halted and turned back to look at the dressing room. Sometimes, he felt like aplete failure. He was unable to unsessful in winning over the one he loved, unable to make any significant headway in his career, and¡­ Despite wanting to make amends with Eleanor, he was hurting her behind her back. He was a total mess, and a hypocrite to boot.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. In the dressing room, the stylist had gone to select a dress. Eleanor received a call from Robin. He asked where she was. When Eleanor told him, Robin frowned and told her to be careful. Eleanor said, ¡°The Sharps just want to acknowledge kinship. They won¡¯t harm me. You just focus on taking care of Katharine.¡± Robin nodded, ¡°Also, there¡¯s something else I need to tell you.¡± Eleanor said, ¡°Go on.¡± Robin said, ¡°My uncle came to visit my sister yesterday, and I took the opportunity to probe him.¡± Eleanor frowned slightly, ¡°You suspect that Sheldon is¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t quite finish her sentence, but Robin understood her implication, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, he should be with Area Opaca. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to leave Area Opaca so easily.¡± He had previously had suspicions, and had nned to investigate Sheldon once he had recovered. But due to Katharine¡¯s situation, he had temporarily put this aside. Then yesterday. Sheldon dropped by to see Katharine. Robin took the opportunity to get Sheldon drunk during dinner, hoping to extract some information from him. But Sheldon was astute and didn¡¯t reveal anything. Instead, he asked Robin why he was interested in these matters. Was he nning to gamble in Area Opaca? Robin found Sheldon¡¯s evasiveness suspicious. He nned to follow Sheldon once Katharine was better, hoping to discover the location of Area Opaca. After hearing this, Eleanor frowned slightly, ¡°Will it be dangerous for you to tail him?¡± Even a hint of concern from her would elicit joy in Robin, ¡°Are you worried about me?¡± Chapter 1370 Chapter 1370 Eleanor didn¡¯t reply, and Robin waited a moment before chuckling softly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my uncle has always been good to me since I was a kid. He won¡¯t harm me.¡± Yet, Sheldon, knowing full well that he was the Vice President of the Premier Entrepreneurs¡¯ League, was still assisting the Area Opaca; if he found evidence to confirm this, their positions would be antagonistic. Robin was more concerned about how to convince Sheldon to leave Area Opaca and how to resolve its existence. But these matters had nothing to do with Eleanor, so he didn¡¯t share them with her. Eleanor¡¯s concern was still Bernard. But Robin hadn¡¯t gotten any information about Bernard from Sheldon, so she didn¡¯t ask him. After a moment of silence, the stylist walked in with a gown. Eleanor told him to take care of Katharine, then hung up the phone, and the stylist quickly changed her into the latest fashion gown. 1 Eleanor, inheriting the Sharp family¡¯s excellent genes, had beautiful eyes and a peachyplexion, entuated by her elegant demeanor. Her overall appearance was graceful and rxed, and the champagne-colored gown made her delicate and glorious. The Sharp brothers rose to their feet when she appeared. ¡°From the first moment I saw you, I thought you were stunning. But now all dolled up, you¡¯re an absolute knockout.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a shame we didn¡¯t grow up together, otherwise, you would have been our little porcin doll, growing up under our protection.¡± The firstment was Bevis¡¯ astonishment, the second was Antoine¡¯s regret. Only Peterson remained silent, quietly observing her. Standing in front of the mirror, Faustina approached. ¡°Eleanor, if you¡¯re interested, you could join Antoine and be a model for DK.¡± Eleanor admired this independent and strong woman and spoke with a touch of respect. ¡°My dream is to start apany like yours.¡± Antoine, with his arms crossed and leaning casually, immediately chimed in, ¡°Then you can hire me as a model. I promise to make your products shine.¡± Eleanor disyed a troubled expression. ¡°But I¡¯m an architect. I can¡¯t exactly ster your photo all over construction sites, can I?¡± The smile on Antoine¡¯s lips froze. ¡°I take back my previous statement.¡± He stopped smiling, but Eleanor began tough. This was her first realugh since she arrived in Canada, and it made the Sharp brothersugh along too. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. With her makeoverplete and the dinner hour approaching, the brothers escorted Eleanor home. Yates¡¯ house had already been decorated by their uncles. It was all pink, like a little girl¡¯s birthday party, although Eleanor was about to be a mother. Yet, the Sharp family still treated her like a little princess. Eleanor knew they were trying to make up for her lost childhood, but as she¡¯d said, the joy of receiving something you wanted as a child diminishes when you receive it as an adult. Compared to the bustling Sharp family, her demeanor was much calmer. It seemed as though she was just waiting to go through the motions of a ceremony. Once it was over, she would return home. The dinner started, and many people attended. There were rtives of the Sharp family, aristocrats from North Fund, all were influential people. Yates introduced Eleanor to everyone. Perhaps having heard about her future n from Faustina, Yates made it clear to everyone during the introductions that Eleanor was an architect. So, throughout the dinner, many people approached Eleanor for design work. These were the connections the Sharp family offered, but she didn¡¯t n on using them, nor did she reject them outright. After introducing her and helping herwork, Yates cut a fouryer cake with her, symbolizing her sessful return to the Sharp family, Next was the family tree. Yates asked Peterson to retrieve it from the study. Peterson nced at Eleanor then leisurely went upstairs. He quickly retrieved the family tree and handed it to Yates, who opened it in front of everyone. Yates then handed the task of updating the family tree to Derrick. Derrick picked up the gold-tipped brush and wrote Vanya¡¯s name, followed by Emilia, and then Eleanor¡¯s Once he finished writing, Yates suddenly looked at Eleanor, who was quietly standing beside him. ¡°Your sister¡¯s child, is her name Serenina Ziegler?¡± Eleanor realized what Yates was thinking. She initially wanted to stop him but then thought that her sister¡¯s child should also call Yates great-grandfather, so she didn¡¯t say anything, just nodded. Seeing her not object, Yates quickly asked Derrick to write ¡®Serenina¡¯ on the family tree. After the names of those who were lost were added to the family tree, a smile spread across Yates¡¯ face. Chapter 1371 Chapter 1371 Eleanor¡¯s life had taken an unexpected turn, and as she stood under the glittering night sky, the feeling of istion was overwhelming. Despite having just been recognized by the prestigious Sharp family, instead of tion, there was a void that even their warm wee couldn¡¯t fill. ¡°Missing your husband?¡± The voice was smooth, with a hint of teasing, as Peterson sauntered over in his sleek ck tuxedo, hands casually tucked in his pockets. He caught the flicker of sadness in her eyes, a reflection of the distant stars she gazed upon so intently. ¡°The stars are the same from anywhere, but some of us have clear skies while others are clouded,¡± he mused, his gaze lifting to follow hers. Bernard, poor chap, was out of sight, locked away in some undisclosed location. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor knew it was Peterson without looking away from the celestial disy. ¡°Why does no one ask about Bernard¡¯s absence?¡± She asked. It puzzled her; the Sharps acted as if they were already aware of her divorce. But how could they have known? Peterson¡¯s gaze lingered on Eleanor¡¯s radiant face. ¡°You¡¯ll find the answer when you return the family tree to the study,¡± he said, after a long pause, handing her the ancient book. ¡°Don¡¯t let on that I sent you,¡± he added before turning away. Halfway across thewn, he paused under themplight, casting her a backward nce. ¡°Don¡¯t hold it against me,¡± he said quietly. He hadn¡¯t known she was his cousin or that Bernard was her husband at the time. Life had chosen his path long ago, and he had been powerless to resist. Feeling a mix of confusion and an inexplicable trust, Eleanor took the family tree to the study, avoiding the crowd through a side entrance. She hadn¡¯t been in Yates¡¯ study before. It felt foreign yet intimate. She spotted a gap on the bookshelf where the book belonged, but as she reached out to ce it, a small box caught her attention. The books were meticulously organized, each series enclosed behind ss doors, and the Sharp family tree was kept separate. Except for this box, seemingly ced without care. Eleanor¡¯s heart raced; this was Peterson¡¯s clue to her. She slid the book in its rightful ce and snatched up the box, opening it with haste. Inside, a glint of gold caught the light-a familiar golden leaf that stung her eyes with its brilliance. She steadied her shaking hands and retrieved the leaf, turning it over to reveal a small set of numbers: Ace-dominate-1-1. Dominance-the highest rank within the enigmatic organization known as Area Opaca. Suddenly, everything clicked. Yates was the mastermind behind Area Opaca. No wonder no one inquired about Bernard¡¯s whereabouts; they had known all along. And Peterson¡¯s silence on his upation made perfect sense now-he was entangled in a web of secrets too dangerous to reveal. Chapter 1372 Chapter 1372 They clearly knew that she had been to Area Opaca and what she had experienced there, yet they could still hide it from her as if nothing had happened. They spun a story that it was her resemnce to Emilia that caught their attention. But Eleanor knew it was a lie; they had seen her in the Area Opaca first and followed her trail from there. How could theye to her, weaving lies and half-truths, and expect her to embrace them as kin? And there was more¡­ For half a year, Bernard had been consumed by his investigation into the origins of Area Opaca, leaving Eleanor to fend for herself. Caleb had even lost his life in that damn ce. How could theymit such atrocities and then show up on her doorstep, expecting her to face Katherine as if nothing had happened? Clutching the golden leaf in her hand, Eleanor felt her heart turn to stone, her emotions a mix of disappointment and rage. While she was wrestling with her fury and contemting her next move, footsteps approached. The study door swung open, revealing a figure d in a crisp white suit. Yates, having failed to find Eleanor downstairs, had guessed she might be here. His eyes flicked to the family tree sprawled beside her, a hint of exasperation on his face. Peterson, that damn brat, dared to send Eleanor here. With a silent sigh, Yates maintained hisposure and stepped forward to take the shimmering gold leaf from her grasp. ¡°I won¡¯t deny it since you¡¯ve found out,¡± he said, his voice calm as he settled into the chair behind the desk. ¡°But I must rify something. I didn¡¯t know of your existence until after you left Area Opaca. The ordeal you and your husband went through there-it¡¯s not on me.¡± His point was in¡ªthe Area Opaca was his creation, his enterprise, and it had nothing to do with Eleanor. He wouldn¡¯t have let her anywhere near it had he known about her sooner. But it was only after she left that he discovered her connection to the family, and that¡¯s when he chose to deceive and conceal the truth, all to facilitate a smooth homing for her. Understanding his words, Eleanor managed to steady her emotions and took a seat across from Yates, their eyes locking over the expanse of the desk.. ¡°Even if that¡¯s the case,¡± she said evenly, ¡°you should never have allowed Peterson to lie to me.¡± Yates looked at her with the indulgent gaze one reserves for a child. ¡°Darling, the things I¡¯ve done are far from honorable. How could I possibly expose you to such darkness? And with your friend¡¯s misfortune within the Area Opaca, how else could I have convinced you to return and im your rightful ce in the family?¡± At his lofty justification, Eleanor could only scoff. ¡°Do you really think that by deceitfully bringing me back here to add my name to some book, I would acknowledge you?¡± In her clear eyes, Yates saw a wariness, the kind reserved for the truly wicked. To Eleanor, he was nothing short of a demon. For a fleeting moment, Yates¡¯ eyes darkened-not in anger toward Eleanor, but in frustration at Peterson¡¯s miscedpassion that had spoiled his ns. ¡°Eleanor Sharp,¡± he began, using her formal name, ¡°I¡¯m sorry that upon your return to the Sharp family, you¡¯ve encountered a less than ttering image of your grandfather. I take responsibility for that. But¡­¡± He paused, drawing a photograph from the desk drawer and sliding it across the table towards her. ¡°Do you know how your grandmother died?¡± Without a word, Eleanor¡¯s icy gaze remained fixed on Yates, her mind racing on how she could contact Bernard and inform him the true mastermind behind the Area Opaca. ¡°She was tormented and killed by the Siren Organization.¡± Yates continued, oblivious to Eleanor¡¯s thoughts. ¡°She was¡­ raped until she was broken. By the time I found her, her body was just¡­ a shell.¡± His voice cracked, eyes reddening with old rage, while Eleanor felt a jolt of shock. Her grandmother had died such a horrific death? ¡°I sat there, holding what was left of her, for three days and nights until I could gather the strength to seek vengeance,¡± Yates confessed, his fists clenching on the desk. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I swore I¡¯d wipe the Siren Organization from the face of the earth, no matter the cost.¡±. The warmth in his eyes had vanished, reced by a chilling resolve. ¡°The Area Opaca¡¯s games of life and death-they were trials for my retribution. Each gambler¡¯s demise was a step toward perfecting the tools I¡¯d use to exact revenge on the Siren Organization.¡± And there it was-the awful truthid bare. Yates was consumed by a vendetta, and the Area Opaca was his arena of judgment. Chapter 1373 Chapter 1373 Eleanor felt a chill run through her as she watched Yates, the old man with hair as white as winter frost and eyes red with a vengeful fire. His hatred had morphed from personal vendetta into a vendetta against the world. The variety of deaths in Area Opaca seemed to satisfy his thirst for bloodshed, his addiction to the kill. She knew all too well that Yates¡¯ psyche had been twisted by hate to the point where human life meant nothing to him. Convincing him to stop was likely impossible. Without saying a word, she simply gazed at Yates, slowly realizing a painful truth-Sometimes, loving someone too deeply can be a curse. ¡°So, Eleanor, do you think I¡¯m wrong?¡± Yates asked, his voice cutting through the silence as he set aside his memories and looked intently at the face that so resembled Pauline¡¯s. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t take so many lives just for revenge,¡± Eleanor said, pausing before rifying her thoughts. ¡°You should find the person who killed Pauline and seek your revenge on them, not drag innocent people into this.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t find them!¡± Yates replied, his voice rising with emotion. ¡°Do you know what it¡¯s like to want revenge but not know who your enemy is? The helplessness, the despair-it¡¯s driving me insane!¡± No wonder Sophie and Mr. Ben had defected to Area Opaca with a list of Siren Organization members- they too were desperate to find the enemy. ¡°Would you disband Area Opaca if you found your enemy?¡± Eleanor asked, bringing Yates back to a semnce of calm. He looked at her, hesitated, then nodded faintly. ¡°No one wants to live with hatred forever.¡± Once he had his revenge, he could follow Pauline into the beyond and finally find peace. Eleanor recalled Evan¡¯s guess of the mastermind behind Area Opaca that they must bore a grudge against Bernard or Mr. Penrod. Now that Bernard had joined Area Opaca as a puppet master, it seemed clear there was no bad blood there. That left Mr. Penrod, but he was from her mother¡¯s generation-how could he be responsible for Pauline¡¯s death? She suspected the keyy with the Siren Organization and began to probe Yates indirectly. ¡°I¡¯ve heard the Siren Organization hasn¡¯t been around for long, and Pauline¡¯s death was many years ago. Could they really be responsible?¡± As she asked, Eleanor was not only fishing for information about Area Opaca but also testing whether Yates knew about Bernard¡¯s leadership in the Siren Organization. If Yates asked how she knew about the founding of the Siren Organization, it would mean he was unaware of Bernard¡¯s role. But if he didn¡¯t question her and simply responded, it would indicate he knew the truth. Anxious yetposed, Eleanor waited for his answer. ¡°How do you know when the Siren Organization was founded?¡± Yates finally asked. Relieved, Eleanor hid her happiness well. ¡°A friend who came with me is the vice president of the Premier Entrepreneurs¡¯ League. He knows a thing or two.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Yates smiled with a nod. ¡°I know him, Robin Spencer. He¡¯s a goodd, willing to sacrifice his own life for you.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Mentioning the bloodshed in Area Opaca, Eleanor struggled to contain her fury. ¡°You should be thankful someone saved him, or I wouldn¡¯t be sitting here with you now.¡± Yates spread his hands in a gesture of apology. ¡°If I¡¯d known sooner you were my granddaughter, you and your friend would never have been in danger in Area Opaca.¡± Eleanor swiftly returned to the previous topic. ¡°The timeline doesn¡¯t match. The Siren Organization couldn¡¯t have killed Pauline.¡± ¡°It must be them,¡± Yates countered firmly. ¡°Their original name was Darkness, an organization that¡¯s been around for ages. After the Darkness members perished for reasons unknown, they rebranded as the Siren Organization.¡± Eleanor stood frozen, processing his words. Bernard had told her Mr. Penrod founded the Siren Organization for a woman, his biological mother and the Pine family¡¯s secret daughter, Tammie Pine. Mr. Penrod¡¯s affection for Tammie was the reason behind the Siren Organization, to help Bernard build power. But ording to Yates, the organization was far older. Was Mr. Penrod deceiving Bernard all along? If Mr. Penrod had been lying to Bernard from the start, then perhaps Pauline¡¯s death did have something to do with him. Even if he wasn¡¯t directly involved, it could be tied to the former organization. But what could be the reason? Chapter 1374 Chapter 1374 Eleanor furrowed her brow, a clear sign of confusion, prompting Yates to tilt his head slightly with curiosity. ¡°Do you know something?¡± he asked. To avoid arousing Yates¡¯ suspicions, Eleanor shook her head gently. It was better to keep silent until she had concrete evidence. Her top priority was finding a way to reach Bernard. She had to share everything she knew, to prevent him from unknowingly remaining undercover in the enigmatic Area Opaca. ¡°Can you get Bernard out?¡± she asked. Yates¡¯ fingers, previously inteced on the table, twitched slightly. ¡°Eleanor, I assure you, I haven¡¯t restricted Bernard¡¯s freedom.¡± ¡°If you haven¡¯t restricted him, then why hasn¡¯t hee home? Why hasn¡¯t he even made a phone call?¡± Eleanor had been puzzled before. If Area Opaca didn¡¯t limit their operatives¡¯ freedom, why hadn¡¯t Bernard contacted her in 23 days? Now, with her thoughts bing clearer, she began to suspect that Yates was indeed restricting Bernard¡¯s personal freedom; otherwise, Bernard would have reached out to her. But why would Yates restrict Bernard? Unless he knew about Bernard¡¯s true identity ¨C yet Yates¡¯ probing didn¡¯t seem to suggest that he knew. It was as if Yates could read Eleanor¡¯s mind. He stared into her eyes, and said deliberately, ¡°The rule I¡¯ve set is that operatives from Area Opaca are free toe and go as they please, and they can contact the outside world at will. Area Opaca doesn¡¯t interfere with that.¡± ¡°As for why Bernard hasn¡¯t returned home or contacted you, I honestly have no idea¡­¡± ¡°Actually¡­ I only found out about your marriage after you left when I saw the surveince tapes.¡± Having said that, Yates looked even more puzzled than Eleanor, his gaze fixed on her face. ¡°What has always seemed strange to me,¡± he pressed on, ¡°is why Bernard, a man who seemingly possesses everything, keeping back to Area Opaca to gamble with his life?¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Eleanor¡¯s expression shifted slightly. She wasn¡¯t sure if Yates was probing her about Bernard¡¯s identity or if, knowing Bernard¡¯s identity, he was engaging in a mental game with her. After weighing her options silently, she spoke nonchntly, ¡°He¡¯s always been a bit of a gambler, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°And you would choose such a man?¡± Yates questioned, his voiceced with a mix of intrigue and control. Eleanor was unsure if Yates knew about Bernard¡¯s identity and hesitated to make any rash moves. Yates was exploiting this uncertainty, manipting Eleanor with his words. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the surveince footage of Bernard pressuring you for a divorce. It wasn¡¯t his idea ¨C Sophie forced him to do it. But Bernard could have chosen a more gentle way to let you go. Instead, he opted for the cruelest method, coldly pushing you away. That alone shows that he doesn¡¯t love you as he should. So, my dear, don¡¯t hold onto any hope for him. It¡¯s not worth it.¡± Eleanor felt a sting in her heart upon hearing Yates¡¯ words because she had felt the same way before. But now, she thought it best to put those feelings aside until she could see Bernard in person. ¡°All this talk, and you still won¡¯t release Bernard. That tells me you¡¯re hiding something,¡± she used. Yates,took a deep breath and, with a nonchnt lift of his chin, said, ¡°If you insist on seeing him, I¡¯ll go to Area Opaca tomorrow and have him drop whatever he¡¯s doing to meet you.¡± Yates seemed entirely unfazed as he said this, as if he hadn¡¯t restricted Bernard¡¯s freedom at all, and it was merely Bernard¡¯s own choice not toe out. Eleanor couldn¡¯t quite see through Yates¡¯ tactics and didn¡¯t readily trust him. She thought of a compromise, ¡°Can¡¯t you just call him now and have hime to Canada to see me?¡± Yates sat up a little straighter, taken aback by how smart and calm Eleanor was. ¡°He¡¯s currently on a mission with Team 1-4. They can¡¯t be disturbed,¡± he exined. Chapter 1375 Chapter 1375 Eleanor sensed resistance the moment she heard Yates¡¯ answer. It was clear he wouldn¡¯t release Bernard, and if his reluctance stemmed from knowing Bernard¡¯s true identity, Bernard was in grave danger. The thought squeezed her heart painfully, making it hard to breathe. She looked up at Yates, his face an unreadable mask, and stood up abruptly. She strode to the bookcase, pulled out the family tree, and flipped to the page bearing their names. In full view of Yates, she feigned tearing the page. ¡°What on earth are you doing?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Yates shot up and lunged for the book, but Eleanor dodged, retreating a couple of steps. Her clear eyes shifted from Yates¡¯ face to the lingering nobles in the garden. ¡°Disband Area Opaca right now, or I¡¯ll disown you as kin and reveal your true identity to everyone present.¡± Yates had secretly established the Area Opaca, operating behind masks, which meant his inner circle, including the Sharp family, were oblivious. Eleanor wagered that her uncles, including Bevis and Antoine Sharp, were in the dark, only his right-hand man, Peterson, knew the truth.. They both held cards against each other. In such times, she could only hope Yates would choose the lesser of two evils. Yates hadn¡¯t expected Eleanor to be so bold, threatening him in such a manner, and making demands. But he held his ground, ¡°Eleanor, I haven¡¯t avenged your grandmother¡¯s death yet. How could I possibly disband Area Opaca? Besides, it¡¯s not just about revenge for me; others seek justice against the Siren Organization. We¡¯re on a righteous mission, not ying games. It can¡¯t be dismissed so easily.¡± Because she was his granddaughter, he restrained his anger. Had anyone else dared to threaten him, they wouldn¡¯t have lived to regret it. ¡°Besides, don¡¯t bother using my identity as leverage. No one will believe your words against my status, power, and influence.¡± He was right, her threat was weak. A mere golden leaf didn¡¯t signify much. After a moment¡¯s thought, Eleanor approached the desk, picked up the golden leaf, and turned back to Yates. ¡°I¡¯ll step back if you do the same. Give me the 1-1 position and let me join Area Opaca as one of the operators.¡± Yates couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Are you joking?¡± But Eleanor¡¯s gaze was steadfast, ¡°I¡¯m not joking. If you can¡¯t do it, then from this moment, we¡¯re not family; we¡¯re enemies.¡± Yates knew she wanted to find Bernard, but as for Bernard¡¯s current state¡­ If Eleanor saw him barely clinging to life, she¡¯d never forgive him. He didn¡¯t want to turn his own granddaughter into his enemy over an outsider. But what was there to fear? Yates had countless ways to keep secrets buried. ¡°I can grant your request, but you must stay with the Sharp family forever thereafter, as my dear granddaughter.¡± His intent was clear: let her free Bernard herself, but at the cost of her own freedom. Eleanor¡¯s longshes lowered as she considered the golden leaf in her hand. After a lengthy pause, she slowly nodded. ¡°Cameron wronged my mother and tried to drown me for his mistress¡¯ daughter. I¡¯ll go to Area Opaca as 1-1 tomorrow and settle scores with them. Take me there.¡± Tomorrow¡­ His granddaughter was giving him no time to ponder. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that her husband was Bernard, she could have been groomed to be aspetent as Peterson. Yates looked at Eleanor with a mix of appreciation and amusement, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take you there tomorrow.¡± With a solid answer, Eleanor pocketed the golden leaf. She¡¯d soon know the location of Area Opaca, could exact her revenge, and inform Bernard of the founder¡¯s identity. Bernard¡¯s assignment had been to uncover the founder of Area Opaca. The rest was Mr. Penrod¡¯s concern, Now that she¡¯d learn the truth before Bernard, he couldplete his mission sooner and return home. She hadn¡¯t done much for Bernard; he was always the one protecting her. So this time¡­ It was her turn to protect him. Chapter 1376 Chapter 1376 ¡°Alright, now that the deal¡¯s done, how about we head downstairs and wrap up tonight¡¯s dinner?¡± Yates extended a hand, the very picture of a gentleman, towards Eleanor. Eleanor stared at the hand before her, stained with the blood of bad deeds, and let out a wry chuckle. She had yearned for a life untouched by the mud of the world, a tranquil existence, yet here she was, willingly stepping into the fray. With a swallow of her rage and disappointment towards Yates, she ced her hand into his palm, ying her part in the final act of the night. After the guests had filed out, Yates turned to the girls his family had adopted, instructing them to take good care of Eleanor, to harbor no resentment against her. His every word was a veiled concern for Eleanor. In truth, aside from his shadowy dealings with Area Opaca, Yates had always treated Eleanor quite decently. Had he not been the founder of Area Opaca, it was possible that Eleanor could have come to see him as a grandfather figure in the long days toe. The Sharp family had taken in four girls in total, each one legally under the guardianship of two uncles, and they all bore the surname Sharp. One of them was a brand designer at Faustina Enterprises, and she was gentle and obedience. Eleanor had such impression towards her because she overheard a conversation in the restroom, where the adopted girls were gossiping about her. 1 They couldn¡¯t fathom where she had sprung from, suddenly demanding their deference and even taking away their status as the first and seconddies in the Sharp family. Amidst their grumbling, it was the gentle one who spoke up, rebuking them by stating that the titles of first and seconddies in the Sharp family rightfully belonged to Emilia and Eleanor and that they were merely outsiders. This defense sparked the ire of the other three sisters, who turned on her, eventually revealed her secret crush on Peterson¡­ Upon having her secret revealed, the gentle girl lost herposure. First, she denied ever loving Peterson, then warned the other three to watch their step or risk being cast out of the Sharp family. After her bold deration, she grabbed a tissue, shouldered past her sisters, and stormed out of the restroom, leaving them cursing in her wake. Eleanor chose that moment to emerge from a stall, nonchntly washing her hands at the sink. The sisters froze upon seeing her. Eleanor finished washing her hands with an impassive face, then slowly dried them under the hand dryer.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ Without uttering a word, she left them there, wide-eyed and stumbling over apologies, assuring her that they didn¡¯t mean any harm and that they weed her return. Eleanor replied coolly, ¡°Whether you wee me or not is immaterial to me. But treating your own sisters with such cruelty¨CI simply can¡¯t ept your apology.¡± With that, she walked away, only to see Peterson looking longingly at the gentle girl as she helped her child into the car, her husband at her side. In Peterson¡¯s deep gaze, Eleanor discerned his unrequited love and gradually understood that Peterson¡¯s crush was that gentle girl-Starry, the fourth adopted daughter in the Sharp family. Had Starry not been married with a child, Eleanor might have told Peterson that Starry had also harbored feelings for him, that their affection was mutual. But Starry¡¯s marriage meant that Eleanor had to keep the secret. Unattainable love required clear boundaries. Peterson watched Starry drive away, then turned to Eleanor. ¡°I thought you¡¯d break it off with him after finding out. But here you are, still able to hold his hand and y the loving granddaughter.¡± Eleanor¡¯s lips curled slightly. ¡°With agees the understanding that rashness solves nothing. Only through endurance can one plot a course to their goals.¡± Peterson wanted to say something more, but Yates called out from the study, ¡°Peterson,e to the study.¡± This was it-the reckoning after everyone had left. Eleanor, concerned, offered, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Peterson patted her shoulder reassuringly. ¡°You should get some rest. Gather your strength, then go fulfill your purpose. I¡¯ll face what I must.¡± With that, he strode up the stairs. Eleanor watched him go, realizing that Peterson indeed was cut from a different cloth. The heaviness of each step Peterson took up the stairs matched the pounding of his heart. Few could stomach the terror of his grandfather. But Peterson was ustomed N?velDrama.Org ? content. to it, even though the current matter at hand was graver than any mistake he¡¯d made before. Yet, he harbored no regrets. Summoning his courage, he pushed open the study door. The curtains on the balcony were drawn, and the light in the study had dimmed to a secretive glow. Yates, seated on the sofa with a robust riding crop in hand, gestured to the floor in front of him as Peterson entered. ¡°Kneel down-¡°. Chapter 1377 Chapter 1377 Without offering any exnation or begging for mercy, Peterson simply walked into the middle of the study. With his back to Yates, he shrugged off his coat and knelt down with a stoic grace. With a whip in hand, Yates rose from the leather couch, his gaze unwavering as heshed out at Peterson¡¯s scar-riddled back. Twenty times the whip cracked, each strike splitting skin and drawing fresh, crimson blood that spurted out in a grim disy. Through the excruciating pain, Peterson didn¡¯t utter a single sound. Once done, Yates tossed the whip aside and stared coldly at Peterson. ¡°The chip in Bernard¡¯s head, and the injuries he had-I don¡¯t want you mentioning a word to Eleanor. Next time, it won¡¯t just be twentyshes.¡± Biting back the pain, Peterson dressed, turned with a pale face, and nodded to Yates. ¡°You have my word, I won¡¯t interfere any further.¡± He had already betrayed his grandfather once, he couldn¡¯t bear to do it again. So now, it was up to Eleanor to uncover the truth on her own. After dealing with Peterson, Yates stood up, ¡°We set out for Area Opaca now. We must return by six in the morning. Make the arrangements.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Peterson, having acknowledged the order, pushed open the door of the study just as Eleanor appeared outside, waiting. He quickly wiped the sweat from his brow before she could see. The study was soundproof; Eleanor hadn¡¯t heard a thing. And with two bodyguards stationed outside, she couldn¡¯t get closer. Seeing Peterson emerge, she quickly approached, concerned whether Yates had been harsh with him. Peterson, his injuries hidden by the ck suit, smiled reassuringly. ¡°Our grandfather? How could he be tough on me? Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Eleanor had more questions, but Peterson, pressed for time, cut her off. ¡°Dear Eleanor, my mother isn¡¯t feeling well. I must hurry home.¡± Seeing the urgency in his demeanor, Eleanor nodded. ¡°Then go, but if Yates gives you trouble, tell me. I¡¯ll give him a piece of my mind.¡±Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ Peterson couldn¡¯t help but smile at her words. Twentyshes in exchange for his cousin¡¯s trust and care was a price he was willing to pay. After making the necessary preparations, Peterson and Yates left through the back of the mansion. A group of figures in ck, their faces masked, quickly made their way to Area Opaca. The Biozone was a chilling sight: rows upon rows of transparent ss chambers, lying on the floor as far as the eye could see. From above, one could peer through the ss and see the lifeless bodies within. These were not just any bodies; they were specimens for biochemical experiments, each marked with the letter ¡®S¡¯-members of the Siren Organization. In one of these chambers, a tall man sat against the floor, one knee raised, his long, elegant hands resting on it. Following those well-defined fingers upward, one met a face chiseled and hauntingly beautiful, devoid of any discernible emotion. His eyes, once as dazzling as the stars, now held nothing but emptiness and uncountable despair-the despair of a husband who has lost his wife to the sea, and of a man surrounded by bioengineered beings oncerades and friends. Now they were all gone, and he was powerless to do anything but watch them sumb to infection and decay into mummies. Many times he had wished to join them, but the hatred etched into his bones kept waking him in those cold, deste nights, forcing him to survive. And survive he did, time and again, through infection and despair¡­. Tonight, he would finally face the one he sought vengeance upon. A mechanical voice announced the release of security protocols, and the heavy doors to the Biozone slid open. Bernard, by the dim light, slowly lifted his thickshes, looking past the figures at the doorway to the moonlight spilling in from outside. The faint glow wasn¡¯t much, but it was enough to tell him it was night- the first he had seen in half a year. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°Mr. Laurence,¡± Yates began, stepping toward him with an entourage of masked men. ¡°Let¡¯s make a deal.¡± Yates, his face obscured by a mask and his body by a hazmat suit, looked down upon Bernard with the air of a sovereign. Bernard propped against the wall, now cleaned and clothed by the medics, met Yates¡¯ gaze with icy, lethal eyes. He didn¡¯t speak, his silence a testament to his disdain for negotiation. Yates, unperturbed by the pride emanating from him, even seemed to appreciate it. ¡°I¡¯ll trade you Eleanor¡¯s news for one promise from you. Do we have a deal?¡± Chapter 1378 Chapter 1378 The name Eleanor sent an electric jolt through Bernard¡¯s long-stagnant heart, igniting a spark in his dim eyes. ¡°Eleanor¡¯s news?¡± She and the child she carried had sunk to the depths of the sea. What news could there possibly be? Yates remained silent, his stare fixed on Bernard with an intensity that spoke volumes. The anxious man, seeing no response, felt his temper darken, ¡°Speak up!¡± After a drawn silence, Yates stepped back, sinking into a sofa with the weight of unsaid words. ¡°You think Eleanor¡¯s dead, don¡¯t you?¡± Bernard¡¯s eyes flickered with a storm of emotions before settling into a shade of skepticism. ¡°If you¡¯re here to y me with some fake information of her survival, just get out.¡± Sophie and Cameron would never let Eleanor off the hook. Who would save her? Who could? He didn¡¯t believe it, and Yates, unhurried, gestured to Peterson with a flick of his cigarette-bearing fingers, ¡°Show him the video.¡± With understanding, Peterson pulled out his phone, opening a video sent from a photographer at the family reunion. He ced it before Bernard¡¯s eyes. In the footage, Eleanor stood beneath a pear tree, d in a champagne gown, her gaze lost in the crowd. The breeze teased her hem into a delicate dance. ¡°This was taken tonight. Timestamped for proof.¡± Bernard was deaf to Yates¡¯ words, his misty eyes locked onto the woman in the video. Her face, her features, her expression ¨C unchanged. It couldn¡¯t be a fake. So¡­ she wasn¡¯t dead? A red hue crept into Bernard¡¯s eyes that struggled against tears. With each throb of his heart came a pang of pain, even his palms ached. His trembling fingers reached out, yearning to touch that face on the screen, but hecked the strength, his hand falling helplessly each time. All he could do was tear his gaze from the video to look at Peterson, his eyes brimming with a plea for truth. Peterson, behind his mask, met those reddened eyes, feeling a twinge of guilt but ignoring the questioning look. He took away the phone and walked emotionlessly back to Yates¡¯ side. Bernard¡¯s desperate eyes followed Peterson, shifting to Yates. It was ironic ¨C his enemy stood before him, yet in his powerlessness, he sought their mercy, ¡°Tell me the truth, and I¡¯ll agree to your terms.¡± He didn¡¯t even ask what the terms were. For Eleanor, he would agree to anything. Yates saw it; Bernard was hopelessly in love with Eleanor. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¨C Yates empathized with Bernard, but they were enemies, and that chip in his brain a catalyst for their bitter rift ¨C meant¡­ Yates was determined to pull them apart. He addressed Bernard with a measured tone, ¡°Cameron pushed her into the sea, then went back and saved her.¡± Yates¡¯ voice was casual, as if recounting a trivial matter. Perhaps it was the calmness that made it hard for Bernard to believe, ¡°How could Cameron possibly save her?¡± The very man sent to kill Eleanor¡­ why would he rescue her? ¡°Before they fell into the sea, Eleanor revealed to Cameron that she was his biological daughter.¡± So that was it¡­ Eleanor had revealed the secret to save her life, only to be cast into the sea anyway. But, regardless, Cameron¡¯s conscience hadn¡¯tpletely faded, and he saved her. This reason was believable. Bernard¡¯s spark of life reignited. Like the rebirth of spring, it gave him a reason to live. His lips curled slightly, his emotions spilling over in that subtle smile. As long as Eleanor lived, the world was beautiful to him. In that instant, he even felt gratitude towards Cameron for saving Eleanor. All his hatred dissipated with the news of her survival. Because this was the second time a precious second chance that made everything all the more precious. Bernard lowered his gaze, tears quickly sshing onto his hand. As his emotions quietly released, the tension binding Bernard unraveled. He rxed against the wall, his once rigid posture softening. ¡°The news of Eleanor¡¯s survival is yours. Now, let¡¯s discuss my terms.¡± Yates¡¯ aged voice fell upon Bernard¡¯s ear, prompting him to reel in his emotions. ¡°What are your terms?¡± As he looked up again, his eyes were sharp, frosty. Observing the icy Bernard, Yates raised an eyebrow slightly, ¡°Do you want to see her?¡± The question seemed to suggest Eleanor was in the clutches of their organization. Bernard¡¯s heart, just settled, lurched again, but he forcedposure, staring at the immovable Yates, ¡°What do you think?¡± Bernard¡¯s icy re mocked Yates¡¯ redundant question. Yates asked knowingly, paving the way for what was toe. ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll have you released, reinstating your identity as Agent 2-9. Then, I¡¯ll arrange for you and Eleanor to meet.¡± The deepening of Bernard¡¯s confusion was palpable, ¡°Why restore my identity?¡± What was this man behind the full-face mask really up to? Chapter 1379 Chapter 1379 Yates brushed off Bernard¡¯s questions, continuing toy down the terms with a sense of urgency that couldn¡¯t be mistaken. ¡°Once you¡¯ve seen each other, you can¡¯t breathe a word to Eleanor about how Area Opaca¡¯s been messing with your freedom, or that there¡¯s a chip lodged in your head. You¡¯re not to tell her about the forced divorce or our deal. Just y it cool and keep your role as Agent 2-9.¡± Bernard, clueless about Yates endgame, knitted his brows as he listened to these bizarre demands. Without spilling the beans to Eleanor, how was he going to exin his 23 days of absence, theck of contact, and the Sophie incident that pushed her towards divorce? As the gears turned in Bernard¡¯s head, a sudden realization dawned on him, and his frosty gaze lifted to meet the dark mask before him. ¡°Are you rted to Eleanor?¡± Only a family tie would exin Yates¡¯ fear of Eleanor learning about Bernard¡¯s ordeals in Area Opaca. Bernard¡¯s sharp insight caused Yates¡¯ fingers, resting casually on his thigh, to twitch involuntarily. ¡°Since you¡¯ve already figured it out, I might as welle clean.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Yates had never intended to keep it a secret; it was a truth that would be evident the moment they met. Standing up from the couch, he approached Bernard and looked down at him from his greater height. ¡°I saw Eleanor on surveince, noticed she bore a striking resemnce to myte wife, and sought her out for a DNA test. Turns out, she¡¯s my granddaughter.¡± So that was it¡­ As understanding washed over him, the light in Bernard¡¯s eyes dimmed. ¡°You want me to keep quiet because you¡¯re afraid she¡¯ll despise you if she finds out about the chip in my brain?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a smart man,¡± Yatesplimented, not stingy with praise, even as Bernard¡¯s lips curled into a sardonic smile. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you cherish the family you¡¯ve finally found? Why be so cruel to her?¡± Bernard hadn¡¯t even pondered who Eleanor¡¯s kin was; he was simply heartbroken for her. Having grown up without family, she must yearn for that bond. Yet her own grandfather was using him as an executioner to strike at her heart. Yates neither confirmed nor denied Bernard¡¯s words. Instead, he extended a gloved hand and tapped Bernard¡¯s temple as if to emphasize a point. ¡°That chip in your head? It¡¯s a ticking time bomb, liable to take you out any day now. If Eleanor knew you died because of it, she¡¯d never forgive me.¡± Bernard¡¯s heart clenched. Having already battled a brain tumor and now hosting a chip, even if it were removed, the residual toxins would spread the moment his skull was breached. From the moment the chip was imnted, his days were numbered. But if Eleanor knew his time was short, she¡¯d be heartbroken. With his gaze dropping to his trembling hands, Bernard clenched his fists as if gathering all his strength. ¡°I won¡¯t tell Eleanor about the chip. As for your other conditions, I refuse.¡± Eleanor loved him; if she knew about the chip, she¡¯d live in constant worry, she would never be happy again. Bernard was willing to bear the silent slipping away of his life rather than let Eleanor live in sorrow over his impending death. His reasoning was simple. As long as she was alive and he wasn¡¯t yet dead, there was a chance for them, as long as misunderstandings weren¡¯t deepened. And those misunderstandings were precisely what Yates¡¯ other conditions-about restricted freedom and the coerced divorce¨Cwould cause. Yates, looking down, saw the man who had not stood up but still exuded an aura of defiance. ¡°You can refuse, but then you¡¯ll never see Eleanor again.¡± At that, Bernard¡¯s lips curled into a bitter smirk. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, she must¡¯ve uncovered your identity, realized you¡¯re the founder of Area Opaca. You couldn¡¯t hide it, so you had to agree to let her meet me.¡± Yates showing up in the middle of the night, and his absurd conditions were a dead giveaway-he¡¯d been exposed by Eleanor and had no choice but to shut Bernard up before things got worse. Seeing through Yates¡¯ thoughts, Bernard felt a mix of annoyance and respect. A brief exchange was all it took for Bernard to deduce everything. But Yates wasn¡¯t worried. He was banking on Bernard¡¯s longing for Eleanor, confident that sentiment would eventually lead Bernard to ept his terms. ¡°Eleanor did uncover my identity, and that¡¯s why I¡¯vee to negotiate. You know what I¡¯m after, don¡¯t you?¡± Bernard¡¯s indifferent gaze drifted past the figure cloaked in ck, settling on the rows of ss chambers in the biozone. ¡°You won¡¯t let go of your vendetta against the Siren Organization, and I must avenge myrades. The war between us won¡¯t end, which is why you don¡¯t want Eleanor and me together.¡± Chapter 1380 Chapter 1380 ¡°Absolutely.¡± Yates nodded. ¡°Even with Eleanor in the picture, there¡¯s no way we can bury the hatchet. So, Mr. Laurence, you either have to give up your vendetta for Eleanor¡¯s sake or cut ties with herpletely.¡± On hearing it, the look in Bernard¡¯s eyes turned icy cold, ¡°Have you ever thought that if she knew about my situation, even if we were always at odds, the person she would definitely choose me, not you¡± ¡°Because I know her choice, that¡¯s exactly why I came to you tonight toy my cards on the table. Otherwise, wouldn¡¯t it be easier for me to just put a bullet in you?¡± Yates¡¯ tone conveyed just how much he now valued Eleanor, clearly more than the founding of the Siren Organization. Catching onto this, Bernard let his longshes fall, shielding the calcting glint in his eyes. ¡°Where¡¯s the meet-up tomorrow?¡± ¡°Right here.¡± Bernard was about to agree, nning to deal with the meeting the next day, but Yates cut off his hope with a single sentence. ¡°The chip in your brain-I¡¯m going to rewrite its program. If you don¡¯t keep your word, I won¡¯t hesitate to blow your head off right then and there.¡± Bernard, who had been constantly threatened by this device, showed a trace of despair in his eyes, but his otherworldly handsome face broke into a cold smirk. ¡°If you¡¯re not afraid of her hating you for the rest of her life, then suit yourself.¡± Yates watched the mocking smile on Bernard¡¯s lips and spoke in an indifferent voice, ¡°If you don¡¯t want her to live with the pain of losing you, then you¡¯ll cooperate nicely.¡± The two men were locked in a psychological battle, each gauging who cared more for Eleanor. Clearly, Bernard¡¯s affection for her was deeper. He feared she¡¯d be scarred, live in agony, or worse, follow him down a dark path. So, Bernard was gradually losing ground, ¡°I want to see her.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Yates had guessed right; Bernard longed for Eleanor, to see her, to hold her, to kiss her, to tell her about the helplessness he felt when he signed the divorce papers. But they were pushing him to the brink. Yates had anticipated Bernard¡¯s eventual concession. A victorious smile yed beneath his mask. He stepped back, returned to the couch, and sat down before looking up at Bernard again, ¡°We¡¯ve settled the first condition. Now, let¡¯s discuss the second, shall we?¡± Bernard scoffed coldly, ¡°What more do you think you can threaten me with?¡± Yates leaned back on the couch, adopting a supremelyzy posture, and looked down at Bernard, ¡°Eleanor is smart; she might not believe everything. She¡¯s also kind, so she might forgive you once she does. So I¡¯m adding another condition concerning the child she¡¯s carrying.¡± Their child was still alive. Bernard hadn¡¯t even had time to feel joy before Yates¡¯ ruthless voice cut off all emotion. ¡°After you see her, tell her that your divorce is final and that you will never be with her again-for whatever reason youe up with.¡± A chill ran through Bernard¡¯s heart, his blood running cold, ¡°Don¡¯t push it!¡± He struggled to stand firm despite his injuries, ready to go down fighting, but Peterson¡¯s gun was faster, ¡°Bernard, listen to the boss for now. We can sort this outter,¡± Peterson advised, earning a displeased nce from Yates. But Yates¡¯ gaze returned to Bernard. ¡°I hear she went to great lengths for a child, consulting doctors far and wide. Now that she¡¯s finally pregnant, you wouldn¡¯t want her to identally eat the wrong thing and lose the baby, would you?¡± Bernard, cornered, clenched his fists, ring at the masked man across from him, wishing he could tear him apart. But at that moment, he was like an egg against a rock. ¡°To me, my affection for Eleanor doesn¡¯t extend to the child in her womb. That¡¯s your seed-it shouldn¡¯t exist, let alone continue.¡± Yates¡¯ cold, merciless words felt like a knife wildly slicing through Bernard¡¯s heart, causing unbearable pain and rage. ¡°The chip in your brain will explode if you leave Area Opaca by 100 meters. You¡¯re trapped here, powerless against us. Rather than waiting to die, you might as well agree to my terms.¡± ¡°If youply, once you¡¯ve done everything, I¡¯ll disable the chip¡¯s remote monitoring. Then, you can leave Area Opaca, and I won¡¯t control your brain anymore.¡± ¡°If you refuse, I¡¯ll make sure the child Eleanor is carrying doesn¡¯t see the light of day.¡± ¡°She¡¯s in my house right now. Just shake your head, and I¡¯ll go back immediately and terminate her pregnancy. And don¡¯t worry about her hating me for it. I have ways and means to make everything look seamless.¡± Yates finished in one breath, got up, and walked over to Bernard, staring him down coldly like a ruler with the power of life and death. ¡°My goal is to keep you two apart forever. So, when dealing with this, you¡¯d better be ruthless, or else, your unborn child, Eleanor¡¯s health, and even your own brain, not to mention seeing her again, will all be reduced to nothing.¡± Yates¡¯ threat echoed the one Sophie had made. One threatened life, the other aimed to wound the heart, and always, Eleanor was the one caught in the crossfire. Chapter 1381 Chapter 1381 Bernard couldn¡¯t help but let out a bitter chuckle; he felt like he was a pawn in some sick cosmic game. Hisugh, paired with the bloodshot look in his eyes, didn¡¯t seem to faze Yates. ¡°I will give you ten minutes to think it over,¡± Yates said, then turned on his heel and left the sterile, white lab, his entourage of suited goons trailing behind him. Only Peterson lingered, waiting until Yates and the others had left before leaning in to whisper to Bernard, ¡°Just y along for now, and once you¡¯re out, you can exin everything to her.¡± ¡°Boy, do you think I¡¯m deaf?¡± Yates¡¯ menacing voice came from outside the door, making Peterson mp his mouth shut and quickly step out of theb. Yates removed his mask, revealing eyes that simmered with malice, as he red at Peterson. ¡°You¡¯ve just earned yourself another twentyshes,¡± he ordered coldly. Peterson, slightly afraid of his grandfather, nodded his head in resignation and murmured, ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Yates looked away, directing the others. ¡°No.3, head to the control room and initiate the program; I¡¯ll need itter.¡± ¡°The rest of you, secure the chip in the mobile unit, and then destroy the chipb.¡± Once he¡¯d finished issuing orders, Yates pulled out his phone and sent a message to all the operatives: no one was to speak of the chip or Bernard¡¯s ordeal at Area Opaca ever again. He singled out Sheldon Pine, who, miles away in his office, furrowed his brow at the cryptic message. Ever since Bernard¡¯s capture, Yates had been dishing out these bizarre orders. After the directive, Yates returned to theb, resuming his imposing stance over Bernard, who sat with his eyes tightly shut. ¡°So, what¡¯s your decision?¡± Bernard¡¯s eyshes quivered slightly, but he offered no other response. Yates wasn¡¯t in a hurry; he settled back into a couch, patiently waiting for an answer. Bernard knew that the only way to free himself from the chip¡¯s control was to ept the deal, contradictory as it seemed to the promise of unlimited freedom 1-1 had initially offered. The offer might seem to favor Bernard, but the true beneficiary was 1-1 -clever enough to secure his own interests while grasping Bernard¡¯s weak spot. Bernard had navigated the cutthroat business world for years, and now he faced a formidable opponent. A sardonic smile yed on his lips, like a soulless vessel, hollowly amused. ¡°Eleanor¡¯s unlucky to have a grandfather like you.¡± ¡°She may be unlucky, but without the Siren Organization, she wouldn¡¯t have faced these tragedies.¡± Pauline had been a victim of the Siren Organization. If she hadn¡¯t been killed, Eleanor¡¯s mother wouldn¡¯t have remarried to Cameron, and Eleanor and her sisters would¡¯ve been spared their hardships. Bernard opened his eyes, facing the masked man with a sudden urge to ask him what Eleanor¡¯s misfortunes had to do with the Siren Organization. But just as quickly, his interest waned. Now, it wasn¡¯t just that Yates had a vendetta against the organization. Bernard had his own score to settle, and whatever the reason, he wouldn¡¯t let his brothers lie here in vain-he would have his revenge. With that thought, Bernard¡¯s gaze on Yates turned icy,yered with hatred enough to burn through his protective suit. But being in a position of weakness, he reigned in his anger. ¡°You want me to agree to your terms, then take off that mask.¡± ¡°Eleanor will tell you everything she knows when she arrives tomorrow. Let her speak for herself.¡± Even if he couldn¡¯t hide the fact that he was the founder of Area Opaca, letting Bernard know his identity prematurely would surely alert Eleanor tomorrow. Yates was not one to act against his own interests, so today¡¯s negotiation did not involve revealing his identity in exchange for the founder of the Siren Organization. Judging by how Eleanor had negotiated, she seemed to know already. When the time came, Yates would find a way to use Bernard to probe for information indirectly. Yates kept everything under control, indifferent to Bernard¡¯s fate. And Bernard, with deep eyes like a wild beast lurking in the shadows, looked back, his re full of dark promise. ¡°If you dare to let me go, then I agree to separate from her. But to treat her cruelly? That¡¯s impossible.¡± She feared his emotional coldness, a mistake he couldn¡¯t afford to repeat. When the time came, he would talk to her kindly; he would never be indifferent again. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. That was the concession Bernard was willing to make. If Yates pushed any harder, he might provoke the lion about to awake, and the bacsh wouldn¡¯t be pretty. ¡°Alright, I agree, Yates said decisively, shutting down any further discussion. ¡°But if you try to exin things to her afterward, or if you attempt a reconciliation, I will activate the program to your chip and terminate her pregnancy. Even if the child is born, I will make sure it doesn¡¯t survive!¡± With those chilling words, Yates stood up and strode to the control room to reprogram the chip in Bernard¡¯s brain, ensuring that once released, Bernard would be under his thumb. After Yates left, Bernard turned his head slightly, his longshes casting a stark shadow in the harsh light, as deste and lonely as his spirit. His grandfather had once said that his undying love would be his greatest vulnerability, and he wasn¡¯t wrong. Eleanor and their child were his weaknesses. Yet, as a husband, he couldn¡¯t bear the thought of his wife suffering the slightest bit. So even though they were vulnerabilities, they were also the solitary beams of light that propelled him through the darkness. Chapter 1382 Chapter 1382 Bernard¡¯s spirit was a beacon of light, but his body was numb, like a withered tree. He sat slumped against the wall, as time silently ticked by, unable to erode the relentless pain in his heart. He lifted his hand to his chest and pressed down firmly, as if trying to quell the ache. It seemed to work, gradually, the pain subsided, and with it, his mind began to clear. He had been told that 1-1 had reviewed the security footage and noticed that Eleanor bore a striking resemnce to histe wife, and that¡¯s how he confirmed Eleanor was his granddaughter. The very fact that Eleanor was recognized by her appearance suggested that someone else in the family must share her features. Apart from his half-sister Sophie, there was also Peterson, who held the same mesmerizing gaze. If his hunch was correct, the person who had twice dropped hints in front of him, known as 1-2, had to be Peterson. There was no reason for 1-2 to strike up a conversation with Eleanor or risk offending 1-1, unless there was a connection between them. The fact that 1-2 dared to give hints in front of 1-1 suggested they shared more than just a business partnership but also a familial bond. Otherwise, 1-1 would have med him the first time 1-2 spoke up. But 1-1 hadn¡¯t. And 1-2 had used a synthetic voice when speaking to him, suggesting that they had met before and 1-2 was disguising their voice. With Peterson identified as 1-2, it wasn¡¯t hard to deduce that 1-1 was the North Fund magnate Yates, known for running the ndestine facility known as Area Opaca. Bernard¡¯s thoughts became crystal clear, and the dullness in his eyes slowly returned to life¡­ If Eleanor were to tell him tomorrow who founded Area Opaca and he replied, ¡°I know,¡± she would sense something was amiss. He had remained undercover in Area Opaca, never leaving, which meant he hadn¡¯t met the founder. If he imed to know, his Eleanor would realize that Yates had met him beforehand. She would understand his predicament. As long as she knew, once he was out, he could take down Area Opaca with the help of Siren Organization, avenge their losses, and they could be together again. With his n in ce, Bernard rxed, resting his head against the wall, his gaze drifting over the lifeless bodies encased in ss. Just a little longer, and he would avenge them all. After Yates rewrote the chip program in the control room, he returned Bernard¡¯s phone and personal belongings and escorted him back to his private room, number 2-9, before heading back to Canada. Eleanor, sitting on her bed, clutched her phone after much contemtion and sent a message to Aidyn. She shared everything she knew with Aidyn, including her n. Tomorrow, she would head to Area Opaca and once there, she would send its exact location to them. Aidyn, upon receiving her message, called back immediately, insisting on apanying her with a team, but Eleanor refused. Yates wasn¡¯t a fool. A group tailing her would be detected, and just like the cat-and-mouse games with Robin, they¡¯d end up being ditched, rendering the effort pointless. It was better for her to go alone, scout the ce, and then send a stealthy message to Aidyn so he could properly prepare and n their next move. After the call, Aidyn didn¡¯t say much, only telling Eleanor to stay safe. However, once the call ended, he quickly informed Scott to gather a team and meet in Canada, near the Sharp family estate. Aidyn had considered notifying the Penrod siblings for additional support, but Scott advised against it, citing Mr. Penrod¡¯s recent unusual behavior. Scott¡¯s suspicions were shared by Aidyn. Mr. Laurence hadn¡¯t returned for some time, and Mr. Penrod should haveunched a rescue. Yet, he had not, and he was now nowhere to be found. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. After coordinating with Scott, Aidyn left the Golden Sea Territories with trustedpanions, racing through the night toward Canada to surround the Sharp family¡¯s vicinity. Eleanor¡¯s intent on ying the role of 1-1 was not only to deliver a message to Bernard and deal with Sophie but also to dissolve Area Opaca. She nned to stay in Area Opaca, using her status to cause chaos. But she also realized her actions might be naive and that the other puppet-masters of Area Opaca might not even pay her any heed. That¡¯s why she intended to send the location to Aidyn after she had assessed the situation. Even if she couldn¡¯t dismantle the organization herself, she would have backup. This way, Bernard, whose freedom was restricted/could finally leave. Her only worry was the risk to Aidyn and his team. But she had no other choice. Instead of letting Aidyn¡¯s team search aimlessly, it was better for her to coordinate with them from the inside. After sorting her thoughts, Eleanor took a rxing bath, and due to her pregnancy-induced tiredness, she fell asleep fast, even with her mind full of worries. When she awoke at eight in the morning, eager to head to Area Opaca, she quickly got ready. As she emerged from the bedroom, she saw Yates already sitting at the dining table. Yates gestured for her to join him for breakfast. After eating some nutritious food, Eleanor inquired when they would leave. Yates had some items packed for the journey, then stood up. The trip is a bit long, and I don¡¯t want you getting hungry,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve packed some snacks for you.¡± Eleanor nced at the items Yates was carrying, all things she liked, and the butler had even included a variety of sour plums to prevent airsickness. Chapter 1383 Chapter 1383 If Yates weren¡¯t the founder of Area Opaca, Eleanor might have found his actions somewhat touching. N?velDrama.Org ? content. But at that moment, she felt nothing, simply quickening her pace to keep up with his stride. Peterson was the one behind the wheel, and there were no other passengers. Eleanor thus confirmed her earlier suspicion: aside from Peterson, the rest of the Sharp n were oblivious to Area Opaca¡¯s existence. She scoffed at Yates¡¯ ability to deceive, while he tried to impress upon her just how ruthless the Siren Organization was, and the extent of suffering its victims within Area Opaca had endured. Yates¡¯ attempts at indoctrination bored Eleanor. She threw him a few sarcastic remarks, turned her head away, and started to memorize the route as thendscape whizzed by outside the window¡­ The journey was long, entailing a drive, followed by a helicopter ride, a ferry crossing, and several more rotations of helicopter transport, spanning an entire day and night, before reaching an unnamed mountaintop. Eleanor suspected Yates was deliberately taking a roundabout route to prevent her from memorizing the path. Yet, as they transferred from one mode of transportation to another with such familiarity, it didn¡¯t quite seem so. Frustration clouded Aidyn¡¯s features as he pounded the steering wheel, his voiceced with irritation. ¡°That cunning old man,¡± he muttered under his breath, ¡°Despite our chopper on standby, we¡¯ve lost his trace!¡± Scott tried to calm him down, ¡°Hey, the guy founded Area Opaca. If hecked this kind of counter- surveince skill, we would¡¯ve toppled him by now. Don¡¯t rush it, we¡¯ll wait for thedy to send her location.¡± While the two men waited, Eleanor was already following Yates and Peterson towards a secluded cottage. Yates wasn¡¯t worried about her knowing too much. He pointed out the scattered vis within the mountain¡¯s embrace. ¡°See that south-facing vi? That¡¯s District A. The one to the north is District B, to the west is District C, and to the east, that¡¯s the Bio Zone¡­¡± After briefing her on Area Opaca¡¯syout, Yates told Eleanor that since she was to be a yer, she should familiarize herself with the terrain and rules of the game. Only then did Eleanor realize that Area Opaca was established underground and those vis were its gateways. No one would suspect such a hidden location, nor would they imagine that vis housing ordinary residents could be the facade for a den of malice. Having exined the essentials of Area Opaca, Yates led her into the vi in District A, home to an elderly couple who greeted him with utmost reverence. Through their conversation, Eleanor learned that the couple were former housekeepers for the Sharp family, well-cared for by Yates, who had provided for them and nurtured their children ¨C it was no wonder they held him in such high esteem. Eleanor recognized Yates¡¯ talent for leadership and strategic thinking, but she was repulsed that he used these skills for nefarious purposes. Yates led her to a basement that felt like abyrinth, twisting and turning until they reached a heavy metal door. He went through an extensive security process ¨C facial recognition, iris scanning, palm print, voice verification- and only then did the door swing open. Entering Area Opaca wasn¡¯t as simple as stepping through the door; it required an elevator ride, followed by several corridors, before finally arriving at District A. Yates took her to the upper level, directly to the control room ¨C the nerve center from which he commanded all operations. A man in ck brought over a mask, painted with the image of a Blue Jay, a favorite motif of her grandmother. Yates said he had made the mask as a reminder to avenge her, always instilling thoughts of vengeance, something that made Eleanor uneasy. Yet, she had her reasons for being there and suppressed her difort. After fitting her with the mask, Yates had Peterson call the other operators to a meeting in the control room to announce her identity. Eleanor¡¯s intention was simply to meet Bernard and ry what she knew to him. Yates, however, said that after the announcement, he would allow her a private meeting with Bernard, so she said no more on the matter. Peterson activated the control panel, and a mechanical voice immediately echoed through Districts A, B, and C. The operators, busy with their tasks, swiftly halted their work and headed to the control room. Eleanor, observing the people on the monitors, asked Yates about the number of operators. He exined that each district had two groups, each with nine members, all his partners. In addition to the operators, there were many men in ck. Having roughly gauged theyout and personnel, Eleanor seized the moment before the meeting to sneakily check her phone for a signal. Finding it unblocked, she quickly excused herself to the restroom, hid in a stall, and rushed to send Aidyn a message along with her location. Yates, keenly aware of her intentions as soon as she asked to use the restroom, nonchntly nodded to the man at the control panel, who began typing codes to intercept the message. Eleanor, oblivious to any issues on her phone, was relieved that the message had been sent. She quickly pocketed her device and left the restroom. When she returned to the control room, it was filled with individuals wearing masks and ck protective suits. The operators lifted their heads as she entered, their gazes heavy even behind their masks, each a titan of industry. Eleanor steadied her nerves, ignoring the intense scrutiny, and took her ce beside Yates as he motioned for her to sit down. Chapter 1384 Chapter 1384 As she settled into her seat, Eleanor finally lifted her head, her gaze sweeping across each operator in the control room. The lighting was brilliant, so piercing that it cut through the crowd to reveal a man who stood out like a beacon, his presence cool and detached. Even masked, they found each other¡¯s eyes across the sea of faces, as if drawn by an invisible thread. In that moment of connection, the rest of the world faded away. Eleanor, unsure of what emotions might lie behind Bernard¡¯s mask, felt a wave of relief to see him unharmed. Bernard had been watching Eleanor intently, and he felt a surge of emotion at the sight of her alive; his eyes reddened and the tightness in his chest began to ease. To him, her very existence was the world¡¯s greatest gift. As long as she lived, he could endure anything. Once everyone was present, Yates spoke with a voice thatmanded attention. ¡°The time hase for me to hang up my hat. The role of 1-1 will now be filled by thedy beside me. Her call sign is Blue Jay, and she¡¯s my handpicked sessor.¡± Bernard¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. Eleanor¡­ taking over Yates¡¯ position as 1-1? Was she now his adversary? His fingers tensed involuntarily on hisp. Surely, Eleanor had insisted on this arrangement to see him, against Yates¡¯ wishes. Otherwise, Yates would never have agreed. And if Yates had indeed agreed, it wasn¡¯t out ofpliance but out of calction, deliberately entangling Eleanor in the opaque world of Area Opaca. With her bing the leader of Area Opaca, she would also be a prime target for vengeance from the Siren Organization. Yates was using his own granddaughter as a shield and a pawn, heartlessly manipting her to thwart Bernard¡¯s potential moves after leaving Area Opaca. Noticing Bernard¡¯s reaction, Yates¡¯ lips curved into a smug, victorious smile before announcing the next order of business: ¡°Kermit has passed on, leaving his position vacant. The operator from District A1, call sign 1-3, will step up to be the new 1-2 and take charge of Area Opaca¡­ 1-4 will move up to 1-3, and the rest of the team will remain as they are.¡± i Eleanor remembered the trouble the elusive 1-4 had caused Robin. As she wove her way through the crowd, her eyes scanning the numbers on everyone¡¯s clothes, she searched for that particr tag. But not seeing 1-4 among them left her slightly puzzled. Her confusion was understandable; Yates had intentionally excluded Sheldon from the meeting to prevent him from encountering Eleanor., Thus, Sheldon was still far away in Thand. The other operators had expected Peterson to be the new 1-1, but the position had surprisingly gone to a woman they¡¯d never seen before. While there were many formidable women among the operators, the youngdy beside Yates seemed too inexperienced for such a high-stakes role. Dissatisfaction rippled through the crowd, yet following the incident with Kermit Hyde, no one dared to openly challenge Yates. Peterson¡¯s promotion brought him no joy; a higher rank meant being tethered to Area Opaca indefinitely. Yates, likely wary of what Peterson might reveal to Eleanor, had used the promotion to keep him confined¡­ Efficient as ever, Yates concluded the meeting, dismissing everyone but operator 2-9. Once alone, Yates boldly removed his mask. Bernard, having anticipated the man beneath it, felt no surprise, but he hadn¡¯t expected Yates to reveal himself so openly. By removing his mask, Yates signified that Bernard knew the identity of the man behind Area Opa?a, ensuring Eleanor wouldn¡¯t repeat the information to herself. Yates had not unmasked because he feared his identity would be exposed; rather, he had calcted Bernard¡¯s deduction and pre-emptively cut off any backtracking. Worthy of his reputation as the titan of North Fund and the founder of Area Opaca, even Bernard had to admire his resolve. With his mask off, Yates turned to Bernard with a smile, ¡°Surprised it¡¯s me?¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. His smile reeked of insincerity, and Bernard felt a wave of revulsion, not even wanting to engage with him. Bernard remained silent, but Yates was unbothered, continuing with his gentle smile. ¡°Quite a few operators have seen my face, especially my loyalists. Showing my face to them is inconsequential. But for the newer operators, like you, Mr. Laurence, I¡¯ve remained a mystery, never, revealing myself in your presence.¡± These words were meant for Eleanor, letting her know that Bernard had never met the founder of Area Opaca and had no prior dealings with him, thus dispelling any suspicions she might have had. Mr. Laurence, Yates said, his voice carrying a hint of amusement, ¡°the woman beside me, your pregnant wife, is also my granddaughter. As for how we¡¯ll acknowledge our kinship, that¡¯s a conversation for you two to have. I¡¯ll leave your be.¡± Chapter 1385 Chapter 1385 After Yates finished speaking, he rose from his seat and left the room. In the wake of his departure, Bernard felt the chilling countdown begin anew within his mind, the chip imnted in his brain ticking away with relentless persistence. The countdown, along with his remarks about Eleanor¡¯s pregnancy, served as a stark warning to Bernard-a reminder of the deal he had struck and Yates¡¯ threat that he was a man of his word, and that betrayal would not be tolerated. Regardless of whether Bernard gave any hints or whether Eleanor could guess the direness of his situation, it was futile. Yates¡¯ condition was absolute: the two of them must part ways for good. Otherwise, Yates could, at any moment and without a sound, endanger Eleanor¡¯s unborn child. And the chip in Bernard¡¯s brain-it kept him tethered to Area Opaca, an invisible prison from which he could not escape. Trapped in Area Opaca, he couldn¡¯t protect Eleanor or their child¡­ He had to get out. He had to gather all the help he could find to deal with Yates and set everything back on track. But for now, their time together was destined to end in parting. The thought alone made Bernard¡¯s chest tighten, robbing him of breath, yet he kept his turmoil hidden, simply lifting his hand to remove the mask from his face. At that same moment, Eleanor also took off her mask. Their eyes met, and both were filled with a sorrow too deep for words. They remained silent, eyes locked, until the intrusive beeping of the countdown prated their quiet moment, pulling Bernard back to reality. He stood before Eleanor, still weak from his ordeal, not crouching or sitting, just standing in the backlight. ¡°You¡­¡± Bernard¡¯s voice choked up as he started to speak, but he fought to keep hisposure. ¡°Last time, you said it was over, that I¡¯d never see you again. I thought¡­¡± Eleanor looked up at him, squinting slightly as his silhouette was backlit, obscuring his expression, ¡°Isn¡¯t it normal for couples to have fallouts and say harsh things in the heat of the moment? Are you still holding onto that?¡± Hearing her say this, tears threatened to spill from Bernard¡¯s eyes, but he quickly shielded them with his longshes, ¡°How could I hold onto that?¡± Eleanor, slightly ufortable from looking up, gestured to a nearby chair, patting the cushion invitingly for him to sit. Once Bernard collected himself, he slowly sat down. But no sooner had he settled into the chair than Eleanor leaned in close, her lips near his ear, ¡°We¡¯re under surveince here, and it¡¯s not safe to talk freely. Let me whisper to you what I¡¯ve found out, okay?¡± Her voice was always gentle, like a stream trickling into his heart, prying open his very soul to pull him out of the mire. Bernard watched his adorable wife for a few seconds before nodding in agreement. He tilted his head down toward her, allowing her to speak without straining and letting her warm breath tickle his ear, igniting a spark of life within him. This sensation reminded him that he was not just a shell of a man; he had a soul, a wife, a child-it was a beautiful feeling. Unaware of Bernard¡¯s thoughts, Eleanor brought her lips close to his ear and began to share her n in a hushed tone. ¡°I won¡¯t bother you with how I got to know Yates. Let¡¯s focus on the essentials. You already know about Yates¡¯ identity, and I¡¯ve secretly sent Area Opaca¡¯s location to Aidyn. Next, I¡¯ll use my clearance as 1-1 to grant you permission to leave Area Opaca. That way, you can meet up with Aidyn, and you two can decide how to proceed. I¡¯ll stay here and convince Yates to grant me ess to every sector. When the timees, I¡¯ll open the gates for you.¡± Eleanor¡¯s n was seamless, almost perfect, and Bernard admired her brilliance. As he looked into her eyes, it was as if he was gazing into a gxy brimming with stars. But even his clever wife couldn¡¯t guess that the very surveince she feared was embedded in his brain, that Yates was privy to every word spoken, every n conceived. N?velDrama.Org ? content. And Yates, ever the strategist, would never allow her to reveal Area Opaca¡¯s location so easily. Chances were that the moment she sent out the message, it was intercepted by a hacker. Despite it all, his wife was brave-so incredibly brave-and she loved him, deeply. It pained Bernard to think that he was about to fail her again. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Eleanor asked, pulling back to look at him when he didn¡¯t respond, her brows knitting together in confusion at his silent beauty. Bernard, feeling the countdown hasten, sat up straighter. His gaze was downcast in despair, but when he looked up, it was filled withplexity, ¡°Eleanor, leave this to me. ¡°But¡­¡± She started to object, her brow furrowed in bewilderment, ¡°How will you leave if he¡¯s restricted your moverments?¡± He clenched his fists in hisp, the nails digging into his palms. ¡°He hasn¡¯t restricted my movements. I¡­ cane and go from Area Opaca as I please.¡± His voice, no longer as cold as before, still sent shivers down Eleanor¡¯s spine, leaving her feeling cold and distant. She stared at Bernard, the man sitting before her both the most familiar and the most alien presence in her life, and she felt an overwhelming sense of separation¡­ Chapter 1386 Chapter 1386 Beneath Bernard¡¯s furrowed browsy a pair of striking eyes, akin to peach blossoms in full bloom- subtle yet profound, like a star-studded night sky,plex and unreadable. Eleanor found herself transfixed by those eyes, searching for something within them, only to realize that the stars were too distant, too elusive. A wave of suffocation coursed through her heart, in a painfully disconcerting manner. It was as if after her heart transnt, it had be intolerant to distress. Consequently, a duli pain took inception whenever sorrow was in the offing. But having weathered life¡¯s tempestuous seas, she seemed more rational than before. Like now, she managed to suppress the pain, remainingposed as she gazed at Bernard. ¡°Why can youe and go freely from Area Opaca, yet choose not to return home? Why haven¡¯t you contacted me?¡± Her voice was devoid of usation, merely calm, seeking an answer. Bernard, who had been looking down, finally lifted his eyes after a few seconds of silence. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back home, and¡­ I don¡¯t want to contact you.¡± Eleanor¡¯s heart seized, struggling to breathe. Such simple words, strung together, could be so cruel. She stared at Bernard, at the face she had longed for, and spoke softly, ¡°Is it because of Sophie Ratliff?¡± A thin smile yed on Bernard¡¯s lips, his eyes curving with the gesture. Behind the shallow mirth, he concealed the sadness in his gaze and spoke lightly, ¡°Yes¡± That single word felt like a hammer to her chest, painfully poignant. Eleanor bore the pain, peering into the eyes brimming with false gaiety. ¡°Bernard, you¡¯ve used Sophie to hurt me three times. Once when our agreement ended, once to force a divorce from me, and now this. Each time cut deep. But¡­ You say it¡¯s because of her you won¡¯te home or contact me, I don¡¯t believe it. If you could fall for Sophie, you would¡¯ve done so long ago, without a thought for me.¡± After saying her piece, Eleanor reached out to grasp Bernard¡¯s hand, clenched at his side. The moment she touched it, she felt its icy chill, colder than her own. In the past, he would have grasped her hand in return, fingers interlocking. This time, only a slight tremor, then nothing more-a coldness that was strange to her. Eleanor, stifling her sadness, lifted her other hand, enveloping his with all the strength she could muster, ¡°Bernard, my mother, my sister, and the hardships we faced in my childhood-all thanks to Sophie and her father. After I left Area Opacast time, Sophie¡¯s father pushed me into the sea. They¡¯ve been cruel, devoid of any familial warmth; I despise them. So, please¡­ don¡¯t use Sophie to hurt me again. It feels like you¡¯re conspiring with them to hurt me, and it hurts deeply.¡± Thest time, built upon such pain, Eleanor hadshed out at Bernard, even considering, regardless of his reasons, to cut him out of her life. But having faced death once more, her mind had been filled with thoughts of Bernard. She loved him, and despite her anger, she was worried for his safety. She was also relieved that this time Bernard hadn¡¯t brought Sophie along to act out a scene but merely used her name to hurt Eleanor. Otherwise, she might have lost all reason and stormed off again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Bernard turned his hand over, sping Eleanor¡¯s, covering her smaller one. His grip was like that of a man clutching at a lifeline, unwilling to let go even as the countdown in his mind elerated. Even so, he held onto her hand, unyielding, gazing into her kind, loving eyes, ¡°I won¡¯t use Sophie to upset you again.¡± His words eased the pain in Eleanor¡¯s heart, and she gripped his hand back firmly. ¡°I knew you there were other reasons that forced you to stay here and noting home. You must be under some kind of restraint by Yates Sharp that¡¯s kept you from returning.¡± Bernard looked helplessly at Eleanor, who was convinced of hisck of freedom, and smiled gently, ¡°Eleanor, he hasn¡¯t restricted my freedom.¡± The second denial left Eleanor stunned. This time, she didn¡¯t seek reasons but simply mirrored his smile, ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is¡­ you still don¡¯t want toe home or contact me?¡± As Bernard nodded, the countdown in his head ceased its rapid pace, resuming its normal speed. ¡ª Without Sophie¡¯s involvement, Eleanor was evidently more rational. After a long stare at Bernard, she persisted with her theory. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°Bernard, even if you don¡¯t want to go home or contact me, you could have reached out to Aidyn or Cedric. But you didn¡¯t, which tells me you¡¯re not as free as you im.¡± If Bernard was as unobstructed as he imed, he could have left Area Opaca at any time to deliver messages to the Siren Organization or to reassure his family, specifically Evan and Gianna, But he hadn¡¯t, and for an agent on a mission to remain silent-it surely meant Bernard was anything but free. Chapter 1387 Chapter 1387 ¡°Is it because there are cameras here that you can¡¯t talk freely?¡± Eleanor asked pointedly, standing up quickly with the intention of finding Yates to turn off the surveince, only to be pulled back by Bernard. ¡°Eleanor, the control room is Yates¡¯ personal sanctuary; there¡¯s no surveince here.¡± The entire control room of Area Opaca was the only ce without cameras. Yates wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to pry into his privacy. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Eleanor surveyed the room, noting walls that carried the sheen of heavy metal and even the door was a massive b of steel, ¡°How¡¯s the soundproofing? I don¡¯t want him eavesdropping¡­¡± Seeing Eleanor¡¯s wary gaze, Bernard couldn¡¯t help but curve his lips into an indulgent smile¡­ ¡°The soundproofing is top-notch. Besides, he doesn¡¯t know who I really am. Why would he be interested in listening in?¡± Eleanor had guessed that Yates must have learned about Bernard¡¯s true identity from Sophie, which was why his freedom was being restricted. But Bernard reassured her that Yates was clueless and held her hand tightly, offering a gentle and logical exnation. ¡°If he knew about my true identity, how could I possibly be standing here unharmed before you?¡± His reasoning seemed sound, and Eleanor was inclined to believe him, though she still harbored some doubts, ¡°But you¡­¡± Bernard knew what she was about to ask and softly cut her off. ¡°Eleanor, the reason I haven¡¯te home is that Sophie has been using my identity to threaten me. She¡¯s forbidden me from leaving Area Opaca and from contacting anyone. To protect my identity, I¡¯ve Bernard spoke these words to dispel all of Eleanor¡¯s doubts. Only by alleviating her concerns could they part ways peacefully. Bernard was well aware that no matter what hints he gave or whether Eleanor suspected his predicament, it wouldn¡¯t change the oue. Yates wanted aplete separation between them. If that didn¡¯t happen, Bernard would never be free, and Eleanor¡¯s unborn child would be in danger. His own capture or death didn¡¯t matter to him, but the child Eleanor had struggled so hard to conceive- that he had to protect. The proud man, like an eagle under threat, being ckmailed by a woman-it pained Eleanor to hear it, and she couldn¡¯t resist stepping forward to embrace Bernard, ¡°Honey, now that you know who¡¯s behind Area Opaca, you can leave. As for Sophie, I¡¯ll deal with herter.¡± Feeling her soft body against his, Bernard¡¯s frosted heart melted instantly, and he raised his arms to hold her close. She was protecting him in her own way, but regrettably, even without Sophie pushing her away, he had to push her away himself. ¡°Eleanor.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Eleanor answered with a twinkle in her eyes, seemingly thrilled to be called by her name once more. As Bernard looked down at Eleanor, the harsh words he needed to say just wouldn¡¯te out; it felt too cruel. But the key to changing their situation was in his hands, and no matter how unbearable it was, he had to deliver the cruel truth. ¡°I now know who founded Area Opaca, and I¡¯ll find a way to leave. Don¡¯t worry!¡± ¡°OK.¡± Eleanor nodded, hugging Bernard tighter. As long as he was safe, she would be at ease. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing I need to tell you.¡± On hearing this, Eleanor lifted her smiling eyes to gaze at his stunning face, ¡°Go ahead.¡± After a long preamble, Bernard finally mustered the courage to speak. The divorce papers I gave youst time¡­ they¡¯re valid. So, we are officially divorced.¡± The smile faded from Eleanor¡¯s eyes, reced by a sudden surge of sorrow, ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± Bernard could feel his heart pounding, terrified of losing her but unsure of what to do except to hold her tight. After a few seconds of staring at him, Eleanor pushed away from his embrace, lifted her chin slightly, and locked eyes with Bernard, ¡°Answer me.¡± As she pushed him away, Bernard heard the sound of his own heart breaking, apanied by the ticking of a countdown, hammering away at his chest. Once spoken, the hurtful words couldn¡¯t be taken back. He had to endure the heart-wrenching pain, looking at her from a distance through all the barriers between them. ¡°It means¡­ we are truly divorced.¡± Chapter 1388 Chapter 1388 His eyes sparkled like distant stars, shrouded by a nebulous veil that obscured the profound depths within. She couldn¡¯t quite discern what Bernard was thinking, but his words were suffocating. Eleanor couldn¡¯t bear to hear them. At the sound, a sourness tingled at the tip of her nose, and her eyes reddened, unable to hold back the tears. ¡°Why? Is it because of Sophie threatening you again?¡± Just like thest time, using her life to threaten Bernard, leaving him no choice but to push her away. But this time was different. ¡°I will deal with Sophie as the leader of the Area Opaca, so you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± Her voice, resolute in its protection of him, was a warm embrace to Bernard¡¯s ears, yet it also filled him with a deep sense of unworthiness. ¡°Eleanor, this time, Sophie hasn¡¯t threatened me. It¡¯s me¡­ I want a divorce.¡± Eleanor stood frozen, heart heavy and nose sour, both sensations pricking at her eyes until the tears fell like pearls slipping off a broken string, ¡°Why?¡± His heart hadn¡¯t changed, his freedom wasn¡¯t constrained, and there were no threats against him. Why, then, did Bernard still want to divorce her? Seeing her cry, Bernard panicked. His long fingers lifted instinctively, trembling as they wiped her tears, ¡°Eleanor, it¡¯s hard being with me, isn¡¯t it?¡± He wiped her tears gently, called her name softly, and even looked at her tenderly. But his next words were anything but gentle, ¡°Caleb died here because of me. Many members of the Siren Organization have died here too. I carry too much, and it will only get harder for you¡­ so¡­¡± He paused, voice shaking as if something was slicing through his throat, inch by painful inch. ¡°Let¡¯s separate, okay?¡± Through the haze of tears, Eleanor looked at the man before her, barely able to believe that the word ¡°separate¡± hade from his lips. The first time he told her to sign the divorcing papers, Eleanor didn¡¯t cling to him. She left with dignity, thinking she could let go and forget him, but Bernard kept returning. After she went back home, he begged her, imed he would die without her. Eleanor etched those words into her heart, as deeply as she loved him. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. So now, with her love rooted so deeply, Eleanor felt she would die without him too. Yet he¡¯d rather have her suffer and speak of separation just because he feared for her well-being? Taking a deep breath to quell the ache, Eleanor reached out again, grasping Bernard¡¯s hand as if to impart strength, holding on tightly, ¡°I¡¯vee through worse before. Whether it¡¯s hard now doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is that I can face any danger together with you.¡± Bernard felt her strength and let his eyshes flutter down, hiding the bitterness in his eyes. ¡°From the moment Yates dered you 1-1, you and I were on opposing sides.¡± It seemed to hit Eleanor then, her heart seizing. She clutched his hand, frantic to exin. ¡°It was Yates. He wouldn¡¯t let me see you. I only used that condition to get into Area Opaca. I never meant to oppose you.¡± At the sight of the golden leaf, she thought he was restrained, and her first instinct was to find him. She hadn¡¯t considered the implications. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I made such a hasty decision. I should have thought it through.¡± The regret swirling in her eyes was a cruel reflection in Bernard¡¯s gaze. Knowing it wasn¡¯t her fault, yet still searching for excuses to push her away, was a testament to his own weakness. He wished he was dead, for hurting her, for not able to protect her. But could he die? No, he couldn¡¯t. He had to protect his child, to avenge Caleb. He had to live! The ferocity that flickered in Bernard¡¯s eyes was like a star plummeting from the night sky-desperate and indignant. Heposed himself, all traces of grief set aside, and reached out with his other hand, tenderly stroking her hair, ¡°Even if you¡¯re not against me, you¡¯re still his granddaughter and his sessor. Both identities put us at odds.¡± Bernard¡¯s casual words drew a gxy between them, and in an instant, they were adversaries with irreconcble differences. Chapter 1389 Chapter 1389 Eleanor gazed at Bernard, her eyes holding a mix of understanding and determination. She didn¡¯t me him for the position he was in; instead, her grip on his fingers tightened. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°I could stop being his granddaughter, reject taking over his role, and choose to stand by your side. Would we still have to part ways then?¡± Her unwavering stance seemed to warm Bernard¡¯s deste heart, making his next words feel all the more cruel and guilt-ridden. ¡°Blood ties are hard to break, and your identity as the head of Area Opaca was sealed the moment Yates made the announcement. It¡¯s toote to change anything now¡­ Soon, both Area Opaca and the Siren Organization will know who you are. Do you think they¡¯ll just let you go once they find out?¡± Eleanor¡¯s already taut nerves clenched tighter at his words, as if something had ensnared her, leaving her no room for escape. With a sense of defeat, she let go of Bernard¡¯s hand. Her eyes, once clear and bright, began to cloud over with confusion, mirroring the sensation of desperately trying to navigate through a thickening fog, only to surrender to the overwhelming uncertainty. Bernard¡¯s fingers trailed from her soft, curly locks to her cheek, caressing her as if she were a rare treasure, tracing the lines of her face with tender care. ¡°I¡¯m afraid when the timees, if I see a member of the Siren Organization hurting you, I won¡¯t be able to hold back. I¡¯d strike them down without a second thought. But as the head of the Siren Organization, if I harm my own people, how can I lead them in our cause? Thinking about that moment, I realize it would be difficult for me, and you¡¯d suffer too¡­ So, isn¡¯t it better if we part ways?¡± His words of resignation left Eleanor speechless, he left her no space to argue. ¡°Bernard, you¡¯ve given up on me twice before. This would be the third time. There¡¯s a saying: ¡®Three strikes and you¡¯re out.¡¯ After this, I won¡¯t look back. Are you sure this is what you want?¡± The first time was out of necessity, the second was a product of coercion, and now, a reluctant surrender. Eleanor had grown weary from being abandoned time and again. If he had truly made up his mind to part ways, she would not protest. The phrase ¡°three strikes and you¡¯re out¡± felt like an agonizing revtion, as if invisible hands were wrenching her bleeding heart from her chest. Bernard stared at Eleanor, and for a moment, he wanted to throw caution to the wind, pull her into his embrace, and kiss her passionately. But Bernard was always more rational than impulsive in the face of danger. He would rather endure all the pain than act on his desires. He never answered Eleanor¡¯s question, but she stubbornly waited for his reply, h¨®ping Bernard would make a different choice. After a long silence, he finally nodded. At that moment, Eleanor¡¯s heart began to constrict uncontrobly. Looking at the man before her, now so distant, she couldn¡¯t shed a tear-it was as if her heart had suddenly ceased to feel, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s part ways.¡± Hearing her acquiescent voice, Bernard thought he could keep his emotions in check, but his eyes reddened despite his efforts. Eleanor was moved to see him like this. Despite her own heartache, she couldn¡¯t bear to see him suffer. She reached out to caress his face, ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, I don¡¯t me you.¡± She didn¡¯t me him, but she wouldn¡¯t turn back. Even as Bernard felt an overwhelming sadness for the inevitable oue he had caused, he¡­ His gaze shifted to Eleanor¡¯s now rounded belly. As long as she and the baby were safe, he could endure anything for them. Eleanor didn¡¯t know what more to say. After stroking his face onest time, she withdrew her hand and bid farewell, ¡°Take care of yourself when you go back.¡± ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t skip meals, or your stomach will act up, and it¡¯s a bad habit.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°And no smoking or drinking-it¡¯s bad for your health.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Eleanor said so much, but Bernard was as sinct as ever, seemingly with nothing to admonish her with. Realizing this, she suddenly fell silent. After staring into Bernard¡¯s reddened eyes for a long moment, Eleanor managed a small, helpless smile, and, steadying herself on the table, rose from her chair. Chapter 1390 Chapter 1390 ¡°Eleanor.¡± Just as she turned towards the door, Bernard had called out to her. Eleanor spun around, her eyes locking with Bernard¡¯s, which had involuntarily dropped to her swelling belly. ¡°Can I¡­ may I touch the baby?¡± he asked, his voice barely above a murmur. Throughout her pregnancy, he had been absent, his hands never having the chance to feel the life they had created stirring within her. Should she allow it just this once? Following his gaze, Eleanor looked down at the gentle curve of her abdomen and gave a slight nod. She couldn¡¯t find it in her heart to deny him. With a cautious reverence, Bernard extended a trembling finger and let it rest gently against her belly, feeling the round firmness beneath. In that touch, the jagged edges of his heart seemed to soften. Witnessing the tender emotion in Bernard¡¯s eyes, Eleanor was suddenly reminded of Cedric, holding a children¡¯s book close, narrating tales to the unborn child inside Hailey¡¯s womb. She too wished for her child¡¯s father to share a moment, to speak a word or two, so that when they parted, the regret wouldn¡¯t be as sharp. Ovee with emotion, she found herself asking Bernard, ¡°Would you¡­ like to talk to the baby?¡± Bernard froze, unsure of what to say but cherishing the opportunity nheless. He gently caressed Eleanor¡¯s belly and whispered, ¡°Hello¡­¡± After speaking, he looked up anxiously at Eleanor, ¡°Can he hear me?¡± Eleanor ced her hand over her belly, nodding softly. ¡°It¡¯s nearly six months now. There¡¯s movement. Sometimes, when I talk, he¡¯ll stretch out a little hand or foot, give me a kick. It means he can feel it.¡± Bernard, a soon-to-be father for the first time, was unfamiliar with these miracles. Hearing about the baby¡¯s tiny movements, his eyes brimmed with emotion. ¡°Why¡­ why isn¡¯t he moving now?¡± He touched her gently, searching for the movements Eleanor spoke of, but felt nothing. ¡°Perhaps¡­ you haven¡¯t said enough,¡± she suggested with a small smile. The baby wasn¡¯t ustomed to his voice yet, and probably didn¡¯t respond to a stranger¡¯s greeting. Bernard stared at the prominent belly, thoughtful for a moment before rising from his chair and kneeling before her, his gaze almost level with the temporary home of their unseen child. With profound sincerity, he spoke again. ¡°Your mother has endured so much to bring you into this world. She hopes for nothing more than your safe arrival and a healthy, happy life. And as your father, I¡¯ve been absent, unable to share stories or lessons with you, unable to care for your mother. For that, I am deeply sorry. But my child, daddy doesn¡¯t ask for much in life. Just knowing that your mother is well and you are born safe, that¡¯s enough to support me through the hardest times¡± As if sensing his father¡¯s earnest plea, the baby seemed to respond. At the moment his words fell silent, Eleanor felt a stir within her womb, ¡°He moved.¡± At Eleanor¡¯s words, Bernard eagerly pressed his ear against her belly, yearning for the closest connection with the tiny life inside. Three distinct kicks followed, each as palpable as if they were tapping directly on Bernard¡¯s cheek, clear and strong. In that instant, Bernard, the untouchable figure who seemed to dwell amongst the stars, let his proud guard fall and tears streamed down his face. His heart was heavy with unspoken emotions, and in an attempt to hide them from Eleanor, he pretended to listen more intently, wrapping his arms around her waist. With his head bowed, his cheek against her stomach, he silently released the pent-up feelings of vulnerability and longing. Eleanor could not see Bernard¡¯s face, nor could she decipher the emotions hidden there. She simply let him hold her, feeling the weight of the moment stretching between them. They stayed like this until the baby¡¯s movement ceased. Slowly, Bernardposed himself, reluctantly loosening his hold on Eleanor. ¡°Take care of yourself,¡± he whispered. Eleanor nodded, and for a long while, they just looked at each other, each lost in their own thoughts. Finally, it was Eleanor who broke the silence. ¡°I should go now,¡± she said, her voice steady but her pace quick as she left the control room, not daring to look back for fear that her resolve would crumble. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Bernard watched her go, the pain in his heart intensifying. He smirked bitterly at himself, knowing all too well that pain was the just desert for those who let weakness dictate their decisions. Chapter 1391 Chapter 1391 Eleanor stepped out of the room and made her way down the long corridor, her heels clicking against the polished floor. As she passed the boardroom, a thunderous voice echoed through the half-open door. It was Yates, and he was in a foul mood, berating the staff. ¡°You pull a stunt like that again, and I swear, the folks from District B2 will be cut off from the central betting pool. Then we¡¯ll see how you like making ends meet!¡± Eleanor paused, peering through the doorway. At that precise moment, Yates caught sight of her and his voice dropped to a hush, ¡°Everyone out, now.¡± Once the room had emptied, Yates gestured to her with a softened tone, ¡°Come in, Eleanor.¡± After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she entered the room and sat down at his indication. No sooner had she settled into the chair than Yates opened a drawer and took out a jar of sour plums, setting it before her, ¡°All set?¡± Just as Eleanor was about to respond, Yates leaned across her, his gaze fixing on Bernard, who was passing by outside, ¡°Number 9,e on in.¡± Bernard halted, turned, and after a brief moment of surprise upon seeing Eleanor, he stepped inside. ¡°Are you done with your tasks for the day?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Bernard, understanding Yates¡¯ intention and clenching his fists behind his back, nodded without a hint of emotion, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good. There¡¯s been a hup with one of your guys from the fifth unit during a client pickup. I need you to take a trip to Country SuloriaAltavia and lend a hand.¡± Eleanor had harbored doubts that Yates knew about Bernard¡¯s true identity and was using it to force a breakup between them. She hade to probe for the truth, but hearing Yates¡¯ request dispelled her suspicions¡­ If Yates truly knew Bernard¡¯s secret, he would never let him leave Area Opaca so easily. Yates was a master of strategy and maniption, outying even Bernard, who only realized Yates¡¯ intent when he was summoned into the room. Bernard, now with a chance to leave, concealed any abnormal reaction, showing only deference to his superior, ¡°I¡¯m on it.¡± He turned to leave, but Eleanor called out quickly, ¡°I¡¯ll walk you out.¡± Without waiting for a response, she rose and walked towards the elevator, leaving the boardroom behind. Bernard followed, knowing she wanted to verify his ess privileges herself. Yates¡¯ eyes darkened as he watched Bernard¡¯s figure stride away. He silently cursed Bernard¡¯s gentle approach to the breakup. But Yates had anticipated this, and the night Bernard was allowed to leave the biozone, Yates had granted him ess privileges, all for this very moment. For all his cunning and political savvy, Yates was unmatched in the art of maniption. Bernard, powerless to fight back, had no choice but to contain his emotions and focus on survival. Reaching the elevator, Eleanor turned to Bernard, who approached the control panel and began the verification process: palm, fingerprints, iris, face, full body. The process was smooth, a clear sign that Yates had enabled his ess in advance. As the elevator doors opened and Bernard stepped inside, Eleanor¡¯s hopes were shattered. She fought back a rising sorrow and joined him in silence. They ascended without a word, eventually exiting into a residential area surrounded by lush greenery. Eleanor finally stopped and looked up at Bernard, who had remained silent. ¡°I was still suspecting that Yates knew who you were, that he was restricting your freedom and using me as leverage to force a breakup.¡± Bernard knew this was hisst chance. If he admitted Yates¡¯ knowledge, Eleanor would always hold onto hope. But now, he was a hundred meters away from Area Opaca, and the chip in his head hadn¡¯t exploded, Bernard realized Yates had expanded his control. Increased range meant Yates could control him at anytime, anywhere. Even if they left Area Opaca together, it would be futile. As the countdown in his head ticked faster, Bernard reached out and gently stroked Eleanor¡¯s hair, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯ve told you, Yates doesn¡¯t know about my identity. Besides, if he did¡­ why would he ever set a tiger free?¡± Looking into Bernard¡¯s sincere eyes, Eleanor¡¯sst shred of hope vanished. Her heart ached, and her eyes welled up with the difort of unshed tears, ¡°I know, but¡­¡± But what? Regardless of the reasons, the oue was the same ¨C Bernard was leaving her, and there were no more ¡®buts. Chapter 1392 Chapter 1392 Eleanor, with the quiet resolve of one who cannot bear to face the heartache of departure, left her words hanging in the cool morning air as she took a step back and turned away. Other expectant mothers glowed with a hearty roundness, but Eleanor, even in pregnancy, seemed frail, as if a gentle breeze might topple her. Bernard watched her fragile silhouette retreating, his heart aching so fiercely that he could no longer contain himself. He called out her name, his voice trembling with emotion, ¡°Eleanor.¡± At the sound of his quavering voice, Eleanor¡¯s pace slowed, but she did not turn around. She was waiting for him to say, ¡°Let¡¯s go together, but the words never came. ¡°I¡¯lle back with the might of the Siren Organization. Don¡¯t stay in Area Opaca, it¡¯s too dangerous,¡± he said instead. With those words, Eleanor¡¯s hope sank. She nodded slightly, then without looking back, quickened her steps toward the entrance of the District A mansion. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. This time, Bernard didn¡¯t call out to stop her. No matter how much he wanted to, he simply couldn¡¯t. Because he knew as long as he left, Yates wouldn¡¯t harm her. Only with this silent agreement did Bernard cooperate with Yates. But it tore at his soul to let Eleanor walk away without looking back. Sensing his reluctance, Eleanor paused after a few steps, turned around, and faced him again. ¡°There are two things I forgot to tell you,¡± she said with a steadiness that belied her turmoil. ¡°The Siren Organization was founded before you were born, back then it was known as Darkness. ¡°Yates¡¯ vendetta against the Siren Organization stems from the fact that its members once kill my grandmother. You might find a lead there, tracing back the enmity between Darkness and Yates.¡± With that, Eleanor walked away, leaving Bernard frozen in ce. Siren Organization-and its former identity as Darkness-existed long before his birth? But Mr. Penrod had told him that the Siren Organization was created to cultivate power for him, and it was onlyter that Bernard discovered Mr. Penrod only helped him because of Tammie Pine. If the Siren Organization already existed before his birth, it meant Mr. Penrod had been deceiving him all along. But why? Why deceive him? Before Bernard could sort through the onught of information, a helicopter swooped in,nding in front of him. A man in a sharp suit descended from the aircraft. ¡°Mr. Nine, I¡¯ve been instructed to take you to Thand. Let me escort you,¡± the man said. Bernard looked back toward the mansion, at the woman standing by the floor-to-ceiling window. She must have seen him through surveince, his actions a calcted performance for her eyes only. Swallowing his rage and heartache, Bernard stepped into the helicopter. As the chopper ascended, Eleanor, who thought she had no tears left, found them cascading down her cheeks. She stepped out of the mansion, gazing up at the quickly receding helicopter like a child abandoned. Through her tear-blurred vision, she thought she saw Bernard inside the helicopter, turning slightly, his gaze falling on her. But the distance was too great, the chopper too fast, and soon Eleanor¡¯s figure blurred into a speck amid the canopy of trees until she vanished from sight. Only then did Bernard look away, his eyes cold and resolute, focused on the flight path ahead. Yates had let him go, not even bothering to drug him or fear his return for vengeance. Whether it was audacity or another ploy, Bernard was determined to return with his men and exact revenge. He would personally slit Yates¡¯ throat, im his head for Caleb, and avenge the members lost in the biohazard zone. Regardless of Mr. Penrod¡¯s deceit, Bernard vowed to y as many of Area Opaca¡¯s puppeteers as necessary to honor the fallen. With hatred suppressing the pain of losing Eleanor, Bernard rxed his tense and sore body, leaning against the helicopter¡¯s interior, his gaze icy and unwavering. On the other side of the surveince feed, Yates knew Bernard¡¯s deration of vengeance was meant for his ears. It yed right into his hands. He wanted Bernard to return with the Siren Organization so he could destroy more of its members without having to hunt them down one by one. And with the modified chip in Bernard¡¯s brain, no matter how skilled Bernard was, he couldn¡¯t tamper with the explosive program embedded within. So, even if Bernard recklessly led the Siren Organization back to Area Opaca, he was bound to fall into Yates¡¯ trap once more. Their battle of life and death, the deep-seated war between Area Opaca and the Siren Organization, was set to begin anew once Eleanor was out of the picture. Having orchestrated everything, Yates saw Eleanor being escorted back by the butler and promptly left his station to approach her. ¡°He¡¯s gone?¡± he asked. She nodded in acknowledgment, emotionless. Take me to Sophie. I need to deal with her, Eleanor stated tly. He would do what he needed to do, and she would do the sarne. As long as they were both unharmed, it was enough. As for being apart-so be it. ¡°Sure, I¡¯m free now. I¡¯ll take you to her,¡± Yates said, passing by Eleanor with a calcted smile ying at the corner of his lips as he exited the conference room. He had effectively silenced Cameron and Sophie with the threat of leaving them alive, a mercy they¡¯d be foolish to squander. Now, he was far from fearing Eleanor¡¯s encounter with Sophie. Instead, he saw a golden opportunity to deal with Cameron Ratliff, the scumbag who had hurt Vanya Pine, and to settle the score with Sophie, the bitch Chapter 1393 Chapter 1393 Yates brought Eleanor to the solitary confinement block in Central District. Before the door was opened by a man in ck, Yates turned to Eleanor and exined with a stern look in his eyes, This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°When I found out it was Cameron who tried to drown you, I had him and his daughter locked up. They know now that I¡¯m your grandfather.¡± He paused, his voice bing softer but still full of resolve. ¡°Once we¡¯re inside, you can use that fact to your advantage. Deal with them however you see fit, but. don¡¯t go easy on them. They deserve what¡¯sing.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t respond, her face stoic as the door to the confinement room swung open, the darkness inside chased away by the sudden flood of harsh light. The re was blinding, and Sophie squinted hard, slowly allowing her eyes to adjust. As her vision cleared, she was met with a face both familiar and hateful-a face she wanted to w apart with her bare hands. ¡°You didn¡¯t die. That¡¯s a pity. Otherwise, I¡¯d be popping champagne right now to celebrate.¡± The moment her words hit the air, Yates, who had been observing from outside the room, nodded at the man in ck next to him. The enforcer moved quickly, stepping into the room and delivering a stinging p to Sophie¡¯s cheek, ¡°Who do you think you are, talking to our boss like that?!¡± Sophie, clutching her face from the pain, looked up incredulously at Eleanor, ¡°You¡¯re the boss of Area Opaca now?¡± Seeing Sophie¡¯s clenched fists and ring eyes, Eleanor remained unnervingly calm. She walked in slowly, nked by several men in ck, and looked down at Sophie with an icy detachment. ¡°Disappointed?¡± A chair was brought in for Eleanor, and she nced back at it before gracefully sitting down, her pregnant belly prominent. The contrast between the two women couldn¡¯t be starker-one seated like royalty, the other shackled and pitiful. Sophie¡¯s jealousy seethed visibly as her eyes narrowed venomously, ¡°What makes you so special?¡± Sitting on the cold floor, her back against the wall, Sophie red up at Eleanor with a mix of fury and terror, ¡°You know nothing, you do nothing. How can you lead Area Opaca? Why you?¡± Eleanor remained silent, her gaze fixed on Sophie as thetter¡¯s emotions began to unravel. ¡°And me? I went to all lengths to get close to Bernard, even agreeing to be with his brother. And you? You did nothing and still got Bernard¡¯s love. Why?¡± Mention of Bernard¡¯s brother dulled Eleanor¡¯s eyes. She had visited Donna Stanley-Laurence in jail, and knew that Dominic Laurence had died due to being given the wrong medication. Bernard had suspected Sophie was behind the switch but had no proof. Now that Sophie brought it up, Eleanor wanted the truth, ¡°I met Donna in prison. I know the truth about Dominic¡¯s death. Someone gave him Bernard¡¯s meds and killed him. That was you, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Sophie, caught off guard, could only deny as her face paled and her eyes betrayed her guilt. ¡°You¡¯re wrong! It wasn¡¯t me!¡± But her panicked look said it all-she was lying, and Eleanor knew it. ¡°Donna drugged Bernard to lower his IQ, and you, loving him, hated her for it. So you switched his meds.¡± ¡°Or maybe, you heard the doctors say Dominic might recover and saw his existence as a barrier between you and Bernard, so you took the chance to get rid of him.¡± ¡°Which one is it?¡± Sophie, realizing Eleanor had seen right through her, remembered the moment she switched the medication and Dominic¡¯s gentle confrontation. His kindness was something she had never experienced before. Dominic had been the gentlest soul she¡¯d ever known. Even after catching her in the act, he didn¡¯t scold her butforted her instead, assuring her there was nothing to fear. Back then, Sophie was terrified, even Dominic¡¯s reassurances couldn¡¯t calm her. She begged him not to tell Donna, kneeling by his sickbed. Dominic, barely clinging to life and thinking she was being coerced, lifted his frail hand to her head and asked her softly why she had done it. In panic, Sophie blurted out the truth-she loved Bernard so much she was afraid to lose him if Dominic recovered. Chapter 1394 Chapter 1394 The news hit Dominic like a sledgehammer to the chest, his heart pounding a wild rhythm as the blood drained from his face. For a moment, disappointment etched into his features, but he quickly regained hisposure. Dominic said, ¡°Even if I get better, I¡¯ll be half-paralyzed. Sophie, sticking with me is just gonna wear you out.¡± He sighed, a heavy soundden with resignation. ¡°Since you¡¯ve fallen for my brother, I¡¯ll step aside. Consider it myst gift to you both.¡± In his heart, Dominic must have lost the will to live. He took the pills that Sophie had tampered with, his eyes locked on her the whole time. It was as if he was waiting for her to stop him, but Sophie did nothing. When Dominic swallowed the entire dose, Sophie¡¯s realization dawned like a cold sunrise. He must have suspected her continuous meddling with his medication, causing his condition to worsen. That¡¯s why he finished it all in one go. The image of Dominic convulsing, foam at the mouth, sent Sophie¡¯s heart racing. It was the first time she had ever killed someone, and not just anyone, but someone who had been so kind to her. The guilt should have been suffocating. However, Sophie didn¡¯t admit to killing Dominic, only acknowledging that she had been consistently switching and adding medications. Therefore, she showed no sign of regret, merely looking at Eleanor, who was scrutinizing her, with a cold, mocking smile. ¡°Sure, I swapped the pills,¡± Sophie sneered, ¡°but he could¡¯ve chosen not to take them once he found out. He chose to let me have my way.¡± Eleanor, who had pieced together the story, looked at Sophie with a mixture of contempt and pity. ¡°You could¡¯ve had the most sincere and precious love in the world, but you destroyed it. You killed Bernard¡¯s brother, and that¡¯s something Bernard can never forgive or forget.¡± That statement clenched Sophie¡¯s heart, a sting as if prodded by an unseen force. Enraged, she scrambled to her feet. ¡°And what gives you the right?¡± Sophie spat, her voice gaining volume. ¡°I knew Bernard before you did. I did so much more for him. How dare you steal him from me? How?!¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Eleanor¡¯s expression turned icy as she watched Sophie lunge towards her, only to be restrained by her chains. ¡°And what gives you the right?¡± Eleanor fired back. ¡°By seducing his brother to get close to him? By killing his brother and still expecting Bernard to love you?¡± Eleanor¡¯s gaze lingered on the face that bore a resemnce to her own, growing more irritated by the second. ¡°Love isn¡¯t about whoes first orst. Besides, I had no idea about your rtionship with Bernard until after you two broke up. Why me me for hisck of feelings towards you?¡± ¡°Who else can I me?¡± Sophie¡¯s voice rose to a hysterical pitch as she pointed a chained hand at Eleanor. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you selling yourself, how would Bernard have ever noticed you, taken pity on you, and brought you into his life?¡± Eleanor¡¯s response was calm, as she revealed the truth. ¡°Bernard didn¡¯t buy me out of pity. He met me long before all this, and he said it was love at first sight¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Sophie refused to believe it, ¡°He¡¯s never shown interest in any woman. How could he fall for you at first sight?¡± After her outburst, Sophie¡¯s eyes lifted to meet Eleanor¡¯s face, ¡°It must be because you look like me. That¡¯s why he noticed you, right?!¡± Eleanor¡¯s finger traced her own cheek in response. ¡°If we¡¯re talking about resemnce, it should be said you look like me.¡± ¡°Hmmph,¡± came the derisiveugh from Sophie. ¡°On what grounds?¡± ¡°On the grounds of your mother¡¯s interference and your father¡¯spses in judgment. Hearing Eleanor¡¯s words, Sophie¡¯s expression froze. Just as she opened her mouth to retort, Eleanor stood up from her chair and walked towards her with measured steps. ¡°Sophie, you¡¯ve had a life of luxury from a tender age, pampered and groomed into a beautiful, affluentdy. But do you think how did youe by all this?¡± Eleanor extended her fair fingers, gripping Sophie¡¯s cheek, tilting her chin upwards forcing her to meet the resentment brewing in Eleanor¡¯s eyes. ¡°Because of my mother¡¯s fortune, you¡¯ve lived a life of luxury,¡± Eleanor said coolly, her voice a de slicing through the tension. ¡°It¡¯s thanks to her that the Ratliff Group became a titan in A City and why you grew up as a pampered heiress. If it weren¡¯t for my mom, your whole family would have been out on the street, scorned citywide as a family that doesn¡¯t pay its debts. And your mom? To give her bastarding daughter ¨C you ¨C a leg up and to bed herself into a better life, she pushed and prodded Cameron to cast my mom adrift. It¡¯s only down to some sheer dumb luck, our survival, that you¡¯re not spending a lifetime living off the spoils of others.¡± Eleanor¡¯s fingers brushed against Sophie¡¯s soft skin. ¡°The happiness you¡¯ve enjoyed through deceit is now being repaid in kind. The love of Bernard you¡¯ve coveted all your life now belongs to me. And for sake, he¡¯s taken over your family business. You and your father have lost everything, back to where started. It¡¯s the cycle of karma.¡± Chapter 1395 Chapter 1395 Sophie wanted nothing more than to spit out a venomous ¡°serves you right,¡± but the subsequent words choked her into silence. It was as though the sins of her parents had indeede back to haunt her, a karmic retribution for their past misdeeds. She had everything one could want in life, except for the love of the man she truly desired. Ironically, it was Eleanor-the one her father had cast aside-who basked in that love, who was adored even to the point of suffering on her behalf. Could this really be fate¡¯s cruel hand? ¡°But it was my parents who did those things, not me,¡± Sophie protested, her voice trembling with indignation. ¡°I was just a child; I knew nothing about it. Why should I bear the brunt of their karma, why?¡± ¡°Because,¡± Eleanor said, pinching Sophie¡¯s cheek with deliberate slowness, ¡°deep down, you are as venomous as they were, maybe even more cruel!¡± Sophie, despite her youth, had cold-bloodedly harmed Dominic, who loved her dearly, and stubbornly refused to admit her role in his demise. A woman like that was inherently malicious. After Eleanor spoke, she let go of Sophie¡¯s face. In that instant, Sophie, fueled by fury, attempted to punch Eleanor in the stomach but was swiftly restrained by a man in ck. Sophie¡¯s face flushed with anger. ¡°Eleanor, count your blessings. If I hadn¡¯t lured you to Area Opaca using Bernard as bait, you would never have found your husband. Without that, you wouldn¡¯t be here, spewing your arrogance in my face!¡± Eleanor, now seated calmly again, nodded in agreement. ¡°For that, I do thank you. Without your vengeful scheme, how could I sit here and watch your mask contort with rage?¡± Eleanor¡¯s taunt enraged Sophie further, ¡°What¡¯s so great about you anyway? You¡¯re nothing but a lowlife, unting your cheap life. Without your precious title, you¡¯re worth less than the mud on my boots.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, the man in ck raised his hand and pped her hard across the face. ¡°Watch your mouth in front of Miss Sharp, or I¡¯ll feed it to the snakes!¡± Sophie seethed with jealousy, thinking of Eleanor¡¯s secure ce in Bernard¡¯s heart and her legitimate status as the second granddaughter of the Sharp family. ¡°You imposter! Make sure you double-check her story!¡± Eleanor had said all she wanted to say. Now, it was time for revenge. She looked to the man in ck. ¡°Please, bind her and throw her into the sea, let her experience the agony of drowning.¡± Yates entered the room and interjected, ¡°That¡¯s too easy a death for her. Throw her into the lower district first, let her y the survival games with the others, then weigh her down and dump her in the ocean.¡± This punishment was previously discussed with Yates, who had promised maniption of the game if Sophie kept silent about Bernard¡¯s ordeal in Area Opaca, ensuring her survival and eventual escape. Sophie thought Yates would honor this deal for the sake of the Siren Organization member list in her possession, so she remained silent, plotting hereback and the demise of Eleanor and her unborn child. Yates shifted his gaze from Sophie to Eleanor. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the surveince room and watch, to soothe your anger,¡± he said softly, then turned sternly to the guards, ¡°What are you waiting for? Get moving!¡± The guards undid Sophie¡¯s shackles and hauled her out, treating her as if she were nothing more than lifeless cargo. As she was hauled away, Sophie cursed over her shoulder, ¡°You better start collecting some karma for that little devil in your belly!¡± The word ¡°devil¡± ignited Eleanor¡¯s fury. ¡°Sophie, calling Bernard¡¯s child a devil shows you never truly loved him. Stop hiding behind a facade of love to vent your inherent malice.¡± Sophie didn¡¯t respond; instead, sheughed maniacally, her sinister cackle as though she was cursing the unborn child, who instinctively kicked in protest. Eleanor soothed her swollen belly, whispering, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, baby. It¡¯s just a bad auntie with evil intentions. Mommy will take care of her. You¡¯re safe.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Even as the child calmed, Eleanor¡¯s own heart couldn¡¯t settle. It was Sophie who was in the wrong, yet Eleanor still grappled with the moral dilemma of retribution. Yates saw Eleanor¡¯s distress andforted her. ¡°Your child is reminding you to finish this. Get rid of Sophie, don¡¯t let her continue to harm others. Let¡¯s go, do what must be done.¡± Yates helped Eleanor to her feet and escorted her to the surveince room. His eagerness wasn¡¯t just about justice. It served two purposes ¨C avenging Vanya and her daughters, and removing the Ratliff Group, who knew too much. Chapter 1396 Chapter 1396 Eleanor never bothered to meet with Cameron, the man who was supposed to be her father. In her eyes, he never earned that title, nor deserved her time. Yet through the surveince feed, she witnessed the moment Cameron reunited with Sophie at the lower district. Cameron was surprisingly affectionate with Sophie, rushing over to embrace her the moment heid eyes on her,forting her with the promise that as long as he was there, everything would be alright. It wasn¡¯t that Cameronpletelycked the image of a father; he just never showed that side to Emilia or Eleanor. It seemed that in his heart, Sophie was his only child. Aftering to terms with this revtion, Eleanor had her closure. Some people were just dealt a rough hand in life, deprived of paternal love-an unfortunate but not umon fate. The game in the lower district was about to start, and mysteriously, the pair breezed through the levels without so much as a scratch. They embraced tearfully after each victory, acting as if their lives were sacred, while Eleanor¡¯s was expendable. The more Eleanor watched, the more ufortable she felt. Just as she was about to turn away, Sophie¡¯s scream pierced through the monitor. ¡°How could this happen? How could I choose wrong? It¡¯s not possible!¡± They were at the seventh stage of District A¡¯s game, where a wrong choice meant falling into a pit of snakes. Instead of a trapdoor beneath their feet, this game featured a ¡°Grim Door¡± that opened to seal one¡¯s fate. Sophie¡¯s disbelief was palpable as the Grim Door swung open. She nced up at the camera with a look of betrayal and managed to utter, ¡°Why?¡± before a robotic arm lunged out with incredible speedThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. towards her. Frozen in panic, she couldn¡¯t confront Yates; instead, she dashed towards Cameron, pleading, ¡°Dad, please, you have to save me!¡± Cameron hesitated, fearfully stepping back as Sophie approached, ¡°Sophie,,¡­¡± Sophie¡¯s disappointment was crushing. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m your daughter, the one you¡¯ve cherished all my life. Why won¡¯t you save me?¡± After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Cameron grabbed Sophie and ran, looking up at the camera, ¡°Eleanor, I was the one who went back to save you that day. Please, for the sake of me saving you, spare us. I¡¯m begging you.¡± Eleanor was torn, her eyes welling up with the memories of Vanya and Emilia¡¯s tragic lives. ¡°Let¡¯s just scare them a bit more, then throw them back into the sea. Let¡¯s not y this cruel game anymore.¡± But as Eleanor believed the game would pause, the guard, perhaps misunderstanding, hit the fast- forward button. The robotic arm extended instantly, reaching out towards the running Cameron and Sophie with terrifying velocity. Sophie, after a brief internal struggle, released Cameron¡¯s grip and, mustering all her strength, pushed her father towards the robotic menace. As Cameron looked on in disbelief, the robot seized his shoulders and hoisted him into the air, depositing him into the snake pit. The hissing of serpents filled the air. Shaking with fear and regret, Sophie stumbled backward, managing to find the words, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to kill you, I was forced.¡± Cameron, strangled by snakes, saw the malice in his daughter¡¯s eyes. As regret washed over him, he thought of Eleanor¡¯s gentle face. He mouthed a silent apology to the camera, ¡°Elena, I¡¯m sorry¡­ Before he could say more, a snake slithered into his open mouth. After a couple of desperate gulps, Cameron was gone. Eleanor, witnessing this, felt her heart stop. Tears streamed down her cheeks for reasons she couldn¡¯t quite grasp-shock, understanding Cameron¡¯sst words, or perhaps pity for a man betrayed by the daughter he adored. Did Cameron regret his past actions? Did he rue the day he chose Sophie over Eleanor and her mother, leaving them behind? But regrets were meaningless now. Cameron was dead, and with him, the end of their feud. As for Sophie¡­ After muttering a few hollow apologies, she backed away from the Grim Door, slumped against the cold white wall, and sat down, hugging herself tightly. ¡°me Eleanor, Dad. If she hadn¡¯t forced us into this game, you¡¯d still be alive. It¡¯s her fault. Make sure you haunt her as a vengeful ghost!¡± Sophie wrapped her arms around herself tighter, her face devoid of any regret. She med Eleanor for everything, as if she wasn¡¯t the one who had just condemned Cameron to a grisly fate. Chapter 1397 Chapter 1397 Eleanor watched the scene unfold before her and felt an overwhelming sense of pity for Sophie. Her life was a tragedy wrapped in a series of fatal missteps: first, she had inadvertently caused the death of Dominic, the man who loved her, then she failed to cherish Mr. Ben; and finally, she had directly caused the death of her own father, the only man who truly cared for her. Sophie had been living a charmed life. If only she had been a bit kinder, she could have been the happiest woman in the world. But she was fixated on things she could get, and ultimately, she ended up losing everything. If Sophie had only realized this, she wouldn¡¯t have been so twisted to the extent of ming Eleanor for all her woes. It was her stubborn fixation on her desires that had led to her downfall. But what she couldn¡¯t fathom was why Yates had broken his promise. She wasn¡¯t foolish; she knew there had to be a reason. It hit her in a moment of quiet reflection. Yates had set terms with them, stating that as long as they didn¡¯t mention anything about Bernard in front of Eleanor, he would spare their lives. His true intention was to calm the waters, to keep them from spilling secrets that could turn Eleanor against him. Once theyplied, Yates tampered with the game, providing them with clues to navigate the first six rounds sessfully. They let their guards down, and that¡¯s when he struck. Yates wanted to kill them, and Sophie surmised it must be because of the way Cameron had treated his daughter and granddaughter. He was never going to let them live. Fully understanding Yates¡¯ motives, Sophie realized she was marked for death as well. If Yates had trapped her and there was no escape, then she might as well burn all bridges and turn him against Eleanor! If she couldn¡¯t live, neither would they have peace! With that thought, Sophie lifted her head to the surveince camera and began to speak volumes, but suddenly the audio failed, and Eleanor couldn¡¯t make out a word. ¡°These darn systems have been glitchytely,¡±ined a man in ck as he furiously typed at the control panel. Eleanor couldn¡¯t decipher the code on the screens; she could only fix her gaze on Sophie in the monitor, wondering what she was saying. Eleanor was about to rise and go down to interrogate Sophie when the man in ck eximed, ¡°Not again! Another glitch!¡± Right after his exmation, the floor beneath Sophie opened, and in the blink of an eye, she plummeted down. She fell into a pit of snakes, not more than a few feet from where Camerony, a mere skeleton, while she was still freshly bleeding. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Yates¡¯ voice thundered, reprimanding the man in ck, while Sophie¡¯s agonizing screams echoed through the This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. monitor. Her screams were so haunting, they reminded Eleanor of Sophie¡¯s words, ¡°Watch your karma, or it¡¯ll come back on your unborn child!¡± She wasn¡¯t the murderer, but for some reason, those words reverberated in her mind. Feeling uneasy, Eleanor clutched her belly and stood up quickly. Yates was calling out to her, but she couldn¡¯t hear him; she just kept walking, moving faster and faster. It wasn¡¯t until she fell into Peterson¡¯s arms that she stopped, steadying her mind and looking up at him. Peterson had be much more silent and somber since entering Area Opaca, his usual gentle smile gone. He was burdened with so much but never let it show in front of Eleanor. He steadied her with his arms and said softly, ¡°You¡¯re carrying a child. Walk slowly; don¡¯t fall.¡± Looking at Peterson, who had given her hints before, Eleanor still trusted him. ¡°I¡¯m craving something spicy. Could you get some for me?¡± Peterson knew Eleanor usually preferred tangy vors and rarely ate spicy food, so he frowned slightly. ¡°Spicy foods can be tough on the stomach. If Grandpa finds out, he¡¯ll have words for you. Maybe you should go easy on it.¡± Eleanor quickly grabbed his sleeve and whispered, ¡°I just want a little spice right now. Can you get it for me? I¡¯ll hide in the control room to eat, so Grandpa won¡¯t find out.¡± The control room was devoid of surveince and listening devices. Eleanor was clearly seeking an excuse to get him to talk privately. Realizing her intent, Peterson hesitated. His grandfather had warned him not to interfere again, or he would face severe consequences. Seeing his hesitation, Eleanor tugged at his sleeve and gave it a gentle shake. ¡°Peterson, it¡¯s just a little spicy food. Please help me out.¡± All she wanted to know was why Yates hadn¡¯t openly taken out Sophie, but waited until she had spoken. There was clearly more to the story. She suspected Yates was keeping secrets, and the only person who could help her uncover them was the very Peterson standing before her¡­ ¡°Peterson.¡± Her soft calls eventually warmed Peterson¡¯s heart, and he relented. ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯ll find you some spicy snacks and bring them to you.¡± Chapter 1398 Chapter 1398 After Peterson left, Eleanor lingered intentionally, waiting for Yates to catch up. Sure enough, it wasn¡¯t long before he appeared, briskly following her. He had just dashed out, whispering some instructions to his men in ck, then he turned around to find Eleanor had vanished. But there she was, leaning against the porch, seemingly lost in thought, prompting Yates to slow his pace. ¡°Eleanor, are you scared?¡± he asked, concerncing his voice. Head bowed, Eleanor gave a slight nod. ¡°He¡¯s still my biological father, after all. It feels a bit cruel.¡± Yates scoffed, ¡°That man? A father? He abandoned you, killed your mother, and left you to fend for yourself. He¡¯s nothing.¡± Eleanor nced at him, not bothering to argue, and simply said, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m pregnant. All this drama is making me uneasy.¡± Yates, oblivious to her underlying feelings, instinctively suggested, ¡°If you¡¯re not feeling well, you should go rest.¡± ¡°Where should I go?¡± Eleanor asked, seizing the opportunity. ¡°You¡¯re now the head of Area Opaca. The control room is yours. Rest there,¡± Yates replied, decisively. Eleanor, who had nned to go there anyway, nodded without a hint of emotion, ¡°Sounds good. There¡¯s a lounge, perfect for a pregnant woman like me.¡± Yates followed her gaze to her belly, harboring Bernard¡¯s child, something he truly wished she wouldn¡¯t bring into the world. But since they had struck a deal, as long as Eleanor remained with the Sharp family, he could maneuver the situation, regardless of the child¡¯s paternity. Since it was Yates who told Eleanor to rest in the control room, she went without protest, while Yates was called away on urgent business by his men. He told Eleanor to rest up in the lounge and that he would return to grant her full ess rights to the entire area. Eleanor obediently agreed with a soft ¡®okay¡¯, but as soon as he left, her expression darkened, a storm ofplex emotions brewing behind her facade. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Before long, Peterson arrived, knocking on the door with an armful of spicy snacks. ¡°Pick whatever you like,¡± he said, offering aforting smile. Eleanor took the snacks, closed the door, then turned to Peterson, ¡°I just wanted an excuse to have a word with you.¡± Peterson took a deep breath, ¡°What do you want to know?¡± After putting away the snacks, Eleanor looked up at him, ¡°I want to know what you know.¡± Peterson looked down at Eleanor, much shorter than himself, ¡°All I know is that your husband is with Area Opaca, and he works for us.¡± Peterson was reluctant to reveal more, and Eleanor didn¡¯t press him. Instead, she lowered her head to her swelling belly. ¡°Peterson, I grew up an orphan. I don¡¯t want my child to go without a father¡¯s love, like I did.¡± A pang of guilt hit Peterson, sensing the hardships Eleanor must have endured. However, he was raised by his grandfather who had invested so much in him, could he betray his own blood? Eleanor raised her misty eyes to Peterson, who was visibly torn. ¡°Before Bernard left, we broke up. If there hadn¡¯t been anything odd about Sophie¡¯s death, I might not have put two and two together, but¡­¡± She paused, her voice steady, ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me the truth, Peterson. But I hope we can be sincere cousins, not ones who harbor secrets and deceit.¡± Peterson clenched his fists, still unable to speak, unable to even look at her, hisshes casting shadows on his cheeks. Eleanor, observing his silence, felt she had her answer, even if not the entire story. That would be enough for now; she could uncover the rest on her own. With that, she released Peterson from the verbal hostage situation. ¡°Thank you for the snacks, Peterson. I¡¯ll eat and rest a bit. You should probably head back now.¡± As she eased up, Peterson thought he¡¯d feel relief, but instead, a heavy lock seemed to mp around his heart, halting him at the door. Peterson was not one to dither. Once he knew which way the scales tipped, he could make a decision and devise a solution swiftly. Turning back to Eleanor, who sat quietly, he said, ¡°I¡¯m going to the surveince room to talk to Grandpa. Hide outside and listen. Whatever you decide to do after, I support you.¡± Chapter 1399 Chapter 1399 Chapter 1399. N?velDrama.Org ? content. As Peterson closed the door behind him, his tall, broad-shouldered silhouette exuded a sense of determination that somehow feltforting to Eleanor, ¡°Peterson, thanks a lot.¡± Without turning back, he lifted his muscr arm in a casual wave, the gesture oozing a cool nonchnce. Eleanor¡¯s lips curved into a restrained smile as she turned her gaze away from the door and looked at the heap of snacks on the table. She had no real appetite; yet he brought so much. 1 5 S WS I 03 His thoughtfulness gently eased her heart, much like the gradual emergence of the sun piercing through a cloudy sky. She paused for a few moments, making sure Peterson was well out of sight, before she left the control room and made her way to the surveince room. Inside, Yates was busy at the console, his fingers dancing over the keyboard. He nced up as Peterson walked in. ¡°What are you doing here instead of managing the central zone?¡± Peterson clenched his fist, then approached Yates with a facade of indifference. ¡°Grandpa, didn¡¯t you promise the Ratliff family their lives?¡± At these words, Yates¡¯ fingers froze on the console. ¡°Can¡¯t you see what I¡¯m nning?¡± Feeling the heat of Yates¡¯ scrutiny, Peterson¡¯s momentary tension was quickly concealed. ¡°Of course, I see it, but aren¡¯t you afraid Eleanor will catch on to what you¡¯re doing?¡± Yates¡¯ steely gaze shifted away from Peterson and back to the console. ¡°I may have been a bit hasty, but she¡¯ll figure it out eventually. What does it matter? I have plenty of ways to ay her suspicions.¡± Yates was always a few moves ahead. Even Peterson couldn¡¯t fathom his grandfather¡¯s thoughts. But Yates was underestimating Eleanor. She was much quicker on the uptake than he assumed. Peterson didn¡¯t let on that Eleanor already knew. He simply said to Yates, ¡°You might have ways to settle her doubts, but some things can¡¯t be hidden forever. What will you do when she learns the truth?¡± Yates eyed Peterson with suspicion. ¡°Are you here to plead their case, or do you think fortyshes weren¡¯t enough?¡± Unruffled, Peterson shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m just worried she¡¯ll turn against you if she finds out everything.¡± Yates replied coldly, ¡°As long as you keep your mouth shut, she¡¯ll never know the truth.¡± Peterson tempted him further, ¡°But you¡¯re restricting Bernard¡¯s freedom, refusing to let him go home, and using Eleanor¡¯s unborn child to threaten him into breaking up with her. Bernard knows all this.¡± Yates was about to retort that Bernard¡¯s head was chipped and would therefore keep secrets, but suddenly he sensed something amiss. His icy gaze swept over to Peterson¡¯s face. ¡°Come out.¡± In a sh, Yates had guessed his two grandchildren¡¯s game. His eyes, filled with hostility, were fixed on Peterson, but themand e out¡± was directed at Eleanor, who was hiding outside the door. Peterson had thought his approach was sound, but as the founder of Area Opaca, Yates was more experienced than he could match. He had said his piece; the next move was up to Eleanor. As her family, he had done all he could. Eleanor, now discovered, didn¡¯t bother to hide any longer and stepped into the surveince room. ¡°I suspected you were the one restricting Bernard¡¯s freedom, but I never imagined you were such a good actor.¡± Yates¡¯ reproachful gaze moved from Peterson to Eleanor. ¡°Now that you know, there¡¯s nothing left to hide. Ask whatever you want.¡± Facing Yates¡¯ indifferent expression, Eleanor¡¯s heart was in turmoil. ¡°Do you still consider yourself my grandfather? You use my child to threaten my husband to leave me? What kind of grandfather would do that?¡± Yates, devoid of emotion,id out his logic. ¡°Bernard is the leader of Siren Organization and my enemy, which makes him your enemy. I couldn¡¯t allow you two to be together.¡± Eleanor let out a bitterugh, her hand resting on her rounded belly as she stepped closer to Yates. ¡°Aside from our blood rtion, you¡¯re a stranger to me. What right do you have to meddle in my life?¡± The word ¡°stranger¡± clearly struck a nerve, but Yates maintained his stance. ¡°You¡¯re my granddaughter, and your affairs are my affairs. I have the right and the privilege to intervene, just as I do with Peterson.¡± At such skewed logic, Eleanor could only scoff. ¡°You¡¯ve raised Peterson, and he listens out of gratitude, but have you raised me? Have you ever provided for me or helped me grow?¡± Yates was silenced, and as he tried to speak, Eleanor cut him off. ¡°You¡¯ve done nothing for me, yet you try to use your position as an elder to control me, to intimidate me, even to drive away my husband. What gives you the right?!¡± Her fingers trembled with anger over her belly, but Eleanor kept her emotions in check, her words ringing out as she continued to confront Yates. ¡°You¡¯re nothing but a stranger to me. What gives you the right?!¡± Chapter 1400 Chapter 1400 In Yates¡¯ mind, Eleanor had always been the epitome of gentleness. It was the first time he¡¯d seen her fly off the handle, and for a fleeting moment, his resolve wavered. But as quickly as it came, it passed. ¡°You and Bernard are all wrong for each other.¡± Eleanor¡¯s lips curled into a scornful smile, the disdain spreading like a stain. ¡°Bernard and I have been through thick and thin for over a decade. We¡¯ve faced life and death together, weathered every hardship. Howe we¡¯re all wrong just because you say so?¡± Yates shot back, ¡°I made a deal with Bernard. Break up with you, and he walks free. He didn¡¯t hesitate to leave you for his freedom. Tell me, how is a man who can ditch you at the drop of a hat right for you?¡± Eleanor scoffed, ¡°If you hadn¡¯t trapped him, hadn¡¯t used my unborn child as a bargaining chip, would a man, alone and mired in trouble, ever choose to leave me?¡± Bernard¡¯s so-called ¡®choice¡¯ wasn¡¯t a true reflection of their rtionship but a result of Yates¡¯ relentless pressure. With no other option, he had topromise first and then n to strike back with vengeance. A man usually decisive in action, Bernard bent in the face of the enemy to protect her and their child. That alone proved his worth as a husband and father. No one was better suited than he. But Yates wouldn¡¯t understand. ¡°If it were me, no matter the threat, I wouldn¡¯t choose to break up. So, in my eyes, Bernard doesn¡¯t love you enough.¡± A sardonicugh almost escaped Eleanor¡¯s eyes. ¡°And you? To get Pauline, you muscled in on her and her high school sweetheart, imed her by force, yet never made her your wife. Is that love?¡± Yates hadn¡¯t expected such audacity. Angered, he retorted, ¡°What happened between your grandmother and me is none of your business!¡± As Yates red up, Peterson stepped in, trying to calm Eleanor but was briskly pushed aside. ¡°Your matters are not for me to meddle in, just as mine are not for you!¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Yates¡¯ eyes zed with resentment as he locked gazes with Eleanor¡¯s equally indignant stare. ¡°Remember, Eleanor, you are my granddaughter. We are family.¡± Eleanor¡¯s derision didn¡¯t wane. ¡°You restrict freedom, threaten my child, and lie to my face, all for your selfish gains. What kind of grandfather does that make you? What kind of family are we?¡± Yates¡¯ face darkened visibly, his fist clenching on the countertop, veins bulging with fury. Fearing for Eleanor¡¯s safety, Peterson instinctively stepped in front of her. ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s my fault. I¡¯m sorry for the argument.¡± Yates, needing an outlet for his anger, suddenly stood up, his hand flying out to deliver a stinging p across Peterson¡¯s face. The solid p left Peterson¡¯s cheek swollen, pain searing through him, but he clenched his teeth and remained silent, only turning his head to look back at the enraged Yates. Neither spoke, but the heaving of their chests spoke volumes of the rift the p had caused. It was a growing disappointment for Peterson, more than just a heartache. Eleanor, shielded behind him, wanted to stand up for Peterson but was held back. ¡°Eleanor, arguing with Grandpa is pointless. He won¡¯t understand you.¡± Pauline¡¯s tragic demise, a gang assault that led to her death, had haunted Yates for decades. Only his burning hatred kept him going. Eleanor¡¯s struggles, unseen by Yates, meant he couldn¡¯t grasp the significance of Bernard to her. All he knew was that Bernard led the Siren Organization, making him his greatest adversary. Yates, blinded by vengeance, couldn¡¯t let go of his hatred, opting instead to keep Eleanor close through deceit, never considering the damage he was causing. Unless Yates released his hatred, he would never empathize with Eleanor. But it was clear that a man consumed by grudges would never relent. If anything, Eleanor¡¯s defiance might only intensify his wrath. Peterson didn¡¯t want Eleanor to bear such hatred. As he tried to lead her away, Eleanor resisted and confronted Yates. ¡°Apologize!¡± The request reignited Yates¡¯ anger, his face turning an ashen shade of rage. ¡°Do you even know what you¡¯re demanding?¡± Eleanor, unafraid of Yates¡¯ authority, pointed at Peterson¡¯s swollen face and demanded coldly, ¡°You hit Peterson for no reason. Don¡¯t you owe him an apology?¡± Peterson, touched yet concerned, tried to pull her back. ¡°He¡¯s my grandpa. A p is nothing. Don¡¯t fight with him over me.¡± But Eleanor stood her ground, her clear eyes staring defiantly at Yates. ¡°How can someone so unjust, so quick to violence, im to be our family?¡± Chapter 1401 Chapter 1401 Yates expression froze as he stared into Eleanor¡¯s eyes, brimming with hatred. For a fleeting moment, he saw in Eleanor the reflection of a woman he once knew-Pauline Hardy. She had the same fiery spirit back then. Perhaps it was for Pauline¡¯s sake that Yates managed to swallow his rage, choosing not to retaliate against the rebellious Eleanor. ¡°Peterson Sharp,¡± he said in a calmer tone than expected, ¡°take Eleanor back to the control room for some rest.¡± Peterson had braced for his grandfather to explode in fury, maybe even to strike Eleanor in anger. He was taken aback when all Yates did was calmly instruct him to escort Eleanor away. Was it out of some sense of debt? Unable to fathom Yates¡¯ thoughts, Peterson took Eleanor by the hand and led her away. Eleanor was ready to jump in and defend Peterson, but he subtly motioned for her to hold her ground. The priority was to find a way to leave Area Opaca, not to waste time bickering in this ce. Eleanor read the situation and unclenched her fists, following Peterson out. Yet, as their footsteps crossed the threshold, Yates¡¯ icy voice trailed them from behind, ¡°Eleanor, before you came to Area Opaca, you promised me you¡¯d always stay with the Sharp family. Remember?¡± Eleanor stopped in her tracks and turned to face Yates, who sat at the control panel like a judge over life and death. ¡°The promise I made was based on you not deceiving me. You broke that trust. How can you expect me to keep my word?¡± Yates, anticipating her change of heart, simply nodded. ¡°If the promise is void, then you¡¯ll rece Bernard Laurence and stay in Area Opaca forever.¡± A shadow crossed Eleanor¡¯s eyes, and Yates looked past her to Peterson, ¡°You will stay in the istion cell until I¡¯ve dealt with Bernard. Then I¡¯ll set you free.¡± The mention of dealing with Bernard ignited a spark of fury in Eleanor, ¡°Yates, your vendetta should be with the former members of the Siren Organization, not with Bernard, who knows nothing and wasn¡¯t even born yet!¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. What she meant was that Yates had chosen the wrong target for his revenge, but Yates didn¡¯t see it that way, ¡°They vited your grandmother, they all deserve to die, and I won¡¯t spare a single one.¡± Faced with a Yates consumed by hatred, Eleanor was incensed, ¡°Then go after those who harmed Pauline! What has Bernard done? He¡¯s innocent!¡± Yates didn¡¯t bother to argue further. He raised his hand, and the men in ck by his side immediately stepped forward, seizing Peterson¡¯s arms, ¡°Mr. Peterson, pleasee with us.¡± Peterson had the authorization to leave Area Opaca; Eleanor did not. Yates wouldn¡¯t hold Eleanor captive-only Peterson. Watching her brother being forcibly taken away, Eleanor¡¯s anger boiled over, ¡°Yates, I will never forgive you for this.¡± The moment she discovered the truth, Yates had predicted this oue and was unfazed, ¡°That¡¯s alright. As long as my granddaughter stays by my side, one day, you¡¯ll understand your grandfather¡¯s actions.¡± After uttering these words, Yates stood up and walked past Eleanor toward the istion cell, leaving her clenching her fists in frustration. With Bernard gone, trapped in Area Opaca, she would be a hindrance once Bernard returned for revenge. Eleanor, frowning at the control panel, impulsively walked over. But s, she didn¡¯t understand the system and could only vent by randomly hitting buttons. The whole base was thrown into chaos, with broadcast announcements and mechanical rms confusing the yers below and prompting the operators in the middle sector to spring into action. Unperturbed by the news, Yates told his men to ignore themotion and let Eleanor vent. He followed Peterson into the istion cell, where he picked up a whip andshed at Peterson¡¯s back until he was bloodied and nearly unconscious. Only then did Yates stop and deliver a chilling warning, ¡°Keep quiet about the chip in Bernard¡¯s head, or don¡¯t me me for disregarding our family ties.¡± With that, Yates threw down the whip and left the cell, securing it with several locks to prevent Peterson¡¯s escape and Eleanor¡¯s interference. After securing the area, Yates took a handkerchief from one of his men and asked, ¡°Is the demolition set?¡± The man replied with deference, ¡°It¡¯s all set up, sir. The charges are also in ce around the perimeter.¡± Yates nodded in satisfaction, ¡°When Bernardes back, notify the men to evacuate through the escape tunnels.¡± He had nted a tracker in Bernard¡¯s brain, knowing Bernard¡¯s every move, ensuring the safety of his men-even as the charges wereid in the mountains, nowhere near Area Opaca. Yates was a strategist who never engaged in frontal assaults but preferred to eliminate his enemies without sacrificing a single one of his soldiers. Now, he waited for the S Organization¡¯s helicopter to land, to witness its obliteration without leaving a trace. Chapter 1402 Chapter 1402 Beyond the borders of Golden Sea District the helicopter settled gracefully onto the trimmedwn. The pilot, a man in a sharp suit, nced over his shoulder at the passenger behind him. ¡°Mr. Nine, we¡¯ve arrived. Time to switch rides.¡± The passenger, known only as Bernard, lifted his heavy-lidded gaze, a cold, dangerous glint in his eyes that sent a shiver down the pilot¡¯s spine. In an instant, darkness enveloped the pilot¡¯s vision as he slumped onto the controls, unconscious. With an emotionless expression, Bernard unwound his silk tie from around his neck, looping it around his fingers as he stepped off the helicopter. The ground crew, who had been ready for the transfer, watched in shock as Bernard knocked out their colleague. Like bees swarming, they rushed toward him. Bernard finished wrapping his tie around his hand, clenched his fist, and faced the approaching crowd. His eyes didn¡¯t even blink as his fists flew,nding hard and fast against the faces of the pilots. Despite nursing injuries, hisbat skills were unmatched, and the men of Area Opaca were no match for him. In mere moments, he hadid out a group of adversaries. Kicking aside a fallen pilot, Bernard¡¯s icy gaze lifted as he unwound the tie from his hand and strode swiftly toward the helicopter. With seamless precision, he fired up the rotors, seized the controls, and lifted off. As the chopper soared away, a ck tie fluttered to the ground¡­ The battered pilots on the ground, regaining their senses, grabbed their phones and dialed the control room. ¡°Boss, Bernard got away.¡± The controllers, each with their own agenda, turned their eyes toward Yates, the old man at the center of it all. Without a hint of emotion, he simply said, ¡°Let him go.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. His stratagem was simr to a game of patience ¨C biding his time and nning to nab all his opponents at once, instead of chasing them down one by one, thus conserving resources. Bernard, piloting the helicopter away from Golden Sea District realized his brain chip was silent, a clear sign that Yates had intentionally let him escape. He had to admit, Yates was a master strategist. Even though he hadn¡¯t instigated the situation, Yates had manipted everything, even using Eleanor¡¯s desire to rescue him to his advantage. He had lured Eleanor into bing a pawn in his game, taking her, the child, and Bernard¡¯s freedom and life as leverage to force a break-up. Once the split was done, Yates had enacted a charade of letting Bernard go, dispelling Eleanor¡¯s doubts while fulfilling his promise. In reality, letting Bernard escape was a ploy to draw him back with S in tow, to capture them all in one fell swoop. That was the ultimate aim of the game. But even knowing Yates¡¯ intentions, Bernard was determined to avenge Caleb and his crew. His immediate priority was to remove the brain chip and free himself from control. Recalling Eleanor¡¯s contact with Aidyn before entering Area Opaca, he guessed they would be nearby andnded just outside Golden Sea District. He needed to return home quickly to deal with the chip, so his first act afternding was to abandon the chopper and head to a public area to call Aidyn. Aidyn, scouring Golden Sea District for any sign of Area Opaca, felt a weight lift off his heart upon hearing Bernard¡¯s voice after so many months. ¡°Mr. Laurence, I¡¯m on my way to get you.¡± Without wasting another second, Aidyn hung up and floored the elerator, leaving Scott, who had been eager to hear Mr. Law¡¯s voice, fuming with irritation. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you let me have a word before hanging up?¡± There¡¯s no need for words; we¡¯ll see Mr. Laurence soon enough.¡± Unperturbed, Aidyn drove on, his car speeding toward Bernard¡¯s location. Scott, unable to contain his frustration,nded a heavy punch on Aidyn¡¯s arm. Aidyn winced in pain but didn¡¯t retaliate, instead stealing a nce at Scott. Their eyes met, and suddenly, the tension broke as they both burst into laughter. For them, as long as Mr. Laurence was alive and safe, they could breathe easy and smile again. Without that assurance, peace of mind would always be out of reach. Aidyn, driving swiftly, reached the public area where Bernard waited just as dusk approached. He hadn¡¯t even stepped out of the car when he spotted the man standing in the sunlight, hands casually tucked into his pockets. Bernard always presented an air of unruffledposure, like thest flower standing resilient against the chill of winter. Unyielding to the frost, it remained a vibrant testament to purity and defiance. There, bathed in the soft amber light, was Bernard-much like that solitary flower, standing quietly amid the crowd. His silent figure seemed out of ce in this world, both alien and astonishingly brilliant. Chapter 1403 Chapter 1403 Seeing Bernard in such a state, Aidyn and Scott exchanged a knowing nce. They simultaneously pushed their car doors open and rushed toward him. ¡°Mr. Laurence!¡± ¡°Sir!¡± The sight of two burly men, their eyes brimming with tears, lunging toward him, touched Bernard¡¯s heart. Yet instinctively, his legs took a step back. As Aidyn and Scott noticed Bernard retreating, a moment of understanding passed between them-¡®Back off, man! Respecting his space, they stopped in their tracks, still looking at Bernard with eyes full of unshed tears. The man stood before them, bathed in the light, looking so radiant it almost seemed he shone. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you¡¯re finally back, thank God! We were worried sick!¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. After a few seconds of intense gaze, Bernard lifted his slender fingers and patted Aidyn and Scott on their shoulders. ¡°Sorry for worrying you guys.¡± His voice was as calm as ever, and the touch on their shoulders inexplicably brought a sense of security to Aidyn and Scott. It felt as if with Mr. Laurence¡¯s return, any problem could be resolved. The public area was too crowded for conversation, so Aidyn and Scott led Bernard to a sleek ck car, held the door open for him, and once he was inside, they got into the vehicle and drove off. In the car, Aidyn and Scott each shared their distress about not finding Bernard for the past six months. The conversation quickly turnedpetitive, as they argued over who was more worried. ¡°It was definitely me who was more freaked out about Mr. Laurence!¡± ¡°Bullshit, I was the one who was most concerned!¡± Watching them bicker endlessly, Bernard, seated in the back, allowed a slight smile to curve his lips. It seemed at that moment he really felt alive. But his smile faded as quickly as it appeared, darkening at the memory of Eleanor¡¯s words, ¡°After this breakup, won¡¯t look back.¡± It was like a specter dragging him into an abyss. What was life without her worth? The thought made Bernard¡¯s heart clench, and his fingers tightened into a fist on his thigh. Catching the subtle change in Bernard¡¯s expression through the rearview mirror, Aidyn ceased the bickering and, after much hesitation, broached the topic he shouldn¡¯t have. ¡°Mr. Laurence, did you see Mrs. Laurence in Area Opaca? Why didn¡¯t she return with you?¡± Normally, a couple would be inseparable after a reunion. There must be a significant reason for Mr. Laurence to return alone. Bernard remained silent, his brooding gaze revealing the conflict that must have led to their parting. Sensing a connection to Area Opaca, Aidyn didn¡¯t press further. Instead, he asked about what happened there. Bernard briefly touched on the topic before falling silent again. Seeing the boss unwilling to borate, Scott dropped the subject. But after a long silence, he suddenly turned and looked at the icy visage of Bernard. ¡°Sir, is it true¡­ that Caleb is gone?¡± Scott had grown up with Caleb and couldn¡¯t ept his death, especially by something as trivial as a snakebite. Caleb had always said a man should die on the battlefield or doing something meaningful, not from a snake bite. How could Scott reconcile with that? Mentioning Caleb was like firing a bullet into Bernard¡¯s already wounded heart. The visceral image of blood and pain clenched his chest so tightly he could hardly breathe. ¡°Caleb¡­ he died saving me.¡± Hearing the confirmation, Scott¡¯s eyes reddened, and tears streamed down his face. He quickly turned to look out the window, fearing that his tears would only deepen his boss¡¯ guilt. The mood in the car shifted from light-hearted to somber. Everyone fell silent, lost in memories of their time with Caleb. After an eternity, a voice filled with guilt broke the silence. ¡°It¡¯s my fault¡­ I didn¡¯t protect him.¡± Aidyn lifted his gaze to the man in the mirror, looking at the frosty profile framed by the window. Bernard was no longer the man who held both coldness and softness in his demeanor. Now, he seemed consumed by hatred, a testament to the horrors they faced in Area Opaca. In an attempt tofort Bernard, Aidyn spoke from Caleb¡¯s perspective. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you didn¡¯t fail to protect Caleb. He chose to protect you, even if it meant risking everything. That shows how much you mattered to him.¡± Bernard remained silent as the twilight cast a golden glow on his frostedshes, concealing the redness in his eyes. Finally, Bernardposed himself and shared the events of Area Opaca, Caleb¡¯s death, and why he was trapped there, instructing Scott that upon their return, they were to rally the Siren Organization-he was determined to strike back. Even if Bernard hadn¡¯t ordered it, Scott would have sought vengeance for Caleb. Now, with Bernard¡¯s blessing, his first act uponnding would be to gather the troops. Aidyn, as Bernard¡¯s right-hand man, naturally followed him back to their headquarters at Fiord Roundabout. Chapter 1404 Chapter 1404 After six long months, Bryson¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears as he saw a flesh-and-blood Bernard return home. The wrinkles on his aged face seemed to deepen with emotion. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you¡¯ve finallye back. I feared the worst¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, Bryson.¡± Bernard lifted his hand and patted Bryson¡¯s shoulder with aforting gesture before turning and heading straight into the study. Realizing that Bernard appeared preupied, Bryson didn¡¯t dare to disturb him. Instead, heposed himself and instructed the cook to prepare a feast before heading out to pick up little Nina from school. Ever since Bernard and Eleanor had left, Nina couldn¡¯t stop talking about them. The ordeal they had been through was perilous. To keep the child from worrying, Bryson had told her they were on a business trip. But Nina was a sharp cookie ¨C she didn¡¯t buy the story that people on a business trip couldn¡¯t even make a call or video chat. Just as Bryson was running out of excuses, Bernard returned, allowing Bryson to breathe a sigh of relief and finally give Nina a proper exnation. Bernard had kept the secret of the chip in his brain from everyone, including Aidyn. When he noticed Aidyn following him into the study, he frowned slightly. ¡°Aidyn, I¡¯m back and safe. You should go home and look after your family.¡± During Bernard¡¯s absence, Aidyn had be a father. His newborn and wife needed him, but Aidyn was reluctant to leave. ¡°Mr. Laurence, I know you¡¯ll need to strategize with the team to mount aeback. Count me in, please delegate some tasks to me.¡± After a moment¡¯s thought, Bernard walked over to his desk, scribbled the name of the organization ¡®Darkness¡¯ and a woman named Pauline on a piece of paper, tore it off, and handed it to Aidyn. ¡°Find out why they want Pauline dead. Dig deep.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± With a mission in hand, Aidyn eagerly took the note and left the study. Bernard watched Aidyn¡¯s retreating figure, then his tall frame slumped into the sofa. The tension he had been carrying for half a year finally began to ease. But his respite was short-lived. Bernard rose again, pulled out a chair at his desk, and sat down in front of hisputer, rapidly typing in the chip¡¯s program he had memorized. He knew his adversary, Yates, had altered the program. The code he was entering now might not be effective, but his current goal was to reverse-engineer the updated program from what he knew of the original. Bernard was smart and had a photographic memory, but he knew he was outssed by Yates in both programming and hacking. He hadn¡¯t wanted anyone to know about the chip, but as he stared at the encryption on the screen, he realized he had no choice but to call Cedric Laurence. Cedric was aputer prodigy, known for his hacking prowess and a renowned figure in the cybersecurity world. With Cedric¡¯s help, Bernard hoped they could rewrite the program. Meanwhile, Cedric was at home, massaging his pregnant wife Hailey¡¯s legs to ease her varicose veins when Bernard¡¯s call came through. Recognizing his brother¡¯s unique voice, Cedric leapt up, his excitement palpable. ¡°Bernard, you¡¯re back! Hold on, I¡¯ming to you!¡± Before Bernard could even exin why he had called, an ecstatic Cedric had hung up the phone. Cedric put his phone away, looked at Hailey and said, ¡°Honey, are you feeling better? I can finish up here before I go to him¡­¡± Knowing Bernard was back and that she could let go of her worries, Hailey nced at him, ¡°I¡¯m much better. Go to your brother. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± With a tender kiss on her forehead, Cedric said, ¡°My wonderful wife, wait for me at home and call me immediately if you feel unwell.¡± Once Hailey nodded her assurance, Cedric grabbed his keys, hopped into his car, and floored the elerator, racing toward Fiord Roundabout before bursting into Bernard¡¯s study. ¡°Bernard!¡± Seeing Bernard safe and working at hisputer just like old times, Cedric¡¯s emotions surged like a rollercoaster. ! ¡°I knew you¡¯d be okay!¡± Cedric, who had never lost faith in Bernard¡¯s safe return, could finally release all his pent-up worry and fear. He spread his arms wide, ready to envelop Bernard in a bear hug, but thetter simply raised a slender finger and pushed him aside. ¡°Spare me the drama. Get over here and work.¡± Bernard¡¯s finger moved from his face to the screen, his well-manicured nails flicking through the lines of code, stopping at the original program. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°This chip¡¯s program can listen, track, and explode. Can you shut it down?¡± Cedric, still eager to ask his brother about his experiences in the shadowy Area Opaca, saw Bernard¡¯s serious and urgent demeanor and swallowed his questions. He leaned in, scrutinized the code for a moment, took theptop from Bernard, and got to work beside him. Chapter 1405 Chapter 1405 Slim fingers danced across the keyboard, tapping out a rhythm as rapid as the heartbeat of a hummingbird. The screen before Cedric flickered with lines of code, each barrier crumbling under his deft touch. But when he reached the core of the program, his pulse stalled. The chip¡¯s software split like a cell, doubling its defenses. His gaze shot up to Bernard, who sat with the serenity of a monk in deep meditation. ¡°Bernard, I¡¯ve heard whispers about this tech on the dark web,¡± Cedric said, his voice tinged with disbelief. ¡°They say it¡¯s meant to monitor and control, like something out of a dystopian sci-fi. How did youe across it?¡± Bernard¡¯s eyes, cool and detached, shifted to meet Cedric¡¯s troubled stare. ¡°It¡¯s in my head,¡± he replied, his tone as casual as if discussing the weather. A chill raced through Cedric, a serpentine cold wrapping around his ankles and slithering up his spine. ¡°B-Bernard, that¡¯s like a doomsday device. How on earth did it end up inside your head?¡± While Cedric¡¯s face was a canvas of shock, Bernard remained asposed as ever, his eptance of the situation bordering on the unnerving. ¡°It exists, and that¡¯s that. Just focus on whether you can shut this thing down,¡± Bernard said, his voice devoid of self-pity, always brushing off the gravity of his pain as if it were mere dust on his shoulder. Cedric¡¯s heart ached for him, his fingers lifting from the keyboard, drawn irresistibly to Bernard¡¯s head. Though invisible to the eye, Cedric knew too well the agony his brother must have endured for that chip to be imnted in his brain. Tenderly, he ruffled Bernard¡¯s thick hair, his touch a silentment for the suffering endured. ¡°Does it hurt, Bernard?¡± Bernard wasn¡¯t one for physical affection, save for Eleanor¡¯s gentle touch, but in this moment, he allowed Cedric¡¯s concern to break through his armor. He didn¡¯t flinch, nor did he pull away. After mere seconds, Bernard gently halted Cedric¡¯s hand. ¡°There¡¯s bigger fish to fry. I need you to disable the surveince, GPS, and the self-destruct mechanisms in this thing. Only then can we take Siren back to Area Opaca ande out on top. Otherwise, stepping foot in there will be a suicide mission.¡± In just a few words, Cedric grasped the gravity of what Bernard had faced in Area Opaca. Without another word, he dove back into the code, his mind racing with strategies. Their enemy, Yates, aware of Bernard¡¯s efforts, sent a countdown signal as a warning. But Bernard, knowing all too well that Yates wouldn¡¯t y his hand so soon, instructed Cedric to press on. Faced with a formidable foe, Cedric suggested they move to the group¡¯sputer center for more firepower. Bernard made him swear to secrecy about the chip before they headed to the technological hub. Cedric fired up the systems and worked tirelessly through the night. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. He managed to disable the tracking and monitoring functions, but as soon as he did, new code cascaded across the screen. They were not alone in this cyber battleground. Cedric, now troubled, turned to Bernard. ¡°The chip¡¯s split its functions. I can buy us time by dying the reactivation of the monitoring and GPS, but the self-destruct¡­ I can¡¯t even simte the code. It¡¯s nearly impossible, unless¡­¡± Bernard knew what he meant. The chip could only be removed by surgery, but the risk of infection, brain death, or a vegetative state was high. The man who couldn¡¯t afford to die just yet stood up and walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window. He watched the Laurence Group employees bustling below, his mind racing with options. After only a moment¡¯s hesitation, he made his decision. He whipped out his phone and called the best doctors, urging them to rush to A City. The specialists arrived, putting aside their own work to assess Bernard¡¯s situation. After extensive consultation, they reached a consensus. ¡°Mr. Laurence,¡± one doctor began, ¡°the probability of brain death if we remove the chip is 100%. We strongly advise against the surgery.¡± Cedric, overhearing this, went pale. ¡°But if we leave it in, won¡¯t that be even more dangerous?¡± The doctor pointed to the X-ray. ¡°The chip has moved to where the tumor was and isced with a virus. Even the smallest incision could lead to infection. Leaving it in ce gives you more time.¡± In the face of impossible choices, Bernard stood at the crossroads between life and death, the weight of his decision as heavy as the fate of Siren. Chapter 1406 Chapter 1406 Cedric sank back into his chair, shock written all over his face. ¡°Are you saying that the moment that chip was inserted into my brother¡¯s brain, he was doomed?¡± The doctors remained silent in the face of his questioning, which only fueled Cedric¡¯s sudden eruption of rage. ¡°I don¡¯t care! You are doctors-the best money can buy for the Laurence family-and you will remove that chip and save my brother!¡± The doctors exchanged uneasy nces, then looked to the man at the head of the table, Bernard, who had yet to speak a word. ¡°Mr. Laurence,¡± one of the doctors started hesitantly, ¡°while we do have the capability to perform the extraction, considering your personal safety, we strongly advise against it.¡± Bernard fixed his gaze on the doctor. After a few seconds of heavy silence, he spoke, ¡°What happens here today doesn¡¯t leave this room.¡± Cedric waited, only to be met with what seemed like Bernard¡¯s resignation. His brow furrowed in frustration. ¡°If they can¡¯t do it, we¡¯ll find someone who can. I refuse to believe-¡± Bernard cut him off with a cold, stern voice. ¡°If they¡¯ve detected a virus in the chip, that means they¡¯re already the best. Stop making it difficult for them.¡± With that, Bernard nodded dismissively at the doctors. ¡°You may leave now.¡± Relieved to be excused, the doctors quickly gathered their reports and scans and stood to leave. However, just as the lead doctor reached the door, he paused, turning back to caution Bernard. ¡°Mr. Laurence, you must be mindful of resting your brain. Avoid overexertion and any impact, as it could lead to a recurrence of the tumor. With your condition, a second urrence could be far more serious-there¡¯s a high risk of cancer. Please, take care.¡± Cedric, inmed by the implication, shot up from his seat. ¡°Get out! You can¡¯t even offer a solution, and you dare scare us with such curses!¡± Understanding the distress of a worried family member, the doctor chose not to argue further. He opened the door and stepped out, leaving Cedric and Bernard alone. After the doctor had left, Cedric was overwhelmed with helplessness, while Bernard appeared emotionless. Bernard nudged Cedric with his foot, who was on the brink of tears in his chair. ¡°How long can we extend the shutdown of the surveince and tracking systems?¡± Since extraction wasn¡¯t an option, the next best thing was to prolong the shutdown of these systems to ensure their ns could proceed smoothly. Bernard wasn¡¯t concerned with how long he had left to live. His only concern was exacting revenge. As long as he could avenge the death of Caleb, the losses of their members, and the harm done to Eleanor, he could face death without regret. Seeing the hatred in Bernard¡¯s eyes, Cedric slowly reined in his emotions. His clenched fists on the table rxed, and a simr fire of vengeance ignited in his re. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Give me one more day; I¡¯ll shut down those systems.¡± Cedric, perhaps spurred by the situation, locked himself in the tech hub. Hebored over his keyboard without pause, forsaking food and sleep. After a grueling twenty-four hours, Cedric miraculously managed to disable the surveince and tracking systems. He barely breathed a sigh of relief before diving into the task of hacking the explosive system. Bernard, meanwhile, rested his head in his hand, pondering how Yates might attempt to wipe them out in one fell swoop. Bernard¡¯s tactics were different from Yates¡¯, and he had to think from Yates¡¯ perspective to anticipate his moves. If he were Yates, he would use the terrain to his advantage, rigging the perimeter of Area Opaca with explosives to kill them all, rather than waiting for a mutual destruction. With this strategy in mind, Bernard¡¯s n was clear: detonate the explosives at Area Opaca first, then storm in. For ¡®S¡¯, it wouldn¡¯t be too difficult a task. The only uncertainties were whether the people in Area Opaca would evacuate beforehand and what would be of Eleanor. In the heat of battle, Yates might use her as a human shield, potentially turning ¡®S¡¯ members¡¯ anger toward her. Moreover, if Bernard couldn¡¯t neutralize the explosive system in his head, the moment he stepped into Area Opaca, Yates would hold his life in his hands. But the path of vengeance was a long one, and a man unafraid of adversity like Bernard wouldn¡¯t be deterred by these challenges. He decided, regardless of whether Cedric could disable the explosive system, they would strike Area Opaca within two days, giving Yates no time to recover. As for Eleanor, beforeunching their assault, he needed to ensure she could safely exit Area Opaca. The question was how to aid her escape? Bernard knew of Eleanor¡¯s plight by understanding Yates¡¯ motives, and while he was somewhat reassured since Yates wouldn¡¯t harm her-and would even protect her-he still worried. The immediate concern was finding a way in, someone who could reach Area Opaca and help Eleanor escape. The first name that came to mind was Sheldon Pine. With a decisive motion, Bernard pulled out his phone, rapidly located Sheldon¡¯s number, and dialed. After exining Yates¡¯ use of Eleanor, he waited in silence for a response. On the other end, Sheldon¡¯s expression turned apologetic. ¡°I¡¯ve just been informed that ess to Area Opaca has been locked down. I can¡¯t get in there right now¡­ Chapter 1407 Chapter 1407 After delivering the news, Sheldon added with an apologetic tone, ¡°The signal to the Area Opaca is jammed too. I can¡¯t get in touch with anyone inside.¡± Bernard¡¯s expression turned cool and detached. As he searched for a breakthrough, Yates was also strategizing. It was a race to see who could outwit the other first. Unable to rescue Eleanor ahead of time, Bernard decided to focus on the demolition program. If Yates couldn¡¯t control his life, he could save Eleanor. With this in mind, Bernard ended the call and looked up at Cedric. ¡°If we can¡¯t shut down the demolition system, we need to buy ourselves more time before it goes off.¡± Cedric, who was already half-asleep from working on the simtion, forced himself awake and said, ¡°Just give me a bit more time. I¡¯ll find a way to shut it down.¡± He wasn¡¯t just aiming to shut it down; he nned to hack into it, rewrite the code, and encrypt it so the enemy couldn¡¯t reboot it. As Cedric was rapidly typing out code, he nced across at the man sitting opposite him, chin propped on one hand. He had been contemting whether to inform his brother that Eleanor had gone to Canada to trace her roots. Little did he know, his brother was already aware and had even met her in the Area Opaca. If it weren¡¯t for overhearing his brother¡¯s phone conversation, Cedric would still be in the dark about the founder of the Area Opaca being Eleanor¡¯s grandfather, let alone that she was trapped there. Concerned about Eleanor¡¯s predicament, Cedric hoped that Yates, being Eleanor¡¯s grandfather, wouldn¡¯t harm his own kin. Lost in thought, Cedric was jolted back to reality by Bernard¡¯s cool voice, ¡°Don¡¯t tell Hailey about the chip in my head.¡± Cedric paused, his gaze shifting from the screen to Bernard¡¯s solemn face. ¡°Bernard, are you worried that Hailey might tell Eleanor? Why keep it a secret?¡± Bernard remained silent, which Cedric took as confirmation. He didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Bernard, wouldn¡¯t it be good for her to worry about you a little? Why hide it?¡± But Bernard knew better that this chip in his brain was a matter of life and death. How could he burden Eleanor with that worry? This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Besides, once Eleanor was rescued, there was no telling if she woulde back. If she never returned, it was better she remained ignorant. Why worry her about a man who was living on borrowed time? Yet the thought of her noting back made Bernard¡¯s heart ache. He yearned to hold onto her for a lifetime but seemed powerless to do so. Bernard¡¯s silence was thick with loneliness, which Cedric saw as a destion no one could redeem. Perhaps Eleanor could, but would she return? Everything was uncertain, and Cedric didn¡¯t understand their rtionship. His priority was to disable the demolition system, to buy his brother time for vengeance and rescue. After two grueling days and nights, Cedric finally broke through the system. He extended the countdown but couldn¡¯tpletely neutralize the program. The enemy could stil! recalibrate the timer or trigger the demolition at will. Yates, learning that Bernard¡¯s hacker had breached and altered their surveince and tracking systems, rushed to the control room. The programmers at the Area Opaca were still decrypting Cedric¡¯s encrypted codes. It wasn¡¯t too hard, but each breakthrough was met with a taunting message on their screens: ¡°Go to hell. One day, I¡¯ll take you all down, you idiots.¡± Seeing the mix of English and profanity, Yates actually cracked a smile. ¡°This kid who keeps cracking my codes, I wish he was one of mine at the Area Opaca.¡± The operator beside him, far from amused, voiced his concern. ¡°With the surveince and tracking systemspromised, we can¡¯t anticipate his next move. What do we do?¡± Yates, arms crossed over his chest, turned to address the question. ¡°Knowing Bemard as I do, he¡¯ll be coming for us tomorrow, with backup.¡± Chapter 1408 Chapter 1408 Manipting people was an art that Yates had mastered, his words carrying the weight of impending doom. ¡°Already?¡± the voice cracked with apprehension, the fear palpable. With a nod, Yates affirmed, ¡°If I were in their shoes, free from surveince, tracking, and the threat of an explosion, I¡¯d be racing back to settle scores.¡± Moreover, Bernard was worried sick about Eleanor. There was no way he¡¯d sit back, weak and passive, dying action. Right now, they needed to prevent the enemy hacker from altering the explosive program. With that thought, Yates nudged aside a programmer and took his ce. His fingers danced over the keyboard, bypassing theplex encryption with ease and rapidly reducing the countdown to detonation. Cedric, monitoring from anotherputer, saw his painstakingly extended timer shed. He cursed under his breath and resumed his frantic typing, his fingers nearly cramping from the effort. In no time at all, the timer was extended again. Yates couldn¡¯t help but let a grin of admiration slip, ¡°This kid¡¯s got skills, way beyond anyone else here.¡± For the maniptors, the strength of the hacker was the least of their concerns; their escape was paramount. ¡°Boss, if Bernardes knocking tomorrow, do we really think a few sticks of dynamite will do the trick?¡± They had eyes on the Siren Organization¡¯s chopper, ready to trigger the explosives from a safe distance. But the creeping doubt remained: would it be enough to take down Siren¡¯s crew? While others fretted, Yates¡¯posure never wavered. ¡°Quintus, signal Sheldon. Have him and his boys wait outside. Once the bombs go off, they¡¯ll mop up the Siren Organization.¡± Mr. Quintus, usually chummy with Sheldon, felt his heart drop at the order. ¡°Boss, if we bail and leave Sheldon to fight Siren, aren¡¯t we sacrificing Mr. Quartus?¡± Yates shot Mr. Quintus an icy nce. ¡°Remember, without Quartus¡¯ betrayal, Bernard would¡¯ve never breached the Upper Zone. Sacrificing a turncoat is only fitting.¡± The maniptors concurred, their voices a chorus of agreement. ¡°Exactly. Quartus sided with Bernard. Letting him face Bernard is letting him off easy.¡± As unity held the Siren Organization together, those in Area Opaca were disintegrating, each to their own. Mr. Quintus couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill, ¡°Easy for you to say when it¡¯s not your neck on the line.¡± Yates stood, pped Quintus on the shoulder, his voice soothing. ¡°Focus on the mission, Mr. Quintus. We¡¯re here to take down the ones who hurt your family, not squabble over sacrifices.¡± Hearing this, Mr. Quintus nodded with resignation. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, boss. I won¡¯t spill to Sheldon. Just, maybe send him some extra backup.¡± Even with close ties, Mr. Quintus prioritized the mission over friendship. In the end, vengeance trumped all. Yates promised reinforcements, then addressed the room with confidence. ¡°Explosives, defense, my granddaughter-they¡¯re all just to reel Bernard in. Any more second thoughts?¡± The maniptors, assured of an additional safety, shook their heads. They could leave early, but they chose to stay, yearning to witness the downfall of the Siren Organization, to quell their thirst for revenge. When Sheldon got the call from Mr. Quintus, he knew what Yates had in mind. A shiver ran down his spine, but he quickly decided to side with Bernard. ¡°Mr. Quintus, Eleanor¡¯s trapped in Area Opaca. Can you get her out?¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°Sorry, but Eleanor¡¯s our trump card. No way I¡¯m letting her go.¡± Refusing to plead further after a t-out denial, Sheldon forced a grim smile. ¡°Don¡¯t you think using a woman as a shield is a bit¡­ ungentlemanly?¡± ¡°It¡¯s ungentlemanly, sure. But in a life-or-death situation, Mr. Quartus, who gives a damn about being a gentleman?¡± Mr. Quintus urged Sheldon not to act rashly and to consider the interests of Area Opaca above all, then hung up the phone, cutting off the signal once again. Chapter 1409 Chapter 1409 Standing before the floor-to-ceiling windows, Sheldon hesitated for a long while with his phone in hand before he finally made the call to Bernard. ¡°Just giving you a heads-up. Yates has me ying the away game, which means I¡¯ll be on the opposing side.¡± It seemed Bernard had already anticipated Yates¡¯ move, and his reaction was muted upon hearing the news. ¡°If you¡¯re willing to switch sides, you could just sit back and watch the fireworks.¡± Sheldon¡¯s lips curved into a carefree smile as he replied, ¡°I¡¯m Agent 1-4, the first to join Area Opaca. How could I possibly just stand by and watch? At most, I¡¯ll avoid taking a shot at you.¡± In Area Opaca, there were many brothers besides Yates. For the sake of brotherhood and the Syndicate they¡¯d built together, he had to follow orders andplete his mission. ¡°But kid, even though I won¡¯t raise a hand against you, the Siren Organization has blood on its hands, too. They¡¯ve taken down one of my own. I might just have to strike a few of their numbers down.¡± The term ¡°kid¡± touched a chord with Bernard, making him feel an inexplicable warmth, as if he¡¯d found a beloved family elder. ¡°See you tomorrow.¡± Understanding that Sheldon wouldn¡¯t easily betray his position, Bernard didn¡¯t push further. After those three words, he added one more ¨C ¡°Uncle Bernard had called him ¡°uncle¡± before without much thought, but this time it felt decidedly different, as if he were truly speaking to his own flesh and blood. Sheldon wanted to say more, but Bernard hung up. Lost in thought, Sheldon was staring at the screen when the bedroom door swung open. Robin Spencer stood there, arms crossed, leaning against the doorframe. ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re the one they call 1-4, Mr. Quartus, right?¡± Caught red-handed, Sheldon was momentarily startled, then brushed past him nonchntly, heading out of the bedroom. ¡°You knew I was determined to infiltrate Area Opaca, so you sent me that golden leaf invitation, mocking me with that foolish code name,ughing at my overconfidence. Yet you were there to lend a hand when I was in danger.¡± Sheldon didn¡¯t respond, simply poured himself a ss of red wine to the brim, intending to drink when Robin¡¯s hand covered the ss. ¡°Uncle, because you¡¯re a partner in Area Opaca, neither Elbert nor I ever got an invitation. You were afraid we wouldn¡¯t make it back alive, weren¡¯t you?¡± Unable to find an excuse or keep hiding the truth, Sheldon looked up at Robin. ¡°Without me, you would have died in Area Opaca. Do you really think I¡¯d let anyone send you and that other fool a golden leaf?¡± Robin detested Sheldon¡¯s sharp tongue but had to admit his uncle was right. Without Sheldon, he would indeed be dead: ¡°I just never imagined you¡¯d be one of the operators in Area Opaca, or that Eleanor¡¯s grandfather would be its founder.¡± The mention of Eleanor sent a shiver through Robin¡­ ¡°I just heard you mention Eleanor¡¯s trapped in Area Opaca. Is she in danger?¡± Sheldon lifted his gaze, thoughtfully observing the anxious Robin. ¡°Why do you seem more worried about Eleanor than Bernard does?¡± Caught off-guard by Sheldon¡¯s insight, Robin averted his eyes, releasing the wine ss. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Nothing?¡± Sheldon took a sip from his ss, scrutinizing Robin. ¡°If it were nothing, you wouldn¡¯t risk your life to save Eleanor.¡± Robin blushed, refusing to acknowledge what he had done. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Any decent person would lend a hand to save a woman or child in need.¡± Not pressing the matter, Sheldon drank his wine alone, pondering the morrow¡¯s affairs, ¡°I overheard your call to Bernard. Are you two going head-to-head tomorrow?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not exactly a duel to the death. I¡¯m just buying time. Once I¡¯ve stalled long enough, I¡¯ll pull out.¡± He wasn¡¯t foolish enough to send his own people to their deaths. ¡°I¡¯ming with you tomorrow.¡± Sheldon, in mid-drink, looked at him in surprise. ¡°What can you do there?¡± Always frail and sickly, not fit for a fight or heavy lifting-was he going to be the lookout? Reading the disdain in his uncle¡¯s eyes, Robin¡¯s face darkened. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know, I would stay put. But now that I do, I have to help Bernard.¡± Sheldog thought the boy was out of his mind ¡°I¡¯m aiding Area Opaca, and you want to help Bernard by following me? Have you lost it?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t just stand by and do nothing.¡± With that, Robin spun on his heel and left. ¡°I¡¯ll go tell my people. Make sure you call me before you leave tomorrow.¡± Sheldon nearly had a heart attack. Not only was Robin not helping him, but he was also assisting Bernard and expected a reminder. Talk about bending over backward! And Robin was helping Bernard for Eleanor, right? Why did the kid always insist on stirring up trouble? While Sheldon was overwhelmed with issues, Bernard gathered his Siren Organization members and instructed them to head to the Golden Sea District. Shortly after, Aidyn arrived, apanied by the elusive Mr. Penrod. ¡°Bernard, your guys have been digging around and managed to trace it back to me. Quite impressive,¡± Mr. Penrod remarked. Bernard, who had been gazing out the window, turned slightly to meet Mr. Penrod¡¯s gaze. ¡°With no leads on your whereabouts, this was the only way to invite you over, Mr. Penrod. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± Mr. Penrod, leaning on his cane, removed his ck hat and stepped forward. ¡°Even if you hadn¡¯te looking for me in the shadows, I would have found you. Of course, I don¡¯t mind.¡± Chapter 1410 Chapter 1410 Bernard¡¯s deep¨Cset eyes, edged with a hint of frost, bore into the space before him as his voice, low and resonant, broke the silence. ¡°I didn¡¯t have to dig, Mr. Penrod. You would¡¯vee looking for me anyway, wouldn¡¯t you? Did you guess I¡¯d make it back alive?¡± Mr. Penrod passed his walking stick to Aidyn before settling into the sofa with an air of entitlement. ¡°Given your skill set, surviving wasn¡¯t a gamble.¡± Bernard pivoted, his tall frame turning to face the self¨Cassured Mr. Penrod, now loungingfortably. ¡°So, what brings you here then?¡± Mr. Penrod leaned back, legs crossed in an almostzy pose. ¡°Since you¡¯re aware of the Darkness, there¡¯s no harm in telling you.¡± Bernard before him, bathed in the dimming light of dusk, regarded Mr. Penrod with an unflinching gaze. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t known about its existence, would you have kept it from me forever?¡± Mr. Penrod didn¡¯t answer directly, opting for a lighter tone. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you because Darkness is no good Samaritan.¡± The golden hues of twilight caressed Bernard, yet the warmth seemed to elude him. His voice, steady and frosty, cut through the air. ¡°So, it¡¯s not deliberate secrecy but outright deception. Do you think I¡¯m easy to manipte, Mr. Penrod?¡± Denial came swiftly. ¡°I¡¯ve invested more time, thought, and effort in you than in my own kin, Evan and Gianna Penrod. There¡¯s been no deceit. Why would I manipte you?¡± A coldugh escaped Bernard. ¡°Is that right?¡± Mr. Penrod remained silent as Bernard advanced, towering over him with a scrutinizing gaze. ¡°The Siren Organization has been around for ages, yet you wiped its existence from the record, iming it was founded for me. Isn¡¯t that deception?¡± In the face of his user, Mr. Penrod fell momentarily silent. ¡°I did withhold that from you intentionally, but I didn¡¯t think it concerned you.¡± 3. ? Bernard was prepared for the confession, yet disappointment crept in. ¡°Is it truly irrelevant to me, or have you not used me enough to disclose the truth?¡± Mr. Penrod, faced with suspicion, chose silence. ¡°Bernard, Darkness was an enterprise started by my father¡¯s generation. It¡¯s ancient history and not something to leverage against you.¡± Bernard responded with icy detachment. ¡°Mr. Penrod, you knew full well that Darkness took Pauline¡¯s life, leading Yates to create Area Opaca to hunt down the Siren Organization. Isn¡¯t withholding the truth from me a form of use?¡± At this juncture, Mr. Penrod had little room for excuses. ¡°Indeed, you¡¯re the man I raised. Given tidbits of information, you piece together the whole picture. You¡¯re ready to graduate.¡± Bernard¡¯s voice remained crisp and cool. ¡°I appreciate the training, Mr. Penrod, but I¡¯m not quite there yet. After all, I only see part of the picture. I rely on you to rify the details.¡± Mr. Penrod chuckled. ¡°Even in verbal sparring, you don¡¯t give an inch. Not bad at all.¡± After the praise, Mr. Penrod¡¯s gaze shifted from Bernard¡¯s face to the opposite sofa. down, let¡¯s talk.¡± Bemard, once shrouded in calm depth, remained standing for a few seconds before advancing to sit opposite Mr. Penrod. As he seated himself, a beam of sunlight divided thern¨Cone in shadow, the other in light. Bernard in the light seemed gilded, his aura shining brightly, casting Mr. Penrod into deeper gloom. Mr Penrod, eyeing Bernard across the way, began tracing the rim of his ck hat ¡°Before she crossed paths with Yates, Pauline had a first love¨CTimothy Howard, the youngest son of the rising Howard family of North Fund. My father used to say there was an adage among their generation, The young lord is fair as jade, referring to Timothy Unfortunately, even the most promising can¡¯t stand against the all epassing power of the Sharp family. When Timothy faced Yates, he was but a bug underfoot Yates father taught him to take what he wanted by force. So, Yates, naturally inclined to seize, stole Pauline from Timothy Tomy, not one to give up harassed Pauline and even pulled a gun on Yates Having never been shot before, Yates, wounded decided Win a single sh, the young lend met ha end in a fly ditch Among those hiding und witnessing the event was my aunt Samarth nt to great lengths to morty Vale First, sa nted evidence next to the body in implicate Pauline lo Timothy¡¯s death that regory Howard, who already disliked Pauline, believed she¡¯d abandoned bis soit for the Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. dnds would blocker social climbing, had him killed his kay was conquerishable established families there looked down on him. Despite their contempt, Gregory had a knack for rallying the street gangs. Once he learned his son had been killed by Pauline, he founded Darkness to kill the Hardys.¡± Chapter 1411 Chapter 1411 ¡°Back in the day, the Hardy n had fallen on hard times, deep in debt and having made more than a few enemies. It wasmon knowledge that there were plenty looking to settle scores with the Hardys, but every single one of them was thwarted by Yates¡® intervention. With Yates¡® protection, no soul dared to hurt the Hardys; not even the darkest shadows could get close to Pauline. That was until Yates was strong¨Carmed by his father into marrying Samantha. Pauline, feeling betrayed, left, giving Gregory the chance. he¡¯d been waiting for to exact his revenge. Leading his band of thugs, Gregory ughtered Pauline¡¯s entire family. Then, in a heinous act, he had his goons take turns raping Pauline, who had just given birth. The brutality was extreme; as my father told it, Pauline was left more than just physically broken¨Cit was a cruel, cruel deed, and she died with her eyes open in defiance. At that time, Gregory didn¡¯t have the clout to cross Yates, so after the deed was done, he framed it to look like the work of some other Hardy enemy. Yates spent years searching for the truth, and it wasn¡¯t until the Siren Organization emerged that he started putting together the pieces. It was after many years that, inspired by the Siren Organization, he founded Ace, spreading hiswork to hunt down members of the Siren Organization¡­¡± Afterying out the whole twisted web of betrayal between Pauline, Timothy, and Yates, Mr. Penrod looked up at theposed man across from him. The one who truly ended Timothy was Yates himself, the master maniptor. Gregory was just ying hitman for Samantha. Perhaps Samantha saw an opportunity to rid herself of a problem with Yates nning to divorce her after their agreement ended. She simply decided to use Gregory as a pawn to eliminate Pauline.¡± Bernard¡¯s face was a mask of controlled rage, almost as if he med Mr. Penrod for not revealing these secrets sooner. Facing Bernard¡¯s icy demeanor, Mr. Penrod feltpelled to exin, ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you all this before because, well, my aunt had a hand in it. It¡¯s a rather sordid affair.¡± Bernard snorted coldly, ¡°The disgraceful acts don¡¯t end with Samantha¡¯s maniption. There¡¯s also the matter of the internal strife within Darkness, its dissolution, and its rebirth as the Siren Organization, right?¡± Darkness, originally founded by Gregory, was now under the control of Xavier Penrod. The details of what happened in the interim, where Gregory and the other Darkness members had gone, that was probably the most disgraceful part of it all. ¡°You are the one piece I can¡¯t seem to control.¡± Hearing it, Bernard remained silent. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Seeing this, Mr. Penrod couldn¡¯t help but smirk coldly before continuing indifferently. ¡°The name change goes back to my father. He once saved Gregory, who, out of gratitude, made him his second¨Cinmand. My father didn¡¯t need these dark forces, given his own family¡¯s status. But the Penrod siblings were fiercely fighting over their inheritance, so my father leveraged this underworld power to his advantage. Eventually, a power struggle erupted between my father and Gregory. My father, wanting to take the reins, began to plot Gregory¡¯s downfall. But the loyalty was to Gregory and his son Victor Howard. So, my father resorted to injecting Gregory¡¯s IV with a lethal dose. Victor caught him in the act. My father spared Victor at that moment, which led to Victor rallying the Darkness members against my father Unexpectedly, not only did Victor fail to kill my father, he was overpowered and killed instead¡­ So my father took the opportunity to eliminate all of Gregory and Victor¡¯s supporters within Darkness. After the purge, he took his own loyalists, rebranded the organization based on the old Darkness model, and named it the Siren Organization. His reign was short¨Clived, however, as he soon passed away. After his death, my uncles and other rtives nominated me to lead the Siren Organization. I was reluctant at first.¡± Mr. Penrod paused, his gaze drifting through Bernard¡¯s stoic facade to the graves of those long gone. That year, your mother Tammie Pine, was driven to her death by your grandfather and Donna The Pines, cowardly as ever, wouldn¡¯t even acknowledge her wrongful death. And your father was left in the dark, sinking into a grief he couldn¡¯t escape. I stood before your mothers gravestone and swore to strengthen the Siren Organization, to hamess the power of all the families and wipe out the Stanley. Pine and Lourence familles Mr Penrode eyes fell, it seemed as if he was recalling some unpleasant memory, his expression heavy with the weight of it. Shido¡¯s been for Leonard Laurence riding his white horse past Tammie at the racetrack that day, she might never have fleeting nce He couldn¡¯t help but see the parallels between himself and Timothy. It wasn¡¯t that he was facing a madman like Yates; rather, his adversary was the feeble heir of the Laurence family, the scion who seemed to possess neither the strength of character nor the cunning required to be a true contender. ¡°Even though your father was never really a match for me, I despised him with every fiber of my being. That¡¯s why,ter on, I decided to take you under my wing, because¡­¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m Leonard Laurence¡¯s kid. You wanted to mold me into a sharp and handy de that you could then use to get back at the Stanley, Pine, and Laurence families?¡± asked Bernard. Chapter 1412 Chapter 1412 Bernard¡¯s question jolted Mr. Penrod from his reverie. With a lift of his gaze, he locked eyes with Bernard-the eyes that seemed to see right through everything. ¡°Indeed,¡± he said, ¡°I thought to myself, maybe with your knife, taking down the Pines, the Stanleys, and the Lawrences would be more satisfying than doing it myself. After all, they¡¯re your kin.¡± Revenge-a vendetta like the one the Howards had-that endless cycle of blood for blood wouldn¡¯t do. It had to be like slowly boiling three frogs in a pot over a low me, making them turn on each other in their desperation. If Yates was ruthless, Mr. Penrod was venomous, biding his time, orchestrating for years just to set this chessboard. And ironically, the pawns saw the chessmaster as family. ¡°At seven, beaten within an inch of my life, it was you who reached out, pulled me back from the brink. I thought it was salvation, not realizing it was all just part of your game.¡± Even suspecting he was a pawn, Bernard couldn¡¯t help but feel the sting of disappointment, an emotion that seeped out, unable to be concealed. All his life, with a father who didn¡¯t care, a mother who wasn¡¯t there, and a stepmother¡¯s cruelty, even the grandfather who raised him did so only for his utility¡­ So at seven, when Mr. Penrod cradled a bloodied Bernard, whispering, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here. It¡¯ll all get better,¡± he truly believed that he was his redemption, the life raft on his journey of growth, a foster father with genuine affection. In his final moments, Mr. Penrod was indeed a fatherly figure, a mentor, the reason for Bernard¡¯s tireless dedication to the Siren Organization. But now, as winter approached, the once savior morphed into a specter, encased in frost, forever chilling his heart. The savior of his seventh year was gone, leaving only Bernard shrouded in darkness, an enigma half-lit on the couch. Mr. Penrod saw the shift in Bernard¡¯s eyes, yet he seemed to have anticipated this oue and felt no regret. ¡°Truth be told, watching you demolish the Stanleys, unite the Lawrences, and sh with the Pines was quite satisfying. But¡­¡± Mr. Penrod paused, peering at the solitary and deste Bernard across from him. ¡°My strategy did take out the Stanleys, but the Pines, even with my nudging from the shadows, only reached a stalemate, not obliteration. And then there¡¯s the Laurence family¡­¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Mr. Penrod kept his darkest thoughts to himself, but Bernard had already guessed them. ¡°At this point, Mr. Penrod, why bother with pretense?¡± A slight nod from Mr. Penrod confirmed the truth. ¡°Yes, even if I don¡¯t tell you, you would find out. So, it¡¯s better that give you the answers.¡± Bernard, setting aside all sense of loss, leaned back on the couch and gestured with a tilt of his chin for Xavier to continue. ¡°We both know the caliber of the Laurence heirs; none can hold a candle to you. I was thinking, without you, the Laurences would probably fall into decline before long, right? And that¡¯s precisely when Yates would make his move. I reckon, if you were to die in Area Opaca, the trail wouldn¡¯t lead back to me, would it?¡± Xavier Penrod¡¯s voice was casual, as if discussing something utterly mundane. But to Bernard, it was as chilling as being in the Arctic, a biting cold that enveloped him. ¡°So you¡¯ve always known who the founder of Area Opaca was, yet you let me walk into a death trap, sacrificing so many members.¡± Xavier waved off the suggestion with a flick of his hand. ¡°At first, I truly believed that Area Opaca was a coalition of business scourges wiped out by the Siren Organization. But when they began to massacre our members en masse, I recalled the Darkness and suspected Yates was the puppeteer. I considered confronting Yates with the full might of the Siren Organization, but¡­¡± Xavier couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it, but Bernard had no qualms about stripping away the facade. ¡°But your father was involved in a gang assault, and your aunt was the mastermind who incited Yates¡¯ hatred. You feared that if Yates found out, he would wreak havoc on you, on the Penrods, so you dared not reveal yourself, to face Yates head-on.¡± Bernard had pieced it all together, and with nothing left to hide, Xavier simply nodded in admission. ¡°Had you not insisted on leaving the Siren Organization, I wouldn¡¯t have exploited your trust and sent you to Area Opaca.¡± Xavier knew that given Bernard¡¯s nature, once inside Area Opaca and learning who was behind it, he would undoubtedly kill them. Thus, by using Bernard to discreetly eliminate Yates, Xavier could forever lurk in the shadows, avoiding any fallout. And if Bernard failed to kill Yates and fell in Area Opaca, the Laurences, without Bernard, would be doomed to decline. Either oue would benefit him. So why wouldn¡¯t Xavier stand back and reap the rewards of a watcher¡¯s game? Chapter 1413 Chapter 1413 Bernard stood defiantly in the harsh re of the sun, hisplexion pale. His lips curled in a half- smile, but it was devoid of warmth. ¡°I never wanted my wife to live in fear because of me,¡± he said, his voiceced with a mixture of resolve and sadness. ¡°All I ever wanted was to spend the rest of my days with her in peace. Is that so wrong?¡± His tenure with the Siren Organization meant he was perpetually walking on a knife¡¯s edge. One slip, one hint of his true identity, and it wouldn¡¯t just be him facing dire consequences-it would be Eleanor, their home, their entire lives, turned to dust. ¡°You¡¯re not in the wrong,¡± came the reply. ¡°Then who is?¡± Bernard challenged, raising an eyebrow at Xavier. ¡°I¡¯m not in the wrong, so it must be Caleb, right?¡± Xavier shot him a nce but said nothing. Bernard slowly straightened up, resting his hands on his knees, his gaze fixed coldly on Xavier. ¡°Do you have any idea how many lives your selfishness has cost?¡± Bernard¡¯s finger tapped insistently on the table between them, where the Siren Organization¡¯s rostery. ¡°They were turned into bioengineered soldiers for your vendetta! And Caleb, who grew up with me, died in Area Opaca, never to rest in peace! And Evan, your own adopted son-if I hadn¡¯t pushed him out of harm¡¯s way, he would¡¯ve died there too!¡± As Bernard thought of the fallen, his eyes turned a deep, bloody red, and his fists clenched so tightly that his veins stood out like cords. ¡°Xavier, Evan was your boy, and you were willing to sacrifice him. What kind of heart do you have?!¡± Xavier had always known Bernard to be a master at controlling his emotions, maintaining a calm composure even in the face of infuriating situations. But now, Bernard was yelling at him, hysterical with grief for Caleb, Evan, and the others-it was a rare sight indeed. ¡°Even though Evan was my adopted son, his biological father was Victor, so there wasn¡¯t much of a bond,¡± Xavier said, as if that justified any part of it. So it turned out that the Darkness Xavier¡¯s father had schemed to seize was rightfully Evan¡¯s all along. ¡°Evan spent his whole life honoring an enemy as his father,¡± Bernard muttered, making Xavier somewhat angry. ¡°The end justifies the means,¡± he said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whose son one is, as long as the bnce of benefits is maintained.¡± Bernard looked at Xavier as if he were seeing him for the first time, his eyes filled with detachment. ¡°You¡¯re telling me all this, and you¡¯re not afraid I¡¯ll tip off Yates?¡± ¡°If I didn¡¯t tell you, and you found out anyway, wouldn¡¯t you inform him regardless?¡± Xavier shot back the question and then sat up straighter, looking directly at Bernard. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve finished with those trifles, let¡¯s discuss the matter at hand.¡± Trifles? To Xavier, all these grudges, the lives entangled, were nothing but trifles? ¡°I know you¡¯ll go back to Area Opaca no matter what, to avenge Caleb and the others,¡± Xavier began. ¡°I have only one condition: help me take out Yates. After that, we¡¯re even.¡± Bernard¡¯s lips curled into a bitter smile as he spoke, ¡°You have the nerve to speak of being even?¡± Xavier met Bernard¡¯s scornful gaze impassively as he recounted their history. ¡°When you were seven, if I hadn¡¯t saved you, you would¡¯ve perished in the streets-that¡¯s a life debt. Without my guidance, you wouldn¡¯t be the man in charge of the Laurence family today-that¡¯s a debt of upbringing.¡± After speaking, Xavier looked apologetically at Bernard. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it seems I¡¯m calling in those debts. But Bernard, if Yates learns the truth, more people from Siren Organization will die, including you.¡± The glimmer of a smile in Bernard¡¯s eyes was quickly veiled by a mist, shrouding his vision as if he were lost in a fog, a mix of destion and ridicule. ¡°For every member killed in Area Opaca, I¡¯ll exact the same number in revenge. That should settle your debts. As for your private vendetta with Yates, that¡¯s none of my concern. Settle it yourself!¡± With his emotions tucked away, Bernard gestured towards the door with his chin. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be tied up and delivered to Yates right now, you¡¯d better leave.¡± Xavier¡¯s face twitched with embarrassment at the outright rejection. But he couldn¡¯t forget Bernard¡¯s wife, the one who couldn¡¯t lift a finger in her own defense. Bernard¡¯s eyes suddenly zed with a deadly chill as he locked onto Xavier¡¯s face. ¡°Touch her, and I¡¯ll kill you right here, right now.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Xavier knew Bernard wouldn¡¯t kill him now-he needed him to bnce the scales against Yates on the battlefield. The games they all yed were no secret to anyone; it was just that Xavier was a bit worried. ¡°Think it over. If you agree, I¡¯ll send my top men to back you up. Otherwise, if you¡¯re short on manpower, don¡¯t me me.¡± With that veiled threat, Xavier stood and walked towards the door, only to find Evan standing there, a statue of resolve. ¡°All this time, I wasn¡¯t just some unwanted kid¡­¡± Evan¡¯s steps were heavy as he moved forward,ing face to face with Xavier. ¡°All this time, I had a father, only to be murdered by yours.¡± And then they took his ce, adopting him, the orphan, in a show of benevolence, making him honor a thief as his father. It wasughable/ Xavier¡¯s eyes flickered with panic as Evan spoke. ¡°Evan,e back with me. I¡¯ll tell you the whole truth.¡± ¡°No need, Mr. Penrod,¡± Evan said, his lips twisting into a cold smile mirroring Bernard¡¯s own disillusionment. He had always called Xavier ¡®father, but now he referred to him as Mr. Penrod, a final courtesy. Brushing past Xavier, Evan approached Bernard. ¡°Mr. Law, let¡¯s go. It¡¯s time for vengeance.¡± Chapter 1414 Chapter 1414 Barrett¡¯s gaze lifted nonchntly, a flicker of nothingness in his eyes, ¡°I didn¡¯t inform you.¡± Lingering in the shadows, Evan spoke with a subdued voice, ¡°Caleb and the others were my brothers too. To avenge them is my duty.¡± Barrett¡¯s indifferent gaze drifted past Evan, settling on the door that Aidyn had just shut, ¡°You might as well go back with him, hear his side of the story. A scornful smirk yed on Evan¡¯s lips, ¡°He took me in, kept secrets from me. How is that different from grooming you, using you? The so-called truth is just honing two sharp des.¡± Both men were sharpened by Xavier to be des; Barrett¡¯s edge was turned against his own kin, while Evan¡¯s was used to solidify Mr Penrod¡¯s influence and secure loyalty. The realization soured Evan¡¯s thoughts, ¡°In the end, Caleb, the members who died in the biozone, and the others, they were just pawns in Mr. Penrod¡¯s revenge. And yet we served him loyally.¡± These members, though they also used the hidden force of the Siren Organization to remove familial obstacles, still held true to their belief in purging the business world of its cancers, not merely being used. Thinking of his brothers-in-arms deceived, Evan felt an indignant pang, ¡°Once this is over, I¡¯ll turn against Mr. Penrod. When I do, you keep out of it.¡± Barrett spared him a nce, his voice as cool and deep as ever, ¡°What you need to do, after it¡¯s all finished, is to disband the members, then use Yates as a proxy to fight Penrod, not take him on yourself.¡± They¡¯d been used enough; now, let Yates and Xavier duke it out. But before that, Barrett¡¯s task was to use this as a bargaining chip to bring Eleanor home. Barrett exuded a chill Evancked, ¡°I thought you¡¯d be upset knowing the truth, but you¡¯re as calm as ever.¡± A cold smirk appeared in Barrett¡¯s eyes. If Evan had been through what he had, he¡¯d know the phrase ¡®being used¡¯ was trivial. Whatever Mr. Penrod gave was never truly theirs. Taking it away was only natural. There might be a moment¡¯s disappointment, but it would fade. In his life, Barrett sought not familial affection, nor anyone¡¯s pity or sympathy. He yearned only for Eleanor; beyond her, he desired nothing else. Feeling empathy for Barrett, Evan stepped out of the shadows, striding into the sunlight where Barrett stood. ¡°I once resented you for Xavier¡¯s favoritism. From now on, I, Evan, will follow Mr. Law¡¯s lead without question.¡± His voice rang clear, with newfound conviction. Barrett arched an eyebrow at Evan¡¯s sincere facade. ¡°After avenging Caleb and the others, I¡¯m done with Siren. You don¡¯t need to follow me.¡± ¡°As long as you lead Siren, I¡¯ll follow,¡± Evan affirmed, steadfast. Barrett¡¯sshes.fluttered faintly. ¡°Are youmitted to this?¡± Evan nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve gathered the headquarters members. I can¡¯t move Penrod¡¯s men, but it¡¯s enough to support you.¡± Barrett was decisive,manding coldly, ¡°Tell your men, tomorrow at 10:25 AM, be on standby at the airport in the Golden Sea District.¡± 10:25 was when Barrett¡¯s private jet was scheduled tond. From that moment on, their mission was singr-49 lives, including Caleb¡¯s, must be answered for by Area Opaca, eye for an eye. Within the Golden Sea District, a man in a ck suit with amanding presence stepped briskly out of the airport, followed by his entourage. Evan, waiting outside, saw Barrett emerge and signaled his men to open the car door. Barrett slid into the car with his usual grace and turned to Evan. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± At Evan¡¯s signal, masked members swiftly boarded the vehicles. As the car doors mmed shut, a fleet of ck cars sped into the district. Scott stood by with his team, awaiting Barrett¡¯s arrival next to a row of helicopters. Soon, the convoy arrived at the rendezvous point, navigating the rugged mountain roads with precision. Barrett alighted from the lead car, followed by Evan and Gianna.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Gianna, now aware of everything, had confronted Xavier the night before, receiving a disappointing response. Knowing her brother had sided with Barrett, she chose to stand with him, unwavering. With Gianna¡¯s support, even without Penrod¡¯s men, they had enough to take on Area Opaca. Scott presented Barrett with white gloves, addressing him respectfully: ¡°Sir, each helicopter has been rigged with explosives, and the st radius has been calcted by professionals. Whether it¡¯s the initial or secondary flight personnel, everyone¡¯s safety is assured.¡± Taking the gloves, Barrett nodded slightly. ¡°Nothing less than perfection.¡± ¡°You can count on it,¡± Scott assured. He was known for his wless execution. Chapter 1415 Chapter 1415 Bernard slipped on his gloves, his gaze lifting to the team assembled beside the chopper. ¡°Three things,¡± he said. ¡°First, keep your own hide safe. Second, take down 49 of them, then we pull back. Third, I¡¯ll avenge Caleb myself.¡± His words, terse and clear, were met with a deafening chorus of affirmation. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Bernard looked away from the team, his eyes falling on Evan and Gianna. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°I¡¯m taking point. You follow.¡± ¡°Maybe we should go first?¡± The unknown quantity of explosives rigged by the Area Opaca made those on the first flight, tossing the bombs and triggering the ground explosives, the most at-risk group. Evan and Gianna were worried about Bernard¡¯s safety, seemingly forgetting that when it came to combat, Bernard was unbeatable. Moreover, his taking point would steady the team¡¯s nerves. Facing his siblings¡¯ concern, Bernard was unfazed, briskly stepping past them and making his way to a sleek ck van. ¡°Cedric, is the dyed detonation system good to go?¡± Seated amidst an array of high-tech gear, Cedric was hammering away at his keyboard when he replied without looking up, ¡°Just a sec.¡± ¡°Done.¡± Cedric paused his typing, his eyes, glinting with mirth, lifting to Bernard. ¡°Bernard, with me here, no one¡¯s your match.¡± Bernard nodded slightly, then turned, holding out his hand to Aidyn. Aidyn immediately pulled a pistol from his holster and ced it in Bernard¡¯s palm. Then Bernard wrapped his fingers around the gun, his grip firm, as he walked toward the helicopter. Just as he was about to board, a clear voice called from behind him- ¡°Bernard, take me with you.¡± Bernard paused, half-turning his lean frame to look toward Robin, who was coolly facing down the barrels of countless guns aimed at his head. As the vice-chairman of the Premier Entrepreneurs¡¯ League, dedicated to fighting the Area Opaca and the Siren Organization, it was no surprise that the Sirens¡¯ guns were drawn at the first sight of him. Almost as soon as Robin appeared, Siren members reached for their weapons, aiming straight at his head, ready to shoot at the slightest provocation. Robin, unfazed by the multitude of guns trained on him, simply raised a finger and pushed them aside. ¡°I have a duty to eradicate the Area Opaca too. Why not join forces for now?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t respond but tilted his head slightly, eyeing Robin with skepticism. The other man¡¯s icy gaze seemed to question: What are you here for if not to save your wife? Robin felt exposed under Bernard¡¯s piercing stare, but still, he¡¯de of his own ord. ¡°I¡¯ve got a good number of people. Think it over.¡± While he wasn¡¯t one for solo fights, in a brawl, he never lost. Bernard regarded Robin for a few seconds before silently boarding the helicopter. After receiving the headset from the pilot, he nced through the window at Robin and said: ¡°You cover the rear.¡± With that, Bernard lifted his chin, his voice cold and detached through the headset: ¡°First wave, 25/Board up.¡± As hismand echoed, the team members outside, dressed in their uniforms, boarded the chopper in an orderly fashion. Once everyone was ready, the helicopter, with Bernard¡¯s leading, took to the skies in unison, rotors whirring, stirring the clouds and wind as if to scatter the darkness before the dawn. The first wave of 25 helicopters reached the airspace above the Area Opaca territory swiftly¡­ Bernard ordered his team to avoid Eleanor¡¯s District A and then, with steely eyes, gave themand, ¡°Fire!¡± The team members, following orders, dropped their bombs, and the mountainside exploded in a deafening roar. One st followed another, earth quaking, but Bernard¡¯s gaze never wavered as he continued to issue orders- ¡°Second wave, 35. Follow suit.¡± Evan and Gianna immediately boarded their chopper, racing towards the Area Opaca¡¯s territory. As they pushed forward, Bernard¡¯s first wave retreated, their coordination wless. Robin, monitoring from afar with binocrs, couldn¡¯t help but respect the impressive aerial disy. Bernard¡¯s swift and decisive actions truly lived up to his reputation for being ruthless in battle. After three rounds, the explosives around the Area Opaca¡¯s perimeter werepletely neutralized by thebined effort of the Siren Organization. Once the area was secure, over a hundred helicopters descended upon the four major districts of the Area Opaca. Inside the control room, Yates watched the scene unfold, his scalp tingling for a moment before he steadied himself and opened the channel to Sheldon. ¡°Your move.¡± Sheldon, waiting on the ship, put down his binocrs at the signal and gestured with his hand. ¡°Land.¡± Bernard emerged from the helicopter to find Sheldon waiting. The two men stood on scorched earth, separated by trees. Evan, who had eavesdropped the night before, nced between Bernard and Sheldon. ¡°Mr. Pine, you wouldn¡¯t go so far as to take out your own nephew, would you?¡± Sheldon, thinking Evan meant Robin, simply arched an eyebrow nonchntly. ¡°Kill? No. But a lesson is due. Who does he think he is, turning his back on his own family?¡± Evan followed Sheldon¡¯s gaze to Robin, who was bent over, examining an AK. ¡°I¡¯m not talking about him.¡± Evan stepped past Robin, looking up at the man in charge, Bernard. ¡°I mean him.¡± Chapter 1416 Chapter 1416 Sheldon froze, a puzzled look crossing his face as he stared at the expressionless Bernard. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°He¡¯s your sister Tammie¡¯s kid, didn¡¯t you know?¡± Evan¡¯s casual words left Sheldon gobsmacked. ¡°What¡­ aren¡¯t you Donna¡¯s child?¡± Sheldon knew about the saga of Tammie and her undying bond with Leonard Laurence. But it never crossed his mind that Bernard could be their child. This revtion left Sheldon incredulous, scrutinizing Bernard from head to toe. Just by looks, you couldn¡¯t tell much, but those eyes¡­ On closer inspection, they had a distant aloofness about them, quintessentially Tammie. In Sheldon¡¯s memory, Tammie always had a certain chilliness, as if nothing in the world mattered to her. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Bernard, standing not far off, had the same air of detachment, as if perched on a high pedestal yet indifferent to it all. The more Sheldon looked, the more he saw the resemnce, and the disbelief in his eyes softened. ¡°No wonder you called me uncle before.¡± He¡¯d thought it was just a slip of the tongue because of Eleanor, and he went along with the uncle bit. Little did he know, Bernard was already privy to their family ties. ¡°If you knew I was your uncle all along, why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?¡± Bernard¡¯s using gaze shifted from Evan, settling on Sheldon in the distance. ¡°No need.¡± Just a bit of blood rtion, not close, what was the point of mentioning it? Bernard¡¯s cool voice was familiar to Sheldon. But to Robin, it was a thunderbolt from the blue! ¡°You¡­ are my aunt¡¯s child?!¡± If Bernard was his aunt¡¯s kid, then that made him Bernard¡¯s¡­Cousin?! Damn! His lifelong nemesis turned out to be his cousin?! The shock in Robin¡¯s eyes could only be described as a bolt from the blue. He stared at Bernard with wide, incredulous eyes. No wonder Bernard had always been one step ahead; it was bloodline supremacy. Supremacy be damned, but if Bernard was his cousin, then Eleanor was¡­ His cousin-inw?! The realization nearly gave Robin a heart attack, the kind that made him want tomit murder out of sheer frustration! ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re my aunt¡¯s child, I will never acknowledge you as my cousin!¡± Bernard, turning slightly, smirked with a thin curl of his lips, scoffing softly. ¡°Whether you acknowledge it or not, you still have to call my wife-your cousin-inw.¡± Robin¡¯s face turned sour, even the AK in his hand felt powerless. Pining for a married woman was bad enough, but for her to suddenly be your cousin-inw¡­ If the situation wasn¡¯t so dire, Robin would have lost it, beyond anyone¡¯s control! However, no one paid any attention to Robin¡¯s rage, as everyone grappled with this sudden revtion of their rtionship. ¡°Mr. Quartus, he¡¯s your nephew, are we still going to fight?¡± Sheldon, looking at the opposing side, hesitated for a moment then brushed aside the memories, stepping over the charred remnants of branches on the ground and moving forward¡­ ¡°Blood ties aside, our stances are still opposed.¡± Bernard, who had anticipated this response, lifted his slender finger in amanding gesture as soon as Sheldon finished speaking. Members of the Siren Organization, masked and all, immediately drew their guns, aiming at Sheldon and his followers. And as the Sirens drew their weapons, Sheldon¡¯s people also drew their guns in unison. Both sides were on a knife-edge, ready to erupt into a hail of bullets at a singlemand. Yet Sheldon¡¯s group, guns in hand aimed at Bernard, never gave the order to fire. Evan, who sought a bloodless victory, took in the scene and knew Sheldon was hesitating. He spoke up again. ¡°Mr. Pine, even if you don¡¯t consider family ties, think about your brothers-in-arms.¡± ¡°Area Opaca sent you out alone to intercept us, clearly willing to sacrifice you.¡± With just a few words, Evan¡¯s gaze moved beyond Sheldon to the gun-wielding men in ck. ¡°By numbers, you are fewer than us, and you¡¯re outgunned.¡± ¡°You must be well aware that with our manpower and firepower, we could turn you into Swiss cheese.¡±. ¡°Why be Yates¡¯ sacrificialmb with your brothers when you could be thinking about your own welfare?¡± Sheldon nced back at his brothers-in-arms, then turned his gaze to the hundreds of masked Siren Organization members behind Bernard. In terms of numbers and weaponry, they were outmatched; a fight would leave them without an advantage. But to betray Area Opaca at this moment seemed like an impossibility. Chapter 1417 Chapter 1417 Evan¡¯s words hung in the air, a mix of reason and temptation that even Sheldon¡¯s men, d in ck, couldn¡¯t ignore. ¡°Mr. Pine,¡± they began, their loyalty wavering, ¡°we¡¯re sent out here likembs to the ughter, and for what? They didn¡¯t even give us enough backup.¡± ¡°Yeah, why should we keep risking our necks for them?¡± Once one spoke up, the rest followed suit, a chorus of dissent. Sheldon looked down at the gun in his hand, his furrowed brow a clear sign of his internal struggle. ¡°Uncle,¡± Robin stepped forward, unable to fully ept Bernard as his cousin, but recognizing the gravity of the situation. ¡°I know you¡¯re loyal to Area Opaca, but this is a no-win for you. Just watch from the sidelines this time.¡± ¡°As for the Pine family¡¯s beef with the Sirens, let¡¯s settle that scoreter. Don¡¯t let your brothers die for nothing.¡± Sheldon¡¯s hesitant gaze flicked to Robin, then to Bernard, who hadn¡¯t yet spoken. ¡°What do you think?¡± Bernard¡¯s voice was deep andmanding, resonating through the crackling fires of the forest. ¡°If you want to fight, I¡¯m with you to the end, but¡­¡± His eyes, cold and deadly, swept over Sheldon and fixed on the uncertain gunmen. ¡°I won¡¯t spare a single one of your men.¡± His chilling words weighed heavy on the air, leaving Sheldon¡¯s men struggling to breathe. ¡°Mr. Quartus¡­¡± Sheldon¡¯s second-inmand, fearful and reminding, called out to him once more. Bernard¡¯s decisive nature was evident; he would fight, kinship or not. Sheldon admired that spirit in his nephew. He slowly lowered his gun and, with a wave of his hand, gave themand. ¡°Fall back!¡± At the control center, Yates watched Sheldon¡¯s retreat, his eyes frosting over with the chill of betrayal. He had thought Bernard, cut off from Area Opaca¡¯s resources, wouldn¡¯t be much of a threat, especially with Sheldon as the wildcard. But Bernard was Sheldon¡¯s nephew, and that bond had turned the tide. Feeling outmaneuvered, Yates bristled with anger. ¡°Boss, Bernard¡¯s heading towards District A!¡± ¡°His ess to Area Opaca¡¯s been shut down; stay calm.¡± But as Yates spoke, Bernard¡¯s men brought explosives. In the blink of an eye, the ground beneath Area Opaca shook with the force of detonations. As the monitors went dark, panic spread among the operators. ¡°Boss, they must be breaking through. We need to get out!¡± While the operators were panicking, Yates, the founder of Area Opaca, remainedposed. ¡°Mr. Quintus, take Peterson and use the escape route.¡± Those who received the order knew Yates was protecting them, but it didn¡¯t feel right to leave the others behind. ¡°Boss, let¡¯s all get out together.¡± Yates, leaning back on his couch, flicked his/cigarette ash and, through the smoke, addressed the room. ¡°Anyone who wants out, follow Mr. Quintus,¡± The operators exchanged nces and looked to Yates, who was drawing on his cigarette. ¡°What about you, boss?¡± Yates took a drag of his cigarette, exhaled a ring of smoke, and replied, ¡®I¡¯ll stay.¡± The operators were puzzled, but Xates calmly exined his reasoning. ¡°This is actually good for me. It¡¯s an opportunity to settle the score.¡± He had no intention of giving up the chance to decimate the Sirens. ¡°Get out of here. Area Opaca has a defense program. Once they¡¯re inside, I¡¯ll activate it.¡± Even if he was alone, Yates was confident he could take down half of the Sirens himself.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Chapter 1418 Chapter 1418 ch in ce, an What are they so afraid of? wwitch d for a momeilt, some choosing to stay, others opting to leave. to stay most of them held a deep¨Cseated grudge against the Siren Organization. left were just in it for the money so naturally, they wouldn¡¯t get involved. Sail the folks in the control room had cleared out, leaving the rest on standby. what¡¯s our y now?¡± Yates nced at the operators who stayed and knew his strategy of retreat to lure them in had paid off. He finished hisst cigarette, lifted his eyes, now brimming with murderous intent, and surveyed the room. Head back to your zones. Wherever the Siren Organization pops up, that¡¯s where you activate the kill switch!¡± Roger that? The operators scattered from the room, each to their stations. Meanwhile, Yates rose and made his way to the biozone, flipping open the console to tamper with the chip detonation system. Surrounded by electronic gear, Cedric saw someone speeding up the countdown and quickly raised his hand, fingers flying over the controls. The two were locked in a fierce virtual battle, while outside, Bernard, having entered District A with his Siren Organization crew, made a beeline for the upper levels. The operator ready to trigger the kill switch saw the man on the monitors, cracking the vault door open, then suddenly retreating with his team. He was puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s he ying at?¡± ¡°Did he figure out we¡¯ve got a kill switch and got cold feet?¡± The operators in charge of District A were befuddled, exchanging nces. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter if he¡¯s scared or not, we take them down!¡± The moment Mr. Sextus from Group 1 spoke, the operators at the consoles immediately adjusted their targeting range. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. But s¨CBernard with the air of death about him gave them no time to adjust, simply lifting his long finger and pressing forward. ¡°Group 1, the front corridor, upper left, ten o¡¯clock, fire!¡± At Bernard¡¯smand, several Siren members with grenades in hand stepped forward, aimed at ten o¡¯clock, pulled the pins, and hurled with all their might. Boom-¡± The explosion shook the earth, obliterating the hidden kill switch behind the white walls. Bernard¡¯s cool voice rang out again. ¡°Group 2, the front corridor, upper right, three o¡¯clock, fire!¡± As Group 1 retreated, Group 2 moved up swiftly. The two teams practically brushed past each other mid¨Cstride, yet their coordination was seamless. After Group 2 threw their bombs, Group 3 took their ce. After several rounds of bombardment, the winding corridors of the upper levels copsed, even affecting the surveince. The monitors for the District A corridor went dark, the operators seeing nothing, stunned into silence, while Mr. Sextus quickly recalibrated their battle n. ¡°Blind fire! Do it now!¡± At Mr. Sextus¡® urgentmand, the operators mmed the kill switch. ¡°Get that st sequence going!¡± They were shooting blind, lobbing explosives in chaos, while on Bernard¡¯s end, the bombs kept flying. If a copsed wall blocked their way, they¡¯d st through it, all the way to the control room if necessary. When Bernard and his Siren team broke through, the District A operators had already fled into the escape tunnels. ming shut, Bernard¡¯s gun sted through the control panel of the escape route deafening gunshots destroyed the console, and the escape door ground to a escape turnel was open. With or without a door the operators and their henchmen had a way out Everyone in District A, without a second thought, took off down the escape route¨Crunning for their lives. Chapter 1419 Chapter 1419 hed onto the chaotic crowd in the corridor, his stride slowing to a halt. ad Evan he said a calmmand amidst the bem. signaling his teant with a swift chop of his hand, and they surged forward, closing in with lightning speed. d dressed in ck, fired shots while in retreat, trying to slow the pursuers. Evan dodged the bullets and bellowed, after the ring leaders! Any of you just hired guns for Area Opaca, step aside and you won¡¯t get hurt!¡± the face of death, self¨Cpreservation reigns supreme, especially for the mercenaries just earning their keep. As Even charged past, targeting the maniptors at the front, the hired guns hesitantly lowered their weapons. Seeing his opportunity slipping away, Mr. Sextus, the gruff enforcer who could run no more, spun around to face the Siren Organization head¨Con. Til take you all down with me!¡± Gun in hand, he aimed straight for Evan¡¯s head. But his draw was sluggishpared to Evan¡¯s reflexes, and a bullet pierced Mr. Sextus¡® skull before he could fire. His bulky frame crumpled to the ground, and the remaining nine maniptors, witnessing their leader¡¯s fall, ceased their futile escape. ¡°Everyone, ready up!¡± ¡°Fire at will!¡± The maniptors of Area Opaca were well¨Ctrained; with Mr. Sextus gone,mand fell to 1-7. At 1-7¡¯s signal, nine guns rose in unison, raining a hail of bullets upon the Siren Organization. The moment Mr. Sextus hit the floor, they were prepared to go down fighting. But Evan had no intention of a mutual destruction. ¡°Cover yourselves! Take them down!¡± Evan¡¯s order unleashed a frenzy of gunfire. Although Siren operatives took hits, their veteran instincts kept them from lethal harm. After five minutes of intense gunfire, all nine maniptors were down. Then, through the crowd, Bernard cloaked in the chill of resolve approached. His thickshes lowered slowly, sweeping over the fallen foes. He¡¯s already taken down ten, with another thirty¨Cnine still on the list. Bernard¡¯s eyes turned toward the escape route to District B. ¡°Move out to District B,¡± hemanded. The maniptors in District A hadn¡¯t managed to destroy the surveince, so their counterparts in District B had witnessed everything. The mere thought of that cold, determined man heading their way sent a wave of panic through them. ¡°Get ready! The moment they¡¯re in st range, blow it!¡± 1-8, the chief of District B, nned to obliterate the Siren Organization in the tunnel, but as he gave the order, Bernard¡¯s piercing gaze found the camera. His murderous stare alone seemed to sever the connection, and in the blink of an eye, all screens went dark. ¡°Damn it!¡± cursed 1-8, issuing anothermand in desperation. ¡°Detonate the charges! Block their path!¡± But Bernard, anticipating the move, had already led his team back the way they came. Soon enough, 1-8 saw Bernard¡¯s figure appearing on the entrance cameras to District B. ¡°Damn!¡± Unlike Mr. Sextus¡® determination to go down with his enemy, 1-8 was more concerned with his own survival. He reached out to Yates without engaging in battle. ¡°Boss, we¡¯ve lost District A, and Bernard¡¯s crew is storming District B. What¡¯s our y?¡± Yates, with ess to all the cameras, was well aware of the situation in District A but had remained silent. strict & and fought to the bitter end like those from District A, It would only buy the were only two options: break through the enemy¡¯s cyber defenses and take Bernard out, or y their tion was a drawn¨Cout battle of attrition, and Yates no longer had the luxury of time. There was only one choice left¡­ This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. afes had proimed Eleanor to be the final bargaining chip in a bid to silence dissent, he hadn¡¯t truly intended to y But now Unable to stand idle as defeat loomed, Yates muttered, ¡°Hold the line, I¡¯m on my way,¡± before quickly heading to the escape room beneath the biozone. Meanwhile, Bernard split his force, directing Evan and Gianna to storm Districts B and C, respectively, while he made his way to the biozone. He knew that withiny an escape room impregnable to outsiders. If he were Yates, that¡¯s where he¡¯d hide his ace in the hole. That was why Bernard hadn¡¯t sought out Eleanor immediately upon his arrival. Chapter 1420 Chapter 1420 Bernard who had breached the biozone with lightning speed, Bernard, had intended to grab Yates for a little heart-to-heart. Yet, what he hadn¡¯t expected was that the puppet master behind the seventh round of their twisted game was holed up right here. Bernard¡¯s eyes, cold as a winter¡¯s frost, zeroed in on his target¡¯s head in the blink of an eye. The moment his skull was cracked open, Bernard knew the seventh round had been tampered with on purpose. Caleb¡­ Caleb could have made it out alive. But to test him, they let Caleb die in the snake nest! This vendetta, this ocean of blood owed, Bernard was determined to settle it with his own hands. His white-gloved hand slid the gun back into his belt and slowly drew out a gleaming golden knife. Bernard holding the knife, his gaze lifting, charged toward the controller of District B1-9 with blinding speed. The hapless puppet master, still caught in the fray, couldn¡¯t even make out who was barreling toward him before his throat was shed open. Clutching at his throat, spewing blood, he stared with eyes full of unwillingness at Bernard, who had already sheathed his knife¡­ In his dying moment, he finally understood why Bernard had targeted only him ¨C Because he had killed Caleb. Even if Kermit Hyde had given the order, an aplice was still fair game for death. After he fell, Bernard, with deliberate calm, crouched down. Robin, who¡¯de to the biozone as well, thought Bernard was squatting to deliver another stab. But the man, with his devastatingly good looks, was merely using the corpse¡¯s clothing to wipe the blood from his de¡­ Robin rolled his eyes involuntarily, then lifted his own gun to take out someone aiming at Bernard. ¡°Hey, I just saved your bacon. How do you n to thank me?¡± Bernard, still leisurely cleaning his de, responded without looking up, his voice light. ¡°My dear cousin, if you don¡¯t mind, after we rescue your cousin-inw, my wife and I can take you out for a meal.¡± Robin, who had just gotten over his shock, felt his heart seize up again, wishing he could shoot Bernard himself! ¡°I never should¡¯ve saved you!¡± Grinding his teeth, Robin holstered his weapon. N?velDrama.Org ? content. He stormed off, intent on retreating, but halfway through, he stopped. He couldn¡¯t just leave Eleanor behind! With that thought, Robin, swallowing his towering rage, shamelessly headed back into the fray. Evan and Gianna, who had finished off thest controller, also made their way swiftly to the biozone to join Bernard. ¡°Mr. Law, 49 of them, not a single one missing.¡± Bernard, having wiped away all traces of blood, straightened up and sheathed his golden knife. ¡°What about the others?¡± ¡°Locked up.¡± Bernard secured his knife and lifted his icy, solemn gaze toward thest remaining loudspeaker in the biozone. ¡°Yates, release Eleanor, and I¡¯ll let your people go.¡± Yates, who had almost reached the safe room, slowed his pace upon hearing the broadcast. Through the thick ss window, he looked at Eleanor, who sat on the bed hugging her knees. His expression grewplex as his eyes met the face that was nearly identical to Pauline¡¯s. But theplexitysted only a moment before he bottled up his emotions, turned on his heel, and walked to the control panel outside the safe room. He pressed the button for the inte and responded to Bernard. ¡°Not enough.¡± Yates, who no longer valued the lives of the other controllers, was eager to know the founder of the Siren Organization. What Yates didn¡¯t realize was that his reply yed right into Bernard¡¯s hands. With his typical nonchnce, Bernard coolly spoke ¡°What if I throw in the founder of the Siren Organization? Is that enough for you?¡± Chapter 1421 Chapter 1421 Yates arched a skeptical brow, seemingly caught off guard by Bernard¡¯s offer. Was it sheer desperation to save Eleanor, or did he have an ulterior motive? Yates didn¡¯t trust Bernard all that much, yet he was dying to know who the founder of the Siren Organization really was. His eyes, seasoned by years of life¡¯s trials, spun with theplexity of human nature. ¡°If you¡¯re ying me, you¡¯ll never see Eleanor again.¡± The cunning and shrewd always overthink, resorting to threats. That was what made Yates detestable, and Bernard found it utterly contemptible. ¡°What right do you have to threaten me now?¡± Bernard¡¯s voice, deep and clear, flowed through the inte into Yates¡¯ ears. ¡°I¡¯m only negotiating because of my wife.¡± The unspoken message was clear: if Eleanor wasn¡¯t in Yates¡¯ clutches, would Bernard even bother with negotiations? He would have stormed the biozone like he had other territories, capturing Yates without a second thought, not patiently hashing out terms. Now, a thoroughly defeated Yates truly had no ground to stand on. He couldn¡¯t possibly harm Eleanor, could he? After all, how could Yates harm Eleanor, the granddaughter he had finally-found? But Yates suspected Bernard¡¯s offer was a ruse. After much deliberation, Yates finally pressed the inte button again. ¡°Tell me who it is first, then I¡¯ll release Eleanor.¡± A mocking smirk tinged the indifference in Bernard¡¯s eyes. ¡°Expecting information without releasing her? Do you think that¡¯s possible?¡± ¡°Thene and get her.¡± Yates, cool andposed, gave Bernard the location of the escape room. ¡°At the end of the biozone corridor, behind the square white wall, you¡¯ll find the escape room. The console code is 794203. Come alone.¡± Careful actions are thest resort of a defeated man, and Yates exemplified this to the fullest. Evan and Gianna were speechless at this development, almost simultaneously shaking their heads at Bernard, signaling him not to go. Bernard nced at them, his gaze drifting past the 48 corpses lying in ss coffins, towards the end of the corridor. ¡°Yates, I¡¯ll say it again, you¡¯re in no position to make demands.¡± His eyes, cold as winter frost, shone with an unearthly glow, hinting at an obscure darkness and chilling indifference.. ¡°You better hand over my wife personally, or you¡¯ll get no information, and your people will die.¡± Yates knew full well that Bernard had the upper hand, whether in setting terms or making demands. But even in defeat, Yates, still a camel in his own right, was loath to be dictated to by a younger man like Bernard. ¡°You im to love Eleanor, yet you¡¯re unwilling toe for her yourself. How can I trust you with her?¡± Yates¡¯ righteousness seemed to suggest that if Bernard didn¡¯t personally retrieve Eleanor, his love was insufficient. ¡°And you, iming to be her grandfather/why won¡¯t you deliver her yourself?¡± The negotiation had turned into a contest of who could be more heartless. Obviously, Yates would always win such a contest. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. So, Yates, unable to argue further, simply broadcasted the surveince footage of Eleanor to the biozone. Bernard who had been ready to oust Yates changed his mind the instant he saw Eleanor. His pupils contracted sharply. She sat alone on the bed, fragile as a leaf despite her pregnancy, herplexion deathly pale. Isted, deaf and blind to the world around her, she epitomized loneliness. Seeing Eleanor so forlorn and helpless, Bernard¡¯s heart ached unbearably. Within seconds, he conceded. Without a word, Bernard strode toward the escape room, his silhouette exuding fearless resolve. He had the confidence to continue the standoff with Yates, but he didn¡¯t want to prolong Eleanor¡¯s suffering. He also needed to trade the information, hoping Yates and Xavier would turn on each other in a deadly struggle. Bernard¡¯s eyes were filled with a deadly calm, as if his long-suffered patience had morphed into a raging storm. From afar, he resembled a warrior descended from the heavens, radiating an icy, bone-chilling aura. The head of the Siren Organization certainly had the capability and courage to go it alone, but his subordinates feared for his safety. Evan, Gianna, Aidyn, and Robin didn¡¯t bother with caution. With a wave of a hand, they followed Bernard. Seeing this entourage on the monitors, Yates¡¯ voice, heavy with the weight of years, boomed from the inte throughout the biozone. ¡°Mr. Laurence, if you insist on bringing a crowd, then our negotiation is off.¡± After a pause, Yates added another line, ¡°I¡¯m taking Eleanor away right now.¡± Yates¡¯ circle had dwindled to a few operators and some men in ck. At best, they could protect him as he fled, no match for Bernard¡¯s crew. Yates had to be cautious, but that didn¡¯t mean he feared death. After all, without the Siren Organization¡¯s founder¡¯s information, he needed to stay alive. Chapter 1422 Chapter 1422 Bernard seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to reading Yates¡¯ mind. His deep pupils flicked over the shoulder to the team behind him. The Sirens, known for their tight-knit operations, often needed no more than a shared nce to understand their leader¡¯s intentions. Evan and Gianna slowed their pace, and the others followed suit, halting their approach. For Yates, using Eleanor as a bargaining chip was nothing more than a desperate ploy of a man at his wit¡¯s end. They¡¯d y along for now, and the moment Bernard stepped in, the rest would jam the surveince systems and follow suit. They had plenty of tricks up their sleeves for dealing with Yates, so it didn¡¯t matter if Bernard went in alone. After all, the Sirens, Evan, Gianna, Aidyn, Robin-they all had Bernard¡¯s back. With an air of indifference, Bernard punched in the code, and the white, square walls slid open swiftly from either side. Bernard strode through the opening, and as he did, the automatic doors snapped shut with startling speed. The dark corridor lit up, one bulb at a time, leading to the elevator entrance. Bernard walked along the polished concrete, through the corridor, step by step toward the elevator. Descending about five floors, a faint light shone through the ss, casting shadows.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. It was the incandescent light from the emergency room, reflecting off the elevator ss, slightly ring. Bernard¡¯s eyes, beneath his thick brows, met the light as he faced Yates, standing in the corridor. Between themy a few yards and countless infrared beams. One more step from Bernard, and the bullets hidden in the shadows would pierce him. ¡°Sorry, but we¡¯re adversaries, after all. I have to take my precautions,¡± Yates said with feigned politeness. Bernard didn¡¯t entertain his words. Beneath his thick brows, his gaze moved past the infrared beams, surveying his surroundings with detachment. ¡°Eleanor?¡± he asked. Yates pressed a button on the control panel, and the door to Eleanor¡¯s room began to open slowly. Eleanor, who had been sitting up on the bed, suddenly looked up at the sound. The door opened, but, unfortunately, as it did, a bulletproof ss barrier mmed down with rming speed. Eleanor was still confined within, only now she could see her surroundings clearly, including the man standing in the corridor. As the door opened, Bernard lifted his gaze, brilliant as stars, to meet hers. Their eyes locked, fixated on each other, unmoving. Eleanor stared at the stunning figure before her, and after a long moment, she pushed herself up from the bed, using the headboard for support, and walked to the door. She said nothing, only gazed with misty eyes at the man blocked by the infrared beams. In that moment, it seemed Bernard could see her longing for him in her eyes, and his heart swelled with warmth. ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m here to take you home.¡± Hearing Bernard¡¯s familiar, soothing voice, Eleanor¡¯s pale lips curved into a soft, tranquil smile. ¡°Okay.¡± Her consent meant she was willing to turn back. And this time, no matter what, he was going to take her with him. A light smile yed across Bernard¡¯s usually stern face, as if her willingness to hold on made all obstacles surmountable. He looked at Eleanor with deep affection for a long, long moment before reluctantly shifting his gaze to Yates. ¡°Let her go, and I¡¯ll tell you everything I know.¡± As Bernard looked at Yates, the tenderness in his eyes evaporated, reced by a chill that spread rapidly. Yates, unfazed by the sudden shift in Bernard¡¯s demeanor, turned his attention away from Eleanor and looked at Bernard impassively. ¡°So, you¡¯re suggesting you have information beyond the founder?¡± Bernard¡¯s voice, calm and cool, detachedly replied. ¡°I know who killed your wife.¡± Yates¡¯ heart clenched for a moment at the sound of Bernard¡¯s clear and somber voice speaking such calm words. ¡°How could you possibly know that?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t respond, instead shifting his deep, calm eyes back to the woman behind the ss. ¡°Let her go first.¡± Yates, facing the noble visage before him, suppressed his urgency to know the truth, still holding Bernard at bay. ¡°At this point, the rtionship between her and me is beyond repair. I¡¯m obviously going to return her to you. Just speak inly.¡± Yates, seemingly prepared for ast stand with the Sirens¡¯ founder, spoke with finality. Now utterly fallen and defeated, Yates¡¯ only path was ¡®mutually assured destruction.¡¯ Facing the despair apparent in Yates¡¯ eyes, Bernard¡¯s voice dropped colder as he began to recount an indifferent tale. ¡°The cruel man who killed Pauline was none other than Timothy¡¯s father, the orchestrator of the Darkness-Gregory Howard.¡± Chapter 1423 Chapter 1423 The name ¡°Timothy¡± crashed into Yates¡¯ heart like a stone causing ripples across a pond, gripping his throat with a suffocating and lethal sensation. ¡°Is it because I killed Timothy, that Gregory took his revenge on Pauline?¡± Yates found it hard to believe. He had dug into the Howard family from the start-after all, he had killed Timothy. A vendetta was only natural, yet no clues pointed to Gregory. And Gregory, in the presence of the Sharp family, especially in front of his father, had always kept a low profile, meek to the core. Even when his son was gone, Gregory didn¡¯t dare to confront. Could such a timid man really have the audacity to establish an underground syndicate, erase all traces, and then murder Pauline in such a brutal manner? ¡°No, that can¡¯t be right.¡± Yates was still full of doubt. ¡°If Gregory knew it was me who killed Timothy, why didn¡¯t he seek revenge directly from me?¡± ¡°Gregory didn¡¯te after you because of your ex-wife, Samantha.¡± Bernard sneered. ¡°Samantha?¡± Samantha had been a marriage of convenience for Yates, a business partnership with an agreement to part ways after three years. Unfortunately, she fell gravely ill and passed away before their time was up. Her passing came shortly after Pauline¡¯s murder. Yates had been so consumed with tracking down Pauline¡¯s killer that he neglected Samantha entirely. It was only when the police notified him, after her body had been left undiscovered for three days, that he realized she was gone. To Yates, their marriage was nothing more than a formality, arranged by his father. He had barely visited the Stanley household, and his memories of her were faint. Now, Bernard was suggesting that Samantha was the reason Gregory hadn¡¯t sought vengeance on Yates, which only deepened his confusion. ¡°What does Pauline¡¯s death have to do with her?¡± Yates asked. Bernard looked at Yates with eyes calm and deep, then nced at Yates with snowy white hair in the distance. ¡°After you killed Timothy, she framed Pauline for it.¡± Bernard¡¯s voice was t, as if narrating a matter of little importance, but to Yates, it was a devastating blow. ¡°What?¡± He should have asked why, but shock robbed him ofposure for a moment. ¡°Samantha didn¡¯t want the divorce to go through, so she took the opportunity to get rid of Pauline.¡± Yates was astounded but quick-witted. A hint from Bernard was all he needed to piece it together, yet he still hesitated. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°But¡­ when I was arranged to marry her, she made it clear she didn¡¯t like me. That¡¯s why I chose her from several candidates. She agreed to all my conditions, iming she too was forced into this marriage and that it was a good opportunity to coborate.¡± ¡°And after Pauline¡¯s death, she suddenly fell ill and died, which doesn¡¯t seem like the actions of someone who would do anything to avoid divorce.¡± Yates¡¯ words wereced with skepticism, but as he spoke, he began to sense that something didn¡¯t add up. ¡°Could it be Samantha was being counterintuitive?¡± Knowing his love for Pauline, could she have pretended indifference, slowly infiltrating his world while maintaining the facade of a devoted wife? But then¡­ ¡°But she died so quickly, without gaining anything¡­¡± Was it all in vain? Bernard, anticipating Yates¡¯ line of thought, looked at him with a pitying gaze, as his mind was overwhelmed with the past. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, Gregory knew from the start that you killed Timothy and that Samantha was framing Pauline. He just didn¡¯t care for Pauline and, fearing retaliation from the all-powerful Sharp family due to Timothy¡¯s death, he directed his anger at her.¡± Gregory had let the thugs from the Darkness gang assault Pauline, an act clearly driven by spite rather than revenge. Xavier had mentioned that Gregory believed Pauline had discarded Timothy to climb the socialdder of the Sharp family, even killing him, and so he projected the pain of losing his son onto her. Given the clumsy way Samantha had left clues, Gregory, who¡¯d grown up on the streets, would undoubtedly have seen through the charade, choosing instead to vent his anger. ¡°And as for Samantha, she was probably killed by Gregory too.¡± Yates was perplexed. ¡°Why would he do that?¡± ¡°The reason is simple: to cut off the only lead back to him. He was afraid you¡¯d trace the crime to his doorstep, so he eliminated thest link.¡± The dead don¡¯t talk, which exined why Samantha suddenly passed away after Pauline¡¯s death. Bernard¡¯s ability to think critically was strong, and with just a few words, he helped Yates understand the entire chain of events. ¡°You mean to say, Gregory did all this to hide, to grow the Darkness, and gather strength to eventually seek vengeance against me.¡± Chapter 1424 Chapter 1424 Gregory was nothing more than a lowly thug, a street rat whocked any sophistication. How could a rat like him ever hope to stand against the towering might of Yates? Even if Gregory had rallied many of his kind to form the Darkness gang, it would take a long time to amass the kind of power needed to take down Yates. ¡°Gregory never got his chance for revenge, though. He was taken out by his own second-inmand before he could make his move.¡± Yates got the picture, but he hadn¡¯t realized that he had been living inside Gregory¡¯s plot all along. Gregory had offed Samantha early, so Yates never suspected a corpse he didn¡¯t recognize. Then, all the evidence of the gang assault on Pauline was cleverly redirected to point at the Hardys¡¯ other enemies. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Meanwhile, Gregory had been using the turmoil as a smokescreen, looking to expand the Darkness, to eventually harness its power to exact his revenge. It was a clever n, indeed. A shame Gregory didn¡¯t live long enough to see it through, taken out by his own brother in arms. In a way, it was instant karma. The thought of Gregory¡¯s demise brought a bitter sense of relief to Yates. But how much better off was he, really? This was all tied to him. It was his doing¡­. If he hadn¡¯t killed Timothy, Samantha wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to frame him, Gregory wouldn¡¯t have directed his fury at Pauline, wouldn¡¯t have unleashed his rage on her in such a vile way. The image of Pauline, vited and broken, made Yates stagger backward, his aged body almost copsing against the control panel. ¡°No¡­It can¡¯t be!¡± Yates refused to believe that he was the cause and Pauline was the oue. If that were true, what face would he have left to live on? ¡°You didn¡¯t kill Timothy, so how could you have caused Pauline¡¯s death?¡± The cause and effect were his own making; Pauline was just an innocent carrying his cross. But who could say for certain whether it was some divine punishment for Pauline¡¯s infidelity? ¡°I¡­¡± The realization was almost too much for Yates to bear. Decades of cold-heartedness were suddenly flooded with guilt. ¡°Timothy tried to kill me first. I just¡­¡± If it hadn¡¯t been for Timothy¡¯s bullet, which nearly ended him, Yates wouldn¡¯t have struck back. Eleanor, who had been quietly listening, cut in sharply at this point. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t meddled in Pauline and Timothy¡¯s rtionship, why would Timothy have wanted you dead?¡± Yates lifted his bloodshot eyes to the woman standing serenely behind the bulletproof ss. Her serene beauty was the spitting image of a young Pauline. Looking at her, Yates was reminded of his first encounter with Pauline, love at first sight, a rescue turned romance. ¡°When I first fell for Pauline, Timothy was just her childhood sweetheart¡­¡± Yates aged eyes reddened as he spoke. ¡°It was Timothy who sensed my interest in Pauline and preempted me by confessing his love¡­ By the time I understood what love was, Timothy had already won her heart¡­¡­ Yates¡¯ voice broke with a sense of injustice. ¡°I was just a step toote.¡± A step toote and he missed Pauline¡¯s first love; a step toote and misunderstandings festered. As Yates mulled over the tangled web of rights and wrongs, and the painful memories of watching the woman he loved with another man, his nearly buried heart still trembled with the pain he could not ept. Struggling with feelings of sin, difort, regret, and longing, he slowly shifted his gaze to the cold, indifferent Bernard. ? ?? ? ? ?? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ??? ¡°What would you have done in my ce?¡± In matters of the heart, he believed they were cut from the same cloth. He wanted someone to tell him there was no other way but to take what he wanted. But Bernard didn¡¯t respond, just looked at him impassively. ¡°I did nothing wrong.¡± Without waiting for Bernard¡¯s answer, Yates responded to his own question, asserting his innocence. He cleared the mist from his eyes, looking resolutely and defiantly at Eleanor. ¡°It was Timothy who was jealous of me at every turn, who took advantage of his childhood bond to steal Pauline away before I could! If he hadn¡¯t been so underhanded from the start, I wouldn¡¯t have been worried about Pauline being with him. I had to take her back!¡± ¡°Right?!¡± Eleanor, faced with a man suddenly confronted with the truth but too distraught to ept it, didn¡¯t know whether to feel pity or contempt. Like Bernard, shepsed into silence, watching as Yates justified himself and regained hisposure. ¡°Who told you all this?¡± Finally getting to the heart of the matter, Bernard¡¯s worn patience began to edge with calction once more. ¡°And who is the founder of the Siren Organization?¡± Bernard nced coolly at Yates, his tone chilly. ¡°Samantha¡¯s nephew, Xavier.¡± Xavier¡­Samantha¡­ Just as Yates¡¯ expression grew somber, Bernard¡¯s voice, cold and emotionless, echoed again. ¡°Xavier¡¯s father was also involved in that incident.¡± The word ¡®rape¡¯ was something Bernard didn¡¯t want Eleanor to hear, so he left it unsaid. But those few words were enough to ignite the raging inferno. within Yates¡¯ soul. ¡°Where is he?!¡± Chapter 1425 Chapter 1425 Yates¡¯ voice rose sharply, filled with boundless rage that seemed poised to crush Xavier on the spot. Bernard nced sideways with a cool detachment, his voice calm and frosty as he nonchntly revealed Xavier¡¯s whereabouts. ¡°Greenfield, Westbrook.¡± These locales were Xavier¡¯s usual haunts, but whether he had changed his base was of no concern to Bernard. Having ryed the information, Bernard shifted his piercing, solitary gaze from Yates and through the bulletproof ss, he fixed it onto Eleanor. ¡°Let her go.¡± Upon receiving his enemy¡¯s location, Yates followed Bernard¡¯s line of sight to Eleanor. The murderous intent that filled his eyes began to recede as they rested on the face that bore a resemnce to another. Using Eleanor to extract the information he sought seemed to have achieved his goal, but in reality, it was aplete and utter defeat. Yates lowered hisshes, his eyes fixed on the control panel. A simple press of the release button would free the couple from this ce. He had wanted Eleanor to stay by his side, to apany him through the final stretch of life¡¯s journey.¡± But now, knowing that Pauline¡¯s death was a consequence of his own actions, it all seemed meaningless. There¡¯s an old saying, ¡°An eye for an eye,¡± even if indirectly responsible, one still bears the weight of a life. His hands were stained with blood, yet he never felt the guilt, except for Pauline. She could easily breach his defenses. Hatred had sustained him, torturously, through the decades. Now, this vendetta that had fallen on his shoulders was ready to end. Just a hint of regret lingered¡­ All the effort spent trapping Eleanor, iming it was for atonement, had amounted to nothing but harm. The damage done by tearing a couple apart was irreversible, but it could still be mitigated in time. Havinge to terms with his thoughts, Yates withdrew his gaze and raised his finger towards the control panel. ¡°Boss.¡± As his fingertip was about to press the release button, a gun barrel was pressed against the back of Yates¡¯ head. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve found your enemy, you want to let go of the bargaining chip? What about our enemy?¡± Recognizing the voice, Yates turned slightly, looking at 2-5, the one tasked with guarding the bio-zone. ¡°Your enemy has nothing to do with my granddaughter.¡± ¡°It has nothing to do with her, but we need to borrow her.¡± Yates¡¯ eyes grew colder. ¡°What now? You¡¯re going to defy my orders, choose to stand against me?¡± 2-5 sneered coldly, ¡°And what else should we do? Follow your orders blindly, to kill or halt on command?¡± ¡°Are we just tools for your personal vendetta?¡± He asked. Yates had founded Area Opaca exploiting people¡¯s desire for vengeance against the Siren Organization. If not for the Sharp family¡¯s influence, those who had joined would not have revered him as their leader. Now that he had found his enemy, he wanted to y the good guy and release the hostage, but the others would never agree. ¡°Yates, from the moment you ordered Peterson to kill Kermit, we stopped intending to be your pawns!¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. They had already begun to waver then, and if not for the goal to take down the Siren Organization in one fell swoop, why would they stay and risk their lives? 2-5, no longer addressing Yates, looked past his white hair at the man standing coldly across from him. ¡°Shall we make a deal?¡± Bernard, indifferent, stared back without a word, his silence and demeanor that of a king who disdains all others. He was known for his unyielding nature, just as 2-5 had learned during his time in the bio-zone. But it didn¡¯t matter. After all, this man had a weakness, and just like with Yates, once it was exploited, he¡¯d be helpless. ¡°I can let your wife go, but you must pay a price.¡± Bernard raised his defiant eyes, coldly fixing them on his opponent. ¡°What price?¡± ¡°Your life as an apology.¡± Eleanor, trapped in the safe room, felt her heart seize and her face drained of color upon hearing this. Bernard seemed to notice her fear and turned his eyes slightly to give her a reassuring look that said, ¡®I¡¯m here, don¡¯t worry! Eleanor, her fingers pressed against the ss door, instinctively tightened her grip but suppressed her anxiety with a faint nod.. He was there; there was nothing to fear. As Bernard¡¯s gaze returned, his long fingers slowly moved behind him. 2-5 watched Bernard¡¯s hand move, unable to help but sneer. ¡°Mr. Laurence, your red dot is under my control. I¡¯d advise you not to make any rash moves.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The corners of Bernard¡¯s lips curled up for a brief moment, and with lightning speed, he drew his weapon from behind his waist. Stepping back, he aimed the gun at 2-5¡¯s forehead and fired before the sniper could react, blowing 2- 5¡¯s head clean off! Simultaneously, Yates swiftly turned and reprogrammed the firing sequence on the control panel. The founder of Area Opaca was a step ahead; the other three operatives were toote. Yates changed the direction of the infrared beam a split second before it fired, sparing Bernard from certain death. As the walls riddled with holes from the infrared beam, Bernard quietly shifted his gaze toward Yates. The two exchanged a silent look, a mutual understanding that it was time to release Eleanor. However, just as the bulletproof ss door began to open, the safe room¡¯s emergency door swung wide first, and two men in ck charged at Eleanor. Chapter 1426 Chapter 1426 Bernard¡¯s hand moved with lightning speed, the gun in his grip barking death as he dropped a goon in ck with a single shot. Just as he was about to pivot and target another, redser dots danced across Eleanor¡¯s body. At the same moment, the gun in the hand of the ck-d assant pressed coldly against Eleanor¡¯s temple. ¡°Mr. Law.¡± Three controllers, cradling their rifles, emerged slowly from the panic room within the safehouse. ¡°The termsid out by Sector 2-5, Mr. Law. Comply, and your wife goes free. Otherwise¡­¡± One of the controllers hadn¡¯t even finished speaking when the goon pushed the gun harder against Eleanor¡¯s head. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt her!¡± Bernard¡¯s heart raced with fear at the mere posturing of the thug. It was clear now that his concern for Eleanor surpassed even his own life. Even the slightest scratch on her, and he would be beside himself with anxiety. ¡°Come at me, leave her out of it.¡± The icy resolve in Bernard¡¯s eyes had melted away, reced by desperation. The leverage they held was Eleanor¡¯s life, and it paralyzed him. ¡°We might spare her, but you have to atone with your own life, in front of us.¡± The words struck Eleanor like a death sentence. She gazed at Bernard¡¯s handsome face, shaking her head slowly. ¡°Don¡¯t be a fool.¡± He¡¯d been hurt too many times for her. already; she couldn¡¯t stand to see him y the hero again. The love and concern that shone in Eleanor¡¯s clear eyes warmed Bernard¡¯s heart. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be okay.¡± After soothing Eleanor¡¯s fears, he shifted his intense gaze from her to the three controllers. ¡°I¡¯ll atone, but I won¡¯t be your sacrificialmb.¡± The Siren Syndicate had done some dark deeds in their quest to cleanse the corporate world, like when Gianna sent Teresa Hyde to fend for herself in the wilds of Montana, or when Bernard himself had Josef Caporal thrown in jail to be taught a harsh lesson. But since he had taken over, he had never allowed the senseless ughter of others, certainly nothing as brutal as Area Opaca¡¯s bio-engineered vendettas. Bernard admitted the Syndicate¡¯s guilt, but not to the extent that it warranted death. However, as the Syndicate¡¯s leader, he knew a price must be paid. ¡°I¡¯ll fire a shot in penance, then you let her go.¡± With that, Bernard raised his gun, turning it on himself, and without flinching, fired into his shoulder. Bang- The gunshot echoed deafeningly through the corridor, shattering the silence of the safehouse and piercing Eleanor¡¯s ears and heart in a single moment. The whine of tinnitus filled her head as she looked on, dazed, at the man standing tall despite the bullet wound. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± His words reached Eleanor after a long dy, her vision blurred with tears as she saw the crimson blood flowing down his shoulder, soaking his pristine white shirt beneath the dark suit jacket. With every drop that fell, it hammered a sharp pain into Eleanor¡¯s heart. ¡°Bernard!¡± Frantic, she struggled against the goon¡¯s hold. But the assant held her firmly, preventing any movement. Helpless, Eleanor could only gaze at Bernard from a distance, realizing in that moment that her existence was his Achilles¡¯ heel. Bernard caught the self-reproach in her eyes but shook his head slightly, signaling he was fine. Then, with lightning-fast reflexes, he redirected the gun and, capitalizing on the moment of confusion among the controllers, took down the goon! He quickly drew a golden knife and hurled it at one of the controllers¡¯ forehead, all in the span of five seconds. As the remaining two controllers regained their senses and pointed their guns at Eleanor, Bernard had already dashed through the bulletproof ss door, sweeping Eleanor into his arms.. The bullets missed their mark, hitting the wall instead. Their faces turned ashen, the controllers raised their guns again, but before they could fire, Yates¡¯ twin pistols barked, each bullet finding a target. As the two controllers hit the ground, Yates holstered his guns and turned to look at Bernard and Eleanor, now in a tight embrace. His eyes narrowed slightly at the sight of Bernard¡¯s wounded shoulder, a mix of surprise and newfound respect coloring his expression. Bernard¡¯s marksmanship could have resolved the situation without self-harm, but in order to settle the Syndicate¡¯s karma, he chose to bleed. Yates¡¯ gaze shifted from skepticism to admiration. A man like Bernard, he realized, truly deserved Eleanor¡¯s love.N?velDrama.Org ? content. Chapter 1427 Chapter 1427 Cradled in his arms, Eleanor¡¯s whole body trembled, yet as she caught the familiar, icy scent of him, her shaking subsided. Slowly, she lifted her eyes to meet the chiseled jawline of the man looking down at her with his long lashes casting shadows on his cheeks. In each other¡¯s gaze, they saw a reflection of their own faces ¨C one pale, the other resolute neither willing to look away. ¡°Eleanor, let¡¯s go home.¡± Ignoring the gunshot wound in his shoulder, Bernard scooped up Eleanor in a bridal carry. The effort caused blood to trickle from his wound onto Eleanor¡¯s cheek, a startling crimson smear. ¡°Put me down!¡± Eleanormanded. ¨C He was injured and still carrying her was he out of his mind? Eleanor, worried he was in pain, struggled to be released, but Bernard leaned in, pressing a kiss to her forehead. ¡°Easy, don¡¯t move.¡± That familiar term of endearment, ¡°easy,¡± once again brought tears to Eleanor¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯ll hurt if you exert yourself.¡± His lips were white from strain, yet he smiled faintly. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t squirm, it won¡¯t hurt,¡± he said. Moved by Bernard¡¯s stubbornness, Eleanor wrapped her arms around his neck for a fleeting moment. She buried her face in his chest, feeling his heartbeat, her tears flowing uncontrobly. ¡°Bernard, you¡¯re such a fool¡­¡± This fool, for her sake, was willing to do anything. Even if it meant giving up his life, he was always without regret. Bernard¡¯s love was so pure that Eleanor felt overwhelmed with guilt. Because she never treated him as well, yet this fool didn¡¯t mind. With this thought, Eleanor lifted her tear-filled eyes, looking at him through a mist. ¡°It hurts me to see you like this, please put me down.¡± She rarely expressed her concern for him, which only deepened the smile on Bernard¡¯s lips. Cedric once said, there¡¯s no shame in a wife¡¯s concern. So, Bernard, leaning on his wounded shoulder, held the woman in his arms tighter as he walked out. -¡°Bernard lowered his eyes, looking at the bewildered Eleanor, and smiled again. ¡°I¡¯m not letting ¡°Honey, I need your concern, so-¡± go.¡± Not letting go. Never letting go. Eleanor protested, ¡°There¡¯s a baby on the way, it¡¯s heavy.¡± Bernard replied, ¡°Even with an extra one, your husband can carry the weight.¡± Their intimate exchange faded into the distance as they left. Yates stepped out of the safe room, watching their retreating figures without trying to stop them. He didn¡¯t hope for Eleanor¡¯s forgiveness, only watching quietly, as if through them he saw himself and Pauline from years past. Pauline, pregnant at the time, had also been heartbroken to see him wounded. She must have loved him dearly. But fate yed its cruel hand, and the seeds of his own making were discovered by Pauline, who then left without looking back, taking their child. Before she left, she clung to him, crying that she had fallen in love with him and found it unbearably hard to leave. Yates aged eyes clouded with tears at the memory of Pauline¡¯s painful departure. Until the figures before him blurred, he spoke in a low, regretful tone. ¡°The puppet you locked away, I¡¯ll take care of it. Area Opaca will trouble you no more.¡± Bernard and Eleanor heard him but offered no reply. Eleanor¡¯sst ties of kinship were severed by Yates¡¯ threats. Bernard¡¯s life was shortened by a chip in his brain, a consequence of Yates¡¯ doing. Between them, one had lost family, and the other still harbored hatred. Who would bother with him? From the moment Area Opaca fell, Yates had foreseen this lonely end. He could no longer regain Eleanor¡¯s affection; his final act would be to settle scores with Xavier, and then¡­ Yates lowered his gaze to the blue tattoo on his hand. After it ended, it was time to join her. At the elevator in the corridor, Robin, Evan, Gianna, Aidyn, Scott, and countless members of the Siren Organization stood still. They had seen Bernard shoot himself to save Eleanor and atone for the Siren Organization while breaking down the door above. They admired Bernard¡¯s responsibility and worried for him, relieved when the robust steel door of the biozone finally sted open. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Their destruction of the door caused the elevator shaft to be blocked, and after a long detour, they found the escape room. They emerged just in time to see Bernard, holding Eleanor, stepping resolutely from the dark corridor. When Robin saw Eleanor nestled in Bernard¡¯s arms, her small face turned up, oblivious to all but him, he knew. In Eleanor¡¯s heart, no one could rece Bernard. And the shot Bernard had fired without hesitation proved how much she mattered to him. In that moment, Robin felt his own unrequited feelings fade away as if they were insignificant. After making sure Eleanor was safe, he gestured to his team and, with a nonchnt swagger, walked away. Chapter 1428 Chapter 1428 Nobody paid much attention to whether Robin had left or not; all eyes were fixed on Bernard as blood streamed from his shoulder¡­ ¡°Sir, please let go of yourdy. Let¡¯s get you out of here for treatment,¡± Scott said, reaching out to take Eleanor from Bernard¡¯s arms. But Bernard, clutching his wife, took a step back. That gesture only meant one thing: My wife, no one else touches her. ¡°Lead the way,¡± Bernardmanded with a tilt of his chiseled chin, indicating for Scott to guide them. Snapping back to reality, Scott withdrew his arms and gestured politely, ¡°This way, sir.¡± Holding Eleanor tightly, Bernard followed Scott, swiftly moving away from the chaotic scene at the Area Opaca biotech facility. Once they reached the surface, Bernard gently ced Eleanor into the helicopter before turning to face the members of Siren Organization. ¡°The revenge that needed to be taken has been dealt with. You don¡¯t need to follow me anymore. Disband here and now.¡± Having settled all scores, Bernard intended to let Yates and Xavier settle their own fights like dogs. With this thought in mind, he turned to board the helicopter but was stopped by a call from the Siren Organization. ¡°Sir, we¡¯re willing to leave the Siren Organization, but please, let us continue to follow you.¡± Even if they no longer had missions, following a man like Bernard, who waspassionate and responsible, seemed like a worthy path. Bernard, facing the sunset, turned slightly to look at the woman in the helicopter, worried about his injuries. ¡°As you can see, my future life will only involve my wife. I have no intention of leading you any longer.¡± With that, Bernard¡¯s cold and detached gaze shifted to Evan. ¡°It¡¯s in your hands now.¡± Bernard turned and swiftly boarded the helicopter. Aidyn followed quickly, with Scott on his heels. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Aidyn, sitting in the pilot¡¯s seat, frowned upon seeing Scott join him. ¡°Didn¡¯t Mr. Laurence just say to disband? What are you doing following us?¡± Scott pulled out a first-aid kit he had pilfered from the biotech facility and began to open it as he replied, ¡°Aside from being a member of the Siren Organization, I¡¯m also the personal bodyguard of the CEO¡¯s wife.¡± Scott took out a hemostatic agent and looked at Eleanor, who was helplessly fixated on Bernard¡¯s wound. ¡°Mrs. Laurence, I can treat gunshot wounds. Would you like me to stay?¡± Eleanor, her eyes filled with helplessness, perked up at his words as if grasping at a lifeline. ¡°Yes!¡± She nodded vigorously at Scott, her motions rapid and desperate. ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡± Bernard, seeing her reaction, slowly curled his lips into a smile, lifting his hand to gently ruffle her hair. ¡°It¡¯s going to be fine.¡± ¡°How can it be fine when you¡¯re losing so much blood?¡± Eleanor¡¯s pleading gaze shifted to Scott as she said, ¡°Just heal my husband, and you can stay as long as you want.¡± With Eleanor¡¯s permission, Scott grinned triumphantly at Aidyn. ¡°See that? The CEO¡¯s wife personally ¡®begged¡¯ me to stay!¡± Aidyn rolled his eyes, knowing they couldn¡¯t do without Scott¡¯s skills at the moment. With a snort, Aidyn let the matter go, gripped the controls, and started up the helicopter¡­ As the chopper lifted off, Scott deftly snipped open Bernard¡¯s shirt. ¡°Sir, I¡¯ll apply the medication to stop the bleeding. Once we¡¯re at the hospital, we¡¯ll have surgery to remove the bullet.¡± As he spoke, Scott liberally applied the medication to the wound. Bernard, gripping Eleanor¡¯s hand, unconsciously squeezed harder. Eleanor, sensing his pain, reached out with her other hand, grasping his and holding it close to her chest. ¡°If you can¡¯t bear it, just pinch me.¡± Bernard chuckled softly, about to say ¡®Fool, how could I ever pinch you, when he noticed Scott smirking. His eyes, which sparkled like stars, suddenly sharpened like des, cutting across the room; the smirking Scott immediately yed mute. On the ground, the remaining members looked up at the departing helicopter, suddenly unsure of their next move. ¡°Mr. Penrod, now that Mr. Law has left Siren Organization, what should we do?¡± Evan slowly withdrew his gaze and turned to the members behind him. ¡°Truth be told, our foster father only trained us to use us. Now that Area Opaca has been breached, but Yates is still out there. He¡¯ll surely seek revenge on my foster father, and another bloodbath will ensue. So, we should heed Mr. Law¡¯s advice and disband right here.¡± Since they were just pawns, there was no point in continuing to serve Xavier. It was best to let Yates and Xavier fight it out to the death Hearing Evan¡¯s words, the members of the Siren Organization exchanged nces, some confused. Evan patiently exined again the true purpose behind Xavier¡¯s schemes. Once everyone understood, they agreed to disband but assured Evan, Gianna, and Mr. Law that they would be there to help if ever needed. Evan responded with a simple ¡®thank you¡¯ and watched as the members, along with the bodies of the fallen from the biotech. facility, departed Area Opaca in their own helicopters. Chapter 1429 Chapter 1429 After the chaos, amidst the charred remains of a forest that had weathered a bombing, only Evan and Gianna remained, apanied by the distant whirring of two helicopters. ¡°Go on, leave,¡± Evan urged. Gianna stood frozen, her voice a stranded whisper when she finally spoke. ¡°Evan, remember when you said if you didn¡¯t make it back from the Area Opaca, I should just find someone and settle down? Now that you¡¯re out, do you still feel the same?¡± Before, Gianna¡¯s words were alwaysced with a tentative hope, never daring to confess outright. But now, she shed her reservations,ying her heart bare before Evan. Evan fet out a heavy sigh, his face a mask of resignation. ¡°I¡¯m a descendant of the Gregorys. Once Yates figures that out, he won¡¯t stop until I¡¯m in his grasp.¡± He knew well the ruthless nature of Xavier, who would undoubtedly betray Evan¡¯s identity to Yates at the first opportunity. And with Yates on their trail, Gianna would have no future with him. As Evan grappled with his thoughts, Gianna reached out, her hand pale and trembling, and seized his wrist. Her eyes were earnest as she gazed at him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about dragging me down. I chose this. Whateveres our way, I¡¯m ready.¡± Her affection for Evan had deepened over the years, grown so strong that she would follow him into the abyss if he but asked. Evan, typically stoic, couldn¡¯t help but feel the weight of her unwavering love. Yet, it was his own fears that held him back. ¡°Think carefully,¡± Gianna said with a pointed look at the helicopters. ¡°If you agree, we fly away together. If not, I¡¯ll marry someone else.¡± Her words drew his gaze to the two aircraft, each representing a different future. After a long hesitation, Evan pushed her hand away. ¡°Go ahead and marry,¡± he said tly. Gianna recoiled, her heart plummeting to new depths of despair. With each step backward, her disappointment in Evan¡¯s indifference grew. Reaching the helicopter, she cast onest, hopeless nce his way before climbing aboard. Without a moment¡¯s dy, she started the engine. As the rotor des began to whir, the cabin shuddered with the weight of an additional passenger. Evan had joined her. The despair in Gianna¡¯s heart lifted instantly, reced by the fluttering of something like joy, though her expression remained stern. ¡°I thought you wanted me to marry someone else. Why follow me?¡± she asked. Evan looked at her, his gaze falling to her lips before he spoke. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m afraid of you marrying someone else.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. It wasn¡¯t clear to him if this was love, but the mere thought of Gianna with another filled him with sorrow. Gianna, taken aback by his candidness, could feel her cheeks warm. ¡°Had you note aboard, I would¡¯ve haunted you with that fear forever.¡± Evan was d he had followed his instincts; otherwise, it wasn¡¯t just fear he¡¯d have to live with, but lifelong regret. Gianna moved to sit beside Evan, puckering her lips expectantly. ¡°Kiss me. Let it be your way of asking me to be your girlfriend.¡± Evan, thrown by her boldness, looked everywhere but at her inviting lips. After a tense silence, Gianna frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not shy. What¡¯s your excuse?¡± Evan, ever the straightforward man, admitted, ¡°We¡¯re too familiar. I can¡¯t bring myself to do it.¡± Gianna started a three-second countdown. At thest second, Evan leaned in and brushed her lips with his own. Gianna¡¯s lips curled into a smile as she wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning into his embrace. ¡°How did that feel?¡± she asked. ¡°Too quick to tell,¡± he replied. ¡°Maybe I should just marry someone else.¡± Evan caught Gianna as she tried to stand, his face flushed with embarrassment. ¡°Let¡¯s try again¡­¡± Five secondster, Gianna asked, ¡°How about now?¡± ¡°Still nothing.¡± Their first kiss might not have been perfect, but it was theirs. Meanwhile, the other helicopter had made a swift journey to the hospital. Cedric, having realized that no one had triggered the explosives, led his team to the hospital as well. The reunions there were joyful and tearful, a sign that the darkness had passed and a new dawn awaited them all. Chapter 1430 Chapter 1430 When Cedric arrived, the surgery had already begun. Aidyn and Scott stood rigidly outside the emergency room, waiting anxiously for news. Eleanor sat on a chair nearby, stroking her slightly rounded belly with one hand, while the other gripped the armrest tightly. The knuckles on her gripping hand were white from the pressure, standing out starkly against her skin. Herplexion was far from rosy. The days of confinement had taken their toll, with little decent food or rest. And now, having finally been reunited with Bernard, she was faced with his injury, which kept her nerves taut with worry. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Thankfully, the doctor had said the bullet had hit his shoulder and missed all vital organs, which was the only thing keeping her from copsing. While Eleanor looked like she hadn¡¯t had a good meal in ages, Hailey, also pregnant, had gained a fair amount of weight. Cedric wasn¡¯t one to sympathize with other women, but even he couldn¡¯t help frowning at the sight of his exhausted sister-inw. ¡°Eleanor,¡± Cedric approached her, suggesting she return to the hotel to rest. ¡°You look beat. You should head back and catch some Z¡¯s.¡± Eleanor¡¯s gaze shifted from the door of the emergency room to Cedric. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine.¡± But no matter how tired, she needed to see Bernard through his surgery and know he was out of the woods before she could rx. When Eleanor set her mind to something, she was as stubborn as her brother, and after a few attempts to persuade her to no avail, Cedric dropped it. ¡°I¡¯ll have someone arrange a resting room for you,¡± he said, not waiting for her agreement before waving over a hospital staff member to make it happen. They were on the outskirts of the Golden Sea District, and a little money could make many things happen quickly. As Cedric was convincing Eleanor to go to the resting room, the emergency room doors swung open and the doctor emerged. ¡°How is he?¡± Cedric asked immediately. Eleanor, mustering her strength, approached as well, her eyes pleading with the doctor for good news. ¡°Did the surgery go well?¡± The doctor removed his mask, revealing a confident smile. ¡°The surgery was a sess. He¡¯s been moved to recovery. You can see him now.¡± The four of them outside the emergency room finally exhaled in relief, especially Eleanor, whose tension snapped, leaving her feeling as light as a bubble and suddenly weak. Her worries dissipated alongside her tension. As she intended to follow the others to Bernard¡¯s room, a sharp kick from her unborn child caused her to pause, her hand against the wall for support. The men, preupied, hurried ahead to the room, unaware of her difort. In his hospital bed, Bernard was justing to. His eyes flitted open, but not seeing Eleanor immediately made him paler than he had been during the operation. He thought something had happened to her, his heart plummeting into a cold abyss, chilling him to the bone. Ignoring the pain in his shoulder, he attempted to rise, causing Aidyn, Scott, and Cedric to rush to his side to hold him down. ¡°Easy, sir. You just got out of surgery. Don¡¯t move,¡± Aidyn cautioned, but Bernard¡¯s shoulder started bleeding again, soaking the white gauze red. He seemed not to notice. ¡°Where¡¯s Eleanor?¡± His voice was weak from the anesthesia, and he couldn¡¯t shake off the men¡¯s hands, so he clutched at Cedric¡¯s arm instead. His eyes bore an intense ¡®if anyone¡¯s messed with my wife, I¡¯ll take them down¡¯ kind of fury. ¡°Did Yates take her again?¡± Cedric thought Bernard was just asking for the bathroom; he didn¡¯t realize Bernard was so worked up because he didn¡¯t see his wife. ¡°Bernard¡­¡± Before Cedric could say more, Eleanor, leaning on the wall for support, made her way to the door of the room. When Bernard saw her frail silhouette, his worried heart eased, and his expression softened. ¡°Are you feeling alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she reassured him with a shake of her head and then gestured to her belly. ¡°The baby¡¯s just doing a happy dance in there since he heard the surgery went well.¡± Bernard¡¯s gaze softened as he looked at her belly. ¡°When hees out, I¡¯ll have to teach him a lesson.¡± *Eleanor, now inside the room, shot him a wry look at his words. ¡°Thinking about disciplining the baby before he¡¯s even born? Who does that?¡± She murmured before noticing his bleeding shoulder. ¡°Why¡¯s it bleeding again?¡± Frowning, she bent down to touch the stained gauze. ¡°I¡¯ll get the doctor.¡± Bernard caught her hand, pulling it into his own. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. You don¡¯t need to worry about it.¡± Aidyn and Scott, who had been enjoying this intimate moment between the couple, suddenly realized they were being subtly told to get moving. ¡°Uh, I¡¯ll go get the doctor,¡± Aidyn said. ¡°Yeah, and I¡¯ll grab some snacks,¡± Scott added, as they both made a quick exit. This left Cedric, who was trying to decipher the look in Bernard¡¯s eyes. ¡°Cedric.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Cedric leaned in, expecting some profound words from Bernard, and sat expectantly at the edge of the bed. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Bernard spoke in his low, maic voice, simply instructing, ¡°Head back home. Take care of Hailey.¡± Cedric stared at his brother for a few seconds,ing to understand the old saying ¨C Useful tools are brought to the front; the useless ones get left in the dust. Chapter 1431 Chapter 1431 ¡°Alright then.¡± Cedric pped his thigh and rose from the armchair with a huff. ¡°Here I am, neglecting my own darling wife to look after you, and you¡¯re shooing me away when I just got here. Some thanks I get.¡± Cedric trudged along, grumbling under his breath, but hisints didn¡¯t earn him a plea to stay. Instead, he got- ¡°Close the door on your way out.¡± With a scowl, Cedric shut the door behind him. Then, grinding his teeth, he whipped out his phone and video-called Hailey to rant about Bernard¡¯s heartless behavior! In the hospital room, Eleanor watched Cedric¡¯s retreating figure with a suppressed smile. ¡°Aren¡¯t you being a tad harsh with Cedric?¡± she teased. ¡°He should learn to read the room.¡± Bernard dismissed it casually, just as Dr. Reyes, who Aidyn had called in, entered. Bernard¡¯s expression turned icy once more. Fortunately, the doctor was quick on his feet. After swiftly treating the bleeding wound, he and the nurse skedaddled out of there. Once the door clicked shut, Bernard released Eleanor¡¯s hand and patted the empty space beside him, ¡°Come here.¡± His voice was a calm contrast to the cold front he¡¯d put up for the doctor. There was a hint of indulgence this time. With a slight smile, Eleanor slipped off her shoes and, with Bernard¡¯s gentle guidance,y down beside him. Using his uninjured shoulder, Bernard swept Eleanor¡¯s long hair from her neck and drew her petite frame close. He angled his injured shoulder away and gazed down at the woman in his arms, his eyes softening. ¡°That divorce paper was under duress. I never wanted to part from you.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°And about taking sides, that wasn¡¯t genuine either. No matter what, you¡¯re my only choice.¡± No matter the weight of the Laurence family legacy or the shadows of the Siren Organization, none of it mattered in Eleanor¡¯s presence. He loved her more than anything-more than his own life. Nothing and no one could ever take her ce. ¡°I understand.¡± Eleanor lifted her hand to touch Bernard¡¯s chiseled face, her fingertips brushing with tenderness, ¡°When I said I¡¯d never look back, that was in the heat of the moment.¡± No matter how many times she felt abandoned, her love for him remained unshakable, a truth from the heart. Hearing her say that her resolve to never look back was just a spur-of-the-moment thing, the weight on Bernard¡¯s chest lightened, ¡°From now on, nothing will hold me back.¡± After speaking, Bernard raised his hand to Eleanor¡¯s visibly pregnant belly. ¡°I can finally rest easy, spend the rest of my days with you and our child.¡± He promised. Though uncertain about the ticking time bomb in his brain, he was determined to fight for every extra moment he could get. Looking up at him, Eleanor saw the resolve and deep love in his eyes. ¡°I-and the child-will never leave you.¡± Their promises to each other dispelled any remaining distance, leaving only love between them. Bernard pulled Eleanor closer, his eyes, full of stars, admiring every feature of her face. As they drew closer, their yearning intensified, and a growing desire darkened his gaze. Bernard¡¯s gaze lingered on Eleanor¡¯s lips/his Adam¡¯s apple moving subtly, a moment of restraint making his desire all the more apparent. It had been more than six months since he¡¯d held her, kissed her, touched her. Bernard couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. ¡°Eleanor.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Bernard drew so close that his nose brushed her cheek, the closenessforting. Instinctively, she tilted her chin up, leaning into his beautiful face, and listened attentively. 1/2 N?velDrama.Org ? content. 09:12 ¡°What is it?¡± His voice, soft andpelling, made Bernard¡¯s heart flutter. He meant to say how much he missed her, but instead, what came out was, ¡°I want to kiss you.¡± Or rather, he wanted more, but considering Eleanor¡¯s pregnancy, that would have to wait. Bernard was always bold and direct with his affection, sincere yet embarrassingly frank. Eleanor¡¯s cheeks flushed, but between husband and wife, such intimacy was familiar, not awkward, ¡°You¡¯re still injured.¡± ¡°The injury¡¯s on my shoulder, not my lips.¡± Eleanor bit her lip, smiling faintly. Before she could say more, Bernard leaned in, pressing his lips warmly to hers. Bernard was a masterful kisser, gently coaxing her lips apart, the tenderness quickly turning fierce. Pinned to the hospital bed, Eleanor expected a brief kiss, considering his injury. Yet Bernard kissed her as if possessed, not releasing her, stealing all her breath away. Noticing her struggle for air, he paused briefly, only to grow bolder, resuming his passionate assault. His long fingers gripped her waist tightly, pulling her even closer to him. Their bodies pressed together tightly, like glue, they were inseparable. Their breaths mingled, the world reduced to just the two of them, uninhibited in their longing. Chapter 1432 Chapter 1432 Despite his restlessness, Bernard restrained himself. Between passionate kisses, he would ease off, even using his prominent nose to nuzzle against Eleanor¡¯s cheek, seeking her favor. ¡°Five more minutes of kissing, okay?¡± he bargained. Eleanor, panting delicately, felt a heat coursing through her-a consequence of her pregnancy hormones, no doubt. It was a warmth that quickly turned into a ze, rivaling even Bernard¡¯s intensity, ¡°You¡¯re injured; don¡¯t move around too much.¡± She pushed him gently to lie back, but Bernard, with a swift motion, caught her wrist and then wrapped his arm around her waist. With a bit of strength, he pulled her onto his body. He didn¡¯t ask Eleanor for permission this time. Lifting his hand, he cradled the back of her head and pressed down, capturing her red lips once more urately. Amid their tumbling, Eleanor felt Bernard¡¯s arousal against her, and the thought made her cheeks burn even redder. Despite considering his injury and their unborn child, they didn¡¯t take it further, but it was a lengthy entanglement nheless. Eleanor¡¯s clothes were nearly ruined by Bernard¡¯s eager hands. ¡°Honey,¡± he murmured seductively, nibbling on Eleanor¡¯s earlobe. ¡°I want you.¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Eleanor, feeling her resolve weakening, quickly shifted away from his sensitive touches. ¡°You can wait.¡± Bernard, trying to contain the tension in his lower abdomen, knew they could resume their intimate moments six months into the pregnancy, but with his injury, they had to wait. ¡°Not until you¡¯re healed,¡± she insisted. Although he appeared flushed with desire, he had lost a great deal of blood from the gunshot wound, and it was no time for such physical exertions. Bernard, usually indifferent to his own injuries, was holding back not for his sake but for the baby¡¯s. He was afraid he might lose control and harm Eleanor. Gritting his teeth against his overwhelming desire, Bernard released Eleanor, creating a small distance between them, then looked at her with her flushed face, saying, ¡°I should be healed in about twenty days. During that time, I¡¯ll have a nutritionist take care of you.¡± He quickly rified, ¡°Not for that-it¡¯s because you need to be taken care of right now.¡± Bernard was concerned about Eleanor¡¯s weight loss. He longed to provide her with the very best the world could offer in hopes of restoring her well-being. With a smile, Eleanor reached out and looped her arm through his. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± Bernard soon called Aidyn to arrange for a nutritionist, who developed a meal n based on Eleanor¡¯s health needs. Within the short span of those twenty days, Eleanor regained her rosyplexion, and though she didn¡¯t gain much weight, she looked healthier than before. Bernard¡¯s shoulder, wounded by a bullet, was also healing well. They were supposed to stay in the hospital for another week for observation, but Bernard was adamant about not staying any longer. Aidyn expedited their discharge. Their private jet back home was scheduled for the following afternoon, so they spent the night at a hotel. Eleanor¡¯s belly had grown noticeably, and Bernard, worried about herfort while bathing, insisted on helping her. Bernard, who valued cleanliness and preferred to do things himself, prepared the bath with great care before gently lifting Eleanor into the warm water. He sat by the tub, tenderly washing her skin. However, as he bathed her, Bernard¡¯s fingers began to wander, sliding from her lower back to her chest. Upon his touched her, his body immediately tensed, his throat turning dry and itchy. ¡°Honey, I¡¯m all healed.¡± he rasped. Hearing his husky voice, Eleanor knew exactly what he was asking. She couldn¡¯t help but smile down and whisper, ¡°Gently¡­¡± With her words, Bernard, like a wild stallion unleashed, eagerly joined her in the tub. As the broad-shouldered man leaned over her, Eleanor ced her hands against his firm abs. ¡°Not here, it¡¯s too hard,¡± she protested gently. ¡°I know,¡± Bernard said with just three words before lifting her from the water. He didn¡¯t care about the wetness as he carried her to the bed, kissing her all the while. He had done his research. Tonight, he would be gentler than ever before. And indeed, his tenderness made the experience all the more pleasurable for Eleanor. Afterward, she found herself unable to let go, wrapping her arms around his waist, unwilling to part. ¡°Let¡¯s do it again?¡± Eleanor meant to resist. But after such a long hiatus, their restraint was thin. She hesitated for just a second, and that was all Bernard needed to begin anew. With soft caresses, he kissed her lips, her and then gently touched her in ces that made her melt. Bernard always knew just how to please her, and it didn¡¯t take long for Eleanor to be pliant under his touch. ears, ¡°Darling¡­¡± she murmured. ¡°Hmm?¡± he responded, as Eleanor blushed deeply, unable to voice her desires, only uttering broken sighs. Bernard was always attuned to her needs in these moments, instinctively increasing his intensity. Eleanor suddenly felt overwhelmed and arched her back. Fearing she might overexert herself, Bernard quickly supported her waist with one hand, continuing to cherish her with the other. Despite his care, Bernard still longed for more satisfaction, which he pursued with relentless tenderness. Chapter 1433 Chapter 1433 He was restraining himself like a caged beast, his eyes burning a deep crimson as he fixed his gaze on Eleanor. ¡°Honey, after the baby¡¯s born and you¡¯ve recovered, I might not be able to hold back anymore.¡± Being a man used to appeasing his every whim, Bernard required an intense frenzy of experiences to attain true satisfaction. Gentle caresses like this were merely a small constion, but they left him feeling all the more pent-up. Eleanor lifted her hazy eyes, looking into Bernard¡¯s desireden gaze. Suddenly, she remembered a night of being tossed and turned seven times and shivered involuntarily. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°Can we not?¡± At her words, he deliberately paused, raising his long fingers to capture her chin. ¡°Do you want this, or not?¡± Already stirred by desire, Eleanor, slightly embarrassed, stubbornly said she didn¡¯t. Bernard¡¯s eyes became even redder, ¡°Honey, say ¡®no¡¯ one more time.¡± Just as Eleanor opened her mouth to speak, the tall and proud man leaned in again, kissing her in that extraordinarily sensitive spot. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t help but make a sound, inappropriate as it was, signaling her surrender. ¡°Stop, please¡­ I can¡¯t take it anymore¡­¡± Bernard moved his ear closer, nuzzling her neck, ¡°Honey, I want to hear you ask for it.¡± Eleanor felt it wasn¡¯t the act itself she couldn¡¯t handle, but Bernard¡¯s teasing persistence.. ¡°I won¡¯t say it.¡± He wanted what he wanted, and yet he insisted on making her voice it aloud. He might have a thick skin, but she was mortified, ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure!¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t long before Eleanor capitted. Clinging to Bernard¡¯s waist, she lowered her head, ¡°I want you¡­¡± Bernard¡¯s lips curled into an indulgent smile, ¡°Alright¡­¡± Two times in a roll, Eleanor was exhausted. It was Bernard who carried her to another clean, dry bed where she finally drifted off into a deep sleep. Bernard didn¡¯t sleep; instead, he held his wife in his arms, gently patting her back, coaxing her into dreams. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to sleep; he simply couldn¡¯t. Partly because his passion was not yet spent, and partly because he feared these moments were too fleeting. The happier Bernard felt, the more prone he was to worry. He feared what would be of Eleanor and their child if he were to leave this world first. His eyes drifted toward the window where the moonlight cast a serene glow on the sill, a glow that couldn¡¯t reach the depths of his troubled heart. The next day at noon, Cedric called, and Eleanor, with bleary eyes, looked toward the man on the phone. ¡°What? She¡¯s inbor?¡± Hearing about thebor, Eleanor immediately guessed it was Hailey, and signaled Bernard to put the call on speaker. Cedric¡¯s frantic voice filled the room, ¡°Yeah, her water broke. She¡¯s been rushed to the delivery room. What should I do? What can I do?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Bernard¡¯s response was nonchnt, which only served to calm Cedric for a moment. In his life, he had never encountered such an indifferent person! His wife was giving birth, and his brother was thisposed? Clearly, he had forgotten that Hailey was his wife, not Bernard¡¯s. Cedric, don¡¯t panic, Eleanor said, more anxiously than Bernard ¡°Notify your family to help, and Bernard and I will be right there. Cedric, soothed by Eleanor, felt a momentary warmth and reassurance, ¡°My parents are already on their way, and my sister ising, as well as my little sister, and our cousins¡­¡± Cedric was clearly in a state of disarray, rattling off names, and Eleanor tried to interrupt him several times without sess. A bit helpless, Bernard stretched out his long finger and ended the call, then pulled back the nkets and fetched clothes for Eleanor to wear. ¡°The Laurence family won¡¯t let anything happen to Hailey. You can rest easy.¡± Cedric might be unreliable, but Veronica was dependable. With her there, Hailey was sure to be fine. As Bernard predicted, they had just boarded their private jet when Cedric called with good news, ¡°Hailey¡¯s given birth!¡± ¡°What? She¡¯s already given birth?!¡± Eleanor and Bernard were surprised, considering they had only been traveling from the hotel to the airport for forty minutes. ¡°The doctor said Hailey¡¯s in good health, so the birth was quick.¡± ¡°And how is Hailey? Is she alright?¡± While Eleanor was happy for Hailey, she also immediately worried about her health. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s fine. She¡¯ll be out soon.¡± Relieved that Hailey was okay, Eleanor asked the next important question. ¡°Is it a boy or a girl?¡± Now that they knew the mother was fine, the next concern was the gender of the babies. ¡°She had twins, a boy and a girl, isn¡¯t that amazing?!¡± Hearing about the twins, the couple nced at each other and Eleanor responded. ¡°Amazing indeed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my wife, of course she¡¯s amazing!¡± ¡°Eleanor, let me tell you, my wife, she¡­¡± Cedric began to boast endlessly about his wife. Annoyed, Bernard took the phone and said coldly, ¡°I hope they don¡¯t resemble you at all.¡± Chapter 1434 Chapter 1434 All the pride, excitement, and joy that Cedric felt evaporated the moment he heard Bernard¡¯s cold interruption. ¡°Bernard, that¡¯s low, I don¡¯t want to talk to you, I-¡± But before he could finish, the call was abruptly ended, and Cedric¡¯s heart went from cold to boiling with rage in an instant. ¡°To hell with Bernard, wait till he has a kid-I¡¯ll make sure toe up with the most hideous nickname I can think of for his kid!¡± Grumbling under his breath, Cedric put down his phone and continued to wait outside the maternity ward, flowers in hand, for Hailey. On the other end, Bernard hooked a smirk as he pocketed his phone and looked towards his wife Eleanor, who was eyeing him with surprise. ¡°What?¡± He asked. Eleanor, resting her chin on her hand and tilting her head, sized up Bernard, ¡°I never knew my husband had a mischievous streak.¡± Bernard leaned in, rubbing his nose against hers with a yful gesture, ¡°Just figuring that out now, aren¡¯t you a littlete?¡± Inhaling the faint scent of cedar from his clothes, Eleanor smiled, ¡°Kinda feels like walking into the lion¡¯s den.¡± Wrapping an arm around her, Bernard pulled her closer for a kiss. ¡°How about we walk into that den again tonight?¡± Eleanor was left speechless. By the time their private jet touched down at the hospital, Hailey had already been moved out of the delivery room. Rtives and friends came in waves to congratte Cedric and Hailey. When Bernard and Eleanor entered the hospital room, it was filled with flowers and gift boxes, most of which were from the Laurence family. Hailey was resting on the hospital bed, taking small spoonful of the soup that Cedric was feeding her, and smiling at the baby Veronica was cradling. Veronica held a baby girl, while Latonia had a baby boy, and Quin sat beside them, browsing a book of baby names. ke was also there, sitting across from Quin, preparing to pick out some nice names. They were so engrossed that they didn¡¯t notice the couple¡¯s arrival until Hailey called out, prompting everyone to turn around. ¡°Eleanor!¡± Seeing Eleanor, Hailey immediately beamed and waved her over, ¡°Come here!¡± Eleanor responded with a smile and approached, carrying a little gift box. With the Laurence elders present, Eleanor naturally greeted them first. Mrs. Laurence was quite kind to her, and both she and her husband responded warmly to Eleanor¡¯s congrattions. As for ke, he had been keeping an eye on Eleanor¡¯s belly ever since she entered. Seemingly content with the pregnancy news, he even acknowledged her when she called him ¡®Grandpa¡¯, a stark contrast to his earlier vehement opposition. After greeting the elders, Eleanor exchanged a few words with Veronica, who graciously encouraged her to go talk to Hailey. Eleanor nodded at Veronica, turned and made her way to Hailey¡¯s bedside. ¡°How are you, Hailey? Are you feeling alright? Any difort?¡± It was different with close friends-the first concern was always for her wellbeing, unlike others who were more focused on the babies. Especially ke, who initially had no interest in visiting upon hearing about the birth of a girl, but changed his tune when a boy was born shortly after. Even though an ultrasound had revealed twins a while back, the couple hadn¡¯t shared the news with Bernard and Eleanor due to recent events. Now that Eleanor was safely back and showing such concern, Hailey felt a sweet, warm surge of affection, ¡°I¡¯m doing great, no worries at all. And you?¡± Hailey didn¡¯t dare ask too much in the presence of the others, simply holding Eleanor¡¯s hand in hers. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m good too, don¡¯t worry.¡± After Eleanor reassured her, she gently brushed away the stray locks from Hailey¡¯s forehead and tucked them behind her ear, ¡°You¡¯ve done so well, Hailey.¡± 09-16 The same Hailey who once wielded a broom to defend her had be the mother of two, a role both grand and hard-earned. Seeing the emotion in Eleanor¡¯s eyes, Hailey understood the concern and couldn¡¯t help but feel her own eyes well up with tears, ¡°Marrying the right person, having kids-it¡¯s all part of life¡¯s natural course. There¡¯s nothing tough about it.¡± By any measure, Hailey felt her life was blessed. She had a husband who loved, doted on, and was willing to change for her. She had given birth to twins in one go, sparing herself a secondbor. Though she owned a nightclub and wasn¡¯t short on cash, she had effectively married into wealth. Socially, she and her children had leapfrogged sses. For someone with a modest educational background, life had turned out quite well indeed. But the sweetest part? Being able to share sisterly bonds with her best friend Eleanor. Could anyone be luckier? Content with her lot, Hailey felt no hardship even though childbirth had been a brush with death. Knowing Hailey was content and well, Eleanor squeezed her hand and changed the subject. ¡°I brought a little something for the twins, a wish for their safe and healthy growth.¡± Eleanor opened the gift box and retrieved two customized gold bracelets, handing them to Hailey. Chapter 1435 Chapter 1435 Hailey smiled as she received the gift from Eleanor. ¡°It¡¯s just good to have you back safe and sound. You didn¡¯t need to get me anything.¡± Eleanor had been away with some long-lost rtives, and she had been unreachable for days. Hailey was worried, she couldn¡¯t reach her phone no matter how many times she called. If it hadn¡¯t been for Bernarding back, and Cedric calming her down, Hailey was about ready to waddle her pregnant self to some godforsaken ce in search of Eleanor. Thankfully, not long after, Bernard stormed back home, bringing Eleanor with him. Learning that the couple had been overseas, dealing with a gunshot wound no less, Hailey could finally breathe easy and focus on her own uing delivery. But Cedric didn¡¯t tell Hailey about the chip in Bernard¡¯s head. Cedric nned to wait until Hailey was out of the hospital to have a proper sit-down with him about the whole matter. After all, such burdens should be carried by the men, letting the women enjoy their blissful lives without a care. Cedric and Bernard exchanged a knowing nce, an unspoken agreement between them. Overjoyed by the new baby, Eleanor took the gift box Bernard handed her and set it on the nightstand. ¡°Not just a gift for the baby, I got you something too.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t open it, just patted the box, ¡°Open it when you get home.¡± Turning her attention back to the joy at hand, she looked eagerly at Latonia and Veronica, who were holding the infants. ¡°May I¡­ hold one?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Veronica said generously, handing over the baby and showing Eleanor how to hold her. Eleanor melted as soon as she held the soft bundle of joy. ¡°Newborns are so¡­ tiny,¡± she marveled, looking at the baby girl¡¯s miniature features. Holding the baby girl closer, Eleanor¡¯s heart swelled with love, and she wished for her own child to arrive soon. Bernard watched Eleanor bathed in sunlight, cradling the child, and saw the glow of motherhood on her face. He caught a glimpse of her side profile and for a moment, he could imagine Eleanor cooing over their own baby. A subtle smile of impending fatherhood crept across his face, barely conceble beneath his joy. After a while, Eleanor presented the baby to Bernard with a bit of effort. ¡°Look at her, doesn¡¯t she have Cedric¡¯s eyes?¡± Bernard nced down at the wrinkled bundle and frowned. ¡°All wrinkled up, how can you tell?¡± The room fell silent at Bernard¡¯s blunt remark. Eleanor, embarrassed, nced around at everyone¡¯s faces before quickly retracting the baby girl. She handed her back to Veronica and reached for the baby boy in Latonia¡¯s arms. This time, she wisely refrained from bringing the baby too close to Bernard, but he leaned in anyway, ¡°This one¡¯s even wrinklier than thest.¡± ¡°Bernard!¡± Cedric couldn¡¯t hold back and stood up, fists clenched, ¡°Are you saying my kids are ugly?!¡± Bernard shifted his gaze from the infant¡¯s face to a fuming Cedric, ¡°What do you think?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°I think¡­¡± Cedric looked down at the baby boy in Eleanor¡¯s arms, admitting, ¡°He¡¯s a bit on the ugly side.¡± ¡°But the doctor said it¡¯s normal for newborns not to be handsome!¡± ¡°So you think they¡¯re ugly too, that¡¯s why you asked the doctor behind my back!¡± Hailey¡¯s incredulous voice rang out, and Cedric hurried back to cate her, ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re ugly, I¡¯ve just never seen babies, quite this¡­ unique.¡± Despite her own thoughts that the babies weren¡¯t exactly cute, Hailey had avoided looking too much, but now with Cedric¡¯s words, her defenses crumbled. 09:16 Seeing Hailey on the verge of tears, Cedric frantically soothed her while shooting Bernard a re. ¡°Bernard, this is all your fault!¡± Bernard looked unperturbed, tilting his chin up proudly as he faced Cedric¡¯s anger. ¡°I never said your kids were ugly.¡± The implication was clear: Cedric had caused his own problem, and Bernard was uninvolved. ¡°Bernard, on such a happy day, can¡¯t you say something nice?¡± Watching Cedric¡¯s meltdown, Bernard sighed and gently touched the boy¡¯s forehead. ¡°Actually, Boy Laurence isn¡¯t ugly; he¡¯s just a bit more wrinkled than Girl Laurence¡­¡± After hisment, Bernard looked up earnestly at Cedric¡¯s twitching mouth. ¡°Is that better?¡± Ignoring the remark, Cedric continued to calm Hailey¡¯s shaking hands, exining his choice of names and vetoing Bernard¡¯s suggestions. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my son will be like a dragon among men, and my daughter like a phoenix among women. Their names will be the most beautiful!¡± As soon as Cedric finished, Bernard nodded in agreement. ¡°Dragon Laurence and Phoenix Laurence aren¡¯t bad either.¡± ¡°Bernard, can you just not talk for a minute?¡± After a polite request, Cedric turned kindly to Eleanor, still holding the baby boy. ¡°Maybe you should take him and get some rest, Eleanor?¡± Chapter 1436 Chapter 1436 ¡°Cedric, sorry about that, Bernard has never been much of a smooth talker.¡± Eleanor gave Bernard a reproachful nce as she finished speaking. ¡°Why don¡¯t you head on home, and I¡¯ll stay here with the babies.¡± Bernard, already settled on the couch, lifted his heavy-lidded gaze slightly, ¡°I¡¯ll stay with you.¡± That meant if Eleanor didn¡¯t leave, neither would he. Cedric¡¯s pleading eyes turned back to Eleanor. With a sigh of resignation, and a heart full of reluctance, Eleanor handed the baby back to Latonia. Taking the baby, Latonia suddenly realized that the child was, indeed, not the cutest. Frowning, she nced at the baby, then at Cedric and Hailey. They weren¡¯t bad-looking, so why did the babies look like this? The more Latonia stared, the less cute the baby seemed, so she quickly passed the child back to Eleanor, ¡°You¡¯re the baby¡¯s aunt, why don¡¯t you stick around and cuddle them some more?¡± Eleanor, all smiles, took the baby back in her arms. ¡°I¡¯ll hold them a little longer, then I¡¯ll head home.¡± In the whole maternity ward, Eleanor probably was the only one who found the children adorable. Everyone else had their doubts but chose to stay silent. Eleanor, cradling one baby and gently stroking their tiny head, reassured Cedric, ¡°Babies that aren¡¯t so cute at first often grow up to be stunners. Don¡¯t worry, you and Hailey.¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Her words were like a warm hug, and Cedric¡¯s face rxed into a smile. ¡°Of course, Hailey and I are lookers. There¡¯s no way our babies won¡¯t grow up to be beautiful!¡± Bernard, his chin propped on his hand, was about toment when Cedric cut him off, ¡°Bernard, if you can¡¯t say anything nice, don¡¯t say anything at all!¡± Bernard¡¯s gaze shifted to Eleanor¡¯s face, and seeing her ¡®don¡¯t you dare¡¯ look, he swallowed the ¡®kind and gentle¡¯ words he was about to say. The room¡¯s atmosphere lightened again, mainly because the elders hade up with a list of suitable names, and everyone crowded around. They proposed several names for both a boy and a girl to choose from. Three generations had their preferences, and for a while, they were at an impasse until the old man handed the final decision to the head of the Laurence family. Bernard, idle and uninterested, casually nced at the list and quickly settled on the first two names on the list. Once these names were chosen by Bernard so randomly, Cedric and Hailey were nearly floored. It took some serious arm-twisting from Cedric to get Bernard to agree to ¡®Elwood Laurence¡¯ and ¡®Selena Laurence.¡¯ Cedric was so mad at Bernard¡¯s audacious choice of names and could only hope that his twins would outshine Bernard¡¯s children in looks, learning, talent, intelligence, and every other aspect. However, Cedric didn¡¯t expect Bernard¡¯s children turned out to be the most intelligent and beautiful kids ever. But that¡¯s a story for another day. Right now, the children were still infants, and regardless of their looks, everyone adored them. Especially Eleanor, who after seeing the old man, the kes, and Veronica off, couldn¡¯t bear to part with the babies. She was still inquiring about baby care tips from the child care expert Cedric had hired. Bernard had been impatient for a while, but seeing how much Eleanor adored the children, he stayed put, ncing over as Cedric updated his social media.. Proudly, Cedric posted a polished photo of the babies with the caption, ¡°My beautiful son and daughter!¡± The post quickly garnered many likes andments, most of them full of good wishes, except for their cousin in Africa who quipped, ¡°Why are they so wrinkled?¡± Cedric replied with a bunch of f words, only to find he was blocked, and exploded, ¡°Honey, I need to go to Africa!¡± Hailey, who was ying with the children, looked up and asked, ¡°What for?¡± Cedric gritted his teeth, ¡°To kill someone!¡± Before Hailey could reply, a gentle voice from outside chimed in, ¡°Who do you want to kill?¡± Eleanor looked towards the voice and saw Sigrid Laurence, and behind her¡­ Garett Falsey. Chapter 1437 Chapter 1437 Garrett, d in a crisp white shirt, stood outside the door, the embodiment of a breath of fresh spring air. Such a stark contrast to the man who had once been bound to a wheelchair, he now stood tall with an air of nobility that seemed unparalleled. Eleanor¡¯s gentle gaze drifted from his serene face down to his legs. Witnessing those once Immobile limbs now standing firm. and moving with steady steps into the delivery room, the guilt that had been gnawing at her heart began to dissipate. Garrett had finally regained his strength; no longer confined to a wheelchair, he could now live a life as fulfilled as anyone else¡¯s. Eleanor, who had longed for his recovery, couldn¡¯t help but smile with relief. Yet in the presence of Bernard, she restrained herself from looking too long at Garrett, merely nodding slightly in his direction before shifting her gaze away. Garrett¡¯s eyes, too, dared not linger on Eleanor. ¡®Out of sight, out of mind, as the saying goes. Some missed connections, if they cannot be let go, must be suppressed deep within the heart. After all, she was now another man¡¯s wife and soon to be a mother. Despite being tormented by a myriad of nightmares, Garrett understood the importance of self-restraint. Following Sigrid to Hailey¡¯s side, Eleanor stood up to make space, cradling the baby. Bernard, sitting on the couch, caught a glimpse of the two passing by without a backward nce. His eyelids fell, and when he looked up again, his gaze wasced with indifference. Because Eleanor hade to sit beside him, tugging at his sleeve to show him how adorable the sleeping baby was. At that moment, Eleanor had eyes for nothing but the babies, seemingly unaffected by Garrett¡¯s presence. Bernard peered into the eyes that reflected his own image and, uncharacteristically, his lips curled into a half-smile as he reached out and gently touched the baby¡¯s tiny mouth. Feeling the softness of the infant, the icy mask in Bernard¡¯s eyes began to melt away. Eleanor¡¯s soft voice then whispered, ¡°Isn¡¯t he cute?¡± With a slight arch of his brows, Bernard responded, ¡°Ugly cute.¡± Eleanor yfully red at him. ¡°If you say someone else¡¯s child is ugly, your own child will turn out the same.¡± Bernard scoffed with an air of arrogance. ¡°Our child, ugly? Impossible.¡± Their whispers, though soft, were clear as day to Garrett. Eleanor¡¯s current happiness was palpable, even without looking, he could feel it. Suppressing the turmoil within him, Garrett congratted Hailey with a smile. ¡°Hailey, you¡¯ve be a mother. As your brother, I don¡¯t know what to say except congrattions.¡± Hailey returned the smile graciously. ¡°Your congrattions are more than enough. What more needs to be said? We¡¯re siblings for life.¡± Nodding warmly, Garrett¡¯s gaze fell to the baby girl in Hailey¡¯s arms. ¡°May I hold her?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Hailey handed the baby to Garrett, and as he felt the little bundle¡¯s softness, the emotions he¡¯d kept at bay began to fade. Turning around, Garrett caught a glimpse of Eleanor holding the baby boy. She was looking down, not at him, yet he couldn¡¯t help but remember something Eleanor had once said.N?velDrama.Org ? content. She had dreamed aloud, ¡°Garrett, when we¡¯re married, we¡¯ll have twins-a boy and a girl. You¡¯ll carry our daughter, and I¡¯ll carry our son. As we grow old, we¡¯ll watch them grow up together. How does that sound?¡± The baby in his arms stirred, pulling Garrett back from his reverie just in time to avoid Bernard¡¯s cool, distant gaze. He quickly looked away, as if caught in a guilty act. For a moment, living out that old promise was enough, even if they were each holding someone else¡¯s child¡­ Garrettposed himself, held the child a bit longer, asked for the babies¡¯ names, and after a short chat, he had his people deliver an array of nourishing gifts before he took his leave. Once Garrett had left, Eleanor nced at him, a silent question in her eyes. She wondered whether her deliberate distance was right or wrong, given his ongoing battle with severe depression. As she searched for answers, Sigrid offered one, ¡°Garrett¡¯s legs may have healed, but his depression is still serious. At one point, the pain from his treatment nearly drove him to suicide, but he said¡­¡± To spare Eleanor any guilt, Sigrid cut herself off, adding only, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯ll keep living.¡± Eleanor looked at Sigrid for a few seconds before nodding gently, ¡°Please, help him.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no trouble,¡± Sigrid replied, then looked at Eleanor thoughtfully. ¡°If I say that after spending time with him, I think Garrett is a good man, would you find that strange?¡± As Sigrid spoke, Chase McCall, who hade to offer his congrattions, reached the doorway of the delivery room. He heard her words loud and clear. In that sudden moment, hope escaped from his eyes, leaving them empty. Chapter 1438 Chapter 1438 Sigrid had been Garrett¡¯s rock, weathering the storm of tough times alongside him. And Chase? He had been hiding in the shadows, watching as Sigrid¡¯s eyes slowly filled with Garrett, piece by piece¡­ It seemed more heart-wrenching to witness the person etched in your very soul fall for someone else, rather than just falling out of love. Especially when she admitted it, it felt like Chase had been shot through the heart with a volley of arrows¡­ The pain gnawed its way into his palms before piercing through his limbs, slicing his flesh bit by bit, bleeding him out drop by drop. After such agony, life seemed utterly meaningless. Leaning against the wall, Chase turned away, his eyes misting over. Slowly tilting his head back, he caught a glimpse of the azure sky and felt that the world was still beautiful. So why was his heart riddled with holes? ¡°Sigrid, I was ready to silently stand by you for a lifetime, under one condition-that neither of us would fall for someone else. But why did you have to be the one to break the only rule we had left?¡± However, he seemed to forget that this ¡®rule¡¯ was one he had made himself, irrelevant to Sigrid. Naturally, he had to bear the bitter fruit of it being broken. Unwilling to ept this bitter fruit, Chase ced his hand over his aching heart, then slowly turned to look at Sigrid, who was sitting next to Eleanor. Back when he had cruelly left her, Sigrid had held up three fingers in a hysterical oath to the heavens. She had eximed, ¡°Chase, remember this-I willpletely forget you and will love another. And when that dayes, don¡¯t you dare look back, or may you be cursed to high heavens and never find peace!¡± Such a deafening vow had hammered against Chase¡¯s heart chamber night after night, painfully unforgettable, etched in his mind to this very day. He had feared the vowing true, so he stayed close to her over the years, fearing she would love someone else. Yet when the day actually came, the pain was unbearable. Chase could ept Sigrid not loving him, but not her loving someone else. It meant that he would have to watch the woman who once loved him with all her heart, love another the same way¡­ It was cruel, but she had forbidden him from looking back, threatening him with severe retribution. Perhaps Sigrid knew this day woulde and thus severed his only path? Through separation and unrequited love, Chase had experienced it all, like a living corpse. Holding a congrattory gift, he entered the delivery room, ¡°Cedric, Hailey, congrattions on the arrival of your twins.¡± He greeted them with a smile as if nothing was wrong, but his ashen face clearly screamed of a life in tatters. Cedric surely knew what Chase had overheard just moments before. Yet, he pretended nothing was amiss, Cedric simply pulled him to see the babies, cracking jokes to divert Chase¡¯s attention. Eleanor hadn¡¯t even had the chance to respond to Sigrid before Chase¡¯s abrupt arrival interrupted their conversation. The topic was dropped abruptly, and all eyes turned to Bernard. Bernard, sitting nearby, hadn¡¯t expected Sigrid to have any interest in Garrett. Although ¡°not bad¡± didn¡¯t mean she was in love, it implied a desire to take things further among adults. Clearly, Sigrid was intrigued, but if she and Garrett were to be an item, wouldn¡¯t that make Garrett his and Eleanor¡¯s rtive? Bernard wasn¡¯t keen on such an oue, his cool gaze flickering towards Chase with a hint of indifference. To break the awkwardness, Chase yed with the babies before turning to Sigrid, ¡°I heard what you said just now. Garrett is a good man. If you like him¡­ grasp that chance.¡± Sigrid only thought Garrett was a good man, nowhere near liking him yet. But when she caught Chase¡¯s look of despair, she was reminded of her own past struggles and swallowed her rification, ¡°Thanks¡± That word made Chase force a bitter smile, his lips pale, ¡°Don¡¯t take it the wrong way, I truly bless you¡­¡± After that, the conversation died. The delivery room fell into a deathly silence, even as Cedric tried to liven the mood. Sigrid felt ufortable, bidding everyone goodbye before leaving. Chase, pretending to dote on the children, sneakily watched Sigrid¡¯s retreating figure, longing down to his marrow. For some reason, tears began to flow. Hot tears fell on the baby¡¯s clothes, leaving a small stain unnoticed by all but the infant who kept a steady gaze on Chase. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Chase masked all his sadness, continuing to frolic with the child until he saw Sigrid got into Garrett¡¯s car. Then he began his descent into the abyss¡­. Eventually, the dazed Chase staggered out of the delivery room under the watchful eyes of the four people. His days became a haze of cigarettes, liquor, and medicines¡­ He waited a lifetime; she never looked back. Chapter 1439 Chapter 1439 Yearster, when Sigrid mentioned Garett, Hailey couldn¡¯t help but ask her what made her fall for him. Sigrid would say that every time she saw him sitting alone by the window, gazing at the sprawling fields of wildflowers, she felt a pang of pity for his solitude. She believed that when a woman starts to feel sorry for a man, her heart is already on the path to falling for him. She followed her heart, even though she knew that Garett had built walls around himself in his own fortress, leaving no room for anyone else but Eleanor. His life, his world, everything he had, belonged solely to Eleanor. Even as Sigrid revealed her feelings for him, Garett rejected her, refusing her care andpany from that point forward. He preferred to endure the torment of his depression rather than open his heart to any woman other than Eleanor, fearing that he might forget her once again. Garett attributed all his regrets with Eleanor to his amnesia, making it impossible for anyone or anything to prate his heart or upy his memory. Even though Garett didn¡¯t love Sigrid, she was willing to stay by his side. She might not have loved him with the same intensity as she had loved Chase, but Garett was the man who made her open her heart again, and that made him special. Sigrid was aware that Chase was waiting for her, but she was not one to look back easily. The only thing that might cause her to turn around would be the inevitable farewells and losses thate with the passing of time¡­ The saga involving the three of them would be entirely neutralised from Eleanor¡¯s future; hovering over it no more. After all, Eleanor had her own life to live and her own love to cherish. As long as everyone was well and unharmed, that was the best oue. Meanwhile, the present-day Eleanor, after spending time with Hailey, was escorted back to Fiord Roundabout by Bernard. But as soon as they stepped out of the car, they were greeted by the sight of Robin Spencer leaning against the hood. The air was getting cooler, and Robin wore a thin ck coat. His handsome face was downturned, eyes fixated on his ck boots. Strands of his dark hair fluttered in the breeze, betraying a sense of fragility. In Eleanor¡¯s memory, Robin was always prideful and aloof, rarely showing such a deste demeanor. She furrowed her brows, thinking he might have suffered some misfortune. Bernard¡¯s expression turned cold when he saw Eleanor¡¯s concern for Robin, and his grip on her hand involuntarily tightened. With Garett gone and now Robin appearing, the former was an undeniable presence for Bernard, while thetter should have been insignificant. But thistter had shared life-and-death moments with Eleanor, and now their bond was as strong as the former¡¯s. Bernard, exuding a powerful aura, sped Eleanor¡¯s hand in his, and with firm steps, they approached Robin, ¡°Last time, we agreed to have dinner after the Area Opaca ordeal. I hadn¡¯t even sent out the invitation yet, and here you are, cousin. Why not seize the day? Come join my wife and me for dinner, cousin.¡± His use of ¡®cousin¡¯ and my wife¡¯ grated on Robin¡¯s ears like nails on a chalkboard. The despondent eyes of Robin zed with anger at the mention of those words. ¡°I¡¯m not your damn cousin! Stop calling me that!¡± Eleanor, seeing Robin¡¯s outburst, immediately retracted any sympathy she had felt.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t you swear at my husband!¡± As Bernard prepared to scold Robin, Eleanor stepped forward, positioning herself protectively in front of him. The sour taste in his mouth started to dissipate. ¡°Indeed, he is your cousin, and I am your cousin-inw. That¡¯s an undeniable fact.¡± Robin, ready to retort, lost his fire at Eleanor¡¯s words, his anger quelled. ¡°So¡­ from the beginning, you only saw me as Bernard¡¯s cousin?¡± His eyes filled with a grievance that Eleanor couldn¡¯t ignore as she frowned once more. ¡°If not as a cousin, then what should I consider you?¡± Her counter question silenced Robin, robbing him even of the right to be angry. ¡°I thought we are closer than that, we wererades, right?¡± He would rather be arade than her cousin, but that was a sentiment Robin would never voice. After cooling off, he averted his gaze from Eleanor¡¯s face to the icy Bernard. ¡°I¡¯m here to tell you that Katharine found someone in Chiang Rai who looks exactly like Caleb, except for a small mole in his eye¡­ Despite being able to distinguish him from Caleb, Katharine, influenced by Caleb¡¯sst words, treated him as if he were Caleb¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Eleanor stood frozen. Caleb¡¯s periodic messages had included a line for Katharine ¨C If you pray for a year and still can¡¯t forget me, then I will return to you in another form. Caleb had set a year for Katharine to pray, merely to give her a reason to live. But who could have imagined that someone identical to Caleb would appear in this world? And that person, by some twist of fate, hade into Katharine¡¯s life. Was this what they called destiny? Chapter 1440 Chapter 1440 When Bernard heard the name Caleb, a fog of regret clouded the cool depths of his eyes, and he felt a tide of remorse rushing in. His thick, longshes drooped, casting a faint shadow beneath his eyelids. He was still for a long time, until the pain hidden in his eyes was sufficiently veiled, and then he looked up with a guarded expression to meet Robin¡¯s serious gaze. ¡°What¡¯s the name of the guy who looks like Caleb?¡± ¡°Zephyr rk.¡±¡± Zephyr rk. Bernard rolled the name around in his mind and nodded subtly. 411 ¡°I just happened to be back in town for some business and thought I¡¯d drop in to tell you.¡± The truth was, a simple phone call would have sufficed, but Robin had made the effort toe in person. The intention behind this seemed pretty clear. Bernard was well aware of Robin¡¯s unspoken motives. Still, Robin was never good at controlling his emotions, acting on impulse. Lately, he had a peculiar dream where Eleanor stumbled and lurched towards him; he caught her firmly and told her, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take you away! After waking from such a dream, Robin sat up in bed, staring out at the bleak view for a long time, unable to shake the feeling. That dream reignited a flicker of emotion in a heart that was supposed to have moved on. Now, his gaze dropped to where their fingers were intertwined, skin touching skin in harmonious ord, a reminder to him that it was all just a dream, a longed-for fantasy. ¡°Thanks.¡± Bernard¡¯s heavy heart withdrew from the serpentine maze of his thoughts, and when he looked at Robin again, he could sense what was on his mind. Following Robin¡¯s gaze, he nced at his own hand, sped with Eleanor¡¯s, and for a moment, he felt a pang of envy from Robin. ¡°Mr. Spencer.¡± Bernard¡¯s voice was cold as frost, snapping Robin back to the present. He looked up, only to meet Bernard¡¯s detached and weary gaze. ¡°Thanks for saving my wife, and I appreciate youing all this way to tell me.¡± The emphasis on ing all this way¡± was unmistakable. If Robin couldn¡¯t detect the underlying jab, he would be as foolish as Elbert Pine. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°It was no big deal; there¡¯s no need to thank me.¡± After saying this, Robin walked around the front of the car to the passenger side, opened the door, and prepared to get in. Bernard¡¯s indifferent voice followed him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you staying for dinner?¡± Robin, hand on the car door, shot him a look.. ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m in need of a charity meal? Do I need to stay at your house for dinner?¡± He wasn¡¯t about to endure that pain again. ¡°Well then, let me send you a parting gift as a token of my gratitude.¡± It was Eleanor who spoke, softening Robin¡¯s mood slightly, though he was far from pleased. ¡°When I saved you, I must have been out of my mind. If I had to do it over, I definitely wouldn¡¯t save you, so quit it with the thank-yous. They¡¯re driving me insane.¡± Watching Robin¡¯s impatient expression, Eleanor paused, sensing his apparent indifference. Yet, she was grateful not just for being saved, but for the sustenance he had left her- the drawer full of food. In those dire circumstances, every apple and every ss of milk Robin had provided were unforgettable. In her heart, Eleanor cherished this kindness. Before Robin could slide into his seat, she sincerely said, ¡°Thank you, Robin.¡± The man in the car hesitated for a moment before nonchntly buckling up and starting the engine swiftly. As the car turned and drove away, it was only then that Robin allowed himself to openly nce in the rear-view mirror, watching the shrinking figure¡­ He couldn¡¯t quite articte the feeling, just a sense of hollowness. Did he want her? He did, but she wasn¡¯t his to have. Even looking felt like overstepping his bounds. In the end, all he could muster was a sense of helpless eptance. Robin¡¯s feelings for Eleanor were deeply buried, and he kept a respectful distance. Bernard yed along, never addressing it directly. But he could see that Eleanor treated Robin differently, a difference that began with the food he left her. Watching the monitors, Bernard had seen Eleanor cry all night over Robin and eventually sit on the bed, clutching the apple he left. At that moment, Bernard knew that in Eleanor¡¯s mind, only Robin, who was willing to die for her, mattered. Whether it was gratitude or something else, Robin had be special to her. This change made Bernard ufortable. He wasn¡¯t sure how he had endured it, watching from behind the cameras, but thankfully, that was all in the past. Squeezing Eleanor¡¯s hand, Bernard brought her back to the present. ¡°Honey, I¡¯m heading to Chiang Rai Tomorrow.¡± Eleanor looked into his heavy eyes. ¡°Are you going to see Zephyr?¡± Bernard gazed into the twilight, watching the clouds descend on the horizon. ¡°I need to see if Caleb has come back.¡± Caleb was gone and noting back. But when face to face with his spitting image, who wouldn¡¯t mistake the stranger for Caleb? Eleanor didn¡¯t shatter Bernard¡¯s hope but spoke calmly, ¡°I¡¯lle with you.¡± Bernard¡¯s lips parted to object, but Eleanor continued, ¡°If possible, the three of us might be able to eat together, with you cooking, right on the steamboat¡­¡± Chapter 1441 Chapter 1441 Eleanor remembered theirst dinner together as well. Bernard looked at Eleanor with determined eyes and couldn¡¯t refuse any longer. ¡°Alright, no problem.¡± It was only then that Eleanor reached out, linking her arm with his strong, muscr one. ¡°Honey, let¡¯s head home.¡± With one arm wrapped around her waist and the other cradling her belly, they walked towards the Fiord Roundabout. Seeing them return safe and sound, Bryson was finally relieved. He was beside himself with joy and had the chef whip up a feast. He also sent someone to pick up Nina from school. Eleanor hadn¡¯t seen Nina in ages and missed her terribly, feeling a sting of guilt as well. Nina was still so young, and Eleanor had left a single note before leaving-it didn¡¯t sit right with her. Bryson had said that Nina was understanding, mentioning her aunt and uncle only asionally without making a fuss. Eleanor asked if Nina had cried. Bryson told her that with Pearce and George to keep herpany, Nina hardly had time for tears, but she had woken up crying a few times at night and it took hisforting to put her back to sleep. Learning that Nina had cried made Eleanor feel even worse, but Bryson quickly reassured her by saying Nina was only upset with her Uncle Bernard. When Eleanor asked why, Bryson exined that Bernard had returned home a while ago and left before Nina got out of school, without seeing her. The little girl was so angry she vowed to ignore her uncle upon his return. Hearing this, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help butugh at Bernard¡¯s grim expression,forting him by saying Nina was just being a child and not to take it to heart. But when Nina got home from school, she really did give Bernard the cold shoulder. Bernard tried to win her over with a pile of gifts, but nothing worked. Nina had grown a bit and be quite stubborn, leaving Bernard exasperated and no longer trying to engage her. When Bernard ignored her, Nina felt ufortable. At dinner, she sneaked nces at him with her big, round eyes. Thest time she got caught, she was so embarrassed she buried her face in her food. Bernard¡¯s lips curled slightly as he scooped up a small bowl of sweet soup and ced it on the table, gently pushing it towards Nina. He said nothing, but the gesture warmed Nina¡¯s heart. She was so delighted that she hopped down from her chair and ran to give Bernard a bear hug. But she was stopped before her fingers could even touch his sleeve. ¡°Serenina Ziegler, have you forgotten what I¡¯ve said?¡± Only her aunt Eleanor was allowed to touch him; no one else¡­ Nina remembered the irond rule but still, she walked over to Eleanor and raised her hand to touch the prominent belly. ¡°When my little cousin is born, will they not be allowed to touch you either?¡± Bernard arched an eyebrow, his expression carelessly amused. ¡°Boys can do it, but girls can¡¯t.¡± Nina had never been so speechless in her life. She rolled her eyes and touched Eleanor¡¯s belly again. ¡°Hey, little one, you¡¯d better be a boy, or else your dad won¡¯t let you touch him¡­¡± Nina¡¯s mature tone made Eleanorugh. She smiled and pinched Nina¡¯s cheek. ¡®Don¡¯t listen to him. Whether it¡¯s a boy or a girl, they¡¯re his children-he wouldn¡¯t stop them from touching him.¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡®Exactly. Nina nodded in agreement, then proudly leaned against Eleanor¡¯s belly and whispered softly, ¡°Little one, hurry up ande out. We need to fix your dad¡¯s stinky habits-maybe even let him get a whiff of your stinky diapers¡­¡± Nina giggled at her own words, picturing her uncle¡¯s face overwhelmed by the baby¡¯s stinky surprises. Bernard, stirring his soup with a small spoon at the dinner table, didn¡¯t mind what the child said. He nced sideways at the two beside him and couldn¡¯t help but feel content. After dinner, Eleanor spent some time with Nina until the little girl fell asleep. Then she went to the study to find Bemard. ¡°Darling what are you working on?¡± Bernard, who had been tinkering with the chip system, quickly shut down hisputer as she entered and looked at her nonchnt ¡°Just somepany stuff. Is Serenina asleep?¡± Eleanor nodded as she approached, ¡°She¡¯s had a long day at school, then all that excitement with the gifts, she was exhausted. She fought to stay awake to talk to me, but she¡¯s asleep now.¡± He stood up, guiding Eleanor to sit beside him on the small sofa. ¡°Well, if she¡¯s asleep, you should rest too. You¡¯re far along now-don¡¯t overexert yourself.¡± Eleanor agreed, then wrapped her arm around Bernard¡¯s. Resting her head on his shoulder, she whispered, ¡°There¡¯s something I need to ask your permission for. Once I do, I¡¯ll head to bed.¡± The man she leaned on lifted his fingers affectionately to her hair. ¡°Whatever you want to say or do, you don¡¯t need my permission.¡± Eleanor knew he loved her dearly, which was why he felt she didn¡¯t need to consult him, but she believed in mutual respect. ¡°Marriage is about discussion and agreement. It¡¯s better I talk things over with you.¡± Chapter 1442 Chapter 1442 Bernard didn¡¯t argue further, simply gesturing for her to continue. Eleanor then said, ¡°I promised before that once Garett got back on his feet, I¡¯d give him a grand gift¡­¡± Worried that Bernard might misunderstand, Eleanor quickly added, ¡°And Robin, for saving my life, deserves something too. Then there¡¯s Pearce and George, who¡¯ve been helping take care of Nina¡­ so¡­¡± Before she could finish exining, Bernard interrupted her with a warm voice, ¡°Honey, if you want to give them gifts, go ahead. You don¡¯t need my permission.¡± At his words, Eleanor cupped his wlessly handsome face and nted a firm kiss, ¡°Honey, you¡¯re the best.¡± After thepliment, Eleanor said, ¡°I¡¯ll go pick out a few grand gifts now, then have Bryson deliver them.¡± Before she could get up, Bernard said, ¡°Tell me what you want to give, and I¡¯ll arrange it.¡± He didn¡¯t want her to go through any trouble-a sentiment that made Eleanor feel incredibly sweet inside. Smiling, she told Bernard what she wanted to gift, and he went to make arrangements. Once everything was set, Bernard helped Eleanor back to their room. He didn¡¯t want her to shower alone, so he washed her himself. Afterwards, he wrapped her in a bathrobe and carried her to bed. Only after he had taken care of her did Bernard head to the bathroom to douse his own desires with cold water. The longing was strong; to abstain for so long and only watch without touching was truly torturous. He tilted his chin up, letting the icy water cascade over his face, his expression and slightly parted lips betraying his yearning. With that yearning still upon him, hey down beside Eleanor. With her warmth beside him, Bernard rolled his throat several times but ultimately controlled himself and closed his eyes to sleep. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. The next morning, Nina headed off to school, Bryson went to deliver the gifts, and Bernard and Eleanor boarded their private jet once again. When they arrived in Chiang Rai around noon, the sky was a brilliant blue, the sun shining bright, and the temperature was just right. Bernard brought Robin¡¯s gift with him, and when they met, Eleanor held it out with both hands.. ¡°Even though you refuse, I owe you thanks for saving a life, and I must express my gratitude.¡± Robin nced at Eleanor, then at the gift box, his expression less than pleased. It seemed as though epting it would draw a line between them, but it was a kind gesture, and it would be rude to refuse. With reluctance, Robin epted the gift, and because it was from Eleanor, he treasured it a bit more. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you two would actuallye all this way to see Zephyr.¡± Robin put the gift in the passenger seat and gestured for them to get in the car. He had been staying close to Katharine and was familiar with the roads of Chiang Rai. Hearing that they would visit, he didn¡¯t bring a driver and drove to the airport himself. 4 Scott had arranged for a car, but seeing that Robin hade to pick them up, Bernard, along with Eleanor, got into his car. Expecting the atmosphere in the car to be awkward, they were surprised to run into an old acquaintance, Elbert, as they got in. Emerging from the airport, he spotted them and waved hisrge arms excitedly. ¡°Bernard, Eleanor, what brings you here?!¡± Seeing Elbert¡¯s bright smile and pearly white teeth shining in the sunlight, Bernard found it slightly blinding, and with a cool nce, he turned to Robin, ¡°Aren¡¯t we leaving yet?¡± Robin wrestled with the car ignition, his brow creased in frustration. ¡°These foreign cars,¡± he grumbled, ¡°I can¡¯t quite figure them out.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Elbert opened the passenger door and plopped down, squashing the gift box beneath him. Robin¡¯s heart skipped a beat at the sight of the ttened box, and then it was rage, ¡°Get up, now!¡± Elbert, who was in the process of retrieving the box, jumped at the roar, stuttering, ¡°I-I didn¡¯t mean to.¡± Robin took the gift box from Elbert¡¯s hands with a cold face and carefully unwrapped it. When he saw the metallic sheen of the red apple inside, he involuntarily turned to look at Eleanor. Eleanor nodded, her smile seeming to say, ¡°Let this gift serve as a token of my gratitude for that life- saving moment.¡± Robin said nothing, just nced at her and nonchntly handed the apple to Elbert. ¡°I thought it would be something valuable, but it¡¯s just a toy.¡± His actions and words were a cover for his earlier panic. Everyone in the car, except for Bernard, really thought he was being dismissive. Especially Elbert, who examined the red apple, saw nothing extraordinary, and tossed it aside¡­. Luckily, it onlynded inside the car; otherwise, Robin might have kicked Elbert out right then and there. Elbert, refusing to leave the car, turned to Bernard, ¡°I heard from my dad that you¡¯re the son of my Aunt Tammie Pine, is that true?¡± Bernard, regretting getting into this car, rolled his eyes upward in silence, his demeanor clearly showing his impatience. But Elbert didn¡¯t catch on and continued enthusiastically, ¡°So it¡¯s true, my dad wasn¡¯t lying. But man, you¡¯re my cousin, I can hardly believe it!¡± No wonder Bernard¡¯s p had felt oddly familiar to him, as though it was delivered by a family member. As it turned out, it actually was! Chapter 1443 Chapter 1443 When Elbert learned the truth, he was shocked, and just as wild with rage. The Pines and the Laurences were basically enemies, and now, thanks to Bernard¡¯s meddling, they were awkwardly stitched together as rtives. Who could swallow that bitter pill? Elbert had been nursing dreams of vengeance, but old man Sheldon Pine put a stop to that real quick. ¡°He¡¯s family now, son,¡± he warned, ¡°and that¡¯s the end of it. Unless some blind bat from the Laurence n stabs us in the back, you leave Bernard be.¡± Of course, Sheldon was just looking out for thest scion of the Pine family. With Elbert¡¯s hotheadedness, he didn¡¯t stand a chance against Bernard¡¯s wits. So, the old man sweet-talked him into seeing reason. His argument was a sly one, ¡°It¡¯s Bernard who should be squirming, not us. That boy has to call me ¡®Uncle Sheldon¡¯, putting us a rung above the Laurence¡¯s in this twisted familydder.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. The moment Elbert realized he had the upper hand in this bizarre hierarchy, his eyes lit up, and he pped his thigh in excitement, shaking Sheldon¡¯s arm. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re a genius!!¡± Sheldon looked at Elbert¡¯s goofy grin, shook his head, and yfully cuffed him on the ear before booting him out of the house to cool off. Elbert couldn¡¯t wait to spread the news to his cousins in Chiang Rai. Stepping out of the airport, he practically bumped into the very subjects of this mess. What were the odds? In his glee, Elbert neglected one tiny detail. ¡°Robin, Bernard¡¯s gotta call your mom ¡®Aunt¡¯ and my dad ¡®Uncle¡¯! Isn¡¯t this family tree a hoot?¡± He wasughing so hard he could barely stand, but the others in the car exchanged awkward nces. They all knew what Elbert had forgotten ¨C he too had to call Bernard ¡®cousin¡¯. Nobody had the heart to burst his bubble until Elbert started ribbing Robin. ¡°Hey, you¡¯ll have to call Bernard ¡®cousin¡¯, too. Hrious, right? He is now officially your family!¡± Robin, barely managing to contain his annoyance while starting the car, fixed Elbert with a withering re. ¡°You want to dieughing, or do you prefer dying a stranger¡¯s death in a foreignnd?¡± Elbert quickly backed off, but muttered under his breath about Robin¡¯s overreaction. Robin smoothed his ruffled shirt, then coolly reminded Elbert, ¡°I might have to call him ¡®cousin¡¯, but so do you. Pot calling the kettle ck, much?¡± The realization hit Elbert like a ton of bricks. He wasn¡¯t the one with the upper hand over Bernard; Sheldon was. He had totally forgotten his own ce in the pecking order. As the car grew quiet, Bernard finally spoke, his voice devoid of emotion, ¡°Family ties are a mess, but I¡¯m happy to be your ¡®cousin¡¯, and my wife is more than willing to be your¡­ ¡®cousin-inw¡±.¡± Elbert had always adored Eleanor¡¯s beauty and gentle nature, so the new title didn¡¯t bother him. But Robin¡¯s expression soured at the title. ¡°Why so glum, my dear second cousin?¡± Elbert teased, quick to adapt to the new family roles. ¡°Not thrilled about your new cousin and cousin-inw?¡± Robin, having none of Elbert¡¯s flippancy, asked coldly, ¡°You want your mouth torn open, or prefer to take a dive out of the car yourself?¡± Undeterred and emboldened by Bernard¡¯s presence, Elbert retorted, ¡°Hey, cousin, cousin-inw, my second cousin here is bullying me. I might just have to get you a banner that says ¡®heroes of the people¡¯ for saving me.¡± Eleanor couldn¡¯t help butugh at Elbert¡¯s antics, ¡°Robin, for the sake of our adorable little cousin here, let¡¯s not be too harsh on him.¡± Robin¡¯s anger melted away at Eleanor¡¯s words, and he hit the gas like a bat out of hell, the car surging forward. Bernard wrapped an arm around Eleanor, pulling her closer, and rolled down the window a bit. The breeze wafted in, ying with Eleanor¡¯s hair, which danced across Bernard¡¯s chiseled features like a scene from a painting. Elbert, ever the opportunist, snapped a photo with his phone and shoved it under Robin¡¯s nose. ¡°Second cousin, isn¡¯t this picture a looker?¡± Robin nced at the screen, his jealousy twisting his face into a snarl, ¡°Second your ass!!¡± Elbert could only shrug; sometimes there was just no pleasing some people. Chapter 1444 Chapter 1444 He smirked defiantly, ¡°Easy, second cousin!¡± Robin¡¯s face turned a shade of iron, ¡°Get the hell out of my car!¡± Elbert gripped the seatbelt, rebellion etched on his face, ¡°Make me!¡± Just as Robin was about to kick him, Bernard, sitting in the backseat with eyes that captured the soul, nced toward the front. ¡°Dear cousins, your cousin-inw is pregnant. Please focus on driving and cut out the bickering.¡± It was a simple, serene statement that silenced the impending squabble between the two childish fools. Elbert quieted because of Bernard, and Robin, because of Eleanor¡¯s words, each nursing their own woes. Ultimately, acknowledging that Eleanor was with child, Robin slowed down the car, suppressing the urge to throttle Elbert, and drove in silence to the chapel. At this moment, Katharine knelt before the altar, her head bowed in prayer. Every afternoon, she would attend the pastor¡¯s sermon, finding sce in the scriptures as she thought of Caleb, the incense of the chapel calming her grief. But each night, she was awakened by dreams of Caleb. The pain of losing a loved one was a heart- wrenching agony not easily forgotten. Often, Katharine would sit by the window, gazing at the moon, lost in thought all through the night. She stared at the stars, starting to believe that the souls of the departed be celestial bodies, shining down on those they wished to watch over. She felt certain that the stars she could see were Caleb¡¯s essence; otherwise, why would they always catch her eye? It was with this self-deception that she managed to keep living, convincing herself that Caleb would return. And indeed, before long, he appeared. Katharine remembered praying for Caleb, eyes closed, when a clear and untainted voice reached her ears. The man questioned the pastor, ¡°The Good Book says, ¡®To be in the world, but not of it, which should spare me worldly troubles. Why then, since I¡¯vee to faith, am I still restless?¡± The pastor replied, ¡°It must be an earthly bond that¡¯s unsettled, causing you to seek escape but finding none.¡± ¡°And is there a way to resolve this?¡± ¡°Only through personal revtion.¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Revtion?¡± ¡°What kind of revtion?¡± As he spoke, the man¡¯s gaze fell upon Katharine, her face wet with tears, looking back at him. Her eyes, brimming with hurt and tears, struck him like lightning, piercing his heart. In an instant, the pastor¡¯s voice faded away, and silence enveloped him, his vision clearing to see only the woman kneeling, silently weeping. It wasn¡¯t until she rose from the pew, her frail body trembling as she approached him, that he came back to reality. She reached out, her fingers trembling as they touched his face. He stepped back, reminding her that he was ay disciple, bound for a spiritual path, and she shouldn¡¯t touch him. But Katharine, convinced that Caleb had returned, threw herself into his arms in front of the altar. Crying out for Caleb, she begged him never to leave her again. So profound was her longing that she mistook they disciple Zephyr for Caleb. Zephyr, with downcast eyes, felt a vague familiarity with Katharine but pushed her away, insisting she was mistaken. Katharine refused to believe she was wrong, reached for Zephyr¡¯s arm, reminding him of his promise that if she prayed for a year and still remembered him, he would return to her in some form. She hadn¡¯t forgotten, and here he was-how could it be a mistake? Desperate for proof, Katharine ran to fetch her phone, to show him the evidence he¡¯d left behind. But by the time she returned, breathless, Zephyr had already left the chapel. Standing alone in the vast chapel, Katharine looked around, but Caleb was nowhere to be found. Tears sprang to her eyes, and, feeling utterly bereft, she copsed, hugging her knees. Through her sobs, she spoke to Caleb, wondering if he¡¯d left her again because she hadn¡¯t protected their baby. She paused, not Justifying her mistake, but softly repeating, ¡°Caleb,e back. Let¡¯s have another child, please¡­ As the rain seldomes to Chiang Rai, when it did, it fell swiftly, without warning. Katharine sat on the gilded steps, unprotected from the rain soaking her to the skin. Then, overhead, a white umbre appeared as if by magic. Katharine¡¯s Caleb, standing tall before her, was like a lifeline, shielding her from the downpour and renewing her hope for life. Chapter 1445 Chapter 1445 if Zephyr had never shown up, Katharine might have managed to suppress her longing for another year. But he did appear, like a raindrop falling into still waters, sending ripples across the surface and stirring a tempest in the calm. Everyone tried to convince her that he was not Caleb. Caleb didn¡¯t have a mole in his eyes, he despised vegetables, shunned casual wear, and had no interest in scripture. Zephyr was not Caleb, their preferences were entirely different. Yet Katharine was adamant that he was Caleb, just Caleb with no memory of her. She believed that Caleb had returned in another form to see her, and she clung to Zephyr, pulling the would-be ascetic from his spiritual pedestal. The day Zephyr stepped down from his sanctuary and approached Katharine, she was still kneeling on her meditation cushion, thanking the heavens for returning Caleb to her. But before she could finish her prayers, her chin was lifted by a slender finger, tilting her face upward. Looking into Zephyr¡¯s eyes, she could see that mole, yet she chose to ignore it. Her heart, full of unresolved tenderness, focused solely on the face that resembled Caleb¡¯s so closely. She heard Zephyr ask her, ¡°You¡¯ve stirred my heart, yet you constantly yearn for another. I refuse to be a mere stand-in. If there¡¯s a ce for me in your heart, I¡¯ll stay. If not, I¡¯ll leave.¡± Katharine¡¯s reply was, ¡°Caleb, you¡¯re my fianc¨¦, the father of myte child. How could you ever be a stand-in?¡± She saw the light in Zephyr¡¯s eyes dim with her words. After a silent departure thatsted some time, Katharine, in her desperation, couldn¡¯t find him and turned to Robin for help, weeping. Robin didn¡¯t bare to see Katharine to lose her mind, and he knew that Zephyr indeed wasn¡¯t Caleb. Why ruin the life Zephyr was meant to lead? Yet Zephyr¡¯s presence had given Katharine the will to live, and in his selfishness, Robin indulged her. Robin delved into Zephyr¡¯s background, learning he was from a prominent Southeast Asian family. He even exhumed Caleb¡¯s grave for a DNA test, confirming a blood rtion between the two. Given their striking resemnce, Robin suspected they were twins. The circumstances of Zephyr¡¯s family were intricate. His father had two wives. His junior wife, threatened by the senior wife¡¯s twins, conspired with a doctor to switch a living baby with a stillborn on the night of a difficult birth. The living child was then cast adrift on a ship, left to chart his own destiny across the seas. Had Caleb not been found by Xavier Penrod on that chi 1/2 infancy. And without Bernard, he might¡¯ve perished in the grueling training that followed. His seemingly bright but troubled life was sustained by the charity of others, which is why Caleb dedicated his wandering life to repaying that kindness. Once Robin understood the connection between Zephyr and Caleb, he found Zephyr¡¯s whereabouts. He saw him in a temple, watering petals beneath the Buddha with a grace that mirrored Caleb¡¯s, save for one thing-Caleb¡¯s hands had been stained with blood, while Zephyr¡¯s were untouched by the secr world. Robin approached Zephyr, telling him about Caleb¡¯s existence and asking if he would rece Caleb and love Katharine Zephyr, kind-hearted as he was, cried knowing his brother¡¯s lonely fate and tragic end, but he refused to rece Caleb in loving the woman his brother adored. Robin didn¡¯t press the matter and left. In the days that followed, he consoled Katharine, telling her not to chase after a man who wasn¡¯t meant to be hers. She didn¡¯t respond but asked him one night, leaning on the doorframe, ¡°Robin, don¡¯t I deserve happiness?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Robin himself knew the pain of unrequited love. He reflected that his parents¡¯ misdeeds would have to be repaid by someone, and he only hoped it would be him, not his sister who had already lost her lover and child. Katharine no longer pursued Zephyr. She continued her devotions, believing that her focus. would bring Caleb back to her. t was during a Mardi Gras parade, amidst the festivities, that Zephyr¡¯s path crossed with Katharine¡¯s again. Their eyes met, and it was like the first time, his heart struck with an resistible beat, like a dragon entwining around him. Inable to sleep that night, Zephyr opened the temple doors and walked into the af-strewn courtyard, gazing up at the stars. Whether it was the chill or something else, ephyr dreamed of a man identical to him, who spoke many words. The most vivid was a lea, ¡°Zeph, I¡¯m asking you, take care of my fianc¨¦e for me.¡± Chapter 1446 Chapter 1446 Later on, Zephyr, guided by his heart and that dream, willingly became a stand-in for Caleb, never insisting that Katharine call him by his true name-Zephyr. He met Katharine and became Caleb, immersing himself in Caleb¡¯s likes and dislikes until he was indistinguishable from the man. On restless nights, he would gaze at Katharine and wonder if he was truly Caleb or if he was still Zeph. It was yearster, after bearing two children for him, that Katharine realized he wasn¡¯t Caleb. She fled from him like one escaping a flood or a wild beast, vowing never to see him again. Only then did Zephyr stop questioning his identity. He knelt before Katharine, desperately trying to convince her he was Caleb, who had merely lost his memories, begging her not to leave him. By that time, Katharine hade to recognize who stood before her. Her rity dawned from having unwittingly fallen for Zephyr, someone other than Caleb. The realization terrified her. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. She felt she had betrayed Caleb, having vowed to dedicate her heart to only one for a lifetime, yet she had fallen for another so easily and even borne his children. What was she to do about her Caleb? Katharine was tormented, barely living. Zephyr was no less affected. Their lives had be entwined through this twist of fate. It was only when Katharine forgave herself that they found peace together. Even having epted Zephyr and not Caleb, Katharine couldn¡¯t forget her past love. Every year on the anniversary of his death, she would take their children to visit his grave, perhaps so Caleb could see the child he never knew. Katharine lived bound by a sense of debt to Caleb and the child she had left behind, a life not entirely happy, yetforted by Caleb¡¯s presence in another form. Who doesn¡¯t have aplex life? Whatever the case, life goes on. Yet Katharine still prayed that in the next life, she would meet Caleb again and promised not to hurt him this time. Katharine¡¯s life stood still at this point, with Zephyr still assuming Caleb¡¯s role. And because of that dream, Zephyr loved Katharine unreservedly, their life together bittersweet. When Bernard and Eleanor saw them, Zephyr was adding a touch of honey to a ss of honey water, stirring it before handing it to Katharine, ¡°You¡¯ve got to watch your diet these days, stay away from anything too cold.¡± Katharine took the ss, sipping gently, then looked up at Zephyr with a smile, ¡°Caleb¡¯s 1/2 09.23 honey water is always the best.¡± Each time Katharine called him Caleb, Zephyr¡¯s heart skipped a beat, a bitter sweetness he couldn¡¯t resist, ¡°If you like it,e to me whenever you¡¯re feeling unwell, and I¡¯ll make it for you.¡± Katharine stood, leaning over the bamboo table, and kissed Zephyr¡¯s cheek, ¡°Deal.¡± Zephyr, brushing his cheek where she kissed him, half-joked, ¡°I¡¯ve told you, I¡¯m considering monastic life; you shouldn¡¯t be doing this.¡± Katharine teased back, ¡°You¡¯ve entered my life, and as for the monastery, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to give that up.¡± Zephyr avoided her gaze, concentrating instead on the tea leaves he was steeping, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t considered a spiritual path, I would never have met you, and without meeting you¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t finish the thought, instead, he simply covered the teapot and reached out to caress Katharine¡¯s face, ¡°Since I¡¯ve met you, I willingly enter your life. But from now on, you must never run away.¡± He was no saint. If she stirred his heart, she must stay within it forever. If she ever dared to leave, he wouldn¡¯t let her go easily. Katharineughed it off, ¡°After all the trouble I went through to find you, why would I run? I¡¯ll stay by your side, cling to you for a lifetime, and we¡¯ll have a couple more kids to tie you down so you can never leave me¡­¡± Zephyr knew she wished to have those children for someone else, and he couldn¡¯t help a bittersweet smile, agreeing to her words. As they spoke, they noticed two figures standing at the bamboo gate. The man was stunningly handsome, the woman breathtakingly beautiful. Zephyr had never seen anyone more striking, especially the man whose casual stance made him stand out like the brightest winter scene. Remembering something Robin had mentioned, that Caleb had sacrificed himself to protect someone, Zephyr guessed the man at the gate must be the one Caleb had died for-the one Katharine resented yet yearned for. Despite Katharine¡¯s feelings, Zephyr couldn¡¯t ignore their arrival. He dropped his hand from Katharine¡¯s face and looked up, ¡°Are you here to see me, or are you looking for Katharine?¡± Chapter 1447 Chapter 1447 Bernard stared at the man before him, who bore an uncanny resemnce to Caleb. For a fleeting moment, it was as if he saw Caleb wing his way out of hell and staggering toward him, proiming, ¡°Mr. Law, I wed my way out of that hellhole. Pretty badass, huh?¡± How often had Bernard wished for such an ending, even dreaming it into existence. Yet the indifferent gaze that met his was not like Caleb¡¯s-whose eyes, despite being weathered by storms, still sparkled. This man¡¯s eyes held a detachment from worldly concerns. It took only a nce for Bernard to differentiate Caleb from the man before him, Zephyr. But due to their shared features, a sliver of hope persisted in Bernard¡¯s heart, and he finally broke the silence, ¡°I¡¯m here for you.¡± Hearing Bernard¡¯s voice, Katherine, who had been sipping honeyed tea, felt a surge of anger darken her expression. The anger was tempered, though, by her recent practice of meditation, which had smoothed her once vtile temper. She restrained her fury and turned to face Bernard, who had just entered with Eleanor, ¡°If Caleb hadn¡¯t come back safe and sound, I would have killed you.¡± Seeing Katherine, Bernard felt a deep sense of guilt. Caleb should have been there to live a happy life with his love and their child, but because of Bernard, Caleb was gone, and his beloved was condemned to a lifetime of pain. The usually haughty Bernard, with his cool, detached eyes, couldn¡¯t help but reveal a trace of remorse buried deep in his heart, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Sorry for causing Katherine to lose her husband, and sorry that Caleb hasn¡¯te back-thistter thought Bernard couldn¡¯t voice. Who could be so cruel as to sever Katherine¡¯sst thread of hope? Sometimes, it¡¯s the blissful ignorance in life that spares us from regret. Let her believe Zephyr is Caleb. How else would she go on living? Seeing guilt in Bernard¡¯s eyes was rare, and Katherine wanted to seize it tosh out at him. But when her hand brushed Eleanor¡¯s pregnant belly, the harsh words she¡¯d prepared retreated, ¡°You¡¯re pregnant?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Eleanor touched her belly, feeling a moment¡¯s guilt. Katherine had lost her child, her Caleb, yet Eleanor still had her husband and child. It seemed so unfair. Unable to face Katherine, Eleanor was taken aback by her smile and the understanding in her eyes, ¡°If my child had lived, they¡¯d be about as big as yours now. But it¡¯s okay, Caleb and I will have more children.¡± With kindness, Katherine added, ¡°With the baby so far along, you shouldn¡¯t have troubled yourself coming to see Caleb. You need to take care of yourself so the little one can befortable in your belly.¡± Eleanor lowered her gaze, ashamed, ¡°Katherine, I¡¯m sorry. If it weren¡¯t for me, your child might still be¡­¡± Seeing Eleanor¡¯s face, Katherine remembered the time she had lost her temper and scalded her. Katherine felt even more remorseful, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault at all. I was the one with the temper. I caused my own loss.¡± Having said her piece, Katherine didn¡¯t want to keep apologizing for past grievances. She rose from her wicker chair to make room for them, ¡°You two catch up with Caleb. I¡¯ll leave you to it.¡± She swept past Bernard without a nce, but as they brushed shoulders, she caught his whispered apology once more, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± It was a sincere apology, heavy with regret, as if Caleb truly were dead, prompting the proud man to say sorry again and again. Katherine, unfazed, gestured toward Zephyr, ¡°The one you should be apologizing to is Caleb.¡± With that, she strode away. Once she was gone, Zephyr¡¯s gaze softened, and he made a weing gesture to the two guests, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, please take a seat. Would you like a cup of tea?¡± Caleb never liked tea. He favored strong coffee to stay alert, ready for when Mr. Law would call him to action. Bernard nced at the tranquil tea setup and wondered if Caleb, had he not been sent away by his own family on that ill-fated ship, might have enjoyed a peaceful life like Zephyr¡¯s, not having to live on the edge for him. There were no answers, no way to trace back the past. One could only live in the present, where all past things seem beautiful through the misty veil of memory. Bernard helped Eleanor to a seat across from Zephyr. Few words were exchanged, but in Zephyr¡¯s calm demeanor, Bernard saw something extraordinary, ¡°On the way over, Robin told me about Caleb¡¯s background. I didn¡¯t expect him to be your brother.¡± After pouring tea for them, Zephyr offered a light smile, ¡°I thought you might mistake me for Caleb, like Katherine did. I was wondering how to exin.¡± Chapter 1448 Chapter 1448 Zephyr¡¯s smile held a hint of transcendence, a serene detachment that couldn¡¯t help but influence Eleanor and even Bernard, who felt his eager anticipation to meet Caleb settle into a calm stillness. Bernard, who usually never drank anything outside his home, took the colorful stained-ss tumbler in his hand and brought it to his lips. The sip was delicate and the fragrance of the tea infusion quickly spread through his senses, revealing an unexpected charm. He was silent for a moment before looking up at Zephyr, ¡°You do look like him, but you are not him.¡± The words, ¡®but you are not him,¡¯ indicated that in Bernard¡¯s heart, no one could rece Caleb. Caleb was irreceable, unique, and even if someone bore a striking resemnce, they could never truly be him. For Zephyr, Bernard¡¯s distinction was afort, ¡°The fact that you can tell us apart shows how much Caleb also meant to you. Such mutual care and friendship is truly priceless.¡± Bernard¡¯s eyes fell, hiding the shade of mncholy, ¡°I did wish you were him for a moment, but seeing you, I knew it was just a fantasy.¡± Zephyr, observing the man suffused with regret, offered some constion, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, you can think of me as him. I am willing to take his ce and serve you as he would have, sir.¡± It seemed only fair to Zephyr, who had enjoyed the family¡¯s fortunes while his brother had walked towards death in the storm, to make some amends for the imbnce of their fates. The term ¡®sir,¡¯ falling on Bernard¡¯s ears, was as if Caleb had returned to him. The hardships of the journey were akin to crossing the mythical River Styx, and Bernard¡¯s heart ached at the thought. Staring at Zephyr¡¯s face, Bernard softly asked, ¡°What did you just call me?¡± Zephyr set down his teacup, turned his face slightly, and with a teasing arch of his eyebrow, said, ¡°Sir.¡± He remembered Robin telling him Caleb liked to refer to the head of the Laurence Group as Mr. Law. Bernard hesitated for a moment, as if he could see Caleb through Zephyr¡¯s features. Back then, after firing hisst shot, Caleb would sling the rifle over his shoulder, raise an eyebrow, and tilt his chin up at Bernard. ¡°Sir, I was the first to finish the shooting drill today. Don¡¯t you think I deserve a little bonus?¡± ¡°Hit thirty more targets, and I¡¯ll give you ten grand.¡± ¡°Only ten grand? You¡¯re such a cheapskate.¡± ¡°Are you going to shoot or not?¡± ¡°Of course, I will. Ten grand is still money!¡± That carefree and willful young man would then shoulder his rifle and keep shooting for that hundred thousand dors. Sometimes, Bernard wondered if Caleb would still be alive if he had not followed him into that dangerous life. He looked at Zephyr, lost in thought, but Zephyr pulled him back from his painful memories, ¡°Mr. Law, the past is gone. Let it go. The person before him spoke with the wisdom of a sage, with a touch of the spiritual, and Bernard, watching this new version of Caleb, slowly gathered his thoughts, took another sip of his tea, and found himself at a loss for words. N?velDrama.Org ? content. They sat in silence for a while until Zephyr turned to Eleanor, ¡°Miss, I¡¯ve noticed you seem to have something on your mind. Is there something you¡¯d like to say to me?¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t actually have anything particr to say; she was just moved by his face that so resembled Caleb¡¯s. But since Zephyr asked, she ventured, ¡°Would you like to try some of my husband¡¯s cooking?¡± After the question escaped her lips, she regretted it, realizing it was unfair to seek Caleb¡¯s shadow in Zephyr. Yet Zephyr simply smiled, ¡°I suspect your husband¡¯s cooking isn¡¯t the best?¡± His tone was different from Caleb¡¯s, but his assumption about Bernard¡¯s culinary skills was the same. Eleanor found herself unexpectedly feeling a connection; it was no wonder Katharine had made the mistake. Zephyr¡¯s yful jab, ¡®isn¡¯t the best,¡¯ made Eleanor feel an affinity with him, simr to how she felt with Caleb. She rxed andughed, ¡°It¡¯s downright dreadful.¡± Zephyr¡¯s gaze shifted to Bernard, dressed impably in his suit, and couldn¡¯t help but tease, ¡°Now, I¡¯m quite curious to see just how dreadful Mr. Law¡¯s cooking can be.¡± The mention of ¡®Mr. Law¡¯ prompted Bernard to drop his guard, his eyes twinkling with a hint of humor, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to borrow your kitchen.¡± Zephyr agreed, and they headed to the kitchen. Watching Bernard mix up the salt and sugar, Zephyr Bernard led, ¡°I never thought someone of your stature would actually cook for Caleb.¡± Holding the saltshaker, Bernard poured several spoonful into the pot, mistaking it for sugar, and replied, ¡°I regret that thest dinner I had with him wasn¡¯t made by me.¡± He was merely crashing a meal, after all. Remembering Caleb sitting at the dinner table on the deck, forced to eat everything despite its awful taste, preferring to jump into the sea rather than endure another bite, Bernard couldn¡¯t help but smile. Sadly, that version of Caleb would never return. Looking at Bernard¡¯s wistful profile, Zephyr spoke with warmth, ¡°The meals you prepare with your own hands, I¡¯ll eat them for him.¡± Bernard was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly, and continued to sprinkle ¡®sugar¡¯ into the pot with a renewed vigor. Chapter 1449 Chapter 1449 Bernard was notorious for his snail-paced cooking. It wasn¡¯t until dusk that he finally brought out his dishes, setting them on the wooden pic table with a flourish. The dishes looked questionable. Eleanor eyed the food warily, while Zephyr feltpelled to eat despite his reservations. Having watched Bernard liberally douse the food with a small mountain of salt, Zephyr¡¯s reluctance to dig in was understandable. Bernard, on the other hand, appeared nonchnt, even a touch confident as he passed a knife and fork to Zephyr across the table. ¡°Give it a try?¡± he offered. Caught between courtesy and trepidation, Zephyr epted the utensils and set to work on a steak that proved as unyielding as leather. After a futile struggle, he abandoned it for another dish. N?velDrama.Org ? content. This one held a mound of something yellow, reminiscent of curry in aroma but not in appearance. The sight alone was enough to quell an appetite. Nevertheless, Zephyr scooped a polite bite with a spoon and ventured it to his mouth. The mysterious concoction hit his taste buds, and he fought the urge to gag. Trained to mask his emotions, he swallowed the bite while suppressing the revolt in his stomach. Seeing no sign of disgust on his face, Eleanor wondered if Bernard had secretly taken cooking lessons from a pro. How else could Zephyr swallow it? Fueled by Eleanor¡¯s skepticism, Bernard¡¯s confidence swelled. He gently pushed another te toward Zephyr. ¡°BBQ Ribs, a ssic. How about this one?¡± Caleb had a sweet tooth and a particr fondness for sweet and sour BBQ Ribs. Bernard had taken special care with this dish, heaping in sugar for that authentic taste he figured Zephyr, having grown up in Southeast Asia, would appreciate. Zephyr sighed inwardly at the sight of the dark, sticky mess before him. Bound by his own promise to eat, he gingerly forked a small piece and braced himself. This time, he couldn¡¯t hold back. Dropping his utensils, he reached for a napkin, discreetly spat out the morsel, and tossed it into the trash with fluid grace. ¡°Is it that bad?¡± Eleanor¡¯s voice wasced with concern. Zephyr wiped his mouth with another napkin before taking several gulps of water from the ss Bernard silently offered. He washed away the lingering taste before raising his clear, bright eyes-so like Caleb¡¯s-to meet Bernard¡¯s gaze. ¡°Mr. Law, your cooking is¡­ uniquely inedible. I doubt even a dog would touch it,¡± Zephyr Overstedovet her troughs fates presence NESTO CONOCEna re reconexit with Benard¡¯s decernure femoving Mic dower rat te fudget Person ovats Ferasco vero see Seerot nows your chance Gorak TE With a knowing dance at Fearon Benard scree to oneerson. Once the stemet ede Yaret adoracher Bened with cusiness-Kear Stall we talk about the child? reposer setting me state to convesstur rea with implications Chapter 1450 Chapter 1450 Bernard¡¯s gaze was indifferent, his eyes a frosty blue as they locked onto Yates. ¡°What¡¯s this? Can¡¯t find Xavier, so you¡¯re thinking of messing with my chip to make me go looking for him?¡± Evan had mentioned, Yates had been scouring the globe to no avail; Xavier had vanished without a trace, as if he¡¯d been swallowed whole by the earth. Yates must have been desperate toe to him now. Yates felt a pang of frustration under Bernard¡¯s scrutiny. ¡°You¡¯ve got me all wrong, Bernard. I didn¡¯t come here to talk shop about the chip just to manipte you. I came to tell you I¡¯ve destroyed the failsafe system. You¡¯re not under its thumb anymore.¡± Bernard was momentarily taken aback. Ever since he¡¯d returned from his stint outside the Golden Sea District, he¡¯d tried and failed to dismantle the chip¡¯s self-destruct mechanism. Hearing that Yates, the chip¡¯s creator, had personally disabled it, was a shock to his system. ¡°Though the explosive system is gone, the chip¡¯sced with a virus. Remove it, and you risk unleashing an infection. Looks like that piece of tech is a permanent tenant in your head now.¡± Bernard knew this all too well and didn¡¯t respond, but Yates continued. ¡°This could shorten your lifespan, but I don¡¯t know how.¡± This chip was designed for control, never before tested on a human subject. Bernard was the first, so the final oue was a mystery to Yates as well. Yates fell silent as Bernard remained quiet, his gaze shifting to the corner where Eleanor was deep in conversation with Peterson. ¡°She hasn¡¯te after me yet, which means you haven¡¯t told her about the chip.¡± Bernard¡¯s silence was his way of protecting Eleanor from worry and fear, a testament to his responsibility as a man and his love for her. But¡­ ¡°The virus in your head could re up at any moment. She¡¯s bound to find out sooner orter. If that dayes, could you do me a solid? Tell her it was Kermit Hyde who put that chip in you, not me.¡± It was Yates¡¯s research, sure, but it wasn¡¯t him who¡¯d used Bernard as the guinea pig. And he certainly didn¡¯t know Bernard was Eleanor¡¯s husband or that Eleanor was his granddaughter. Yates had admired Bernard¡¯s savvy from the start, seeing him only as a pawn to be used and controlled, hence why he told Kermit to control him. But that initial intention didn¡¯t ount for their personal connections. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Regardless, Yates couldn¡¯t wash his hands of the matter entirely. If Eleanor found out, she¡¯d likely want his head, but rtions with Eleanor were strained enough. He didn¡¯t want an enemy in her. He could only hope Bernard would understand. Asking a victim to speak on your behalf was a tall order, and Bernard¡¯s disdain was palpable. Without a word, he turned on his heel and walked away. Yates sighed, watching the proud figure approach Eleanor, perhaps regretting his actions a little, but also feeling somewhat innocent. He didn¡¯t linger, instead choosing to leave as well. Eleanor asked Peterson how could he stop running errands for Yates. Peterson just smiled at his cousin¡¯s concern and said nothing, prompting an impatient shake of his arm. ¡°Peterson,e on, talk to me.¡± He finally spoke, his voice smooth and cultured. ¡°With Area Opaca disbanded, and no one left to stand by my grandfather¡¯s side, I can¡¯t just up and leave him, can I? And what about avenging Ma¡¯am Pauline?¡± He was raised by his grandfather, and despite realizing the old man¡¯s ruthlessness, he owed him his loyalty. Peterson¡¯s sense of duty and filial piety proved his character, and the more Eleanor saw, the more she admired him. ¡°Just look out for yourself, okay? Don¡¯t be the hero every time.¡± Eleanor was aware of Yates¡¯s vendetta against Xavier. It spelled trouble, and she feared her cousin might sacrifice himself for Yates, which she could not bear to see. She couldn¡¯t sway Peterson easily, so she heaped on the advice, cherishing the cousin who had always been there for her. Peterson gently patted the top of Eleanor¡¯s head with a reassuring touch. ¡°Cousin, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be around till I¡¯m 99 at least. Maybe I¡¯ll even meet your great-grandkids.¡± His tone was tender, and Eleanor feltforted. ¡°Bernard, I owe you a lot for helping me and my husband unite. Without you, God knows how long we would have been apart.¡± Peterson felt a twinge of guilt. ¡°If we hadn¡¯t started Area Opaca, if we hadn¡¯t done those terrible things, you and your husband wouldn¡¯t have had to part. I¡¯m truly sorry for that.¡± The chip in Bernard¡¯s head was a secret he was bound to keep, his grandfather¡¯s strict warning. All Peterson could offer was his silent apology. Chapter 1451 Chapter 1451 Eleanor waved off Peterson casually, her tone light and unaffected, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business, Peterson. You were following orders. Besides, you helped me out.¡± Peterson¡¯s gaze dropped, masking the guilt in his eyes. When he looked up again, it was to the swell of her pregnant belly. ¡°Have you picked out a name for the little one yet?¡± Following his gaze, Eleanor nced down and shook her head. ¡°Not yet, got any suggestions?¡± His eyes flicked to the man standing nearby, waiting patiently for Eleanor. ¡°With him around, I wouldn¡¯t dare suggest a name for your kid.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Eleanor looked up at Bernard, tall and striking, his handsome features edged with a noble chill. ¡°He may seem frosty on the outside, but he¡¯s soft on the inside. You¡¯ll see, Peterson, once you get to know him.¡± Bernard was always good to those he wanted to protect, those he valued. It was why guys like Caleb, Aidyn, and Scott had pledged their loyalty to him for life. ¡°Get to know Bernard?¡± Peterson chuckled, a wry smile tugging at his lips. ¡°I¡¯lle visit you and the little one, but as for him, well, we¡¯ve had our brawls in the Area Opaca.¡± And because of Grandpa¡¯s legacy, a cordial rtionship between them was next to impossible. Of course, if Peterson could settle the score for Grandpa and if Bernard was willing, he might let bygones be bygones for Eleanor¡¯s sake. ¡°You¡¯ve fought with him?¡± Eleanor¡¯s eyebrows knit together. ¡°And¡­ did you win?¡± Challenged, Peterson rolled up his sleeves to reveal his muscr arms with a cocky tilt of his chin. ¡°You don¡¯t think I can win?¡± Eleanorughed at his bravado. ¡°So, you¡¯re pretty strong, huh?¡± Peterson grinned. ¡°You just think your husband can do no wrong.¡± Their banter was cut short by Yates, who had been waiting patiently. ¡°Time to board, kiddo.¡± He looked Eleanor up and down, a note of approval in his voice. ¡°You¡¯re looking better, healthier, and a bit plumper than a month ago. Seems you¡¯ve been doing well.¡± Eleanor¡¯s good mood soured at the sight of Yates, her impatience clear. ¡°I¡¯m back in my own home, free from captivity, of course I¡¯m doing better.¡± Her words wereced with sarcasm, leaving Yates feeling awkward and apologetic. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what happened before, but I really did think Bernard was bad news because of his beef with Area Opaca. I didn¡¯t want you mixed up in that.¡± Eleanor had no interest in his excuses. ¡°From now on, we keep to our own paths. If you threaten my husband again, don¡¯t expect any kindness from me.¡± Yates¡¯s heart sank at his granddaughter¡¯s coldness. ¡°Honey, I won¡¯t threaten Bernard anymore. I won¡¯t interfere with your life together.¡± Eleanor gave him a frosty look and turned away, leaving Yates without a reason to stay. He stepped back to give Peterson a moment to say goodbye. Peterson, sensing the finality of their parting, opened his arms for a hug. ¡°Let¡¯s hug it out. Until next time.¡± Eleanor, touched by her cousin¡¯s affection, embraced him briefly before letting go. Peterson stepped back with a wave. ¡°If I think of a good name for the baby, I¡¯ll let you know.¡± Eleanor waved back, watching him blend into the crowd of suited and tied men heading into the airport. When he was gone, she turned to Bernard, ¡°Honey.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Bernard took her by the waist and helped her into the car. Eleanor¡¯s back ached from standing too long, so Bernard massaged it tenderly all the way back to Fiord Roundabout. Being seven months into her pregnancy, Eleanor often experienced difort, regardless of whether she was standing or sitting. Whenever her legs went numb or cramped up in the middle of the night, Bernard was always by her side, massaging them to relieve the difort. He was attentive to every sigh, every ufortable shift, and his concern was palpable, wishing he could take on the burden of pregnancy himself. Meanwhile, Evan ryed news that Yates had confronted Xavier, their shes evenly matched until a desperate Yates forced Xavier to surrender. Xavier imed innocence, ming their fathers for past wrongs, and argued he shouldn¡¯t pay for their sins. Yates didn¡¯t kill him, but when Xavier¡¯s treachery left Peterson injured and nearly dead, Yates¡¯s hand was forced. Xavier¡¯s death at Yates¡¯s hands was foreseeable, yet Evan grieved, having thought Xavier might save himself by revealing his lineage to Yates. But Xavier never did. Chapter 1452 Chapter 1452 Xavier kept his lips sealed about Evan¡¯s origins till his dying breath, not out of spite, but to protect him. That secrecy, though it robbed Evan of his true identity, recing his lineage. with a lie, was something for which Evan couldn¡¯t help but feel a touch of gratitude. Despite the deception, Xavier had never harmed him; on the contrary, he had shown him nothing but kindness. Xavier had even taken on the tender task of bottle-feeding Evan when he was a baby. The news of Xavier¡¯s passing reached Evan as he was dining al fresco at a seaside restaurant, his smartphone in hand. He pressed for anyst words Xavier might have had for Yates, but ording to the members of the now-defunct Siren Organization, there were none. As the reality sunk in, Evan¡¯s eyes welled up with unbidden tears. He inquired if his father had savored a final meal before passing. The members ryed that he had been relentlessly pursued by Yates, embroiled in an endless battle, leaving him with no chance to enjoy the simple pleasure of ast supper. They also conveyed Xavier¡¯s final request for Evan to take care of Gianna. She¡¯d loved him since childhood, and Xavier¡¯sst wish was for Evan not to let her down. Gianna, seated across from him, broke down at these words, regretting not standing by her adoptive father¡¯s side in his final battle. Perhaps if they had been there, he might not have met his end. But such deep-seated hatred, how could it be undone? It seemed only death could halt the cycle of vengeance. Who else but Evan could settle the debts left by the Penrod family? Was it fair to burden Evan, an innocent, with such a legacy? Xavier had chosen to shoulder it alone rather than drag Evan through hell. And so, a feud that had spanned three generations ended with him. Bernard, upon receiving the news over the phone, was left stunned. The winter sun streamed through his panoramic window, failing to warm him. He remembered being seven, when Mr. Penrod had offered to give him a piggyback ride, to give him a taste of fatherly love. Bernard, with his young, indifferent face, had silently considered the offer. Just as Xavier thought he¡¯d refuse, Bernard reached out a frail hand, marred with scars, and grasped his shirt. ¡°May I?¡± Touched by the boy¡¯s abused hand, Xavier had gently patted Bernard¡¯s head, saying, ¡°Of course.¡± That was the first time Bernard felt lifted above the world, the first time he entrusted his gratitude to someone else, vowing to dedicate his life to fulfilling Xavier¡¯s goals. Bernard had indeed seen Xavier as a father figure, but as he matured and truths, he began to question the sincerity of Xavier¡¯s affection. uncovered harsh Evan¡¯s voice on the other end of the line provided Bernard with an answer. Xavier had genuinely cared, even if he had also used Bernard-a fact for which he was truly sorry. He hoped for Bernard¡¯s forgiveness in the days toe. A man seldom moved to emotion, Bernard felt tears well up as he held hisposure, asking where Xavier wasid to rest. Evan replied, ¡°In the G country.¡± That was Xavier¡¯s homnd. Evan and Gianna naturally wished for their father to rest in his native soil. Bernard took time to visit the W City and stood before Xavier¡¯s grave in silence. As he touched the headstone as gently as Xavier had once touched his head, he whispered, ¡°Mr. Penrod, if there¡¯s another life, I¡¯d be honored to be your son.¡± It wasplex gratitude, the kind Xavier offered when even his own father hadn¡¯t. A breeze swept past Bernard as he spoke,forting him like a gentle reconciliation. Before departing, Bernard poured some whiskey over the grave, Xavier¡¯s favorite, a final farewell. With Xavier¡¯s death, Sirenation was disbanded. The world would no longer know of their organization, only of members returning to ordinary lives. They remained ready to help each other in times of need, but never again under the banner of Siren Organization, the so-called crusaders against malice. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Evan and Gianna wed in the G country, near Xavier¡¯s resting ce, starting a family. They visited his grave often, sharing tales of their childhood, keeping his memory alive. As for Yates, after settling the score with Xavier and waiting for Peterson to recover, he intended to seek out Pauline. Yet, the Sharp family intervened, unwilling to let a man who had been kind to his son and grandson meet his end so soon. The Sharps insisted Yates spend his remaining days with family or make amends to Eleanor, having caused his granddaughter harm. Yates chose to live, to atone, and in hister years, he did indeed find redemption. Chapter 1453 Chapter 1453 These were concerns for another day, for now, the most pressing matter was Eleanor¡¯s impending delivery. Thus, Bernard returned from his trip to G country and went straight to Cedric¡¯s ce to pick up his wife. During Bernard¡¯s absence, Eleanor stayed with Hailey at her house, and helped taking care of the new born. And she had been fighting with Cedric for holding the babies. Fortunately for them, Cedric had a soft spot for girls and as long as Eleanor didn¡¯t vie with him for his darling daughter, he was content. With the couple around, Hailey was free to rest and recuperate on her bed, indulging in the western tradition of postpartum care. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. When Bernard entered the mansion, he heard Cedric¡¯s voice. ¡°Hey, Eleanor, I¡¯ve given my kid a cute nickname, how about Ie up with one for yours too?¡± After getting the babyfortably settled in his arms, Cedric pointed at his own son, nicknamed ¡°Boy,¡± and then at his daughter in Eleanor¡¯s arms. ¡°How about ¡®Grass¡¯ or ¡®Flower¡¯? What do you think?¡± ¡°Not too fond of it.¡± Before Eleanor could respond, a crisp, authoritative voice that brooked no argument rang out from behind. They both turned to see a stunningly handsome man approaching in the warm winter sun. The man reached out with his long, pale hand, took the baby, and handed him back to Cedric. ¡°The Laurence family has two ugly names; that¡¯s quite enough.¡± Cedric gritted his teeth in frustration, ¡°Bro, I¡¯ve never seen someone so hypocritical.¡± Bernard ignored Cedric, bent down gracefully, and in a swift princess carry, lifted Eleanor from the couch, ¡°Honey, let¡¯s go home.¡± Eleanor was a bit reluctant to leave Cedric¡¯s child but now that her husband was back from abroad, it was time to return home, ¡°Okay.¡± With Eleanor securely in his arms, Bernard walked towards the door. ¡°Grass!¡± Just a few steps out, Cedric¡¯s resounding protest followed them, ¡°I don¡¯t care, I¡¯m calling your kid Grass! Every time I see him, for a lifetime!¡± Even when he¡¯s old! Bernard ced Eleanor in the car and carefully buckled her seatbelt, then, as was his custom, gently touched her waist. ¡°Are your arms sore?¡± Eleanor shook her head. ¡°Cedric hired so many nannies and maids that Hailey couldn¡¯t possibly need them all. They¡¯ve been giving me massages; I¡¯m feeling much better these days.¡± Bernard¡¯s eyes lowered to rest on Eleanor¡¯s belly. ¡°I haven¡¯t been around to take care of you during your pregnancy. I want to be there before the baby is born. Afterwards, I¡¯ll hire professionals, even more so than Cedric.¡± Eleanorughed. ¡°How childish, alwayspeting with Cedric.¡± Bernard¡¯s eyes softened. ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to feel slighted.¡± Eleanor leaned into his broad shoulder. ¡°How could I feel slighted when you¡¯re so good to me?¡± Bernard wrapped his arms around her petite frame. ¡°It¡¯s still not good enough. I¡¯ll do better.¡± With a sweet smile, Eleanor expressed her contentment. ¡°As long as you¡¯re by my side, that¡¯s more than enough.¡± Bernard¡¯s eyes darkened briefly with emotion he didn¡¯t want Eleanor to see, quickly changing the subject. ¡°The prenatal appointment is set. Shall we stop by the hospital before heading home?¡± Since the news of her pregnancy, Eleanor had been wrapped up in a whirlwind of activity. Apart from initially finding out that she was pregnant, she hadn¡¯t been able to make time for any prenatal check- ups amidst the hustle and bustle. However, after stepping out of the Area Opaca, she managed to squeeze in a couple of appointments. It was a sigh of relief when she confirmed that the baby was doing just fine.¡± Now, seven months in, she needed appointments every two to three weeks. It was time for another, and this would be Bernard¡¯s first time apanying her. They were headed to the hospital Bernard had invested in, now under the capable management of Dr. Amelia. Walking through its halls, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but feel the absence of Liana, the previous director. Even though Dr. Amelia wasn¡¯t Liana, Eleanor could still sense her spirit in the bustle of the hospital. ¡°I¡¯d like to take the baby to visit Liana once they¡¯re a bit older,¡± Eleanor said to Bernard while Dr. Amelia performed the ultrasound. Bernard paused briefly, then nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be there with you,¡± he said quietly. The topic of loss was a tender one; with Caleb and Liana gone, every mention was a reminder of regret. The new director, Dr. Amelia, respected the stories of Liana she had heard, knowing she was a significant figure in the hospital¡¯s history. Curious about her story, but she wanted to be professional and didn¡¯t want to pry, so she focused on the task at hand. When the baby¡¯s image appeared on the screen, Dr. Amelia pointed. ¡°Mr. Laurence, look, this is your baby.¡± Seeing the little one for the first time, Bernard¡¯s icy gaze melted with each glimpse of the tiny hands and feet. A surge of emotion caught him unawares, and his eyes brimmed with unexpected tears. Chapter 1454 Chapter 1454 With a pang of emotion swelling in his eyes, Bernard stepped forward, as if trying to get a clearer view of his child¡¯s delicate form. His normally poised frame bent gently forward, unable to contain the surge of feelings. Even a man skilled in the art of self-control could betray his emotions to someone who knew him well. Eleanor, reading the tender stirrings in the crinkles around his eyes, reached out to capture Bernard¡¯s slender hand, cing it upon her belly. The warmth of her skin met his palm right where the baby¡¯s tiny fingers were moving. Their hands, pressed together through the barrier of skin, felt an intimate greeting from the child, a silent bond of affection. Feeling the tiny movements beneath his hand, the restrained sourness Bernard had fought back filled his eyes once more. Eleanor¡¯s voice, soft and full of love, reached his ears, ¡°Honey, isn¡¯t our baby just adorable?¡± At her words, Bernard¡¯s heart clenched tight. If only Amelia weren¡¯t present, he would have wrapped Eleanor in his arms without a second thought, lying beside her to feel their child¡¯s movements and whisper, ¡°Darling, I love you both so much.¡± His trembling fingers betrayed his excitement, even as he tried to maintainposure. Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but smile at the sight, teasing him gently, ¡°Love, do you think it¡¯s a boy or a girl?¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. With a gaze deep and full of love, Bernard looked at the clear image of their baby on the ultrasound, unable to discern the sex. He finally said, ¡°Boy or girl, it doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll love them just because they¡¯re yours.¡± For Bernard, the child was a precious creation of their love, significant indeed, but Eleanor was paramount. Conversely, Eleanor¡¯s love for Bernard was equaled only by her love for their child. To both, the baby¡¯s sex was inconsequential; health and happiness were all that mattered. Thankfully, the check-up confirmed the baby¡¯s health, and with a promise to return for a follow-up, Bernard escorted Eleanor home. Back at home, Eleanor was tired and curled up on the couch and drifted to sleep. When she woke up, she was greeted by the sight of Bernard, fresh out of the shower. He was barely d in a towel around his waist, exposing the upper portion of his physique. His fair and sexy skin made him incredibly enticing. Her gaze lingered on him, then on the scars that marked his shoulders and back-reminders of past dangers. With each look, her heart ached anew. Unable to resist, she rose and embraced him from behind, her voice soft with concern, ¡°Honey, promise me you won¡¯t get hurt again.¡± Feeling the warmth of her against his back, Bernard¡¯s lips curved gently as he turned to envelop her in his arms, reassuring her with a simple ¡°I will.¡± With the chip in his brain and an uncertain future, Bernard could only hold her tighter, he muffled against her hair, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m sorry for all the worry, for the pain I¡¯ve caused you.¡± Eleanor,forted by his familiar scent, dismissed any hardship, ¡°As long as you¡¯re with me, that¡¯s all I need.¡± Bernard paused, then tenderly stroked her hair, his promise silent but understood. Eleanor, feeling the need to express her love, tiptoed to kiss his lips. ¡°Honey, I saw these adorable baby rooms at Hailey¡¯s today. I¡¯m thinking of designing one for our baby. What do you think?¡± Their kiss was brief, but Bernard was not satisfied with a mere peck. He captured her lips with a passion that spoke volumes before replying, ¡°Whatever you want to do is perfect.¡± Together, they prepared for the baby¡¯s arrival, designing rooms and selecting everything from clothes to cribs. They took care to ensure everything was ready, looking forward to the day they would meet their child. However, despite their careful preparations, an ident urred. One evening, as Bernard was called away to resolve an issue at Laurence Group¡¯s research center, Eleanor fell in the bathroom. Returning to find her on the floor, unable to move, Bernard felt his world spin. Without hesitation, he scooped her up and drove to the hospital, fear and love propelling him forward. Chapter 1455 Chapter 1455 Fortunately, Bernard had just returned home when Eleanor took a tumble in the bathroom just before her shower. He managed to get her to the hospital in the nick of time, where she regained consciousness without majorplications. However, Bernard¡¯s worry wouldn¡¯t let up, and he insisted that Dr. Amelia conduct a thorough check-up. Throughout her pregnancy, Eleanor had only had the most basic prenatal care, without the regr screenings that were typical. They had no clear picture of her current health status. As Dr. Amelia reviewed Eleanor¡¯s medical history, a chill ran down her spine. Eleanor had been through major surgeries, not just once but multiple times. She even had a heart transnt, and there were issues with her vision that raised red gs. Given Eleanor¡¯s condition, a normal delivery seemed out of the question, especially with the onset of pregnancy-induced hypertension. Dr. Amelia knew that if Eleanor didn¡¯t have this condition, and if they could find a top-notch doctor to manage her care meticulously, there might be a chance for a safe delivery. But as things stood, a natural birth was far too risky. While Dr. Amelia debated how to break the news to Bernard, a call came in. It was ke. Aware of the situation and eager to avoid rming Bernard, he ordered Dr. Amelia to keep the couple in the dark until after the baby was born. Dr. Amelia could tell that ke had long known about the risks involved in Eleanor¡¯s delivery. She was exasperated, ¡°Mr. ke, Eleanor is in a dire state. With her hypertension, forcing a normal delivery could very well cost her her life. While Dr. Amelia had the skills to save the baby via C-section, the mother¡¯s survival was far from guaranteed. Hemorrhage andplications could be deadly. ke, however, coldly replied, ¡°She¡¯s over seven months along. Terminating the pregnancy now is just as risky. Let¡¯s focus on treatment after the birth.¡± Dr. Amelia knew that by then, it might be toote, but it was clear ke cared more about the great- grandchild than the mother. Caught between professional ethics and family hierarchy, Dr. Amelia made a decision. Despite the potential bacsh from ke, her allegiance was to her patient and current head of the Laurence family, Bernard. After consulting with a panel of experts, Dr. Amelia presented her findings to Bernard, ¡°Mr. Laurence, after reviewing the test results and consulting with specialists, it¡¯s clear that your wife¡¯s condition makes it unsafe for her to give birth.¡± Bernard, flipping through the reports, paused and locked eyes with the medical team. His gaze was icy, his presence intimidating, ¡°What are you saying?¡± ¡°Mr. Laurence¡± Dr. Amelia replied, holding her ground despite the pressure, it means that childbirth poses a serious risk to her life¡± The words hit Bernard like a thunderp, leaving hum rooted to the spot, a statue in a tailored suit. After a long cold stare, Bernard crumpled the report in his hand. Before the pregnancy her doctor said she could have a baby Now you¡¯re telling me shus cant if you¡¯re not up to the task, get out Dr. Amelia¡¯s mentor, Keith, had been a renowned authority in gynecology and had greenlighted the pregnancy. However, knowing the risks and still choosing to aid ke in his deception was where Keith failed in his dutyThis text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Dr. Amelia didn¡¯t argue her medicalpetence but gently reminded Bernard, Mr. Laurence, it¡¯s possible for her to carry to term, but there¡¯s significant risk involved during delivery My teacher must have mentioned this to you before?¡± After Dr. Amelia¡¯s nudge, Bernard quickly pieced things together. His expression turned stormy, as if the crumpled report in his hand could disintegrate under the force of his anger Chapter 1456 Chapter 1456 Amelia nced at Bernard and was struck by his chilling demeanor, his expression suddenly morphing into something dark and foreboding.. A shiver of fear rippled through her, but professional duty demanded she press on, exining the dire nature of the situation. ¡°If Dr. Liana were here, her continuous care might have prevented the onset of the preempsia in Mrs. Laurence, Even with her frail health, there might have been ways to see her safely through childbirth. But now, with the sudden preempsia and her clotting disorder¡­ ¡°Of course, clotting issues aremon in pregnancies and can be treated to prevent major blood loss during delivery. But your wife¡¯s condition is so precarious, and coupled with the high blood pressure, she¡¯s at a high risk of hemorrhage andplications. ¡°We have two options on the table. One, if she insists on carrying to term, there¡¯s a risk of death from thebor difficulties due to the baby¡¯s size, excessive bleeding, or otherplications, with only a 10% chance of survival. Two, we inducebor now. While it still carries risks, the fetus isn¡¯t asrge yet, and her survival chances increase to 30%,¡± At seven months along and with no signs of prematurebor, induction was the only viable option. It was risky, but it certainly offered a glimmer of hope whenpared to the alternative. Amelia¡¯s calm and measured voice broke through to Bernard, each word hitting his ears like a death knell. His fingers were cold as ice around the report, and he felt a chill spread through his entire body. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. It was Amelia¡¯s voice that brought Bernard back from the edge of the abyss. ¡°Mr. Laurence, if you opt for the second choice, we cannot dy. The longer we wait, therger the fetus grows, and the greater the danger to the mother.¡± Bernard¡¯s gaze dropped, his longshes casting shadows over the grim report in his hands. A bitter smile curled his lips, ¡°What¡¯s the difference? She¡¯s likely to die either way.¡± Amelia hesitated, then tried to console him, ¡°M Laurence, 30% is significantly better than 10%. I¡¯ll bring in the top specialists to push that number to 40%.¡± ¡°Really?¡± His question wasced with despair so profound it was palpable. Bernard had always been fiercely protective of Eleanor. The mere thought of watching her gamble with death again was akin to having his heart carved out. All they had wanted was a simple family life, but life had other ns. The irony of it all wasn¡¯t lost on him. His hollowughter filled the room, shaking his well-groomed hair loose. But no amount of hair could conceal the agony in his eyes. To keep the child meant a mere 10% survival rate for Eleanor, without it, 30%. Both choices were akin to stepping off a cliff into an abyss, plunging into hell. Why such a cruel choice had fallen upon them, he pondered. Was it a punishment for his past transgressions? If so, why should Eleanor, innocent Eleanor, also bear the suffering? He¡¯d rather face death himself than watch Eleanor being taken away from him. Yet, fate was merciless, he thought bitterly, as they were facing the threat of that very loss. After everything they¡¯d been through ¨C getting married, expecting their child, and finally leaving form Area Opaca ¨C it was nothing short of ironic. Bernard¡¯s bitter smile, read as despair by Amelia and other doctors present, was testament to a soul plummeting into hell. Yet, no one dared attempt words of constion. They all knew how devoted their CEO was to his wife. Who would be able to ept such a choice with grace? The silence in the hospital conference room was deafening until Aidyn broke through, ¡°Mr. Laurence, your wife sent me to check on the report.¡± Bernard¡¯s return to reality was slow. He tossed the report aside, stood up with shaky legs, and steadied himself against the table. Without a word, he indicated that neither option was eptable, that this choice had brought a god to his knees. Aidyn¡¯s concern was evident as he watched Bernard¡¯s pale face and unsteady gait. ¡°Mr. Laurence, has there been something wrong with Mrs. Laurence¡¯s report?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t reply. His steps quickened until he reached the hospital room door. He caught a glimpse of Eleanor through the ss and suddenly found himself unable to face her. He turned and walked away, his voice echoing down the hallway, ¡°If she asks, tell her I¡¯ve got urgent business to tend to. Make sure she waits in the room for me. You and Scott keep an eye on her.¡± Aidyn halted as Bernard left the hospital and stepped into his car, driving off at breakneck speed towards the old Laurence family estate. Chapter 1457 Chapter 1457 Just earlier, ke had just returned home. He barely settled on the sofa when, through the floor-to- ceiling windows, he saw Bernard¡¯s car recklessly tearing into the driveway. The grand, opulent gates were smashed open, sending the servants scurrying back in fear. Bernard who emerged from the car didn¡¯t even spare them a nce. He strode into the living room, his steps heavy with seething rage. ¡°ke Laurence, you knew that childbirth could kill her, and yet you kept it from me. How she¡¯s caught between a rock and a hard ce giving birth could kill her, and not giving birth could kill her. Did you ever consider what I would do if I lost her? Could I even go on living?!¡± Faced with Bernard¡¯s interrogation and fury, ke remained calm and nonchnt, lifting a teacup from the table. Unfortunately, before it could reach his lips, it was kicked across the room by the irate man standing before him. The hot tea spilled over his hand, seeping through his soaked shirt and pants, cooling from scorching to tepid. Only then did ke slowly lift his chin to meet the angry eyes before him. ¡°Someone with your genes is meant to carry on the Laurence family legacy. Yet you insisted on marrying a woman who couldn¡¯t bear children. I sought Mr. Keith¡¯s help to get her pregnant, and now that she can have a child, you me me for keeping it a secret. I can¡¯t always bend to your wishes, can I?¡± Such selfish words dripped with cold indifference from ke¡¯s lips. Bernard red at the cold-hearted old man, his anger reaching a boiling point as he suddenly pulled out a small golden pocketknife from his belt. It was the first time the old man had seen Bernard this furious, and he held his breath in fear. ¡°Such a dark aura around you, no wonder it¡¯se back to haunt Eleanor!¡± At those words, Bernard¡¯s expression tightened, and the knife in his hand shifted direction. As the sharp de whizzed past his ear towards the sofa, the old man exhaled with relief. His incredulous eyes followed Bernard as he withdrew the knife, expressionless. ¡°You would really raise a hand against your own flesh and blood over a woman? What happened to family loyalty?!¡± ¡°She¡¯s dying, and you expect me to care about your damn family loyalty?!¡±^ The household staff knew well that Mr. Laurence never swore. This was a first, indicating just how furious he truly was. But his anger was trivial in ke¡¯s eyes. After a long silence, the other man steadied his shaken spirits and spoke coldly. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Bernard, it was wrong of me to have Mr. Keith hide the risks of childbirth from you, but I¡¯ve already had him prescribe the best medications to help Eleanor¡¯s condition and reduce the danger during delivery. It was her own choice to apany you on your trip, interrupting the course of medication Mr. Keith prescribed. That led to her developing pregnancy-induced hypertension, so you can¡¯t ce all the me on me.¡± The grip on the golden knife handle loosened slightly at ke¡¯sst sentence. Bernard couldn¡¯t entirely me ke, but¡­ ¡°If I had known earlier that childbirth posed a threat to her life, I would never have allowed her to get pregnant. I don¡¯t care if it meant ending my lineage; I just want her to be healthy. But you gambled with her life for the sake of your precious genes.¡± Bernard¡¯s eyes, once full of anger, now showed only a bleak despair, ¡°Throughout my life, Donna beat me, and you never stopped her. You just asked her to leave me alive, seeing me as useful. If I hadn¡¯t been, you would have let her kill me¡­ At that time, I was grateful to be of use to you, so I could survive. But now, I wish I had been useless, so no one would have bothered about whether my wife could have children¡­¡± The disappointment in Bernard¡¯s eyes was something ke had never witnessed, akin to identally meeting the sincere gaze of a child and being struck by such purity, feeling ashamed amid his own scheming heart, ¡°Bernard, I¡­¡± ¡°From this point on, our rtionship is severed. We are dead to each other.¡± With those final words, Bernard staggered out of the living room. If there was anyone to me, it was himself. If he hadn¡¯t gone to Area Opaca, Eleanor wouldn¡¯t have interrupted her medication, and the risk wouldn¡¯t have been so great. So it was his fault, all his fault¡­ Dazed, Bernard crashed his car into the guardrail at the cliff¡¯s edge. The car didn¡¯t fall, but the front end hung precariously in the air. He struggled out of the vehicle and stood on the cliff, watching as the car plummeted below. Echoing in his ears were the words of Dr. Amelia, 10%, 30% ¨C all odds against Eleanor¡¯s survival. Trapped in this situation, Bernard was powerless. He forced himself to stay calm and, like a shrewd businessman, made the stark choice. Clutching his fists until his nails cut into his palms, he finally released the tension through the pain. Then he took out his phone and called Dr. Amelia, ¡°If we inducebor at seven months, is there any chance for the child¡¯s survival?¡± Eleanor loved children, and the thought of terminating the pregnancy would be unbearable for her. Now, all he could do was try to save her life and hope that the child, delivered prematurely, would also survive. Chapter 1458 Chapter 1458 On the other end of the phone, after a few seconds of silence, Dr. Amelia chose her words with care, ¡°Mr. Laurence, considering Mrs. Laurence¡¯s health condition, the chances of a baby born through inducedbor surviving are almost nonexistent. Therefore, we n to proceed with a caesarean section, doing our utmost to save the fetus, but¡­ Mrs. Laurence has undergone several major surgeries, including a heart transnt. Her vision is compromised, she has pregnancy-induced hypertension, and suffers from a coagtion disorder. She¡¯s already a high-risk pregnancy. Under these circumstances, the survival rate for a preterm infant delivered by C-section is also incredibly low. Moreover, performing surgery on such a high-risk patient is very dangerous. No one can predict what kind of emergency might arise during the operation. I¡¯m afraid that in trying to save the child, we might endanger the mother¡¯s life-or worse, we could lose them both¡­¡± Dr. Amelia couldn¡¯t make any promises, which is why she presented a tough choice ¨C if they chose to prioritize the child, they would use all avable medical resources to get Mrs. Laurence through to a normal delivery. But in doing so, Mrs. Laurence¡¯s survival post-delivery would be certain death. ke had also considered that whether through inducedbor or C-section, the child¡¯s chances of survival were slim. He hoped to keep Mr. Laurence in the dark, allowing Eleanor to deliver naturally and deal with the consequences afterward. But as a doctor, Dr. Amelia¡¯s priority was the patient¡¯s life. When Bernard called Dr. Amelia, he too wished to save both his wife and child. But hearing the grim phrase ¡°lose them both¡± made up his mind instantly, and he replied with a cold firmness, ¡°No matter what, my wife¡¯s lifees first. Everything else is secondary.¡± From the start, Bernard hadn¡¯t wanted a child, just Eleanor. Though the baby¡¯s kicks and the image of what could be had touched his heart, how could that unborn childpare to Eleanor? Having made his decision, Bernard ended the call, pocketed his phone, and with a steely resolve, turned back towards the hospital. Pushing open the door to the ward, he moved heavily towards Eleanor. Eleanor, who had been using Aidyn¡¯s phone to send a reassuring text to Hailey, saw Bernard return and quickly set the phone aside, looking up at him, ¡°Honey, is there trouble at Laurence Group again? What took you so long?¡± Bernard sat in silence for a moment before pulling up a chair by the bed and sitting down slowly. Then, reaching out with his slender fingers, he took Eleanor¡¯s hand, ¡°Eleanor, there¡¯s something we need to discuss.¡± With a soft murmur of acknowledgment, Eleanor studied Bernard¡¯s expression closely. Seeing his pale lips, she frowned, ¡°You look terrible. Is it something serious?¡± Bernard¡¯s gaze fell, his eyes resting on hers-so clear and untainted by the world. The cruel words he needed to say were almost too much to bear. He raised his other hand to Eleanor¡¯s belly, feeling the presence of their child through the fabric of her gown, and said coldly, ¡°Eleanor, we can¡¯t keep this child. Is that okay?¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Eleanor froze, disbelief etched on her face as she looked at Bernard whose exterior was always so cold and proud, ¡°What are you saying? After all the trouble we went through to conceive, how can we just give up on our baby?¡± With every question she asked, it was as if she were firing a bullet straight into Bernard¡¯s heart, the pain so acute he didn¡¯t know how to face her or continue speaking. He said, ¡°Dr. Amelia informed me of your pregnancyplications. The hospital consultants unanimously rmend a caesarean to deliver the baby.¡± The chill in his words hung heavy in the air. Eleanor, lost for a moment, finally grasped the severity when Bernard¡¯s grip on her hands tightened repeatedly, ¡°And¡­ the child, is there a chance it will live?¡± Seeing the confusion in her eyes, Bernard felt a pang of heartache and couldn¡¯t help but caress her face gently, ¡°Given your health, Dr. Amelia can¡¯t make guarantees, but she will do everything in her power.¡± Bernard had been away for so long under the guise of dealing with business, so Eleanor knew the situation wasn¡¯t as simple as he made it sound. She clutched his hand tightly, pleading, ¡°Honey, I need a straight answer. Will our baby survive?¡± Unable to meet her gaze, Bernard looked away, ¡°I¡¯ll bring in the best doctors in the world for the surgery. We¡¯ll do everything we can to save our baby. You have my word.¡± His promise to bring in the best doctors implied slim odds of survival, and Eleanor couldn¡¯t ept that, ¡°I disagree. Our baby has been in my womb for over seven months, always so gentle. We can¡¯t sacrifice our child just because of me.¡± Eleanor¡¯s anger showed as she tried to pull away, but Bernard caught her hand again, tightening his grip and pulling her close. With a fierce hold on her hand, Bernard lifted his bloodshot eyes to her tear-streaked face, ¡°Eleanor, the issue isn¡¯t whether the child can live. It¡¯s whether you can.¡± Eleanor, her hands trapped and immobilized, stared at Bernard and asked, ¡°Pregnancy-induced hypertension, coagtion issues¡­ they can be treated, right? We can manage them until it¡¯s time for a normal delivery, can¡¯t we have the baby then?¡± Chapter 1459 Chapter 1459 Eleanor¡¯s tentative questioning made Bernard bow his head. ¡°In that case,¡± he said, his voice heavy with concern, ¡®your chances of survival are only 10%. If we operate now, it might go up to 30%¡± Bernard reached out with his other hand to gently trace the features of Eleanor¡¯s face, her eyebrows, her eyes, her contours. ¡®Eleanor,¡± he implored, ¡°I can¡¯t bear the thought of losing you again. Forget about the baby for now. Please, just focus on staying alive, okay?¡± Upon hearing the dire statistics, Eleanor felt as if she had plunged into a frigid abyss. The thought that both she and her unborn child might die left her heart wrenching with sorrow. She had faced death before and no longer feared it, but Bernard¡­ Lifting her tear-filled eyes to Bernard whose face had paled with concern, she whispered, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if I die, but I just can¡¯t bear to leave you behind.¡± The thought of leaving Bernard brought tears streaming down her cheeks, spilling like pearls from a severed string. Each warm tear thatnded on Bernard¡¯s hand was like a knife to his throat, each one tightening the grip of pain and sorrow. Bernard, swallowing the razor-sharp anguish, grasped Eleanor¡¯s hand and ced it over his heart. Then, with a voice full of resolve and authority, he dered, ¡°I won¡¯t let you die.¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Without his permission, not even the grim reaper could take her away. And if death dared to snatch her, Bernard would follow it into the depths of hell itself, bing a vengeful spirit to y all the reapers. Eleanor, looking into his bloodshot eyes, attempted a bitter smile. ¡°I¡¯ve already had a heart transnt, and now with this high-risk pregnancy and my clotting disorder¡­ the odds aren¡¯t good. So¡­¡± She gently pushed Bernard¡¯s hand away, cing it on her swollen belly as if making a resolute decision. Looking squarely at him, she said, ¡°Since I¡¯m likely to die no matter what, I¡¯d rather the baby live.¡± Every mother wants the best for her child. Hiding the sadness in her eyes, Eleanor pleaded, ¡°Please, let me carry this baby to term. That way, even if I¡¯m gone, you won¡¯t be alone-you¡¯ll have our child.¡± Bernard felt a chill at Eleanor¡¯s choice, his body turning cold and rigid. ring at her, now only concerned for the child, he gripped her chin, forcing her to look at him. ¡°¨¨leanor, listen to me. I don¡¯t care about the baby. I care about you. If you choose the baby over yourself, then I¡¯ll die with you.¡± Her eyes reddened anew at his words. ¡°Bernard, why are you so foolish? Without me, you¡¯ll still have our baby. It¡¯s the same thing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the same!¡± Bernard¡¯s voice, usually cool andposed, erupted in a near roar. ¡°Without you, nothing else matters!¡± Bernard rarely lost his temper with her, but now, for the first time, Eleanor felt truly frightened. She stared at him through misty eyes, too afraid to speak further. Seeing fear in her eyes, Bernard quickly reined in his anger, pleading desperately, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m begging you-don¡¯t make this choice. I truly can¡¯t bear to lose you.¡± He was earnestly begging her, his eyes filled with unspeakable pain, conveying the sheer torment of his soul at the thought of life without her. Torn, Eleanor lowered her head to gaze at her pregnant belly. Inside, her baby squirmed-a vivid, vibrant life. How could she possibly let go? ¡°Eleanor.¡± Bernard, holding her wrist with one hand and bracing himself on the hospital bed with the other, knelt down before her without a moment¡¯s hesitation, his knees hitting the floor with a thud, ¡°Please.¡±. As he knelt and uttered those words, Eleanor¡¯s heart clenched. She was well aware of Bernard¡¯s pronounced pride. Yet here he was, who shone like the stars, kneeling before her in supplication. Seeing Bernard in such a humbled state, Eleanor¡¯s heart ached. She tried to free herself from his grip to help him up, but he wouldn¡¯t rise. He just sat there, silent, gazing at her with eyes full of despair. As if he would kneel forever if she didn¡¯t relent, he gambled on herpassion, her love for him. And it paid off. Eleanor, taking his face in her hands and looking into his exquisite features, relented, ¡°No matter what, we have to try to save the baby.¡± Even though the chances were slim for the baby to survive given her condition, they would try everything. They would seek the best doctors, exhaust every option. If there was even a 30% chance, to Eleanor, it was worth everything. Eleanor¡¯spromise was Bernard¡¯s salvation. The tension in his body released, and even though a C-section carried its risks, it offered a better chance than 10%. As long as there was hope, he would do anything and everything to protect her. Chapter 1460 Chapter 1460 Bernard had sought out the top obstetricians in the city to reassess Eleanor¡¯s condition, looking into whether it was possible to save both her and the baby. The verdict they delivered was no different from what Dr. Amelia had already told them. Determined to leave no stone unturned, Bernard sent the medical reports to George and to the Dean of W City Hospital. Both agreed that performing a caesarean section on a patient with preempsia was highly risky; it could lead to severe hemorrhaging, heart failure, or even a stroke. Complicating matters further was Eleanor¡¯s history of heart surgery. Her chances of survival were distressingly uncertain. Neither the hospital dean nor George were specialists in obstetrics, so they coborated to find a leading expert in the field and rmended him to Bernard. The expert, upon meeting Bernard, pledged to work alongside Dr. Amelia and do everything within his power to improve Eleanor¡¯s odds from 30% to 40%. The reluctance of such a renowned expert to guarantee a positive oue spoke volumes about the risks involved. But the baby was on the way, and the only options were to cling to that 30% or 40% chance or face certain death. Bernard wasn¡¯t ready to ept fate just yet. He demanded that the doctors ensure a wless surgery, threatening that any failure would have them joining Eleanor in the grave. His words were heavy with a chilling resolve, and they weighed heavily on the doctors, who convened yet another emergency meeting before the operation. ¡°Dr. Marcus, as the lead surgeon, I want you to do everything in your power to save the baby while you operate,¡± Bernard insisted. ¡°We¡¯ll have a team on standby, ready to intervene at a moment¡¯s notice.¡± ¡°Dr. Amelia, with the mother¡¯s current condition, she could start bleeding out as soon as we make the first incision,¡± Dr. Marcus replied with a grimace. ¡°I can move quickly to control the bleeding, but I can¡¯t promise the baby won¡¯t suffocate if it takes too long.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Don¡¯t ¡®but¡¯ me. Right now, forget about the baby¡¯s chances. We need to focus on saving the mother¡¯s life.¡± The obstetrics conference room buzzed with the intense debate between the two experts. Outside, Eleanor sat, her heart bleeding as she listened. Her seven-month-old unborn child was still active in her womb, yet because of her condition, they were discussing its life as if it was a mere procedural detail. She looked despondently through the hospital corridor, her gaze falling on the other expecting mothers caressing their bellies with joyous smiles. She had once thought that after all her struggles to conceive, she would be like them, bringing a child smoothly into the world. But for her, that was turning out to be a cruel illusion. Bernard, noticed her envious gaze and, fearing she might lose hope again, quickly wrapped his arm around her waist, ¡°Eleanor, even without this child, we have Nina. We can treat her as our own daughter. She¡¯ll be with us, and that¡¯s just as precious.¡± Yes, there was still Nina. If fate decreed they were to have no child of their own, then perhaps that was something they had to ept. For Bernard¡¯s sake, Eleanor steeled herself. ¡°When is the surgery scheduled?¡± she asked, her voice a mix of resignation and courage. ¡°In a week.¡± ¡°Can I go home first?¡± She wanted to spend time in the baby¡¯s room, let the unborn child feel the love and warmth she¡¯d poured into it. That way, even if the baby never got the chance to see it, the regret wouldn¡¯t cut as deep. ¡°Alright.¡± Bernard agreed, holding Eleanor close before nting a kiss on her forehead. ¡°I¡¯ll take you home to stay for the night, and we¡¯lle back to the hospital tomorrow.¡± Out of an abundance of caution, Bernard had a team of doctors apany them to Fiord Roundabout. Eleanor headed straight for the room next to Nina¡¯s bedroom as soon as they arrived. Pushing open the door to the baby¡¯s room, she was greeted by a warm palette of colors. A tiny crib nestled next to a pink princess bed, and a wardrobe nearby was filled with an assortment of cute baby clothes. Treading softly across the plush, pink carpet, Eleanor opened the wardrobe and picked out a tiny garment, holding it in her palms and imagining her child wearing it. If it was a girl, she would surely have her big, bright eyes, delicate nose, and rosy, cherry lips. Dressed in these clothes, she would be adorable. And if a boy, he would no doubt resemble Bernard with warm, melting eyes like snow on a sunny winter¡¯s day, a proud nose, and pristine lips. The more Eleanor thought about her child, the more she found herself unable to let go. Tears brimmed in her eyes and began to cascade down her cheeks, soaking her blouse. She copsed onto the small sofa clutching the little garment, gazing around the room. filled with tenderness that was now steeped in icy despair. The baby, Bernard-those thoughts tormented her relentlessly¡­. Finally, she brought her hands to her face, sobbing uncontrobly. If she could, she would give her life for her baby to live. But then, what about Bernard? The choice between her husband and her child was excruciating for Eleanor. Her maternal instincts fiercely battled with her love for Bernard, but in the end, the desire to see her baby live was overwhelming. Chapter 1461 Chapter 1461 Bernard¡¯stood quietly at the doorway, his heart aching as he saw Eleanor cry her eyes out. Torn between the love for his wife and his unborn child, he felt the unbearable weight of an impossible choice. But as a man, it was his duty to shoulder such burdens, no matter how heavy. All he could wish for was that after this agonizing decision, his Eleanor would be safe. Without her, life held little meaning, Eleanor clutched a tiny onesie, lying in the nursery, tears streaming down her face as she drifted into a fitful sleep. Bernard sat beside her, staring at her silhouette throughout the night, unable to find rest. During the preparation for the caesarean section, Eleanor was silent, resting against the hospital bed with one hand on her belly and the other gripping the baby¡¯s onesie. She seemed like a porcin doll without a soul-fragile and about to shatter at the slightest touch. Bernard¡¯s heart nearly broke watching her. He¡¯d hug her, kiss her, caress her, trying to awaken the spark of life within her, but she remained unresponsive¡­ It wasn¡¯t until the day of the surgery that she finally grabbed Bernard¡¯s hand, pleading with a fragile voice, ¡°Darling, I want to take the 10% chance for our baby. Please, let me have this child. I beg you¡­¡± Looking into her earnest eyes, Bernard felt his resolve weaken but knew he had to be firm. He gently held her wrist and, with weary red eyes, whispered, ¡°Eleanor, I can¡¯t take that gamble.¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. His words shattered thest glimmer of hope in her eyes, leaving her deted and devoid of strength to reach for the skies. She slowly let go of Bernard¡¯s hand, resigned to her fate, changed into the surgical gown, andy on the operating table, allowing the doctors to wheel her into the operating room. Just as the door was about to close, Bernard grasped Eleanor¡¯s hand tightly in his palm, and with his other hand, tenderly caressed her cheek. ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let anything happen to you.¡± The love and reluctance in his eyes slowly warmed Eleanor¡¯s heart. She nodded faintly, ¡°I know, with you here, I¡¯ll be safe.¡± Bernard forced a pale smile and leaned down to kiss her forehead. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you toe out.¡± Eleanor murmured an acknowledgment, her lips parting as if to speak, but words failed her. She could only smile and push Bernard¡¯s hand away. As their fingers parted, the doctors pushed her into the surgery room¡­ Outside the door, Bernard stood under the white lights, his tall figure wrapped in a dark coat, looking distinguished and handsome. But as the door closed, he was slowly removed from her sight. He stood still for a moment before turning and heading to the dressing room next to the operating theater. Dr. Amelia had just donned her sterile surgical attire and was on her way to the operating room when she encountered Bernard. Without waiting for her to speak, Bernard said coldly, ¡°I¡¯ve brought in the top experts to assist you. If she doesn¡¯t make it, I¡¯ll hold you ountable.¡± Dr. Amelia felt the pressure intensify at Mr. Laurence¡¯s words, ¡°Mr. Laurence, the risks during surgery are unpredictable. We¡¯ll do our best, but¡­¡± The imposing man cut her off abruptly, ¡°Don¡¯t give me ¡®buts¡¯. What I need is for her to survive. If you can¡¯t ensure that, what good are you?!¡± Dr. Amelia paled under Bernard¡¯s intimidating gaze but managed to muster a promise, ¡°We will save your wife!¡± Satisfied, Bernard softened his re slightly and demanded, ¡°Get me a sterile suit. I¡¯m staying with her in the OR.¡± He was determined not to let Eleanor face the surgery alone. He¡¯d be there, holding her hand, giving her strength, until she was safely through¡­ Dr. Amelia was taken aback by Mr. Laurence¡¯s insistence on entering the OR, feeling the pressure mounting. ¡°Mr. Laurence, having family present canplicate things for the medical team¡­¡± Her words were cut short by the intensity of his gaze. Without further discussion, she quickly arranged for a sterile suit to be brought to him. As Bernard got ready, Eleanory on the operating table inside, staring at the cold overhead lights. She felt a wave of fear, gripping the side of the table with one hand and her belly with the other. At that moment, the baby inside her moved, kicking her belly with a tiny foot and iling its little hands as if saying, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t give up on me¡­¡± Eleanor¡¯s heart tipped the scales towards her child, and she sat up uncontrobly on the operating table. Without even putting on her shoes, she ran out of the operating room barefoot¡­ Chapter 1462 Chapter 1462 Two nurses wereying out the surgical tools when, to their shock, one turned around and the patient was gone. One nurse dashed off in pursuit while the other hurriedly dialed Dr. Amelia¡¯s number. Dr. Amelia answered the phone, her voiceced with surprise and urgency. ¡°Mr. Laurence, it¡¯s an emergency ¨C Mrs. Laurence has just bolted from the operating room¡­¡± Bernard, freshly d in his sterile scrubs, felt his heart skip a beat. He flung open the locker room door and sprinted down the hallway, the soles of his shoes barely touching the ground as he raced to find Eleanor. Eleanor, with the nurse following her, stumbled and weaved her way through the corridors, looking back N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. anxiously. Distracted, she collided with someone¡­ The man steadied the wobbling Eleanor with a firm grip, then fixed her with a piercing, icy gaze. ¡°Why the hell are you running?¡± he asked, his voice a blend of irritation and concern. Recognizing the man as Robin, Eleanor mumbled an apology before attempting to sidestep him and continue her escape. But before she could get far, Robin caught her hand and yanked her back. ¡°Who are you trying to dodge?¡± he asked. Eleanor turned just in time to see the nurse charging down the corridor toward her. In a panic, she tried to shake off Robin¡¯s grip, but he held on tight. Just as she was about tosh out, Robin shouldered his way through the onlookers and fixed his gaze on the approaching nurse. ¡°I have no clue what¡¯s going on, but that nurse is clearly after you. Need a hand?¡± Eleanor, taken aback, nodded, assuming Robin would just block the nurse¡¯s path. Instead, he suddenly bent down, scooped her up in his arms, and made a beeline for the hospital exit. By the time the nurse made it outside, Eleanor was already in Robin¡¯s car, hastily buckling her seatbelt. ncing out the window, she intended to see if the nurse had followed but instead caught a glimpse of Bernard, standing tall on the hospital steps. With just a fleeting look, the car moved and sped away. Eleanor pressed her face against the window, lips parting to say something, but the sight of Bernard¡¯s eyes, filled with despair, stabbed at her heart. She knew he must despise her now for fleeing right before surgery Robin had seen Bernard too, still in his scrubs, obviously about to enter the OR as a support person. Eleanor was also dressed for surgery, and clearly pregnant, but not full-term. Why the urgency for surgery? As Robin was driving, he nced at Eleanor. ¡°What the hell is going on with you two?¡± Eleanor, with guilt weighing heavy on her heart gently touched her belly. ¡°The doctor said my heart transnt and sudden pregnancy-induced hypertension are a bad mix. They¡¯re pushing for an immediate C-section, but I can¡¯t bear to risk the baby¡­¡± Robin wasn¡¯t well-versed in medical jargon but asked bluntly, ¡°What happens if you don¡¯t have the C- section?¡± Eleanor was silent for a moment before replying, ¡°Without the surgery, there¡¯s only a 10% chance for me to survive¡­ With it, maybe 30%. Understanding the gravity of the situation, Robin¡¯s demeanor shifted from casual to somber. ¡°So you¡¯re telling me that either way, the odds aren¡¯t great, but the surgery might give you a better shot?¡± Eleanor nodded silently, and Robin slowed the car to a halt at the side of the road. Before she could question him, he spoke gently, ¡°Eleanor, Bernard¡¯s choice is the right one. You should listen to him.¡± Tears welled up in Eleanor¡¯s eyes. ¡°I know he¡¯s right, but what about the baby? The doctors have said with my condition, saving me means losing the baby. How can I ept that?¡± Robin looked down at her prominent belly, recalling how he¡¯d been there through the pregnancy, watching the baby grow. Even he found it hard to bear, butpared to Eleanor¡¯s life, the baby seemed secondary. He believed Bernard felt the same; only a mother can truly understand the importance of the life growing inside her. To expect fathers to feel the depth of that bond was asking too much. Mothers would always find it harder to let go, and that was just human nature.- Robin, gazing at Eleanor¡¯s serene profile, felt a twinge of pain but quicklyposed himself, suggesting, ¡°If you can¡¯t have the baby now, focus on getting better first. Once you¡¯re healthy, you can think about having more.¡± Eleanor¡¯s smile was faint and sad. ¡°If there was a chance of having another child, the doctors would have told me. They¡¯re silent because there is none.¡± The conversationpsed into a crushing silence, punctuated only by the soft clink of a pen dropping in the car. Just then, a convoy of ck cars surrounded them in a tactical formation, trapping Robin¡¯s vehicle in the center. The lead Bugatti spun around and screeched to a halt in front of Robin¡¯s car, effectively blocking any route of escape. Bernard, with an unmistakable air of authority, stepped out and approached with a face set in stone. Chapter 1463 Chapter 1463 Tall and imposing, Bernard had changed back into his ck suit, which made him look like the garb of a spectral envoy from theherworld, an aura of chilling detachment emanating from him. His basterplexion and the barely concealed fury in his eyes seemed to threaten the very air around him. He strode over to the passenger side of the car, peering through the tinted window, his gaze bearing down on the woman inside. ¡°Are you getting out on your own, or should I smash this car to bits and carry you out myself?¡± Eleanor¡¯s eyshes fluttered downward as she contemted the man outside, a tempest of rage within him. With a slow, deliberate movement, she pushed open the car door. Before she could step out, her wrist was seized by his icy fingers. Had she not been carrying their child, he might have already yanked her from the vehicle with brute force. He held her wrist, helping her out of the car, and then suddenly lowered his frosty gaze to Robin, who was frowning in concern. The moment their eyes locked, Robin saw a sh of murderous intent in N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Bernard¡¯s gaze, but it vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Bernard then took Eleanor by the hand and led her towards the sleek Bugatti. Suppressing his anger, Bernard opened the passenger door for her, waited for her to get in, and then bent down to fasten her seatbelt for her. Eleanor¡¯s lips parted as she tried to speak, but before she could utter a word, Bernard straightened, mmed the car door shut, and walked around to the driver¡¯s side. Once inside, he didn¡¯t spare Eleanor a nce. He simply started the car and pulled away from the curb, driving at a leisurely pace that seemed aimless, perhaps in consideration of her condition. Eleanor watched Bernard, who seemed lost in his driving, and softly broke the silence, ¡°Honey, when I was on the operating table, the baby started to kick. It was so fierce, like a little rebel¡­ I just couldn¡¯t¡­ I couldn¡¯t go through with it.¡± Seeing that Bernard still wasn¡¯t looking at her, she stopped trying to exin and merely lowered her head, whispering, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t want the surgery¡­ so I¡­¡± ¡°I get it if you don¡¯t want the surgery, but why did you have to take off with him?¡± Bernard¡¯s explosive voice cut her off, and Eleanor froze, staring at Bernard who had stopped the car and was now approaching her with fiery red eyes. ¡°Eleanor, in the old days, I would have crippled Robin¡¯s hands for touching you!¡± Eleanor shivered inwardly. She had almost forgotten that beneath Bernard¡¯s gentle veneer was a man who tolerated no affronts, a fearsome creature who would not stand for even a speck of dust in his eye. Knowing Bernard was a tinderbox of wrath, she dared not provoke him and remained silent. Sometimes, silence could be more damaging than words. As Bernard gazed at the quiet Eleanor, the fire in his eyes slowly extinguished, leaving only exhaustion. After a long silence, he lowered his head and gently pressed his forehead to hers. ¡°Let¡¯s forget it. I shouldn¡¯t be angry with you.¡± She had only a 30% chance of survival, and at any moment, she could leave him. To be angry with her under those circumstances was childish. Eleanor lifted hershes, her eyes barely an inch from his, and it was the sensation of his gentle breath that gave her the courage to speak again, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was scared that you would insist on the surgery, that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t tell you. As for Robin¡­ he just happened to be there.¡± In their rtionship, a soft word from Eleanor was all it took to calm Bernard¡¯s temper. He tilted his head and kissed her cheek gently, then slowly let her go. ¡°Do you really care that much about the baby?¡± he asked. Eleanor took Bernard¡¯s hand and ced it on her belly, where their child was still moving. It was a life already in motion. How could she bear to give up on it? ¡°Whether I have the surgery or not, the chances are slim, but the baby has a chance. If we just wait a little longer, until it¡¯s more developed, it might survive. So let¡¯s bet on that 10%.¡± Bernard felt the life through her skin, and for reasons he couldn¡¯t fathom, his stern gaze softened-not because of the child, but because of Eleanor. ¡°Okay, if you¡¯re willing to take that 10% gamble, then I¡¯m with you.¡± After all, the chip in his brain could go haywire at any moment, and he didn¡¯t know how long he had left. Her chances were wither 10% or 30%; no one could predict whether that 30% would hold during surgery. So if she died, he was ready to follow. Eleanor didn¡¯t expect Bernard¡¯s sudden concession, but she could guess that his change of heart came with a decision. She reached out to caress his face. ¡°Bernard, if we lose that 10% chance, you must live on. You have to live well and take care of our child until they¡¯re grown. Then, and only then, will I wait for you on the other side. Otherwise, don¡¯t you dare try to find me.¡± Bernard smirked bitterly, ¡°You¡¯re ready to abandon me for the baby, so why should you care if I choose to follow you? Might as well be heartless and stop worrying about what happens to me.¡± Eleanor could tell he was still holding a grudge. She didn¡¯t argue but simply reached out and hugged him tightly. ¡°You and the baby are equally important to me. That¡¯s why I want you both to be okay.¡± Chapter 1464 Chapter 1464 Bernard, whose sharp features softened in an instant, buried his face into Eleanor¡¯s neck, holding her as if it was their final goodbye, with all the strength he could muster. He didn¡¯t say a word, just held her silently. Outside the car window, rain began to fall, droplets pattering against the ss, soon fogging up the view with a misty veil. Bernard, running on a week of little sleep, his eyes bloodshot, stared at the rain streaming down. A weak smile flickered across his lips, his heart heavy with despair, like the rain. blocking his path, obscuring his vision¡­ They had chosen the 10% chance to save their child over the 30%, but before they could even begin to hope, that very afternoon as Bernard drove back to Fiord Roundabout, Eleanor started bleeding¡­ At first, it wasn¡¯t much, but as Eleanor¡¯s vision blurred to the point where she couldn¡¯t distinguish the traffic lights outside, she realized something was wrong. Looking down, she saw blood soaking through her clothes¡­ N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Reaching out to Bernard, her world went ck just as her fingers grazed his sleeve, and she copsed forward¡­ ¡°Eleanor!¡± Bernard¡¯s voice, panicked and fearful, was thest thing she heard before slipping into unconsciousness. Pale with fear, Bernard held the unconscious Eleanor with one hand and gripped the steering wheel with the other, racin back to the hospital as fast as he could. Dr. Amelia, who hadn¡¯t received Mr. Laurence¡¯s order to stand down, stayed in the operating room, waiting for their return. It wasn¡¯t long before she saw a drenched Mr. Laurence, soaked by the rain, carrying a woman with her surgical gown stained red with blood into the hospital. ¡°What are you waiting for? Save her, now!¡± Jolted by Mr. Laurence¡¯s roar, Dr. Amelia snapped to attention, rallying everyone to the operating room, while she approached to take Eleanor from his arms. But Bernard swiftly dodged her, rushing to the OR with his wife in his arms. As heid Eleanor on the operating table, his tense body rxed for a moment, then a chill crept up from his feet, leaving him cold to the bone and unable to stand without leaning on the table, bending forward to watch Eleanor¡¯s face lose color. If it weren¡¯t for the doctors already working to stop the bleeding and save her, Bernard would have erupted in anger again. Seeing their frantic efforts, he didn¡¯t care about the sterility protocols and slumped into a chair next to the operating table, his eyes filled with despair, fixed on Eleanor. Dr. Amelia and Dr. Marcus, after scrubbing up quickly and holding their hands up, entered the OR, followed by four nurses who helped them glove up and get ready. The two of them, dressed in sterile surgical gowns, quickly took their ces at the operating table. Dr. Marcus, making the first incision, reached out for the hemostatic tools passed by another doctor, working swiftly to stop the bleeding and bring Eleanor back from the brink. With the monitor showing her heart stabilizing, Dr. Marcus finally turned to the soaked Bernard, ¡°Mr. Laurence, Mrs. Laurence needs an emergency C-section now. The baby is threatening her life.¡± It seemed fate was not in their hands, even though they had prepared to sacrifice for their child, the heavens weren¡¯t granting them that chance. Bernard didn¡¯t care about fate; he just wanted Eleanor alive, ¡°Does she have even a 30% chance now?¡± Dr. Marcus, holding the scalpel, looked at the unconscious yet not asleep Eleanor, ¡°I can only promise to do my best.¡± With no guarantees from the doctor, Bernard¡¯s heart plummeted, ¡°Marcus, Amelia, at all costs, save her life. That¡¯s my only request.¡± The two doctors exchanged a look, then nodded under the weight of responsibility, ¡°Mr. Laurence, you should step out. You¡¯re soaked, and it¡¯s not safe for you to stay in a sterile OR.¡± If it wasn¡¯t for the risk of infection to Eleanor, Bernard would have stayed, watching them cut into her, deliver their child, sharing her pain. But now¡­ Bernard had no choice but to leave. He mustered the strength to stand, steadied himself on the operating table, and bent down to kiss Eleanor¡¯s forehead, ¡°Sweetheart, hang in there. I will be waiting for you toe home. Remember, you have toe home.¡± Having said that, Bernard walked out of the OR, hiding his fear and reluctance. As the door shut behind him, he saw Eleanor covered in bright red blood, a jarring color that stung his eyes¡­ Outside the OR, Bernard had no idea of the situation inside. He sat like a lifeless puppet, alone in the silence of the world. The only light came from the red bulb of the OR, casting a chilling and deste glow on the deserted corridor. Time ticked away without a sense of how long had passed. Finally, the OR doors opened, and a doctor emerged, ¡°Mr. Laurence, the baby¡¯s been delivered, but the mother is hemorrhaging. We can¡¯t stop the bleeding¡­ I¡¯m afraid she might not make it¡­¡± Chapter 1465 Chapter 1465 Bernard leaned heavily against his knees, his upper body hunched forward as he awaited news from the operating room. The sterile white walls of the hospital corridor seemed to close in on him when the This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. doctor¡¯s voice,ced with urgency and regret, broke the heavy silence. ¡°There wereplications¡­ The mother suffered severe hemorrhaging as soon as the surgery began. We fought to save her, which meant the baby was deprived of oxygen for too long. When we finally managed to deliver, there was¡­ there was no breath.¡± The words hit Bernard like a freight train, igniting a dangerous glint in his eyes that could only be described as murderous intent. In a sh, he was on his feet, his rage manifesting in a physical force that lifted the doctor by the throat and mmed him against the OR¡¯s double doors. ¡°What did you say?!¡± Bernard bellowed, his grip tightening. The doctor dangled helplessly, his legs kicking at the air as he struggled under Bernard ¡®s iron grasp. Despite his fear, he forced himself to speak again. ¡°The mother is bleeding out¡­ we can¡¯t stop it¡­ The baby¡¯s heartbeat is faint, no respiration, it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s dying¡­¡± Bernard¡¯s heart plunged into an abyss of despair, the world around him falling deathly silent except for the ringing in his ears-a harbinger of death. He felt the room spin, his vision blurring into darkness as if he were falling off a cliff, only to be yanked back at thest moment by an unseen hand. Regaining his senses, Bernard, now like a lion in fury, released The doctor with a shove and stormed into the OR, heedless of any protocol. Inside, the scene was one of controlled chaos. Blood streamed from the operating table, pooling on the floor in a gruesome testament to the struggle for life. Under the harsh re of the surgical lights, a pale and lifeless facey still. Bernard¡¯s gaze was drawn to the blood, his deep eyes constricting with each drop that fell. His heart no longer ached; it was gripped by fear. He had never seen so much blood before, never realized a person could bleed that much. It seemed as if her entire life force was gushing out. Bernard stumbled back, frozen at the threshold, his imposing frame reduced to a picture of solitary dread. In that moment, he felt forsaken by the world, his courage slipping through his fingers like sand. Ms. Amelia fought to resuscitate the breathless child while Dr. Marcus battled to save the mother. Blood flowed without restraint, from her womb, from her very being, and no effort could stem its tide. Dr. Marcus, his forehead slick with sweat, switched mp after mp in a desperate bid to save her. The tline on the monitor, however, signaled a grim reality. With a heavy heart, he ordered the team to attempt CPR, even though he knew survival was a fleeting hope. When the blood refused to cease its relentless flow, Dr. Marcus knew the battle was lost. After a solemn pause, he ceased his efforts. Turning to the doorway, he caught sight of Bernard -once sturdy and unyielding-now shaking uncontrobly and sliding to the floor, propped up only by the doorframe and his knees. If not for hisst ounce of strength, Bernard would have copsed entirely. The world seemed to crumble around him, the cold grasp of despair wrapping around his body, sapping him of the will to stand. Dr. Marcus approached Bernard, removing his sweat-drenched surgical mask, and spoke with a tone of deep regret, ¡°Mr. Laurence, I¡¯m so sorry¡­ we did everything we could. Please, try to find peace.¡± ¡°Peace?¡± Bernard ¡®sugh was bitter and chilling, his eyes, now icy with rage, bore into Dr. Marcus. ¡°Peace for whom?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Dr. Marcus was cut off, his throat suddenly seized by Bernard¡¯s powerful hand, his airway constricted in an instant. ¡°Peace for whom?!¡± Bernard roared, his voice echoing through the sterile halls like a madman¡¯s curse. Dr. Marcus, gasping for air, couldn¡¯t muster a response. Just as Dr. Marcus neared the brink of asphyxiation, Cedric burst into the corridor. He grabbed Bernard ¡®s arm, veins bulging with the effort. ¡°Bernard, Grandpa¡¯s here with Mr. Keith. There¡¯s still a chance for Eleanor. Let Dr. Marcus go so he can help Mr. Keith save her¡­¡± In Bernard¡¯s haze of grief and fury, only words registered, ¡°There¡¯s still a chance.¡± With that sliver of hope, he released Dr. Marcus, copsing into the wall as the world continued to spin out of control around him. Chapter 1466 Chapter 1466 Bernard ¡®turned his head, catching sight of Mr. Keith lugging his hefty medical kit, hustling towards them with a determined gait. He dashed forward, gripping Mr. Keith¡¯s wrist tightly, and hurried him into the operating room. Upon assessing Eleanor¡¯s condition, Mr. Keith realized she had suffered a cardiac arrest but was not brain dead. Swiftly taking up a hemostat, he began to staunch the bleeding. ¡°Everyone, clear out!¡± ¡°Nurse, sterilize the OR!¡± ¡°All doctors, assist me now!¡± As Mr. Keith worked to control the bleeding, he barked orders at a gasping Dr. Marcus, ¡°After I stop the bleeding, you take over with defibrition, keep at it until the mother¡¯s heartbeat is restored!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Chaos once again took hold of the operating room with Mr. Keith¡¯s arrival. They poured every ounce of their skill into saving a life that had just brushed with death¡­ Bernard and theter Hailey didn¡¯t want to leave, longing to stay by Eleanor¡¯s side, but Cedric forcefully dragged them out.. Outside the OR, the group was distraught, pacing helplessly, when ke, stone-faced, turned on his heel, strode down the corridor, and slipped into the operating room through a side entrance. ¡°Mr. Keith, save the baby first.¡± Hearing ke¡¯s voice, Mr. Keith froze for a second, then incredulously looked up, ¡°ke, the adult¡¯s life is more important.¡± ¡°I know, but she¡¯s already gone. There¡¯s no point wasting time on her. The baby¡¯s heartbeat is still strong, just not breathing. With your skills, you can save him¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s only had a cardiac arrest. If we act within the resuscitation window, we can bring her back.¡± Mr. Keith exined. ¡°She¡¯s bleeding out. Even if we revive her, it¡¯ll only be for a moment. Better to use this time to save the child.¡± Mr. Keith hesitated, but his hands didn¡¯t stop their work, and in moments, he had stemmed the flow of blood below. ¡°Mr. Keith, as an old friend, you wouldn¡¯t want me to lose my great-grandson, would you?¡± Weighing ke¡¯s words, Mr. Keith wrestled with his conscience. Then, he passed the hemostat back to Dr. Marcus. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°Handle the abdominal bleeding. The rest of you, increase the defibrition power. Don¡¯t give up!¡± After giving his instructions, he quickly moved to Ms. Amelia¡¯s side, taking the infant in his hands, and with his thumb, beganpressions on the tiny chest, alternating between front and back, then gently patting¡­ Dr. Marcus was still struggling to stop the bleeding, repeatedly ncing towards Mr. Keith, hoping the patriarch of gynecology could lend a hand. Yet Mr. Keith, now fully focused on the infant, could not be in two ces at once¡­ Outside the door, Bernard, peering through the OR ss, saw ke prioritizing the baby over his wife, and he went crazy. The OR doors, however, were locked from the inside by ke¡¯s men¡­ Bernard¡¯s fists hammered against the OR door in desperation, his knuckles bleeding, his dignity abandoned as he pleaded with ke Laurence, ¡°Grandpa, please, save my wife first¡­¡± Hailey, witnessing Bernard beg, cried even harder. His plea, so powerless, pushed her to the brink of despair. Even Cedric, eyes red with emotion, begging ke, ¡°Grandpa, have mercy on Bernard, let Mr. Keith save Eleanor first, we¡¯re begging you¡­¡± For ke, Eleanor was insignificant; Bernard¡¯s son was all that mattered. Faced with his grandsons¡¯ pleas, he hardened his heart, turned away, refusing to look at them. As Bernard watched that resolute back, despair flooded his eyes. His forlorn gaze, through the thick ss, fell on the woman lying on the operating table. If you live, I live. If you die, I die. Eleanor, wait for me. Just as Bernard resolved to join her in death, an aged, seasoned voice echoed down the corridor, ¡°Bernard, step aside. I¡¯m breaking down the door!¡± Hearing the voice, Bernard nced over and saw Yates Sharp with members of the Sharp family, Sheldon Pine with the Pine family, and Robin Spencer with his bodyguards, followed by a procession of white-coated doctors, as they swiftly approached. Seeing them, Bernard felt for the first time the weight of a lifeline. Without hesitation, he staggered aside¡­ Now, if only to save Eleanor, he would trust even an enemy. Chapter 1467 Chapter 1467 ¡°Get it open now!¡± With amanding wave of his hand, Yates¡¯ entourage of men in ck surged forward, brandishing their heavy-duty tools. In mere moments, the door to the operating room was dismantled, unhinged, lying useless on the floor. ¡°All doctors, attend to my granddaughter! If you failed to save her, and you¡¯ll follow her to the grave!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± At Yates¡¯mand, a swarm of doctors flooded the operating room. Dr. Marcus, who had been operating non-stop, sighed with relief as reinforcements arrived. Willingly, he stepped aside from the lead surgeon¡¯s position, passing the scalpel to fresh hands. Mr. Keith, who had been fighting to save the unborn child, shed his burden of guilt and focused intently on the delicate task at hand. Only ke stood in disbelief, pushing past the flurry of white coats to look at Yates, who stood just outside the room, leaning on his cane. What had he just said? He imed Eleanor was his granddaughter? Eleanor was a Sharp, the granddaughter of Yates? The Sharps were a powerhouse in North Fund, and Eleanor had such noble blood? Outside the room, Yates caught ke¡¯s gaze. His eyes, predatory, bore into ke. ¡°ke, if you dare give up on my granddaughter, it seems you¡¯ve grown tired of living!¡± The chilling, lethal tone echoed in the operating room, sending shivers of fear through everyone present. They all knew the kind of man Yates was in North Fund ¨C a man who had carved his empire with bloodied hands. ke knew this all too well. As he met Yates¡¯ murderous gaze, a shudder ran through him, but he lifted his chin defiantly in response. ¡°Mr. Sharp, you¡¯re fighting for your granddaughter, and I¡¯m fighting for my great-grandchild. We¡¯re both Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. here to save those we cherish. There¡¯s no question of being tired of living.¡± Yates¡¯ face twisted into a vengeful sneer. ¡°Whether you¡¯re tired of living isn¡¯t up to you. It¡¯s up to the gun in my hand!¡± In North Fund, Yates yed by his own rules, especially when it came to guns. ke was no match for him in that regard. He didn¡¯t respond to Yates¡¯ threat, and Yates didn¡¯t interrupt the surgery any further. Each camp watched tensely ¨C one focused on Eleanor, the other on the newborn. All were waiting for the doctors to wrestle life back from the clutches of death¡­ When Robin caught sight of Eleanor¡¯s critical condition, his heart clenched, and his body trembled uncontrobly. Even he, not to mention Bernard, was terrified at the sight of so much blood. Fortunately, he remembered that Sheldon had a top-notch doctor by his side. When Sheldon¡¯s wife was giving birth to Elbert Pine, facingplications, it was that very doctor who had saved them. Robin had been about to call and ask if this doctor could save both mother and child, but then he learned that this doctor was Yates¡¯ personal physician, who treated no one besides Yates himself. Still, Robin got hold of Yates¡¯ number and reached out to borrow the doctor. Yates, who was in A City at the time, hastened Dr. Moore to the scene upon hearing of Eleanor¡¯s peril. Dr. Moore didn¡¯t disappoint; he brought his best students, all of whom held prestigious positions in obstetrics. Their numbers gave hope, but they arrived a stepte ¨C had they been earlier, Eleanor might have been spared the cardiac arrest. Nevertheless, the seasoned doctor took charge, seizing the hemostat from Dr. Marcus and staunching the bleeding. Without blinking, he brushed aside the defibritor paddles and injected a syringe of fluid near Eleanor¡¯s heart and ordered, ¡°Needles!¡± student quickly unfurled a packet of needles. Dr. Moore¡¯s fingers danced over them, selecting several and swiftly inserting them into Eleanor¡¯s head. ¡°Continue defibrition!¡± The doctors moved promptly, setting the paddles over her heart and ramping up the defibrition energy. Dr. Moore, meanwhile, was busy inserting needles into Eleanor¡¯s arms. He moved with lightning speed, his eyes fixed on the cardiac monitor until a faint rhythm returned. Only then did he give his orders. ¡°The patient¡¯s heart is beating again. Start the transfusion!¡± The doctor responsible for transfusion sprang into action, hanging the blood bag. Thankfully, Ms. Amelia and Dr. Marcus had anticipated a major hemorrhage and had prepared enough blood ¨C a shortage would have been disastrous. With blood coursing into Eleanor, her heartbeat grew steady. Dr. Moore, still vignt, continued his work with the needles. Bernard, standing not too far away, heard the monitor¡¯s steady beeps. The tension that had gripped him released all at once, and he found himself suddenly drained of strength, copsing to his knees on the floor. Chapter 1468 Chapter 1468 Bernard¡¯s eyes were rimmed with a dark crimson, a testament to countless sleepless nights and worry that hung heavy in his heart. He stood, transfixed by the sight of Eleanor, lying still on the operating table. She had listened to him, fought tooth and nail, and returned from death¡¯s doorstep¡­ N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°Eleanor, you¡¯re a true fighter,¡± Bernard whispered, a silent prayer of thanks escaping his lips. He had never been more grateful or more terrified, but thankfully, she had pulled through. His hands were nted firmly on the cold hospital floor, palms slick with the blood that had dripped down from his clenched fists. The fear that had gripped him still shook his body, rendering him too weak to even consider standing¡­ It wasn¡¯t until the piercing cry of a newborn filled the room that Bernard lifted his gaze to see Mr. Keith cradling the tiny infant. The baby, so tiny and delicate, had inherited his mother¡¯s fierce spirit and had also made it through¡­ The sound of the baby¡¯s cries, mingled with the steady beep of the heart monitor, made Bernard feel the overwhelming power of life for the first time. A wave of emotion swelled within him, threatening to spill over. The infant, now safely ensconced in an incubator, wasn¡¯t out of the woods yet. His survival was momentary, and it would take the doctors¡¯ relentless effort to keep him alive. ke, having seen his great-grandson survive, felt no need to linger any longer. As he turned to leave, he felt Bernard¡¯s icy grip on his ankle¡­ ke looked down, locking eyes with Bernard¡¯s bloodthirsty gaze just before being thrown to the ground. Before he could react, a barrage of punches rained down on him¡­ Bernard unleashed his fury, his fists pounding relentlessly, the old man¡¯s blood soon staining the hospital floor. ke¡¯s entourage, seeing their boss beaten to a pulp, moved to intervene but were halted by Bernard¡¯s chilling threat, ¡°Touch him, and you¡¯ll never see another sunrise!¡± ke couldn¡¯t believe the depth of Bernard¡¯s vengeance. Despite he had saved his great-grandchild¡¯s life, Bernard repaid ke with violence instead of gratitude. He was furious at Bernard, whose behavior had been devoid of humanity. ¡°Bernard, how dare you strike your own grandfather? You defy all naturalw!¡± ¡°In this world, the one who truly defies naturalw is you!¡± If Bernard had a gun at that moment, he would have used it without hesitation, rather than his fists, to unleash the inferno raging in his chest. It didn¡¯t take long for ke to lose consciousness under Bernard¡¯s relentless assault. But Bernard, straddling the fallen man, didn¡¯t cease his punishment. Cedric had intended to intervene, but Hailey, his wife, held him back. ¡°Don¡¯t. That man has no soul. It¡¯d be better if he were dead!¡± Hailey red at ke with righteous indignation. If it weren¡¯t for him, Eleanor would never have been pregnant, never have suffered like this. And now, because of ke¡¯s selfishness, they had almost lost her. Hailey could hardly contain her hatred; she longed for Bernard to end him. Cedric hesitated, torn between his wife¡¯s wishes and the man who had treated him decently. As Cedric grappled with what to do, an urgent voice came from the operating room, ¡°The patient has a cerebral hemorrhage. Prepare the surgical tools, I need to perform a craniotomy immediately!¡± Bernard, who had been venting his anger, froze upon hearing the doctor¡¯s announcement. The murderous aura that had enveloped him vanished instantly, reced by a familiar sense of despair. ¡°What did you say?!¡± Yates, who had been standing guard outside, couldn¡¯t believe the turn of events either and stepped inside. ¡°She was stable, how could she suddenly have a brain bleed?!¡± The senior surgeon nced at Bernard and Yates with urgency. ¡°Pregnant women with preempsia undergoing C-section are prone toplications like cerebral hemorrhage or cardiac failure. This patient had a heart transnt, experienced a massive hemorrhage, and even went into cardiac arrest. It¡¯s a miracle she didn¡¯t have a cerebral hemorrhage sooner!¡± With no time to waste, Dr. Moore took the scalpel from a nurse and ordered the operating room cleared of non-essential personnel to avoid infection. ¡°Keep family members out right now,¡± he instructed as he prepped for the surgery. ¡°The rest of you, sterilize the room again!¡± As Dr. Moore began the craniotomy, Bernard and Yates were ushered out, along with ke, who was still unconscious on the floor. Mr. Keith, who had been about to leave, was stopped by the surgeon. ¡°The patient is likely to suffer cardiac and renal failure post-operation. You¡¯ll need to take over for the hematoma evacuation and dpressive craniectomy.¡± Mr. Keith had the skills; he had saved the baby¡¯s life, after all. The senior surgeon trusted in his own ability to handleplications, but in case of the worst, it was better to have more doctors on hand. Chapter 1469 Chapter 1469 Mr. Keith nodded in assent, taking his ce by the operating table, ready to assist the veteran old doctor at a moment¡¯s notice. As Dr. Moore had anticipated,plications soon began to cascade, one after another. Handing over a scalpel to Mr. Keith, Dr. Moore then directed Ms. Amelia and Dr. Marcus to tackle variousplications, while he himself zeroed in on the critical issue of heart failure. In his lifetime, Dr. Moore had snatched many souls from the jaws of death, but this case proved exceptionally thorny. Even he felt a sense of helplessness in the face of the mountingplications. While continuing the life-saving surgery, he had a nurse inform the waiting family members of the dire situation, handing them the grim prognosis. Given the explosion ofplications, even he couldn¡¯t guarantee a sessful oue. Outside the OR, Bernard Laurence, already steeped in despair, was handed the ominous notice. He stood there, a shell of a man, utterly defeated and frozen in ce. ¡°Mr. Laurence, I need your signature, please.¡± Signing that document would mean acknowledging that Eleanor¡¯s condition was beyond even The surgeon¡¯s saving grace. Bernard¡¯s bloodshot eyes brimmed with a torment that made life seem worse than death, ¡°Please, you can¡¯t give up. You must find a way to save her again!¡± Hearing the desperate pleas from outside, The surgeon¡¯s brows knotted tightly. With so many In the incubator, the baby, perhaps sensing its mother¡¯s peril, cried ceaselessly. The infant¡¯s desperate wails touched everyone, bringing tears to the eyes of Ms. Amelia, the doctors, and the nurses. ¡°I may not have your skills, but please, for Eleanor¡¯s sake, give it everything you¡¯ve got!¡± Catching Ms. Amelia¡¯s eye and then ncing at Dr. Marcus and the other doctors in the OR, all determined to save their patient, Dr. Moore felt a flicker of hope reignite in his weary heart ¡°Everyone, keep fighting!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± That resounding ¡°Yes!¡± seemed to marshal the collective strength of all the medical staff, its echo reaching the family members gathered outside, moving them to their core. The Laurence siblings, scattered across the country, had converged as quickly as possible, while Peterson Sharp, nursing a bullet wound, arrived under the escort of his brothers from across the border. By the time the other family members arrived at the hospital, the surgery had been underway for twelve long hours. The surgeon, exhausted and trembling, handed over the surgical duties to Ms. Amelia and Dr. Marcus. The younger doctors, with their remarkable talent, followed The surgeon¡¯s every direction with precision. Reflecting on the situation, Dr. Moore marveled at the patient¡¯s fate. She had encountered four luminaries of the medical world. While Ms. Amelia and Dr. Marcus mightg slightly behind Mr. Keith, they were no less adept at managing theplications. Thanks to the relentless efforts of the medical team, the patient¡¯s vital signs slowly stabilized. The blood pressure dropped, acute organ failure ceased, the cerebral hemorrhage was contained, and the otherplications dissipated. However, after enduring such an ordeal, the patient slipped into a deep Dr. Moore knew this was as far as they could go; the patient¡¯s body couldn¡¯t withstand any more. Rising Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. from his chair with thest of his strength, he prepared to leave the OR as the doctors looked on in disappointed silence. Bernard, his hands trembling with suppressed emotion and eyes dark with despair, pushed past the doctors at the door and strode out, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that word!¡± His voice, raw with anguish, reverberated down the hallway, eliciting sympathetic looks from the Laurences, the Sharps, and the Pines. ¡°Doctor, is there really no hope?¡± Yates stepped forward, his face etched with disbelief. ¡°A deepa¡­ it¡¯s as good as gone unless a miracle happens. But the chance of that is almost zero,¡± Dr. Moore replied with a heavy heart. What miracle could there be for someone pulled back from such a brink? The cold truth doused Bernard¡¯s flicker of hope. His grip on the surgeon¡¯s arm loosened and fell away. Like a soulless puppet, he staggered into the OR under the watchful eyes of the medical staff. As he saw Eleanor, lifeless and entangled in a web of tubes, tears he could no longer control cascaded down his cheeks. The strong man, faced with his wife¡¯s hopeless condition, copsed to his knees beside the operating table, ¡°Eleanor, you fought so hard toe back, only to be trapped again. is the fog too thick on your way home? Can¡¯t you find the way? Let mee to get you, okay?¡± Chapter 1470 Chapter 1470 Bernard grasped Eleanor¡¯s icy hand, pressing it against his own blood-streaked face, His fingertips, coated in crimson, smeared a haunting red across her pallid cheeks. Bernard¡¯s eyshes fluttered downward as his gaze wandered over her battered form-so many incisions, so much blood loss, tubes protruding everywhere. She must be in agony, he thought. For the first time, he realized that to ache for someone was not merely an internal twinge but an overwhelming desire to suffer in their stead, He would take it all upon himself if he could, bear every sin, endure any torment, just to spare his Eleanor from further pain. Even death seemed a fair trade. Bowing his weary head, Bernard clung to Eleanor¡¯s hand, his tall and once steadfast frame now hunched over like a penitent worshipper seeking absolution at the altar, Even from outside the operating room, anyone could see the powerful man shaking. uncontrobly, his whole body trembling with eachbored breath. No one could tell if Bernard was crying, but all knew his suffering was profound. To be caught between life and death, to desire relief but find none-this was a torment like no other. For a husband to face the life-or-death moments of both his wife and child was an unimaginable trial. No one knew how Bernard had endured these long hours; all they could see was his evident torment. Hailey, still recovering from childbirth, wept until she was breathless. If it weren¡¯t for Cedric¡¯s support, she would have copsed. Veronica, hearing Hailey¡¯s cries, gripped her fingers tightly, silently offering her strength. The Laurences sympathized with Eleanor¡¯s plight and felt for Bernard¡¯s helplessness. Learning of their grandfather¡¯s deeds had left them cold. Knowing full well Eleanor was Bernard¡¯s life, ke had nheless sought to sever that bond. Such a grandfather was rare, leaving his grandchildren to shiver at the thought of their own potential fate-a fate spared only because theycked Bernard¡¯s utility. The Sharp family¡¯s hearts ached especially for Eleanor. Peterson, in particr, was distraught. It wasn¡¯t N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. long ago that they had embraced at the airport, speaking of future family ns. Now, seeing his cousin so bloodied was unbearable. Peterson, still recovering from a bullet wound to the chest, couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. Grasping the hands of Bevis and Antoine Sharp, he stumbled closer to the operating table, the horror bing clearer with each step. Upon seeing Eleanor¡¯s once flowing hair, now shorn to the scalp, Peterson¡¯s eyes reddened. She had always cherished her beauty, and now, stripped of her hair, her body was a canvas of wounds. Moore had dered Eleanor¡¯s deepa nearly beyond hope. This sister, only recently acknowledged, couldn¡¯t just slip away. Peterson, in disbelief, reached out to grasp Yates¡¯ arm. ¡°Grandpa, Moore once saved Mr. Quintus with his skills. Please, ask him to help Eleanor again¡­¡± Before Yates could respond, Moore interjected, ¡°Young master, Mr. Quintus¡¯ situation was a merea due to a hemorrhage-treatable. But your sister¡¯splications are far more severe¡­¡± epting Moore¡¯s verdict as final, Yates said nothing. Peterson¡¯s grip on Yates¡¯ clothes loosened as he gazed upon Eleanor, his heart heavy with sorrow. The Sharp brothers mourned, and Yates was no less heartbroken. To outlive one¡¯s progeny was a cruel twist of fate, especially as Yates had hoped to atone for past mistakes. But now, his granddaughter might not grant him that chance. Leaning on his cane, Yates turned to leave, unable to bear the sight and scent of his granddaughter¡¯s life hanging in the bnce. Outside, Sheldon watched Yates depart, then shifted his gaze back to Eleanor. He couldn¡¯t help but reflect on the cruel hand fate had dealt Vanya Pine¡¯s daughter. It was uncertain if she would be as fortunate as she had been in the past, surviving a perilous dive into the depths. As Sheldon pondered this, his attention drifted to Robin, who had followed Bernard into the operating room. Robin, nearly mirroring Bernard in stature, seemed unsure of his ce near Eleanor. He stood immobile, a statue in the midst of chaos, only steadied by Elbert¡¯s reassuring presence. From just a faltering silhouette, Sheldon discerned Robin¡¯s unspoken affections-a sentiment likely to remain forever hidden within the chambers of his heart. Chapter 1471 Chapter 1471 After all, who could love Eleanor more than her husband? Robin knew that, but what of it? He was both painfully aware and sweetly addicted to his own despair. He couldn¡¯t do anything about it. Yet, seeing Eleanor like this filled Robin with immense regret. If he had known she would end up this way, he would have answered her question that day-the one she posed to him with her dying breath in lip-sync. He should have been forthright with her! Robin despised his own cowardice, his strict adherence to propriety, but these feelings paled in Now, if he could, he would plead with the heavens to take on her suffering so they could live a happy life together¡­ After all, no one would care whether Robin was alive or dead, but Eleanor was different. She was the beacon of hope for many, Bernard, Hailey Vulpe, Serenina Ziegler, their newborn son, and countless others who cared for her¡­ As Robin silently prayed to trade ces with Eleanor, a man in a ck trench coat, drenched in rain, stepped out of his car. His hurried steps were a bit disheveled, but he moved quickly¡­ By the time Garett arrived at the hospital, Eleanor had already been moved to the intensive care unit, with Bernard holding her hand, refusing to leave her side. The doctors had told them the harsh truth, and after a day and night of vigil, everyone had left except Bernard, who refused to believe it was the end. He was convinced that Eleanor had simply lost her way and that she would find it back home. So, Bernard had sent Aidyn and Scott all over the world to find the best doctors, believing in a miracle against all odds. And if that miracle never came, then they would abide by their pact, for better or for worse, in life and death. Eleanor would be waiting for him on the road, not minding a slight dy. Garett never saw the battered Eleanor, only catching a glimpse through the ICU ss of a pale Bernard, gripping Eleanor¡¯s hand and staring intensely at the figure on the bed. When he received the news from Sigrid, he was abroad for a leg check-up. He couldn¡¯t even finish the examination before he rushed back, only to be informed that Eleanor was in a deepa with little chance of awakening. He thought that if the girl he once loved were doing well, that would be enough. But to think that after cutting ties, her fate would still be so dire. Sometimes Garett wondered if he hadn¡¯t rejected Eleanor back then, if he had followed through with their marriage, would she have been spared so much suffering? Regretful Garett had the ICU door opened and with heavy steps, he approached Bernard. He didn¡¯t nce at Bernard. His eyes, slightly reddened, were fixated on the pale, gaunt face that had haunted his dreams¡­ His hand twitched at his side, then, shedding all pretense of restraint, he reached out to touch Eleanor¡¯s cheek. But before his fingertips could brush the face he longed for, a strong hand shoved him away, ¡°Don¡¯t touch her!¡± She belonged to Bernard, and no one else was allowed toy a finger on her. The possessiveness in Bernard¡¯s eyes was more intense than ever, as if a single touch from Garett would im her away. Perhaps it was this action that enraged Garett. He clenched his hand into a fist and swung at Bernard, ¡°I gave up on her for you to take care of her, and look what happened!¡± Garett grabbed Bernard by the cor, pointing at the unconscious Eleanor on the hospital bed. ¡°Is this how you care for her?!¡± Bernard, radiating an icy aura, followed Garett¡¯s using finger to look at Eleanor. ¡°You¡¯re right, it¡¯s my fault. I didn¡¯t take good care of her, but¡­¡± Bernard lifted his chin in defiance, his eyes filled with scorn, staring down at the angry Garett. ¡°And what right do you have to judge me?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Garett was silenced by the cold retort. Indeed, what right did he have? When they were together, he hesitated to marry her; when they were apart, he didn¡¯t dare im her. Now that she was another man¡¯s wife, what right did he have to criticize her husband? The internal conflicts of the Clowers family, their shares, his parents¡¯ vendetta-Bernard had dealt with them all. If not for someone cleaning up the mess, would being with him have been any N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Garett let go of the punch, epting his defeat. better? Bernard should have hit back, but he epted the blow willingly. Because Garett was right-he had failed to protect Eleanor, and that was why she was lying there like that. Garett released Bernard, and the two tall men stepped back, creating distance between them. They stood at the bedside in silence until Garett finally spoke up, ¡°I¡¯ll find a doctor to wake Eleanor up.¡± Garett knew that staying here wouldn¡¯t allow him to reminisce or yearn for Eleanor. For two people who had parted ways, the best thing to do was to extend a helping hand in times of crisis, without the weight of the past between them. Chapter 1472 Chapter 1472 Garett was a man of restraint and propriety, always measured in his actions. Even when he knew Eleanor¡¯s love for him had withered away, he remained steadfast, silently cherishing her from afar. Such character was indeed precious. It was this very preciousness that caused Bernard to look up at Garett¡¯s upright silhouette, his handsome brows furrowed slightly, his eyes bloodshot, betraying a storm ofplex emotions. As the doors of the ICU were about to close, a cool, indifferent voice reached Garett¡¯s ears- ¡°Thanks¡­¡± Garett halted mid-stride, turning back to glimpse Bernard sitting at the bedside. To the world, he was proud, but before Eleanor, he was utterly humble. It must have been a profound love that enabled him to utter such a heartfelt thanks¡­ Garett had been pulling strings everywhere to find the best doctors, bringing any he found straight to the hospital. But each one, after examining Eleanor¡¯s condition, echoed the grim prognosis of the old physicians, the chances of her awakening were slim at best. The doctors Robin brought were of the same opinion, and so it went with the medical experts consulted by the Sharps, the Laurences, and the Pines. When Yates saw that all the doctors agreed there was no hope, heshed out at ke. He waited for ke to be discharged, found the perfect moment, and nned to run him down with his car. After all, he had no desire to go on living himself. Taking down an old geezer with him seemed fitting. But before Yates could floor the elerator, he saw ke¡¯s Lincoln get flipped by a big truck just N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. outside the hospital. The crash was catastrophic. The truck practically steamrolled over the car, leaving it crushed. Yates, in shock for a moment, then sighed, echoing Bernard¡¯s earlier words- Those whom the heavens want to destroy, they first make mad. When Bernard heard about the old man¡¯s ident, he didn¡¯t blink an eye, nor did he attend the funeral. His entire focus was on one thing only, finding a doctor who could save Eleanor. But with each new doctor came a spark of hope, only to be crushed by their verdict. And as if things weren¡¯t tough enough, the baby in the incubator was also failing. Bernard who stood vigil by the ICU received one critical condition notice after another. Initially, his hand shook as he signed them, but eventually, he grew numb¡­ He didn¡¯t even have time to take a look at his child, to know if it was a boy or a girl. All he could see was Eleanor, lying unconscious on the hospital bed¡­ He took care of Eleanor day in and day out, never asking for help, even when exhaustion had him copsing in the ICU. He wouldn¡¯t let anyone, not even Hailey,e near Eleanor. Bernard was stubborn and obsessive, beyond anyone¡¯s persuasion. They could only watch in pity as he alternated between tending to his newborn and caring for Eleanor. Robin, a frequent visitor to the ICU, had once thought his love for Eleanor was akin to Bernard¡¯s. Yet seeing Bernard, gaunt and unkempt from constant vignce over Eleanor, he realized how far apart they were¡­ Even Garett no longer held any animosity towards Bernard. He would stand quietly at the doors of the ICU, watching the woman he loved being tenderly cared for by a man who loved her even more¡­ Time flew by, and two months passed in the blink of an eye. Fortunately, the baby that had received so many critical notices had pulled through and was now ready to leave the incubator and live like any normal child¡­ Hailey came to visit Bernard and Eleanor, cradling the child who had grown considerably, evidently thriving after two months of treatment and care. ¡°Wanna hold the baby?¡± Hailey offered the baby to Bernard, but Bernard with downcast eyes did not reach out his hands. Perhaps if Eleanor had been well, he might have. But in that moment, he simply nced at the child and then looked away. Chapter 1473 Chapter 1473 Seeing Bernard¡¯s reluctance to hold the baby, Hailey guessed that perhaps he was ming the child for Eleanor¡¯s condition. Not wanting to force the issue, she decided to let it be. With tenderness, Hailey lifted the little one and ced him next to Eleanor, then gently took Eleanor¡¯s hand andid it upon the baby¡¯s belly. It was as if there was a mystical bond between mother and child, for the moment Eleanor¡¯s hand touched him, the baby began to cry¡­ The sound of the infant¡¯s cry seemed to pierce Bernard¡¯s heart, and his eyes, despite his efforts, reddened with emotion. His long fingers reached out uncontrobly and rested on the baby¡¯s tiny hand¡­ The baby, who had been wailing inconsbly, felt the touch of Bernard¡¯s hand and gradually ceased crying. Opening his clear, tear-filled eyes wide, he curiously gazed at Bernard while his minuscule fingers clutched Bernard¡¯s pinky¡­ The baby¡¯s five little fingers could only grasp Bernard¡¯s pinky, but in that instant, Bernard became the N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. baby¡¯s whole world. And Bernard, overwhelmed by the moment, covered his eyes with his other hand¡­ He wept uncontrobly, sobbing and repeatedly asking Eleanor, ¡°When will you wake up? i can¡¯t carry on like this if you don¡¯t¡­¡± Hailey, standing by, also found herself unable to stop her tears. It had been two months, and Eleanor showed no sign of waking, lying there as still and silent as if she had departed this world¡­ In the third month, Aidyn and Scott finally found an elderly herbal doctor, Dr. Brown, known for treating those in unresponsive states. However, he was quite aged and had retired abroad. It was only after Aidyn and Scott¡¯s relentless search through streets and alleys that they managed to track down his address. Dr. Brown had long stopped seeing patients and, upon hearing that the patient was the wife of the CEO of the Lawrence Group, he feared he wouldn¡¯t be able to help and initially refused. Upon learning this, Bernard, desperate for even the slimmest chance, took three days off to fly overseas with a substantial offer, pleading earnestly until Dr. Brown agreed to return to A City. After examining Eleanor, the doctor wasn¡¯t certain she would recover, but he promised to do his best, anxious for any hope, shamelessly approached Yates to borrow The surgeon¡¯s expertise. After observing his acupuncture technique, Dr. Moore gave a nod of approval. Only then did Bernard feel confident enough to entrust Eleanor to Dr. Brown¡¯s care. Both doctors agreed that the chances of Eleanor waking were slim; Dr. Moore chose to step back, while Dr. Brown was willing to keep trying. As long as the doctor didn¡¯t give up, Bernard was willing to gamble. Fate had often been cruel to him, and he was determined to fight against destiny. Dr. Brown, the herbal doctor, visited the hospital daily to treat Eleanor. Though the progress was meager, Hailey grew anxious and turned to faith, seeking divine intervention. She visited a chapel, made a vow to the heavens, and obtained two blessed charms-one for the baby¡¯s crib and the other ced under Eleanor¡¯s pillow. After setting the charms, Hailey grabbed Eleanor¡¯s hand and whispered tenderly, ¡°Eleanor, remember when you were on the brink before, and I prayed in a chapel for your life? It worked then, and three yearster, you came back to us. I¡¯ve prayed again, and I hope the divine will continue to watch over you and hasten your awakening.¡± Hearing Hailey¡¯s words, Bernard, who stood by like a statue carved from ice, finally showed a flicker of emotion. ¡°Where is this chapel?¡± he asked. Hailey paused, then lifted her gaze to Bernard¡¯s face, which had grown sharp with worry and fatigue, ¡°You¡­ want to go there?¡± Chapter 1474 Chapter 1474 Bernard didn¡¯t respond verbally but gave a slight nod of his head. At this moment, all he wanted was for Eleanor to wake up, and he was willing to do anything for that. Hailey, though incredulous, didn¡¯t hesitate and promptly gave Bernard the address. Bernard, upon Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. receiving it, rushed off to what he believed was hisst hope. There was a belief about the Chapel, nestled atop a hill, that every step up its steep path, taken with a genuflection and a bow, could grant any wish. Bernard, who had never been. a spiritual man, would have scoffed at such superstitions before, but not now¡­ Dressed in his finest suit, Bernard shed every ounce of pride, discarded all arrogance, and began his ascent. With each step, he knelt; with each level, he bowed, until his knees ached and his forehead bled, but he did not yield. It wasn¡¯t until he reached the top, until he knelt before the god, that he copsed onto the cushioned kneeler, pale-faced, hands sped in prayer, under the watchful gaze of all the saints and amidst the swirl of countless lit candles. He closed his eyes slowly¡­ He, Bernard¡­ First, for Eleanor to wake up. Second, for their child to be healthy. Third, for mother and child to enjoy long lives. Nothing more did he ask for. If the heavens willed it, he was ready to donate all his wealth. If the heavens deemed wealth trivial, he was prepared to trade his life for theirs. With this fervent wish, Bernard knelt before every holy figure in the chapel. A monk, moved by his devotion, brought him a prayer ribbon. He instructed Bernard to write the names of those he wished to save and hang it at the highest branch, where it would catch the saints¡¯ eyes. Bernard, after expressing his gratitude, took the ribbon, wrote his heartfelt plea, and, with legs shaking from fatigue, climbed adder to tie his ribbon at the very top. As he secured the knot and was about to descend, he glimpsed through the dappled branches an old, frayed ribbon with his own name on it. It fluttered briefly before his eyes before the wind lifted it¡­ Back on the ground, Bernard searched through the surrounding ribbons until he found the one with his name. The tall man, with slender fingers, held the ribbon and read¡­ First, for Hailey¡¯s safety. Second, for Garett¡¯s health. Third, for Bernard¡¯s happiness. Seeing the graceful handwriting and the familiar names, Bernard knew without a doubt who had written it. His eyes unexpectedly reddened as he read the date on thest line of the prayer ribbon. Eleanor had been blessing him all this time, holding him dear in her heart-only that exined her wish for his happiness. Bernard thought to himself, had he known this earlier, he never would have let her go to be with Garett. He would have treasured every second with her. But, he was a step toote¡­.. Beneath the wishing tree, red prayer ribbons danced in the wind, and at its base stood a man of stunning features, once again taking up the pen to add beneath the third wish on his ribbon, Your well- being is my happiness. Bernard¡¯s prayers weren¡¯t a one-time affair. Every time he finished caring for Eleanor, he would pray again, and in every chapel known for miracles, there would be a man in a sharp suit, with candles in hand, kneeling before the heavenly hosts. His forehead was wounded from repeated bows, his knees worn from countless genuflections. Even the doctors urged him to stop, lest he cripple his legs, but Bernard refused to give up. He continued to implore the saints to take pity on him and awaken Eleanor¡­ Whether it was Bernard¡¯s determination that touched the heavens, or the skilled hands of an old physician that worked wonders, on the day of the first snowfall, the woman lying in the hospital bed stirred, moving her fingers slightly, then slowly opened her clear, somewhat bewildered eyes¡­ Chapter 1475 Chapter 1475 Eleanor¡¯s hospital bed was situated by the window, the window was cracked open just enough to let in a gentle breeze that danced with the snowkes, twirling the white curtains before sweeping across the headboard, bringing with it a wave of coolness. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Feeling the shift in temperature, Eleanor shifted her gaze from the ceiling to the window, taking in the pristine sky outside. Snowkes fell softly like frost petals, cascading down in a delicate flurry. She attempted to move her fingers, to catch a snowke that had ventured in, but the slightest motion sent waves of pain radiating from her fingertips, spreading through her abdomen, her heart, her lower body, and into her head, until her whole body spasmed and tears streamed down her face. At the door of the room, Dr. Brown, carrying his medical bag, entered. Seeing Eleanor in tears, he paused momentarily, then quickly strode over to her side. He checked her eyes and felt her pulse to make sure she was truly awake before he bellowed out. ¡°Ms. Vulpe, Mrs. Laurence is awake!¡± Hailey, who had been in the bathroom rinsing out a washcloth, heard Dr. Brown¡¯s excited voice and dashed out. Upon seeing Eleanor¡¯s eyes open and looking at her, Hailey¡¯s emotions, long kept at bay, erupted. ¡°Eleanor!¡± She ran over, tears streaming, and grabbed Eleanor¡¯s hand, crying tears of joy, ¡°You¡¯re finally awake!¡± It had been half a year, and if Eleanor hadn¡¯te around, Hailey wasn¡¯t sure if Bernard-or even she herself-could have held on much longer. Thankfully, it seemed like fate had finally lent them a hand. Seeing Hailey so distressed, Eleanor wanted to reach out and wipe her tears away, but the pain was too much, she could barely move. All she could manage was to move her lips, ¡°Hailey¡­¡± Merely whispering a name was a struggle; her throat was so parched it felt like it was being sliced with a knife. Dr. Brown, noticing her difort, quickly opened his medical bag and retrieved a few acupuncture needles, inserting them into her arm. With the needles in ce, the pain Eleanor felt subsided significantly, though the difort, especially from the tubes inserted in her body, remained. She tried to pull at the tubes, but Dr. Brown held her hands down, ¡°You¡¯ve just woken up, and you still need treatment. This is necessary for your recovery. Just bear with it for now.¡± Eleanor, enduring the difort, turned to Hailey with her tear-stained face, ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m so thirsty. Could you get me a ss of water?¡± Instead offorting Hailey, Eleanor gave her a task to focus on. Hailey, still in tears, agreed and managed to calm down a bit after fetching the water. Returning with a ss, Hailey spooned water gently into Eleanor¡¯s mouth. She was indeed thirsty, and it took several spoonful before she indicated she had enough. Hailey set the ss down, trying to contain her excitement, and took Eleanor¡¯s hand again, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯ve been hoping every day for the past six months that you would wake up.¡± Six months? No wonder Hailey was so emotional. Eleanor had been unconscious for half a year. She felt a twinge of guilt, ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m sorry for always causing you worry¡­¡± Hailey shook her head, then reached out to touch Eleanor¡¯s cropped hair, ¡°Between us, let¡¯s not talk about who¡¯s causing whom worry. As long as you¡¯re awake, I¡¯d dly trade a decade of my own life.¡± Perhaps it was the closeness, but Eleanor noticed the fine lines at the corners of Hailey¡¯s eyes and expressed her surprise, ¡°It¡¯s only been half a year. How have you gotten wrinkles already?¡± Hailey, still riding the high of Eleanor¡¯s awakening, touched her own face in surprise, ¡°At my age, it¡¯s normal to have wrinkles, isn¡¯t it?¡± Eleanor, concerned less about Hailey¡¯s aging and more about who was missing, looked around the hospital room, ¡°Hailey, where¡¯s Garett? Why isn¡¯t he here?¡± That was unexpected. Eleanor¡¯s first concern should have been for Bernard. Why was she asking about Garett? Hailey grew more uneasy, ¡°Eleanor, why aren¡¯t you asking where Bernard has gone?¡± Upon hearing the name Bernard, Eleanor felt a twinge in her heart but couldn¡¯t ce the memory. Confused, she asked, ¡°Bernard¡­ who is that?¡± At her words, Hailey froze in ce, and even Dr. Brown paused his examination. Hailey¡¯s grip on Eleanor¡¯s hand tightened in disbelief, ¡°Eleanor, don¡¯t you remember Bernard?¡± Eleanor, her head aching, countered, ¡°Should I remember him?¡± Should I remember him? Those four words cut through the air like a knife, severing the close bond Eleanor and Bernard once shared. Hailey¡¯s concern, oddly, was not for Eleanor but for Bernard-the man who would do anything for her. If he learned that Eleanor didn¡¯t remember him, would it be too much to bear? Tears welled up in Hailey¡¯s eyes again, ¡°Eleanor, Bernard is your husband. You two have been through so much together to get to where you are. How could you forget him?¡± Eleanor felt estranged from Hailey¡¯s recounting, ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m only eighteen and still in school. How could I be married? Besides, if I were to marry, it would be to Garett.¡± Chapter 1476 Chapter 1476 Hailey slumped into the chair, a picture of despair. ¡°Dr. Brown, does she have amnesia? Why does she only remember things from before she turned eighteen?¡± Dr. Brown snapped back to reality. ¡°I don¡¯t know, we need to run some tests.¡± Hailey shot up from her seat. ¡°I¡¯ll go find a doctor to arrange the tests immediately. It would be best if we could get her memory back before Bernard returns.¡± Hailey truly felt for Bernard, which is why she was hoping the doctors could help Eleanor regain her memory before Bernard returned from the monastery. After the tests, however, the doctors informed her that Eleanor¡¯s temporary memory loss was caused by a brain hemorrhage. In other words, Eleanor could only remember things from before she turned eighteen. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Hearing this, Hailey was dumbfounded. ¡°When will she recover?¡± The doctor set down the report. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. Recovery depends on the patient¡¯s progress.¡± ¡°Is there any medication that can help?¡± Hailey asked. The doctor replied, ¡°With memory, medication is of little use. It¡¯s all about stimtion.¡± Stimtion¡­ Hailey¡¯s thoughts immediately flew to the baby Eleanor had fought so hard to bring into the world. She rose hastily from her seat. For thest six months, Hailey had been the one caring for the baby, even breastfeeding alongside her own child, never once outsourcing this duty. Thanks to her and Cedric¡¯s attentive care, the baby was now healthy and plump. She figured that seeing such an adorable baby would surely help Eleanor regain her memory. So, before Bernard could return, she hurried home to fetch the little one. But just as she stepped out of the hospital, she ran into Garett. ¡°Hailey, how¡¯s Eleanor today? Any sign she¡¯se around?¡± Hailey paused, her expressionplex. ¡°She¡¯s awake¡­¡± At the news of Eleanor¡¯s awakening, a glimmer of hope shone in Garett¡¯s somber eyes. ¡°That¡¯s great, I¡¯m going to see her.¡± As Garett turned, eager to leave, Hailey grabbed his arm. ¡°She¡¯s awake, but she¡¯s lost her memory. She only remembers things up to the age of eighteen.¡± Garett stood frozen, disbelief etched on his face. ¡°How is that possible?¡± ¡°The doctor said it was the brain hemorrhage that caused it.¡± After a moment, Hailey added, ¡°It¡¯s temporary amnesia. She¡¯ll recover.¡± What she meant was that Eleanor¡¯s situation was different from what Garett had experienced years ago. She was also reminding him not to take advantage of Eleanor¡¯s vulnerability. Garett was smart enough to read between Hailey¡¯s lines, but he couldn¡¯t hide his disappointment¡­ After witnessing how deeply Bernard loved Eleanor, Hailey¡¯s loyalty had, to Garett¡¯s chagrin, begun to tip in favor of another man. The two people who had been by his side since childhood, one after the other, had drifted away. How could Garett not feel the sting? He stood still, then, with a bittersweet smile, he said, ¡°Hailey, don¡¯t worry about me. It¡¯s over between her and me.¡± His nonchnt smile pierced Hailey¡¯s heart. She wanted to apologize, but Garett shrugged off her hand and walked away. Having experienced amnesia himself, Garett empathized all too well. He wouldn¡¯t exploit Eleanor¡¯s condition to rekindle an old me. Why endure the heartache of separation all over again when knowing her memory would eventually return? Once was enough in a lifetime. With a heart free from excitement, Garett entered the hospital and approached Eleanor¡¯s room. The doctors were still checking her vital functions, and Eleanorplied obediently. As the doctors adjusted her head towards the door, Eleanor caught sight of Garett. The tall figure in a ck coat stood silently at the doorway, watching her. ¡°Garett.¡± Though confused-after all, the boy from her memories had transformed into a man in just half a year, even weathered somewhat-she recognized him instantly. ¡°What took you so long?¡± After calling his name, Eleanor smiled, her clear eyes devoid of any image of Bernard, filled only with Garett. It was the dream Garett often had, the one he yearned for in the depths of the night. And now that the dream had materialized, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to be happy. Seeing Garett¡¯sck of joy at her waking, Eleanor feared something was amiss. Her delicate brows furrowed. ¡°Garett, is it the medical bills? Are they too much for you?¡± She hesitated, then reached to remove the IV from her arm. ¡°Doctor, I¡¯m done here. I want to go home with my boyfriend.¡± The doctors, all under Bernard¡¯s employ, exchanged nces, understanding the plight of an amnesiac patient but unsure how to handle the situation, especially since she seemed to have forgotten everything between her and her husband. What would Mr. Laurence do now? ¡°You¡¯ve lost a lot of blood giving birth. How can you just leave?¡± Garett approached and held her hand still. At his words, disbelief washed over Eleanor¡¯s frail face as she looked up at him. ¡°Did I have a baby?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Garett nodded, and the confusion in Eleanor¡¯s eyes slowly faded. She had no recollection of giving birth, confirming Hailey and the doctors were telling the truth about her amnesia. Trying to remember the birth only intensified her headache, so she gave up and instead caught Garett¡¯s hand as he was about to walk away, looking up at him earnestly. ¡°The baby¡­ is it ours?¡± Chapter 1477 Chapter 1477 Garrett¡¯s gaze lingered on Eleanor¡¯s eyes, reflections of his own face staring back at him. He was spellbound, but painfully aware that she was no longer his. Suppressing the stirrings of his heart, he managed a strained whisper, ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. If it wasn¡¯t his child, then it had to be Bernard¡¯s-a name foreign to her. Eleanor struggled with the thought, ¡°Didn¡¯t we promise to be together forever? How did we drift apart?¡± Hailey had called Bernard her husband, and the doctors referred to Mr. Laurence in the same way. But in her heart, she had always longed for Garrett. How had ite to pass that she ended up with someone else? Garrett¡¯s fingers, held tight by Eleanor, slowly curled inward. After an internal battle, he gently eased her grip away. ¡°It¡¯s because I stopped loving you¡­¡± Despite her amnesia and the vague awareness that much had happened during the time she was sleeping, Eleanor¡¯s heart broke at his words. ¡°Garrett, you promised to love me forever. I can¡¯t believe that excuse.¡± I will always love you, but you won¡¯t. Garrett¡¯s unspoken truth hung heavy in the air as heforted her, ¡°You met someone who loves you more. When he returns, you¡¯ll understand why we parted.¡± As Eleanor digested this revtion, her gaze fell and she murmured, ¡°So I fell for someone else, and that¡¯s why we parted.¡± Garrett¡¯s lips parted, about to speak, when a tall figure staggered into the room, propped up by Aidyn and Scott. Bernard was not informed by Hailey, but by the doctor. Bernard, who had been kneeling in prayer, pleading with the heavens, struggled to his feet with the help of his friends when he heard Eleanor had awakened. The doctor hadn¡¯t mentioned Eleanor¡¯s amnesia to Bernard, only that she had woken up. As Bernard saw her conscious for the first time in months, the tension that had gripped him dissipated, and hope rekindled in his weary eyes. Shrugging off the support of Aidyn and Scott, he stood firm against the door frame, ignoring the pain in his knees as he approached Eleanor. His trembling fingers reached for Eleanor¡¯s cheek, and upon feeling her warmth, a relieved smile broke across his face. ¡°Eleanor, you¡¯re finally awake.¡± His emotions surged uncontrobly as he bent down to embrace and kiss her. But before his lips could meet her forehead, she pushed him away in panic. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know you.¡± Bernard froze, hands bracing against the bed as if he might copse. ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t remember me?¡± Eleanor had guessed he was the Bernard everyone spoke of, but she felt only alienation. She couldn¡¯t fathom why she would have married him, let alone had a child with him. ¡°She¡¯s lost her memory,¡± Garrett exined, ¡°her recollections halt before she turned eighteen.¡± As Bernard¡¯s gaze shifted, intending to nce at Garrett, he instead saw their entwined hands. Eleanor clung to Garrett as if her life depended on it. Bernard¡¯s joy ebbed away as he gazed at their hands, a chill seeping through him. ¡°So she remembers you, but not me?¡± Garrett didn¡¯t respond, but the sight of Eleanor¡¯s grip on him spoke volumes. Bernard¡¯s lips twitched into a despairing, tremulous smile as the reality sank in, ¡°Why¡­?¡± Why did Eleanor¡¯s memory, upon awakening, cling to the time filled with Garrett, forsaking his own existence? Was he not the one she truly loved deep down? ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Eleanor¡¯s apology came from a ce of guilt, for she remembered nothing of him. Bernard, like a statue, remained by the bed. Beneath himy the woman he had loved for years, who now, devoid of memory, apologized to him. He forced a painful smile, refusing to show weakness before another man, no matter the agony. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­¡± He smiled through the hurt, ¡°As long as you¡¯re awake and well. It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t remember me¡­¡± Chapter 1478 Chapter 1478 It was Bernard who had bargained with the heavens, offering his own life in exchange for Eleanor¡¯s. And now, as fate would have it, the powers that be hadn¡¯t taken his life but had instead snatched away Eleanor¡¯s memories. A fair trade, he reassured himself, for she had awakened. Yet, despite his selfforting thoughts, Bernard couldn¡¯t suppress a bitter chuckle. It was as if the past decade had been nothing but avish pipe dream. Gazing upon her gaunt, pale face and bloodshot eyes, and the rueful smile that yed upon his lips, Eleanor¡¯s heart constricted, tightening in difort. She thought it was a cardiac issue at first and pressed her hand to her chest. The odd pang faded quickly, and in that moment, Garrett took the opportunity to gently push aside her other hand. ¡°Eleanor, your husband¡¯s back. You should chat with him; I¡¯ll head off now and check in on you another day,¡± Garrett said, his voice light yet tinged with concern. As Garrett turned to leave, Eleanor, gripped by a sudden anxiety, called out to him, ¡°Garrett, don¡¯t go. I don¡¯t know him. Please don¡¯t leave me alone; I¡¯m scared.¡± Those two words, ¡°I¡¯m scared,¡± hit Bernard like a hammer to the heart, deeply embedded and immobilizing. It felt as though a rugged nail was piercing through his heart¡¯s chambers, unrelentingly iming his life¡­ Bernard, who had been propped up against the hospital bed, finally lowered his heavyshes to look at the fear-filled Eleanor beneath him. ¡°You¡¯re afraid of me?¡± he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Eleanor wasn¡¯t afraid of him per se; it was the unfamiliarity that terrified her. But she didn¡¯t know how to express this, so she chose silence, even directing a plea for help towards Garrett with her eyes. Bernard had never seen how she loved Garrett before, only heard her whisper his name in her sleep. Now, witnessing it firsthand, he felt all his convictions shattering. His fingers, pressed against the bedsheet, curled into his palm. It was only when his fingernails cut into his skin, drawing blood, that he suppressed the pain and slowly sat up¡­ Embarrassed and despairing, Bernard looked at Garrett, ¡°If she¡¯s afraid of me, should stay with her. I¡­ I¡¯ll be going.¡± As he spoke, tears threatened to spill from his eyes. Perhaps afraid of being seen in such a state, Bernard pushed himself off the wall and staggered away. Watching the retreating figure waver, Eleanor felt her heart ache anew. This time, the pain was clearly for Bernard. But she looked up at Garrett, whose face was etched with gravity, and she was sure-she loved Garrett. Memories might fade, but her feelings couldn¡¯t regress, could they? Confused and fragmented, Eleanor sought answers, ¡°Garrett, can you tell me what¡¯s going on between him and me?¡± Garrett met her bewildered gaze, replying, ¡°It¡¯s not something I can exin in a sentence or two. But you loved him deeply, enough to risk your life for him.¡± Although Eleanor found it hard to believe, she didn¡¯t argue with Garrett, simply saying, ¡°I don¡¯t feel love for him now. I only feel that I love you. So, Garrett, if there¡¯s a chance you haven¡¯t let go of me, then there¡¯s a chance for us to start over.¡± Outside the hospital room, leaning against the wall, Bernard overheard this and felt his frail body tremble, as if a cold wind had blown right through him. Aidyn and Scott, seeing their boss¡¯ heartbreaking face, felt a pang of sympathy. He hadn¡¯t even taken the time to put on his coat in his rush to see his wife and had run into the hospital through the snow. And now¡­ His wife had forgotten him, remembered only Garrett, loved only Garrett. What would be of their Mr. Laurence? Could years of love be dissolved by amnesia? Inside the room, Garrett pulled up a chair beside Eleanor¡¯s bed, ready to speak, but Bernard no longer had the heart to listen. He staggered out of the hospital, his steps unsteady. Aidyn and Scott made to follow, but a raised hand from Bernard stopped them. They understood he needed some space and halted Bernard, bracing against the pain that threatened to shatter him, leaned on the hospital walls, each Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. step more graceless than thest, until he emerged into the snow. The kes had grownrger since his arrival, quickly nketing the cold ground¡­ Standing at the hospital entrance, he looked up at the swirling snow and felt an overwhelming sense of solitude. It was a loneliness that seeped from within, unbearable, and the world before him started to blur. As his tall frame fell backward into the snow, the pure white kes settled like dandelion fluff upon his face, melting slowly upon his wless cheeks. Though d only in a thin suit on this snowy night, Bernard felt no chill-perhaps his heart was cold enough to numb his senses. Before consciousness fully slipped away, he gazed up at the snow-filled sky and whispered in his heart, ¡°Eleanor, I don¡¯t think I can hold on much longer. If you ever remember me and I¡¯m not here anymore, please don¡¯t me me¡­¡± Chapter 1479 Chapter 1479 Garrett took a seat beside the hospital bed and began to recount Eleanor and Bernard¡¯s story with a tender and serene voice. He spoke of how they met, fell in love, and how their bond carried them through life and death itself After listening, Eleanor seemed dazed, but it was only for a moment before she regained her could have lived through.¡± Garrett¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile. ¡°When I lost my memory, you came to me, telling me of our past, and I too felt like I was hearing a story. I resisted epting memories that felt so foreign to me, but¡­¡± He paused, taking a deep sigh, ¡°When my memory returned, that¡¯s when I was filled with regret. I could only watch as you fell for someone else, as you built a life with him, and I¡­ I lost my chance¡­¡± At his words, Eleanor opened her mouth to speak, but Garrett cut her off, ¡°Eleanor, I¡¯m not telling you this to win you back. I just don¡¯t want you to push away someone you love because of a temporary amnesia. I don¡¯t want you to end up full of regrets like me.¡± Her eyshes fluttered down as she thought of Bernard¡¯s look of despair. Although he still felt like a stranger to her, she could sense his deep love for her. Confusion took hold of her¡­ She furrowed her brow, trying to remember anything rted to him, but the more she tried, the more it hurt. Her head felt like it was exploding, sending pain coursing through her body until¡­ She passed out from the pain, rming Garrett who frantically called for a doctor. Hailey, who had arrived clutching her baby, saw Eleanor slip into unconsciousness, her face turning ashen. After the doctors managed to stabilize Eleanor, Dr. Brown was at a loss for words, ¡°You¡¯ve overwhelmed her with these memories. If you want her to remember, it has to be gradual¡­¡± Hailey, initially intending to use the baby to jog Eleanor¡¯s memory, quickly abandoned the idea, ¡°What¡¯s her condition now? Is it just temporary, or is she going to be unconscious like before?¡± The doctor replied, ¡°She just fainted; she should wake up soon. But please, no more stress. Let her body recuperate¡­¡± Relieved to hear she would awaken, Hailey and Garrett let out a collective sigh as the doctor left. Garrett felt bad, ¡°Bernard visited, and when Eleanor couldn¡¯t remember him, I told her about their past. I didn¡¯t realize it would¡­¡± Hailey looked at Garrett and then down at the baby, ¡°Garrett, Eleanor only remembers up until she was eighteen. It¡¯s quite cruel for Bernard. Maybe, for the sake of Eleanor and the child, you could step back for now?¡± After all, at eighteen, Eleanor was deeply in love with Garrett, and it was a carefree time in her life. She had just undergone a sessful cardiac surgery and got epted into college. Hailey suspected Eleanor could only remember up until then because that year was filled with so much good news. The life that followed, despite Bernard¡¯s love, was quite exhausting for her. epting this, Garrett nodded without resentment, ¡°When she wakes up, please let me know.¡± Holding back tears, Hailey barely managed a nasal affirmation, ¡°Okay, and after¡­ Garrett spared her the difort of continuing, ¡°After that¡­ I won¡¯te by. Please take care of Eleanor for me.¡± After a final, lingering look at the unconscious Eleanor, Garrett walked out of the room. Perhaps it was reluctance that made him look back one more time, but that nce was a final farewell. While Hailey was waiting for Eleanor to wake up, a call from Cedric came in, ¡°Hailey, Bernard fainted and he¡¯s being treated at the hospital. Go check on him; I¡¯m on my way.¡± Shocked to hear about Bernard¡¯s copse, Hailey quickly handed the baby to a nurse and dashed out to find Bernard¡¯s emergency room. Seeing Aidyn and Scott defeated outside the ER, Hailey, out of breath, leaned on the wall and asked, ¡°Aidyn, what happened? Why did he faint all of a sudden?¡± Hearing Hailey¡¯s voice, Aidyn turned, ¡°It¡¯s because Mrs. Laurence said she doesn¡¯t love Mr. Laurence now, only Garrett. She wants to start over with him. That¡¯s what knocked him out cold at the hospital entrance.¡± That¡¯s what they all thought until the ER doors opened and the doctor emerged, ¡°Why does Mr. Laurence have a chip in his brain?¡± Aidyn and Scott were stunned, then frowned, ¡°A chip? What chip?¡± Equally baffled, Hailey asked, ¡°A chip in his brain? Can he even survive with that? Are you sure it¡¯s not a mistake?¡± The doctor handed over the imaging report, ¡°See for yourselves.¡± The sight of the chip on the scan left everyone speechless, ¡°What¡¯s going on? How does Mr. Laurence This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. have this thing in his brain?¡± The doctor shrugged, ¡°I¡¯ve no idea. I¡¯m here to ask if you want it removed now or not.¡± As they were about to agree, Cedric burst in, urgently stopping them, ¡°No, you can¡¯t Chapter 1480 Chapter 1480 If it hadn¡¯t been for Cedric rushing in to tell everyone that the chip in Bernard¡¯s head was smothered with a virus ready to burst at any slight provocation, they would have caused Bernard¡¯s death. Hailey was dumbstruck by the revtion of the chip, while Aidyn and Scott were banging their fists against the wall in anger upon discovering that the chip had been imnted back in the shadowy depths of Area Opaca, ¡°Those bastards at Area Opaca, how could they be so cruel to Mr. Laurence!¡± Having something in your brain, leaving aside the risk of a viral outbreak, the mere pain alone should have been unbearable. But Bernard, he had not so much as whimpered, which made them realize only now. Had they known earlier, they would have taken down a few more in Area Opaca to vent their frustration! The news of the chip lodged in Bernard¡¯s brain couldn¡¯t be concealed after the hospital¡¯s discovery, and soon the entire Laurence family was alerted and rushed to the hospital. By the time they arrived, Bernard had awakened. Facing the Laurence¡¯s barrage of angry questions, Bernard had no reaction, only turning his head to gaze out the window at the heavy snowfall¡­ Only Hailey knew that he was deeply hurt by Eleanor¡¯s condition. So, rather than share in the general outrage, she felt only sympathy for Bernard but was at a loss for words. When everyone else had left, Hailey approached Bernard and whispered words offort, ¡°She¡¯s got temporary amnesia. She¡¯ll remember everything, in time.¡± Bernard¡¯s thickshes fluttered slightly, then drooped to veil the flicker of hope in his eyes. It seemed what mattered to him wasn¡¯t Eleanor¡¯s memory loss. As for what it was, Bernard himself wasn¡¯t sure.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Maybe he was clear on it, but he felt petty for caring so much. After all, she hade to love him, so why bother about who she had loved the most? Perhaps it was the fear that temporary amnesia could turn permanent, just like it did for Garett, who had lost his beloved due to memory loss. If Eleanor pushed him away because of her amnesia, what would he do then? Thinking this, a bitter smile resurfaced in Bernard¡¯s heart. Eleanor was already pushing him away. What was left to do? Just wait for death. Death wouldn¡¯t hurt, and there would be nothing left to fret over¡­ The despair and resignation in his eyes were too much for Hailey to bear. ¡°Cedric, take good care of Bernard. I¡¯ll go check on Eleanor and the baby¡­¡± Cedric nodded and followed Hailey out, taking her arm to get the full picture of Eleanor¡¯s condition and frowning. ¡°So, what do we do now? Should we tell Eleanor about the chip in my his head?¡± Hailey was in a quandary herself. ¡°The doctor said to let Eleanor¡¯s physical functions recover before we stimte her memory. Maybe we should hold off. I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯t be able to handle it and could slip into aa. I¡¯m sure Bernard wouldn¡¯t want that to happen.¡± Cedric pondered for a moment, then agreed with a simple ¡®okay¡¯ and reminded Hailey to not overwork herself and to rest when she could. Hailey obediently nodded, ¡°Okay, I¡¯m heading there now.¡± One spouse took care of Bernard, the other of Eleanor, and with three children to boot, the past six months had been frantic, especially for Cedric, who also had to manage the family business. The chip in Bernard¡¯s brain had shifted due to his copse, embedding itself deeper into the area previously affected by a tumor, yet the chip remained intact. After assessing the situation, the doctors told Cedric that as long as the chip wasn¡¯t disturbed, the virus inside wouldn¡¯t erupt. As for how long Bernard could live, that remained uncertain. Their words echoed those of the previous medical team, so Cedric didn¡¯t bother seeking further advice. As long as the virus stayed dormant, his brother would live a little longer, but¡­ He lifted his gaze to his brother¡¯s turned back. Although he couldn¡¯t see his face, the silhouette spoke volumes of Bernard¡¯s despair! For six months, Bernard had been a constant vigil at Eleanor¡¯s bedside, sitting for entire days until exhaustion took him down. Only when he couldn¡¯t stand it anymore would he copse beside her bed for brief moments of rest. Any other person would have crumbled already, but not Bernard. He even sought divine intervention, something Cedric never witnessed but heard form Aidyn. The Bernard that Cedric remembered was always proud and aloof, not this shadow of a man, radiating an air of unbearable pain and a longing for death. Cedric wanted to reach out, to offer aforting pat on Bernard¡¯s shoulder, but he didn¡¯t dare touch him. Instead, he spoke in a low, pained voice, offering sce, ¡°Brother, as long as the kids are with you, you and Eleanor will never truly be apart.¡± Temporary amnesia was nothing serious. She would remember everything someday. Right now, Cedric wasn¡¯t concerned about Eleanor, but about Bernard and the unpredictable chip in his head that could im his life at any moment. They had to find a solution. Chapter 1481 Chapter 1481 The Laurence family was up in arms, and it was Veronica who lit the fuse. She stormed into Yates¡¯ office with the fury of a hurricane, her voice echoing through the chambers like a gavel of justice. ¡°You owe us an apology, Yates. You¡¯ve crossed a line with Bernard¡¯s chip imnt, and my family won¡¯t stand for it,¡± she dered. With ke gone, Veronica had taken the reins of the old family estate, and she wasn¡¯t about to let Yates off the hook easily. After discovering the invasive procedure Yates had performed on her brother, she rallied her brothers and set out for North Fund, where Yates resided. Yates had the means to quell the Laurence family¡¯s wrath, but he chose to stay silent, knowing he was in the wrong. So, he took their verbalshings without a word of protest. Once they had made their presence felt at the Sharp family estate, Veronicaid down her terms, ¡°I won¡¯t demand a life for a life right now, Yates. What I want is for you to find a way to remove that chip from my brother¡¯s brain, no matter what it takes¡­ or else.¡± Her threat hung in the air, unspoken but clear as day, and Yates understood all too well. ¡°I know an old surgeon, Dr. Moore, who¡¯s quite skilled in neurosurgery. Let me bring him to assess Bernard¡¯s condition before we make any promises, okay?¡± Veronica, arms crossed and back against the sofa, lifted her icy chin and replied coolly, ¡°That chip is your doing, Yates. If your ¡®old surgeon¡¯ can¡¯t remove it and heal my brother, then you better be prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice as atonement.¡± In other words, it was a promise or bust for the Laurences. United in their determination, they left Yates contemting his own family¡¯s future, and finally, with a heavy heart, he agreed. Yates, now with Dr. Moore in tow, returned stateside, putting off a visit to his granddaughter Eleanor to attend to Bernard¡¯s urgent situation first. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Bernard was a shell of a man, broken and spiritless, as doctors poked and prodded without eliciting even a twitch. He seemed to have lost all will to live, he seemed bereft of purpose. After examining Bernard¡¯s condition, Dr. Moore shook his head at Yates in a silent signal of defeat. Yates nced at Veronica, ¡°Miss Laurence, let me see my granddaughter and leave somest words for her. Then, I¡¯ll return to fulfill my debt to you.¡± Veronica and her brothers were stunned. They¡¯d expected Yates, with his medical connections, to do the impossible. To them, Bernard¡¯s life mattered more than anything, and they realized Eleanor had married into a family that valued life as much as the Sharps did. Leaning on his cane, Yates approached Veronica with a look of regret. ¡°The chip in Bernard¡¯s brain isn¡¯t just a small hindrance; it¡¯s a lethal virus I developed, never intended for someone like him, Eleanor¡¯s husband.¡± Veronica¡¯s face flushed with anger. ¡°Bernard is Eleanor¡¯s husband, your granddaughter¡¯s partner, and you¡¯ve created something that could kill him? You¡¯re heartless!¡± Yates epted his fate. ¡°It was my team who imnted it, and for that, I am deeply sorry. Let me speak to Eleanor, and then¡­ I will make amends.¡± With eyes zing, Veronica wanted tosh out at Yates but restrained herself, considering his rtionship with Eleanor. She turned her back on Yates, signaling her reluctant consent. Yates, understanding her gesture, left the room to find Eleanor. In Eleanor¡¯s hospital room, she awoke to the sight of Hailey feeding a baby with a bottle. Confused, Eleanor furrowed her brow, ¡°Hailey, whose child is that?¡± Relieved at Eleanor¡¯s awakening, Hailey responded, ¡°This is your child, Eleanor¡­ It¡¯s because of this little one that you¡¯ve been unconscious for so long¡­¡± Eleanor¡¯s gaze shifted from Hailey to the chubby-cheeked infant. ¡°Are you telling me¡­ I risked my life to bring him into the world?¡± Her disbelief was evident. She loved Garett, but not to the extent of sacrificing her life. Now, it seemed, she had loved Bernard enough to bear his child at great peril to herself. Hailey sighed, seeing Eleanor¡¯s incredulity. ¡°Eleanor, it¡¯s because of this baby that you suffered amnesia and forgot all about Bernard.¡± In the end, it all traced back to ke¡¯s scheme. If only he had spoken sooner, two people so in love could have had a simpler life. Now, one was grappling with memory loss, and the other was facing death. Chapter 1482 Chapter 1482 Eleanor didn¡¯t pick up on Hailey¡¯sst remark, her effort evident as she outstretched her hand weakly, ¡°Since he¡¯s the child I risked everything to bring into this world, may I hold him?¡± Even with a gap in her memory, making everything around her seem foreign, there was an innate closeness she felt towards her own flesh and blood, a natural desire to hold her child. As Hailey carefully set the baby down on the bed, she cautioned, ¡°With the state you¡¯re in, I can¡¯t trust you to hold him just yet. Let¡¯s justy him beside you, and you can touch him, okay?¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. It was then that Eleanor could finally see her baby clearly. His skin was soft and fair, with plump little cheeks, and beneath those still-forming brows were a pair of bright eyes, reminiscent of a thawing wintryndscape, warm and inviting. For some reason, these descriptors evoked a sense of familiarity, as if she had either experienced this before or had once fantasized about her child looking just like this, making the familiarity overwhelming. Eleanor gazed at the baby¡¯s pronounced nose and the delicate lips, and after a while, she retracted her hand, a trace of fear in her voice, ¡°Hailey, my memories¡­ They include you all, but not the child. I¡¯m not sure how to embrace these missing pieces¡­¡± This was an ordeal anyone with amnesia inevitably faced. Just like Garett had years ago, when confronted by their sudden appearance and demands, he was so scared and confused that he had no choice but to have security escort them away. Hailey understood Eleanor¡¯s plight, ¡°If you¡¯re unsure how to ept it, then don¡¯t. Think of it as a story for now. When you¡¯re ready to ept Bernard and the baby, you can embrace those memories¡­¡± She was abiding by the doctor¡¯s advice of taking things slowly, avoiding the urgency that once pressured Garett, instead offering Eleanor gentle reassurance to take her time. Eleanor felt her headache easing at those words, and she tried once more to gently touch the baby¡¯s cheek. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, and so cute. Is it a boy or a girl?¡± After handing off the baby bottle to the nanny behind her, Hailey replied with a smile, ¡°A little boy, and quite the handful already, always stirring up a fuss for me.¡± Eleanor smiled along with Hailey, ¡°How does he fuss with you?¡± Hailey gestured towards the baby¡¯s leg, ¡°For instance, when the maid or butler tries to hold him, he cries until I pick him up. And the moment I try to set him down to catch my breath, his cries before I can let go¡­¡± As Hailey expertly adjusted the baby¡¯s rolled-up pants to cover his tiny legs, Eleanor realized the effort Hailey had put in and couldn¡¯t help but express her gratitude, ¡°Hailey, thank you for taking care of him¡­¡± After Hailey finished tending to the baby¡¯s clothes, she met Eleanor¡¯s grateful gaze, ¡°I¡¯m your family. If I don¡¯t look after your child, who will? Besides, I have kids of my own. It¡¯s no trouble to care for another alongside them. Eleanor filled in another gap in her memory when she heard Hailey had children, ¡°So¡­ did you end up marrying Austin Zimmer, or did something else happen?¡± She didn¡¯t know anything for certain and had to ask tentatively, her amnesia making her cautious, but Hailey was unbothered, ¡°Speaking of which, my story with Cedric¡­ it¡¯s been quite a journey¡­¡± Eleanor tilted her head, curious about Hailey¡¯s cryptic smile, ¡°So¡­ the father of your child is Cedric, not Austin?¡± Hailey, intrigued by Eleanor¡¯s reaction, asked, ¡°Considering you only remember up to when you were eighteen, you should be more epting of Austin. Aren¡¯t you surprised I married someone else?¡± Eleanor smiled faintly, ¡°To be honest, even though Austin seemed upstanding, he never sat right with me. I always felt he would cheat or betray you someday. So, knowing you didn¡¯t marry him actually makes me happy.¡± Hailey was taken aback for a moment but then smirked, ¡°You had the right instinct. Austin did betray me eventually. No, he was after my money from the start, it was worse than a cheat.¡± As they opened up about the past, Hailey couldn¡¯t help but spill more details, and Eleanor, eager to hear about Hailey¡¯s life, listened while gently patting the baby¡¯s belly, fascinated by Hailey¡¯s rant about Austin and the tale of her life with Cedric. After reminiscing, Hailey added, ¡°Over the past six months, Bernard has been praying for you in every church, his knees are practically worn out¡­¡± Before she could finish, there was a knock on the hospital room door. Hailey¡¯s voice paused, then called out loudly, ¡°Who is it?¡± After a brief silence, the door swung open to reveal Yates, ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Seeing Eleanor¡¯s grandfather, Hailey felt a chill, ¡°What¡­ what are you doing here?¡± If Hailey wasn¡¯t aware of the kind of man Yates was, or that the chip in Bernard¡¯s brain was his doing, she might not have held his exploitation of Eleanor against him. After all, he had saved Eleanor¡¯s life. But now, with Bernard¡¯s fate in his hands, how.could she not be afraid of such a ruthless man? Yates nced at the woman protectively standing in front of Eleanor, dismissing her concern, ¡°I heard my granddaughter lost her memory. I just came to see if I could help her regain it.¡± Chapter 1483 Chapter 1483 The moment Eleanor realized the old iming to be her grandfather was indeed speaking the truth, she felt a wave of annoyance wash over her. It had taken her long enough toe to terms with having a husband and children, and now to add a grandfather into the mix was just too much. A headache began to pound at her temples. Seeing Eleanor press a hand to her forehead, Hailey voiced her concern, ¡°She can¡¯t handle stress right now. If you really want to help her regain her memory, then you¡¯ll have to wait until she¡¯s adjusted.¡± Yates nodded in understanding but didn¡¯t leave. Instead, he leaned on his cane and made his way into the room. ¡°I know she can¡¯t be agitated at the moment, but Eleanor, Bernard doesn¡¯t have the luxury of time.¡± Hailey¡¯s heart tightened, fearful of the provocative words Yates might utter, words that could send Eleanor spiraling into unconsciousness again. She moved to intervene, but Yates was quicker, addressing her, ¡°Ms. Vulpe, if you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like a few words alone with Eleanor.¡± Yates¡¯ polite request left Hailey with no choice. She was soon escorted out by Yates¡¯ associate, leaving her to gaze anxiously through the ss window of the hospital room. Under Eleanor¡¯s bewildered gaze, Yates approached the bedside, pulled up a chair, and sat down Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. slowly. After a moment of silence, he looked down at the baby and said, ¡°Never thought I¡¯d meet my great-grandchild before I died. I suppose that¡¯s one regret I won¡¯t carry to the grave.¡± Eleanor didn¡¯t understand the old man¡¯s words. She protectively cradled the baby closer, not because she remembered anything he had done, but because Hailey¡¯s evident fear of him suggested this so- called grandfather was no good. As Yates saw the wariness in her eyes, he let out a resigned chuckle, ¡°Even with your memory gone, you¡¯re still so guarded against me. Stubborn to the core. But if you¡¯re so stubborn, why can¡¯t you remember Bernard?¡± Eleanor detected the mockery in his voice, and her tone turned icy, ¡°Stubbornness is in my bones, but my memory isn¡¯t something I can control. If you¡¯re trying to mock me for that, you¡¯re sadly mistaken.¡± Yates smiled, ¡°I¡¯m not mocking you. I¡¯m mocking Bernard. He gave everything for you, and in return, you¡¯ve forgotten him. It¡¯s quite the victory for me.¡± Confused, Eleanor asked, ¡°How does my forgetting him a victory for you?¡± Yates leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and stared into Eleanor¡¯s puzzled eyes. ¡°Bernard is my enemy. I¡¯ve wanted him dead. So, in pursuit of that goal, I used you to hurt him. But the old you would¡¯ve despised me for it. Now, with no memory of the man you cherished above all else, you¡¯re inadvertently on my side. Once Bernard is dead, it¡¯ll be my triumph.¡± The word ¡®dead¡¯ caused Eleanor¡¯s heart to seize. She looked at Yates, disbelief etched on her face, ¡°I may have lost my memory, but I¡¯m not out of my mind. How could I ever be part of something so vile?¡± Yates raised an eyebrow, ¡°Once upon a time, you leveraged my power to kill your own biological father and your half-sister. You were more ruthless than I could ever be. Now a little memory loss, and you¡¯re too scared to harm a fly?¡± Her ears rejected his words, ¡°That¡¯s impossible. I¡¯m an orphan. I don¡¯t even know who my parents are, let alone kill them with your help.¡± He smirked, ¡°The more impossible it seems, the more possible it bes. Just like you losing your memory ¨C it¡¯s something I never thought I¡¯d see.¡± The conversation was tearing Eleanor apart, her head splitting with pain. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying, and I don¡¯t want to hear any more. I¡¯ve forgotten, so let me forget. Stop pushing me¡­¡± Yates¡¯ face softened as he watched Eleanor clutch her head, her face turning pale with agony. He hesitated before speaking again, ¡°I¡¯m not here to torment you. I came to share some good news.¡± He paused, then with the grin of a conqueror, he revealed, ¡°Bernard has a virusden chip imnted in his brain. Once it activates, he¡¯ll die. How fortunate¡­¡± The words ¡®he¡¯ll die¡¯ echoed like a death knell in Eleanor¡¯s head, sending her into a pain so fierce she curled into herself, her whole body convulsing, ¡°It hurts¡­ so much¡­ help me¡­¡± Reaching out for Yates¡¯ help to ease her pain, he instead cradled the child in his arms and lifted the baby high, ¡°Eleanor, this is Bernard¡¯s cursed offspring. It¡¯s better off dead!¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t¡­¡± Tears streamed down her cheeks as she lost consciousness, her eyes rolling back in her head. Outside, Hailey¡¯s anguished cries filled the hallway, ¡°Yates! I told you not to agitate her! Why did you do it anyway? Now she¡¯s out again! Are you happy now? Are you satisfied?!¡± Ignoring themotion, Yates simply instructed Moore to attend to Eleanor immediately. Chapter 1484 Chapter 1484 After an intense treatment, Eleanor¡¯s vital signs stabilized, but she remained unconscious, leaving everyone to wonder if she would ever wake up again. ¡°Yates, you¡¯ve gone too far this time,¡± Moore chided after finishing his work, casting a worried nce at Yates who sat beside the hospital bed. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t pull through this time, she may never wake up again¡­¡± ¡°You can¡¯t just shock someone¡¯s memory back. You have to be gentle, roundabout. This way is too risky; you could end up killing her.¡± Yates didn¡¯t respond. He just stared at Eleanor¡¯s pale face, silently willing her to awaken. If her love for Bernard was strong enough, then surely the news of his death, along with the threat to their child, would ignite her will to wake. A Sharp had to be resilient. Without that resilience, they didn¡¯t deserve the Sharp blood running through their veins. Yates believed with all his heart that Eleanor woulde back to them, and that his drastic methods would restore her memory quickly. After all, she had survived death itself; what was a little amnesia in So there he sat, vigil by the hospital bed, through the day and night, until the next morning when the snow began to fall again. That¡¯s when Yates finally spoke, his voice barely above a whisper, ¡°Eleanor, my sweetheart, it¡¯s time to wake up.¡± The critical 24-hour mark was approaching. If she made it through, she¡¯d be fine. If not, he¡¯d have to live with the guilt of having yed a part in her demise, adding yet another sin on top of what had happened to Bernard. As the seconds ticked by with no sign of Eleanor waking, Yates¡¯ grip on his cane tightened. Just when he was about to give up hope, her fingers twitched¡­ He quickly woke Moore, who had dozed off, ¡°Her fingers moved, check her, is she waking up?¡± Moore, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, approached the bed and began to monitor her signs. ¡°Let¡¯s give it another five minutes to see if she opens her eyes. If she does, she¡¯ll be alright¡­¡± Five minutes can be fleeting, but for Yates, they were excruciating, like ants on a hot pan, unable to sit still. He watched Eleanor, mentally urging her to wake up. Perhaps it was the power of his longing, but finally, she slowly opened her eyes¡­ The first sensation was the biting cold of the snowkes, then gradually, awareness returned. But this time, as her clear eyes met Yates¡¯, they were filled with a deep resentment. ¡°Why are you so cruel?¡± Hearing this, Yates slumped with relief, seemingly unaffected by her hatred, only pleased that she had regained her memory. ¡°Atst, you remember.¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Eleanor gave him a cold look and, with a grimace of pain, began to remove the tubes from her body. As she pulled them out, blood followed, her eyes watering with the pain, but she continued, determined. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Yates cried, trying to stop her. ¡°You need treatment after waking from a deep Sweating from the pain, Eleanorcked the strength to push him away. Instead, she red at him with bloodshot eyes, ¡°I hurt him because I couldn¡¯t remember. I have to find him¡­¡± Yates was adamant. ¡°He¡¯s not going anywhere for now. You can wait until you¡¯re better to exin everything to him.¡± Eleanor frowned and, gathering all her strength, pushed his hand away. Then, she grasped another tube and yanked it out, blood flowing once more. She remained silent, continuing her task¡­ Watching her stubbornness, Yates intervened again. ¡°You may not care about hurting yourself, but as your grandfather, I do. Stop this, I¡¯ll take you to him¡­¡± Eleanor lifted her eyes, now red and swollen, and looked at him coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t want help from a murderer.¡± Yates had nted a neural chip in Bernard¡¯s brain, so he was no different from a killer in her eyes. The thought of Bernard suffering alone made the pain bearable. Clenching her teeth, she pulled out all the tubes and, supporting herself on the bed, attempted to rise. Her feet barely reached the edge of the bed when she copsed to her knees. Yates reached out to help, but Eleanor shoved him away, ¡°You¡¯ve already tried to kill him with that chip; don¡¯t bother pretending to care about me now¡­¡± Helping Eleanor to her feet, Yates sighed, ¡°The chip wasn¡¯t my doing. It was 1-2, Kermit Hyde. Back then, I didn¡¯t know you were Bernard¡¯s wife, or my granddaughter. I just saw potential in him and wanted to keep him around. The chip was to ensure he stayed in line¡­¡± Eleanor shook off his hand, ¡°Even if he wasn¡¯t my husband, what you did-opening his skull, putting that thing inside-it must have hurt so much. He¡¯s flesh and blood, and you treat his life like it¡¯s nothing¡­¡± Chapter 1485 Chapter 1485 As Eleanor thought of Bernard enduring such agony, her heart ached as if it was being squeezed, and tears cascaded down her cheeks¡­ No wonder, back then, he had pushed her to sign the divorce papers; it was this torment that had ensnared him. She had thought it was Sophie Ratliff¡¯s threats,ter she thought it was Yates¡¯ coercion, but she had never imagined this¡­ With everythingid bare, Eleanor¡¯s heartache intensified. Bernard, that fool, had never wanted to worry her and had borne the burden alone without uttering a word¡­ And she, having lost her memory, could only remember her teen years, the times she loved Garett, Recalling how she had told him, ¡°I¡¯m scared,¡± and seeing the despair in Bernard¡¯s eyes, Eleanor felt an excruciating tightness in her chest. She couldn¡¯t fathom how Bernard had managed to say, ¡°As long as you wake up, it doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t remember me.¡± She cursed herself for her briefpse in memory. Desperate to see Bernard, Eleanor, even if she couldn¡¯t stand, used thest of her strength to crawl across the floor, fresh blood trailing from where the IV had been, staining her clothes and the floor crimson¡­ Yates¡¯ eyes grew sour as he watched Eleanor¡¯s stubborn, frail figure on the ground, ¡°Eleanor, It¡¯s all my fault. Please, give me another chance to make it right, let me take you to Bernard¡­¡± He knew bringing Bernard to her would solve everything, but for Eleanor and Bernard, her going to him N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. was the only way to bridge the gap created by her memory loss. But Eleanor didn¡¯t heed Yates, determined to make her way on her own. Everyone, including her pride, was secondary to Bernard. Yet she regretted forgetting him¡­ Yates finally gave in, opening the door and letting Hailey in. With Hailey¡¯s support, Eleanor staggered to Bernard¡¯s hospital room. Peering through the ss, her eyes reddened at the sight of his tall silhouette lying down. Her lips parted to call out his name, but she was too choked up to speak. Leaning on Hailey, Eleanor took steps toward Bernard until, squatting beside his bed with Hailey¡¯s help, she met his gaze. In his eyes, he saw his own pale reflection mirrored in Eleanor¡¯s. He trembled slightly, unsure if the eyes that now only held him had truly remembered. Eleanor released the bed rail to touch Bernard¡¯s hand, her own enveloping his cold one, drawing it into her warm grasp. Bernard, feeling her touch, moved his fingers ever so slightly, his desperate eyes incredulously upon her. He remained silent while Eleanor intently studied his gaunt face, hearing Hailey¡¯s unfinished words. ¡°For thest six months, Bernard prayed to every god, his knees worn from his devotion.¡± Eleanor knew that Bernard never believed in divine intervention. Yet, in hopes of awakening her, he had fallen from the heavens, pleading like any other mortal. How deeply must Bernard love her to cast aside his pride and kneel in the sanctuaries, seeking miracles? Remembering his six months of kneeling, Eleanor¡¯s heart twanged with sorrow. Her gaze drifted to his knees, her other hand uncontrobly moving to touch them, ¡°Does it still hurt? That simple question brought tears to Bernard¡¯s eyes. But instead of responding, he contained his wounded pride, pushing her hand away and silently turning his back to her. Staring at his lonely, proud figure, Eleanor mustered her courage, reaching out to touch his back again, ¡°Honey, I¡¯m so sorry. Tell me, what can I do to make things right?¡± After a long silence, when she thought Bernard wouldn¡¯t respond, a cool voice finally reached her ears, ¡°I¡¯m not angry.¡± Before Eleanor could speak, Bernard who had turned away suddenly faced her, clutching her hand firmly in his, ¡°Eleanor, tell me, who do you love more? Garett or me?¡± Chapter 1486 Chapter 1486 Turns out, Bernard¡¯s heart ached, not because she¡¯d lost her memory, but because after the amnesia, she remembered Garett and not him. In his mind, he must have thought she held Garett dearest in the depths of her heart. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Indeed, it was Garett she remembered, not Bernard, and even Eleanor herself couldn¡¯t fathom why. Her pensive silence was a brief stab of sorrow for Bernard, but it was fleeting. Bernard suppressed his sadness, released her hand, and gently caressed her cheek. ¡°Forget it, as long as you¡¯re okay, even if Garett is the one you love most, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± She had been through hell to bring their baby into the world, suffered hemorrhaging,plications, nearly passed away. The fact that she was alive and awake was nothing short of miraculous. Why should he care who she loved the most? After all, what Bernard had wished for his entire life was Eleanor¡¯s well-being and their child¡¯s health. Now that Eleanor was safe and their child out of danger, what did his own slight feelings matter? Eleanor didn¡¯t expect Bernard to let go without an answer, that he would even¡­ ept that she might love Garett more, and he wouldn¡¯t mind. Looking at his gaunt face, where every feature was sharply defined from weight loss, Eleanor slowly turned her palm and gripped Bernard¡¯s fingers firmly, ¡°When I loved Garett, all I could do for him was marry him. But you¡­ She lifted her other hand to Bernard¡¯s thick hair, her fingertips gliding from his forehead, tracing back through his locks, ¡°If one day, the chip in your brain took you away, I wouldn¡¯t hesitate for a second to die with you.¡± Her voice carried an unprecedented certainty, as if by magic, it dispelled the loneliness enveloping Bernard. He felt, perhaps for the first time, that he wasn¡¯t alone in this world; there was someone willing to love him with her entire being. Eleanor never told Bernard who she loved most deep down; she just showed him she was prepared to die with him. In the face of such steadfast resolve, any other answer seemed trivial. For Bernard, if Eleanor ever said she didn¡¯t love him, his will to live would crumble. Yet, if she merely uttered she still loved him, whatever had copsed, even if it were in the depths of hell, could be rebuilt. The slight grievances in his heart dissipated with Eleanor¡¯s words, as if his soul had been restored, shedding the sense of fragmentation and instead filling with fear and concern. He nced sideways at Eleanor¡¯s hand in his hair, then suddenly seized it, looking up at her, ¡°Did Yates tell you about the chip in my brain?¡± Eleanor nodded slightly, a trace of loathing in her eyes, ¡°I never imagined he¡¯d develop something so vile, let alone use you for his experiments.¡± Bernard stared at Eleanor, his voice grave, ¡°He must have lied to trigger your memory recovery. There¡¯s no such thing in this world.¡± Even at a time like this, Bernard, not wanting her to die with him, thought to keep secrets from her. He truly loved her, down to his very bones. Eleanor didn¡¯t say much more, just pulled her hand away and continued to stroke the back of his head until she felt a small scar hidden beneath his hair, her eyes welling up as she . asked him, ¡°Is this where they put it in?¡± She didn¡¯t know the extent of Bernard¡¯s pain, that his skull had been forcibly opened, a chip imnted. If she knew, her heartache for him would be even greater. Despite the agony he¡¯d been through, he still denied it to keep her from doing something foolish, ¡°Just a scar from an ident with something sharp.¡± Chapter 1487 Chapter 1487 ¡°Is that it?¡± Eleanor curled her lips into a wry smile. ¡°Bernard, you always downy your wounds as if they¡¯re just scratches. But the things you go through, they¡¯re life-threatening. Why do you always keep me in the dark? You never tell me anything.¡± Having said her piece, Eleanor leaned on the railing and slowly got to her feet. Just standing up felt like it could kill her. The spot where the IV had been pulled out was still bleeding-not profusely, but enough to drench her in a cold sweat of pain. When Eleanor had first walked in, she had crouched down, hiding the bloodstains on her dress from Bernard. Now that she stood up, he saw the crimson truth and his body tensed up. In an instant, he was out of the bed and had wrapped his arms around her wavering form. ¡°Doctor!¡± He lifted Eleanor into his arms, calling loudly for a doctor, but she stopped him. ¡°The pain from that chip inside you is worse than this. Let me share your pain.¡± Bernard¡¯s brows knit together, but he understood Eleanor¡¯s sentiment. He looked down at the woman in his arms, his eyes softening helplessly. ¡°I promise I won¡¯t do that again. Let the doctore in, okay? Let them stop the bleeding.¡± Seeing that she had pushed him to admit his mistake, Eleanor suddenly embraced his neck and buried Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. her head in the crook of his shoulder. ¡°What can I do to help you get that chip out?¡± The warmth of her tears soaked into his shirt and into his heart, making it achingly tender. ¡°Silly girl, you¡¯re not a doctor.¡¯ With his long fingers, Bernard gently patted Eleanor¡¯s back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Your man is a tough cookie. A tiny chip isn¡¯t going to take me down.¡± Eleanor was too smart to believe such childlike reassurances. ¡°Yates said that chip is infected with a virus. It could trigger at any time. I¡¯m terrified of losing you.¡± She had once faced the news of his death and it had nearly destroyed her. The agony of losing a loved one was unbearable. She didn¡¯t want to experience it again, fearing she might lose her sanity before she could follow him in death. Bernard didn¡¯t fear death, he continued to soothe her gently, ¡°I don¡¯t care how long I live. All I care about are you and our child. If it means you two are safe, my life is a small price to pay.¡± Eleanor pulled back from his neck and looked up at him. ¡°You are my rock, and I can¡¯t be without you. Our baby can¡¯t grow up without a father. So, no more talk of trading lives, okay?¡± With firm resolve, Eleanor held him tighter. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. As long as I¡¯m breathing, I¡¯ll search the world for a doctor who can remove that chip. Then you can stay with me and our baby forever.¡± Bernard, held so close, felt the depth of her love, and unwillingness to let go. For some reason, the insecurity he often felt melted away, and he found himself smiling genuinely. ¡°Okay.¡± After holding each other for a moment, Bern¨¢rd carried her and gently settled back onto the hospital bed. In the past, he would have held her indefinitely, but now his knees were shot, throbbing with pain if he stood too long. Once he was back in bed, he pressed the call button. Swiftly, a doctor stepped in, stemmed the blood flow for Eleanor, and arranged for an additional bed in the room. Eleanor¡¯s act of pulling out her own IV had undoubtedly hurt her still-recovering body. Yet, having resolved the emotional burden between them, this new physical burden was one she was prepared to bear. Both needed further treatment-Bernard for his knees and the chip lodged deeper in his brain causing dizziness, and Eleanor for her own wounds. Together, they stayed in the hospital. Chapter 1488 Chapter 1488 Bernard was recovering faster than Eleanor, and most of the time, it was he who took care of her. When Eleanor opened her eyes, she saw the tall and strapping man gently wiping her legs with a warm cloth. The snow had ceased, and the sun peeked through, casting its golden rays through the window, bathing her in a warmth that seemed to flow straight into Eleanor¡¯s heart. He was careful and gentle in his movements, cautious not to wake her and concerned for herfort. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Feeling her intense gaze upon him, Bernard returned a look of deep affection. ¡°The doc said that if you¡¯re out for too long, the blood cirction in your legs suffers. A warm cloth rubdown each day should help.¡± After exining, he turned to warm another towel on her calf before wiping it down methodically. Bernard wasn¡¯t one for caregiving, but over the past six months, he¡¯d picked up quite a bit of nursing knowledge, all because he feared that Eleanor¡¯s bodily functions might deteriorate by the time she woke up. His love for her seeped deep into his bones, reflecting in every act ¨C a type of dedication that even lifelong partners sometimes found hard to express. With tears brimming in her eyes, Eleanor whispered, ¡°Honey.¡± Propping herself up, Eleanor reached out and embraced him, ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but right now, I love you so much, more than anyone else.¡± Bernard set his towel aside and wrapped his arms around her. ¡°Between me and our son, who do you love more?¡± Eleanor, amused by hispetitive spirit, didn¡¯t answer but teased back, ¡°What about you? Between me and our son, who¡¯s your favorite?¡± Bernard didn¡¯t even blink before replying resolutely, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s you. That little rascal almost cost you your life. How could I love him more?¡± His eyes and tone were filled with mock disdain, as if he had a vendetta against their chubby, innocent baby. Eleanor objected, ¡°That¡¯s our child. If you keep this up, I¡¯ll stop talking to you.¡±. She pushed him away, only to be pulled back into his arms. He reassured her, ¡°I promise, I won¡¯t ¡°Since waking up, I¡¯ve only seen him once and I miss him. Maybe we should get discharged early and continue recovery at home?¡± Bernard felt a pang of jealousy. He knew that once at home, Eleanor would shift her focus to their son. ¡°You¡¯re not fully recovered yet. Let¡¯s wait until you¡¯repletely well.¡± Eleanor wanted to argue that she was nearly there, but before she could speak, Bernard¡¯s cool lips silenced her with a kiss, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it when we get home. For now, let me kiss you.¡± He knew that once home, Eleanor¡¯s attention would be divided. It was best to cherish this quiet time in the hospital to deepen their closeness. With that thought, Bernard captured her lips tenderly yet possessively, sending a shiver down her spine. His kisses always had that electrifying effect, leaving Eleanor feeling weak and pliant. As they kissed, lost in each other, their son Cedric burst into the room with his nanny Hailey, ¡°Ta-da! Look who I¡¯ve brought to visi-¡°His loud entrance trailed off into silence as they both caught sight of the intimate scene bathed in sunlight. If it were just a peck, it would¡¯ve been no big deal, but the sight of the muscr man, almost bursting out of his tailored suit, passionately kissing Eleanor was a bit too steamy. Hailey¡¯s only thought was, ¡°Holy smokes, that¡¯s too much!¡± She quickly shielded the baby¡¯s curious eyes. Cedric, unabashed, chuckled, ¡°Heh, carry on, you two. We¡¯ll just wait outside.¡± Chapter 1489 Chapter 1489 Bernard reluctantly let go of Eleanor, his eyes clouded with disappointment as he shot a cold nce at Cedric, who was leading Hailey out of the room, ¡°You might as welle in and watch, make sure you get your money¡¯s worth.¡± Cedric, who prided himself on having a thick skin, couldn¡¯t help but click his tongue in admiration at his brother¡¯s audacity, ¡°Look at you, bro. You¡¯ve got guts. I¡¯m giving you room.¡± Bernard, ever so nonchnt, raised his well-defined finger to straighten the shirt that Eleanor had N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. rumpled, then leaned back on the armchair, tilting his chin at Cedric, ¡°Try teasing me again?¡± Already back in the room, Cedric pulled up a chair and sat down opposite Bernard, ¡°I wasn¡¯t teasing you,e on, I¡¯m a man too, I know the frustration¡­¡± Eleanor, upon hearing this, covered her face. These two brothers, what on earth do they talk about in their spare time? Such matters should not be so openly discussed, should they? Compared to Eleanor¡¯s shyness, Hailey was used to their banter. Cedric was a rascal in bed, always making dirty jokes. But she never imagined he¡¯d have the gall to tease Bernard with them. What a daredevil! Daredevil Cedric was about to push his luck further but was interrupted by a chilling gaze from Bernard, ¡°Hey¡­ Hailey, bring Little Damn over here for Eleanor and Bernard to see¡­¡± Eleanor forced a smile as Hailey brought over the baby, handing him to her. Eleanor took her child with a touch of guilt, ¡°It¡¯s my fault for being out of it for so long. We haven¡¯t even named the poor mite¡­¡± Cedric knew Eleanor¡¯sment was a hint, but he stubbornly insisted on his own nickname, ¡°Eleanor, there¡¯s no rush to name the kid. Let him pick his own at the first birthday party. For now, ¡®Little Damn¡¯ will do. Before Eleanor could respond, Bernard¡¯s voice, cold and detached, chimed in, ¡°Next time, bring over ¡®Boy¡¯ and ¡®Girl¡¯ too. I want to see how those two kids are shaping up¡­¡± Cedric was speechless¡­ An idea suddenly lit up his mind, ¡°Oh, Bernard, my apologies. My kids were born before yours. Down the line, your child will have to call them big brother or sister. It¡¯s like I¡¯m taking advantage of you or something.¡± Bernard, cool as a cucumber, replied, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to feel like you¡¯re taking advantage, it¡¯s simple, Have your kids call mine ¡®big bro¡¯. Then, the age order won¡¯t matter at all.¡± As Bernard spoke, Cedric¡¯s smug smile froze in ce, but the baby in Eleanor¡¯s arms giggled as if understanding their conversation, showing off his brilliance. Hearing the baby¡¯sughter, Bernard¡¯s eyebrows lifted in a rare show of good humor. He reached out to tickle the baby¡¯s chubby chin, ¡°Like being the big bro, do you?¡± The baby couldn¡¯t answer, but he waved his little hands, reaching for Bernard¡¯s fingers. When he caught them, hisughter grew louder, unstoppable in his joy. Seeing such a delightful baby, Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but lean down to kiss his soft little forehead, ¡°Sweetheart, can you really understand what daddy¡¯s saying? Why are you so happy?¡± After she spoke, she turned to Bernard, who was also wearing a faint smile, ¡°Isn¡¯t our baby just adorable? Do you want to hold him?¡± During her hospital visits, Hailey had told Eleanor that Bernard seemed to me the baby for her condition and hadn¡¯t held him once. A father who never held his child, that just wouldn¡¯t do. Eleanor didn¡¯t care if Bernard was ready or not; she simply picked up the baby and handed him over, ¡°Here, hold him for a bit.¡± Bernard stared at the tiny bundle for a few seconds before reluctantly taking the baby into his arms, with Eleanor¡¯s expectant eyes on him. The moment he held the baby, his towering frame stiffened slightly. The child was so soft and small, Bernard worried he might hurt him by holding too tight or let him slip through by holding too loose. Nervous about getting it right, he held the baby briefly before quickly handing him back to Eleanor. Cedric and Hailey thought Bernard was still rejecting the baby, but only Eleanor saw his nerves. She smiled and instructed, ¡°Use your right arm to support his little head and the rest of your arm to hold his body; you¡¯ll hold him steady that way.¡± For the sake of the mother of his child, who longed for a harmonious father-son rtionship, Bernard once again reached out to take the baby. Following Eleanor¡¯s instructions, he held the baby more confidently. Whether it was Eleanor¡¯s guidance or Bernard¡¯s own adjustment, the tension eased considerably, and he found himself unwilling to let go. Holding the baby in one arm, he reached out with the other to touch the baby¡¯s plump, pale cheek. As his fingertips brushed the tender, fragile skin, a warm surge of emotion flooded his heart. Chapter 1490 Chapter 1490 It was a moment that defied simple emotion for Bernard as he cradled the squirming bundle of life in his arms. For the first time, he truly grasped why Eleanor had risked everything for a mere 10% chance. Parenthood has a way of unlocking a primal willingness to sacrifice oneself for the continuance of one¡¯s N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. offspring-a noble instinct indeed. Eleanor¡¯s eyes reddened as she watched Bernard with their child, bathed in a warm glow. of sunlight, his lips curled in a soft smile. She knew, without a doubt, she would make the same choice again and again-to bring this child into the world, no matter the cost. Cedric, ever the joker, snapped a photo with his phone and sent it off to their cousin group chat, excluding Bernard, [Holy smokes, our dear old Bernard is actually cradling a baby!] No sooner had he sent the message than Hailey elbowed him. ¡°You bonehead, you sent it to the family group chat¡­¡± Cedric¡¯s grin froze as he fumbled to retract the message, only to see Bernard beckoning him over with a curled finger. ¡°Hand it over,¡± Bernard said, calm yetmanding. Cedric clutched his phone to his chest, refusing to give it up. ¡°Come on, I was sending the guys some¡­ uh, racy videos. Sent it to the family by mistake. Hailey here told me to take it back before Eleanor sees. I¡¯ll show you some other time.¡± The excuse was so poor that Bernard didn¡¯t even bother to respond. Instead, he locked eyes with Hailey and made an offer she couldn¡¯t ignore. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a 30% stake in the nightclub. You¡¯ll run Midnight Bar and keep it at the top.¡± Hailey didn¡¯t hesitate for a second-a testament to her respect for the almighty dor. ¡°He said, ¡®Holy smokes, our dear old Bernard is actually cradling a baby!¡± To curry favor with the big boss, she even spilled the beans about a secret brothers¡¯ gossip group titled ¡°Annoying Bernard, Why Don¡¯t You Just Fly Away?¡± As Cedric frantically tugged at Hailey¡¯s sleeve, trying to silence her, his face a mix of anger and fear, he beat a hasty retreat. Bernard, who had already set the baby down, sprang into action, catching Cedric in a chokehold and marching him out of the room with the promise of a brotherly lesson in humility, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll show you how to fly.¡± Cedric, looking utterly dejected, pleaded, ¡°Bernard, I¡¯m all for flying, but please, not the face. I¡¯ve got a big corporate meeting tomorrow, and I¡¯d rather not show up looking like a punching bag.¡± Bernard¡¯s response was unheard, but soon after, Cedric¡¯s wails for mercy echoed through the halls. Hailey snuck a peek and caught Scott pinning Cedric against the wall, while Aidyn tickled his bare feet with a feather, and Bernard stood by, hands in pockets, watching the spectacle with apparent delight. Hailey quickly captured the scene and sent it to the ¡°Annoying Bernard, Why Don¡¯t You Just Fly Away?¡± group with a caption, ¡°Everyone, here¡¯s the sequel.¡± The group chat exploded. ¡°Spill the tea quick, then bail from this group!¡± ¡°Bailing won¡¯t save us from Bernard¡¯s wrath. I better delete the group with Cedric¡¯s phone.¡± ¡°I¡¯d cut ties with Cedric in a heartbeat if it meant Bernard would let us off the hook.¡± ¡°This is why I said this group was a bad idea. Now Bernard knows, and we¡¯re all screwed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the group. It¡¯s Cedric who¡¯s the liability. Any group he makes, count me out.¡± ¡°Count me out too. Foot tickling? I can¡¯t handle that kind of torture.¡± ¡°You know¡­ I kind of enjoy being tickled.¡± That odd confession from the brother in Africa brought a moment of silence, followed by a collective virtual cringe. ¡°Weirdo.¡± ¡°Disgusting!¡± ¡°I¡¯m out!¡± ¡°I¡¯m gone too¡­¡± One by one, the cousins exited the chat, and Hailey, putting her phone away, felt a twinge of guilt for dismantling their brotherly bond. But then she looked at her husband,ughing until he cried, and thought, sorry, but her career muste first. Returning to the hospital room, Hailey showed Eleanor the captured photo and the chat messages. Eleanor chuckled and shook her head. ¡°They¡¯re just like children who never grew up, so utterly childish.¡± Hailey agreed. ¡°Cedric turns into a chatterbox under pressure from your husband, firing off messages like a machine gun. If only he spent his time more productively.¡± Eleanor held their baby, smiling contentedly. ¡°Cedric¡¯s retained his childlike spirit because life¡¯s been kind to him. He¡¯s had few troubles, and that¡¯s precious.¡± Hailey nodded, recognizing the stark contrast between Cedric¡¯s charmed life and Bernard¡¯s trials. Both from the same family, yet their fates were worlds apart, as if all the hardships were reserved for Bernard alone. Chapter 1491 Chapter 1491 Hailey caught the glint of worry in Eleanor¡¯s eyes and her voice took on a solemn tone, ¡°Eleanor, over the past six months, Bernard has tried everything to bring you back, to wake you up. I can see it in the way he carries himself-he loves you even more than Garrett ever did. So, from now on, be a little kinder to him. Let him feel what it¡¯s like to be cherished by family.¡± Marriage isn¡¯t just about romance; over time, it fosters a deep familial bond. Bernard missed out on that growing up, so now it¡¯s your role as his wife to y the part of family and shower him with the kind of love he¡¯s never experienced. Eleanor nodded vigorously, her gaze softening as she looked down at the baby dozing in her arms. ¡°Right now, my world consists of him and our baby. Of course, I¡¯ll do everything in my power to treat him well, but I¡¯m scared¡­¡± A mist of tears blurred her vision, her heart aching uncontrobly, ¡°Hailey, there¡¯s still a chip in his brain. I¡¯m terrified that one day he might¡­¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Hailey quickly reached out, resting her hand on Eleanor¡¯s shoulder with aforting pat, ¡°The doctors said as long as we teave it be, there won¡¯t be any issues. Besides, Cedric and the others are searching for a specialist. With so many people on it, we¡¯ll find a way.¡± Struggling to hold back her tears, Eleanor replied in a choked voice, ¡°I hope they find someone soon to take out the chip¡­ he shouldn¡¯t have to suffer anymore.¡± While others worried about the threat to Bernard¡¯s life, Eleanor feared the pain it caused him. Hailey knew only a wife could feel such concern for her husband. ¡°As long as you¡¯re by his side, he won¡¯t feel the pain.¡± To Bernard, nothing was more devastating than the thought of being abandoned by Eleanor. Physical pain was inconsequential inparison. Musing on this, Hailey¡¯s thoughts drifted to Garrett, who also loved Eleanor deeply. She wondered if his severe depression was resurfacing as he licked his wounds in solitude. Feeling a twinge of guilt, Hailey seized the moment while Eleanor was lost in her thoughts, pulling out her phone to send a message to Garrett, [Garrett, she¡¯s awake now. You can rest easy.] Eleanor, noticing Hailey¡¯s serious expression as she typed, guessed who the message was for and, after a moment of silence, spoke with regret, ¡°Hailey, could you please apologize to Garrett for me? I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Her words during her brief amnesia had likely caused him much distress, and the guilt was Hailey nced at her, then quickly typed out a message, [Also, she remembers everything now. She asked me to tell you she¡¯s sorry and hopes you won¡¯t hold it against her.] Garrett, sitting in his study, stared at the message for a long time before responding, [Tell her, I had my bout of amnesia, now she¡¯s had hers. We¡¯re even. She should let guilt towards me.] As Hailey read his words, her eyes welled up. Before she could reply, another message from Garrett came through, [Hailey, I wish you happiness, and I wish the same for her.] Unable to hold back, Hailey let the tears flow, [Garrett, you¡¯ve taken care of her and supported her since childhood. Even I can¡¯t let go of that bond, how could she possibly forget?] Garrett, watching the snowkes dance outside his window, sent onest message, [Bernard has already repaid those debts to me on her behalf. All that was left was the amnesia, and now¡­ that¡¯s resolved too. There¡¯s no debt left between us.] He should have died in that car crash, but he was saved by that million-dor Bernard paid. Every tragedy, every struggle for power within the family, Bernard had been there, repaying the debts of Eleanor¡¯s childhood. With everything repaid, it was only natural for Bernard to have Eleanor. There was just one thing Garrett needed to rify-to cut thest thread of fate tying them. Bernard, after dealing with Cedric, was heading back to the hospital room when his phone buzzed. He checked it, finding a text from Garrett, [Her amnesia, only remembering her life before eighteen, was because the love you two share is so profound, it eclipsed her earlier memories. She remembered a time without such heavy burdens, not me.] [And here¡¯s a secret, I liked her first. Afraid she¡¯d fall for someone else when she grew up, made sure she fell for me first. But from the start, she¡¯s always felt more kinship than romance towards me, and you¡­ you¡¯re the one she chose to love.] After reading the messages, Bernard¡¯s stoic expression softened withplexity. Garrett was removing the thorns from his heart, but Bernard had known Eleanor¡¯s true feelings since she dered she¡¯d die with him. He didn¡¯t need exnations from anyone else, but he respected Garrett¡¯s intentions and, after a pause, he replied, [I understand. Thank you.] Putting away his phone, Bernard quickened his pace back to the hospital room. He entered to find Eleanor holding their baby, both of themughing with Hailey. His own face couldn¡¯t help but reflect their happiness, ¡°What¡¯s got you two so cheerful?¡± Chapter 1492 Chapter 1492 Eleanor chuckled, ¡°Hailey just tried to name the baby, and he threw a fit, kicking and screaming. I thought something was wrong and was about to call the doctor, but as soon as Hailey said she¡¯d pick a different name, he quieted down¡­¡± Bernard propped himself up with one arm on the hospital bed, leaning in close to Eleanor, he lowered his head to gaze at the baby cradled in her arms. ¡°What name did shee up with that he hates so much?¡± The question was directed at Hailey, who was now the center of attention. With a shy nce at Bernard, she confessed, ¡°Lovenor Laurence.¡± As soon as the name left her lips, the baby resumed his protest, kicking his legs and crying as if his little heart was breaking. It was clear that to the baby, the name was more offensive than being called little damn or some other unttering nickname. Seeing that she had upset the little one again, Hailey quickly reached out, gently patting the baby¡¯s belly, cooing, ¡°Alright, alright, we won¡¯t call you that. We¡¯ll find you the most beautiful nameter¡­¡± Bernard, considering Hailey was Eleanor¡¯s sister, decided to let it slide for now. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the naming,¡± he dered confidently. Pulling out his phone, Bernard scrolled through a list of names before showing a few to Eleanor. Each time she read one out loud, the baby would start his kicking and crying routine all over again. Eventually, exhausted from crying, the baby justy there, ring with his little legs still and his tiny fists pumping in the air, babbling angrily as if cursing in an unintelligible babynguage. Both Eleanor and Hailey were stunned, but Bernard simply flicked the baby¡¯s cheek with a finger, ¡°Looks like this little guy is going to be quite the handful when he grows up.¡± The baby, not taking kindly to Bernard¡¯s touch, turned his head away, avoiding his finger. It was one thing to dodge a caress, but as he turned, he also let out a little grunt. Bernard¡¯s face changed at the sound, but Eleanorughed, ¡°That¡¯s what you get for arbitrarily picking names. Now you¡¯ve ticked off your own son.¡± After a moment¡¯s consideration, Bernard dered, ¡°Since he doesn¡¯t want me to choose his name, we¡¯ll just let him pick for himself during the ¡®Grabbing Ceremony¡±.¡± Understanding more than one might expect, the baby in Eleanor¡¯s arms reached out to Bernard, asking for an embrace. Bernard nced at him and said dryly, ¡°You don¡¯t want me to name you, but you want me to hug you? Dream on.¡± Both Eleanor and Hailey shook their heads helplessly. After a six-montha and several months of rehabilitation, Eleanor was finally ready to leave the hospital and return to Fiord Roundabout. Concerned about the germs in the hospital, they didn¡¯t want the baby to stay with them there. In the meantime, Cedric and Hailey had been taking care of the little one, although initially they had considered having Bryson take the baby home to be cared for by a nanny. But the baby had grown so attached to Cedric and his wife that he wouldn¡¯t let anyone else touch him. Hailey was more than happy to look after the little tyke, asionally bringing him to the hospital for a visit. During these visits, Eleanor noticed how exceptionally bright her child was, possessing a cunning intellect that seemed almost unnerving. Especially on the day of the ¡®Grabbing Ceremony¡­ They had to grab twice, once for objects and once for names. The objects were gifts from the Laurences and the Sharp family, including items from Pearce Hooper and George. The day was lively, with Fiord Roundabout¡¯s garden beautifully decorated. A red carpet stretched from the staircase to the front door, and the trees were adorned with festive lights. Luxury cars lined the driveway as rtives in formal attire came and went. Bryson weed the guests with warmth while the servants watched over the children ying. Eleanor and Hailey held their babies, waiting for Pearce and George to set the items out. Since the baby was premature and not far apart in age from Hailey¡¯s, Cedric suggested the three kids participate in the ceremony together, taking turns based on their age, with his twins going first. Bernard didn¡¯t argue with Cedric, curious to see what Cedric¡¯s children would grab, perhaps to have a goodugh at his expenseter. Cedric, doting on his daughter, once the items were set on the carpet, took her from Hailey¡¯s arms and ced her down gently. He stroked her head and encouraged, ¡°Selene, go for that ssic novel, sweetheart¡­¡± He hoped his daughter would be well-read, eclipsing Bernard¡¯s achievements. So he kept nudging her towards the books. But baby Selene, after crawling around for a bit, set her sights on a stack of cash right at the edge of the carpet. Under the watchful eyes and cameras, she snatched it up with precision. Cedric was taken aback, then burst into fury, ¡°Who put this here? Who put the cash down?!¡± Pearce, who had been filming, raised his chin defiantly, ¡°That was my doing, got a problem with that?¡± Cedric sprung to his feet, ¡°Out of all the cultured and refined items to choose from, you drop a stack of cash? What, you think I¡¯m poor?!¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Pearce rolled up his sleeves, ready to confront him, but George intervened, ¡®Your scrawny self won¡¯t stand a chance against Mr. Laurence. Let¡¯s not dy the ceremony, let¡¯s keep going.¡± Chapter 1493 Chapter 1493 Pearce nced at the towering, muscle-bound figure of Cedric, then down at his own skinny arms and legs. Sighing, he rolled down his sleeves. ¡°Next, let¡¯s move on¡­¡± Cedric¡¯s hope now rested on Elwood Laurence. He picked up his son and began to lecture affectionately, ¡°Buddy, don¡¯t you go chasing money like your sister did. You gotta soak up knowledge like a sponge, got it?¡± The Laurences and the Sharp were all at their wits¡¯ end with Cedric¡¯s antics. ¡°Mr. Laurence, the kid¡¯s still in diapers, and you¡¯re loading him up with all this pressure. Being your son is no walk in the park.¡± Mr. Laurence rolled his eyes, ignoring them, and continued to whisper into the baby¡¯s ear, ¡°When I set you down, you make a beeline for that ssic novel in the middle. If you can grab that book, you¡¯ll be the brightest Laurence, and I¡¯ll finally get to rub it in Bernard¡¯s face.¡± After his speech, Cedric put down the baby, coiled his right hand into a fist, and pumped the air. ¡°Come on, buddy, we¡¯re not just after a slice of bread here, we¡¯re after pride!¡± Elwood, upon whom Cedric had pinned his greatest hopes, crawled around just like his sister. Under the intense, anxious gaze of everyone, he slowly made his way to the edge of the carpet. One little hand reached for the ssic novels, and the other¡­ Seeing the gold coin under that tiny hand, Cedric¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Buddy, please, not the gold. Anything but the gold¡­¡± But Elwood, ever defiant, grabbed the shiny coin and delighted in it, even lifting it up to wave at his sister, who was waving a wad of cash. Both twins danced with joy, holding their treasures. Only Cedric was left banging his head against the wall. ¡°Oh, heavens! One loves cash, the other one obsessed with gold¡­ How am I supposed to live with this?!¡± Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. No one paid any mind to Cedric¡¯s theatrics. After the cash and gold were distributed, it was Eleanor and Bernard¡¯s baby¡¯s turn. Bernard had no expectations for the child, simply cing him on the ground after taking him from Eleanor¡¯s arms. As the baby began to crawl, Cedric, eager to see another gold-grabber, crouched beside the carpet, fists clenched, ¡°Come on buddy, follow Selene and Elwood. Grab the cash, grab the gold, and be the richest kid in the world!¡± The baby ignored Cedric and continued to crawl on his own, reaching the edge of the carpet where various items wereid out. His eyes, clear as melting icicles, fixed on a shiny gold letter opener for a second before he crawled straight to it, bypassing everything else, and grabbed it with determination. Uncle Peterson couldn¡¯t help but crouch down and pat the baby¡¯s head, ¡°My little nephew, are you nning to be a knight in shining armor?¡± Before Peterson could finish, the baby pulled out the letter opener with a snap, lifted his chubby chin, and looked at him, uttering one word, ¡°Fight¡­¡± Cedric¡¯s kids were already babbling away, but their cousin hadn¡¯t spoken a word, not even for treats. Eleanor had thought he might be mute. But now, the child pronounced ¡®fight¡¯ so clearly that everyone shivered. It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t speak; it was that he hadn¡¯t been interested in doing so until now. Eleanor nced sideways at Bernard, who¡¯d been disinterested throughout the whole affair. ¡°Did you put that letter opener there?¡± she asked. Before Bernard could respond, Pearce chimed in, ¡°I spotted that shiny thing in Mr. Laurence¡¯s study. Thought it looked pretty neat, so I¡­¡± Eleanor shared Cedric¡¯s silent frustration but kept her cool, merely shooting Pearce a warning nce. Pearce, oblivious or pretending to be, scooped up the baby and ced him on another nket. ¡°Alright, time to pick a name!¡± The baby wasted no time. As soon as Pearce set him down, he reached out and grabbed a paper from the center of the small table. Proudly, he handed it to Pearce. ¡°Not bad, kid. You¡¯re a sharp one. Your master sees great potential in you.¡± After a quickpliment, Pearce unfolded the paper and announced to everyone. ¡°Damian Laurence-¡± Hearing this somewhat serious name, Eleanor felt a chill, fearing her son might grow up to be another Bernard. Her intuition wasn¡¯t wrong. From the moment the baby chose the letter opener and selected his name, his life was set on a path of decisive action¡­ Chapter 1494 Chapter 1494 Pearce finished his announcement and casually tossed the crumpled piece of paper back to the child. The baby clutched his new name in one hand and a toy soldier in the other. Seated under the dim kitchen light, he was silent, head bowed, fidgeting with the toy. The onlookers felt a chill despite the warm atmosphere; the baby was carrying a knife for crying out loud! But out of politeness, they refrained from criticism and instead offered their congrattions to Bernard and Eleanor. Only Cedric, with his twins snuggled in his arms, snorted, ¡°The name I made for him was better! I wonder who¡¯s got it in for Bernard to saddle the kid with a name like that¡­¡± As the Sharp family members exchanged awkwardpliments, Cedric¡¯s words hung in the air. Peterson nced nervously toward the door. The estate was grand, and one had to squint to make out the silhouette standing resolutely at the iron gates. Yates, donning a ck top hat, peered at the harmonious scene inside, yearning to see his great- grandson, now a year old, and wondering how he had grown. But he knew all too well that neither Eleanor nor the Laurences would wee him. After lingering for a moment, Yates, leaning heavily on his cane, limped away toward his car. An old bullet wound from a skirmish with Xavier Penrod had left its mark, and he had never quite recovered his stride. To Yates, his age and limp were inconsequential, he ambled along, Bernard¡¯s cool gaze cut through the crowd, briefly resting on Yates¡¯ retreating figure. Finally settled in his car and ready to motion to the driver, Yates was halted by a hand resting on the car window-a hand with slender, pale fingers. Following the hand to its owner, Yates met a pair of eyes, indifferent and icy. The owner of those eyes, Bernard, looked down at him, expressionless, and murmured, ¡°I owe you thanks for the incident in the operating room, and for saving Eleanor. But that¡¯s where my gratitude ends.¡± Bernard¡¯s resentment for the chip imnted in his brain, which threatened to shorten his life with his family, was a chasm too deep for forgiveness. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. After a brief pause, Yates called after him, ¡°I¡¯ve found a doctor who can stabilize the chip in your brain. As long as your tumor doesn¡¯t recur, it won¡¯t affect the chip. You won¡¯t have to worry about yourter years-you¡¯ll be there to watch your child grow up.¡± Bernard hesitated, then continued his stride back to the estate without looking back. He knew the name ¡®Damian¡¯ was Yates¡¯ doing, and although Eleanor was unaware, he never told her. He chose to silently epting it. Watching Bernard¡¯s magnanimity, the Sharp brothers made Eleanor promise to cherish her happiness with Bernard, especially Peterson, who held Bernard in high regard and trusted him with his sister¡¯s well-being. Peterson mentioned that aside from Yates¡¯ unwee presence, the Laurences had no significant animosity toward them. Still, Veronica was waiting for Yates to settle ounts. Upon returning, Yates arranged for the doctor to shadow Bernard indefinitely, covering the costs for a lifetime and emphasizing the importance of the couple¡¯s health. After putting his affairs in order, entrusting the stewardship of the Sharp family and its assets to Peterson, Yates prepared to leave his legacy to Eleanor. In his final moments, Yates sat at his desk, removed his sses, and addressed his grandsons, ¡°I¡¯ve done all I need to in this world. There¡¯s nothing left for me here. It¡¯s time I sought forgiveness from your grandmother.¡± He had caused the death of Timothy, which led to the tragic end of Pauline. With his guilt weighing heavily, redemption was his only path. Yates bid Bevis to take care of the Sharp family and its enterprises, expressing his desire for a future free from power struggles,mending the Sharp family¡¯s values. Bevis, feeling the weight lift from his shoulders, acknowledged Yates as a visionary elder. Antoine chimed in, suggesting that Yates wait, to show his granddaughter-inw his better side, which might lead to her forgiveness. But Yates, lighting a cigarette with a wistful smile, knew better. His actions had put a deadly chip in Bernard¡¯s brain, an unforgivable deed. How could she ever forgive him? Chapter 1495 Chapter 1495 Antoine was at a loss for words, but Yates was unfazed, ¡°What I did to her wasn¡¯t exactly honorable, even a bit cruel. I¡¯d rather she hated me than forgave me.¡± Antoine frowned. His granddad had always been his greatest supporter, always telling him he was as handsome as any movie star, which is why he¡¯d pursued acting. Now, the thought of his beloved grandfather leaving this world was too much for him to bear. Yates seemed to read his thoughts and smiled at him. ¡°Antoine, when you were a kid, you were my favorite. I know it¡¯s hard for you to let me go, but such is life. We all have to face goodbyes.¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Yates exhaled a smoke ring, the curling tendrils framing his weathered face in a sort of detached serenity. It was as if the youthful Yates, who had been driven by a vengeance so strong it sustained him for years, no longer had a reason to hold on now that the scores were settled. Antoine didn¡¯t want to let go of such a grandfather and turned away, unable to watch him. Bevis did the same, head bowed,ing to terms with his own sadness. Only Peterson seemed to have epted the inevitable, calmly staring at Yates without a word. Yates¡¯ gaze shifted from Antoine to the stoic face of Peterson. ¡°Aside from Eleanor, I feel I¡¯ve wronged you too.¡± Yates gestured to the ground, ¡°You were only this big when I took you arms.¡± He smiled apologetically, ¡°By taking you in, your childhood and youth were different from your brothers¡¯. By the time I realized, it was toote.¡± He sighed deeply, his eyes filled with both regret and a sense of peace, ¡°Fortunately, you grew up to be kind-hearted despite it all. Otherwise, I¡¯d have to meet your grandmother with shame.¡± Peterson wasn¡¯t bothered by this at all. ¡°Granddad, you¡¯ve put a lot of effort into raising me and have been good to me. You were strict but never cruel. Even when you spanked me, you¡¯de at night while I was asleep to apply ointment.¡± Yates raised an eyebrow, ¡°You knew?¡± Peterson nodded, ¡°Yes, and I was grateful for it.¡± Yates smiled, relieved, then turned to his two sons sitting on the couch, ¡°You two are getting on in years. Take your wives out more, travel. And don¡¯t meddle in your kids¡¯ love lives.¡± He specifically addressed Peterson¡¯s father, ¡°Look out for Peterson. Have a heart-to-heart with him, see if he¡¯s got his eye on any girl. If he does, as his father, it¡¯s your job to arrange Don''t let anyone cut off his pathy at Peterson¡¯s past his opportunity for love thwarted by Derrick¡¯s wife exclus to this history just nodded eagerly in agreement had never out much faith in his two sons, knowing theycked the brilliance and sharpness needed, hence his focus on his grandsons. Still, his sons were kind-hearted and catable enough to serve as directors in thepany Liter wrapping up his affairs. Yates let them all leave. Cyril and Derrick, his biological couldn¡¯t bear the thought of his death and insisted on staying onest night. Yates. ciet The sons made beds on the floor next to Yates, asking if there was anything else he wished to do. His final wish was to see Pauline. That silenced them. In their memories, their father always longed for Pauline, often looking at her picture until tears came. Manes had never truly lived for himself; his life was a testament to his love for Pauline. If not for his vengeance, he would have passed long ago. Cyrl and Derrick might not openly express their gratitude, but they deeply appreciated how this obsession granted them more time with their father and his affection. Bevic, Antoine, and Peterson also stayed, sitting on the living room couch all night, waiting for the agonizing moment of farewell. Time, however, moved swiftly, and dawn soon Yates bathed, shaved, and had his sons trim his hair. Dressed in a white shirt, ck vest, and ck top hat, leaning on his cane, he approached Pauline¡¯s grave. As he had done many times before, he touched the photo on her tombstone, speaking to it for a long while before saying his goodbyes. But this time, instead of walking away, he took out a syringe. Looking at Pauline¡¯s image, he smiled with contentment and without hesitation, injected himself, ¡°Pauline Hardy, I¡¯ming to see you I hope you¡¯re in heaven, waiting for me.¡± Pauline, with her kindness, surely belonged in heaven, but Yates, with his bloodstained hands, did not. Their lives were destined to be apart-even in death. Chapter 1496 Chapter 1496 The news of Yates¡¯ passing reached Eleanor as she was cradling the baby, Damian, and helping Nina with her homework. Nina was struggling, especially with math, much like Eleanor had at her age. Even the simplest questions was a challenge for Nina. Fortunately, elementary level math was something Eleanor could handle. So, with patience, she guided Nina, while Damian, nestled in her arms, often couldn¡¯t help but snort at Nina¡¯s puzzled expressions. At first, Nina thought little of Damian¡¯s strange noises, assuming the baby was just being odd. It wasn¡¯t until the fifth snort that she grew suspicious and turned her wide, inquisitive eyes to study Damian. Damian, absentmindedly fiddling with a pen, felt Nina¡¯s gaze and suddenly tilted his head, lifting his chin defiantly and ring at her with his little nostrils, ¡°Hmph!¡± Now Nina was certain. She waved her chubby little hand in usation towards the smug Damian, ¡°Eleanor, Dame is taunting me!¡± Eleanor, engrossed in flipping through the math textbook, didn¡¯t look up. ¡°How could that be? Dame¡¯s just one year old; he probably doesn¡¯t even know what is taunting¡­¡± But Nina, stomping her foot in urgency, pointed at Damian, ¡°Eleanor, look! He¡¯s not just ring with his nostrils; he¡¯sughing at me with his eyes¡­¡± As Eleanor¡¯s gaze shifted from the textbook to her son, Damian quickly reverted to an innocent expression, even shing a goofy smile when Eleanor turned him to face her. Nina was spooked by Damian¡¯s rapid change in demeanor. ¡°Eleanor, your baby birthed is kinda freaky¡­¡± Unaware of the face-changing act, Eleanor brushed it off, ¡°Maybe you¡¯re just stressed from all the schoolwork. How about we go for a walk and clear your head?¡± Nina, still eyeing Damian, shook her head determinedly. ¡°No need, I want to stay home and keep an eye on Dame, see if he will wet the bed at night¡­¡± As soon as she spoke, Damian cracked a silent but sinister smile, chilling Nina to the bone. ¡°Aaah! Bernard, help! I don¡¯t find your son cute at all anymore!¡± Panicked, Nina dashed toward the study, bumping into, Bernard. The collision sent her bouncing backward, but Bernard¡¯s strong, slender hand gaught her by her cor, steadying her. She was about toin when she caught sight of Bernard¡¯s solemn face and wisely stepped aside. As Bernard walked past Nina, he ruffled her hair, a gesture that set Nina off again. ¡°Aaah! Help! Has Uncle Bernard been possessed? He¡¯s acting weird too¡­¡± From a distance, Damian watched Nina¡¯s frantic spinning, his bright eyes rolling as if to say, ¡°Idiot¡­¡± Bernard approached Eleanor and ryed the news, ¡°Yates injected himself with a drug at Pauline¡¯s grave and passed away. He left all his personal assets to you.¡± Eleanor paused mid-motion while dressing the children, absorbing the shock, then turned to Bernard, ¡°Why would he suddenly¡­¡± Bernard looked down, his gazending softly on Damian, who was quietly ying with his pen. ¡°Peterson said Yates felt he had done all he needed to in this world and had no more attachments.¡± After a moment, Bernard added, ¡°Before he died, he arranged for a doctor to help me. Someone who could stabilize the chip in my brain.¡± Eleanor wasn¡¯t deeply moved by Yates¡¯ death; after all, she hadn¡¯t grown up with the Sharp family, and her connection to Yates was one of blood, not affection. Her feelings were furtherplicated by the fact that, despite everything, it was Yates who had saved her life and helped her regain her memories using her child. And now, he¡¯d found a doctor to help Bernard. Still, the chip in Bernard¡¯s brain was tied to Yates, and Eleanor felt no sorrow for Yates¡¯ passing, only empathy for what Bernard had endured in Area Opaca. Afterposing her emotions, she picked up Damian. ¡°Honey, could you tell Peterson that I don¡¯t want Yates¡¯ assets? He can keep them.¡± Bernard nodded slightly, then said, ¡°Peterson mentioned that we won¡¯t be invited to the funeral, but if you ever want to go back home, you can. The cottage will always be there for you.¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Eleanor had always been treated well by the rest of the Sharp family-the uncles, cousins, aunts by marriage-so she was open to staying in touch. ¡°We¡¯ll visit when we have the chance.¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± Bernard replied, his eyes tenderly tracing Eleanor¡¯s face before resting on baby Damian¡¯s plump cheeks. ¡°Nina has been begging to have a sleepover with the little one. Let¡¯s let them sleep together tonight.¡± Damian, still ying with the pen, looked up at Bernard with eyes clear as a melted snowdrift, as if pondering the intent behind Bernard¡¯s suggestion. Chapter 1497 Chapter 1497 Eleanor had been sleeping with Damian every night. Her heart ached at the thought of letting go, but she was aware that she couldn¡¯t overlook Bernard¡¯s needs. So with a gentle nod, she agreed, ¡°Alright, after I bathe him tonight, I¡¯ll let Nina tuck him in.¡± Bernard¡¯s thick eyebrows lifted in a pleased arch. He reached out to stroke his son¡¯s cheek, but Damian turned away, clung to Eleanor, and buried himself in her embrace, denying his father even a touch. Bernard¡¯s hand paused mid-air, a moment of stiffness, then yfully swatted at Damian¡¯s little bottom. The boy squirmed in protest, clearly resisting. Bernard saw right through his son¡¯s ploy, amused that Damian, so young, could understand his intent. But understanding was one thing; the boy couldn¡¯t even talk yet, let alonepete for Eleanor¡¯s attention. After dinner, Eleanor carried Damian to the bath. With a nanny in the house, she felt guilty for being out ofmission for so long and wanted to make it up to her baby, insisting on doing these things herself. With Bernard¡¯s help, she bathed Damian, then wrapped him in a soft towel, drying his little head with another. The sight of her freshly bathed boy melted Eleanor¡¯s heart. She couldn¡¯t resist kissing the top of his head. ¡°Honey, look at our little Dame He¡¯s so adorable, I can¡¯t bear to put him down.¡± Bernard, who had just fetched pajamas, nced at Damian sitting contentedly on the changing table. ¡°Darling, my knee¡¯s been acting up. You¡¯ll have to spend some time massaging itter.¡± Eleanor spun around, concern etched on her face. ¡°Then you should lie down in the bedroom. I¡¯lle and massage it for you after I put the baby to sleep.¡± Ignoring her advice, Bernard strode over, scooped up Damian in his arms, and dered, ¡°I¡¯ll put him to bed.¡± Damian, his tiny body wrestled into submission by a firm hand on his shoulder, wriggled in vain. Arms weren¡¯t a match for legs, and soon Bernard carried him off to Nina¡¯s room. Bryson had set up an extra crib in Nina¡¯s room, after hearing the sleeping arrangements. Bernard, wanting toy his son down, found himself trapped in a tight hug around his neck. But the old trick of clinging on only worked so well; if his father wanted to hold him, then he¡¯d have to hold on tight. Bernard was eager to return to his wife. Without waiting for Eleanor to get settled, he scooped her up and ced her on the bed. ¡°Darling, tonight, I need more than just a few times.¡± Eleanor, pinned down, looked up at him kneeling beside her. ¡°Can your knee handle this?¡± Bernard swallowed hard, a deep grunt escaping him as he leaned in for a passionate kiss. ¡°Darling, we should use protection.¡± Worried about another pregnancy, Bernard had stocked up on condoms, filling the nightstand drawers to the brim. Eleanor was too embarrassed to look, but Bernard grabbed her hand, guiding her to fetch one. As she fumbled with the packet while warding off her feverishly undressing husband, Bernard¡¯s voice dropped to a husky whisper in her ear, ¡°Use your teeth.¡± Although Eleanor thought it was a bit kinky, she obliged, biting open the wrapper with her teeth. Bernard, watching intently as she tore the package, suddenly nipped her earlobe. ¡°Just wait,¡± he Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. murmured. Eleanor couldn¡¯t handle the sensation of Bernard nibbling her ear, a tender spot for her. She tried to squirm away, but he pinned her wrists and impatiently stripped off her lingerie, then bent his head to kiss her chest¡­ Sensitive as her ears were, this spot was even more so. A few yful bites and Eleanor melted under him¡­ Chapter 1498 Chapter 1498 Eleanor couldn¡¯t help but press herself against Bernard¡¯s broad, firm chest, her skin burning with a desire magnified by their proximity. Bernard, ever the gentleman in the art of forey, had taken his time, and now, as Eleanor gasped and reached for him with a fevered urgency. With eyes clouded by passion, Eleanor looked into his intense gaze. It wasn¡¯t long before she was overwhelmed, and a muffled moan escaped her lips. Only then did Bernard, savoring her taste, capture her lips with his own, murmuring, ¡°Honey, let¡¯s go again.¡± Eleanor, exhausted, tried to push him away, protesting weakly. But Bernard, with a few well-ced moves, reignited the fire within her, leaving her helpless to his desires¡­ Bernard had been hasty the first time, his need overtaking him quickly, but the second time he took his time, pacing himself. Just as they were about to reach the pinnacle of bliss, a knock shattered the moment. ¡°Eleanor, Bernard, little Dame¡¯s gone missing! Open up!¡± Upon hearing this, Eleanor panicked. She pushed Bernard aside, hastily threw on her nightgown that ¡°What¡¯s going on? How could he just vanish?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, I finished my spelling practice and when I went to bed, he wasn¡¯t in his crib. Bryson¡¯s been searching all around the manor and still no sign of him¡­¡± Eleanor¡¯s heart pounded with fear, her post-coital glow draining to a ghostly pallor. She tried to steady herself as she raced downstairs Bernard, too, momentarily forgot his desire, wrapping a robe around himself before hastening out of the bedroom, ¡°Bryson, check the security cameras.¡± The child was small, and anything could happen. The rooms were equipped with cameras for just such emergencies. Bryson, pale with fear, had forgotten this crucial detail, ¡°I¡¯m on it.¡± Bernard hurried down the stairs, heading straight for Nina¡¯s room. Eleanor had scoured the room, finding nothing Upon seeing Bernard, she nearly copsed in despair, ¡°If only I¡¯d kept him with me tonight, none of this would have happened. If something¡¯s happened to him, I¡¯ll never forgive myself¡­¡± Bernard frowned, wrapping his arms around the frantic Eleanor. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. No one dares touch our son. Besides, the manor was surrounded by his handpicked security. Who would dare to sneak in and abduct a child in the dead of night? 1/2 08:11 While Bernard was pondering, Bryson, having checked the cameras, came running with a look of utter disbelief, ¡°Mr. Laurence, after you put the little master in his crib, he crawled out, made his way across the carpet, and ended up under the bed¡­¡± Handing his phone to Bernard, Bryson himself dashed to the bed, reaching under it for Damian. The bed was too low and Bryson too big to reach Damian who had crawled into a corner. Nina shouted, Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. ¡°Serenina,e help Bryson get your little brother out¡­¡± Before Nina could move, Bernard stepped forward and lifted the bed. There, on the warmed carpet,y little Damian, his round belly up, sleeping soundly. Eleanor sighed in relief, scooping up Damian and holding him tight. ¡°My little treasure, mommy won¡¯t ever let you sleep alone again.¡± As Bernard rxed, Eleanor¡¯s words made his heart tighten once more. But more pressing was the question of why Damian had crawled under the bed. While he pondered, Damian, nestled against Eleanor¡¯s shoulder, opened his wide eyes and smiled at Bernard. That adorable grin lifted Bernard¡¯s eyebrows¡­ Over one year old and already so cunning. But impressive, Bernard mused, for the little one had just secured a permanent spot in his mother¡¯s arms with such a simple trick. Nina, sensing something, approached Bernard and made a tiny gesture with her fingers. ¡°Uncle Bernard, don¡¯t you think Damian¡¯s a tiny bit terrifying¡­¡± Bernard¡¯s lips curled into a smile, ¡°A baby still nursing thinks he canpete with me for my wife? He¡¯s got another thinging.¡± Watching the confident Bernard, Nina sighed, ¡°Uncle, you don¡¯t understand the magic a child has over their mother¡­¡± As it turned out, Bernard truly didn¡¯t understand. For five long years, Damian kept him on his toes, until one day, Bernard finally turned the tables¡­ Chapter 1499 Chapter 1499 From the moment Damian hit the terrible twos, Bernard found himself scheming like a cat burr just to spend some alone time with Eleanor. His usual tactic was to lull the tyke to sleep and then whisk him away to dreand. But like clockwork, it would take just one try before Damian would pop open his eyes and unleash his cries. Craving the uninterrupted passion they once enjoyed, which often meant a good seven or eight rounds of unabashed romance, Bernard resorted to dropping the little brat off at Cedric¡¯s ce. At first, Cedric didn¡¯t mind ying the asional babysitter. But after a while, he started to raise an eyebrow. Observing Bernard¡¯s pattern, he realized Bernard¡¯s libido was the reason behind these frequent visits. Damian was simply being offloaded for the sake of parental ytime. Each time Bernard dropped off his son, Cedric found the perfect opportunity to rib him, though Bernard¡¯s prepared. He¡¯d plop Damian on the floor, spin on his heel, and exit without a backward nce. However, this little boy found a way to deal with it. Cedric would often recount how his two kids, couldn¡¯t outwit or outfight Damian, who they dubbed ¡®The Little Tyrant¡¯. He drove them to tears daily with his mischief. It was one thing for Damian to gue the sibling duo, but Cedric soon found himself on the receiving end of the toddler¡¯s antics. ¡°What kind of mischief are we talking about?¡± Eleanor asked, ever the skeptic about her son¡¯s angelic demeanor. Cedric drew a picture with his words, telling her that Damian yed the angel whenever Hailey was around. But the moment she stepped out, the boy became a terror, insisting that only Uncle Cedric should hold him. Sure, the kid was a mere tot, light as a feather, but try cradling that bundle of energy all day, and even the strong Cedric couldn¡¯t do the job. Juggling Damian and consoling the weepy twins, Cedric¡¯s days were squandered in a whirlwind of childcare instead of his beloved tech research. His brain buzzed louder than a motherboard on overdrive. With no other choice, Cedric sabotaged Bernard¡¯s love life and returned the little devil to his rightful throne at home. Eleanor, hearing this, refused to believe it. In her eyes, Damian was quiet but well-behaved, a sentiment Hailey shared. But Cedric insisted the boy was a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing, barely able to lift his arms from exhaustion, he slumped in his chair, casting a look of betrayed exhaustion at Bernard. The man at the head of the table simply arched an eyebrow andid a reassuring hand on Damian¡¯s head. At three years old, Bernard enrolled Damian in preschool with the twins. The siblings were so terrified at the prospect of sharing a ss with ¡°The Little Tyrant¡± that they cried to switch schools. The teachers and the principal, baffled by themotion, couldn¡¯t fathom why these children wanted to leave. After all, Damian, in his crisp little suit and tie, his dark hair neatlybed back, looked every bit the picture of innocence with his deep, enchanting eyes that seemed to warm you like a midwinter sun. Nevertheless, despite his cherubic silence, the teachers were convinced of his good nature and Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. encouraged the twins to bond with their cousin, even going so far as to put them together for naptime. This decision only heightened the siblings¡¯ fears. Unable to convince the adults, they huddled together under one nket, peering out with wide eyes at Damian, whoy beside them, belly exposed, in blissful slumber Upon waking and catching their fearful gaze, Damian shed a grin as sweet as an angel and offered them a deal, ¡°Call me ¡®big bro¡¯, and I¡¯ll stop picking on you.¡± The twins, used to being the tough cookies of their own domain, especially Elwood, were not about to take orders from anyone, let alone someone younger. ¡°I¡¯m older than you; you should be calling me ¡®big bro¡¯!¡± Elwood retorted. Damian merely snorted and bided his time. Before long, he had the whole preschool calling him ¡®big bro¡¯, his entourage bowing and scraping wherever he went. One day, as The twins guarded their snacks like treasure, Damian strolled in, and with a mere wave of his hand, his loyal minions swarmed, leaving the siblings snackless and in tears. As Damian approached with a bag of goodies, he asked with a sly smile, ¡°Ready to call me ¡®big bro¡¯ now?¡± With chubby hands cleaning their tears, Selene pouted, ¡°If we call you ¡®big bro¡¯, will you give us our snacks back?¡± With a nod, Damian handed back the treats. From that day on, not only did they change their tune, but they became his trusted lieutenants, eventually rising to his right hand by mastering the art of ttery. Chapter 1500 In the quaint town of Rosewood, the three Lawrence kids, notorious for their reign of terror at the local kindergarten, quickly caught the attention of the headmistress. Determined to nip their behavior in the bud, she summoned the leader, Damian, for a chat. ¡°Damian,¡± she said, her voice stern but caring, ¡°where on earth did you pick up such unruly habits?¡± Without skipping a beat, Damian blurted out, ¡°Robin,¡± making The headmistress reach for the phone to confront their mother, Eleanor. She demanded to know who this Robin was and why he was leading the child astray. As luck would have it, Robin was visiting the Lawrence estate, right across the street from the yground, when the call came through. Overhearing The headmistress¡¯ usations, he snatched the phone from Eleanor, fuming as he defended himself in a heated exchange. The conversation took a turn when The headmistress mentioned Damian¡¯s new status as the ¡®big brother¡¯ of the schoolyard, even orchestrating brawls with children from the neighboring kindergarten. It was then that Robin fell silent, realizing that perhaps he had indeed yed a role in the boy¡¯s behavior. After Katharine¡¯s wedding, Robin had returned stateside, never straying far from his residence opposite the Lawrence¡¯s grand home. On asion, he¡¯d swagger around the neighborhood with Damian in tow, exuding an air of authority, but he¡¯d never encouraged, the boy to engage in actual fights. Regardless, Eleanor banned him from contact with Damian, stripping him of all visitation rights. This left Robin no choice but to intercept Damian en route to school, desperate to clear his name of teaching any ¡°fighting skills.¡± Standing defiantly on the sidewalk, Damian looked up at Robin and said, ¡°Sorry, Mr. Bran, | didn¡¯t want to go to school or get beat up, so | had to say it was you.¡± Mr. Bran and Damian had christened Robin and his brother Elbert with nicknamesN?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Mr.Leslie, respectively. At first, the brothers thought it was a sign of affection, boasting about it to their father, Bernard. It wasn¡¯t until Bernard''s dismissive sneer that Robin realized the cruel joke-their nicknames meant brainless muscles to Damian.¡¯ Staring at Damian¡¯s retreating figure, Robin was livid. ¡°Ingrate!¡± he muttered. ¡°I take the fall for you, and this is the thanks | get? Next time see you, it''ll be thest!¡± From the safety of his mother¡¯s car, Damian cracked a sly smile and waved goodbye through the window. ¡°Bye, Mr. Bran...¡± The tales of Damian¡¯s bullying spread through the Lawrence, Pine, and Sharp families, with each adult taking turns trying to set him straight and leaving exasperated. Only Mr. Peterson seemed to have an influence on Damian. When Eleanor invited him to stay with them and mentor the boy, he agreed. Under his guidance, Damian¡¯s behavior improved, following Peterson like a shadow. But the calm was deceptive. One day, Damian sneaked into Peterson¡¯s room and took his handgun. In the garden, he aimed and fired at a cluster of cherry blossoms, mimicking mobsters from the movies. Peterson, followed by a terrified Eleanor, discovered the scene toote. Standing tall, Damian turned to Peterson and asked, ¡°Uncle Pete, how¡¯s my aim?¡± Peterson realized the boy¡¯s attachment was not to him but to the gun at his side. His hopes of leading Damian on the right path were dashed with this revtion. Bernard, upon hearing of his son¡¯s mischief, left his corporate meeting to deal with the matter personally. Unlike Peterson, Robin, and Elbert, who indulged the child''s whims, Bernard was firm. At home, he stripped Damian down and disciplined him with a severity that brought tears and cries for his mother. Eleanor didn¡¯t intervene, knowing that a mother¡¯s leniency could spoil a child. Damian, sensing even his mother¡¯s support had limits, stopped resisting and epted his punishment, though his tear-filled eyes still simmered with defiance. Bernard¡¯s tough love worked. Damian¡¯s bad habits vanished, but so did his spirited demeanor. He became reclusive, burying himself in books and barely speaking to anyone except Eleanor. Even Bernard received only cold indifference. This silence lasted for two years... Chapter 1501 When Damianturned five, the Pine family had quite the spectacle. Elbert Pine, down at the local casino, crossed paths with a man. Try as he might, he couldn''t best the young genius and ended up being escorted out by Sheldon Pine, stripped down to his boxers. Sheldon, much like Bernard Laurence when disciplining Damian, clutched a stick firmly and gave Elbert a good thrashing. Humiliated, Elbert swore off gambling dens for good. But, the tricks of the trade he did possess, he passed on to Damian in secret. Initially indifferent to most things, Damian, under Elbert''s guidance, developed a fascination not with gambling per se, but with the art of cracking codes. Every puzzle Elbert brought, Damian epted without a word. He''d sit cross-legged on the study carpet, engrossed in his new toys. Elbert would watch and me Bernard for clobbering the boy''s sense out.... Bernard told him to get lost back to the Pines and keep his nose out of his son''s business.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Elbert, stubborn as a mule, refused to leave Fiord Roundabout until Bernard''s p sent him packing back to his roots. Crestfallen, Elbert ran crying to Sheldon, earning himself another beating for his troubles. To straighten him out, Sheldon handed the Pine family''s shady dealings to Elbert. After a few brutal run-ins with gangs abroad that left him half-dead, Elbert wised up. He ditched the thuggery and took over the family''s legitimate businesses, realizing it came with the perk of not getting beaten up... Meanwhile, Robin Spencer was leading the charge for the Spencer Group to carve out a ce in the North Fund market. But, as luck would have it, Taylor Laurence of the Laurence n was also vying for the same turf. The Sharps, owing a debt to Bernard, tipped the scales in Taylor''s favor. Robin, fuming at the sight of Taylor clinching deals in North Fund, took a trip up to Canada to have a ''chat'' with Peterson Sharp. Peterson, having spent five years rising through the ranks, had taken over as the head of the Sharp Group and the Sharp family. His decisive leadership pushed the family''s influence in North Fund even higher. The fact that he deigned to meet Robin personally was a testament to their shared history, despite the fact that someone of his stature could''ve easily sent a secretary in his stead. Robin didn''t care for formalities. "At thest tender," he burst out, "it was clear that my family''s Al robots were superior. Yet, you handed the project to Taylor. There''s favoritism, and then there''s tant bias!" Peterson, sipping his coffee with a smirk, met Robin''s ire with a cool gaze. "The Spencer Group''s robots are indeed impressive, but theyck themercial appeal of the Laurence family''s prototypes. Giving Taylor the project was perfectly justified." Robin scoffed. "Cut the crap. You keep giving projects to the Laurences, helping them storm into the North Fund market because Eleanor married Bernard, right?" Peterson set down his cup, dropping the formalities. "You know my cousin married Bernard. Shouldn''t I help my own family instead of an outsider?" Robin rolled his eyes. "If it weren''t for the fact that you only have one girl in your family, I''d marry one right now. Then we''d see whom you''d support-Bernard or me!" Peterson raised an eyebrow, half-joking, "I''ve got several adopted sisters. Fancy taking one of them?" Caught off guard, Robin hastily declined, "My marriage is my father''s decision, let''s leave it at that." Peterson''s yful demeanor faded. "What''s the matter, Mr. Spencer? You think my sisters don''t measure up?" Robin forced augh. "Of course not..." "So, let me introduce you to them," Peterson suggested with a meaningful look. Before Robin knew it, he was lined up for an impromptu beauty parade, with potential brides seated before him. What started as a business meeting had bizarrely turned into a matchmaking session. Robin, exasperated, tried to backpedal. "They''re all beautiful, but none quite like Eleanor. I''m not into it, let''s just let it slide." Peterson studied him closely. "Is it beauty you''re after, or is it Eleanor?" Robin paused, his coffee cup midway to his lips, memories of his first encounter with Eleanor shing before him... Cornering her against the wall, looking down at her-what was he thinking back then? For him, there was a moment of awe that strikes deep. It''s that kind of stunning that pierces right through to his heart. It''s because she''s drop-dead gorgeous, the type of beauty that leaves a permanent imprint on your soul after just one nce. Chapter 1502 So it was her beauty that first caught his eye, but as they spent time together, the admiration slowly blossomed into love. Yes, Robin used the word love. He loved her, and that''s why he wanted the best for her. Just like now, Eleanor had made it through the ordeal of childbirth, living happily ever after with her husband and son. And Robin, he was genuinely happy for her. Sure, he might asionally butt heads with Bernard, but that didn''t mean he wanted to wreck Eleanor''s home. Because he never even entertained the thought, so his love for her would forever remain unspoken... Robin buried this love deep in his heart, smiled, and raised his ss to Peterson with a mischievous eyebrow lift, "I''ve got a thing for the good-looking ones. If youe across anyone even more stunning than Eleanor, be sure to send her my way..." Robin yed it cool, and after scrutinizing him for a moment, Peterson couldn''t detect a hint of his true feelings and nodded, "No problem. But with your high standards, it''s going to be tough. Still, if I meet someone, you''ll be the first to know."N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. With a chuckle, Robin lifted his ss and clinked it against Peterson''s, "And it''s not just pretty faces I''m after. Save some good business deals for me too, or else Laurence Group will corner the market, and the Sharps will be left in the dust." Peterson retorted with a smirk, "Be my guest, if you think you can handle it." But before Robin could reply, the distinct sound of a p echoed through the restaurant- A resounding smack sent a woman tumbling to the floor, unable to rise. "Starry, listen up. I''ll y with as many women as I want, and if I feel like hitting you, I will. Don''t think just because you''re a Sharp heiress that you can control me!" Peterson initially had no interest, but at the mention of Starry''s name, he swiftly turned to see her steadying herself on a chair and rising amidst the crowd''s stares. With half her face swollen, she stood tall and reached for her husband n''s arm, "Let''s talk about this at home, not here-it''s not good for our image." But n didn''t care about image. He shook off her grasp and pointed at her nose, "I''m warning you, stay home and look after the kids. Don''t you dare try to control me, or I''ll kill you!" After dropping that threat, n stormed off, kicking over a chair. Starry, however, held back her humiliation and, with the help of a waiter, politely waved him off. Despite the p and the public humiliation from her own husband, she kept herposure, righted the overturned chair, paid the bill, and prepared to leave. That''s when she noticed Peterson sitting in the corner. She knew he was there, having heard him arranging a meet-up with some socialites earlier. Their eyes met, and it wasn''t surprising, although she thought Peterson would lose interest after a mere nce. After all, since she got married, Peterson had barely exchanged ten words with her, always avoiding her presence. Little did she know, he was now intently watching her. The expression in his eyes, obscured by the dim light, was unclear to Starry. She didn''t know what he was thinking, but with her head down and under his gaze, she pushed open the restaurant door and quickly left. Seeing Peterson''s gaze fixed on the woman who had been pped, Robin couldn''t help but gossip, "If you know her, why not go over and help?" Peterson watched Starry''s car speed past the window, then pulled his eyes away from the darkening view and picked up the ss on the table, downing it in one go, "Why on earth should I lift a finger for someone I barely know?" Chapter 1503 Peterson had always harbored a bit of resentment towards Starry. He could sense that she had feelings for him, yet she married someone else. The guy she chose was nothing but a silver-spoonedyabout, whose only redeeming quality was his family''s wealth. Peterson could never wrap his head around what Starry saw in him.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. But now, he understood. Starry was drawn to the man''s talent for sweet-talking women, and his darker side that Peterson had never wanted to see. In a moment of bitter reflection, Peterson scoffed at the mess Starry had gotten herself into. He thought she had made her bed and now had to lie in it. Yet, deep down, Peterson was troubled, especially when haunted by dreams at midnight. He would see Starry with a bruised face, begging him for help. Sleep would elude him, and he''d find himself standing by the window, gazing at the room across the yard where Starry lived before her ill-fated marriage. His memories were filled with the dream version of Starry, clutching his hand, pleading, "Peterson, save me, I''m dying... pleasee save me..." He couldn''t fathom what these nightmares meant until he heard the news of Starry''s suicide attempt. That''s when he realized the depths of despair she had been living in. Since marrying n, Starry had been enduring domestic abuse. When it became unbearable, she would seek refuge with the Sharp family, but Peterson''s mother, citing familial bonds, would urge her to endure, to avoid divorce, and explicitly warned her not to tell Peterson. Starry had no choice but to suffer in silence until n''s behavior escted. Not only did he have affairs, but he also grew more violent, using Starry of meddling and then beating her, starting with fists and escting to weapons. Their eight-year-old daughter was not spared either. After a particrly brutal beating that left the child convulsing, Starry mustered all her strength to resist n. In the struggle, Starry decided she''d had enough and pulled n towards the balcony, intending to end it all. But n, with his superior strength, grabbed the railing and stayed up, while Starry fell, breaking he leg. The incident blew up, making headlines, and it was only then that the Sharp family realized the torment Starry had endured. Peterson, upon learning the truth, went to n''s house with an iron rod and his face set in stone. Without a word, he let his bodyguards restrain n and proceeded to shatter n''s legs and, in a pretended ident, castrated him. After delivering this retribution, Peterson warned n that this was the price for harming his sister. n pressed charges, but Peterson got him imprisoned for domestic violence. Peterson himself spent a short time behind bars before being released. Once free, he hunted down n''s family business like a mad dog until he devoured their entire enterprise. After settling the score, Peterson hesitated but eventually mustered the courage to visit Starry in the hospital. Coincidentally, he overheard a conversation between his mother and Starry, revealing that his mother had been the one meddling in his affairs all along. Enraged, Peterson confronted his mother, and after a heated argument, he asserted his authority as the head of the Sharp family and warned her to stay out of his business or forget their mother-son rtionship. His mother ended up in the hospital from the stress, and Derrick, realizing the advice Yates Sharp had given him before his death, began to persuade Peterson''s mother to let Peterson be. Peterson, who had decided to be single, found his heart aching unbearably at the sight of Starry''s deste figure in the hospital bed, staring out the window as if life held no more charm for her. He pushed open the door to her room and stepped inside. "I sentwyers to file for your divorce. You''re no longer tied to that bastard." Starry turned her gaze from the window, looking worn and fragile after the storm she had weathered, a stark contrast to Peterson''s poised and polished demeanor. "Thank you," she said, the only words that seemed to fit the moment. Peterson, standing at the foot of her bed, was equally at a loss for words. They remained silent, letting time quietly slip by. Chapter 1504 After lingering by the hospital room for what seemed like an eternity, Peterson mustered the courage to pull up a chair beside the bed and slowly took a seat. The moment he sat down, their eyes inevitably met. Starry, feeling the weight of the moment, cast her gaze downward, unable to meet his stare. Peterson, however, reached out, gently grasping her wrist. "You''re divorced now, do you want to be with me?" Starry''s eyes welled up with tears as she looked down at his slender fingers resting on her wrist. Touched by his offer despite her broken state, she wondered how she, a divorced woman with a child, could possibly deserve a man like Peterson, who''d never even been touched by scandal. "Peterson." Her voice was light, almost teasing as she pushed his hand away. "I think it''s better if I just stay your little sister." She didn''t put herself down, but her gentle, distant tone was a clear refusal, as if she had never harbored any feelings for him at all, as calm as a passing cloud.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. "I''ve always seen you as a brother, so even if your mother hadn''t pressured me into marriage, you and I could never have been together." Peterson peered into her smiling eyes, searching for a lie, but found them serene, undisturbed. After a long silence, Peterson nodded slightly, letting go of her wrist. He straightened his suit and rose from the chair, "Forget what I said just now." As Peterson walked away, Starry covered her face, crying uncontrobly. She knew her decision was right. A man like Peterson deserved someone better. Upon her discharge from the hospital, Starry returned to her home, raising her daughter alone. Thankfully, she had her own career and, with her sister-inw Faustina''s help, she soon left the heartache behind Starry and Peterson''s paths, which had seemed to run parallel, never to cross again, intersected unexpectedly at a cocktail party where someone hadced Peterson''s drink with a potent substance. At the party, Starry was also present. Through the crowd, Peterson''s eyes found hers. Unable to wait for a doctor, he asked his secretary to call for Starry. Known for his restraint, Peterson asked for her consent as soon as she entered the room. When she declined, suggesting he wait for medical help, he pulled her back just as she turned to leave, pinning her against the door. Fighting the effects of the drug, he looked deep into her eyes. "That day, you said you didn''t want to be with me, and yet you cried after I left. It''s clear you feel unworthy because you''ve been married and have a child. But, Starry," he said, taking her chin in his hand, drawing her closer, "I don''t mind at all. I would even treat your daughter as my own. All you have to do is choose to be with me." Inhaling the scent of alcohol mixed with the fresh fragrance from his shirt, the love Starry had kept hidden for years surged uncontrobly. "So, you knew everything." His eyes clouded with desire, he nodded. "I know everything. So, what''s on your mind?" Starry''s mind was a whirlwind. Her daughter was already so big, and Peterson had never been married. There was no reason to think she wasn''t good enough for him. But as she hesitated, Peterson leaned in and kissed her. Perhaps spurred by the drug, once Peterson touched Starry, he couldn''t stop. In the frenzied rush of tearing at clothes, with eyes red with longing, he made a solemn vow: "I will marry you." At first, Starry felt unworthy, even thinking her touch would taint Peterson. But as she witnessed the release of his years of restraint and longing, her resistance faded. After iming her, Peterson, as if afraid to let her slip away, immediately set a wedding date and sent an invitation to Eleanor, asking her to bring his nephew back to Canada for the wedding... Chapter 1505 Eleanor held the wedding invitation in her hands, a smile of relief spreading across her face as she read the name of the bride. Peterson, the middle child of the family, was finally getting his heart''s desire. The wedding was a spectacle fit for a fairy tale, set on a night where the moonlight spilled across the castle''swn, illuminating the grandeur within. Inside, the celebration of the century was unfolding. Peterson, the groom, stood tall and handsome in a tailor-made ck tuxedo, a white rose pinned to hispel, his gaze fixed on the bride with eyes brimming with love. Starry, the bride, was radiant in a white gown that seemed to be worth a kingdom''s ransom, adorned with countless sparkling diamonds that glittered under the lights like a constetion brought to earth. The venue was packed with guests from around the globe, the air buzzing with lively chatter, the scent of fine cuisine, and the clink of wine sses-a perfect night in every way. As the string quartet yed a melodious tune, Peterson took Starry''s hand and led her to the altar. They exchanged rings, recited their vows, and then... Peterson cradled the back of Starry''s head and kissed her deeply, the kind of kiss that seemed to dere to the world the years of patient waiting. After the kiss, he turned to the little flower girl beside them, Starry''s daughter Beth, and said, "Do you ept me as your stepfather, Beth?" Beth, who had grown up fearing the role of ''father'' due to her own father''s violence towards her and her mom, felt differently about Peterson. He had always been kind to her, discreetly slipping her money, visiting her at school. She knew her "Uncle Peterson" cared for her mother, even if he wasn''t good at showing it. Now that he was finally with her mom, she, as their daughter, naturally offered them her blessing. Under Peterson''s steady hand, Beth nodded with a smile, "Then I''ll start calling you ''Daddy'' from now on." Peterson''s lips curled into a smile, his eyes shining with happiness as he shifted his gaze from Beth to Starry, whose face was streaked with tears. Gently cleaning her tears, he pulled her into his embrace... As they held each other, fireworks burst in the sky outside the castle, their brilliant colors illuminating the night, mingling with the moonlight and stars to cast a magical glow over the family of three at the altar. Beneath such a beautiful tapestry, Peterson, with one arm around Starry and the other holding Beth''s hand, looked up at the night sky with his family. In that moment, he silently marveled at how steadfast love could really bring about the waiting heart''s desire...Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Eleanor, watching from the guests'' area, also smiled through tears. The atmosphere made her cousin''s long-awaited union with the woman he loved seem overwhelmingly touching. Bernard, a mountain of calm beside her, nced at the fireworks but kept his eyes mostly on her. Seeing her cry, he couldn''t help but chuckle, "You weren''t this moved at my wedding." Though he teased her with his words, his fingers tenderly cleaned her tears, his affectionate touch outshining even Peterson''s disy. Eleanor grabbed a tissue, blew her nose, and looked up to retort, "As if you were so moved when we got married." Their banter caught the attention of the most prominent local noble, who leaned in and asked, "Are you two on your second marriage?" Embarrassed, Eleanor lowered her head, but Bernard raised an eyebrow meaningfully and nced at her, "Second marriage... hardly." The nobleman seemed puzzled, "So... a third marriage?" With a protective gesture, Bernard pulled Eleanor close, "My only marriage." The noble''s gaze then turned to Eleanor, "And for you, a third?" Her head nestled in Bernard''s embrace, she couldn''t quite lift it to respond, "Suppose so..." Before the noble could inquire further, he met Bernard''s stern gaze, enough to silence any more questions. Eleanor patted the hand Bernard had around her waist, "Don''t be so fierce, or you might upset the groom and cause a scene." Bernard snorted dismissively, the look in his eyes as scornful as Damian''s, who was seated beside them. Damian''s disdain, however, wasn''t directed at the noble but at Serenina Ziegler, a restless twelve-year-old known as Nina. She was constantly summoning servers for more delicacies and drinks, munching and sipping away, all the while pestering Damian to join her. Frustrated to the brink, Damian tried to leave several times but was always pushed back into his seat by Bernard''s firm hand, "The wedding isn''t over yet, sit tight." Despite his father''s strength, Damian could only slouch back, eagerly wishing for the ceremony to end. But the wedding was only at the bouquet toss, with a photo session with the guests still toe. It was a long way from over. In Damian''s moment of agony, little Beth stepped down from the altar... The bouquet toss had nothing to do with a young girl like her, so she returned to her seat among the guests, conveniently ced next to Nina. Chapter 1506 Beth settled into her chair, relief washing over her after standing on stage for so long. Just then, Nina bounded over with a te of frosted cupcakes, her smile as bright as the treats themselves. "Dollface, you must be famished after that performance. Have a cupcake." Beth was a pretty little girl, with her golden locks, sky-blue eyes, and aplexion as fair as fresh snow. Her high-bridged nose and those deep blue orbs were like a tranquilke capable of capturing the entire night sky. To Nina, Beth was nothing short of a living doll, and she secretly wished she could be as slender and pretty. But Nina had been indulged by her aunt and uncle to the point of chubbiness. Now at twelve, with no sign of a growth spurt, she feared she might always be on the plump side. With this thought, the allure of the cupcakes vanished. Nina pushed the whole te towards Beth. "I''m starting my diet now. You can finish them off for me." Beth offered a polite but hesitant smile, epting the treats. "Nina, you''re not fat at all, you''re absolutely adorable." Nina grinned, "Adorable is just a nice way of saying chubby..." Beth''s smile faltered, and she quickly excused herself, "Sorry, I didn''t mean that way..." While Nina was the picture of carefree youth, Beth, four years her junior, seemed more cautious, almost as if she carried a sense of inferiority. This was likely because she had learned, at a tender age, how to appease others with her words and felt an immediate fear and guilt if she failed to please.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. This behavior stemmed from a childhood marred by harsh discipline. Nina, who knew of Beth''s past, patted her shoulder reassuringly. "I''m just teasing you. You could even call me a little chubster and I wouldn''t mind..." Beth remained apologetic, and Nina, hoping to brighten her mood, decided to fetch a sparkler. Before standing up, she called out to her uncle, "Uncle Bernard, I''m just going to grab a sparkler, I''ll be right back..." Bernard nodded, and seeing this, Damian tried to slip away too but was stopped by Bernard''s firm hand on his chest. "Nina knows how to stay put. You, on the other hand, will stay seated." Damian turned away, frustrated, and caught Beth''s eye. She shed a kind smile at him, "Hello..." Damian nced at her as if she were simple-minded and quickly looked away, leaving Beth feeling awkward and unsure. She had done nothing but be polite, so why did it seem like the children from the Sharp family didn''t like her? Beth nervously fidgeted with her dress sleeve while stealing nces at Damian. He seemed like a sculpture of ice to her, exuding a presence more intimidating than hers, despite being three years her junior. His silence only added to his aura of indifference, leaving Beth to wonder what sort of person he would grow up to be. Damian, feeling the intense gaze from beside him, turned and icily met her eyes. "Keep staring and I''ll pluck out your eyeballs." Beth recoiled in shock, her heart skipping a beat as she quickly looked away. Seeing her shake with fear, Damian let out a coldugh. When Nina returned with the sparkler, the wedding hade to an end. Peterson led Starry down from the altar to avish carriage waiting to spirit them away from the castle. The Sharp family rtives took Beth home. She didn''t dare to look at Damian again, but Nina rushed forward, handing her the sparkler and embracing her warmly. "Little Beth, the past is behind you. You''re going to be happy, keep your chin up!" Encouraged by Nina''s words, Beth hugged her back, grateful for the friendship they shared. It was a bond that had formed instantly in their youth and promised tost a lifetime. "Serenina, time to go home," called Bernard in his cool voice. Reluctantly, Nina let go of Beth. "My uncle has my number, remember to give me a call." With that, Nina ran back to Bernard, who was holding Damian''s hand and had his arm around Eleanor. As Nina squeezed in, Bernard brushed her off, but Eleanor took her by the hand. Beth watched, a slight smile curving her lips. Perhaps one day, she''d be as carefree as Nina, yfully vying for attention from her uncle, who was more of a father to her than her own. She hoped that even if her mother had more children, she would still have a ce in her stepdad''s heart. As she dreamt of her happy future, Damian''s figure in a little suit drifted into her gaze. No specific thoughts crossed her mind, just a single wish that her mother''s future children would be nothing like Damian. Chapter 1507 Peterson''s wedding was over, Eleanor packed up with the two kids and after crashing at the Sharps'' for a few days, they headed back to their homnd. Life resumed its usual pace. The only hitch was the silent tension between father and son, but otherwise, things were running pretty smoothly. George, Pearce Hooper, and Evelyn Ziegler would asionally drop in to visit Nina. Fate had intertwined their lives because of her, and they''d often bump into each other. Eventually, they just teamed up, making it a ritual to check in on her together. Pearce was still the same old dude, gaming, collecting gold, living thatid-back cker life. But at the same time, he ran Ethan and Emilia''spany like a tight ship. To avoid hopping between countries, Pearce merged the two family businesses and set up shop right where Emilia and Ethan''s love story began. He rechristened it E&E Architecture Inc., thepany''s brochure a testament to a top-tier designers'' romance. Thanks to his marketing, everyone knew their story. Some felt bad for Emilia, others mourned Ethan''s loss. There was a lot of back and forth, but no one could really judge the timing of their love - one arrived too early, the other toote. As for George, he was getting on in years and had hung up his scalpel. After passing on his wisdom to his students, he embraced the good life - fishing, sipping coffee, and soaking up nature''s splendor. His one constant was the annual pilgrimage with Pearce and Evelyn to see Nina. George''s life was uplicated, free from the pursuit of a partner. The trio had its share of heartache, especially Evelyn. She didn''t live to see Nina grow up; cancer took her down. Chemo was hell, and she chose euthanasia. Before she passed, she left the Hooper and Ziegler fortunes to Nina. At twelve, Nina became the third richest girl in A Country, set for life. On Evelyn''s final day, Eleanor brought Nina to say goodbye. The once haughty and imperious Evelyn was now a shadow of her former self, her hair gone, her face marked, and her body wasted away. Knowing Nina wasing, she put on makeup, trying to mask the exhaustion in her eyes. Even so, when she saw Nina, she managed a gentle smile. "Nina..." Her trembling hand reached out, gripping Nina''s arm. "Granny made many mistakes in her youth, hurt your mother, harmed your father. I''m sorry to them, and to you..." Nina had let go of her disdain for Evelyn over the years. Now, seeing her close to death, she felt a pang of sadness. "I can''t forgive you on behalf of my parents, but for myself, I forgive you." Evelyn''s eyes welled up. "Serenina, could you call me Granny, just once?" Nina had never called her Granny. Evelyn had never expected it, but facing the end, she longed to hear it. Nina tried, but the word "Granny" wouldn''te out. Evelyn didn''t push. She touched Nina''s hand softly. "If you can''t, it''s okay. Don''t trouble yourself..." She then turned to Eleanor. "Thank you for raising her so well."N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Evelyn was at peace knowing Ethan''s child had turned out so kind. She was ready to let go. After sharing her final words, Evelyn asked Eleanor and Nina to step out. The doctor came in and shortly after, they were called back. Nina thought it was a treatment, but the doctor had administered the euthanasia drugs. By the time they returned, Evelyn had passed. Nina ran to the bedside, grabbed Evelyn''s hand, and sobbed out, "Granny!" Perhaps it was Eleanor''s imagination, but as Nina cried out, a serene smile seemed to grace Evelyn''s lips, as if she was finally at peace. They say hearing is thest sense to go. Maybe Evelyn heard Nina call her Granny, and that was enough. At Evelyn''s funeral, it was Nina who held the urn. She wasid to rest in the Ziegler family plot, away from Ethan and Emilia, by her own wish - she didn''t want to disturb them in death as she had in life. Chapter 1508 Afterying Evelyn to rest, Eleanor took Nina to visit Emilia''s grave. As they approached the tombstone and began to pay their respects, a light drizzle began to fall. Bernard, who was waiting outside the cemetery, however, produced a ck umbre and left Damian locked in the car, venturing alone into the graveyard to shield the women from the rain. Damian leaned his small, delicate face against the car window, a hint of anger in his eyes. He promised himself that the next time they came to pay respects, he would bolt like a wild mustang, running off so fast that even his father wouldn''t know what to do with him. After the memorial for both Emilia and Ethan, Eleanor took Nina to Panama to visit Liana''s grave. Eleanor made it a point to pay her respects every year, and when Damian was just two, she taught him to call Liana "Auntie." By the age of five, Damian was ustomed to the ritual. He gently ced chrysanthemums on the grave and, touching Liana''s portrait, obediently called out "Auntie." Then, seizing a moment when Bernard was distracted, he dashed off like a runaway mustang. He didn''t get far before arge hand caught the back of his shirt, hoisting him back to where he started. Damian''s small face drooped, utterly unhappy. When Will Webb saw him, he raised his gentle hand to pat Damian''s head. "After we finish paying our respects, how about I take you to the study and teach you some medical knowledge?" Damian quite likeding to Panama, mainly because of Uncle Will, who would share fascinating medical knowledge with him. Even if he didn''t understand it all, he was eager to learn. Hearing Will''s offer to go to the study, Damian calmed down and behaved. Damian was usually quiet, speaking up only when something genuinely interested him. Otherwise, he carried an air of disdain, as if his nose was turned up at the world. Yet, he learned whatever he could from the people around him. He picked up Elbert''s knack for gambling, Robin''s skill in managing subordinates, Peterson''s marksmanship, Cedric Laurence''sputer expertise, and Will''s medical acumen. He was keen on Aidyn Reyes and Scott''sbat skills too, absorbing all he could, though at his young age, integration of these skills was beyond his reach. Damian recognized the talents of those around him, but he couldn''t see any in his father, other than his dad''s relentless disys of affection for his mother and his father''s efforts to send Damian away so he could have her all to himself. He certainly couldn''t adopt his father''s skill in passionate kissing. Instead, Damian found ways to feign difort, trying to separate what seemed like inseparable lovebirds.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. But this tactic only worked at night. During the day, Damian was often overshadowed by his father''s presence. Only at night did Damian enjoy the luxury of undivided attention. Seated cross-legged on the study floor, Damian listened intently as Will, sitting across from him, flipped through a medical textbook, exining theories and asionally being interrupted by Damian''s insightfu questions. Will was reminded of Tyler Howell, who as a child, also disyed a knack for uncovering issues in medicine-a sure sign of genius. Looking at the five-year-old Damian, Will couldn''t resist ruffling his hair. "Dame, you''re so smart. When you grow up, you could be a genius doctor like Uncle Tyler..." Damian respected those he considered impressive, and even though he disliked it, he tolerated the heavy hand on his head and replied, "I don''t want to be a doctor..." Surprised, Will held up the book and asked, "Aren''t you pestering me about medical knowledge because you''re interested in healing and helping people?" Damian shrugged off Will''s hand and said nonchntly, "They''re not my family. Why should I care about healing others?" Damian''s cold indifference was bone-deep, making Will wonder if the boy had some form of heightened emotional detachment. "Then, Dame, what do you want to be when you grow up?" Damian furrowed his little brows and looked at Will with determination. "I am who I am. Why do I have to be something when I grow up?" Will was taken aback by the response. Damian''s individuality and intelligence were clear signs he was anything but detached. Understanding this, Will stopped pressing with pointless questions and instead focused on imparting the medical knowledge Damian could grasp. Each year, Eleanor''s family would stay on the ind for a while and pay respect to Liana. Will would warmly host them and teach Damian activities like rowing. But the hardest part was always saying goodbye. After Bernard helped Eleanor onto the boat, he scooped up Damian and perched him on his shoulder. With a slight turn, he let Damian wave farewell to Will... Watching the ship sail away, Will raised his hand in a teary goodbye. Despite the heartache of parting, such is the nature of life-people and their stories eventually muste to an end. Chapter 1509 On the anniversary of Liana''s passing, it was soon Caleb''s, and the couple, along with their children, set off for Greenwood Cemetery. No sooner had their ck Lincoln pulled to a stop than Damian caught sight of a fawn darting out from the woods. Whether it was the thrill of the chase or a bid to wriggle free from Bernard''s watchful eye, the young boy pushed open the car door and bolted into the forest the moment the adults were distracted. Eleanor, seeing her son''s sudden dash, hurriedly exited the car and gave chase, while Bernard, seated inside, simply waved his hand. Aidyn and Scott immediately got out and followed Eleanor and Damian. Bernard gazed toward the distant graveyard, lost in a silent reverie, before stepping out of the car. He opened the trunk, retrieved a bouquet of chrysanthemums, and made his way to Caleb''s gravestone, where he bent down to ce the flowers. "Caleb, I''ve brought the kids to see you again." The same opening words every year, followed by standing solemnly at the gravestone, staring at the now-yellowing photograph of Caleb, and imagining. Imagining if Caleb were still alive, would he dote on his son like Aidyn and Scott did, indulging him to no end? He thought Caleb would have been even more indulgent-scooping up his son, perching him on his shoulders, letting little rascal Damian climb all over him... But Caleb was gone, and Bernard could only conjure up a blurry vision of how Caleb might have held his son''s hand, strolling down a street bathed in the glow of a setting sun, their shadows stretching behind them. And even though it was just a vision, Bernard cherished it deeply, tinged with the regret that over time, one could truly forget a person''s face... It was as if the final credits of a movie had rolled; everything became ethereal, faces disappearing into the river of time... As Bernard stood by the gravestone, lost in memories andmenting his fading recollection of Caleb''s face, a figure d in a ck coat and a beret, leading a boy and a girl, entered the cemetery from another gate... Bernard recognized the neer at a nce. Fearing that his presence might stir Katharine Spencer''s painful memories, he touched Caleb''s gravestone onest time and swiftly left the cemetery by another path... Meanwhile, Eleanor emerged from the woods with Damian and returned to the car, not seeing Bernard around, she assumed he had gone ahead. She asked Aidyn to bring the basket of chrysanthemums and, taking Damian by the hand, headed straight for the graveyard...Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Upon entering, she did not find Bernard but brushed past a woman in a beret who was walking briskly with her head down... At the time, Eleanor was too preupied with scolding Damian for running off to notice the woman leading a boy and a girl... It was only when she arrived at Caleb''s gravestone and saw two bouquets of chrysanthemums on the ground that she realized who the woman with the beret was. Eleanor quickly turned, searching for Katharine''s figure among the countless headstones, but her silhouette, like a fleeting visitor, had vanished into the dense woods, never to look back... Katharine had indeed seen Bernard and heard Eleanor''s voice-but she pretended not to. Not for any particr reason other than at this moment, she had clearly distinguished between Caleb and Zephyr rk... She felt she owed Caleb an apology and was ashamed to see those who knew him. After all, she was the one who professed her love for Caleb, and yet she was also the one who married another man and bore his children. What right did she have to face those who had once known Caleb? Katharine fled from Eleanor and the others, and after each annual visit to Caleb''s grave, they would try to visit Katharine and Zephyr. Yet, each time, the couple was either conveniently out of the country or not at home. Whether it was intentional avoidance or simply missed opportunities, such urrences piled up, leading to an unspoken understanding that they might never cross paths again.... There''s a saying that acquaintances who drift apart will seldom meet if they don''t deliberately keep in touch. Such was the case with these two couples... Chapter 1510 Sigrid Laurence was getting older, and her spinster status was giving Latonia a serious case of the jitters. Worried that Sigrid might miss the boat on motherhood, Latonia was on a mission, With Cedric''s help, setting her up with different men. But Sigrid wasn''t having any of it. If she wasn''t t-out refusing, she''d politely decline during the dates themselves. After a string of such encounters, her patience wore thin, and she made a point to return to the family estate, telling Latonia to knock it off with the matchmaking. Sigrid rarely visited home, and when she did, it was usually because her father, Quin Laurence, feigned illness to lure her back. Clearly, she still harbored a grudge over past grievances and wasn''t about to forgive Latonia anytime soon. Latonia, growing more regretful by the day, would shrink in Sigrid''s presence, meek as a mouse, whispering, "Sigrid, you''ll regret it if you end up alone and childless in your old age. Loneliness isn''t a trifle, you know..." Lounging on the couch, Sigrid scoffed, "Like parent, like child, they say. I''d rather not have kids than risk bing a spiteful mother who can''t help but tear her family apart. Better no kids than passing on that kind of legacy and cursing another generation." The barbed words didn''t escape Latonia, a seasoned socialite well-versed in reading between the lines. She knew she was at fault for past wrongs and bit her tongue, murmuring, "Sigrid, darling, I just want to see you happily married before my timees." Sigrid''s lips curled into a sardonic smile. "Funny you should say that now. You weren''t so supportive when I was with Chase McCall, were you? You schemed behind my back to split us up, and now you''re pushing me to marry? How do you have the nerve?" Stung into silence by Sigrid''s usation, Latonia was reminded that the errors of our ways oftene back to haunt us. She never imagined the payback woulde so swiftly and from her own flesh and blood. The emotional chokehold was tangible as she clutched at her chest, staring at the stoic figure of her niece. After a long pause, Latonia ventured again, "I heard... you might have developed feelings for someone else. How''s that going?" Despite everything, even if Sigrid cursed her for life and never forgave her, Latonia wished for her to find someone to lean on, to give her peace, even in death. Sigrid''s grip on her phone tightened slightly before she denied, "He''s not interested, so drop it." After a beat, she locked eyes with Latonia, her gaze icy, "This life, I''m doomed to love without being loved in return. Stop meddling in my affairs!" With that, Sigrid stood up and strode out, leaving Latonia to sigh at the sight of her stubborn retreating figure. The day Sigrid returned to B City, the skies opened up, and rain poured down. She braved the storm to her ce, a solitary figure, and cooked herself some spaghetti. Sitting cross-legged by the window, she stared out at the relentless rain, her mind reying the rejection by Jason Clowers three years prior... Back then, Jason was reading in the garden when Sigrid, captivated by his pristine aura, approached him. She bent down, mustering the courage like she once did with Chase, and confessed her feelings. But the memory was hazy now, though the chill of Jason''s demeanor when he looked up from his book was crystal clear. Sigrid remembered what he said: ''Ms. Laurence, starting today, please refrain from visiting my home. Any medical expenses will be fully settled by Colter Clowers."" She had hoped that their closepanionship would have sparked some affection in Jason, or at least gratitude. But he was ruthless, seeing her only as a physical therapist and a psychiatrist, a cold transactional rtionship. When feelings got involved, he cut her off, refusing her treatments and even her presence. Sigrid had stubbornly proposed staying by his side for three years, believing he might grow to love her, but Jason was adamant. He loved only one, he had said. Sigrid challenged him, and he agreed, perhaps to rid himself of her persistence. Now, three years on, Jason''s love for Eleanor remained unshaken, proving it irreceable by any woman. Sigrid conceded defeat, keeping her promise to cease all disturbances. Yet sometimes, she''d drive by Jason''s estate, staring at the courtyard house from afar, lost in thought, wondering why she had ever fallen for Jason Clowers. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Chapter 1511 She pondered for a moment, and realized it must have been Jason''s unwavering love for Eleanor that impressed her. Just for Eleanor''s wish to see him stand, even though Jason had lost his zest for life, he gritted his teeth and bore the excruciating treatments, coordinating with doctors, summoning all his strength to rise from his wheelchair... Major depressive disorder would have crushed anyone else, but Jason, to alleviate Eleanor''s guilt, endured and clung to life, even though in the dead of night he had often been so tormented he wished to give up. But when he awoke, he would remind himself that he needed to keep living... Sigrid found such a man, so deeply devoted, to be precious, and without realizing it, she gradually fell for him. But she never considered whether it was the man she liked or the desire to have such a pure affection... While she was fervently falling for Jason, Chase was silently trailing behind Sigrid, watching how she slowly fell for someone else... It rained that night, and Chase, who lived quietly across the street, drew back his curtains. Through the veil of descending rain, he watched Sigrid sitting alone in front of her floor-to-ceiling window, slurping spaghetti... Afraid of being discovered by Sigrid, he didn''t dare to turn on the lights. So there he was, like a mouse unredeemed in the dark, hiding in the shadows, quietly observing her every move. He knew his behavior was twisted, but this was the only way he could stay close to her. Chase truly loved Sigrid, to the extent that it consumed his days and nights, distracted him from his meals, and even when he was diagnosed with stomach cancer, he chose to spend his remaining time by Sigrid''s side, protecting her silently, even if she never knew... After finishing her food, Sigrid sat by the window for a while before getting up to return to her room. The lights in the living room dimmed, blurring everything into darkness. Chase stood still for a long time before reaching for the light switch and then sitting in the bright living room, waiting for the person across to wake up. The process of Sigrid moving on from Jason was painful, but not as much as when she had to let go of Chase years ago. It was just a few months of sleeping with a heavy heart, and when she woke up, everything felt distant, a testament to an adult''s self-control. When Sigrid stopped investing her energy in Jason, she returned to her studio and started preparing for a craft show. At one exhibition, a neer giarized her work and even had the audacity to use her of the theft... With no other choice, Sigrid had to hire awyer. Deliberately avoiding Chase''s firm, she was baffled when everywyer seemed to refuse her case. In her moment of worry, Chase knocked on the door of her studio... Seeing Chase''s gaunt and pale cheeks, Sigrid frowned instinctively. "Didn''t we agree not to see each other anymore? What are you doing here?" Chase, his body weak from the advanced stage of his illness, walked into her office and pulled out a business card from his suit pocket, handing it to her: "Ms. Laurence, heard the retainer''s quite generous. Naturally, I came to offer my services." Sigrid nced at the business card, her indifferent gaze lifting back to Chase''s profound eyes. "Mr. Chase, I don''t think youck the little money I offered?" Chase ced the card on the table, pressed his thin fingers upon it, and slid it towards her. "Since no otherwyer will take your case, Ms. Laurence, why not let go of the past and give me another chance?" She understood the subtext of his words but pretended not to, firmly rejecting him: "Mr. Chase, there''s no bad blood between us." Each time she addressed him as "Mr. Chase," was like a dull pain in his heart. The little girl who couldn''t live without him had turned into a Sigrid who was happier without him. He never knew that herck of love for him could make him feet as if he''d rather be dead... Fortunately, his terminal illness would soon free him from this pain, allowing him to leave peacefully. But before he departed, he couldn''t bear to see Sigrid, who once loved him enough to die for, being mistreated... Chase masked his pain with a pale smile, "We might have our issues, but I never lose a case, Sigrid. Trust me, I''ll ensure that the giarist pays dearly." "I don''t doubt your skills; I just don''t want any more ties with you..."N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Her words were blunt and hurtful, stabbing into Chase''s heart with each utterance. He watched Sigrid''s clear, lovely face silently for a long while, then his gaze fell, his eyes forlornly fixed on his palm which seemed too heavy to lift... "Soon, you won''t have any ties with me anymore..." His voice was barely a whisper, and Sigrid didn''t catch it. "What did you say?" Chase closed his hand, looking up with a smile, "I said, once I win your case, I won''t bother you anymore. Then there won''t be any more ties." Chapter 1512 Sigrid was reluctant to hand the case over to Chase, but now she was cornered by the giarist''s provocations, which had made headlines. The court of public opinion turned against her, with countless uninformedizens branding her a copycat and even tarnishing the reputation of the Laurence family. Sigrid had no desire to engage in online spats and had no choice but to seek legal counsel, hoping to share the court''s verdict with the public. To her dismay,wyers were turning her away, all except for Chase... She suspected Chase had pulled some strings. After all, as a high-poweredwyer, he had the means. She didn''t call him out, though. Instead, after much hesitation, she reached for the business card on the table, "I hope that after this case... we never see each other again."This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Chase''s eyes glistened with tears as a smile of relief slowly surfaced. "Ms. Laurence, rest assured, after this case, I''ll be out of your life..." It wasn''t that he didn''t want to see her; he simply wouldn''t have the chance. He hoped that after he was gone, Sigrid could live happily ever after, free from the turmoil his presence caused. With that thought in mind, Chase rose from his chair reluctantly. "During the trial, I''ll need some evidence from you. Don''t me me for showing up often..." Sigrid merely nodded, giving Chase no reason to stay. He mustered his strength and left. Watching his gaunt figure fade away, Sigrid had a fleeting thought that Chase might not be long for this world. She quickly dismissed the notion and returned her focus to the craft she was working on... Since Chase needed to gather evidence, he had every right to visit Sigrid''s studio. Each visit was short on business and long on invitations to dinner or coffee, sometimes staying until midnight under the pretext of escorting her home. Gradually, Sigrid''s resistance to Chase''s presence weakened, though she still longed for the case to conclude swiftly. Chase, sensing her urgency and thought it showed her disdain of him, hastened the legal proceedings. On the day of the trial, afraid that medication would make him drowsy, Chase went without. This might have been why he was found before the hearing, slumped over a toilet in the restroom, vomiting blood uncontrobly... When Sigrid couldn''t find him, she was informed by one of Chase''s students that he hadn''t left the restroom. Summoning her courage, she ced an "Out of Order" sign at the door and, click-cking in her high heels, went to find him. Content belongs to NovelDrama.Org The moment she entered, the heavy scent of blood hit her, and she called out with a creased brow, "Chase, are you there?" Cleaning his mouth with tissue and flushing away the blood, Chase responded with a shaky voice, "I''m here." As Sigrid approached the stall, her hand poised to knock, she hesitated and withdrew. "We''re about to start the trial. Why are you still in here?" Chase, pale as a ghost and bleeding from the nose, still managed to apologize, "Sorry, I must have eaten something bad this morning. Don''t worry, I won''t dy the trial." After a brief pause, Sigrid advised him to hurry and left... The fading sound of her heels left Chase in tears. Once upon a time, she would have burst in at the slightest sign of trouble. Now... Chase managed a feeble smile. It was his own doing, he had pushed her away so cruelly years ago. Her indifference was warranted. Chase took his medication to stop the bleeding, washed his face, swapped his suit jacket with the help of a student, and gathered his strength to face the court. Dressed sharply in his suit and ck tie, he shone in the courtroom, rendering the opposing counsel speechless. It was a sight Sigrid had never seen before. She had yfully clung to him when he chose to studyw, vowing to be the first to watch Chase in court. But before his first trial, he had pushed her away in the most brutal way... The memory of Chase being with another woman, even yearster when she knew it wasn''t true, haunted her like a nightmare. Sigrid had a severe psychological scar one she never spoke of to anyone. Only she knew how painful the memories buried in her heart were. Thewsuit ended as Chase had promised, swiftly and in their favor. Sigrid posted the verdict online without a word, merely a photo of the court''s decree ofpensation. It was a clean, triumphant ov vindication. Chapter 1513 The courtroom had cleared, its final verdict severing thest thread between Chase and Sigrid. Leaning heavily on the attorney''s desk, Chase peered over the sea of bustling suits to catch a glimpse of Sigrid as she rose to leave... His lips parted, yearning to call out to her, "Sigrid, onest goodbye," but no sound could escape his throat... Chase finally copsed, right there on the floor of the courtroom he loved so dearly, with no regrets, save for the piercing one: the woman who had burrowed deep into his bones had never once looked back at him... Chase''s body gave in, and he found himself in a hospital room, tubes running in and out of him like a grim marite. He made his students promise not to tell Sigrid. "Why endure this alone?" they asked. Gazing out at the pallid sky, he replied, "I pushed her away first, how could I expect her to look back?" Yet, when the doctor grimly announced he had merely three days left, Chase yanked out the tubes, dressed in his sharpest suit, and had his students drive him to Sigrid''s studio. Sigrid had been working tirelessly, nights on end, carving a masterpiece from exhaustion. The effort took its toll, and she copsed into a deep sleep atop her drafting table. When Chase entered, the other artisans respectfully made their exit, giving him space. Out of gratitude for his help with thewsuit, they were willing to y matchmakers for him and Sigrid, unaware that Chase no longer had the luxury of time.... The sun shone that day, bathing Sigrid in a soft golden glow, stark against Chase''s shadowed figure. It was like a cruel metaphor: one destined for the light, the other doomed to darkness... How could a creature of the sun ever mingle with one from the underworld? Even when Sigridter opened her heart to another, only to be rejected, Chase had no chance to hold her hand, to fulfill the promise of their youth to grow old together... Chase couldn''t bear it. Every time he saw her, he was on the verge of tears. What could he do with just three days left? He could only stand there, an imbecile, watching Sigrid sleep peacefully... Knowing this was their final encounter, he mustered his courage, leaned closer, and like a thief in the warmth of the sun''s embrace, he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips... Sigrid awoke at his touch, but instead of a p or an outcry, she remained still, feigning sleep... The touch, light as it was, opened a floodgate of pain in Chase''s heart, bringing tears to his eyes. Fearing he might wake her, he reluctantly broke the kiss... Before leaving, a single hot tear fell upon Sigrid''s cheek. Hershes fluttered, and thinking she might stir, Chase quickly straightened up and hurried away... He didn''t leave the building, though. He lingered just outside the door, waiting for Sigrid to emerge so he could feign nonchnce and say "The trial''s over, and you didn''t even buy me dinner as thanks. Guess I''ll have to invite myself over for a meal." But as time ticked by, Sigrid didn''te out. Inside, she considered following him, yet restrained herself, touching her cheek where his tear had fallen, then her lips, kissed by him...Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Confused about her feelings, she decided to resolve them before seeing Chase again. However, before she could sort her thoughts, Chase called. On the night of the kiss, his voice weak, he told Sigrid his ulcer had red up and asked her t¨¦e to the apartment across from hers. Learning that Chase had secretly lived opposite her for years, Sigrid''s anger boiled over. "You promised never to disturb me, never to meet again. Why live across from me?" In the dark night, blood soaking his shirt and the pristine sofa behind him, Chase offered a strained apology "Sigrid, I''m sorry. I think missed you too much. I couldn''t help moving across from you. Can you forgive me?" His plea for forgiveness wasn''t about him living across her, but Sigrid misunderstood, replying coldly, "You''re like a stalker, living across from me. How could I ever forgive you? Dream on!" Angry, she hung up on what would be Chase''sst call. Later, wanting to forgive him, Sigrid dialed his number countless times, but no one ever picked up, no one was there to whisper an apology ever again... Chapter 1514 Staring at the darkened screen, Chase''s heart was trembling with an uncontroble pain, blood trickling from his mouth as tears rolled down his cheeks... His entire body was in agony, and although he had thought the pain from cancer could overshadow the ache in his heart, as death drew near, he realized that the heartache was the one that was truly lethal... The doctors had given him three days, but since he had removed his tubes, wanting to see Sigrid onest time, his life expectancy had dwindled to just one day... He desperately wanted to see Sigrid before passing, but it was clear she wasn''ting back. With no expectations left, Chase gathered hisst bit of strength, picked up his phone, and tried to send her a message... Blood from his fingers smeared the phone, blurring the screen. Perhaps it was his confused state of mind that made it hard to see, but he managed to locate Sigrid''s number and, with trembling hands, he typed out three words... He didn''t know if he had hit the send button, only aware that suddenly his chest was constricted, choking his breath away. Uncontrobly, a surge of blood rushed to his throat and burst forth from his lips... The blood sttered across the screen... Chase looked at his blood-soaked phone with a sense of despair, managed a weak smile, andy back on the couch without any more consciousness...This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. As his vision faded, Chase saw a younger Sigrid running towards him with a smile... "Chase, will you marry me after you graduate?" Chase wanted to say ''yes'', but he couldn''t utter a word. He could only mouth silently, over and over: Yes, I''ll marry you after I graduate... He didn''t know when the illusion in front of him faded, only that at the moment it did, he whispered softly towards the empty space, "Sigrid, I can''t marry you in this life... maybe in the next one, okay?" No one answered him. In the empty living room, he was alone, as if abandoned by the whole world, alone in his arrival and alone in his death... After her shower, Sigrid checked her phone and saw a message from Chase, just three short words: [I love you] Without another word, Sigrid stared at the message before walking to the bay window, looking across to the living room that was always dark... After hesitating, she replied with a message of her own, ''Is your stomach-ache better?'' In the past, Chase would have responded immediately, or he would havee knocking at her door, but after a long silence, there was no reply. Thinking he had fallen asleep, Sigrid didn''t bother any further, put away her phone, and went to bed. Two dayster, the sound of police sirens filled theplex, and Sigrid felt a sense se of unease. She descended with everyone else to see what had happened, just in time to see two police officers pushing a gurney with a body covered by a white sheet out of the elevator across from her apartment... She hadn''t initially thought of Chase, but then she saw a hand slip from under the sheet, and she froze... After their breakup, Chase had carved a ring mark around his finger with a knife to make up for not being able to marry her. Bleeding, he had asked her for another chance to make up for his past mistakes. Sigrid, having crawled out of her emotional quagmire, had coldly rejected him. She couldn''t remember the look in his bloodshot eyes as he watched her leave, but even after so many years, she remembered that finger he had carved for her... Unable to believe it, she pushed through the crowd, crossed the police tape, and approached the covered body. She tried to lift the sheet with trembling fingers butcked the courage until she forced herself to slowly reveal the face beneath... A pallid face, devoid of any color, appeared before her. Sigrid''s grip on the sheet stiffened, and her blood seemed to turn to ice, sending shivers down her spine... She stared at the face for a long time and then, in disbelief, asked the nearby officer, "Who is he?" The officer looked at her with a surprised gaze as she asked the question and tears began to fall, "If you don''t recognize him, why uncover the sheet and disturb the peace?" Sigrid shook her head in a daze, "I... I can''t tell. The person I knew wouldn''t..." The officer exined, "This is the well-known Mr. Chase. He didn''t take his own life, he died of terminal cancer. It''s a pity, he was dead home for two days. If it wasn''t for his student finding him and calling the police, nobody would havee to im his body..." Dead at home for two days... Hearing these words, Sigrid stood frozen in ce as if struck by lightning. She remembered the call from Chase two days ago, telling her he had a stomach-ache and asking if she coulde to see him. She had angrily refused because she thought he was spying on her. If she had gone to see him that night, maybe Chase wouldn''t have died. Maybe he could have been saved. But she didn''t go, even after receiving his message, she hadn''t cared to check on him... Chapter 1515 Now, as she gazed down at the gaunt face before her, a face devoid of life''s breath, tears streamed down uncontrobly, pattering madly on Chase''s lifeless visage, failing to stir even the slightest ripple... He was gone, his life slipping away amidst bitter words that Sigrid swore she could never forgive, extinguished by the cold rejections she dealt him time and time again, snuffed out by the agony of her infidelity and the regret of never having made her his wife... Sigrid, debilitated by grief, was pushed aside by the officers. As they draped the white sheet over him and wheeled him away, the closing of the van''s door marked her copse. She crouched on the ground, clutching her chilling body, watching the van disappear from her sight... Just like Chase had vanished from her life, silently departing, leaving behind a love that spread through her memories like a relentless virus... He had said that after the trial, there would be no more ties between them. It wasn''t that he nned to let her go; he simply had no more time left... The scent of blood she had smelled on the day of his court appearance wasn''t from some decay in the restroom; it was the blood Chase had coughed up... His emaciated silhouette wasn''t due to overwork; it was the cancer eating at his stomach, preventing him from eating, that had whittled him down... His kiss, wet with tears, wasn''t borne of sorrow for herck of forgiveness, but of his own heartache at having to leave her... And after that kiss, when he lingered outside the door, waiting for her-it wasn''t to create a chance encounter. He only wanted... just to be near her a little while longer before his life flickered out... Sigrid had wandered in search of a pure love, never looking back at Chase, who stood steadfast with an unwavering love, waiting for her... Even at life''s end, he had whispered ''I love you,'' but he wasn''t able to wait for her response before departing from this world... Sigrid, like a child abandoned, crouched and wept long and hard. She followed the hearse to the crematorium, heedless of everything else... The McCall family would never sign off for a forsaken kin, so Chase''s bodyy in the crematorium''s morgue, frozen stiff when Sigrid arrived. She slid open the morgue drawer to find Chase, unclothed and still. Her breakdown was immediate and heart-wrenching... Her warm fingers traced his cheek with the delicacy of touching a priceless treasure, every cold, rigid sensation screaming the truth to Sigrid: the man who had loved her so fiercely was indeed dead. Bowing her head, she cradled Chase''s body, pressing her tear-streaked face against his chest, "Chase, wake up. Let''s start over, okay?" Beneath her, the heart that had longed for such an answer was stilled forever, never to flutter with excitement again... In the world Chase had lived, he waited a lifetime without her turning back, missing even a final goodbye. Did he leave with regrets? Yes. He departed with sorrow, silently leaving this world, releasing his regrets and pain, free from the torment of love and illness. S So, was there still regret? Not for Chase after death. He was gone, leaving only Sigrid to bear the remorse... Shey atop him, crying until it seemed her tears might bring him back, until the crematorium staff, with soothing words, forcibly led her away... She didn''t leave, just sat against a pir outside the crematorium, knees to her chest, on the cold floor, staring into the night... Her mind was filled with memories of Chase doting on her, especially of the time he took knife wounds to save her. Chase might have thought she''d forgotten, but she remembered. It was that memory that made her love him with all her life. Now she longed to love Chase as she once did, but he was truly gone. All she could do was feel to brush her cheek and whisper, "Chase, if you are still here, be the breeze and caress my face, will you?" UMS Obediently, the wind swept gently across her, letting her feel as if Chase was still there, silently watching over her in another form.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Sigrid cleaned her tears, chuckled, and said, "Chase, can youe back to life, just once, back to your body?" But the wind stilled, signaling his eternal absence. Realizing this, Sigrid''s grief overwhelmed her once more. She regretted not seeing Chase thatst night, she thought that if she had, he might have lived a little longer, might have heard her suggest starting anew. But she didn''t, never once looking back or yielding to his approaches. She didn''t know if she was too callous or afraid of falling for him again. Regardless, her resolve had been absolute. Chapter 1516 Chapter 1516 Waylen nodded in understanding. Mark entered the room. Rena stood up and affectionately referred to Mark as Uncle. Even though Rena was married and had several children, Mark still treated her as his little niece. Mark gently patted Rena''s head and said, "If you''re free, you should consider visiting Czanch with Cecilia. Zoey really misses you, but she has difficulty in walking." Rena nodded in agreement. Mark paused for a moment and then spoke with some unease.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. "Please take care of Cecilia." Rena responded with a warm smile. Waylen added, ¡°Don''t worry, Mark, Rena and I just discussed Cecilia''s dowry." Nark didn''t say anything but looked at Rena with profound eyes, Mark understood that Rena had been caught in the middle when he was dealing with his rtionship with Cecilia, The Fowler family hadn''t med him, and they had readily agreed to let him be with Cecilia,rgely for Rena''s sake. Mark was well aware of this, but he simply gave Rena a hug and said, "Take good care of yourself. Rena wanted to apany Mark downstairs, but he politely declined, exining that Peter''s car was waiting for him downstairs. Waylen walked Mark to the door instead. When Waylen returned, there was a light dusting of snow on his coat. He brushed it off and remarked, "We should consider heading back soon, If the snow gets heavier, it might be difficult for the car to move." Rena approached him and gently unbuttoned his coat. She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her face against his chest. "Waylen, it seems Like it''s been snowing a lot this year." Waylen lowered his head and looked at her tenderly. He couldn''t help but recall the snowy night after Christmas when they had elx first met. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! In a soft voice, he said, "You''re pregnant. Once the baby is born, We can have some romantic moments." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Rena murmured, "I didn''t mean that." Waylen smiled and kissed her Lips. "But that''s what most men think about. Rena, you''ve been with me for sp long. Don''t you know that?" The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1517 Chapter 1517 Most women would find it hard to resist a man''s deliberate flirtation, but Rena, being pregnant, didn''t want to encourage it. After they hugged each other for a while, she softly said, "It''s time to go home. Alexis and Leonel have homework to do Waylen, hugging her, was reluctant to release her. "You can still hug me as much as you want when we get home." As she finished her sentence, Rena blushed.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Waylen finally released her, but before they left, he picked out a loose white down jacket for her, With her radiantplexion, Rena looked stunning in it. He buttoned it up for her, gazing at her with deep affection in his eyes. "Let''s go home." Under Waylen''s strict upbringing, the children were all well-behaved. When they heard their parents were leaving, they put on their coats without being asked, Alexis even helped Marcus put on his hat, holding his hand and hopping towards the car. Watching this heartwarming scene from behind, Rena didn''t realize her gaze was softer than the swirling and melting snowkes. With their hands intertwined, Waylen whispered in a low voice, doing well now." Alexis used to be somewhat autistic, but over the past year or two, her condition had been gradually improving. Especially after having Marcus and Leonel aspanions, Alexis hadn''t made her parents worry about her psychological health anymore, When she thought about this, Rena''s eyes became even softer. She gently squeezed Waylen''s hand in return, feeling warmth flowing between them. As they got into the car, the children were already sitting neatly, with Marcus even strapped securely into his child seat by Alexis. Waylen slowly stepped on the gas. He drove carefully, allowing Rena to savor the romance of the swirling snowkes. Sax Find N?vel.t website on Google to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! However, they had to pass a road on their way home, where Harold had a fatal tranica where fatah traffic ident. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! The temperature difference between the inside and outside of the car -am caused the window to fog up. Rena Nout reached out and gently traced something on the foggy ss, her handwriting barely discernible. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Waylen asionally nced at her but didn''tment. Chapter 1518 Chapter 1518 He even slowed down, letting Rena immerse herself in her thoughts. When they arrived home, Rena went to take a bath while Waylen supervised the kids doing their homework. Both Alexis and Leonel were quite bright, so he only needed to provide asional guidance rather than direct teaching. In the evening, Waylen returned to their bedroom. Rena, who had taken a nap, was leaning against the sofa in her pajamas, making a phone call. It seemed that she was talking to Ruth on the phone.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Waylen didn''t want to disturb her, so he poured himself a ss of water and sipped it slowly while waiting. ¡°I see,¡± Rena replied in a low voice before ending the call. Standing still, Waylen inquired. "Is it rted to Aline?" Rena nodded in confirmation. She knew that Waylen had always wanted to confront Aline with force, but she didn''t want him to get involved. Despite Waylen being a businessman now, he used to be an exceptionalwyer, and she couldn''t allow him to be dragged into this. She intended to handle Aline using the same underhanded methods that Aline had employed against her, Waylen drank half a ss of water and stared at the ss thoughtfully. "Rena, can you guarantee your safety? If you''re unsure, I''ll take over." Rena approached him gently, wrapping her arms around his waist from behind. She muttered softly, "I''ve learned my lesson once. Do you think I''ll let myself suffer again?" She had dispatched her subordinates to keep an eye on Aline, who couldn''t hide anything from her. Time passed quickly, and when it came to the day of Mark''s proposal to Cecilia, Mark came to the Fowler family''s residence with many gifts, demonstrating great sincerity and courtesy, pleasing every member of the Fowler family. With that, Rena finally felt relieved. Coincidentally, the children would be also on holiday. Waylen was was in an sing asked the conference so Reha ask chauffeur to drive her to pick up the children, The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! The school day was over, and the children lined up neatly. Rena noticed that Alexis followed m Leonel with her head held high, K. head calling out to him from time to time. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Leonel carried two small school bags on his shoulder. When Alexis spotted Rena, she rushed over and hugged her gently. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1519 Chapter 1519 Leonel ced their school bags on the back seat, With the children settled in the car, Rena announced, "We''re dining out tonight. Alexis immediately asked, "What about Marcus?" Rena smiled and replied, " it''s just the three of us.rcus is at his grandpa''s house tonight, so Alexis happily got into the car. It was just a dinner out, but Rena didn''t expect to encounter acquaintances, running into several of them at once in the best restaurant in Duefron, with an average consumption totaling two thousand dors. Rena took the two kids inside. The environment was nice and cozy. Rena took off her coat and went to the reserved seat under the lead of the waiter. Several people were sitting at the next table, and seeing them, Rena was somewhat surprised. The group consisted of Zack, Danna, Albert, Aline, and Tyrone. Seeing Tyrone again made Rena feel a little ufortable. He had left a deep impression on her during her tumultuous times. He had tried to persuade her to be with him. Now, however, both of them had their own families. Although Tyrone''s gaze lingered on her for a while, Rena wasn''t the inexperienced girl she used to be. She greeted him politely before turning her attention to Albert and Aline. She said with a faint smile, "I didn''t expect to see you two together." Upon hearing this, Aline smiled sweetly. Initially, she just used Albert to fulfill her own needs, but she didn''t anticipate that Albert came from such a powerful family, with a billionaire father. She had to keep Albert under control, and that''s why she had been sticking to himtely, abandoning other men. She was aware that he had flirted with many women, but she believed she could win his heart. Aline had seemingly undergone a significant transformation. She concealed her hostility toward Rena and even asked politely, "Rena, would you like to join us?" Rena pretended not to notice herExclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. hidden intentions and replied politely, "No, thanks, The kids might disturb you." The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Albert, sitting at the table, casually m observed Alexis and Leonnd ve asked, "Are they both your children?" The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Rena didn''t deny it and gently stroked Leonel''s and Alexis''s heads. Seeing Albert''s mboyant appearance, Alexis expressed her disdain. She lifted her head and asked, "Are you jealous?" The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1520 Chapter 1520 Albert was taken aback by her question. He looked at the little girl''s beautiful face and her brown curly hair. Despite her beauty, she had her father''s fiery temper. He was a little annoyed. Alexis''s grape-like eyes scanned him and Aline before she said softly, "If you like children, ask Miss Hanson to have one for you, But the only problem is that she can''t give birth to beautiful and smart children like Leonel and me." Albert wasn''t particrly bothered by herment, but it seemed to have struck a nerve with Aline. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She was infertile. She had given birth to a child at a young age, but the child wasn''t Joseph''s, and she had abandoned them at an orphanage. She didn''t know whether the child was still alive or not, and she had no desire to find out. At this moment, she couldn''t help but think about the possibility of marrying Albert. If she did, she would need to figure out how to retrieve that child. At the very least, she needed a child who was truly her own. While she was lost in thought, Rena had already moved to the next table. As Rena took care of the children with such tenderness and maternal affection, it was hard to believe she had once been the CEO of Exceed Group, a highly resourceful and powerful businesswoman. Seeing this, Aline concluded that Rena had be weak from years of luxury living. All Aline wanted now was to be Albert''s wife. At seven o''clock, Aline took the initiative to y the piano. Despite everything, she still yed beautifully. However, nobody seemed to pay her any attention. Upon returning to her seat, Aline gave Rena a provocative nce. Albert praised her and kissed her, and she offered him an apertif. The m content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Their interactions were cringe-worthy to watch, tch, leaving. Danna stunned, The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Zack wrapped his arms around her waist and casuallymented, "I''ll treat you to something good when n we get back." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Tyrone nced at him, causing Zack to fall into silence instantly. Chapter 1521 Chapter 1521 With Tyrone''s wife absent, he naturally took a seat next to Rena, across from the two children. Alexis had met him before and, as she ate elegantly, she observed this handsome man with a discerning eye. She could see his affection for her mother. Tyrone had taken a liking to Alexis. As he gently caressed Leonel''s head, Tyronemented to Rena, "He''s so cuteExclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Looking at Leonel, Rena couldn''t help but smile faintly. She replied, "Yes, Waylen says Leonel looks a lot like him when he was a child." Her words made Leonel blush, but he was clearly delighted. Tyrone shifted his gaze, lowered his voice, and inquired. "What''s going on between Albert and Aline? Did you y a role in bringing them together? It seems like Aline is intentionally trying to marry into the Waston family." In this social circle, everyone knew about Aline''s dissolute behavior, and Tyrone was no exception. He suspected Rena had something to do with their connection. Rena lowered her head, took a bite of her steak, and then replied, simply had someone reveal Albert''s background to Aline." Tyrone smiled, finding that exnation reasonable. It was clear that Albert had offended Rena before. As Tyrone smiled, Rena noticed a barely perceptible crease on his face, a sign of the passage of time. Sighing inwardly at the thought of how time had flown by, Rena changed the subject, "Where is your wife? Why didn''t shee with you?" Tyrone responded with a smile, "She''s gone abroad for some rxation. She won''t be back until next week." Rena nodded, understanding that they shouldn''t delve too deeply into certain topics. Thankfully, Tyrone didn''t stay long and returned to his own seat. As he sat down, Albert gave him a strange look. Rena, due to the children and her pregnancy, left the restaurant earlier than the others. As she passed by the troublemakers'' table, she nodded politely. S~ah I the (ind) yel website on G??gl to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Tyrone immediately stood up and ??'' said, "I''ll walk you to the door." Rena was taken aback by his offer, but she epted it. Rejecting him outright in a high-end restaurant would embarrass him. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! After they left, Aline, holding a ss of wine,ined, "Danna, I didn''t expect Tyrone to stil have feelings E for Rena after all these years. He''s quite affectionat: The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1522 Chapter 1522 Danna, straightforward as always, responded, "Well, Rena is undeniably beautiful Aline''s displeasure was evident, but she quickly adjusted her mood. She didn''t want to be upset with Rena. Her current mission was to marry Albert, and she was focused on that goal. She stroked Albert''s face and asked, "Will youe to my ce tonight?" Albert understood her intentions and declined firmly, putting on his coat. "No, I have ns for tonight." Aline was furious, but Albert left without further discussion. As Albert walked out, he noticed that Tyrone and Rena were engaged in conversation near the car, Rena looked exceptionally gentle to her old friend, but there was a subtle difference. Albert felt ufortable. Rena was kind to Tyrone, but shepletely ignored him. Frustrated, Albert took out a cigarette, lit it, and opened the door to his Humvee, He mmed the door in irritation. However, Albert misinterpreted the situation. Tyrone and Rena were discussing business matters because he was cooperating with Waylen. He just avoided any personal involvement with Rena. In their social circle, their families would have to cooperate, so his behavior was simply professional. Tyrone found Albert''s reaction amusing. He watched Albert''s car depart into the winter night and softly remarked, "He looks like how I used to be, so naive. Rena, you''re still as charming as ever." Rena put her hand in her pocket and smiled, saying, "Don''t tease me, Tyrone. As for what you mentioned earlier, I''ll discuss it with Waylenter." Tyrone nodded in agreement, opened the car door for her, but hesitated for a moment.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. In a soft voice, he apologized. "In the past, I pursued you I relentlessly, and I realize now that it caused you a lot of trouble. Rena, I''m sorry." The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Rena felt a pang of sadness. What was wrong with Liking someone? But they both had their own families now, and it wasn''t appropriate forher to offer. erforting words. She replied with a faint smile, "It''s all in the past. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! She then got into the car without looking back. As the ck Limousine drove away, Tyrone stood still for a long time. Over the years, everyone believed he had moved on, but only he knew that when you truly loved someone, m moving on was never so simple. Although his current wife was gentle and beautiful, love couldn''t be measured by just these superficial factors. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! However, regardless of how much he liked Rena, it wasn''t appropriate. They eventually went to mediocrity. Chapter 1523 Chapter 1523 They had to face reality, and they could never be back to their younger years. In the car, Rena watched Tyrone''s disappearing figure in the rearview mirror with a heavy heart. Leaning against her, Alexis blinked innocently and lovingly and said, "Daddy is more handsome than Mr. Larson." Rena burst intoughter. She kissed Alexis''s cheek and said gently, "I don''t like anyone else." Waylen was her priority. It was easy to coax kids, so Alexis quickly brightened up at her mother''s words. Suddenly, Alexis blushed and whispered to Leonel, "You can''t like anyone else in the future." Leonel held his breath. Even as children, they understood everything. Without a word, Alexis extended her little finger to hook his. Their agreement was sealed. From that point on, Leonel belonged to her! Seeing this, Rena felt much more rxed. She didn''t correct their actions at the moment, but she knew she''d have to discuss with Waylenter. She couldn''t allow Alexis to take Leonel to her room to sleep together. As she was lost in thought, her phone rang. It was a message from Albert. His tone was quite rude. "You were once together with Tyrone? I didn''t expect that, Ms. Gordon! Rena thought he was being petty, so she deleted the message and added him to her block List. She wasn''t afraid of offending Albert. She had what he coveted, and she had the confidence that he would give in. At the same time, Albert, still sitting in his car, waited for a long time but received no reply from Rena. In the end, he reluctantly dialed her number. To his surprise, she had blocked him! Albert was quite resourceful. He called thendline of Rena''s vi, and one of the servants answered it. Coincidentally, Waylen had just returned home. Sa**h the om Find ovellet website on Google to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Holding thendline telephone, the servant said, "Mr. Fowler, it''s Mim Waston Hewants to speak with Mrs, Fowler." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Mr. Waston... Waylen unbuttoned his coat as he walked over to take the call. Albert hadn''t expected Waylen to be at home, so he was momentarily at a loss for words. Waylen simply spoke. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there!Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. "Albert, Rena is my wife!" After a brief silence, Albert finally said, "But I like her." Chapter 1524 Chapter 1524 Hearing Albert''s confession, Waylen couldn''t help but sneer. He retorted, "Well, does Rena like you too?" Albert remained silent. As a yboy, he had developed a crush on a married woman. He was ustomed to ying with women''s emotions but was now faced with a situation he didn''t know how to handle. Sitting in his car, Albert took out a cigarette and stared nkly at the falling snow outside, feeling a deep sense of sadness. After a long while, Waylen said in a low voice, "Albert, if you''re feeling troubled, maybe it''s best not to get involved in Aline''s matters." After he heard Waylen''s suggestion, Albert''s throat tightened, but with difficulty, he replied, "No." Waylen didn''t press the issue further and simply hung up the phone. This was a conversation between men, and he believed that Albert was not so cowardly that he couldn''t handle his own emotional problems. Moreover, this kind of problem shouldn''t have existed in the first ce. In the car, Albert threw his phone on the seat and lit the cigarette with slightly trembling fingers. It was strange. When he had spoken to Waylen on the phone, he had appeared calm, not at all like a jealous person,Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Yet, he realized he was indeed jealous, particrly because of Tyrone. Even though Tyrone couldn''t have Rena, he still held a ce in her heart. After finishing the cigarette, Albert called a popr model, After a brief exchange, he drove to her apartment. As soon as the door opened, they passionately embraced and kissed each other. He thought that this was the normalcy of his life, and he shouldn''t have any feelings for Rena. After their intimate encounter, he leaned against the headboard and lit another cigarette. At this time, his phone rang, and it was a call from Aline. Albert was tired of Aline. He knew that she not only yearned for his body but also wanted to marry him. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! He nced at the phone and couldn''t help but sneer. Did she really think the Waston family was that desirable? The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! After a while, he finally answered the call. In a soft and ttering voice Aline asked, "Are you at home, Albert? I''ve prepared a midnight snack. I''m downstairs of your ce now. You cane down and take it." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Midnight snack? Albert sneered and exhaled a puff of smoke. He replied bluntly, another woman''s bed." Chapter 1525 Chapter 1525 Aline gasped, shocked by Albert''s cruel rejection. Albert had approached her with his own intentions, so he continued in a softer tone, "Let''s talk about it tomorrow." After ending the call, Albert wore a somewhat stern expression. His thoughts turned to his coboration with Rena. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. His mother had been deceived by a scoundrel, one of the Waston family''s members, who had concealed his marriage for five years while being involved with her. This man had never considered revealing his rtionship with Albert and his mother. Even after losing his own son, he had pleaded with Albert to take over the family business. Yet, he still refused to acknowledge Albert''s mother, even after his wife had passed away many years ago. It was Ruth''s introduction that had given Albert the opportunity to coborate with Rena. Rena could help him get what he couldn''t fight for his mother. He understood that their partnership was purely professional and that it was against their unspoken rules to let his emotions interfere. Nevertheless, he couldn''t restrain himself. In his chaotic world, he had never encountered a woman as pure as Rena. With these thoughts in mind, he finished his cigarette and began to put on his clothes. The model had taken a bath and emerged in just a bath towel, her enticing fragrance filling the room. Observing that he was about to leave, she couldn''t help but pester him,ining, "Are you really leaving at this moment?" Albert pushed her away, got out of bed, hastily fastened his belt, and yfully pinched her cheek. An evil smile crept across his face as he replied, "I''m off to another rendezvous With that, he grabbed his car keys and departed, leaving the woman seething with anger as she cursed. "Albert, you scoundre As he changed his shoes by the door, Albert heard her words. He sneered, acknowledging that she was right. Growing up in a bad environment, he had b begome e m ustomed to surviving in seedy ces by the age of fifteen. So it was natural for him to have grown up as a scoundrel. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Albert left the woman''s apartment and drove back to his house. A red sports car was parked downstairs of his house. Sitting in the car, Aline was scrolling through messages on her phone. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Albert pulled up alongside her, lowered the window and rested his arm on the sill. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! "Are you still waiting for me?'' Aline''s eyes lit up with surprise as she stared at Albert. Chapter 1526 Chapter 1526 She could sense from his demeanor that he had just had sex with someone else. Feeling a bit jealous, she said, "I was about to leave. She started the car, wanting to test her standing in his heart. Albert leaned closer and turned off the engine of her car. When he raised his eyes to look at her, they held an unfathomable depth. "Are you jealous? You''ve known what kind of person I am from the very beginning. Aline was slightly stunned. Albert''s expression when he said this reminded her of Harold. When she snapped out of it, she couldn''t help but put her arms around Albert''s neck and kissed him passionately. Albert knew that Aline was a dissolute woman, but over the years, he had encountered all sorts of women. It wasn''t that he didn''t disdain Aline, but rather, he didn''t mind it at all. He kissed her and then got into her car. A few minutester, the sports car began to shake rhythmically. The windows weren''tpletely rolled up, and from the gap, one could catch glimpses of Aline''s passionate face and hear their groans. After their intense lovemaking, Aliney in his arms. Her slender fingers gently caressed his chest as she said softly, "Albert, let''s be together." Albert remained silent. He reached for the cigarette case, took out a cigarette from it, ced it between his lips, and lit it. Aline was captivated by his physique, or perhaps she was drawn to such a bad man. She said earnestly, "I''m not just interested in your background, Albert. I''m serious." She went on to pledge hermitment of making him sessful and altering his father''s perception of him. Albert listened and casually blew a smoke ring into the air. He possessed a profound understanding of how to captivate a woman''s heart, so he remained m silent. He continued to offer her a glimmer of hope while ying with her emotions, The more hesitant he pretended to be, the more she would be willing to sacrifice for him. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! In the end, he left her with just one sentence. "Let''s discuss itter. The condition is raising enough money." Aline touched his handsome face and said in a husky voice, "I have hundreds of millions of dors at my news disposal If the news about the car race is urate, I''ll invest more than half of my money in it. You don''t need to worry about me not being able to raise enough money. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Albert smiled faintly. Aline was aware that he was somewhat disdainful of s somewhatN?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. her wealth, The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1527 Chapter 1527 She didn''t want to spend all her money on him, but she also didn''t want to lose him. She longed to be with him now. She thought of Vera and Rena. Perhaps she needed to establish a good rtionship with them to smoothly enter the Waston family. Meanwhile, Waylen hung up the phone. After quietly staring at thendline telephone for a few seconds, he heard the sound of a car engine outside. He guessed that it was Rena returning with the children. He nced at the servant, who nodded immediately and said, "I won''t inform Mrs. Fowler. Waylen nodded with a smile and went out to wee his wife and children. It was January, and a real chill was in the air. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Waylen was only wearing a sweater as he stepped outside. When the car pulled up, he opened the back door. Rena got out of the car and asked in a natural tone, "Why are you dressed so Lightly?" Waylen''s eyes were filled with profound emotions as he gently caressed her face with his warm fingers. Rena blushed and whispered, "Behave yourself in front of the kids." Waylen smiled again and bent down to pick up Alexis from the car. He kissed her soft cheek and said, "Alexis, what do you think? Do I need to behave myself?" Nestled on Waylen''s shoulder, Alexis felt at ease. She wrapped her arms around Waylen''s neck and confidently stated. "I think Mommy is very happy." Rena''s cheeks turned even redder. She walked faster, holding Leonel''s hand. Waylen couldn''t resist teasing her and called out, "You are pregnant. Walk slowly." Rena chose to ignore him. Waylen followed them slowly, holding Alexis in his arms. In a soft voice, Alexis said, "When we went to a restaurant for dinner, We ve met MrNyrone Larson The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Squinting slightly, Waylen asked calmly, "Really? Was there anyone is else?" "Mr. Zack Carson, his wife, and "Mr. alman I don''t know, He looks like a yboy." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Waylen stopped asking. When they entered the living room, Rena had already taken off her coat and asked Alexis to y the piano. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Alexis, however, seemed in no mood for it. Chapter 1528 Chapter 1528 Rena, being kind-hearted, didn''t like to force her. Nevertheless, Waylen gently tapped Leonel''s head and remarked, "Are youngdies at the piano particrly elegant?" "Yes, Leonel responded seriously. Upon hearing his answer, Alexis immediately ran over and sat at the piano with her back straight. Rena was left speechless. In the evening, after taking a shower, she sat in front of the dresser to apply skin care products. Her skin became radiant after her bath, Waylen always harbored a desire to caress her skin for a long time every night. Nestling his head on the curve of her neck, he passionately breathed in her fragrance.86 Exclusive Offer For You im Now Rena sensed that something was amiss with Waylen today. Normally, Waylen couldn''t restrain his desire for her for long. But today, he seemed to be resisting her allure. She tilted her neck slightly. The slender line of her exquisite neck drove Waylen wild, and her radiant skin exuded captivating attractiveness. "You smell pretty filled with passion. he said, rubbing his nose against her skin, his voice Rena could feel his warm skin. She gently pushed him away. Waylen touched her belly and asked, "What''s wrong? Is the baby moving?" Wrapping her arms around his neck, Rena lowered her head and murmured, ¡°It''s you who are moving Waylen leaned over, rubbed his nose against hers, and asked in a low voice, "You don''t want to?" Having been his wife for a long time, Rena wouldn''t hide her desire from him. So she bit his lip and replied, "Just a little desire." Waylen smiled and stopped, but he still held her close. He had a private conversation with her, including matters rted to the children and Cecilia''s marriage. TheN?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! He spoke about many things, but eventually, Rena couldn''t help but deny ask, "Waylen, do you want to ask about Albert?" The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Waylen remained quiet for a moment. After a while, he replied with a faint smile, "Albert is not enough toscare me. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Then Rena realized it was because of Tyrone. Chapter 1529 Chapter 1529 She thought for a moment and realized that Alexis must have tipped him off. No matter how she showered Alexis with love and patience, the child was always on Waylen''s side. As a mother, she was torn between anger and sweetness. What could be more wonderful than raising a lovely child together? This feeling went beyond the love between men and women. After a while, Rena gently pushed him away. She sat in front of the dresser and slowlybed her long brown hair. Her hair required a lot of care, and it cascaded over her shoulders. Waylen didn''t press her further. He leaned against the head of the bedzily, his gaze fixed on her. Running theb through her hair, Rena remarked in a low voice, "It was just a chance encounter. Why do you care so much? Besides, we only discussed business matters. She began to tell him about Tyrone. With a faint smile on his face, Waylen said, "I suppose you two had a private conversation." Then he gently pulled her towards him, Rena was like a cub, lying beneath his body obediently. She blushed and whined, "Waylen Waylen didn''t press on the matter any further, He simply immersed himself in passionate lovemaking with her, igniting her desire. In the height of their passion, he leaned over her sweaty neck and whispered, ¡°Rena, I''m jealous! Rena lifted her gaze and stared at her husband.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. At that moment, Waylen looked incredibly sexy. Recently, Waylen had been busy attending the annual meeting of his group. As the president, he decided to not hold a big party this year. Rena didn''t attend either, Instead, she was in Cecilia''s room at the Fowler family''s vi, watching her pack. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Rena smiled and said You did a great job "You''ve be househe quite proficient in household chores. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Cecilia nced at her briefly, her eyes filled with happiness. She repliean gently, Rena, you''re starting to sound Like my father." The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Feeling conflicted for a moment, Rena found herself torn between Laughter and tears. "Really?" Cecilia insisted with a light chuckle, "Yes! Especially when you preach to me Chapter 1530 Chapter 1530 Rena''s Laughter died down as she looked at the woman in front of her with gentle eyes, She stood up and hugged Cecilia gently. "You''re getting married soon. Why do you still look like a little girl to me?" Tears welled up in Cecilia''s eyes, but she pretended not to care and eximed, "I''m older than you!" With a faint smile, Rena asked in a low voice, "Is my uncle nice to you?" Cecilia, not as energetic as before, replied after a period of silence, "Sometimes he''s very nice to me, and sometime he isn''t. But even so..." She still liked him. Rena understood Cecilia. If she liked someone, she wouldpromise with them unconditionally. Rena didn''t say anything and gently touched Cecilia''s head. Just at that moment, Rena''s phone rang and it was a call from Vera. Cecilia said, " nswer the phone. I''ll continue packing." Rena smiled and answered, "Vera, it''s rare for you to think of me." Vera was used to teasing her and said, "Something unusual happened today." "What happened?" "Just now, Aline called me. You know what? She said she wanted to invite us for coffee, implying that she wants to make up with us." Rena lowered her eyes and smiled knowingly. Aline, eager to marry into the Waston family, was trying to build a good rtionship with Rena and Vera to show her connections. On the other end of the phone, Vera grumbled, "What is she thinking? Having coffee with her? How could that be possible?" "I''ll go have coffee with her," Rena said. "What?" Vera was taken aback by her decision and asked again, "Are you kidding me, Rena? Since Harold''s death, you''ve despised her even more than I did." S~ah the Find ?\el.n''t website on G??gle to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Rena just smiled faintly.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Having known her for many years, Vera understood that she had other ns. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! She lowered her voice and said, "You suspect that she manipted those e things?he content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1531 Chapter 1531 Rena voiced out her agreement. Vera fell silent for a moment and said with some bitterness, "Alright, I''ll cooperate. Think about what she''s done to us. We can''t let her off easily." Rena hung up the phone. Cecilia, curious, asked, "Are you going to meet Aline? Waylen won''t agree." Rena helped her fold a dress and said with a smile, "You''re getting married. Why worry so much? Rx. I''ll tell him." "Don''t lie to me!" Cecilia responded with innocence. "Promise me you''ll tell Waylen." Rena smiled. "There will be an Fl race in a few days. I''ll take you there." Then she called Waylen in front of Cecilia. Waylen agreed on the phone and said, ¡°Let Cecilia go with you."N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. So, Cecilia clung to Rena and followed her to the cafe. Aline and Vera arrived first. They disliked each other, and spite was apparent on their faces, especially Vera, Vera was in a better mood when she saw Rena and Cecilia. Aline''s target was Rena. She pulled out a chair for Rena and said in a soft tone, "You''re pregnant. Do you feel ufortable "I''m okay," Rena replied with a faint smile, Vera admired Rena''sposure. Aline was their sworn enemy, so how could Rena smile at her? At this time, Aline noticed Cecilia and asked, ¡°Rena, you still don''t trust me, so you brought Cec¨ªlia here specially. Are you afraid I''ll hurt you?" The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Cecilia was about to speak, but Rena stopped her and smiledcalmly. The Sonents On Envexo! Read content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! "Waylen asked Cecilia to apany me, Have you ever thought of hurting me The dontent is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1532 Chapter 1532 Aline didn''t know what to say. She tried to please Rena but Rena seemed insusceptible. But it was normal, given her identity as an affluentdy. Aline called the waiter, feeling embarrassed. She asked Rena, "What coffee would you like? The usual Mandheling?" Rena remained silent, so Cecilia said, "Just bring her some water. She''s pregnant." The waiter politely agreed and left. A fake smile stered on her face, Aline exined, "Sorry, I Rena, you must be five months pregnant, right?" Rena silently acknowledged herment. Then, Aline continued as she softly murmured, "I was once pregnant too. I used to be a mother." Herment struck a nerve with Vera. She couldn''t contain her frustration so she straightened up, and let out a curse. "How dare you mention that baby? Aline, if it weren''t for you, I wouldn''t have ended up like that with Joseph!"This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Looking at her, Aline asked, "Aren''t you happy now? Isn''t that enough?" "These are two different things, okay Vera''s chest heaved violently as she gritted her teeth. ¡°You lied to Joseph and gave birth to a baby without a father! Your apologies are useless! Oh, and what about the baby? Did you throw it away or strangle it to death ALL the color instantly drained out of Aline''s face. Rena gently grabbed Vera''s hand and squeezed it. "Don''t be so furious." However, Vera was so angry that she ended up gently shaking off her friend''s hand. In the cozy cafe, Aline was overwhelmed with embarrassment. She muttered, her voice quivering, "Vera, that''s all in thevering, past. I have come to a realization that I have done a lot of awful things to hurt you all. Is this the reason why you won''t give me a second chance? Can''t you forgive me?" The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Vera stomped her foot stubbornly and yelled, "I won''t forgive you for as long as Nive! The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Her raging temper had taken over her rational thinking. In the end, Veran wasn''t able to remain civil with the woman in front of her. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Soon, Vera, Rena and Cecilia left. As the coffee was served, Aline was left sitting there as she watched her coffee grow cold. Chapter 1533 Chapter 1533 Vera got into the car first. After Cecilia helped Rena into the car, Vera said apologetically, "I''m sorry, Rena, I messed up your n. I can''t stand the sight of her. Just looking at her makes me sick, let alone cooperating with her." She apologized repeatedly, holding Rena''s hand and pretending to be innocent. Rena and Vera had been friends for so many years that Rena understood Vera well. A faint smile graced her lips. "Don''t apologize now. You made a great contribution today." "What?" Vera blinked a few times, looking unsure if she heard her friend correctly. "I made a great contribution Rena softly grazed the skin on her chest with her fingers, where a thin light scar from the crystal chandelier remained, Sometimes she felt a burning pain that reminded her of what Aline had done to her. Rena said in a low voice, "It''s unrealistic for us to be friends with her immediately." Vera didn''t fully understand but trusted Rena. Since her friend said she had made a great contribution, Vera felt quite proud. Rena treated her to a big meal, and Vera had two sses of wine, leaving her feeling drunk. Later on, Roscoe came to pick her up. He held his drunk wife and said apologetically, "I''m-Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. m sorry Rena. Vera "I''m had a bit too much to drink The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Rena and Cecilia stood at the entrance of the restaurant Despite her pregnancy, Rena''s loose-fitting down jacket her condition, Howevealed indefinable aura seemed to envelop her. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Rena lovingly smoothed her long, chestnut hair and smiled. "Please take her home quickly Roscoe acknowledged her request and assisted Vera into the ear. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1534 Chapter 1534 ? Inside the warm vehicle, Vera, still dizzy from the alcohol, removed her coat. She cupped Roscoe''s handsome face and nted a tender kiss on his lips. After years of marriage, he still held a fervent interest in his wife''s physique. However, they were in a car, surrounded by bustling streets, hardly the ideal setting for such intimacy. Hefortingly kissed her for a brief moment before whispering, "We can continue when we get back." Vera giggled coyly, "Darling, I''ve aplished something significant today!" Roscoe affectionately stroked her shoulder and inquired patiently about her day. Vera recounted their encounter with Aline andughed in a somewhat silly manner. "Rena praised me!" Roscoe''s emotions wavered between amusement and irritation. His wife was so impulsive! It was Rena''s astute understanding of Vera''s temperament that had led her to bring her along, thus causing Aline to lower her guard. Unaware of her role as Rena''s strategic instrument, Vera reveled in her newfound happiness. At the same time, Roscoe sighed inwardly. Rena had undeniably transformed over the years. He vividly recalled her initial yearnings for love. Time had certainly left its mark on her, though whether for better or worse remained uncertain. Nevertheless, Waylen cherished her. At the same time, Waylen had also arrived to pick up Rena and Cecilia. He opted to drop Cecilia off at the Fowler mansion first. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Although Cecilia and Mark''s wedding was scheduled for several monthster, she intended to spend some time in Czanch with Edwin before the wedding, a family reunion of sorts. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! The car pulled into the Fowler mansion''s parking lot and came to a halt. S''ash the ind_vel.fet website on Googl" to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there!Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Cecilia disembarked from the vehicle, and Waylen followed her. He gently grabbed her arm. "Waylen?" Cecilia gazed up at him with curiosity. Chapter 1535 Chapter 1535 Waylen affectionately ruffled her hair and said tenderly, "When will you be leaving? I''ll arrange for my private ne to transport you. And please, don''t be too headstrong with that family. If you encounter any difficulties, simply return and inform both me and Rena, alright?" Cecilia turned her gaze towards the car. Rena lowered the window and peered at her with warmth in her eyes. Tears welled up in Cecilia''s eyes as she responded, "We''ll be departing several dayster. Waylen, I understand what you mean." Waylen lovingly caressed her hair once more and urged, ¡°Alright, head inside, It''s quite chilly out here.¡± Cecilia spun around and scurried towards the mansion, Waylen re-entered the car and instructed Rena to roll up the window. While he started the vehicle, hemented, "Cecilia is getting married so soon. I can still vividly recall her as a little girl." His sentiments were tinged with a sense of unease. Cecilia served as a reminder of Alexis, who was still a little girl. Furthermore, Rena''s unborn baby would soon grow into a little girl. Waylen experienced a whirlwind of emotions¡ªjoy at the prospect of having daughters, yet a sense of trepidation at the thought of other men vying for their affections. Unaware of Waylen''splex emotions, Rena continued to mull over Aline''s situation. At that very moment, Aline phoned her, and Rena answered without hesitation. Aline remained silent on the other end of the line for a while before speaking. "Vera refuses to forgive me, as do you, Rena? Apart from my involvement with Harold, I haven''t offended you in any way. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Within the dimly lit car, Rena''sExclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. expression remained stoic as she e held the phone. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Her response carried a gentle tone. "Aline, you shouldprehend that my current concern is not personal affection, but rather sodal status. It may be possible for us to repair our rtionship, but it will necessitate a demonstration of your sincerity." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Aline paused,prehending Rena''s implied message. Chapter 1536 Chapter 1536 Rena wanted her to be her ally. In Duefron''s upper-ss circles, not all noblewomen held the same status. The most esteemed were those with the highest standing. Aline hadn''t anticipated that Rena was part of the inner circle among these noblewomen. Unwilling to be outdone by Rena, Aline had no choice but to make amends. She clenched her teeth and said, "Okay, Rena, I''ll show you my sincerity." Rena smiled and hung up the phone. Waylen guessed what they talked about and held Rena''s hand gently tofort her. Rena shook her head slightly and said, "I''m fine. We have to resolve things between us." Aline''s sincerity came quickly. The next morning, she came to Rena''s house with a gift, a sapphire ne worth ten million. With bodyguards all around her, Rena met her in the fancy garden house. Rena, in a wool dress with dark floral patterns, was sittingfortably on a soft couch. She nced at the expensive ne and then put it on the table casually. "It''s pretty," Rena said, not too excited. Aline clenched her teeth, telling herself she needed to get used to Rena''s haughty attitude. After she married into the Waston family, she wouldn''t have to put up with Rena anymore. Aline swallowed her anger and said, ¡°I remember you have a dress that would go great with that ne.¡± Rena smiled and took a sip of her tea before Thetting straight to the omN?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. point. is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! "So, what do you want from me?" Aline also skipped the small talk. "I want to marry into the Waston family! Rena''s eyes rested on Aline thoughtfully. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! m om Aline continued, "Albert may be a yboy, but he''s close friends with The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1537 Chapter 1537 Zack. Rena, we were college ssmates in the past, so you have to help me with this." Rena replied with a smile, "Even though they''re friends, Zack can''t force Albert to marry you." Aline was at a loss for words. Finally, she conceded, "Then, include me in your social circle! I know there''s a grand event of the Smith family tomorrow night. All the celebrities from Duefron and Heron will be there." "You want to meet Albert''s father?" A knowing smile crept up Rena''s lips. Aline remained silent, not denying the fact. Rena understood her hidden agenda. Albert, a notorious yboy who had no interest in inheriting the Waston family''s business, made Aline eager to create an innocent facade to impress his father and then use his father to pressure Albert into marriage. Unfortunately for Aline, her n was doomed to fail. Rena picked up a velvet box and opened it, revealing an exquisite ne. She ced it around her neck and asked Aline, "Do you find it beautiful?" Aline stood up, walked behind Rena, and gently put on the ne for her. "It looks stunning on you." Rena smiled and instructed a servant nearby, "Please call Talisa and inform her that I''ll be bringing a friend to her banquet tomorrow night." The servant nodded, saying, "Of course, I''ll get in touch with her." Rena continued sipping her tea. Aline''s mind was filled with a mix of emotions. She had been trying to secure an invitation to the Smith family''s banquet for a long time, but her requests had been repeatedly declined. How could Rena simply instruct a servant to call Talisa for an invitation? Were they close friends? Or did the Smith family show such respect to Rena? Observing Aline''s apparent confusion, Rena set her ss down and casually exined, "I did a small favor for the Smith family." Aline grew anxious. At that moment, she deeply regretted her past actions against Rena. Although Renacked concrete evidence, Aline felt a sense of unease. She felt fortunate that Rena remained oblivious to what she had done. Rena went on and said, "By the way, I''ve heard that you''re investing withExclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Ruth now. I know a bit about Zack''s team. They have a tendency to m maniptepetition results. Be cautious The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Upon hearing Rena''s words, Aline felt assured that Rena kad truly epted her as a friend. The content is on a had NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! She couldn''t help but feel a sense of satisfaction. Rena was now lik ma delicate flower in a protected garden, no longer a rival to be reckoned with! The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1538 Chapter 1538 While Rena had agreed to cooperate with Aline, she was not eager to maintain frequent contact with Aline. So she withdrew from the conversation, leaving Aline somewhat unsettled. As Aline departed, her thoughts were in turmoil. She knew that even if she managed to marry Albert, she needed something to secure her position in the Waston family. She pondered over what could be her trump card in this situation, and it hit her - a child! She was unable to have a child with Albert due to her infertility, so having a child with her own bloodline became her top priority. Aline sat in her car, lost in thought for a while, contemting the child she had abandoned - her daughter. She realized that she had to get her back. Her red sports car glided smoothly through the streets. Meanwhile, in a small upstairs Lounge, Rena stood by a window, gazing nkly at Aline''s departing car. Her face remained devoid of emotion.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. She didn''t harbor any resentment toward Aline, just a profound sense of repugnance. Rena could plot against Aline without letting her emotions get in the way, much like what Aline had done to her in the past. This time, however, Rena was the one in control, and Aline was ensnared in her trap. Aline drove to an orphanage, where the director was waiting to meet her. In the simple and cramped office, the director poured Aline a ss of water. Seated across from her, the director inquired hesitantly. "Miss Hanson, are you here to see your daughter today?" Aline''s voice trembled with anxiety. "I need to take her back!" The director remained silent. Aline, undeterred, continued, "I regret my decision. I want to bring her home and provide her with a good life! Margot please, return her to me. I''ll donate five hundred thousand to your orphanage. It should be enough to support all the children here for two years." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! The director''s lips quivered with emotion. The context isonCom NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Aline''s heart sank. "Where is my daughter?" "Someone has adopted her." "Who adopted her? I want my child back immediately. She''s my child, how could you give her to someone else?" The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! The director finallyposed herself. Chapter 1539 Chapter 1539 Pushing up her thick-framed sses, she exined slowly, "Miss Hanson, truthfully, we should not have epted your child when you brought her here, but you insisted on abandoning her! Furthermore, we both signed an agreement. ording to its terms, if a suitable family is willing to adopt her, we have the authority to ce her." While exining, the director retrieved the agreement. Aline stared at the agreement in her hands. She had indeed signed it. But what did it matter? She had given birth to the child, and no one else had the right to keep her. Aline defiantly tore the agreement to shreds. With a bitter sneer, she dered, "I''ll give you two million dors!Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Give me back my daughter!" Margot, the director, silently watched as Aline tore the agreement apart in her desperation. Then she spoke softly. "We are unable to get her back. She was adopted by a foreign couple. They left the country with her six months ago. Both of them are archaeologists, and currently, I don''t know their whereabouts - whether they are in Pendarid or Valwynne." Pendarid, Valwynne... Aline slumped back in her seat, crestfallen. She stared at Margot with bloodshot eyes, her lips trembling as she said, "I''ll sue you!" Margot could only respond apologetically. Once Aline had left, Margot made a phone call. The call was answered. Margot said in a hushed tone, "Mrs. Fowler, I''ve carried out your instructions. Indeed, someone like Miss Hanson is not suited to raise a child. Furthermore, on behalf of the children here, I want to express my gratitude for your generous donation of five million and for constructing a new building for them." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! On the other end of the line, Rena replied with a faint smile, "Don''t concern yourself with the threat of awsuit. Your main fadus should be on the well-being of the children." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! With that, she hung up the phone. Rena remained at the window. A servant approached with a ss of warm milk and whispered, "Mr. Fowler called and asked you to have some milk and rest for a while." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! With a smirk, she replied, "He''s trying to treat me like a child." Chapter 1540 Chapter 1540 She had always been independent and capable of taking care of herself. Yet, no matter how upied Waylen was, he had been calling her seven or eight times a daytely. It might sound trivial, but Rena didn''t find it stressful. Instead, she savored the sweetness it brought to her life. Even though Aline had used her connections to search for her child, she hadn''t made any progress. Her mind was in turmoil. That night, she visited Albert''s apartment. As he opened the door, his hair was still wet, and he was d in a bathrobe, indicating he had just showered. The lingering scent of a woman''s perfume filled the room. As expected, a tall woman emerged from the bedroom, wrapped in a bath towel, and hugged Albert from behind, her beautiful eyes filled with hostility. "Albert, who''s this old woman?" A shadow crossed Aline''s face, her expression turning somber. She was in her early 30s, but how dare this woman address her as an old woman? Without reprimanding her, Albert patted the woman''s bottom and said, "Go back home. I''ll see you next time." The woman smiled and returned to the bedroom to get dressed.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. After a while, she emerged, carrying a bag. She gave Albert a kiss and left. Despite her experience, Aline couldn''t tolerate Albert''s Lifestyle. She entered the apartment and questioned, "Albert, wh why do you have to spend time with women every day?" The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Albert didn''t pay much attention to her. He walked to the sofa, sat down with his legs spread, lit a cigarette, and nced at her. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! "It''s none of your business. Miss Hanson, why do you love me? I''m just a yboy. I have no intentionofm inheriting any family business. Just give up! The exit is on your left." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Aline''s eyes zed with fury. She had gone to great lengths to please Rena and had humbled herself before Vera. Chapter 1541 Chapter 1541 She had always been independent and capable of taking care of herself. Yet, no matter how upied Waylen was, he had been calling her seven or eight times a daytely. It might sound trivial, but Rena didn''t find it stressful. Instead, she savored the sweetness it brought to her life. Even though Aline had used her connections to search for her child, she hadn''t made any progress. Her mind was in turmoil. That night, she visited Albert''s apartment. As he opened the door, his hair was still wet, and he was d in a bathrobe, indicating he had just showered. The lingering scent of a woman''s perfume filled the room. As expected, a tall woman emerged from the bedroom, wrapped in a bath towel, and hugged Albert from behind, her beautiful eyes filled with hostility. "Albert, who''s this old woman?" A shadow crossed Aline''s face, her expression turning somber. She was in her early 30s, but how dare this woman address her as an old woman? Without reprimanding her, Albert patted the woman''s bottom and said, "Go back home. I''ll see you next time." The woman smiled and returned to the bedroom to get dressed. After a while, she emerged, carrying a bag. She gave Albert a kiss and left. Despite her experience, Aline couldn''t tolerate Albert''s Lifestyle. She entered the apartment and questioned, "Albert, wh why do you have to spend time with women every day?" The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetestThis material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. chapter there! Albert didn''t pay much attention to her. He walked to the sofa, sat down with his legs spread, lit a cigarette, and nced at her. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! "It''s none of your business. Miss Hanson, why do you love me? I''m just a yboy. I have no intentionofm inheriting any family business. Just give up! The exit is on your left." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Aline''s eyes zed with fury. She had gone to great lengths to please Rena and had humbled herself before Vera. Chapter 1542 Chapter 1542 "Let''s get married! I''ll give you the freedom you desire." Albert pushed her away. He adjusted his bathrobe and restrained his desires. "What if the marriage I desire involves loyalty?" In his mind, the ideal couple was Like Waylen and Rena. It was love that seemed tost for eternity. Despite endless temptations, they never wavered. They held themselves and their spouses to high standards, continually striving to improve. Aline was unaware of his thoughts. She believed that Albert desired freedom within marriage. Consequently, she merely listened and didn''t take his words seriously. She brought up another matter. Albert nced at her. He said, "There are many people participating in this game. And many of them bet their money on Zack. The club is going to let me rank first." In essence, she could make money by betting on Albert. Aline remained hesitant. "Is this news reliable?" Albert exhaled smoke slowly, offering a wry smile. "If you''re worried about Losing money, then don''t participate." Aline felt embarrassed. Albert kicked her and said, "It''s time for you to leave. I don''t want any woman to stay overnight here." Aline thought he was heartless, but she also understood that with their current rtionship, she wasn''t qualified to stay overnight. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Anyway, it didn''t matter. Once she pleased Albert''s father she wouldn''t have trouble warrying into their family. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there!N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Without trying to retort, Aline finally left. Albert took a shower to rid himself of thim the scent of women. S''a (ind) "vel.not website on Googl to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1543 Chapter 1543 After feeling fresh, he stood by the French window and sipped on a drink. Over the years, he had indulged in such a hedonistic lifestyle, and manipting women''s emotions had be second nature to him. Although Aline was good at hooking up with men, she couldn''tpete with him in this aspect. In matters of physical and emotional rtionships, the one who took impulsive feelings seriously usually lost. The following night, at the Smith family''s mansion. Aline had been waiting in the car for half an hour when Rena finally arrived. The ck limousine pulled up. Rena''s bodyguard opened the car door for her, and Rena stepped out gracefully. She wore an understated ck feathered couture dress with emerald jewelry, looking incredibly regal. Her posture entuated her curvaceous figure, so elegant that her pregnancy was barely noticeable. As Aline watched Rena approach, she couldn''t help butpare herself with Rena. Aline felt her gift for Rena seemed meager inparison to Rena''s emerald jewelry, but she stillplimented. "Rena, you look stunning tonight in that outfit." Rena nced at her. She knew what was going through Aline''s mind. She simply smiled in response. Then she entered the mansion, with Wendy apanying her. Rena had a close rtionship with the Smith family, so there was no need for her to present an invitation. Aline followed her. Upon entering the mansion, she felt how high Rena''s status was. Rena''s mere presence could be considered the most coveted invitation. Inside the mansion, the atmosphere was lively. When the otherdies saw Aline with Reha, they understood that Aline had finally ridden on The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Rena''s coattails. Rena started to engage with the other guests effortlessly. Whenever someone greeted her, Rena would pause and engage in wise and conversation with them. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! After greeting some guests, Rena turned to the two men in front of her. mening She said to Aline, "This is Kyle Waston from Heron." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Aline also took notice of him.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 1544 Chapter 1544 But she hadn''t expected that Albert would be attending the banquet as well. He was typically quite frivolous, but tonight he was dressed formally, exuding an air of an elite, which caught Aline''s attention. Kyle from Heron had significant business dealings with Zack''s father. And Rena had a good rtionship with Zack''s father, so of course, they knew each other. Noticing Rena, Kyle greeted her warmly. "Rena, I heard from Brandon that you''re pregnant. I didn''t expect you to attend this banquet. How have you been? Brandon really misses you!" Rena replied with a polite smile, "I''ve been well." After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Kyle turned to Albert andmented, "Rena is good at business. You should learn from her instead of flirting with women all day long." Albert turned his gaze towards her and responded with a casual smile, ¡°Well, even if I were eager to learn, I doubt whether she''d be willing to teach me.¡± Rena clearly understood the flirtatious undertones of his words. She smiled serenely and introduced Aline to Kyle. "Mr. Waston, this is Miss Hanson, my college ssmate. She''s now working in the film and television industry and doing quite well." Aline wasn''t widely known, so Kyle could have overlooked her. But for Rena''s sake, he extended a hand to Aline. Rena added quickly, ¡°And she''s Albert''s girlfriend." Kyle was surprised by Rena''s words. Aline appeared to be in her early 30s, whereas Albert was only in his 20s. Slightly displeased, he maintained a polite smile.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Aline felt somewhat anxious. However, Rena diffused the tension with her smile. "Albert is young and has many women. Aline has endure?quite lot!" The content is on Theme a NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Kyle was relieved to hear this. It seemed Aline was just one of Albert''s women. s''a''h th com Find_Novellet website on Google to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Aline didn''t have the chance to present herself, but Rena''s presence If but Ren reassured her. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Rena acted considerate when talking to Kyle. Chapter 1545 Chapter 1545 "Aline is going to shoot amercial movie with a theme of car racing. She wants Albert to be the leading man. Mr. Waston, I''m quite optimistic about its potential, and would like to invest in this project." After his eldest son''s death, Kyle attached great importance to Albert. Although Albert refused to take over the family business, it would be good for him to abandon his way of life temporarily. A flicker of tenderness graced Kyle''s features. He patted Rena on the shoulder, saying, ¡°Rena, I appreciate that you are willing to take care of Albert for me." Rena replied with a faint smile, "You''re wee. It''s all Aline''s credit." Aline immediately smiled at Kyle. Kyle finally looked at her and asked casually, "When are you going to start shooting?" Rena spoke very highly of Aline with just a few words. So Aline had to make the movie. Once the movie achieved sess, she would have a chance to marry Albert. However, Aline hesitated to make a significant investment in this project because it required a startup capital of at least three hundred million. What if the movie faced losses? Who would bear the consequences? Aline believed she had to make money from the club. She looked at Kyle and replied with a faint smile, ¡°The movie is scheduled to start several monthster.¡± "Great!" Kyle''s face lit up with enthusiasm. Heplimented Aline. "Miss Hanson is quite capable." Rena added, "Indeed, she is not only capable but also deeply in love with Albert. Mr. Waston, you mustn''t break up such an affectionate couple." As a shrewd businessman, Kyle might have reservations about Aline, but he needed her investment. So, he smiled and said, "Of course I won''t. As long as Albert is happy! Don''t worry, Rena, I''m very open-minded." Rena responded with a polite smile. Aline observed their interaction carefully. She realized that with Rena''s help, the Waston family would take her seriously. It seemed that she had to adjust her strategy. She had to be careful not to offend Rena. At the same time, she was determined to take a risk. If she wanted to make the movie, she needed funding. Rena was going to leave the party early. Kyle asked Albert to escort her out, which was something Albert had been yearning for. He had something to discuss with Rena. Wendy followed them closely. When they reached the mansion''s exit, the ck limo was waiting there,Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. and the chauffeur was standing by En the car. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Rena suspected that Albert had something to discuss with her. So she instructed Wendy, "Go ahead and get in the car." Wendy nced at Albert, smiled, and entered the car. Standing in the dark night, Albert gazed at Rena across from him. Even if the overcoat she wore had shielded her elegant attire, her om beautiful face remained striking. It NO was undeniable that Rena was beautiful, but her allurey mostly in her temperament. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! She exuded a mature, feminine aura that young women couldn''t replicate, and she possessed a unique purity. Suppressing his thoughts, Albert took out a cigarette. He considered m lighting it but reconsidered, given Rena''s pregnancy. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Impatiently, he asked, "I''ve done what you asked. When will you solve my problem?" Chapter 1546 Chapter 1546 Rena lowered her gaze and smiled.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "We can discuss it once my n is finished." As her eyes lowered, he observed her delicate skin. She was particrly captivating. Albert had been with all sorts of beauties, but he had never truly cherished anyone. However, he couldn''t help but find himself captivated by Rena''s face. After a moment, he felt like his gaze was too direct. He spoke in a hoarse voice. "I trust you." Rena gracefully walked towards the car. Albert opened the car door for her, which took Rena slightly by surprise. When he looked at her, there seemed to be a hint of emotions in his eyes. Just before getting into the car, Rena said gently, "Albert, some things are best left unspoken." Then she entered the car. The door glided shut, and the expensive ck limousine slowly drove away. Albert stood there, smoking. Kyle was also preparing to leave. When he descended the stairs, he noticed his son smoking in the night breeze. Almost involuntarily, hemented, "You can have fun with Miss Hanson, but don''t bring her home." Albert sneered. He nonchntly flicked the cigarette butt away and stamped it out. "Don''t worry. I am more skilled at ying with women''s emotions than you.¡± Kyle''s expression remained somber. At this time, Kyle''s car arrived. Albert opened the car door for his father. As Kyle got into the car, he looked at Albert but ultimately said nothing The car started moving stay in the Find Novel.n''t website on G??gle to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Inside the car, the driver remarked to Kyle, "Mr. Albert Waston seems to be in high spirits." Kyle replied calmly, "He resents me deep down. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have kept refusing to return home and take over the family business. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! I understand his thoughts. He merely wants to give his mother an official status. But can easily provide her n: with that recognition? The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1547 Chapter 1547 Granting his mother such a status is akin to admitting that I cheated on my wife back then." Although Kyle''s wife had passed away, his father-inw was still alive and held considerable power. Kyle knew that if he gave his former lover, Albert''s mother, official recognition, his life would be exceedingly difficult due to his father-inw''s influence. The driver remained silent. After a brief pause, Kyle continued in a hushed tone, "Albert has now established a good rapport with Rena. I am relieved. I''ve often heard Zack''s father speak highly of Rena. Zack has changed significantly since he knew Rena." The driver nodded in agreement. Kyle''s mood seemed to have lightened. Meanwhile, Rena returned home. As soon as she entered the vi, she received a call from Kyle, who wanted her to change Albert''s lifestyle. Kyle said, "I haven''t had any prior contact with Miss Hanson, Rena, but I trust you wholeheartedly. Please guide Albert in the right direction. I will be forever grateful to you." Rena hadn''t yet changed out of her dress. She stood by the French window in the living room, wearing a faint smile on her face as she listened to Kyle. "Don''t worry, Mr. Waston. I will." Rena reassured him. Kyle continued to speak at length... When Rena hung up the phone, ten minutes had passed. Rena rubbed her neck, feeling tired after the social engagement. She thought that this pregnancy had been easier so far, but her physical strength wasn''t as robust as before. Rena returned to her bedroom. As she was about to remove her makeup and take a shower, Waylen, who had just put the children to bed, returned to the bedroom and saw her in this state. "Are you tired?" Waylen asked as he helped Rena sit down and gently massaged her neck. Rena leaned against the sofa, enjoying her husband''s care. She sighed softly and replied, "A little." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Waylen continued to massage Rena... In a hushed voice, Rena said, ¡°AlineThis material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. has taken the bait, Weare getting closer to sess now." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! "Really?" Waylen asked, intrigued. With azy smile, he probed, "Please exin." Rena held his hand gently and replied coldly, "I''m going to have Wendy bet 200 million on Albert." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1548 Chapter 1548 With that move, Aline''s suspicions would bergely ayed, and she''d Likely be willing to bet with arge amount of money. Waylen raised an eyebrow.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. He caressed his wife''s face gently with his slender fingers and said in a low voice, "Losing money isn''t typically your style." With a faint smile, Rena replied, "Before the channel is closed, I''ll invest another billion in Zack." This way, Rena could recover all the money that Aline had wagered. Waylen had already deduced this n. But he couldn''t help but be captivated by his wife''s beauty and her intelligence. He leaned closer to Rena and gently nibbled the soft flesh behind her ear. "A bad woman is worse than death. That saying is quite urate. You little schemer." As he spoke, his warm hand began to wander. Rena blushed. She leaned into him and whispered softly, ¡°Waylen, we''re discussing business here.¡± "We''re finished with this business." Waylen stated, picking her up gently and heading towards the bedroom. "You look stunning in this dress." Rena knew him well. He wouldn''t engage in intimate activities with her while she was pregnant, but he always tried to flirt with her. Their eyes locked. Even though they knew each other inside and out, the temptation M fout remained irresistible. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Waylen Lowered his head and gently nibbled her lip, his voice husky. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! "Don''t look at me like that. You know I can''t resist." Rena wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. Their kiss deepened. They didn''t make it to the bathroom. Instead, they bothy down at the end of the bed. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1549 Chapter 1549 Rena and Waylen had been married for a long time. She knew that he preferred to be intimate at the end of the bed. Rena''s eyes were tender as she unbuttoned his blue shirt and murmured, "Mr. Fowler, you''ve been working hardtely. I think I should give you a little reward." Waylen''s eyes held depth as he caressed her delicate face and advised, "Mrs. Fowler, behave yourself." Rena gently lifted her long brown hair, her fingers holding her husband''s handsome face as she kissed him. She responded, "I don''t want to behave myself tonight." No man would refuse his wife''s advances, especially not Waylen. He enjoyed Rena''s assertiveness... That night, their passion soared. When Rena woke up, she found a white rose and a small gift by her pillow. It filled her heart with sweetness. Having solved most of his work, Waylen seldom went to the office, choosing to stay home with the children. His socialmitments had dwindled significantly. Rena asionally persuaded him to attend social events, but he often declined. After a few attempts, she gave up and even found that her own social engagements was reduced.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Waylen was, in reality, quite calcting. The early winter sunlight beamed into the bedroom, casting aforting warmth on the bed. After lying there for a while, Rena got up, clutching the quilt, and summoned Wendy. Bet 200 million on Albert? Wendy''s mouth hung open for a while, and she thought Rena''s n was risky. Rena understood Wendy''s concerns. She smiled and assured and assured "Just follow G. my instructions." The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Wendy agreed. Without dy, she transferred 200 million to the club''s ount to bet on Albert. Of course, this remained confidential, and most bettors were still cing their bets on Zack. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! The fact that Rena wagered 200 million on Albert shocked everyone, particrly Aline. Aline inquired about it and discovered that the funds were provided by Rena. s?a?¨ªh th¨º¨¦d?vet.it website on Google to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Initially hesitant, Aline was somewhat reassured by Rena''s substantial bet. Chapter 1550 Chapter 1550 Aline decided to meet with Ruth. In a cafe, Aline got straight to the point and asked, ¡°Have you heard about Rena''s bet?" Ruth, taking off her leather gloves, responded flirtatiously, "I''ve been upied with social engagementstely and didn''t pay much attention to these matters. Does Mrs. Fowler also want to profit from this club? Why would she bother with such a small sum of money?" Aline nced at Ruth and, stirring her coffee gently, whispered, "It''s a lot quicker than earning money through business. It''s not surprising for her to yearn for making money through the club. Rena is a cautious person. but she suddenly bet 200 million on Albert, which likely means that the information is reliable." Aline wasn''t naive. She had seen how Rena had stolen the spotlight at the partyst night. Rena held a prominent position in polite society, despite her youth. Aline was envious and resentful. Aline looked at Ruth and murmured, "Rena had a private conversation with Albertst night. I suspect she also questioned Albert about the inside information. That''s why I want to bet on Albert." Ruth smiled faintly.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It''s not confidential information.¡± She then informed Aline, "On the day of thepetition, Zack won''t make an appearance at all. Do you think he has a chance to win? The other contestants are no match for Albert." "Is that so?" "Why would I deceive you? Do you think I''ve spent the past few days on social engagements for nothing?" The smile on Ruth''s face faded. "I must benefit from my efforts." Ruth revealed that she had bet 8@ million on Albert, hex entire savings. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! "If all go well, I can double my profits," Ruth said. Aline contemted lighting a cigarette. The allure of doubling her earnings was too tempting. Aline thought that, no matter how many movies she made, she couldn''t make as much Money as she could with this bet. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Aline gazed at Ruth. Ruth flipped her hair casually and stated. "That''s how it goes in this industry. Fortune favors the bold but despises the bold b the timid Mrs. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1551 Chapter 1551 Fowler has already ced a 200 million bet on Albert. What are you afraid of?" Aline remained silent. Back at her ce, she smoked for a long time before calling her ountant. She withdrew 4@0 million from her ount and ced it as a bet on Albert. If she seeded, she would double her money. If not, she would lose everything... But Aline was confident in her information. She was determined to win. Upon learning that Aline had bet 400 million on Albert, Rena held her phone, remaining silent for a long time. Aline''s fate was sealed. She couldn''t retract her bet.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Rena murmured to the person on the other end of the phone, "I understand." She hung up the phone not long after. Rena then asked Ross to take her to the cemetery. When Ross heard the destination, he hesitated and said, "Mr. Fowler won''t be pleased if he finds out you''ve gone to the cemetery." Rena smiled gently. "I''ll inform himter." Rena had meticulously nned for this, and she was delighted that Aline had finally taken the bait. She wanted to ry the news to Harold, hoping that he could rest in peace. Ross was still persistently voicing his concerns as Rena walked out of the el house, apanied by Alexis. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! She took the child''s hand and they set off for the cemetery. The morning was initially sunny, but as they arrived at the cemetery, m clouds had gathered overhead. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Walking hand in hand, Rena and Alexis were apanied by several bodyguards. As they approached Harold''s grave, Rena noticed that Krista and Addie Me were already there. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Rena ced a handful of daisies on the grave. Chapter 1552 Chapter 1552 Alexis, obediently following Rena, recognized the man in the photo as the one who had asked her to call him daddy. Seeing Rena''s arrival, Krista and Addie stood up. Krista, her expression a mix ofplexity, asked, "Why are here, especially while you''re pregnant?" Krista gently patted Alexis'' head, remarking, "Alexis has grown so much." Her emotions overcame her, and Krista let out a sigh. If Rena had been with Harold back then, they would have had a child as cute as Alexis and she would have had a granddaughter. The thought of it brought sadness to Krista''s heart. Rena also reached out to touch Alexis'' head, her voice soft. "I have something to ry to Harold." Tears welled up in Addie''s eyes as she said, "Rena, you''re the only one who still remembers my brother." Rena understood that Addie had faced many difficulties over the past few years. Rena didn''t dwell on the past; instead, she softly exined, "The medical examiner discovered that Harold had consumed a drug with stimnt effects before the ident." Thest person he had seen before his death was Aline. They had been intimate. Despite knowing he shouldn''t drive, Aline had said nothing. In other words, Aline indirectly contributed to Harold''s demise. Krista and Addie were stunned.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. They had never known this. Rena turned to face Harold''s picture and whispered, "Harrison and I also had an ident, and it was rted to Aline." Krista couldn''t contain herself. "Rena, we can''t allow her to get away with it." Krista was so ovee with am emotion that she knelt before Rena. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! "Please help me handle this bitch. Harold had suffered greatly. As he was passing away, his boas he convulsed, and he held on for an hour... The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! He was so pitiful." Addie, holding her mother, had tears streaming down her face. The 119 content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Aline was incredibly cruel. Chapter 1553 Chapter 1553 Rena asked Krista to stand up, offering a faint smile as she replied, "We won''t have to wait much longer. It''s almost over." Krista and Addie were taken aback. They stared at Rena with tears in their eyes. Rena and Harold had been deeply in love for four years, and Krista and Addie were very familiar with Rena. They had always thought of Rena as sweet and gentle. Yet the woman they saw now was different... Krista hesitated for a moment before replying, "You''re right. Her good days are numbered." Krista wanted to express her gratitude to Rena once more.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Rena shook her head. It was challenging to exin theplex connection between her and Harold. Waylen was aware of Rena''s visit to the cemetery, and he didn''t me her. He was more concerned that the negative energy might affect the baby. Rena sat on the living room''s sofa and sipped her warm milk. She smiled and said, "Elva isn''t that fragile. Besides, we were intimatest night, so I absorbed some of your vitality." Waylen was about to continue to argue with her, but her words left him momentarily stunned. She had be so audacious. He looked at her, smiled, and affectionately rubbed her nose. "Aren''t you shy?" Rena gazed up at him, her demeanor calm with a hint of femininity that was tantalizing. Having too many children at home made Waylen unable to flirt with Rena anywhere, anytime. Rena leaned against him, softly promising, "Let''s wait until this matter is resolved, okay?" Waylen smirked mischievously. The next day marked the final Fl winterpetition. Rena and Waylen attended, upying the best private room. Coincidentally, Aline and Ruth were in the opposite room. Aline was feeling confident. She had met with Albert the previous night. While he was still impatient with her, he had revealed the inside information that Zack would not participate in the race. At this time, Aline was wearing sunsses and waiting for the result. At precisely 10 o''clock, the betting time was about to end. Rena instructed Wendy, "ce a one-billion-dor bet on Zack." Wendy was momentarily taken aback. Waylen, with an indifferent tone, beta added, "Help me bet a billion dors on Zack as well. I want to join your E boss in making a fortune.¡± The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Rena was amused by Waylen''sments. Wendy nced at them andplied, cing a two-billion-dor bet on Zack... Wendy assumed that if Zack won, Rena would take all the winnings. After Wendy hadpleted the bets, the betting time ended. Aline, too, had influential connections, and she swiftly received the news that two billion dors had been ced on Zack. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Someone had bet two billion dors on Zack! How could that be possible? Wasn''t Zack supposed to be unable topete due to his leg injury? s¡è¡è¡èh the Find olet website on Google to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! As panic gripped Aline''s heart and her eyes reddened, Zack walked out of the P room, wearing his custom-made helmet... Chapter 1554 Chapter 1554 Rena asked Krista to stand up, offering a faint smile as she replied, "We won''t have to wait much longer. It''s almost over." Krista and Addie were taken aback. They stared at Rena with tears in their eyes. Rena and Harold had been deeply in love for four years, and Krista and Addie were very familiar with Rena. They had always thought of Rena as sweet and gentle. Yet the woman they saw now was different... Krista hesitated for a moment before replying, "You''re right. Her good days are numbered." Krista wanted to express her gratitude to Rena once more. Rena shook her head. It was challenging to exin theplex connection between her and Harold. Waylen was aware of Rena''s visit to the cemetery, and he didn''t me her. He was more concerned that the negative energy might affect the baby. Rena sat on the living room''s sofa and sipped her warm milk. She smiled and said, "Elva isn''t that fragile. Besides, we were intimatest night, so I absorbed some of your vitality." Waylen was about to continue to argue with her, but her words left him momentarily stunned. She had be so audacious. He looked at her, smiled, and affectionately rubbed her nose. "Aren''t you shy?" Rena gazed up at him, her demeanor calm with a hint of femininity that was tantalizing. Having too many children at home made Waylen unable to flirt with Rena anywhere, anytime. Rena leaned against him, softly promising, "Let''s wait until this matter is resolved, okay?" Waylen smirked mischievously. The next day marked the final Fl winterpetition. Rena and Waylen attended, upying the best private room. Coincidentally, Aline and Ruth were in the opposite room. Aline was feeling confident. She had met with Albert the previous night. While he was still impatient with her, he had revealed the inside information that Zack would not participate in the race. At this time, Aline was wearing sunsses and waiting for the result. At precisely 10 o''clock, the betting time was about to end. Rena instructed Wendy, "ce a one-billion-dor bet on Zack." Wendy was momentarily taken aback. Waylen, with an indifferent tone, beta added, "Help me bet a billion dors on Zack as well. I want to join your EContent ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. boss in making a fortune.¡± The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Rena was amused by Waylen''sments. Wendy nced at them andplied, cing a two-billion-dor bet on Zack... Wendy assumed that if Zack won, Rena would take all the winnings. After Wendy hadpleted the bets, the betting time ended. Aline, too, had influential connections, and she swiftly received the news that two billion dors had been ced on Zack. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Someone had bet two billion dors on Zack! How could that be possible? Wasn''t Zack supposed to be unable topete due to his leg injury? As panic gripped Aline''s heart and her eyes reddened, Zack walked but of the Proom/ wearing his custom-made helmet... The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1555 Chapter 1555 She couldn''t think of anything else and directly pleaded, "I ced a four-hundred-million-dor bet on this race. That''s almost all I have, Albert... For the sake of our past affection, you have to win this race today." Albert, chewing the gumzily, replied casually, "It depends." What? She had put in four hundred million dors and he just said this! Aline pressed further, and Albert''s patience wore thin. He retorted, "Can''t you hear me? I said it depends. I just had sex several timesst night. Oh, what a magical night. I''m somewhat weary. My legs are so weak that I may not be able to drive as fast as I used to be." Hearing this, Aline''s expression darkened, her anger building as she yelled, "Albert, you heartless bastard!" "Didn''t you know that before?" With that statement, Albert abruptly ended the call. When Aline tried to call him again, she found that his phone had been switched off. She muttered in a daze, "I''m doomed. Everything''s ruined." Ruth continued to feign concern and asked, "He didn''t promise you to win the game?"Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Aline''s eyes were red. "He''s just a jerk who''s been ying with women. Where''s Rena? I need to find her. I''ve lost my money, and she''s going to lose hers, too." Ruth sneered. Aline went to Rena''s chamber in an attempt to talk it over, but four bodyguards blocked the door, refusing to let her enter. ¡°Mr. Fowler has instructed that no strangers are allowed in." Aline began to make a scene. S{a}*th the (ind) vel.it website on Google to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Hermotion drew Waylen out. Upon seeing Aline, he furrowed his brow. The contention.COM NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! "Mr. Fowler, I want to see Rena." Aline Rena seemed to see a life saving straw. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Waylen put his hand in his pocket. He stared at the woman in front of him. Chapter 1556 Chapter 1556 No one in the world knew how vicious and terrible she was better than he did. Aline indirectly killed Harold and harmed Rena. Worse still, Aline killed the electric worker when they had sex. Aline hadmitted a battery of heinous crimes. Waylen suppressed his disgust and said indifferently, "Rena is pregnant and needs some rest." After saying that, he turned around, ready to go back inside. In a desperate attempt, Aline grabbed his sleeve and pleaded, "I heard that Rena also bet on Albert, but now Albert might not win. I want to speak with Rena... After all, she had bet two hundred million dors, hadn''t she?" Waylen quickly shoved Aline''s hand away. With a gentle yet intimidating smile, he said, "The two hundred million dors is just for her to kill the time and have some fun. It''s not a big deal." Aline seemed frozen in ce upon hearing his statement. Seizing the opportunity, Waylen opened the door and walked in. At this time, on the racetrack, the drivers were ready. A loud roar came from the stands as Zack''s fans apuded. His name was continuously being yelled out enthusiastically. Zack waved his hand calmly to his fans and then blew a kiss to Danna, who was sitting in the auditorium. Danna blushed slightly. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! The starting shot was fired, and the om sports cars shot forward Like arrows. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! The wind was filled with the sound of racing cars and overwhelmed by an exhrating atmosphere. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there!Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Onep. Twops. Threeps... Chapter 1557 Chapter 1557 Zack had been leading the way while Albert was trailing by a hundred meters. Aline held her breath, still holding on thest bit of hope she had. She wished that she still held a ce in Albert''s heart and that he would give it his all for the sake of her.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. However, as theps increased, Albert remained in second ce and made no attempt to catch up. As the finalp approached, Zack reached the finish line first. Zack opened the car door, removed his helmet, and hugged Danna as she ran toward him. Zack kissed Danna and whispered in her ear, "This is myst race. From now on, we can focus on ourselves. You don''t have to worry about me anymore." Danna''s eyes welled up with tears. Zack was filled with mixed feelings. When he met Danna, he was a reckless man, who was passionate about racing and had no intention of giving it up for any woman. Even after marrying Danna, he continued to participate in several races every year. Danna had neverined about that. However, whenever the subject of having a baby was brought up, Danna always suggested having it a few yearster. He knew that she was giving him time to pursue his passion. He loved racing, but he loved Danna even more. This loving couple continued to embrace each other, finding sce in their affection. In a chamber, Aline slumped into a chair, utterly defeated. The content is of NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! She was inplete despair. Her entire fortune of 40@ million om dors had vanished into thin air. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Aline seethed with anger, but there Berfage. was no clear target Yok her fage. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! She felt as if everyone had schemed against her. She sat there, muttering inaudible words. Chapter 1558 Chapter 1558 Seeing Aline like this, Ruth, trembling with fear, mustered up her courage to touch Aline gently. "Miss Hanson." Suddenly, Aline''s eyes turned fierce as they locked onto Ruth. She questioned, "Who dared to do this to me? Is it you? Or Rena? Albert?" Aline extended her hand, gripping Ruth''s neck tightly. Ruth cried out for help as she desperately fled away. Several bodyguards saved her and then informed Aline, "Miss Hanson, Mrs. Fowler wishes to see you." Aline looked disheveled, but she clung to what remained of her pride, adjusting her green fur. In contrast to other chambers, Rena''s room resembled a luxurious hotel suite. It exuded warmth and sophistication. Rena sat gracefully on a sofa, a precious ne in her hand. Aline recognized it. It was a gift sent to Rena from her. Everything became clear to Aline in an instant. Rena had orchestrated this whole scheme.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. However, Aline couldn''t fathom Rena''s motives. "Why?" Aline questioned, her eyes reddened. "I genuinely wanted to befriend you, but you''ve set me up like this. What''s in it for you? You''ve lost 20@ million dors, haven''t you?" Rena''s gaze remained fixed on the ¦¯¦°¦© ne, brushing off Aline''s inquiry. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! She remarked, "This ne is truly exquisite. Beautiful and dazzling objects often entice people to fight for them. Aline, you''ve fought for it relentlessly for so many years. Aren''t you exhausted?" The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Aline reluctantly lifted her head and retorted, "It''s not over yet. Just wait and see, Rena." Rena smiled, her tone detached. S''a''h th Find_Novel et website on Google to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1559 Chapter 1559 "Do you really believe you have a chance left? I''m telling you, from start to finish, I orchestrated everything. From Ruth''s involvement to Albert''s, even Kyle''s, were parts of my n. If you weren''t so desperate to marry into the Moore family, perhaps you wouldn''t have fallen into the trap so easily. Oh, I almost forgot to mention, I didn''t just bet 200 million dors on Albert. I also bet 300 million dors on Zack with Waylen." In essence, Rena and Waylen were the ones who stood to gain the most from the bets. Aline was filled with rage at Rena''s cunning tactics. At this moment, the door swung open, and Albert walked in. Aline gazed at Albert''s young and handsome face, trembling with fear. She couldn''t believe that the man she''d been intimate with had been plotting against her. He had never even tried to please her. It had been her who had willingly ced everything in front of him. Rena whispered in a low voice, ¡°Aline, do you think Albert resembles someone?" Aline froze, realizing the implication of Rena''s words. She implied Harold. Rena''s eyes fell to the ne in her hand. She sneered, "The more people ignore you, the more you desire them. Aline, you''ve lost to yourself. You can''t ept that Harold died because of you. You don''t like Albert, yet you subconsciously see him as a recement for Harold." Aline protested, "I don''t!" She couldn''t contain her emotions any longer and shouted, "I didn''t kill him! He took the drugs and went to see you. Whom can you me?This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Me? He died because of his feelings for you. Rena, you''re the one who should feel guilty!" Rena smiled faintly. Just then, a mother and daughter entered the room. They were Harold''s mother and sister. Krista''s face turned ashen when she heard Aline''s words. She approached Aline and grabbed her by the neck, e attempting to confront her. Sah th Find_N?vel. et website on G??gl to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! "You wretch! You gave those drugs to Harold! Worse still, you didn''t wan him when you knew he had to drive! What a vicious wretch!" The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! As Harold''s mother, Krista waspelled to strike Aline. Even though Aline was younger and stronger, she couldn''t escape Krista''s grasp. Krista choked Aline and cried out to Addier? her daughter, "Addie, p this m wretch''s face hard, or your brother couldn''t rest in peace." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1560 Chapter 1560 Addie sobbed and pped Aline hard across the face. Her strike was forceful, causing Aline''s face to swell. Addie''s sharp nails pierced into Aline''s flesh. Aline''s face was disfigured. Aline screamed desperately, "Albert, help me! Help me!" Albert sneered. "Why should I help you? Who are you to me?" Aline was utterly shocked.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. She looked at Krista, Addie, Ruth, Rena, Wendy, and Waylen, and everyone regarded her with disdainful eyes as if she were something poisonous. Poisonous? Well, beautiful things could be just as poisonous. When Aline saw her grotesque face in the mirror, she was in a trance. At that moment, she seemed to have forgotten the pain in her body. She gingerly touched her face and muttered, "It''s over." Rena threw the ne to Aline. "Aline, this is yourst possession." Aline picked up the ne and put it on, dancing clumsily as she muttered, "You''re right. I did it all. Harold never loved me. He deserved to die. He deserved to die when he got hit by that car. He slept with me, yet he still thought about you, Rena. He continued to yearn for you even after you got married. Didn''t he deserve to die? And why are you still alive, Rena? I bought off an electric worker. I asked him to do something... Yet, here you are. Still breathing. Rena, do you have nine lives or something? Harold ced that piece of junk on you, which saved your life. Ve And Hanson, that fool, also admired you. Harold... I can''t believe he wanted to help you even on the brink of death. How can I not hate you?" The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! The room fell silent. Aline grinned strangely. "But this time, I truly wanted to get along with you, Rena. Why don''t you e give me a chance?" The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Rena ced a recording pen on the the table, her expression unwavering. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1561 Chapter 1561 The chapter is errored .We will fix ittter The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there!This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 1562 Chapter 1562 She wrapped her arms around Waylen''s waist and murmured, "I might not have expressed it before, but I truly appreciate you." She rubbed her head against his chest. "Waylen, you were truly brave when you went up the mountain on that snowy night." She appreciated his courage, thanked him for embarking on a journey to recover his lost memories, and appreciated the second chance he''d given them to love each other. Waylen kissed her forehead and silently consoled her. Just then, the door to the room swung open, and a figure rushed in, seeing Rena and Waylen locked in an embrace. It was Vera. Observing their closeness, Vera was taken aback. Then, she eximed, "Did that wretch Aline really get caught?" Rena gently pushed Waylen away. Even though they were a couple, she still felt a bit shy when others saw them like this. Waylen nced at Roscoe, who had entered with Vera. Picking up his cup to his mouth, he joked, "Roscoe, tell your wife to knock on the door next time. If Rena and I were having sex here just now, wouldn''t she have witnessed us?" Roscoe scrunched his nose. Having sex in the Flpetition VIP room... Waylen was really something. Vera was anxious. "Tell me, did that wretch really get caught?" Rena smiled and replied gently, "Yes, she was apprehended. She hasmitted serious crimes, and I doubt she''ll escape the consequences.'' Vera was stunned momentarily. After coming back to her senses her eyes Welled up with tearsExclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. and she experienced a myriad of emotions. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Rena smiled again. "Isn''t it a good thing? She received her just deserts and won''t be able to harm us anymore." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Vera nodded vigorously. Before Rena could say more, her phone rang. S~{a}}h the FindN?v l website on Google to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! It was from Albert''s father... Chapter 1563 Chapter 1563 Rena picked up the phone. It was Kyle. He heard the news and came to inquire, ¡°Will Miss Hanson''s issues affect Albert?" "No," Rena replied with a faint smile. "Don''t worry. What Miss Hanson did has nothing to do with him." Kyle''s heart was still racing with worries and unease. He sighed, saying, ¡°Rena, he is my only son now." Rena was in a foul mood, but she had made a promise regarding Albert''s safety, so she still tried to ease Kyle''s worries. She said, "Since Albert means a lot to you, you should cherish him." Kyle, a smart man, understood her underlying message. He then hung up the phone after exchanging a few polite words. At this moment, Vera snapped to her senses. She realized Aline was truly doomed, and she and Rena would never have to deal with this vicious woman again.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Vera clenched her teeth and said, "She finally got what she deserved!" Thrilled, Vera stepped forward and hugged Rena tightly. "Thank you, Rena! Thank you for getting rid of her." Rena knew Vera best. She gently patted Vera''s shoulder and wiped thetter''s tears awayn Sa*h the t website on Google to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! "Don''t mention it. Remember, I''ll ?''m always be there for you? The content istom NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! With tears in her eyes, Vera gave Rena an appreciative look. Next to them, Waylen and Roscoe exchanged nces and then left the room together. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1564 Chapter 1564 Roscoe took out his cigarette box, shook out a cigarette, and handed it to Waylen. "This is for the scene just now." Waylen epted the cigarette, lit it, and smiled.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. In fact, Waylen had known Vera for years. Over the years, Rena had formed various friendships, but her best female friend had never changed. It was always Vera. As for male friends, there was Tyrone. The thought of Tyrone made Waylen feel a bit disheartened. Roscoe just patted Waylen on the shoulder and asked, "Your third baby is about to be born. Have you thought about having a fourth?" Waylen nced at Roscoe and replied, "After my wife gives birth to this baby, we''ll focus on ourselves first.¡± Roscoe nced at Waylen, his eyes filled with envy. He and Vera had always wanted a little girl, but Vera hadn''t gotten pregnant yet. Seeing Roscoe''s expression, Waylen patted him on the shoulder and suggested, "What about having dinner together?" He thought they should celebrate a bit for finally getting rid of Aline. Because of Rena''s pregnancy, they opted for a nutritious hot pot, whichforted their hungry bellies. When they were done eating, Waylen soon apanied Rena back to the vi. Rena was used to taking a nap in the afternoon, so he stayed with her until she dozed off. Then, he quietly left and went to the study to attend to some business matters. Korbyn was no longer in his prime, and he had always enjoyed taking care of his grandchildren. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Therefore, Waylen was responsible for the Exceed Group and also some of the Fowler Group''s affairs. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Being swamped with work, he wished he had more sons to help kim deal e with all these things. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Yes, he wanted more sons because of this. In his eyes, daughters should be cherished and lead carefree lives. The study was filled with tranquility. Chapter 1565 Chapter 1565 Waylen sifted through piles of files sent by Jazlyn, unable to finish them all. ALL of a sudden, the door creaked open and a little girl with curly brown hair appeared. "Who''s there?" Waylen pretended he didn''t see Alexis. "Hush, daddy." Alexis tiptoed in quietly, urging Waylen to be quiet. Then, she bent down and got under Waylen''s desk. When Waylen extended his legs, she naturally settled on hisp. She even reached out her tender hands to hug his waist as if she were Harry Potter riding the broomstick. Alexis whispered softly, "I''m ying hide and seek with Leonel and Marcus. Daddy, please don''t tell them I''m here, okay?" Her chubby and tender face bore a striking resemnce to Rena. Whenever Waylen looked at her, happiness overwhelmed him.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. He reached out to caress her curly brown hair and gently said, "Don''t worry, I won''t tell them." Alexis hugged Waylen tightly, disying her love and dependence on her beloved father. If it weren''t for work or the fact that Alexis was ying hide and seek, Waylen would want nothing more than to hold her in his arms and shower her with love. He continued to work while Alexis remained motionless. Perhaps Waylen''s legs were warm and steady, causing Alexis to slowly close her eyes and fall asleep. Waylen then heard the sound of approaching footsteps outside the door. It sounded as if someone was pacing back and forth. Waylen nced at the door and found Leonel and Marcus who were currently looking for Alexis. Waylen looked down at the sleeping Alexis and decided to cover her with a nket. At this moment, Marcus stumbled to the door and pointed inside, calling e for Alexis, Alexis!" The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Leonel held Marcus'' chubby hand, knowing that Waylen was working and didn''t want to disturb him. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Waylen lifted his gaze to stare at Marcus, who hadn''t known how to ''t knowed and admired Leonel read the room, and for the perceptiveness he possessed at this young age. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1566 Chapter 1566 Alexis looked at Waylen expectantly, wondering if he would notice her concerns. Waylen seemed to understand but pretended not to and instead kissed her. He said, "Go wash your face and take Marcus downstairs to have something to eat." Tears welled up in Alexis''s eyes, but she obediently went downstairs with Marcus.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Meanwhile, Rena had enjoyed a good nap. A soft sensation suddenly brushed against her neck from under the quilt. When she woke up, she saw her daughter''s tender face. "Mommy." Alexis wrapped her arms around Rena''s neck and nted a soft kiss on Rena''s face. Rena gently touched Alexis'' small body, findingfort in her presence. Alexis snuggled up to Rena''s embrace and acted like a spoiled child,ining about Waylen''s "cruel" treatment of Leonel. Leonel had somehow be like a Laborer. Rena was taken aback by this, a mix of annoyance and amusement. She knew Waylen had high expectations for their children, though he loved them deeply. She thought he would be just a bit strict when it came to educating them. However, she never expected Leonel, at such a young age, to be rendered to the stress of elite education. Rena kissed Alexis and said gently, "Tell daddy toe to the bedroom. Mommy wants to see him." Alexis, thrilled to ry her mother''s message, quickly left the bedroom. She ran to the door of the study and called out, "Daddy, mommy wants to see your The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Waylen closed the file. Upon looking into Alexis'' eyes, he realized she had told on him. He chuckled as he looked at Leonel. As Waylen passed by Alexis, he affectionately stroked her head and said, "Take Leonel downstairs and eat something. Don''te back upstairs for at least two hours." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Blinking, Alexis grabbed Leonel''s hand and dashed downstairs. Waylen shook his head and smiled, then walked back to themain back to bedroom The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! m Chapter 1567 Chapter 1567 the chapter is errored .We will fix ittter The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there!Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Chapter 1568 Chapter 1568 He knocked on the door and asked, ¡°Honey, may Ie in?" Dressed in formal attire, he looked charming. Rena had already gotten up, changed into afortable wool skirt, and was leaning against the bedroom sofa, reading a parenting book. When she heard his voice, she nced up and smiled. "Since when did you be so polite?" Did he now need her permission to enter their bedroom? Waylen, with a charming smile, walked to the back of the sofa and gently wrapped his arms around Rena''s slender shoulders. He deliberately breathed warm air near the tender skin of her ear. "Since when did I enter without informing my wife?" His words held a hint of teasing. Even though they had been married for a long time, Rena couldn''t resist his yful banter. Her face turned crimson. Attempting to hide her shyness, she cleared her throat and attempted to downy her emotions. "I need to discuss something with you." Waylen chuckled. He released her, moved to the water dispenser, and poured himself a ss of water. After taking a few sips, he raised his gaze and asked, "Did Alexis tell you?" Undeniably, Rena stared at Waylen and confessed with a nod. Next year, Waylen would turn thirty-six, yet his figure remained well -maintained. A simple gray shirt and dark gray suit pants entuated his perfectly toned physique.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Rena couldn''t help but steal another nce at him, captivated by his m handsome appearance. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! asionally, he slicked his hair back, exuding a mature and captivating charisma. Rena tried to sneak another nce at Waylen but forced herself to focus on the parenting book. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! "Leonel is a sensitive kid. Don''t be too harsh on him. As for matters rted to the group, could you consider letting him know when he has at least reached the age of sixteen?" The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1569 Chapter 1569 Waylen''s gaze remained fixed on Rena as she spoke. Rena couldn''t bear the intensity of his stare.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. She put the book down and said gently, "I''m talking to you. Please don''t look at me like that." Waylen set down his cup. Leaning against the back of the sofa opposite her, he chuckled. "You''re my legal wife. Don''t you want me to look at you? By the way, you think I''m being too strict with Leonel?" Rena nodded. Waylen approached her again, wrapping his arms around her from behind, holding her a little tighter. He pressed his good-looking thin lips against her neck as if he was kissing her. "Rena, do you see him as your own child?" Rena was taken aback by his question. Waylen continued gently, ¡°You don''t, and that''s why you want to give him preferential treatment.¡± Rena wanted to retort instinctively, but Waylen gently touched her lips with his slender fingers and continued, "If Marcus were this age and I were to train him like this, you definitely wouldn''t object to my decision. Just because Leonel is not my biological son, you''re afraid that he might feel mistreated, right?" Rena thought he had a point, although something still felt amiss. In any case, she couldn''t counter his eloquence. If she disagreed, it would imply that she didn''t consider Leonel as her own son. It took Rena a while to regain her voice. "So, do you want him to take over the Exceed Group?" she asked. Waylen nodded seriously. Although he held her, his expression was earnest. "I don''t want Alexis to enter the business world, even though she''s intelligent. Among the kids, Alexis is the one I love the most. I want her to have a free and happy Life." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! In essence, Alexis could do whatever she pleased under Waylen''s Om e protection. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! It was Waylen''s way of loving Alexis. Rena knew Waylen favored Alexis, but she hadn''t expected it to be this pronounded. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1570 Chapter 1570 ? Waylen, however, knew she was overthinking things. He whispered, "The same applies to this baby in your belly. She''s lucky that she''s a girl." He nned to raise his daughters as princesses. However, for Leonel and Marcus, who were both boys, he believed they needed strict upbringing from a young age. It was a bitte for Leonel to receive an elite education. As for Marcus, Waylen insisted that Marcus should start to be trained at the age of five. Rena finally understood his perspective. She empathized with the children, but she also recognized Waylen''s set mind in this regard. Rena decided topromise with his decision. Waylen kissed her tender cheek and murmured, ¡°Honey, you are so understanding and reasonable." Rena couldn''t resist his advances and felt that his kiss was exceedingly passionate. She yfully eximed, ¡°Waylen, the kids are all at home!" Undeterred, Waylen turned up the heat, tore open her dress, and continued to kiss her. "They won''te upstairs for two hours." Although Rena put on a facade of reluctance, she sumbed to his advances. She felt that he was filled with energy, and his enthusiasm overwhelmed her. An hourter, as theyy in each other''s arms, Rena bit her lower lip and cursed, "Waylen, you scoundrel!" However, he just wore a content smile on his face. He then grabbed her hand and gently caressed it.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. "Your belly isn''t big yet. When it gets bigger, it''ll be more inconvenient for certain activities." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Rena wasn''t truly angry. She loved Waylen deeply, and he was still in his prime. She longed to let him enjoy their intimate moments with satisfaction. She touched his handsome face and asked in a low voice, "How can m exin Leonel''s situation to Alexister?" The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! S~ah the Findel.n''t website on G??gle to ess, ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1571 Chapter 1571 Waylen kissed her and replied, "Let me talk to her. Rena, you need to y the role of a good mother." His teasing made Rena blush. No man could be as flirtatious as him, but she appreciated this aspect of his character. Rena didn''t know how Waylen had convinced Alexis, but she knew Leonel had to spend two hours working with him in the study every day, which she found a pity for the young boy. In the evening, Rena was teaching Alexis to y the piano. Coincidentally, Mark returned from Czanch and dropped by Rena''s house. Rena was surprised by her uncle''s unexpected visit. Alexis, who was in front of the piano, greeted Mark with excitement. She came running into his embrace and nted a big kiss on his cheek. "Mark!" Mark returned the affection, nting a kiss on her face. He thenplimented Rena, "You''ve taken great care of her." Rena prepared a cup of tea for Mark and asked, "Why did youe to Duefron so suddenly?" Mark, wearing a gentle smile on his face, responded, "I''m here to pick up Cecilia and Edwin so we can celebrate the festival together in Czanch."This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Rena had originally nned to send Cecilia and Edwin to Czanch on the Fowler family''s private ne, so she was surprised by Mark''s arrangement. Thinking of the hardships Cecilia had endured and the challenges Mark had faced, Rena couldn''t help but be moved to tears. "That''s wonderful. You can gather together. By the way, where is Cecilia Mark just smiled warmly. "I stopped by to see you first. I''ll pick them upter." He loved Cecilia and Edwin and also held a special affection for Rena and He her children. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Mark had specificallye here to ¦¯¦© present them with some gifts. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Each child had received a special gift, and Rena''s was the most §ß§Ö extravagant. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! "Thank you." Rena shed a smile at Mark. Mark patted her on the head affectionately, and at that moment, Waylen came downstairs and noticed Mark''s presence. He asked, "So, are you leaving tonight?" Chapter 1572 Chapter 1572 Mark lifted his eyes and replied with a faint smile, "I have a meeting tomorrow morning." Otherwise, he wouldn''t willingly part with Cecilia and Edwin. Waylen nodded, understanding Mark''s situation as a man. Seeing Rena''s reluctance to let Mark leave, Waylenforted her gently, "Go upstairs and change into warmer clothes. Let''s see him off." Tears glistened in Rena''s eyes. She loved Waylen deeply, with all his strengths and weaknesses. She had never expected him to be so considerate one day. She nodded and went upstairs. Waylen patted Alexis'' butt and said, "Go upstairs and stay by your mom''s side. Don''t let her cry." Hearing this, Alexis gave a nod and hurriedly caught up with Rena. Alexis'' curly hair shimmered under the crystal chandelier. Mark adored Alexis very much and couldn''t help but envy Waylen. He envied Waylen had four children in his prime, and could bring so much joy to Rena.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. On the contrary, he had been busy all his life and had only fallen in love with a womante in life, with limited time he could spend with her. Waylen nced at Mark''s lonely expression and smiled, saying, ¡°I never view you as a sentimental soul." Mark somehow found sce in his words. Rena, now wearing a thick coat, descended the stairs. As she reached the bottom, Waylen approached and helped her put on her scarf. He had bought her a new LV scarf the previous week, a soft and m delicately colored piece that he thought suited Rena perfectly. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Rena gently touched his hand and said, "That''s enough, or it''ll be too tight." Waylen yfullyined to Mark, "She''s quite picky." Alexis, the most cherished kid in the family, joined their way to see Cecilia and Edwin off. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! As they drovete into the night in the luxurious limousines, Waytem asked Renato lean on his shoulder to En avoid fatigue. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Sitting next to them, Alexis gazed at her mother with anticipation. Chapter 1573 Chapter 1573 With Rena around, Alexis wasn''t the family''s center of attention. Rena whispered as she leaned on Waylen''s shoulder, "Waylen, Cecilia is one year older than me. How can I be in the mood to marry off a daughter?" Waylen gently touched her face and responded, "Oh, honey. Look at you." Rena suddenly blushed. Sometimes, during their intimate moments when Waylen was in a good mood, he would lean in and call her "baby," which made Rena feel shy. Waylen seemed to have thought of this and pursed his lips, not doing anything in the presence of Alexis. Half an hourter, the car stopped. Despite thete hour, the Fowler family mansion was brightly lit. Cecilia and Edwin stood at the door, bathed in the warm, gentle glow of yellow light. Mark hesitated as he got out of the car, staring at his beloved Cecilia. Cecilia fixed her eyes on Mark. At this moment, she almost forgot her previous difiture, focusing only on her anticipation of their shared future. With others present and considering his status, Mark had to restrain himself. Sensing the atmosphere, Peter promptly presented Edwin with a Christmas gift, which was quite expensive. Cecilia softly reminded Edwin, ¡°Edwin, what should you say when receiving gifts?" Edwin shed a smile and expressed his gratitude softly, ¡°Thank you, Peter." Peter patted Edwin''s head and smiled. "Your father has an even bigger gift for you." Edwin didn''t see Mark often and felt a little shy. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! At this time, Mark picked Edwin up and spoke softly to Kim The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! "Daddy will give it to you when we reach home! Your grandma is waiting up for you, Edwin." The content is onN?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! In fact, Edwin admired Mark. Alexis had told him how awesome Mark was. Chapter 1574 Chapter 1574 Edwin leaned against Mark, his Little face turning slightly red. Mark patted Edwin''s head and then looked at Cecilia. Emotions surged between them as their eyes met. Korbyn couldn''t tolerate the intimate atmosphere between them any longer, waving his hand, and said, ¡°Alright. Pack up your things and head to Czanch to celebrate Christmas. You''ve endured so much over these years." Cecilia felt a little embarrassed by her father''s words. Juliette just continued to give her some soft reminders. Though Cecilia and Mark weren''t officially married, one day, Cecilia would move to Czanch to settle down. Juliette carried a hint of sadness in her voice. Renaforted her. Waylen approached them and removed his leather gloves, gently stroking Cecilia''s face. "Waylen!" Cecilia and Waylen got on well, so Cecilia couldn''t help calling him emotionally. Waylen gave a nod, trying to suppress his emotions and speaking seemingly indifferently. "Finally, you''ve found your happiness. I''m so relieved. Get along well with others. If you encounter any difficulties, don''t cry. Juste back here. We''ll always be there for you." Moved by his words, tears threatened to flow down, and Cecilia lowered her head to conceal her feelings, looking pitiful. Rena nced at Waylen and chided softly, "You''re her elder brother. Can''t you say some warmer words in a moreforting way?" Waylen didn''t say anything but simply stared at his little sister. "Okay, I will," Cecilia replied. She took a few slow steps away, but she couldn''t help but turn around and call Waylen. At that moment, she still seemed like the little girl who had always been who hadContent ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ve under Waylen''s protection. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! No matter what mistakes she had made or what asion it was, e m Waylen loved her just the same. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Waylen knew his little sister well, so he walked over and affectionately patted her head. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! "After Christmas, Rena and I wille to visit you." Cecilia felt better with his promise. Chapter 1575 Chapter 1575 At the foot of the stairs, Mark was waiting for her with Edwin in his arms. They bore a striking resemnce and both gazed at her. Cecilia was impressed by this sight. She walked to Mark and said, "Let''s go." Several sleek ck Audi cars slowly drove out of the Fowler family''s vi. The Fowler family members stood there, watching them depart for a long while. Then, Korbyn forced a smile and remarked, "This Christmas will be a quiet one. Honey, I''m afraid you will have to prepare most of the things." With Rena in his arms, Waylen chimed in, "Dad, did you forget that we have two more members this year?" There was Leonel and the baby in Rena''s belly. Korbyn was momentarily stunned but soon understood. He smiled and responded, "Yeah, you''re right! With two more members, it''ll be livelier! Waylen, it deserves a grand celebration!" He stretched out and added, "After so many years, we finallye to a happy end." After those words escaped his lips, he smiled at his wife. Waylen, still holding Rena, stood in the night, his expression even gentler than the night itself. It was past midnight when Mark and others arrived in Czanch. Mark had thought that Zoey was too old to stay up all night. However, as soon as the cars entered the yard, Zoey came forward. Sah the et website on G??gl to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Apanied by a gust of cold wind, Zoey stood beneath the light, m watching as the car doors opened card and a little boy emerged. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! The wrinkles on Zoey''s face smoothed out. "Grandma!" Edwin threw himself into Zoey''s arms.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Edwin had grown up. He was still a bit shy but sweet and gentle, just like Markin his childhood. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Zoey lovingly caressed Edwin''s little face. Chapter 1576 Chapter 1576 Her gaze, however, was fixed on Cecilia, who stood beside Mark. With concern, Zoey asked, "It''s sote. How''s your journey, dear? I made your favorite midnight snacks." At her words, tears welled up in Cecilia''s eyes. Even though it was alreadyte in the evening, Zoey still showed her delight at their arrival with her homemade snacks. Cecilia hugged Zoey and whispered, "Thanks, Zoey. It''s so nice to see you." Zoey patted Cecilia''s hand, turned around, and said to Mark, "Take Cecilia to the dining room. Dinner is still in the microwave. I''11 give Edwin something yummy." With a smile on his face, Mark teased, "Yes, madai He asked Peter to go back first. Peter, ustomed to jesting, made a few witty remarks before saying, "What a loving family. I''d love to stay and propose a toast to you, but it seems I can''t. I better go back and get some sleep. I have work tomorrow." Mark yfully scolded, "You little brat!" Soon after, Peter left. Zoey took Edwin to the room. Edwin seemed to fall asleep there. Now, only Mark and Cecilia were left. Mark still looked handsome, and Cecilia was young and beautiful. Despite the wisteria vine above them withering in winter, it still exuded a sense of aesthetic beauty.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Mark held her hand and walked slowly. Returning to this ce, both of them were inundated with emotions. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! A feeling of unease nagged at Cecilia. Mark suddenly stopped, held her in his arms, and pressed her gently and against a tree. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! "What''s wrong?" Cecilia asked. "Honey, our son has grown up, but you''re still so shy. My mother had deliberately left and made foom for us. Now that we''re alone, what about making good use of this meaningful night?" The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Mark''s voice was gentle and seductive. Cecilia turned her head shyly. Chapter 1577 Chapter 1577 Though she loved him, after what they had gone through, she found their happiness now too overwhelming to believe and relish. Tears welled up in her eyes. "Don''t cry," Mark implored.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Lowering his head, he kissed the tear off her face. He vowed earnestly, "Cecilia, I won''t let you cry again. I''m here for you. I will be a good father and a good husband, as long as you don''t mind the age gap." Cecilia protested in a quivering voice, "Don''t say that!" To her, he wasn''t old at all. He was still handsome. Mark''s heart felt heavy as he leaned over gently, nuzzling his face against her neck and whispering, "Cecilia, when you were driven away by me back then, my mother was really mad at me. She cried a lot behind my back." As he spoke, he couldn''t resist kissing her. Surrounded by a faint, Lingering fragrance, the trees bore witness to a beloved couple''s passionate kiss under the gentle moonlight. After some time, he finally stopped kissing her. Cecilia said between sobs, "Mark, you''re so cunning. You said those words on purpose." He nodded. "Indeed. You''re such a smart girl. Well, I just want to let you know that my mother misses you, and so do I. Finally, we are together." Cecilia''s nose was red. She turned her face and eximed, "You!" Mark nced at her. Cecilia was stunning. Her shyness now added to her charm and made his heart skip a beat. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Although he looked gentle, he was far from a gentle fellow. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! He held her by the neck with his big hands and forced her into a Om ve! passionate kiss. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1578 Chapter 1578 His affection seemed to prate deep into her body and even reach the depths of her soul. She couldn''t help but tremble in this fervent kiss. Worried about being seen by passing servants, she tightly clung to his shoulder and softly protested. After a long, passionate kiss, Mark finally let her go. However, he couldn''t resist giving her another gentle peck on her rosy lips and said in a softer tone, "Let''s eat something, okay?" Cecilia loved Zoey''s midnight snacks and couldn''t wait to savor them. She nodded and was about to walk in the house. Mark turned his head and said, ¡°Honey, allow me to carry you inside." Taken aback, she was stunned momentarily. A blush crept up into her cheeks. She could walk perfectly, but being treated by a man with care like this would tempt any woman. Therefore, she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, burying her face against the warmth of his neck. The masculine scent he exuded made her blush even more, and her heart raced.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. From now on, she would spend her life with this man. Cecilia couldn''t help calling him, "Mark." Mark replied warmly. After a while, Cecilia sat at the table, with the midnight snacks prepared by Zoey in front of her. She was both satisfied and worried. She picked up the food in her bowl and asked, ¡°Should I learn to cook in the future? I can''t always rely on Zoey to cook for me. S''a''h th¨ª §Ö FindN?vel."''t website on G??gle to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Waylen might scold me on this." Hearing this, Mark smiled. He pinched her cheek and said softly, "Zoey cooks for you because shen loves you. You don''t have to do the housework. There are plenty of servants at home." The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Relieved, Cecilia continued to enjoy her snacks happily. But she also couldn''t help but criticize Mark in her heart, "There are only a few family members at home, yet there are more than ten servants. Mark, you''re something." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1579 Chapter 1579 Noting that she had nearly finished her meal, Mark reached out and unbuttoned her coat, gently touching her belly. Men always said dirty words, and Mark was no exception. "You are my greatest pleasure," he whispered. Cecilia was taken aback by his sudden affectionate gesture, feeling her face flush crimson. She instinctively leaned down and stammered, "What are you doing? I haven''t finished eating yet!" Mark''s eyes were filled with affection. He didn''t stop his caresses and replied, "My mother suggested you stay in the room you used to upy. I''ll take you there." As he spoke, he carried Cecilia in his arms and headed toward their bedroom. She knew clearly what he desired to do. Cecilia was afraid of being seen by anyone. She clung to him tightly and buried her face in his arms, pleading softly, "Please, not now.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Someone might see us!" Mark lowered his head and kissed her gently. His voice was husky and filled with desire as he reassured her, "We''re a couple. The servants will understand what to do if they happen to see us." Cecilia was still quite young, and she couldn''t match his audacity. ALL she could do was urge him. "Hurry up!" Mark chuckled and quickened his pace. Soon, they arrived at the room where he lived. Once inside the room, he pressed her against the door and kissed her m passionately. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Their intimacy tonight was different from their previous encounters. It was the first time they had made love after confirming their com rtionship, and it happened in his bedroom, making it even more exhrating. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! He even couldn''t wait to carry her to the bed, but im her midway. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1580 Chapter 1580 Although Cecilia had been intimate with him many times before, she had never seen him so eager. Mark, consumed by desire, resembled an ordinary man, making her feel even closer to him. She loved him even more. She trembled, and her hands gently traced his handsome face. In a soft, seductive voice, she muttered, "Mark." Mark''s heart skipped a beat. He Lowered his head and passionately kissed her rosy lips. He loved it when she called him by his first name in this tone. "Call me like that one more time," he urged. Cecilia yfully bit his shoulder but refused to repeat his name. He was quite the flirt. Not wanting to push her further, he gazed at her with eyes full of desire, as if he wanted to etch her flushed skin and captivating expressions into his memory for eternity. This night was one they would never forget, and Mark didn''t want to end their passionate lovemaking. Overwhelmed by pleasure, Cecilia whispered with a trembling voice, ¡°Peter said... There''s a meeting tomorrow morning." Cupping her chin with one hand, he kissed her lips again, causing her to whimper. He whispered seductively, "You can still think about that right now?" Cecilia slowly opened her eyes, glistening with lingering pleasure. Mark had indulged himself in this night. The following morning, Cecilia awoke to find it was just seven o''clock. She was alone in bed. She turned to gaze at the sky outside her window, touching her forehead and contemting whether she needed to get up. Just then, the door creaked open. A slender figure entered and closed the door quietly. Mark, who had led them into a night of passionate intimacy Locked M dashing in his sportswear. The eContent ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! He sat down beside her and grabbed the quilt. "I usually run five kilometers, but because I spent my energy on youst night, only managed three kilometers this morning." The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Overwhelmed by shyness, Cecilia covered her face with quilt. She had no intention of moving. How could he even think about running this morning? She lowered the quilt slightly and nced at him, her voice as soft as a kitten. "Can''t I just sleep a little longer?" Mark smiled and produced a bag of breakfast from behind him om hi containing milk and an omelet. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1581 Chapter 1581 Cecilia was pleasantly surprised. Despite the abundance of servants in the Evans family, offering her the best care, she had been yearning for the omelet from this particr breakfast shop for years. Her craving had been especially intense when Edwin was still in her belly, a time when she often felt deprived and hungry, wiping away tears and viewing Mark as a heartless man. Cecilia''s eyes held a mix of joy and caution as she extended her hand from under the quilt and asked in a soft voice, "Did you buy this when you ran moments earlier?" Mark nodded in confirmation. He then gently patted her head and said, "At least brush your teeth and tidy yourself up before eating!" He has a fetish about cleanliness. Cecilia had grown used to being casual but didn''t want Mark to Look down on her, so she hurriedly got up, regretting it the moment she stretched out one of her legs.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Like a spoiled child, she said, "Mark, bring me some clothing!" Mark remained motionless, his gaze containing an inscrutable depth. Blushing, she urged him, "Come on, hurry up!" Mark leaned over and nted a passionate kiss on her cheek before saying in a husky voice, "Wear my shirt." He then went to the cloakroom and fetched a white shirt for her. Taking the shirt, she noticed a faint fragrance still lingering on it. She put it on gently, pulling her long hair out from under the cor. As she raised her head, she met Mark''s gaze, her cheeks blushing. She rushed to the bathroom to freshen up. Upon emerging, she found that Mark had already set the breakfast on the small round table in the living room. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! A servant had brought some cakes, clearly Mark''s favorite. Cecilia eagerly took a bite of her omelet. The vors burst in her mouth, satisfying her taste buds. Perhaps it was the passionate Lovemaking from the previous night, she looked Pxed and content. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! After devouring half of her omelet, she nced up at Mark. He was sipping his coffee while m reading the morning newspaper. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1582 Chapter 1582 Sipping her milk, Cecilia delicately remarked, ¡°Shouldn''t you be watching your figure and staying healthy at your age? Like keep a diet or something. Waylen would also drink coffee with these cakes at breakfast.¡± Mark lowered the newspaper, his gaze resting on her for a moment before he chuckled. "Oh? You''re not satisfied with my figure?" Cecilia sensed that he was teasing her and wisely refrained from provoking him further. Instead, she sipped her milk quietly. Mark was nearly done with his breakfast. He said gently, "If you want to sleep a little longer, go ahead. Zoey will look after Edwin. They might even be at the supermarket shopping for groceries at this hour. Zoey will likely show Edwin around."Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Cecilia voiced her unease, "I don''t think it''s appropriate for her to take care of Edwin. She needs more rest." "Why not?" Mark smiled. ¡°Easy. She''s more than willing to take care of Edwin." Recalling their intimacy from the previous night, he couldn''t resist giving her a parting kiss when he stood up. Finally, he said, "I''ll be back for lunch with you at noon." Of course, Cecilia longed for Mark to apany her, but she was well aware of his busy schedule. She wrapped her arms around his neck and spoke softly. "Zoey will keep mepany. You can take a break in the office at noon and join us for dinner tonight." "Alright,¡± Mark agreed, holding her slender waist. Rare moments like these when they could be together tended to ignite his desires easily. Mark brushed her face with his prominent nose and whispered, full of desires, "I wish I could have more days off to stay with you." Cecilia''s cheeks flushed and her heart raced. ying with the buttons of his shirt with one hand, she whispered, "Christmas day is around the corner. Won''t that be enough for you?" the content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Mark chuckled. "You''re right, we can make the most of the holiday to rx and have fun.¡± The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Despite their intimacy, he still had to attend to his work. Outside, Peter had been waiting for him next to the car. Peter used to be quite smooth-talking. When he saw Marke out, he couldn''t help but tease, "You''re positively glowing today." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Mark got into the car and adjusted his tie before asking, ¡°Really?" Chapter 1583 Chapter 1583 A grin spread across Peter''s face. "Absolutely! You seem to be in high spirits." Mark nced at him. He indeed felt both physically and mentally invigorated. When they arrived at the office, Mark''s subordinates were already aware that he had picked up his girlfriend and son. Seeing that he was in such a good mood, they jokingly asked him to invite them to his wedding. Peter yfully scolded them. "You rascals! Are you teasing Mr. Evans?" Mark waved his hand dismissively and ordered his subordinates, "Get back to work! After work, ask Peter for some money to have fun. As for the wedding, I promise you won''t miss it." His subordinates expressed their gratitude with words of appreciation. Mark led Peter into the office, where young engineers and civil servants had gathered, deeply engrossed in their discussions. ¡°I heard that Mr. Evans''s girlfriend is a model.¡± "Are you serious? Would Mr. Evans really go for a model?" "You guys don''t get it! I heard that Mr. Evans'' girlfriendes from a prominent family in Duefron, and her foray into the entertainment industry is just for fun. Mr. Evans, at his age, has only just decided to start his family. His girlfriend must be the most beautiful and aplished woman. Otherwise, do you think he''d settle down now?" The room fell silent suddenly upon catching a woman''s appearance. Someone greeted timidly, "Good morning, Mrs. Wilson!" It was Cathy, Mark''s first love. Everyone knew that Mark held a special ce in her heart. They were worried that Cathy might overhear their discussion about Mark''s sweet girlfriend. Yet, Cathy''s injured hand served as a stark reminder of the consequence of her wrongdoings. She should behave herself. Cathy did hear them, but she chose to ignore it, greeting them with a smile. "Why are you all here? Mr. Evans will scold you if he catches you ck off." She still seized every moment to mention Mark in her interactions with the employees, attempting toN?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. maintain her status as the office hostess. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! As others dispersed, the smile on Cathy''s face vanished instantly m ngh the set website on Google to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! She raised her right hand, though it was challenging with her prosthetic Limb. Mark hadn''t dismissed her, possibly due to their prior rtionship, allowing her to remain as MIT servant However, she could no longer ess confidential documents and had lost her significance. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Cathy stood there for a moment, her brows furrowed. Chapter 1584 Chapter 1584 She entered the elevator slowly and reached Mark''s office. Mark was preparing for a meeting. Upon seeing her, he asked nonchntly, ¡°Mrs. Wilson, what brings you here?" Dressed in an elegant silk blouse, an overcoat, and sheepskin boots,plemented by a ssic Dior pearl ne, she exuded a captivating charm. However, Mark didn''t seem to appreciate her finely-tuned appearance. With a forced smile, Cathy replied, ¡°Words have it that Miss Fowler has reached Czanch. You must be delighted, right?" Over the past few years, Mark hadrgely ignored her, only disying a reaction when Cecilia was mentioned. Mark gestured for Peter to leave the room first. After they were alone, he took out a cigarette, lit it, and took a drag. His gaze was deep. "Cathy, I forgave yourgely because Cecilia is fine. And yes, partly because of our past. I thought you would understand that after facing the music."This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Mark, are you this heartless?" Cathy retorted, her voice deep with mixed feelings. After all, they had once been in a rtionship. But now, Cecilia was the only one who could attract Mark''s attention. What about her injured hand? Couldn''t it even draw some sympathy from him? Mark took another deep drag on his cigarette before stubbing it out. He then unfolded a document. Looking into Cathy''s eyes, he dered, "Cathy, I don''t think you are suitable to work here anymore. I''ve made arrangements to transfer you to a subsidiarypany. You''ll receive a good sry there, and I believe you''ll be happier in a new ce." He signed the document decisively, which would transferred her to thepany in Tashkao. Cathy emitted a brief gasp, standing where she was. "So, I have to step aside just because she''s here, right? Mark, you can''t even let me stay in Czanch, correct?" Mark replied coolly, "It''s for the best for both of us." He had made up his mind, and Cathy couldn''t do anything about it. After taking the transfer document, Cathy stormed out. Peter was stilh waiting at the door. Seeing that she seemed upset, he showed his concerns by asking her. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! However, Cathy didn''t respond at all and simply bypassed him. As Peter stood there, somewhat puzzled, Mark emerged from his ve office. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Dealing with Cathy could be quite vexing. Although Mark didn''t say anything, Peter could guess the nature of their conversation. Attempting to console Mark, Peter offered a faint smile. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1585 Chapter 1585 "She''lle to terms with it." Mark paused and spoke in a low tone to Peter. "You know, Peter, what I regret most is having had too many girlfriends before I met Cecilia. If I had known that one day I would spend my life with her, I wouldn''t have indulged in such a carefree life." For someone like him, physical needs weren''t of paramount importance. He hung out with those women to kill time. In truth, he didn''t truly care for them. However, he understood that most of the women would mind his history, including Cecilia. Peter tried to provide sce. In the afternoon, Cathy packed her belongings and quickly left for Tashkao.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Her colleagues were surprised but surmised that it was Mark who had arranged this. As a result, they dared not discuss Cathy any further. Mark remained upied until the end of his workday. Just before leaving, he called Cecilia, "What are you up to?" Cecilia had just finished her work on the other end of the phone. She had been assisting Zoey in preparing ingredients for the Christmas Day party. She had received several boxes of asparagus and decided to send one to her family in Duefron. While taking a break, Mark called her. She yfullyined, "I''m exhausted from housework!" Mark guessed that she might have been helping Zoey in the kitchen, so he teased her, ¡°More exhausted thanst night''s activities? Well, it could be. You barely exerted much energyst night." Cecilia blushed at his flirtatious words. Mark unbuttoned his shirt and said gently, "Well, I''d intended to take you C out for shopping, dinner, and a movie tonight. Since you''re tired, maybe I should reschedule." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! the "No, I''m not tired," Cecilia quickly interjected, her voice anxious m Sa**h the Find ovel.et website on Google to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! I''m not tired at all!" Mark chuckled, hinting at the previous night''s activities. The content''s m content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! "Even afterst night?" Clearly, he was flirting with her. Chapter 1586 Chapter 1586 Shy as she was, Cecilia could only stammer in response. Sensing her fluster, Mark paused and spoke in a tender tone. "I''LL send a driver to pick you up." Cecilia was a bit annoyed at him. Before hanging up, she snorted. "You''re bullying me!" Mark''s demeanor grew gentler. He smiled and said, ¡°Well, I don''t mind bullying you tonight on the bed. What do you say?" Such a shameless question left Cecilia at a loss for words. She hung up the phone, her heart racing. She felt she was in a dream. Now, she lived with Mark. She could talk to him every single passing day and share a bed with him each night. She was so delighted that she woke up with a bright smile. However, she pinched herself to regain herposure. She urged herself to stay calm and not to be easily won over by his sweet words. She nned to indulge in shoppingter using his money! Women attached great importance to dates and strived to look good. Cecilia was no exception. That was why she had carefully chosen a shirt, a skirt, and a camel overcoat that entuated her curvaceous figure and morous face. Coincidentally, Zoey returned with Edwin, catching sight of Cecilia''s happy face. With a teasing smile, Zoey remarked, "Oh, look at you! You''re so adorable! Dating could be good for a rtionship. Don''t hasten toe back for the night. I heard that there are several new hotels in Czanch. Ask Mark to try them out with you.¡± Cecilia was taken aback by Zoey''s words.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. As they chatted, a car pulled up at the frontwn. It turned out to be Peter who hade to pick her up. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Peter greeted Zoey, who presented him with a box of asparagus. Peter liked asparagus and replied, "Oh, I love it. Thank you, Zoey! I can''t wait to have a taste of this delicious asparagus with my wife tonight." Zoey yfully remarked, ¡°Don''t have too much at one time!" Peter responded with a few lighthearted remarks and invited Gecilia to get in the car. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Although Cecilia was familiar with him, they didn''t talk much due to the generation gap between them. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1587 Chapter 1587 Peter broke the silence. "I''ve been working for Mr. Evans for almost twenty years, and Mrs. Evans treats me well. She is a real angel. More than a decade ago, my wife was seriously ill. This kinddy had located an expert doctor for me." Hearing his words, Cecilia felt they got on really well. She had expected to meet Mark outside, but to her surprise, the car drove directly into the office building. It was already six o''clock, and most employees had left. Those who were still in thepany and saw Cecilia apanied by Peter guessed she must be Mark''s girlfriend. They all thought Cecilia looked even more attractive in person than in her magazine photos. She was young and had exceptionally radiant skin.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. They wondered how Mark had managed to win her over. Meanwhile, Mark was still in his office, engrossed in reading documents with an engineer standing before him. Mark furrowed his brows and said, "Roy, we need to keep a close watch on this data set. We can''t afford any more mistakes. Time is running out. Do you understand?" Roy, one of Mark''s employees, was in his forties. His face turned red as he replied, "Yes, I''ll work overtime tonight." However, Mark stood up and patted Roy on the shoulder, saying, "Go home now. Today is your daughter''s birthday, isn''t it? Buy her a cake after work and celebrate her birthday. You haven''t been able to spend much time with her in the past few years, have you?" Tears welled up in Roy''s eyes, and he nodded, saying, "Yes, sir! I''ll get off work right away!" Mark patted Roy''s shoulder again. His employees had worked hard over these years. As they were talking, Peter brought Cecilia into the office. When Peter saw Roy, he smiled and greeted, "Roy!" Roy, a workaholic, didn''t usually pay much attention to women. Seeing Cecilia, who appeared stunning as if she were a celestial being, his face turned crimson instantly. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Peter seemed to recall something and eximed, "Roy, do you know! this young dady? Let''s Mr. Evans make an introduction!" The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Mark''s gaze fixated on Cecilia. She looked exceptionally morous today. Mark took out two cigarettes and tossed one to Roy, who was in a daze. Mark smiled and said, ¡°Don''t be nervous, man! Peter has a habit of talking too much. Roy, this young lady is my significant other, Cecilia Fowler." The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1588 Chapter 1588 Roy held the cigarette between his fingers and extended his other hand, feeling somewhat embarrassed. "Hello, Mrs. Evans!" Roy greeted earnestly. Cecilia blushed. Roy seemed more nervous than she did. She was impressed by his earnestness. She felt a mix of shyness and happiness the way Mark introduced her. She hesitated for a moment without extending her hand immediately, which made Roy think his hands were too rough and dirty to shake hands with. Roy quickly wiped his palms on his work clothes. Cecilia rushed to rify, "No, please. That''s not what I meant!" Finally, she extended her slender, delicate hand, which Roy took, his own hand sweating from nervousness. As an honest man, Roy scratched his head and said, "You''re so beautiful!" Cecilia''s face turned even redder. After tidying up the table, Mark stood up and said, "Roy has been working with me for a long time. He''s a really good guy. Well, let''s not keep Roy from his daughter''s birthday party. Let''s leave work!" Cecilia felt a bit embarrassed for not bringing a gift for Roy''s daughter. "Oh, no, please. You don''t have to." Roy quickly waved his hand. Mark took out his wallet and pulled out a stack of bills totaling five thousand dors. "Buy something for your beloved daughter." Roy hesitated for a moment but eventually epted the money. After Roy left, Mark returned to his work. Cecilia bit her lower lip and approached him,ining, "You tricked me intoing here." TheContent ? N?velDrama.Org. content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Cecilia''s tone carried a hint of yfulness. As Mark signed his name, he said with a hint of helplessness, "loam finish my work after going through these documents." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Cecilia approached Mark from behind. He thought she was going to bother him, but instead, she gently rested her hand on his neck and asked, "Are you tired? If you are, we can skip shopping and go home for dinner." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Mark''s heart softened as he looked at her. So far, he hadn''t done much for her and had let her endure all the difficulties. Chapter 1589 Chapter 1589 Yet, she was treating him so well. He held her hand and asked gently, "Are you worried about me?" Cecilia nodded. She moved closer to him, nestling her face against his neck, savoring hisforting scent as she spoke in a soft, gentle voice. "I want you to rx a bit." Mark touched her hand and replied, "Cecilia, I''m not tired." In the past, he might have been tired, but now, with her by his side, he genuinely felt invigorated. Then, the door opened, and Peter entered with a cup of ginseng tea. Seeing this heartwarming scene, Peter simply closed the door with a smile and teased, "Sir, Miss Fowler is worried about you. Well, this tea can do you some good. It helps you rx." Mark pursed his lips and smiled. He gestured to Peter to ce the tea down and suggested, "Leave it there. You can go home from work now." Peter agreed and left the room. After the door closed, Cecilia still leaned against Mark''s back because he had been holding her hand the entire time. She gently tapped his shoulder and said, "Release me. What if others see us like this?" However, Mark pulled her onto hisp and handed her the cup of tea. "It''s good for your health. Have a taste of it." Cecilia refused to drink it. Mark touched her lips gently and said, "Your lips are dry and you need more nourishment. Come on, be a good girl and have some." The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Attractive girls like her should put in effort to maintain beauty. After what she had gone through before, she was somewhatless m radiant. The content is on e NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! He wanted her to restore to her usual charming side. He had her best interests at heart. Although Cecilia could understand his good intentions, she was om reluctant to drink it because its bitter scent had wafted into her nostrils. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Not wanting to drink, she clung to his embrace. Mark let her be.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Chapter 1590 Chapter 1590 After finishing his work, Mark held onto Cecilia''s waist and fed her the tea. Mark knew Cecilia well and had a way of persuading her to drink a bit. Cecilia found it hard to resist anymore. She obediently drank half a ss and asked Mark to drink the rest with a coy smile. Appreciating Peter''s kindness, Mark drank the tea in one gulp. He then picked up his coat from the back of the chair and said, "Let''s go. I''ll take you out to eat, shop, and watch a movie." Cecilia took the opportunity to hold onto his arm. Mark lowered his eyes and looked at her quietly. She was still acting like a spoiled child as before, but it was different now. She would apany him as his wife in the future. Mark was a man of action and seldom said sweet words. Even when he was deeply moved, he simply gently held her fingertips. A ck Range Rover was waiting for them downstairs. Cecilia looked at Mark and asked, "That''s what you drive in Czanch?" Mark opened the car door for her and smiled. "This is the new car I just got. Sometimes we will take Edwin with us, won''t we? This one is rtively spacious." Cecilia sat in the passenger seat, fastening her seat belt. As she looked around, she noticed that there was a tissue box and a nket in the car, both in her favorite light pink color. There were also children''s toys in the back seat, and even a bottle of perfume. Cecilia picked up the perfume and sprayed a little. "Aren''t you worried that people will think you''re childish?" "} Mark chuckled. ''t''s a family car. I don''t chauffeur anyone else." The content is ayse "The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! His words were simple, but Cecilia found them endearing. The Christmas Day was approaching, and although Czanch wasn''t as m bustling as Duefron, it had its own lively atmosphere. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! People wereing and going, and the aroma of food filled the air as it was dinnertime. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Mark parked the car and turned to Cecilia.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. "What would you like to eat?" Chapter 1591 Chapter 1591 Cecilia hesitated for a moment. She seldom dined out with him. Biting her lower lip, she said, "I want to have Thai food." Mark pinched her cheek gently and said, "Sure, we''ll have Thai food."N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Cecilia was eager to get out of the car, but Mark held her back and said, "Put on your coat." She refused, saying it was just a short walk to the elevator. She acted coquettishly and asked Mark to hold her coat for her. Mark fulfilled her little wish. He watched her walk ahead. The square was adorned with small lights to create a festive atmosphere, and they lit up like tiny stars in the Milky Way at night. However, Cecilia was even more dazzling than the Milky Way. Mark stopped her. "Cecilia." Cecilia turned around andined softly, ¡°Mark, why are you walking so slow?" Mark quickened his pace, put her coat over her shoulders, and then held her in his arms, Lowering his head to give her a deep kiss. It wasn''t just a simple kiss. It was a passionate one. She could taste the faint hint of tobo on his lips. Mark enticed Cecilia into returning the kiss. She felt a bit shy and gently pushed against his chest with one hand while her other hand rested on his heart. Cecilia eventually surrendered to the kiss. Then, Mark pulled up her coat to cover her face. When it was over, Cecilia''s heart was racing. Mark was much taller than her, and she nestled into his neck,ining softly, "Someone must have seen us." Mark chuckled. He touched her face and whispered, ¡°Cecilia, I''ve never been so impulsive.¡± This was Czanch, which housed his rtives, friends, and subordinates. Those people could potentially spot E them. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! But when he heard her call him in such a soft tone, he couldn''t hold back his desire to kiss her anymore. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Cecilia understood the reason behind his sudden kiss. In a soft tone, she said, "I won''t call you that way anymore. I''ll just call you in a normal way." The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Mark gazed at Cecilia with deep eyes while helping her put on her coat. Cecilia seemed dissatisfied. "I''ll have to take it off when we get to the restaurant.¡± Chapter 1592 Chapter 1592 "Just put it on. If you''re so eager to take off your clothes, you can do that whenever you want when we get back home," Mark replied in a deep,manding voice. Cecilia fell silent, her face slightly reddening at his shameless words. Seeing her walk ahead angrily, Mark pulled her back to him, allowing her to hold onto him. Cecilia was still a little annoyed, but she couldn''t bring herself not to hold his strong waist. Mark restrained himself a bit when they arrived at the restaurant. Sensitive as she ever was, Cecilia noticed that when Mark was seated, all the women in the restaurant couldn''t take their eyes off him. Cecilia stared at the man across from her. Mark had a wless face, a tall, well-dressed figure, and he exuded undeniable charm. Cecilia felt a twinge of jealousy. Mark served some food on her te and said in a low voice, "What? You are so captivated by me that you can''t help but stare at me all the time. Why not eat some first?"Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Cecilia nodded and began eating. Mark gently touched her head and said, "After this, we''ll go see some jewelry. I couldn''t make the time to apany you before. Now that we''re here, I want to buy you some refined jewelry." Cecilia hadn''t put on the engagement ring. She probably wanted to save it for the wedding. Mark couldn''t help but be amused. Did she think he wasck of wealth and thus saved money for him? Although Cecilia had plenty of jewelry, women often desired their loved ones to gift them with such treasures. Cecilia lowered her head and began peeling a shrimp without saying anything. Mark, guessing her thoughts, peeled the shrimp for her and ced it in a small bowl. Those around them looked at Cecilia with jealousy. Mark then filled another bowl of soup for her. "This is good for you. Drink up." Cecilia drank contentedly. However, as she recalled something, she couldn''t help butin, The "O help. content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! "You must have dined out with Miss Holt quite often. Otherwise youm wouldn''t have known about these ¦¥¦° things so well." The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Mark''s eyes took on a deep, contemtive look. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1593 Chapter 1593 After a moment, he whispered, ¡°It''s rare for us to have dinner alone. Don''t be mischievous, okay?" He coaxed her gently, and it worked. Cecilia was obedient to him, nodding and refraining from arguing. Mark felt a warmth within him as he saw her lower her head, appearing so obedient and easy to coax. He believed they would enjoy such a wonderful life together for decades.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. After dinner, they went shopping, and Cecilia clung to him the entire time. Mark had never seen such a clingy woman, but he liked it. He took her to a jewelry store where the manager had been eagerly awaiting them, having already prepared some exquisite, non-disyed pieces. "Mr. Evans, these are some of our brand''s heirlooms, typically not on public disy," the manager exined, ncing at Cecilia and wondering what kind of lucky woman had captured Mark''s heart. The manager was slightly stunned when he saw the way Cecilia showed. With his keen eye, he could tell she hailed from a wealthy family. Cecilia remainedposed as she examined the five sets of jewelry, which included rubies, sapphires, diamonds, and emeralds. Each set was valued at a minimum of $50 million. After deliberation, Cecilia chose a set of diamonds. Mark asked in a low voice, "Are you saving money for me? I know Rena gave you a set of ruby pieces. Get a set of emerald pieces as well. You''re too young to wear jade yet." So, they purchased two sets. After Mark swiped his Centurion card, the manager locked the jewelry ima safe and arranged for it to be delivered by special to the Evans'' residence a car. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Mark and Cecilia continued their shopping spree. Since Christmas Day was around the corner, Cecilia wanted to purchase some new clothes for Zoey and Edwin: Mark approached her and asked, The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! "No clothes for me? I''d like to buy a couple more shirts, and it''s time to rece my belt." Cecilia blushed and replied, "I''ll pick them out for youter." When they arrived at a men''s clothing store, instead of selecting clothes, Mark sat on the sofa, feading paintings and drinking tea as if selecting clothes for him was irrelevant to him. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! This was their first time shopping together, yet Cecilia felt he excelled at giving her orders. Chapter 1594 Chapter 1594 Nevertheless, Cecilia began selecting shirts and trousers for him. As she picked out a belt, she unexpectedly encountered someone she didn''t want to see. It was Cathy. Cathy was also choosing essories for men''s clothing. When their eyes met, both of them were taken aback. Holding a tie in her hand, Cathy turned to the shopping assistant and said, "I''ll take this one. Please package it." Cecilia''s gaze was fixed on Cathy''s right hand, which was adorned with a ck leather glove. Cathy nced at Mark, who was sipping tea and reading a magazine. Sadness overwhelmed her. She and Mark had shared some happy times, but he never went shopping with her back then. He was, at that time, nothing near being considerate. Cathy approached Mark and said softly, "Mark." Mark was surprised to see Cathy and nced at Cecilia instinctively. Although Cecilia was upset at Cathy''s appearance, she didn''t want to cause a scene in public. She reluctantly ced the belt back on the rack. She didn''t have the mood to pick up anything for Mark anymore. He might as well stick to his old ones. Seeing Cecilia''s sulking expression, Mark found it amusing. He wanted to coax her right away. However, he had to deal with the situation at hand. Given others'' presence, Mark managed to show respect to Cathy. He greeted Cathy with a polite smile, "What a coincidence." Yet, this politeness wasn''t what Cathy had hoped for. She managed to remainposed. At this moment, the shopping assistant had already packaged the tie, so Cathy paid for it. Then, with the tie in hand, she walked up to Mark and said in an earnest tone, "I''m heading to Tashkao after Christmas Day. Please ept this tie as a gift.¡± The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there!N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Mark didn''t make any moves to ept the tie, which prompted Cathy e to force a bitter smile. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! "You won''t even ept a gift?" Reluctantly, Mark exined, "Miss Wilson, please refrain from 2 m presenting me with any gifts. It''s not appropriate. Over there is the woman I love deeply. She will pick up my clothes for me." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Cathy turned her gaze toward Cecilia, and then back at Mark. "Do you really love her deeply?" Chapter 1595 Chapter 1595 Mark confirmed without any hesitation. With a sigh, Cathy raised her right arm to look at the hand adorned with a glove.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Then, she forced a self-mocking smile and walked away, tossing the tie into a nearby trash can. Mark wanted to smoke a cigarette to ease his frustration. He didn''t care about Cathy. But meeting her reminded him of something she had done before. Though he was annoyed, he couldn''tsh out his frustration here since he didn''t want to cause a scene. Cecilia was in a foul mood, her eyes red, tears threatening to burst out. Mark approached her, letting out a sigh. "Are you angry?" Cecilia nodded, her eyes red. She forcefully took off the belt from the rack and went to pay the bill. She didn''t use his card. Mark wanted to cheer her up. "Well, I''m a lucky man. My charming girl has good taste in picking up clothes for me and even manages to save money for me." "You!" She gave him a sharp re. His eyes softened a bit as she stared at him. He knew she was annoyed by Cathy''s sudden appearance, which ruined their date. He said softly, "I understand you''re angry, but don''t cry here, please. People are watching." Ignoring him, Cecilia walked away. Mark followed silently from behind, carrying all the stuff they had bought so far. When he got to the elevator, he saw Cecilia already standing there. With a long face, she didn''t spare him a look. Mark said a few jokes to bring joy to her, but she continued to m ignore him she remained that way until they got into the car. Not wanting to see her upset, he exined, "I''ve transferred her to thepany in Tashkao." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Cecilia remained silent for a moment before asking, "Why did you allow her to stay by your side for the past few years?" The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! This question got Mark. Why didn''t he drive Cathy away? Well, at that time, Mark thought he and Cecilia couldn''t be together. Besides, he didn''t want to make things difficult for Cathy given their past rtionship. He didn''t love Cathy. But still, he wouldn''t drive her into a corner. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! However, his way of dealing with Cathy ignited a conflict between him and Cecilia. Mark opted not to defend himself and gently stroked Cecilia''s hair, apologizing, ¡°It''s all my fault." Chapter 1596 Chapter 1596 Cecilia was choked with sobs. She understood he didn''t do anything wrong back then. They had broken up at that time, and he had probably thought they would never be together anymore. Therefore, he didn''t care about her feelings and let Cathy work by his side. But now that they had reconciled, Cathy''s presence still lingered. Cecilia couldn''t ept it, her anger soaring whenever she saw Cathy. However, Mark had repeatedly stated that he never loved Cathy. With this fact in mind, she felt better. She turned her face away and, with teary eyes, said, "I don''t want to talk to you tonight." Mark wouldn''t just sit by and watch her stay angry. He knew he needed to do something. He slowly fastened his seatbelt and asked her softly, "So, are you willing to talk to me tomorrow morning?" Cecilia snorted in response. Mark gently touched her head and then drove back to the Evans'' house without saying anything. The Evans'' house was brightly lit and filled with joy, all thanks to Zoey''s efforts. At this moment, Zoey hadn''t gone to bed yet. She and Edwin were in the living room watching a football game on TV. Cecilia got out of the car. She initially wanted to head straight to their room. But seeing Zoey was still in the living room, she had to greet Zoey however frustrated she was. Cecilia walked up to Zoey and greeted her before taking a seat beside her. Zoey had sharp eyes and noticed Cecilia''s red eyes and Mark''s awkwardness with bags in hands. She guessed they had argued, but she feigned ignorance of it. She put on her reading sses and smiled. "Oh, you''ve brought some new clothes for Edwin. Cecilia, why not take these clothes to my room? We can decide which one Edwin should wear on Christmas Day after taking a good look at them." Mark knew Zoey wanted Cecilia to stay the night. He smiled subtly and said, "Let''s have Edwin fitted for his clothes tomorrow. Cecilia isn''t feeling well. I''ll take her to the room first." Zoey was surprised and asked, ¡°Is she on her period?" Mark vaguely confirmed it, and Cecilia blushed with embarrassment.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. She wasn''t on her period at all. He was just making up excuses. Mark handed two bags to his son. "These are for you and your grandma." After that, he took Cecilia back to their bedroom. He wanted to have a good conversation with her. 011 Regardless of the conflict caused by Cathy, he knew they had to talk through it. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! It was a cold day. Since Mark said Cecilia wasn''t feeling well, Zoeym decided to make some ginger tea for her. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Zoey went to the kitchen to prepare the ginger tea, while Mark led Cecilia into the bedroom. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! He closed the door behind them, but Cecilia didn''t want to go in. She leaned against the door, her eyes red, and said, "I''ll sleep in Zoey''s room." Mark gently touched Cecilia''s face and asked, ¡°Don''t you like it here? You seemed very excitedst night, quite different from before." Chapter 1597 Chapter 1597 Mark pressed his body against Cecilia''s. Despite wearing a coat, Cecilia could still feel his body temperature. Mark''s body was too scorching for her, especially his growing bulge in his crotch under his pants. Her knees buckled a little as she sensed his arousal. When she looked up at him nervously, she saw lust in his eyes. She was still mad at him, tears in her eyes. How could he still feel aroused? Experiencing a mixture of shyness and anger, her cheeks were stained with a subtle hint of redness. Noticing how rosy her cheeks were, Mark''s Adam''s apple rolled up and down, feeling more aroused. Cecilia was an open book, and Mark knew exactly what she was thinking. He did not bother to restrain himself and instead leaned forward. The heat that came from his body warmed Cecilia even more, causing her to feel as if she were going crazy. In a soft voice, she cried, "Don''t... Don''t do that!" Mark ignored her and started to caress her, running his fingers on her neck. Her skin was tender. When his fingers grazed her skin, she turned hot as he did. "Aren''t you hot?" He took off her coat and threw it on the sofa. Cecilia flustered and turned her head away. She did not want him to keep on touching her. "I''m still mad at you!" Mark stopped. His gaze was intense and unfathomable. He lifted his hand slowly and started gently caressing her face. Then, he whispered, "Cecilia, it''s true that Cathy and I were in a m rtionship when I was younger. I won''t deny that I once had feelings for her, but those were all in the past. We had already split ways." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Cecilia''s lips trembled, but she did not say a word. Even though she believed that he was telling the truth, she was stil upset upon seeing Cathy, Mark''s first love, presenting him a gift in front of her. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Worse still, Cathy had worked by his side for four years. Now that they had reconcited howe Cathy was still in the picture? The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there!This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. reconciledchawce Cecilia was not articte enough to argue with him. Chapter 1598 Chapter 1598 Mark expertly coaxed her by expressing his unwavering feelings toward her. Then, he carried her to the sofa and pressed her down to gently kiss her. He started to lick and kiss the tears that stained her face. While doing so, he took off his own coat and wrapped her in his arms. His body covered her entirely, making her feel his warmth. Their intense feelings for each other made both of them surrender into primal desire. Not long after, Cecilia raised her head and surrendered into his passionate kiss. The beautiful printed shirt was peeled off under her delicate shoulder, revealing her radiant skin that seemed to glow even more exquisitely under the dim light. Mark had been abstinent for years and knew he should have coaxed her more tonight, but he couldn''t resist his burning desire for her. As he continued to shower Cecilia in passionate kisses, his hands travelled down to his belt as he started to unbutton it with one hand. His face was covered with lust as he continued to stare at her. Cecilia blushed at his reaction. Raising her body slightly, her spine met his lips in some sort of twisted position. She touched his handsome face and murmured, "You are a... A _ polished scoundrel!" Mark''s eyes held an unfathomable depth, filled with affection. It was only natural for them to make love at this time, and Mark had almost lost control. Just then, there was a knock on the door. Then Zoey came in with tea. "Is Cecilia feeling better? You should take good care of her when..." Her words trailed off upon witnessing the scene before her. At this moment, Mark had pressed Cecilia onto the sofa, and it wasm obvious their intimacy had been En interrupted. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Zoey lost her cool. Didn''t Mark say Cecilia was on her period? How could Mark behave this way? The content is on Could Mar NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Normally speaking, Zoey would have m walked away instantly upon witnessing what they were doing. However, given the fact that MarkContent ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. had stated that Cecilia was on her period, Zoey felt the need to interfere. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1599 Chapter 1599 ¡°Cecilia is on her period. You can''t do this to her. She should be taken good care of these days." With her eyes averted, Zoey ced the tea on the table and scolded, "Mark,e to your senses! Stop it!" Mark and Cecilia hadn''t expected Zoey''s sudden appearance. Mark''s Adam''s apple bobbed up and down as he looked down at Cecilia. Cecilia''s face flushed crimson. She hastily adjusted her clothing, but it was impossible to tidy up properly in her disheveled state, which was even more enticing. Mark collected his thoughts. Then he managed to regain hisposure. He patted Cecilia''s behind and said, "Go to the bathroom and freshen up." Cecilia was so embarrassed that she seized the opportunity to escape to the bathroom. Mark was not as thin-skinned as Cecilia was. After Cecilia left, he straightened up and buttoned up his shirt slowly. He even smiled at Zoey and said, "You''ve caught us at a bad time!" Zoey sneered. "I''m ashamed of you!" She nced in the direction of the bathroom and said in a hushed voice, "You! Did you not treasure her that much after the engagement? How did you get along with those girlfriends before? Can''t you learn how to treat your girl well? What''s on your mind? How could you have sex with Cecilia when she''s on her period?" Mark felt a mix of irritation and amusement at her words. He sat down next to Zoey and asked, "Are you mad at me?" "Yeah!" Mark patted Zoey''s hand and exined gently, "You''ve misunderstood. I will never treatm Cecilia like that. She''s the woman I''ve longed for. I respect her. She was angry when we came back, and I just said it casually. She isn''t on her period." The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Zoey felt relieved. She pointed to theContent ? N?velDrama.Org. tea and said, "Then go ahead and 100 ghead drink it! Otherwise, she might be more embarrassed when she sees this." The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Mark smiled and drank up the tea. sah th'' (F)indNvlet website on Google to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Zoey left soon, but Cecilia was still hiding in the bathroom. Mark sat beneath the light. Chapter 1600 Chapter 1600 Although their intimate moment was interrupted, he wasn''t angry at all. Instead, he felt tender. He tiptoed over to the bathroom. Inside, he found her washing her face, bubbles all over her face. Snaking his arms around her waist from behind, he pressed his lips against her back and whispered, "Zoey had scolded me. Ever since you and Edwin arrived, she has been harsh on me, urging me to treat both of you well." Despite his words sounding as if he wereining, his voice was gentle. Cecilia still felt embarrassed after being caught earlier. She cast her eyes downward and stared at his hands on her waist while biting her lower lip. "Let go of me! Can''t you see that I''m washing my face?" But Mark did not move an inch. He showed no intention of letting go of her. Instead, he actually started caressing her body all over with his hands. Because they had been apart for so long, what happened earlier wasn''t enough for the couple to stop longing for each other. In the end, Cecilia fell for his ministrations and ended up making love with him. She appeared like a delicate flower, causing Mark to act gentle on her at first. However, that didn''tst long. Not long after, he wasn''t able to restrain his desires and his expression started looking primal.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Cecilia caressed his face and murmured in a broken voice, "Mark!" As they were nearing orgasm, Cecilia was surprised that he had even managed to remember to use condoms for protection. After their intense lovemaking, both of them felt sweaty all over. Cecilia nestled under his arms and gently caressed his chest with the tip of her soft fingers. The room fell silent for a moment before she started asking, "You... Don''t you want to have another child?" While holding her in his embrace, Mark''s eyes darted toward the trash bin where the used condomy. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! He kissed her and muttered, "Not for now. Let''s have fun for a while after we get married. We can have another child after marriage." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! After all, he nned to let Edwin live in Duefron for a period of time. He'' should be very busy at that time. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Given his tight schedule, Cecilia would be busy taking care of their baby if there were one more. Cecilia didn''t retort. Chapter 1601 Chapter 1601 As shey on the bed for a while, her eyelids started to feel heavy as if they were encouraging her to take a nap. However, Mark shook her awake and gently coaxed her to wash up and take a shower. Unable to refuse him, she went to take a shower but ended up having sex with him again in the bathroom. Cecilia had reached a point of sheer exhaustion. As she finally sumbed to sleep, her dreams danced with possibilities. She imagined Mark as a future teacher, guiding young minds with a wisdom she admired. She believed he possessed a unique talent for educating children, a talent she wasn''t entirely sure she could match. The soft rays of Christmas Eve''s morning sun spilled into the room as Cecilia stirred from her slumber. Mark, ever the diligent businessman, had been picked up to thepany to attend to pressing matters. Cecilia, however, enjoyed the luxury of ater morning. Her day began at ten, as she rose from her cozy cocoon of nkets. With deliberate care, she attended to her personal grooming, preparing for the day ahead. Just as she was about to step out, her phone rang, its chime breaking the stillness of the room. The caller''s name was disyed on the screen: Rena. Cecilia''s heart skipped a beat. Rena''s voice, gentle and kind, flowed through the phone''s speaker. "Have you settled into life with Mark?" Blushing at the thought of her newfound life, Cecilia replied, "I''d say it''s going pretty well." Rena then shared her ns, her words igniting a spark of excitement in Cecilia''s eyes. Rena was nning to pay a visit to them in just a couple of days, and she would be bringing her children along. Cecilia couldn''t contain her joy, and her yful spirits surfaced. "Well, Rena," she teased, "I have a special Christmas gift for you. I can''t wait to see you!" Rena, momentarily taken aback by Cecilia''s unexpected enthusiasm, replied with a soft smile, ¡°Then I''ll have Waylen have a good talk with you by then." Cecilia turned timid when she heard the name of Waylen. Meanwhile, in Duefron, Rena ended the call and turned to Waylen, who was lounging on the sofa. "Cecilia says she has prepared a om Christmas gift for me. The content is nous gift for of NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Rena announced with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "She mentioned it was a special one." With a sly smile, Waylen swiftly sent a message to Cecilia, asking, is there any gifts for me? I mean, special ones." The content is onContent ? N?velDrama.Org. NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Cecilia couldn''t help but feel a pang of nervousness. Waylen, his phone tucked away, Qm offered a fond smile to Rena. The offered on univer! content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1602 Chapter 1602 "She''s quite audacious, isn''t she? Come here, let me see if our little one has been giving you a hard time." As Rena began preparing for her trip, Juliette arrived at their doorstep with an array of baby clothes in soft, delicate shades of pink. Rena was visibly pleased and went up to check on those clothes, not wanting toe to Waylen''s side momentarily. "Who else would torment me except you?" Rena blurted out. Waylen stared at her. d in a wool skirt, Rena exuded a gentle aura. He reached out, drawing her into his embrace. After a moment of contemtion, he gently remarked, "Mark won''t require your presence on Christmas. He knows you''re pregnant. Why do you have to go and visit him? We could pay a visit when Mark holds a wedding or their baby arrives." Waylen''s concern touched Rena, and she lowered her head to caress her burgeoning belly. A soft smile graced her lips as she reassured him, "I''ve told you, the journey is nothing more than a ne ride. Don''t worry, my love. See how nervous you''ve be? Besides, the private ne is fully equipped with medical staff. There won''t be any issues." Waylen, respecting her decision, refrained from pressing further. Instead, he gently ran his fingers through her long, chestnut hair. "You should rest now. You''ve been tirelessly working on these clothes," he suggested. Rena''s gaze, brimming with tenderness, met Waylen''s. She had a penchant for tinkering with the little garments and essories, her curiosity fueling her excitement as she prepared for the arrival of their child. Waylen ced a tender kiss on her forehead and said lovingly, "You''re already a remarkable mother.¡± Rena smiled. At this time, a servant downstairs showed them an invitation. It turned out to be an invitation from Kyle, saying he and Albert woulde to Duefron to celebrate Christmas, and asked if they could gather for a dinner that day. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there!N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Rena''s eyes lingered on the invitation. She put it down with a smile and remarked to Waylen, "I believe Kyle wants me to consider Albert as my little brother and treat him well. Kyle''s quite shrewd, you know. He''s not merely interested in making Albert my brother. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! He''s using this as an opportunity to connect with our family, I''ve heard he has ns to expand his business in Duefron." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Waylen weed the idea of expanding their circle of friends. Chapter 1603 Chapter 1603 The chapter is errored .We will fix ittter The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there!N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Chapter 1604 Chapter 1604 Chunks of vegetables, including onions, carrots, celery, and garlic, were lovingly ced alongside the turkey to roast. The result was a mouthwatering turkey with golden, crispy skin. Zoey just took it out from the oven. Unable to resist, Cecilia took a bite, only to identally burn her mouth in the process. Zoey, a mix of worries and amusement, gently chastised her, "Quickly, ask the butler for some burn ointment. Or when Mark returns tonight, he will notice it and call you a little foodie.¡± Cecilia felt a touch embarrassed as she hurried to follow Zoey''s advice. Zoey''s mood darkened when a servant interrupted their culinary bonding. "Miss Wilson hase to visit," the servant announced. Zoey narrowed her eyes, not liking what she heard. Her irritation was palpable as she halted her tasks, expressing her discontent. "Haven''t I repeatedly told her to keep away from us? Mark has plenty of subordinates, and if they alle to our house, how am I supposed to handle them?" The servant, recognizing Zoey''s frustration, adjusted his tone and exined that Cathy was insistent and refused to leave. Zoey couldn''t bring herself to be too harsh during Christmas, especially to her son''s first love. She turned to look at Cecilia, who was bad at disguising her unhappiness. With a sigh, Zoey reassured, "No worries. I''ll deal with her. You don''t have to see her if you don''t want to." She added before leaving, "I heard that she is leaving Czanch soon." Not wanting to embarrass Zoey, Cecilia timidly nodded and went to apply some ointment. The Evans family was the most influential family in Czanch, and Zoey had won a high reputation. She reluctantly agreed to see Cathy, asking the servant to fetch a shawl for her to maintain an air of nobility. Once prepared, she instructed the m servants to lead ac cathyintothe drawing room. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Cathy looked at Zoey and greeted her politely. Zoey asked her to sit down. Cathy handed the gifts to the butler and said, "It''s thetest betest ck truffle and caviardt''s best to eat them in E your family party." The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there!N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. The butler received her gifts with a smile. Zoey discreetly winked at him and asked him to serve tea. The content istomNovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1605 Chapter 1605 ? Zoey began, "Cathy, I will be frank with you. I should have left the responsibility of entertaining you to Mark''s future wife. However, you know it''s ufortable for both of you to see each other. Perhaps you should refrain from meeting her in the future. Well, I have to say you''re quite thoughtful when ites to gifts, unlike Mark''s young and inexperienced wife. Just earlier, she was burnt while tasting the turkey I made. If Markes hometer and knows this, he might be worried sickly. But I suppose that''s the way of young couples getting along, right?" Zoey''s remark hinted at something, causing Cathy''s expression to shift slightly. It appeared as if Zoey was praising Cathy while subtly expressing her dissatisfaction with Cecilia. However, Cathy could discern the underlying message in Zoey''s words. Despite what Zoey had said about Cecilia, Zoey still held a great deal of affection for Cecilia. Slightly ufortable, Cathy adjusted herself in her seat. Zoey held a high reputation within the social circles and wouldn''t utter harsh words directly at Cathy. She opted to express her messages to Cathy subtly. Just as Zoey thought Cathy would take her leave after catching the hints, Mark arrived home at this moment. As soon as Markid eyes on Cathy, his expression soured. He didn''t expect to see her here, nor was he happy about it. Mark thought he had made things clear to Cathy. Cathy wasn''t stupid. She knew what she was doing. Still, she went to his house. Clearly, she wanted to make things difficult for Cecilia. As a man of high status, he couldn''t bring himself to drive Cathy away directly. Thus, he decided to handle this situation with finesse. Mark removed his coat, revealing the gray shirt and dark wool trousers hidden beneath it. His choice of clothes highlighted his gentle yet elegant nature. The servant handed him a hot towel, which Mark used to wipe his hands. "Peter, why don''t you ask your wife toe and have dinner with us?" Mark said with a friendly smile. Peter always knew when and how to cooperate with Mark. With a smile, Peter took the towel from Mark and said, "Mr. Evans, thanks for your kind invitation But I''ll pass. It''s Christmas Eve. I''d better go home. After all, my wife and children are waiting for me toe back so that we can celebrate the festival together." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Mark nodded, his smile lingering on his face. He peeked his head into the living room and deliberately raised his voice. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there!Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Cecilia," he called her in a natural, casual tone. "Peter will go hometer to celebrate the festival. Why don''t you walk him out?" Sath the Find vel.fet Findsover Sed website on Googl to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1606 Chapter 1606 Upon hearing this, Cecilia, who was in the living room, gritted her teeth. She was convinced that Mark was doing this on purpose!Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. He knew very well that Cathy and she weren''t on good terms, and yet, he still asked her to walk Peter out despite Cathy''s presence. But since Mark had made the request, she couldn''t bring herself to say no. Besides, she didn''t want to be deemed as a coward. After taking a deep breath, Cecilia ran out with the ointment in her hand. Ang''s Library She still had some ointment on her mouth, which made her look somewhat crude and unsophisticated. As Cathy observed Cecilia, a strange feeling tugged at her heart. She knew Mark like the back of her hand. He was a perfectionist. Cathy guessed Mark wouldn''t be able to stand Cecilia''s indecency and would be embarrassed. Just as Cathy had anticipated, Mark''s expression crumpled into a frown as soon as he saw Cecilia. He grabbed Cecilia by the arm and pulled her closer. Noticing her injured mouth, he asked her, "What''s going on?" They were standing so close that she could see the bite marks she had left on his neckst night. When she saw this, memories of their passion the previous night shed before her eyes, making her cheeks blush. "I burned myself while I was eating turkey," she said in hushed tones. Her mind raced as she racked her brain for a more sensible exnation that would make her look less like a fool. "The roasted turkey that Zoey cooked was really delicious." With eyes still squinted, Mark took the ointment from Cecilia''s hand and applied it to her mouth using his fingers. "You little foodie. You keep making excuses for yourself," he scolded her. "You can''t even apply the ointment properly! You''re just like a child." Although he was scolding her, a tenderness in his eyes tranted to how gently he applied the ointment to her mouth. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Despite his words, Cecilia knew he cared about her. At this moment, she was so captivated by Mark''s tenderness that she had totally forgotten about Cathy''s presence. She ced her hand in his trouser pocket and acted like a spoiled child. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Mark felt her touch and shot her a nce. "What are you doing? You little rascal." Cecilia shed a coy smile. Behind them, Cathy watched in a daze. She was frozen in ce, as though her body had been plunged though the body into the depths of an icy cave. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1607 Chapter 1607 Why was Mark indulging Cecilia''s every whim? She couldn''t understand it! Cecilia was pretty, but she wasn''t suitable to be Mark''s wife. After all, Mark was the backbone of the entire Evans family! That required a capable wife to assist him in every aspect.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. In what world would a woman like Cecilia deserve a man like Mark? Meanwhile, Peter produced a gift from his business bag. ANGELA''s LIBRARY "I gave something to Edwinst time. This one is for you," he said. At first, Cecilia was embarrassed to ept Peter''s present. After all, she didn''t prepare anything for him. "It''s alright. Take it," Mark reassured her, patting her on the head. "He wishes us all a very Merry Christmas." Hearing this, Peter smiled. "You''re such a mind-reader." Although Cecilia was still hesitant, she had no choice but to ept the gift. Since she didn''t have any pockets on her clothes, she had to put the gift directly into Mark''s pocket. As she did, Mark watched her quietly from the corner of his eye. After a while, he called the butler and ordered him to do something. Being the hostess, Cecilia should be the one arranging everything for Christmas. But she seemed clueless about these. Not wanting to depress her with these tasks, Mark decided to take care of them by himself. While Mark was giving orders to the butler, a thought urred in his mind. He turned around and said to Cecilia, "Honey, why don''t you walk Peter out? And walk Miss Wilson out as well." Hearing this, Cathy''s expression darkened. With just a few words, Mark had clearly defined the respective m standings of Cathy and Cecilia in his heart. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! m "Thanks, but no need for that," Cathy said, her lips contorted into an M ufortable smile. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Cecilia took Mark''s arm and fetched his coat from the sofa. After putting it on, she said, "Mr, m Garcia, let me walk you out." The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! "Ah, it''s such a beautiful day," Peter replied with a smile. Chapter 1608 Chapter 1608 "Just thinking about walking with Miss Fowler is enough to put me in a good mood." After saying that, Peter picked up his briefcase and headed out with Cecilia walking behind him. Cathy, on the other hand, felt helpless. There was no reason for her to stay here any longer. As sheid her eyes on Mark, an unspeakable sadness took over her heart. While Mark had dated a lot of girls, Cathy was among them. Although Mark never officially announced she was his girlfriend, Cathy was still willing to stay by his side, with the thought that he woulde to love her one day. After all, she could be a good wife and take care of everything if he decided to settle down and start a family.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Cathy never expected that Mark would fall in love with a naive girl like Cecilia and that he would love thetter so much to the point of letting go of something truly important to him just for her. As this thought crossed her mind, the corner of Cathy''s mouth twitched. "I heard that you''re about to quit to do business?" Mark ignored her at first and handed over his belongings to the butler. After dismissing the butler, he looked at Zoey, who was seated on the sofa, and took out a cigarette. "How did you know about that?" he asked after taking a long drag. Cathy looked away and hid her face from Mark. ANGELA''s LIBRARY "I have my sources. Someone saw your resignation letter." After theunch mission, Mark would be resigning from his post. This news blindsided Cathy, leaving her feeling angry. How could Mark love Cecilia so much that he was willing to postpone his career just so he could make time to be with her and marry her? "Mark! Your current role is perfect for you. Don''t you think it''s toote for you to do business for the sake of a naive girl? Do you think you canpete with the Fowler family when ites to business? And do you think that woman still wants to stay by your side if you''re no longer that man of high position?" Mark blew a cloud of smoke upwards and said beneath his breath, "It''s none of your business Cathy, move e op. Although Cecilia is young, it doesn''t mean she isn''t sensible. She chooses to stay by my side more firmly than anyone else could do." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! And Mark had decided to spend the rest of his life with Cecilia. Cathy wanted to say some more, but at this moment, Cecilia had already returned. The content is on §Ö NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Mark took Cecilia''s hand and examined the wound at the corner of her mouth. Then, he said to Zoey, "Mom, please attend to Cathy. I''ll take Cecilia to change her clothes." The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Zoey nodded in response. Chapter 1609 Chapter 1609 Cecilia marched alongside Mark and asked, "Aren''t you worried that you''re snubbing your guest?" Mark hadn''t seen Cecilia for a day and missed her dearly. He cornered her against the corridor wall and brushed his fingertips along her wound. "Does it still hurt?" he asked her. Cecilia shook her head. "It doesn''t hurt anymore." With a smile, Mark leaned closer and whispered, "I mean there. Weren''t you crying out of painst night?" Ang''s Library At the mention of that, Cecilia turned red and yfully shoved his chest. They were so immersed in their own little world that they hadpletely forgotten that Cathy was still there. Ever so considerate, Mark helped Cecilia get changed. By the time they emerged from the room, Cathy was already gone. Meanwhile, Edwin continued following Zoey, who focused on cooking her signature dishes. In the past, Zoey usually exerted very minimal effort. But this year, she seemed immersed in cooking. Upon observing his mother''s gentle demeanor, Mark''s heart softened. He then picked up his son and said, ¡°I''ll take you to the yard. We can set off the fireworks there." Cecilia also wanted to set off the fireworks. She would like to have some fun, but she noticed Zoey could use a helping hand. "Zoey, let me help you with the dinner," Cecilia volunteered. Zoey chuckled and yfully nudged Cecilia away. "Thanks, dear. Butm please, join Mark I can handle the cooking perfectly. Go ahead and y with Mark." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! With Zoey''s words, Cecilia darted out of the kitchen and headed for the yard. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Once she was gone, Zoey turned to Mark and let out a heartyugh. "You married a girl who''s a child at heart. That''s a good thing. She''s lively and adorable. The content is onN?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! A smile formed on Mark''s lips. Aside from what his mother had mentioned, Cecilia was exceedingly gorgeous. Chapter 1610 Chapter 1610 He then took Edwin to the warehouse, brought out more than ten fireworks, andid them out in a single file. The sky was getting dark, with only the faint light of the moon illuminating it. Aside from that, there were a few small lights littered across the yard. Mark was wearing ck trousers paired with a dark blue cashmere shirt, which highlighted his slender frame. The dim light cast a soft glow on his profile. Compared to Waylen, Mark''s facial features weren''t as sharply defined. ANGELA''s LIBRARY Rather, they had a softness in them that made him look gentle. Words could never capture how truly handsome Mark was. Edwin was gleefully pping his hands as he watched the firework spectacle unfolding above him. This was the first time that he had celebratedChristmas with his father. Cecilia was just as happy as him. She quietly watched the fireworks disy for a few seconds before turning her eyes to the man whom she deeply loved. However, the moment she looked at Mark, she found Mark was also staring at her. Their eyes were locked in a tender, intense, and yet gentle gaze. Cecilia''s throat was starting to feel parched as heat rose up her cheeks. Despite that, she couldn''t tear her eyes off him. Mark smiled at her and took another drag of his cigarette before lighting up the other fireworks.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. At that moment, the sky came to life with vibrant colors. He did all of this just for her. To make her smile. After a while, he stood closer to her and picked Edwin up. With his free hand, he encircled his hand around her waist and pulled her closer. Cecilia rested her head on his shoulder. In her mind, all she could think about was how happy and satisfied she was currently. Truly, in the past thirty years, this was the best celebration she had ever experienced. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! She wanted to say something, but Mark beat her to punch. He turned his head and leaned closer until his lips were almost touching her ear. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! "I hope we will be together like this every single year," he whispered to her. Although he didn''t explicitly say that he loved her, his words implied that he wanted to be with her for the rest of his life. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1611 Chapter 1611 The chapter is errored .we will fix ittter The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there!Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Chapter 1612 Chapter 1612 Then, he looked around before whispering, "This gentleman is the wealthiest businessman only second to Brandon in Heron. I''ve inquired about it and learned that his son has some connections with Rena." While Zoey didn''t know about Albert, Cecilia did. "The young man is probably Albert. He used to present roses to Rena. But Rena wasn''t interested in him. Whenever he did, Rena would only throw them away. If you ask me, I think he''s just ttering himself." Hearing Cecilia''s words, Zoey was amused and sniggered. She now understood why her arrogant son only had eyes for Cecilia. Indeed, Cecilia was a lovely girl.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Zoey kept her thoughts to herself and put on a poker face. "Let theme in," she said to the butler. The butler nodded and left shortly after. "Choose your words carefully when talking to them," Zoey warned. Cecilia wasn''t displeased at Zoey''s words. Instead, she yfully elbowed Zoey''s side and answered, ¡°I know.¡± Ang''s Library Previously, Zoey was a bit annoyed since she had no mood to deal with any visitors. But now, her heart was overflowing with so much joy Cecilia had brought to her. Cecilia was young and lovely. This alone was enough to bring a smile to Zoey''s face since Cecilia often reminded her of her daughter. While they were chatting, Kyle came in with Albert. Behind them were servants who were carrying gifts and luggage. As soon as Kyle entered, he took off his scarf and put on a grin that stretched from ear to ear. "Merry Christmas, madams!" he greeted. He then turned to Albert and told him, "Over there is Rena''s grandma. You can also call her grandma." Albert scratched his head and shyly looked away. Seeing the embarrassed expression on Albert''s face, Zoey hurriedly stepped in. She called Albert over and ced her hand atop his. "You''re such a good-looking boy," she said to him. Then, Zoey looked up to Kyle, her face turning serious. "You just asked him to call me grandma, right? Does Darren have any other children? I''ve never heard of it from Eloise." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Kyle was stunned momentarily. From Zoey''s trick of ying dumb, bem instantly knew Zoey was not an easy woman to deal with. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Zoey then pointed at the luggage and added, "If you''re Darren''s son, I will ask someone to clean up the guest room immediately. I saw your luggage. How could I let my grandchildren stay in the hotel instead of the cozy rooms in my house?" The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! After saying that, she then asked Cecilia to give orders to those servants. Chapter 1613 Chapter 1613 The chaper is errored .we will fix ittter Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1614 Chapter 1614 Cecilia rushed over to Waylen andtched onto his arm. The moment Cecilia saw her elder brother in the Evans family''s house, she burst into joy. Waylen held Cecilia in his arms and hugged her tight. Then, he shot a look at Albert and sneered, "You just said you wanted to be the other man, right?" Albert remained silent, his eyes fixed on Waylen the entire time. Ang''s Library Although Albert had fascinated some women with his handsome face, he had to admit that Waylen was rather outstanding. Waylen had an air of regality about him that made him stand out from the rest. After being quiet for a while, Albert twitched his mouth and asked, ¡°What? Are you scared or something?" Waylen was unfazed by Albert''s cocky attitude. He simply took out a cigarette and lit it before taking a long drag. Slowly, his eyes narrowed at Albert as he let out an arrogant chuckle. "Why would I be scared? I''m afraid Rena won''t be pleased to hear that. Apart from valuing too much on virtue, she''s perfect in every way." Albert gnashed his teeth for a second before recovering his cool. ¡°Mr. Fowler, I heard you used to be awyer before. That exins why you''re so sharp-tongued." "Well, I don''t think I''m eloquent enough," Waylen teased sarcastically. "But let mey this clear to you. Rena appreciates mature men. You, on the other hand, are just a little boy. Go on and practice some more." Albert and Waylen continued their tit-for-tat, their words resembling swords shing against each other. Cecilia, who was listening to the entire exchange, was speechless. After a while, Mark came back ahead of time alongside Rena and Rena''s children. Mark was holding Alexis in his arms. He liked Alexis dearly. Alexis'' tender face was leaning on Mark''s shoulder. From time to time, she would call him in an affectionate tone. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Mark held Alexis'' hand and gave it a weak squeeze. When approaching Albert and Waylen, Mark looked around and e breathed in the atmosphere. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! "It''s a beautiful day, isn''t it?" The moment Albert saw Mark, he straightened his back and immediately stopped arguing with Waylen. He turned to Mark and performed a respectful bow. TheContent ? N?velDrama.Org. content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1615 Chapter 1615 "Mr. Evans," he greeted. Mark shot a nce at Cecilia, prompting her to move closer to him. At this time, Zoey and Kyle came back from their walk. Being the host, Mark invited Kyle and Waylen to have a chat in the tearoom. As for Albert, he wasn''t even qualified to sit. Albert just stood by and listened to their conversation. Cecilia watched them leave and nudged Rena. "Mark looks much senior to Waylen," she whispered to Rena. Rena was still pregnant. She ced her hand atop her belly and smiled "What? You think Mark is too old? I thought you like him deeply all these years." Cecilia was just joking. She didn''t dwell on this topic anymore.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Eloise had also arrived. She wrapped a woolen shawl around Rena''s neck and said, "You guys keep talking. I''ll keep Zoeypany." Rena nodded and replied, "Okay." Rena''s pregnancy made her skin glow, adding to her charm. Cecilia was momentarily stunned by Rena. Cecilia recalled the days when Edwin was still in her belly. She still remembered vividly she looked somewhat weary during her pregnancy. Comparing herself then and Rena now made her feel a bit jealous. Ang''s Library After a while, Rena dismissed the kids to have some fun. Leonel was mature at his age. Therefore, Rena entrusted him with the task of taking care of other kids while having fun with them. Then, Rena and Cecilia went to the yard and had a little stroll. With a French window, Rena''s room was warm and brightly lit. Cecilia helped Rena sit down and took off Rena''s coat. "Slow down and take care." Rena shot a nce at Cecilia from the corner of her eye and smirked. "Well, where''s my special present?" Cecilia hurriedly shushed Rena. S~ah the FindNot website on Google to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! "Rena, don''t say that again," she said while pouring Rena a ss of water. "My brother will tease me about it!" The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Rena just smiled. "Alright. Your Nervous? wedding is approaching e Have you prepared anything for it?" The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Cecilia replied with a nod. Seeing Cecilia''s shy look, Rena took out a gift and handed it to her. Chapter 1616 Chapter 1616 "This is for you, bride-to-be." Cecilia epted it readily. As soon as she saw what was inside, her face lit up. It was a pair of refined earrings. From a nce, she could tell that they were made using top-grade foreign goods. Thinking that they perfectly matched her wool skirt, she immediately put them on. Indeed, thebination of the two was perfect. She looked like an angel bathed in golden light. Cecilia admired her reflection in the mirror and fiddled with her new earrings. "Rena, you really have a good taste!" Then, Rena started to ry Cecilia''s parents'' caution to Cecilia. This rendered Cecilia speechless. She instantly adjusted herself and listened attentively. Rena couldn''t help but be amused by the shift in Cecilia''s demeanor. After a while, Rena asked softly, "How''s your days here? Have you gotten used to it?" Cecilia was moved by Rena''s concerns and gently replied, ¡°Zoey has been nice to me. So has Mark." Hearing this, Rena exhaled in relief. However, Albert''s presence crossed Cecilia''s mind and filled her with worry. "Will Albert''s presence here affect you and Waylen?" Instead of answering, Rena smirked and yfully poked Cecilia''s head.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Later that night, Rena didn''t attend the dinner party, saying that she wasn''t feeling well. A sumptuous feast wasid out on the table. When Kyle and Albertm learned rned that Rena wouldn''t join them, they both sank their heads in disappointment. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Zoey, however, simply smiled. "It''s not umon for pregnant women to lose theinappetite. Waylen, go check on her," she ordered Waylen. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Waylen nodded and quickly extinguished his cigarette. He then picked out some of the most delicious food avable and brought them to Rena''s room. Upon pushing the door open, he was greeted by the sight of Rena sitting on the couch. She was facing the window while reading a book. The soft light from the window fell on her serene figure, highlighting her quiet beauty. Waylen had always thought that Rena was stunning. She was so gorgeous that he couldn''t stop m himself from staring at her for a few ¦­¦¯ more seconds before approaching her. He put down the tray he was holding and gently ced his hand on her delicate shoulder. "How are you feeling? Is there anything wrong with you?" The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1617 Chapter 1617 Rena nced at the tray. There was a bowl of noodles and roasted turkey. The moment sheid her eyes on them, her stomach grumbled. She set the book aside and shed a warm smile. "I just don''t want to reveal my trump card too soon."Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Even though she didn''t say it, Waylen immediately understood it was for Kyle. With a smile, he helped her up and guided her toward the table. Using her fork, Rena picked up a slice of turkey and handed it to Waylen''s lips. "Grandma must''ve cooked this. Come on. Have a taste!" Waylen took the bite. After chewing it for a while, he found it shockingly delicious. As he enjoyed the food, something struck him, prompting him to ask, "You haven''t spent much time with the Evans family. Howe you know that?" Rena took another bite of turkey before leaning closer to Waylen to answer. "Actually, I''ve lived in this ce for two months ever since I gave birth to Alexis." This revtion caught Waylen by surprise. He then ced his hand atop Rena''s and said in a hoarse voice, "Rena, I''m really sorry for what you have gone through." It was a heavy topic, and neither of them wanted to talk about it. Rena shed him a warm smile. "Waylen, it''s alright. I don''t me you anymore. What matters now is both of us lead carefree and happy lives together. By your side, I feel I''m the luckiest woman in the world." Waylen gently stroked her long hair and yfully joked to ease the atmosphere, "Your majesty, thanks for being generous." Rena went along with it and replied, "Please do make it worth it. You may leave now and entertain the guests. I''m doing great here." Waylen brushed her cheek with his thumb before walking out of the room. When he returned to the dining hall, it was alive with chatter. Kyle intended to make the acquaintance of Mark, so he struck up a conversation with the fatter, who returned the enthusiasm. It didn''t take long for them to know more about each other. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Waylen was well aware of Kyle''s intentions, given thetter''s being a shrewd businessman. With a project that could strike a cooperation with Mark Waylen thrWaylen m decided to join the their conversation. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! After dinner, Zoey and Eloise took the kids to a nearby ce while therest of the men continued drinking and E talking about business. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Kyle always brought up Rena and how he wanted her to teach Albert a thing or two. Chapter 1618 Chapter 1618 The chapter is errored .we will fix ittter The content is on NovelDrama.Org!Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1619 Chapter 1619 As he said this, he bent closer to her and kissed her belly. The gesture made Rena''s heart melt. She caressed his handsome face and asked, "How did you know that I have something important to do?" Waylen was so drunk that he began speaking without thinking. "I know everything about you," he said with a chuckle. "I can tell what''s on your cunning mind. You can''t hide anything from me, honey." Rena found his words sweet, bringing a smile to her face. Had she got nothing to attend to, she would''ve hugged him tightly and enjoyed their intimate conversations. But they got the rest of their lives to do so. No rush, indeed. Waylen walked Rena to Zoey''s room. Zoey was still awake. Upon seeing Rena, her face immediately brightened. She pulled Rena inside and asked Waylen to go back to his room to rest. Once the door was closed, they started to talk. As they conversed, Zoey closely studied Rena and thought she was doing fine. "It seems that you and Waylen are getting along quite well," Zoey remarked. Rena nodded. "That''s right. We''re doing very well." For a second, Zoey remembered the past, but her mind quickly jumped to something else. Even though they had talked for a while, Rena had not yet told Zoey the motives behind her trip here. Despite Rena''s attempts to withhold it, Zoey saw right through her. "You''re getting more and more profound," shemented. "You''re just like Mark." Although Zoey was grumbling, she had nothing but love and appreciation for Rega Rena''s m Bena''som character actually reminded her of Mark''s. It was probably Rena''s character that made Waylen settle down. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Rena smiled back at Zoey.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. "I knew I couldn''t hide it from you." She then proceeded to tell Zoeym everything. The content is on ve NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Hearing her words, Zoey patted Rena''s hand and said with a smile, "You don''t need to be embarrassed about bringing it up. It''s not a big deal. Besides, The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1620 Chapter 1620 I already noticed Waylen managed to give a leg up for Mark when having dinner.¡± It was all about exchanging benefits. Hearing this, Rena felt relieved. "You said I was like Mark, but I think I''m more like you. After all, I got the smartness from you," she ttered Zoey, which brought a smile on Zoey''s face. "Among your children, Alexis is the smartest, while Leonel is the most reliable," Zoeymented.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. After thinking about what Zoey had said, Rena leaned closer to Zoey and whispered, "Actually, Waylen wants these two children to..." She let her words hang in the air. Then, she continued, "But I''m worried that the two of them are too ambitious. They may not be a good match when they grow up." Zoey ced aforting hand on Rena''s shoulder and smiled. "Children are capable of finding their own happiness," she said. Rena nodded in agreement. After that, Zoey didn''t let Rena spend the night in her room. Zoey stretched her legs and let out a groan. "My limbs are no longer as flexible as they used to be. Just let Waylen take care of you." When she heard this, Rena remembered how drunk and horny Waylen was earlier. Not wanting to leave Zoey''s room, Rena acted like a spoiled child until finally, Zoey allowed Rena to sleep in her room. The following morning, Rena woke up and saw Waylen seated at the edge of the bed. He was dressed in a navy blue shirt with a dark grey overcoat on top of it. He appeared very energetic, as though he wasn''tpletely drunk the night before. In the morning light, Rena thought that he looked absolutely dashing. She shifted her body to a morefortable position and asked softly, ¡°Weren''t you drunkst night? Why are you up so early?" Waylen smiled and gently caressed her face. "I''m in your grandma''s residence. m should behave well. The content is behave on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! talk." Rena chuckled in amusement. "Wow, you''re getting the hang of sweet tal The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Waylen''s smile deepened. After a while, he asked, "Do you want to get up? It''s snowing outside. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Cecilia is ying with the children." Rena shook her head. She was pregnant and didn''t want to move. Chapter 1621 Chapter 1621 Just then, the butler knocked on the door. "Mr. and Mrs. Fowler, Mr. Kyle Watson and Mr. Albert Watson want to see you." Rena turned to Waylen and searched for an answer in his eyes. In response, Waylen pinched Rena''s cheek. "They''re here because of you. Mark''s not here. I''ll go ahead and entertain them." After saying that, Waylen swiftly left the room. Once he was gone, Rena stood up and sat down in front of the mirror where shebed her long brown hair with her fingers. As she did, her mind raced and entertained different thoughts. She had been ignoring Kyle for a while now. Perhaps it was time for her to see him. She got up, tidied herself up, and got changed. Then, she headed toward the living room. Once Kyle saw her, he smiled and greeted, "Rena, how have you been? Six months pregnant, right?" Rena smiled at him.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. The servant served her a bowl of nutritional soup. However, since she didn''t have a good appetite, she only managed to finish half of the bowl. But when Waylen was the one who personally made her breakfast, Rena ate the food with much gusto. Albert had been observing their interaction for a while and was surprised. He always thought Rena and Waylen lived carefree lives with multiple ree lives with servants to serve them well. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! He never expected Waylen would cook breakfast for Rena himself. The more he thought about it, the more Albert realized that he couldn''t bring himself to do that. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! This realization made him ponder whether he truly had feelings for Rena. Rena paid no heed to Albert''s feelings for her. Her attention wasrgely focused on Kyle because she wanted the project he was involved in. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1622 Chapter 1622 Both she and Kyle were cunning people. Rena deliberately didn''t mention anything about guiding Albert. She just smiled and said, "I''m pregnant. I don''t pay attention to the business stuff." Hearing this, Kyle sank his head in disappointment.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Despite the implicit rejection, Kyle and Albert still stayed for lunch. Once they were done eating, Waylen continued his business talks with Kyle. Rena, on the other hand, decided to enjoy the beautiful day outside and smell the scent of the roses in the big garden. With a pair of scissors, she decided to prune a bunch of the champagne roses. Once she was done, she handed over the severed branches to the servant. Expecting the servant to be behind her, she turned around but was startled by Albert''s presence instead. "Why are you here?" Albert was standing behind her. Up close, she could feel a quiet rage simmering deep down Albert. Albert ced the freshly cut roses aside and questioned, "I''ve done as you told. I''m sick of sleeping with that woman. When will you fulfill your promise?" Rena simply nced at Albert and turned her attention back to the roses. She continued to cut the roses, intending to get a bunch of roses for Cecilia to put them in the bedroom for viewing. Growing impatient, Albert gnashed his teeth and grabbed Rena''s wrist. Rena didn''t take too kindly to this. "Let go of me," she said coldly. "Show some respect." Albert reluctantly pulled his hand back and shouted awkwardly don''t want to do anything to you. I just want to know when you''ll assist me with my business." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Rena put down the scissors and sat down with her hands resting on Her belly. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! ¡°Why are you in such a hurry? I''m working on it." Despite her assurance, Albert was still disgruntled. He thought Rena was currently on vacation. She was either steeping to nourish the baby inside her or trimming the flowers in the garden all day long. She was leading afortable life. How could she be doing anything serious? The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1623 Chapter 1623 Albert didn''t believe Rena''s words. "Are you really capable of this?" Albert asked, his eyes warily narrowing at Rena. Rena continued tending to the roses, seemingly oblivious to Albert''s questions. She marveled at the beauty of these stemmed roses and wondered how elegant they would look once put in a vase. After a while, she smiled at Albert and replied, "Just wait." With his nerves on edge, Albert thought about smoking, but on second thought, he decided not to. At that moment, Waylen approached them. A shaft of sunlight pierced through the window, making the garden feel as warm as spring. Rena was wearing a white wool dress while quietly arranging the flowers. Her figure looked particrly slender whenever viewed from behind, and her long brown hair cascaded down her waist like a majestic waterfall. Had Albert not been present, Waylen would''ve wanted to flirt with her. Seeing her with another man, he couldn''t help but feel jealous. Nevertheless, he quietly approached her and took the vase. "This is gorgeous," he said.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Rena smiled. She then turned to Albert and said, ¡°Don''t worry. I will fulfill my promise." When Albert saw their quiet intimacy, mixed feelings brewed in his chest. He wanted to get closer to Rena, but his brain told him to restrain himself and keep a respectable distance from her. The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Eventually, he left. Once he was gone, Waylen asked Rena, "Why did you get along with e him alone? The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there! Rena fiddled with the vase before shooting a nce aXWaylen. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 1624 Chapter 1624 Chapter 1625 Chapter 1625 Her childish antics made Mark¡¯s eyes soften. Without saying anything, he lowered his head and kissed her lips. But before the kiss could go any deeper, Cecilia pushed him away. S?a?*?h the (F)indN?v?l.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I thought¡­ I thought we had a deal?¡± ¡°I never agreed to it,¡± Mark responded gently. He leaned closer and began nting soft kisses in her ear. ¡°Cecilia, if a man doesn¡¯t want to do it with a woman while they¡¯re together, then there must be something wrong with their rtionship,¡± he whispered. How could a man bear not to touch his woman? Cecilia pursed her lips and looked away. After a while, she gave a hesitant nod. As their intimacy grew more passionate, something kept niggling at the back of Cecilia¡¯s mind. She caressed Mark¡¯s sweaty cheek and, in between moans, she said, ¡°Kyle came here two days ago. I think Rena was remarkable since she could handle him properly. Mark¡­¡± She sniffled. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m useless?¡± At this moment, Mark was so attracted to Cecilia and hungry for her body that he didn¡¯t have the patience to console her. After all, he was a just a regr man with regr desires. He lowered his head and yfully bit her nose. ¡°Why do you say you¡¯re useless?¡± he said affectionately. He then lifted her up and threw her to bed. Then, he pounced on her like a starved lion and began doing her. Once the sex was finshed, Cecilia rested her head on Mark¡¯s chest, catching her breath. Although her face didn¡¯t show it, Cecilia was still bothered by the fact that Mark had a lot ofpetent women around him. Aside from Cathy who was astoundingly capable, Miss Holt was remarkably outstanding as well. Chapter 1626 Chapter 1626 Although Cecilia despised Cathy, she couldn¡¯t deny Cathy¡¯s capability. S?a??h th? FindN???l.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The thought of this fact brought a sense of insecurity and jealousy in her. By now, Mark had already calmed down. When he saw the look on Cecilia¡¯s face, he could tell she was still thinking about it. So, he nted a consoling kiss on her forehead and said, ¡°I want a wife, not a partner. Why would I need a capable woman?¡± Hearing this, Cecilia felt much better. She grazed his skin with her soft fingertips and drew circles on his chest. ¡°Rena is capable. But Waylen and Rena have a good rtionship,¡± she said coquettishly. Mark smiled. Indeed, Rena was capable, much like most members of the Evans family. Her character didn¡¯t resemble her mother¡¯s. Rena¡¯s mother was Reina, who was Mark¡¯s younger sister. Cecilia was like Reina. Both of them had a simple yet lovely air about them. The more Mark looked at Cecilia, the more tender his eyes grew. He ced his hand on the back of her head and pulled her closer to him, almost burying her face to his chest. ¡°They are who they are, and we are who we are,¡± he told her. This was one of the things that Mark liked about Cecilia the most. If he wanted an able woman to be his wife, then he could¡¯ve married someone while he was younger. Atst, Cecilia felt reassured thanks to Mark¡¯s words. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. After wiping his nose with the back of her hand, she bit his shoulder a few times before whispering, ¡°My brother said they¡¯ll be going back to Duefron in five days. He also said he wanted to bring me back with them.¡± As soon as Mark heard that, his eyes shot wide open. For a second, he thought he had misheard. Cecilia would leave in five days? Mark wanted her to remain by his side, but she sounded like she really wanted to go. ¡°I also have some work to take care of after the holiday,¡± she added. Chapter 1627 Chapter 1627 ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you in Duefron, Mark.¡± A small smile broke on Mark¡¯s lips. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll visit you and our son whenever I¡¯m free.¡± Given they couldn¡¯t see each other after a few days, Mark couldn¡¯t help but indulge in their intimacy. Cecilia wanted to lose herself in their passions as well, but she was worried about his health. After all, he was already at this age. When she brought it up, Mark¡¯s face crumpled. ¡°What age? Have I not satisfied you well?¡± He seemed particrly offended by this. As punishment, he did her rough, reaching his climax after she begged him for mercy several times. On the other side, Rena had ns of her own. She had been carrying out her n in secret. A guest from Duefron had been staying at the Evans family¡¯s house for a day already. Now, this very individual was in Zoey¡¯s room. Neither Mark nor Cecilia knew about this. After Rena finished her work, she came back to Duefron with Waylen and their children together with Cecilia and Edwin. Edwin didn¡¯t want to leave Zoey and was crying. Mark was so upied with his work that he didn¡¯t even have time to see them off. Cecilia sat on the private ne and stared at her phone for a while before reluctantly turning it off. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. She totally understood Mark¡¯s predicament. After his project failed, itsunch had to be dyed for another half a month. He must be stressed out and loaded with work. He didn¡¯t invite her to pay a visit to his workce. S?a?ch Th? F?ndNov?l.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Cecilia would like to have a see if she could make time for it. After all, Mark had been exerting painstaking efforts on this for the past several years. Waylen sat next to Cecilia and began folding the newspaper. When he saw the disappointed look on her face, he snorted and said, ¡°Once you get married, you can see him all you want.¡± Chapter 1628 Chapter 1628 Cecilia was caught off-guard by his words and blushed. ¡°I don¡¯t miss him at all!¡± Seeing her get flustered, Waylen chuckled. In response, Cecilia stuck out her tongue like a petnt child. When they got back to Duefron, they went their own separate ways. Waylen took Rena and their children back to the vi. Upon reaching home, the children began ying freely while Waylen and Rena headed upstairs. The two of them didn¡¯t like it when the servants woulde into their bedroom and clean up. Thus, they often cleaned the room themselves. Since Rena was pregnant, Waylen did all the heavy lifting and started to unpack their luggage. Rena smiled, thinking how considerate Waylen was. Although she wanted to rest, the sight of him working so hard for her stirred something within her. Out of impulse, she walked toward the cloakroom and wrapped her arms around his waist. Her sudden move took Waylen by surprise. Nevertheless, he was pleased with her gesture. ¡°I know I¡¯m an attractive man, honey, but you have to learn how to restrain yourself.¡± Rena didn¡¯t retort his teasing words.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. She leaned against his back and whispered, ¡°Waylen, you are so sweet.¡± Waylen¡¯s heart melted at her words. He whispered back, ¡°I did promise to be a good husband and father, didn¡¯t I? Besides, I like doing these things for you.¡± Rena chuckled, remembering that when they first met, he asionally enjoyed social activities. S~?a??h the (F)indN?v?l.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1629 Chapter 1629 While he didn¡¯t flirt with women, he certainly knew how to work a room. Just as something more intimate was about to happen to them, a servant knocked on the door, ruining the mood for the both of them. ¡°Mrs. Fowler, ady named Helen is here and wants to see you.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Rena shouted, loud enough for the servant outside to hear. With a resigned sigh, she nted a kiss on Waylen¡¯s cheek. ¡°I¡¯m going to see her.¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. But before Rena could even take a few steps forward, Waylen grabbed her arm and pulled her closer to him. ¡°Isn¡¯t she Albert¡¯s mother?¡± he asked, a slight hint of uneasiness shing in his eyes. S?a?*?h the (?ind)??vel.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Rena, although I know that you¡¯re doing this for Mark, I¡¯m still jealous.¡± Rena smirked. She had been married to Waylen for a long time now and knew exactly how to handle him. She gently stroked his arm and said softly, ¡°But I¡¯m not only doing this for Mark. I¡¯m doing this for Cecilia as well.¡± Kyle had been seeking connections with the Fowler family recently, and Rena was interested in the project that Kyle was doing. In essence, her aim was to make sure that Mark seeded faster and thus, making Cecilia feel better. Waylen quietly stared at Rena. Actually, he wasn¡¯t really jealous. He just wanted Rena tofort him. He liked it whenever she cared about him very much. Waylen pursed his lips and pretended to be coy. Even though he was silent, Rena had a good idea on what was running through his mind. With a smile, she stood on her tiptoe and kissed him on the lips. ¡°We already have several children, and yet, you¡¯re still acting like this.¡± In response, Waylen held her slender waist, and the two of them kissed passionately. After a while, their lips pulled away, catching their breaths as they exchanged onest kiss before Waylen let her go downstairs. Chapter 1630 Chapter 1630 While he didn¡¯t flirt with women, he certainly knew how to work a room. Just as something more intimate was about to happen to them, a servant knocked on the door, ruining the mood for the both of them. ¡°Mrs. Fowler, ady named Helen is here and wants to see you.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Rena shouted, loud enough for the servant outside to hear. With a resigned sigh, she nted a kiss on Waylen¡¯s cheek. ¡°I¡¯m going to see her.¡± But before Rena could even take a few steps forward, Waylen grabbed her arm and pulled her closer to him. ¡°Isn¡¯t she Albert¡¯s mother?¡± he asked, a slight hint of uneasiness shing in his eyes. S?a?*?h the (?ind)??vel.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Rena, although I know that you¡¯re doing this for Mark, I¡¯m still jealous.¡± Rena smirked. She had been married to Waylen for a long time now and knew exactly how to handle him. She gently stroked his arm and said softly, ¡°But I¡¯m not only doing this for Mark. I¡¯m doing this for Cecilia as well.¡± Kyle had been seeking connections with the Fowler family recently, and Rena was interested in the project that Kyle was doing. In essence, her aim was to make sure that Mark seeded faster and thus, making Cecilia feel better. Waylen quietly stared at Rena. Actually, he wasn¡¯t really jealous. He just wanted Rena tofort him. He liked it whenever she cared about him very much. Waylen pursed his lips and pretended to be coy. Even though he was silent, Rena had a good idea on what was running through his mind. With a smile, she stood on her tiptoe and kissed him on the lips. ¡°We already have several children, and yet, you¡¯re still acting like this.¡± In response, Waylen held her slender waist, and the two of them kissed passionately. After a while, their lips pulled away, catching their breaths as they exchanged onest kiss before Waylen let her go downstairs. S?arch the F?ndN?vel.??t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1629 Tip: You can use left, right keyboard keys to browse between chapters.Tap the middle of the screen to reveal Reading Options. If you find any errors (non-standard content, ads redirect, broken links, etc..), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible. Report Follow us: Do you like this site? Donate here: Your donations will go towards maintaining / hosting the site! CommentsContent ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 1631 Chapter 1631 Upon recalling Albert¡¯s past, Helen sank her head and said, ¡°I¡­ I failed to do right by him. I¡¯ve just stood by and seen him lead such a life.¡± Since Helen and Rena got on well, Helen started to share her worries. Rena patted Helen¡¯s hand, offering some reassurance. Since then, Helen had be a distinguished guest of the Fowler family. From time to time, she would come and pay Rena a visit. S~?a??h the FindN???l.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Strangely enough, although Albert would alsoe to her home, he and Helen had never actually bumped into each other. Rena went upstairs, carefully leaned her back against the sofa and stared at the ceiling as she let her thoughts run wild. Once Waylen was done unpacking their Luggage, he approached Rena and ced an arm around her shoulder. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked her. ¡°Anything bothering you?¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Rena ced her hand atop his and fiddled with his fingers. Then, with a sigh, she said, ¡°Albert¡¯s mother just told me something about Albert. After listening to her, I can¡¯t help but feel sorry for Albert.¡± Waylen just smiled. He instantly knew what she was guilty about. It was about Albert and Aline having sex. Waylen, however, didn¡¯t think it was a big deal. ¡°Oh? The guilt weighed you down?¡± Waylen deliberately teased. Though sensing the teasing in his tone, Rena rified, ¡°Not that serious.¡± Rena knew how to coax Waylen and bring a sense of security in him. She turned around, pressed her face against his stomach, and said, ¡°ylen, you¡¯re my love story.¡± As Waylen smiled, the look on his eyes softened. Chapter 1632 Chapter 1632 In the next half month, Rena attended several banquets with Helen. Although these events weren¡¯t grand enough, they were all attended by dozens of celebrities. Once they had attended enough of these events, people started to know about ady named Helen, who was connected with Zoey. Helen was Zoey¡¯s daughter¡¯s age. Besides, Helen often showed up with Rena. Given Helen¡¯s connection with Zoey and Rena, no one dared to mistreat Helen. Rena thought she had done enough and could move on with her n. She employed Albert to work in thepany. From time to time, she would even give him useful advice. Since Albert had inherited Kyle¡¯s business acumen, he quickly picked things up. Besides, he never wanted to disappoint Rena. When Kyle heard of Albert¡¯s rapid progress, he called Rena to thank her. ¡°I just managed to give Albert a leg up, Kyle,¡± Rena told Kyle. ¡°Albert did well with the opportunities I offered to him.¡± The two of them exchanged casual small talk for a while. During that, Rena was secretly maneuvering the conversation toward the project she desired to secure for Mark¡¯s sake. S?a??h th? (?ind)??vel.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Coincidentally, Kyle happened to look for cooperation on this. Kyle didn¡¯t mind working with Mark since the cooperation could bring him countless exclusive benefits. If the cooperation was established, he could form a connection with the Fowler family and also give a helping hand on Albert¡¯s promising career. It was like killing multiple birds with just a single stone. Thinking of this, Kyle agreed to her proposal, which sent Rena over the moon. ¡°Well, let¡¯s meet at the charity party next week,¡± she said to Kyle. Chapter 1633 Chapter 1633 ¡°We can sign the contract by then.¡± Kyle chuckled. ¡°Rena, you truly are a skilled businesswoman,¡± heplimented her. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to go back to the business world? I have many projects in hand. If you want to, I would love to share some of the work with you or Mark. Of course, it would be better if Albert could continue to learn something from your substantial guidance.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Rena just smiled silently. She did all these to get Albert upied with work and make it less possible for him to show up in her life. She wanted Albert to take charge of the family business willingly. That way, he might fail to make time to chase after her anymore. Albert had stated he had a crush on her. Moreover, he kept showing around her. Although Waylen didn¡¯t voice his displeasure about this, Rena knew she needed to do something. S?a?ch Th? F?ndN?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although Rena had lots of thoughts swirling in her mind, she didn¡¯t blurt any of them out loud. Their phone conversation was ended. But mere seconds after, her phone rang again. This time, Vera¡¯s name was shing on the screen. Upon connection, Vera hastened to tell Rena that Aline was sentenced in advance because of various interferences. In the end, Aline was given the harshest verdict of all: the death penalty. Although Rena had expected this result, it still left her a bit stunned. After all, Aline was once her ssmate. For Aline to meet such a tragic fate like this made Rena sigh. After a while, Vera added, ¡°She said that she wants to see us.¡± At first, Rena thought Vera would reject Aline¡¯s proposal without hesitation. But to her surprise, Vera said, ¡°Let¡¯s go and meet her. This will be thest time we¡¯ll ever see her.¡± Chapter 1634 Chapter 1634 Rena forced a smile as she asked, ¡°Why are you being sopassionate all of a sudden?¡± Vera cast her eyes to the floor and answered, ¡°Rena, Joseph will be going with us. I suppose this will bring some closure to the story.¡± As Rena listened to Vera¡¯s words, she realized Vera had not yet moved on even after all these years. Until now, Vera still held a deep-seated hatred. For a moment, Rena felt a touch of sadness deep within her. She couldn¡¯t tell whether it was for Vera or for Harold who had passed away. In the end, all she could muster was a nod. ¡°Okay,¡± Rena said. ¡°Let¡¯s go see her.¡± However, to Rena¡¯s surprise, Waylen was against it. S?a??h th? Find_N?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When Rena got into the car, she received a call from Waylen. ¡°I heard that you¡¯re going to the detention house to see that vicious woman?¡± he asked directly. She could feel his anxiety through the phone as he spoke. Rena shot a nce at Ross in front of her. ¡°Did Ross tell you that?¡± Hearing this, Ross felt uneasy. Not wanting to add further tension, Waylen softened his tone. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want you to go. It¡¯s just that you¡¯re pregnant! And the ce is gloomy. What if the baby inside your belly gets frightened? It is a lovely baby girl in your belly, after all.¡± Rena was amused. Although Waylen sounded like he was scolding her, she knew that his words wereing from a ce of Love. He was just worried that visiting that ce would affect her mood.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Chapter 1635 Chapter 1635 ¡°Well, would you like to apany me?¡± she asked him in a low voice. ¡°I happen to have a prenatal appointment this afternoon. Why don¡¯t we dine out at noon? We haven¡¯t dated for ages.¡± In the Exceed Group¡¯s CEO office, Waylen was intricately yet effortlessly fixing his tie. There was a stunning elegance in the way his finger twiddled against the fabric of the tie. With a smile, he replied, ¡°I would love that.¡± S~?a??h the (?ind)??vel.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Vera and Rena arrived at the detention house almost at the same time. The door of the car opened and Roscoe came out, with Vera following behind. Vera¡¯s nose looked a tad reddish, suggesting that she had just cried. Noticing this, Rena hurriedly approached Vera and ced a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Why are you crying? I thought you¡¯ve been looking forward to this day for a long time!¡± Vera nodded and sniffled. Before they could enter the detention house, another car arrived. When they turned around, they saw Joseph hurriedly stepping out of the car. Joseph stared at Vera with mixed emotions brewing on his face. Aline had iting to her due to her past wrongdoing. Joseph¡¯s family had been urging him to get married since he was single for some time. While he had dated several women, none of those rtionshipssted long enough to reach marriage. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. The vi where he once lived with Vera during their marriage remained untouched, its original state preserved. From time to time, Joseph would go there and pay a visit. Sometimes, he wouldy on the bed, close his eyes, and pretend that he and Vera were still together. But he could only wallow in this illusion for so long. They were already divorced. Vera had already married Roscoe and led a happy life. Chapter 1636 Chapter 1636 The moment Vera saw Joseph, a surge of emotions welled in her chest. After all, both Joseph and Aline had caused tremendous pain to her in the past. Even though so many years had passed since then, she still harbored a lingering resentment toward them. Seeing Vera standing next to Roscoe, Joseph could only sh a bitter smile. After pulling some strings, Joseph, Vera and Rena were finally allowed to enter. Aline had requested to meet three of them. s?a??h th? FindN?v?l.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take good care of everything,¡± Joseph assured everyone. The reception room in the detention center was small and in, but at this point in Aline¡¯s life, this was no longer her concern. Aline sat there quietly, with both her hands and feet chained together. Based on her demeanor, Aline seemed like a different person. The energy that had previously characterized her was now gone, and the light in her eyes had died down into a shallow dim. As Rena and the others came in, Aline slightly looked up and feebly blinked at them. ¡°Here you are.¡± As soon as their eyes met, Vera felt a sense of rage bubbling inside her. She gnashed her teeth, trying her best not to lose control, and asked, ¡°Are you going to confess? Or are you going to beg for mercy? Regardless, I¡¯m telling you it¡¯s already toote.¡± With a forlorn smile, Aline cast her eyes downwards, hiding theplexity in her eyes. ¡°Confess?¡± Aline muttered beneath her breath. ¡°Why should I confess to you? What difference will that make?¡± Vera gnashed her teeth even harder and balled her hands into fists. She wanted to beat Aline. Even though Aline was about to meet her demise, she still vexed others. Chapter 1637 Chapter 1637 After a short lull, Aline burst intoughter. There was something maniacal and unsettling with the way she Laughed, and it sent a shiver down Joseph¡¯s spine. Given their tumultuous history, Joseph had a lot of questions that he wanted to ask Aline before she faced the death penalty. Since Vera was also here, it was best to ask Aline those questions in person. Joseph looked into Aline¡¯s eyes, his eyes narrowing into a sharp stare that could pierce her soul. S?a?ch Th? Find_N?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Aline, did you ever love me? Or did you just love my wealth?¡± Aline continuedughing, her Laughter sounding wilder than thest. ¡°Joseph, how much money do you think you have? Yes, I did aspire to be your wife back then, but that was only because Harold didn¡¯t Like me. You know what was the most amusing part while I was seducing you? It was that you were obviously deeply in love with Vera back then. I wanted to see the look on her face when she realized that her love for you amounted to nothing. If I couldn¡¯t have you, then no one else could.¡± Joseph¡¯s jaw cked as words failed him. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. It turned out Aline¡¯s motives for bing the other woman were so simple. Once Joseph had regained hisposure, he asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°So you never liked me?¡± Aline red at him and snorted. ¡°No! Never!¡± Those words felt like a dagger thrust directly into Joseph¡¯s heart. He had sacrificed his marriage with Vera and let go of her who deeply loved him, only to exchange it for such a despicable woman. Slowly, Joseph turned to Vera, hoping to see a look of understanding or sympathy in her eyes. However, Vera was simply stunned by the revtion. After a while, she finally murmured, ¡°I see.¡± Chapter 1638 Chapter 1638 Vera¡¯s lips curled into a smile, her shoulder rxing as if a heavy weight had been Lifted off her shoulders. ¡°Aline, I don¡¯t hold any grudges toward you,¡± she said softly. ¡°I¡¯m doing very well right now.¡± Indeed, Vera was satisfied with her life. Roscoe treated her very well, and she had a healthy, cute child of her own. Joseph, on the other hand, had led a life of pain and misery. He wanted to say something to Vera, but every time he tried to open his mouth, all that came out was air. Atst, in her moment of misery, Aline finally felt a hint of joy. ¡°Good. It seems that even though I¡¯m dying, I¡¯m still capable of making people unhappy.¡± Aline then turned her attention to Rena and shed an evil grin. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? What? Are you afraid that I¡¯LL hurt you again?¡± Rena was unfazed by her remarks. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°I have nothing to say,¡± she said with a carefree smile. Rena realized whatever deranged Aline blurted out, it was pointless to argue with her. After all, Aline was about to meet her demise. Not wanting to stay in this dark ce any longer, Rena walked away. s?a??h th? (?ind)??vel.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She ced her hand on her belly and felt grateful for the life she had lived so far. Before she could cross the threshold, Aline shouted her name from behind. ¡°Rena!¡± Rena stopped in her tracks, but she didn¡¯t turn around. Aline was seething through gritted teeth as her voice grew shrill. Chapter 1639 Chapter 1639 ¡°Don¡¯t you have any regrets? Harold truly loved you, you know. He just didn¡¯t know how to express it. You loved each other for four years. It¡¯s a damn shame, don¡¯t you think? I bet that when midnight strikes, you dream of him and wake up missing him, don¡¯t you?¡± S~?a??h the Find_N?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Rena¡¯s felt her throat grow parched. ¡°I¡¯m not the one Harold loved,¡± she uttered. It was Cecilia. Harold could¡¯ve had a lifetime¡¯s worth of happiness, but he didn¡¯t recognize it when it was staring at him in the face. Rena knew how wonderful Cecilia was. Although Aline didn¡¯t know about it, Rena no longer wanted to dwell on it. And she wouldn¡¯t say this to Cecilia. As long as Cecilia was leading a content life, Rena was happy for her. The moment Rena stepped outside, a beam of sunshine fell on her face, its warmth feeling ticklish against her skin. Beside her, a new bud had sprouted below the tree. Waylen was standing beside the car, chatting away with Roscoe. From time to time, he would take a drag of the cigarette lodged between his slender fingers. As soon as he saw Rena, Waylen immediately put out his cigarette. In response, Rena held his hand and gave it a weak squeeze. ¡°When I got there, I realized that I had nothing to say to her.¡± Shortly after, Vera and Joseph came out. Roscoe ran to Vera and wrapped her in his embrace. Seeing that Vera¡¯s eyes were a little red, he ced his hand on the back of her head and buried her face against his shoulder. Watching this, Joseph couldn¡¯t help but feel a dull pain spread in his heart. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said to Vera, his voice on the verge of cracking. Misty-eyed, he walked toward his car slowly. Vera leaned her head against Roscoe¡¯s chest as she watched Joseph walking away. Although Joseph and Vera once loved each other, they also hurt each other very much. Now that Aline had to face the music, Vera thought it was time to move on from the past and let bygones be bygones. After a while, she shouted, ¡°Joseph!¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Joseph¡¯s body froze as soon as she called his name. When he turned around, Vera told him, ¡°I forgive you.¡± For a long time, Joseph just stood there like a statue. After some time, he finally managed to nod and reply, ¡°Okay.¡± After that, he entered the car, started the engine, and slowly drove away. With the hatchet finally buried, whatever ties connecting both Joseph and Vera had finally been severed. From now on, the two of them would no longer have anything to do with each other. Chapter 1640 Chapter 1640 After getting into Waylen¡¯s car, Rena took off her scarf and lowered her voice, saying, ¡°Roscoe really is a magnanimous man, isn¡¯t he?¡± Waylen stepped on the gas pedal and firmly held the steering wheel with both hands. With his eyes focused on the road, he smiled and asked, ¡°What? What have I done to make you think that I¡¯m petty?¡± Rena leaned against the back of the chair and shot him a confused Look. ¡°Why would you say that? Honey, you¡¯re the most magnanimous person I know.¡± For a while, the two of them sat in silence as Waylen drove the car. Then, out of the blue, Waylen blurted out, ¡°This will be thest time I say this, Rena. It¡¯s just that I can¡¯t help but feel a little jealous.¡± Hearing this, Rena¡¯s heart melted. When they stopped at the red light, she gently stroked his arm and looked at him, her eyes swimming in affection. ¡°Waylen, the only person I love is you.¡± Waylen turned to her and smiled. ¡°Look ahead,¡± he told her. Rena followed him and fixed her gaze forward. Waylen¡¯s fingers fiddled with the steering wheel. His voice was trembling, as though it was about to crack. s?a??h th? Find_N?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°That golf course in front of us is where we usually y golf. Do you remember? There¡¯s a high-end guesthouse at the foot of the mountain.¡± As memories of their past shed in her mind, Rena¡¯s cheeks turned red. How could she forget that ce when that was the ce where she had almost lost her virginity? As he spoke, Waylen¡¯s voice grew even huskie ¡°Once you¡¯ve given birth to the baby, we could revisit that ce.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. For a second, Rena thought that he was flirting with her. But at the same time, she was happy to hear that even after all these years, her husband still lusted over her body. Although she didn¡¯t say anything, the red look on her face was more than enough to express her agreement. At noon, Rena had lunch and took a nap at thepany. After the antenatal examination scheduled in the afternoon, they found that the baby was in a very good condition. They were also able to confirm that they would be having a baby girt. ¡°Six months,¡± Rena muttered to herself as she gently rubbed her belly. Her soft features as she looked at her unborn child gave her a very matriarchal glow. Chapter 1641 Chapter 1641 ALL of a sudden, Waylen¡¯s phone rang. When he looked at it, he saw Cecilia¡¯s name shing on the screen. ¡°Could you answer it for me?¡± he asked Rena. His attention was focused on driving, so he could not answer it himself. Rena obliged and picked up the phone. ¡°Hello, Cecilia,¡± she said. ¡°Rena!¡± Cecilia cried in excitement as soon as she heard Rena¡¯s voice. ¡°Can you tell my brother to prepare a private ne for me?¡± Hearing this, Rena¡¯s brows slightly furrowed. ¡°To Czanch? Does Mark know about this?¡± Whenever Cecilia was around Rena, she always acted like a spoiled child. ¡°His project is about to be Launched in two days,¡± Cecilia exined. ¡°I want to go there with Edwin and give Mark a surprise.¡± ¡°That sounds great!¡± Rena cheered with a _ smile. I¡¯ll make arrangements for you. ¡°You¡¯re the best, Rena!¡± After saying that, Cecilia hung up the phone. Rena ced the phone inside the storage box and told Waylen about it. Once she was done, Waylen smiled and said, ¡°Cecilia was head over heels in love with Mark. She¡¯s only been back for a few days, yet she¡¯s already in such a hurry to go back to Mark¡¯s side.¡± Rena didn¡¯t fully agree with him. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. In hushed tones, she replied, ¡°They¡¯ve been apart for so many years, and their rtionship had suffered major setbacks. She just values their rtionship too much and doesn¡¯t bear to be separate from him.¡± Waylen pursed his lips and didn¡¯t say anything more. He couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for Cecilia. s?a??h th? (?ind)??vel.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. On the other end, as soon as Cecilia ended the call with Rena, she began preparing her luggage. Since she would only be there for two days at most, she thought that a small suitcase would be more than enough for both herself and Edwin, whom she would be taking with her. That night, after finishing work, Ceciliay on the bed in the apartment and called Mark. Since theunch was about to begin, Mark would undoubtedly be very busy. As such, he had only a few moments to speak with her during midnight. ¡°Are you tired, Mark?¡± Cecilia asked. Mark had juste home and was in the middle of unbuttoning his shirt. He was supposed to take a shower when Cecilia called him. Chapter 1642 Chapter 1642 ¡°Fortunately, you¡¯re not here,¡± he told her. Cecilia blushed and pretended not to understand what he meant. After a while, she asked about the projectunch. s?a??h th? ?indN?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Mark sshed his face with some water and answered softly, ¡°I wanted to ask you toe here, but I¡¯m going to be very busy by then. I¡¯m afraid I wouldn¡¯t be able to take care of you two.¡± Hearing this, Cecilia felt a twinge in her heart. This was supposed to be one of the most important moments in Mark¡¯s life. She wanted to be by his side when this happened, but unfortunately, he didn¡¯t invite her to witness the moment with him. However, Cecilia was sure Mark would be surprised to see her if she showed up by then. She wouldn¡¯t need Mark to pay extra attention to take care of her. With this in mind, Cecilia felt a lot better. Since they had been away from each other for half a month already, it was only natural for them to have lots of sweet things to say to each other. Worried that Mark might be too tired, she asked him to rest more before hanging up the phone. On the other end, Mark put down his phone and kept a nk face as he tried his best to make sure that his emotions didn¡¯t show. He was actually d that Cecilia wouldn¡¯t being. He knew that if she saw Cathy, she would likely overthink again. Cecilia busied herself with work. On the night of theunch of Mark¡¯s project, she arrived at Czanch. As a member of the Fowler family, Cecilia didn¡¯t have to get an invitation from Mark to get to the scene. However, the spot she got wasn¡¯t in the center. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. At night, the area was illuminated with Lights. Edwin¡¯s eyes were wide in awe as he took in his surroundings. He looked up at Cecilia and said in a low voice, ¡°Mom, aside from the big rocket, we also get to see my daddy, right?¡± With a smile, Cecilia picked him up and ced him atop her shoulders so that he could have a better view. Edwin grabbed on to her hair to make sure that he wasn¡¯t going to fall. The venue was packed with people. After a long wait, a huge white object lit up and produced a loud bang. Itunched upwards, with white smoke trailing behind it. ¡°We did it. It¡¯s in the sky!¡± Everyone watched with bated breaths as an immeasurable joy filled their hearts. This was the culmination of four years¡¯ worth of hard work. Finally, it had paid off. Chapter 1643 Chapter 1643 As Cecilia watched the rocket ascend into the sky, she couldn¡¯t help but tear up a little. She knew how hard Mark had been working on this, and now, the fruits of hisbor was here for everyone to see. S?a??h th? (F)indN?v?l.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She felt genuinely happy for him. At this moment, she wanted to say congrattions to him in person. Since she was born into a rich family, she always got what she wanted effortlessly and seldom had opportunities to experience something as exciting as this. It wasn¡¯t just about love. She brought her son down and carried him in her arms instead. ¡°Mommy will take you to your daddy,¡± she told him. When they reached a quieter area, she tried calling Mark, but no one answered. She assumed that he was busy with work, so she decided to call Peter instead. After just a single ring, Peter answered. ¡°Cecilia, are you looking for Mr. Evans?¡± he asked enthusiastically. ¡°I am,¡± Cecilia responded. ¡°I¡¯m actually at the scene of the Launch. Where¡¯s Mark? I want to see him right now.¡± As soon as Peter heard this, he felt a lump form in his throat. After a long pause, he said in hushed tones, ¡°I think Mr. Evans is currently dealing with something. How about I send a car to drive you and Edwin toward the Evans¡¯ house? Once he¡¯s done with work, he will rush back to see you.¡± Cecilia didn¡¯t sense something was amiss and just let it pass. She wanted to see Mark now and was about to reply, but his call with Peter was cut off due to the poor signal. So instead, she asked the staff directly and found out where Mark was. Edwin was worried that his mother might be growing tired. So, he wriggled his way out of her arms and held her hand instead. Seeing this, Cecilia smiled. She was happy to see Edwin growing up. When she walked to the front of the stands, a huge grin was stered across her face. However, the moment she saw the love of her life standing on the stage, her jaw cked. Mark was there. But he wasn¡¯t alone. In his arms was a pretty little girl. From the looks of it, they seemed to be very close. Standing beside him was someone Cecilia recognized immediately. Had it been anyone else, she would¡¯ve been fine with it. However, it was Cathy! At that moment, the little girl was ensconced in Mark¡¯s arms, showering his face with kisses. Mark gazed up at the night sky before whispering something to Cathy. As he did, there was a certain tenderness in his eyes that was unmistakable. Over the years, the rtionship between Cecilia and Mark had been tumultuous to say the least. During that course, she had experienced numerous moments of despair and sadness. However, this was the moment that she felt truly most ufortable. The little girl in Mark¡¯s arms must be Cathy¡¯s baby. Mark stood there with Cathy while carrying their baby. From where Cecilia stood, they looked like a family of three. At such a crucial moment in his life, Mark chose Cathy to stand by his side. ALL this time, she thought Cathy had been transferred to thepany in Tashkao. Cecilia was at a loss for words. She was so stunned that she couldn¡¯t even bring herself to question Mark about it. When Edwin raised his head to look at Cecilia, he saw her crying. Children were often more perceptive than adults. Edwin hardened his face and tried to be strong for Cecilia. He tugged at her sleeve andforted her, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t cry.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Coincidently, at this moment, Mark¡¯s eyes shifted toward the audience. There, he saw Cecilia, with tears streaming down her face. Chapter 1644 Chapter 1644 The crowd burst into cheers as they watched the rocket getunched into orbit. Its tail me illuminated every face, but when the light fell on Cecilia¡¯s, tears were streaming down her eyes. Cecilia stood there, motionless, while her knees trembled beneath her weight. In a daze, she stared at Mark whom she loved the most holding a little girl whileughing with Cathy. It was at this point that Cecilia regretted evering here. ALL this time, had Mark been in touch with Cathy and this unknown child? Although she wasn¡¯t sure whose child this one belonged, they did look like a family once they were all together. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Meanwhile, Edwin kept tugging at her sleeve, calling her ¡°mommy¡± Like a lost kitten. The sound of his voice snapped Cecilia out of her daze, and when she looked down at him, his face made her calm down. She was no longer that naive young girl. Not only was she Mark¡¯s future wife, she was also Edwin¡¯s mother. Cecilia looked at Mark, who also happened to be looking at her, and felt conflicted. Then, with Edwin in her arms, she turned around and walked away without ever looking back. It was only then that Mark snapped to his senses. From the look on Cecilia¡¯s face, he could already tell that Cecilia had misunderstood his rtionship with Cathy. With this in mind, Mark immediately put down the little girl and hurriedly ran after Cecilia. ¡°Mark!¡± Cathy shouted to no avail. Mark just kept on running until his figure disappeared into the crowd. Separating him and Cecilia were a sea of people. He tried pushing through them as he shouted, ¡°Cecilia, wait!¡± When Cecilia heard his voice, she quickened her pace. Meanwhile, on the other side, Peter rushed over. The moment Peter saw Mark¡¯s expression, he immediately knew that something had gone awry. With a gasp, he said, ¡°I have no idea why Miss Fowler suddenly decided toe here!¡± The crowd blocked Mark¡¯s path, and soon, they began to surround him, raining him with empty ttery. S?a??h th? F?ndNov?l.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this point, Mark was frustrated. He just wanted to catch up with Cecilia and exin to her. He kept trying to push through them, but it grew more difficult as more people got in his way. ¡°Enough!¡± Mark shouted, rendering everyone around him silent. They all stared at Mark, looking perplexed. In their minds, they thought that Mark should be happy because theunch of his rocket was a resounding sess. Why did he look so troubled now? Chapter 1645 Chapter 1645 Catching his breath, Mark turned to Peter and instructed, ¡°Tell the guards at the gate to stop her!¡± At this time, Cathy had just caught up with Mark, holding a little girl in her arms. Peter shot Cathy a conflicted look before he looked down at his phone and dialed a number. s?a??h th? F?ndN?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After saying a few words, he looked up at Mark and said, ¡°Miss Fowler drove her own car and left as soon as she could!¡± Suddenly, a shadow passed over Mark¡¯s face, making his expression appear grimmer. With a frazzled look, Mark ran straight to the door. His demeanor now was aplete departure from how he wasmonly perceived. It marked the first time that people had seen him lose his cool. Peter was supposed to follow Mark, but he chose to remain here. He kept his eyes fixed on Cathy as well as the little girl she was holding. This little girl was actually Cathy¡¯s and Paul¡¯s daughter. No one had expected this from Cathy. Cathy was supposed to have been transferred to Tashkao. However, on the day before the event, Cathy brought a child with her and said that she wanted to see Mark. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. As soon as Mark saw the child, his jaw fell to the floor. Peter was certain that nothing inappropriate was happening between Mark and Cathy. Then, Cathy rified and exined that the child belonged to Paul. ¡°Mark, had you not been in love with Cecilia and canceled the task, Paul and his wife wouldn¡¯t have died!¡± she shouted at him. ¡°You¡¯re indirectly responsible for their deaths! Don¡¯t bother to know how this child came to be. All you need to know is that she¡¯s my child and Paul¡¯s.¡± At that moment, Mark was clenching his fists so hard his nails had dug into his palms. He wanted to strangle Cathy so badly! How could she do such a thing? How could she use a child, a Living person, as a tool to guilt-trip him? Peter was aware of all this, and just thinking about it was enough to make him seethe in anger. With sharp eyes filled with disdain, Peter uttered, ¡°Even if Mr. Evans allows you to stay in Czanch because of this child, that doesn¡¯t change anything! He doesn¡¯t love you. Whatever you do, nothing is going to change that fact.¡± Hearing this, Cathy¡¯s countenance darkened. Meanwhile, Mark managed to catch up with Cecilia at the airport. It was alreadyte at night, and Cecilia was quietly sitting in the departure lounge. Edwin had fallen asleep on Cecilia¡¯sp. From the looks of his face, he seemed exhausted. Under the light, Cecilia¡¯s eyshes appeared wet, indicating that she had cried. Chapter 1646 Chapter 1646 Looking at Cecilia from a distance, Mark felt a lump in his throat. He began slowly approaching them and gently called out Cecilia¡¯s name. As soon as Cecilia heard his voice, her body tensed. Even without looking back, she could tell that he wasing closer based on the sound of his footsteps. However, at this point, she no longer wanted to see him. She already knew that he was here to win her back and exin the situation to her. But to her, the truth was in for her to see. Nothing needed to be exined. She pursed her lips and crossed her arms, not wanting to make a scene in public. The more Cecilia didn¡¯t talk, the more uneasy Mark felt. He sat down beside her and brushed a lock of Edwin¡¯s hair away from his eyes. ¡°Why did youe here without telling me in advance?¡± he asked, his voice sounding gentle and hoarse. Cecilia remained quiet and didn¡¯t utter a single word. The two of them were locked in a terrible stalemate. Mark looked into her eyes and emphasized, ¡°That child is not mine!¡± Deep in her heart, Cecilia felt disappointed when she heard that. Was their rtionship so weak that he needed to exin this? Shouldn¡¯t he be exining why he was standing next to Cathy, the woman who had hurt her so deeply? Back then, they broke up, and Mark still had Cathy working for him. Cecilia knew she was in no position to have a say on that. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. However, now that they had reconciled, Cathy, who should¡¯ve already been gone, still remained by his side. When Cecilia was far away in Duefron, Mark and Cathy were standing side by side on the stage and looked like a perfect match. If this were in the past, Cecilia would¡¯ve just left and never looked back. But now, she had Edwin, and the two of them were already engaged. Things were much moreplicated. Because of this, it left a bitter taste in Cecilia¡¯s mouth. S?a?*?h the F?ndN?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Mark, thinking that he understood why she was angry, carefully approached Cecilia and decided toy all his cards on the table. Chapter 1647 Chapter 1647 ¡°That Little girl belongs to Paul and Cathy. You still remember Paul, right? Cecilia, that child is currently in primary school, and she lives in Czanch.¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Mark couldn¡¯t bring himself to send Paul¡¯s daughter away from her hometown, all because of his gratitude and guilt. Once he was done exining, Cecilia shivered slightly as she thought about something. That little girl was Paul¡¯s daughter? So, it meant¡­ As soon as Paul was mentioned, Cecilia recalled how Paul had died. With eyes cast downwards, she uttered beneath her breath, ¡°So is this you atoning for your sins? Tragically, one of your colleagues has died. But have you thought about me?¡± Couldn¡¯t he take a look at all the sacrifices she had made in her youth and all the suffering she had endured? Were they all meaningless to him? If he had truly cared about her, he wouldn¡¯t have anything to do with Cathy even if he hadn¡¯t driven her away. The tasks Cathy was doing could¡¯ve been assigned to someone else. While Mark held Cathy¡¯s daughter in his arms, his own son could do nothing but watch as his father held another person¡¯s child. Love was an inherently selfish emotion, and Cecilia didn¡¯t think she had it in her to be generous in this situation. As the harsh white lights fell on them, she stared at him for a second before letting out a sigh. S?a??h th? Find_N?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I don¡¯t care whether you¡¯re trying to atone for your sins or you¡¯re just making things right. But Mark, remember, I have no obligation to follow the suit and endure it.¡± A woman¡¯s youth was limited, a fact that Cecilia knew very well. She had witnessed all the way Rena and Waylen had put through before they finally got together. She had suffered a lot in her rtionship with Mark. She thought it was time to put those suffering a stop. Had this been in the past, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to look at Mark when saying such threatening words. But now, things were different. With an unwavering resolve, she stared straight into Mark¡¯s eyes and dered, ¡°Postpone the wedding! We¡¯ll talk about this once you¡¯re done with everything!¡± Fearing that he might not understand, she further exined, ¡°A normal marriage cannot amodate three people, let alone four.¡± Although Cecilia didn¡¯t hate Cathy¡¯s little girl, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to like her due to the mere fact that she was Cathy¡¯s daughter. As soon as Mark heard this, his expression turned serious. ¡°But I never want four people! I just want to spend the rest of my life with you!¡± he cried. ¡°That kid just wanted to see the rocketunch. After this, she and I will never see each other again.¡± Chapter 1648 Chapter 1648 At this point, Cecilia was already too exhausted to argue. She just shed him a dry smile. She knew Cathy would definitely do something in the future. Mark swallowed hard as he felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness engulf him. Based on the look on Cecilia¡¯s face, he could easily tell that she was serious with her pronouncement. By now, the atmosphere between them had grown heavy and tense. S?a??h th? Find?ovel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ALL of a sudden, Edwin woke up. As he rubbed the sleep off his eyes, the first thing he saw was Mark. Edwin had always been afraid of Mark, so the moment he saw Mark, he immediately sat up. ¡°Uncle!¡± he blurted out. Mark mussed his hair and said, ¡°You silly boy. You should call me dad!¡± Edwin wanted to jump into Mark¡¯s arms, but a thought urred in his mind and stopped him from doing so. He gnashed his teeth and remained stationary for a while. When he looked up at Mark, his eyes were bubbling with tears. Today, Edwin saw Mark holding another child in his arms. Seeing the hurt on Edwin¡¯s face, Mark felt his heart crack. ¡°You silly boy! That girl¡¯s not my child!¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Edwin was a simple-minded boy. The moment he heard Mark¡¯s exnation, he immediately threw himself into Mark¡¯s arms without uttering a single word. Mark smiled as hefortingly rubbed Edwin¡¯s back. Then, he turned his attention to Cecilia and said to her in hushed tones, ¡°Stay at my ce for one night. Tomorrow morning, I¡¯LL drive you back to Duefron.¡± Cecilia shook her head and refused. ¡°I¡¯LL go back by myself,¡± she insisted. Mark let out an exasperated sigh. ¡°Our issue should be resolved in private. Don¡¯t cause a scene, okay? I¡¯ve already called Zoey and told her you¡¯lle and see her today. She¡¯s happy with it.¡± When Mark invoked Zoey¡¯s name, Cecilia remembered the kindness Zoey had been showing to her, and tears welled up immediately. Cecilia sniffled before wiping her nose with the back of her hand. After a long pause, she said, ¡°I don¡¯t need you to drive me back tomorrow!¡± Judging from her words, Mark already knew that words were now powerless to coax her. He didn¡¯t say anything anymore. Instead, he simply carried her luggage and got into the car with them. Chapter 1649 Chapter 1649 When they reached home, Zoey was already waiting for them. As soon as Zoey saw the two, she immediately sensed the tension between them. Being a sensible woman, she chose to remain quiet. After putting Cecilia¡¯s luggage down, Mark grabbed a stick of cigarette and lit it up. He blew a thick cloud of smoke into the sky before turning to Zoey. ¡°Mom, take good care of them. I have to go back to theunching scene.¡± He still had problems there that he needed to sort out. Zoey already knew what had happened thanks to Peter, but she chose not to say anything. Instead, she agreed and told him to resolve those problems quickly. Before he could leave, Zoey told him, ¡°Once you¡¯re done with things over there, start focusing on your family.¡± Her wordspelled Mark to contemte about his situation. After letting out a heavy sigh, he took a step forward and proceeded into the darkness. Meanwhile, although Cecilia was in a bad mood, she forced herself to cheer up. She took Edwin with her to have dinner. Zoey wanted to take Edwin to the courtyard for some fun, but Cecilia refused. ¡°He is in a foul mood. Let me take care of him. I¡¯ll lull him to sleep.¡± Zoey nodded and decided to leave them alone. As an observant woman, Zoey noticed that Cecilia had actually slept in the guest room. Although Zoey knew Cecilia and Mark had a fight, the fact that Cecilia chose to sleep in the guest room still made her worried. Zoey didn¡¯t go to bed until Mark returned at two o¡¯clock in the morning. Peter was with Mark. After parking the car, the two of them came in. The servant brought them some food, and after finishing a bowl, Peter left. Zoey was holding a cross in her hand as she watched Mark smoke in front of her. His face was crumpled into a frown as though he was harboring a deep-seated grudge toward someone. By this point, Zoey could no longer hold back her frustration. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°You¡¯re already a grown-up, and yet, you still can¡¯t tell what¡¯s right from wrong!¡± she scolded him. S?a?ch Th? (F)indN?v?l.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Do you remember how much you have sacrificed to be where you are now? Yes, Paul died, but were you the one who killed him? If it weren¡¯t for Cathy, Paul and his wife wouldn¡¯t have died. And after that, she dared toe to you with Paul¡¯s child and beg for mercy. What a shameless woman! Cecilia had suffered a lot because of you throughout the years. Don¡¯t you think she deserves to stand by your side at that moment? No woman on earth could tolerate what Cecilia had seen today! If you couldn¡¯t make things right and treat her well, you might as well note back. I don¡¯t want to see your face ever again!¡± Chapter 1650 Chapter 1650 Zoey expressed her thoughts earnestly. With a cigarette lodged between his fingers, Mark slowly puffed out smoke rings in the air. With a bitter smile, he replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that!¡± In response, Zoey scoffed. ¡°You are supposed to treat Cecilia well. She was born into a wealthy family. She¡¯s been very considerate of you! Think about it. Do you think any other pretty girl would have waited for you like Cecilia did for so many years?¡± A somber silence fell over Mark. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. He took another long drag of his cigarette before he stood up and walked into his room. Then, he pushed open the door. He thought Cecilia would be there, but she wasn¡¯t. She was actually in the next room. Ceciliay on the bed with Edwin safely nestled in her arms. S?a??h th? F?ndNov?l.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Both of them were sound asleep as the moonlight outside bathed them with a faint glow. When Mark entered their room, he didn¡¯t turn on the Light. He simply sat on the edge of the bed and caressed Cecilia¡¯s face. Her skin felt cold and wet against his fingertips. Looking at her face, his heart ached. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, okay?¡± he whispered. As expected, Cecilia wasn¡¯t actually asleep. She gently patted Edwin while keeping her head down. ¡°You must be exhausted from today. Go to bed and rest. We can discuss this issue some other time.¡± Mark shook his head and refused to leave. How could he leave her alone in such a sad and angry state? So, he gently lifted Edwin to one side and tucked him in the quilt. Then, despite Cecilia¡¯s protests, he carried her into his bedroom. Chapter 1651 Chapter 1651 This room was essentially soundproof. Mark closed the door behind them before he ced Cecilia on the soft bed. It was then that Cecilia finally exploded. ¡°Mark! What do you want? Do you still want to sleep with me?¡± Mark quietly stared at her with an unfathomable gaze as he watched Cecilia¡¯s chest heave with rage. After a while, he decided to turn up the temperature inside the room. While waiting for the room to warm up, the two of them shared a suffocating silence. After all these years, this might be the first real argument between the two of them. In the past, whatever quarrel they had was resolved by Mark¡¯s unteral suppression of the issue. This time was different. Standing in front of the heater, Mark contemted how he should phrase his next words. After a long time, he finally turned around and said to her, ¡°I did let Cathy stay in Czanch. But, Cecilia, I¡¯ll quit. I have already prepared my resignation.¡± Cecilia knew that if they weren¡¯t able to talk this through tonight, he would never let her go. She pulled the quilt closer to her and crumpled its corners. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°So, will you stop seeing her and keep your distance from her in the future? Can you leave that child alone? If you say yes to these questions, then I will forgive you here and now. Then, our wedding will be held as scheduled.¡± Mark gnashed his teeth and looked away. He still had lingering feelings of guilt toward what had happened to Paul. On top of that, Paul¡¯s child waspletely innocent. S~?a??h the F?ndN?vel.??t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He took a deep breath and finally faced Cecilia. ¡°I won¡¯t meet them unless it¡¯s necessary.¡± As soon as he said that, the disappointment became quickly evident on Cecilia¡¯s face. Mark had always been handsome even though he was tired. Many women yearned for him, but they were all unsessful. Before, he said that he only wanted her and her alone, and back then, she believed him. ALL she wanted from him was a rtionship where both of them were equals. However, after years of suffering and anticipation, she couldn¡¯t even get a promise out of him. Tears began to well up in her eyes. After taking a deep breath, Cecilia looked Mark straight in the eye and emphasized each word, saying, ¡°Mark, that¡¯s Cathy! She was the mother of that little girl you once held in your arms and your past lover, someone whom you¡¯ve had sex with! Well, what did you do? You should take care of her child! Are you kidding me? What? You want me to bear with it? Can¡¯t I just marry someone else? Why do I have to keep humiliating myself Like this?¡± Not to mention that Cathy almost killed her at that time. Chapter 1652 Chapter 1652 Yet, over the years, her love for Mark had never wavered, not even once. But at this moment, after repeated disappointments, she was starting to lose affection. She began to harbor the idea of leaving him. Right now, she was doubting whether his love for her was actually as deep as she had initially thought. Because if that were the case, then howe he would treat her like this? He was such a ruthless man! He knew how much she cared about their rtionship. Seeing the pained look on her face, Mark stepped forward and gently ced a hand on her shoulder, wanting to give aforting pat. But then, Cecilia pped his hand away, shouting, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Her voice sounded harsh and venomous. Mark swallowed hard. He tried leaning forward to kiss her lips, but Cecilia turned her face away. With a tone as cold as ice, she told him, ¡°Mark, is that how you see me? A dispensable woman? A sex partner? You indulge me whenever you¡¯re in a good mood, but you push me away whenever you don¡¯t need me.¡± As Mark heard these wordse out of Cecilia¡¯s mouth, his countenance darkened. Gazing at Cecilia¡¯s troubled expression, Mark battled with his rising frustration. ¡°Do you view me that way? Am I just someone who wants intimacy from you in your eyes?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you assume that?¡± Cecilia shouted in her heart. She felt a wave of difort, her throat ached. She looked away in a sulk. ¡°I¡¯m heading back to my room.¡± Cecilia shifted a bit, and Mark¡¯s hand instantly rested on her shoulder. S?a?ch Th? (F)indN?v?l.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Mark¡¯s gaze grew intense. He muttered in a hoarse tone, ¡°Rest here. I¡¯m going to check on Edwin.¡± Cecilia felt extremely downhearted. Edwin arrived with a big smile, but his joy turned to disappointment when he spotted Mark holding another child. Edwin was taken aback and didn¡¯t dare to inquire while she struggled to find the right words to rify the situation. Mark was away for around thirty minutes before he returned. Cecilia was lost in thought, perched on the edge of the bed. Mark observed her quietly for some time, then positioned himself near the heater without uttering a word. The room was filled with an eerie silence. Chapter 1653 Chapter 1653 This bedroom held their most cherished sweet memories. When Cecilia¡¯s eyes were getting teary, Mark¡¯s phone chimed. He gazed at the phone and eventually picked it up. His tone was very gentle and loving. ¡°Laura?¡± It was that lovely girl whose parents were Cathy and Paul. Mark and Laura had a brief conversation over the phone. Then, Cathy grabbed the phone and whispered, ¡°Laura¡¯s running a fever. Mark, could you help find a reputable doctor for her?¡± Mark¡¯s brow creased. Why would Laura suddenly be feverish? Cathy spoke gently. ¡°Could youe over for a bit? Laura likes you deeply and wishes for yourpany.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Without hesitation, Mark responded, ¡°I¡¯ll arrange for a doctor to see her.¡± Mark then made a call to a doctor. All this time, Cecilia observed with a detached gaze. Once Mark finished the call, she questioned him calmly, ¡°Mark, do you n to look after them forever? It¡¯s not your duty, and that child is not yours.¡± Approaching her, Mark¡¯s hand brushed Cecilia¡¯s hair tenderly. He hushed his voice, saying, ¡°However, that child belongs to Paul. Due to my self-centered desires back then¡­¡± Cecilia¡¯s eyes grew wide. ¡°Mark, you shouldn¡¯t let personal feelings interfere with business!¡± Mark implored Cecilia to stayposed. Cecilia inhaled deeply and remarked, ¡°You¡¯re the one who can¡¯t stayposed. Mark, who is it that weighs on your conscience? Paul, the child, or Cathy? Are you merely using that child as an excuse to let Cathy stay in Czanch, and what¡¯s your n? Will you use the visits to the child to establish an ambiguous rtionship with Cathy and create a separate family outside of our marriage?¡± Cecilia¡¯s unkind words left Mark somewhat irritated. ¡°I have never considered such a thing.¡± ¡°Fine. I believe you.¡± Cecilia continued softly, ¡°Could you refrain from getting involved in Cathy¡¯s affairs from now on? Mark, I¡¯m not as remarkable as Rena, who can wait for someone for so many years and endure so much pain. S?a?ch Th? Find_N?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1654 Chapter 1654 Mark, I¡¯m impatient, and I don¡¯t want to wait. If you can¡¯t manage it, then we¡­ We¡¯re done.¡± The words pained Cecilia deeply as she spoke them. Mark was the one Cecilia had given her heart to for so many years. ALL she asked was simple, yet if he couldn¡¯t meet this request, she would let him go. Mark¡¯s hands formed into tight balls. His usually kind expression turned stormy, yet he kept his anger in check. ¡°Just give me some time to sort it out.¡± Cecilia was about to respond when his phone interrupted with its ring. Mark¡¯s brow creased in annoyance, but he took the call. Cathy¡¯s voice came through, exining that Laura was struck with severe pneumonia, her temperature soaring to 40 degrees, causing convulsions. Mark unbuttoned his shirt and spoke in a hushed tone. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡± After the call, Mark said softly to Cecilia, ¡°I¡¯ll head there to check on her.¡± Cecilia faced him with a serene expression. S~?a??h the F?ndN?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She questioned him, ¡°The child belongs to Cathy. Doesn¡¯t that child have her grandparents? Mark, why do you have to meddle in her affairs?¡± Cecilia¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t vast enough for such generosity. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Being generous would only bring her pain in the end. After a quiet moment, Mark admitted, ¡°I owe Paul a big one.¡± He changed his shirt and assured Cecilia to rest, promising to take her and Edwin back to Duefron tomorrow morning. Cecilia turned away from him, saying nothing. Despite her silence, Mark departed. Soon after, the sound of the car engine echoed from the yard. Tears rolled down Cecilia¡¯s face. She wept quietly. But she had grown beyond her innocence. She wouldn¡¯t permit herself to weep for an extended period. Restlessness kept her awake. Chapter 1655 Chapter 1655 She rose and dressed in a coat. The chill of early spring crept into the night, carrying with it a Light sprinkle of rain. S?a?ch Th? FindN???l.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She paused by the window, peering at the glow of streetmps piercing the darkness. Cecilia lingered in that spot for quite a while. She didn¡¯t dwell on anything. Her mind was nk. Later, she made her way to the living room. A bronze flower-shaped frame adorned the cab. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. The picture disyed Edwin, Mark, and her. Edwin rested his hand on Mark¡¯s shoulder, both beaming with reserved affection. Cecilia felt a burning sensation in her eyes. She quickly flipped the frame face down, unable to look at it any longer. Later, she packed up her belongings, resolving to return to Duefron with Edwin by dawn. Midday obligations awaited her at work with appointments she had pleaded to dy until then, and she couldn¡¯t afford to miss them. Mark reached the hospital during thete hours of the night. Laura was undergoing surgery. Cathy, frail and anxious, lingered outside the operating room. Upon seeing Mark, she uttered with uncertainty, ¡°Will Laura pull through?¡± Mark paid no attention to Cathy. Now, a medical supervisor approached Mark to brief him on the situation. The medical supervisor exined that the child had developed severe pneumonia due to a cold and advised the parents to be more attentive to the child¡¯s well-being in the future. Mark¡¯s eyes met Cathy¡¯s only after he hadpleted his conversation with the medical supervisor. With an unconcerned demeanor, Mark suggested, ¡°You could leave Laura in the care of Paul¡¯s parents. That way, you can embark on a fresh journey to build a new family.¡± Cathy¡¯s gaze held Mark in silence. ¡°A new family?¡± Lifting her injured hand, she asked, ¡°Mark, be honest. Who would want a woman with a broken hand? Would you want me?¡± Mark recognized the inevitability of this confrontation. The weariness from Cathy¡¯s constant presence was wearing on him. Chapter 1656 Chapter 1656 Resting against the wall, he lit a cigarette, his voice a murmur, ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t want you. It¡¯s not about your broken hand. It¡¯s about me not having feelings for you anymore.¡± Cathy¡¯s eyes held a burning anger. Why? Cathy believed she and Mark were a great fit, but he didn¡¯t share the same feelings. Nevertheless, she had Laura, and that was something. Cathy stopped arguing with Mark and instead waited silently, resembling worried parents. The doctor mistook Cathy for Mark¡¯s wife and addressed her as Mrs. Evans when he emerged from the operating room. ¡°The Little one¡¯s out of danger. You must watch over her carefully in the future. We can¡¯t allow this issue to happen again, especially since the child is still so young.¡± Mark offered his gratitude to the doctor. S?a?*?h the FindN???l.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Now, the nurse escorted Laura straight to the VIP ward. Mark was about to visit Laura, and Cathy spoke slowly. ¡°Mark, see how others believe we make a great pair.¡± Mark¡¯s gaze was icy and frigid. He smirked, saying, ¡°Cathy, you haven¡¯t erased the memory of your fractured palm, have you?¡± Cathy certainly hadn¡¯t let that memory fade. For the sake of Cecilia, Mark intentionally harmed Cathy¡¯s hand, causing her to remain unforgiving. Thankfully, Cathy had Laura. With this child, Mark would be shadowed by remorse. Mark made his way to Laura¡¯s room. Laura was two years older than Edwin, bearing a resemnce to Paul. Laura stirred awake at the crack of dawn. Her eyes widened, and with a voice as soft as a kitten¡¯s purr, she gazed at Mark and uttered, ¡°Uncle Mark.¡± Mark caressed her hair. In a soft andforting tone, he assured her, ¡°You¡¯re safe. Laura, you¡¯ll feel much better after some rest.¡± Laura dutifully shut her eyes. Her countenance remained tranquil and beautiful. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. After Mark had another brief conversation with the doctor, his phone rang. The call came from the landline at his house. Mark guessed it was Zoey calling to give him an earful. Mark nned to exin once he got home, so he didn¡¯t answer the call. Chapter 1657 Chapter 1657 When he nced at Laura again, he discovered that she had drifted off to sleep, and all her vital signs were within the normal range. Mark rose to his feet. Cathy was lingering at the doorway, lost in thought. In a subdued tone, Mark suggested, ¡°The Thomas family is wealthy. It might be beneficial for Laura to live with Paul¡¯s parents. Take some time to ponder it.¡± Cathy¡¯s lips curled into a slight smile. She knew he wanted her to head to Tashkao. Mark¡¯s sole concern was for Laura. He and Cathy were not acquaintances. Without uttering a word, he drove back home. Upon his arrival, Cecilia and Edwin were nowhere to be found. The servant informed, ¡°Sir, your son has developed appendicitis and has been taken to the hospital.¡± Mark was left in astonishment. Without dy, he dialed Cecilia¡¯s phone number. Once she answered, he inquired with a raspy voice, ¡°Which hospital is he in?¡± Mark expected Cecilia to burst into tears and engage in a heated argument with him. But Cecilia, in aposed manner, shared the location and then abruptly ended the call. She didn¡¯t utter another word.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Mark felt a wave of frustration engulfing him. At that moment, he was at a loss for words, unsure how to exin things to Cecilia. Regardless of his reasons, they couldn¡¯t alter the fact that she was left alone to deal with Edwin¡¯s illness. Mark hurriedly made his way to the hospital. Peter had reached the hospital ahead of him. Drenched in sweat, Peter approached as Mark arrived. ¡°Atst, you¡¯re here.¡± Mark¡¯splexion was ghostly as he paced toward the operating room¡­ * S~?a??h the F?ndNov?l.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Cecilia lingered in the hallway. The lighting was dim, and she bowed her head, making it difficult to discern her expression. Zoey stood to one side, leaning on a cane. Mark approached and greeted, ¡°Mom.¡± Chapter 1658 Chapter 1658 Zoey sneered, ¡°Well, here¡¯s the father of the kid in the operating room.¡± Mark said with bitterness, ¡°Please, no sarcasm right now. How is Edwin doing?¡± Zoey didn¡¯t respond to Mark¡¯s inquiry. With a gentle andposed tone, Cecilia said, ¡°Edwin is undergoing a minor surgery. However, he felt anxious and repeatedly inquired if his father had returned for him.¡± Then, Cecilia directed her gaze at Mark. There was a chill of aloofness in her beautiful eyes, tinged with a shadow of disappointment. Mark stepped closer, resting his hand on her slender shoulder. Cecilia brushed his hand off without a word. She sat beside Zoey and remained quiet, steadfastly avoiding conversation with Mark. s?a??h th? F?ndNov?l.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Mark was left feeling awkward. Even though Peter knew Mark was somewhat at fault at this time, the heavy air prompted him to attempt to brighten the mood. He smiled and said, ¡°Bet you¡¯ve skipped breakfast, right? I¡¯ll grab us something to eat.¡± Mark had lost his appetite. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. He requested Peter purchase some milk and pancakes, which were Cecilia¡¯s favorites. Peter had to venture a few blocks away to purchase them and bring them back. Cecilia didn¡¯t touch the food. She shook her head and murmured, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± She had spent the entire night without sleep, and no matter how lovely her face was, it now showed signs of exhaustion. Moreover, she wasn¡¯t as youthful and fresh as a young girl. She fixed her slightly weary eyes on the operating room door, consumed by concerns for Edwin. Mark sensed a growing rift between him and Cecilia. He knew she loved him. Yet, when Edwin¡¯s needs came to the forefront, his presence dimmed in importance in her eyes. Mark experienced a profound sense of emptiness. He urged in a gentle tone, ¡°At least have some.¡± Since Zoey was present, Cecilia refrained from making a scene here. But she didn¡¯t give Mark a warm nce. Chapter 1659 Chapter 1659 Confronted with this argument with Mark, Cecilia addresses it with a cold, direct approach. Mark dried his face and quietly positioned himself against the wall across them. The surgery Edwin underwent was minor and non-invasive. The procedure was brief, taking less than an hour. Such surgeries, though small, could still strain the body. Edwin looked pale as he was wheeled out. Edwin was an attractive boy. Upon spotting Mark, tears welled up in his big eyes, and he affectionately called Mark, ¡°Daddy.¡± A pang of guilt struck Mark. He leaned down, nting a gentle kiss on Edwin, and with a rough voice, inquired, ¡°Are you in pain?¡± Edwin initially denied feeling any pain. Then, he appeared to recall something, pressing his lips together in silence. Mark, feeling a sting of hurt, caressed Edwin¡¯s hair and murmured, ¡°Rest your eyes and sleep well. Daddy¡¯s right here.¡± Edwin obediently shut his eyes. Due to Mark¡¯s unique status, the hospital had thoughtfully arranged the finest ward, one as clean as a suite in a hotel. Mark worried Zoey might not handle it well, so he suggested she head home first. ¡°You can head back and get some rest. When Edwin awakens, I¡¯ll arrange for the driver to fetch you.¡± S?a?ch Th? ?indN?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zoey was perceptive. Recognizing the strained rtionship between Mark and Cecilia, she agreed to leave and purposely created space for them. After a few moment, Zoey left. The doctor and the nursepleted their ward visit and departed. As for Peter, he remained in the adjacent small meeting room, hesitant to disrupt them. A delicate tension filled the air. Cecilia, with a warm cloth, tenderly cleaned Edwin¡¯s face. She sat motionless, lost in thought. Mark crouched before Cecilia, gently taking her hand, whispering, N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Cecilia, we need to talk.¡± Chapter 1660 Chapter 1660 ¡°What¡¯s there to talk about?¡± Her voice sounded t. Mark murmured, ¡°I¡¯m trying to convince Cathy to let the Thomas family raise the child. After that¡­¡± Cecilia offered a subtle smile. She nced down, speaking with sorrow. ¡°Mark, can¡¯t you understand her intentions? She wants you. How could she possibly hand over the child to someone else? Sure, you have to try to convince her, but why must I be the one to wait for you to sort things out? Cathy will always find new excuses. There won¡¯t be an end. The child needs education. The child falls ill. The child feels unhappy. One call to you and you¡¯re summoned up to her side.¡± Mark was lost in thought. Cecilia gently turned away, her voice even softer, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in talking about this. What I want is the end of this whole thing.¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Mark¡¯s gaze fell on her hopeless expression. Deliberately, he uttered while holding her hand, ¡°I won¡¯t see that child anymore once she¡¯s discharged from the hospital.¡± But such a vow wouldn¡¯t bring Cecilia joy. She pulled her hand away, reaching for her phone to dial her agent. Just yesterday, she had vowed not to postpone her work. She had pleaded relentlessly with her agent until she was granted permission to visit Czanch. However, now she found herself unable to keep that promise. Cecilia whispered while holding her phone. Her manner was exceedingly humble and courteous. Mark stood at the doorway, watching her in silence. Strands of her hair framed her pale face, and her shirt dress was in disarray, untouched in her haste. After ending the call, Cecilia faced Mark again. His gaze had grown profound. Cecilia sidestepped him, but his hand darted out, sping hers. There was a noticeable difference in strength between men and women. When Mark pulled her, she waspelled to lean into his embrace, burying her face in his shoulder. His scent, tinged with a trace of perfume, enveloped her. Cecilia spected that it might be due to his contact with Cathy. The scent was unmistakable, prompting Cecilia to murmur, ¡°Let me go. S~?a??h the F?ndNov?l.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1661 Chapter 1661 You reek of her presence.¡± Mark was left in a state of shock. He held on yet whispered close to her ear, ¡°There¡¯s nothing between her and me. I feel sorry for Laura. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Is that why you weren¡¯t there for your son during his operation?¡± Cecilia shoved him off. Mark reached for her again, but she lifted her hand sternly, saying, ¡°Mark! Stop this right now.¡± She cast a cold gaze in his direction. Mark gradually stood upright, his desire to speak held back by an inability to find the right words. Their first intense fight unfolded. Mark had his hands full elsewhere, yet concerns for Cecilia¡¯s exhaustion lingered, so he asked a nurse to watch Edwin. Once things were in order, he said softly, ¡°Rest on the couch. I¡¯ll return as soon as I can.¡± Cecilia felt nothing. Mark¡¯s throat worked as he tried to speak, then he finally departed. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Inside the car. Peter¡¯s tense nerves finally eased, and he spoke candidly. ¡°I know I am in no position toment. But may I know why you still took care of that child? I had already advised against it. I believe Cecilia is quite displeased with this situation.¡± Sitting in the back, Mark¡¯s hands were tight balls of tension. S?a?ch Th? F?ndN?vel.??t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He didn¡¯t intend to be concerned about Laura, but she was a lively little girl. He was unsure about how Cathy would treat Laura if he didn¡¯t give Laura his attention. Right at that instant, Cathy called him once more. Mark felt irked. He passed the phone to Peter without a second thought, and Peter quickly grasped the situation. Soon after, Peter took the call, exining, ¡°It so happens that Mr. Evans¡¯ son is ill. He¡¯s tied up and can¡¯t attend to other things right now. Miss Wilson, have you considered asking Paul¡¯s family for assistance? They are more than willing to help you with childcare.¡± Cathy¡¯s response was icy. ¡°He put you up to this, right?¡± Peter offered an awkward grin. The line went dead as Cathy disconnected. Peter gestured with the phone toward Mark, grumbling, ¡°Cathy¡¯s got quite the nerve, doesn¡¯t she?¡± Mark adjusted his shirt and pondered briefly before instructing, ¡°Ship off the DNA report to the Thomas family and secure a trustworthywyer to assist them with the case and to retrieve the custody of Laura.¡± Peter¡¯s face lit up with a grin. ¡°That¡¯s the way to go.¡± Chapter 1662 Chapter 1662 Mark¡¯s day was packed. Sleep had been scarce for him over the past two nights, yet despite feeling exhausted, he made his way to the hospital without dy. While on the way to the hospital, Cathy¡¯s calls kept interrupting him. S?a?*?h the Find?ovel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He picked up and suggested she speak with the doctor instead. After the call, Mark¡¯s spirits were low. He knew he hadn¡¯t handled the situation with Paul¡¯s daughter well, likely causing Cecilia pain, and he felt awful for that. Cecilia was correct. Why should she try toprehend him? Why should she linger and wait for him to sort things out? The thought of Edwin¡¯s condition weighed heavily on Mark, stirring up feelings of remorse. He had the driver pull over so he could purchase a toy for Edwin. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Soon, Mark reached the hospital. Edwin had awakened. The doctor mentioned that Edwin was allowed to eat, and now he sat beside Zoey, savoring the porridge Zoey had prepared. The porridge was tasty and made his appetite soar. Cecilia was engrossed in her work, sitting on the couch with aptop. Once collecting himself, Mark entered with a faint smile and said, ¡°Edwin. How are you feeling?¡± Seeing Mark brought a smile to Edwin¡¯s face. Children had a remarkable capacity for forgiveness. Mark ced the new toy on Edwin¡¯s bedside table, which Edwin adored instantly. Stroking Edwin¡¯s hair, Mark asked softly, ¡°Is the pain still bothering you?¡± ¡°Just a bit.¡± Edwin¡¯s voice was soft. Guilt washed over Mark as he looked at his son. Mark stayed by Edwin¡¯s side for a time before turning his attention to Cecilia. Cecilia seemed to pay him no mind, absorbed in her work, which left Mark perplexed. However, with the constant bustle, he understood it wasn¡¯t the moment for personal conversations, so he refrained from bothering her. It wasn¡¯t until the clock struck ten at night that the ward quieted down. By then, Edwin had drifted off to sleep. Cecilia chose not to leave. She showered and remained beside the bed. Chapter 1663 Chapter 1663 In hushed tones, Mark queried, ¡°You really don¡¯t want to talk to me?¡± Cecilia paused, momentarily taken aback. Releasing Edwin¡¯s hand, Cecilia approached the ward window and whispered, ¡°Edwin will recover in three days, and then I¡¯LL bring him back to Duefron.¡± Mark¡¯s heart felt a subtle squeeze. He approached her slowly and gently grasped her slender shoulder from behind. ¡°What are you implying?¡± Cecilia smiled faintly and remarked, ¡°Mark, perhaps I¡¯ve been overly optimistic. It¡¯s be clear to me that Edwin and I are mere extras in the screeny of your life, taking a backseat to your career.¡± In a gravelly tone, Mark protested, ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± His love for her and Edwin was immense. Edwin was their son, born out of love between Cecilia and Mark. Cecilia maintained a faint smile as the chilly night caused the window to fog up with water vapor. Her delicate fingers traced patterns on the ss, and after a long silence, she offered, ¡°Maybe I should leave you alone to handle all these. I¡¯ll wait for you in Duefron.¡± Mark spun her to face him. Gazing into her eyes, he affirmed, ¡°I will help the Thomas family reim the custody of Laura.¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Cecilia grinned and asked, ¡°Reim custody of Laura? Is that a situation you need to be entangled in? The child belongs to Cathy, and you are not the father. Mark, you know what? The virtuous acts you¡¯ve undertaken truly worry me. I¡­ I¡¯m utterly insecure.¡± Perhaps Cecilia was better off not being in a rtionship filled with such insecurity. Mark enveloped her in his embrace. Cecilia attempted to wriggle free, but in vain. She buried her face on his shoulder, weeping uncontrobly. Mark was filled with regret. In a hoarse whisper, he assured her, ¡°Believe me, Cecilia. My heart isn¡¯t with Cathy. You¡¯ve been the only one in my heart all these years.¡± s?a??h th? F?ndN?vel.??t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Cecilia seemed lost in thought. Her eyes appeared slightly puffy as she gently shook her head. Finally, she softly nudged him aside and hung her head low, saying, Chapter 1664 Chapter 1664 ¡°Let¡¯s both take a moment to collect ourselves.¡± Mark watched her intently. At that moment, he could only sense that she had matured, bing a woman with independent thoughts while he was lost in a daze. Yet he was uncertain if this was a positive development. The next three days unfolded without incident. Throughout this time, Mark continued to receive calls from Cathy, but he refrained from visiting Laura. He only asionally conversed with Laura over the phone, always speaking to her gently. While Laura¡¯s father was Paul, she was undeniably Cathy¡¯s child. Cecilia was disgusted. On this particr day, Mark quit and delegated all his responsibilities. He decided to be just an ordinary man. After handing off his duties, Mark lingered in his office. He found it hard to say goodbye. Peter decided to step down from his position alongside Mark. Having grown ustomed to working with Mark, he now aspired to embark on a fresh career. Peter, who had the deepest understanding of Mark, spoke quietly. ¡°Given your abilities, you¡¯re bound to achieve sess in the business world.¡± Mark pulled out a cigarette. He lit it, inhaled a few times in silence, then crushed it out. ¡°Let¡¯s move on.¡± S?a?ch Th? FindN???l.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They were ready to depart. At this critical moment, Cathy arrived and surveyed Mark¡¯s office. Unable to contain her astonishment, she questioned, ¡°Mark, have you lost your mind? All your life¡¯s hard work is here. Your connections and your promising career! You should be willing to let go of all of it for the sake of a little girl!¡± Mark responded with indifference, ¡°She¡¯s my fianc¨¦e.¡± With that, he exited, choosing not to engage in further conversation with Cathy. Cathy stood rooted in shock for a moment before she hurried after him, murmuring, ¡°Laura has been missing you. You ought to visit her.¡± Mark came to a halt. He abruptly queried, ¡°Cathy, what went through your mind when Laura was born? Did you ever love Paul?¡± Cathy found herself at a loss for words.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Chapter 1665 Chapter 1665 Her lips quivered as she confessed, ¡°I only loved one man in my Life.¡± Mark didn¡¯t want to say anything more. He headed straight for the elevator. He took the wheel and quickly made his way to the hospital. Upon entering Edwin¡¯s ward, he found the nurse tidying up, but Edwin and Cecilia were nowhere in sight. Mark questioned urgently. The nurse informed him, ¡°This afternoon, Mr. Folwer assisted your wife with the discharge process. She¡¯s likely at the airport by now.¡± Mr. Folwer? Mark had a hunch that it might be Waylen. Without dy, Mark dashed downstairs and dialed Cecilia¡¯s number once in his car. Cecilia picked up the call, and after a brief pause, he gently inquired, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wait for me to give you a ride? Are you at the airport now? I¡¯m on my way.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Cecilia¡¯s voice came through, ¡°We¡¯re about to board the private ne.¡± As Mark massaged his eyes, fatigue washed over him. ¡°Cecilia, be sensible. If something¡¯s bothering you, let¡¯s discuss it. Let¡¯s talk it through. Please, don¡¯t act rashly, alright?¡± A soft exhale could be heard from the other side of the call. Then, after a pause, Cecilia¡¯s voice, thick with emotion, carried over, ¡°Mr. Evans, maybe you can¡¯t see it, being so close to it all. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. However, I developed a fear of death a few years ago after my own experience. And Cathy was the cause of all that turmoil. Now, you want me to look after her child and even request that I be mature and forgiving.¡± Cecilia¡¯s voice cracked as she spoke. Mark whispered an apology in return. With logic in her tone, Cecilia urged, ¡°Think it over.¡± And with that, she ended the call. Mark set his phone down slowly, then settled into his car, lighting a cigarette and taking slow, deliberate puffs¡­ Once the cigarette was finished, he continued his drive to the airport. S?a?*?h the Find ???el.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Cecilia had already flown away. Mark purchased a ticket and settled into the departure area. He sat there silently, observing the airnes as they took off andnded. Waylen had brought Cecilia and Edwin to his home. Chapter 1666 Chapter 1666 Inside, Leonel was keeping Edwin amused with y. S?a?ch Th? (F)indN?v?l.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alexis was at the piano, her posture impable, the epitome of grace. Waylen effortlessly cradled Edwin with one arm while skillfully bncing the luggage with the other. Cecilia sensed that she might be inconveniencing Waylen a bit. Waylen gently ced Edwin on the ground and regarded Cecilia¡¯s teary gaze. ¡°You have your job. Who will look after Edwin? Or do you want our dad to worry about you and nag you every day? I¡¯m telling you, our parents are still unaware of what happened between you and Mark. If they were to find out, who knows what could transpire?¡± Cecilia had always been obedient to Waylen, so she kept herints to herself. Rena was expecting a baby. With Edwin feeling unwell, Rena prepared a pot of soup for him. Fearing he might be more irate and speak harshly, Waylen headed to the kitchen to offer Rena somepany. He approached quietly and wrapped his arms around Rena from behind. Rena stopped for a moment. Then, turning her head, she asked softly, ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Waylen confirmed with a simple ¡°Yes.¡±N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Rena was in the loop about Mark¡¯s and Cecilia¡¯s conflicts, informed by Zoey. With Mark at odds with Cecilia, Rena felt stuck in the middle, but thankfully, Waylen¡¯s affection for her remained unchanged. Waylen yfully nipped Rena¡¯s soft neck. With a hint of frustration, he remarked, ¡°Mark¡¯s not getting any younger. Why¡¯s he still making things tough for Cecilia?¡± Rena nibbled on her lower lip and inquired, ¡°Are you implying he¡¯s too old? Moreover, do you intend to rival him in moral wrongdoing?¡± With a lightugh, Waylen responded, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare. Didn¡¯t I mention before that I owe a debt of gratitude to you for your forgiveness?¡± Rena poured the soup into a bowl. She whispered gently, ¡°Enough nonsense. Give Cecilia plenty offort in the uing two days.¡± Waylen had profound eyes. Chapter 1667 Chapter 1667 He stared at Rena and saw a serene and collected expression. Time might age her, but it only added a refined and graceful allure to her. He was deeply touched. Rena sensed his emotions and tenderly brushed his hand with hers. Waylen¡¯s smile softened. At first, Rena wished to apany Cecilia tofort her. However, Cecilia reassured Rena that she was okay and headed to bed with Edwin. Later that night, the vi echoed with the noise of a car. Cecilia spected silently. She moved to the window for a glimpse. A ck sports car gracefully drove into the vi and came to a halt. A lean figure emerged from the vehicle. Cecilia watched the man in silence. Her eyes filled with tears. She noticed Mark standing next to the car. Instead of going into the house right away, he pulled out a cigarette and lit it. He indulged in a few deep puffs as if he were refreshing himself. Cecilia¡¯s heart ached to see him like this. S~?a??h the Find ???el.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She couldn¡¯t help but wish that child had nevere into their lives. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. When she turned around, Waylen was there. Wearing a ck pajama, Waylen gave his sister a reassuring pat on the shoulder and urged, ¡°He¡¯s come all the way here. Go and meet him. I¡¯ll take Edwin to my room.¡± Cecilia had something on her mind, but not a single word escaped her Lips. Waylen strolled over to the bedside. He cradled Edwin gently and barely took a couple of strides when Edwin stirred from his sleep. Edwin embraced Waylen¡¯s neck and whispered, ¡°Is that you, Waylen?¡± Waylen kissed Edwin and said, ¡°Both your aunt and I would like to share a bed with you tonight.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Edwin stayed motionless. He had always longed to get close to the little one growing inside Rena. Chapter 1668 Chapter 1668 Waylen returned to his bedroom with Edwin in his arms. A cozy glow filled the room, Rena woke up. She even prepared a warm bottle of milk, especially for Edwin. Edwin remained lying down, happily sipping his milk. In a bit, Edwin sneakily reached out and felt Rena¡®s stomach. Rena tilted slightly and softly told Edwin, ¡°The baby¡¯s name will be Elva, a name your uncle chose for her.¡± Edwin was fond of this name. In his mind, it was a much better name than Laura. Edwin quickly drifted off to sleep after finishing the warm milk. As he settled into a steady breathing, Rena whispered, ¡°They¡¯ve been arguing. As Cecilia¡¯s brother, do you feelfortable letting them share a room? Don¡¯t you worry that my uncle might not treat Cecilia well?¡± Upon hearing this, Waylen let out a soft chuckle. He caressed her hand, yfully tracing his fingers, suggesting a hint of flirtation. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°They¡¯ve got a son. They have been intimate.¡± Rena blushed. She maintained a serious demeanor with Waylen, but he had a knack for shifting the conversation elsewhere. Fortunately, the dim lighting concealed her blushing face from his sight. Waylen desired an intimate connection with Rena. However, a young boy stood in their way, and he couldn¡¯t take any action. It was best to have a conversation about it. He gently grazed her stomach and murmured, ¡°Rena, it¡¯s been quite a while since we¡¯ve been intimate.¡± S?a?ch Th? F?ndN?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Rena remained silent. She couldn¡¯t grasp why he found a pregnant woman so captivating. After all, she was six months along, and despite once being in great shape, her body had naturally changed. Waylen offered no rification. He was a man, and Rena found the workings of the male heart and mind a mystery. Meanwhile, Mark made his way upstairs. He didn¡¯t barge into Cecilia¡¯s bedroom. Instead, he knocked softly. Cecilia was afraid of making any noise, so she went to answer the door. Chapter 1669 Chapter 1669 Exhaustion was evident on Mark as he stood there. He hadn¡¯t changed from the day¡¯s attire, his blue shirt and pantsyered under a ck coat. He didn¡¯t walk in immediately. He positioned himself at the door, gazing quietly at Cecilia. Cecilia turned to him and said, ¡°Pleasee in.¡± Nheless, he extended his hand and delicately brushed her cheek. He softly remarked, ¡°You¡¯ve lost quite a bit of weight in days.¡± She moved to the side. Mark entered and nced around. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Where¡¯s Edwin?¡± ¡°My brother took him away.¡± Cecilia assumed Mark hadn¡¯t had a chance to eat or freshen up. She fetched him slippers, then went downstairs to whip up a pack of instant noodles, adding two slices of ham. ¡°Just make do with it. My brother is probably mad at you. He¡¯s not going to feed you.¡± Her voice was a soft murmur in the night. S?a?ch Th? F?ndN?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Mark removed his trench coat and settled in front of the tea table, taking a seat. He hardly ever indulged in instant noodles, but Cecilia would have them from time to time. Shecked cooking skills, so she Likely consumed quite a bit when she was away from home in the past few years. Before digging into his meal, Mark quietly inquired, ¡°You¡¯re also upset with me. Why bother feeding me?¡± He half expected her to stay quiet, but a slight smile crossed her face. ¡°Getting mad at you is one thing. You¡¯re Edwin¡¯s dad, after all.¡± Mark¡¯s brow creased. He found her response unsatisfactory. After taking a bite, he couldn¡¯t resist asking again, ¡°Am I merely Edwin¡¯s father? What happened to your future husband?¡± Chapter 1670 Chapter 1670 Cecilia held her tongue. It had been ages since she¡¯d used that term of endearment. As time passed and she aged, their rtionship evolved into what it had be. She could no longer address him as ¡°honey.¡± Their bond had grown distant following their disagreements. They were still romantically involved during the Christmas holiday. Mark was genuinely hungry, so he devoured all the not-so-tasty instant noodles. Next, he pulled out a cigarette. The urge to smoke was there, but not wanting to taint the air around her, he refrained from lighting up. Mark¡¯s voice softened as he looked at her, ¡°Why don¡¯t youe over here? I want to hug you.¡± Cecilia didn¡¯t move toward him. Instead, it was Mark who closed the distance between them. He embraced her, nting soft kisses in her hair, over her eyes, and onto her lips¡­ S~?a??h the Find ???el.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His kisses were tender and slow. As he intensified the kiss, Cecilia pulled back and dered with her red, teary eyes that she didn¡¯t want to do it. Mark sensed she was still mad at him. He pressed his lips to hers gently and murmured, ¡°Kissing you is all I want. Cecilia, it¡¯s not just you who¡¯s upset about what transpired between us. I¡¯m struggling too.¡±N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Cecilia turned her head aside, a flush of depression on her cheeks. Until now, he hadn¡¯t provided her with a clear response. In reality, she was already aware of his decision. He would still choose to look after Laura, the child whose parents were Cathy and Paul. Ceciliacked the energy to engage in an argument with him. She calmed down for a brief moment and spoke softly. ¡°I¡¯ve grown ustomed to not having you by my side during these years. Edwin doesn¡¯t spend a lot of time with you. Mark, we don¡¯t need to¡­¡± Chapter 1671 Chapter 1671 Mark¡¯splexion lost its color. He grasped Cecilia¡¯s intent. She was ready to give up their rtionship. He gazed at Cecilia and whispered, ¡°Cecilia, I understand how you feel. Just grant me a little time, will you? It was I who suggested Paul for that project. And Laura, she¡¯s the sole heir to the Thomas family.¡± Cecilia averted her gaze, choosing to stare outside the window instead. In a gentle murmur, she expressed, ¡°Mark, all I desire is a peaceful existence. It doesn¡¯t matter to me whether you¡¯re a man of high position. The most important thing is that you can live with me and Edwin without being disturbed by others.¡± The air crackled with tension. Cecilia¡¯s heart was heavy with disillusionment, yet abandoning their rtionship built over the years wasn¡¯t as easy as pie. Exhaustion was evident in Cecilia as she slumped into the couch. s?a??h th? Find ???el.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She whispered, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Let me show you to the guest room.¡± Mark, however, picked her up and strode toward the bed. She thumped him on the shoulder and asked, ¡°Mark, what are you doing?¡± He settled her beneath the nkets and ran his hands along her body to her cold feet. He sought to warm them with his palms¡­ Her eyes remained red as she continued to gaze at him intently. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Bowling his head, Mark announced, ¡°I¡¯m staying here tonight.¡± Cecilia turned away, retorting, ¡°You ought to rest in the guest room.¡± Without a word, Mark turned around and headed for the bathroom. He found one of his bathrobes and slipped into it as soon as he stepped out of the shower. He rested on the bed while Cecilia turned away from him. He tenderly embraced her from behind. Cecilia¡¯s body tensed up a bit. She breathed out a soft plea, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡± Mark gently pressed his lips against behind her ear, remaining silent. He wished she¡¯d grasp his unspoken words, though he realized his expectations might be unfair. Years had passed with him offering her too little. He remained quiet. Chapter 1672 Chapter 1672 Tears fell from Cecilia¡¯s eyes silently. S~?a??h the Find ???el.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She med him because they could be happy in the first ce, but he insisted on getting involved in Cathy¡¯s matter. A smart man like him knew what was on Cathy¡¯s mind, but he still walked into the trap. In the deep darkness of the night. His voice, barely above a whisper, carried his apology, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Cecilia gave no reply, yet her shaking shoulders spoke volumes. The next morning. When Mark woke up, the clock had already shown eight in the morning. He extended his arm and reached to the side, finding no one with him. He jumped out of bed, threw on new clothes, and sprinted straight to the ground level. Waylen was there in the dining room, engrossed in the newspaper. He sported a ck shirt paired with dark grey suit pants, and his short hair was impably groomed. He was brimming with energy and life. Around him were Leonel, Alexis, Marcus, and Edwin. Even though they were all children, Waylen had a_ knack for encouraging them to feed themselves and look out for one another. Especially Marcus, who seemed to be Alexis¡¯ entertainer. As Mark descended the stairs, Alexis greeted him with a cheerful ¡°Uncle.¡± Mark scooped up Alexis, taking a seat next to Edwin. Edwin appeared rather gloomy. He, too, called Mark ¡°Uncle.¡± Mark didn¡¯t show irritation. Instead, he tenderly patted Edwin¡¯s head, inquiring, ¡°Did your mom tell you to call me that?¡± Edwin lowered his head. Mark caressed Edwin¡¯s head and questioned, ¡°Is your injury still bothering you?¡± Edwin gave his head a Little shake. He expressed his disappointment, saying, ¡°I won¡¯t be able to attend school for another two weeks.¡± Mark offered Edwin a few reassuring words. Just then, Waylen put away the newspaper, asking in aid-back tone, ¡°Mark, did you have a good sleepst night?¡± Chapter 1673 Chapter 1673 Mark wasn¡¯t in the mood for small talk with Waylen. But Waylen seemed quite keen on the subject. He took a casual sip of his ck coffee and jokingly prodded, ¡°Mark, you seem worn out. A ssh of water might perk you up. Oh, and I forgot to mention that Cecilia values a polished appearance. If you don¡¯t dress well, I fear you won¡¯t win her heart, let alone marry her.¡± Mark couldn¡¯t stand Waylen¡¯s way with words. Still, Waylen kept sipping his coffee, an amused smile on his lips. At that moment, Rena made her way downstairs. Due to her pregnancy, she slept in every day, and Waylen was the one mostly looking after the children. Upon spotting hering down, Waylen promptly rose to lend her a hand. He didn¡¯te off as arrogant now. Mark observed them, a twinge of jealousy in his gaze. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Rena settled herself and addressed Mark softly. Mark valued her and replied warmly, ¡°Thank you, to you and Waylen.¡± Rena offered a smile. She revealed, ¡°I heard about the uingwsuit. Waylen¡¯s nning to handle the case.¡± This caught Mark by surprise. Waylen, flicking through the newspaper,mented nonchntly, ¡°I¡¯m doing it for Cecilia.¡± It was then that Mark came to terms with epting Waylen¡¯s assistance. After breakfast, Mark joined Waylen into the study to talk over thewsuit. In the solitude of the study, it was just the two men, each with a cigarette in hand. After their discussion on thewsuit, Waylen¡¯s slender fingers tapped the ashes from his cigarette. Narrowing his eyes, he asked, ¡°Cecilia is still upset with you, right? Mark, I can understand her, but I can also understand you.¡± He knew Mark had no desire to get entangled with Cathy, and Mark¡¯s concernsy with Paul¡¯s daughter. It seemed that men often shared amon thread of thought. Yet, Waylen shifted the conversation, dering, ¡°I have just one little sister, so you get just one shot. I¡¯ll assist you to the best of my ability. Your future, however, lies in your own hands.¡± Waylen had considered the possibility of looking after Cecilia indefinitely as the worst-case scenario. Mark also narrowed his eyes as he regarded Waylen. He hadn¡¯t forgotten that Waylen was the first to jump into the fray in Czanch on Cecilia¡¯s behalf upon learning about what happened between Cecilia and him. Over time, Waylen had grown more mature and elegant. S?a?ch Th? Find_N?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1674 Chapter 1674 Mark, however, felt the weight of his years, not as resilient to the ravages of time. S?a?ch Th? FindN???l.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Waylen chose not to add more because he worried that an ongoing conversation about it might trigger his anger. More importantly, that would make Rena sad. Mark devoted his morning to Edwin. Later, he visited the scene where Cecilia was shooting. Cecilia noticed Mark¡¯s presence. She approached him during her break. Mark was donned in yesterday¡¯s attire and appeared mature, handsome, and tall. Cecilia stood around 5.5 feet in height, yet she still had to look up at him. They looked at each other. In a soft tone, Mark began, ¡°Zoey isn¡¯t feeling well. I¡¯ll head back to Czanch first.¡± He was somewhat irritated. With his hands buried in his pockets, he forced a rueful smile. ¡°There are a few more deals I need to discuss.¡± Cecilia got the message he was trying to convey. He couldn¡¯t remain in Duefron indefinitely. He had already quit his previous job, and now, at his age, he needed to put in a lot of effort to make a fresh start. This realization made her soften her attitude. ¡°Take care on your way home. And perhaps next time, you might consider bringing Peter along.¡± Mark offered a smile. ¡°Is it me or Peter that you¡¯re missing?¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Cecilia¡¯s eyes appeared slightly misty. Just then, the photographer summoned her. She wasn¡¯t in a good condition. She had been trying to get herself right for a while, especially when she applied eye drops to her eyes. Mark was disheartened to see her in such a state. He stood there quietly for a while before turning around and walking away. He believed that if they were apart, they could each attain their desires. Being the oldest daughter of the Fowler family, she did not need to demonstrate anything to him. He remained to be of a high position and felt no obligation to secure a girl¡¯s heart. Yet, they had forsaken all to choose each other. Mark felt a swell of emotion. A man at his age shouldn¡¯t have been so visibly emotional, especially surrounded by many people, including her colleagues, partners, and business sponsors. Chapter 1675 Chapter 1675 But Mark still walked over. He positioned himself right before Cecilia. She was taken aback. A hush fell over the bystanders as they recognized Mark. In a gentle tone, Mark assured, ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a few days.¡± Cecilia remained silent, gazing up at him. He tenderly brushed her hair and softly uttered, ¡°Even though I¡¯m older than you and don¡¯t have much at the moment, I still want to make you my wife.¡± Then, Mark departed. Cecilia remained in ce, delicately nibbling her crimson lips. She endeavored to steer clear of Mark that evening. However, Waylen made her return with just one phone call. ¡°Don¡¯t you care about your child? Listen, Cecilia, Rena is pregnant. It¡¯s not fair to pass the kid off to her.¡± Cecilia was always obedient to Waylen. She made her way to the vi. Rena, as ever, treated Cecilia with kindness, which made Cecilia feel guilty. Waylen was reclining on the sofa. With a subtle look, he asked Cecilia, ¡°Did you run into him? How did your conversation go?¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Cecilia stumbled over her words. ¡°Daddy, who are you talking about?¡± Alexis questioned, climbing into Waylen¡¯s embrace. This was beyond what a child needed to understand. Alexis had a habit of spilling secrets. Waylen yfully tapped Alexis on her chubby bottom and remarked, ¡°Go and have some fun with Leonel.¡± Alexis felt downcast. Leonel was upied with paperwork. Cecilia asked awkwardly, ¡°Should Leonel be burdened with paperwork at such a young age?¡± s?a??h th? Find ???el.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Waylen stated confidently, ¡°You and Mark should take Edwin away promptly, or else I¡¯ll raise Edwin in the same manner.¡± Cecilia was speechless. Waylen¡¯s gaze softened as he looked at Cecilia. He gently touched his little sister¡¯s head and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll assist him in handling this legal case. We¡¯ll ensure the Thomas family regains that child, but Miss Wilson¡¯s good name will suffer. Chapter 1676 Chapter 1676 Cecilia, you have the option to end your rtionship with Mark. It¡¯s okay if this issue bothers you. Your feelings are valid. Yet, Mark has sacrificed much on your behalf. Had he not stepped down, he might have risen even higher. Nevertheless, he forfeits his position to start anew as an ordinary businessman.¡± Cecilia was aware of that. Sensing Cecilia¡¯s hesitation, Waylen drew her head to rest against his shoulder. ¡°Offer him an opportunity. Should he disappoint you againter on, there will still be time for you to deal with him strictly.¡± In a soft and heartfelt tone, Waylen added, ¡°If you give up your rtionship with him at this point, even I will feel sorry for you two.¡± Waylen always showed his softer side to Cecilia. Their bond was strong, and although she felt hurt, she had found a dependable pir of support. She buried her face in his shoulder and wept with sorrow. Waylen gently patted her back. Deep down, he had always seen Cecilia as a bit naive. He had a gut feeling that Elva might be just like her¡­ Rena descended the stairs, catching sight of their moment. Cecilia felt a tad bashful. Cecilia had concerns that Rena might feel awkward. Even though she had grown up, her bond with Waylen remained very close. Rena, however, kept her thoughts to herself. She cast only a nce in Waylen¡¯s direction. At the end of the day, after concluding his business, Waylen stood up, stretching out his fatigue. He loosened his shirt buttons and retired to his bedroom. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Following her shower, Rena donned her silky pajamas and settled in front of the dressing table to brush her flowing brown hair. She had invested considerable effort in caring for her skin. When viewed from behind, she appeared remarkably slender. Waylen approached and enveloped her in a warm hug from behind. He gently pressed the tip of his nose to her soft neck and murmured, ¡°You have such a lovely fragrance. Did you pick a different body wash?¡± Rena nodded in agreement. She tilted her head to receive his kiss and inquired between tender moments, ¡°Are you trulymitted to assisting my uncle with thiswsuit?¡± Waylen slipped his hand into her pajamas and gently started to caress her. He had a knack for yful teasing and never failed to arouse her. S?a?*?h the Find_N?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Rena clutched his hand firmly. She wished to keep his hands away from her¡­ They had been in a rtionship for quite a while. How could Waylen not be attuned to her feelings? He purposely nibbled on her ear and inquired, ¡°Are you feeling a twinge of jealousy?¡± Rena blushed and gently pushed him aside. ¡°Why would I be envious?¡± Chapter 1677 Chapter 1677 Waylen let out a softugh. He guided her to the edge of the bed, inviting her to grasp it, and then he carefully unbuttoned her. Her tender belly swelled upward. Their third little one was on the way. With one hand on her waist and the other gently caressing her belly, Waylen spoke in a raspy voice. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Cecilia holds a special ce in my heart, just like Alexis and Elva. She¡¯s a delicate youngdy.¡± He traced his fingers softly across her belly. Rena found his touch unbearable. He was being deliberately provocative. Waylen¡¯s touch was light and not nearly enough. He tenderlyid her down, brushed his lips against hers, and soothingly said, ¡°Cecilia is my sister, but you, my wife, you¡¯re special.¡± Rena felt her passion ignited by Waylen¡¯s advances. And with his striking good looks, it was hard to resist. She couldn¡¯t resist extending her hand, softly caressing his cheek, and whispered, ¡°What sets the wife apart With a sly grin, Waylen whispered, ¡°My wife is the one I¡¯LL share my bed with forever.¡± Rena¡¯s anger red up, leading her to deliver a swift kick. However, he seized hold of her leg. Waylen caressed it softly, his gaze deep and unreadable, ¡°Your belly is so big, yet your legs have stayed so slim.¡± The more he spoke, the more he spiraled into audacity. Rena was familiar with him and understood his powerful desire for it. Cradling his handsome face, she gently murmured, ¡°Let¡¯s focus on the baby.¡± Waylen had been yfully charming Rena for a while, and with her consent, he wasn¡¯t about to miss this chance. He gave her a deep, passionate kiss. Rena shut her eyes, surrendering to his affectionate advances¡­ A couple of days passed, and Mark paid a visit. The connection between Cecilia and Mark hadn¡¯t warmed up much, causing Waylen a bit of frustration. S?a?*?h the F?ndN?vel.??t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1678 Chapter 1678 Waylen nudged the two out the door, suggesting they returned to their own home. Waylen watched their car drive away, a sense of relief washing over him. Rena teased him, ¡°You can be pretty rude, Waylen.¡± There was no one nearby. Waylen delicately grasped her chin and yfully jiggled it. ¡°Once the baby arrives, I¡¯ll show you what rudeness means.¡± Rena yfully used him of being a flirt. Waylen strolled behind her leisurely. After some time, he dered, ¡°After this baby arrives, we¡¯re done having kids.¡± Rena believed she couldn¡¯t have a serious conversation with a rascal like him. She headed upstairs and enjoyed some peaceful reading for a bit. Her thoughts then drifted to the situation with Albert¡¯s family. Everything was arranged, but unexpectedly, Albert¡¯s mother, Helen, became ill. The n had to be dyed. Rena gently ced her hand on her belly, contemting that she needed to wait until the baby arrived before putting her n into motion. She wasn¡¯t in any rush, but Albert was getting impatient. Cecilia and Edwin were picked up in a sleek ck Limousine. Peter upied the seat in front of them. He spun around with a cheerful expression and eximed, ¡°Mr. Evans will have more time to be with you from now on, Edwin. Does that make you happy?¡± Edwin gave a little nod. In the backseat, Mark appeared more at ease, his smile bright. ¡°Peter, there¡¯s no need to call me Mr. Evans anymore. Just call me Mark.¡± Despite the vast business dealings of the Evans family, Mark had embarked on a new venture, starting his ownpany. This was just the beginning, and he felt confident about doing it right. S?a?*?h the FindN?v?l.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They arrived at the vi Mark had purchased. Mark carried Edwin out of the car, nted a kiss on him, and whispered to him, ¡°Do you think your mom is still upset with me?¡± Edwin sneaked a peek at Cecilia. Waylen nudged the two out the door, suggesting they returned to their own home. Waylen watched their car drive away, a sense of relief washing over him. Rena teased him, ¡°You can be pretty rude, Waylen.¡± There was no one nearby. Waylen delicately grasped her chin and yfully jiggled it. ¡°Once the baby arrives, I¡¯ll show you what rudeness means.¡± Rena yfully used him of being a flirt. Waylen strolled behind her leisurely. After some time, he dered, ¡°After this baby arrives, we¡¯re done having kids.¡± Rena believed she couldn¡¯t have a serious conversation with a rascal like him. She headed upstairs and enjoyed some peaceful reading for a bit. Her thoughts then drifted to the situation with Albert¡¯s family. Everything was arranged, but unexpectedly, Albert¡¯s mother, Helen, became ill. The n had to be dyed. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Rena gently ced her hand on her belly, contemting that she needed to wait until the baby arrived before putting her n into motion. She wasn¡¯t in any rush, but Albert was getting impatient. Cecilia and Edwin were picked up in a sleek ck Limousine. Peter upied the seat in front of them. He spun around with a cheerful expression and eximed, ¡°Mr. Evans will have more time to be with you from now on, Edwin. Does that make you happy?¡± Edwin gave a little nod. In the backseat, Mark appeared more at ease, his smile bright. ¡°Peter, there¡¯s no need to call me Mr. Evans anymore. Just call me Mark.¡± Despite the vast business dealings of the Evans family, Mark had embarked on a new venture, starting his ownpany. This was just the beginning, and he felt confident about doing it right. They arrived at the vi Mark had purchased. Mark carried Edwin out of the car, nted a kiss on him, and whispered to him, ¡°Do you think your mom is still upset with me?¡± Edwin sneaked a peek at Cecilia. Chapter 1679 Chapter 1679 Wrapping his hands gently around Mark¡¯s neck, Edwin whispered, ¡°Mom didn¡¯t say that.¡± A slight smile appeared on Mark¡¯s face. He believed Edwin was a smart boy, given his proper answer. Mark ran his fingers through Edwin¡¯s hair. Edwin¡¯s soft, brown hair and gentle features were endearing. Mark¡¯s affection for Edwin was undeniable. Mark held Edwin with one hand while the other carried the baggage. Mark didn¡¯t want to burden Cecilia with thebor work. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Cecilia shut the car door with a steely gaze aimed at Mark. Mark felt a sting of disappointment. Over the years, every time they met, she was ecstatic. Despite feeling down, Mark forced a smile and walked into the vi with Edwin in his arms. This vi spanned an impressive 0.2 acres. To maintain such a vast space, Peter employed two landscapers and four housekeepers, ensuring the home was fully furnished and equipped for daily necessities. Cecilia found every aspect of the vi to her Liking. Mark carried Edwin into the children¡¯s room. Mark gently ced Edwin on the little bed and removed Edwin¡¯s coat. It was a rare asion for Edwin to be in such proximity to Mark. A hint of shyness crept over Edwin. Bending down, Mark said softly, ¡°Allow me to check your wound.¡± The white sweater was lifted, revealing a @.7-inch wound on Edwin¡¯s slender abdomen. It might have been small, but it was still a concern for Mark. As Mark probed the wound with his delicate fingers, he inquired, ¡°Are you upset with me?¡± S?a?ch Th? ?indN?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Edwin shook his head. Yet, under Mark¡¯s earnest look, Edwin gave a soft nod though tears were absent. Waylen had once told him that a true man shouldn¡¯t shed tears easily. Mark drew closer, their foreheads touching, and murmured with a raspy voice, ¡°From now on, I¡¯m here for you.¡± Edwin¡¯s arms found their way around Mark¡¯s neck, his demeanorpliant. Mark¡¯s phone buzzed in his pocket. Chapter 1680 Chapter 1680 He checked his phone and found it was Cathy. Mark picked up the phone, thinking it might be rted to Laura. Cathy sounded anxious as she spoke. ¡°Mark, how could you let the Thomas familypete with me over the custody of Laura? You even let Waylen handle this matter!¡± S?a?ch Th? F?ndN?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Mark fell into a brief moment of quiet. He said in a low voice, ¡°If you treat Laura well, nobody will meddle in your affairs. Laura was never meant to be born then, and she should never have been made a pawn in your hands. You know how she caught pneumonia thest time. Cathy, stop it. Give both you and your daughter a ck.¡± A soft smile crept onto Cathy¡¯s face. ¡°With Waylen being thewyer, I know I can¡¯t win this case. Mark, I¡¯m surprised to know the Fowler family should value you this much! Waylen quit pursuing his legal career for Rena¡¯s sake. However, he returned to his previous job because of you! That¡¯s really something.¡± After uttering hysterical words, Cathy ended the call before Mark could reply. Mark stared at his phone. Edwin¡¯s expression changed. He had heard the conversation. Once again, it involved Laura. Edwin silently vowed to himself that when he grew up and had the strength, he would make things difficult for Laura. Snapping back to reality, Mark turned his attention back to Edwin. He affectionately tousled Edwin¡¯s hair and said, ¡°Well, there¡¯s a kid of my colleague. Her name is Laura Thomas.¡± Edwin leaned his head against Mark¡¯s shoulder. Edwin appeared lost in thought. Cecilia climbed the stairs and gently pushed open the bedroom door on the second floor. The room¡¯s French-inspired decoration was a vision of beauty and romance, with airyce curtains draping the expansive windows. Cecilia¡¯s gaze fell upon them, everything to her Liking. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Cecilia surveyed the room in tranquil silence. A misty veil covered her eyes. The setting sun cast a crimson hue through thece-curtained French windows, captivating her. Chapter 1681 Chapter 1681 the chapter is errored .we will fix ittter S?a??h th? Find_N?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. S?arch the Find?ovel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1682 Chapter 1682 Mark headed down to prepare the dinner. Cecilia quickly tidied the room and then delved into reading the script. This particr drama, suggested by Rena for its match to Cecilia¡¯s act, cast her as a sophisticated lady, a role Cecilia was eager to embody. Cecilia found the role appealing. The script held her in its enchanting grip. When Mark ascended the stairs to invite her for dinner, she nced up and experienced a twinge in her neck. Mark grabbed the script and flipped through a few pages. He couldn¡¯t contain hisughter. Cecilia felt a touch of frustration due to embarrassment. The script seemed somewhat childish, but as a neer, she couldn¡¯t jump into a serious drama at once. She reached for the script, inadvertently brushing against him. But by ident, she bumped into him. Their bodies tumbled onto the couch, entwining as they ovepped, creating a romantic scene. Despite their many intimate encounters, the unexpected excitement still left them breathless, especially Mark, who cherished holding Cecilia close. Cecilia felt a bit ufortable and tucked her hair behind her ear. ¡°Stand up from me.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Mark chose not to rise but instead cradled her close, nting a soft kiss on her lips. ¡°Are you still upset with me?¡± Her nod was unguarded and sincere. Edwin got this very expression from her. Mark felt a surge of warmth, a blend of desire and affection. S?a?*?h the F?ndN?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His cheek pressed against hers, their warm skin melding together. He whispered gently, ¡°Can I offer myself as amends to you? Is that eptable? Don¡¯t be upset. You¡¯re such a lovely girl. Frowning might cause wrinkles.¡± Cecilia found herself pinned beneath him. She was unable to move away. Her eyes, rimmed with red, conveyed frustration. ¡°If not for Waylen, I would never have returned to your side.¡± Waylen had once advised her, ¡°You won¡¯t know if the path ahead is right or wrong until you reach its end. If the path ahead seems rough, turn back. I¡¯ll always be here waiting for you.¡± Cecilia cherished the assurance of having a family that supported her unconditionally. She gave Mark an angry thump. It could be seen as an outlet, providing some little relief in their rtionship. Chapter 1683 Chapter 1683 Mark responded with another kiss, tenderly tracing the contours of her grown figure. They had to have dinner, so Mark refrained from being overly hasty. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. The days that followed were filled with tranquility. The influence of the Evans and Fowler families was far-reaching and formidable. Waylen stood as the topwyer inw and politics, effortlessly prevailing in any legal battle. The case proceeded without a hitch. After the initial trial, the court ruled in favor of granting custody of Laura to Paul¡¯s parents. Paul¡¯s parents¡¯ joy was uncontainable. They travel north with Laura, arriving in Duefron to express their gratitude to Mark. S~?a??h the F?ndN?vel.??t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They decided not to give Mark advance notice of their visit. Upon reaching Mark¡¯s vi gate, they informed the doorman that they hade to see Mark. Meanwhile, Mark was engaged with Edwin. A servant approached Mark with a look of ambivalence, reporting, ¡°Mr. Evans, you have visitors at the gate. Additionally, they were apanied by an adorable young girl.¡± Mark guessed the identity of the guests, and he found himself in a difficult situation. His gaze shifted to Cecilia. Cecilia¡¯s eyes were a bit teary, but she remainedposed. ¡°They have arrived. Go ahead and greet them.¡± Mark¡¯s hand rested on her shoulder, offering aforting caress. Cecilia, preferring to avoid the visitors, went upstairs. Mark watched her depart before instructing the servant, ¡°Please, let them in.¡± Edwin raised his head proudly and inquired innocently, ¡°Is that Laura?¡± Mark was taken aback. At that moment, Paul¡¯s parents arrived, Laura in tow, bearing an array of unique goods from Czanch. Among these, Paul¡¯s mother had selected some items specifically for children. Paul¡¯s mother gazed at Edwin with warmth in her eyes. ¡°You must be Edwin, right? Peter mentioned how adorable you are.¡± Chapter 1684 Chapter 1684 Edwin¡¯s innocence was unmistakable. Yet, out of the younger generation, Edwin was known for being the most mischievous one as he grew up. Thepliment to Edwin lifted Mark¡¯s spirits. While Mark was fond of Laura, he refrained from embracing her, considering Cecilia¡¯s feelings. Laura appeared somewhat let down. At this time, Edwin stepped forward and embraced Laura, saying, ¡°My dad¡¯s upied now, so let me hug you.¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Mark was even more astonished. S?a??h th? Find ???el.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Paul¡¯s parents thought the two kids got along, so they allowed them to y together. However, when no one was around them, Edwin frightened Laura to tears, leaving her too scared to speak up. When Laura returned to the living room, she eagerly wanted to depart. Paul¡¯s parents had many things they wanted to discuss with Mark. For instance, they were considering letting Laura live in Duefron with Mark by her side. Laura, however, denied the idea immediately. She nced at Edwin and nervously bit her lower lip. Paul¡¯s parents had to depart with disappointment without even getting the chance to enjoy a proper meal. Mark saw his guests off, out of the vi. Mark spun around and caught sight of Edwin, who tended to blush easily, engrossed in reading a fairy tale book while sitting upright and looking poised. Mark felt a swell of pride. He went upstairs to console Cecilia, knowing that she might have someints regarding Laura¡¯s appearance. On the second floor. Cecilia rested against the French window, silently savoring the view. Approaching her, Mark murmured, ¡°Are you upset?¡± Cecilia shifted her gaze toward him. Her facial lines appeared gentle, and the soft lighting featured her smoothplexion. Drawn by her softness, Mark reached out to caress her cheek. Cecilia whispered, ¡°They¡¯vee all the way here. Why didn¡¯t you invite them to stay for dinner? Wouldn¡¯t that be a bit rude?¡± Chapter 1685 Chapter 1685 A smile graced Mark¡¯s Lips. ¡°Laura insisted on leaving. This isn¡¯t her usual self. She¡¯s typically well-behaved, but today she¡¯s rebellious.¡± Cecilia raised an eyebrow. S?a?*?h the (F)indN?v?l.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Mark sensed he had spoken too much. In a low voice, he inquired, ¡°Are you still upset with me? Everything¡¯s resolved now. Paul¡¯s parents will look after Laura from now on. There¡¯s nothing to fret about.¡± Cecilia gave a nod. But she was nomittal. Mark, who had shared his life with Cecilia for some time, could read her thoughts Like an open book. The air between them felt Lighter. They hadn¡¯t spoken this freely in ages. Mark unfastened the top two buttons of his shirt. He paused and asked, ¡°Should I close the door?¡± Cecilia seemed hesitant. ¡°Edwin is still downstairs.¡± But Mark had already risen to secure the door. Returning to her, he lifted her in his arms, pressing her against the French window. His touches and kisses were tender, his words a soft murmur, ¡°Edwin is busy with his book. I believe it would be beneficial for him to spend some time with Waylen. After all, he is skilled at teaching and guiding children.¡± Mark was consumed with a strong desire for intimacy with Cecilia. Cecilia tilted her head slightly and offered a faint nod of agreement. They had been arguing for a whole month. Even though they lived under the same roof, they hadn¡¯t been intimate during this period. In this instant, Mark found himself unable to resist any longer. In the heat of the moment, he lowered the curtain, and they engaged in an intimate moment. She had a slender figure. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Mark struggled to restrain his desires, fearing that he might inadvertently cause her difort or harm¡­ Their intimate moment kept on until 8:00 p.m. The servant had toe and call them for dinner twice. Chapter 1686 Chapter 1686 There was no sound from inside, and since the door remained closed, the servant took the hint and headed downstairs to attend to Edwin. S?a??h th? Find ???el.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The room was enveloped in darkness. Cecilia rolled over and nestled in Mark¡¯s embrace, his arms damp with sweat. As she shifted, Mark¡¯s fingers grazed her lips, questioning, ¡°Are you hungry?¡± A blush tinged Cecilia¡¯s cheeks. She pulled the nket over herself and nodded with a soft smile. ¡°Sure. Go and check on Edwin once more. His wound is bothering him. Put some ointment on it.¡± Mark leaned in and nted a kiss on her. He still had plenty of energy and a desire for another round, but he restrained himself and whispered, ¡°Have you been holding back for a while?¡± Cecilia¡¯s anger red, and she responded by kicking him. At that point, Mark rose to dress himself. Clutching his wrinkled shirt, he suggested, ¡°If you¡¯re feeling off, a shower might help.¡± He descended the stairs and fetched some food for her beforehand. Then, he attended to Edwin. Upon his return, Cecilia had already freshened up with a shower, and she was now multitasking, reading the script while enjoying her meal. Mark sat beside her, took a bite, and asked, ¡°So, you¡¯re serious about joining the entertainment industry?¡± Cecilia didn¡¯t even lift her gaze. ¡°I¡¯m just Looking for something to keep me busy.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Mark gently caressed her head and remarked, ¡°It¡¯s nice to have something to upy your time.¡± After a thoughtful pause, Cecilia met his gaze and ventured, ¡°Doesn¡¯t it worry you?¡± After all, the things within the entertainment industry wereplicated. Hisck of concern caught her off guard. Mark grinned. ¡°It could be drawn into two main aspects. One involves money, and the other pertains to desire.¡± Chapter 1687 Chapter 1687 Cecilia felt no need to do something for money. She was born into a wealthy family, after all. Mark believed if she desired pleasure during their intimacy, he could fulfill her needs in that regard. There was no need for her to seek others. This gave Mark peace of mind. Cecilia skimmed through the script and softly eximed, ¡°Waylen is consistently quite possessive. Whenever Rena exchanged a few words with someone else, he got jealous, especially when she was conversing with Tyrone.¡± Mark¡¯s expression deepened. ¡°Do you expect the same from me?¡± In truth, many years ago, Mark used to be quite jealous. Now, he was confident that he and Cecilia were the perfect match for each other, so he was generous and didn¡¯t fret as much about it. However, now Cecilia had reverted to her previous self. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. He had a strong fondness for it. Mark affectionately tousled her hair and expressed, ¡°I¡¯ll stand by your side in the days toe.¡± Cecilia¡¯s heart warmed at his words. She quipped, ¡°You might need to earn a bit more. Sustaining a fresh look can be costly. However, I don¡¯t think it would be a big deal to you.¡± Mark shed a smile. She still harbored jealousy over the events from years past. She was so cute. The issue regarding Laura had ultimately been resolved. Cecilia invited Rena to join her for a shopping trip. At this point, Rena was nearing her seventh month of pregnancy. Waylen felt quite anxious regarding Rena¡¯s well-being. Rena rarely ventured outside unless necessary, and when she did, she was nked by four bodyguards. The bond between Rena and Cecilia was strong, and together, they browsed through baby clothes, enjoying each other¡¯spany. ¡°WiLL you and Mark hold the wedding soon?¡± Cecilia replied with a nod. She then added, ¡°It¡¯s set in May. Mark has been swampedtely.¡± Rena¡¯s response came with a cheerful grin. s?a??h th? F?ndNov?l.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Mark¡¯spany was in Duefron. Yet, his vastwork in the northwest meant he often traveled there for work. Even in Duefron, he frequently drank and engaged in social activities. Cecilia didn¡¯tin. Chapter 1688 Chapter 1688 She even once pointed out that with his connections, securing a more rxed job would be a piece of cake. However, Mark dismissed the idea. To him, it smacked of early retirement. He minded their age gap, which led him to indulge in their intimate moments until midnight that day. Cecilia pondered what to say next yet opted for silence. s?a??h th? FindN???l.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Observing her hesitation, Rena queried, ¡°Is something troubling you?¡± ying with a small garment in her hands, Cecilia confessed in a low tone, ¡°Rena, I somehow feel the things between me and Mark have changed. I¡¯m sure my love for him persists, as does his for me, but¡­ There¡¯s a sense of disbelief surrounding this joy.¡± Rena expressed her understanding of Cecilia¡¯s feelings. In reality, her past life was certainly no better than Cecilia¡¯s. Cecilia was certain about Mark¡¯s affection for her. However, back then, Waylen¡¯s heart harbored another woman. The rtionship between Rena and Waylen had endured numerous fights and challenges. Rena gently hugged Cecilia, sayin ¡°You will find the proper way to get along with him over the days Cecilia¡¯s spirits lifted at her words. Noticing Cecilia¡¯s earlier distress, Rena summoned Vera to join them for a meal. The three engaged in lively conversation. Vera brought up the topic of Aline who had been executed. Rena was taken aback for quite some time, then mustered a strained grin. ¡°I invited you over to cheer things up, yet we¡¯ve drifted to such a heavy topic.¡± Vera shrugged off the gravity. ¡°Isn¡¯t it something to be happy about?¡± Rena, still smiling, agreed, ¡°Yes, you¡¯ve got a point.¡± After wiping her mouth with a napkin, Vera retrieved a velvet box from her purse and handed it to Cecilia. ¡°A gift for your uing wedding! Roscoe had been overseas for a work assignment. He picked it up for you.¡± Cecilia lifted the lid of the box. Inside was a ne adorned with pearls and a pink diamond, radiating opulence. She felt it was too expensive to take it. Vera gave Cecilia¡¯s hand a reassuring pat and insisted, ¡°Please ept it. I treat you as my little sister just like Rena does.¡± Seeing Cecilia¡¯s hesitation, Rena urged, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Take it. Over the years, she had received tens of millions in bonuses from my music center. It appears she had only invested around one million back then.¡± Chapter 1689 Chapter 1689 Vera jested, ¡°Oh, what a good memory you have!¡± Then, Cecilia epted the gift with assurance. s?a??h th? Find_N?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After the meal, they indulged in a bit of shopping. Later, Waylen arrived to fetch Rena. A sleek ck Maybach pulled up to the curb. Waylen swung open the door and stepped out of the car. During the early spring, he sported a white sweater and khaki casual pants, which gave him a youthful and handsome appearance. Vera teased, ¡°Rena, does having such a good-looking husband ever concern you? You see, lots of girls are staring at him.¡± Rena gazed at Waylen. He was heading in her direction. Numerous young girls sneakily admired him with sidelong nces. Rena responded with a faint smile, ¡°Of course it does. But I can¡¯t keep him by my side all the time.¡± Moreover, she couldn¡¯t keep a man by her side unless he was willing to do so. Waylen had to be a responsible father now, managing the kids and handling daily Life tasks. On top of that, he had to juggle work at twopanies. Rena doubted he had the energy and time to have any mistresses. In a twinkling of an eye, Waylen appeared in front of Rena. Holding Rena close in a warm embrace, he nced at Cecilia from the corner of his eye and asked, ¡°Would you like a ride back home?¡± Cecilia whispered her decline, ¡°No, I¡¯ll drive myself.¡± Acknowledging Vera with a nod, Waylen departed with Rena. As soon as their car was out of sight, Vera turned to Cecilia and sighed slightly, saying, ¡°Waylen is bing more handsome. Rena was the only one who could win him over! I can still recall how he used to be such an aloof guy back in those days!¡± Ceciliained, ¡°He was quite the mischievous rascal!¡± In a low voice, she continued, ¡°He¡¯d already fallen in love with Rena and tricked me into thinking she was Tyrone¡¯s girlfriend. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have¡­¡± Suddenly, Harold crossed her mind, and she was momentarily taken aback. Vera gently touched Cecilia¡¯s shoulder and consoled her, ¡°Let the past stay in the past! He¡¯s no longer here. We must move forward.¡± Cecilia managed a smile. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Vera gave her cheek a yful pinch and remarked, ¡°You¡¯re such a young and charming one!¡± Chapter 1690 Chapter 1690 Cecilia¡¯s cheeks flushed at her words. Just then, Mark¡¯s call came through. Cecilia answered the phone and asked softly, ¡°Will you make it back home today?¡± Despitecking a marriage certificate, Mark resided in a vi in Duefron with Cecilia, making their lives akin to that of a typical married couple. Cecilia had thought about inviting Zoey over since Mark was still advancing his career in these years. Mark had just wrapped up a business meeting on his end. S?a??h th? F?ndN?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His suit in tow, he took the lead, with Peter and two additional assistants trailing behind. Mark spoke in a hushed tone. ¡°I wille back. But it may be a littlete.¡± Cecilia gave a confirming nod. She nned to have a conversation with Mark about inviting Zoey over once he returned. Zoey was left alone at home while Mark took care of business in Duefron. Even with several servants with Zoey, Cecilia felt it would be better if Zoey could enjoy theirpany here. With that, she ended the call. Vera teased with a grin, ¡°You seem to grow up a lot.¡± Cecilia¡¯s cheeks warmed with a shy flush. After Mark disconnected the call, when he lifted his gaze, he spotted someone he hadn¡¯t anticipated. It was Cathy. Cathy approached in a bit of disarray, like a flustered mouse. Instinctively, Peter stepped forward and addressed her with a steadyposure, ¡°Miss Wilson!¡± Cathy, with a mix of begging and urgency, called out, ¡°Mark! I need to speak with you.¡± Mark had an inkling of the topic she was inching toward. ncing at his watch, he responded with cool detachment, ¡°Cathy, the moment you used Laura as a pawn and intentionally caused her pneumonia, you forfeited your right as her mother. Perhaps you¡¯ve never held affection for her since you were pregnant.¡± Cathy¡¯splexion lost its color. In a futile attempt, she reached for Mark¡¯s hand but failed. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. The man who once cherished her now regarded her as a_ mere acquaintance. She couldn¡¯t ept it. With a faint smile, Cathy challenged him, ¡°Mark, do you really want to drive me into a corner? I¡¯ve lost my career, my family, and much more. And now my child as well?¡± Avoiding a confrontation with her, Mark gave her onest warning, ¡°If you¡¯ve got a moralpass, you shouldn¡¯t have hurt that kid!¡± With that, Mark departed with hispanions. Chapter 1691 Chapter 1691 Cathy called out to his retreating figure, ¡°Mark! She¡¯s my child!¡± Mark came to a halt. Then he said quietly, ¡°She is not! She¡¯s Paul¡¯s child, and she is quite unlike you.¡± Laura¡¯s innocent gaze held no cunning plots within. Ang¡¯s Library Children embodied purity, and Laura shouldn¡¯t be swayed by Cathy. Mark walked away decisively, leaving Cathy alone, her smile tinged with self-mockery. She chuckled at her hopeful imagination. Even a child could not keep Mark by her side. Mark boarded his private jet, and his mood soured. Peter was the kindest and most thoughtful of them all. Pouring a ss of red wine, he passed it to Mark, seated beside him, and grinned, remarking, ¡°Cathy picked her path. She can¡¯t me anyone else.¡± Cathy stirred up so much trouble that her family couldn¡¯t wee her anymore, believing she had disgraced them. It could be said that the people around her had distanced themselves from her. Mark didn¡¯t sip the wine, declining with a charming gesture, straightening his shirt. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°Peter, she wasn¡¯t always this way. Once, she was reasonable and kind.¡± He seemed to drift into his world of thoughts. ¡°Love can sometimes make people lose their way.¡± Peter knew how to cheer Mark up and quickly responded, ¡°That¡¯s not always the case! Take Cecilia, for example. Her love for you is deep, yet she doesn¡¯tpromise her values. Her career thrives. She¡¯s your ideal one.¡± S~?a??h the FindN???l.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Mark gave him a look. Peter felt puzzled and asked, ¡°Did I say something incorrect?¡± Mark grinned and said, ¡°No. It¡¯s just I¡¯ve thought about something the wrong way all the time.¡± Mark had long believed that women like Cathy and Miss Holt embodied independence. However, Peter¡¯s words made him realize he was wrong on that. Cecilia was the epitome of the self-reliant woman he had always admired. Perhaps she livedfortably with only modest goals. Still, considering her origins in the Fowler family, how could anyone expect her to be ordinary? Her love had its boundaries. The thought of Cecilia made Mark¡¯s heart flutter. He was eager to reunite with her. Chapter 1692 Chapter 1692 Peter had a knack for reading Mark¡¯s mind. After guessing what was on Mark¡¯s mind, he refrained from adding more words. S?a??h th? Find?ovel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. By nine o¡¯clock in the evening, the private jet touched down. An hour and a halfter, Mark was back at the vi. In the hallway, there was just a single wallmp still lit. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Surrounded by the gentle, golden light, he sensed the warmth of home. A sweet home with Cecilia and Edwin. Mark removed his coat and gazed around the vi adorned with decorations from a while ago, and his heart warmed with nostalgia. He made his way upstairs and headed straight to the child¡¯s bedroom. Edwin had dozed off. While sleeping, he remained perfectly still, lying on his side with his small body snugly wrapped under the quilt. Only half of his soft face was visible. His brown hair had a shiny, vibrant color. Mark perched on the bed¡¯s edge, loosened his shirt and leaned down to nt a kiss. Edwin remained asleep, but he murmured something in his dream. Mark watched over him tenderly for some time. Ang¡¯s Library Atst, he carefully tucked Edwin in and returned to his bedroom, where Cecilia was still engrossed in her tasks. Perched on the couch in her white robe, Cecilia was absorbed in a script. Her slightly wet hair was draped down, and a fresh scent emanated from her. She had just stepped out of a shower. Mark eased the door shut, speaking softly. ¡°It¡¯ste. Are you still going over your lines?¡± Cecilia lifted her gaze to him. Delight flickered in her eyes, but she kept it subtle, not wanting to reveal too much. Leaning against the doorframe, Mark undid the buttons on his shirt and grumbled, ¡°I¡¯mpletely worn out!¡± He had a talent for handling rtionships with women. Revealing vulnerability would often evoke women¡¯s sympathy, and Cecilia, at the very least, felt a bit concerned. Chapter 1693 Chapter 1693 However, she remained seated and refused to get up. Mark sat beside her, wearing a gentle smile, and affectionately ruffled her hair. ¡°How did your day out shopping go?¡± Cecilia shared some information about Rena with him, and without overthinking, she remarked, ¡°Once Elva is born, Waylen and Rena will have two little girls.¡± Yet, they had no daughters of their own. Despite his fatigue, Mark¡¯s smile remained. He reclined against the sofa, too weary to move much. Nevertheless, he drew her into his embrace. He took her hand, sliding it inside his shirt to feel the warmth of his skin. Cecilia pulled back her hand. ¡°I¡¯m not kidding!¡± With a tender grin, Mark said, ¡°Don¡¯t we already have a little girl at home?¡± As he said this, he yfully tugged at her long hair. Cecilia got the hint. She blushed a bit, realizing her youthful days were now behind her. ¡°Do you feel embarrassed?¡± After a little break, Mark became energetic and was itching to dive into some intimate moments. Cecilia yfully nudged his arm and eximed, ¡°I¡¯ve got a big newssh for you!¡± s?a??h th? FindN???l.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Mark released her hand. He rose from his seat, leisurely undoing his belt, almost as if preparing for a shower. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Cecilia lifted her gaze toward him. He shed his garments without hesitation, appearing just like his usual self. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. She genuinely admired his audacious charm. Nearly undressed, Mark cast a nce her way and teased, ¡°Feeling tempted? Didn¡¯t you say you have something to tell me?¡± Cecilia reclined and feigned focus on her script. Chapter 1694 Chapter 1694 A momentter, she blurted out, slightly annoyed, ¡°What do you say inviting Zoey over to live with us?¡± Mark had already walked toward the bathroom, and his response drifted from within. ¡°Zoey¡¯s not fond of going out. She¡¯s content with her life in Czanch! Yet, she adores you and Edwin. Maybe she will agree toe over if you invite her with enough enthusiasm.¡± Cecilia kept quiet. Upon exiting the bathroom, Mark noticed Cecilia lost in thought. He settled across from her, inquiring, ¡°What¡¯s on your mind? Did I upset you?¡± Observing his presence, Cecilia stared at him. She wanted to keep Zoeypany. Mark stroked her hair tenderly and whispered, ¡°What¡¯s going through your head? How could I leave her alone? She¡¯ll stay there alone for now. We will take Edwin back to Czanch in a few years. By that time, you¡¯re not allowed to get teary with homesickness.¡± He spoke with a soft and caring tone. Cecilia appreciated the way Markforted her. She murmured, ¡°I won¡¯t if you treat me well.¡± AngsLibrary Mark drew her close. Tonight, he was overflowing with passion. Despite knowing he might notst, he couldn¡¯t hold back his desire, kissing her until her body nearly melted from his affection. This intense lovemaking swept them off their feet. It wasn¡¯t until midnight that Mark stirred from his slumber. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. His phone buzzed, and it was a call from Laura. In the darkness, he gazed at the screen quietly for a few seconds before finally hitting the mute button. The light flickered on and off. Sleep eluded him, so he tenderly embraced Cecilia, nuzzling his face against her graceful neck. Cecilia¡¯s eyes fluttered open. She sensed Mark¡¯s mncholy. She knew he liked Laura dearly. She mused that if Laura hadn¡¯t been Cathy¡¯s daughter, they might have weed Laura with open arms, raising her up as Rena did with Leonel. S?a?*?h the F?ndNov?l.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But Laura was Cathy¡¯s daughter. She could not bring herself to embrace Laura as her own. Chapter 1695 Chapter 1695 Cecilia had something to say, but Mark silenced her with a gentle finger on her lips. He prevented her from speaking. He drew Cecilia in his arms and whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s sleep.¡± Cecilia came to a standstill. As the night wore on, Mark believed she had dozed off, so he silently got up, leaving his phone behind. s?a??h th? F?ndN?vel.??t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He reached for a pack of cigarettes on the bedside table. As he stepped outside, a cool breeze swept into the bedroom, leaving a touch of chill behind. Cecilia¡¯s cheek rested against the white sheet. She drew near, blinked her eyes open, wide awake, unable to return to sleep. She couldn¡¯t resist the urge to rise from bed. She ventured through the darkness wearing her thin pajamas until she eventually located Mark in the study. A faint spotlight cast a gentle glow on him, resembling aforting embrace amid the dimly lit night. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Bathed in the soft light, he smoked in silence. His handsome face wore a slight frown as if his thoughts were clouded with sadness. It was rare for Cecilia to see Mark in such a state. No matter how challenging the task, he had a knack for effortlessly resolving it. She cast her gaze downward and drifted into quiet contemtion. > Mark would find contentment if Laura had a bright future but deep regret if her path ahead turned gloomy. Not tending to the sole heir of Paul would weigh heavily on Mark. Right now, Mark became aware of Cecilia¡¯s presence. His eyes locked onto hers with feelings too deep to decipher, and Cecilia replied with a smile. Her smile held more sorrow than tears. A phone was in her hand. She said, ¡°Here¡¯s your phone.¡± Then she swiftly passed him the phone and hurriedly departed as if she feared having second thoughts. Chapter 1696 Chapter 1696 Mark grasped his phone, which remained on silent, its screen shing incessantly. Instead of immediately answering, he nced towards the study¡¯s door, through which Cecilia had disappeared. A lump formed in Mark¡¯s throat. He then pressed the answer button and Laura¡¯s voice came through. The young girl sounded a bit uneasy. Mark lit a cigarette and held it delicately between his fingers. He asked softly, ¡°It¡¯ste. Why aren¡¯t you asleep?¡± Laura replied quietly, ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡± Mark felt a surge of sympathy for the child. Cathy had given birth to Laura and entrusted her care to a babysitter. Now, she found herself in an unfamiliar environment, a harsh situation for a child. After offering someforting words to Laura, Mark requested that she pass the phone to Paul¡¯s parents where he talked with them for a while. Only then did Paul¡¯s parents learn that Laura was having trouble falling asleep at night. They assured Mark that they would take good care of her. As Laura bid Mark good night, a sense of sorrow weighed heavily on her. She had been deprived of a family¡¯s warmth since childhood and now couldn¡¯t often see Mark, who gave her Mark hung up the phone, feeling a surge of mixed emotions. But he knew that Cecilia felt even worse. S?a?ch Th? FindN???l.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. He extinguished his cigarette and returned to the bedroom. Sure enough, Cecilia was still awake. Her long, ck hair cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall, making her look striking as she leaned against the headboard. Mark ced his phone on the nightstand. He leaned in to kiss her tenderly on the lips, noting that they felt slightly dry. He asked softly, ¡°Don¡¯t you have work tomorrow morning? If you don¡¯t get some sleep, how will you manage during the day?¡± > Cecilia didn¡¯t resist, and instead, nestled closer to him, resting her head on his chest. They stayed that way for a long time until his shirt became damp and ufortable. Chapter 1697 Chapter 1697 He extinguished his cigarette and returned to the bedroom. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Sure enough, Cecilia was still awake. Her long, ck hair cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall, making her look striking as she leaned against the headboard. Mark ced his phone on the nightstand. He leaned in to kiss her tenderly on the lips, noting that they felt slightly dry. He asked softly, ¡°Don¡¯t you have work tomorrow morning? If you don¡¯t get some sleep, how will you manage during the day?¡± Cecilia didn¡¯t resist, and instead, nestled closer to him, resting her head on his chest. S?a?*?h the FindN???l.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They stayed that way for a long time until his shirt became damp and ufortable. Mark gently stroked her hair and then kissed her once more. Cecilia trembled slightly. Their kiss deepened, as if it was their souls connecting. In that moment, neither of them needed words tomunicate. The following morning, Cecilia awoke to find herself alone in bed. She assumed Mark had already left for work. When she descended the stairs, she was surprised to find Mark still at home. He was dressed in a Light brown sweater and dark coffee casual pants, exuding a gentle and elegant demeanor. He was having breakfast with Edwin. When he saw Ceciliaing down, he shed a warm smile and said, ¡°Let¡¯s take Edwin to kindergarten together.¡± Cecilia took a seat and brushed her long hair back. ¡°I have a morningmercial shoot today,¡± she replied. Mark handed her a ss of warm milk and offered, ¡°I¡¯ll drive you to the setter.¡± Cecilia took a sip of milk and regarded Mark. She whispered, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this.¡± The previous night, she had given him the phone out of sympathy, not wanting him to feel guilty. If Laura¡¯s presence didn¡¯t disrupt Cecilia and Edwin¡¯s life with Mark, she might have turned a blind eye to it. But she still couldn¡¯t ept any involvement with the girl. Mark remained silent, gently stroking Cecilia¡¯s hair. Chapter 1698 Chapter 1698 After breakfast, they dropped Edwin at kindergarten together. It was a recent transition for Edwin, and he was ecstatic that both his parents were apanying him to school. Mark stood alongside Cecilia, watching their son enter the kindergarten. They then got back into the car. Mark didn¡¯t immediately start the engine. Instead, he turned to Cecilia and asked softly, ¡°Do you have work this afternoon?¡± Cecilia understood his implication. He wanted to spend time with her. She bit her lip and yfully replied, ¡°Aren¡¯t you busy today?¡± Mark¡¯s gaze held a depth of sincerity. ¡°I am. But I also want to be with you.¡± Cecilia was still quite young, and her age warrantedpanionship. Moreover, Mark felt he owed her for the issue concerning Laura. He wanted to make amends. Knowing his intentions, Cecilia, who deeply loved him, didn¡¯t resist and softly replied, ¡°I¡¯m free after two in the afternoon.¡± Mark leaned in to kiss her. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the amusement park.¡± Though Cecilia¡¯s heart swelled with sweetness, she pretended to be indifferent. ¡°Amusement park? Really? I¡¯m not a child anymore!¡± Mark looked at her with his charming eyes, causing her to feel uneasy. She asked, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°I like it when you call me Mark,¡± he said in a hoarse voice. Cecilia blushed and fastened her seatbelt. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯m runningte.¡± s?a??h th? F?ndNov?l.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With a grin, Mark started the engine. When they arrived at the film set, Cecilia didn¡¯t hide her rtionship with Mark.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 1699 Chapter 1699 She was open about it, even to her colleagues. Everyone in the entertainment circle knew that Cecilia had a fiance and a son. While many in the entertainment industry had heard of Mr. Evans, they were surprised to find out that he was so young. The director came to greet Mark. Having held a leadership position for an extended period, Mark¡¯s expertise in dealing with people shone through. He engaged in a brief conversation with the director, and soon the director disyed a significant level of respect for him. Following some courteous exchanges, Mark made his exit. By two in the afternoon, Cecilia had finished her work. S?a??h th? F?ndN?vel.??t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The assistant teased her about Marking to pick her up, knowing full well that he would. Cecilia felt a warmth in her heart. Mark¡¯s car was waiting outside. He briefly exchanged pleasantries with her colleagues before he led her to the car. They had been together for many years, yet she was seldom treated this way. She took his hand and asked softly, ¡°Did you have enough money with you? I¡¯m worried you don¡¯t.¡± Mark handed her his wallet and said, ¡°Check it and see. If it¡¯s not enough, I¡¯ll get more.¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Cecilia yfully replied, ¡°You can make payments with your phone now. Who uses cash anymore? You¡¯re really getting old.¡± Mark replied, ¡°But you still love me even if I¡¯m old.¡± Cecilia blushed. They arrived at an amusement park in the city. Since it wasn¡¯t a weekend, there weren¡¯t many people. Cecilia was a bit clumsy at the games. But Mark turned out to be quite skilled, managing to y for an extended period with just a few tokens. She wrapped her arms around him and murmured, ¡°This is unfair. You¡¯ve never yed these games before, have you? Why are you so good at this?¡± Mark yed the w machine and won several plushies for her. He touched her head and quipped, ¡°Your job is to stay pretty, and I¡¯ll handle the rest.¡± In other words, he was suggesting that she was not very smart. Cecilia pouted and nuzzled her face into his arms, behaving like a spoiled child. Chapter 1700 Chapter 1700 ¡°I¡¯m not dumb. I graduated from a prestigious Ivy League school and can speak fournguages !¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. During this time, Mark got a few more plushies. With a mischievous tone, he asked, ¡°So, Mrs. Evans, you¡¯re quite good, huh?¡± He made a pun. She understood his intended wordy. While she recognized that she should have felt embarrassed or irritated, she didn¡¯t want to be upset when he referred to her as Mrs. Evans. Mark nced at her. He could really read her Like an open book. Her arm had been wrapped around his waist the whole time, and he vowed to spend more time with her whenever he had the opportunity. The subsequent days passed peacefully. Mark only sporadically talked to Laura on the phone. His business continued to thrive. Meanwhile, Cecilia was engrossed in her filming. Luckily, her work took ce in the same city, allowing Mark to pick her up whenever he had free time. Their evenings were dedicated to private, intimate moments after tucking their son in. Mark was lustful, and Cecilia was more than willing to oblige. Almost every night, she would end up pleading for mercy. Also, Mark, being cautious, ensured he used protection. Obviously, he weren¡¯t ready for another baby just yet. S?a?ch Th? F?ndN?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, Cecilia believed that given Mark¡¯s age, if they intended to have another child, they should do so soon. On top of that, she thought a new baby might bring joy to their family, especially since Edwin desired a little sister. Pressing his ear against his mother¡¯s belly to check if his Little sister was already growing in there was kind of their morning routine now. And Cecilia found it both amusing and endearing. One morning, as Mark was shaving in the bathroom, Cecilia decided to share her thoughts with him. He asked, ¡°You want a child?¡± Mark wiped his face and joined her in the bedroom. Dressed impably for a meeting scheduledter, he wore a gray shirt, trousers, and a matching tie chosen by Cecilia. His cool and handsome appearance caught her attention. Cecilia had a day off today. Chapter 1701 Chapter 1701 She was browsing through a magazine while considering Lingerie choices for the uing wedding. The wedding dress was significant. But the smaller details of married life were also important, particrly for newlyweds seeking to spice things up. She savored the look in Mark¡¯s eyes when he held her. Mark hadn¡¯t originally intended this. But when he saw what Cecilia was reading, he couldn¡¯t resist. He sat on the edge of the bed, lifting her pajamas to touch her belly. Blushing, she asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Mark smiled. ¡°I¡¯m checking if you¡¯re pregnant.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. With that, he activated a switch at the bedside. Immediately, the curtain closed and the room darken. He lifted the covers and held her beneath him. Cecilia yfully pushed his shoulder and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to attend a meeting?¡± Mark raised his hand and checked his watch. S?a?*?h the Find ???el.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He still had time. He continued to caress her. Cecilia was swept up in the moment and her face flushed. ¡°I¡¯m trying to tell you something serious.¡± Mark smiled. He continued to tenderly stroke her belly and asked, ¡°Edwin desires a little sister, doesn¡¯t he?¡± Cecilia wrapped her arms around his neck with one hand and gently restrained him with the other. She didn¡¯t want him to go any further at the moment. Blushing, she reached out to touch his handsome face, only to discover that his skin was also warm. Unable to contain her excitement, she whispered, ¡°I want to have another baby. Afterpleting this film, I intend to take a temporary break from filming. Additionally, we can bring Zoey here, which will provide Edwin with apanion to look after him.¡± Mark tenderly caressed her using the bridge of his nose. Her pajamas fell to the floor. There seemed to be a moment of hesitation, but Mark eventually withdrew his hand from the drawer and embraced her body, kissing her more passionately than before. Minutester, their intimate encounter ended. Chapter 1702 Chapter 1702 Mark curled up beside her, tenderly resting his hand on her belly. Cecilia spected that perhaps she would get pregnant this time. She remained in his embrace, her heart still racing. She softly asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to thepany now?¡± Mark kissed her, dressed, and went to the bathroom to change his shirt. She noticed some semen and her juices on his discarded shirt, which made her feel slightly embarrassed. Mark returned with a new shirt and kissed her. ¡°Have a good rest. And don¡¯t worry about Edwin. I¡¯ll pick him up.¡± Cecilia obediently nodded, raising her body to return his kiss. Her face flushed. Mark whispered, ¡°We¡¯ll have another round tonight when I return.¡± The atmosphere in the bedroom remained sweet even after he left. Cecilia lovingly touched her belly. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. It was still warm from Mark¡¯s touch. She noted that they hadn¡¯t used any contraception during their earlier encounter, indicating his desire for a child. Cecilia felt ted and rolled around on the bed. But her excitement was interrupted when her hand brushed against something hard. She discovered Mark¡¯s phone on the bed. Although she didn¡¯t intend to snoop, a message from Cathy appeared on the screen, catching her attention. Mark¡¯s phone wasn¡¯t locked, and curiosity got the better of Cecilia. S~?a??h the (?ind)??vel.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She opened the message and found that over the past two weeks, Cathy had sent numerous messages, most of which were about Laura. Cathy¡¯s tone was gentle, but Mark had barely responded to any of them. There was only one response from himst week. ¡°Laura is being well taken care of.¡± Cecilia¡¯s body tensed, and she felt a chill. The simple message left her deeply troubled. Mark and Cathy¡¯s rtionship resembled that of divorced couples, connected through their shared responsibility for a child. The ironic part was that the child wasn¡¯t even Mark¡¯s. Chapter 1703 Chapter 1703 Just as she was processing the message, Mark entered the room. He saw her in a daze and noticed his phone in her hand. Mark could sense what she had discovered. He approached and gently retrieved his phone, promptly deleting the message from Cathy. He affectionately rubbed Cecilia¡¯s head and offered reassuring words. ¡°Don¡¯t dwell on it.¡± Cecilia lifted her head and softly asked, ¡°Can¡¯t you just stay out of it?¡± Mark had already fulfilled his duty by assisting the Thomas family in regaining custody of Laura. He had done enough, hadn¡¯t he? Mark then cklisted Cathy. He kissed Cecilia. Despite her sadness, she wrapped her arms around his waist. Mark assured her, ¡°I won¡¯t concern myself with this matter anymore. If anything happens in the Thomas family, I¡¯ll have Peter handle it.¡± S?a?*?h the Find_N?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ceciliaprehended the situation. She was a reasonable person. Despite the difficulty of epting the situation, she recognized the need to process it on her own. Therefore, she chose not to disclose the matter to Waylen and Rena. Cecilia believed in her need to mature and not burden her brother and sister-inw with every concern.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Cecilia¡¯s wedding to Mark was scheduled for early April. It was to be held in Czanch in Evans Gardon. Cecilia had a strong affinity for it. The main bedroom in Evans Gardon, which belonged to Mark, held special significance for Cecilia. The wedding was about tomence. Both the Evans and Fowler families were influential. On that evening, thergest hotel in Czanch hosted a grand celebration with 100 tables to amodate their rtives, friends, and business associates. Earlier that day, Cecilia donned a white wedding dress. She was already beautiful. But today, she looked even more stunning. Rena was in her eighth month of pregnancy. Despite her advanced pregnancy, she actively contributed to organizing the wedding, anxious that it wouldn¡¯t be wless. Cecilia helped Rena sit down. Chapter 1704 Chapter 1704 Rena tenderly caressed Cecilia¡¯s hair and shared something in a gentle tone that deeply resonated with Cecilia. Waylen came in. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. He was attired in a ssic three-piece ck and white suit, exuding an air of maturity and handsomeness. Cecilia eximed, ¡°Waylen, you¡¯re going to outshine Mark in no time Waylen yfully tapped Cecilia¡¯s head. He smiled and scolded, ¡°You¡¯re taking someone else over your brother already? I have to depend on this handsome face to captivate your sister-inw. Don¡¯t drag me down.¡± His taunt caused Cecilia to flush. Rena red at her husband. Waylen smiled faintly and stopped teasing Cecilia. Suddenly, the butler came over and said, ¡°Mr. Kyle Waston and Mr. Albert Waston from Heron are here to attend the wedding banquet. They would like to talk with Mrs. Fowler.¡± Rena didn¡¯t mind. Thinking of Albert, Waylen snorted. ¡°We sent them invitations?¡± The butler replied, ¡°Yes, we did.¡± Waylen apanied Rena to see them since he was concerned about her. Cecilia was left alone in the bridal suite. She felt bored and wanted to eat something. Suddenly, her phone rang. Though the number was strange, she recognized it as Cathy¡¯s. Although Cecilia did not want to answer, part of her also wanted to know what this woman wanted. Cecilia finally answered the call. Surprisingly, Cathy wasn¡¯t arrogant. She was calm. ¡°You¡¯ve won, Cecilia. I¡¯ve suffered a severe defeat. I can¡¯te to terms with it. I refuse to believe that Mark is so heartless that he won¡¯t answer my calls or see me. I bet that he still cares for Laura, even just a little. Cecilia. Laura is in my hand. If I were to cut her throat with a knife, she¡¯d leave this world with me. Do you think he will let it happen?¡± S?a?*?h the ?indN?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1705 Chapter 1705 Cecilia tightened her hold on her phone. Cecilia found it hard to believe that Cathy would go to such extremes. Even if Cathy didn¡¯t have strong feelings for Paul, Laura was her own flesh and blood, and the bond ran deep. Cecilia whispered, ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± Cathy remained silent and eventually hung up the phone. Cecilia was left in a state of shock. Shortly afterward, Mark entered the room, his gaze filled with tenderness. He asked, ¡°Who called you?¡± Cecilia shook her head and softly replied, ¡°An old friend of mine.¡± She couldn¡¯t believe that Cathy would resort to such extreme measures. She suspected that Cathy¡¯s intention was simply to disrupt the wedding. After some hesitation, Cecilia decided not to inform Mark about the call. S?a??h th? Find?ovel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The wedding proceeded as nned, with a lively and grand atmosphere. Alexis served as the flower girl, and Edwin took on the role of the ring bearer. Both looked adorable and charming. As the wedding march yed, two individuals rushed in¡ª-Paul¡¯s parents. They were visibly distressed. ¡°Mark, Cathy has taken Laura away! She intends to do something drastic to her daughter. Cathy called us and imed that she informed Miss Fowler, but¡­ Mark, for Paul¡¯s sake, please save Laura. She is thest descendant of the Thomas family.¡± Paul¡¯s parents knelt before Cecilia, who turned pale. Mark¡¯s gentle voice then reached Cecilia. ¡°Did she contact you?¡± Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Cecilia was taken aback, realizing that Mark was holding her partially responsible. Cecilia bit her lip lightly. Today was her wedding day and the color of her lipstick was dark red. ¡°Yes. I got a call from Cathy,¡± she said in answer to Mark¡¯s question. Chapter 1706 Chapter 1706 When Mark heard this, his face darkened. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± he asked in a tone filled with displeasure. Cecilia stared at him absently. Even she couldn¡¯t help but ask herself. Why didn¡¯t she tell him? Well, because he was her husband, and today was her wedding day. Was she wrong for not wanting him to go see another woman? Sadly, Mark himself couldn¡¯t see clearly all that was going on. One issue was that he cared too much about the child. But would Cecilia have to spend her whole life paying for the results of Mark¡¯s romance? Not only herself, but also her parents, her brother and sister-inw as well as Edwin were all paying for it. Tears welled up in Cecilia¡¯s eyes as she continued to stare at him. Mark soon noticed it. But this time, he was more worried that Cathy would really go crazy. If she did do something rash, he would have a lot to regret for the rest of his life. His Lips moved slightly, though he said nothing. But Zoey knew her son very well. And she felt very sorry for her future daughter-inw. She looked at Paul¡¯s parents and said calmly, ¡°We also feel sorry for what happened to your family, but this matter has already turned into a serious matter. How about we call the police? Look, Mark is getting married today, you know.¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Zoey felt this was just a stroke of bad luck. Paul¡¯s parents wiped their tears and nodded, ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve called the police. But Cathy insisted on meeting Mark.¡± Then they turned to Mark and went on their knees to beg him profusely. ¡°Mark, please meet Cathy for the sake of Paul. Do it for the sake of Paul¡¯s life. Please.¡± S?a??h th? Find_N?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Then the entire room went quiet as everyone waited for Mark¡¯s decision. There was no room for recklessness, for both Fowler family and the Evans family would suffer the consequences. Korbyn and Waylen had deadpan looks on their faces. But they didn¡¯t say anything. Chapter 1707 Chapter 1707 They stayed silent for Cecilia¡¯s sake. Korbyn knew his daughter best, so he would always do what he knew she would approve of. At this point, Mark helped Paul¡¯s parents to their feet and then he looked at Cecilia and said softly, ¡°I¡¯ll go and meet Cathy now. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Let¡¯s hold the wedding when Ie back.¡± That was all he could say. Cecilia was shocked to hear this as she stood in the middle of the hall in her white wedding gown while Edwin stood beside her, holding onto her gown in silence. Her face had turned pale and it was clear to see that she was not happy. She pulled down her ck hair and said in a particrly calm tone, ¡°There will be no wedding.¡± ¡°Cecilia, don¡¯t make a scene,¡± Mark admonished with a frown. Cecilia broke into a sad smile and began to stroke her son¡¯s hair affectionately. ¡°I mean it, Mark,¡± she said straightforwardly. ¡°You¡¯re clearly not the one for me to keep. You can save Laura or reunite with Cathy, or even¡­ In fact, the Evans Garden is well decorated today. Even if you decide to marry Cathy, I would be fine with it. Mark, having three people in a rtionship is too much of a crowd. If you can¡¯t focus on me and me alone, then I don¡¯t want such a marriage.¡± S~?a??h the F?ndN?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Tears streamed down Cecilia¡¯s cheeks as she said this. But all through this speech, she kept her gaze on Mark. It was not three years, four years, or even five years. Cecilia had loved Mark for a very long time. She had never for once thought of putting an end to that love even in the most difficult times in her life. But on their wedding day, just because of this phone call, she had decided to give uppletely on her love for him. Mark felt this was unfair and he was very saddened by it. Nevertheless, he clenched his fists and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± Cecilia simply smiled lightly, knowing fully well that he had made up his mind to go, and so had she. Zoey, on the other hand, was trembling with anger. She stepped forward and pped Mark on the face. ¡°Mark, if you dare take a step out of this ce, I¡¯ll take Cecilia and Edwin away and nevere back. You really are something. You want to disappoint Cecilia and Edwin because of that woman? Don¡¯t you know that you owe Cecilia so much over the years?¡± Chapter 1708 Chapter 1708 It was clear to see how disappointed she was in Mark. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she scolded him. But it still wasn¡¯t enough to keep Mark. He was worried about the life of that little innocent girl. Before leaving, he nced at Cecilia and told her again to wait for him. All of a sudden, he heard Rena cry out, ¡°Uncle Mark!¡± Mark paused. Her cry brought tears to his eyes, but it still didn¡¯t stop him. Rena closed her eyes and shook her head sadly as she saw him leave. Waylen put his arm around Rena¡¯s shoulder to prevent her from falling. She looked so weak and frail all of a sudden. The Evans Garden was in chaos. But strangely enough, Cecilia felt relieved, perhaps because she had foreseen all these. Nevertheless, she looked around her sadly. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. For years, she had looked forward to being Mrs. Evans. Unfortunately, she only became Mrs. Evans for one day. There were a lot of guests at the venue. The Fowler family was a very prestigious one, so it drew a lot of bigwigs. Cecilia didn¡¯t want to embarrass her father and brother, but there was nothing else she could do. She bowed to Zoey and said to her, ¡°I¡¯m going back.¡± When Zoey heard this, she immediately burst into tears. She cursed Mark for bringing so much pain to everyone and she tried to beg Cecilia to at least wait a little longer. But with tears in her eyes, Cecilia shook her head and said with a bitter smile, ¡°I can¡¯t wait anymore.¡± Then she carried Edwin in her arms and walked up to Korbyn and Waylen, feeling like a recalcitrant child. s?a??h th? Find_N?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Dad, Waylen¡­ I¡¯m sorry to embarrass you,¡± she apologized. Korbyn felt very bad. But he cared more about his daughter¡¯s feelings. He patted Cecilia¡¯s head and said, ¡°It¡¯s not like we can¡¯t take care of you. Look how well we¡¯ve taking care of Rena. Every child in our family will be well taken care of as always.¡± Cecilia felt very emotional when she heard this. Chapter 1709 Chapter 1709 She promptly threw herself into Juliette¡¯s arms and hid her face in her bosom. Waylen felt sorry for his little sister and mad at Mark, but he didn¡¯tsh out. Since Mark had proven to be unreasonable, Waylen felt it was up to him to step up for his family and fix the mess as the man that he was. Unfortunately, poor Rena was one of those caught in the middle of the whole chaos. So, Waylen said to his parents, ¡°Dad and mom, you both should take Cecilia and the children back to Duefron. I¡¯ll stay here with Rena.¡± Korbyn couldn¡¯t help but agree with his n. He looked at Rena and said, ¡°Please don¡¯t me yourself for this. S?a??h th? ?indN?vel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It wasn¡¯t your fault. Cecilia still regards you as her sister-inw.¡± Rena said nothing. She just smiled bitterly. Though the situation was chaotic, Waylen¡¯s presence felt quite reassuring. Eventually, he took charge of the situation and saw the guests off as they all left in groups. By the time Waylen was done with this, it was already afternoon. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. But he wasn¡¯t feeling hungry or tired at all. He stood in the yard and lit a cigarette. After quietly smoking for a while, he went in search of Zoey. Rena was with Zoey. The woman was really devastated. Her only son, over 40 years of age, was finally settling down. Cecilia¡¯s family was so good, and she loved Cecilia to pieces. But all of a sudden, everything had turned upside down. Zoeyy on the bed, and for a long time, couldn¡¯t bring herself to get up. The doctor hade to see her two times already. At this point, Waylen pushed the door open and walked in. He could hear Zoey talking about driving Mark out of the Evans family. Rena, on the other hand, was trying to calm her down. Waylen went over to meet them. ¡°Have you and your grandma had Lunch yet?¡± he asked Rena in a soft tone. Rena shook her head in the negative. Chapter 1710 Chapter 1710 Waylen gently touched her shoulder and said, ¡°You¡¯re eating for two now. Go ask the chef to prepare something while I stay with your grandma.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid it will be too difficult to put her in a better mood,¡± Rena whispered doubtfully. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. But Waylen smiled and assured her that he was up to the task. So Rena stood up and left. As she walked out, she felt the whole house was much quieter than usual and all the decorations for the wedding had been removed. Nearby, the butler was ordering the house maids to do their parts and all of them were silent, walking with their heads down. When the butler saw Rena, he forced a smile and asked, ¡°How is Mrs. Evans?¡± ¡°Waylen is with her,¡± Rena replied. ¡°We¡¯d like to have our lunch though.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the butler nodded. No matter what, they had to eat. It was unfortunate that what was supposed to be a happy event had ended badly, but life had to go on. Meanwhile, on the other side of the town, there was still an ongoing scene. Cathy was standing on the rooftop with Laura, but despite objections from others, Paul¡¯s parents approached them. They were determined to save their son¡¯s only descendant. But in the end, they all perished together. S?a?ch Th? Find ???el.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They fell from the 23rd floor. Fortunately for Laura, she ended upnding on an awning canvas on the 20th floor. So she was saved. But after all she had gone through, Laura became so traumatized that she didn¡¯t speak anymore. It was almost as if she had lost her ability to form words. Cathy and Paul¡¯s parents were all dead, lying in a massive pool of blood while arge crowd of people gathered to stare. Mark gently picked Laura up and the little girl hugged him tightly, with her little face against his. He could feel her whole body trembling. ALL of a sudden, she had be an orphan. Before long, reporters had flooded the area and the story immediately made the news. Mark quickly carried Laura home. Chapter 1711 Chapter 1711 the chapter is errored .we will fix ittter S~?a??h the Find?ovel.?et website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. S?arch the Find ???el.n?t website on G??gl? to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!